How Does the Escrow Process Work When Buying a Home?
Buying a Home: The Escrow Process Explained When buying a home, your offer will often be submitted along with a deposit check, also referred to as earnest money. This assures the seller you’re a serious buyer. Your earnest money is held by an escrow company until the closing. An escrow company is an impartial third party that ensures everything is in order and all requirements of the contract satisfied before the property and the funds are exchanged at closing. The seller has no access to your deposit money until the escrow company releases it. The Basics of An Escrow Process The Appraisal. In order to approve your loan, the lender will send a licensed home appraiser to the home to determine the fair market value of the property. Having the home appraised not only helps keep the selling price fair compared to other homes in the area, it also ensures the home loan isn’t greater than the value of the home. Meeting all financing requirements. The Lender will communicate with you on any additional requirements that must be satisfied in order for the loan to be processed. Home Inspections. The bank will want to know as much about the condition of the property as possible before giving a mortgage loan. This helps ensure the bank will get their money back if the buyer defaults on mortgage payments. Home inspectors look at the general condition of the house, structure, plumbing and electrical, as well as any pest or other damage. Home Insurance. When securing a mortgage for the purchase of your home, you will need to provide proof of purchased home insurance. Home insurance not only protects you in case the home is destroyed, it also gives your lender assurance they will be paid, as well. A Title Search. A Title search is an important part of the process, as it verifies that the house comes with a clean title and no one else, besides the seller, can claim ownership. A Title search checks for any property liens against the home by creditors, whether all taxes are current, and if anyone else has a claim to the home and would need to be considered during the transaction. Title Insurance. Title insurance is a required part of securing a mortgage and closing on the house, as it covers the new homeowner in case anything gets missed during the title search. The escrow process may vary from state to state, but the main goal of it is to make sure your earnest money securely awaits closing while everything is prepared for the transaction. The process takes time and can be confusing, especially for first-time home buyers, so don’t hesitate to reach out to your real estate agent or lender with any questions.
Guide to Parks with Playgrounds In Branford, CT That Your Kids Will Love
Branford, CT has a few great parks where kids can get their energy out or get together with their friends. Hover over each point on the map to see where each park is located, and read what each park has to offer below. Bayview Park Bayview Park is located in the Stony Creek-Thimble Island Historic District at the corner of Thimble Island Rd and Sachem Rd. Just past the park is the Stony Creek Beach and Thimble Island Ferry dock. Bayview Park had a playground, a basketball court, and covered picnic area. Playground Basketball Court Covered Picnic Area Parking: Street Location: Corner of Thimble Island Rd & Sachem Rd, Branford, CT Branford Hills Park & Field Branford Hills Park and Field is located where the Branford Hills School used to sit. The school was demolished in 2016 and a playground and recreational area built in its place. The park has two large field, swings, basketball court, and a playscape area. Playground Basketball Court Soccer FIeld Baseball Field Parking: Parking Lot, Off Street Location: Corner of Burban Rd and Jefferson Rd, Branford, CT Parker Memorial Park at Branford Point Beach Parker Memorial Park is located at the entrance to Branford Point and Branford Point Beach. It has a playscape with slides and a swing area. The nice feature of the park and beach is the building with full bathrooms, open during summer season. Off season, a port-a-potty is available near the parking lot. Playground Beach Picnic Areas Parking: Large Parking Lot (requires Branford Town sticker between Labor Day and Memorial Day), Small Parking Lot at the Point Location: 20 Harbor St, Branford, CT Branford Point Beach at Branford Point Branford Point is a popular spot throughout the year, drawing beach goers during the summer and nature lovers all year round. With trees and picnic tables throughout, it offers plenty of shaded spots to sit and relax. The dock at Branford Point is a popular fishing spot. The beach has outdoor showers for rinsing off, and a building with full bathrooms is available during summer season. Off season, a port-a-potty is available near the parking lot. Playground (see Parker Memorial Park above) Beach Picnic Areas Fishing Dock