by Judy Corbus | Jun 7, 2013
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Mortgage insurance is required if the down payment is less than 20 percent of the home’s sale price.
If you are shopping for a mortgage, be aware of changes to the Federal Housing Administration’s (FHA) mortgage insurance program. Most lenders typically charge a mortgage insurance premium (MIP) if the borrower puts down less than 20 percent of the appraised value or sale price on a home. Mortgage insurance protects the lender should the borrower default on the payments; the mortgage insurance pays off the loan. Mortgage insurance may be underwritten by private corporations or the federal government through FHA.
Once the borrower has paid down 20 percent of the loan (a loan-to-value ratio of 80 percent), they may discontinue paying the MIP. Federal law requires lenders to tell the buyer at closing how many years and months it will take for them to reach that 80 percent level and cancel the mortgage insurance. Lenders must automatically cancel mortgage insurance when the balance hits 78 percent. Until recently, the mortgage insurance on FHA loans could be dropped at the 78 percent loan-to-value ratio or after five years, whichever was longer.
Effective on FHA case numbers assigned on or after June 3, 2013, mortgages financed with less than a 10 percent down payment will be assessed the MIP until the end of the mortgage term or for the first 30 years of the term, whichever occurs first. In other words, most borrowers will pay mortgage insurance premiums for the life of the loan; they will not be able to drop the MIP at 78 percent loan-to-value. This will add to the overall cost of the loan.
If you are planning to purchase a home, do your homework. Check out the various mortgage options available through different lenders and shop around for the best interest rate. Remember, the larger your down payment, the smaller your mortgage and monthly payment. If you can put 20 percent or more down, mortgage insurance will not be required.
For more information, please contact your local UF/IFAS Extension Office.
Sources: http://portal.hud.gov/hudportal/HUD?src=/program_offices/housing/fhahistory
http://portal.hud.gov/hudportal/documents/huddoc?id=13-04ml.pdf
http://www.bankrate.com/finance/mortgages/the-basics-of-private-mortgage-insurance-pmi.aspx
by Judy Corbus | Mar 25, 2013
Dye one set of eggs for hiding and another set for eating.
If an Easter egg hunt is on your calendar for the holiday weekend, follow these tips for safe, quality hard cooked eggs. Dr. Amy Simonne, University of Florida/IFAS Food Safety Specialist, recommends choosing Grade A or AA eggs with clean, uncracked shells. Store eggs in the carton in the main compartment of the refrigerator, not the door, to maintain freshness. It is not necessary to wash eggs before coloring but inspect and discard any that are unclean, cracked, broken, or leaking.
To prepare hard cooked eggs, place eggs in a single layer in a saucepan. Add enough tap water to cover eggs by at least one inch. Cover and quickly bring just to boiling. Turn off heat and, if necessary, remove the pan from the burner to prevent further boiling. Let eggs stand, covered, in the hot water about 18 minutes for extra-large eggs, 15 minutes for large eggs, and 12 minutes for medium eggs. Immediately run cold water over eggs or place them in iced water until completely cooked. To remove shell, crackle it by tapping gently all over. Roll egg between hands to loosen shell. Peel, starting at the large end. Hold egg under running cold water or dip in a bowl of water to help ease off the shell. Eggshells usually come off much more easily, without tearing the whites, when they are in small pieces rather than large chunks. Very fresh eggs may be difficult to peel. The fresher the egg, the more the shell membrane clings to the shell. For best results, buy and refrigerate eggs seven to ten days before hard cooking. This brief “breather” allows the eggs to take in air, which helps separate the membrane from the shell.
When coloring eggs, use only food-grade dyes or natural color from vegetables such as beets, cranberries, and blueberries. Hard-cooked eggs will keep in the refrigerator for one week. Like leftover turkey at Thanksgiving, colored eggs are great for sandwiches, either sliced or in egg salad.
Since eggs receive a lot of handling during a hunt, cracks are common. This allows bacteria from hands and the hiding places to seep through the shell, contaminating the inside. After the hunt, discard any with cracked shells. Discard also any eggs that have been out of the refrigerator for more than two hours. Re-refrigerate the “found” eggs until they are eaten. To reduce the risk of foodborne illness, consider coloring one batch for hunting and another for eating. An even safer option is to use plastic eggs for your hunt. For more fun, add a candy or trinket surprise inside each egg.
Be careful when preparing dishes calling for raw eggs. Many recipes for bunny-shaped cakes call for using a raw egg white in the frosting. However, this poses a risk for salmonella food poisoning. To be safe, use a frosting recipe that uses hot syrup and egg white. If the egg white mixture reaches 160 degrees F on a thermometer, it should be safe. You also may be able to use a pasteurized powdered meringue available where cake decorating supplies are sold.
Sources: FAR8702 Egg Safety, Dr. A. Simonne, University of Florida/IFAS Extension.
Traditional Spring Food: Its History and Safe Handling Today, L. Fox, USDA.
