Jul 16, 2024 | Around The Home
Spring has sprung and today is the first official day of summer. If you are finally finding time to tend your garden, don’t feel guilty — just get dirty!
In one June weekend, you can have your yard looking colorful and smelling sweet. All it takes is a shovel, a design idea and a knowledgeable trip to a greenhouse.
Whether a rose is your favorite or you know nothing about flowers, you can make you yard beautiful without being a professional landscaper. Below are several types of flowers that will have your garden looking gorgeous this summer and you blushing from all your neighbors’ compliments.
Snowdrift Rose – The perfumed petals of this vigorous plant will provide a pleasant scent to your outdoors. Also, the stems are nice and long for cutting and creating indoor arrangements.
Black-Eyed Susan – After these vivid yellow flowers have bloomed, cut them back in order to ensure a second round of blossoms.
Dwarf Sunflower – If you love the large varietal, but don’t have the room, consider this smaller cousin.
English Lavender – This dark blue and purple flower is a tough plant that does well in even the hottest of climates.
Hydrangea – To take up more space, these little shrubs produce beautiful white clusters of flowers that fade to shades of pink and green.
Marigold – These traditional crimson blooms grow low and spread quickly, which makes them the perfect plant for a flowerbed border.
Petunia – The newer varieties of these full-sun flowers are low maintenance because they self-clean. The old blooms drop off without you needing to prune.
Summersweet – If you have a shady spot, this pink or white plant with its gold colored leaves will have the space feeling vibrant.
Zinnia – These long-lasting yellow, red and orange flowers will bloom well into fall.
A rose can be red, violets are blue — but you don’t have to feel that way about your garden.
Take one weekend this month to tame your flowerbeds, introduce a few budding plants and enjoy their fragrant scents for the rest of the summer.
Mar 13, 2024 | Around The Home, Interesting Stuff
In today’s Leominster homes, front-loading washing machines are a popular choices as compared to traditional, top-loading machines for 3 main reasons:
- They wash more clothes per cycle, lowering household energy costs
- They’re environmentally-friendly, using less water per cycle
- They’re gentler on clothes, preserving colors and fabrics longer
They also require more care in the “cleaning” department.
Because of the way most front-loading washers are built, they tend to pool water in their drums, which can be a breeding ground bacteria and mildew.
Whether your front-loading washer smells “dirty” or not, you’ll want to follow proper procedures to keep it clean.
First, only use High Efficiency detergent. High Efficiency detergent is super-concentrated and creates fewer suds than traditional laundry detergent. Fewer suds means more soap is drained in the rinse cycle, leaving fewer chemicals and fragrances to sit in the drum. (more…)
Oct 3, 2023 | Around The Home
Do you have an empty basement or separated suite in your home? If you have a suite sitting empty, you are missing out on collecting some extra monthly income in the form of rent. Let’s take a look at a quick four-step process that will help you find the perfect tenant to rent out your basement suite.
Step 1: Play By The Rules
Is this your first time renting out a home or suite to a tenant? If so, you will want to do a bit of research first. Read up on Fair Housing Rules and other regulations as these will inform you of your responsibilities as a landlord. Keep in mind that you cannot discriminate in any way when it comes to race, religion, gender, family status or disability. Anyone who applies must be given a fair chance.
Step 2: Be Specific In Your Advertising
When you place a rental listing, be as specific as possible in what you are looking for in a tenant. If you are a single, quiet person, you may want someone similar as you will be compatible. Conversely, if you are a young couple, you may clash with a retired senior or someone older. Be as specific as possible but remember that you cannot be discriminatory.
Step 3: Meet Potential Tenants In Person
Be sure to take the time to meet with every short-listed applicant in person. If you are not comfortable with having so many strangers over to your home, consider meeting at a local coffee shop. An in-person meeting will allow you to visually assess the person and determine if your personalities are a fit for living in the same home.
Step 4: Don’t Skip The Checks
Finally, don’t take any shortcuts when performing background, credit and other checks. Ask your tenant for at least one or two references that you can call to verify their rental history. Investing in a credit check will help to assess their risk of missing monthly rent payments. And if necessary, a criminal records check can let you know if they have been in trouble with the law.
As long as you are well-prepared and diligent, finding a suitable tenant for your basement suite can be a painless process. To learn more about mortgage products are perfect for rentals, contact us today. Our mortgage team will be happy to help you!
Sep 28, 2023 | Around The Home
If you’re a homeowner with children, at some point, you’ll be saying goodbye. They’ll move off to college or to start their career and adult life. As children move out, you’ll discover that you have extra bedrooms and other living spaces that will need a new purpose. Let’s take a look at three ways that you can transform an unused bedroom into a welcoming place for guests to stay.
Get Started With A Deep Clean
The first thing you’ll want to do is engage in a top-to-bottom deep clean of the room. Get everything out of the room so that nothing’s left but the carpet. Clean the walls, windows, light fixtures and closets until they’re sparkling clean. If the carpet is still in good condition and doesn’t have a lot of stains, have it professionally steam-cleaned. Or if it’s a little beat up from years of abuse, consider replacing it with beautiful new carpeting.
