Real Estate Information Archive

1. 1. Many of you may have already seen or perhaps even tried the smart vacuum.  If you haven’t tried it you need to do so.  Just imagine pushing a few buttons and sitting down to relax while your vacuum cleaner does all the work for you.  What a revolution!  Be prepared to dish out $700 to $900, but it will likely be quite worth it in the end.  

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2. 2. Smart trash cans have perhaps not been as heard of as the vacuum cleaners but they are just as cool none the less.  If you are the type of person that cannot stand to touch the top of the trashcan due to the fact that it is loaded with germs, this may be just the thing for you!  Not only will you not have to touch the lid but some of these gadgets even tell you when the trash is full and needs to be taken out!  How do you like that for smart?! $150 to $200 will buy you this luxury item!  

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3. 3. Washers and dryers have had intelligent features for years but are beginning to add more and more as each year passes.  Some of them now have phone apps that let you remotely control them.  Some will sense when you are home and instantly begin using their quiet mode so as not to disturb you.  These types of machines will run you $1400-$1800 each but are well worth the money if you have it to spare.  

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4. 4. Even air purifiers have been added to the list of smart gadgets folks are buying these days.  These items puts your homes air through different filters, then analyzes the data and sends it to your phone to tell you what types of things are prevalent in your air such as pollen, dust, pet dander, etc.  These cost from $200 to $750.   

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

• Clean the toilet using a bit of baking soda and a scrub brush 

• Clean the inside of your oven using some baking soda mixed with vinegar and a rag 

• To brighten up your laundry use half a cup of baking soda mixed with each load 

• 1 cup baking soda with 1 cup vinegar will help to unclog a clogged up drain in your sinks 

• Sprinkle some baking soda on your rugs and carpets, wait 15 min, then vacuum to freshen them 
   

• Mix vinegar with salt to get those pesky coffee stains out of your coffee mugs 

• Spray vinegar in your bathroom for a good sanitization of each surface 

• Believe it or not, let your socks soak in vinegar to freshen them.  This is done by adding 1 cup vinegar to a pot of water and letting them soak overnight 

• Use a bit of distilled white vinegar on our toothbrush to make your smile brighter.  

• If you want your windows to shine and you don’t want to use regular window cleaner, use white vinegar mixed with water in a spray bottle then wipe clean with a paper towel.   
   

• Mop your floors with it!  Mix a couple drops with a gallon of water 

• Clean your granite countertops with some liquid dish soap mixed with warm water then dry with a towel. 

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

Fall is the perfect time of year to take care of your home. The days are still long enough to get plenty accomplished, and the cooler weather makes it less taxing than on those sweltering Summer days.  Getting things ready for the cold days ahead will be easy with these tips:

Trees and Leaves

• Rake or vacuum fallen leaves as they come down.  Deciduous trees drop their leaves at different times, making it easier on you, but it’s great exercise.
• Mulch the leaves, or bag them for your local waste management to compost, if such a program is available. 
• Check trees for dead or diseased branches and trim them back.  Trees are going dormant this time of year, and there’s less chance for the diseases to spread after trimming. Call an arborist if the job is too daunting.
• Fall is the best time of year to plant new trees! The roots don’t have to compete with the heat, they get plenty of water from the Autumn rain, and can settle in and get established.
• Clean those gutters.  This can be a dreaded task, so hire a handy person or have the family pitch in to finish as quickly as possible.
• Been thinking about changing the exterior color? Fall is a great time to paint, thanks to cooler temperatures.

General Outdoors

• Bring in any outdoor furniture, or protect it with covers  made specifically for handling cold weather. 
• Firewood needs to be covered with a tarp to minimize moisture from snow and rain. Lift the cover occasionally to let any trapped moisture escape.
• Check all of your outdoor lighting, and replace any bulbs or fixtures.
• Walk around all of the walkways and driveways, looking for cracks, and seal them with approved sealant.  Snow and ice can cause the surfaces to bulge and cause a falling hazard.
• Clean the windows, inside and out, and replace screens with storm windows.
• Service and store the mower, string trimmer, and any other lawn tools you may use.
• Drain water hoses and store them where they can’t freeze. If you have a sprinkler system, drain it and turn it off.
• Check your outdoor fireplace or fire pit to make sure it’s safe for the upcoming cool evenings around the fire.

Inside The House

• Service the furnace. It’s easy to make sure filters are changed and ready to go, but a call to a heat and air contractor is the best way to make sure the heater is ready for Winter.  Sometimes a maintenance contract can save you money.  Ask your provider if they offer this service.
• Check doors and windows for drafts, and seal with caulking or insulation strips.
• See that your chimney is free of creosote to prevent fires.  A licensed chimney sweep would be the best for making sure your home and family are safe from chimney fires.
• Make certain that your smoke and carbon monoxide detectors are in working order, and replace batteries if necessary.
• Go in the attic and look for any insulation issues, and replace or repair, if needed.  Be sure that pests can’t get inside and spend the winter in your attic!
• Change the rotation on ceiling fans.  It should be going in a clockwise direction to help distribute heat away from the ceiling.
• Wash and/or air out heavy blankets and quilts to get them freshened up for use.
• If you have a basement in your home, check for cracks in the walls, and if there’s a sump pump, make sure it’s in working order.
• Clean out closets and storage areas and have a tag sale with unwanted items that are still in great condition.

