If staying inside this winter is driving you up a wall, then get yourself motivated by getting your house in shape. Start off with choosing a few projects, and planning them out to complete by the start of opening day. If you need a suggestion, start with the ones that will improve your home’s value the most.
1. Make your walls feel like new with fresh paint or wallpaper
2. Tile in a backsplash in your kitchen
3. Brighten up your spirits with new lighting
4. Open a new door by replacing old ones
5. Relax in a new tub after installing it
More info and links are here, good luck!

Mortgage rates are at historic lows for all types of loans. However, the difference in interest rates for 30-year and 15-year mortgages is worth looking at. 15-year mortgages require higher monthly premiums for the same loan amount, but the shorter term brings real money back into your income stream faster, and with significant savings over 30-year mortgages. On the current, average home-sale price, savings are estimated at over $100k for the term of the loan. However, those savings come with higher monthly payments, over $600 for the average home purchase price. Have a look at this great article that compares the options.

At some point, the inevitable hand-over was going to happen, but that it will likely happen this year is somewhat of a surprise. Millennials will be the majority of homebuyers compared to other age groups at some point in 2015, according to current trends. Almost half of Millennials want to buy a home in the next five years. Driving factors include outpacing of rent vs. cost of home ownership, an increase in affordable home construction, and more favorable interest rates and loan options. Have a look here for a little more insight and the five best housing markets for first-time buyers. 

In this video, Mike Heimos talks about common snow and ice removal methods like ice, sand, cat litter and ash, and which ones are effective, and which ones are better for your the environment and your local water supply. He’s got some great info, and a few great tips, and some alternatives you may want to seek out. Have a watch here. (4 minutes, you can spare that, right?)

“I can do this, hold my beer.” And with those words start some of the funniest home improvement stories ever. There are certain things you should probably know how to do around the house. You should know how to change a light bulb, fix a creaky door, stuff like that. But there are some home projects where the best place to start is with your telephone. Have a look here and see if you agree.

Little oversights might make for big problems when it’s time to apply for a mortgage. These five mistakes are the most common ones that people make, sometimes more than once, and they’re hurting their chances of getting a mortgage.
1. Paying late
2. Too much credit
3. Applying for too many credit cards at once
4. Never having a credit card at all
5. Running up your debt

Read about what you can do to combat these problems here.

If you’ve got 99 problems, chances are there’s a hack that someone has thought of to fix at least a few of them. Simple hacks are not only time and hassle savers, but they give you that ‘a-ha’ moment too. Here’s a great set of simple home hacks to check out. I bet dollars to doughnuts you’ll adopt at least one of them. Hack away here

Homeowners considering remodeling projects as a way to add value to their homes will find that some add more value, and better recoup their costs, than others.

These ten projects make the biggest financial payoff upon resale, and most are on the exterior of the home:

1.     Steel entry door
2.     Manufactured stone veneer
3.     Siding replacement with fiber cement
4.     Garage door replacement – minor
5.     Vinyl siding replacement
6.     Wood deck addition
7.     Garage door replacement – major
8.     Minor kitchen remodel
9.     Wood window replacement
10.     Foam-backed vinyl siding replacement

More here

Fannie Mae is launching a new program nationwide this month by giant mortgage investor focused on the home appraisal process. It’s already causing controversy with detractors claiming it may lead to more expensive and longer home sale closings. The program will offer mortgage lenders access to Fannie’s proprietary home valuation databases. Lenders will be able to use the data to assess the accuracy and risks posed in appraisal reports submitted by appraisers. Lenders can then request explanations and changes to the appraisal in any situation where there is conflicting or significantly different information in submitted appraisals. This means that if you are in the market for a home, January 26 will bring some important changes that you should know about. More here 

Dealing with frozen pipes can be an unpleasant and expensive job. You can reduce the chances of your pipes freezing by taking some precautionary measures before extreme temperatures hit. Here are a few tips to help you avoid potential catastrophe: Insulate any exterior wall pipes; open cabinet doors to allow heat from your home to reach sink pipes; trickle water from faucets- moving water is less likely to freeze. When traveling away from home, do not set your thermostat any lower than 55 degrees. If your pipes do freeze, you should open the faucet letting water pass through, even if only a trickle- this will help the pipes to warm faster. More here