How to DIY your windows for this winter season

Planning for the cold weather months saves homeowners time and money. The financial savings involve reducing drafts and the energy losses, causing your bill to decline. These rank among the do-it-yourself home insulation strategies worth considering.

1: Address screen doors

Many storm doors come with sliding glass panes and a screen option to allow fresh air to flow into the home. These products appear reasonably secure against drafts with the glass lowered. But that’s not necessarily the case.

Storm doors typically are not installed with preventing air leaks in mind. One DIY way to improve them is by applying plastic insulation around the pane-screen system. Homeowners can use the same inexpensive plastic shrink-wrap kits used to cover windows.

2: Add insulation to attics

A home’s attic ranks among one of the largest areas for heat loss because the heat from the lower levels rises to the attick. So, your furnace may be triggered early and often. Even if your attic has reasonably sound insulation, consider adding a little extra where heat loss is likely to happen.

3: Permanently winterize windows

The plastic shrink-wrap kits sold in stores are a yearly renewal commitment. However, there is an alternative to performing this task and spending the extra money each winter. If outdated and inefficient windows cause cold air leaks, replacing them may be worth considering. But if the drafts seep through the casing surrounding the window, you may be able to eliminate the cold air inexpensively.

Consider removing the interior lumber surrounding the window without damaging the walls. Once removed, inspect the space inside the wall to see if it has secure insulation. If not, deploy an insulation product best suited to solve the issue. A wide range of reasonably-priced spray foam and loose fiber products can solve the problem.

Although winter chills will bring higher utility bills, homeowners can minimize costs with improved insulation. The root cause of energy waste revolves around cold air leaks. These and other DIY efforts can prevent unnecessary expenses.

3 Things to Include in a Homebuying Roadmap

Looking to buy a house without having to break your budget? Put together a homebuying roadmap, and you can increase your chances of finding a top-notch house that falls within your price range.

Ultimately, there are many things to consider as you put together a homebuying roadmap, such as:

1. Your Dream Home Definition

Differentiate your dream home must-haves from your wants – you’ll be glad you did. If you can determine exactly what you want to find in your dream house, you can narrow your home search accordingly.

For example, if you need a home with multiple bedrooms to accommodate your entire family, you should include this information near the top of your homebuying roadmap. You then can kick off a search of multi-bedroom homes and move closer to finding your ideal residence.

2. Where You Want to Live

Do you enjoy life in the big city? Or, would you prefer to settle down in a small town? Think about where you would like to call home so that you can effectively plan your homebuying journey.

Ideally, you should try to refine your home search to a small collection of cities and towns. This will enable you to speed up your home search and ensure you can find a house that suits you perfectly.

Keep in mind your day-to-day activities as you consider where you want to live too. For instance, if you work in the city, you may want to pursue houses in or near the city itself. On the other hand, you may be able to purchase a small town home for less than what you would have to pay for a city residence and commute into the city for work.

3. Your Homebuying Timeline

Determine how quickly you’d like to finalize a home purchase. That way, you can map out exactly how you want to approach the housing market.

If you are committed to buying a house as soon as possible, you’ll need to be proactive. The top houses sell quickly, and if you don’t act fast, you risk missing out on your dream residence to a rival homebuyer.

Conversely, if you can afford to be patient, you can avoid pressure throughout the homebuying process. In this scenario, you can pursue houses at your convenience. And once you find the right home, you can submit an offer and finalize your home purchase.

When it comes to creating a homebuying roadmap, it generally helps to get support from a real estate agent. In fact, this housing market professional can provide plenty of assistance throughout the homebuying journey.

A real estate agent will learn about your homebuying goals and help you develop a successful homebuying roadmap. Furthermore, he or she can keep you up to date about new homes as they become available and make it easy to discover a wonderful residence at a budget-friendly price.

Ready to get started on the process of purchasing a house? Consider the aforementioned items as you create a homebuying roadmap, and you can plan a successful homebuying journey.

How to Enjoy a Seamless Home Selling Journey

Selling a house may prove to be a long, complex and stressful process. Fortunately, there are lots of things you can do to increase your chances of enjoying a seamless house selling experience, such as:

1. Craft an Engaging Home Listing

A home listing allows you to make a positive first impression on prospective buyers. Thus, you should spend some time crafting a house listing that will hit the mark with buyers.

