Posts with tag 'For Owners'

It's the season to keep an eagle-eye on the weather forecast and wonder if you can wear more than one sweater at a time. As fall turns to winter, the environmentally-conscious and budget-minded alike start thinking about energy efficiency. And our REALTORS® regularly encounter homebuyers concerned about heating efficiency in the homes they view during the colder months. Whether you're looking to sell your home or stay comfortable in the one you have, a few hints on smart heating use will save you money and make those chilly winter nights a little cozier.

• Keep Those Home (Furnace) Fires Burning 
  Furnaces don't require much in the way of upkeep and are built to last 15 years or more. But neglecting basic maintenance can make your furnace less efficient and possibly shorten its life. Change the air filters on your furnace before you begin using heat in the fall and at least once during the winter. Having your furnace professionally inspected before you turn on the heat in autumn can help you spot problems before they literally leave you in the cold.
  
  

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A lot of people will be celebrating the holiday season differently this year. To reduce the spread of COVID-19, many families are choosing to stay at home and are having get-togethers via video chat. Just because you aren't entertaining in a traditional way, it doesn't mean you shouldn't decorate your home for the holidays. Our REALTORS® know that this is a challenging time for everyone, including those with Mansfield homes for sale. Whether you're buying, selling or staying put, these tips for creative holiday decorating can lift your spirits and put you in a festive mood.

• Go Green
  Exploring eco-friendly décor isn't just good for the planet—it's a fun way to mix things up and let your imagination run wild. Two cool sustainable ideas for holiday decorating are wrapping presents in fabric instead of paper or using brown paper bags for wrapping paper. It's a great way to get kids involved—they can use colored pencils or markers to create their own designs on the outside of the paper.

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Thanksgiving is practically synonymous with pie. Pumpkin, apple, or pecan pie, it may be traditional to have a slice after Thanksgiving dinner. But pie isn't the only way to end your meal. Sometimes change is good and our REALTORS® encourage you to think outside the pie pan and try something new. We've rounded up six Thanksgiving desserts that are well worth saving some extra room for.

• Pumpkin Layer Cake
  A fluffy Pumpkin Layer Cake would make a great addition to your Thanksgiving spread. The pumpkin flavor comes from pureed pumpkin and a blend of beautiful spices: ground ginger, cinnamon, and nutmeg. Adding lots of eggs to the batter gives it the custardy flavor and texture of pumpkin pie. It's classic to pair this layer cake with tangy cream cheese buttercream frosting. Making this soft, moist, and delicious pumpkin layer cake is relatively straightforward and takes about 1 hour to bake and frost.

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As you've spent most of the summer at home, have you been looking for extra projects to keep the family busy? Maybe you've listed your house among Mansfield homes for sale and have been getting your home shipshape for potential buyers, but you've still got time on your hands. Has the urge to feed your backyard birds flitted across your mind? Helping them out — especially as the weather gets colder — is a fine thing to do.

But it's not enough to toss out pieces of dried bread. Bread has no nutritional value for birds and can be harmful by filling them up so they don't eat the foods they need. If you're going to feed the birds, invest in good quality seed.

Here are some additional tips for helping your local feathered friends get the nutritional boost they need.

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Spending more time at home gives everyone a bit of a home improvement bug, and that's never a bad thing. But if you've been watching home makeover shows, your vision of the process may not match reality. Many small and mostly cosmetic projects are DIY-friendly. But there are times when you'll need to call in the professionals for safety and legal reasons. Our REALTORS® want your remodeling project to go off without a hitch, so we'll help you sort out which projects you can tackle on your own and which need to be done by the pros. 

• Make A Splash 
  Plumbing-related repairs and updates should be approached with caution, but several are DIY-friendly. It may be the first time you locate the shut-off valves in your home, and this can be crucial information in case of a leak or break in your pipes. Changing plumbing fixtures, including installing a toilet, can be done by a careful homeowner and can take years off the look of a room. 
  
  If you're looking to add a freestanding bidet or an outdoor sink, however, you should leave that to a professional plumber. Re-routing existing pipes or installing new ones can get tricky fast. Any project involving shutting off water to the entire house should also be left to a plumber, as the necessary equipment may require a plumber's license.

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