Coming home to a spotless home that literally sparkles is one of life's greatest pleasures.
With the help of spring cleaning advice from organizing and cleaning experts, it's easier to clean your home room by room or appliance by appliance because doing so can be intimidating, exhausting, and time-consuming.
Here are some spring cleaning chores you can do at home, whether you only have five minutes to freshen things up or you happen to have a full weekend to spare.
Clean windows make a home look better. Use water, ammonia, and white vinegar for professional-quality DIY cleaning. A large sponge and a professional squeegee apply and remove the solution from your windows.
The coils cool these appliances by circulating air. Dust on coils reduces efficiency, making your fridge or air conditioner work harder. Unplug the device and vacuum out the coils. You can use a refrigerator-coil brush that is available in the hardware store.
Clean ceiling-fan blades to eliminate winter dust. For summer, reverse your ceiling fan's motion from clockwise to counterclockwise. This cools the place by directing air downward.
You wouldn't believe how simple it is to clean a dryer vent. Remove the dryer's plug from the power source first. After that, use a vacuum or a special brush made for cleaning dryer vents to clean out the opening.
Even if you frequently vacuum your carpet, a deep cleaning every year will remove the trash, dust, and food debris from the carpet's deepest fibers. If you don't own one, you can rent one at a home improvement store or nearby supermarket chain.
The best time to inspect your roof for possible winter damage is springtime. Try looking from the roof with a pair of binoculars if you can't access it with a ladder.
Great if your wooden deck's finish is still good. Cleaning the deck may be enough to prepare it for summer. Clean and reseal the deck if the finish is worn. Tidy up and maintain composite decks according to the manufacturer's instructions.
Take those pressure washers, lawnmowers, and weed eaters out of storage, give them a test run, and ensure everything operates as it should. Tools can be fixed with lubricant or cleaning.
Combine a solution of 80% water and 20% ammonia with a half-teaspoon or a few sprays of gentle dishwashing detergent. Before soaking a soft cloth or sponge and wringing it out, completely blend the contents. While cleaning the wood furniture, don't let the solution dry out.
Wash or sweep the stairs and front porch. If your welcome mat is fraying or disintegrating, shake it or replace it. Your home will seem refreshed if you add one or two pots of annuals in vibrant colors.
Follow these spring cleaning activities and ideas to clean and give your home a beautiful and fresh inside and out. If you have more tips, feel free to share them in the comment box below.
Buying a home is a huge decision, making it a lot more intimidating if you’re a first time home buyer. In our previous articles, we’ve discussed the basic things, such as the questions you should ask yourself before buying a property and the daunting process of purchasing a home.
Now, we’re going to talk about the things that come after the buying process. As a first time home buyer, this ultimate guide to buying a home will definitely help to avoid feeling overwhelmed.
A first-time home buyer is someone who matches any of the following criteria, according to the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD):
The deal is now closed and you can now move to your new home. The daunting part of buying a property is now over, or so it seems.
There are still a few things to consider to make your experience as a new homeowner worthwhile.
Even when you’re done with the daunting process of buying a home, saving money should never stop. Being a homeowner entails significant unforeseen costs, such as fixing the gutters or purchasing a new water heater. Create a home emergency fund so you won't be caught off guard when these expenses eventually come up.
Consider your property as an investment; therefore, you should be sure to take exceptional care of it. Regular maintenance enables problems to be repaired when they are small and manageable, lowering your repair expenses.
Unless you decide to sell it, it doesn't matter how much your house is currently worth. The main factor in determining whether you will realize a healthy return on your investment is your ability to select when you sell your property, as opposed to being compelled to do so because of a job transfer or financial hardship.
Even if you already own a property, you still need to keep funding your retirement savings. There’s no guarantee that you’ll get financial success when you sell your property even if you see people making billions when the prices of homes increase due to the huge demand.
Keep in mind that the money you used to pay your mortgage each month can be utilized to cover some of your living and medical expenses in retirement if you plan to use your home as a source of wealth in your golden years.
Buying a home is a stressful yet fulfilling process. It won’t be easy even with all the tips you get online; however, this guide will help you not only find the home of your dreams but also a home you can afford.
In the first part, we’ve shared the top six (6) questions you can ask yourself when buying a home; now, we’re going to dive deeper into the process of purchasing a property.
This ultimate guide to buying a home will help you whether you’re a first-time home buyer or not.
Feel free to browse our website to learn more tips on home buying and selling.
