Freerangestock.com Caulk and insulation do two very important things for your home; they stop outside air from coming in and they keep expensive heart and air conditioning from escaping. Look for holes, gaps, and cracks, especially around where different surfaces come together or where pipes, vents and wiring goes through
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6 Ways To Protect Your Home From Unexpected Dangers
Flickr Look for structural damage: It’s important to have your home inspected for any structural damage that may have occurred as well as other issues that may be present. Keep a close eye on your heating and cooling systems, roof, foundation, insulation, and windows. Take care of plumbing systems: Water damage can
Continue readingProperty Tax Exemptions
Flickr.com Homeowner (Homestead) Exemption: Actually living in your home instead of having an investment property or vacation home entitles you to a sizable tax break. Senior Citizen Exemption: Senior citizens may be eligible for tax breaks. Home Improvement Exemption: If significant improvements are made to your home, the increased value of your home
Continue readingGreen Upgrades With Fast Pay Offs
Nerdwallet Freedigitalphotos.net Compact fluorescent bulbs: These bulbs are affordable and claim to last as long as 10 incandescent bulbs (10 years with about 3 hours of use a day), and will save the homeowner $60. For a home with 25 light bulbs, you can buy new compact fluorescent bulbs for under
Continue reading5 Features Homebuyers Want
Chicago Agent Magazine What features should be emphasized when listing your home? Quartz: Quartz is rapidly growing in popularity; the number of times that quartz was mentioned in listings rose 86% in 2014! Smart home features: Smart home features are not extremely common yet, but they are on their way to being
Continue readingChoosing The Best Flooring Option
Consumer Reports Freerangestock.com Solid wood: Costs about $5-$10 per square foot. Solid wood is nice because it has a timeless, natural look and it can be refinished many times. On the downside, it does dent easily and it is not easy to install. Solid wood floors can change color due
Continue readingWinter Lawn Care For A Great Spring Lawn
House Logic Flickr Aeration: Aeration gives your lawn room to breathe in the fall and makes room for new grass to spread in the spring without competing with weeds. If kids or pets play on your lawn frequently then plan on aerating twice a year; once in the spring and
Continue reading6 New Home Trends
Realtor.org Flickr Super Kitchens: Kitchens are no longer just for cooking; they are an entertainment space and the center of the home. Kitchens are now being built open to other rooms and islands are being used as a divider between rooms instead of walls. As kitchens are becoming more open, pantries
Continue readingCaring For Kitchen Appliances
Chicago Tribune Homes Flickr.com StoveAverage Life Span: 10-15 yearsCommon Repairs and Costs: Igniter cleaning or failure: $110-$200, broken control board: $260 or more, bake element problems: $160 or more.Tips: Keep your stove clean, but avoid getting water or cleaning solution into dials and switches since they are connected to electrical parts.Repair
Continue readingShould You Refinance?
Freedigitalphotos.net Benefits of refinancing Paying off your mortgage early: For example, if you go from a 30 year loan to a 15 year loan without a big increase in your monthly payment, you could save thousands of dollars in interest while quickly increasing the equity in your home. Increase cash flow: Obtaining
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