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Summer Home Maintenance Checklist for New Homeowners

Written by Marybeth Heckler on May 14, 2020. Posted in Home Improvement.

Summer is nearing and if you are a new homeowner, then you may not be used to this time of year when it becomes necessary to do a little home maintenance.

You have made an investment of hundreds of thousands of dollars for your new home and it only makes sense to take care of this investment. By doing regular maintenance each quarter, you can help to save yourself money in the long run.

Here are some of the most common areas to take care of now that the weather is getting warmer:

Cooling Systems—Before the summer kicks in and you really need your air conditioning system, now is the time to get it checked out. Have your HVAC system serviced so that your unit doesn’t die on you when you need it most. This is also the best time to consider putting in new ceiling fans in rooms that don’t already have them and to clean the existing fans.

Check Your Roof—Now that the winter and spring storms are done, it’s a good idea to check your roof to see if you have any loose or missing shingles. If you can, get up on the roof with a ladder. Or, if you prefer going high-tech, you can use a drone to fly over and take pictures so you can see if there are any problems.

Outdoor Entertaining—If you have a pool, outdoor patio or deck, or grill, now is the time to get them ready for summer entertaining. Have your pool’s chemicals checked. Also, go through your deck and look for loose boards or any cracks that show that the boards need to be replaced. This is also a good time to pressure wash your deck and see if you need to add sealant to your deck. Finally, check the gas lines for your gas grill. If you use propane tanks, be sure to get a fresh one before you start grilling.

Check Your Alarms—Every quarter of the year is the proper time to check your home’s alarms and detectors. Change the batteries out in the smoke detectors and carbon monoxide detectors to help keep you and your family safe.

Now that weather is getting warmer and drier, it’s time to do some maintenance checks on your home. If you do this now and keep up with it regularly, then your house will take care of you for years to come.

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Whether you’re buying, selling, refinancing, or building your dream home, I’m here to help you explore the many financing options available. Ensuring that you make the right choice for you and your family is my ultimate goal. I am committed to providing my customers with mortgage services that exceed their expectations. Find out more by visiting my website.

Creating the Perfect Master Bedroom Closet

Written by Marybeth Heckler on February 23, 2020. Posted in Home Improvement.

If you are like me, you probably remember having a master bedroom closet that barely contained anything. It was one small area, maybe 3 feet wide and two feet deep, that had room for a rack of clothes and maybe a hamper or a suitcase on the bottom and a small shelf on the top.

Today, master bedroom closets have become works of art and rooms unto themselves. If you are looking to do some design work and spruce up your master bedroom closet, then here are some ideas that can get you started and thinking about what will work for you.

Planning

Before you do anything else, think about what you want in a closet—literally. What do you need to store in that closet and how do you want to display it? Space is a huge issue in homes and your closet is defined by just what you need it for. If all you want is a place to hang up your clothes, then a simple closet like I previously mentioned might actually be fine. But, if you are more interested in how you display your apparel, then a larger space is needed. This may be because you have more clothes to store, or more types of clothes that you want to organize. It may also mean that you like to display your clothes so that you can choose your clothes for the next day. The closet might also need to store items like your vacuum or personal items like private documents. This type of storage is important for some, but others may not need it. So decide what it is that you want most.

Organization

Something else that you should consider is that size isn’t always necessary for a functional master suite closet. Many home good stores sell organizing shelving and other utilities for displaying clothes in cramped spaces. Additionally, you can add something like an ottoman or a small chest at the bottom of the closet to give you more storage in that area. Finally, if you like taking your time and trying on outfits before settling on one, you can add a dressing area simply by putting a long mirror on the back of the door. Simple fixes like this are cheaper than spending thousands on a home refurbishment.

Decorating Your Closet

If you really want to spruce up your closet, consider doing a little decorating. Choose a light, airy color that will contrast nicely with the paint in your master bedroom. You can also hang some pictures on the wall just to provide a more personal touch. Another great idea would be to use wall quotes to give you inspiration as you get ready for work in the morning.

Your closet does not have to be that forgotten hole in your bedroom where you dump your clothes. It can be a functional and integral part of your living space with just a little work and creativity.

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The 2020 Colors of the Year According to Top Paint Companies

Written by Marybeth Heckler on January 27, 2020. Posted in Home Improvement.

One thing that top household paint companies do annually is announce their Color of the Year for the upcoming twelve months. If you’ve been considering an interior painting project for your home, here are the favorites for 2020.

