BUMP UP YOUR MORTGAGE PAYMENTS
If ou have any sort of expandable income in 2017, you might want to tink about putting it towards your mortgage. Making extra payments on your mortgage can have a huge impact on the total you end up paying out over the course of the loan. It can also shorten the amount of time you’ll be saddled with payments and can have you owning your house free and clear sooner than expected.
EXPLORE REFINANCING
2016 saw near record low interest rates on mortgages, and while they’ve slowly crept up towrds the end of the year (current rates arearound 4%) they’re still HALF of the average interest rates over the past 40 years (which averaged at 8.45%). If you haven’t refinanced your mortgage recently, now is the time to do it. With a new president taking office, the economy may shift, and interest may rise.
REVIEW AND RENEW YOUR HOMEOWNER’S INSUARANCE
A lot of homeowners roll over their insurance year to year, but if you haven’t reviewed your policy in a while, you might be missing out on some money-saving oppurtunities.
DECLUTTER
While spring is traditionally the time for organizing (in the form of “spring cleaning”), there is no better time for a fresh start – and a more organized home. Plan a day to go through all of your closets, cabinets and storage space. if you’re not actively using something, get rid of it. The benefits you’ll reap from decluttering wil far outweigh the value of the things you get rid of.
GET UP TO SPEED ON SAFEFTY
There’s no perfect time like the present to review the current state of your property and take any precautions necessary to ensure that you’re safe in the upcoming year. Test your smoke and carbon monoxide detector and replace them if necessary. Check yur house for randon, a common carcinogenic gas that can increase your chance of lung cancer. Meet with your family to review emergency evacuation plans in case of fire, flood or other emergencies.