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The least babied of all home surfaces has got to be the American driveway.  The most commonly installed driveway surface, made of gray-toned concrete, is a beautiful sight when it’s brand new.  Then comes life, and before long, sidewalk chalk and oil leaks have given your driveway personality.  But with a little effort, you can restore your concrete driveway’s new appearance and protect it from future dirt and stains.

Driveway Drainage Problems?

If rain sits in puddles on your driveway instead of running into the street, your concrete has settled into an insufficient foundation.  You’ll want to consult a concrete driveway professional to discuss your options.  Your driveway should slope upward from the road ¼ inch for every foot in length.  A 40-foot driveway should be 10 inches higher at the garage than at road level.

Removing Oil Stains

Sidewalk chalk washes away with a good rain, but oil stain removal takes some work.  DIYers might try this two-step method: Sprinkle cat litter or fresh sawdust on the oil stain and let it sit for two days before sweeping away.  This will remove surface grease.  Then, dust the stain with a layer of dry cement powder and let it sit for two more days to absorb the deeper layer of oil.  Be sure to check the weather before you do this.  If rain mixes with the cement powder, you could end up with a permanent cement patch.  Sweep powder into a bag and dispose.  You can also purchase oil-removal products designed for concrete, but these can possibly work too well – you’ll be trading black blotches for clean white ones.

Power Washing

The most effective way to uniformly clean your cement driveway is to have it power washed.  A professional will use the right equipment, water temperature and cleaning product to remove dirt and stains.  The Power Washers of North America can help you locate contractors near you.

Seal the Concrete Surface

One pro of a concrete surface is that it is extremely durable.  The downside is that it is also very absorbent.  Sealants should keep your clean driveway looking great for a long time.  Some sealants penetrate the surface to give invisible stain protection.  Others provide a surface barrier while also giving a glossy sheen, much as if the driveway were wet.  Still other options can enhance the plain gray, such as tinted concrete stains.  These stains are available with or without protective barriers.

The appearance of your driveway creates an impression about your home and way of life.  A well-kept driveway invites people into your home and can add value to your home investment.  How does your driveway shape-up?  To find out, take the curb appeal test.  Step out to your curb and take a long look at the front of your home.  In addition to making sure the grass is green (in season) and the front door is warm and inviting, pay special attention to the state of your driveway.  If your house doesn’t tell anyone that is driving by that it has been well maintained, invest in turning that around.  With mortgage rates at historic lows, a home refinance could provide the extra cash you need to make those needed updates.  With a little hard work, your home can make a great first impression – and a great first impression can go a long way when it comes time to sell your house.

In the past most people that were buying a home either did so alone or with a partner/husband, which was the traditional way of getting a first home. However, things have really changed over recent years, and these days many people cannot afford to buy a home on their own.

This means that many have had to look at alternatives when it comes to moving out from their parents or from rented accommodation and trying to get their foot onto the property ladder, and things aren’t always easy, particularly given the difficulties that many face when it comes to raising a deposit and getting a mortgage in the current financial climate.

One of the solutions that some people have considered is to get a mortgage out with a friend, whereby both friends – or a group – are all in on the mortgage and they buy the property between them. This

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Over 24 million American homeowners could benefit from lower rates

If you’ve been living under a rock for the past few weeks, I’ll let you in on something you might have missed: mortgage rates are at an astonishing low level – hovering in the 4% range. They’ve been holding like this for several weeks.

And yet last week the Census Bureau released tables from the 2009 American Housing Survey (AHS) that revealed surprising news. Rather than dig through the tables, allow me to break it down:

• 113.5 million households in the US
• 76.4 million owner-occupied homes
• 24.1 million mortgages have interest rates above 6%. 

Repeat: 24.1 million US mortgages are above a 6% interest rate! When rat

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Calls have been made for the government to put a cap on the interest rates charged on personal loans. This follows research that showed that most consumers in Britain want to see a cap on the rates of interest that lenders can charge for personal loans. The research was carried out recently by Compass on behalf of YouGov.

According to the results of the study around 68 percent of consumers believe that the government has a responsibility to protect consumers who take out personal loans by ensuring that a cap is put on personal loan interest rates. In addition to this the research found that a similar number of people, around 69 percent, wanted to see government officials promoting affordable means of credit such as credit unions.

Earlier this year a report was produced by consumer watchdog group Consumer Focus, and this showed that the popularity of ‘legal loan sharking’ was increasing. The

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Do you ever wonder if you have the smartest mortgage for your situation?  With mortgage rates currently at their lowest levels since 1955, many Americans are asking themselves if they should refinance.  Most homeowners admit to having doubts about their mortgage when the statement arrives.  Unfortunately, most people simply pay the bill without exploring how easy it could be to have a smarter mortgage and a lower payment.

Remember, your home mortgage could be one of the largest financial investments you’ll ever make.  It needs to be managed with care.  Managing your mortgage can often mean keeping your eye on interest rates and other factors that can affect your payment amount.

There are a few good reasons to consider refinancing:

• If you have an ARM – Make sure you know when your rate is scheduled to adjust.  If your ARM is not set to adjust for several years, it may be a good idea to refinance and lock in today’s low rate with a conventional, long-term mortgage.
• If you have a fixed-rate mortgage – Examine how your current interest rate compares to current interest rates.  The Census Bureau just released figures showing that 24.1 million American’s have mortgages with interest rates over 6%.  If you’re one of these Americans, you could benefit from a refinance.
• Analyze your goals – Perhaps they have changed since you bought the home you’re in and you need a more flexible mortgage.  You might like to explore the possibility of taking cash out of your equity to make home improvements.  Maybe you have high-interest debts you’d like to clear up?  With credit card interest rates at a 9-year high and mortgage rates at 50-year lows – it could be a great time for you to refinance to consolidate debt.

To find out when you will see real savings from a mortgage refinance, first add up the costs involved.  This includes discount points, processing fees, appraisal fees and title insurance.  If your closing costs for a $200,000 mortgage are around $2,500 – and your Home Loan Expert can help you save $300 per month by locking in a lower interest rate – then your break-even point will come in just over 8 months.  If you plan to be in the home for several more years, while continuing to save thant $300 every month, then this is a financial move that makes a lot of sense!