HANGING CURTAINS 101

Hanging curtains seems like a no-brainer, right? Install the curtain rods, pop on the window treatments, and you’re done.

While it really can be that easy, there are some tricks and tips to keep in mind if you want your curtains to go from average to amazing. Keep reading to find out what you need to know.

Determine their purpose

Are the curtains going to be decorative or more functional? If you just want to add a little pizzazz to the room without worrying about filtering the light or maintaining privacy, then lightweight, unlined curtains will do the trick. However, if you want to block out the light or create privacy, you’ll need heavier or lined curtains.

Measure, measure, measure

Before you rush out and buy your new curtains, be sure to measure the windows, taking into account how you want the curtains to hang. There’s nothing more frustrating than having your project stalled by having to return curtains and rods that are the wrong size.

Speaking of size…

A great trick if you want your windows to appear larger than they really are is to hang the rod higher and wider than the window. Hang the rod at least four inches from the frame, but consider hanging it as close to the ceiling as possible. Just make sure the curtains reach the floor or even puddle a little. If you’re hanging cafe curtains they should skim the sill.

Go for fullness

Curtains should be hung so that they extend between 8 – 12 inches wider than the window. Choose panels that give you the most fullness, especially when completely closed. A good rule of thumb is to buy panels that are 2.5 times the width of the window.

Consider the hardware

The curtains are the main attraction, but don’t forget about the supporting players – the hardware. If you’re buying heavy curtains, make sure to purchase a rod that can handle the weight. Also think about the style of the room and choose finials and tiebacks that complement.

Get creative

Don’t feel you have to limit yourself to the selection of curtains you find in the store. There are many items you have around your home that make excellent curtains when repurposed. Vintage tea towels, silk scarves and even sheets can all take on a second life as curtains. You can even skip the sewing machine by purchasing curtain hooks that clip onto the fabric.

Don’t forget the iron

Now that you’ve put all this time and effort into making sure your curtains do your room justice, don’t diminish the effect by hanging them wrinkled or dirty. Wrinkled curtains look like an afterthought and can take away from an otherwise beautiful window treatment. Before you hang them, be sure to bust out the iron and give them a good once over. Also be sure to iron anytime you take them down to have them cleaned.

While hanging curtains may seem a little daunting, by following these tips you’ll turn otherwise boring window treatments into brilliant additions to your room!

HOW TO LOAD YOUR MOVING TRUCK

If you’ve decided to save some money on your move by packing the moving truck yourself, you’ll want to make sure you maximize the space available while minimizing the damage to your belongings. Take these tips from the pros to pack your truck the right way.

Items you’ll need

Before you even begin loading those boxes onto the truck, gather all the supplies you’ll need. These include:

• Moving blankets or paper padding for furniture
• A dolly
• Plastic stretch wrap
• Plastic sheets or tarps
• Packing tape
• Tie downs like bungee cords, rope or ratchet straps
• Gloves
• Step ladder

Before you load the truck

If you take a little time to make a game plan before you start loading, you’ll save yourself time and more than one headache.

• Make sure all your boxes are properly packed to safeguard against damage during the move.
• Defrost refrigerators and freezers at least 24 hours ahead of time.
• Prepare washing machines.
• Label all your boxes with what’s inside and where they go in the new place.
• Disassemble furniture that can be taken apart.
• Wrap furniture and other unboxed items with plastic wrap, paper padding or furniture pads.
• Pack an overnight bag.
• Take very fragile items and electronics like computers in the cab or car with you.

Packing the truck

There is a strategy to packing a truck, and following these steps will make the job much easier.

