Real Estate Information Archive

Before you move, think about how you want to set up and decorate your new home.  Here are a few factors you can focus on: 
 

- If you love the layout of your current home, do the same in your new house as closely as you can.  Use the same furniture placement, arrange your focal wall close to what you are familiar with, and keep your kitchen arranged as you do now. 
 

- Is there something you really dislike about where you are now? Switch things up in the new house for a completely different look that you love. Paint and furniture slipcovers go a long way if a total overhaul is not in the budget. 
 

- Those who thrive on change are going to have an easier time of moving to a new place.

  - Many go from one decorating extreme to another: farmhouse rustic to sleek and modern or from mid-century decor to a cottage style.    
 

If it is in your plan to do any painting or other work, have that done before moving, or get it completed as soon as possible.  The longer it takes to unpack and put your personal things in place, the longer you will feel unsettled. 
 

Getting unpacked as quickly as you can; no one feels at home having to maneuver around boxes that are stacked up around the house. If there are storage items that need to be put away, get them in the attic. Some rooms can be set up easily, such as the kitchen and eating areas, as well as bedrooms.  
 

Forgo the take-out food after a couple of nights.  If you simply do not have time for cooking, at least seat everyone at the table with your usual dishes and silverware.  
 

Having younger children’s rooms arranged with all their favorites will help them settle in.  Is there a family clock that chimes the hour? Get it unpacked and chiming as soon as possible.  Whatever is an “expected thing” in your home, the sooner it is in place, the more comfortable everyone will feel.
 

No matter the season, get your landscaping and outdoor items placed where you would like them. Personalizing with a monogrammed flag, your favorite flowers (in pots, as that is easier to care for after a recent move), and outdoor furnishings.  
 

Get into your normal routine as best you can, and if there are new jobs or places to be, go about them as you would have in your former home.  Keeping everything, you need for the everyday running of life in the same general way and area they were in before will make for some normalcy. 

Flat or matte paint is great for hiding flaws, and best used in low-traffic rooms, as it is not as easy to clean as glossy paint.  Use latex paint for high-traffic walls, and oil paint for wood trim.  Leave windows open when painting with oil paint because the odor is quite strong, and it takes longer to dry. 
 

When picking colors, do not be afraid to go bold, unless you plan to sell soon, then neutrals are your best choice. 
 

Purchase paint samples and apply each color in a 2’x2’ area on the wall you are planning to paint. Once it is dry, you will get a better feel for the color in the different lights, and whether you can live with it or not. 
 

The ceiling cannot be forgotten in your new design!  Change the feel of the room’s height by going a shade darker (for a lower ceiling feel) or go a shade lighter or use a lighter color to give the illusion of a higher ceiling. 
 

Use this handy paint calculator to determine how much paint you will need.  Other supplies necessary for a professional look are painter’s tape, drop cloths, putty, a putty knife, caulking, and any tools you may need for removing hardware from any doors or walls. 
 

Clean your walls and sand if necessary, then use a vacuum to make sure all the dust is gone. 

Covering a dark color, stains on the walls, old paneling, or new sheetrock may require a coat of primer prior to painting. Tint the primer with a little of your new wall color before applying. 
 

Before you start on the walls, do the little stuff first:  paint in corners and close to the ceiling with a good brush, working your way down to catch drips. 
 

Paint the walls in 3’-4’ sections in an overlapping W-pattern, applying paint until you need to reload the roller. When you are near the ceiling and corners, get as close as possible using what is left on the roller where you previously already cut in. This gives a smooth appearance to the finish. 
 

Allow the paint to dry for 24 hours and avoid hanging anything on the walls for a few days. Hopefully, you should not have to do any cleaning until the paint has cured, usually two weeks to thirty days. 

- In 2017, the IRS made changes to this deduction, reducing the mortgage limit. If your mortgage was taken out before December 2017 and is $1 million or less, this deduction applies to your situation as well. 

- Having a home equity line of credit (HELOC) that meets the above standards will receive the interest tax credit as well. 

- In case a homeowner has two mortgages that are each less than the $750,000 limit, but the total of those mortgages exceeds the limit, not all interest is deductible.  Learn more from the IRS Newsroom. 

- According to the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act, this benefit will stand through 2026! 
 

When the home was purchased, were mortgage points used as part of the loan transaction? This may qualify for a tax credit. Use this handy worksheet from the IRS to determine eligibility. 
 

Many have used their homes for office space this past year, but not everyone qualifies for a home office tax credit.  Those who are independent contractors or self-employed are the only taxpayers allowed this credit. 
 

