How to de-stress the home buying process!

January 12, 2017

By: Ari Taylor

We have all heard it before, “Buying a home is so stressful!” The home-buying process ranks as one of the top-five most stressful situations that we can face in a lifetime. Who can blame us for getting so stressed out over the process? After all, there are a lot of decisions that go into choosing the right home, and the eviction process is a lot easier for a bank than a landlord!

Following these nine tips will help to take at least some of the stress out of the process!

1. Start the process early!

2. Build a solid foundation by assembling a great team! Begin by finding a realtor that works in your area, knows your area well and whom you can trust. Next, select a mortgage broker, a lawyer and an inspector. These people will be there to guide you through the entire real estate process. Your lender can give you an idea of what you can afford and your realtor can point you in the right direction.

3. Make a list! I can not stress this point enough. Whether it’s just you or you and your spouse/family, you need a “Must-Have” list and a “Definitely-Not” list. Your lists should include things such as location, school system and type of house (condo, single family, multi-family). To do this, think of the following: “How far do I want to commute? Where do I see myself in two years? If I am planning on getting married or starting a family, I may want to rethink a that one-bedroom condo. What is really important to me? Do I need space for my family? What about the school district? What is my proximity to the city? Do I want or need a big yard? Do I want to be a landlord? Am I comfortable with having a shared outdoor space? What is it going to take to make my home the relaxing oasis outside of the everyday stressors that I am seeking?”

4. If you are buying with a spouse, compare your lists. One reason as to why home buying is so stressful is a result of one person falling in love with a house and the other saying, “No way! I don’t want to live in that city!” Or, “I need to have a big back yard!”  Discussing these things and having a set list before you start looking can really take a lot of that stress away.

5. Don’t get too excited… Yet! Yes, you’ve been approved and you have found a house that is perfect for you. You can see it now: Your friends are over, the little ones are running around during BBQs, you know exactly where you will hang that favorite painting and what color you will re-paint the walls and… before you know it, someone offered more than you did for your perfect house. Before you start posting photos of that house on Facebook, and before you start asking your friends if they know a good painter/mover/electrician/whomever… Sit tight. Remember, Facebook now reminds you about every memory you’ve posted about, and having that pop-up resurface every year will really stink! Get through the offer, inspection and purchase and sale before you get too excited about closing. Yes, I know that it’s hard to wait, but in the long run, it does make it easier on you overall. Try blogging about the experience, and when you close, start posting! You can harness that excitement without any major disappointment.

6. Don’t fall in love with just any Zillow property. They are not always what they appear to be.

7. Do not hesitate to ask questions! Keep on top of straightforward communication and be totally honest! Being honest with the other decision makers on your team (your realtor, your lender and especially yourself). This is going to help smooth out the process in a big way.

8. DO expect this process to take some time. I promise you, it will.

9. Try to avoid becoming too discouraged! Have faith in yourself and your team!

For more information on building the right team to get the job done, call today!

Insider home staging tips!

January 6, 2017

By: Natalie Burg

Your agent won’t have to say, “Picture this.” Buyers will see your home at its best.

Staging your house can make you money. Seventy-one percent of sellers’ agents believe a well-staged environment increases the dollar value buyers are willing to offer, according to the National Association of REALTORS® “2015 Profile of Home Staging.”

Just take this real world tale of two condo listings from Terrylynn Fisher, a REALTOR® with Dudum Real Estate Group in Walnut Creek, Calif., who also stages:

Both units were in the same complex. One hadn’t been staged or updated since it was built; the other was staged and had been slightly refreshed (a little paint here and there and one redone bath). Otherwise, both units were the same size and layout. The staged condo sold for about $30,000 more than the unstaged unit, she says. “People couldn’t believe it was the same model.”

Before your eyes turn into dollar signs, keep in mind staging isn’t guaranteed to get you more money. But it’s an important marketing tool to help you compete at the right price, which means you can sell faster. (A study from the Real Estate Staging Association bears this out.)

