Selling a house is a uniquely personal experience. It had been your home once, even if for a short time, and a witness to a very specific period of your life. Now that you’ve renovated the bathroom, kitchen, and yard, it’s sure to fetch a high price from the right buyer.

That’s the theory, anyway.

But then an interested buyer sent a low ball offer so insulting, it surely must be a mistake. You aren’t likely to encounter these in a seller’s market, and if you did, it’d be easy to toss it aside. No, someone sent you a low ball offer and it’s your only offer.

So what do you do? Well, with the right moves you can turn a low ball offer into something acceptable for both parties. Follow this guide to learn everything you need to know about negotiating low ball offers.

1. Don’t Take It Personally

If you aren’t swimming in offers, it’s never a good idea to brush one off — even if it’s not currently to your liking. Some sellers make the mistake of taking personal offense. After all those renovations, someone had the gall to submit a bid 20% below the asking price?

Yes, they did. Rather than ignoring the low ball offer and cutting ties with the buyer, take advantage of the situation. Tell the bidding party that you’re happy for the bid, but you can’t accept it as it stands. This leaves flexibility for a negotiation that may, in turn, lead to a happy outcome.

Remember that you’re trying to sell the home. Cutting a buyer out of the running doesn’t help you accomplish this goal.

In fact, many buyer agents always suggest an offer under the asking price when the market is in good shape. Do they expect to get what they’re asking for?

Not at all. It’s an attempt to swing things in their direction. If they offer a bid that’s 20% under the asking price, it makes a 10% discount seem like a serious concession.

2. Return With a Better Offer

While a counteroffer isn’t necessary, it can start steering things in your favor. The trick is to provide a reasonable price point, even if it’s far different than the one they provided.

What’s reasonable? That’s up to you.

A good real estate counteroffer should be the lowest you’re willing to go and finalize on the sale. If you offer them something for less, you’ll be in negotiation limbo and likely never come to an agreement as you try to reach what you’re okay with.

This suggestion assumes you’re flexible about the asking price.

If the market in your area is in good shape, you can afford to wait for a better offer. That’s why some agents would argue that you counteroffer for the original asking price. This tells the buyers that you’re firm and not willing to negotiate for anything less.

This will scare low ball buyers away in most cases. Make sure you’re willing to wait for another bid before opting for this approach.

3. Evaluate Your Asking Price

Competitive pricing is only competitive for so long. Local housing markets are constantly in flux.

Many agents reduce the listing price quickly, just after one or two weeks. If your price is unchanged for a few months, it may be completely unaligned with surrounding homes.

Ask the bidders what made them propose an offer that’s well below your asking price. This isn’t supposed to grill them.

It’s an attempt to come to an understanding of their position. If this is the only offer you’ve received so far, there’s a good reason for it. You may discover that buyers are concerned about the roof that’s in need of replacement, so they aren’t willing to meet your price request.

But if the buyer’s agent suggests your home is overpriced, it’s time to re-evaluate. Ask the agents to go over their comparable price list. If an agent lacks experience with a certain neighborhood, their projected price could be flat-out wrong.

Otherwise, recent market changes may demand that you lower your asking price or take the home off the market until things turn around.

4. Look Beyond the Price

Selling a home is a complex process. It’s easy to focus on the sticker price and disregard everything else. But cold hard cash isn’t the only way to sweeten a deal when you’re trying to negotiate for something favorable.

Be open to lowering your asking price. In return, you can request a variety of concessions that can effectively raise your compensation.

Like what? Ask for a shorter closing date if you’ll avoid another mortgage payment. With one simple change, you’ve already saved a thousand dollars or more.

If you think your old home may have some undiagnosed damages, you can also ask the buyer to waive the inspection contingency or make it information-only. This means the inspector will alert the buyer of anything in need of repair, but they won’t be able to negotiate them.

Convert a Low Ball Offer Into a Great Sale

By ignoring a low ball offer, your property could end up on the market for months and cost you in mortgage payments and declining real estate value. That’s not ideal.

