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15 Ways to Increase the Value of Your Property

July 15, 2021 compassmineralsbargaining Comments (0)

Amid a huge influx from rural to urban areas everywhere in the world, there is a visible rise in demand for property in the megacities like Los Angeles and New York City. The ever-increasing demand has flourished the housing and construction industry like never before. It has resulted in the addition of new housing projects that are a hallmark of the latest architecture that is studded with the technological advancements. These advancements have added to the overall value of the properties.

There are multiple factors including interior decoration, the quality of the stuff, and Atlanta outdoor designs that enhance the value of your precious property. Especially the outdoor designs are essential to catch the eyes of potential buyers.

Here are a few tips which can also help you to increase the value of your property in a short span of time.

PLAN WISELY

Before starting to remodel your old building, backyard or lawn, make a plan first. Whether you have just bought the property or have been living in it for a while, plan everything. Make intentional changes, not on impulse.

Invest very smartly and take a slow start. Note down everything, including the changes you would like to make.

Take the list and categorize by sorting out how much money and time you will invest. Time is as important as money in this business. Picturing a house with a nice pool is good but keep your financial status in mind.

All these improvements will add value to your home, so keep connected with the realtor and know what’s going on in the property market.

TAKE ONE SPACE AT A TIME

Projects become achievable when you tackle one space at a time. You can start with the whitewash job in one room to start with and later expand it to the other corners of your property.

You must take into account time frame, comfort level, and financial limitations while carrying out these tasks. A stylish upgrade is, in fact, a good investment in your property if you are planning to sell it later.

Making it low maintenance will also be helpful as the buyers fear an emergency repair in the near future. You should consider replacing easily-stained carpets with wooden flooring and paneling. Choosing a color that is more on-trend will make it stand out from the crowd.

MAKE IT MORE EFFICIENT

Places that experience severe heat or cold need an efficient energy system. Use energy-efficient fixtures, like LED lighting, insulation, solar paneling and double-paned windows that will make your house energy-efficient. These features automatically add the value of the property.

Set an assessment with a certified energy auditor to determine which areas of your house are wasting energy. It will allow you to spend your money wisely in the up-gradation of different parts, not all of them.

MAKE IT BIGGER

The addition should become an option only if you have enough available space and finances for the extension of the house. One extra room means uplift of property value. Additional living space can also be created by building the basement or a nicely designed deck.

MAKE YOUR HOUSE SMARTER

Never compromise on the safety of your house and its inhabitants. Adding up small devices will make your house smarter and safer for your family members. Fire detectors, Carbon Monoxide detectors, thermostats, security cameras, door locks, and lighting are some of the advancements that can be installed to transform your traditional home into a smart one. These smart devices can be fixed with the help of a professional.

MAKE IT ATTRACTIVE

Apart from investing money on the interiors, you should also consider spending on the exterior of your house. When the exterior looks good, move to the inside and add some features to the interior to make it look wonderful. Focus on the kitchen and bathroom first and give them a new design because outdated designs hurt the valuation of your property.

REMODEL YOUR KITCHEN

Change the paint, do a mini remodel. The cabinets can also be painted in faux wood colors to create an aesthetic look. A new pot rack with new hanging pots also magnifies the look of the kitchen.

New tiles will make your kitchen look fresh whereas open shelves incorporate convenience. If removing a wall is a time-consuming task, opt for a cutout instead. If you have a big kitchen, design wide walkways.

Design a kitchen island with its practicality in the mind. Cooking and eating on the same island can be challenging so keep in mind to dedicate separate spaces for these two areas.

SMALL BATHROOM UPDATES

If your budget doesn’t allow you to remodel your bathroom, then just go for smaller alterations. Even small updates can result in a big return. Replace old lighting and old plumbing and give your bathroom a brand new look.

When it comes to the bathroom, always make sure to build one in your basement because no matter how furnished it is people will always look for a bathroom with it.

