Posts for Syndication

For many people, your home is your largest asset. Like your parents, and grandparents before them, you expect your home in some way to fund your retirement. For some of you, that means selling the home near retirement and using the funds to purchase a smaller home with money left over to live on. For others, you plan to live in your paid-off home until you die. Some of you aren’t sure how it all works; you just know that home ownership is supposed to be a great investment. If you have many questions concerning your retirement and current investments it is best to speak with your financial planning advisor. In addition, you may start planning your estate with the help of an attorney from sites like https://www.cunninghamlegal.com/.

Are you interested to know how does a gold and silver ira work? If you want to diversify your retirement portfolio, you may consider investing in stocks or a silver and gold IRA or sell gold.

If you prefer the latter but don’t know much about gold IRA companies, then read Birch Gold trustpilot reviews or visit sites like https://alliancegoldandsilver.com/ before moving forward. When you’re looking to invest quickly in gold bullion, silver bullion or precious metals, you can check out this gold dealers Brisbane webpage here for a team ready to help you, and answer any inquiries you may have.

Is it an asset?

When listing your assets and liabilities, most of you list your home’s value as an asset. But for retirement purposes, you need to rethink that idea. If you use your home as an asset, then you must have some other place to live for free during retirement (living with your kids?) once you sell it to retrieve the money invested in it: the money you’ll use to pay medical bills, travel, expenses, vacations, etc. There is much more to consider when thinking about your home as a retirement investment. Most people would benefit from better investment advice. Some advice is free while other advice requires a paid service. As discussed in this Zacks Premium review, sometimes paying for a service can actually make you more money in the long run by increasing your investment returns.

Location

Is your home in the place you think you’ll live during your retirement years? You may think so when you buy it, but as your children move to other cities, or your bodies rebel against harsh winters or sweltering summers, you may need to consider different locations for retirement. An option is to purchase a vacation home in the area you think you’ll retire. Then, as the time comes, you can sell your primary home and live in the vacation home.

Equity

Often, you think your investment equity is the same as the home’s value. If the home isn’t paid off, though, your investment is only what you can sell for less the amount owed. If the plan is to sell your home and reinvest in a retirement condo, for example, after paying off the mortgage and fees and the full amount for the condominium, you may have less left over than you’re planning on.

Reverse Mortgage

Touted as a way to stay in your home during retirement, some of you may opt for a reverse mortgage. While a reverse mortgage offers two advantages (stay in your home and receive an income payment) they do not typically give you access to the full value of your home’s equity. When participating in a reverse mortgage, your estate or your heirs must repay the loan, or forfeit the home upon your death. Before considering a reverse mortgage, make sure your heirs understand they will not inherit your home free and clear. 

Plan now

We can help you plan the right home purchase to meet your needs now and as retirement nears. Contact us and we’ll start working with you today to set your plans in motion.

For most of us, the garage is simply a place to park the car, store suitcases and holiday decorations, or stow those miscellaneous tools we need now and again. With a little careful planning, however, your garage can become a fantastic workspace, play space or man cave that extends the useful area of your home. Try one of these ideas in your garage and reap the benefits of more usable square-footage.

Preparation

Since many garages are unfinished, the first item of business is to add wiring, ventilation, insulation, and a covering for the walls. For a DIYer, here are some tips for getting that done. If you need to hire a garage door opener repair specialist who can offer professional garage door replacement or garage door repair services, make sure your contractor has experience in finishing or repairing your garage door. However, if your garage doors are already worn out, then you might want to consider replacing it and having new garage doors. Also, you will want plenty of power outlets on separate breakers for your work tools, ventilation for fumes from paints and chemicals and extra light to make those dark corners visible. Consider adding skylights to increase daylight while keeping utility bills down.

Add a garage door threshold seal to keep rain, snow, dust and small animals out of your space. If your garage space constantly needs sweeping or drying out, you’ll get much less use of it. This simple addition will improve both usability and protection: When water gets under the door, boxes are ruined, tools rust and using power tools is dangerous.

