With this super-simple breakdown of loan types, you won’t get overwhelmed — you’ll find the right mortgage.
Image: HouseLogic
When it comes to buying a house, most people know what they prefer: a bungalow or a condo, a hot neighborhood or a sleepy street.
Mortgages, too, come in many styles — and recognizing which type you should choose is just slightly more involved than, say, knowing that you prefer hardwood floors over wall-to-wall carpeting.
First things first: To pick the best loan for your situation, you need to know what your situation is, exactly. Will you be staying in this home for years? Decades? Are you feeling financially comfortable? Are you anxious about changing loan rates? Consider these questions and your answers before you start talking to lenders. (And before you choose a lender, read this.)
Next: You’ll want to have an understanding of the different loans that are out there. There are lots of options, and it can get a little complicated — but you got this. Here we go.
Mortgages Are Fixed-Rate or Adjustable, and One Type Is Better for You
Let’s start with the most common type of mortgage, that workhorse of home loans — the fixed-rate mortgage.
A fixed-rate mortgage:
The Big Picture
The interest rate is only part of your borrowing story. Use the annual percentage rate to figure the total cost of your loan (or to compare two loans), because APR reflects your interest rate and loan fees. Lets you lock in an interest rate for 15 or 30 years. (You can get 20-year loans, too.) That means your monthly payment will stay the same over the life of the loan. (That said, your property taxes and insurance premiums will likely change over time.)
It’s ideal when: You want long-term stability and plan to stay put.
Here’s what else you need to know about fixed-rate mortgages:
A 30-year fixed-rate mortgage offers a lower monthly payment for the loan amount (for this reason, it’s more popular than the other option, the 15-year).
A 15-year fixed-rate mortgage typically offers a lower interest rate but a higher monthly payment because you’re paying off the loan amount faster.
Now let’s get into adjustable-rate, the other type of mortgage you’ll be looking at.
An adjustable-rate mortgage (ARM):
Offers a lower interest rate than a fixed-rate mortgage for an initial period of time — say, five or seven years — but the rate can fluctuate after the introductory period is over, depending on changes in interest rate conditions. And that can make it difficult to budget.
Has caps that protect how high the rate can go.
It’s ideal when: You plan to live in a home for a short time or you expect your income to go up to offset potentially higher future rates.
Here’s what else you need to know about adjustable-rate mortgages:
Different lenders may offer the same initial interest rate but different rate caps. It’s important to compare rate caps when shopping around for an ARM.
Adjustable-rate mortgages have a reputation for being complicated. As the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau advises, make sure to read the fine print.
A general rule of thumb: When comparing adjustable-rate loans, ask the prospective lender to calculate the highest payment you may ever have to make. You don’t want any surprises.
“Visit HouseLogic.com for more articles like this. Reprinted from HouseLogic.com with permission of the NATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF REALTORS®.”
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Decking the halls is good fun and all, but shuffling through piles of wreaths, lights, ornaments, dreidels, wrapping paper, and stockings is nothing to fa la la la about.
Cut back on the holiday overwhelm with these organization ideas for your festive gear.
Instead of doing a holiday-themed scavenger hunt each November, put all your holiday gear in a single closet. You’ll keep it dust-free, together, and at your fingertips. Since this closet will be all holidays, all the time, leave some of your decorations out and use them to adorn the space. Easy to find and festive; it’s a twofer.
Everything’s packed in tidy boxes. Good. But how will you find the stockings if you use a bunch of identical, opaque tubs? Even if you label each bin (which takes more energy than most of us have post-holiday), you can’t possibly list everything inside. A better idea: clear bins. Hey look, the stockings.
Square bins make better use of the space than tall or odd-shaped ones. Measure your storage area so you buy exactly the right size and number of bins to maximize the space.
#3 Organize With an Inventory App
Image: Micco Caporale for HouseLogic
If clear bins aren’t in keeping with your closet aesthetic, pick whatever container suits your fancy and keep track of your stuff with an inventory app like Sortly or Home Inventory.
Just photograph and tag your things as you put them in a bin. The app will assign a QR code that you then print and attach to the bin. When you go looking for your vintage 1940s ornaments, scan the label, and the app will show you a list of every item in the box.
Just be sure to back up your data on another device so you don’t lose the menorah if you lose your phone.
Nothing takes the holly jolly out of the holiday like crushed wreaths. If you put them in a bin or on lay them on a shelf, they may not survive till next season. Instead, hang them from a clothing rod in a closet. You can use pot hanger hooks to suspend them or make your own.
You don’t need to dedicate an entire closet to wreaths. Just add a second bar to a coat closet.
Holidays mean baking, and baking means lugging the stand mixer, the cookie cutters, and the jars of glittery sprinkles out of the cabinets for every sweet batch.
