Bathroom Remodeling Mistakes to Avoid

Bathroom remodeling is one of the most enjoyable things to do in home improvement. It is easy, affordable, and quick, plus the fact that you can incorporate your own creativity without risking a lot. But then again, there are still some costly mistakes to avoid in order to not make it an expensive project. What needs to be done therefore is to learn what those mistakes are in order to completely avoid them.

According to Bob Vila‘s article called “Pro Tips: The 5 Most Common Bathroom Renovation Mistakes,” you shouldn’t be forgetting about your fan and the smallest and littlest mistakes you might commit because they’re the ones that could cost you more. See the tips below:

1. Ignoring the Bathroom Fan
“Overlooking your bathroom fan is a huge mistake,” Devlin observes. “Sometimes people don’t install one or they don’t clean the one they have.” Without proper ventilation, he explains, humidity builds up on surfaces, and over time this moisture will cause paint and grout to deteriorate and mildew to form. Vacuuming the vent on a regular basis will help keep the fan clean. To determine if your fan is overdue for a cleaning, turn it on and hold a square of toilet tissue up to the vent. If the tissue stays up on its own when you let go, air is still flowing.

2. Lacking a Clear Plan Before Demolition
“Sometimes people think they can figure out what needs to be done as they go along,” says Devlin. “But you need a plan in place before you start any demolition.” Devlin believes you should have everything sketched out ahead of time, from your budget, to your materials, to the question of who will be doing which parts of the work. “Planning is everything,” he emphasizes.

3. Being Unrealistic About a Budget
“Don’t lie to yourself and try to do a $20,000 renovation when you have only $10,000 to work with,” Devlin urges. “You’ll only have to cut corners at the end of the project and you won’t be pleased with the results.” He suggests taking a careful look at your finances and getting a realistic number in your head. “Write the number down, put that amount in your bank account, and stick to it!”

4. Overlooking Small Mistakes
As your renovation goes along, Devlin advises, always fix mistakes—even the smallest ones—as soon as you notice them. “If one tile isn’t exactly flush or your paint strokes are going in all directions, fix it right away,” he stresses. “Don’t convince yourself you’ll learn to live with it. Those mistakes will always bother you, and if you can see them, then other people can see them too.”

5. Losing Focus Toward the End
Many people, Devlin reports, are excited about the renovation process at the beginning but lose steam as they approach the finish line. “They might take forever to frame out the room,” he says, “but by the end they’re so eager to see the completed room they start to rush.” The problem here is that the finish work is extremely important to the overall look of the space. “People should reverse the trend,” he muses. “Move at a steady pace at the beginning and slow down at the end to be sure everything is done correctly. Your patience will pay off!”

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It is quite true that the most common mistake homeowners make in bathroom remodeling is the failure to make a realistic budget. Sometimes, we think about so many different things we want to integrate in the bathroom, and there’s no blaming us considering that we love to dress it up as one of our favorite areas inside the home. However, setting a specific budget is important because it determines how much you can afford. You can’t just get money from your savings or any other source just because you want to do more in bathroom remodeling.

Furthermore, Houzz.com comes with very specific mistakes in remodeling a bathroom that every newbie should be reminded of. These are those mistakes that lead to another remodeling project after only a few weeks of finishing. Obviously, you will want to avoid them in order to not spend more money on doing another remodeling job.

1. No view out. No one likes a dark, damp bathroom with bad circulation — it’s no fun spending time in a space like that. If you’re building or relocating a bathroom, try to site it on an outside wall with windows. If windows are not an option, installing an operable skylight can allow for the fresh air and natural light needed to make the space feel comfortable.

2. A clear view in. I once worked on a large remodel for which the existing design had a bathroom in the dining room — seems kind of like a conflict of interests, right? Whenever possible, avoid locating the bathroom directly off one of the home’s public rooms — like the kitchen, living room or dining room.

This doesn’t necessarily mean you have to put in long hallway, but create some sort of formal separation to break up the line of sight. The last thing you want is to be sitting in the living room with a glass of wine and looking straight into the bathroom at the toilet.

3. Making it all about the toilet. That leads me to my next blunder: Avoid making the toilet the first thing you see in the bathroom, and avoid any sight lines to it from adjacent rooms. I like to put the toilet and shower in their own room while keeping the sink separate. This allows someone to take a shower while someone else gets ready at the sink. In the bathroom floor plan here, the wall between the two rooms adds only a couple of inches to the overall size of the bathroom but doubles the room’s functionality.

4. Curbed-shower enthusiasm. A curbless shower makes a bathroom feel bigger and look cleaner — plus, it’s very practical for aging-in-place homeowners, since it adheres to universal design principles. This look is fairly easy to achieve in a new bathroom or a remodel — just make sure you mention it to your architect or contractor prior to construction.

5. Thinking bigger is better. That’s right: Bigger isn’t better; better is better. Whether you’re designing a large master bathroom in your dream home or trying to figure out how to squeeze in an extra bathroom for your growing family, the most important aspect of your new bathroom is that it has a great design that functions efficiently for your specific lifestyle.

If you want to see more tips in bathroom design from this site, click on the link.

One of the most important reminders of bathroom remodeling is the fact that it isn’t just about incorporating attractive designs. The main focus has to be on functionality. This suggests that while you can do anything you want in terms of design, you shouldn’t be forgetting about the typical function and purpose of the bathroom.

