Home improvement projects in this economy are all about getting the most bang for your buck. If you had planned a complete overhaul of your entire house and are not looking at a different financial situation, don’t despair. You can still get great home improvement results without breaking the bank. You just need to think about things in a different way and adjust your projects so they make financial sense. The following five home improvements can make a big difference in the look and functioning of your house without putting you in financial despair.
1.Painting the interior
If you had to choose one home improvement project that would make the biggest impact for the smallest amount of money, it has to be paint. Painting the walls in your home can create dramatic change immediately. Whether you are just painting one wall or redoing an entire section of your home, you can transform your place in the span of just a few days. Look to home improvement magazines for ideas and then use a mid-range priced brand of paint for a combination of money savings and durability.
2.Cabinet resurfacing
If you wanted to get new cabinets but have now adjusted your budget, cabinet resurfacing is a great way to go. Since home improvements made in the kitchen always increase your value, you can be sure that any money spent here will be a good investment, even resurfacing. By having a professional resurface the cabinets, you can change the whole look of the kitchen with just one project. The cabinets can be updated with a color or stripped down to the rich wood underneath. For mere dollars, you can swap out old cabinet fixtures with new ones and your transformation will be complete.
3.Painting the trim of your home
Can’t afford to paint the entire exterior of your home? No problem! By painting the small surface area of the trim you can give your home a fresh look for a minimum cost. Although it doesn’t seem like it, painting the trim can have a big visual impact on your home. Having the trim painted by professional contractors can cost less than $1000. In addition to cost savings, painting the trim can give you more flexibility to change colors later on. If you change your mind later on, it will be easy and relatively inexpensive to get a new color.
4.Composite floors
Next to the kitchen, the flooring of your home can have the biggest impact on your resale value. Besides paint, it’s the biggest way you can change the look of the interior of your home. If traditional flooring is out of your price range composite floors can give you a dramatic new look for pennies on the dollar. Visit a home improvement store to look into your options.
5.Clean out your gutters
Although this may not be at the top of most people’s home improvement project list, it’s very important and can save you money in the long run. When your gutters are working properly, they efficiently rout the water away from your home and prevent weather damage to the roof, walls and foundation.
These inexpensive home improvements will help you update and protect your home without costing too much money.
If you’re a first time homebuyer in Austin, Texas, there are quite a few resources available to you. Buying a home for the first time is very exciting but it can also be a time of confusion and stress. Making a large investment like a home purchase requires a lot of paperwork, approval processes and financial commitments. Fortunately, there are many programs and resources available to help you navigate this uncertain time.
Many first time homebuyers make the mistake of underestimating how much it will cost to purchase their new home. They assume that the financing process will take care of everything and they won’t have to pay a penny out of pocket in order to get into their home. There are real estate agent fees, down payments and closing costs that will be associated with buying a home.
With a first time home buyer grant, you can get help with these costs as part of the services sponsored by the Austin Housing Finance Corporation, which is a division of the Austin city government. The down payment assistance program (DPA) will help with purchasing a home by granting a specific amount of money to be used as a down payment for a home.
The standard DPA is up to $10,000 in a deferred, forgivable 0% interest loan that has a length of 10 years. The loan is completely forgiven if you stay in the home for 10 years without transferring the title. If you move before the 10 years are up, the loan will be paid back from the sale of your home.
The DPA program is only accessible to people who have completed a series of three classes at the Austin Housing Finance Corporation. The three class series is a part of the nationally recognized NeighborWorks “Keeping the American Dream” homebuyer education course. In order to access the DPA program and other first time home buyer services you have to attend the following: -Class 1: Assessing Your Readiness to Buy and Money Management -Class 2: Understanding Credit and Financing a Home -Class 3: Selecting and Maintaining a Home and Managing Your Finances
These three classes compose a pre-purchase series that is available to people who live in the city limits of Austin, who earn 80% or less of the area’s median family income, who are employed and who have a Texas driver’s license. After completing the three classes, you’ll be awarded a certificate which will gain you access to the DPA as well as many Travis County and State of Texas programs.
In addition to the pre-purchase classes, the Austin Housing Finance Corporations also offer post-purchase classes which are important if you find yourself in a position where you might lose your home. The course is similar to the pre-purchase classes and acts as a refresher on the basics of home ownership, particularly focusing on the financial commitments associated with owning a home. The requirements for the post-purchase classes are the same with regards to family income and location.
The details on these resources and more first time homebuyer programs are available on the Austin Housing Finance Corporation’s official website.
