Talking Real Estate

PRESTIGE magazine is a high quality publication showcasing Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices' luxury and resort properties. Inside the Summer issue, accompany Chef @fabioviviani as he takes us on a journey of how growing up poor in Florence, Italy encouraged him to build a culinary masterpiece. Then, escape to a mountain sanctuary - where retreats offer more than a second home destination and present experiences beyond the winter snow and uncover the sophisticated designs and exotic materials of world-class craftsmanship of game products that have been elevated to modern pieces of fine art and finally, discover one of the world’s most revered cultures, ancient Greece. Click the link in our bio to read the issue and take a journey with us!

Few textiles for the bed offer the luxury and comfort of down. It’s lightweight, warm and fluffy, with unique breathability. Explains the Down Association of Canada, down wicks away moisture, allowing water vapor to pass through the down. This keeps you warm without clamminess or heaviness, and you can sleep in cooler air while staying warm.

Down is part of the plumage grown by waterfowl for warmth. It clusters under and around the flight and body feathers, on the breast and under the wings. The geese and duck molt or shed the down just as they shed their larger feathers. As they preen their feathers, they loosen down and feathers. The farmer collects the loose down for “dry-harvesting,” a painless process much like brushing a dog to get rid of loose fur.

A top-quality down product should have at least 90% down to no more than 10% feathers. The advantage is more “loft” which means the fibers buoyantly trap air for warmth while remaining fluffy and uncompressed. Look for lightness and bounce and avoid products with sharp feather quills or “down fiber,” a down dust that offers no value.  For comforters, choose a high thread-count, baffle box construction that compartmentalizes the down to keep it from shifting.

You can buy comforters and pillows ready-made, so look for clear, concise labeling so you know exactly what you’re buying. You can also have duvets, feather beds and other products custom made for you at bulk down manufacturers.

With as little as 3% down payment required, Freddie Mac’s  Home Possible Mortgage loans are ideal for low to moderate-income borrowers with few savings, first-time homebuyers, borrowers with shallow credit histories or retirees on a limited budget.

The benefits to borrowers are more flexible sources of funds for the down payment that can include gifts, grants, employer assistance, secondary borrowing, the borrower’s money, and other approved sources. Because the down payment is lower than the benchmark 20% down, you’ll pay private mortgage insurance. This protects the lender should you default, and the cost is based on your loan-to-value ratio and credit scores. Expect to pay $40 to $80 per month for every $100,000 you borrow. However, Home Possible mortgages have reduced mortgage insurance for loan-to-value ratios greater than 90 percent.

Other benefits include flexible property options, including condos and 1-4 unit homes, caps on credit fees, mortgage flexibility including 15-to 30-year fixed rate loans and some adjustable rate products, income flexibility and refinance options.

Required credit scores depend on the type of loan product you want and whether or not you're buying a single unit or up to four units in the same building, but you should have a credit score of at least a minimum of 660 to 680 for single occupancy.

If you’re hesitant about getting into a low-down payment loan, don’t be. These loans are only available through your lender if they meet Freddie Mac’s underwriting standards. Freddie Mac wants you to build wealth and security through homeownership.