By Ryan Tyson Posted on Mar 22 2017 - 10:37am by Housecall

If you own some property that you are not actively living in, you might be thinking about renting the property out and becoming a landlord. Renting usable property is a great way to make some extra money,           but if not done carefully, it can turn into a disaster. Here is a list of some of the most important things to learn before taking the plunge.

Study Local Laws

Since shelter is a basic human need, a large body of legal rules and regulations apply to the process. Rental laws vary a great deal from state to state, so you’ll need to find a good resource for researching these laws, unless you are already a lawyer yourself. While looking around online is a good start, you’ll probably also need to consult a legal professional, or at least some books on the subject. Your local library is an excellent resource to find any of the information without spending an arm and a leg.

Set Up Your Maintenance Team

As the rental owner, for the most part, you will be legally liable for keeping up the property in terms of basic maintenance. Between electrical, gas, water, HVAC, and other systems, a home is a bundle of potential maintenance issues waiting to explode in your face. Hiring good people to keep everything working properly is important to staying ahead of the curve, especially if you are renting out multiple properties; the more locations you are leasing, the more maintenance hours you will log. Of course, sometimes the problems will go beyond what a maintenance team can cover. For those cases, you’ll want a working relationship with a good local contractor.

Get the Proper Insurance

However many steps you go through in your tenant screening process, the fact remains that problems still can and will occur. Whether from unruly and careless tenants, freak accidents that cause serious damage, or simply from regular wear and tear, your property is at risk when you rent it out. You can protect your investment by making sure you are covered by the best home insurance possible, so you can recover against any losses. Protect your home further with a home warranty that can keep your pricey appliances covered in case of expensive damages.

Set Up Your Lease Properly

With all the knowledge you’ve acquired in the previous steps, you should be well prepared to put together a strong lease at this point. This document is hugely important to beginning your time as a landlord right, since it outlines the rights and responsibilities of both you and your tenant. As such, it protects both people in the relationship from problems, intentional and otherwise. You’ll definitely want to get a lawyer involved in at least one draft of the document, and ask him or her how to make sure you aren’t put in a dubious legal position.

Whether you are renting out a single property or operating multiple rental properties, the basic requirements for success are fundamentally the same. With a little work, you can turn that property into money in your pocket.

This is a great article talking in general about the benefits of Buying in the Springtime. In Alaska we are not far off from having the snow melt away and the longer days to arrive for summer! If you are wanting to Buy this year, now is a great time because the sellers who have their home on the market now are motivated and serious about getting their property sold. Read the article and feel free to reach out to me @ 907-830-1069 or to my Buyer’s Agent Chris Van Slyke @ 907-252-1011.

And Happy Shopping! 

Article By Daniel Bortz | Feb 15, 2017

BackyardProduction/iStock

Planning to buy a home this spring? Then right now—yes, during these last days of winter—is the time to get rolling.

“Spring is peak home-buying season, which means you’re going to have a ton of competition from other buyers,” says Peggy Yee, supervising broker at Frankly Realtors in Vienna, VA. Hence, winter is the ideal time to get ahead of the curve, but how? Follow these steps and you’ll be way ahead of the pack once the spring home-buying season heats up.

Step No. 1: Find a buyer’s agent

Teaming up with a buyer’s agent during the winter offers several advantages. For starters, because business is slow, an agent can take the time to help you identify what type of home you want and educate you on the local market so that you’ll have realistic expectations of what you’ll be able to find in a few months.

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Also, “your agent may hear of properties that are going to come on the market in the spring, which could enable you to get a sneak peek at homes before other buyers,” Yee says.

To find a real estate agent, you can ask friends or family for referrals, or use a reputable real estate agent database.

Step No. 2: Get your financing squared away

Before you even lay eyes on a house, you should be looking at lenders. Why? Because lenders will help you get real about how much house you can afford. They will determine how much money they’re willing to lend you by checking out your financial details, from your income to your credit score and more. Plus, if your finances are less than perfect, you’ll be able to find out in plenty of time to make amends.

“Depending on what shape your credit is in, it may take a couple of months to raise your score,” says Richard Redmond, mortgage broker at All California Mortgage in Larkspur and author of “Mortgages: The Insider’s Guide.”

There’s no magic spell to banish poor credit; the strategy will depend on your financial situation.

“For some people, it might make sense to pay off their credit card balances over the next couple of months, but that might not be the right move if you’re going to need the money for closing costs,” Redmond explains. Thus, it’s beneficial to get credit advice from a mortgage professional at least two to three months before you plan to buy.

If your credit score is strong (760 and above will qualify you for the best interest rates), getting pre-approved for a home loan now makes sense.

“Pre-approval is usually only good for 90 days,” says Redmond, “but it’s easy to renew it if the borrower’s financial picture doesn’t change. And when interest rates are trending upward, which they currently are, it’s better to lock in your rate sooner rather than later.”

Step No. 3: Start previewing homes

You’ll probably do an initial consultation with your agent to identify what type of home you want to buy. However, you won’t really know what type of home you’re looking for until you actually step inside some homes, says Lisa Cahill, co-owner of Evolve Real Estate in St. Petersburg, FL.

“Your criteria can change when you start to look at properties,” says Cahill. For example, you might think you need a home with 2,500 square feet of living space, but that number could change when you start seeing homes in person. Your real estate agent can alert you to open houses to attend during the winter months.

Step No. 4: Scrutinize prospective neighborhoods

Have your sights set on a particular neighborhood? Winter is a good time to see whether the community is going to be a good fit.

“You can tell whether an area has good schools on paper, but there are a lot of things you can’t judge unless you go there in person,” says Cahill.

For instance, online research won’t show you what the noise level is during rush hour or what the neighbors are like (e.g., is it more for young families or older residents?). Those are things that you need to assess with your own eyes. Concerned about traffic? “Go and test-drive your commute,” says Yee.

Step No. 5: Don’t rule out buying early

Even if you had originally planned to buy later in the spring, what if you find a home you absolutely love earlier? If you’re willing and able to move earlier, then keep an open mind with respect to buying a home during the winter. Granted, there are fewer homes to choose from, but there’s also less competition.

“You’re less likely to encounter a multiple offer situation,” says Yee. Translation: Don’t hesitate to make an offer in February or March if you find the perfect house.

Planning to sell the home you’re currently in this spring as well? Tune in tomorrow for the early bird’s guide to selling your home.

Daniel Bortz is a Realtor in Maryland, Virginia, and Washington, DC, who has written for Money magazine, Entrepreneur magazine, CNNMoney, and more.

By Judy Dutton | Dec 14, 2015

 

Decorating your home shouldn’t require cashing in a 401(k). In fact, many of the items you need to jazz up your oh-so-humble abode may already be in your home, or bought for a few bucks at your local yard sale. From there, all it takes is some creativity and a willingness to take a few risks, says Myquillyn Smith—aka the “The Nester” and author of “The Nesting Place: It Doesn’t Have to Be Perfect to Be Beautiful.”

Here are a few of her budget-friendly ideas to get your own gears turning.

Duct tape wallpaper

Here’s some unorthodox use of white duct tape to decorate the wall. It’s like instant wallpaper without all the fuss!

Related Articles

• 10 Interior Design Trends That Turn Off Home Buyers
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• 10 Tackiest Home Decor Trends We Hope Never Return

Thought you knew everything that duct tape could do? Think again.

The Nesting Place

Tree stumps turned into tables

Dried out stumps can make great tables, painted or left as is (top sanded, of course). Before bringing them into your home, try to make sure all the bugs are out first by storing them for a few months in a dry place such as your garage.

You’ll be stumped by these fantastic (and free) tables.

The Nesting Place

Instant drapes

Want drapes in a flash without too much fuss (or cash)? Fold and place raw fabric into drapery clip rings, which hang on a curtain rod—no sewing required.

No-fuss drapes

The Nesting Place

Fur-lined ottoman

Take one yard-sale ottoman, then add a swath of fake fur. Adhere them together with hot glue, and you’ve got one sassy footstool!

