David Deem 714-997-3486 Dave@DeemTeam.com If you're looking to organize and store items in your garage, then you need to have a plan. The last thing you want is to not have enough room to park your own vehicle in your garage.Here are five garage storage hacks that will allow you to maximize space while keeping everything in order: Garage Shelving One of the easiest ways to store a large number of items in your garage is by installing shelving. The good news is that shelving systems are easy to assemble. A good shelving organization tip is to put the heaviest items on the bottom. This will lower the center of gravity of the shelf. Also, you'll be able to easily access the heaviest items. You can find garage shelving systems at most home improvement stores. Storage Bins If you want some flexibility, then you will want to get a number of plastic storage bins. You'll be able to store large and small items in these bins. Also, you will be able to store these bins...

David Deem 714-997-3486 Dave@DeemTeam.com Moving is a big job, but when you're a senior and you're moving from the home you've raised your family in to something smaller, you have some specific considerations you have to make. You can take measures to reduce the stress of the days ahead. Here's a guide to help you through the process as you get ready to downsize and prep for your move. 1. Knowing When It's Time to Downsize Life happens quickly. One day you're in the midst of raising your kids, tripping over one another in a house that barely seems big enough, and the next your kids are grown and you're left with a large house that's more work than it seems to be worth. Most homeowners do not buy their homes with the intent of downsizing, but as they enter their senior years, the realities of owning a large home begin to catch up with them. Knowing when it's time to downsize is not always easy, but these tips and guidelines should help a...

David Deem 714-997-3486 Dave@DeemTeam.com Redoing your home or room? A paint job is an easy, inexpensive way to totally remake the way your space looks. But with thousands of colors of paint available, how do you decide? Below, the experts from Freshome weigh in. Pick your textiles first . Freshome notes that textiles are usually considered a finishing aspect of the design, but an easy way to make sure your paint coordinates well with the rest of the room is to use fabrics as your design inspiration and move from there. Work in surrounding spaces . Paint can be a unifying element for neighboring spaces, says the Freshome team. The colors should work in harmony. While this tip is especially important to follow when working with open concept spaces, the effect a color has when transitioning between more traditional rooms should also be considered. Look at lighting . Your paint color will look different depending on the way your room is lit. Once you have a color in mind, F...

David Deem 714-997-3486 Dave@DeemTeam.com By John Voket During this part of spring landscaping season, property owners should resist the urge to prune everything in sight, because improper or unnecessary pruning can damage plants, shrubs, and trees, and end up producing the opposite results than you might be seeking. Experts at the North Carolina Cooperative Extension believe proper pruning is both a science and an art. The science involves recognizing plant flaws and eliminating defects. The artistic end involves removing expired plant pieces without someone knowing the plant has even been touched. Improper pruning or pruning at the wrong time of the year can result in unsightly plants, reduced flowering, or plants that are more likely to be damaged by diseases, insects or winter cold, according to the extension experts. Lisa Tadewaldt's blog at urbanforestprofessionals.com says avoid these common pruning mistakes: Using dull tools. Old or overused tools may ...

David Deem 714-997-3486 Dave@DeemTeam.com Many an ambitious and resourceful homeowner chooses to tackle a home improvement project on their own, believing it will help save on the time and expense involved when hiring a professional. However, that’s not always the case, according to research from home improvement marketplace Porch. The reality is, do-it-yourself can often do more harm than good, and repairing costly errors can end up costing you more than if you had hired a professional in the first place. The research from Porch claims that on average, DIY errors can equate to nearly six hours of time and add $310 to the cost of a project, but hours and dollars vary depending on the home improvement project involved. For example, due to the labor and materials involved, flooring installation projects presented the most problems for DIYers, adding nearly 14 hours of time and $829 to the project. Mistakes caused by trying to tackle plumbing, electrical wiring and installin...

David Deem 714-997-3486 Dave@DeemTeam.com Pool owners rejoice the start of summer, and the long poolside days that lay ahead. But before you dive in, make sure your pool is properly prepped. To help, inground pool covers manufacturer, LOOP-LOC, shares three simple pool cleaning tips to get you ready. Remove winter dirt. During the colder months, it is possible that dirt and potentially black algae forms on or around your pool. Be sure to scrub the side walls and steps of your pool until they reflect the pristine pool you have grown accustomed to. After you are certain you have scrubbed away any potential threats to your pool, remember to run the filter for a few hours. This will ensure the bacteria has been removed from your pool. The scrub and filter sequence may need to happen a few times before your pool is summer ready. Balance those chemicals . Once the pool is open, the truly difficult task of balancing pool chemicals begins. As the temperature will continue to heat...

David Deem 714-997-3486 Dave@DeemTeam.com By John Voket Many homeowners opt to take on home improvement projects themselves, expecting that they can save themselves money. New research on the subject from the home improvement marketplace Porch.com an the consumer finance company SoFi has interesting insights on the topic. Porch.com recently surveyed more than 1,000 individuals to learn how they fared with a range of home improvements. According to their research, do-it-yourself errors ended up costing homeowners nearly six hours of time and adding $310 to the cost of the project on average. The porch.com study found that among DIYers, the chief incentive was financial - roughly a third said they tackled projects themselves to save money. For a fifth of respondents, the time commitment was a lesser concern - they opted to DIY because they actually enjoyed the work. Some other key points of the porch.com survey include: - Seventeen percent tackled the job because it see...

