Brian Ripp's Blog

You may not have time before your home goes on the market for all the home projects you’ve been putting off, but you should definitely make time for your floors. Buyers looking at a home with hardwood floors want them to be in great shape, not warped, scratched or cracked.  Home buyers will also ...

When shopping for a home, of course, you want to get the best property your money can buy.  But sometimes, buying the best house on the block isn’t the wisest option.  One smart real estate tip suggests buying the worst house on the best street.  What does this mean and is it sound advice? As a h...

Trees and shrubs add visual appeal to any homeowner’s lawn or backyard – but only when they’re in tip-top shape.  Better Homes & Gardens and HGTV offer some key maintenance tips. Pruning To keep plants lush and healthy, prune dead branches or leaves regularly.  If a plant is already infected with...

1)  Pricing too high from the start. Fix: Statistics show that homes priced correctly when they first hit the market sell closer to the asking price than homes that start too high, then have to adjust downward. 2)  Using an odd list price, like $683,257. Fix: Always price in round numbers.  Agent...

For most homeowners, cleaning the gutters is near the bottom of the to-do list.  But keeping your gutters clean can really save you a lot of headaches; overflowing gutters can damage roofs and wreak havoc on your foundation. Keeping the water flowing properly isn’t as big a deal as you might thin...

Home insurance premiums rose 19% in 2011.  In an analysis of 15,000 policies sold in the US in 2011, homeowners paid an average of $810 for their monthly home insurance premium in December 2011, up from an average of $682 in January 2011.  On average, homeowners nationwide paid $128 more per year...

The National Association of Home Builders has launched a new website, www.ProtectHomeownership.com, to inform consumers about the various tax, legislative and regulatory policies under consideration by Congress that could change the structure of homeownership and inspire the public to take action...

1. Accepting the buyer with the highest offer without regard to the other contractual terms. 2. Not properly handling multiple offer situations with multiple buyers. 3. Not properly handling back-up offers. 4. Entering into an agreement with no earnest money deposit from the buyer, or a very smal...

Depending on where you purchase a home, you may buy in an area that has a homeowner’s association.  These associations are formed to improve and maintain the quality of the area by enforcing mutually agreed upon regulations that affect residents within the community as well as such community-owne...

Make sure your home is a safe and happy place for you and your family with these ten tips from the Home Safety Council:   Prevent Falls: 1.       Keep stairs and walkways well lit & clear of obstacles. 2.       Install grab bars & non-slip mats in your bathtubs & showers.   Prevent Poisonings: 3....