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4 Questions to Ask Before Selling Your Home

Tue, 03 Sep 2019 14:31:55 GMT

There comes a time in every homeowner’s life when he or she realizes: “I am not the same person I was when I bought this place.” Maybe your lifestyle or your family configuration has changed, or maybe the house just isn’t as appealing as it was when you signed that ream of paperwork on closing day.

If you’re thinking about moving on, then there are a few questions you need to ask yourself before you take the plunge and list the house. When you can answer these questions, you’ll know you’re in the right place emotionally and financially to move on to your next space.

What is my home worth?

You can find almost anything on the internet, and that includes an estimated value of your home. How convenient! But before you go galloping off to Zillow or Redfin or even a brokerage website to try to figure out how much your house is worth, take a deep breath and resolve to remember one thing: “I shouldn’t believe everything I read on the internet.” It’s possible that an automated estimate is going to be spot-on, but those algorithms depend on numbers that might or might not be accurate, like the condition of your property, the square footage, any features or amenities you’ve added (or removed), and recent sales of properties nearby that could be comparable to your own home.

A better way to figure out how much your home might be worth is to look at your most recent property tax bill. Your property taxes change with the value of your home, so if you look at your property tax rate from last year and figure out your state’s assessment rate (usually not quite the total value of your home — it’s somewhere between 80 percent and 90 percent of the home’s total value, depending on the state), that can help you get a little bit closer in terms of pinpointing price.

You can also talk to a professional about your home’s value; a real estate agent who sells properties in your neighborhood every day is going to be able to give you a more accurate idea of how much your particular, specific home might capture on the current market. And a real estate professional can also explain what you can do to your home to help inch that number upward a little bit. Then you can make the call as to whether or not you want to make any upgrades or take the estimated price as-is. Which leads to the next question…

How can I sell at the highest price possible?

When you’re selling anything, you want to get fair market value for the item you’re releasing, and that’s exponentially truer for your house, which is probably the biggest purchase you’ve ever made. If you know your neighbor’s house sold for ten figures more than the highest estimate you’ve been able to find for your own home, that can be a tough reality to swallow. But this is where real estate professionals really earn their keep — they can explain why that house was so desirable (maybe if you’re honest with yourself, you can admit that your neighbor’s view is much nicer than yours, for example), and they can also show you where you do have some room for (price) improvement. If you don’t want to call in a professional, then start with things that can spruce up almost any dwelling. One of the first and most important steps to selling your home for top dollar is to get the place deep-cleaned from floor to ceiling, including washing the windows and scrubbing down all of your kitchen appliances.

Start by attacking the clutter; it’s much easier to clean a room that doesn’t have a lot of furniture or objects in it, so even if you’re hoping to move up to make space for all your stuff, it’s a good idea to start cleaning out the items that you know you don’t want to move with you. If there’s still a lot left, consider a shed or an off-site storage facility where you can stash things without packing it all in your closets (where buyers are most definitely going to be looking). If you have a junk drawer or even a “junk room,” now is the time to start corralling that beast. Then get cleaning. There’s no detail too small — make sure every room in the house sparkles to the best of your ability and smells fresh and aired-out.

There may be quite a few additional projects you could tackle to increase your home’s value, such as adding a deck, remodeling the kitchen, or even adding entire rooms in some cases. Those are good opportunities to discuss with a real estate professional, who can share feedback about whether the project is going to be worth the eventual return on investment when you sell the home — and what projects will net you more money for your property.

Real estate agents also know stagers and home photographers. When a buyer falls in love with your home, it’s most likely going to be from an online listing, so your listing photos should be as high-quality as possible — that might mean bringing in a stager to spruce up the rooms and a photographer to capture the results.

How long will my home be on the market?

No one can predict the future, but experts who work in the industry can usually come close. If you haven’t called an agent yet, you might need to in order to get the information you’ll need to answer this question. Ultimately, it depends on what the housing market is like in your area, but there are a lot of anomalies within a housing market — even in markets that seem red-hot, sometimes sellers make a mistake and overprice a home that then languishes for weeks or even months longer than more realistically priced homes. And there are some neighborhoods or even specific blocks where buyers seem to be willing to do just about anything to get their foot in the door — and other geographies where they might need to be lured in a little more aggressively.

The number of days that homes stay on the market gets shorter and shorter as housing heats up, but that number is absolutely contingent on the initial list price. Homes that need to reduce their prices to attract qualified buyers will remain on the market significantly longer than homes priced competitively from the start. It’s really important to get the initial list price right if you’d like the home to sell quickly. (And remember: The longer that house takes to sell, the longer you as the seller will be responsible for keeping it in showing condition for buyers — seven days a week.)

So even in markets where houses seem to be flying off the shelves, it’s smart to talk to someone who sees those sales up close and personal every day. They can give you an educated estimate about the amount of time it should take your property to get from list to close.

How can an agent help?

Selling a home is a huge life event that encroaches on just about every aspect of your existence, from your meals to your work schedule to how often you do laundry and vacuum up pet hair. It can be an incredibly stressful time, and a real estate agent is a personal advisor that can help sellers make the best decisions possible while keeping track of all the details.

A good real estate agent will help you find the best price for your home, list it for you on the MLS, and handle all the marketing — from photos to open houses to glossy brochures to Facebook ads. A good agent can manage your showing schedule for buyers who want personal tours and can help you decide which offer to accept if you happen to receive more than one … and a good agent is absolutely essential during the negotiation process, especially if the buyer is making demands that the seller isn’t prepared to address.

A good agent will also know the best plumbers, electricians, and general contractors in the area who might be able to make any repairs or changes to the home before it closes. He or she can manage the transaction timeline, alerting you when an inspection or appraisal is about to happen and keeping you in the loop regarding financing and every other aspect of the deal. A good agent can also help you do all of this while you’re simultaneously looking for a new place to live and can help you manage that, too — including what to do if you find a home before your current house sells. And depending on your personal situation, there are local real estate agents who specialize in divorce, estate sales, and other tricky life events involving a home transaction.

Selling a home is as simple as listing it on the MLS and waiting for an appropriate offer to come in — but there’s so much more involved that most sellers can’t handle it on their own. Answering these questions will get you a head start, but don’t skip talking to an agent or three when you’re actually ready to list that home; they’ll be able to point out what you didn’t know you were missing.

16 Common Mistakes That First-time House-flippers Make

Thu, 15 Aug 2019 14:46:33 GMT

When you binge-watch a little too much HGTV, it’s easy to come to some crazy conclusions. Conclusions like, “House flipping looks easy! I should try it!” Well, maybe you should — we sure won’t stop you! — but before you jump into your very first home flip, make sure you know what common mistakes first-time flippers are in danger of making so that you can avoid the same fate.

Not having the finances

Before you flip a house, you have to buy it. Depending on whether you’re paying all-cash or getting a mortgage loan (and whether you already own a primary residence or not), you will have to secure a down payment for the home, plan on paying mortgage interest for the months that you carry the mortgage, pay for utilities, and pay for the expenses of actually fixing up the home. You might be tempted to assume that this will be a quick and easy project, but similar assumptions have taken down more experienced house-flippers than you. It’s much better to overestimate how long it will take then to underestimate — that way you can make sure you have enough money to cover the flip.

One money-saving tactic could be to move into the house while you renovate it (then you won’t be paying rent elsewhere). Be warned, though, that unless you live in the home for two years, you will still have to pay capital gains tax on any profit made from the flip.

Buying the wrong property

Like Goldilocks, you want a home that’s “just right” — not too expensive, or you won’t make any money, and not in too bad of shape, or you’ll spend more than you planned to fix it. Paying too much for a home is one of the worst things you can do as a house flipper, so it might help to secure some real estate expertise from a local professional who can give you a good idea of what fair-market prices look like and help you ascertain if your offer looks good or if you want to seek out a better deal.

Additionally, a professional can help you understand how much profit you could potentially make, which is also easy to overestimate as a first-timer. And they can make sure you’re following the 70% rule. What’s that? Well …

Not following the 70% rule

Most fix-and-flip investors who have been doing the job for a while know and adhere to this rule. It’s not very complicated, but you may be tempted to indulge in some creative math to make the numbers work — resist! That’s a form of rule-breaking. You do not want to pay more for a property than 70% of its fixed-up fair-market value.

So in other words, if you’re eyeing a home, and you have it on good authority from several people that after you fix it, you could sell it for $200,000 — do not offer more than $140,000 for that home. That is your 70% threshold. This will give you wiggle room to pay for the repairs and upgrades and to still make a profit.

Forgetting to make the budget

Are you getting the idea yet that flipping a home is a big exercise in math? Well, if you haven’t started laying all these costs out in a spreadsheet and figuring out what you can spend where, then start.

You’ll want to consider both the cost of the home (either paying for it outright or paying the monthly mortgage plus insurance, taxes, and any other expenses), the costs of the upgrades, the amount of time those upgrades will take, and the time on market once it’s ready to sell. Again, a real estate professional (or another experienced house flipper) can give you a solid ballpark for all of these metrics if you don’t even know where to start.

Not getting an inspection

When you’re paying cash and you’re in a hurry — and you already know there’s a lot to fix in the home — then it can be tempting to skip the pre-sale inspection. Why bother. Because that inspector might find a serious problem that’s going to cost you more to fix than you can afford. Foundation or structural issues are usually not cheap to solve and can eat up most (if not all) of your budget if they emerge unexpectedly.

Plus, when the time comes to sell the home, you’ll know that everything was done to get it into perfect condition if you bothered with an inspection!

Not securing the right permits

Before you start pulling out the sledgehammers for demolition, it’s a good idea to ascertain which permits you’re going to need for your upgrades. You don’t want to do all the work on a project only to discover that you needed a permit and might need to redo some or all of it.

Again, a real estate professional or someone who’s flipped houses before can help you here. They will have an idea of what permits are needed and can help you start the application process before you need them (not after).

Multitasking

When it’s time to actually get started on the work, you may be tempted to flit from project to project so that you can feel like you’re accomplishing something. Why continue working on that item that’s going to take a week to finish when you can just run over and finish two or three things really quickly? If you’ve read anything about research on multitasking, then you already know the answer: It makes you much less efficient than if you focused on one thing and saw it through to the end.

Make a list of things that need to be done, and if you want to feel that sense of accomplishment, then plan to spend your morning working on major projects, and your afternoon on little items that help you feel like you’ve finished at least one thing.

Overestimating what you can do yourself

With the existence of YouTube, it’s pretty tempting to think that you can do anything with the right tools and a video. But this is a major investment, and you are probably not qualified to do most of it. Putting a wall up or refinishing a floor? Sure, maybe. Any plumbing and electrical help will definitely require a professional, though, and you might want to consider finding a general contractor who’s willing to pitch in where you need.

If you have direct experience making a specific type of home repair, and you liked your results, then go ahead and assume you could do it again. If not, then for your first flip, hire a pro and watch them work so you decide if DIY might be an option — next time.

Not playing well with others

No flipper is an island, and that is especially true for first-time flippers, who haven’t yet discovered their core crew of people who can help them get the fixes in, and in quickly. You’ll need to rely on strangers to help you finish the job, and some people are better at doing that than others.

If you don’t deal with feedback well, don’t manage relationships well, or just generally don’t like working with people, then you should perhaps reconsider this method of money-making. You’re going to need to work with others, and work well with them; if that’s beyond your scope of ability, then maybe funding a flip and collecting some of the profit is a better choice. The good news is that if your first flip goes well, you’ll be on your way toward building a crew for future flips.

Running out of time

You’re almost to your sales deadline, but the house is only half-finished. This is a real nightmare for a flipper, but it’s a common one when it’s your first flip and you have no real idea how long the fixes are going to take. Overestimate how long you’ll need to finish the job, especially if you’re working by yourself. Leave yourself time to undo and redo some work (because you’ll probably mess something up), and don’t create a timeline that’s going to squeeze you beyond your abilities.

Don’t know how long it’s going to take? Bring in a general contractor and ask for time estimates. Add 50% or double the time on any jobs you plan to do yourself if you’ve never done it before.

Remodeling according to your personal taste

Many first-time flippers forget that they aren’t renovating the house for themselves — they’re doing it for a future buyer. And those flippers end up getting less for the sale than they could have because they insist on revamping the house according to their own personal taste instead of what sells best on the market.

A real estate agent can help give you a reality-check here and tell you that your preference for a separate kitchen, dining room, and living room is going to hurt the sale, or help you understand whether there’s really a demand in the area for a garage with a rock-climbing wall installed.

Neglecting the little fixes

There’s a lot to do in any flip, and it can be tempting to focus on the big items — floors, walls, windows, doors, and so on — and ignore the little ones. But if you think that buyer isn’t going to notice that the kitchen drawers all stick, you’re delusional. Change the light bulbs, oil the hinges, and make sure everything (everything!) works and works well before you call it a day.

Upgrading too much

Depending on the neighborhood, a five-burner gas-range stove might be exactly what the house demands … but maybe not. First-time flippers often don’t know where to stop with the upgrades and do too much, creating a beautiful house that’s over-finished for the neighborhood, and installing features that buyers who are interested don’t really want.

That doesn’t mean you need to go for the cheapest option, but at least look at other listings in the neighborhood to see what the standard or “average” finishes and fixtures look like, then aim for that look. (This is another area where a real estate professional can be worth his or her weight in gold.)

Ignoring the outside

Well, the inside of this soon-to-be-flipped home looks amazing! Time to list? Not quite. Have you paid attention to the landscaping? Put in new sod? Added flowerbeds to the garden, or otherwise improved the curb appeal of the home at all?

It’s a big mistake to focus only on the inside of the home and ignore the outside. A green lawn, fresh coat of paint, and some artfully placed flowers can work wonders on that final sales price.

Listing the house before it’s finished

You may think that you can show buyers what you’ve done and they’ll be able to imagine what the home will look like when it’s finished — but this truly isn’t the case. If you try to start showing the home before it’s actually ready, then all buyers are going to see is a half-finished project.

They don’t have access to the vision in your head. Don’t try to force them to create one, or the house will linger on the market for longer than necessary … and you’ll have missed your first, best chance to make an amazing impression with your flip.

Counting on the market to pull the price up

When the market is hot, it can be really tempting to hope that it will have escalated enough in the months that your flip was being renovated to bump up the sales price. We all hear the stories about how prices are rising, so why shouldn’t you expect them to rise while you work?

Because housing markets, like all markets, are subject to outside forces beyond your control that you cannot predict. If you’re counting on the market to grow, and that doesn’t happen — what’s your Plan B? Will you still make money on the sale, or will you lose your shirt? Don’t risk it. Make sure that you can still make a profit even if the market doesn’t jump while you’re working on the house. (And if it does? Consider that a pleasant surprise.)

Staging without a pro

Many flippers are also great at staging homes, and this could well be you in the future. But for your first home, do yourself a big favor and budget for a stager from the beginning.

A professional stager will tell a story with the home, tying rooms together with color and texture, and helping buyers envision their lives in your flip. Watch and learn from the pro, and then maybe you can try staging on your second (or third, or eighth) flip.

How to Effortlessly Save for a New Belton Home

Tue, 30 Jul 2019 15:10:08 GMT

...Even while you’re still renting

If you’re renting your current home and have your eye on making a home purchase in the near or distant future you might be worried that it can’t be done. The good news is that there are some effortless ways to grow your home savings with a little bit of set up and a touch of discipline.

Know your goal

The best place to start is knowing how much cash you’ll need and by when. Typically, you should aim to save 5-20 percent of your planned Temple/Belton/Killeen home purchase price to qualify for a traditional 30-year mortgage. This amount might seem overwhelming at first but, when you break it down into annual, monthly, then weekly goals, it’ll start to feel much more manageable.

Defining your timeframe goals will help to better understand what would be required of your saving habits on a regular basis. Once you’ve figured out how much you’d need to save each week, you may wish to re-evaluate your time goals to reflect a more relaxed saving schedule if the first iteration feels too aggressive.

Pay down credit card debt

If you’re carrying any consumer credit card debt, try to reduce that first before focusing on saving. When you attack your high-interest credit debt, you’re moving towards a higher credit score which will improve your chances of getting a mortgage– debt is a considerable factor lenders use to qualify you for a loan. Your higher credit score can even result in better mortgage interest rates! Note: This may result in a smaller difference between mortgage payments after a smaller down payment than what you may initially be planning for, so plan carefully if you’re hoping to increase your budget!

Once your debt is paid off, you’ll not only have a lot more money available in your budget to set aside for a down payment, but you’re ultimately decreasing the cost of paying off your debt in the long-run.

Use a budgeting app

Many free budgeting apps rake through your bank accounts and online credit card statements to track your spending for you. Once you have a good understanding of how much you’re spending, assess what could be cut back and set a maximum budget for each category. Then, plug in your target monthly savings amount for your newest budget item – a new Belton home!

Lower your biggest living expense

Saving for a down payment on a home is going to be tricky if you’re living in a high rent district. Consider finding a smaller rental in Belton, living with friends or family, or taking in a roommate to lower your biggest monthly payment — your rent.

Automate

The easiest way to save money is to make it automatic — take savings right out of your paycheck so you never even see it before it goes into your savings account. If you can’t see it, you can’t spend it! Alternatively, you can set up an automatic deduction to transfer a weekly amount from your bank account into a savings account. Your savings isn’t the only thing you should automate – to save money on potential late fees, automate all your bill payments.

Stay positive

Frame your down payment goal as an exciting thing to look forward to rather than a chore. This helps to avoid stress as you approach dealing with financing your new home; you’ll also find that saving money will start to feel less like a fixation on money you don’t have and more on the wonderful home you will have in the future! Don’t forget to budget for a small treat every now and then to reward yourself and keep things feeling upbeat. You may even find that you’re so excited by saving that you use some of your flexible spending funds to save extra money for the month!

Make more money

If the majority of your income is already tied up in expenditures that can’t be cut from your budget, consider taking on some side jobs. Look around your home for things you’re no longer using and arrange to sell them. You can also use one of your personal strengths, like writing or painting, to start a viable side hustle and get paid for your skills; all of this extra money can go directly to your home savings goal.

