The Alliant Advisor, Spring 2011 Newsletter

8/6/2019 The Alliant Advisor, Spring 2011 Newsletter

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in this issue

A smart homeowner’s springtime schedule

Spring cleaning tips

Save $$$ by multi-purposing around the house

Do you know someone in the marketor a new home?

Setting contractor standards

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cover storywww.alliantcreditunion.org Spring 2

Advisor

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FIRST MORTGAGES

1/1 ARM 3.250% 3.297% 0

3/1 ARM 3.250% 3.297% 0

5/1 ARM 3.250% 3.297% 0

5/1 ARM (Interest Only) 3.875% 3.485% 0

7/1 ARM 3.500% 3.413% 0

7/1 ARM (Interest Only) 4.125% 3.665% 0

10/1 ARM 4.250% 3.919% 0

SECOND/VACATION HOMES

1/1 ARM 3.500% 3.547% 0

3/1 ARM 3.500% 3.547% 0

5/1 ARM 3.500% 3.547% 0

7/1 ARM 3.750% 3.665% 0

10/1 ARM 4.500% 4.174% 0

Rates, terms and conditions subject to change. Loanapproval, APR and downpayment required based oncreditworthiness, amount fnanced and ability torepay. APR=Annual Percentage Rate. First Mortgagesavailable in all 50 states. Rate is higher on fxed ratemortgages o $417,001 and above and on ARMs andInterest-only fxed rate mortgages o $500,001 andabove. Reer to the Alliant website or additional detailsand requirements. ARM=Adjustable Rate Mortgage.*The Annual Percentage Rate (APR) assumes a 20%downpayment on a loan amount o $250,000 with a30-year term. The results above assume an originationee o $1,350 plus $180 in additional prepaid fnancecharges plus 15 days o prepaid interest.

Mortgage Loan Rates

As of April 19, 2011

Type Interest APR* PointsRate

A smart homeowner’s springtime schedule

Advisorthe Alliant

Spring is the perect time to begin planningsome basic home maintenance checks. Whileit’s tempting to postpone chores, some basicplanning can help you avoid homeownerheadaches down the line. Each o these simpletasks takes a small amount o time and willhelp you keep your home in top shape or

the coming months and years.From top to bottomWinters are hard on roos. This is especiallytrue in the case o our most recent winterwhen large areas o the country werebattered by record snowalls, ice storms andhigh winds. Now that winter has lost itsgrip, inspect your roo and perorm anynecessary repairs.

Use a ladder or an up-close look and a pairo binoculars or an even closer examination.Look or any missing, damaged or misshapenshingles that need to be replaced. Hire aproessional roofng contractor to perormthe repair. I the damage to your roo isallowing water to leak into your home andyou can’t get it fxed right away, a temporaryroofng patch can buy you time until a

proper repair can be made.Once you have your roof checked out…

• Checkyourbasementforcracksorleaks.I you see moisture, call a proessional tocheck it out

Clean your guttersGutters are another critical actor inpreventing unwanted water rom seepinginto your home. When gutters anddownspouts are clean and clear, and whenthere are no leaks in your system, water caneectively be diverted away rom your house

and the risk o seepage is minimized.

Check your gutters and clear away anyexcess leaves, twigs and debris. Ater youremove the larger pieces, wash away theremaining particles using a garden hose.Tools like the “Gutter Getter” can help puldebris out o your gutters. I you have guttguards or screens designed to prevent lea

buildup, these can get clogged and need tobe cleaned in order to unction properly.

Next, check or leaks and splits along theseams and corners. These should be repairewith a gutter patch compound.

After you’ve taken care of those gutters…

• Cleanupanydebristhathasaccumulatein your yard over the winter

• Edgeyourplantbedsandreseedpatchyareas o the lawn

Check for cracksThe outside o your home takes a beating a

year long. Hot and cold air causes everythito expand and contract, and water that seeinto a crack and then reezes will make thecrack larger.

Inspect the areas where this type o damagmost oten occurs. The spaces between youexterior walls and the spaces around windowdoors and their rames are critical. I they’rnot properly sealed, not only can water seein, but the heating and cooling efciency oyour home will be compromised.

Inspect all the areas around doors andwindows and remove any loose, brittle ormissing caulk, replacing it with an exteriorcaulk in a matching color.Sources: repair-home.com and demesne.ino/Home-Maintenance/



Your yard and the outside o your house aren’t the only things that take abeating over the winter – clutter, dust and dirt build up inside your home too!It’s important to have a plan o attack.When it comes to cleaning…

It pays to prepare!

