Judith Jensen

Whether you're thinking of buying a home with an in-ground pool or toying with the idea of having one built, there are many important considerations to take into account. In addition to significant installation costs for those building a new pool, all homeowners with a pool will need to be mindful of ongoing maintenance expenses as well as insurance and tax implications.

If a swimming pool is in your future, here are some things to keep in mind:

• Installation costs for a 600-square-foot concrete pool average around $30,000. Less expensive options include fiberglass shells and pools with liners; however, pool liners need to be replaced approximately every 10 years, raising ongoing maintenance costs.

• Other equipment you will need to maintain your pool include an energy-efficient pump, chemical balancing supplies, cleaning, and fees for opening and closing the pool for the season. A rule of thumb is homeowners should budget around $600 annually for maintenance in a seasonal swimming climate and between $15 and $25 per week in a year-round climate.

• Homeowners with a pool should increase the liability portion of their homeowners insurance policy from the standard amount. In addition, many underwriters require you to fence in the pool so that children can't wander in unsupervised.

• There is no guarantee that adding a pool will add to your home's selling price. Experts advise keeping building costs between 10 percent and 15 percent of what you paid for the house to help assure you don't invest too much money that you won't necessarily recoup on resale.

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Whether you're doing some much-needed spring cleaning or de-cluttering in advance of selling your home, it is inevitable that you will wind up with many items that you'd like to get rid of. As they say, your trash may be someone else's treasure, so think carefully before just throwing all of your unwanted items in the garbage.

There are many ways to give your stuff new life, and help the environment while you are at it. In fact, Consumer Reports recently provided suggestions to its readers looking to recycle larger household items.

• Many charities such as Habitat for Humanity, Goodwill and the Salvation Army will accept donations of appliances, furniture and other household items.

• A website called Earth911.com offers solutions for recycling a variety of items, such as mattresses, electronics, building materials, hazardous waste and more.

• If you don't mind paying a small fee, services such as 1-800-Got-Junk will remove your "junk" and make sure it is recycled, donated or disposed of responsibly.

• There is a chance you can even earn some cash for the things you no longer want. Try listing items on Craigslist so local buyers can come to your home to pick up what they have purchased, saving you the hassle of shipping.

For more information on recycling check out this great website:  http://earth911.com/recycling/

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We are in the midst of one of the coldest, snowiest winters in history. While we know to bundle ourselves up to keep warm, many people forget to make sure their pipes stay warm as well. A pipe that bursts can cause significant damage, so homeowners should pay special attention to pipes that have frozen in the past or that are near exterior walls.

Here are some tips to help avoid property damage from frozen pipes:

• Remove hoses from outside yard faucets to allow for proper drainage. If you have a sprinkler system, drain all outdoor pipes and turn off the water supply to the system.

• Insulate areas where vulnerable pipes are located, or use pipe wrappings embedded with electrical coils that provide an outside source of heat.

• Open the doors to the cabinets under your kitchen and bathroom sinks so heat from the room will help warm the pipes.

• Running water doesn't freeze very readily. During severe cold weather, keep a stream of water trickling out of faucets or spouts that are attached to vulnerable pipes.

With cooking, candles and lighted decorations, there are more residential fires during the holiday season than at any other time of the year. Protect your property, and the lives of your loved ones, by taking these steps to reduce the fire risk in your home.

• According to the U.S. Fire Administration, cooking is the top cause of holiday fires. Be sure to keep a fire extinguisher in the kitchen, and learn how to use it. And, because kitchen fires most commonly occur when cooking food is left unattended, if you leave the kitchen, carry something with you that will serve as a reminder that you have food on the stove.

• Minimize the danger of a burning candle by never leaving flames unattended. You should also make sure there is approximately one foot of space between the candle and anything that can burn. Perhaps the best prevention is making an investment in flameless LED candles.

• Live Christmas trees are highly flammable. You can reduce the risk of a fire by watering the tree every day and keeping it at least three feet away from heat sources. It's also important to note that even when watered every day, a tree will dry out after four weeks and should be removed.

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You know that phenomenon when you are thinking about buying a particular car and then all of a sudden you constantly see that car on the road? Or you learn about something or a word you have never seen or heard before and then for the next week, you constantly see and hear it whether on tv in the newspaper or magazine?

Well last week I earned my Green Designation with the NAR, and ever since then it is amazing just how many products/services have caught my attention because they are considered either ecofriendly, sustainable, made from recycled products etc. But what has really struck me was until now I did not take notice of the up to $1500 green tax credit incentive for homeowners which was/is available for the for the 2009/2010 tax year. It is essentially a 30% discount off of your purchase of energy efficient products for the home and that discount is given by way of a tax credit on your income taxes. The credit is for purchases such as energy efficient windows, doors , roofing, insulation, a/c, furnace, water heater etc purchased during 2009 and 2010.

The link below will direct you to the Energy star website which provides all the details and specifics of taking advantage of the tax credit and which products qualify. Keep in mind that the product has to be more than Energy Star rated, it has to meet other criteria as well. So you might want to check out the website before purchasing any products.

If you are like me and have been putting off some home remodeling projects (such as replacing that 14 year old hot water heater) this soon to expire tax credit may just be the incentive you need to finally take action. But you better hurry up, December 31st is right around the corner!

www.energystar.gov

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