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service

Start Your Loan Process Early!

By | Inside Rhody, service | No Comments

If you are looking for mortgage lending with a personal touch, look no further than Sierra Pacific Mortgage! The team, located in North Providence, takes the time to get to know you through one-on-one meetings to gain a full understanding of your unique goals and financial situation.

The spring season is around the corner, so it’s best to start your pre-approval process before the spring market is in full swing. At a glance, the loan process may seem complicated. The good news for you, as a Sierra Pacific client, is that your involvement is made simple.

The first step in the loan process is prequalification—how much you can borrow based on your income and debts—and the selection of the right loan program for your financial situation and the home you want to buy. From there, with the assistance of one of their loan officers, you will complete the loan application and provide the requested documentation.

Sierra Pacific Mortgage exists to support your goals, whether it is buying your dream home, your first home, renovating the home you are in right now, or refinancing your existing mortgage. Their dedicated loan officers will always make your needs their top priority. If you are ready for outstanding mortgage service, visit sierrapacificmortgage.com/johnston and contact a loan officer today!

How To Avoid Winter Autobody Damage

By | Inside Rhody, service | No Comments

In Rhode Island weather, it’s easy to see why winter is one of the harshest times of year for your vehicle. Icy roads and a buildup of snow make up just a few of the many hazards that come with the colder temps – and there are many more factors that could leave your vehicle in need of bodywork this winter. To help you and your vehicle brave the colder months, Reliable Collision put together this guide to avoid body damage.

Driving Tips

Driving tips for winter may sound like common sense, but they can be easy to forget. Avoid driving in snowstorms unless it’s absolutely necessary and drive slowly with windshield wipers and lights on if you do have to venture out in the snow. If you have a choice, leave the sports car or other two-wheel-drive vehicle at home and opt to use a vehicle with all-wheel drive. Even if you do have all-wheel drive, DO NOT overestimate the power of your all-wheel-drive system.

No matter what you drive, when temperatures drop, you should accelerate and decelerate slowly and leave plenty of room between your vehicle and the next. Tailgating is even more dangerous when you need all the time you can get to stop safely.

Road Salt & Sand

While salt and sand can help melt ice and provide more traction when you need it most, these road maintenance products can corrode your paint and even cause your vehicle’s body to rust prematurely. Cleaning the salt off of your vehicle can be helpful, but applying wax can be your best defense against corrosion. If you do visit a car wash, look for one with an under-carriage spray to help prevent your frame from rusting.

Check Those Brakes

Get your brakes inspected to make sure all of the components are in good shape. As we mentioned earlier, you need all of the stopping ability you can get in winter conditions and worn brakes can be the difference between avoiding an accident and winding up in a collision.

Take Care of Your Tires

Not only does the cold cause tire pressure to drop, but it also causes the rubber to stiffen and sometimes crack. Make sure your tires are inflated properly to give you the best contact and handling possible and make sure your tire tread is in good shape. When testing tire treads, you can use the penny test to give yourself an idea of whether you need new tires. If you do need new tires, winter tires may very well be worth your while to give you some extra traction.

Parking Smarter

One major cause of body damage that is easy to miss is not a driving tip or maintenance tip – but practicing the art of smart parking. You won’t always get to pick the perfect spot, but being selective about your parking spots can go a long way in preventing damage. Avoid parking towards the bottom of icy hills on city streets or in parking lots and opt to park farther away from other cars whenever it is safe to do so.

No plan to avoid damage is perfect. Be prepared to call Reliable Collision Repair.

The team at Reliable Collision Repair understands that no matter how careful drivers try to be, accidents will always happen. When your vehicle needs repairs, even for a parking lot fender-bender, it can feel like your life has been turned upside down. That’s why they do everything we can to get you back on the road. From handling the appraisal to dealing with your insurance company and even providing rental vehicles or helping to tow your vehicle to our shop in some cases – we can help you at every step of the way.

