Sharing my favorite helpful homeowner articles, cost-saving tips and buyer/seller advice.

Apr 9 2015
Skills You Need to Survive Homeownership
Here is one of my favorite tips from thisoldhouse.com ”
#47. How to Safely lash lumber to your car: lay the boards from front to back on the car roof to minimize wind resistance. Cushion the load with cardboard so you don’t scratch your car’s paint, and stack the wood neatly. Secure it at two or more points with racheting straps, wrapping the straps through your open front and rear car doors before closing the doors over them. Bypass bungee cords, which won’t allow you to close the doors. Have an employee at the lumberyard check your work

Apr 7 2015
Cost Saving Decorating

Mar 26 2015
Some Homeowner Tips!
Here are some of my favorite tips from thisoldhouse.com “Skills You Need to Survive Homeownership”
#32. Use lemon juice or vinegar to keep grout, cement or plaster from roughing up your hands.
#34. When you need a wood filler to tighten a loose screw, use yellow carpenter’s glue with matchsticks, toothpicks or golf tees, packed in tightly.
#39. To clean up a paint spill on carpet: Cut two pieces of cardboard from a box and use the edges to corral the pool of paint and scoop the liquid back into the bucket. When most liquid has been cleared, get a bucket of fresh water and an empty bucket. Saturate the remaining spill with the clean water, then scrape and scoop it up with a fat spoon and put it in the empty bucket. Work fast and continuously, replenishing the clean water as necessary. Use a carpet cleaner to follow up; and keep the paint spot wet.

Mar 24 2015
Reuse Your Grass Clippings!

Mar 19 2015
Homeowner Safety Tips
Here are some of my favorite SAFETY tips from thisoldhouse.com “Skills You Need to Survive Homeownership”
#25. Using a fire Extinguisher: an extinguisher has as little as 8 seconds of life. So remember the acronym “PASS”: 1) Pull the pin. 2) Aim the nozzle at the base of the flames. 3) Squeeze the trigger. 4) Sweep the spray from side to side. And don’t assume the fire is out just because the flames are gone. Call 911 and wait for the fire department to give you the high sign.
#30. Stem a Flood—and Save Your Wiring: the water shutoff will be near the water entrance to the house. Look for a metal wheel or a flat handle like a paddle. Or check outside for a mini manhole cover—the shutoff may be there. Find the main electrical switch- On an old fuse system, it may be a big lever or a handle that pulls out a whole block. On a modern breaker box it will be an isolated switch near the top of the box. Flip it to keep the circuits (and you, too) from getting fried.

Mar 18 2015
Top 25 Smart Home technologies
Via Coldwell Banker Real Estate LLC on Facebook, They surveyed real estate agents to find out the top 25 smart home technologies that matter most to home buyers. Here are the stand-out products. Read about all of them at: http://bit.ly/1wXDk7q
Here are a few to get you started…
2. iSmartAlarm
4. SAGE Security & Home Automation
7. Canary
8. Big Ass Fans’ Haiku with SenseME
Apr 14 2015
Bargain Paint!
Here is homeowner Cost Saving tip! Before buying paint, ask the dealer for special mixes that didn’t please. These gallons are always marked down to move and you just might find the perfect color in the lot.
By Louiseh020 • Cost Saving Tips •