The Basics: Organized Work Space

If you need all of the space to park vehicles, you’ll have to be strategic in designing work and storage areas. Most garages have higher ceilings, so consider going up with your storage. Store bicycles from the ceiling with a lift system. Suitcases, holiday decorations and seasonal clothing stack nicely on a motorized storage platform that easily lifts up out of your way. Tool storage systems, from the basic to elaborate, can both simplify and expand your tool space. Install cabinets on the walls rather than setting on the floor so that your garage floor is easy to spray out.

Transformation: The Man Cave

For a total transformation, your garage space needs climate control. If your home’s heating and air conditioning system can handle the load, have your contractor extend your vent system into your garage space. If not, consider adding baseboard heat, ceiling fans, and a window or through the wall air-conditioning unit so that your space has year-round accessibility.

Break the space up into zones so that you have a storage area, a work area for crafts and repairs, and an entertainment space with an area rug, a couple of recliners or a sofa, and a big screen TV for game night. You can add a small kitchenette or wet bar, and refrigerator for drinks, snacks and ease of cleanup.

Remember this …

When transforming your garage space into living area, consider the following:

• If you make the living space permanent, you’ll most likely need a permit. Many municipalities do not allow a complete remodel of garage space into living space.
• Turning your garage into a permanent room may reduce resale value. Even though your garage makeover is adding living space, lack of a garage in comparison to nearby homes may make it less desirable. We can help you figure that out, so give a call to a Custom Garage Builder before you renovate.

Compliments of Virtual Results

Celebrate a World Cup of Your Own

You may not make it to the FIFA World Cup this year in Brazil, but you can still score big by improving your FICO or Vantage credit score.

There’s no way around it, if you want to buy a home with a mortgage, you’ll get a better rate with a higher credit score. Unfortunately, your credit score takes into account several years of your past financial decisions and missteps in addition to your current situation. While there is no easy “fix” to your credit score, practicing these five suggestions can help you move it in the right direction.

Keep Paid-Off Debt on Your Report

While negative debt on your report is bad, paid-off debt is a positive contributor to your credit score. Most of your negative debt falls off after seven years, but keeping positive debt in place can help. If you’ve paid off that line of credit, keep it open (just don’t use it) and when you switch to a different credit card because it has a lower interest rate, keep the old one (again, just don’t use it) so that your “available credit” is higher.

Revolving Credit

Your score reflects how much credit you have versus how much you are using at any given time. The lower the credit usage to credit available, the higher your score. To increase your credit available, pay down your balances. Even if you pay your entire balance off every month, you may appear to have a higher usage to available ratio. Since it is your statement balance that many card issuers report to the credit bureaus, consider paying ahead of the statement date.

Small Balances on Several Cards

When you have several cards in use at once, even if they have small balances, your score reflects the number of credit accounts in addition to the total balance. Pay off the small balances. Use your lowest interest-rate card for most of your purchases.

Avoid Unnecessary Credit Report Dings

When you apply for credit, it may cause a slight dip in your credit. When shopping for the best rate, you may apply for several loans in a short amount of time. According to Bankrate, the FICO scoring system ignores multiple requests for the same type of loan, treating them as one request within a scoring timeframe (typically 30 to 45 days), but with other systems you have only 14 days. In very old systems, student loans in particular may not appear as one request, so avoid applying for student loans when also applying for a mortgage. The Vantage Score model uses a rolling 14-day window for duplicate loan inquiries, so shorten up your shopping time accordingly.

Nuisance Bills

When trying to pull together a down payment for a big-ticket item (car, home, etc.), take care to pay smaller bills that can hurt you later. For example, that library fine or leftover medical bill that ended up in collection and remains unpaid can hurt either your FICO or your Vantage Score, but if you’ve paid them, your Vantage Score does not factor them into your score.

