Kitchens are the hub of home life. Homeowners spend more money on kitchen remodeling as compared to other home improvement projects. Depending on how serious an overhaul it is, homeowners would spend about $10,000 to $40,000 on kitchen renovations. 

We understands that some people do not have the budget required for a complete kitchen remodel, but don’t be tempted to use cheap materials to save money. To get the most financial gain on your kitchen remodels, you want to invest in durable materials. 

Here are three materials to avoid on your next kitchen remodel.

Trendy backsplash material 

The backsplash provides you an opportunity to be creative and express your personality. However, you may want to do away from trendy tile patterns and bold colors. 

Trends come and go. Tastes change. You may like it now, but you may find it tacky after a few years. To prevent this from happening, you want your kitchen to remain timeless in design. Stick with classic designs and neutral colors. A neutral backsplash adds just as much character to your space. 

Cheap sheet vinyl flooring 

Kitchens are among the busiest rooms in the house. Heavy foot traffic demands you to invest in durable materials. Besides the look, durability should be given importance when selecting kitchen flooring. 

Due to its affordability, vinyl flooring has gained popularity among homeowners. It is also moisture resistant, so it works pretty well in the kitchen. Despite having a “wear layer”, vinyl flooring tends to show signs of wear over time. If damaged, it’s unrepairable. Additionally, it has a shorter lifespan than other flooring materials and fades when exposed to sunlight. 

Plastic laminate countertop 

Countertops made from laminate are some of the cheapest options available. If you’re watching your budget, you are probably considering using laminate for your kitchen counters. Laminate is a good choice, provided that you stay away from the entry-level plastic laminate. 

Plastic laminate is available in a wide variety of colors and finishes. They are also easy to clean and maintain. The downside is that they are extremely easy to damage. Knives can damage the melamine finish, so be sure to keep your cutting boards handy. Also, be careful with hot pans as they could melt the plastic and leave a permanent mark on your counter.

Plastic laminate is impossible to repair once damaged, so your only option is to replace the entire counter or live with the damages. 

Buyers want a home that is in pristine condition. If you want to sell your house fast and get the most money out of it, leaving repairs for a buyer is undoubtedly not an intelligent thing to do. You want to address specific issues before putting your home on the market. 

Preparing your home for sale may seem like a daunting process. There’s an endless amount of cleaning, decluttering, and fixing to be done. Tending to specific issues will help your property stand out from the competition and boost the value of your home. 

Here are some necessary repairs you need to undertake before selling your home. 

Exterior 

Improving your home’s exterior may not be as exciting as remodeling the bathroom or the kitchen, but it's one of the first things you need to do when preparing your home for sale. Why? Because a huge percentage of buyers decide whether or not they like your house before they even walk into your home. 

Repair broken fences, glam up your mailbox, freshen the paint job, and powerwash the outside of your house – these are simple maintenance tasks that will help enhance curb appeal and add value to your home. 

Flooring 

Most buyers today want wood floors. Not only do they add warmth and character to your living space, but they also add value to your home. However, scratches can easily ruin the appeal of your wood floors. Consider refinishing the wood floor before putting your home on the market. If you have carpet over wood floor, consider ripping up the carpet and refinishing the wood floor underneath it. 

Update your interior 

Buyers buy with their eyes. While preparing your home for sale, you want to ensure that it has the wow factor that buyers desire. 

Spruce up your home’s interior and create a fresh look in every room of your home. Update the lighting, adorn walls with artwork, update your hardware, install decorative display shelves and dress up your floor with an oriental rug. Remember, it is easier to sell an attractive house, so be sure to include cosmetic updates in your to-do list. 

Selling your home takes more than just planting a for sale sign on the front lawn. Any family member friend or colleague who has sold their house before would tell you that it’s not easy. It requires a lot of work, patience and plenty of know-how.  

Selling a house, especially if you haven’t done it before, can be an inconvenience and create stress and anxiety. 

Here are 4 things you need to know before selling your house. 

Price it right 

When selling your house, the price can be one of its most attractive and unattractive features. If you want to get the most attention from potential buyers when it first hits the market, then you must pick the absolute right price tag based on how much your house is worth. 

Go too high and you risk turning off buyers. Of course, you can always lower the price later on, but you’re going to lose the freshness of the home’s appeal after two weeks of showing. 