Ottoman before the makeover

The Nesting Place

Ottoman after the makeover

The Nesting Place

Mix-and-match furniture

This small nightstand and tall mirror were bought at two different stores. Paint them the same color, and they go great together.

Nightstand and mirror before the makeover

The Nesting Place

Nightstand and mirror after the makeover

The Nesting Place

From books to party garlands

This book page garland was created as a temporary party decoration, but it became such a favorite it stayed up for two years.

Pages from an old book make up this party garland.

The Nesting Place

The kitchen is the heart of the home. It’s where you prepare meals for your family, and where you all come together to share those meals. So shouldn’t your kitchen portray that same warmth that you feel? Having a dream kitchen is a goal for many home owners, and while not everything is as easy as waving a wand, there are a few things you can implement that may make your kitchen more beautiful and more practical.

Double Oven

For those who love to cook, a double oven might just be a necessity. Can you imagine how much easier cooking holiday dinners would be if you had two separate ovens? Reduce cooking time with the ability to prepare two dishes at the same time, on different temperatures. Cook potatoes in one oven while roasting your turkey in the other, and you’ll no longer have to start cooking dinner so early.

Kitchen Island

One of the most important things in a perfect kitchen is ample counter space. What better way to get that than with a large island in the center of your kitchen? You might never have to fight for space again when you cook with family or friends. Not to mention, an island can double as a great eating space with the addition of a few bar stools.

China Cabinet

An instant way you can increase style in your kitchen is to install a china cabinet. This piece can allow you to display your glassware and china in a beautiful way, as opposed to hiding them in the back of drawers. If you’re working with a smaller kitchen, you can create the same effect by installing glass panels into your current kitchen cabinets.

High Neck Faucets and Deep Sinks

A larger sink helps you avoid splashing water when you do the dishes. A deep sink fits more dishes, and also gives you more room for washing vegetables or fruits. Add a high neck faucet and it may be even easier to fill pots, pans, and bottles. In addition, these items can make your kitchen look chic and modern.

Hidden Outlets

Have you ever been cooking in a crock pot or using a blender and wishing that you didn’t have to move your tools around the kitchen looking for an outlet? Hidden outlets are one great solution that can make your kitchen both classy and accessible. Have outlets installed under your cabinets, or inside drawers to ensure that you can plug anything in, wherever you’re standing.

With just one of the items on your must-have list, you can move one step closer to the perfect kitchen. What other features would you want to have?

by CENTURY 21 | January 15, 2016 at 3:00 am EST

Everyone loves a good scare on Halloween, but not when it comes to child safety.  Here are tips to keep your Halloween holiday on the safe side!

• Walk safely- Cross the street at corners and make sure to look left, right, and left again before crossing the street. 
• Watch for cars that are turning or backing up. Never dart out into the street or cross between parked cars
• Trick or treat with an Adult- children under the age of 12 should not be alone without adult supervision.  Enjoy this chance to celebrate this fun holiday with your child
• Keep costumes both creative and safe – decorate costumes and bags with reflective tape or stickers and don’t forget to carry glow sticks or flashlights to help you be seen by drivers
• Drive extra safe on Halloween – Slow doesn and be especially alert in residential neighborhoods.  Take the extra time to look for kids at intersections and near driveways.

Great Ways of Using Pinterest!

Use the Pinterest social media site to help make your life easier and get great ideas for around your home and your life.  Pinterest is image based and is an easy way of saving points of inspirations for future use.  Use Pinterest to plan meals. work-outs, home renovations, special events, and much more.  Here are some more great ways that you can use Pinterest!

• Look for a DIY project Pinterest is full of DIY ideas from refurbishing a dresser to creating your own Christmas ornaments.  Get fantastic ideas from other Pinterest users that you can incorporate in your own home.  
• Find Workout tips and inspiration Head to the Health and Fitness Board to find great ideas on new routines, health tips, and dieting ideas.  Plan your workouts for the week and find new mantras to get you moving.
• Plan events Use Pinterest to help plan any event in your life ranging from your wedding to your next dinner party.  Pinning can help you find ideas for decorations, themes, recipes, games and so much more.  Make it an event your guests are sure to remember!
• Get design inspiration for a home renovation Pinterest is a great way to search online for design tips and inspirations for around your home.  Create your own ideabook and save design photos or bookmark articles to reference at a later date.
• Plan your family’s meals for the week Need some new ideas for spicing up the menu at your home?  Look no further than Pinterest!  Find new recipes and new twists on old favorites.  Look for something healthy or something to help you give in to a sweet craving.  Find recipes for snacks, smoothies, salads, entrees and so much more!

It is starting to be that time of year to think about getting your home ready for winter.  Below is a list of cleaning ideas to get your home prepared both inside and out!

Inside Your House

• Wash all windows- use glass cleaner, or one squirt of dishwashing liquid in a spray bottle filled with water.  Pick a cloudy day so you can see the streaks better
• Vacuum dusty canvas, cotton, and treated fabric blinds – Use a low setting on your vacume with a brush attachment.
• Clean the walls- dust, wash, rinse, and dry painted or wood-paneled walls
• Clean ceiling-mounted light fixtures
• Vacuum and spot-clean upholstered furniture and cushions
• Wipe down the kitchen cupbards
• Dust off your refridgerator condenser coil
• Do the carpets
• Spruce up your computer
• Straighten the closets
• Test smoke and carbon monoxide detectors
• Replace the furnace filter
• Sweep the chimneys
• Declutter and clean the attic or garage

Outside Your House

• Check weather stripping and caulking around doors and windows
• Check and clean the gutters
• Clean the patio furniture
• Drain and store garden hoses
• Check the exterior paint

We are coming to an end of the summer season in Alaska.  Time to think about getting your garden ready for the upcoming months.  Frost may be arriving by the end of the month, so the rush is on to to harvest and process your garden’s bounty.  You also need to think about protecting tender plants from light but killing frosts. While you are doing these or any of your other chores, it is a good time to figure out what went wrong in your garden and keep notes so you don't repeat the mistakes next year.

Tomato Tips. Slice off the top six inches off your tomato plants and pinch off the blossoms around the first weekend of August, to force the fruit into ripening. If your plants have more foliage than tomatoes, you probably applied too much nitrogen to your soil earlier in the summer.

Hanging Basket Care. You can enjoy your hanging baskets into September if you bring them inside at night to protect them frost.

Woeful Weeds. Prevent weed problems by pulling out weeds before they set seed. Weeds compete with your plants for food, water, and sunlight and can compromise yields.

Pull Those Potatoes. Pull out some baby potatoes by either digging up an entire plant or sneaking in at the side and grabbing a few. Harvest a few leeks--the thin ones are sweet and tender enough to be cut up and tossed into salads. If you have not hilled your leeks and potatoes all summer, go out and do it as soon as you read this.

Watch Your Crops. Draw a map of you garden or photograph it, so that you can remember what was planted where next year.

Hope these hints see you through the end of August!

Summer is coming to an end but there is still time to get out and enjoy some of the last few local events!  

   Have you visited one of the farmers markets in the area yet?  Both Kenai and Soldotna have their own markets where you can buy fresh, local produce, sample some yummy goodies, and see crafts from local artists.  Markets in Soldotna are held on Tuesday and Wednesday and the one in Kenai is held on Saturdays.

   Don’t forget about the upcoming Kenai Peninsula Fair.  This year the fair is taking place on Friday, August 21st through Sunday, Sunday August 23rd.  The fair is a great opportunity for have fun with the whole family.

  There are still a few Music in the Park left to enjoy!  On Wednesdays in Soldotna Creek Park you can enjoy live music and have your choice of tastey treats.  

   Trivia Night at Odie’s Deli can be a lot of fun with friends.  This event takes place year round, so if you haven’t checked it out yet you still have some time!

  For a complete list of local happenings you can visit the local Soldotna Chamber page at http://directory.soldotnachamber.com/events

Get out there and have fun!

~ Here is some great infomation for beginners looking to get into investment properties!

An FHA-Financed Duplex is an Ideal First Investment Property: Here’s Why

BY BRETT LEE ON MARCH 25, 2015 | REAL ESTATE INVESTING BASICS

The hardest part of getting into real estate investing is where to start. I’ve been there, and it’s stressful because it’s a big decision. I made a lot of rookie mistakes just like most new investors do.

