http://www.articletrader.com/ Articles at ArticleTrader en-us http://www.articletrader.com/finance/real-estate/staging-your-desert-yard.html http://www.articletrader.com/finance/real-estate/staging-your-desert-yard.html Thu, 02 Jul 2009 17:11:52 -0500
Many people who live in damper climates are encultured to believe that the perfect yard has a rich green lawn that's so big you need a riding mower to cut it; but anyone who's ever lived in the desert knows that grass can be a lot more hassle and cost than it is worth. However, a lack of turf doesn't mean that you have to have a boring yard.

Trees that are adapted to living in a hot dry climate are a great addition to desert landscaping. Deciduous trees, like mesquite, can offer shade to your yard and house in the summer months and let the light through in the winter when they've dropped their leaves. Many native trees attract birds to live in and under them, like quail. Some types of fruit trees thrive in a hot climate which gives you the added benefit of fresh fruit as well as shade.

There are also many shrubs and bushes that thrive in a desert environment; many of these are evergreens, like oleander and bougainvillea. These bushes are drought-resistant and have beautiful colourful blooms.

Some of the more obvious choices for a yard in the desert are succulents and cacti. Since these types of plants propagate themselves in an arid growing environment, they are idea for a yard as well. Check out your local plants shops to see what kinds of succulents and cacti are available to buy in your area. Some native plants may also be available from cactus rescue societies who take cacti from development sites which would otherwise be destroyed.

Other water-free options include stone work, patios, and other built in features. There are a lot of things that you can do with interesting stones, for example you can build pathways with flag stones, incorporate stone or wood benches around your patio, or build up some areas for rock gardens full of native plants. Built in grills or barbeques are also very popular additions in an outdoor living space; make sure that you plan for adequate shade.

If you are creative in your use of drought-resistant plants and landscaping you can save yourself a lot of money, work, and water. A low-maintenance yard has a lot of appeal not only to native animal species but also to home buyers.

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WelcomeHomeNevada.com provides a professional Aliante Real Estate service. For excellent agent services in the Las Vegas area, contact Mark Hostetler, who's eager to help you find a home with the Las Vegas MLS Listings tool.

Source: http://www.articletrader.com ]]> http://www.articletrader.com/finance/real-estate/buying-your-dream-home-how-to-know-what-it-looks-like.html http://www.articletrader.com/finance/real-estate/buying-your-dream-home-how-to-know-what-it-looks-like.html Thu, 02 Jul 2009 17:11:11 -0500
For some home buyers or builders a dream home might be a huge multimillion dollar affair with marble tiled floors and white shag carpeting throughout; for others, a modest floor plan with a spa bathroom and a professional style kitchen would be far more desirable. Different people have different dreams, and so their dream homes will vary accordingly.

To determine what your dream home looks like, take a moment to think about your daily life. What activities do you enjoy the most in your home and which do you enjoy the least.

If you love cooking, a larger kitchen with an eating area in it might be just what you need; people who love to cook sometimes get stuck in the kitchen by themselves while they're entertaining because of small kitchen spaces. If you hate cooking, then a more efficient kitchen might be what you need so that your time spent in that room is more enjoyable and less of a hassle. Many people dislike cooking because they try to cook in poorly designed kitchens.

If you love spending time relaxing in your bathtub, you might want to have a large spa-type bathroom in your dream home. Spa styled bathrooms might include a large soaking tub or jacuzzi tub, a bidet, adjustable ambient lighting, heated towel bars or floors, and a sky light. Those who are more utilitarian in their bathroom use might prefer a multi-jet shower, rain showerhead, or massaging shower. I know a few very tall people whose dream bathrooms would include ceiling mounted showerheads to increase the ease of their morning routine and cut down on bumped heads while washing hair.

The other rooms in your dream home will likely be a reflection of your family; anyone with children will need extra bedrooms and play spaces. Anyone with a home based business may want space set aside for a home office. Take into account the needs of all the members of your home when you prioritise the element of your family's dream home.

