Moving Checklist The best way to organize your move is to set your move-in date then use this guide to keep you on track from two months right up until you move. If you wait until the last minute, you might find yourself stuck renting a U-Haul and begging friends to tote your boxes for …
Tax Appraisals vs. Lender Appraisals
This time of year, there is a lot of discussion about APPRAISALS. There are two types of appraisals that we generally talk about when we are focused on home ownership: Tax appraisals and Lender appraisals. Because property tax bills tend to arrive in our mailboxes in the spring, the question ‘Why is my house value so high?’ or ‘Why is my house value so low?’ is common come April. Then, when going through the process of buying a house, the Lender Appraisal comes into question. So which is which, and do we want either of them to be higher or lower than what we think our house is valued at?
Homeowner’s Guide for People Who Live in the Real World, part 4
4 Ways to Avoid DIY Mistakes — From a DIYer Who’s Made Them All DIY gone wrong is your worst nightmare. Sleep better with these tips to master DIY know-how. New backsplash? You’ve done it. Upgrading a faucet? No problem. You’re a DIY master. But what about that electrical issue? Or fixing a leaky roof? …
Homeowner’s Guide for People Who Live in the Real World, part 3
7 Simple Home Remodeling Strategies for the Easily Overwhelmed A remodel should be joyful — not stressful. Which stresses you out more? The mere thought of adding a bathroom (so many contractors, so many unknowns, and you’re too busy already!) or fighting for Monday-morning mirror time for all eternity? If it feels like a toss-up, you’re not …
Homeowner’s Guide for People Who Live in the Real World, part 2
What Was I Thinking? DIYers Talk About Their Worst Decisions Sometimes what seems like a good idea just isn’t. Get tips from DIY projects that didn’t go so well. Finishing a DIY project feels amazing: Not only can you impress your friends, but you can spend every day walking by your masterpiece, gleaming with pride. …
Homeowner’s Guide for People Who Live in the Real World, part 1
Home Maintenance for People with Better Things to Do Owning your own home shouldn’t mean an endless list of chores. Weekends are meant for coaching a youth soccer team to victory, chopping your way through “Mastering the Art of French Cooking,” or training for a 5K to help save the pandas — not working your …
8 Dirty Secrets in Your Home
Steel yourself: We help you expose — and purge — your home’s dirtiest little secrets. In denial about the crud that’s festering in the nooks and crannies of your home? The maintenance and cleaning pros we talked to say these eight jobs are among the grossest — and among the most important. One job could even …