Benjamin Moore

If you like softer hues, Benjamin Moore has chosen to feature First Light as their 2020 color of the year. For those who like a softer room or tend to go towards neutral shades, this light pink shade could be a way to add some color without overdoing it.

Sherwin-Williams

If light and bright aren’t for you and you’re ready for something bold for your next project, Sherwin-Williams has chosen this deep, dark Naval Blue shade as their color of the year. Whether used as a statement or a highlight, this color doesn’t disappoint.

Valspar

Valspar is thinking pink this year as well with this spring-inspired Bombay Pink paint color. Their color of the year is feminine but has more to say than a lighter pink. Bring in spring with this paint.

Behr

Another company going for calm and relaxing, Behr’s 2020 Color of the Year is Back to Nature. Bring some balance and nature in with this calming green hue.

Glidden

While Glidden isn’t doing an official color of the year announcement for 2020, they are recommending a blue-tinted gray color, Whirlwind, as their color of choice for DIY folks tackling home projects this year.

If you didn’t find a color to suit you, no worries. Each of these companies has a ton to choose from. Hopefully, these colors get you inspired to do some home improvement projects this year.

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Top 10 Autumn Maintenance Tips for Homeowners

Written by Marybeth Heckler on September 8, 2019. Posted in Home Improvement.

It may seem hard to believe, but autumn is right around the corner. For homeowners, this means that it’s time to do a little basic maintenance for your home before the weather dips.

Here’s your top 10 list of home maintenance tips for this fall:

Store your lawn equipment — Store your lawnmower and put it away. Drain and turn off your sprinkler system, then store your water hoses. If you own a swimming pool, follow the procedures for shutting it down and covering it up for autumn and winter.

Weatherproof your doors and windows — When you turn your heater on this fall and winter, you don’t want that hot air going out the window! Make sure you seal cracks in your doors and windows and consider adding weather-stripping to make it more energy efficient.

Inspect your roof — Your summer, hopefully, was a dry one. That means it is the perfect time to inspect your roof before the harsh rains and snows of autumn and winter move in. Get up there, if you can, and look for any loose tiles. If you really want to get high-tech, use a drone to do the checking for you!

Take care of your gutters — When you’re done inspecting the roof, keep your ladder handy to work on your gutters. Make sure they’re clear of all debris so the rainwater that is surely coming can flow freely through and not accumulate.

Clear the trees and shrubberies — While you still have that ladder out, now is the perfect time to prune back the trees and bushes (or hire someone to do it for you). It’s a good idea to keep those branches away from the home in the event of storms.

Make exterior repairs — While you’re checking out your exterior, walk around looking for anything that might need repairs. A broken window screen, a crack in the sidewalk, or a loose deck plank can be handled now.

Service the heater — Just like you get your AC serviced in the summertime, now is when you should get the heater/furnace checked out. You don’t want the temperature to suddenly drop without having a working heating system.

Don’t forget the chimney — If your house (or parts of it) is heated by a fireplace, have the chimney professionally cleaned and maintained so that you don’t have any problems when you go to use it.

Check your safety devices — Now is the time to change out the batteries in your smoke and carbon monoxide detectors.

Stock up on supplies — If you live where the fall months change quickly to snowy winter weather, it’s a good idea to stock up on supplies. Get the quilts and heavy blankets out of storage. Logs (for the fireplace) should be stockpiled. Also, if you don’t already have one, get an emergency kit and portable fire extinguisher for your home, just in case.

While the weather is still warm and agreeable, it’s a good idea to knock out some of these maintenance tips. That way, you can enjoy your autumn and prepare for the holidays!

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Preparing for the Fall Homebuying Season

Written by Marybeth Heckler on August 25, 2019. Posted in Home Improvement, Homeowner.

Although traditionally the warm weather months of spring and summer have been the best for home sales, many people still like to get out and start house hunting when the weather takes a slight dip during the fall.

The cooler temperatures seem more ideal for visiting and touring homes to (eventually) pack up your belongings and move into a new house. If you have been thinking about buying, but haven’t decided to make that move just yet, remember that you can still take advantage of tax breaks that are given to homeowners so you can claim them on your taxes when you file in 2020.

If you are looking to make a home purchase, here are a few things you should do:

Educate yourself

The first thing you need to do, especially if you’ve never purchased a home before, is to educate yourself. Many of the types of loans, requirements, and terms used by realtors can be quite confusing. You can find many government offices, libraries, and real estate agencies will offer introductory courses to educate homeowners on all of the intricacies of this complicated process.

