Real Estate Information Archive

Energy Efficiency:  Energy-Star windows, smart or programmable thermostat, LED lightbulbs and full-house water heater are all attractive to buyers who are concerned about energy costs as well as those concerned about going green. 
 

Home office:  If there is no room in your house that is a dedicated home office, create one!  Stage a space in the kitchen or living area or smaller bedroom with what appears to be a working spot. 
 

Upgraded kitchen and bathrooms:  While completely renovating these rooms are a possibility, it may not be in your budget. Take a good look at each, and decide what wallet-friendly projects will make them look new: painting kitchen cabinets, new stainless appliances; in the bathroom, new faucets, lighting fixtures, or add pizazz by framing a mirror in glass tiles. 
 

Dining space:  An eat-in kitchen or open-flow kitchen and dining room are what many are looking for, especially families. Kitchen islands with seating will suffice when the budget does not allow for creating space for a dining table in the kitchen. 
 

Organized storage:  Buyers want homes with ample storage. While you can’t create space, you can build space in closets and the laundry room by adding shelving or pre-fab storage systems. 
 

Hardwood flooring:  While not an inexpensive project, consider putting hardwoods or less costly engineered wood in the entryway and living space. 
 

Security:  Front-door video cameras, plenty of outdoor lighting as well as smart lighting features are all great for starters.  

- Coffee containers 

- Milk jugs 

- Laundry detergent/bleach jugs 

- Disinfectant or baby wipe containers 

- Soft drink bottles 

- Cat litter jugs 

- Root vegetables like carrots, onions, beets 

- Most herbs:  basil, parsley, sage, dill, rosemary, chives 

- Tomatoes can be grown inside, but that job is best for Winter, as a sunny window can get too hot inside. 

- Houseplants do not have to be only green in color! Add a burst of color to your interior with African violets, begonias, kalanchoe, jasmine, and geraniums. 

- Leafy veggies like lettuce, celery, or bok choy will sprout new plants from the base. Placed cut-side up in a dish with about ½” of water in a sunny window will soon produce new leaves, and eventually, a full-grown plant ready for the table! 

- Try the other side of root vegetables, the greens, by placing the cut-off top of a beet, turnip, or other root vegetable into a dish of water. Leaves can be sautéed or used in a salad. 

- Many have seen how to grow a pineapple plant from scraps, but other fruits may need more care and patience.   

- Seeds from peppers will produce plants, just be sure to use seeds from the red fruit; the green peppers, though delicious, are not ripe, and neither is the seeds inside. 

- Planting seed from fruits like apples and even citruses can be fun to watch grow into a small tree, but all take years before producing any yield. Avocado trees, for instance, can take up to thirteen years before producing. 

Roof:  Your roof is probably your home’s most important part of its structure, so inspect it well:  take binoculars or use your phone’s camera to zoom in on the roof and look at every aspect. Check for damaged, missing, or curling shingles. For a tile roof, look for cracks or missing tiles, and metal roofs should be gone over for loose screws or damage to the metal. On a rainy day, go into the attic and check for leaks. Have any issues repaired as soon as you possibly can. 
 

Foundation:  The other important side of your home is its foundation. Check for cracks in the bricks, look at the grading around the outside (making sure water is running away from your home), and check for gaps in the outdoor walls and windows. On the inside, look for sagging floors or bowing walls, doors that do not want to close or windows that do not want to open. These are all signs of possible foundation issues. 
 

Siding:  Look for peeling, blistering, or fading paint, as these may be signs that you need new siding. Check for rot and warping on the soffits and any fascia boards. Visible mold can be a sign of a major moisture issue and should be investigated by a pro. 
 

Plumbing:  Grab a flashlight and go under your sinks and look for any signs of leaking. Toilets can leak “silently,” and you can figure out where the leak is coming from with a little food coloring and time.  Inspect around the water heater for any signs of leaks as well. 
 