Credit scores move up slowly over time. Start working to improve your credit score immediately so that when you’re ready to shop for that home loan, you’ll already have a great credit score.

Compliments of Virtual Results

You know you do not want to take all of your old stuff to your new place. Chances are, you are planning to host a sale. Garage sale, yard sale, estate sale, rummage sale … no matter what you call it, here are some things to remember to make your sale a success.

Have a game plan

The success of your sale depends on the amount of advanced planning you put in. Know beforehand what you want to sell, when you need to have it gone and what you will do with the things that do not sell.

Know what to sell

Big-ticket items might sell better on craigslist or another classified site, but if you do decide to sell them at your moving sale, determine in advance the lowest price you will accept. Have heirlooms and items you think might have higher value appraised and perhaps offer them to collectors or dealers through eBay or other auction venues. When people come to a garage sale, they expect to get a great deal. Selling for the same or similar price as discount chains will leave you with as much as you began.

Know when to sell

Many municipalities only allow yard sales on specific weekends throughout the year. That means your sale is competing with the entire city for customers. It also means, however, that your city may be drawing customers from the surrounding area to your sale, and may provide much of the advertising for you. Check with your city clerk’s office before planning your sale to make sure you do not need a permit, and to make sure the day or weekend you have chosen is allowable.

Know your customers

For some of us, a garage or yard sale is a casual pastime if we happen across one on a free Saturday morning. For others, it is their go-to place children’s clothing, summer outdoor toys, and other inexpensive family items. Still others are professional garage-salers.

Professionals include collectors, buyers for auction and antique houses, Amazon or eBay sellers, and flea market space owners. When advertising, be sure to list the important categories so your buyers know to come to you first. Expect professionals to come early (or late to scoop up what’s left), know the price they will pay and be in and out quickly.

Casual buyers browse and may ask many questions. If you have small (or large) appliances for sale, be sure to have an electrical outlet or extension cord available so they can test them.

Note: Some power tools and appliances, such as some air compressors, are designed not to work on extension cords and require direct access to an outlet.

Your neighbors and friends may come for moral support or to get a glimpse of what you have for sale with no thought of purchase in mind. If you can, get them to help you out by holding the fort while you take a restroom break.

Know your prices

Set prices ahead of time. Consult online pricing guides like this one from Garage Sales Tracker. Mark every item. Many browsers will pick up an item of interest only to set it down if they do not see a price.

Know your setup

Arrange your area so that exiting traffic flows past you. This helps you handle sales while keeping a watchful eye on potential thieves. Make sure there is plenty of room between tables so shoppers can continue to move toward the items drawing their interest. Hang adult clothing if possible and group by gender and size. Determine in advance if you will allow shoppers to try on clothing and set up a makeshift dressing room. Do not invite strangers into your home to try on clothing.

Know what you need in advance

Have plenty of cash on hand to make change. Many an impulse sale is lost due to lack of change for a large bill. Have a bag or cashbox to keep money out of site and assign someone to keep an eye on it at all times. Consider having snacks available (inexpensive cookies and ice water or powdered lemonade is fine) to encourage visitors to stick around for a few minutes.

Have a free pile

Items you intend to give away or take to a charity might just be the draw you need to get a customer to stop by, so place a large sign in front of the free stuff and set it out toward the front of your driveway or sale area. These items may also keep children occupied while their parents shop.

Plan the cleanup

Just like the home makeover shows do, have a designated charity scheduled to pickup the leftovers when the sale is over, or have a friend or family member with a pickup ready to take them to the donation center. When the sale is done you will not have to store those items, you can move on to packing your boxes and planning your move.

 Compliments of Virtual Results

You bought your new house, put in new carpet from Carpet To Go and just had your custom-made sofa delivered when you find the drainage pipes have backed up. Your in-laws will be here tomorrow, so you call your homeowner’s insurance agent only to find out your policy does not cover sewer.

Say what?

