new home or remodel

EERE Consumer's Guide: Designing and Remodeling a Home Search Help More Search Options Search EERE Information Center Professional Services Find an Architect American Institute of Architects Federal Government Resources Energy-Efficient Rehab Advisor U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development Related Links A Construction Technology Showcase Homes Across America Energy & Environmental Building Association Decisions for Environmental Buildings Green Tree Green Building Home Guidelines National Association of Home Builders Research Center Reading List Related Publications Printable Version Designing and Remodeling a Home Before you design a new home or remodel an existing one, you should consider investing in its energy efficiency. You'll save energy and money in the long run. It's also a good time to invest in a renewable energy system that will provide your home with electricity , water heating , or space heating and cooling . If you'd like to design an energy-efficient home, no matter what type of design, you should use what's called the whole-house systems approach . If you're remodeling a home, conduct an energy audit to help you determine what energy efficiency improvements should and can be made to your home. Learn how to optimize energy efficiency with the following home designs and construction techniques: Advanced House (Wall) Framing Techniques Reduce lumber use and waste—improving energy efficiency—in the construction of a traditional wood-framed house. Earth-sheltered Homes Incorporate earth into their structure and design for durability and energy efficiency. Log Homes Use wooden logs to provide structure and insulation. Manufactured Homes Feature energy-efficient options for new homes and improvements for older homes. Passive Solar Homes Take advantage of climatic conditions, especially the sun, for heating in the winter and cooling in the summer. Straw Bale Homes Use straw bales to provide all or part of their structure and insulation. Zero Energy Homes Produce more energy than they use. You should also explore your options for financing an energy-efficient home or improvements . Printable Version Skip footer navigation to end of page. Webmaster | Security & Privacy | Consumer's Guide Home | EERE Home U.S. Department of Energy Content Last Updated: September 12, 2005

home mortgage for your

Mortgage Advice - How To Find the Best Mortgage - Home Finance Advice You are here: About > Home & Garden > Home Buying / Selling > Mortgage Advice Home & Garden Home Buying / Selling Essentials 10 Things Home Buyers Shouldn't Do Best Tips for First Time Home Buyers "Must-Do" Tasks Before You Sell How to Buy a Home, Step by Step For Sale by Owner Advice Articles & Resources How To Buy a Home How To Sell a House Celebrity & Historic Credit Reports & Scores Design & Remodel Home Maintenance Inspections & Appraisals Investing & Foreclosures Modular & Manufactured Mold, Radon, Lead, etc. Mortgage Advice Moving & Relocation Real Estate Careers Real Estate For Sale Vacation Homes Buyer's Guide Before You Buy Top Picks Home Buying Books Foreclosure Books Mortgage Books Product Reviews Forums Help FREE Newsletter Sign Up Now for the Home Buying / Selling newsletter! See Online Courses Search Home Buying / Selling > Mortgage Advice Mortgage Advice Mortgage advice to help you select a lender and choose the best home mortgage for your needs. Learn the facts about mortgages before you apply for a mortgage loan with a bank, mortgage broker or other lender. Subtopics Appraisal Facts @ Mortgage Calculators (41) Construction Loans (3) Private Mortgage Insurance (5) Credit Reports and Scores @ Refinancing a Home (4) Downpayment Assistance (7) Reverse Mortgages (2) Find a Mortgage (11) VA Home Loans (9) Interest Rate Facts (7) Vacation Home Mortgages (4) Articles & Resources Sort By : Guide Picks | Alphabetical | Recent Analyzing Your Debt to Income Ratio When you're buying a home, lenders look at your debt to income ratio. This measure of your debt load has an impact on how much house you can buy. Learn how to calculate the ratio and find out what lenders are looking for. Are You Really Pre-Approved for a Mortgage? Do you know the differences between the terms pre-qualified, pre-approved and loan commitment? Find out how they affect your offer to purchase and your home contract. Bi-Weekly Mortgage Payment Plans Can a bi-weekly mortgage payment plan help you pay off your mortgage more quickly? Learn how bi-weekly plans works and read about other methods that can be used to reduce interest and pay your home loan off faster. Do You Have a Mortgage or a Deed of Trust? A security instrument gives a lender the right to sell your property to recover funds if you do not pay the debt. A mortgage and a deed of trust are both security instruments, but one allows a lender to take an easier road to foreclosure. Don't Get Caught Up In Loan Fraud Has someone involved with your mortgage asked you to do something that you feel uneasy about? It could be nothing--or it could be loan fraud, which is a problem in the home buying and selling community. Get the facts about common loan fraud schemes so that you can spot them early and avoid becoming involved in illegal acts. Facts About ARMs, Adjustable Rate Mortgages An adjustable rate mortgage offers lower initial interest rates, but rates are not guaranteed for the long term. Learn how ARMs work and when an adjustable rate mortgage might be your best option for a home loan. Facts About FHA Mortgages FHA loans allow you to buy a home with less down than conventional home loans. Get the facts about FHA loans and find out if you qualify. Facts About Veterans Administration (VA) Home Loans If you are buying a home, and have served in the US Armed Services, you might quality for a VA home loan. It's a good program for members of our Armed Forces. Learn more about it here. Finding a Mortgage for Your New Home If you're buying a home, chances are you'll need a mortgage. Do you know how mortgage brokers and bank loan officers differ? This article helps answer your questions about different types of lenders. RESPA's Required Disclosures Help You Shop for a Mortgage The Real Estate Settlement Procedures Act, RESPA, helps protect consumers when they buy and sell real estate, and teaches them to be better shoppers. One way RESPA accomplishes this is by requiring lenders and others to give you certain disclosures that make it easier to compare loans and services. Here's an explanation of disclosures you should be given during your home buying journey. Should You Buy Discount Points? Discount points are fees paid to a lender at closing in order to lower the interest rate on your home loan. Sometimes discount points make sense, sometimes they don't. This information helps you decide if you should buy points. The Many Faces of Escrow During Your Home Buying Transaction You'll hear the word escrow used many times during your home buying transaction. The term can be confusing, because it is used to describe different events that take place before and after your real estate settlement, the day of closing when the property becomes yours. Here's a look at the ways escrow comes into play during your home buying transaction. Home Mortgages - Top Books The world of home finance offers so many variables and options that it's often difficult to keep them straight. Here are five books that provide all the information you need to compare mortgages and find a home loan that's right for you. Topic Index | Email to a Friend Our Story | Be a Guide | Advertising Info | Work at About | Site Map | Icons | Help User Agreement | Ethics Policy | Patent Info. | Privacy Policy | Kids' Privacy Policy ©2005 About, Inc., A part of the New York Times Company . All rights reserved. Around About Oprah's Life Vacation Ideas Shop Safely Online VIDEO: Craft Rooms VIDEO: Christmas Traditions What's Hot Coping with Unethical People How To Buy Land Real Estate Appraisal Before You Buy a Log Home Package Home Buying / Selling - GuideReviews Headlines Getting Ready to Sell Your House Guests and lots of activities make it difficult to show... Before You Buy Gas Logs Gas logs are growing in popularity every year, so manufacturers... Pros and Cons of Becoming a Real Estate Agent You've decided you want to become a real estate agent,... Step-by-Step Directions Help You Measure Square Footage Each year, home owners discover that their new home's square...