That’s why you should always give low ball offers the time of day even if many buyers are willing to pay more. They could always drop out before closing on a sale. A little strategic maneuvering is often all it takes to facilitate a negotiation that works for both parties.

Thinking of selling your home or investing in another property? Search our blog for more real estate advice.

Is your workspace dark and depressing, even in the middle of the day? You might get a little light in through windows around the space, but depending on placement it just might not be enough.

If you feel like you could use some more light in your home or office, it might be worth considering installing some skylight windows. These windows can help to bring a ton more light into your space.

Not convinced yet? Read on, and we’ll walk you through a few of the amazing benefits that skylight windows can provide.

1. Natural Light Can Improve Your Mood

A skylight isn’t obstructed by the kinds of obstacles your average on-the-wall windows might be. They can bring a wealth of totally unobstructed natural light into space.

If you care about your mood and mental health, this can actually be hugely important. Natural light is directly linked to your mood and your sense of happiness. If you’ve felt sluggish, down, or downright depressed while at home or work, a lack of light might be why.

Adding more light to a space can dramatically alter the way you feel. It can also make a room seem bigger and more inviting, only adding to the positive influence.

2. Add Value to Your Home

One of the main reasons many homeowners take on construction projects is that they want to increase the value of their homes. Yes, hiring a roofing contractor to do the job will require a little bit of money. They definitely aren’t doing it for free!

And yet, if you view this work as an investment instead of a cost, it’s a lot easier to get excited about the prospects. Skylights are striking architectural features that really add a lot of value to potential buyers.

When you get around to selling your home, you might realize that the skylight really helped pay for itself.

3. Keep the Lights Off

Do you groan when you get your electric bill in the mail every month? No matter how hard you seem to try, you can’t get the numbers down and your bill smaller.

If there’s one action that can help, it’s the installation of a skylight. With natural light flooding into a space, you’ll no longer have a need for turning on your lights during the day time. This can really add up and save you a lot of money on your electric bill in the long-run.

Letting natural light in can also let more heat in, meaning you might be able to save on your heating bill in the winter months as well. 

3 Reasons to Get Skylight Windows

If your workplace or home is feeling dreary, maybe it’s time for a change. Installing skylight windows can dramatically alter the feeling of a room. It can make it much more enjoyable for you and save you money in the long-run as well.

Need more real estate advice, tips, and tricks? Check out our blog for more.

Did you know that 84% of millennials said they would willingly move for a specific job?

Relocation offers a great opportunity for the employee. This is especially true when they’re getting a higher position in the process. It’s a chance to get comfortable in a new place and find more prospects.

The company also enjoys the benefits of filling up a vacant position or opening in a new location. When the employee relocation goes well, it spells great things for both parties. However, few people can make employee relocation work out well.

If you want to learn how to do it right, keep reading for our guide on employee relocation.

1. What Is Employee Relocation?

We can glean what the term means from its name. Employee relocation is when a company moves an employee from one location to another. Often, this move will include benefits to entice the employee and to make the move easier for them.

Relocation packages offer help in moving household items, help with the departure, and counseling. The employee the company chooses can be a new or old employee. Other reasons for relocation include career development or filling in an open position.

For example, your company is opening a new branch in a new area. You need someone who stands by the company mission and with experience to manage it. Thus, you’ll offer one of your best employees a relocation package.

2. Benefits of Employee Relocation

When you offer relocation packages to employees, you gain several benefits. 

First, your company gains new clients in areas they want to target. Businesses are always branching out into new cities with high prospects. This is because some cities offer tax breaks and incentives to make a business more profitable.

Second, a new location can also offer a pool of employees with a specific skill set or expertise. You open a business in the area where many potential employees live. For example, businesses target areas near schools for the supply of fresh graduates.