If you are a parent or grandparent, you are no doubt always looking for new ways to keep your children and grandchildren safe. There are many places that our kids go where we have little control over their safety, such as at school.
However, there is one place where you can have full control over your childrens' safety, and that is in their very own bedroom. You may not have considered that their room could ever be unsafe, but think for a second about all the dangers that lurk behind their door. Electrical outlets, heavy furniture, unlocked windows can pose a significant hazard to a child too young to know how to practice safety.
Consider these few suggestions for making your child’s room safer for him or her.
Securing Furniture
A child’s bedroom is most often considered a safe place to play, but did you know that children are killed every year by falling bookcases, dressers, and televisions? Securing these items to the wall behind them prevents children from pulling the furniture down on top of them. Kids don’t know any better when climbing for that book on the top shelf, the box of crayons sitting on top of the television, or the lamp on top of the dresser that they can’t reach. Simply tether the back of the furniture to the wall with a large screw or bolt, preferably into a wall stud so it cannot easily be pulled out.
Evaluate Windows, Doors and Locks
Even if you have made the inside of your child’s room safe for play, have you considered the ways in and out of your child’s room? Many parents forget to check windows and doors for problems, which can be deadly. Windows should be locked, preferably with a child-proof latch. This is especially important if the bedroom is on a second story. Doors should have working knobs that don’t stick or lock. Children can easily lock themselves in their room and become stuck. The same goes for closet doors and locks.
Other Safety Precautions
Lastly, be sure to take the smallest but most obvious steps toward safety in your child’s room. Install protectors over electrical outlets. Make sure there is a smoke detector inside the room, preferably above the door toward the ceiling. If smoke pours in from the other side of the door that is the first place it will go. When your child is old enough, teach him or her how to unlock the bedroom window for escape during an emergency.
Using these safety precautions will help keep your children safe while playing in their room and give you some peace of mind.
One of the most sought out events in Austin’s busy social calendar each years is the South by Southwest Festival. What first started as a musical event has branched out to include art, culture and technology. It’s one of the largest musical festivals in the country and the 2008 festival brought in $110 million into the city.
The next SXSW festival will happen between March 12 and 21, 2010. The interactive festival (focused on blogging and other forms of new media) will take place between March 12 and March 16. The film festival is occurring simultaneously March 12 through 20. The music portion of the event will be held between March 17 and 21.
In 2007, SXSW celebrated 20 years as a music festival. The first SXSW event was billed as the “Austin Battle of the Bands, SXSW” in 1987. Since Austin is such an important part of the music scene, it really drew people in and began to grow. It started as a weekend long music festival with just a handful of bands. Since then, the number of musical guests has grown tenfold. By 1994, a film festival and interactive conferences were added into the mix. In the last 15 years, SXSW has become one of the most respected film festivals in the nation.
Although the size and scope of SXSW has changed over time, the creators keep the focus on showcasing local and emerging bands in front of record labels and publishers. It’s technically an industry event that the public gets the chance to take part in. However, the major challenge of the SXSW show has become keeping the fans happy.
Industry professionals can purchase SXSW badges in order to enter the music showcases. Although the badges are open to everyone, they are very expensive. Most fans can’t afford these badges, so they opt for wristbands. The wristbands are often sold out in one day and may not get fans into all of the shows. The shows accept those with badges first and then those with wristbands, meaning that the badges may fill the seats before the wristband holders get a chance to enter.
In response to the needs of the fans, in recent years SXSW has set up free shows with big headliners at a separate location. The local live music community has also stepped into fill the needs of the visitors to SXSW. There are dozens of Day Shows which are held in clubs, coffee houses, shops and other venues around town, around the clock. You can be sure that if you want to see live music during the SXSW festival, you’ll be able to no matter what.
SXSW is also host to many conferences and forums, particularly during the interactive portion of the festival. For complete details on 2010’s SXSW festival visit the official site at sxsw.com. Although SXSW has grown by leaps and bounds since its creation, it remains one of the most unique and crowd drawing festivals of its kind.
Many people hire moving companies to take care of the transportation of their things from one home to another. If you’re trying to save money or just don’t want to deal with the hassle of hiring someone, the do it yourself route is a great option. Moving yourself has a lot of steps involved and if you get them all to work according to your plan, you’ll have as stress-free of a move as possible.
The first thing you need to do is develop a plan. You should start the moving process at least six full weeks ahead of your move date. This will give you enough time to get organized to move your things. It will also allow for any problems you may encounter along the way. You need to start by organizing how you’ll begin packing up your rooms. Obviously, start with the rooms you use less frequently and then work your way toward the other rooms.