Your lender is required to include property taxes paid on the 1098 form they send at tax time.  Property taxes paid up to $10,000 are eligible for a tax deduction. 
 

If you are paying private mortgage insurance (PMI), the law to receive a tax credit for this has been reinstated as well as being retroactive. House Logic has more information about the changes and benefits. 
 

Living in a federally declared disaster area can also get tax boons for homeowners.  Find more information about the natural disaster relief from TurboTax. 

First things first, change all locks on the house, including the garage door and any outbuildings. 

Painting interior walls would be finished sooner if done before getting boxes and furniture in the house. 
 

Most sellers are required to leave the house and property clean as a whistle, but doing a deep clean on your own or hiring a pro to do the job will make you feel better, knowing it was done.  Have hard surfaces steam-cleaned to ensure that as much dirt, grease, and germs have been blasted away.  
 

Any flooring projects you would like done would go more smoothly if completed before living there.   
 

Have a look at electrical outlets in each room and add or move them as needed. Consider upgrading outlets to include USB plugs as well, making it more convenient to charge your gadgets. 
 

Call an HVAC repair person and have the AC unit thoroughly cleaned and ask if they offer a service plan so that you do not have to schedule this twice per year. 
 

If getting new toilets is not possible, at least purchase and install new seats.  In case the bolts are stubborn, The Family Handyman offers some help in getting the old seat off. 
 

The security system should be up and running before moving, so check any existing installations and decide to upgrade or not. Get the internet connection established so you can test everything so it will be ready when you bring your belongings. 

When you have a legitimate problem, such as noise at inconvenient hours, or someone’s car frequently blocking your driveway, speak to your neighbor in person about it. Kindly tell them your concerns and ask if there is anything, they can do to help you. If they need help to remedy the situation, offer assistance. 
 

Trees and other plants can cause discord between neighbors.  Unless the tree branches are diseased or hanging over your roof, the best solution may just be to leave them alone--extreme tree-trimming can cause more harm than good. 
 

Yards that are not mowed often, if ever, can be more than an eyesore, thanks to hiding critters.  If there is a way to discreetly find out why the homeowner is unable to keep up the yard, do so, then recruit other neighbors and offer to take care of their yard.  Sometimes, sharing city codes with the neighbor will encourage them to clean up to avoid fines.   
 

Noise, from you as well as your neighbor, can be absorbed by fences, a water feature, or plants that are at least six feet tall.  If the noise is truly interruptive, share your concerns with the offending neighbor, and try to compromise or come up with a solution that suits both of you. 
 

On the same token, when someone from next door approaches you with a concern of their own, no matter their demeanor, do your best to handle it with grace, and without becoming defensive and angry. Arguing will get nothing solved. 

Sometimes you may not notice dripping water, but will see bubbling drywall or plaster, or simply a change in the color of the paint. 
 

If you find a drip and have retrieved something to catch water, your next step should be to try and find where the leak is. Open the attic door, and with a flashlight, look around for the dripping water or wet areas. 
 

Do not be tempted to place something to catch the water in the attic. The container can become too full and heavy, and come crashing through the ceiling. 
 

While a downpour or thunderstorm is not the time to go outside, once it is safe to do so, go outside and look up the roof’s slope from the area where the leaking was. 

- If it is not obvious, you may have to wait to create your own “rainstorm” with a water hose or call a pro to locate the problem. 
 

If the leak is on a flat area of the roof, secure a tarp over the leak to stop more water from coming in.  Sometimes the leaks are around a vent or chimney, and those can be tricky, so you may not be able to make a temporary fix until the roofer arrives. 
 

Whether you DIY the roof repair or call a roofing contractor, the attic will need to be dried out.  

- Use a dehumidifier to absorb the moisture in the air coupled with a large fan to dry the area. 

- Inspect surrounding insulation and make certain it is completely dry before you put it back in place. If it has become compacted, it will need to be replaced with new insulation. 
 

Leaving a leaky roof with a temporary patch, or worse, doing nothing at all can cause expensive and dangerous problems. 

- Mold and mildew can grow not only on the roof, but inside the attic, and possible down to the ceiling and walls. 

- Wood under the shingles and on the roof, joists can rot, causing an expensive replacement. 

- Drywall and plaster are not meant to be wet, and the moisture can cause them to become weak. No one wants collapsing ceilings or walls. 

- Water can get into the home’s wiring, causing copper wires to degrade, and in turn causing an electrical short or even a fire.