For Sellers, Home Improvement, Real Estate Advice and Tips
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Top 5 Lake Home Upgrades That Can Backfire on Sellers

It’s a general rule of thumb that you should spruce up your home before putting it on the market. Investing in certain updates before selling it is a great way to increase your home’s value. Aside from that, no one wants to pay good money for a house that looks dated. However, there’s one thing to keep in mind: not all home improvements are created equal. Some renovations have a habit of backfiring on sellers’ pockets. Here are five bad home upgrades to steer clear of if you want high returns on investment. 1) Adding a Swimming Pool It’s only…

For Homeowners, Home Improvement, Lifestyle
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Life in Living Coral: Using the 2019 Color of the Year in Your Home

Pantone hit it out of the ballpark with their 2019 Color of the Year, Living Coral. This vibrant, brilliant hue is a dreamy complement to all things nautical and shore-side. Here are five tips for using the Pantone Color of the Year in your lake home. Textile Touches The beauty of textiles is they allow you to make bold or subtle statements with color. For a low-key look, why not stock your bathrooms with some sumptuous coral-toned bath towels? Some luxury throw pillows in coral will brighten up your living room, and at the very least some coral placemats or napkins…

For Homeowners, Home Improvement, Lifestyle, Real Estate Advice and Tips
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4 Ways to Boost Your Lake Home’s Curb Appeal

When it comes to your lake home’s most valuable assets, curb appeal is easily in the top three. Not only is it a major selling point when putting your house on the market, but it’s also a mark of personality that acts as a source of pride for the homeowner. Keep in mind that for a lake home, curb appeal applies to more than its street-side. Boaters can see your waterfront side as well, so it’s important to maintain that too. Boosting your home’s curb appeal can also add thousands in property value, which is always a plus. So here…

For Homeowners, For Sellers, Industry News, Real Estate Advice and Tips
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Lake Home Financing and Equity: What You Need to Know

Home equity, or the difference between the value of your home and what you still owe, is a key component of your finances. Your equity can act as a financial cushion for emergencies, or provide your family with a healthy nest egg for the future. In fact, building equity is one of the first steps to accruing wealth. Equity is awesome, and there are a million online articles that report what it is, why it matters and how to cash in on it. However, there isn’t a lot of information about effectively building equity on lake homes, most of which…

For Homeowners, Home Improvement, Lifestyle, Real Estate Advice and Tips
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Lake Home Tips: Kitchen Upgrades to Make Your Space Feel Bigger

To be honest, most of the time spent at your lake home is spent outdoors – as it should be. But the second-most popular place at your lake home is inside: It’s your kitchen, and when you’re entertaining your family and friends, a cramped space just won’t do. Construction crews aside, there are many simple ways to make your kitchen feel bigger. Take a look at the few examples below to see how you can update your space this lake season! White and Wood Lightening up the color of your kitchen may sound simple, but it’s effective. Lighter colors, such as…

Home Improvement, Lifestyle, Real Estate Advice and Tips
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Smart Home Tech for Seniors

Smart gadgets for your home are becoming more and more commonplace. But homeowners don’t have to be tech gurus to make smart updates to their homes, especially those who are reaching  retirement age. The”aging in place” movement emphasizes how smart home improvements can help the baby boomer generation save money, time, and energy though simple smart home improvements. See how your life can be made easier, safer and greener with these handy smart home gadgets! Ecobee Smart Thermostat Ecobee devices work by monitoring outdoor, indoor and body temperatures through sensors placed throughout the home. These sensors help regulate room temperatures based…

For Homeowners, Health and Wellness, Lifestyle
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8 New Year’s Resolutions to Improve Your Home and Health

New Year’s resolutions typically begin with perfecting yourself, or at least bettering yourself by losing weight, quitting smoking, eating better, working more, etc., but we usually do not think about resolutions for our homes. We always have a project we would like to work on, or have things around the house we should keep up on. Here is a list of 8 New Year’s resolutions for better health and a happier home: Quit smoking indoors Or better yet, quit smoking altogether! Smoking indoors creates a musky, over-powering odor, one non-smokers hard time being around. Not only does smoking inside produce harsh…

Real Estate Advice and Tips
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The Hidden Costs of Keeping A Lake Home: Tips for First-time Buyers

Before purchasing your dream house, you may have looked into the hidden costs of buying a lake home. Now that you’re moved in, you might be wondering what it’s going to cost to keep the place in tip-top shape. You will run into several smaller, and occasionally larger, costs when maintaining your lake home. These add up, and the bottom line can catch many first-time homebuyers by surprise. Here are some of the most common hidden costs of keeping a lake home. Home Repairs Lake homes are often located on gorgeous plots of land, with stunning views of the water and the natural surroundings.…

Real Estate Advice and Tips
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How Energy Efficient Upgrades can Increase Your Home’s Value

Energy efficiency upgrades can not only shrink your utility bill; they can also increase the value of your home. Homebuyers are becoming increasingly aware of the benefits of energy-efficient homes. In fact, they’re often willing to pay more for homes with “green” upgrades, says Sandra Adomatis, a specialist in green valuation with Adomatis Appraisal Service in Punta Gorda, Florida. Just how much your home will increase in value depends on a number of factors, Adomatis says, like where you live, which upgrades you’ve made and how your home is marketed at sale time. The length of time to recoup the…