Sometimes we remodel because we want to create a more pleasant home environment to live in. Other times, it’s all about the bottom line and getting the most bang for the buck when the house goes on the market.
 
If you find yourself in the latter situation where you are remodeling with the goal of reselling, there are a few things you can do to maximize your return on investment and make your home as appealing as possible to future buyers.

Keep it Neutral
Remodeling a home for resale is not the time to go crazy with paint colors, fixtures, or other design elements. You want to present the image that the house is a blank canvas that the new owners can make their own.
 
Even though things like paint and fixtures are easy to change, you do not want to put the new owners through the hassle of having to do that right after moving in. You want to create a space they can live in while they are determining what their design plan will be.

Choose Looks Over Function
This is one of the only times that you can prioritize the way something looks over the way it functions. If you have a limited budget, spend it on things that will make your home look as good as possible.
 
For example, a shiny new oven or refrigerator will impress potential buyers much more so than a new water heater or dehumidifier. As long as those more mundane items are in good working order, let them alone and focus your time and money on items that you know potential buyers will want to see.

Add Space
When it comes to a kitchen or bathroom, bigger is almost always better. If you have the opportunity to increase the size of these rooms without a major restructuring of your house, take it!
 
What separates a major change from a minor one? Think knocking out walls vs. rearranging furniture or buying new pieces that serve a functional purpose and double as storage. Before you go embarking on a big change, consider if there are any smaller (and cheaper) steps you can take first.

Allergies come in all shapes and sizes, but there are a few things you can do to make your home as allergy-free as possible. These simple activities apply whether you live in a studio apartment or a sprawling estate.
 
Your family and your guests with allergies will be happy you took the time to go through these steps:

Air Filters
Many allergens enter your home through your air vents; using clean air filters is one way to keep them out. Look for are high-efficiency particulate air (HEPA) filters, which are specially designed to remove allergens from the air.
 
Good filters are most important in your bedroom, which is where you spend the most time and often one of the worst rooms in terms of allergens. It’s also important to keep your home’s humidity at or below 50 percent to prevent mold from growing and spreading.

Less Clutter, Less Dust
If you were looking for a reason to go through the piles of junk that seem to spring up in your home, you’ve found it. The less stuff there is in your house, the fewer surfaces dust can gather.
 
If you’re not sure where to start, focus on rags, clothes, and other porous items. Once you’ve cleared up space on the floor, make sure to dust and clean the space thoroughly — and try to avoid letting clutter pile up again.

Bedding
As we said, the bedroom is one of the worst places in your home when it comes to allergens. Keep them at bay by regularly washing your blankets and mattress pad and encasing pillows, mattresses and box springs in dust-mite-proof covers.
 
Keep stuffed animals in your child’s room to a minimum, as they can be breeding grounds for dust, and commit to regularly washing any that they do have.
 
If you have pets, you might want to consider keeping them out of your bedroom to prevent them from bringing hair and dander into the room where you spend most of your time.

Spring is here, and that means it’s time to do a little spring cleaning! After a long winter cooped up inside, there’s nothing like opening the doors and windows with a clean home that’s ready for some fresh air and sunshine.
 
Even if snow is still falling in your neck of the woods, it’s time to spring ahead with these cleaning ideas. You can do these activities on your own, or grab your partner or some friends and make a day of it!

Deep Cleaning
When the weather starts to turn nice, you’d probably rather be anywhere than stuck inside cleaning, but chances are some part of your home definitely needs it. After all, a clean home is a happy home, right? Grab your cleaning supplies and tackle one or more problem areas, whether it’s the kitchen, the bathroom, or another room in your house.
 
This work probably isn’t going to be easy, but that doesn’t mean you can’t make it fun. Put on some of your favorite music and maybe even open up a bottle of your favorite adult beverage to drink while you work.
 
If you are working with friends or a partner, take a few minutes to put a game plan together before you start cleaning so everyone knows who is doing what and there’s no miscommunication along the way.

Decluttering
Cleaning goes hand-in-hand with decluttering. Use the change of seasons as an opportunity to go through your stuff and separate things you really love from items that are just so-so. Anything that’s not in the “love” category can be sold, donated, or simply thrown away.
 
Opt for selling, donating, or otherwise reusing things whenever possible. Something you no longer want might just make someone else’s day. This applies to your office, too, as you probably have old files and documents that can be shredded.
 
Spring cleaning is a great activity to do with your significant other. Going through old closets or storage areas brings back memories of your relationship and allow you to reconnect over them. It’s also a good opportunity to get on the same page about what stays and what goes in your home.
 

Tax time is upon us, and that can mean lots of stress for new and old homeowners alike. Even if you’ve been in your home for years, you might be making some common mistakes that could impact your taxes.
 
Here are some things to look out for as you prepare your 2017 taxes:

Home Improvement Expenses
Did you know that you can deduct home improvement expenses on your taxes? You can, as long as you itemize deductions and have records of what you did and when you did it.
 
Store receipts and other documents in a dedicated place throughout the year so you don’t have to scramble to find everything when April 15th rolls around. If you haven’t been collecting receipts but want to utilize the deductions, make sure to start keeping track of things now so you’re ready for next year’s tax season.

Property Taxes
Most homeowners know that they can deduct their property taxes on their returns, but many report the wrong information when doing so because property taxes are paid a year behind your taxes in some places.
 
Do you fall into this category? If you’re not sure, your local tax office should be able to tell you pretty quickly. Once you have the answer, double or triple check your return to make sure that you have the correct information before clicking “submit” to file.

Home Office Deduction
As work schedules become more flexible, more and more people are now able to take advantage of the home office tax deduction. Again, this is a great benefit as long as it’s done correctly.
 
You can claim up to 300 square feet of your home office at $5 per square foot, for a maximum deduction of $1,500. However, this only applies to an officially sanctioned home office for your own business or at the discretion of your employer. Taking work home voluntarily on nights and weekends, while important to your company, will not get you any extra money back from Uncle Sam.
 
 

Sometimes we remodel because we want to create a more pleasant home environment to live in. Other times, it’s all about the bottom line and getting the most bang for the buck when the house goes on the market.
 
If you find yourself in the latter situation where you are remodeling with the goal of reselling, there are a few things you can do to maximize your return on investment and make your home as appealing as possible to future buyers.

Keep it Neutral
Remodeling a kitchen or bathroom for resale is not the time to go crazy with paint colors, fixtures, or other design elements. You want to present the image that the house is a blank canvas that the new owners can make their own.
 
Even though things like paint and fixtures are easy to change, you do not want to put the new owners through the hassle of having to do that right after moving in. You want to create a space they can live in for a while as they are determining what their design plan will be.

Choose Looks Over Function
This is one of the only times that you can prioritize the way something looks over the way it functions. If you have a limited budget, spend it on things that will make your home look as good as possible.
 
For example, a shiny new oven or refrigerator will impress potential buyers much more so than a new water heater or dehumidifier. As long as those more mundane items are in good working order, leave them alone and focus your time and money on items that you know potential buyers will want to see.

Add Space
When it comes to a kitchen or bathroom, bigger is almost always better. If you have the opportunity to increase the size of these rooms without a major restructuring of your house, take it!
 
What separates a major change from a minor one? Think knocking out walls vs. rearranging furniture or buying new pieces that serve a functional purpose and double as storage. Before you go embarking on a big change, consider if there are any smaller (and cheaper) steps you can take first.