Casey Mayton, Real Estate Agent

Are window replacements in your home’s future? It’s time to study up on the pros and cons of each type.

When Is It Time to Replace Your Windows? If your home has older windows, should you replace them with new, more energy efficient ones? Here’s a quick guide to the pros and cons. First, do you need new windows? If your home has single-pane glass windows, you might want to consider energy-efficient windows that will provide moderation from...

Changing your air filters is easy -- once you know the best filters to buy. Save yourself some time and trouble with this cheat sheet of types and prices.

The 411 on Home Heating and Air Conditioning Filters Homeowners expect their houses to be warm in winter and cool in summer, but don’t take those comfortable temperatures for granted. Regularly changing the air filters is an essential task. HVAC systems move air in a continuous loop through the house. An intake vent uses a fan to pull air from the r...

In 1882, labor unions organized a parade to promote workers rights, which led to the beginning of the Labor Day holiday. Today, which profession has the largest number of unionized members?

Labor Day: Celebrating the American Worker The National Education Association, the union for teachers and school administrators, is the largest union with more than three million members. In 1894 President Grover Cleveland signed the law making the first Monday of September the federally recognized holiday known as Labor Day.

Do you dream about a good night’s sleep? Follow these simple tips to find a great mattress at a price that won’t give you nightmares.

What You Need to Know to Find the Best Mattress The right mattress can make the difference between tossing and turning and getting a great night’s sleep. With so many new options available, selecting the best mattress can be overwhelming. Follow these tips and you’ll be sleeping soundly in no time. Shop around. If you haven’t shopped for a ...

Check this handy list of essential chores for move-in day, and save yourself a lot of heartache.

7 Must-Dos on Move-in Day If ever there was a day requiring a detailed checklist, it’s Moving Day. Here’s a life-saving list to get you through what can be a drama-filled 24 hours. Clean up. You never know how well a seller will leave your new home so it’s best to plan on a comprehensive cleanup before you move your be...

How exactly does your real estate agent get paid? What you need to know about all that fine print.

How Does a Listing Agent Get Paid and By Whom? When a home is listed for sale with a real estate company, the seller is ultimately agreeing to pay both the listing agent and the buyer’s agent and their respective companies. In some cases, the commission may be a percentage of the sales price or it may be a flat fee. When and how the parties ar...

When an aging loved one begins to need daily help, a move to an assisted living facility may be the answer. Here’s a brief overview for family members.

Assisted Living Facilities Provide Extra Help for Seniors When seniors first show signs of needing help with medical and daily personal care, it’s time to consider moving to a community that provides what’s known as assisted living. When you need a hand. Once capable of living alone, seniors who begin having health issues may find they need a little ex...

To wire or not to wire your new home theater system. Here’s an overview of the pluses and minuses.

Wiring Your Home for Sound — or Not While the latest in home theater systems features wireless technology, plenty of audiophiles still want to wire their homes for sound and video, enjoying the pure fidelity delivered over home-designed networks. Listen up for the pros and cons on wireless versus wired technology. Know your number. Of...

Owning a home with history can be satisfying but also very expensive and frustrating. Is renovating an old home the right move for you?

A Piece of the Past or a Money Pit? Buying a historic home certainly has a coolness factor about it. You can regale your guests with stories about your home’s history and carry on the home’s legacy for future generations. But the fulfillment you get from owning a direct link to your community’s past might be overshadowed by the ...

If your amateur attempts at organizing the garage are leaving you frustrated, crunch the numbers for a complete pro makeover.

Hiring the Pros to Organize Your Garage A professional garage makeover can transform the most neglected part of a home into a thing of beauty. But is it worth the hefty price tag? With a quick trip to a big box store, a do-it-yourself organizing system will get a homeowner’s belongings off the floor with snap-together shelves and wall h...

Don’t be caught off guard when the “taxman cometh.” Here are the facts on how your property taxes are determined.

What Every Homeowner Needs to Know About Property Tax Assessments If you own your own home, your property tax assessment is responsible for one of the biggest ticket items in your annual budget -- your property tax bill, which pays for local services such as new schools, parks, police and fire protection. Here’s what you need to know. What is a property tax asse...

Television armoires are doing a disappearing act. Learn about new TV storage trends dictating home entertainment styles.

Bigger TVs Changing the Look and Feel of Family Rooms As technology has evolved, the once-popular television armoire is disappearing from American homes. What’s new in home entertainment storage and display? Take a look. Consoles. Many consumers are opting to display televisions on top of a cabinet or hang them on a wall. Consoles work well in either...

You made an offer on a house, but now you can’t follow through. How much money will it cost you?

What Happens When a Buyer Cancels a Sales Contract? It’s awkward when you’ve signed a contract to buy a house and then discover that you can’t go through with it. Let’s look at the proper steps to cancel so it doesn’t become expensive, too. Canceling during negotiations. If you have extended an offer to a seller by signing a contract, but t...

Paint is not one-size-fits-all. Here’s a primer on how to choose the best paint for staging your home.

Brush Up on How to Pick the Best Paint For Your Project How do you go about picking the best paint for your home project? Choosing the right color is a good first step but the type of paint you use and the sheen are also crucial to a successful project. Let’s get started. Latex paints are a water-based, consumer-friendly option. They are easy to apply ...

The unthinkable has happened: A storm has badly damaged your home. Here’s how to navigate the storm’s aftermath.

When a Storm Damages Your Home If your home is significantly damaged by a storm, you will likely feel overwhelmed and confused just when you are faced with making several major repair decisions. Take a deep breath and let us walk you through the mess.

