CREATE A MORE ENERGY-EFFICIENT HOME WITHOUT BREAKING THE BANK

Many homeowners would love to invest in making their property more energy-efficient. Going green can save you a lot of money over time and is great for the environment, but the up-front costs can be significant. 

Fortunately, there are some energy-efficient changes you can make to your home without draining too much of your bank account.

Seal air leaks: As much as 20 percent of the energy used to regulate temperature in a home can be lost to air leaks. You can seal doors and windows with weather stripping and the project will usually cost less than $200.

Smart thermostats: Older thermostats are usually inefficient because they only have a few settings. A smart thermostat like Nest can be programmed to reduce heating/cooling when you’re not at home or during the hours when you’re asleep. The energy savings you will see usually equal the cost of the thermostat after a year or two.

Change your light bulbs: LED light bulbs are expensive, but require just a small percentage of the energy incandescent bulbs require. A cheap incandescent bulb uses about $15 of electricity a year (if it lasts that long). An LED bulb costs $25, but uses less than $5 worth of electricity per year and will last up to 11 years.

FIVE NEGOTIATING TACTICS THAT CAN KILL A SALE

Negotiation is a subtle art in real estate, but skilled negotiators can usually find some common ground that satisfies all parties. On the other hand, using the wrong negotiation tactics can sink a deal pretty quickly. Here are some negotiation tactics buyers (and real estate professionals) should avoid:

1. Lowball offers: Going far below market value when you make an offer damages your credibility as a buyer and can be insulting to the seller. The seller has a range in mind that they’ll accept, and if you’re not even approaching the low end of that range, they won’t even consider the offer.

2. Incremental negotiations: Don’t continue to go back to the seller with small increases in your offer ($1,000 or less). The constant back-and-forth can grow tiresome and lead the seller to consider other opportunities.

3. “Take it or leave it”: Try not to draw a line in the sand with your initial offer. The seller can get defensive and consider other offers if you immediately show that you’re unwilling to budge. Even if it’s true, don’t make a show of it.

4. Nitpicking after inspection: Obviously if inspection reveals a major issue, it should be factored into the final sale price. But insisting on a lower price for every minor repair can put negotiations in a stalemate.

5. Asking for more, more, more: Some buyers will request that the sellers throw in add-ons like furniture or appliances that weren’t included in the listing. Try to avoid giving the seller a reason to build up resentment and think that you’re being greedy.

FINDING THE RIGHT MATTRESS

You’ve got more options than ever when mattress shopping these days with no shortage of brick-and-mortar and online-only retailers to choose from. Here are the factors you should consider when you’re shopping for a perfect night’s sleep.

1. Mattress construction: The most popular mattress types are inner spring mattresses, memory foam mattresses, and adjustable air mattresses. Each has pros and cons when it comes to durability and comfort customization.

2. Firmness: Mattress firmness plays a huge role in the quality of your sleep. Mattresses that are too firm or too soft can cause aches and pains, so it‘s recommended that you test a mattress for 10- to 15 minutes in store before making a purchase.

3. Sleeping position: Your mattress should match your sleeping style (side, back, face-down, etc.). You want a mattress that keeps your spine in proper alignment. For example, some mattresses are better for side sleepers, while others are better for back sleepers.

4. Size: It’s not quite as simple as choosing between a king and a queen mattress. You should also consider your height, as some mattresses are a better fit for shorter people while tall people will want a longer mattress so their limbs aren’t hanging over the edge of the bed.

5. Stability: For couples, you should consider how the mattress reacts when one person moves, so the other person’s sleep isn’t disturbed in the middle of the night.

HOMEBUYER INCENTIVES: A FEW DO’S AND DON’TS

When you’re selling your home, adding some extra perks can help you find a buyer quickly. An incentive is essentially a marketing spend for your home sale. But you want to make sure your marketing dollars are being used effectively, so consider these do’s and don’ts:

DO recognize your home’s flaws, and offer an incentive that compensates. Buyers will look at extremely dated decor or appliances as a big looming expense, so you can alleviate their anxiety with a warranty or repair/renovation allowance.

DON’T use an incentive to try to get buyers to bite on an inflated sale price. If your home isn’t priced properly, it’s unlikely that an incentive—even one with significantly monetary value—will hide that fact. You’re better off revaluating your pricing, rather than spending big on an incentive.

DO consider homebuyer incentives when there’s close competition. If there are other listed homes in the area with similar features and pricing, an incentive can be a winning factor.

DON’T forget to check on the legality of your incentive offers. The laws on incentives can vary greatly between states, so work with a knowledgeable, trustworthy real estate professional to ensure that your homebuyer incentives are above board.

6 MUST-WATCH ZONES FOR FIGHTING MOLD IN YOUR HOME

Do you know all the places mold can take hold in your home? Check these top 6 spots regularly in order to keep a healthy and odor-free house!

For a healthy home, monitoring and eliminating mold is crucial. 

