9 Ways To Save Money On Your Kitchen Remodel

Most homeowners spend a great deal of time in the kitchen, whether to entertain, heat up leftovers, do dishes, or... on that rare occasion, make a meal.  When looking to sell your home, if you do choose to invest in updates, you get your highest return on investment in the kitchen and bath.

If its time for you to remodel your kitchen, here are 7 ways for you to save money on your effort, courtesy of Zillowblog.

1. Carefully shop for your big ticket items

Take your time when shopping for cabinetry and appliances.  If you are able to whittle down 10% or more off of the cost of these items, simply by shopping around a little longer, you will end up with a lot more cash to play around with when looking at light fixtures or a new faucet.

Make sure you speak to your home contractor to avoid buying the wrong shape, size, or grade items.

 2. Stay away from the "professional" appliances

These are the items that can really break the bank.  Instead of going with the pro lines, go for home-appliance manufacturers that have the same functionality while mimicking the pro look - equaling some steep savings.  These types of appliances are often designed specifically for the home market, often including amenities that pro-versions don't offer, such as a self-cleaning oven.

8.3 Million Underwater Homeowners Should Resurface by 2015 - Are You One of Them?

Currently 10.7 million homeowners across the nation owe, at the very least, 25% or more on their mortgages in comparison to what their properties are worth, according to a report from RISMedia.  However, another 8.3 million homeowners are brushing the surface, being either slightly underwater or slightly above water.  This means that they are on the right track to having enough equity to be able to sell, without a short sale scenario, sometime within the next 15 months.

These homeowners include those with a loan to value from 90 to 110 percent.  This means they have between 10% positive equity, and a 10% negative equity.  They additionally comprise 18% of all U.S. homeowners that have a mortgage, as of the beginning of September.

Make Your Bathroom Look Larger With These 5 Tricks

Bathrooms typically aren't the most inspiring spaces to design.  You've got all of the plumbing fixtures to deal with in an often cramped space, and your decor has to be moisture-resistant.

While I'm sure you'd much rather spend time and effort on a living room or bedroom, remember that the bathroom is one place that every guest in your home will be using.

So...where do you start?

Here are 5 great tips from Zillow Blog and Designer Jaque Bethke of PURE Design Environments, Inc.

1. Know your audience and set the scene

Who is going to be using this bathroom the most?  Guests you are entertaining?  The kids?
What about the frequency of use?  Is this an every day bathroom, or an on occasional bathroom?

If its a day to day bathroom, make sure you're using a classic and timeless design - you don't want to get tired of a "trendy" space.  However, if it is a space for guests, go ahead - have some fun.

If its used by guests, consider what you don't need, like a vast array of towels or soaps.  It can exist purely with good-looking function, without the frills.

If there's a shower involved, this will affect your design as well.  Make sure you avoid things like wallpaper, for example, which can deteriorate over time in the presence of humidity.

2. Save Your Space

Once you've established who is using the bathroom and how often it will be used, the next step is space optimization.  Storage is a priority, as clutter can instantly make a room feel smaller.

You can use a medicine cabinet alone, but many also need counter space.  Consider over the toilet storage shelves, or installing wall fixtures.

If you're undergoing a renovation, wall-hung sinks and toilets save space by hiding the pipes in the walls.