So you have your new house, and now it’s time to start early on keeping its value. Here are some easy ways.   Kitchen Cabinets Cabinets are one of the first things that jump out at a potential buyer when viewing the kitchen. In your own case, it can be a huge turnoff, since cabinets […]

According to the Alzheimer’s Association, more than 16 million Americans devote their unpaid energy and time to caring for a parent or senior loved one with dementia. Sometimes caregivers find themselves unable to bear the burden of providing home health care without suffering from illness themselves. This is when the cost of caregiving becomes too […]

Staging is a crucial step for selling a home. You want the house looking its best. Here’s 3 ways to make that happen.   Declutter Clutter takes up space, and space is what sells. Make your home look bigger and more desirable by editing down to just the basics. You don’t have to get rid […]

As the days start getting longer and winter fades into spring, the optimism of the new season is hard to ignore. While spring cleaning tends to get the most attention, it’s also a great time to revamp our home décor. Here are some of the best ways to get that accomplished.     Use Seasonal […]

Spring cleaning is tougher than we often realize. It helps to approach it with a game plan. Specifically, a checklist. Some items on that list are more important than others. Here are the top 3.   Concentrate on Closets After giving household surfaces a good going-over from top to bottom, it’s time to start on […]

What is most difdficult about the Coronavirus pandemic is the unknowns. A vaccine has not yet been developed as of mid-April of 2020, it is not entirely known who or why it is deadly for some and not for others. This is why quarantining and social distancing are strongly advised. In the spirit of this, […]

Seniors are especially at risk from the Coronavirus. Here are some good ways to care for them in social distancing.   Follow Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) Guidelines for Social Distancing Don’t panic, but prepare your home to allow for the possibility that you will need to limit your time in public spaces. […]

  If you’re thinking of selling your home, it’s smart to prepare a home selling plan before you start making repairs or marking a date on your calendar for an open house. Prepare your property, making repairs if necessary. Interview real estate agents and be open to suggestions for a listing price. Of course, you […]

If quality schools are a factor for choosing an area in Bloomington to own a home, here are some to consider.   Childs This is for the Sherwood Oaks area, which currently has 3 houses for sale. Childs Elementary School is a public elementary school in Bloomington. The principal of Childs Elementary School is Chris […]

There’s much you should know about mortgage and how rates are determined. Mortgage rates are “made” based on bonds traded in the mortgage-backed securities (MBS) market. Similar to corporate bonds, mortgage-backed bonds trade all day, every day. Here is why.     MBS Pricing Changes Constantly In general, as the price of a mortgage-backed bond […]

  Acquiring stuff tends to happen over the years, and the more years, the more stuff. Your parents might have this accumulation. You can help them with their spring clean. Here’s 4 of the best ways how.   Understand Your Parents’ Lifestyle Getting a snapshot of how your parents plan to live in their new […]

Preparing your house for when you go on vacation is important. Here are a few ways to do it.   Ask a Friend to Gather Your Mail This isn’t technically done at home, but putting your mail on hold with the post office will keep your mail from piling up — a telltale sign that […]

Bloomington, IN is great for healthy eating. Here are some of the best spots.   The Owlery Located on the north side of Bloomington’s downtown square, The Owlery offers high quality, vegetarian food at affordable prices. At the Owlery, we challenge ourselves to find responsible sources for our ingredients and ethical ways of doing business. […]

HOAs are quite common. Depending on the particular area, HOAs can be quite strict about their rules, and some even seem too exclusive. However, many people benefit greatly from such associations. Here are some of the reasons HOAs can work.   What’s an HOA? A homeowners association (HOA) is an organization in a subdivision, planned […]

Some people don’t necessarily like to shut themselves in during the winter cold. Bloomington is just the town for those very people. Here’s the top 3 reasons why.   Hiking The Bloomington Rail Trail and Clear Creek Trail in Bloomington offer a combined 4.4 miles of cross-country skiing possibilities, but for real adventure strap on […]