From wire hangers on a rod to a lighted and mirrored space reminiscent of a dressing room, check out these closet upgrades for the budget-minded.

The Key to Closet Design and Organization Regardless of space or budget, you can turn your closet into something special. All it takes is organization and a little attention to detail. Closet systems. Custom closet organizers are trained to make closets look luxurious, but their talent comes at a price. The good news is you can achieve simi...

It’s enough to make you sweat! When applying for a mortgage, should you lock in your interest rate or let it “float?” Here’s how to decide.

When to Lock In — Or Float — a Mortgage Rate When applying for a mortgage, one of the first decisions a buyer must make is whether to lock in an interest rate on a mortgage. It’s somewhat of a gamble, but can be less stressful by paying attention to financial trends. How the process works. While shopping for homes, it’s also wise to shop f...

Need a quick referral for a home improvement project? When your friends come up empty handed, learn how to use online review sites.

Can You Trust Contractor Review Sites? When searching for a reliable contractor, there’s nothing better than a personal referral from friends or neighbors. But if leads are few, many people are turning to online review sites. Sites like Angie’s List and Home Advisor provide an easy source of information on thousands of contractors in...

A huge congrats to Ed and his wife on their 1st home! They were great to work with and we were even able to negotiate a good price. Thank you for trusting us to help you find your new home!

For anyone still on the fence, rates have been dropping fast and home prices are coming down!

You pay your utility bills every month, but do you understand what they say?

Check the Fine Print on Utility Bills The next time the monthly utility bills arrive, resist the urge to blindly write a check or schedule a payment. Take the time for a more in-depth examination. You just might find a way to trim the bill. Understanding your electric bill. Using a fixed rate, the power company charges a set rate of x [...

From the basement to the attic, here’s a top to bottom look at choices in stairways.

The Ups and Downs of Multiple Staircases In large multi-story houses, more than one staircase may exist. Attic stairs are common and some houses may even have an outside staircase for renters or a back set of steps as an entry to upstairs playrooms. Let’s go exploring up one staircase and down another. A showcase. The main (or only) stai...

Neighborhood tennis courts and swimming pools: a benefit or a drawback?

Pros and Cons of Swim and Tennis Communities When you’re shopping for a new home, many planned developments offer tempting neighborhood amenities such as swimming pools and tennis courts. But before you dive in, read about the pros and cons. Pros. Living in a neighborhood with tennis courts and a swimming pool provides easy access to leisure...

For senior adults, selling a home can be fraught with emotion. A Certified Senior Housing Professional is trained to ease the stress.

Benefits of Using a Certified Senior Housing Professional When senior adults decide to sell their homes, hiring a “Certified Senior Housing Professional” can be a huge help. What exactly is a “Certified Senior Housing Professional?” Essentially, it’s a real estate agent who has undergone special training and certification in selling the homes of ...

How can you save money on big-ticket home purchases? Hint: Look for the blue “Energy Star” label on products.

What Every Consumer Should Know About ‘Energy Star’ We’ve all seen the blue Energy Star logos on appliances, windows and even electronics, but what do they mean? Origins and purpose. The Energy Star program was launched in 1992 as a joint program of the Environmental Protection Agency and the U.S. Department of Energy. Energy Star encourages develo...

Have ceiling fans become a design fossil? Not so fast! These models will make your head spin with possibilities.

Let’s Go Shopping for a Ceiling Fan If you watch any of the TV design shows, the ceiling fans seem to be ignored in makeovers. By omission, you could easily get the impression they have become a design faux pas. The fan industry sees things otherwise and has some sleek designs hitting the market. Fan makeover. Forget the brass trim an...

You love the house, but not so fast. What about the neighborhood? Tips on what to look for.

Five Ways to Check Out a Potential Neighborhood When shopping for a home, don’t just look at the house; be sure to assess the neighborhood. Here’s what to look for and how to evaluate what you see. Drive through. Nothing beats a tour of the neighborhood. Drive the streets around the house you are considering. Is the landscaping tidy? Are the ...

Dark and ornate have given way to bright and simple. Here are six of the latest trends in home design.

Lighter, Brighter and Simpler are Today’s Buzzwords in Home Design With homes trending smaller, today’s houses are being built with cleaner lines and styles to emphasize the open concept. Detailed trim work and dark stains are out; light colors and simpler styles are in. Let’s look at six of the latest trends. Cabinets. Painted cabinets in bright colors with st...

DIY disasters. Know your limits and leave the big jobs to the professionals.

When to Hire a Pro to Avoid DIY Disasters Do-it-yourselfers, empowered by YouTube videos and well-produced cable TV shows, have no doubt saved themselves serious money by tackling home-improvement projects. But some jobs are better left to the professionals. A good rule of thumb: If you don’t own most of the necessary equipment or you nee...

Glass-front cabinets and open shelving are gaining popularity in kitchen design. Will they work in your busy kitchen?

Newest Kitchen Trends May Surprise You Check out the pros and cons of the new kitchen trends before deciding on your a new design for your family gathering space.

What to expect if your new home has old appliances? Here’s a guide to appliance longevity.

What’s the Lifespan of Your New Home’s Big-Ticket Appliances? Gone are the days when big-ticket home appliances lasted for decades. With some exceptions, the life span for most appliances is ten years or less. All the more reason to do your homework as a prospective buyer and check the age and condition of the appliances in any home you’re seriously consider...