Home Equity ? Let the Market Eliminate Your Private Mortgage Insurance

In decades past, most people who were interested in obtaining a home loan were required to put down at least 20% of the purchase price. Those days are gone, and as home prices have risen faster than incomes, the average down payment required by lenders has dropped. In fact, it is often possible to buy a home with no down payment at all.

Who is Juan Valdez?

Juan Valdez is a fictitious character who was created in 1959 to represent the National Federation of Coffee Growers of Columbia, founded in 1926.

He is one of the most familiar faces in the advertising world, with his moustache, sombrero, poncho and his faithful mule, Lana.

In the first commercials, Juan Valdez used to wander around in the coffee fields, picking the ripe coffee berries with his hands.

Seven Essential Color Concepts for Designing Spaces

Understanding a few essential color concepts will help you design your living and work spaces more purposefully. Embrace the colors that work best for your specific activity and emotional support. Here are seven Design Psychology color basics:

1. Light colors and cool colors recede; dark and bold colors advance.

2. Bold colors and large patterns take up visual space and help sparsely furnished rooms look finished.