Five New Year Resolutions for Your Home

A new year is often a time you are thinking about changes you want to make. You may consider personal, financial, and other lifestyle adjustments, but what about your living space? Changes to your home may be necessary to refresh and renew it to increase safety and comfort and make you feel happier while also saving you money. A major renovation is an option, although there are some changes you can do cheaply and easily yourself without needing professional labor.

The first step is to assess what needs to be done. It could be you are tired of looking at the same color and décor of a room and may want to redecorate. Upon closer inspection, you may realize that you need to repair, replace or even update. If you know you need to make changes but don’t know where to start, the following ideas can help you create a checklist of assessments and tasks to get started.

A New Look

A new look—If you can’t afford a full overhaul, you can do a mini-makeover. Rearrange your furniture and replace your wall décor. It could be as simple as finding a new location for a coach or coffee table and replacing an existing gallery of photos. You may also want to repaint a room a different color, add a mirror, or accessorize a spare room for a particular use. Also, consider your home’s outside attractiveness by improving its curb appeal, hence increasing its value. Some simple projects could be painting the front door, planting hedges, or adding outdoor furniture and path lighting.

Save on Energy

Save on energy costs—If a high electric bill has given you cause, make some adjustments by considering alternations to your lighting, heating, and appliances. If appliances like your dishwasher, washer, dryer, or refrigerator are dated, they probably use more energy than is necessary. Considering purchasing newer, more efficient models. Make a switch with your lighting by replacing incandescent light bulbs with LED bulbs. As for heating, connect your system to a smart thermostat. Why heat an empty room you don’t frequently use? You can control your heat settings through a smartphone app, scheduling specific rooms to get heated when inhabited.

Clean and De-clutter

Clean and de-clutter large storage areas—Think of your basement, attic, and garage. These areas tend to amass large amounts of stored items we don’t know what to do with. Create three piles, one pile of things you need, one to be discarded, and another that is questionable. For the dubious pile, consult your family about what items should be donated or sold. If you cannot part with something, you can minimize clutter by organizing your treasured belongings into labeled bins or adding more shelving.

Improve Health and Functionality

Improve health and functionality—Keep everyone in your home healthy by checking the indoor air quality and ensuring the food you have is good to eat. Vent your bathroom to prevent mold by installing an exhaust fan or cracking a window during cleaning and after showers. Always check the dates on cans and bottles and dispose of expired foods. Preserve perishables such as produce by inserting packets into your crisper drawer that absorb gases emitted by fruits and vegetables. These can be purchased at a home improvement or grocery store. Keep your air free of dirt and allergens by changing your furnace filter monthly or as needed. If you can’t see clearly through the filter, it’s time for a new one. Inspect your foundation for any cracks that could cause water to seep in and pests to have access. You can caulk small cracks, but a professional should address larger ones to avoid structural problems.

Test safety devices and fire hazards

Test safety devices and fire hazards—Check your smoke and carbon monoxide detectors for functionality and add new batteries. Follow all safety instructions and practice precautions when using a stove, fireplace, electronics, or other electrical and gas appliances. Remove grease and lint to prevent fires. Check that cords are not frayed and repair or replace them as needed. Keep any flammable materials away from heat sources.

With these five considerations for change, you can organize the tasks by devising a maintenance schedule for cleaning, replacing, repairing, or discarding. Come up with a daily, weekly, or monthly plan of specific chores your whole family can accomplish. Once you have a system in place, you can ensure you are attending to all the needs of your home come another new year while saving you money.

 

Tips for Managing Rental Property

Owning real estate can provide much financial security, freedom, and a sense of pride. However, its multiple responsibilities, such as tenant issues, contracts, and maintenance, can be challenging and take significant time and effort. A landlord can suffer legal and financial ramifications without proper preparation and knowledge. Whether a newcomer to owning rental properties an experienced manager, the following tips will help you build and protect your financial investment.

State and Local Laws

Understand state and local laws—Be aware of your rights as a landlord, as well as the rights of your tenants. Protect yourself with liability insurance in case of lawsuits and insure your property in case of fire, storms, burglary, or vandalism. Be conscious of safety and security through regular inspections to ensure you are up-to-code with all utilities. Protect your tenants by making them aware of hazards and addressing defective conditions to avoid injury or health complications. Inspect the rental unit before the tenant moves in to avoid disputes over costly damages. This preventative measure will help assure that you are handling the security deposit fairly for both sides.

Record Keeping

Keep records of all transactions—Keep digital records, receipts, and an organized filing system for the tenant, payroll, contractor, property, and tax-related expenses. Collect rent online for the most efficiency. Consider using a rental property management portal to collect rent and manage the property.

Transparency

Transparency with Tenants—Keep the lines of communication open by encouraging questions and being accessible to solve problems. Work with your tenants to resolve disputes amicably before considering legal intervention. Have established contact hours for current tenants to report unit problems or for prospects to inquire about your property or use an online solution such as rentler.com

Practice a thorough screening process—Whether renting to a tenant or hiring someone to manage your property, carefully check their credit history, references, and background to ensure they are reliable and responsible. Use written rental and employee applications.

Set an Example

Be a good example to your tenants—Establish your own policy and put it in writing, including the consequences for violating any rules. More importantly, be consistent with enforcing your rules. Afford the same respect to your tenants by abiding by rental agreements, such as alerting the tenant at least 24 hours in advance before entering a unit. Tenants are more likely to respect you and follow the rules if they know you do.

As a property owner, you are expected to provide quality housing that is well-managed and conforms with your state’s laws for landlords and tenants. The work involved can become overwhelming, but you can do it with an arsenal of materials and tools to help you troubleshoot and organize. Uses these tips as a starting point or refresher to help you be compliant and more productive to enjoy the fruits of your labor while protecting your financial investment.

