After you finish unpacking your moving boxes into your new home you should consider was to protect your self from burglaries. Follow the below quick tips for a safe home:

1. Make sure all doors that open to the outside have dead bolt locks. Anything else is too flimsy and can be broken or dislodged to gain access into a house. Install a latch on the inside so you can double-protect the doors when you’re home. Put locks on the windows as well. Metal bars might be needed for low windows that can be easily accessed or if you live in a less-than-desirable environment.
2. Keep the lights on. Install motion-activated lights in the outside of your house so you’re not left in the dark. If you’re going to be away for a while, put your inside lights or even a radio on a timer so it looks like your house is occupied.
3. Get a home alarm system. You can buy a cheap one at most home repair shops and some are simple enough that you can install them yourself. These alarms will do nothing but make noise, however. For added security, get an alarm system connected with a security company. This means that if the alarm goes off, the company will know and notify the police.
4. Avoid obvious displays of wealth. If you buy a new computer or a plasma TV and then leave the empty box right outside your gate, you’re advertising your new electronics. The same is true if your TV or other expensive equipment is right against the front window, where everybody walking by can see it.

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Most people remember to give their local post office their new address when they move, so mail can be forwarded. However, there are many other offices and companies that should be informed of your move and where indicating a change of address in advance can save you a lot of headaches.

Utilities. Let the electric, water and gas company know that you’re moving. Call and give them company a time and date to shut down the utilities in your old place and then do the same for your new location. Other utilities to keep in mind include phone (both landline and cell), cable, Internet and garbage pickup.

Personal Accounts. Inform your vet and your doctor that you’re moving. Ask for copies of medical files so you can pass on the information to your new doctor/vet. If they don’t want to share the files directly with you, give them the contact information for your health care providers and ask them to forward the information directly. Also, inform your insurance company and attorney.

Financial Accounts. Banks, credit card companies and loan institutions should be informed of your new address as soon as possible. Contact also your accountant if you have one, the IRS, government benefits offices (unemployment, social security, pension). You will eventually need to change your car registration address.

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Whether you work from home, run your own business or simply want a place where you can sit down to sort your bills, a home office can turn into a welcome haven. While having a dedicated room for it would be ideal, even a small corner in the living room or kitchen can be turned into a home office if you’re willing to make some sacrifices in space and design. Here’s how to set up a home office in five simple steps:

1. Choose the location. Make sure it’s in a quiet area where you’ll be able to concentrate and out of the way from major family traffic. You can convert a spare bedroom into a home office if possible or have a room play both duties.
2. Buy furniture that fits the space. Don’t buy the furniture first and then choose the placement, or you might be stuck with a piece that doesn’t fit properly or wastes space. For small areas in the kitchen or living room, a small rectangular table with a drawer or a corner desk should be enough. If you can have your own room, consider an L-shaped desk, so you can maximize the surface space.
3. Make a list of the equipment you will need. If budget is tight, start with the basics and then add other pieces as money becomes available. Essential items include a computer, phone (with its own line if you’re running a business), printer (or invest in a 3-in-1 scanner, printer and fax machine) and answering machine. You will also need a hutch or a filing cabinet where you can store office supplies and paperwork.
4. Invest in a good lamp, so you can work without straining your eyes. Even if you have good overhead light, get a desk lamp.
5. Personalize the area. Make it inviting so you will want to spend time there. Add some picture frames with either personal photos or images you love. Make sure your chair is well padded, especially if you decide not to go with a standard office chair. Keep small baskets and penholders on the desk so it’s easy to organize everything at the end of the day.

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Mirrors can do a lot more than serve as a beauty aid. Placed in the right corner or area of your house, they can become a cheap and original way to change the look and feel of a room. Here are some good ideas on how to use mirrors:

• Place a mirror on top of a side table or coffee table and place a series of candles on top. The mirror will double the light and reflect it in unusual and fun ways, depending on what other lights you have on in the room.
• Hang a large mirror on the wall of a small room to make it appear larger.
• Hang a mirror next to window so the light from outside bounces on it and multiplies, making the room appear lighter and brighter. This is an ideal solution for rooms that are naturally dark or cave-like.
• Make a collective display using small mirrors as both decoration and as a trick to increase room size. Choose several mirrors of the same format but different sizes or mix and vice versa. Making sure all mirrors have something in common (size, form, frame or frameless, etc.) will create a more uniform display. This works well on bathroom or dining room wall or on the wall next to a staircase.
• Cover a plain wood tray with a mirror. You can use super glue or craft glue to secure it in place. You can then place the table on a dresser or a window ledge and use it to store perfumes, small knick knacks or jewelry.

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You don’t need to spend a fortune to completely redo the look and feel of your yard. A few accessories here and there can make a world of difference and give you a yard the whole family can enjoy.

1. Create separate spaces tied together by a team. Whether you’re going for country, modern or romantic, you can easily create a theme by planting the same type of plants (roses for formal, fruit trees for country-like) around the yard, as well as by using accessories (anything from hammocks to fish ponds would work). Dedicate a small area to build a patio, where you can place a small table and chairs for a quick breakfast, resting or having a BBQ.

2. Bring the indoors out. Accessories that you would normally think of as “indoor only” can completely change the feel of a yard. Think cushions, candles, rugs and blankets. You can either shop for weather-resistant products or bring them back inside at night or during rainy days.

3. Start a garden. Nothing makes a yard come alive as having a garden. Whether you want to grow vegetables or try your hand at flowers and shrubs, select a section of the yard and get it ready for planting. Choose hardy plants if you’re new to gardening and want a stress-free experience.

