Forget the Open Floor Plan--It's Time to Bring Back Walls

  Rapidly rising rents recently nudged   Dan Raymond   and   Casey Juntila  to wonder if they should try to buy a house instead. “We looked around and realized [rent was] the same as a mortgage, even with the inflated rates and higher home prices,” Raymond recalls. The couple, who are engaged, work as researchers at the University of Michigan in Ann Arbor and wanted to live in the suburbs. Yet while they could swing a monthly mortgage payment, they hadn’t amassed much savings to put toward a down payment or   closing costs . As a result, their house hunt dragged on for three months with no affordable prospects in sight. That’s when their real estate agent,   Charo Ledon   of The Home Buyer’s Agent of Ann Arbor, suggested they consider an option that they presumed was beyond their financial reach: a brand-new house. Intrigued, Raymond and Juntila, both 28, started shopping for   new construction —and were surprised to find one they loved that ...

  Are you looking for a way to remodel your landscape but aren’t quite ready to rip everything out? Maybe you  don’t have the budget for a complete overhaul?   With warm-weather months on the horizon, you also might not want your entire yard off-limits. A phased landscape design might be your answer. Breaking the remodel down into phases allows you to get started with a master plan and  work on one landscape section at a time.  This approach calls for lower startup costs and allows you to continue to enjoy portions of your outdoor space. If this sounds like a strategy that might work for you, keep reading to find out more about a phased landscape remodel and how to get started. TM GRADY BUILDERS Advantages of a Phased Landscape Design Lower upfront costs.  If your budget is limited, doing your landscape remodel in stages allows you to get started on key areas and leave other projects for when your budget allows. Less disruption.  Phased remodels reduce...

  1. Adding a deck or patio: Good ROI Spending time outside with friends and family is much more convenient if you have a deck or patio. “Patios or decks can provide a gathering place for  outdoor entertaining  and increase the value of your home,” says  Martin Boonzaayer , CEO of the Trusted Home Buyer in Phoenix. Homeowners who decide to make the investment can expect to recoup about 65% of their investment, Boonzaayer says. How much should you budget? According to  Remodeling Magazine’s Cost Vs. Value Report , homeowners can expect to spend about $16,000 on a 16-by-20-foot wood deck with pressure-treated planks. A composite deck is more expensive, but the ROI is comparable. 2. Installing a sprinkler system: Good ROI A dry, brown lawn is quite an eyesore. Installing a sprinkler system is a great investment that prevents unsightly patches and delivers a killer ROI. “A sprinkler system can help keep your lawn and plants healthy and looking great,” says Boonzaaye...

1. Trying to organize your entire home in one weekend One of the biggest mistakes people make is thinking they can organize their whole house in just a few days. “Similar to losing weight, getting organized takes time and many minor adjustments,” says  Katherine Lawrence , certified professional organizer with  Space Matters  in Richmond, VA. To fix this, Lawrence suggests focusing on smaller goals, like clearing out one room a month or one cabinet per week. “Think [of it as a] lifestyle change,” Lawrence says. 2. Not purging before organizing Juliana Meidl , founder and owner of  Serenity at Home Detroit , recommends paring down household items before organizing them. “The key is to purge first and then organize what remains,” says Meidl. Meidl suggests decluttering your household items “ruthlessly and frequently.” This might look like getting rid of clothing that doesn’t fit, donating toys your children no longer play with, or tossing old kitchen gadgets. Reducing ...

  Getting Started: Turbocharge Your Decluttering If you’re feeling inspired and motivated by the new year, take advantage of that energy and spend a few weekends clearing clutter throughout the house. Making noticeable headway will help motivate you to keep up the decluttering effort in the coming months. Try to get the other members of your household onboard — but if they are not interested, don’t try to force it. Hopefully they will see the positive changes happening around the house and change their tune! Habit to cultivate:  Keep an empty reusable bin in a closet, and use it to corral items you plan to give away. CKS Residential January: Kitchen and Pantry Give yourself a fresh start for the new year with a clean kitchen, decluttered cabinets and a healthy pantry and fridge. Toss worn dish towels or cut them up to make rags Sell or give away specialty small appliances and tools you seldom or never use Recycle or toss freebie cups and Tupperware containers without lids Toss...