• Park the truck as close to the entrance as possible and make a clear path to it.
• Lay the tarp or plastic sheets on the bottom of the truck to keep items clean.
• One person should stay on the truck to organize all the items, while the others bring the items from the house to the truck.
• Move as much furniture as possible outside so you can better see what order it should go into the truck.
• The first things onto the truck should be the heaviest and largest items like appliances, mattresses and couches. Start with the appliances, then load sofas, chairs and entertainment units.
• Don’t place an item with sharp edges against a fabric piece, as it could cause damage.
• Place wrapped mirrors or glass in between mattresses or cushions.
• After all the furniture and appliances are loaded, then load the heaviest boxes.
• Stack items floor to ceiling, using every available space.
• Pack the truck in tiers, and tie down each tier with ropes or ratchet straps.
• Think of packing like putting together a jigsaw puzzle. Pack items tightly into every crack. This will help ensure that items don’t shift while en route.
• Make sure heavier boxes are on the bottom and lighter boxes are on the top.
• The lightest boxes, awkwardly shaped items and fragile pieces should go on last. Rolled up rugs and other odds and ends can be placed on top.
• Don’t forget to tie down the last tier to prevent the whole load from shifting backwards while driving. Make sure you leave enough room for the door to open and close.

While moving can be a real pain, if you take some time to plan ahead, packing your moving truck won’t be as difficult. Happy moving!

HOW TO REDUCE HOME BUYING STRESS

There’s no two ways about it – buying a home is stressful. Whether you’re doing it for the first time, or have several purchases under your belt, it’s a complex process that brings up lots of emotions – both good and bad.

Let’s face it – there’s a myriad of things that could go wrong during the sales process. Your loan could be rejected. The inspection could reveal that costly repairs need to be made. The appraisal could be lower than the selling price, which could affect your mortgage. The seller could be unpleasant or argumentative. There are plenty of things to worry about.

One of the best ways to deal with potential home-buying stress is to be prepared. Here’s what you can do to make buying your home as stress-free as possible.

Be clear about what you’re looking for

It’s frustrating for both you and your agent if you’re looking at house after house that just doesn’t suit your needs. Before you even begin scheduling appointments to view homes, take some time to define what you’re looking for. What type of house? How many bedrooms? What size? What kind of neighborhood? The clearer you can be, the more likely you’ll find a home you like sooner.

Be realistic about what you can afford

Getting swept up into the dream of owning the perfect home can be intoxicating, but having a mortgage that is not within your financial means is a nightmare. A good rule of thumb is to look for homes that are two or three times what your annual income is. Anything more than that, and you’re inviting excess stress into your life, worrying about how you’ll pay the bills each month.

Be ready with a mortgage pre-approval

By getting your financial life in order and getting pre-approved for a mortgage ahead of the buying process, you are signaling to sellers that you’re serious about making a purchase. You’re also alleviating a potential pitfall should you not qualify during the deal. In addition, getting pre-approved will help should others also make an offer on the same house. If not, you’ll be one of the first crossed off the list.

Be willing to make compromises

It’s rare to find the absolute perfect house at the perfect price. And if you are dead set on it, you’re going to stress yourself and your real estate agent out.  Unless you can build your home from scratch, you’ll probably need to make some compromises. Determine beforehand what you must have versus what it would be nice to have, so that you know where you can be flexible.

Be gentle with yourself and take breaks

Whenever possible, schedule relaxing things to do while you’re going through the process of buying a home. Get a massage. Go out to dinner with friends. See a movie. Take a nap. Visit with family. Go for a drive in the country. Listen to some guided meditations, or take a yoga class.

You don’t have to let stress get the better of you when you’re buying a home! If you take some time to get prepared, be clear about what you really need, and allow yourself some time to decompress, you can minimize the adverse effects it has on your well-being.

REFRESH YOUR GARDEN FOR SPRING

Do you hear that?

It’s the first breathy sigh of your spring garden, waking up from its winter’s nap. Longer days, warmer temperatures and dreams of lazy afternoons spent lounging among the flowers is enough to get any homeowner motivated to get their garden ready for the coming months.

If you long to get outside and get your hands dirty in preparation for spring, here are some great ideas to get you started.

Trim and tidy

The end of winter is an excellent time to prune and cut back the plants, bushes and trees in your garden before they get new spring growth. However, it’s a good idea to wait until any danger of frost has passed before wielding those pruning shears, as cutting back during a freezing spell can mean doom for some plants. Remove any annuals from the previous season and compost them.