4. Invite wildlife into your harden by hanging up birdhouses, setting up a pond or placing a fountain near the trees and flowers.

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While building a home addition or completely remodeling your home may be your ultimate dream, that may not be a practical option if you are on a tight budget or planning on selling and moving soon. Still, there are plenty of things you can do to increase the value of your home without putting too much time or money into the project. Some of the these changes will significantly increase the value of your home as well, so you’ll get more for your property once you’re ready to sell.

• Make the most of your yard. No matter how small it is, there’s always space for a great lawn and at least a single lawn chair. If you can afford the space for flower beds, go ahead and build them around the edges. Otherwise, get a few large potted plants and group them in a couple of areas around the yard.
• Repaint the rooms. Get rid of white and beige walls, which are often the staple of a rental house. Instead, choose pastel colors such as yellows, blues and pinks that give the rooms personality and warm. Avoid crazy colors and patterns, as this can play against you when trying to sell a home. Before painting, patch any holes and sandpaper the walls if necessary.
• Declutter the house. It makes rooms appear larger and cleaner and gives potential buyers the feeling that the house is big enough to fit anything.
• Clean the carpets and rugs and wash the curtains. If you can afford it, replace them. This is especially important if colors are faded or material is stained.
• Refinish kitchen cabinets if you can’t do anything else. Paint the doors a light color or replace them to change the look of the whole room without any major changes.

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Bamboo flooring has become popular over the last two decades and with good reason. Bamboo is more efficient than any other wood, providing more wood by the meter than any other plant. It is also a great alternative to hardwoods because of its durability and look. Here are a few good reasons to choose bamboo:

• It’s as strong as oak and lasts at least as long. However, it doesn’t contract and expand as much as other woods, so it’s better for hot humid conditions where hardwood floors would normally not do well.
• It has a unique look. Because of its stripped appearance and even grain, bamboo catches the eye more than any other type of wood floor.
• Bamboo doesn’t dent, scratch, warp or bend as easily as other woods.
• It’s easier to install bamboo flooring than most other materials, as the wood can be glued, stapled, nailed or floated on the floor.
• Bamboo doesn’t stain and it’s resistant to water, making it a great choice for bathrooms and kitchens. To clean it, it can simply be mopped with water once a week. It requires no special products or treatments.

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Before you finish packing those moving boxes for your move, you will need to deal with utilities in two ways: by turning off the ones in your old home and turning on the ones in the house waiting for you. While this may seem like a simple endeavor, it’s important to keep some things in mind during the process.

1. Arrange with the utility companies for a day to turn utilities off. Give them an approximate time of day (morning or evening) and make sure to call back a couple of days in advance to verify the appointment. You will either need to transfer the account you have with the companies (if you’re moving within the same city) or open a new account.

2. Start with the essentials: electricity, water and gas.

3. Move on to other bills and services, including cable/satellite, Internet and trash pickup. If you have subscription to special neighborhood services, such as security or renter’s insurance, you will also need to deal with those.

4. Don’t forget to file a notice with the post office to have your mail forwarded to the new address.

5. If you have kids in school, you should start the registration process early, even if you’re moving during summer vacation. You will need paperwork from the previous school and you should talk to the new school to find out if there are any specific forms they need in advance.

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While there are many articles everywhere on how to deal with clutter, few address a more important issue: How to prevent clutter from happening in the first place. By taking care of your possessions and making sure you don’t buy more than you need, you can deal with excess and prevent chaos from taking over your home.

Here are five ways to get you started:

1. Ask yourself a series of questions before you buy something. Do you really need it? Is there something you already own that can serve the same purpose? Do you have the space for it? Can you get rid of something to make space for the new item? How long are you going to use it? If this is something you will only use once or twice, can you rent it or borrow it instead of buying it?

2. Determine where the item is going to be placed. Not the general room or area of the house, but the specific location, such as “second shelf of the living room bookcase.” If you can’t find a specific location for it, it should be considered clutter.

3. Have a place to store it. If you’re buying Christmas decorations, cleaning supplies and products or a new set of china, make sure you have enough cabinet space or drawers to put these items away when not in use. Moving boxes make great for storing stuff you don’t use often.

4. Have a designated place for things you deal with regularly. Have a tray near the main door where you can dump mail as soon as it comes in. Or place a container near the entrance where you can put umbrellas, or a small wood rack where you can store shoes.

5. Get into the habit of donating things you no longer use or need. Don’t wait until they pile up so high that it will take you days to get through them. Go through your closet, your bookshelf and your garage once a week and make a bag of things you can give away. Drive the bags to the nearest thrift store at least once a month.

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Yes the real estate market is filled with great deals if you are a buyer. If you are searching to buy a new home then you must of come across properties labeled as short sales.  A short sale is basically before a property goes into a foreclose the bank and property owner come to an agreement to sell the property and at a lower rate then what the home owner owes the bank from the mortgage. For example, if the home owner has a property worth $300K but owes the bank 250k and cant pay the bank back, the home owner and bank try to come to terms on an offer they may receive on the property so the home does not go into foreclose. So lets say the home owner received an offer from a buyer for $200K that means the Bank is willing to let the property owner off the hook and take a lower price for the home just to get some money back instead of no money.

So before you go out and buy your moving boxes just keep in mind that even though this sounds like a great deal, short sales can take time because the home owner and more so the bank want to wait and see how many offers they can receive for the property before they actually sell it. So even though you put in an offer it may take anywhere from 2 months to 1 year depending on the bank and how many short sell properties the bank has to review before it gets to your offer.

So you may want to hold off on the moving boxes and moving supplies till you hear back from the bank notifying you that your offer has been accepted.

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