  Historically, spring has always been the top time of the year to sell your home quickly. However, this is not set in stone. Depending on the particular market—the neighborhood, the city, and the local economy—sellers may find great opportunities in winter, specifically February, right before spring starts. It’s a great chance for a head […]

Making the kitchen warmer is always wise, since you’ll spend so much time in there. Here are 4 of the best ways.   Fridge and Freezer Don’t keep these open longer than you need to. Go through your fridge and toss out all of those half empty bottles of salad dressings and barbecue sauces you […]

  Success in real estate is very difficult for beginners. Here a five things you should think about before going in.   Starting Capital Once you’ve chosen a particular niche in the real estate industry, you then have to secure a certain amount of money in order to jumpstart your business. The money that you’re […]

Think like a symphony conductor who coordinates all the players for a successful transaction. The seller, buyer, other agents, inspectors, lenders, attorneys, and the closing officer must coordinate their roles to close the transaction. It all starts with the listing agent using effective communication skills with the seller. On the other hand, if you are […]

How do you know if you’re ready to sell your home? Here are few ways to determine if you are.   Equity Your equity is the value of your home minus any home loans. So if your property’s worth $250,000, and the mortgage balance is $200,000, you’d have $50,000 in equity. If your home’s sale […]

  Buying a home can be one of the biggest decisions we make in our lifetime. Emotions can range from exciting to scary to surreal. Sometimes, you may even feel all three at the same time.   Decorative String Lights Once your friend becomes a new homeowner, you’ll notice that they will be more eager […]

  Thanksgiving is a meal that can strike fear in the heart of even the most organized homemaker. Hosting it doesn’t have to be stressful, though. Thanks to a few tricks, a little planning and a game-day strategy, you’ll be able to keep your cool on the big day. Here are some essential tips for […]

 One of the top draws to homeownership, among many, is the fact that mortgage payments are often much less expensive than rent. However, just because a mortgage payment is less than your current rent does not necessarily mean that buying a home would be cheaper. There are numerous costs to consider when deciding to buy […]

 The advantages to cloud-based realty are many. Here are just a few examples of why, and how it is they are so beneficial.   Save Money Cents makes sense. Using cloud-based infrastructure removes the need to maintain in-house hardware and the staff to support it. The platform providers administrate the infrastructure and the user still […]

  In the fall, you’re probably not spending much time thinking about your lawn. Autumn, with its cooler temperatures and occasional rainfall, is the ideal time to prepare your lawn for next spring. Many homeowners think lawns need less care in the fall because the grass grows more slowly. Give it a little attention now, […]

The average American homeowner spends around $1,030 a month on their mortgage payment. So people turn to downsizing. Here’s why that’s a good idea.   A Smaller Home Means Reduced Costs Mortgage payments typically factor in a number of things. The property type, its location, and the economy affect mortgage rates. Your personal credit history […]

  There are a number of things to consider when relocating. Here are 3 important questions to ask when you do.   What Will I Miss?   This may seem like a straight-forward question, however, having been (and sometimes still being) that restless soul who looks to the future, thinking that things are better somewhere else, […]

  Safety is always an important feature when buying a home. Here’s how to find out if your neighborhood has the right levels of safety for you and your family.   Crime Mapping Service CrimeReports and SpotCrime are two services that collect police and crime reports. Enter the address where you plan to buy or […]

  The state of Indiana as a whole has interesting things going in terms of taxes, especially where property is concerned. Bloomington, though, is particularly worth scrutiny, since it doesn’t necessarily yield what you might expect. Here are some are some of those facts.   Low Property Taxes When you consider that Bloomington, Indiana houses […]

  If lakefront property is something you’re looking for, Brown Count, Indiana’s Lake Lemon is the perfect place to look. It’s the 9th largest lake in Indiana (7th largest reservoir) at 1,650 acres. Built in 1953, it was to serve as a drinking water reservoir and natural resource venue for the City of Bloomington’s expanding […]