Selling Your Home: Why For Sale By Owner Isn’t a Good Idea

According to statistics from the National Association of Realtors, in 2014, only 8% of homes sold in the U.S. were sold by their owners without the assistance of a real estate agent. As a homeowner who wants to keep as much of their profits as possible from the sale of your home, you have to ask yourself if it is actually worth it. The truth is that selling your home as a For Sale By Owner (FSBO) is not always a good idea if you need to sell quickly or want the most money.

The statistics show that the homes that were sold by a real estate agent sold for a much higher price than homes that were listed FSBO. Of course, you have to take into account for the actual differences in the quality and location of the homes. However, the difference in the average price sold between the two was over $39,000. Even if you had to pay your real estate agent 7% of this, you would still end up with just over $36,000 in your pocket.

Another 18% of those who sold their home themselves did not sell their home within the amount of time they had anticipated. A real estate agent, upon getting a new listing, immediately places the home on the Multiple Listing Service (MLS). This places the home in front of every real estate agent in the state. It provides the seller the opportunity to sell their home quickly. FSBO homes will stay on the market much longer.

You also need to remember that selling your home comes with a lot of paperwork and legalities. A real estate agent is trained to handle all aspects of the sale. Their education and training allows them to create a smooth transaction for both the buyer and the seller. As more than 12% of the homeowners who sold their homes FSBO in 2014 stated that the paperwork was hard to understand, it just stands to reason that using a real estate agent is the wise choice.

If you need surgery, you go to a surgeon. If you need a contract written up for you, you go to a lawyer. If you have a house to sell, it just makes sense that you would go to the professional. While you certainly have every right to sell your home yourself, you may actually find that it is more beneficial to list your home with a local real estate agent.

Stay Warm This Winter. Don’t Overlook Your Windows!

Homes that are not properly insulated lose lots of heat during the winter, causing energy bills to skyrocket. While you may winterize your home by adding insulation to your pipes, making draft snakes for your doors, or by giving your old insulation a boost, windows often go overlooked. However, there are some ways that you can better insulate your windows so you aren't throwing money away.

Replace Your Old Windows

While replacing your existing windows with vinyl replacement windows might seem expensive upfront, the savings on your heating bill can be worth the investment. If your existing windows have warped and no longer fit their frames, the wood has become rotted, or the window is cracked, biting the bullet and installing new windows can save you time and, more importantly, money.

Install Low-e Window Films

Low-e films, or low-emissivity films, have a special metallic coating the reduces the transfer of infrared heat between the interior and exterior window panes. Unlike other types of film, low-e films are attached directly to the window pane instead of the frames. This means that there is no pocket of air between the film and the window to deal with. In addition to making the room feel a bit warmer, you won't have to worry about inquisitive kids or pets messing with the film.

Temporary Window Improvements

If you're looking for a low-cost option, there are several temporary ways that you can reduce the amount of heat you are losing through your windows. For interior solutions, you can drape heavy curtains across the windows to reduce drafts. The only downside to relying on winter curtains is that they can reduce the amount of sunlight that comes into your home. Another option is to go with a stretch-plastic kit that attaches to your window frames. When heat is applied to the plastic, it shrinks to form a seal around the windows. It comes in a kit so you can add the film yourself.

Reduce Your Heat Loss this Winter

Because your windows can cause you to lose expensive heat, paying special attention to them can be the difference between expensive and inexpensive heating bills. Depending on the solutions that work for your windows, you could end up saving a significant amount of money on your heating costs every year.

Top Three Things to Consider Before Installing New Windows

If you are tired of losing heat out of your windows, paying more than you should on energy bills, or having to cover up with a blanket every time you sit near a window, it’s definitely time to consider replacing them. However, the purchase and installation of new windows can be little overwhelming for most homeowners. After all, there are a lot of brands, types, and styles of windows out there. However, if you keep the following three things in mind, you will be able to successfully make the decision of which replacement windows are right for your home:

Window Replacement Company

When you first start looking around for replacement windows, you will probably discover a ton of different companies are available. The important thing is to go with a company who has earned a reputation for providing high quality products and high quality service. You may wish to go with the newer company who offers the lowest price, but in the end, going with a company that has earned their reputation is going to save you money as they are going to do the job right the first time.

Energy Efficiency Windows

You may love the look of a custom window, but unless the company can guarantee its energy efficiency, you’ll want to stay away from it. The truth is that there are many qualified companies who offer custom energy efficient windows. It is simply a matter of choosing the company that can offer you what you want in both appearance and efficiency.

