Casa Sweet Casa.

Sears, Roebuck and Co. announced the launch of searshome101.com, an interactive website offering important Spanish-language information on home maintenance and improvement. Sears is also partnering with the National Council of La Raza (NCLR) to provide home ownership and improvement tips for Latinos.

The website is a part of Sears’ home maintenance outreach for the Latino community, and is an extension of Sears’ subsidiary, the Community Revitalization Fund, Inc., and its $1.5 million contribution to NCLR’s “From House to Home: Strengthening Families and Maintaining Homes” program. This research-based initiative will help meet the needs of the nation’s 5.1 million Latino homeowners, a number – that despite rapid growth – still lags behind the national rate.

The NCLR research found that Latinos are not paying enough attention to key home maintenance basics that are essential to maintain and/or increase the value of their home investments. The study also shows increased access to information and education about home purchase and maintenance could help more Latino families achieve the American Dream. This is why Sears and NCLR have partnered to teach Latino families important skills about how to protect and maintain their first home through community-based organizations across the country.

“Sears has been part of homeowners’ lives for decades, as a provider of leading brands like Kenmore, Craftsman and DieHard. Through the Sears Home 101 program, Sears combines its home maintenance expertise with NCLR’s expertise in the area of homeownership and financing, to reach out to Latino homeowners,” said Martin Amado, host of HGTV’s Small Space, Big Style and national spokesperson for Sears’ Home 101 program. “The partnership between Sears and NCLR will provide essential tools and much needed information for Latino families.”

Additional NCLR Research Findings:

– More than 70% of Latino homeowners are do-it-yourselfers.
– Over 40% of Latino homeowners plan for home improvement when purchasing a home.
– More than 89% of Latinos change their car oil within the required 3,000 miles, yet only 17% of Latino homeowners feel that electrical or plumbing work is required to maintain their home.
– Major home changes, such as roofing, siding, or additions are not planned in more than 55% of Latino homes and only 36% plan on making interior improvements to their home.

Information offered by Sears and NCLR, along with the searshome101.com site, includes post-purchase issues such as upkeep, maintenance and leveraging a property for financial gain. These free offerings aim to help homeowners recognize that small repairs and home improvements can have a big impact in both the appearance and value of their homes, saving money and even making money down the road.