Category: Ownership

Here’s our guide to improving, maintaining, and enjoying your house. With information on everything from home technology and reducing energy costs to outdoor living and working from home, these articles will help you care for your house and get the most out of living there.

Six Easy Ways to Lower Your Electric Bill

For most homeowners, the sting of a sky-high electricity bill is more than enough to prompt their interest in energy savings. Check out these easy methods to help lower your monthly bills. Attic insulation.  Most of the heat transference in a home occurs in the attic, whether it’s indoor heat escaping in winter or outdoor heat… Read more »

Watering Wisdom: Tips for a Lush Landscape on a Budget

It’s more than a nice feeling to have a lush lawn and showy flower beds — it’s a solid investment in your home. In fact, according to some estimates, landscaping accounts for about 18 percent of the value of your home. But it’s important to be savvy about watering so that your investment doesn’t go… Read more »

Six Water-Saving Tips for Homeowners

Homeowners with an eye on water conservation will be richly rewarded, saving themselves money on monthly water bills and helping their fellow citizens guard against potential water shortages. Here are six ways to tap into savings at the tap. Low-flow faucet heads.  Install low-flow nozzles on all your faucets, particularly your showers. These faucet flow… Read more »

How Neighbors Can Help (or Hurt) Your Home’s Value

Recent home sales in your neighborhood are a good predictor of the price your home might fetch, but your neighbors — good and bad — are also likely to play a major role. Here are four examples of how the neighbors and the area surrounding your neighborhood may help or hurt your home’s value. Neatness… Read more »

Energy-Saving Tips: Your Wallet and the Planet are Winners

Once homeowners have been stung by high energy bills, they’re quickly motivated to save resources and money. Check out these energy-saving tips. While some require a significant investment, others are relatively cheap or even free. Cheaper options include: Replace incandescent light bulbs with LED or fluorescent bulbs, also called CFLs. The initial cost of these… Read more »