HOME IMPROVEMENT PROJECTS FOR UNDER $500

These home improvement projects may not be the most expensive, but it doesn't make them less important. Often, projects that cost less than $500 involve work that maintains and protects a larger home system worth tens of thousands of dollars. Unfortunately, these projects are also the ones that are most commonly neglected by homeowners, who imagine that they have plenty of time to get things done. Don't assume that inexpensive projects lack urgency.

Here are our top picks for home improvement projects under $500:


Cleaning Services

You might think that you've done everything when you check off your spring cleaning list, but few people have the time and means to complete a truly comprehensive housecleaning schedule. While homeowners may be hard-wired to focus on dusting and interior surface cleaning, no component of housecleaning should be left unattended.

• Clean chimney or fireplace ($250-$350). The cleaning task most likely to get left off your list, chimney sweeping will prevent lethal, creosote-burning fires.

• Window cleaning ($200-$250). If you have easy-clean windows, go for it. Otherwise, use the pros to avoid injuries that can result from exterior window cleaning.

• Carpet cleaning ($200-$250). Rented carpet cleaning machines don't have the high- pressure steam needed to do this job right.

• Gutter cleaning ($150-$250). It takes more than throwing leaves down from a ladder to clean gutters. Pros will flush out downspouts and inspect the entire gutter system.

• Maid service ($150-$200). Whether you need help finishing a spring cleaning list or with weekly chores, a housekeeping service can give you time for other home projects.

Find a local expert contractor who has been pre-screened by ServiceMagic

Home Repairs

One of the frustrating parts of homeownership is the consistent costs of basic home repairs. Renovations add something new, but repairs only return the home to its previous condition. While cleaning is as inevitable as it is expected, the need for repairs often occurs suddenly and, it seems, at the worst possible time. But you do yourself no favors by postponing these repairs.

• Furnace or A/C repair ($300-$375). If you know something is ailing your system, you may get a discount if you call the pros during the off-season.


• Repair faucets, fixtures or pipes ($300-$400). No plumbing problem is minor. Leaks can cost you real money, needlessly waste water and create even bigger problems. (Find highly rated professional plumbers in your area.)

• Garage door repair ($225-300). Don't underestimate the urgency of this repair. Between energy costs and home security, a working garage door is a must.

• Carpet repair ($200-$300). Many homeowners leave carpet stains and burns on their carpet for years. Usually cut-and-plug carpet repairs are easier than you fear. (Find highly rated professional carpenters in your area.)

• Hire a handyman-$400-$500. If you have more than one simple home repair, hiring a handyman for the day is usually the most cost-effective and timely solution. (Find highly rated handymen in your area.)

Small Projects

Compared to fifty-grand kitchen remodels and bathroom additions, it's hard to imagine a $500 budget is enough to enhance the look or function of your home. But homeowners don't realize just how many small, around-the-house projects there are. This list is far from comprehensive, but it does include some classic home projects and a few, new tasks that are catching homeowners' attention.

• Install a TV wall mount ($350-$450). Don't worry that the otherwise perfect HDTV doesn't have the right mount. The pros can build you a custom wall mount.

• Install concealed wiring for home theater ($300-$400). You shouldn't have to look at unwieldy wires when you can hire a professional to hide them.

• Install garage door opener ($300-$400). With added convenience, better security and less noise, automatic openers have become a staple in U.S. homes.

• Install ceiling fan ($300-$400). This tried-and-true energy-saver still has teeth. Look for one that's properly designed for your needs and properly sized for your room.

• Install electrical switches, outlets or fixtures ($300-$400). You may need to take a look around the house to realize how much you can benefit from moving switches and adding outlets.

(Find highly rated professional general contractors in your area.)



*courtesy of AOL real estate

BEAUTIFUL FALL FOLIAGE HOT SPOTS IN PORTLAND

Bird watchers and weather reporters, step aside.

Fall colors are peaking around Oregon, and Travel Lane County is tracking the best areas of vibrant foliage for the public to enjoy. Biologists, forest rangers, and “leaf peepers” have teamed up with Travel Lane to maintain the Oregon Fall Foliage blog and this beautiful Instagram feed throughout the season.

You can become a “leaf peeper” too! Between September and November, tip off the team at the Oregon Fall Foliage Hotline with the latest foliage updates.