Land Loan Tools

-- Indymac Bank Construction Lending Indymac Bank home | about us | contact us | privacy | ID notice | security | careers 1-800-HCL-LOAN (425-5626) HCL for Individuals Main Page Get To Know Us Get Started Now! My Project Application My Loan Information Loan Products · Construction-to-Permanent Loan · Remodeler Loan · Bridge Loan · Lot/Land Loan Tools · Line Item Budget Calculator Find A Builder -- · Cost To Build Calculator -- Event Calendar -- Help · FAQs · Glossary Customer Service -- · Contact Us Lot/Land Loan Found the perfect location to build your dream home ...and now you need the perfect loan? Our Lot Loan is the right loan if you're looking to purchase a residential lot to build your primary residence or second home. Once you have purchased your land, you will have time to design your new home and choose a contractor. Best of all, Indymac Bank will fund your Construction-to-Permanent Loan once you're ready to build. · Loans to $500,000. -- Frequently Asked Questions Check to view all answers. Q. How do I know where I should build my home? A. Location may be one of the most important factors to consider. Although many people have a geographic location in mind, some are open to alternatives. It's important to consider your lifestyle (and those you'll be living with) as well as the cost. If you're planning a family, schools will be important. If not, you may want to consider other factors such as proximity to work, or accessibility to the beach, the mountains or leisure activities. Q. What is a "finished lot"? A. A "finished lot" refers to a portion of land that already has road access and utilities in place to the lot boundary. Additionally, it has been approved by the city or county as a separate parcel of land on a parcel map. Q. Can I buy a piece of land that is not a finished lot and save some money? A. While it may be possible to purchase an unfinished lot, generally this is not advisable for an individual building their own home. The costs of bringing roads and utilities to the first lot in a new area are usually very high. Typically, the first person to build pays for others who will build later. There are land developers who specialize in preparing lots for building (this may include zoning and/or soils issues, as well as bringing roads and utilities to the site, and creating a building pad). Often, these lots are in a planned community. Q. What do you mean by "planned community"? Aren't all communities planned? A. No, many older communities were not planned; they evolved. Certainly, as a city has grown, plans have taken shape. But in many cases the nucleus of a community was started many years before the community or city planning existed. In many instances, it is this unplanned characteristic that gives a community its charm. A planned community, in contrast, generally offers a specific style and certain amenities at a package price. Depending on the size and location of the community, these amenities may include greenbelts, landscaping, biking trials, swimming pools, even schools and shopping centers. Some amenities, such as the community pool and greenbelts, are paid for through a homeowners' association. Others are paid through taxes or mello roos. Still others are design enhancements intended to encourage potential buyers to purchase in an area or to attract more commercial business. Many of the more costly amenities included in a planned community may not be affordable for a homeowner on an individual basis. However, some of these amenities may not be important to you. After all, priorities, like lifestyle, vary. If you select a home in a planned community, you'll generally have a more structured community where decisions are made jointly rather than by the individual homeowner. These community decisions include individual home design and landscaping. While some homeowners may consider this an acceptable trade-off to ensure an attractive environment, others may consider it an infringement on their rights. It's important that you know how you feel before selecting the type of lot you want. Q. Can tax bases differ within the same community? A. Yes, they can. While some cities already have parks, schools, and streets, newer communities built within the same city may have special assessments that cover the costs to develop or maintain new or existing parks, schools, streets, etc. These assessments may be for a prescribed period of time or may continue indefinitely. A little research goes a long way. Here again, a good real estate agent or title company officer can often provide you with this information. Q. I've found the perfect location, but I'm not ready to build my dream home. Can I obtain financing for the land only? A. Yes, you can obtain a Lot Loan. Typically, this is short-term financing for the purchase of a residential lot suited for future construction. This loan allows you time to select an architect, builder, and design your dream home. IndyMac Bank's Lot Loan program allows you to finance up to 50 acres. And when you're ready to build, we offer a one-time close Construction-to-Permanent Loan. ^ back to top Still have questions? Call toll-free 1-800-HCL-LOAN (425-5626) to speak with a construction loan specialist, or downloada copy of our booklet (pdf) that answers the most frequently asked questions about building your own home. Information Center · Glossary · FAQs -- FAQs · Get To Know Us · Building Your Dream Home Magazine (pdf) · Owner Builder Guide (pdf) Consumer Guide to Construction Financing (pdf) Did You Know A Construction Loan Is A Reimbursement Loan? (pdf) subscribe now -- Get Started Now! Apply online 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, and get a loan approval in minutes! get started -- e-mail/mail us | 1-800-HCL-LOAN (425-5626) Licensing | Terms of Use | Site Feedback -- Licensing | Terms of Use | Site Feedback Licensing | Terms of Use | Site Feedback -- Licensing | Terms of Use | Site Feedback -- ©2005 IndyMac Bank, F.S.B. Registered trade/service marks are the property of IndyMac Bank, F.S.B. and/or its subsidiaries.

