Joomla! site syndication http://www.home-4u2.co.uk Thu, 28 Aug 2008 20:29:44 +0100 FeedCreator 1.7.2 http://www.home-4u2.co.uk/images/M_images/joomla_rss.png http://www.home-4u2.co.uk Joomla! site syndication http://www.home-4u2.co.uk/content/view/6/ Buying a Home With Resale Value - the HouseHomes with a pleasant view of the horizon often sell at a premium above similar homes without the view. However, if a view is important to you, buy it mostly for your own pleasure and not as an investment. Though you may place a considerable dollar value on the view, future buyers may not be so like-minded. It may take you longer to find a buyer when it comes time to resell the house. Or you may end up dropping your price to more nearly match other sales prices in the neighborhood.In short, if you are buying a house with a view, try to pay as little extra as possible. Otherwise, you might not get your money back.Lot and LandscapingEven though most real estate value is usually concentrated in the building, the lot is important, too. Obviously, it should be as level as possible. Assuming the property is in a typical neighborhood, the lot should be rectangular – no odd shaped lots or oddly situated lots.Yard sizes are smaller in modern homes than in older homes, but there should still be a decently sized front and back yard. Do not buy a house where the entire back yard is taken up by a swimming pool, for example.Do not purchase an over-landscaped property, either. You would normally pay a premium for that, which you may not be able to recover when you sell. You will get your best value if the house is moderately landscaped or under-landscaped for the area. You can always improve the landscaping during your ownership by improving the grass and adding bushes and trees. Just do not spend too much.House SizeIn each residential neighborhood, houses will vary in size and rooms, but they should not be too different. If resale value is an important consideration, you should not buy the largest model in the neighborhood. When determining market value, the homes nearest to yours are most important. If most of the nearby houses are smaller than your house, they can act as a drag on appreciation.On the other hand, if you buy a small or medium house for the neighborhood, the larger homes can help pull up your value. This is one of those times where determining your wants versus your needs can be extremely important. Buying what you need in a more prestigious neighborhood may provide more financial reward than getting what you want in a less desirable neighborhood.Bedrooms and BathroomsThree and four bedroom houses are the most popular among homebuyers, so if you can stick in that range you will have more potential buyers when it comes time to resell. Five is okay, too, as long as you do not have to pay too much extra for the additional bedroom.There should always be at least two bathrooms in a house, preferably at least two and a half. One bathroom with a place to wash up for day-to-day visitors, one for the master bedroom, and at least one to be shared by the other bedrooms.Closets, Garages, and LaundryWalk-in closets are extremely desirable for the master bedroom. For the rest of the house, just be sure there is plenty of closet space. Don’t forget space for linens and towels.Garages add to the resale value and you should always make sure to get at least a two-car garage. Lately, three-car garages have become desirable in some areas of the country. News - Latest Wed, 07 Jul 2004 11:54:06 +0100 http://www.home-4u2.co.uk/content/view/11/ 1.0 Passive design - IntroductionSmall Image of Temperate (Warm Temperate) House under ConstructionPassive design is design that does not require mechanical heating or cooling. Homes that are passively designed take advantage of natural energy flows to maintain thermal comfort.Incorporating the principles of passive design in your home: * Significantly improves comfort. * Reduces or eliminates heating and cooling bills. * Reduces greenhouse gas emissions from heating, cooling, mechanical ventilation and lighting.Building envelope is a term used to describe the roof, walls, windows, floors and internal walls of a home. The envelope controls heat gain in summer and heat loss in winter.Its performance in modifying or filtering climatic extremes is greatly improved by passive design.Well designed envelopes maximise cooling air movement and exclude sun in summer. In winter, they trap and store heat from the sun and minimise heat loss to the external environment.The fundamental principles of passive design, explained above are relatively simple but they must be applied to a vast range of climates, house types and construction systems in Australia.To explain all of these combinations in sufficient detail, information has been divided into separate fact sheets:1.1 DESIGN FOR CLIMATEThis fact sheet provides a quick reference guide to the main climatic zones in Australia as well as the key passive design responses for each climate. It also explains the conditions