If you're someone who is seriously concerned about the state of our planet, and you certainly should be, then you might be wondering if there is anything you can do to help protect it. As it turns out, you can actually start having a positive impact on the environment right from your very home. With that in mind, here's a look at eight simple ways in which you can transform your home into a more environmentally friendly place.

 

1. Move Away from Incandescent Bulbs

 

Incandescent bulbs use up a tremendous amount of energy and are only nominally brighter than their more eco-friendly counterparts. Compact fluorescent bulbs cut down on the amount of energy your houses uses and come in enough varieties that you can easily find one to naturally…

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Today’s market for buying and selling a house may be different that last year’s and next year’s. Your home may have been perfectly competitive last year, but overlooked for one minor detail or another. Maybe you were firm on the price and passed up a few offers that you wish you would have taken. If you believe that your house is priced at exactly what you would like to get out of it and you can’t see any reason why it is not selling, try one or more of the following tips.

 

 

Do A Little Landscaping

Every home, no matter the size of the yard, can benefit from a little bit of purposeful and tasteful landscaping. You can take this idea and make it completely your own. Maybe you would like to add a little trail of stepping stones to a bird…

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When designing a small room, there are several tricks to make it feel larger. Furniture placement and choice, color pallet and lighting can either work for or against your space. Following some simple guidelines will give you a larger feeling and functional room.

 

Paint Colors

 

Using lighter paint colors is perhaps the easiest way to make a smaller room feel bigger. Generally, neutral or lighter colors are recommended for smaller rooms. A monochromatic look will help the space feel clean and open. Paint the trim, walls and ceiling complementary shades of the same color. Don't forget to use light colors on the floor too. For a more unusual technic, use a fun, patterned wallpaper or bold paint color on the ceiling. This will draw your eye up…

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When purchasing a big ticket item, such as a house, it is common to seek financing. Applying for a loan enables you to pay for these high-dollar items slowly over time with regular monthly payments, but it is customary and often even required by the lender for you to make a down payment at the time of purchase. If you are preparing to apply for a loan on a house, you may be wondering how much money you need to contribute as a down payment. With a closer review of some common considerations, you can make a more educated decision about your down payment amount.

 

What the Experts Advise

Your down payment amount will play a direct role in your loan amount and monthly payment. It will also impact your starting equity, and it can even affect your…

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Staging a home is a crucial time in the selling process. It is common for a homeowner to start to feel overwhelmed when preparing to stage their home. However, there are tips that you can follow in order to stage your home like a professional. Implementing these tips will help to ensure that you sell your home as quick as possible. In this post, you will learn six fool proof home staging tips.

 

1. Start with Curb Appeal: It is often said that first impressions are very important. The first thing a buyer will see, when pulling up, is the outside of your home. A small investment in landscaping work can provide a big boost in the appeal of your home. Planting flowers can add much more color and visual appeal to the curbside view of your home.

 

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An HOA. Say this three letter to someone and you will get one of two responses: You may find some homeowners love living in one, while others find it a total nightmare, doing whatever it takes to avoid it at all costs.

Depending on your personal preferences, a homeowners association can be a good or an evil thing, depending on how you look at it. Like anything, there will always be a positive and negative, so let's dig deeper to see what people boast and complain about.

The Positives

1. A Great Looking Neighborhood

Because these HOAs will have strict rules, this means all of your neighbors will have to abide by the same rules you do. This may mean keeping your trees trimmed, painting your house a certain color or hiding the car on cylinder…

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The Question: Is Your Home Ready to Sell?

 

Selling any home can be quite a complex and time-consuming process. It's a project that requires a lot of dedication, planning and effort. If you're thinking about selling your residential property, you should make sure first that you're 100 percent ready to do so. Trying to sell a home prematurely can be problematic for numerous key reasons. Ample planning is always paramount in the real estate world.

 

You Have Excessive Clutter

 

Clutter is a big enemy in the real estate realm. If you want to put your home up for sale, you have to make sure it's spick and span first. That means that you have to do away with any and all clutter. That means that you have to do whatever you can to make sure…

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