Two weeks ago I called six different contractors to come take a look at a small repair job on my personal house.

Every single one went to an answering machine or voicemail. Okay, understandable. They are busy working. I’ll leave a message.

In total, four of them called me back, and I scheduled four different appointments with each of them to get me an estimate. Of the four appointments, two of them never showed up.

Of the two remaining, one said he didn’t know how to do the job. The other said he would call me back with an estimate in 24 hours. It’s been a week — and now his phone is disconnected.

And I still need the repair job done.

For anyone who’s ever tried to hire a contractor or handyman for their home or business, this story probably sounds a bit familiar. It’s difficult! Of the 100+ guests we’ve had on the BiggerPockets Podcast, I would rate “finding a contractor” as the number one difficulty mentioned by investors.

Why Is It So Tough to Find Good Contractors?

Well, there are two primary reasons I see:

Contractors are not generally not good business owners. This problem is part of the “E-myth” mentality — that just because someone can bake doesn’t mean they can run a bakery. Just because someone can swing a hammer doesn’t mean they can answer phone calls or show up on time!

Real estate investors are always looking for a good deal now, which means we don’t typically call the “big guys” (those who ARE good at running their business) because we know they’ll be too expensive, will be too big for small maintenance jobs, and will be booked out three months.

So what should an investor do? How can we add a contractor to our “team?”

Let me give you a few pointers on how you can hire a good contractor or handyman.

How to Find an Incredible Contractor or Handyman

1.) Be Proactive, Not Reactive

Have you ever heard the old phrase “the the best time to look for a job is when you don’t need one?”

The same principle applies to contractors. If you are “reactive” in your search for a contractor, only waiting until something happens and you need to “react,” you are setting yourself up for problems to begin with. Instead, be proactive. Finding good contractors is a lifestyle, not a one-time event. Have a continually evolving list of people you could call for various problems, and continue to add people to the list even when you don’t need someone at the moment.

I ask nearly every person I meet in public if they have a good contractor because I know that the success of my business hinges upon the people I hire to take care of problems. The same will likely be true for your business, so be proactive and start looking for great contractors today.

2.) Understand Price vs. Cost

When you buy something, are you buying based on price or cost?

Confused? I was too, but several days ago I read something from the late Zig Ziglar in which he discusses the difference between price and cost, and suddenly I realized a huge error I’ve been making in my investing business for the past decade. I’ve been hiring contractors based on price, not cost! Let me explain.

Price is the monetary amount paid when you purchase something, but cost is the long term monetary amount paid over the life of a product or service. For example, the price of dishwasher A might be $400, and the price of dishwasher B might be $500 — but if dishwasher A costs an extra $20 per month in energy to run, it would have been smarter to buy dishwasher B!

You see, buying for cost rather than price is a subtle difference, but it can have a tremendous effect on your business. This principle also applies to hiring a contractor. Are you hiring on price or cost? If you are like me, price is probably the largest concern. But if you hire someone because their price is cheap, you might be setting yourself up for a lifetime of high cost on that repair.

So when hiring a contractor, don’t necessarily choose the cheapest option. You might think you are getting a great deal, but in the long run you’ll end up spending MUCH more. For two years of my investing business, I hired a local handyman to do most of my work because he was the lowest price. It’s been two years since he stopped working for us, and not a week goes by that I don’t find something that was done wrong that I now have to pay to fix. If only I had hired based on cost instead of price!

As an investor from Colorado once stated in the BiggerPockets Forums, “We learned long ago, the old adage for construction has always ringed true: Pick any two: Price, Quality, Service. You can’t have all three.”

3.) Ask for Referrals

This is an obvious one, but so important I can’t skip it! One of the best ways to find good contractors is by simply asking others who they have used for similar work!

When people ask me who my best contractors are, I have no problem telling them because I know it will help out my contractor AND look good on me. I want my contractor to love working for me and to always put me at the top of his list, and giving him more work via referrals is a great way to do that.

So don’t be shy in asking other investors who they use! Also ask family and friends.

An agent pointed out to me that, “Good Realtors work by referral to generate their own business, and part of that is by making good referrals to other professionals. You can bet if you have an experienced Realtor, he/she is going to refer someone that has completed work and made their previous clients happy.”

4.) Check References

Always check references.

Always.

