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You’ve decided that now is the perfect time to install a solar panel system in your home. You have been looking at the various options available to you and you know how much energy your home uses on average every year. With this information to hand, you can choose the most optimum performing solar panel system for your home. But now you have read somewhere that buying a solar battery is a good idea as well.

You might now be questioning everything you’ve already heard about solar panels and wondering if a battery is something you need. Or can you just install the solar system without one?

Is Battery Storage Essential?

The experts at solar energy company Vivint Solar explain that you can use a home solar panel system without a battery. The way a simple solar panel system works is that when the sun is up, light that hits the panels is absorbed and transformed into electricity for use within the home. While the solar panels will generate more electricity on sunnier days, they still workon cloudy days.

Without a battery, any excess electricity your panels generate is sent back to the grid and used by the utility company for its customers. When your solar panels are not generating electricity at night, the electricity needed to power your home comes from the grid. This means that while your solar panel system canhelp power your home during the day and save money on your bills at the same time, you will still need to pay for the electricity that you use when the panels are generating little or no power.

The Benefits of Having Battery Storage

If you install a solar battery system, any excess electricity your solar panel system generates will not be sent back to the grid and will instead be stored in the battery. You can then use this stored electricity at times of the day when the panels are not generating electricity. Like those times of the day when your energy usage is typically higher, especially if you go out to work during the day.

Solar panel systems allow you to save money on your energy bills buthavinga battery storage system as well means you can save even more. This is because the money you receive for the excess electricity sent to the grid is likely to be far lower than the cost of importing electricity back from your energy company. It would be far better to store that excess electricity for use in your own home.

Another benefit of having a battery for your solar panel system is that, with the right equipment, you will be able to disconnect from the grid in the event of a power cut. This will enable you to continue having access to electricity by taking it from your battery instead.

The rising costs of energy is another reason to think about a solar battery storage system. If you are not on a fixed tariff, you will be at the mercy of the utility companies and their ever-increasing prices. By generating your own electricity and storing the excess, the amount of energy you draw from the grid will be significantly reduced, protecting you from the brunt of the fluctuating prices.

Conclusion

While it is not essential to have a battery with your solar panel system, the benefits of having one are massive. The ability to store generated electricity for use when your energy needs are higher, such as early morning and in the evening, is a huge benefit that will save you money in the long run.

A guest bedroom is considered a frivolous part of the home. Most people do not plan a guest bedroom interior design and often make their overnight guests sleep on a sofa. In some cases, the residents have to sacrifice one of their beds to accommodate the guests. If you do not want these issues, you must surely plan a guest bedroom.

A good guest bedroom interior design will ensure that your overnight guests feel welcome and comfortable. However, adding only the bare minimum to your guest room design will not do. You will have to design the space properly as well. If you are creating a guest room in your home but not sure about how to make it a cosy and inviting space, here are a few ideas that will help you:

01 of 07 Create a seating area

Do not let free space in the guest room design go to waste. You should make use of it properly to create a cosy and comfortable guest room. It is always a great idea to add some extra seating space to your guest room. A seating area can be used for various purposes. Moreover, a well-designed and functional guest room will make your guests feel at home. This is very crucial to ensure that your guests do not feel like they are intruding on your space.

02 of 07 Give it any design

The guest bedroom is meant for your guests. This does not mean you will have to design the space according to the preferences of your guests. Overnight guests seldom visit, and the homeowners use that space the rest of the time. Hence, it is better to give a bedroom makeover that you like. Since this room is not frequently used, you can consider experimenting with the interior design of this space. This can include introducing bold colours, large patterns, and various statement fittings. Even if the interior design does not match the taste of all your guests, a well-designed guest room will surely be memorable and make your guests feel more welcome.

