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6 Things to Take Care of Before Fall Sets In

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Fall is just around the corner, and it's time to start preparing your home for the upcoming season.

As we move towards the cooler months, there are certain things that you need to take care of to ensure that your home is ready for the change in weather. In this blog post, we'll be highlighting six essential things that you need to take care of before fall sets in.

Check Your Heating System
To ensure that your home is comfortably warm when fall sets in, taking a proactive approach to your heating system is crucial. Hiring a professional technician or HVAC company, someone like Home Heating Service, Inc., to perform an inspection of your furnace, boilers, and other heating systems will guarantee that everything is running efficiently. Not only will this save you money on energy costs, but it will also prolong the lifespan of your heating system and prevent any major repairs from cropping up later on. Taking care of this now will give you peace of mind and ensure a cozy winter season in the comfort of your own home.

Seal Up Drafts
As the fall season rolls around, it's important to consider weatherproofing your home, especially when it comes to sealing drafts around your windows and doors. By doing so, you can prevent cold air from seeping into your home, while ensuring warm air remains inside where it belongs. Not only does this help keep your home at a comfortable temperature, but it can also lead to reduced energy bills since your heating system will not have to work as hard to maintain a comfortable temperature. Taking the time to seal drafts may seem like a small task, but the benefits can be significant in terms of comfort and cost savings.

Clean Your Gutters
Gutters are an essential component of any home's roofing system. They play a critical role in channeling rainwater away from your house's foundation and walls. However, leaves can clog your gutters during the autumn season. If left unchecked, clogged gutters can cause significant damage to your roof, walls, and foundation. To avoid the hassle of dealing with such issues, it is wise to have your gutters cleaned before the leaves start to fall. Professional inspection and cleaning can ensure that your gutters remain free of debris and working efficiently.

Prepare Your Lawn and Garden
As the days start to get shorter and the temperature begins to dip, homeowners should start thinking about their lawns and garden. A great way to ensure a healthy yard for the cooler months is to aerate the soil. Compacted soil can prevent water and nutrients from reaching the roots of the grass, but aerating solves that problem. In addition to aerating, fertilizing your lawn will give it the nutrients it needs to grow stronger during the fall. Finally, pruning trees and removing any dead plants is important to promote healthy growth in the spring. By following these simple steps, homeowners can rest easy knowing their lawn and garden is well-prepared for the upcoming season.

Test Detectors
As the weather changes and the heaters come on, it is critical to ensure your home is equipped with functioning smoke and carbon monoxide detectors. Regularly testing these devices and replacing batteries when necessary can be the difference between life and death in the event of a fire or gas leak. Don't take chances with the safety of yourself and your loved ones. Take a few moments to confirm that your detectors are in proper working condition, and make any necessary updates now before it's too late.

Protect Your Outdoor Equipment and Furniture
As the fall season approaches, homeowners know that it's time to prepare their outdoor equipment and furniture for the rough weather ahead. The rain, wind, and frost can be damaging to these items, so it's crucial to protect them throughout the autumn months. By taking the time to cover and store them in a safe place, homeowners can extend the life of their outdoor equipment and furniture while also saving money in the long run. Not only will this prevent damage from occurring, but it will also ensure that these items are ready to use when the warmer months roll around once again.

Fall is a picturesque season, with crisp air and vibrant colors adorning the outdoor landscape. That being said, the transition from summer to autumn can be a tricky one for homeowners. Not only will proper preparation save you time and headaches, but it can also help you save money in the long run. So, take the time to care for these tasks before fall sets in and enjoy all that this lovely season has to offer.

Get more on RISMedia.

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Some Helpful Hints for a Kitchen Redesign

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The kitchen is often the heart of the home, where many of us spend a significant amount of time preparing meals, entertaining guests and hosting family gatherings.

Redesigning your kitchen can be both exciting and overwhelming, but with a little planning and organization, it can become an enjoyable experience. In this blog post, we've researched and compiled some helpful hints for redesigning your kitchen practically and stylishly. The goal is to make your kitchen aesthetically pleasing and functional. These tips will help make the kitchen renovation more manageable and enjoyable, from selecting appliances and fixtures to choosing the right color scheme. With these helpful hints, you can create a beautiful and functional kitchen that suits your style and needs.