Employee relocation is a cheaper and time-saving choice when building a new facility. It’s smarter than starting from zero again to hire and train new employees. Relocating employees is also a must while you’re renovating your facilities. 

3. What to Include in Your Relocation Packages

Your employees will move out of their comfort zone for the right job. However, some employees might look for more than a pay raise and a new job title. Oftentimes, what they want isn’t even something too big or expensive.

When you’re offering an employee the relocation package, they often keep their ears open for a few key things. One of these is help with the move. Nobody wants to shoulder all the stress and finances of moving to a new place.

If you can, offer pre-decision counseling with them. This way, they can better assess the move and their job opportunities. It’s also smart to let them 

4. Prepare an Employee for Relocation

Let’s talk about how to make relocation easier for you and the relocating employee.

It’s most important to get everything organized and labeled so they know where they can find what. If the employee is taking company computers with them, give instructions on how to pack them.

Create a detailed employee relocation checklist. If they accept the job 8 weeks before the move, have them visit the new office. This way, they can connect with other employees and consider the cost of living in the new area.

Six weeks before the move, let them know it’s time to start looking for a new home. You can help make this easy when you list with Corporate Keys Australia, for example. This is also the time to start budgeting for the move and track any moving expenses.

Four weeks before the move, a car-shipping service should have a plan for their vehicle. Also, they should already have a temporary housing solution if they haven’t found a permanent one yet. Two weeks before, they need their utilities transferred and mail address changed already.

5. Tips for Employee Relocation

Most employers pitch the relocation offer as they extend a formal job offer. You don’t need to offer help you can’t give. However, it will be more difficult to encourage the employee to take the job offer.

If you can’t help with the move, it’s important to be upfront with your candidate about the information. Remember that relocating to a new place is a huge deal. Give your employee time to process and consider the offer.

Pitch the relocation package to your employee before you put it down in writing. This way, you can talk about the specifics of the help for the move with the employee. 

What if the relocated employee quits? Since relocating an employee can be expensive, many employers fear this outcome. Before you disburse relocation funds, have them sign a relocation contract or repayment agreement. 

6. Can’t Offer a Relocation Package? Use Alternatives

If you can’t support your employees, the best you can give is advice. Instead of offering financial help, make time to help the move easier. Talk to contacts that can assist them with housing or transportation.

If you know a real estate agent in the area they’re moving to, introduce them. The agent can help them look for a house that best fits their lifestyle and budget. If they need a place for a short stay, recommend an affordable apartment or hotel in the area. 

Transportation advice is no joke either, especially if they need to ride to work. Give them valuable information like when in the day they can expect the worst traffic. You can also provide the easiest and fastest ways to get to work.

Keep Your Business Going With Employee Relocation

Relocating an employee is a big deal to the company as it is to the employee. Making detailed preparations is the key to a successful relocation.

That’s it for our guide on employee relocation.

Found this post educational and helpful? Continue discovering more tips and tricks by going through our other articles today!

 When it comes time to sell your home, you have more than a few options. On the one hand, you can sell it traditionally and go through the arduous (and sometimes, costly) process of preparing your home for the market and selling to potential homeowners. However, depending on your house, the market, and your neighborhood, this could take months.

Alternatively, you could give up on trying to sell the home and try to rent it out. However, most people can afford to hang onto a mortgage and hoping they’ll always have renters paying the bills for them.

But have you considered selling to home investors? Home investors will buy your home for cash, regardless of the condition, it’s in. This can be a great option for people who don’t have the time or money to fix up their home before selling it.

However, don’t just take our word for it. Ask yourself the following questions when deciding whether or not you want to sell to home investors.

1. How Long Are You Willing to Wait?

Selling a home traditionally takes over two months, but that’s after it’s originally placed on the market. That doesn’t include prep time, which can take weeks to months by itself.

If for whatever reason, you’re looking to sell your home quickly and move on with your life, you should consider selling your home to home investors who can usually give you a quote within 24 hours. From this point (assuming you accept their offer), you could have your home sold in as little as seven days.

