Home Improvements That Sell Homes AtHomeSense.com

If you?re thinking about selling your home, naturally you want to get the most for your money out of the deal. With that in mind, remodeling or making other improvements to your home has the potential to bring a great return on your investment. However, any major home improvement project has its potential downsides in terms of how it could affect your resale value, making it particularly important that you do not jump into anything.

First and foremost: Is your home truly in good shape? If the roof leaks, the foundation is cracked or you have any other issues that could lead to bigger problems, invest your time in making sure that your home is up to snuff structurally. Cosmetic improvements will only divert time and resources away from fixing the real issues your home has that can and will affect a sale.

If your home?s in good shape, taking some time to plan your improvements ahead of time will save you a lot of headaches, cost overruns and other problems down the road. If you?re planning on a significant modification to your home such as a room addition ? contact your local government to make sure that your proposed modification is permitted and will meet code. An unexpected code issue cropping up down the road could easily cost you a significant amount of money to correct it or might even result in you having to tear out your modification altogether.

Also equally important yet gets overlooked all too often: Get a solid budget in place, and make sure that you have enough room in your budget to allow for anything unexpected that may come up. If you?re about to undertake a major remodeling project for instance, you could easily find yourself dipping into your pockets to cover additional wiring or plumbing, for instance. The general rule of thumb is at least 20% of your estimated budget should be available to cover any cost overruns.

It?s a tried-and-true expression: Bathrooms and kitchens sell houses. A remodeled kitchen and/or bathroom can often return a good portion of your investment when you sell your house. However, don?t make the mistake of focusing all your efforts on one or two rooms while leaving the rest of your home untouched.

Stay conservative with any improvements. While that new swimming pool might sound tempting to you, it?s not likely to be a big selling point. Ideally, any changes you make to your home should be things that can be changed relatively easily such as new paint. Your goal should be not to make so many improvements to your home that you literally price it out of the neighborhood.

While it?s not an expense you should undertake lightly, a room addition can be another excellent way to raise the value of your home. An extra bedroom in particular is a great selling point for many homebuyers. Having your home inspected by an appraiser or real estate agent prior to constructing an addition can give you a reasonably good idea of how it?s likely to affect the value of your home.

Justin Krutz writes about home improvement and assorted related topics for Palatin Remodeling, Inc., a company specializing in Los Angeles bathroom remodeling and kitchen remodeling services.

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Disney to banish junk-food ads from kid shows

FILE-In this photo Feb. 6, 2012, file photo, the Disney Soda Fountain & Studio Store marquee is seen on Hollywood Boulevard in Los Angeles. The Walt Disney Co. said Tuesday, June 5, 2012, its programming will no longer be sponsored by junk food, becoming the first major media company to ban such ads for its TV channels, radio stations and websites intended for children. (AP Photo/Damian Dovarganes)

FILE-In this photo Feb. 6, 2012, file photo, the Disney Soda Fountain & Studio Store marquee is seen on Hollywood Boulevard in Los Angeles. The Walt Disney Co. said Tuesday, June 5, 2012, its programming will no longer be sponsored by junk food, becoming the first major media company to ban such ads for its TV channels, radio stations and websites intended for children. (AP Photo/Damian Dovarganes)

NEW YORK (AP) ? Disney says its programming will no longer be sponsored by junk food.

The Walt Disney Co. said Tuesday that it will become the first major media company to ban such ads for its TV channels, radio stations and websites intended for children. That means kids watching Saturday morning children's shows on Disney's ABC network will no longer see ads for fast foods and sugary cereals that don't meet company's nutrition standards.

The guidelines won't go into effect until 2015 because of existing advertising agreements.

First Lady Michelle Obama called the announcement a "game changer" in a statement.

"With this new initiative, Disney is doing what no major media company has ever done before in the U.S. ? and what I hope every company will do going forward," Obama said.

Disney says its guidelines are aligned with federal standards to promote the consumption of fruits and vegetables and reduce the intake of sodium, sugar and saturated fat.

The kids' meals offered by traditional fast-food chains may not meet the new advertising guidelines, even if the meals come with healthy side orders, says Leslie Goodman, Disney's senior vice president of corporate citizenship. That's because Disney will be assessing the restaurant's broader offerings in deciding whether to approve ads.

"It's not just about reformulating a meal for a single advertising opportunity," Goodman said. The company will have to show it offers a broader menu of healthier options, she said.

For example, a complete meal under Disney's guidelines could have no more than 600 calories and a side dish no more than 200 calories.

Without naming specific companies, Goodman said there are ads currently running on Disney channels that would not meet the new standards.

