A common misconception of home sellers is that in order to sell as quickly as possible, they need to invest a lot of money in remodeling. However, spending money on renovations can be a precarious financial gamble, as remodeling is by no means guaranteed to increase a home’s value. To increase the appeal of your home while still being cost-effective, start by doing a thorough cleaning. When potential buyers enter a home, the last thing they want is to smell pet odors or see disheveled rooms.

To that end, it’s also important to de-clutter your home by removing excess furnishings and accentuating the space by condensing and rearranging the remaining furniture. When people are looking to buy a home, Read more

Watch this video to learn how you can modernize your bathroom without spending a lot of money. Read more

Watch this video and learn how to quickly deal with cat or dog urine before it damages your hardwood floor. Read more

The cold weather season is upon us! Before using your fireplace, make sure you know what is and isn’t OK to burn. Read more

If installed properly, most roofs will last for decades without having to be replaced, but to extend the life of your roof and ensure it won’t break down prematurely, it’s still a good idea to adhere to a regular maintenance schedule. To maximize the efficiency of your roof, consider the following maintenance tips (if conditions make it unsafe to perform these maintenance procedures yourself, contact a professional):

Inspect. Thoroughly scan your roof for any signs of damage, warping or discoloration. Spray the roof with a hose and identify potential trouble spots by making a note of where water collects. Also, pay immediate attention to missing or damaged shingles, spots where there’s noticeable bubbling and places where the roof material is actually lifting. Read more

Watch this video to learn why it’s a good idea to hire a plumber to clean your drains before the holiday season. Read more

Many people don’t address the erosion problems on their properties. Either they don’t see them, or they don’t understand the process, according to Mark Soiland, President of Soiland Co., Inc., a Diamond certified company. “Erosion is simply water that picks up volume, and therefore velocity, in storm events. It can cause major property damage.” Adding rocks is a good solution for many situations. Rocks of different sizes can slow down the erosive nature of water, as it picks up both volume and velocity. The rocks will also help stabilize the ground underneath. “In order to prevent erosion, you have to stop the water at its starting point,” says Mr. Soiland. “It’s a function of channeling or dissipating the water and getting it to not cause any damage while it moves to where it needs to go to get into our streams.” Read more