David Deem 714-997-3486 Dave@DeemTeam.com • The active listing inventory increased by 228 homes in the past two weeks, up 3%, and now totals 7,413, the highest level since September 2014. Last year, there were 5,730 homes on the market, 1,683 fewer than today. There are 29% more homes than last year. • Demand, the number of pending sales over the prior month, increased by 2 pending sales in the past two-weeks, nearly unchanged, and now totals 2,655. Last year, there were 2,726 pending sales, 3% more than today. • The Expected Market Time for all of Orange County increased from 81 days two weeks ago to 84 days today, a slight Seller’s Market (between 60 to 90 days) and the highest level for this time of the year since 2011. It was at 63 days last year. • For homes priced below $750,000, the market is a slight Seller’s Market (between 60 and 90 days) with an expected market time of 61 days. This range represents 39% of the active inventory and 54% of demand. • For h...

David Deem 714-997-3486 Dave@DeemTeam.com (Family Features)--To make the transition to summer season effortless, there may be some backyard upgrades and prep to be done to ensure your outdoor space is in tip-top shape. From your pool and patio to the grill, these tips can help get your backyard summer-ready. Overhaul the patio . Patios and decks are often considered the hub of the backyard, so consider sprucing yours up by power-washing the stone to remove any winter buildup or use stain for a complete refresh. Adding a pergola or umbrellas can help protect you from the elements and, for added comfort, consider installing an outdoor ceiling fan for humid days and a fire pit or patio heater for cooler nights. Upgrade outdoor furniture . To ensure your backyard furniture lasts, invest in materials such as teak wood, redwood, cedar or stainless steel, which are typically durable and low-maintenance. If you want to add a personal touch, consider colorful cushions, throw pillow...

David Deem 714-997-3486 Dave@DeemTeam.com By John Voket Nothing feels better underfoot than plush, clean carpets. According to the folks at Merrymaids.com, there are four main types of carpeting that you’ll typically find in a home: berber, nylon, olefin or wool. When determining how to clean your carpet, you need to know which material you’re working with because it determines which products you use and which solutions should be avoided at all costs. You can rent professional-grade carpet cleaners at many grocery or hardware stores. The machine should be labeled with user instructions, as well as the recommended cleaning products. Before cleaning your carpet with a machine, you need to do three things: - Make sure you’ve properly budgeted the time to clean your carpet and let it dry thoroughly. (You’ll probably need a full weekend.) - Check to be certain that the machine and product you select are safe to use on your carpeting. - Perform a spot test on a small inc...

David Deem 714-997-3486 Dave@DeemTeam.com Have you been quietly coveting your neighbor’s outdoor kitchen set-up? Perhaps now is the time to make it happen in your own backyard. While it might seem like an overwhelming project to take on, you can accomplish the renovation by following these steps from Better Homes & Gardens: 1. Map things out . While planning might seem like an obvious step, the necessity can’t be overstated in this case. Try to keep your outdoor kitchen as close to your indoor kitchen as possible to shorten the distance between back-and-forth trips. Also, be sure to get your utility services lined up for the possible array of appliances you’ll include in your outdoor kitchen. Finally, make sure your plans take into consideration space for where guests will sit so that there’s a nice flow. If you want to install your outdoor kitchen on an existing deck, make sure it’s strong enough to support the structure. 2. Keep it small . Unless you’re really big on...

David Deem 714-997-3486 Dave@DeemTeam.com Whether you’re putting your home on the market, or just want it in sparkling shape for the upcoming season, a thorough cleaning of the exterior is a project worth embarking on. Here’s how to break the job down into manageable pieces and accomplish the task without too much stress. 1. Your home . Power washing your home must be done with great care in order to avoid damaging paint finishes or making situations like wood rot or crumbling stucco worse. Be sure to use the right nozzle and the proper amount of pressure for your home. Set the nozzle to a wide angle, as the wider the angle of the spray, the less damage it will do. Experts also recommend staying at least six inches away from the surface as you spray to avoid damage. 2. Decks and porches . Start by using a leaf blower or broom to get rid of any leaves and twigs. You’ll need to use a putty knife to get in between the crevices, as debris left there can cause decay. Next, use ...

David Deem 714-997-3486 Dave@DeemTeam.com If you’re out there looking for your dream home, you might want to enlist your imagination and look beyond what’s right in front of you. With a little foresight, you’ll be able to envision what a house could become with a little bit of TLC. Confronted with higher prices and limited entry-level inventory in many areas, this is a tactic many homebuyers are taking. In fact, according to recent research, nearly 60 percent of spring home shoppers are considering homes that need renovation. Realtor.com®’s spring homebuyer survey reveals that just over half of homebuyers considering a home that needs some fixing up are willing to spend more than $20,000 on renovation, with 95 percent of them optimistic that they’ll see a return on this investment. What’s driving buyers’ confidence in home renovation? A world of home-improvement media. Among spring home shoppers considering a home in need of renovation, nearly 60 percent said home renovati...

