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As temperatures rise, and the soil thaws, your garden begins waking up. It’s time to prep, plant, prune, prepare beds, and care for your lawn.

EARLY SPRING

Prep the beds. Remove winter mulch or, if well composted, work into the top layer of the soil. Work in some leaf mold or well-rotted manure, too.

Prune. Now is the time to trim fruit trees if you didn’t prune in winter. Prune before buds begin to break into bloom or you’ll stress the tree and get a tiny crop (or possibly none).

Perform basic maintenance. Check stonework for frost heaves. Check and clean the deck or patio now so you don’t have to do it later; make any repairs.

Start seeds indoors. You’ve spent the winter reading seed and plant catalogs, so now it’s time to make your choices and plant some seeds.

Plant veggies. Hardy vegetables, such as onions, potatoes, artichokes, and some lettuces, should be planted now.

Divide perennials. Before plants have begun spring growth is a good time to divide many perennials. Share some divisions with your friends this year.

Repair raised beds. Fix trellises and fencing. Soggy winter soil puts a strain on raised beds; sometimes a stake will rot and give way. Trellises and fencing are easiest to repair now, with less growth to work around and fewer roots to disturb.

MID-SPRING

Build new flower beds. This year, install complementary shrubs offering blooms throughout the season.

Stop feeding the birds. Take down and clean feeders, and put them away until fall.

Enjoy the spring show. Resolve to plant more spring-flowering bulbs next fall.

Plant hardy annuals. Sow seeds outdoors or transplant seedlings.

Apply mulch. If you mulch now, you’ll have next-to-no weeding come summer.

Thin dead foliage of ornamental grasses and ferns. Pull plant skeletons. Once new growth begins, it’s harder to thin ornamentals without damaging the plant. And if you didn’t get around to it last fall, pull the old tomato, squash and other plant skeletons to clear the bed for planting.

LATE SPRING

Deadhead bulbs. Remove spent blossoms from spring-flowering bulbs; let foliage die back without removing it.

Go shopping. Pick out flats of your favorite bedding plants. Remember to pick ones not yet in bloom for stronger plants.

Prune spring-flowering shrubs. Trim away spent blooms, and thin too-thick branches to rejuvenate older plants.

Pull young spring weeds. Any weeds that appear will be easiest to pull now, as the roots are shallow.

Prepare your lawn for spring. Rake the lawn to remove dead growth and winter debris. Re-seed bare patches. Pre-emergent herbicides may be applied now.

Weaver Homes is a Pittsburgh and Mars area new homebuilder featuring single family homes patio homes and custom homes. Visit www.weaverhomelive.wpengine.com for more information.

With tax season upon us, it’s a good idea to remind new (and potential) homeowners that in addition to the joy of owning your own home, you also inherit new tax considerations. The good news is you can deduct many home-related expenses. These tax breaks are available for any abode, whether single-family home, townhouse or condominium. The bad news is your taxes will get more complicated. In most cases, homeowners itemize. That means you move to Form 1040 and Schedule A, where you’ll have to detail your tax-deductible expenses.

If you do find that itemizing is best for your tax situation, here’s a look at homeowner expenses you can deduct on Schedule A.

• Mortgage interest

Your biggest tax break is reflected in the house payment you make each month since, for most homeowners, the bulk of that check goes toward interest. And all that interest is deductible, unless your loan is more than $1 million. Interest tax breaks don’t end with your home’s first mortgage. Did you pull out extra cash through refinancing? Or did you decide instead to get a home equity loan or line of credit? Generally, equity debts of $100,000 or less are fully deductible.

• Points

Did you pay points to get a better rate on any of your various home loans? They offer a tax break, too. The only issue is exactly when you get to claim them. The IRS lets you deduct points in the year you paid them if, among other things, the loan is to purchase or build your main home, payment of points is an established business practice in your area and the points were within the usual range. Make sure your loan meets all the qualification requirements so that you can deduct points all at once.

• Taxes

The other major deduction in connection with your home is property taxes.

