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Buying a new home is exciting. Whether you’re moving across the country or across town, finding the right house is just one part of choosing the best option. The neighborhood in which the home is located is a critical component of lifestyle as well. Here are 3 of the most important considerations as you search for the right community to call home.

1.Safety – First and foremost, the safety of the neighborhood is important. Fortunately, there are multiple ways to get details concerning safety. Search local crime statistics through local police sites and public online search sites. Spend time driving through the community, talk with neighbors, and pay attention to the security of the homes themselves; a community where most homes have extra security could be a sign of trouble.

2.Schools – Regardless of whether you have children in the home, or plan to, the quality of the local schools is a big factor in home values, and is easy to research. Visit the district’s website and read about their test scores and rankings. Extracurricular activities are also a large factor in the desirability of the schools; watch for art, music, and athletic programs.

3.Conveniences – Remember that you’ll need to shop for groceries, work out at a gym, enjoy entertainment, and dine out. As you drive through potential communities, take note of the local availability of the extras you need.

Finding the right home is not enough to live a nice lifestyle. The neighborhood is just as important. Not only for your enjoyment, but it affects the resale value as well. Choosing the right community takes a little research, but it’s well worth it to love where you live.

Most parts of the country are seeing a strong seller’s market. Inventory is low and buyers want to take advantage of the low interest rates. As a result, sellers may be in the enviable position of a bidding war. Some buyers believe that presenting an all-cash offer to the seller can earn them a lower price by being more attractive.

But as a seller, should you accept a lower price from a buyer just because it’s all in cash? The short answer is, “it depends.”

• Do you need to close quickly?
•  What are the terms of the offer?

The best advantage of an all-cash offer is the ability to close faster than traditional financing. Typically, loan processing will take several weeks from appraisal to underwriting. A cash offer can be completed in a matter of days; the monies need to transfer and the title needs to be recorded. If it’s important for you to get the money quickly, then accepting a slightly lower sales price in return for the speed of closing could be worth the cost.

Consider all terms of cash offer

Even if the offer is all-cash, that doesn’t guarantee it will close any sooner than another buyer. The most important consideration is the terms of the offer. Even though there is no lender involved, the offer might still be contingent upon an appraisal, a home inspection and other standard contingencies. Simply paying in cash by itself does not guarantee that the sale will close any faster than a well-qualified buyer who will use financing.

Compare all offers

The bottom line is that before discounting your home price for an all-cash buyer, compare all the offers. Your goal is to net as much profit from the sale as possible. If the speed of closing is important, then a small discount might be warranted; but if not, consider all the terms carefully before assuming an all-cash offer is better.

The popularity of home improvement television shows has increased the number of home projects. Unfortunately, not everyone is capable of knocking down walls and retiling their kitchen on their own. If you’re one of these non-DIY-ers, you will need to find service professionals to help, but choosing the right person for the job is critical. Here are a few simple tips to help ensure you hire the best person for your project.

• Check References and Reviews – One of the easiest ways to verify the experience and professionalism of a contractor is to read online reviews. If someone has been in the business for a few years or longer, you should expect to find plenty of reviews to read on Yelp, Angie’s List, and other sites. Asking for local references is also important. Call references and, if possible, go see completed projects in person.
• Confirm Licenses and Permits – Verify the contractor is licensed by the appropriate agency and that the license is in good standing. It’s also important to have any required permits for the project by your local city or county. Unpermitted work can result in loss of value, fines, and even forced removal of the work.
• Proof of Insurance – All contractors need insurance and most are bonded. Ask to see the proof of insurance before allowing anyone to work in your home.
• Get it in Writing – Get a written estimate with the scope of work and question any confusing terms. This should include clear expectations, deadlines, and pricing. Make sure you understand everything before signing any type of contract.

Hiring the right person for your home improvement or maintenance job can be time-consuming, but is well worth the effort. Do your homework upfront and you can avoid costly mistakes.

During a time when so many people are hunkering down at home, it can be challenging to keep a tidy house, especially when you have kids, pets, and other adults living in the same space. It can be stressful and overwhelming at times, trying to find a balance of keeping everything organized and clean while maintaining one’s sanity. There are a few tips to help keep your house in order while everyone is home, and while you have some downtime to knock out some much-needed organization projects.

Schedule Clean-Up Time Before Bed

Take ten minutes every evening for the entire family to help clean up the house. Run the dishwasher, wipe down the countertops, and put away any clothes lying on the floor. This is also a great time to have your kids help by cleaning up their toys, books, or any crafts they used during the day. Everyone will start each morning off with a clean living space and play area. It’ll make it much more manageable to maintain throughout the day, and when the time comes to tidy up in the evening, the mess won’t be so overwhelming.

Clean Out the Junk Drawer

There is always at least one drawer or cupboard in every household that becomes a collecting place for items without homes. Take some time to clean it out and make it into a manageable space again. Make it easier to identify where odds and ends go, to help prevent the drawer or cupboard from getting cluttered again.

Combine Similar Items

Use any containers you already have at home, or order a few online to get organized. Totes, boxes, or baskets can help contain items and make them easier to find. Start with your kitchen and craft area by combining similar items together—for example, cereal, pasta, rice, crayons, beads, etc. This makes it easy to take inventory of everything you have by keeping the same types of items together.

Label Your Containers

Once you’ve taken the time to consolidate and put all like items together, make sure to label each container with its contents. This will make it much easier to find what you’re looking for, especially when you can’t see inside the boxes or jars you’re using for storage.

Spending a significant amount of unplanned time at home can seem daunting at first. However, if you take the time to organize while you’re at home with your family, it’ll leave your space feeling much cleaner, and you’ll better enjoy your surroundings. In addition, it will be much easier to find everything that you need once your life gets back to normal, and everyone gets back into their routines.

Whether you call it downsizing or rightsizing, the bottom line is you’re moving
into a smaller space and have no idea what to do with all the stuff you’ve
collected over the years. Many people consider moving from a larger home to a
smaller home at some point in their lives. Often this move is made after the child-rearing years,
when homeowners no longer need the extra bedrooms or living space,
and want less home to worry about (or to clean!). The problem is that they
have accumulated items to fill the space that they aren’t ready to part with, yet all
their stuff won’t fit in a smaller home.

If you’re considering this type of downsizing, begin by sorting your possessions
into three piles: keep, donate, trash. After trashing, donating, and storing what
you can, here are some clever ways to store your stuff in the new, smaller space.

• Dual-Purpose Furniture – Find furniture that offers hidden storage, such as
  a coffee table or ottoman with storage compartments for extra pillows,
  throw blankets, games, or books.
  • Baskets and Cubes – There are a lot of great options for cube storage units
  that incorporate baskets to store extra items for easy access when needed.
  • Digitize – This is the perfect time to put your important papers and pictures
  into a digital format. From treasured pictures to tax forms, there are
  companies who specialize in transferring your items for later access.
  • Repurpose – Take a careful look at your furniture…and Pinterest. You’ll find
  great ways to use some of your favorite pieces in different and useful ways.
  • Closets – Consider a closet consultation to make sure you maximize your
  closet space, not only in the bedrooms but also in your kitchen pantry and
  hall coat closet

Downsizing doesn’t mean you have to throw out everything you love. Take a hard
look at what matters and then use some of these tricks to store the items you
treasure without adding clutter to your new home.