Carla Hill, managing editor and producer for Realty Times, stresses the importance of having a good credit score. During recent recession and real estate turmoil, banks were forced into putting harsh credit restrictions and lending regulations in place – making it difficult for many people to receive home loans or refinance.

One of the biggest factors lenders look at when calculating your loan, and determining whether or not you are a responsible borrower, is your credit score. Ranging from 300 to 850 – the higher the better – your FICO score is determined by several factors, says Hill. Some of these include the length of your credit history, how much money you’ve borrowed and still owe and recently opened credit accounts. The only way to grow a good credit score is by building good credit over a long period of time.

So when your credit score drops to the low end, it’s important to be proactive in repairing it, especially if you’re planning on getting a home loan. Hill says there are five basic things you can do to start building your FICO score up again.

1. Pay your bills on time. It’s possible that letting one water bill slip in college didn’t irreparably damage your credit score. But paying your bills on time, consistently, is a simple way to bolster your credit. Recently, many lenders have put relief and assistance programs in place to help individuals having a difficult time paying their bills.

1. Avoid collections. If you owe money and can’t pay it back, contact many organizations that might be able to help. Once an item goes into collections, it will impact your credit report for seven years.

1. Opening multiple, new lines of credit can temporarily lower your credit score. Avoid doing this if you’re planning on getting a home loan. Even if you are a responsible borrower and have a repayment plan ready, the temporarily lower than average credit score won’t look good to your bank.

1. Beware of identity theft and any errors on your credit report. It is your duty to monitor your credit score, both to protect against mistakes and stave off identity thieves. If you find an error, report it to both the organization that provided the information and the credit bureau.

1. Carrying heavy debt on credit cards can drag down your credit score. Pay them off as quickly as you can.

Hill claims that the best home loans are given to individuals with a credit score of 700 or above. Although it seems lofty, it’s possible to reach such a high score in a short period of time. While borrowing and paying back is the mold for building a credit score, borrowing and paying back smartly is what breaks it and sends your credit score rising.

Living side by side with bugs of all sorts, it’s inevitable that the creepy crawlers will make their way to your house. Most bugs are harmless annoyances, to both you and your home. But some, like carpenter bees that chew away at wood siding, and mosquitoes, that cause pain and can carry harmful diseases, need to be discouraged from nearing you and your property.

There is no set schedule for when you should treat the exterior and interior of your home, but many pest control products have a short – term preventative effect – anywhere from a few weeks to a few months.

As part of your plan to thwart insect invasion, it’s important to know what conditions to avoid.

• Clogged, water and leaf – filled gutters, as well as downspouts that create pools too near the house.

• Damp crawl spaces and low – sitting decks that create moisture pockets.

• Untreated wood siding will draw boring bees during warmer months.

• Untreated pets can carry ticks, fleas and mites into your home.

• Trees that are near the house make jumping from limb to roof a breeze for roaches and beetles.

Mosquitoes can be a particularly painful nuisance. There are several things you can do to discourage mosquitoes from breeding near your home and to prevent bites.

• Eliminate standing water in flower pots, swimming pool covers and buckets. Bird baths, ponds and swimming pools can have filters and drips to keep the water fresh.

• If you open your windows to let in spring and summer air, be sure they are screened to prevent mosquitoes from entering the home.

• Avoid wearing sweet fragrances and floral prints when outdoors.

• If you’re spending substantial time outside, use a bug repellent with DEET.

For most people, bugs are no fun. It’s important to have a termite prevention plan in place, as most homeowner’s insurance don’t cover termite damage. Although you can thwart the progress of pests on your own – several products are available at retail stores to assist you –it’s a good idea to contact a local professional. He or she can help you gauge your pest problem and put a quarterly prevention plan in place.

Deciding to put your house on the market is often the easiest decision in the selling process. It’s the waiting, showings, constant cleaning and length of the process that can weight down the shoulders of homeowners.