1 (800) 547-5445 (Monday–Friday, 8am–5pm and weekends, 10am–6pm)

Tripsters can skim this list for the latest and greatest of the most stunning foliage throughout the state:

• Meander along the Mt. Hood Scenic Byway and enjoy the meadows, timbered slopes, and arrive in orchard haven in Hood River Valley (apple orchards, anyone?). Make a pit stop in the cozy town of Hood River, and then wind along the Historic Columbia River Gorge Scenic Highway to see the vibrant deciduous trees against native firs.
• Crystal-clear water meets colorful foliage at Crater Lake. Vibrant aspen trees are blushing throughout the area, while the water reflects the red glow of the flora waterline.
• Headed southwest? Twist along the Rogue River through Grants Pass and soak up towering horizons that are burning with layers of color.
• Head south along I-5, where golden and red-toned maples line the 60-miles of the McKenzie River. Travelers can get another nature fix in Eugene along the Willamette River via the Ruth Bascom Riverbank Trail System. Stroll, jog, bike – or simply swim in the array of fall foliage

*courtesy of Portland Monthly Magazine

'TIS THE SEASON TO SHOP FOR A NEW HOME!

Is the housing market still seasonal? The market has been so up and down recently that the answer can depend on whom you ask, and the market that you're talking about. But, historically, residential real estate sees a lull in the winter holiday season and beginning of the new year -- when everyone seems a bit crunched for time, not to mention money. And in most markets it doesn't pick up again until the end of January. There's a reason that data on home prices, mortgage rates, etc., are "seasonally adjusted."

There are compelling signs, though, that as 2013 winds to a close, serious home shoppers should ignore this convention and instead turn it to their advantage. Here are key things that prospective homebuyers might want to consider before putting their quest on winter hiatus.

Mortgage rates have fallen: Primary among the reasons to move now has been the fluctuation in mortgage rates. After having taken a sharp bump up in the late spring, as the housing market re-energized and demand for mortgages surged, mortgage rates have dropped for the second straight week. And at an average of 4.10 percent for a 30-year-fixed loan, they're at their lowest in six months. It might be true true that with the Federal Reserve apparently committed for the near term to keep interest rates low by buying bonds, that borrowers have some wiggle room. But there are other reasons not to delay.

The ceiling will drop on loan amounts: If you're seeking a government-backed mortgage -- as most mortgages are -- you're already restricted to getting a loan that's based on the median home prices in your desired area ($417,000 in most housing markets). And the acting head of the Federal Housing Finance Agency, Edward DeMarco, has announced that these limits will go lower next year. While DeMarco assured the public in October that the change wouldn't be sudden, and that financial markets would have at least six months to adjust, why would you want to wait until then? Home prices in the U.S., meanwhile, have continued to rise.

Loans might be tougher to qualify for, or at least require more paperwork: Starting in January 2014, in order to get a "qualified mortgage" -- a loan that's insured by the Federal Housing Administration, prospective homebuyers will have to make a stronger case for their credit-worthiness. Along with documents spelling out the terms of the loan, mortgage seekers will be supplying proof of current income and assets, credit history, and other debts. And then they'll have to prove that the annual amount of debt they carry is no more than 43 percent of annual income. The changes, required under the Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act, also mandate that the loans carry a fixed-rate and be paid over a term not longer than 30 years.

Investors appear to have taken a breather: Those real estate speculators who were driving up housing prices, and swooping in to snatch away the bargains by making higher bids and cash offers, now seem less smitten with the residential market. A recent poll of investors found that only around 1 in 5 are still interested in buying more homes -- about half the number from a year ago. That means less competition.

Average homebuyers seem discouraged: Speaking of the competition, applications for new mortgages have been ebbing in recent months, along with consumer confidence. That should improve the chances of those willing to stay in the hunt, even if it means slogging through the winter weather.

Sellers might be more motivated: Just as it can show a bit more commitment to shop for a home in November and December, the same might be said for sellers, especially those who might be seeking a tax advantage by selling before the year is out, or who have grown impatient after seeing their properties fail to sell during the market's peak season.

What better time to see a home?: Sure, it might be a little tough to judge a house's curb appeal through the gloom and slush of late autumn and early winter, not to mention under the holiday lights and tinsel. But what better time to see what a home can stand up to?

It's true that there are some key areas that probably can't be inspected or tested if it's cold or snow is on the ground, such as air conditioning units (which could be damaged in operated at temperatures below 60 degrees) and in-ground sprinklers. On the other hand, it's a prime time to see how the heater works and how well-insulated the home is. Some other things that might be much more evident include: roof leaks, a basement that floods, pipes that freeze, and inadequate lighting. And how easy is it to get to and from the property during bad weather? If it's in a rural area, are you likely to get snowed in, see a road washed out or be trapped by a mudslide?

And as for those uninspectable areas: If you can't wait until the weather warms to have those checked, explore a contingency built into the contract that takes care of any possible repairs.


*courtesy of AOL real estate