Another consideration to make is that of eco-friendliness. Is it important for your dream home to have solar panels for electricity or water heating, do you need room in the yard for a garden, do you want grey water reclamation, or maybe it's important that you have a passive-cooling designed home to cut down on your electricity bills in the summer.

Whatever elements are important to you, make sure you add those to your list. If you are planning on building your dream home it is easier to add in these elements than if you buy a pre-built home; many pre-built home may be able to have upgrades added in later however. Starting out your search with an understanding of what it is that you really want will help you be happy with your dream home.

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WelcomeHomeNevada.com provides a professional guide for Las Vegas Real Estate and the surrounding areas. For excellent agent services in the Las Vegas area, contact Mark Hostetler, who's eager to help you with your Las Vegas MLS Search.

Source: http://www.articletrader.com ]]> http://www.articletrader.com/home-and-family/gardening/vegetables-and-flowers-can-be-friends.html http://www.articletrader.com/home-and-family/gardening/vegetables-and-flowers-can-be-friends.html Tue, 02 Jun 2009 11:37:53 -0500
This mix of food and flowers is also very practical for those with small yards or even balconies. Years ago, people lived off the food from their gardens, much like my friend with the farmer roots. Commercial food production took over and people transformed their gardens by planting lawns and blooming ornamental plants. Now, however, we're seeing a merging of the two as home owners are going back to their grass roots. Often, fruit trees are chosen over ornamental varieties. Fences and trellises are now being adorned by grapes, and vegetables are being planted in amongst summer annuals. Even landscapers are noticing the difference, with requests for edible landscape designs becoming more common.

Here are some tips to get you thinking like an edible plant gardener:

Add color by planting red cabbage, yellow peppers, purple eggplants or rainbow chard. Combining these nourishing plants with flowers attracts more useful insects and increases flower production and vegetable yields. Certain plants such as garlic when planted next to roses, provides a natural insecticide by repelling aphids.

Instead of ornamental shrubs, try blueberries for their tasty fruit, fall color and low maintenance. Others include Saskatoon/Juneberry, Gooseberry, or Blue Elderberry. Hazelnuts when trimmed, make wonderful hedges, and strawberries make a tasty ground cover.

For filling in those large areas, try horseradish, or Jerusalem artichoke with its showy yellow flowers.

Shade tolerant veggies include beets, brussel sprouts, cabbage, garlic, leaf lettuce, spinach, turnips and radishes. Once you taste the flavor in your homegrown delicacies, you'll be increasing your crop every year.

Edible flowers are both decorative and tasty when added to salads and soups. Some of my favorites include:

Nasturtiums - Adds a peppery flavor to salsa and gazpacho.

Anise Hyssop - Sweet anise or black licorice flavor.

Basil - Flowers have a similar, milder taste than the leaves.

Bee Balm - Use leaves and flowers to make tea with an Earl Grey flavor.

Borage - Large shrub with purple star-shaped flowers that taste like cucumber are wonderful in soups and salads.

Calendula - The bright orange flowers taste similar to saffron with a peppery taste that adds a golden color to foods.

Carnation - Has a peppery, spicy flavor.

Chamomile - Tastes similar to apple and makes a relaxing tea that's easy on the stomach.

Chicory - The beautiful bright blue flowers tolerate the worst of growing conditions. The roots can be used to make a coffee substitute, the buds can be pickled similar to a caper, and the young leaves make a nice addition to a salad.

Chives - Flowers have a mild onion flavor and the chopped stems are a nice addition to soups, salads or just about any recipe you would add onions.

Pansy - Flowers have a mild sweet to tart flavor.

Violet - Sweet nectar-like flavor.

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WelcomeHomeNevada.com provides a professional guide to Las Vegas Nevada Real Estate. For excellent agent services in the Las Vegas area, contact Mark Hostetler, your Painted Desert Real Estate agent.