Make accessing your savings inconvenient

It’s easy to see something you want and find a way to rationalize dipping into your savings. Take the willpower out of the decision by making your savings difficult to access. Put the savings in an account that doesn’t have an ATM card linked to it, or use a bank that requires you to make withdrawals in person. Keep in mind these tips as you begin saving to buy your Belton dream home. Also remember that you can always seek out help from your local real estate pro to give you an overview of the Temple/Belton/Killeen real estate market and to find a lender or financial coach to help you get started on the right foot.

How To Maximize Space In A Tiny Home

Mon, 15 Jul 2019 16:29:50 GMT

Inevitably when you’re watching one of those tiny house reality shows (we know you know which ones we’re talking about, HGTV!), a buyer who’s looking at a tiny house says something along the lines of, “Well, there isn’t much space/storage room, is there?” That’s a given when it comes to a tiny house. The clue is in the name, after all — a tiny house just isn’t going to have a lot of room, especially for storage space, and especially for the little extras that can make your house feel bigger.

But thanks to modern design, there are a lot of ways you can maximize space in a tiny home without sacrificing any of the attributes that make it attractive — or tiny.

Invest in lots of windows…

One of the best ways to make any room feel bigger is by lighting it up, wall to wall, corner to corner. This is usually easiest to do by adding windows, which can be especially effective when placed high up toward the ceiling in a tiny house, leaving room on the walls.

More windows do take up space, of course, but if living somewhere that feels light and airy is important to you, then windows are the very best way to accomplish that goal.

…or floor-to-ceiling shelving

Of course, you’ll want to think strategically about your tiny house’s layout because with every decision you make to add something, you’ll probably be forgoing something else you might like. So instead of a lofty window, maybe you’d rather install a wall of shelving where you can stash books, plates, clothes, whatever you want to stash.

Put shelves or hooks nn your doors

Doors that swing open and shut aren’t always the best idea in a tiny house (more on other options below), but if you really love that aesthetic, then you can still maximize space by adding some storage options to those doors. Hooks can work on either side of the door, and shelves can be a good option for the side of the door that swings away from the room (so you don’t end up smashing the shelves on a wall). They can be a storage spot for bags or coats or whatever you might have needed in a coat closet in a larger home.

Use space outside

Especially if the weather is mostly nice where you live, investing in a big deck or porch where you can eat, set the kids up with homework, or just settle down and read can make living in your tiny home much more, well, livable. Some tiny homes even have an outdoor cooking space for grilling or baking outside, but if you don’t want to go that far, seating for several people and maybe a hammock can go a long way toward making you feel like your house is richer in square footage than it actually is.

Let there be skylights

When your wall space is already taken, one excellent way to add light to a space without adding windows is through skylights. After all, you probably aren’t going to hang shelving from a sloped roof; it’s real estate that you can’t really do much with except for let in some light, so if you feel like windows just aren’t cutting it, consider installing a skylight or two.

Lose the walls entirely…

Open spaces tend to look bigger than walled-off spaces — consider the trend of having a kitchen/dining/living room space that flows into each other; it makes all three areas feel more spacious than they really are. Even though walls only take up inches in reality, they seem to have a disproportionate effect psychologically.

A totally open tiny house might not be feasible for you, and there are definitely other options if you have to have walls or room dividers of some kind. But if you can, open up as much space as possible to give yourself the illusion of a bigger room.

…or use lots of sliding doors or curtains

If you must have divided space, hanging curtains or installing sliding doors can be an excellent alternative to a wall, which takes up more room than either one. Plus, with a curtain or sliding door, you can keep the space open when you want to feel like your tiny house has more square footage than it really does, then draw the curtains or slide the door shut when privacy is more important than airiness and space.

Add a loft

Most tiny homes don’t have room for two full stories, but a common solution to the issue of space is found in lofted beds or bedrooms. A loft in a tiny house can often accommodate a queen-sized or even king-sized mattress, and when you’re asleep, it doesn’t matter if your body is physically close to the ceiling; you won’t notice at all. Some people even sleep better in a space that feels cozier and more enclosed, once they get used to it.

If you can add a loft to your tiny house and use it for a bedroom or storage space, you’ll be freeing up that much more floor space and giving your place a little boost in terms of feeling bigger than it is.

Turn under-stair space into awesome storage

Not all tiny homes have stairs, but for those that do, there’s usually some lucrative storage space to be found underneath the stairs. You could do like the bigger houses do and use an under-stair closet, but you can also get really creative in a tiny home: Maybe you can create small cubbies with drawers or baskets under the stairs, or perhaps that space will be where you put your bookshelves. Whatever you do, don’t neglect that prime real estate under the stairs — it’s not just for pre-Hogwarts Harry Potter anymore.

Use mirrors wisely

Wall space is usually at a premium in a tiny house, but one very intelligent way to use that space is with mirrors, even if they’re serving as a backdrop to a shelf. While windows are one of the best ways to let more light in, mirrors reflect and bounce back the light that’s there, plus they can make your tiny home feel twice as big when they’re placed correctly.

In a tiny house, a wall mirror probably makes more sense than a floor mirror. You can find or get mirrors cut that exactly fit your wall and reflect the entire house back at you — don’t be surprised if you feel like you’re living in a mansion once they’re installed.

Don’t be afraid to max out one room (But make it your favorite)

People like tiny houses because they’re drawn to the minimalist lifestyle, naturally. But most of us also have a “favorite” room in the house, one where we spend most of our time and energy, where we feel like we’re at our very best. Perhaps it’s the kitchen, or maybe you’re more of a bedroom dweller, or it could be the dining room where your kids sit and do their homework.

Whatever the case, don’t hesitate to go all-out with one room in your tiny house. This really should be just one room, and maybe it’s a space that you can take partially or mostly outside, like the living room or dining room. Once you take any tendencies toward maxing out one room beyond that one room, you’ll find your tiny house really won’t support it … but there’s no harm in giving yourself one room where you feel like you aren’t making any sacrifices of comfort for space.

Don’t box in your storage

Optical illusions are a fabulous way to make your tiny house feel bigger. Even though you might not actually be saving space, using doorless cabinets is one way to help maximize the space in your kitchen (especially if you hang a mirror behind those plates or appliances). On a similar note, using a hanging rod for a closet instead of building an actual closet with a door does actually save space while also making the room appear bigger because you can see around the “closet” to the walls.

Small appliances can slide in and out on drawers

The kitchen is one place where many people in tiny houses end up making a lot of sacrifices. Storing small appliances can feel especially like a burden, but there are some interesting solutions by way of sliding drawers that let you slide out an appliance when you’re using it and tuck it back away and out of sight when you’re finished. Toaster ovens, coffee machines, and other items you use every day but don’t have the counter space to keep out and ready can still be turned on quickly and put to good use before you slide them back home.

Consider a breakfast bar

Instead of a dining area inside, one nice solution for tiny homes is to build a breakfast bar that connects to your kitchen counter. It’s just a little bit of extra space, but having somewhere to sit and drink your coffee or tea while getting ready for the day — or winding down with a beer or glass of wine at night — can make all the difference in making a place feel like “home.”

Put lights under shelves

Natural light is all well and good when the sun is out, but when it’s hiding or down for the night, you might need to boost the light in your tiny home using artificial means like actual light bulbs. Not all light fixtures are maximized for tiny home use, but you can often find some good places to put light when you look underneath shelves, drawers, kitchen cabinets, and other storage spaces. You can get some nice, bright lights for relatively cheap and save yourself the headache of figuring out what kind of lamp will be small yet powerful enough to suit your needs.

Look underneath for storage

Another time when it pays to “look underneath” is when you’re seeking out storage space. You might be pleasantly surprised by how much storage is available in your tiny house when you can think creatively about it. Can you hang some baskets underneath your sink to hold cleaning supplies? Could you add drawers under your bed or sofa where you can keep extra blankets, bedding, or clothes? Some creative tiny-house enthusiasts are even able to find storage space underneath bathtubs — so crawl around for a little while and see whether you can identify any storage opportunities that you’ve been quite literally overlooking.

Murphy beds are back…

If you haven’t lofted your bed, then a murphy bed — a bed that folds out from a wall — can be another excellent option for a tiny house. Many areas offer specialists who can make custom murphy beds that look like a desk or a table when they’re folded up, then unfold into a spacious and comfortable bed when it’s time to sleep. This way you can make your bedroom multitask as a dining room or study area, only getting out your bed (which, let’s face it, is probably one of the biggest items of furniture most of us own) when it’s time to use it.

…and fold-out desks and tables are in

Beds aren’t the only items of furniture to get the fold-out treatment. Fold-out tables and desks can work very nicely in tiny homes with limited space, and they work exactly like it sounds: You fold them out when you’re ready to use them, then tuck them away when you’re all finished until you need them again.

By being conscious of the space you’re using in your tiny home and doing your best to help every square foot multitask depending on the time of day, you’ll find that you have a lot more room than you thought you would in the tiny home of your dreams.

How Has The Real Estate Landscape Changed In The Past 10 Years?

Mon, 01 Jul 2019 16:44:14 GMT

In 2008, the real estate landscape was on the brink of a monumental change. The Great Recession officially started in December 2007, and the housing industry was on the front lines of the longest economic slump since World War II. Homeowners who had bought at the peak of the housing bubble found themselves underwater on their loans, owing more than their homes were worth on the market, and those risky loans partnered with a rash of foreclosures caused upheaval on the secondary mortgage market, tanking investors and banks left and right.

Today, as home prices have risen back up to pre-crisis levels, the question on a lot of minds is, “What’s changed since 2008?” Economic recessions happen regularly, and it’s natural to wonder when the next one will rear its head and what it will mean for housing when it does. The changes that have happened in the decade since the Great Recession have also reshaped the housing industry in many ways. Here are 11 ways the housing industry has changed in the past decade, and what it means for homeowners, buyers, sellers, and renters.

The Economy — and employment — is stronger

One reason why the Great Recession was so acute is because despite the wide availability of mortgage loans at the time, the economy as a whole and employment in particular were not all that strong. The unemployment rate, which measures the rate of people who want to be employed against the rate of people who are employed, was 5% in December 2007. That might not sound all that high, but it means that one in every 20 people who wanted a job couldn’t get one. By October 2009, the unemployment rate was 10%.

Today, the unemployment rate is hovering around 4.0% or just below. That might not seem like a huge difference from 5%, but it represents hundreds of thousands more actual jobs. When unemployment goes down, wages go up because employers have to compete harder for qualified workers. Wages haven’t historically grown as quickly as home prices, which has made it more difficult to buy a home. And wages still have a ways to go to catch up with home prices, but the fact that we’re currently seeing an upward trend in both employment and wage growth is a promising sign for the economy as a whole.

The economy is never invulnerable to a recession, but the more jobs (and better-paid) jobs that are available to workers, the better shape everyone is in — especially consumers, whose behavior can often dictate whether an economy soars or crashes. When consumers have jobs, they’re more willing to spend money.

Mortgage rates are lower now (but they’re moving back up)

After a decade of mortgage rates in the 3% and 4% ranges, it’s no wonder that rates higher than 5.0% feel unnatural, but the annual average 30-year fixed-rate mortgage rate in 2008 was 6.03%. A higher mortgage rate means borrowers will spend more money for the same loan amount over time, so a higher mortgage rate usually means that buyers have less money to spend on the sales price of the home, so it’s always a good idea to shop around when looking at home loans and heavily weigh the rate you’re being offered.

Mortgage rates have stayed in the 4% range throughout 2018, so they’re still relatively close to historic lows, but they’ve been steadily creeping up all year, and many economists predict that we aren’t too far from rates in the 5% range and that we will be continuing to see rates rise as 2019 arrives. This could mean that sellers are going to have to shoot for a lower price range than they hoped when they do decide to move up, or that buyers need to budget more carefully, so it’s always smart to pay attention to rates and talk to a mortgage broker if you’re thinking about entering the housing marke t.

Institutional rental investors are more widespread

When the wave of foreclosures hit the country, a lot of single-family homes were left vacant. It was a prime opportunity for institutional rental investors to buy up rental homes at good prices, which many of those investors proceeded to do at fast paces. After fixing the homes up, these investors were able to rent them out for a profit, and as the housing market recovered and rental prices began to rise, this investment became even more lucrative.

This prevalence of institutional investors and their more widespread ownership of entry-level housing stock has also contributed to other issues, like the fact that there are too few houses on the market to meet demand.

There’s much (Much!) less inventory

One reason why home prices have grown across the country is because there are simply not enough homes for sale to meet buyer demand. Not only did the recession stall housing development, but increased regulations, more expensive labor, and more expensive building materials all have helped form an environment where developers can have difficulty making a profit for entry-level and even mid-level housing. Some developers were not able to weather the recession at all, while others who did survive pivoted to building luxury, high-end homes and apartments in order to be sure they’d make a profit on their investment.

The lack of housing inventory has also shortened the amount of time that many homes are on the market, leading to some environments where homes in desirable locations are sold very quickly and even sparking bidding wars in some cases.

…but it’s easier than ever to find a home to buy

Although there are too few homes for sale, if you’re a buyer, it’s never been easier to find a home for sale. There’s no need to find an agent so you can look through listings; instead, you can just pull up the browser on your phone — or a home search app — and look at homes for sale on Zillow, Trulia, Redfin, and many other platforms. In this age of the internet, many listing agents invest in separate web pages for each individual listing, so you can also find all the same details by just punching in an interesting address on Google.

That said, if you don’t make it to the open house (if there even is an open house), then your opportunity to walk through the place to see it for yourself will still require talking to an agent.

Regulations make it more challenging to secure a mortgage

After the recession, several pieces of legislation were passed that were designed to tighten up loan standards and make it more difficult to issue loans to buyers without substantial proof of income, assets, and debts. Anyone who’s bought a home or applied for a mortgage in the past decade will understand what this means in practice: Submitting years of past tax returns, months of bank statements, pay stubs and other proof of income, itemizations of debts, summaries of any savings and assets — the list seems never-ending.

As the economy got back on its feet and lenders began dealing with these new standards, they became much more cautious about mortgage loans. This is a good thing insofar as preventing another housing crash, but it hasn’t felt great for buyers whose credit or lack of a down payment has prevented them from securing a mortgage loan with good terms.

Real Estate appraisers are now required to be independent

Another repercussion of the recession and the new regulations that followed is a change in how real estate appraisers work. Previously, appraisers would be hired directly by a mortgage broker, real estate agent, or somebody else with a vested interest in seeing the house appraised at a certain value. Maybe the mortgage broker or agent’s commission was on the line, and those deal participants would sometimes have an opportunity to “nudge” the appraiser to come up with something favorable to them.

One of the new regulations states that appraisers must be independent and that no other participants in the real estate sale, from either side, should have any influence over the appraiser and the appraiser’s decision.

Crowdfunded down payments are a thing

Because mortgage loans are more difficult to secure, the down payment has become an increasingly important part of the mortgage process for buyers. But as prices have gone up on homes across the country, being able to save up 20% or more of a home’s total purchase price has become difficult to downright impossible in many markets.

Crowdfunded down payments are one solution. This is a way for buyers to increase their down payment and investors to park some of their money in an appreciating asset, the house. In exchange for money toward the down payment, crowdfunding investors accept a portion of the equity in the home; when the seller gets ready to move on or wants to buy out the investor, the investor will receive their share of the home’s value.

Agents get reviewed

The internet has caused one other big change in real estate during the past decade: There are reviews for everything online, from home inspectors to real estate agents. In the past, most buyers had to rely on referrals, Google, or even something called the Yellow Pages when they needed to talk to someone about their real estate needs, but you didn’t always know what you were getting into.

Like everyone else on the internet who does business, agents get reviewed now, too. You can see firsthand how agents handle disgruntled clients and what their most loyal business associates have to say about them.

Consumers have more options when it comes to buying and selling

Not only can buyers find homes for sale online, but we’ve even reached a point in our internet evolution when, in certain cities, sellers can sell their house to a company like Opendoor and now even Zillow. Buyers in those cities can also buy homes from these internet-based companies. And both buyers and sellers have a lot more options when it comes to working with a real estate agent, including teams, agents who offer small commissions or flat fees, and many others.

Some of these new avenues work very well for the buyers and sellers who use them, but like for-sale-by-owner, it doesn’t work for everybody. People have different needs and desires, and this is perhaps especially true when it comes to their homes; even if only because no piece of land is exactly like another, no house is exactly like any other house. There will always be people who don’t have time to do it themselves, or who want to make sure they’re getting the maximum possible return on their investment, or who want a high level of service and one-on-one connection with their agents. As the space becomes more competitive, the best agents will rise to the top, and a real estate agent should be able to explain exactly what you’ll be losing if you go with an alternate option.

Buyers and sellers know more (and less) than they used to

Not only is the internet providing more details about individual homes than ever before, but there has also been a wave of home-improvement and home sales shows sweeping reality television, encompassing everything from luxury real estate sales to fix-and-flip investment. As a result, people are both more educated and more ignorant about real estate than they used to be.

Take those search portals, for example. They don’t always carry the most up-to-date information in every market, which is most frequently updated on the MLS. The home data on those portals also isn’t always accurate, and the value estimates and rental estimates can be way off, too. And reality television, of course, is definitely not representative of reality itself. It’s streamlined and edited for drama and narrative tension, so often both the good and bad of a deal can be wildly exaggerated.

If you haven’t bought a house in the past ten years, then maybe you didn’t realize how much things have changed. How will you know if the time is right to dive back into the housing market? Talk to a local real estate expert about your own situation and household before you start bidding on homes online — it could save you time, money, and energy.

25 Tips for Moving With Kids or Pets

Mon, 17 Jun 2019 17:40:33 GMT

Moving is stressful all on its own, but when you add in the complications that kids or pets (or both) can bring to the mix, it can feel downright impossible. Depending on the age of your children and whether your fur baby is a cat or a dog, some moves can be easier than others, but any stress you’re feeling can manifest exponentially in your dependents.

The good news is that with a little bit of foresight and a lot of planning, you can smooth the way for your kids, pets, or both to ensure the move is as low-stress for them as possible. And when your children (of any species) are happier, you’ll also feel some relief. Win-win! Before your move your household to a new residence, read these tips, then make your plan.