This is especially true when dealing with contractors. Despite what you might think, even references supplied by the contractor will generally be honest with you, and you’ll learn a lot. Ask to see examples of the kind of work you plan on getting done.

Another investor from Decatur, Texas once told me she always asks for three referrals from the most recent jobs they’ve completed—and then calls those references to ask “if they showed up on time or when they said they would, did they complete the work, did they try to change the $$ amount mid-work or after it was done, and would you use them again.”

Excellent advice!

5.) The 6:00 a.m. Home Depot Trick

One of the most clever ideas I’ve ever heard for finding contractors came from house flipper J Scott (author of the best house flipping book ever written, called The Book on Flipping Houses) on the 10th episode of the BiggerPockets Podcast.

J’s suggestion: Go to Home Depot at 6:00 a.m. and meet the contractors what are there. These are the contractors who get up early and get their supplies before heading over to the job site. This is a strong indication that they know what they are doing and are not going to take advantage of you.

Although this is no silver bullet, it can weed out the ambitious contractors from those who sleep till noon to fight off the hangover from last night’s party.

6.) Ask Store Employees

Darren Sager, a real estate investor from New Jersey, suggests visiting supply stores (for example, a plumbing supply store if you need plumbing or a lumber yard if you need something built) and ask the employees who work there who they would have work on their houses. These employees have a unique insight into the quality of materials that the contractors use, as well as the experience level and management style of those who buy from them.

7.) Place Craigslist Ads

Have you checked Craigslist for contractor ads? Or even better, have you placed an ad yourself? One of the best handymen I have came after we placed a free ad on Craigslist asking for local handymen who can do occasional tasks for our real estate investment company. We received several responses, hired each to do a small task, and quickly found a great guy who we use often for small tasks.

8.) Make Them Compete

Sometimes the best answer is not finding one contractor, but several who can compete for your business, says Royce Jarrendt, a home builder from Virginia. Jarrendt says, “the best solution to finding a good contractor is find three good contractors. It’s way too easy to get cozy with what you think is a good situation with a contractor. Competition is what drives price and quality. All of my contractors know that I know other contractors and because I am honest, respectful and fair, they are willing to give me their best… price, quality, attention.”

I know some investors call three to five contractors to do a bid and tell them all the same time, both to minimize the hassle of meeting multiple contractors and encouraging lean bids.

9.) Who Do They Like to Follow?

Another suggestion that came from the BiggerPockets Podcast was to ask good subcontractors who they like to follow. In other words, what drywall person does the painter like to follow after? What framer does the plumber like to follow after?

If you ask for referrals from other subcontractors, you can gain valuable insight from those who have to work where the last guy left off!

10.) Be Clear On Your Expectations

With all this talk about finding a good contractor, there is also something to say about your responsibility in the relationship. Oftentimes a “bad” contractor only appears bad because they did not have clear enough expectations given to them at the start of a job.

Martin Scherer, an investor from Santa Rosa, Calif., says to give them clear detailed instructions of your needs. “Contractors are not mind readers. If you give contractors a clear list of expectations you will find your task much easier.”

Wrapping it Up: Finding Contractors

A great contractor or handyman can make your real estate investing life smooth sailing, but a difficult contractor can make you wish you never bought a piece of real estate (and keep you from buying any more).

Sure, finding good, reliable contractors can be difficult, but if there is only one thing you remember after reading this post: finding contractors is a verb! In other words, it’s something that you physically have to do in your business, and something that never really ends. You cannot sit by and wait for the ideal contractor to walk into your life.

You must get out there and find them.

Source: BiggerPockets

Ever get the itch to do a DIY project? Whenever we do, our favorites involve getting outdoors and mixing up our landscaping features. 

Whether it's as simple as installing some lighting or a little more time-consuming like re-plotting plants, a fresh look for the lawn always gives your home a fresh look as well. Here are our top five easy landscaping projects!

Create a pathway.

To guide you and visitors throughout your yard and link different areas together, install a pathway. You can use materials from a variety of materials, including reclaimed pallet wood, flagstones, gravel, and more to add texture and color.

Add a wall or border.

Installing a flagstone, rock, or brick wall around flower beds or trees adds a sleek, clean look to your landscaping and helps separate different sections of your yard.

Install a water feature.

Nothing says zen quite like the sound of trickling water as you relax in your backyard. You can start simple with by purchasing and installing a small feature powered by a solar panel or create a larger focal point in your yard by installing a waterfall wall or small pond.