2. Are You Facing Foreclosure?

Another reason it might be worth your time to consider selling to home investors is if you’re facing foreclosure on the home. Unfortunately, life doesn’t always go the way we plan. Sometimes, that means falling behind on our mortgage payments, and banks aren’t exactly understanding.

Typically, after four missed payments or 120 days without paying, lenders will send you a notice that the home is under foreclosure. After a foreclosure notice, the homeowner has two to three months to figure out what to do. Generally speaking, it would be incredibly risky trying to sell the home traditionally.

3. How Much Work Does the House Need?

Additionally, consider how much work the house needs to be put up for sale in the housing market. While you can try to sell it as-is, hoping to get a house flipper or young couple willing to renovate, the odds aren’t in your favor.

Moreover, the buyer’s lender may not approve the loan if there are any “red flag” issues with the house, which are determined by the lender and loan type. For example, negative drainage, roofs that need repairing, chipping paint, and water damage have all been known to stop a house sale dead in its tracks.

4. What Resources Are You Willing to Invest?

If the house needs updating or repairs but is still sellable to the average buyer, you need to consider another question. How much are you willing to invest to get the home sold?

For example, what updates will you make to appease potential buyers? Will you pay for a realtor? What about professional home stagers and house cleaners?

Selling your home to home investors is a great alternative to investing tons of time, effort, and money to make your house more appealing to potential buyers.

5. Are You Facing Any Major Issues?

Finally, when deciding how to sell your home, consider where you’re at in your life. There are certain circumstances where selling your home to home investors may be the simplest and most commonsensical solution. For example, you may be thinking “I need to sell my house fast” because:

• You’re facing foreclosure (noted above)
• You’re going through a divorce
• You’re being relocated for work
• You’ve inherited the home and don’t know what to do with it
• The purchase of your new home rides on this one selling
• You don’t have the financing to prep the home for sale

Should You Sell Your Home to Home Investors?

While we can’t make the decision for you, we think we’ve given you a pretty good idea of whether or not you should sell your home to home investors. If you’re in a bind or simply looking to sell your home as quickly as possible, home investors are the way to go.

And if you’re looking for more home advice, be sure not to miss out on the rest of our articles in our blog. We also have new listings if you’re looking for great new properties in Florida.

According to the Census Bureau, nearly 65% of Americans were homeowners in the second half of 2019.

Homeownership comes with a ton of responsibilities, from paying off the mortgage to maintaining the pipes and electrical wiring. It can be hard to stay on top of everything all the time, and gutter cleaning is often overlooked.

However, gutter cleaning is more important than you think. Clogged gutters can lead to structural damage, safety risks, and more!

Read on to find out more about why you need to keep your gutters clean and get some of our best gutter cleaning tips.

Why Gutter Cleaning Is Crucial

Gutters are designed to catch water as it rolls down your roof and direct it safely to the ground. When gutters are clogged, they can’t perform their one and only job.

At best, you may find that parts of your lawn and landscaping are torn up after a long day of rain. A heavy flow of water may cascade over your clogged gutters, falling in a high concentration on the ground directly below. This pressure can cause erosion, shifting the dirt and grass in your lawn, and can oversaturate the roots of your plants. 

At worst, water may pool on your roof and begin to seep between your shingles. When the flashing beneath your shingles comes into contact with high volumes of water, it can loosen or even crack under the pressure. Next thing you know, you’ll have a serious leak in your ceiling!

Clogged gutters are also good nesting grounds for unpleasant critters such as bees, wasps, and hornets. These stinging bugs love to build their nests in secure, high-up spots where the nest is less likely to be discovered and destroyed by humans. They may want to hide their home from you, but that doesn’t mean they won’t come out and sting someone if they feel agitated!

Every homeowner should clean their gutters at least twice a year. If you live in a heavily wooded area, you may need to clean your gutters more often, as trees shed plenty of gutter-clogging debris!

