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 the exterior. Why is a home’s exterior so important? Consider this: Curb appeal is often a potential buyer’s first impression of a home, the very thing that helps him/her decide whether or not to come inside. Whether they’re shopping online or by cruising through neighborhoods, the outside of your property is the first thing they’ll notice. If you’re selling your home or about to, how can you quickly and effectively tackle the outdoor appeal? Here are some key tips for boosting the curb appeal in a way that means quick turnaround and increased home value: [Read more…]
Smart Home Products Compatability
Thanks to increasingly accessible and affordable home automation systems, your house will soon be able to do a lot of neat tricks.
But before you turn your dwelling into the home of the future, you’ll have to make sure you have a well-matched set of devices.
Recently released or soon-to-hit-the-market devices and services will allow you to configure your air conditioner so that it starts cooling your house as you return from work, no matter what time that may be. They’ll also turn off all your lights and lock all your doors as soon as your head hits your pillow at night. While at work, you’ll be able to unlock the door for a child who forgot her key by simply telling your phone to let her in. Sounds cool, right?
But there’s one big hitch. In order for any of these scenarios to work, you’ll have to have devices that can actually talk to each other. Many will only be able to perform these functions if you have compatible equipment in your house. If you purchase one smart home device you may find that your choices for other gadgets could be circumscribed if you want them to all work together. [Read more…]
Best Money-Saving DIY Projects (and Tips for Doing Them Right)
When you factor in return on investment, you’d be nuts not to DIY.
You’re going to save money with DIY home improvement projects. Sure, everybody knows that.
But did you know how much? Cut professionals out of the equation and you can save half the cost of a project — or more. On a minor bathroom refresh, that could be up to $10,000.
What’s more, you get a great return on your investment. Meaning, the financial value you get out of a DIY project is much more than what you put in. [Read more…]