Many homeowners are surprised to learn that their insurance does not cover everything. In fact, it may not cover several things that you assume it does. Therefore, it is advised to thoroughly review the details of your property insurance policy.

Flooding

Your home can experience flooding from several sources. Flooding from heavy rains, tropical storms, or hurricanes is not covered by most policies, but in 1968, Congress created the National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP) that offers coverage to homeowners, renters, and business owners if their community participates in the program. Community participation means that the municipality adopts and enforces ordinances aimed at reducing flooding and that meet or exceed FEMA requirements.

NFIP does not cover flooding from sewer backup, seepage, or hydrostatic pressure (water pressure from saturated soil) unless caused by a federally defined flood. The battery to power your sump pump needs to be checked and kept in good state in case of flooding. If your home does experience flooding and you need carpet cleaning, consider reaching out to a local service like carpet cleaning greenville sc to help you clean up and restore your home.

Mold

Hiding behind drywall and ceilings, or lurking under floorboards, mold comes in over a thousand varieties and poses health risks. Even policies that cover mold only cover mold from specific sources, and typically have $10,000 limits. The cost to remove and repair damage from mold can easily top that amount. If you’re interested in learning more about mold removal, you can check out my blog link.

Sewer Backup

Aging sewer systems and backed-up storm drains can allow sewerage to backup into your home. Unless you have an extra endorsement that specifically covers sewer backup, you may have to shoulder the costs of the cleanup and repairs, as well as the Sewer Pump Installation if you need one.

Sinkholes and Earthquakes

A sinkhole is when water erodes the rock underground allowing the surface to collapse into the hole. If the sinkhole happens under your home, the damage to your home is major. In most states, sinkhole damage is considered the same as other earth movement (earthquakes) and is excluded from most insurance policies. Earthquake or ground-movement policies are additional.

Termites

Over time, termites destroy support beams, walls, and other wooden parts of your home. Nationwide, damage from termites amounts to more than $5 billion in damage to homes and other structures. Homeowners’ insurance policies do not cover termite damage.

Pets

Many insurance companies will not cover certain breeds in the standard coverage. While some may charge higher premiums for them, others may not cover them at all. If you pet bites or injures a guest (or stranger) on your property, you may be on the hook for medical bills and liability in case of a lawsuit.

Toys

The high accident risk from trampolines means many insurance companies will not cover injuries of a family member or guest. Some companies will not insure you at all if you have a trampoline on your property.

War

Most insurance policies exclude acts of war.

Nuclear Plant Accidents

While your homeowners insurance will not cover a nuclear plant accident, a 1957 law compensates people in the United States from damage or injuries after an accident at a nuclear plant. But the coverage does not pay your mortgage while your home is unlivable.

Take time to discuss all of your insurance needs with your insurance agent. Make sure you fully understand the coverages and exclusions and carefully determine the extra coverage you may need in your situation. Begin immediately to set aside an emergency fund to cover incidents—like backed-up sewer lines—that your homeowners policy excludes. And if your home gets affected by floods or disasters and you need to seek residential disaster restoration services, you may contact your insurance provider to determine if the damages will be covered.

Compliments of Virtual Results

The last in our series, preparing for emergencies in your new home means taking extra measure to protect your investment. Surviving a disaster is just the first part. Recovering takes longer and requires more advance planning. Start by designing your home to help you survive. Here are suggestions to get you on your way.

Prepare for Damage:

1. Reinforce your home:

• Hurricanes — Check these main areas for weakness
  • Roof: Determine what type of roof you have and what type of bracing you can employ to strengthen it against strong winds.
  • Windows and Doors: Windows or doors broken during a hurricane make your house particularly vulnerable. If wind and water come into the house, they put pressure on your walls and roof and increase your chance of damage. Investigate the structure of your doors and windows to determine if a reinforcing bolt kit and storm shutters are improvements worth investing in.
  • Remember to check your garage door too! Many local governments require garage doors to be able to withstand high winds — learn about your local building codes and find out if your garage door comes equipped or if you need a retrofit kit to stabilize your door.