Gutter Cleaning Tips

It may seem daunting to add yet another task to your homeowning to-do list, but don’t sweat it. With our gutter cleaning tips, you’ll find this chore to be a breeze!

Ladder Safety Tips

Hiring a professional to clean your gutters is the easiest way to get the job done! We suggest you do so if your gutters cannot be reached by way of a ladder. In other words, if you live in a one-story house, DIY is just fine, but anything taller requires professional assistance!

When you use a ladder, keep your hips squared with either side. Don’t lean so far to the left or right that your upper body is no longer in line with the sides of the ladder. Work in sections as wide as your wingspan and move the ladder as needed.

Grab a Gardening Trowel

The best tool to use for gutter cleaning that you likely have at your disposal is a gardening trowel. Begin at the end closest to the downspout and scoop out the leaves and gunk that have built up in the gutter. Scoop away from the downspout so that you don’t risk clogging it in the process. 

The best time to get up there is a day or two after a rainfall when the debris is slightly damp. If the debris is too dry, a lot of it will become airborne when you disturb it and may get into your eyes, nose, and mouth. If it is too wet, it won’t stick together in easily removable clumps.

If you aren’t comfortable dropping the debris into your yard for fear of damaging your plants or dirtying your windows, grab a bucket with a handle. Tie the bucket to the top of your ladder and empty it every time you head down to move the ladder a few feet.

Clean Away Stuck-On Gunk

Damp debris is a breeding ground for mold and mildew. Mold is both unsightly and, in some cases, corrosive. 

The quickest way to rid your gutter of all that stuck-on gunk is pressure washing. Pressure washing is also a safer alternative to more hands-on methods since you can pressure wash from a distance. That means less time spent on a ladder and a lower risk of moldy water getting on your skin and clothes!

Install a Gutter Guard 

Gutter guards are a great way to lower your risk of gutter clogging. Gutter guards can be purchased at most home goods stores. They are designed to fit over the top of your gutter and let rain in while keeping large debris such as sticks and leaves out.

Installing a gutter guard won’t protect you from mold or the buildup of debris such as pollen and smaller plant matter. It will, however, cut down on the frequency with which you need to clear your gutters out.

Avoid the Leaf Blower Method

You may see professionals (or gutsy neighbors) cleaning out gutters with a leaf blower. This is not something we recommend trying.

Handling a leaf blower while on a ladder is dangerous. For starters, they’re cumbersome pieces of equipment and if you’re holding on to one, you’re probably not holding on to the ladder. To top it off, some leaf blowers exert quite a bit of force when in use which could cause you to lose your balance and fall from your position on the ladder.

Plus, leaf blowers are going to kick up a lot of irritants. Unless you have goggles and a mask to cover your mouth and nose, you’re probably going to feel some serious discomfort after cleaning your gutter with a leaf blower!

Don’t Put Off Gutter Cleaning

Don’t put off gutter cleaning. It’ll cost you a lot more in money and time if you end up having to replace entire pieces of your roof after a leak!

For more tips on homeownership and property management, bookmark our website. 

More types of home heating fuel are available today than many people realize. When most think of heating fuel, the two kinds that come to mind are electricity and natural gas. And, indeed, these are by far the most popular.

About 48% of U.S. homes today use natural gas while 37% use electricity. We’ll discuss these along with the remaining 15% of heating fuel types. What are the pros and cons of each?

If you’ve been thinking about changing fuel types for home heating, keep reading this article.

Types of Heating Fuel

This isn’t an exhaustive list by any means. We hope it covers the main heating fuel types as well as some up and coming ones, though.

Natural Gas

Natural gas is popular across all regions of the U.S. It is clean to burn and gas furnaces can be extremely energy-efficient. There’s also an abundant supply of it. Natural gas is less expensive than other types of heating fuel.

Unfortunately, natural gas emits greenhouse gases and other by-products. It also relies on expensive pipelines for transport. Furthermore, using it carries the risks of explosion and/or carbon monoxide poisoning.

