​Pests in the home present a big challenge.  In many homes and apartments, cockroaches are a huge problem.  These are a very resilient pest that can live on little food, produce alarming amounts of offspring and can even live submerged in water for periods of up to 30 minutes.  If this isn’t bad enough, cockroaches are known to spread diseases like dysentery and salmonella and cause asthma and other allergies.  So, lets look at some ways to prevent cockroaches from establishing themselves in our homes.
 
Make sure the homes environment is not appealing to cockroaches.  They thrive in dirty, greasy places that contain a lot of moisture.  The kitchen often provides this perfect environment.  Regularly give the kitchen a thorough clean.  This should include behind and underneath appliances, even the larger ones like the refrigerator and dishwasher.  Clean kitchen cabinets and under the sink and try to keep the sink as clean and dry as you can.  Keep a tight lid on the trash can and keep food in sealed containers.  If possible, don’t leave out pet food.  Cockroaches also shy away from light so you might want to consider leaving a light on at night.
 
Its not just the kitchen that attracts cockroaches.  You can also find them in crawlspaces and bathrooms as well as other places throughout the home.  Keep these areas clean and dry.  Fix leaking pipes and dripping taps right away and, if you notice possible points of entry, seal them up.
 
Sometimes a cockroach infestation is too bad to tackle on your own and you will need to call in a professional pest control company to treat the issue effectively.  Afterwards, however, boric acid placed in areas where cockroaches were previously active, will help control the situation.

​If you are planning to buy a home in the near future and will be applying for a loan there are some things to prepare for ahead of time.  One of those things is working to improve your credit.  Why is that important?  Well, a lender usually requires a credit report to check if you are someone with a good history of paying bills on time or if you have a lot of debt.  Your loan could be approved or denied based on your credit report, so we can see it’s an important issue.  How, then, can you improve your credit report?
 
Do you have multiple credit cards?  Perhaps you have some you no longer use.  If this is the case, it’s a good idea to call the company and cancel the card.  Having a lot of open credit card accounts can give a lender the idea that you allow yourself too much available credit which might put you in economic danger.  It’s a good idea to hold on to your older credit cards, though, because this shows a longer history of credit. 
 
Never miss credit card payments.  You do not want late payments to be noted on your credit report and, you will avoid the fees that go with it.  If you have difficulty remembering to pay, why not set up an automatic payment plan that will at least cover the minimum amount due.
 
Did you know you are entitled to a free copy of your credit every 12 months?  Take advantage of this so that you can see your credit report before a lender does.  This way you can be prepared in advance.  At times, the report might contain an error, if you have seen the report, you can fix the error before applying for the loan.
 
We know what a big decision buying a home is and you want to give yourself the best chance to be approved for a loan.  Working to improve your credit report will help.