Author: Family Fun

Learn the Benefits of Assisted Lving Facilities

Post author By Family Fun
Post date June 26, 2017
No Comments on Learn the Benefits of Assisted Lving Facilities

For many Americans, who retire around the age of 63, they may no longer want the burden of home ownership, but they are hardly ready for a nursing home. According to recent studies, nearly seventy percent of Americans over the age of 65 are going to need some type of care facility for a period of time.

While those who are aging may have a fear of going into a assisted living facility, they may be pleasantly surprised by the level of care and activity provided. Many areas offer integrated facilities where residents can go from independent senior apartments to assisted living to nursing home as their needs grow.

Assisted living facilities are primarily for individuals that can still care for themselves, but may need around the clock monitoring, help, or can no longer care for a property or home. For example, elderly individuals that are in good health but have a history of falling may be well suited for this type of care facility. They would still have their independence but there would be immediate help if they were to fall.

Independent living facilities generally offer a wide range of opportunities and activities. Residents may enjoy exercise classes, cooking, yoga, worship services, field trips, and more. Depending on the size of the facility, there may be tennis courts, a swimming pool, or even a walking track.

Many long-term care facilities allow residents to bring their own furniture and even pets. Residents that are still able to legally drive may come and go as they please doing their own shopping and going on their own outings. However, if driving is no longer an option, transportation can be arranged.

In a recent survey, the number one concern elderly individuals reported regarding going into an assisted living facility was the hardship it would put on their children or family. That is why it is important for children and family members to visit the facilities as well and gain a better understanding of the benefits. Many facilities allow married couples to stay together, which may alleviate a great deal of concern and stress when one elderly parent is caring for the other elderly parent.

Family and friends can visit at any time within reason. They are not like hospitals with strict visiting hours. For residents living in independent apartments, guests can be welcomed at all hours. For residents living within a group facility, there may be start and ending hours to the day, but guests do not have to call ahead or arrange a visit.

Christian church denver Church community Congregations

How To Improve Your Sunday Worship

Post author By Family Fun
Post date June 21, 2017
No Comments on How To Improve Your Sunday Worship

Every single Sunday plenty of religious folks gather together at their local community church so that they can get together and celebrate their love of their god. Religious people for the most part will plan out their weeks around going to church for worship gather and specifically people will plan out their Sunday mornings around the entire process of worship gather. As a matter of fact, almost all people who go to church on Sundays will block out their Sunday mornings to gather at their congregation or missional church so that they can have Sunday worship. This not easy as something could always come up or someone may have to change their schedule around. It is not easy to maximize and be efficient with your Sunday worship. If you are someone who ever feels pressed to try and make sure your time is being utilized effectively so that you have no wasted motions and movements, you are not alone. No one wants to waste time doing other things when hey can be getting together for their Sunday worship. Make sure you consider some of these key factors so that you can truly relax and enjoy the weekly process of your Sunday worship.

It will definitely help you out if you have a community or local church that you visit on a consistent basis. If you are someone that ever feels tempted to skip out on these weekly Sunday worships, going to a community oriented church will definitely help you stay consistent. If there are friends or family that you see every Sunday then you will be more likely to go consistently without every wanting to skip a sundar worship gathering session. Communities are more prone to keep people coming back each week as they will look forward to seeing familiar and friendly faces at their church each Sunday. If you are religious and looking for people to be friends with, going to a local church definitely has some benefits. As a matter of fact, more than four-in-ten of the population, about forty one percent, have stated on record that they personally believe that religion at the very least is somewhat important in their daily lives and interactions.

In the year 2012, an estimated four percent of the United States population, which equates to about 12,200,000 people) openly worshipped in an independent or non-denominational church, up more than fifteen percent from the 2008 estimate of 8 million. If you are a firm believer in a religion that gathers every Sunday in a church you are not alone. Plenty of people spend their entire week looking forward to getting together with friends, family, and local citizens at their church for some form of Sunday worshipping. While non-denominational worshipping is not as common as the orthodox religions, it is still pretty popular in the United States. Do not feel anxious or nervous about getting out every Sunday to have what you consider a nice and enjoyable Sunday worshipping.

