5 Most & Least Regretted DIY Home Projects

Thinking of going the DIY route for a home improvement project? Well you’re not alone. Nearly three-quarters of homeowners have completed a DIY project in the past three years. However, 40 percent of them wished they hadn’t, according to a new survey from home design site Zillow Digs.
Deciding whether to do it yourself or hire professional help is a common question. To help homeowners make better decisions related to tackling home improvement projects, Zillow Digs asked homeowners from around the country which projects they regretted the most and the least. The results of the survey are revealed below.

Top 5 most-regretted DIY projects

1.  Add or expand a room (such as a bathroom or bedroom)

Courtesy of Zillow Digs

2. Refinish cabinetry (kitchen or bath)

Courtesy of Zillow Digs

3. Refinish basement or attic

Courtesy of Zillow Digs

4. Reinstall new carpeting

Courtesy of Zillow Digs

5. Refinish or install new hardwood floors

Courtesy of Zillow Digs

Top 5 least-regretted DIY projects

1. Replace lighting fixtures

Courtesy of Zillow Digs

2. Replace cabinet hardware (kitchen or bath)

Courtesy of Zillow Digs

3. Paint one or more rooms

Courtesy Zillow Digs

4. Install new kitchen appliances

Courtesy Zillow Digs

5. Replace plumbing fixtures (bath, sink, toilet)

12 Home Maintenance Tasks to Prep for Winter

Before the first signs of winter arrive, take the time to insulate your home against the coming cold season. Winterizing now, before the arrival of frigid weather, means that when it’s truly frightful outside, you can curl up by the fire and sip cocoa without disruption.
The following tips will help you keep the cold air out, the warm air in, and your home safe from storm damage.

1. Check out the chimney

Before hanging your stockings by the chimney with care, have it cleaned and inspected by a professional chimney sweep. Creosote and soot buildup, as well as other blockages, can lead to fires, so be sure the chimney cap is intact, and your chimney liner, firebox, smoke chamber, and damper are all in good working condition before you light the first log.

2. Warm your water heater

If you’d like to save up to nine percent in water-heating costs, wrap your water heater with an appropriately sized insulation blanket. Most hot water tanks are installed in unheated areas of the home, such as the basement or garage. The less a tank’s heat escapes into its cold surroundings, the less energy it uses — and the more money you can keep in your pocket.

3. Seal cracks and crevices

Before the chill sets in, make sure all the cracks and crevices in your foundation have been filled to prevent your house from leaking heat and sucking up extra energy. Expandable foams work well to seal gaps in areas that are hard to reach or oddly shaped, or both.

4. Stop ice dams in their tracks

Before the first snow, take one last trip up to your roof to install an ice shield (and maybe even your holiday lights, if you’re feeling ambitious). Ice shields, available at your local home improvement center, protect against ice dams — ridges of frozen water that form at the edge of a roof and prevent melting snow from draining — ultimately saving your roof from a whole host of seasonal problems.

5. Perform an energy audit

Schedule an energy audit with your local service provider to receive an analysis of inefficiencies that you may have overlooked in your own visual inspection. Some companies offer this service for free, but even if yours doesn’t, it’s one walk-through that’s worth the investment. This professional assessment can lead to upgrades that can lower future energy bills by anywhere from five to 30 percent, according to the U.S. Department of Energy.

6. Protect plants and shrubs

Ensure that your yard will still be intact after the season passes by securing your plantings properly. Insulate and shelter the foliage closest to your home from falling ice and snow by erecting a reusable A-frame structure made from 2x4s and exterior plywood. Tall and narrow greenery anywhere on your property could benefit from a simple twine wrap around the middle to keep individual branches from breaking under the weight of heavy snow accumulation. But snow isn’t the only winter force to reckon with: Don’t forget to protect small shrubs from strong gusts of wind by wrapping them with burlap and stapling the material to stakes.

7. Trick out your thermostat

Are you ready to bring your home into the 21st century? Try a smart thermostat. More than just smart technology, it’s an intelligent investment. Many of the options on today’s market can detect when family members return home, and modify the temperature accordingly — increasing the warmth and comfort when you’re around, and lowering the temperature when you leave. The intuitive settings alone trim energy costs, and the availability of user-friendly, control-from-anywhere features can simplify home life.