Helping buyers fall in love with your property takes more than running the vacuum and fluffing the pillows: It’s all about decluttering, repairing, updating, and depersonalizing, say real estate agents and stagers.

With help from Fisher and other sources, we’ve compiled the ultimate home staging checklist.

Jump to a specific room or area of the house:

Living Room:

• When placing anything from accent pillows and table lamps, go for symmetry, which is pleasing to the eye.
• Light it up with lamps. Chic lamps provide both added lighting and appealing decor.
• Make that fireplace glow. Scrub away soot stains and replace the old screen.
• If you’re using staging furniture or buying slip covers, choose light colors for an airy, inviting feel.
• Whatever amount of furniture you have in your living room, remove a few pieces to make the room feel spacious.
• Use bright, coordinated accessories like accent pillows and throw blankets for a chic splash of color.
• Help buyers imagine their life in your home. Set the scene by displaying a board game or tea service on the coffee table, and arrange furniture in conversational groups.
• Let a slideshow of beautiful images play on your television like a screensaver.

Kitchen:

• Clear everything from countertops except one or two decorative items, like a vase of flowers or bowl of fresh fruit.
• Pack up all the dishes except one attractive, matching set. Do the same with glassware, flatware, and cookware, and pare down all other cupboard and drawer items down to the minimum.
• Freshen up and modernize those cabinets with a fresh coat of paint or stain and new hardware.
• Seriously evaluate your appliances. Can they look new again with a good scrubbing? Give it the old college try or consider replacing with new models. The Real Estate Staging Association strongly recommends stainless steel. Tip: You can get the look of stainless for the cost of a cheap dinner with stainless films.
• Remove those fridge magnets and give the door and handles a good cleaning.
• Scrub dirt, grime, and stains from walls, cabinets, and backsplashes.
• Clean cabinet interiors, especially under the sink.
• Clean and organize the pantry, leaving some empty space to make it look bigger. Store items in decorative baskets and display a few jars of fancy jam and other upscale condiments.
• Empty all trash cans and move them out of sight.

Bedrooms:

• Go gender neutral in the master bedroom. Ditch those dainty, floral pillow shams or NASCAR posters.
• Pack up all but the clothes you’re wearing this season to make you closets look larger.
• Swap out the motley crew of mismatched hangers in your closet for a set of wooden ones to create a classy, boutique look.
• Put jewelry and other valuables in a safe spot.
• Consider giving extra bedrooms a new identity as a home office, sewing room, or another interesting function.
• Remove televisions or video game consoles from bedrooms to depersonalize and create a serene setting.

Dining Room:

• Let buyers entertain the idea of entertaining. Set out some chic place settings around the table, or a few wine glasses and a decanter on the buffet.
• Strike a balance between overly formal and too casual with an attractive runner and a few fun, decorative elements — think small floral vases or short candle holders.

Bathroom:

• It’s de-grime time: Scrub and sanitize the walls, floor, shower door — virtually every surface that comes in contact with steam.
• Spend extra time scrubbing that tile grout and re-caulk around the tub if necessary.
• If your bathroom tile is dated, try paint instead of replacing it. Start with a high-adhesion primer and either epoxy or latex paint.
• Remove clutter from the countertop, tub, and top of toilet. Clean surfaces until they gleam.
• Pack up and hide all your personal products — from medicine to razors.
• Create a luxury spa look with a fancy soap dispenser, fluffy white towels, decorative baskets, candles, plants, a white shower curtain, and a new bath mat.
• Fix leaky or running toilets and replace toilet seats.
• Remove hard water stains on faucets and shower heads. (Try vinegar!)
• Take a daring sniff of the drains. Odorous? Clean them out, and deodorize with baking soda, boiling water, or vinegar.
• Time for a new sink anyway? Try a pedestal sink to optimize precious bathroom space.

