Hopefully you’re as excited for the start of summer as I am. If not, it’s going to be a long three months for you.

Whether or not you enjoy the summer, we can find common ground in that saving money is a top priority. While I enjoy being out in the summer sun, having its rays beat down on me, I’m also quite fond of walking into an air conditioned home.

After golfing 18 holes or going for a run, there’s nothing better than the cool air hitting me the second I open the door. While some people try to use fans to achieve this sensation, they just don’t cut it. The only viable option for me is air conditioning.

Now that I’ve established air conditioning reigns supreme, the only question left is which type is better: Central or room air conditioning.

The answer is different for everyone. Below I’ll explain the differences between the two and help you decide how to stay cool during the summer.

Room Air Conditioner

A room air conditioner does exactly what you would guess – cools an individual room. Most room air conditioners are setup on a windowsill with the device taking up the entire window space. To operate, the unit is plugged into an electrical outlet.

From there, a detailed process takes place that ends with cool air blowing out from the unit. It’s important to predetermine the size of the room you want to cool in order to find a unit that can adequately do the job. If you buy a unit that is too small, it will run constantly (and shoot your utility bill through the roof). If the unit is too big, you’ll have a wildly inconsistent version of air conditioning that will leave you so cold you’ll wish you were back out in the hot sun.

You can expect to pay a couple hundred dollars for the unit with an additional amount going toward operating costs (the more it runs, the more it costs).

Central Air System

Instead of having to pick one room to keep cool during the hot months, a central air system cools the entire house at once with a unit that is generally located outside. All you need to know about this process is your entire house will be cooled.

The main difference (besides staying cool from room to room) is the cost. The installation of a central air system runs well into the thousands. Also, there is little to no maintenance required for a central air system.

How to Decide

If you fall into one of the following categories, your best bet would be a room air conditioner:

• Renting a house
• Want to cool only one room
• Limited budget

If you’re a homeowner and not on a tight budget, a central air system will most likely be a better fit. Once installed, you’ll be able to expand your living quarters from one air conditioned room to anywhere in the house. The dread of walking from a nicely cooled room to one with nothing but heat will be a feeling of the past!

Have an opinion on whether to go with a central air system or room air conditioner? Let me know!

It’s not a good idea to do it all the time. Then they call you a blowhard.

But when something big happens, it’s all good to let it be understood. That’s what I’m talking about. J.D. Power and Associates putting together a super cool website all about Quicken Loans being ranked “Highest in Customer Satisfaction for Mortgage Origination in the U.S.” for two years in a row.

Two years! Did you read that right?  You did! Two years, my friends. Two years in a row.

The highest in the country. The best. Nobody is better.

And it’s all here in this nice little compact website from J.D. Power and Associates. Here’s a little bit of info from the site (which we call the microsite).

For a second consecutive year, Quicken Loans ranks highest in overall customer satisfaction among U.S. mortgage originators, according to the J.D. Power and Associates 2011 Primary Mortgage Origination Satisfaction Study^SM.

The study helps new homebuyers and existing homeowners make more informed decisions when considering a mortgage originator by measuring the key factors that determine overall satisfaction. These factors include the Application/Approval Process (31% importance weight); Loan Representative (28%); Contact (27%); and Closing (14%). The study is based on the experiences and perceptions of more than 3,600 customers who originated a new mortgage in the past 12 months, and was conducted from July through September 2011.

With a score of 818 (on a 1,000-point scale), Quicken Loans exceeds the industry average by 71 points and is the highest performing loan originator in the study. In fact, Quicken Loans performs particularly well in the Application/Approval process and Closing factors–outperforming the industry average by 85 points and 72 points, respectively–and achieves the highest scores in the industry in those factors. Quicken Loans also scores highest in the Loan Representative factor.

Did you read that, my friends. Quicken Loans “scores highest in the Loan Representative factor.” I don’t know what the Loan Representative factor is, but it sounds official and therefore it sounds like a good thing to win. I’ll take that win, buddy. Every day. All the time. I’ll take it.

If you’d like to learn more about why Quicken Loans was ranked highest by J.D. Power and Associates, you can view the Quicken Loans microsite here.  Or watch this super fun video from J.D. Power and Associates that explains the whole thing in a really good way. Enjoy it. Enjoy it as much as I do.

A few years back, my husband put a pot of water on the stove to make lunch. A few minutes later he remembered that he needed to mow the lawn and ran out the door to quickly get it done. The water evaporated. The pot burned. The house almost went up in flames, but fortunately he remembered the pot seconds before flames erupted. We lucked out. The only consequence was a house covered in smoke and soot, and a charred kitchen ceiling that seemed beyond repair.