Consider the timing

There really isn’t an “easy” time to move your household, but there are definitely some life events that make moving more difficult for everybody. If there’s been a death in the family or you’re getting a divorce, then both the children and the pets are likely to already be feeling some anxiety. Adding a move on top of that is generally not the best plan if it’s at all possible to avoid it. Delaying a move by six months to a year to give all the dependents in the household time to adjust might be completely impossible, which is understandable — life happens out of our control all the time. But think about whether you can offer your babies a respite from change for at least a few months so that you aren’t heaping change after change on kids or animals.

Research your new area

When you tell your kids about the move, they’re going to have questions. Your pets may not have quite as many questions, but they’ll still want the assurance of some consistency, like the ability to go on a walk or the availability of their food. Do some research into schools, parks, walking trails, pet stores, veterinarians, pediatricians, local restaurants and attractions, libraries, and more. Find some gems that you know will excite your kids when they hear about them, or your pets when they discover them, and be able to answer questions honestly. Older kids might want to help with research, and you should encourage them to dig into whatever they want to know about their new home, but it really helps to have a solid understanding of where you’re going before you break the news.

Talk to your kids about the move

There are plenty of age-appropriate conversations you can have with your children when you’re getting ready to move in order to help them prepare emotionally for the change. (Unfortunately, this doesn’t work nearly so well with pets, but if you think that your animals understand you, feel free to give them a rundown, too!). Explain to your children why you have to move and talk to them about what it will mean. Depending on how old they are, their concerns will vary. Younger kids might have more questions about what will happen to their toys, while adolescents are likely to be more concerned about school and friends.

This is a good time to share some of what you’ve learned about your new area, such as whether the local grocery store carries their favorite snacks, or what their new school will be like. You don’t want to overwhelm your kids, but help them get excited about the change by emphasizing some of the positive differences between here and there.

Emphasize similarity, too

People (and animals) dread change because they’re afraid of the unknown. So while you’re having any moving discussions, make a point to talk about what isn’t going to change. If you’ve always hosted Thanksgiving, then tell your kids they’ll still be celebrating by cooking with you in the kitchen. If you take a regular vacation every summer to visit grandparents, talk about when you’ll do that. Tell your sports fans that they’ll still be able to watch or play their favorites, or emphasize to your bookworm that the library is in the same district and access to all the same books is guaranteed.

Pets won’t be as able to appreciate these discussions, but you can do them a favor by thinking about how you can work to emphasize similarity when they get to their new environment. Can you set up their favorite “room” exactly the way they know it right now? What can you do to acclimate them to some of the new sights and sounds and smells they’ll encounter during the move?

Get your pets used to carriers, kennels, or cars

On that note, if your cat doesn’t see the cat carrier except when you’re getting ready to take him to the vet, and your dog isn’t used to riding in your car, then it’s time for you to help them get accustomed to some of those unfamiliar items and experiences. The more familiar they become, the easier time your pet will have on moving day. Take any carriers out from whatever dusty closet you’ve stashed them and open the doors. Leave them out for as long as you can and give your cats the chance to walk in and out at will. Take your dogs on car rides to the pet store, the park, and other fun places where she can get excited, and help her learn to identify car rides as an adventure. If you can, it probably also isn’t a terrible idea to leave out some empty moving boxes and gradually fill them with your things. Your pets will become accustomed to the boxes as a matter of course.

Make a moving day plan

Moving day itself is going to be peak stressful for you, the pets, and the kids, so to remove some of that stress in advance, plan the heck out of the day itself. For kids, this may involve coming up with safe ways they can participate, or alternatively, planning to get them the heck out of the way while the move is actually taking place. If you have friends or grandparents who’ve offered to help watch the kids, take them up on it!

For pets, a moving day plan may involve dropping them off at a pet hotel or doggie day care, or keeping their favorite room as intact as possible and locking them inside while everything gets moved out of the house. Change is especially hard on animals, and leaving doors open while people move furniture and boxes outside gives them too much opportunity to escape, so there aren’t really any great options, here. If you have the chance to acclimate them to the pet care facilities in advance, then this might be the least stressful for your fur babies.

Give your kids some choices

Maybe you can let the kids pick out their own bedrooms in the new house, or even help you search for possible homes online. Even if that’s a stretch too far, there are plenty of ways you can give children agency in the move, including letting them pick the paint color in their new room, or decide how to arrange the furniture, or maybe select a new bedding set or framed poster for their space. The more freedom you give your kids to make decisions, the easier it will be to help them get excited about the move as a whole.

Consider hiring movers

Hiring movers can be like hiring someone to clean the house — perhaps you feel like packing and moving is something you should be able to do yourself. But also much like hiring someone to clean the house, the amount of stress that hiring a pro can alleviate is noteworthy and often well worth the expense. Professional packers and movers have turned the chaos of moving into a science. Their efficiency and expertise can save you days of your own life, and they can also allow you to make alternate plans for moving day itself. Maybe you can take the kids to an amusement park or the dog to the dog park while your partner supervises the move?

Secure your animals while the move is happening

Two things you already know you don’t want to be doing on moving day: chasing your leashless, collarless dog through the neighborhood or coaxing your cat out from underneath the porch. If sending them to day care or having a trusted friend watch them isn’t an option, then make sure you’re prepared to keep your pets confined and contained while the move erupts around them.

Secure them behind a door they can’t open and leave water, litter boxes, toys, and whatever else they might need for a few hours out and available for them. Make sure you have a loud, obnoxious sign that you can fasten on the door warning anyone who might open it that there are freaked-out pets behind it and asking them to leave it shut.

Find an activity to keep everyone occupied during the move

If you can get your pets a new, complicated toy, or buy some puzzle books for your kids, you’ll be able to distract them much more easily. Moving parents or pet-owners who hire movers might have a lot more flexibility here to manifest a distraction — take the kids to a movie or go on a long hike with your pup, or sprinkle some catnip on the scratching post for your kitten.

Pack (and remove items) while they’re asleep …

Kids have the strangest habit of declaring that the baby toy they haven’t touched for years is their new most favorite, most sentimentally valued of all their possessions. Decluttering your living area is a fantastic idea before you move, and sometimes this can be done most easily after the children are asleep. This tactic really works best for the youngest kids, who are most inclined to forget that they ever owned a butterfly elephant stuffed animal. For older kids, try a different approach.

…or let your kids help pack their own things

Older children will appreciate the chance to find security in the familiar by packing up their own rooms and possessions. Let them decide what to keep and what to toss, and help them get excited by talking about how they’ll arrange their new room. Ask them what you can do to help make their new living space feel perfect for them.

Even younger kids can take advantage of the excitement of moving if you let them pack a small box, especially if you’re letting them pack a few toys and treasured items to bring with them in the car or on the plane.

Take as much help as you can get

Friends, family, and neighbors often offer to help with a move, and many movers don’t quite know how to take them up on the offer. If you trust them with your kids or pets, then having them entertain or watch your babies while you deal with the logistics can be a great way to leverage their help.

This doesn’t have to happen only on the day of the move, either. Kids appreciate trips to the ice-cream parlor or movie theater at just about any time, and dogs like being walked, and cats enjoy playing with feather toys, too. If you can’t think of anything else for your potential helpers to do, having them shower your dependents with attention is always a good option.

Give them time to say goodbye

Pets might not understand the meaning of leaving, but it’s all too acute for kids. Talk to them about what and whom they think they’ll miss the most, and give them time and opportunities to spend with those beloved spaces and people. For kids, throwing a “see you later” party or giving them a ritual tour through the empty house before you leave for good can help them adjust to the change more smoothly.

Help them make a plan for keeping in touch

Kids can also benefit by talking through a plan to keep in touch with their best friends and relatives they’re leaving behind. This is easier than ever in the age of technology, so you can help them exchange email addresses with their friends or make sure that they’re connected via phone, but it might also help to talk about plans to come back and visit if that’s in the cards for you. Giving kids something to look forward to if they’re having trouble adjusting in their new home can make a huge difference.

Pets aren’t able to make their own plans to keep in touch with loved ones, but if it’s feasible for you to do it for them, then you should do what you can to ensure that they still get to see favorite people or animals every now and again. Maybe your catsitter can agree to stop by when he’s next visiting your new town, or your brother and fellow dog enthusiast could plan a weekend trip soon.

Get your documents in order

Before you leave, make sure you’ve made plans for transferring your kids’ medical and school records from one entity to another, and do the same for your pets’ veterinary records. Any other legal or medical documents that you might need should be considered and managed before you go — because when you really need those items in a hurry, it’s almost never possible to acquire them, so tackle it on the front end.

Prepare ‘overnight’ kits

If you’re going to be traveling for more than a day, whether on a plane or in the car, then you’ll want to get some overnight bags ready for the kids and the pets. Kids can help with this on their own and often find some comfort in choosing the toys and books that will accompany them on the journey, and pets will feel similar comfort if you can surround them with smells and items that are familiar and dear to them.

Don’t forget about medication for any of your dependents, and make sure you’re packing plenty of food and water for your pets. It’s also wise to stash an extra leash and collar or harness for your dog; you don’t want to be tempted to let any animals out of your car before they’re fully secured.

Pets should travel with you

If it’s at all possible, the stress of the move will be less acute for your fur babies if you can bring them with you in the vehicle you’re driving. If your pet is in a carrier or a kennel, draping a blanket or sheet on top of it can help with any distress caused by unfamiliar landscapes or even just being inside a rapidly moving car. Dogs should also be secured. Consider getting a gate that will keep your dog in a specific area of your car but still allow the pup to move around if they like. Give them toys and talk to them during the drive, and don’t open your car door until the dog is leashed.

Secure hotels (if needed) in advance

Long car trips sometimes mean stops at hotels in between, so if this is in the cards for you, do a little bit of research to see what’s available and make sure your kids and pets will be comfortable there. Look for pet-friendly hotels if it’s relevant, and maybe if you have an option between a hotel with a pool and one without, opt for the pool so you can hype it up to the kids.

Unpack ‘their’ rooms first

For kids, unpacking their bedroom first can help them start feeling at home more quickly than you’d expect. See if you can get their bed and bedding set up at the least, and try to prioritize their space. Kids will also be spending time in the kitchen and play areas (if you have one), so those might go next in your order of priorities. When you’re moving in, much like moving out, pets should be secured in a room until everyone is finished opening and closing doors. If you can, try to set up a scratching post or dog bed in the room — make it as close to the room that was most “theirs” in your old place. Give them water, feed them, show them where their toys are, and take some time to get settled before you let them out to explore.

Once you do open the door, give your dog (and your cat, if it’s inclined) a tour of the new space. Show them where their food, water, and litter areas are at the least. Walk with your dog through all the new rooms and let them sniff. Don’t be surprised if your cat disappears for a day or two once a favorite old hiding spot (perhaps under the bed) has been rediscovered; give them time to explore on their own timeline.

Keep as much furniture as possible, and arrange it like you had it

Remember, you can always get rid of that fugly couch when your kids and pets are feeling more at home, but if you keep it and arrange it like you had it in your old living room, everyone is going to have an easier time feeling comfortable in the new place. It’s fine to start keeping tabs on what’s getting replaced later, but if you can for now, keep all the furniture from your old house that you can stand, and try to arrange it as closely to what your kids and pets are used to as you possibly can.

Invest in some surprises

Nothing makes a big change more fun and exciting than a positive surprise, so try to plan some for both the kids and the pets. Maybe it’s a trip to a nearby park for a game of fetch, or a pizza dinner out at the new local pizzeria. Perhaps your kid’s going to get the skateboard they always wanted, or you bought a new scratching post for the cat. Big or small, a surprise can help convert any I’m-not-sure feelings to this-is-awesome! ones.

Maintain routine

Although you might feel like you need to wake up early to start unpacking, or you don’t have time to walk the dog today, try to stick to your regular routine as much as possible during your first few days in the new house. Wake up and feed your pets at their usual time. Take them out and play with them like you normally would. This can be more difficult for kids, but it’s still worth making the effort. If they’re used to heading to the pool or the gym at a certain time every day, try to make sure they get there to continue their own routine. If you all are used to sitting down to dinner together every night, then make the effort to have it ready to go, even if it’s takeout.

Don’t make other big changes right now

It’s true, your toddler does need to be potty-trained eventually. And you have been meaning to hire a dog-walker to give your dog more exercise for some time now. Change is hard! Don’t overwhelm your poor pet or your child by demanding even more change from them. Pace any big shifts in what you’re doing so they don’t coincide with the move. Realistically speaking, you’re not going to have much success potty training during a move, anyway, and your pet will be comforted if you’re the one walking him, so try to minimize any additional change while you focus on maintaining routines.

Keep calm and move on

Your kids and your pets have an uncanny ability to tell when you’re stressed out. And it stresses them out to know you’re not happy! When you’re moving, everything can feel like a disaster; do your best to take care of yourself and try to maintain a calm, happy presence even if you’re not feeling very zen at all. If you can keep your composure and present a positive attitude to your dependents, they’re more likely to relax and let you get on with the business of moving.

18 Tips for Winterizing Your Home

Wed, 29 May 2019 17:54:05 GMT

Winter is coming. Well, maybe not immediately, but the season that can be the hardest on our homes is nonetheless approaching. Winterizing your house might seem complicated, especially if you’ve never done it before. But if you follow these tips, you’ll be ready for snow, sleet, or hail before you know it (or at least before the inclement weather actually arrives).

Start now!

Even though winter isn’t technically happening for several more weeks, it’s a smart move to start thinking about your winterizing needs and working on them right now. By the time the first cold snap hits, everyone is going to realize that they need to get moving on the winterizing, and that’s not a good time to book appointments to replace insulation or manage any repairs that might be needed. On the other hand, if you start early, you’ll be able to book all the professional help you need — and the supplies you’ll require will be on hand and available at the hardware store. So even if you skip some of the items on this list, make sure that starting early isn’t one of them.

Inspect your roof

Your roof gets a lot of battering from Mother Nature, whether that’s in the form of precipitation, intense sunlight, or a mixture of both. And fixing any issues with your roof (or replacing it entirely) are much, much easier and cheaper to do in the summertime than in the wintertime, when you’ll be battling the elements to get the job done. Instead, get your roof inspected as soon as possible, and ask the roofing expert for specific suggestions about what needs to be done (if anything) before winter hits. It’s always a good idea to choose an inspector you trust, so talk to your neighbors and your real estate agent to get referrals for a good roof inspector.

Check windows, doors, and vents for air leaks

When a house feels drafty or too cold in the winter, it’s almost always because the windows, doors, or air vents aren’t well-sealed and are leaking all your warm air outside while allowing cold air inside. Before that winter wind really starts blowing, check all your openings to the outside for leaks and seal them up. Replacing doors and windows especially can be pretty expensive. If you’ve got an older house with a lot of drafty windows, hanging plastic sheeting over those windows can seal them up and prevent leaks without sacrificing any sunlight in the process. You can buy kits to plastic-seal your windows at home improvement and hardware stores.

Caulk and weatherstrip

Once you have an idea of where the drafts are around your windows and doors, one way to postpone replacing the window or door is by reinforcing the caulking or adding weatherstripping. Both help seal the portal to the outside, keeping the warm air in your house inside and preventing the cold outside air from seeping through. Whether you want to caulk or weatherstrip will depend on both your doors and your own comfort levels. Weatherstripping tends to be simpler; caulking certainly isn’t hard, but if it’s intimidating, don’t hesitate to watch a few hundred YouTube videos or hire a helper to assist you.

Clean (and consider sealing) your chimney

If you have a chimney connected to a fireplace, then cleaning it out before winter can really improve the air flow throughout your entire home, especially if it’s a chimney for a wood fireplace. Of course, improving the air flow might make the chimney more useful on a day-to-day basis, but it also is another way for drafts to enter your house. To prevent this, if you aren’t going to use your fireplace in the winter, use a chimney balloon to seal the leak.

Clear your gutters

Full gutters and a rain or snowstorm add up to a really great way to damage your roof. After most of the leaves have fallen off any nearby trees, but before winter really sets in, grab a ladder and spend a weekend afternoon clearing out any debris from your gutters so that rain and snowmelt will have an exit path from your roof. You can also hire contractors that will do this job for you — and their ladders may reach higher than yours, so it’s definitely worth considering if you’re uncomfortable with heights or don’t have the equipment.

Protect your plants

Depending on the local climate, some plants are going to fare better outside in the wintertime than others. Even some perennial bulbs are so sensitive to the cold that you need to dig them up and bring them inside in the wintertime or they’ll die. You know better than anyone else what kinds of plants are in your garden and what you need to do to prepare them. Some might need to be potted up and brought inside, while some might be perfectly happy spending the winter under a thick blanket of snow. Whatever the case, do a little bit of research around what the plants in your garden prefer, and then treat them accordingly.

Prep your pipes

In areas where winter temperatures are typically below freezing, there’s a risk of frozen pipes. Water expands when it freezes, so frozen pipes can present a huge problem because the pipes can easily burst, resulting in an unwelcome flood when the freeze thaws. If you have a sprinkler system and the winters are cold where you live, it’s a good idea to get it blown out with air in the wintertime so there’s nothing in the pipes to freeze. Inside the house, the pipes most at risk are ones that run along exterior walls where there is little or no insulation. You can insulate individual pipes or add more insulation to the walls; another solution is to let any faucets connected to these pipes run at a very slow drip, which can help prevent freezing. And check all your faucets, inside and outside, throughout the winter (weekly is a good rule of thumb) to make sure they’re running.

Change your furnace filters

When was the last time you replaced your furnace filter? Depending on how many animals you have in the house, it’s probably been two long — most furnace filters should be replaced at least twice a year, and some of them as often as six times a year. The arrival of winter is always a good time to make sure your furnace is operating at peak capacity, so it’s especially important to remember to change your filter.

Drain and store garden hoses

Like pipes, garden hoses with water inside them can freeze and burst. When you’re finished with the garden hoses for the season, disconnect them, drain them, and store them somewhere safe until you’re ready to break them out again in the springtime.

Drain and store any window A/C units

If you use a window air conditioning unit, you’ll definitely want to put it away before winter arrives in force. They’re lovely for cooling your house down, but they let in an awful lot of outside air when you aren’t using them. Unplug the unit, drain it (there will be water inside it), and stash it in a storage space until you’re ready to re-install it next spring.

