kitchen in newly constructed luxury home

Revamp Your Kitchen: 4 Easy Solutions to Update Outdated Cabinets

kitchen in newly constructed luxury home

Spend some time looking at homes and you’ll likely see a wide variety of cabinet styles out there. Kitchens have seen many trends since the 1920s, from the avocados and oranges of the mid-1900s to the stark white melamines of the 1980s. While these looks may have seemed innovative in their time, today they date a kitchen, lowering a home’s value and contrasting starkly with modern appliances and cookware.

The good news is that you don’t have to spend a fortune to update your kitchen. Even small changes to your cabinetry can transform your space, giving you many years of enjoyment. Best of all, a kitchen remodeling project will likely make a big difference in the overall value of your home. Here are four things you can do without taking out a home remodeling loan.

Paint the Doors

A fresh coat or two of paint can do wonders for even the most dated cabinets. For best results, remove one of your cabinet drawers and take it to a local paint shop for advice. The paint type you choose will largely depend on the type of raw material you’re working with. You’ll need primer and either a water- or oil-based paint, as well as the tools you’ll need to remove cabinet doors, prop them up to paint and dry, and paint them effectively.

Change the Doors

A slightly more expensive option is to change the cabinet doors. You can try to match your existing cabinetry or paint everything to match. One refreshing change you can make to match current trends is to replace your old cabinets with those including glass. You’d be surprised how much glass cabinet doors can brighten up your décor. The only downside is that you’ll have to keep your cabinets clean and well organized, since the world will be able to see what’s behind the door.

Add Veneer

Veneering your cabinets can be time consuming but you can reface them easily with peel-and-stick veneer. It’s important to shop around for high-quality options, since peel-and-stick veneer has progressed significantly in recent years. Whether you choose peel-and-stick options or to apply the glue yourself, be sure you measure twice and cut once to avoid costly mistakes.

Replace with Shelving

Open shelving is popular in kitchens, especially when installed in combination with traditional cabinetry. Don’t feel that you have to keep all of your cabinets. Part of your remodeling project could include removing a section or two of your kitchen cabinets and replacing them with shelving. These shelves could be used to hold cookbooks, knickknacks or even dishes and cookware. With a little creativity, you can make your kitchen both functional and attractive.

If your kitchen is a reminder of a decorating era long past, it’s time to take a look around and see what you can do to update it. Even on a limited budget, you can improve your cabinets and boost the value of your home. Whether you plan to sell someday or enjoy your home for many years, the improvements will be well worth it.

Saving investment banking finance concept. Stack of coins with piggy bank on the table

How Real Estate Can Generate Income For Your Retirement

Saving investment banking finance concept. Stack of coins with piggy bank on the table

A steady, predictable, and adequate income stream throughout retirement is a must for anyone in their Golden Years who wants to live comfortably long after they’ve said goodbye to their careers. But without a decent pension, considerable savings, or sizeable dividends from investment vehicles, having the pool of income needed to keep up a certain lifestyle after retirement can be downright difficult.

Luckily, real estate investments offer another lucrative and attainable channel to pad retirement funds.

Collecting Passive Income From Rental Properties

While high investment risk is something that a thirty-something might be able to tolerate, it’s not something to toy with once retirement hits. The goal at this point is to protect your invested capital while generating an income stream at the same time.

Investing in real estate provides opportunities to deliver cash returns, whereby you continue to generate cash flow from your capital contribution. Ideally, real estate investing can provide you with the cash dividends necessary to not only cover operating expenses, but expand your bottom at the same time.

If done right, real estate investing can bring in a steady stream of income no matter what current economic conditions are like, unlike the stock market. They can appreciate over time, leaving you with a comfortable financial cushion to rest on in retirement.

One of the best sources of passive income comes from rental properties, be they commercial or residential. And if you are financially secure and have some time to play with before entirely depending on your rental income to sustain your livelihood, you don’t necessarily have to generate a profit right away in order to make the investment of an income-producing property worth your while.

Now is still an ideal time to purchase rental properties, as interest rates are still low and rents continue to increase in many areas.

While you can always play the stocks to a great deal of success, there’s something inherently safe about real estate investment that is almost a sure shot if you play your cards right. Investing in real estate offers a lot more control over property appreciation compared to the stock market because you have a hand at boosting its value, and in turn, its income.

