Whether you're talking renovation or moving, the logistics can kill you. In either case, you are trying to clean out a space either so you can work on it or because you want to take the contents to another location. Portable storage units could be the answer to your prayers.  A Great Answer For Remodelers Picture this. You are replacing the flooring in your home, either because you can finally get the hardwood you've always wanted or because you trying to create an open floor plan that potential buyers will love. Or maybe you are removing that old popcorn ceiling and then painting the room. Your downstairs is filled with living room and dining room furniture, plus what's in your office and first-floor guestroom. As the work is being done, you dread piling up the furniture in one part of... 02/27/2014

Mardi Gras brings with it some of the year's best celebrations and these traditional events take place on and off Bourbon Street. So whether you are able to make it to New Orleans or not, it’s likely you’ll be able to join in on the fun. If you're planning on staying local and celebrating Mardi Gras in Louisville this year, do not fear. With local events, you can bring the infamous Bourbon Street home with you, along with the masks, King Cakes, and good, old-fashioned fun. Mardi Gras at Fourth Street Live As one of Louisville's most famous party venues, offering the best New Year's party in the city, Fourth Street Live will be hosting a Mardi Gras celebration this year. With past years' Mardi Gras celebrations being a huge success, often with an annual theme, you can trust that Fourth S... 02/27/2014

Let's not bury the lead, the Welcome Home Grant opens today! So if you're looking for a free $5000 to apply towards your closing costs or downpayment for a home, you need to act now.   You might be saying to yourself, “what’s the catch.” Well, there isn’t a catch. This money is in the form of a grant and is offered on a first come, first serve basis. You do not have to be a first time homebuyer to qualify either. If you are already in the process of purchasing a home and haven’t closed, you still have time to apply before your closing. This is such a great opportunity if you are in the market for a new home.   There are two eligibility requirements for this grant: 1: The total household income must be at least 80% of the Kentucky Housing Corporation housing limit for your county. You c... 02/27/2014

One of the biggest parties of the year is coming to Louisville. The "Life In Color" tour, billed by its organizers as "the world's largest paint party," is taking place in Louisville on March 1st at Broadbent Arena, and is likely to be one of the most colorful and extraordinary party experiences you could ever hope to be a part of! Throughout the Show You Are Going to See Something Special As the show progresses, you’ll definitely find yourself covered in paint (don't worry—it's non-toxic!). You can purchase your own bottles of paint to express yourself in the space, but paint is also sprayed on the crowd, and attendees are encouraged to dress in white clothes to act as a "canvas" for the paint. The spectacles on display at various Life in Color events have been described as "almost lik... 02/25/2014

Most have seen the comic that shows a person enjoying a beautiful summer morning, then they are caught in a monsoon durign mid-morning, taking shelter from a tornado at 2pm, are in a blizzard at 4pm, followed by a beautiful Fall evening. The caption says something along the lines of “Just another day in the Ohio Valley”. The point being is this; we have a lot of variance in our weather patterns in the Louisville area. This past week, Louisville saw temperatures pushing 70 degrees to be followed a few days later with rain, then a snow shower later that afternoon with temperatures falling again into the teens. We have also had a lot of moisture this year. One concern home owners should have is their roof during these cycles. The freeze-thaw cycle can cause damage to your home and you may... 02/24/2014

In a digital age, that smart phone in your pocket does a lot more than make calls. Depending on your age, it may be your only phone. You may use it more for texting, playing games, and running useful apps that for actual conversations. It is invaluable for those things. As a Realtor®, mobile apps are a great way to show homes; if you're looking for one, using Zillow or Trulia app makes it easy to see what's available in your area. There's also a number of apps that make it very convenient when you're shopping for home, trying to sell one, or even doing home improvement projects on one that you own now.  As a seller, when you're gathering measurements and pricing what you need to upgrade your home. The same thing is true if you're a buyer trying to visualize how your furniture will look... 02/21/2014

If you are from Louisville, dining at White Castle was probably one of your earliest dining experiences. The classic chain, founded in Wichita, Kansas in 1921 and now based in Columbus Ohio, has been a Louisville institution since 1927. It's even likely that, back in the day, your grandparents stopped by early locations on West Broadway, West Liberty, E. Market St., or South Third Street to "buy 'em by the sack."  These square little hamburgers grilled with onions on a steamed bun are considered by Time Magazine to be  the most influential burger of all times and to generations of Louisville college students, the most affordable.  Back To St. Matthews' Steaks  No longer five cents each, these little slider burgers, once called "St. Matthews steaks," are now very trendy. A new White Cast... 02/20/2014