Walls, Windows & More:

• Have a dark corner or hallway? Brighten it up with a decorative mirror.
• Neutralize the walls. If any rooms are painted in dark colors, repaint white or beige.
• Paint adjacent rooms the same color to make the whole space feel larger.
• Fill nicks and holes in walls, and touch up with paint.
• Sorry, wood paneling. It’s time. Paint over paneling with a neutral color. To really cover your tracks, use wood filler between panels and paint over the entire thing.
• Make sure every switch plate and outlet cover matches and looks brand new.
• Wash the windows, inside and out. Repair any holes or tears in screens.
• Replace those family portraits with interesting art placed strategically throughout the house. Avoid leaving dead space on walls.

Throughout the House:

• Declutter! Consider it pre-packing for your move. Box up books, clothes, and personal items and place them (neatly!) in the garage or — better yet — a rented storage unit.
• Don’t forget to include memorabilia in those decluttering bins. Family photos, diplomas, and the kids’ artwork should all go.
• Keep closets, basements, and attics as empty as possible to maximize the appearance of storage space.
• Transform underused areas of the house — the alcove under the stairs or the end of a hallway — into functional spots. Add a desk to create a mini office, or a chair and small bookshelf for a reading nook.
• Swap dim lights for high-wattage bulbs.
• Check every door, drawer, and cabinet to ensure they open and close easily. Swap out any faulty — or dingy — hardware.
• Damaged or aging hardwood floors? Replace damaged boards with new wood, sand down the entire floor, and re-stain.
• Do a deep (deep, deep) clean. Hire a professional cleaning service to clean your home from top to bottom — including carpets — before viewings.

Exterior:

• Hang attractive house numbers that are legible from the road.
• Brighten up your porch with fresh paint or stain.
• Add a fresh coat of paint to the front door, preferably red, black, blue, or wood stain, so long as it complements the trim and doesn’t blend, says The Real Estate Staging Association. Steer clear of unconventional colors like purple.
• Buy a new doormat to welcome home buyers.
• Power-wash the house exterior, walkway, steps, driveway, and porch until everything sparkles.
• Make sure the locks and doorbell function.
• Make that mailbox look clean and welcoming, or get a new one.
• Plant lots of colorful blooms in attractive pots and planter beds.
• Trim back trees and shrubs from the approach to the front door.
• Whip that yard into shape with fresh sod or new seed
• Store yard equipment and children’s toys out of sight.
• Repair shaky banisters.
• Get a hammock (or bocce ball game or raised fire pit) to show off how fun your yard can be.
• Dress up any imperfect planting area with mulch.
• Make sure entryway lights function and are free of cobwebs and insects.
• Hide trash cans, recycle bins, and garden hoses.
• Don’t forget your outdoor living space. Stage your patio like a second living room, with fashionable furniture, accent pillows, an outdoor rug, and other patio-friendly decor.

For Pet Owners:

• Scrub those pet stains on the carpets and rugs until totally gone or replace them if necessary. Try cleaning formulas made especially for pet odors.
• Pet odors soak into your best friend’s favorite things. Completely remove pet beds (or Fido’s most-loved couch), blankets, toys, play structures, food bowls, and the like.
• Use air fresheners that eliminate odors, rather than simply mask them. There’s nothing worse than the smell of artificial pine with kitty litter undertones.
• Repair or remove any furniture that’s been scratched or gnawed on.
• Clean all pet “presents” from the yard.
• Keep cat boxes immaculate and hidden away, or — better yet — see how your feline-loving friends feel about a temporary houseguest and remove litter boxes altogether.
• Remove any dog or cat doors. Pets? What pets?
• When you leave the house for a viewing, take all the furry (or feathery or scaly) residents along with you.
• Make a pet hair sweep the last thing you do before you leave the house.

Day of Showing:

• Add a seasonal touch. Simmer cinnamon sticks in the fall and set out fresh cut lilacs in the spring.
• Tidy like you’ve never tidied before.
• Avoid cooking any food for your own meals, but do bake some cookies or other baked goods to leave a welcoming aroma behind.
• Take off. After all that staging work, you deserve a trip to the spa while potential home buyers are busy falling in love with your house.

