While you may be ready to pass the cranberry sauce this season, is your tableware? No matter how skilled one is in the kitchen, without the proper serving dishes, a holiday feast can fall flat by the time it reaches the dining table. From platters to gravy boats, place your culinary accomplishments on display in these fine dishes. 

Juliska: Berry & Thread Deviled Egg Platter The patterns on this platter are both subtle and refined, making it the perfect dish to present your first hors d'oeuvres for the evening.   

Riedel: Vinum Stemware Collection

While not technically a dish, your glassware is just as important at dinner. Whether your guests prefer a glass of Chardonnay or Burgundy, this crystal collection by Riedel…

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When is a 203k Loan a Good IdeaThere are a lot of different types of loan plans available in the market. Knowing the right one for your situation as well as your goals can be confusing and frustrating for people who are new to the New Jersey waterfront market. With so many plans available to choose from, it can be hard to know where to start. One loan plan worth considering is the FHA 203k home loan. This is a loan plan that is slightly different than what many people are used to in the market. Unlike a USDA loan, this home loan program does not have location limitations, so it can be used in many more communities such as Highlands. The key difference is that buyers are able to roll both the cost of the home as well as any repairs into one loan for the home.

When Should You…

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Buying a Home with a Septic Tank Buying a home in a some areas, even luxury and waterfront homes, can often mean owning a home with an on-site septic system. With no available municipal sewer service in most rural areas, on-site septic systems provide an efficient, low-maintenance way to handle and process home waste in a sanitary manner. Although designs can vary, depending on the soil, location, and other specific details regarding the home, most on-site septic systems consist of a waste pipe, a septic tank or tanks, and a drain field to filter the resulting effluent safely into the soil. When these systems are functioning properly and have been correctly designed and installed, there is little evidence of their existence visible above the level of the soil.

Before buying a…

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When the budget is small, getting a house that's right may be a challenge––but that doesn't mean it can't be done. There are plenty of options in housing markets such as Bay Head, NJ for people who have small budgets, even when they want a waterfront property that really makes them happy and that they can love and enjoy for a long time.

By considering all the possibilities and exploring options that might not have been thought about before, the chances of getting a house that's a good fit is much higher. Before any buyer with a tight budget gives up on finding a house, they should carefully consider what they may be able to do with that particular budget.

How Tight is the Budget?

Tight budgets may mean different things to different people. For…

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Financial Ratios for Loans Prospective buyers preparing to purchase a home in Bay Head or surrounding areas sometimes focus solely on whether they can fit the payment into their monthly budget and scrape up enough cash to cover a small down payment and closing costs. But even when there seems to be enough available cash in the budget to meet a monthly mortgage payment of that oceanfront dream home, there can also be a serious debt-to-income issue capable of killing the joy of owning a home. 

To understand how this relates to your specific home buying situation, speak with your lender and/or a financial advisor.

Understanding Debt-to-Income

Basically defined as the portion of the monthly household income that is assigned to meeting debt payments, most financial gurus…

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For those who have ever closed on a mortgage before, you know that on top of all the complicated ins and outs of selecting a mortgage, there is a ton of paperwork to bring in, look at, and sign. This guide can help buyers with what kinds of documents are needed and which disclosures will be received during the process.

Documents to Gather

Prospective buyers in the Bay Head area may hear from friends and family members that it takes forever to get approved for a mortgage. The timing lies almost entirely in the underwriting process, where the lender has to verify the information written in the application. If all necessary documents are gathered beforehand and provided with the application, it will take less time.

Employment

The means of…

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Home Wish List When thinking of buying a home in Bay Head or surrounding areas, most people probably have a long list of wants for that house. The reality, however, is that it can be unrealistic to look for a home with literally everything on the wish list.

Even if a buyer can afford every desired feature, such as oceanfront, luxury, with a pool, etc..., the simple fact is it’s rare to find a home that fits that long list of requirements. As such, buyers should prioritize expectations, isolating a handful of needs from a much larger collection of wants.

Identifying Wants

The categorization process can be painful. Consider these approaches if you're having trouble:

  • Require justification for it: Having four members in the household is certainly a good…

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Credit Model Adjustments Most people know they have a credit score and that lenders, including mortgage lenders, review it during a loan process. But it is less common to fully understand how a credit score is determined, what it predicts, and how this can affect your waterfront home buying process. 

Credit scores are statistical formulations that predict a person's credit worthiness. Lenders all over the country use them to decide whether or not to extend credit, the amount of credit they will extend, and the terms of the loan. Consumers in Manasquan, NJ and all over the country who manage their finances responsibly and pay their bills on time enjoy high credit scores that are attractive to lenders. A high credit score can literally save them thousands of dollars over their…

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Getting a Mortgage Approval When you apply for a mortgage, lenders typically look for a solid work history, good income with upward mobility, and a great credit rating. The truth is that not everyone who gets a mortgage has perfect data when they apply.

Some applicants have all of these but one, or they have other limitations that make them less than ideal as a candidate. These tips can help you to identify what lenders are looking for, and how to find solutions to possible problems with your Bay Head area home application.

Every financial situation is unique, so make sure to work with your lender and/or a financial advisor to see what can work for you.

Employment History

Obviously, a good employment history is vital for your mortgage application. The lender wants to…

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 Nothing transforms a room as quickly and easily as a fresh coat of paint. Some of the world's leading paint manufacturers recently introduced a fresh batch of colors, all in eco-friendly formulas. 

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HOME IMPROVEMENT: TRUE COLORS 

 

Nothing transforms a room as quickly and easily as a fresh coat of paint. Some of the world's leading paint manufacturers recently introduced a fresh batch of colors, all in eco-friendly formulas. 

 

 

FARROW & BALL PAPERS AND PAINT 

The UK brand launched past fall, all created using the same age-old production methods that its factory in Dorset, England, has been employing since the company's beginnings in 1946. The pigments - in…

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