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3 Important Moving Insurance Tips
Because of the many problems that can occur when you hire a moving company to transport your goods, the moving companies are required some basic insurance of your goods. Even with this basic insurance, purchasing additional coverage might be...
Design Psychology for Home Staging
How does Design Psychology help stage your home for a top-dollar sale? Beyond the usual de-cluttering and super cleaning, you stage your home with suggested activities that speak to your buyers' feelings.
A new service for home...
Missouri Real Estate – The Show Me State
Nicknamed the “Show Me” state, Missouri is an interesting mix of big cities and rural lands. Missouri real estate prices do not require you to “show” a lot of money.
Missouri
The quintessential midwestern state, Missouri offers interesting...
Real Estate Clubs Hot Among Investors
Six or seven years ago, the stock market was booming, Internet companies that no one had ever heard of were valued at billions of dollars, and anyone and everyone was investing their money in tech stocks. Then, in 2000, the stock market crashed,...
The Hidden Gem Of The Real Estate Market – Military Families
As a business professional, you realize the importance of thinking beyond the traditional and finding target markets that will enable you to enhance your business. As a real estate agent, you realize the importance of serving the community while...
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Unlocking Your Dungeon: How to Finish a Basement Without Finishing off Your Checkbook
One thousand square feet, fifteen hundred square feet, three
thousand square feet--however big your home is, you know it
could always be a little bit bigger. Whether you're in the
throes of parenthood and trying to find spaces to stash your
kid's toys, or you're starting a home business, and you could
probably use an extra room or two. One way to get more space is
to buy a whole new house. For those of us in the real world,
though, a far more economical and practical solution is to
finish the basement.
Yes, that creepy, crawly dungeon can be turned into a playroom
for your children, a home office for your bustling new business,
or an entertainment room for the weekend's big game. You'll just
need to cover over the cold concrete floors and the gray
foundation walls. Then there's the pipes hanging from the
ceiling that you'll want to hide, and the washer, dryer, and
storage boxes that you might want to section off.
OK, maybe this project isn't sounding so practical or economical
anymore. But actually, despite the time and effort that goes
into it, finishing your basement is basically easy and cheap--if
you know how to go about it the right way. There are eight key
considerations you ought to make if you're down with finishing
your basement. They'll help you figure out how to go about it,
as well as help you decide if you really want to go about it in
the first place.
No. 1: Just how much value will the basement add to your home.
Chances are, a finished basement will make a "cellar" want to
offer more to buy your home. But by how much? To be worthwhile,
make sure the increase in your home's value will over-compensate
what you spent to finish your basement. Talk to neighbors who
have finished their basement, or do research online or with your
real-estate agent to see what houses are worth in your area,
with and without finished basements.
No. 2: Have a good sense how long you will be in your home after
you finish the basement. Sure, a finished basement will bump up
the value of your house, but you also want to be sure you will
get some value yourself out of all that new space.
No. 3: Be realistic about costs and work time. Depending on your
basement, finishing it could be more intensive than you first
imagine. Can you really spent (or borrow) $10,000 at this time?
Do you want contractors in your home for two weeks?
No. 4. I don't need a contractor to do work I can do myself!
(Oh, really?). Even handymen or women can get themselves in over
their heads when it
comes to major projects like finishing a
basement. And don't get us wrong. You may be capable of doing
all of the necessary work. But are you able--meaning, do you
have the time and energy after your 9-to-5 job, your children's
sports practices, and a few hours of sleep?
No. 5: Local laws may have something to say, too. Hiring a
contractor or doing it yourself--whatever way you decide, you
may have to comply with local or state codes for such
construction. Again, a neighbor who's recently done a similar
home renovation could be a wealth of information, as well as
municipal or state Web sites. Following such regulations may
seem like a pain, but they may help you prevent real pain that
comes from injuries if you carry out your project without safety
codes in mind.
No. 6: Sure, it's a good idea to finish the basement--but
exactly how? Here's the fun part. Once you determine that it
will be worth it to go through with the project, now you need to
figure out what sort of room you want down there. Will the theme
be a spare bedroom, a playroom, work-out gym, office, home
theater, etc.?
No. 7: Are you being realistic about the basement's new theme?
OK, it would be great to have a fitness room down there, but do
you really have the room for the treadmill and the weights? Do
you have the square footage for two couches and a 60-inch
high-definition TV? Will you have the ceiling height to fit your
7-foot-tall bookshelves?
No. 8. Your basement can handle your vision of finished
glory--great, now make it happen. Start shopping around for all
your necessary appliances and furniture. Do your research on
price and selection and get your best value. In many cases--such
as with office furniture or fitness equipment--buying used is
the way to go. Used stuff can be none the worse for wear, and at
online classifieds or auction sites, you can more often than
not--get great deals on it.
Steps 1 through 8--just like that, it's simple to make your
house that much closer to being that figurative castle, or that
is, to turn your castle's dungeon into the king's (or queen's)
court!
About the author:
Donald Lee is the public relations manager for
Buysellcommunity.com. Buysellcommunity provides free classified
listing services. Buy, Sell and trade: auto, computers,
household items, real estate, pets and much more. For global and
localized classifieds, please visit http://www.buysellcommunit
y.com - Free Buy & Sell Classifieds
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