Renovating a home is no piece of cake. Renovating during an unending pandemic? That’s another challenge entirely. Tradespeople are overbooked. Supply chain shortages abound.

But you can get the job done—especially if you know the new rules of the road.

If you’ve been thinking of tackling a home improvement project in the near future, keep reading—you’ll get a better idea of what to expect, plus strategies that’ll set you up for success.

Old rule: Hatch your plan, and get going

New rule: Have a backup plan ready to roll

Once upon a time, in the not too distant past, home improvement projects were a fairly straight line from “Here’s what I want” to “Here’s how I got it.” After scoping out what you want to do, you’d gather bids to find the best match in terms of professionals and price.

Right now, though, you need to go a step further. Some home professionals believe that having just one plan in mind is not enough to get through the renovation unscathed.

With the current supply chain issues, Janine Acquafredda, an associate broker with Re/Max Real Estate Professionals in Brooklyn, NY, believes that homeowners should have a backup plan before undertaking a project.

“You need to have a Plan B for your design right now, especially if the renovation is time-sensitive,” she says. “You may not be able to get the exact flooring you want or the tiles that you prefer, so it’s best to have a few different designs in mind.”

Check prices and suppliers, and be ready to pounce if a shortage or other hiccup happens.

Old rule: Clients have their pick of available contractors

New rule: Contractors have their pick of interested clients

Part of the planning process is getting bids from contractors. However, while homeowners with cash to spend used to have their pick of qualified pros, things are changing. Now, the shoe is on the other foot.

“In the current climate, a homeowner almost has to ‘sell’ themselves to the contractor and prove that they are a client worth prioritizing,” admits Joe Raboine, director of residential hardscapes at Belgard, a concrete manufacturer and contracting service in Atlanta. “Contractors have the luxury of cherry-picking their clients right now. If they think a client will be difficult to work with, they will often pass on taking on the project.”

That said, Raboine is also quick to note that this supply and demand imbalance doesn’t mean that homeowners should skip doing their homework and take any contractor who’s willing to run with their project.

“Homeowners should still vet the contractor and get multiple bids for their project,” he says. But once you’ve found the right fit, don’t dawdle! Book that project.

“The labor scarcity also means that they should make an effort to treat the contractor well,” adds Raboine. This isn’t the moment to ream out workers and risk their walking off the job.

Old rule: Set a budget and stick to it

New rule: Be prepared for additional costs and then some

“Traditionally, our advice was that homeowners should leave 15% of their home renovation budget for contingencies or instances where an aspect of their project may run over the estimated cost,” says Volodymyr Barabakh, co-founder and project director of Structural Beam, a contracting company and construction supplier in Chicago. “However, in 2022, we recommend that homeowners double that amount.”

The reason for the drastic increase? Barabakh points to the supply chain issues.

Lumber isn’t the only material with soaring prices right now, he explains. Glass, electrical components, and structural steel have all been affected as well.

“The costs of many materials are fluctuating wildly,” he says. “Unfortunately, a good chunk of that cost has to be passed on to the client.”

To make sure you don’t run out of funds, plan to have a 30% cushion over the estimated price tag.

Old rule: Set a timeline that works best for you

New rule: Be patient, really patient

Beyond making materials more costly, supply chain issues will almost undoubtedly affect the time it takes to complete your home renovation project.

According to Jase DeBoer, the senior marketing manager of outdoor living for Deckorators, a composite decking brand based in Grand Rapids, MI, patience is key during this process. So is flexibility.

“Despite proactive forecasts and investments in production and supply, global supply chain shortages aren’t going anywhere anytime soon,” he warns. “While a good contractor will be honest and communicative about the potential challenges they face, you’ll need to work with them to create a realistic timeline. But keep in mind that the timeline will likely be longer than you might expect.”

This can really throw a wrench in your plans: Maybe you are adding a room to your house and have a baby due in a couple of months, or you need a bathroom redone quickly so you can put your house on the market. Even such excellent reasons can’t change the fact that your job will probably run late. Manage your expectations so you don’t freak out when the job isn’t finished when you’d hoped it would be.

Old rule: Get renovations done in one fell swoop

New rule: Tackle what’s urgent, pump the brakes on the rest

Renovations can definitely rattle a home. You might lose access to a favorite room or even the kitchen. You have to live with noise, dust, and plastic taped up in the doorways. That’s why many people think if they are going to have work done, they should get it all done at once. In other words, do as much as they can afford to at once and avoid future inconveniences.

But not so fast.

With all these roadblocks facing homeowners as they delve into home improvement right now, some professionals are recommending that they try to wait out the price surges and extended timelines. At the very least, they should carefully consider which projects make the most sense to tackle now and which can be done later.