Light your way.

An easy way to transform your yard is to strategically use lighting. Place cool-colored lights high in trees to recreate a moonlight feel, use pathway lights to naturally guide the eye, or highlight objects or plants.

Plant upwards.

Expand your yard space by drawing the eye to the sky with a trellis fence or screen made of wood or metal. Once you install your trellis, select your climbing plants and vines and get to planting!

When you’re getting ready to list your home, it’s of the upmost importance to ensure you are showing it in the best light. Taking time to highlight its strengths and fix up some of its possible weaknesses can make a big difference in how fast it sells. Here are our top five recommended repairs to make before selling your home.

Repaint walls.

Giving your home a fresh coat of paint is one of the most cost-effective ways to spruce it up, and generally, it can be a do-it-yourself project. Make sure cover any walls with scratches and chips and consider updating any accent walls with a more neutral coat.

Repair floors.

Hardwood floors are a very desirable feature in a home, so you want to ensure they look their best by fixing scratches or dull areas. If your carpet is worn or stained, consider replacing them. And don’t forget the tile in your kitchen or bathrooms. Re-grouting can go a long way in making dingy tile work look brand new!

Refresh the landscaping.

Show buyers your home is the full package by dressing up the outside as well as the in. Clean walkways and driveways, plant seasonal flowers and plants, trim hedges and trees, install outdoor décor pieces and fill in mulch and gravel.

Fix your fixtures.

Leaky faucet? Rusted drains? Loose drawer handle? Making these small fixes can make a big difference to potential buyers with detailed-orientated minds. Improve your kitchen. An outdated kitchen can be a real eyesore in a home. Updating cabinetry, repairing or replacing countertops, and installing new faucets and sinks may be worth the investment

The following is a guest post from Patti Stern

Whether you’re looking to invest in simple updates or a complete kitchen renovation, you can’t go wrong incorporating the latest design trends to enjoy now as well as boost your home’s value when it comes time to sell. If you’re not sure where to begin, check out our list below featuring on-trend elements we think will give you the most “bang for your buck.”

Kitchen Renovations by PJ & Company Staging and Interior Decorating; Photo Credits: Steven Seymour and Jeff Kaufman

1. Cabinet Color. Replacing or repainting dark, dated cabinets is a priority in any kitchen update as cabinets are both an aesthetic and functional focal point which get noticed immediately by buyers. In the kitchens pictured above, we use bright white shaker cabinets which remain a current favorite to brighten the space and provide a clean, modern appeal. For the first kitchen pictured, we introduced on-trend navy blue for perimeter cabinets and a built-in pantry and coffee bar to add depth and contrast to the white subway tile backsplash, white Quartz counters, wood flooring and stainless-steel appliances.

Kitchen Renovation by PJ & Company Staging and Interior Decorating; Photo Credit: Steven Seymour

2. Custom Storage. According to a recent Houzz study, “a top functional priority, cited by 63 percent of renovators, was having a kitchen in which it’s easy to store and find items.” In the kitchen above, we chose a large island that functions as both a work area with extra storage below as well as a casual eating space with bar stools. The surrounding custom cabinetry and built-in storage units add to the room’s efficiency and enhance the clean lines and modern style.

Kitchen Renovation by PJ & Company Staging and Interior Decorating; Photo Credit: Steven Seymour

3. Quartz Countertops. The Houzz study also found that Quartz (used for the island and counters in our kitchen remodel above) was the most popular countertop material in 2018. It has become a growing alternative to granite and marble for its durability, versatility and custom appeal.

Kitchen Renovation by PJ & Company Staging and Interior Decorating; Photo Credit: Steven Seymour

4. Full-Tile Feature Walls. With the popularity of open first-floor layouts and kitchens with wall-free transitions, there is more of a need for a focal point. One of the trends we continue to see is beautiful feature walls with counter-to-ceiling tile either behind floating shelves or a range hood (as shown above). Whether choosing a shimmery glass finish or a bold geometric pattern, it’s a cost-effective way to add high-end style, texture and depth.

Image Credit: Houzz

5. Mixed Metals. Designers are now selecting a mix of metal finishes for faucets, hardware, lighting and appliances to add a new level of depth, sophisticated style and personality to a space. Be careful not to choose too many different finishes that compete with the surrounding colors and materials. Keep it simple with two metals that balance the room well. A primary finish such as a cool chrome or stainless steel should take up two-thirds of the fixtures then choose a warmer accent such as antique brass for the remaining third.

