Imperative Inspections

Imperative Inspections

Besides the appraisal, the home inspection can be the most difficult hurdle to overcome after you’ve accepted an offer on your home for sale. Why not make it 100x easier on yourself and get a pre-inspection before even listing your home? That way you can be aware of any issues your home may have and buyers won’t need to negotiate you down on your price later. You can either, list your house at a price to factor in what a buyer might have to take on with repairs or you can fix all of the issues yourself and try to get more for your house right off the bat. 

In my experience as a realtor, there are a few major items that come up frequently during inspections. These items include: elevated radon levels, mold in the attic, critters in the attic (such as bats or squirrels), rotted siding, broken window seals, leaky water heaters, lack of GFCIs, and bacteria in the water.

An important thing to remember is that these issues can be fixed! Don’t let mold scare you. It can be re-mediated. A radon system mitigates the radon below EPA accepted levels, critter control can set traps and remove animals from the attic, window seals can be repaired without replacing entire windows, and wells can be chlorinated to remove bacteria.

*Keep in mind that inspectors typically don’t inspect water softeners and whole house generators.

Photo credit: http://www.denverhomesonline.com/articles/buyer/avoid-a-lemon-of-a-house/ 

Tricks for Top Dollar

Tricks for Top Dollar

If you’re getting ready to place your house on the market, there are several things you can do to put your best foot forward right in the beginning. Remember that these are suggestions that are going to help your home appeal to the masses and hopefully allow you to secure an offer pretty quickly. Put yourself in the buyer’s shoes. If you are touring a home and see that a home is in perfect condition and move-in ready, you are probably more likely to offer full price, rather than if you tour a home that needs a lot of work.

Interior suggestions:

• De-personalize your home.
  Remove family photos, sport trophies, collectibles, souvenirs, knick-knacks, etc. You want the potential buyers to be able to envision themselves in your home and removing these items will make it easier to do so. Don’t just place all of these items in the garage either. You don’t want to just move the clutter around.

• Remove clutter.
  You may not see it as clutter, but other people will. Have a friend or neighbor help point out areas that you may not recognize are cluttered. In the kitchen, remove everything from the counters including toasters, cutting boards, etc. Tidy up drawers too because buyers will open every drawer and cabinet in your home to see if all of their “stuff” will fit too. In closets remove or straighten up excess amounts of clothes and shoes. For rooms with a lot of furniture, you may want to consider getting a storage unit and removing some. Rooms appear larger with less furniture.

• Paint. Over time your walls get scuffed up and dirty. Fresh paint is relatively inexpensive and can do a lot to freshen up a room. Remember to choose a color that would appeal to the majority of buyers. If you have a lime green kitchen, you may want to consider painting it a neutral color.

• Cleaning your carpets. If your carpet is in good condition, you may just need to have your carpets cleaned and deodorized to get rid of pet residue or unwanted smells.

• Window cleaning. Clean windows can make a great impression on buyers. It will appear that you’ve taken good care of the home and just be another positive aspect to your home.

Exterior Suggestions:

• Landscaping. The exterior is the first thing the potential buyer is going to see. Make sure you make a good impression. In the spring/summer months, plant a few flowers, make sure gardens are maintained. In the fall, cut back bushes, cut down perennials, etc. In the winter, make sure paths are shoveled to make it easy for people to get in.

• Front door/entryway. Make sure there are no bugs or cobwebs covering the entryway. Make sure locks are working properly.

Furance Facts

Furnace Facts

Seasons are changing and temperatures are starting to drop. Many of you have probably contemplated turning on your furnace to get through these chilly nights. Did you know that you should get your furnace checked or cleaned by a professional before starting to use it again after the summer? It is important to maintain your furnace to prevent problems and ensure safe use throughout the fall and winter months. Even if you are planning on putting your house on the market to sell soon, you should consider getting your furnace checked out so that there are no surprises when it comes to an inspection.

Getting an annual tune-up of your furnace is essential for a few reasons.

1. Keeps you and your family safe. You want your professional to check and make sure there are no gas leaks in your furnace. Even a small leak can lead to carbon monoxide seepage in your home. Carbon monoxide is a colorless, odorless, gas and is known as the silent killer.
2. Prevents waiting for a repairman in the cold, snowy, months. Making sure your furnace is all set and working before the cold months will allow you to avoid waiting without heat for a repairman.
3. More efficient. If your furnace is clean and working properly, it should work more efficiently during the winter. It will also maintain the warranty if your furnace has been taken care of and not neglected.

Newer furnaces can probably be checked every other year, but furnaces over 10 years old should be tuned-up annually.

I do not work for a furnace company so double check with a professional service before starting the maintenance.