“It’s smart to pick and choose which renovations you do now and which ones you save for later,” says Donald Olhausen Jr., owner of We Buy Houses in San Diego. “For example, lumber-intensive rehabs will be much more susceptible to price fluctuations than other materials such as drywall or countertops.”

This is a moment when good things can come to those who wait, with those good things being lower costs and fewer delays. So stagger your projects, and save yourself some major stress.

 

For this and related articles, visit Realtor.com

Are you a borrower with a down payment wondering how to shop for a mortgage? We know: Looking for loan products is not exactly what most people would think of as a fun shopping project. Still, your ability to sniff out a great mortgage rate is crucial to your financial well-being as a future homeowner, because the decision you make could stick with you for a very long time, maybe even 30 years. Gulp.

No pressure, right? All we’re trying to say is, it pays to learn how best to compare your mortgage options—which is where this latest installment in our Stress-Free Guide to Getting a Mortgage will come in handy.

How to shop for a mortgage

Like your most trusted shopping buddy, our guide on how to shop for a mortgage lender and a mortgage rate will show you how to hone your bargain-hunting skills and get the most for your money.

Let’s get started mortgage shopping, shall we?

Step 1. Shop for a mortgage that fits your needs

Ideally, you should start shopping for a mortgage three to six months before you plan to buy a home after you have a down payment. This lengthy lead time is important because you may have to invest time in boosting your credit score. You’ll need a credit score on your credit report of 760 or higher to qualify for the best mortgage rates, says Richard Redmond, mortgage broker at All California Mortgage in Larkspur and author of “Mortgages: The Insider’s Guide.” You’ll need a minimum credit scoring of around 660 on your credit report to qualify for any mortgage at all.

If your score isn’t up to par, mortgage lenders can tell you what you need to do to improve it. (They can also help you save for a larger down payment.) This could involve getting an error removed from your credit report and FICO score, which is a real possibility, given that one in four Americans reported spotting errors on their reports in a 2013 Federal Trade Commission survey.

Step 2. Find low mortgage interest rates

As you probably know, one of a borrower’s main goals while shopping around for a mortgage lender is to secure a low fixed interest rate on a home loan. The mortgage rates different lenders charge, after all, are basically a service fee charged by lenders and are not always apples-to-apples. The lower your mortgage rate, the less money you’ll pay back each monthly payment—and every quarter of a percent counts!

On a 30-year $200,000 mortgage with a 4% fixed rate, for instance, you’ll end up paying back not only that $200,000 loan amount in your monthly payment, but an extra $143,739 in interest over the life of the loan, by the time those 30 years are up. That massive mountain of money on your home loan will end up higher or lower depending on the mortgage interest rate you get. Shorter-term loans for 15 years mean you’ll pay less in interest. You may also be able to refinance your mortgage down the road with your mortgage company.

You can compare fixed rate interest mortgage rates at realtor.com/mortgage/rates, but keep in mind the rates listed here may not necessarily apply to you. What rates you qualify for depend on several factors from your debt-to income ratio to your credit score. Better (meaning higher) credit scores merit better (meaning lower) interest rates.

But there are exceptions. Some first-time buyers may have access to lower interest mortgage rates through the Federal Housing Administration. Mortgages through lenders like the government-backed U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, which are available to active or retired military personnel, enable borrowers to buy homes with lower interest rates than conventional loans as well. Buyers can also check out Freddie Mac, a government-owned company that funds banks so it can make new mortgage loans to homebuyers. The Federal Housing Authority (FHA) also approves and insures FHA loans with mortgage lenders.

Step 3. Analyze your closing costs

A low mortgage interest rate and a nice down payment may win you bragging rights as a borrower, but this is hardly your only goal. That’s because mortgage quotes come with sizable closing costs, totaling an additional 2% to 7% of the sales price of your home. Some of these extra lender fees are nonnegotiable, such as state transfer taxes, but some fees are negotiable, says Katie Miller, vice president of mortgage lending at Navy Federal Credit Union.

As such, aim to meet with three mortgage lenders—which could be banks, credit unions, mortgage brokers, or any combination thereof—and get what’s called a good-faith estimate, which breaks down the mortgage’s terms, including the interest rate and fees. Your real estate agent can typically recommend different mortgage lenders.

Also find out from each home loan officer or mortgage broker what lender fees are government-regulated and what fees the lender prices—then haggle on the latter, says Sylvia Gutierrez, a mortgage loan officer in South Florida and author of “Mortgage Matters: Demystifying the Loan Approval Maze.”

If you don’t have a 20% down payment, you may have to get mortgage insurance, which will add to your monthly costs.

A caveat: When a mortgage lender processes your loan application, it runs a “hard inquiry” on your credit score, which can dock your score by up to 5 points, says Beverly Harzog, a consumer credit expert and author of “The Debt Escape Plan.” Your score will recover over time, but it may take a few months. As a result, you should limit your loan shopping to three lenders.