Remove weeds

While most homeowners don’t love the idea of spending an afternoon pulling weeds, it goes a long way right now – not only does it reduce the number that are propagating in your garden, but it also makes your yard look clean and tidy. Weeds are generally easier to remove at this time of year, as they have shallow roots that can easily be pulled from moist soil. Try to get as many as you can while they’re still small – it’ll save unnecessary back strain down the line.

Divide and conquer

Some varieties of perennial plants do well when they are divided and transplanted. It’s also an easy and inexpensive way to add new plants to your landscape. Dig up perennials to be divided just as they are starting to grow, and transplant into new spots that have been amended with compost to give the divisions the best possible start.

Fertilize

All your plants and flowers enjoy a healthy dose of fertilizer in the spring as they begin to grow. If you have compost, add a layer of it to existing beds to give the soil a boost, or apply organic or synthetic fertilizer as new growth appears.

Add mulch

Mulch does wonderful things for your garden. It acts as a barrier to keep weeds from sprouting, it helps soil retain moisture and it gives the garden a polished look. As mulch starts to break down it also adds beneficial nutrients to the soil. So go ahead and give your garden beds a nice thick blanket of mulch – just be sure to keep it away from the trunks of trees and stems of tender plants.

Prepare feeders

Any garden can be made more magical with the addition of bird feeders and baths that attract local and migratory birds. If you have any in your garden, now is the time to clean them thoroughly to avoid build-up of bacteria or mold.

Get the lawn ready

If you have grass, take time to give it a good raking to remove any dead growth and debris that has accumulated over the winter. This allows air and light to penetrate the soil, stimulating all that glorious new green growth for spring.

If the promise of spring has you yearning to get outside, go ahead and give in to the urge. Taking a little time now to get your yard ready for the coming warm weather can be beneficial to your garden – and to you!

MAKE YOUR WOOD FLOORS LOOK LIKE NEW

Did you buy an older home because you fell in love with its character? Many homes built in previous decades or centuries feature details that often aren’t prevalent in new construction, such as Dutch doors, transom windows and even dumbwaiters or laundry chutes.

One of the most attractive features in many older homes are the hardwood floors. But years of wear and tear can leave them looking dull, scratched or dingy. If your home’s hardwood floors need a makeover, follow these steps to have them looking like new.

Sweep and repair

After emptying the room of all its furniture, give the floor a good sweep and vacuum to get rid of all the dirt and grit. This is also the best time to deal with repairs, such as sinking nail heads, filling in scratches or patching holes.

Clean with appropriate cleaner

Next, you’ll want to clean your floor with an appropriate cleaner, such as Murphy’s Oil Soap or Bona Floor Cleaner. It’s important not to use regular soap or harsh chemicals on your hardwood floor, as they can leave a residue or damage the wood with too much moisture. Let the floor dry.

Polish and seal

After the floor is dry, apply a thin layer of polish evenly around the room. The polish will help to moisturize the wood and leave it shiny. Polishes can be purchased with either a satin or glossy finish, depending on your tastes. Some floors benefit from a second coat; follow instructions on the label to determine how much time should elapse between applications. Be sure to give the floor plenty of time to dry before moving furniture back in – in some cases up to three days.

Buffing and waxing

Sometimes cleaning and polishing just doesn’t give your floor the love it needs to restore its luster, especially if it is already finished with wax or shellac. In this case, you can use a floor buffer to remove the top layer of finish off the floor. Buffers can be rented for around $50 a day, just be sure the buffer has a sanding screen so you don’t remove too much of the surface of the floor. Clean the dust and follow with a floor wax, which can be buffed to a shine once it dries.

When to call a professional

If none of the above techniques give you the results you desire, it may be time to refinish your hardwood floors. This technique requiresmore time and know-how, so even though you can rent a sander to do the job yourself, it might be best to hire a professional. Not only will they properly sand your floor, they will also re-stain and seal it, restoring your beautiful floors to their former glory, which, with the proper care, will last you for many years to come.

Nothing gives a home warmth and character quite like a well-cared for hardwood floor. It is worth the investment to refresh your floors; not only does it renew your home’s energy, it can evenincrease its value.