Have kids? Then as you know, after moving to a new city and new neighborhood, children may have a hard time adjusting and establishing new friendships. Here are 3 great ways to help your kids make friends when they're new to Louisville. Sign Them Up for a Regular Extracurricular Activity You're killing two birds with one stone with an extracurricular activity—you're getting the kids off the couch and active for one to two hours at a time, and also enabling them to have natural interaction with other kids their age in a setting ripe for bonding. What are your child's biggest interests? Whether it's arts and crafts, taking care of animals, or building houses out of Lego, there are lots of potential avenues where your child can participate as a volunteer on a regular basis in a setting the... 02/20/2014

The time of wine, roses, and chocolates filled with mysterious orange goo is upon us!  We live in Louisville, a city abounding with romantic, charming, and quirky places to take your Valentine (or your friends, if you're celebrating being single this year.)  Oh SURE, you could hit up Ruth's Chris or the Melting Pot, but really, why would you?  We boast an enormous assortment of locally-owned (and often locally sourced) gastropubs, classic French restaurants, new American bistros, and sushi bars.  From luxurious to low-key, here's a small sampling of some Valentine's Day date spots Louisville has to offer.  Luxurious - 610 Magnolia.  This Louisville classic is located in Old Louisville in an unassuming house with a very intimate dining room, a prix fixe menu, and a menu that keeps thing... 02/13/2014

Historic homes are common in Louisville, Kentucky, but many homeowners have opted to renovate their historic Victorian homes to be up to date with more modern interior designs and styles. Although renovating can be a fun and exciting process, it can also be a lot of work on the homeowner's part. Therefore, it is critical that the homeowner does their research before launching this costly and time-consuming project. Here are a few renovation tips for your Louisville Historic Home. Hire the Right Professionals When it comes to renovating your historic home in Louisville, it’s important to work with the right people. When looking for professionals to help with the renovation, you should take referrals only from your most trusted friends and family. Make sure that you have an opportunity to... 02/13/2014

It may not feel like it just yet, but spring is right around the corner. In Louisville that means the start of a multitude of 5K’s, the mini-marathon and busy parks. Many runners will train indoors during the cold months, but some like to brave the elements and enjoy what nature brings. Whether you are looking to train for an upcoming 5K, love hiking, or just want to include some exercise in your daily routine; Louisville has an abundance of great parks for running, biking, hiking, or walking. Often people mention Cherokee Park, Seneca Park, E.P. Tom Sawyer Park, which are great parks situated in the Highlands and Louisville’s east end; but Southern Louisville has some amazing parks to offer as well. If you live or work south of the Gene Snyder Freeway you may already take advantage of... 02/08/2014

The living room is a place for family and friends to come together. It is used for gatherings, but is also a place where you should be able to relax and spend some time alone. When decorating any room, a homeowner should fill the space with furniture and décor that is functional, while suiting their style. Whether it is the changing of seasons, or the evolution of taste, we quite often can feel the need to switch things up, and bring new color and energy into a room. Luckily, there are some great inexpensive ways that anyone can change the look and feel of their living room. Cover-Ups That Brighten Up Painting is a chore that few people enjoying doing, but most of us love to see the results. Giving your room a face-lift with a fresh coat of paint is the simplest way to make a dramatic c... 02/06/2014

While it's not likely that you'll ever run out of things to do in Louisville, sometimes it's just nice to get out of town for a few days. One of the great things about living in Louisville is that there are plenty of great getaways nearby; destinations in Kentucky, Ohio, Indiana, and Tennessee are only a few hours' drive away. Let's take a look at some of the best weekend escapes close to Louisville. Leave the City Behind at Cumberland Falls, Kentucky If you really want to escape the city life for a while, Cumberland Falls is the place to escape to. Here, there's nothing but nature, nature, and more nature. If outdoor adventures are your thing, then you can spend your weekend horseback riding, hiking, swimming, fishing, rafting, and exploring the great outdoors. And if you prefer a more... 02/04/2014

As temperatures continue to linger below freezing, many have seen unwanted increases in their gas and electric bills. Homeowners can help to lower these bills with a few simple and relatively cheap fixes. Below are a few ways to save some cash and still keep your home nice and toasty as the snow falls and temperatures drop.   Use curtains to help control the amount of radiant heat entering your home. Opening   curtains during the day to windows that receive a fair amount of sunlight will allow for radiant heat to help warm your home. Closing all curtains at night will also help to block the escape of heat.  Pay attention to fans. Vents for your stove and bathroom can allow a lot of heat to escape in a short period of time. Make sure to turn fans and vents off as soon as they have serve... 02/02/2014

