At Home With Valerie

When bad weather hits, use the down time to take care of these simple home maintenance projects. Little leaks and squeaks can be easy to fix. When heavy snows or summer storms keep you stuck indoors, you might consider passing the time with some simple home maintenance tasks.  These simple projects can alleviate your boredom while protecting your family’s safety and the value of your home. 1. Change smoke and carbon monoxide batteries. Don’t wait for detectors to start chirping at you… replace all the batteries at one time. At most you’ll need to do this twice a year, so why not take care of it in a single go? 2. Test your ground-fault circuit interruptor outlets. These are the outlets typically found in bathrooms and kitchens which are designed to prevent catastrophic electrocution. A video on GFCI outlets and how to test them can be found on YouTube here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Vkd43t2y2to 3. Clean kitchen stove and dryer vents. Clogged kitchen ven...

If you are in the market for a new home, or are looking to refinance your mortgage, there are an ever increasing number of lending options that exist for you as a homeowner.   Here are some of the potential lenders you can choose from to get your mortgage, as well as some of the pros and cons for each choice. Mortgage Brokers A huge number of real estate loans are made through mortgage brokers, and as they are essentially a middle-person between you and a lender, choosing a broker can save you time in shopping around for the best fit.  Be sure to ask about the variety of products offered by a specific broker, as they will vary and are dependent on the broker's number of working relationships. Banks  Commercial banks offer a wide variety of financial services, and mortgages are definitely one such option.  Banks can usually offer competitive rates and are a safe mortgage option for most potential homeowners, but their choices are usually li...

Sometimes you just can’t find the right tool for the job, even with all the usual cleaning tools at your disposal. Here are some tips for those items and places that are always a pain to keep squeaky clean. The microwave The solution for a clean microwave is in your refrigerator (or maybe in the produce section of the grocery store).  Microwave a cup of water and a few lemon slices, and then use a sponge to clean the microwave with the warm water. Grease stains This one works on clothes as well as surfaces. Rub white chalk on the grease stain, let it sit for five minutes, and then wipe it away with a wet rag. The television Screens on HDTVs are delicate, and you want to avoid liquid cleaners, especially on LCD screens. Instead, take a dryer sheet and use it to clean the screen. The sheet will pick up dust and reduce static, and won’t damage the TV. Air vents It’s always tough to thoroughly clean air vents because the spaces are so small, but they attr...

With flu season upon us, now is the time to double down on cleaning surfaces most likely to host the virus. Check out these simple tips for a healthy house. The peak of flu season tends to be between December and February, and during these months a little extra cleaning can really pay off.  When we go out and about, we can easily bring home the flu virus, and it can continue to be a threat on surfaces throughout the home.  Using a disinfectant registered with the Environmental Protection Agency is a smart move. Remember to wash your hands regularly and avoid touching your face while cleaning. Here’s a checklist of places you’ll want to clean more regularly during the flu season: The bathroom is ground zero for cross-contamination, especially the sink area. Faucets, door knobs, and areas around trash cans are key zones to clean. Light switch plates are notorious transfer points for germs. Wipe them down with disinfectant throughout the house. Remo...

Do you sometimes review the real estate ads in your local paper? Do you drive by an open house sign and feel the urge to stop and check it out?  Those are common indications that, at least on some level, you’re thinking about the possibility of making a move. But how do you decide if you should actually move? The first step is to consider whether there are any practical reasons to consider buying a new home. What’s pushing you in that direction? Is your current home too small for your needs? Is the commute to work, for you or your spouse, too long? (Perhaps longer than you expected when you purchased the home?) Are there property features you would now like to have, such as a larger backyard or a more spacious kitchen? Has the neighborhood changed in an undesirable way? Do you have personal reasons for wanting to move, such as a desire to be closer to relatives in another area? Carefully consider those thi...

Ever wondered how much your home is worth? Ever wondered why your property tax bill shows a value which is drastically different that what homes are selling for in your neighborhood?  The difference lies in the definition of market value versus assessed value. “What’s my home worth?” This simple question is often answered three different ways. Ask your public tax assessor, and you’ll get one number (usually low). Look up your house on Zillow and you’ll get another number (usually too high). The third answer is market value, and if you’re selling your house, you’ll usually figure out what that number is (for good or ill) in 30 to 90 days. Many people are confused about assessed value versus market value. Assessed value is a number placed on a property by a public tax assessor for the purposes of taxation. Some percentage of your assessed value is used to determine your annual tax bill. The rules for the assessment vary, but typically the assessed value has more to...

There’s something innately appealing about a new home. You get to design it – from the floor to the ceiling and everything in between – to your taste.  Buying a builder home is similar in a lot of ways. You are able to choose the style, size, and any number of upgrades to make your home uniquely yours, and fit within your price range.  Just like building a home takes a lot of effort and due diligence on the part of the homeowner, so does buying from a builder. In some cases the quality of the construction can be questionable, and it’s not unknown to hear about a builder losing their financial backing, forcing them to close construction on entire subdivisions. That being said, doing your home-buyer homework and employing experts can alleviate any potential pitfalls. Here are a few areas every buyer needs to be aware of before purchasing a home from a builder. Use a real estate agent  Home builders will give you the option to use one of their representatives. W...

You've lived in your home for many years. You feel you and your family need a change. You are considering buying a larger home and selling your present one. Or perhaps you feel you just need a change of scenery. But are you really ready to make that move up? The following questions will help you decide whether you’re ready for a home that’s larger or in a more desirable location. If you answer yes to most of the questions, it’s a sign that you may be ready to move. 1. Have you built substantial equity in your current home? Look at your annual mortgage statement or call your lender to find out. Usually, you don’t build up much equity in the first few years of your mortgage, as monthly payments are mostly interest, but if you’ve owned your home for five or more years, you may have significant, unrealized gains. 2. Has your income or financial situation improved? If you’re making more money, you may be able to afford higher mortgage payments and cover the costs of mov...

Want to make the most informed decision possible about the home you’re thinking of buying? Don’t forget to do your research on these often overlooked areas. When you’re home hunting, information is power. The more you know before you make an offer, the better. Usually when two homes are equally appealing, digging into the details can make a difference. Here’s a list of “bonus information” that most buyers overlook or forget to ask about while they’re shopping for a house: Homeowner’s association rules: Certain neighborhood covenants may be a deal maker or breaker for you, so if there’s a set of guidelines you’ll be required to adhere to, get them up front. They can cover everything from paint schemes to lawn design and beyond. Utility bills: Most sellers won’t balk at sharing with you what utilities cost annually. Water, power, gas, and even telecommunication or cable service provider bills can help you get a better idea what it will cost monthly to live in the home. ...