Instead, put your supplies in one place, on a rolling baking cart. Store it in your pantry or in a corner, and roll it out when you’re ready to bake. Best of all, you can use it year round, not just at the holidays.
Rolls of wrapping paper are awkward to store and constantly in the way. And if the rolls get dinged, the darn paper tears. You can store your paper and use up dead space, too, with a wall-mount storage system. Hang it in a closet on a blank wall, put your paper in it, and you have a wrapper’s delight.
When winter hits, your house turns into a debris field of coats, boots, and mittens. Keep that blizzard of outerwear from ruining your festive and organized house with an entryway cabinet. It’s a clutter catcher that will make your holidays (and the rest of the year) a little easier.
“Visit HouseLogic.com for more articles like this. Reprinted from HouseLogic.com with permission of the NATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF REALTORS®.”
Before you get started, you’ll need to pick a programmable thermostat you’ll actually use. Here’s how.
Programming a thermostat can seem daunting. That observation was not made by a frustrated homeowner but by John Galeotafiore, who oversees testing of thermostats and other home products for “Consumer Reports.” The challenge can result in programming mistakes or even avoidance of programming altogether.
But programming really isn’t that hard, and it’s definitely worth doing because it can save at least 10% a year on heating and cooling costs.
The U.S. Department of Energy says you can achieve that 10% by turning your thermostat back 7 to 10 degrees Fahrenheit from it’s normal setting for eight hours a day — for example, while you’re sleeping.
The first step is to pick the thermostat that best suits your scheduling needs so you can “set it and forget it,” an approach the Energy Department advocates to get the most savings.
Pick the Right Thermostat
There are four types of programmable thermostats, each with a distinctive scheduling style:
7-day programming. Best for individuals or families with erratic schedules, since this is the most flexible option. It lets you program a different heating/cooling schedule for each day of the week.
5-1-1 programming. One heating/cooling schedule for the week, plus you can schedule a different heating/cooling plan for Saturday and Sunday.
5-2 programming. Same as 5-1-1 programming, except Saturday and Sunday will have the same heating/cooling plan.
1-week programming. You can set only one heating/cooling plan that will be repeated daily for the entire week.
You’ll need a program for both the cooler months and the warmer months.
TIP: Before buying a programmable thermostat, identify the type of equipment used to heat and cool your home so you can check for compatibility. For example, do you have central heating and cooling, or just a furnace or baseboard heating? Otherwise, you may not reap the rewards of energy savings and may risk harming your heating and cooling equipment.
Most programmable thermostats have a preprogrammed setting that’s supposed to be for the typical American family. But what family is typical these days? You need to adjust the thermostat’s settings so it syncs up with the life you and your family lead instead of some pretend family.
Programmable thermostats typically use either daily or weekday/weekend schedules, and almost all smart thermostats offer daily schedules. Once you know what kind of schedule your thermostat uses, jot down the times your family generally wakes up, leaves home, returns home, and goes to bed each day of the week so that you can use it when you program your thermostat.
The Department of Energy suggests the following settings as an energy-saving rule of thumb:
Winter months:
For the hours you’re home and awake, program the temp to 68 F.
Lower at least 10 degrees for the hours you’re asleep or out of the house.
Summer months:
For the hours you’re home, program air conditioning to 78 F.
For the days you don’t need cooling, manually shut off the AC. Keep in mind, it will kick back on if the house gets too warm.
Program it to be warmer than usual when you’re out of the house.
Here are a few programming timing tips to help you create the best set-it-and-forget-it heating and cooling schedule for your home:
Shut down heat or air conditioning 20 to 30 minutes before you leave home each day.
Turn on heat or air conditioning 20 to 30 minutes before you come home each day.
Reduce the heating or cooling 60 minutes before you go to sleep each night.
Increase heating or cooling about 30 minutes before you wake up each morning.
Spend time tweaking your program for a few days to make sure it feels right.
TIP: With a Wi-Fi-enabled thermostat, you can control your home’s temperature while on the go. That way, you’re not wasting energy if you’re running late or forgot to create a new program before going on vacation.
FYI: A furnace does NOT have to work harder to warm a house after the temperature has been set low during the day.
Use a Wi-Fi Thermostat to Make It Super Easy
Want something that’s simpler? Newer more high-tech models have simplified the process:
The Nest Learning Thermostat: It learns what temperature you like and builds a schedule around yours. Independent studies showed it saved people an average of 10% to 12% on heating bills and 15% on cooling bills. Since it’s Wi-Fi, it can be controlled remotely. Price: $249.
Honeywell Wi-Fi Smart Thermostat: With seven-day programming, the Wi-Fi Smart Color Thermostat allows you to create a custom temperature schedule for every day of the week. When schedules change, you can temporarily update the settings and easily restore your usual program. Price: $169.
