Most New Hampshire residents welcome the arrival of spring with open arms. The melting of snow symbolizes new life and new beginnings. When we think of spring, we envision lush green grass, bright colorful flowers and brief but, magical butterfly encounters. Unfortunately, what’s revealed under all that snow is a dull and lifeless yard, damaged by the harsh New England winter.

Although it may take some hard work and dedication, for some, having a beautiful yard to enjoy is well worth it. Creating gardens are the perfect way to brighten up the exterior of your home and provide some curb appeal. Gardening also serves as a way to connect with nature that can be both fun and rewarding.

Here are a few spring garden ideas and trends to help add a splash of color and life to your property:

Spring Flower Garden

 There are a variety of beautiful flowers that can be planted during the season. Some are very easy to maintain and need little attention, while others are very sensitive to their environment and take lots of care to preserve their beauty.

• Annuals: These flowers have a short life span, one to two seasons, but can provide a quick touch of color to your garden. Planting annuals are a great way to be creative since you can always change up your selection and try new varieties. They can be used to decorate borders, fill flower beds, and place in containers or hanging baskets.

• Perennials: Once planted, these flowers bloom year after year. With proper care, some varieties can be enjoyed for up to a decade. Perennials require more attention but the results are well worth the extra effort. By selecting flowers with different bloom times, your garden will always be changing. There’s an array of different perennials to choose from that can actually endure the New Hampshire climate including: Bearded Iris, Basket-of Gold, Astible, Coral Bells, Geraniums (Rozanne), Baptisias, Bleeding Hearts, and Goatsbeard.

Vegetable Garden

Creating a vegetable garden on your property is an enjoyable experience. It’s a rewarding feeling to be able to add your very own home grown produce to all your favorite meals. Before digging into the ground, make sure you find a spot where the sun hits at least 6 hours a day. Placement of your garden is the key to its success.  Find a location far from trees so they do not steal nutrients needed for your vegetables. Also, the closer the garden is to your house, the more likely unwelcomed animals will refrain from turning your vegetables into a snack.

In New Hampshire, there are many seasonal vegetables that can be planted in your garden including: arugula, asparagus, fiddleheads, garlic scapes/green garlic, herbs, lettuce, morels, mushrooms, pea greens, and radishes.

Butterfly Garden

With the population of butterflies declining, every sighting is a magical moment. To help preserve the population in your area, planting butterfly-friendly flowers are extremely beneficial. Flowers like Echinacea, Daisies, and even some Violets give the butterflies a place to rest.  For the beautiful Monarch butterfly, plants like Chives, Green Antelope Horn, Siberian Wallflower, and May Night Salvia are much appreciated.

Any of these gardens will help revive your yard after the cold winter. To compliment your gardens, place colorful pots throughout your yard, deck, or patio to add a personal touch and house some of your plants. A well maintained yard with colorful landscaping is a great way to celebrate the arrival of warm weather and will be sure to increase your property’s curb appeal!

It has been a long rough winter and the Granite State’s storms have left behind litter in yards, fallen branches, and stray leaves blown everywhere. But probably the most disturbing is lawn damage caused by voles and moles that perhaps have made several tunnels and left behind piles of dirt around what was once your nice lawn.

These little critters are known to have tunneled and chewed their way across lawns without detection under the snow. Snow also provides ideal conditions for mold to develop, and it shows up as grey or white blotches across the lawn. None of this makes for a pretty yard.

The good news is that restoring your lawn is not necessarily expensive or a lot of work. Damage is usually is cosmetic and temporary and a rake may be all you need. Try raking matted turf to remove dead top growth and allow new grass shoots to develop. This allows air and light to reach plant crowns, which helps the lawn recover from any mold.

If you see little or not so little piles of unearthed dirt and squiggly tunnel lines around your yard, you probably were the victim of vole and mole damage. The good news is this should fix itself with time, since the damage is typically limited to dormant grass, not crowns and roots. To speed up repair, rake out loose grass so sunlight can reach the soil and promote new growth.

