Whether you’ve already got kids or are considering having a family some time in the near future, you may have a move in the mind. After all, you ideally want your children to be raised in a safe, healthy, economically stable environment. When it comes to great schools, low crime rates, and plenty of opportunity for employment and extracurriculars, the following make the list for the 5 best cities in the US to raise a family.

Greenwich, CT

Not only is it one of the most affluent cities in the country, Greenwich is also one of the safest. In fact, the city is listed in the top five safest cities in the US, which moms and dads everywhere would appreciate. Greenwich is also home to an impressive school system, as well as limitless places for children of all ages to enjoy their spare time, both with their peers and with their families. Located in the heart of Fairfield County, Greenwich is home to an energetic culture that is made up of plenty of upper middle class neighborhoods, many of which are considered among the richest in the country.

Intertwined among these fabulous communities is a myriad of cultural gems, including a natural history museum, a symphony orchestra, and a choral society. And for parents that like living in more spacious suburbs but still need to commute to NYC to work, there’s a train that takes commuters directly from Greenwich to Manhattan’s Grand Central Station in under 45 minutes.

Franklin, MA

If you’re looking for the absolute safest city in all of the US, look no further than Franklin, MA. The east coast city, which has a population of about 35,000 residents, has the lowest crime rate of the 100 safest cities in the US, making it a fantastic choice for those who are raising a family. The school system is an excellent one, with a large number of students from the city’s Franklin High School regularly getting accepted to Ivy League schools and other top universities throughout the country.

The extracurricular activities in Franklin are a favorite among growing kids, offering seemingly endless opportunities for sports and recreational activities. The Feast of St. Rocco is among the city’s most endeared attractions, and involves four straight days of festivities that both children and their parents can enjoy. Only 40 years ago, Franklin was a rural farm town, a far cry from what it is today – a city that offers residents a greta housing market and a safe haven within which to raise a family.

Irvine, CA

The Golden State isn’t just home to celebrities and the Hollywood type. It’s also got a number of wonderful cities where parents can gleefully raise their kids. Enter Irvine, CA, which CNNMoney.com boasts a healthy economy with a never-ending supply of jobs – good news for working parents.

It’s also got and the lowest crime rate of all US cities with over 100,000 residents. In fact, a publication of Wall Street Journal praises Irvine as the “Best Run City” in the US. The city is home to a number of parks, public libraries, and even the well-loved Irvine Global Village Festival, an event that celebrates the diverse cultures of the city’s population.

Keller, TX

Keller is an prosperous city in Texas with a population of approximately 45,000 that’s only 32 miles north of the Fort Worth area. The city is known for having a particularly low crime rate – it’s 73% lower than the average in the state, and 68% lower than the overall average across the country. Keller has an excellent school system, with two of the city’s four high schools considered among the best in the entire country.

Keller is also known as one of the “Nation’s Richest Cities,” and is in driving distance to the economically powerful city of Dallas, where the employment landscape is ideal for those looking to commute for work. Keller is pretty much the perfect southern city to raise a happy, safe, and stable family.

Boulder, CO

Families who enjoy the great outdoors should look to the state of Colorado, and more precisely, Boulder. Who else wouldn’t enjoy waking up every morning to the glorious sights of the Colorado mountains, combined with an intellectual economy that’s supported by one of the greatest universities in the country: the University of Colorado Boulder. The state itself has frequently been touted as one of the top in the nation for excellence in school systems, and Boulder’s boasts many of the very best.

Parents will like hearing that the crime rate in Boulder is pretty low for a large city – it’s definitely well below national average. Boulder one of the best places to raise a family, and expose children to an intellectually-driven and diverse culture.

When it comes to low crime rates, exceptional schools, great housing markets, and strong economies, these 5 cities have it all. If you’re considering making a change to raise your kids in a healthy environment, these cities should be on your list.

In a strong seller’s market, homes that are priced right and show nicely typically sell within the first four weeks of being on the market. If this time frame comes and goes with no successful offer, sellers will most likely become frustrated, and even start contemplating the possibility of just taking the property off the market for a little while and try again some time in the near future.

The truth is, you can realistically sell your home in any market, if you get yourself a solid real estate agent and use a few proven tactics to garner more serious interest in your home.

So, should you take your home off the market if it’s not selling?

Before you make such a major decision, have a look at a few reasons why your home isn’t selling first.

The Listing Price is Way Off

Lots of homeowners hold emotional ties to their properties and genuinely think that their homes are worth more than they really are. And of course, everyone wants to get as much money from the sale of their home as possible, and demand that their agents slap a hefty price tag on the listing.

Unfortunately, nothing will cause a lagging listing more than a listing price that’s too high for the current market. If your home’s been sitting on the market for weeks – or longer – without a nibble, the first thing you should do is look at the listing price and determine whether or not it’s too high.

If so, it’s time to shave a few bucks off.

