subject: The Time for Home Improvement Is Now, Not Tomorrow [print this page] The Time for Home Improvement Is Now, Not Tomorrow
For many home owners across the country, it takes a fair bit of convincing and cajoling to get them to actually undertake a serious home renovation project. There are seemingly so many reasons for not undertaking anything but the most trifling of renovation projects: on the one hand there is the state of the economy and the fact that so many people are feeling a pretty strong pinch in their household budget; then there's the state of the housing market and the seemingly reasonable argument that if home values aren't rebounding, why bother pouring any more money into the place?! It is this latter argument that we would like to address in particular and to discredit, as it is not only wrong in its basic assumptions but it can end up hurting today's already beleaguered home owners even more.
The basic fact of the matter is that this is the time for home renovation projects to be undertaken, and not just trifling, low-budget ones. How can this possibly be the case? Well, it's quite simple actually. It is true that the housing market is in shambles and there is still no way of telling when the current buyers' market will balance back out or tip towards a sellers' market again. Nonetheless, rather than meaning nothing should be done to a home in the meantime, this means home owners really ought to be doing their best to maintain the value of their home (even against the serious odds of the moment). Home owners may be prone to despair at the moment, but they don't want to find themselves unprepared when things to level back out; they want to be ready when circumstances play in their favor once again, whenever that moment happens to be.
What's more, there are in fact significant federal (and in limited cases, state) tax incentives and breaks for home owners that are going to undertake significant home renovation projects. Generally, these tax incentives are granted when the renovation projects in question help make a home more resource efficient (not only more energy efficient but also more water efficient). It is important to read up on these federal programs in detail to become fully aware of what the requirements are and how to go about applying for such benefits, and it is furthermore necessary (in the case of a renovation project of such a nature) to purchase appliances that actually have an EPA-recognized energy or resource efficiency rating, such as through the Energy Star agency.
Essentially, home owners shouldn't let their house fall into the same shambles the housing market itself has fallen into, as if such a trend were to spread across all American homes it would only serve to perpetuate a negative and economically damaging cycle. So wise-up and start looking into some serious home renovation ideas today, whether it's a kitchen remodeling or a window replacement job or anything else. Be sure to always find the ways to get the most bang for your buck and to get a little help from Uncle Sam in the process!
