(A big “thank you” to habito.com for sponsoring this post!)

We are all so busy these days it’s no wonder so many of us are jumping online to pick up—or pick out—almost anything we need. Today, you can shop for almost anything online, from clothing to soulmates. If you wanted to, you could do nearly all of your shopping online. So it’s no wonder online real estate brokers have become a popular choice. But is using an online broker to purchase your home a good idea for you?

What Do Online Brokers Offer That’s Different Than Normal Brokers?

Online-only mortgage firms tend to have quirky, one-word titles, claiming to search thousands of mortgage offerings and recommend the perfect one for you. Most of the time, you will be having a conversation with a chatbot.

A report written by Guardian Money gave these online mortgage brokers a big thumbs up, stating that they’re well worth the try. A few of them offer free tools such as free mortgage and refinancing calculator to give you an idea of how much you will end up paying to get into a new home. You can also get a list of the most competitive offerings for people in your financial position.

This is an improvement from a few years ago when mortgage shoppers could visit a price comparison website and guess which deal was the best from a list of generic search results. Then, of course, there was the traditional mortgage broker—one that either charged you to research for you or gave you free advice with the hopes of getting a commission.

However, this new kind of online mortgage broker claims to employ designers, engineers, mathematicians and mortgage experts, as well as cutting-edge technology to make finding and applying for mortgages quicker and easier. Usually, these sites have a slick design to attract tech-savvy individuals. These sites get paid by the lenders whenever a borrower completes a home loan with them, just like a traditional broker.

Pros of Using an Online-Only Broker

• Since online mortgage lenders don’t operate in the same fashion as a brick-and-mortar mortgage brokerage office, they save a lot of money on overhead. This money-saving tactic allows them to pass those savings to the lenders they work with, which in turn benefits you. In many cases, online-only brokers will save you a lot of money on closing costs.
• Online-only mortgages carry lower fees and interest rate than brick-and-mortar brokers.
• Filling out forms online can save you time and allows you to work on your own schedule.
• Online-only mortgage brokers may be more flexible than in-person brokers when it comes to working with people who have lower than average credit scores.

Cons of Using an Online-Only Broker

• Since you’re filling out forms on your own, you may make a mistake here and there, or misunderstand a question or two. This could lead to problems further on into the process—problems that could cost you lots of money. That means you need to pay attention and take full advantage of the site’s contact options such as a 1-800 number.
• While some online-only mortgage firms are legitimate, others require consumers to pay up front for preapprovals and quotes. This is a sign that they are scams. It’s normal for there to be fees for appraisals, credit checks, among other things, but you’ll pay them when the services are received or at closing. (Something to look out for is misleading rates. This usually comes in the form of offering appealing, low prices only to claim you don’t qualify after they say they’ve checked your credit score.)

Are you on the market for a new home? We’d love to hear about the challenges and questions you’re facing in this process. Feel free to comment below!

21 Fun Ways to Teach Kids Organization in their Rooms

6 Kids Organization Room Ideas

1.  In a boy’s room, put a basketball hoop over a laundry basket for slam-dunking dirty clothes.
2. Place a two-compartment hamper in your kid’s room so he or she can sort light clothes from dark clothes as they undress.
3. String a clothesline in your child’s room and have your child clothespin his or her favorite artwork.
4. Hang a fish net from the ceiling to store stuffed animals, dolls, or action figures.
5. Add a bookshelf and help your child organize their books.
6. Buy the kids their own alarm clocks and teach them how to get up on time.

15 Kids Room Organization Ideas from Our Blogger Friends

1. DIY Kids Bedside Table with Book Storage
2. DIY Kids Chalkboard Bookshelf
3. Frugal Tips for Organizing Kids Rooms
4. How to Create an Organized Kids Closet
5. Our Playroom Reveal: Black and White and Toys all Over!
6. Back to School Organization Ideas
7. Beautiful Lego Storage
8. DIY Toy Storage Bench
9. 5 Ways to Organize Your Playroom
10. DIY Costume Closet
11. Must Try Storage Bin Ideas
12. Cool Bedrooms for Teen Boys
13. Toy Storage Ideas
14. How to Build a Closet Loft
15. How to Make and Install Pallet Bookshelves

Try these Kids Closet Organization Tips Too!

