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The Perks of Buying over Renting

  The Perks of Buying over Renting Thinking about buying a home? While today’s  mortgage rates  might seem a bit intimidating, here are two solid reasons why, if you’re ready and able, it could still be a smart move to get  your own place . 1. Home Values Typically Go Up Over Time There’s been some confusion over the past year or so about which way  home prices  are headed. Make no mistake, nationally they’re still going up. In fact, over the long-term,  home prices  almost always go up ( see graph below ): Using  data  from the  Federal Reserve  (the Fed), you can see the overall trend is home prices have climbed steadily for the past 60 years. There was an exception during the 2008 housing crash when prices didn't follow the normal pattern, but generally, home values kept rising. This is a big reason why  buying a home  can be better than  renting . As prices go up and you pay down your mortgage, you build  equity . Over time, this growing equity can really increase your net wort

10 Tips for October Gardening

                     
  1. Care for your lawn by raking or brushing leaves off the grass. Try collecting them in a leaf bag, which will turn them into useful leaf mould. You can also cut the grass for one last time this year. Make that last cut slightly higher to protect the lawn from winter frost.
  2. Trim hedges so they are crisp and tidy for the winter.
  3. October’s the time for clearing up. Greenhouses, ponds, gutters and water butts may all need cleaning out, wooden garden furniture will need covering or storing for the winter and terracotta pots will need bringing inside.
  4. Divide herbaceous perennials. Plant some back in the ground; take others to pot up and give away to friends in the spring.
  5. In the veg patch plant garlic cloves with their pointed ends up, and spaced 10cm apart.
  6. Plant bulbs for a colourful spring display. Try planting clumps of five or seven bulbs of the same variety through a border for a really effective display.
  7. Plant out spring bedding and biennials, such as wall-flowers, for spring displays. Pots and hanging baskets can be planted with spring bedding, and teamed with bulbs, grasses, cyclamen and violas for a colourful and textural display.
  8. ‘Plant’ prepared hyacinths in vases for winter scent and colour in the house.
  9. Harvest pumpkins for eating as well as carving.
  10. Enjoy the apple harvest! Why not visit an apple day in your area, where you can taste local varieties?  
Original Article via Eden Project