Rents are always going to increase, and the value of real estate is almost always going to go up as well. Not only will you be collecting residual income from rent, you’ll also be reaping the rewards of an increase in equity without hardly lifting a finger. As you pay down the principal portion of your mortgage, the equity will continue to build.

Eventually, you’ll have enough to potentially borrow against the equity in the property in order to finance some of life’s major expenses, or even finance another real estate investment altogether. Of course, the earlier you start investing in real estate for retirement income, the better. 

At some point, your income will steadily climb over time, even if you’re only seeing a marginal profit at the beginning.

Tax Breaks Accompany Rental Properties

You should also consider the tax breaks that you’ll be able to take advantage of as an owner of a real estate investment property. The IRS allows property investment owners to depreciate the building portion of the property over 27.5 years, which means a lot of your cash flow can avoid the tax man.

Of course, such depreciation will have to be recaptured if you ever sell the property in the future. But if you keep the property for life, and you outright own it when you pass away, that depreciation no longer exists. Anyone who inherits the property from you won’t be stuck with paying it. 

Know Before You Buy

There are obviously specific traits that will make one investment property trump another when it comes to profitability: single or multifamily homes in a desirable area is key.

The average investor should also be prepared to buy and hold for the long haul, particularly if the market is somewhat unstable. Properties that are able to bring in a minimum of 6 percent positive cash flow – after costs – should be focused on in order to make sure that more risk is being taken on than necessary.

Even if you plan on bringing a property management company on board to deal with the building and tenants, it’s still best if you can keep an eye on it yourself. That means buying in a location that you can easily get to. 

Of course, before buying anything, make sure you hire a home inspector to uncover any expensive potential repairs, such as replacing the roof or rewiring the entire property. Determine what the forecasted monthly costs will be (on top of your mortgage payments), including insurance, property taxes, maintenance fees, and vacancy rates.

Making sure the numbers work in your favor is key to ensuring the investment will be a profitable one. There needs to be a big enough rental income stream to cover all the expenses related to holding and maintaining a real estate investment property. Determine whether or not the actual market rent that can be realistically demanded is at or above the going rental rates.

Your real estate agent will be able to tell you how much nearby rental properties of similar size command, which will give you an idea of how much positive cash flow you can realistically generate each month. These professionals will also be able to fill you in on how long it takes for vacant rental properties to find renters, and how fast they appreciate in the event that you consider selling.

Real estate is typically an excellent investment vehicle for retirement, and if you do your due diligence, it can really pay off.

Young couple walking towards a country house with their two children

Rules of Etiquette You Should Know Before Buying a Home

Young couple walking towards a country house with their two children

The truth is, there’s a certain etiquette that buyers should follow throughout the home-buying process, and failure to follow it could actually cost you a lot of money.

At the end of the day, it all comes down to being courteous and having some common sense. Even if you mean no harm, you could inadvertently turn the sellers off with a certain gesture or comment that could potentially sabotage your negotiating power.

Stick to the following rules of home-buying etiquette to make sure the experience is a good one.

Stick With Reasonable Viewing Times

Use common sense when it comes to the days and times that you want to go see a listed home. Generally acceptable viewing times are typically between 10am and 8pm throughout the week. Asking to booking a showing at 10pm on a Tuesday night or 7am on Sunday morning isn’t going to cut it. Agents will likely get shut down if they ask the sellers for a showing at any one of these unreasonable times.

Don’t Demand Last-Minute Appointments

While your agent is working diligently to find you the right home, he or she is not at your beck-and-call. While many times agents and sellers can accommodate an immediate showing, many times they cannot.

While it doesn’t hurt to ask if there’s a last-minute time slot available, don’t demand it. The typical protocol is to book showings at least 24 hours in advance to allow the seller to make arrangements to not be home during the showing, and to have the home adequately prepped to be viewed. It also helps agents ensure that there is free time in their schedules to accommodate an appointment.

Skip the Unauthorized Photography

When you’re at a viewing, don’t whip out your smartphone and start snapping photos of the interior and exterior of the home unless you’ve been given direct permission to do so. That’s just rude and inconsiderate. After all, it’s not a public place – it’s still the sellers’ home, and it’s private property.