So what’s the best way to start if you aren’t rich, want to generate income right away and want to be able to buy more properties over the next few years? I propose buying a duplex using an FHA owner occupied loan. Let’s learn why.

What You Need to Know About Financing

Most people wanting to get into investing start by buying a house with an owner occupied loan (FHA, VA Conventional). Owner occupied loans are cheaper because they have lower interest rates and much lower down payments than investment loans. It’s also the most affordable way to go when you have little cash. Keep in mind, you have to occupy the home for at least a year with an owner occupied loan, or you’ll be committing fraud.

Related: Your First Investment: How to Use Future Rental Income to Qualify for a Duplex Loan

After a year of living in the home, you can legally move out and rent the property. There are no laws against doing this. However, unless you own 30% of the property at the time you rent it out, you will not be able to get another loan until you have two years of landlord experience with that home on your taxes. Going this route means you will have to wait 3 years to buy the second property. Most new investors don’t know this going in and find out too late.

There is a way to speed this process up, get rental income right away and avoid the biggest mistakes most new investors make.

Buy a Duplex With an FHA Loan

First things first, duplexes are almost always cheaper and bring in more rental income than single family homes of the same size. If you plan on investing, it’s a good idea to start with a duplex anyway.

FHA is the only owner occupied loan you can get for a duplex that will allow a low down payment (3.5% as of March 2015), that doesn’t require landlord experience and that will count the future rental income from the other half of the duplex to help you qualify for a loan. Yes, you will be able to buy more than you can afford because you can rent the other side. How awesome is that?

Not only will you be able to buy more going this route, you will also gain the 2 years landlord experience needed to buy the next property. The reason you need two years experience renting that house is because they need to see how much you get in rent to be able to use that as income when you want to buy another house. Less than two years experience, and they won’t count your rent as income, and you’ll have to qualify for both homes at the same time to buy the second property.

When you do decide to move out after two years, all you need to do is get a lease on the half you are moving out of and turn that in to the lender. You will then be able to use 75% of the total rental income to qualify for the next loan.

Example: Your mortgage is $1,500 a month and you receive $1,000 a month from the rented side of the duplex while living in the other side. After 2 years you move out and get a signed lease on the side you were living in for another $1,000 a month, bringing your total rental income $2,000 a month. The lender will credit you 75% of that as income (25% is estimated to go to vacancies and repair costs). In the lender’s eyes you are now have a $1,500/month mortgage debt and a $1,500/month rental credit. You break even.

If there were a surplus, the extra would be added to your income and help you buy the next property. If it’s a deficit, they will take that amount away from your total income and it would hurt you when buying the next property.

That brings us to the 25% rule. You want to try to make 25% more than the mortgage every month so the house doesn’t count against you when you when you get the next loan.

Lenders also require you have at least 6 months’ mortgage payment saved up as a safety net before you buy the next place. That’s a good idea anyway.

Related: How to Buy a Duplex: The Ultimate Step by Step Guide

Conclusion

If you buy a single family home, you won’t be able to count the rental income until you have lived there for a year (owner occupied requirement) and then rented the entire place for two more years to get the required experience as a landlord.

If you buy a duplex with an FHA loan, you can buy more houses, use rental income from the other side when you buy it and after two years of living there, you meet the owner occupied requirement and the two years’ experience. If the rental income after you move out is 25% more than the mortgage, you will be in a much better position for buying the next one.

Great information and ideas for adding to your resale value from Patti Stern, PJ & Company Staging and Interior Decorating!

Home remodeling has become more popular than ever to attract buyers, thanks to an improving economy, strong job growth, higher disposable income, more home sales, low interest rates, and a more competitive housing market. Home owners looking to sell their home this year may want to complete a few upgrades and renovations that will help make their home get noticed among the competition.

The following are the remodeling trends recommended by both PJ & Company Staging and Interior Decorating as well as Remodeling Magazine’s Cost vs. Value report:

1. Curb appeal. According to Remodeling Magazine’s report, the key improvements with the highest ROI include the front door and garage door replacements, manufactured stone veneer front steps or foundations, vinyl siding, and replacing windows. Each of these upgrades will boost both buyer interest as well as the value of a home.

2. Deck addition. At a fraction of the price of an indoor addition, a new deck both enhances the landscaping of a yard as well as offers additional living space for al fresco dining, relaxing and entertaining. Most people use their decks for at least six months out of the year so it’s a worthwhile investment.

3. Kitchen remodel. Without having to completely gut the kitchen, replacing cabinet doors and drawer fronts, new appliances, countertops and flooring continues to rank as one of the top renovations for the last 10 years.

4. Bathroom remodel. Buyers are looking for a bathroom that doesn’t feel outdated. Even the smallest bathrooms can look more attractive with the right finishing touches. The key features that will sell a bathroom are updated vanities, wall color, tile, sink, faucets, toilet, and lighting fixtures.

5. Reinventing an existing room. Buyers and home owners want as much space as they can get. Remodeling an attic into a master or guest bedroom or converting a basement into a playroom, home theater, or exercise room are popular and profitable ways to add usable space to an older home as opposed to the bigger expense of an addition.

6. Painting and removing outdated wallpaper. Finally, if you don’t have time or money to invest in a remodel, one of the simplest and most affordable solutions is to remove dated wallpaper and add a trendy wall color. Don’t go too bold, though. Painting walls a neutral color will also bring out the home’s best features. This simple update provides a boost with instant universal appeal to buyers who want to envision living in the space.

By Patti Stern, PJ & Company Staging and Interior Decorating

Posted in Remodeling Adviser, by Blog Contributor on June 1, 2015

Got some spare time?  Check out these great uses for lemon!

Most people are familiar with the traditional uses for lemons to soothe sore throats and add some citrus flavor to our foods. However the diversity of applications for lemons far exceeds general knowledge and once you read the following list, you’ll likely want to stock at least a few lemons in your kitchen 24-7.

1. Freshen the Fridge
Remove refrigerator odors with ease. Dab lemon juice on a cotton ball or sponge and leave it in the fridge for several hours. Make sure to toss out any malodorous items that might be causing the bad smell.

2. High Blood Pressure

Lemon contains potassium which controls high blood pressure and reduces the effect of nausea and dizziness.

3. Prevent Cauliflower From Turning Brown
Cauliflower tend to turn brown with even the slightest cooking. You can make sure the white vegetables stay white by squeezing a teaspoon of fresh lemon juice on them before heating.

4. Mental Health
Lemon water can also prep up your mood and relieve you from depression and stress. Long distance walkers and world travelers as well as explorers look upon the lemon as a Godsend. When fatigue begins, a lemon is sucked through a hole in the top. Quick acting medicine it is, giving almost unbelievable refreshments.

5. Refresh Cutting Boards
No wonder your kitchen cutting board smells! After all, you use it to chop onions, crush garlic, and prepare fish. To get rid of the smell and help sanitize the cutting board, rub it all over with the cut side of half a lemon or wash it in undiluted juice straight from the bottle.

6. Respiratory Problems
Lemon water can reduce phlegm; and can also help you breathe properly and aids a person suffering with asthma.

7. Treating Arthritis and Rheumatism
Lemon is a diuretic – assists in the production of urine which helps you to reduce inflammation by flushing out toxins and bacteria while also giving you relief from arthritis and rheumatism.

8. Prevents Kidney Stones
Regular consumption of the refreshing drink — or even lemon juice mixed with water — may increase the production of urinary citrate, a chemical in the urine that prevents the formation of crystals that may build up into kidney stones.

9. Keep Insects Out of the Kitchen
You don’t need insecticides or ant traps to ant-proof your kitchen. Just give it the lemon treatment. First squirt some lemon juice on door thresholds and windowsills. Then squeeze lemon juice into any holes or cracks where the ants are getting in. Finally, scatter small slices of lemon peel around the outdoor entrance. The ants will get the message that they aren’t welcome. Lemons are also effective against roaches and fleas: Simply mix the juice of 4 lemons (along with the rinds) with 1/2 gallon (2 liters) water and wash your floors with it; then watch the fleas and roaches flee. They hate the smell.