A big part of most monthly loan payments is taxes, which go into an escrow account for payment once a year. This amount should be included on the annual statement you get from your lender, along with your loan interest information. These taxes will be an annual deduction as long as you own your home. If this is your first tax year in your house, dig out the settlement sheet you got at closing to find additional tax payment data. When the property was transferred from the seller to you, the year’s tax payments were divided so that each of you paid the taxes for that portion of the tax year during which you owned the home. Your share of these taxes is fully deductible.

• Home improvements

Save receipts and records for all improvements you make to your home, such as landscaping, storm windows, fences, a new energy-efficient furnace and any additions. You can’t deduct these expenses now, but when you sell your home the cost of the improvements is added to the purchase price of your home to determine the cost basis in your home for tax purposes. Although most home-sale profit is now tax-free, it’s possible for the IRS to demand part of your profit when you sell. Keeping track of your cost basis will help limit the potential tax bill.

• Energy credits

Some energy-saving home improvements can earn you an additional tax break in the form of an energy tax credit worth up to $500. A tax credit is more valuable than a tax deduction because a credit reduces your tax bill dollar-for-dollar. You can get a credit for up to 10% of the cost of qualifying energy-efficient skylights, outside doors and windows, insulation systems, and roofs, as well as qualifying central air conditioners, heat pumps, furnaces, water heaters, and water boilers. There is a completely separate credit equal to 30% of the cost of more expensive and exotic energy-efficient equipment, including qualifying solar-powered generators and water heaters. In most cases there is no dollar cap on this credit.

What’s not tax deductible

While many tax breaks are available to a homeowner, there are a few things for which you have to bear the full cost.

• Private mortgage insurance, or PMI, is a cost you probably won’t be able to deduct, unless you meet the requirements of a special PMI law.

• Property hazard insurance premiums remain non-deductible, even though the coverage generally is required as part of the home loan and is included as a portion of your monthly payment.

• Homeowners association dues, any additional principal payments you make, depreciation of your home, and general closing costs and local assessments to increase the value of your neighborhood, such as construction of new sidewalks or utility connections, are non-deductible.

Weaver Homes is a Pittsburgh and Mars area new homebuilder featuring single family homes patio homes and custom homes. Visit www.weaverhomelive.wpengine.com for more information.

The weather is getting nicer which means spring cleaning is right around the corner! Although it gets a bad rap, there are plenty of ways to make spring cleaning FUN for you and your family, and you don’t have to lose a day (or entire weekend) to mopping and scrubbing with a bad attitude! Here are 10 tips to help you clean smarter, not harder, this year:

1. Have a plan. If you start cleaning without setting priorities, you’ll never feel finished. Map out your tasks for the day so you’re not blinding jumping in without knowing what your goal is.
2. Strategize. Everyone has strengths and weaknesses. Let your helpers work on the tasks they do best and they’ll perform much better.
3. Get the kids involved. Giving children their own cleaning supplies and/or cleaning kit can help them feel more useful and needed, which will keep them focused and on task throughout the day.
4. Make it fun. Spring cleaning isn’t Scrubbing Bubble Dance Party, but you can make the task more enjoyable with squirt guns or bottles for the kids and and upbeat music for everyone!
5. Schedule regular breaks. Even Martha Stewart would be overwhelmed by the idea of hours of uninterrupted cleaning. Regular breaks can help you stay motivated, but don’t let short breaks turn into long ones or you’ll stray too far off course.
6. Turn it into a makeover. Don’t just clean, give your home a décor update. New paint and decorations can change a room’s entire character while leaving it sparkly clean.
7. Keep snacks around for motivation. You’re going to get hungry and you’ll never get anything done if you have to stop every time you want a nosh. Keep a bowl of granola or nuts handy to keep your energy levels up.
8. Make it a game. Make a contest of cleaning and award prizes to the winners so it feels just like playing. Perception is reality, right?
9. Bribery! Use money and small rewards as a way to keep kids (and adults) focused.
10. Reward yourself. You’ve been planning, organizing, wrangling your helpers. You’ve been working hard so make sure to reward yourself for a job well done. Treat the family to a delicious dinner or head to the local park for some outdoor fun in the sun!