Determine Your Budget and Set Priorities
Budgeting should be the first item on the to-do list when redesigning a kitchen. It's essential to sit down and determine how much you can afford to spend on appliances, cabinets and other necessary renovations in your kitchen. Once you have an estimate, it's important to prioritize your needs and wants in the kitchen. A wise approach is to keep in mind the resale value of your property, especially if you plan on selling it in the future. Some upgrades could significantly increase the overall value of your home, so it is essential to have a clear idea of the added value the renovation can bring. Setting a budget and prioritizing your needs will help ensure your kitchen redesign is successful.

Select a Design Scheme
Kitchen design is crucial in determining its overall appearance and functionality. Cabinets, countertops, flooring and lighting fixtures are all key components to consider when selecting a design scheme. With abundant resources available, including social media, blogs and home interior magazines, finding inspiration for a design that matches your style should be easy. It is important to remember that when choosing a design scheme, you must also consider what potential buyers may find appealing. Ultimately, the goal is to create a kitchen that suits your functional needs and reflects your unique tastes.

Maximize Storage Space
Maximizing storage space in the kitchen is a crucial aspect of kitchen design. Whether it's for everyday cooking or holiday entertaining, you want to be able to store all of your cookware, utensils and appliances in an organized and efficient manner. Utilizing cabinets with pull-out shelves and customizable drawers can make a vast difference in maximizing storage space in the kitchen. Ceiling-high cabinets and wall racks for pots and pans also optimize vertical space. A kitchen island or pantry is an excellent storage and counter space addition. Considering these storage solutions, you can create a functional and efficient kitchen design that maximizes storage space.

Opt for Energy-Efficient Appliances
In today's world, energy efficiency is a top priority when choosing household appliances. The good news is that modern technology has made it possible to have energy-efficient appliances in your home. This saves you money on energy bills in the long run and helps reduce your carbon footprint. To ensure optimal efficiency, it is important to look for appliances that bear the ENERGY STAR® label as they meet the EPA's standards for quality and efficiency. Beyond the cost savings, energy-efficient appliances also add to the overall ambiance and aesthetics of your home. By opting for energy-efficient appliances, you can take a step towards a more sustainable future.

Choose Quality Materials
When planning to renovate your kitchen, it is important to choose quality materials. From countertops to cabinets, the materials you choose will impact both the appearance and longevity of your kitchen. To ensure your kitchen remains beautiful for years to come, opt for high-quality materials that require minimal maintenance, such as quartz countertops and ceramic tiles. Details like hinges and door handles also make a significant difference in the overall look of your kitchen. Paying attention to such details will not only enhance the aesthetic appeal of your kitchen but will also contribute to its durability. Ultimately, selecting quality materials is a wise investment in your home.

Redesigning a kitchen can be daunting, but with these helpful hints, the process can be simplified. When it comes to a kitchen remodel, functionality is key. A well-designed kitchen should not only be beautiful, but it should also be efficient and easy to use. Choose quality materials and appliances that will stand the test of time, and don't hesitate to seek the advice of a design professional. When designing your new kitchen, consider the style of your home and choose a layout that will maximize space while still looking great. By keeping these helpful hints in mind, you can be sure to create a kitchen that is both beautiful and functional.

Get more tips on RISMedia.

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As Featured in West + Main Home Magazine: Welcome to the Farm

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West + Main agent Doug Yetman and his wife Amy purchased a dilapidated horse property in Lakewood with the goal of making it their dream urban farm—Yetman Farms!

The Journey of Yetman Farm

 
 
 
 

"The kitchen and dining area are our favorite! This multi-purpose room is where we gather with friends, sit by the fireplace, entertain gaggles of kids and do prep work for items grown on our farm. We vaulted the ceilings in the kitchen and dining area and added skylights to give it a more modern/open feel. The room now offers wonderful, 180-degree views of our property. We love sitting at our huge farm table in front of our big bay window and viewing our property in any season!"

