Helping Your Lawn Bed Down For Winter

A little extra effort on your lawn in the fall — think about all the time you won’t be spending mowing, trimming and weeding in the winter — can save you a lot of extra effort in the spring.

DO: Feed It!

For those living in cooler climates, where most lawns are “cool-season” grasses, properly feeding your lawn during the fall months is more important than during any other time of the year, as cool-season grasses are most active during this season

In an article on MSN Real Estate, Bob Mugaas, a horticulture expert, recommends fertilizing twice: first with a higher-nitrogen “feeding” early in the season, and then a high-phosphorous feeding towards the end of season. If you are unsure about the needs of the soil in your area, a soil test can give you the answers.

DO: Overseed!

For warm-season lawns, Denny Schrock of Better Homes and Gardens recommends overseeding with ryegrass in the fall for a lush lawn in the cooler wintertime. Seed right over your freshly (and shorter) mowed lawn in a cross-hatch pattern.

DON’T: Cut It!

As you rake and neaten and de-thatch, it may be irresistible to prune as well. Resist the urge. Most experts, such as Mike McGrath, host You Bet Your Garden agree that because pruning promotes growth, cutting plants, trees or shrubs back just before they begin going dormant for the winter only weakens the plants. Best time to prune? Late winter or early spring.

DO: Aerate!

Aeration provides multiple benefits to your lawn — helping to minimize thatch, improving drainage and irrigation, and loosening the soil. Lisa Kaplan Gordon, managing editor of HouseLogic.com, notes that aeration facilitates getting water, oxygen and nutrients to where they are needed (the root system) and allows seeds room to sprout and grow. Depending on the size of your lawn, a hand-aerator tool might be fine. If hand-aerating your lawn seems daunting, power aerators can be rented by the hour.

For more autumn lawn preparation tips, try these resources:

Fall Lawn Care: 4 Ways to Say G’Night For The Winter (HouseLogic.com)

Preparing Your Lawn for Winter (Buckeye Gardening)

14 winter-prep tips for your lawn and garden (MSN Real Estate)

Fall Lawn-Care Secrets (Better Homes & Gardens)

Prepare your yard and garden for winter (Las Vegas Review-Journal)

Fall Pruning: Don’t Do It! (Rodale)

Less Money, More Free Time

Top Trends in Home Improvement

It’s not about the biggest house anymore, it’s about the smartest home — the most flexible, the most comfortable, the most energy efficient, the easiest. Whether you’re staying in your home or considering selling, making changes that make your house more cost-effective and lower-maintenance is a good investment.

In today’s world, having your home cost you a bit less each month and take up a little less of your free time each week can make a big difference.

 

Siding - low maintenance and maintenance-free siding solutions can save you time and money. According to Remodeling Magazine, installing fiber-cement siding averages an 80 percent return on your investment, if you sell your home. And that’s not taking into consideration the amount of time you’ll have free not making or organizing repairs.

 

Energy Efficiency - so, your appliances are Energy Star rated, your bulbs are CFL, you’ve checked your windows and doors for leaks; but do you really know where your energy is going? New energy monitor devices can help you track the energy usage for a single device or your whole house.

 

Storage - whether it’s getting rid of that monthly storage facility fee or clearing off your floors, chairs and tables, transforming unused space into creative storage space is one of top ways to maximize the home you’re in. Under the stairs, over doors, inside suspiciously under-used (not the same as not full) closets are all spaces that a little creativity and handywork (or handyman services) can transform into good-looking and useful added storage.

 

For more ideas to save you money and free up your time, try these resources:

• 7 Hot Home Improvement Trends that Make Your Home Work for You
• Small Renovations Can Help Buy Time, Save Money
• 4 Easy Home Improvements to Save Energy and Money

Home Building Sags Again

By THE ASSOCIATED PRESS

Builders broke ground on fewer homes in the United States in August, the government said Tuesday.

Work began on a seasonally adjusted 571,000 homes last month, a 5 percent decline from July, according to the Commerce Department. That’s less than half of the 1.2 million that economists say is consistent with healthy housing markets.

Single-family homes, which represent roughly two-thirds of home construction, fell 1.4 percent. Apartment building plunged 12.4 percent. Building permits, a gauge of future construction, rose 3.2 percent. One cause of the downturn was Hurricane Irene, which slowed construction in the Northeast.

Over all, homebuilding fell to its lowest levels in 50 years in 2009, when builders began work on just 554,000 homes. Last year was not much better.

While home construction represents a small portion of the housing market, it has an outsize impact on the economy. Each home built creates an average of three jobs for a year and about $90,000 in taxes, according to the National Association of Home Builders.

After previous recessions, housing accounted for at least 15 percent of economic growth in the United States. Since the recession officially ended in June 2009, it has contributed just 4 percent.

