Home Ownership

Home ownership is one of the most rewarding responsibilities of a person’s life. That’s why it’s so important to consistently add value and keep up with regular maintenance. Whether you’re a new owner, keeping up with your current home, or looking to sell, prioritizing tasks can be daunting. We aim to help figure out what is most impactful to your home with expert advice. We cover all types of DIY and contracted projects. Check out the articles below for a wide range of answers to common homeowner questions!

Must Read Articles About Home Ownership :

What's it Worth to You? How to Add Value to Your Home

It doesn't matter if you're about to say goodbye or you're just settling in for the long-haul: your home means something to you. That's why it's worth adding enjoyment value to your home as well as potential upgrades for a higher resale price at the end of it. Whether you want to spruce up your home to make the most of it or add to an imminent resale price, try these simple tips to create more value from your property.

A Maintained Home is a Happy Home: The Top Home Maintenance Tips Everyone Should Know

When it comes to home maintenance, you should abide by the one to four percent rule. This rule states you should spend between one and four percent of your home’s value each year on repairs and maintenance. You may wonder what type of repairs you should focus on to keep your home well maintained. This can vary based on the house, it’s age and other factors, and there are some general guidelines you can use. Regardless of if you build or buy, keeping your home properly maintained is a must.

Remarkable Health Benefits of Being Organized

Of course, too many things lying around has clear health hazards, such as tripping over toys in the middle of the night. Nevertheless, clutter causes many internal problems which – although less obvious than the Lego maze strewn across your family room floor – are quite impactful on your life. Read on to learn five reasons why getting organized is vital to your overall well-being.

Evaluate Your House for a Deck

In the summertime when the living is easy, there’s nothing quite like a deck for cooking out, entertaining, or simply relaxing. In addition to boosting outdoor living space, a deck can be an asset when you sell your home. Planning a successful deck requires careful consideration of your site, your budget, and the features you should — or shouldn’t — include. Here are some planning priorities to bear in mind.

Recent Home Ownership Articles:

Fall Home Maintenance – Winterize Your Lawnmower

September is soon coming to a close and soon the color of the leaves will be changing along with cooler days and nights with a lot less humidity. It’s also time to get the last few lawn cuttings in before winter sets in. When that’s all done for the year, make sure the lawn mower and other gas operated items you use are winterized for the long dormant time they won’t be used. The fuel in these machines should be used up so there is nothing left in the fuel tank that may cause a problem for... [Read More]

3 Things to Avoid to Keep Your Cultured Marble Vanity Tops Looking Beautiful

In most Bathrooms the key element of tying all of the bathrooms colors (Flooring, Toilets, Tubs, and Cabinets) together is the vanity top. One of the most common tops that you will find is the cultured marble top because it can mimic both granite and marble. One of the most common problems that home owners run into with cultured marble top is discoloration. Discolorations can be caused by a variety of factors: Abrasive scouring pads can dull the gel coat finish Harsh... [Read More]

Tips for Keeping Cool in the Summer Heat

Now that we are into the summer months with humid weather, it’s time to start thinking of ways to keep cool.Drink plenty of water, wear light color and light weight clothes. If you are outside and will be sitting in the sun for a while, remember an umbrella. Why it’s not raining you might say, but it’s a good way to keep the sun off of you if there is no shade. There are other products such as cooling towels. These towels are made to use sweat to cool you down or you can w... [Read More]

Which Way Should Your Ceiling Fan Turn in Summer? The Cool Way!

By: Lisa Kaplan Gordon Make sure your ceiling fans rotate in the correct direction to cool you in summer. We’re having a heat wave; so make sure your ceiling fans are spinning in the right direction to move air around the room. Most fans are reversible: One direction pushes air down, creating a nice summer breeze; the other direction sucks air up, helping you distribute heat in winter. There's normally a switch on the motor to change the fan's direction. Is your fan turning in the... [Read More]

“Must Have” Tools for Every Home Owner

As a new home owner, you should experience far less maintenance than living in an older home. There are a few tools however you should always have on hand. The following tools will come in handy for small repairs around the house: Tape measure – for hanging drapes, picture frames, and furniture placement Hammer – to hang picture frames and anything that may require nails Screwdrivers - both Phillips and Standard in two different sizes each Utility knife – for cutting mater... [Read More]

The Easy, Fun Way to Spring Clean Your Deck or Patio

By: Lisa Kaplan Gordon The spring cleaning chore with the most fun potential is prepping your deck or patio for spring. Here’s how to do it with a touch of fun. Water toy #1: A pressure washer If you don’t have a pressure washer in your tool shed, you’re missing out. Spring is a good time to add one to your arsenal of lean, green cleaning machines. They blast away dirt mostly without harsh chemicals, which is good for the planet and your deck and patio plants. Plus, they’ve come dow... [Read More]

Summertime BBQ Safety Tips

It’s that time of year where we begin to take advantage of the weather and start grilling. It’s very important though to remember a few things when grilling this year. Your house is flammable so treat it as such. I’ve read and seen to many instances where people have had their grills right next to the house and had damage resulting in the melting of the houses siding or worse, the loss of an entire home to a fire. There are many grills out there that claim to be non-flare,... [Read More]

Fire Extinguishers in the Home

I just recently purchased a fire extinguisher for my home. A fire extinguisher can be a lifesaver. Placed in an easy to grab spot, it can put out a small fire before the firefighters arrive, or at least suppress the flames while you escape. Every household extinguisher is labeled A, B, or C, which tells you the types of fires the extinguisher is effective against. A is for combustibles like wood, paper, and cloth B is for flammable liquids, such as gasoline or cooking o... [Read More]

Enlarge Your Family Room with a Wall Mount Television

More and more people are recognizing the advantages of flat screen TVs that are wall mounted. They have a lot to offer your home in terms of aesthetic appeal, extra space in your viewing room, and most importantly comfort. Watching TV can put undue pressure on your neck and back, but when it is mounted on the wall at the correct height and good angle, it is wonderful. A very popular place to put a wall mounted TV is above a fireplace. It really allows for good use of the ... [Read More]

Pay a Little Now or a Lot Later

Remember the commercial a few years ago that suggested performing car maintenance now would save on costly repairs later. Well a house is much like a car in that regard. It looks like spring has finally arrived. This would be a good time to take a minute and walk around the exterior of your home and check for any damage during the winter such as missing shingles or siding. The exterior is more susceptible to damage during the freezing weather months when these items are cold and brittle... [Read More]