Apr 22, 2013
Was a home improvement project on your list of New Years Resolutions? If so, there are apps to help you with everything from cleaning the drapes to refinishing your floors.
1. Color Capture and ColorSnap
Download: Color Capture from Benjamin Moore for iPhone and ColorSnap from Sherwin-Williams for iPhone.
Price: Free
Repainting your bedroom? Maybe even the whole house? Choosing a color to paint your walls can be pretty intimidating — there are thousands of options! And what if you already have a color in mind but aren’t sure how to find it in the paint aisle at the hardware store? Maybe you want to paint your bathroom walls to match a certain color towel or paint your living room to match the sofa.
These apps can help. Using your phone’s camera, you can take a picture of anything you like, and the app will analyze the colors in the photo and show you the closest match in its color line. Color Capture is available for iPhone, iPod touch, iPad, and Android phones; ColorSnap is available for iPhone, Android, and BlackBerry. Both apps are free.
2. iHandy Carpenter
Download: iHandy Carpenter for iPhone
Price: $1.99
With this app, $1.99 buys you 5 essential tools for home improvement. There’s a plumb bob, a surface level, a bubble level bar, a steel protractor, and a ruler. While it probably won’t replace the real thing if you want to be absolutely certain that your walls are straight or your measurements are accurate, it’s very handy for quick estimations.
3. HomeSmarts
Download: HomeSmarts for iPhone
Price: Free
This free app is designed to help you remember all the tasks that go into maintaining a home. HomeSmarts starts with a short survey to gather basic information about your home, including the type of heating and cooling system you have, whether or not you have a pool or a garage, and so on. Once it has this information, it will create a yearly schedule of items that need your attention, and you can adjust how you receive alerts.
The developers of this app have quite a sense of humor, making you smile with messages like “shoveling coal into the servers” and “charging the flux capacitor” as it’s loading up your items.
4. Home Maintenance
Download: Home Maintenance for iPhone
Price: $4.99
Much like HomeSmarts, Home Maintenance helps you keep track of home maintenance tasks. This app costs $4.99 but includes a much wider range of features and capabilities. You can add more than one house and note facts like the date it was built, date purchased, purchase price, and appraised value. For each house, you can then add custom tasks or choose from predefined lists such as chimney cleaning and deck maintenance. You can even add photos for any item and email yourself a complete maintenance record.
5. Chore Pad
Download: Chore Pad for iPhone
Price: $2.99
Finding it hard to motivate yourself to get those chores done? Finding it hard to motivate your kids to get their chores done? Chore Pad can help! Add the members of your household, then add as many chores as you want, assign them to different people, and set up their frequency. You can also set up rewards, and as you complete tasks, you collect stars that you can then turn in for rewards. Get your kids to clean up their rooms by bribing — motivating — them with, say, a trip to the ice cream shop. At $2.99, this app is both affordable and useful.
6. HandyMan Sidekick
Download: HandyMan Sidekick for iPhone
Price: $1.99
This highly recommended home improvement app does it all. Whether you’re painting or wallpapering a room, putting mulch in your garden, or trying to figure out how much drywall you’ll need, just plug in the dimensions of your space, subtract any doors and windows, and figure out exactly how much you’ll need. There’s also a handy metric-to-imperial (and back) converter and a flashlight so you can see in those small, dark corners of the house.
7. Handy Man DIY
Download: Handy Man DIY for iPhone
Price: $1.99
Much like HandyMan Sidekick, Handy Man DIY offers calculators to help you figure out how much paint, wallpaper, flooring, or trim you need to complete your project. You can also create shopping lists (or choose from prebuilt options), store room dimensions for later use, create lists of tasks for each project, or check seasonal reminders of home maintenance tasks for various times of the year.
Now you have no excuse to get cracking on that to-do list! Except perhaps that it’s a gorgeous day and there’s fresh iced tea in the fridge… but at least with these handy apps, you’ll be able to get your chores done sooner and enjoy the spring!
Realtor.com
This article originally appeared on Tecca.com
Apr 22, 2013
Mortgage rates fell again this week (April 14th) and continue to trend downward, inching closer to historic lows. It is the third consecutive week in which home loans saw a decline, according to the latest survey by mortgage buyer Freddie Mac. However, the week-over-week change in home loans was minimal or “rangebound,” to use mortgage industry-speak.
The average rate for a 30-year fixed loan saw a minor change, moving slightly down from last week’s 3.43% to 3.41%. As it stands, loans are now just .1% away from the historic low reached in November, 3.31%, which was the lowest average for a 30-year fixed dating back to 1971.
The relatively static change can likely be attributed to continued stabilization of U.S. economic conditions. The bond market has especially benefited from uncertainty in the stock market, a relationship that will continue to have a dramatic effect on mortgage rates moving forward, according to mortgage expert Al Bowman:
“This leaves the stock markets to be the biggest influence on bond trading and changes to mortgage rates. If we see sizable stock gains, bonds will likely be pressured, leading to slightly higher mortgage rates. On the other hand, if the up and down pattern in stocks continues tomorrow, we are due to see the major stock indexes in negative territory. If that is the case, we should see a positive morning in bonds with a slight improvement to mortgage pricing.
