10 Questions You Need to Ask Your Contractor Before You Hire Them

Hiring the right contractor can mean the difference between a successful remodeling project and a nightmare. The contractor is responsible for hiring the best tradesmen, budgeting, ordering raw materials, timing, and much more.

Before you meet with a contractor, it’s important to prepare. Not only should you be clear about the scope and goals for the project, but you also need to have questions about their business and these 10 questions can help you ensure you are hiring the best person for your needs.

1. Are you licensed and bonded? Can you provide information about your insurance coverages and exclusions?

2. What kind of project management system do you use? What is your communication cadence with your team and with me?

3. What is your policy regarding the cleanliness of the job site? How do you ensure employee safety on the job site?

4. Do you have a portfolio of similar projects and recent work with photos and/or videos?

5. Will you give me some references of recent past clients?

6. Can you provide me with a sample contract in advance for review?

7. How are selections and allowances handled?

8. How are payments handled? Will you provide a payment schedule?

9. What is the estimated time frame for planning, start date, and completion?

10.What penalties will you pay for delays caused by your team? How is fault defined for delays? Is this in the contract?

Remember, a home remodel can cause a great deal of upheaval, weeks or months of workers, delays, and adjustments. While you can’t plan for all contingencies, you can hire the best possible contractor. This puts you in the best position for a successful project.

Why Didn’t My House Sell?

There is nothing more frustrating for a seller than to watch houses around them sell like hot cakes while theirs lingers on the market. Finally, when the listing expires, they find themselves asking why? Why didn’t my house sell? In a robust housing market like we’ve had the past few years, the good news is there are some common reasons why a home doesn’t sell. If you find yourself in this position, ask yourself these questions, and then correct them and relist them.

· Did You Stage Your Home? We’re not talking about expensive services that bring in all new furniture here, but you do need to make your home attractive. The basic “curb appeal” rule still applies, even in a “sellers’ market.”

· Did You Limit Access? When homes are moving quickly, it’s tempting to assume every home will get multiple offers. But buyers still want to view the home before making that offer, if your home is difficult to see, you will lose potential buyers.

· Did You Price Your Home Correctly? Setting the right price is always important. Even when prices are rising, an unrealistically high listing price will cause buyers and their agents to ignore the home.

· Did You Hire The Right Agent? Sometimes, it really is the agent’s fault. The right agent will properly market the home, communicate frequently, offer advice about price/offers, and make themselves available. They should be giving feedback throughout the process about adjustments to ensure that the home is seen and is appealing to potential buyers.

If you answered “no” to these questions, then relisting may be a great option. Make the changes you need to, and then relist the property. This time, you may not need to ask yourself, “why didn’t my home sell”?

7 Tips to Creating an Amazing Gallery Wall

A gallery wall is a quick and easy way to add visual impact to any room. Adding art and photography to a wall showcases your personality, interests, and style. Merging art with interesting articles, a gallery wall instantly adds depth to a living room or other space. Set against a strong color, the impact is even greater, and the time commitment is minimal, making it a great weekend or evening project.

7 Tips to Creating a Visual Delight

1. Plan and Visualize – One great tip is to use paper cut outs to plan the wall before committing and make sure you have the right tools, such as nails, hangers, Command® strips, leveler, screws, hammer, etc.

2. Choose a Theme or Concept – Create a cohesive, intentional look by working with a concept. This can be the style of art, color palette, or subject matter.

3. Mix and Match – Combine various sizes and mediums for visual interest. Mix paintings with three-dimensional objects like mirrors, plates, or masks. Pay attention to balance so the result is eclectic and not cluttered.

4. Watch the Framing – Frames and matting adds texture and boundary. Affordable options are available in standard sizes and colors in home improvement stores.

5. Play with Layout – Don’t worry about lining up every frame in a grid. Space frames and objects so that they stand out and are displayed to their best advantage.

6. Find a Focal Point – Starting in the middle of the wall, highlight a special piece and work out from there.

7. Add Lighting – Proper lighting is important. Use to highlight a special picture or use track lighting for a subtle glow.

