Tag: homeowner

Creating a Winter Emergency Survival Kit

Written by Marybeth Heckler on . Posted in Homeowner.

If 2020 has taught us anything, it’s that we need to be prepared for almost any kind of emergency that can be thrown our way. So as winter approaches, it’s necessary to put together an emergency survival kit that can help you stay safe during severe winter weather. We’ve probably all heard horror stories of people stuck at home for days during blizzards (or worse, those trapped out in their cars during this weather).

Here’s what you need on hand to protect yourself and your family during a winter emergency:

  • Heating options — The first thing you are going to want to stock up on is some form of heating option if you lose power. If you have a fireplace, then make sure you have your chimney cleaned and a good supply of logs and other options to get a good fire going. If you don’t have a fireplace that works, then you should invest in a kerosene heater. (These need to be handled with great care, so make sure you follow all safety procedures when using them.)

In your car, make sure that you keep several heavy thermal blankets and a heavy-duty sleeping bag in your car in case you are stuck in a snowdrift and need to stay warm. Another good choice to keep in your car is hand-warmers like those used by hunters. These can be shaken up to create a small heating source.

  • Basic supplies — There are several items that fall under basic supplies that you should keep for any type of emergency. These include:
  1. Flashlight and batteries
  2. Candles and matches
  3. First aid kit
  4. Portable weather/FM radio
  5. Rapid charger for phone
  • Food and water — A big problem when winter weather is nearing is that everyone seems to buy all of the bread and milk in the grocery store. You want to keep a good supply of non-perishable and canned food items on hand before the grocery rush starts. At home, you want things that can be opened and eaten without a lot of food preparation (as your stove and microwave may be incapacitated by a power loss). Good options for the car are unsalted canned nuts, peanut butter, protein/granola bars, and hard candy. Finally, have lots of bottled water on hand. Even if the expiration date has passed on the water, don’t toss it. You can still use this water for other tasks such as cleaning if your water pipes stop working.

Before the winter moves in, you need to spend some time getting your home and car ready for the possibility of a winter emergency. By stocking up on these items early on, you can ensure that you keep your family safe this winter.

 

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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.

What Buyers Need to Know About Home Inspections

Written by Marybeth Heckler on . Posted in Real Estate.

For those in the market for a new home, there are lots of different pieces of advice that people will try to offer you about buying a house. But one piece of advice is so good that you can take it to the bank.

It is absolutely imperative that you get a good home inspection before you sign on the dotted line. Failure to do this can result in getting burdened with a real money pit instead of your dream home.

Here’s a rundown on what you need to know about home inspections:

  • Request an inspection — First, you want to put into your contract that you wish to have a home inspection performed. Once the contract is signed, then you have a couple of weeks (depending on how much time is specified in the contract) to find an inspector, have it conducted, and then decide on how to act based on the inspection.
  • Find an inspector — Next, you need to find someone who can perform an inspection on the house. Generally speaking, you want to start with your real estate agent. They usually have a list of inspectors that they trust. You can also check on their credentials by looking at online reviews of their past work. Also, be sure to check out their certifications so that you know they are up to date on everything.
  • Conduct the inspection — When the inspection is conducted, you should make plans to be there in person. Not only do you want to know how things go, but you also should be there to ask questions and to ensure that everything is checked out thoroughly. Your inspector needs to check out all of the areas of the property, including basement, cellar, and attic. The inspector will also need to ensure that all of the major systems such as plumbing, HVAC, and electrical are thoroughly inspected.
  • Review the report — Once the inspection is complete, you will receive a formal report from the inspector. Then, sit down with your real estate agent and review the findings of the inspection. Then, you are faced with a few choices such as whether to adjust your offer based on the inspection findings or require repairs to be made as a contingency of you buying the house. Additionally, if the inspection finds a major structural problem, it is still possible to walk away from the sale.

Buying a new home is one of the largest investments a person will ever make. To protect yourself from buying a home with major problems, it is imperative that you get a home inspection. This will protect you and ensure that your home is a safe one that you won’t throw your money away on.

 

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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.

Time to Upgrade Your Front Door?

Written by Marybeth Heckler on . Posted in Homeowner.