Egg Tips for Easter, Muriel Turner, University of Florida/IFAS Extension.
by Judy Corbus | Jul 6, 2012
A cold glass of milk on a hot summer day offers more than just cool refreshment. Who knew one eight-ounce glass of milk provides:
- Calcium, vitamin D, and phosphorus for strong bones and teeth.
- Riboflavin and vitamin B-12 for a healthy nervous system.
- Niacin for normal enzyme functioning.
- High-quality protein for lean muscle.
- Potassium for maintaining normal blood pressure and nerve and muscle functions.
- Vitamin A for good vision, healthy skin, and a strong immune system.
Dairy foods offer a lot of nutrition in a small package. The Dairy Group includes all liquid milk and products made with milk that retain their calcium after processing; this includes yogurt and cheese. Cream cheese, cream, and butter are not included since processing causes them to lose or reduce their calcium content, and they are high in fat and low in nutrients.
MyPlate (http://www.choosemyplate.gov/) recommends consuming two to three cups of milk or milk products every day depending on age, sex, and level of physical activity. What counts as “one cup” of dairy foods? One cup of milk, one cup of yogurt, 1 1/2 ounces ( two slices) of hard cheese (cheddar, mozzarella, Swiss, parmesan), two ounces (three slices) processed cheese (American), one cup of pudding made with milk, or 1 1/2 cups of ice cream.
Fat-free (skim) or low-fat (one percent) milk has the same nutritional value as whole or reduced-fat milk but without the saturated fat. The American Academy of Pediatrics recommends:
- Infants should drink breast milk or iron-fortified formula during their first year of life.
- Children between 1 and 2 years should drink whole milk. They do not need to limit fat, as it is needed for growth and energy.
- Children older than 2 years should drink fat-free or low-fat milk.
To add dairy foods to your meals:
- Use milk to prepare cream soups.
- Add cheese in salads, pizza, casseroles, soups, and stews.
- Use milk to prepare hot cereals.
- Use milk in your hot beverages such as lattes, cappuccinos, and teas.
- Have yogurt or cheese sticks for a calcium-rich snack.
- Use yogurt as a dressing for salads, as a topping for a baked potato, or try it mixed with fruit.
- As desserts, try low-fat ice cream, frozen yogurt, and pudding made with milk.
Lactose-intolerant individuals lack the enzyme, lactase, to digest lactose, or milk sugar. To get the necessary calcium, choose cheese, yogurt, or lactose-free alternatives. These foods also are good sources of calcium: calcium-fortified beverages, such as orange juice; canned fish (sardines, salmon with bones); soybeans and soy products; and leafy greens such as collard, turnip greens, kale, and bok choy.
Sources: Claudia Penuela, Healthy Dairy Choices for MyPlate, http://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/pdffiles/FY/FY118100.pdf.
BodybyMilk, http://www.bodybymilk.com/
Author: Judy Corbus, Family and Consumer Sciences Agent, UF/IFAS Extension – Washington and Holmes Counties
by Judy Corbus | Apr 6, 2012
Dye one set of eggs for hiding and another set for eating to reduce foodborne illness risk
Easter Egg coloring can be a lot of fun for the whole family, but it is important to remember to practice food safety. “Based on USDA’s statistics, the average consumer would encounter a contaminated egg only once in 42 years. And then, that egg would have to be time- and temperature-abused to contribute to a health problem,” (Egg Nutrition Center,1999). Time and temperature abuse is caused when food is not held or stored at the right temperature to kill viruses or bacteria. As consumers, we may purchase food that is safe, but it can become unsafe based on what we do with it after we buy it. From the moment our eggs leave the store’s refrigerated case, the timer is on. Some tips for keeping your eggs safe and avoiding foodborne illness on the way home include picking up refrigerated items last, bringing a cooler if you have to travel a while before you will return home, and immediately refrigerating items once you arrive home.
The USDA also recommends the following tips to help keep our eggs safe and avoid foodborne illness:
• Don’t take eggs out of the carton to put them in the refrigerator — the carton protects them. Keep the eggs in the coldest part of the refrigerator — not on the door.
• Raw shell eggs in the carton can stay in your refrigerator for three to five weeks from the purchase date. Although the “Sell-By” date might pass during that time, the eggs are still safe to use. (The date is not required by federal law, but some states may require it.)
• Always wash your hands with warm water and soap before and after handling raw eggs. To avoid cross-contamination, you should also wash forks, knives, spoons, and all counters and other surfaces that touch the eggs with hot water and soap.
• Don’t keep raw or cooked eggs out of the refrigerator for more than two hours.
• Egg dishes such as deviled eggs or egg salad should be used within 3 to 4 days.
In addition to carefully handling Easter Eggs, consider using two sets of eggs – one set for hiding and one for eating. Color extra eggs for the Easter Egg hunt or for decoration but set aside eggs in the refrigerator just for eating. Another option is to reserve the dyed Easter Eggs for eating and use plastic eggs for hiding. These can be filled with wrapped candy or other treats so they still make awesome finds!