TRANSFORM YOUR ATTIC

If you’re a homeowner who has been looking for ways to increase the square footage of your living space, but you’re hesitant to build a new addition to your existing home, have you thought about looking up?

Unfinished attics are an excellent way to increase the size of your home while avoiding some of the obstacles like zoning restrictions and easement concerns that come with building an addition.

Convert your attic into a new living space

Attic conversions can be used in a number of ways to cater to the growing needs of your family. Some of the best uses of an attic space include:

• Bedroom – Having a peaceful place to slumber away from the noise and activity of the more heavily trafficked areas of your home can be a real blessing, especially for those who have trouble sleeping. Just be sure to include a closet and a window in order to claim the space as a bedroom when it comes time to sell.
• Media room – Do you have a teenager who needs some privacy and a place to hang out, or do you love throwing home parties centered around films or sporting events? Consider turning your attic into a home theater.
• Playroom – Perhaps you have smaller kids who need their own space to play without making the rest of the house a mess. Attics made great hideaways for kids, transporting them into their own little creative space.
• Home office – Do you work from home, or wish you had your own space to pay bills or work on that novel you’ve always wanted to write? A quiet attic office could be just the thing you need.

Attic conversion considerations

While reclaiming your attic as usable living space helps you avoid some of the pitfalls of building a new addition, they do have their own particular set of challenges that you should consider before diving in.

• Building codes – You’ll need to follow the “Rule of 7s” in your attic room, which states that at least half of your attic space if seven feet tall and seven feet wide and contains at least 70 square feet of space. In addition, you will likely need to beef up floor joists so they can handle the extra weight of people and furnishings. If you’re planning to use your attic as a bedroom, it will also need at least two exits including a window and a staircase to the rest of the home.
• Access – If your attic has a pull-down staircase, you’ll need to factor in building a permanent staircase. Straight staircases take up the most room but are easiest to construct. Switchback stairs or spiral staircases take up less room, but remember how much room you’ll need to maneuver furniture up into your new space.
• Electrical/Plumbing/HVAC – You’ll need to bring in licensed contractors who can determine the requirements of your new space and how they will fit into the existing system of your home. If you’re thinking of adding a bathroom, it’s best to locate it over an existing bathroom or kitchen so you’ll have less plumbing to install.

While tackling an attic conversion can be a big project, most homeowners find that in the end, having a brand new living space without constructing an addition was worth the effort.

USE YOUR TAX REFUND ON YOUR HOME

Have you filed your taxes yet?

We know — tax season isn’t anybody’s favorite time of the year (except, of course, for tax accountants). But if you’re expecting a refund, now is a great time to reinvest that money in your home. Whether you’ll be getting a check for a few hundred dollars or a few thousand, there are great ways you can put that money to good use.

Save it for a down payment

Are you hoping to buy a home in the near future? As you probably already know, you’ll be expected to put down a down payment — anywhere from 3.5 to 20 percent or more of the purchase price. If you’re expecting a refund in the thousands of dollars, adding it to your down payment savings account is a fantastic way to get yourself closer to home ownership. And if you manage to save more than 20 percent, you’ll eliminate the need to buy mortgage insurance, saving you even more money down the line.

Pay down your mortgage

Even if you have a great rate on your mortgage loan, making an extra payment will still help you save money in the long run. By paying off more of your mortgage early, you will pay less interest over time. You’ll build equity more quickly and will own your home outright sooner. You may also be able to eliminate the cost of mortgage insurance once some of your loan has been paid off.

Purchase additional insurance

An inevitable part of owning a home is also purchasing homeowner’s insurance. This protects you from liabilities should someone get injured on your property and sue you. Unfortunately, most homeowner insurance policies are not comprehensive. By purchasing umbrella insurance, you get additional protection once your primary insurance coverage limits are reached, and as an added bonus, it also applies to your vehicles. For around $300 a year, you get about $1 million in coverage. It’s a very small price to pay for peace of mind.