While the growth of grass in the spring will fill in the damage, eliminating moles can be the bigger challenge. There are many suggested methods you can find online like using chewing gum, human hair, moth balls, broken glass, bleach, red peppers, and even rodent poison. Castor oil is also listed as a repellant, but the results do not seem to last if other moles decide to move in. None of these are reportedly very effective.

The mole family in New England is mainly two species; the Eastern mole and the Star-nose mole. If you see five to six mounds of soil spaced in a row like little volcanoes it is likely the work of star-nose moles. Eastern moles create volcano-like excavations, but not as many or in straight rows.

These moles make two types of tunnels in your lawn.  Primary tunnels are feeding tunnels and can be anywhere from 3 inches to 3 feet below the surface.  They provide access to the mole’s feeding areas. Feeding tunnels near the surface are where moles search for worms, usually in areas that are irrigated. If you flatten a tunnel and they reappear within a day or two, you have likely found a primary tunnel. This is where to set the only thing that lawn experts say is likely to work at eliminating moles; a mole-killing trap.

Early spring is the best time to set traps, before the birth of new litters, which range from two to six baby moles. Underground traps are the most effective and can be found in the lawn care department of any home improvement store. If this sounds like too much for you to deal with, consider calling in a lawn care company to handle the infestation.

A beautiful lawn speaks to potential homebuyers and it can either say welcome home or this house is not well maintained.  Remember that part of curb appeal for your home is an appealing front yard…with no sign of little critters.

Image courtesy of Moyan Brenn

If you are you are prepping your home for sale, you may be considering giving the walls a new coat of paint. Nothing can breathe new life into your home’s look like a fresh coat of paint that catches the eye. But should you change the color?  Can the color of a home make it sell faster than others? The color of your home can make or break the sale, especially if covered with unusual shades. Buyers look for a home that has good curb appeal, which means it looks attractive from the street and makes them want to see more.

But, buyers also look for a house that stands out when compared to the others they’ve looked at. Typically, the best colors to paint your house to sell are

I was looking for an opportunity to explore the magic of nooks, and the incredible potential they hold for creativity and functionality. So let’s put some eggs on to boil and consider kitchen nooks.

Industry “nook-meisters” say, whether you have one of those large kitchens with giant windows begging for built-in seating, or a strangely small corner in your rental where you can simply throw a bench and a small table, a kitchen nook can make a warm and inviting space for creating a happy place to relax or host small gatherings.

Renters, especially in cities where many old buildings have been remodeled, are inevitably going to discover space in some kitchen apartments that seems strangely small. So drop a pendant lamp, throw down some pillows and pull up a chair.

A kitchen nook can serve as a cozy place for hosting wine and cheese nights, playing cards, or just reading the morning paper. The experts over at decoist.com also talk about converting a nook into intimate meal space for small gatherings, or just the two of you. They say breakfast nook can be tucked away in the corner of a kitchen or within a bay window, and offer these tips:

Add a padded window seat — a great opportunity to show some personality and add some color to your space with an interesting fabric pattern and a few charming pillows.

Choose a table — just remember, a breakfast nook is supposed to be small and quaint. Instead of a table rivaling the size of your dining room set-up, a small café table should suffice.

Add chairs table opposite the window seat — Two or three small chairs at most. If you do not have a window seat, add more chairs. And your breakfast nook can also be one-sided.

When decorating your breakfast nook, it doesn’t need to be an extension of your existing kitchen décor. As long as it complements the space, it’s okay to add different colors, patterns and textures to give your nook its own identity.

In the end, a kitchen nook could become your favorite place to enjoy a hot cup of joe and a good book — or a cozy gathering space for intimate groups and stimulating conversations. In part two, we’ll focus on putting that nook to work as office space.

John Voket is a Consumer Confidant for Real Estate Information Services Media. 

image courtesy of bradleyolin

If you’re like most people, your home is one of, if not, THE largest investment you’ll ever make. Maintaining it is key to protecting its value. With spring fast upon us, there’s no better time to put a little sweat equity into your home!

