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You probably have a room in your house that doesnt get used much or is just acting as storage for your extra stuff. Empty nesters are especially prone to having a bedroom that is no longer used and has become messy and unorganized over time.

Rooms like these are an opportunity when selling a house. Presenting a room in a creative way can appeal to buyers who visit your home. Anyone buying a home is going to expect bedrooms, dens and living rooms, so transforming a spare room into something unique is sure to be noticed. Here are some ideas for turning that bonus room into something special quickly and without a high cost.

Recreation Room
Buyers with kids are sure to appreciate a room that promotes family time. While playrooms filled with toys are common, a room where everyone can gather and interact is a great idea. Put board games in the room and set up a table with a puzzle on it. Also include books, magazines and coloring books, but not a TV. Invite house hunters to work on the puzzle; kids who are spending the day looking at houses will jump at the opportunity, and that might translate to a positive experience for the parents.

Hobby Room
Rooms designed specifically for men and women are a popular trend, but why not create a space for everyone? Make the room a productive area where anyone can practice a hobby. Set up a sewing or knitting area, create a spot for a musical instrument with a music stand or turn the room into an artists’ or writers’ studio.

Family Office
Instead of a stuffy office, create a fun home work space. Set up a desk or table where family members can bring their laptops. Have papers, pens, pencils and other supplies handy. For the younger members of the household, set up a station with crayons, paste and construction paper. Have a shelf with dictionaries, reference books and almanacs.

Guest Room
Sure, many homes have guest rooms, but make yours one to envy. With a simple paint job and a small investment in quality bedding, you can turn a room into a luxurious space that is sure to catch the eyes of buyers who have out-of-town friends and relatives that might need to spend the weekend.

High-End Closet
Turning rooms into closets can be a major project, but it also can be done efficiently. Affordable shelving can hold shoes, hats, scarves, gloves and practically any type of clothing in an accessible and organized way. Racks can hold shirts, pants, suits and dresses. The idea is to create an appealing and organized space for clothing and accessories.

Published with permission from RISMedia.

The interest rate on your mortgage will have a major impact on the total amount youll pay over the life of the loan. If youre buying a home that you plan to live for a long time, reducing your interest rate by purchasing mortgage points could allow you to save tens of thousands of dollars.

How Do Mortgage Points Work?
Mortgage points, or discount points, are fees that you can pay to the lender at closing in exchange for a reduction in your interest rate. One point costs 1 percent of the mortgage amount. The amount that the interest rate is reduced depends on the lender. Each point typically reduces the interest rate by one-eighth to one-quarter of 1 percent.

Should You Buy Mortgage Points?
The longer you own your house and make monthly mortgage payments, the more of an impact points can have. To figure out if it makes sense to purchase points, you need to look at your specific situation and crunch the numbers.

Compare the amount your monthly payments would be if you didnt buy any points and paid the full interest rate to what youd pay if you bought points. Divide the amount youd spend on points by the amount youd save on interest each month to figure out after how many months the savings would equal the cost of points. If youd stay in your home after the break-even point, it would make sense to buy points. If youd likely move before then, youd be better off not buying points.

If you chose an adjustable-rate mortgage, points would generally only lower the interest rate during the fixed-rate period at the beginning. Figure out if youd break even before the interest rate changed and you lost the reduction from points.

Putting down 20 percent of the purchase price could allow you to avoid paying for private mortgage insurance (PMI). You might save more by making a large down payment and avoiding PMI than you would by purchasing mortgage points to lower the interest rate. Run the numbers to figure out what would be better for your specific circumstances.

Buying mortgage points might also lower your tax liability. Discuss your specific circumstances with an accountant.

Figure out If Points Are Right for You
If you plan to stay in your home long-term, lowering your interest rate could help you save a lot of money. If you dont plan to stay there long enough to break even, youd be better off not buying points. Making a larger down payment to avoid PMI would be the better option in some cases. The only way to decide which is the right move is to consider the cost of the house you want, how much points would lower your interest rate, and how long you expect to live in the house, then do the math.

This article is intended for informational purposes only and should not be construed as professional or legal advice.

Published with permission from RISMedia.

Your home is your sanctuary; however, if outside noises prevent you from getting the rest and relaxation you need, your health and productivity could suffer. Soundproofing your home doesn’t need to be a huge, expensive hassle. There are some easy ways to dampen the sound of your neighbor’s barking dog or reduce the noise of trucks roaring down the freeway.

Fill cracks and holes. The first step in any soundproofing plan should be addressing cracks, gaps and holes. Regardless of how tiny they look, be sure to seal openings around siding, windows and doors with latex or flexible polyurethane caulk. Fill gaps around piping or utility wires with putty or expanding foam. For especially noisy conditions, such as homes near airports or on very busy streets, consider sealing mail slots and replacing pet doors with interior drywall and a matching exterior material.

Replace your doors. As the largest single opening in your home’s walls, doors are a gateway for noise to enter your home. Instead of foam-core or glass-paneled doors, install solid-core doors, which will block more sound. You should also install good-quality storm doors on the exterior to add a layer of sound protection between your house and the outside environment. If sound is really a problem in your home, replace interior doors, which are usually hollow, with solid wooden doors.

