Homeownership Articles
Sharing articles with clients and customers on all aspects of homeownership, buying and selling.
15-Minute Home Makeovers
Here are 7 house pick-me-ups that take about as much time as brewing a pot of coffee and fit your schedule whenever you have a few extra minutes.
Make Your Own Inexpensive Garden Fertilizer
Your plants need food — nitrogen, phosphorous, potassium — to grow healthy and strong. But they don’t know the difference between store-bought fertilizers and the tonics you mix up yourself.
Garden Watering Systems You Can Make Yourself
Easy DIY watering systems for gardens are lifesavers when hot weather moves in and thirsty plants moan, “Feed me!” once or twice a day.
5 Fragrant Plants for Your Home
Here are 5 green and fragrant houseplants that can chase the winter blues away.
If you’re starting to feel stifled by the dark days of winter, snap out of it with a fresh whiff of spring.
Have You Seen Your Refi and Mortgage Options Lately?
Three good reasons to warm up to a refinance this spring.
Low interest rates and new loan programs abound this spring, so if you assumed your refinancing and mortgage options were dismal, you’ll be surprised by these three offerings.
Help for Homeowners Who Are Behind on Mortgage Payments
If you’re behind on mortgage payments (or about to be), which is putting you at risk of foreclosure, the Home Affordable Modification Program (HAMP) could be your lifeline.
Want to Refinance Your Mortgage But You’re Being Turned Down?
Is your mortgage rate above today’s rates?
Is your house worth less than your current mortgage amount?
Are you unable to refinance into a lower-rate mortgage or convert your adjustable-rate mortgage to a fixed-rate mortgage?
Then the federal Home Affordable Refinance Program (HARP) is an option you should explore.
HVAC Maintenance Checklist
Here’s an easy, doable preventative maintenance checklist to keep your HVAC in top shape.
How to Prevent Water Damage
Water damage is the No. 1 culprit that weakens your home’s foundation and the very core that holds your house together.
The Right Disaster Insurance for Your Region
The region in which you live dictates what kind of disaster insurance you might need to protect your home from Mother Nature’s wrath.
Screen in Your Deck for a Bug-Free Summer
You can make the most of your backyard by converting your deck to a screened-in porch, which turns mosquitoes, heat waves, and downpours into non-events.
Ikea Studied Americans at Home. Here’s What It Found.
Ikea was curious about what Americans want from their homes. Surprisingly, it has nothing to do with expensive upgrades.
What’s the No. 1 Thing People Want in Their Bathroom?
Bathroom exhaust fans make air smell (much!) sweeter, paint last longer, and mold grow slower or not at all. Learn how to do a bathroom exhaust fan installation.
6 Tips for Buying a Home in a Short Sale
When sellers need to sell their home for less than they owe on their mortgage, they’re shooting for a short sale. Short sale homes can sometimes be bargains, but only if you do your homework, stay patient, and remain unemotional during the sometimes lengthy and difficult short sale process.
How to Pick Paint Colors
Every home suffers a few negatives, but not every solution requires pricey structural changes. Paint is an often-overlooked, low-cost remodeler’s remedy for common complaints with interiors, offering the chameleon-like ability to lighten, warm, enlarge, erase, or attract attention.