10. Anti-Aging
Lemon water reduces the production of free radicals which are responsible for aging skin and skin damage. Lemon water is calorie free and an antioxidant.

11. Fruit and Vegetable Wash
You never know what kind of pesticides or dirt may be lurking on the skin of your favorite fruits and vegetables. Slice your lemon and squeeze out one tablespoon of lemon juice into your spray bottle. The lemon juice is a natural disinfectant and will leave your fruits and vegetables smelling nice too.

12. Treat Infections
Lemon water can fight throat infections thanks to its antibacterial property. If salt water does not work for you, try lemon and water for gargling.

13. Deodorize Your Garbage 
If your garbage is beginning to smell yucky, here’s an easy way to deodorize it: Save leftover lemon and orange peels and toss them at the base under the bag. To keep it smelling fresh, repeat once every couple of weeks.

14. Keep Guacamole Green
You’ve been making guacamole all day long for the big party, and you don’t want it to turn brown on top before the guests arrive. The solution: Sprinkle a liberal amount of fresh lemon juice over it and it will stay fresh and green. The flavor of the lemon juice is a natural complement to the avocados in the guacamole. Make the fruit salad hours in advance too. Just squeeze some lemon juice onto the apple slices, and they’ll stay snowy white.

15. Purges The Blood
We consume a lot of junk food or food with a lot of preservatives and artificial flavours. This builds up a lot of toxins in the blood and body but daily consumption of lemon water helps to purify the blood.

16. Make Soggy Lettuce Crisp
Don’t toss that soggy lettuce into the garbage. With the help of a little lemon juice you can toss it in a salad instead. Add the juice of half a lemon to a bowl of cold water. Then put the soggy lettuce in it and refrigerate for 1 hour. Make sure to dry the leaves completely before putting them into salads or sandwiches.

17. Oral Health
Lemon juice also stops bleeding gums and reduces toothaches

18. Lighten Age Spots
Why buy expensive creams when you’ve got lemon juice? To lighten liver spots or freckles, try applying lemon juice directly to the area. Let it sit for 15 minutes and then rinse your skin clean. It’s a safe and effective skin-lightening agent.

19. Create Blonde Highlights
For salon-worthy highlights, add 1/4 cup lemon juice to 3/4 cup water and rinse your hair with the mixture. Then, sit in the sun until your hair dries. To maximize the effect, repeat once daily for up to a week.

20. Make a Room Scent/Humidifier
Freshen and moisturize the air in your home on dry winter days. Make your own room scent that also doubles as a humidifier. If you have a wood-burning stove, place an enameled cast-iron pot or bowl on top, fill with water, and add lemon (and/or orange) peels, cinnamon sticks, cloves, and apple skins. No wood-burning stove? Use your stovetop instead and just simmer the water periodically.

21. Clean and Whiten Nails
Pamper your hands without a manicurist. Add the juice of 1/2 lemon to 1 cup warm water and soak your fingertips in the mixture for 5 minutes. After pushing back the cuticles, rub some lemon peel back and forth against the nail.

22. Cleanse Your Face
Zap zits naturally by dabbing lemon juice on blackheads to draw them out during the day. You can also wash your face with lemon juice for a natural cleanse and exfoliation. Your skin should improve after several days of treatment. Lemon water is also a cooling agent, best way to beat the heat.

23. Freshen Your Breath
Make an impromptu mouthwash by rinsing with lemon juice straight from the bottle. Swallow for longer-lasting fresh breath. The citric acid in the juice alters the pH level in your mouth, killing bacteria that causes bad breath. Rinse after a few minutes because long-term exposure to the acid in lemons can harm tooth enamel.

24. Treat Flaky Dandruff
If itchy, scaly dandruff has you scratching your head, relief may be no farther away than your refrigerator. Just massage two tablespoons lemon juice into your scalp and rinse with water. Then stir one teaspoon lemon juice into one cup water and rinse your hair with it. Repeat daily until your dandruff disappears.

25. Get Rid of Tough Stains on Marble
You probably think of marble as stone, but it is really petrified calcium (also known as old seashells). That explains why it is so porous and easily stained and damaged. Those stains can be hard to remove. If washing won’t remove a stubborn stain, try this: Cut a lemon in half, dip the exposed flesh into some table salt, and rub it vigorously on the stain. But do this only as a last resort; acid can damage marble. Rinse well. Use These Lemons To Clean – Easy and Effective

26. Remove Berry Stains
It sure was fun to pick your own berries, but now your fingers are stained with berry juice that won’t come off no matter how much you scrub with soap and water. Try washing your hands with undiluted lemon juice, then wait a few minutes and wash with warm, soapy water. Repeat until your hands are stain-free.

27. Soften Dry, Scaly Elbows
Itchy elbows are bad enough, but they look terrible too. For better looking (and feeling) elbows, mix baking soda and lemon juice to make an abrasive paste, then rub it into your elbows for a soothing, smoothing, and exfoliating treatment. Rinse your extremities in a mixture of equal parts lemon juice and water, then massage with olive oil and dab dry with a soft cloth.

28. Headaches 
Lemon juice with a few teaspoons of hot tea added is the treatment of a sophisticated New York bartender, for those who suffer with hangover headaches–and from headaches due to many other causes. He converts his customers to this regime, and weans them away from drug remedies completely.

29. Chills and Fevers
Chills and fevers may be due to a variety of causes; never the less the lemon is always a helpful remedy. Spanish physicians regard it as an infallible friend.

30. Diptheria
Skip the vaccine for this disease. Lemon Juice Treatment still proves as one of the most powerful antiseptics and the strong digestive qualities of the fruit are admired around the world. With the juice every hour or two, and at the same time, 1/2 to 1 tsp. should be swallowed. This cuts loose the false membrane in the throat and permits it to come out.

31. Forget The Moth Balls

A charming French custom to keep closets free from moths is to take ripe lemons and stick them with cloves all over the skin. The heavily studded lemons slowly dry with their cloves, leaving a marvelous odor throughout the closets and rooms.

32. Stomach Health
Digestive problems are the most common ailments but warm water and lime juice is the solution to most digestive problems. Lemon juice helps to purify the blood, reduces your chances of indigestion, constipation, eliminates toxins from the body, adds digestion and reduces phlegm.

33. Disinfect Cuts and Scrapes
Stop bleeding and disinfect minor cuts and scraps by pouring a few drops of lemon juice directly on the cut. You can also apply the juice with a cotton ball and hold firmly in place for one minute.

34. Soothe Poison Ivy Rash
You won’t need an ocean of calamine lotion the next time poison ivy comes a-creeping. Just apply lemon juice directly to the affected area to soothe itching and alleviate the rash.

35. Remove Warts
You’ve tried countless remedies to banish warts and nothing seems to work. Next time, apply a dab of lemon juice directly to the wart using a cotton swab. Repeat for several days until the acids in the lemon juice dissolve the wart completely.

36. Bleach Delicate Fabrics
Avoid additional bleach stains by swapping ordinary household chlorine bleach with lemon juice, which is milder but no less effective. Soak your delicates in a mixture of lemon juice and baking soda for at least half an hour before washing.

37. Clean Tarnished Brass and Polish Chrome
Say good-bye to tarnish on brass, copper, or stainless steel. Make a paste of lemon juice and salt (or substitute baking soda or cream of tartar for the salt) and coat the affected area. Let it stay on for 5 minutes. Then wash in warm water, rinse, and polish dry. Use the same mixture to clean metal kitchen sinks too. Apply the paste, scrub gently, and rinse. Get rid of mineral deposits and polish chrome faucets and other tarnished chrome. Simply rub lemon rind over the chrome and watch it shine! Rinse well and dry with a soft cloth.

38. Replace Your Dry Cleaner
Ditch the expensive dry-cleaning bills (and harsh chemicals) with this homegrown trick. Simply scrub the stained area on shirts and blouses with equal parts lemon juice and water. Your “pits” will be good as new, and smell nice too.