Reverse your ceiling fans

You may have learned in science class that hot air rises. And you can take advantage of that fact in the wintertime by reversing your ceiling fans, if you have them, so that they spin the opposite direction. This will push the warm air close to your ceiling down, where you can actually feel it and enjoy it, instead of keeping it up against the ceiling and away from you, which is better during summer months.

Change your thermostat (and keep it there)

If possible, it’s a good idea to keep your house at more or less the same temperature throughout the winter. Big fluctuations up and down increase the chance that you might experience a problem like the pipe freezing. So set the thermostat at a reasonable level and do your best to ensure it stays there.

Flush your water heater

Water heaters can accumulate sediment over time, and the sediment can interfere with the heater’s operation. If you haven’t flushed your water heater, think about doing so before winter hits so that your heater is operating at peak condition once the cold is here and you really want a hot bath.

Increase your insulation

If you’re starting the winterizing process early enough, it might be a good idea to assess your current level of insulation and beef it up if you think it’s inadequate. Depending on when your house was built and what kind of insulation was used, this can make a big difference in how warm it stays during the winter; well-insulated houses won’t let warm air escape, keeping things nice and cozy inside.

Insulate your pipes and/or your water heater

One way to increase your home’s efficiency and keep pipes from freezing is to insulate them. This can be a smart thing to do for pipes that travel along outside walls if your house isn’t well-insulated and the winters are very cold in your area. You can also get blanket insulation for your water heater that fits over the heater and will help keep the water hot for longer. If frozen pipes or lukewarm winter water are a challenge for you, insulation could be the solution.

Add storm doors

A storm door provides a buffer from the cold outside in a couple of ways — first, by serving as an additional barrier between the front door and Mother Nature, and second, by allowing less warm air to escape when you enter or leave the house. These can be expensive, depending on your needs, but they are very effective at eliminating drafts and air seepage from your home’s main entry.

Check your toolbox

Before you settle in to enjoy winter, check to make sure you have everything you’ll need when it arrives. Is your snow shovel in good shape? How about snow brushes or ice scrapers for your cars? Are there gloves, hats, and scarves easily accessible so you can grab them before you go? What else might you need to deal with the weather ahead? By taking an inventory of your tools before you need them, you won’t be unpleasantly surprised by a shovel handle snapping off right when you need it most, or trying to scrape ice off your windshield with a credit card. Winterizing isn’t as challenging as it might seem; one of the hardest parts is figuring out what to do (and skip) for your own home. If you aren’t sure whether one of these tips is worth it, talk to your neighbors or ask your real estate agent what they do and what’s typical for the area, so you don’t miss anything critical.

15 Ways You Can Make Your Community Safer

Mon, 13 May 2019 18:14:13 GMT

In a society where we refer to our homes as our castles, it makes sense that we also want to feel safe and secure in our residences. But as we spend more time inside looking at screens and less time outside making connections with neighbors, it also makes sense that many homeowners today feel less safe and secure than they did a few decades ago. The irony is that violent crime rates have decreased even as our feelings of danger lurking around every corner have increased. So what can you do to help assuage your fears — and actually make your community safer in the bargain?

Plenty! Establishing yourself as a community and working together with your neighbors is one of the best ways to increase feelings of safety while actually reducing crime in your area. Here’s how to get started.

Form a Facebook group

Let’s face it: We are all on Facebook a lot more than is probably healthy for us. But this can be turned to your advantage if you leverage it as an asset. Form a community safety Facebook group that is geared toward your specific community. There is more than likely already a general community Facebook group; join that one, too, and ask the moderators if it’s okay to advertise your safety-focused group there. It’s up to you if you want to create standards for joining the group. If you decide to do that, it might make sense to recruit a moderator or three to help you manage join requests and to maintain the standards of the group. You can use this Facebook group to talk about safety issues, advertise safety meetings, make safety-related announcements, and much more.

Leverage Nextdoor

The great thing about Nextdoor — the neighborhood-focused social network — is that Nextdoor does the hard work of verifying that the people in your neighborhood group actually do live in your neighborhood (no lurkers!). Using Nextdoor can be another excellent way to figure out which of your neighbors are interested in helping you increase community safety, and to warn your neighbors of any thefts or other safety risks in the area. If you do use Nextdoor as a warning method, make sure you’re providing only factual information and not conjecture or speculation. You want your neighbors to pay attention and act accordingly, not for the conversation to devolve into an argument over whose houseguest might have been trespassing on whose property, or whose kids are inviting unsavory characters into the neighborhood.

To that end, talk to your neighbors online about standards for identifying scofflaws and their behavior (especially underage ones). For example, if there’s a teenager who drives erratically and over the speed limit down a road with small children every day, most parents are going to be fine with identifying the vehicle make, model, and color, the sex and general appearance (clothing, hair color, and so on) of the driver, the time of day they usually drive down the road, and other details specific to this situation. Sharing a license plate number or taking a picture of the driver on social media, however, might be considered a violation of privacy by some parents.

Create clean-up groups

Some safety issues emerge because city and county departments might be strapped for cash or short several employees, and things that ought to get done as a result just … aren’t. Maybe a tree fell across a popular trail and hasn’t yet been cleared, or maybe there are local public-access staircases that are covered with slippery leaves or other debris. If there’s a safety issue that you can easily and professionally tackle with a group of people, organize one! Use your social media groups or fliers in the local cafe or post office to advertise a clean-up day at the local park or along a busy street. Ask the local dump or trash company if they’d be willing to donate a dumpster or supplies and trash pickup. Sometimes all it takes to make an area safer for everyone is a little coordination and elbow-grease, and the coordination is the hardest part, so try to tackle it and see where it gets you.

Start a neighbourhood watch

Do you know all your neighbors? Are you familiar with the cars they drive, their regular visitors, and any special guests who pop in from time to time? For most people, the answer is “definitely not.” But having a sense of who’s who in your neighborhood can help prevent a lot of crime, from illegally dumping trash to burglary or robbery. If your block or neighborhood doesn’t already have a neighborhood watch program, consider starting one. The first step is to find neighbors who are interested in participating. Once you have a group of people willing to put in the time, call up your local law enforcement bureau and tell them what you’re doing. Many local law enforcement offices will be willing to send a police officer or two to your neighborhood watch meetings, which can be an invaluable resource for helping you learn how to spot and safely report any suspicious activity.

Coordinate meeting times for your neighborhood watch, which can be held in a community space or even online. Talk about the safety issues that concern you the most, and ask your law enforcement liaisons what you can do to help.

Secure your own space

There’s only so much that neighbors can do to help you keep your home safe. Ultimately, the responsibility to secure your property lies with you — so make sure you spend some time looking at your own home’s vulnerabilities and decide how to fix them. For example, routinely leaving your door unlocked when you leave the house is a good way to invite burglary. Some smart locks allow you to remotely lock your door if you forget, so it might be a good idea to upgrade your door lock. New camera technologies allow you to see who’s on your front porch when the doorbell rings, and replacing broken or damaged windows is also a good safety move.

You can’t be responsible for everyone’s house on the block, but if you’re responsible for your own, the odds that you’ll experience a safety violation go down. It’s worth it!

Problem-solve using SARA (scan, analyze, respond, assess)

Many police departments use the SARA method to solve problems, and it’s a method that community safety advocates can also use with a lot of success. The SARA method involves four steps: scan, analyze, respond, assess. First, scan the situation. Take it all in. Try to absorb everything you possibly can about what’s happening. In this step, you are identifying and describing the problem. Next, analyze the situation. Think about who is involved, what they are doing, what social and economic realities exist that feed into the situation, and try to determine what has caused this situation or problem.

Then, respond to the problem. The response usually works best in a collaborative environment. Ask different people involved in the situation what they think. Involve the community in brainstorming possible solutions and arriving at an option that seems to work well for most people. Form an action plan for what you’re going to do — and do it. Finally, assess the results. Spend some time looking at how your response has changed the situation (or not). Did it solve the problem? Did new problems emerge as a result of your response? How well did the response work in terms of both process and the impact it had? Who is happy with the results, and who is not, and why? By using the SARA method for community problem-solving, you’ll help maintain the collaborative philosophy that’s central to any successful community safety program.

Host regular meetings or touch-base sessions

Meetings and touch-base sessions are the glue that holds any community group together, and this rings true for safety advocates, too. The people involved in your community safety efforts will want opportunities to talk to each other, share ideas, brainstorm ideas, or even just to get to know each other. Take the time to organize regular opportunities for the people in your community to get together and talk about safety. How often you do this really depends on your community; once a month is usually a good rule of thumb for setting up meetings, but some communities might prefer to meet every two weeks, while others don’t see a need for meeting more often than bimonthly. Supplement your meetings with social media Q&A sessions and other ways to involve your community, and consider taking notes at your meetings and making them available in your social media groups, too.

Warn people of suspicious activity

Your law enforcement liaisons will be the best resource for exactly how to do this. Maybe your contribution involves disseminating the police department’s announcements about crime more widely to your community group, or perhaps you can have regular discussions about what’s been happening in the newspaper’s crime blotter. Talk to your law enforcement partners about which types of suspicious activity they think should include a community warning. It probably will also be helpful to them if you ask about false reports and whether there are any common themes. The last thing you want is for your police department to get tied up investigating something trivial and nonrisky, so make sure anybody warning others of suspicious activity in your community groups understands what types of activity are suspicious and doesn’t raise alarm bells unnecessarily.

Host a self-defense course

Although playground fights may have been a rite of passage for some of us, many of us don’t have any experience with self-defense and wouldn’t know what to do if (heaven forbid) we were actually attacked. A free, local self-defense course with a qualified instructor can give everybody who’s interested a little bit of training and supplement their confidence in being able to take care of themselves under adverse situations. Ask your local law enforcement liaison if there are any self-defense instructors they recommend or use themselves, then talk to that instructor about whether it’s possible to set up a free class. You can give the instructor the opportunity to plug more extensive training before and after the session. Invite everyone who might be interested, and ask questions of both the attendees and people who expressed interest but didn’t attend. It’s possible, for example, that some women in your community would prefer a women-focused class and decided not to attend for that reason — if that happens, then you’ve got a great case for asking the instructor to come back and teach gender-specific mini-courses.

Share tips for safer landscaping

You might not think of your landscaping as a safety hazard, but think again: Dead or dying trees or carpets of dry pine needles can be a real fire hazard, and if your landscaping allows someone to creep up to your front door unseen by anyone else, that can be a problem, too. And that’s not all. There could be an insect or vermin infestation that presents a safety hazard (wasps’ nests, anybody?). Landscaping safety might not be at the top of your list of things to address, and that’s okay, but it’s a good topic to consider once the low-hanging fruit has been plucked. Again, your local law enforcement liaison may have ideas and thoughts about which hazards are most critical for your area, so talk to them about the landscaping safety tips they wish everybody knew, then do your best to spread the word.

Coordinate community events to reclaim spaces

Vacant lots or abandoned parks are nobody’s problem and everybody’s problem all at once. There might not be a lot you can do about private property, but if there are any public areas that have fallen into disuse or disrepair, then maybe those would be a good project for your community safety group to tackle. Just cleaning up the trash and removing dead plants and shrubs from an area can eliminate or reduce new refuse and discourage people from dumping hazardous materials there. If you can take additional steps to repair and revitalize public spaces, so much the better. Your local law enforcement liaison can help you identify spots that could use a little bit of attention and contact the appropriate people in the city and county offices to make sure you’re moving forward with everyone’s blessing.

Document your strategy and analyze your results

There’s nothing wrong with approaching your neighborhood watch with the philosophy of throwing things at the wall to see if they stick — but if you can be methodical about how you document what you’re doing and the results, you may find a whole world of opportunity opens up. Public funds might become available once your local administrators see what a great job you’re doing. Other people might become inspired to join in and help out if you can articulate how you’ve improved the neighborhood. Talk to the different members of your neighborhood watch and ask if there are any analysts or analytically minded members who might want to take on this task. Ask them to keep notes and track metrics around your activities, and encourage them to report back to the group about what they discover. Your ability to cite cold, hard numbers when you’re having conversations about community safety will benefit you everywhere.

Teach social media safety

Even though billions of people are on social media, it’s still a new world for many of us. As a result, people often post updates or photos on social media that are an actual safety risk. One obvious example is announcing your vacation plans on social media, or posting photos of your trip while you’re still away. It might not lead to anything harmful, but if someone happens to be waiting for an opportunity to break into your house … well, you just provided them with a good one. Share safety tips and best practices on social media with your community group, and encourage them to spread the word. The more people know about the risks of posting random life updates on social media, the better — after all, you can always upload those photos of your toes in the sand after you’re back at home, giving yourself a little vacation extension at the same time.

Give neighborhood tours for kids

We don’t let kids run around outside as much as we used to, but it’s nonetheless a really good idea to make sure the children in your neighborhood know how to navigate it. One way to encourage kids to learn more about their neighborhood is to host a kid-friendly tour that parents can join, too. What should be on the tour? Kids might want to know where the schools, playgrounds, parks, police stations, and fire stations are in their neighborhoods, so include those for sure. It might also be worth your time to talk to retail store owners or other stakeholders in the neighborhood and ask them if they have any information they want you to pass along during the tour. Where can kids go to skateboard without breaking any rules? Does the owner of the ice-cream shop have a bike rack where they can lock up their bikes?

Depending on how many children are in your neighborhood, this might be a one-time activity, or it could be something you repeat several times a year. Talk to the parents in your community safety group to ask them what’s best for them — maybe one of them can help coordinate the tours moving forward.

Set boundaries for where your children may go

If you have kids yourself, make sure that they not only know their neighborhood, but are also very aware of their own boundaries. If you don’t want them venturing onto undeveloped property or beyond certain roads, tell them! Show them exactly where their cutoff points lie and talk to them about what to do if they’re tempted to travel beyond them — maybe after a lost ball. Help them make a plan for how to handle those situations so they won’t be hurt and you won’t be angry. Making the neighborhood safer isn’t just one person’s job — it’s everybody’s. By joining forces with your neighbors and working with local law enforcement, you’ll be improving safety in your area by leaps and bounds.

How to Help Your Adult Kid Buy: Advice for Mom and Dad

Tue, 30 Apr 2019 05:55:37 GMT

As a parent, it’s hard to watch your kids struggle with anything, but watching them struggle to buy a house can be especially tough. We all want the best for our offspring, and owning a home is one of the best ways to build wealth — so if kids are having trouble taking that step, it’s normal to worry about how they’ll manage when you’re gone.

The good news is this: There’s a lot you can do as a parent to help your kids get their feet on the property ladder. Follow this advice and you’ll be able to both assist your children and ensure that your own financial future is secure.

Understand your ‘Why’

“Because I want to help my child” is a great reason to do just about anything — but a house is a huge financial investment and responsibility, so you need to dig a little bit deeper. Ask yourself these questions about your child and their life circumstances, as well as your own financial circumstances:

How does my kid handle finances?
Is my kid in debt? If so, how much is that debt?
Does my kid know how to save money?
Is my kid living in a real estate market where prices are steadily increasing — and if they don’t get in the door now, they might be locked out for years?
Do I want to transfer my wealth to my kid now, when they arguably need it most, or would I rather wait? How would that decision affect my estate taxes and other financial considerations?
Is my kid attending a college where they’ll stay for several years? (And would it make sense to buy a house there instead of help them pay rent?)
Can my kid already qualify for a mortgage? If so, would it make sense to help them qualify for a bigger one?

After you’ve taken time to answer these questions, you should have a better idea of exactly why you want to help your child buy a house. Whether you want to encourage financial responsibility or help your kid buy a bigger house than they could on their own, knowing why will help guide your decision-making during the process.

Manage your own credit first

It’s admirable to want to help your kids — but not at the expense of your own financial well-being. So before you make any tangible offers to help, make a full assessment of your income and expenditures, your savings and assets, and decide how much you can afford to give. Put a dollar amount on it, and don’t be tempted to exceed what you’ve decided you can spend.

There are a lot of options for helping your adult kids buy that will directly involve your credit, too. For that reason, all of the advice that applies to buyers also applies to parents who want to help their kids buy — whether you’re buying a home to rent to your kid, or co-signing or co-borrowing the loan, you’ll want to make sure your credit is in great condition. Don’t open a lot of new lines of credit or make any big purchases on credit, and follow all the standard best practices, too, like paying your own bills on time.

And maybe after all this assessment you’ve come to the conclusion that you don’t have a lot of financial help to give. That’s OK! You should know by now that parenting is about much more than spending money, so think about other ways you might be able to help, from offering advice, to connecting your kid with a mortgage broker or real estate agent, to cleaning and repairing the home when it’s time to move in.

Get your kid’s credit in order

A credit score is really important when it comes to a mortgage loan — it helps the lender figure out how reliable (or not) each borrower is, and it directly influences the interest rate on the loan, which adds up to tens of thousands of dollars over decades. If your child doesn’t know what their credit score, then help them find it, and then work with them to improve it. Maybe your kid has trouble paying all their bills on time, so help them make a budget or set up automatic payments. Settling debts like student loans or car loans can have a significant positive impact on credit score, so if you’re in a financial position to clear a large debt for your kid, this might be a good time to do it.

Mortgage lenders are also going to look at your child’s bank account statements, seeking red flags like frequent overdrafts. If your kid frequently overdraws accounts, then think about how you might help them balance their finances.

Savings now go a long way later

There are essentially two reasons why you might want to encourage your child to save as much as possible right now. One is obvious: Down payments on houses are expensive, especially if you want to avoid mortgage insurance and put down 20% or more on the home purchase. That 20% of a home’s sales price adds up pretty quickly, and most kids probably don’t have tens of thousands of dollars handy in their bank account. Another reason to facilitate savings for your kids is, again, the fact that mortgage lenders are going to want to see bank statements, and it will help your kid’s mortgage rate if the lender sees a decent savings account that grows over time instead of being wrung dry every month.