Declutter

Remove everything out of the closet and sort into piles. Get rid of items that your child does not wear or is not likely to use. Make sure to be ruthless here. The worn out ones can be thrown away and the better ones can be donated.

Install a Few Hooks

If there are some items that your kid wears all the time or uses regularly, there is no reason to keep it out of reach or sight. Instead, install a few hooks on the side so that your little one can grab those things and go. On the contrary, if there are things like off-season clothes and accessories that you don’t want your child to have easy access of, go ahead and put them out of reach like on the top shelf.

Hang Clothes in Pairs

Instead of hanging a single piece of clothing, consider matching up your child’s outfits on every hanger. Not only will it help young kids make independent clothing choices, it will also free up a lot of valuable closet space.

Lower the Clothing Bar

Reaching high clothing bars can be a trouble for little ones. So, consider remounting them to within their reach. Alternatively, a step stool inside the closet is a great idea for kids who need extra height to reach their clothing.

Use Boxes and Baskets

Incorporate boxes and baskets of various shapes and sizes for additional storage space. They make a great storage system for toys, folded clothes, and shoes. Irrespective of your shelving options, there is sure to be something to fit. Thrift and dollar stores are usually great places to find such items on cheap.

There are numerous ways to help your child organize, be creative and see which one’s they like!

For more kids organization on Stagetecture, click here.

Breakfast in Bed: Valentine’s Red Velvet Pancakes Recipe 

Red Velvet Pancakes Ingredients:

Makes:  24 Pancakes

Total Preparation Time:  50min

2 cups All-purpose flour

1 ½ teaspoons Baking powder

½ teaspoon Baking soda

½ teaspoon Salt

½ cup Sugar

½ cup Unsweetened cocoa powder

2 large Eggs

1 ½ cups Buttermilk

½ cups Sour cream

2 tablespoons Red food coloring

2 teaspoons Pure vanilla extract

6 tablespoons Butter, melted

Red Velvet Pancakes Directions:

1)      Sift the all-purpose flour, powdered sugar, unsweetened cocoa, baking powder, baking soda, and salt into one large bowl.  Then take another large bowl and beat the eggs with the buttermilk and stir the sour cream, vanilla extract, food coloring until the mixture is smooth.

2)      Next, slowly add the dry ingredient mixture to the wet ingredient mixture and gradually add to the melted butter mixture.  Make sure to keep stirring until all of the mixtures are thoroughly even all around.

3)      Third, take a non-stick pan or griddle and set on medium heat for pan and 4 on the griddle.  Pour ¼ pancake sizes onto the heat metals (whichever you choose).

4)      Flip until reached desired shape and firmness.  Then place on the plate and enjoy with either cream cheese or syrup or both.  And make sure to add more powdered sugar on the top for extra goodness like display in the first photo.

For more breakfast recipes on Stagetecture, click here.

24 Of Our Best Party Food Ideas and Super Bowl Snacks

1. Game Day Favorite Philly Style Cheesesteak

Let’s start off with a sports favorite.  The classic Philly Cheesesteak Sandwich.  This mouth watering tailgating/ sports party favorite has been on the menu for decades.  This sandwich carries all of the comforting deep sauteed flavors that will leave you and your guests very satisfied especially on Super bowl Sunday.

2. Super Bowl Snacks Football Sugar Cookies

Dessert snacks anyone?  The football sugar cookies are great grab-n-go snacks when cheering for your favorite team during the day.  A nice pop of sweet sugar cookie for anyone to enjoy from the adults to the kiddies.  Not only are they simple to make but even better to taste so give them a try on the party day.

3. Super Bowl Food Easy Chicken Parmesan Garlic Bread Pizza

Who doesn’t love pizza?  The chicken Parmesan pizza with garlic bread is great if you have a multitude of guests or if you are just flying solo.  The recipe is simple with all of the traditional ingredients of herbs, crispy chicken, and chicken that will shoot your tastes buds through the roof.

