If you intend to sell your house, it generally helps to allocate time and resources to improve your home's condition. That way, you can impress potential buyers as soon as they see your residence.

Now, let's take a look at three tips to ensure you can bolster your house's condition before you list your home.

1. Install Energy-Efficient Fixtures

Updating fixtures usually is quick and easy. Plus, if you install energy-efficient fixtures, you may be able to reduce your home energy consumption while you sell your house.

Energy-efficient fixtures use a fraction of the energy of traditional fixtures. Meanwhile, energy-efficient fixtures may prove to be a key differentiator for your house, one that is sure to garner homebuyers' attention.

2. Revamp Your Bathroom

Believe it or not, the appearance of your bathroom can make a world of difference in the eyes of homebuyers. If your bathroom looks modern and beautiful, it may help your house stand out to potential buyers. Conversely, if your bathroom appears small and outdated, it is unlikely to do you any favors as you try to sell your house.

To renovate your bathroom, you may want to replace the vanity, old plumbing and lighting fixtures. In addition, it may be beneficial to install a new tile floor that will help you transform your bathroom from drab to fab.

It also is important to keep in mind that bathroom renovations may prove to be less expensive than renovations in other areas of your house. Thus, if you complete assorted bathroom renovations, you may be able to increase your house's value without a significant time and resource investment.

3. Enhance Your Lawn

If you've failed to maintain your lawn over the years, there is no need to worry. In fact, you can replace patchy weeds and grass with fresh new sod to improve your house's condition and curb appeal.

Oftentimes, you can perform lawn care and maintenance on your own. But if you want expert help, you can always hire a professional landscaping company. Because with a team of professional landscapers at your side, you can quickly and effortlessly enhance your lawn.

For home sellers who want extra assistance as they get ready to list their houses, real estate agents are available to provide expert support as well.

A real estate agent understands the challenges associated with selling a house and can help a seller identify and address such issues. Furthermore, a real estate agent will provide a home seller with recommendations and suggestions about how to improve a house's condition.

Perhaps best of all, a real estate agent will offer assistance at each stage of the home selling journey. From the moment a house is listed to closing day, a real estate agent will do whatever it takes to guide a seller along the home selling process.

Ready to add your house to the real estate market? Use the aforementioned tips, and you should have no trouble beating the home selling competition thanks to the condition of your house.

The lawn is trimmed, the house is spotless and you're ready for a real estate agent to show off your home to a prospective buyer -- but what about your pets? Pets and showings don't always mix; the potential buyers may be afraid of or allergic to your animals -- or your pets could slip right past them and end up roaming the neighborhood. For the safety and comfort of all, confine or remove your pets during a showing in one of the following ways. 

What to do with Pets When you Show your Home

Contain them: This works best with smaller animals, like cats, petite, quiet dogs and even exotic animals like house rabbits. When they are present, but not roaming around, your pet will be safe and won't be much of a distraction. Ideally, a pet carrier or crate can be used for this purpose -- and allows your home to be shown at a moment's notice. 

Take a walk or drive: If you know when a showing is happening and will be home, then put on a leash and head to the sidewalk or car. Even a very friendly large breed dog can be alarming to some prospective buyers and any dog is a distraction. Showings don't take long, so if you can conveniently do so, taking a walk or drive gets you both out of the house and out of the way -- and ensures your home is the true focus of the visit. 

Rely on a neighbor: If you have a neighbor, friend or family member nearby that can pet sit for an afternoon, this is a good time to visit. Your pet will benefit from the attention and fresh environment and you won't have to worry about them getting out or alarming a buyer. 

Consider boarding: If your agent is holding an open house, consider boarding your pet on the big day. You won't have to worry about finding a place for them to stay and you'll be able to show the home with confidence. If you do have many people walking through the house, even a friendly pet can be overwhelmed, so this is often the best solution for all. 

Securing your pets while your home is shown will give you peace of mind about their safety and will also allow the viewers to envision themselves living there without distraction. It also gives you a chance to check all latches, doors and gates before returning your pet to their normal space -- prospective buyers could leave a door, gate or window open, allowing for an easy escape route for a curious pet. Take these simple steps before a showing and you will benefit in several key ways -- and your pets will, too. 

Photo by Sarah Brown on Unsplash

Just about everyone loves cozying up to a roaring fire and kicking back to relax in the cool night’s air. Far too many, however, leave that for camping once or twice a year at most. Thankfully, it doesn’t have to be that way. You can build a firepit in five easy steps, beautifying your backyard and creating a comfy space for your guests. Here’s how to get started.  

Draw Up Your Design

Your first step is thinking about the design you want for your firepit. Although circular firepits are the most popular, you can build yours in any shape imaginable, including:

Draw up several designs using your preferred wall materials as a guide, ensuring they will snugly fit together. Make sure to note how large you want to make your firepit, so you can pick up the right amount of materials.

Gather Your Tools & Materials

You have many material options for the walls of your firepit. Concrete blocks are used most often, though pavers, bricks and natural stone work as well.

Compare the size of your selected materials to your firepit design, and then calculate how many blocks, bricks or stones to buy. If you are building a 4 foot square firepit, for example, then you would need about 36 – 16 inch long concrete blocks to build the walls in three layers. No matter what materials you select, grab enough materials to make the walls at least 24 inches tall.

Then, gather the rest of the supplies, including:

With those items on hand, you are ready to get to work.

Create the Perfect Space

As you look around your backyard for the perfect space for the firepit, confirm it is at least 25 feet away from all combustible structures and vegetation. Then, use the tape measure and spray marking chalk to outline the design. With the shovel, dig down six inches, starting about two inches out from the perimeter. Verify the ground is reasonably level, then pour in the bag of leveling sand and rake it flat.

Stack Up Your Wall Materials

Working from your sketch, arrange the first row of wall materials within the prepared area and verify they are level. You can add more leveling sand to bring up low spots or tap the edges with a mallet to even out high spots. Once the first row is level, add the additional layers to the wall using an offset pattern from the one below.

Add Lava Rocks to the Center

Once the walls of your firepit are complete, all that is left to do is add a bag of lava rocks to the center. Beyond looking nice, the lava rocks will help hold the wood steady as it burns and promote drainage when not in use.

Upon completing this project, surround the firepit with Adirondack chairs, benches or other outdoor furniture pieces that fit your fancy. Then, light up your first fire and enjoy.