Homeowner Guides

Homeowner Guides

Practical guides for homeowners — improvements, refinancing, renting, and everything in between.

1231 articles

Homeowner Guides articles

Keep Your Home Appliances Operational: What to Check Before You Call a Repair Tech (2026) Selling a Home

Keep Your Home Appliances Operational: What to Check Before You Call a Repair Tech (2026)

Troubleshoot a fridge, dishwasher, washer, dryer or AC before you book a repair: the 5-minute checks, a problem-by-problem.

Top 10 Interior Design Trends in 2026 (and Which Ones Will Last) Homeowner Guides

Top 10 Interior Design Trends in 2026 (and Which Ones Will Last)

Ten interior design trends for 2026, from warm neutrals and cork to velvet and upcycling, sorted by how.

Innovative Relaxation Solutions You Can Incorporate Into Your Home (2026): Sleep, Spa, Sauna and Meditation Selling a Home

Innovative Relaxation Solutions You Can Incorporate Into Your Home (2026): Sleep, Spa, Sauna and Meditation

Relaxation ideas for your home: a bedroom built for sleep, a bathroom spa routine, a meditation corner and.

5 Ways to Infuse Timeless Style in Your First Home: A Buy-Once Plan (2026) Selling a Home

5 Ways to Infuse Timeless Style in Your First Home: A Buy-Once Plan (2026)

A buy-once plan for first-time homeowners: what to splurge on, how to spot furniture built to last, a.

Useful Information You Might Want to Know About Heat Pumps (2026 Update) Home Improvements

Useful Information You Might Want to Know About Heat Pumps (2026 Update)

How heat pumps work, how cold is too cold, which type fits your home, 2025 conversion costs and.

Improve Your Kitchen With These Useful Items: Safety, Food Storage and Cabinet Organizers (2026) Home Improvements

Improve Your Kitchen With These Useful Items: Safety, Food Storage and Cabinet Organizers (2026)

The small, cheap kitchen items that do the most: safety basics, food-storage tools, cabinet organizers and small appliances.

Improve Your Kitchen With These 6 Pieces of Advice: Layout and Workflow Rules That Work (2026) Home Improvements

Improve Your Kitchen With These 6 Pieces of Advice: Layout and Workflow Rules That Work (2026)

Six layout rules for a kitchen that works: work triangle, aisle widths, landing space, prep and cleanup zones.

How to Reduce Utility Expenses With Energy-Efficient Systems: Heating, Ducts and Laundry (2026) Home Improvements

How to Reduce Utility Expenses With Energy-Efficient Systems: Heating, Ducts and Laundry (2026)

Heating, cooling, ducts and laundry: the home systems that cut utility bills most, with August 2026 electricity prices.

How to Properly Take Care of Your Roof: Seasonal Checks From the Ground and Safe Gutter Work (2026) Home Improvements

How to Properly Take Care of Your Roof: Seasonal Checks From the Ground and Safe Gutter Work (2026)

Seasonal roof checks from the yard and attic, safe ladder setup, gutter cleaning that spares the shingles, and.

How to Make Your Bathroom a Room of Health and Cleanliness (2026) Selling a Home

How to Make Your Bathroom a Room of Health and Cleanliness (2026)

Humidity targets, fan habits, when bathroom mold is a DIY job and a simple cleaning routine, based on.

How to Make Your Backyard Look Stunning: A Room-by-Room Plan (2026) Selling a Home

How to Make Your Backyard Look Stunning: A Room-by-Room Plan (2026)

Plan your backyard like a room: a focal point, a patio, layered plants, warm lighting and smart watering.

How to Make Sure Your Home Appliances Are Always Working Properly (2026) Selling a Home

How to Make Sure Your Home Appliances Are Always Working Properly (2026)

A simple maintenance schedule for your fridge, dishwasher, washer, dryer, HVAC and water heater, plus when to repair.

How to Make a Roof Last Longer: 6 Mistakes the Pros Avoid (2026) Selling a Home

How to Make a Roof Last Longer: 6 Mistakes the Pros Avoid (2026)

The mistakes that shorten a roof's life, from pressure washing to blocked soffit vents and roof-overs, with the.

How to Calculate the Cost of a Roof Restoration (2026 Method) Selling a Home

How to Calculate the Cost of a Roof Restoration (2026 Method)

Measure your roof in squares, price each restoration line and compare with replacement.

Home Solutions for Noise Reduction: What Works, From Cheap Fixes to New Windows Home Improvements

Home Solutions for Noise Reduction: What Works, From Cheap Fixes to New Windows

Where noise gets in, cheap sealing fixes, rugs and curtains, dense walls and sound-deadening paint, quieter windows and.

Home Renovation Trends From 2024, Revisited: What Lasted Into 2026 Home Improvements

Home Renovation Trends From 2024, Revisited: What Lasted Into 2026

A 2024-to-2026 scorecard for kitchen cabinets, flex rooms, floors, LED lighting, outdoor living and basements, with NAR, NARI.

How to Clean and Fix Gutters: Leaks, Sagging and Downspouts (2026) Home Improvements

How to Clean and Fix Gutters: Leaks, Sagging and Downspouts (2026)

Step-by-step gutter cleaning and repair: sealing leaks, fixing sagging runs, downspouts, and when to replace, with InterNACHI lifespans.

The First-Time Buyer’s Guide to Caring for Your New Home (2026) Homeowner Guides

The First-Time Buyer’s Guide to Caring for Your New Home (2026)

After closing: a week-one checklist, smoke and CO alarm rules, system lifespans, a first-year maintenance calendar and how.

Financial Aspects of Buying Your Dream House: 6 Numbers to Know in 2026 Buying a Home

Financial Aspects of Buying Your Dream House: 6 Numbers to Know in 2026

Price, down payment, rate, monthly cost, cash to close and ownership costs: the six numbers behind buying a.

How to Extend the Life of Your Roof: A Maintenance Schedule by Roof Type Home Improvements

How to Extend the Life of Your Roof: A Maintenance Schedule by Roof Type

A season-by-season roof maintenance schedule for asphalt, metal, tile, slate, wood and flat roofs, with InterNACHI lifespans and.

Flooring Trends in Modern Real Estate: What Lasts and What Sells Home Improvements

Flooring Trends in Modern Real Estate: What Lasts and What Sells

Stone looks, eco floors, heated floors and luxury vinyl plank, judged on lifespan, upkeep and how they help.

What to Know When Buying a House with Fluoridated Tap Water (2026) Buying a Home

What to Know When Buying a House with Fluoridated Tap Water (2026)

Fluoride and home buying in 2026: CDC and EPA levels, EPA's review, Florida's 2025 additive law, how to.

How to Prevent Smoke Smell From Lingering in Walls and Furniture (2026) Home Improvements

How to Prevent Smoke Smell From Lingering in Walls and Furniture (2026)

Step-by-step ways to get smoke smell out of walls, ceilings and furniture, clean the air, avoid ozone risks.

Take Your Interior Design to the Next Level With These 6 Decorations Lifestyle & Design

Take Your Interior Design to the Next Level With These 6 Decorations

Six decorating moves that lift a room without a remodel, with sizing tips for rugs and art, and.