Here are a ew things to remember in orderto save time and make the job go as smoothlyas possible:

1. Wear comfortable clothing that you won’t mind gettingstained or dirty.

2. Check your cleaning supplies andstock up on whatever you needahead o time.

3. Place items such as cleaning rags,

all purpose cleaner, glass cleaner, feather duster,

disinfectant, and furniture polish in a bucket to take with you when

you clean. You’ll save a ton o time by not having to run back and orthetching this or that.

4. Make a list o all things you would like to replace, fx or give to charity.

5. De-clutter! De-clutter! De-clutter! Hold a garage sale to turn trash into cash.

6. Tackle one room at a time – it’ll make the job seem a lot less daunting.Remember, you can’t spring clean your house in a single day, even i it’s small.

7. Open the doors and windows to let the resh air in, and play some music –it’ll make the experience a lot more pleasant. Have your amily pitch in.Tell them it’ll be un, or at least that they’ll get pizza when it’s over!

Keys to success…

1. Start cleaning from TOP DOWN! Chandeliers, ceiling ans and the tops o book cases are hardest to clean, so they’re the best place to start. Plus whenthe dust alls down, it won’t land on anything you’ve already cleaned.

2. Clean window treatments. Wash the draperies ater you have cleaned theroom. I you have Venetian blinds, clean those with a wet cloth ater you’vedusted the room and vacuumed the carpet.

3. The tough choices – save or toss? In each room, sort the items you want tokeep and toss away everything you don’t. Be thorough! Go through all thedrawers, cupboards and closets, and take out everything you haven’t usedor a year. Set it aside or your garage sale or charity.

4. Save or toss your papers, too! Collect all thepapers that you have in each room andorganize them in two groups —one to keep and one to toss.

5. When in doubt, throw it out! Don’t keep useless things.Be objective. Be strong!You want to shrink yourpile o stu, not let it grow.

Source: mrscleanusa.com

home tidiness 101

Spring Cleaning Tips

You can make your budget go urther when yound alternative uses or everyday items. Thereare probably lots o items on your shelves rightnow that you could use or a secondary purpose.Vinegar can be used as an eective cleaningagent on foors as well as dishes and coee potsand toothpaste (and an old toothbrush) can dowonders on silverware.

Old cloth diapers make great rags that are perector polishing anything rom shoes to cars. Andthey’re an excellent substitute or the disposablerells that clip onto a foor duster. (Anytime you

can replace a disposable product with a reusableone, it’s a good thing!)

Here are some other multi-purposingsuggestions:

• Smartfurnitureisagreatwaytosavespace.Murphy beds, trundle beds and convertiblesoas can let you multi-purposean entire room

• TheSwissArmy® Knie andLeatherman® tool are exampleso gadgets that canvirtually replace an

entire toolbox

• Reversibleclothingand outerwear with removableliners provide versatilityand save closet space

• Styrofoampeanutsthatareplaced in the bottoms o fower pots holdmoisture and make your potting soil gourther. (Be sure you do not use thenew, biodegradable variety, which is

water-soluble)

• There’salmostnoendtotheuses or paper coee lters. Cover dishesin the microwave, soak up grease romried oods, hold snacks, separatestacked china plates, lter broken corkout o wine and prevent rust in storedcast iron skillets

• Useddryersheetsdeodorizeanywherethey’replaced – in shoes, diaper bags, drawers,closets and garbage pails

Source: suntimes.com

Save $$$ bymulti-purposingaround the house



$100 Mortgage Program Reward Certifcate

Offer expires December 31, 2011COMPLETE AND RETURN THIS CERTIFICATE TO:

Alliant Credit Union

Attn: Marketing Department

P.O. Box 66945

Chicago, IL 60666-0945

Member Information

Individual applying for a mortgage, please complete this section and mail to Alliant.

__________________________________________________________________________Member Account Number

____________________________ ______________ ___________________________First Name Middle Name Last Name

__________________________________________________________________________Street Address (include unit #)

____________________________ ______________ ___________________________City State Zip Code

____________________________ ____________________________________________Phone Number Email

Once your Alliant mortgage loan is approved and closed, a $100

reward1 will be deposited into your Alliant savings account.