After taking the “If I don’t look at the ceiling and acknowledge the problem, it doesn’t exist” approach, I’ve decided to take a deep breath, apply some elbow grease and get that kitchen back into shape.

Here are some helpful tips to reclaiming the walls of your home from smoke and fire damage:

Assess the Situation

First and foremost, take a good look at the walls and ceiling to see if the damage goes beyond something you can handle. Check for any underlying issues that could cause problems for you in the future.

Gather Your Supplies

Just as drastic times call for drastic measures, so goes your approach to cleaning up that pesky soot. Tri-Sodium Phosphate (TSP) is a good way to get through that tough grime on your walls and ceiling, but you will need to take some precautions as it can irritate your eyes and skin. Be sure to wear long gloves, a mask and goggles while scrubbing down. You’ll also need a large sponge.

Attack!

1. Give the walls and ceiling a quick wipe down to get rid of any surface residue that is easily removed.
2. Next, dissolve one tablespoon of TSP per one gallon of warm water. Again, be sure you have those rubber gloves and goggles on! Then you can use the sponge to wipe down the damaged areas, small sections at a time.
3. After you use the cleaner, you will need to go over the walls again with water to rinse it away. If you have drywall, be careful not to oversaturate with water since this can damage the wall and encourage the growth of mold.
4. Repair damages, such as chipped and peeling paint or bubbled wallpaper, as needed. If you have wallpaper, you may need to remove it and re-paper.

Start Anew

Gone through all the above steps and still not happy with the results? No worries!

If you’re like me, you now have an excuse to do that room makeover you’ve always talked about. Your first step in this transformation will be to prime the walls with an oil-based, stain-blocking primer. You may need a couple of coats, depending on the extent of the discoloration. When the primer has dried, you can apply the paint color of your choice. Examine the walls after each coat to make sure no smoke is bleeding through. Once you have achieved the look you want, let it dry while you look around your room and bask in the glory of a job well done.

If you have any questions about assessing and repairing your home after damage from smoke or fire, contact your local professional experts.

What’s Up on Wall Street?

All of the U.S. markets closed in the red yesterday as reports from Europe reveal that the EU region narrowly avoided a recession. The Dow Jones Industrial Average closed down 125.25 points (-0.98 percent). Also, the S&P 500 closed down 15.04 points (-1.11 percent). Finally, the Nasdaq Composite closed down 31.24 points (-1.06 percent).

Recently, four young professionals in Detroit employed this concept to help bring estranged communities in the city together through their newly formed Detroit City Football Club.

As the newest member of the National Premier Soccer League, Detroit City FC will attempt to build community bonds throughout Detroit by using soccer as the common ground.

Thus far, the plan has been a success.

Last season, the Detroit City Futbol League represented 22 neighborhoods from the city through 600 players of all skill levels. This year, they’re expecting as many as 2,000 participants from Detroit communities to fill 30 teams.

While Detroit City FC utilizes social media to get their message to the masses, they moreover rely on old-fashioned door-to-door solicitation to engage different communities to participate.

One of the team owners, Alex Wright, actually hired Spanish and Arabic speaking outreach workers to go door-to-door in southwest Detroit and Dearborn to persuade members of those communities to join the team. Also, postcards and posters were printed in three different languages to accommodate the diverse group of recipients.

Detroit City FC’s grassroots efforts didn’t end with their door-to-door solicitation; they also spent $5,000 to upgrade the field at Cass Tech High School (the club’s game site). With the help of turf management experts at Michigan State University and a riding mower they bought off Craigslist, Detroit City FC is putting its money to use to bring Detroit communities together.

While soccer has been a mainstay for youths in Detroit communities like Rosedale Park for ages, the Detroit City Football Club aims to help this entertaining sport become more popular throughout the entire city.

To learn how you can join the Detroit City Futbol League or read the entire article outlining its efforts, head over to The Detroit News.

Finding the right fit when it comes to mortgage loan options can be a daunting task, especially if your credit history is less than perfect. Now, imagine with me a world in which you can find an easier credit qualifying process and low down payment options with a government-secured loan that allows lenders to give you a better deal. That world, dear readers, is here and now, and we in the business like to call it an FHA Loan.

What is an FHA Loan?

An FHA Loan is a government program, offered by the Federal Housing Administration since 1934, to help people become homeowners.

Who should apply for an FHA Loan?