Texas Land Trusts About

Texas Land Trust Resources Maincontent Local Navigation print friendly search Regulations Publications Outdoor Learning Kids Game Warden Grants Get Involved Shop FAQ Calendar Español Experience Texas Fishing & Boating State Parks & Destinations Hunting & Wildlife Land & Water Doing Business Home Land & Water Land Private Tltc Resources Texas Land Trusts About Texas Land Trusts Starting a Land Trust Texas Land Trust Directory Foreword Listing Regional Index About the Texas Land Trust Council ( TLTC ) TLTC Board of Directors and Honorary Council News 2004 TLTC Conference Speech Bulletin Board TLTC Publications Land Trust Resources Texas Land Trusts Top 1-Million Mark in Acres Conserved Texas Land Trust Resources Texas Parks and Wildlife works with developing land trusts in Texas. Texas Parks and Wildlife encourages potential land trust organizations to learn from the experiences of the practicing land trusts listed in this directory. If you would like your organization listed in this directory or have any questions pertaining to land trusts and land conservation options, contact: Texas Parks and Wildlife 4200 Smith School Road Austin, TX 78744 Phone: (512) 389-4779 Fax: (512) 389-4469 Email: tltc@ The Land Trust Alliance is a national support group for land trust organizations. The Land Trust Alliance was created in 1982 to provide linkages, services and leadership to land trust organizations across the country. For information about individual and organizational membership in the Land Trust Alliance, contact: Land Trust Alliance 1331 H Street NW, Suite 501 Washington, DC 20005 Phone: (202) 638-4725 Fax: (202) 638-4730 Web address: http://www.lta.org The Texas Land Trust Council serves as a support association for all land trust organizations in Texas. The Council's mission is to promote and sustain the conservation efforts of Texas' land trusts. The Texas Land Trust Council provides technical and educational "know how" to land trusts and anyone interested in land conservation. For information about individual and organizational membership in the Texas Land Trust Council, contact: The Texas Land Trust Council C/O Carolyn Vogel P.O. Box 26801 Austin, TX 78731 Texas Parks and Wildlife Austin, TX 78744 Contact Us | Help | Accessibility | Media | Site Policies | Complaints | Intranet | State of Texas | TRAILS Search | TexasOnline | Compact with Texans Texas Parks and Wildlife Department , 4200 Smith School Road, Austin, TX 78744 Toll Free: (800) 792-1112, Austin: (512) 389-4800 Content of this site © Texas Parks and Wildlife Department unless otherwise noted. Last modified: July 29, 2005, 4:38 pm