Tips When Working With a Real Estate Agent

When you’re either buying or selling a home, working with a real estate agent is the smartest decision you are going to make. Unless you are a real estate expert yourself, there is a bunch of benefits in hiring a realtor, one of which is you get to sit back and let them do the work for you while you focus on making the biggest decisions in the biggest investment in your life.

(photo credit: iMoney.my)

In this article, we’ll show you some tips on how you should handle your business relationship with the realtor, the purpose of which is for you to have your interests promoted and forwarded to anyone you’re going to deal with in real estate.

For a first-time home buyer, here is some great tips from Salary.com, in a blog post called “First-Time Home Buyer Tips – Working with a Realtor.”

Who’s who in real estate agents

To find the right real estate agent, it helps to understand the difference between a broker, a Realtor, a buyer, and a listing agent. Brokers occupy the top of the real estate totem pole. Some are easy to identify especially in the case of small firms, because it’s usually their name on the “For Sale” sign outside the house. The broker is the person licensed by the state to buy and sell houses. An agent can’t do business without a broker, which is why agents part with a percentage of their commissions. Brokers may also be agents themselves, active in both sales and administration, but generally they provide the management blanket under which agents operate.

A realtor is a broker or agent who is a member of the Board of Realtors, an organization that follows a code of ethics beyond state license laws. It is realtors who sponsor the Multiple Listing Service to which every real estate agent in the country is beholden for listing or searching prospects.

Shopping for a real estate agent should be no different from searching for any other professional, like a lawyer or an accountant. If you know someone in the business – such as an escrow officer, title representative, or homeowners’ insurance salesperson – ask for a recommendation. You could even cold-call real estate offices and ask the manager to steer you toward someone from another office. It may take some sales dodging, because the person you ask will effectively be passing up a commission, but when you finally get a name it’ll likely be a respected competitor.

As with salary negotiations, guard your numbers

From how-to books to online real estate guides, experts strongly caution a buyer to beware about disclosing too much vital information to an agent, even if you have a buyer’s agency agreement. Should the listing Realtor know how much you are willing to pay for the home, or even the loan amount for which you have been qualified, that information could work to your disadvantage in the negotiations.

Read the rest of the article here.

The rule is, and this applies to both a home buyer and a home seller, is to hire someone who’s a legitimate real estate agent. You can’t just focus on learning how to deal with them; you first have to figure out if you’re actually dealing with a genuine and qualified realtor.

(photo credit: ExpertBeacon.com)

Next, HomeBuying.About.com has more specific details on how you should be handling businesses and appointments with the realtor. Keep in mind that everything has to be done professionally. See these tips from the article “Rules for Working With Agents.”

1. Understand Agents Work on Commission

Very few real estate agents work on salary.

Most real estate agents are paid commission. If an agent does not close a transaction, she does not get paid.

Agents are not public servants and do not work for free. Do not ask an agent to work for you if you intend to cut the agent out of your deal.

2. Keep Appointments & Be On Time

Be respectful, use common courtesy and don’t expect an agent to drop what she is doing to run out to show you a home. You are probably not that agent’s only prospect / client. And if you are, lord help you.

Do not make an appointment with an agent and then forget to show up.

If you are going to be late, call and let your agent know when you expect to arrive.

3. Choose A Real Estate Agent

Decide whether you want to work without representation: dealing directly with listing agents, or if you want to hire your own agent.

If you decide to hire your own agent, interview agents to find an agent with whom you are comfortable.

If you are interviewing agents, let each agent know you are in the interview stage.

Never, never, never interview two different agents from the same company. Trust me, don’t do it.

4. Do Not Call The Listing Agent if You Are Working With a Buying Agent

Listing agents work for the seller, not the buyer. If you hire the listing agent to represent you, that agent will now be working under dual agency.

If listing agents show you the property, the listing agent will expect to represent you.

Listing agents do not want to do the buying agent’s job. Let your buyer’s agent do her job.

5. Practice Open House Protocol

Ask your agent if it’s considered proper for you to attend open houses alone. In some areas, it is frowned upon to go to open houses unescorted.

Hand your agent’s business card to the agent hosting the open house. Sometimes this agent will be the listing agent, but often it is an agent also looking for unrepresented buyers. Announcing you are represented protects you.

Do not ask the open house host questions about the seller or the seller’s motivation. Let your agent ask those questions for you.

If you wish to read more from this post, simply click the link provided.

Always remember that in order to be successful at your investment in real estate, you need someone who knows more than you do. So it does not really make any sense if you hire one who you realize isn’t as knowledgeable as you expected him to be. Also, be reminded that everything is about business – with you focused on either buying your dream home or selling your old homee for the right price. Either way, it really is an advantage if you know how to deal with a realtor.

Nice Patio Design Ideas

Building a new patio for your home does not only give it that much needed improvement and upgrade in curb appeal. The patio also serves a functional purpose as well as an aesthetic one. But overtime, you will feel like it is becoming boring and dull. Well, it’s an area that is pretty similar to your interior space and rooms – it also needs seasonal improvements and redesign strategies to make it look fresher and newer.

Good thing is that this home improvement project is doable without any professional help. You can do it yourself with our set of tips. Plus we even added several photos to serve as motivation.