Don’t Deal With Any Other Agent if You’ve Already Signed With One

If you’ve already signed a contract with an agent, don’t call the listing agent of a home you’re interested in seeing. Actually, don’t call any other agent at all except your own. Even if your agent is away on holidays, proper etiquette would entail speaking with the agent who is covering for yours while they’re away. Not only is it discourteous to your agent and the other, it could even cost you money considering you’re under contract.

Be Honest With Your Agent About How Serious You Are About Buying

Don’t waste your agent’s time, nor the time of sellers with showings if your immediate intentions are not to buy anytime soon. Agents and sellers are busy enough without entertaining people who are just curious about seeing how other people live.

And even if you are serious about buying, don’t ask your agent to show you 10 houses in one afternoon. Viewing homes takes a lot of time, and taking up your agent’s entire afternoon is expensive for them. Not only that, but seeing too many homes at once will actually cloud your judgment and make it difficult to remember what you saw in which house. Stick to a maximum of only 3 or 4 home listings for each round of showings.

Make Sure You Can Afford the Place

If you’re looking at a home that’s listed for $800,000, but you can only realistically afford one for no more than $500,000, you’re wasting everyone’s time, including your own. Maybe you really do think you can afford the place, and are just naive to the whole home buying process.

That’s where a mortgage pre-approval can come in handy. This will give the lender a chance to analyze your income and current debt to see what you can realistically and comfortably afford. That way, you can focus only on the homes that fit your budget.

Many real estate agents actually require their clients to be pre-approved, and many sellers prefer to see an offer come in from prospective buyers who already have a pre-approval letter from their lender.

Be Polite and On-Time at Showings

This one goes without saying, but it’s still worth mentioning. Be polite to your agent, and to the sellers if they happen to be present. And don’t go sifting through clothes drawers or ransacking the storage closet. Looting around during a showing is definitely not polite.

In addition, make sure you’re on time for the showings. These appointments are usually only for a half hour to an hour, so you want to use each minute to your advantage to get a good sense of the home. Not only that, but it doesn’t show much respect to your agent to make them wait around forever for you to show up. They’ve likely got better things to do. 

Don’t Directly Contact the Homeowner

If a home is listed through an agent, then it’s protocol for any communications to take place between your agent and the seller’s. Under no circumstance is it acceptable to contact the homeowner directly. Not only will you seem overly aggressive, you’ll likely upset the homeowner.

Don’t Act Like the Home is Yours Until it Actually is

Even if you’ve fallen madly in love with a house, and have gone so far as to put an offer on it, the house isn’t yours until the keys are physically in your hands. Don’t show up to the home unannounced and start taking measurements for the sunroom addition you’ve got planned, or where you want the pool to go. Wait until the deal is formally done before you start making any plans.

Don’t Make Comments About the House When the Seller is Around

If the seller happens to be present when you’re viewing the home with your agent, reserve your comments until you’ve left. The homeowner might not appreciate hearing your thoughts on the outdated paint colors or the unattractive living room furniture. You’ll only hurt their feelings, as well as your negotiating power.

The Bottom Line

These tips aren’t hard to follow. In fact, they can be applied to any aspect of life. Use some common sense, be courteous, and be open and honest so that everyone’s happy.

Percentage and house sign symbol icon wooden on wood table

6 Things That Can Drive Your Property Taxes Up

Percentage and house sign symbol icon wooden on wood table

Property taxes are tough to figure out. The federal property tax code alone is thousands of pages long, let alone the local codes all over the country.

In a nutshell, property taxes are determined by a home’s assessed value and the property tax rate for that specific town or county. Sounds simple enough, but then there are all the other dozens of factors that can come into play that can result in higher taxes.

One thing’s for sure: no one likes paying property taxes, or any other kind of taxes for that matter. And homeowners certainly don’t like seeing an increase in these taxes, either. But the amount you’re paying today could increase tomorrow for a variety of reasons.

Here are a few things that can cause your property taxes to go up.

1. Increase in Area Value

Everyone wants to live in a nice area that’s highly valued. After all, the higher the value of the community as a whole, the higher the value of the properties within it (with certain exceptions).

A number of things can cause an area’s value to increase. Maybe the local economy is seeing a boost due to increased employment opportunities. Or perhaps a golf course is being put in nearby your home. Even the construction of new luxury homes nearby can have a big impact on the assessed value of your property.