Here’s a great start to getting your home in great shape now, and when you’re ready to sell!

• Remove and donate unwanted items
• Reorganize and clean closets, attic, basement and (if applicable) garage
• Power wash exterior walls, porch floors, deck, patio, driveway, and sidewalks
• Clean outdoor furniture, umbrellas, and outdoor light fixtures
• Clean out gutters
• Clean out refrigerator and freezer, making sure to vacuum the grill and coil
• Remove lint from the hose attached to back of the dryer
• Vacuum baseboards, walls and ceilings, and wipe down walls
• Steam clean carpets, area rugs and upholstery
• Reseal natural stone surfaces (Travertine, etc.)
• Reseal and repair grout in bathtubs and showers
• Dust and clean window treatments, blinds, and shutters
• Oil door hinges

Even if you’re dealing with a sidewalk or other outdoor sections that are technically part of your city or town, make sure to keep them in good shape. It may not directly be your responsibility but it will absolutely effect the curb appeal, and first impression of your potential buyers.

If you need help with any of these projects, give me a call and I’ll be happy to provide you with a great list of people to call!

Cammie Ferreras is a licensed Realtor® based in the Verani Realty, Londonderry Office. She covers the Manchester, Hooksett, Londonderry, Bedford, Merrimack, and beyond. She is a specialist in relocation and is an E-certified agent. For more information about Cammie, to contact her, or view her listings, visit her agent page.

photo courtesy of john.schultz

Here are tips to add value to your home:

Tip #1 – Update an outdated kitchen

A kitchen is not only the heartbeat of a home but one of the most important rooms for homebuyers. Remodeling your kitchen adds both value and visual impact, especially if your current kitchen is stuck in a time warp of the 1980s.  New counter tops and replacing appliances, refrigerator, dishwasher and stove,  to reflect today’s current trends, style and energy efficiency will make almost as big an impact as all new cabinets and flooring.

Tip #2 – Add more living space

Creating additional living space in your home increases the value significantly. It brings more functionality within your four walls. By simply converting an attic or basement into finished rooms that are ideal for an office space or entertaining, makes your minor investment worthwhile.

Tip #3 – Add a garage

If your property does not have a garage, particularly if you are in a neighborhood where most of the homes have them, this increases your ease in selling.  Buyers tend to prefer a home with a garage for not only does a garage offer more storage but also protect vehicles from the harshness of our winters.

Tip #4 – Add a deck

A fairly affordable addition to your home can be found by adding a deck or patio space. Outdoor living and entertaining spaces are popular criteria for homebuyers and can be easily accomplished for alot less than most home additions.

Tip #5 – Landscaping improvements

Curb appeal and beauty of a well-tailored yard sets the groundwork for a favorable first impression for a homebuyer.  This can be easily accomplished with a reasonable home improvement budget. But if you really want to impress, landscaping designers are available to hire and will help you make the most of your yard space by select plantings that will thrive, flourish and add a splash of color.

Most Realtors® will tell you that the kitchen is the heart of the home and can make or break a sale for some buyers.  If your kitchen is old and drab you may have decided to update the appliances for that new kitchen look, but what about the cabinets?  If replacing the cabinets is not in your home improvement budget, there is the option of refinishing or painting the existing ones, adding new hardware, and revealing a new fresh kitchen to potential buyers.  But how do you begin?

Well, according to some experts at the local home improvement stores there are some basic items you will need along with a spare weekend.  They include:

• Drill for installing new hardware
• Permanent marker
• 220-grit sandpaper
• Quality latex bonding primer
• Spare rags
• Flush spackling compound
• Paint. Ask for recommendations from an expert at the paint store.  They can find you just the right product that will stand up to kitchen chaos.

Once you have your necessary tools and products the first step is to remove the doors from the cabinets, and then remove the hinges and door hardware from the doors. It is best to put a number on the top of each cabinet using a marker, and then make a map of the cabinets matching the number of the door to its exact location. If you need to drill new holes that fit the new hardware you have chosen, fill the existing hole with flush spackling compound.