39. Boost Laundry Detergent
For more powerful cleaning action, pour 1 cup lemon juice into the washer during the wash cycle. The natural bleaching action of the juice will zap stains and remove rust and mineral discolorations from cotton T-shirts and briefs and will leave your clothes smelling fresh. Your clothes will turn out brighter and also come out smelling lemon-fresh.

40. Rid Clothes of Mildew
Have you ever unpacked clothes you stored all winter and discovered some are stained with mildew? To get rid of it, make a paste of lemon juice and salt and rub it on the affected area, then dry the clothes in sunlight. Repeat the process until the stain is gone.

41. Eliminate Fireplace Odor
There’s nothing cozier on a cold winter night than a warm fire burning in the fireplace unless the fire happens to smell horrible. Next time you have a fire that sends a stench into the room, try throwing a few lemon peels into the flames. Or simply burn some lemon peels along with your firewood as a preventive measure.

42. Neutralize Cat-Box Odor
You don’t have to use an aerosol spray to neutralize foul-smelling cat-box odors or freshen the air in your bathroom. Just cut a couple of lemons in half. Then place them, cut side up, in a dish in the room, and the air will soon smell lemon-fresh.

43. Deodorize a Humidifier
When your humidifier starts to smell funky, deodorize it with ease: Just pour 3 or 4 teaspoons lemon juice into the water. It will not only remove the off odor but will replace it with a lemon-fresh fragrance. Repeat every couple of weeks to keep the odor from returning.

44. Reduce Asthma Symptoms
In addition to a general detoxifying diet, 2 tablespoons of lemon juice before each meal, and before retiring can reduce asthma symptoms.

Read More: http://www.trueactivist.com/45-uses-for-lemons-that-will-blow-your-socks-off/

Have unexpected guests stopping by? Is your home a mess?  Read this cute blog post on how to fake a clean home.  The author has some quick fixes that will trick your guests into thinking your home looks straightened up all the time.  Doesn't hurt that her home is amazingly decorated either!  Enjoy! http://www.thriftyandchic.com/2014/03/how-to-fake-clean-house-for-those-last.html

Dronestagram and National Geographic have revealed the winners of the 2014 Dronestagram Photo Contest.  It is amazing the shots that can be captured through the use of drones.  Some of these angles I would have never thought of.  Take a look and enjoy! http://www.dronestagr.am/contest/rewards/

Check out this HUGE halibut caught in Southeast Alaska.  It is not considered a world record, but 482 lbs is not too shabby!  Can you imagine having this GIANT on the line?  Talk about a battle.  Makes you want to get out there and try your luck!

Read this story on ADN.com to check out the photo!

http://www.adn.com/article/20140707/no-world-record-482-pound-halibut-caught-southeast-alaska-jaw-dropper 

Check out this cute web site for easy to follow directions on how to put a small pond in your yard.  What a great idea to add some character to your landscaping!

 http://www.thegardenglove.com/how-to-build-a-pond-easily-cheaply-and-beautifully/

This upcoming weekend there is an opportunity to choose between two fun-filled races in Anchorage!  On Saturday the 28th, you can decide whether to get colored in cornstarch of caked in mud!   

The city will host both The Color Run, a worldwide for-profit footrace marketed as the "happiest 5K on the planet" and the locally-organized Anchorage Community Mental Health Services Race for Recovery, a race of the same distance but over slippery obstacles and through muddy swamps.

There is an entry fee for both races.  In the case of The Color Run, some of that money goes to a local charity, while the much-smaller Race for Recovery stands to give a lot more. Children can run the Race for Recovery's 2-kilometer dash for $10 and adults can tackle the 5-kilometer trail for $45. Since corporate sponsors and donors cover most of the cost to put on the race in Bicentennial Park -- a price that hovers between $15,000 and $20,000 -- all race entry fees funnel directly to Anchorage Community Mental Health Services. Prices for The Color Run are comparable. Participants pay between $40 and $55, depending on the date of registration and participation as a team or individual, to run (or walk) the loop from the Sullivan Arena to the Delaney Park Strip.  The Boys and Girls Club in Anchorage receives part of The Color Run's proceeds based on its involvement in race promotion and volunteer recruitment.

So which will it be - getting colorful or getting muddy?

Read more hear: http://www.adn.com/2014/06/25/3534391/color-run-returns-to-anchorage.html?sp=/99/100/&ihp=1#storylink=cpy

Eye-catching and beautiful home landscape design is certainly attainable for do-it-yourselfers, but there are some common "misjudgements" that  that should be avoided if you desire satisfaction with the end-product.  Therefore, below is a list of 20 mistakes to be avoided in home landscape design. The mistakes covered here range from oversights that have practical ramifications to more subtle errors that negatively impact your enjoyment (or even your neighbors' enjoyment) of your home landscape design.

• Failure to have a plan. Ideally, it's best to start from scratch, draw a plan for the whole yard, and stick to it. Short of that, try at least to sketch a rough plan for one large area of your yard, and put all your energy into implementing that plan this year.
• Straight walkways and planting beds. A curving walkway provides more visual interest and softens the boxy shape of your home and property. Planting beds with curved borders gently guide the eye around the yard and look more natural and inviting.
• Having a lawn because you think you should. For those not attracted to the "green carpet" look or who dislike having to mow grass every week, it's important to know that other acceptable options exist, especially for small spaces.
• Hanging onto scraggly, unhealthy or overgrown plants.  Brown leaves, and sparse foliage do not add beauty to 
  your landscape. Remove offenders and replace with appropriate plantings.  
• Shrubs and trees blocking passage. Your home will look more inviting and well-maintained if you trim overgrown shrubs.
• Planting on an eroding hillside. Build a retaining wall first, then do your planting afterwards.
• Failure to work with what you have. Sometimes you can successfully fight the terrain you inherit in your yard. Other times, instead of fighting it, it's better to go with the flow and work with what you have. The key is to know what you're up against and what options you have.
• Topping trees. Don't get sold on the erroneous notion that cutting off the tops of trees spurs growth. The fact is, removing all or part of a treetop encourages rapid decay, weakens the branches and makes them susceptible to disease and breakage.
• No personality. The gardens that have the most sparkle and creative touches express the character of the inhabitants. Display a sculpture piece or ornament, place one or two unusual plants in your yard, or arrange some antique furniture on your front porch. Place yard ornaments, such as bird baths or sundials amongst one or two of 
  the groupings.

Ready for spring?  How about some creative ideas to cure your cabin fever and spruce up your home just in time for the warm weather?  Here are some DIY ideas that won't break the bank and will revamp your home!

1. Repaint and revitalize. Never underestimate the difference a coat of paint can make in a room or even on one wall.

2. Update your hardware. Replacing the fixtures on dresser drawers, kitchen cabinets and bathroom vanities is simple.  Accessories like doorknobs, and even hinges can look dated.  Spice up a space by swapping out the existing hardware and make it your own.

3. Sand and stain.  Don't like your kitchen cabinets but not ready to completely renovate? No problem, as long as they are in good condition, you can paint or stain your existing cabinets.  Be sure to do a test on the inside of a cabinet that won't be seen to make sure you get desired results.

4. Counterculture.  New countertops drastically change a space and are available at most home improvement stores in standard sizes at a reasonable prices.  They are pre-cut and ready to install.

5.  New stream.  Faucets in the kitchen, tub and sinks can be changed.  They should correlate with the rest of the style in the specific room.

6.  Get floored.  Tiles can be inxepensive and can transform a kitchen, bath or mudroom.

7.  Kitchen views.  You can switch out a kitchen backsplash without moving cabinetry or appliances, and the sky's the limit in terms of style and color.

This is a great article which talks about using leverage when buying properties and the positives and negatives of it. Though this is more of an article for my investor clients I think it is helpful for all buyers and sellers to understand. Enjoy

by ALI BOONE
I’d say one of the most famous debates that comes up on this website is the one about paying all cash for a property versus leveraging a property.

And by famous I mean, it gets ugly.