FYI: If your thermostat was made before 2005, it likely contains mercury. After that date, digital thermostats entered the market and eventually took over the thermostat market. That said, some contemporary companies still make mercury thermostats. To see if your programmable thermostat contains mercury, check with the manufacturer. If you decide to dispose of a thermostat that contains mercury, find a thermostat recycling site near you by contacting Thermostat Recycling Corp. (Not sure why mercury is so bad? Here’s the skinny: It’s toxic and it never breaks down. When it enters the waste stream, it permanently damages the ecosystem.)
“Visit HouseLogic.com for more articles like this. Reprinted from HouseLogic.com with permission of the NATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF REALTORS®.”
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When it comes to home improvement ideas, some are more financially savvy than others. And if you’re on a limited budget, it becomes even more important to be savvy.
Here are seven affordable home improvement projects that’ll help you enjoy your home more today and provide excellent financial return in the future.
Crown molding makes rooms seem both bigger taller. It’s an elegant addition to any home.
Plus, wood moldings come in hundreds of options — from simple to ornate — that you can stain, paint, or leave natural.
You can also find moldings in flexible materials, such as foam, that make installation a whole lot easier. Some moldings even include lighting that casts a soft, ambient glow.
And at $1.50 per foot if you DIY it, or $8 per foot if you hire, it’s a no-brainer in terms of personalizing your home while adding value. (Although we don’t recommend DIY unless you’ve got above-par mitering skills.)
A few tips about molding:
Be careful about proportions. If your ceiling height is 9 feet or less, go with simpler styles to avoid overwhelming the room.
Don’t forget entryways, doors, and windows: Bump up the trim around these areas to give rooms a completed and expensive feel.https://www.youtube.com/embed/LhpuVZYUE0M?feature=oembed&enablejsapi=1HouseLogic
#2 Hang Quality Ceiling Fans
If your ceiling fans are old and outdated, new ones (coupled with a fresh paint job and crown molding) could give your rooms a refreshing update while saving money.
Some tips about ceiling fans:
Hang 7 to 8 feet above the floor.
If you’ve got a low ceiling, buy a hugger ceiling fan that’s flush-mounted.
Go for the biggest Energy Star-rated fan that will fit the space.
Choose quality. You’ll get better cooling results, less noise, and good looks at a digestible price point of $200 to $600.
#3 Plant Some Trees
Image: M. Williams
Say what? Adding trees doesn’t instantly pop into your head when you think of adding value to your home. But trees are moneymakers that get better with age.
A mature tree could be worth between $1,000 to $10,000, says the Council of Tree and Landscape Appraisers. A 16-inch silver maple could be worth $2,562, according to a formula worked out by the Purdue University Cooperative Extension Service.
In urban areas, money really does grow on trees. A recent study of home sales by the Pacific Northwest Research Station of Portland showed that street trees growing in front of or near a house boosted its sale price by an average of $8,870 and shaved two days off its time on the market.
But don’t go crazy and trick out your outdoor space with high-end amenities, like an outdoor kitchen — especially if you’d be the only one on the block with one. When it’s time to sell, you won’t get back much — if any — of your investment on outdoor kitchens and other high-end amenities. Instead, keep it simple and functional to see a return on investment.
A professionally installed deck costs about $10,000 to install, but if you DIY it, you’ll save more than half that while adding to your equity.
Don’t skimp on deck lighting. It can make all the difference in functionality and beautification.
#5 Upgrade Your Insulation
It’s not as sexy as a kitchen remodel, but it doesn’t cost as much either ($65,000 vs $2,100).
Plus, you’ll save all year long on your utility bills. Win-win!
#6 Add Some Creative Storage
We don’t have to sell you on the value of storage and built-in organization. Since when have you heard someone complain about too much storage? Never, we bet.
Adding storage is a no-brainer, but it does take a little brainpower to find your home’s hidden storage.
Here are a few ways to think outside of the toy box:
Open drywall to create storage cubbies between your wall’s studs.
Install platform storage that hangs from your garage ceiling.
Exterior lighting makes your home shine in the evening, accents features you like most about your house, and helps keep burglars away. Installing motion-detecting lights can even lower some homeowners’ insurance premiums.
Landscaping lighting tips:
Place accent lights under your favorite trees to show off your landscaping’s top earners.
Put them on a timer so you don’t waste energy running them during the day.
Choose a warm, white light. It’ll make your home look and feel welcoming.
“Visit HouseLogic.com for more articles like this. Reprinted from HouseLogic.com with permission of the NATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF REALTORS®.”
A new way to look at landscaping can protect your yard from severe weather patterns.
Image: Richard Ross/Getty
Contrary to what many may believe, severe weather doesn’t just beat up on the other guy. Mother Nature can wallop anyone’s home and yard.
