Montague Miller Blog

Selling your home can be an exciting adventure full of surprises and pitfalls. Taking the time to properly stage it can make selling your home less of a chore and allow you to get the best price possible. Follow these five tips from the pros to help you prepare your home and set the stage for a successful sale.

1. Start Outside
   The first impression a buyer has of your home can make or break a sale. To make the buyer eager to step inside your home and see more, make sure the outside of your home looks fabulous. It doesn't cost a lot to cut the grass, pull weeds, prune the hedges and plant some flowers. Put away all bikes, toys, and trash cans. If you can, pull your cars out of the driveway, so there's a clear view of your home and property. A freshly painted door and prominent house number can also...

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Moving into a new home is an exciting time and comes with so many things you need to learn.  Whether you are a new homeowner or it's not your first rodeo, you'll need to familiarize yourself with the many systems that make this house function.

Here are 15 essential basics you should know about your new home.  Consider #1, #2, and #3 your first priorities!

1. Water shut-off valve. Whether you need to replace a leaky faucet or prevent a burst pipe from flooding your home, it's important to know how to quickly turn off the water supply. To do this, you'll need to locate the shut-off valve connected to the main water line entering your home. If your home has a basement, check for the shut-off along one of the outside walls. If your home does not have a basement, check for the water shut-off at ground level near your hot water tank. After you find it, make sure everyone in your home knows where the shut-off is locate...

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Not everyone loves yard work, but a beautiful, well-kept yard is a great way to enhance the curb appeal of any home.

No matter where you live, there are certain plants that will add color and life to your lawn in an easy way — it's a fun and sustainable form of home improvement. Let's look at some of the best plants that are truly easy to care for:

• Ribbon Grass
  Ribbon grass thrives in a wide range of temperatures. No matter whether you have shade or full sun, it can still flourish. It even adapts to wet or dry soil. It spreads fast when given even terrain and grows to a uniform height of about one foot.
• Forsythia
  These early bloomers will let you get the first glimpse of spring right in your front yard. They are renowned for their distinctive yellow flowers. They strongly prefer full sun...

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Whether you're a first-time buyer or an experienced homeowner, at some point you'll need to make home repairs. And those repairs will cost money. It's something first-time buyers often don't think about ahead of time and experienced owners may have learned the hard way. So budgeting at least some money in advance for these expenses is a must. Here's how to figure it all out.

Common Budgeting Approaches

The first step is deciding how much to save for home repairs. Here are a few different ways you can approach budgeting.

• Save 1 to 3 percent of the price of your home per year. That means if your home was $200,000 you should devote $2,000 to $6,000 per year to your home repair budget. This rule is based on a per-year average over a longer period of time. Some years you'll spend less a...

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Even though home prices  have moderated over the last year, many homeowners still have an incredible amount of equity. But what is equity? In the simplest terms, equity is the difference between the market value of your home and the amount you owe on your mortgage. The National Association of Realtors (NAR) explains how your equity grows over time:

"Housing wealth (home equity or net worth) gains are built up through price appreciation and by paying off the mortgage."

How Your Equity Can Help You Achieve Your Goals

The equity you build up over the years can be used to your advantage when you sell your current house and buy your next home.  If you no longer have the space you need, it might be time to move...

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