• Tornadoes, Strong Winds and Hailstorms
  • Roof: Learn the impact resistance of your roofing type and investigate the possibility of making improvements with the help of St Paul Roofing.
  • Storm-scape: If you live in a storm-risk location, invest in yard upkeep to prevent additional damage. Eliminate trees that may fall on your home and keep stray or dead branches in check with regular trimming. Consider switching from rock and gravel to  lumber and wood chips or bark in landscaping to avoid additional damage from harsh objects hitting your home in strong winds.
  • Furniture: Review the location and sturdiness of your furniture. Always secure large or heavy pieces to the wall or floor. If you receive warning in time, move furniture away from doors and windows before the storm hits.

• Flood — Floods can accompany a large storm
  • Roof: Learn the impact resistance of your roofing type and investigate the possibility of making improvements. If upgrades are not an option, simply knowing what damage you might incur will help you prepare financially for any possibilities.
  • Purchased Homes: If you moved into a home in a flood prone area, improve your security by using waterproofing compounds to seal the walls in your basement. You may hire a residential and commercial building waterproofing service for this task.
  • Plumbing and Drainage: You may want to install “check-valves” for sewage traps to avoid back up into your drains. Consult with your local plumber to learn about the options for your home. You should also consider regular septic tank pumping and septic system cleaning.

• Earthquake
  • Verify Stability: Check your home’s roof, walls, foundations, chimney, brickwork and other areas requiring fortification. Owners living in older, pre-1935 homes should verify that their house is bolted to the foundation.
  • Furniture and Appliances: Fasten heavy furniture to the floor or wall if possible, and secure appliances that may damage utility lines if they move around. Use patchable cabinetry and get in the habit of placing heavy objects on lower shelves throughout your home.
  • Know Where to Go: Make sure you follow the Drop, Cover, and Hold On! instructions and teach your family members what to do. Identify the most secure furniture and teach children to crawl under it. If no sturdy furniture is available, crouch down near a solid interior wall.

• Fire
  
  • Install smoke alarms on every level of your home. Ideal placement is in or outside all sleeping areas. Habituate monthly battery tests for your alarms and change batteries twice yearly at the time change.
  • Create a map or floor plan of your home with windows and doors in each room clearly identified. Designate two escape routes from each room each room. Practice exiting through both doors and windows.
  • Install an escape ladder in upper-story bedrooms and teach family members how to use it.
  • Choose a family meeting place outside where everyone can meet.

2. Get Insurance:

Typically, standard homeowners’ insurance does not cover damage caused by all natural disasters. Tornadoes tend to be covered, but flooding, hailstorms, and earthquakes may not be on the list. Check your homeowners’ insurance policy and speak with your insurance carrier about increasing your protection.

3. Learn CPR

The Importance of CPR Training and Certification. CPR helps keep blood and oxygen flowing and dramatically increases the chances of survival in those who suffer a cardiac arrest. According to the CDC, heart disease is the leading cause of death in the U.S., claiming the lives of more than 600,000 people each year. To learn more, take this CPR Certification Arlington classes.

4. Participate in Community Preparedness:

Get Involved In your community’s safety. Visit your local American Red Cross or community center and learn about taking classes to prepare you to help yourself and your neighbors in an emergency. The American Red Cross advises certifying yourself in CPR and First Aid so you can confidently assist those in need. Often, local community centers provide training and host drills to help you navigate the city in the event of an evacuation or need for shelter outside your home.

As the temperatures heat up and barbeque season is in full swing, the outdoors beckons. Early morning coffee on the back deck as the sunrises and late evening gatherings to watch the stars come out do not require shade, but to fully utilize your outdoor area, consider these tips to expand your living space with outdoor style.