Audit your home’s energy usage

Leaky windows, drafty doors and energy-hogging appliances all needlessly eat up your money. If you’d like to find ways to cut your energy costs, consider using your tax refund for a home energy audit. While there are free programs available from many local power companies who will send out a professional to look at your home and offer advice about where to make changes, the biggest bang will be to hire a private firm to do a comprehensive audit of your home. While you’ll be paying more up front, the audit is much more detailed and could potentially save you up to 30 percent on your energy bills should you decide to implement their suggestions.

Make needed home repairs

If your refund is less than $1000, perhaps one of the best ways to use it is to make some needed home repairs that you’ve been putting off. You can repaint, add some new landscaping, buy aprogrammable thermostat or finally organize your garage. The money spent will go a long way to contributing to your overall enjoyment of your home.

While it may be tempting to splurge on a big treat, spending your tax refund wisely on your home can improve your financial health for the long haul.

WHEN YOU SHOULD – AND SHOULDN’T – DIY

Are you starting to feel a little bored with your house? Are you daydreaming about making some changes? At some point, most homeowners want to spruce up their home a little bit – and may even try to handle some of those upgrades on their own. But beware – there are certain projects you can DIY, and some that you shouldn’t.

Are you starting to feel a little bored with your house? Are you daydreaming about making some changes? At some point, most homeowners want to spruce up their home a little bit – and may even try to handle some of those upgrades on their own. But beware – there are certain projects you can DIY, and some that you shouldn’t.

Go ahead and DIY these projects

If you’ve got the itch to get your hands dirty and feel a sense of accomplishment (and not to mention potentially save some money), these home improvement projects fit the bill. They can be easily done with a little bit of know-how and some elbow grease, without requiring too much expertise or special equipment.

• Paint – If you want the biggest bang for your DIY buck, this is the best place to start. Painting a room, or even an accent wall or a piece of furniture, will quickly change the energy and aesthetic in a space without too much effort or expense on your part. The key to a good paint job is preparation – be sure to fill holes and sand them, and tape and protect anything you don’t want to find splattered later.
• Update hardware – If you want to give a new look to your kitchen or bathroom cabinets, and easy DIY is to change out the hardware. All you need is a screwdriver and some time. Be sure to buy new pulls or knobs that match the existing holes.
• Change out faucets – This is a great first-time plumbing DIY that can make a dramatic difference. If you have a wrench and know where to shut off your water, you can swap out a leaky faucet or upgrade to a more functional or designer model. Don’t worry – you can totally do this on your own, and think of how good you’ll feel when you’re done!
• Install a chandelier on a dimmer – Installing a chandelier with a dimmer switch is not as hard as you think and can quickly transform your room into a cozy and inviting space. Be sure to buy special dimmable bulbs and turn the power off at the breaker box before you start.
• Replace your showerhead – Replacing a showerhead is so easy you’ll wonder why you didn’t do it sooner. You can upgrade your shower experience by installing a new model with special features like mood lights or massaging jets. You can even save money by going with a low-flow unit.

Hire a pro for these projects

Once you’ve gotten a few projects under your belt, you might feel like there isn’t any home improvement project you can’t DIY. However, there are certain things that should always be left to the pros, including:

• Knocking down walls or building a new addition.
• Repairing faulty wiring or other electrical work.
• Repairing plumbing, other than a clogged drain or replacing a faucet.
• Installing new siding.
• Replacing windows.
• Hooking up a new gas appliance.
• Installing new tile.
• Refinishing a hardwood floor.
• Repairing the roof.
• Installing a new fence.
• Anything that requires a permit, unless you are a professional. This could lead to serious problems when you try to sell later.

Once you understand what you should and shouldn’t attempt on your own, have fun! Tackling small DIY projects around your home will refresh and re-energize your space and make it feel like new again.

10-MINUTE HOME PROJECTS

You’re probably familiar with the idea that little things add up to a lot. But did you ever stop to think about how that can be applied to the upkeep of your home?

