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Top 10 Home Maintenance Tips for Winter

Written by Marybeth Heckler on January 31, 2019. Posted in Homeowner.

Winter is here and in some parts of the country the snow and ice have hit with a vengeance. Your home is taking the brunt of this assault in protecting you from the cold and elements.

In any climate, your house needs attentive maintenance; paying attention to those little issues and repairs will save you a lot of hassle and costly repairs later.

Here are the Top 10 winter maintenance tips for your home that you need to handle this season:

Clean the gutters—Even if you don’t live somewhere with a lot of snow, you are still probably going to get increased rain this winter. Be sure to clean out your gutters early on so that the water does not get backed up and cause structural damage.
Inspect the roof—While you are checking the gutters, also give the roof a good inspection. Look for any loose or missing roof tiles or shingles that could cause leaks during winter storms.
Seal your doors and windows—If you want to save money on heating costs, be sure to apply/replace weather-stripping and sealant around all your doors and windows. This will help keep the cold air out and the hot air in.
Check your pipes—The cold can bring on burst pipes, so this winter make sure to check all your pipes and wrap them with insulating tape. This will keep you from having to make costly plumbing repairs later.
Prepare a winter emergency kit—You never know when bad weather will strike. Make sure that you have an emergency kit including candles and matches in case of a power failure. Also have a battery-powered radio, a supply of canned foods (and a manual can opener), and plenty of bottled water.
Check the portable generator—If you own a portable generator, then you know that it can be a lifesaver during winter storms. Be sure to start it up and make sure that it is running smoothly and make any repairs that you may need. You don’t want to try to crank it up when a storm hits only to find out it’s not working.
Trim your tree limbs—Winter storms can also bring external damage from falling trees and tree limbs. Walk through your property and clear out any limbs that are too close to the house or cars. Also, if you have older trees that may snap easily, you should consider having these removed before the storms take them out – and your house with them.
Clean the chimney—If you have a fireplace, make sure that it is professionally cleaned to remove built-up soot and residue. This can be particularly dangerous to you and your family.
Replace the smoke detectors’ batteries—About every three months, you should check your smoke detectors and replace the batteries so that they’re working properly.
Reverse your fans—If you have a house with high ceilings, flip the directional switch on your ceiling fans. This will help to push warm air down and keep you warmer this winter.

If you take care of your house, then it will take good care of you. Be sure to complete these maintenance tasks early so that you don’t have to make major repairs later this winter.

Is It Possible to Achieve Balance?

Written by Marybeth Heckler on January 24, 2019. Posted in Motherhood.

With the New Year, a lot of people are making resolutions that are meant to change their lives for the better. For some, this means exercising more and eating right. For others, it could mean spending time meditating each day or doing something meaningful such as reading more or volunteering.

But one thing that I’ve been hearing a lot from people is the need to find balance in their lives. It just seems like one thing or another is tugging at them so much that they feel like other parts are suffering as a result.

So how does one achieve balance in his or her life? Let’s look at how to do just that:

Realize that you need balance—If you have decided that you need more balance in your life, then congratulations! You have taken the first step by acknowledging that this is something you need to work on: you’ve admitted there’s a problem! Now, you can work toward fixing it.
Journaling—Once you’ve acknowledged a problem exists, one way to get your ideas down is with journaling. The free-writing of ideas without self-censorship helps you identify where your problems lie. Journaling uncovers ideas on how to correct these problems by helping you set goals for yourself.
Set goals—This last part is very important. You should list out all the things that occupy your daily activities and then reflect on which ones mean the most to you and which ones should be left by the wayside. This reprioritizing of your activities and concerns will help you to shift the out of balance elements into more focus.
Make a plan—If you really want to achieve balance, it’s important to get organized. Part of this is to set individual goals — a personal to-do list. Take care of the things that absolutely must be done. But then make sure that you are putting in time each day, each week, and each month for the things that matter — your family, your friends, and, ultimately, yourself.
Anticipate problem areas—When you are working on your goals and to-do list, be sure to anticipate problem areas that will creep in to distract you from your goals. These can include everything from time-killers like TV and social media that draw you into a vortex of wasted hours, to other problems like doubts and personal fears. All of these should be anticipated and you should also think about how you can deal with each one so that they don’t sidetrack you.
Reflecting—When you set up your to-do list, make sure that you set aside some time regularly, at least once a week, to reflect on your goals and your progress toward achieving them. You should also give yourself time to just sit and think – it doesn’t have to be about anything deep or important. Many of us have forgotten about the power of personal reflection and relaxing thought.

Finding balance in our modern world can be a tall order. But if you take the time to plan and anticipate where you will have issues, then you can achieve that perfect balance in the New Year.

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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.

Hot Decorating Tips For Your Home This Winter

Written by Marybeth Heckler on January 17, 2019. Posted in Homeowner.

The holidays have passed but the temperatures are still dipping across the country and for many people snow has already declared the full arrival of winter. If you’re like me, you’ve put away the tree and holiday decorations; you may now be looking for something else to help spruce up your home for the season. If that’s the case, then look at these great decorating ideas for winter. These are guaranteed to keep you warm and cozy all season long.

Wreaths

Wreaths aren’t just for Christmas. Take down the red and green holiday garland and replace it with a wreath featuring pinecones and simple greens. If you want a little splash of something special, consider white flowers that are reminiscent of the snow piling up outside.

DIY Wooden Sign

It’s easy to create your own decorating style with a homemade wooden sign. Just get a reclaimed piece of wood with some paints and stencils and let your imagination go to town. Including an uplifting personal message or inspiration will help warm your heart this winter.