Pet odor chasing buyers away? 8 ways to clear the air!

January 4, 2017

By: G.M. Filisko

You might be nose blind to your pet’s aroma. Potential buyers won’t be.

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 from returning. Crate your dog when you’re out or keep it outdoors. Limit the cat to one floor or room, if possible. Remove or replace pet bedding.

#2 Scrub Thoroughly:

Scrub bare floors and walls soiled by pets with vinegar, wood floor cleaner, or an odor-neutralizing product, which you can purchase at a pet supply store for $10 to $25.

Try a 1:9 bleach-to-water solution on surfaces it won’t damage, like cement floors or walls.

Got a stubborn pet odors covering a large area? You may have to spend several hundred dollars to hire a service that specializes in hard-to-clean stains.

#3 Wash Your Drapes and Upholstery:

Pet odors seep into fabrics. Launder, steam clean, or dry clean all your fabric window coverings. Steam clean upholstered furniture.

Either buy a steam cleaner designed to remove pet hair for around $200 and do the job yourself, or pay a pro. You’ll spend about $40 for an upholstered chair, $100 for a sofa, and $7 for each dining room chair if a pro does your cleaning.

#4 Clean Your Carpets:

Shampoo your carpets and rugs, or have professionals do the job for $25 to $50 per room, depending on their size and the level of filth embedded in them. The cleaner will try to sell you deodorizing treatments. You’ll know if you need to spend the extra money on those after the carpet dries and you have a friend perform a sniff test.

If deodorizing doesn’t remove the pet odor from your home, the carpets and padding will have to go. Once you tear them out, scrub the subfloor with vinegar or an odor-removing product, and install new padding and carpeting. Unless the smell is in the subfloor, in which case that goes next.

#5 Paint, Replace, or Seal Walls:

When heavy-duty cleaners haven’t eradicated smells in drywall, plaster, or woodwork, add a fresh coat of paint or stain, or replace the drywall or wood altogether.

On brick and cement, apply a sealant appropriate for the surface for $25 to $100. That may smother and seal in the odor, keeping it from reemerging.

#6 Place Potpourri or Scented Candles in Strategic Locations:

Put a bow on your deep clean with potpourri and scented candles. Don’t go overboard and turn off buyers sensitive to perfumes. Simply place a bowl of mild potpourri in your foyer to create a warm first impression, and add other mild scents to the kitchen and bathrooms.

#7 Control Urine Smells:

If your dog uses indoor pee pads, put down a new pad each time the dog goes. Throw them away outside in a trash can with a tight lid. Remove even clean pads from view before each showing.

Replace kitty litter daily, rather than scooping used litter clumps, and sweep up around the litter box. Hide the litter box before each showing.

#8 Relocate Pets:

If your dog or cat has a best friend it can stay with while you’re selling your home (and you can stand to be separated from your pet), consider sending your pet on a temporary vacation. If pets have to stay, remove them from the house for showings and put away their dishes, towels, and toys.

Your new home — Helping Fido adjust to his new digs!

December 29, 2016

By: Tiffany Staples

Your dog’s wishes might not be a huge factor in determining the home you purchase, but there are a few things to think about when moving fido into his new digs. Here are some simple tips to help your dog adjust to his new surroundings:

1. Bring his “smells” into the new home:

Consider washing your dog’s bed and/or toys a few days prior to moving day so that you don’t have to move dirty items into your nice, new home. This will allow your dog a few days to infuse his/her scent back into the bedding or toys. When you move the items, be sure to provide those (not new) items to your dog right away so that he knows his items are welcome in the space.

2. Establish spaces in the home that are “safe” zones or “no-go” zones right away:

Just like human children, your furry little friend thrives on knowing their boundaries. Where they can and cannot go and what they should and shouldn’t do. Establish these zones in your new house early on – the earlier the better. Allow your dog to explore or their curiosity will be peaked and you will find them sneaking into “no-go” spaces in your new home, but also establish rules that they are not to be in certain spaces on a regular basis.

