Real Estate Information

Indoor pollution sources that release gases or particles into the air are the primary cause of indoor air quality problems in homes. These three strategies from the Environmental Protection Agency will help improve air quality in your home.

    Source control. The most effective way to improve indoor air quality is to eliminate individual sources of pollution or to reduce their emissions. For example, areas that contain asbestos can be sealed off or enclosed, and gas stoves can be adjusted to decrease their emissions.

    Improved ventilation. Heating and cooling systems don’t usually bring fresh air into your home. To increase the amount of outdoor air that comes inside, open windows and doors, operate window or attic fans when the weather permits, or run a window air conditioner with the vent control open. And save pollutant-emitting activities like painting, sanding, soldering or welding for outside.

    Air cleaners. There are many types and sizes of air cleaners on the market, from relatively inexpensive tabletop models to sophisticated and expensive whole-house systems. Some air cleaners are highly effective at particle removal, while others are much less so. In general, air cleaners are not designed to remove gaseous pollutants.

    For a simpler solution, try a plant. Although it has not been scientifically proven, there is some evidence that household plants can help remove significant quantities of pollutants from the air in your home. But be careful: overwatering plants can be detrimental to your home’s air quality — damp soil can promote the growth of microorganisms.

You know it’s important to keep your business and personal lives separate, but that can be tricky when they take place under the same roof. So when you decide to set up a home office, keep the following tips from HGTV and Lowe’s in mind.

    The first step in drawing a line between work and play is with your computer. It might be tempting to use the family computer for business, but that increases the chances that someone might accidentally delete an important file. A dedicated business-only computer will help you avoid that danger. You also might need to have professionals install additional electrical, phone or cable outlets to accommodate your various office equipment (phone, computer, fax, etc.).

    Experts suggest that you divide your new office into three sections: the work center, the reference center and the supply center. The work center includes your desk, computer and things you use on a regular basis. The reference center includes dictionaries, books, binders, etc. Consider placing a small filing cabinet or installing shelves behind your desk for easy access. Finally, the supply center of your workspace holds all your office supplies. To save money on storage solutions, consider using shoeboxes for holding note cards and other small items, for example, or jars for keeping pens and pencils.

According to the 2009 National Association of REALTORS® Survey of Home Buyers and Sellers, 64 percent of buyers say the biggest factor influencing where they choose to live is the quality of the neighborhood. Other important factors include convenience to jobs (50 percent), housing affordability (43 percent) and convenience to family and friends (37 percent). Quality of schools (26 percent), convenience to shopping (26 percent), neighborhood design (23 percent) and convenience to schools (21 percent) are also important, buyers say.

While neighborhood amenities, location and affordability are important, the experts at Movers.com say buyers also should consider other factors, such as safety, property values, cost of living and public transportation.

Before moving across the country to an unfamiliar location that could be unsafe, potential homebuyers should research the area’s crime statistics or call the local police department for detailed information. Property values, cost of living and budgetary concerns will also influence neighborhood choices. 

If you depend on public transportation, find out what services are available, whether there are bus stops or train stations in the neighborhood you are considering, and whether their schedules will meet your travel needs.

To learn more about prospective neighborhoods, check out sites such as City-data.com, NeighborhoodScout.com, Citytowninfo.com and Bestplaces.net, which contain information about schools, crime rates, demographics, amenities and employment.

Most New Year’s resolutions have some kind of health angle — work out more, eat right and so on — so why not give your home the same kind of revamp? Resolve to keep your home healthier this year with this seasonal checklist.

Spring

• Clean your gutters. Backed-up gutters can wreak havoc on siding and cause flooding. Scoop out leaves and debris with a trowel or hire professionals to do it.
• Check your roof. Wintry weather may have damaged the surface, and the first big rainstorm, left unchecked, could cause significant problems. Replace shingles as needed.
• If your fireplace got a workout during the winter months, give it a clean sweep. Call in the experts to inspect and clean creosote buildup.

Summer

• Walk around your house to check for unsealed spots where squirrels or mice could sneak in. Look carefully for termites or ants, too. Inside, check your attic and make sure egress points are sealed tightly.
• Get ready for the warm season by giving any outdoor equipment (pools, swing sets, etc.) a thorough, top-to-bottom cleaning.