Sweater Pillows

If you’ve had a bunch of old sweaters lying around that don’t fit anymore, there’s a great way to reuse them to decorate your home. By cutting the sweater material into pillows and then stuffing them, you can have decorative throw pillows for your sofa or bed that will be soft and comfy.

Faux Fur Blankets

One way to dress up your home in the winter and keep yourself warm at the same time is with faux fur blankets. These will add a nice country feel to your home and provide a lot more insulation than a blanket or afghan.

Coffee and Hot Chocolate Nook

If you have a little corner of your kitchen that you can use, create a nook for serving coffee, hot chocolate, or even hot cider. Be sure to include a Keurig or similar coffee maker with plenty of pods/cups to make your hot beverages.

Also stock up on all the accouterments, such as creamer, sugar, and mini-marshmallows for the cocoa. Finally, you can spruce this area up with a rustic sign for coffee or cocoa. This will go a long way to warm you up on cold winter mornings.

Winter Sporting Goods

If you live somewhere that winter sports are played—skiing, skating, hockey, sledding—then you can take some of the old sporting goods and use these for displays either in your home or on the front porch.

The winter is a great time to spruce things up and add some decorative touches to your home. By “bringing the outdoors in” this winter, you can provide a rustic look that will warm your heart and home.

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Your Checklist for Buying a Home This Winter

Written by Marybeth Heckler on January 10, 2019. Posted in Real Estate.

Most people don’t think about buying a home during the winter. Spring is always considered the prime time for home buying, but winter does have advantages.

For one, you don’t have to worry about as much competition as most people won’t want to brave the cold to tour a lot of properties.

Because of this downturn in potential buyer traffic, homeowners may be more motivated to sell. And if you can visit the home right after a rain or snow storm, you will get a better idea as to how the house will respond during bad weather.

But if you are serious about buying a home this winter, here are some things to do before you move in.

Finances and Mortgages

Before you start looking at a home, take care of some planning earlier. It will help you focus your home search and save you some heartbreak when you find your dream home only to find out that you can’t afford it.

Take a close look at your finances including credit score, savings, and budget. Then use these to determine your ideal price range. You will need to know exactly how much you can put as a down payment and what you can afford comfortably on a monthly payment. It doesn’t make sense to spend so much on a house that you can’t afford to live comfortably in it.
Talk to at least three different lenders to see what types of pre-approvals you can get. When lenders know that you are looking at other banks, they will be a bit more competitive with their interest rates and can possibly get you a better deal.
Look at the duration of the loan. Obviously, a 30-year loan will have a lower monthly payment than a 20-year loan. But if you can afford to pay the lower duration, you will save a lot on interest in the long run.

Negotiations

Almost no one pays the asking price for a home. Buying a property is like a dance of offers and counter-offers. The following steps may turn negotiations in your favor:

Look at other home sales in the area to find what would be a fair, comparable price for your bid.
Get the home seller to agree to a warranty. This will help you sleep well at night knowing that your home is protected.
If you want any repairs made before moving in, be sure to clearly state these up front before you sign off on anything.
Get an appraisal and inspection from people you can trust. Don’t just go with the cheapest person in the phonebook. Instead, choose highly reputable people that will give you a fair assessment of the house and its value. If the inspector finds something wrong with the property, get the item fixed before you buy the home and make sure that the inspector can come back out to reinspect the work to make sure it was done correctly.
Do a thorough final walk-through and be sure to check out all the electrical outlets and faucets to see that they are working properly.

Once you get these steps complete, you are ready to sign on the dotted line and move in. This is another time when a winter home purchase is a bonus, because moving companies have less business, and are more willing to cut you a deal. With luck and perseverance, you should be able to move into your dream home and enjoy the next stage of your life.

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How Moms Can Celebrate “Be On Purpose Month”

Written by Marybeth Heckler on January 3, 2019. Posted in Motherhood.

As the New Year begins to unfold, many of us have put our resolutions into action because we are looking for a change in our lives. It seems as if January is that one month of the year when major changes are not only accepted but sought after.

We want to use this time to make our lives better and that’s where “Be On Purpose Month” comes in. There are several ways that you can celebrate this time of reaffirming your goal of finding your life’s purpose and how to achieve it.

Here are just a few ways that busy moms can celebrate this time and find their purpose.

Journaling—One way to truly affirm your purpose and to reflect on your own life is by writing it down. Sure, if you’re a mom, you’re probably wondering when you could possibly find time to do that. But here’s something to try: after the kids have been put to bed and your daily work is done, just set five minutes aside to write about your day. This could be a summary of what has happened, but it should really try to focus on the positive things in your life, especially with an affirmation about how you will work towards your purpose the next day and the next.
Determine Your Motivation—It isn’t enough to want a change. Instead, you must determine why you are trying to change. Finding your motivation isn’t just for actors. It’s for everybody. If you want to lose weight, one of the first things you would want to know is why you’re doing it. Do you really need to lose weight? Is it because you are starting to have health problems from obesity? Are you motivated to do this because you want to be healthier for your children? These are the questions that, when answered, will help make your goal more attainable. And it goes to the heart of any major change that you want to make in your life.
No More Excuses—Another thing holding you back from finding your purpose is that so many of us make excuses. We say, “We would if we had the time,” or, “If we didn’t have so much work to do;” you know these excuses. But you should realize that lots of people have similar workloads and somehow accomplish their goals. If they can find the time, then so can you. And that also takes this into another area—you have a support network all around you if you know how to tap into it. All of us have other people who are searching for their purpose as well. They can help to give you the backing that you need in this endeavor.

This January, don’t just make a resolution that you will forget about in two weeks. Instead, begin a course of legitimate soul-searching and find your purpose in this life.

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