Electricity

Traditional electric furnaces tend to cost less upfront than those that run on gas or oil. However, electricity as a heating fuel costs more than gas over time.

It remains a popular energy source, though—perhaps because it’s already in people’s homes.

Electricity also operates heating pumps (see below). These have long been used in the south but now becoming popular in other regions.

Oil

Oil heating used to be very popular, and it continues to enjoy that popularity, especially in the northeastern U.S. The cost of oil heating is higher than that of electricity or natural gas.

Heating oil also needs to be stored in a large buried tank in the yard and is delivered by truck. However, oil heat burns 300º hotter than natural gas. It warms a home faster, using less fuel.

Click here if you’re looking for a good oil delivery company in the area west and northwest of Philadelphia.

Propane

Propane—also known as liquefied petroleum gas or LPG—is used mainly for homes that want gas for heating, but lack access to natural gas lines. It’s stored in a tank outside the home where it’s used. Propane costs more than natural gas.

Wood

Wood is mainly used in wood-burning fireplaces or stoves (especially pellet-burning stoves). Except in warmer climates, fireplaces and stoves tend to supplement a furnace as heating sources.

Solar

Solar heat has grown in popularity as more people move away from fossil fuels and solar panels and heating systems become better understood. The installation cost is competitive with furnaces, and government incentives are widely available.

Geothermal

Geothermal heat comes from the earth’s molten core and is extracted by a heat pump that uses it to heat a home and possibly water as well.

Underground reservoirs of steam and hot water can be tapped to heat and cool buildings. Unlike solar and wind energy, geothermal energy is always available.

For more information on how heat pumps process geothermal heat, go to this site.

Stay Warm!

As you can see, there’s a lot of variation among types of heating fuel. When you’re thinking about switching types, there are some things to consider, as follow:

• Cost to install the furnace or other heating apparatus
• Cost of the fuel over time
• Whether it’s a fossil fuel, like gas and oil, or has other troubling emissions or by-products
• How effectively it heats a home in the climate where you live
• How easy it will be to source the fuel itself as well as get service and replacement parts

You need to take your budget and household needs into account too. Remember, though, that whatever decision you make, you’ll be part of an international debate over issues affecting the climate. So give it some serious thought!

Did you know that in 2018 Americans spent an average of $9,081 on home improvements?

If you’re thinking of upgrading your house this year, then there are many things that you can do. You might choose to renovate your bathroom or kitchen, paint your rooms new colors, or even replace your current flooring.

Keep reading to find out what the most popular floors are right now and why you should update your flooring.

Top Flooring Ideas for Your Home

Flooring trends come and go, due to the personal tastes of homeowners and because of technological advances. However, if you want to upgrade your home then changing your flooring could be the right way to go. These are the biggest 2020 new flooring ideas that might just make your house feel more homely.

1. Fumed Wood Flooring

As far as flooring options go, fumed wood flooring looks like it will be big this year. Fumed wood flooring is different from stained wooden flooring and has a high-finish complete with rich dark tones. If you want a floor that enhances the natural grain of wood then you should go with this type of flooring.

2. Waterproof Flooring

The best flooring that has adapted to technological advances has got to be waterproof flooring. A few years ago, the only flooring that was waterproof was tile. But now, you can get waterproof vinyl, laminate, and carpets. If you live in a busy home and want a practical type of flooring that is easy to maintain then this one is definitely for you.

3. Distressed Wood or Concrete Flooring

Rustic homes need to jump on this trend, the distressed wood flooring is finished to a high standard and looks worn. Artificial aging and styling are used to create bespoke distressed flooring. The best news is you can get this in wood or concrete, depending on your preferences.

4. Black and White Tiling

Vintage lovers should add some black and white tiling to their homes. 2020 black and white tiling brings vintage and contemporary together, so your home looks beautiful. How are vintage and contemporary combined with these tiles? Using bolder graphics and smaller tiles. This flooring would look great in your bathroom and/or kitchen.