3. Be Patient:

Often, dogs (and other animals) will behave in ways other than how they are normally accustomed to when they move. They may be less apt to listen to commands or regress in training. Be patient. Reinforce previous training methods and follow through with consistency in training. It might seem like your animal will never adjust to your new space – be consistent and be patient.

4. Provide additional opportunities for attention:

Packing, moving, and unpacking is exhausting and nerve-wracking! Calm your nerves and the nerves of your dog with a few extra minutes of attention. As little as five minutes can help your dog relax in their new home. Take them for a walk around your new neighborhood so they can get used to the traffic patterns, smells and surroundings where they now live.

Have any more tips? Let us know what you think!

3 Brilliant Hacks to Make Snow Shoveling Less Miserable!

December 7, 2016

By: Jamie Wiebe

Don’t break your back shoveling snow. Try these tips to make winter less of a burden.

If you’re a homeowner in a snowy climate, chances are good you rue the winter: All that snow has to go somewhere, and it’s not getting there itself.

Cue the snow shovel.

Barring a move to a snow-free state or barricading your family inside all winter, there’s no way to avoid the endless task of shoveling snow. There are, however, ways to make the process much easier. Here are three simple hacks to make the morning after a snowfall much less stressful.

1. Spray Your Shovel with Cooking Oil:

Snow sticking to your shovel makes an already arduous task even more obnoxious. Avoid it with this hack: Lightly coat your shovel with non-stick cooking oil to make snow slide right off. No more time wasted removing snow from your snow remover. (You can substitute a spray lubricant like WD-40, but the downside is it’s toxic.)

2. Lay Out a Tarp Before the Snow:

If you like short cuts, this technique, billed as “the laziest way imaginable” to clear snow, according to a tutorial from “Instructables,” has got your name on it. The day before an expected snowfall, lay a tarp on your walkway. When the snow finishes falling, just pull out the tarp, and voilà: an instantly cleared walkway. (Word to the wise: Make sure pedestrians won’t trip on your tarp; include a sign or use this technique in your backyard walkway if you’re concerned.)

The technique requires a tarp, firewood, and twine as well as some prep work. Pre-storm, use firewood to weigh down your tarp — you don’t want it flying away in the wind! — and tie the twine to both the tarp and to a shovel standing upright in your yard. You’ll use the shovel to pull out the snow-laden tarp.

Although this method might be faster than shoveling, it does require manpower. After all, a cubic foot of snow can weigh between 7 and 20 pounds. So don’t get too ambitious with the size of your tarp or you might not be able to pull it once it’s full of snow.

3. Make a Homemade De-icing Cocktail:

De-icers make snow removal easier by cutting through the tough, icy layers that are a pain to remove with a shovel. But an easy solution should be easy on your property as well. Many commercial de-icers are pretty harsh.

Commercial ice-melting substances — magnesium chloride, calcium chloride, potassium chloride, and sodium chloride (salt) — all cause damage to the environment, according to the University of Maryland’s Home and Garden Information Center. They can also damage concrete sidewalks and driveways, which mean hefty repair costs later.

A better solution: Make your own de-icer using rubbing alcohol or vinegar. You’ll save money, too. Commercial melters typically cost $8 or more. Plus, you’ll avoid the hassle of trekking to the hardware store to stock up.

Use vinegar before a storm to make ice and snow removal easier:

• Combine 3 parts vinegar to 1 part water.
• Spray or pour gently (you still want to avoid runoff into your landscape) before a storm.

To keep the sidewalks and steps from icing after a storm:

• Combine 2 parts rubbing alcohol with 1 part water.
• Apply to minimize runoff.

Hack your home for better sleep!

November 25, 2016

By: Jamie Wiebe

Here’s how to DIY your way to the best zzzs — and mood — ever.