Staging your home is proven to increase traffic and even your sale price, so take the time to stage each room to best show off its assets, and downplay its flaws. The first rule of staging, though, is cleanliness. Above all, every room must be pristine.

Bathroom: Grimy bathroom walls & shower doors are a major red flag to buyers. Spray down the walls with a bleach & water solution, and watch the mold disappear. Clean the shower doors with a muriatic acid and water solution and steel wool. If your tiles are looking old and beat, paint them with epoxy to update the look. Give the whole room a fresh coat of paint.

Closets: Buyers need to see empty closets and/or clean cabinets. So, start tossing stuff. In the kitchen, arrange pantry items (jars, bottles, cans) in some semblance of order, and neatly stack the dishes. In the closets, hang similar items together and facing the same direction. Line up your shoes.

Kitchen: Revive dated cabinetry with a coat of paint or stain. Update door and drawer hardware. New appliances are always a plus – they instantly say “new kitchen!” If that’s not possible, make sure the ones you have are spotless. Make sure every surface is clean – no crumbs, grease or stains.

Living Room: Revive old hardwood floors. Replace/repair damaged sections, then refinish them in a rich new color. Declutter your built-ins. Remove personal items. Remove excess furniture.

Bedrooms: Declutter shelves, bookcases, surfaces. Remove personal items. Remove excess furniture. Bedrooms should look peaceful and comfortable.  In the master bedroom, add a headboard if you don’t have one. It makes the room seem more luxurious. If bedding isn’t show-worthy, buy a “bed in a bag”. Then, paint the walls with a coordinating color. Instant sophistication.

Exterior: No matter how good the interior of your home looks, buyers have already judged your home before they walk through the door. You never have a second chance to make a first impression. It’s important to make people feel warm, welcome and safe as they approach the house. Spruce up your home’s exterior with inexpensive shrubs and brightly colored flowers.

Weaver Homes is a Pittsburgh and Mars area new homebuilder featuring single family homes patio homes and custom homes. Visit www.weaverhomelive.wpengine.com for more information.

Staging your home is proven to increase traffic and even your sale price, so take the time to stage each room to best show off its assets, and downplay its flaws. The first rule of staging, though, is cleanliness. Above all, every room must be pristine.

Bathroom: Grimy bathroom walls & shower doors are a major red flag to buyers. Spray down the walls with a bleach & water solution, and watch the mold disappear. Clean the shower doors with a muriatic acid and water solution and steel wool. If your tiles are looking old and beat, paint them with epoxy to update the look. Give the whole room a fresh coat of paint.

Closets: Buyers need to see empty closets and/or clean cabinets. So, start tossing stuff. In the kitchen, arrange pantry items (jars, bottles, cans) in some semblance of order, and neatly stack the dishes. In the closets, hang similar items together and facing the same direction. Line up your shoes.

Kitchen: Revive dated cabinetry with a coat of paint or stain. Update door and drawer hardware. New appliances are always a plus – they instantly say “new kitchen!” If that’s not possible, make sure the ones you have are spotless. Make sure every surface is clean – no crumbs, grease or stains.

Living Room: Revive old hardwood floors. Replace/repair damaged sections, then refinish them in a rich new color. Declutter your built-ins. Remove personal items. Remove excess furniture.

Bedrooms: Declutter shelves, bookcases, surfaces. Remove personal items. Remove excess furniture. Bedrooms should look peaceful and comfortable.  In the master bedroom, add a headboard if you don’t have one. It makes the room seem more luxurious. If bedding isn’t show-worthy, buy a “bed in a bag”. Then, paint the walls with a coordinating color. Instant sophistication.

Exterior: No matter how good the interior of your home looks, buyers have already judged your home before they walk through the door. You never have a second chance to make a first impression. It’s important to make people feel warm, welcome and safe as they approach the house. Spruce up your home’s exterior with inexpensive shrubs and brightly colored flowers.