Fall

• Ensure your furnace is in prime shape for the cold months ahead, and change all the air filters in your home.
• Make sure your house is adequately sealed. Apply weather stripping (such as tape, felt, foam or vinyl tubing) around doors or windows.
• Trim branches near your home or roof to prevent damage when wintry weather hits.

Winter

• Drain and insulate outdoor pipes to prevent freezing.
• Check for damaged sidewalk, driveway or stairs, and repair them before the first snow to avoid dangerous mishaps.

    Is storage space a problem in your home? Is the crunch of clutter overwhelming your life? Consider these creative solutions.

    For starters, make sure furniture is doing double duty. Invest in ottomans with hidden storage to stash remote controls and blankets and a coffee table with drawers or a bottom shelf to hold magazines. Consider putting a chest in the foyer to store sports equipment and shoes or installing coat hooks on the wall to free up more hall closet space.

    Boxes and jars are your best friends when it comes to organizing your odds and ends. Group like items together — such as old letters, cards or photos — and store in colorful boxes. Label the outside of the box so you know what’s inside, and use the same trick to organize shoes.

    Think tall. Choose vertical, not horizontal, bookshelves to conserve space, and display framed photos or artwork on the upper shelves where access isn’t as important. Put frequently used items, such as recipe books, CDs or DVDs, on bottom shelves.

    Make better use of the space under your bed with clear bins for storing extra linens or off-season clothing (put clothes in vacuum- sealed bags to conserve even more space). If your bed doesn’t have much space underneath, consider putting it on risers.

    In the kitchen, hang pots on an overhead rack rather than stowing them in cupboards, and put frequently used utensils like spatulas and whisks in an easily accessible vase on the counter.

Creating a household budget is hardly a fun exercise, but it is a necessity, especially in these tough economic times. Determining where monthly paychecks go can help rein in bad spending habits and create new, fiscally friendly ones. 

To start, financial planners suggest you gather a year’s worth of bills and loan payments to create a complete picture of your expenses. Make a list and assign each to a category, such as groceries, utilities, mortgage, auto and entertainment. Be sure to note when your spending increases throughout the year, such as around holidays or annual vacations.  

 Next, determine fixed and variable expenses. Fixed expenses have little to no change each month, such as mortgage, car payments or cable bills. Variable expenses change monthly—groceries, gas or personal expenses such as morning coffee runs.   

Once you’ve sorted your expenses and calculated a monthly average, figure out your monthly income by checking your pay stubs and other sources of revenue. Ideally, your expenses should not be greater than your income. Your ultimate goal is to create a “zero-dollar budget” to see exactly where each dollar of your income goes. The money left over      should be put into a savings account or used to pay down credit card debts.   

When you’re through with this exercise, look for ways to build an emergency fund. Consider putting aside enough for three to six months’ living expenses. If this number is too daunting, set a goal for smaller amounts, like  $1,000 to $3,000.

The holidays may not be the ideal time to sell a home, but there are a few advantages. Buyers shopping for homes during this time of year tend to be more serious, and there may be fewer homes on the market so there’s less competition. If you need to sell your home during the holidays, Frontdoor.com offers several tips to attract buyers during this busy season.

Don’t go overboard on holiday decorations. Large decorations can make your home seem smaller and they can distract buyers. If you choose to decorate, opt for fewer and smaller items with a general winter theme.

Hire a reliable real estate agent. Ask family and friends to recommend a Certified Residential Specialist (CRS) REALTOR® who will work hard for you and be available during the holidays.

Seek motivated buyers. Any person shopping for a home during the holidays must be highly motivated. Target buyers who need to move soon, such as people relocating for jobs, college students and university staff on break, and investors on tax deadlines.

Price the property to sell. No matter what time of year it is, a home that’s priced appropriately for the market will attract buyers.

Pay attention to curb appeal. Maintaining your home’s exterior is just as important in the winter as it is during any other season. Touch up the paint, clean the gutters and spruce up the yard. Also keep buyers’ safety in mind by keeping stairs and walkways clear of snow, ice or leaves.

