With the soaring prices of gold it is a good time to consider buying or selling your gold jewelry. You need to have some basic knowledge to make smart decisions. Gold jewelry seems like it never goes out of style. This is because it is beautiful and easy for most people to afford and wear.

Pure gold will not tarnish, rust or corrode and is the most malleable of all metals. Pure gold is too soft for jewelry so it is mixed with other metals, including silver, copper, nickel and zinc to give it strength and durability. The color of gold is determined by the type of metal alloys it is mix with and the percentage of each metal alloy.

Most people think all gold is yellow, but the fact is there are many variations of color that gold can be. Colored gold is just as “real” as golden colored gold. The color depends on what the gold is mixed with. Other alloys are mixed with gold to make it strong and to hold up under every day wear and tear that jewelry goes through. Craftsman learned through the ages that mixing gold with copper, silver and platinum would increase its durability. When gold is alloyed with other metals it changes the color of the finished product. An alloy of 75% gold, 16% silver and 9% cooper makes yellow gold. White gold is 75% gold, 4% silver, 4% copper and 17% palladium. Other combinations of alloys can make pink, green, peach and even black gold.

The alloys of gold have a lesser value per unit weight than pure gold. The standard in the gold trade is known as karatage which is commonly called karat. Pure gold is known as 24 karat gold and is usually marked with 24K. An alloy that is 50% gold is 12 karat gold and is marked with a 12K. An alloy that is 75% gold is 18 karat gold and is marked with 18K. High karat gold jewelry is softer and more resistant to tarnish; on the other hand, lower karat jewelry is stronger, but less resistant to tarnish.

Gold is highly valued and there is a limited supply and has been used as a medium of exchange or money for centuries. 6000 years ago is when the first transaction was done using pieces of gold and silver. The reason that gold has been used for this purpose for so long is because it has high value, durable, portable and can be divided easily. At one time the United States used a gold standard and maintained a stockpile of gold to back every dollar in circulation. It became too cumbersome and is no longer used by any nation. Gold coins were commonly used in transactions. Gold coins were issued in two types of units. Some were units of currency and some were issued in standard weights.

Today gold coins are no longer in wide use for financial transactions. Gold coins issued in specific weights are popular for people who want to purchase and invest in a small amount of gold. Gold coins are also collected and issued as commemorative coins. These types are a good investment because gold retains its value overtime. These are just some informative basic facts about gold. As you can see gold is a good investment whether it is in fine jewelry or coins.

One problem plaguing excited first time home buyers is the deposit for the house of their dreams. If you are one of them, this problem can be resolved with a little help from family or friends or the First Time Homebuyer Credit. But all these are just the beginning of your new life as a homeowner and your responsibilities is just starting.

If you have never owned a home before, you may be eligible for first time buyer programs with government insured loans. These programs often have less stringent requirements for credit ratings and down payments than private lenders. If you are comfortable with your current rent payment, shop for a mortgage payment that will be about the same as your rent. A mortgage payment will help you build equity, a rent payment will not.

Calculate how much you can comfortably afford to spend on your mortgage each month. Deduct your down payment from the amount of the purchase price of the home and determine whether the payments on the home you are considering will be manageable. You need to set a strict limit and stick to it, no matter how tempting it may be to spend more. Tell your realtor your top price and advise him you don’t want to look at homes that cost more. Realtors make money on commissions and the more expensive the house they sell, the high their commission. Don’t let your realtor talk you into a house you can’t afford.

Don’t sign a contract on a house without knowing all the facts. If you put down a deposit and there is a problem with the home inspection or the title search, you deposit will be refunded and the contract canceled. Take the time to get the home inspection before turning over your full down payment.

Take a look at the required deposit and the disadvantages of having insufficient funds for the deposit. If you do not have the amount, the lender will slap on the insurance fee on the mortgage, increasing the mortgage amount by as much as $20,000. A no deposit mortgage may be tempting for professionals who can service the mortgage but cannot save for a deposit. Take note that these no-deposit loans have more requirements and there are still the standard fees to pay.

Closing costs include the points that buyers and sellers pay on the mortgage, the cost of title searches and home inspections and any unpaid property taxes. If the home requires repairs, the lender may also require that either the buyer or seller put money in an escrow account to cover the costs. Putting an offer in on a home doesn’t insure the sale will go through. Your lender may find a problem with the home and refuse the loan. You can try again with another lender if the problem isn’t too serious.

It is possible to compare the terms offered by different lenders online. There are websites that offer mortgage comparisons as a service to the public. The best mortgages for most people are fixed rate mortgages of 20 or 30 years. Adjustable rate mortgages can cause your monthly payments to go up suddenly, and balloon mortgages can cause refinance problems later.

Once you have looked into the financial aspects of buying a house, you are ready to start looking at houses. Make sure you understand what your monthly payments on any given house will be before you decide it’s your dream house. Not all dreams are pleasant and you don’t want to end up with a nightmare.