For more landlord resources, visit landlord.com.

 

Top Tips to Save Money When Moving

Moving can be an expensive ordeal. Costs can add up fast and cause stress when money gets tight. Start preparing early. Before you begin, make a moving checklist that you can follow and adjust as needed while planning your move. Learn to move more affordably with some of these budget-conscious guidelines, even if you are going a distance.

Declutter

Make it a family project, or get friends to help you sort through small and big items. Decide what to discard, donate, or sell. Garage sales, online apps, and social media are some avenues to merchandise your unwanted wares. Otherwise, you can arrange for pick up or take items to your township’s disposal system. You may also contact a charitable organization that can use your items.

Use Household Items as Packing Materials

Why buy expensive bubble wrap when you can use everyday items around the house? Old newspapers, kitchen towels, socks, blankets, or suitcases can protect your fragile items without any cost. Save boxes by breaking them down and then retaping them when ready to pack for the move.

Measure Furniture

Make sure you know the dimensions of large items before you move so that you know what you can carry with you and what you can’t take. That may save you money with a mover and any hassles of not being able to get a couch or other item through the front door of your new home.

Don’t Overspend

There is a tendency to want to spend money to decorate your new abode before settling in. Buy only the articles you need, so you have less to move. Once you get there, shop for cable and satellite provider deals.

Check on Tax Deductible Expenses and Reimbursement

Your moving expenses may be deductible if you’re in the military. If moving out of state for a job, ask your company if they will pay for moving costs or if they offer compensation for relocation.

Moving Service vs. DIY

If you are going a distance, have much to move, or your belongings are heavy and valuable, you’ll probably want to pay a professional mover. However, if you can save money by having capable friends help with the transport, that would be a better choice.

Avoid Moving During a Peak Season

Movers generally cost more and can get quickly booked up in the warmer months. It’s easier to schedule a mover during the off-season and the week.

Pack a Necessities Box

Pack a box of commonly used items you need quickly or in an emergency to avoid buying them again in case you don’t have easy access to a packed away box.

Reviews and Compare Costs of Movers

Ask for a fixed rate, so you are not charged per hour in case the duration of the move is lengthy. Understand how a mover charges and avoid extra fees if possible. Don’t hire overly cheap services lest you get what you pay for.

Buying a home and all the transactional costs that go along with it is a huge financial investment. If you can curtail your moving expenses, that will allow your wallet some relief. It may also allow you some wiggle room in your budget to invest in new furnishings and décor for your new residence. In preparing for a move, always take the time to plan by lightening your load, being practical, and thinking economically without sacrificing the quality of your moving services. These tips should help you do just that.

 

Economical Upgrades to Increase Your Home’s Value

Whether you are looking to move now or may consider it in the future, there are many affordable options for making significant changes to your home without having to do a major renovation. With low-cost purchases of supplies, DIY instructions or professional guidance, and time set aside, you can make improvements that will increase your home’s resale value, save you money on energy costs, and improve your quality of living. When considering improvements, consider what needs attention first, such as protection from the elements, mold removal, mobility safety, and energy efficiency. Once those are addressed, you should pay attention to enhancing the appearance to attract future buyers. Such consideration should include space, lighting, curb appeal, and interior decorum. The following upgrades can transform your home into a more comfortable and stylish environment without stretching your wallet.

Start simple with cleaning, painting, and other resurfacing

Always begin with sparkling up the floors, walls, fixtures, and cabinetry which you can easily do with minimal expense. Sanding and repainting, wallpaper, and retiling can give a new look to what has grown old and drabby. Also, replace old appliances and countertops when you can find items on sale. Another way to eliminate eyesores is to hide them with a photo or painting. You can also cheaply replace old handles, knobs, locks, and outlet plates with a newer style to create a unique look. If preferred, you can paint over these fixtures and tile and tubs. It’s important, though, to match the colors and style of your room, furniture, and appliances. Consult a professional to recoat ceramic, porcelain, or fiberglass.

Give the illusion of space, and don’t waste what you have

Do you have an unused room? Why not turn it into a functioning space, such as a comfortable den or extra bedroom? You can add new furniture, rugs, pillows, a TV, or a free-standing wardrobe closet. Add mirrors to a small area to make it appear more spacious. Install visible storage, such as floating shelves, to allow others to see the capacity. Rid your home of bulky furnishings to free up space.

Refurbishment instead of replacement

Re-stain or refinish old wood on decks, doors, and furniture. Update your windows by adding molding or painting the frames inside to make them appear bigger and more modern. If you need to replace, buy energy-efficient windows; vinyl ones are recommended. You can also add interior shutters for style and privacy.

Upgrade the lighting

You can improve the ambiance of a room with a different light fixture, such as a new dining room chandelier or a vintage lantern, to give a rustic charm to your entryway. Consider investing between $1000-$3000 to install a sliding glass door to bring in more natural lighting. In addition, choose neutral paint colors for a softer environment pleasing to the average eye.

Improve curb appeal

Although they shouldn’t, people will judge a book by its cover. You don’t get a second chance to make a first impression, and that includes your home. You may only need to paint your front door and add a few plants or plant shrubs and perennials to populate a barren area. You’re not only beautifying your property but benefiting the environment. In addition, pay attention to the exterior material of your house. Worn siding and peeling shingles will immediately turn potential buyers off. You can remove dirt and stains by power washing, but if you need to replace siding, fiber-cement is recommended for its affordability and resistance to fire, rotting, and termites.

Compared to more extensive remodeling, these small home improvements are a more affordable and less laborious approach to giving your home the facelift it needs to be saleable. In addition, these upgrades allow you to enjoy the time you have in your home with the added comforts and conveniences they provide.