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  admin 8:05 pm on December 10, 2010 Permalink | Reply
  Tags: attic insulation, bat insulation, cut heating costs, insulate, vapor barrier   

  Easy way to insulate your attic 

  When your attic is not correctly insulated you are likely losing a large amount of valuable heat when it’s cold out.

  When it’s hot out your attic will heat up and some of that trapped heat up there will pass into the rest of your home, which will increase your cooling costs.

  In this video, produced by the Owens Corning company, they demonstrate how to put insulation between your attic joists, where to use a vapor barrier, and how much insulation to use.

  You can make this a DIY project. Or if you need advice on finding a reputable installer in the 0 area, contact me and I’d be glad to make some suggestions.

   

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  admin 7:27 pm on December 10, 2010 Permalink | Reply
  Tags: buying advice, buying mistakes, buying real estate, real estate mistakes   

  6 largest homebuyer errors 

  According to one adviser the six biggest mistakes made by many first time home buyers are:

  1. Not taking care of their credit score. This can make a very significant difference to the interest rate a borrower is charged.

  2. Making a big purchase just before or during a mortgage application. This will almost certainly be reflected in your credit score.

  3. Not having a proper inspection done before the purchase. Missing a serious problem with the house can cost thousands – if not now, then when you go to sell the house.

  4. Not having an experienced real estate attorney on your side. An attorney is objective. Everyone else wants to push the deal through as quickly as possible.

  5. Not including the proper escape clauses in the initial contract. If you are not careful you could lose your deposit when things go wrong.

  6. Not budgeting enough for insurance. In some cases special insurance such as flood insurance can cost thousands more than just basic insurance.

  Source: CNNMoney.com

   
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  admin 6:15 pm on December 10, 2010 Permalink | Reply
  Tags: home staging, impressing home buyers, selling your home   

  Staging Your Home To Sell 

  When making a house market-ready it is important to emphasis the home’s best features. A good place to start is the main room, or living room because that’s what potential buyers see first when they walk through the front door.

  If you’re greeted with room crammed with furniture, shelves overflowing with books and magazines, and artwork hung haphazardly on the walls, you’ll immediately wonder what the rest of the house will look like. That’s why it’s really important to make a good impression by ruthlessly reducing clutter.

  Create open space by keeping the walls neutral and artfully placing furniture in groupings. A beautiful fireplace can serve as the focal point of the room so make the most of it by backing it up with a warm dark color. Placing a stylish mirror above it will add to the feeling of spaciousness and light.

   
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  admin 6:12 pm on December 10, 2010 Permalink | Reply
  Tags: cost of pools, home value, pool maintenance, real estate value, swimming pools   

  Is the Cost of a Pool Worth It? 

  Swimming pools are nice, and they give your home an undeniable something extra that your non-pooled neighbors don’t have. But are they worth the cost and trouble?

  A recent Wall Street Journal article estimated that a pool costs between $3000 and $5000 in maintenance per year. And that doesn’t cover major repairs that may be necessary from time to time.

  Pool advocates like the Association of Pool and Spa Professionals claim this misses the point. Pools “may or may not be a financial investment, but they are most assuredly a quality-of-life investment.”

  Further reading:
  Are Pools Worth the Expense?
  Taking a Bath On Your Pool
  Is It a Pool or a Money Pit?

   
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  admin 6:11 pm on December 10, 2010 Permalink | Reply
  Tags: contractor, handyman, home renovations, home repair, kitchen remodeling, kitchen upgrade   

  Locating a Trustworthy Renovator 

  Before you start a home upgrading project you should get some expert advice. One of the first decisions you should make is who you will get to do the work. Whether you decide to do it yourself or you want to have an experienced handyman or home renovator do the work, you can get a wealth of advice from a home or building supplies store like Home Depot, Lowes, Rona, or Home Building Centres.

  Not only can they give you design ideas, but they can suggest competent tradespeople too. They may have tradespeople on staff who can do certain aspects of your project. Or they will probably be able to suggest some reliable trades whose work they can vouch for.