That doesn’t mean you’ll have to watch your house reduced to briquettes by a wildfire or flooding test your home’s capacity for flotation. But your yard may lose some of its curb appeal if you let nature take its course and you experience events like drought, flooding, hail, high winds, or other uninvited elements. If severe weather is persistent or paired with deficient maintenance, it can set your yard back years.
It may be time to rethink your ideas about traditional yards and landscaping. Consider new ideas that will stand up to new challenges but still leave you enough time to enjoy your yard – and your life. Here are five tips to get you started.
1. Counteract Drought Devastation
Continuous lack of water is a serious threat to cultivated plants, says Bryan McKenzie, landscape designer and co-founder of the blog Bumpercroptimes.com. Drought slows plant growth, affects the structures of plants, makes them more susceptible to disease, and can even deep-six entire root systems.
Unless you want to relive the Dust Bowl, understand that drought can have a negative impact on soil. “If you’re in a drought situation, you’re exposing the soil to the sun,” says Joe Raboine, director of residential hardscapes for Belgard in Atlanta. “[Soil] will bake, dry up, and turn to dust. Pesticides in the dust will be dispersed through the air.”
To thrive, grass lawns need to quaff at least one inch of water weekly, says Luke Lee, a London-based real estate professional who helps homeowners with landscaping design choices. If your home is in an area gripped by frequent drought, consider installing artificial turf (AstroTurf is one type). It will help conserve water and put a damper on grass fires, Lee says.
Another option: Use drought-resistant plants or mulch on the land to protect the soil and allow the soil biome to thrive, Raboine says. One other possibility is edible landscapes, including blueberry bushes. “Blueberries can be planted from the South to far North and thrive in many different and even fairly harsh conditions,” he says. “There’s receptivity to new ideas about how to cover your land, which are really old ways that predate the arrival of lawn mowers to cut your grass.”
2. Prevent Damage from Excessive Precipitation
Too much precipitation from rain and snowfall can damage both plants and soil, says the marketing director of Manchester, Conn.-based Green Building Elements. Monsoon-like downpours can unleash a torrent of stormwater pollution, which can kill plant roots.
Flooding can rob landscapes of large volumes of nutrients and also choke them from lack of air. If plants remain in standing water too long, growth can be slowed, or they may die, McKenzie says.
Many homeowners grade the soil on their properties rather than accentuating the natural landscape, says Tom Monson, owner of Monson Lawn & Landscaping in Mendota Heights, Minn. When combined with extreme weather like heavy rains, this grading can lead to erosion.
Homeowners in areas with severe weather need to consider where water drains, Monson says. “Many homeowners have installed customized draining systems to protect against flooding. But many have not installed drainage systems, and [their yards] are at risk.”
Water running off a yard can carry oil and debris, which end up in waterways. To avoid getting the evil eye from the Environmental Protection Agency, consider installing permeable pavements in your yard. Two such coverings are interlocking concrete pavers or amended soils.
Permeable pavements can prevent both pollutant runoff and flooding, says Raboine. They capture the water in the substrate. There, microbes break down pollutants before they can enter the aquifer.
“The storm water from a driveway can be collected in a tank in the same way water was once collected in a cistern, and later used for irrigation purposes,” he says.
3. Secure Your Yard from High Winds
Gusts strong enough to propel Dorothy back to the Emerald City seem more common these days. As threatening as they may be to houses and cars, those gusts are also no friend of your landscaping. Strong sustained winds can rip smaller plants from the ground. After a windstorm, distribution of leaves, pine needles, and small branches, as well as large fallen trees, can make your yard look like a disaster zone. Even milder winds can accelerate soil erosion. That’s destructive to landscaping and brings slower growth.
Landscape experts urge several steps. Prune trees and bushes of loose or dead branches. Before an impending storm, tie down any other loose foliage, and secure furniture or decorations, which can be blown around your lot as well. Think about planting fewer ornamental shrubs or trees, and avoid trees that are easily uprooted by heavy winds. Even ponder cutting down a few trees and foliage vulnerable to high winds.
4. Prepare Your Yard for Extreme Heat
Statistics suggest the weather pattern most deadly for humans is extreme heat. It can be just as lethal to the yards of humans. This weather pattern can cause loss of foliage, dormant lawns, stressed shrubs and trees, and insect and disease infestations. So says Owen Mosser, Maine-based garden expert at online publication The Golden.
To keep your lawn green in spite of the summer heat, replacing some areas with water-wise plantings will make your yard more tolerant. Possibilities include Spanish lavender, African daisy, aloes, pride of Madeira, rockrose, and Juniper.
“Pruning dead or infected limbs will keep plant diseases from spreading to the healthy parts of your yard,” he adds. Detect infected plants by spotting abnormal growth or appearance of disease-causing organisms such as insect larvae or bacterial slime. Leaves are also visibly yellow leaves with white blotches, and the stems may become a bit mushy.