From the website Better Homes and Gardens, we obtained several tips you can easily follow:

Reach into Secluded Spaces

Convert underutilized areas in your landscape into welcoming patios by employing handsome furnishings, vibrant fabrics, and beautifully planted containers. Though this area was designed as a designated patio space, patios can be located anywhere you can create a floor from brick, flagstones, wood chips, or gravel.

Keep it Cozy

Everyone needs a solitary spot for sharing quiet conversation with a friend or kicking back with a good book. A few cushy chairs and a table for resting drinks and books is all that is required to create a purposeful patio. But, when you arrange those things in a lushly planted garden and add in a water feature, you’ll create a charmingly cozy nook that you’ll never want to leave.

Create Calm

Patios should be retreats that offer peaceful respite from hectic work weeks and family-tending days. Opt for neutral color palettes, spare furniture arrangements, and plentiful plantings to fashion serene scenes that match your relaxing and entertaining needs. Keep it low-maintenance by selecting weatherproof furniture and fabrics and cultivating a garden from easy-care container plantings.

Step It Up

Elegant homes call for refined outdoor furnishings. This covered patio formalizes its outlook with a distinctive dining set combining glitzy chairs with a table crafted from a carved base and a glass top. Want to add some sparkle to your patio in a jiffy? Hang a gilded mirror on an exterior wall or fence that’s located near your patio. Paint wooden chairs with a decorative metallic finish. Or, turn beautiful outdoor fabrics into cushions and pillows to adorn chairs, chaises, and settees.

Want more tips? You can read the rest of this article by visiting this link.

One of the most important things you should incorporate in a patio improvement project is feeling of coolness. You cannot do that if you put in so many accessories and things that turn your area into a cluttered space. Be certain you know when you place stuff in such a way that there is still enough space to give visitors a reason to spend time in the patio and be impressed by it.

This time, let’s take a look at some very nice examples of how creative designers and architects do their own versions of a patio redesign. All the images you’ll see below are courtesy of Houzz.com.

 

 

Lastly, here’s a bunch of ideas you can use, courtesy of this YouTube video from Inspiring Interior Design Ideas:

 

Top Four Home Buying Secrets

The process of home buying is something you ought to learn for yourself sooner or later. If you are planning to become a homeowner in thee not-so-distant future, you cannot afford to take on a real estate industry without prior knowledge. Therefore, it will really mean a lot if you are aware of some of the many secrets in home buying. We’ve compiled four of them here.

Secret #1 – Get Pre-Approval for your Home Loan

According to the article “10 Best-Kept Secrets for Buying a Home” from HGTV.com, one of the secrets in making the entire process as smooth and convenient as possible is to get a pre-approval.

There’s a big difference between a buyer being pre-qualified and a buyer who has a pre-approved mortgage. Anybody can get pre-qualified for a loan. Getting pre-approved means a lender has looked at all of your financial information and they’ve let you know how much you can afford and how much they will lend you. Being pre-approved will save you a lot of time and energy so you are not running around looking at houses you can’t afford. It also gives you the opportunity to shop around for the best deal and the best interest rates. Do your research: Learn about junk fees, processing fees or points and make sure there aren’t any hidden costs in the loan.

Read the rest of the article if you click on the link.

A pre-approval is also some sort of gauge for your financial capability. It means you are to figure out if you really will qualify for a house loan. There is no sense at all if you go straight to searching for potential homes to purchase and later realize you’re actually not qualified.

Secret #2 – Reduce your Debt

For the website Bankrate.com meanwhile, the key to buying a house and not regretting that decision later on is reducing debt even before applying for the loan.

While buyers increase their savings, they should also reduce their debt. “Paying off debt tops saving in terms of priorities because of the interest payments on the debt, which exceeds the amount of interest they can earn on their savings,” Kirchner says. “Lenders want to see that you are managing your debt and keeping your credit card balances low.”

See more of the article titled “4 secrets to budgeting for a home purchase,” by clicking this link.

This right here is a no-brainer. While a lot of first-time home buyers escape the scrutiny of banks and lending institutions by hiding debt, it’s really a stupid idea if you don’t do something about it and then decide to add another headache by buying a home and paying the mortgage. You might as well break your neck while doing so.

Secret #3 – Take Your Time Shopping for a House

(photo credit: Forbes.com)

Next, Vox.com, in the article called “6 secrets to getting a good deal on a house,” emphasizes the importance of spending as much time as possible in searching for that perfect house.

When it comes to home buying, haste makes waste. Once you’ve decided to buy, it’s important not to rush the house-hunting process. “When I’ve had clients make real estate deals they’ve regretted, they’ve almost always coincided with time pressure,” said Zach Teutsch, a personal finance coach in the Washington, DC, area, in a 2014 interview. “You almost always overpay relative to what you would have paid if you were on a more cautious timeline.”

That means that when moving to a new city, you should consider renting for a few months while you search for a permanent home. While it might seem like a waste to pay rent when you could be building equity, the amount you overpay due to a hasty purchase — or the cost of having to move again after buying a house that doesn’t meet your needs — could dwarf the cost of a few months’ rent.

Want more? Follow this link.

First time home buyers like you might get too excited when it comes down to finding the best house to buy that they end up making rushed decisions. Obviously, decisions made out of the spur of the moment are not the ideal ones to make. Remember that you’re buying a house as a long term investment. It means you’re going to live there for a very long time. So don’t mess it up by choosing one in one minute.

