Each year in the U.S. there are more than five million home burglaries. Most of those crimes were preventable. There are simple steps you can take to make your home less enticing to would-be burglars and reduce your risk of being burglarized. Here are some ways to keep your home safe from thieves: 1. Don’t advertise After you buy that expensive new television or computer do not leave the box sitting on the curb. You are telling would-be burglars you have things in your home that could fetch money. Cut the boxes into smaller pieces and put them inside the recycling bin out of plain sight. 2. Pretend someone is always home Typically if burglars think someone is home, they won’t attempt to break in. When you leave the house, create an illusion that someone’s still there by leaving a light on, or even the television. You can also set timers to set lights to go on and off throughout the home at different times. 3. Secure sliding doors Locks can easily be picked on sliding doors so take extra precaution to secure them. Place a strong dowel, steel bar or two-by-four and slide it into the back groove of the sliding door to prevent the door from being opened even if the lock is picked. 4. Lock it up Forty percent of break-ins happen without the use of force. Lock all the windows and doors and use the dead bolt on the door if you have one. When you leave make sure to lock the door leading from the garage to inside of the home. Even if your garage door is down, someone can easily open it. 5. Don’t provide easy access Never leave a spare key hidden outside of your home that’s an open invitation for a burglar. Instead, give a spare key to a neighbor or hide a combination lockbox to keep a key in. 6. Trim the shrubs. Don’t provide a hiding place for criminals. Keep the shrubs in front of windows low and cut away any tall tree branches that reach upper story windows. 7. Don’t advertise you are away If you’re leaving town for a while, let the police know and request that they drive by your property to check on things. Break-ins spike during July and August when homeowners are usually away on vacation. Tell your neighbors you will be away and ask them to keep an eye on your property. Have a house sitter pick up mail, shovel the driveway or mow the lawn. These are all telltale signs of an empty home. ]]>
Everyday Uses for Salt
Salt on popcorn, as a seasoning, or even to melt ice but did you know there are many other unexpected ways to use salt around the house? Salt is something you will want to stock up on when you see how many great uses there are. Here are some unexpected household uses for salt: Salt will help get out fruit stains. Rub salt on the while still wet, and put it in the wash. Mildew spots can be removed by rubbing salt in some buttermilk, apply it to the stain and then let dry in the sun. Wine spills can be absorbed by salt. Pour salt on the spot immediately. Remove heat rings from your furniture by applying a paste of salt and olive oil. Let sit for about an hour and then wipe with a soft cloth. Kill unwanted weeds by pouring boiling salt water over them. Freshen those smelly sneakers by sprinkling their insides with salt. Wait 24 hours for the salt to absorb the odor, and then shake them out. Dry out dirty, muddy footprints from your carpet by sprinkling salt on carpet before vacuuming. Can you think of any other great uses for salt? Please share.]]>
How to Make Your Own Wood Floor Polish
Polishing a hardware floor can be a daunting task and most of the hardwood polish you may have been using is toxic, and not to mention expensive. You can go natural and make your own polish at home. Here are a few homemade wood floor polish recipes:
Control The Mold
Mold in a home can present serious health risks for the occupants, and even more problems for those looking to buy or sell a house. Remedying a major mold problem can be costly, so taking steps to ensure that mold can’t gain a foothold is important for you and your family. Control the humidity – Keep your humidity levels low….No higher than 50%. Most people run into humidity issues in their basements, so think about getting a dehumidifier if you are having trouble with moisture levels. If you have central a/c, then controlling the humidity level of your house should be relatively easy, as the air in your home will be constantly on the move, keeping humidity from building up in any one particular room. Just be sure to have your air conditioning and heating ducts checked for signs of mold. Check Your Vents – Dryer, kitchen, and bathroom vents can all pose mold problems if they aren’t built to blow exhaust directly out of your home. Flooding – If your home happens to incur flood damage, be sure to rectify the problem within 24 house, and at most, 48. Any longer than that, and you risk mold growth. Sometimes, minor flooding issues can be overlooked for a day or two, so if there are any instances where carpets, rugs, or upholstery are moist or wet for an extended period of time, then have them replaced to avoid mold complications. Painting – If you plan to paint your home, look into adding mold inhibitors to your paint. This will cut down on the amount of places in your home that mold can proliferate. If you suspect that your home has an existing mold problem, then please follow the link provided. http://www.epa.gov/mold/moldcleanup.html]]>
What to Ask Before You Add On