As a class-A autobody shop, when you use Reliable Collision, you can rest assured that your vehicle is in good hands. If you give us a call at (401) 823-4770 or schedule an appointment with us through Carwise, we’ll be happy to help get your vehicle back on the road in tip-top shape.

Cornerstone Commercial Capital: Loan 101: Cash-Out Refinance

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There are many different types of loans out there, and they can all get confusing to the beginner. That’s why we’ll be breaking down one of the more common loan types we see from homeowners – one that can be particularly helpful during the winter months – Cash-out refinancing.

What Is Cash-Out Refinancing?

A Cash-out refinancing loan replaces your current home loan with a bigger mortgage, letting you leverage the equity you’ve built up in your home and access the difference between the two mortgages in cash. That cash can go toward virtually any purpose, such as home remodeling, consolidating high-interest debt, or other financial goals.

How It Works
It’s very similar to a traditional mortgage refinance and can mean a much lower interest rate than what you currently have. However, with Cash-Out you can withdraw any difference right away. For example, say the remaining balance on your current mortgage is $150,000 and your home is currently worth $400,000. In this case, you have $250,000 in home equity. You’re saving money because of the lower interest rate, but now you can fund those kitchen and bathroom upgrades you’ve been talking about all year.

Why Now?
Winter is a great time to do interior renovations that increase your home’s value. During the slow real estate season, you can bump up what your home is worth and be ready to jump right into the spring busy season. If you’re considering selling but have some projects holding you up – now is the perfect time to get back on track.

At Cornerstone, we are capable of handling any size loan for any need you may have. Whether you’re looking to upgrade from a kitchen, add a new bathroom, or even add a garage – we have a program for you. Our network of lenders gives us the opportunity to provide loans for homeowners like you.

Whatever loan you need – Cornerstone Commercial Capital can help!
cornerstonecommercialcapital.com

Outdoor Escapes: The Gift That Keeps On Giving

By | Inside Rhody, outdoors, service | No Comments

Stuck on Christmas gift ideas? What is better than an outdoor oasis for your home! Outdoor Escapes is the expert in home improvement, providing lasting quality, superior value, and professional service while recreating your dream vision.

Our products include bluestone flagging and treads, natural wall stone and veneers, thin veneers, manufactured stone, brick, pavers and segmental retaining walls, mulch, decorative stone, and much more. Our experienced, knowledgeable, and friendly staff will be happy to assist you in selecting the right product to meet your needs and expectations, to make your home improvement project a success.

Give the gift of relaxation and luxury with Outdoor Escapes!

Get Ready For Fall Cleanups With Proscape!

By | Inside Rhody, outdoors, service | No Comments

Fall is here, and you know what that means – leaves are everywhere! Count on Proscapes to maintain your grounds all season long. From Fall cleanup to landscape management and maintenance, our expert staff members are here to help.

Your grounds are the first impression you make to your employees, tenants, residents, and your consumers. Beautiful, well-kept landscaping says something about who you are and what your company stands for. That’s why proper grounds care is essential to protecting your landscape investment. Proscape has over 25 years of landscape management experience, an outstanding quality control program, and a national award-winning team of experts that will improve the appearance of your landscape. Proscape offers a “Complete” landscape management solution in southern New England.

https://www.proscape-ne.com/

Address:
East Greenwich, RI 02818

Phone number:
(401) 886-7000
1-855-PROSCAPE

Email:
info@proscape-ne.com

Hartford Paving Celebrating Over 40 Years of Dedicated Service

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As the leaves’ colors start to take on a warmer hue and the temperatures cool down – you know it’s time to get your asphalt paved surfaces ready for the New England Winter. That means the snow, ice, road salt, and chilly temperatures that lie ahead. The change from Fall to Winter often creates periods of freezing and thawing as temperatures fluctuate above and below freezing, back and forth – especially in New England. Water can seep into all the cracks and crevices, then freeze, the ice then expands causing larger cracking and other damage. That’s why driveway maintenance is so important in the Fall. There are some measures you can take this fall to make sure your driveway is looking its best year-round.

That being said here are some pro tips you can use to prepare your asphalt paved surfaces for the brutal New England winter weather.