Now that you've made the commitment, let's examine what to anticipate from the actual home purchasing process. There are numerous bids and counteroffers flying about right now, which is hectic. You can, however, get through the procedure with your sanity more-or-less intact if you are ready for the inconvenience (and the paperwork). The general progression that you might anticipate is as follows:
Use all of the resources at your disposal to identify homes for sale, including your real estate agent, internet listing search engines, and driving around the areas you're interested in looking for for-sale signs. Additionally, make some inquiries of your loved ones, coworkers, and business associates. You never know where an excellent lead or reference for a house might appear.
If you're truly looking to buy a house, never show up at an open house without a realtor (or at the very least, be ready to give the name of someone you're apparently working with). It is clear why negotiating with the seller's agent first rather than your own agency may not be in your best interests.
If money is tight, search for houses whose potential hasn't yet been fully fulfilled. If you want to move into a house you can afford, it can be worth it to put up with the ugly bathroom wallpaper for a time even if you can't afford to replace it right away. Don't allow cosmetic flaws to prevent you from purchasing a property if the location, size, and other important factors (the big things that are hard to improve) are all satisfactory.
In order to increase their equity and move up the housing ladder, first-time buyers should look for a home they can add value to.
Your own money should be in good shape, so make that a priority. In general, having solid credit, a history of on-time bill payments, and a maximum debt-to-income ratio of 43% are requirements for being eligible for a home loan.
These days, lenders want to keep housing costs (principal, interest, taxes, and homeowner's insurance) to around 28% of borrowers' gross monthly income, though this percentage might vary greatly depending on the local real estate market.
The lender will check all of the provided financial information once you've selected one and submitted an application (calculating debt-to-income ratios, looking at credit scores, verifying employment history, etc.). A specified sum may be preapproved for the borrower by the lender. Be aware that if you do any actions that could lower your credit score, such as financing a car purchase, your loan could be canceled at the last minute even though you have been preapproved for a mortgage.
When looking for a pre-approval or a mortgage, don't be confined by allegiance to your present financial institution: shop around, even if you only qualify for one sort of loan. Rates of interest on mortgages and fees can both be shockingly different (which, of course, have a major impact on the total price you pay for your home).
A backup lender is also advised by some authorities. There is no assurance that a loan you qualify for will ultimately be funded because underwriting standards can change, lenders' analyses of risk can vary, and investor markets might change. When clients sign loan and escrow paperwork, there are instances where they are informed 24 to 48 hours prior to the closing that the lender has frozen funds on their loan program. A second lender who has previously approved you for a mortgage gives you a backup plan to keep things moving along at a reasonable pace.
Your real estate agent will offer advice on how much to offer for the home as well as any restrictions you might want to include, such as having the buyer cover your closing fees. The seller will either accept your offer or make a counteroffer once your agent presents it to the seller's agent. After then, you have the option of accepting or continuing to negotiate until you reach an agreement or decide to give up.
Review your budget once again before submitting your bid. This is the time to take into account estimated closing costs, which can range from 2% to 5% of the purchase price, travel expenses, and any necessary immediate repairs or appliances before you can move in.
Additionally, plan ahead because it is simple to be caught off guard by higher or unexpected utility bills, property taxes, or neighborhood association dues, particularly if you're leaving a rental or apartment arrangement where you haven't dealt with these issues before. You might ask for the water and energy bills from the previous year to get a sense of the typical monthly expenditure.
Once you and the other party have come to an agreement, the process enters escrow once you have made a good faith deposit. Escrow is a brief time frame (typically around 30 days) during which the seller removes the home from the market with the legally binding assumption that you would purchase the home, assuming you don't discover any significant issues with it during your inspection.
There is no alternative for having a qualified professional check your possible new home for the quality, safety, and general condition, even if the house you intend to buy appears to be flawless. You should typically be allowed to withdraw your offer and receive a refund of your deposit if the house inspection reveals significant flaws that the seller failed to disclose. Other choices, if you find yourself in this circumstance, include bargaining with the seller to make the repairs or reduce the asking price.
You should be ready to close if you can reach an agreement with the seller or, even better, if the inspection turned up no major issues. The process of closing basically entails signing a ton of paperwork quickly and praying that nothing goes through at the eleventh hour.
In the final stages of your purchase, you may have to deal with and pay for things like having the house appraised (mortgage companies need this to secure their interest in the house), conducting a title search to ensure that only the seller is the rightful owner, obtaining private mortgage insurance or a piggyback loan if your down payment is less than 20%, and having completed the required home loan documentation.