The opposite is also true. Think about areas with an abundance of hydro towers or chemical plants. How do you think the property tax assessments of homes in these types of communities compare to properties in a golf course community?

ty taxes are a big source of funding for schools and community colleges. If existing educational institutions in the area are asking for money to make improvements, for instance, the money may often come from property taxes. In that case, you can expect your tax rate to get a boost, thereby increasing how much you pay every year to live where you are.

3. Budget Cuts

Some of the revenue that comes from property taxes are put towards essential services for the area, such as the police and fire departments, libraries, and others. If the state that you reside in decides to slash funding for these services in your area, where is the money going to come from? Why, the local homeowners, of course!

Even when there’s a downturn in the local economy and real estate market, your property taxes are still vulnerable to increases. And one of the biggest culprits for this annoying phenomenon is budget cuts.

4. Increasing Living Space

OK, so there’s not a whole lot that you can do about keeping a cap on property tax rates in your area when it comes to the above factors, but there are things that you as a homeowner might do to inadvertently increase how much you pay in this realm.

In most states in the US, more living space typically translates into a higher property tax rate. If last year your home measured at 1,200 square feet, for example, but that sunroom addition you put in this year brought your home’s size up to 1,800 square feet, you can bet that your property taxes will increase after your home’s been reassessed. 

Whether you convert the garage into a rec room or build a completely new addition to the home, increasing the livable space of your home will increase its value, and therefore its property taxes, too.

5. A Pool, Deck, and Other Outdoor Additions

Not only can an improvement on the actual home itself increase your property taxes, improvements in your outdoor space can do the same. While property tax systems differ from one state to another, as well as among local municipalities, properties will usually be reassessed when improvements are made.

Putting in an in-ground pool or building a big deck both qualify as tax-affected improvements. Your local tax assessment office will calculate the property value using the percentage of market value using comparables of other nearby properties in your area.

The amount that your property value will increase by will depend in your local market. Adding a pool might add 8 percent to a property value in one area, or as much as 30 percent in another.

6. Curb Appeal

Anything that enhances the look of a home’s exterior is fair game when it comes to property tax increases. Even seemingly modest things like a flower patch or vegetable garden can have an impact on the numbers you see on your property tax bill.

While tax assessors need to follow strict guidelines when they evaluate properties, there is still a bit of wiggle room when it comes to subjective opinions. So, if they think your home looks more attractive than next door’s house because you’ve got a few flowers and shrubs versus your neighbor’s barren front yard, your home may be given a higher assessed value.

The next time you take a gander at your property tax bill and notice that it’s higher than the last one, consider if any of the above factors came into play and had a hand in the price increase.

Hands holding paper house

7 Tips For Selling Your First Home

Hands holding paper house

Regardless of how long you’ve lived in your first home, selling for the very first time can be a daunting task if it’s not done right. While there are certain factors that you can’t do much about – such as the current market conditions and your location – there are plenty of other components to the selling process that you have total control over, which can significantly impact the end result.

If this is your first time selling a home, take the following suggestions into consideration to help make the process a smooth and successful one.

1. Stage Your Home

First impressions go a long way, so the better your home looks in the eyes of buyers, the better. Make sure to take some time to declutter your home and clean it up, and consider investing in professional home staging. These professionals will neutralize your decor and arrange your furniture appropriately so that buyers will be more attracted to the style and be better able to see themselves living there.

2. Price Your Home Right

A lot of sellers believe their homes are worth more than they really are. At the end of the day, your home is only worth what buyers are willing to pay for it, which is dictated by the current market in your local area. If you price too high, you’ll end up with a stale listing that’s doing nothing but scaring buyers off.

Instead, if you price appropriately, you’ll make your home more competitive in the market and attract more attention without having to make price reductions after the fact.

3. Disclose Pertinent Information

As the seller, you’re obligated to disclose all issues with the home that you are aware of, and you need to communicate these facts though disclosure statements. If you fail to reveal a problem with the home that you knew about and the issue comes up after the new buyers move in, you could be stuck ironing out these issues in court.

4. Be Flexible With Showings

The easier you make it for buyers to come and see your home, the more showings you’ll get. Try to be as flexible as you can when it comes to showings. Don’t severely limit the days and times that buyers can make appointments to visit. Their work schedules and family responsibilities can make it tough to work around your strict viewing times; instead, make showings flexible enough for buyers’ schedules.