Review comparables of recently sold homes to get the price right. If you are working with a real estate agent, he/she can provide you with a Comparative Market Analysis (CMA), which will help you determine the current market value of a property. 

Timing is key when selling your house

Conventional wisdom tells us that spring and summer months are your best options for listing your home for sale. After all, this is the busiest time of the year for the real estate market - school is out and families are looking to move to their new house before the school year starts. 

While it’s true that most home sales happen in spring and summer, you also need to factor in your own family’s needs. The best time to sell is when you are ready for it. 

Find a good real estate agent 

With so much information readily available online, some sellers decide to just sell their house on their own. Plus, forgoing the agent means you can pocket that 6% commission. Sounds like a great idea, right? Not necessarily. 

Real estate agents take on several roles during the home selling process - marketer, stager, analyst, negotiator, copywriter etc. They’ll help you set the selling price, market your home, handle volumes of paperwork, negotiate with them, and show your home to potential buyers. Do yourself a favor and hire a good real estate agent. 

Staging 

If you want to sell your house fast and for top dollar, then make sure that it looks the part. 

Potential buyers aren’t just looking for a house to live in. Rather, they are looking for a place where they can create meaningful memories with their loved ones. This is where staging comes in handy. 

Staging involves re-arranging the furnitures and decorating the house to make sure it looks its best. Spruce up the yard, repaint the walls, accessorize, and get the house sparkling clean. 

Searching for a house that matches your criteria can be pretty frustrating. Most of the time, the homes you see are not exactly what you’re looking for. So, you set up another viewing for a few more properties the following weekend, and the process goes on and on. 

In the hopes of helping your find the perfect home, we listed down some things you should consider when searching for your future home. 

Location, location, location

You want to buy a house in a good location. That means finding a place that would meet your needs and match your lifestyle. 

If you have school-aged children, then opt for a house in a good school district. You also want a vibrant community where you’ll feel safe, and your children can play with other kids. Commute time from home to work and vice versa should also be a considerable distance. 

Never settle for what you don’t want

Finding a house that matches all your needs is not easy, but that doesn’t mean you should settle for something less. 

Create a list of the features you want in a home and bring it with you whenever you look at properties. If you are in search of a 3-bedroom house, do not look at 1-bedroom homes. You don’t want to get emotionally attached to a property that does not meet your needs. After all, you won’t be delighted with your purchase unless you get what you want. 

Budget

Considering that you have already been pre-approved, you now have a good idea about how much you can afford. But that doesn't mean you should spend the maximum amount you can borrow. Aside from the down payment, there are still several fees you need to take into account. So, you want to have some extra cash available. 

Resale value

The idea of finding your forever home seems exciting for most buyers. But we can't predict what will happen in the coming years. You might get a new job across the country or raise a family of your own. No matter how much you love your home, these circumstances will leave you no choice but to sell it. That said, you have to think of it as an investment. 

Buy a house that would be attractive to different types of buyers. This way, you can be sure your house doesn’t lose its value over time. 

In the age of online real estate listings, potential buyers decide whether or not they like the house based on the photos you include in your listing. Proper staging, along with good quality photos, are vital for attracting potential buyers. If they like what they see, that’s the only time they’ll go out and really look at your house. 

When done right, home staging often leads to homes being sold faster and for top dollar. If you are considering selling your home, you want to make sure that it is well-staged. 

Here are 3 mistakes sellers should avoid when staging their homes. 

Too personal

While you may have a soft spot for your grandmother’s vintage armchair and needlepoint pillows, some people may not find them attractive. 

When selling a house, you want buyers to envision themselves living there. But if the house is filled with your personal belongings such as personal photos and heirlooms, they may have a hard time picturing it as their own. Your goal is to establish a blank slate. Get rid of any items that would suggest that the house isn’t theirs. You must remove yourself from the equation. 

Confining furniture to walls

Far too many people feel obligated to push their furniture against the wall. If every piece of furniture is up against the wall, it creates an awkward, empty space in the middle of the room. Furniture spacing and placement are keys to function and comfort. 

Overstaging 

Staging is supposed to enhance your home’s features. It should make your home look nice and more attractive to potential buyers. However, some sellers get overwhelmed and add too much furniture in each room. 

