Best Owner Home Loan

10 Rules For Furniture Buying For Home Staging As Insurance For Your Investment

By: Paula Stone

We always approach home ownership from a business perspective. You know the old “buy low, sell high”.

Of course it’s not just a piece of real estate, it’s also our home.

We want to be comfortable and happy. So we have to have the security and insurance that we can sell a home for more than we have in it.

While our business is our primary investment, just like many self-employed people, we want our home to be a decent if not spectacular investment.

One of the real issues homeowners have when trying to resell their homes is what kind of furniture they have and how much of it.

With this in mind, it’s wise to purchase furniture with the possibility of resale in mind. If you have to move it will make staging your house for resale much easier.

Here are 10 rules for buying furniture that will save you money and make home staging easier.

1. Buy smaller. A sofa or loveseat is much easier to stage in a conversational group with 2 chairs than a big sectional. Conversational groups should fit completely in a 12 foot square or less (so you don’t need Mr. Microphone to talk).

2. Buy solid colors. Any solid color upholstery is easier to stage than any print, especially flowers. If you want flowers put them on throw pillows.

3. Avoid sets of furniture. Odd collections of furniture can create a more sophisticated, collected looking style called “eclectic”. This kind of collected furniture allows you to mix the old and interesting with the new and interesting. It’s more fun. One of my favorite style mixes is primitive antiques and mid century modern furniture. The esthetics work.

4. Always guard traffic patterns through rooms. People who are looking at houses need room to walk through the place.

5. Make sure you can stage a comfortable and attractive dining area. If your dining area is small you should not take up the room with a china cabinet. I staged many houses with a black lacquer buffet. It looked very elegant and sophisticated topped with 2 lamps and some fresh flowers. My dining table is a traditional cherry drop leaf table that seats as few as 4 or as many as 12. My black lacquer chairs have been reupholstered many times.

6. Avoid country furnishings. A country piece here and there is OK, but don’t fill your house with this or any other style that might get too cute.

7. In bedrooms highlight the bed and make it beautiful and attractive. It’s the star. If a bed is very large use a light colored bedspread. Other furniture may overcrowd the room. I normally stage even the master bedroom with the bed, 2 side tables and 2 lamps. If the room is large enough I make a sitting area for 2 people. Clothing belongs in closets. Dressers only work in very large bedrooms.

8. Skip the doodads and clutter. Less is more in this context. If you are a collector pack the stuff away before you start showing the house, especially if it is valuable. Did you hear about the woman who lost her engagement ring from her bedside table during an open house? Don’t let something like this happen to you.

9. Don’t line every wall and space with furniture. Furniture is for comfort and conviviality not filling every space. Overcrowding your house will make it seem smaller. Most buyers want all the room they can get. Let them see the square feet you have.

10. Remember to furnish your yard. If you have outside room make it work for you.

The best thing about furniture is that you can take it with you each time you move. I have enjoyed moving from place to place. In each home we got to take a fresh look at the things we had and make it new again. It’s a lot of fun.

Article Source:
http://www.articlecity.com/articles/home_improvement/article_4089.shtml

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Natural Remedies For Pet Urine Stains

By: Lee Harris

If you are a pet owner, chances are that your cat or dog has had at least one accident. Urine, feces and vomit stains are par for the course if you are the owner of an untrained puppy or kitten. There are many ways to prevent pet stains and odor and the wise pet owner will search out information on good house-breaking and litter-training techniques. The diet and health of your cat or dog are also a strong part of the equation. Responsible pet owners are those who are willing to visit and consult with a veterinarian on a regular basis to ensure they are taking the necessary steps to maintain the health of their pets.

When accidents happen, it is important to remove as much of the solid matter as possible. A large metal spatula without holes set aside for only this purpose is an invaluable and inexpensive removal tool. Make sure to label the spatula for pet use only so that it doesn’t find itself in the general population of your kitchen utensils! For vomit and feces, the spatula is effective in scraping the solid matter off in an efficient way. Make sure to have a plastic garbage bag handy to dump the mess into. This method works well even for watery messes and can prevent a lot of matter from soaking into carpeting or rugs.

