At Home With Valerie

Have you ever noticed how some people seem to have a knack for creating inviting rooms?   One of the joys of owning your own home is having the freedom to decorate a room to please yourself.  The only problem is, most of us don't even know where to start!   Today I am sharing with you some simple tips on re-arranging a room that can make the difference between “okay” and “wow!” Before you start your room re-arrangement, first empty the room completely.  Take down all the wall décor and remove any rugs.  Now, look at the room as if you are seeing it for the first time.  Consider what activities you want to take place in the room.  Let form follow function. The number one mistake people make is to push all the furniture back against the walls of a den or living room.  This makes conversation difficult and creates a walkway through the middle of the conversation area.  Try pulling your furniture out into the room into a cozy grouping for conversation.  Experiment wi

Routine home inspections can save you a lot of money. While you don’t have to have a top-to-bottom walk-through to spot problems, there are four areas you’ll want to regularly keep an eye on. A home doesn’t have to be a repair time bomb waiting to go off. In fact, one of the simplest and most cost-effective ways to prevent major repair bills is a simple schedule of inspection. Not having basic systems in your home inspected from time to time because you’re afraid of having to make a minor repair is like avoiding going to the doctor because you don’t want to know about a lurking health problem. Which is better: A wake-up call from your physician, or a major heart attack? A home inspection for routine maintenance doesn’t have to involve the thorough inspection conducted during a home sale. In fact, if you keep an eye on four fundamental areas of your home, you’ll head-off big repair or reconstruction bills in the future. 1. Pest Evaluation (Every Spring) Depending on w

LED lights have come a long way. Did you know that modern advances in manufacturing and design have made these lights even more useful and efficient? See why LEDs are a great choice for your home. Do you want to make your home as energy efficient as possible, but you find the light from CFL (Compact Fluorescent Lights) unappealing? It’s time to take a new look at modern LED lighting. Advancements in LED lighting have completely changed the face of energy efficient lighting. When they were initially developed, LEDs (Light Emitting Diodes) were solid bulbs first limited to single-bulb use. Gradually manufacturers began to cluster these bulbs to create more powerful light sources for flashlights and directional lighting. Now, however, advancements in clustering, lens design, and positioning have made these bulbs suitable replacements for almost any home lighting scenario. While they used to be very expensive, research breakthroughs as recent as 2009 made the manufacture of

If you are in the market for a new home, or looking to refinance your existing mortgage, then you will want to consider the option of hiring a mortgage broker rather than an individual lender or lending institution.   With times being as tough as they are for so many people, and the instability of the financial markets, shopping around for the best deal in a mortgage is of vital importance.  A mortgage broker is a one-stop mortgage option that can save you time, and most importantly, money.  Here are just a few reasons you should consider a mortgage broker. Who Are Mortgage Brokers? Mortgage brokers are financial professionals who are paid a commission to match lenders and borrowers.  They usually work with dozens of lenders as freelance agents and can match you with a lender than offers the best mortgage for your financial situation and personal needs.  They are qualified to evaluate your credit situation, offer you a variety of loans from different lenders, and can sub

The kitchen is the hub of most homes, but it can also be a dangerous place where fires start and burns are common. Check out these tips for a safer kitchen from the National Fire Prevention Association. The kitchen is the hub of many happy homes. We gather family, entertain guests, and cook special meals for loved ones.  Unlike the basic kitchens of even thirty years ago, today’s kitchens feature double-ovens, deluxe, multiple burner stove tops, warming drawers, and even indoor grilling stations.  But the kitchen can also be a dangerous place.  Did you know that most cooking fires in the home involve the stovetop? The leading cause of fires in the kitchen is unattended cooking. Any number of simple mistakes or lapses in attention can turn a festive time into a disaster. To prevent this from happening, keep these handy kitchen fire (and burn!) prevention tips handy, courtesy of the National Fire Prevention Association Be alert: If you’re exhausted or have been c

A home is one of the biggest purchases many people will make in their lifetime. Which is why planning and preparation are critical when it comes to paving your path to home ownership. Ask yourself the following questions and answer them honestly to determine if now is the right time for you to buy. Can you afford to own a home? Whether it’s a sellers market or a buyers market, knowing what and IF you can afford a home is critical. The National Association of REALTORS® notes correctly that homes and financing are closely intertwined and describes financing as the difference between the purchase price and the down payment, commonly referred to as debt or the mortgage. The best case scenario is to have some money saved for a down payment and additional money set aside for closing costs. In some cases, though, closing costs can be worked into the price of the home. Here’s another great exercise: roughly determine how much a monthly mortgage payment you can afford. In add

Now’s a good time to start thinking about how you’re going to protect your home’s plants this winter. Here are some simple tips for keeping them alive! When the colder months settle in, there’s no reason to sacrifice all of your plants. Depending on the type of plants you have and the severity of your winter, there are ways to help ensure your favorite decorative greenery sees another spring. Before it’s too late, take the time now to plan your plant protection strategy. These tips selected from gardening experts from around the web should help many of your most beloved shrubs, bushes, trees, and potted wonders make it through the harsh weather. Move potted plants off concrete and onto the earth. Protecting the roots of a plant can be key to its survival. The top of a plant can often endure more trauma than the roots. Concrete can warm considerably in the sun, and then become very cold at night. This heat/cool cycle and the rapid swings in temperature it brings can dama