1 You must be or become a member o Alliant Credit Union to qualiy. You must apply or your mortgagloan by December 31, 2011, to be eligible to receive the $100 reward, which will be deposited directlyinto your Alliant savings account. No substitutions will be made or the $100 reward. Recipients areresponsible or any tax liability. Only one $100 reward per qualiying mortgage will be awarded. OrigCertifcate must be returned to Alliant Credit Union, ATTN: Marketing Dept., P.O. Box 66945, Chicago,IL 60666-0945, in order to receive the $100 reward. Once we receive the Certifcate and veriy the loaamount and close date, we will deposit the $100 reward in your Alliant savings account.

Not in the market for a mortgage?

Pass along this Certifcate to someone who is.

Do you know someone in the market or a new home?Pass along this great $100 OFFER!

I you or someone you know is in the market or a new homeor looking to refnance a current residence, consider Alliant’sgreat fxed, adjustable and interest-only mortgages.

With our online application, it’s ast and easy to apply or amortgage. Once the Alliant mortgage is approved and closed,we’ll reward the borrower with a $100 savings deposit.1

Here’s how it works…

1. Check out our below-market rates at www.alliantcreditunion.org.(I the person you are reerring is not an Alliant member, he/shecan easily join online, too.)

2. Apply online or call our Mortgage Hotline at 800-365-7003(Mon-Fri, 6am-7pm CT; Sat, 8am-12pm CT).

3. Mail in the Certifcate below. Then, we’ll reward the borrowerwith a $100 deposit1 to his/her Alliant savings account.

1 You must be or become a member o Alliant Credit Union to qualiy. You must apply or your mortgage loan byDecember 31, 2011, to be eligible to receive the $100 reward which will be deposited directly into your Alliantsavings account. No substitutions will be made or the $100 reward. Recipients are responsible or any taxliability. Only one $100 reward per qualiying mortgage will be awarded. Original Certifcate must be returned toAlliant Credit Union, ATTN: Marketing Dept., P.O. Box 66945, Chicago, IL 60666-0945, in order to receive the $100reward. Once we receive the Certifcate and veriy the loan amount and close date, we will deposit the $100reward in your Alliant savings account.

Help yourself or someone you know save big

money with an Alliant mortgage



You want to get some work done around your house, but whomshould you trust to do the job? Last year we listed the warningsigns or avoiding the “contractor rom hell.” Here are some thingsto remember when looking or the “contractor rom heaven.”

Insurance: It is vital that your contractor is ully insured, but don’tjust take his word or it. Find out who his insurance carrier is and

contact them directly to get a statement o coverage.

Licensing: Make sure that your contractor is licensed in your stateThen get his license number and check to see i he’s had anycomplaints fled against him.

Clarity of specs: Make sure that you have a clear and comprehensicontract that includes detailed project specifcations. I yourcontractor is reluctant to do this, you should consider using

someone else.

References: Get several reerences and talk with those people frsthand. Ask them what kind o work was done, what their experienwas like and whether they would choose to use the contractoragain. I you use an online reerral site, be careul what you use anhow you use it. Some sites are little more than paid listings, similato what you’d fnd in the yellow pages.

Professional associations: Go online to www.nari.org to fnd localmembers o the National Association o the Remodeling Industry(NARI). It shouldn’t be a deal killer i your contractor isn’t listed,but it’s a good sign i he is.

Longevity and stability: While people who are just starting out

deserve a chance, it’s always a good sign when a contractor hasbeen around awhile and has roots in the community.

Sources: homerepair.about.com and doityoursel.com

ofce closings

Memorial Day–Monday, May 30, 2011

Independence Day–Monday, July 4, 2011

This newsletter is or members’ personal use only.Reproducing and/or selling the contents o thisnewsletter without prior written permission romAlliant Credit Union is prohibited. Copyright Alliant.Articles are prepared as an educational service orAlliant members. They should not be relied on as a

substitute or individual fnancial or legal research.Articles in this newsletter are not intended to be used(and may not be relied on) or penalty avoidance.

P.O. Box 66945, 11545 W. Touhy Avenue

Chicago, IL 60666-0945

www.alliantcreditunion.org

800-328-1935 (24/7)

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Your savings federally insured to at least $250,00and backed by the full faith and credit of the

United States Government

NationalCredit UnionAdministration,aU.S.GovernmentAgency

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Alliant’s 24/7 Member Contact Center,Website, Sel Service Telephone andATMs are available.

Visit our website, www.alliantcreditunion.org, orproduct and other inormation. M313-R04/

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fnding a contractor rom heaven

Setting contractor standards

visit our website at www.alliantcreditunion.org

Documents

The Alliant Advisor, Spring 2011 Newsletter