MADDOX | REAL ESTATE

Environmental awareness isn’t just a major talking point these days – it’s also a major selling point. If you’re listing your real estate investment on the market, taking some steps to make your home eco-friendly could wind up earning you a lot more green when it comes time to close the sale. Here are five ways you can start making your home more environmentally responsible.

1)    Bag Old Bulbs. When you’re trying to make your real estate investment greener, the first step to take is to replace any old incandescent light bulbs with the newer, environmentally conscious fluorescent ones. These bulbs are not just better for your real estate investment’s “green” street cred – they’ll also last exponentially longer than their predecessors.

2)    Switch out Appliances. There are lots of low-water-consumption washing machines and dishwashers on the market these days, and since you’re likely to replace your old appliances before selling a home anyway, why not go  green? Environmentally friendly appliances are covered with decals advertising them as such, and buyers are sure to take notice.

3)    Plant a Vegetable Garden. You can’t convince buyers that you’re going green if you can’t point to the real thing. If you don’t have a garden already, then hurry up and plant some vegetables. A vegetable garden isn’t just aesthetically appealing – it promotes sustainability and broadcasts your awareness to the neighborhood.

4)    Install a Water Collection System. If your gutters need to go, then consider replacing them with a water collection system. This system uses angled gutters to feed all outgoing rainwater into a container much like an industrial drum. This collected water can then be used in place of a hose whenever you need to water your plants and wash your car.

5)    Use Healthy Paint. Even paint has gone green these days, and if you’re selling a house, a new coat of VOC-free paint is a great way to raise your property value. Although environmentally friendly paints cost a few dollars more per gallon, they’re a great way to add another star to your home’s environmental report card.

Going green isn’t always cheap, but if you’re selling your home in an environmentally conscious area, investing in eco-friendly technology could add thousands to your property value. If you follow these easy steps, you’ll turn your real estate investment into a green machine in no time.

With foreclosures at a record high across the country, it’€™s more important than ever to stay on top of your home loan payments. Here are a few ways you can simplify the process to keep your mortgage payments organized and up-to-date:

1) Mark the calendar. Don’€™t wait until your bill arrives to make sure you’ve got enough in the bank to make your mortgage payments every month. On your calendar, highlight the day your payments are due so that you can prepare your finances beforehand. Keeping your pay-dates scheduled will help you stay organized, on time and responsible.

2) Put it away on payday. As soon as you receive your paycheck, you should deduct your mortgage payment for the month and put it in a secure account or location. If you make sure to put the money away as soon as you receive it, you can ensure that you’€™re able to make your payments on time no matter what happens.

3) Modify your loan. If you know you’€™re going to miss a significant amount of work because of illness or a death in the family, don’€™t wait until it’€™s too late to refinance your mortgage. If you’re in good standing with your lender, they should be amenable to lowering your monthly payments for a period of time with the understanding that you’€™ll make up for it later. Many times people wait until foreclosure is imminent to try this, but refinancing is a preventive measure, not a reparative one.

4) Prioritize your debts. The best way to keep track of your mortgage is to create a debt hierarchy so you know which debts to pay off first. Because foreclosures are so rampant, your mortgage should be near the top of the list every month to make sure that your real estate investment is secure.

Organization is the key to staying on top of your mortgage. As long as you keep your finances and bills neatly sorted, finding the money for your monthly loan payments should be simple and easy.

Lots of first-time home buyers are being forced to work within a tight budget due to the struggling economy, but there are some amenities that are always worth the money, no matter how light your wallet is. Here are three things that you should never cut corners on when buying a house: 

1. The Number of Bedrooms. Houses take a while to pay off, which is why you should always be thinking about the future when buying a home. If you’re planning on having two children within the next 10 years, then make sure that your house has at least three bedrooms. Although bedrooms are one of the biggest factors in determining a home’s price, if you spend the money for a few extra rooms now, you won’t be left feeling overstuffed and claustrophobic when you begin to fill them up.
2. Thick Walls. The thickness of a home’s walls should be a major consideration when you’re looking for a place to settle. The thin walls found in older houses might be more affordable, but they’re also poor insulators when it comes to both heat and sound. You’ll surely thank yourself for thinking about the walls when Old Man Winter comes knocking this season – or when your kid brings home that first band saxophone.
3. A Healthy Amount of Hardwood (or Laminate). Wood is good, especially when your floor is made of it. Not only are hardwood, laminate and linoleum floors easier to maintain than carpeted floors, they’re more resistant to permanent damage that might otherwise sink your property value. No matter how soft that shag carpet feels, remember that it’s a magnet for dirt, stains and water damage.

When it comes to buying real estate investments, the old adage holds true – you get what you pay for. You’re not going to get much of what you want if you’re buying on a budget, but you can at least make sure that your walls, floors and bedrooms are adequate for your future family.

If you a€™re selling a home this fall, hosting an open house should be high on your priority list. These public showings are a great way to get exposure for your real estate investment and lure in dozens of potential buyers. But a poorly managed open house can also condemn your home to months on the market. Here are some things you should keep in mind before hosting yours:

• Do€“ Make Guests Feel at Home. You should make it easy for potential buyers to imagine your house as their dream home. Baking cookies or other treats will fill your house with an inviting scent while giving visitors something to munch on as they tour your real estate investment. Additionally, you should consider getting a fire going and hanging up seasonal decorations to really make your property memorable.

• Don’€™t€“ Oversell Yourself. Although you want your home to appeal to any potential buyers, you should be conscious about giving them space. Approaching your guests with sales pitches will make many of them uncomfortable. If you’re selling through a real estate agent, it’s probably better to get out of the house after you’€™ve made your preparations and let them handle your visitors.

• Do€“ Leave Your Doors Open. You want buyers to see how spacious and habitable your real estate investment is, so don’t lock any doors to your rooms. Guests should be able to roam freely throughout the house, inspecting every corner.

• Don’t – Leave a Mess. While you should always keep your doors open and make your house as accessible as you can, don’t leave a mess lying around. Before your open house, you should clean every surface and room thoroughly. Messes will send a more powerful message to potential buyers than you might think.

The key to hosting any open house is to imagine that you’re a potential buyer yourself. Take a tour through your house and take notes on the lighting, the clutter and anything else that impacts your senses. If you can think like a buyer, you’€™ll be on the right track to finding one.