For most homeowners, PMI is an expense that cannot be avoided. However, for military service members, PMI may not apply. If you're a military service member who would like to purchase a home, it helps to be aware of PMI and why it may not apply to you.

For informational purposes only. Always consult with a licensed mortgage or home loan professional before proceeding with any real estate transaction.

What Is PMI?

PMI stands for private mortgage insurance. PMI is a type of insurance that protects the lender from a home buyer's default. In other words, if a home buyer stops paying their mortgage payments, PMI pays their lender for the balance on the mortgage. PMI is typically a requirement on a home loan if the home buyer puts down less than

Veterans and current service members deserve discounts, especially within the realm of maintaining their health and desired level of physical fitness. As a military-minded community, there are several gyms in Colorado Springs with military discount offers. Here are some of the city's top choices for vets and their families.

Crunch Fitness

Address: Crunch Fitness, 5620 Academy Blvd North, Colorado Springs and Crunch Fitness, 1801 South Academy Blvd. Colorado Springs

Crunch Fitness is a unique style of gym in Colorado Springs that offers an array of workout classes and various levels of intensity. Gear up to crunch and flex those muscles as a veteran or active service member with discounts that vary upon location. It is believed that discounts

One of the easiest ways to customize a room inside a home is by painting the walls in a fun or stylish color. Homeowners can easily hire someone to come to the home and do the painting for them, but for homeowners who want to break into DIY, painting is the perfect place to start. 

Remove All Furniture From the Room

The first step to painting a room is to protect everything in it from the paint, and the easiest way to do that is to take it out of the room. If the furniture is too big or too heavy to be taken out completely, then the homeowner should pull it away from the wall and place it in the center of the room. Optionally, they can also cover it with a tarp to ensure that it’s protected from any stray splatters of paint.

Use Painter’s

National, regional, and local companies honor U.S. military personnel, their families, and veterans in many ways. Insurance companies often provide military discounts for car insurance and other policies. When looking for car insurance with military discounts in Colorado Springs, consider the following companies.

USAA

USAA (United Services Automobile Association) has served the military community and their families since 1922. USAA offers military discounts for car insurance that may include but are not limited to:

• Military installation discounts: save up to 15 percent when the vehicle is garaged on base
• Vehicle storage discounts: up to 60-percent discount when storing an insured car
• Accident forgiveness
• Bundling options with

There are a number of opportunities available to service members when it comes to purchasing a home. Depending on the schedule, duties, and finances of the individual, they may wonder if they can use those benefits to purchase a vacation home. See how the VA loan terms work in this kind of situation.

For informational purposes only. Always consult with a licensed mortgage or home loan professional before proceeding with any real estate transaction.

A Quick Refresher

In order to qualify for the VA loan, military members are supposed to inhabit the home as a primary residence. However, those who are liable to be transferred once every couple of years may reasonably come to think of every home as a vacation home. Over the years, the VA has worked

Performing improvement projects is a necessity if you own a home. If you don't keep up with home maintenance, your home could sustain damage over time. Some home improvement projects are more complicated than others. While some projects are safe to complete on your own, others should be handled by a professional. Knowing which home upgrades are best handled by a contractor and which are safe to DIY can help you maintain the value of your house. Here's what you need to know.

When to DIY and When to Hire a Contractor

A homeowner who is trying to decide whether to hire a contractor or complete a home improvement project on their own should start by asking themselves a series of questions.

Do I Know How to Do This?

Some home improvement

Home warranties can be useful for new homeowners. Usually, home warranties are included in the purchase of the house, a perk provided to the home buyer by the seller. Home warranties make life in the home a little easier for the new homeowner after the close of escrow. Because the home warranty is usually included in the deal and is purchased by the home seller for the buyer, many buyers never wonder whether they would like to purchase a home warranty for themselves.

However, home warranties are not a guarantee, and not all sellers buy this policy for buyers. Home buyers who are trying to decide if they would like to purchase a home warranty should take many factors into consideration. Military families in particular may feel uncertainty about their

Sometimes, dessert can be considered the main course of the meal. Anyone in Colorado Springs who believes that dessert deserves its own experience will be thrilled to know there are many dessert-themed restaurants in the city. These local shops are ideal for anyone who wants to finish off their date night with a sweet treat or for people who want to eat a slice of cake for that mid-day pick-me-up.

These are the best dessert-themed restaurants in Colorado Springs, CO:

3.14 Sweet and Savory Pi

Address: 3.14 Sweet and Savory Pi, 5152 Centennial Blvd, Colorado Springs, CO 80919

As a unique dessert restaurant in the city, 3.14 Sweet and Savory Pi gets its name because it aims to provide patrons with an infinite number of options. The menu

Any home buyer who is taking out a mortgage must decide for themselves what type of mortgage is right for them. FHA mortgages and conventional mortgages are very popular, but for homeowners who qualify, USDA loans and VA loans may be the better option. Both loans have low interest rates and are excellent options for a home buyer on a budget. If you qualify for both types of loans, knowing the difference between them can help you decide which one is right for you.

For informational purposes only. Always consult with a licensed mortgage or home loan professional before proceeding with any real estate transaction.

What Is a USDA Loan?

USDA loans are issued through the US Department of Agriculture. These loans can only be obtained through lenders

Here in the beautiful community of Colorado Springs, there are numerous military bases and government installations. Life in these positions can be very transitory between deployments, leave time, official orders and the like, and many families are on the move frequently.

Many airlines offer military discounts to ease other costs that can quickly add up. Here are some offers from airlines that honor military members and their families with special travel discounts.

Allegiant Air

Allegiant Air offers active duty military, veterans, reserve duty, National Guard, Coast Guard, Public Health Service Commissioned Corps, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration's Officer Corps and several other military-based institutions and their dependents