The Everything Guide to Selling Your First Home

Posted on April 28, 2023 by Brittany Icayan

How to figure out exactly what you want, and how to work with the experts who’ll help you get it.

First-Time Home Seller's Guide illustration
Image: HouseLogic
  • Selling, a famous salesman once said, is essentially a transfer of feelings.

You love and cherish your home. You want the next owner to fall in love with it, too — through photos, through words, and through the experience of walking through your front door. But, perhaps most, you want to get the price you want.

This isn’t a small task. Selling a home requires work. It requires time. The journey isn’t always easy. There will be frustrations. But when you seal the deal and move on to your next chapter  — wow, what a blissful, boss feeling.

Below, we preview and link to each step in your journey.  We’ll discuss how to know what you want (and what your partner wants, if you’re selling together). How to understand the market, and ways to make a plan. And most importantly? How to create relationships with experts and trust them to help you get the job done.

Now, let’s talk about selling your house.

Jump to a specific home selling step using these links:

Know What You Want | Do Your Research | Interview and Select an Agent | Price Your Home | Prep Your Home for Sale | Market Your Home | Showcase Your Home | Receive Offers | Negotiate With the Buyer | Negotiate Home Inspection Repairs | Close the Sale

Know, Exactly, What You Want

First things first: You need to know what you want (and what your partner wants) in order to sell your home with minimum frustration. Why are you moving? What do you expect from the process? When, exactly, should you put that For Sale sign in the yard? We can help you get your thoughts in order with this home selling worksheet.Popular Reads

Do Your Research

Unless you bought your home last week, the housing market changed since you became a homeowner. Mortgage rates fluctuate, inventory shifts over time — these are just a few of the factors that affect the state of the market, and every market is unique. Educate yourself on what to expect. Start with our study guide on the market. 

Related Topic: Sell a Home: Step-by-Step

Interview and Select an Agent

This is the most important relationship you’ll form on your home selling journey. Pick the right agent and you’ll likely get a better sales price for your house. Here’s how to find and select the expert who’s right for you.

Price Your Home

How much is your home worth? That’s the … $300,000 question. Whatever the number, you need to know it. This is how your agent will help you pinpoint the price.

Prep Your Home for Sale

Today, home buyers have unfettered access to property listings online, so you have to make a great first impression — on the internet and IRL. That means you’ll have to declutter all the stuff you’ve accumulated over the years, make any necessary repairs, and get your home in swoon-worthy condition. Here’s how to stage your home. 

Market Your Home

Home buyers look at countless listings online. The best-marketed homes have beautiful photos and compelling property descriptions, so they can get likes — which can amount to buyer interest — on social media. Agents may also use videos, virtual tours, texts, and audio messages. It’s time to consider how to promote your property.

Showcase Your Home

Your agent will help you get your home in show-ready condition, emphasizing its assets and helping buyers envision themselves there. The agent will disinfect your home before and after a showing to ensure that you and any visitors are safe. To help keep sellers safe, agents are also using virtual showings, relying on Zoom or Facetime to walk a buyer through your home.

Receive Offers

Yes, you might get offers plural, depending on your market. Assuming you’ve collaborated with your agent, you’ve likely positioned yourself to receive attractive bids. Your agent will review each offer with you to determine which is best for you. (Read: The offer price isn’t the only factor to consider: Here’s why.)

Negotiate With the Buyer

To get the best deal for you, you’ll likely have to do some negotiating. Your agent will help you craft a strategic counteroffer to the buyer’s offer, factoring in not only money, but contingencies, etc. Let’s talk about how to ask for what you want.

Negotiate Home Inspection Repairs

Ah, the home inspection. It’s as much a source of anxiety for buyers as it is for sellers. Nonetheless, most purchase agreements are contingent on a home inspection (plus an appraisal, which will be managed by the buyer’s lender). This gives the buyer the ability to inspect the home from top to bottom and request repairs — some even could be required per building codes. The upshot: You have some room to negotiate, including about certain repairs. Once again, your agent will be there to help you effectively communicate with the buyer.

Close the Sale

Settlement, or closing, is the last step in the home selling process. This is where you sign the final paperwork, make this whole thing official, and collect your check. Before that can happen though, you’ll have to prepare your home for the buyer’s final walk-through and troubleshoot any last-minute issues. We’ve got you covered with this closing checklist. 

“Visit HouseLogic.com for more articles like this.  Reprinted from HouseLogic.com with permission of the NATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF REALTORS®.”

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5 Outdoor Patio Lighting Ideas

Posted on April 27, 2023 by Brittany Icayan

Creative patio lighting ideas add a nighttime glow to keep you outside.

outdoor patio at night with a string lights around the sliding door and above a wooden table with candles and lanterns illuminating the terrace
Image: Jakub Mazur/Getty
  • Outdoor patios are an extension of your home, perfect for gathering with guests, getting lost in a good book, or even working out. But the fun shouldn’t stop when the sun goes down. You can spend more time doing what matters most by adding the perfect patio lights to your space (dinner under the stars, anyone?). 

