David's Home News - February 2024

by David J. Moore

"Patience is bitter but the fruit is sweet." ~Aristotle

David's Home News

David J Moore
410-777-5848
David J. Moore & Associates with RE/MAX

Happy February! In honor of Valentine's Day ❤️, I'm sharing advice for couples on decorating together when your styles differ. ➤ I'm also responding to a homebuyer who wonders why he needs to pay for Title Insurance. ➤ For fun, see the list of Medieval dog names at the bottom. Call me to get ready for the spring home buying and selling season. ~David J

The Tricky Art of Decorating Together when You Have Different Styles

Decorating or redecorating as a couple can be fun but challenging — especially when your tastes don’t match. Like when one of you wants to display your octopus-themed saltshaker prominently on the table, while the other wants to show off her grandmother's fine China salt cellar. Even when you’re that far apart, it’s still possible to turn decorating into an opportunity to strengthen your bond rather than test it.

1. Agree to compromise. Agree that you'll take from both sides, not just one. Discuss the notion that living together means compromising, allowing the other person to put things into the space that you wouldn't if it were up to you. Even that octopus saltshaker or antique salt cellar.

2. Highlight Your Must-Haves. Identify 1 or 2 non-negotiable elements you each love. Maybe one of you dreams of a sleek black leather chair, while the other can’t live without the old recliner from her dad. Discuss how you'll incorporate each, without hating on the other’s contribution.

3. Mix, Don’t Match. Instead of picking one style, embrace the beauty of blending. Use accent pieces to tie elements together. Where you have exactly opposite desires, consider negotiation. Maybe his octopus saltshaker goes on the table if her comfy recliner goes in the living room.

4. Experiment. Try different placements until you're both happy with the eclectic mix. Remember that compromise may mean neither of you feels the space is perfect according to your personal aesthetic, but it's perfect for being a happy couple. Happy Valentine’s Day!

REAL ESTATE UPDATE

SEE TODAY'S RATES ►

Mortgage rates are swirling!

➤ Rates at the time of publication are 6.93%. Click above for today's rate.
➤ Predictions about the economy in 2025 are swirling. Because the jobs market has been strong, banks haven't seen a need to drop rates to encourage growth.
➤ We don’t yet know how politics will affect our pocketbooks, but when it comes to the real estate market, it’s clear that we’ve hit a new level for mortgage rates and home prices. If you’re planning to sell, contact me to prepare for the spring real estate market. ~David J, 410-777-5848

Closing costs are already high enough. Is Title Insurance really necessary?

When you buy a house; you expect to buy it with clear title, with nobody coming after you later to say you owe them money for the house, or that your fence is built halfway onto their property, or that the person who sold it wasn’t qualified to sell it. But these kinds of things do happen, all the time!

Imagine owning a house for a few years when someone claims they are an heir to the person who sold you the house, and they never gave permission to sell. Or imagine the seller did a lot of remodeling before selling (which is why you bought it), but he didn’t pay his contractor, and the contractor placed a lien against the house, and now is coming after you for the unpaid debt. Or imagine that you go to sell your house sometime in the future and discover that the deed incorrectly lists the house across the street (which means in some twisted way that you own that house, not yours). Or imagine someone claiming that they’re the owners of your house because the seller sold it twice (fraud).

Title insurance makes it possible to recover financial loss in these situations. Chances are that nothing like this will happen to you, but it pays to play it safe and get the title insurance. After all, insurance is something we buy and hope we never need. I’ll remind you of these details at closing, when you’ll have a lot of decisions to make

If you're ready to move, contact me for a consultation. ~David J, 410-777-5848

February Quiz Question

Why is the sentence below used to demonstrate English font styles and to teach keyboard skills?
The quick brown fox jumps over the lazy dog.

Send your answer here

Send your answer for a chance to win a $5 coffee card! Last month's Q&A: What's blue and smells like red paint? Blue paint. Congratulations to last month's winner!

LIFESTYLE TIPS & FUN FACTS

How long does it take to walk 10,000 steps?

Several studies have aimed to prove whether 10,000 steps (approximately 4 to 5 miles) is the ideal goal for health and fitness. Overall results have been mixed, demonstrating no one-size-fits-all recommendation. Instead of blindly striving for 10,000 steps, consider your own pace, age, health, and available time. Find a maximum number of steps that works for you. Strive for 5,000 and then see if you can do 6,000. Then more if you can and have time. Consider that walking 10,000 steps takes an average of 1 hour and 40 minutes.

Re-energize your living room fast without spending a cent!

My neighbor's mother used to move their furniture around in the living room every year or so. Sometimes the couch would be on one wall, sometimes another, and once diagonal across the corner. A chair from another room would swap places with one in the living room, a bookshelf would migrate to another spot, and so on. I thought this was odd, but as I got older, I realized it was smart. Change is good for the soul. It relieves boredom and helps get us get out of our ruts. By rotating her furniture, my neighbor's mom brought new energy into the home without spending a cent on remodeling.

Ideas for your TV wall

Have you seen those slatted TV walls? They’re traditionally called fluted walls. A "fluted wall" is a wall that features a decorative design with a series of vertical, concave grooves, creating a textured appearance. Nowadays, you can make your TV wall's fluted appearance as simple or complex as you want using wooden slats. Plenty of DIYers have taken this timeless aesthetic to new heights with clever designs. Fluted walls are not the only way to create a decorative TV wall. Here are some other creative suggestions. If you visit Pinterest, you can find even more.

A word about mortgages

Did you know that the word mortgage comes from Old French morgage, literally meaning “death pledge,” from mort (dead) and gage (pledge)? That’s because the deal dies when the debt is paid or payment fails.
In 1664, Sir Edward Coke wrote: "And it seemeth, that the cause why it is called mortgage is, for that it is doubtful whether the feoffor will pay at the day limited such sum or not: and if he doth not pay, then the land which is put in pledge upon condition for the payment of the money, is taken from him for ever, and so dead to him upon condition. And if he doth pay the money, then the pledge is dead as to the tenant.”

ON THE LIGHTER SIDE

Weird and Wonderful Medieval Dog Names

We have Rover, Mutt, and Tucker, as well as Belle, Jada, Daisy, and Koa. They had such wonders as Foxe, Salmon, and Felowe, as well as Achilles, Amyable, Chistabell, and Flowre.

Proving that Medieval dog owners also had a sense of humor, they also named their best friends things like Goodynowze, Lusty, and Makehitgood.

See What's for Sale ➤