Clean the surface
Pressure washing your paved surface removes dirt, debris, chemicals, and petroleum products that can otherwise be carried into cracks and cause additional damage. Pressure washing also adds to the curb appeal of your driveway and/or parking lot. This is something you should be doing on a regular basis, but it’s especially important before you have any other type of maintenance done. It’s difficult, if not impossible, to clearly see what type of wear and tear exists on the paved surface if it’s covered with leaves, dirt, or other debris.

Protect Your Edges
An important but often overlooked step in asphalt maintenance – edge your driveway to keep grass and weeds from invading and creating cracks that invite moisture into the material, opening it up to permanent damage. Closeby tree roots are also a big culprit for damage. Even though they grow slowly, the damage can creep up on you.

Identify Potential Issues
You may not be a professional paving contractor, but you should be able to see any obvious signs that your paved surface is damaged. Look for things like visible cracking, crumbling, flaking, potholes, or depressions in the pavement where water is collecting. This includes even tiny cracks. Any of these are probably signs that your pavement needs to be repaired – small problems can quickly cascade into worse ones. Make a list of items that need to be addressed. Knowing is half the battle.

Sealcoating
Sealcoating is crucial for your asphalt driveway during the long, cold winter months. It creates a barrier against moisture and prolongs the life of your asphalt pavement. It also enhances the asphalt’s appearance and color. Sealcoating should be done every 2 to 3 years. Unsealed asphalt is susceptible to cracks which, if left untreated, can result in costly repairs of potholes or sub-layers.

Get Professional Help
This one may seem a bit on the nose, but it’s much more important than you’d imagine. It’s always a good idea to have a trained professional handle the repairs for you. While it’s possible to purchase some type of patching material from a home store and do it yourself, improperly repaired pavement can make it even more susceptible to becoming further damaged later on.

When it comes to protecting your pavement investment, there’s no better time to perform preventive maintenance than the fall.

If you need to maintain your lot or driveway or pave a brand new one, we are equipped to turn your vision into reality!

Why Hartford Paving?
Our goal at Hartford Paving & Site Construction is to provide lasting quality, superior value, and professional service – all the while building long-term relationships with our customers. Our family has over 40 years of experience servicing Rhode Island, and all of our employees are experienced in all degrees of pavement construction and materials applications. Our experienced, knowledgeable, and friendly staff will be happy to assist you with your next paving, asphalt, or construction project.

We take great pride in every single one of our projects, whether it’s commercial, residential, large, or small. Whether your humble family of four or a fortune 500 company – you can trust Hartford Paving & Site Construction to take good care of you. If you need to maintain your lot or driveway or pave a brand new one, we are equipped to turn your vision into reality!

For more information or a free estimate, call us at 401-942-8857 or submit an inquiry on our website http://www.hartfordpaving.com/.

Outdoor Escapes of NE Grand Opening of their New Showroom

By | Inside Rhody, outdoors, service | No Comments

Outdoor Escapes of New England celebrated the Grand Opening of their state-of-the-art showroom. The brand new showroom is the perfect retail destination, that will make any homeowner feel comfortable and ready to shop!
Outdoor escapes is a family-owned business that was established in 2003. Being family-owned, the staff offers the best experience for all of their customers, helping as they would help their own family.

Outdoor Escapes of New England offers high-quality and easy to install pavers including; Tech-Bloc, Nicolock, and Belgard. They also carry a wide selection of materials, such as Bluestone, Blue Mist, Brownstone & Cobble Stones, as well as various stone, gravel, sand, and loam. The options are endless when deciding on how to create the perfect landscape! Maybe create a classy ambiance with their outdoor lighting selection, or inquire about a fire pit or fireplace installation. To top it off, including a kitchen, with a grill island or a fancy pizza oven. Outdoor Escapes of New England is at your service!

Come visit their big, bright, and inviting showroom and talk to their experts who are happy to lend a helping hand. With the scenic atmosphere and our professional staff, there is no doubt that you will leave Outdoor Escapes of New England satisfied and with a smile on your face!

