7 Steps to Build Good Credit Before You Buy a Home

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You’re a homebuyer hopeful who has a big dream of buying a home of your own. You’ve got a steady job that brings in decent money and you’re emotionally ready to take the plunge to buy. There’s just one thing left to consider: what’s your credit score like?

If you plan to take out a mortgage to buy a house – like most buyers – your lender will take in a number of factors into consideration before extending a loan. And one of the big ones is your credit score. Lenders like to loan out money to borrowers who have a good score. The reason for this is because these borrowers pose less of a risk.

You see, credit scores tell the story of what borrowers’ past debt payment history is like, and if your score is a little on the low side, that likely means you’ve got a few blemishes on your credit report. Lenders typically don’t like that very much because it puts them at a higher risk with the capital they loan out.

There’s also the issue of borrowers with no credit. If you’re just starting out in the world, you might not have any credit built up at all. Whether you’re just graduating from college or are just moving out of your parents’ home, you might not have had the opportunity to build credit, which is a crucial part of your overall financial health.

But if your score is not what it could be, or you don’t have any credit built up at all, there’s no reason to throw in the towel. There is plenty you can do right now to build or improve your credit score in order to improve your chances of getting approved for a mortgage to buy a house.

1. Apply For a Secured Credit Card Long Before Applying For a Mortgage

If you’ve got a lot of time to spare before buying a home and you’ve got no credit, then consider applying for a secured credit card. While it’s usually not recommended to add more credit to your name while you’re searching for a mortgage, applying for a card long before you apply in an effort to build a credit score can be considered an exception.

If you’ve got no credit, lenders will have nothing to base their decision on. No credit score gives lenders no information about what kind of borrower you would be. In this case, you’d need to take steps to build a credit score in a positive way, and a good way to do this is by taking out a secured credit card.

These types of cards differ from traditional credit cards in that they require collateralization in the form of a deposit. This deposit then becomes the credit limit that you are allowed to spend up to. If you use this credit card responsibly – which means making timely payments in full every billing cycle – you can effectively build up a good credit score within a few months.

2. Avoid Taking Out Additional Credit Shortly Before Buying a Home

We just talked about applying for a credit card, so why would you suddenly need to avoid taking out additional credit? If you already have established credit and are very close to applying for a mortgage, then now is not the time to apply for a loan of any type, including a credit card. Adding more debt to the pile can make it more difficult to get a lender to say “yes” to your mortgage application if your finances are already on the cusp of mounting debt.

If improving your credit score is on the agenda, then try to avoid applying for any new loans shortly before buying a home. Any major changes to your finances right before a home purchase is not a good idea, whether you’re thinking of buying a car, charging a big holiday to your credit card, taking out a personal loan, and so forth. 

3. Keep Old Debt on the Books

You might have a hankering to improve your credit score, which might prompt you to cut up old credit cards or close out old accounts. But believe it or not, doing so can actually do more harm than good to your credit score.

Of course, any old accounts should be in good standing, whether you choose to close them or leave them alone. If you’ve got old accounts that you haven’t really used much and they’re in good standing, leave them open. Old credit is good credit. 

4. Check Your Credit Report For Errors

It’s always wise to review your credit report once a year. After all, how else will you know if there are any mistakes showing up on the report that could be pulling down your credit score?

By getting your hands on your credit report from one of the three major credit bureaus (for free every 12 months), you’ll have the opportunity to see if there are any errors on there, such as incorrect personal information or inaccurate account information. If you find such errors, you can report them to the credit bureau and have these mistakes investigated and rectified. Doing so can easily add a few marks to your score. 

5. Take Care of Any Delinquent Accounts

Your payment history is the most important factor influencing your credit score. If you want to give it a boost, not only will you have to make sure you continue to make all payments on time, but you should also consider paying down any balances that are past due or negotiate a settlement with your creditors.

The thing is, paying off a delinquent account won’t remove it from your credit report. However, catching up on late payments can help to clear out your report while continued timely payments can overshadow any blemishes. This will have a positive impact on your credit score over time.

6. Reduce Your Credit Utilization Ratio

Do you have a habit of spending close to your credit limit on your credit card? If so, that’s a habit you need to stop right away. Your credit utilization is a crucial factor when determining your credit score, and the closer you spend to your credit limit, the worse off your credit score will be.