A gallery wall is a great expression of your personality and can be changed quickly. You probably already have the art necessary to make this change today. Don’t overthink the plan and create your visual delight this weekend.

5 Common Lawn Mistakes

Summer is made for the outdoors. When the weather turns warm, the backyard becomes the central focus for family fun. After a long, cold winter, homeowners around the country turn their attention to their lawn. Yet, these weekend warriors could be sabotaging their lawn by making these 5 common mistakes.

1. Overwatering – Watering is vital for a healthy lawn, but overwatering can prevent that lush green homeowners seek. Instead of frequent light watering, aim for more infrequent waterings for a longer, deeper soak. This allows the moisture to penetrate deep down to the roots.

2. Over mowing – Cutting the grass too short weakens the root. Every type of grass has different requirements, consult a local gardening center to understand the needs of your lawn. Avoid cutting more than a third of the grass blade height in a single mowing session.

3. Ignoring Soil Health – Regular soil care ensures a strong foundation for your lawn. Test for the proper pH level and any nutrient deficiencies. Use fertilizers throughout the growing season and consider an aeration rotation for better water absorption.

4. Neglecting Weed Control – Weeds and other pests can damage lawns quickly and make it difficult to recover. Implement a regular weed and pest control program. Be careful using pesticides around pets and children. Watch that you do not overuse pesticides as that can deprive the lawn of essential nutrients.

5. Forgetting to Feed Properly – In addition to soil health, the lawn itself needs regular feeding. Choose a fertilizer based on the type of grass and environment, then create a regular cadence for use. Ensure a healthy and vibrant lawn all summer long by avoiding a few common mistakes homeowners make each year.

5 Trendy Tips to Enhance a Small Porch

Who doesn’t love the idea of a front porch? Picture a cool lemonade in the shade on a hot summer’s day while watching the world go by. Home builders have embraced this ideal over the past couple decades with more new construction featuring this timeless feature. Often though, the size of the porch seems to make it more of an idea than a usable space.

But even a modest-sized porch can be an inviting place to relax. Here are 5 trendy ideas to try this weekend to enhance a small porch.

1. Outdoor Furniture – Any porch can accommodate some kind of furniture. It may be a modest bench or a small outdoor couch, but adding a sitting option is an instant plus.

2. Pillows – Soften the look of the space and create a welcoming impression by adding pillows or blankets to the sitting area. Vary the color and style by season using weather-proof fabrics.

3. Potted Plants – Small containers or size-appropriate edges of flowers or bushes add softness and interest to any front porch. Plants allow the space to integrate with the rest of the front yard.

4. Color – Play with the color of both the furnishings and plants to draw the eye of the observer. Soft pastels paired with a bold splash will move the viewer’s eye around the space, creating the illusion of more room.

5. Remove Clutter – Finally, remove anything unnecessary and keep the porch cleared of debris or overgrown plants.

A front porch should lure one in. Even a small porch can be a pleasant place to relax, read, or refresh with just a few small changes.

6 Features of a Kitchen Remodel That Are a Waste of Money

Kitchen remodels are always popular. The pandemic has increased home improvement projects even more as people embrace the idea of staying home more. While it’s easy to find inspiration for these kitchen remodels, there are great ways to save money and still create a beautiful, welcoming space. 6 Kitchen Remodel Features That Are a Waste of Money

1. Expensive Backsplashes – Backsplashes can make a huge visual impact, but more expensive isn’t necessarily better. There are many cost-effective materials that mimic more expensive quartz, marble, and glass.

2. Designer Appliances – Designer labels look great on shoes and purses but look for style and function for new appliances and forget the designer brands that can cost twice as much for the same look.

3. Trendy Hardware – Hardware is one of the least expensive ways to update a kitchen, but there is still a cost. Balance personal style with price and avoid fad fixtures that will need to be replaced soon.

