The Ultimate Home Maintenance Toolkit

 Do you find it challenging to maintain your home? If so, then this blog post is for you. I have compiled a list of the best equipment to own as a homeowner for easy and cost-effective maintenance. These items will make handling your household chores much more manageable.

Image Credit: Photo by Andrea Piacquadio from Pexels

A Toolbox for Repairs

A toolbox will have all the tools you need to work on various projects in your home and is also perfect when helping friends or family with their DIY tasks too! In addition, it is essential for repairs, so you'll be able to fix anything on the spot.

A Lawnmower

A lawn mower will make the job of cutting your grass much more effortless. Additionally, a gas engine powers the mower, and it has a rotating blade to cut the grass efficiently - saving you time and effort! If you combine it with the best electric weed eaters, your lawn will be immaculate. 

Leaf Rake

A leaf rake will help you clean up fallen leaves and debris from your lawn quickly and efficiently for the autumn months.

Stepladder

Whether you're painting a wall or putting up holiday decorations, a stepladder helps you reach those hard-to-reach places in the house.

Extension Cord

An extension cord is perfect for when you need to plug in a power tool. It gives the electric current more reach, which will make your tasks much easier and faster.

A Tool Belt

A tool belt will make carrying and storing your tools much easier so that when you need them, they're right there on hand! It also helps protect from injury as well as saves time looking around for a specific item.

Pressure Washer

You can use a pressure washer at any time of year - whether to get rid of moss on your driveway or wash your car- therefore; it is an excellent tool for any home. It is a cost-effective way of maintaining your home.

A Shovel

You can use a shovel for all sorts of tasks at home like digging in dirt or snow - making it super handy! But, of course, you'll never know when you might need one, so make sure you have one at home.

A Hose Reel

Keeping an unused length of hose on hand can be helpful for many different tasks in your yard, like washing a car or watering the garden. But it can also be dangerous if left lying around! That's why using a hose reel is preferable because it keeps the water safely stored away after use, so you don't have to worry about tripping over and hurting yourself.

A Power Drill

You will need a power drill for drilling holes in various surfaces, applying sealants and even tightening screws! A cordless model is perfect if space isn't an issue. However, if this doesn't suit your needs, a corded model can be plugged in and is more powerful.

In conclusion, these are some of the best home maintenance items to have in your home for tackling all the usual household chores. As time passes, I am sure you will add many more!

6 Tips For A Stress Free Home Purchase

 Moving and buying a home does not have to be a stressful situation! If you put together a plan to make it a bit more stress-free instead, the process can even be pretty fun. Here are 6 tips for a stress free home purchase.

Hire A Great Real Estate Agent

Your first step is to hire a great real estate agent that knows your area well. They can provide recommendations for other vendors that you will need along the way, as well, which is really handy and can help make the process stress-free. A great real estate agent will help provide accurate pricing on your home that you are selling, they can help negotiate on your behalf, and they can also help walk you through the process and answer any questions along the way, which is priceless. As a buyer, you do not even have to pay them. The seller pays for the agent! But, if you are selling your home too, do keep in mind that you will have to pay them, which I think is very worth it. A great real estate agent will be a complete game changer in your entire home buying and selling process.

Get Pre-Approved

Next step: get pre-approved so that you know what you can afford (and what homes you should not be looking at). Your real estate agent can help recommend a person that can help you get a pre-approval going. When you get pre-approved, this is a huge step, because you will then know how much you can and cannot afford, like I mentioned. This makes it easier to view homes within your budget, while not getting your hopes up on larger and more expensive homes. 

Measure Your New Home

Once you are tentatively buying a home and are working your way towards the closing table, you will have a few appointments like the inspection and the appraisal. You can ask for another date (if warranted) if you need to measure the floorplan, or have contractors come to measure in order to give you estimates on renovations. If you want to save yourself and the current homeowner time, try to have contractors come out during the inspection. It will make things much easier and less time consuming that way!

