Contributed by Anita Alvarez Shorter days, cooler temperatures, Halloween – these are all signs that winter’s right around the corner. While the weather is still suitable for working outside, put on your work boots and gloves, head outside and give your property a once-over. Then, work your way inside the home to check its winter-readiness. Here are 21 signs that...
Does your home look like a storage locker or a pack rat’s dream? If so, it’s time to purge, declutter and refresh. It may sound daunting, but it doesn’t have to be! Here are some quick, effective ways to declutter your home without feeling overwhelmed: 1. Set time aside. If you don’t plan for decluttering, you’ll probably keep putting it off. So, make yourself...
There is an insurance that can help keep appliances working like new. With this kind of insurance, if an appliance breaks down, there is a certain amount of coverage given. Even with the insurance, however, keeping appliances up to date will make any neighbor jealous. Waiting until the insurance can cover those upgrades helps with a small budget and allows even the...
Contributed by William Giakoumatos Buying your first home can be very exciting. Among all the decisions you'll have to make when you seek that home is whether you want to buy one that's ready to move into and live in as is, or one that needs a little work. Many people buy fixer-uppers because of the lower cost, but sometimes those kinds of homes can end up costing...
Editor's Note: This post was originally published on September 16, 2015. Housecall continues to share this piece due to ongoing requests and reader interest. As we close out a summer marked by rising home prices and limited supply, we’re conditioned to expect the inevitable end-of-season slowdown. But the change of season doesn’t mean activity drops off completely...
Selling your home can seem a daunting task. When you close that deal, you want to make sure that your home goes to the best buyer for the best price. It may seem cheaper to sell your home yourself, and many do; however, there are a lot of details to work through. “Selling your home through a REALTOR® can help you make sure you get the best value overall,” says...
Contributed by Kyle Foley In our over 39 years as custom home design builders, we’ve seen it happen more often than we like, and more frequently than it needs to. The somber truth is that over 50 percent of custom builds never get off the ground, including those where the client has already purchased their lot, and may even had plans drawn. The number one reason...
Is it parks, schools, city services or affordability that you should look for when searching for a home with higher than average resale value? All of these factors matter, in fact, and homeowners lucky enough to be near one popular grocery chain enjoyed a boost in their home's value. Jennifer Von Pohlmann recently headed into the aisles at RealtyTrac.com to get the...
Contributed by James White, homeyimprovements.com If the idea of spending hours on end deep-cleaning the house doesn’t appeal to you, take the “spring” out of “spring cleaning” and try monthly deep-cleaning instead. When you tackle one room in your house each month throughout the year, the only thing you’ll have to think about come next spring is enjoying...
Contributed by Paul Kazlov, Global Home Improvement In recent years, there has been a lot of talk about metal roofs and their manifold benefits. And why not? As one of the most durable roofing materials available on the market, metal roofs have outshined the famous asphalt shingles, slates, and other composite roofing materials. Here are eight reasons why homeowners...