We all know that first impressions are important and often very hard to shake off. So, if you want your home to give a great first impression, you need to start with some of the first things you notice.

For many homes, that’s the front door itself. Unfortunately, when it comes to sprucing up the house, your front door often doesn’t get that much love or attention. The good news is that an upgrade to your front door can be an easy project that you can complete in a weekend.

Ideas to give you inspiration for upgrading your front door:

  • New Door/New Material — Many homes are still featuring the basic front door that came with the original house. Over time, this can become dingy, cracked, and even warped. So, if you start with a new door, you might also want to start with a new material. If you choose an old standby such as wood, the possibilities are endless from the type of wood, the amount of glass/windows set into the wood, and color. If you want something more durable, steel or fiberglass are also great options for a new door.
  • Change the Color — If you don’t want to buy a brand-new door, you can give it an upgrade by simply painting or staining the old door to make it look fresh. Don’t be afraid to choose bold colors that will really make the door stand out from the rest of the house and call attention to itself.
  • Go High-Tech — Another great option for door upgrades is to go high-tech and add digital components. For years, keyless entry/keypads have been a popular choice for homeowners. Now, you don’t have to worry about getting locked out; you can simply enter the correct keypad code and unlock your door. Some of these locks are also moving towards voice recognition and will open up at a word (but only when it is a recognized user at the door). If you want extra security for your entryway and porch, you can consider the new doorbell options from companies such as Ring. These connect to your tablet or other device so if someone rings the doorbell, you can get a video feed of them, even if you aren’t at home. These can also be set to record while you are gone so you can catch any porch bandits stealing packages that are dropped off.

Your front door probably hasn’t been changed or updated in years. And if that is the case, then chances are it’s starting to show. Simple upgrades or even digital ones can really add to your curb appeal and make your home nicer looking and safer.

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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.

Dressing Up the Guest Room

Written by Marybeth Heckler on . Posted in Homeowner.

There’s a great scene in a classic episode of Friends where Phoebe has to stay with Chandler and Monica in their guest room. Monica, always the over-the-top personality, greets her with warm cookies and a “Welcome to Hotel Monica.”

Now, most of us aren’t going to go quite that far with our guest rooms and accommodations. But when you have family and friends staying with you, especially for an extended period of time, it’s important to spruce up the guest room to make it look, and feel, comfy.

Here are four ideas on how to create a cozy nest for your guests:

  • Make it warm and inviting — First and foremost, your guest room should look warm and inviting and not just like a storage room that you clear out when guests show up. Make sure that you have nice cushiony comforters and fresh sheets on the bed. But also, get sheet sets and linens that work nicely with the color scheme of the room. Speaking of color schemes, one area that can add an extra layer of comfort is by painting the ceiling, especially if you choose a warm color to accent that of the walls.
  • It’s not just a bedroom — Remember that your guest may not want to spend every waking moment in the main living area of the house with you. At some point, they are going to want to retire to the guest room to unwind. Besides the obvious choice of a bed, your guest room should also feature a chair that they can sit in to relax. If possible, create a little reading nook with a comfy chair and a reading light so they can just sit and read or reflect quietly.
  • Share your space — Let’s face it: a lot of us use our guest rooms as storage space. If you have a dresser in the room that you use to store your off-season clothes, clean a section out of it for your guest. No one likes to live out of a suitcase, and they can unpack and feel a little more at home. And speaking of sharing, make sure that you give your guest your wi-fi password on a note in the guest room so they don’t have to ask for it.
  • Hotel touches — Lastly, you can make your guest room feel a bit like a five-star hotel with a few little touches. From mints on the pillow to warm cookies and coffee or tea on the table, these are all ways to make your guest feel at home. And if you can pull off towel sculptures of animals then go for it!

Your guest room doesn’t have to be a bland setting with only a simple bed. If you dress it up a little bit and give it a little flair, then you can make a home away from home that your guests will want to visit again.

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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.

How to Organize a Playroom

Written by Marybeth Heckler on . Posted in Homeowner.

All of the time that kids have spent at home lately, thanks to the COVID-19 outbreak, has probably left you with a disorganized and chaotic house.

This is especially true of your child’s playroom. With the holidays coming up, you might want to get this area under control before you add even more items to their play area.