5. Emotionally Detach Yourself

The home selling process is an emotionally charged one. After all, it’s your home we’re talking about, and is perhaps where you’ve dwelled for years, raised a family, and made memories. Letting go of it can be hard, and receiving offers for significantly less than what you believe the home is worth can be disappointing and even insulting.

Try not to take anything personally. While it may be a home to you, it’s essentially just a building to buyers until they move in and start making their own memories there. Don’t let your emotional attachment to your home cloud your judgment and your ability to make the right decisions, especially when it comes to staging and pricing your home, as well as how you handle offers and negotiations.

6. Be Open Minded Through the Negotiations

Speaking of negotiations, it’s crucial to keep an open mind during these discussions. You might not like what you see with an offer, but that doesn’t mean there can’t be a meeting of the minds and an eventual deal that both parties can be satisfied with. Consider what’s most important to you: the asking price, the closing date, the deposit amount, and so forth. These are all things you’ll need to consider as you evaluate offers that come in.

Don’t forget that you can always counter an offer, rather than just toss it out the window if you see something you don’t like. Entertain the offer to see how far you can go with it.

7. Hire an Experienced Real Estate Agent

Forget about going solo on your home sale, especially if this is your first time. A real estate transaction is typically a complex one that involves a lot of little details that you may not be familiar with. A professional real estate agent will have the education and the experience to handle the process diligently so that there are no holes in the deal. 

The Bottom Line

You’re ultimately in the driver’s seat when it comes to choosing a listing price, accepting/countering offers, and plenty of other factors. Selling your first home can be challenging and even emotionally draining, but if you heed these suggestions, you can make the process much more streamlined.

Grey sofa with pillows near window in stylish living room interior

5 Affordable Decor Ideas that Always Impress

Grey sofa with pillows near window in stylish living room interior

You might be taking the holiday season as an opportunity to add some ‘cheer’ to your interior decor. But the truth is, revamping your interior could probably use some refreshment at any point throughout the year.

And who says you need to blow the budget in the name of a decor facelift? With these affordable interior decorating ideas, you can impress your guests while still keeping your bank account intact.

1. Gallery Wall

How can ‘gallery’ and ‘affordable’ be in the same sentence, you ask? Think second-hand stores or DIY projects instead of fine art to frame your wall. Even oddball paintings can look amazing when you cluster them altogether. You can even try your hand at art by painting something yourself with some canvas and paint from the dollar store, or wrap a canvas in some of your favorite leftover fabric.

A collage of art has a more impressive effect when you let it span from floor to ceiling, or wall to wall. Throw in a mirror or two as well if you’ve got a tight space – it’ll help visually ‘expand’ it.

2. Area Rugs

Who ever thought that layering a rug on top of another carpet was a good idea? Well, it is, and it can be a real problem-solver when your flooring needs some serious TLC. Layering can have a great effect on the floor, and can be done a few ways.

If you’ve already got wall-to-wall carpeting, you can easily define a space and highlight a seating area by strategically placing an area rug where your sofa furniture or dining set is placed. You can also layer a small statement rug over a bigger, more neutral one. This will act to both cover a bigger floor area and frame a specialty rug to make it stand out, allowing you to spend a lot less on a smaller statement rug while still reaping the benefits of the rug coverage your space needs!

3. Architectural Details

Fancy some depth and dimension to your space, but can’t afford the hefty price tag attached with professional architectural work? No problem. A little paint or molding can go a long way in creating the illusion of architectural detail without having to empty your wallet.

You can fake these details a few ways. For starters, use some painter’s tape to help you paint vertical or horizontal lines on your walls or the ceiling, which will make the space appear larger than it really is. You can even create geometrical shapes on the walls to frame your light sconces, artwork, or furniture. And with crown molding, you can add even more depth while adding a sense of style and class at the same time.

4. Bright Colors

This trick works especially well if your space is predominantly neutral. Pick one piece of furniture to act as a standout accent, such as a coffee table, hutch, or a chair. And just about any color can work, whether you’re a fan of fuchsia, blood orange, or peacock blue. That one bold-colored piece can add just enough vibrance to a space without the need for you and your guests to have to wear sunglasses indoors – and it’s a cheap DIY project, too!

5. Long Curtains

Nothing says opulence more than window curtains that drag slightly on the ground. To maximize the effect, install the curtain rod right to the ceiling. Measure the distance from this rod to about 12 inches past the point of where the wall joins the floor.