Your real estate agent will be able to pull a report of the recent comparable sales in the neighborhood. Be sure that you ask no more than 5 to 10 percent over the previous top selling price. And don’t have the most expensive listing on the block, either – buyers are looking at the same comparables, so you don’t want to scare them off before they’ve even seen your property.

Price point is critical – if you don’t price your home properly, you’re pretty much asking for a stale listing.

Your Home Doesn’t Show Well

Aside from setting an accurate price point, making sure that your home is properly staged is absolutely essential. Nobody wants to pull up to a home with overgrown weeds and pet excrement in the front yard. Nor do they want to walk inside and see yesterday’s laundry piled up on the couch, or a stack of dirty dishes piled up in the sink.

Granted, these scenarios are pretty outrageous (though they do happen), but even simple things like a cracking door, broken window blind, or orange walls will throw buyers off.

Take a second gander at your home and make sure that you’ve tackled everything as far as staging is concerned. Is the lawn well manicured? Is the house clean and tidy? Are the colors neutralized?

Don’t leave your home in the morning without making sure that all beds are made, dishes are washed and put away, and counters are clear. You just never know when a last-minute showing is booked, giving you no time to run back from the office to clear the place up before the buyer show up.

When in doubt, have your home staged by a professional home stager.

The Place is Outdated

Houses that feature outdated kitchens and bathrooms will usually sit on the market longer than more modern properties, or even wind up selling at a lower price.

It’s possible that your home may need some upgrades, but you’ll also need to be realistic with both your time and your budget. Make sure that whatever money you’re spending is a wise investment.

The rule of thumb is to avoid huge projects that will be super expensive. Perform as many small home improvements as you realistically can, and look for improvements that will most likely make your home move-in ready as far as potential homebuyers are concerned.

Typically, the most valuable home improvements include painting, replacing or refacing a worn-out front door, touching up faded siding, refacing kitchen cabinets and countertops, and replacing hardware in the kitchen and bathroom. You probably won’t recoup as much of the cost if you add a bathroom, sunroom, or gutted the kitchen.

Don’t Put a Cap on Your Options

If you’ve absolutely tried everything, and your home still isn’t selling, consider hedging your bets and putting your home up for sale and for rent at the same time.

If you’ve already vacated the property, or need to relocate soon, maybe renting out your home could be a realistic approach. That is, of course, if your finances support such an option.

Putting the house up for rent and for sale at the same time can give the potential clientele a trial rental period. Perhaps your particular market is experiencing a temporary slowdown, but the rental market is really strong. If you’re able to carry two mortgages, you could allow your home to act as an investment property while buying time until next year when the market has (hopefully) picked up for sellers.

In the meantime, let the renters pay your mortgage for you while your home continues to build equity. If you find a renter and get a lease signed, your lender will be much more likely to approve you for second mortgage to keep the home while you start your life elsewhere.

 

Make sure you exhaust all efforts to make your home as attractive as possible – both esthetically and price wise – and get yourself a skilled real estate agent on your team. Sometimes all it takes is a temporary time-out from the market to make a few tweaks to the place and the listing, then put it back up on the market in a few weeks to get a fresh start.

Just because you don’t own the place you’re currently living in doesn’t mean you have to put up with boring neutral forever. While rentals can pose a number of challenges – from the ugly floors to the outdated light fixtures – there are plenty of ways that you can customize your space and really make it your own, even with stark white or barely beige walls.

Here are a few things you might want to try out that don’t require a paint brush.

Art Extravaganza

If you don’t feel like painting your walls – or have been told you’re not allowed to – there is still a way to breathe life into bare walls, including adding your favorite art work. Gallery walls are hugely popular these days, and involve grouping art pieces together by the bunch, rather than hanging just one solitary piece.

Using art makes it incredibly easy to create an accent wall, and you don’t even necessarily have to hammer nails into the wall either. Choose pieces that are lightweight, which can be easily supported using sticky strips that will never leave a hole or any other mark behind. For lots of color, use paintings and photos with tons of texture. To go the more sophisticated route, stick to abstracts and black-and-white pieces in simple frames.

Dress Your Windows

Odds are the windows in your rental unit are covered in outdated, cheap plastic blinds that are nothing more than an eye-sore. Take them down (carefully) and outfit your windows with something a little more contemporary, such as floor-length curtains or roman shades. You can replace the original blinds if and when you move out.

Just choose something that will go well with the rest of the decor in the space. Window treatments are awesome for rooms that need a little something extra, and for drawing attention away from flooring that you’re not too keen on as they help draw the eye upward.

Cover Up With Area Rugs

The easiest and fastest way to deal with scuffed up hardwood or hideously outdated linoleum flooring is to add stylish area rugs throughout the space. Even if the unit is lined with wall-to-wall carpeting, it’s still OK to pile area rugs on top. In fact, it’s a huge trend these days.