Make a patio

If you do not already have a patio, DIY one in a couple weekends with one of these easy ideas:

• Laid Pavers: Most DIY stores have pavers available in their outdoor area. Pavers come in standard shapes like rectangles, squares, octagons, and circles, or in abstract shapes that fit together like a jigsaw puzzle. Some are brick-like and others are stone-like. No matter which ones you choose, make sure to prepare the patio foundation before laying your pavers. You will find dozens of instructions and online videos like this one to help you on your way.
• Inset Pavers: For a quick alternative, set large pavers into your existing turf to create a useful patio area. Set your stones on your lawn in the pattern you like. Use a sharp blade to cut around the stone deep into the turf. Move the stone and remove the turf, leveling the soil. Pour playground sand over the soil, and set your paver into the space and level it. You may also contact https://wetpourcontractors.co.uk/ for their wet pour services. Continue until all stones are where you want them. Grass will grow between your stones, giving your patio an old-fashioned look. Pavers set this way shift over time due and may need resetting periodically.
• Use grass and turf pavers. Popular in Europe, grass and turf pavers have a honeycomb design that allows water to permeate and grass to grow through. The effect is a verdant lawn appearance with the usefulness of a patio. An added advantage is that the earth and grass in the pavers keep your patio area cooler than a concrete or solid paver patio. Understanding the concrete leveling process can help you determine whether it’s right for your situation.

Provide shade

No matter where your home is, sometimes you need shade in order to enjoy your outdoor space. Of course, long-term options include planting trees or creating an arbor with vines to provide a natural sun-cover, but for quicker options try one of these:

• Canopies and Gazebos: Available at outdoor stores, DIY centers, discount retail stores, and even closeout chains, covered gazeboes offer beauty, shade and versatility. Some have mosquito net curtains for an added benefit. You can set them over lawn, an existing patio, or even a driveway for a temporary space. They require some assembly and winter weather may damage the fabric coverings to plan to disassemble and store them after summer and fall.
• Add shade to an existing porch with outdoor shades. Simple roll-up shades are easily installed and available from most discount and DIY retailers. Custom shades with sturdier hardware (and even motorized roll-up options) that retract into protective covers are the most durable option. You can also opt for a Parasol with lights if you like hanging around your outdoor area during the evening.
• With the help of a Residential Awning Installation service, you can have a retractable awning that mounts on the exterior of your home and extends out over your patio area. Available in both manual and motorized versions, an advantage of canvas awnings is ease of storage in inclement weather.
• Most simple of all is to set up a patio umbrella. Easy to find and easy to store, patio umbrellas offer a movable shade option. Be sure to set the umbrella in a solid base (metal or water-filled plastic). Adjustable umbrellas offer a tilt option to extend shade time. Protect your umbrella by lowering it at night so moisture runs off, and by storing it during inclement weather. WARNING: an open umbrella during a storm is dangerous both to your property and to your neighbors’ property. If your umbrella comes loose, it can damage power lines and windows, or blow into roadways. If you live in a windy area, opt for a wind-resistant umbrella like these to protect your investment.

Compliments of Virtual Results

In a new home or neighborhood, preparing for emergencies in advance might just save you or your family member’s life. In Part 2, we cover the basics for inside your house.

Know your home:

Learn how to turn off gas, electrical and water lines in the event a disaster damages power lines near your home. Memorize the easiest exits from all rooms in your home. Keep hallways and doorways clear of clutter on a regular basis to avoid family members being trapped, confused, or injured if the power goes out or during an emergency evacuation. If you’re preparing your home for an upcoming hurricane, you may work on residential roof repair to avoid roof leaks in case of a heavy rainfall. Finding a reputable company like Water Tight Roofing is important. Then, hire a wind mitigation company to determine how you can improve your home’s defense against strong winds. You may also take this opportunity to hire a residential plumber to inspect your home’s plumbing system and do the necessary repairs like, like installing a water heater.

Build A Kit

Create and maintain an emergency kit and keep your kit in an accessible place.