Secret #4 – Home Inspections

Lastly, a blog site called MillenialHousing.net suggests that a home inspection shouldn’t be forgotten if one wants to make his or her first home purchase a successful one.

Many first-time home buyers make the mistake of purchasing property without inspecting it beforehand. Home inspections can help you save money down the line, by identifying property issues. A home inspector will carry out a thorough check of the house to identify any flaws or faults, which you can use while negotiating the selling price with the homeowner. It may also save you from making the wrong property purchase.

Read some more tips from this article if you visit the link.

A home inspection is the most effective way to figure out if it really is what you are looking for. The thing with many home buyers is that they easily get swept off their feet by how attractive the house looks from the outside. A home inspection can and will reveal something else inside.

Living Room Improvement Ideas

One of the most cost-effective ways of improving your home is to focus on the living room. It doesn’t matter if you’re planning to sell it or you simply want a fresh new look, living room improvement projects definitely will give your space that much needed aesthetic boost.

Take a look at the tips we’re giving you, should you wish to do your own improvement later on.

For starters, you will want to focus on paint colors and window treatments, or at least that is what the article called “10 Ways to Make Your Home Look Elegant on a Budget” from Freshome.com says.

Paint Color Matters

Paint color is perhaps one of the most difficult decisions to make when decorating a room, especially when the remaining décor will be based off the color palette. However, if elegance is what you are after, there are certain colors that add instant glamour to your home.

Choose one of these two color options—bold and dramatic OR soft, understated hues. These hues allow you to add instant elegance to your home. It simply depends on your color personality in terms of which option you choose.

Painting interior doors black is another great idea. It automatically creates an expensive feeling, without causing much damage to your wallet. If you choose this option, however, be sure to add some black accessories to the space to tie the overall design together.

Window Treatments – A Must-Have Accessory

It’s simple—a home without window treatments will look unfinished and cheap. Fortunately, window treatments are one of the most budget-friendly ways to add some elegance to your home, as well as much-needed privacy.

When selecting window treatments you want to make smart choices. For instance, choosing unlined flimsy materials look terribly cheap, even if they are the least expensive option. It is recommended that you avoid see-through materials. This does not mean that you can’t buy off-the-rack curtains. A lot of chain stores offer lined draperies that appear elegant and expensive —even though the price is right.

When it comes to window treatments stick with elegant materials such as natural silk, linen and cotton (polyester or man-made fabrics usually look cheap). If draperies are not for you, then try woven bamboo shades or wood blinds. Just be sure to dress your windows—they ensure your home looks elegant and well-designed.

See some more valuable tips from this article by visiting the link provided below:
http://freshome.com/2014/12/29/10-ways-to-make-your-home-look-elegant-on-a-budget/

Home improvement in general is something that when talked about, is always associated with money. However, it is never true that you can’t go on with a project like improving how your living room looks if you don’t have the budget. Things like repainting and using window treatments may cost you something, but it’s not really that expensive.

Let’s see some nice window treatment options we found online:

(image credit: Pinterest.com)

(image credit: Houzz.com)

But living room improvement isn’t just about colors and windows. There’s more to it than you can image. Take for instance these tips from IntentBlog.com.

1. Remove unneeded objects and furniture—Stand in the doorway of your living room and get a sense of how the energy feels in the room. Does it feel old or new? Are there too many books? Is there an excess of furniture? You want to make sure that your living room isn’t cluttered with too many objects. All objects have a vibration and you need to have space to relax and think. (See tip #3 for more on cleansing your home.)

2. Color the walls for relaxation—Make sure that the room is warm, comfortable and welcoming. If it needs a new coat of paint or if the walls need to be washed, do not hesitate to do so. White, earth tones or gentle pastel colors work well on living room walls. When you decorate, think about what makes you want to relax.70

3. Place chairs in the power position—Place your seating in the power position. This entails arranging the sofa so that it affords a good view of the entrance to the room and doing your best not to place any piece of furniture with its back to the entrance, as this can create a feeling of vulnerability. If you have no choice but to arrange the sofa with its back to the entrance, due to the layout of your living room or the size of it, then you can always put a table behind the sofa to protect it from the chi coming in through the door and some plants on the table to dispel any negative energy. You can also put a mirror on the wall in front of the sofa so that it reflects the entrance and you can see who is coming in behind you when you are on the sofa.

4. Place your coffee table by the couch—I always recommend putting a coffee table in front of your couch, as you are much more likely to sit there than any other place in the living room. The coffee table has the effect of grounding the space and centering a conversation.

5. Minimize walkways—If you have walkways in between your furniture, it is going to be much more difficult to relax when people walk in front of you and past you. If your living room layout demands this type of setup, it is much better for you to place the furniture in small groups on either side of a single walkway so that you are not constantly disturbed by passersby!

6. Don’t give the television center stage—If you have a television in your living room, don’t make it the center of attention. The living room is for entertaining, good conversation and the exchange of ideas. You may want to put the television in a TV armoire with doors so that you can keep it out of sight when you aren’t using it.

7. Use lots of plants and flowers—A fresh plant is great to have in a living room. It freshens the air and clears away some of the electromagnetic fields that are generated by the television screen and other electronics. Also, fresh flowers represent new life and they look fabulous on a coffee table or sideboard.

