Uncategorized

Some first-time buyers are surprised by the full cost of homeownership.

To prepare your budget, consider these extra costs:

Closing costs typically total 2 – 5 percent of the purchase price and are in addition to down payments.

Homeowners insurance costs an average of around $1,000 a year, but prices vary. If in a flood or earthquake zone, youll need extra hazard insurance.

Property taxes could range from hundreds of dollars to thousands a year, and they often fluctuate.

All home maintenance becomes your responsibility, so save money for normal upkeep and emergency repairs.

Youll also need to pay for all utilities. If moving from a smaller apartment, expect the larger home to have higher bills.

Nevertheless, the pride of homeownership is priceless.

Published with permission from RISMedia.

Moving into a new house can be a quick lesson in how little furniture you have. And while you may not want to fill up every nook and cranny, unless youre moving to a smaller home, chances are youll need to buy some furniture after a move.

Budgets vary, making it easy to go over budget when furnishing an empty space, so here are some simple ways to make furnishing a new house affordable:

Budget and Save for It
This is a step you hopefully made before buying a home. Budgeting and saving for new furniture is a good financial move, because it can be a big expense that can take some time to save for. By proactively setting money aside for furniture, you can keep your expenses at a set level, which will allow you to buy what you need without having to go into debt for it.

Pay Cash
If your furniture budget isnt quite where you want it to be, make it a point to pay with cash whenever possible to avoid putting anything on a credit card and paying interest on revolving credit. If you do use a credit card, make sure you can pay it off in full before interest charges start. Some stores even offer no-interest credit for a set number of months, with credit charges from the date of purchase taking effect if you dont pay off the bill before the promotional period ends, so explore all your options before making a purchase.

It shouldnt be a big deal to let a room or two be sparsely appointed (or even sit empty) until you can save enough cash to buy what you need.

Buy Essentials First
Blowing all your money on furniture is the last thing you want to do, so focus on purchasing the essentials first. Essential items include a dining table and chairs, beds and a couch or comfortable chairs for the living room.

Once youve acquired the essentials, begin saving for bigger functional pieces that will make a room look full. These include sectional sofas and large area rugs.

Negotiate and Shop Sales
Like many big-ticket items, furniture stores are often open to negotiating prices. Ask for discounts on floor models, shop around to compare prices, and look for seasonal sales around the holidays and during specific months of the year, including January and July.

You may even be able to find good deals at warehouse stores, thrift stores and online sites such as Craigslist and Nextdoor.

Affordable Extras
Some smaller, inexpensive items can make a house feel like a home while showing off your style. For instance, unique-looking lamps can make a room look cozy, while drapes, throw pillows and a fresh coat of paint can make a room more inviting.

Published with permission from RISMedia.

If youve noticed unusual signs of damage around your property, pests may be to blame. Rodents, insects and other types of pests can wreak havoc on properties and cause unforeseen damage that ends up resulting in costly repairs.

Here are four signs to look for to determine whether pests are damaging your home:

Unstable Floors
The sudden feeling that the floors in your home are unstable could be a sign of a pest problem. This may be especially true if you have hardwood floors that are damaged because of termites. You might notice the boards curling on your floor as damage persists. Flaking and crumbling may also become noticeable as your floors continue to deteriorate from the damage. Crushed-looking wood at structurally significant points can be another obvious sign of a pest problem.

Tap Test Failure
Damage that’s impossible to see can sometimes be detected by performing a tap test on wood surfaces around your home. Wood that’s solid all the way through should produce a thudding sound when tapped, and any hollow sounds could mean that termites or other pests are wearing away at the wood. Hollow sounds also mean that significant portions of your wood have already been lost. Calling a termite treatment specialist and contractor to repair the damage can resolve the problem.

Electrical Problems
If lights, appliances or other equipment around your home that’s powered by electricity start to fail, you might have a pest problem on your hands. Lights that dim or completely go out, as well as appliances that don’t have as much power or fail to turn on when plugged in, could mean that pests are damaging the wires. Rodents are known to chew through wires, which can also create a fire hazard in your home.

Mud Tunnels
Tubes that appear to be made of mud may be visible in your yard and even on the side of your home. These tunnels are often constructed by organ pipe mud dauber wasps to store their larvae. Termites are also known to build tunnels that look like mud but are made from a combination of soil and wood along with a substance consisting of their saliva and feces. You might find these lining walls and floors, acting as a sure sign of infestation if you find them in your home.

Learning about the signs of pest damage will make it easier for you to act quickly to resolve the problem. Pest damage isn’t always obvious, and taking the time to perform a thorough inspection will allow you to stay on top of any situation that may arise.

Source: Meghan Belnap/RISMedia’s Housecall

Published with permission from RISMedia.

Published with permission from RISMedia.

Is it time to upgrade how you store your wine? Perhaps a rack, or even a dedicated wine refrigerator, is no longer getting the job done. If youre contemplating making the leap to a wine room, youll be happy to hear that this feature has major appeal when its time to list your home. Collecting fine wine is a passion shared among many high-end homebuyers, and they consider adequate storage to be more of an essential than a luxury.

Here are a few tips for designing the perfect space to keep your vino collection.

Climate Control
Traditionally, the cellar has been the go-to place to keep wine due to the ideal temperature and humidity. These days, however, technology allows us to keep the collection anywhere in the house. Wherever you choose to store your wine, the key is to keep it at 55-degrees Fahrenheit and about 70 percent humidity. Glassed-in wine rooms are a popular look at the moment, and to create one, youll need to use insulated, UV-resistant glass, as well as a state-of-the-art cooling system.

Display
The wine room is just as much about presentation as it is about storage and will always impress guests. Depending on your preferences, there are tons of options for how you display each bottle, from traditional wooden to contemporary stainless-steel racks. Illuminating each bottle is a key component, and youll want to be sure to use LED lights that wont generate heat.

Capacity
Of course, you need to consider your storage capacity, as personal collections range from a few bottles to hundreds of bottles. You dont want your wine room to look empty, but youll also need the space to make a few additions as you wait for each bottle to reach its peak.

Tasting Area
A tasting area inside or near your wine room is a thoughtful feature that comes in handy when entertaining on a grand scale or having an intimate dinner party. After all, wine is meant to be enjoyed with close friends and family, so having a place to do so is just as important as storing it.

Published with permission from RISMedia.