Real Estate Information Archive

- Make it easier on yourself and rake or vacuum fallen leaves as they come down.  Mulch leaves for your compost pile or call your local waste management for curbside pickup.   

- Check trees for dead or diseased branches and trim them back.  As they go into their dormant phase, there is less chance for the diseases to spread after trimming. Call an arborist if the job is too daunting. 

- Many plant trees in the Springtime, but Fall is a better time. The tree’s roots do not have to compete with the heat, they get plenty of water from the Autumn rain, and can settle in and get established. 

- Dethatching the lawn is best done now before the grass goes into dormancy.  You will reap the benefits with a healthy lawn next Spring. 

- Before storing them in the garage for Winter, service and store the mower, string trimmer, and any other lawn tools you may use. 

- Inspect walkway and driveway surfaces, looking for cracks, and seal them with an approved sealant.  Snow and ice can cause the surfaces to bulge, causing a falling hazard. 

- Fall is a great time to paint the exterior of your home, thanks to moderate temperatures and lower humidity. 

- Have your heater serviced by a professional. Ask if they offer a yearly fee for a checkup on your unit at set times of the year; this could save you some money in the long run. 

- Check doors and windows for drafts, and seal with caulking or insulation strips.  Screens should be replaced with storm windows, if applicable. 

- 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. 

- Now that it is not sweltering, venture into the attic and give it a good cleaning. Be on the lookout for any insulation issues, and replace or repair, if needed.  Be sure that pests cannot get inside and spend the winter in your attic! 

- Wash and/or air out heavy blankets and quilts to get them freshened up for use. 

When making plans for a child’s space, whether a bedroom or bathroom, and you are in your “forever” home, make sure those plans can grow with your child.  While a fun built-in castle bed is fun for now, it might require a whole new reno when he stops wanting to be a knight when he grows up. 
 

During contractor interviews, ask if they are experienced in working in a home with children present, get referrals from other families, and make a point to call those references.
 

Planning on a total rehaul for your kitchen? Create a makeshift kitchen with portable electric cooking gadgets, use disposable plates and utensils, and use the grill as often as possible. If there is carpet in the new eating area, and you have small children, purchase an inexpensive area rug or large outdoor “rug” (found in most discount stores for $20), to protect the wall-to-wall. 
 

When demolition begins, have a plan for everyone to be away from home that day. Have your contractor call with any possible dangers they may find:  mold in the walls, asbestos or lead in an older home, or any broken glass or tile. Wall off that area with plastic sheeting and make it as impossible as you can for the children to enter on their own. 
 

Talk to your contractor about the importance of hunting down every tool at the end of the workday and storing them out of sight. Offer a charging station in an area your children do not frequent so cordless tools can re-energize out of sight and out of their interest. 
 

Dust will be everywhere, and allergies may flare. Make certain all ductwork in the project rooms are covered, and again, walled off with plastic sheeting or “temporary” walls.  
 

If your contractor does not provide dedicated trash cans with lids for construction trash, buy them yourself and put them in each work area. Make sure they are tall enough that children will not be tempted to grab something they find interesting that could harm them. 

Nothing shouts “Don’t buy me!” more than an unkempt yard!  If nothing else, keep the grass cut and weeds and shrubbery trimmed. Put a bit more effort into it, and put down fresh mulch in the flowerbeds, and add a pot of flowers to the top step. 
 

No one wants to walk into a house with plastic storage containers stacked up in each room “hiding” the seller’s clutter. When you declutter, get rid of things, or put them in storage if you cannot part with them. Your rooms will appear larger without a lot of stuff in them. 
 

Touring a house that has a grimy stove or mildewed bathtub caulking is a huge turn-off:  no one wants to move into a dirty home. If you cannot find the time to clean the house spotless, hire a professional to do it. 
 

Natural light is important to most home buyers, so window treatments that block light need to come down, cleaned, and stored for moving. Add sheers, blinds you can open, or pull the shades up completely when you know the house is being shown. 
 

