Is winter beginning to get to you? Kick away the winter blues by bringing indoor plants into your Cape Cod home. This means that while you are protecting these plants from the harsh and cold weather outside, they will also brighten and enhance the charm in your living space, all through the dull winter period. With the use of architectural planters, the beauty of your home’s interiors can be greatly enhanced. REEF has designed some exciting spaces which are great for keeping plants positive energy in the  home all year long. Here are some great ideas to help plants bring some life to your home.

Indoor Plants bring life to your Cape Cod Home

We all love our stuff! On Cape Cod we all need beach chairs, coolers, books, tennis racquets, leashes for the dog...you name it! But it can become overwhelming if it's A.O.P.! (All Over the Place). It's much more fun to be able to find your stuff when you need it. Getting organized and staying that way can be a challenge. Here are some savvy tips to creating spaces that will stay organized.

Savvy Storage Tips

Cold winter days turn our attention to energy efficiency. How can you make your Cape Cod Home energy efficient? It's surprising how much energy (and money!) can be saved by taking a few simple steps. Here's a great list of 5 simple projects that will increase the energy efficiency, comfort, and value of your home.

5 Simple Projects to Improve Your Home's Energy Efficiency

   Fall is a great time to take care of those necessary, but not so fun home maintenance tasks to get your home ready for winter. Here are a few things you should be thinking about:

1. Check smoke detectors and replace batteries
2. Have your chimney cleaned
3. Have your heating system and hot water heater serviced
4. Change HVAC filters
5. Repair or replace damaged screens and windows
6. Clear leaves around your foundation and flower beds.

MSN Real Astate has a thorough checklist for each season, and you can click here to see what they recommend for October: October Home Checklist

If you have things that you need done around your home, and need some help, REEF has created a small projects division that can handle these repairs for you! Click below to see how we can help you:

    Fall is here, or at least on it's way to Cape Cod, and with fall comes leaves.  Managing leaves can be quite a chore to get rid of, but fall leaves can also have some benefits.  The other problem with most Cape Cod Homes involves pine needles.  Excessive pine needles on a lawn can raise the soil acidity and kill the lawn very quickly. 

    Many experts suggest using a mulching mower to chop the leaves up and leave them right on the lawn.  The mulched leaves add vital nutrients to the lawn, and act as an inexpensive, yet very effective fertilizer. 

Here is an article from MSN Real Estate with 8 tips for managing leaves at your Cape Cod Home this fall: 8 Smart Ways to Deal with Leaves

    Summer is a great time to think of home improvements, remodeling or renovations.  Painting your home is a great way to preserve your home and add some curb appeal at the same time. Here are some tips if you are considering painting your home this summer! The Cape's coastal environment is hard on the exterior of your home, generally requiring painting every 5 years depending on your location.

REEF's Small Projects division can provide painting and general home maintenance throughout the year... click here if you would like a quote

Clock Below for 7 Smart Painting Tips

http://realestate.msn.com/7-smart-tips-for-painting-your-house#1

   The summer is a great time to get ahead on some important home maintenance.  Energy efficiency improvements, exterior cleaning and repairs, and pruning and landscaping are all smart investments in the summer. It is also a great time to schedule your heating system cleaning and maintenance for the year.  Don't get caught in October or November on that first cold night with a broken furnace or boiler. Also, there are still a lot of incentives available for energy efficiency upgrades like insulation, doors, and windows, and new heating and cooling equipment.

If you would like to find out more about the incentives available, please contact us:

Here are some other maintenance tips from msn.com: http://realestate.msn.com/july-home-maintenance-checklist

    We found an interesting solution to the aging in place concept.  As a Home Builder on Cape Cod, we are often asked about in-law or accessory apartments.  This can be an expensive proposition, when considering all of the code and permitting requirements for a legal apartment.  As and alternative, a company called MedCottage has come up with a 284sf self contained structure that can be moved on to your lot and contains all of the amenities needed for your aging parent.  There is a lot of data that touts the benefits of having an elderly loved one cared for by family members. This MEDCottage makes that process very quick and easy, and is a good alternative to the complications of a renovation or remodeling project to complete an in-law apartment.  

Here is the full article from msnbc.com: http://www.cnbc.com/id/47251900/?page=2

  Renovating, Remodeling or building a new home is a process that can involve emotional and rational decision making. Balancing needs versus wants, achieving a certain look or feel to a space can be difficult and every decision involves money.  If you look at the process from a purely financial perspective, there are some improvements that add value to a home, and there are many that provide little to no return, and even some that can detract from the existing value of your property.  As a Custom Builder on Cape Cod, we often assist in making these decisions, and try to provide the benefit analysis of different design ideas. Certain renovation projects like updating a kitchen, replacing windows and siding are often a good idea, but some projects such as adding a pool, or creating unique, but unappealing spaces may not create value in the home.

Here is a great article from The Street.com which talks about projects that might hurt the value of your property: Value Killing Home Renovations

   Many of our customers have waited a lifetime to build their custom home on Cape Cod.  Given the slow real estate market over the last several years, many customers have postponed building or renovating their Cape Cod home, because they are waiting to sell their existing home off Cape.  Well, all signs are pointing to an improving real estate market, and prices are beginning to stabilize and even increase.  We found an interesting article that offers some advice to people interested in selling their existing home. In an emerging market, some of these tips might be helpful, and can mean the difference between a full price offer with a quick closing, and a low-ball offer with months of haggling over issues that could have been corrected early in the process.

Here is the article from Yahoo Finance: 11 Reason People Can't Sell Their Home