Archive for the ‘Home maintenance tips’ Category
carbon footprints, CFLs, green building, greening your home, reducing your carbon footprint, Saving energy, saving money, saving money by going green, solar power, sustainable living
In For Buyers, For Homeowners, For Sellers, Home maintenance tips, real estate, sustainable living on August 31, 2010 at 7:51 pm
Are you feeling bombarded about “greening your home?‘ There’s so much stuff out there to absorb. There are articles flying around about all the good “green” things to do. Don’t get me wrong, I think reducing our carbon footprint, going green, and hopefully, saving money are all important.
But, I just recently came across two articles that look at the costs of going” green” more closely. Just because something is “green” doesn’t mean it truly reduces our carbon footprint or helps you to save you money. One of the biggest offenders is bamboo flooring. Since most bamboo is sourced in the Far East, the cost and impact on our carbon footprint for transporting bamboo may outweigh the fact that it’s a renewable resource.
During these crazy times it’s important to analyze how you spend your money on your home. It’s important to think about the payback to you and the environment, in addition to the payback for when you might sell, even if selling your home is in the future. Going “green” is important to consider, but according to some, there are different ways to handle going green.
Two recent posts on different blogs talked about this very issue. The Bigger Pockets blog listed 7 green items that could be a waste of money. I’m not sure I agree with all that is said. For example, CLF’s, Compact Fluorescent Bulbs are more expensive than standard light bulbs, but they are a fairly inexpensive way to reduce our carbon footprint. Sure they are more expensive than standard light bulbs and may become cheaper, but it’s important to start now and with CFL’s, it is a great place to start. From the EnergyStar website:
If every American home replaced just one light with a light that’s earned the ENERGY STAR, we would save enough energy to light 3 million homes for a year, save about $600 million in annual energy costs, and prevent 9 billion pounds of greenhouse gas emissions per year, equivalent to those from about 800,000 cars.
CFL's
Other things, such as location, factor into making a “green” decision. Bigger Pockets felt solar panels were not efficient enough yet to warrant the cost. If you live in Seattle, it probably isn’t cost effective to install solar panels, especially with all the gray 65 degree days we’ve had this summer! However, in Southern California it makes perfect sense. I have a friend who installed solar panels and is receiving a substantial rebate for the first five years, plus a check from the utility company for helping to supply power back to the grid. The payback for these people will be 5-7 years. Not a bad return for a fairly expensive item. But these folks have no plans to move, so the investment should more than pay for itself over the years.
Worldchanging tackles this same subject with a video of how to “green” a new construction home and other thoughts about how to reduce our carbon footprint. The post mentions a book by Eric Corey Freed and Kevin Daum entitled “Green Sense for the Home: Rating the Real Payoff from 50 Green Home Projects.” The book is divided into three handy sections. The first covers things that can be done now, like using CFL’s or insulating a hot water tank, to more expensive changes like adding solar power and new windows, to building a “green” new home.
The bottom line is everyone should be thinking about making changes, both big and small to save energy and money. Some things work better for some people, homes, and locations than other “green” changes. It is important to decide what works for you. Do the research and make good decisions to maximize your dollar and to save energy.
What ways do you find to save energy and reduce your carbon footprint? If you’ve got some “green” tips, ideas, etc., please do share.
cleaning dryer vent, home maintenance, maintaining a dryer, real estate
In For Buyers, For Homeowners, For Sellers, Home maintenance tips on June 29, 2010 at 7:38 am
Lint From A Dryer Vent
There were big gray clumps of lint and this is only 1/4 of what was removed from the clothes dryer vent! Ironic, since the dryer vent had recently been cleaned out in a do-it-yourself project, which apparently had not worked. The duct work is a fairly long line, which makes it even more difficult for a do-it-yourself job.
Bel-Red Energy Solutions* cleaned out my dryer vent which was loaded with lint, even though I thought it had been cleaned out weeks before. Dryers are among the major causes of house fires.
Check the vent on the outside your home to see if the air flow is moving well. Do this on a regular basis. You’ll know if the air flow becomes weak, which is a good indication of blockage in the vent line. Here are some other warning signs from About.com:
- Clothes take longer and longer to dry;
- Clothes don’t fully dry;
- Clothes are hotter than normal at the end of the drying cycle;
- The outside of dryer gets very hot;
- The outside exhaust vent flapper does not open very much indicating low exhaust velocity;
- Laundry room becomes more humid than it is usually;
- Burnt smell is evident in the laundry room.