Items such as rodent traps or insect baits, should not even be an option for you. If you know you have mice or insects in your home, have them exterminated before you put a sign in your yard.  
 

Wall-to-wall carpeting is not as appealing to buyers today as it was in the past. If you can afford it, remove carpeting that is hiding hardwoods and spruce them up. No hardwood? Have the carpets professionally cleaned, and if you really need to sell, offer a new carpet credit to buyers. 
 

When you know about a problem and don’t bother to make repairs--think dripping faucets or cracked windows--buyers will not be impressed with your house, and if they’re remotely interested, offers won’t be close to your asking price. 
 

Any unpleasant odors will put off most people, and homebuyers will wrinkle their noses as soon as they walk in. Cleaning is important to remove dirt, but you need to clean for odors, too. Follow these tips from realtor.com® for removing any funky smells from your home. 

- The most common types of fencing are wood, vinyl, and metal. 
 

- The type of wood you choose depends on your budget. Pine is inexpensive and treated to resist rot and insects. Different types of cedar and Douglas fir, on the other hand, is naturally resistant to moisture and pests and will cost more upfront. 
 

- Wood composites are made of sawdust and recycled plastic. It looks like wood and comes in many styles, finishes, and colors. Most manufacturers of composites offer a warranty on their products, making it a more expensive choice, but a long-lasting one. 
 

- Vinyl fencing is almost maintenance-free and comes in many styles. Costs are high initially, but its durability and little upkeep pay for themselves in the end. 
 

- Wrought iron, aluminum, and chain link fencing are all long-lasting choices. Chain link is likely the easiest for DIY, but the others would be best installed by a pro. Maintenance for wrought iron mostly consists of painting and keeping an eye out for rust.  
 

- If cost is not an option but security and durability are your concerns, there is the option to have steel fencing installed.  
 

- Hiring a fencing contractor is a smart move because they are knowledgeable about materials and styles that perform well in your area.  Installing fences is what they do; their expertise can save you money and time in the long run. 

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. 

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.  

Lowering your interest rate can save money. It will not save much if you’ve already been paying on your home for several years, however, especially if you refinance with a 30-year mortgage. Investopedia says that going for the new rate is a good idea if you can reduce your rate by 2%. 

When credit card debt is included in a debt consolidation refinance, homeowners risk losing their home for unsecured debt if they cannot keep up the payments. Credit counseling would be a better step to take first if you are considering debt consolidation to pay off credit cards. 

Refinancing to lower your monthly payment sounds great until you realize that a lower payment only comes with a longer pay-back term and paying more interest in the end. 

Let’s say you’re making more money and would like to shorten the term of your mortgage by having a higher monthly payment. Nerdwallet suggests that you ask yourself a few questions, then decide if you should refinance or just pay more on your current loan every month. 

Has your credit score gone up? If so, find out if you can get a better interest rate as a result. Again, be sure you’ll be saving money in the end before you sign the dotted line. 

You can turn your home’s equity into cash with a cash-out refinance, and if the money is needed for some home improvements or investing, it may be a better way to get the cash. The drawback comes in when the return on investment doesn’t work out, and the equity in the home is lost. 

Discount department stores are full of inexpensive home decor: faux plants, decorative pillows, framed art and mirrors.  
 

Sheer window panels cost less than half the cost of new curtains, allowing natural light to shine through, which is a huge plus, as a dark house isn’t on very many house hunters’ lists. 
 

After cleaning carpets or even refinishing hardwood floors, an area rug or runner to brighten and protect them may be necessary.  
 

The bathrooms can be given a fresh look with new shower curtains and a set of fluffy white linens in each room. 
 

Big box stores are the source for inexpensive cabinetry hardware, light fixtures, as well as faucets that you may choose to replace. 
 

A vase of fresh flowers brightens any room!  Discount bouquets or even single blossoms can be purchased in department store produce sections or flower markets and can last a week or more if cared for properly. 
 