Use high-quality photos and/or a video tour to market your home on the Web. Homebuyers are likely to start their home search on the Internet, so these tools can help buyers who may not have time to visit your home in person.

Make your home cozy and inviting. When showing your home, crank up the heat, play soft music and offer homemade holiday treats. It will encourage buyers to spend more time in the home, which gives them a chance to admire its best features.

    ‘Tis the season to deck the halls, but don’t forget to keep fire safety in mind. According to the U.S. Fire Administration, fires that occur during the holiday season claim the lives of more than 400 people, injure 1,650 people or more, and cause over $990 million in damage each year. Follow these tips to prevent holiday fires. 

    Select a fresh tree. Needles should be green and attached firmly to the branches, and they should not break if the tree is freshly cut. Don’t place the tree near a heat source, such as a heat vent or fireplace. Keep the tree stand filled with water to keep it moist, and don’t leave the tree up longer than two weeks. When it becomes dry, discard it immediately.

    Inspect holiday lights each year. Check for frayed wires and burned out bulbs before putting the lights on the tree. Connect strings of lights to an extension cord before plugging the cord into the outlet. Periodically check the wires to make sure they are not warm to the touch. Link no more than three light strands, don’t overload the electrical outlets, and don’t leave lights on unattended.

    Use nonflammable decorations. Keep decorations away from heat vents or fireplaces. Avoid putting wrapping paper in a fireplace, which can throw off dangerous sparks and cause a large fire. Artificial or metallic trees should be flame retardant.

    Avoid using lit candles. But if you do use them, make sure their holders are stable, and place them where they won’t be easily knocked down. Never leave the house with candles burning. Don’t go near a Christmas tree with an open flame (candle, match or lighter).

    Most important, install smoke alarms on every level of your home and test them monthly.

There are no hard and fast rules on holiday tipping, experts say. How much to tip, or whether to tip at all, depends on several factors, including the quality and frequency of service, the relationship you have with the provider, how long they have worked for you, where you live (since amounts can be higher in large cities), and your budget.

    The Emily Post Institute offers the following guidelines for holiday tipping, but also advises consumers to let common sense and the holiday spirit be your guide. If financial circumstances limit what you can give, a handwritten note is always appropriate.

• Babysitter – One evening’s pay, plus a small gift from your child
• Barber/Hair stylist – Cost of one haircut or a gift
• Child’s teacher – Check the school’s policy. If allowed, give a small token gift of appreciation, not cash
• Day care providers – $25 to $70 each, plus a small gift from your child for providers who give direct care to your child(ren)
• Dog walker – One week’s pay or a gift
• Personal fitness trainer – Up to the cost of one session
• Housekeeper/maid service – Up to one week’s pay or a gift
• Doorman – $15 to $80
• Garage attendant – $10 to $30 each
• Letter carriers – Gift up to $20, no cash per U.S. Post Office regulations
• Massage therapist –  Up to one session’s fee or a gift
• Handyman service – $15 to $40

If you’ve got stuff, then you need storage. And when you’ve run out of closet space, shelves are a great way to get the storage you need and make use of the wall space you probably have plenty of. Choosing among the endless array of decorative and functional shelf options might seem like the hardest part. But hanging them can be tricky, too — it’s not as easy as drilling holes. These helpful hints should keep you from running into problems. 

    Tool smart. For almost any shelf-hanging project you will need a pencil, a level, a tape measure, a screwdriver, a drill and a stud finder. It’s also wise to have — and wear — protective safety glasses. 

    Weight watcher. Books weigh more than knickknacks. Be sure to keep this in mind as you purchase shelves; some kinds are sturdier than others. Also consider buying brackets to accommodate extra weight, if needed. 

    Anchors aweigh. Just putting a screw in the wall usually is not enough to properly mount a shelf. In most cases, you will need to use an anchor. There are different kinds of anchors for various wall materials; the kind you use for drywall  is different than the kind you use for concrete walls. Know what your walls are made of before you head to the store. 

    Space station. Make sure you allow enough space above each shelf so there’s no height restriction on what you place on the shelves. 

    Ball game. After you’ve completed hanging your shelf, test it out by placing a tennis ball or a golf ball right in the middle. It should stay perfectly still.

 Source: This Old House, DIY