The ultimate timeline ensures the smoothest of transitions to home ownership. A real yard. Closets bigger than your average microwave. The freedom to decorate however you darn well please! Making the switch from renting to owning is exhilarating, but many rookie homebuyers find the process trickier to navigate than they expected. This is why we […]
What to Do a Year Before Buying Your First Home Read More »
Your home is your castle — enjoy it, customize it, make it reflect your taste and values. But, there’s one area where being too individualistic carries risk: landscaping for curb appeal. That’s why homeowners associations often have exacting rules about landscaping. And it’s not just HOAs that care. Most home buyers seek landscaping that adds
Gorgeous Landscaping for Your House Means More Than Just Looks Read More »
Follow Your Guests’ Path You don’t need Google Maps to plot out your guests’ likely route. The places on this path are the ones to tidy first. “Prioritize,” White says. For example, they might start in the foyer (where your boots are currently dripping on your gloves that you threw down when you dashed in),
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Moving into your dream home can be a daunting task. Between unpacking, cleaning, and trying to find that stray roll of toilet paper, it may feel like you’ve lost your mind in a sea of Bubble Wrap. That’s why I wanted to share with you five simple things that you should do during the first month
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Be Mindful About Your Relationship With Energy Think about it. Energy is the only product we buy on a daily basis without knowing how much it costs until a month later, says Cliff Majersik, executive director of the Institute for Market Transformation, a research and policy-making nonprofit focused on improving buildings’ energy efficiency. With other
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When you’re parched, you grab a glass of water. When your yard feels the same way, it’s not quite so self-sufficient. It needs your help. But you hate watering. Such a waste of time when you could be working, or at the gym, or grilling a healthy meal. (OK, OK, binge-watching the latest Netflix hit
Yard Tips So You’ll Never Have to Water Again Read More »
What Deductions Should I Itemize? Loan costs and fees Mortgage interest Property taxes Private mortgage insurance Not everyone who buys a home will end up itemizing and owing less in taxes, says Anna Berry Royack, an accountant who sees many first-time home buyer tax returns at her Liberty Tax office in Catonsville, Md. To find
Will My Taxes Look Different Now That I’m a Homeowner? Read More »
Think Function First Interior designer Eddie Ross, a trained chef and designer who’s worked with HGTV and Food Network, is renovating his 1921 Colonial. With his catering background, function is top of mind for him when hunting down new (to him) kitchen pieces. “A kitchen is like a lab for food prep,” he says. To work for your kitchen,
How to Shop for a Retro Kitchen — and Not Get Stuck with Junk Read More »
#1 Laminate for Countertops Don’t worry — laminate won’t make your kitchen look like great-grandma’s lime-green tabletop. And it won’t stain like hers either. This affordable and heat-, stain-, and water-resistant material has undergone quite a makeover. “The old stereotypes about the way it used to look aren’t really as true anymore,” says Ebony Stephenson,
9 Gorgeous Kitchen Materials That Are Practically Indestructible Read More »
This checklist gives you carte blanche (well, almost) when viewing potential homes. Ah, house hunting. It may technically be shopping, but it can feel more like breaking and entering. Even though you know the seller wants you there, does anyone really want you traipsing through their bedroom? Or looking through their closet? Or digging around in their
6 Ways to Totally Snoop the House You Want to Buy Read More »