Before you start packing, however, you’ll need to take an inventory of what you want to take with you and how much you’ll be selling, throwing out or putting in storage. Make an inventory of all of your mid-sized and larger items. Decide whether you’ll be keeping all of your furniture or buying new when you get there. For your smaller items, take note of the different collections of things that you have (books, clothing, jewelry, toys, etc.) Use this inventory to estimate how many boxes you’ll need to move.
You can buy brand new boxes from your rental truck company. You can also purchase them from office supply stores and shipping companies as well. If you want to cut costs on your moving boxes, ask local grocery stores if you can take left over produce boxes. Make sure to air them out overnight and then they’ll be ready to use to pack your belongings.
One of the biggest expenses involved in moving is the rental truck. Rental truck companies come in many different varieties – the good, the bad and the ugly. Read online reviews of various rental truck companies in your area to get a sense of which are the best. Ask for written quotes for the rentals, including any extra mileage that may be added to your trip. Once you’ve selected the right moving truck company, be sure to reserve your truck so it will be there on the day that you need it.
If you are traveling a long distance in your rental truck and car, you may have to make travel arrangements ahead of time. Figure out where you are going to stop on your route and make any necessary reservations so you can spend the night. You can also investigate rest stops and restaurants along your route by using the Internet. This will make your trip go a lot smoother.
As long as you plan carefully and make sure to give yourself enough time to pack, moving yourself can be easy and low on stress. The steps outlined above will give you a good headstart on your moving journey.
If you’re facing foreclosure on your home, there is new hope on the horizon. As part of the stimulus program passed by Congress, the Home Affordable Modification program can help you save your home and preserve your credit. Getting the details on this program will help you decide whether or not it’s for you and give you the information you need to apply for it.
Since this bailout program is paid for with tax dollars, you are entitled to apply for it if you qualify. It has been funded by the $75 billion stimulus funds. When a bank receives a request for the Home Affordable Modification program, the bank will be paid by the Treasury Department to modify the loan.
The Obama Home Affordable Modification Program makes it easier for banks to offer loan modifications to their customers. A loan modification will change the nature of your home loan so that your payments will equal 31% of your gross monthly income. This new figure, which is called your target payment, will be achieved by changing the interest rate on your loan, extending the life of your loan up to 40 years or forgiving a portion of your principle balance. Your lender will have the option of which of these methods they will use to modify your loan.
In order to qualify for this program, you need to have a few pre-existing conditions. You’ll need to make an appointment with a loan officer at your financial institution and bring your proof of income. This can be done in the form of pay stubs, tax returns, award letters, profit and loss statements or any other type of verification that you need. You will also need to bring two months of bank statements from whatever bank you currently bank at. Finally, you need a letter of explanation to account for your financial hardship. You need to explain why your income has decreased or your expenses have increased to cause you to miss payments.
To apply for the loan, you’ll fill out financial statements based on the information that you’ve brought with you. This will give your bank a clear picture of your overall financial situation. It will help them decide how to modify your loan, if you qualify. It’s absolutely necessary that you fill out this paperwork correctly. If you don’t get it exactly right, you’ll risk not being approved for the loan modification.
Once you are approved for the loan, you’ll be able to stay in your home and avoid foreclosure. Foreclosure is a costly process for banks so it’s ore beneficial to them to modify your loan and keep you in your home. You should look for a long term solution to your mortgage troubles. Make sure that the loan modification you are approved for includes flat monthly payments and no balloon payment after a period of time. Read the fine print, just like you would with any other financial document so you know exactly what you are getting yourself into.
With a completed application and a strong case, you can find relief from foreclosure and stay in your home with Obama’s home rescue plan.
On September 19th, Austin artists, musicians, vendors, fashion designers and other creative types will band together to bring the We Make Stuff Festival to Austin. From 7 pm to 12 am, the 21 and older crowd can gain access to a unique arts and crafts festival. This definitely isn’t your mother’s crafts fair!
The Scoot Inn at 1308 E. 4th Street is the place to be for this one of a kind art show, party and festival. The organizers have designed the event to speak to the many facets of creativity in the city. One of the cornerstones of the festival is the music. Local rock bands Hollywood Gossip, Lost Werks and Panjoma will provide entertainment starting at 10:30, 9:30 and 8:30 respectively.