Smoke/CO Detectors:  If you have battery-operated detectors, checking the batteries is fine, but you need to be sure they are working as well. CO detector kits are available at most home stores and testing a smoke alarm is as simple as blowing out a candle and allowing the stream of smoke drift towards the smoke alarm. Be sure to let everyone in the house know you are “crisis testing” the alarms! 
 

Gutters:  On a rainy day, or using the water hose, check to be sure gutters and downspouts are running freely (no clogs), and have no leaks around the seams. 

- Have an empty box or laundry basket handy and take everything on the handing rod off so that you must look at everything as you’re cleaning. 

- If it hasn’t been worn in six months, doesn’t fit, or you simply don’t like it anymore, get rid of it.  

- Try on anything that you’re not sure about. If you still love it, and it fits, keep it. Otherwise, send it to the declutter box. 

- Business attire can be donated to charities that assist those on limited incomes with their wardrobe for job-hunting.  Women's clothing can be donated through dressforsuccess.org, and men’s clothing is accepted through careergear.org. Be sure to check with any organizations for their policies for donations. 

- Once you’ve gone through everything, re-hang your items by color or season so you won’t be spending a lot of time hunting them down. 

- Same as with clothing, get rid of any shoes or accessories you haven’t worn in a long time, no matter the reason.  

- Organizing shoes can be a pain with or without their original boxes. Purchase clear plastic shoe boxes in bulk at a discount store and use them to store lesser-worn shoes. 

- Place hangers on the back of the closet door or other little-used space, and hang hats, ties, scarves or even jewelry.  Keep your most-used items at eye-level. 

- Storing sweaters on a hanger isn’t the best thing for the sweater--they’ll end up misshapen. Fold them and place them in a plastic storage container lined with fabric softener sheets or sachets. A hanging shoe organizer would be another great way to keep them in shape--just roll them up and put them in the pockets. 

- Add a second rod to your hanging space, which can be a DIY for one day, or purchase a kit that makes this one a cinch to add more storage. 

- For closets with limited space, use wall-mount towel rods and shower curtain hangers to hang handbags or other odds and ends. 

- Use laundry baskets for storing odd items on the top shelf. 

Mortgage lenders in order to be adequately prepared to begin looking for a new house, you should be pre-approved. It’s best if you look at a few different lenders in order to find the best loan, so before you go, see what the balance recommends for finding the right mortgage for you. 
 

Real Estate Agents The agent you choose to assist you on your new home search is extremely important, as they will be your resource and constant contact throughout the home-buying process. In most transactions, there will be a listing agent representing the sellers, but it’s unlikely you’ll be meeting them. 
 

Appraiser Your lender wants to be certain that the house you want to buy is worth what the seller is asking and will have a home appraisal done by a qualified person.  Learn more about what’s involved with the appraisal from realtor.com®. 
 

Home Inspector Once your offer has been accepted, it’s in your best interest to hire an inspector to go over your prospective new home.  You don’t want any surprises with structural issues or mold or insect infestation after you have the keys in hand. Call a few before you decide who to hire, and ask these important questions when you contact them. 
 

Homeowners Insurance Agent This agent should be familiar to you, as you already have auto or even renter’s insurance. Most insurance companies offer a discount for having more than one policy with them, and it may be an easy fit to go with your current company. Don’t let that stop you from shopping around for better rates, however. 
 

Real Estate Attorney Many states require you to hire an attorney, as they will go over all the documents, handle funds, and perform the title search, to name a few of their jobs during the home sale process. Find out why it’s always a good idea to have a real estate attorney, whether it’s the law or an option. 
 

Title Insurer  In case there are any questions about the sale of the home being legitimate (no liens, family feuds, etc.), you’ll need title insurance, and in most cases, the lender or attorney will already have that lined up. 
 

Mortgage Servicer Sometimes, a lender will sell your loan to a mortgage servicer, and you will be notified if that happens. Learn the difference between a lender and a servicer at Investopedia.  