REPLACE WORN CARPETS OR RUGS

What turns your buyers off is worn carpets and rugs because they think these old carpets will require an immediate replacement. Changing all the carpets at once may look difficult with a short budget, but you can change one at a time.

The dye is a good choice if you want to make your rugs and carpets look new and get them rid of their stains but not all rugs are dye-able.

The subfloor is another option if you want to keep it financially helpful. Remove the old rug and carpet and the floor underneath.

KEEP AN EYE ON MAINTENANCE AND REPAIR

You don’t want to give the impression that your home has been neglected. If there is one thing wrong in every room, it will leave a negative effect on the minds of potential buyers of your property. Tackling the maintenance yourself is a good idea but if you don’t feel like doing it, hire a handyman and hand him the checklist so that he knows exactly what you want him to do at the premises.

 

FOCUS ON LANDSCAPING

A well-landscaped home has a significant advantage over a home that lacks this facility. Thousands of dollars are added to the value of the house by well-planned landscaping. Effective outdoor lighting boosts your mood and creates a very warm environment.

A fire-place, BBQ stand, flower pit, pathway, and ground level, all of these make a wonderful landscape when designed properly.

HOW TO FINANCE THE IMPROVEMENTS THAT INCREASE THE VALUE

It is good if you were able to save money over the years to carry out the home improvement. However, if you don’t have any savings, then here are a few options that will help you with the payments of the bills for the improvements.

Credit Card

It’s easy to put the bills on the credit card and pay it once it arrives in your mail. However, you should make sure to use it wisely and not attract unnecessary liabilities. Use this option only if later you are able to pay the bills on the card in full.

Personal Loan

Generally, personal loans are also used for home improvements. A personal loan with a low-interest rate can be helpful for your project. Personal loans are usually unsecured loans that mean higher interest rates. There are also many more options available for financing your home improvements.

Home Equity Line of Credit

Finance options can also be calculated by using Finance Calculator apps and pages designed to estimate home improvement rates.

Conclusion

It is imperative to keep track of your expenses when you remodel your house, either the exterior or the interior. It is perfect if you already having the savings to spend on the home improvements but there are many other financing options if you don’t have the money required to get the job done. At the end of the day, you will get the best price for your property.…

8 Interior Design Tips for the New Year

June 12, 2021 compassmineralsbargaining Comments (0)

It’s 2020 and new interior design trends are all over social media. With each new decade, designs evolve and change. It’s easy to stay stuck in the style you loved in 2002, but isn’t it time step out of your comfort zone in style?

In this article, we’ll take a look at eight interior design tips for the new year. Even the most seasoned interior designer will love these.

1. Get Some Character in Your Kitchen

The all-white kitchen was one of the most defining design trends during the 2010s. However, as we enter into the new decade, many interior designers are predicting that they’ll be a major shift toward getting more character into the kitchen.

For example, it’s expected that we’ll start to see more natural wood on islands, cabinets and shelves. This trend will allow a homeowner to maintain an airy and bright vibe without being restricted to all-white surroundings.

2. Vintage Accents

As with many other areas in life, what goes around comes around in interior design trends. One trend you can expect going into 2020 is that you’ll see more traditional and vintage detailing.

When it comes to vintage, expect items like spindles, spooled legs and other styles from the 1800s and the early 1900s. Just don’t expect to see vintage everywhere, all the time. During this design cycle, interior designers are incorporating only one or two statement pieces in a room.

3. The Color of the Year Is…

This year’s Panton Color of the Year is a navy shade of Classic Blue. This means you’ll see a lot of splashy color in 2020. The good news is, this color is highly sophisticated and completely versatile.

Navy blue gives decorators an amazing amount of subtle contrast for exteriors and interiors. It can be used in modern-style homes and traditional homes alike.

You can use this color to give your kitchen island a quick, sleek upgrade. Or you can use it to achieve a dramatic look in an entire room without giving poor contrast to woodwork and white trim.

This shade of blue gives a classy, almost stately look without going all the way to black.

