For many people, nothing beats condo living. As such, the demand for condos continues to grow, and many property buyers are relocating to condos across the nation.

Before you buy a condo, however, it is important to remember that condo living is different from living in a traditional house. Therefore, property buyers who plan accordingly can set realistic expectations for condo living.

How can a property buyer find out what it's like to live in a condo community? Here are three tips to help you prepare for condo living.

1. Learn About Condo Communities in Your Area

Condo communities come in all shapes and sizes, and you should take a close look at the condo communities in your city or town to find out what they're all about.

Even a quick drive through a condo community may prove to be exceedingly valuable. This will enable you to see the size and style of assorted condos, along with the distance between the properties themselves.

After you view a few condo communities, consider what you'd like to find in your ideal residence. This will enable you to compare and contrast your home must-haves versus what condos offer and map out your property search accordingly.

2. Meet with Current and Past Condo Owners

Do any family members or friends who currently live in a condo community? If so, schedule a meet-up with them so they can share their thoughts and views on condo living with you.

Nothing beats firsthand knowledge about condo communities. By meeting with current or past condo residents, you can better understand the pros and cons of condo living.

Be sure to come up with a list of questions before you meet with current or past condo residents as well. Remember, the more you prepare, the better off you'll be as you determine whether condo living is right for you.

3. Collaborate with a Real Estate Agent

A real estate agent has a simple goal: to help you find a residence that you'll be able to enjoy both now and in the future. As a result, this housing market professional can set up condo showings for you, allowing you to find out what it's like to live in a condo community.

In addition, a real estate agent can provide extensive details about what to expect if you decide to purchase a condo. This real estate professional can provide a copy of a condo community's homeowners' association (HOA) rules, inform you about any HOA fees and offer details about community pools and tennis courts that may be available to condo residents.

Perhaps best of all, a real estate agent is happy to offer honest, unbiased condo buying recommendations. He or she can provide you with plenty of information about a broad assortment of condos to help you make an informed purchase decision.

When it comes to browsing condos, don't leave anything to chance. Instead, collaborate with a real estate agent, and you can explore a variety of condos any time you choose.

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Moving to a new home can be a stressful time for a new homeowner. Packing up a house-full of belongings is a strenuous process that can take up a lot of time and energy. And, if you’re working with movers, you’re going to have to pay for everything you want to move.

One way to make the process of moving easier and to save some money is by listing some of your unwanted belongings for sale online.

There are a number of places to list your unwanted items, but some are better than others when it comes to heavy and bulk items.

When to start listing and selling

The best time to begin the process of listing and selling some of your bulk items is at least two months before your move.

Why so long?

The answer lies in how much time it takes to list items, field responses, and ship the items or meet up with the buyer for pickup.

To list your items, you’ll want to do some research on them to find out the brand name, year, condition, and model number for things like large televisions. You’ll then want to see what the items are selling for used online.

Once you have a price in mind, you’ll want to take some high quality photos of the items. Good lighting and a decent camera (a newer smartphone camera should suffice).

Next comes the process of listing. Regardless of where you list your items, you’ll want to make sure you provide as many details as possible. This will help provide the site you’re using with enough keywords to make your items show up in popular searches. It will also help reduce the number of questions you receive from buyers who want to know more about the item--the listing should tell them everything they need to know to make a purchase.

Where to list

For large items that would be costly to ship, it’s best to use local listing services like Craigslist and Facebook groups. However, don’t give out too many details (like your address or date of moving); you don’t want to tip off would-be scammers or thieves to the fact that you’re moving.

For smaller items that still carry some value, a site like eBay or Amazon can produce top value for your belongings. Just factor in shipping costs and the chance of returns into the price.

Tips for success

One of the reasons I recommend listing your items months in advance of your move is because it can take time to list your items, field inquiries, then finally ship them and receive your payment.

One way to ensure that you successfully sell your items is to stay on top of inquiries. That means making yourself available whenever possible to take phone calls and answering email questions.

If you follow these steps, you should be able to turn a profit off of the items you would have otherwise had to pay to move. Happy moving, and good luck!

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Purchasing a house may prove to be a long, complex process, particularly for a first-time buyer. Fortunately, there are several things that you can do to streamline the process of going from homebuyer to homeowner.

Now, let's take a look at three tips to help you enjoy a quick, easy homebuying journey.

1. Narrow Your Search for Your Dream Home

It often helps to enter the real estate market with a checklist of home must-haves and wants. With this checklist, you will be better equipped than ever before to perform a deep evaluation of any house, at any time.

Think about what you want to find in your dream home and include these criteria in your checklist. For instance, if you want to own a house near your office, you can search for houses that are just a few miles from your workplace. Or, if you want to purchase a house with a big backyard, you should look at houses that offer the space that you need.

2. Submit a Competitive Offer

If you find a house that you want to buy, there is no need to wait to submit an offer. However, it is important to differentiate between a "lowball" offer and a competitive one beforehand.

A lowball offer generally fails to account for the state of a house, as well as the current real estate market's conditions. It is likely to fall short of a home seller's expectations, and as a result, lead to an immediate "No."

Conversely, a competitive offer is based on housing market data, along with the condition and age of a house. And if you submit a competitive offer on a residence, you may receive an instant "Yes" from a home seller.