Growing a lawn is labor intensive:  keeping it green requires large amounts of water and regular mowing. Gardening Know How has a guide for creating a meadow, growing ground cover, or ornamental grasses, all perfect solutions for going lawn-free. 
 

Faux grass--it’s not just for indoor sports arenas anymore. The industry has come a long way in the production of synthetic grass, and it could be the perfect solution for those in drought-prone regions, or for someone who simply doesn’t want to mow their lawn every weekend.  Depending on the size of your property, it can be expensive, but HouseLogic just might change your mind about installing fake turf! 
 

Drought-tolerant plants will thrive without a lot of water, obviously. You can find twenty-one plants listed here, with their USDA hardiness zone included. 
 

Every yard has its problem areas:  rocky soil, drainage issues, shady areas--these can all be planted with a little effort, and don’t normally need a lot of care afterward.   
 

Mulch is a landscaper’s friend!  One tip from the Love Your Plants website is to add at least two inches of mulch for it to be effective. Check their website for more information about using mulch to benefit your plants and cut back on keeping up the flowerbeds.  
 

If you’ve ever seen a hedge of hydrangeas in full bloom, you know how beautiful shrubs can be!  Hydrangeas are one shrub that doesn’t require a lot from you, and This Old House lists many more according to plant zone to encourage you to plant a low-maintenance hedge. 
 

A traditional flower bed filled with annuals isn’t necessarily maintenance-free, but using drip irrigation or soaker hoses under the mulch will certainly cut back the amount of time it takes for you to water them yourself, and use the water more wisely than using sprinklers or hose attachments. 

First and foremost, find a seller’s agent that has a history of quick home sales.  You’ll need to do a bit of research, but if the REALTOR® has the experience, you’ll have a head start on getting your home sold sooner. 
 

Having your house pre-inspected will save a step during the process and will help you with disclosure issues.  
 

It wouldn’t make sense to price your house a bit below its value during a normal home sale, but if you want to get qualified buyers interested soon, this may be your best bet. Just prepare to lose some extra cash. 
 

Consider selling the house at auction, but again, it will sell for a lower price than during a typical sale.  You may even be in an area where your real estate agent is your auctioneer as well, and you can be assured they have your interests at heart! 
 

Offer buyer incentives: offer cash-backs or credits, i.e.., painting, new carpet, new kitchen appliances;  if the house is in a managed community, cover one year of HOA fees; pay the closing costs; set a closing date and offer a credit for meeting that deadline. 
 

A major buyer incentive is to go so far as to pay down their mortgage costs with points, as the buyer will have a lower interest rate, saving them money in the end.  Investopedia tells us how seller-paid points can benefit the seller as well as the buyer. 

- A dirty grate needs to be deep-cleaned:  burning off the caked-up food/grease is your first step.  Start a fire in the grill, wrap the grates in foil, put them in place, and close the lid.  Once the fire is out and the grates are cool to the touch, rub off the burnt stuff with the balled-up foil or a wire brush. 
 

- Once the worst is off the racks, use a baking soda/water paste and a strong scrubbing pad or brush to remove as much of what’s left. Wash with warm water and good dish soap, and rinse well. 
 

- Rub the grate down with a towel soaked in vegetable oil to start the seasoning process for non-stick cooking. 
 

- Inspect the outside of the grill for over-wintered insects, debris and rust. If you find rust, wipe away as much as you can w/ a surface-appropriate cloth, and use a cloth dampened with a half-water, half-vinegar solution to remove the rest of it. Keep the grill covered to avoid moisture and more rust. 
 

- Any baked-on grease or carbon flakes on the lid or bottom of the grill should be removed with a wire brush. This build-up can cause uneven heating, and as a result, uneven cooking. Wash the lid and bottom of the grill with warm soapy water, and allow to air dry, but wipe any pooling water off with dry paper towels. 

- Before you get started on cleaning, check your propane line for leaks.  Learn how to do this simple test from this video from Weber. 
 