5. Protect Your Landscaping From Harsh Winters
Long cold stretches, when combined with the kind of gusts that send wind chills plummeting to minus zero territory, can leave your yard’s future on thin ice.
Prevent this by overseeding your lawn to generate stronger, healthier grass and keep your lawn safe during the winter months, Mosser says. Incorporating mulch also provides insulation, regulates root and soil warmth, and keeps your plants healthy.
“Don’t forget to remove dead leaves and debris,” he adds. “Doing this will prevent your plants from suffocating and infesting fungus and diseases. Mother Nature can be unforgiving sometimes . . . preventive landscaping is key.”
Bottom line? Make the time and money you spend on your yard a strong investment against severe weather. Preventive landscaping can help ensure your yard stays green. That could also save you some green by fixing problems that could have been avoided.
“Visit HouseLogic.com for more articles like this. Reprinted from HouseLogic.com with permission of the NATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF REALTORS®.”
New backsplash? You’ve done it. Upgrading a faucet? No problem. You’re a DIY master. But what about that electrical issue? Or fixing a leaky roof? Even though you (and your BFF, YouTube) have pulled off many DIY projects, you know there are projects you’ve no business trying on your own. But what about those projects that fall somewhere in between “I got this” and “I’m calling the pros”? How can you know if a project is really DIYable for you?
For Lucas Hall, finding that answer has been trial and error. As a “DIY landlord” for more than two years and founder of Landlordology, an online resource for landlords, he’s gutted three homes and renovated countless others.
“I’m just handy enough to be dangerous,” Hall says.
He’s suffered more than his fair share of DIY disasters. With each, he’s learned a valuable lesson about his own limits, as well as how he can do better next time.
Think 10 Steps Ahead
When Hall updated a tiny kitchen in one of his rentals, he installed a brand-new, expensive fridge — and then built a peninsula countertop extension.
“We thought it was the greatest idea,” he says. But adding the peninsula narrowed the space in front of the refrigerator, making it impossible to remove without lifting it entirely up and over the extension. (Ever tried to lift a fridge?)
“I’m just praying the fridge doesn’t die on me, because I’m going to have to hire four or five burly guys to get it out,” Hall says. “Or just Sawzall the thing in half.”
DIY lesson: Measure once, measure twice, measure again, and think through every possible scenario before changing a room’s layout.
Don’t Go With the Cheapest Option
Speaking of kitchen appliances: Hall was looking for an island range hood, which can be extra-expensive because it needs to be attractive from all angles. Dismayed by the prices he found elsewhere online, he went to Amazon, where he found an $800 hood on sale for about $250.
“Of course, it was from a brand we hadn’t really heard of,” Hall says.
Less than a year after installation, the hood was on the fritz. Removing the appliance was a challenge. The electrical wiring needed to be redone, and the wall needed to be drywalled, requiring a professional contractor.
“It probably cost me three-fold to fix my mistake,” says Hall. “For any appliance that’s more complicated than plugging it in and rolling it into place, upgrade and buy something that’s not going to break on you within a year.”
DIY lesson: For any DIY project, the cheapest option, from materials to appliances, should raise a red flag.
For Specialty Work, Seek Specialty Advice
Hall is no electrician, but since he’d done some minor electrical work before, he figured the job of adding a dimmer switch would be no big deal.
“We hung a chandelier in the dining room and figured you might want to dim this giant chandelier for a relaxing candlelit dinner,” says Hall. Because the space had switches at both entrances, he added a dimmer to both — the more the merrier, right?
Wrong.
“After four hours spent blowing circuits and lightbulbs and struggling to get this chandelier to dim correctly, we called the manufacturer,” Hall says. Spoiler alert: You just can’t have two dimmer switches for one circuit.
A dimmer works by modulating the amount of electricity flowing through the circuit; adding another one causes chaos. A little research would’ve indicated the second dimmer switch was a no-no.
“It just flips out,” says Hall. “It doesn’t know how much dimming should be happening. The lights were flickering like a poltergeist.”
DIY lesson: No one blames you for not being a specialist, but any time you’re taking on a specialty project make sure to do your research first or consult a pro.
DIY When Help is Available (aka, NOT on a Holiday)
Holidays might be a great time to tackle minor DIY projects, but if you’re working on anything that could require a professional if things go south, consider waiting for a normal business day.
“I was trying to get a property ready to rent,” says Hall. “Time is money. It was the Fourth of July, and I was adding a new cabinet [in the bathroom].”
It sounds easy enough, but the unit was in a condo building with a centralized water system; there wasn’t a water shut-off valve for just that bathroom. Not wanting to shut down the water for the entire building on July Fourth, he decided to risk it.