4 Tips to turn your cell phone into a professional listing video making machine!
Jason Kraus, with RE/MAX Advanced Realty in Indianapolis, Indiana, is here to show you how to film a professional listing video with just your smartphone!
If you want to learn more about how you can film videos like this, and then have our Full Time Video Staff edit them together for you, and everything else our brokerage provides, hit the link!
✏️ Company Provided Leads
✏️ Technology Driven Workplace
✏️ Graphic Designer
✏️ New Agent Mentorship
✏️ Full Time Video Production Team
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✏️Ongoing Workshops to Hone New Skills
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✏️ 4 Office Locations with agent work space, conference rooms to meet with clients or for closings, and much more!
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Broker Owner of RE/MAX Advanced Realty in Indianapolis, Indiana, Dennis Nottingham, is here to give you tips, and the DOS and DONT'S, on home inspections when you are representing the Home Buyer!
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“Laugh and the world laughs with you, snore and you sleep alone.”
- Anthony Burgess
According to a National Sleep Foundation survey, 93 percent of respondents consider a comfortable mattress important to a good night’s sleep. Sleep impacts our bodies in a big way. Quality sleep will aid in improving memory, focus, lowering stress, balancing blood pressure, increasing productivity, heightening happiness, lowering weight, avoiding aging prematurely and increasing your lifespan. With a mattress that’s fit for your needs, your body is properly supported. This helps lower stress against pressure-sensitive parts of your body such as your hip, shoulder, ankle, and even ribs. With the correct mattress your spine is aligned with the rest of your body and your body weight is well distributed. Popular ideal mattresses include medium-firm memory foam, latex, or coil spring to ensure you are well supported. The benefits of a new mattress can be felt throughout your day. You will experience muscle relief and a more positive outlook on life in being well rested.
Ambient white noise reduces the difference between background sounds and disruptive noises, making it easier for you to sleep without disruption. When a noise wakes you up in the middle of the night, it's not necessarily the noise itself that wakes you up, but the sudden change or impact of the sound that can wake you up. White noise creates a sort of masking effect, blocking out those fluctuations of sound that disrupts sleep. Even if you are awakened, the soothing sound of white noise can make it a lot easier for you to fall back asleep. Raj Dasgupta, MD, assistant professor of clinical medicine and sleep expert at Keck Medicine of USC, compares it to a soft, steady glow of a night light, versus an overhead light being switched on and off. Investing in a sleep machine will do you wonders. There are various machines to choose from on the market that produce various sounds to fit your needs. Check out our article Top 10 Must-Have Bedroom Items from Amazon to find an amazing sound machine to invest in!
Essential oils can be a powerful way to help ease your nerves and encourage a better quality of sleep. Lavender essential oil is praised as a natural sleep aid. The National Institutes of Health research shows that using lavender oil decreases blood pressure, lowers heart rate and cools skin temperature in sleepers. Those who used lavender for sleep aid reported feeling recharged and relaxed. In general, essential oils can have many different benefits, such as weakening some viral infections, strengthening the immune system and easing feelings of anxiety. Our sense of smell is interestingly wired to memory and emotion. This means smells travel to the limbic (emotional) system of the brain, which includes areas such as the amygdala, which triggers our reactions and memory. Who knew smell could make such a big impact on our emotions and the way we respond! Research the benefits of various scents and choose one that you feel captivates you and provides benefits tailored for your own personal needs.
In 2011, neuroscience researchers found clearing clutter in your home and work space resulted in increased focus and made processing information easier. The visual distraction of clutter overwhelms the brain and can even take a toll on our memory. This is why we should be sure to free our space, especially the bedroom, from clutter. Multiple studies have also found a correlation between clutter and poor eating choices. Chaotically cluttered environments led participants in a study to eat more snacks, eating twice as many cookies than participants in a clutter free environment. Other research has shown that being in a messy room will make you twice as likely to eat a chocolate bar than an apple. Decluttering is essential for both mentally and physically well being.
With no TV in the bedroom, you are committing yourself to a better quality of sleep. You might not think much about how you’ll sleep when you’re watching an action packed movie right before bed, but chances are, it won’t be quality rest. What you watch before you slip into sleep greatly impacts how well you will sleep. For example, a horror or action movie will keep you awake throughout the night because your body has built up adrenaline. The TV also causes eye strain. Think back to point 2 in this article on how disruptive sounds can be compared to harsh lights. Eyestrain can trigger headaches or migraines, impacting your sleep and your levels of productivity in the following day. This is why many people opt for removing the TV from their bedroom. It is best to save watching TV for the living room and use your bedroom as a space for relaxing, unwinding, and most importantly, sleep.
