Category Archives: Homeowners

When Should I Refinance My Mortgage?

Refinancing your mortgage could be a smart financial move. It largely depends on timing.

But how do you know when the time is right for you to refinance?

First: Do you plan to own the home much longer?

Refinancing your loan doesn’t happen without a few fees. The good news is that most of these fees will simply be rolled into your new loan, so you won’t need to pay a lump sum out of pocket.

But if you’re planning to sell the home in a few years, you may not hold the mortgage long enough to recover these fees. Refinancing really only makes sense if you plan to own the home for the next several years.

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Six Ways to Keep Your Home Safe When Traveling for the Holidays

With the holiday season approaching, it is highly important to not skimp on security. And if you’re planning on traveling during the holidays, you should feel some peace of mind knowing your home is safe while you’re away. Here are our top tips for keeping your home safe as you travel for the holiday season.

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DIY: Building Your Backyard Fire Pit

Autumn is in full swing and there are so many incredible changes happening. The kids are back to school, football is on TV, the leaves are changing color and you get to enjoy the crisp, cool air of the season. With everyone’s schedule jam-packed, the weekends become more meaningful when the entire family can get together. With the great weather outside, you don’t want to get caught sitting on the couch. Why not spend a night with the family sitting by the fire? Don’t have a fire pit? Good thing they’re cheap and easy to build! Here’s how you can build one by yourself: Continue reading

Improving The Energy Efficiency of Your Home

Unfortunately, many homes, especially the older ones, were not built with energy efficiency in mind. Today, however, more and more people are becoming aware of just how much damage we are causing to the environment by being careless with electricity and heating, and just how much could be saved by living in an energy efficient house.  This interesting infographic  shows just how much we energy we can save by optimizing our household for energy efficiency.

A truly energy efficient home will not only reduce unnecessary energy consumption, but will also reduce greenhouse gas emissions and provide significant savings.  The good news is, if you are living in a home that is not up to date with the latest energy saving features, there are a few things you can do yourself without having to spend a great deal of money:

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Protecting your Home against Fall Pests

With fall around the corner, you are happily saying goodbye to the bugs of summer, but don’t be fooled: there are still plenty of creepers sticking around for fall.

One of your top priorities at the beginning of the new season should be insect and rodent control. As the temperatures change, pests will be looking to migrate to warmer temperatures. The last thing you want is for these tiny creatures to find their way into the confines of your home. Fortunately, there are many ways to prevent these unwanted guests without emptying your bank account. Here are a few tips for keeping falls pests out of your home. Continue reading

Back-to-School Home Organization Tips

Image: Karp Associates Inc.:https://freshome.com/mudroom-tips

The start of the new school year can be a busy and hectic time in your home, rushing to get the kids ready for school and yourself for the workday. Wouldn’t it be nice if your weekdays didn’t feel like such a rush? Fortunately, they don’t have to be. With your schedule filling up with work, school, and extracurricular activities, having a neat, organized home will help take away the stress of your busy weekdays. Here are few areas of your home that can be organized in easy, cost-effective way to keep the house in order during the school year. Continue reading