It’s the month of June, so we can safely say summer is officially here. And while it’s definitely an easier season on your home than winter, there are still some things that need to be kept up if you’re going to keep everything running smoothly. But before you go guessing at what needs to be done and what can be put off, we’ve garnished a pretty useful list. Take care of the items listed below and your summer maintenance tasks should be a breeze.

1.) Check alarms and detectors. Burglars and thieves often take the winter months off, and making a quick getaway is much more difficult on an icy driveway. So as soon as the months start warming up, you should really make sure all your alarms and detectors are in working order. We feel your smoke detectors should be tested as often as possible. Better safe than sorry.

2.) Spruce up the air conditioner. If you don’t have central air in your home, you’ll want to make sure your air conditioner is in tip top working order. Remove and clean all the filters, and be sure to dust and inspect all your ceiling fans as well. If you do have central air, it would be in your best interest to call a professional to make sure everything is running smoothly, especially if it’s been a rather rough winter.

3.) Analyze and polish the porch. Even if you freshly stained your porch last spring, you should still give it a good once-over. Inspect it carefully to see if there are any cracks or creases that water may have seeped into, and then give it a good sweep and scrub. Sprinkle water in various areas to see if it beads up or soaks in. If it beads up you’re in good shape, whereas if it soaks in you need to reseal your deck.

4.) Check your watering system. Your sprinklers haven’t been running all winter, but that doesn’t necessarily mean your pipes were clear of water. Turn your sprinklers on and be on the lookout for leaks. Have someone inside your house to listen for drips or odd noises. Water from a burst underground pipe can easily make its way into your crawlspace or basement.

5.) Clean your grill. If you’re one of the those people that cooks every meal on an outdoor cooker during the summer time, now’s the time to get it cleaned up and ready to go. You don’t want to spend an hour scrubbing off old soot the first time you get a chance to use it. For gas grills, turn up the heat and let the grill cook for half an hour. Let it cool then scrub everything off with a grill brush and don’t forget to clean the grills drip pans. For charcoal grills, empty everything out then clean the entire thing with some dish soap and hot water. Let it dry completely before use.

As soon as you move into a new home, you’ll most likely want to just unpack and relax a little bit. And that’s all fine and well, of course, but as soon as you finish your first meal and watch your first movie in your new dwelling, you’d be wise to tackle the following things on this list. Trust us, the sooner you complete the following tasks, the easier life will be in the upcoming weeks.

1.) Look into your insurance policies. If you’ve moved to a new state, chances are you’ll have to get an entirely new insurance policy, and maybe even with an entirely new company. However, even if you just moved down the street, your insurance policy may be completely null and void. Your new house might have damages your insurer wasn’t prepared to deal with. Make sure you have an updated copy of the home inspection and contact your insurance provider as soon as possible.

2.) Get your utilities hooked up. For most people, this is a no-brainer, but many people leave the utilities in their name while the new residents are setting up shop, with the perfect understanding that everything will get switched over in due time. Sure you might be planning on it, but things come up; fast. So switch everything over the second you move in, saving yourself plenty of headaches down the road.

P.S: Don’t forget to switch your other utilities out of your name in your previous residence. You don’t want to be paying double for nothing.

3.) Update your address. And not just with whatever magazines and catalogues that might be coming your way (if you even still want them to be sent to you), but also with other necessary companies, like your bank and your car registration. Many areas are hardly lenient when it comes to the address on your driver’s license. Plus, when you head down to the post office to get everything handled, you usually receive a welcome booklet with coupons to be used at local stores.

4.) Sign up for the local newsletter. Besides the fact that it’ll keep you updated with local news, it also has plenty of reviews of local stores and restaurants. Need a good place to eat dinner your first week in town when all of your dishes are still boxed up and your gas isn’t yet turned on? Check the dining guides; you’re sure to find plenty of good recommendations.