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4. Super Bowl Appetizer Pulled Pork Sliders

Here is another recipe for your party food ideas that will become a super bowl favorite in your household.  The slow cooker pulled pork sliders are fill with the down-home barbecue that everyone will love to enjoy.  Pull pork bathed in sweet and spicy barbecue sauce and topped with creamy coleslaw.  Yum!

20 Super Bowl Appetizers Ideas from Blogger Friends

1. Crispy Baked Buffalo Chicken Tenders
2. Coconut Shrimp
3. Cole Slaw Chicken Sliders
4. Fajita Bowls
5. Hot Crab Dip
6. Spicy Thai Chicken Wings
7. Cowboy Caviar Recipe
8. The Best Philly Cheesesteak Egg Roll Recipe
9. Twice Baked Potatoes
10. Blue Cheese & Balsamic Steak Sliders
11. Hot Swiss Cheese and Bacon Dip Recipe
12. Cheesy Crab Bite Appetizers
13. Cajun Glazed Bacon
14. Polenta Footballs
15. Taco Salad Mini Bites
16. Pizza Bites
17. Beer Cheese Dip
18. Spicy Buffalo Cheese Dip
19. Ultimate Easy Nachos
20. Chicken Sliders

Looking for more delicious recipes for your game day celebration?

Try these Empanadas and Pigs in a Blanket recipes.

Super bowl Sunday is on the way and you don’t have to be unprepared for it.  try out some of these party food ideas on the table and see what a difference it will make on game day.

Now that you have the snacks and appetizers, what about Football themed desserts?

See our 21 Favorite Football Themed Dessert recipes

For more great Super Bowl snack ideas visit our archives.

21 of Our Favorite Football Themed Desserts

1. Football Themed Desserts: Sugar Cookies Recipe

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Super Bowl Dessert Ingredients:

For Cookies:

2 cups flour

½ teaspoon baking powder

¼ teaspoon salt

1 stick room temperature unsalted butter

1 cup granulated sugar

1 tablespoon milk or cream

1 large egg

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

For Football Themed Cookies Icing:

2 cups confectioners’ sugar

1 tablespoon milk, plus more if needed for consistency

1 tablespoon light corn syrup

½ teaspoon vanilla extract

Brown food coloring

Football Themed Desserts Directions:

1. Use your mixer to cream together the butter and sugar together. When thoroughly combined, add in the egg, milk, and vanilla extract.
2. Meanwhile, mix together the flour, baking powder, and salt in a large bowl.
3. Turn the mixer to the lowest setting and gradually add the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients. Continue mixing until a cohesive dough forms.
4. Flour a work surface and flatten the dough into a disk. Wrap the dough tightly in plastic wrap and transfer it to the freezer to set for at least half an hour.
5. Preheat the oven to 325 degrees.
6. Flour two sheets of parchment paper. Unwrap the dough and roll it into a 1/8 inch thick sheet between the two pieces of parchment paper, dusting as needed to keep the dough from sticking.
7. Remove the top sheet of parchment paper and use a football-shaped cookie cutter to cut out shapes. Gather the dough scraps into a ball, roll it into another sheet, and continue cutting out shapes until all the dough has been used.
8. Bake the cookies for 10-15 minutes, rotating them halfway through.
9. Allow them to cool completely on a wire rack before decorating.
10. While the cookies cool, start the icing by thoroughly sifting the confectioners’ sugar.
11. Mix the sifted sugar with the milk until a spreadable consistency is achieved.
12. Beat the corn syrup and almond extract into the icing until it becomes smooth and glossy.
13. Separate 1/3 of the icing into a different bowl. Stir brown food coloring into the larger portion until it reaches the shade of a football.
14. Leave the other icing white. Cover the bowl with a moist paper towel to make sure the icing does not dry out.
15. When the cookies have cooled completely, use the back of a spoon to spread a dollop of brown icing across each one.
16. Let the cookies stand for at least 20 minutes to allow the brown icing to harden.
17. Put the white icing into a pastry bag with a 2” tip. (Note: If you don’t have a pastry bag, you can use a thumbtack to work a small hole into the corner of a sandwich baggie.)
18. To decorate each end of the cookie: Pipe two lines of white icing to create a thick, curved C-shape. Fill in the space between the two lines with more icing.
19. To decorate the center of each cookie: Pipe a single vertical line. Then, pipe several smaller horizontal lines across it in order to create the laces.
20. Allow the white icing at least 10 minutes to set before serving.