• Water: Keep at least a 3-day supply of water for everyone in your family. This means 1 gallon of water, per person, each day.
  Ready.gov advises adding a small amount of household chlorine bleach and a medicine dropper to your kit. “When diluted, nine parts water to one part bleach, bleach can be used as a disinfectant. Or in an emergency, you can use it to treat water by using 16 drops of regular household liquid bleach per gallon of water. Do not use scented, color-safe or bleaches with added cleaners.”
• Medicine: Keep a 7+ day supply of any medicine your family needs.
• Food: Keep a supply of non-perishable food that you can make easily.
• Tools: Buy an extra tool set. Add any additional gear you may need specific to your emergency zone. Keep several flashlights, matches, a camera, whistle, dust masks, can opener and a map of the local area. Add to your set plenty of batteries (any type you need for a radio, hearing aids, cordless power supply, flashlights, etc.).
• Clothing and Comfort: Prepare a 3+ day supply of varying types of clothing for each person in your family. Keep and emergency blanket and personal sanitation wipes and towels in the kit.
• Radio: invest in a battery operated or hand-crank radio so you can stay informed.
• Contacts: Buy an emergency cell phone (a pre-paid one works fine), keep it charged, and with your kit—keep a charger in the kit that you do not remove. Put all your emergency contacts in the phone AND in a notebook in the kit. Better yet, get a residential phone. A good old-fashioned landline will save you when power goes down and cell towers go dark. Go to Eatel for more information.
• Paperwork: If possible, prepare copies of all important documents for you and your family.
• Situation Specific: Remember to adjust the content of this kit for your situation and your family. If you have babies, elderly family members, or pets, if you live in the city or the country, in a single-family home or a multi-unit building the items you need for your kit will vary. Make sure you know what you need.
• Pets: Many shelters cannot accommodate pets. Find pet-friendly shelters in advance and assemble a pet-specific kit to keep your “best friend” safe.

Involve Your Family

Do not wait until emergency strikes to make sure your family knows what to do. You might be prepared, but if the whole family is not on board it can be a struggle to keep everyone safe. Walk your children through the emergency process you design and make sure they have an understandable instruction manual to reference (we suggest images like on airplanes) if you are not home and they need to act. Post the instructions on the fridge, in the bathroom and on the interior of their bedroom door. Make sure they know exactly how to reach you and emergency services.

Prepare well in advance for important documents or treasured photos. An option is to store images of them on a cloud server accessible from any computer. That way, you are not tempted to waste time searching for them when you need to leave your home.

Compliments of Virtual Results

Necessity drives innovation. Last week, quadriplegic former Indy 500 driver, Sam Schmidt drove a modified Corvette around the Indianapolis Speedway by moving his head and biting down with his teeth. Arrow Electronics, a medical and consumer electronics company used existing technology in novel ways to develop this Semi-Autonomous Motorcar (SAM).

It’s not just racecars getting hi-tech treatment. A couple weeks ago, the Nod Gesture Control Ring entered the market. Nod is a hi-tech gadget geared to make your life easier, for example, it would be a great idea to install remote controlled garage doors with the help of garage door install services. Though you might guess that garage door repair would be more complex as a result, this is actually not so in most cases. The ring—designed for wearing on the index finger—allows for continuous control of all your smart devices including phones and tablets, watches, Google Glass, televisions and computers, and even your home’s appliances with a wave of your hand through the air. It comes in 12 ring sizes and works for both right- and left-handed users.

But Wait, There’s More…

Less esoteric devices for home use hit stores earlier this year. These include a sensor to adjust your watering schedule like the Skydrop Sprinkler Controller, that senses fluctuations in moisture and precipitation, and adjusts when and how long your sprinklers run. On the other hand, consider a device that feeds and waters your pets from your smartphone, like the Petnet; no more worrying about overfeeding, and the device sends updates and reminders to your phone too.