5.) Introduce yourself. Your neighbors know you’re in the middle of moving in, but you’re probably still annoying them just a tiny bit. That giant moving van blocking half the road, the loud hammering as you put in nails to hang pictures and maybe even your dog that keeps running around the neighborhood every time the door opens up. Take a few minutes and introduce yourself; it’ll help your neighbors be more forgiving as you get settled in.

Becoming a landlord can be a very lucrative decision. However, if you go about it the wrong way you could land yourself in a world of hurt. Besides the physical labor of repairing damages by a rowdy tenant, your wallet and reputation could also take a hit if you don’t quite know what you’re doing. It takes quite a bit of know-how to be a successful landlord, and the tips listed below will help put you on the right track.

1.) Using the wrong forms. If you think you’re safe using the “generic” form you’ve been using for years, think again. State laws are constantly changing, and that form may no longer be valid in your state. In addition, you may be omitting quite a few pages of paperwork without even knowing it. Your best bet is to hire a real estate lawyer to look over everything to make sure you’re in the clear right from the start. This may cost a couple hundred dollars, but it’s well worth the thousands you’ll be saving in the end.

2.) Renting to the wrong tenants. And how exactly do you ensure you rent to the right tenants? Simple: do your homework. Do a background check and call their references. If you find a blatant lie on their application (they claim to have been at their current job for 5 years when they actually started just two weeks ago), don’t rent to them. If they’re willing to lie about something on their application, they’re most likely willing to lie about larger issues once they’ve moved into the residence.

3.) Not knowing our tenant’s rights. Your tenants have a right to privacy, so as much as you think it’s okay of you to show up unannounced, it’s actually illegal. Most states require that you give your tenants 24 hour written notice before showing up at their premises, unless of course they need you right away, which brings us to our next mistake…

4.) Ignoring poor living conditions. If your tenant has a leaky basement, you need to get over there and do something about it; now. That means either stay until 2:30 in the morning fixing it yourself or pay for someone to come in and do it themselves. If it’s your tenant’s problem, it’s your problem, no matter how difficult or inconvenient. That means if they need their locks changed, get over there in a day or so and get the job done.

5.) Lying about the amenities. Promising your new tenant a parking space or free cable and internet service means they expect that to happen upon the first day of moving in. They might be willing to let you slide a week or two if something is in the process of being set up or repaired (they’re repaving your parking space), but that after that it’s basically a violation of your lease and they are 100% entitled to walk.

There are countless times during the year when you might have to leave your home for an extended period of time. Perhaps you’re heading home to help out with a family issue, you need to head out of town for a job interview or maybe you just got lucky and happen to be going on an epic (and probably very well deserved) vacation. Regardless of the reason, if you don’t have roommates (or your roommates are also taking a leave of absence at the same time), there are a few home maintenance tasks you need to take care of before you walk out the door.

1.) Take care of perishable foods. There aren’t many worse things than arriving home after a couple weeks only to walk into a kitchen filled with rotting, diseased food. Not only will your house reek, but you’ll also be attracting various pests, such as mice, cockroaches and fruit flies. So before you take off, make sure your perishable foods are kept to a minimum. Clean out everything in the refrigerator and make sure no fresh fruit or vegetables are left out on the counter. No need to throw it all out; you can have a house-sitter take whatever they would like or have a dinner party the night before you go. On the menu: anything that won’t make it until you return home.

2.) Minimize your energy use. If you’re not going to be home there’s no point in running energy to half the things you own. Unplug everything that isn’t necessary for your home’s maintenance while you’re away. Alarm clocks, lamps, blow dryers, exercise equipment, and make sure all the lights are off in rooms you won’t be using. Even if something is switched off, there is still energy running to it until it’s unplugged. Along with cutting down on your energy bill, unplugging everything will also help prevent electrical fires in your absence.

Keep any safety lights on, however. You’ll want any motion activated lights to be up and running. If you have any alarms or security cameras of course you should keep them plugged in.

3.) Set your heat to the right temp. If you’ve taken care of the perishable food and have no plants or animals to worry about, you won’t necessarily need to worry about keeping it cool. However, if you let it cool down too much, you could be in a world of hurt. Even though the summer months are known for warmer weather, you’ll want to make sure your thermostat is set to at least 60 degrees to prevent frozen pipes of any kind. 