Homeowners know that one of the responsibilities of ownership is keeping up with regular maintenance and repairs. While it may sometimes feel overwhelming, there are simple, ten-minute projects that you can do that will make a huge difference in your quality of life at home. Fit them in between episodes of your favorite Netflix binge, and you’ll feel like you’re hardly putting in any effort at all. Here are some of the easiest projects to get you started.

Easy home repair projects

Sometimes it isn’t worth calling a handyman or your brother-in-law to come over and help. These are easy fixes you can complete by yourself in ten minutes or less:

• Fix a squeaky door – If you’re tired of the squeaky kitchen door alerting your spouse to your midnight snack attacks, spray some WD-40 on the hinges and open and close the door a few times to work it in. You can also try petroleum jelly.
• Sticky windows – Don’t let a hard-to-open window keep you from enjoying a nice summer breeze. Spray silicone lubricant (found at home improvement stores) onto a rag and wipe into the track of a plastic, wood or metal window frame. Dry lubricants like PTFE spraycan be used on a vinyl window.
• Silence a squeaky floor – While it’s not a permanent fix, sprinkling talcum powder into the cracks between floorboards will help to temporarily silence those noisy floors.
• Replace a broken toilet lever – First pop open the back to make sure the chain is still attached. If it’s broken, buy a replacement toilet lever kit. Don’t let these instructions worry you – it’s very simple and with the exception of going to the store to get the kit, it won’t take you more than ten minutes.

Easy home maintenance projects

If you want to avoid costly repairs due to negligence, it’s important to keep up with regular home maintenance chores. The following projects are so simple you have no excuse to put them off:

• Change the filters on your air conditioning unit and furnace to keep them running smoothly, especially in summer and winter.
• Replace batteries in smoke detectors once a year.
• Clean lint from your dryer exhaust with a long, flexible brush or a vacuum hose attachment.
• Vacuum the coils on your refrigerator once a year.
• Flush the garbage disposal in your sink once a month with a mixture of baking soda and hot water.
• Check fire extinguishers.
• Test your garage door opener regularly to make sure that it reverses automatically if there is an obstruction.
• Clean the filter on your stove’s range hood. It can get quite greasy, but cleaning it is easy.

Keeping up with the small tasks around your home will go a long way towards making sure everything stays in good working order. And when it comes time to sell, you’ll have much less to worry about. So hit the “pause” button on the remote and take ten minutes to complete one of these easy tasks. You’ll be glad you did!

6 WAYS TO IMPROVE YOUR HOME’S SECURITY WITHOUT BREAKING THE BANK

You’ve spent countless hours and energy getting your home just perfect. You’ve labored over the right paint, the best furniture and even invested in some art. But have you put in enough thought about how you are protecting your home? While you can invest in a state-of-the-art system, there are plenty of ways to improve your home’s security without breaking the bank. Here are six that we recommend.

1. Install a surveillance systemWhile it may seem like it would be expensive, there are deals to be had on DIY home security systems. If you’re willing to spend a couple hundred dollars, you can outfit your home with a camera system that you set up yourself that constantly monitors your property. If peace of mind is your biggest priority and you have a little cash to spare, this is one of your best options.

2. Trim back the bushes

If your property has thick bushes or tall hedges, it offers more places for a burglar to hide. By keeping your trees and bushes trimmed        and tidy so that you can see your neighbors, it also means that they can see you if anything suspicious happens on your property.         While it’s nice to have a little privacy, don’t completely wall yourself in.

3. Light it upDon’t give a criminal a leg up by providing lots of dark places in which to hide. Strategically place exterior lighting around your home, concentrating on walkways, entrances and garages. If you don’t want the expense of installing new lighting, considering swapping out some of the bulbs with motion-sensor lights that will alert you if there’s any activity in the area.

4. Beware of dogThere are plenty of reasons why dogs are man’s best friends. One of them is certainly because they tend to be protective of their owners. Dogs will often alert you if anything seems out of the ordinary and will deter most would-be thieves from breaking in for fear of being bitten. Don’t have a dog? You can still post a “beware of dog” sign in your window or on your gate or put a large dog bowl by your back door. Sometimes the suggestion itself is enough to scare off a potential burglar.