For more examples of interior decorating and home staging, visit www.pjstagingdecorating.com.

SOURCE: Coldwell Banker

Here’s a list of this years most up and coming popular trends to modernize your landscaping and add a touch of refreshing curb appeal.

The following is a guest post by Cat Murphy.

Whether you’re trying to sell your home or update the one you recently bought, there are plenty of ways to modernize your landscaping and add a touch of refreshing curb appeal. The latest trends include homeowners stepping outside the box with landscaping designs that have Mother Nature’s best interest at heart. Here’s a list of this years most up and coming popular trends.

Growing Produce

If you’re going to add plants to the garden, you might as well also grow something to eat. Planting edible options, like fruits and vegetables, is a great way to add interest and beauty to your landscaping that also offers plenty of health benefits. Growing food in your yard is a trending design that allows you and your guests to appreciate how food is grown. It’s also great for the environment and helps cut down on the weekly grocery budget. Choose fruits and vegetables that thrive in your community for an easier way to manage your garden.

Privacy

Speaking of privacy, you don’t have to install an ugly wooden fence. Plant a quick growing hedge or shrub to provide an extra barrier between your outdoor living space and your neighbors. Even a low growing shrub, like a boxwood, can create a semi-private feel to an area without hindering the view. Planting trees is another excellent way to add privacy and natural beauty to compliment a house.

Asymmetry

Shapes found in nature are rarely perfectly straight lines. Many homeowners now prefer the creativity of nature by reflecting curved or slanted lines in their landscaping. Slight curves on the outside edge of a garden bed and curved walkways are trending right now. These asymmetrical lines not only make your home more appealing, but they also create a softer overall look that embraces nature’s shapes. You can also include a free formed garden bed in the middle of a large lawn space that will add value to your home as well.  Be sure to use a weed eater to properly trim all edges for the best look possible. 

Xeriscaping

So you want a beautiful lawn and garden, but what if you don’t have time to keep it maintained? Xeriscaping is both a popular landscaping technique and design that incorporates plants acclimated to a specific region and decreases the amount of maintenance by using less turf. These plants are typically locally native plants that require little to no added water. They do well in the current climate conditions of the area and can be left alone for the most part.

Xeriscaping also encourages homeowners to replace lawn areas with non-organic mulching options, like stone, to create a truly unique look. While xeriscapes are more common in arid regions of the country, some homeowners use this type of landscaping in smaller portions of their yard that are either hard to access or have trouble growing other plants.

Adding any one of these landscaping techniques to your yard will help raise the overall curb appeal of your home. Consider changing a problem spot in the yard to a xeriscape or adding plants that provide nutritious food options. Creating privacy with quick growing plants as well as incorporating curved lines into your yard are other trends in landscaping design to try this year.

SOURCE: Coldwell Banker

The following post is a guest contribution from Matthew Rathbun, executive vice president of Coldwell Banker Elite.

When it comes to selling a smart home, a properly trained agents can reduce the seller’s liability.

Smart Home Specialist

You’ve made a decision to install smart devices in your home.  You’ve carefully planned out what ecosystem you wish to invest in, where each device will go in the home, how they will all be connected and controlled in your home.  Once you have it all setup and working well, you get the notice that you’ve been promoted and will need to sell your home and move to a different area.  Now, what do you do with these smart home devices?  Should they remain? Should they go? Are you able to keep your surveillance devices in place while buyers are in your home?

The emergence of connected devices, smart home and the internet of things has created a new level of consideration for homeowners and their agents when selling their home.  Unfortunately, not all agents are well versed in the legal, technological and contractual questions that come into play when selling a connected home.

Several years ago Coldwell Banker began training agents and certifying them as Smart Home specialists.  That process started with a definition of what a smart home actually is. Coldwell Banker worked with CNET to establish a standard by which agents across the country could market a home that met this new criteria.

The Smart Home Criteria 

The criteria established by Coldwell Banker and CNET is as follows:

“Smart home: A home that is equipped with network-connected products (aka “smart products,” connected via Wi-Fi, Bluetooth or similar protocols) for controlling, automating and optimizing functions such as temperature, lighting, security, safety or entertainment, either remotely by a phone, tablet, computer or a separate system within the home itself.”

