Soak time. The length of time you marinate food depends on both the food and the marinade. Delicate fish, shellfish, and fruit usually soak for a shorter period of time (from 20 minutes to a few hours), while meats can go longer (up to a day or two).
Having your taxes and insurance included in your mortgage payment is actually very convenient. Instead of having to pay an annual insurance premium and half of your annual taxes on April 30th and the second half on October 31st, the lender establishes an automatic savings plan for you.
You'll get a better interest rate, won't have to pay for private mortgage insurance, will qualify for a larger loan, and will save a bundle on interest. In fact, if you can afford it, there's nothing wrong with putting down more than 20%, as long as you still have enough free cash on hand for emergencies. The less you put down, the less the bank is willing to loan you. 2  That means your options will be more limited as far as what homes you can buy. 3  With a down payment -- any down payment -- you can get a bigger loan, and are more likely to be able to get the home you really want. 4  Harder to find the loan.