There is no need to stretch the truth in your home listing. Instead, provide clear, concise and relevant details about your home. This ensures a buyer can make an informed decision about whether to pursue your residence.

Also, it often helps to include high-resolution photographs of your home in your listing. These images can help a buyer envision what life may be like if he or she purchases your house.

2. Upgrade Your Home’s Interior and Exterior

If your home is filled with assorted knick-knacks, antiques, and photographs, you should remove these items for the time being. By doing so, you can minimize the risk that clutter will negatively affect a buyer’s perception of your house when he or she sees it in person.

Don’t forget to enhance your home’s curb appeal, too. If you mow the lawn, trim the hedges and perform other lawn care tasks, you will help buyers fall in love with your house. Also, be sure to repair any damaged windows or siding to further boost your house’s curb appeal.

3. Establish a Competitive Initial Asking Price for Your Home

The housing market is competitive, and failing to price your home aggressively from the get-go may make it tough to enjoy a seamless property selling experience. If you learn about your home and the local housing sector, you can establish a competitive initial asking price for your listing.

Oftentimes, it helps to conduct a home appraisal. This allows you to receive a home valuation from a property expert.

You also may want to assess the local housing sector. Review the prices of available homes in your area that are similar to your residence. Then, you can use this housing market data to help you determine the optimal initial asking price for your home.

For sellers who want to streamline the home selling journey, you will want to employ a real estate agent. If you have a real estate agent at your side, you can receive comprehensive assistance at each stage of the process.

A real estate agent is committed to your success, and he or she will work with you to help you achieve the best possible results. This housing market professional will learn about your home selling goals and help you plan accordingly. In addition, a real estate agent is happy to respond to your home selling concerns and questions at any time.

Want to enjoy a seamless home selling journey? Use these tips, and you could reap the benefits of a fast, profitable house selling experience.

Simple Ways to Enhance Your Home’s Marketability

Making a good first impression on prospective home buyers is the key to getting your house sold within a relatively short period of time. Once your house is on the market, you’ll want to make sure any major flaws, aesthetic issues, and potential buyer turnoffs have been fully addressed before the first prospects walk through your front door.

Although serious house hunters often return for a second — and sometimes third — walkthrough of your home, first impressions determine whether they’ll be back for another look.

Since time is of the essence and you may be on a limited home improvement budget, it’s necessary to prioritize the projects that will have the most impact on the image you project. When it comes to making cost-effective decisions on preparing your house for showings, your real estate agent can provide helpful insights and objective advice. Seasoned agents can size up a property within minutes and identify ways to improve the look and feel of your home. Although every homeowner is going to have a different set of priorities and issues to deal with, there are a few focal points that would apply to just about everyone.

Curb appeal: To attract the maximum number of prospects to your home (and to put them in a receptive state of mind when viewing your house), it’s essential that your property looks well maintained. In addition to having a manicured lawn and bushes that are neatly trimmed, your curb appeal also depends on the condition of your driveway, walkway, and house foundation. The appearance of weeds, cracked surfaces, and peeling or faded paint are sure to be seen as “red flags” to many people and will detract from the impression your home conveys.

Clutter control: Getting a handle on clutter in and around your house is a vital aspect of enhancing its appearance and marketability. Whether you’re dealing with storage areas that are jam-packed to the hilt, too much furniture in your living room, or a front yard that’s littered with bicycles, lawn equipment, toys and junk vehicles, clutter is a visual cue to people that “something is wrong here!” Clutter inside your house can cause rooms to look smaller and living space to appear as chaotic and uninviting. Even clutter in garages, basements, closets, and attics can send the wrong message to potential house hunters. On the other hand, uncluttered space is like “a breath of fresh air,” and can go a long way toward winning over one or more interested prospects.

General recommendations: While everyone’s situation is different and unique, cleanliness, proper room lighting, and basic home staging techniques can help maximize your chances for a successful showing. Applying a fresh coat of paint, where needed, also increases the eye-appeal of everything from your front steps and hallways to bedrooms, bathrooms, and kitchen areas. Thoroughly steam-cleaning carpets and refinishing faded hardwood floors can also be cost-effective ways to bring out the full potential of your home

Tiny Home Decorating: 3 Expert Tips

Living in a small space requires the right habits and mindset. It’s helpful for those in small homes, rooms or apartments, but for those who live in tiny houses it’s essential. If you’re thinking about a tiny house for yourself or already have one you want to decorate, we’ve put together some design tips to help.

