HomeKeepr Blog

You bought your house because of the beautiful yard, the unbelievable hearth in the den, the two generous bathrooms and, of course, the enormous basement. You had big plans for that basement -- it was going to be a home theater with a pool room, all very posh, but the first melt of winter had other ideas. Was that a little bit of water you saw on the floor? Maybe it was just a shadow. Or maybe it was water… are your dreams destined to be dashed to the ground?

You’re a homeowner now, you can kiss bland uniformity goodbye the moment you turn your apartment keys over to your now former landlord. The world is your canvas -- at least, that part of the world that you now are obligated to pay a monthly mortgage payment on -- and you’re the artist that’ll mold it into a shape that tantalizes and delights the senses.

Another month, another rent payment that’s helping your landlord pay off the house or apartment where you’re living. Another month, another rent day spent pondering just how much equity you could have paid down on your own house by now. So, why not you? Why not now? Sure, buying a house can be complicated and intimidating, but your mortgage professional and Realtor will be there every step to help.

Now that it’s officially winter, it’s definitely time to be thinking about how you’re going to heat your home this year. Some parts of the country are just now starting to feel the cold, others have been chilly for some time, but everybody should be getting their systems in shape for the coming blasts of arctic air. If you’ve not yet gotten started prepping your central heating system, there’s no time like the present. We’re here to help!

So, you’ve closed on your house and it’s time to figure out what the next step is. Don’t load up the moving van just yet -- this is the perfect time to do a real deep clean on your new home! After all, you have no idea when the last time the place was cleaned or what the prior owners may have done inside or what residues remain. Without furniture or boxes in the way, deep cleaning will be a cinch, so let’s get to it.

Shorter days and chilly nights can mean only one thing: it’s time to fire up the fireplace. Before you get too far ahead of yourself, let’s talk about fire safety. It’s boring, possibly even a little overly dramatic at times, but the fact is that before you start that first big scorcher, there are quite a few things that you should know. This goes double if this is your first wood-burning fireplace.

Icicles hanging from power lines, trees and other people’s homes can be absolutely gorgeous, but when those delicate frozen water daggers are hanging from yours, it may make your stomach do a barrel roll. Why? Well, it’s just one of many signs that your home is at risk for ice dams.

Standing under the giant gold umbrella of foliage that covered your majestic shade tree this fall was like wandering into a painting, but now that the leaves have all fallen and the stately guardian is beginning its winter rest, it’s time to consider the clean up. You’ve already mulched the leaves on the lawn, but that’s only the beginning. Your gutters were also gracious receptacle of those golden flags -- they’re going to need a good cleaning to keep working like they should.

There’s nothing quite as solemn as watching the garden and landscape start to wind down for a long winter’s rest. It’s part of the never-ending cycle of nature -- and landscaping chores -- that you’ll find yourself participating in as a homeowner. Shed a small tear for the beauty of the cycle, then head out to the garage because you’ve got a lot of work to do to get your garden and landscape ready for winter.