Here are the next steps that will take you to an amazing finished kitchen:

1. Sand the entire surface of the cabinet doors and frames, and then remove the dust with a damp rag.
2. Prime the front of each door. Remember to drag your finger along the bottom of the door to remove any paint that has crept underneath. Once the front dries, prime the back. Sand the doors lightly to smooth out the surface. Do the same process for the framework of the cabinets.
3. Painting time! Paint from the inside out in the same manner as above. Let dry completely, no rushing the process! Flip the doors to repeat on the other side. Apply another coat, allowing it to dry completely between coats. Be careful when painting the framework and cover all floors and counter tops that could get drips on them.
4. Once the doors and framework is dry, reinstall the hardware or install the new hardware and hang each door according to its number.

Though the project has a little sweat equity, it is also a very affordable way to update those old cabinets and make the most important room of your house grab buyers’ attention. There are also products on the market to refurbish old counter tops and make them look much more expensive and impressive to the eye.  Combine with new appliances and this weekend project can appear to be a renovation with a pricetag ten times more than what it actually costs you. This adds value to the home as well as helps you appeal to buyers and sell quicker.

original image courtesy of alleus

Let’s face it: urban life can be draining. The overstimulating of our brain courtesy of loud noises, constant happenings, and avoiding fellow pedestrians and cars has been scientifically shown to negatively impact our brains. They can only handle so much, and the absence of nature’s soothing touch has become so commonplace for so many that it’s starting to have a palpable effect on our brains. Especially now that the majority of the population, for the first time in history, live in urban areas.

An array of intensive studies, made popular in an article by Jonah Lehrer in the Boston Globe from 2009, have found that simply living in urban environments impairs our basic mental processes: our problem-solving capabilities are hampered, our emotions are unbalanced, and we are generally unhappier.

“But my job’s there!” some say. Or, “I love living in the big city!” Which is understandable. Not all of us can live in a cabin in the woods or in a cottage on the lake. Which begs the question: What can we do about it?

How to Give That 8-lb Organ a Boost

The simple answer is this: incorporate more nature into our daily lives. Surround ourselves as much as possible with greenery, with natural beauty.

Studies have shown that even a minimal amount of exposure to natural landscapes has positive effects on the functionality of the brain. So if you’re in the big city and don’t have time to spend hours in lush countryside filled with birds, plants and a loping gazelle, a few things you can do include:

• Position yourself with an overlook of a grassy courtyard
• Hang pictures or paintings of beautiful landscapes
• Get a plant for your office or home
• Take a jaunt through the nearest small park
• Set your screensaver or your desktop background to nature scenes

These sound trivial, but in this situation the saying holds true that “a little bit can go a long way.” When exposed to natural landscapes, even for brief moments, our brains automatically – literally, we’re talking mere minutes – gain a higher degree of clarity. Studies have even shown that hospital patients whose rooms are exposed to trees or grass recover faster than those with views of walls, granite, or cityscapes.

Natural landscapes have a restorative affect on the brain, allowing it to relax and assume its ideal level of information-processing, which means we think better and we’re happier.

You don’t have to live at Walden Pond to achieve the benefits that landscapes have on the brain.

But, then again, it couldn’t hurt.

Jeff Hirz is a writer, runner, hiker, and bedside health enthusiast. Written on behalf of maggithornhill.com.

photo courtesy of AlanEnglish

New Englanders find themselves in a fairly unique situation, where unpredictable weather forces them to be prepared year-round for almost anything. That being said, it can be somewhat difficult to maintain your energy (electric, heat, and A/C) costs in this part of the country. A practical New Year’s resolution for 2013 in New England (besides exercising and eating right) is to cut costs in this area. Here’s a few tips to make this happen:

1. Check Your Energy Providers’ Competition

With green energy taking control of the private market, many mainstream providers are starting to lose customers. Contrary to popular belief, many of these green providers offer cheaper options than the public “non-green” providers. Companies like North American Power and Electricity New Hampshire are beating out the primary providers in New Hampshire and New England. Make sure you’re not leaving money on the table and check the competition’s prices.