The event will also feature a fashion show centered on designs by Tara Tonini, Jinxedaposed Clothing and Malissa Long, among others. Accessories by Dainty Daisy Creations and handbags by *Annemarie* will also be part of the event. The models themselves are also part of Austin’s creative and alternative scene. Ruby Joule, Coco Lectric, Goldie Candela and Pearl Lux of the Jigglewats (a team of burlesque models) and Varuca Assault, Barberika, Mona Littlemore, Miss Amerikill, Horrorshow, Maya Mayhem and Moko Loko of the TXRD Lonestar Roller Girls roller derby team will serve as models.
The true heart of the festival will be the vendors. The vendors are local artists, crafts people and designers who will be offering everything from re-imagined vintage jewelry pieces to handmade clthes made from recycled fabric. Nepenthe’s Bathtime shop will be selling their novelty and artisan bath and body products (like their popular cupcake shaped soap). Ape Gear features original designs for people of all ages with original artwork applied to shirts, pillows, onesies and artwork prints.
Another popular vendor, Chels-E.com offers colorful digital prints, handmade books, journals and artisan glass. Diamonds and Guns is a jewelry maker that will be at the festival who takes old illustrations and adds them to metal pieces. These vendors just scratch the surface of the wide variety of items that will be available for sale at this unique festival.
In addition to buying unique crafts and clothes, you can also make your own at the festival. The Team Etsy Austin booth will have “I make stuff” t-shirts as well as make and take projects. You can silk screen your own design at the Under Pressure booth.
Another of the evening’s main events will be the skateboard art contest. Attendees are invited to judge custom skateboards by artists like Jason Silver, Tom Cox, Anne Genung and many other local artists. The winners will receive gift baskets with local items, art supplies and a place in future gallery showcases. All of the proceeds from We Make Stuff will go toward Art from the Streets, a non-profit, volunteer driven art class program.
If you decide to attend this unique Austin event, get there early. The first 100 attendees will receive a We Make Stuff goody bag with crafts and gift items.
The holidays sneak up on us so fast each year. Christmas comes and goes and we swear we are going to make it so much easier next year by getting ready ahead of time, preparing as if our lives depended on it. However, how many of us actually fulfill that promise to ourselves to become more organized well before the holidays approach?
Christmastime is a wonderful season to enjoy with family, and there is nothing worse than feeling overwhelmed and unprepared. The following is a list of some simple steps you can take now to make the holidays more enjoyable and much less stressful. If you follow at least one of these steps you’re guaranteed to have a much better
1.Update your mailing list
Writing and sending Christmas cards is one of the most popular traditions during the holidays. I’m sure you know the nightmare that it can turn into though. People move, get married, have babies, remarry. It’s a wonder you can keep your address list updated. Instead of waiting until you’re ready to sit down and address the envelopes, take some time well before you even buy your cards to update your mailing list. You can even make it a tradition. Use the first weekend in November to gather new addresses, get the spellings of new names and the names of new family members. This will also help you know just how many cards you have to buy for mailing.
2.Make Gift-Giving decisions early
If you have a small family or a long-standing holiday tradition in place, this step may not be necessary for you. However, many large families often struggle each year with how to go about giving gifts. Each year the family grows and there often isn’t enough money to buy for everyone. What to do? Some families draw names and buy for one member of the extended family. Others stick to a rule such as immediate family only. Still others forego shopping for their spouse or siblings, and focus merely on the children. Make a plan ahead of time with all family members so you aren’t caught off guard feeling like you have to buy your aunt a gift because she mentioned she bought one for you.
3.Check Your Stock of Supplies
During the first couple weeks of November is as great time to check your stock of wrapping supplies, such as scissors, tape, rolls of wrapping paper, ribbons, bows and gift tags. Shirt boxes and tissue paper are also must haves. As soon as Christmas supplies are put out onto retailer shelves, you can get what your stock is lacking. Buying as soon as possible gives you the best selection available and allows you to take advantage of early shopper sales.
These tips just scratch the surface of different ways that you can get organized for the holiday season. You can also try bulk shopping for holiday meals, making your own cards for sending out and getting your ornaments organized. With these simple tips, you can get through Christmas with less hassle, and enjoy the beauty and wonder that the holidays are all about.
Austin is known as the Live Music Capital of the World, and for good reason: its numerous live music venues and colorful local clubs offer seasoned professionals and up-and-coming bands the chance to perform for live audiences seven days a week throughout the year. One of the most popular local performers is James McMurtry, whose roots-rock anthems gained critical acclaim and popularity due to their inclusion of topical subject matter and down-home bluesy style. McMurtry can be heard performing live on stage most Wednesday evenings at the Continental Club in Austin.