Cash-strapped builders are struggling to compete with deeply discounted foreclosures and short sales, when lenders allow borrowers to sell homes for less than what is owed on their mortgages. And few homes are selling.

New-home sales fell in July to a seasonally adjusted annual rate of 298,000, the weakest pace in five months. This year is shaping up to be the worst for sales on records dating back a half-century.

Renting has become a preferred option for many Americans who lost their jobs during the recession and were forced to leave their homes. Still, the surge in apartments has not been enough to offset the loss of single-family homebuilding.

Another reason sales have fallen is that previously occupied homes are a better deal than new homes. The median price of a new home is nearly 28 percent higher than the median price for a re-sale. That’s almost twice the markup in a healthy housing market.

The trade group said Monday that its survey of industry sentiment fell slightly to 14 in September. The index has been below 20 for all but one month during the past two years. Any reading below 50 indicates negative sentiment about the housing market. The index hasn’t reached 50 since April 2006, the peak of the housing boom.

Head-to-Toe Fall Prep For Your Home

An easy to remember list to help you get ready for autumn

Summer has come and gone — funny how every year it seems to go by just that little bit faster.

After Labor Day and before Columbus Day is the time to make sure your home is prepared for cooler temperatures and harsher weather. Just as you might be saying goodbye to your shaggy hair, your shorts and your flip flops and preparing to head back to the office, your home too could stand a head to toe review to make the switch.

Head — now is the time to clear off the roof, clean out and repair the gutters and check your chimney.

Body— while it’s still warm, double check your door and windows for cracks, leaks and warping. Apply weather stripping where it’s needed.  Make an appointment to have your furnace tuned up.

Feet — if you have a pool, following winter-closing procedures such as using PH stabilizers and algaecides can make next spring’s opening much easier. Clear and weather-protect your decks and store furnishings. Check your driveway for cracks or damage that could turn ugly in cold temperatures or in icy conditions.

Accessorize— reorganize your garage to move summer equipment and paraphernalia to the back and your fall tools and supplies up front. Sweep and prepare a spot for firewood; check old wood for rot and insects.

For more tips on getting ready for fall, try these resources:

DoItYourself: Fall To-Do List: Outdoor Maintenance

Popular Mechanics: 5 Steps to Faster Fall Yard Work: This Weekend, Autumn Home Checklist, and 7 Steps to Save Money This Fall by Sealing Leaks and Drafts

3 Bathroom Updates That Impact Your Home’s Value

Small Changes That Make A Big Difference

Making improvements to your bathrooms and kitchen is one of the best ways to boost the value of your home. Often times, though, you can make a huge difference without spending a huge amount of money.

Faucets — Whether your current faucets are scratched up, look out-dated, or lack style, a new faucet can make a big difference.

Look for faucets that are consistent with your home’s style. Faucets with handles that have spokes or levers are a better investment than faucets with round knobs — spokes and levers are easier for little hands and old hands to maneuver than knobless handles, which can be hard to hold and turn.

Vanity — Switching out a vanity can change the whole look, and sometimes the very functionality, of your bathroom. For bathrooms long on clutter and short on storage, exchanging a pedestal sink for a cabinet vanity can help streamline and clean up the room. Changing a tile countertop to a solid surface, such as granite or soapstone, is another sure-fire way to transform an outdated looking bathroom to one that feels current with today’s design trends.

Fixtures — Replacing a standard mirror-fronted medicine cabinet with a large mirror will not only make the room feel more modern, but also larger. If storage is a concern, consider a bigger built-in cabinet or updating the front of your current cabinet with a frame. Updating your towel bars, hooks and toilet paper holder with new, stylish versions is a simple way to change the look and feel of your bathroom.

For more ideas and tips on updating your bathroom, visit these resources:

• HGTV’s Front Door: Maximum Value Bathroom Projects: Counters and Vanity
• Home Renovating Guide: Add Value To Your Home With the Right Fixtures and Accessories
• A.J. Perri: Add Value to Your Home & Save Money by Updating your Bathroom and/or Kitchen

Home Prices in U.S. Showed Signs of Stabilizing in June

Residential real estate prices in the U.S. decreased in the year ended in June at a slower pace than in the prior month, a sign the market may be stabilizing.

The S&P/Case-Shiller index of property values in 20 cities fell 4.5 percent from June 2010, after a 4.6 percent drop in the 12 months ended May that was the biggest since 2009, the group said today inNew York. The median forecast of 31 economists surveyed by Bloomberg News projected a 4.6 percent decline.

Values fell by 0.1 percent in June from the prior month after adjusted for seasonal changes, matching the decrease in May, indicating the deterioration is slowing. Nonetheless, any recovery in home values is probably years away as foreclosures dump more properties onto to the market, while a jobless rate hovering around 9 percent and strict lending rules hurt sales.