2. Shut Off (Unplug) Appliances

This problem is most common in kitchens and bedrooms. A lot of people will leave coffeemakers, blenders, mirror lights, etc. plugged in all the time. Believe it or not, there is a slow trickle of energy that will seep into these appliances even when they’re turned off. Unplugging appliances that aren’t being used can save a handful over the process of a year.

3. Cover the Cracks (Windows & Walls)

Often referred to as “battening the hatches” New Englanders will lose massive amounts of energy in the heights of winter due to sealing issues on windows, doors, and even wall baseboards. Central Air? You’ll lose just as much energy cooling your home in the summer. Make sure you check all of your windows, doors, and baseboards for drafts. If you find a bad seal somewhere, check with your local hardware store for suggestions on the easiest way to patch or permanently fix the issue.

4. Cover the Pipes

Does the water in your house take a while to heat up? Once it’s warm, does it seem like it could be warmer? Answering yes to either of these questions could mean you have pipes that aren’t insulated. Even in summer, this can cool your water down before it gets to the faucet or shower/bath head. It’s a one-time project that will pay dividends for years to come, so have a plumber or contractor take a look at insulating your pipes.

5. Zone Climate Control

We’ve talked about this in detail in a prior post regarding zone heating. The same theories apply year-round to climate control throughout the house. If you have multiple thermostats, make sure you’re using them to their full potential and heat/cool only the areas you’re in most. Otherwise, check out your options for space heaters and air conditioners that can help control the temperature in your favorite rooms.

6. Turn Off the Lights!

This one is super-simple but often overlooked. switch off the lights when you leave the room. On the more complex side of this piece, consider spacial lighting. Instead of using an overhead light that has 4 bulbs, if you don’t need the extra light, get a lamp and put it close to where you spend a lot of your time. You’ll use 75% less energy, while creating a nice easy mood-lit room!

7. Buying New Appliances? Buy ENERGY STAR

This one is a long-term solution to saving energy. However, if you’re in the market for new appliances anyways, you’ll likely see your money back in the first few months if you upgrade to ENERGY STAR Certified products. Again, we’ve spoken about this in an earlier post, but these appliances now how to make a wallet happy.

So, if you can’t figure out what you want to do for your 2013 New Year’s Resolution, consider saving money with cost-cutting measures on your energy bills. Use these tips to help start up the most practical resolution of the year!

image courtesy of Images_of_Money

One of the most common things I hear as the holidays approach every year is along the lines of: “Ugh, my _____-in-law is visiting, and he/she always has something negative to say about the house…” Sound familiar? If you haven’t said it yourself, you’ve probably heard others say it. So, the question becomes, how do we impress the most uninspired of in-laws?

The easiest answer is to just concede the fact that they’ll complain about something, and move on. But lets say, for argument’s sake, that you’re going to take a good old-fashioned jab at getting a compliment in 2012. Here are a few things that might help (key word here is “help,” I’m not a miracle worker).

Appeal to All 5 Senses

Generally speaking, if someone doesn’t want to be in a certain place, they’re going to complain out of spite regardless of how you present it. However, if you manage to hit all 5 senses in the first few minutes, the complaints may disappear and even turn into a disdainful compliment or two.

Vision

Regardless of what holiday(s) you celebrate in December, the exterior visual is ALWAYS the first impression. In years past, maybe you had cheesy decorations, unorganized lights, or an out-of-season doormat that set the tone for an evening of complaints. This year though, you’re going to be ready for that first sense. Be tasteful, and remember that your critic is looking extra close at what you’ve got up for lights or decorations. We’ve spent a lot of time talking about seasonal selling and showing, so try to take some advice such as keeping walkways clear, and apply them to your house.

Smell

As soon a they step out of the car, the sense of smell takes over. So what do you think they want to take in with their first breaths? For New England natives, I would argue for 2 options: wood stove/fireplace fire or food. Nothing says winter in New England like the smell of a wood stove or fireplace burning. You can knock off two pieces of your to-do list by