Trust Your Inspector

Always trust your home inspector, as long as you have done your due diligence and have made sure that they come with great reviews (again - your real estate agent can probably recommend someone!). Your inspection will probably have a long list of needed improvements, but listen to your inspector and see what is necessary (to ask of the current homeowner) and what is not really that big of a deal. Some items on there will probably be door stops that are missing and small broken items. Other items may be bigger issues, such as fire hazards, issue(s) with the foundation, etc. These large ticketed items are the ones that your inspector will probably focus on, so trust them!

Hire Movers

The thing none of us look forward to is moving once we have decided on our home. I found a great local service: College Dudes Help U Move. They are Charlotte NC based pool table movers, residential movers, and commercial movers. They can help you with packing, storage solutions, and more. They are licensed and insured, aim to give you a stress-free moving experience, and they have great reviews, too! They give free in-home estimates, provide same day services in some cases, and offer the best rates on moves within 150 miles of Charlotte, NC. You’ll work one-on-one with your very own move coordinator, a point of contact who will help you plan and organize your move. Choose from a premier a la carte and concierge services to craft the perfect moving plan suited to your local or long distance moving needs. Check out some of the benefits and services you can receive when you choose these local Charlotte movers:

• Low $89/hour local moving rate!
• Trained & Uniformed Charlotte Moving Professionals
• Fully Licensed, Insured, & Bonded Moving service
• No Hidden Fees or Charges
• Packing & Unpacking
• Clean Trucks & New Moving Equipment
• Scheduling for your Convenience
• A+ BBB Accreditation
• A La Carte, Concierge, and 3rd Party Services

College Dudes Help U Move, is a leader in luxury, premium moving services in Charlotte NC and surrounding areas at prices that can accommodate any budget. As an A+ BBB accredited business, they proudly provide local moving services that are unparalleled in the industry. You can call to learn more or schedule your free moving estimate by filling out an online form here.

Set Aside Extra Time

One of the things that makes any process more stressful? Running out of time. This is exactly why I believe that it’s essential to set aside extra time - more than you’ll think you need! If you think the moving process will take you 4 days, add an extra day or 2 to play it safe. Think you need 4 hours to clean? Add an extra 2 hours for flexibility. Expect to close in an hour? Add an additional hour, just in case.

These tips should help guide you through a successful and stress free home purchase. Feel free to add any tips you would like to share!

Little Money Solutions For Home Ownership

Today I have a guest post from Phil Georgiades. Phil Georgiades is the CLS of V.A. Home Loan Centers, a government-sponsored brokerage specializing in V.A. Home Loans. He has been a practicing real estate professional for 22 years. To apply for a VA loan, click here! I hope you enjoy!

Have you ever wanted to buy a home but then changed your mind after you saw how expensive they are? If you did, then you’re not alone. In fact, according to a report from the Urban Institute in 2018, the homeownership rate for millennials was about 37%, which is 8 points lower than baby boomers and generation X at the same age. 

This lack of homeownership is due to a growing concern by new potential homeowners that they might not be able to afford it, resulting in the dream of homeownership being just that, a dream. However, there are ways to become a homeowner without burning a hole in your pocket, and that is by using government-guaranteed loans. 

There are three government guaranteed home loans, which are sure to make homeownership more accessible for people who are concerned about upfront costs. These loans are Federal Housing Administration (FHA) loans, U.S. Department of Agriculture Home Loans, and Veteran Affairs (VA) Home Loans.

FHA Home Loans

The first and perhaps more accessible of these home loans are FHA loans. These loans have proven time and again to be great for first time home buyers because they offer incentives like a low 3.5% down payment requirement. This requirement is lower than the usual conventional loan down payment of 20%.

In addition to the low down payment cost, FHA loans are also incredibly adaptable as to what credit scores they are willing to accept with a score as low as 580, you can still get you approved for an FHA home loan. Keep in mind, some lenders are ready to take lower credit scores, but they might require that you make a higher down payment.