03 of 07 Make the space cosy

If your guests are coming to visit you from very far, the chances are that they will be tired after making the journey. Hence, they will require a cosy and comfortable space where they feel completely relaxed. There are various ways you can make your guest room design comfortable. For instance, a soft and comfortable mattress on the bed will ensure your guests feel rested. Similarly, good quality bed linen, soft throw pillows, etc. will make a guest room more comfortable for the guests. Pay attention to the lighting setup as well. Lighting will impact your bedroom makeover idea hugely. Look for soft and warm lighting to create a great ambiance for resting.

04 of 07 Introduce indoor plants

If you feel that your guest room design appears dull and monotonous, you can breathe life into it by adding a few indoor plants. They are very popular in modern homes. People love adding them indoors because they make the residents feel closer to nature. As a result, they feel more relaxed. Moreover, plants make the indoors feel more refreshing. You can opt for flower-bearing plants as well to make the interiors more colourful. Some flowers even spread a beautiful sweet fragrance in the room. Your guests will simply love the interiors. Just make sure you choose low-maintenance plants if you do not want to invest a lot of time in maintaining them.

05 of 07 Always add bedside tables

When placing the bed in your guest room, make sure that you leave sufficient space on both sides. This is because you will have to place two bedside tables on either side of the bed. Bedside tables are very crucial for your guests. The night lamp is placed on it so that the guests can easily access it at night. It will prove to be very useful if your guest gets out of bed to go to the washroom. Without adequate light at night, your guests might stumble into something and fall. Moreover, the bedside tables can be used for keeping items your guests might require by the bed like spectacles, a bottle of water, phones, etc. Besides making the space functional, a bedside table can elevate the aesthetic beauty of the space. Just make sure you select an option that complements the look of your guest room design.

07 of 07 Invest in blackout curtains

If your guests travel all night, they will require a cosy bedroom to sleep in during the daytime. Adding a comfortable bed and soft pillow is not sufficient. You will have to ensure that the room stays dark during the day so that they can sleep. This can be done by installing blackout curtains in the room. They are designed to block light completely and keep the interiors dark.

Making the decision to sell your home can have massive consequences and sometimes ramifications for other areas of your life, so it’s only natural that this decision comes with a lot of stress. From preparing your home for showings to negotiating with buyers, there are a lot of moving parts that can make the experience overwhelming, and any number of things can go wrong during the process. Luckily, there are a few things you can do to stay on top of your stress levels and get the most out of the selling process. From finding the right professional for conveyancing in Melbourne to marketing your property effectively, here are some top tips for taking the stress out of selling a property.

Get Your Home in Order

If you want to sell your home quickly and for its maximum value, you need to make sure it’s in great condition. Getting your home in order from a maintenance and aesthetics perspective can make a big difference to its final sale price. You’ll want to take the time and effort to repair any damage, declutter and deep clean the home as much as possible. First impressions matter, especially during a property sale. The goal should be to have potential buyers walking into your home and instantly imagining their life in the property.

Set a Fair Price

Pricing your home correctly is crucial to selling it quickly. You don’t want to price it too high and risk it sitting on the market for months, but conversely, you also don’t want to give it away by pricing it too low. You can do your own quick market analysis to find out what similar properties in your area have recently sold for and adjust your pricing accordingly. It’s also a good idea to talk to your real estate agent regularly and let them help you to find your pricing sweet spot.

Organise Marketing

It seems obvious, but getting the word out that your home is for sale is key to increasing the likelihood of finding the right buyer. Make sure to list it on all the major real estate websites, and always hire a professional photographer to take listing photos. It’s also a good idea at this stage to begin cataloguing a portfolio of what you would consider to be “bad” or sub-par property listings and do your best to include as much detail and transparency as possible in order to differentiate your listing from weaker examples.

Find a Good Conveyancer

Conveyancing in Melbourne is crucial during the buying and selling of any property. Conveyancing is the process of transferring ownership of a property from one person to another. When selling a house, the conveyancing process will involve the preparation and exchange of contracts, and the transfer of money from the buyer to the seller. As you can imagine, attempting to navigate these complex legal tasks alone can multiply your stress levels.