 
 
 
 

"We always lean towards classic traditional designs that allow art and furniture to shine. Plus, we love adding vintage and thrift store finds to any project. Though this was not as old as our previous houses, we also like to respect the era that the house was built in--late 1960s in this case--so we made choices that would fit the existing house. We also have a good friend, Kate Bendewald, who is also a talented designer and helped us design the kitchen."

 
 
 
 
“... we have always been big gardeners and for years talked about moving to some wide open spaces”
 
 

"We wanted it to be a place where we could embrace and commune with nature, welcome community and even do some entrepreneurial things," explained Doug. "Since then, we have added a grain-bin/studio/office, chickens, three goats, barn kitties, a mini-horse, a retired show-horse and planted a flower farm where we host events including 'pick your own' days."

 
 

"At the outset, we knew we had two major expenses that were not sexy—a full roof replacement AND replacing the crumbing septic system by tapping into a city sewer line that was over 100 yards away," remembers Doug. "These were high-ticket items but we knew they would bring long-term peace of mind and value to the home. We saved money by keeping the footprints of many rooms the same--for example, the we didn’t change the footprint of any of the bathrooms--we just modernized and updated!"

 
 

"We have always been big gardeners, loved animals and for years talked about moving to some 'wide open spaces,' and in the fall of 2020, during the heart of the pandemic, we both were longing for more nature, and a place where we could raise our three daughters with more access to the outdoors. The property had been neglected for years, and Amy led the charge on design choices, and thankfully our design aesthetics generally match," said Doug. 

 
 

For more info on the farm visit

yetmanfarms.com

Wallpaper: Rifle Paper Company “Menagerie”

Paint: White Dove

Tile: Casablanca White Zellige  by Zia Tile + Chloe in White from Bedrosians

Wide-plank White Oak: Revive Flooring

Stove: Ilve

Aged Brass Rail: deVOL kitchens

One-of-a-kind Light Fixtures: Chairish and Etsy

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Here’s why rates can vary so much from place to place, plus 5 cities with the highest rates

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Property taxes can be a major expense for households, and several factors may affect the size of the bill, research shows.

These levies, which typically fund public services, such as K-12 education, police and firefighters, can be tough to compare across jurisdictions.

But there are four key reasons for differences: property tax reliance, property values, local spending and classification, according to a new report from the Lincoln Institute of Land Policy and Minnesota Center for Fiscal Excellence.

“In some communities, local residents are willing to pay higher taxes but expect higher spending on things like public parks and a robust public transportation network,” said Katherine Loughead, a senior policy analyst with the Center for State Tax Policy at the Tax Foundation. “In other communities, residents are less interested in the expense of public amenities but instead want to pay lower taxes.”

Property tax is “really instrumental” as a local revenue source, but Loughead stressed that every community has different priorities and budgeting goals.

Property taxes have ‘so many variables’

“With property taxes, it’s pretty simple stuff,” said Richard Auxier, senior policy associate at the Urban-Brookings Tax Policy Center. “But there are just so many variables.”

For example, there may be state restrictions on property tax growth or relief programs for certain residents, such as elderly, disabled or veteran homeowners.

This is why your next-door neighbor’s property tax bill can be so different from yours, Auxier explained. “When you turn the knobs to different points, you get different outcomes.”

Generally, cities tend to have more expensive property tax rates if there’s high property tax reliance, low property values or more robust local government spending, the report concludes.

The report analyzed the effective tax rate, or taxes as a percentage of a property’s market value, for more than 100 cities to better understand these variances. The calculation also included factors such as exemptions and credits.

5 highest effective property tax rates in 2022

These are the five highest effective property tax rates on a median-value home in 2022:

  1. Detroit: 3.21%

  2. Newark, New Jersey: 3.20%

  3. Aurora, Illinois: 3.04%

  4. Bridgeport, Connecticut: 3.04%

  5. Portland, Oregon: 2.59%

The average effective tax rate for median-value homes was 1.32% in 2022, based on the report’s analysis of the largest city in each state.