Del mar real estate Homes for sale la jolla ca San diego coastal real estate

Are you Looking at Downsizing to a Condo?

Post author By Family Fun
Post date June 15, 2017
No Comments on Are you Looking at Downsizing to a Condo?

A little salt on the scrambled eggs.
Too bitey.
A little pepper in the potato salad.
Too bitey.
The smallest amount of ketchup in the meatloaf.
Too bitey.
The extreme change in her tastes should have served as an early indicator that your mother was changing.
When she finally began showing signs of consusion at the age of 72, however, you knew that something was goin on. When you sat and had along conversation with your father you discovered that he had been seeing signs for months. He did not want to alarm either of his adult age children, though, and so he had kept his concerns to himself.
After that conversation, both you and your sister started considering several possibilities. You suggested that the family consider looking at the memory care options for your mom. You also suggested that there were some affordable condos that your dad might enjoy if he did not want to stay in the big house alone. You did not want to make any big decisions too quickly, but you also know that ignoring the situation would not be helpful. Your sister agreed to check into the memory care location and you offered to check into the condos that might be available.
Condos Are a Great Option for Many of Life’s Transitions
Whether you are looking for a first property investment or you are looking for a way to make the move out of a large family home, condos can be a good transition. Available in a variety of price ranges and in a number of sizes and floor plans, condos for sale across the country might be an option worth checking out.
Consider some of this real estate information about condo and house buyers and the current market:

Real-estate related Google searches increased 253% between the years 2009 and 2013.
Estimates indicate that 44% of home buyers looked online for properties before they made their purchase.
A minor kitchen remodel has an average return on investment (ROI) of as much as 82.7%.
Deciding on the right realtor is a key to the success of any home buying and selling transaction.
Year end totals from 2015 indicated that there were 501,000 homes sold in the U.S.

The value of a home can be affected by as much as 20% based on the quality of the neighborhood school district.
On average, home owners can get a 100% ROI on the money spent to improve the curb appeal of a home.

Bathroom additions offer an average of 86.4% ROI.
Unilke previous decades when home prices were out of reach for many first time buyers, according to 2016 data it is almost 38% cheaper to buy a home than it is to rent a property in the top 100 cities in the U.S.
You are in control of your purchasing limits when you enter the home buying market. Make sure that you take a careful examination of your financial situation and do not overextend yourself, even if you are able to get more financing.

More information like this.

Prep schools in miami Preschools in miami School library

The Benefits of Private Over Public Schools for High Academic Achievers

Post author By Family Fun
Post date June 5, 2017
No Comments on The Benefits of Private Over Public Schools for High Academic Achievers

When searching for the best educational opportunities, including those that provide college preparatory programs, private schools are considered to be an excellent choice. Currently, there are 30.861 private schools operating in the United States, and they enroll 10% of the country’s pre-kindergarten to 12th grade students.

There are a number of advantages to private schools versus their public counterparts. In addition to having smaller campuses, 86% have less than 300 students enrolled. The classes are also smaller, with 12.5 students for every teacher. Public school classes usually have 15.4 students for every teacher. In some public schools, there may be an even higher student-to-teacher ratio.

When campuses and classes are smaller, students have more opportunities for quality, meaningful interactions with their peers, teachers, and other staff. Furthermore, they are also able to develop a greater sense of community and a respect for and sense of belonging to that community.

The academic standards are also higher at private schools, and parents tend to hold these schools to a higher standard. A recent survey showed that 80% of the parents whose children were enrolled in private schools were pleased with the level of academic instruction their children were receiving.

