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Tips To Spruce Up Your
Outdoor Spaces For The Season

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StatePoint

W

hen the weather warms up,
it’s all about relaxing out-
doors. But it’s possible you’ve
neglected upkeep on your home’s outdoor
spaces during the chilly months of winter.
To enjoy yourself more this season,
take time to spruce up your yard. Here are
some quick tips.

DO A SURVEY
Take a walk around the perimeter of your
patio, deck and yard to survey what needs
to be cleaned, repaired or replaced. Did
potted plants and lawn ornaments survive
the cooler months? Are outdoor light fix-
tures functioning? Are fallen branches lit-
tering the yard? Make a mental to-do list.

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34 March 31 • 2016

DEEP CLEAN
Like interior spaces, periodic deep cleans
are necessary outdoors, too. But don’t
waste your leisure time.
“With the right tools you can work
smart, not hard,” says Jeff Devlin, host on
a popular home improvement channel. “A
heavy-duty cleaner, such as Mean Green
Degreaser, not only works indoors, but is
ideal for my tough outdoor cleaning jobs.”
Devlin recommends using the super-

continued from page 32

• Understand your options. Don’t
assume you won’t have enough for a down
payment or won’t qualify for a mortgage
without 20 percent down. In fact, about 40
percent of today’s homebuyers are making
down payments of less than 10 percent,
according to research from Zelman &
Associates. And new products, like the
Freddie Mac Home Possible Advantage
mortgage, offer down payment options as
low as 3 percent for qualified borrowers.
• Gather your documentation. Expect
your lender to request documentation
verifying your income (W-2 forms, tax
returns and employment records), credit
history and assets (such as bank state-
ments to verify your savings).
After signing a purchase contract but
before closing, Boyle recommends doing
the following:
• Don’t take on more debt or make
large cash purchases. Resist the tempta-
tion to take out new loans or open new
credit cards. This could affect your credit
profile and may require the lender to

strength multi-surface formula — which
is lab-tested to clean and remove grease,
grime, mildew, dirt and oil more effec-
tively than its competitors — to clean
and remove mildew from patios, outdoor
furniture, concrete, composite and wood
fences and siding, as well as to clean and
degrease tools, lawn equipment and grills.
Use it as a concentrated spray or diluted
solution. Clean with a brush or sponge.
“For your toughest jobs, add it to your
pressure washer,” says Devlin.

ROUTINE MAINTENANCE
Perform routine upkeep to keep items
from falling into disrepair or becoming
overgrown or unkempt.
Sweep walkways and your deck regu-
larly, especially if they are situated under
trees. Promote a healthy lawn by mowing
it regularly, never removing more than
one-third of the grass blade. Keep gutters
devoid of leaves and debris so that water
does not collect in your yard or at the base
of your home’s structure. Rinse patio fur-
niture, umbrellas and awnings using water
or a diluted cleaner.
Spring is in the air. With a little effort,
you can be prepared to make the most of
it.

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resubmit your mortgage application to
verify you still qualify. Also, substantial
cash purchases may make your mortgage
company question whether you can really
afford monthly payments.
• Meet your lender’s deadlines. Heed
deadlines for providing documentation
or information. A missed deadline could
delay the closing, which may require you
either to pay more to extend the mortgage
terms you locked in when you submitted
the application or, in the worst case, reap-
ply for the mortgage.
Buying a home can be intimidating
without knowledge. For more tips and
resources on buying a home, visit the
consumer education site, My Home by
Freddie Mac, at MyHome.FreddieMac.
com.
With preparation, you can help ensure
your homebuying process goes off without
a hitch.
Preparation can help ensure you walk
away from closing with the keys to your
new home in hand.

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