Keep your HVAC system running efficiently with these simple maintenance tips. It's easier than you might imagine to clean an air conditioner filter or furnace filter. Here's exactly how and when it's time to replace them.
Refresh your decor and boost productivity with these impressive home office improvements.
Decorating pumpkins adds to the Halloween spirit, but there is a safe way to carve your jack-o'-lantern.
There are so many ways in which you can green up your home and make it more sustainable these days that many people are considering tankless water heaters. While this can certainly be the right option depending on the space you have and the type of water you use, here are some things to consider before you decide to invest in the switch.
Maximizing Your Space
One of the biggest issues with a traditional water heater is the amount of space it takes up, whether it’s a side closet or a closed-off area in the basement. Fortunately, one of the benefits of tankless water heaters is that they can be wall-mounted almost anywhere in your house so they won’t need their own separate space. The traditional water heater may be bulky and require an area of its own, but your tankless water heater will not have to work around the needs of the rest of the house!
Heating What’s Needed
While a traditional water heater stores water...
Winter may be almost over, but that doesn’t mean that it still isn’t cold out! We know that we have to take care of ourselves in inclement weather, but we often forget about our furry friends. Here’s how to protect our pets from the cold until spring arrives.
When the temperatures are extremely cold, be kind to your animals and bring them inside. No matter how fluffy your pet’s coat is, after a while they will get cold. Try to limit your pet’s time outside to only bathroom breaks and a quick exercising playtime.
Consider purchasing a ...
Whether you’re planning to sell or not, if you can afford to upgrade your home it’s almost always worth it. But the question is: which renovations add value to your life, as well as your house? Let’s explore how adding an in-ground pool to your backyard can boost your home’s value.
The Ultimate In Functional Luxury
It’s true that there are many home upgrades that add a ton of value. Kitchen renovations, home solar panels and other long-term investments tend to pay off. But few are as luxurious and fun as installing your own in-ground pool.
Not only will you get to enjoy having a swim whenever you feel like it. But some studies show that having a pool improves your health and quality of life. Of course, you’ll actually need to use your pool to gain its benefits. But once you have one… why wouldn’t you?
A Huge Draw For Families
As you might imagine, in-ground pools are very popular...
As scary as it sounds, the world we live in is not always as safe as we’d like. It’s unfortunate that people need to be more diligent and aware these days, but it never hurts to ensure you are protecting yourself. As real estate agents, there are lots of other worries and security measures that need to take place. Here are 11 tips to help make you and your clients safer. If you feel like you are in danger, call 911 immediately.
If you feel uncomfortable going to a showing for whatever reason, call another Realtor to go with you. Whether your fears are correct or not, you’ll feel better knowing that someone else is with you.
Always let someone know where you...
Winter may be a time for nesting until the cold weather abates, but there are a number of important tasks that a homeowner should be sure to do during the winter months. If you’re readying for the slow season or wondering what you might have forgotten, here are some things you’ll want to check off your to-do list.
A New Coat Of Paint
Getting out the paint may seem like a sizeable task, but any peeling paint is going to be adversely affected by the cooler temperatures of fall and winter. While you may want to hold off if it’s already cold, it might be a task worth prioritizing if the materials on your home will be damaged as a result of the coming weather.
Shovel The Snow
Shoveling snow may be important for sidewalk safety, but a build-up can actually have an ill effect on your home’s foundation. Instead of taking the risk, ensure you clear the areas around any basement windows and steps so that drainage will not impact...
With all of the home renovation and fixer-upper shows on television, the idea of completely renovating and re-doing an old home can seem like an enticing premise. Unfortunately, investing in the wrong fixer-upper can mean an awful lot of expenditure without the added financial rewards. Whether you’re considering investing down the road or are ready to dive in, here are a few things to consider first.
How Much Do You Want To Spend?
It’s easy to be swept away by possibility, but before making an offer you’ll need to sit down and determine exactly what you’re willing to invest into upgrades for your fixer-upper. By deciding what you would want to renovate, what the cost of materials and labor would be and how this figures into the market price of the home, you’ll be able to determine if the price you’re offering will be worth it.
Are Major Repairs Required?
It’s one thing to consider a nice paint job and new...
Let’s face it – kids love to run around and play outside! However, during the winter months, that proves to be difficult. So, what can you do with your kids when they need something to do and you don’t want them running around outside in the cold? We have a list of some great places to take kids on winter field trips around Omaha!
Child-Friendly Activities for the Winter Weather | CBSHOME
Children’s Museum
Always a classic, the Omaha Children’s Museum is perfect for taking your little ones on a day trip. They offer exhibits old and new and always have a mixture of educational, silly and fun things for your child to do!
Joslyn Art Museum
Introduce a day of culture and art to your little ones with a trip to the Joslyn Art Museum. They have permanent exhibits you can tour for free, or take advantage of classes for kids like Crazy...
Many people look at a smaller living space and think that there are a lot of limitations imposed. However, a more miniature home can offer up the opportunity to be inventive with design and get creative about your abode. Whether you live in small apartment now or are thinking of downsizing in the future, here are some ideal ways to make the most of your pint-sized pad.
Invest In Multi-Functional Pieces
It may be nice to have a stylish bar cart or a hefty china cabinet for your space, but there are certain kinds of home items that only serve one function and this is not necessarily useful with limited capacity. Instead of a one-size-fits-all approach, try purchasing items like a folding table tray that can serve as a coffee table or a bookcase that can hold dishes, books and other household items. This will enable you to maximize the space you have and create a uniquely modern design aesthetic.
Maintain An Organized Space
Every home has a little bit of...
There are so many things involved in moving into a new home in a different neighborhood that it can be easy to forget about the proximity of many nearby amenities. However, if you have children, the local schools available can make-or-break the decision on whether or not to invest in a house. If you’re wondering how you can find out more about the local school, let the following tips be your guide.
Take a Web-Search To SchoolMatch.com
One of the benefits of so many things being online these days is that local schools are no exception, and SchoolMatch.com is a great resource that puts this information at your fingertips. While you’ll have to pay a fee to get the details on many public and private institutions, this resource features ratings on schools throughout the country which can make it worth the price.
Contact The NAEYC
With a wealth of information on preschools, kindergartens and elementary schools located throughout the country, the National...
The state of Nebraska has passed a new law that will affect everyone who wants to sell their home in the future. We know that reading a long document of legal jargon can be confusing, so we’re breaking down the new law for you to the simplest degree.
If you own your home, it is a good and safe idea to have a carbon monoxide detector somewhere in the building. But now in Nebraska, when the time comes to sell your home, having a carbon monoxide detector on every habitable floor of the home will be required for the sale to take place. It is your responsibility as the seller to ensure the detector is in place before filling out the required paperwork to list your home.
Even if you are not planning on selling your home soon, invest in installing a carbon monoxide detector inside your home on every floor for the safety of your family. Every year, over 400 Americans die from carbon monoxide poisoning and even more go to the hospital for treatment according to the ...
I spend a lot of my time working and showing builder model homes and I have seen a lot of recent interest in small ranch homes. A ranch is a single story above ground home with a basement below ground with one or more bedrooms above ground. Most of these builders base their pricing with an unfinished basement which is generally 100% of the size of the main floor so a ranch style home will usually have a very large basement when compared to other styles. The 3 different builders and floorplans I will discuss are all at $220-250,000 without a finished basement.
It is quite common to get a request to build these as handicap accessible and all of the builders can modify these plans to accommodate. Generally all will have plumbing roughed in for a bathroom in the basement and there is lots of room to expand below.
This first home is the Garnet plan from Richland Homes and has 2 beds and 2 baths on the main floor...