The next step in pet stain removal is to try to absorb or suction up the liquid matter left over from messier feces or vomit and from urination accidents. To effectively absorb liquid from carpeting or rugs, the best method is to use an old towel or several thicknesses of paper toweling or toilet paper. Layering a plastic bag over the towels or toilet paper protects your hand or foot from becoming soiled when pressing the area to wick up the liquid. It is recommended that fresh towels or toilet paper be applied again and pressed into the spot until the majority of the liquid has been absorbed. The other method of liquid removal is to literally suck it up with a wet-dry vacuum cleaner or a carpet extractor/carpet cleaner.

When as much solid and liquid matter as possible has been removed, the process of cleaning and deodorizing the pet stain can begin. There are many home remedies touted by people and some work better than others. Baking soda is useful to some extent, but is easily overpowered by most pet stains and odors. The white residue left behind can be permanent and harder itself to remove, especially on colored carpeting and rugs. Vinegar is a known deodorizer as well, but the acidic nature of it can intensify when it mixes with urine stains, making the original smell even worse. Other home concoctions can include things like hydrogen peroxide, dish soap and bleach which wreak havoc on carpeting and can leave many surfaces discolored and faded. Some of these combination’s are also toxic and can be dangerous to both people and pets if used indiscriminately.

The best natural remedy for pet stains and spots are enzymes that are applied to the stain and allowed to digest the organic material that is the result of cat or dog accidents. These can take up to 24 hours to work and may need to be reapplied, but the results are worth it. The enzyme based products work by actually removing the root of the problem rather than just masking over it. Enzyme products are also very safe for humans and pets and are recommended in homes with children. The scent of enzyme products are also more desirable than other natural remedies and don’t have the chemical smell that commercial solutions posses.

Article Source:
http://www.articlecity.com/articles/home_improvement/article_4112.shtml

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Protecting Your Investment with a Custom RV Garage

By: Rochelle Steelsen

An RV typically constitutes a major financial investment – why not protect that investment with an RV garage? People who own recreational vehicles are keenly aware that its size precludes parking inside a home’s standard garage.

A home does not come standard with a RV garage. However, there is an easy solution to this common RV parking problem. Prefabricated garages can be assembled by you, or you can have a custom garage for your RV built by a professional.

You can find prefabricated garages made of cedar or other types of wood siding in addition to those constructed of vinyl siding or steel. There are light weight aluminum RV garages available as well; they are, however, less likely to hold up under extreme weather conditions like the more durable materials will.

When you buy a custom designed RV garage, it can be built exactly to your specifications as well as to match the design of your home. A custom RV garage can be built as one large room or it can have sections for additional vehicles, large boats, or even excess equipment. You can also use these side rooms as guest rooms, workshops, or office space. A second option is to obtain a set of RV garage plans so a contractor can build it for you. Garages that are custom built out of materials that are durable and of high quality will last for quite a few years.

Carport-like prefabricated RV canopies keep snow, rain, and harsh sunlight off the RV’s roof. While custom garages are typically complete, many prefabricated garages lack wall structures, and so provide only partial protection from the elements. An RV garage that has walls protects your RV from theft and vandalism as well. Burglar alarms mounted in the RV garage can provide further protection from vandals and thieves.

Whichever type of RV garage you purchase, make sure to first measure your RV to ensure proper fit in its new garage. Your garage needs to have doors that are at least 12 feet tall. Recreational vehicles with devices on the roof such as air conditioners, luggage racks, or satellite dishes may require 14 foot garage doors. When measuring the depth of your vehicle, make sure you also figure in the space required to walk around the front and back of the vehicle while it is parked inside the garage.

Article Source:
http://www.articlecity.com/articles/home_improvement/article_4055.shtml

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How to Get Wax Out of the Carpet

By: Tara Aronson

Few things are as relaxing as dining by candlelight. 


And few things are as aptly called a rude awakening as finding the drippings on your carpet the next morning. But don’t stress on this one. You can fix this annoying problem easily enough.

You’ll need ice cubes, a plastic bag, a spatula or spoon, an iron, a few plain brown paper bags, dry cleaning fluid and a squirt of hand dishwashing liquid.

Put the ice cubes in the plastic bag and cover the spot until it hardens to the touch. Then gently scrape away the excess with your spatula or spoon. Repeat on each waxy spot on your carpet.

