Every year, we tackle spring cleaning at home. Why not do the same at work? 

Courtesy of BPT

Learn to think like a buyer!

Curb Appeal Is Everything!

Pay special attention to the landscaping and keep the grass cut and trimmed while your house is for sale. If you are selling during the summer months, extra watering may be needed to keep the lawn in tip top shape.

    Give your yard a manicured look. It will really pay off to spend a few dollars to have the plants neatly trimmed, the planting beds weeded, and fresh mulch put down. A great touch is to put brightly colored flowers near the front of the house. You might even want to add a couple of pots of flowers at or near the front door well give it an extra touch. Be sure to pick plants that don’t need daily watering.

All your windows should be sparkling clean on the exterior as well as the interior.

Take a good look at your front door. Does it need a fresh coat of paint or maybe just a good cleaning?

Spend a few dollars and replace your old mailbox, then add some attractive house numbers. These simple things will give your house a polished look.

Make sure your deck or patio in the back yard is neat and inviting. You want your buyers to be able to imagine entertaining or just relaxing in this space at the end of the day. A power washer can be rented for about $40-$50 dollars if heavy duty cleaning is needed. Go ahead and power-wash any siding on your house at the same time.

Store all garden equipment and trash containers out of sight.

Look at the interior of the house through “buyer’s eyes”

Have a professional do a thorough house cleaning when the house is finished, paying special attention to the kitchen and the bathrooms. Remember these are the rooms that sell houses!

Make sure all floors have been cleaned and are in good condition. This also applies to any carpet that hasn’t been replaced.

Give the house the “sniff test”. Does it smell good?

Buyers don’t want to have to paint before moving in, so be sure the house is painted in neutral colors. Painting the trim a crisp white makes the home look modern and inviting.

Home staging always pays big dividends! Consider doing some simple home staging so that prospective buyers can imagine what the home will look like with furniture in it.

Does the basement have a “musty” smell? Figure out what the problem is and correct it.

Does everything in the house function properly? Make sure all the light bulbs are working, and all of the cabinet handles and doorknobs are securely attached. Walk through the house and give it the same scrutiny that a buyer will, double checking the smallest details in the home.

Be sure to change your filters. If the furnace or AC filter hasn’t been replaced during the rehab, clean or replace it.

Author: Sharon Vornholt

Sharon’s Website: http://LouisvilleGalsRealEstateBlog.com

Driveway gates and fences will enhance the beauty, privacy and security of your home. A driveway gate extends your home security to the boundaries of your property, and in a time where people are increasingly worried about their security, adding an iron gate at the driveway entrance has become popular. Having a secure fence and gate can be a great comfort, particularly if your house lies in an area of heavy traffic. In addition to the security benefits, adding a gate also contains animals, clearly marks property lines and makes a huge aesthetic improvement to your home.

When you choose an iron driveway gate for your home, you can be confident in the knowledge that they are known for their strength and endurance. This makes them less likely to break or bend. With today’s power coating options, wrought iron gates can become just as rust resistant as aluminum. Iron gates can be matched with existing fences, pedestrian gates and access control systems.

It can be very frustrating to finish a long commute only to have to get out of the car, open a gate, drive through it, get out of the car again and close the gate. With this in mind another trendy feature for your iron driveway gates is to install an automatic gate opener. Electric gates provide indispensable convenience, allowing a gate to be opened without ever having to leave your car and therefore eliminating all those cumbersome steps.

When purchasing electric gates you need to consider a few options. The most obvious is deciding whether you want your driveway gate to open by sliding or swinging outwards. Swing gates are more aesthetically pleasing but you must take into account the opening radius depending on the length of the gate. Sliding gates will eliminate this issue as they retract rather than swing out.

You will also need to consider how much power is required to open and close your driveway gate. The amount of power is dependent on the size of your gate, how it opens and how many times it will need to be opened each day.

Finally, how will your gate be accessed, and by how many users? Electric gates are operated by a controller which sends a signal to the opening mechanism.

There are several options for your controller:

•Wireless

•Wired keypads

•Keypads with intercoms

•Key card operated controllers

•Controllers operated by remotes or telephones

Each of these features will affect the price and your final decision should be based on your budget and personal preference. Once you have taken all these points into consideration you can narrow down your options and choose the best Driveway Gates for your specific needs.

by: Mehboob Talukdar

Article Source:
http://www.articlecity.com/articles/home_improvement/article_7350.shtml

According to a Pew Internet & American Life Project survey, 58 percent of American adults have a desktop computer and 61 percent have a laptop. With all that computer power out there, it’s important to understand how to protect your at-home PC.

