Tehama Country Real Estate

Tehama Country Real Estate – 3 Fast, Easy & Inexpensive Ways to Improve a Home tinued to struggle over the last year, many homeown- ers put off home improve- ment projects as a means of saving money and insulating themselves from any potential finan- cial pitfalls. While the economy has yet to fully recover, the speculation that the coming year will be much better than 2009 has led some homeowners to begin seeking smaller home improvement projects. Though it might be too early to commit big dollars to a pro- ject, there are several options out there for homeowners looking to make small and inexpensive additions or improvements. A • Consider any new guests. An unfortunate side effect of the bad economy is that many people have lost significant amounts of money in invest- ments, be it sinking real estate values or poor performance from investments in the market. This has forced many seniors to move back in with their families, either because of retirement plans that have been postponed or because of the high cost of senior living facilities that fami- lies can no longer afford. For families with a new senior house guest, chances are the home needs to be equipped with several things to make it more senior-friendly. For as little as $100 apiece, projects such as installing easy-grip door han- dles, grab bars in the tub or near the toilet, and even easier to use faucets that are more amenable to people with arthritis can be completed on a weekend after- s the economy con- Paint- noon. • Make aes- thetic improvements. Structural improvements are often the most expensive and require the largest time commit- ment. However, projects that are purely aesthetic aren't terribly expensive and can be completed in a much shorter period of time. One easy project that can give the home a new feel is to work on the entryway of the home. Painting the front door can cre- ate an entirely different look and first impression by visitors, and it's a very easy and inexpensive project to undertake. Another low-cost aesthetic improvement is to power wash a home that has vinyl siding. Sid- ing often collects mold, mildew and grime that requires the use of a power washer to remove. One can be rented rather inex- pensively and a thorough power washing can be completed as a weekend project. ing the interior of the home can also add new life to a room that a homeowner has otherwise grown accus- tomed to or a room in which the paint has begun to dull or even chip. Because paint is relatively inexpensive, this is a great way to make major changes to a home without a major impact on the pocketbook. • Clean up. Cleaning a home is not only inexpensive to improve its feel and look, but it should also be free unless the occupants are genuine pack rats. For home- owners who have lived in the same home a long time, clutter has probably crept its way into the home and taken over certain areas. Clearing out this clutter can create whole new areas of the home, and unless the local sanitation department needs to be called to tote it all away, clear- ing out the clutter costs nothing except some time and effort on the weekend.

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