And oh, what a risk it turned out to be. When trying to loosen a pipe, the whole thing broke off. It was rusted out. Water sprayed out so hard, it hit him in the chest. After rushing to the basement, he flipped every knob he found until the water shut-off.
“Luckily my property was on the first floor and the basement was a laundry room, because water was leaking through the floor, destroying drywall,” Hall says.
Being a holiday, the rest of the day was no less of a disaster. The condo association’s emergency line sent him a plumber who was angry to be missing his holiday events and drinking as he tried to fix the problem. Sloppy work resulted in a fire — in a building with no water.
“He runs to my fridge and starts grabbing anything liquid — milk, a bottle of Sprite, cans of beer,” Hall recalls. “He’s dumping water into the middle of the wall, punching holes in it, trying to find the fire.”
DIY lesson: Always do tricky DIY projects when you know a pro — a pro you trust — can help out in a hurry.
“Visit HouseLogic.com for more articles like this. Reprinted from HouseLogic.com with permission of the NATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF REALTORS®.”
These must-haves will make things a lot easier in the first few weeks.
Image: donatas1205/Shutterstock
When Lauren Hunter and her husband moved into their first home in Hilliard, Ohio, the previous homeowner had left behind a ladder. “It turned out to be awesome,” Hunter says. “You don’t realize how many situations where ladders make things easier. Hanging pictures is one thing, but try hanging curtains in a two-story great room.”
Whether it’s the need to hang a clock just a few feet higher or the realization that you really can’t hold a flashlight and get that nut loosened under the sink, there’s always something catching you by surprise as a homeowner.
With the right items on hand, however, you can be prepared for every scenario — just like Hunter was, thanks to that ladder.
Here’s things you should buy for a new house:
#1 Wet-Dry Vacuum
You’re gonna be spilling stuff. Look for a wet-dry vacuum that can handle everything from paint to nails and small stones. “We inherited one of those with our first house, and it was an awesome thing to have for vacuuming the car and cleaning the garage,” Hunter says. Unlike the ladder, “we kept that Shop-Vac when we moved.”
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#2 (The Right) Fire Extinguisher
“Whenever anyone I know moves, I give them a fire extinguisher as a housewarming gift,” says Nina Patel, a Silver Spring, Md., homeowner who, years ago, accidentally set her apartment on fire with a homemade candle. “I was able to put out the fire with a pan of water, but it was a panicked moment. I’ve had my own fire extinguisher ever since.”
But before going out and buying the first extinguisher you see, check out the U.S. Fire Administration’s guide. There are five different types of fire extinguishers with different uses, from extinguishing cooking oils to wood and paper. Choose the best type or types for your home.
#3 Extension Cord Organizer
Home ownership seems to breed extension cords that grow into a tangled nest. Save yourself time and hassle, and splurge on one of several cord management devices. Or make your own with a pegboard, hooks, and velcro straps to keep each cord loop secure. Either way, your cords will be knot-free and easy to find. And be sure to include a heavy-duty extension cord in your organizer that’s outdoor-worthy. You don’t want to really have to use that fire extinguisher.
Image: Libby Walker for HouseLogic
#4 Big-Kid Tools
Odds are you already own a bunch of the basics: drill, screwdriver, hammer, level, tape measure, wrench, pliers, staple gun, utility knife, etc. But home ownership may require a few new ones you might not have needed before, including a:
Stud finder. You can make as many holes in the walls as you want now. Use the stud finder to figure out where to hang those heavy shelves so they’re safely anchored.
Hand saw. Much easier (and cheaper!) than a power saw, you can get a good cross-cut saw for smooth edges on small DIY projects.
Ratchet set. Every bolt in your new house belongs to you, so you’d better be able to loosen and tighten them when needed. Crank that ratchet to get to spots where you can’t turn a wrench all the way around. Great for when you’re stuck in a corner.
Pry bar. Get one with a clawed end to pull nails and a flat end to separate drywall, remove trim or molding, and separate tile.
#5 Tool Kit
You’ll need something to carry all those tools around from project to project. Create a tool carrier using a tool bucket liner and an old 5-gallon bucket. Or invest in a handyman belt filled with the basics to keep on hand in the kitchen.
Image: Anne Arntson for HouseLogic
#6 Headlamp
Take that flashlight out of your mouth and work hands-free. From switching out a faucet to figuring out what’s making that clicking noise behind the washer, there are plenty of homeowner tasks that require both hands and a little artificial light.
#7 Emergency Preparedness Kit
FEMA has a great list of supplies you should have in your kit, including cash, food, water, infant formula and diapers, medications, a flashlight, batteries, first aid kit, matches, sleeping bags, and a change of clothing. The agency recommends you stock enough for every member of your household, including pets, for at least 72 hours.
#8 Ladder(s!)