A good conveyancer will make sure that the legal process of selling your home runs smoothly, helping to take away a lot of the stress that’s associated with selling a home. The benefits of having a professional conduct conveyancing in Melbourne when selling your home simply cannot be understated. Beyond helping to ensure a smooth and stress-free transaction by dealing with all the legal aspects of the sale, including transferring the title of the property and dealing with any outstanding mortgages or other debts, they can also provide peace of mind by ensuring that all necessary checks are carried out on the property before the sale is completed.

How to buy a house

Remember a few things when you’re ready to buy a house. The first is your credit score. Your credit score will determine the interest rate you get on your mortgage, so it’s essential to ensure it’s as high as possible before you start shopping for a home. You can get your credit score for free from AnnualCreditReport.com.

Once you know your credit score, you’ll need to save for a down payment. The size of your down payment will affect the type of mortgage you can get, so it’s essential to save up as much as possible. A good rule of thumb is to aim for 20% of the home’s purchase price.

The next step is to get pre-approved for a mortgage. This will give you an idea of how much house you can afford and help you narrow your search. Once you’ve found a few homes that meet your criteria, it’s time to start negotiating with the sellers. So, look for We Buy Houses Montgomery County.

If you’re ready to buy a house, following these simple steps will help ensure that the process goes smoothly. You’ll be in your new house before you know it if you plan carefully!

Pros and Cons of Buying a House

There are many things to consider before buying a house. The following list provides some pros and cons of homeownership to help you decide if it’s the right choice.

Pros:

-You build equity in your home as you make mortgage payments.

-Your monthly mortgage payments may be lower than rent payments, giving you more money to save or spend as you choose.

-Owning a home can be a good investment, as property values typically increase over time.

-You have the freedom to make changes to your home without needing approval from a landlord.

-A fixed-rate mortgage protects you from future interest rate hikes.

Cons:

-It can be challenging to qualify for a mortgage if you have bad credit or a limited income.

-You’ll be responsible for all repairs and maintenance on your home.

-Your monthly mortgage payments may go up if interest rates rise.

-If you need to move, selling your home quickly or for the price you want may be difficult.

-You may have difficulty qualifying for a second mortgage or home equity line of credit because your home serves as collateral for your loan.

Now that you know some of the pros and cons of buying a house, you can decide if it’s the right choice. If you’re ready to take the plunge, remember to get pre-approved for a mortgage and save up for a down payment before you start your search. With some preparation, you’ll be in your new home before you know it!

Thanks for reading!

Introduction

According to Handy, every coffee lover — from college students to work-from-home professionals — has their preferred coffee brewing method that delivers heaven to their taste buds. The French press and pour-over are two of the most popular coffee brewing tools utilized by people at home. If you are just getting started exploring the world of coffee brewing, it can be difficult to make a choice between these two methods.

The Factors

Here are a few factors that will help you decide whether pour-over coffee or French press would be better for you:

1. How it works and the brewing method – The French press was first designed in the 1920s and it is also known as a cafetière or coffee press. It is essentially composed of three components — the carafe (an open-topped cylindrical glass), a filter, and the plunger. It uses a brewing method known as immersion.

To use the French press, you just have to fill the carafe with some coffee grounds, add some hot water to it, allow the coffee grounds to soak for the required time, and then push the plunger down to separate the grounds from the coffee.

Pour over coffee is also known as filter coffee or drip coffee. This elegant brewing method requires you to saturate the coffee grounds with new, fresh water and thus, it is different from immersion brewing.

First, you have to place the filter in the cylindrical component and add the coffee ground over it. Next, you have to pour hot water in a circular motion to allow the coffee grounds to get wet. Ultimately, the hot water will pass through the filter and settle down at the bottom.

2. Control of the brew – A French press can hold up to 48 oz and serve up to 6 people. However, you can also produce only a single or two cups of coffee since you can vary the amount of water and coffee grounds you put in.