The son of famous Western novelist Larry McMurtry, James McMurtry first began playing the guitar at age seven; he did not break into the music business until 1987, eighteen years later, when he won the New Folk songwriting contest. Family connections helped McMurtry make contact with John Mellencamp, who later produced McMurtry’s first album in 1989, “Too Long in the Wasteland.” Additional albums soon followed, including “Candyland” and “Where’d You Hide the Body” in the early nineties. It was not until the release of McMurtry’s first tour album, “Live in Aught Three,” however, that McMurtry began taking a public stand in the political arena.
McMurtry had become concerned about the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan and the attitudes of public officials, including Dick Cheney and George W. Bush. His direct and cutting criticisms of the war and the prevailing political climate struck a chord with equally frustrated listeners, and McMurtry’s first big hit, “We Can’t Make It Here,” gave voice to the repressed political anger of music-lovers all around the world. The song was made available for free download and received significant radio airtime, creating both publicity and controversy for the performer and album. “I wasn't aware of the power of the Internet at all,” McMurtry stated in a 2008 interview. The sudden success of the single helped “Childish Things” to achieve respectable sales and critical praise, and placed McMurtry squarely in the ranks of politically-active musical artists.
Further controversy came with the song “Cheney’s Toy”, which depicted George W. Bush as the puppet of his influential vice president and attracted a number of angry letters to radio stations and to McMurtry himself. The pressure brought to bear proved ineffectual, however, since McMurtry’s albums are produced by independent record labels. “Childish Things” won the prestigious Album of the Year award at the 2006 Americana Music Awards, along with “We Can’t Make It Here” as Song of the Year.
McMurtry’s most recent album, “Just Us Kids,” reached 136th on the Billboard charts, marking his first appearance in the top 200. McMurtry currently divides his time between touring, making albums, and performing live at the Continental Club on South Congress Avenue in Austin, Texas, his adopted home. While McMurtry’s stated liberal views might seem unusual for Texas, McMurtry said of Austin’s political climate, “It’s not tough living in Austin at all. Austin’s a little blue dot in a sea of red.” Certainly Austin residents have embraced the songwriter-performer and his unique roots-rock offerings, making his performances at the Continental some of the most well-attended and popular events at the historic club. For those lucky enough to catch one of his live performances, James McMurtry offers his listeners a musical and political experience that truly is uniquely Austin.
There are several reasons why you may want to move a tree to another location in your yard. Perhaps it has grown too large for its current location. Maybe you are merely doing some new landscaping and want a different tree species in that spot. Whatever the reason, consider carefully whether transplanting is a good idea. If not done properly with the care needed, the tree may not survive the shock or root damage that could occur.
If you are sure that your tree has a good chance at survival, use the following guidelines when moving it to a new location in your yard. Seek the advice of a professional landscape artist or gardener if you need assistance.
1. Excavating the Tree - Transplanting a tree takes preparation. Water the soil surrounding the tree the day before digging, in order to keep the root ball moist and reduce its chance of stress or breakage. Don’t start digging the tree out until you have its new location ready. Have a hole dug the depth of the root ball, and 2-3 times wider. You can estimate the diameter of the root ball by measuring the trunk of the tree from the ground to the lower branches. Be sure to water the soil of this new hole to avoid shock when transplanting the tree.
2. Transplanting the Tree - After the hole is dug for your tree’s new location, start digging out the tree itself. Mark a circle around the tree using the diameter you estimated in the previous step. Depending on the size of the project, use a spade or hoe to dig deep down to the bottom of the root ball. Dig only the perimeter and as you reach the root ball, start digging and cutting as needed underneath the ball itself. Keep the roots moist as you dig to avoid root damage. Have sturdy burlap ready to wrap around the root ball as it is lifted out of the hole. Keep it moist and in the shade, preferably transplanting the tree into the new hole immediately.
3. After Care - After positioning the tree and filling the void with the original soil, it is important to keep the tree and root ball watered. The soil will settle after a few days, so you will probably need to add additional soil to make up for the settling. Hopefully your tree will take nicely to its new location and flourish for years to come.
Some trees may not take transplanting very well. This could depend on the type of tree, as well as its age and how long it has been growing in its current location. The size of the root ball may also inhibit moving the tree to another location. Be sure to ask your local garden center for advice before you begin your project so you can ensure a good outcome for your tree.
Disclaimer: ActiveRain Corp. does not necessarily endorse the real estate agents, loan officers and brokers listed on this site. These real estate profiles, blogs and blog entries are provided here as a courtesy to our visitors to help them make an informed decision when buying or selling a house. ActiveRain Corp. takes no responsibility for the content in these profiles, that are written by the members of this community.
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