Light Up Your Home Like a Pro

Even if you've already begun decorating your home's exterior for the holidays, it's not too late to organize your inventory and improve your layout so you light up the block. Here are six tips to follow.

1. Take inventory. Find every string of outdoor lights from previous years and test them. If you have a mixture of lights, such as some incandescent and some LED strings, you may want to stick to a single type.
2. Measure your home's perimeters, including roof edges and fences. If you're planning to add lights to window and door frames, don't forget to measure these as well. This is also a good time to locate and make note of your exterior power sources.
3. Make a plan. Take photos of your house from the street and decide where your lights will look best. You may also want to branch out and add lights to any pathways, lamp posts or trees in your front yard. And don't forget the back yard, especially if you spend a lot of time in a room that faces it.
4. Make a shopping list. This is when your measurements and master plan help you save time in crowded stores. Be sure to pick up extension cords that will help prevent overheating and overloads, or go for a power stake that only requires one cable.
5. Avoid using nails. Instead, use plastic holiday light clips. They won't rust or damage your home's woodwork, gutters or soffits.
6. Don't work alone. Even if you don't need help with a ladder, a partner can hand lights up to you as you work. A second pair of eyes can also help ensure you don't connect different types of lights to the same circuit, or decorate a tree close to a power line.

Source: bobvila.com

* Specific loan program availability and requirements may vary. Please get in touch with your mortgage advisor for more information.