Consider A Fresh Coat Of Paint
Have a look at the condition of the paint and walls. Does the paint still add a colorful “pop” to the room? Or have the years taken away its luster? Do the walls have scratches, dents, and holes in random areas? Are they in need of repairs?
Even if the paint is in good condition, this is an excellent opportunity to completely change the look and feel of the room. Consider going with a lighter color palette that gives off a welcoming vibe.
Go With Matching Furniture And Tables
Once the room itself is in tip-top shape, you’ll need to focus on the bed, dresser, tables and other furniture. As mentioned above, this is the perfect time to get rid of any mismatched furniture and replace it with a matching bedroom set. Also, be sure to toss out any dated mirrors or light fixtures that don’t match up with the room’s new look.
As your children get older and move out of the family home to start their own lives, you’ll be granted with a lot more space to make use of. Having a welcoming guest bedroom or two will ensure that you’ve always got some room for family members to come and visit. But if you decide that you’ve got too much space, contact your trusted mortgage professional.
Sep 20, 2023 | Around The Home
If you’re remodeling, you should seriously consider updating your flooring. A new hardwood floor will give your home an impressive look and prevent scratches and stains. Here are five very good reasons why you should consider a hardwood floor for your next remodeling project.
Hardwood Is More Durable Than Other Materials
Hardwood is much more durable and longer lasting than many other flooring materials. If there’s a lot of traffic in your home, hardwood floors are less likely to get scratches and dents than vinyl tiles or laminated floors. On weaker floors, damage is often permanent – but with hardwood floors, any imperfections can be sanded and refinished to make your floor look as good as new.
Hardwood Offers A Wide Array Of Styles
Hardwood flooring is very versatile, and it comes in a wide assortment of styles and colors. Hardwood is also available in a variety of textures to compliment any decor or color scheme. It’s easy to buy small area rugs that match the flooring rather than having wall-to-wall carpeting installed that may have to be replaced when it gets worn.
It’s A Good Long Term Investment
Hardwood flooring is one of the most practical investments you can make in your home. Carpeting, vinyl tile, linoleum, and laminate flooring will eventually need to be replaced. Although the initial investment of installing hardwood floors in your home is more than you’d spend on some of the alternatives, hardwood lasts much longer than other materials – so you spend less money in the long run.
Selling Your Home Is Easier
Hardwood flooring is an extremely attractive material that a lot of homeowners love. It also increases your home’s value. If you put your home on the market, you’re making a good investment by making your home more appealing to buyers.
You’ll Experience Fewer Allergy Problems
Carpeting can cause symptoms from allergies to get worse, because dust and other allergens like pet dander can get trapped in the fibers. Doctors often recommend that patients with severe allergies get rid of the carpeting in their home and replace it with hardwood flooring. With this type of flooring, it’s a simple matter to sweep or mop the floor, so allergies are no longer an issue.
Hardwood flooring is a highly popular interior design choice that is taking modern homes by storm. If you’re renovating your home in the near future, consider installing hardwood flooring as a means of giving it a classic floor that you and your guests will adore. For more great design ideas that will increase your home’s value, contact a local real estate agent today.
Aug 2, 2023 | Around The Home
In an era where environmental consciousness and cost savings are top priorities for homeowners, smart home technology has emerged as a game-changer. With the ability to automate and optimize various aspects of your home, smart home upgrades offer numerous benefits, including energy efficiency and reduced utility bills.
Smart Thermostats
One of the most effective ways to reduce energy consumption and save money is by installing a smart thermostat. Traditional thermostats often result in excessive heating or cooling, leading to wasted energy and higher utility bills. Smart thermostats, on the other hand, learn your preferences, monitor your daily routine, and adjust the temperature accordingly.
Energy Monitoring Systems
Understanding how much energy your household consumes is the first step towards reducing waste and saving money. Energy monitoring systems, such as smart plugs and smart meters, provide real-time data on your electricity usage for individual appliances or the entire home.
By identifying energy-hungry devices and monitoring their usage patterns, you can pinpoint areas of improvement and make necessary adjustments
Smart Lighting
Lighting accounts for a significant portion of a household’s energy consumption. Upgrading to smart lighting systems, such as LED bulbs and smart switches, can drastically reduce your energy usage and extend the lifespan of your bulbs.
Smart Power Strips
Many electronic devices continue to consume energy even when they are turned off or in standby mode. Smart power strips combat this “vampire power” by cutting off power to connected devices when they are not in use. Equipped with built-in timers or occupancy sensors, these power strips can detect when devices are idle or the room is vacant and shut down power accordingly.
Water-saving Devices
Reducing water usage not only conserves a precious resource but also lowers your utility bills. Smart irrigation systems can optimize your outdoor watering schedule based on weather conditions, moisture levels, and plant requirements. Leak detection sensors can alert you to potential leaks and water waste, preventing costly damage and excessive water usage. Smart shower heads and faucets can regulate water flow and provide real-time feedback on consumption, encouraging water conservation.
Embracing smart home upgrades presents an opportunity to save energy, reduce utility bills, and make your home more sustainable. By leveraging technologies such as smart thermostats, energy monitoring systems, smart lighting, smart power strips, and water-saving devices, you can contribute to a greener future as well as enjoy the added benefits of convenience and control over your living space. Homeowners should take advantage of these upgrades to make their homes smarter, greener, and more cost-effective.
