The Most Requested Information from our audience is tied to the Fix Up Fund and the rebate of up to $10,000 for energy efficiency repairs that are funded by it.  Here are links to the information on both of these items (you can also find them in the Blog under Home Care).

Fix Up Fund – can be used to find energy efficiency repairs among other things

Energy Efficiency Rebate tied to the Fix Up Fund

PROGRAMS OFFERED BY SWEET HOME SERVICES

The next most popular questions are related to the programs offered by Sweet Home Services. Here is a break down of the programs we are currently offering.  All of these will officially become available March 1st, 2010.  The programs were designed around request we have received from our audience.  They are:

• HomeWorks: teach you about caring for your home in your home
• Design Sense-meet with you in your home to decide what to do to help you Love Where You Live
• Green Screen-Infrared Thermal Camera shows energy leaks and receive a plan on how to fix the problems

Here are the programs described in more detail

HomeWorks

cost $99

Do you know everything you need to about taking care of your home? Few people do anymore.  But, without proper care and maintenance the value of your home will drop quickly.  HomeWorks was created by Sweet Home Minnesota to help people get smart about their own home.  Don’t waste your time going to some generic class or staring at your computer screen waiting for a do it yourself video to download.

A HomeWorks consultant will meet with you in your home to teach you about your home and what steps you should be doing to take the best care of it.  For example, when was the last time you changed your furnace filter? You will learn about your heating and cooling systems—at least enough to keep them from breaking down anytime soon.  Here is what else you get as part of your HomeWorks consultation:

• The consultant will also inspect your home for any signs of potential problems, so you can prevent little issues from turning into big monster problem head aches.
• They will review steps you can take to save you money on energy costs
• You will receive a maintenance calendar that you will be able to rely on to know when you should be doing certain things for your home.
• You will receive a personalized HomeWorks Home Care Guide with photos of your home and examples of what to do to take of it.

To order this program you can call 888-832-2117 or fill out the Sweet Home Service Request Form

Design Sense

cost $125

Know that it’s time to change something up in your home but not sure what?  Or what to do about it?  Are you afraid of pumping money into something that won’t increase the value of your home when you go to sell it in the future?  You should be, it’s a common mistake.  We can help you stop wasting money by making the wrong upgrades to your home–things that don’t increase the value of your home.

Our Design Sense pros have a unique blend of style and real estate value know how.  They will guide you away from bad decisions like pouring too much money into kitchen counter tops that will never get enough value back to justify the cost, or put a new tile floor in your bathroom that looks outdated before the grout dries.

Common things home owners want help with:

• how to change a kitchen without breaking the bank
• updating the look of a bathroom
• changing flooring
• picking paint colors for room or what faux painting techniques to use to make a room stand out
• the best way to finish a basement to increase a home’s value

You will work with your Design Sense Consultant to decide on what work you want to have done, then they will help you get bids from contractors for the necessary work and help you choose one that will take great care of you.  You can choose how involved you want them to be.

To order this program you can call 888-832-2117 or fill out the Sweet Home Service Request Form

Green Screen

cost $199, and a professional inspection of your heating and cooling system for $95

We will have a trained professional come to your home to use a Infrared Thermal Imaging System (ITIS) to determine where your home is leaking energy.  Then a consultant will show you the steps you can take to solve the problems revealed by the camera.  You will be able to tell what areas need the most attention because the thermal images show different colors based on how bad it is (hint: Red is Bad).

After reviewing the problem areas, we will get you bids on what it would cost to repair the areas.  At that point, you can choose to do nothing, choose to fix some of the problems, or get it all fixed.

You will also be told what repairs would be eligible to paid for by the Fix Up Fund loan and which repairs would also be eligible for the energy rebate program from the State of Minnesota.

To order these programs you can call 888-832-2117 or fill out the Sweet Home Service Request Form

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Don’t miss the boat – or an important warning sign.

The next round of government programs to stimulate the economy and create jobs is focusing on homes. The government wants homeowners to make repairs and improvements that will save energy and Washington is willing to help you pay for changes that will continue to save you money month after month. The key is knowing what to do and how to maximize the benefits. Money for government incentive programs goes fast. It’s important to have your ducks in a row and be ready to go when legislation passes to make sure you get your share of what’s available.

Hiring someone to come work on your home is almost as scary as bringing it to a car mechanic when you know nothing about cars. Rather than give you a list of 50 people to call, we’ve done the research and can help you find a great match with a service provider. It’s just one way we can try to show how much we appreciate the trust our audience puts in us and our recommendations.

You can fill out the form on our Sweet Home Services Request page, or call us at 888-832-2117.

Our show’s motto “Love Where You Live” means making your current home the way you would like it, or we can help you move along to something that fits your life better.

What’s Hot in 2010?

Getting your heating bill down, that’s what.  Whether you want to save green or be more green, improving the energy efficiency of your home is a great place to start.  There is a lot of tax credits and rebates floating around right now, making it easier than ever to get help paying for the work.  But, you better act fast, because this money goes fast.  Remember “Cash for Clunkers” they ran out of money in days.

How You Can Beat the Gold Rush

We have obtained unique insider information that could save you tens of thousands of dollars on improvements to your home.  But, this information will soon become more available to the general public, which we create a “gold rush” as people try to get their hands on this money.

You can put yourself at the front of the line by taking a few proactive steps.  Sign up for our newsletter (left hand side of this page) and receive our exclusive report that we just released that will show what you can do so you might be eligible to receive over $20,000 home repair rebates and tax credits.