This criteria was also later utilized in other specialty courses that agents can take to be certified as a smart home specialist, making it the only known standard in the country.

A properly trained agent can reduce the seller’s liability by understanding and using the smart home standard and existence of devices as they present the home to potential buyers. The agent can counsel you, as the homeowner, as to what devices need to remain to meet the criteria and which you could take with you to your next home.

An agent who has invested time in understanding smart homes can help you understand what the law or the contract would consider real property (things attached to the home) or personal property (things generally not needed for the home to function) and how to navigate these issues in the local contracts.  Each state and local area may have their own contract that uniquely addresses smart home and connected devices and a trained agent will let you know how the transition is handled regionally.

Privacy and Security

It’s unfortunate, but true that some agents may not fully understand the question of liability for their Seller with devices like smart cameras and security systems. There are federal and state regulatory standards as to who may or may not record or monitor a home buyer while they are in the seller’s home. A trained smart home specialist will understand the ways that the homeowner can keep their security systems in place, while not creating undue liability by having surveillance devices in the home.

It’s Not A Niche Any Longer

The ubiquity by which smart home devices can now be found in a Seller’s home is almost staggering.  Smart home devices have remained among the top selling gifts over the past few years and their affordability and ease of installation means that they are everywhere.  But sadly, not many agents outside of Coldwell Banker have taken the industry leaders initiative and invested in property training. As far reaching as this technology is, not all licensed agents are well versed in it.

Choose Your Agent Wisely

Smart home certified agents know how to position the smart home properly to sell faster, they understand the best techniques to keep the home owners security systems in place without increasing the home owner’s liability and they understand how to best protect the seller’s interest in the contract negotiations when a buyer wishes for certain devices to convey or not.

If you’re a seller with smart home connected devices in your home, you should make sure that you have specific conversations with your your during your listing interview, regarding their knowledge of the devices, how they intend to promote these features in your home and if they are competent enough to be your agent of choice in the selling process.

SOURCE: ColdwellBanker.com

By LINDSAY LISTANSKI

Clear out the clutter and tidy up your kitchen with tips from our friends at HomeAdvisor

The following is a guest post from Andrea Davis of HomeAdvisor

The kitchen is one of the most difficult places in the home to keep clean and organized. Between your dishes, utensils and cooking appliances, you have lots of oddly shaped and bulky items to store. If you find yourself overwhelmed by all the stuff in your kitchen, or maybe just need a more efficient way of storing and organizing, consider these genius ways to tidy up your kitchen.

#1 Group Similar Items Together

Grouping items together according to their use is a sensible way to organize your kitchen. Categorizing similar items makes it easier for you and your guests to find things quickly.

#2 Use Baskets to Store Commonly Used Items

Searching for commonly used kitchen items is frustrating. Rather than storing them in random cabinets, use a simple wicker basket to corral and hold popular items. It looks nicer than just stacking utensils on the counter and it’s more organized than stashing them in available cabinets.

#3 Install Slide-Out Pantry Drawers

There’s nothing worse than having to pull everything out of a drawer or cabinet to reach something you’re looking for. Rather than shuffling with all of that mess, install slide-out pantry drawers or cabinets. Now, when you need a spice or are looking for specific dry goods, you can slide the entire cabinet out.

#4 Use Open Shelving

There’s nothing wrong with showing off some of the items you own, like your formal dinnerware or antique teapots. The only challenge you’ll face is keeping it all straight and tidy on your shelves. Installing an open shelving solution will help you organize everyday kitchen items and bring an open, airy energy to your kitchen. As an added benefit, you won’t have to open drawers and doors to find the items you’re looking for.

#5 Explore Alternative Storage

Traditional kitchen storage is great, but sometimes alternatives are just as functional. Consider storing extra kitchen items in wooden crates, baskets and other containers. Do you have a movable kitchen island with space underneath? Use woven baskets to hold your plates and bowls below.

#6 Don’t Waste Space

If you’re struggling to find space to organize all of your cutlery, plates and other utensils, consider high-shelf storage. Remember to only store rarely used items, like your fine china or fondue pot, on high shelves.

#7 Cut Down When Necessary

The kitchen is one of the most popular places in the home to display knick-knacks. If your assortment of collectibles has outgrown your space, the easiest way to organize is to eliminate what you can’t put out on display. This cuts down on clutter and opens up the visuals of your kitchen.