So mark your calendar. Have your dryer vent cleaned regularly to eliminate a fire hazard. Do-it yourself systems may work for some duct lines, particularly if the dryer duct line is short. I was impressed, however, by the motor Bel-Red brought along to power the hose that cleaned out the vents. That puppy really sucked the lint out of the vent.
Here are some more tips on dryer vent cleaning, maintenance and safety.
And the silver lining in all this? A dryer vent that works more efficiently will save you money on your monthly utility bill.
*As always, choose your contractor wisely. Check out any contractor you hire. Make sure they are licensed, bonded, and insured. Obtain recommendations from other clients and check the Better Business Bureau, Angie’s List and other resources.
creating curb appeal, getting a home ready to sell, home buyers, home sellers, make more money selling your home, Preparing a home for sale, selling a home
In For Sellers, Home maintenance tips, Make More Money Selling Your Home, real estate, real estate opinion on April 30, 2010 at 1:37 pm
You’re a home buyer out looking at homes. You pull in front of a home that looks kind of interesting. You stand by the front door as your agent gets the key out of the key box to open the door. You look around the entrance and notice dirt and scuff marks on the front door. The brass plate is all tarnished, there are scratches by the key hole and the door mat is dirty. It looks like there’s been years of wear and tear and you haven’t even been inside.
A dirty front door and scratched hardware is not a big deal, or is it?
Buyers, what do you think?
Tarnished front door handle
Scratched front door key hole
I heard from past buyers that it raises a lot of questions. Mostly, the buyer is wondering how well the home has been maintained if something so obvious sticks out when you first walk up. Will this buyer be taking a closer look at the house? Will the buyer start wondering if there might be maintenance issues. Possibly.
A nice front door and shiny hardware make a big difference. It keeps the level of positive energy and interest up. It’s like seeing a blind date for the first time, you want that person to look good from the “get go,” not with messy hair or dirty clothing.
A Beautiful Front Door Creates a Great First Impression
Flowers By The Front Door Add a Nice Touch
So home sellers, stand out in front of your home by the front door, just as a buyer would. Look at what the buyer would be looking at when standing at the front of your home.
- Is your front door dirty?
- Is it in need of paint?
- Is the hardware gleaming and fresh or is it scratched?
- Are the railings in good shape?
- Are the steps neat and clean?
- Do you have flowers providing color by the front door?
- Is the doormat, fresh and clean?
- Do the house numbers look clean and stand out?
None of the fixes for the above should cost a lot of money. It can actually cost you more money if these items are not in good condition. Here are some more suggestions for creating that great curb appeal.
So before you sell your home, think of it like getting ready for a date or going to a party hoping to meet someone. In this case, your home is meeting a potential buyer. The buyer has a lot of options to choose from, like you might at a party. Help the buyer to choose your home by getting it ready for the party, oops, I mean to sell.
greening your lawn, landscaping your yard for a home sale, Preparing a home for sale, preparing your home for sale
In For Buyers, For Sellers, Home maintenance tips, real estate on April 16, 2010 at 12:14 pm
Want to Make the Most Money Selling Your Home? Clean up your yard. I spoke about planting flowers previously, now I’ll talk about having your yard looking good.
Unsightly looking lawn hurts a home sale.
You’ve heard of a “bad dye job”? This is a bad lawn job. This lawn exists in front of home for sale, a home that has a sign in front of it! Seriously.
If you were a buyer, what would you think? Would this lawn make you question how well the home is maintained? Would you question whether the owners cared for their home? It leaves a terrible impression.
A green lawn that's ready to go
This is the front yard of another home. The yard is not fancy, but it looks well taken care of, creating a nice first impression. It doesn’t raise any red flags about maintenance, but instead helps a buyer focus positively on the home, rather than creating a negative feeling from the “get go.” Help buyers get out of their car to see your home. Make them want to come inside, not drive away.
