Articles Tagged "Homeowner Tips"

You've probably asked yourself many times, are solar panels a good option for you? For more reasons than one, this year may be the right time to make a choice. Many factors make this a big decision, so our agents would like to point out some of the most significant.

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New Year's is often seen as an occasion for loud and exciting parties with friends. But if you have kids at home, you may be more interested in a quieter, family-friendly celebration. You don't have to buy expensive tickets or stay out till 2 a.m. to have a great time on New Year's Eve. Our agents are excited to share some tips for ringing in the New Year, family-style.

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There's no better feeling on a cold winter night than settling in with your family or loved ones to chat about your day, enjoy dinner, or maybe watch a movie. Many of the best Ridgewood homes for sale are already quite cozy, but you can always make small improvements here and there.

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A live Christmas tree looks beautiful and makes your home smell fresh, but it's also important to take good care of the tree, so it survives until the holidays. A well-cared-for tree won't dry out as fast and will shed fewer needles, lasting as long as five weeks before needing to come down. Here are a few tips from our agents for getting the most out of your tree.

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Are you looking for ways to boost design appeal in your home? You may be surprised to learn that painting unexpected places can quickly give your home that wow factor it's been missing. Our agents have some great tips to make your house stand out in today's real estate market.

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Fire hazards are plentiful in modern homes, and knowing how to prevent fires is a skill every homeowner should master. It's National Fire Prevention Month, and this is an excellent opportunity to examine the hazards around your home and to take steps to mitigate the risk of a fire burning down everything you have worked so hard to build. The following are some tips our agents recommend for enhancing your safety and protecting your home.

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Whether working from home full time or a few days a week, you need a space that enhances your productivity. Your home office should separate your personal life from your work. It should have the necessary accessories to make working comfortable and more manageable. Besides our agents helping you find the best home for you among the Ridgewood homes for sale, they have also compiled these five upgrades for your home office.

1. Laptop Stand and External Monitor
   Laptops are great for portability, but if you're working from home, they can quickly become cramped. Increase your screen real estate with a second monitor and add a laptop stand to put your computer at eye level. Both of these options can go a long way in ensuring an ergonomic desk setup.

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You spend much of your day indoors, and it's crucial that the air you breathe is as clean as possible. Our agents recommend taking the following steps to ensure the air within your home is as clean and healthy as possible.

1. Change the Filters
   It takes just a few minutes to change the filters on your HVAC system, and it's well worth doing this every month or two. Further, be sure to invest in a high-quality HEPA filter. It will trap the smallest particles and is highly effective at keeping everything from pet dander to VOCs out of your indoor air stream. Changing the filters also helps improve HVAC system efficiency and reduces wear and tear, saving you money in the long run.

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As spring winds down and the weather warms up, it's the right time to put your summer maintenance list together to get your home and landscape in order. Creating a list will help you visualize the work that needs done and makes it easier to prioritize tasks. Our agents share tips to help you get started.

• Get Ready to Clean
  You should start your maintenance by getting rid of clutter and thoroughly washing the inside and outside of your home. This will make it easier to see any damage to the home and any issues that need repairing.

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If your home's interior is looking a little dated, perhaps it's time for a fresh coat of paint to boost design appeal. Our agents know that new paint is an easy, affordable way to transform a drab, outdated space into a space with updated style and appeal.

A fresh coat of interior paint will quickly create a clean updated look that appeals to buyers looking for Ridgewood homes for sale. If you're ready to tackle an interior paint project and give your home a new, stylish look, consider these interior painting tips that will ensure successful results.

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A home filled with music is a home filled with memories. Whether spending a romantic evening with your spouse or sharing a fun-filled afternoon with friends and family, music sets the backdrop for a wonderful time. Our agents love listening to music as much as you and highly recommend the following technologies that will allow you to enjoy your favorite music in every room in the house.

• Multi-Room Music 101
  Modern home entertainment technology makes it easy to connect every room in your home to a central music system without the need to string wires and cables through every wall. Multi-room audio systems allow you to connect wireless speakers and other devices effortlessly. These allow you to stream music from Apple, Spotify, and a wide range of apps that you can control from your phone, tablet, laptop, or PC.