Instead, try to stay as far away from your credit limit as possible in order to reduce your credit utilization. A good rule of thumb is to keep it at 30%, though any less than that would be even better. By increasing the amount of credit you have available to you, your credit score will improve.

7. Pay More Than the Minimum Amount

Every credit card bill you receive will not only stipulate the balance due but also the “minimum amount” required to make sure you stay current on your bill payments without having to pay the full outstanding amount. If building good credit is on your mind, then start paying more than the minimum amount. Having a history of minimum payments can be considered a negative trait for lenders who look over your credit report.

Always do your best to pay more than the minimum, even if it’s not the full amount of the bill. In addition to helping you reduce your balances faster, you can also save some money in interest over the long run.

The Bottom Line

When it comes to buying a home and securing a mortgage to finance the property, your credit score matters. If you want to boost the odds of getting approved for a mortgage, then your credit score should be healthy. If it isn’t, it could throw a wrench in your plans. And if you don’t have any credit at all, that can prove to be just as bad. In either case, it’s imperative to take the necessary steps to build solid credit so you can be more confident going into the mortgage and home-buying process and finally achieve your aspirations of becoming a homeowner.

7 Things Buyers Should Know Before Buying in a Planned Community

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You’re ready to buy a new home, and you’ve narrowed down your choice to a property within a planned community. Many buyers opt for this unique type of housing option considering all the perks that tend to come with it. These neighborhoods are typically well-maintained, offer a number of nearby amenities like golf courses and parks, and some communities even provide complimentary Wi-Fi throughout.

Certainly, planned communities offer a number of benefits that many homebuyers look for. But before you plunk down your deposit on a home located in this type of setting, there are a few things you should know about planned communities first. Like any other major financial investment, it’s important to know all the ins and outs about what you’re buying before you commit.

1. There Will Be Fees to Pay

Any planned or gated community will require that all owners pay a monthly fee in exchange for maintenance of common areas and amenities that are exclusively offered to owners. But the amount of this fee could make or break your decision to buy into a specific community. Be sure to understand exactly how much these fees are. In addition, try to find out what the possibilities are for these fees to increase in the near future.

It’s important to understand that these fees are typically reflective of the types and number of amenities that are offered within the communities. Generally speaking, communities with fewer features charge a lower homeowner’s association fee, while communities with more to offer tend to come with higher HOA fees.

You should also take the time to verify whether or not certain amenities will require a separate fee. For instance, some communities that are located on golf courses may charge a membership fee on top of the HOA. Just be sure to consider all applicable fees before you make an offer.

2. Amenities May Be Too Little or Too Many For What You Need

As already mentioned, HOA fees generally reflect the number and types of amenities offered to owners. But what exactly are the amenities featured in the community, and will you actually make any use of them?

Since you’re essentially paying for what you get, make sure you’re not paying more than you need to. It might not make much sense to pay for a pool, fitness room, ballroom, or golf course if you never plan on making use of such amenities. The thing is, you’ll be paying for them through your HOA fees whether or not you use them.

On the other hand, maybe you want to have all of these amenities and more, but the community you’re looking at only has a park and a walking trail. Is that going to be enough to suit your lifestyle?

Take a tour around the community and assess the amenities before you submit an offer. You want to know exactly what you’re getting and what you’re paying for.

3. Deed Restrictions May Limit Your Enjoyment

Planned communities come with a set of deed restrictions and for good reason. They’re meant to protect the value of the properties within the community and the neighborhood as a whole. By restricting what owners can and cannot do, properties will have to be maintained in such a way so as to ensure their values are upheld.

But as useful as such restrictions may be, they can also hinder your enjoyment of your property and your freedom to decorate or do with your property as you please. For instance, it’s not uncommon for planned communities to place restrictions on owners in terms of the colors they’re allowed to paint their front doors, the number of type of pets allowed, the type of landscaping permitted, or what sorts of vehicles can be parked on the driveway, to name a few.

You’ll want to know if you can live with the community bylaws before you buy. Not only that, you’ll also want to know what these rules are so you don’t inadvertently break any. Find out exactly what the deed restrictions are in the planned community you’re considering buying into before you finalize your purchasing decision.

4. Further Development May Be in the Works

Planned communities are usually built in phases, allowing homeowners to move into the community as each phase is completed. If you’re buying into the first phase of development, that means additional phases are in the works. That means you’ll be living in the middle of construction for a while until the community has been completed. However, you may be able to get a better deal on a home that still has yet to sell out, making buying in the first phase a potentially ideal situation in terms of money.