A yard should not look like this when selling a home
The yard above should look more like the one below. Some homeowners neglect the little back corners of a yard. There can be some simple, inexpensive fixes, which make the corners of the yard look neat and organized. Gravel, bark, and some edging, whether it’s bricks or stones or something else, give it a finished, neat feel. None of these materials cost a lot of money. They can be somewhat labor intensive, so the choice would be to pay for it and do it yourself or hire someone to do it for you. It would depend on your budget, time, and energy. If you’re a do-it-yourselfer, this video form the DIY network gives some basic tips for ‘greening” your lawn.
A Nicely Organized Corner of the Yard
Regardless, you need to clean up your yard to make the most “green” when selling your home.
fix up tips to sell your home, fixing up your home, home fix up, preparing your home for sale, updating your home to sell
In For Homeowners, For Sellers, Home maintenance tips, real estate, real estate opinion, real world real estate on March 9, 2010 at 6:16 pm
Getting ready to sell your home and needing to get it in show condition? There was a great article filled with tips on what to fix to get your home ready in last week’s Seattle Times. But there was one important thing I disagreed with in the article.
So before you call a real-estate agent, go over the property to determine what needs to be repaired or possibly replaced. Make a list of both major and minor jobs. Tackle big projects first.
I disagree, call your Real Estate agent first! Why? Because your agent can help you with this list, saving you time and money.
Here’s an example of what I’m talking about:
I’ll never forget the time an excited client called me to list their home. They’d spent several months preparing their home for sale. Teal blue carpet greeted me when the front door was opened. My heart sank. It was brand new carpet. They were so proud of it. They just loved the color. Unfortunately, this carpet color was the number one complaint I heard from buyers and other agents. Buyers didn’t love the teal blue. It took a lot longer to sell the house because of the carpet color, costing the sellers time and money with the sale of their home.
I could give other examples, but the point is a seasoned real estate professional who’s out working with buyers on a regular basis will be in a position to tell you what needs to be done. Since agents are out seeing homes all over Seattle’s eastside and work with both buyers and sellers, they’ll know what’s expected in the marketplace. Buyers will need to be excited about your home, see it as fresh and ready, and a good value in order to buy. The agent can help you establish what the right amount of repairs and remodeling is so to meet the expectation of your local real estate market and the local buyers. You don’t want to overdue it nor do you want to “under do” it either. You don’t want to replace your bathroom vanity, as an example, if you don’t need to do so. Maybe a dimensional formica or engineered granite will work in your home instead of granite. Maybe you don’t need to do a complete kitchen remodel, but new appliances will do the trick. The goal is to have your home looking “mahvalous” as Billy Crystal would say, by only doing the things that really should be done.
Your agent will help you develop a list of the important things that must be done down to the “it would be nice to be done” category. By doing so, the real estate agent will help you spend your money wisely. A good agent will know some of what an inspector, appraiser, and a buyer will expect to be done. It’s impossible to know everything, since not all things are visible and every home and buyer are different, but a real estate agent can add quite a lot from past experience. They’ll have a list of skilled contractors who show up on time and do the job right. Your real estate agent may also know contractors who are more reasonably priced who could do the job.
If you don’t already have an established relationship with an agent, interview agents right away. Establish a working relationship with the agent you select to represent you. Expect this agent to be your home advisor from the “get go,” well before the buying public knows you want to sell. The agent should spend time helping you create your repair list, making contractor and materials suggestions, and provide general advice about the local real estate market. This should all happen well before you go on the real estate market and the “For Sale” sign is posted in your yard.
cost effective home remodeling, fixing up a home, home energy savings, home maintenance, home remodeling, home safety, home security, real estate, unbumpable locks
In For Homeowners, For Sellers, Home maintenance tips, Remodeling and style trends, architecture, real estate on February 24, 2010 at 2:34 pm
A big part of my job as a Realtor is to help home sellers prepare their homes for the market by giving people ways to add value to their home so they’ll get the highest sales price. I’m constantly looking for different and cost effective ways to give sellers options for updating a home. I also encourage past clients to contact me when thinking of remodeling, so I like to keep up with the latest home remodeling ideas.
The Styled, Staged, and Sold blog discusses “hot home products for 2010.” Their list of favorite new home products had great ideas for remodeling, safety, energy savings tips, and locks that can’t be bumped.
Did you know most locks on the doors to your home can be “bumped”open?
