1. Caulk
If you’ve lived in your house a few years, you probably noticed that the caulk along your sinks, countertops and bathtub is coming loose. These gaps may not seem like a big deal, but they can wreak havoc inside your walls. Moisture causes mold and even leaks – expensive repairs that can easily be prevented. A tube of kitchen and bath caulk costs just a few dollars, and you’ll avoid expensive repairs.

2. Insulate
The quickest way to save money on your energy bill is to insulate, yet so many of us overlook this simple home improvement project for its benefits. Sure, your walls are insulated, but what about your basement, your attic, and your garage? Just in case the energy cost savings aren’t enticing enough for you, check with the IRS – there are current credits that allow you to deduct this energy-saving expense from your taxes.

3. Change Filters
When was the last time you changed your furnace’s air filters? It’s an oft-overlooked chore, but one that keep your furnace running efficiently, and improves the air quality inside your home. Change your filters at least every three months to keep your furnace working efficiently for years to come.

4. Install a Thermostat
Does your home have a programmable thermostat? If not, invest in one; it’ll earn its money back in no time. By programming heating and cooling, you avoid paying to keep an empty house at a comfortable temperature. Manage the heat appropriately in winter to avoid burst water pipes; in summer, draw your curtains during the day to keep the house cool. Buy a programmable thermostat and you can save big on monthly bills.

5. Fix Leaks
That leaky faucet or runny toilet is draining your water bill, and in most cases it’s a cheap and quick fix. Replace the washer on your faucet, and while you’re at it, consider installing a faucet aerator if yours doesn’t already have one. Faucet aerators reduce water flow from your faucet to save on your water bill; check your home improvement store for this inexpensive fix.

6. Install Dimmers
Dimmers aren’t just for romance; they can save you big bucks on your energy bill. They’re cheap and easy to install, so look for rooms that could use a little reduction in harsh lighting. While you’re at it, replace your light bulbs with energy-efficient ones. They’re big money savers.

7. Clean Carpets
Clean your carpet lately? With proper care, carpets can last a long time and look great, but everyone needs to clean them sometime. You don’t need to hire an expensive service either – if you can vacuum, you can clean your carpets by yourself. Rent a carpet cleaner at your local supermarket or big-box store for a modest fee. Make sure you vacuum thoroughly before cleaning, and pick a dry day so your carpet dries quickly. With regular cleaning your carpet can last a long time, saving you big bucks on new flooring.

8. Clean Siding and Windows
Windows and siding get a beating in most climates. Wash your windows and siding with a simple hose and water first, and with a cleaning solution as needed; your home improvement store sells specialty products for just this kind of job. Rent a power washer for very dirty jobs. Keep an eye on cobwebs, wasp and bird nests to ensure your home’s exterior stays in good shape. Touch up with paint as needed, and your house will look like new at little or no cost.

9. Fight Pests
Those spiders and ants at your foundation, that mouse nest in your crawl space? Take care of it – pests can destroy a home in a hurry. Hire an exterminator, or for small pests, combat with pesticides. Even if you don’t think you have a problem, inspect every part of the interior and exterior of your home regularly to avoid small pest problems getting out hand.

10. Clean Ductwork
If your home is older, your ductwork likely has dust, grime, and other unwelcome residue inside. For big jobs, pay a professional; a simple cleaning can easily be done yourself. Simply remove the grates from your air vents, and clean the inside with your vacuum.

The Bottom Line
The best way to invest in your home is to take good care of what’s already there. With these simple repair jobs, you’ll even save money – with just a little elbow grease as investment

Routine Maintenance of Your Home

While all of us are not currently in the market to buy or sell, studies show that we most likely will be within the next 7 years.  With that in mind, it’s always good to be keeping the care of your home before you so you don’t have any costly surpises awaiting you when it’s your time to go on the market.  With warmer weather here to stay, now is the time to get outside and see what needs to be maintained in your home.

As a starter, what does the paint look like?  Keeping a fresh coat of paint on your home instantly makes it more appealing to potential buyers and shows that you are a responsible and caring homeowner.  That will at least peak interest to see the inside of the home.

Have a regular termite inspection done.  Even though you may not see any visible signs of termites yet, that doesn’t mean they may not be eating away already on a corner of your home.

Change your air filters.  Not only does this keep your air conditioning cooler, it also cuts down on problems that arise with the unit itself. 

Seal any cracks in windows, doors or tile areas on the inside or outside of your home with caulk or sealant so water won’t be able to seep into walls, ceilings or floors. 

