Putting Your House on the Market and Wondering if You Should Replace Lighting Fixtures? Find Out Here!

Posted on November 21, 2013 by Jeremy Leake

Putting your home on the market can be stressful. Not knowing what you should focus on around your home can almost be as stressful. If you’re wondering if you should replace the light fixtures in your home you should read this article originally published in the New York Times and then decide. Hope it helps!

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From the article:

Q. Should I replace my outdated ceiling light fixtures before listing my home for sale?

A. ???When preparing a new listing for marketing, one of the first things I look at is the light fixtures,??? said Rado Varchola, a senior vice president at Nest Seekers International real estate in Manhattan. ???In most cases, it could have a negative impact if the fixtures are dated.???

Ideally, ceiling-mounted fixtures should have a clean, streamlined look, Mr. Varchola said, so buyers do not focus on the wrong things. Dusty fixtures, track lighting and ceiling fans are all generally undesirable, he said, because they reflect choices from earlier decades.

In newly constructed apartment buildings, the main living spaces often do not have electrical wiring for ceiling fixtures.

???They usually only put them in the kitchens and the bathrooms,??? Mr. Varchola said, ???not the bedrooms and living rooms.???

Either way, he added, it???s not the best place to make a big design statement.

Ceiling fixtures can be an asset if you choose ones that are simple and unobtrusive, said Tori Golub, a New York interior designer.

???Ceiling fixtures are great for changing the atmosphere of your space,??? she said. ???But they should be sort of innocuous, blend in with the surroundings and not scream of any particular style.???

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Looking to improve the look of your home but don’t have a lot of time? Checkout this article with information on how to improve home on weekends for busy homeowners that could be of interest to you.
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Read the entire article here: http://www.nytimes.com/2013/10/03/garden/should-i-replace-outdated-ceiling-lighting-fixtures.html?ref=realestate&_r=1&

Have a Lot of Home Equity? Not Sure What You Can Do With It? Get Ideas Here!

Posted on November 18, 2013 by Jeremy Leake

Home equity. We all strive for it but depending upon your long term goals you may or may not have a better use for the money then just letting it sit. We found this article with four different uses that might get your wheels spinning on better uses for the money. We hope it helps!

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From the article:

Home equity loans can put you well into the black, financially speaking, provided you don’t use the lending strategy as a stepping stone to even more debt.

Home equity money is yours to use as you wish, but most home owners focus on several economic priorities when they cash in on home equity loans.

1. Transform many bills into one
Debt consolidation is by far how most home owners use home equity loans. It can also be the riskiest way to use the home equity loans.
If you’ve racked up bank credit card debt, retail credit debt and other debts, home equity loans can pay them all off leaving you with one monthly bill that’s likely smaller than the others combined. It’s also a good chance the interest rate will be half what you were paying on just one credit card. The rate on home equity loans is cheaper because, unlike credit cards, the debt is secured by your home. Additional debt-cost savings are available because with the consolidation you’ll likely pay off your debt sooner. Along the way you’ll get to deduct the interest, up to the legal limits allowed for home equity loans.

Aside from the savings of home equity loans, a single monthly bill can also improve your cash flow, leaving you with more disposable income to save or invest. And over time, the single monthly payment also improves your credit profile, revealing to lenders that you are a less risky borrower who isn’t over burdened by debt.
However, the need for home equity loans could indicate a credit habit the home equity fix might only exacerbate. Homeowners should consider how to prevent themselves from scoring more credit before securing home equity loans.

Don’t just pay off your old debts, cut up all but one card for emergencies and consider debt counseling to learn how to budget your income.
Be sure to write a letter to your creditors telling them to close your accounts so you can’t get at them and your credit report doesn’t show you’ve got unused credit you can still tap.

If there’s a difference between what you were paying each month on all your debts and the home equity loan’s payment, save it and learn to use cash where possible.
Do not take on additional debt while the home equity loan is still outstanding.

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Looking to remodel your kitchen? Checkout this article with kitchen remodel ideas for busy homeowners that could be of interest to you.
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For all the uses click here: http://www.realtor.com/home-finance/home-equity/4-great-uses-of-home-equity-loan.aspx

Learn How to Prepare Your Home For Winter Here!

Posted on November 14, 2013 by Jeremy Leake

Maintaining your home and doing things to avoid damage to your home is very important. Depending upon where you live preparing your home for winter is vitally important. If you’re not sure what to do then you’ve come to the right place. We hope this article will help you prepare your home for winter!