This recipe will make around 30 football-shaped cookies. But when planning for your party, aim for two cookies per person. Feel free to play around with cookie shapes, food coloring, and piping designs in order to make this recipe work for you. While, as it stands, this is a super bowl dessert, it could easily be made into a go-to recipe for every special day.

20 Football Themed Desserts from our Blogger Friends

1.  Chelsea’s Messy Apron – Sugar Cookie Football Stadium
2. Life Love and Sugar – Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough Footballs
3. The First Year Blog – Football Bark
4. Brite and Bubbly – DIY Dairy-Fre Football Shaped Fudge
5. Jenn’s BlahBlah Blog – Nutter Butter Football Cookies
6. Life is Poppin – Dr. Pepper Football Brownies
7. Jman and Miller Bug – Ice Cream Football Pops
8. Thrifty Jinxy – Snickers Rice Crispy Football Treat
9. The Country Chic Cottage – Snickers Football Cake
10. Mom Endeavors – Football Oreo Pops
11. The Suburban Mom – Dairy-Free Football Truffles
12. Well Plated – Football Peanut Butter Blondies
13. B Inspired Mama – Football Brownie Cupcakes
14. Sweet Simple Stuff – Sweet, Salty, and Gooey Footballs
15. Your Cup of Cake – Football Field Cupcakes
16. Shugary Sweets – Cookies and Cream Football Cheese Ball
17. Jman and Miller Bug – Iced Football Cookie
18. Chelsea’s Messy Apron – Football Shaped No-Bake Granola Bars
19. The First Year Blog – Football Oreo Balls
20. Sarah’s Bake Studio – Chocolate Football Pretzel Rods

Are you looking for more football themed appetizers and snacks for the big game?

Take a look at our 24 Super Bowl Snacks that are sure to get the party started!

For more desserts on Stagetecture, click here.

There’s no doubt that chandeliers can enhance a home’s interior. This is not only for decorations but for better lighting as well. The cluster of bulbs that are arranged creatively are so glamorous and elegant to see.

There are quite a number of chandeliers available in the market. But it will have a greater impact if you do it yourself. You don’t have to look any further for materials because you can create a chandelier out of the mason jars you have at home.

How to Make a Mason Jar Chandelier

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You Tube video – How to make a Mason Jar chandelier

Mason Jar Chandelier Materials:

Mason Jars with lids

Flat cord wire

Light bulb receptacle

#10 Washers

Small Hose Clamp

PVC cap

Hex Nuts

Steel Nipples

Electric Drill

Wire Staple

Base (wood, metal or anything that can hold the jars)

How to Make a Chandelier Directions:

1. Prepare all the materials.
2. Drill a hole in the center of each Mason jar lid. This hole should be fitting to the steel nipples.
3. Then, drill at least 4 to 5 small holes in your Mason jar lids. This will provide the necessary exhaust for the heat produced by the bulb.
4. Attach the steel nipples in each lid and secure it using the hex nuts with the washers.
5. Insert the flat cord wire in the steel nipple. At the end of the wire, screw the wire to the bulb receptacle. Connect the bulb into the receptacle and seal the lid. Do this step in all the mason jars.
6. Ensure that all electrical connections are done accurately. Take note that electrical safety should be your priority. Also, it is very important to make it neat and clean.
7. Fasten each wire connected with the mason jar to the base. Do this according to your desired style.
8. Connect all wires in parallel. Arranged the wires properly so that it will not look messy.
9. Securely fasten the mason jar chandelier on your ceiling.

This personalized mason jar chandelier will surely be an eye-catching fixture at home.

For more DIY ideas on Stagetecture, click here.