Greater Hartford Online

West Hartford Portrait Photographer. I had the pleasure of having my portrait taken recently by West Hartford Portrait Photographer Amber Jones of Studio Pura. I wanted to update my head-shot to better capture “me”. The results couldn’t be better, she perfectly captured me; the happy, relaxed, real, organic as several have said it person.

Hoping to share with everyone how great she is I decided to interview her recently about her West Hartford Portrait Business Studio Pura.

What is your secret to capturing such great portraits?   I want my clients to be comfortable. From knowing what to wear, to the fact that little blemishes can be easily erased, to most importantly being relaxed as I take pictures. You will remember I asked you about your family, and your children while taking your portrait. It helped you to laugh and relax. Don’t be bound to traditional studio photographs. Whatever will let them be free and alive that will create great childrens portraits. Great photographs capture memories and are never posed.

As a Portrait Photographer in West Hartford there are obvious times that people have their portrait taken, tell me about some creative portraits you have taken?    My tag line is photographer for life. I will be photographing a client's baby moments after their birth in the coming months. Shortly after that they will have their birth announcement portraits taken. A cool service I offer is I can actually mail the announcements for the family. A priceless service for the preoccupied newborn’s family. Fast forward to senior portraits and graduation announcements. As a West Hartford portrait photographer I know that families want their children’s senior portraits taken in a comfortable surroundings, at their house, in a park, riding their horse, you name it. I’m happy to go to the location they find comfortable for their Senior Portraits, or any portraits a family would like taken.

Want to get in touch with Amber Jones, West Hartford Portrait Photographer at Studio Pura? Call the studio at 860-550-5454. Studio Pura is located at 121 Talcott Rd., Suite B West Hartford, CT. 06110 or on the web at www.studiopura.com. Studio Pura wants to be your forever photographer, from birth announcements, to family portraits, to wedding announcements and even photographing your big day!  Looking for a West Hartford Portrait Photographer?  Check out these pictures and you can see how great Amber's work is!

West Hartford refinance mortgage, what does it mean to refinance? How could refinancing my home in West Hartford help me? What will it cost me? Under what circumstances would I want to consider refinancing? All of these are questions you may have when you hear the term "refinance.

What does it mean to refinance? Quite simply, a refinance is when you replace the existing mortgage on your home with a new one.  When it comes to mortgages there are two main categories of refinances, a "rate & term" or "cash-out".  A "rate & term" refinance is a new mortgage which was obtained to lower the rate, or change the term of the original loan.  You may include the costs of the new loan into your new loan, but a borrower getting a "rate & term" refinance does not receive any additional cash at the time of closing.  The other option "cash-out" is a new loan where you receive cash in excess of the current balance on your loan at closing.  You may choose to get a check at closing, or you may choose to pay off the debts at closing if you are doing a debt consolidation.  So you may choose to reduce your rate, or shorten the term of your loan with a "rate & term", or get cash for a project or to consolidate debt with a "cash-out" refinance, there are many different kinds of West Hartford refinance mortgages.

What will it cost me?  A West Hartford refinance mortgage is like getting any other mortgage and the costs are very similar.  One area where you may see some savings is in the title insurance, it is often possible to get a "re-issue" rate which is less expensive.  You may have heard of no cost loans, or you don't want to pay points, or you are going to be in the house forever so the lowest rate is most important.  We need to talk about where you are, what you want to accomplish and how to get you there.  If you want to have the bank pay your closing costs, okay.  If you want to get a really low rate, okay.

Why you will want to refinance you mortgage is a personal a situation as when you purchased your home.  Let's discuss your situation and create a solution to achieve your goals.  Call me at 860-306-8029 to talk about your West Hartford refinance mortgage.

Connecticut Appliance Rebate Program - As a part of the State Energy Efficient Appliance Rebate Program (SEEARP) from the Department of Energy (DOE) Connecticut residents who receive their electricity from CL&P or UI are eligible for rebates when they replace various appliances in their home.  Air conditioners are one of those appliances, both installed "central air conditioners" and "room" air conditioners (the mount in the window kind).

To be eligible for the Connecticut Appliance Rebate Program the new air conditioner must meet certain guidelines.  First it must replace an existing air conditioner.  Second it must meet certain a Minimum Efficiency Level.  According to the website that the State of Connecticut has set up, or room air conditioners that is an Energy Star Rating, for central air conditioners that is Energy Star AHRI Rated CEE Tier 2. 