If you’re ready to shine some light on your outdoor space, we’ll dive into five great options for outdoor patio lights. Then, we’ll explore different approaches to setting up your patio lighting for all you DIYers. Let’s jump in!

Patio Lighting Ideas

Outdoor-patio-lights-overhead-string-lighting
Image: mtreasure/Getty
  • How you illuminate your patio can depend on the overall design you’re going for, your patio’s purpose, and the amount of lighting you need. Some of the most popular outdoor patio lighting ideas include outdoor pendants, string lights, and floor lights.

1. String Lights and Rope Lighting

String and rope lights are small electric lights placed along a cable and used indoors and outdoors. They’re ideal for stringing along your patio and deck railing, in your tree branches, or along the walls of your home. You can purchase string or rope lighting with heavy-duty wiring and sockets for outdoor use.

2. Outdoor Pendants

Outdoor pendant lights, also called drop or suspender lights, are hanging pendants suspended by a cord or chain. They can instantly enhance your outdoor patio with little effort. Outdoor pendant lights are available in many sizes, including full-length, large, mini, and lantern.

3. Outdoor Table and Floor Lights

Outdoor table lights and floor lights are decorative and functional ways to illuminate an outdoor living space. These lamps provide the perfect ambience for a family get-together or an intimate dinner — without blinding you.

4. Pathway Lighting

Outdoor-patio-lights-pathway-nighttime-stair-lighting
Image: volgariver/Getty
  • Pathway lighting is best for illuminating a walkway that leads to your patio (safety first!). You can also use pathway lights to brighten driveways and footpaths or as a simple and affordable way to accent your patio steps or highlight shrubbery and flowerbeds.

5. Uplighting

Uplighting is the effect when you place light fixtures on the ground and point them up to enhance specific landscape or architectural features. It’s a great way to emphasize your manicured landscape and garden in your backyard and shine a light on your patio area, too.

Consider This: DIY Patio Light Techniques

There are almost limitless creative techniques for setting up your patio lights, from DIY projects to energy-efficient lighting. Today’s top trends include high-level lighting with prestrung and pendant lights, tabletop lighting with candles, DIY lanterns, and tabletop fireplaces.

DIY Patio Lights

Outdoor-patio-lights-diy-mason-jar-string
Image: Nuno Valadas/Getty
  • Lighting your patio doesn’t have to be expensive or time-consuming. There are plenty of DIY patio lighting ideas to help you get the same aesthetically pleasing outcome you see on Pinterest.

Ideas include wire basket lighting, mason jar lanterns, recycled wine bottles, and even tin cans. Since the size and shape of lighting will vary, these creative touches can make the space your own.

Use Solar

Solar lighting is energy efficient and uses sunlight to recharge during the day, so there’s no fuss with unsightly cords or wiring, or need for outlets. You can incorporate solar with a solar path light, solar LED deck post caps, solar LED floodlights, or solar string lights.

Illuminate Your Garden and Shrubbery

Outdoor-patio-lights-plant-garden-globe-dusk-lighting
Image: AHatmaker/Getty
  • There’s no reason you can’t enjoy your garden and shrubbery when the sun goes down. Consider decorating your garden and shrubbery with small touches of lighting. You can weave soft lighting within your bushes, shrubs, and tree branches to create a warm look in your outdoor living space.

Consider Candles

Candles are a simple yet decorative patio lighting option that can add romantic ambience to any occasion. You can place them on your outdoor tables or alongside the steps and walkways. Candles come in so many different sizes, shapes, colors, and scents that the possibilities are almost endless.

Outdoor Patio Lights: Simple Upgrades to Improve Your Comfort and Safety

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Image: bruev/Getty
  • Although the purpose behind patio lights is mostly to create a more pleasing environment, you’ll want to stay safe while enhancing and using the space. That means you’ll need to:
  • Consider all safety measures before you start screwing in your light bulbs.
  • Check your power cords and inspect the lights before installing them.
  • Choose only lights rated for outdoor use to weather the elements.
  • Avoid placing your patio lighting next to flammable materials.
  • Turn off your lights when you’re not using them.

Use your creativity to make your patio shine with outdoor patio lighting ideas like pathway lighting, string lights, and solar lighting. In no time, you’ll transform your simple outdoor patio space into something extraordinary that reflects your personal style.

“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 Killer Strategy for a Tidy Home When You’re Time-Squished

Posted on April 26, 2023 by Brittany Icayan

Here’s a surprisingly functional way to achieve a forever-organized home.

A monthly planner that is open with notes in each day
Image: Jane Lee
  • You don’t need tons of time to achieve the uncluttered, tidy home of your dreams. You just need a strategy to get there — a really simple one that fits into your life without sucking up hours you can’t spare.