Install window inserts. Windows are especially problematic. Inserts offer effective ways to soundproof your windows. Plus, depending on the type of window you have, they can reduce up to 70 percent of outside noise. Easy-to-install inserts fit snugly into the interior window jamb and require no hardware. Inserts not only reduce noise; they also make your home more energy efficient. Plus, they’re great for renters who can’t make permanent changes to their spaces.

Get high-quality storm windows. Storm windows add a layer of insulation against noise pollution. Look for those with thick glass, sturdy frames and adequate weather stripping. Remember, the more space between the storm window and the interior window, the better itll provide sound masking. Ideally, the airspace would be 3 – 4 inches wide.

Hang heavy draperies. Curtains or drapes can help absorb any sounds that make it through your window. You can purchase specially made noise-blocking curtains, but curtains made from a heavy, thick fabric will work just as well.

Fill your rooms. Empty rooms are like echo chambers. Adding furnishings to a room absorbs sound instead of allowing vibrations to bounce off hard surfaces. Incorporate plush rugs and carpet, cushy sofas, wall hangings and textiles to reduce noise.

Grow a green thumb. While it may not offer the most soundproofing, planting some trees or shrubs along the sides of your home where noise originates may help. When grown, the hedges will absorb and redirect noise away from your home.

If your house is inundated with sounds, you won’t want to spend much time there. Further, you certainly won’t find your time at home relaxing. These tips will help soundproof your home to get the peace and quiet you deserve.

Source: Indow Windows

Published with permission from RISMedia.

Attics exist for pretty much two reasons: ventilation and storage.

And while a lot of people don’t pay much attention to their attics, anyone who’s putting their house on the market needs every room to look its best, and that includes the attic. Follow these tips to keep your attic ready for its close-up.

Clean it. Start by clearing everything out of your attic. Then get busy sweeping, dusting and cleaning any windows if the attic has them. If it smells musty, place an air freshener in the attic.

Go through your stuff. It’s time for the tried and true method of determining what you want to keep, what you want to donate and what you want to throw away. Some of your items that have been hiding in the attic may be pretty old, so look things over and make sure they’re worth keeping or donating. Now isn’t a time to be sentimental, throw out those items you know you’ll never need.

Inspect your paperwork. If there are old bills and other papers in your attic, don’t just throw them away. Figure out which papers are important, and shred the ones you truly don’t need.

Organize your attic. Now that you know what you want to keep, place everything in protective and visually appealing containers. Label them so that you know where everything is. If you’re keeping larger items, such as lamps or chairs, in your attic, make sure they are clean and dusted. Try to avoid keeping your attic completely empty, storing some stuff there sends the message that this is a space future owners can use.

Take care of your photos. Family pictures are commonly kept in attics. They may be in photo albums or stored in shoeboxes. Go through them all and organize them. Most of us find photos precious, and this is an opportunity to organize them in a way that can be saved for generations. Consider investing in new albums or make a scrapbook of them. Another option is to transfer everything to your computer or phone.

Attics aren’t the stars of homes, but that’s no reason not to present them in their best light.

Published with permission from RISMedia.

If your home has a driveway, you may have encountered a common problem: cracks. Driveway cracks often start out small and go unnoticed, but they can eventually become so serious that the entire driveway needs to be repaved. Fortunately, there are some steps you can take to reduce the likelihood of problems.

How Water Can Damage Your Driveway
Concrete is a porous material. Water from rain or melted snow can make its way into a concrete driveway, freeze and expand when the temperature drops, then contract when the weather turns warmer. This process, if repeated several times over the course of the fall and winter, can cause concrete to crack.

An asphalt driveway can be damaged by frost heave. If the soil under the asphalt gets moist, it can freeze, swell and cause the driveway to crack.

How to Prevent Cracks Caused by Water
Clogged gutters or downspouts can overflow, which can cause water to wind up in places where it doesnt belong. If water flows toward your driveway and the temperature drops, the water can freeze and cause the driveway to expand and crack. Cleaning your gutters twice a year is a simple way to prevent this scenario.

If your driveway doesnt have enough of a slope, water may not drain properly. Puddles can form, and water can be absorbed by the driveway material and eventually cause cracks. If your driveway doesnt drain well, you may need to have it repaired.

Applying a sealant to your driveway can repel water and help you prevent cracks. A sealant can be rolled or sprayed on your driveway every few years. Use a sealant appropriate for your driveways paving material.

How to Keep Plants From Cracking Your Driveway
Roots of bushes and trees near the driveway can grow underground, put pressure on the driveway, and eventually cause it to crack. Homeowners often dont realize how far roots extend since theyre hidden from view.

If any trees or bushes are growing near your driveway, remove them. This may be expensive if you have one or more large trees or several bushes, but itll be a lot cheaper and much less of a hassle than repaving your entire driveway later.

Edging your driveway is another way to prevent cracks. Keep a few inches along the edge of the driveway free of sod and weeds to allow water to run away from the driveway and prevent it from freezing and causing cracks.

Do What You Can to Prevent Driveway Cracks
A cracked driveway can detract from your homes curb appeal and be a safety hazard. In many cases, cracks may be prevented if you understand what causes them and take steps to avoid problems. If you notice any cracks in your driveway, deal with them right away, before they have an opportunity to get worse. If you have questions or need help, consult a professional.

Published with permission from RISMedia.