Not something you want to have happen with your home. I first heard about locks that can’t be bumped open when a client of mine told me about changing the locks on her home. Her home security alarm had gone off 4 times. She thought it was time to upgrade her home’s door locks to the bump proof variety.
After hearing about this situation from my client and reading about unbumpable locks online, I thought I’d pass this information on. In reading about unbumpable locks, I also learned the brand of “bump-proof” lock you buy for your home should be checked out to make sure it’s truly “bump proof.”
The blog post also talls about some other interesting home products. I really like the metal tiles that could be used as a kitchen backsplash. The tiles come in brushed nickel, bronze, and copper finishes. They looked really cool and could dress up a kitchen for not a lot of money.
The inexpensive crown moldings sounded like they could be a great way to dress up a room.
Stainless steel paint? It sounds like it could be a terrific way to go, but I’m having trouble picturing paint looking like smooth, cool stainless steel. I’d love to know if this really works.
Has anyone tried it? If it does work, it would be a great thing.
Check these home products and remodeling tips out. Let me know if you try any of the items. I’d love to be able to tell people about experiences you’ve had with these products or other cost effective remodeling ideas.
And while you are at it, change your locks!
home inspection items, home inspections, home sellers, Preparing a home for sale, real estate, tips on selling a home
In For Buyers, For Sellers, Home maintenance tips, Real Estate Tips, real estate on January 29, 2010 at 11:05 am
Since I’ve been busy telling people now is the time to sell a home if planning to sell in 2010, I thought I’d bring up a friendly reminder about some of the top things to do around your home before you go on the market. This is by no means a complete list, but it focuses on some of the most obvious structural items both buyers and building inspectors will notice about a home. This list also is separate from a list of strictly cosmetic suggestions such as updating carpet and flooring or painting walls. Many blog posts could be written about the items you should check when preparing your home for sale, but this list is a good start.
Here’s my top ten list, with an added #11 thrown in because I’m dealing with it right now:
1. The Condition of roof – Does it need to be cleaned? Repaired? Replaced?
2. Earth/wood contact – Be sure all soil is 4 – 6 inches away from siding, planter boxes, decks, skirting, posts, etc.
Pull any dirt or bark away from the siding so you can see the foundation wall
3. Deck material rotted? Railings, steps, deck boards, joists, beams, etc.?
This is not a deck that makes you feel warm and fuzzy. Check all deck boards and supports
4. Electrical – Non professional work? Panel breakers match wire size? Non grounded outlets?
5. Handrails Are they secured to wall? Are they installed where they should be?
Make sure there's s a sturdy railing so no one goes sailing down the stairs
6. Shower tile grout and sealant conditions?
Does the grout look clean and fresh?
7. Condition of the bathroom floors at tub/shower and toilet?
Check the floor for soft spots, clean, regrout, and reseal
8. Smoke detectors? Are they working? Do they need batteries?
9. Furnace Has the furnace been serviced recently? Does the filter need cleaning or replacement?
Your furnace must be a clean machine
10. Crawl space? Is there moisture in crawl space? Is a vapor barrier installed? Ventilation adequate? Wood scraps or debris which needs to be removed?
11. My new personal favorite is to check your chimney and fireplace. Hire a professional if you have not had your chimney checked or serviced. Make sure it is safe to use. (I’m having some fun doing this now and will fill you in at a later date as to what is involved.)
If you want to get more into it, check the home builder’s inspection checklist or the list from the American Home Inspectors Directory
What other things should be checked out before a home goes on the market?
first time home buyer classes, fixing a home, home buyer classes, home buyers, home maintenance, home repair, maintaining a home, owning a home, real estate
In For Buyers, For Homeowners, Home maintenance tips, real estate, real estate opinion on January 4, 2010 at 9:48 am
I remember the phone call I got Christmas Day, 2008. I happened to be coming back to Seattle when my phone rang just as I got on the plane. December of 2008 was frigid. It had been snowing on and off for days. Everything had been freezing. The airport had been shut down. There was not enough de-icing fluid for the planes. Remember? Things were just starting to thaw out that Christmas Day.
A neighbor across the street from a home I had sold earlier that month called to ask if I knew how to find the buyers because water was gushing out the front of the house! I had no idea how to get in touch with them as I had a relationship with the sellers. I immediately contacted the buyer’s agent who told me the buyers were out of the country.
