12 Things You Can Sacrifice To Save On A Home: Tips 1-3

Many homebuyers begin house hunting with a list of must-haves. This is particularly true for first-time buyers who have heard that theirs is a buyers market. I've notice that my younger buyers really expect a lot, then they're disappointed with what they find because they had read that the market's terrible. In many markets, the best homes for sale are now getting multiple offers and selling quickly. But even in a market where a buyer can definitely get more for his money, why should he pay for things he doesn't need? Just because you can afford to buy a 10-bedroom, 12-bathroom home with separate butler's quarters doesn't mean it's a good idea. Wouldn't you rather spend that extra money on something else? It's good to know what your deal-breakers are when you're looking for a home, but you should also be realistic about which things you don't need. Consider these 12 possible sacrifices, and then decide which you can give up to find a less expensive house that won't make you regret your purchase. In today's blog I will examine sacrifices 1-3

1. Square footage

Most buyers want more space than they need, so ask yourself whether giving up a formal dining room or few feet in the living area is going to significantly affect your lifestyle. Buyers who dream of a 6,000-square-foot palace need to remember that every square foot comes with a price, one of the primary factors to base a list price on is square feet, so only purchasing those square feet that a buyer will use will help their bottom line. Plus, they will save on not having to heat, maintain and furnish that extra space.

2. Yard size

Many buyers, particularly men, want a big lot and a large yard, but in suburban areas getting that land costs disproportionately more. Plus the work required to maintain a yard — mowing, fertilizing, trimming and planting — and how much time and money it will take should be a major factor in ones decision. Some buyers may want that large yard so their children have a place to play, but kids don't really play in the backyard as much as they once did. No a days they all go to soccer and all these other places to play. As long as the backyard is level, so you can see where your kids are when they do play in the yard, then it doesn't have to be a huge space.

3. Fenced yard

A fenced yard is often on a buyer's want list, but a fence is an easy and often inexpensive post-purchase addition. Many buyers don't want to even consider homes without fences, I suggest to look at a few homes in their price range that don't have fences but do have more interior upgrades, you'll come around to the idea of adding a fence later.

Next blog sacrifices 4-6

Nice Curb Appeal For Your Home With Some Early Spring Gardening

March may find you sighing with impatience as you watch yet another snowfall cover your barren container boxes, but it's one of the most important months for gardeners.

Tool cleanup
If you didn't do so in the fall, it's time to give your lawn mower and other tools some tough love.
Get ahead of the spring crowds by dropping off your lawn mower now to have the oil changed, bolts tightened and blades sharpened.  Remove soil from your tools' metal parts using sandpaper or a hose.

Lawn doctoring
The green, green grass of home doesn't get that way by accident, and March is a perfect time to assess your lawn's health.  Pluck a 4- to 5-inch square from your yard to see what's going on down there.  Fertilize your lawn now or start a new lawn using seeds or sod.

Weeding
There's always the battle of the weeds. The only way to win that fight is to keep at it. Nip weeds at the bud — literally, for if they're allowed to flower and go to seed, you could be looking at several years' worth of uninvited guests: Some weeds shed 10,000 seeds at a pop. 

Preparing soil
Once your soil has had a chance to thaw and lose some of its winter moisture, you'll want to prep it for planting.  Remove mulch over the course of several days, exposing the soil gradually.  Till or spade soil six to 12 inches deep.  Mix in compost, peat moss and fertilizer for plants or vegetables. For vegetable gardens, include processed or well-rotted manure in the mix (using fresh manure in the spring may burn or damage your plants).  Rake the soil level to smooth out low spots; pockets of water can make the soil cool, which slows plant growth.

Vegetables
Start planning your vegetable garden, keeping in mind the following guidelines.  Choose neighboring vegetables carefully and you may as much as double your vegetable harvest. Onions, for example, are no friend to peas and beans but make good bedmates for tomatoes, strawberries, lettuce and beets.  Later in the month (in most zones) you can seed or set out hardier vegetables, such as chard and Brussels sprouts.

Slug control

As tender shoots start to poke up in the spring, they make a beggar's banquet for slugs. Plan your counterattack before young plants become young nubs.  As with much garden damage control, natural methods are growing in popularity. One simple approach is to sprinkle slugs with salt, which causes them to dry up.  Slugs are attracted to stale beer, which you can leave in a shallow dish or bowl; slugs will enter and drown.  If you use a commercial slug bait, read the label carefully to be sure it won't endanger children, pets or birds.

Fun for kids
Kids love to help with simple growing projects or to have plants of their own to watch and care for, especially if growth is rapid (remember those pint-size attention spans).  Kids love watching plants grow from seeds. Beans, peas and parsley all grow quickly in pots, and seeds can be set in fun shapes or kids' initials.

For the birds
Find out who's likely to fly over for a visit in the next month or two, and target bird treats and feeder types for their individual tastes.  Most bird species will go for either oil-type sunflower seeds or white millet (offered separately), but sunflower-seed munchers tend to prefer elevated feeders with perches, while millet lovers usually prefer ground or large platform feeders.