Beautiful days like today are good reminders that winter is no reason to put a hold on home improvement projects and increasing your home equity! Oftentimes getting the most bang for your home improvement buck means doing the work yourself, but if you don’t consider yourself the next Bob Vila, don’t fret. Internet resources like diynetwork.com and homedepot.com are here to help. Both sites serve as great resources that couldn’t be more convenient - free and just a few clicks away. From quick and simple projects like painting to weekend projects like tiling to entire room overhauls, you’ll find tips and tricks from the pros that you can use to increase the value of your home.

Snow is in the forecast and more than likely, you are beginning to think about wintertime energy bills. And with good reason! The Wall Street Journal estimates that Americans will be spending 17% more to heat their homes this winter. Use these four easy tips from ABC’s Good Morning America to help reduce what you pay in utilities every month!

1. Use a chest freezer in place of a stand-up. Freezer are big energy hogs and chest model can use a much as 25% less energy than their stand-up counterparts.
2. Change your laundry habits by using your dryer and hot water wash cycle less. One of the biggest draws of electricity in the home is a clothes dryer, avoid racking up your electric bill by using a clothes line instead. In the colder months invest in a folding drying rack you can stash away when not in use.
3. Start thinking about unplugging. Televisions, cell phone chargers, and computers are using energy even when they are unplugged. For convenience, use power strips to make unplugging easy.
4. Replace old light bulbs with compact florescent bulbs or LED. CFL’s use 75% less energy and LED’s use 90% less energy than traditional light bulbs.

For more money saving tips, visit Wall Street Journal’s Saving Energy on Cheap article.

The cold weather this week has reminded all of us that September in the Black Hills means that winter is just around the corner. Just how we bundle up for the cold weather, our homes need a little special attention too. Winterizing your home can be quite a laundry list of chores, so start this weekend by inspecting your house and making a list. Check a couple of things off every weekend and you won’t be scrambling to get things done come November. Here’s a basic list of things to get you started…

• Before you turn your furnace on this year, get it inspected by a professional and stock up on spare filters.
• Have your chimney cleaned and stock up on firewood.
• Check the exterior of your home, as well as windows and doors, for cracks and lost weatherstripping.
• Clean out your rain gutters and downspouts.
• Inspect your roof for places water might be able to enter your home.
• Drain the gas from your lawn mower and tune-up your snow blower.
• Test your smoke and carbon monoxide detectors, install new detectors in rooms without them.
• Check the expiration date on your fire extinguishers and replace if necessary.
• Drain all garden hoses and air conditioner pipes.
• Trim tree branches hanging near your home or electrical wiring, or call the power company - typically they provide this service for free.
• Check your attic for at least 12 inches of insulation. The cost of most insulation will come back to you in heating costs!
• Remove window screens and replace with storm windows.
• Reverse the direction of your ceiling fans.
• Rotate and flip your mattresses.

If making as much as $10,000 in two weekends sounds like a fairy tale to you, you may be underestimating the value of home ownership! With a little bit of creativity, a little bit of skill, and a whole lot of elbow grease, you can greatly increase the equity you have in your home and enjoy the updated space while you are still living there to enjoy it!

But before you pick up a hammer, do a little bit of research. Television programs can offer great ideas, but limited insight on actual return on investment numbers when it comes to remodels in our area. Contact me for a free market analysis to get an accurate idea of what your home is currently worth. Then pick your project carefully depending on what improvements you and your home would enjoy the most and what has historically provided the biggest return on investment. For instance, a minor kitchen remodel can typically give you the most bang for your buck at 88% return on investment. A close second is a bathroom remodel at 81% return on investment.

Home improvement can be fun and very worth while, now and down the road when you decide to sell!