When you add more items to a room, it becomes cluttered and cramped. If an object doesn’t serve a purpose, get rid of it. It’s better to have too little than to have too much. 

Homebuyers are a notoriously picky bunch. They can get instantly turned off. 

You may think your home is perfect, but potential buyers who walk through your home could spot some flaws you've never noticed before. Many of them will lose interest in your home upon seeing these things. 

If you want to sell your house fast, you must know what sort of things turn potential buyers off. Read on and avoid them when selling your home.

Odors

Smells can come from several sources – smoking, lingering cooking smells, pets, mold, etc. If you have pets or you smoke, the house might smell bad. You may not notice it, but potential buyers will. You can light up, plug in and spray all you want, but no amount of air freshener or perfume can mask the smell. 

No one would be interested in buying a house that smells. Getting rid of odors involve deep cleaning, getting rid of the carpet, and repainting the walls.

Unkempt exterior

Most buyers refuse to go into a house with an unkempt exterior. If the house looks terrible on the outside, how worse could it look on the inside?

Homebuyers want a home that's been taken care of. Make sure that the lawn is mowed and the landscaping is well-maintained. Repaint the front door. Cover your flowerbed with a neat layer of mulch or plant a few annuals. 

Bright-colored walls

You may think that a bright-colored wall adds pizzazz to your room, but it may not appeal to potential buyers. Even though repainting is a relatively easy task, many don't want the hassle of repainting the walls after moving in.

Your goal is to get potential buyers to picture themselves in your home. They can't do that with those bright-colored walls.

Molds

Mold is one of the biggest turn-offs for home buyers. Not only is it unsightly, but it also poses a threat to the people who resides in the home. Getting rid of mold can also be costly. 

A real estate transaction is never a done deal until the deed is transferred. The negotiation usually starts once the seller receives a written offer and continues throughout the buying process.  

Ideally, you want to have the property inspected by a licensed inspector. It will give you a good idea of the property's condition. The inspector will examine different parts of the house to see if there are defects and problems. If the inspection is flawless, there is nothing to negotiate. But if problems arise, this often leads to another round of negotiation.

Here’s how to negotiate issues following a home inspection.

Seek help from your real estate agent

There’s a reason why you hired a real estate agent. It’s his/her job to guide you through the home buying process.

After the home inspection, ask your agent to sit down with you and study the home inspection report. Ask plenty of questions and seek help when devising a negotiation strategy. From here, you can decide what to do next. Remember, you don’t have to go through negotiations alone.

Request a credit for the repairs

Many of you might be tempted to just ask the sellers to handle the repairs since that would be a more convenient. But most of the time, buyers end up disappointed because the repairs have not been made or have been made poorly.

Come to think of it, you’re the one who’ll be living in that house. If you want to make sure that the job is done properly, consider hiring a contractor of your own choosing. The seller can just give you a lump sum to cover the cost of repairs. Most sellers will find this more amenable since many of them are actually eager to complete the deal.

Ask seller to do repairs

Most buyers are in search of homes that don’t require any work. The last thing they want is to spend their weekends doing repairs on their new home. As such, making a repair request is a fairly common practice.

Depending on the complexity of repairs, you can ask the seller to fix certain problems that were found during the home inspection. Keep in mind, though, that the seller doesn’t have to give in to every demand. If the seller refuses to handle repairs and you think it’s not worth the cost and effort, you are free to back out of the transaction.

Buying a house is one of the biggest purchases you’ll ever make. You’ll be putting a lot of your time, effort and money into finding the perfect house for you and your family, so you want to make sure you get the right one. Home inspection can help you with that. 

Although most buyers consider home inspection as an added expense, it is important that you have it done before signing on the dotted line. In fact, having a qualified home inspector look over the house can provide several advantages. 

Don’t be tempted to waive the home inspection when buying a house. Here are 3 key reasons why you should have the property inspected before buying. 

Peace of mind 

When you hire a home inspector, they’ll assess the house and let you know about the overall condition of the property. Through the home inspection report, you’ll discover some issues or problems that may affect the safety and value of the property. 

Yes, it may set you back by a few hundred dollars, but you’ll have peace of mind knowing that the property is in good condition. 

