Year after year, many homeowners find themselves surprised when their first heating bill arrives. The frugal-minded tend to turn to extra blankets and multiple layers in lieu of paying expensive heating bills, but at the end of the day, you should be comfortable in your own home.

With a little knowledge and a few behavior tweaks, you can heat your home much more efficiently, without sacrificing your comfort or your hard-earned paycheck:

Turn down the temperature.

The U.S. Department of Energy recommends setting your winter thermostat to 68 degrees while you're awake, and setting it lower while you're asleep or away from home. You can save up to 10 percent a year on heating (and cooling) costs by simply turning your thermostat back anywhere from 7-10 degrees for approximately eight hours a day, like while you're at work or sleeping. 

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We all love our four-legged family members, but sometimes your home isn’t set up for the hustle and bustle of pets. Whether its cats, dogs, birds or hamsters your family has taken in, all pets have different needs around the house.

Home builders are adapting by creating ways your home can be more pet-friendly and unique to each pet need. Below are a few amenities that families are opting for just to keep their furry friends happy. 

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The Game of Homes group of women has found success, confidence and support through collaboration. Whether they're sharing business or uplifting one another through the rollercoaster of the real estate industry, this team finds a way to connect  through their monthly meetings. #WeMoveWI 

For new and experienced agents alike, it’s easy to get caught up in the hustle and bustle of the housing market, whether that’s by achieving your monthly goals or perhaps even falling short. If it’s the latter, it’s especially important to foster a positive, uplifting and inspiring company culture for your fellow agents.

Establishing an entrepreneurial environment driven by collaboration and innovation is just one of the many steps required for success and high performance in the real estate industry. Incorporating these four skills and motivational techniques into your daily routine and monthly/annual goals can help shape a team player into a real estate superstar.

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The real estate world is full of myths. Myths that prevent people from making smart decisions when buying and selling and keep people from maximizing their real estate returns.

Let’s count down the top five biggest real estate myths. And debunk each one! 

Myth #5. You shouldn’t buy right now because interest rates are rising.

Rising interest rates are a great reason to buy right now!

Historically speaking, interest rates are still exceptionally low. Throughout the 70s, interest rates ranged between seven and 12 percent. The 80s saw double-digits, reaching over 18 percent at one point. The 90s were more in the seven to nine percent range.

Today, you can still get a mortgage loan under five percent with good credit. If you plan to buy, do it now before rates rise!

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