Source: http://www.articletrader.com ]]> http://www.articletrader.com/finance/real-estate/las-vegas-hotels-then-and-now.html http://www.articletrader.com/finance/real-estate/las-vegas-hotels-then-and-now.html Mon, 01 Jun 2009 14:21:27 -0500
Over the years, Las Vegas has seen a lot of change and most of these changes have been substantial. From the 22,500 acre Summerlin master planned community, to the mega-hotels on the Strip. When a Vegas developer begins a project, it often stakes a benchmark for future development, and each one is bigger and better than the next. This is particularly dramatic when new hotels are being constructed. Existing renovations are rare, and in most cases, the old must come down to replace the new.

The most common method of demolition is by implosion. Combine a few hundred pounds of dynamite, a small stage show and a few seconds later, no more hotel.

Here are some of the famous implosions featured on the Las Vegas strip over the years:

Oct. 27, 1993 - Dunes Hotel: Complete with an imposing 35 foot fibreglass sultan on its roof, the Dunes goes back to May 23, 1955. This desert-theme hotel was host to big name entertainers the likes of Frank Sinatra, and was the first club to offer the topless revue, Minsky's Follies. After being purchased by a Japanese millionaire in 1987 for $155 million, Steve Wynn snagged it for a cool $75 million in 1993 and after imploding, used the property to develop what is known today as "Bellagio."

Nov. 26, 1996 - Sands: Open on December 15, 1952, this was the site of the original Oceans 11 movie starring the rat pack. The Sands had many owners, but during the reign of Howard Hughes, the famous 500-room circular tower was added. The impressive Venetian Hotel has now replaced the Sands.

Dec. 31, 1996 - Hacienda: In spite of its proximity to the McCarran International Airport, the Hacienda had rough start and could never really compete with the larger resorts. It began as a modest 240 room hotel, and later expanded to 1,140 rooms, but remained closed for a couple years due to problems obtaining a gaming license. The Hacienda made a flashy exit on New Year's Eve of 1997 and was replaced by the Mandalay Bay. Its famous neon horse and rider sign, lives on at the intersection of Fremont Street and Las Vegas Boulevard.

April 27, 1998 - Aladdin: Originating as the Tally-Ho, then the King's Crown, the Aladdin was purchased and completely renovated for only $3 million dollars by Milton Prell. Probably its biggest claim to fame was hosting the wedding of Elvis & Priscilla Presley. After owner Prell suffered a stroke in 1972, he sold the hotel for $5 million. The new owners revamped the Aladdin, to the tune of $60 million, with the addition of a 19-story tower. After being imploded in 1998, a new and improved $1.4 billion Aladdin re-opened, but it too changed hands and is currently known as Planet Hollywood.

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WelcomeHomeNevada.com provides a professional guide for Las Vegas Real Estate and the surrounding areas. For excellent agent services in the Las Vegas area, contact Mark Hostetler, who's eager to help you with your Anthem Real Estate needs.

Source: http://www.articletrader.com ]]> http://www.articletrader.com/home-and-family/interior-design/art-nouveau-decorating-principles-for-your-home.html http://www.articletrader.com/home-and-family/interior-design/art-nouveau-decorating-principles-for-your-home.html Fri, 21 Nov 2008 00:00:00 -0600
Stained glass became popular as a design concept. An excellent example of this is the Tiffany lamp, a lamp with a stained glass shade. Stained glass' thicker lines and thinner detail is a common motif in Art Nouveau paintings, where a strong outline is complemented by detail within. While genuine Tiffany lamps are very expensive, there are many companies creating lamps in this style for reasonable prices. Stained glass was popular in other areas, such as window decoration and in mirrors.

Colors are muted, but provide quite a variety of combinations: the sombre greens (sage, olive), mustard yellow and many shades of brown. Pair these colours with various shades of purple and peacock blue.

Browns can be found in the parquet and marquet floors that were in vogue at the time. These were mosaics of wood done in geometric (parquet) or natural shapes (marquet). Walls can be painted in the above colors or papered, preferably with stylized floral motifs that were in vogue. Anything with tendrils will probably integrate easily into the look. Popular motifs are peacocks, pansies, wisteria and any kind of trailing vine. Windows can be hung about with curtains featuring Art Nouveau motifs.