Now set your iron on low heat. Over the residue, place a brown paper bag without any writing or designs. (Any ink may transfer to the carpet, which would be even worse than dealing with leftovers and curdled reminders of lingering dinners past.)

Press the iron on the bag for no longer than a couple of seconds. Be sure to keep the iron heat on low so carpet fibers don’t get scorched. 
 Or the bag.

Is it working? You’ll know it is if you look under the bag and find a candle-colored smear of success. 

Keep repeating and replacing the bags as necessary until there’s no more transfer to your bag when heated. You’re almost there.

Now blot the remaining blights (if you have any) with dry cleaning fluid. Sparingly, to prevent damage to carpet backing. 

Resist the urge to substitute gasoline, lighter fluid or carbon tetrachloride for dry-cleaning fluid. These fire and breathing hazards aren’t meant for indoor carpets.

Now blot with a solution of one-quarter teaspoon dishwashing liquid and one cup of warm water to remove all traces of cleaning fluids past. Rinse and blot dry. Now go enjoy a candlelight dinner! (But don’t forget the dripless candles.)


Article Source:
http://www.articlecity.com/articles/home_improvement/article_4077.shtml

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10 Rules For Furniture Buying For Home Staging As Insurance For Your Investment

By: Paula Stone

We always approach home ownership from a business perspective. You know the old “buy low, sell high”.

Of course it’s not just a piece of real estate, it’s also our home.

We want to be comfortable and happy. So we have to have the security and insurance that we can sell a home for more than we have in it.

While our business is our primary investment, just like many self-employed people, we want our home to be a decent if not spectacular investment.

One of the real issues homeowners have when trying to resell their homes is what kind of furniture they have and how much of it.

With this in mind, it’s wise to purchase furniture with the possibility of resale in mind. If you have to move it will make staging your house for resale much easier.

Here are 10 rules for buying furniture that will save you money and make home staging easier.

1. Buy smaller. A sofa or loveseat is much easier to stage in a conversational group with 2 chairs than a big sectional. Conversational groups should fit completely in a 12 foot square or less (so you don’t need Mr. Microphone to talk).

2. Buy solid colors. Any solid color upholstery is easier to stage than any print, especially flowers. If you want flowers put them on throw pillows.

3. Avoid sets of furniture. Odd collections of furniture can create a more sophisticated, collected looking style called “eclectic”. This kind of collected furniture allows you to mix the old and interesting with the new and interesting. It’s more fun. One of my favorite style mixes is primitive antiques and mid century modern furniture. The esthetics work.

4. Always guard traffic patterns through rooms. People who are looking at houses need room to walk through the place.

5. Make sure you can stage a comfortable and attractive dining area. If your dining area is small you should not take up the room with a china cabinet. I staged many houses with a black lacquer buffet. It looked very elegant and sophisticated topped with 2 lamps and some fresh flowers. My dining table is a traditional cherry drop leaf table that seats as few as 4 or as many as 12. My black lacquer chairs have been reupholstered many times.

6. Avoid country furnishings. A country piece here and there is OK, but don’t fill your house with this or any other style that might get too cute.

7. In bedrooms highlight the bed and make it beautiful and attractive. It’s the star. If a bed is very large use a light colored bedspread. Other furniture may overcrowd the room. I normally stage even the master bedroom with the bed, 2 side tables and 2 lamps. If the room is large enough I make a sitting area for 2 people. Clothing belongs in closets. Dressers only work in very large bedrooms.

8. Skip the doodads and clutter. Less is more in this context. If you are a collector pack the stuff away before you start showing the house, especially if it is valuable. Did you hear about the woman who lost her engagement ring from her bedside table during an open house? Don’t let something like this happen to you.

9. Don’t line every wall and space with furniture. Furniture is for comfort and conviviality not filling every space. Overcrowding your house will make it seem smaller. Most buyers want all the room they can get. Let them see the square feet you have.

10. Remember to furnish your yard. If you have outside room make it work for you.

The best thing about furniture is that you can take it with you each time you move. I have enjoyed moving from place to place. In each home we got to take a fresh look at the things we had and make it new again. It’s a lot of fun.

Article Source:
http://www.articlecity.com/articles/home_improvement/article_4089.shtml

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