Real Estate Information Archive

    The look of your home’s exterior can make a strong first impression, enhance curb appeal and help boost resale value, but choosing the right color can be tricky. The paint experts at Sherwin-Williams offer several helpful hints for selecting the best color for your home’s exterior.

    First, examine homes in different neighborhoods to get an idea of how residents apply color to their own homes. Note the most appealing color schemes in the area and consider adapting them to your home. Choose a scheme that blends well with homes in your current neighborhood or subtly stands out.

    Landscaping elements, such as flower gardens, flowering shrubs and trees that change color, can affect your color choice. For example, heavily wooded lots will make colors appear darker due to the shade, and the foliage tends to camouflage the home.

    Elements of your home, such as roofing shingles, brick or stone accents, often have varying shades and hues that can serve as the foundation of your paint color choices. For example, a charcoal gray shingle could have flecks of gray-blue or gray-green that you can incorporate into the color scheme.

    Be sure to examine color samples outdoors at various angles and at different times of the day. Consider buying small quantities of paint in desired colors and paint a section of the house where the body, trim and accent colors can be seen together.

    Pay attention to the direction and intensity of the sun. Intense sunlight can wash out colors. While brighter colors may be suitable in Sunbelt cities, lighter, neutral tones often work better in other locales. Tinted and mid-tone neutrals are popular because they play off landscaping and other building materials.

    White or light colors make a large home on a small lot appear even larger, while dark colors tend to make the same home look smaller but more substantial. Remember, light colors advance in space while dark colors recede. So if a home is located far from the curb, painting it a light color will make it look more prominent.

Summer seems to bring out the home-improvement expert in everyone. It’s the perfect time to tackle those projects — large and small — that have been lingering. And whether you’re bringing out the lawn mower for the first time, getting ready to clean the gutters or repairing odds and ends, consider these important safety tips:

Mowers

• Before mowing the lawn, do a walk-through of the area and remove any large sticks or debris.

• Wear clothing that offers protection, like sturdy closed-toe shoes and safety glasses or goggles.

• Do not clean the grass exit of a mower by hand, and

keep the mower on grass, not pavement, which can kick up debris.

Ladders

• When using a ladder, place it on level ground and open it completely, making sure all locks engage.

• Always face the ladder when climbing and use slip-

resistant shoes.

• Stand at or below the highest safe standing level on a ladder. For extension ladders, it’s the fourth rung from the top.

Power Tools

• Remember to keep
tools away from heat,
oil and sharp edges.

• Disconnect tools when they’re not in use or when you’re replacing a blade, bit or part.

• Keep your work areas well lighted and wear gloves and appropriate footwear when using tools.

Sources: Home Safety Council; Occupational Safety and Health Administration

A beautifully-landscaped property can work wonders when it comes to selling your home. The Free Landscaping Ideas Blog offers these suggestions on how to save money without sacrificing quality or beauty.

·         Make a plan that includes a schedule of tasks and rough sketches of your design to help you determine what items you need. For assistance, consult with an expert at a local gardening store or home improvement retailer.

·         Plan the project in phases and purchase products as money is available. The phased-in plan also helps you avoid the interest and fees associated with home-improvement loans or credit card purchases.

·         Don’t sacrifice quality. Ask the staff at local specialty shops for recommendations about the best products available. If you are inexperienced with landscaping, consider spending a little extra for professional assistance.

·         Carefully inspect plants for diseases and insect problems, especially if you didn’t purchase them from a nursery. Diseases and pests can spread to other plants. Also ask the gardening retailer if they offer warranties on their plants.

·         If you plan ahead, you can take advantage of off-season prices. For example, buy lumber in the winter when it is cheaper and store it until you are ready to use it. Shop for trees, shrubs, perennials, mulch and soil late in the season when prices go down.

·         Purchase products online or from catalogs, or join a gardening club, which may offer discount prices as well as helpful advice.

·         Your municipality may have mulch and compost available. Also, try asking people in charge of construction or demolition sites if they have used stones or bricks they might give away.

Ask neighbors if they’ll share some of the costs. By pooling all your resources, you may get some good deals on items bought in bulk, and you can split the cost of renting machinery for landscaping work.