Of course, cities with high effective tax rates can still have relatively low property tax bills, based on home values.

For example, Los Angeles and Wichita, Kansas, have a similar effective tax rate of around 1.16%. But Los Angeles homeowners have significantly higher property tax bills due to much higher median home values.

Learn more on CNBC.

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3 Reasons Your Roller Paint Job Looks Bad (and How to Fix It)

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Picture this: You’re sitting in a newly refreshed room, basking in the wonder that is your DIY handiwork.

You’ve painted the walls, the cabinets, or the built-ins, and you’re admiring the color, when you spot it: a little ridge of dried paint left over from your roller. When you take a closer look, you suddenly notice inconsistent coats throughout the space. And even though you’re still proud of the room’s transformation, you just can’t stop nitpicking at this flaw. 

“We often hear of consumers doing DIY painting jobs, but before you tackle a project, you’ll want to make sure you have the time, tools, and talent to do the job well,” says Angie Hicks, chief customer officer at Angi and co-founder of Angie’s List. The key with DIY paint jobs, as with anything, is practice. “I recommend applying a fresh coat of the same color in a small bedroom before tackling changing a room’s color or painting rooms with walls that have more items to work around, like kitchens and bathrooms,” Hicks says.

Jenna Pilant, polychromatic designer of Room Bloom Design, agrees. She’s also noticed how spaces don’t quite get the professional finish DIYers are looking for because of one thing: technique. She’s seen a surge in projects using paint sprayers recently, but Pilant is still a roller devotee (her go-to tool is a trusty 3- to 4-inch roller).

“It might take longer to paint, but rolling is much more manageable if you’re pursuing paint perfection,” Pilant says. Why is that? Well, for one, there’s a learning curve for paint sprayers if you’re not used to using them. And secondly, using a paint sprayer for something like your kitchen cabinets makes it tough to do touch-ups down the line and have the finish match exactly. If you roll on your paint, you’ll also be able to roll on your touch-ups.

Of course, rollers aren’t infallible. Here, you’ll find three reasons why your roller paint job looks bad, according to Hicks and Pilant. And good news: After reading their tips below, you’ll know exactly how to fix it. 

You need to prep your walls — seriously. 

While there are so many high-quality paints out there advertising the possibility of skipping a few hours of prep, don’t fall for it. Create a playlist and commit to this part of the project, because your future self may thank you.

“Prep” in this case means smoothing out any dings, removing any lingering grime, and protecting areas that you don’t want to paint. “Be sure to patch up any holes or cracks, wash the surface with warm water and soap to remove any debris, and mask off any areas you don’t want to paint,” Hicks says. Doing this will ensure that your paint rolls onto your walls easily, and there won’t be anything getting in the way of a smooth finish.

Yes, you most likely need a primer.

Using a primer on your walls is also one of those details that perhaps can be skipped if the change is straightforward (repainting a bedroom in the same color, like Hicks noted, for instance). But most pros won’t shrug this step off when it comes to big transformations, and neither should you.

“While it’s not required, priming your walls can add protection and help your paint job last longer,” Hicks says. “Most pros use primers and strongly recommend them, so it’s a great way to make your DIY paint job look more professional.”

Using a primer is especially important when it comes to painting built-ins and cabinets, as well as areas of your home subject to moisture (hello, bathrooms). Taking that additional step will keep your paint from chipping or peeling.

It matters how you roll on your paint. 

You’re probably used to rolling your paint in both an upward and downward motion. And while that paint can look even as you’re still working, the alternating directions of your application may show up after the paint has dried — especially when light shines on it. The fix? While the paint is still wet, make sure to backroll the area all in the same direction with a top-down motion.

“If you alternate your roller strokes, you will see your roll marks,” Pilant says. “By rolling from top down with your application you will get a paint sprayer finish with the ability to actually touch up the paint later. This is especially key with cabinets and furniture that gets used and abused.”

Read the full article on Realtor.com

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