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No, home improvement loan rates typically do not drop during certain times of the year. Interest rates go up and down based on economic conditions rather than on the time of the year. Some banks may offer slight rate discounts around the same holidays every year, but this is a marketing decision rather than a decision based on the time of the year. If you want to use a home improvement loan to fund your remodeling project, the best option is to shop around at different banks for the best rates.

Basement bedrooms can count toward your room count and the square footage of your home on an appraisal if they’re fully legal, which means they have proper ventilation and points of egress, as defined by your local building code. Simply partitioning off a space for a bedroom in an otherwise unfinished basement that isn’t a legal living space won’t affect your appraisal value.

If installing board and batten fixes an issue with the home, it could increase the value, but it isn’t commonly installed for that purpose. Board and batten is an aesthetic choice and, like most aesthetic choices, will do little to raise your home’s value. That being said, certain design elements can help attract more buyers, even if your home’s price won’t see a noticeable bump. 

Several government-backed lending programs can help first-time home buyers purchase a home with little money down. FHA, USDA, and VA loans are options for qualifying borrowers, though many conventional mortgage lenders will lower down payment rates to as low as 3 percent.