Winter Home Maintenance Checklist

Home maintenance isn’t just for the summer time! Make sure you are keeping up!

Ah, January. The time of new beginnings, new resolutions, and, in most of the country, a seemingly endless stretch of cold and gloom. We get it: You just want to hibernate, catch up on “The Crown,” and scroll Instagram. But before you take up permanent residence on the couch (or treadmill, if you’re on that kick), take heed: This is the absolute worst time to have a major home maintenance problem.

“Catastrophic issues tend to happen in the winter—and when those occur, nine times out of 10 it’s due to failing to plan,” says Janet O’Dea, owner of Powers Plumbing in San Diego. “Taking some time to anticipate and be ahead of maintenance issues throughout the year takes a lot of pressure off.”

We couldn’t agree more. And that’s why we’ve done the heavy lifting for you (click here), season by season, so you can avoid the pain (and expense) of costly home repairs. Now that’s a resolution we can get behind!

Switching Jobs? Looking to buy a home?

Are you switching jobs but also looking to buy a house? Here are some things to keep in mind when it comes to buying a home.

If you’re switching jobs or plan to in the near future, you might want to know how that impacts your ability to buy a house. After all, purchasing a home is a lengthy, stressful process once you tally up the time for mortgage approval and pounding the payment to find a home.

If you’re in the middle of considering a job change, your company has transferred you to a new area or you’re thinking of starting a new business, it’s prudent to think about how that affects any home-buying plans—because, frankly, any job switch can have major impacts on your ability and plans to buy a home.

Click here to learn how the switch could affect the home buying process.

Are you making the right renovations?

Home renovations can add or subtract value from your home. Make sure you are choosing the right improvements for your property!

If you’re into renovation projects, then updating and revamping your home can be a lot of fun. But before you get too excited about knocking down walls and setting up a custom movie room, you might want to consider resale value. Flashy renovations don’t always yield the best returns, so you’ll need to take care when picking projects.

To make things easier for you, here are four remodels to avoid and four to invest in.

Click here to learn about which remodels to avoid!

View of modern residential house dormer accented by green shutters.Similar Images:

Looking to freshen up the look of your home without breaking the bank?

It’s sometimes tough financially to make home improvements. Many home improvements cost around four digits, and some cost even more. Unless you’ve been saving for a project, you’re unlikely to have that kind of cash lying around.

Enter your tax return. If you’re receiving a sizable chunk of change, it acts almost as an automatic savings account. Suddenly, you have money you didn’t have before.

Whether your tax return equals $500 or $5,000, you can use it to cross some home refurbishments off your list that improve your home’s livability and appeal. Some improvements even enhance your home’s energy efficiency, which lowers your cost going forward.

Here are seven home improvements that either make your home more fun, enhance its appearance or improve its energy profile: click here

How much do you know about Smart Homes?

Smart home technology is all the rage lately, touted as anything from a fun set of individual gadgets to an integrated and connected way to protect your family. But what does it actually mean? And what do you need to know as you shop for a new home?

Before you look at buying one make sure you read this blog!