Step 4. Be mindful of interest rate fluctuations

Once you commit to a particular mortgage lender, the lender will underwrite and process your loan application. Then you’ll receive a pre-approval letter, which is a commitment to lend you the money for the mortgage you need to buy a home. Although getting pre-approved from a lender is typically good for 90 days, a borrower’s pre-qualified interest rate isn’t guaranteed until you sign a purchase agreement with a seller, so you’ll want to keep an eye on changes in the mortgage market. However, you can opt to lock in your mortgage rate for a period of 30, 45, 60, or even 90 days, depending on your lender.

Soon you’ll be a home owner making monthly mortgage payments.

 

For this and related articles, visit Realtor.com

Learning how to clean a kitchen might not seem like rocket science, but it’s definitely a lost art—something previous generations of homemakers obsessed over. We’re not saying you should remain tethered to a mop and bucket, but given the heavy foot traffic this area gets—not to mention all the food passing through—learning the right way to keep dirt, grime, and germs at bay is truly an essential part of owning a home.

So if you want to do this much-loved area justice, heed this list of tips on how to clean a kitchen right, broken down by areas that need some special attention. Adhering to these guidelines ensures your kitchen will look its best so you can impress your guests and maybe (just maybe) make your parents proud. It’s never too late.

How to clean cabinets

You want to begin by cleaning the cabinets. Why? Because no matter what room it is you’re cleaning, “you always go from top to bottom,” says Debbie Sardone, a home cleaning expert and president of SpeedCleaning.com. “If you don’t, you’re going to undo some of your work by brushing dirt onto the lower surfaces.”

To clean wood cabinets, Sardone recommends using a microfiber cloth dipped in Murphy’s Oil Soap. For all other finishes, use a mild, nontoxic all-purpose cleaner. Pay special attention to door handles, which tend to accumulate the most germs.

When you’re finished, go over wood with Old English Scratch Cover polish. “It works miracles on cabinets that are overdue for refinishing,” says Sardone.

How to clean a microwave

The microwave is one of the most neglected kitchen appliances, which is why you might silently cringe when you open it to see the spatter of past dinners inside. The good news is that the magic box is usually quite easy to clean.

Jan Dougherty, author of “The Lost Art of House Cleaning,” recommends that you pop in a clean wet rag, run the microwave on high for 2 minutes, and let the rag sit for 20 minutes.

“The steam from the rag will soften up any hard-crusted foods so you can wipe it right off,” says Dougherty. If the microwave has a rotating glass tray, simply pop it in the dishwasher.

How to clean a stove

If your range has a gas cooktop, start by removing the grates and burner covers. Sardone’s cleaning method: “Pour a quarter of a cup of household ammonia into a large gallon-size bag, then put the grate inside, seal it tight, and let the grate soak for 24 hours. Flip the bag six to eight times throughout the day. Within 24 hours, the grime will slide off.”

While the grates are soaking, wipe the burner top with hot soapy water and a plastic scrub pad—but stay away from steel wool and abrasive cleaners, which can scratch the surface.

Have an electric range or cooktop? Wipe it down with hot soapy water, then polish using a formulated cooktop cleaner, like Cerama Bryte.

As for the oven, that’s the fun part—that is, if you have a fancy self-cleaning oven. If you don’t, place a pot of boiling water on the bottom rack and, on the top, a heat-safe bowl containing 1 cup of ammonia. Shut the oven door and leave overnight. By morning, the grease caking your oven’s insides will wipe right off (make sure to use rubber gloves).

How to clean a refrigerator

For starters, follow the top-to-bottom rule when you clean the shelves with a damp cloth and all-purpose cleaner. Next, here’s the step people forget: Wipe down the jars and other containers before you place them back inside, because the goop caked on them will rub off on your fridge’s interior, says Sardone.

You’ll also want to take out your vacuum and clean the refrigerator coils (which sit along the bottom or back of your fridge), which can collect dust and hamper your fridge’s performance.

How to clean countertops

For laminate or quartz countertops, use a soft cloth to wipe with a mild liquid detergent. Granite countertops, however, are a totally different beast, because food, grease, and wine can seep into granite if it isn’t properly sealed. To assess what condition your granite is in, drop a bit of water on the surface. If it beads up, you’re good. But if the water pools together, it’s time to reseal with granite sealant, which is available at any home improvement store.

Once the granite is protected again, make sure to wipe up spills as they happen to keep it in tiptop shape.

How to clean a dishwasher

This might sound strange—after all, isn’t the whole point of having a dishwasher so that you don’t have to clean as many things?—but you’ve probably noticed that even an empty dishwasher can get funky sometimes. That’s because food gets trapped in a strainer that’s in the bottom of the unit, says Sardone, which “creates a horrible odor.” Thus, you’ll want to remove the strainer (usually it twists right off) and clean it once every three months; to access it, simply pull out the bottom rack.

