Why a home remodel may be better than a savings account

(ARA) - Are you keeping your home longer than you expected, due to the sluggish and uncertain home-resale market? If you are, you've got company. Only 43 percent of homeowners believe they would get their asking price if they sold today, according to the latest American Express Spending & Saving Tracker. That lack of confidence, coupled with interest rates on personal savings accounts that are at or near record lows, has a lot of homeowners investing in their homes instead of depositing money in their banks. In fact, nearly two-thirds of homeowners will be remodeling in 2011, says American Express. Improving your home can be a smart strategy over the long run. In the meantime, it can make your home more comfortable and convenient while you're living there. Now is the time to ask yourself if putting your hard-earned savings into your house is right for you. You won't see the return on your investment in the near-term, but when you factor in a quicker sale or higher sale price, you could end up with more profit than savings account interest rates can provide. Improvements that pay Experts recommend that you stick to improvements likely to increase your home's resale appeal and value. There's no such thing as a guaranteed return on investment, but some home improvements have a better value track record than others. A basement remodel will recoup 70 percent of its cost at resale, according to the 2010-2011 Remodeling Magazine Cost vs. Value Report. Adding a bathroom returns more than 53 percent of your investment, while modernizing a kitchen can bring back 72.8 percent. * Build a bath: If you plan to install a bathroom, laundry or wet bar in an area that lacks below-floor plumbing drainage, you can dramatically reduce your installation costs with macerating technology. Installing drainage in a basement, attic or garage can be messy, time-consuming and expensive. But with macerating, or up-flush, technology, you can have plumbing virtually anywhere in your home, without breaking through floors or jackhammering concrete. Unlike conventional gravity plumbing, up-flush systems pump waste and water from toilets, showers, sinks, wet bars and washing machines upward. Small-diameter piping carries the waste into the sewer or septic tank. For more information on this cost-effective plumbing option, visit www.saniflo.com. Want to make your new bath seem larger? Let the light in! If a skylight isn't in the budget, use recessed ceiling lights and large mirrors. Also, choose a warm semi-gloss paint and install 12-inch by 12-inch or larger floor tiles to minimize grout lines. A walk-in shower is a smart and cost-effective space-saver. If you don't need storage space, a pedestal sink is another good alternative. Two surefire ways to give the illusion of space are a recessed medicine cabinet and a pocket door instead of a traditional hinged door. * Rebuild a kitchen: An average rebuild of a kitchen takes nine months to plan and three months to build, according to the National Kitchen and Bath Association. You can improve the overall look and feel of a kitchen with a lot less work and money simply by refurbishing what you have. Some refurbishing options include refaced cabinets instead of new, resurfaced countertops or an added backsplash, updated flooring and under-cabinet task lighting. Regardless of the project you plan to undertake, there are a few things you can do to ensure you get the most for your money. Here are some general tips from the National Association of the Remodeling Industry (NARI): * Establish a budget: * Hire a qualified remodeler who is familiar with local building codes. * Compare products and prices before you begin. * Work with a contract.

Content provided courtesy of ARAcontent® with permission.

Seven tips for building your dream deck

(ARA) - Most people build a new deck to enjoy their outdoor space. But did you know adding a new deck or upgrading your deck can add value to your home? Remodeling Magazine rated adding a backyard deck as one of the best value projects in its most recent Cost vs. Value Survey, noting decks are relatively inexpensive to construct, but are almost considered essential by potential homeowners. If you want to build a new deck, or just improve the one you have, HGTV/DIY Network star Jeff Wilson shares his experience gleaned from 25 years of professional experience and his own backyard makeover: 1. Dream big: What's your ideal outdoor space? Books, magazines, TV shows and online content provide a wealth of inspiration. Even if you don't have the budget now for everything you want, establishing a long-term plan ensures you won't be tearing something out later to make way for your dream deck. 2. Trial run: Sometimes numbers like "10-foot-wide deck" don't translate to usable space in the real world. Lay out your planned deck in the space where it will be built using rope, a garden hose, or stakes and string. Arrange objects in the space as you envisioned them in the plan. Make sure that there's enough clearance between furniture and deck features to allow for traffic flow. This lets you catch problems before they're too costly to fix. 3. Don't forget the details: Have you considered lighting? Do you want to listen to music or have an all-outdoor home theater system? Maybe you want to run a natural gas line to your grill so your propane tank will never run out in the middle of a big party. Or water lines to a sink or outdoor shower - all of these details need to be sketched out in advance so that wiring and piping can be installed along the way. 4. Color your world: Do a little research on color options for your deck. You may want a clear coating for the most natural wood look. But you can also get tinted waterproofers and stains to add color to the wood. For instance, the Thompson's Water Seal line has 117 different shades of stain to accent and protect your deck. If you don't know where to start in choosing a color, look at the most dominant, unchanging color in the environment - probably your home's exterior - and choose a complimentary shade. 5. Permits and setbacks: Take your plan to your local codes office to verify local building codes and property-line setbacks. Don't try to start work without your building permit, or you may be in for removing work you've already completed in the future. 6. Green with envy: Consider the environmental effect of building your deck. Choose FSC-certified sustainably harvested lumber, solar lighting, rain barrels or "pillows," and reused materials when planning your deck. 7. Get the best deal: If you're hiring a contractor, get at least three estimates. Don't automatically pick the lowest number - sometimes it's worth paying a little more if the contractor is committed to a quality job and if they're able to listen and incorporate your ideas. If you're going to do it yourself, don't wait until the last minute to order materials. If you order everything at once, lumber yards will often deliver the materials for free. Check deals on contractor credit - some big box stores offer 10 percent off your first order if you open a commercial account. This can be a big savings if you're prepared ahead of time. For more do-it-yourself tips, or to enter for the chance to win a $10,000 makeover budget along with an in-person visit and consultation from Wilson, visit www.thompsonswaterseal.com/dreamdeck.