Here are common mistakes that can affect computer speed and safety, from the experts at USTechSupport whose family of products include MYCLEANPC and MAXMYSPEED:

Mistake: Enjoying free software and movies from your buddy.

Downloading pirated software is not only illegal; it can cause significant damage to your computer. The free software and media your buddy gave you can do more harm than good to your computer because it may be riddled with malicious viruses and malware, making your PC susceptible to attack. Remember, it’s better to buy than borrow when it comes to software and media.

Mistake: Clicking on enticing pop-ups.

Pop-ups caught your attention? Think before you click. Pop-ups that offer free goods, deals on products and even conversation with beautiful people can be alluring. But, do you know where that click will take you? Clicking on suspicious pop-ups can lead you down a rabbit-hole of even more unwanted pop-ups and spam. Take the time to research the subject yourself, rather than clicking on the first questionable advertisement.

Mistake: Leaving multiple files open.

You’re an expert at multitasking, meaning you need to constantly access many files. But leaving multiple files open in different applications can put a significant strain in your system. Try to keep only necessary resources active and see how much faster your machine responds.

Mistake: Not being proactive with computer maintenance.

Computer issues arise frequently, even for the most savvy computer user. That’s why taking a proactive approach is best so your computer remains secure and fast. You can get a free diagnosis of issues that may be affecting your PC’s performance by visiting www.mycleanpc.com. You can easily fix common issues before they become costly (and timely) problems.

Mistake: Responding to an email with an incredible opportunity.

Everyone has received them – that email investment opportunity that seems too good to ignore. The reality is, many scammers prey on trusting individuals or those who are enticed by get-rich-quick schemes. These scammers may even complete an initial transaction, only to later wipe out all your accounts. Never provide personal information, including banking information or your Social Security number, to anyone over email.

Mistake: Visiting adult websites.

Triple X can also mean triple the issues. Some sites harbor more than just adult material, they can create a domino-effect of pop-ups, forcing your PC to a grinding halt as it deals with the incoming viruses that drain the system’s resources. Avoiding suspicious sites is part of keeping your computer running at its best.

If you’ve made some of these mistakes in the past, don’t worry. Many people are tricked each day. By learning from these useful tips and suggestions, you’ll keep your PC running fast and issue-free.

Courtesy of BPT

Responsible past credit behavior, a healthy credit score and understanding your debt picture all play crucial roles in achieving your overall financial goals. So reviewing your credit report and knowing your VantageScore credit score and how you compare to others is essential. By reviewing your report, you can verify the information in it, and take actions to correct any item that may require it. If you have any negative marks, now is the time to take action to address those issues and increase your credit score.

Perhaps the biggest misconception about credit scoring is that all the three major credit bureaus – TransUnion, Equifax and Experian – produce the same score. Although similar, there are many different scoring formulas, so variations can occur.

The three major credit bureaus partnered to develop VantageScore credit score to make credit scores more consistent and predictable across all three credit bureaus.

VantageScore credit scores fall within a range of 501 to 990 and include a letter grade from A to F. the higher your score, the better. Even though new methods provide more consistent formulas, there may still be variations across the three credit bureaus because information on individual credit reports may differ from bureau to bureau. Furthermore, each company is provided updated information from creditors on different days of the month, so an increase or decrease for one might happen on the first day of the month while another may not occur until the 15th.

These differentiators are why it’s important to know all three of your scores, which you can easily get with a paid TransUnion membership. If you find the scores you have are lower than you’d like, there are some key things you can do. Most credit scores are derived by looking at these five attributes. By understanding what makes up these five factors, you can begin to change your behavior to improve your credit scores. 

1. Payment history: A good record of on-time payments will help increase your credit scores. Review your credit reports closely and regularly. Late payments and other negative marks typically remain on your credit reports for up to seven years from the date of first delinquency. If you do find a mistake, take the proper steps to correct it so you can increase your scores.

2. Credit account history: An established credit history makes you a less risky borrower. Keeping old accounts that you have paid off can also help because keep your debt-to-credit ratio more favorable. Think twice before closing old accounts before a loan application.

3. Outstanding debt: High balances in relation to your credit limits can lower your credit score. Aim for balances less than 35 percent of your total available credit. You can determine your debt-to-credit ratio by reviewing your credit report now.