On the other hand, pour overs are suitable for making a single cup of coffee since it is time-consuming to create multiple cups of coffee using that method.

3. The brewing time – Generally, the total time it takes to make a great cup of coffee with a French press can take anywhere from 3-8 minutes. So, about 1 minute to measure, 4-5 minutes to steep the mixture, and the remaining time to press.

Pour overs take longer to prepare coffee since they utilize the drip method. Usually, it takes between 8-15 minutes to make a great cup of coffee with pour overs.

4. The taste and flavor – The flavor of coffee made using French press is affected by the extraction time. Generally, a brewing time of 3 minutes is enough to offer a strong, bold, and rich taste but you can increase the brewing time by up to eight minutes to increase the bitterness and the boldness of the taste. Pour over coffee tastes smooth and is free of grit. It is noticeable but not overpowering.

Conclusion

Handy suggests you start making coffee at home using a French press since it is easier to use and offers a lot more convenience in terms of brewing time and coffee quantity. However, you can use pour overs if you like to enjoy a smooth and light coffee.

Are you looking to put your home on the market? Before you hire a realtor, it’s important to make sure that you have a home that will interest buyers and help you sell as fast as possible. Use these tips to help you prepare.

1. Remodel the Bathroom

These days, more people are looking for homes with luxury bathrooms that lead to better relaxation. If your bathroom is a standard one, you are less likely to get the money you want for your home. Look for someone who can perform the bathroom remodel Seattle that is right for you. Consider adding heated towel racks, heated flooring, and a walk-in waterfall shower if you can. These types of luxury amenities raise the value of your home and gain the interest of more potential buyers. There are things you can do even if you can’t afford a major remodel, too. Any bathroom can be made to look more appealing with new countertops, sinks, and vanities. A new coat of paint and reglazing the bathtub are also affordable ways to update the bathroom before you try to sell your home.

2. Create Some Curb Appeal

The first thing that potential buyers are going to see is the front of your house, your lawn, and your driveway. Each of these things should be impeccable to ensure you maintain the interest of buyers. There are several things you can do to create more curb appeal for your home. Start by using a power washer to scrub dirt and grime off the outside of your house. Be sure to wash the outside of your windows as well. If you need to, repaint your home’s siding. If you’re on a budget, even something as simple as repainting only the door can help add curb appeal.

Next, focus on your lawn and driveway. Remove any leaves, dead plants, and branches. Trim shrubs and trees as needed. Mow the lawn regularly, especially while your home is on the market. It’s also a good idea to plant some flowers. Finally, spray down any pathways and your driveway to make them look more presentable.

3. Depersonalize Your Home

If you’ve spent a lot of years living in your current home, chances are that you’ve collected wall art, personalized home decor, and a range of other things that make your home look like it belongs to your family. The problem is that no matter how appealing your home’s decor is, it’s much harder for potential buyers to imagine themselves in a home that’s obviously lived in. One of the best things that you can do (and the most affordable!) is to declutter and depersonalize your home. Pack up all your home decor, kid’s projects, and other items that show off your personality and put them in a storage unit. If you have bright or dark walls, it is also a good idea to paint them a more neutral color. Change out your lived-on furniture for something more neutral as well. This way, it’s easier for buyers to imagine how they’d decorate the space themselves.

4. Hire Someone To Perform a Home Inspection

Potential buyers are likely to inspect your home before purchasing it. If you have a home inspection done before you put your home on the market, you’ll know where you need to make repairs, how you can negotiate pricing with potential buyers, and what to expect overall.

A home inspector will check both the outside and inside of your home. Outside, he or she will ensure the roof is intact and that gutters work properly to push rain away from the home. He or she will also ensure all structural components, including the foundation, windows, and doors are safe and free of cracks or gaps. Inside, the inspector will check your HVAC unit, including the furnace, and test your plumbing and electrical systems. He or she will also inspect the attic and its insulation, the walls, the ceilings, and the floors. Finally, the basement will be inspected as well.