What’s pleasantly surprising about having a strategy is that it can turn daily mundane (and often aggravating) moments into opportunities for organization. Having a strategy is about making every moment count. Everyday moments like …

When you’re waiting for a pot of eggs to boil . . .

Take those moments of downtime in the kitchen to do a little organizing. Do you really need that melon baller or — heaven forbid — the banana slicer gag gift you received in last year’s Secret Santa exchange?

Jamie Novak, a professional organizer and author of “Keep This Toss That,” says tackling organization incrementally is the way to go. “Seriously small tasks can make a big difference,” she says. They keep you from having to tackle larger, more daunting jobs later.

When you grab that plastic container with no lid (for the umpteenth time) . . .

Colorful Tupperware lids in a wood kitchen drawer
Image: Main Street at Botello’s
  • Admit it: That $*(#ing lid is never, ever coming back. Instead of tossing that lidless tub back into your quagmire of plastic parts, banish it, then vow to continue throwing out every lid or bottom with no mate each time you encounter one (that’s the strategy part). Soon you’ll have a nice tidy cabinet full of matched-up pairs — and it will stay that way if you keep the strategy going.

When you’re brushing your teeth . . .

A dim medicine cabinet filled with toiletries
BEFORE
An organized medicine cabinet
AFTER

Image: Simplified Bee

Rummage through the medicine cabinet for prescriptions and medications that have expired. And don’t forget that many cosmetics and toiletries also have use-by dates. As for that $25 lipstick you bought that made you look like Cruella de Vil but is still hanging around? Either toss it or move it to the box of stuff where you keep your Halloween costumes.

When you’re breaking down yet another Amazon box . . .

Cardboard boxes on a front porch
Image: Give Back Box
  • Don’t do it. Instead, use it as a donation box. As you encounter things you need to toss that are donatable during your other organizing and decluttering moments, just put them in the box instead. Amazon is working with Give Back Box to allow consumers to use their boxes to donate and ship (for free!) unwanted clothing and household goods to charity.

When your laundry is clean, but there’s that one lone sock . . .

Toss it. If not in this laundry round, the next one if its mate never arrives. Thank it for its service, and then say goodbye. Same goes for falling-apart-but-matching socks, holey underwear, torn shirts, etc.

When you’re waiting for your hair to soak up conditioner . . .

Thin the herd of shampoos, body wash, and other products you used maybe once or twice — six months ago! — that are still hogging space in your shower. (Bonus: This will also help keep nasty mold at bay.)

When you’re watching your sports team play on TV . . .

Sort through that ginormous stack of junk mail, catalogs, and circulars. Bring a recycling bin with you to the sofa and go through it during commercials or lulls in the game. Toss anything that’s outdated or unnecessary into the recycling bin.

When you’re leaving your house to run errands . . .

Gray bins labeled with "donate," toss," "sell," and "keep"
Image: Life in Jeneral
  • Ask yourself, “What can I take to the car/trash/donate bin/library/give back to a friend?” Professional organizer Laura Bostrom who runs Everyday Order says that also extends to rooms inside the house. “Always carry something with you that belongs in another room.”

When you’re putting fresh sheets on the bed . . .

Grab a set of sheets from the far reaches of your closet and ask yourself why you’re not putting those on your bed today. Be honest. If the answer is something that won’t ever change — they’re scratchy or worn or you just hate those stupid flowers — donate or toss.

When you’re deciding what to wear . . .

Gray felt hangers in a closet with colorful shirts
Image: Christina Hoffmann for HouseLogic
  • Switch out hangers on the clothes you choose to wear. Toss the old hangers and put new ones (we recommend the thin, felt ones because they take up less room and clothes don’t fall off easily) on the rod to use when the clothes you’re wearing are ready to be hung back up. After a few months, donate everything that’s still on old hangers (and not seasonal must-haves).

When you wake up tomorrow . . .

Remain tuned to other moments that may offer you a chance to finally rid yourself of an organizational mess that’s been bugging you for some time. It’s a strategy, not a to-do list, that’ll make for perpetually well-organized spaces that help you enjoy your home even more.

“Visit HouseLogic.com for more articles like this.  Reprinted from HouseLogic.com with permission of the NATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF REALTORS®.”

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Minimalist Organization Ideas to Declutter Your Home

Posted on April 25, 2023 by Brittany Icayan

9 minimalist home tips: things you need to start — or stop — doing right now.

Illustration of woman cleaning off her kitchen counters
Image: HouseLogic
  • A clean, clutter-free home is totally doable. Just follow the minimalist home tips in this infographic:
Infographic of minimalists guide for a clutter-free home
Image: HouseLogic
  • Minimalist Organization Ideas

It’s really about what you do — or don’t do.