There are so many safety tips that may seem like common sense, but for some reason people (myself included) break these rules all the time. Between our hectic work and home schedules, it can often be easier to trust the outside world not to harm us, but in reality this is never a safe way to live; especially in a busy, high population city like New York or Los Angeles.

But no matter where you live, here are some common sense tips you’re probably ignoring:

1.) Lock your door. This has to be one of the easiest things to do and yet so many people fail to do it! Sure, you’re probably in a hurry, and sure, you’re probably only going to be gone for a second, but just take the extra moment to lock your door! Most home burglars look for the easiest possible home to break into, and an unlocked house is certainly very appetizing. It takes hardly any time at all, and doing it every time you leave the house will ingrain the habit into your mind.

2.) Leave a light on. We’ve been trained over the years to turn all the lights off when leaving a room, and there’s definitely nothing wrong with doing our part to save the earth on a daily basis. However, leaving a light on in the window at night will go a long way towards saving yourself from a dangerous situation. Use a compact fluorescent bulb to save on your utility bill spiking through the roof and even pair it with low-playing music to better protect yourself.

3.) Be careful when answering the door. This is home safety 101. Even as young children we were all taught to be careful of strangers, yet as soon as we grow up we throw all of that well-intentioned advice out the door…literally. Don’t let your trusting nature get the best of you in this situation. Unless you’re expecting an electrician, don’t automatically open the door just because someone is dressed like one. Put that peephole to good use!!

4.) Get to know your neighbors. The quickest way to find out if anything suspicious was going on while you were out is to ask the people that were there. Your neighbors are you best alarm and surveillance system, not to mention they probably have the same goals that you do: to keep everyone in your building/complex out of harm’s way. Plus, knowing your neighbors will help you both help each other. You can pick up their mail for them when they’re out of town and they can do the same for you. Everyone wins!

5.) Get a pet. It doesn’t have to be a dog, really any pet makes a thief uncomfortable. Even birds will make a loud ruckus if someone unfamiliar comes barging in, not to mention starts rummaging through stuff. Remember, thieves want to choose the easiest target possible, and a locked, well-lit apartment with a loud pet is definitely not the easiest target.

Let’s be honest: we’re all looking for a few ways to save a little money on our mortgage payment. It’s most likely the largest chunk of money that leaves your bank account every month, so it’s perfectly natural to want to alleviate that financial thorn in your side. The good news is your mortgage payment is never really set in stone; it’s in a constant state of circumstances. By reevaluating your current situation every year or so, you’ll be able to keep your mortgage payments as low as possible.

1.) Update your information. Were you in a ton of debt when you applied for your loan? Maybe you were married to someone with horrible credit and you have since divorced. Whatever the circumstances may be, if they have improved you might want to look into refinancing to fit your current situation.

2.) Switch lenders. Not a lot of people like to read the fine print when it comes to their current lender, but that’s why so many of them are guilty of taking advantage of people. Don’t stay with a particular lender out of comfort, stay with them because they provide the best service and financial benefit to you, your family and your business. If another lender can better suit your needs, by all means look into it.

3.) Consider HARP for an underwater mortgage. If your mortgage is owned or guaranteed by Freddie Mac or Fannie Mae, you might qualify for the Home Affordable Refinance Program. As long as your payments are up-to-date and the value of your mortgage is more than 80 percent of the current value of your home, you might be in luck. If you match these circumstances you might want to look into this program.

4.) Consider other programs. HARP isn’t the only program out there. If you aren’t an underwater homeowner and have an up-to-date Federal Housing Administration (FHA) insured mortgage you may qualify for a Streamline Refinance. A Streamline Refinance basically takes your mortgage insurance premium back to whatever initial rate it started at, even if it has risen in the years past.