Get your finances in order

The next thing you will need to do is assess your finances and determine your budget. This means that you need to check your credit score to determine if you have the credit needed to buy a house. (Generally, a score of 740 or higher is necessary to get lower interest loans.)

You should also evaluate your budget by determining just how much you can afford monthly and how much you can place as a down payment on the property. This will help determine “how much house” you can afford and help you narrow down your search later on. Once you determine how much you plan to pay on the house upfront, you need to transfer this money into an account so that you can easily cut a check or transfer the funds.

Get preapproved

Another thing you can do to help make the process even easier is to get preapproved for your home loan. This way, you can make an offer on your dream house as soon as you find it without having to play “wait and see” to show that you will be approved for the loan. If there is a bidding war for the house you are interested in, this preapproval will give you a competitive edge over the other prospective buyers.

Tour the neighborhoods

In order to find your dream home, take the time on weekends to tour neighborhoods you’re interested in. A lot of homeowners who are looking to sell will take advantage of the fall temperatures to host open houses. You can sometimes bounce from open house to open house on a Sunday with several in the same neighborhood. No matter how much you may fall in love with the first house you see, it’s important to shop around and find the one that is perfect for you.

Fall is a great time to get out and start looking at a new home for you and your family. Not only do the cooler temperatures make the house hunt more comfortable, but you can also get your family moved into your perfect home without breaking much of a sweat.

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Top 10 Summer Maintenance Tips for Homeowners

Written by Marybeth Heckler on June 3, 2019. Posted in Home Improvement.

Yet another summer is upon us, which means now is the perfect time to take charge of a whole slew of maintenance projects around your house. Once the freezing cold temperatures and rainy days of winter are gone, you should have better weather to get lots of these projects completed.

Here are the top ten things you need to work on around the house for summer:

HVAC service—You had to know this would be number one. Right before the summer temperatures start to go through the roof, you really need to get your air conditioning unit serviced. The last thing you want is a 100+ degree day only to have your AC go out on you.
Chimney and fireplace cleaning—Now that you should be done using your fireplace, this is the perfect time to call in a professional and have your chimney professionally cleaned. This will get rid of dangerous soot and grime, which can easily aggravate allergies.
Dust your fans—Use an extendable duster to reach your ceiling fans, but also take apart any portable fans and clean the dust out of the blades. This not only will keep your fans running longer, but also cut down on the spread of dust and allergens when you start cranking them up this summer.
Changer your air filter—This one needs to be done about every 90 days, so now is the perfect time to go ahead and change the filter out.
Check your smoke detector and carbon monoxide batteries—Another quarterly project, this is the perfect opportunity to make sure everything is running smoothly to keep your home and family safe.
Pressure wash the house—Another project that works well at this time of year is a pressure washing of your home’s exterior.
Inspect and repair your back porch and deck—If you plan on doing some entertaining outside this year, make sure to inspect your deck and porch for loose boards or protruding nails. If the wood is looking weathered, you may need to stain it and apply a weather seal.
Clean out your gutters and downspouts—After months of winter and spring storms, summer is the right time to clear out the gutters and get rid of any accumulated debris.
Service the lawnmower—Summer is when you are going to be spending a lot of time working on your yard. Take this opportunity to get your lawnmower inspected and serviced so it will run smoothly this season.
Window maintenance—Remove and wash your screens and inspect them to see if any need to be replaced.

This summer get your house in tip-top shape and running smoothly with these maintenance tips. By doing so, you’ll have a more enjoyable vacation season and have lots of fun staying at home.

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Planning Out the Perfect Garden

Written by Marybeth Heckler on April 18, 2019. Posted in Home Improvement, Homeowner.

April is designated as National Garden Month and if you’ve ever considered starting a garden in your backyard, now is the perfect time to do it. But, if you’re worried that you may not have the green thumb needed to keep it alive, then don’t panic.

Check out these steps you can take to plan your garden ahead of time:

Do some research—The United States is composed of various climates, all of which are good for growing specific vegetables at specific times. Use this website to calculate which growing zone you live in and which vegetables should be grown and at what time of the year. This will help you figure out what you should begin with when it comes to growing a garden.
Test your soil—If you have never done this before, it’s a good idea to have your soil tested to see if there will be any issues with growing and to get suggestions on the best plants to grow. You can do a variety of tests on your own, but I’d suggest collecting a sample and taking it either to your local farm agency or a nursery and having them professionally test it. Then, you can order your seeds for the plants you plan to grow.
Map your garden—Measure out exactly how much of your yard you can dedicate to a garden and then map it out using graph paper. You should also determine exactly what you plan to grow and how much space you are going to need for it. (For instance, are you going to just grow one type of vegetable, such as carrots, or do you want to plant a mixture of different types?)
Create a calendar—Once you know the plants you’re going to grow, determine how much growing time you’ll need for each type to reach maturity, how much sunlight they will need, and how much watering and care you need to provide them. Then, create a calendar for your garden so you know exactly when you should water them, when you should perform maintenance on them, and when you should be ready to harvest them.
Till your soil and plant—Once you have it all planned out, go ahead and till your soil and begin planting your seeds. Be sure to follow your calendar when it comes to planting, but also follow it in terms of care and harvesting.