4. Floral Wallpaper (Yes, Really!)

The thought of flower wallpaper probably makes you cringe. But in 2020, it might be time to change your tune.

Don’t think of your grandmother’s floral wallpaper, however. Although floral wallpaper has been around for decades, these current gorgeous patterns come with a much more modern update in the new decade. Bold, large-scale color and metallic versions are here. And they’re here to stay.

Floral wallpaper is an especially good option in foyers and powder bathrooms. The best news is, if you’re not ready to commit fully to a pattern, there are many stick-on varieties you can try out.

Give it a shot!

5. Contrasting Decor

High-contrast designs are a big trend in 2020. If you’ve always fantasized about painting a room black, now is the time to give it a try.

For the longest time, the go-to color has always been white. But this year, it’s all about high-contrast combinations. As an example, you’ll see a chair with a white frame and black fabric. Or maybe a console table with light hardware and deep, dark stained wood.

6. Canopy Beds

Have you had dreams of sleeping your nights away in a regal canopy bed? Now is the time to make that dream come true.

Modern canopy beds no longer feature big, chunky headboards or get swallowed up in heavy fabrics. Today’s canopy beds are crafted from metal, acrylic and ultra-sleek upholstered frames.

They’re definitely making a big comeback.

7. Unique Kitchen Art

While you’re out and about looking at pieces of fine art, don’t forget about your kitchen. Maybe you’re an artist and never thought of painting something for your kitchen. Give it a try!

We’ve always had a certain focus on making our kitchens another inviting room in the house, not just a utility area for cooking. One of the best ways to accomplish this is by hanging inviting art in your kitchen.

You should also use shelves to openly display certain items that express your personality and sense of style.

8. Wicker and Rattan Furniture

Do you think these materials need to stay on the front porch or back deck? Think again.

Indoor wicker and rattan are having a major resurgence in 2020. For a lot of people, it reminds them of their childhoods. Sentimental value is always one of the highest valued currencies.

Wicker and rattan have evolved in exciting and fresh ways for tables, chairs and lighting. They perfectly balance traditional and modern styles with ease.

Interior Design in 2020

As we enter into the new year, bring some design spice into your life. Choose one or more of these eight design tips, then put them to use in your home. You’ll be glad you did…

All You Need to Know About Keeping Your Drains Clean

May 20, 2021 compassmineralsbargaining Comments (0)

Drains, filter and flush away all the debris, food particles, or shampoo from your sink or bathroom floor. You may not be aware of the number of pipes that are running under your house floor and in ceilings above you. These pipes bring and drain gallons of water and other stuff that is thrown down in the drains every day. So it is only natural that with time they get greasy, dirty and clogged. Keeping drains clean should be your top priority when doing the maintenance of your house. However, it is often observed that people do not pay attention until it is too late, and they see a blockage in their drains. If you do experience water built up in your sinks and pools of water accumulating in your yard that is because your drains have been clogged. It’s best to call a professional plumber to deal with this problem. With several plumbing services in the area, the blocked drains in Sydney are not much of a problem.

You can certainly avoid frequent visit of your plumbers by adopting a few of our ways:

Hot Water

Hot water has numerous benefits. Not only it can cure cough, flu and can relieve you from back pain, but it can also solve many household issues. It has this inherent quality that it removes obstruction and uses its strength to make its way. After washing the dishes or using a bathroom just drain a small amount of hot water. It will clean the drain from any dirt that might be stuck in it causing it to block.

Baking Soda

Baking soda comes handy when domestic problems occur without any warning. Although blockage of drain usually doesn’t occur overnight, it happens when drains are left with debris and food particles in them for a long time. You don’t have to wait till your drain gives you a red signal to toss baking soda down in the drain. It is better to put baking soda every ten to fifteen days, to make sure the drainpipes are all clear.

