Tips to reduce energy consumption during holidays

Trying to make your home eco-friendly through the holidays doesn't have to be a burden.

It's the most wonderful time of the year! The smell of pine and cinnamon, cookies baking

in the oven, lights twinkling inside and outside your home, and… An enormous electric bill.

Ouch...

If you're thinking about having a greener holiday season, try the following tips:

Use Better Lights

Try LED or energy-efficient bulbs instead of traditional ones. Incandescent lights draw up to

90% more watts than LED lights, so switching to LED strands—or going with wreaths, bows

and lawn ornaments that don't use energy—can save you a ton.

Use Smart Plugs

It's easy to forget to unplug decorations and lights, but doing so can make a real ding in your

monthly budget. That's where smart plugs come in handy. Some smart plugs can also be

programmed to run on a timer or manually from an app on your smart device. When you're

toasty in bed, you can turn off your lights to save on energy. Plus, if you're away on vacation,

you can pull a "Home Alone" and make it look like you're home, which can help deter holiday theft.

Cook Wisely and in Batches

Holiday cooking is one of the best parts of the season. This season, when you're making lots

of cookies, roasts and goodies, remember to bake in batches so you don't waste energy heating

and re-heating the oven.

Also, use appropriately-sized cookware. Glass or ceramic pots and pans can be heated to 25 degrees

less than recipes recommend, and cast iron retains heat easier, making these types of cookware

a good option to help you save more on energy costs. And don't forget that the oven will act as

a temporary space heater when you're cooking, so be sure to turn down your thermostat.

  

Carols around the fireplace, anyone?

For more helpful hints visit https://homesalesneworleans.gardnerrealtors.com/

Buying a Vacation Home

Pretty often people returning from vacation trip start thinking about buying a vacation home rather
than paying for a hotel or a rental place. Unless you're fairly wealthy, you'll need to make sure
you can commit to buying a seasonal home before you start shopping around. Ask yourself the
following questions:

1. Can you afford to own a vacation home? If the answer to that question is yes, it is probably
wise to buy. Remember, the purchase price is only part of the cost of owning a vacation home.
You'll have to pay utility bills, maintenance fees and insurance premiums. And depending on
where your home is located, you could also be responsible for paying homeowners association
fees.

To decide whether you have enough money in the bank for a vacation home, ask yourself the
following questions:

• Do you have emergency savings (at least three to six months' worth of take-home pay)?
• Can you make a 20 percent down payment?
• If you have kids, have you already put aside enough money for a college fund?
• Can you still put away enough money for retirement?
• Does it fit in with your long-term investment strategy and financial goals? If you answered
• "Yes" to most of these questions vacation home is right for you!

2. While visiting an area that might become the location of your future home, do your research
and take the time to understand what the surrounding area has to offer. You'll also want to make
sure you visit during different parts of the year. So that you can get a feel for what it's like to live
there during different seasons. For example, when you retire, the amenities included in a vacation
home may take a backseat. Having access to a hospital and activities that improve your overall
health and well-being may be critical.

3.  Buying a seasonal home could be worth considering if you know how you're going to use it.
Maybe you view the home as an investment property that can serve as an additional source of income.
Maybe you've decided that you're going to find guests online through a website like Airbnb or Vacation
Rental by Owner (VRBO). If that is the plan, you'll probably need to hire someone to clean your home
and check for signs of damage and theft before new guests arrive. Keep in mind that rental income
will be taxed, and that you should be prepared to pay taxes.

For many people, the decision to purchase a vacation home is serious. If you decide to take that leap
of faith and you already have homeowners insurance, make sure you find out whether your current
policy will cover a second home. Also, if you intend to rent out the property, consider purchasing rent
loss insurance. It covers the loss of rental income following natural disasters and catastrophic incidents.

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Finding Your Starter Home

Tips to Help You Find a Starter Home

A starter home isn't necessarily your forever home. Be prepared to make some compromises to get
your foot in the homeownership door. Be open-minded about the location, size and condition.  

Look for an older home in a well-established neighborhood. Resales typically cost less than
brand-new homes. Older homes typically need more maintenance and repairs, which offset some
of the savings; however, buyers who choose a used home might be able to do repairs and renovations
over time, pacing themselves to make the cost manageable.