8. Install weatherstripping

Eliminate potential drafts before they become a problem, and keep your indoor space extra cozy by sealing gaps around door and window frames with weatherstripping. Install door sweeps, which can prevent chills (and pests) from entering through the slim space underneath the door.

9. Prevent frozen pipes

Frozen pipes — and the waterworks, mess, and property damage that follow — top the list of the most formidable problems associated with subzero temperatures. Avert this winter nightmare by employing foam-rubber insulation to prevent the exposed metal from getting too cold.

10. Start your ceiling fans

Ceiling fans aren’t just for use in the summertime — they’re also effective in winter. In the warmer months, your fans should be set to rotate counterclockwise for a cooling downdraft. Winter requires a switch-up: Reverse the rotation so your blades spin clockwise to distribute warm air back down. And while you’re up there flipping the switch, it’s not a bad idea to dust a little, too.

11. Trim back trees

Large branches that loom over rooftops and power lines could cause problems if they collect enough snow and ice during the winter storm season. Overburdened, they may snap under the heavy weight, fall, and seriously damage whatever lies beneath. Save yourself some hassle and trim your branches back at the end of autumn to avoid these threats.

12. Replace furnace filters

The proper functioning of your heating system and furnace becomes paramount during cold winter months, when it’s vital that you stay warm and comfortable in your home. The starting point for regular maintenance is easy: Change your furnace filters often. Dirty filters restrict airflow and increase energy demand. Change fiberglass or paper furnace filters every one to two months; an electrostatic or HEPA filter can be cleaned or changed closer to every two to four months. If you stock up on filters ahead of time, you’ll always have a supply on hand to keep your energy system in tip-top condition.

Rent vs. Buy: Either Way You’re Paying A Mortgage

There are some people that have not purchased a home because they are uncomfortable taking on the obligation of a mortgage. Everyone should realize that, unless you are living with your parents rent free, you are paying a mortgage - either your mortgage or your landlord’s.
As The Joint Center for Housing Studies at Harvard University explains:

“Households must consume housing whether they own or rent. Not even accounting for more favorable tax treatment of owning, homeowners pay debt service to pay down their own principal while households that rent pay down the principal of a landlord plus a rate of return.  
That’s yet another reason owning often does—as Americans intuit—end up making more financial sense than renting.”

Christina Boyle, a Senior Vice President, Head of Single-Family Sales & Relationship Management at Freddie Mac, explains another benefit of securing a mortgage vs. paying rent:

“With a 30-year fixed rate mortgage, you’ll have the certainty & stability of knowing what your mortgage payment will be for the next 30 years – unlike rents which will continue to rise over the next three decades.”

As an owner, your mortgage payment is a form of ‘forced savings’ that allows you to have equity in your home that you can tap into later in life. As a renter, you guarantee your landlord is the person with that equity.
The graph below shows the widening gap in net worth between a homeowner and a renter:

Bottom Line

Whether you are looking for a primary residence for the first time or are considering a vacation home on the shore, owning might make more sense than renting with home values and interest rates projected to climb.

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Should You List in January Or Wait for the Spring Selling Season?

Conventional wisdom says wait until the warmer months to put your house on the market. Here are a few reasons to rethink that idea.

Story / By Brendon DeSimone on 30 Nov 2015

Thousands of homeowners speak to their real estate agent this time of year to consider their sale options — typically for the spring. It takes a few months for the agent and seller to plan and prep to list the home, so starting now makes sense.
Over the years, I’ve asked sellers if they would consider listing their home in January, right after the first of the year. At first, they look at me like I’m crazy. “Who sells a home in the dead of winter?” they ask.
As it turns out, many sellers not only successfully make it happen, but actually end up better off. Here’s why.

Buyers are out 24/7/365

In the past, buyers waited for spring to start their shopping because that’s when the majority of listings hit the market for the spring selling season.
Today’s buyers look at listings all day, every day. They have apps on their phone, get listings texted and emailed to them, and don’t care about the time of year.
They’re looking for inventory, and will buy homes well before the spring. List your home in January, and you will have a captive audience.