It turned out the buyers closed on the home, moved their stuff in, and left the country for a month. When they left their home they turned the heat off. Apparently pipes froze in the wall and burst on Christmas Day. The new home owners did not know to leave the heat on while they were out of town. Having lived most of their lives in a warm climate, it did not occur to them to leave the heat on.
So this brings me to my question with a new idea for the new year:
Should first time home buyers be required to take a home maintenance class?
There’s so much press about the consumer not being armed with enough information about the home buying process, the home inspection or the mortgage process, but I rarely hear of anyone talking about the home ownership process. I haven’t heard of a class for new home owners. I believe the real estate industry, the insurance industry, and lenders have all let new home owners down by not offering or suggesting classes about home ownership and home maintenance. Buyers close on a house, their insurance is in place, the first loan payment coupons have been handed out, and the keys delivered. We thank our buyers, tell them congratulations and wish them well. Many of us keep in touch over the years, but no one offers a home maintenance class that I’ve heard about.
Should we offer classes to first time home buyers?
Should we require first time home buyers to take a home maintenance course?
Should ongoing classes be offered to home owners?
cellulose insulation, Eastside, Facebook, Green Inc blog, home insulation, home maintenance, insulating your home, insulation, keeping your home warm, Seattle, Seattle Eastside, Seattle Weather
In Built Green and Sustainable Living, For Buyers, For Homeowners, For Sellers, Home maintenance tips, Real Estate Tips, real estate on November 20, 2009 at 1:03 pm
The Seattle-Eastside weather outside is just frightful or should I say just awful. November is always such a “fun time” with rain and wind with this November being no exception. (I love Seattle, but did I tell you I hate November in Seattle?) Weather for the week has been windy, wet, and wild. Everyone is talking about staying warm and dry. Trust me, it’s a big topic on Facebook among my Seattle friends this week.
But is your home helping you to stay warm and dry? Are your heating bills as low as they should be?
Have you checked your home’s insulation and did you do any needed upgrades this fall? If not, this link to the New York Times Green, Inc. blog post about insulation is for you.
Insulation is made from a variety of materials as one type does not fit all. But what type of insulation fits your home and your pocketbook?
Tom Zeller, Jr. writes about all kinds of insulation, including fiberglass, polystyrene, blown cellulose and mineral wool with some tips and links to information on each in the New York Times blog post. If you check out the federal energy website, you can find out more about each type of insulation and what might work for your home.
There’s a video in the link above to Green, Inc in which a manufacture of cellulose insulation is interviewed. Sounds pretty “dry” and boring, but it’s actually pretty interesting. Cellulose insulation is made from phone books, newspapers and other papers. But would insulation made from paper be fire retardant? Watch the video to see a “torching” demonstration.
Then go check out your insulation and your heating bills. Should you be making any improvements?
home inspections, real estate, real estate inspections, things a home inspection does not cover
In For Buyers, Home maintenance tips, Real Estate News, real estate opinion on September 22, 2009 at 2:20 pm
Ardell had a great post on rain city guide about what’s not included in a standard building inspection and her post got me to thinking about the subject. I’ve been on a number of building inspections over the years in which a specialist had to be hired to examine a system or something on the property that wasn’t covered in the standard building inspection.
A typical home inspection will cover the improvements, the structure and its exterior and interior. Some inspectors cover outbuildings and fences as Ardell mentioned, others do not. When you hire a building inspector, it’s important to determine what the inspector investigates, so if you need another person to inspect something in the home or on the property, you have the time to contact the right people. Make sure you identify all the systems you want covered by an inspection, so things aren’t overlooked.
In addition to what Ardell mentioned in her post, here’s a few more things that aren’t covered in most building inspections:
- pools
- hot tubs
- soils stability
- hazardous materials
- well inspections
- septic inspections
- air conditioners
The good news is there are specialists who can and do inspect the above, so make arrangements to contact all the necessary people to do a thorough inspection of the structure, the systems, and the property.
Here’s a few others to think about:
Vacuum systems-it’s probably best to check to make sure the parts to the system area available during the inspection so you know the parts are there. It’s even better to mention in the original offer that the parts to the vacuum system should be left in the home. Take a moment to try the system in several rooms throughout the house to make sure it’s working and able to suck up the dirt.