  1. Reduce duplicate items in your house. How many towels do you really need, after all? Allow two per person.
  2. Minimize your storage space. It seems counterintuitive, but when we expand our space, we fill it up. Stop expanding. 🙂
  3. Ignore trends. Focus on quality items that you’ll keep and use for years.
  4. Toss something every time you buy something.
  5. Borrow or rent things, such as tools, that you don’t need on a regular basis.
  6. If you haven’t made the switch to digital records, do it now.
  7. Simply buy less. Skip the BOGO deals. 
  8. Don’t use countertops for storage. Have a place for everything.
  9. Declutter your finances, too. Get rid of debt. For example, if you make one, just one, extra house payment a year (make sure you indicate it’s for principal only), you can cut a 30-year mortgage in half.
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Your Inner Child Will Love These Creative Ways to Organize

Posted on April 21, 2023 by Brittany Icayan

There are 5 personality and organization types. Find the one that fits you.

Illustration of people with different personality types
Image: Chris Madden/ourlifelooklikeballoon/Btownchris/Sergey Oplanchuck/KeithBishop/Getty
  • Being organized isn’t about putting everything into a beautiful, new organization system— it’s about how well you’re able to maintain it.

And it’s your psyche that determines that. Find creative ways to organize your home by choosing a strategy that fits you. Which of the five personalities are you?

The Pile Maker | The Minimalist | The Designer | The Collector | The Speeding Train

The Pile Maker

Desk crowded with stamps, notebooks, typewriter, and objects
Image: Hellojanelee Photography
  • If you like everything out and visible, you’re likely a creative, right-brained sort, says Beth Randall, a professional organizer and speaker.

The piles on your desk make sense only to you (well, until they don’t), and you get energized and inspired by the visual stimulus of stuff.

Strategy: Keep your stuff in view and organized with open-face organizers that have a place for everything in plain sight.

Tips:

  • Store your jewelry on a corkboard covered with fabric, using push pins to create a work of art, Randall suggests.
  • Stash items in clear bins or cubbies that don’t cut off your view of the contents, like an over-the-door shoe organizer with clear sleeves.
  • Take a moment every couple of weeks to look at your desk and countertops and purge or put away clutter.
  • Rather than plopping your paperwork in one big pile on your desk, use paper organizers or shelf dividers that only allow about six or seven inches of clearance per shelf, recommends professional organizer Thalia Poulos. Then, use labels as your new visual trigger. This can work in entryways for mail, in kitchens for recipes, or anywhere papers start to pile up.
  • Pegboards: Put ’em everywhere. Pegboards give you customizable, highly visual storage in the garage, office, closets, bedrooms, kitchens — pretty much anywhere. To accommodate your creative brain, space out your hooks enough so you’re not limited to one configuration where everything fits.

Related: What Does a Messy Home Say About You?Popular Reads

The Minimalist

White bedroom with natural wood floor, bed frame, and desk
Image: Audrey Nguyen
  • You like everything to have its place — and that place is out of sight. You find nothing more restorative than a tidy, minimalist space. But life happens, and you’ve been known to “stash and dash” and forget where you put things. And sometimes you pitch something you end up needing later on.

Strategy: You need behind-the-scenes systems that are convenient and efficient.

Tips:

  • Go virtual: You can ditch all that paper. Use an app for your to-do and grocery lists, and use scanning software (or a simple snap of your phone!) to turn any paperwork into a digital file.
  • Make it easy to quickly put stuff away with personalized classification systems, recommends Cena Block, a productivity expert and former professional organizer. From clothes to craft supplies, and from bins to drawers, group things the way your gut tells you to: by size, function, alphabet — whatever. The less thinking you have to do, the fewer “stash and dash” mishaps you’ll make.
  • Organize your organization: Think drawer sorters, hanging file cabinets, closet systems, or even ice-cube trays for jewelry drawers.
  • Have storage options where you need them that match the function of each space — like cubbies under the front stairs for shoes or rolling bins under your bed for sheets.

The Designer

Organized kitchen stocked with brightly colored dishes
Image: www.beapopofcolor.nl
  • Sure, you want your stuff to be organized, but if it doesn’t please the senses, you’re not gonna use it. That sometimes leads to more Pinterest-browsing and project-dreaming than actual organizing.

Strategy: You need organization options that look good — but are super-functional, too.