Weaver Homes is a Pittsburgh and Mars area new homebuilder featuring single family homes patio homes and custom homes. Visit www.weaverhomelive.wpengine.com for more information.

Moving is typically not an eco-friendly undertaking. It involves packing boxes, tape, packing peanuts, transportation… lots of ways to harm the environment. But it doesn’t have to be an eco-nightmare. Follow a few of these simple tips and make your relocation to a Weaver home a greener experience.

1. If you don’t need it, don’t take it. One of the simplest ways to reduce your carbon footprint when moving is to reduce the amount of stuff you move. Go through your stuff and get rid of things you no longer need.  Donate clothing, furniture and books to charities or thrift stores or have a garage sale. If you have items that need to be thrown out, try to recycle them if possible. Always dispose of electronics properly.
2. Go green when you clean. Whether it’s the home you’re leaving or the one you’re moving into, you’re likely to be doing a great deal of cleaning during your move. Cleaning products are typically very bad for the environment, as well as your health, so choose green cleaning products whenever possible. Look for products that are non-toxic and biodegradable and read through the ingredient list to make sure they’re all natural. You can also consider making your own cleaner using vinegar and water.
3. Choose responsibly. Eschew the usual old truck packed with cardboard boxes. There are a variety of moving companies that espouse green practices, from using trucks that operate with bio-fuels, to using recycled or biodegradable packing products, to how efficiently they pack your belongings to minimize trips.

Here are some questions to ask:

• Do they use recycled packing materials?
• Will they come collect packing materials so they can be re-used?
• Do they have a no idling policy?
• Do they make an effort to reduce fuel consumption through a shortest route possible policy or speed monitoring?

If you’re handling your move on your own, be sure to rent a moving van that’s the right size for what you have to move – the smaller the van, the lower the fuel consumption. And to reduce your carbon footprint even further, load your belongings in such a way that allows you to make the fewest trips back and forth.

Weaver Homes is a Pittsburgh and Mars area new homebuilder featuring single family homes patio homes and custom homes. Visit www.weaverhomelive.wpengine.com for more information.

Whether you’re part of a couple or not, there are plenty of ways to indulge yourself on February 14^th… and you don’t even have to leave your Weaver home!

1. Take the day off and do what you want! Declare it “Spa Day” or “Movie Marathon Day”.  Relax in a bubble bath. Give yourself a mani-pedi. Wear your PJs all day and veg on the couch. Unplug your technology and enjoy the quiet. 
2. If you don’t already have one, invest in a good stereo system.  Today’s models are smaller, and connect to your existing wi-fi and Bluetooth. Create a whole-home network and you can instantly blast Pandora or iTunes all over the house! Or invest in a system that can act as a home theatre. (Perfect for Movie Marathon Day!) 
3. Take a nap or go to bed early.  It’s a fact that we live in a sleep-deprived world. Pamper yourself with some extra zzzz’s. 
4. Splurge on some new home accessories for your Weaver home – elegant curtains, a gorgeous area rug, silky sateen sheets, fluffy new towels. 
5. Light a fire and actually relax in front of it! Grab a book – or your S.O. – and enjoy the warm glow. 
6. Cook a meal from scratch and enjoy it. No take out. Nothing frozen. It doesn’t have to be complicated or expensive, but something you can cook and then appreciate.

Weaver Homes is a Pittsburgh and Mars area new home builder featuring single family homes patio homes and custom homes. Visit www.weaverhomelive.wpengine.com for more information.

It’s a time-honored tradition to make resolutions for the new year. We vow to improve ourselves – to eat healthy, exercise more… the list is endless. This year, take the initiative and see how many resolutions you can keep – right from the comfort of your own home!