8. Pick your wall decor carefully—Make sure that the paintings or photos that you have up in your living room are warm and inviting to look at. The best subjects for paintings are nature and people.

9. Use low shelves—Make sure that your shelving units are low in the living room, especially if you have a small space. You don’t want to feel overwhelmed by shelving or have it take up a huge amount of space and make the room feel smaller.

Article source: http://intentblog.com/how-happy-is-your-home-improve-your-living-room-with-these-9-simple-steps/

By now, you already have lots of stuff to go on with. It’s just a matter of putting the right effort in your own DIY living room improvement project to make sure you achieve success. Again, it doesn’t have to be expensive to create something beautiful.

Vegetable Gardening Tips for Beginners

There are secrets in vegetable gardening that only a few people know about; which is why only a few are successful in growing actual vegetables. Now as a homeowner, you certainly would love to see them in your own garden, too. The problem though is how do you build one? Well, you’re probably reading this article for the simple reason that you’ve tried it before and you failed. But worry no more. We’ll hand out some tips for beginners like you who want to succeed in building a vegetable garden.

(photo credit: VegetableGardeningLife.com)

From the article “7 Secrets For A High-Yield Vegetable Garden” found at RodalesOrganicLife.com, the talk is about building up and conditioning the soil so as to make it ideal for growing vegetables. See the tips below:

Build Up Your Soil

Expert gardeners agree that building up the soil is the single most important factor in pumping up yields. A deep, organically rich soil encourages the growth of healthy, extensive roots that are able to reach more nutrients and water. The result: extra-lush, extra-productive growth above ground.

The fastest way to get that deep layer of fertile soil is to make raised beds. Raised beds yield up to four times more than the same amount of space planted in rows. That’s due not only to their loose, fertile soil but also to efficient spacing—by using less space for paths, you have more room to grow plants.

Raised beds save you time, too. One researcher tracked the time it took to plant and maintain a 30-by-30-foot garden planted in beds, and found that he needed to spend just 27 hours in the garden from mid-May to mid-October. Yet he was able to harvest 1,900 pounds of fresh vegetables—that’s a year’s supply of food for three people from about 3 total days of work!

How do raised beds save so much time? Plants grow close enough together to shade out competing weeds so you spend less time weeding. The close spacing also makes watering and harvesting more efficient.

Find out more here.

The key phrase in the tip above is “organically rick soil.” It is something that you need to learn more by reading about it. There are several ways to make the soil rich for gardening but the kind of environment you are in is a big factor on how you’re going to approach it.

Now in the planning process, it is very important to identify the perfect spot. How do you do that? Let’s see these tips from BHG.com, in the article titled “How to Plan a Vegetable Garden.”

No matter how big your vegetable garden is, or how you determine what to plant in a garden, there are three basic requirements for success:

1. Full sun. Most vegetables need at least 6-8 hours of direct sun. If they don’t get enough light, they won’t bear as much and they’ll be more susceptible to attack from insects or diseases.

Here’s a hint: If you don’t have a spot in full sun to plant a garden with vegetables, you can still grow many leafy vegetables such as lettuce and spinach. And if you’re in a hot-summer climate, cool-season varieties such as peas may do better in part shade.

2. Plenty of water. Because most vegetables aren’t very drought tolerant, you’ll need to give them a drink during dry spells. When thinking about how to plan a vegetable garden, remember: The closer your garden is to a source of water, the easier it will be for you.

3. Good soil. As with any kind of garden, success usually starts with the soil. Most vegetables do best in moist, well-drained soil that’s rich in organic matter (such as compost or peat moss).

Many gardeners like to have their vegetable gardens close to the house. This makes it easier to harvest fresh produce while you’re cooking. It can also be handy to keep a few favorite potted vegetables next to your grill.

Need more information? This article has a lot more to offer. Just click the link to see them.

Do not be disappointed if you’re in a place where there is limited sun. The thing is not all vegetables need that much. There are those that can grow and thrive in limited sun exposure, including peas, lettuce, and spinach. But one thing you cannot deprive them is water. It is only thing that will allow them to survive even without enough sun.

Finally, here are some more tips courtesy of PlanetNatural.com:

1. If its getting cold and you have tomatoes still ripening on the vine — save your tomatoes! Pull the plants up and bring them inside to a warm dry place. Hang them up, and the tomatoes will ripen on the vine.

2. Keep garden vegetables from getting dirty by spreading a 1-2 inch layer of mulch (untreated by pesticides or fertilizers) around each plant. This will also help keep the weeds down.

3. Paint the handles of your gardens tools a bright, color other than green to help you find them amongst your plants. You can also keep a mailbox in your garden for easy tool storage.

4. Compost needs time to integrate and stabilize in the soil. Apply two to three weeks prior to planting.

5. There is an easy way to mix compost into your soil without a lot of back breaking work: Spread the compost over your garden in the late fall, after all the harvesting is done. Cover with a winter mulch such as hay or chopped leaves and let nature take its course. By spring, the melting snow and soil organisms will have worked the compost in for you.

6. Like vining vegetables, but don’t have the room? Train your melons, squash, and cucumbers onto a vertical trellis or fence. Saves space and looks pretty too.

7. Garden vegetables that become over-ripe are an easy target for some pests. Remove them as soon as possible to avoid detection.

