Include home among resolutions

Don't forget to include your home on your list of resolutions for the New Year. The right home improvement projects can get your home in great shape to boost your overall enjoyment of it as well as enhance its value on a future "For Sale" sign.

"This is an excellent time of year to evaluate your home life and set things in order for the New Year," said Jim McEneaney, senior regional vice president of Coldwell Banker Residential Brokerage. "Enhancing your home with new decor, fixtures and organizational tools to meet your needs and tastes will also offer some tangible results on your investment."

When it comes to your home improvement goals in 2008, resolve to:

Liven it up. Does your home support the resolutions you have set for yourself? If you promised to spend quality time with friends and family, do you have an inviting place to accommodate guests? If not, it may be time to spring for a decorator to help refresh your living room or update a guest bedroom.

Set goals. When creating resolutions for yourself and your home, establish detailed and attainable goals. Instead of saying you'll fix the bathroom soon, tell yourself "I'll save three percent of my paycheck each month until I have the money to retile the master bathroom, install new lighting and replace the wallpaper."

Get organized. If this is the year to get organized, why not start with your home? From mortgage payments to home improvement project receipts, create a file to document all the improvements you've made. This process will help keep your finances in check and provide a sequential paper trail for buyers when you decide to sell your home.

Do an annual physical. Have your heating system serviced every year, check visible water pipes for cracks or leaks and have appliances inspected. Making yearly maintenance investments such as these will help you avoid larger, more expensive repairs down the line.