Posts with tag home improvement

By Christina Hoffmann 2013 is shaping up pretty sweetly for homeowners. First, there were the home owner-centric tax benefits (energy tax credits, PMI deduction, mortgage debt forgiveness) that Congress and the president extended through 2013; and now, we're seeing that our home improvement dollars are working harder.... Continue Reading »

By Lisa Kaplan Gordon It's a new year, and an ambitious resolution that always falls on our list (of resolutions that inevitably get broken) is a home makeover. What a daunting task, it seems! But there are easy home fixes that won't take you more than 15 minutes to do, and they'll have your place looking fresh and... Continue Reading »

By Jan Soults Walker Every home suffers a few negatives, but not every solution requires pricey structural changes. Paint is an often-overlooked, low-cost remodeler's remedy for common complaints with interiors, offering the chameleon-like ability to lighten, warm, enlarge, erase, or attract attention. "Paint is a... Continue Reading »

With Thanksgiving just a couple days away (and guests sure to descend upon your home over the festive season), it's high time to take care of all the small-scale home improvements you've been meaning to handle all year long. From sprucing up your floors to fixing those squeaky door hinges and getting rid of those... Continue Reading »

By Ryan Nickum The past few months have shown plenty of signs the housing market is recovering, but it's interesting to note the Joint Center for Housing Studies of Harvard University says spending on home remodeling projects will accelerate as well. "Strong growth in sales of existing homes and housing starts,... Continue Reading »

By Mary Boone "Come in, stay awhile," whispered the heavy oak door with stylish sidelights. "Go away!" shouted the scuffed storm door through its torn screen. You're right, doors don't talk -- but they say a lot. After all, the front door is the first thing visitors see when they approach your house. If it's tastefully... Continue Reading »

So, you're pulling up the old, dingy carpet in your living room when -- whoopsies! -- you accidentally damage the floor. What do you do? Well, duh, you patch it up, right? That's not the memo Matthew Cole got. "I thought, what a lot of wasted area," Cole, 35, recalled of the time in 2003 when he was ripping up the... Continue Reading »

By Scott Gamm Sending your kids off to college is a bittersweet moment: You're excited that they're about to embark on a great journey, but you're sad to see them leave the house. While they'll be home for the major holidays and during the summer, your household undoubtedly changes as you're now considered an "empty... Continue Reading »

Homeowner Holly Bridges says that she was excited to commission contractor Danny Jones to build her family a swimming pool in the backyard of her Carrollton, Texas, property this year. Though it was only February, the teacher says that she was eager to get the pool built before her son's birthday party in June -- plenty... Continue Reading »

When Brandon Gardiner, 22, and his dad (both pictured above) wanted to put an in-ground pool in the back of their Stafford, Va., home in 2007, some of the contracting companies they turned to quoted estimates between $25,000 and $35,000. They ended up getting the project done for about $6,000 – by doing it... Continue Reading »

By Adam Verwymeren Big city life comes with certain advantages, but the big money required for a spacious home isn't one of them. If you're a cramped city dweller who always seems to be running out of room, here are some innovative solutions to make your place seem more spacious. Hunting for Extra Storage Space You... Continue Reading »

By Vanessa Brunner For many allergy sufferers, summer means more than sunshine and flowers -- it's the thick of the inevitable hay fever season. Anyone who has allergies knows how uncomfortable this time of year can be and how important it is to have a safe place to retreat to. You can make your home clearer of seasonal... Continue Reading »

By Scott Gamm NEW YORK -- We tend to spend the most time out in our yard during the summer. Maintaining a well-kept yard is undoubtedly a major undertaking and a huge cost. You don't need to be a professional landscaper to spruce up your yard -- nor do you need to break the bank. From power washing your deck to raising... Continue Reading »

An unfinished basement tends to be the area of the house that is the most difficult to renovate. After all, no one wants to spend time in a room with cement floors, dim lighting or musty odors, and renovating a basement to mirror your living room is undoubtedly a major expense. So MainStreet asked the design pros to weigh... Continue Reading »

By Scott Gamm NEW YORK -- Even though mortgage rates are at historically low levels, it's the rental market in many areas across the U.S. that is really heating up. Obtaining a mortgage is undoubtedly a strenuous process on the heels of tightened credit standards. Add to that the fact that many Americans simply can't... Continue Reading »