FHA loans are also known for their low monthly and closing costs, the latter which can be covered by the seller in some cases. Also, if you’ve had the misfortune of declaring a chapter 7 bankruptcy in the past, you can still apply for an FHA loan. The only thing is that there needs to be a two year period from the time you initially declared bankruptcy.

The U.S. government guarantees FHA home loans, but they are lent out by qualified lenders. One such lender is FedHome Loan Centers, which does not charge any fees to the borrower since their prices are paid off by the investor.   

VA Home Loans

If you are a veteran, an Active Duty Service Member, or the spouse of a service member who is either missing in action or diseased, you might qualify for a VA home loan. This loan is one of the best available due to its $0 down payment and low monthly payment benefits. 

In addition, VA loans offer some of the lowest interest rates available, as well as no mortgage insurance premiums and no prepayment options. All of these benefits only require that you meet the eligibility requirements, which include:

• You served either 90 days active duty during wartime or 181 days active duty during peacetime.
• If you’re a member of the national guard or a reservist, you must have served for at least six years.
• Qualifying as the surviving spouse of a service member, must have passed away while in the line of duty or from a service-related disability. 

Furthermore, VA loans which already have an excellent reputation, just got a little better. As of January 2020, the VA has removed their loan limits. Allowing borrowers not to be limited by their county’s loan limit, but instead dictated by their income and ability to make their monthly payments. 

Currently, V.A. Home Loan Centers have a loan limit of $5,000,000, and their team of real estate experts can help you through the home buying process.

USDA Home Loans

It turns out that the U.S. Department of Agriculture, which inspects our food also offers a government-backed home loan. USDA loans are for lower-income earners in rural communities who want to become homeowners.  This home loan offers some great incentives like $0 down payments, competitive interest rates, and flexible credit score requirements. However, there are certain limitations to where these loans can be applied. For example, these loans are only applicable to modest single-family homes that are within an approved rural development area. 

  

The United States Government guarantees all these loans, and, as a result, they protect the lender from loss in case the borrower is unable to make their payments. This extra level of security allows lenders to be more willing to negotiate terms that are more adapted to the borrower’s specific needs and wants. 

Today, millennials are having a tough time entering the housing market. Especially since, according to a study by Student Loan Hero, homes have become 39% more expensive than they were 40 years ago. Hopefully, having information about government-guaranteed loans and their low costs can help in at least partially addressing the issue of homeownership.

Tech Items That Will Look Great In Your Home

One of the hardest things that we will all do is life. Life is not easy - everything moves fast, and there are bills to pay and jobs to go to. There are relationships to maintain and friendship circles to manage. The good news is that humans are rather smart! We come up with new and inventive ways to make life easy all the time, from smart home technology to standard appliances that have upgraded to be more efficient. 

We invented the dryer when we didn't want to wait for the weather to dry them, and we created the Roomba when it came to wanting to vacuum hands-free. We’re pretty good at inventions, and we’re even better at bringing back the vintage “tech” in new ways. For example, we no longer have the twin tub washer, but hi-tech washing machines. We may not have the record player anymore, but we do have USB record players at https://musicauthority.org, and that’s almost the same! Your home deserves the upgrades you can afford, and you should take a look at the list of home technology below that will look great!

Image Source

Wireless Chargers

Sick and tired of all the wires plugged into your home? We don't blame you - they’re annoying. This is why wireless chargers were created. They restrict your movement and break easily, which means that you spend a lot of money on replacements. Wireless phone chargers can make a big difference, and you can even get them in the form of a phone case!

Robotic Window Cleaners

The Roomba does the floors, but Ecovacs do the windows! You can charge them wirelessly and get your windows cleaned by a robot instead! You can let it charge and then set it about its job, resetting the router when it loses connection. It’s a great way to save time, and you get super clean windows for it! 

The Echo

Smart home technology is likely one of the best ever inventions we’ve had in this century. Controlling your smart technology can be done with the Echo from Amazon. You can use it as an intelligent assistant giving you help with recipes, but you can also control the rest of the smart technology in your home, from the lights to the doorbell camera. The coolest bit is that it can be controlled by voice, which gives you so much more room for fun! 3am wake up calls? Just ask the Echo!