One of the most important measures of your financial health is a good credit score. A good credit score shows the lender how responsibly you use your credit. The better your score, the easier it is for you to qualify and be approved for better interest rates on new loans or lines of credit. A poor credit score, on the other hand, makes it harder to get qualified for a new loan or open a credit line. It also puts the borrower on the hook for higher interest rates. Thus, a good credit standing is very important in today’s society that has become increasingly dependent on credit to make purchases and financial decisions.
If you currently have a poor credit score, here are some of the steps you can take right now to improve it:
The tips mentioned above are just some of the ways you can improve your credit score. If improving your credit score is a goal you have, keep in mind that the sooner you begin working to improve your credit, the sooner you will see results.
In this article we are bringing you a simple yet effective moving guide that will help lower stress when moving. You’ll want to bookmark this one for your next move!
Moving - some love it and some dislike it. Whatever your preference may be, moving is a process we all will experience at some point in our lives. With this, making the process as smooth as it can be with minimal stress is vital in order to leave your old residence and enter your new residence with a positive attitude.
Mentally preparing yourself for this process and change of environment is beneficial for your health by easing any incoming stress while in the grasps of the moving process. Use this time to take it easy, as busier times are ahead.
Engage in your favorite activities, indulge in some of your favorite foods and get lots of rest to ensure you are feeling your best on the big day. Expand this freetime for a few days up to one week. These things will help prepare your body and mind in order to stay positive during your move.
Once you are mentally prepared, it’s time to move on to the next step.
Creating a roadmap is crucial in order to have a smooth move. This guide will create structure in busy times.
Give yourself a few days to a week to prepare for the weeks ahead. This does not require a large amount of energy and will help make the weeks ahead a breeze.
Make a list of solely essential things that need to be done in the upcoming week. If you’re feeling more ambitious, you can plan for an additional week or two, but don’t over do it, as this could cause you to feel overwhelmed. If you want to plan out all weeks until moving day, an alternative is to write one main goal each week until moving day.
Things to plan include a list of basic items you need to purchase for various areas of the home, researching moving services you may need, looking up internet plans, etc.
Take your time; there’s no rush. If you finish a little early, hang tight for the remaining days.
Creating and meeting deadlines is another crucial step to ensure a stress-free move.
Give yourself deadlines to meet in order to be prepared. It’s important to create deadlines for every step in the moving journey, no matter how big or small. This creates structure and a rewards system all at once.
Things to create deadlines for include when to buy items needed for the home, scheduling a day for a wifi company to come to the new address, when to have furniture delivered, etc. Mapping this out prevents mixing up dates, maximizes your time and ensures your utilities and other services are up and functioning on move in day. This gives you one less thing to worry about when moving day comes.
It is also important to ensure each task is given proper processing time. For example, forwarding your mail to your new address is crucial to complete early, as it can take up to 12 days to forward mail. If you complete this in the appropriate window of time, you can find comfort in knowing your mail will be delivered to the proper address.
This and other related tasks should be done 2 weeks in advance in order to ensure things run smoothly on move in day. You’ll be relieved to know that these things are all taken care of when in the hustle and bustle of running to various stores to buy needed items and handling other tasks.
Decluttering is a daunting task for many because most don’t know where to start. They take a look around a space, and in seconds, it all seems like one big job to accomplish. This can throw many people off when attempting to start the decluttering process. How can we dodge the bullet of avoiding the process of decluttering?
The best way to accomplish this task is to handle it in small portions. For example, let’s say your goal is to declutter your bedroom in preparation for packing. Choose one spot to declutter. Getting the biggest job done first is a great way to make the other areas of the room a breezy. For example, if your closet is the boss level in decluttering your bedroom, start with that area first.
Wear comfortable clothes, play some music and ensure you’ve at least had a snack. This will ensure you are in good spirits and have energy when tackling this task. Once you are finished, use the next day to declutter another area of the bedroom. Breaking up the decluttering process in this way makes it a more digestible process for many people.
Try this tip out if you are someone who struggles (like many others) when decluttering.
It's vital to have a gameplan on moving day.