5. Make friends with your neighborsWhile having a nosy neighbor can sometimes be a headache, use it to your advantage. Neighbors are usually the first ones to notice if something is amiss, so make sure to tell them when you are going to be out of town. It also helps to know your neighbors so if someone unfamiliar is snooping around they can be easily identified. If your community has a neighborhood watch program, join. Neighborhoods are stronger and safer when people come together and are all invested.

6. Use common senseThe best home security doesn’t cost you a dime – it’s good, old-fashioned common sense. Be sure to close your garage door when you aren’t inside. Lock the gate to your backyard when not in use. Don’t leave valuables sitting outside unattended. Close and lock windows when you leave. Stop mail and newspaper deliveries when you are out of town so they don’t pile up. The best defense is always a good offense.

HOW TO SELL YOUR HOME WHEN YOU HAVE PETS

Nobody wants to smell pet odors when they’re looking at a potential new home. Nor do they want to see piles of pet hair on the carpet. But are there ways to actually use your pet to your advantage when selling your home? Here’s a look at how best to deal with pets when your home is on the market.

Minimize the negative

Not every potential buyer is going to feel the same way about your pets as you do – especially if your beloved pet is something other than a dog or cat. Follow these tips to best minimize any negative consequences of pet ownership while you’re selling:

• Repair any damage caused by the pets, including carpets, hardwood flooring, walls, furniture and outdoor areas. Your home is not ready for showing until these issues are addressed.
• Remove pet stains and odors by having carpets and floors professionally cleaned.
• Tidy up the yard, especially if you have a dog that spends a lot of time outside.
• Relocate your pet during showings. Ideally, your home should be shown by an agent while you are away, but don’t leave your pets behind. Either have them boarded during the duration of the selling process, or at the very least take them with you when you leave for a showing. This is doubly true if your pet is something like a snake or lizard that may potentially scare a buyer.
• Clean, clean, clean. It cannot be emphasized enough – if your pet is not being boarded while you are selling, be sure to thoroughly clean and vacuum the house before each showing. Potential buyers could have allergies, or there could be lingering smells that you don’t notice because you’ve lived with them for so long. Smell has a powerful effect on our emotions, and you don’t want to lose a sale simply because the odor in your home left a buyer with a negative feeling.
• Remove litter boxes, food and water bowls, and pet toys while the home is being shown.

Maximize the positive

Conventional wisdom has always been that evidence of pet ownership put off potential buyers. But many experts are now challenging that idea. Sellers are beginning to find ways to use their pets to their advantage. After all, many people today share their home with their pets,and knowing that they’ll be able to do that in their new home could be a selling point. Here are some ways that you can maximize the positive:

• Pets can help make an otherwise sterile home feel cozy and lived in. Sometimes including a cute and well-behaved pet in a photo will help make a space feel more livable. If strategically placed, a pet can even draw attention to a home’s best feature, such as a fireplace or picture window.
• If your pet is exceptionally well-behaved (like a therapy dog), they can boost the perception of your home during a showing. But the pet needs to be calm and reassuring, and you should limit it to one pet.
• Dogs and cats should be the only pets you might consider including. It is not advisable to include snakes or other types of pets that might make buyers uneasy.

THE TRUTH ABOUT…STAIRS

Getting older isn’t something most of us want to think about. We like the idea of always being active and youthful. We even think of our parents as remaining healthy and spry.

When we’re out shopping for a new home, however, we need to take into consideration the length of time we plan on owning that home. Do we see ourselves living in this area for years to come? Will we be raising our children here? Is it possible that our aging parents would come to live with us in this house?

If we answer “yes” to any of these questions, we need to think about stairs!

When we first have children, we think about the danger to them of stairs as they are learning to crawl, climb and walk. Some families wait to move into a home that has stair until after their children are old enough to negotiate the stairs.

A great many family homes these days incorporate beautiful stairways with living areas on the main floor and bedrooms above. We don’t really think about those stairs as we are aging in place because we use them every day. In fact, the majority of the nation’s homes are built with two or more stories, or they are set over a basement. Many of those homes also do not have a bedroom or full bath on the main floor. It is only when something happens to our health … we break a leg, have surgery, an older parent comes to live with us … that we rethink having stairs.