4. High-Tech Gadgets – Tech is fun, but will you really use your refrigerator to build a shopping list or turn on your oven from the beach? Most likely, tech gadgets in the kitchen will go to waste.

5. Moving Electrical/Plumbing – When possible, work within the current layout of electrical and plumbing access. Relocating these sources is expensive and difficult.

6. Open Shelving – Displaying beautiful plates and glassware may be appealing but consider the upkeep to maintain this look. You may end up adding closed cabinets anyway for more money after the remodel.

A kitchen remodel is exciting but expensive and time consuming. Fortunately, there are ways to lower the cost and still have the fresh, beautiful kitchen you’ll want to spend time in.

Short-Term vs Long-Term Rentals

Over the past few years, there has been a lot of excitement about owning a short-term rental as part of an investment portfolio. This marks a dramatic change from the traditional long-term rental model. As more travelers utilize vacation rentals instead of hotel chains for their trips, you may be wondering if owning a short-term rental may be the right situation for your needs.

Short-term rentals have caused a stir in many communities. Many full-time homeowners do not like having these properties in their neighborhood. Unruly vacationers often bring a party atmosphere to their quiet streets and some cities have banned them completely. In other areas, they are severely restricted in their use.

Another consideration is the amount of time a short-term rental will take to manage. Unlike their long-term counterparts, short-term rentals often require more repairs and maintenance as the tenants do not treat these properties as their homes, as long-term tenants do. Short-term rentals also require someone to be available 24/7 to address any needs of the guests. Of course, you can hire a property management company to handle these issues, but that will cut into profits and average 20%-30% of rents.

Short-term rentals can have a larger return on investment than long-term rentals, but they come with more work. They also have significantly higher vacancy rates, advertising costs, cleaning, and maintenance costs. On the other hand, having a vacation property you can enjoy yourself may tip the scale. There is no one-size-fits-all approach to real estate investing. Consider what works for you and make the best choice for your goals.

Inflation is Rising – Should I Still Buy a Home?

World events and government spending has led to soaring inflation. The Federal Reserve has only one tool in its arsenal to curb and reduce this trend – raising interest rates. While contemporary home buyers are accustomed to interest rates in the 2-4%, older homeowners remember being excited to get one as low as 8%. As yet, we have no indication such a drastic increase is necessary, home mortgage interest rates are creeping up and potential home buyers may be asking if they should still try to buy a home.

One of the first things to consider is affordability. A higher interest rate will impact the amount of the loan each buyer can qualify for, potentially reducing their spending power. Yet, home prices are also beginning to soften, so it’s possible that this correction will reduce any possible impact from rising rates.

Secondly, home ownership has been a strong hedge against inflation historically. Buying a home locks in the cost of the largest budgetary portion of your expenses – your housing cost. As the cost of living continues to increase, rents will also rise, continuing to add pressure to an already strained household budget.

Finally, things change. Recessions do not last, home prices eventually rise, and home mortgages can be refinanced. Most homeowners move every 5-7 years and so potential home buyers should plan for this timeframe when making decisions.

Is this still the right time to buy a home? Inflation does have an effect, but it does not necessarily mean that one needs to hold off on a good home purchase

Top Home Improvements with the Best ROI

You already know that your home does not look like the pictures in the home magazines. If you’re ready to list your home, you might be wondering if you should do some home improvements or upgrades before listing. The truth is not all changes will bring the best Return on Investment (ROI). Before you plan a big, or small, improvement project, here are the top home improvements which have been shown to bring the best “bang for the buck.”

• Yard clean-up and landscaping

• Complete home cleaning and de-cluttering

• Replacing the front door

• New siding, exterior repairs and/or fresh paint

• Kitchen and/or bath upgrades. New countertops, fixtures, cabinetry

• Deck and patio additions, outdoor kitchens and/or BBQs

• Addition of living space; bonus rooms, extra bathrooms

First and foremost, home buyers search for properties with good bones. Ensure there is no deferred maintenance, and then consider a few updates to give your home a fresh appeal.