Waukesha County Home

(BPT) — Call this the age of personal- ization. You can customize practically any- thing these days, from the kind of infor- mation you get on your favorite news feed and the offers you receive from your bank to the icons, background and sounds on your smartphone. Personalizing something really makes it feel more "yours," so of course you want to be able to do that to your first home. If you're shopping for your first home, you may already know what you want to do to personalize it. However, you may not be aware that certain features can make a home easier and more affordable to customize after you've moved in. For example, if you think you'll need room to expand for a growing family down the road, it will be cheaper in the long run to buy a home with an attic or basement that you can finish into living space than to try and build on an addition from scratch. As you're shopping for your first home, keep in mind these elements that will help make it easier and financially feasi- ble for you to make your new home truly your own: Architectural bones that are right for you What's your personal style? Do you favor a mid-century modern look? Art- deco? Craftsman? Colonial? It's impor- tant to choose a home in a basic architec- tural style you love, because while you can affordably change the color and land- scaping, it's much harder to create a whole new look. Look for exterior fea- tures that play up the home's architec- tural style, and then think of ways to cus- tomize them down the road. For example, simply painting the gingerbread trim on your Victorian style home in a different color can celebrate the look you love while making it your own. Energy-efficient lifestyle features Green considerations and energy efficiency are top priorities for many of C O N T E N T S There's a time to divide, a time to rake, a time to cut back perennials Keeping rooms from getting too hot or cold can include installing an adjustable duct thermostat A publication of the Waukesha Freeman and Oconomowoc Enterprise • SEPTEMBER 2016 Your Guide to Homes, Home Improvement, Lawn & Garden and MORE! HOMES HOMES WAUKESHA + Room to add your touches Tips for buying a first home to allow for personalization See PERSONAL TOUCH/Page 5 "13 9DULDEOH5DWH3ULPH 1RWD7HDVHU5DWH 1R&ORVLQJ&RVWV_1R*LPPLFNV 6KRZ\RXUKRXVHVRPHORYHZLWKD )PNF&RVJUZ-JOFPG$SFEJU * Annual Percentage Rate (APR) is variable and will adjust according to the U.S. prime rate (as published by the Wall Street Journal) + 0% with a minimum APR of 3.75% and a maximum APR of 18.00%. An annual loan commitment fee of $ 36 with autopay or $ 50 without autopay is waived for the first year. An early termination fee of $ 300 may be assessed if the home line is terminated within the first 3 years. There will be no fees imposed to open the new home line. Property insurance will be required. This special offer is valid only for new home lines of $ 25,000 - $ 250,000, or existing home lines with an increase of $ 25,000 or more, with a loan-to-value (LTV) not exceeding 80% and subject to credit approval. Other financing options may be available to customers that do not meet the terms of this offer, including LTV ratios as high as 105%. The interest on the portion of the credit extension that is greater than the fair market value of the dwelling is not tax deductible for Federal income tax purposes. Consult a tax adviser for further information regarding the deductibility of interest and charges. Other conditions or restrictions may apply. Member FDIC. whyskylights.com Privacy in the bath comes along with abundant natural light plus silent, passive ventilation through Energy Star-qualified from Velux America. The bathroom is one area that can be customized when buying a home.

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