Vegan in and around Philly

Last week was my birthday and this month marks the year anniversary that I began the journey of vegan living. What do these two things have in common? Birthday dinner at Thai L'Elphant' in Phoenixville, PA!

I don't know if you recall, but last year the Philly region had some major winter storms. This resulted in slow business for my husband and I so we started to catch up on some Netflix documentaries. Long story short, I became vegan. It wasn't cold turkey, it was a transition.  And even my husband started the transition with me! (note the word- started). It's been an amazing journey and I plan to stick with it for the rest of my life.

One of the "down sides" about being animal free is eating out. I LOVE eating out. I LOVE food and trying new places. Going out has not been as enjoyable over the last year since I'm limited to salads, fries and sometimes vegetable sandwiches- which I'm sure in reality aren't even vegan. So imagine my joy when my husband and a couple friend of ours (vegetarian too which is helpful) took me out to Thai L'Eplant' which has a 2 page vegan menu!  I was happily overwhelmed with options to choose from!

Here's just a little snippet of their menu:

On top of the number of options, my food was actually good! Looking forward to going back soon :)

One of the fun things about changing your diet is you get to explore new places and new menu items. So needless to say, we still actually do go out a fair amount, but our choices are limited.

Phoenixville has grown so much over the years. They have such a diverse dining and bar scene which is probably why it just keeps getting built up and more in demand!


If you're looking to move to Phoenixville or maybe buy an investment (because that is certainly in demand right now too!)- here is a great house that is currently for sale. Check out the virtual tour: http://1902irisct.eproptours.com/tour/play.htm

Happy Mortgage News!

If you haven't bought a house in the last 5-10 years, you may not realize the costs involved having an FHA mortgage. You may know that whenever a buyer puts less than 20% down, the lender requires an extra monthly insurance cost. FHA loans require another additional monthly mortgage insurance (PMI)- so you can obtain a loan with as little as 3.5% down, but you're monthly payments can be quite high. A few years ago they RAISED their MI from .55% to 1.35% which was HUGE burden for some buyers. Now they decreased to .85%! This decrease is making a FHA mortgage a smart option for home buyers again. Here is an article with more details:
http://rismedia.com/2015-01-10/fha-to-reduce-mortgage-insurance-fees/?utm_source=newsletter&utm_medium=email

There other new and updated mortgage options too! 3% down, PFHA, 20% down options for investors and much more!
If you're looking to buy this year, it's never too early to speak with a professional and learn about financing options that fit your needs. Contact me today and I can refer you to some amazing, educated and dependable lenders!

New Year. New Goals

A new year gives us the opportunity to reflect on the previous 12 months then set goals to make the next 12 months even better! Whether it's personal, financial or physical goals, in order to reach your resolution, you must write it down and work towards it every day.

This year I want to become a better cook, increase my sales by 20%, go to South Africa and finally have our emergency fund where it needs to be.
What are your goals for 2015?

A popular New Year's Resolution is to buy a home. Maybe you're buying your first home, or need a bigger home for your growing family or possibly a smaller home for your aging family. Whatever the case, you'll probably need to plan and save.

According to the 2014 Profile of Home Buyer and Sellers Survey conducted by the National Association of Realtors, 37% of home buyers said it took them 6 months to save for their down payment, 15% said it took them 12 months and 10% said it took 12-18 months to save. By starting today, you could hopefully be in your new home by the end of the year!

Here's a bonus- saving for your home could help you achieve another common goal- losing or maintaining weight. Going out to eat is rough on your budget and belly! Cut down that cost by making more meals at home and buying certain foods in bulk.

You may not need as much money to buy a home as you think too! Down payment requirements are getting lower. There are 3% down payment programs and don't forget USDA loans! USDA provides loans with $0 down payment in eligible areas.
Read up on USDA here http://eligibility.sc.egov.usda.gov/eligibility/welcomeAction.do

Talking to mortgage and real estate professionals early on in your house hunt is super beneficial. They help give you an idea of costs needed, determine your price range and assist in deciding your next best neighborhood. If you need mortgage lender recommendations, contact me today!

Happy 2015!