MNA Your Next Home - January

Dwelling

Lighthouse Realty

Lighthouse Realty: Kerri Mackey

Lighthouse Realty

Business Directory

Caliber Home Loans: Mindy Sedelmaier 231-233-0963

Century 21: Kari King 231-651-0923 www.C21Northland.com

Century 21: Gini Pelton 231-690-0852 gini@c21boardwalk.com

Dwelling Realty www.dwellingrealty.com

Essential Real Estate 231-942-9334

Therran Ferguson, Broker/Owner 231-510-1790 Michael Kruse 231-690-8882 Jenna Mahoney 231-942-9334

Holden’s Home Emporium, Inc 231-757-8733 www.holdenshomeemporium.com

Lighthouse Realty Manistee 231-398-3800 www.goLighthouseRealty.com

Heather Barker 231-510-5505

Shirley Barker 903-681-6102

Cathy French 231-233-3268

Leah Gannon 517-607-5347

Jeremy “Ox” Glenn 812-929-9289

John Hanson 231-510-5543

Bill LaBelle 239-887-1037

Leanne LaBelle 239-887-0998

Kerri Mackey 231-510-8380

Emily Pomeroy 231-510-1303

Dale Smith 231-794-9122

Cheryl Staszczak 248-805-3802

Casey Tennant 231-233-7613

Metro Mortgage 231-425-5555 www.metromtg.com

Pamela’s Interior Design 231-723-8688 PamelasInteriors.net

Real Estate One: Kathy Neveu 231-342-0921

Redeemed 231-887-4222

State Farm Insurance Agency Mary Studevant 231-723-9905

West Coast Construction Services www.westcoastcsm.com 231-224-6030

Tricks to trim your utility bill

Arapid rise in the cost of living will undoubtedly prove to be one of the major stories of 2022. According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, energy prices rose by 41.6 percent in the 12-month period that ended in June 2022, marking the highest 12-month increase since April 1980.

The significant spike in energy costs is somewhat misleading, as the BLS considers motor fuel prices, which rose more than 60 percent in the 12-month period ending in June 2022, part of the energy category. However, during that same period, electricity prices rose by nearly 14 percent while natural gas prices increased by 38 percent. Both of those increases were more significant than the more publicized rise in food prices, which rose by right around 10 percent.

Families need to eat and many professionals now must return to in-person work after years of pandemic-related remote working, which means they must confront higher fuel costs. That leaves little room to save money in those areas. However, there are ways for families to reduce home energy costs without adversely affecting their quality of life.

• Run appliances during off-peak hours. According to the United States Department of Energy and the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, the best time to use appliances in a home is when overall electricity use is low. Though this time changes depending on the season and can vary based on geography, the DOE and the EPA both note that after 9 p.m. and before 9 a.m. are generally the off-peak hours in most areas.

• Strategically use your shades and blinds. The energy providers at ConEd estimate that about 40 percent of unwanted heat comes through windows. Strategic use of curtains, shades and blinds can keep heat out on hot days, thus allowing homeowners to turn the thermostat up on their air conditioning units in summer. Opening curtains, blinds and shades on winter mornings and afternoons will allow more sunlight in, allowing homeowners to control heating costs more effectively.

• Reorganize your refrigerator. There are plenty of contradictory strategies regarding how best to store foods in a

refrigerator so the unit consumes as little energy as possible while still keeping foods fresh and chilled. But various energy providers, including ConEd, recommend that consumers avoid packing a fridge too tightly. By allowing cold air to circulate within the refrigerator, the refrigerator won’t need to work as hard, and thus consume as much energy, to keep foods cool. It’s important to note that the opposite should govern how the freezer is packed. Packing frozen items tightly in the freezer will help the refrigerator work a little less hard.

• Turn off the lights. Estimates from the U.S. Energy Information Administration indicate that electricity for lighting accounts for around 10 percent of electricity consumption in homes. A concerted effort to turn off lights in rooms that aren’t being used can help consumers save money.

Rising utility bills are compelling millions of people to seek ways to trim their energy consumption. Thankfully, there are many ways to do that without upsetting daily routines.

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Simple tips to improve your status with mortgage lenders

Owning a home is a dream shared by millions of people. Investing in property that can be owned within 15 to 30 years of closing on the home makes more financial sense to many than continuing to rent and having little to show for it over time.

The first step to take when planning to enter the real estate market is to ensure that your finances are in order. Various factors will influence individuals’ ability to secure a mortgage, and these are some ways to make yourself more attractive to prospective lenders.

• Check your credit report. Lenders will check your credit report before deciding if you are a risk or a safe bet for a mortgage. So it makes sense to check your credit report prior to speaking with a lender. The Federal Trade Commission says everyone can get one free credit report a year from each of the three credit reporting bureaus. If you split it up, you

can get a credit report every four months so you are aware of anything that may adversely affect your ability to get a mortgage loan. A credit (FICO) score that’s too low may disqualify you from a mortgage. Each lender sets its own thresholds when they price and approve loans, but the higher your credit score, the better.

• Improve credit standing. One way to improve your status in the eyes of lenders is to pay down credit card balances to reduce your credit utilization ratio. A high utilization occurs when there is a high balance in relation to the credit limit, says Business Insider. Also, it may be wise to avoid any credit inquiries through new credit card applications for several months before applying for a loan, as these inquiries can affect your score.

• Be realistic about what you can afford. Do your homework and determine your

target interest rate and monthly payment as well as what down payment you can afford. It will help you research potential lenders and provide an idea of what may be offered to you.