Here are tips to get the chaos of your child’s room under control and organize their playroom:

  • Sweep through the room for trash — Before you try to do any organizing, you need to get rid of some of the items your child doesn’t need anymore. First, throw out any items that are broken. This includes toys that are falling apart, puzzles or games that are missing pieces, and anything else that is trash. Make sure you do this alone. Your kids may get a little sentimental and want to hold on to broken items and you don’t need that. Now is the time to absolutely get rid of whatever is broken.
  • Clear out items to donate — Now that you’ve gotten rid of the broken toys, go through with your child and help them pick out toys that they don’t play with anymore. Point out to them that it is especially nice to help those who are less fortunate by donating toys, games, and puzzles. Encourage them to practice charity and, at the same time, clean out the room as much as possible.
  • Get a system of bins — Playrooms don’t tend to be very big and you want to maximize as much floor space as possible so your child can actually play. To do this, get a bin system that is vertical and goes higher rather than taking up a lot of horizontal space in the room. Get multiple smaller bins instead of one large “toy box.” With the toy box, your child will throw everything out as he or she looks for that one toy they want to play with. With smaller bins, they have less things to go through to find what they want. Also, use clear plastic bins so you can see inside easily.
  • Sort by type — After you set up the bins, organize and label them by categories. If your child loves race cars, then you might want to create a bin to just hold these. If they are into board games, then separate those into an individual bin. Whatever system works best for you is ok, but it is essential to have some kind of system.
  • Only get down one bin at a time — Your child might have a couple of toys that they always gravitate towards. But if you want to get them to play with a variety of toys, you might want to consider only getting out one bin a day. This way, your child has fewer options and doesn’t feel overwhelmed. And, if the bins are stacked up, they won’t be able to get into the other toys that you haven’t put out for them. Plus, cleaning up one bin is a lot easier than five or six bins.

Getting your child’s room clean and organized isn’t just an important activity for keeping your home orderly. It’s also an important practice to help teach your child so that they can learn responsibility and how to keep themselves organized as they get older.

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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.

To Renovate or Not: Where to Get the Biggest Bang for Your Buck

Written by Marybeth Heckler on . Posted in Home Improvement.

When it comes to renovating a home, there are generally two mindsets at work. The first is that you want to make your house nicer and more suited to your own style or preferences. But the other one is that you want to make an improvement to your home so that you can recoup your money when you go to resell the house.

Let’s look at the best options you have for improving your property value with renovation projects:

  1. Garage Door — If you’ve never replaced your garage door, then it’s an option you should really consider. Most home builders choose a very basic model that has no personality or style to it. It’s just a generic white or off-white door. Instead, consider replacing this with something more sophisticated like a rustic wood garage door or one with window panels to let natural light in.

 

  1. Kitchen Cabinets — Many people want to do a full kitchen remodel with all new cabinetry, custom backsplashes, and top-of-the-line appliances. This is great if you’ve got the money, but it’s not going to give you a lot of return on investment. Instead, leave your cabinets as they are, but replace the cabinet doors. This simple upgrade will give you a chance to do a lot of cosmetic improvements without breaking your bank.

 

  1. Bathroom Upgrade — Another great remodeling option is to redo your bathroom. Overall, this has the potential to actually increase your home’s value by more than you put into it. Replace your current toilet with a low-flow option that will reduce your water usage. You can also enlarge your shower stall, especially if you have a separate tub that you are willing to sacrifice. An extra-large shower with multiple shower heads and a sit-down bench is a great selling point.

 

  1. Wood Deck — Many homeowners are looking for a great house and a great backyard for entertaining. You can meet the needs of this last point with a simple wood deck or patio addition to your home that will end up recouping almost your entire investment. And, as a bonus, you can get lots of use out of it yourself in the meantime before you decide to sell.

 

  1. New Vinyl Siding — One last upgrade that can really help you with the value of your home is the exterior, specifically new vinyl siding. This may not seem particularly spectacular or exciting, but a refreshed exterior with new siding will give your home more curb appeal. This refers to the positive initial impressions you get when someone first pulls up to the house. A home with good curb appeal is well on its way to getting a good asking price on the market.

These five home renovations aren’t the only improvements you can make. But they are five that have the potential to get you the most bang for your buck and will help the most when looking for resale value later on.