In addition, you’ll want to make sure that the promised amenities will actually be built, even though they’re not yet constructed before you move in. Some developers may not finish building all the amenities that were promised until the entire community is near completion.

5. The Reserve Fund Will Need to Be Assessed

Your regular monthly HOA fees are one thing, but then there’s a reserve fund that needs to be assessed. This fund is essentially a large sum of money that’s kept on the back-burner to be used for major expenses, such as replacing a pool or refacing the roads. These types of jobs are not covered under HOA fees and will need to be paid for through the reserve fund.

If this fund is inadequate, all owners – including you – will be on the hook to make up the difference. That’s why it’s important to assess the state of the reserve fund to make sure it’s beefed up enough to account for any major work that will have to be done in the future.

6. There’s a Homeowner’s Association to Deal With

Homeowner’s associations are there to help all homeowners ensure that the property values are upheld and that the community and all amenities within it are maintained appropriately. Any time you have a problem associated with our home and the surrounding community, the HOA will deal with it for you.

But on the other side of the coin is your reliance on the HOA to do everything for you relating to your home or community, even if you’d rather handle things on your own. If you’re not the type to just hand things over to someone else to deal with, having an HOA to answer to may not be your cup of tea.

7. You Risk Losing Your Home if You Fall Behind on HOA Dues

Falling behind on your mortgage payments isn’t the only way to foreclose on your home: failing to pay your HOA fees every month can also leave you fighting to hold onto your property. This is yet another big reason why you’ll want to make sure the fees associated with a home in a planned community fit well within your budget.

The Bottom Line

Planned communities are definitely very attractive housing options for those on the prowl for a new home. All your amenities are within walking distance and are exclusively for you and your neighbors to use.

These areas are generally well-maintained and ensure homeowners don’t bring down the value of the neighborhood due to lack of maintenance or poor choice in decor. But the restrictions and HOA fees can be enough of a deterrent to opt for freehold properties that don’t come with such drawbacks. Speak with your real estate agent in depth to help you determine whether or not living in a planned community is right for you.

How to Handle an Estate Sale After a Parent Dies

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It’s never easy to lose a parent, but having to deal with the sale of their family home and the contents within it can make things even harder. And when there are other siblings involved or other interested parties in the property, the process can be a little more complicated.

An estate sale can be considered to be the sale of all contents of a home, much like a garage sale. But an estate sale can also involve the sale of a family home after the owner passes away. While selling the home of a relative who has recently passed is not entirely unlike selling any other home, there are a few more considerations that will need to be made. Being prepared for the process and any potential obstacles that may be faced can help ensure a more streamlined process.

Who is Legally Allowed to Sell the Home?

The first thing that will need to be addressed when selling the home of a deceased family member is determining who is allowed to deal with the sale. If the owner left a will behind that clearly states the name of the person authorized to handle this transaction, that person is known as the Executor and is legally allowed to sell the home. Otherwise, if the home is in a trust, then the named Trustee is the authorized individual.

However, there may be times when there is no will or trust left behind. In this case, someone must step forward and take responsibility. In this case, state law will provide a list of eligible people to take on this responsibility. In most cases, the surviving spouse will take over the home. Or, in the case of a single parent who has died, adult children will usually take priority, in which case each child would be granted equal ownership of the home.  There is no court order required to transfer the property to them in this case. 

If an executor is identified, it’s important to determine whether or not that person has the authority to sell the property. Specific instructions will ideally be stipulated in the will about selling the home. If the executor was not authorized to sell the real estate, then the heirs will have the authority to sell the property without required consent from the executor.

During a probate situation, the executor will usually take on the role of selling the property and dividing up the profits among the beneficiaries named in the will. Any property under probate will need to be appraised by the probate referee, and the value will typically be used as the listing price. Once the appraisal has been done, all beneficiaries of the will – or any other interested individuals or parties – are to be notified of the sale of the home.

If any of the beneficiaries do not consent to this sale, they have the option to buy all shares of the property. If several people want to buy out shares of the home, the court will need to get involved, which will have the ultimate power to decide if the sale should go through or not. If there are no objections, the executor can list the home and sell it with an agent.

Make Sure Bills Are Up-To-Date

Until the home has been sold, all bills will need to be kept up with. That means the mortgage, cable, telephone, and utility bills will all still have to be paid until the transaction is complete.