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One of the first signs of spring in New Jersey is the appearance of brightly-colored crocuses peeking out of the last vestiges of snow. Soon to come are the daffodils and bluebells. Our agents will be busy showing off the many Ridgewood homes for sale, made even more attractive by their lovely gardens. You may be thinking that you don't have room for the garden of your dreams, but that is far from true. Once you have decided whether to plant flowers, vegetables, or both, you still have several options from which to choose. Here are a few of them:

• Container Gardens
  Probably the most versatile option, containers allow you to move them around for aesthetics or to follow the sun's path. They also mean that you can bring them inside to escape cold weather. Your home improvement store can share many options from large to small containers and wheeled platforms for easy relocation. They will also allow you to choose the type of soil required for each variety of plants.

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Getting a new puppy is an exciting time for the whole family. It's important to start teaching your children what they'll need to be doing once the puppy arrives. Keeping small items off the floor and putting away their shoes is just the start. Having a puppy is a big responsibility, and everyone has a role to play.

• Invest in a Good Crate
  Investing in a good crate will serve several purposes. It will provide your puppy with a safe space and also keep them from getting into trouble while you are at work. Puppy crates make great training tools and will give your puppy a place where they can go to rest without interference.

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There are plenty of great Ridgewood homes for sale, including some dating back to the Victorian era! Sometimes older homes need a bit of work, but updating a period home can be a bit of a mixed bag. A remodel is necessary, but a complete overhaul could end up destroying the home's unique, historic beauty and rustic charm. This is especially true in the kitchen. How do you strike a balance between historic charm and modern convenience? Here are a few tips.

• Plan. Go through the entire kitchen and determine what you want to keep and what you want to replace or add. Do the rustic, hardwood floors still work, or would you rather have modern tile? Perhaps the ornate faucets above the sink are worth keeping, but the pipes below need to be replaced. Talk to a contractor who understands old homes and can help you make these decisions.

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No matter how much care you show your property, emergencies are bound to happen. For people looking into Ridgewood homes for sale, it's equally important to prepare for household mishaps after settling in. Below are six common crises with their responses.

1. Power Failure
   Many power outages are caused by extreme weather, and the only thing to do is wait them out. Most importantly, stock flashlights and batteries on every floor of the home and let every household member know the location of these supplies. Flashlights are much safer than candles as the latter can start a house fire.

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The way families spend their leisure time has changed dramatically in the last few years. Instead of piling into the car to drive to an adventure, many families are focusing on activities at home. Our agents have noticed trends that are pulling families away from the TV set and into the kitchen, offering several benefits. February is National Bake for Family Fun Month and the perfect time for the whole family to gather in the kitchen for some baking fun. 

• Bolster Education
  Reinforce math and reading skills by having younger children follow recipes while helping in the kitchen. Recipes can be halved or doubled, measurements are in partial cups or tablespoons, and recipes can be read aloud. Do you have teenagers that claim they already know how to read? Hand them Grandma's favorite cookie recipe written in cursive on a 3-by-5 card and see how well they can manage!

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Contrary to popular belief, winter can be a prime time for completing certain home improvement projects. Without outdoor activities, vacations, and other warm-weather distractions, you can get more accomplished in a shorter time. This time frame is also an end-of-the-year slowdown for many businesses and contractors, which means you can negotiate on labor costs and get materials at a discounted price. Winter home improvement projects are less focused on curb appeal and more on making your interior more comfortable, liveable, and energy-efficient. So, whether you've just moved in or are planning to add your home to the list of Ridgewood homes for sale in the spring, here are a few home improvement projects to complete in the winter.

• Apply New Paint
  Winter is a great time to give your home a burst of life with fresh paint or a change of color. That dry air that affects your skin in winter can help your paint to dry more quickly. You may find better deals at your local hardware store, and if you're hiring a professional painter, chances are you won't deal with scheduling delays. You can choose to focus on one area or repaint all the rooms in your house.

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Congratulations! You're a first-time homeowner and have volunteered (or a relative volunteered you) to host Thanksgiving for the first time. Hosting and cooking this great American meal can be exciting, but it can also feel a little intimidating. Hosting comes with a lot of responsibility, and you probably have a few boxes left unpacked. But fear not, our agents have some helpful tips that will help you host your first Turkey Day like a veteran.

