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Carol P Freyer - EzineArticles.com Expert Author
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- The Dirt on Dahlias
[Home-and-Family:Gardening] A well stocked garden really can make a difference to the amount of buyers who find your house appealing. A cared-for garden can indicate a cared-for house, and it also adds to the curb appeal of your home. For a really eye-stopping front yard, you cannot beat the beautiful and vividly colored dahlia.
- Rent Or Sell?
[Real-Estate] It was a question that once never entered our consciousness - if we wanted to move, of course we would sell up! Now suddenly there are too many variables involved and many of us are asking the question: shall we sell now or shall we rent our house.
- Halve Your Energy Bills by Doubling Up! Part 2
[Home-Improvement:Energy-Efficiency] It is not an accident that the list compiled by The National Association of Home Builders on how to save energy in your home has windows included in it. In fact, right near to the top is 'double-pane windows that have high performance glass that helps reduce heat loss in the winter and heat gain in the summer'.
- Halve Your Energy Bills by Doubling Up! Part 1
[Home-Improvement:Energy-Efficiency] When we think of windows in a home we don't think in terms of energy efficiency. We think in terms of style. Windows can add elegance to a home, or if you prefer they can add a cozy-cabin feeling or more recently, that wide open feeling of there being no windows.
- Small is Beautiful
[Real-Estate:Buying] Enter people like Jay Shafer of the Tumbleweed Tiny House Company, who builds homes between 65 and 774 square feet. His homes are carefully designed to make maximum use of every square foot. They come equipped with a small kitchen, and up to three bedrooms and two bathrooms, depending on the design chosen.
- Realty Remodeling Rules
[Home-Improvement:Remodeling] In order to avoid this error of judgment, ask an expert in the field of neighborhood prices - your local realtor! He or she will be happy to come and advise you on which specific improvements may potentially add value to your specific home in your specific neighborhood.
- Get Your Heating Bill Down
[Home-Improvement:Heating-and-Air-Conditioning] Here's the long version. In the past, burning wood was commonplace, and no one seemed to mind that smoke was circulated into the air. Now there are clean air laws to obey, and manufacturers of wood stoves, fireplaces, and chimneys had to do their homework on pollution.
- Astrology, Feng Shui, Magic Spells - And Selling Homes
[Real-Estate:Home-Staging] Feng shui is a Chinese practice rooted in ancient times. Basically, the idea is arranging objects in one's life to attract positive energy. However, feng shui also attracts money from people who believe that this practice can help them sell homes. 19.95 buys one information about their element at one website. One feng shui consultant who works in real estate charges $150.
- Americans Want Green Homes!
[Real-Estate:Homes] This means that small improvements to your home that can be listed as 'green' will be a selling plus in this new environment. Switching to 'green' is supported by a recent survey published by Move.com and echoes findings from the National Association of Home Builders (NAHB).
- An Exciting Way to Cook Outdoors
[Food-and-Drink:Cooking-Tips] 'Tis the season for outdoor cooking, and this year there are more options than ever for backyard barbecuing, and even baking, as we will see. In addition to the usual line of gas-fired and briquette grills, wood-fired ovens are gaining popularity amongst food enthusiasts.
- Tiny Home For a Tiny Planet
[Real-Estate] It has been recently suggested in a national newspaper that we must all start to think 'tiny home for a tiny planet' - an interesting concept. However, it seems a very un-North American concept, given that we are all used to houses twice the size of, say, our European counterparts.
- Capital Gains Tax Loopholes Shrinking
[Finance:Taxes] Seems the new 2008 housing bill was not a savior for all of us - like a scorpion there is a little kick in the tail! However, struggling home owners can breathe easy, the kick is not directed at them, in fact, it is aimed at real estate investors.
- Your Bedroom - Schmooze Or Snooze
[Home-Improvement:Interior-Design-and-Decorating] Could your own bedroom have the same relaxing atmosphere as a hotel bedroom? It is an interesting thought, as it has always been a special treat for married couples to 'get away' from the children for a romantic weekend. This is supposing they can save enough money, and find enough time! Recently though, so many of the costs involved are increasing in price that the idea is dropping off.
- "Green" Housing Takes an Unlikely Turn
[Real-Estate:Green-Real-Estate] The pursuit of 'green' buildings that will preserve the environment may possibly veer off in an unpredictable direction that will change the face of America's housing. Contradictory though it may sound, concrete is raising its ugly head as an attractive and 'green' alternative for residential housing.
- The Green Home - And Yard
[Real-Estate:Green-Real-Estate] Many sub-divisions have been lobbied to allow (or re-instate) clothes lines back into the back yards where they can dry with that outdoorsy smell. If you are unsure of your rights, an umbrella clothes dryer is usually allowed as it is lower than the fences and therefore not easily seen. Line-drying clothes can save quite a bit on your energy bills, and on your 'scented freshener' bill!
- Gripes About Granite
[Home-Improvement:Stone-Brick] Another factor to take into account is that granite is a porous material and needs to be sealed periodically. If this is not adhered to, it could have serious consequences as oily or acidic liquids could permanently stain the stone.
- Tiny Spaces Can Be Stylish Places
[Home-Improvement:Interior-Design-and-Decorating] In the kitchen, where storage space is at a premium, opt for tall shelves and cupboards rather than wide ones. They will take up much less usable surface area, while not compromising on storage capacity.