We spend a third of our lives passed out, tucked between the covers, drooling all over the pillow. But when it comes to home improvements, most of our projects benefit our waking selves. (Hello, new kitchen.)

Good sleep is essential to living our best life. So why not invest in it?

“You’re going to be a better partner, have a better outlook, and be a kinder, happier person,” says Terry Cralle, R.N., a certified clinical sleep educator with the Better Sleep Council.

Sign us up. And rest easy; while optimizing your home for better ZZZs means more than scoping out an amazing new mattress (though we totally endorse that splurge), it doesn’t have to cost a huge chunk of change. Here are 10 ways you can hack your bedroom for better sleep.

Embrace the Dark Side:

Don’t take Melisandre of “Game of Thrones” at her word — the night may be dark, but it’s not full of terrors. It’s full of good sleep.

Even if you think you sleep better with a night-light on (or, God forbid, the overhead), Cralle says the effect of blackout shades and eliminating all other light sources might surprise you.

“When you don’t have a point of reference for how well you sleep in a really dark room, you don’t realize the difference,” she says. And getting shut-eye in the dark isn’t just a matter of better sleep: Nighttime light has also been linked to low melatonin levels.

Clear the Clutter:

Your pile of unsorted laundry affects your sleep — as does your stack of late-night water glasses and overflowing knitting basket. Clutter causes stress, which keeps sleep at bay.

“Remove everything from your bedroom that isn’t bedroom-related,” Cralle says. “If you have a stack of bills, even if you’ve already paid them, it can be a source of stress.”

Sleeping alongside little messes can even turn into bigger problems. “People who doze in cluttered rooms are more likely to develop hoarding problems,” Cralle says. “It’s a vicious cycle. Don’t let it start.”

Get a Sweet Entertainment Center…in the Living Room:

Watching an episode of “Friday Night Lights” while tucked under the covers might be your idea of relaxing, but Cralle calls electronics “a huge sleep stealer.”

Not only do screens keep your brain churning long after bedtime, but the blue-tinged light emitted by televisions and smartphones can affect your melatonin. And ambient light — like the red power light on your TV, or the orange glow from your phone charger — makes those blackout shades less effective.

If you’re desperate for your nighttime screen fix, install f.lux on your laptop, which tints your screen to reduce the harmful effects of blue light. And the latest iPhone update offers a similar feature called Night Shift.

Give Your Bedroom One Job (Okay, Two):

Your bedroom should be your bedroom — not your bedroom, your office, andyour exercise room. Some homeowners decide forcing double- or triple-duty on their sleeping space is their only option, but if there’s anywhere else to put your desk or ancient treadmill, do it.

“The bedroom should be for sleep and romance only,” Cralle says. “You want it to be minimal in terms of furnishings and contents. Nothing should distract from the room’s purpose: to get a wonderful night’s sleep.”

Soundproof Like Mad:

Tearing out the drywall to add soundproof insulation might be a bit drastic, but anything you can do to eliminate nighttime noise will go a long way toward promoting a healthy, restful snooze.

Your brain continues to process noise at night, so do everything you can to soften the sounds — even fixing creaky floors that startle your spouse when you sneak to the bathroom at 3 a.m. (And there’s no need to bust out the hammer to quiet your floors: Talcum powder does the trick.)

“Even noise that doesn’t bring you fully awake is bad,” Cralle says.

Installing an upholstered headboard against the wall can help dampen distracting noises. Cralle even recommends acoustic panel artwork to keep your bedroom perfectly silent. And if your neighbors are keen on late-night activities, an honest conversation might inspire them to keep the volume down.

Choose a Different Hue:

If your sleep schedule feels a little blue, consider the color temperature of your lightbulbs. It might be the culprit.

“Blue lights are very disruptive,” Cralle says, and the effect lasts — even afterthey’re switched off. Just like your computer monitor, standard fluorescent and many halogen bulbs give off a slight blue hue. Not only does the color disrupt your melatonin level, but it can amplify depressive symptoms.