If you are thinking of adding an addition to your home there are some things you will wants to be aware of. If you decide to add a new space, ask yourself the following questions: * Can I finance the home improvement with my own cash or will I need a loan? * How much equity is in the property? A fair amount will make it that much easier to get a loan for home improvements. * Is it feasible to expand the current space for an addition? * What is permissible under local zoning and building laws? Despite your deep yearning for a new sunroom or garage, you will need to know if your town or city will allow such improvements. * Should I make the improvement myself or hire a contractor? Many homeowners consider going to job alone to save money. Consider how much time you have, your level of expertise or willingness to handle the job, amount of help from friends or relatives, and how much you want, or need, to save by doing the job yourself. You could save up to 20 percent of the project cost through your own hard work. Be aware, however, that you may need to call in the pros. Going it alone can sometimes lead to spending more time and money. if problems arise. Most home improvement experts suggest that homeowners who do not have a lot of experience should stick to painting, minor landscaping, building interior shelving, and other minor improvements.]]>
What is Old Can be New
Is clutter taking over your life? There is a way to take your life back from the piles of junk collecting in your home and it doesn’t involve all of your things ending up in the landfill. Here are just a few smart and frugal ideas for repurposing old stuff… For Decorating Use old hardware from dresser drawers to hang curtains. Use junk CDs and DVDs as drink coasters. For Organizing Use oatmeal containers and coffee tins to store flour, sugar and mixes. Use old doorknobs to make a coat rack. For Outside Use egg cartons, old jars, tins and yogurt cartons to make functional seed starters. Use old wooden ladders as part of your landscaping, allowing ivy and other vine plants to climb them. Use CDs to scare birds away from your berry garden. Hang CDs from a tree near your berry bushes. The shiny, moving objects will frighten birds, keeping them away from your sun-ripened berries. Use Cooking Spray as an ice repellent. Spray both sides of a plastic or metal shovel with cooking spray and the ice will slide right off. Repurposing items is easy if you start by changing the way you look at things. Next time you think something is trash, stop and think “how can I repurpose this?”]]>
Home Sweet Office
With the recent growth in telecommuting, home offices are also becoming a necessity rather than a luxury. Home buyers are looking for a place where they can work, a place to pay bills or simply surf the net. Investing in a home office will help you now and may pay off later. Have you always dreamed of a home office? Do you have an office that is overrun with papers? A home office is usually the place where junk finds its home. Getting that room into a place where organization is king can be easier than you think. Implementing an organizational system that has you working in peace with everything at your fingertips is easy if you follow these simple tips. 1. Choose the space. Think of all the things that you’ll need to work comfortably in your home office. You want to make sure the space will allow for your desk and chair and anything else you will need in your office. 2. Organize your space. Part of organizing means decluttering. If you have three staplers, six pairs of scissors you will need to get rid of anything extra. Clutter is very distracting and reduces efficiency. Identify a space for all the necessities. You need to identify a place for the printer, file cabinet, reference books and supplies. 3. Schedule the date and time for your office organization. Set aside a specific time and date to plan your space. If you have lots of files and file cabinets, make a decision on how much you want to get done in the initial session. You may need to plan several dates to complete the whole task. 4. Reorganize. Clean and organize your office at the end of each day. It will only take a few minutes and keep you on track to staying organized. Plan on reorganizing your office every three months or so. By planning your home office space and getting it organized you’ll enjoy it more. Your work will be better, you’ll appreciate being at home, and you’ll have the perfect place to work–your home. Now focus on success!]]>
Opening A Vacation Home
That time of year is upon us…the season is quickly approaching! A big reason for owning a vacation home is rest and relaxation, but it’s not all fun and games. Opening a vacation home takes time and money. Plan to spend at least a day before the season starts to open your vacation home. Specific tasks, such as draining off pipes or turning on utilities, will depend on climate, as well as when and how the vacation home is used. A beach cottage has different requirements than a mountain cabin. If you don’t live nearby or don’t want to do the work yourself, be sure to budget for a property manager like Foran Realty. Opening A Vacation Home When it’s time to visit your vacation home for the first time, or start renting it out for the season, you’ll need to get it ready. A ski chalet might require you to shovel snow and chop firewood, while a summer retreat by the shore might call for cleaning patio furniture and staining the deck. Much depends on how well the house is maintained throughout the year. Opening your vacation home could be as easy as stocking the pantry, or if the house was neglected in the offseason, you could have multiple repairs on your hands. A well-maintained vacation home shouldn’t take more than a day to get in shape for the season, assuming no major repairs are needed. Here are some typical opening chores:
- Turn on utilities
- Clean and stock kitchen and bathrooms
- Look for evidence of plumbing and roof leaks
- Cut lawn and trim shrubs/trees
- Clear walkways and driveway
- Set up outdoor furniture
- Change light bulbs and smoke detector batteries and carbon monoxide detector batteries
- Replace furnace filters
- Check for signs of pest infestation
The Art of Feng Shui
Feng Shui is an ancient art and science developed over 3000 years ago in China. It is a complex body of knowledge that reveals how to balance the energies of any given space to promise the health and good fortune of the people living there.
