The conventional wisdom related to building in a backyard deck or patio revolves around improved quality of life and return on investment. A new deck delivers years of peaceful enjoyment and an approximate 75 percent resale value return. That's largely because this type of home improvement increases the usable square footage and transforms the property into an indoor-outdoor...

Sometimes all you need to refresh your home is a change to the living room. Unfortunately, new furniture isn’t cheap, and it’s easy to feel you can’t make a major change without breaking your budget. However, there are some ways you can completely revamp and decorate your living room inexpensively. Here are the best budget-friendly living room decor...

Photo by Pete Linforth via Pixabay Floods can be devastating. Not only do they damage many of your personal belongings, but they can also lead to devastating problems with your home. The good news is, you can make the process easier by following a few steps in the immediate aftermath of a home flood. Contact Your Insurance Company...

If wooden tables aren’t your style, consider creating a DIY tabletop with an alternate material. There are many great options available depending on the type of table you want to build or if you simply want to replace the top of an existing table. One creative way to build your own tabletop is to use ceramic tile. If...

Textiles are one of the most important aspects of interior design—a true decorating fundamental that interior designers use to pull a room together. These things are often overlooked in favor of stylish trim, on-trend paint shades and well-chosen furniture, which are all necessary parts of the design equation. But without the right fabrics and wallpapers to unite the...

Beautiful 3 bed/2 bath ranch home in quiet and desirable O'Fallon neighborhood. Kitchen boasts all new stainless appliances, fresh paint, and professionally painted cabinets in June 2021 Family room features a large gas fireplace and a 2 sliding doors leading out to the deck and the level backyard. Main floor laundry room leads to the oversized 2 car garage. Fresh paint thru entire inside of home. New carpeting. New garage door and architectural roof in...

Image by Steve Buissinne from Pixabay Suppose you’ve inherited your parents’ longtime home. Suppose they paid $100,000 for it, and it’s now worth $300,000. Had they sold it while it was in their possession, they would have avoided paying capital gains tax due to the Taxpayer Relief Act of 1997. Now that it’s yours, has that tax avoidance...

A great deal of misinformation about obtaining building permits exists that sometimes results in property owners not securing one. An inspector combing through your entire home looking for violations rarely happens in practice. Of course, if the house has been significantly altered over the years without pulling a permit, it’s not unreasonable for a building code enforcement officer...

Photo by Karolina Grabowska from Pexels 1031 exchanges are special transactions in which one investment is effectively “swapped” for another. In real estate, this means selling one investment property for another of “like-kind.” This can be an effective and lucrative strategy because it can allow you to defer certain taxes as long as you abide by specific rules...

2 Family Brick Exterior 2 story home. Great Investment property. Both units are currently leased Very well maintained inside & out. First floor has 2 bed & 1 bath. Second floor has 2 beds & 1 bath Basement has laundry hook ups. Large fenced backyard, possible offstreet parking. Owner is also selling MLS #21043563 which is a single family investment...

2 bed/1 bath home with tenant already in place. Great Investment property! Very well kept inside & out. All brick home with off street parking and a 1 car garage. Central location near shopping, dining, and places of worship. Seller is also selling...

Photo by Андрей Постовой on Unsplash A transitional bathroom is a popular design trend that is a cross between modern and traditional. What are the key features of a transitional bathroom? A combination of two styles: A transitional bathroom can have different meanings to different people. Usually, it is a mixture of a recent era with the current...