4. Recent inquiries: When a lender or business checks your credit in response to an application, it causes a hard inquiry on your report and may result in a slight ding to your credit score, so apply for new credit in moderation. Remember, viewing your own report and score is counted as a soft inquiry and doesn’t change the score one way or another.

5. Types of credit: A healthy credit profile has a balanced mix of credit accounts and loans. It shows you have paid bills in the past and know how to manage different types of credit obligations. By reviewing your current credit reports and learning what your three scores are, you’ll set yourself up for financial success in the future. Visit www.transunion.com for more information.

Courtesy of BPT

In classrooms, studies show teachers want to provide personal finance instruction, but only 20 percent believe they have the capability to teach the subject, according to a study by the National Endowment for Financial Education. The benefits to students are real: Treasury Department research shows that high school graduates in states that mandate financial education have higher savings rates and a greater net worth than graduates from states without financial education.

As a result of the growing awareness about the importance of financial education, more resources are becoming available to teachers and parents. To help with funding for schools, a program called Pathway to Financial Success (www.PathwaytoFinancialSuccess.org), from Discover Financial Services, recently announced thousands of dollars in grants to public high schools to implement financial education curriculum and test students to make sure they are learning the content. Schools can apply for the grants via the website, and Discover will fund the grants up to a total of $2 million annually. Additionally, nonprofits like The Council for Economic Education are training teachers around the country, helping them teach children from kindergarten through high school about personal finance topics, such as saving and investing.

At home, parents can help reinforce what children learn about money. Unfortunately, these conversations are often not happening, as experts say parents are often more comfortable talking about sex, drugs and alcohol than they are about money – usually because parents do not trust their own financial acumen.

Indeed, it can be an awkward conversation, as the issue of money raises other concerns and priorities. But a number of resources are available to help parents talk to their children about money, such as the Jump$tart Coalition (www.jumpstart.org).  

Pathway to Financial Success also offers an online resource center for parents, providing tips on how to talk to their kids about how to manage money effectively. Additionally, through the site parents can identify their school district contacts and find resources to reach out to their school administrators and teachers about bringing financial education into their children’s classrooms.

For teachers, PathwaytoFinancialSuccess.org also provides sample lesson plans and other resources they can use in their classrooms.

Parents can start helping ensure their children are financially savvy by talking to their kids about money using a few simple steps at home:

* Use everyday experiences to talk about money. With tax season around the corner, talk to kids about the process, or engage them in the discussion of purchasing a large item and weighing the “wants” versus “needs” of the purchase.

* Talk to your kids about saving for a special purchase, and set small, manageable goals for them to reach.

* Be honest about your financial situation or poor financial decisions you have made in the past, and then talk to your kids about how you could have handled the situation differently.

* Make it fun by playing online games that teach common lessons of budgeting and saving.

Talking about money may not be fun – or even comfortable – but it is an issue that all families and young adults should confront with as much information as possible. There are resources available to help for all situations.

Courtesy of BPT

Gone are the days of loading the station wagon and heading to the local mall to spend the entire day getting everything the family needs. Today, shoppers are savvy and smart. They know exactly what they want and how they’ll get it. As a result of this fast-paced shopping evolution, the retail environment is transforming, too.

This transformation can be demonstrated with the Adidas Virtual Footwear Wall, which is powered by Intel and allows shoppers to access the entire shoe inventory via a digital display, view the product from any angle and see what others are saying about it on social networks. The capability to communicate in real time with fellow shoppers about your purchasing decision is essential in today’s fast-paced, connected world.

Courtesy of BPT

“Home interior experts know small decor tricks that take very little time can have a big effect,” says Elizabeth Sasso Smith from Liberty Hardware. “Homeowners can use these same strategies to make changes easily and quickly inside their own home.”

Wall plates
Perhaps one of the most overlooked ways to quickly and dramatically update a room is to replace the wall plates. Wall plates are the covers that go over the light switches and outlets. Most people default to boring, white plastic that can make a room look generic and cheap. Decorative wall plates can complement any design scheme, and because they can be removed, are a great option for those who rent or others who might want to change them out from time to time with minimal effort.

Wall plates are the fashion accessory that every wall needs to add visual appeal. Liberty Hardware offers wall plate options to fit every decor style. From modern, sleek designs that feature finishes like brushed nickel, to classic and elegant options with finishes like satin nickel and espresso, you can upgrade your room within minutes. Visit www.LibertyHardware.com or look for options at your local Lowes Home Improvement store.  

