Tag: homeowner

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3 Ways Clutter is Hurting Your Happiness

The problems with clutter…

The urge to de-clutter often stems from a simple annoyance, like stepping on a Lego or running into furniture that’s too big for the space. But in order to really commit to a more minimalist lifestyle, you’ll want to consider the deeper ramifications of having too much “stuff”.

Here are some insights you can use for downsizing your belongings, and how doing so can affect everything from your expenses to your well-being….to selling your home.

 

Problem One: Clutter is expensive

For many of us, a successful shopping trip is one where the cart is filled to the brim with good deals — not one where we successfully avoided the tempting sale section and bought only what we needed. Once the habit of getting a good deal takes hold, it can seem impossible to say no to another knick-knack or a second set of novelty wine glasses — or to see that these items will be a waste of money in the long run.  Of course, it isn’t just the buying of “stuff” that makes it expensive. Storing it can also get pricey. Too many people are paying thousands of dollars per year to store items they’ll never use or see again.

 

Problem Two: It isn’t making you happier

If your cluttered home stresses you out, you’re not overthinking it and you’re not alone. A recent UCLA study shows that women with a high density of household objects feel more stressed than those with less stuff.  It’s not hard to see why: Well-maintained homes are the ideal portrayed in every magazine and movie, but the expectation to buy more stuff also weighs heavily on most Americans. The end result? Families purchase things they don’t need and don’t have space for, then feel stressed that their houses don’t resemble the ones portrayed on HGTV.

 

Problem Three: It makes it harder to sell your home

Today’s homebuyers expect to see decluttered homes with clean walls, minimal décor and extra storage.  To list a home that will appeal to the masses, most sellers may need to depersonalize by boxing up personal items and photographs (and maybe change up furniture arrangements) — but sellers with overly-cluttered homes may have to look into investing in a storage rental unit to get their home in peak selling condition.

 

Considering selling?

Decluttering is usually the first step to selling your home, and we can help advise you on that – and the rest of the process.  Call your Rector Hayden Agent today!

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Considerations for Today’s Tech-Savvy Home Buyers

There are a number of great apps and programs that can easily control the systems in your home – many of which can be mastered even if your tech skills are less than expert.   Here are some tech-related tips to consider when buying a home in today’s market!

Get connected

While most homes will be wired for cable and Internet, you might want to see if the nearest cell tower is providing good mobile phone service for you in case your Wi-Fi doesn’t reach to that grill in the backyard. Obviously, if you love the home this may not be a deal-breaker, but it’s nice to know if you’ll need to consider switching phone carriers before moving into your new abode.

Create a smart home

Many buyers want to connect their home’s systems, appliances and technologies so they can easily control them from their mobile devices. A common example of this is the Nest thermostat, which becomes intelligent to your living habits over time and turns itself down when you’re away.  Nest also features a live-streaming service, to provide a full smart home service that includes smoke and carbon monoxide detection.

The Rachio smart sprinkler system is good way to keep your utility bills down. Rachio measures weather conditions in your area and makes sure your lawn is watered only as much as it needs to stay lush and green.

While devices like Nest and Rachio help you save money, many other smart home products are designed with convenience and safety in mind. For example, products like Ascend and LiftMaster open and close your garage door from your smartphone, allowing you to let in guests when you’re not around or to double check that your home is secure even after you get to work.  Similarly, the August Smart Lock detects when you (or approved guests) are approaching and unlocks your front door. That’s right — you can finally carry all seven grocery bags into your home at once! Plus, August’s customization options mean you can give 24/7 access to your world-traveler brother who shows up unannounced but only let your contractor in when you have a set appointment.

Also, for those of us who aren’t morning people, there are several automatic coffee makers out there that will brew coffee on demand from your smartphone in just minutes. Although you can set up a brew time in advance, just think of the power you’ll feel when you hit “brew” — then “snooze” — allowing a few more minutes of sleep and the promise of a fresh cup of joe when you finally arise!

One final thought – remember that if you control security systems or smart appliances with your mobile phone, you need to be sure the device is protected against hackers. Add a pass code to your phone, and download an app that will remotely erase data if your phone is lost or stolen.

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Home Buying Tips Home Insights Home Owning Tips Newsletter Featurettes

Minimize Your Mortgage Expenses

Here’s how homebuyers and homeowners alike can take steps to help lower their mortgage costs!

When applying for a mortgage or a refinance, there’s often a fee charged up-front by the lender to begin the process.  Before applying for a loan, be sure to ask about the application fee that will be charged – and don’t hesitate to shop around to compare these fees (important: also ask if the lender will refund this fee if the loan is not approved).  TIP:  Rector Hayden Mortgage does NOT charge an application fee!

It is always a good idea to compare rates and fees from potential lenders when buying or refinancing. Lenders offer different fees and can also offer different rates, depending on a variety of factors. TIP:  Rector Hayden Mortgage offers rates and fees that are often the LOWEST to be found!

When buying or refinancing, your credit score and history will be important to lenders, so keeping track of your financial situation in the months leading up to applying for a loan or refinance is crucial.

Rector Hayden Realtors’ affiliated lender, Rector Hayden Mortgage, provides a vast menu of mortgage programs and products.  Get started today! Click here for more about Rector-Hayden Mortgage. One of the best benefits of working with a Rector Hayden REALTOR® is having access to our in-house Lending Company, Rector Hayden Mortgage!  Aaron Mason, our chief Mortgage Loan Officer, is on hand 5 days a week to answer any questions about the loan process.  Aaron assists our agents and their clients in finding competitive rates and unique loan options that are CUSTOM FIT for your situation.  info piece

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Home Insights Home Owning Tips Newsletter Featurettes

When a Tree Falls from a Storm, Who Pays for the Cleanup?

Recent Bluegrass spring storms have everyone asking…

Who pays for the damages caused by a fallen tree?

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It’s important to know that once a tree is down, homeowner’s insurance only comes into effect if there is property that is damaged. So if a tree falls cleanly onto the lawn, then the homeowner will have to pay for 100 percent of the tree removal costs. If a tree hits any property covered by the homeowner’s insurance policy, such as a driveway, fence or the house itself, then the policy will cover all repair and tree removal expenses, less the deductible.

That describes a scenario where a homeowner’s tree falls in his or her own yard – but what happens if the tree was rooted in your yard, but falls into your neighbor’s yard? If property damage is caused, your neighbor will have to file a homeowner’s insurance claim on their own policy.

If no damage is caused, and your tree falls clear into your neighbor’s yard, everything gets a bit stickier. Good manners dictate that you should, at minimum, offer to pay for some (if not all) of the removal expense.

Consider this: if valuable property of yours blew into your neighbor’s yard, you would expect to be able to retrieve it. This should apply to a not-so-valuable fallen tree as well – it’s still your obligation as it was something residing on your property. Besides, the discord that could come from ignoring the problem is likely worse than the expense of removing the offending stump and branches.

Having good neighbors often means being a good neighbor, so roll up your sleeves and extend a neighborly hand!