As a parent, there are tons of ways you can help your kids save money, including inviting them to come live at home with you again for a spell, which can decrease their rent payment significantly. If you go this route, then make sure that any agreements you make with your kids about rent and contribution to utilities or household chores are documented and signed. But you don’t have to invite your kids to live at home again; you also have the option of taking over some of their bills (cell phone, car insurance, utilities or others), dropping off groceries or meals, handing down a gently used appliance or car and buying yourself a new one — there are tons of ways that parents can help subsidize a child’s savings account.

Time to buy? Consider all options

Once your kid’s credit is in decent order and he or she has a down payment secured, you might not feel like your work is done. Some parents like to chip in with the actual purchase of the home — and if that’s you, fantastic! Just make sure you know what all your options are before you decide on any given path. An incredibly common way to help your adult kid buy a house is to give them money for a down payment. This is a significant upfront expense for buyers, who may need tens of thousands of dollars to avoid mortgage insurance, and oftentimes parents make that possible.

But backing up your kid’s home purchase with a down payment is far from the only option open to parents. Some choose to buy the house themselves, either as an investment rental where the kid can stay for a few years before selling, or as a rent-to-own deal where the kid pays the parents back for the house over time. If you have the ability to pay cash for a house, this can be an especially good deal for both the child and the parent: You can set an interest rate that’s lower than what the market’s currently dictating (a win for your kid) and make all your money back plus a profit over time (a win for you).

Other parents might prefer co-borrowing or co-signing a mortgage loan. These can be good options for a kid who can already qualify for a mortgage — often, they can increase their price range with a co-borrower or co-signer. Think about both; a co-signer doesn’t accrue any equity in the home and is responsible for the balance of the loan of the borrower defaults, and a co-borrower does accrue equity in the home, but co-borrowing might have a bigger immediate impact on your credit.

Cover your bases

One thing never to forget about adult kids: They are adults, and adults are going to make their own decisions. And some of those decisions might have an impact on your real estate deal. Decisions that impact your real estate deal go well beyond paint or landscaping preferences. If your child has a common-law relationship or decides to get married while they’re living in a house that they’re renting from you — or a house that lists you as a co-borrower — and things go sour, that partner could have a claim on your real estate, especially if the partner was paying rent or helping with the mortgage.

Make sure that whatever agreements you’re making with your kids are thought through in their entirety, and do your best to consider any changes or contingencies that might change the agreement. Document them and incorporate them into any legal verbiage for your own protection — and to protect your kids, too.

33 Ways to Make Your Home Energy-efficient

Tue, 16 Apr 2019 08:07:46 GMT

Not too long ago in our country’s history, talking about making your house “greener” might get you labeled a hippie tree-hugger. But times change, and as gas, electricity, and water prices creep up, more and more homeowners are seeing the (strong) advantages that come with considering the environment when you make decisions about your household.

Are you interested in making your home more energy-efficient — and saving money in the bargain? You have a lot of options, from cheap to expensive, so read on to discover whether there are some big (or small) energy-saving opportunities that you’re missing.

Get an energy audit

Most utility companies offer an energy audit, oftentimes for free: they’ll send an expert out to your house to take a look at all your appliances, your lights, your windows, your doors, and more — then make recommendations for changes you can make that will save energy (and money) every month. If you want a personalized rundown of everything you could do to and for your house to make it more energy-efficient and environmentally friendly, an energy audit is a must.

Swap out your lightbulbs

Compact fluorescent or even LED bulbs are more expensive than incandescent bulbs, but they also last at least 10 times longer than incandescent and use only about 25% of the energy of an incandescent bulb. As your incandescent light bulbs flicker out, consider replacing them with a greener alternative. And if you decide to swap them all out at once, you’ll start seeing a difference pretty quickly in your utility bills!

Pay attention to the sun

There’s a lot you can do to heat and cool your home without spending any money at all — but you’ll need to keep tabs on where the sun is in the sky. In the northern hemisphere, windows with southern exposure are going to get the most direct sunlight, so start with those. Make note of whether and when the sun shines into your home across every season, then adjust your habits (and your blinds) accordingly.

For example, if the sun is shining directly into your house during the winter season, then you might be able to save some money on your heating bill by opening up all your curtains and blinds in the morning to allow the sun in. But if you’re getting that direct sunlight in the dead heat of summer, then the opposite applies: Close your blinds and curtains in the morning to keep your house cool.

Unplug unused electronics (or use power strips)

Did you know that plugged-in chargers, appliances, and other electrical devices still pull electricity from the wall even when they’re not in use or charging anything? It’s true! To eliminate the constant drain on your electricity, you should unplug any unused devices, or you can also use power strips with an on-off switch. Keep everything plugged in; just flip the switch off when you’re finished using it.

Weather-stripping your windows

Especially in some older houses, sometimes windows might not be entirely airtight — meaning that you’ve got drafts from the outside sneaking hot or cold air into your home against your wishes. A relatively cheap and easy fix is weatherstripping your windows to eliminate those drafts and ensure that what’s outside doesn’t creep inside and vice versa. It’s as simple as a trip to a hardware store and a few minutes to weatherstrip each window back at the house.

Turn down your water heater

Hot water feels amazing in the shower … but here’s the thing: Your water heater is constantly working to keep its water consistently hot, and if you’ve got the gauge set at a high temperature, then “consistently hot” takes a lot of energy to maintain. Take a look at your water heater’s settings and ask yourself if the hot water really needs to be as hot as you have it. Turning down the temperature ten or even five degrees can result in some surprising savings — and you might not even notice when you’re mixing that hot water with cold for your ablutions!

Replace your water heater

The older a water heater is, the more energy it’s going to take to maintain, so if your heater is looking a little spent, consider swapping it out for a newer model. You can even get a tankless water heater, which heats your water up as you turn the tap on. Not only will your hot water seem inexhaustible, but you’ll also be saving a bunch of energy (and money) by divesting yourself of a 50-gallon tank that’s constantly being heated and re-heated.

Collect rainwater

Depending on where you live, the weather might be an asset that you haven’t tapped yet. You can’t use rainwater for everything, or even very many things — you can’t drink it, and you won’t want to use it to cook, wash dishes, or bathe with — but if you keep a cistern of rainwater in your yard, then you’ll always have a green way to water your grass and flowers in the spring and summer.

Start a compost pile

You might already have a compost pile if you garden, but even if you don’t, it’s worth considering; you can use compost for any flowers or grass on your property, and some metro areas even have a compost exchange program where you can submit your food scraps and get fertilizer in return. There are also sometimes classes on how to get started composting, and it’ll significantly reduce the amount of trash you’re throwing away every week.

Swap out your showerheads

If you like to take long showers, this fix can be especially helpful: Change your current shower head for a low-flow version that uses less water. These often have several settings for pressure and spray so that you can customize your shower experience — and you probably won’t even notice that you’re using significantly less water once you make the change.

Buy a smarter thermostat

You don’t necessarily need a “smart” thermostat for your home (although it’s always nice to change the temperature using a phone app from the couch — just saying!), but if you don’t have a thermostat that you can adjust to change the temperature at different times of the day, then you should definitely invest in one. For example, you could set your thermostat to lower the temperature of the house by 10 to 15 degrees when you’re at work during the day, and instruct it to start bringing the temperature back up to “normal” an hour to 30 minutes before you arrive home. And many thermostats even let you designate temperature by days of the week, so if you know that you’re almost never home on Saturday night or Sunday morning, you can adjust your temperature accordingly.

Air-seal (and maybe insulate) your attic and basement

You may know that heat rises, and that applies as much inside your house as it does in the world outside. That means a drafty attic could result in a lot of energy spent keeping the house warm in the wintertime, and it won’t do you any favors in the summer, either. An uninsulated basement can also let in cold air in the wintertime and out in the summertime. Check to see if your basement and attic are air-sealed and insulated. If not, consider investing in an upgrade.

Turn off unnecessary water

Even if your faucets aren’t leaking or toilets aren’t running, it can still save a little bit of water to eliminate water to any pipes that aren’t using it. If you have a guest bathroom that gets little use, or a kitchenette that only sees action once a year, then consider turning off the water to those sinks and other outlets.

Use ceiling fans instead of air conditioning

Air conditioning is a wonderful invention, and it feels amazing in the heat of the day in the middle of summer — but it sure is an energy hog. Instead of turning on the air conditioning, try opening all your windows and turning on the ceiling fans. When it’s hot outside, sometimes just getting the air moving inside can make a big difference, especially at night after the sun is down.

Reconsider space heaters, and use fans judiciously

That said, plugging in devices to help keep you cool (or warm) in general are big users of energy, so if you’re serious about cleaning up your carbon footprint, think about whether you can do without that space heater or fan in the window. If not, we understand, but if so, then you’ll see a big difference in your energy usage.

Use cold or warm water to wash clothes

Some stains just won’t budge without bringing the heat, but for the most part, you clothes will get just as clean in cold or warm water as in hot water. And washing with cold water is also a little easier on the fabrics, making your clothes last a big longer. Most washers have a cold-water setting, so try it the next time you’re washing up a load and see what you think.

Only run full dish/laundry loads

When the time does come to wash, it will save a lot of energy, water, and money if you make sure you’re only washing full loads of both dishes and clothes. This might mean you have to invest in a bigger laundry basket or buy a few more plates so you won’t run out, so think about the best way you can make sure your loads are as big as possible and then commit to only running the appliances when they’re at full capacity.

Add solar screens to windows

The sun can be used to heat your home without using much energy, and that can be a really nice thing in the wintertime … and not so nice in the summer when you’d really prefer not to heat your home at all. Solar screens can keep the sun out of any windows where it shines in directly, maintaining the cool cavern you’ve carefully cultivated. In the northern hemisphere, they’ll be most effective on south-facing windows.

Install solar panels (or solar shingles)

Solar panels can offset your energy usage (and your bill) by quite a lot, and now there are even more options for making your roof an energy-catching addition to your house. Solar shingles are smaller and less obvious than full panels but still bring the same amount of generation goodness to your roof, so the next time you have to re-shingle the top of your house, look into adding some into the mix.

Choose a roof with a light color

The sun beats down on your roof all day, and if you’ve chosen a dark-colored roof, then the roof is absorbing all of that sunlight (and associated heat) every day, which isn’t always ideal. To keep your attic relatively cool, pick light-colored roofing materials; they reflect the sun’s rays more than absorb them, allowing you to maintain climate control down below without using as much energy.

Use reclaimed wood or bamboo for floors

Not all wood flooring is created equal when it comes to environmental friendliness, so if you’re refinishing your floors or building new, consider a renewable wood source that looks good and doesn’t require cutting down more trees. Reclaimed wood is one good option, as are bamboo floors — the plant grows quickly and is replenished by pruning, making it a great choice if you want new floors without the guilt.

Add some storm doors

Every time you open your doors to the outside, it’s letting the outside in. One way to combat this leakage of warm or cool air into the great outdoors is to install storm doors, especially on the most-used entrance to the house. A storm door helps provide an additional layer of protection to the doorway (already a spot where a lot of your air-conditioned or heated air escapes), giving it an extra seal and allowing less to escape when you enter or exit through the door.

Upgrade your appliances

If it’s been a while since you looked for a new washer, dryer, dishwasher, or refrigerator, then you might be surprised by how far they’ve come in terms of energy and water usage. Many appliances are now Energy Star certified, meaning they’re more energy-efficient and “green” than their traditional counterparts. When the time comes to upgrade, take yourself online or to a showroom floor and look at how the replacement appliance measures up in terms of energy usage and cost, which can help you make an informed decision about whether spending a little more money now is going to lower your other bills for years to come.

Tune up your heat and air conditioning once a year

This might be as simple as replacing the filters and as complicated as getting a full service from a professional, but if you just can’t live without that heat or central air in the house, then this is a smart way to ensure your systems are performing at top efficiency (and save money, too). Look at your heating every fall and your air conditioning every spring to make sure you’re getting it all tuned

Replace your desktop with a laptop
These days, laptop computers are just as powerful and often a lot more convenient than a desktop. You can get a laptop stand for your desk and use a wireless mouse and keyboard to get the full desktop experience, but running a laptop takes less energy even with similar accessories. Plus, you have the luxury of packing up your entire computer in a single bag.

Replace your windows

Windows are wonderful for letting in light and breezes, but when it comes to the warm or cold temperatures you’ve cultivated inside your house, windows are literal holes to the outside that will render useless your efforts to be comfortable. Your windows should be well-sealed and draft-free, and sometimes there’s nothing you can do to ensure that but replace them. It’s expensive, but you might be surprised how much your windows were contributing to the heating or cooling bill once you’ve taken the plunge and replaced them.

Plant trees

A tree on the south side of your house can be a godsend in the summertime, creating a reservoir of cool air that spills over onto your house. It’s an investment that can take a while to mature, but if you know you’re going to be in the house for a while, then planting and caring for some trees around your house will increase your curb appeal while simultaneously making it a more pleasant place to live.

Add a roof ridge vent

For attics that collect and trap a lot of heat, a roof ridge vent can be the perfect way to encourage that heat to escape and never return. They’re vents that keep the attic protected from the elements but allow warm air to exit the attic, and if you’re already getting your roof redone, they could be the perfect solution to a too-hot upstairs floor.

Buy a wind turbine

Like solar panels, wind turbines can offset some of your own energy costs, and they’re usually lower-profile than solar panels. Popping a wind turbine on your roof can generate energy all day, every day, but the return on the investment is going to be highest in homes that usually get a lot of wind, so talk to neighbors (and maybe that energy auditor) to see if they make sense for you.

Use concrete for counters or floors

If you’re a fan of the industrial look and it’s time to remodel or build, then you could do a lot worse than consider concrete floors and countertops. It’s relatively cheap and easy, requires no mining or tree-felling, and is one of the greenest options available on the market (plus, just think of how good those floors will feel on a hot summer day).

Replace toilets with low-flow versions

Every time you flush a toilet, the older versions use gallons of water to clear the bowl. There are a lot of newer models on the market that are low-flow or even have different flush options for water usage on the same toilet. Like showerheads, low-flow toilets are one of those changes that don’t feel like a sacrifice but yield savings on your water bill nonetheless.

Xeriscape

Green lawns look nice — but in a lot of climates, they use a ton of water and weed-killer to maintain that green, lush look. Many homeowners are turning to xeriscaping as a way to retool their outside space so that it still looks nice — and natural — but doesn’t require a sprinkler to keep up.â¨ Talk to a landscaper about your lawn options and see whether it makes sense to revamp your lawn with some plants and gravel to replace the grass. It looks just as nice (sometimes nicer) and requires a lot less manual labor to maintain.

Use a manual push mower

If you live in a region where grass grows like weeds and you don’t need to water, then maybe it makes perfect sense to keep your lawn … but you’ll still need to mow it regularly. One greener alternative to a riding mower or a motorized push version is an old-fashioned manual push mower. They do work, but you’ll be using your own elbow grease instead of gasoline to power the blades, so you’ll get a workout while you mow.

Deciding to make your home more energy-efficient can involve a simple move like turning off water to rarely used sinks and toilets, or as complicated and involved as replacing appliances and installing solar panels. Figure out your ideal level of investment and take things one step at a time — before you know it, you’ll have a green home that saves money without sacrificing comfort.

11 Steps to Downsizing Your Home

Tue, 02 Apr 2019 09:32:52 GMT

Nothing lasts forever — including a home where you raised a family or lived most of your working life. And it’s a fact of life that suddenly, a place that was perfect for you a decade or two ago might start to feel cavernous and empty (or just contain more square footage than you really want to clean regularly).

If you’re starting to dream about trading in your rambling old house for a smaller cottage or new condo, then it’s probably time to seriously consider downsizing from your current home. Before you start shopping and put your home on the market, though, there are a few things you need to think about and discuss with any family members who’ll be making the journey with you.

Consider your finances

It’s tempting to look up your home on a website like Zillow or Redfin and revel in how much money it’s worth today. So finances might not be top-of-mind when you’re thinking about downsizing — you may believe that you’re guaranteed to save money, but that’s not always the case.

Mortgage rates have been rising steadily, and if you bought or refinanced your home during the years of historic low rates, then you might get a bit of sticker-shock at how much you’ll pay in mortgage interest over the life of the loan. And even as your home’s value has increased, others have, too — so unless you’re also perusing the type of home where you’d ideally move after your downsizing, you might not be prepared to spend what’s necessary on a new place. Also, hopefully your credit score has been maintained or improved since you moved in, but if not, that’s something else you’ll have to consider.

Depending on where you want to move, there might also be homeowners’ association (HOA) restrictions and dues, new taxes to consider if you’re changing counties or moving to a new state, and a number of other fees and expenses that haven’t yet factored into your accounting. If you have a financial advisor, now would be a good time to talk to that person about downsizing and get some background on what it would mean for you financially.

Think about space

A lot of people really love the idea of living in a tiny home, but in practice, it’s not always as fun as it sounds. You might be well aware that the amount of house you have is in excess of what you really need, but if you don’t think hard about the right amount of space for you at this time in your life, then wherever you land might also be too big … or too small, on the other end of the spectrum.

Talk to any family members coming with you, if applicable, about what your needs are right now. If you aren’t sure what might feel “right,” then visit some open houses for smaller homes (warning: you might be tempted to buy one — resist!) or, if there’s an IKEA handy, head there for an afternoon and walk through some of the showroom examples. Wherever you go, bring a notebook or use an app on your phone to record the square footage of the home and a few sentences or words to help you remember whether you felt like it was too big, too small — or just right.

In addition to interior space, you’ll want to think about lot size. Do you really want an acre of lawn to maintain, or on the flip side, will you miss having a bit of grass to mow? See if you and any moving partners can come to some kind of resolution about the ideal space guidelines for this new leg of your life.

Ask yourself: can you change enough to stay?

Another option to consider while you’re examining your finances is the opposite of downsizing: remodeling and staying put. It’s an increasingly popular solution to the too-much-house problem, and it’s possible that it could be right for you.

Maybe you can convert one floor of your home into a small unit and rent it out, for example. Maybe you need wider stairs, or maybe the bathroom needs an update and some adjustments. If it’s not really the space that’s the issue, but instead it’s the features of the home, then it’s very possible you might be able to get away with updating and revamping some things and then staying where you are.