Paint
If you are looking for a big change with minimal effort, consider a fresh coat of paint. Dark and vivid colors remain popular and provide a focal point for the eye. Shades of green and gray are trending right now, as well as hues of blue in every color of the ocean. Pick up some paint samples from the store and bring home to see how they will look in the natural light of the room.

Interested in trying a bold color, but not sure about how it will look in the entire room? Choosing a single wall to paint is a great way to add color without going all out. For example, if painting a bedroom, choose the wall where you put the head of the bed. If you are painting a living room, choose the wall where the couch or your largest piece of furniture goes.

Hardware
Cabinet hardware changes are typically made in the kitchen or bath, but knobs and pulls have multiple uses if you think outside the box.

“Consider coordinating the color and theme of your new wall plates into a clever curtain tie-back using a knob or pull,” says Christina Hurley of Liberty Hardware. “A similar finish will add a design flow that creates character and pizzazz throughout the room.”

Some other ideas for coordinating knobs include use on a wall or door to hold a coat, towel or bag. You might even decide to hang pictures using coordinating knobs and metals. Instead of simply nailing the frame to the wall, tie with a beautiful ribbon and hang on a knob that matches your wall plates and other hardware in the room.

Hooks and hook rails
Other eye-catching additions to a room include hooks and hook rails. While they may have once been deemed for industrial or heavy-duty use, new contemporary and traditional designs along with complementary finishes like satin nickel and hazelnut allow hook rails to take a more prominent, decorative position in a room.  

Installation is simple and quick, allowing for a modern appeal and instant coordination with wall plates and other hardware. Find a new place for items that often get tossed on the floor like book bags, belts or purses. A small hook rail placed in a closet or bathroom is perfect for hanging jewelry for easy access or spice up your garage with a decorative hook rail to hold sports equipment or umbrellas.

Remember, it doesn’t take a lot of time or money to transform your interior space. With just a few easy updates like wall plates or hook rails you’ll be amazed at how different and beautiful your room will look.

Wood is one of the oldest building materials we know, and one of the most beloved. It’s a love affair that has lasted – like hardwood itself – through the centuries, from the log cabins of earliest America into the early 21st century.

Courtesy of BPT

1. Reputation – It’s not hard to learn which companies are considered the best cellphone service providers in the country. A quick Google search for the best in the industry will provide a number of independent reviews and ratings, taking into account various features and services. Also, you can poll family and friends for recommendations on companies they’ve found to be customer-friendly and worthy of consideration. 

Once you narrow down the possibilities, do some additional research to learn how long the provider has been in business and the results of its tenure. For instance, Consumer Cellular has been around for more than 15 years and has been named the No. 1 cellphone company in the country for two years in a row by the leading consumer reporting magazine.

2. Selection – While you may be able to get the latest, most expensive phone for a discounted price through a big-name carrier, you may also find that you’ll be tied into a two-year contract with severe penalties for early termination. It is possible to get a top-tier phone at a reasonable price without a long-term agreement, as many no-contract providers now offer phones from leading manufacturers. 

A phone may only be as good as its plan, and it’s important to shop around for a plan that fits your anticipated needs. However, needs may change, and it’s helpful to have some flexibility to upgrade – or downgrade – your minutes, texts or phone model without penalty. Look for a provider that offers a range of plans and the ability to move between them without penalties. Don’t be surprised to find that some of the best cellphone plans could end up costing you the least.

3. Service – At some point, you’ll likely need to call upon your cellphone provider for some assistance, and companies can vary greatly in what is considered good customer service. Think about features that are important to you, such as 24/7 phone or online availability, a domestic call center to minimize miscommunication and flexibility in selecting and changing your plan. Also, consider how well a provider will help you avoid fees, such as alerting you when you may be reaching your plan’s limits.

4. Price – Cellphone charges can add up quickly, particularly when you start finding hidden charges, such as activation fees. Spend some time reviewing a company’s pricing structure and history to answer a few questions: How often does the provider raise its fees and prices? What is the least amount you’ll need to budget for each month? Are there lower cost options for casual users? How much will shared plans increase your costs? With some providers, basic services can run as little as $10 a month.

5. Coverage – Finally, consider a cellphone provider’s coverage area. If the price seems too good to be true, there may be some gaps in coverage or you may be looking at steep roaming fees. Some providers, like Consumer Cellular, use the networks of the largest cellular networks in the country, ensuring top-of-the-line coverage without the price to match.

Keep in mind these five points, and you’re sure to find a cellphone and a plan that is a perfect fit for your needs.