Most homeowners assume that remodeling their kitchen can significantly increase the value of their home, but fewer homeowners recognize that the increase may depend on the degree of remodeling and the costs involved. Cost does not necessarily equal value. “Not every renovation will pay off at closing,” says Richard Powers, MAI, SRA, President of the Appraisal Institute. Powers offers a few dos and don’ts of home improvement that may help…

Your home is your most valuable asset, not only financially speaking, but also in terms of your peace and serenity. We spend the majority of our day in our home, and so making sure that your home is as well-maintained as possible is essential to your psychological well being. One important aspect of doing home improvement projects is measuring. Three must-have, measuring tools for projects are measuring tape, a ruler…

There are special dangers involved with apartment living. This is because you live so close to many other people. Their actions can jeopardize your safety and so it’s very important for you to be aware of what you must do to safeguard yourself, your family and your possessions. Fire Safety . . . Fire is perhaps the greatest danger in apartment buildings. With so many units joined together, it doesn’t…

When you are considering doing some work on your property, you need to consider whether it will fall under the category of home repair, or home improvement. This is a crucial distinction because home improvements are tax deductible, whereas home repairs are not. So what constitutes home improvement? In its basic form, it is any task that will add to the quality and therefore the value of your home. Such…

If you are a homeowner then you should make building equity in your home one of your number one priorities. The reason for this is that equity in your home is like having cash in your bank account because you are able to borrow against it for a variety of different purposes. Also, when you build equity in your home it means you are that many dollars closer to owning…

If you are considering remodeling you garage you might consider choosing a rubber flooring for your garage. This is an inexpensive option for general purpose flooring: most common uses include parking vehicles on the rubber flooring, converting the garage space into a play area or into a workout room. Parking your car on a recycled rubber matting is the least common use for this product because of two major inconveniences:…

Each visit to London is more rewarding than the next. This cultural city center is packed with history and art, parks and beauty. You can absorb a lot just by driving through the city streets in a taxi cab, but make sure that on your vacation you visit these ten places on foot before you leave. 1. The British Museum has millions of items and artifacts to peruse. What started…

A lot of us become emotionally attached to our properties in one form or another. Whether it’s a property we’ve called home for years or one in which we are invested, emotions can easily keep you from making a big profit and moving the home quickly. Read these tips and find out how you can act as a professional and move that real estate. During large-scale renovations, astute homeowners will…

Microsoft Office 2007 (previously known as Office 12) is Microsoft’s newest productivity suite and was made available to the public on 30th January 2007. Office 2007 contains numerous improvements over the previous Microsoft Office 2003, including new server-side tools, enhanced reliability and security, and an entirely different user interface called the “Ribbon” – replacing the aging menus and tools bars in previous Office versions. Microsoft Office 2007 runs on either…

After letting things slide for a few years now, I’ve decided to make a commitment to finish up a few home improvement projects that need my attention. I’m not talking about anything major here, but nevertheless, these are things that have to get done. For example, I want to repaint the bedrooms, install a new oven in the kitchen, and redecorate the living room. I’m going to hire a handyman…