Outdoor Escapes is open weekdays 7:30-4:30, and Saturday’s 7:30-11:30. For more information, visit their website https://outdoorescapesne.com/, call them 401-942-8857 or email them at info@outdoorescapesne.com. Be sure to take a look at their brand new showroom with your own eyes, located at 112 Old Pocasset Rd, Johnston, right off of exit 7.

Cornerstone Commercial Capital: Helping Fuel New Businesses

By | business, Inside Rhody, service | No Comments

Starting a business can be a stressful and scary proposition. Starting a business in the middle of the pandemic only amplifies. You may be shocked to hear the global pandemic has acted as a catalyst for a surge of new businesses being created. Whether by way of having extra time at home, or being forced to find a new source of income, many people took the leap into entrepreneurship.

According to the U.S Census, more than 4.3 million new business applications were filed in 2020, with 2021 already on track to surpass that number by year’s end. In July 2021 alone, more than 454,000 new business applications were filed!

The numbers don’t lie – more and more people have been deciding to take their future into their own hands and create their own businesses. From a stay-at-home side-hustle to full-blown companies, may have come to us for help kicking off their new ventures.

At Cornerstone, we are capable of handling any size commercial loan for any need you may have. Whether you’re looking to upgrade from a home office to a real one, fund new growth, or dive into real estate investing we have a program for you. Our network of lenders gives us the opportunity to provide loans for property, restaurants, buildings, gas stations, churches, car dealerships, and more.

Whatever business you’re looking to build – Cornerstone Commercial Capital can help fuel it!
cornerstonecommercialcapital.com

Add Value To Your Home This Fall

By | Inside Rhody, service, Whats Happening | No Comments

Getting ready to sell your home? Increase your curb appeal and value with these fall home improvement projects!

  1. Replace & Repair
    First impressions are key! Ensuring your windows, roof, and deck/patio are all intact is essential to increasing the value of your home.
  2. Keep it Tidy
    A well-maintained exterior and landscape presents nicely to all buyers! Keep your yard clean-cut and clear of weathering and debris. A good power-wash never hurts to give your exterior a deep cleaning before showing off your home.
  3. Stand Out
    Go the extra step! Buyers will always remember the home that stood out among others. Give your front door a fresh coat of paint, or even go bold with a pop of color! Spruce up your landscape by adding a garden blooming of colorful, beautiful flowers and shrubs.

If you’re looking to sell your home, count on Century21! We are committed to fast, professional, and courteous personal service to help you understand and feel at ease throughout the home selling process. Our trained and certified agents specialize in the Rhode Island real estate market and are prepared to sell your home to the right buyer for the best price.
https://www.platinumc21.com/

Protect Your Summer Toys With The Lawrence Agency

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If these past few weeks are any indication, the warm weather is officially here – and that’s when summer toys come out. Cruising the open roads, camping out in the countryside, shredding through sand dunes, and sailing the coast are staple summer pastimes. They can be a lot of fun, but it’s important to make sure you’re protected. Accidents can cost a pretty penny, and without insurance, you can face a financial burden that’ll dampen your summer fun.

But insurance doesn’t have to be a hassle! The right plan should provide the coverage you need, without holding you back from doing what you love. That’s where The Lawrence Agency comes in. Whether you’re looking to hit the open roads, the open seas, or anything in between – The Lawrence Agency has got you covered.

Their licensed agents can advise you on what type of coverage is appropriate based on the type of vehicle, where the vehicle is registered, and where you’ll travel. So you can save money, and get the coverage you need to put your mind more at ease.

The Lawrence Agency is proud to be Veteran-owned and operated with a long lineage of military and insurance service from WWII to Vietnam to Operation New Dawn. For three generations, the Lawrence family has been committed to helping individuals, families, and businesses be protected – operating with honesty and integrity.

So for those of you looking to take the road less traveled this summer, you can count on The Lawrence Agency to have your back.

Call 401-726-3210 today for a no-obligation review of your insurance needs today!