- The Good and the Bad of the Short Sale
[Real-Estate:Selling] Waiting for the lender to approve or refuse the short sale can be an exhausting process for everyone. On average, it can take over a month for the lending company to even respond to an offer, which leaves buyers and sellers in a terrible state of limbo.
- REO's A-Go-Go
[Real-Estate:Foreclosures] In either an REO or a foreclosure auction, the bank is eager to offload their inventory, which means that a good deal can be had. It is important however, to not assume that the lenders will let these homes go at bargain-basement prices.
- What's That Smell?
[Home-Improvement:Cleaning-Tips-and-Tools] Have you ever been in a room in your house and caught a whiff of a scent that you know isn't pleasant- maybe you'd describe it as moldy, or perhaps musty? Chances are this smell is a good indicator that there is mold somewhere in your house. Don't neglect what your sniffer is telling you- If there's mold on your home, it should be found and its cause corrected. Although not all mold is extremely health hazardous, it's best to the health of your home to eliminate the source of mold.
- How to Succeed When the Market is Down
[Real-Estate] In an industry like real estate, professionals have to be prepared to make it through the rough patches, like when the market has slowed to a crawl. In some parts of the country, this is currently the case, where home sales have been plummeting at much the same pace that they rose during the housing boom a couple of years ago.
- Backyard Additions That Make Buyers Run
[Real-Estate:Selling] Now that summer's here, it's time for your backyard to shine. The right mix of greenery and space for entertaining can put the final twinkle in a potential buyer's eye. No longer just a yard for the kids to run around in, or a garden to plant a few shrubs, backyards are quickly becoming extensions of the home. Outdoor rooms are increasingly common around the country, with features like built-in fire pits, kitchens, and weather-proof furniture that would blend in with the most elegant interior designs.
- Why Zi?
[Real-Estate] Denver seems to be hitting the headlines with its new zi loft construction boom and if you have dreamed of living in 21st. Century luxury but in a character setting, you must visit the LoDo area and catch the view across Coors Field. Residents of the 39 living spaces being built in the complex can step outside their door and choose from restaurants, bistros, cafes and trendy pubs. It is life in a halcyon haven yet within a hub of lively bustle.
- No Vacancy - Squatters Take Over Foreclosed Homes
[Real-Estate:Foreclosures] While laws must be upheld and property respected, we also need to keep in mind that these are people who are simply trying to survive. They are cold and need shelter, and right or wrong, they are using the vacant homes to get it.
- Marketing to Seniors in the Real Estate Market
[Real-Estate:Marketing] The Baby Boomer generation is heading into their senior years, but many still feel young and vibrant. When highlighting the accessibility features of a home, try to advertise them as being great for visiting friends and family, or as adding to the resale value of the house.
- Hanging Baskets That Last All Year Round
[Home-and-Family:Gardening] Crocuses, daffodils and tulips shout "spring" as they poke through the dirt. Depending on your location, bright colorful primulas are available in February and will bloom well into late spring.
- Bathroom Gadgets
[Home-Improvement:Bath-and-Shower] Electronics have become a huge part of our lives - even picture frames require a "plug-in" these days. High tech gadgets in our home once meant owning a flat screen TV or a home entertainment system, but now electronics are used to monitor home security, regulate lights, heat, or even water our lawn. They've worked their way through the entire house, and most recently, to the bathroom.
- The Art Of The Knot - Designing An Herb Knot Garden For Beginners
[Home-and-Family:Gardening] A knot garden is a series of plants set so that when one views them from afar, they form an illusion of patterned rope weaving in and out and around itself. This type of garden emerged during Queen Elizabeth I's reign, a relative of the "parterre", Italian/French gardens that were arranged in decorative patterns. A knot garden is an attractive way to plant herbs for your kitchen garden, with small geometric sections of herbs forming a full Celtic style knot.
- Creating The Silent Space - Strategies For Privacy On Your Property
[Home-Improvement:Security] Many homeowners find that, while they like the convenience that society affords them and their families, that they do not like the lack of privacy that comes with living closely with other families. It can be difficult to effect changes in a place that is already built or where local zoning laws have to be circumnavigated before one can put up a fence. Plants are an effective solution to many privacy woes and here's some ideas that you can use to put them to work for you.
- When Good Dogs Have Bad Fenced Yards
[Home-Improvement:Landscaping-Outdoor-Decorating] Home buyers looking for houses with fenced yards for their dog would do well to examine that fence carefully. Fences can have hidden problems that can cause unexpected expenditures and endanger the family canine.
- It's Not Just For Wine Bottles Anymore!
[Home-Improvement:Flooring] Cork flooring is taking off as an environmentally friendly flooring choice. There are a lot of reasons to choose this type of flooring to appeal to environmentally conscious home buyers. This material has been known for its versatility from antiquity, but only now is it becoming a serious choice for the home owner who wants materials that are low-impact, environmentally speaking, as well as durable and affordable.
- Isn't That What Giant Pandas Eat?
[Home-Improvement:Energy-Efficiency] If you're renovating your home to be environmentally friendly, especially in today's environmentally conscious market, bamboo is one material you might want to consider. It is Earth's fastest-growing plant, which makes it an exceptionally sustainable material. It is extremely versatile, being used to make durable flooring, cabinetry, countertops, utensils, furniture and tablewear. Despite this, it is not a "hardwood". It is a grass that masquerades as a tree in Asia, Africa, Australia and the Americas starting in the southeastern United States and spreading all the way down to Chile.
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