Strainers

Thorough cleaning of drains once a month is much more complicated than regular daily cleaning. A small strainer above the drain, especially in the sink, gathers coffee grounds, food particles and doesn’t let it strain down the drain. While washing dishes, do make a habit of keeping a strainer right above the drain, once you are done with the dishes throw the trash in the bin and your drain will not give you any trouble.

Vinegar

Your kitchen cabinets have ingredients that can help you in these urgent situations. Vinegar is made up of acetic acid and chemicals. It comes in different flavors and is commonly used to enhance the taste of various food items. A cup of vinegar, if poured down the drain, reacts with water and immediately creates bubbles in it. These bubbles clean and clear the blockage of the pipes and drains. Additionally pour a cup of water and then your drain pipes with be as good as new.

Lye

Lye is a strongly alkaline solution made up of potassium hydroxide. Lye is used for cleaning and washing. Small cubes of lye are used for keeping the drain clean. Although lye is a dangerous material, hence it is recommended that lye is used with caution and in a small amount. To keep the drains free of blockage you can put two or three small cubes of lye, once a month in drains.

Lint Catcher

You would be surprised to know, but very often it is the lint or broken pieces from your garments that block the drain. Once the clothes are in a washing machine, some lose buttons, or other stuff often breaks down. It gets difficult to catch these broken pieces once you have washed the clothes and the water has been drained. To prevent these bits of articles from getting stuck in the pipes and blocking the drain, you can install a lint catcher in your washing machine hose. You need to empty it after every wash.

 

Grease

Grease may look harmless, but it is one of the worst things that you can let run through your pipes. Often while doing the dishes, people tend to put the dishes directly in the sink without cleaning the grease. This does not block the pipes right away, but the worst part is that grease does not drain away but stays on the walls of pipes. It is better to clean the dishes with a paper towel before putting the dishes in the sink. This will prevent the grease from going into the pipes and will help in keeping the drains clean. Moreover, there is a lot of personal hygiene stuff that is also greasy for example, shaving foam, face wash, cleansing lotion are also greasy.

Hair

If you have ever seen your bathroom drain, you might have noticed a lot of your hairs are blocking your shower drain. Hair fall is a common epidemic, and a shower is a place where you lose most of your hair. You need to catch your hair before it reaches the drain because once it is in the drain, then it is most probably going to block it. Lately, different equipment is available in superstores to solve this problem; for example, a pop-up stopper is a special kind of magnet that is installed in a drain. It catches the hair. Installing it in the drain and then cleaning it every alternate day would not let the hair build up in the drain. Hence your drain pipes would be free of any loose hair.

Wastebasket

The drains in your home are not your wastebasket. It seems convenient to throw food bits in a sink or to dump trash in toilets. No matter how lazy you feel, do not do this. This does not only obstruct your drains but also damage your drain to a great extent.

10.Store Bought Cleaners

There is always an easy and short way of solving a problem, although it usually is neither effective nor a long-lasting solution. Store-bought cleaners are such an example. Dumping a small amount of cleaner in the drain gives the immediate result, but they should be used with extreme caution. It is better to use them only in severe and urgent situations and not make them part of a regular cleaning regime.

Conclusion

Keeping your drains clean is a part of hygiene. Clogged drains allow the bacteria to grow, fruit flies appear ann besides, it creates odor too, and before you would know your whole place would start stinking. The clogged drain does not start to smell immediately, it takes a while. Before you can notice a lot of damage would have already been done. If cleaning the drain is not a part of your regular cleaning regime, you need to include it immediately. When drains are cleaned with regular intervals, blockages are hardly formed.

 …

Advantages to Growing Perennial Flowers in Your Home Garden

April 9, 2021 compassmineralsbargaining Comments (0)

A gardener who understands the difference between annuals, biennials, and perennials. In most instances, has a lot of the latter due to the many advantages that it has. This is whether it is a perennial vegetable, fruit tree or flower. Although they are beneficial, most gardens have a mix of the three categories depending on how the garden landscape is planned.