You can then hit up your local fabric store or thrift shop to snag some spiffy fabric to use as the curtains. Or check out budget-friendly furniture stores like IKEA for cheap curtains that are specifically designed with this effect in mind. Voilà – a rich effect in your space without the rich price!

There’s no law that says impressive home decor has to come with a steep price tag. With these 5 ideas, you can impress your guests and create that highly coveted ‘wow’ factor without blowing your paycheck.

Hands holding a wooden model home with an open laptop

Investing Locally Vs. Long-Distance: What’s Better?

Hands holding a wooden model home with an open laptop

Investing in real estate – it’s been done forever, and it’s one of the tried-and-true ways of building sustainable wealth over the long term.

But the property you invest in can make or break any profits you make. It’ll also play a key role in the amount of hassle you have to endure to manage the property. There are a ton of decisions to make when hopping on the real estate investment train, one of which includes determining whether to buy locally, or somewhere out of state, (or even out of country).

The question is, which one are you better off with?

There are a few factors you need to consider before making this decision.

ENTRY PRICE

One of the biggest reasons why people choose to invest their hard-earned cash outside of their local borders is because they can often find a much better deal elsewhere and get a solid return on investment. Many times investing locally means paying a much higher price just to get into the market. This is especially true for large metropolitan centers, where the entry price is often way over may people’s heads.

The most basic question to ask yourself if you’re considering purchasing locally is whether or not you’ve got enough capital to buy there. Tons of markets out there are ridiculously expensive (take NYC or San Francisco, for example), and you might not have that kind of cash to make the investment a viable one in places like these.

MARKET FUNDAMENTALS

Maybe you live in a booming area that demands high rent prices. Or maybe you don’t. The fundamentals of the market you live in will play a key role in helping you determine if investing locally is a wise move or not. It’s all about the location when it comes to real estate.

If your local area is experiencing a decline in the market or isn’t exactly the most inviting place to call home, it’s probably not the best location to snatch up real estate in hopes of it gaining in value. Or perhaps you’ve already got some real estate where you are, and want to diversify your portfolio to include a variety of markets. Regardless of what your specific scenario is, it’s probably a good idea to move your money elsewhere.

PROFIT TYPES

You’re obviously in the market to invest in real estate to make a profit, or else, what’s the point? But how you profit needs to be determined.

There are essentially two forms of profit – through cash flow (profits made from rent after expenses are deducted), and appreciation (how much property values increase over time – also known as ‘equity’).

Some markets are known to produce a decent monthly cash flow, but appreciation is pretty scarce (take the Midwest, for instance). Other markets don’t allow for much cash flow because of the sky-high expenses, but appreciation is super healthy (like L.A. or Miami). Maybe you can get lucky and find a market that offers both. Either way, it’s good to know what forms of profit you stand to collect on.

SOURCE OF PROPERTY MANAGEMENT

Do you prefer to be a hands-on type of investor? Or are you OK with the expense and the level of trust needed to let a property management company do the managing for you? Investing long distance is great if you’re the type that isn’t too concerned about having to visit the place in person on a regular basis, or if there’s plenty of money in the pot to dedicate to property management.

Of course, the quality of the property management firm you employ makes a huge difference here. A crappy property manager can wind up costing you a fortune. If you’re going to be relying on your property manager to make sure your investment remains in tip-top shape, there’s a certain level of trust that is needed for that.

A good property manager can save you time, headaches, and even money if they’re one of the good ones. And if they wind up being a dud, fire them and hire another. There are definitely good ones out there – it’s just a matter of finding them. And probably the best way to do that is to chat up your real estate agent and ask them for recommendations. Odds are, they’ve got some.

At the end of the day, it all comes down to what you’re most comfortable with. That really is a huge deciding factor when it comes to investing locally versus long-distance. No investment is worth losing sleep over. And if you can sleep comfortably at night with you investment decision, you’re golden.

Golden Christmas decorations with large details and a beautiful matching presents

6 Christmas Tree Decorating Ideas For The Holiday Season

Golden Christmas decorations with large details and a beautiful matching presents

The holidays are typically marked with all sorts of festive decorations, but perhaps none is more prominent and attention-grabbing than a Christmas Tree. When it comes to decorating your tree, you don’t necessarily have to break out the same old decorations year after year.

To change things up this year, try any one of the following Christmas tree decorating ideas.