There are multiple phases of the Connecticut Appliance Rebate Program.  Phase 1 started January 25, 2010 and will run until April 30, 2010.  If funds are still available a 2nd phase will follow.  Don't wait though if you would like to participate, you saw how popular the "Cash for Clunkers" program was and how it ran out of funding so quickly, I wouldn't expect that funds will be available for phase 2 at all.

For more information on the Connecticut Appliance Rebate Program visit these sites.  I've only provided an overview here, but there is lots of information on these sites along with telephone numbers to call for official information.

U.S Department of Energy: Energy Savers: Connecticut Appliance Rebate Program

State of CT: State Energy Efficient Appliance Rebate Program

Stay cool, save money on energy costs, and be good to the planet this summer with a new energy efficient air conditioner thanks to the Connecticut Appliance Rebate Program.

West Hartford Mortgage. When it comes time to take out a mortgage on your new home in West Hartford you will have to choose between getting a fixed-rate mortgage or an adjustable rate mortgage. If you are unfamiliar with these terms here's a simple explanation of them both.

What is a fixed-rate mortgage?

A fixed-rate mortgage is a loan where the interest rate is fixed for the life of the loan. This mortgage offers the most peace of mind for most people purchasing a home in West Hartford because you can count on the monthly payments to remain the same for many years. It is the most popular West Hartford mortgage choice chosen for the dependability. The interest rate on a fixed rate loan will often be slightly higher than the start rate of an adjustable rate mortgage, but it never changes, never goes up.

What is an adjustable-rate mortgage?

An adjustable-rate mortgage is a loan where the interest rate is variable during the life of the loan. It will be fixed for a certain only a period of time, from one month to as long as 10 years. After that point the interest rate of the loan can adjust, going up or down in connection to a certain “index” like the prime rate, or LIBOR. They have limits to how quickly the payment can go up or down called “caps”. The starting interest rate may be lower than that of a similar fixed rate loan. While the lower initial payment can be attractive, but that payment could change and become unattractive. Before getting your West Hartford mortgage, talk about the pro's and con's to adjustable rate mortgages.

The decision of whether to get a fixed-rate mortgage or an adjustable rate mortgage will be influenced by many things. Some people just like the safety of the fixed rate loan. Call me to discuss your situation and if a fixed rate or adjustable rate is right for your West Hartford Mortgage needs at 860-306-8029.

Starter Home In West Hartford, CT.  I saw this article which offers some great advice to someone looking to buy a home with a real estate agent.  If you are looking to purchase a Starter Home in West Hartford, CT it is likely your first home and you are unsure where to start.  You can find some great advice from the pointers in this article.

Advice like getting pre-approved for a loan.  You need to prove to a seller you are able, you also want to look at what you can actually buy.  Find the right agent and work with that agent.  Calling various listing agents or working with various agents is a recipe for disaster.  Get the know what you want to buy, is it a starter home in West Hartford, CT?  Working with one agent can help you to establish what is important, what a deal maker or deal breaker, and what is actually possible to buy in the market.

If you would like to talk about your mortgage options for buying a starter home in West Hartford CT, or a referral to a quality real estate professional please give me a call.  860-306-8029.

West Hartford Home Inspector.  Excellent article about home inspections.  Please, please get a home inspection done when you are buying a home.  Great advice in the post below:

Your home inspection is, without a doubt, going to reveal some items that need to be corrected. If they are minor, put them on your list of things to work on when you move in. If they are major safety, health or structural issues, then either ask the seller to pay for repairs, split it with them or use your contingency to pull out.

If you are looking for a West Hartford Home Inspector there are several places you can look to find an inspector.  You should ask your real estate agent for a referral to several.  You should visit the Connecticut Association of Home Inspectors.  They are "the largest association of independent home inspectors in the state".  Their website offers a directory of members.  Two other places to look for a West Hartford Home Inspector is the National Association of Home Inspectors and the State of Connecticut Department of Consumer Protection Home Inspection Licensing page.

