Don't Fall In Love With The Wrong House

Finding a home is a lot like finding the your true love. Love makes your heart skip a beat. Your feet immediately start to spin around the empty living room and imagine yourself entertaining grandly as you waltz through the dining room. And by the time you get to the master bedroom, well….it's love.

But if you've ever been in a bad relationship, you know it can start with that head over heels feeling. You remember that feeling. It's the one that makes you do stupid things that you regret later, like blithely overlooking flaws you wouldn't have put up with if you were in your right mind.

When you go shopping for homes, remember that you're vulnerable. Cupid may strike with his bow when you least expect it, causing you to fall in love - with the wrong house.

Oh, that won't happen to me, you say. But it can. You're a fool for love. If you want to keep your head and get the home that's really right for you and your household, follow these tips:

Shop Within Your Means

The wrong house will be too much trouble and money. Your lender will give you a price limit that you can comfortably afford based on your income and current debts. These are time-tested formulas that are designed to protect you from getting overextended and putting the bank's investment in jeopardy.

Work with a real estate professional

Look online and you'll fall in love with a home out of your league. You're welcome to look at homes online, but try to stay in your price range. If you look at homes that are more expensive than you can afford, you're bound to fall in love with more luxuries and space than you can comfortably afford. Share your wish list with a real estate professional, and let him or her preview homes for you.

Shop for the right-sized home, not the biggest

The wrong home is too big. While conventional wisdom says buy the most home that you can for the money, buying the biggest home you can isn't smart. Think about the operating costs of heating, cooling, cleaning and maintaining more square footage than you really need. Instead, think about how you actually use a home. Have a use for every space.

Shop For Your Lifestyle

The wrong home is perfect - for someone else. If you're single or travel a lot, you don't want to mow 10 acres. Consider a condominium or gated community. If you have kids, you may be more interested in neighborhoods with lots of options for kids to learn and do.

Consider the commute

The wrong home dazzles you with its elegance, but there's a price. Many of the newest homes offer the most amenities, but they're on cheaper land far from city centers. Ask yourself how long you'll spend commuting to your job every day to live in that particular community?

Don't Be Fooled By a Pretty Face

The wrong home isn't just pretty, it has to meet your needs. Where do the kids put their backpacks when they come home from school? Is it easy to let the dog outside and clean muddy paws when he comes back in? Do you have the space you need for your home office or art studio? Are there enough bathrooms for the morning rush?

Don't Overlook A Wallflower

Many homes are affordable because they're older and need work. Many times, cosmetic updates can turn a so-so home into a treasure. No home is perfect, so don't be side-tracked by ugly wallpaper.

Fall in love with the right house

The right house may not be the prettiest, biggest or the newest, but it will be the one that most suits the various needs of your household. When you're comparing homes think about your wish list and which home comes closest to meeting your price, number of bedrooms, condition, space, features and the amenities of the neighborhood.

Once you move in, you'll see that there's no falling in love that feels as good as knowing you made the right choice.

Original Article From: www.realtytimes.com | Written By: Blanche Evans

Easy And Cheap Home Improvements For Your Philly Home

You may be very pleasantly surprised at the great results you’ll get from spending just a couple of hundred dollars on tools and supplies needed to complete these easy and cheap home improvements. Let these ideas inspire you!

Living in a top city like Philadelphia is expensive — everything from the cost of transportation to food to exploring the city-wide attractions can potentially strain your budget. When you’re on a tight budget, it can be difficult to get the motivation to make necessary improvements to your home. However, there are ways to make cheap home improvements to your property in Philly that can add a lot of value to the home without breaking the bank. Here are a few easy and inexpensive upgrades that you can start on a Friday and probably be finished with by Sunday night.

Repaint or Refinish Your Kitchen Cabinets

Your kitchen cabinets: You see them every day when you wake up for your morning coffee, and every day you wish they looked better. The cost of getting brand-new cabinetry can reach well into the thousands, but that doesn’t have to stop you from improving the way they look right now. Here’s all you have to do:

1. Rent or buy a hand sander from a home improvement store.
2. Remove each wood cabinet from its hinges.
3. Sand the cabinets thoroughly until you get to the clean unpainted (or unstained) layer below.
4. Repaint the cabinet in the color you love, add a coat of lacquer for shine, and then rehang them when they’re dry.

The entire cost of this simple fix is under $75 for the hand sander and stain. If you have metal cabinets, remove them from the wall and use a $5 can of colored spray paint to make them look more appealing until you can afford all-new cabinetry.

Refinish Wood Flooring

Many older Philadelphia homes are outfitted with wall-to-wall wood flooring. It makes for a very dramatic living and dining room area, but over time, the wooden boards become worn and scuffed. Instead of spending thousands to have the floor replaced or carpet installed, refinish the existing wood flooring instead. Start byrenting a floor drum sander — the cost is manageable (about $25 to $50 per day). Remove the top layer of the floor to smooth out the surface, clean up thoroughly, and then stain it in an attractive color that goes with the room’s decor. Add a layer or two of lacquer to the top to protect the surface from future damage. Again, the cost of this basic project is very reasonable and can add a lot of value to your home: The entire project can cost about $100-$200, depending on the size of the room.

Add a New Backsplash Behind Your Kitchen or Bathroom Sink

You’d be surprised at how even the smallest of changes can improve the look of an entire room. Adding a backsplash to the area above your kitchen or bathroom sink is one of those changes. Purchase tiling in the shades and style of your choice and plenty of grout. You may also need to invest in a tool for cutting tile and a sander (with coarse-grit paper) to prepare the wall. Install the tiles one by one in a design that will add a “splash” of color and charm to the room. Consider doing the same to the wall behind your bathroom tub. Plan to invest about $100 or less for this simple project, depending on the size of the area you’d like to cover.

Hopefully these ideas will inspire you to start a weekend do-it-yourself project foryour Philly home. You may be very pleasantly surprised at the great results you’ll get from spending just a couple of hundred dollars on tools and supplies needed to complete these easy and cheap home improvements.

Original Article From: www.ColdwellBanker.com | Written By: Louise Gaillard