Sprinkler systems-ask the seller to demonstrate that the system is working properly by turning it on. Unfortunately, here in the Northwest, many sprinkler systems are turned off and winterized so they’re not accessible during the winter months. This is a good thing to have done to the system, but makes it impossible to check the system during the winter months. Ask if the seller has any receipts for work performed on the system or if there is a receipt for winterizing the system. Many people have irrigation companies who handle the winterizing process which is good, since these companies specialize in irrigation systems and should know what they’re doing.
What else may not be covered in a standard home inspection?
air sealing your home, cutting down on heating bills, going green, Saing money and energy
In Built Green and Sustainable Living, Energy conservation, For Homeowners, Home maintenance tips, energy incentives, real estate on August 27, 2009 at 11:10 am
The fourth post in my “Saving Energy/Saving Money Series,” courtesy of the New York Times.
Get ready for fall by air sealing your home. Keeping the cold air out and heat in is another easy way to save money over time. Most of us on Seattle’s eastside don’t live in homes with basements, but doors and windows can be sealed with caulking to prevent heat loss, saving energy. Insulating your attic is another way to save money on your heating bills over time.
Check this video our for tips on air sealing your home to help save energy and money.
cleaning your refrigerator, Facebook, home maintenance, refrigerator coils, SustainLane
In Energy conservation, For Homeowners, Home maintenance tips on August 24, 2009 at 9:09 am
This is the third in my in a series of posts about “Save Money and Energy.”
Keep your refrigerator clean! Not only do you need to get rid of the cheese before it turns green or the apple slices before they go brown, it’s important to maintain your refrigerator so it works efficiently. When was the last time you cleaned your refrigerator coils? I know it’s been a while for me, but it’s a good one to put on that annual home maintenance checklist we all have 
The added benefit to cleaning the refrigerator coils is a reduction in your electric bills. Refrigerators are amongst the most expensive appliances to run, so giving the coils some breathing room will help them to perform more efficiently. Recently, SustainLane published an article about cleaning refrigerator coils on Facebook. The article comes with instructions on how to clean the coils and a video. You didn’t know you could have this much fun, did you?
home maintenance, water leaks
In For Homeowners, Home maintenance tips, real estate on February 17, 2009 at 10:38 pm
Did our dog have an accident all over the kitchen floor? I wish. Apparently, ice got stuck in the freezer causing the valve for the automatic ice cube maker to get stuck and the water to go into overdrive. In the space of 15 minutes, there was a huge puddle on the kitchen floor the size of Lake Washington. OK, maybe it was just the size of Lake Sammamish, but it was a huge puddle of water and it happened fast. I shudder to think what would have happened if we weren’t home. Visions of buckling hardwood floors and ruined rugs danced in my head.
We had to take the whole freezer apart, which was probably a good thing since food tends to get lost in the freezer and never come out. The freezer had to be turned off so the leaking water didn’t freeze to the walls. All the shelving came out. Everything had to be washed, the freezer walls cleaned and dried off. Not exactly how we planned to spend Valentine’s Day afternoon.
While cleaning up, I happened to notice there’s an “on/off” switch for the automatic ice maker. Amazing how easy it would have been to keep it turned off, something I never really thought about. I think about so many other things, like turning the heat down and unplugging appliances when I go out of town, but the ice maker has never been on my list. My advice is to turn off your automatic ice maker if you aren’t using it, you’re not going to be home or, most importantly, if you’re going on vacation. Most of the time we never think about the ice maker. But this simple thing can cause big problems and damages if there’s ever a leak.
Can you think of other things people should turn off when they are heading out of town? At some point, I’ll tell you another water and disaster story. My story is pretty mild compared to how it could have been, but this other story was not.
American Red Cross, cold weather, cold weather home care, freezing temperatures, frozen water pipes, home maintenance, KIRO TV, protecting water pipes
In Bellevue Real Estate, Bellevue, WA, For Homeowners, Home maintenance tips, Local news and information, real estate on December 17, 2008 at 12:36 pm
Better Business Bureau, contractors, electric repairs, electricians, furnace repair, furnaces, home owners, home ownership, home repair, Washington State Department of Labor and Industries
In For Buyers, For Homeowners, For Sellers, Home maintenance tips, real estate on October 3, 2008 at 4:03 pm
Three times in the past month, clients, past and present, have called with questions about home repairs. Two times furnaces were involved and one was for an electrical repair. Both furnaces were deemed unsafe and in need of replacement by the first contractor. The home owners then contacted two other contractors for further bids. These contractors stated the furnace was in need of a basic repair, but not replacement.