Tips:

  • Use woven baskets or wood boxes, rather than plastic bins, to organize items around the house.
  • In the office, rely on color-coded file folders, Poulos says.
  • Keep a beautiful notebook for jotting down your to-dos. An app simply won’t give you that tactile satisfaction you crave.
  • Use color-coordinated hangers to group ensembles together in your closet, Poulos suggests.
  • Include artwork among items you’re storing on shelves, or even on pegboards, to make even the most utilitarian spaces a delight to use.
  • “Visit HouseLogic.com for more articles like this.  Reprinted from HouseLogic.com with permission of the NATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF REALTORS®.”
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The Best Time of Year to Buy Things for Your Home

Posted on April 20, 2023 by Brittany Icayan

When to look for sales on mattresses, appliances, tools, furnishings, and materials.

best-time-to-buy-comforter-red-blankets
Image: raw/Getty
  • Buying stuff can be stressful. Cheap out and you could regret it. Overspend and you’ll cut into your budget. Knowing the best time of year to buy appliances and other household items can lessen the anxiety.

Here’s a list of the best time of year for sales — or download the one-page calendar here.

Furniture: January and July

Blue couch with four patterned pillows and one on the floor
Image: Winter’s Moon
  • You could save 30% to 60% buying furniture in January and July, as stores try to clear out inventory and make way for new pieces, which manufacturers introduce in February and August.

Floor samples especially often sell for a song, so don’t hesitate to ask.

Storage Essentials: January and August

Two white square baskets full of multi-colored toys on floor
Image: Liz Foreman for HouseLogic
  • In August, retailers slash prices and offer free shipping on shelving, organizing systems, baskets, and storage bins, baiting parents who are packing kids off to college or getting organized for a new school year. (No offspring? No problem. Proof of parenthood isn’t required to qualify for deals.)

It happens again in January, when stores roll out more sales — and selection — to help you find a home for all those holiday gifts and meet your organizing goals for the New Year.

Linens and Towels: January

Towels of assorted textures and colors stacked neatly
Image: Micco Caporale for HouseLogic
  • Department store “white sales” — launched in 1878 — are still a favorite marketing tactic and make January the best time to binge on high-quality bedding and towels. If the exact color or style you’re seeking is out of stock, ask in-store for a rain check, so you can get exactly what you want at the price that can’t be beat.

Major Appliances: January, September, October, and the Holidays

Baby blue stove with stainless steel hood in white kitchen
Image: Big Chill Appliances
  • The prices on this year’s appliances bottom out when they suddenly become last year’s models. Except for refrigerators (more on that below), you can pick up last year’s models for way less in September, October, and January, when stores are making room for new inventory.

For good deals on this year’s models, wait for Black Friday and the holidays. The season rivals inventory clear-out bargains as the best time of year for sales on appliances. And if you’ve got more than one appliance on the fritz, holidays are often the time to find incentives for buying multiple items.

Mattresses: February and May

A man and boy relaxing on a bare king mattress
Image: Ariana Falerni/Offset
  • Even the most obscure holiday seems to inspire mattress sale commercials. Annoying, yes, but also a reminder that you should never pay full price for a mattress. The best time of year for sales is February (courtesy of Presidents’ Day) and May (Memorial Day).

Many department stores offer coupons for additional savings on the sale price, while specialty chains — which have the biggest markups — can drop prices 50% or more. But don’t waste your time price shopping: Manufacturers have exclusive deals with retailers for each model, so the only way to find a lower price is to snuggle up to a different mattress.

Refrigerators: May

Woman in workout clothes hugging stainless steel fridge
Image: @larissa_deanne
  • Unlike other big-ticket appliances, new fridges are released in May. Combine the need for retail turnover with Memorial Day sales, and you get epic savings nearly all month long, making it the best time of year to buy a new refrigerator.

Snow Blowers: March and April

Person in blue parka using snowblower to clear sidewalk path
Image: Chiyacat/Getty
  • The best time to pick up a low-cost snow blower is exactly when you DON’T need it: in March and April. That time of year, no store wants them taking precious floor space away from spring merch like patio furniture and grills.

Vacuums: April and May

Human and tabby cat watching Roomba on wood floor
Image: Evan Axelson
  • New vacs debut in June, so last year’s models go on sale in April and May — just in time for spring cleaning.

Roofing: May

Two men work on a gray shingled roof with houses in distance
Image: Eddy Garcia
  • For the lowest price on materials, buy in May.

But if you’re paying a pro to install a new roof, contractor rates begin their climb April 1 and stay high through fall. So if weather allows for wintertime installation, you could save big.

Gas Grills: July and August

Autumn view of brick and stainless steel outdoor grill
Image: Bruce Saunders Photography and Outdoor Artisan, LLC
  • Come July 5, there’s still smoke in the air from Fourth of July fireworks, but stores are already moving on to Halloween, with Christmas not far behind. So, they’ll cook up juicy savings on grills and other summer staples in July and August. Sales peak by Labor Day, so you could pick up a new grill and still have time to host one final summer hurrah.

Lawn Mowers: August, September, and May

Tween boy in blue mowing lawn outside light green house
Image: Inti St Clair/Getty
  • August and September are the perfect time to retire an ailing mower. You’ll find the lowest prices of the year (but also the slimmest selection) as stores replace mowers with snow blowers. Retailers also kick off the season with sales every April. You generally won’t save quite as much, but you’ll have more choices.