When hiring a West Hartford Home Inspector ask them about the services they provide, what will they inspect and what will they not inspect, how much will it cost, what additional services do you offer (like radon checks), when will I get your report, do you have errors and omissions insurance, how long have you been inspecting homes.  The key, ask questions and then ask them more before hiring them!

Getting a Fixer Upper in West Hartford - What to Look for in a West Hartford Fixer-Upper

Have you been thinking about getting a fixer upper in West Hartford as an investment that you can repair and sell later? Maybe you want to buy it to live in it. Either way, finding a good one can be a real money-maker. Here are a few ideas of what to look for when you are searching for a Fixer Upper in West Hartford as your next home.

1. Simple Problems -You need to find a West Hartford house that looks incredibly ugly, yet has very simple problems. Painting, flooring and other superficial problems can be a gold mine in an old house. They can prevent a sale even when the West Hartford home is full of potential. Many buyers are scared by even simple repairs, or they can't see through the "ugly" and see the "beautiful" it can be.

2. No Structural Problems - Structural problems in a home are usually too costly to repair, at least they bring great unknowns to the total costs. Some structural difficulties can be difficult to spot, and you may need to call in a professional for a home assessment in order to find them.

3. A Good Neighborhood - Although it is more difficult to find a fixer-upper in a good West Hartford neighborhood versus a bad one, you can spot some hidden gems that can equate to thousands of dollars in the long run. Are you planning on living in the home after it is fixed up, then you will care about the location of the parks, or proximity to your work, and more. Going to Rent the property after think about access to the bus line, and remember the more bedrooms the greater the rental income.

Financing a West Hartford Fixer Upper can be easy if you plan to live in the property afterward. There is a great program that will provide you with the money to purchase the property as well as the money you need to fix up the property. All with an incredibly low down payment! Let me give you all the details of this awesome loan program.

If you need more free information about selling, buying or investing in West Hartford real estate, feel free to contact me. For complete information about the West Hartford real estate market, including the most recent homes for sale including Fixer Uppers, current property values and more please call me on my cell at 860-306-8029.

West Hartford Green Home - So you want to buy a green home in West Hartford, but don’t know where to start? There are many points to consider when evaluating if a home is environmentally friendly. Being green is more than just using eco-friendly products. Other items to look at include sustainability and efficiency.

Of course using products that were produced with the environment in mind is important. However, sometime it can be green to use an older product. Recycling vintage products such as antique flooring or decorative hardware is eco-friendly because new materials and energy are not being consumed to create the product and the previously used items are not going to the landfill. New homes and newly remodeled homes are using this practice more and more. A great source in the West Hartford area is The ReCONNstruction Center. 

When new items are purchased for a West Hartford green home there are several points to consider. Water and energy consumption are big factors. A green home can appear to be the same as a traditional home. Both homes have toilets, water heaters, showers, clothes washers, and garden irrigation systems. The difference between the two houses is the green home chooses environmentally conscious designed appliances to do the job. A tankless water heater uses less energy to heat because the water is heated only when called for. Traditional water heaters use energy to keep the water in the tank hot 24/7. Showerheads in the bathroom and faucets on all of the sinks can be installed with flow restrictors. This will use less water. A front load washing machine uses much less water than a top load machine, in fact the University of Leeds has designed a machine that uses just one cup of water per wash!

The landscape of a West Hartford Green Home can tell a lot about how efficient and sustainable it is. The orientation of a home on the land should be eco-friendly. When looking at homes in the West Hartford area notice how the home sits on the property. It should make the most out of daylight. This will reduce the need for heating and lighting. Landscaping is important too. Plants that are native to New England have many benefits over other landscaping. Native plants use less water, need less maintenance, and generally are less susceptible to pests. Other green landscaping practices include a system for gathering rain water and grey water to use as irrigation. Well placed trees can make the property look good and also help shield the home from the summer sun thereby reducing your cooling needs and costs.

Green homes help the homeowner’s budget as well as the environment. Looking at a home which needs renovation, consider a “green” renovation and an FHA 203k loan that allows you to finance both the cost to purchase the property but also the renovations. Get the money to install that super efficient furnace, insulation, energy star appliances and more. Ask me for information about how you can finance your “green” renovations.

There is a lot of free information available to you about buying a green home in West Hartford. For complete information about the West Hartford real estate market including current homes for sale, property values and more please call me on my cell at 860-306-8029 or email me.