Wall Shelving

Tiny house living requires you to use your wall space as efficiently as possible. Even in a house without expansive empty walls you can squeeze a lot of storage—and decor—into a space with the right design strategies. Minimalist floating shelves are ideal for tiny houses because they take up a small amount of space themselves and allow the objects on the shelf to get the most visibility. For storage, you can pair floating shelves with small bins or baskets. You can also attach hooks to the underside of the shelves to hang things like kitchen utensils, potted plants and more. Wall shelves are the best way to get the most usable space out of your tiny home while still showing off your favorite things.

Light Colors

When choosing colors for your tiny home, stick to light colors. The lighter and brighter a space is, the larger it appears. This is most important for walls and large fixtures. Choose white or a light beige that will be easy to complement with other colors and patterns. You can also choose your favorite pale shade of green or blue to add a bit of color while still keeping the space feeling open and airy.

For fabric choices, for texture rather than colorful patterns. Keeping a mostly monochromatic palette but mixing textures will keep the design visually interesting without adding clutter. This doesn’t mean you can’t add some vibrant color here and there, however. Throw pillows or convertible storage furniture like ottomans are perfect choices for mixing in a bolder color choice.

Hidden & Convertible Furniture

Furniture is often the greatest challenge to making space in a tiny house while still liking the design. Luckily there are plenty of options for furniture that you can either use for multiple purposes or hide completely. Sofa beds are a staple of tiny home living and the modern options have excellent features like memory foam and automated mechanisms for quick and easy changes. You can also hide useful surfaces in walls, cabinets or other furniture pieces. You can install a small fold-out desk or even create extra counter space in the kitchen with a countertop on hinges. Many of these clever space-saving solutions are available to purchase from retailers ready-made, but they also make excellent DIY projects for those who want to build something completely custom.

The perfect way to decorate a tiny house will be different for everyone. The right design choices depend on multiple factors, including the number of occupants and the architectural style of the home. While decor is ultimately up to your own preference, these basic tips will help you get started on creating a tiny space you will love to call home.

5 Tips for Sheltering Without Power

A power outage can happen anywhere. Even if you don’t live in an area prone to extreme weather or natural disasters, it’s crucial to know what to do if you lose power for an extended period. Here are some of the best ways to prepare for sheltering at home without power:

Get an Emergency Weather Radio

Emergency weather radios are extremely helpful in any extreme weather situation. Many of them operate using batteries, hand cranks or even solar power, making them usable when you’re stuck at home without power. With an emergency radio you can monitor any extreme weather conditions and stay informed while staying safe inside.

Gather Alternative Light Sources

Flashlights and extra batteries are a staple for power-outage preparedness. Have a flashlight for each person in your household so that everyone has an individual light source. Headlamps and camping lanterns are also excellent to have when without power, as they can illuminate the area while leaving your hands free for other tasks.

Stock Up on Water & Non-Perishable Food

Create an emergency preparedness kit with enough drinking water and food for everyone in your household. It’s recommended to have a minimum of 3 days worth of water and food to prepare for a power outage or other emergency. To expand your disaster kit menu, consider keeping a portable camp stove to heat up canned goods.

Keep Everyone Warm

Power outages are common in heavy snowstorms and other cold weather events, which means it’s crucial to prepare for lower temperatures. Emergency blankets, spare jackets and cold weather accessories like gloves or hats will keep you comfortable and safe if it gets cold at home. To conserve heat, stay together in one room with the doors closed.

Consider a Portable Generator

Having a backup generator can be a smart investment, especially if you live in an area prone to severe weather. A portable generator will allow you to charge your cell phones and other devices to stay connected to emergency services, friends and family. A generator also gives you greater flexibility with your other emergency supplies. For example, you can use it to power an electric kettle, hot plate and heavier-duty heat lamps.

Whether a power outage lasts a few hours or a few days, being prepared will help you stay calm as well as safe in case of emergency.