Perennials: September

Purple and pink hydrangeas against black fence on white home
Image: Rock & Rose Landscapes
  • Unlike nonperishable goods, there’s not much retailers can do with last season’s perennials, so September brings savings of 30% to 50% and two-for-one offers on plants like hostas, daylilies, and peonies. And note that independent gardening stores can typically offer deeper discounts than big chains.

Cooler weather also makes this a great time of year to plant. How’s that for a win-win? If you prefer planting in the spring, many nurseries offer 10% to 20% off when you pre-order in February or March.

Power Tools: June and December

Blond woman in gray sweater assembling cabinet with drill
Image: Niamh Scott of @waitandsee.ie
  • Power tools are a favorite go-to gift for Father’s Day and the holidays, so June and December are the best time to buy tools like cordless drills.

Paint: January, May, July, November, and December

Brown wood desk in front of salmon wall with white door
Image: Britt Herron
  • Prices for interior and exterior paint bottom out when the mercury (and demand) falls — in November, December, and January, but also when it rises back up, in May and July.

HVAC Equipment: March, April, October, and November

White smart thermostat on textured wall leading into office
Image: Ian Grossman – Austin, TX Realtor®
  • Just like with snow blowers, the best time to buy furnaces and whole-house air-conditioning systems is when you don’t need them. Prices are lowest during months with moderate temperatures — generally March and April, then October and November.

Many installers also run promotions during these slow seasons to help load their books. They also may be more willing to negotiate a lower price or throw in a free upgrade like a fancy thermostat.

Flooring: December and January

Dining area with herringbone flooring and tiled fireplace
Image: Suzy Broome
  • From mid-December into January, homeowners tend to take a break from major remodeling projects because of the holidays. Flooring retailers and installers are looking for business, so that gorgeous wide-plank flooring or luscious carpet can be yours for an even more scrumptious price. Happy holidays to you.

“Visit HouseLogic.com for more articles like this.  Reprinted from HouseLogic.com with permission of the NATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF REALTORS®.”

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8 Simple and Easy Landscaping Ideas for People Who Hate Yard Work

Posted on April 19, 2023 by Brittany Icayan

Yards are meant for fun times — not chores.

Yard-Work-Easy-Landscaping-Low-Maintenance-Patio-Trees-Path
Image: Tom Merton/Getty
  • The point of having your own yard is to enjoy it, not be a slave to it. These easy landscaping ideas will give you more time for outdoor leisure instead of mowing and weeding.

#1 Use Rocks for Interesting Landscape Features

Low water landscape with gray rocks next to a sidewalk
Image: JPM Landscape and Design
  • Grass doesn’t grow on rocks. Besides stating the obvious, what that really means is that they’re the perfect, versatile tool for creating a low-maintenance outdoor space. Use them to create walkways or group them together to form decorative outcroppings.

You can even lay out stones to be ornamental dry creek beds.

Small yards, especially in desert climates, can be completely rocked over, or you can use them as strategically placed accents. 

And if you’ve got spots that are constantly wet, rocks are great for keeping mud (and mosquitoes!) under control because they’ll help the water run off instead of collecting.

#2 Add a Rain Garden if You’ve Got a Soggy Spot

Lush rain garden in front yard with brown mulch, plants
Image: Rain Dog Designs LLC
  • A rain garden is kind of a mini-wetland that reduces storm-water runoff. And done right, they’re almost maintenance free because they require no mowing, no watering, and little weeding.

They make much prettier focal points than soggy grass, too. 

Rain gardens are fairly easy to create, using gravel, sand, and native plants. The idea is to slow down rainwater so that less of it goes into the sewer system and more is used to nourish plant life.

#3 DIY the Easiest Deck Ever

A light-colored deck with patio furniture at night
Image: Alexi Politis at Seeking Alexi
  • Decks do require some maintenance, but you don’t have to mow ’em every weekend, that’s for sure. And a platform deck — no steps, no railings — is the easiest of all to build.

“There are lots of dense hardwoods like ipe and cedar, redwood, and composites that last a long time and are very low-maintenance,” says Tomi Landis, principal landscape designer at Everett Conroy Landis Garden Design in Chevy Chase, Md.

While you’re dreaming of your new deck, think about this: How you will use it?

No Deck?

Adding one would be wise. Most decks recoup 80% of the cost when you sell.Read More InThe ROI of Your Cost to Build a Deck

“Will you be using it in the morning while having coffee?” Landis asks. “If so, it should be oriented to the east. If it’s mainly for dining out in the evening and having cocktails, it should be facing west.” But be sure shade is available in the hotter months.

#4 Switch to Tall Grass That Never Needs Mowing

Contemporary backyard patio and garden with tall grass
Image: Carol Heffernan
  • Not all grass is created equal. Tall grasses, like switchgrass, bluestem, muhly, and fountaingrass, all grow fast and require very little TLC. Nor do they ever get mowed.

