The balmy nights of mid July aren't too far away. To prep your home for summer—from the change in weather, to the opportunity for outdoor entertaining—take a look at the following home checklist.
 
Put in screen doors. 'Tis the season for installing the screen doors! These keep the house cool, and the bugs at bay.
 
Clean the gutters. This is important for maintaining your roof, as well as ensuring you don't have a jam during those summer showers.
 
Check the foundations. This should be done with the change of every season, and summer is no different. Do a loop around your home, checking for cracks. Even the small cracks can pose a problem, as they will likely grow larger, and can let in moisture and summer pests.
 
Clear the yard. Winter and fall can bring many forms of debris into your yard, from dead leaves to fallen branches and more. Spend an afternoon clearing out any riffraff and make way for fresh summer grass.
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Whether you're fixing up your new home, prepping to sell your existing space, or just looking to renovate, the following suggestions can take your bathroom to a whole new level.
 
Upgrade your vanity – Instead of a standard sink, try recycling an existing piece of furniture into a bathroom vanity by cutting a hole in the top of a beloved dresser or chest to drop in a sink and a faucet. Make sure the piece of furniture has ample storage space—drawers and cabinets are a must.
 
Curved shower rod – These rounded shower rods make your shower seem more open and airy, providing more space at a low cost.
 
Spa feel – An updated master bathroom is one of the most coveted features for buyers. Make your bathroom feel extra luxurious with added perks like a rain-style shower head, extra fluffy white towels (so worth the splurge) and a vessel sink.
 
A skylight – Natural light does wonders for any room, and the bathroom . ...

With spring here and summer on the not-so-distant horizon, more and more homeowners are stepping outside to tackle outdoor projects that have been ignored all winter. One popular project is revamping outdoor living spaces in preparation for the warmer months. Whether you're looking for a great space to entertain or just hang with the family on the weekends, below is some winning advice on creating unique outdoor living spaces.
 
Tailor to your needs. Think specifically about what you will be using the space for. Just because a grill and a picnic table are standbys for a barbecue area doesn't mean that's what you need to go with. Maybe your family has a longstanding Saturday night pizza tradition, and so a wood-fire oven would be a better fit. Have young kids? Consider placing a swing set or a hanging hammock chair near your lounge chairs to keep the little ones entertained while you relax nearby with a watchful eye.
 
Go bold. Statement pieces don't only belong . ...

Now that spring has arrived, homeowners across the country are dreaming of warm afternoons and evenings spent outside. For those without ample land, turning your backyard into an outdoor oasis is just several simple steps away. If you're planning on landscaping this spring and summer, keep the following tips in mind.
 
Keep it to scale
If your space is small, the different areas of your yard—say, your patio and garden—will need to be moderate in size as well. An average size deck in a below-average size yard will make the deck seem huge, and the yard space minimal. Keep your deck or patio quaint and cut your garden back to the essentials.
 
Minimize
If you try and cram in too many pieces of furniture or kids’ toys, your yard will look cluttered and even more cramped. In order to maximize your space, you will need to minimize things like lawn furniture and yard accessories. Pick simple, streamlined pieces and try to look for moveable accents, like a law. ...

In a dream world, every interested homebuyer would qualify for a mortgage, and every seller would be able to sell their home in a timely, efficient and stress-free fashion. However, that is not always the case. The following article walks through two of the most popular alternative methods for buying and selling when a mortgage may not be available.
 
Seller Financing
Also known as a purchase money mortgage, seller financing is when the seller agrees to “lend” money to the buyer to purchase and close on the seller’s home. Usually sellers do this when money is tight, interest rates are high or when a buyer has difficulty qualifying for a conventional loan or meeting the purchase price.
Seller financing differs from a traditional loan because the seller does not actually give the buyer cash to complete the purchase, as does the lender. Instead, it involves issuing a credit against the purchase price of the home. The buyer executes a promissory note or trust dee. ...