- The grates on gas grills are normally made of cast iron and can take a steaming to clean them:  heat up the grill, and when the grates get hot, turn off the heat. Wearing a grill glove or mitt, use a wet grill brush to scrub and steam off any cooked-on build up. 
 

- Grill burners can be unclogged with the straightened end of a paper clip, scrubbed with a wire brush, then wiped down with soapy water. 
 

- Scrape the grease pan clean, and if it’s removable, wash it in hot, soapy water; if the pan is stationary, clean it as best you can using dry paper towels to remove as much grease as possible, then follow with hot, soapy water. 
 

- Once the pan and burners are clean, wipe out the interior with a damp cloth, or scrub pad. Replace the burner covers and grease pan. 
 

- Get the grates ready for future cooking by seasoning them.  Turn the grill on high heat for about ten minutes, and after turning off the heat, rub the grates down with paper towels or a grill towel soaked with vegetable oil. Doing this before and after every grill session will keep them clean and virtually non-stick. 

“Cleaning” a surface simply means you are removing dirt, dust, and contaminants.  All-purpose cleaners are just that--they can clean a myriad of things. If you’re planning on disinfecting those surfaces, be sure that it is labeled on the bottle. 
 

Sanitizing cleaners will significantly reduce the number of bacteria but will not affect fungi or viruses.  Use a sanitizer for low-risk areas such as floors and read the label to make sure you’re using it correctly. 
 

Disinfectants are meant to kill contaminants, and different ingredients work for different pathogens. Check your bottle’s label for more information on those pathogens and follow directions to the letter. 
 

Antibacterial cleaners and wipes kill only bacteria, not viruses. 
 

Aerosol disinfectants are as effective as you make them; most labels tell you to spray long enough to wet the surface for at least three minutes, air dry, and afterward, wipe any food surfaces or children’s toys with clean water. 

Disinfectant wipes are perfect for hard surfaces and be sure to follow the manufacturer’s label for directions as well as the pathogens it will eliminate. If a wipe becomes dry during use, toss it and continue with a fresh wipe.  
 

You should be using a clean dishwashing cloth every day and use it only for dishes and wiping down cooking surfaces. Rinse them in cool water once the dishes are finished, wring out and air dry between laundry days.  
 

Paper towels are perfect for cleaning or disinfecting, as they are tossed in the trash after each use.  Microfiber cloths or other types of washable cloths should be washed and dried in the dryer as soon after cleaning as possible. If not, spray with a disinfectant and allow it to air dry until it can be put in the washer. 
 

When you are cleaning, be sure to wear gloves, because it protects your hands from contaminants and is better for your skin.  Wash your hands after cleaning, whether you wear gloves or not. 

Begin with finding out if your email address(es) has been affected by a breach. Go to Have I Been Pwned and enter your email.  If your email has been compromised, it will share the data/app breaches it was involved in, and it would be best to change your email password. 
 

When you create a new account for any device, use a different password for every account, even if you’re using the same email. Many people use the same email/password combination for everything, and there lies the problem of their information being available on the dark web, and having their accounts hacked into easily. 
 

If you have smart speakers, turning off voice commands, voice purchases, microphone, and camera are simply a matter of going into the device’s settings and change them.  
 

Your Wi-Fi router comes with a factory default name and password. It would be a good idea to change those before anyone connects to the router. Use a unique name for your home’s Wi-Fi, and a strong password. Both settings can be changed, and directions are normally in the instruction booklets or ask the internet installer how you can do this. 
 

 When a vulnerability is discovered in any device, the company normally updates the firmware. Be sure your smart devices’ automatic updates are “checked” in the settings.  
 

New products from new companies are great, but sometimes, it’s best to wait for a reputable, established company to produce a similar product. Those companies have a reputation to uphold and will be more likely to make certain their products are as safe as they can be. 
 

This might seem obvious but give your home’s Wi-Fi password only to people you know and trust completely.