Regualrly inspect your pipes, hoses and air ducts.  Be sure there are no holes or leaks in these to keep from having water damage or increased utility bills.

Keep an eye on your homes foundation.  All homes will do some settling over time and the changes in weather contribute to this.  Do your best to make sure no major shifts occur that could be costly to repair.

Keep your lawn looking good.  Putting fertilizer on your lawn and killing the weeds gives an added curb appeal to your home.  As does keeping fresh flowers and well manicured shrubs.  These items contribute to the whole feel of your home and will cause future buyers to remember your property when they think of well maintained homes.

Even if you do all of these things, home damages do occur.  The best thing to do in these cases is to fix the problem immediately.  A hole in a wall or a slightly leaking pipe may not seem like a big deal at the time.  However, the longer you wait to fix these common problems, the more potential damage can be done and only adds to the final repair bill.

If you do decide to list your home on the market soon, don’t forget to give us a call first.  Part of our listing appointment includes looking at the home and offering suggestions for ways to make your home more appealing to potential buyers.  While trends do change, it’s our job to stay on top of what sells.  Let us help you whenever you’re ready!

With our current economy many people have stayed put in their starter homes as others have downsized from larger square footage.  Regardless of the reason, the average American home grew smaller in 2009 compared to 30 years of growing in size previously.  There can be some bright spots to living in a smaller space, like a lower utility bill and closer family connections.  This article gives some great tips for how to maximize a small living space and how to see the good side of living with less space.

With the season of fresh growth on it’s way, now is the time to get started on your Spring cleaning.  For many it can be quite a job to go through closets, garages, junk drawers and those catch-all rooms.  The easy option is to just trash these things, but why not donate those items to someone who could use them?  Remember, one man’s junk is another man’s treasure!

Donating these items can not only give you a tax write-off, but it can also make a difference in the life of someone you may never meet.  Not to mention it will help give our ever-growing landfills a break.  This article gives some great ideas on where to donate specific items.  With the economy we live in today, now more than ever, we need to look out for each other and help out when we can.  Why not make a tedious task an act of giving for your family this Spring?!

Home Updates-What’s the New “In”?

Are you thinking of doing some updates in your home?  Usually within about five years of the new “hot” item on the maket, something else comes along to replace it.  If you’re wanting to keep the value of your home up or are looking to sell soon, it would be a good idea to think about what may need updating in your home.  Remember, potential buyers will be comparing your home to new construction, so knowing what is “in” will help you get the most money on the sale of your home.

From my experience of being in homes the last 22 years, there are two top priorities for holding the value of your home and making it more desirable to the majority of buyers.  The first is to think about what is on your walls and the second is to think about what is on your floors.

This may be tough news for some of you, but the days of wallpaper and border are gone.  The new homes these days come standard with neutral wall colors and that’s what buyers compare your home to when they are browsing the market.  If you have wallpaper or border in some of your rooms, consider taking them down and priming and painting them with a good beige, taupe or other neutral color that can go with any decorating style.

Additionally, many new homes come with wood floors or laminate wood floors throughout the house.  This can help keep down smells if there are pets, they are easy to clean and they do not need to be replaced like carpet does.  This is especially true for buyers  looking at your home as an investment property and are considering renting it out.  When most tenants move out, the walls need to be touched up and often carpet needs to be replaced.  By having wood laminate floors, the risk is greatly reduced that the owner will need to replace the flooring before the next tenant moves in.  This can save them a lot of money and give them an added incentive to buy your home.

So, before you hang more wallpaper or install more carpet, think about what potential buyers will be comparing your home to.  Hopefully that will help you get more when you’re ready to sell.

Weather-proofing your home

With the cold days we’ve had lately, weather-proofing your home is critical to helping you save lots of money.  When temperatures drop below freezing, the risk increases that your water pipes may freeze or worse, burst.  This can be very costly to repair depending on how bad the damage is.  To help prevent your pipes from freezing, make sure the heat is on in your home.  For those homes with basements and crawl spaces, it’s also a good idea to keep your faucents dripping overnight so water is constantly running through the pipes.

To help keep your home warm, be sure that your windows and doors are sealed throughout the house.  You can simply close them and feel around them to see if any air is coming through.  If so you can buy weather stripping from your local hardware store that is easy to install and relatively inexpensive.  Additionally, you may want to make sure you have proper insulation in your attick and walls.  Although this can be more costly to install, the long term savings on your heating bill could be tremendous.