• Plan Your Big Day
  Early planning, ideally two to three weeks before the big day, is the key to a stress-free Thanksgiving. You need to figure out how many guests and children you expect. Create an online or mail-delivered invite to show your family and friends that you'd enjoy their company and encourage them to RSVP as soon as possible. Think about where your guests will sit and where you'll set your food. Think about the need for tables and chairs and create a music playlist that would appeal to everyone's taste. Don't forget non-food items like appetizer plates, napkins, table cloths, and decorations.

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It's the 21st century. Why don't our homes look and function like the Jetsons yet? Where are the appliances designed to meet your needs automatically and cater to your every whim at the touch of a button? Well, we may not have robot maids yet, but there's plenty of smart technology you can incorporate into your new home to make your life easier. If you're looking for Ridgewood homes for sale, here are a few new technologies you can outfit yours with.

• Smart Lighting. Smart LED bulbs can adjust their brightness and even their color to your exact specifications. Controlled through an app on your smartphone, you can program different lighting levels for different situations: make the living room a little brighter for family game night or a little dimmer for date night. Or program the lights to cycle through hues of red, blue, green, etc., to create party ambiance. Plus, LED lights use far less energy than either halogen and CFL bulbs.

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There's nothing like a fireplace in winter. It's fun to cozy up and enjoy a nice blaze while it's cold outside, relaxing in the warmth while savoring the fragrance of logs burning in the grate. But as enjoyable as a fire can be, proper maintenance of a fireplace is required. Otherwise, you could face endangering your loved ones and losing your home.

Whether you've found a home among Ridgewood homes for sale or you're getting your home ready to sell, a fireplace can be a great feature, increasing the value of the home by as much as 6 to 12 percent, according to the National Association of Real Estate Appraisers. But if your knowledge of fireplace maintenance is scanty, read on and absorb these safety tips before cool weather arrives, and it's time to light your first fire of the season.

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You've spent the summer making your landscaping stand out in the neighborhood, and now is not the time to let your efforts slack for the season. As the leaves change colors and start to fall from the trees, the following are some valuable tools that our agents recommend. Each of these will make cleaning them up a little easier so that you can enjoy the view of your landscape throughout the seasons ahead.

• Leaf Blower - These come in all shapes and sizes, but the basic premise is the same across the board. Each uses a steady stream of air to push your leaves around so that you can pile and pick them up. If you have a larger landscape, be sure to choose a leaf blower with a cord, as the battery-powered versions will most likely run out of juice before the job is done.

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The bathroom can be one of the toughest places in the house to keep organized. As our agents can tell you, it's also one of the rooms that really gets the attention of prospective buyers, for good or bad. Until you're ready to put your house on the market among Ridgewood homes for sale, you can enjoy a relaxing, functioning, well-organized bathroom that makes your morning routine a breeze. These tips will help you get the job of organizing your bathrooms done quickly and easily. 

• Collect all the products and tools that need organizing.
  Just make a pile or spread them out on the counter or table. Collect anything from other rooms that really belongs in the bathroom. Knowing exactly how much stuff you have to organize will help you decide how much room you need and what kind of organizers you might need.

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The trend for adding outdoor "rooms" to increase our living space just keeps getting more popular. The pandemic contributed to this trend, as homeowners sought extra space by building patios or enhancing existing patios. If you're like other homeowners among Ridgewood homes for sale and are thinking of building a patio, how can you make sure it suits your needs? Our agents have some great advice that can make a difference as to whether your patio accomplishes what you want it to do.

• How Big?
  Before you get immersed in how your patio will look, it's crucial to decide just how big it will be. Experts recommend 90-150 square feet for a 6-ft. table and chairs. A minimum of 550 square feet is a good rule of thumb, as is 25 square feet for each person. Try to locate your patio away from the foundation of the home. Most homeowners complain that the traffic flow of the patio, even when the square footage is adequate, is unsatisfactory, with people forced to squeeze around chairs, and access points requiring foot traffic to cut through the entertainment space.

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