1. Spray Paint the Tree

You’ve probably seen cotton candy-blue or bubblegum-pink trees in storefront windows or mall corridors. If you think a brightly colored tree is something that would fare well in your home this holiday season, all you need is a can of spray paint to make it happen. Rather than searching far and wide for that perfectly-hued tree, it’s a lot easier to create your own with a simple can of spray paint from your local hardware store.

Paint the entire tree in full, or go a little more subdued by spraying just the tips of the branches. Just make sure to use a non-toxic paint (especially if you’ve got children or pets running around), and don’t start decorating until the paint has thoroughly dried.

2. Match the Theme of the Room

When choosing a color scheme for your tree, consider blending it in with the rest of the room that it’s in. If you’ve got steel blue and burnt orange throw pillows and accents in your living room, add these same colors to the tree. Likewise, if gold and silver tableware is scattered on your dining room table, these same metallics can be incorporated on your tree to create a sophisticated statement piece that could literally stick around in your space all year long.

3. Match the Gifts Beneath

You can shift gears with the matching strategy and make your tree’s decor follow the same color theme as the presents tucked underneath. If you’re doing all the gift-wrapping this year, consider using paper and all the trimmings in a specific color theme that can be extended to the tree itself. By using the same festive ribbons and bows on both the gifts and the tree itself, you can create a cohesive and uniform look throughout your space.

4. Light the Tree With Faux Candles

When Christmas trees started to become popular in the 1800s, people didn’t have the convenience of plug-in light strings. Instead, they placed lit candles on the trees to light them up. Of course, this is hazardous to do indoors, but you can mimic the look of the traditional tree by placing battery-operated candles all over it to capture the essence of Christmas past.

5. Group Small Ornaments Together

To add some visual interest to your Christmas tree, gather all those small ornaments of similar size, shape, and color and group them into clusters. Pin them deep inside the branches as well as on the tips to create some depth to the tree’s decor. These bundles of ornaments will look more grandiose compared to leaving them on their own.

6. Store Your Candy on the Tree

Christmas is definitely a time of presents and eggnog, but it’s also a time for festive candy. All those candy canes and candy corns that you collect over the holidays don’t have to be stored away or left on table tops. Instead, you can use them as decorations for your tree. Candy has a unique playful and fanciful effect on trees, and if that’s the look you’re going for, don’t hesitate to use them as part of your overall decorating theme.

The Bottom Line

There really aren’t any restrictions when it comes to how you choose to decorate your Christmas tree this year. Whether you’re looking for something more traditional, subdued, vibrant, unique, eclectic, or whimsical, the options are seemingly endless when you put your imagination and creativity into it. Try any one of the above Christmas tree decorating ideas to create something different this year.

Roofer cleaning a rain gutter with an orange glove on

6 Signs Your Home Has a Drainage Problem

Roofer cleaning a rain gutter with an orange glove on

It’s no secret that any water that’s pooled in any part of your home will cause nothing but problems. And if there are drainage issues in your home, you’ll likely experience these problems pretty quickly. That’s why it’s critical that any drainage issues be nipped in the bud before they turn into total catastrophe. Yet while some issues are obvious, other’s aren’t.

To save yourself the headache and the money trying to fix major problems that arise as a result of poor drainage in your home, keep an eye out for any one of the following 6 red flags.

1. Water Stains

One of the most telling signs that there’s an issue with the drainage in your home is water stains. Whether they’re on the walls, ceilings, or floors, any water stains are surface signs that something awry is lurking where you can’t see.

The location of the water stain will also be an indication of whether or not the problem is the result of surface water, or water moving underground, the latter of which is typically a much bigger problem. If the stain creates a line around the basement, it’s more likely the result of a moving water table. In this case, inquiring about basement waterproofing might be warranted after the issue has been rectified.

2. Spewing Gutters

If you notice that your gutters are running like a raging river, there’s probably something obstructing the free flow along the gutters. Even if you don’t actually see the water gushing out of the gutters, you can still tell this is happening if the grass or dirt at the opening of the gutters seems like it’s been dug out by powerful flows of water, or if you notice mud splatter marks on the exterior walls near the gutters. If this problem persists, you could be dealing with rotted exterior siding or even structural damage.

3. Downspouts That Dump Too Much Water Near the Foundation

The basement of your home can become flooded with water if your downspouts are dumping hoards of rainwater too close to the foundation. As such, the water will make its way into the basement and wreak havoc on the basement walls, floors, and any items you have in the water’s way.