Conclusion

These are just a few simple ways to improve the organization of your kitchen. Now you can enjoy less frustrating meal preparation and less overwhelming visuals.

By SHARON LEE

To get that hotel vibe, focus on these areas of your home.

When it comes time to sell your home, you need to keep one thing in mind: buyers don’t want to see or feel you in the house. What we mean is that buyers are looking for a blank slate that they can envision making their very own. They don’t want your family pictures, unique style, or lived-in look. Instead, they want a house that represents endless opportunities.

How do you make this happen? How do you get YOU out of the house when staging a home for sale?

Think about giving your home a hotel vibe. It’s one of the most successful open house ideas because it’s all about making your home into anyone’s house.

Staging your home so that it feels like a hotel will help you sell it faster and for more money. But what does this look like? Your real estate agent will be able to give you expert advice on how to achieve this.

To ensure you have that hotel vibe, you’ll need to go through your home room-by-room and focus on a few key areas.

Make a Glamorous Entrance

The entrance of your home is your one and only chance to make a great first impression, so you’ll want to make your entrance look and feel like a hotel lobby. If you have room, consider adding an elegant table with artfully arranged flowers. You’ll also want to keep it clear of clutter to ensure that it creates a welcoming feeling.

Create Plush and Lush Bedrooms

Bedrooms are typically the most personal rooms in a home, and so, for an open house, they should be depersonalized as much as possible. Remove all personal items from dressers and nightstands. It’s even a good idea to half empty your closet so that it looks neat, clean, and larger than normal.

In addition to cleaning up, you’ll also want to transform your bedroom with plush bedding that’s reminiscent of a hotel room. Think white linens with throw pillows and crisp lines. It should feel like a hotel room from the moment they walk in the door.

Clean Up the Bathrooms

Just as with the bedrooms, the bathrooms should sparkle and shine. You don’t want potential buyers to walk into your bathroom and think anything other than, “This looks wonderful.”

When staging your home for sale, your bathrooms should look brand new. This means emptying out cabinets and drawers of any toiletries and miscellaneous items. You should also allow a small budget for repainting, changing out old fixtures, and resurfacing countertops.

As for the towels and décor, only use brand new items that are perfectly spotless and would look appropriate in a hotel. Every bathroom should feel like an oasis.

Focus on the Kitchen

All successful open house ideas start in the kitchen. That’s because a kitchen, if done beautifully, can get you more than your asking price while an ignored kitchen can kill a sale just as quickly.

The good news is that updating your kitchen doesn’t require a complete remodel. Small changes can make a big difference. To get started:

• Remove clutter from countertops until they’re completely clear.
• Clean all appliances and replace old, worn out equipment.
• Clear all dishes and keep them neatly stacked out of sight.
• Organize every single drawer, removing extra items.
• Empty out the pantry and fridge until only a few food staples remain in neat rows.

Clean and de-clutter your kitchen until it wouldn’t look out of place on a food show. Only then are you ready for an open house.

Tips and Tricks for Overall Décor

What about the rest of your house? There are quite a few things you can do to create that hotel vibe everywhere.

Bring in Light: Maximize the light throughout your home by removing drapes, cleaning windows, changing lampshades, and increasing bulb wattage.

Choose the Right Colors: Don’t slather your walls and furniture with bright, bold colors. Instead, follow the examples of upscale hotels with neutral palettes of warm gray, taupe, brown, and even black.

Create More Space: Add large mirrors and use appropriately proportioned furniture to create the illusion of more space in tight quarters.

Don’t Forget the Exterior: Don’t forget the outside of your home. Transform your back deck into a cozy outdoor living area, and make sure your front yard leaves a good first impression with a spruced-up yard, fresh exterior paint, and pops of color.

You don’t need a big budget or a brand-new home to create one that feels and looks like a hotel. All you need is a little bit of know-how and some elbow grease and anything is possible. Find a Coldwell Banker real estate agent near you today.

SOURCE: Coldwell Banker

Guest post by Jon Snyder

Picture this: You’ve had an exhausting week — all you want to do is go home and relax. It’s hot outside, but you arrive to a perfectly cooled home. As dusk rolls in, your blinds follow suit, as if they’re chasing the sunset. You make your way to your bedroom and practically crumble into bed. The lights dim as the temperature dips and you drift off into a peaceful sleep.