required for human thermal comfort and how passive design assists our bodies in achieving comfort. [See: Design for climate]1.2 CHOOSING A SITEChoosing an appropriate site, or existing home, and developing it to make the most of its natural attributes will yield significant economic, lifestyle and environmental benefits.The information is in three parts corresponding with the usual stages of choosing a site. * Choosing a locality and housing type. * Choosing a site, existing home or block. * Choosing, designing or altering a home to suit your block. [See: Choosing a site]1.3 ORIENTATIONA home that is well positioned on its site delivers significant lifestyle and environmental benefits. Correct orientation assists passive heating and cooling, resulting in improved comfort and decreased energy bills.The information is presented in three parts: * Principles of good orientation. * Orientation for passive solar heating. * Orientation for passive cooling. [See: Orientation]1.4 PASSIVE SOLAR HEATINGPassive solar heating is about keeping the summer sun out and letting the winter sun in. It is the least expensive way to heat your home.The sheet explains how the following key elements of passive solar heating are applied. * Northerly orientation of window areas. * Passive shading of glass. * Thermal mass for storing heat. * Minimising heat loss with insulation, draught sealing and advanced glazing. * Floor plan zoning to get heating to where it is most needed and keep it there.Passive solar houses can look like any other home but they are more comfortable to live in and cost less to run. [See: Passive solar heating]1.5 PASSIVE COOLINGSmall Image showing Passive CoolingPassive cooling is the least expensive means of cooling your home. It is appropriate for all Australian climates.This section explains how to design and modify homes to achieve summer comfort and minimise or eliminate energy use for cooling.Four key approaches are examined: * Envelope design for passive cooling. * Natural cooling sources. * Hybrid cooling systems. * Adapting lifestyle. [See: Passive cooling]1.6a INSULATION INTRODUCTIONInsulation is an essential component of passive design.It improves building envelope performance by minimising heat loss and heat gain through walls, roof and floors.Topics covered include: * Insulation types and their applications. * Recommended insulation levels for different climates. * Strategies for cost effective insulation solutions. [See: Insulation Introduction] FAQs - Examples Wed, 12 May 2004 11:54:06 +0100 http://www.home-4u2.co.uk/content/view/2/ House cleaning equipmentTo effectively clean your home you need the right equipment and products. Before beginning, we suggest arming yourself with the following: * General all-purpose cleaner * Bathroom scourers with handle * Scratch-less scouring sponge * Steel wool * Chamois and clean rags * Glass cleaner * Vacuum cleaner * String mop and bucket * Bleach in a spray bottleGeneral house cleaning rulesThe most efficient cleaning method is room by room. Don't have a few rooms on the go at once, otherwise you won't finish anything. As a general rule, always start cleaning from the top down, finishing with the floors.Cleaning the kitchen * Spray the oven with oven cleaner the night before (or according to the instructions on the pack). * Wipe shelves, the front of cupboards and drawers. Then wipe the splashback and range hood with window cleaner. * Clean the cook top with the all-purpose cleaner and a scratch-less scourer * Remove all trays and racks from the oven and place them in a tub or sink with hot water. Then use a scourer to clean. You can then remove the oven grime, which should wipe away easily after being sprayed with oven cleaner the night before. * The fridge is next. Get rid of all old food and jars you never use. Clean the inside of the fridge and freezer with all-purpose cleaner and the outside with window cleaner. If you have an older fridge you may need to defrost it. This takes a few hours so ensure that you store perishables in an esky to keep them from spoiling. * Wipe counters and all appliances with all-purpose cleaner. * Empty the garbage bin and clean it out with disinfectant. * Finally, sweep and then mop the floor.Cleaning the bathroom * Start by vacuuming everything. This will remove all dust and hair, which is difficult to remove when wet. * Spray bleach and disinfectant in the toilet, leave for 10 minutes and then scrub with the toilet brush before wiping the rim. * Spray all-purpose cleaner on the shower screen and scrub with a bathroom brush. Then rinse with hot water. Repeat if necessary. * Clean bath, shower recess and sink with all-purpose cleaner. * Polish mirrors with window cleaner and a clean rag. * Scrub the floor with a strong cleanser. You might have to get on your hands and knees for this but you'll be pleased with the result. * Finally mop the floor with soapy water. A string mop works best, as it will reach into awkward corners. Newsflashes - Newsflash Mon, 09 Aug 2004 08:30:34 +0100