If the downspouts are too short, they can literally dump gallons of water around the foundation walls of your home. As the water is soaked in by the soil, it puts pressure on the walls, and eventually causes them to crack. Adding gutter extensions that help carry the water a minimum of 5 feet away from your foundation walls can really help.

4. Mold in the Attic

The presence of mold in your attic is a sure sign that there’s a drainage problem with your home. It may sound odd that drainage issues can actually show signs of trouble way up in that part of the house, but moisture from the water in the basement can rise up through your home. The bathroom fans and vents will then blow hot, damp air right into the attic space, which can cause mold and mildew when it condenses on the colder side of the roof. Failure to deal with this issue early on can lead to rotted roof sheathing and shingles, which would then need to be replaced.

5. Crusting on Basement Walls

Any flaking or crusting on your basement walls could very well be a sign that your home’s drainage is inadequate. This crusting is caused by the mineral deposit residue that is left behind after water has evaporated and condenses. This might not necessarily be a huge problem if these deposits go no deeper than half an inch. Any more than that, however, could spell real trouble that may involve a compromised foundational structure.

6. Cracks on the Foundation Wall

It’s normal for foundation walls to experience cracks over the years as the house settles after being built. However, any cracks that are very wide – over 1/8 of an inch – or that are uneven might need a closer look into what could be causing them. It might very well be a drainage problem behind these cracks. If that’s the case, you’ll need to find out what exactly is behind the inadequate drainage and fix it.

The Bottom Line

If you notice any one of the above signs, you should deal with them immediately. A qualified plumber or structural engineer will be able to suggest the best course of action to fix the problem before it gets any worse. Identifying drainage problems when they’re not as serious and are easier to rectify can save you a lot of hassle and thousands of dollars over the long haul.

Real estate agent showing a couple around new home

Private Showings Vs. Open Houses: Which Wins?

Real estate agent showing a couple around new home

Looking for a new home? Before you sign on the dotted line, you’re going to want to have a chance or two to scope out a few homes in detail first. That means you’ll either want to schedule a private showing, or visit an open house. But which route should you take to find out if that home is right for you?

Let’s dig deeper to find out which of the two is a better approach for you when you’re ready to buy a house.

The Open House

If you’re not ready to buy just yet, and aren’t sure about exactly which neighborhood you want, open houses can be great.

Open houses can be an effective way to chat up the listing agent and find out important information about the home, and even the sellers. You might be able to find out why the sellers are moving in the first place – whether it’s a job relocation, divorce, or other reason. If you discover that the seller is highly motivated, you may have more negotiating power when it comes to wheeling and dealing on an offer.

Open houses can give you access to a lot more pertinent information than you might think. Besides getting to stroll around every room of a home and scoping out all the details, you can also get a sense of the competition that you might be facing and get a grasp of prices in the area.

Assessing the type of traffic might be tough to figure out, however. If there are tons of people venturing in and out of the house you happen to be in too, it could mean that there is some serious interest in that particular property, and that you may need to think about whether or not you should be putting in an offer before someone else does. On the other hand, the traffic could be just a bunch if nosy neighbors or people who enjoy spending their Sundays having a gander at how others live.

The Private Showing

When it comes to really getting a sense of what a home is like, you’ll ideally want to have a private showing scheduled. That way, you can take your time looking about without having to be distracted and interrupted by hoards of traffic.

It’ll also give you a chance to speak frankly about the property with your agent, come up with a strategy for submitting an offer, and ask all the pertinent questions about the place that you might be apprehensive about asking with others within earshot of your conversation.

Scheduling a showing also allows you to see the exact house you want, when you want (for the most part). There’s no need for the home buying process to be a gamble – instead, you can schedule a showing for a particular home you are interested in, during a time frame that’s more convenient for you.

Private showing allow you the freedom to really explore a home, which you usually can’t do during an open house. It would be sort of awkward to crawl into attic spaces or turn on faucets and flush toilets with a bunch of strangers around. With private showings, you can eliminate this concern.

At the end of the day, whether or not an open house or private viewing is better than the other depends on how serious you are about buying. If you’re half-hearted about purchasing, then start off with an open house or two. But of you’ve already scoped out a bunch of listings and have gained a focused sense of what you want, and you’re ready to make the move, private showings are absolutely the way to go.