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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.

Laundry machines use a lot of energy.

To save on power costs, consider the following when doing laundry:

Use cold water to cut a loads energy use by more than half. Cold-water detergents can help ensure clothes get clean.
Your washer will use about the same amount of energy no matter the load size, so fill it up.
Use lower heat settings to save energy, even though the drying cycle is longer.
Clean the lint filter often so the dryer runs more efficiently and safely.
When possible, hang laundry outside or on a drying rack to avoid using the dryer altogether.

Laundry can be a big chore, so let lower energy bills help ease the burden.

Published with permission from RISMedia.

The amount due on a property tax bill is obviously the main thing that catches a homeowner’s eye”but there are other parts of the bill that should be checked for errors and confirmed as updated.

Here are some ways to review your property tax bill and how to appeal it:

Check the Numbers
Look at the rate of taxation and assessed value of your home. Are they correct?

Assessments are generally tied to fair market value. A home’s attributes, such as square footage, number of rooms and type of property, are put into an automated valuation formula. Ask your assessor’s office for a detailed checklist and make sure it’s correct.

The value of a home assessment is usually done in two ways: based on recent sales, and based on replacement value as determined by an insurance company.

When to Ask for a Reassessment
If your home assessment is based on similar properties, then check on sales of homes in your area. If the assessor puts the value higher than at least three to five comparable homes, then you may want to appeal.

Property tax assessments are updated only every few years in some places. If property values have dropped significantly in your area since the last assessment and your property taxes haven’t changed, you can request a reassessment.

How to Appeal
Filing deadlines and procedures for an appeal should be included in your property tax bill. If not, look on the assessor’s website.

Submit your documentation, such as a list of comparable properties, in a letter or online for the review board to look at.

If you need help, hire a tax or real estate expert who specializes in tax assessment. If you win the appeal, the lower tax assessment should apply for a few years and make the fee worthwhile.

When filing an appeal, you’re still required to pay your property taxes on time and in full during the process. If you win, you’ll get a refund. There’s also the possibility that if it’s found that comparable home prices are higher, you could see an increase in your property taxes.

If you lose your appeal, you can appeal it to a state board or court, though those may require paying extra fees. At the very least, you can appeal your property tax bill next year when it arrives in the mail.

I hope you found this helpful. Contact me for more home and real estate insights and info.

Published with permission from RISMedia.

Here are a few exciting amenities that kids will love!

Waterslides

Waterslides and lazy rivers take the backyard swimming pool to the next level.

Bowling Alleys

The perfect rainy-day activity, a bowling lane at home has a wow factor that everyone can enjoy.

Treehouses

Help your kids immerse themselves in nature with a craftsman level fort.

Game Rooms

Spaces with foosball, air hockey, Skee-ball, and more, provide the perfect hangout spot.

In-Ground Trampolines

An amenity that will light up the little ones eyes, in-ground trampolines are a growing trend.

Published with permission from RISMedia.