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Home Maintenance Tasks & Shortcuts

Wednesday, June 7, 2017
by Tucker Robbins

Let’s face it, there isn’t a better time of year to get some home maintenance taken care of in and around your house than now.  The days are a little bit longer than they were and the temperatures are almost perfect, not too hot and not too cold, unless it’s raining of course.  Below is a list of a few home maintenance tasks you might want to tackle along with a few shortcuts to help you get them done more quickly. 

  1.  The task of planting flower beds and adding mulch can sometimes be an overwhelming one but if you take the shortcut of planning a day just for flowers and mulch it won’t be as bad.  Have mulch delivered to your house on a particular day making sure to have it put in a spot that will be easily accessible.  This is better than not having things planned out then ending up with a pile of mulch at the tip top of your driveway where you have to go back and forth to retrieve it as you work on your landscaping.
  2. Window washing is no one’s favorite home maintenance task but if you take the shortcut of having someone wash the inside of the window while you’re washing the outside of it, your time will be cut completely in half!  Have a little fun with it and be silly with your window washing partner.  Make sure to look out for streaks on both sides as you go taking care of them before you move on to the next window.
  3. Repairing your old wooden deck or fence can many times be a daunting task but it doesn’t have to be.  Take the shortcut of using a cordless nail gun to get those loose boards back into place quickly. 
  4. Brick or stone patios and walkways can many times become damaged during the winter months.  A quick shortcut to fixing this problem is to push around a wheelbarrow filled with sand to help smooth out any unevenness that has occurred. 

These few home maintenance shortcuts should help you get things done around your house a bit quicker this year than they may have taken you in years past.  Sometimes by simply thinking a bit outside the box you can come up with ideas to get tasks done in a more efficient manner than you previously have.  These shortcut ideas will get you started in the right direction.  

Courtesy of New Castle County DE Realtors Tucker Robbins and Carol Arnott Robbins.   

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Now is the Time to Buy a Piece of Real Estate

Wednesday, May 10, 2017
by Tucker Robbins

So your life circumstances indicate that now is the time for you to buy real estate. Perhaps this will be your first home or you need a larger space to accommodate a growing family. You may be in search of a better school district or be forced to move because of your job. Whatever the reason for your housing search, there are four basic areas you need to investigate and specific questions you should ask before making a final decision on any house.

WISH LIST:
Before you actually tour any homes, you should determine exactly what you are looking for by asking yourself (and your family members) questions such as “What type of house do I want”? How much space will I need? What type of community and amenities are important to me? How much can I realistically afford to pay?

LOCATION:
Once you have narrowed down your neighborhood choices, do further exploration of these locations by asking about zoning, since apartments and commercial/industrial buildings lower the real estate value of homes. Is the appearance of the community appealing? Does the school district have a good reputation/rating? What about noise? Consider nuisance factors such as traffic sounds, barking dogs, railroad tracks, etc.--anything that will disturb or annoy you on a recurring basis. Ask, too, about property easements, commuting time to and from work, and demographics. Will you be the only family with young children or the sole 50+ resident in the neighborhood?

CONDITION OF Home:
In order to determine any structural or maintenance issues, ask about the age of the house, roof, and appliances. What kind of foundation and insulation does the home have? If you’re looking at an older property, ask if the plumbing and electrical systems have been updated. Has the house been inspected or appraised recently, and, if so, were any problems documented? Will the exterior of the residence require annual maintenance?

COST:
Asking the right questions in this area is extremely helpful in determining your offer on the Wilmington DE real estate. Inquiring about neighboring comps, what the seller paid, and how much he owes will give you an idea of the rise/fall of nearby prices and alert you to possible short sale or foreclosure status. Ask how long the house has been on the market and if there have been any offers; perhaps the seller will be willing to negotiate price or offer incentives. Additional inquiries should be made re: the cost of insurance and property taxes on the property and the amount of any homeowners’ association fees.

Arming yourself with answers to questions such as these should help you make an educated decision as to whether or not a particular piece of real estate is for you.

