How Home Equity Can Help Fuel Your Retirement

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  How Home Equity Can Help Fuel Your Retirement If retirement is on the horizon, now’s the time to start thinking about your next chapter. And you probably want to make sure you’re set up to feel comfortable financially to live the life you want in retirement. What you may not realize is you likely have a hidden goldmine of cash you’re not thinking about — and that’s your home.  Data  from the  Federal Housing Finance Agency  (FHFA) shows that home values have gone up nearly 60% over the last 5 years alone (see graph below): And that appreciation gave your net worth a big boost. According to  Freddie Mac , over the same five-year period: “ . . .  Boomer overall wealth increased by $19 trillion, or $486,000 per household, half of which is due to house price appreciation.” So if you’ve been in your house ever longer than that, chances are you have even more equity in your home. If you want to have access to more of the wealth you’ve built up throughout t...
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YOUR FALL MAINTENANCE CHECKLIST

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Image result for pictures of fall leaves

 Owning a home comes with big responsibility, especially when the cooler weather strikes.To keep your home in tip top shape during the fall and winter seasons, complete some home maintenance tasks to help prepare for anything the cold weather brings. Check out our list of tasks to check off this autumn below!

10 fall home maintenance tasts you should do each year 

Clean out the gutters

fall checklist
One of the most important home maintenance tasks to complete this fall is to clean out the gutters. Removing the leaves and other debris will help the water flow through 10 times better. Plus, leaving this task untreated can cause a leaky roof and foundation issues, damage your landscape, and create a nesting place for pests. Hire a professional to come out to your home and clear them out instead of doing them yourself to avoid any injuries.

Invest in fall landscaping

Spring might be long gone, but that is not an excuse to slack on landscaping. Plant some fall flowers and shrubs in front beds to add curb appeal. Aerate your lawn and plant grass seed to help your lawn look lush and vibrant green.

Make sure your appliances are working well and up to date

From heating and air units to water heaters to smoke and carbon monoxide detectors, it is crucial to have all of these appliances working before winter comes. No one wants to have a broken heating unit during the middle of a snow storm. This fall, schedule an appointment with your heating and air company to have them checked out to make sure they will withstand the cold weather.

Prepare for pests

As the temperature drops outside, bugs will start to look for a warmer place to stay and that often means inside your home. To avoid these pesky guests, seal up cracks and other entry points that these critters might use to come inside. Consider putting out traps or spraying bug killer inside and outside your home to deter them. Lastly, take out the trash. Keeping your spaces clean will leave less room for bugs to burrow.

Organize your yard tools

Fall is commonly the time when yard work winds down and we put the rakes, wheelbarrows, and shovels away for the colder months. Instead of throwing all your tools into a shed and calling it a day, put effort into organizing your tools so come the warmer weather you are more eager to start up the yard work again. Hang up hooks to hold larger tools or invest in a set of bins to organize smaller items like gloves.

Replace your air filters

fall home maintenance schedule
Often an overlooked and long overdue maintenance task is replacing your home’s air filters. Depending upon the quality and brand of your air filters, the life span of them can last anywhere from three to six months. This fall, make sure to replace your air filters to remove the collected dirt, dust, and allergens from the air.

Deep clean your kitchen

It’s been many months since spring cleaning was here, and since then, life has happened. Take some time this fall to deep clean commonly used spaces like the kitchen to help get your house in order. Clean out your fridge and deep clean your tiles, grout, trash and recycling bins, and oven and stove. This not only helps you prepare for any guests you may have coming over, but it will help prevent pests and keep your space fresh.

Inspect your chimney and fireplace

Home heating is one of the most common causes of a house fire, so this fall it is important to have both gas and wood fireplaces inspected. Doing this will help prevent things like smoke, water vapor, and firewood particles from entering your home. Maintaining your chimney will also help with proper air flow and prevent build up of tar-like substances on the interior walls.

Don’t overlook your roof

One of the most important home maintenance tasks to complete this fall is to check the status of your roof. Fall and winter are the worst times of the year to have roof problems. Inspect your roof for leaks and holes and get them repaired asap to prevent further damage.

Double check your insulation

If you’re heating and air bill is costing you more and more each month, it might be time to check your home’s insulation. While insulation should last homeowners many, many years, if your insulation is old or not properly placed, it might not be doing its job to the fullest. Insulation should be energy efficient and not causing you to break the bank with your heating and air unit. If you are concerned about the insulation in your home, call an insulation expert or contractor today to get this task fixed quickly.

Original Post:  OCTOBER 16, 2019 - BY MARKETING@ALLENTATE.COM

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