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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.

The Best Way to Unpack When Moving into Your New Home

Written by Marybeth Heckler on . Posted in Homeowner.

There’s only one thing worse than having to pack up your house for a move and that’s getting to your new house and being faced with stacks of unopened boxes. But don’t worry about that—there’s actually a way to get yourself organized so that the process won’t be as bad as you imagine.

Here are steps you need to take so you don’t end up finding unopened boxes months after your move:

  1. Organize Before Your Move — The first thing you need to do is get organized before you even move. When you pack up your house, be sure to label every box. It should include the room (kitchen, master bedroom, guest bathroom, etc.), the number of the box (Box 5 out of 6), and whether or not the items are essential. This last one is important. Prioritize what boxes you know need to be opened and unpacked immediately so you have a starting point when you arrive.
  2. Clean Your New House — Before you get started unpacking, clean everything in your new house. Once you unpack everything, it will be harder to get down into the nooks and crannies and get things cleaned up. Also, do anything you would like to start off with like lining your cabinets and cupboards for easier clean up later.
  3. Open the Priority Boxes — Before you tackle specific rooms, make sure that you open up those boxes you deemed as essentials. This should include anything that you know you will absolutely, positively have to have in the first day or two. Then, you can move on room-by-room.
  4. Start in the Kitchen — You’ll hear a lot of different debates about which area you need to start with. We believe the best bet is the kitchen. Let’s face it—you can live out of boxes for a day or two, even going so far as to sleep on the floor in sleeping bags if you have to. But at some point, you’ve got to eat so having that kitchen unpacked is your best bet. Chances are, this is also your biggest challenge since you will have so many boxes filled with heavy items and appliances. Get these items in place and (most importantly) get that coffee maker going so you can have the energy to conquer the rest!
  5. Move on to the Bedroom and Bathroom — Next, you need to move to your master bedroom and bathroom. Get the bed assembled and in place and then arrange your other furniture. (One big tip for getting clothes unpacked easily is to leave them in the drawers when you move. Just put plastic wrap around the drawers with the clothes inside and then you don’t have to use boxes or unpack them when you arrive.)
  6. Other General Tips — There are a few things that will help you out with this process. If you have kids that are old enough, have them unpack their own bedrooms and bathrooms. This will give them a sense of ownership of the new place. Also, save the utility rooms like laundry and the garage for last. These will be important but not right away.

Once you’ve got the essentials unpacked and set up, take a break. You don’t have to have this all done in one day (or even one weekend). No, you don’t want to leave it for months, but enjoy yourself and your new home before you tackle your other boxes.

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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.

Working Remotely? Creating Your Home Workspace

Written by Marybeth Heckler on . Posted in Homeowner.

This has been the year of working from home. For some, this is a fabulous turn of events, and for others, they can’t wait to get back to the office and share gossip around the watercooler.

If you find that you aren’t loving working from home, or perhaps you feel you’re less productive, it very likely could be due to your workspace. Home, by its very definition, is not your workplace, however, it now needs to function that way in some small way.

You can create an office vibe in your home, for not much money, and organize it to increase your productivity. Here’s how:

Plan Out Your Space – There’s a LOT you can do in your home to create a very organized, efficient workspace so you need to identify what’s important for you and what you need to do. If you previously worked in an office, you can begin by listing items you had there. What did you need and what was not necessary?

Next, what would you LIKE to have in your office? You can make it very warm and intimate since it’s your house. Or, if you feel like the rest of your home functions as the warm and inviting atmosphere and you want your work area to be all about getting things done, you can try a minimalist approach. Whatever you choose, write it out ahead of time.

Look at Your Workspace from the View of Your Webcam – Most everyone who works from home needs to have video calls and conferences from time to time. As you set up your workplace, keep in mind the backdrop.

Create a Space You Love but Declutter – This is your place to work and no one can tell you exactly how to create it. You have creative license here. That said, you will want to declutter the areas around your workstation. If every time you log into your emails you look over and see piles of mail that need to be dealt with or tons of books you intend you read but don’t have a place for, you will feel as though you are behind before you even begin.