Types of Windows

You will also find a wide variety of different types of windows. From wood to vinyl windows, it can be a little confusing to choose what is best for you home. However, by choosing a company that has been in business for a long time and has a reputation for having satisfied customers, you can be educated on the various types and will be able to choose the one that is the best fit for your own home. Losing heat through old windows is costing you money every time you turn on the heat. A blanket wrapped around your shoulders is just a temporary solution to keep yourself warm. Installing replacement windows is a long-term term solution available, but it does not come without some worries. Unfortunately, there are a lot of companies out there that do not put the needs of their customers first. Be picky when you pick your window replacement company and you will end up saving money.

Water Sensors Can Save Your Home

Winter brings a lot of snow to many areas of the country, and when the snow starts melting, you need to be prepared. Along with the spring thaw, you may get spring rain which can add up to thousands of gallons of water very quickly. If any of this water manages to get in your home, it could be disastrous for you and your family. To protect your home, you will want to have water sensor alarms placed strategically in your home to alert you of any water.

The majority of people who are concerned about water invading their home have a water sensor alarm hooked up near the sump pump in the basement. If the water level rises above what the sump pump can handle, the water alarm will alert you of this. If you have a generator hooked up to operate your sump pump when the power goes out, you may also wish to have an alarm set up that will alert you if the generator stops working.

If you have a dry basement and do not have the need for a sump pump, you are still not clear of danger from water. Many people have discovered a crack in their basement wall after the crack had allowed water to get through and after the fact that all of the items they had stored in the basement were ruined. Placing water sensor alarms in different areas throughout your basement will alert you to any water that makes its way inside so you can prevent your belongings from getting ruined.

You may also wish to have water sensors installed in areas where your washing machine and hot water tank are. If either of these two appliances breaks, they could cause hundreds of gallons of water to leak out before you even notice. Even the smallest of leaks can cause major problems as it could easily turn into a mold issue.

A water sensor alarm may not be the answer for everything, but it can certainly decrease the chances of your home being damaged by water. The water sensor alarms can be installed and set up to alert you by either an actual alarm sound, text, or email. If you choose to have it installed and monitored by a home security company, you can have the company call you when an alert is received. Regardless of how you choose to set up your water sensor alarms, you’ll have the peace of mind of knowing you’ll be able to prevent water from causing major, costly, and devastating problems.

Sewing Your Own Drapes or Curtains

Winter is a great time to make new drapery or curtains for the windows in your home. Curtains or draperies are essential for privacy and also help to keep out cold air. In many cases, making your own window coverings is less expensive than buying drapes or curtains at online or at brick-and-mortar stores. If you have extra-large windows, then it might seem like it’s impossible to buy ready-made window coverings. After you have new vinyl replacement windows installed in your home, you’ll definitely want to have attractive draperies or curtains to make your new windows look even better.

Borrow a Sewing Machine

Making new window coverings from fabric is not difficult, especially when you have a sewing machine, but you can also sew fabrics by hand. If you don’t have a sewing machine of your own, then check with friends or relatives to see if they have one you could borrow. Next, you need to measure windows correctly, using either a yardstick or tape measure. In addition to covering the window, you want to have additional fabric for seam allowances and hems along with above and below the window. If you plan to add ruffles to curtains or need tiebacks, then make sure to buy extra fabric to account for those additions.

Buy Your Fabric

When you are buying fabric, you need to determine how many yards are required, so use a calculator to convert inches to yards before going to the store. You must decide if you want lightweight curtains or more heavyweight draperies on your windows. The easiest types of draperies or curtains to sew are styles that have a pocket at the top so you can simply slide your curtain over the curtain rod. If you have a curtain rod that uses multiple hooks to attach the curtain to the rod, then you’ll need to buy a strip of canvas or another type of fabric that has holes in it that are reinforced with metal rings. This will be stitched to the tops of the curtains and will most likely be found in the sewing notions section of a fabric store. If you have a hard time finding this, or need help figuring out which type of fabric would work well for your curtains, a fabric store employee should be able to help point you in the right direction.

Hang Your New Curtains After bringing the fabric home, measure carefully to trim off any excess material and begin to sew panels together or create a pocket at the top and hem at the bottom. Just make sure your pocket is large enough to comfortably slide over your curtain rod. If you are planning on using curtain hooks, then don’t make a pocket at the top, but stitch on the canvas strip with reinforced holes instead. When you are using a sewing machine, you can make hems quickly, but it is also possible to stitch the hem by hand. After the draperies are finished, hang them and admire your hard work.