As you age, the stairs once more become a danger zone that can slow you down or reduce your quality of life. If you are unable to negotiate the stairs, they become an obstacle in your home or even a hazard due to potential falls.

Ranch-style houses, so popular in the middle of the last century, have fallen out of favor. They do not have the curb appeal of a two-story structure and sometimes they get a bad rap for having less space, or for having a larger footprint so that there is less available yard space. For ease of living and convenience, however, a single-story structure can span the decades much more easily than a multi-story townhome or two-story home over a walk-out basement.

While you certainly should buy the home of your dreams, when you are looking for homes, consider adding in these options to your quest:

• No stairs, OR
• A bedroom on the main living floor
• A full bath on the main floor
• A limited number of stairs at access points such as the front or back entry or from the garage into the house.

If you are building your new home and intend to live there well into your retirement years, and, you love the look of a beautiful staircase, take care to design in such a way that you can add a lift to the stairway if necessary. Or, configure the design so that you have a full bath and bedroom suite on the main floor. In fact, in a program created by the builders association and AARP, builders can earn a Certified Aging-in-Place Specialist designation. Certified builders can look at your home to determine if there is a way to increase the access in your home as you age.

LEARNING YOUR NEIGHBORHOOD BEFORE AN EMERGENCY, PART 2

As a new homeowner, you may not know what to do when the unforeseen happens. Knowing what to do in a household emergency can save valuable time and may even reduce expensive repairs to hidden damage.

Household Emergencies

From plumbing disasters to leaky roofs, household emergency tend to occur at the most inopportune times. Waking up to a flooded kitchen because the dishwasher leaked, or coming home from work during a rainstorm to find a puddle forming in the dining room, to having sparks leap from the outlet you just plugged your new lamp into, household emergencies require specialists that are available at odd hours. Having easily accessible contact information can save you valuable time during the emergency (you might have trouble searching a browser for help if you have no power).

NOTE: an emergency repair company may not be the same one you use for installing new faucets and fixtures or putting on a complete new roof. These on-call experts know how to stop the damage from getting worse and make immediate repairs. This list is not exhaustive, but includes:

• 24-Hour Plumbers: locate a couple different emergency plumbers (in case one is already responding to another call) and make certain they can deal with leaky or burst pipes, plugged toilets and other plumbing disasters.
• Emergency Roofers: Rather than reroofing your home, or even finding the actual cause of the leak, an emergency roofer will immediately place a protective cover on your roof until the bad weather has passed to stop additional damage. Once the weather improves, they will inspect the roof to determine the actual cause and propose a more permanent repair solution.
• For electrical or natural gas emergencies, your local utility provider will have specific instructions. In general, however, if it is an electrical emergency, switch off the breaker to that location in your home so that power is no longer going to it. Contact your utility and follow their instructions. You may need to hire an emergency electrician, but start with your power utility first, as they may have emergency procedures to take care of you.
• The same is true for gas leaks. If you smell weak gas in your home, open the doors and windows to air it out. Check for an extinguished pilot light (in a water heater, fireplace or your stove). Switch the pilot knob to the OFF position. Wait for all of the odor to dissipate before relighting the pilot. If you are unsure of how to relight the pilot, call your gas company for assistance. If you don’t know the source of the leak, or if the odor is strong IMMEDIATELY remove all family members and pets from the house. DO NOT us a telephone inside the home. DO NOT use a lighter and DO NOT switch on any lights. Call the gas utility from a cell phone OUTSIDE or from a neighbor’s house.

Natural Emergencies

No matter where you live, natural disasters and weather emergencies can happen at any time. Learn where the nearest shelter is if you live in a flood or tornado-prone area. If you live near the ocean, get a map for the tsunami evacuation routes for your neighborhood. Turn on the emergency weather alert app on your smart phone to get advanced warning of emergencies. The American Red Cross has free apps that give addresses and information on the nearest shelters to your location and other disaster information.