David Deem 714-997-3486 Dave@DeemTeam.com Many of us have a cleaning strategy we employ when it's time to wash our space. Unfortunately, this kind of strategic method can mean certain areas of your home go overlooked for months, or even years. To help, the Cleaning Authority has put together the ultimate spring cleaning guide to help homeowners clean the forgotten and more difficult areas around the home: Baseboards The quickest method for removing dust from baseboards is to use the brush attachment on your vacuum. To remove any scuff marks, gently scrub the baseboards with a cleaning sponge like a Mr. Clean Magic Eraser. Curtains A simple way to freshen up curtains in between washes is to use a vacuum. Use the vacuum's brush extension to remove any dust or debris from the curtains. Blinds Grab a pair of tongs, wrap two microfiber cloths around them and fasten with rubber bands. Clasp the tongs around each blind and drag across to remove dust. Ceiling Fan I...

David Deem 714-997-3486 Dave@DeemTeam.com Many homeowners turn their AC off in the fall and forget about it until late spring or early summer. Unfortunately, doing so could mean your unit with fail when you need it most--peak summer season. "Getting your HVAC unit regularly serviced can prevent it from failing during the times you need it most, and it can also save tremendous amounts of money that would be better spent on summer vacations," says Michael Petri, owner of Petri Plumbing & Heating. "There are a number of reasons why HVAC tune-ups should be on every responsible homeowner's list of routine annual maintenance. The Petri Plumbing & Heating team offers these three reasons why homeowners should consider getting their air conditioner serviced this spring, to ensure it works all summer long. Keep the cold air blowing on a hot day . The most obvious reason for regular maintenance is to make sure the air conditioning doesn't stop working...

David Deem 714-997-3486 Dave@DeemTeam.com Did you know the quality of your drinking water goes well beyond a simple filter? Did you know that you as an individual can help to improve and maintain your communities' water quality. "The quality and cleanliness of our drinking water is something that is obviously very important to everyone, even if we don't think about it that often," says Ted Puzio, owner of Southern Trust Home Services. "We all need to take action to maintain that quality and even improve it." Puzio suggests residents take the following to preserve their water quality: Take cars to the car wash . Commercial car washes are required to follow guidelines on the soaps they use and on wastewater disposal. Homeowners may not know that washing their car on the street or in the driveway can pollute local streams, creeks and rivers by carrying harmful chemicals (such as soaps) to the storm drain. A common misconception is that storm drai...

David Deem 714-997-3486 Dave@DeemTeam.com According to the U.S. Forest Service, 75 percent of our food crops depend on animal pollinators. Likewise, birds and insects depend on flowering plants to provide food, mates and materials for nest-building - and neither can exist without the other. So how do we go about attracting pollinators? Consider establishing or being part of a Pollinator Pathway in your community or neighborhood. The Pollinator Pathway project (pollinator-pathway.org) seeks to establish pollinator-friendly habitat and food sources for bees, butterflies, hummingbirds and other pollinating insects and wildlife along a series of continuous corridors. And since most native bees have a range of about 750 meters, the goal is to connect properties that are no farther apart than that. The team at Millcreekgardens.com in Salt Lake City know the best gardening tip for attracting bees and other pollinators involves choosing annual and perennial flowers that have ple...

David Deem 714-997-3486 Dave@DeemTeam.com By Janis Hennessy Whether they came for college and stayed during their early career or relocated for work, deciding to leave a booming urban core to fulfill the dream of homeownership is a big change for many millennial homebuyers. Yet, the 2017 National Association of REALTORS® (NAR) Home Buyer and Seller Generational Trends study found that 57 percent of millennials are purchasing in the suburbs. Here is what's luring them away from the city: Top-Rated Schools A 2018 realtor.com study found that 73 percent of recent homebuyers named "good school boundaries" as important criteria for their home search. The importance of quality schools applies not only to the district level, but to early childhood education, as well. In many urban communities, competition to secure quality preschool education is high, often driving people to explore the suburbs. In smaller communities, there are more programs to choose from a...

David Deem 714-997-3486 Dave@DeemTeam.com By Meghan Belnap Most people find it difficult to move out of an apartment and into a permanent home as quickly as they'd like, but some have particular urgency in their search. Whether it's the growth of the family, a toxic landlord or just the innate desire to break ties and own your own land, the months-long process just isn't fast enough for some folks. If you need to move quickly, here are a few tips to get you from the apartment complex to a family home as fast as possible: Find a Real Estate Agent A real estate broker or agent has a wealth of resources. If you need help with down-payment assistance, want to find a deal in a specific area or need out of your apartment now, then your agent is the go-to person. He or she can tap into a vast group of property investors and agents in the local network, helping you find properties before they go on the market or narrowing your search down to homes that match your c...