The heart of the debate seems to center around the difference in risk in buying a property using all cash or buying a property using leveraging. Those who leverage their properties boast that the benefit of doing so allows the investor to buy more properties with the same amount of money. Those who pay cash come back against that argument saying how risky leveraging is and that the risk isn’t worth it, even if it does get you more properties. From what I can tell, this point in the debate seems to always be the point of impasse between the sides. Being able to buy more properties by using leverage is an indisputable fact. Leveraging inducing more risk seems indisputable. So then, everyone stops debating at that point and goes about their merry ways.

I think this is the wrong place for the impasse. Being able to buy more properties using leverage, yes, that is correct. But leveraging being riskier?

Is it?

For any newbies out there, “leveraging” refers to using ‘someone else’s money’ to buy something. That can include loans from a bank, loans from an individual, financing on a credit card, borrowing money, etc.

For the purpose of what we are talking about here, I’m going to stick with referring mostly to mortgages. A mortgage isn’t the only way to finance a property but it’s the primary one and a lot easier and more common than other methods. For the purpose of this article, I’m thinking mostly about mortgages because I want to look at long-term loans rather than short-term (just trying to keep it simple).

What is Risky about Leveraging?

Obviously there are factors involved with leveraging that are cause for concern. There may be others, but for the most part, the following issues are the things that should be looked at in terms of risk associated with getting a loan for a property:

Cost. A huge concern with leveraging anything is that inevitably you will be charged interest which will make your actual cost significantly higher than the original purchase price. That extra cost can end up being quite substantial depending on the terms of the loan.
Losing what you put into it. Let’s say you buy a house for you and your family. You get a 30-year mortgage on the property. You do great with the house until year 20 when you unexpectedly lose your job. You can’t find a job quickly and you don’t have much in savings (and even if you do, having no income can suck all of that up painfully quick), so suddenly you can’t pay the mortgage. The bank who you have the mortgage with takes your house from you. So for 20 years, you paid a huge amount of principle on the house, you paid a ton in interest, and who knows how much in miscellaneous expenses for the house, and now you have no house. You don’t get any of that 20-years’ worth of money back and you have no house either. Oh, and your credit is in shambles.
Losing other assets in addition to that one. If you have a mortgage on a house that you lose, unless you have a non-recourse loan you are at risk for the bank taking away other assets that you own, in addition to the house with the mortgage, in order to pay for the loss. Luckily most mortgages now are non-recourse, meaning the only thing they are allowed to take is that particular piece of property and nothing else of yours, so that helps but recourse loans do still exist.
Type of loan. Speaking of loan terms, let’s say you don’t lose your job but instead the payment on your mortgage goes up dramatically. This can happen with an adjustable-rate mortgage. If you have a fixed-rate mortgage you are locked in at the same interest rate for the entire length of the loan. If you have an adjustable-rate mortgage, after a set number of years the interest rate on your loan will change. It will change to match the current going market interest rate (with some restrictions), which could be much higher than what you originally signed up for. If you were to buy a house for yourself today, you might be able to get a loan with a 2.5% interest rate (primary homebuyers, not investors). What if with the real estate market booming like it is right now, the interest rates in five years jump to 8%? Don’t laugh, it can happen. Remember in the 1980s when interest rates hit 18-19%? Regardless, the difference in monthly payments may be enough to force you to not be able to pay and you could lose the house.
Well that all officially sounds pretty miserable, I must admit. If those were the only sides of the story, I too would only buy with cash. However, investment properties can work slightly differently than a primary home and when an investment property is bought correctly, a lot of those risks can disappear completely. I would even argue that they disappear enough to justify saying that buying a property with leverage is less risky than buying with cash.

Mitigations for the Risks

Cost. As long as your mortgage payment (which includes the interest payment) is well-covered by the monthly rent collected for the property, you aren’t paying this extra cost out of your own pocket. Yes, you are less that money you pay out in interest but if you actually run the cash-on-cash return of a property that you finance versus that of buying with all cash, the returns are usually significantly higher so you still make more money than if you bought with all cash and avoided the interest payment.
Losing what you put into it. Same scenario as before: after 20 years of owning a property, something drastic happens and you can’t make the mortgage payment anymore and you lose the house to the bank. If you are an investor and bought smart and the property made you money for the entire time you owned it, even if the bank runs in and takes it out from under you, the only thing that will take a negative hit is your credit score. All you put into the house originally was the down payment and some closing costs, and after that, the tenants essentially paid all of your expenses in the form of giving you rent every month. Okay, so actual worst case scenario you lose what you paid for the down payment and your credit score. That’s assuming the money you made on the house didn’t pay you back the money you put down because it likely did. So then it really is just back to your credit score. This mitigation is of huge consideration when buying an investment property versus a home for yourself. This mitigation flat doesn’t exist if the house is yours because you aren’t collecting income on it along the way and it remains a major risk. (Just in case you are wondering if you should finance a house for yourself anytime soon…)
Losing other assets in addition to that one. Never get a loan that isn’t non-recourse. For a mortgage, this shouldn’t be a problem but always make sure that is written in there. Then the only thing you could lose is that property and none of your other assets.
Type of loan. Never get an adjustable-rate mortgage, always get a fixed-rate. With the fixed-rate interest included, your payment should be well-covered by the rent collected on the property. So then you have some wiggle room in case of changing rents, but you don’t have to worry about drastic changes to your mortgage expense.
So assuming you know how to properly buy a rental property, the only official risk in leveraging a rental property versus paying all cash for it is a potential bash to your credit score should something go totally wrong, no? What else?

Let’s break this down…

An Example of Paying Cash or Leveraging

You set your sights on a rental property that you are interested in buying. The purchase price is $105,000 and it brings in $1,150/month in rent. The total monthly expenses (including estimates for vacancy and repairs) are $376, so you will then bring home $774/month in profit. For an all cash buy on this property, you will be looking at a cash-on-cash return of 8.84%.

Now let’s say you finance the same property instead of paying all cash. If you get a fixed-rate 30-year mortgage at 5% interest, you’re monthly mortgage payment will be $450.93. Add that to your monthly expenses and you will bring home $323.07 each month. It sounds like a lot less than the $774 from the all cash buy, but remember, instead of putting $105,000 of your own money into this, you only put $25,000 or so in. So your cash-on-cash return actually ends up being much higher. In this case, 14.77% to be exact. That’s just under double the returns you would earn for paying all cash.

Okay, so you know the numbers now. What happens if for some ungodly reason this property goes completely bunk? You know it hasn’t gone bunk because of an adjustable-rate mortgage because you bought a fixed-rate. So clearly the apocalypse must have occurred in your neighborhood to make the property go bunk. So now you can’t get tenants ever again and you didn’t have an apocalypse clause in your insurance policy so you can’t get that money either. The house is done.

For both scenarios, let’s look at what is lost:

If you paid all cash for the property, you are out $105,000 cash (less what profits you made along the way).
If you had a mortgage on the property, you are out $25,000 cash (less what profits you made along the way) and your credit score/ability because you had to foreclose.
Which are you more comfortable with? For me personally, I’d rather lose my credit score all day long than an extra $80,000 out of my pocket. But maybe you’re obsessed with your credit score and would rather lose $80,000 in order to keep it high. To each their own.

Back to the Debate

So what’s the verdict?

The way I see it, if I use leveraging I can buy a property for 1/5th of the cost of paying all cash, my returns are higher, my tax benefits are substantially higher, and I’m more covered for vacancy and repair issues because having more houses can cover those expenses as they come. Then, if all goes south, I only lose 1/5th of what I would have had I paid all cash. Doesn’t that essentially mean my risk is only 1/5th of what it would be if I used all of my own money? The only major difference is the risk to my credit score. Not sure how to weigh that into this, but to me the risk of losing my credit score is literally the only big risk I see. I’m not risking near as much of my own money as I would if I paid all cash. Which is more important, money or credit score? And that’s assuming something even goes that drastically wrong with the rental property in the first place to cause the whole thing to go under.

What if the value of your property drops significantly and now you owe more on the mortgage than what the house is worse? Easy. The value of your property doesn’t matter unless you are trying to sell it. Being underwater on a house affects you zero if you aren’t trying to sell. So that’s no argument.

