At Home With Valerie

Home investors are always looking to make a nice profit on the homes they flip. Sometimes this leads unscrupulous renovators to make cosmetic upgrades which hide ugly problems. Here’s how to protect yourself. When inventory is tight and newly renovated homes are wooing prospective buyers, you need to take a step back and remember that the home you’re hunting for is a long-term investment.  While futuristic appliances and gleaming hardwood floors may seduce you into making a quick offer, understand that there’s much more to a home than what lies on the surface. Investors who renovate homes want to maximize their profit as quickly as possible. While many are upstanding folks, there are those out there who will cut corners in order to boost their return. Sometimes when a home is renovated, an investor will do a “lipstick flip.” Basically this means fixing up what’s cosmetic and leaving the rest as-is. Paint, flooring, appliances, fixtures… all may get a tune-up. But this d

As the warm months of summer come to an end, consider these quick — but important — home maintenance tasks to finish before fall: Check window seals . Examine the edges of your windows to ensure the caulk shows no gaps. You can tell if a window needs new glaze by lightly tapping the window pane. If it rattles in its frame, new glaze needs to be applied, which will save on your heating bill come fall. Swap out summer plants . Transition your yard from the high maintenance flowers of summer to more hardy plants that will survive the first frost. Good plants for cool weather include pansies and garden mums. Also, now is a good time to prepare for spring blossoms, so plant your tulip and daffodil bulbs. Safety check your chimney . If you have a chimney, regular maintenance is a must to ensure safety. Have it professionally cleaned and inspected this year, and don’t forget to gather enough firewood to get the season started! Inspect smoke and carbon monoxide detectors . D

As temperatures begin to dip this fall, "winterizing" your home can stop your heating bills from going through the roof. With some basic maintenance, you'll also save yourself from expensive emergencies that can accompany the cold weather.  Keep your house warmer, more energy efficient, and save some extra cash for holiday shopping! 1. Inspect the furnace You don't want your furnace to be on the fritz in the dead of winter. Make sure it's in good working order before the cold weather hits. A strong smell is natural when you first turn the furnace on. But lingering odors can signal a problem. A heating professional can also check your furnace and make sure it's running safely, replace filters, clean the motor, and fix anything that's broken. 2. Reverse the fan During winter, the warm air generated by your heating system rises to the ceiling while cooler air sinks. Reversing the fan direction draws the cooler air upwards, forcing the