The cost of home ownership might be a lot more than you think, more than just the down payment or monthly mortgage payments. Although buying a home is a big investment, owning one comes with a new set of expenses you may not have had while renting or living with Mom and Dad. These extras can put a strain on your daily finances if you aren’t prepared. So to help you estimate your own cost of ownership and come up with a realistic housing budget, consider the expenses of property taxes, utilities, homeowner association dues, maintenance, lawn care, pest control and even any remodeling you might want to do.

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For an older deck that is discolored and that you intend to stain, your best bet is to use a product that is specially formulated for cleaning wood decks. Unlike older products that utilized chlorine bleach for cleaning, these newer-generation products clean the wood without lifting and damaging the wood fibers, and will not leave the wood unnaturally white. Cleaners such as Wolman’s DeckBrite are powdered and simply mixed with water. You can put it on with a roller, brush or garden sprayer, and it’s very effective in getting rid of stains and gray wood fibers. Products such as these also help open the pores within the wood so that the finish material will penetrate more readily.

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Individual Retirement Accounts aren’t restricted to just stocks, bonds, mutual funds, and the like. You can actually invest in a broad range of potential money-makers — including real estate. There are a number of rules to follow. For one thing, you probably can’t do this if your IRA is maintained through your brokerage or a bank. They prefer that you fill your IRA with items they sell. You’ll need a “self-directed IRA,” probably managed by an independent administrator. Other rules include a restriction that you not live in the property while it’s in your IRA — it should be an investment, not a home. You can rent it out and park the rental income in the IRA.

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Despite the housing market downturn, many homeowners are still paying a whopping 6% commission to real estate brokers. Although 6% may not sound like much, but with the average price of a home is $313,000, the average seller has to pony up nearly $19,000 in broker fees. This is a hefty penalty for selling your own home, one that more and more Americans are unwilling to pay. Many homeowners are now opting to market their property directly to the consumer using online real estate listing services such as Yahoo Real Estate, Trulia and Craig’s List.

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Most of the homes we’ve owned or lived in during our lifetime have had hardwood flooring. Our first home, a duplex in the Oakland, Calif., hills built by our dad and grandpa, had hardwood floors in the bedrooms. Kevin remembers sliding around the floor in his socks at age 5. If it’s just the floor acclimatizing, our recommendation is to do nothing and over a little time the squeaks should go away. If it’s loose nails, and with a 45-year-old floor we suspect this is the case, some re-nailing will be required. The job is simple and will cost less than $10. All you’ll need is a few four-penny finishing nails, a hammer, a nail set and a putty stick matched to the color of the floor.

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Most real-estate professionals say when it comes to actually enticing someone to buy a home, it’s the more practical perks that count. Effective sales incentives address what’s on the minds of potential buyers — the overall cost of the home and the monthly payments they’ll have to manage. Incentives can be considered when the home is first listed, as a way to distinguish it from the start. They can also be added when the home hasn’t sold in two or three months, as a way of enticing a buyer without lowering the price. Or the incentives could arise in negotiations, when a buyer needs that one extra little nudge to commit.

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• Beautiful and affordable NC Lakefront property near Boone NC
• Lakefront Lots on Kerr Scott Dam & Reservoir
• 18 Lots - 14 are Lakefront and meet private dock requirements.
• Gated community with Lots ranging from 2.3+- acres to 6.8+- acres.
• On the Hwy 421 side of the lake just off South Minton Road, Wilkesboro, NC 28697

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From choosing a great color that somehow turns hideously wrong to completing a paint job that looks gorgeous and then starts peeling, most painting mistakes trace back to a lack of prep work. Jumping the gun, starting without adequate planning is the most common mistake. Deciding you’ve got to buy the paint and paint this weekend. Don’t go shopping for paint intending to bring home paint that day. The best way to choose a color for your space is to start with an inspiration that is visual. It can be a rug or a photo from a magazine. In either case, you aren’t left trying to describe your idea of a color. You can simply point to it.

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The more time and effort you put into proper preparation, the easier your painting tasks will be and the longer the paint job will last. All of the steps involved in preparing a house for painting also require some precautions that are serious enough that they can’t be ignored. Eye protection is essential to guard against dust and flying paint chips, and you need to wear a dust mask or respirator for protection against dust inhalation while sanding. First, you need to complete any necessary repairs. If the weather has rotted or splintered siding or trim boards, for example, they need to be replaced or re-secured before proceeding. This includes repairs to windows and doors, weatherstripping, roofing and any other damaged areas. Don’t think that fresh paint over a cracked board is going to be the answer — you’re just asking for trouble down the road.

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