Looking for a beautiful kitchen that's bright and nature inspired.  This one is functional and modern with plenty of storage and utility.

Kitchen of the Week: Earthy Textures and Ocean Hues

Five Great Posts for Buyers and Sellers

• 

  How Long is That Remodel Going to Take?

  Some remodeling projects go on for weeks and make a mess of your home life. Here’s what you need to know to survive. Read
• 

  7 Steps to Take Before You Buy a Home

  By doing your homework before you buy, you’ll feel more content about your new home. Read
• 

  What You Need to Know About Buying Energy-Efficient Windows

  Installing energy-efficient windows is an expensive project that can pay off but may not be necessary. Here’s what you need to know. Read
• 

  Understand Disaster Insurance Claims

  The secret to filing a successful disaster insurance claim is getting prepared long before catastrophe actually strikes your home. Read
• 

  Insuring Against Natural Disasters

  Your homeowners insurance covers many of life’s disasters, just not some natural disasters like earthquakes and floods, so consider supplemental policies. Read

Visit houselogic.com for more articles like this.

Copyright 2015 NATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF REALTORS®

Hosting an Open House from 2-4 today!  Perfect starter home for first time buyers.  Great floor plan for family with loft game room and big open living room below.  $159,000
Click for a tour!

Statement by CFPB Director Richard Cordray on Know Before You Owe Mortgage Disclosure Rule

WASHINGTON, D.C. — Today, Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) Director Richard Cordray issued the following statement on the Know Before You Owe mortgage disclosure rule:

“The CFPB will be issuing a proposed amendment to delay the effective date of the Know Before You Owe rule until October 1, 2015. We made this decision to correct an administrative error that we just discovered in meeting the requirements under federal law, which would have delayed the effective date of the rule by two weeks. We further believe that the additional time included in the proposed effective date would better accommodate the interests of the many consumers and providers whose families will be busy with the transition to the new school year at that time.”

The public will have an opportunity to comment on this proposal and a final decision is expected shortly thereafter.

Natural Swimming Pools: 9 Myths Busted

This caught my eye today and it was great reading.  Makes me want to fill in my cement pond and go natural!





Natural Swimming Pools: 9 Myths Busted

When the Bough Breaks

We have a variety of oak trees here on the Gulf Coast and with the beauty, the natural bird habitats, and the shade, come a few hazards, especially after a series of rain and wind storms like we've recently experienced this month.  Several of our own oak trees, a pin oak in particular, have dropped broken branches of varying sizes in the past two weeks.

Althought oaks have some ability to heal themsleves without intervention, older, sometimes more brittle trees may not be able to overcome more than a small crack.  If you do see a small crack, try trimming away some bark to help it heal.  Of course, if the structural integrity of the limb is compromised, it is time to grab your saw.  But, if you are confident that the limb is not a safety hazard should it fall, you can try cutting away about an inch of bark on all sides of the crack with a sharp knife, and peeling the bark off.  If you are uncertain as to the extent of the damage, press down gently on the limb from above to determine whether or not the limb can/should be saved.

With large cracks that cause branches to dip lower than normal or splits that go all the way through the limb, the safest thing to do is to remove the limb. The tree is unlikely to heal large cracks or splits before the weight of the limb causes it to fall, which can damage the tree as well as objects below, such as your house.  If you are comfortable with the DIY approach, use a handsaw or chainsaw, depending on the size of the limb, first cutting off the limb just outside the crack or split. This removes the heaviest weight of the limb, which helps you saw through the limb safely. Pin oak limbs typically have a high number of smaller limbs jutting out from all angles, so you might need to cut off some of the side branches to get a clean cut on the damaged one. Cut the damaged limb again just inside the crack, removing the cracked section. Finally, cut the limb just above the joint with the trunk or another limb to completely remove it.  Need a less hands-on solution?  Call in a tree expert.  Tree surgeons are less expensive than trip to the emergency room!

Finding small branches and larger limbs after rains can indicate a tree in distress.  It's definitely time to call in an expert in this case, to access the overall health of the tree.  Many experts advise skipping the wound repair tars and salves which can further damage the tree systemically or in some cases attract insects.

Your healthy oak trees are a green asset to the value of your home.  With minimal care and occasional professional pruning, they will provide many years of natural beauty for your real property.

