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Your homes gutters play a crucial role in protecting your property from costly water damage and other dangers. Depending on where you live, the types of trees you have on your property and weather events common to your area, you should clean your gutters at least twice a year to ensure they dont get clogged.

Even with regular maintenance, though, your gutters will eventually need to be repaired or replaced to keep your house protected. To help you determine whether that time has come, Home Depot offers five signs to look out for:

Cracks or splits. Even small cracks will grow, allowing water to seep into the fascia boards behind the gutters, the shingles above the gutter and the foundation below. Replace any split or cracked sections of gutter.

Paint damage and rust. The paint on your gutters is weather resistant. Peeling paint or rust indicates that water is present on the surface on a continuous basis. Look for clogs and remove debris to get the water flowing. Replace or touch up the paint on the damaged section of the gutter.

Pools of water and mold. If you see standing water or mildew near the foundation, it can indicate one of two things: the gutters are clogged, or there could be a defect in the gutter system. Remove the clog. If the problem persists, replace that section of gutter and downspout.

Water damage or water marks. Inspect directly beneath the gutters on a dry, sunny day for any evidence of water damage. Water damage underneath gutters can indicate that theyre leaking or overflowing with water. Look for possible blockages in the area. If there are none, this indicates that the section has a crack or leak thatll need to be repaired or replaced.

Gutter sag. This is a definite sign that its time to replace gutters. Gutters should never sag or pull away from the house. Sagging gutters means that theyre no longer draining properly and need to be replaced. This may be a good time to look into upgrading your old ones with gutter guards, screens or seamless gutters.

If youre uncomfortable on a ladder or cant perform gutter cleaning and inspections on your own for any reason, consider hiring a pro to do the job for you.

Published with permission from RISMedia.

A backyard pool can look like a lot of fun when youre house-hunting. Summer days full of swimming and splashing around your pool can be great fun, but sooner or later youre going to have to face the costs that come with a pool.

Here are some of the costs of pool ownership:

Maintenance
Before buying a home, homebuyers should hire a professional pool company to inspect the pool to ensure it was maintained properly and regularly.

Proper maintenance can keep a pool from falling apart before the end of its expected lifetime, usually 40 years or so if made of concrete. Expect to pay about $100 per month for regular maintenance.

Chemicals
Expect to spend about $100 per month on chemicals to balance the water levels and keep the pH level (acidity) at appropriate levels. High acidity can damage the pool liner, pipes, heater and filter system. Chlorine is needed to kill bacteria and algae.

Equipment
A pool pump filters the water to keep it clean and should run 24 hours a day, adding to your electricity costs. A pump can last up to 10 years and costs about $600. Pumps, filters and chlorination systems can require minor repairs from time to time, so count on about $200 per year for equipment parts.

Electricity
Whether heating the pool or running the pump, expect to pay $200 for electricity for every month of use of your pool.

Insurance
Insurers consider a pool an attractive nuisance that may require additional liability insurance. Installing pool gates may be mandated by your insurer or local government, adding an extra cost.

Most homeowners policies include at least $100,000 worth of liability protection, though pool owners may want to consider increasing it to $300,000 or $500,000.

An umbrella policy for $1 million in liability protection above what the home already is protected for can cost an extra $200 to $300 per year. Extra insurance may also be needed to replace the pool if its destroyed by a storm or other disaster.

All of these costs may not dissuade you from buying a home with a pool, but its important information to know before making a real estate investment. At least youll know before you get into the pool how much that daily swim will cost you.

Published with permission from RISMedia.

As a landlord, you have certain responsibilities. One of the most important is to provide safety for your tenants. Not only do you have certain legal obligations, but safe tenants are also more likely to continue renting the property for much longer, providing you with a dependable, long-term source of income.

In the pursuit of safety, you may want to upgrade your properties with the following four items:

External Security Cameras
While installing internal security cameras can be invasive and problematic, installing external cameras is a great way to keep your tenants safe. Give your tenants access to the feed so they can see what’s going on outside their rental unit and identify problems without having to open doors. These cameras are also great for collecting evidence if your property is robbed or if someone tries to get into the building.

Security Doors
Security doors are a simple way to keep intruders out of a property, but they’re still very effective. Heavier and harder to break than standard doors, they’re a low-tech method of ensuring the safety of your tenants. The best thing about security doors is that they last a long time, so choosing to install them now will help you protect tenants for many years to come.