Light your bedroom with bulbs that give off a red or amber hue, like a standard fluorescent light or a warm-toned LED. When you’re shopping, look for lights with a color temperature near 2700K and no higher than 4000K — many packages include this information.

Improve Your Air:

You might not care about (or notice) all the dust littering your room when you’re awake, but when you’re in dreamland, your nose sure does — and it’s keeping you awake. Dust isn’t the only problem with your bedroom air. High levels of carbon dioxide can hinder your concentration the next morning.

Cralle recommends airing out your bedroom every day or sleeping with the windows open (if the temperature allows) to maintain the room’s CO2 and improve air quality. But if you’re “not in a position to do so, plants can keep the air clean.” Her favorite: mother-in-law’s tongue, also known as the snake plant, which improves the air and thrives in low light.

Pick a Cozy Paint:

Bold, bright paint colors might work wonders for your kitchen. Your bedroom needs an entirely different tack: something calm and relaxing, like a soft blue. (Yes, it sounds like a contradiction — blue light is bad, blue paint is good — but it’s true.)

“It’s a very relaxing color, and it brings down your blood pressure and heart rate,” Cralle says.

But no matter which shade you choose, stick with cool-toned colors, like silvers, grays, or light purples to keep your space tranquil.

Explore Scents:

Nothing’s more calming than relaxing in a field of flowers. Or imagining it, because who has actually done that? Either way, why not imitate the experience in your bedroom?

“Make scent a forethought,” Cralle says. “It really makes your room a sleep sanctuary.”

Relaxing aromas — particularly jasmine, lavender, and vanilla — can reduce insomnia and depression and make you less sleepy in the morning. And if it inspires you to skip through flower fields in your dreams, all the better.

7 mistakes that cost homeowners big money during the cold weather!

October 21, 2016

Avoid winter’s nastiest tricks.

Wintry weather is great at turning up problems you didn’t even know you had. Like that first snowy night in front of your fireplace that you thought was pure bliss — until you noticed a leak in the ceiling corner, which apparently was caused by a lack of insulation. How were you supposed to know that?

Many homeowners don’t realize they’re making critical missteps that can cost a ton when winter sets in. Here are seven wintertime mistakes homeowners often make (and what they could cost you!):

1. Not Buying a $2 Protector for Your Outdoor Faucet:

What It’ll Cost You: Up to $15,000 and a whole lot of grief

It’s amazing what a little frozen water can do damage-wise. An inch of water in your basement can cost up to $15,000 to pump out and dry out. And, yet, it’s so easy to prevent, especially with outdoor faucets, which are the most susceptible to freezing temps.

The simplest thing to do is to remove your garden hose from your outdoor faucet and drain it. Then add a faucet protector to keep cold air from getting into your pipes. They’re really cheap (some are under $2; the more expensive ones are still less than $10). “Get these now,” says Danny Lipford, home improvement expert and host of the “Today’s Homeowner” television and radio shows. “When the weatherman says we’ve got cold coming, they’ll sell out in minutes.”

While you’re at it, make sure any exposed pipes in an unheated basement or garage are insulated, too, or you’ll face the same pricey problem.

Wrap pipes with foam plumbing insulation — before the weather drops. It’s cheap, too, just like the faucet cover (only $1 for six feet of polyethylene insulation). And it’s an easy DIY project, as long as you can reach the pipes.

Spend Oh-So-Wisely on a Kitchen Remodel.

2. Instagramming Your Icicles Instead of Preventing Them:

What It’ll Cost You: $500 — if you’re lucky; a lot more if you’re not

Those icicles make your home look so picturesque, you just gotta take a few pics. But you better make them quick. Those icicles can literally be a damproblem. (Yes, dam — not the curse word that sounds the same. )

Icicles are a clear sign that you’ve got an ice dam, which is exactly what it sounds like: a buildup of ice on your gutter or roof that prevents melting snow and ice from flowing through your gutters. That’s really bad news because these icy blocks can lead to expensive roofing repairs.

