Pat Martin Real Estate - atproperties

High tech at home means you can stress less & relax more. Here are six cool smart home devices to make your life a little easier.

Live a Life of Leisure With Smart Home Devices Smart home devices can make life simpler and free up our time. Here are six very cool tech tools that can lighten your daily load.

Your real estate agent is dedicated to serving as your home shopping adviser, but there are certain questions he or she cannot legally answer. Here are some topics to avoid and do the research for yourself.

Real Estate Questions That Violate Fair Housing Laws Real esate agents want to be helpful, but they can’t answer certain questions because doing so could violate fair housing laws.

Should you use faux paint finishes when staging? Read this primer for tips on styles and uses to get the look you want.

Faux Paint Finishes: In or Out? Are faux paint finishes in or out? Most interior designers would agree, it is based on the application technique used and the skill with which is applied.

What do you see... beauty or clutter?

Living in a small space doesn’t have to be a tight squeeze. Here’s how to live large in close quarters.

How to Buy Furniture for Small Spaces Small spaces, apartments or older homes with small rooms, often can’t hold large furniture. Here are 7 ideas on how to live large in a smaller home.

Happy Father's Day to all the great dads out there!

Increasing numbers of unmarried couples are buying houses together. Homeownership is an excellent goal, but here are some important financial and legal considerations you and your significant other should consider.

Buying a House with Your Significant Other Homeownership is a great goal, but before you take the plunge with your significant other, you need to cover some important legal and financial ground.

In housing, everything old is new again - and the farmhouse style is no exception. Today’s modern farmhouse style combines vintage elements with modern minimalism to create homes that are comfy havens.

The Comfy Minimalism of Modern Farmhouse Design The modern farmhouse style is one of today’s hottest trends in residential design. Is a modern farmhouse living the life for you?

Is this kitchen too white or just right?

Water invading your house where it shouldn’t can cause serious damage. Here are preventative steps you can take to keep you home high and dry.

Prevent Flooding in Your Home If you live in an area prone to heavy rainfall, taking proactive steps to prevent flooding in your home can save you lots of money and frustration.

A new life awaits you when you relocate to a new city or state. But don’t just take a leap of faith - do some research and answer these eight key relocation questions before you move.

Educate Yourself Before Relocating Whether you are relocating for a job or just a change of scenery, it’s important to do your research ahead of time to minimize unpleasant surprises later.

Not all donated household goods are helpful to the charities that receive them. Household hazardous waste, mattresses or very worn clothes and furniture may hurt more than help. Here’s what to do with donation dilemmas.

What To Do With Difficult Donations Local charities appreciate your donations, but there are items they just can’t take. What should you do with hazardous waste and other donation dilemmas?

Does this herringbone floor pattern say beautiful or busy?

You’re one cozy little family: you, your significant other, the kids and your pets, all in a small living space. How do you maximize a small space for you and your fur babies? Use this handy guide.

Living With Pets In Small Spaces Living in a small space with a family plus a pet means adapting to tight quarters. How can you live harmoniously with pets in small spaces?

Distressed properties fall into three main categories: short sales, foreclosures, and REOs. Learn the differences in these opportunities to buy at a bargain.

What Are the Differences Between Distressed Properties? Buyers can often purchase distressed properties at a deep discount, but these transactions are not always easy. Here is how to buy three different types.

Selling a vacation home differs from selling a primary residence in several important ways. Here are some tips on how to sell that little slice of heaven.

Key Differences in Selling a Vacation Home The strategies of selling a second home are different from selling your primary residence. To successfully sell a vacation home, remember these key points.

Which element do you think makes the most dramatic impact in this bathroom?

Today we honor all those who have made the ultimate sacrifice to protect our freedom.

When you’re buying a home, certain telltale signs can warn you of expensive repair issues ahead. Your due diligence now could spare you thousands of dollars in future repairs.

Danger Ahead: Warning Signs of a House’s Condition You may have found a home you’ve fallen in love with, but you must assess the house’s condition before the purchase decision. Check for these warning signs.

Patching unsightly cracks in your driveway or sidewalk is an easy DIY fix. Let’s get cracking!

Repairing Cracked Concrete Around the Home Repairing cracked concrete after the gound settles is a task even the most inexperienced do-it-yourselfer can tackle. Let’s patch that crack!

Are you using any natural products in your bathroom decor?

Want a garden but don’t have room for it, or don’t like the dirt and mess? Hydroponic gardens, which produce lush plants and vegetables, are cleaner and save space. Here’s how to start your very own hydroponic garden.

A Bountiful Harvest with Homegrown Hydroponics With limitations on fresh produce during the COVID-19 outbreak, consider the benefits of growing lush vegetables and plants with hydroponics systems.

Taking the plunge to buy a house in a foreign country is exotic and exciting. But purchasing foreign real estate involves important financial and legal responsibilities that differ from those at home. Check out these crucial considerations before you pack your bags.

What to Consider When Buying Foreign Real Estate Buying foreign real estate differs in important ways from purchasing a home in the United States. Let’s look at navigating “expat” home ownership.

It might be tempting to stick a “For Sale By Owner” sign in your yard, but selling a home yourself is a lot harder than it looks. Here are six reasons why you need to hire a pro.

“For Sale By Owner?” Can You Do the Job of a Pro? Putting out a “For Sale By Owner” sign is tempting. It’s not impossible, but before taking it on, here are six things to give serious consideration.

Get-Togethers with your BFFS: Home or Restaurant?

Clothes dryers cause thousands of house fires each year. Here’s how to prevent a dryer fire from erupting in your home.

Watch Out for Dryer Fires! With more people at home during the coronavirus pandemic, the dryer is working overtime increasing the risk of dryer fires. What can you do to prevent one?

Happy Mother's Day to all the wonderful moms out there!

Buying a newly constructed home that happens to encroach on your neighbor’s property can turn out to be an enormous headache. Getting your own property survey before the builder constructs your home can help you avoid a very expensive surprise down the road. Here’s how.

Importance of Property Surveys For New Construction Ordering your own property survey for new construction avoids encroachments on neighboring property that may result in a legal mess down the road.

Whether it’s a one-time job or an ongoing service, nothing beats having your home professionally cleaned. Here’s how to find a reliable, trustworthy house cleaning service.

Finding a House Cleaning Service If you are you’re spending your free time with a mop and bucket, perhaps it’s time find house cleaning help. Let’s look at how to find the support you need.

Which rules your roost?