A greater number of structural fires occur in the winter months. In colder weather, homeowners crank up the heat, using space heaters and electric blankets. But leaving them on too long or placing them too close to flammable objects can spark fires quickly, realtor.com® warns.“A substantial portion of the structure fire increase is caused by heating fires,” according to a study by the United States Fires Administration, “The Seasonal Natu
Madison, Wis., offers the best balance between work and play. In fact, Midwestern cities placed in four of the top five spots in a new study by SmartAsset, a personal finance website.SmartAsset analyzed the data on the 100 largest U.S. cities across 10 metrics. Those metrics included concentration of entertainment establishments, bars and restaurants, housing costs, home values, average weeks worked, average hours worked, average commute times, u
Some places may be more inspiring than others for keeping your goals on track for the new year.Realtor.com®’s research team analyzed the 100 largest U.S. metros to figure out where it’s easiest for residents to keep their top new year’s resolutions, like getting healthier, putting finances in order, improving their minds, or setting out to find adventure.To determine the best places to get healthy, the research team looked at the number of
According to Pensacola, Fla.–based author and business consultant Quint Studer, there are ten key abilities any entrepreneur or small-business owner must have in order to be successful. But he also notes that no one starts out with all of these skills and emphasizes that smart businesspeople are constantly learning and honing their abilities.“No one is born a great business owner, knowing all there is to know. Great business owners evolve. Th
Interior designers are trained to know what works and doesn’t work in a home. Some designers recently advised against purchasing certain home furnishings, whether you are staging a home or moving into one. Avoid these interior design eyesores for the sake of a home’s style:Overstuffed chairs.“I get that lounge chairs are comfortable, but they’re truly the elephant in the room,” Karen Gray-Plaisted, a home staging and decor pro with D
Entertainment areas—wet bars and dry bars—are places to prepare beverages for guests. But these spaces may be losing appeal and could make your listing look dated, designers say.First, make sure you know the difference between a wet bar versus a dry bar. Simply enough, a wet bar has a sink, allowing glasses to easily be rinsed, while a dry bar does not.Home bars became trendy in the 1970s and 1980s. More homeowners outfitted their basements w
Don’t let the snow pile up outside your home this winter. The Outdoor Power Equipment Instituteand TurfMutt offer various tips for homeowners to follow in the colder months. From pet safety to clearing the sidewalks, get in the habit of following these winter weather tips for your property’s upkeep:Source: “Wise Winter Weather Tips for Your Family Yard,” Outdoor Power Equipment Institute
From techniques to make listing photos pop to methods for staging small spaces, these were the design crazes that made the biggest difference in home sales. We strived to offer both news and practical advice in our home and design section throughout the year, but we also kept an eye on forthcoming trends. As you can see, our roundup of 2018 design trends—which was published only this month—quickly became our most popular design article of
Buyers looking for a home that’s perfect for entertaining will want certain property details. HomeDesignFind.com recently profiled some characteristics of the perfect home for entertaining, including:An entry hall or foyer. Make sure it’s sizable enough to allow guests to enter comfortably and to remove their coats and shoes. In addition, a covered front porch that protects visitors from the rain may be a perk.A coat closet in the entryway.
Black is making a comeback in home design, with black fixtures, appliances, and furniture emerging as hot trends for the new year. Ryan Brown of Brown Design Group in Southern California predicts that black fixtures will replace brass as the most trendy home hardware in 2018. “They look great in modern applications, as well as transitional homes,” he told realtor.com®. “And the best part is no water spots to clean off.”Matted black furni
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