The 30-year fixed wasn’t the only loan to see a slight dip. The average rate on a 15-year fixed mortgage also fell marginally, creeping slightly downward from last week’s 2.65% to 2.64%, which is now just a hair above (.01%) above the historic low.
Additionally, hybrid 5-year adjustable-rate mortgage went down from 2.62% from a week ago to 2.60%. The 1-year ARM, however, saw a slight increase week-over-week, moving up to 2.63% from last week’s 2.62%.
While some attribute the continued decline of interest rates to the bond and job markets, Frank E. Nothaft, Freddie Mac vice president and chief economist, points to weak consumer spending. “Retail sales contracted for the second time in three months, falling 0.4 percent in March,” Nothaft said in a statement. “In addition, the University of Michigan reported their Consumer Sentiment Index dropped 6.3 points in April to settle at 72.3, its lowest level since July. The April reading snapped a streak of three consecutive gains.”
Barring a surprise, rates are expected to remain consistent moving forward, presenting home buyers and people looking to refinance an opportunity to benefit from rates at near-historic levels.
Realtor.com
Mar 12, 2013
With an abundance of foreclosed homes and short sales on the market, it is tempting to believe all the pros and cons you hear about buying a bank-owned property. Below are the top 3 myths about buying a foreclosure.
Foreclosures sell at massive discounts, compared to other homes.
Reality check: while foreclosures might be discounted massively from what the former owner paid or owed, their discounts are much more modest when compared to their value on today’s market and the prices of similar homes.
When you buy a foreclosure, you should lowball the bank – they are desperate to get these homes off their books.
Stories in the press abound about the large numbers of foreclosed homes the banks have on their books. We’ve all heard the adage that banks have no interest in owning these properties. But the real deal is that they’re simply not desperate enough to give these places away. Also, the banks mostly service the defaulted loans – they don’t own them. Various groups of investors do, and they hold the banks accountable to selling the bank-owned property at as high a price as possible, helping them cut their losses. Many banks won’t even consider lowball offers, and many bank-owned properties actually sell for above the asking price. Before a bank will take a lowball offer, they will almost always reduce the list price first, and see if that attracts a higher offer than the lowball one they have in hand.
Foreclosures need a huge amount of work.
Ninety-two percent of consumers surveyed stated that if they bought a foreclosure, they would be willing to make home improvements after they closed the deal, with 65 percent being willing to invest 20 percent or less of the purchase price. Although stories of foreclosures missing plumbing and every electrical fixture are very memorable, many foreclosed homes need only the (relatively inexpensive) cosmetics that many new homeowners want to customize no matter what kind of home they’re buying: paint, carpet, etc.”
Realtor.com
Feb 6, 2013
Give your pocketbook and Mother Nature a break this season by taking advantage of these simple, surprising ways to save energy and money.
Put lamps in corners: Did you know you can switch to a lower wattage bulb in a lamp or lower its dimmer switch and not lose a noticeable amount of light? It’s all about placement. When a lamp is placed in a corner, the light reflects off the adjoining walls, which makes the room lighter and brighter.
Switch to a laptop: If you’re reading this article on a laptop, you’re using 1/3 less energy than if you’re reading this on a desktop.
Choose an LCD TV: If you’re among those considering a flat-screen upgrade from your conventional, CRT TV, choose an LCD screen for the biggest energy save.
Give your water heater a blanket: Just like you pile on extra layers in the winter, your hot water heater can use some extra insulation too. A fiberglass insulation blanket is a simple addition that can cut heat loss and save 4 to 9 percent on the average water-heating bill.
Turn off the burner before you’re done cooking: When you turn off an electric burner, it doesn’t cool off immediately. Use that to your advantage by turning it off early and using the residual heat to finish up your dish.
Add motion sensors: You might be diligent about shutting off unnecessary lights, but your kids? Not so much. Adding motion sensors to playrooms and bedrooms cost only $15 to $50 per light, and ensures you don’t pay for energy that you’re not using.
Spin laundry faster: The faster your washing machine can spin excess water out of your laundry, the less you’ll need to use your dryer. Many newer washers spin clothes so effectively, they cut drying time and energy consumption in half—which results in an equal drop in your dryer’s energy bill.
Use an ice tray: Stop using your automatic icemaker. It increases your fridge’s energy consumption by 14 to 20 percent. Ice trays, on the other hand, don’t increase your energy costs one iota.
Use the dishwasher: If you think doing your dishes by hand is greener than powering up the dishwasher, you’re wrong. Dishwashers use about 1/3 as much hot water and relieve that much strain from your energy-taxing water heater. Added bonus: you don’t have to wash any dishes.”
