1. Paint wire tables or fences with a sponge instead of a brush. Put paint in a roller pan and dunk the sponge to wet.
2. Get rid of weeds or grass between bricks and in rock areas by pouring boiling water on them.
3. Clean aluminum furniture by using a plastic dish scrubber soaked in detergent; then scrub and hose it down.
4. Scrape your fingernails on a bar of soap before you begin gardening. Even if you wear gloves, it makes cleaning your nails easier.
5. Put a coffee filter in the bottom of a flower pot before adding soil. It cuts down on the mess and helps keep moisture in.
6. Before screwing the end of the hose into the spigot, rub both with petroleum jelly. This will make it easier to screw on and off.

Well, Thats it! I hope you enjoyed your quick trip shortcut tip list!

By the way, If you know of any friends or family that is looking for a house, or needs to sell one, I would appreciate the referral! Thank you from your Lewisville-Flower Mound Home town Realtor!

Many people enjoy living in a planned community because they feel safe and want to meet others in the neighborhood. Most planned communities organize several events throughout the year where neighbors can meet each other and have some local fun. Some of these communities have pools, tennis courts, walking trails, playgrounds, schools, parks and other amenities.

There are definitely both pros and cons to being part of a planned community that has bylaws and/or a homeowner association. It’s really a personal lifestyle decision — just be sure you know what you’re getting into before you make a purchase.

If you are looking to buy a home in the North Texas area, please go to my website www.HomesinFlowerMoundTX.com for a great search engine. You can also call Phil at 972 439-9033 to set up a custom search. I also have a website that makes it easy to set up a custom search that will e-mail you when new listings go on the market. It is www.dfwpreferredbuyer.com. Thank you and have a great day!

Function — What is the deck’s function? Relaxation? Entertaining? A play area? Barbecuing. Hot tub? How many people should it hold? Spend some serious time discovering your deck’s purpose.

Location — Be sure to consider possible landscaping and plumbing issues, entrances to your home, sun, shade, access, and zoning setbacks.

Plan — Draw up a good design so you have a outline to follow. There are plenty of guides available online and at your local home improvement store if you don’t want to design your own.

Attached / Detached — In most cases you’ll want to attach the deck to your house, so you’ll need to decide if your home’s framing is strong enough to support the deck and how to best join the deck to the exterior.

Deck Supports — Figure out how many posts and footings you’ll need and where to put them.

Decking Material — Cedar, redwood and pressure treated pine are all good choices because they resist rot and decay. Composite decking is more expensive in most cases but requires less maintenance. Keep in mind most wood decks will require protectants or sealants every few years.

Permits — Check to see if you need a permit.

Tools — If you don’t have all the necessary tools, take into account the cost for renting or buying the tools you’ll need.

Handrails — You’ll probably want handrails for safety and decoration (plus they may be required by law).

Cost — Obviously, the size of the deck, material used and any seating or decorations all add up. Have a good cost estimate in mind before pounding the first nail.

Professionals — A deck is not a simple weekend project. If you have limited construction experience, consider professional help. At the very least, have a few friends over to help with the promise of ongoing barbecues, refreshments and backyard fun.

Many people enjoy living in a planned community because they feel safe and want to meet others in the neighborhood. Most planned communities organize several events throughout the year where neighbors can meet each other and have some local fun. Some of these communities have pools, tennis courts, walking trails, playgrounds, schools, parks and other amenities.

There are definitely both pros and cons to being part of a planned community that has bylaws and/or a homeowner association. It’s really a personal lifestyle decision — just be sure you know what you’re getting into before you make a purchase.

Function — What is the deck’s function? Relaxation? Entertaining? A play area? Barbecuing. Hot tub? How many people should it hold? Spend some serious time discovering your deck’s purpose.

Location — Be sure to consider possible landscaping and plumbing issues, entrances to your home, sun, shade, access, and zoning setbacks.

Plan — Draw up a good design so you have a outline to follow. There are plenty of guides available online and at your local home improvement store if you don’t want to design your own.

Attached / Detached — In most cases you’ll want to attach the deck to your house, so you’ll need to decide if your home’s framing is strong enough to support the deck and how to best join the deck to the exterior.

Deck Supports — Figure out how many posts and footings you’ll need and where to put them.

Decking Material — Cedar, redwood and pressure treated pine are all good choices because they resist rot and decay. Composite decking is more expensive in most cases but requires less maintenance. Keep in mind most wood decks will require protectants or sealants every few years.

Permits — Check to see if you need a permit.

Tools — If you don’t have all the necessary tools, take into account the cost for renting or buying the tools you’ll need.

Handrails — You’ll probably want handrails for safety and decoration (plus they may be required by law).

Cost — Obviously, the size of the deck, material used and any seating or decorations all add up. Have a good cost estimate in mind before pounding the first nail.