Mold is sneaky, though, and it can creep up on you when you least expect it. Spores are known to stay dormant until they have the moisture and nutrients they need to bloom. 

While some forms of mold are obvious, others hide and thrive until musty smells become prominent or members of your family begin developing health problems.

To be a mold sleuth you need to know the top 6 spots where mold makes its home. Check this list to see spots you may have missed:

1. The Bathroom. Yes, it’s the most common, but are you checking all the spots in the bathroom? Toilet seals, wet walls, shower curtains, and beneath sinks are well-known spots, but it’s the shower where things can get grimy. To keep mold from penetrating the tiles, you need to be sure your caulking and grout is in good shape. Otherwise, water can seep in and make a new home for mold.

2. The Kitchen. Monthly, take a look under the sink, behind the fridge, and around the dishwasher. A quiet leak in any of these areas will up the odds of a mold problem.

3. The Basement (or Crawlspace). Darkness? Check. Proximity to the earth? Check. Hidden from view? You betcha. If basements flood or older homes have poor drainage and ventilation of the crawlspace, mold can take hold. 

4. The Windows. Condensation can build up here as temperatures fluctuate, and spores hanging around can gradually take hold and bloom into a black, spotty mess. This is especially true if the windows are shaded or are routinely covered by curtains. 

5. The Drywall. Here’s a hidden killer in the mold battle. When water gets into the materials which make up drywall, they can promote mold growth. To cure this problem you often have to remove considerable sections of drywall to identify and remove the mold. Your nose is your best guide here.

6. The Carpet. Much like drywall, carpet can hold mold and need to be replaced. The underside of carpet hides much of the visible mold, and culprits contributing to the cause include flooding, moisture from concrete foundations, or even spills. 

MAKING A NEW YOU IN THE NEW YEAR

The new year is here, and with it come the billions of small promises we all make to spark some change in our lives. For some it will be a brand new creative endeavor  For others it will be the abandonment of bad habit. Almost invariably, resolutions center on the formation or destruction of a habit. Habits are like compound interest. If you understand how to harness their power, the returns in the long run are enormous. But how do we support the willpower it requires to start and sustain a new habit?

An often overlooked tool in our quest for habit formation is the simple ritual. A ritual is a series of actions or behaviors followed without deviation. Though rituals are most often associated with religious ceremonies or family traditions, there’s increasing scientific evidence to suggest that rituals appear to benefit even people who claim not to believe that rituals work. Rituals have also been shown to alleviate grief after loss and help enhance confidence before sporting events.

Rituals can serve as an excellent “boot up” routine for a new habit. As most gym rats will tell you, the hardest part of most people’s workout is putting on their shoes. But the act of putting on the gym clothes, preparing your sports drink, and printing out your lifting routine can become a powerful ritual which gets you in the mindset for your workout and puts you on automatic pilot.

Some rituals don’t have to be directly related to a habit we want to build or break. For instance, you might decide to start each day by sitting down at the kitchen table and drinking a large glass of ice cold water. The act of drinking the water might simply be a moment to reflect on and remind yourself of your commitments, “filling you up” with willpower. What rituals do you have in your life? Where are there opportunities to create new rituals?

Here’s hoping your rituals serve you well in the new year!

Valerie McConville

CELEBRATING NEW YEAR'S EVE WITH CHILDREN

Partying until midnight may not be in the cards for you come New Year's Eve if you have small children.  But that doesn't mean you can't have a great time ringing in the New Year!  Kids can get in on the fun, too; you will just have to make your plans for earlier in the evening and modify them a bit for a young audience.

A Geography Lesson

Wherever you live, choose a location that celebrates New Year's Eve earlier than you.  For people on the West Coast, this can simply mean celebrating along with those on the East Coast.  But if you are in New York and can't wait for the ball to drop, consider celebrating along with the people of Brazil or Portugal instead; they will celebrate the New Year three to four hours before the East Coast of the United States.

Take some time to learn about the place you are choosing and ring in the New Year with some fun food and treats from that place.  Your adjusted New Year's party can be educational and fun too!

Something Sparkling

Instead of champagne, pour some glasses of sparkling apple cider for your “midnight” toast!  Kids will love having this drink that seems grown up, but is free of alcohol and tastes like apple juice!  Buy some plastic disposable champagne cups, too, in order to add to the special nature of the treat.

Hats And Noisemakers

There's nothing kids love more than dressing up and making a lot of noise!  Get out those paper New Year's party hats and pass them around, and make sure everything has a noisemaker to blow in celebration.  Just don't pass them out too early, or you might be tired of hearing them long before the party reaches its climax!  Everyone can join in the countdown together and make plenty of noise in celebration.

Once the kids are in bed, you can ring in the New Year with some real champagne if you like, but a little early celebration will turn this usually adult holiday into a fun occasion for your children as well.  With a few treats and the chance to make a lot of noise without reprimand, this is sure to be a favorite holiday tradition for any child!