“Ongoing maintenance costs less than repairs.”

With the hectic pace of life these days, it's easy for homeowners to overlook maintenance chores that should be accomplished regularly. Doing so, however, can be a mistake. The whole idea of maintaining a home is preventing damage and costly repairs or replacements later on.

For example, asphalt driveways should be sealed annually. Failure to do so eventually leads to cracks that, if not repaired, lead to crumbling, requiring driveway replacement. Make sure you protect exterior wood with sealers or paint. Get pest inspections and have your heating/cooling system checked annually. Keep trees and shrubs trimmed before you can't trim them back enough without damaging them.