Furniture should be curvy and incorporate some of the stylized nature designs that Art Nouveauis famous for. Look for wood inlaid with designs. There are a lot of opportunities to remake furniture with Art Nouveau motifs and decoration. Consult Art Nouveaubooks and online pictures to find a pattern that you can reproduce on your table, lamp or other accessory. Stylized fireplaces were popular at the time and are still reproduced today with floral motifs and whiplash lines.

Art can be in the form of poster prints. Many commercial posters produced in the era make beautiful and unusual decorations for the walls of your home. A vase or two of peacock feathers and, of course, plants and flowers scattered about the home will bring nature that much closer. Think exotic; Art Nouveau was in the period where people were greatly fascinated by 'The Orient' and far-off climes.

Art Nouveau Style:

- long, curved, whiplash lines
- stylized plants, especially flowers and vines
- depictions of women with long, artistically flowing hair
- inlaid wood, silver, semi-precious stones, glass

Sometimes it's more fun to re-create your own interpretation of Art Nouveau than to restrict yourself to decorations that you know are 'period'. A great Art Nouveau look can be created relatively easily and cheaply if you look for inexpensive replicas and reproductions, as well as using paint and stained glass to "art-nouveau" items. Look for that whiplash line and stylized florals and you'll be on the right track.

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WelcomeHomeNevada.com provides a professional guide to Henderson Nevada Real Estate. For excellent agent services in the Las Vegas area, contact Mark Hostetler, who's eager to help you find a home with the Las Vegas MLS Listings tool.

Source: http://www.articletrader.com ]]> http://www.articletrader.com/finance/real-estate/decluttering-your-home-in-preparation-for-selling.html http://www.articletrader.com/finance/real-estate/decluttering-your-home-in-preparation-for-selling.html Fri, 21 Nov 2008 00:00:00 -0600
Take small steps to decluttering. Focus on getting a single area or container decluttered at a time. This could be a counter or a drawer. It doesn't matter as long as you start and do a thorough job on that one space.

Dump everything onto a cleared space and start going through it. One pile is for things that you use and want to keep. The other pile is for things that you don't use and don't need. Be ruthless! The orange juicer that you picked up while on a health kick isn't doing you any good if you use it only once a year. You are probably not going to use the 3-year-old packets of ketchup. While that extra set of measuring spoons will come in handy if your present set get stolen by a thieving baker, they aren't likely to be. Choose a set and let the other go.

After you declutter this small space, put stuff back in an orderly fashion. In some cases, like drawers, you may find that an organizer keeps your things easily separated and accessible.

Lather, rinse, repeat. Do this with all the areas you need to de-clutter. It's best to set up some kind of schedule or plan, so you have a clear idea of what you're doing and when it's time to stop. Decluttering is a thankless task and it's easier to do if you know that you only have one bookshelf to do.

It's not enough to throw stuff out/give stuff away. You need a strategy to deal with the stuff that is going to come in. "A place for everything and everything in its place" is not just an old cliche - it's good sense.

Papers, for instance, should have their own folder. You can purchase an inexpensive file cabinet or file folder to keep track of your important papers. Papers that need to be out for whatever reason should be stored in an In/Out box, which you can buy cheaply or make out of things you already have. ASAP those papers should be filed away, out of sight.

Books need to have their own storage system. Shelves are the usual method, but boxes and drawers can also be utilized to organize books and keep them from contributing to clutter.

Toys have a home in the toy box/basket/hamper. Children's games and activities can also find a home here or on specially designated shelves. Start training your children now to put things away after they are done playing with them. Conduct a family "sweep" every day, where you spend 10 minutes straightening things up and putting things away.

Keep a box for things-that-aren't-used-often-but-are-used-often-enough-to-keep. Store this box away and see if you really use those things that often. If you find that you haven't opened the box in a year, reconsider keeping them.

Look around your house and visualize it as you want to see it staged. Remove everything that interferes with that vision. It may be helpful for you to rent temporary storage so that the items that you do wish to keep can be safely stored away from the house. You could also use this to determine if you really miss these items or whether you'll be glad to have them back when you move.