This might sound like a futuristic dream, but actually, it’s a reality. In today’s world, millions of smart gadgets are available to make your home more intelligent. But these “smart” devices are limited to homeowner’s programming capabilities, which is usually turning on and off at certain times. Genius? Not so much. Self-learning home devices are different. They learn your habits and adjust themselves accordingly for an unprecedented level of convenience.  Here, we’ll take a look at some of the best connected devices and the ways they can observe patterns, interpret data, or use artificial intelligence to help make your life easier.

1. Self-Learning Thermostats

Keeping your house at an ideal temperate can be pricey. About 50 percent of your energy bill can be attributed to running the heat or air conditioning. A manual thermostat can be programmed to adjust temps at certain times but if you leave for vacation and forget to turn it off, you’re out of luck.

Smart thermostats are a game-changer. They can learn your favorite temp and make sure you’re never too hot or too cold. If you’ve cranked the AC a few days in a row, your thermostat will pick up on this pattern and adjust the temperature settings accordingly. And when you leave for work or a week-long vacation, sensors and GPS will alert your thermostat to automatically save energy (and money).

2. Self-Learning Blinds

There’s nothing worse than being woken up at the crack of dawn on a weekend to sun beams hitting you square in the face. Or the opposite — you can’t seem to roll out of bed because the room is so dark that it must still be nighttime, right?

Smart blinds can help address both of these issues. The latest intelligent shades connect to your compatible smart-home systems and adjust themselves automatically. Simply program your shades to move your window treatments to your preference. And to take it one step further, some smart blinds can follow the sun to maintain the same level of light as the season’s change, which saves energy and money (without any effort on your part).

3.    Self-Learning Beds

Even your bed can have brainpower. Tech-savvy mattresses covers sync up with your thermostat and bedroom lighting for a full sensory experience. As you begin to snooze, the temperature and lights of your room and bed adjust to your preference. When you doze off completely, they adjust again or turn off completely. These self-learning mattress protectors can also track your sleep patterns and help you achieve your best night’s rest.

4.    Self-Learning Surveillance

Being able to keep an eye on your home while you are away is the ultimate peace of mind, as one in 36 homes are burglarized each year. Smart surveillance systems employ innovative learning technology like facial recognition to keep your home safe from unfamiliar faces. Some cameras also have self-learning video analytics, which automatically adjust their settings based on the scene conditions to give you the clearest view possible. Plus, they connect to Wi-Fi for 24/7 footage, pinged right to your smartphone from anywhere with internet.

5.    Self-Learning Spectrometer  

This might not seem like an everyday item, but smart food spectrometers are making waves in the kitchen. This tool interprets algorithms to understand food freshness, sweetness and quality. In real-time, it can determine if your meat has gone bad, if your whiskey is the real deal or if that farmer’s market fruit is fresh.

Bonus: Self-Learning Home Controller

As seen at the 2018 Consumer Electronic Show, a self-learning home controller takes your smart home gadgets and make them smarter. It uses artificial intelligence to understand your home patterns, picking up data from your smart appliances, lighting and electricity. It automates mundane tasks without scheduling or hassle to better manage your home and save money. Although it’s not available for purchase yet, this home controller could help smart gadgets reach their full potential.  

As smart home gadgets continue to get smarter and learn on their own, it’ll be fascinating to see how they will predict our behavior to save energy, slash bills, and most importantly, make our lives better.

Perhaps one day, there will be no snoozing through alarms (your phone will know to wake you up), no burnt banana bread (your oven will know it’s fully baked), and no parties after midnight (your lights know bedtime is at 10PM). But hopefully these self-learning devices will learn that sometimes humans like to break the rules.

Source: Coldwell Banker

Before you fire up that grill, here is your home’s honey do list for May which will make summer even more enjoyable.

The tulips are blooming and the yard work is piling up, but all you can dream about is Memorial Day barbecues. Before you fire up that grill, here is your home’s honey do list for May which will make summer even more enjoyable.

1. Curb Appeal – Because April showers bring May flowers, it’s time to think about your home’s curb appeal. Does your front door need a refresh? Could your outdoor lighting use an update? Does your mailbox need a makeover? Check out these 7 Major League Upgrades to Increase Your Home’s Curb Appeal.