What if you are forced to sell though and it’s underwater from what you owe? If you don’t have the money to make up the difference, you just foreclose and you only lose your credit score. If you had paid all cash, you’re going to lose the full difference between the sale price and what you bought it for. That could be tens of thousands.

I recently had someone walk in to my office in Kenai asking me to list their home because they were afraid they would not be able to make the mortgage payment. They were afraid that if anything happened, like if the boiler broker down, or the heat system stopped working, that they would not be able to pay both their mortgage and fix the broken item. They would have to choose. It pains me to hear their story because I don’t feel that if you work hard, and try your best, that you should have the feeling that you won’t have enough money this month.  Many folks think that Alaska was not affected by the mortgage crisis we as a nation suffered from in 2008; and they are mostly right. We on the Kenai Peninsula for the most part were not affected. Home values did stop rising for a year or two, but now they are moving on up. 

For the folks though that bought high and now are in a mortgage with an arm and outrageously high interest rates, they have no where to turn. This client went to 3 different banks on the peninsula, tried to refinance and was told it was not possible. Now I am working with them to try and see if there is anything I can find or do to help them. Owning a home is such a wonderful thing, and to see owning your home be a burden pains me. I am not saying my client did all the right things and that the lenders are completely at fault here. She is the first to tell you she made mistakes. Then shouldn’t it be for home owners, like it is in life sometimes where if you can admit your faults and take responsibility for your actions that a helping hand should be there to offer another chance?

At this point my client feels her only option is to sell the home and rent a place that is less each month. If her interest rate was at the current rate of 4.5%, she would be able to afford her mortgage. A single mom though, is being told that she needs to sell her home, rent for a few years so she can better her credit and then possibly be able to buy another home in 5-7 years with an interest rate that she can afford.  HUH? She already owns a home that she is current on! Doesn’t that seem backwards?

I have said my piece – so for anyone else out there looking for some answers in their own financial situation, this article below has some good info of one of the programs out there called HARP that can help you refinance. Enjoy….

By Laurie Redmond

Underwater on your mortgage and still haven’t refinanced? Here are some lender tips on refinancing through HARP, a government-backed program to help underwater homeowners lower their monthly payments or lock down a low, fixed-rate mortgage.

Don’t assume you won’t qualify

Do you owe way more on your home than it’s worth? You can still refinance through HARP (the Home Affordable Refinance Program) no matter how underwater you are.

Moved out and rented your home? Is it a second home, a condo or an investment property that’s underwater? You can still use HARP.

You can easily check your initial eligibility yourself — it takes just a few minutes online. First, you need to know that your loan is owned by either Freddie Mac or Fannie Mae:

• Freddie Mac Loan Lookup Tool
• Fannie Mae Loan Lookup Tool

Second, you need to be able to answer yes to these three questions:

1. Are you current on your mortgage payments? (No 30-day+ late payments in the past six months, and no more than one late payment in the past 12 months)
2. Is the home either your primary residence, a one-unit second home or a one- to four-unit investment home?
3. Did you close on your last home loan on or before May 31, 2009?

Contact your existing lender (the company you make your mortgage payment to) to confirm whether you are eligible. If your lender doesn’t offer HARP, contact another lender in your area — to get started here’s a list of some of the Freddie Mac-approved lenders and Fannie Mae-approved lenders offering HARP.

It’s easier than you think

Don’t put off refinancing through HARP because you think it will be difficult to do.

Start with the lender or servicer you have now for the easiest refinance process — for most homeowners there’s no appraisal and little paperwork. And, if you didn’t need PMI (private mortgage insurance) with your current loan, you won’t need it when you refinance through HARP, no matter how underwater you now are.

But don’t forget, not all lenders offer HARP, so shop around in your area. Freddie Mac’s and Fannie Mae’s participating lender lists are a good place to start.

Lock in to a low rate while you can

Don’t think you’ve missed the boat on a low interest rate. Rates are edging up, but keep in mind that you’re comparing them to the lowest rates in history. In three to five years, rates are unlikely to be this low.

So, you need to think long term. Even if you have a low, adjustable-rate mortgage (ARM), it could be worthwhile to refinance to a slightly higher fixed rate. While you may pay more in the short term, you’re likely to be better off over the long run if interest rates rise. You’ll have greater stability and the peace of mind that your rate won’t change in the future.

Check with a lender to find out your monthly payments with a new interest rate and closing costs (including how long it will take you to absorb any closing costs). Online mortgage calculators can help.

Visit Harp.gov for additional info.

Related:

• 7 Common HARP Questions Answered
• How HARP Can Put Money in Your Pocket
• How to Find a HARP Lender

No matter how great the housing market is in your area, you still have to put in some effort to get your home sold for the best price. It starts by getting your home in shape to sell and pricing it reasonably. Even then, there are plenty more dos and don’ts to keep in mind. Below are a few that I think should be considered:

Fall has arrived and it is a fantastic time of year to go enjoy the outdoors before the cold weather sets in.  Make sure to bring a camera to capture the beautiful fall colors!  Here are a couple of other tips to make sure your hike is a safe one!

• LEAVE WORD OF YOUR DESTINATION & SCHEDULE. In order to locate you in an emergency or send assistance would you need it, leave word at home with friends as to where you are going and when you intend to return.
• DO NOT DRINK WATER FROM PONDS OR STREAMS unless you have treated it first by boiling, filtering or using purification tablets.
• CARRY A COMPASS and a topographical map of the area and know how to use both.
• CARRY A DAY PACK containing rain gear, extra warm clothing, high energy food, water, first aid kit, pocket knife, whistle, matches in a water proof container, sunglasses, sunscreen and insect repellent.
• DRESS APPROPRIATELY for the season and wear appropriate hiking shoes or boots.  Layered clothing is best to meet changing weather conditions, and it is recommended that you avoid cotton clothing, which insulates poorly when wet and dries very slowly.

Since fall is just beginning, here are some helpful tips to start getting your home ready for the cold weather that will soon be here!

~ Clean gaps between deck boards, especially above joists.

~ Check caulking and weather strips around doors and windows.

~ Trim or remove planitings around foundation. Leave a minimum of 1 foot clear space between plantings and foundation.

~ Scrub mildewed areas of house and other structure's siding.

~ Service kitchen disposal by grinding several cups of ice.

~ Examine, repair and replace caulk and grout around tub and shower.

~ Pour 1 gallon of water down unused drains.

~ Clean fire extinguisher, refill or replace as needed.

     Protecting and preserving the environment starts right in your own home.  Here are some items that will not only save you money, but are also safer for you, those you care about and for the environement.

PURE SOAP - Soap biodegrades safely and completely, and is non-toxic.  Make sure that you use soap without synthetic scents, colors or other additives.  Even phosphate-free biodegradable laundry contributes to water pollution.

VINEGAR (FIVE PERCENT ACETIC ACID) - Vinegar is a mild disinfectant which cuts grease, cleans glass, deoderizes and removes calcium deposits, stains and wax build-up.

EUCALYPTUS OIL - Eucalyptus oil is a good disinfectant and deoderizer.  It gets rid of some stains, like ink and grease, kills and repels some insects and attacks rust.

WASHING SODA (SODIUM BICARBONATE) - A key ingredient for washing clothes, washing soda cuts grease, removes stains, disinfects and softens water.  Washing soda should not be used on aluminum.

BAKING SODA (BICARBONATE OF SODA) - Baking soda works well as an abrasive in alternate recipes.  Baking soda also deoderizes, removes stains, polishes and softens fabrics.

Please click below to check out the details on the Open House this Thursday in Kenai. There are a few other homes as well that are available and I will be posting their locations in the next day or so. Please come and check this out!

Its always when you start planning on selling your home that you realize there are so many projects that you wanted to do to make your home more inviting, or more up to date, and yet you haven't had the time. We if you are planning to sell it is really good to do a few projects. Below are 6 areas of your home that can drastically improve your resale value. Melanie @ Sunlit Spaces came up with some great ideas. Check them out!