5.) Switch to a shorter-term loan. This sounds crazy; you thought we were trying to lower your mortgage payment, right? Well this is more the long term route. If you’re sitting in a good financial situation, paying an extra hundred dollars or so will save you tens of thousands in the long run. Plus, let’s not forget that your loan gets paid off in a much shorter time frame, improving your credit and putting your mind at ease.

Now that the weather is warming up, people have been flocking to home supply centers hoping to get started on that home renovation project they’ve had building in their minds all winter long. However, if you just dive in headfirst, you’re bound to give yourself more than just a headache. Renovations are not small feat, and it would do you good to consider a few of the following points before throwing caution to the wind.

1.) Have you lived in it? People often make the mistake of renovating a home the second they move in. They think they know what they want, but after the renovation is underway they discover little tweaks they hadn’t thought of. Bathrooms and kitchens are notorious for these kinds of revelations. Your kitchen might be unbearable unattractive. But live with it as is for at least a few months before you start tearing down the walls. You’ll discover little things you hadn’t realized, like the fact that you always turn to your left when carrying something from the stove. Suddenly having the counter on the right-hand side would seem a bit annoying.

2.) Do you have the time? Renovations take time, and usually more time than what was originally planned. If you’re starting a month long renovation in late October, you might want to rethink hosting Thanksgiving dinner at your house in late November. Of course doing your research and hiring the right professionals will make sure your project stays on track, even when unexpected issues arise. And speaking of professionals…

3.) Do you know what professionals you are going to hire? There are certain parts of a renovation that you can easily do on your own. And many of these you should do on your own; it gives you a better feeling of ownership of your home as well as saves you money when it comes to hiring someone. However, while laying you may be able to cover installing a bit of tile, you should not tackle more significant areas of the renovation, like plumbing or electrical work. Having your professionals in mind will also give you an idea of what you can afford.

4.) Have you planned out the right sequence? Renovation jobs need to be done in a very specific order. This saves you a ton of time and money. In whatever room you’re remodeling, you’ll want to start from the top down to save on cleaning efforts.

5.) Do you have the right materials? Renovating a kitchen or bathroom is not as easy as putting up whatever surface walls and floors you find attractive. It is essential that you use the right materials: ones that are waterproof and able to withstand a certain amount of heat or cold. You don’t want to spend all your efforts renovating a room only to have start over six months from now.

Ah, home electricity. It’s not the most interesting subject, but your home electrical system is part of your day to day living and if you don’t know how to safely interact with it, the results could be deadly.

Under no circumstances are we suggesting that you tackle some of your home’s electrical problems. This is the reason it takes years and years of schooling and certifications for electricians to become qualified to make adjustments to your electrical system. Of course things come up though, so we’ve gathered a few quick tips for you to keep in mind when dealing with some of the common electrical issues.

1.) Listen to your breaker. If your breaker trips and then doesn’t reset. It’s telling you there’s an electrical problem. Don’t keep trying to reset the breaker. Forcing it won’t solve the electrical problem, and it may even lead to more dangerous results. Continually trying to reset the breaker will most likely result in a house fire. If you’re luck (the term “lucky” is being used extremely loose her) you’ll at least be able to see the source of the fire, like sparks behind the sofa. Most likely though, the electrical overload will occur somewhere inside your walls and your house will begin burn from the inside out.

2.) Know when to fight and when to flee. If sparks are flying and a fire is started, you need to know what you are capable of and when you are in over your head. In any case, even if you think you have a good handle on the fire don’t let it get between you and the exit. Firefighters recommend leaving as soon as any shred of doubt enters your mind. That fear is your mind telling you you’re in a dangerous situation. Call the fire department as soon as you are safely outside.

3.) Never throw water on an electrical fire. Just as you never throw water on a grease fire, the same rule applies here. Water conducts electricity, so throwing it on the fire could either make it worse or cause injury to yourself. You’ll want to use a chemical fire extinguisher instead.