Buyers who sacrifice location for affordability can find themselves in a neighborhood far from major
job centers with a long daily commute and expensive transportation costs. Sometimes that
trade-off makes sense, but not always

When you're up against stiff competition, working with an experienced real estate agent is key.
A good agent shines when it comes to negotiating the deal and writing a strong offer. Your agent
may suggest certain strategies to win in a competitive market, such as limiting contingencies or
writing a personal letter.

When a well-priced starter house comes on the market, the quest to buy it can be extremely competitive.
To entice sellers offer above asking price (if you can afford to), keep repair requests to a minimum, or allow
the sellers more time to move.

To search for homes anywhere go to https://homesalesneworleans.gardnerrealtors.com/

What Is a Perfect Home?

When searching for a home it is important to identify what "perfect" means to you. The easiest way to start is by making a list of priorities. What is a "must-have," what would be nice to have, and what isn't important?  

We have all lived in places that at first glance we thought were suitable, only to find out later that the kitchen we initially thought was cozy was actually far too small for our needs, or that the seemingly bright living room only gets direct sunlight for a two hours a day.

Before scouting the market you need to know what you can afford.  Getting pre-approved for a mortgage first will make the whole process much easier. A trap that many buyers fall into is assuming that the maximum amount they can borrow is what they should spend on their new house. Look at what your monthly payments would be, and ensure that your budget factors in all ongoing maintenance costs,  as well as room to put funds aside each month for emergency maintenance.

Experienced Realtor is your key to success. Having the right professional working for you can be the difference between a smooth buying process and a costly disaster. Hiring a real estate agent provides numerous advantages. An experienced REALTOR® can find properties that you may otherwise miss, negotiate prices and recommend lenders.  Experienced Realtor is also able to answer any questions you may have about a property, as well as any you may not have even thought to ask.

For more information or to search for homes visit https://homesalesneworleans.gardnerrealtors.com/

How to Sell your Home in No Time

Here are four top tips for getting your house ready to list for a ton of interest and potential bids:

Give Your Yard Attention

Cleaning up your yard and making it look welcoming will attract more potential buyers; curb appeal can add as much as 5 percent value to your home—and there are many improvements that can give you a large return on investment. Some of the best options are upgrading your mailbox, fixing your siding and adding walkways.

 Paint Inside and Out

Buyers want to see a fresh, clean space when they visit your home. By painting inside and out, you have the chance to apply a neutral tone throughout the home. Agents often tell sellers to use a bold color on the front door to add appeal and draw the eye to the entrance. Consider hiring a professional painter to help ease the process.

 Price Your Home Intelligently

The right sales price for your home is often the best way to sell your home quickly. If priced too high, you may scare buyers away before they even come to an open house, but, if priced too low, you may lose out on money. Work with your agent to price your home appropriately for your location! 

 Depersonalize the Space

Buyers want to look at a home as if they are moving in. Staging experts suggest that you rent a storage room and pack up everything that shows your family, pets or lifestyle until the home sells. Another idea is to hire a professional staging company to give you some tips.  They will provide insight into the colors, accent walls and accessories that'll play up the characteristics of your home, making for a great house showing. If you follow these tips, you should be on the road to selling your home in no time!

To Search for homes visit https://homesalesneworleans.gardnerrealtors.com/

Choosing a Moving Company is Important

Personal belongings are important to you, and, as such, it is important to hire a moving team that will do what you expect. Here are questions to ask any company you're seeking to employ:

Do you have any references?

References or a link to online references are very informative, and will help you to form an opinion of how reliable the service will be.

What specific services do you offer?

Moving companies vary in terms of what they're willing to do for you. There are some companies that might refuse to move large items, such as grand pianos, and only provide the lifting and packing of smaller items. Or you might only want a company to do one or two things for you, such as load up a truck you've rented yourself.

Do you offer in-home estimates?

Knowing what needs to be moved is one thing, but understanding the cost of labor to get the job done is another.

Be sure to get everything in writing and secure the departure and arrival dates to avoid any potential hiccups.

What happens if something is damaged?

You've chosen a company you can trust and afford, but what will the company do if they accidentally break something of yours? Be sure to ask what the company's policy is on this subject.