This is the fourth part of a Six Part Series, Best Late Summer Home Projects - but this one is a diversion from the projects. Late summer in Maine is a magical time - and Labor Day weekend is a good time to check off the summer to-do list for fun with family & friends.

As summer winds down in Maine, if you take a few hours a week to perform these projects now, you can have the benefit of warm weather - and be finished before the madness of life after labor day.

When selling a home or prior to home inspections, we advise clients to do many of the projects we will suggest in this series- but when done regularly they can save you thousands of dollars, an untold amount of stress, and a better life in your home each day.

Given the crazy market we find ourselves in, many sellers are cashing in by selling their homes. Others take a different approach - they have leveraged higher property valuations to refinance their mortgages and even pull out cash.

With mortgage rates at historic lows, it’s the perfect time to consider refinancing your home. If you’re looking for ways to cut costs and save money in 2021 - then taking advantage of these current rates with a new loan should be at the top of your list. Some of our clients have already refinanced their mortgages this year, and they not only saved significant interest through the life of the loan and lowered their monthly payments - but also pulled out cash to make home repairs and improvements - which makes their home more pleasant to live in and further boosts home value for the future. It is a beautiful cycle to take advantage of when the market is in your favor.

Others pulled out cash to pay down high interest debt, start a home business or invest for retirement.

Depending on the amount of equity in the property, credit score and your Debt to Income Ratio, you may not even need an appraisal (that is how much equity many people have sitting in their properties).