Many parents will examine national SAT scores and compare them with their children’s schools. Recent data indicates that these are the average national SAT scores for the public school system:

Reading: 497
Math: 514
Writing: 489

The SAT scores were higher for students attending top private high schools, however. Consider these recent SAT scores from the nation’s top private schools:

Reading: 541
Math: 579
Writing: 550

The Fraser Institute completed an educational study in 2007. It was shown that 91% of the parents chose to have their children attend private rather than public schools because they believed the teachers were more dedicated. Approximately 72% of the parents strongly agreed that their children’s private school was safe, which is also of extreme importance when considering the advantages of private over public schools.

Since many parents want their children to participate in religious instruction, private schools tend to be preferred for this reason. During the 2011 to 2012 school year, for example, 80% of the parents whose children were enrolled in private religious school were “very satisfied” with the program and theirr choice of school.

By the fall of 2011, 98% of the private school 12th-graders that had been previously enrolled during October 2010 graduated from high school. Approximately 64% of these high school graduates attended 4-year colleges during that fall.

Overall, data from the National Center for Education Statistics indicates that 88% of students that attend private high schools apply to college. This is compared to the 57% of students that attend public high schools.

Top private schools have demonstrated that they provide a higher level of academic standards. When this is combined with their college preparatory and honors programs, they are an excellent choice for parents whose children are planning to attend college and pursue advanced degrees.

Top private schools also have summer camps, which provide enriching activities. When parents plan to have their children attend private schools in the fall, these summer camps are an excellent way to become acclimated to that schools. Furthermore, they will also benefit from meeting their classmates prior to the school year beginning.

Best preschools miami Coral gables prep academy Summer camps in miami

Finding the Best Middle School Experience for your Child in Private Schools

Post author By Family Fun
Post date June 1, 2017
No Comments on Finding the Best Middle School Experience for your Child in Private Schools

Every parent wants the best schooling opportunities for their children; there is absolutely no doubt about that. Before the day they even conceive their children, most parents think about what course of action they will take when it comes to how they will be educated.

From the earliest days of preschool through their college days, parents are concerned with giving their children every opportunity to have the best that the world of education has to offer. While this might seem like too daunting a task for some, what it boils down to in the end is the ability to guide them through each particular learning phase in the best way possible.

One of the most crucial times for any young person in their development is the years of middle school. The best academy middle school program will be designed to help a student grow individually as well as socially during arguably the most difficult years of growing up. Many parents, when considering many different factors, make the decision that private middle school makes the most sense for their child.

There are many different benefits of private school education. One of these many benefits is the fact that private school classes are generally smaller than classes in public middle school. The typical number of students per teacher is 12.5 in the private school sector compared with just over 15 students per teacher in the public school system. This difference might not seem like a big deal on paper, but in a practical, every day setting, the difference is quite large.

By and large, parents who opt for the private school setting for their middle school aged child are happy with the academic standards of the school. In fact, eight out of ten parents are pleased with what their child is learning and how they are being taught. The best academy middle school will be rigorous enough to challenge the student but intimate enough in its size and scope to help a particular child with more individual needs as well.

Not only will the best academy middle school have small class sizes, the school will generally be smaller on the whole. Just over 85% of all private schools have 300 or fewer students. In a situation such as this, students are more likely to participate in more activities, giving them a broader experience in their education.

There is obviously a great deal more to the educational experience than classroom learning, and the best academy middle school programs will allow students to participate in a wider variety of programs. The middle school experience and philosophy are geared toward this very idea. To give a student more opportunity to experience a wider variety of subjects and activities is to give that student a greater opportunity for success, not just at the middle school level but at the high school level and beyond.

Middle school can be a very difficult age for any child. In fact, it is probably the most difficult age for most. Parents who want their children to have the best educational experience realize that the best way to give their children this experience is to help them have the best middle school experience they can find.

With smaller class sizes in what will typically be a smaller school size in general, often the best middle school experience is to attend the best academy middle school one can find. The teachers are prepared for a more rigorous academic program and the students are challenged to learn as much as they can during these very formidable years.