First and Foremost:

Home Maintenance. The number one thing that will make your home sell easier, faster, or for more money is if the home has been well maintained. This means the roof doesn’t leak, the windows are insulated well, the water heater works, there is no water damage in the basement, etc. Buyers walk the second they see thousands of dollars in maintenance or upkeep. Aesthetics matter, but pocketbooks do too, I guess. 

Curb Appeal- YES! Guess we all knew this, but replacing old siding or the exterior of your home can make a huge difference in curb appeal. You should recoup at least 80% of the money that is spend to update the outside of the home, including siding, yard maintenance and- adding a porch! People love porches and adding one is worth the investment, according to some agents.

More Space- Ok, this isn’t exactly a quick little “DIY” project, but adding square footage drastically increases the value of your home. Every 1,000 square feet added increases the value by 30%. Crazy!

Minor Kitchen Remodel- K, don’t get all crazy and throw in a $60,000 kitchen, hoping to get your money back. But. If you do a minor update (paint cabinets, new flooring, new counters, etc) you will see a 90% of the money you put into it, at least in most markets.

Bathroom Remodels- Of course. Everyone loves a nice, updated bathroom. This can be done relatively inexpensively, with paint, light fixtures, new tile (or painted tile) etc.

Hope you found this helpful. Thanks for tuning in to the Rambling Realtor....

Below is a great article by Tara@trulia. She really explains some really economical approachs to maximizing your space by thinking outside of the box. Check out this link for some great visuals as well! http://www.houzz.com/under-stairs

"As the Spring real estate season flourishes, and escrows close by the thousands, many home buyer’s fantasies of ownership become reality. For many, the house hunt is a quest for the the holy grail of more square footage. But the reality of home ownership is this: you furnish and decorate the spaces in your home according to their planned purpose (e.g., dining room, kitchen, bedroom, etc.) only to realize that you spend 80 percent of your time in 20 percent of your home’s square footage! 

Most homeowners who have formal living and dining rooms rarely use them (Thanksgiving and Christmas are but two days of the year). Similarly, millions of square feet in great rooms, breakfast nooks, laundry rooms and hallways and even “spare” bedrooms go underused - space wasted most or all of the year.  

Sometimes this is simply a sign that you have a really great kitchen or bedroom that you love - and love to be in.  But it’s often an indicator that there might be a little disconnect between your everyday life and the way you’ve chosen to configure your home.  In either case, given the cost of those precious square feet, it is a worthwhile endeavor to do what you can to make as many of them as lovable and livable as possible!

There is a cure for the scourge of wasted space:  rethinking your rooms. The fact that a room is called a dining room or a breakfast area does not mean that’s the only function you can do there. In fact, I propose that buyers and owners alike might want to spend some time this Spring rethinking and rearranging your rooms to live to the very edges of your precious square footage. Here are a few ideas for repurposing your underused spaces at home:

1.  Too-small bedroom into closet or extra bathroom.  If you have a bedroom so tiny that it’s barely usable as such, and only when the occasional guest rolls into town, consider getting a sleeper sofa or making friends with a concierge at the hotel down town and converting the little bedroom into an amazing closet. I did this at my last home - simply opened up the wall between the small room and the master, inserted floor to ceiling closet doors and called in a closet organizing company to help trick my new closet out with shoe racks, sweater shelves, rods at varying heights and drawers.  

Best. Closet. Ever.  And to boot, I no longer found myself griping about the unusable little room!

If you have a little more money to invest and could use an extra bathroom, a too-small bedroom makes for a good, efficient bathroom - especially if it’s located next to another bathroom, so the plumbing already exists. 

2.  Wide hallway or under-stairs space into study or storage areas.  You might be thinking: “Are you nuts lady?  I don’t have any “extra” rooms!”  Even if every proper room in your home is spoken for and being used, you might still be able to find underutilized areas and spaces in your home that you can arrange more efficiently and squeeze maximum use out of those square feet.  Common culprits are very wide hallways and spaces under the stairs, both of which make excellent spaces for custom built-in storage cabinets or desks.  Need some inspiration?  Visit online home design wonderland Houzz, where there’s a whole category for under-stair design ideas and pics from real homes.

3.  Dining room into office or game room.  Probably the number one room conversion I hear homeowners consider is the change of a formal dining room into an office. Think about it - you might use the dining room a couple of days a year - a couple of weeks, max, if you are an avid entertainer or dinner party host.  But these days, many people work at home, at least part of the time, and running a household is a job of its own, generating papers, files and bills galore. Kids also need a study area for homework and school projects.  

Now, with wifi and laptops, all these work and study activities can happen anywhere in a home.  But many families find their best case scenario is to have one room with well-arranged desks, lighting, seating, monitors and office supplies, where one or many family members can contain their work and study activities and clutter. This promotes balance and calm in the rest of the home and minimizes distractions to boost focus. 

4.  Breakfast nook into computer or bill-paying area.  There’s something very sweet and romantic about the notion of a breakfast nook. But if you’re fortunate enough to have a nook and an eat-in kitchen island or other casual dining area, you might find yourself using the nook more for organizing the family calendars and paying the bills than for eating.  If this is how things go for you, it might make sense to lean on into what you’re already using this space for and optimize it by bringing organization and storage solutions to the area to cut clutter and make even your bill paying a bit more enjoyable.  

Consider installing a bulletin or chalk board, a table with a drawer in which you can stash your laptop and ensure you have drawer storage for your files, checkbook, pens or other objects you need to handle the family business.  

5.  Too-large great room into living, dining, study and play area.  A surprising number of homeowners with great rooms find that they furnish these massive, vaulted rooms beautifully upon moving in, never to enter more than a corner of the space again.  A great room presents the perfect opportunity to carve out and repurpose the space you have in a way that aligns with the activities your family actually does on a regular basis.  If you have a great room, but no casual dining space, why not make the area nearest to the kitchen into a breakfast nook-inspired dining area - there are scads of bar-height tables and stools on the market for precisely this purpose.  No spare room for an office?  Consider setting up a desk, chair and lamps or whatever other office area equipment your family needs in one segment of the great room.

And there’s absolutely no reason you can’t use furniture and carpets to turn your great room into more of a multipurpose room, strategically laying things out and arranging furnishings to host your family’s living, dining, study and recreation areas all within four walls.

6.  Basement or laundry room into mudroom or pet grooming area.  Many people think “underused space” and what instantly comes to mind is the basement. Basements have been finished with sheet rock, painted, carpeted and turned into living areas as long as human beings have been into home improvement. But here’s the rub: in many parts of the country, older homes were built over raised basements because the builders knew the lower areas were susceptible to flooding in the rain or snow.  In such areas and cases, it might not make sense to finish the basement with carpet and other things that will be ruined if they get wet.

That said, basements often have entry doors to the exterior of the home, and many have plumbing.  This makes them the ideal site for a tiled mudroom, with racks and shelves for family members to stash their muddy, wet shoes, coats, umbrellas and even sports gear - and a sink or other area where they can clean up a bit so as not to track their wintry messes upstairs.  Same goes for oversized laundry rooms that were built in the days before full-sized stacking, front-loaders were even a possibility - if you have oodles of extra laundry room space, rethink it into a mudroom/laundry room combo.

If you live in an area with mild winters, but you have canine family members, the very features which make basements and laundry rooms great mudrooms render them prime sports for installing a pet bath or shower area.

7.  Formal living room into library.  Are you a book junkie? It’s relatively harmless, as vices go, with one exception: it can be excessively space consuming.  By this I mean, it can be excessively clutter-creating, if you don’t get a handle on it.  If you have a formal living or dining room that is simply not being used, consider lining the walls with bookshelves - bought or built in - and converting the space into a library. Comfortable, well-lit seating and a desk or writing area will finish the room off.  

If books don’t float your boat or you have switched entirely over to e-reading, this same model can be applied to any space-sucking collection that you spend more time enjoying than you spend in your formal living or dining room."

P.S.: For a step-by-step room rethink plan, and many inspirational photos check out the book Right-Sizing Your Home: Make Your House Fit Your Lifestyle, by Gale Stevens.

Have you ever repurposed a room?  What was it before, and what did you do with it?  Were you happy with the results?  Please share!