Talk to a contractor or possibly even an architect (depending on the scope of changes) about what to do and get a ballpark figure for what it might cost, realizing that it’s likely to go over-budget. Then decide whether a big change might be enough to keep you where you are.

Decide where to go

If you’re bent on moving out of your current place, then the obvious next question that everyone is going to ask — from your relatives to your real estate agent — is “where are you going?”

Maybe you know you want to stay in the same general area, but you want to be a bit closer to amenities like the park or the grocery store. Or perhaps you have it in your head to shift gears entirely and move to a different city or state, or even a different country.

It’s not enough to just want a change — you need to have a goal, a reason for the change, because moving is never fun, and downsizing can be especially taxing. Think about where you’ve always wanted to live and why, and then decide where you’re going to plant your roots for the next set of life adventures.

Factor in cost-of-living changes

While you’re thinking about your finances, it’s a good idea to also consider whether you’ll be accruing any additional cost-of-living changes. This is best done after you know where you’ll be moving — cost of living might not fluctuate all that much within a city or a county, but if you’re moving to a different state, or from the suburbs to the city or the city to the suburbs, then there might be some additional costs that you’re not used to and therefore aren’t considering.

It might not be a bad idea to talk to a real estate agent or people you know who live where you want to move. Ask them how much groceries and gas cost, what they pay for utilities and parking, and whether they can share any tips or insight into other costs of living. You might discover that it costs an arm and a leg to call up a ride-share car on your phone like you’re used to doing, but that there’s a reasonably priced train that’s very accessible — so increased cost of living items might not be dealbreakers, but they’re still something to understand and consider.

Find a place to land

Now that you’ve got an idea of where you’re going and how much it will cost, it’s a good idea to start looking more specifically at your housing options. Even if you don’t buy a house or condo immediately, you’ll want to familiarize yourself with how big the homes are in the area where you want to move, and to get a ballpark feel for how much space you’ll have to work with in the new place. If it’s possible, you may also want to get specific measurements for a typical room (including floor-to-ceiling height).

This way you’ll have what you need to evaluate all your stuff — your furniture, your kitchenware, even your clothes — and to start making the tough decisions about what’s going to stay and what has to go.

Replacing and shedding furniture

You probably already know that you’re going to be getting rid of some furniture — they don’t call it “downsizing” because you’re adding new items. But knowing exactly what to bring and what to purge can be difficult, especially if you love a particular item of furniture but can’t see its future in your new home.

There are companies that can help you with this exercise (such as everythingbutthehouse.com), and if you decide to go solo, there are also lots of tips on how to furnish a smaller space. First, prioritize your own current furniture by considering its size, its function, and its daily usage. Eliminate any duplicate items — for example, the ten-person dining room set is probably unnecessary if you have a four-person dinette that’s tucked in the breakfast nook.

It might also be worth considering replacing some of your furniture — a bed with drawers underneath the mattress platform could be a better investment than the luxurious but space-hogging four-poster. Make sure you’re taking measurements of anything you buy and comparing it against what you know about your new place so that you don’t wind up cramming way too much furniture into a smaller space.

Getting rid of excess baggage

Apart from furniture, you’ll need to think about all your stuff, the books and decorations and clothes and kitchenware and appliances. The kitchen is another good place to demand multitasking from your gadgets, especially if you’ll be losing cabinet space in the move. There are new appliances that might be a worthwhile investment because they’ll help you get rid of two or three existing appliances, so do a little bit of research before you start making serious decisions there.

This is probably the hardest step, all in all, because there’s a lot that you might want to keep but just doesn’t make sense with your new lifestyle. Instead of considering it a loss, try to think of the baggage-shedding as an opportunity to free yourself from these possessions and find them a new home where they’ll be more appreciated and loved.

Understand your storage options

Some condos have a storage closet where you can stash overflow, and if you’re moving into a new house, there might even be a garage, basement, or attic where your boxes can lurk. Whatever the case, think about all your options — including renting a storage unit — and make sure you factor in anything that you currently have in storage and aren’t willing to let go of just yet.

Speaking of renting a storage unit, you should know this: It’s a popular option when downsizing, but if you find yourself with a giant stash of things that you’re going to store, ask yourself how likely it is that you’ll ever go to visit that stuff, pull it out, look at it, or enjoy it in any way. The idea of just putting everything away but still possessing it can be very seductive, but realistically, most of the time you’re just creating another headache for yourself and potentially for the executors of your estate. If you like it, but not enough to keep it in the house with you, then maybe it’s time to say goodbye.

Organize, organize, organize

Chaos is part of any move, and downsizing can be especially fraught because there are more moving parts to the process. The more organized you can be at every level, the better this move will go.

Make sure your finances are well-organized to start with, then start applying that focus and detail-orientation to everything else. If you can, sometimes it’s easiest to move yourself out first with anything you know you’re taking with you, then ask your family and friends to help themselves to whatever they might want. After that, you can sell the rest — either in bulk to a company or service like everythingbutthehouse.com or piecemeal, depending on your preferences — or donate it; there are many donation services that will come pick things up from your house so you don’t have to cart them into a donation center.

“A place for everything and everything in its place” is an aspirational goal for many of us, but when you’re downsizing, try to make it your (at least temporary) mantra. It will guide you through the downsizing process and help keep you organized to boot.

Make the move

When it’s finally time to execute, it’s very common for downsizers to be seized with second thoughts. Will you like your new home as much as your old one? Will you miss your things too much to fathom? What if you’re making a huge mistake? What if you change your mind?

The good news is that humans, despite hating the idea of change, are highly adaptable creatures. Make a list of all the things that you don’t like about your about-to-be-downsized house and lifestyle, and refer to it often throughout the process. You can even pull it back up in the new place to remind yourself why you moved if something is frustrating or annoying you. But within a few weeks or months, it’ll be hard to imagine how you ever managed before downsizing, so in the meantime, trust the process and find a solid team that can help you get from your oversized starting line to the just-right finishing line.

Take Advantage of These Common Homeowner Tax Breaks

Thu, 14 Mar 2019 09:41:10 GMT

Being a homeowner definitely has its advantages, and saving money on your taxes each year just might be at the top of the list. Make sure you’re taking advantage of these common tax perks as a homeowner:

Mortgage interest

One of the most common tax perks, you can deduct mortgage interest for your primary residence, and for a second home as long as you mean certain conditions.

Equity loan interest

If you have a line of credit or home equity loan, you may be able to deduct some of the interest within IRS limits.

Property taxes or real estate taxes

State or city property taxes are fully deductible from your income. Your mortgage lender may have required you to set up an escrow account, and in this case, you can only deduct escrow money held for property taxes when the funds are used to pay the property taxes. Keep in mind that if you receive a refund on city or state property taxes, this will reduce your federal deduction.

Points

On your fee schedule from your lender, you’ll probably notice some different charges. One charge is called, “points” and one point equals 1% of your loan principal. It’s common for home loans to have 1-3 points and you can deduct all points associated with a home purchase mortgage. If you have refinanced loan points, you can also deduct these, but only over the life of the loan, and not all at one time. If you refinance, you can deduct the balance of the old points and begin to amortize the new right away.

Costs associated with moving for work

If you moved to a new home for a new job, you might be able to deduct some of your moving expenses. There are some stipulations to qualification, like your new job has to be at least 50 miles away farther from your old home than your previous job was. Some of the moving expenses you might be able to deduct include costs for storage, transportation, and lodging.

Home improvement loan interest

If you’ve completed some home improvements that are considered a “capital improvement” and took out a loan to cover the upgrades, you can deduct the interest on it, with no upper dollar limit. The home improvements can’t be for ordinary repairs like drywall repair, painting, fixing gutters or patching a roof–they need to be renovations that contribute to increasing the property value of your home. Items such as a new roof, pool, a garage, addition, landscaping, or insulation would all likely qualify.

Home office deduction

If you work from home and have a dedicated home office that you use exclusively for your work, you may be able to deduct a portion of your home costs such as a percentage of depreciation and insurance.

Selling costs

If you sell your home, you might be able to reduce your taxable capital gain by the amount of your associated selling costs. Some of the selling costs that you can deduct from your profit include legal fees, inspection costs, title insurance, broker’s commissions, and title insurance.

Capital gains exclusion

If you’re married, file taxes jointly, and sell your home, you can keep up to $500,000 in profit on the sale of a home as long as it was your principal residence for at least 2 of the past 5 years. Married couples filing separately, as well as singles, can keep up to $250,000 each, tax-free.

Buying a home for the first time

If you’re a first-time homeowner, you might be able to withdraw up to $10,000 from a traditional IRA without a penalty to help cover the costs of purchasing a home.

Work with a tax professional to help maximize all the tax breaks for your unique situation. Need a recommendation for a tax professional or have questions? Get in touch!

Tips to Beautify Rooms in Your Home There’s No Place Like Home, So Why Not Make Home the Most Beautiful and Cozy Place You

Sun, 10 Mar 2019 09:57:54 GMT

There’s no place like home, so why not make home the most beautiful and cozy place you can stay in? Let’s dive into some techniques that can help you showcase the best features of every room in your house. Just a touch of color, texture, and personality can transform your home into something new. Here’s a few tips that aren’t a lot of hassle:

Add some color

Going with a neutral scheme can never go wrong, but if you’re feeling like your room is a little drab, don’t be afraid to go with a bold color. You can do an accent wall that compliments the current color scheme or use your furniture or accent pieces to bring a touch of color. Color doesn’t have to mean clutter, you can keep the rest of the room simple and add the dramatic touch with a few elements.

Use some mirrors

Bringing in some mirrors can add light and room to your space. Using mirrors in staging is known to help the room look like it’s much bigger than it is it. Add a few accent mirrors, preferably right across the room from a window, to brighten up your space and keep it from feeling too tight and small.

Play with accessories

We get it, furniture can get expensive, but there is so much you can do with a room just getting creative with accessories. Get some unique decorative pieces and let your room tell a story around them. Hop down to your closest antique store and grab some pieces that are bold. You can also hop into Hobby Lobby or TJ Maxx, they have beautiful and unique decorative pieces that are incredibly affordable.

Add some green

Nothing gives a space some life like some life, literally. Add some plants to your rooms, lots of green ones that are easy to keep alive, to add a unique touch to the room. You’d be surprised how much a room looks “finished” when you add a beautiful tree to the corner of a room.

Embrace the light

The natural light, we mean. Don’t block out your windows with heavy drapes or hide them behind furniture. Decorate around your room in a way that compliments the windows and brings the natural light in.

Add texture

Use fur throws or pillows, use patterns in your fabrics, etc. Don’t be afraid to add unique textures throughout the home. It gives your eyes something to land on as it’s looking around the room. You can even use metallics. Don’t over-do it, because then it can get overwhelming. Just get a few textures that compliment each other and put them in clever places around your room.

Remove clutter

A tip you’ll hear often, nothing brings the best out in a room then getting rid of all the clutter and junk. If you have a hard time walking around your room or finding things, it may be time to get a few boxes and start cleaning out the things that don’t really belong.

3 Questions to Ask Before Buying Your 1st Home

Sun, 03 Mar 2019 10:03:45 GMT

The real estate market is constantly changing, so of course DO YOUR RESEARCH! DO NOT jump the gun on this one! Unbiased advice from family and peers may be kind, but you are the only one who knows what your needs are when it comes to buying a home.

What made you consider owning a home?

Forget finances for a minute and focus on what made you consider even buying a home in the first place!

Is your family expanding?
Does your family feel safe?
Is there a STELLAR school system in the area so your children can get the education they deserve?
How about that unbearable landlord?

Which way is the real estate market going?

DON’T SLEEP ON YOUR DECISION TOO LONG! Home prices are on the rise! Not only are they on their way back up, but these increases are happening monthly. Don’t believe us? According to Existing Homes Sales Report from the National Association of Realtors (NAR), the average price of homes in May 2017 went up 5.8% from last year. If you wait until next year to buy, you might be scrapping for change in the cushions to say the least! Not only will it cost you more to buy, but you will also need to increase your down payment to account for the higher price of the home.

What is the mortgage forecast?

The initial process of purchasing your home may seem easy and quick, but THERE IS MORE TOO IT! The ‘long term cost’ of buying a home WILL haunt you if you buy at the wrong time! Mortgage Bankers Association (MBA), and NAR have projected that mortgage interest rates will DEFINITLEY increase over the next twelve months. The smallest increase in mortgage rates can have a huge impact on a home owner.

Final thoughts

If you and your family feel it is the right time to buy a home then GO FOR IT! Consider these points when making the final decision. Don’t forget, this move is FOR YOU!

Make the Most of Your Belton Kitchen Space! 7 Time-tested Organizing Tips

Thu, 28 Feb 2019 10:11:29 GMT

Out of all the rooms in your home, your kitchen gets the most traffic. Whether you’re getting ready to stage and sell your Temple/Belton/Killeen home, or you’re unpacking kitchen items into your new home, you’ll want to have it perfectly organized to suite your life. Here are some smart and simple tips to get the most out of your kitchen organization:

Declutter

If the contents of your kitchen are overflowing, the first thing to do is get rid of what you don’t need. The best way to figure out what stays and what goes? Empty the contents of your kitchen drawers into a storage bin. If you use an item from the bin, it goes back in the drawer. After about a month, donate what’s left in the box to charity.

The perfect pantry

Organize your pantry based on how frequently you use each item. Things like your slow cooker or roasting pan can stay on the top or bottom shelf, while you’ll want to have easy access to everyday items. Purchase a single brand of airtight clear containers to hold dry goods like pasta, grains, and cereal, so you can easily see what you have on hand. If you have children, place snacks at a kid-friendly height. Also, store canned goods with the labels facing outwards, with the nearest expiration dates at the front.

Kitchen counters

Counters are your workspace, and when you’re showing your home, they need to be completely clear-yes, this means nothing should be stored on your countertops. If you’re not selling your home anytime soon, your counters should still be kept clean. Keep small appliances out and ready that you use daily like the coffee maker or toaster but stow away items you use less frequently such as a food processor or stand mixer.

Dishes and cutlery

Think of your kitchen in terms of workstations. If you usually plate your food straight from the stove or oven, storing plates, bowls, and utensils nearby will save you time. Serveware and dishes that you only use a few times a year, can be stored out of the way in cabinets or in your pantry.

Pots and pans

You can save money instead of purchasing that pot rack that displays your pots and pans for all your company. This is generally a no-no. Potential buyers don’t need to see your used pots and pans. For easy cooking, store pots and pans in lower cabinets near the stove, and use the cabinet door space, or a magazine holder to keep lids in order.

Spices

Similar to your pantry, store spices according to the ones you use most often. The best place for spices is a drawer near the stove (but not right next to it, because heat can spoil them). Keep the spices you use frequently near the front of the drawer and label the tops with their contents for quick cooking.

Refrigerator

There are ideal spots for each kind of food. Store meat at the bottom, where it’s coldest, so leaks can stay contained. Keep dairy products on the upper shelves where the temperature is most constant, and stow bottles in the doors where it’s not as cold. Keep items that need to be eaten first near the front of the fridge, so you can enjoy these before they spoil.

Not sure where to start? For more storage or organization questions, get in touch with your local realty expert!

10 Staging Tips to Get Your Home Sold

Mon, 25 Feb 2019 10:22:16 GMT

Ready to sell your house? Here is a few staging tips to get your home prepared for the market. When listing a home that cost hundreds of thousands of dollars, if not millions, you want to make sure it’s presented in the best light. You wouldn’t buy a $50,000 dollar car if it was filled from top to bottom in someone’s personal content and trash. This is the same mindset you need to carry into selling your home that will be worth well over a $100,000.

Say bye to clutter

The best thing you can do for your home for sale is to get rid of all of your clutter! Make a rule for your home that for every new piece that comes in, one must go. One of the biggest factors to a cluttered home is too much furniture. Generally, in a professional staging, half the home owner’s furniture is removed to make the house look much bigger. Look around your house and see what you can pack away. It’ll be worth the investment to get a storage unit for a couple of months to store away a lot of your furnishings and goods.

Furniture groupings

It’s largely misconceived that furniture pushed directly up against walls make a room look bigger, but this is far from true. Instead, you’ll want to float your furniture in reach room and away from the walls. Position your sofas and chairs into cozy conversational groupings. Be sure the furnishings are placed to make the traffic flow in a room obvious. This will make the room more user-friendly and will make it look larger.

Transform rooms

If you have a room that has only served to collect boxes or other junk, it’s important to purpose the room to something that is functional. You can make it into an extra bedroom, a small cozy nook/reading room, etc. If it’s in the basement, hid the boxes and turn it into a gaming room or family area.

Home lighting

Great lighting is the trick to making a staged home look warm and welcome. Most homes are improperly lit, which makes rooms look dark and dreary. There is a quick fix to this issue. Increase the wattage in your fixtures and lamps, aiming for about 100 watts per 50 square feet. Add three different types of lighting to each room: ambient (general overhead), task (under cabinets or pendants), and accent lighting (table lamps and wall accents).

Go neutral

The simple trick to toning down dated finishing in any space is a little bit of fresh paint. You don’t want to go stark white, but look into neutral grey and beige colors. Beige colors can also consist of warm honey like colors, soft blues and greens, and a variety of undertones that add a little life to a general neutral color. If you do want to use bold colors, be sure to only keep it on accent walls to help enhance structural features.

Make it look bigger

If you want to make a room bigger than it is, paint the room the same color as an adjacent room. For small kitchens and dining rooms, a seamless look will make the space feel like one, open it up, and make it seem much larger. Using drapes that match the wall colors can also add an emphasis to the room’s size.

Use your garden

Staged homes have an emphasis in fresh flowers and pricey floral arrangements. If you don’t have the money to go all out on florals, you can get this same effect by raiding your garden space. You can DIY beautiful pieces with fern fronds, magnolia clippings, and more. Use the spring and summer months to find cheerful flowers and use them in your arrangements.

Get a facelift

So you can’t afford new cabinets? Then you can just get new doors and drawer fronts. Then paint everything to match and add new hardware to them. Instead of replacing the entire dishwasher, you may be able to get a new front panel, go for stainless steel if you can pull it off. Check with the manufacturer to see if replacements are available for your model.