Are you buying your first home and/or looking for more flexible qualification and credit requirements in your mortgage? Have a down payment or equity that’s less than 20%? Want the comfort and security of a government-backed loan? If you said yes, yes and yes, then this type of loan may be exactly what you need.

If you currently have or want to buy a fixer-upper, there’s an FHA Loan option that allows you to buy or refinance a home, fix it up and include all the costs in one loan.

What are the features of an FHA Loan?

• 30-, 25-, 20- and 15-year terms are all available with fixed rates
• Credit scores as low as 580 may qualify
• 5-year adjustable rate mortgage available
• Refinance up to 97.75% of your primary home’s value
• Buy a home with as little as 3.5% down (primary home)

How does it work?

Now, your actual payment will vary based upon your individual situation and the interest rates (currently at record lows!) when you apply. You can also pay your mortgage at any time without pre-payment penalties. How great is that?

FHA Streamline

If you currently have an FHA Loan and want to refinance, you may qualify for an FHA Streamline, which is as easy to use as it sounds! You could get a lower rate on your mortgage without the extensive qualification process. No appraisal and no minimal credit requirements. FHA Streamline is offered as a 5-year ARM (adjustable rate mortgage) or either a 15-year or 30-year fixed-rate loan.

Who should apply for an FHA Streamline?

You should, if you’re in an FHA loan now, your current mortgage rate is higher than today’s mortgage rates, and/or you owe more on your mortgage than your home is worth.

Have more questions or want to apply now? Our Home Loan Experts can help you decide which loan option makes sense for you.

Once rot begins, it can lead to termite infestation that could wreak havoc on other wooden structures in your home. Ew, right?  You can avoid this gross fate by sealing your wood deck from moisture.

To check if your deck is need of protection, observe the surface when water is applied. If the water is absorbed right away, it needs to be waterproofed again. If you’ve been a good little deck owner, and the water beads up and sits on top of the surface, then it’s not ready for another application.

Deck Cleaning and Preparation

Before you can seal your deck, it has to be prepped for the treatment.

Old sealant must be removed, which may require sanding. The wood should be cleaned before sealing, staining or painting to improve the durability of a waterproofer or stain.  But before you clean, remove all items from the deck and protect plants and other items that can’t be moved.

To remove dirt and mildew, use an appropriate deck cleaner (your local home improvement store can help). It’s likely you’ll be pointed in the direction of an oxygen-bleach solution which is considered garden-safe and doesn’t affect the color of the wood like regular household bleach can. If you decide to use a power washer, make sure you don’t hold it too close to the surface of the wood, as some experts say it can damage the wood in the long run.

After cleaning, it’s critical that you wait 2–3 days, depending on the weather, for the wood to dry completely before applying a waterproofer or stain.

Deck Stains and Sealers

Now that you’ve waited a few days so the wood can absorb the sealant properly, make sure to follow the instructions on the product’s label to properly apply the sealant.

Deck stains and sealers can be found in both water-soluble and oil-based versions, which help protect against the green-and-black-mold look we are all familiar with from our childhood. Today, synthetic resins are used, which also help prevent your deck from fading due to sunlight and the elements.

There are three common types of stains and sealers: clear, semi-transparent and opaque.

• Clear stains and sealers repel water and protect from UV rays, but do not color the wood. This type needs to be reapplied to your deck every 12–18 months.

• Semi-transparent stains and sealers contain some pigment, but allow the wood grain to show, which makes for a nice appearance for harder woods.

• Opaque stains and sealers provide the longest protection and apply like paint, so they are often used on soft woods, where wanting to see the grain is less important. While more prep time is required for opaques, the benefit is that the sealant can last for up to three years.

Deck Stain and Sealer Techniques

Now that you’ve decided on a deck stain or sealer, there are a few ways to apply it. Spraying is quick and easy, rollers and pads on long handles also work well, and brushes are effective in hard-to-reach areas. You can avoid odd sealer marks on the wood by applying the treatment lengthwise on the boards.

The important thing to remember is to not overdo it. If the stain penetrates the wood, you are good to go, but if there’s too much, it can start to pool on the wood, which can lead to cracking and peeling, which defeats all of your hard work.

Deck Maintenance Tips

Approximately every 90 days, you should clean and inspect your deck. Keep the wood free of leaves, dirt and other debris (especially in between boards), that could collect moisture and lead to mold and mildew.

Remove stains as soon as possible and keep stain-inducing items like potted plants either off the deck surface or on a footed planter.

Depending on the product you decide to use, and the type of weather your deck endures, you may have to re-treat the wood every 2–3 years.

If you’re not sure how to tackle the maintenance of your wood deck, consult your local home improvement store for recommendations on the products that work best in your neck of the woods.