To clean the rest of the dishwasher, “pour a bowl full of white vinegar, set it face up on the top rack, and run the dishwasher without anything else in it,” says Sardone. “The vinegar will circulate and clean everything.”

 

For this and related articles, visit Realtor.com

With new waves of COVID-19 cases surging across the U.S., it’s understandable that Americans are still spending a ton of time at home—and decorating up a storm in order to make their places more versatile and functional than ever.

That, at least, was the latest finding of Houzz‘s 2021 Emerging Home Design Trends Report, which examined data on the top search terms on its site over a three-month period, from April to June 2021, then compared those numbers with a year earlier to see which trends are falling out of favor, or rising fast. And what’s clear is that our needs around the house have evolved way beyond your run-of-the-mill home office.

“With the home suddenly functioning as office, gym, classroom, restaurant, and more, the pandemic gave people time to invest in order to accommodate these new changes,” says Mitchell Parker, Houzz senior editor.

Consider these blisteringly hot trends some smart inspiration for your next round of renovations!

No surprise: Searches on Houzz for the term “home office” were up 108% over last year. But we’ve branched way beyond that now. In fact, the terms “home theater” and “home gym” were even higher (up 190% and 156% respectively).

Wine lovers and those craving their own bar at home also drummed up interest for their activity spaces, with searches for “wine cellar” soaring 271%  and “home bar” 277%.

“Families aren’t spending their budgets on entertainment, traveling, or dining, so their homes have to do it all for them, which is why home theaters and gourmet kitchens are also trending,” says Lacy Hughes at Julian Design.

But nothing compares to installing your own space to paint. An insane 10-fold rise of 875% on the phrase “art studio” means homeowners are practically dying to free their inner Picasso.

“People are making more of every space they have if they can’t build out, putting garages, basements, and porches to work as offices, gyms, and playrooms,” says organization expert Darla DeMorrow, of HeartWork Organizing.

2. Green cabinets, tile, furniture, and more

Per the Houzz trend report, 1 in 5 of us is opening up the kitchen to the outdoors by grabbing the color green. The result: Searches on the term “green cabinets” soared a whopping 829%.

Also trending big-time: “green tile bathroom” (up 771%) and “green accent chair” (754%). And homeowners with black thumbs embraced faux greenery with a vengeance. Searches for “artificial plants & trees,” as well as “indoor pots & planters,” went up seven-fold (658%) and four-fold (353%) respectively.

Design pros confirm the popularity of verdant shades and even muddy colors.

“Goodbye, cool grays. Hello, warmer earth tones,” says Karen Gray-Plaisted of Design Solutions KGP.

3. Living room makeovers

Leaps in searches for “slipcovers & chair covers,” “abstract paintings,” and “display shelves” was reported as folks decided to rehab their main living spaces, perhaps in an attempt to get ready to finally entertain family and friends once again.

But the biggest gains in this room came from “accent pillows”—which was searched for an eye-popping 5,050% more than last year. Homeowners felt they couldn’t take those worn-out cushions one. More. Second.

4. Flex spaces

Sara Chiarilli of Artful Conceptions has seen more interest of late in multiuse pieces like Murphy beds, storage ottomans, and sleeper sofas that improve a space’s functionality. Houzz found the same—with queen-sized Murphy beds searched for 21 times (2,081%) more than last year.

A similar search rate held for the terms “TV armoire with pocket door” (up 2,259%), “nesting side tables” (up 1,918%), and “swivel accent chairs” (so fun!—and up 1,922%). All of these offer dual uses and creative hiding places without building out a new space.

5. Pool upgrades galore

Pandemic pool ownership was all over the news, and Houzz tracked this rise accordingly, especially “pools with water features” (think slides, fountains), with searches on that term up nearly 800%. Homeowners also sought out “rectangle pool” (up 576%) and their own lap lanes at home (with “lap pool” up 269%).

“Here in Florida, pool companies are running more than six months behind on new pool jobs, and when they do put one in, it’s an all-out project,” says Chiarilli, with designs that include fire pits, spas, waterfalls, and sun shelfs, which are long shallow ledges just below the water’s surface that allow you to bask while also cooling off.

6. Luxe materials

All things glam were also a big focus for homeowners, such as “velvet accent chair,” up a huge 1,161%. And if you were casting about for “gold table lamps,” you weren’t alone. Searches on that term were up 1,166%!

“Luxe materials have been on the scene for a few years as Instagram has made this trend pretty user-friendly,” says DeMorrow. Consumers have learned that a single shiny piece or two can be enough to pump up a space, without having to live through a big renovation.