Wasted Water

A typical household uses 185 to 300 gallons of water a day and the majority of it goes down the drain from the toilet and the shower. Updating your commodes will serve as a conservation effort while lowering your water bill.  

Today's toilets use less water, prevent staining and resist clogging better than the older toilets and you might be surprised at how easy they are to install. Replacements generally cost from $100 to $300.  

Toilets made in the 1950's used, on average, seven gallons per flush. Compare that with one that only uses 1.6 gallons per flush and it's a big saving. Multiply by the times a toilet is flushed in a year and the number of toilets in your home and it will save a lot of water.

Gallons of Water Saved in a Year with 1.6 gpf
Age of Toilet	Gallons Per Flush	Flush 3 times a day	Flush 5 times a day
Prior to 1950's	7.0	5,913	9,855
1960's	5.5	4,271	7,118
1980's	3.5	2,081	3,468
After 1994	1.6	-	-

 

Watch this video to see how easy the project is done and even if you decide to hire a plumber, you'll have a better understanding of how it works.

I Want a Bigger/Nicer Home but...

There are homeowners that would like to have a larger/nicer home but are patiently waiting for the market to improve. A frequently heard objection is that they can't sell their home for what it is currently worth.

Buying up in a down market is actually advantageous because while you might get less for the home you're selling, you're also getting the larger home for less. For instance, if you had to sell a $200,000 home for a 10% discount, you might feel that you left $20,000 on the table. However, buying a $300,000 for the same 10% discount would put you $10,000 ahead on the sale and purchase.

The other obvious matter is that when the mortgage rates increase while you're waiting for the market to improve, it dramatically increases your cost of housing with higher payments. The cost of housing is affected by price and mortgage rates.

To accurately evaluate your current options, you need facts and assessment tools that will provide you the information to make an informed decision.

Targeting the Mortgage Interest Deduction

It's obviously going to be a Herculean task for Congress to balance the budget and reduce the deficit. It's sort of like the country song lyric that goes "everyone wants to go to Heaven but nobody wants to go now." It is estimated that the mortgage interest deduction cost the government $100 Billion last year which is why it is a target for cuts.

The Mortgage Interest Deduction has been part of Income Tax laws in this country since 1913. The United States of America is one of the few countries in the world that allow such a deduction. Our goverment has always supported homeownership as is evidenced in the different tax benefits it receives.

• Mortgage interest deuction up to $1,000,000 in acquisition debt on a principal residence and second home
• Deduction of interest on Home Equity debt of $100,000 over acquisition debt used for any purpose
• Capital gain exclusion on up to $500,000 for married couples filing jointly and $250,000 for single homeowners
• Favorable long-term capital gain rates if gain exceeds exclusion limits
• Property tax deduction

There is an interesting relationship between a good economy and a healthy housing market. Contrasted to profits from the stock market which tend to be plowed back into other investments, profits from home sales tend to be spent on consumer products that directly benefit the economy.

The National Association of REALTORS supports the MID and reports that one job is created for every two homes sold. It further states that $60,000 is pumped into the economy for each home sold and that homeownership accounts for over $2 Trillion of the U.S. gross domestic product.

American homeowers are currently paying 80-90% of all federal income tax collected. Some economists believe that a healthy housing market is a leading indicator for economic recovery and that tampering with a significant homeowner benefit like the mortgage interest deduction would hurt the economy.

BUYING VS. RENTING

A home is one of the most expensive purchases most of us will ever make during our lifetime. Whether you decide to rent or buy, either choice comes with its own rewards and risks. Homeownership offers many advantages over renting including:

Advantages of Buying versus Renting

Buying	Renting
Tax write-off	No tax write-off
You can upgrade your home as you see fit	Need permission to make any changes
Build equity in your home as value appreciates	Your money goes toward the landlords equity
Control of loan payment options	Rent can increase periodically
Pride of homeownership	You have no ownership

While owning your own home has many benefits, there are still risks to consider:

Disadvantages of Buying versus Renting

Buying	Renting
You're responsible for property maintenance	Your landlord or manager handles general repairs
Need to sell, rent or lease property in order to re-locate. May have to wait until market conditions are right	Freedom to move once your lease expires
You pay for all your own utilities, property taxes and insurance	May include utilities, property taxes, and property insurance
Home improvement upgrades can run into thousands of dollars	You're not financially responsible for improvements

However, all things considered, homeownership is by far one of the best single investments you can make given the potential long-term benefits.

When does it make sense to buy?

People, who have generally rented their whole lives, purchase a home for various reasons. Owning something of value with a chance of watching their investment appreciate is one reason. Purchasing a home to save money over the long-term is another.
Example

Let's say you're currently renting a two-bedroom, two-bath apartment. Your monthly rent is $1,000. You find a two-bedroom, two-bath at a market price of $250,000 (roughly the national average.) You have $25,000 saved - enough for a 10 percent down payment. For the purpose of this example, you're looking to finance $225,000, which includes closing costs.

Using one of several mortgage calculators on the Internet, your monthly payment would be approximately $1,385 for a 30-year fixed loan at an APR of 6.20 percent (the national average). After taxes and appreciation in equity, your monthly payment over five years would average $499 per month.

Costs Savings of Buying versus Renting

Calculations	Rent	Purchase
Monthly rent/estimated mortgage payment	$1,000	$1,385
Purchase price of home		$250,000
Percentage of down payment		25,000
Length of loan term (years)		30
Interest rate		6.2%
Years you plan to stay in the home		5
Yearly property tax rate		1%
Yearly home value appreciation rate		4%
Results
Price of home after appreciation		$304,163
Remaining balance after 5 years		209,887
Equity in house		94,276
Tax savings (28% bracket)		23,030
Avg. monthly payment over time	1,047	499
Total payments (over 5 years)	$62,820	$29,973
Total savings if buying		$32,847
Source: Ginniemae.gov. These calculations are estimates only. You should always seek the guidance of financial or tax experts before making any buying decisions.

The outcome could dramatically change should an unforeseen economic downturn or financial hardship occur (e.g., home improvement costs, catastrophic damage, etc.). While, no one can predict if home appreciation values will spiral downward, or if mortgage interest rates will rise, it's clear that under the right circumstances home ownership can be financially rewarding