“Native grasses are a great solution to a lot of landscaping problems,” Landis says. They soak up lots of water and provide an organic privacy screen while trimming your mowing time.

How to use tall grasses in your landscaping:

  • Group along a fence line.
  • Group into geometric patterns in your yard for a clean look.
  • Go more random for a more natural look.

The most maintenance you’ll do with these is cut them back in late fall. They dry up in the fall, which sends some of those glorious long leaves flying across your yard. But they can be used as (free!) mulch or ignored. They’ll do no harm.

#5 Create Pathways to Reduce High-Maintenance Grass

Concrete pathway leading to front door
Image: Val Lonergan/zenshmen!
  • Like the rocks above, pavers (sometimes called “steppers”) are decorative stones used to create pathways that need little or no care.

“A stepper in a natural shape looks really great in a lot of contexts,” Landis says. Traditional house styles like bungalows, colonials, and Victorians tend to go well with more natural pavers, like flagstone.

If your house is more on the modern side, opt for some rectangular or square pavers.

#6 Go For Fake Grass — No One Will Know (Seriously)

Fake grass used on a steep front lawn
Image: John Riha for HouseLogic
  • Some purists might consider fake grass to be over the line, but the newer faux turf doesn’t make your yard look like a putt-putt course, nor does it get so hot it burns your feet like the fake turf in your parents’ day.

“It’s great for somebody with no time on their hands,” says Doug DeLuca, founder of Federal Stone and Brick in Sterling, Va. “It comes like a roll of carpet, you set a bed for it with gravel, then use sod staples to hold it down.”

It doesn’t need to be cut, watered or fertilized, and pets can’t kill it.

#7 Plant Your Own Mini Forest if You Get Lots of Rain

Native habitat in a back yard with bird bath
Image: RDM Architecture
  • Where there are trees there shall be no grass. But there will be shade, and that’s a plus for picnicking and lawn-chair lounging.

“Trees can soak up a lot of rainwater,” Landis says, and therefore, need a lot of water. Consider your local climate, as soaking up water can be good or bad. Do you need to sop up excess water? Is the yard already too dry?

Keep in mind that native trees are less maintenance because they’re adapted to your area.

#8 Use Objects to Add Color — Instead of Flowers

Red Adirondack chairs in a gravel backyard
Image: DesignFix
  • Color is the secret to a stunning yard, but that doesn’t mean you need to plant a garden full of labor-intensive dahlias.

It means choosing bright pots, benches, bird baths, Adirondack chairs — anything that just sits there and looks lovely while you pour the cocktails.

The options are as numerous as the Pinterest search results for “yard art” (which is somewhere between 5,000 and infinity).

And if you decide to pop some colorful flowers into your colorful pots, what could be better a better backdrop to your finally realized cocktail party?

“Visit HouseLogic.com for more articles like this.  Reprinted from HouseLogic.com with permission of the NATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF REALTORS®.”

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Can You Afford That House? 6 Easy Ways to Find Out

Posted on April 18, 2023 by Brittany Icayan

How to make sure your craft beer hobby and monthly mortgage payments can co-exist.

older man wearing a hat and sunglasses relaxing in pink donut floatie in a swimming pool drinking juice cocktails while giving a thumbs up
Image: Imgorthand/Getty
  • This article was contributed by financial expert and blogger Mary Beth Storjohann, CFP, author, speaker, and founder of Workable Wealth. She provides financial coaching for individuals and couples in their 20s to 40s across the country, helping them make smart, educated choices with their money.

If you’re considering purchasing a home, you’ve likely already considered how much you have available for a down payment, what an ideal mortgage payment would be, and how much home you can actually afford based on your monthly income. But what about your lifestyle?

Have you considered how much wiggle room you need to leave in your home budget to enjoy life? Here are six life factors to consider when buying a home:

#1 Travel

Travel is an important goal for many people. Think about the travel goals you have for yourself:

  • Where do you want to go?
  • What do you want to see?
  • How long are your ideal trips?
  • How much money would you need on an annual basis to make your travel goals possible?
  • Is this already factored into your budget or will you need to cut back on travel to fund your monthly mortgage payment and home expenses?

There are no right or wrong answers, but it’s important to reflect on your priorities.Most Popular in First-Time Homebuyer

#2 Green Thumb?

Do you love gardening, being outside, and all things landscaping? If you purchase a home with a lawn and don’t enjoy the upkeep, you could be looking at an extra $100 or more a month for professional landscape maintenance. Are you willing to skip the lawn in favor of hardscaping to reduce costs?

Bottom line: Factor hobbies and services into your monthly budget to see if the numbers still work out in the black.

