Hearing loss stands in the way of healthy communication. If you ask any relationship expert to name one key of a strong relationship, they will be likely to say something like “open communication.” Yet, what exactly does that mean? We know that communication is important, yet what is it about the way the mind and emotions work that makes communication so important? It turns out …
Preparing for a Home Inspection
Home inspections are, more often than not, part of the process of selling your home. Whether you are undertaking a pre-inspection before putting your home on the market, or prepping your home for a buyer’s inspection before closing a sale, a home inspection is a thorough review of all the major features and systems of your home and can greatly affect your selling price. We …
Looking Ahead at the Housing Market
Homebuyers entering the housing market this past year were faced with a challenging situation in an already challenging time. While low mortgage interest rates made the finances of buying a home more feasible for many first-time shoppers, it also drove up competition for the limited amount of real estate coming onto the market. The result? A seller’s market in overdrive, with home prices rising accordingly. …
Tips for Finishing Your Basement
Most people think of their basement as a place for storage. Often the things that go down there don’t resurface for many years, to be rediscovered like treasures. However, there is a lot of unrealized potential in a basement, as it provides quite a lot of space which can be repurposed as an added living space, studio, or workout room. Investing in a refinished basement …
Tips for Keeping Your House Cool in Summer
As the summer heats up, does your home get unpleasantly hot? Summer can be punishing on home comfort and on energy bills – but it doesn’t have to be. Knowing ways to keep your home cool can help you enjoy the season better and save money while you are at it! Sync Your Windows With the Sun Your windows are an essential part of your …
Tips for Staging Your Home to Sell
Even when you love your home, sometimes a new chapter beckons, and you find yourself getting ready to move. A key component to getting the best sale price for your home lies in how well you stage it for potential buyers. Staging is almost an art unto itself – seeing a home with furniture and accessories helps buyers envision themselves in the home more than …
Tips for Enjoying the Spring Migration in Your Lake Carroll Home
Spring is here and with warmer weather, we can see all sorts of signs of life returning to the countryside. From buds on the trees to spring flowers, the signs of the season are here -including the songs of birds in the trees. Spring is a great time for bird watching in Lake Carroll with the spring migration of multiple bird populations bringing seasonal variety …
The Housing Market One Year into the Pandemic
There’s no question the global COVID-19 pandemic really shook things up in the past year, upending everything from travel to healthcare to social plans. Along with everything else, the housing market went on a wild ride, setting records in unprecedented conditions. A Slow Start No one could have predicted exactly how the housing market would respond to the COVID-19 pandemic. With significant job loss and …
5 Ways to Make Your House More Eco-Friendly in 2021
The past year has seen a big surge of home improvement taking place across the country. With homeowners around the house more, it can be easier to see projects that need to be done as well as upgrades that can make a living space more comfortable. One signature feature consumers are looking for this year in all areas of home improvement is sustainability. Making the …
How the Pandemic Has Reshaped Home Renovation Trends
The global pandemic has changed our lives in innumerable ways, and one of the most fundamental shifts is a big increase in the hours we spend at home. It should be no surprise then that this past year saw a huge increase in home improvements with people seeking to adapt and upgrade their space. In 2020 over 70% of households reported undertaking a significant home …