What’s Up on Wall Street?

The U.S. markets closed with mixed results Friday as JPMorgan experienced a massive $2 billion trading loss. The Dow Jones Industrial Average closed down 34.44 points (-0.27 percent). Also, the S&P 500 closed down 4.60 points (-0.34 percent). Finally, the Nasdaq composite closed up 0.18 points (0.01 percent).

It’s her day. The day to show how much you cherish the lady of the house.

This is going to be a special one for me. It’s the first first Mother’s Day that my wife is a mother, so now I have two mothers to hook up with some nice stuff.

This got me thinking. Neither of the moms in my life needs chocolate. Neither needs flowers. Neither needs fancy soap. They already have all that. I mean, they like chocolate and flowers and fancy soap, but they don’t need them.

What my wife needs is for me to get off my lazy butt and clean the house. My mother probably could use a little help cleaning the gutters.

You get the point.

This is about doing the little extra things as a gift to the moms in your life. Nothing shows you care like vaccuming the dog hair up off the ground. Or clearing out the garage.

Yes, you get the point. Here is Clay C’s list of alternative gifts for Mother’s Day that mom will love you for.

1. Clean/Vacuum the house – she  might tell you that you should be doing this anyway, but if you don’t usually clean/vacuum the house, do it for Mother’s Day. Mom will appreciate the day off if nothing else.
2. Wash the windows – I’m not talking about SOME of the windows or the inside of the windows. I’m talking about EVERY window in your homoe. Wash them. Really well. Both sides. Take the storms down if you have those. It’ll take some time, but they’ll look great and mom will be so proud of her sparkling windows.
3. Clean the gutters – do your gutters have little trees, weeds, grass and bushes growing out of them? If so, that’s nature’s way of telling you to clean them out. You’ve been putting it off way too long. Do it for mom. Do it, dad/son/daughter.
4. Clean out the garage – this is a personal one for me. I’m pretty messy and the garage is an easy place to put “stuff” you don’t really want to deal with organizing. Twice now, our garage has gotten so full of “stuff” that we couldn’t park our two cars in it. Twice, my wife pretty much cleaned it out herself. I helped, but she had to get prety upset for me to get motivated. So save mom the stress and just do it. Throw away those things you’re saving for no real reason. Donate stuff to charity. Set up some shelves and put all those tools laying all over the floor ina nice organized fashion. Just do it, dad/son/daughter. Just do it.
5. Cook a really good dinner – you might not think you can, but just about any intelligent person can cook a good meal if they have good ingredients, good recipies, and patience. So find some great recipies, list the ingredients you need, go shopping, plan out the timing of the courses and just do it. Mom will love you when she bites into the love you created for her. And even if it’s only a fraction of the meal she could have cooked blindfolded, she’ll still love you. Probably.

That’s it. Five things you can give mom for Mother’s Day that will make it special and cost you little more than some elbow grease, love and time. Well, the meal could be a little pricy, but if you do some smart shopping, you’ll keep your costs to a minimum.

Do these things and you and mom will surely have a happy Mother’s Day.

Happy Mother’s Day, indeed.

If you found yourself jumping up and down and screaming with excitement after reading the first line, here is your chance to do both.

In an effort to help the Children’s Tumor Foundation in its battle to find a cure for neurofibromatosis (NF), the Fuel the Cure contest needs your help. From now until June 3, Quicken Loans Racing is asking you to donate any monetary amount possible.

Consider that NF:

• Is a genetic disorder causing tumors to grow on nerves throughout the body, including the brain and spinal cord.
• Affects more than one in every 3,000 children born, more than cystic fibrosis, Duchenne muscular dystrophy, and Huntington’s disease combined.

Your donation not only helps bring awareness to NF but also enters you for a chance to win some cool prizes.

• One grand prize winner will get the chance to meet Ryan Newman behind the scenes at Sonoma, a tour of Newman’s #39 car, and pit passes at the Toyota/Save Mart 350 in Sonoma, CA on June 24, 2012.
•  Two other winners will receive a 1:24-scale #39 Quicken Loans collectible die-cast car signed by Ryan Newman.
• Fifty people will receive a signed Ryan Newman #39 Hero Card.

Even if you aren’t one of the lucky winners, you can take pride in the fact that your money was donated to help a worthy cause.

If you aren’t the lucky winner of a pit pass to meet Ryan Newman, make sure to tune in to TNT on Sunday, June 24 at 2:00 p.m. ET to see him race in a special CTF designed car. Check out the new design and help Fuel the Cure!