Nespresso Coffee Brewer

How smart will this look in the kitchen? The Nespresso Prodigio looks good, and you can time it to brew the coffee from your smartphone. You don't even have to get out of bed to turn it on, and that’s one of the best bits about it. A little Bluetooth and you’re good to go for your day! 

Image Source

With the right technology from the list above, you can ensure that you are up to speed on everything that you need for a smart home. The more intelligent the house, the better it runs - and that’s all you want it to do!

Refresh Your Living Room With The Slipcover Company

It's that time of the year again when I can't say no to Peppermint Bark! I have a great gift idea for part three of my Holiday Gift Guide!

For part one of my Holiday Gift Guide, click here.

I became a first time homeowner more than a year ago. We were a military family for twenty years so we never really could purchase a home anywhere because we were never sure where we were going to go next. We bought a lot of second hand furniture or "if it breaks in the move, we won't be out thousands of dollars" furniture and did our best to make them our own. My husband retired from the Navy the same year that my daughter graduated high school and that is when our search began. We found our perfect home and I have about one million and forty seven projects that I've been doing to make it into the home I always wanted while we traveled around!

Until I can get my new couch, however, I wanted to refresh my living room with a new look. I'm also a cat owner and his favorite thing in the world to do is shred my couch. I've tried everything.

Murder Mittens Couch Shredding Champion

I found the perfect slipcover for in the interim at a great slipcover company online! The Slipcover Company has gorgeous slipcovers for all types of furniture and pillows! I spent way too long looking at other things I wanted to buy but finally settled on the Cabana Stripe Collection Sofa Slipcover in Blue. It fits in perfectly with our nautical/beach theme. 

TheSlipcoverCompany.com

Putting a new slipcover on my insanely comfortable old couch has refreshed my living room and definitely inspired me to continue all of these projects!

So, so many projects.

How would you refresh your home?

For part one and two of my holiday gift guide, click here and here. 

3 Things To Splurge On For Your Bathroom

While everyone loves a good kitchen, bathrooms can also be beautiful. We tend to spend a lot more time than we think in them. It’s the room where you give your children baths, relax after a long day, or an escape when you just need time to be alone (am I right, moms?!). Remember, you want to love every room of your home  even if the bathroom may seem less glamorous to some.

Since renovating bathrooms can be extremely expensive there are three things that are needed to splurge on. What are these 3 important things? I’ll share below!

Tubs and Showers

While you are building your home or removing what may already be there, you must first think about fitting a tub or shower in the space you are remodeling. Adding some of these items can be difficult because of all the additional plumbing lines you’ll have to put in. Usually by adding this, it means more money for you. However, if it’s what you really want, you can add that modern steam shower or gorgeous claw foot tub if you know it’s going to get the most use in this room. Try to build your design and ideas around an already existing plumbing line. If you do need to remove it, be sure that you to get what you want now to avoid additional remodeling expenses in the future. To help save money on your tub or shower, look for items that might be on sale at your local furniture stores.

Image: Premier Surfaces 

Countertops

The countertops in your bathroom don’t face the same amount of abuse as the ones you install in your kitchen such as hot pans, oven trays, or knives. So, picking the perfect bathroom countertop typically is based on budget, style, material, and the ease of maintenance. Of course, there will be spills from makeup and abuse from water so you’ll want to pick one that is functional and aesthetically pleasing. It’s really the number one factor that will contribute to the overall feel and look of your bathroom. One thing to consider is who will be using the bathrooms, how many people, and the amount of time you’ll be spending in the bathroom. One way to help you determine that are the friendly staff at Premier Surfaces. They have over 10 showrooms across the United States so you’ll be sure to find one close by for any questions or concerns you have. Some of the countertops that I found were the Calacatta Kitchen Countertops, which can also can be used for your bathroom. Calacatta is a rare marble and more luxurious (read = expensive) due to it’s pure white background. However, many do consider it to be a great compromise and more on budget because it adds so much to your room. 

