ChooseLifestyle.com Indianapolis Real Estate Blog

Choosing the Right Paint Brush

Painting is the quickest way to give a room a fresh new look. It is also quite possibly the easiest do-it-yourself project. Most people will spend hours poring over colors, finally choosing the paint, and then just throwing the cheapest paint brushes or rollers in the cart on their way out of the paint section.

This is a big mistake. The results you get from a high-quality paint brush will always be much better than with the "whatever's on sale" brush or rollers.

A quality paint brush holds more paint, gives you more control and provides a smoother finish. It also covers more with fewer brush strokes, which saves you time.

Here's what you need to consider when buying paint brushes.

Balance

You want paint brushes that have balance. It should feel comfortable in your hand and be easy to control.

Bristle density...

Where to Insulate in a Home

Where to Insulate in a Home

Looking for ways to keep your home cooler in the summer and warmer in the winter? Well, consider home insulation it will not only reduce your heating and cooling cost but it will make your home more comfortable all together.  Know where and how to insulate your home by clicking on the link before:

Click here to read the full artilcle.

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Protect Your Home from Radon

If you have recently bought or sold a house, you have probably heard of radon. This invisible, odorless and tasteless gas comes from the natural breakdown of uranium in soil, and it rises through the ground and into the air. The air dissipates it enough that it is not harmful. But it also can seep into your home through cracks or holes in the foundation, where it becomes trapped and can become concentrated to unhealthy levels. In fact, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) estimates that radon is the second-leading cause of lung cancer in the United States, responsible for more than 20,000 deaths a year.

Luckily, testing for excessive amounts of radon and alleviating the problem in your home is a simple process. You can purchase low-cost “do it yourself” tests or hire a qualified tester. If levels in your...

How are Real Estate Agents Paid?

Whether you’re buying or selling a home, you’ll probably work with a real estate professional during the transaction. If you’re a seller, the REALTOR® that you work with will offer expert advice about the community and competition, provide marketing and advertising, and handle schedules for all the transactions that must occur. For buyers, the agent will help them identify properties that fit their needs, handle negotiations and also help with the paperwork and scheduling.

For all that they do, agents are paid by commission, rather than on an hourly rate. The commission they receive is based on the sale price and only after the completion of the sale. If they do not sell the home, or if they are unable to locate a home for a buyer, they aren’t paid.

How much is the commission?

The typical commission is about 6...

Common painting mistakes and how to avoid them

Painting any room in your home is a great way to give it a fresh look. Not only is it cost-effective, it’s fairly easy and can be accomplished in a weekend. Although it can be easy, there are some common mistakes that do-it-yourselfers make that can make all the hard work look less than exemplary. The good news is that these mistakes can be remedied.

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Two Tickets to Legacy Journey Live

Contest

Register to win: Two Tickets to Legacy Journey Live

It's your LifeStyle... You Choose, We Listen & Open Doors! Take a few minutes to register to win this great prize! and COME BACK often for a chance to WIN! Each season we will be offering another chance for you to register for our free drawing and increase your chances of winning one of our great prizes compliments of LifeStyle Realty Group!

This season we’re giving away a two tickets to:

The Legacy Journey

Apr. 24, 2014 at 7:00 p.m.
Traders Point Christian Church
6590 S Indianapolis Rd
Whitestown, IN 46075

Winner will be selected Monday, April 21, 2014 by 5 PM and the winner must be able to pick the tickets up...

WHAT THE DATES ON FOOD PACKAGING MEAN

Candles have been around for thousands of years. Until electricity, they were merely a source of light. Today, they are more used as a decorative accent. True, they do add a soft glow and wonderful light to your home. Scented candles go one step further and add practically any smell under the sun.

If you burn candles in your home with any regularity, chances are that you’ve spilled melted wax on the carpet more than once. Thankfully, you can remove melted wax from carpet in just a matter of minutes.

The good news is that you can attack the stain immediately and remove the wax from the carpet. The better news is that if one of your party guests neglected to tell you about the spilled wax, you can still remove it all and leave no trace.

One warning: If you’ve spilled wax onto an Oriental...

BUILDING A RAISED FLOWER OR VEGETABLE GARDEN

Whether you want to put in a flower garden or plant some vegetables, if you have poor soil quality or live in an arid climate, building a raised garden may be your only viable option. Even if you live in a perfect climate and have always had a garden, constructing a raised garden affords you some advantages over a standard on-the-ground garden.

The only requirements are that you want to make sure that it’s level, that you have a place with plenty of sunshine, and that you’re able to give the plant’s roots enough room to grow, which is generally about six inches. If you want to grow vegetables and you’re using lumber, make sure that it’s not treated wood.

The advantages of a raised garden

Easier on the...

How to paint a ceiling like a pro

Painting a room is perhaps the easiest and least expensive do-it-yourself project that can have a BIG impact on your home. However, many homeowners find painting the ceiling somewhat intimidating. In order to complete a room, painting the ceiling is part of the project.

Yes, compared to the walls, painting a ceiling does require some special equipment – a stepladder and an extension pole. It is somewhat more physically demanding than painting the wall. However, just like painting the walls, putting a little extra time and effort into prep time pays big dividends in overall time, effort, cleanup and the end result. Here are some tips to help you finish the job just like the pros.

Remove as much of the furniture as you can....