Make necessary repairs

Unfinished home projects can really scare off potential home buyers, so you’ll want to be sure to make required repairs. Missing floorboards and large cracks in the sidewalk on the way to your door tend to be a red flag. Holes in walls and scratched up door frames can really look unattractive. These repairs cost you less to fix than buyers might deduct from the asking price.

Clean your home

Aside from de-cluttering, the most important step to staging your home is to clean it. A dirty house is a quick turn-off for potential buyers. Most homes, especially with children and pets, and smokers, have a smell that may go undetected to home owners, but are quickly picked up by strangers. Be sure to have your home professionally cleaned prior to staging to appeal to all buyers that your home is nice and fresh.

10 Home Chores to Do Annually

Mon, 18 Feb 2019 11:13:32 GMT

Sing me some graces, there is such a thing as over-cleaning! Here are ten chores around the home that you really only need to do annually, minus special circumstances. Let’s dive in!

Curtains & drapes

Unfortunately, we don’t mean the dusting part. You’ll want to dust at least once a month, but when it actually comes time to getting them cleaned, you only really need to do that once a year. You can take them in to get dry cleaned or follow the instructions on their tags if you choose to wash them at home.

House gutters

Gutter guards can be a great investment, especially if you live around trees that shed all year long. These can keep your gutter cleanings minimal, generally about once per year. You’ll want to do this in the autumn when all of the leaves from the trees have already fallen.

Fireplace & chimney

After the winter, you’ll want to give your fireplace a thorough cleaning. You can use a shop vacuum to clean up the embers. Make sure to wash down the fireplace tools as well. Go an extra step further and schedule an appointment with a chimney sweeper.

Carpets

We wish we meant vacuuming, but that’s pretty much a weekly or biweekly task for most households. In this case, we mean a deep clean. The best time to get this taken care of is right after summer.

Outdoor furniture

The best time to clean outdoor furniture is when you bring them out of storage for Spring. Of course, if messes up happen while you’re using them, you want to clean the spots right away, so you avoid an accumulation of stains in a short period.

Mattress

Mattresses have improved through the years but they still need a little bit of attention. At least once a year, give your mattress a thorough cleaning and change the position of it.

Kitchen cabinets & pantry

Early November is a great time to clean out kitchen cabinets, drawers, and the food pantry to get them ready for the holidays. Do a section of cabinets at a time and empty them out completely. Wipe down the shelves and reline with shelf paper if needed.

Linen closet

Just once a year, empty out your linen closet and give it a thorough cleaning. Take time to vacuum away dust and spiderwebs and reline any shelves.

Garage, basement, & attic

No one is expecting you to have a perfect garage, basement, or attic. However, a good cleaning at least once a year can help you keep an eye on things, such as moisture or insect problems. It can also feel good to get rid of junk that tends to accumulate in these hidden spaces.

If you’re in the market to sell your home, you can always give me a call , and I’ll refer over some preferred vendors that can help you knock out your cleaning tasks.

21 Things a Real Estate Agent Should Do for You

Fri, 15 Feb 2019 11:45:18 GMT

Just like in any other profession, there are good real estate agents … and there are, unfortunately, subpar real estate agents, too. But how do you know if you’ve got a dreamboat or a dud handling your real estate transaction?

One way to know whether you’ve got a good agent (or not) is to consider some of the tasks and activities that a really good agent will manage for a client, then apply what you’ve learned to your own agent. If you don’t have time to track down all of the things that a good agent should be doing for a buyer or a seller, then you’re in luck: We’ve compiled a list so you don’t have to.

Ask you about your homeownership needs (and hopes)

It’s dangerous to make assumptions at the best of times, but when it comes to shopping for a home, assumptions are downright dangerous. So if you have an agent who assumes … everything … be wary. A good agent should ask you questions — lots of them — about where you’ve lived, what you liked and disliked about both the home and the neighborhood, where you work, how long you plan to stay there, your future family plans, and more. This is all to the greater good of helping you find the right place, and possibly revealing a neighborhood or property type that wasn’t on your radar. So if your agent isn’t trying to figure out what would make you happy by asking lots of questions about your homeownership needs and wants, that’s a red flag.

Recommend a mortgage broker

If you don’t already have a mortgage broker to help you with your loan, then your real estate agent should be providing referrals for someone trustworthy. (And any agent worth his or her salt should definitely ask if you’re pre-approved, so if you haven’t been asked, be wary!)

Real estate agents work on real estate transactions every day, and they have contacts who can help with mortgage, title, appraisals, inspections, and beyond. Use them!

Get you pre-approved

Speaking of pre-approval, this is also something that a good agent will help you manage. Not every client will need it, but some will appreciate the additional help. Agents can give you an idea of realistic sales price tags, and they can also typically put you in touch with people like mortgage brokers or even sometimes credit counselors to help get you in the best position possible to buy.

Talk about schools

You might not have kids, and you might not ever want kids, but even if that’s the case, your agent would be remiss not to have the “and this neighborhood has access to the best schools” conversation with you. Why? Because you’re not the only person on the planet, and some of the other people here who might buy your home at an unspecified future date could be parents. They are most certainly going to care about schools.

Your agent should give you a rundown of which elementary, middle, and high schools service the areas where you’re searching.

Give you feedback on the neighborhoods

Unless you’ve lived in a neighborhood your entire life — and even then! — there will still be things to learn about the place where you’re buying your home. A good real estate agent should be able to answer your questions and explain how each neighborhood compares against the others. You’ll probably have questions about everything from where to buy groceries to where to walk to dog to what people do for fun on weekends, and your real estate agent should help answer those questions.

Help you find a home

You might think that finding a home is as easy as looking it up on the internet, and for some lucky people, maybe it is. But most buyers have to check out endless potentially unsuitable homes before they find “the one” that’s their long-term best fit, and pictures (especially on the internet) can be deceiving.

An agent should hook you up with an MLS feed that will alert you when a home that meets your criteria hits the market — and agents should also help you come up with alternate strategies if the going is just too tough in your price range.

Price the home correctly

For sellers, this is one of the most critical jobs that your agent will complete — and if they don’t do a good job, you could lose tens of thousands of dollars. Pricing the home correctly right out the gate is absolutely vital to selling the home quickly and for fair-market value. Some agents will inflate the possible sales price and tell sellers that they can always reduce the price if they don’t get an offer. Although this is certainly true, those agents are misrepresenting a bigger truth: your listing is going to get the most attention from qualified buyers within the first 48 hours of hitting the market. Price reductions after the home is listed are never going to attract nearly as many eyeballs as new homes on the market — and you may need to reduce the price well below fair-market value to generate buyer interest if you start off too high.

So it’s not typically wise to go with the agent who offers the highest sales price; instead, ask prospective agents how they calculated that sales price, whether it lines up with the typical price-per-square-foot in your area, and how long homes priced in that range tend to stay on the market.

Market the home well

One reason why sellers hire a real estate agent in the first place is because the agent has a marketing platform to use to advertise the home for sale. Some homes require more marketing than others, but agents should have a plan to market every home they list. And marketing goes far, far beyond “put it on the MLS, Zillow, and realtor.com — then pray you get a qualified buyer.”

If you don’t know the listing agent’s plan to market your home — or worse, if you don’t think the agent has a plan at all — then that’s a huge sign that your agent might not be the best fit for you.

Negotiate an offer

Once you’ve identified a neighborhood and found a good home, is the agent’s work mostly done? Not remotely. A real estate agent proves his or her worth on the negotiation floor, and you should expect nothing less from your agent. From landing on an offer price that seems fair to all parties, to including contingencies, to stipulating timeline, a real estate agent is your guide on the journey to buying a home, and this is where a good agent really shines.

If your agent isn’t really involved in the negotiation process, this is a big problem. You deserve an advocate in this home sale transaction.

Help you pick an inspector

When a buyer is financed for a home loan, the lender is going to want to know that the investment is solid — that the house doesn’t have any major issues, for example. That’s where the inspector comes in, and the inspector will have to enter the picture before closing.

Your real estate agent should help you find an inspector and answer any questions you have about whether the inspector’s price tag is reasonable.

Attend the home inspection

For a buyer’s agent especially, this should be a must — and it’s a good idea for a listing agent, too. The inspector is going to look at the nuts and bolts that put the house together, from the foundation to the wiring to the exterior, and note the home’s condition.

Almost every home is going to have something “wrong” with it per the inspection; houses, like all other goods, deteriorate over time, and building codes change. A good agent will help sellers prepare mentally and financially to tackle any possible issues, and a good agent will also take note of what the inspector finds to help the buyer negotiate repairs in the deal.

Negotiate home inspection repair requests

Speaking of negotiation: Who should pay for the repairs if the home needs a new roof or (heaven forbid) some foundation work? That’s going to be between the buyer and the seller, but an agent really should be available for both sides to help with the negotiation process. There’s no right or wrong way to manage repairs; some sellers will want to tackle them while others will prefer to knock some money off the asking price and ask the buyer to handle them. Whatever the case, the real estate agents should be the people managing this negotiation.

Attend the appraisal

A lot of agents do not consider attending the appraisal to be particularly pressing — and that’s fine. But if the appraisal comes in under the sales price and there were no agents present to answer questions or help the appraiser figure out the home’s value, then you’ve got a problem that might not be very easy to solve.

Many buyer’s agents will make a point to attend the appraisal and make sure that the appraiser has access to everything he or she needs and can get any information necessary to complete the appraisal thoroughly. Is yours one of them?

Communicate, communicate, communicate

A lot can change between putting an offer on a home and actually moving in. The real estate agent should be the person who knows all of the different parts and pieces of the transaction — and is willing to serve as the point of communication between them.

If the appraisal is delayed, or there’s an issue with the loan, then the agent is one who is communicating that information to the people on each side who need to know. An agent’s job is to make the transaction easier for you, and that typically means managing the messages for everybody.

Help you prepare to buy or sell

As the closing approaches, there’s a lot to do for both buyers and sellers who are getting ready to exchange ownership of a home. Both buyers and sellers need to pack and arrange for at least a truck to move their things. Sellers are also going to have to clean — the oven, the bathrooms, the works — before they hand over the keys, and ensure that any trash is hauled away.

Your real estate agent should be sharing resources to help with some or all of these activities.

Stay on top of the mortgage

If the mortgage loan doesn’t go through, then the sale is lost. That’s why a good real estate agent will make sure that the loan is ready to go — in every way. For a buyer’s agent, that probably means working with the buyer to ensure that they have all the documentation that they’ll need to present to the mortgage broker, and helping the buyer track down any missing pieces of paper.

And for the listing agent, that means keeping in close communication with the buyer’s agent so that there are no nasty loan surprises while everybody waits for close.

Tie up any loose ends

There are a lot of moving parts and pieces to a real estate transaction, and a good agent is going to be there to make sure that those parts and pieces are moving correctly — and to work on anything that could be a problem.

If two appraisals need to be reconciled, the inspection repairs need to be documented, or the title search hasn’t happened yet, then the agent is the person who tracks down the scofflaws and whips everything into shape.

Help you manage emotions

Buying a home is a process fraught with anxiety, feelings of missing out, and even sadness surrounding a big change. Sellers especially might be caught off-guard by how they feel about leaving a house when the time comes to pack everything up.

Good real estate agents understand that emotions are part of the package and will both warn you that you might be feeling a little blue about everything, and be there to help you get your bearings and power through.

Follow up to see how the move went

When all is said and done and you’ve got most of your possessions transferred from one home to the next, then the agent’s work is mostly done — right? Well, maybe some agents, but a superior agent knows that your life is still in upheaval and will check in to make sure everything went smoothly with the move. Did you forget anything at your old place? Do you need help cleaning and getting settled in? A good agent will ask you these questions and help solve any problems that emerged as a result of changing your address.

Offer help finding contractors

As stated before, all homes deteriorate — so you can expect to have to make some repairs on your new place at some point, even if the inspection indicated that everything was perfect. But who do you call to take a look at your plumbing or your landscaping?

Ideally, you’ll already have a list of local contractors in hand that your agent provided for you when you moved in — but if not, this is something else that your agent should be able to help with. So ask!

Keep in touch

If someone asks you in three or four years whether you can refer them to your agent, and you can’t even remember your agent’s name, don’t feel too bad; it’s not uncommon for clients and real estate agents to lose touch as years pass.

But that’s why the best agents make a point to keep in contact with their best clients. A good agent will reach out to help celebrate your homeownership anniversary, ask how you’re doing, and generally stay apprised of any emerging housing needs that you might have.

Kitchen Improvements Under $100

Mon, 11 Feb 2019 12:26:57 GMT

Want to spruce up your kitchen but stuck on a tight budget? Check out the list of improvements you can get started on for under $100. These tips can come in handy when you’re ready to list your home to sell on the market.

Refresh the sink

If your sink is starting to look outdated, find an affordable, yet stylish, replacement. If you have the eye for DIY, you can also purchase some sandpaper and a $4 can of spray paint that is made for metal, and dye it to refresh and brighten the color.

Hang a new light fixture

A decorative light fixture doesn’t have to cost an arm and a leg. You can generally find some decent ones that are under $100. Go for a chrome finish or choose the rustic route, whichever suits the current decor in your kitchen. You can also add LED lights under your kitchen cabinets for around $10-$20.

Paint the cabinets

With care taken in the prep work, you can refinish the paint on your cabinets. You can generally get a kit around $75. Refreshing the paint color or the stain can make your kitchen feel brand new.

Turn your fridge into a chalkboard

Chalkboard finishes are a hot trend, especially on the fridge! They add more functionality by allowing home owners to write grocery lists, menus, and even to-dos. Use painters tape to outline the shape and size you want to use as the chalkboard then coat it with magnetic primer, then chalkboard paint.

Replace outlet plates

Replace the outdated outlet wall plates for your light switches. You can add some character to it by using bold patterns, bright colors, or elegant textures. If they look faded, yellow, or chipped, they’re a cheap fix to replace.

Change hardware

Replacing the hardware on your kitchen cabinets and drawers can provide a drastic change to your kitchen. Not only can you get rid of hideous outdated hardware, but you can add a completely new feel to the theme of your kitchen just by updating the hardware throughout it.

Expand storage

Have empty wall space? Search your local home stores for cute baskets or storage containers you can use to fill the space. Not only can it add some character to your kitchen, it also adds functionality and more storage options. A feature buyers love if you’re thinking of listing your home.

Dress up your decor

Bring some color to your kitchen. Throw out decor that looks like it belongs in the 90’s, rugs that are falling apart, and anything else that weighs down a fresh look. Add in some new rugs and hand towels that match your personality and the theme you’re trying to achieve. You can also add some plants and decorative pieces to add character.

Clean up the clutter

The best cleaning tip I can give all of my clients is to remove the clutter. Nothing is a bigger eye sore than too many things. It also messes with the energy in a home. Throw out a lot of things that are taking up too much space. If it’s sentimental, see if you can store it in a new place or even donate it.

Add Charm to Your Bedroom

Wed, 06 Feb 2019 13:04:21 GMT

With a new season upon us, you might be wanting to spruce up your bedroom to add a little charm and “newness” to your space. Here’s some tips to decorating your bedroom by adding some charm and elegance.

Bedroom furniture

Your bedroom furniture is what makes the biggest impression on you, first thing in the morning, and at the end of each day. You’ll want to add pieces to your bedroom that you’ll love, unique pieces that add character and charm to your personal space.

Canopy beds

A modern style canopy bed can add a lot of simple beauty into your bedroom. Use a four-poster frame that is clean and matches your current finishes. A simple design allows you to dress up the bed as you please. Keep it clean for a masculine touch, or add a soft look by hanging gauzy panels.

Daybed

Have an empty corner in your bedroom? You can consider adding a traditional style daybed and bring it to life with an elegant French countryside flair. Add lots of layered pillows and throws to bring out the character of your set.

Antiques

Don’t be afraid to incorporate antique pieces throughout your modern decor. Adding a fun vintage trunk or even an antique dresser with a crisp bedding set can really coordinate a beautiful theme. Antiques can give your bedroom a lot of personality and provide a conversation piece.

Luxury bedding

Sometimes, all a bed need is a new bedding set. Brands these days carry an array of fabric options, allowing you a large variety of textures and patterns to fit any bedroom style or mood.

Silk bedding

If you want to do something outside of cotton sheeting, you can add a luxurious touch with some silk bedding. It’s naturally hypoallergenic and provide a less friction sleep on your skin. Silk is beautiful and really stands out in a bedding set.

Linen bedding

If you want a more lived-in look, linen helps achieve that in a modern and classic way. Use neutral colors to create a layered look that’s simple and relaxed.

Cable knit bedding

Expanding beyond the typical sofa throw, cable knit blankets are soft enough to use as your coverlet and add the right amount of texture for your decorative shams. Cable knits are the perfect blend of practicality, elegance, and comfort.

Bedroom decor

Throws & quilts

Piling up on extra blankets can be a great way to add decorative pieces throughout your bedroom, that can also be functional. Quilts and silks add a cozy element to the room, where as cotton can add a modern clean feel. Drape bed scarfs over chairs to add a lived-in look.

Flowers & candles

The aroma of fresh flowers or a lit scented candle can help you unwind and enjoy the quiet moments in your bedroom. Scents can elevate the mood, but they also help you relax. Get one that isn’t too strong, can be enjoyed long term, and fit’s into the decorative mood of your room.

Style your nightstand

Keep your nightstand free of cords and electronics. Clutter can bring a negative mindset, and when it’s the first place you look at in the morning, you want to keep the electronics and mess off your tables. Add a stack of timeless books, an elegant tray, or a decorative pieces of art. Only keep the necessities, like reading glasses, a glass of water, or your favorite book.

Eliminate Pet Odors in Your Home

Sun, 03 Feb 2019 13:08:33 GMT

Eliminating bad odors from your home is incredibly important, you want to make sure you’ve removed them before putting it on the market. Often times, the first thing buyers notice upon entering your home, is how it smells. If there is an odd odor, it will instantly put them off. No matter how beautifully staged and presented it is, strong odors or stale air can make your home unappealing to prospective buyers. Opening windows and exhaust fans will only go so far in removing foul odors, but won’t generally eliminate it completely. To ensure you don’t lose potential buyers, follow these odor eliminating tips to ensure your home smells and feels fresh and new.