Conclusion

With so many homes on the market, it’s important to make yours stand out. The right amount of curb appeal along with a little elbow grease on the inside will bring in potential buyers and keep them interested.

Medford’s average rent price has just surpassed its previous all-time high this month.  The current average rent price of $2,158 eclipses the previous record of $2,156 set in July of 2020 after stagnating for 18 months during the pandemic.  With apartment occupancy nearing all-time highs in Medford, it looks like 2022 will be a banner year for Medford’s apartment rental market.

Medford’s recent rent price growth comes as the neighborhood approaches record high occupancy.  The current vacancy rate for Medford apartments sits at 0.67%, close to the all-time low of 0.62% set in March of 2020.  Considering there are 5 months left until vacancy hits its cyclical low, that number will continue to push to unprecedented lows as we approach September.

Apartment availability, another key supply metric, is currently 2.8% in Medford.  Compared to its pre-pandemic level in March 2019, that is 1.15% lower indicating that the rental market in Medford has never been tighter.  Both availability and vacancies metrics suggest that Medford’s average rent price will continue to rise throughout 2022.

Similar trends have been observed throughout the metro area, which has restarted the conversation about the lack of affordable housing in Boston.  The 18 months of supply glut we endured during the pandemic may have slowed the urgency to create more rental units in the metro area.  Now that the rental market has recovered, it looks as if the city has fallen behind its goal of keeping pace with the demand for more apartments in Boston.

Introduction

According to Mark Roemer Oakland, it is crucial to choose your furniture carefully when you live in a tiny apartment where space is a limited resource. This is also true if you want to live a life of minimalism and practice a micro lifestyle such as those who live in streamlined small apartments or even micro-loft apartments. Fortunately, there are tons of furniture options that you can add to your home to utilize the limited space in your bedroom wisely.

The Furniture

Here are a few space-saving bedroom furniture for tiny apartments:

1. Consider a bed with storage space – Beds that come with under-the-bed storage options are a must for tiny apartments since the bedrooms in such apartments have small dimensions which can make it difficult to organize too much furniture in the bedroom which can severely limit your storage options.

A large lift bed is the most appropriate option for limited spaces since it not only allows you to store your items such as extra pillows, blankets, accessories, clothes that are out of season, or even shoes but also allows you to organize them more easily. And this way you can even avoid or delay purchasing some furniture even if you have the space.

2. Transform the space with a Murphy bed – Murphy beds (wall beds) are always in popular demand among people who live in small studio apartments. Granted, Murphy beds are an expensive space-saving solution, and many people may not consider them a good option.

However, these beds can seamlessly blend into the decor of the room which essentially hides the bed, and thus are excellent to put up in bedrooms that also serve as your home office. There are a lot of design options for Murphy beds and some offer better space-saving solutions that provide you with extra storage.

3. Sofa-bed – Sofa beds are an excellent alternative to Murphy beds since they are not as expensive but still serve their purpose for people who live in bedrooms with tiny apartments. These beds can be folded to look exactly like a sofa or a couch that is large enough to seat multiple people. And, when extended, they can open up to become a full-size bed that is comfortable to sleep on without any issues.

Of course, it might not provide the same level of comfort as real beds, but you can ignore the issue when you get used to the soft surface. Plus, these also come with smart storage options that allow you to store items underneath the sofa bed.

4. Desk bed – Desk beds are the most unique options but equally effective when you have to save space in your bedroom. These desks can be unfolded to transform them into full beds and folded back to offer under-the-bed storage and a writing surface on top.

Conclusion

Mark Roemer Oakland suggests you only choose furniture for tiny apartments from reputed brands and those models that have a good customer rating. These types of furniture that allow for intelligent storage options can cost a lot due to their engineering and product design, but the quality of the product can vary vastly.