You may not want Big Brother looking over your shoulder, but maybe you need Sense Mother to keep you on track. Sense Mother’s “Cookies” sensors attach to almost anything in your home and learn your family’s habits and behaviors. You can train the devices to remind you to drink enough water, or if you leave the refrigerator door open too long. It will tell you if your kids need to brush their teeth longer and let you know you forgot to water the plants.

Home Intelligence Devices

Belkin’s WeMo devices work with your home electronics and even your outlets, sockets and switches. Connecting through IFTTT (if this then that) Web technology, WeMo controls turning lights on and off, and measures and monitors energy consumption. It adjusts for the weather, responds to sports scores, and reacts to pretty much any other scenario you can create for it. It interfaces with Google Calendar, Evernote, Facebook, Twitter, and your home’s smart security system so if someone enters your home, WeMo can tweet you. You no longer have to pay for a cook, just let WeMo turn your oven or slow cooker on and offer your family perfectly cooked meals. Use its motion technology to warm (or cool) rooms as you enter them. The WeMo App, for your smartphone or tablet, works over Wi-Fi and 3G/4G.

Complements of Virtual Results

Keeping your home comfortable and up-to-date seems like an expensive endeavor. With trends changing so fast, our wallets can hardly keep up! Lucky for us, Memorial Day is just around the corner. If you shop smart at the sales this holiday you can give your home the facelift you desire, plus don’t forget that if you want a major renovation regarding the structure of your house you can hire the Duplex Designs company, which has great prices.

5 Simple and Affordable Options to Look for Deals on This Holiday:

1. Curtains: For bathrooms, bedrooms, or living rooms, a simple curtain change can do wonders to the look of your room. Memorial Day is great for getting those curtains you have been lusting after for months, on clearance! Look for great deals on trending summer patterns. If you shop early and wisely, you can update multiple rooms in your home by making the one simple change.

2. Couch and Chair Covers: Want to lighten your furniture for summer? Look for great couch covers to change up your look and create a blank canvas for new colors and patterns. Try out upholstery changes in your dining room by purchasing chair covers with patterns and colors similar to upholstery changes you might be considering.

3. Throw Pillows and Blankets: Experiment with new colors and patterns without breaking your budget or making big changes to your home using pillows and throws. Find new styles to mix and match this summer and let them marinate in your home a couple months before you make more permanent renovations.

4. Duvet Covers: Give your boudoir multiple personalities to match your different moods! You will keep your wallet in check by giving yourself simple ways to switch it up without making large purchases.

5. Rugs: Rugs come in varying sizes, shapes and prices but you don’t have to make a large investment to get something classic, classy and fun. Summer rugs are usually lightweight canvas, jute, and sisal. These materials add a fresh, airiness to your home that is great for warmer months. Shop rug sales over the next few weeks and grab yourself a second option to use until winter!

Great Stores for Home Decor Deals:

Online and Off

• Ikea
• West Elm
• Pottery Barn
• Cost Plus/World Market
• Design Within Reach
• Z Gallerie

TIP: Many of these stores offer their best deals on site instead of online. This being the case, we remind you of a typical sales tip. GO EARLY! Most of these shops are located in or near malls; you might only be shopping decor but everyone and their mother is shopping for something. Be sure to get in early to get what you want!

Online Only Shopping

• Amazon
• Etsy
• Wayfair

TIP: Many stores/brands also have an Amazon or Wayfair presence in addition to their brick and mortar location or even their own website. Since consumers expect to find deals at these locations, sometimes it is best to find what you want online then search for it again at a place like Amazon—pricing is not always different, but when every dollar counts, it is worth the extra Googling.

Plus! Do not forget to check in with your local boutiques. They might be small but they love to get you a good deal too! Big stores seem to have better sales, but a truly unique home comes form that special piece that only you have.

TIP: Check in with your favorite boutiques early and make sure you know when their sales start. Small shops do not carry as much inventory as chain stores and they tend to start their sales a couple days (or weekends) early to keep up with the competition.

Our Gift to You! Here are some links to promo codes and coupons for upcoming sales!

Compliments of Virtual Results