Area rugs not only help cover up unattractive floors, they also help infuse color and texture into any rental unit. Feel free to mix colors and textures together to really create a unique space.

Furnish With Modular Pieces

Consider outfitting you rental unit with modular furniture pieces that you can quickly and easily customize to adequately fit your space. For example, try adding a sectional sofa that can be split up into separate chairs or even a loveseat.

Sectionals have made quite the comeback lately, and are no longer reserved for the 1980s. Other modular furniture ideas include multi-level coffee tables, and cube-shaped shelving cubicles. These pieces are versatile, modern, and can easily fit into even the smallest of rooms.

Replace Your Light Fixtures

You don’t have to suffer staring at the outdated light fixtures that your rental unit came with. Instead, take them down, store them carefully, and replace them with more modern, attractive pieces. And don’t just limit your space with only one ceiling light fixture – instead, mix things up.

In addition to a chandelier, add other light fixtures like floor lamps, heavy table lamps, wall sconces, and pendants lamps. Mix up the shade types, width, height and metals as well to add variety.

Just because you don’t exactly own the place doesn’t mean you have to live with the way it was when the previous tenants were there. This is now your home, for however long you decide, so decorate it to your liking with these easy tips so you can enjoy every square inch, and be proud of the space you’re in.

Owning and maintaining a home doesn’t come with an instruction manual, though it would be great if it did. After you’ve found the home you love and moved in, the real fun starts.

But sometimes the fun can be rudely interrupted by certain scenarios that can put the home – and even you and your family – at risk.

Here are a few things all homeowners should know about in order to avert an emergency in the house.

 

Know Where the Shut-Off Valve is

Whether the toilet is overflowing, or the pipes are frozen, the water supply to the house needs to be shut off immediately. You should probably shut the water off completely if you’re going on vacation for more than a couple of days.

You’ll need to know exactly where the shut-off valve is in order for you to cut off the water supply. While it may typically be in the basement, it can also be located in an underground utility box or outside wall in warmer climates.

Once you’ve located it, make sure that it works properly. It should be turned clockwise to stop the water flow into the house. A good idea would be to test it two or three times after you first move into the home to make sure it actually works.

In the case of a burst pipe either under a sink or beside the toilet, you should first shut the valve off directly at these sites to minimize damage in those immediate areas.

 

Know How to Stop an Overflowing Toilet

Aside from this being pretty nasty, an overflowing toilet can cause serious water damage to the immediate surroundings and the structures below. Usually these scenarios happen when the bowl is slow to drain and clean water from the tank rushes in too fast.

If the bowl is filling up, don’t run away. Instead, immediately lift the top of the tank, grab the black rubber float, and pull it up. This will close the valve that allow the clean water in the bowl, which should ideally give you enough time to shut the water source off.

 

Label Your Circuit Breakers

You’ll definitely need to fiddle with the breakers on occasion. As such, it’ll be a lot more helpful if you know exactly which breakers work specific outlets, light fixtures, electronics, and appliances.

First of all, you need to know exactly where your breaker box is. Once you’ve found it (usually in some sort of utility space like the laundry room or storage room), label the breakers accordingly. You’re probably going to need some help in this department, so make sure you’ve got your partner or a pal to help identify what fixtures each breaker controls.

Start by turning them all off, then test each one at a time. Once you’ve got this info, write it down directly beside each switch. Be sure to identify where the main switch is too, which shuts off the power to the entire house.

 

Know How to Operate a Fire Extinguisher

Many times a house fire can be stopped right in its tracks with the use of a fire extinguisher. Just make sure your home is equipped with one.

To effectively operate this life-saving piece of equipment, it might help to write down clear, simple instructions on the actual canister. The first thing you need to do is pull the pin for it to be ready. After you aim the nozzle at the fire, squeeze the trigger and spray the agent from side to side to extinguish the fire.

Remember that the average fire extinguisher only consists of approximately 8 seconds of fire-squelching agent in it, so use this tool wisely.

 

Keep an Emergency Kit Handy in the Home

Certain emergencies may force you to remain in your home for a long time – perhaps even days. And many times the conditions aren’t exactly comfortable or safe. Perhaps your area has been caught in a massive snowstorm that has blocked you in and knocked the power out. Or perhaps your home is the victim of destruction from a hurricane or earthquake.

Whatever the situation is, you should be prepared for anything and everything, and that means having a disaster kit readily available. Consider adding the following items to this kit:

▪           Water (about one gallon of water per person per day for a week)

▪           Food (non-perishable)

▪           Radio

▪           Flashlight

▪           Batteries

▪           First-aid kit

▪           Blankets

▪           Whistle to signal for help

▪           Cell phone with chargers

If it’s within your budget, you may even consider buying a generator that will be able to power up some of the more necessary appliances, like light fixtures, a stove, or space heaters.

You can never be over-prepared for an emergency. Taking the time and effort to prepare your home before disaster strikes can save both the home itself, and your family.