Don’t Use Artificial Freshening Sprays

Don’t make the mistake of spraying artificial room freshener sprays in hopes that it will remove the bad odor. Deodorizers will quickly fade, and only mask the smell, sometimes in an overwhelming way. If a buyer walks into your home, your air freshener can cause a reaction, like a runny nose or a headache, and will make them suspicious of an underlying foul odor. Instead of trying to mask it, locate the actual source of the bad odor and get rid of it.

Best Pet Carpet Cleaners for Accidents

We all love our furry friends, but unfortunately, they can get your home pretty smelly. Whether the smell is on the carpet, furniture, or even on the walls – it’s essential to have it removed. Most odors stem from accidents. You always want to attend to the accident right away. Blot them with a paper towel and use mild dishwashing liquid to help remove the odor. Once completely cleaned, blot again with fresh paper towels to dry the spot. If the accident is not recent, use an enzyme cleaner to eat the bad bacteria. Another great idea is to use activated charcoal. It is a form of carbon that has been activated to make it extremely porous. You can get activated charcoal meant for pet odors at most pet stores.

Green Cleaning Products

Using natural odor eliminators is a great green alternative to most of the chemicals sold at stores. One of the most recommended products is to use baking soda. You can place an open box of it in a room to help absorb unwanted smells. It also helps to remove musty aroma in dark spaces, like a basement. On top of being used to remove pet odors, it also works great for cigarette smells. If you don’t wish to use baking soda, most pet supply stores will have green cleaning products that help remove odors, while still being safe for your household.

Top 5 Home Staging Props

Fri, 01 Feb 2019 13:14:44 GMT

Orchids & high quality florals

Orchids are an incredibly versatile prop. They are beautiful, elegant and add class into any interior, regardless of the style of home. They will pair well with just about any room. You can add it into a bathroom for a spa-like feel, group it into containers for a grand entryway centerpiece, or make it the highlight of the dining room. Adding high quality florals can be the perfect way to decorate any space, and the variety of flower types and arrangements can blend into any decorating theme.

Books

Books are wonderful space fillers and can introduce you to subtle pops of color into your living space. They can also be used as risers to add dimension to your room by propping other decorative pieces.

Bowls, trays, & vases

Ceramic containers can really add a calming and organic effect into a decorative scene. They have a beautifully subtle, and can be the right touch to bring a room together. Using vases, trays, and bowls allow a lot of versatility. Vases can be used as a creative way to hold utensils in a kitchen and bowls can be used for small plants. The right container, paired with the right filler, can set the scene and create a warm and inviting space.

Fillers

Fillers are the perfect couple to the types of containers noted above. Fillers can be wicker balls, moss balls, faux lemons or other fruits, limes, bread, lemons, flowers, and just about anything else you can think of. Fillers can bring in a lived-in look to any space, warming up what could otherwise feel like a bare room.

Lifestyle elements

Having lifestyle elements in your home can really set the pace for the theme you want to incorporate. Lifestyle elements are things that breathe life into any room, and prevent it from feeling too staged. These can be things such as a teapot on a night stand, a bowl of fruit on a dining room table, little figurines on nightstands, books on a coffee table, etc. You can even add a breakfast tray on a set bed. Use lifestyle scenery sparingly so it doesn’t come off too cheesy and over-done.

What You Need to Know About Fixed Vs. Adjustable Rates

Thu, 31 Jan 2019 15:11:11 GMT

You’re about to become a first-time homeowner—this is an exciting time! As you begin working with lenders on securing pre-approval for a mortgage, you probably hear some terms when it comes to mortgage interest rates such as “fixed” and “adjustable.” To help you make a smart decision, here’s what you need to know about these types of interest rates.

Interest rate 101

An interest rate is the cost of borrowing money. When you borrow money to purchase a home, the interest rate applies to how much the home will cost you with borrowed money rather than saving a lump sum for the entire purchase price.

Fixed interest rate

The most straightforward type of rate is a fixed one. With a fixed interest rate, this means the rate and payments stay the same, regardless of what’s happening with the economy. Some homebuyers may be drawn to fixed interest rates since they offer rate security, making for easy budgeting, though it can end up costing more money in the long run.

In the event rates go down, homeowners with fixed-rate mortgages will need to refinance. Refinancing with a reduced rate will save you some money, but keep in mind there will be upfront closing costs and time spent getting approved for a mortgage all over again with your tax documents, bank statements, and more.

Adjustable interest rate

Often referred to as an Adjustable Rate Mortgage, or “ARM,” these types of loans can seem complicated to a first-time homebuyer. With an adjustable interest rate, borrowers are offered lower rates and subsequently lower monthly payments early in the mortgage loan term. ARMs let borrowers take advantage of falling interest rates without needing to refinance. When you refinance, there’s a significant time investment, and it will cost money each time you refinance. When you have an ARM, you can watch rates and your monthly payment fall without having to do anything.

An adjustable rate is a less expensive way for homebuyers who don’t plan on staying in one place for very long.

On the flip side, with an ARM, your rates and payments can also go up over the life of your mortgage loan. These rates will usually have an annual cap, so if rates rise significantly and quickly, you might not be affected right away. On certain ARMs, called negative amortization loans, borrowers could wind up owing more than they did at closing because the payments on these loans are set so low to make the loans affordable that they cover only part of the interest due. The rest ends up getting baked into the principal balance.

The low initial cost of adjustable-rate mortgages might be tempting, but they bring a degree of risk and uncertainty in the long run.

Fixed or adjustable interest rate: which is better?

There isn’t a straightforward answer about which type of interest rate might be better than the other. There are several unique factors to take into account such as the length of your loan, the index your lender uses, the number and timing of rate adjustments, and any assumptions about the future increase or decrease in rates.

Work with a reputable and trustworthy lender to review the pros and cons of each type of interest rate for your situation. Have questions or just looking for a little advice on where to start? Get in touch !

Storage Ideas for Small Bathrooms

Thu, 31 Jan 2019 13:19:40 GMT

Is your bathroom small? It’s the worst, isn’t it? Well, unfortunately, small bathrooms are very common, and are usually the smallest rooms in the house. I can almost bet that it almost always feels cramped and tight in there. Although the square footage doesn’t change, a change of organization and storage space can make a drastic change to how your bathroom feels. Here are a few tips and tricks to make your bathroom space feel more functional and spacious.

Medicine cabinet

If you have a regular mirror, replacing it with one that includes a medicine cabinet and provide further storage space.

Shelving

If you have free space above your toilet, vanity, or other another empty part of the wall, install shelving units. Purchase a few decorative baskets to maximize shelf space.

Hooks

With a few decorative hooks, in a style of your preference, you can declutter by placing a couple on the back of the door to hang towels or robes. Perhaps one or two right next to each end of the shelving unit you just installed.

Towel racks

A rack installed inside of you shower can save you space and convenience, also adding an additional shower bar above the original will work nicely. Another idea is installing a few racks a couple of feet above each other or right next on another. If you have an excessive amount of towels, store some of them away in the bedroom closet.

Vanity with cabinet

I have come across plenty of pedestal sinks in small bathrooms, but if you want save some space, add some storage, and upgrade the look of your bathroom at the same time, a vanity cabinet will definitely do the trick.

Using Paint to Enhance the Size of a Room

Mon, 28 Jan 2019 15:31:47 GMT

Paint colors can drastically affect the feeling of a room. It can make it enjoyable to be in, or leave you feeling uncomfortable. It can alter the perception of the room’s shape and size and add to, or take away from, the atmosphere you’re trying to portray in your space. The paint you use in your house can make or break its aesthetics.

Color Tips

Dark Colors:

Adds coziness to a room.

Used to make a large room feel smaller.

Advances the color in the room.

Light Colors:

Used to make small rooms feel bigger.

Recedes the color in a room.

Light colors help a space feel more airy.

Lighter colors tend to recede, which makes it appear farther away, therefore making the room feel bigger. Darker colors tend to advance, which makes them seem closer, in turn making the room feel smaller. You can use colors to completely modify the size of a room by perception. You can use this concept to minimize unattractive features in your house or highlight focal points.

If your room is too large and doesn’t make the space feel cozy, you can paint your ceiling a darker color than the walls, to help them feel a little lower. Conversely, if your ceilings are too low and makes you feel claustrophibix, you can paint them a lighter shade to help them feel higher.

It’s Because of the Price

Mon, 28 Jan 2019 15:23:40 GMT

Are you getting frustrated that your home hasn’t already sold? Has it been sitting on the market with little to no showings, while houses nearby are going under contract almost immediately? We’re here to tell you, the solution is simple: lower the price! I know, I know, you probably already heard this from your agent and thought that it was worth the price you wanted. But the truth of the matter is, the market is hot. It’s at the hottest point it has been in a long time, and if your home isn’t selling in today’s market, and your agent is working their butt off to market it, then the price is too high.

Who doesn’t want to sell what they own, and cherish, for the most they can get? And your agent wants to sell your home for top dollar as well! But if you still haven’t received an offer in such a strong seller’s market, it’s time to sit down with your agent, reevaluate your motivation to sell, and talk about a new price. Do you have goals when it comes to moving? A new house, a new state? That’s awesome! So if you want to move forward with your life, cut out the stress of slowing down your sale, and make the best decision to ensure your home can get under contract. And keep in mind, there is a highly likely chance, that by pricing lower than market value, you can anticipate a bidding frenzy that can get you even more than you anticipated. Supply and demand, it works wonders when you let your agent play the numbers to get buyers in a frenzy for your home. Drop it down to what your trusted agent recommends, and you’ll be putting your best foot forward in your market.

6 Reasons Your Home Won’t Sell

Mon, 28 Jan 2019 15:18:14 GMT

Are you ready to sell your home and want it to have a great first impression on the market? Or maybe your home has been listed for a few weeks or months, and you can’t figure out why it won’t sell, and you know your agent is working hard to market it. We’ve listed below the top 6 reasons your home may not make a good impression and end up stagnant on the market.

It’s overpriced

To be clear, an overpriced home is the #1 reason a home won’t sell. We often times want our homes to be worth a lot more than we may see based on the data, but if you put your home on the market for the number you wish it will bring instead of the price it actually needs to be, your home can sit on the market for months without getting a single showing. If you’re thinking you need to price high to leave room for negotiations, statistics show that views for your property, for buyers in your price range, can drop a whopping 90% if it’s priced too high. Discuss with your agent what the market says the value of your home is, then price it competitively to potentially get a bidding frenzy instead of low offers or having it expire.

Low showing availability

Making sure the house is clean and having to leave on a daily basis for buyers to tour the home may get a little overwhelming, but it is crucial to have open availability to have your home shown. You could end up missing out on the perfect buyer if you decline too many showings. The longer it sits on the market, the less value buyers will see in it. Talk with your agent about having a 24 hour notice period if the extra time is needed, but make sure your home is available to be shown as often as possible.

Cluttered space

Buyers want to walk into a house and envision their lives in that home. This is difficult to do if your home is cluttered with personal belongings. They are instantly given the feeling of invading someone else’s personal space, instead of the satisfaction of being able to see a future in your home. Make sure your property is clutter free before putting it on the market; and store away any family photos.

Unpleasant odors

If you smoke or have pets, it’s easy to get used to the smell to the point that you don’t even notice it anymore. But it’s important to understand that the scent can be picked up by new people visiting your home, and it can really turn them off from making an offer. Before a showing, make sure to dispose of any garbage, don’t cook fish or other strong smelling food, and ensure the home is freshened up so there are no pet or smoke odors.

Unwilling to make repairs

Selling your home as-is may sound appealing at first, but being unwilling to make repairs could cost another mortgage payment that far exceeds the cost of repairs if you refuse to work with the buyer on their requests and the home goes back on the market again. It’s wise to be open to repair requests, and simply go over with your agent what you can afford to do and make a reasonable counter offer during the repair negotiations.

Unwilling to negotiate with buyers

It’s important to have an open mind about requests that will come from buyers when it comes to purchasing your home. These requests can come in the form of price negotiations, repair requests, or even requests to cover closing costs or home warranties. With your agent on your side advising you of the best steps to take, it’s best to be open to working with the buyer’s on some of their requests to ensure a successful closing.

Cleaning 101 Before Listing

Mon, 21 Jan 2019 15:38:08 GMT

Before you put your home up for sale, you’ll want to ensure it’s clean for all of the buyers that will come through. A dirty house isn’t appealing, and you won’t get a good offer, if you get one at all, if your home isn’t in tip-top shape. Cleaning your home doesn’t have to be overwhelming, below we’ve listed the top things to remember to clean for each room.

Foyer

Clean the door and hardware.

Wipe off all fingerprints on windows/furniture.

Clean off scuff marks on floors and door.

Replace all light bulbs and ensure light fixtures are working.

Tidy/clean up the coat closet. People WILL look in there to see the size.

Kitchen

Wipe down all cabinets.

Clean all appliances, inside and out.

Clean stove hood, on top and bottom.

Clean behind the refrigerator, on top and bottom too.

Ensure the microwave is clean of food splatter.

Clean the space behind the sink.

Wipe down blinds/shades.

Wash any kitchen rugs, clean the floors and baseboards.

Store all of your pet food/food out of sight.

Bathroom

Clean behind toilet and under sink.

Only display absolute necessities, declutter.

Organize and clean under the vanity.

Scrub floors and clean grout lines.

Keep dirty clothes and towels off the floor.

Be sure to lock away any medication.

Clean the fan and make sure it’s functioning.

Replace any dead lightbulbs.

Bedroom

Wash sheets, comforters, and blankets.

Clean the curtains and rugs.

Dust furniture.

Remove any obvious stains from fabrics.

Keep closets clean and organized.

Store away dirty clothes and personal photos.

Clean marks on walls.

These are just the basics you don’t want to forget about. If it’s within your budget, we highly recommend hiring a professional cleaner to ensure your home is in its best condition. Contact your agent to get a great local recommendation.

How to Find Down Payment Assistance Programs

Tue, 15 Jan 2019 15:43:15 GMT

You just found your dream home in Belton, and it’s within your budget! One thing has you scratching your head though, how are you going to come up with the 20% down payment? You’re worried that if you can’t find the money for the deposit, you’ll lose your chance to buy your perfect house. Don’t worry just yet. Many Temple/Belton/Killeen homebuyers are surprised to learn that there are a variety of down payment programs available to them—there are more than 2,200 down payment programs in the US that might be able to help.

A lot of home shoppers don’t even consider applying for any kind of down payment assistance. People might automatically assume they’re not going to qualify, or it’s just too much work, and not even worth the hassle. This isn’t always the case! Lenders want to get more people into homes, and these kinds of programs can help, as long as you meet eligibility requirements. Here are some tips to help you find a down payment assistance program that’s right for you:

Search for government programs

Depending on your state, county, or community, you might have down payment assistance available to you from one of many government entities. Check with the Federal Housing Administration (FHA) and Veteran’s Affairs (VA). Both of these bodies have home loan programs for individuals, and some have a down payment component. You can also find assistance options by consulting with your state on the Department of Housing or Urban Development websites.

Search for Local Neighborhood Stabilization Programs

Congress established the Neighborhood Stabilization Program (NSP) to help rebuild and sustain Temple/Belton/Killeen areas with high rates of abandoned homes and foreclosures. If you need down payment help, searching for a home in an area that’s a part of an NSP might be a great place to start.

Also, don’t cross high priced home markets off your list just yet. Programs will usually adjust specific benefits and eligibility requirements based on a percentage range of the area’s home prices and median income.

Special programs for certain buyers

Depending on the Temple/Belton/Killeen community, you may qualify for down payment assistance if you’re an educator, healthcare worker, firefighter, police officer, or another type of civic employee. If you’re a first-time homebuyer or haven’t owned a home in more than three years (re-qualifying you as a first-time buyer), you could also qualify for down payment help.

Search online and ask around

Search websites such as Down Payment Resource, which calculates what kind of assistance you might be eligible for receiving based on your community, occupation, and income. You can also search for programs that provide loans, grants, or tax credits, or others that can help you come up with your down payment faster, cover closing costs, and help move you into your perfect home sooner than you would on your own.

Also check out your local Belton housing authorities, lenders, not-for-profit organizations, and even your employer. You might be surprised with what kinds of special assistance you uncover. Even as you’re searching home listings online, some listing services display a special badge on listings that could qualify for down payment assistance. If your search for down payment assistance is turning up empty, get in touch! Because programs change frequently, realtors are usually up to date on these topics.

Home Keeper

Mon, 14 Jan 2019 15:48:32 GMT

Home Buying Myths

Mon, 07 Jan 2019 15:53:00 GMT

Although the internet can be a great resource for a variety of information, a lot of that information is incorrect. One of the most important and expensive decisions in your life, home buying, tends to circulate a lot of misinformation. Most of that misinformation is in regards to how much of a down payment you need or what your credit score needs to be. Let’s go over the real facts about buying a home and knock those myths out, so they don’t hinder your ability to purchase!

Credit scores

Though it may come as a surprise, you don’t need a perfect credit score to purchase a home. Traditional bank lenders will work with credit scores as low as 640, but your agent can also get you connected with local lenders that accept credit scores as low as 580. Although there are other required stipulations to qualify for the loan, you don’t need a perfect score in the 700’s or 800’s to get approved for a mortgage.

Down payments

You don’t have to sell an arm and a leg to be able to purchase your dream house. There is a huge misconception that you need to pay a minimum of 20% down to buy. That information is outdated. These days, there a large variety of loan programs that only need an average of 3-5% down. Based on your income or military status, you may even qualify for mortgage programs that require 0% down. Although you’ll expect to pay an additional 3% in closing costs, which is separate from the down payment, this is still significantly less that 20% of the purchase price. If you’re in a buyer’s market, you may even be able to negotatie for the closing costs to be covered by the sellers.

Be sure to connect with a local real estate agent to ensure you have the right facts. Don’t let online myths persuade you into thinking you can’t qualify or afford to buy a home. There are a variety of programs to help you get into your dream house. Since these vary by county to county, and state to state, it’s imperative to call your agent and let them fill you in on the facts.

10 Home Chores to Do Annually 2

Thu, 03 Jan 2019 15:56:11 GMT