8. Onions are ready to harvest when the tops have fallen over. Let the soil dry out, harvest, and store in a warm, dry, dark place until the tops dry. Cut off the foliage down to an inch, then store in a cool, dry area.

9. Over watering is worse than under watering. It is easier to revive a dry plant than try to dry out drowned roots.

10. When planting a flower or vegetable transplant, deposit a handful of compost into each hole. Compost will provide transplants with an extra boost that lasts throughout the growing season.

 

Source: http://www.planetnatural.com/vegetable-gardening-guru/tips/

Vegetable gardening is a very fun project; not only does it give your yard a nice upgrade, you also can benefit from it by consuming all-natural grown food. There are so many vegetable varieties that you can choose from, which means that it never gets boring.

Top Tips to Sell Your Home Fast

When you’re in the market selling your home, there is only one thing you want more than anything else; that is to sell your property as quickly as possible. But in a tough real estate market out there, that has to be a quite challenging task. However, it does not mean it is impossible. If you know the secrets to it, you’ll have no problem selling it without you have tom compromise a lot on the price.

According to the blog called QuickandDirtyTips.com, in this post titled “6 Tips to Sell a House Fast in Any Market,” the foremost requirement is to boost or improve its curb appeal.

Selling Tip #1: Improve Your Curb Appeal

Nothing is more important than a first impression. So consider what a potential home buyer may think as he or she drives up to your property for the very first time.

Walk out into your street and look–and I mean really look–at your home to see its shortcomings. Is it attractive, clean, and well-kept, or does it need maintenance that you’ve been putting off?

After you’ve been in a home for a while, it can be difficult to see it objectively. So take suggestions from a real estate professional, friends, or prospective buyers about how to make it show better.

When your home is on the market, it’s critical that your landscaping is well-groomed and your lawn is mowed 24/7. Plus, your driveway, exterior porches, and exterior walls must be clean, too.

If you put money into cleaning up the outside of your home, I can guarantee that buyers will be more likely to take a tour of the inside. Curb appeal is what draws buyers in, helps maintain their interest, and sets your home apart from the competition.

Remember that unless you’re willing to discount a home’s price well below market value, prospective home buyers generally won’t want to buy a house that needs a lot of work.

See some more tips from this post by clicking the link.

No matter how strongly you believe that your home is already attractive and easy to sell, every potential buyer will still want it to look fresh and new. That’s why even if you don’t think it is necessary, doing those little things to enhance curb appeal is essential. This is non-negotiable, unless of course you are more than willing to give your home at a hugely discounted price.

(photo credit: TheBuoyantLeader.com)

According to Reader’s Digest on the other hand, establishing online presence will give you more reach and coverage. See the tips from the article “13 Tips for Selling Your Home.”

1. Audit your agent’s online marketing. 92% of homebuyers start their house hunt online, and they will never even get in the car to come see your home if the online listings aren’t compelling. In real estate, compelling means pictures! A study by Trulia.com shows that listings with more than 6 pictures are twice as likely to be viewed by buyers as listings that had fewer than 6 pictures.

2. Post a video love letter about your home on YouTube. Get a $125 FlipCam and walk through your home AND your neighborhood, telling prospective buyers about the best bits – what your family loved about the house, your favorite bakery or coffee shop that you frequented on Saturday mornings, etc. Buyers like to know that a home was well-loved, and it helps them visualize living a great life there, too.

3. Facebook your home’s listing. Facebook is the great connector of people these days. If you have 200 friends and they each have 200 friends, imagine the power of that network in getting the word out about your house!

Read the full length of this article here.

Online advertising is a new tool you need to utilize if you want to sell your house fast. It is no longer a secret that a large percentage of people searching for a home to buy are going to look for options and prospects online. So if you don’t have presence on the web, you’re way behind your competition.

(image credit: NorthWestRTO.com)

Finally, Investopedia.com suggests that you make it a point to make your home distinct from the rest. See the tips below, from the post called “6 Tips For Selling Your Home Fast.”

Differentiate From the Neighbors

In order to attract attention and to make your home more memorable, consider custom designs or additions, such as landscaping, high-grade windows or a new roof. This can help improve the home’s aesthetics, while potentially adding value to the home. Any improvements should be practical and use colors and designs that will appeal to the widest audience. In addition, they should complement the home and its other amenities, such as building a deck or patio adjacent to an outdoor swimming pool.

However, while it can pay to spice up your home, don’t over-improve it. According to a 2013 article in Realtor Magazine, some renovations, such as adding a bathroom or putting new shingles on a roof, might not always pay. The data suggests that the nationwide average amount recouped for a bathroom remodel is about 58%. For a new roof, it’s even less. If you’re going to invest in home improvements, do your research and be sure to put your money into the things that are likely to get you the best return. In addition, if you have added any custom features that you think buyers will be interested in, make sure they are included in the home’s listing information. More than ever, in a down market you should take every small edge you can get.

Clean the Clutter

It is imperative to remove all clutter from the home before showing it to potential buyers because buyers need to be able to picture themselves in the space. This might include removing some furniture to make rooms look bigger, and putting away family photographs and personal items. You may even want to hire a stager to help you make better use of the space. Staging costs can range from a couple hundred dollars for a basic consultation to several thousand dollars, particularly if you rent modern, neutral furniture for showing your home. Many people feel that stagers can make a home more salable, so hiring one deserves some consideration.