“Prices aren’t going to rebound back rapidly,” said Paul Dales, a senior U.S. economist at Capital Economics Ltd. in Toronto. “Most people think that when the downturn ends the recovery will be pretty good, but that’s not going to be the case at all.”

Another report today showed consumer confidence plunged in August by the most since October 2008 as Americans grew more concerned about job prospects. The New York-based Conference Board’s gauge dropped to 44.5, the lowest reading since April 2009, when the economy was in a recession, the private research group said.

Shares Fall

Stocks fell amid concern the recent rally had gone too far given the U.S. economic outlook. The Standard & Poor’s 500 Index fell 0.9 percent to 1,199.22 at 10:03 a.m. in New York. Treasury securities rose, sending the yield on the benchmark 10-year note down to 2.17 percent from 2.26 percent late yesterday.

Estimates for the price change from June 2010 ranged from declines of 4 percent to 5.5 percent, according to the Bloomberg survey. The Case-Shiller measure is based on a three-month average, which means the June data was influenced by transactions in May and April.

The year-over-year drop in May was the biggest in 18 months.

Nationally, prices decreased 5.9 percent in the second quarter from the same time in 2010. They increased 3.6 percent from the previous three months before seasonal adjustment and climbed 0.1 percent after taking those changes into account. Property values in the first quarter dropped to the lowest level in almost nine years.

Unadjusted Increase

Prices in the 20 cities climbed before adjusting for seasonal changes, rising 1.1 percent in June from the prior month after climbing 1 percent in May.

The year-over-year gauge provides better indications of trends in prices, according to the S&P/Case-Shiller group. The panel includes Karl Case and Robert Shiller, the economists who created the index.

All of the 20 cities in the index showed a year-over-year decline in June, led by an 11 percent drop in Minneapolis.

The smallest 12-month decrease was in Washington, which showed a 1.2 percent drop.

“This month’s report showed mixed signals for recovery in home prices,” David Blitzer, chairman of the S&P index committee, said in a statement. “We are back to regional housing markets, rather than a national housing market where everything rose and fell together.”

With joblessness hovering around 9 percent for a second year, housing has not recovered at the same rate as the rest of the U.S. Existing home sales fell to 4.91 million last year, the lowest level since 1997.

Housing ‘Fragile’

“Consumer confidence is still weak, and the housing sector remains in a fragile state,” Robert Toll, chairman of Toll Brothers Inc. (TOL), the largest U.S. luxury homebuilder, said in Aug. 24 call with analysts. “The nation’s economy continues to suffer from the lack of jobs in housing construction and the related manufacturing and service sectors that a decent new-home market would typically generate.”

Federal Reserve Chairman Ben S. Bernanke, speaking last week in Jackson Hole, Wyoming, said “an overhang of distressed and foreclosed properties, tight credit conditions for builders and potential homebuyers, and ongoing concerns by both potential borrowers and lenders about continued house price declines” have held back the housing market.

During the speech, Bernanke said the economy will probably improve in the second half of 2011, adding the central bank can aid the recovery if needed. Housing will stabilize, “if for no other reason than that ongoing population growth and household formation will ultimately demand it,” the chairman said.

To contact the reporter on this story: Alex Kowalski in Washington atakowalski13@bloomberg.net

To contact the editor responsible for this story: Christopher Wellisz at cwellisz@bloomberg.net

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Save Time, Save Money, Save the Environment

Recycled tires offer an alternative to wood mulch

You might think the only way to recycle old tires is to fasten a rope or chain to them and hang them from a tree. In fact, there is an entire industry devoted to breaking down and re-using tires in a variety of products.

Ironically, one of the most popular uses for recycled tires is as an alternative to traditional, organic mulch. Liberty Tire Recycling, responsible for recycling approximately one third of America’s discarded tires — turning 130 million tires a year into 1.5 billion pounds of rubber to be used for “innovative, eco-friendly products.”

Rubber mulch from discarded tires has several advantages over traditional mulch:

• Longer lasting— regular organic mulch generally needs to be refreshed and/or replaced once a year or more.
• More cost-effective— although per cubic foot more expensive, because rubber mulch lasts so much longer (some products claim to last more than a decade), it works out to be easier on the wallet.
• Less labor-intensive— rather than re-mulching and over-mulching every season or every year, rubber mulch requires much less maintenance.
• More green— store-bought mulch is made from trees cut down just for that purpose; using rubber mulch not only keeps tons of scrap tires out of landfills, it also conserves the environment by offering an alternative to tree-based mulch.

For more information on rubber mulch, try these resources:

• Pinnacle Rubber Mulch
• Service Magic: Wood v. Rubber Mulch
• The Benefits of Rubber Mulch