Therefore, it is best to choose annuals if you want to experiment with having different types of flowers for some time. While biennials will beautify your home garden since it has two growing seasons. On the other hand, perennial flowers grow back every year and hence as you read on you will learn more of their advantages.

The deep and strong root system

As you read more about these colorful flowers through online gardening sites. You will learn the perennial flowers grow strong and deep root systems. Not only does this root system help you adapt to extreme conditions but they can access nutrients that other annual flowery plants cannot. This is because their roots grow deep every year and can bring up the nutrients with ease up to the surface. Hence, through this root system, the flowering plant can trace elements like nitrogen, iron, and magnesium that are found deeper in the soil profile and are essential for growth. Additionally, this root system helps the perennial flowers to withstand floods, wind storms, and drought which is a great adaptation advantage.

They improve soil structure

Due to the deep and strong roots discussed earlier. The perennial flowers create a self-made secure system because they remain in the soil for long as they grow over the years. This helps them create a network whereby the water can percolate and where pore spaces can help with soil aeration that stabilizes your soil. Thus preventing rainstorms, wind, soil erosion and watering. Also, it is beneficial to all surrounding plants and microorganisms as the soil essential nutrients help naturally fertilize your plants as they are left intact.

They need less water

As seen above how perennial flowers bring up nutrients from deep down the soil profile. Similarly, these roots can draw moisture up hence the reason they need less water as they are self-sufficient in comparison to other varieties. When compared to the annual flowers that have roots closer to the surface, hence, the need to get watered frequently as they have no water reserve as the perennials at the topsoil level. This is a great reason to grow the perennial flower in your home garden. Additionally, through this benefit moisture is present in upper levels of the soil for shallow-rooted plants to access. Plus, it prevents soil erosion by the wind when the soil dries out for it is continuously moist.

They are a great investment

Since perennials are a one-time purchase. Plus, the perennial seedlings or seeds are low cost. These perennial flowers are a great investment that ensures the sustainability of your garden. Either it is a home or office garden this benefit is a solid reason to have them as your choice of flowers. Therefore, there is no yearly spending that keeps you in a cycle like the annual flowers. Hence, it is of great advantage as it saves you money in the course of a few years. Thus purchase your perennial flower seedling and plant just once and enjoy its continuous bloom.

Have a greater variety

Do you want flowers that have various blooming times? Then perennial flowers are perfect if you are starting your home garden. This is so since when you add various varieties available around your home or that you can mix with others around your plot. It is possible to have your garden looking beautiful even when not all the perennial flowers are blooming. This extends the productive season of your plot and you have a variety of produce. Other than when you plant annuals that bloom all at once especially during summer. To add on, these perennial flowers are perfect in producing crop as they survive extreme climatic conditions as they are hardier than the other categories.

No pressure in planning

Another advantage is that there is no pressure in planning when it comes to perennial flowers. It is as simple as planning the fast time and you allow nature to sort out the rest. This is because most perennial flowers over the years grow into bushy beasts. That, however, depends on the type of flower you have that may require to get split for new flowers. However, the original ones are still the best as they grow big enough for your space and just need frequent maintenance to look neat. Have these flowers in your home garden and enjoy this benefit that most people find time-saving.

They require much less work

Every home gardener enjoys perennial flowers as there is no planting, digging and clearing every season. Since you only do this once and the rest of the energy you save it for maintenance. Even when you consider the competition most flowers have with weeds. The perennials always win as their strong roots do not allow any space for any weeds to grow. Especially, when you grow your perennials in the organic mulch. The weeds are kept under control and you need not go over and over again weeding around your plant.

Easy to propagate

Perennials are known to live longer than other flowers of other categories. Plus, with the current eco challenges, they can easily decline in number. Fortunately, they can be propagated with ease through the method of dividing. By splitting the root clump after digging it into two or more separates. Then one can easily plant the different separates as long as it is in a similar area like the original plant. After, they become viable and new plants with renewed growing potential. Hence choose these eco-friendly perennial flowers to grow in your home garden and enjoy the many benefits that they boast to your garden.…