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From the article:

Give your home a once-over and tend to winter preparation tasks and repairs before the year???s first frost. ???Getting the exterior of the home ready for the cold winds, snow and ice is critical for keeping Old Man Winter out and keeping it warm and toasty inside,??? says Reggie Marston, president of Residential Equity Management Home Inspections in Springfield, VA. By being proactive, you???ll lower your energy bills, increase the efficiency and lifespan of your home???s components, and make your property safer.

Windows and Doors

Check all the weatherstripping around windows and doorframes for leaks to prevent heat loss. Replace weatherstripping, if necessary.

Replace all screen doors with storm doors.

Replace all window screens with storm windows.

Examine wooden window frames for signs of rot or decay. Repair or replace framing to maintain structural integrity.

Check for drafts around windows and doors. Caulk inside and out, where necessary, to keep heat from escaping.

Inspect windows for cracks, broken glass, or gaps. Repair or replace, if needed.

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Need to fix things around your home but don’t want to spend a lot of money? Checkout this article about cheap house fixes for busy homeowners that could be of interest to you.
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For all the ways click here: http://www.bobvila.com/articles/502-winter-preparation-checklist/

Think Your Home Might Have a Water Leak? Find Out How to Find Out Here!

Posted on November 11, 2013 by Jeremy Leake

Water leaks can be tricky. Not only can they be difficult to fix they can be even more difficult to find in the first place. We found this article that describes six different ways to find a water leak. Hopefully it will help you find the water leak in your home should you get one!

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From the article:

In most cases the water line running to your home is “metered” for accountability and billing purposes. A leak on your line can be very costly. Yet, even a very small leak can be found through trying a few simple techniques and can save you from a nasty surprise from your local utility company. If you have been notified that you have a leak, here are a few steps you can do before calling a plumber. The more you do, the less it will cost you in the long run!

Check the toilet for leaks by removing the top off the tank and listening very closely. If you hear any hissing at all, try to locate where it is coming from. If you locate the area where the leak is coming from, assess it and determine if you can fix it. If you can’t, then call a plumber.

If nothing is noticeable, add some food coloring and put a couple of drops in the tank (not the bowl). Wait several minutes and if you have coloring in the bowl, you have a leak in the flapper at the bottom of the tank that is allowing water to seep through. At this point you can assess if you want to do the repair yourself, or call a plumber.

If you have more toilets, go ahead and repeat the process with each toilet to make sure you don’t have more than one problem.

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Looking for ways that your home talks to you? Checkout this article about how your home talks for busy homeowners that could be of interest to you.
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For all the ways click here: http://www.wikihow.com/Find-a-Water-Leak-in-Your-House

Looking for Sneaky Storage Ideas? Start Here!

Posted on November 7, 2013 by Jeremy Leake

Storage. If your home is like most people’s home then there isn’t enough of it. Depending on the size of your home you have to get pretty creative with storage solutions. If you could use a little help in that department then you’ve come to the right place. We found this article that we hope will give you some ideas on how to increase the amount of storage in your home!

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From the article:

A built-in tub surround typically provides enough space to house tilt-out storage for extra cleaning sponges, shampoo, and soap. Stash your favorite bubbles here, so the kids (and guests) don???t get to them.

No one would ever expect a wall safe to look like an electrical outlet. This hidden mini vault is big enough to secure valuables such as rings, credit cards, and cash.

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Looking for storage ideas in the laundry room? Checkout this article with storage solutions laundry room for busy homeowners that could be of interest to you.
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For all the ideas click here: http://www.bobvila.com/use-every-inch/12281-11-sneaky-storage-ideas/slideshows#!1

Want to Raise an Optimistic Child? Follow These Tips!

Posted on November 4, 2013 by Jeremy Leake

Having an optimistic child is such a blessing, but how do you get one? We found this article with five different tips for raising optimistic children. We hope that it will help you get the children you want!

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From the article:

Model optimism:
Have you ever been stuck in terrible traffic on the way to an important appointment and found yourself muttering, ???We will never get there in time???? Or maybe you???ve circled the parking lot twenty times and finally declared that you will never find a spot. If your kids are with you, chances are they???ve heard your negative thoughts.

Kids internalize what we model for them. And although it can be exhausting to be ???on??? at all times, that???s simply part of parenting.

Reframe your own thoughts, even if you???ve already blurted out something negative, and show your kids that you rely on positive thinking, too. Think out loud when you???re working through something difficult so that your kids see that reaching a positive outcome is a process, and doesn???t always happen in an instant.

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Looking for family fun in Baton Rouge? Checkout this article with family fun in Baton Rouge for busy parents that could be of interest to you.
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Read all the tips here: http://www.everydayfamily.com/blog/5-tips-for-raising-optimists/?internallink=blogtopslider