Be ready for a relaxing, warm Winter inside your home.  Home maintenance--indoors as well as outdoors--is critical for keeping your home’s value up, as well as for our own comfort.  

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

Photo credit: blog.leviton.com/fall-cleanup-101

1. 1. If you have a lot of old towels and rags lying around your house, whether you use them or not, you might want to get rid of those before you move  into another home.  These types of things can carry bacteria on them and you don’t want to start out in your new place with dirty items when you can purchase new ones once you arrive. 

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2. 2. Make-up is good to have but it does have a shelf life and once that has passed it isn’t really good to keep it around.  Avoid the compulsion to throw all of your old makeup into a box and take it with you.  Although you might perhaps use it once or twice there really is no need for it because it won’t look as nice as a new pallet of makeup.   

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3. 3. Soaps, deodorants, nail polish,  and sunscreen maybe things you use on a regular basis but you really don’t need to take up space in your moving boxes for these types of items.  These things don’t cost a lot of money and can easily be purchased anywhere.  

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4. 4. Once you start packing and you find a ton of USB cables, realize that you don’t need them all and get rid of a few of them.   You may have a friend in need of a USB cable that you can bless with one or two.   

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5. 5. Don’t pack paperwork unless it is absolutely necessary.  Of course you will have to keep important contracts and tax information but most of the paperwork you’ve collected over the years is likely now obsolete and can be thrown out before you head out.   

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6. 6. Last but not least, go ahead and let go of all of the clothes you can no longer fit into.  Donating these types of items can many times be a big blessing to others.   

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If you are in the process of buying or selling a home, you may have already come across some of these common real estate myths.  Real estate myths are abundant and are quite prevalent in the real estate world.  Below you will find a few real estate myths to be wary of whether you are buying or selling a home. 

1. Some folks believe that if you don’t use a real estate agent you are likely to get a better deal.  This is totally false because no matter which one of you have the agent…one of them is going to get the commission be it the buyer’s agent or the sellers agent.  The only way to get around dealing with paying a commission to a realtor is if you sell or a buy a home that is for sale by owner.  If you do decide to purchase or sell by owner, be very careful because there are a lot of things that can and perhaps will go wrong when you try to go it alone.  Real estate agents deserve all the commission they get because they do a lot of work that you don’t have to worry about doing yourself. 
    
2. Another common real estate myth  is that you should set your asking price higher than what you expect to make.  If you price your home too much above the market value you are likely going to be doing yourself an injustice.  Folks are going to pass your home by because they know that it is not in their price range.  Setting your home at a reasonable price is a good way to get buyers to show some interest and not be scared off by sticker shock. 
    
3. Yet another common real estate myth is that all of the houses listed in the multiple listing systems are all available to look at online.  Most of the houses on MLS are listed online but if you don’t tell your realtor that you want your home listed online he or she may not do so. 
    
4. Another real estate myth  is that having an open house will basically guarantee that you home will sell.  While open houses are good to get folks out looking at your house, they don’t always bring the buyer to your door.  Typically those that look at your house during an open house are just browsing and likely won’t give you an offer. 

Do your part not to let these real estate myths fool you by knowing them ahead of time before you buy or sell a home.  

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

If owning your own home isn’t on your agenda and you would rather purchase a condo or townhome to make things a bit easier on yourself, you are not alone.  There are several things however that you should consider and think about before purchasing a condo and a few of those things are listed below. 

1. One thing to consider when purchasing a condo   is who the manager is.  If you have a manager that is easy to deal with then you shouldn’t have any issues, but if you have a manager that doesn’t see eye to eye with you on things you may find yourself wishing you never would have purchased a condo. 
2. There are fees associated with owning a condo.  You should definitely check into the fees associated with your particular condo before purchasing it.  These fees can range anywhere from $200 to $400 per month or year depending on how upscale the condo is you want to purchase. 
3. Looking at the condo financial statements is a great way to see if you really want to purchase a condo or not.  For example if the condos financial statements do not include paying for repairs on a broken street light, you may end up seeing the repair costs tagged on to your bill.  Taking these types of things into consideration could sway your decision one way or the other regarding purchasing.  If you find that repairs on such things are not included in a particular condos financial statements you may want to search for a condo that does cover them. 
4. Knowing the rules of condo living can make or break your decision of purchasing as well.  Some condos don’t allow holiday decorations while others just tell you where to park.  It’s up to you to decide what is most important to you and what rules simply do not matter that much, however knowing the rules is imperative. 
5. Checking out the condos liability insurance to make sure there are no pending lawsuits against it is also a good idea. 

These things to consider before purchasing a condo are just the tip of the ice berg.  Do your due diligence, ask questions and find out all there is to know about condo living  before sinking your money into a one you are not happy with. If you do all of this and you are satisfied, you will likely enjoy condo living and all it has to offer.  

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

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

Photo credit: Quicken Loans

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

Photo credit: ActWitty