Owning a home is a keystone of wealth -- both financial affluence and emotional security.   Suze Orman

Save money by doing simple plumbing repairs yourself. These fixes are completely DIY with basic tools and skills.

Stop Leaks in Joints

The best time to fix a plumbing leak is before it happens, by properly connecting water supply and waste line fittings. Learn the tricks that pros use to make leakproof connections.

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First-Time Homebuyers & Sellers Make

Sometimes the smartest people make the silliest mistakes. In fact, when I worked as an agent in Manhattan, I watched PHDs swoon over apartments they could never afford, and investment bankers talk themselves out of great deals.

Simply put, when it comes to mistakes first-time homebuyers and sellers make, no one has a monopoly on bad decisions.

1. Giving Early Possession of Your Property

Never give early possession of a property, always wait until the property is fully closed before possession and don’t allow the buyer to leave any personal possessions at the property. If you do, you may create problems for everyone involved and open yourself up to liabilities and expenses. Always wait until after closing to hand over the keys.

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Low mortgage rates continue to push borrowing costs lower this year, but not every consumer is able to qualify. About a quarter of mortgage refinance applications are getting denied, according to a study from LendingTree of more than 10 million mortgage applications.

The top four reasons why applications were denied were debt-to-income ratio, credit history, incomplete application, and insufficient collateral.

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Laser Measuring for Speed and Accuracy

Years ago when I was a kid helping my father with projects around the house we used a wooden rule that unfolded to the desired length and broke when I bent it the wrong way. It was fragile and sometimes awkward, but in the hands of a skilled workman got the job done nicely. Later, when I began my own projects I started using the ubiquitous tape measure. I still use my FatMax most of the time and still manage to mangle one now and then. But, it gets the job done.

I know lasers have been around for a number of years and for some readers this is old news. However I don't see too many in actual use. Of course they are very good at some tasks and as useful on others as eating soup with a fork. I, like most, use the tape for cutting boards, but using a saw with a laser guide helps you hit your mark.

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You do have gutters, don't you? They protect the foundation and landscaping, help keep water from penetrating gaps on the siding, and direct water away from sidewalks and driveways. This last item is especially important in the frozen north where the rain can freeze and give the tenants an additional opportunity to fall and hit the jackpot with the help of the aforementioned shyster lawyer.

Trees are great to have on your property. They are nice to look at while they provide shade... and leaves that clog your gutters. There are many approaches to keeping these leaves out of the gutters and downspouts. Just as there is a variety of methods there is a corresponding variety of prices – ranging from simple styrofoam wedges to sophisticated held in place with screws. Let's look at a few of them.

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that are easier – and often cheaper – in the winter

Yard work, roofing and entire home renovations may have to wait until the warmer months. Winter, however, can be prime time for completing certain projects that otherwise would not get done.

For starters, contractors have increased availability since it’s their slowest time of the year. They’re also generally more willing to negotiate on labor costs. Materials – everything from paint to appliances – are also deeply discounted to make room on the shelves for new spring inventory.

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We've written about some tools in the past but have not addressed the needs of the average home owner or apartment dweller who just wants to be able to take care of a few things around their home, perhaps hanging blinds or fixing broken furniture. This is not aimed at the professional contractor or even the serious amateur who enjoys his tools as much as the results of their work.

If you are just starting out or if you only have a few odd tools lying about you probably would be better off looking at a small packaged tool set. There are several reasons for this.

These packages are generally less expensive than buying the pieces individually. They reflect the experience of the professionals who put them together. By that I mean that they include things you may not pick up if you just bought bits and pieces.

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When we look at claims information, we see that many of the properties subject to break-ins, thefts and vandalism are usually vacant or going through renovations to prepare them for sale or the next tenant. I’m sure it’s truly disappointing to arrive to show a house that was finished only two days before and see it broken into and missing key components like stoves, ovens, air conditioning, the furnace, water heater, and maybe even copper plumbing and electrical wiring. All your hard work and investment is gone and now you have to deal with police reports and put in more work and money to get it ready for sale or rent again, pushing back the start to getting a return on your investment.

Who are the “usual suspects” for break-ins?

• Neighborhood kids looking to make your vacant house their “club house”.
• Professional thieves looking to take your possessions and turn them into their gain.
• Contractors or their sub-contractors returning to the property they have worked on, knowing what’s inside the house.

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So-called "upgrades" don’t always pay off — and real estate pros caution you to think twice before making these additions. Read along to learn what NOT to do before selling your home.

A Swimming Pool

"When it comes to installing an in-ground pool, the average cost is between $30,000 and $60,000," says Judy Dutton, deputy editor for Realtor.com. "But on average, the ROI (return on investment) is abysmal. Pool installation is an especially bad idea in cold areas where pool use would be limited, or in areas where nearby houses don’t have pools. Many buyers just steer clear of pools because they have young kids who can’t swim, or just don’t want to deal with the maintenance or insurance and liability issues."

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Our entire lives run on electricity, and if we’re being honest here, no one’s house has enough power outlets to keep everything running and charged. That’s why we rely so heavily on power strips to turn one plug into six or more, stretching the capabilities of our home’s electrical system. But, there are a few rules you’re probably breaking when it comes to power strip use. Here are 10 things you should never do with power strips.

1. Never Plug a Power Strip Into Another Power Strip

If your power strips don’t reach quite far enough or you need some extra plugs, it’s tempting to string multiple strips together, daisy-chaining them by plugging one into the next. In a word—don’t. Not only is it against half a dozen OSHA regulations in a professional setting, but it can also cause one or more of the strips to fail or even catch fire.

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Owning a home can be a dream come true, but the world of home ownership is more than just relaxing weekends on the deck and intimate evenings in front of the fireplace. It requires a commitment to keeping your private oasis safe and running smoothly. Making occasional repairs is part of the bargain, and even if you aren't a dedicated do-it-yourselfer (DIY), there are a few around-the-house fixes you should become familiar with.

Few things will sour a homeowner's disposition faster than a stopped up toilet or runaway faucet drip, and that's just bathroom and kitchen stuff.

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