• Pay bills on time. Paying bills promptly not only helps you avoid late fees, but also positively affects your credit. The financial resource The Mortgage Reports urges diligence when paying rent, as late rent payments can bar you from getting a mortgage. Lenders look at rent history as the biggest indicator of whether you’ll make mortgage payments on time.

These are some of the ways to make a prospective home buyer look better in the eyes of mortgage lenders. Individuals can speak with financial professionals about what else they can do to improve the possibility of securing mortgages at the best rates possible.

Manistee News Advocate

Recorded Sales for the Month of: November 2022

933 O S M O S T $88,000

455 S E CO N D S T $175,000

12166 10T H S T $113,000

28 T H I R D S T $88,500

14069 N I N E M I L E R D $79,900

10265 A N D E R S O N R D $195,000

1115 T W E N T Y - S I X T H S T $220,500

366 S E V E N T H S T $180,000

3303 L A K E L A N D D R $43,000

3280 S U N V I E W L N. $39,000

210 C Y P R E S S S T $130,000

V/L WINDING CREEK DR $19,500

V/L S I X T H S T $28,000

1697 L AV E R N E R D $299,900

14123 OA K AV E $215,000 601 H A R VA R D $490,000

8993 K E R RY R D $290,000

V/L WILDFLOWER LN $24,000

911 L E X I N G TO N S T $140,000

13577 P OT T E R R D $100,000

3271 L A K E S H O R E R D $669,000

265 9T H S T $152,000

5012 S W I H A R T R D $330,000

1547 T H I R D AV E $85,000 109 J E F F E R S O N S T $104,000

BIALIK RD $2,500

V/L OPAL RIDGE DR $14,750

V/L R I V E R R D $8,000

V/L OPAL RIDGE DR $14,750

613 KO S C I U S KO S T $145,000

17111 G E N E S T $125,000

3859 MA P L E D R $37,500

13625 P OT T E R R D $280,000

701 H I LT Y $80,000

V/L GLOVERS LAKE RD $98,000 172 TAY LO R S T $249,000 THOMPSONVILLE RD $47,000 822 R A M S D E L L S T $119,500

367 S I X T H S T $292,000 14587 N I N E M I L E R D $50,000 13296 C E DA R C R E E K R D $140,000 7780 H E AT H E R R D $17,000 17958 F O R E S T R D $27,500 6696 L A K E S H O R E R D $800,000 13530 9 M I L E R D $195,000 12352 V I R G I N I A S T $65,000 V/L MAX E Y R D $139,000 605 DAV I S S T $140,000 810 V I N E S T $80,000 V/L S E YM O U R S T $7,215 17850 C A B R E FA E H I G H WAY $93,500 10918 P I N E C R E E K R D $225,000 5111 FA R N S W O R T H R D $55,000 306 M C K E E S T $167,500 523 R A M S D E L L S T $33,000 1223 T H I R D S T $150,000 12013 W E S T S T $118,000 715 S N Y D E R S T $92,900 14412 R A I N B O W AV E $96,500 519 DAV I S S T $33,000 V/L F OX FA R M R D $44,280 V/L U N K N O W N $37,000 V/L C L I N TO N R D $15,000 V/L HIGH BRIDGE RD $35,000 261 H U G H E S S T $118,800

strategies to get more organized

When the new year arrives, many people focus on changes that can be implemented in the months of come. This time of year is a popular one to make resolutions to clean and organize homes and offices.

There are plenty of things that can use a little organizational attention. There’s no ideal way to get organized. Whatever works is a good approach, but the following are six strategies to help individuals clear the clutter.

1.

Utilize to-do lists

People tend to be less productive when they’re storing all of their tasks in their brains. The first step to getting organized is to remove those plans from the head and put them down on paper or in some other tracking tool. A digital to-do list manager, for example, enables you to see all of your tasks, deadlines and due dates in one place so you can get things done more efficiently. Carry around a notepad or use the digital

notes app on a phone to jot down thoughts and needs as they come up.

2. Corral your “smalls”

Smalls are keys, phones, chargers, wallets, headphones, and other accessories. When these items are grouped together, they’re easier to find so you can stay on track. Invest in an attractive organizer and install it by the front door or another high-traffic area. You’ll cut down on trying to find those smaller items when running errands.

3. Conquer clutter regularly

It’s easy to be put off by cleaning and organizing when clutter has gotten out of control. Instead, by cleaning up items on a daily or weekly basis, it’s much easier to keep ahead of clutter. Treat it like a daily job, including sorting mail and tossing unnecessary items; emptying waste pails;

4.

dusting the desk; deleting emails; and putting items back where they belong.

Categorize emails

Utilize the folder creation option from popular email providers to sort your messages. Drop messages that need attention into categories of your choosing, such as school, health and receipts. Then you’ll know which folder to go into when searching for what you need, eliminating the time-consuming task of scrolling through a full inbox.

5.

Give one; toss one

When bringing new items into the home, follow the procedure of giving away or throwing out one item for each new item that is received or purchased. This can help to tame clutter.

6.

Mise en place your life

“Mise en place” is French for “put in place.” It is used in the kitchen to refer to preparing and setting out all ingredients needed in a recipe. The same concept can be used elsewhere. Lay out clothing on the dresser for the next day at work or school. Prep the foyer of a home with items you need, like an umbrella, shoes and paperwork. Organize backpacks so they’re ready for the school day. Establish a to-go bag at work for items that need to be brought home.

Getting organized can be as simple as taking small steps that have lasting impact.

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