2. Give Mom some Love – Because Home is Where Mom is, consider showing Mom your appreciation this Mother’s Day (May 14th) by giving her one of these unique homemade Mother’s Day gifts. Another welcome gift for every Mom is a helping hand around the house (see #5 on this list)!

3. May is for Mold? – Did those April showers cause water problems in your home? Use this brief guide to mold and moisture to clean up and prevent mold growth in your home.

4. Spring Into Action – Take advantage of the spring weather and get out of the house! See how many items on this list of Free Things to Do Outside the House you can tackle before June.

5. Glass Houses – People who live in glass houses…have a lot of windows to clean! Tackle outdoor windows and doors with a glass cleaner to let plenty of that spring sunlight inside.

6. Inspect for Termites – Termites are more active in the spring and summer months when the air is warm and moist. Check your home for termite damage, paying special attention to anywhere wood meets the ground. Watch this video to learn how you can inspect your home this May.

7. Prep Your Home for Sale – If you’re getting your home ready for sale this spring, there are several items that many home sellers overlook. Do you have a copy of your survey on hand, or have you compiled a list of service providers for a buyer? These 9 often overlooked items when prepping your home for sale can help seal the deal with today’s savvy buyers.

8. Grilling Time – Now you’re ready for that Memorial Day backyard bash. To make sure you never unexpectedly run out of gas in your grill, consider checking out this handy product.

SOURCE: Coldwell Banker

When selling a home, even tiny fixes can have a big impact. Here are 10 of the best low- (or no-) cost home improvement fixes to make your house stand above the competition:

1. Address the Heart of the Home

In real estate, the kitchen is a main selling feature and can be a make or break deal for potential home buyers. If a new kitchen just isn’t in the cards, consider replacing smaller ticket items and de-cluttering. Low- and no-cost fixes for the kitchen include:

• New cabinet hardware
• New faucets
• Installing a new backsplash
• Storing countertop appliances to create more work space
• Replacing dark valances with lighter fabric or removing them altogether

2. Update Switch Plate Covers

Switch plate and outlet covers are brittle, and can crack and yellow over time, resulting in a home that, no matter how well updated, still looks dated. New outlets and covers can be replaced in a snap for generally under five dollars, making it one of the lowest cost updates available. Consider flat switches that create a modern, streamlined silhouette and stick to white for a timeless look.

3. Beautify the Bathroom

An updated bathroom comes only second to kitchens in a buyer’s list of must-haves, so showing them a clean and uncluttered bathroom will score points with any potential buyer.

New flooring can give an otherwise tired bathroom a much needed facelift and create a newer looking bathroom overall. Coordinating linens, a new shower curtain, and thoroughly cleaned grout can top off this easy home improvement investment.

4. Address Storage

Storage is always a concern for buyers. Installing low-cost closet organizers to your existing space will increase storage and organization in your home. Add storage baskets to hide clutter and you will have beautiful storage spaces that will make any buyer envious.

5. Deep Clean for a Good Return

If your home contains wall to wall carpeting, clean carpets can make a world of difference to a buyer. Cleaning carpets can easily be completed in a weekend with a rental cleaning machine, and it creates a noticeably clean, odor free environment for buyers to tour.

6. Boost Curb Appeal

Nothing boosts curb appeal like a tidy yard. Trim and edge walkways, weed gardens, and trim shrubs for maximum impact. If you have a porch, consider potted, seasonal plants to bring the look together.

7. Improve the First Impression

As buyers approach your home, first impressions matter. Ensuring your entryway is clean and inviting with something as simple as a new mailbox or updated house numbers will make buyers feel welcome. Clean windows and doors for extra impact.

8. Add a Coat of Paint

Freshening up your living space with neutral colors will invite buyers to imagine their belongings in your home and will cover up any nicks, scratches, or dents your wall incurred over years of daily living.

9. Update Lighting

While not the lowest cost solution on our list, you will find that a new light fixture or two really breathes new life into key living spaces. If your budget is tight, look to kitchen, dining, and living rooms for the most bang for your buck.

10. Add Some Decor Pizzazz

Finally, a fresh look can be completed with nothing more than some colorful fabric. Inexpensive pillows and throws in a coordinating palette through your home will create a unified look that will have buyers hooked.

Lastly, don’t plan to tackle a home project DIY style until you read 5 Things You Need to Know Before DIY-ing A Home Improvement Project!

Source: Coldwell Banker.com