The basic principles of Feng Shui is the principle of five elements, which are Wood, Fire Earth, Metal and Water. These are the basic building blocks of nature and environment in Feng Shui. The five elements theory is one of the main theories in Feng Shui. You can bring life changing results in to your home by knowing how to apply these Feng Shui elements to your home.
The best way to begin to make your home a Feng Shui home is to clean out the clutter. This is a good way to clear out some negative energy. Another important Feng Shui aspect is to have good quality air and quality light. This is to help the energy in your home, this can be done by opening the windows often and have lots of air purifying plants. Then you need to define your Baqua, the Feng Shui energy map of your home. There are 8 areas and you will need a compass to do a reading in your home .Each area of your home is connected to different life area. For example the southeast area of your house is connected to the flow of money and energy in your house.
If you are looking to increase prosperity to your home you need to increase wood and water in the southeast area of your home. You need to use the element wood and the colors green and brown to bring about abundance in this life area. The east is connected to family and health and the use of the wood element and lush plants will help bring about health.
It is also in to important to bring in the five elements of Feng Shui into your home to create balance and energy in all areas of your home. It is best to express Feng Shiu elements in a subtle way that is visually pleasing and will go well with your home.
]]>Renting Out Your Home
Getting your Home Ready to Rent
- Keep careful records.Rental income is taxable, but many of the expenses you will incur as you prepare your rental are tax deductible. Keep detailed records of the money and time you spend getting your home ready to rent so that you can maximize your deductions at tax time.
- Apply for a rental permit.Permits are not necessary in all areas, especially for short-term rentals, but many cities are responding to the growth of new rental trends by creating new forms of regulation. If a permit is required in your area, give yourself plenty of time to get through the application process before your first guests arrive. Remember that permitting and inspection fees, like all other expenses you incur while preparing your rental property, are tax deductible so be sure to keep careful records.
- Acquire landlord insurance.Call your local insurance agent and ask if your current homeowner’s policy will cover the kind of rental situation you will be offering. Many policies will cover the occasional short-term rental, but for more long-term arrangements, you may need special coverage.
- Prepare your home to rent, inside and out.Make sure that all appliances work, that furniture is comfortable and in good repair, and that everything is clean and neat. Ensure that safety equipment like smoke detectors, carbon monoxide detectors, and fire extinguishers are in good working order and are clearly accessible. Remove all precious personal belongings to a secure location, such as a storage unit or primary home. Do the same with all toiletries and anything else you wouldn’t want a stranger snooping through. Put clean linens on all of the beds (if you are planning on supplying linens), and make sure that bathrooms are stocked with clean towels, soap dispensers are full, etc. The requirements for safety equipment in rental properties vary widely by region. Smoke detectors are the bare minimum in most places. You will be informed of further requirements through the permitting process. Unless you are going for a very high-end rental, do not furnish your rental with extremely expensive furniture, linens, towels, etc. These items are likely to get damaged or disappear. Look for items of decent quality that are not too expensive but are still comfortable.
- Hire a reputable cleaning service.Some property owners are able to minimize costs by performing rental clean-outs on their own, but this can be a very time-consuming and difficult process, so it might be better worth your time to hire a professional service. If you do, be sure to do some research first and hire a reputable company that is licensed and insured. Get personal recommendations from your rental agent, other property owners, or look for a service with excellent online recommendations.
- Hire a landscaping service.As with cleaning, some property owners take on landscaping chores themselves, but you may be better off hiring a landscaping service to take care of routine lawn maintenance and care. Landscaping services, like cleaning services and other maintenance costs are all tax deductible, and a well-maintained yard is more likely to get good reviews and repeat renters.
- Create a system for providing a key or entry instructions to your guests. This is something that can be handled by your rental agent should you choose to use one. The check in and checkout instructions will be detailed with the lease and any inquiries etc. can be directed to the rental agent and their office, freeing you up to enjoy your time!
- Create a welcome book or informational packet to give to renters when they arrive.Include information about the home and the local area. Providing information on local attractions and dining options, as well as emergency contact information is an option that guests love. Leaving a welcome gift like a fruit basket or bottle of wine is another great way to welcome guests and keep them coming back year after year.