Blog
This blog is for buyers and sellers in the Roaring Fork Valley and beyond! Come back every Wednesday for new Real Estate tips and discussions!
Winter Is Coming: 5 Yard Care Tips!
1. The Leaves
Raking up leaves can save you from extra yard work and repair in the spring. When the ground freezes with a think layer of fallen leaves over it, it can suffocate the grass below. Whether you rake and compost, or use a mulching mower, this afternoon of work will help your lawn stay healthy during the winter and save you time when Quick read more or view full article the snow melts.
2. Clean Up
Clean and store all of your patio furniture before the snow starts to fall! Either cover them up with a tarp or store them inside of a shed or garage. This will help your furniture last longer and not wear as quickly.
3. Repair
Take the extra time to repair outside hardscape features such as railings, walkways, and porches. Take care of those small cracks, splinters, and other damaged areas as the moisture/cold from winter will only make those damages worse come spring. Just like the leaves, taking care of this at the end of fall will save you a lot of damage control in the spring.
4. Winterize
This is arguably the most important thing for you to do: winterize your lawn. This means reseed and aerate your yard during the fall season. To go that extra step, add some winter fertilizer to the grass to make sure that the roots are able to fully penetrate the soil. Doring this to your yard will ensure a lush lawn come spring.
5. Trim
When the colder months come, and the snow piles up, there is more possibility that branches from both trees and shrubs will fall. Removing dead limbs in the wintertime can help to prevent dangerous accidents from these limbs falling on children, animals, and visitors. Lastly, make sure that any dead limbs near power lines or breakable property features are removed.
Getting ready for winter can take a few extra hours out of your weekend, but by doing these 5 simple tasks, you will help to ensure that your yard, lawn, and property is protected during the cold months and thriving during the spring. Read Less
Transform Your Space With These 5 Tips! No Remodel Required
1. The Kitchen: Update The Cabinetry
Many of us spend a lot of time in the kitchen, preparing meals, eating them, and cleaning up afterwards. Giving your kitchen a fresh now look can really help to improve your mood and productivity!
Consider updating your cabinets for a simple, and relatively inexpensive home upgrade! Just changing the doors (or the full cabinets) can spruce up your space and give it a fresh new-look!
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Selling Tip: If you are planning to put your house on the market in the future this is not a bad upgrade to do! The kitchen is one of the most important (and most used) rooms in the house and adding new cabinetry can help to increase your home value!
3. Let There Be Light
Whether switching to LED lights, which give your room a sophisticated (and more energy efficient) look, or updating your fixtures—this is a great way to add some new life to your home!
Change the lamp shades and placements, add some recessed fixtures, and/or replace old ceiling lamps with new ones. This is another inexpensive way to give your living space a face lift!
4. Small Bathroom Upgrades
Doing a small bathroom remodel is not only cost-efficient, but highly effective as well! Doing something simple like replacing the sink faucet or drawer knobs can be a very subtle, but welcomed update!
Or, if you want something a bit more time-consuming, you can always replace the flooring, tile, or even adding new drawers and cabinets.
5. Organize and De-Clutter!
Cluttered spaces can weigh down one's productivity, motivation, and mental state. De-cluttering and cleaning is one of the simplest ways to update your space! Not to mention, it doesn't cost anything to do so!
So turn on your favorite playlist, or start a new audio book and give yourself a few hours to deep clean your house! Go room to room and get rid of old/broken belongings, dust, sweep, and straighten up. You will feel better and your space will look fresh and clean!
These simple home updates will be sure to help you feel like your home is fresh and new, without the cost and time of a whole remodel!
What is an HOA?
If you are in the market for a new home or rental, then chances are you have come across HOAs. Home Owners Associations are put into place to help both residential communities and planned developments (townhouses, condos, ect..) maintain a clean and protected neighborhood/living atmosphere.
Every HOA you will encounter during your home search will have similarities and differences. For example, in a townhouse the HOA may cover landscaping and yard maintenance , whereas in a residential community, the HOA may dictate the square footage of your house and appearance of your property. Regardless, all HOAs require owners to pay monthly fees that are correlated to the services the HOA provides.
These fees vary depending on location and the type of HOA. Gated communities and residential
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communities, like golf course, often have higher fees than planned developments or non-gated residential communities. When living in a planned development you will most likely encounter HOA fees that help cover the building's community as a whole. For example, HOA fees associated with a condominium will help cover the building's insurance, building repairs, common areas, and lawn maintenance .
As you continue to search for your new home, keep in mind that you should also be looking into the HOA's as well. Make sure their dues are feasible and that you align with what the HOA covers. You want to make sure that you are feeling good about your contribution to the neighborhood/development. In other words, make sure you can see and respect the value of the specific HOA before you opt to buy and live there. If you can get behind the HOA's value, you will feel much better about your purchase in the long term.
For a deeper dive into HOA's, please read Investopdia's article here.
Read LessInvestment Properties: Make The Right Choice
When looking for a good source of passive income, investment properties should not be overlooked! Whether for residential or commercial use, leasing your property can be a very lucrative path because someone is always looking to rent or expand their business. However, it is vital to make smart and informed decisions or else your investment property could end up costing you.