To make your home more affordable, consider renting out an extra bedroom or garage apartment to a tenant. Being a landlord can be a wonderful experience or a frustrating one, depending on how well you vet candidates, communicate your preferences and protect yourself with a written leasing agreement.  

To find that perfect tenant, ask friends, family, coworkers and church or professional organization member for referrals or visit online roommate seeking sites. Screen potential tenants by credit-worthiness, smoking and other criteria, but you must follow Fair Housing laws to avoid illegal discrimination and to protect the tenant’s rights.

As you interview potential tenants, discuss key issues such as schedules, habits, and expectations. According to Lawyers.com, you can minimize disputes with a detailed rental agreement that covers rent, deposits, responsibilities, house rules and which items can be shared, such as food and living spaces. You should also include a dispute resolution method agreeable to both you and the tenant.

Hopefully, you’ll make a lifelong friend but should your tenant violate their lease by not paying rent or making too much noise, you must get a court-approved eviction. Prevent unwanted problems by checking your tenant’s credit, references and employment in advance.

One pleasure in buying an older home is the dazzling fall colors of your trees. But, what happens to the leaves when they fall?

Gutters route roof water away from vulnerable areas of the home’s exterior and garden, so don’t let leaves clog them. If your new home doesn’t have gutters or needs new ones, consider investing in them as an important part of your home’s curb appeal.

Today’s gutters are far from the boring half-pipe gullies of the past. Gutters come in an array of sizes, materials and designs that add style and value to your home. The K-style has a staircase design that resembles crown molding, so your home appears finished in finer detail from the street. 

Vinyl is the most economical, but least durable. Aluminum is better but can still crack like vinyl. If your home is surrounded by trees, or your area experiences strong winds, choose steel, zinc or copper which can bear more weight and last a lifetime.

A general rule is the more durable and valuable the material, the higher the cost, but the longer it will last, according to Bankrate.com. You can also get leaf and debris guards to minimize home maintenance chores.