Disney CEO Bob Iger said there might be a short-term reduction in advertising revenue, but that he hopes companies will eventually create products that meet the standards so they don't have to avoid advertising with Disney.

Public health and childhood obesity experts cautioned that the effectiveness of any ban will be in how junk food is defined by the company. Previous attempts by the food industry to regulate marketing to children have been criticized as being too generous in which products were allowed.

But Aviva Must, chairwoman of the Department of Public Health and Community Medicine at Tufts School of Medicine, said Disney could succeed where government thus far has made little progress.

"There seems to be limited taste for government regulation," said Must, who has studied childhood obesity for decades. "So I think a large company like Disney taking a stand and putting in a policy with teeth is a good step."

Margo Wootan, nutrition policy director at the Center for Science in the Public Interest, said that while some snack foods of limited nutritional value may still be advertised, the worst of the junk foods will be eliminated under the new policy.

She hopes Disney's decision triggers similar changes with other companies.

"Disney's announcement really puts a lot of pressure on Nickelodeon and Cartoon Network and other media to do the same," she said.

The latest push by Disney is an extension of the internal nutrition guidelines the company launched in 2006, with the goal of making 85 percent of the food and drinks served at its parks and resorts healthy. The remaining 15 percent was reserved for special treats, such as cake for birthday celebrations. The company also stopped using toys in kids meals to advertise its movies, Iger said.

Visitors to parks and resorts were also given the option of trading out soda and fries for low-fat milk and fruit. Disney says 60 percent of the meals served are now with those healthier options.

The company on Tuesday also introduced its "Mickey Check" seal of approval for nutritious foods sold in stores, online and at its parks and resorts.

"The emotional connection kids have to our characters and stories gives us a unique opportunity to continue to inspire and encourage them to lead healthier lives," Iger said.

Associated Press

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Dion admits 'Titanic' song could make her sick

By Randee Dawn

Visitors to Las Vegas may have been wondering what could have happened to Celine Dion that would require her to cancel five weeks of shows. Here's the answer, as the Grammy-winning songstress told TODAY's Savannah Guthrie on Monday: She had a virus that affected her vocal cords. ?

"It was just choppy a little bit," said Dion. And while her heart may go on, her voice wouldn't let her go on -- so she had to make that difficult decision to stay off stage for a bit. "It's hard to do a show, but it's much harder to cancel the show. We disappointed a lot of people. It was hard."

There's one person out there, however, who was probably happy with a little less of Dion's "My Heart Will Go On," a song that won an Oscar after being featured in "Titanic" -- Kate Winslet. In March, the actress said the tune made her feel like "throwing up."?But Dion took the criticism in stride -- and even admitted to some empathy with Winslet's statement.

"'My Heart Will Go On' gave me the opportunity to be associated with a classic that will live forever," she said. "If I just count how many times I've sung it, maybe it'll get me sick. If she feels tired just hearing it, and, like, throwing up, I'm glad she was not the one singing it."

For now, Dion is back from her break, and even has a new song, "Didn't Know Love." She said that no matter what happens to her voice, though, that is not what defines her. "I don't depend on my vocal cords," she said. "I don't depend on my success and my singing. Don't get me wrong. I love what I do. But I don't hold on to that. When you have children (Dion has three with husband Rene Angelil -- and notes that her 11-year-old son is more of a fan of Eminem than his mother's music), you have accomplished a lot."

Are you happy that Celine will go on and on??Let us know over on Facebook,?and follow us on Pinterest!

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US allows Zimbabwe officials in for diamond meet

WASHINGTON (AP) ? The Obama administration has granted visas to two senior officials from Zimbabwe to attend a meeting of an international body charged with monitoring and preventing the sale of blood diamonds, despite human rights concerns and financial sanctions against the pair.

The State Department said Sunday that Zimbabwe's Attorney General Johannes Tomana and Minister of Mines Obert Mpofu would be part of the country's delegation to the U.S.-hosted meeting of the Kimberley Process that begins on Monday.

The department would not confirm that the two men had been given visas, citing privacy concerns, but officials acknowledged that they would not be able to participate if they did not have proper travel documents.

Both men are subject to U.S. financial sanctions under an executive order because of their positions in Zimbabwe President Robert Mugabe's government, which is accused of numerous human rights abuses. They are not covered by a travel ban.

.In addition, the department noted that as the current chair of the Kimberley Process, the United States is "obligated to facilitate the entry" of participants.

Hillary Renner Fuller, a spokeswoman for the State Department's Bureau of African Affairs, said the participation of the officials "is in no way indicative of an easing of U.S. concerns about the human rights situation in Zimbabwe, nor a change in our sanctions policy."