Professionals — A deck is not a simple weekend project. If you have limited construction experience, consider professional help. At the very least, have a few friends over to help with the promise of ongoing barbecues, refreshments and backyard fun.

But be careful. While you may have exquisite style, your potential home buyer probably has their own sense of style. In fact, they will most likely personalize and paint the rooms to their own preferences regardless of what you have done.

That’s why real estate agents and home staging professionals highly encourage using neutral colors like white, cream and beige. Yes, these colors are a bit boring. And yes, your home could probably look even better if only the dining room was painted in “baking stone” red. But color is subjective, so if you’re going to put in the time and effort to paint your home, it’s best to stick with neutrals.

Keep in mind we all have different visions, and many buyers have specific furniture in mind when buying. So neutral colors make the best match. They also reflect the most light and make most rooms appear larger.

An even worse scenario for a home seller is a potential home buyer who observes your unkempt shrubbery and greenery and doesn’t even bother to view your home because they assume the rest of the property has not been well-maintained. Your home could be a “10″ on the inside but no one will ever know because the outside said “don’t bother.”

To make sure this doesn’t happen to you, keep your shrubs and other greenery trimmed and well-shaped so the overall impression you make is that your yard and home have been well-maintained. For an eye-pleasing affect, try to groom the shrubbery so it visually lines up with other plants, landscaping and other yard decorations.

If your shrubbery and greenery becomes so overwhelming that it makes entering the home a challenge, or makes the interior of the home dark, you should consider removing it altogether. Over-sized shrubbery and plants can dwarf the home and make it look smaller, and even create safety concerns.

You can probably spruce up your yard’s shrubbery and greenery over the course of a single weekend, and you should do this. If you can’t do it yourself, hire a professional to do it. They’ll probably charge from $25 to $50 per hour, but this small investment will help get your home sold.

Just keep in mind an attractive and well-maintained property will get sold faster. And note that many buyers will not even consider a property that has obvious maintenance problems even before they make an offer. A little effort up front can make all the difference.

Unlike days of old, garages are now built to match the style of the house. The garage is an important aspect of the home, whether it’s attached or detached, so getting this right can really improve the look of your property.

Fortunately, there are beautiful replacement doors for most popular types of doors, including sectional, roller, side-hung and up-and-over doors. The prices vary, so it’s best to consider how you plan to use the garage before replacing the doors. For example, if you plan to have a workshop in the garage, you may want to consider a door with insulation, and possibly windows. And, of course, you need to determine how much room you have as some doors require more space to operate.

Garage doors are usually made of steel or wood, and common styles include raised panel, recessed panel, ranch and flush designs. In addition, you can order smooth or grooved panels, decorative inserts and standard glass inserts, as well as custom or architectural designs. Obviously, the more custom the door, the more it will cost. But, if your garage is highly visible from the street, it may be worth paying a little more.

Steel garage doors are available in thousands of colors, so you should be able to find a suitable match. You have even more options with wood doors, allowing you to match the type of wood, color, style and finishes. Note that wood doors will require more maintenance than steel doors. In either case, the right garage doors will greatly enhance your home’s curb appeal.

For metal pipes, the first thing you should do is slowly pour boiling water down the drain. This should work in both sinks and showers if the problem is not to severe. The idea is that the boiling water will dissolve any hair, soap and other buildup. If the boiling water breaks through, continue to run hot water for about five minutes to thoroughly flush the pipes.

Be careful with plastic pipes, as the boiling water could soften the joints and cause other problems, like leaks. If your not sure your plastic pipes can withstand the boiling water, consider another method.

For stubborn clogs, try using a cup plunger, just like you would in a toilet. With double-sided sinks, you should either use two plungers at the same time or plug up one side while plunging the other. Make sure there is enough water in the sink or tub so that when you plunge you can feel some pressure. A few short plunges should break up the clog; then rinse with hot water to flush out any debris.

If you have a serious clog, it’s time to take out the big guns; either a straightened metal coat hanger, or if you have one, an augur. If you frequently get clogs, and you don’t want to pay a plumber, it’s probably worth investing in an augur (a long, stiff metal coil wire designed for clearing clogs).

The first step is to remove the drain stop. Sometimes just pulling out the stop will give you enough access to remove the debris clogging the drain. If not, proceed by slowly inserting the chosen weapon and extend down the pipe a few inches, wiggling slightly, until you’ve gone down as far as possible. Note that it’s hard to distinguish resistance caused by the clog or from following the curves of the piping, so never force it as you could break something and cause even worse problems.

The last method is to try a chemical drain cleaner. If you follow the instructions, you may have success. Depending on the clog, you may need to do this several times.

If, after using one or more of these methods you still have a clog, you’re going to have to remove the pipes. The U-shaped pipe is usually the culprit, but not always. Unless you know what you’re doing, you’re probably better off calling a professional.