Make an informed decision 

It’s easy to fall in love with a house because of its spacious rooms, updated kitchen and bath and modern furniture. Considering that you have put in a huge portion of your savings and that you’ll be staying in this house for several years, you want to make sure it’s everything you’re looking for. 

A home inspection will give you a clear picture about what to expect on the property. By learning about the flaws and issues present in the house, you’ll be able to make better, more informed decision. If you find out that the house has major issues like structural damage, roof problems or electrical problems, you have the opportunity to back out of the transaction, considering the amount of money you’ll have to spend to fix it. 

Save money 

No house is perfect. The house may look great, but it may have some issues that are yet to be discovered. Even the newly built houses have some flaws.

The last thing you want is to find out that the house has several problems after moving in. Since you’ve already bought the house, you have no choice but to deal with these issues. If you can look past the initial expense of home inspection, then you’ll be able to save thousands of dollars down the road. 

Roof leaks present multiple challenges for homeowners. Not only do they occur in the most inappropriate time, they can also cause significant damage to your home if not discovered and repaired promptly. But sometimes, it can be difficult to pinpoint the cause of the problem since it originates away from where the leak shows up. 

To make your job easier, we have compiled some of the most common causes of residential roof leaks. Next time it happens to you, it would be easier for you to determine the cause of the problem. 

Broken or loose shingles

The shingles are the most important barrier for your roof. They can become loose, rot or curl over time; thus, causing roof leaks. Water can seep through the roof and into your home if you have cracked, broken or missing shingles. 

Since shingles are the exterior layer of a roof, this one is easy to spot. Climb a ladder to inspect the roof and check for missing shingles.

Cracked flashing 

Flashing are thin pieces of metal that covers a seam or transition on the roof. They can become weak, corroded or slide out of place due to harsh weather or strong winds. You are more likely to develop a leak if your flashing is damage. 

Clogged gutters

Gutters are installed to catch rain and channel it away from the structure. Leaves and other debris that have accumulated in your gutters can slow the water flowing off the roof. Water will then pool in one area of the roof and can soak through your shingles and through the ceiling below. 

Age

Even the highest quality roof can deteriorate over time. The older your roof is, the less effective it is at keeping water out. That said, you should keep an eye on the condition of your roof. 

Be sure to upgrade your roof as soon as you have the money. Yes, it may cost you an arm and a leg, but if you wait long enough, you may face more serious problems and spend a lot more money down the road. 

What’s on the inside may be important, but studies suggest that your property’s appearance or attractiveness from the street matters when selling your home. Prospective buyers browse through online listings or drive by properties they’re interested in to narrow down their options. They will determine in seconds whether or not your home is a prospect.

Spending time and money on the interior is important, but don’t neglect the outside of your property. Here are 3 reasons why curb appeal matters when selling your home. 

First impression

Most sellers make certain improvements on their home’s interior. They would paint the walls, deep clean and stage the house, update the kitchen and refinish the floors in the hopes of attracting potential buyers. Keep in mind, though, that buyers form an opinion on whether or not they like your house before they even walk in.

First impressions matter when selling your home. If potential buyers drive by your home and sees that the grass is old or you have old, drying shrubs near the front entrance, they won’t be interested to come indoors. Little things like mowing the grass, cleaning the driveway and planting flowers in the garden will give your property a wow factor. 

Maximize your property’s value

Buyers are going to look at every detail of your home. They are going to notice every small detail like old gutters, patchy lawn, soiled siding or chipping paint on the wall. These problems may drive down the perceived value of your home. These may defer buyers and may decide to look for a comparably priced house with a nicer facade.

If your home doesn’t have curb appeal, don’t expect to make a huge profit out of it. Because of the distressed appearance of the exterior, buyers may be tempted to use this as a basis for negotiating down the asking price. 

Easier to sell

It is an established fact that the more attractive your home looks from the outside, the easier it would be to sell it. Putting an effort into making sure that your home’s exterior is appealing will help sell your home faster and for more money. 

The exterior of your home says a lot about how well you maintain your property. If the lawn is manicured and the exterior of the home looks well maintained, this is an indication that the house has been taken care of. Because of this, buyers will feel more confident knowing that the property is in good condition; hence, making it easier to sell.