The middle school years are very difficult and challenging years there is no doubt, but when a child is in the right academic situation during these middle school years, they can also prove to be the most dynamic and learning intensive years of adolescence. If a child is comfortable and confident in the school where they are spending their early teenage years, the world of academics can open up and a child can embrace that world fearlessly and with a great deal of success in the process.

Loan program tx Tx va loan program Tx veterans home loan rates

Are You Eligible for a VA Home Loan? Read Below to Find Out

Post author By Family Fun
Post date May 31, 2017
No Comments on Are You Eligible for a VA Home Loan? Read Below to Find Out

Settling back into civilian life can be difficult — and even more difficult if you don’t really have a home of your own to come back to. The United States Department of Veterans Affairs seeks to make that transition and the lives of veterans easier. You served our country well and now it’s our turn to serve you. According to the Veterans Affairs website, the VA home loan program offers a home loan guaranty benefit and other types of housing related programs to help veterans obtain a home. Whether that’s through building your own home, repairing an existing home, purchasing or keeping your home, or adapting a home for yourself, a VA home loan can help make that a possibility. Private lenders provide the home loan, but the VA guarantees a part of the loan, which gives you better terms than you might see if you strike out on your own. If you’re wondering about who qualifies for VA home loan eligibility, read on.

VA Home Loan Eligibility

There are a few qualifications for VA home loan eligibility. You’ll need to have served 90 days (consecutive) during wartime or 181 days during peacetime. Alternatively, if you served in the National Guard or Reserves, you’ll need over six years of service there. You may also have VA home loan eligibility if you were married to a service member who passed away in the line of duty or who has a service-related disability. If you were discharged from service under dishonorable conditions, you will not be eligible to apply.

You don’t need to hit an income threshold in order to qualify, but you do need to provide proof that you have a stable income that can cover your monthly expenses —
this includes the mortgage payment. You also need to show that you’ll have residual income after major expenses (mortgage, car payments, etc.,) are paid for, which would cover food and transportation, among other things. This builds in a safety net for the VA and for the borrower — they know they’ll have enough money to cover their bills every month and in case of an emergency, borrowers know they have a bit of leeway with their expenses.

Private lenders may also ask for other qualifications, such as debt, income, or credit requirements.

How Do I Apply For a VA Loan?

After you make sure that you’re eligible for the VA loan, you should get in touch with a lender that the VA has approved (you can find those resources on their website) and begin the application. You’ll also need to get your VA Loan Certificate of Eligibility, which you can often receive through your chosen lender. (Other ways to get this include via mail using the VA Form 26-1880, asking a VA Loan Specialist to assist, or applying online with the VA’s eBenefits portal.)

After your COE is obtained, you’ll finish up your loan application, gather all necessary paperwork, and turn it into the lender for approval.

What are the Main Benefits of Getting a VA Loan?

A veteran loan has provided the status of “homeowner” to over 20 million veterans, some first time owners, and some previous homeowners. In 20145, just shy of 135,000 home loans were taken out by first time homebuyers and over 185,000 home loans were taken out by veterans who had previously owned a home.

You don’t need mortgage insurance and lets you have 100% financing. Furthermore, the mortgage rates from the VA are at least 50 basis points lower than the rates available on conventional mortgage loans. In most cases, you also won’t need to provide a down payment, nor will you have to pay a mortgage insurance premium every month, meaning that more of your payment goes straight to the actual mortgage.

If you’re a veteran and need a little assistance with getting a loan, get in touch with the Department of Veterans Affairs and see how you can start your application process. Everyone deserves a roof over their head, especially the brave men and women who have served our country well.

Custom home building Home builders chattanooga New home builders in chattanooga tn

Why Building a Custom Home is the Best Choice for You?

