Tag: home

You Bought a House! Congrats! Now Six Numbers to Have by Your Phone

Posted on by Jenny Zamora

You have just brought the last moving box into your new home and are getting ready to enjoy living in a place you will love for many years to come. Home, sweet home! One of the many questions you may be asking yourself is, Now what? An important issue to take care of is your handy list of important phone numbers, which will no doubt need updating for your new digs, new neighborhood, and possibly even new city or state.

Local Non-emergency Number

In the US, almost everyone can dial 911 to get emergency services, including the police and fire department, but what do you dial in situations where you need to talk to the authorities, but don’t necessarily need an emergency vehicle in your yard pronto? Most communities have a designated non-emergency contact number. It’s a good idea to keep it on hand.

Poison Control

This number is especially handy for those who have children or pets as they can tell you if what your child/pet has swallowed is poisonous or otherwise harmful. Many areas offer these numbers as an alternative to 911 because it is so frequently needed and yet infrequently a life-threatening emergency.

24/7 Plumbing Service

You need this one because pipes typically do not burst during regular business hours. This is especially prudent to have on hand if your new home is a vintage property with older pipes and fixtures.

Locksmith

Program this one into your cell phone, just in case. Lock-outs are very common upon moving into a new place because your routine isn’t established yet, making it more likely that you will lock your keys in the house. A locksmith can get you back inside without damaging windows or doors.

Utilities

This is actually going to involve more than one number as you will wish to have contact information for your electric, water, natural gas, television/Internet, garbage, and other service providers. Nevertheless, these are good numbers to have in one place, just in case important service-related or other information is needed.

Cooling & Heating

Depending on the current season, this is a necessary number to have on hand. In case of your heating or cooling system goes out. This will lead to major discomfort in your home and more often then not heating and cooling systems tend to malfunction at the coldest or hottest times. The experts from Orlando say this is because depending on the season, the coldest or hottest times are obviously when the most stress is being placed on the system.

Local Public Library

While this may sound fairly nonsensical to many people, libraries are great places for new arrivals to get information on a variety of local topics from resident experts. Any question you have, they have likely answered before. Business hours may vary, but they are still a very useful resource, especially for local government, school, and community information.

Now that you have your list of important phone numbers, you can feel free to sit back and enjoy that new home. You’ve earned it!

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Getting an Estimate: 5 Things that Will Determine the Value of Your Home

Posted on by Jenny Zamora

While some home buyers rely on love, at first sight, that kind of chemistry is hard to quantify. Luckily, there are some objective criteria most realtors – and most buyers – use when measuring the value of a home. If you aren’t sure about the value of your home, there are a few elements that will go into pricing strategies. Typically, these elements will vary on a case-by-case basis, but there are a few common characteristics that will contribute to the value of a home across the board. Below are five major elements that will help determine to price when listing a home for sale.

Location, Location, Location

Unfortunately, this is one component of pricing sellers won’t be able to easily influence. Location is based on several factors. Walk-ability, for example, is a measure of whether or not stores and restaurants are within easy walking distance. Having good schools in the area is another factor. Then there are crime statistics, the average commute to the nearest metro area, and the cost of comparable homes in the neighborhood. While you can’t change the location of your home, it’s important to be aware that the location can be a great selling point in and of itself. When pricing the home, consider the surrounding amenities that could make the property more valuable.

Square Footage

This is another characteristic that you might not have much control over, but unlike location, there are some tweaks homeowners can make in this department. One way to add to a home’s square footage, and therefore its value, is finishing the basement. Another way to increase square footage would be to build an addition—this is an expensive update, but can also add long-term value. After you examine the physical location, you can assess the value of the home based on the actual home size, number of bedrooms, and yard space.

Updates and Upgrades

Here is the element that homeowners have quite a bit of control over. If your home is outdated either in style or function, that will lower the value of the home overall. Any updates made to the home will help to justify a higher price. Kitchen and bathroom upgrades in particular tend to add the most value to a home. However, they are also the most expensive rooms in the house to renovate, so prospective sellers need to walk a fine line between having an appealing, modern home and spending more than they will recoup in upgrades. According to the home professionals of A Plus Quality, who offer air conditioning service in Toronto, modest upgrades, such as new cabinet doors, energy-efficient appliances, and updated counter-tops and fixtures, as well as a new coat of paint, will provide the biggest bang for the buck.

Curb Appeal and Landscaping

First impressions are important. Studies have shown that a well-landscaped home sells for a higher price, and that yard upgrades can easily pay for themselves. New sod, well-maintained flowerbeds, and an appealing walkway can all add to a yard’s appeal. It is also important to trim existing overgrown bushes and trees. While a well-manicured yard will add to the home’s value, you must be careful not to overdo it. If the yard is too elaborate and will require a lot of intensive work for the homeowner, that can be a deterrent to a potential buyer. Finding the right balance of a nicely groomed yard that won’t require extensive labor for the homeowner will help drive up the value of the home.