As you gradually come closer to your goal, you will not only have staged your home as you want it, you will have removed unnecessary things from your life. This also helps you deal with the stress of selling your home and moving.

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WelcomeHomeNevada.com provides a professional guide to Las Vegas Real Estate and the surrounding areas. For excellent agent services in the Las Vegas area, contact Mark Hostetler, your Las Vegas Realtor.

Source: http://www.articletrader.com ]]> http://www.articletrader.com/finance/mortgage/sub-prime-mortgage-cheat-sheet.html http://www.articletrader.com/finance/mortgage/sub-prime-mortgage-cheat-sheet.html Wed, 01 Oct 2008 00:00:00 -0500
When looking at the causes of this crisis we're hit with catch phrases such as Banking Liquidity Crisis, Mortgage Backed Securities, Interest-only Loans, Sub prime Mortgages, and as of late the dreaded Bailout.

We gather around the water cooler, absently nodding in agreement when a co-worker mentions how Hedge fund losses have contributed to the crisis, but what does it really mean?

Consider this your subprime mortgage cheat sheet, defining some of these terms and explaining their contribution to current economic climate.

Subprime Mortgages: An alternative to a conventional mortgage, subprime mortgages allowed people with bad or no credit history to buy homes with very little or no money down. Not only are these considered high risk mortgages, but history has demonstrated that these homeowners are most likely to default when times get bad. Subprime Mortgages are considered the primary cause of the housing slump; eventually spreading their infectious roots throughout the stock market and general economy.

Interest-Only Loans: Generally used in conjunction with a subprime mortgage, homeowners were offered a payment plan where for a pre-determined length of time, they paid off only the interest, and no principal on their home. The banks and lending companies found quite a niche and it wasn't long before the market was saturated with borrowers that should never have received mortgages to begin with.

When their "interest-only" period expired, borrowers switched to a conventional mortgage, but monthly payments often rose to unaffordable levels and forced them to default, leading to widespread foreclosures. Adding insult to injury, housing prices began to fall and often, these distressed home owners owed more money than their house was worth.

Mortgage-Backed Securities: Banks, laden with high risk mortgages, bundled them into mortgage-backed securities and sold them off to Fannie Mae, whose sole purpose was to resell these mortgages to private investors.

Hedge Funds: These are a higher risk, investment fund not privy to the same controls and safeguards as mutual funds. Hedge funds have invested billions in Mortgage-Backed Securities – when this unlikely pair met up, the stock market was flooded with unstable investment funds.

Suddenly the effects of these irresponsible lending and investment practices were visible in the form of a nationwide housing slump and economic crisis. Huge financial institutions the likes of Washington Mutual Bank, AIG and Lehman Brothers were over-burdened by the weight of high risk mortgages they could no longer sell off, and the resulting flood of foreclosures. Existing customers reacting out of fear, closed their accounts, withdrawing their life-savings.

Instilled with panic, investors recently withdrew over $140 billion from their money-market accounts, transferring the funds to U.S. Treasuries, causing values to decline to zero.

Federal Bailout: In an effort to stabilize the economy, a $700 billion bailout scheme has been proposed and rejected by congress. However, a 2nd draft was in the works during the writing of this article. In the proposal, the government would eradicate these debts from the banks, Hedge funds and pension funds, and basically give them a clean slate.

Some feel that this removes any burden of responsibility from the corporate giants who saw an opportunity and exploited it, and instead transfer the debt to the taxpayer. Alternatively, experts say if we don't instigate some sort of bailout, it will be next to impossible for the average consumer to get a loan or mortgage. On the surface, this doesn't seem so bad, after all that's how the trouble began, with shaky borrowers getting loans they couldn't handle. However, considering the amount of employment and industry that just those two products alone support, and the negative effect on the economy if people stopped buying cars and houses, this may be the bitter pill Americans need to swallow.

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WelcomeHomeNevada.com provides a professional guide to Las Vegas Nevada Real Estate. For excellent agent services in the Las Vegas area, contact Mark Hostetler, your Green Valley NV Real Estate professional.