Bonuses, inheritances and tax implications

Each year, real estate agents’ phones ring come January. Previously active buyers want to re-engage, and new buyers come out of the woodwork. What causes this yearly phenomenon?
The end of the year often brings family events, financial activities and discussions about gifting for tax implications. Conversations about inheritances and taxes, money and homeownership seem to occur at many families’ holiday dinners.
Additionally, at year’s end, people take stock of their incomes, find out about work bonuses, and start thinking about whether they want to spend another year renting. Buyers start to take a second look at the tax implications of homeownership, too.
Whether it’s a new buyer who moves quickly or a previously active buyer who re-engages, these house hunters are around in January and will look at your home if it’s for sale.

Where’s the competition?

Typical sellers wait until spring to list. There’s no doubt that visible grass, blooming flowerbeds, and a spotlight on outdoor areas make houses more inviting.
But that also means that there might be two or three similar houses for sale in your neighborhood or school district, in your price range. Thus, it changes the supply-and-demand balance.
You’re better off being the only game in town when it’s time to sell. The more homes on the market, the more the buyers spread out.
Buyers shopping in January understand that the home won’t show as well as it does in the spring and summer months. Many of them don’t care. Having photos of your home during these times of year will help them envision it in the warmer seasons.
If you’re a flexible seller — meaning that you aren’t under any time restrictions or time frames to sell, and your home is already in showing condition — consider listing in mid- to late January. You can always control and negotiate your closing deadline with a buyer. If someone falls in love with the home, they may not mind waiting until April to close.
Also, many buyers have been at it for many months (sometimes years). So, come January, they are tired of open houses Sundays and the real estate hunt. This is your target buyer and, in part, they’re why it’s better to list in January than to wait until spring.

Retirement Planning: Do You Know What A SEP IRA Is?

By Rebecca Reisner
This story originally appeared on LearnVest.

Retirement can conjure up visions of pursuing a passion, hanging with the grandkids or taking epic vacations.
But the ability to do just as you please requires financial freedom—in other words, a sizable nest egg.
Clients regularly ask me about potential savings vehicles such as 401(k)s and IRAs—but people also hear about other retirement accounts and wonder whether they’re missing out on potential financial benefits.
That’s why I sometimes get asked: What’s a SEP IRA?

Why So Many People Ask This Question
The SEP IRA isn’t a well-known option. And that’s largely because it usually makes sense only for a subset of retirement savers, namely, small business owners and self-employed people with non-W-2 income.
For the right candidates, though, there’s a powerful case to make for SEP IRAs, as long as you understand the fine print.


What I Tell Them 
Administrative costs for SEP IRAs tend to be much lower than those of traditional employee retirement plans. If you own a business, you’d likely have your CPA handle filling out the necessary 5305-SEP IRS form and other paperwork; no third-party administrator is needed.
But the drawbacks of SEP IRAs can be equally striking. First and foremost, if you’re an employer, contributions for workers come out of your own pocket—not theirs. Employees can’t contribute their money to SEP IRAs, so it’s essentially your gift.

The Bottom Line
A SEP IRA tends to cater to individuals who are self-employed or run a small business and is most ideal for someone who has no employees or very few employees. It is also an especially attractive retirement savings option for high earners who have cash left over after paying their bills and can put aside a significant amount of pretax income.