How to Fix a Leaky Toilet - The Home Depot

5 Good Reasons to Amend Your Tax Return and How

Article From HouseLogic.com with Permission from National Association of Realtors

By: Reyna Gobel

Published: January 09, 2015

Missed tax deduction? Overlooked tax credit? Get what's coming to you by amending your return.

Your home is a great source of tax savings if you know what qualifies and don't forget to claim deductions and credits. If you missed any of these five, you can go back in time -- roughly two to three years -- by amending your tax return. Your home is a great source of tax savings if you know what qualifies and don't forget to claim deductions and credits. If you missed any of these five, you can go back in time -- roughly two to three years -- by amending your tax return.

1. Home Office Deduction

If your home is your principal place of business, you can take a standard deduction or deduct a percentage of eligible expenses like:

          •Utilities
          •Mortgage interest for the proportion of the house used as your office
          •Home repairs and maintenance

Forms you'll need to file an amendment:

          •1040X (http://www.irs.gov/uac/Form-1040X,-Amended-U.S.-Individual-Income-Tax-Return)
          •Form 8829 (http://www.irs.gov/app/picklist/list/priorFormPublication.html?value=8829&criteria=formNumber) and Schedule A (if you're employed by someone else) for the year you're amending

          •Schedule C (if you're self-employed) for the year you're amending

2. Energy Tax Credit

If you installed energy-efficiency improvements (like HVAC systems, insulation, a roof, windows) in 2012 and 2013 and didn't take a tax credit for those upgrades, you may have missed out on up to $500.

My husband and I didn't claim the energy tax credit for insulation we installed one year because we thought we'd get a better deal if we claimed the credit the next year when we planned to replace windows. But we never got around to replacing the windows. So we amended our return to claim the tax credit for the insulation and got a $500 tax credit.

Forms you need:

          •1040X
          •Form 5695 (http://www.irs.gov/app/picklist/list/priorFormPublication.html?value=5695&criteria=formNumber) for the year you're amending

Note: Unless Congress extends it, the $500 lifetime residential energy tax credit ended in 2014.

 3. Home Improvement Sales Tax Deduction

The State of Texas doesn't tax income, so you can amend Schedule A to deduct state and local sales tax you paid. Say you added new siding for $10,000 and your state charged 6% in sales tax. That's potentially a $600 deduction.

Use the IRS's online sales tax calculator (http://apps.irs.gov/app/stdc/) to figure out the total sales tax you can deduct. Have the receipts to prove you paid the sales taxes.

 Forms you need:

          •1040x
          •Schedule A for the year you're amending

4. Property Tax Deduction

Get a copy of your tax bill payment from the local tax office that collects the bill. Make sure you deduct the property tax expense on your amended return for the year you paid it, which could be different than the year it was due.

 Forms you need:

          •1040x
          •Schedule A for the year you're amending

5. Home Repair Deduction

Red alert: You can't claim deductions for any old home repair. There are only two narrow, possible ways to claim home repairs, and it's always best to check with a tax pro for your particular situation:

If part of your home is used for business and you aren't taking the standard deduction for your home office. You can only claim repairs made to your home office or claim a percentage of the repairs you make to the house as a whole, like repainting or patching a roof leak. If 10% of your home is office, you can deduct 10% of the repainting or patching. If the repair is to the office itself only, then the percentage generally does not apply.

 Forms you need:

          •1040X
          •Form 8829 and Schedule A (if you're employed by someone else) for the year you're amending
          •Schedule C (if you're self-employed) for the year you're amending

For casualty losses. Calculating and deducting casualty losses is complex. Everything from your income level to how you value your property can affect overlooked deductions. Besides placing a value on your personal property, you have to subtract a number of things from that, including insurance reimbursement and a percentage of your adjusted gross income. Read IRS Publication 547 (http://www.irs.gov/uac/Publication-547,-Casualties,-Disasters,-and-Thefts) and consult a tax adviser. Note that you can claim losses from federally declared disasters either in the year they occur or, if it's more favorable, on the preceding year's taxes.

 Forms you need:

          •1040X
          •Form 4684 (http://www.irs.gov/app/picklist/list/priorFormPublication.html?value=4684&criteria=formNumber) for casualty and theft for the year you're amending
          •Schedule A for the year you're amending

This article provides general information about tax laws and consequences, but shouldn't be relied upon as tax or legal advice applicable to particular transactions or circumstances. Consult a tax professional for such advice.