Depending on where you live, expect to pay at least $500 for each ice dam to be steamed off. Leave the ice and you risk long-term damage, which could ultimately cost hundreds or even thousands of dollars to your roof, depending on what type of shingles you have and the size of the damaged area.

How to prevent them? Insulation. “Ice dams, icicles, and ice buildup on the gutters is a symptom of not enough insulation in the attic,” says Chris Johnson, owner of Navarre True Value and several other stores in the Twin Cities area.

And “you need to have at least 14 inches of insulation in your attic, no matter where you live,” says Lipford. If you live in a colder climate, you’ll need more.

If you don’t have the cash to insulate, heated gutter cables, which run between $50 and $150 each, can be a less expensive alternative when temporarily affixed to areas prone to ice damming, Johnson suggests.

3. Going Lazy on Your Gutters:

What It’ll Cost You: You really don’t want to be in a position to find out

It can be so tempting to skip gutter cleanups as winter nears. It seems like as soon as you clear your gutters, they clog right back up again. So what’s the point?

Well, if it looks like you’re living inside a waterfall when it rains, water is missing your gutter system completely. It’s being directed to your foundation instead. And a water-damaged foundation is never, ever cheap to fix.

A contractor can plug foundation cracks for $1,500 to $3,000, says David Verbofsky, director of training for exterior home products manufacturer Ply Gem. But a worse problem, one that requires a foundation excavation or rebuild, can set you back (gulp) $30,000 or more.

Suddenly, cleaning your gutters a few times each fall doesn’t seem so bad. A pro can do the work for anywhere between $70 and $250, depending on the size of your gutter system.

4. Giving Cold Air a Chance to Sneak In:

What It’ll Cost You: Nights where you never feel warm, despite sky-high heating bills

“If it were possible to take every crack on the outside of a typical home and drag them together, you’d have the equivalent of a three-by-three window open all the time,” says Lipford. Yikes.

Yet cracks can be easily and inexpensively sealed with a simple tube of caulk, and it’s available in hundreds of colors to match your window panes, outside siding, and even brick. Not sure where to caulk? Look for visible cracks around:

Window sills, Baseboards, Fireplace or dryer vents, Anywhere something inside pokes a hole to the outside.

5. Not Getting Personal with Your Thermostat:

What It’ll Cost You: Money you could spend on something else besides heating

We all know we should, but we seem to have some mental block when it comes to programming our thermostats to align with our schedules. It’s not that hard, and sometimes all it takes is buying a new one that suits you. (Like maybe a Wi-Fi one that’ll give you a little money-saving thrill each time you swipe your app.)

“From a cost-savings perspective, a programmable thermostat is a great investment,” Lipford says — as much as 10% off your energy bill, according to the U.S. Department of Energy.

6. Skipping Furnace Tune-Ups:

What It’ll Cost You: A furnace that’ll die years before it should — and higher energy bills

“Forget to service your furnace and you could easily cut five years off the life of your system,” says Lipford, who added that five years is a full third of the typical unit’s life span. New units can cost around $4,000 installed, making the $125 annual maintenance charge a no-brainer.

While you’re at it, don’t forget to replace the furnace filter, which cleans the air in your home, and also keeps your furnace coils cleaner, which can shave up to 15% off your energy bill. Johnson suggests at least every three months, but possibly as often as monthly if you have allergies, pets, or smoke cigarettes at home.

7. Foregoing a Fireplace Inspection

What It’ll Cost You: Possibly your life — and your home

“A cozy fire is great, but if you don’t maintain your chimney, a fire can cost you thousands of dollars,” says Johnson, not to mention the risk to you and your family.

Schedule your maintenance appointment as early as you can.”If you wait until the busy season, you’ll have a hard time getting them out there, you’ll pay more, and you’ll get a lower quality job,” says Lipford.