You can steer clear of any potential problems by ensuring that all pertinent bills are paid on time and in full until they’re no longer required. That said, all bills should be paid through the estate rather than one person taking it upon themselves to pay the bills personally.

Gather Up All Important Documents

Any financial documents related to the home will be required in order to complete an estate sale. These are necessary in order for any proceeds of the sale to be distributed to heirs appropriately. If certain documents are missing or can’t be obtained, the situation can become a little more complex.

The following are the documents that may be required to complete the transaction:

  • Will
  • Receipts from creditors
  • Investment paperwork
  • Life insurance documents
  • Homeowner’s insurance policy
  • Bank account information

Shred All Personal Documents

Any personal documentation that includes your deceased loved one’s Social Security Number and anything else that identifies that person should be destroyed. Given the rise in identity theft, it’s important to ensure that all information like this is kept out of the hands of identity thieves. By shredding all documents with this information on them, identity theft will be a lot more difficult.

Change the Locks

When word gets out that a home is vacant as a result of the death of the owner, the property will be a target of those with nefarious intentions. In addition to friends and relatives, other people may have gotten a hold of the keys over the years, including landscapers, contractors, or anyone else who may have done some work in the home.

In this case, you will want to boost the security of the home, and one way to do that is by changing the locks and only giving the new keys to the real estate agent who is handling the sale for you.

Call the Postal Office

Let the postal office know that any mail with your parent’s name on it should be forwarded to you. This will help you maintain control over any trickling mail that may still come in over the next few weeks or months, as well as minimize any pile-up in the mailbox.

Stage the Home Professionally

Unless your parent’s home was stylishly furnished or decorated, you may want to remove all possessions and have it staged by a professional home stager. But while you’re clearing out all of your parent’s possessions, make sure to include any other individual that may be privy to such items, including your siblings.

To make things easier, consider holding an estate sale to get rid of all remaining possessions that you or your siblings don’t want to keep.

Disclose Information About the Owner’s Death if it Occurred in the Home

If your parent passed away inside the home in question, this information will need to be disclosed to interested buyers. According to California law, a death on a property needs to be disclosed if it happened within three years of an offer coming in. But if the death happened outside of that three-year mark, you won’t be obligated to make such a disclosure.

The Bottom Line

Selling a parent’s home after they’ve passed on is never easy. The emotions involved can make this experience a challenging one. But selling the home and all things in it is usually necessary for all heirs involved. Be sure to work with a seasoned real estate agent and consider consulting with a real estate lawyer to make sure everything is handled the way it should be.

9 Walkway Tips For Your Outdoor Space

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The addition of a walkway in an outdoor space can both add visual interest and create a functional and convenient means of getting around the yard. Hardscape has a way of beautifying yards, and a walkway is just one of many ways to implement hardscaping into an outdoor space.

Here are a few materials and tips for creating the perfect walkway for your outdoor oasis.

1. Stepping Stones

One of the easiest ways to create a pathway in your yard is to simply lay down flat stones to serve as stepping stones to walk on. Trace out the pathway that you want, and place a number of flat pavers in the pattern that you desire. Just make sure to place them at an appropriate distance apart, which in this case would be about the distance of the average step taken.

2. Gravel

Another simple solution for your walkway is to lay a path of gravel. It’s easy to find and relatively affordable compared to other materials that could also be used for walkways. You can always dress it up by bordering it with stones or flowers.

3. Brick Pavers

For a smooth surface that’s easy to walk on while creating a lovely element in your outdoor space, you might want to consider laying bricks to create a sophisticated walkway. This is a more involved job since you will have to do a little digging to flatten out and level the ground, then make use of materials to keep the bricks in line and settled properly, but the end result will be really fantastic.

4. Concrete Pavers

This type of walkway will also involve a little more work, but it may be more affordable and quicker to install compared to brick walkways. You can create pavers in any shape or size to suit your tastes and needs, then lay them in whatever pattern or direction you need to create a seamless walkway in your yard.

5. Wood Planks

You can easily mimic the look and feel of your favorite boardwalk by laying wooden planks to create your yard’s walkway. You can even stain or paint the planks to customize the look and feel of the walkway, and further personalize it by changing up the width of the planks used.

6. Tile

While you might typically see tile in interior spaces like kitchens and bathrooms, you can also use it outside too. Just be sure to choose tile that is designed to be used outdoors so it’s able to withstand the elements. With tile, you can be as creative as you like, and choose different sizes, shapes, and colors to really create something that’s just as decorative and artful as it is functional.