Home splurges to treat yourself this season

Printed from THE DAILY JOURNAL, dtd. 12/10/2015 Home splurges to treat yourself this season December 10, 2015, 05:00 AM By Melissa Rayworth The Associated Press     So many of our home-improvement and design choices are practical ones: Which sofa will stand up over the years? Which paint color matches the furniture? But what about changes that could really elevate our happiness at home? Sometimes the smallest things can make home life easier and more joyful: Interior designer Kate Jackson says that starting each day using her sterling silver spoons makes the morning feel more special for her whole family. In this season of gift-giving, we’ve asked Jackson and two other designers — Sarah Fishburne, director of trend and design for the Home Depot, and New York-based Danielle Colding — about home innovations and splurges that you can give yourself. WARM FLOORS ALL WINTER Colding had a client with a large house that was often filled with friends. The kitchen was the most-used room and “he just wanted the luxury of that room feeling really good,” Colding says, but “it just felt cold.” So they found a creative solution: Adding a heated floor. The key to these kinds of investments, Colding says, is knowing which ones will really improve your daily life. Although expensive, a heated kitchen floor is a feature you can use every day in the fall and winter. “It’s like when people spend $300 on jeans and it sounds crazy,” Colding says, but they wear those jeans constantly and treasure them. UPGRADING YOUR CLOSET “There’s something about a really well organized, decked-out closet,” Fishburne says, that improves the start of every day. When you get dressed, she says, “you’re not rushing, going ‘Where did I put this?”’ And you wear more of your clothes because you can actually see them. Technology has made closet planning simpler and more fun: Home Depot and other companies offer online planning tools that let you sketch out different configurations. And the range of storage solutions and styles of closet interiors has been expanding. A SOUND SYSTEM THROUGHOUT YOUR HOME Jackson, who is based in Rhode Island, says clients who have invested in good sound systems installed in the walls are always glad they did. “Sounds can obviously set a mood and have a really powerful effect on how we feel through the day,” she says. Few things impact an entire home so powerfully, she says. And unlike a piece of furniture that you might get tired of, easy access to great sound is “the gift that keeps on giving.” HIGH-END LINENS The holidays often bring overnight guests, Colding says, and that’s when we notice the quality of our bed and bath linens. Treating yourself and your guests to soft, crisp sheets and fluffy towels can be expensive, she says. But the difference in quality and comfort can be surprising, and for some people the enjoyment is worth the investment. And on a practical level, “they last forever,” she says, and “they wash really well.” TOUCH FAUCET One less expensive treat that Fishburne has “kind of fallen in love with” is a high-tech touch faucet. These switch on with just the lightest pressure — even a quick tap from an elbow or fingertip. So if you’re cooking and have your hands full, you can turn on the water without putting down a hot pot or heavy colander. There is a health benefit: If you’re cooking with raw meat or eggs and need to turn on the water, you don’t need to risk transferring germs from your hands to the tap. And many models have an ingenious safety feature: A light shows blue or red, depending on the water temperature. HIGH-END WALLPAPER Painting a room is an affordable and easy do-it-yourself choice, Jackson says. But the joy you may get from professionally installed, luxurious wallpaper can last for years. While decorating the bathrooms in a client’s home, Jackson suggested striking wallpaper that “made these ‘vanilla’ rooms sing.”

Unbelievable Value for Homes in Redwood City!

Throw-back Thursday!

Here's an ad from the Spring 1940 addition of "Housing Book of Homes & Plans".  A new home in Redwood City could be purchased for $41.60 a month! Can you believe it!  Does anyone recognize this house? https://drive.google.com/file/d/0Bzh8L-Kif3PEVmJuNzl4OTJEMnM/view?usp=sharing

Annual Holiday Lights 1900 Block Eucalyptus Ave

Don't miss San Carlos Annual Tradition -Christmas Lights on Eucalyptus Ave!

A Christmas Carol, A Gift to the Community

http://www.christmascarolthegift.com/

A Christmas Carol: A Gift to the Community
December 11 – 20

Night of Holiday Lights Returns This Friday

The Night of Holiday Lights returns to downtown Laurel this Friday, December 4.

Bring the entire family out from 5:30 to 9:00 p.m. for live music, holiday arts and crafts, rides and more!

Unbelievable Value for Homes in San Mateo!

Throw-back Thursday!

Here's an ad from the Spring 1940 addition of "Housing Book of Homes & Plans". 

A new home in San Mateo could be purchased for $39.95 a month! Can you believe it!  Does anyone recognize this house? 

#thegoodolddays #affordablehousinginSanMateo #SanMateoHomesForSale #GreatdealsonSanMateoHomes

Donate to the Kid's Shoe Drive this Holiday Season

The San Carlos United Methodist Church is hosting a Kid's Shoe Drive on December 13.

San Carlos, CA

LocalStream November 30, 2015  

San Carlos United Methodist Church via Facebook

More from San Carlos Patch

Kid’s Shoe Drive
December 13th

This December, let us remember the kids who come to the Good Neighbor Center. Please bring new shoes for children ages 3 to 10 to the church by December 13th. What a beautiful way to honor the birth of the Christ child by buying new shoes for children in need.

Home Improvements That Pay Off