5. Environmentally-Friendly Flooring

Homeowners worldwide are now more cautious than ever about the impacts they have on the environment, which is why in 2020, you can expect this trend to really take off. If you want to be kinder to the environment, then why not opt for flooring that is natural, renewable, and recyclable? 

Not sure what type of flooring to go for? Then why not contact flooring specialists Darden Building Materials and speak with an expert who can help you choose between wood, tile, stone, and vinyl.

Upgrade Your House With These Popular Floors

With an abundance of popular floors to choose from, you’ll be spoiled for choice. All you need to do is work out which flooring option you want to install in your home and then you can relax in the knowledge that your house is modern and practical.

If you enjoyed reading this article, make sure you check out some of our other home improvement articles to see how you can transform your home.

If you use a well to power your water needs, you know that you need to have a water pressure tank. These tanks are essential to giving you the water you and your family need to get through the day.

That said, it can be a bit difficult to find the right one that suits your needs. Water pressure tanks come in all shapes and sizes, and if you don’t know which one to get, you could end up spending a good deal of money on the wrong parts.

How do you find out which pressure tank is perfect for your house? This article will go explain water pressure tank sizing and how you can find the proper tank for your home. Read on to find out more.

For Water Pressure Tank Sizing, You Need to Know Your Flow Rate

One of the first things you’ll want to know before getting your tank is your flow rate. The flow rate is a rate of how many gallons per minute your pump produces.

Pumps of different sizes and power levels will, of course, produce higher or lower gallons per minute. You’ll want to buy a water pressure tank that can match the power of your pump.

Know the Runtime of Your Pump

When it comes to your pump, there is a certain amount of time that it runs before the tank level is full and it shuts itself off. This length of time is called the runtime of the pump.

As a general rule of thumb, the longer your pump runs, the more energy it will use and the more wear and tear it will experience. Pumps are not designed to run on their own for a long time, which is why the water tank is there to help it shut off after the tank is full.

Make sure the pump is big enough to hold a good amount of water (so the pump won’t continue to have to pump water into it), but not so big that the pump has to run a long time just to fill it back up.

Find out the Pressure Switch Setting of the Pump

Every pump has a pressure switch setting for low-end pressure (the lowest pressure there can be in the tank before the pump switches on) and high-end pressure (the most pressure there can be in the tank before the pump turns off).

In most cases, the common ratios for the pump are 20/40, 30/50, and 40/60. Check the numbers on your well pump and make sure they match the tank you want to buy.

Think you’re ready to get the water tank for your needs? Get the right water well pressure tanks for your well so you and your family can have access to steady water pressure for whatever comes your way!

We’ve Got You Covered on Real Estate

Now that you know how to carry out water pressure tank sizing for your well’s needs, you need to learn what else there is to know about navigating the world of real estate. Luckily for you, we’ve got you covered.

At Sky Five Properties, we make it our duty to help our clients get the best real estate experience the market has to offer. We provide supreme market intelligence on pre-construction sites, luxury rentals, developer services, and more.

Take a look around our site to learn more about what we can offer you!

Making a decision on the source of fuel for your home. It’s one of those tricky tasks that doesn’t really cross your mind until you’re faced with it, and many of us don’t know the differences between natural gas vs propane. 

We’re going to discuss those differences in this article, hopefully giving you some insights into which choice will be the right one for your home. We’ll break down the specifics of both natural gas and propane so that you can make an informed choice on how to move forward.

Let’s get started!

Choosing Natural Gas vs Propane

It’s important to note that some homes won’t have the option to use natural gas. Natural gas is delivered to your home through gas lines from your area’s company, and delivery is not always possible immediately. 

Benjamin Franklin Plumbing has some good insight into gas lines and how to understand them. With that in mind, let’s jump into some details about natural gas.