Ensure you get plenty of rest the night before. Once morning strikes, have a light breakfast and give yourself a little freetime, even if it’s just 10 to 15 minutes. This helps mentally prepare you for the big day and gives you a few extra minutes to wake up if you’re still feeling a little tired.
Once awake and ready, you’re set to pack up the vehicles and head to your new home!
Realtors are getting leads from Facebook, but it's not easy and it's not luck. In this day and age, gone are the times when a realtor had to pay their dues and work 5 to 10 years and build a reputation and client base to thrive. WIth social media, a realtor can make themselves known to an entire community much quicker, and can begin building their network and sphere into one which makes them a healthy income at a more advanced pace than in years past.
Now, we will get into Facebook Ads in our next blog post, but for now, we are going to focus on organic engagement. Organic engagement is any engagement (i.e. post likes, comments, shares) which comes from unpaid or unboosted posts on either your personal or business page. This is important because it allows you to build a real sense of community and relatabilty on your page, and focuses on mainly non real estate content to ensure you don't bore your audience with another HGTV blog post.
These posts will help drive engagement on your page, which in turn, improves your Facebook algorithm and helps more people see your posts. So, when it's time to post something real estate related, more people see it!
VIDEO: Our Digital Marketing Manager, Cole Wilgus, walks you through 3 Social Media Posts Anyone Can Do: Realtor Edition!
At RE/MAX Advanced, we specialize in helping our agents grow their social to optimize leads and engagement. From our full time video staff, to our Facebook Ads Expert, we've got what you need to succeed online! Learn more about what we can offer your career here!
In this article we are bringing you more unique homes from around the world. If you haven't seen our first unique home article, click here!
Compass
This massive Clocktower penthouse gives you a timeless view! Located in Brooklyn, New York the home sizes up at 1,260 square feet with just one bed and one bath. The custom kitchen is a chef’s dream, containing abundant storage space, a Viking conventional stove, stone countertops and a Sub-Zero refrigerator. This once ticking clock tower was first constructed in 1892 for a local newspaper company. In the 80s it was reconstructed into a luxury residential spot, rented out by A-list celebrities of the time. In 2020, it has been remodeled into a unique home by architect Michael Davis who first laid eyes on the tower at the early age of 19. He was captivated by the beauty of the building and the views it gave to the city below.
Compass
Compass
Compass
Glasstire (Christina Ress)
This unique home will capture the eyes of anyone who passes it. The Steel House located in Lubbock, Texas has been crafted mainly from blackened steel. It’s interior contains stunning high ceilings that have been beautifully arched, an elegant interior feature in contrast to the home’s industrial inspired exterior. The home also has a beautiful view of a nearby recreational lake. Architect Robert Bruno began crafting the home in 1997, continuing the process for years as he created Texas’ most striking home. Bruno unfortunately passed away after battling colon cancer, leaving his masterpiece unfinished. Nonetheless his craft has been seen from all around the world and has made a profound impact in the architectural world.
Glasstire (Christina Ress)
Glasstire (Christina Ress)
David Franck
German architect J. Mayer is known for his unique and thought-provoking home designs. This home in Ludwigsburg, Germany lives up to his reputation throughout the architectural world. This home has an abstract design that has been coated stark white. It’s shape was inspired by the imprint that was left in the earth. The home’s style models an almost modern futuristic design that has captured the eyes of many around the world. The area reaches 6900 meters squared and was first built in 1984. The home contains four bedrooms, 4 bathrooms and has three levels. The skin of the villa blends seamlessly with the grounds, connecting the home with the beauty of nature.
David Franck
David Franck
Robert P Ruschak
This stunning home was crafted in 1935 by American architect Frank Lloyd Wright. The home effortlessly captures the beauty of nature, blending in seamlessly with the greenery around it. Wright’s creation is located in Laurel Highlands, southwestern Pennsylvania. It is engulfed in 5,100 acres of land known as the Bear Run Nature Reserve. The home was built from native sandstone and above a gorgeous roaring waterfall. The initial cost for constructing Fallingwater was 35,000. The final product, in addition to the guest house, was 155,000. This was the equivalent to roughly 2.8 million in 2019. In 1963, Fallingwater was donated to the Western Pennsylvania Conservancy. Today, the house serves as a museum for travelers around the world.
Robert P Ruschak
Robert P Ruschak
8313 W. 10th St
Indianapolis IN 46234
dennis@indyhomepros.com
317-316-8224