Post author By Family Fun
Post date May 30, 2017
No Comments on Why Building a Custom Home is the Best Choice for You?

If there is something that really stresses people, it’s the idea of owning a house. Whether you decide to go for a production house or a custom home building project, there are always serious factors to consider. Some of the factors to consider before choosing the best solution to your house need include, cost, family size, specifications, location, materials to be used, house design and land. Depending on where on the location of the proposed house, construction times will differ across region of the country. For instance, houses built in the Middle Atlantic Region takes around 9.5 months to be completed, whereas the Mountain Region construction averages around six months from start to completion.

If you’ll decide to stick with a custom home over other production models, brace yourself for a somewhat costly home project. Unlike production house models which often maximize on economies of scale and pooling of labor, custom home building projects often demand something extra, especially if there are various specific features and installations to be done. The design of the house will also contribute to the overall cost of building a house, and assumingly you had to purchase a land, then the total cost will be significantly high.

Although the custom home building may seem like an expensive venture, it can be worth it provided you’ve assessed your factors properly. Besides, a custom home can be as simple as you want, but it can also be complex and elaborate depending on your lifestyle.

Building a home can be a fulfilling project that you can admire for years to come. As a result, custom home builders recommend that you come up with your own floor plan or better yet, consult a home developer to design a home from scratch. Since the idea is to have a custom house, you get to choose what goes where and the type floor plan you’d want to have. Additionally, you can choose a design that complements the surrounding. For instance, if you are building a house near a lake or a river, you can opt to have your windows facing that direction for the best views possible.

Since you’ll be majorly involved in both decision making and perhaps the actual construction process, it’s important that you find new home builders with a reputable track record of delivering great home solutions. While the construction is underway, you can add new features that you’d like to see in your new house, and even alter any installations if you wish. That’s the beauty of custom home building projects.

Now that you understand the importance of building a custom home, you can comfortably reward your family with a beautiful custom house and turn it into a home full of love and laughter. Lastly, you can also decide to have a home remodeling project rather than building a house from scratch, either way, you’ll get to choose what you really need in a house.

Featured

A Few of the Many Benefits of Buying Plants from a Local Wholesale Nursery

Post author By Family Fun
Post date May 23, 2017
No Comments on A Few of the Many Benefits of Buying Plants from a Local Wholesale Nursery

Did you know that the average homeowner spends approximately four hours every week caring for their lawn? That’s right, people really love their lawns, and it’s no question why. Lawns are places for fun, relaxation, and socialization, so it makes sense that people want their yards to look nice.

Landscaping plays a big role in how a lawn looks, but you can’t exactly get started with a landscaper unless you know where you’re going to buy your plants from. If you’ve never considered it before, now is the time to think about purchasing your plants from a local wholesale nursery. Here are just a few of the many benefits that come with buying your plants from a wholesale nursery.

Cost Effectiveness
Buying anything for wholesale price is going to be much more cost effective than purchasing it at retail price. The same is true for plants, and it’s why countless landscaping companies invest in wholesale plants for their customers. Whether you’re planting a new tree line or a big bed of your favorite flowers, going wholesale will allow you to purchase more in the long run.

Knowledgeable Staff Members
You’re not going to find the same plant expertise at a home improvement store as you will at a local nursery. Here, the staff members will be exceptionally knowledgeable about plant life, especially those plants native to your area. If you’re working with a landscaping architect, your plants will definitely be from a nursery where the employees are experts.

Native Plant Life
One of the most important things to consider when you’re planting a garden or permanently changing the landscaping around your home is local plant life. Plants that are native to your area will not only grow more effectively, they’ll be healthier and more durable throughout the course of their lives.

Whether you’re just starting out in the world of gardening or you’re a tried and true professional, there’s no arguing that wholesale nurseries are the way to go. Don’t wait to start planning your spring garden today!