Sweeten the Deal

Another way to make the home and deal more attractive to buyers is to offer things or terms that might sweeten the pot. For example, sellers that offer the buyer a couple of thousand dollars credit toward closing costs, or offer to pay closing costs entirely will in some cases receive more attention from house hunters looking at similar homes. In a down market, buyers are looking for a deal, so do your best to make them feel they’re getting one.

Source: http://www.investopedia.com/articles/mortgages-real-estate/08/sell-down-market.asp

 

Give the prospective buyer a reason why he or she needs to pick your home from a list of prospects. If your property does not have that kind of uniqueness in it, there’s no way you get to sell it faster than the others.

Tips in Choosing a Front Door for your Home

Your front door is a part of your home that you ignore a lot. Well, it does nothing but get you and everyone else access in and out of the property. But mind you, it is something that you need to seriously consider whenever you’re either building a new home or moving in to an old one. Aside from the fact that you need one that’s durable and can withstand all kinds of external element like the weather, temperature, and water, you also need it to provide a good impression. In the most literal sense, your front door tells you who you are. So you should be able to choose the right one.

(image credit: DesignsByKLove.com)

Vanessa Brunner’s article for Houzz.com, calledd “Houzz Planning: How to Choose a Front Door” focuses on the material options in choosing the front door ideal for your setting. Please read the excerpt from here article below:

Since functionality is its primary (and most important) purpose, the best way to narrow down front door choices is to look at it in terms of material. The three most common exterior door materials today are wood, fiberglass composite, and steel.

Wood doors. Wood is one of the more common choices for a front door. Despite the faux substitutes, nothing can beat the real deal for many homeowners. Modern wood door models are often sandwiches of wood veneer skins over a wood core. This construction tends to minimize the chance of warping, and also lowers cost. For this type of wood door, look for furniture-grade veneers that are at least 1/16 inch thick. Anything thinner may be too easily damaged.

While wood doors are luxurious and beautiful, they also offer a fair amount of upkeep. Wood is sensitive to moisture, and wetness in the wood can cause the door to warp, crack and change shape. Sun is also an important factor in the life of your wood door. If your door is protected from these elements, it’s bound to last much longer.

Fiberglass composite doors. Relatively affordable, fiberglass composite doors are most often chosen for their durability, and the fact they’re almost maintenance free. These doors can last a very long time, and many models offer warranties for as long as the buyer lives in the house.

Because fiberglass composite doors can go several years without needing any paint or stain touch-ups, they tend to work very well in harsh and humid climates. This material lasts longer than wood or steel, and its foam core offers much more insulation than wood.

Steel doors: Steel doors can suffer dents, but minor damage can usually be repaired with a simple auto-body repair kit. An all-paneled steel door, such as the one above, has great insulating value, can help cut energy costs, and is one of the least expensive front door options.

However, steel tends to have a shorter lifespan than wood or fiberglass, and because it can rust, it isn’t always the best choice for a home subject to harsh weather conditions. Also, steel conducts temperature, which is not ideal in an extremely hot or cold environment.

If you want some more information from this post, just click the link.

Each type of front door material comes with its own set of advantages and disadvantages. If you are putting a lot of weight on how it’ll look like, then you’re probably going to choose wood. But if you can’t afford wood (which is the most expensive), then a steel door is your best bet. Finally, you want a fiberglass composite if your emphasis is longevity.

Below is an example of an elegant wooden front door:

(image credit: TopHomeDoor.com)

But aside from the type of material, Porch.com talks about three other very important factors to consider when choosing a front door. These are budget, size, and style. See why these two matter in the article “4 Tips to Choosing the Right Front Door.”

Determine your budget

The first step to any project is determining what you’re comfortable spending. It’s easy for home improvement projects to go over budget, either because of delays or because not all costs were confirmed prior to beginning. And if you are a first time, front door DIYer, you’ll want to avoid costly mistakes that could require reordering another door or hiring an expert to complete the installation. Like all home improvement projects, replacing your front door is considered an investment and your budget should reflect careful planning and decision making. There are a few things to look at when determining the costs of your door:

• Upfront costs vs. long-term benefits
• Estimated useful life
• Maintenance requirements
• Energy efficiency
• Weather protection and performance
• Features included
• Pre-finishing costs or additional staining or painting required
• Hardware and accessories
• Remodeling additional entry features like stairs, lighting or doorbell

Choosing a door that can add beauty and value to your home without causing you to pay more in the long run is ideal. For instance, some energy-efficient doors may cost more upfront, but over time can save money. Many ENERGY STAR certified doors will lower your heating and cooling costs by protecting your home from drafts and leaks. And with quality construction and durable materials, you’ll avoid high maintenance costs.

Size

What size is your entryway? A standard exterior entry door is 80 inches tall by 36 inches wide and almost 2 inches thick. Depending on your home, your entryway may require a larger, taller, wider, thicker, or even a double door. In order to pick the right size door, you should include any sidelights, transoms or other decorative elements. If you’re unsure what size of entry door your home needs, don’t hesitate to contact a professional for help.

Style

Choose a style for your front door that complements the design of your home and adds curb appeal. Your front entry door can represent you or your family’s personality. If you are more traditional, you may opt for a classic wood paneled door. Or if you are more artistic, you may include decorative glass elements. Because every house and homeowner is different, picking a front door that suits you and your home is important. Pella’s website has a great “design your front door” section where you can choose materials, styles, finishes and hardware to help narrow down your desired door style.

