homeowner
Homeowner Warranties – A Good Way to Help Sell Your Home
Would you prefer that you sold your home easily or with great difficulty? In a way, you could call this a trick question since there are many factors that do into making a home easier to sell. Drastically cutting the price of the home below what it is worth would help you sell it but you will not be gaining anything of value. Rather than follow such a method it would be a better idea to look towards other attractive benefits that would make a buyer look into the home. One such method would involve including a home warranty. While not a new idea, the home warranty is becoming more popular these days due to its increased effectiveness.
What is a home warranty? In a way, the concept is not much different than the warranty that would be afforded to a consumer product. It essentially provides a great help to the buyer as it financially covers any errant problems that may occur in the aftermath of purchasing the home. This does not include blanket coverage for every problem that might arise with the home. However, major services and functions will be covered through the warranty.
This is not to say that a homeowner warranty is identical to homeowner insurance. There is a huge difference between the two. Homeowner insurance is designed to cover a large portion (or all) of the value of the home in case of fires, natural disasters, and other such serious situations. A homeowner warranty is significantly scaled back from that but it is still of high value to a potential buyer. The warranty is mainly designed to pay for the costs of replacements and repairs of appliance and major home systems that have become broken as a result of normal wear and tear. The warranty may be called it or it may not. It all depends on how the home handles over the designated number of years the warranty covers after the sale.
As one can surmise, it may be possible to make a home warranty an attractive component to the sale of the home. Consider how the buyer looks at the availability of a homeowner warranty. The buyer sees the presence of the warranty as a huge discount on the home since some potentially expensive repairs are covered. Also, the buyer may feel very confident in the purchase of the home. Rather than looking towards problems associated with the purchase, they might assume that the house is probably in great shape. Why is this? It is because people assume that the warranty is easily offered because there is nothing wrong with the property. Consider this a form of reverse psychology that actually works quite well.
Sometimes you have to take a number of additional steps in order to sell a home. A homeowner warranty can be an excellent component in this regard and that is why it is so helpful to those looking to sell property.…
Home Remodeling Tips – For The Smart Homeowner
Home remodeling can add value to your home, along with making it more comfortable and beautiful. However, a good home remodel, that gives you the most return on your investment, is not as easy as just opening the phone book and picking out the first name you see. This article is meant to help homeowners confidently get through the worst roadblocks of a home remodeling project with ease and comfort.
Know What You’re Getting Yourself Into
First thing’s first-before you start picking out hand towels and door handles, you must figure out exactly what you want to have done. It is amazing how few homeowners take the time to really establish their wants and needs before they call their contractors. From upgrading your kitchen, master bedroom, to bathrooms, just start with one area you think needs the most work.
Sketch your ideas down on paper after you have figured out which room you want to remodel. Try and determine exactly how you’ll use the space and what your goals are with the room. Is it optimized for relaxing? For entertaining? These questions will make your planning stage with the contractor much easier. Also consider asking other people-friends and neighbors-what their experience has been and where their problems have occurred.
Next, plan your budget. It is always the safest to work in an additional 5-10% above what you tell your contractor you can spend, in order to cover any inevitable added costs (these can include high material costs and increased labor costs).
Make sure you have researched and know which permits you will require. Any structural change (like a room addition or a porch) will require permits and inspection, to make sure everything meets local building codes and safety regulations.
Do not over-improve. Once you get started, you can be swept away in the possibilities, but to really get the most out of your home remodeling, do no overdo it. Take a look at home prices in your area, and try not to exceed, in one room, what the general neighborhood values would be. If you spend half the estimated value for your neighbor’s house in your master bath, you will never be able to sell!
Lastly and maybe most importantly: Prepare yourself for problems! Yes, even the most thoroughly planned project can head into unexpected trouble. Using a professional, reliable contractor can ease these issues, but ultimately weather or other unforeseen circumstance can always put a snag in your plans. Remember your extra budget and keep calm, and you can make it through any obstacle.
Getting the Most Out of Your Home Remodeling Dollar
There are, of course, certain home remodeling projects that are going to offer the best return on your investment. Remodeling magazine published the following list to show where you get the most bang for your buck:
Bathroom Addition: 89%
Kitchen Remodel: 87%
Two Story Addition: 84%
Attic Bedroom Conversion: 83%
Master Suite Addition: 82%
Bathroom Remodel: 73%
Siding Replacement: 71%
Ultimately the best tips come on …