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Whether you’re selling a home or buying one, the amount of storage space a house offers can have a major impact on its perceived value. Even if you’re a first-time home owner who hasn’t had the chance to accumulate a lot of clothes, household supplies, and other possessions, you can be sure that’s not a permanent condition — especially if you have a growing family!

So if you’re looking for a new home to settle into, storage space will become increasing important. If, on the other hand, you’re preparing to sell your home, then showcasing and enhancing storage space will help increase its marketability.

Everyone Loves Big Closets

Walk-in closets are considered a highly desirable feature because they not only accommodate a large and growing wardrobe, but they offer a lot of functionality from shelves, compartments, and other storage areas. They can also be customized to suit individual needs and preferences. The fact that walk-in closets are separate from the master bedroom also creates a feeling of spaciousness and luxury. The additional space and storage features make it easier to keep clothes organized, fresher, and in better overall condition. If clothes are squeezed together in a small closet, they tend to wrinkle faster, become mustier, and are harder to find — especially when you’re running late for an appointment!

Other Valued Storage Areas

Basements, attics, backyard sheds, and two-car garages are great places to store sports equipment, tools, supplies, appliances, old furniture, toys that your kids have outgrown, and other items you’re not quite sure what to do with. The big challenge is to avoid accumulating clutter and hoarding things you don’t need. Finished basements and attics are especially appealing to many home buyers because they provide additional living space and are more aesthetically pleasing than unfinished areas.

Basement Problems and Remedies

One cautionary note to keep in mind when storing things in a basement is that excess moisture and humidity can wreak havoc on everything from photo albums and old books to musical instruments and framed paintings. One solution is to monitor the moisture level with a hygrometer and install a dehumidifier to extract excess moisture from the air. While other measures may need to be taken to assure a dry basement environment, these two steps should help improve conditions dramatically. If mold is present on your walls, wood structures, or cardboard boxes, then you can be sure it’s not a favorable environment for storing anything of value. Most wet basement problems are correctable, but professional and sometimes expensive solutions often need to be sought.

So assuming you don’t have water in your basement and bats in your belfry, then lots of storage space will make your home easier to sell and more enjoyable to live in!

Have you ever visited someone’s home and thought to yourself, “Their living room seems really cluttered” or “Those counter tops look like they haven’t been updated since the 1960s!”

Many people quickly notice decorating flaws or home maintenance issues in other people’s houses, but when it comes to their own homes — well, that’s another story!

Why is that the case? Two reasons: You’re emotionally attached to your own home environment and you’re also “too close to the trees to see the forest.” It’s hard to step back and see your home through a fresh set of eyes — which is exactly the way prospective buyers are going to look it.

Curb appeal — or a lack, thereof– will be the first thing they notice, followed by positive or negative first impressions of your home’s interior — if they get that far! So if you’re preparing to put your home on the market, you don’t want to be like the person who tries to represent themselves in court. As Abraham Lincoln once said, they have “a fool for a client!”

Since first impressions are so vital when selling your house, it makes sense to confer with someone who really knows the ropes when it comes to home staging. Typically, that would be one of the following professionals:

• An experienced real estate agent: Real estate agents are in the business of helping people sell their homes as quickly and profitably as possible — it’s a win/win situation. In all likelihood, they’ve conducted hundreds of house tours and listened to a massive amount of feedback from prospective buyers. One thing they’ve invariably noticed is that a lot of people react the same way to the same issues. Based on experience and a trained eye, most real estate agents can quickly spot and point out cost-effective ways to make your home more marketable and visually appealing.
• A professional home stager: Although not all communities have access to professional home stagers, there are talented and knowledgeable experts in that field who can offer valuable advice. If you’re working with an experienced real estate agent, however, it probably would not be necessary to pay extra to hire a professional staging consultant.

According to the National Association of Realtors, the median amount of money spent on staging a home is $675, so it doesn’t necessarily have to be ultra-expensive. In a survey of its membership, Realtors ranked living rooms and kitchens as the most important rooms to stage. Also considered important are the master bedroom, dining room, and bathrooms.

Thirty seven percent of Realtors® representing sellers believe that buyers most often offer a 1 to 5 percent increase on the value of a staged home. A smaller percentage say the potential increase is in the neighborhood of 6% to 10%. However you look at it, you’re tipping the scales in your direction when you make your home look its best prior to putting it up for sale.

While they have become ubiquitous with the emergence of suburban neighborhoods and townhouses, homeowners associations (HOA, for short) are a relatively new phenomenon.

In modern America, there are many ways to live: apartments, condominiums, houses, townhouses, and now even “tiny houses” are gaining traction. But it wasn’t until the late 1900s that property owners began to experiment with alternative ways of living that revolved around share, “common spaces.”

What constitutes a common area?

Whether you live in an apartment, a house, or in your RV you likely experience common areas every day that are owned by the government. Roads, bridges, and parks are all common areas in that they are used by multiple people and their upkeep is paid for with taxes.

If you take that analogy and apply it to the greenways and lobbies of a condominium, or the streets and sidewalks of a gated community, there are few differences.

What is a homeowners association?

When a developer plans a new community they will often create a homeowners association that will be managed by the people who move into the houses or condominiums. Once a certain number of people have moved into the development and joined the HOA the developer will typically hand over ownership to the HOA and relinquish their legal rights and responsibilities of the land. From there, the HOA typically has complete control over management. Though it should be noted that states have their own HOA related laws with varying levels of oversight.

What does an HOA do?

The most common thing we associate with HOAs is fees and rules. People who move into a community governed by a homeowners association are typically required to join the HOA and are therefore obligated to pay fees and adhere to the guidelines set down by the HOA board.

