Waukesha County Home

AUGUST 2018 HOME 7 18 Full-size Doors On Display, Our Installers Are Licensed & Bonded 16'x7', 25 Gauge...Non Insulated Steel $ 895 Lifetime Door Co. TRUCKLOAD SALE on Garage Doors & Door Openers Installed Tax Included $ 1095 • Other Sizes Available • 2000 Garage Doors in Stock Special! - Take down and haul away old door for FREE! 16x7 SAVE $ 240 NOW ORDER A LIFTMASTER 1/2 HP GARAGE DOOR OPENER & GET 2 REMOTES & KEYPAD. $ 365 Installed Tax Included • Two-Sided Pre-Finished Galvanized Steel • R-10 Insulated • 5 colors to choose from 12645 W. Townsend (2 blocks N. of Burleigh, enter off 124th St. only) Free Estimate 262-783-4004 Monday - Friday 7am-5pm www.lifetimedoor.net 2 5 8 9 4 6 0 0 1 Full Year Warranty, parts and service on installed operators. Model 8365 (StatePoint) — Ample bedrooms and bathrooms? Check. A roomy kitchen? Check. A nice-sized backyard, storage space in the attic and just the right amount of curb appeal? Check, check and check. Once you've found your perfect home, the next step is finding the right mortgage — which can sometimes feel like you're competing in a contact sport, being blind- sided by confusing requests or financial surprises as you go through the application process. According to the U.S. Census Bureau, 63.7 percent of Americans own their home. But getting there wasn't necessarily easy. A 2017 NerdWallet survey reports that 42 percent of homeowners felt the home-buying process was stressful, a third said it was complicated, and 21 percent found it intimidating. To help make you a mortgage all-star, Ally Home has created "The Mortgage Playbook," a free, easy-to-read resource. Authored by members of the Ally Home Team, a dedicated group of loan experts, the "Playbook" features four sections that cover the entire field — from a getting-started game plan to approval and closing on a mortgage. It also breaks down confusing financial terms, helping applicants avoid pain during the home buying process. To help you prepare for your mortgage game day, here are three top tips from the experts at Ally: ■ Maximize your financial fitness. There are five steps consumers should take to improve their "financial fitness" before applying for a mortgage. These include demonstrating stable employment, managing debt, pay- ing down credit accounts, accumulating assets like savings or retirement accounts to boost credit histories, and reviewing (and correcting, if necessary) your cred- it reports. ■ Know your numbers. Borrowers can take advan- tage of free online tools, such as the Affordability Cal- culator available at Ally.com, to determine how much house they can afford. Using two pieces of data — monthly income and monthly debt — a borrower can quickly calculate their debt-to-income ratio. In most instances, this ratio should not exceed 43 percent, mean- ing your monthly mortgage payment and other debt obligations (car loan, school loan, credit card payments) should not comprise more than 43 percent of your gross monthly income. ■ Know what type of mortgage is best for you. One of the biggest decisions borrowers make is whether to get a fixed-rate or adjustable-rate mortgage. When interest rates are low, a fixed-rate mortgage may be the better option. But if interest rates are higher, an adjustable rate mortgage could make sense because its lower initial rate means lower monthly payments for a specific time period (usually five, seven or 10 years) before the rate could change. For more valuable tips, visit ally.com/docs/bank/ally- home-playbook to download the complete "Mortgage Playbook." This free resource was created by Ally Home, whose mortgage products are offered by Ally Bank, member of the Federal Deposit Insurance Corp., and an equal housing lender. Just like you wouldn't hit the field without training and preparation, don't head into the home buying process without the right knowledge. Leverage free resources that can help you be prepared. Monkey Business/stock.Adobe.com Finding the perfect mortgage might seem harder than finding the perfect home. Ally Home has three tips that can help homebuyers make financing easier. How to find the right mortgage, the right rate MUSKEGO — "New vinyl siding is an excellent way to give a home a makeover while increasing the home's curb appeal," said Christopher Wittmann, exterior product specialist with Callen Construction. "It's durable, cost-effective, and requires little to no maintenance, making it one of the most popular siding options available." Climate is a primary factor to consider when choosing vinyl siding. "Southeastern Wisconsin residents know the weather can be unpredictable throughout the year, as we can experience blistering heat, below-freezing temperatures, strong storms, high winds, hail, and everything in between," Wittmann said. "Therefore, it's important to equip a home's exterior with windload-tested, anti-weathering vinyl sid- ing that is capable of withstanding severe weather." Insulated siding, or siding with foam, is another option. Expanded polystyrene foam is a rigid material that is coated on the back- side of panels. "As a result, foam siding is long lasting, resists impacts, is energy- efficient, deters mold and mildew growth, and will not dent, crack, contort, or discolor," Wittmann said. "Plus, there will be no empty space behind the siding, which means it has a nice flat appearance and helps prevent the siding from blowing off the home in the event of high winds." A home's architecture and personal style must also be taken into account. Dating back to the 19th century, board and batten siding is time-tested and is ideal for both traditional and contemporary homes. "If you want to put a new twist on this timeless classic, vertical board and batten siding is a choice that will allow for a modern, yet sensible look," Wittmann said. Alternatively, vinyl siding that looks like cedar shake offers a more coastal New England or Victorian appearance. "Moreover, it comes in different styles, including scalloped rounds, perfection-cut wood-grain or rough-cut shakes," he said. "If you prefer the look of wood, then wood-grain vinyl siding with weathered wood tones is an excellent option for almost any home. For those who seek to diminish seam lines, extra- long vinyl siding is also available. "Beyond the occasional cleaning with a hose, soap, and water, there is little else that needs to be done," Wittmann said. "In addition to being resistant to damage, vinyl siding does not need to be repainted, plus it's insect-resistant." Callen examines pros of vinyl siding

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