Preparing your home for a walkthrough can be tough, especially when you’re still living in the house. One of the hardest things is keeping your home clean while you’re taking the other necessary steps to sell your house -- like removing personal items, staging the house and increasing curb appeal. While you can spend money to hire a cleaning service, it adds up...
Yesterday on Housecall, we discussed ways to increase your home value with indoor décor. Today, we're focusing on what you can do outside the home to give it an added monetary boost. Curb appeal is everything when it comes to selling your home, and that means your home’s exterior needs to be in optimal condition. In fact, 71 percent of prospective home buyers...
Contributed by Jessica Kyriakos Sometimes when planning to sell a house, in the name of renovating interior living spaces, updating bathrooms, replacing appliances and adding decorative touches throughout the bedrooms, homeowners leave outdoor curb appeal as a last priority. While of course the inside of a home is important, sellers make a big mistake when they neglect...
Contributed by Bryn Huntpalmer, Modernize.com
Sure, we’re glad it’s here, but did summer creep up a little too quickly on you? Don’t worry, there’s still time to plant your summer garden and enjoy your harvest of basil, kale, beans, corn, and so much more. Warm temperatures and long sunny days also provide the perfect climate for hearty perennials that...
It’s almost summer! With the weather getting better outside, maybe it’s time to start making a list of weekend projects to complete. While you might not be able to tackle some of the hard, long-term projects -- kitchen remodels, bathroom remodels, deck additions -- you can do some easy improvements that will make your house more appealing and functional. To help...
It’s no secret staging has become synonymous with selling a home. A staged home can boost perceived value by as much as 10 percent, according to listing agents surveyed in the National Association of REALTORS® 2015 Profile of Home Staging. Staging is so effective, in fact, it may influence a buyer to bid above asking price. It can be challenging keep up appearances...
When furnishing a home, nothing is meant to last forever. While the quality of your sofa or mattress may make it a more enjoyable investment, over time it's bound to wear down from normal use. To help plan for those replacements, use this lifespan of common household appliances as a guide. Created by Choice Home Warranty, it includes small kitchen appliances like...
According to the U.S. Fire Administration, more than 2,385 Americans died from residential fires in 2012. In addition, over 20,000 people are poisoned by carbon monoxide each year and an unknown number of Americans become ill from toxic molds, often without a diagnosis. Fortunately many of these types of disasters are preventable if homeowners take simple precautions....
Making a few small changes, especially outdoors, can do much more than make your home a better backdrop for family portraits. In fact, when done correctly, an outdoor renovation project can deliver a feature you love and increase the value of your home. This infographic from Williams Ski & Patio shows which outdoor renovations will yield the highest return on...
Based on data from the OECD Better Life Index, homeownership in the U.S. can lead to higher levels of subjective well-being. Translation: homeownership is linked to happiness. The Better Life Index gauges worldwide development, zeroing in on quality of life indicators that affect global progress – housing, jobs, civic engagement, health and safety, to name a few....