The fees you pay will go towards maintenance and development of the common areas of your community. That usually amounts to landscaping, maintaining pools and fitness complexes. Fees can range from anywhere between $200 and $450 per month depending on where you live.

HOAs also enforce regulations that homeowners must follow. These vary depending on the community but often include building restrictions for things like fences and additions, as well as other ways that homeowners can customize their homes such as paint and vinyl color. Some homeowners associations go so far as to regulate whether or not a homeowner may fly the flag on their favorite sports team over their door.

Advantages and disadvantages

So what are the advantages and disadvantages you can expect when you belong to a homeowners association? Let’s start with the clear disadvantages. If you are a tinkerer or someone who relishes the freedom to do what they want with their property, living in an HOA-run community might not be right for you. If your salary isn’t quite what you’d like it to be, the cost of living in an HOA neighborhood, along with the monthly fees, might be a bit more than you’re comfortable with.

What about the advantages? First, you can expect that the neighborhood will be well-maintained. This brings about another advantage in that you can expect your property value to grow or at least remain stable thanks to the quality of the neighborhood being carefully managed.

If you’re thinking about moving into a new home to start a family, you’ll have a lot of factors to consider. There’s more to a neighborhood than just safety, as your future children and pets will agree.

In this article, we’ll talk about some signs that a neighborhood is a good place for a family. We’ll also offer some advice on weighing those factors to find a place that fits both your lifestyle and your budget.

1. Safety

One of the most important factors in your hunt will be safety. However, there’s more to the safety of a neighborhood than just crime statistics. If you have children or pets, safety includes living on a street that doesn’t have high-speed traffic and blind corners.

You’ll want to be able to take your dog for a walk, let your cat roam the neighborhood, and go for a bike ride with your children without having to worry about the dangers of road traffic.

Another factor in safety is how well-maintained the neighborhood is. Oftentimes, neighborhoods run by homeowners associations tend to see to things like potholes, litter, and other things that could put you and your family at risk.

To get an idea of whether or not a neighborhood is a good fit, it’s a good idea to tour the surrounding streets on foot.

2. Community

Many of us can remember a time when everyone on the street knew each other. However, as we’ve gotten more digitally connected and have vehicles to travel across town, many suburban and urban neighborhoods have lost some of their sense of neighborhood community.

For a young family, knowing and getting along with your neighbors can be a big advantage. Having other kids in the neighborhood that your children can play with will be good fun for your children and it will make your life easier when it comes to play dates and keeping track of your kids.

To get a sense of the local community, ask to be introduced to some neighbors or say “hello” as you walk down the street.

3. Proximity to important services

The obvious amenities you want in the area are good schools, grocery stores, and parks to bring your kids to. However, there are some lesser known services you’ll want to keep in mind. Access to reliable, affordable high-speed internet will be valuable to both you and your children, especially since much of their homework will likely be online.

4. Scout the traffic

If you’re going to be getting your child on the bus every day and then driving to work, it’s a good idea to know what to expect in the mornings and when you come home. Visit the neighborhood during rush hour and take a test drive to your work to see if there are any unexpected delays.

5. Public services

There’s more to a good town than the lack of potholes. Check out the local library, post offices, police, and fire departments as well. Ask someone you know who lives in the town or join the town’s Facebook group to gauge whether the public services are on par with what you and your future family would want.

Despite the fact that children are injured each year by hazards inside their home, you can safety proof your home and keep your children unharmed. Talk to your children about dangers of playing with certain products or items in your home. For example, you could tell your children not to touch the stove, stick objects in electrical outlets or play near or on steps.Creating a safe home environment is fairly simpleTo protect toddlers and young children from falling down steps, install safety gates at the tops of steps. Ensure that the gates are properly installed and don’t give way when leaned against. Also, install safety locks or latches on kitchen and bathroom cabinets that store harmful household cooking utensils, chemicals like bleaches, grill lighter fluid and heavy skillets and pans that could fall on your child.Again, test the latches to ensure that they are properly installed. Additional steps that you can take to child safety proof your kitchen include putting anti-scald covers on stove eyes and remaining in the kitchen while the stove is on.Keep pots and pans on back eyes, if possible, while the stove is on to help prevent children from accidentally bumping into pots and pans, causing hot liquids and foods to splash on them. If stoves, refrigerators and other appliances are uneven, install pads beneath them to make them even.Anchors, similar to those used in hotel rooms, can also be installed on furniture to keep furniture from toppling over should children climb atop the furniture. The United States Consumer Product Safety Commission also shares that edge bumpers can keep children from being injured should they fall against furniture.Alarms that should be in every homeTo protect your child from electrical shocks, place hard-to-remove covers over electrical outlets. Also, make sure that all electrical outlets have a standard plate on them. Engage in fire safety by installing fire alarms throughout your home. It’s also a good idea to store a fire extinguisher in a safe room in your house.Another type of alarm that you can install is a carbon monoxide alarm. Inspect both alarms regularly and replace the alarm batteries no less than once a year. As a family, practice fire and other safety exit drills. This can let you know if older children need more instruction on what to do in the event of natural disasters or a human created emergency.Outdoors child safety proof measures include putting locks on the garage door and placing garage door openers high enough so that young children cannot reach them. Make sure that electric garage door openers are functioning properly. Rakes, shovels, gravel, hammers and other heavy or hazardous objects should be kept out of the reach of young children.Because no child safety proof measures may work all the time, particularly if your child is determined to explore an area or object, educating your child about the dangers of playing with certain items is important. So too is making sure that you and your older children practice safety such as removing toys from the bottom of steps, keeping cords and plastic out of the reach of children and removing water from tubs when they are not in use.