Another client called an electrician who wanted $200 just to do an estimate. I realize the contractor’s time is valuable, but come on! I gave my client the names of two electricians I’ve had experience with who could help her out. Neither electrician charged for a bid, but has done great work for other people in the past.
I constantly update my contractor referral list. If I know a client has had a bad experience, the contractor goes off my list. Conversely, if someone tells me about a great experience, I add that contractor to the list. Sometimes I’ll have had direct experience with a contractor or service, other times it will be a name obtained from a colleague. Sometimes one contractor or another may be better for a specific repair. Feel free to contact me if you have more specific questions about any referrals.
If you have questions about a repair or service, check the Better Business Bureau’s website, and The Washington State Department of Labor and Industries website, and feel free to contact me for a referral. As in every business, there are some great contractors. However, be careful to get references and more than one bid before doing any home repair.
granite, home buyers, home inspection, home maintenance, home sellers, home selling, natural stone, real estate
In For Buyers, For Sellers, Home maintenance tips, real estate on July 14, 2008 at 4:18 pm
So you just closed on a new home! Congratulations! You’ve bought a brand new home and you and yours are the first to move in. Fast forward about 10 years and its time to move on. You’ve changed jobs and the commute is just killing you. You contact a real estate agent to help you get your home ready for the market. The real estate agent gives you a lengthy “to do list.” Item #9 on the list is to freshen up your dull granite counter tops. Dull? How did that happen? Aren’t the counters beautiful and shiny, just like when you bought your home? You take a look and, yes, the counters do seem duller than you’ve noticed in a while. How did that happen? Probably from a very typical lack of maintenance. Rarely do people think about taking care of granite counters.
Recently, a granite specialist from Premier Stone Care Company spoke to a group of agents at my office about maintaining granite counters. Premier Stone Care Company had a great list for homeowners to follow:
Wipe up spills immediately.
Use a neutral PH cleaner on all natural stone.
Do not use vinegar or cleaners containing ammonia, acids or harsh abrasives such as Tilex or Windex.
Never cut directly on the stone surface.
Dust-mop granite floors weekly and damp mop frequently.
Never place a pot directly from the stove or oven on a counter top.
Seal your stone every 6 to 18 months, using a penetrating sealer, not a topical sealer.
Place drip pans under plants to prevent staining.
Use felt pads under chairs and furniture.
Squeegee shower walls after each use.
Seems “elementary, my dear Watson.” But, in reality, many home owners don’t realize granite requires tender loving care and continual maintenance. The maintenance begins with a new home. Building inspectors will tell you builders rarely seal granite counters when completing a home. Sealing the counters helps to keep the counters more maintenance-free and able to withstand all kinds of use and abuse.
But here is my #1 natural stone maintenance tip: Make sure you have that squeegee and use it on your stone showers and glass doors after each shower. Nothing is more of a turn-off to buyers and harder to get rid of than built-up soap scum on walls and shower doors. Believe me, it’s not a pretty sight to buyers.
If you would like more information about natural stone maintenance, you can check the link to Premier Tile Care above.
building inspections, contractors, home repair, real estate, Remodeling, Repair
In For Buyers, For Sellers, Home maintenance tips, Real Estate News, Remodeling and style trends, real estate on June 2, 2008 at 7:11 pm
One of the perks of being a real estate agent is learning all kinds of useful information about real estate and homes. We learn about household maintenance when we attend building inspections. We learn about style, color, and popular finish work by looking at 100′s of homes each year. We attend seminars in which we learn about both. As agents, we are on the cutting edge of style, so we can give our clients the very latest information.
Sometimes we have the good fortune to meet great contractors whom we can turn to for tips, advice, repairs, and remodeling work. This is the time to get your home spruced up. If you need the name of a good contractor, don’t hesitate to ask. I can refer someone to you from my list of preferred contractors. This list consists of contractors I’ve used personally and professionally or other agents or past clients have recommended.
So fire up that tool box, get out the ladder, and go to work! Happy fixing!
Eastside Real Estate Buzz