However, other officials said the decision to allow Tomana and Mpofu to attend was the subject of debate within the administration with some arguing against because of the human rights concerns. Those officials spoke on condition of anonymity to discuss internal deliberations.

The U.S took the helm of the Kimberley Process earlier this year amid controversy after a major human rights watchdog quit, accusing the body of refusing to address links between gems, violence and tyranny, notably in Zimbabwe.

Rights group Global Witness left the body in December, alleging it had failed in Ivory Coast, Venezuela and Zimbabwe, after the Kimberley Process a month earlier agreed to let Zimbabwe trade some $2 billion in diamonds from fields where critics say miners have been tortured. Zimbabwe denies allegations of human rights abuses in the fields.

The departure of Global Witness raised questions about the credibility of the process. At the time, the Obama administration said it understood and appreciated the group's concerns but that the U.S. would stay in the body to address the challenges and press it to reform to restore its credibility.

Human Rights Watch has accused Zimbabwean troops of killing more than 200 people, raping women and forcing children to search for the gems in Marange fields.

In February, Global Witness cited fears that Mugabe loyalists were using diamond revenue as an "off-budget cash cow" instead of rebuilding the shattered economy. It also said unspecified amounts of Zimbabwe's diamond earnings were being stashed away in tax-free havens and could be used to finance violence and intimidation in upcoming elections.

Mugabe's party has denied hoarding any diamond revenue.

The Kimberley Process, founded in 2003, groups the diamond industry, rights groups and 75 countries to certify rough diamonds as "conflict-free" to assure purchasers they are not funding violence. It was born after wars in Sierra Leone and Liberia that were fueled by "blood diamonds."

Associated Press

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5 bodies found in burned SUV in Arizona desert

Pinal County Sheriff'S Office / AP

This image provided Saturday by the Pinal County Sheriff's Office, shows the vehicle where five dead bodies found burned inside in Pinal County's Vekol Valley area, west of Casa Grande, Ariz.

By msnbc.com staff

Five bodies burned beyond recognition in a charred vehicle discovered?in the southern Arizona desert appear to be victims of drug-smuggling violence, Pinal County Sheriff Paul Babeu said Saturday.

Deputies are searching for suspects in the killings just west of Casa Grande, in desolate Vekol Valley between Phoenix and Tucson, NBC Station KVOA of Tucson reported.

---

Around 4:30 a.m. Saturday, a border patrol agent saw a Ford Expedition pulled over on Interstate 8, Babeu said. The vehicle had gone airborne off the interstate, he said.?When the agent approached the SUV, the driver took off.

The smoldering Expedition was found about 8:30 a.m.?Four bodies were found in the cargo area and one was in the backseat, Babeu said. None were in the driver or passenger seats, he said.

Watch US News crime videos on msnbc.com

He said evidence pointed to drug smuggling, but he did not specify what the evidence was.

"This is pretty significant," he said. "Given all these indicators, you don't have to be a homicide detective to add up all this information."

Pinal County deputies were involved in more than 350 high-speed pursuits last year, and Babeu said most of those involved cartel members. There have been shootings, the bodies of murder victims have been left in the desert and just this week, several loads of drugs were confiscated, he said.

"This happens far too often and usually our involvement is just a small percentage of what really goes on," the sheriff said. "Is it concerning? Is it troubling? Yes it is."

Babeu said investigators will try to determine whether the victims were dead before the SUV was set ablaze or whether they were alive when the fire was started.

"Clearly these people were murdered, but we don't know the manner of death," he said.

He said?killings?related to Mexican drug cartels?are rare so close to Phoenix, The Arizona Republic newspaper reported.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

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Gas prices are silver lining as economy weakens

A sign for $2.99 a gallon gasoline is seen as vehicles wait for a traffic light to turn green at a Hot Spot convenience store on the corner of Henry and Converse Streets on Friday, June 1, 2012 in Spartanburg, S.C. Oil prices plunged as bleak reports on U.S. job growth and manufacturing heightened worries about a slowing global economy. (AP Photo/Rainier Ehrhardt)

A sign for $2.99 a gallon gasoline is seen as vehicles wait for a traffic light to turn green at a Hot Spot convenience store on the corner of Henry and Converse Streets on Friday, June 1, 2012 in Spartanburg, S.C. Oil prices plunged as bleak reports on U.S. job growth and manufacturing heightened worries about a slowing global economy. (AP Photo/Rainier Ehrhardt)

A sign for $2.99 a gallon gasoline is seen as vehicles wait for a traffic light to turn green at a Hot Spot convenience store on the corner of Henry and Converse Streets on Friday, June 1, 2012 in Spartanburg, S.C. Oil prices plunged as bleak reports on U.S. job growth and manufacturing heightened worries about a slowing global economy. (AP Photo/Rainier Ehrhardt)

