Tips

Found 205 blog entries about Tips.

 

Moving closer to work sounds reasonable but is it actually worth it? That’s what we want to help you answer with this article. If any of the points below sound like you, then buying a home closer to work may be the best move you could make.

Ready to buy your next home (or first home!) for reasons other than shortening your commute? We can make that happen! Contact us today to get pre-approved for a home loan and start home shopping.

Will buying a home closer to work save you money?

Sometimes you live out of the immediate work area because of high property values, thinking that it would be less expensive to commute. But the real test is to add up the cost of living, including the mortgage payment, utilities, and property taxes PLUS the cost

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It's every homeowner's worst nightmare - you have a pot over the stove and turn the switch to find your burner won't light. It's the same idea with your refrigerator. No one wants to swing open the doors for a snack to see that their food is warm and spoiled. While your first reaction may be to panic and assume your machine has conked out for good, don't lose hope so soon. More than one-fourth of repair calls are resolved with a flip of a circuit breaker or push of a button.

Before you settle on the idea that your home appliance needs to be professionally repaired on replaced entirely, try these easy fixes to see if they bring your system back to life.

Refrigerator

If your fridge has stopped working efficiently, it may not be broken, but

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When luxury homes collide with pet lovers, there are more than a few items when it comes to what’s on the luxury homeowners’ “must-have” list. Considering in 2018 that American pet owners spent $72 Billion on their pets, there is no shortage of love for all things “pet”. Below are some of our favorite pet elements to think about for luxury homes (in order from most practical to most lavish):

Food & Water Bowls

As something that is seen every day, usually right smack dab in the middle of the kitchen or other central places, having both stylish, and practical pet bowls are a great place to start. Depending on the aesthetic, pet owners are excited to add a little luxury by thinking about the height of the bowls, the freshness of the water, and

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Whether it’s for safety, potential theft, or just your furry friend at home, the security camera industry is bursting at the seams with options. With so many options, it can be overwhelming to pick one to fit your needs. To help you out, we’ve put together a list of some of our favorites:

Best for Comprehensive Security: Arlo Pro 2 

This easy to set up, truly wireless indoor/outdoor system isn’t cheap - but highly versatile, with all the features you could ask for. The system requires a base for the system and then you decide how many cameras you’d like to add. While supporting night vision, motion detection, alarms, two-way audio - (the list goes on), there is also free seven-day video recording. 

Pros: Truly wireless, great picture in all

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Whether you’re planning upgrades in preparation for putting your home on the market or prioritizing your list of upgrades for your first fixer-upper, it can be tricky to decide whether or not to heavily invest in any one room of your home. Most homeowners are working within tight financial parameters, and sometimes the list of upgrades one could make seems endless.

Kitchen remodels, however, are almost always a wise investment. As the modern home’s “family room” where families gather to eat, socialize, and plan their lives, kitchens have a major impact on a home’s marketability. As a rule, a home with a fresh, fully modern kitchen will easily fetch a significantly higher price than a comparable home with a shabby or outdated one.

Is this year

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For many homeowners, bathrooms can be tricky areas to maintain; with water coming and going in multiple zones, flooring meeting toilet and tub, and at least a handful of fixtures per bathroom, keeping up on repairs can be overwhelming. Fortunately, 5 of the most common bathroom problems have easy, affordable solutions, so roll up your sleeves and get ready to DIY your way to a better bathroom!

1. Slow Drains

If your slow drains are caused by the usual accumulation of soap buildup and shed hair, you may be able to clear it with a few whooshes of a plunger. Make sure there’s enough water above the drain to give the plunger enough to send rushing through, then plunge the drain as you would a toilet.

If the plunger trick doesn’t work, you should be

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A luxury home is way more than just the house itself… it’s the entire property, and especially that coveted backyard space. Now with outdoor living being more important than ever with buyers, that space between the house and property line truly packs a punch in today’s luxury home market. Here’s a rundown of the most sought after outdoor features for luxury buyers:

Outdoor Living

A true outdoor living space, with emphasis on the living part, is a beloved feature that truly brings the inside, out. Spaces that allow for all the comforts of a cozy living room, that flows perfectly from the inside of the home (typically off a main living space or kitchen) to the outdoors are a favorite. To keep the comfort level up, outdoor living spaces usually have

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It’s a truism that renovations are always delayed and over budget. In fact, homeowners may be more anxious about the budgeting aspect of a renovation than they are about living through the construction itself. Despite the inherent unpredictability of any type of construction, it’s possible to learn how to set a home renovation budget that will protect your savings account.

Practice Frugality

While there’s nothing wrong with splurging on a few items during your renovation, it’s unwise to choose the very best you can afford in every category. Stretching a budget too thin by packing in too many splurges is, in fact, the most common reason that remodeling efforts are shelved before they’re completed.

Include 20% for Overages

It’s important to

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Major home renovations are often intended to benefit the homeowners directly. When it comes time to sell your home, however, the scale and intent of upgrades can be much different. The good news is, you don’t have to stretch your budget to the limit to create impactful changes. In this article, we’ll outline easy updates to quickly sell your home. Whether your home needs work on the interior or exterior, we’ve got the projects that will give you an excellent ROI.

Updates to Your Home’s Exterior

The impact of your home’s curb appeal cannot be overstated. Buyers will often judge your home before they have even stepped out of their car; updates to your home’s exterior may encourage buyers to approach the rest of your home with confidence and

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There are three numbers that matter the most when it comes to a home loan application. They are your credit score, your debt-to-income ratio, and your loan-to-value ratio. These specific numbers matter because they affect your ability to qualify for a home loan as well as your interest rate for the loan.

This article will give you a quick overview of those numbers and how they affect your mortgage!

Your Credit Score

You’re likely familiar with this number. A credit score, also sometimes called your FICO score, is a three-digit number between 300-850. This number scores your borrowing history. It’s independently calculated by each of the three main credit bureaus (Experian, Equifax, and TransUnion) using your payment history, your current debt,

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