7. Plants

While pathways and walkways are usually all about the hardscape, there’s no reason why you can’t incorporate a little greenery into these components of your outdoor space. Adding plants along your walkway can soften up the space, especially between pavers and stepping stones. It can also add some vibrant color to your walkway. Just make sure that the greenery you select can be walked on and won’t grow very tall. Some of the best greenery for this purpose includes dwarf grass, moss, and creeping thyme.

8. Curves

You don’t necessarily have to make your walkway straight. Just because they’re meant to guide you from Point A to Point B doesn’t mean the journey has to be direct. You can add visual interest to your walkway by adding some curves throughout, and those bends offer the ideal spots to add some of your favorite plants and flowers.

9. Weed Barriers

Weeds have a way of impeding hardscape materials, but you can protect your walkway from these intrusive weeds by adding a weed barrier. Install a couple of layers of landscape fabric underneath the walkway material, and line the walkway with edging material to prevent weeds from creeping up along the path.

The Bottom Line

There are plenty of different materials and designs you can use to create the perfect walkway for your backyard haven. Consider any one of the above options to help get your creative juices flowing to come up with a unique walkway that will serve as both a decorative and functional element.

9 Landscaping Ideas For Small Outdoor Spaces

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Not every homeowner is blessed with oodles of outdoor space outside their home, but even the smallest yards can be just enough to enjoy what Mother Nature has to offer. That said, landscaping and decorating small outdoor spaces can be a bit of a challenge, especially when it comes to creating a functional, stylish space.

If your yard is short of square footage consider some of the following landscaping ideas to make the most of what you have.

1. Install a Pergola

Pergolas and arbors are wonderful ways to add some pizzazz to your backyard and offer vertical space to use to hang plants and flowers, build a vertical garden, or simply serve as a decorative and artistic statement piece. They can also offer your outdoor space some much-needed shade from the sizzling sun and provide small gardens with a grandiose feel.

2. Create Vertical Walls

Speaking of vertical space, don’t forget to use as much of it as possible, especially in smaller yards. Adding a vertical wall of plants and herbs or planting vines that extend up the walls can make good use of your vertical space while also creating a very unique yard. And if you’ve got anything that could use a little camouflaging or dressing up, such as a drab shed or bland wall, taking the vertical approach can help to dramatically improve such surfaces.

3. Give Your Plants a Boost

Consider raising up your plants with a short retaining wall or large hardscape stones to help draw the eye up and create a distraction from the compactness of your yard.

4. Invest in Tall, Slender Plants and Shrubs

In order to avoid taking up too much space with your greenery, consider plants, shrubs, and trees that grow quite tall and don’t spread out horizontally as they grow. Columnar trees work best for these scenarios.

5. Add Dramatic and Oversized Tropical Plants

Usually, you would need to be careful with using pieces that are too large for smaller spaces, but when it comes to tropical plants and small yards, you can’t go wrong. Large, vibrant tropical plants with huge foliage can provide a lush, lavish feel to your yard and modify the perceived scale of the area to help make it seem bigger.

6. Create Separate Zones

It might sound like the complete opposite of what you should be doing with a small yard, but breaking it up into specific work zones can actually make the area feel bigger than it actually is. You might want to create different nooks for relaxing, reading, dining, or playing, depending on how you typically use your backyard space. Different groupings of furniture and dividing pathways can help visually expand the space while making it feel cozier and more comfortable.

7. Mix Things Up For Visual Interest

Incorporating a myriad of elements to your backyard can also make it appear larger. Don’t be afraid to implement a mixture of grass, hedges, planters, hardscape, and walkways to add some visual interest, which should help to make you and your guests forget about how small the yard may be.

8. Make Effective Use of Color

Using bold colors at the forefront of the space where they are more readily seen and noticed will grab your attention quickly, while the remainder of the yard past this colorful facade will make it feel like it’s fading in the distance, which will elongate the space. You can also use long, linear lines to create the same effect that can trick the eye into thinking that the yard is a lot larger than it truly is. By creating a focal point at the end of these lines, you can create the illusion of a longer yard.

9. Cut Down on Clutter

If you’ve got a lot of dead leaves, debris, or any other type of clutter, get rid of it. The more clutter in a space, the more confined it will appear. The same rule typically applies to indoor spaces as well, so take this same principle and apply it to the outdoors to visually expand your yard.