Content provided courtesy of ARAcontent® with permission.

Selling your home? Four tips to prepare your house for the market

Few adventures are as fun and exhilarating as looking for and buying a new house. But if you already own a home that you need to sell, that fun and exhilaration can quickly turn to headaches and panic if you can't sell as fast as you'd like to. The old real estate agent slogan of "location, location, location" may not apply if your house isn't ready to sell. You can do a lot to put your house in a more sellable condition. The question, however, is how much value will some of those last-minute home improvement projects bring in the long run? Staging a house simply means getting it ready to sell, and it's likely that your real estate agent has an expert in the field that he or she works with. And even though it may not take major home repair and remodeling to get your house ready, a few key projects can go a long way to getting your house sold. 1. Clean and de-clutter - It can be emotionally difficult to sell your house, especially if you have a lot of memories of special milestones. But taking steps like minimizing the furniture in certain rooms to make them look more spacious, and taking down personal touches like family portraits or religious items, may make it easier for prospective buyers to imagine themselves in your house. 2. A fresh coat of paint - Painting is one of the most inexpensive home improvement projects you can take on. New paint can help lighten almost any room, and is terrific in covering scuffs or marks that build up over time. 3. Maximize curb appeal - Depending on where you live and what time of year you're looking to sell, spend some time on the outside of the house to make sure it looks good. Simple items like making sure the lawn is mowed, and bushes and trees trimmed, can make a big difference. If you're selling in the winter, make sure the driveway is clear of ice and snow. 4. Spend wisely - Make sure you don't make big fixes that won't pay you back in the sale of the house. Experts feel you're more likely to recoup the cost of paint or deep cleaning the house then you are a new roof, air conditioning or heating system. The vast majority of home-shoppers decide on whether they want to view your house in-person depending on the pictures they see online, according to homestagingresource.com, which means simple home repairs and a tidy, de-cluttered house can make the difference in your home selling quickly or not.

Content provided courtesy of ARAcontent® with permission.

Five things to consider before purchasing a wrinkle cream

If you've ever shopped for a wrinkle cream, you know there are a lot of options out there. In fact, there are so many, that finding the right cream might be more akin to trying to find a needle in a haystack. When choosing a wrinkle cream, ultimately, you want a cream that works, but won't cost you a fortune or have any negative side effects. One of the best things you can do to ensure you're getting the best wrinkle cream for your money is to read reviews of the different products out there, and find one that has been proven to work. To make looking for wrinkle treatment easier, consumerpricewatch.org has compiled a comprehensive list of the wrinkle creams on the market and provided reviews of each. The website also lists five criteria that can help you determine whether a wrinkle cream is right for you: 1. Effectiveness: Obviously, your primary concern when buying a wrinkle cream should be purchasing a product that works. Reading customer and expert reviews can help you determine whether or not a product is effective - much better and less expensive than applying a trial-and-error method. 2. Speed of results: Different products offer various timelines for their expected results to take effect. If you are considering a product promising quick results, you should ask whether or not those results are as effective as a product with a longer timeline. 3. Ingredient composition: The ingredients - and amounts of specific ingredients - are ultimately what makes a wrinkle cream effective. Therefore, reading analysis of which ingredients to look for - and which ones to avoid - in a product can help you make your decision. 4. Product safety: If there are any negative side effects of a product, it's important to learn about them before using the product on your skin. 5. Overall value: Of course you want a product that works, but as with anything, you'll want one that provides the most value. Some products may work equally well, but carry different price tags. This information can help you know what to expect from any wrinkle cream you buy. To find a wrinkle cream that will work for you, and view other articles relating to wrinkle treatment, visit www.consumerpricewatch.org.

Content provided courtesy of ARAcontent® with permission.