Details

This can be anything from the prints that you hang in your bathroom, to the faucet or lamp fixtures you decide to add. You can make statement pieces with accents, over the top lights on either side of the mirror, or you can find vintage knobs for your vanity and/or drawers. You can even add some bold wallpaper to add some movement. Maybe bold roses, an accent wall, or a pattern texture. Your details can also be simple with framing fun sayings, a nice shelf to hold extra towels and necessities, or cute accent pieces. Whatever you choose, you will have a great time showing off you and your family's personality.

There are many other items you could splurge on for your bathroom depending on how large or small the room is and how much it is used. These three things in particular will work wonderfully in your guest bathroom, master bathroom, or your main floor bathroom. The staff at Premier Surfaces are there to assist, encourage, and help you with any issues that may arise, as well as the installation of your products in your home.

Are there any things you and your family have done to spruce and splurge on your bathroom in your home? I’d love to hear some examples in the comments below!

Home Financing Is Easier To Achieve Than You Think

It's easier to finance a home than you think it is. I know, I know. You've heard a billion horror stories from the news, friends, family, your cousin's girlfriend's uncle twice removed. And, you think it's going to be so difficult.

It's not.

We took a hit in 2008, all of us. That alone terrified me and put me off home ownership for many years. Of course, there's also the fact that my husband was in the Navy so we did move around a bit before we settled here. I just truly thought this was a dream that we wanted but would never achieve.
As I always do, I started looking around on the internet to find the answers to my questions. Just reading and browsing around reading about the housing market and how to get a real estate license. I was thinking of taking real estate classes for awhile, but fell into my dream job, writing (and getting paid real money for it!).  I came across bad credit loans in Tampa, which are credit loans for people with bad credit.

To the Google!

I had no idea that you could get a loan if you had bad credit? I mean, isn't bad credit one of the major reasons WHY you are denied a loan? Isn't that how we got into that mess in 2008 to begin with?

So, I read more....

In Tampa, Associates Home Loan is fully aware of your anxiety over these unconventional loans. I spent a lot of time on their website reading about bad credit loans and how all of that works. I wasn't interested in living in Tampa (I'm sure it's lovely), so I started to look into places closer to where I wanted to be and found quite a few!

The credit company I went through is a little different than that one, but it worked out really well for us. We can work on getting our credit together and in a few years refinance through our bank (VA loans, FTW! To learn more about VA loans, you can read this great guide: https://www.reviews.com/blog/veterans-home-buying-guide). The mortgage payment is 1/3 of what we were spending on rent and we've been able to stay on top of everything financially so much easier! I was incredibly skeptical at first, but we've been happily in our very home since July of 2018 and I have no complaints at all with the whole process. I don't miss renting at all, getting to buy all new stuff for your very own home is such an awesome feeling! 

I'm really glad I decided to look into it. It's not something I would have considered before but once I learned everything about it and my financial advisor approved, I was ready! We jumped in with two feet and landed perfectly.

Have you bought a home? What was your experience? Do you have any stories to share about your home finance adventure? Tell me in the comments, below!

SockSync Sorts Your Socks

My favorite part about doing product reviews is getting to try brand new products. Especially brand new ones that no one has heard of yet!

This one is pretty neat. It's the SockSync and it makes folding socks so much faster. I love it because the chore around the house that I hate the most is folding socks. 

This one was fun to try out, too!

First, you put the socks over the tubes. The blue top spins so as you find new ones to match, you spin to the next empty one.

Of course I didn't buy brand new socks to do this demonstration, don't be silly.

Once you find all of the matches, you start "folding." You push the match through the tube and that pair is done! On to the next one.

Once you are finished with all of your matches, you can take the blue spinner top off and you have a basket full of clean, folded socks! 

You're welcome.

I  love awesome new stuff that makes things easier. If you want to get one for your home, you can find it here!

What is your go to for making your household chores quicker?