Metal roof contractors

Top 3 Reasons to Try Metal Roofing

Post author By Family Fun
Post date May 19, 2017
No Comments on Top 3 Reasons to Try Metal Roofing

metal roofing A lot happens under your roof — family get-togethers, holidays, birthdays, dinnertime masterpieces and dinnertime fails, and even the good old-fashioned lazy weekend. Where do you start when you’re shopping for a roof to cover all those good things? Metal roofs can be a reliable, cost-effective investment to those browsing the roofing market today.

Metal roofing has a long lifespan.
Well-maintained metal roofing often lasts 50 years or more, or about seven times longer than a roof made of asphalt shingles. In fact, aluminum-zinc alloy roofing often lasts up to 100 years — excellent news if you don’t want to have to be calling your local roofing company again anytime soon. It’s even durable in severe weather, with a wind rating of 140 miles per hour (mph). This makes metal roofing a popular option in northern areas that risk a lot of snow and ice damage to a traditional asphalt roof.

Metal roofing is more affordable.
While most metal roofs are made of steel or aluminum, even using more expensive materials like copper, zinc, or stainless steel will cost 30 percent less on average than your typical asphalt roof. Combine the upfront cost savings with the durability, and a residential metal roof is more affordable all around. Affordability doesn’t mean sacrificing options, either. Metal roofing companies can often offer over 100 premium, standard, and customized colors — a far cry from the 15 to 20 options you may have available to you when shopping for an asphalt roof. And if you’re not keen on the look of vertical panels of metal roofing, check into the interlocking shingles that are also available.

Metal roofing saves energy.
Paying bills might be one of the less-than-exciting events taking place under your new roof, but choosing metal roofing can help with that, too. A metal roof can lead to annual energy savings as high as 25 percent, making that monthly utility bill just a little bit easier. In addition, you can have peace of mind knowing that metal roofing is completely recyclable at the end of its longer-than-average lifespan and that most roofing companies use metal roofing that is made of 30 to 60 percent recycled material.

More and more homeowners are looking into metal roofing because whether they want durability, cost-effectiveness, energy savings, or just more options, metal roofing is going above and beyond their expectations.

Life preserver decor Nautical theme decor Ship figurehead for sale

Driving Home Design Simple Ways to Use Nautical Wheels as Home Decor

Post author By Family Fun
Post date May 18, 2017
No Comments on Driving Home Design Simple Ways to Use Nautical Wheels as Home Decor

New trends in home interior design and decor have been making waves in recent years, from revisiting retro themes to creating entirely new ones born from modern inspiration. Similar to the fashion industry, trends in interior design and decorating may come and go, however there are a a handful for trends that simply can’t and won’t go out of style. One such example is ocean and nautical themes.

Considering that both the planet Earth and the human body are made up of nearly 70% water, it’s unsurprising that ocean themes remain so popular. The seas, as well as the adventures they bring, have always fascinated mankind and still do to this day. The best part of nautical themes is that you don’t have to live close to the ocean to be able to enjoy a seaside retreat! You can create your own in the comfort of your own home with a few key nautical items such as a nautical wheel, pirate decor, and other nautical decorations.

Nautical wheels are perhaps some of the most iconic and popular items included in nautical and ocean themed interior decorating, and it’s easy to see why. These pieces command attention and lend a sense of authenticity to any nautical design theme. Here’s how you can incorporate nautical wheels in your home decor!

Above the couch

The space above the couch has a great deal of potential, and is often used as a center of interest of sorts. As such, a large nautical wheel placed above the couch can be a great way to ground the entire space. Try incorporating additional accessories such as a life preserver, sea shells, a chunky throw blanket, and candles.

Over the fireplace

Similar to the space over the couch, blank space over a fireplace has a lot of potential for decor creativity. Placing a nautical wheel above a fireplace and accessorizing the shelf with items such as sea shells, glass bottles, drift wood, and candles can create a designer inspired nautical look. The key is to incorporate other nautical themed accessories that will create a cohesive look.