Tips on maintaining and improving your home in St. George.

Summer home decor is all about shaking off the winter blues and letting in that sunshine. While you don’t need to undergo a whole decorative overhaul each season, a few tweaks and accent pieces can help brighten up your space. Here are some tips to help you brighten up your home this summer.

Bright and Bold

The key to a good summer decor is to focus on bright colors and bold patterns. Swap out your winter pillows and throws with lighter and brighter textiles. Pick out a color scheme, like teal and yellow for example, and stick with it throughout the house. That way, as you shop, you can make sure all your accent pieces match.

Bring the Outside In

Summer is all about spending time outdoors. However, in St. George, the air conditioned indoors is…

1451 Views, 0 Comments

As the summer heats up, homes in St. George are opening up their pools to family and friends. Swimming pools are fun and refreshing, especially in our desert climate, but they can pose a safety threat if used incorrectly. Take time this summer to establish and enforce safety measures to make sure your pool is safe. Here are some tips to get you started.

1. Proper Pool Security

When no one is swimming, it is important that the pool remain safe and secure so no small children or pets can fall in. Keep a cover secured over the pool, no matter how large or small, whenever no one is swimming. Install a fence around the pool, at least four feet high, to keep anyone from wandering, or falling, in. If you have small children, install door and window…

1837 Views, 0 Comments

Summer is almost here which means St. George homes are heating up! As a homeowner, there are some things you can do to prepare your home for summer, help keep it cool, and save on your energy bill. Here are some ideas to get you started!

1. Insulation

Make sure all your windows and doors are properly insulated. Inspect caulking and check for air leaks. There is no point in running the air conditioner if all the cool air is leaking out and all the hot air is coming in. Make sure your home is airtight and properly insulated so you won’t have to spend as much to keep the temperature regulated.

2. Let in the Fresh Air

When it’s cooler outside, usually at night, it’s nice to turn off the air conditioning and open a window. To do this, you need…

1414 Views, 0 Comments

Is your house feeling a bit tired? After a few years, or even a few months, with a new design, you might start to feel the need for change. An update doesn’t need to be overly complicated or complex. Rather than remodel your entire home, you can add and update a few small accessories to give you the change you’ve been craving. Here are a few hacks to help you think about sprucing up your home.

Window Treatments

The way light enters your room can really change the way it looks. If you have heavy window treatments, replace them with lighter ones to let in more light. Are your plastic blinds old and outdated? Replace them with more modern shutters or wood blinds. Changing your window treatments can make the room feel new.

Get Creative With…

1547 Views, 0 Comments

Happy Earth Day! Since we live in a desert, one of our most precious natural resources is water. Take some time today to make some adjustments in your home to save some water. Here are some ideas to get you started.

1 Fix Leaks

A small leak in a faucet, bathtub or toilet can waste up to 20 gallons of water a day. That’s over 7,000 gallons of water a year! Check all your bathroom and kitchen appliances to fix any possible leaks. Also, pay attention to your water meter and bill. If you see a sudden spike in water use one month, it may be a good indication that there is a hidden leak somewhere in your home or yard.

2 Only Run Full Appliances

Only turn on your dishwasher or washing machine when they’re full. To save even more water, not to…

1690 Views, 0 Comments

Have you been thinking of starting your own vegetable garden? There are many benefits to gardening, both mental, emotional and physical, plus your family will save money on grocery bills! Spring is the time to plant your garden, so here are some tips to get you started.

Decide How Much You Want to Grow

Do you have a large family of vegetable eaters? Or are you just trying to feed yourself? Determine what you want to grow and how much. Some plants are easier to grow than others, so start with simple plants such as tomatoes, lettuce or potatoes.

Soils, Seeds, Sun and Space

Once you know what you are going to grow, you need to make sure you have the seeds, soil, sun and space to get started! Most vegetables need a minimum of 6-8 hours of sun…

1782 Views, 0 Comments

Spring is the perfect time to tackle some annual cleaning projects. You can clean the winter gloom out of the house, and the weather is nice enough to work outside. In St. George, cleaning projects become more difficult during the summer when it’s too hot. Now that the beautiful April weather is here, let’s go over six great spring cleaning projects!

Clear Out Clutter

Springtime is all about shedding the heaviness of winter. Take this literally and get rid of as much clutter as you can. Go through paperwork and receipts (which will also help with your taxes) and recycle whatever you don’t need.Clear out your kids’ toys and clothes they don’t use anymore and donate it all to a local charity. Each year, turn the hangers in your closet around to…

1542 Views, 0 Comments

April is here which means it’s tax season! As a homeowner, there are more factors to consider and more tax breaks to take advantage of. You don’t want to miss out on any of these deductions or end up paying more taxes than you have to. Follow these homeowner tax tips when you file your taxes this year.

Deduct Property Taxes

You can deduct any property taxes that you pay on your federal tax return. Keep all this paperwork handy, and make sure you deduct the right amount of taxes for your tax year. Some property tax authorities work a year behind, (ie: you paid 2013 taxes in 2014) but that doesn’t matter. File a return for whatever you paid this tax year. .

Deduct Private Mortgage Insurance

If you paid less than 20% on your down payment,…

1874 Views, 0 Comments

While some people go their whole lives without ever meeting their neighbors, this doesn’t have to be the case with you. You and your neighbors can have a mutually beneficial relationship. Whether you’re new to the area, or have lived in the neighborhood for years, use these tips to get along with your neighbors.

Be Considerate

The first step to having a good relationship with your neighbors is to be a good neighbor yourself. Don’t play music loud or be noisy, especially at night. Keep your yard clean and well maintained. If you have dogs, make sure they don’t bark excessively, especially late at night. Your behavior can be a good example of what it means to be a good neighbor. Remember the Golden Rule: “Treat others how you want to be…

2045 Views, 0 Comments

One of the best ways to keep your home values high and reduce repair costs is to have important components of your home undergo annual maintenance checks. It’s hard to keep on top of everything, and necessary repairs can fall through the cracks. When this happens, small inexpensive maintenance checks can turn into big, expensive repairs.To help you keep track of everything, we’ve created a handy list of check ups to do every year. That way, you don’t miss a thing!

4258294049_7425e46e0c_z_640

Electrician

Annual electrical maintenance can help you catch problems early and avoid the possibility of fires. Check your outlets and breakers for any scorch marks or other possible damages. If you fear there might be a problem, or if you haven’t seen one in a year or more, call an…

1658 Views, 0 Comments