Organize and File – This will be so important. You may be tempted to just lay something aside and come back to it later, but these are the thoughts of those who end up on the show HOARDERS. I’m only slightly kidding. Seriously, if you want to be more productive and to keep your mood high during the whole workday, being able to find things right away while not staring at clutter will ensure better days and well-rested nights.

These are the big steps to take to make a workspace you’ll love in your home. In no time, you’ll be more productive and look forward to “going to work” each day!

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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.

The Best Backyard Renovation Tips for Summer Living

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

If your home is your castle, then your backyard is more like your proverbial “fortress of solitude.” This is the place you can kick back, relax with your family and friends, and escape from the stresses of the world by enjoying the sun and nature. But a great backyard requires upkeep and occasional renovations to help it stay fresh and new.

Here are a few ideas on how you can spruce up your backyard for better summer living:

  1. Porch — The centerpiece of your backyard haven should be a luxurious porch or patio. Some of the best options for this would include screening in a large porch and including ceiling fans for those hot summer days. But you can also liven up your porch with new outdoor furniture. This will help you to have a space to entertain when friends visit.

 

  1. Outdoor Kitchen (and Bar) — Part of the fun of spending time outside is grilling out with friends and family. But if you want to take your outdoor cooking game to the next level, you should seriously consider adding an outdoor kitchen. This is more than a grill—it includes a mini-fridge, sink, grill, and oven/stove. If you like your adult libations, you can also add a beer tap and a stocked bar for your partying evenings.

 

  1. Fire Feature — Even though the weather is warmer, you can still enjoy a nice outdoor fire on a summer night. Consider adding a fire feature. This fire pit can be something permanent that is actually part of the landscaping or it can be a portable fire feature that you can move around like part of the furniture. Either way, get the fire started and break out the s’mores for a cool evening with the kids (or just acting like kids).

 

  1. Arbor/Pergola — If you’ve ever seen those beautiful, vine-covered arches in formal gardens, then you know how great they can look. If you want to put one into your own back yard, then you can either buy one at a local hardware store or have it built to suit. One thing that you will want, however, is an arch with at least 8 to 8.5 feet of space underneath. This way, when the flowers and vines begin to grow in, you will still have ample space to walk underneath.

A backyard can be your own little paradise away from all of the hustle and bustle of the world. If you are looking to add some nice touches to yours, consider adding one of these four suggestions to your yard’s mix.

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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.

When’s the Right Time to Sell Your Home?

Written by Marybeth Heckler on . Posted in Real Estate.

There’s an old adage that the three most important words in real estate are “Location, location, location.” But maybe it’s time to add a fourth one to that mix—time. As in, when is the best time to try to sell your home? There are many different currents of thought that suggest the best time of year to list your house.

Here are aspects you need to consider for your specific house and market before making the decision on  when to sell your home:

Spring is Generally Best

The standard has generally been that spring is the best time to sell your home. During this time of year, people are out and more active now that the weather is getting warmer. As a result, you have more traffic going by to notice your house is for sale. Also, the weather is generally better which means it is easier to move. All of this adds up to a good combination which often leads to more sales. If you plan to put your home on the market during the spring, then it is a good idea to do repairs and touch-ups during the fall and winter to have it ready for the sales season.

Spring May Not Be Best

OK, you’re probably saying, isn’t this the exact opposite of what you just said. Yes, it is, but bear with me. Spring is usually packed with lots of people trying to sell their homes. Yes, you will get more foot traffic viewing your home, but you will also have A LOT of competition from other homeowners who are also following the old spring standard. Some studies have found that you may get more for your home if you try to sell in the winter (from November to March). This is because there are fewer homes on the market and those who are desperate to move don’t have a lot of negotiating room.

What About Summer and Fall?

Generally speaking, these have been slower times of the year for house sales. Depending on the weather in your area, summer is often too hot for people to want to get out and walk around properties. Also, people have other things going on like vacations and summer family activities. Similarly, fall is usually taken over by back-to-school activities. When you couple this with the sun going down earlier and the weather being rainy, then you can see why people don’t tend to go out to house shop during this time of year.

There are lots of different ideas as to when is the best time to sell your home. Ultimately, you need to find the date that works best with your market and your needs. Talk to your real estate agent to find the time that is perfect for you.

 

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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.