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In some communities, many houses dont have garages, or they have carports with a roof and open sides. For some homebuyers, the lack of a garage isnt a big deal because they walk or use public transportation to commute. For others, a house without a garage is a deal breaker.

Security
Storing your vehicle in a garage can be safer than parking it on the street. A garage reduces the risk of theft, vandalism and accidental damage, which can go a long way toward providing added peace of mind. A garage may even lower your insurance rates.

Weather
Anyone who has gotten into a car after it’s been sitting outdoors on a sunny day knows that the sudden, sweltering heat can be unbearable. Even if you crank up the air conditioning, it takes time to cool off the car, and, in the meantime, your clothes can become drenched in sweat. This is particularly problematic if you’re on your way to work.

On the other hand, if you live in an area that’s prone to wintry weather, brushing, scraping and defrosting your car’s windshield can take up valuable time in the morning when you’re in a hurry to get to work.

Parking a car in a garage can eliminate these problems, saving you a lot of hassle as you deal with the elements throughout the year.

Storage
If you buy a house with a yard, you’ll likely need space to store a lawnmower, gardening tools and lawn furniture. If you and your kids enjoy riding bicycles, you’ll need a place to keep them safe, as well. That means you’ll need a garage or a shed. You might be able to build either, but that would take time and money, and local zoning laws might restrict your options. You could make things easier on everyone involved by putting a garage at the top of your must-have list.

Resale Value
Unless you’re confident that you’ll stay in your new house for the rest of your life, you should consider its potential resale value. A garage might not be a priority for you, but it could be a must-have for future buyers. Even if the house has many strong points, prospective buyers could immediately rule it out if it lacks a garage, or you might not get as much money as you would if it had one.

How Important Is a Garage?
For many homebuyers, a garage is a necessity. If you own a vehicle, a garage offers safety and convenience, as well as extra storage space. Even if you dont need a garage, you could decide to sell your home in the future and have a hard time if it doesnt have one. Weigh the pros and cons and discuss the issue with your real estate agent.

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Here are three tips to maximize space in your urban home.

Hidden Features

Make the most of your space by including hidden features that can transform a room. A casual seating area can quickly become a media room with a pop-up television that emerges from a cabinet or a projector thats hidden in the ceiling.

Smart Home Gym

There are numerous smart home gyms that require minimal space to exercise with maximum convenience. All you really need is a small corner of the house.

Multi-Purpose Furniture

Furniture that offers extra storage space, like an ottoman that can open up or a bedframe for the kids room with built-in drawers saves loads of space.

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Energy loss attributed to windows accounts for nearly 25 percent of the annual heating and cooling costs for the average American home, according to the Department of Energy. Do double-paned windows provide enough savings to justify their cost?

Experts say that even a clear glass, double-paned vinyl or wood-framed window can reduce energy usage by up to 24 percent in cold climates during the winter, and by up to 18 percent in hot climates during the summer, when compared to older, single-pane models. The savings may be even greater if you choose top-of-the-line models and/or triple-paned windows.

Double-paned windows are a boon to the environment as well, because when you burn less fossil fuel, you create fewer greenhouse gas emissions.

As an added bonus, double-paned windows significantly reduce traffic sounds and other outdoor noise, making them a smart buy in busy urban areas.

Apart from the cost, there’s no downside to installing double-paned windows, although experts say that quality matters. From failed seals to improperly spaced glass, poorly manufactured windows can negate energy savings and lead to other problems, such as condensation developing between the panes”so it’s wise to buy from a reputable dealer.

Also, replacing individual windows rather than upgrading entire homes or floors will not likely yield your intended energy savings. Old windows will still leak air even if you install one double-paned one, making it imperative to replace all the windows in your home at the same time.

Costs can vary considerably depending upon the number of windows to be replaced and the overall quality of materials used. On average, you may expect to pay between $300 and $500 per window, plus an installment fee. But competition is keen and sales do occur, so a thrifty homeowner should get several estimates before choosing a contractor.

Interested in more real estate information? Feel free to contact me directly.

Published with permission from RISMedia.

Published with permission from RISMedia.

Buying a home is expensive enough. Filling it up with things you need adds to the cost, and spending more money to replace those things leads to more bills.

Extending the lifespan of household items can save you a lot of money in the long run. Here are five tips for making some common household items last longer:

Flip your mattress.
Most mattresses have a lifespan of seven to 10 years. If you dont flip or rotate your mattress regularly you may have to replace it sooner.

Ask the manufacturer or business that sold you a mattress how often if recommends rotating or flipping a mattress so that it doesnt sag from body impressions in one area. A pillow top mattress will have to be rotated. Or rotate your mattress as often as you like, such as every month.

Remove batteries.
If youre not using something for a long time that requires batteries, take the batteries out until you need it again.

Chances are that at some time youve tried to use some battery-powered device, only to discover that its not working because the batteries are dead. Or worse ” that the batteries have corroded and made the device unusable.

Use the right amount of laundry detergent.
Many new model clothes washers require much less laundry detergent than you might think. After all, if your clothes are dirty, a little extra detergent should make them cleaner, right? Not exactly.

Too much soap can make a washer work harder on the rinse and spin cycles to get all of that soap out, leading to a broken washer. Try using less soap and see if your clothes come out just as clean.

Maintain your appliances.
Regular maintenance is necessary for more than just your car. Clean the refrigerator coils and vacuum around the air vents so that it keeps running smoothly and doesnt have to use extra energy to run.

Change your furnace cleaners regularly, have your air conditioner and heater serviced each year, clean the gutters annually and even do simple things such as cleaning the coffee maker to extend the life of your home and its components.

Clean the clothes dryer.
If the wet clothes in your clothes dryer take longer than normal to dry, theres something wrong with the dryer.

Regularly clean the lint trap, exhaust hose and check the exterior vent for blockages. If air isnt moving through the dryer and out of the house, it makes it harder to dry the clothes inside it. That can lead to more time running the dryer and working harder, which can lead to more breakdowns.

Hope you found these tips helpful! Contact me for more insights and info.

Published with permission from RISMedia.