Courtesy of New Castle County DE Realtors Tucker Robbins and Carol Arnott Robbins.   

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Home Buying Made Easy

Wednesday, April 5, 2017
by Tucker Robbins

If you are currently in the market for buying a house, then you are likely already aware of just how difficult it can sometimes be.  There are many stressors throughout the process that can make the home buying process seem anything but easy.  Below are a few ways that home buying can be made a bit easier if you do your part to put them into action.  

 

  1.  The first and most important thing you need to do before looking for a home to buy is to find an agent.  The reason this part is the most important is because buying a home is a huge financial obligation and you want to choose the right person to help you with such a big decision in your life.  A good way to find an excellent Realtor is to talk with your friends and family members that you trust to see whom they have used in the past.  Once they give you a few suggestions, you can meet each one and see which one best matches your personality wishes.  You will be spending quite a bit of time with this person so you want to make sure that you get along beautifully with them.   

  1. The next step in home buying made easy  is to find a lender.  Many times you can find out from your Realtor about what lenders they tend to use or who they think can be the best match for you and your particular situation.  If your Realtor doesn’t lead you to the best match, again you can talk to your friends and family for suggestions.   

  1. You then need to make sure your credit is as clean as it can possibly be.  Lenders can many times give you a bit of guidance in this area so that you can get approved for a loan.   

  1. It is important that you get pre approved for a loan before you go out searching for the home of your dreams.  The lender that you choose will help you to know exactly how much of a house you can comfortably afford before you get your heart set on one.  

  1. Lastly, figure out exactly what you are looking for in a house.  Make a list of your wants and desires in order of their importance.  This will help to guide you in your home buying  adventure and will help avoid wasting precious time.  
     

These are just a few ideas on how to make the home buying process a bit easier.  Once you do your part to put all of these in motion you will be well on your way to finding the home of your dreams. 

 

Courtesy of New Castle County DE Realtors Tucker Robbins and Carol Arnott Robbins.   

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Tips for Decorating Your Condo

Wednesday, February 15, 2017
by Tucker Robbins

Condo living can be quite liberating if you are interested in downsizing and not having to deal with things such as cutting your grass or fixing things when they break.  Whether you rent or purchase a Condo of your own, Condo life is quite different from owning your own home.  There is a lot less upkeep when you live in a Condo vs living in a house but that doesn’t mean that you want to skimp on décor.  Below you will find a few tips for decorating your Condo that will have you loving your little place in no time. 

  1. One easy way to decorate your Condo  that you may want to try is to add a few large mirrors to the walls.  Hanging large mirrors in a small space will make the small space look larger.  Many times, Condos can be tiny and have a lot of angles and awkward looking areas that can make a small space appear even smaller.   Mirrors can help to alleviate all of this. 
  2. Another tip for decorating your Condo is to paint the walls a nice white.  You can find many different shades of white and can likely find one that will appeal to you.   White paint will brighten up the rooms in your Condo and make the pallet very neutral and easy therefore to decorate. 
  3. Yet another tip for decorating your Condo is to add color with large art wall décor.  When you place a large painting on a wall in a small room it keeps the eye from looking towards the small space and brings the eye up to the artwork which helps the area to appear larger.   Not to mention it can add a great deal of beauty. 
  4. If your Condo is very small a good way to decorate  and make the area work better for you is to separate spaces with room separators or curtains.  This works well for Condos that are completely open and don’t have a lot of walls in them. 
  5. Adding some shelves to the walls in your Condo on which to sit your knick knacks is a great way to make the space your own and to make it look like you and your personality. 

These are just a few ideas and tips for decorating your Condo that you may want to put into practice.  There are many other ways in which you can create your perfect living environment with décor. 

Courtesy of New Castle County DE Realtors Tucker Robbins and Carol Arnott Robbins.   

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Tucker Robbins
Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices
3838 Kennett Pike
Wilmington DE 19807
(302) 777-7744 (direct)
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