Overall Soundness

If your home is overall “sound,” it means that major, expensive fixes won’t become the buyer’s responsibility. This includes a roof and windows that won’t need replacing within a couple of years. It also includes making sure that the HVAC, the water boiler, the plumbing, and the electricity are all in good working order. Buyers don’t want a lemon, and responsible sellers will make sure their home is in good repair before putting it on the market. This is why little updates here and there over the years will really pay off if you are planning on selling. If the potential buyer can find little to no issues with the home, you’ll be able to value the home much higher than if you’re trying to pass off a home that will need a lot of TLC (and money) in the next few years.

While it may be difficult for buyers to implement all of these changes prior to selling their home, even minor fixes in these areas can yield big returns. Some paint, some sod, and some basic home repairs can be just the polish a home (and a buyer) needs. Even if you aren’t planning on selling your home for a few years, you can see the value of good maintenance. Taking good care of your home and investing in repairs will help you reap a greater reward in the end when it comes to pricing your home. Any updates you can make to your home, no matter how small, will contribute to the overall value and will be worth the investment when it comes time to sell.

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Need to Get Your House Sold Quickly? A Few Tips to Help it Sell in a Flash

Posted on by Jenny Zamora

Do you need to get your house sold quickly? Whether you need to get rid of the house due to a short sale, downsizing, or because you found a job in another location, there are a few strategies that you can use to sell your home quickly and at a reasonable price. Selling a house requires a lot of work on behalf of the seller, and it can be stressful if you are crunched for time. Try a few of these tricks to help you get your home sold in time, and still get a reasonable amount for it.

Price the Home Below Market Value

The easiest way to sell your home is to sell it for less than market value. By looking at other homes in your area and asking for 10 percent less than that amount, your house looks a great value in a great part of town. In many cases, you will start a bidding war between buyers who want to snap up the best deal on the market before it goes away. Obviously, you still want to get a reasonable amount for the home, but you’ll be surprised at how much it helps to set your price at a little below market value—it will surely draw plenty of buyers in for you.

Hire a Cleaning Crew

If you’re in a rush to get your home sold, it will be worth the investment to hire a cleaning crew to come in and get the home ready for showings. You’ll be much to busy with preparing other things for the move to clean it yourself, and you’ll be surprised how much better your home will look if you leave the cleaning up to the pros. Let cleaners and movers clear the home so that you’re prepared for when people come to look at it. Getting professionals to do things like clean the carpets, spray for bugs, or fix broken window panes will truly go a long way with potential buyers. If the move is a bit unexpected, your home might be a disaster zone, and this definitely won’t help you find a buyer any faster. Presenting a clean, sanitized, and organized home for those who come to look at it gives you a much greater chance of finding a buyer quickly.

Sell When Others Are Selling

Do your best to sell the house at a time when others in the neighborhood are selling. This takes advantage of extra traffic that will be driving by your house due to the other sales in the area. If your home is priced less than the others, your home will be among the first to be sold. You may not have much of a choice if you’re pressed for time, however, if you can start looking for buyers around the same time as others in the neighborhood, you’re more likely to find interested buyers to come take a look at the house while they’re in the area.

Keep the Appliances With the House

For many buyers, furnishings and other appliances can be a huge selling point. By keeping the new refrigerator in the home or offering to leave behind some of your furniture, you sweeten the deal for a prospective buyer. You also benefit because you won’t have as much to take with you if you have a long move ahead of you. Although this may seem like a small thing, for some buyers it could really help seal the deal. If your appliances are still in good condition, consider leaving them in the home in order to draw interest from prospective buyers.

Offer Closing Cost Assistance

Coming up with the money for closing costs and a down payment is the biggest hurdle for a potential home buyer. Offering assistance with the down payment and closing costs could help you sell your home with ease. Typically, a seller is allowed to offer a rebate of up to 6 percent to help with closing costs and other fees. This could save a home buyer as much as $6,000 for each $100,000 being spent on the home. This can help if you find a buyer who isn’t in as much of a rush as you are. If you’re trying to get the home sold as soon as possible, helping with closing costs could help you find the perfect buyer.

When you need to sell your home quickly, you need to be willing to entice buyers and negotiate whenever possible. By offering closing cost assistance, pricing the house below market value and timing the sale just right, you could have an offer on your home within 24 hours of showing the property. While selling a home is stressful (especially when you’re constrained by time), if you put in a little extra effort, you’ll have the home sold in no time—allowing you to focus on moving to your next destination.