Source: http://www.articletrader.com ]]> http://www.articletrader.com/finance/real-estate/the-stories-your-house-can-tell.html http://www.articletrader.com/finance/real-estate/the-stories-your-house-can-tell.html Wed, 01 Oct 2008 00:00:00 -0500
A word to the wise, your house may not have the romantic history you imagine. Our first home was an old schoolhouse built in 1873 that we renovated and turned into a two bedroom house. Looking out our bedroom window into the backyard we imagined a Norman Rockwell scene of children running and playing. Once we began researching the roots of our charming home, we discovered that same school yard was the scene of an unsolved murder where a teacher had been killed with an axe. A local historian claimed she had solved the murder, believing it to be a crime of passion, and that the revered Dr.Whitehead was the killer. It wasn't quite what we expected.

Throwing caution to the wind, if you still wish to proceed, here is a list of steps that will help you trace the history of your home.

Listen to your house – what does it have to say? Beginning with the home itself, try to determine its architectural style. Whether it is Victorian, Georgian, Queen Anne, or a more recent design, the style will give you a clue to the year the house was built. Pay attention to the materials used in construction. Did the builder use stone, brick, wood siding or stucco? Look at the shape of the roofline, the shape and placement of the windows, the chimney, doors, and foundation.

Look for any upgrades to the home; distinguishing between new and old building materials. Sometimes old newspapers were used as insulation that may give you a clue to the date of the home. Comb the attic or any cubbyholes that may have old clothes, diaries or other artifacts.

Speak to long time residents or local historians and find out what stories they have about the home or its past owners. Often, this personal exchange of information is your best source.

Next, head over to the local courthouse or land registry office and do a search on past titles. If you're lucky you may find the deed from the first owner giving you the date the home was built. For reference, make a note of the legal description of the property and names of prior owners. In addition, check the will and probate records in case the property had been passed onto another owner through a will. Mortgage and tax records may provide clues to any improvements or changes to the home throughout the years.

Archived building permits can provide clues to previous owners, structural changes to the house and maybe even the original blueprints.

When you're done here, move on over to the library and search through the section dedicated to local history. You may even find old photos of the property or prior owners. Census, birth, marriage, death records and obituaries can also provide valuable information. Learning about the people who lived there helps to form total picture of the life of the home.

Be sure to take detailed notes, photocopies and record your reference sources in case you have to go back to them.

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WelcomeHomeNevada.com provides a professional guide to Painted Desert Real Estate. For excellent agent services in the Las Vegas area, contact Mark Hostetler, who's eager to help you find a home with the Las Vegas MLS Listings tool.

Source: http://www.articletrader.com ]]> http://www.articletrader.com/finance/real-estate/get-rid-of-pet-smells-to-sell-your-home.html http://www.articletrader.com/finance/real-estate/get-rid-of-pet-smells-to-sell-your-home.html Fri, 19 Sep 2008 00:00:00 -0500
While you might not notice a pet smell in your home, chances are someone who doesn't own pets will notice one, no matter how clean you keep your floors, or how often you change the litter box. So what's a pet owner to do? Well, if a speedy and generous offer on your home is your goal, you might have to invest a bit of time and money cleaning up after your pets.

If you have carpets, these will probably need washing at least, and possibly replacing, depending on their age and your pets bathroom habits. Remember that carpets will hold whatever odors are in the air of your home, and they don't need to have been actually peed on to smell funky. So clean or replace all the carpets, not just those mostly trafficked by said pet.

If you have wood floors, they won't smell so much, but your pets may have scratched them up. It may well be worth having them sanded—or renting a sander and doing it yourself—since restored wood floors are quite popular right now. A fresh coat of stain and those floors will be sparkling.

If your floors are linoleum or vinyl, you may be able to get away with washing them thoroughly to get out any pets smell. But don't judge for yourself. After you've done all the cleaning, have a friend, preferable one who doesn't have pets at home, come in and do a sniff test. Since smells are something we quickly get used to, have them sniff around different rooms as soon as they come into the house. This should tell you if there's any residual odor.