Parking: Large Parking Lot (requires Branford Town sticker between Labor Day and Memorial Day), small parking lot at the Point Location: 20 Harbor St, Branford, CT Foote Memorial Park Foote Memorial Park is one of the larger parks in Branford, CT. It contains walking trails, covered picnic areas, tennis courts, a baseball field, basketball court, large open green area, and two plagrounds, one for older kids and one for little ones. The main parking lot required a Branford Town sticker between Labor Day and Memorial Day, however there is a small parking available to everyone at the entrance to the park. Two Playground areas (one for kids up to 5, and one for kids 5+) Basketball Court Tennis Courts Baseball Field Walking Trails Picnic Areas Parking: Two Parking Lots (large lot requires Branford Point Sticker between Labor Day and Memorial Day). Location: 12 Melrose Ave, Branford, CT Hammer Field and Joseph Trapasso Community House Hammer Field and the Joseph Trapasso Community House are located near Branford Center, adjacent to Sliney Elementary School. The Community House offers a lot of activities throughout the year, including before and after-school care for kids. Visit the Community House website for most current activities and registration information. Playground Basketball Court Baseball Field Multifunction Field Picnic Areas Parking: Parking Lot, Street Parking Location: 46 Church St, Branford, CT Pardee Park Pardee Park is located in the Short Beach community and has a playscape, basketball court, and a large open field. Playground Basketball Court Multifunction Field Parking: Small Parking Lot Location: Westwood Rd, Branford, CT Patty's Park Patty’s park is a playground located behind the Mary T. Murphy Elementary School. It includes a small rock climbing wall, various games (ex: food tic-tac-toe, dinosaur “fossils”), a basketball court, and a swing area. The entrance to the parking lot is on Parish Farm Rd. There is a soccer field to the right of the park, and a big kid playscape is located in the front of the Murphy School. Playground Basketball Court Multifunction Field Parking: Parking Lot Location: Parish Farm Rd, Branford, CT Veteran's Memorial Park Veteran’s Memorial Park is located about half a mile north of I-95, on Brushy Plain Rd and has quite a bit to offer. It has a playground area, basketball court, two baseball fields, several soccer fields, and a tennis courts. Playground Baseball Fields (2) Basketball Court Soccer Fields Tennis Courts Parking: Parking Lot Location: 120 Brushy Plain Rd, Branford, CT Veteran's Memorial Park in Branford, CT Do you have other places around town your kids like exploring? Let us know your favorite spots around Branford, CT to take your kids to!
How To Get Your Fireplace Ready For the Winter
Do a Yearly Inspection Any fireplace should be inspected and thoroughly cleaned at least once a year by a chimney professional to remove any build up of creosote, which is a flammable byproduct of burning wood. This will help keep your fireplace safer. Repair any Cracks or Damage Check your chimney’s structure inside and outside for any cracks or damage to the bricks. If the chimney needs fixing, hire a professional mason to make the repairs. Check your Damper and Cap Inspect both your damper and cap to make sure they’re in proper working order. A damper that is stuck and won’t open properly will not be able to function properly and you may end up with smoke in your house. A well attached cap helps keep animals and birds out of your chimney. Clear out Ashes Regularly Clean out the ashes from the firebox before first use, and then regularly whenever ash builds up more than an inch. Wait until the ashes are cold before sweeping them out, as they can stay hot for up to three days. Wood ashes can be disposed of outside, as they are great for garden beds and compost piles. Reduce Energy Losses from your Heating System Plug it up. If you don’t actually plan on using your fireplace, it’s better to plug it up for the Winter. Insulate, plug and seal up your chimney flue to keep cold air from coming into your home and warm air from escaping. Keep the damper closed when not actively using the fireplace. An open damper is like an open window, and in Winter months it will allow warm air to escape from your home, straining your heating system. Install heatproof glass doors. Tempered, heatproof glass doors coupled with a heat-air exchange system will help blow warm air back into the room rather then letting it out through the chimney. Doors around the fireplace will also help keep sparks from flying onto your floor and potentially damaging it. With a little bit of preparation, your fireplace can be a cozy way to relax and heat your house more efficiently, saving you big energy costs. The tips above will help you get the most out of your fireplace and keep it functioning longer.
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