The following is a guest post written by Jessica Thiefels. Homeownership in the U.S. is increasing, according to the U.S. Census Bureau. In fact, the Q2 2018 U.S. homeownership rate was 64.3 percent, up from 64.2 percent in Q1 2018 and 63.7 percent in Q2 2017, according to the U.S. Census Bureau. Being a homeowner is exciting and rewarding—not to mention it comes with a lot of perks. No more landlord, no more renting, and no more leases. While owning a home has a long list of benefits... read more

Homeowner beware: Summer does not mean vacation when it comes to your house. It’s easy to put off regular home maintenance during these long, lazy days of summer. But a little bit of effort now can save you a lot of time — and money — down the road. Here are five must-dos for summer home maintenance. SAM SHALOMAUG 1, 2019 SHARE The following is a guest post by William Dukes Homeowner beware: Summer does not mean vacation when it comes to your house. It’s easy to put off regular hom... read more

LINDSAY LISTANSKIDid you know there are 10 MILLION bacteria per square inch of a kitchen sponge? (dailymail.co.uk) What about the fact that your pillow is as germy as a TOILET SEAT! (NY Post) Those are just two of the mind blowing (and scary) facts about common household items that are probably not getting cleaned as regularly as they should be. With that said (or rather written :)) here are 20 items that you should give a little extra TLC to this weekend! Remote Control Good Housekeeping spilled the dirty tru... read more

SAM SHALOM Don’t you hate it when the grass is greener at your next door neighbor’s place? This summer you could have the lawn that turns everyone’s eyes green with envy and admiration, but you’ve got to get on it right now! Follow these tips to manifest the lawn of your life. BEFORE SUMMER 1. Inspect Inspect your lawn and note any spots that need special attention. If you notice brown patches, you need to act quickly to identify the disease so you can treat it. If the ent... read more

The following is a guest post from Paul Martin The way home insurance rates are calculated can seem like a mystery. However, once you understand the mindset of the insurance company, it becomes easier to figure out. To lower your home insurance rate, you’ll need to honestly review some key features of your home that could be costing you big bucks. Take these upgrades that commonly impact rates into consideration, and you may start writing smaller checks.1. The condition of your plumbing One of the biggest con... read more