• 1. Eat healthier – Load up the fridge with lots of fruits and veggies. Vow to cut back on take-out and fast food. Take the time to sit down and eat with the family. (It’s healthier and good for the kids!)
• 2. Exercise more – Take advantage of your bonus room and turn it into a yoga studio. Or a mini gym. And schedule time to exercise every day. No excuses!
• 3. Spend more time with family – Schedule family dinners, game nights, movie nights – whatever your family likes. Hunker down in the family room with some popcorn and a plan to spend uninterrupted time together as a family.
• 4. Read more – You know that pile of books that’s been sitting unread for ages? Create a reading nook for yourself. Find a comfy chair, a good light and a shelf or table, and settle in. (Don’t be surprised if you keep finding kids in your nook, though!)
• 5. Get organized – Declutter your drawers and desk. Sort paperwork, bills, mementos and mail. Find a spot in the kitchen or office that’s just for paperwork & bills, and create a system for sorting things as soon as they come in. Clean out the closets – and see how much space you have!
• 6. Create & follow a budget – Get yourself on a healthy fiscal track. Once you have your bills sorted (#5), then you can create a budget to track your spending habits.

Weaver Homes is a Pittsburgh and Mars area new home builder featuring single family homes patio homes and custom homes. Visit www.weaverhomelive.wpengine.com for more information.

Whether you are hosting for a family of five or fifteen in your cozy home, a Thanksgiving party can be intimidating. No need to quit the idea of entertaining cold turkey. If you follow these four C’s of Thanksgiving, you will be sure to have a warm and welcome home for all to enjoy.

Cleaning – Making sure your entire house is spick and span before your guests arrive can be a challenge, especially if you have little ones running around. Focusing on cleaning your home one room at a time can relieve the overwhelming stress of fall cleaning. Make it simple, start near your front door and work your way back. Another way to get things done efficiently is to vacuum and dust while your turkey is cooking in the oven! A watched turkey never cooks!

Creating – Fall decorations and centerpieces for your family table are a great way to set a fun and festive atmosphere. If you’re no Martha Stewart, don’t worry, holiday decorating is now easier and more affordable than ever with an abundance of DIY crafts all over the internet .

Cooking – From stuffing the perfect turkey to mashing the perfect sweet potatoes, cooking the most delectable Thanksgiving dinner is a tall order and can take hours of preparation. More importantly, it can also be a time for experimenting with new recipes and showing off your inner top chef! Whether you are making a traditional turkey or a veggie tofurkey, be thankful for all that you have on your table to eat.

Caring – The most important thing about Thanksgiving is not whether your house is clean or your turkey is basted to perfection, but rather that your friends and family are around to celebrate with you. Giving thanks together is the ultimate gift, but topping that off with a beautifully decorated table with gourds and gobbles of food, is just the cherry on top of your apple pie.

Be thankful for all that you have and all that you are able to give this Thanksgiving. The rest will fall right into place!

Weaver Homes is a Pittsburgh and Mars area new home builder featuring single family homes patio homes and custom homes. Visit www.weaverhomelive.wpengine.com for more information.

The sun is shining, the leaves are blowing, and the kids are all in school. This only means one thing; summer has officially left the building and fall has come in swinging. The change of seasons brings the change of clothes in the attic, fall cooking recipes, but most importantly, fall decorations to beautify your home.

If you are bored, want something simple to afford, then welcome aboard to decorating with a gourd! Garnishing your front porch or tabletops with gourds, cornhusks, and other fall vegetables is a simple, yet refreshing new look to add to your interior design! Harvest decorations can work particularly well in your dining room. For example, if you are having company over, use mini pumpkins as place settings to add flare and color to your dining room table.

If you are more into color, try decorating with popular fall colors, such as browns, greens, and oranges. Using these colors upon a white or neutral backgrounds will make the fall colors pop as brilliantly as the fall foliage.

Finally, nothing says fall like a set of spooky decorations for Halloween. But this fall, try to mix it up a bit by creating some pumpkin chic and trading the traditional jack-o-lantern for modern stripes or scallops.

We leave you with these tips, so remember: do not fall behind, and get to decorating your home for the new season!

Weaver Homes is a Pittsburgh and Mars area new homebuilder featuring single family homes, patio homes and custom homes.  Visit www.weaverhomelive.wpengine.com for more information.