If your like me, you can never be too warm.  In this case, you can use an electric heater for certain rooms that you spend a lot of time in.  Just be careful not to leave them on when you leave the house or when you’re sleeping.  They need to be attended to whenever in use.

Energy Saving Appliances and home improvements can give you a tax break!

You may have heard about the federal tax credits for energy star appliances.  Whether you’re looking to install a new toilet or upgrade your heating and air throughout your home, if you utilize energy saving products, it may give you a tax break.  There are several stipulations around the deductions that are based on the overall energy performance of the items you are changing.

For energy star appliances, visit www.energystar.gov to find out what appliances qualify.  For upgrades to your home, this new website www.houselogic.com has great information on the stipulations around replacing roofs, insulation, hot water heaters and other utilities in your home.  This site also explains some common tax deductions you can take for your home. 

Remember that getting a nice tax break is only one benefit to utilizing these government funded initiatives.  You will also be decreasing your utility bills and helping make our environment a better place for the future.

At some times it can be expensive to simply maintain the biggest asset most people will ever own: their homes. Keeping this fact in mind, here is a list of ways to increase your home’s value without breaking the bank.

• Hiring an home inspector can be the most cost-effective thing you ever do. This is true if they find a small problem that could grow into something much bigger down the line, such as a termite infestation or a roof or water leak.
• Tremendous value is added by simply painting a room, upgrading fixtures.
• Energy efficient homes that feature items such as special windows and/or programmable thermostats, save you money and are a marketable asset if you do need to sell.
• Landscaping improvements in the form of large shade trees make homes more desirable. They can also cut your cooling costs up to 40%.
• Improve your home’s air quality by replacing old carpeting, or removing it entirely if you are lucky enough to have hardwood flooring underneath.
• By adding a small luxury item such as a water filtration system, you are adding value to your home and saving yourself money since you will no longer need bottled water.
• Replace old fixtures such as an old ceiling fan for a newer, more updated-looking model. It will make your home more pleasant on hot days, and will appeal to buyers if you need to sell.
• Speak with Bonnie Mullinax, your local Bartow/Cobb County realtor, or an interior designer to check out your home for needed improvements.

Any homeowner who lives with a pet knows that when you share your house with one of these beloved creatures, you give up the word “spotless” as a way to describe your home…forever. Here are some tips to keep your house as clean and fresh-smelling as fresh as possible despite your pet’s, let’s just say, “untidiness”.

• Pet hair has an aroma. Usually, it’s not a good one. Vacuum regularly, even if the pet hair in question matches your furniture and you cannot see it. I promise you, your guests can smell it. Dyson makes a vacuum especially for picking up animal hair.
• This is obvious, but a regularly bathed pet makes for a clean house. Think of how happy they are when it’s all over! Keeping pet’s nails trimmed also cuts down on scratched floors and fabrics.
• Look into Crypton. It’s a stain-resistant fabric that includes suedes and twills. As always, leather and Ultrasuede are great choices for pet owners.
• If you can, nix the wall-to-wall carpeting. It absorbs odors, traps pet hair and soaks up stains. 
• Stick to rubber toys if you have a mad chewer. Pig’s ears and rawhide bones are not only terrible for your pet’s health, but if they make it inside your home, they will stain your floor and furniture.  

To learn about more interesting things for your home with pets go to www.everydaystudio.com  and www.animalhousestyle.com.

Many homes have decks that are wonderful for enjoying the great outdoors, whether you are entertaining friends and family or just relaxing and enjoying the sunshine with a good book. Unfortunately, decks require maintenance to keep them looking fresh, clean and splinter free. If you are thinking about embarking upon a useful spring cleaning project, cleaning your deck is a great place to start.

Proper maintenance is essential to extending the life of your deck. First, look over your deck carefully for any sections that may need repair, replace warped or worn boards. Next, thoroughly sweep it off. After that, you must arm yourself with a power-washer. These can be rented if you do not own one. There are a variety of deck cleaners available, but the best choice is an oxalic acid-based one. These clean your wood nicely, prevent rust, kills mildew and are even plant-friendly. If you have tough mildew stains, you will need to use oxygen bleach to remove the stains. Next you must coat it to keep it looking beautiful.

Spring, summer or fall, just about any time of the year is a great time to clean, seal and enjoy your deck for many years. For more information on visit http://www.doityourself.com/stry/cleandecktips.