Natural Gas

Again, the primary distinction to keep in mind is that natural gas must be sent to your home through a pipeline. Installation of gas lines often requires that you have lines dug into your yard by a company. 

Additionally, you should ensure that your home and your appliances are prepared to use natural gas, and those updates can require the help of a contractor. It’s important that your gas lines are laid properly and your appliances are ready for the natural gas, so installing yourself might be too risky. 

That said, when you have natural gas installed and running, you pay as you go and you’ll rarely have any issue with your fuel source. In other words, it’s hands-off once the ball gets rolling. 

Installation costs can get high, though. At the same time, it’s a one-time payment and natural gas typically costs less to run than propane per-unit.

Propane

A clear advantage of propane is that it comes individually in refillable tanks. You take your propane tank to the nearest filling station or replace your empty tank with a full one.

You can also set up regular deliveries with a company. Additionally, you don’t have to worry about your gas lines getting interfered with or causing problems. Preparing your home and appliances for propane fuel is relatively simple compared to natural gas. 

That said, you may spend more money than you have to with installations and maintenance if you use natural gas for a home that you only plan to live in for a short time. 

Propane is cheaper in the short-term, while natural gas is cheaper and more hands-free in the long-term. The decision you make should definitely factor in the amount of time you plan to live in a particular location and whether or not you want to be responsible for maintaining propane tanks. 

Want More Home Improvement Tips?

The choice of natural gas vs propane can be a difficult one. Hopefully, this article has helped you make the right decision for your home. 

If you’re in need of more home improvement tips and tricks, explore our site for the information you need. 

When Benjamin Franklin discovered electricity, he surely must have also discovered the problems that come with it!

In your home, you will occasionally have electrical issues. And if you aren’t brave enough to tackle the issues yourself, you’ll want to consider hiring electricians.

But how exactly do you go about this?

Hiring Electricians: 5 Things To Know

Before you make haste and call up the first electrician you know, consider the following five tips before selecting the best electrician for your needs: 

1. Cost

Of course, as the saying goes, “you get what you pay for.” But you want to make sure that you are not getting ripped off. You also want to make sure that you do not unnecessarily spend for something that is not an emergency.

On average an electrician charges between $50 to $100 per hour. In higher-income areas, the electrician may charge more than this. Expenses for certain procedures may also apply. If there are multiple issues that need fixing, address this with the electrician beforehand and negotiate a rate to tackle these issues – ideally in a single session.

2. Prepare Your Home

Before you hire an electrician, make sure that your home is prepared for when they arrive. 

Ensure that you do your due diligence with the following:

• Understand the issues and communicate this clearly with your electrician so they are prepared
• Make sure your fuse box is easily accessible for your electrician
• Make sure there aren’t any urgent matters which require electricity – if you are expecting a call, need to check your email, these things may stop due to a power outage while the electrician is working

3. Compliance

Yes, depending on your jurisdiction, there may be some compliance codes that need to be followed with regard to electricity. It is best when hiring an electrician to them if they know the latest compliance codes and ask them to advise you for future reference.

There is a National Electric Code, and you would be wise to be aware of their rules.

4. Ask About Maintenance

Many of the problems which have occurred are because your devices and appliances have not been properly maintained. Ask your electrician if they can inspect your appliances to see if they are being well-maintained and if they can drop in occasionally to check the appliances before they need repair.

The best home electricians will be able to inspect your current electrical system to know if it is safe.

5. Ask Around

This is the most obvious but cannot be overlooked. Do not hasten to hire an electrician without asking around for the best one. Ask your friends and neighbors whom they have hired. Look online for reviews to get an idea of how electricians are endorsed.

Now You’re Ready!

Now you know the parameters for hiring electricians. 

Electricity is a need and you want to ensure that your life does not come to a stop!

You want to come home to a well-lit house and without any faulty electrical components to stress over.

We wish you all the best! 

SkyFive Properties showcases the best homes in Miami! Have a look around our site for more information.