Related:  DIY vs. Pro Lawn Care: Real Life Stories About Making the Wrong Choice

#3 Pool Time

How dreamy would it be to buy a home with a pool? Before the dream becomes reality, add up the costs of pool maintenance and servicing, energy, and insurance (along with liability if you have small children) and you may be better off heading to the neighborhood swimming hole. 

Tip

Adding a pool? Don’t expect to recover more than 50% of your costs at resale, according to the “Remodeling Impact Report” from the NATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF REALTORS®Read More InDo Swimming Pools Add Value to Homes?

 Pools  can be a lot of fun, but they come with a lot of work. Factor time and money into your future plans when buying a home with this special feature and, once again, ask yourself if the numbers add up to support your other financial goals.

Related:  Tips on Pool Fence Safety to Reduce Your LiabilityPopular Reads

#4 Children

If you’re buying a home and plan to start a family in the next few years, don’t just consider the amount of mortgage you can afford under your current expenses. Factor in daycare costs and determine what your cash flow will look like. You may have to adjust the amount of home you’re looking to purchase.

#5 Entertainment

Chances are you enjoy dining out, going to concerts and sporting events, and seeing movies. If you need to rein in these activities to make room for your mortgage, home expenses, and savings, aim to strike a balance that won’t leave you feeling restless.

After all, you’re likely choosing a 30-year mortgage, and three decades is a long time to feel deprived. If necessary, reduce the amount of home you purchase so you can enjoy yourself in the ways that are important to you.

#6 Retirement

If you’re in your 20s, you should try to save 10% of your income; in your 30s, you should be saving 15%. If you need to cut back on your retirement savings to make a home purchase work, think hard about when you’ll be able to get back to your ideal contribution levels and how much you may be losing out on during that time. 

Although home ownership can help build long-term wealth, it’s important to also maintain retirement savings for future security.

“Visit HouseLogic.com for more articles like this.  Reprinted from HouseLogic.com with permission of the NATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF REALTORS®.”

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Attic Cleaning: What You Can’t See Can Hurt You

Posted on April 17, 2023 by Brittany Icayan

Cleaning your attic removes allergens and respiratory irritants that can make your family sick.

Boy wearing gas mask in cloud of multi-color smoke
Image: Jens Magnusson/Offset
  • Attic cleaning probably isn’t your idea of a good time. But the dust, dander, and mold in that often-neglected room could be irritating your family’s lungs and kicking up allergies. Plus, a clean attic will enable you to put your great attic ideas into action.

“No one thinks about their attic, but it’s a problem area,” says Mike Tringale of the Consumer Healthcare Products Association.

Attic allergens and irritants constantly seep into your living area through ceiling hatches, doors, recessed lights, and heating and cooling systems (especially if they’re located in your attic).

Attic Cleaning Basics

  • Dust walls, window frames, and rafters with an electrostatically charged cloth (think Swiffer) or duster, which grabs twice as much dust as cotton cloths. Don’t forget to dust exposed roof trusses, attic fan blades, light bulbs, fixtures, hatches, and door frames.
  • Vacuum with a HEPA (high-efficiency particulate air) filter vacuum cleaner, which channels all vacuumed air through a filter designed to remove even microscopic particles. A less expensive choice: Install a top-quality, high-efficiency filter bag in your vacuum.
  • Line shop vacuums with a plastic bag, which traps irritants and makes debris disposal easy.
  • Wear a National Institute of Occupational Safety and Health mask, which filters a high percentage of airborne particles.
  • If you suffer from allergies — 50 million people in the U.S. do, according to the American College of Allergy, Asthma, and Immunology — hire a professional to remove the debris. Prices for pro attic cleaning vary depending on region and nature of the cleanup. Get an estimate before hiring a cleaning contractor.

Keeping Irritants Out of Your Attic

Preventing mold growth and sealing out insects and vermin help reduce irritants in your attic.

Mold: Small roof leaks and old, cracked caulking can let in moisture, which may lead to mold damage. Once a year, and after each big storm, walk around your home to inspect your roof from all angles. Repair any loose, missing, or broken shingles. Check windows for missing caulking or cracked panes.

Don’t bother buying a home mold test kit, which may register mold spores that are constantly in the air anyway. If you suspect mold or can see a mold-covered area that’s larger than about 10 square feet, call a certified indoor air quality professional to evaluate your situation.

Dust: Many of those tiny dust mites you see floating around are really dust mite particles, roach parts, and vermin dander made of dried saliva, urine, and feces.

These dust proteins can trigger allergic reactions, so search for tiny cracks and openings in your roof, walls, and windows where vermin and insects can enter. Seal attic air leaks with caulk and polyurethane foam, and repair any holes in attic ventilation screens that are under the eaves and in gable ends.

“Visit HouseLogic.com for more articles like this.  Reprinted from HouseLogic.com with permission of the NATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF REALTORS®.”

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