The Bottom Line

An outdoor space that lacks square footage doesn’t have to be short on style and functionality too. There are plenty of tactics you can employ to visually expand the space to make it look bigger than it really is while creating a yard that’s stylish, comfortable, and easy to hang out in.

7 Signs There’s a Problem With Your Home’s Crawl Space

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Aside from storing a bunch of your belongings, you probably don’t give your crawl space much thought. But while you might not actually spend any time down there, your crawl space is still an important part of your home that requires some level of attention. Just like any other part of your home, issues can arise in the crawl space which might warrant some repair. But the only way you’re going to know there’s a problem is if you pay attention to the warning signs.

Here are some red flags that there may be a problem in your home’s crawl space.

1. Foul Odors

Any time you detect a bad smell anywhere in the home, this warrants further investigation. More specifically, crawl spaces that have a foul “musty” odor might have some sort of moisture problem that you might need to look deeper into.

The smell could also be a result of something decaying down there, whether it’s dead rodents or something else rotting. While this might not sound very pleasant, any bad smells coming from your crawl space should be looked into further. It probably won’t go away on its own, so the sooner you look into it, the better.

2. Cold Floors

If certain floors in your home are colder than others, it may be the crawl space to blame. Warm air rises in a home, which explains why lower levels are typically cooler than upper levels. The warm air that rises is replaced by air being pulled in at the crawl space.

If this particular area is not properly insulated or ventilated, the air that gets pulled in might be cooler than it should be. This issue is more common in northern parts of the state where temperatures tend to dip and isn’t commonly seen in Southern California.

3. Standing Water

Any amount of water that is sitting on top of the floor in the crawl space should absolutely be dealt with right away. All that water – no matter how little – can cause mold, not to mention cause damage to the floor and walls as well as any belongings you might have stored down there.

Many times, standing water is a result of leaky pipes or poor drainage, which will need to be addressed by a professional. If the issue isn’t rectified, you could be dealing with more cases of standing water in the basement, which will just cause you more headaches, time, and money to deal with.

4. Sagging Floors

If you notice that the floors in the crawl space are sagging, there may be an issue with the floor joists underneath. Whether it’s because the load on top is just too much for the joists or they are old and weak, you might need to have the joists repaired in order to avoid any future issues.

In addition, you might even notice some sloping of the floors in the crawl space. If that’s the case, there is likely an issue with the foundation of your home, in which case you will need the help of a structural engineer or other professional to prevent the issue from getting any worse.

5. High Humidity

Have you noticed your home’s interior is a little more humid than normal, despite running your A/C? If so, go down to your crawl space to see what the humidity levels are like down there as well. Most likely, the humidity will be even worse, which could be a sign that there is a high level of moisture building up.

This can lead to further issues, including condensation on your windows and pipes, peeling wallpaper, musty smells, and even mold and mildew. Any abnormally high levels of humidity in the crawl space and the rest of your home will need to be addressed.

6. Higher-Than-Usual Energy Bills

Utility bills are already expensive enough as it is, so when you suddenly notice them spike, you know there’s a problem somewhere in the home. Many times, a jump in energy bills is the result of leaks in windows and doors that allow cooled or heated indoor air to escape, making your HVAC system work harder than it has to and costing you more money in the meantime.

When it comes to your crawl space, the air might not be circulating properly down there, or there may be a high humidity issue that is making your HVAC run into overdrive to deal with the problem. Or, the insulation in the crawl space may be inadequate, which could also be contributing to an inefficient HVAC system. Regardless, the fact that your HVAC system is working harder will inevitably translate into higher energy bills.

7. Mold

If you actually see physical mold anywhere in your crawl space, you’ve got a problem. Mold should never be left alone to fester and grow, as it can cause a serious health hazard in the home when left for all occupants to breathe in over the long haul.

Don’t try to get rid of the mold yourself if you happen to notice it in your home, as this can just end up making things a lot worse. Instead, you will need to contact the professionals to identify the exact type of mold that’s present and eliminate it safely and effectively.

The Bottom Line

Don’t ignore your crawl space, even if you hardly ever go down there. Paying attention to issues in this seemingly unimportant area can have a direct effect on the rest of your home, so you’ll want to address any issues as soon as you notice them. The sooner you can deal with any problems, the lower the odds of them becoming a major issue.