3. Conduct an In-Depth Home Inspection

After you and a home seller agree to terms, you will want to conduct a comprehensive home inspection. This will enable you to fully examine a house's interior and exterior and identify any potential home problems before you finalize your purchase.

When it comes to buying a home, there is no need to forego a home inspection. In fact, if you bypass a home inspection, you risk encountering costly, time-intensive home problems in the near future.

To hire an expert home inspector, perform a search of the available inspectors in your city or town. Then, meet with several home inspectors, ask for client referrals and allocate the necessary time and resources to perform an in-depth assessment. Because if you hire the right home inspector, you can get the support that you need to make an informed home purchase.

Lastly, if you need help finding a home inspector or completing other homebuying tasks, it usually is a good idea to employ a real estate agent. This housing market professional will learn about your homebuying goals and tailor your home search accordingly. As a result, working with a real estate agent will increase the likelihood that you can enjoy a quick, easy homebuying journey.

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Image by Susan Lowry Hare from Pixabay

Adirondack chairs are popular on decks and for outdoor living, though they also look great in a rustic living room or cabin!  Rather than being straight-backed and uncomfortable, their design make them a joy to sit in.  However, a finished Adirondack chair can up to $700 dollars, whereas materials will run you between $50 and $150 depending on the wood you choose to use. Check out how to make your very own Adirondack chair by following the instructions below.

Note: you will need a miter saw and a jigsaw to complete this project.

Materials

Lumber

Hardware

Other

Directions

A) Cutting the planks to size

1. For the stretcher boards: 
   Cut two 2 x 4s such that the long end measures 31 7/8".  One end should be cut to 20^o off of square at the shortest point; the other end should be cut to 35^o off square at the longest point. Then, mark off 2" on the 20^o square end and cut at a right angle (90^o) to your 20^o cut. 
   
   If you aren't sure how to measure a certain number of degrees off of square, check out this quick how-to here. 
2. For the legs: 
   Cut two, 2" x 4" planks to 20 3/4".  Cut both ends parallel, 15^o off square.  These will be the back legs.  For the front legs, cut two, 2" x 4" planks to 20" long.
3. For the seat: 
   Cut five, 1" x 4" planks to 22 1/2".
4. For the arms of the chair:
   Cut two, 1" x 4" planks to 27".
5. For the arm rest support:
   Cut two, 2" x 2" planks to 26 1/2".  Cut one end at 15^o off square.
6. For the back support and front apron:
   Cut two, 2" x 4" planks to 22 1/2".
7. For the back slats:
   Cut five, 1" x 4" planks to 36".
8. For the top support section:
   Cut one, 1" x 4" board to 19 1/2".
9. For the base support section:
   Cut one, 2" x 4" board to 19 1/2".

B) Building the legs

1. Using 2 1/2" deck screws, attach both back and front legs to an arm support, keeping the outside and top edges even.  Use clamps and wood glue for additional stability.
2. Turn the front leg such that the arm support faces downward on your bench, and elevate off the bench using 2x4s.  Measure 13 3/4" from the base of your front leg on the left-hand side, and mark.  On the same leg, measure 1/2" horizontally and mark.   Line up your stretcher such that the 20^o off of square side lines up with your two marked measurements.  The 35^o off square side should now line up to the base on the right.  Fix in place with 2 1/2" deck screws.  Use wood glue for additional stability.
3. Repeat steps 1 and 2 to make your second leg.
4. Using 2 1/2" deck screws and wood glue, attach the front apron such that it lines up with the stretcher board on each side.

C) Making the seat

Drill two pilot holes on each side of your seat slats, using a countersink bit to keep the wood intact.  Line up on the top of the stretcher and screw into place using the 2" screws, being sure to put a 1/2" gap between each slat.  Do not use wood glue on the seat slats; they will naturally move more than the rest of the chair.
Note: it helps to lay out all the slats first, screwing in the outermost slats before the others and adjusting as you go, so that the spacing is right.

D) Making the back

1. Turn the chair upright with the back towards you.  You will note that the back support board is wider than width of the legs to which it must be affixed.  Attach the back support to both of the back legs at an angle, such that the distal side is pointed upward and the proximal side is pointed downward until flush with both sides.  Use 2 1/2" deck screws and wood glue to affix.
2. Attach the back slats as you did the seat slats in Part C: 1/2" apart, using 2" screws at the base but with 1 1/4" exterior screws at the top.  Do not use wood glue on the slats, as they will naturally need a bit more flexibility.  
   Note: it helps to lay out all the slats first, screwing in the outermost slats before the others and adjusting as you go, so that the spacing is right.
3. Using a bucket, trash bin, or other large, circular item as a guide, draw an arc at the top of your back slats.  Then, using your jigsaw, make the cut.
4. Slide the finished back into place in your chair.  Secure with 2 1/2" deck screws.  Finally, screw the chair back into the back support with 2" deck screws.

Finishing touches

1. Finish the chair by screwing the armrests into the arm supports using 2" deck screws and wood glue, clamping into place.  
2. After all your glue has cured as per the instructions on your wood glue, sand any jagged edges, particularly the top of the chair back.
3. Finally, paint or spray with at least two coats of finish: a clear coat if you really like the look of your wood.

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