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Updating Your Home? Five Projects to Leave to the Professionals

Posted on by Jenny Zamora

Every homeowner knows that maintaining a residence requires certain investments. For example, certain home improvement projects require professional assistance. Go ahead and caulk a window or lay that tile in your own bathroom, but when it comes to the big jobs that require specific equipment and training to complete, reach for the phone instead. Here’s a list of five home repair and maintenance jobs that should never be completed without the right equipment and expertise.

1. Plumbing Projects

Despite the large number of DIY videos available on YouTube, it isn’t a good idea to try fixing your home’s plumbing without some expert help. Commercially sold products commonly used to unclog drains can actually damage pipes. Attempting to replace plumbing fixtures without proper instruction or equipment can cause serious damage to a home’s plumbing system. Save time and money by calling a professional first. When is comes to bigger home improvement projects such as this, there are often many codes that have to be met and upheld. By doing the projects yourself, you could be unaware of the codes and not meet it. Then when trying to resale the home cost yourself more money in the long run.

2. Electrical Projects

Most electrical projects should also be left to the pros. Chances are that you could easily replace or rewire a light fixture or two, but if you need to do more extensive work involving your home’s wiring, don’t do it yourself. Risk of electrocution or an electrical fire are too high to justify the savings.

3. Tree Service

If that beautiful shade tree in your yard has grown too close to the house, don’t risk life and limb to trim it yourself. The professionals from say they have seen home owners take matters into their own hands and often cost themselves much more in the long run with the repairs to their homes or vehicles after projects have gone array.

4. Carpet Installation

There are not as many DIY videos about carpet installation available online as there are plumbing projects, but penny-pinching homeowners have been known to try it. Unless you enjoy tripping over lumps in the carpet that result from an amateur installation, don’t do this job yourself. Professionals have the equipment necessary to properly stretch and secure carpet. Home owners tend to spend more in carpet expenses as well. Professional carpet layers understand how to best utilize the carpet, cutting the carpet expense costs in the end.

5. Window Installation

There are a lot of benefits to installing new windows, but this project needs to be done by professionals who know how to safely handle large sheets of glass. While you might be able to effectively weatherproof your home by caulking a window, window installation is another matter. Professionals have the right equipment to do the job safely and keep your home properly insulated.

Many home improvement projects can be successfully completed by the weekend warrior. Certain projects, however, require specialized training and equipment. Leave those jobs to the pros.

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Putting Your Home On The Market: 5 Curb Appeal Tips For The Winter

Posted on by Jenny Zamora

Selling your home in the winter is a little harder than selling it during the summer. Shoppers are so busy with the holidays that they don’t want to even think about buying a new home, and other shoppers hate dealing with the snow and ice. Increasing the curb appeal during the winter can help you get your house sold.

Change the Lighting

Depending on where you live, the sun might set as early as five pm at night, which is the same time that people leave work. Adding some new lighting to your home can make the house look brighter and livelier, but those lights will also give potential buyers a better look at the property. Outdoor lighting is something that is often forgotten about in homes. By giving your home a good look at night you can see where a little extra something would be very welcomed.

Add Some Decorations

While some experts tell you that you should get rid of clutter and anything that makes your house look lived in that advice doesn’t apply during the holidays. Shoppers want to imagine how they would feel living there, opening their gifts on Christmas day and celebrating with friends. Adding an inflatable Santa, decorating the trees and shrubs with lights or hanging pine from your porch gives your home a festive look.

You basically want to make the house look a bit on the neutral side, so your potential buyers can see themselves in your home, but also homey. It is a bit of a fine line, but portraying the right look with your home during the holidays can really help your house fly off the market.

Take Care of Pests

When the temperature drops, rodents and pests look for places to hide. You might find squirrels living in the eaves, mice hiding in your porch or even raccoons nesting under your home. If you need help with companies can help. You don’t need to worry about sliding on the ice, injuring yourself under the porch or even suffering from bites.

Eliminate Ice and Snow

As much as you might like the look of those icicles hanging from your roof, shoppers look at those icicles as a potential hazard. Now is the time to shovel the walk, take care of the built up snow that ice trucks left in your yard and get rid of snow and ice hanging from the roof. Remember that the way your home looks says a lot to the potential buyers. By staying on top of these seemingly small ideas, the message can say a lot more.

Bring in Some New Plants

A bright pop of color can make your home instantly look more inviting and welcoming. While you can’t use all types of flowers during the winter months, you can find some cold-weather plants. Poinsettias, certain types of ivy and witch hazel all thrive in cold weather.

Despite what some people might say, you can sell your house easily during the winter. You need to get your house ready for potential buyers with a little bit of curb appeal from holiday decorations and cold-weather plants you place outside.

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