The main thing with getting out pet smells is to not have them come back right away. This is why it might be best for your pets to visit a kennel while your home is up for sale, or at least to be staying with a dog-babysitter on days you know your home will be shown. By getting them out of the house and then cleaning up after them, you make sure that any allergens and odors alike are minimized.

Another important step to minimizing these is to have ventilation or central heating ducts cleaned. These can be full of dust and animal dander. Don't forget to change the filter.

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WelcomeHomeNevada.com provides a professional Las Vegas MLS Search service. For excellent agent services in the Las Vegas area, contact Mark Hostetler, who's eager to help you find a home with the Las Vegas MLS Listings tool.

Source: http://www.articletrader.com ]]> http://www.articletrader.com/home-and-family/home-improvement/winterize-well-before-winter.html http://www.articletrader.com/home-and-family/home-improvement/winterize-well-before-winter.html Fri, 19 Sep 2008 00:00:00 -0500
Depending on where you live, winter is a time when water either falls from the sky as liquid or a fluffy solid. Either kind can work its way inside if your roof is compromised. You want to locate leaks before they become a problem, because once water gets in, rot and mold can start, and they are a homeowners worst enemy. So, the next time it rains, have a look around for leaks. Maybe you have to crawl up into the attic with a flashlight. So be it. Better that than deal with the damage from an established leak. If any leaks are spotted, go up to the roof with some spare shingles and roofing nails. It is recommended that you replace not just the shingles that are leaking, but those surrounding the leak as well. A good roofing tar or cement will patch the roof, and new shingles will cover the area. Be sure you put them back on in a pattern that gives your roof complete coverage. Ideally you'll be following the example of the pattern of the other shingles up there, but if there is any doubt in your mind about your abilities here, it may be best to hire someone with more experience. Unless your leaks are extensive, the job shouldn't take a long time, so therefore shouldn't be too expensive.

Another roof-top job is cleaning out the gutters. Of course, not a lot of trees have had a chance to lose their leaves yet, but fruit and flower debris may have accumulated up there. Unless you have a gutter with a little roof or screen over it to prevent things from getting in, you are guaranteed to have some kind of organic matter in there at just about any time of year. This may even be a job you do once now, and again later in the fall. A hose with a high-pressure head can be used to rinse debris away. You can also pull stuff out with your hands, or use a garden hoe or similar devise to remove whatever you find there. Remember, whenever you are doing any job up on the roof, or up high in general, be careful! Never climb up a ladder if you are even slightly intoxicated, and it is a good idea to do it when someone else is home, too, just in case you need help for any reason.

If you live in a climate that's prone to dropping below freezing temperatures, even for a short time, it's a good idea to insulate your water pipes. Frozen water in the pipes can cause cracking, which can then cause leaking, and suddenly you find yourself with those mold and rot characters coming to visit—and you really don't want them anywhere near your property. Any exposed pipes running under or outside of your home should be insulated. This is usually done with foam tubing that is split down one side. Simply measure the lengths and cut them with an exacto-knife or similar device. You may want some duct tape on hand to ensure the insulating foam will stay on the pipe. There's no need to tape every seam, but a few strategic pieces of tape will do the job.

Finally, if you've got any exposed wood, be it on your house or deck, now's the time for a paint or stain treatment. Be sure to scrape away any old and flaking paint, or pressure wash faded wood. Once the surface is completely dry, apply the water-proof stain or paint of your choice.

This list isn't a complete guide to winterizing, just a reminder of what your home may need. Consider your home's unique needs, and budget your time carefully. Even though it still seems like summer out there (most days), it's important that winterizing your home be done well before the cold winds begin to blow.

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WelcomeHomeNevada.com provides a professional guide to Green Valley NV Real Estate. For excellent agent services in the Las Vegas area, contact Mark Hostetler, who's eager to help you find a home with the Las Vegas MLS Listings tool.

Source: http://www.articletrader.com ]]>