If you’re planning on placing a bowl of fruit on the kitchen counter, purchase oranges or apples instead of lemons. They can be eaten by the family, which saves money, as they won’t be tossed out! 
 

On the outside, inexpensive mulch can transform the flowerbeds.  Pots with annuals planted in them are all you need for a splash of color on the front steps. 

- Plant native plants in your landscape! Because they are adapted to your climate, you won’t be watering them as much, and many are naturally pest resistant.  Native landscaping will also encourage wildlife to visit! 
 

- Speaking of plants, a “living wall” can cut down on cooling costs in Summer, while helping insulate the colder side of the house in Winter.  Even a wall of ivy can make a difference. Learn more about vertical gardens from FresHome. 
 

- Refurbishing or remodeling a room? Add color with low-VOC paints, or use natural wood stains and sealers. Check out local thrift stores or Habitat for Humanity ReStores for pre-owned light fixtures and many other items.  Reclaimed wood can be used for flooring or furniture projects, too.
 

- You don’t have to start biking to work in order to cut back on emissions or save money. Keep your vehicle serviced, and make sure you inflate your tires to the correct pressure. Making body modifications on your vehicle, such as removing that rarely used luggage rack, are other ways you can save gas. 
 

- In the kitchen, using a large toaster oven instead of your oven can save energy as well as keeping cooler in the Summer months. Slow cookers and pressure cookers are other appliances that conserve.  Other energy-saving cooking tips can be found at energy.gov.
 

- According to the WaterHeaterHub website, you can save as much as 25% on the energy used to keep your water hot by installing a timer.  If your conventional water heater is past its prime, switching over to a tankless or solar water heater may be your best option. 

- Smart thermostats are the perfect way to get your feet wet for advanced technology in your home.  They control your heat and air more efficiently by using presence sensors, and can save 10-15% on your power bill. Nest has two versions available, and prices vary $179-$250. Check with your power company to see if they offer a rebate on your new smart thermostat purchase. 
 

- Keyless entry isn’t just for your car anymore.  Smart locks are available for your entryways with mobile and desktop apps, so you can control them, and using fingerprint and voice recognition for opening doors.  Prices vary greatly, and the choices are numerous. PCMag has made a list of the best smart locks of 2017 that can help you comparison shop. 
 

- Home security systems have been around for eons, and the older brands have someone monitoring your system for you, and you pay a subscription fee.  Today there are DIY security kits that will connect to your home smart system, and will alert your mobile phone app if there is a breach, but it’s your responsibility to contact authorities.  
 

- Sometimes a simple security camera can give you peace of mind, and cameras are now available with motion and heat sensors so that they only turn on when you have chosen those sensor settings.  These cameras have WIFI connectability, and you can use your PC or laptop to check the daily camera video. 
 

- If you don’t care for a whole-house lighting control system, there are smart light bulbs controllable via Bluetooth, but that means they cannot be controlled from outside the home, or if you’re out of range.  These bulbs can cost $50, but will last for twenty years. 
 

- Home voice-activated assistants are becoming more popular, as well as less expensive. Apple’s Siri, Google Home, and Amazon’s Echo all have different features, but perform the same way by with voice activation. Get advice from friends and the internet before you decide which assistant is right for you and your family. 
 

- Water leak and mold sensors are a very important gadget to add to your smart system.  They sense water leaks, and humidity and temperature changes in your home and can save you a bundle on water or mold damage repair. 
 

- No more checking smoke alarm batteries every six months--smart smoke alarms are hardwired, have built in carbon monoxide detectors, and can be controlled from your mobile phone.  Some detectors even have sensibility settings, so they know the difference in a lot of smoke and your bacon getting a bit too done. 
 

- Turn practically anything into a smart object with a smart plug. Once it’s plugged in to the object and connected to WIFI, you can control that object with your phone, or a home assistant.