But not just any old ladder. Consider:
How high you need to go. If you use an extension ladder for a sky-high job, school yourself on safety tips, such as not standing above the support point.
Where you’ll use it. Make sure all four legs on a stepladder rest safely on a flat area. A straight ladder must be set up at a safe angle, so if a ceiling is too low, it might be too long for the room.
How heavy-duty it is. Check the ladder’s duty rating so you know how much weight (you, your tools, paint cans, etc.) it’ll support.
And don’t forget about the all-important escape ladder. The Red Cross recommends them for sleeping areas in multistory homes.
#9 Confidence
“Especially for first-time home buyers. You’re inheriting the responsibilities a landlord would have if you were renting,” says Hunter. “Mowing isn’t a big deal, but maybe fixing a shingle or changing a faucet is.” But with a little self-confidence — and some YouTube tutorials — there’s (almost) no DIY project you can’t master.
“Visit HouseLogic.com for more articles like this. Reprinted from HouseLogic.com with permission of the NATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF REALTORS®.”
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A great real estate agent is like an Oprah for living your best real estate life.
Image: HouseLogic
For every journey, there is a guide. To navigate his magical powers, Harry Potter had Dumbledore. And to channel the Force and save the galaxy, Luke had Yoda. A great real estate agent is like the Force.
Your agent is a licensed professional who’s familiar with local home values and neighborhood perks, understands real estate trends, can write an offer on your behalf, and who negotiates with home sellers so you don’t have to.
Think of your agent as a therapist/consultant for your home search. A collaborator. A co-conspirator. A mentor. Someone who amps up your confidence and counsels you through big decisions (teamwork makes the dream work, after all). And someone who wants you to find a house you can be happy in because they’re invested in your happiness.
If the housing market doesn’t line up with your needs and budget, your agent will go back to the drawing board with you. They interpret raw housing data through the filter of your unique search, then tell you what’s important and why. They help you map the path to your goal, and connect you with trusted experts who can get you into your dream home. (Cue selfie of you drinking wine in your new living room. First like on Instagram? Probably your agent.)
That’s a lot of responsibility. And a lot of pressure. There’s obviously a lot at stake: money and time, of course, but also your happiness. So reach out to an agent sooner in the process rather than later, and you’ll be on the fast track to picking out paint swatches for your new kitchen.
Agents, Brokers, and REALTORS®: What’s the Difference?
“Agent” is a catchall phrase that is used, in casual conversation, to describe the three types of professionals who buy and sell real estate: agents, brokers, and REALTORS®.
No, they’re not really the same. Yes, you should care about what makes them different. Here’s a breakdown:
A real estate agent is a licensed professional who helps people buy, sell, rent, or invest in homes. To become an agent, a person must take pre-licensing training from a certified institution (these vary from state to state) and pass their state’s real estate licensing exam. Once they have their license, an agent must affiliate themselves with a real estate brokerage.
Some agents specialize in representing buyers, some specialize in representing sellers. Some do both. An agent who represents both the buyer and the seller in the same real estate transaction is called a dual agent. By law, a dual agent must disclose dual agency to both parties. (If an agent is seeing other people, you obviously need to know.)
A real estate broker is a professional who has additional education beyond the agent level, as required by state law, and who has passed a broker’s exam. In some cases, brokers also have more years of experience than agents. The biggest difference between a broker and an agent is that a broker may work independently. An agent must be overseen by a broker.
A REALTOR® is a broker or agent who belongs to the National Association of REALTORS® (NAR), the largest trade group in the country. (Full disclosure: NAR publishes HouseLogic.com). A REALTOR® commits to following a strict Code of Ethics intended to protect buyers and sellers; for example, REALTORS® pledge themselves to protect and promote the interests of their client. Agents and brokers who are not NAR members can’t call themselves REALTORS®. There are more than 1 million REALTORS® in the United States. You can use realtor.com®’s Find a REALTOR® tool to connect with one in your area.
Most Popular in Buy a Home: Step-by-Step
The Best Agent for You Depends on … You
Before you seriously partner with anyone, you’ll probably survey family, friends, and trusted acquaintances for at least some input. Finding a real estate agent is no different: A great starting point is to ask your inner circle and neighbors for recommendations. According to recent NAR research, 52% of buyers 36 and younger found their real estate agent through a referral.
Then there’s the internet.
Each of the major property listing websites — realtor.com®, Zillow, Redfin, and Trulia — has an agent-finder tool that lets you search for agents in your area. These property sites also collect reviews and ratings from an agent’s past clients, which gives you insight into an agent’s reputation. Keep in mind, though, that the sites vary in their policies about whether agents can edit or remove reviews. (Like with Yelp, use your own discretion.)
