4. Use a smaller mortgage company that can offer personal service. People tend to go with large, well-known mortgage companies, since that’s all they know. But smaller, regional companies provide excellent customer service, and can often give you better rates than big companies. Since they don’t advertise and instead rely on word-of-mouth, they have to be good in order to get your service. We started off with a big-name company, but in end, we went with a regional company because they had better rates and better customer service.

5. Always have a home inspection. I think most people know this fact already, but it is really important in areas with a hot real estate market. It can be easy to get caught up in bidding wars, and to want to get a house at all costs. Some friends of ours wanted a house so badly that not only did they overbid, but they also waived home inspection. They got house – and right along with it they got several thousand dollars worth of damage that would have been found in an inspection.

As a final note, try to remember that buying a home doesn’t have to be scary. It’s very exciting to own your own home, so think of all good things that will come once you have made it through home-buying process. If you follow advice above, then you should be well-equipped to make it through unscathed.

Also, it has become quite popular for people to have their initials, name or a phrase engraved into leather. There are many places available online that can do that now.

Three years ago, leather wrist accessories became available online with a much better selection than what was available in most retail stores. The retail stores had quite a delay before they figured out what people really wanted in a leather band.

I spotted leather band trend about 3 years ago and could see online selections keeping pace with demand, but it took about another year or two before retail stores started to come out with what customers were really looking for in a leather band. In my opinion, most retail stores are still working on figuring out what is popular. I don't think they have quite figured it out yet. I think selection for leather bands is much better online than what is available in retail stores.

I see this leather band trend as being one that will not die anytime soon. I see styles evolving and changing, even now. I think styles will continue to change over years, but, I think popularity of leather wristbands and wide leather cuff watches is here to stay, at least for next decade or two.