See the rest of the article here.

While shopping for a front door can be challenging and exhausting, all the time and effort you put in it will be rewarded in due time. There have been so many instances when homeowners failed to weigh on their options and just purchase something they like right then and there. They end up replacing it even after just a year or so. So remember this: make some time to choose and learn what your options are. That way, you get to make sure you purchased and installed the right front door for your home.

How To Stage Your Home For Sale

If you want to sell your home fast, then your best best is to consider staging your home. It gives your home the visual appeal that it needs for buyers to be intrigues about buying it. Furthermore, agents will be more eager to show your home knowing that it has the visual appeal that it deserves. Below is a video that discusses some of the best staging tips that you should use if you want to sell your home:

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https://www.youtube.com/embed/rFXR_YfmVQ0

 

Selling your home can be fun and easy if you follow these steps. Don’t let your home sit on the market because you don’t make the extra effort to sell it. Make sure you de-clutter, take away your personal belongings to make your home seem neutral and so that potential buyers can visualize themselves in it. Also, be sure to address the outside of your home and make sure that curb appeal is something that you take into consideration.

Heating Oil Spills: What You Need To Know

If you heat your home with heating oil, then you are heating your home with one of the most efficient fuels available. Furthermore, with reduced heating oil prices, homeowners can not only heat their homes efficiently but they can also heat their homes more economically. However, your heating oil tank needs to be properly maintained.

As a homeowner, it is your responsibility to inspect your home heating oil tank on your own but you should hire a professional to inspect it annually. This will prevent dangerous spills and leaks that create havoc on your home and your water supply. Spills and leaks are, for the most part, preventable and so you will save yourself a lot of time, headache, and money just by properly maintaining your tank.

Signs To Look For

If you think that it is possible that you have a heating oil leak on your hands, there are signs that you can look out for. In the following article by the State of Connecticut, they discuss some signs that you should be aware of:

What are some signs of home heating oil
contamination?

• You smell oil in the basement
• You see standing oil or oil stains on the
  basement floor near the tank or furnace
• You see oily patches or stains on the ground in
  your yard
• You smell oil when you turn on water faucets

It is also important to know how heating oil contaminates your home. This article also discusses what the consequences are of a heating oil leak or spill:

How can heating oil contaminate your
property?

If any of these things happen, fuel oil can
contaminate your property:

• Heating equipment problems (cracks in the oil
  tank, line to the furnace, gaskets & fittings, etc.)
• Oil delivery problems (overfills, spills, wrong
  address)
• Flood water containing home heating oil gets
  inside of your home and/or contaminates your
  yard
•  A fuel oil leak on someone else’s property gets
  into groundwater and then flows toward your
  home.

This article originally posted on the CT.gov website and can be found here.

Cleanup Costs

Having an annual inspection by a professional will cost you less than what the costs of a cleanup or spill will cost you. A spill contaminates your water system, effects your air quality, and even the soil needs to be cleaned up. In the following article by Mass.gov, they share some of the expected costs for a cleanup:

Costs were significantly lower when homeowners cleaned up spills quickly and prevented impacts
to groundwater. Prompt cleanups also minimized disruption and reduced the potential for exposure of
family members or neighbors to the oil. Survey data indicated that spills that had time to spread to
groundwater were significantly more expensive to clean up.

• Most cleanups completed in four months or less: $20,000 or less.
• Typical cleanup cost range: $20,000 to $50,000.
• Average cleanup costs involving both soil and groundwater: $90,000.
  On the high end, DEP survey results showed some cleanup costs exceeded $300,000.

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As you can see from this article, cleanup costs for large spills are astronomical and can even cost more than the value of your home! It is advisable not to skip out on properly maintaining your heating oil system especially if you want to keep your family, your neighbors, and your home safe.

What To Do If You Have A Fuel Oil Leak Or Spill

If you have experienced a heating oil spill or suspect that you have one, then there are steps that you need to take immediately before it becomes a bigger problem. If you do indeed have a spill or leak occurring in your home then this is something that needs to be taken seriously and cannot wait. In the following article by WIDeptHealthServices, they share some useful steps that you need to take if you find yourself in this type of situation:

• If an oil delivery company was involved, call them immediately to report the spill. If the oil delivery company caused the spill, they can be asked to take care of the clean up.
  Report the spill to the Department of Natural Resources (DNR) 24-hour hotline, 1-800-943-0003.
• Contact your local fire department to determine if there is an explosion hazard. They may also be able to provide fans to ventilate the area.
• You may also wish to contact your local health department and home insurance agent.
• Call a professional cleaning service. Your local health department or DNR office may be able to give you a list of professional cleaning services in your area.
• If fuel oil has escaped the building as noted above, an environmental consultant may be needed. They may collect soil and groundwater samples to define the extent of contamination resulting from the fuel oil that left the building, and to determine an appropriate cleanup strategy.

Click here to see the rest of this article.

This article outlines some of the ways that you can suspect if you have a heating oil leak in your home. It also discusses some of the steps that you should take if  you find yourself in this type of situation.  Be sure that you take the necessary precautions of properly maintaining your heating oil system by a professional so that you can prevent a leak from happening in your home.