The sites also show an agent’s sales history, so you can see how many homes a person has sold. In general, it’s best to choose an agent who has a large number of sales under his or her belt (a sign they’re committed to real estate work). Perhaps even more important: an agent who has sold homes at the price point and in the neighborhood where you’re looking to buy — a sign they understand the local market.
Whatever you do, don’t rely on online listings alone. Always interview prospective agents — at least three — in person. A meet-and-greet will give you the perspective you need on the agent’s personality and style. Is this someone you’ll like working with? Who has a sense of humor? Who has your back? Who communicates in the ways you want to be communicated with? Best to find out in person.
Once you’ve gathered all the information, listen to your gut: It won’t steer you wrong about who’s the best agent for you.
But, that said, there are a few qualities you’ll want to look for in any agent (your gut would agree):
Local expertise. Does this person know their stuff about neighborhood home value trends, shops and restaurants, schools, commute times, and geographic factors such as floodplains? These things are important, especially if you’re looking for a home in a new city or town. If the agent seems lost or like they’re winging it, keep looking.
Responsiveness. You’ll have a lot of questions, and will be asked to produce documents at certain steps during the buying process. Think about how available you want your agent to be, and how quickly you want him or her to respond. One way to figure that out? Contact a prospective agent online or by phone and see how long it takes them to reply. If you don’t hear back within a timeframe that works for you, it’s probably best to move on.
Reputation. This is when to consult your inner circle again. The agent-finder tool mentioned above can also help. In addition, you’ll want to verify the agent’s license; search “[state] real estate license lookup” in your browser to find a resource for your state. If you want to confirm whether an agent is a REALTOR®, you can call NAR at 1-800-874-6500.
There are a number of professional designations that indicate an agent has obtained additional education beyond their licensing work. An accredited buyer’s representative (ABR®), for instance, is someone who specializes in working with home buyers and has taken a course on buyer-client relationships. You can search the different types of designations here.
“Visit HouseLogic.com for more articles like this. Reprinted from HouseLogic.com with permission of the NATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF REALTORS®.”
The temps are starting to drop, and the smell of wood smoke is in the air. That’s when veteran homeowners know it’s time to do these six things if they want to avoid trouble or overspending.
#1 Buy Appliances
Image: Pierre Desrosiers/Getty
Whisper to them. Do a rain dance. Whatever it takes to get your old appliances to wait until fall to go on the fritz. Manufacturers bring out their latest models during the fall, and store owners offer big sales on appliances they want to move out — like last year’s most popular dishwasher. So September, October, and November are great months to buy.
But October is right in the middle, when there’s still plenty of selection and retailers might be more willing to haggle.
Refrigerators are the exception because new models don’t come out until spring.
Most have a switch to allow the ceiling fan blades to rotate either clockwise or counterclockwise. One way pushes air down to create a nice breeze, and the other sucks air up, helping to distribute the heat. Think counterclockwise when it’s warm and clockwise when it’s cool.
Daylight is about to dwindle so why not get as much of it as you can? Clean off all the bugs, dust, and grime from your windows while the weather is still warm enough to do so. For streak-free windows, combine ¼-cup of white vinegar with ¼ to ½ teaspoon of eco-friendly dish detergent and 2 cups of water.
If window cleaning isn’t a DIY job at your home, schedule a professional window cleaner (who, unlike most of us, is able to do it even when temperatures plummet) before the end of the month. The closer it gets to the holidays, the busier they get. Bright sunshine on winter’s darkest days makes it totally worthwhile.
To ensure your family will be able to feel their toes all winter, schedule early in the month for your heating unit to be serviced. As temperatures drop, service companies get busier.
Whether you hire your heating company’s technician or a contractor to do it, they’ll clean soot and corrosion from the combustion chamber, replace filters, and check the whole system for leaks, clogs, and damage. Nothing pairs with a pending blizzard better than the assurance that you’ll be weathering the storm with warm air piping through the vents and cocoa in hand.
It’s time to dust off and sweep the chimney! Best to hire someone who knows wood-burning fireplaces. A professional chimney sweep will ensure your wood-burning fireplace burns more efficiently and will help prevent chimney fires and carbon monoxide poisoning during the winter. So, yeah, it’s pretty important.
Tip: If you don’t already have a chimney cap, this is also the time to add one to stop wild outdoor critters from crawling down it — and (yikes!) into your house.
If you’ve ever dealt with a burst pipe, you know it’s a sad, wet disaster worth preventing. To avoid the stressful (not to mention, expensive) ordeal, prep your home’s exposed pipes with foam or heat tape — choosing which one will work best with your climate. Remember: The most at-risk pipes are often those in unheated areas such as an attics, crawl spaces, and garages, so secure those first.
“Visit HouseLogic.com for more articles like this. Reprinted from HouseLogic.com with permission of the NATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF REALTORS®.”