Are you sick of winter yet? Even if you love cold and snow, you may be sick of seeing people track up your hardwood floors with their boots and then throw their wet coats on the chair. When you look at your home, you may realize that even in better weather, shoes, coats, and other outdoor paraphernalia gets the best of you. Your answer may be in setting up a mudroom.  A Handy Transition To Your Home  The mudroom is a designated area for outdoor wear, including not just jackets, coats, boots, and shoes, but also hats, gloves, scarves, and even sports equipment and backpacks. Ideally located in the side or rear entrance, the mudroom can be a transition into your home and a way to keep dirt and clutter out of your living space.  When you look at the layout of your home, there may be an are... 01/28/2014

If you have recently purchased a new home in Louisville, you know that moving is a stressful activity. Since most pets are able to pick up on your emotional state, you can bet that moving is stressful for them, too! To get the most out of this exciting period of time, you can follow some simple tips that will help your pet settle into its new home more easily. Share the News Early On If you are aware that you are going to be moving within the next few months, you can start to make subtle changes in your current home to slowly prepare your pet for the move. Take certain items that you aren't in daily need of and pack a box or put your out-of-season clothing in a suitcase. Pets pick up on these changes in their immediate environment, and they may be your best bet in giving your pet a warn... 01/26/2014

It can be tricky to properly take care of one's garden in a Louisville, Kentucky winter. There are so many things you have to do differently from gardening in the summertime or at any other time in the year. The main thing to remember is proper garden care, as there's nothing more annoying than having one's plants die unnecessarily and need to cultivate a new garden from scratch. Aside from taking some precautions, gardening in the Kentucky winter is simply all about making sure that one is prepared. Here is how to take care of your garden in a Kentucky winter. Dealing With That Pesky Snow Snow is not necessarily a bad thing, at times. It actually works to both shield and endanger one's plants. Snow can act like mulch sometimes. Other times, snow can be detrimental, like when it builds ... 01/18/2014

Louisville Golf Expo is on, snow and all! Get on your warmest golf shoes and your snazziest argyle sweater and head on over to the 2014 Louisville Golf Expo today. Doors at the Kentucky Exposition Center open at 11am and close at 5pm. Saturday and Sunday hours are from 10am-5pm if your hesitant to go out today.  Louisville Golf Expo tickets cost $11 for adults, $9 for Seniors (60+) and Kids (12 and under) are FREE! Did you read that? A free, fun indoor activity for kids on this cold Louisville snow day. Kids will love the mini-putt zone made just for them! Come down and visit our booth for your free goody bag and your secret offer.      picture by Stevetheman   Click here for a $1 off ticket, or contact the Louisville Real Estate Pros for a free ticket!    01/16/2014

January is traditionally a slow month for real estate. Although I've been fairly busy ,I know that when spring comes, life will become even crazier, as buyers want to buy a house that they can close by June, so they can spend the summer in their new home before school starts in the fall for the kids. Meanwhile, sellers want to list, in hopes of finding a perfect match with a potential buyer.  Preparing Your Louisville Home For Sale  If you're getting ready to sell your Louisville home, you may need to put some money into it to make it more attractive to buyer. What exactly are buyers looking for, especially those looking for "move up" houses? When they buy the second or third time around, people may have different expectations than first-time buyers. In any case, they most likely have ... 01/16/2014

  WELCOME TO THIS UPDATED BRICK HOME IN MOVE-IN CONDITION!! Home features sought-after open floor plan, must-have kitchen, original hardwood floors, charming arched doorways, neutral colors, & windows galore! Large Living Room is surrounded by windows offering lots of light. OPEN EAT-IN KITCHEN features new gorgeous cabinetry, CORIAN COUNTERTOPS, Breakfast Bar, tile flooring, stainless steel sink overlooking a window, & appliances to remain: refrigerator, Stainless steel smooth top range, dishwasher, & built-in microwave. Large Laundry Room/Mud Room is located conveniently off kitchen & opens to deck. Spacious Dining Area offers ample space for large dining room furniture, a couple of bar stools at the breakfast bar, & is open to the kitchen: PERFECT FOR ENTERTAINING! Updated Main Bath ... 01/14/2014