Once you get your garden planned out, it’s just a matter of following your calendar and making adjustments depending on weather and other conditions. When you get this started, you can experience the joy of harvesting your own vegetables at home.

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Getting in Touch with Your Inner Interior Designer

Written by Marybeth Heckler on April 11, 2019. Posted in Home Improvement, Homeowner.

If you’re many people, you probably spend a lot of time watching shows on HGTV or TLC like Trading Spaces, Fixer Upper, or Property Brothers. These shows have almost single-handedly rejuvenated the interior design and remodeling craze. But most of us don’t have the option to hire Chip and Joanna Gaines to design our homes for us.

So this month, let’s look at some tips and tricks that will let you get in touch with your inner interior designer so that you can make some major changes to your home.

Do some research (and dreaming)—One of the best things to generate ideas for your home is to start doing a lot of research. The good news is that this is easier than ever. Social media sites like Pinterest and Instagram have an abundance of pictures and infographics that can help give you ideas about how to easily transform your house. You can also check out design magazines and websites online.
Pick your colors—Now that you have some ideas about what you want your room to look like, you should pick out your color scheme. Go for a rule of three. The first color will be a neutral or understated color that will serve as the main color for the room’s walls. Then, have a second, complementary color that will be a bit bolder and will serve as the color “pop” with your furniture or possibly an accent wall. Finally, the third color should be another bold color that coordinates well with the second. This will be the color for your accessories such as pillows.
Get bold—When it comes to furniture, you don’t want to have a lot of little furniture pieces that are going to make your room look cluttered. Instead, choose one bold piece of furniture like a sofa that you can build the rest of the room around.
Use your words—One of the biggest trends in the last few years that can really add a personal touch to a room is a message. Many people are using “word art” pieces to express a simple theme in the room like “love” or “family.” Others are using wall appliques of messages that present a personal philosophy as a kind of designer mantra for your home.

These are just some of the ideas that will help you begin creating your own interior design style. The important thing to remember is that you should go with what speaks to you. There are all kinds of theories about how to properly decorate a home. But what really matters is going with what makes you feel comfortable and happy.

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Popular Home Colors in 2019

Written by Marybeth Heckler on April 4, 2019. Posted in Home Improvement, Homeowner.

One of the hardest parts of designing interiors is choosing the right colors that will define the space. And for moms, it’s particularly difficult because hubby is usually not much help with picking out colors. (You’d be amazed how many women have brought home paint samples and then complained that their husbands can’t tell the difference between four very distinct shades of blue or white. It all looks the same to them!)

When it comes to picking colors, everyone seems to have an opinion. Let’s look at some of the hottest colors of the year:

Coral—According to Pantone, the official color of the year is living coral. Coral works well with more muted and understated tones. It may not be for everyone, especially in large doses. However, this bold color definitely catches your eye and invites you in. For those who don’t want to make such a bold choice, you can instead use this as a choice for the trim or an accent color with furniture or accessories. If you want something to brighten it up and give you a more optimistic feel, this is the color for you.
Hunter Green—According to interior design influencer Becky Shea, hunter green is one of the top colors of the year. This is a great choice for those who don’t want shockingly bold colors and instead want something darker and more subdued and serious. According to Becky, one of the great things about this is how it “works beautifully with natural elements and neutral tones.” But this one is also a positive color because there is no feeling of gender definition. Hunter Green works well as a gender-neutral color for almost any room.
Hazelnut—If you want something in a different vein from the previous two, you can’t go wrong with varying shades of hazelnut. This creamy color choice has been popular for years and probably won’t go out of style anytime soon. Hazelnut is homey and comforting and, depending on the shade you choose, can also seem to make smaller spaces feel larger. Another feature that makes hazelnut great is its ability to work with almost any furniture color palette. There’s no need to worry about buying a new living room suite to match the paint.

What’s important in choosing a color for your home is simply finding something that speaks to you. By doing this, you can find something that you will be happy and comfortable with for years to come.

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