The Plants You Shouldn’t Plant
These invasive plants will hijack your yard. Low-maintenance, they are not. Bamboo When you need a concrete bunker to contain a plant, you know you’re in trouble. Some varieties of bamboo are so determined to spread that only extreme measures, such as plastic or concrete root barriers, can keep its rhizomes from invading your azaleas. Running varieties include Chimono-bambusa, Indocalamus, Pleioblastus, and Sasa. Clumping varieties are much better behaved — Bambusa, Borinda,
6 Smart Updates To Make To Your Bathroom
The idea of renovating your bathroom can be overwhelming, but you don't have to knock down walls or gut the whole thing to make it feel new again. Making smart updates can get you closer to the look you want without the big budget, or the big hassle. "You dream about a bathroom that's high on comfort and personal style, but you also want materials, fixtures, and amenities with lasting value," said houselogic. "Wake up! You can have both." Here are a few places to start. 1. A
8 Ways to Get Rid of Pet Smells That Turn Off Buyers
Having pet odors inside your home can turn off potential homebuyers and keep your home from selling. Ask your real estate agent for an honest opinion about whether your home has a pet smell. If your agent holds her nose, here’s how to get rid of the smell: #1 Air Out Your House While you’re cleaning, throw open all the windows in your home to allow fresh air to circulate and sweep out unpleasant scents. Once your house is free of pet odors, do what you can to keep the smells
Top 10 Moving Tips For Seniors
Whether moving from one home to a similar size one or downsizing to a smaller one, moving is not just an event but a process. It starts when you first consider the possibility of a change and continues through many stages until you are settled into your new place and feel comfortable enough to call it home. At times this process may feel overwhelming and your moving goals may seem out of reach. There are some steps you can take along the way to make sure this project moves f
These Home Staging Mistakes Are Impossible For Buyers To Forget
Home staging is a huge part of putting your home on the market. For one thing, it helps your photos stand out and get potential buyers in the door. For another, once they’re there, it helps them visualize themselves living in the space and, hopefully, encourages them to write an offer. With that in mind, it’s incredibly important to get staging right and, yet, it’s also easy to make home staging mistakes. To that end, we decided to help you get it right by pointing out some o
HOA Dues: What You Need to Know Before Buying
Homeowners Association (HOA) dues help you share costs with others in your community. But HOA payments can add a significant amount to your housing expenses. Before you commit to a property with an HOA, get familiar with where your money goes and what to expect with your HOA dues. HOA Overview An HOA is a group of homeowners in the same neighborhood or building who share costs, set rules, and manage common areas together. For example, everybody who owns a condo in the same bu
5 Health-Boosting Enhancements for Your Home
If home is where the heart is, imagine how much better you could feel by ensuring your home is as healthy as possible. Just like with maintaining our bodies’ well-being, we can control what comes into and what is used within our homes to help our families achieve a healthy lifestyle. In the spirit of new beginnings, follow these five achievable resolutions that can make your home healthier this year. 1. Cleanse Your Kitchen Considered the soul of the home, the kitchen is the
The Huge Risk Home Buyers Take When They Waive Inspections
When you're trying to make your offer as attractive as possible, skipping the inspection may seem like a good idea. Here's why it's not. If you’re buying a home in a competitive market and your offers keep getting beat out, you may be tempted to resort to desperate measures. In addition to offering more than the asking price or a quick closing, some buyers agree to waive inspections. This is never a good idea. The home may look OK to the naked eye, but it’s what’s beyond the
3 Weird Things You Can Ignore When Home Shopping
Ugly paint colors? Treadmill in the kitchen? Creepy family portraits in every room? Don't let it bug you. Toilet seats up in listing photos, shag carpet covered with dog hair, bedrooms doubling as marijuana growing centers, and avocado green appliances from the ’70s. Sellers aren’t required to get their homes in their best condition before showing them — let alone cleaning their home before listing. But one seller’s laziness can spell a giant upside for the right buyer. Here
Why You Should Buy an Investment Property First and a Home Second
Becoming a homeowner is frequently associated with stability, security, accomplishment, and prosperity. That’s why for many people buying a home is a compulsory step towards feeling successful and completed. The truth of the matter is, however, that although buying a home might be a very emotional achievement, it does not always make the most financial sense. If you’ve come to a point in life where you have saved up enough cash to put down on a house, it is the smarter financ