Outdoor Lighting
Much of home security comes down not to actual safety measures, but rather, to the illusion of protection. The average home robbery is a crime of opportunity instead of one of serious planning, and most robbers are scared off by anything that could make them more vulnerable. Adequate outdoor lighting is great for pointing out that a particular property is not a viable target, and it’s also helpful for keeping your tenants safe when they come home at night. Outdoor lighting is an inexpensive way to bring a bit of extra safety to your property.

Change Locks Between Tenants
Make sure you change a rental propertys locks and keys between tenants. While most tenants are unlikely to return to an old home or apartment, you never know how many keys and copies are actually floating around. If you change out your locks, you’ll be out a few dollars, but you’ll provide your tenants with an extra layer of security.

Providing your tenants with more security is a great way to make them feel like you care, while keeping them safer at the same time. Try a mix of high-tech and proven solutions to ensure that both your tenants and your property remain safe. In time, your propertys reputation for safety will help to ensure that you always have tenants waiting to fill vacancies.

Source: Meghan Belnap/RISMedias Housecall

Published with permission from RISMedia.

Getting rid of things you no longer need is a vital step in the moving process because it serves two purposes. First, it’s a key component of home staging because too much stuff can make a room look unorganized and cramped. Second, it makes moving easier”who wants to move a bunch of things they actually don’t need?

But throwing out items that could be put to good use by someone is a waste, and the best solution is often to donate unwanted things to charities and organizations. Goodwill, the Salvation Army and your local church are certain to welcome much of your stuff, but here are some other ideas for places to donate your belongings.

Furniture: You may have sofas, chairs or tables that don’t fit the decor of your new home, or maybe you’re downsizing. Your local senior center may be looking for furniture, either for the center or to give to older people in your community. Women’s shelters are another terrific option, as are organizations that help the homeless find places to live independently.

Clothes: Dress for Success is a terrific non-profit that provides clothing for low-income women to wear during job interviews, allowing them to make a good first impression during the job search. It has branches throughout the country and if there isn’t one by you, there may be something similar. Also, look for schools and organizations that host clothing drives.

Kitchen Appliances: There’s an excellent chance that your kitchen is home to a few gadgets you haven’t used in years, or maybe you have multiple toasters, mixers or blenders. In addition to the usual outlets, your local school or community college may be looking for appliances to use in their classrooms. Many organizations also operate thrift stores where they sell donated items in support of their cause.

Books, CDs and DVDs: These are things that aren’t going to make you much money if you sell them, especially CDs and DVDs, which are declining in popularity in the age of streaming. (However, vinyl is growing in popularity, so your old record collection may fetch a few dollars.) Your local library is sure to appreciate the donation. Senior centers also can make good of these and kids’ books and DVDs can go to a local shelter.

Now you’ve decluttered and provided things to people who need them. What could be better than that?

Published with permission from RISMedia.

You make a lot of changes when getting a home ready to sell, but one thing that all sellers should consider doing is changing out any antiquated fixtures that might make a room seem old and be a turnoff to a house hunter.

Replacing fixtures is relatively easy and often inexpensive, and can be a great way to add some value to your home in the eyes of a prospective buyer.

Start by going room to room and jotting down a list of the fixtures you have. Include all lighting, faucets, doorknobs and switches. Compile a list of any problems or irregularities, and then think about the best way to replace or fix them.

Once completed, pay a visit to your local home improvement store and buy some updated fixtures that you can use to make things better. And no need to hire a contractor for any of this” these should all be simple DIY projects that you can do by watching a YouTube video or reading a book from the library. If you’re really not handy, ask a friend or relative for help or do hire someone, but these shouldn’t be time-consuming at all.

For example, to replace lights, you can add a dimmer, replace the light plate with something more colorful or shinier and it only takes a little bit of work with a screwdriver. New light fixtures can also change the nuance of a room and brighten up any dark area. You might be worried about “playing” with electricity, but simply cut off the power in your fuse box, and you will be fine.

In the kitchen and bathroom, faucet and drain stopper changes are something that’s easy and can add some shine to the sinks. And if you’re making changes in the bathroom to the faucet, you should also do the shower so that everything matches. Speaking of showers, putting in a new showerhead that offers massage or heavy jets is also something people like.

With doorknobs, shiny is in and can really make a door or closet stand out in a room. Be consistent throughout the house so that you don’t have different doorknobs for different rooms in the same hallway. That look could be unsettling.

Remember, when working with fixtures, there are plenty of low-cost options that look great and will attract buyers in the process. Replacing fixtures is an easy way to spend a relatively small amount and get a big return in the home’s look, which can ultimately lead to a faster sale.

Published with permission from RISMedia.