Valentine's Day Fun!

Browsing through a few home magazines today, as I sip herbal tea on the patio.  It's a beautiful February day here in El Lago.  A balmy 66 degrees - warm enough to take a few minutes soaking up the sun before I get back to work.

Nothing makes a house a home, more that DIY holiday projects.  If you're getting ready for some Valentine creativeness this weekend, as I am, here are few things that look easy enough to do tomorrow.  I hope you enjoy - and Happy Valentine's Day!

AO

Easy DIY Ideas for Valentine’s Day

Valentine’s Day is right around the corner, which means we have another reason to decorate our homes! Decorating for Valentine’s Day can be a fun daylong activity that you can do with your kids. Making Valentine’s cards, baking sweets and treats, and even just cutting up paper hearts are just a number of things you and the kids can do together.

Here are a few DIY ideas for Valentine’s day. We’ll be doing these to get ready for this lovely holiday.

Conversation Hearts candies in a votive—a simple and sweet Valentine’s Day accent piece 

One of the quickest and easiest DIY Valentine’s Day decorations involves just three items: Conversation Hearts candies, a small glass candle votive, and a small candle in the color of your choice. Fill the votive half-way with candy, place a candle on top and light it. Voila! Quick and easy.

These would be great on the mantle over your fireplace, on the table runner of your dining table, on the bathroom counter, or even on your coffee table. Feeling a bit fancy? Tie a pink or red bow around the votive. Thank you, Chrissie of Living on Love and Cents for this wonderful idea!

Make and hang paper heart wreaths around your home

Paper crafts are the perfect go-to when decorating for Valentine’s Day, which is why we’re fans of this idea. Making a heart wreath to hang inside your home is fun, quick, and easy (we love easy). All you need is some pink, red and white construction paper or cardstock, or you can use scrapbooking paper.

Use a heart shape hole punch or cut out hearts in various sizes, also cut out a circular base out of cardstock. You’ll be gluing your hearts on this base. Next, glue a layer of hearts on the base and then glue an additional layer of hearts on top of it. Lastly, glue a ribbon on the backside of the wreath and it’s ready to hang. Make more than one Valentine’s Day wreath and hang them outside bedroom doors, hallway walls, or over your fireplace.

Add a bit of flair this Valentine’s Day—or any holiday—with a DIY glitter lantern

via ohhappyday.com

We’ve all heard of a mirror ball, but have you ever heard of a glitter ball, or rather, a glitter lantern? We found this fantastic DIY glitter lantern on ohhappyday.com, a lifestyle and party planning blog based out of San Francisco, California. According to the bloggers, all you need to make your own glitter lantern is: a round paper lantern in the size of your choice, spray glue for glitter (they listed Design Master Glue for Glitter on their blog), glitter, and a drop cloth or newspaper for catching excess glitter. It might be a good idea to do this project in the garage or outside.

Lay open your drop cloth or newspaper on a flat surface. Next, open up the lantern so that it’s in the shape of a globe and spray the glitter glue in patches on the lantern. Start pouring about a handful of glitter on that patch of glue and repeat the process until you’ve reached the optimal level of coverage. Use any excess glitter that fell on your drop cloth or newspaper for any touch ups.

Since this is for Valentine’s Day, a few choice colors for glitter would be red, pink and even white. Hang your glitter lanterns around your patio in clusters or just string a few of them throughout your yard.

Kid Friendly Jar O’ Sprinkles Project

via Nap Time Creations

Finally, this is a fun project to enlist the help of the kiddies. Emily of Nap-Time Creations decided to create a “jar o’ sprinkles” using real edible sprinkles and Mod Podge. Her kids participated by adding personalized paper hearts to make an adorable Valentine’s Day bouquet. Here’s what Emily did…

First, Emily painted a thick layer of Mod Podge all over the inside of a glass jar and poured sprinkles all over the inside, making sure to turn the jar so that the inside had even sprinkle coverage. After the Mod Podge dried up and she was sure that the sprinkles weren’t going anywhere, she had the kids paint and personalize a couple paper hearts that she cut out earlier. After the paper hearts were dried, Emily hot-glued the hearts to some skewers, thus completing her bouquet. The results are pretty awesome.