Realtor.com
Feb 6, 2013
There are many ways to find space where none seems to exist. The key is to look and then look again. Glimpse beyond a door, look above the window, peek below a table and put a cabinet in a place you never thought to put it before. Instead of looking around at eye level, look up and down. Think vertical. The air above you is fertile ground for storage.
Using storage cabinets
Dolores Cobb, a New York decorator and self-proclaimed veteran of tiny apartments says, “A tall storage cabinet (96″ tall x 12″ deep x 18″ wide) can open up your floor and wall space and provide limitless storage solutions. She employs such cabinets with or without doors, depending on the available space. “Open cabinets can make a space look bigger. In tiny apartments, I use them on both ends of a small sofa, paint them to match the walls, install new pulls (on doors), then float a small end table in front of them. Sometimes I’ll place a small painting or mirror on the doors they look fantastic.”
Cobb says she gets the cabinets unassembled, often made of pressed wood and sometimes faux-paints them for drama. “In an hour of easy gluing and assembly, you can create enchantment and a much more appealing and organized life!”
If off-the-rack storage cabinets seem a bit dull, Atlanta designer June Oliveri offers an interesting touch. A collector of architectural salvage and ephemera, she says, “Use old doors to customize pre made cabinets.” Her idea is ingenious and beautiful. “Buy cabinets and stack them high. Choose a cabinet that fits your needs at one of the big box stores, and then rummage for some old doors to hang on the front for an artful and beautiful look. Even new shutter doors painted to look old can work in a pinch.” If you are a woodworker, Oliveri advises making a frame for your vintage doors so you get a perfect fit.
Think creatively
Flea market seller and scavenger, Chris Mead of Pasadena, California, is constantly running out of room for all the things he collects. “Floor-to-ceiling diagonal shelves in a corner painted to match or to contrast with the walls are magic.”
A furniture rescuer, Mead also suggests: Transform an old dresser you love but don’t use in your bedroom anymore into a focal piece right in your living room.” The advantage he says is that “you get to keep a cherished object and give it a new life as storage for magazines, books, extra blankets or whatever you need space for.”
Go with a pro
“Some people want perfection,” notes Jean Knight, a home and closet organizer by trade. Today anything is possible. If you want a large closet and don’t have one, call in a closet and storage team to find the space. I have put storage around beds and sofas. I have built in window seats. I have put bookcases and bookshelves around washing machines to make linen closets and it has all been done with pre-fabricated items available at most big box stores.”
Quick ideas and tips
- Think vertical: don’t focus on eye-level solutions.
- Look to corners for hidden space.
- Make great storage from the space above kitchen cabinets.
- Connect two cabinets with a shelf.
- Put a shelf above a window and line it with your favorite books.
- Use your fireplace in off season as a storage area.
- Stack books under tables.
- Buy a cheap campaign trunk, paint it and place it under a table to hide clutter.
- Use flea-market wicker suitcases stacked to hold needed items.
Realtor.com
Dec 17, 2012
ACCESSIBILITY – the ease and convenience with which a property can be entered by customers (Barron’s Dictionary of Real Estate Terms)
It is very important that when you put your home on the market it is accessible to prospective clients. I view accessibility in two different ways:
- Accessibility to view the home online
- Accessibility to personally view the home
ACCESSIBILITY TO VIEW THE HOME ONLINE
It is very important that your home has a strong presence on the internet. According to the National Association of REALTORS 2010 Profile of Home Buyers and Home Sellers, 89% of home buyers begin their real estate search online. In fact most home buyers spend several months viewing homes online and educating themselves about the local real estate market before they purchase a home. There are several important factors of your online presence:
- Does your home/property have photos (multiple photos, not just the front of the home)? Lack of photos will automatically eliminate it as a possibility (unless the home was recently placed on the market). Professional photos are even better! (87% feel property photos are very important*)
- Is your description of the home detailed? It is very important that your description of the home is accurate and detailed. Again where most buyers are trying to educate themselves about areas, home features, etc, the more info the better! (83% feel a detailed description is very important*)
- Does your home have a virtual tour? Virtual tours can have a huge impact for buyers as it allows them to orient themselves in the home. They can figure out how each room flows or fits in with each other. One of my clients almost eliminated a home because it didn’t have a virtual tour. She’s glad she didn’t because she ended up purchasing the home. Virtual tours are very important! (61% feel a virtual tour is very important*)
* National Association of REALTORS 2010 Profile of Home Buyers and Home Sellers
ACCESSIBILITY TO PERSONALLY VIEW THE HOME
I can’t stress enough how important it is to ensure the home is accessible for a prospective buyer when a showing is requested. You NEVER know if you just declined a showing to a perfect buyer for your home. When I work with buyers and we have a hard time accessing a particular listing, they inevitably assume that the Sellers may be difficult to work with if we decide to bring an offer. I must put a side note here that there are times when a showing can not be accommodated, buyers do understand that. If that is the case, maybe offer another time that would work better or if your home won’t be available for longer period, withdraw it from the market. You can always reactive the listing once showings can be accommodated. My point is that every effort should be made to get a potential buyer through the door.
Realtor.com