And as a side note: know how to use your fire extinguisher effectively. Use the PASS method: Pull the fire extinguisher’s safety pin, Aim the nozzle at the base of the fire, Squeeze the handle and Sweep the nozzle in a side-to-side motion until the flames are out.  This is also the reason you’ll also want to make sure your fire extinguisher is always kept in a location you have quick access to. Your fire extinguisher does you no good if it’s buried under boxes in your storage unit.

If you were to ask 1,000 people that lived in a small space what their #1 wish would be, the vast majority of them would probably tell you they would like more storage. Even people living in a respectable size home quickly learn how valuable extra closet space is as soon as a baby is on the way. However, after you’ve already packed your closets as full as they can get an crowded every junk drawer in your home, you start looking for other options, and we’ve got one that you probably haven’t thought of yet.

The stairs.

Sound crazy? Probably. Of all the places in the home you’d like to keep clear of clutter, the stairway is probably priority #1. But we’re talking about a sneakier version of storage than just stacking things along your stairway. We’re talking about reinventing the idea of storage and applying it to a wasted space in your home. Read on.

1.) As individual drawers. It doesn’t take much to turn each step into a drawer, and you’ll never even notice the change. When all the drawers are closed your staircase will look exactly as before, plus it gives you the chance to do something with one of the most awkward spaces I your house.

2.) As shelves. There is no need for the sides of your stairway to be a blank wall or empty space. Adding some edges or shelves will give you space to put some of your smaller items. Just make sure the shelves and items are arranged in a uniform way to prevent the look of extra clutter.

3.) Use storage bins as stairs. Pretty much anything can work as a stairway if it gradually raises in elevation, one step at a time. So don’t limit yourself to the traditional look. Creating steps out of wooden storage crates can provide an interesting look and still get the job done.

4.) Slide-under storage units. There are plenty of storage units that come with wheels on the bottom. Simply order a couple of units measuring the same width as your staircase but varying in height and store them underneath your stairway. You’ll have all your things organized and easily accessible.

5.) Lift tops. Much like the drawer idea, turning the top of each step into a lift-able lid will also provide you with plenty of extra storage space. And no one will ever know, except for the face that the rest of your house will be incredibly less cluttered since a great deal of your belongings have been moved to their new secret storage area.

As a landlord, no one likes to think of the possibility that you would have to keep your tenant’s deposit. In a perfect world, every tenant would move out in a timely fashion, keeping the apartment in the perfect condition it was originally given to them. But as we all know, we most definitely do not live in a perfect world, so we decided to make a definitive list of which reasons give you the right to keep a tenant’s deposit.

1.) If they break their lease. The lease is a written agreement going over each and every aspect that you both agree upon, but it doesn’t give you the right to keep the entire deposit. You can legally only keep the amount of money you would need in order to cover whatever costs the broken lease would cause. If the deposit was $1400, the rent was $700 and they moved out a month early, you can only keep half of the deposit in order to cover the missed rent for the last month.

2.) If they fail to pay rent. Nonpayment of rent is actually considered a violation of the lease, allowing you to keep all or at least a portion of the deposit to cover the rent. However, it’s also important not to allow a tenant to stay any longer than their deposit would cover. If you can’t get the rent after one month, it’s unlikely that you’re going to get any rent after six months.

3.) If there is damage to the property. If a tenant has caused damage to your property, a portion of the deposit can be kept to cover the cost of the damages. But it’s also important to understand the difference between damage and a little bit of wear and tear. The tenant is not responsible for natural wear and tear. Normal wear and tear would include small nail holes in the walls, mildew in shower tiles, dirty grout, loose handles on bathroom cabinets or walkway stains on carpet.

4.) If they leave the place dirty. Your tenants are responsible for leaving the apartment in as close to the condition as when they originally moved in, and since you had the entire place professionally cleaned before any tenants moved in (you did have the place professionally cleaned, right?), they are responsible for cleaning it when they move out. Leaving furniture that you have to move can also be counted as cleaning fees.

5.) If they owe you money for utilities. In some agreements, the tenant would pay the landlord money for utilities. If they have failed to pay you, you can keep the necessary portion of their deposit in order to cover the costs.