A sign for $2.99 a gallon gasoline is seen as vehicles wait for a traffic light to turn green at a Hot Spot convenience store on the corner of Henry and Converse Streets on Friday, June 1, 2012 in Spartanburg, S.C. Oil prices plunged as bleak reports on U.S. job growth and manufacturing heightened worries about a slowing global economy. (AP Photo/Rainier Ehrhardt)

A sign for $2.99 a gallon gasoline is seen as vehicles wait for a traffic light to turn green at a Hot Spot convenience store on the corner of Henry and Converse Streets on Friday, June 1, 2012 in Spartanburg, S.C. Oil prices plunged as bleak reports on U.S. job growth and manufacturing heightened worries about a slowing global economy. (AP Photo/Rainier Ehrhardt)

A sign for $2.99 a gallon gasoline is seen as vehicles wait for a traffic light to turn green at a Hot Spot convenience store on the corner of Henry and Converse Streets on Friday, June 1, 2012 in Spartanburg, S.C. Oil prices plunged as bleak reports on U.S. job growth and manufacturing heightened worries about a slowing global economy. (AP Photo/Rainier Ehrhardt)

There's some good news behind the discouraging headlines on the economy: Gas is getting cheaper. At least two states had stations selling gas for $2.99 on Friday and it could fall below $3 in more areas over the weekend.

A plunge in oil prices has knocked more than 30 cents off the price of a gallon of gas in most parts of the U.S. since early April. The national average is now $3.61. Experts predict further declines in the next few weeks.

If Americans spend less filling their tanks, they'll have more money for discretionary purchases. The downside? Lower oil and gas prices are symptoms of weakening economic conditions in the U.S. and around the globe.

On Friday, oil plunged nearly 4 percent as a bleak report on U.S. job growth heightened worries about a slowing global economy and waning oil demand. The unemployment rate rose to 8.2 percent from 8.1 percent. Sobering economic news from China and Europe also contributed to the drop.

West Texas Intermediate, the benchmark for oil in the U.S, fell $3.30, or 3.7 percent, to $83.23 per barrel, the lowest price since early October. The drop adds to a 17 percent decline in May. Brent crude, which is used to price international oil, lost $3.44, or 3.4 percent, to $98.43 per barrel, its lowest price since January 2011.

U.S. drivers should feel some relief, even if they're worried about jobs. Auto club AAA says pump prices fell nearly 5 percent in May, the largest monthly percentage drop since November. Some station owners in South Carolina on Friday even presented drivers with a gift at the start of summer driving season: $2.99 gas.

Dan Durbin, president of R.L. Jordan Oil Co., says low wholesale prices allowed at least seven of the company's Hot Spot stations in Spartanburg, S.C., to lower the price to $2.99 per gallon. South Carolina also has the lowest gas tax in the nation.

Durbin predicted that more of his stations and some competitors will lower prices once they sell off higher-priced supplies currently in their tanks.

Gas also fell below $3 in Harrisonburg, Va. It could hit $2.99 or lower in Georgia, Missouri and Oklahoma perhaps as soon as this weekend, according to Tom Kloza, chief oil analyst at Oil Price Information Service.

Gas hasn't been below $3 per gallon anywhere in at least two months.

Analyst Patrick DeHaan of the website GasBuddy.com expects prices to fall below $3 a gallon soon in Tennessee, Alabama, Mississippi, which benefit from proximity to refining hubs.

Kloza predicts that motorists will pay an average of about $3.50 per gallon or lower by Father's Day. And drivers on the West Coast should see even bigger declines than other parts of the country. Their prices had been rising because of a gas shortage.

Gas prices should stabilize in July and August, Kloza says.

It's still questionable how much lower gas prices will boost consumer confidence.

Phil Flynn, an analyst for The Price Futures Group, believes falling gas prices could give consumers a psychological boost. But that could evaporate if hiring doesn't pick up and stock markets keep swooning.

"If you don't have a job, it doesn't matter if gasoline prices are $5 or $2 a gallon," he said.

Those who can afford a new car payment will appreciate falling gas prices. Automakers reported selling 1.3 million cars and trucks in May. Auto sales remain a bright spot in the U.S. economy. Still, those sales won't reverse a decline in gas demand in the U.S. because the new models are more fuel efficient than older ones heading to the scrap heap.

Energy futures fell across the board, as did global stock markets. Heating oil fell 7.53 cents to $2.628 per gallon, gasoline futures fell 6.59 cents to $2.657 per gallon and natural gas dropped 9.6 cents to $2.326 per 1,000 cubic feet. U.S. stock markets dropped more than 2 percent and are now lower for the year.

Associated Press

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