HGTV’s Front Door – a network dedicated to real estate – suggests that homeowners step outside the box and utilize more off–the–wall selling techniques to ensure their property flies off the market. Here are five of the top ten unique selling ideas they suggest.

1. An open house party. Open houses and scheduled showings are common. But holding an all – out party isn’t. Plan ahead by sending flyers to your community and distributing them at local restaurants and post offices. Arrange for some live music, light alcoholic beverages and even catered food. This can get pricey, so be sure to provide a window – such as 3:00 to 6:00 – the event doesn’t carry on longer than you wish. It can be a fun way to highlight the functionality and spirit of the home, while at the same time drawing in potential buyers.
2. Let potential buyers sleep on it. Some sellers are allowing serious buyers a couple–night trial run. If you are comfortable doing this, it will help a buyer see the what he or she does and does not like about the house. Maybe the street lights are too close, or maybe they’ll decide they can’t live without your outdoor patio. This can be risky, so alter your local authorities to what will be taking place in case any suspicious activities being happening around your home.
3. Throw in added extras. If you have the budget, luring buyers with extras is a great way to attract more people to your home. Anything from free TV’s and valuable furniture to months of “free mortgage” can be included. One woman, cites HGTV’s Front Door, went as far as offering herself as a prize, hoping to wed the individual who purchased her home.
4. Use the internet. Marketing your home with only flyers and MLS listings is somewhat dated. Create an entire website for your home with detailed descriptions of the rooms and an interactive tour. Also, the web can be a great place for house swapping, where homeowners simply trade evenly one property for another.
5. Go big with the home staging. If you’re sure the home hunter in your area prefer a country western theme, or feng shui, go bold with the home staging. Many realtors can help with staging and others can recommend a professional who stages homes for a living.

It’s hard to be the best home seller in a market that’s flooded with them. But if you find that your home isn’t drawing the attention you desire, consider some of HGTV’s unique suggestions for upping the ante.

According to the Third Ward Neighborhood Association, of the city’s four wards, the third is the most distinctively urban. The website states that the third ward is “known to residents for its proximity to center city businesses, the diversity of its neighbors, and collection of lifestyle amenities. Third Ward has been the linchpin in Uptown Charlotte’s redevelopment.”

So what makes the Third Ward so special? There are several amenities that its residents enjoy. For outdoor lovers, there is Frazier Park and Dog Park. It’s an off – leash park, where pups can freely play with each other, that is open from 7:30 am until sunset daily. There is also a children’s play area and plenty of sidewalks for strolling.

The Irvin Creek Greenway offers Third Ward residents, and guests, 2/3 of a mile of pristine walking trails through Uptown Charlotte. According to the Charlotte Culture Guide, some of the greenway’s neatest attractions include public art in front of Ray’s Splash Planet, a long line of Sycamore trees at Sycamore Street, and the Children’s Memorial Walkway and Garden in Frazier Park.

Romare Bearden Park sits on 5.2 acres and was designed with the intention of holding the Charlotte Knights Ballpark and Madeline’s and Maudell’s gardens. The park is located between Church Street, Mint Street, MLK Boulevard and 4^th Street. Much of the park centers around the work and influences of artist Romare Bearden, hints the name.

There is also a Third Ward Community Garden where locals can work together to grow sustainable food throughout the year.

Because of its urban location, the Third Ward is ideal for families and people who want to live just outside the main city. Close to restaurants, banks, shopping and local businesses, the Third Ward is a good mix of green – with trails, parks and trees – and city life.

Housing in the Third Ward is as diverse as the city’s residents and amenities. From historic bungalows, refurbished to house single families, to new, tall condominium high rises, there are plenty of property options to please an array of residents.

To learn more about Charlotte’s Third Ward, visit their neighborhood association and Charlotte Center City Partners. Or, contact a local realtor who can give you the ins and outs and show you around one of Charlotte’s trendiest and fastest growing wards.