• Home Maintenance

    Understanding All of the Subtle Dangers of Carpenter Ants

    When people find carpenter ants in their homes, they should never assume that it’s just a random occurrence that they can ignore. If they spot one ant, there are probably countless others in the house. Sneaky Carpenter Ants Carpenter ant and termite infestations can both be devastating. It’s worth noting that as awful as termite infestations can be, at least people will usually realize what’s happening relatively quickly. Carpenter ant infestations are often more insidious. It might take a while for people to even notice that they have a carpenter ant population at home. Moisture Problems Carpenter ants also tend to target houses that have already been damaged in other…

  • Real Estate

    Rental Properties and Cash-Out Refinance

    Today I want to talk about passive income and why banks like giving money over to you when they see that your rental property is performing and is producing cash. So you probably think about getting a mortgage on a rental property. You probably think about, hey, I don’t own it yet. I’m going to go to the bank, they’re going to give me money, and I’m going to buy it. Yeah, that’s one way to do it. But the way that the banks really like is when you’ve already bought it, maybe using your own cash, so you have some skin in the game. You own that rental property.…

  • Real Estate

    Does Selling Rental Property affect Taxes?

    If I lived in a home for several years but moved out 10 years ago and made it into a rental, what are my tax options if I sell it? Do you want to whack this one, too? Well, your only tax option is going to be to recognize capital gain or capital loss on the sale of your home. Since you’ve been out of it for 10 years, you’re not entitled to the $500,000 personal home exclusion. So you’re going to have to just treat it as the sale of an investment. – It’s an investment property. Here’s the big thing to think about. When you take a personal…

  • Interior

    Small Bathroom on a Budget

    Ronnie and Bianca’s outdated powder room needed a major facelift. But with a budget of just $ 800, how did their room go from this to this? Find out now. First step, call a pro. Start with a local bathroom remodeling company. Ronnie and Bianca contacted Maria about a Homes and Garden’s expert. This is our current vanity. So, it’s a fine, I mean it’s, There’s nothing wrong with it, it’s just nothing fancy. Yeah. The flooring is terrible. It’s just linoleum, we’ve always thought about doing more with tile. There’s a lot of easy installs. Parts of options now that are great for do- it- yourselfers. So the most…

  • Real Estate

    Should you spend money on renovating an investment property?

    Today, we’re going to talk about, should you renovate, spend money on renovating an investment property? The simple answer is you don’t want to overspend. If you find a great property and it looks like it’s in fantastic shape and you get an inspection, and you realize that all the mechanicals in the property are in great shape, then you probably don’t need to. But if that’s not the case, then you probably want to spend some money to renovate that property. Now the properties that I end up buying, I mostly pick them up and through all manner of disrepair. They’re going to need a whole makeover basically. And…

  • Home Maintenance

    How to Secure Your Home for Extreme Weather

    If you live in an area that is susceptible to natural disasters, it may be important to invest in protecting your home against weather events that could cause catastrophic damage. Here are some tips for making sure your home suffers minimal destruction. Upgrade Your Roofing Storm-proofing your roof can save you thousands of dollars in the long run. A good storm-proof roof can be made out of any material, but metal tends to be the most reliable. For shingle and tile roofs, it is a good idea to secure each piece individually into place to prevent them from flying off from high winds. Regularly check your roofing to make sure…

  • Furniture & Appliances

    Installing Your Firepit

    When cooler weather arrives, you love to sit around a fire to roast marshmallows and tell stories. While going to a campground to do this is enjoyable, it would be even better is you could do this at your own home. Whether you want to build a permanent stone fixture in your backyard or wish to invest in custom fireball art, here are the easy steps to install your own firepit in your backyard. Stake a Spot The first thing you need to do when setting up your firepit is to find a location away from things that can catch fire. You will want to stay away a distance from…

  • Furniture & Appliances

    Baby-Proofing Your Home

    Meeting your new baby’s needs is a tough responsibility and while everywhere you go people feel the need to give you advice – the advice to baby-proof your home should be taken to heart. According to experts, most accidents happen in the home. Many of them could be avoided by baby-proofing your home. When you think of baby-proofing there are probably some basic ideas that come to mind. Most people think of putting covers over electrical outlets and placing soft corner covers on sharp edges, coffee or end tables. It’s usually common sense that reminds parents to keep scissors and knives out of reach and to put a baby gate…

  • Home Maintenance

    Three Hallmarks of a Good Home Contractor

    Some home improvement projects can be done by the owner, but many projects require specialized equipment and expertise or are just too large in scale for a layperson to complete. Contractors are a must when it comes to such tasks as excavation, room additions and electrical work—but what are some musts when it comes to contractors? Safety Naturally, safety must be priority number one. Contractors must clearly mark work zones and keep equipment properly stored when not in use, especially if children are likely to be around construction areas such as when the family is living in the home during renovation. In a building where asbestos, lead or mold may…

  • Home Maintenance

    Opening Your Own Restaurant

    You believe you are ready to open your own restaurant and want to get started. Although it could be a risk, if you have the right market you could be successful. Here are some steps to opening your own place. Decide What Is Necessary You will want to analyze what you will require to start your restaurant. Determine the adequate amount of commercial refrigeration minneapolis mn and how much seating is needed for you to be successful. You should get quotes on insurance to protect your investment. If you are going to offer delivery, you will want to add auto insurance to that estimate. Figure out how you want to…