HOME INSPECTIONS
It's the best money you will ever spend!
Home inspections are designed to assist and protect a potential home buyer, but it can also aid a home seller, discovering the condition of a home before putting in on the market.
An inspector comes to the home and looks over the structure, covering areas such as the central heating/cooling system, interior plumbing, interior electrical, roof, siding, walls, ceilings, floors, foundation (basement, if applicable) and built-in kitchen appliances.
The best way to protect your investment is to have a home inspection done. Please feel free to ask Caryn about the estimated cost of a home inspection.
HOME WARRANTY
Why purchase a home warranty?
A home warranty helps to protect you against potentially expensive repair and replacement costs.
There are several companies out there who offer home warranties and some of the areas they cover are: plumbing systems, water heaters, electrical systems, dishwasher, garbage disposal, microwaves, range and oven, trash compactors, heating system, air conditioning, ductwork, and then other areas specific to the home like pools, well pumps, and septic systems.
There are several companies who offer both buyer and seller warranties. Ask Caryn about the best warranty for you.
TIPS FOR BUYING A HOME
What to look for when buying a home.
There's a lot more to buying a home, and you want to make sure you've done your homework before making your purchase.
Drive around the neighborhood. Do you like the atmosphere and condition of the other homes?
Does the area in which the home is located have building restrictions, eliminating the possibility of a trailer home being brought in.
Check out the demographics. By going to the web site www.eneighborhoods.com you can find out a lot about the area your considering moving to.
Finally, if you're not shy, knock on a few of the neighbor's doors and inquire about the area. Ask them what they like about living there.
TIPS ON SELLING A HOME
Make selling a pleasant experience!
Make a good first impression. Have the lawn mowed and raked, shrubs trimmed, driveway and sidewalks swept or shoveled clean and all debris removed from the property. Maintain your yard throughout the year.
What does your home look like to the viewer on the inside? Arrange shades and drapes to give a maximum amount of light in dark room. Replace all burned out light bulbs and repair faulty switches. Light adds a cheerfulness to dark rooms, especially kitchens.
Make small repairs. Badly cracked plaster, loose door knobs, crooked light fixtures are among the small items that can be easily repaired. Small things sometimes hinder a sale more than large repairs.
Make the most of your storage space. Display your storage and utility space by removing all unnecessary accumulations in attic, stairways, basement and garage. They will appear much larger than they actually are.
Fix the plumbing. Correct faulty plumbing. Leaky faucets can discolor porcelain. Pay attention to plumbing defects.
Minor redecorating is recommended. Paint the walls, shampoo the rugs.Small changes will create a much more appealing appearance.
Keep the sound low. Keep radios and televisions off or turned down during the showing. This small gesture eliminates any possible distraction of the prospect.
Do you have pets? It's recommended you place your pets outside or out of the way, if possible. Pets may detract from the prospects attention to your home.
Keep it comfortable. Pay close attention to the temperature in your home, keeping it comfortably warm in the winter and moderately cool in the summer.Even if you don't have central heat and air, this can be accomplished through other alternative measures.
No apologies! Don't apologize for any adverse appearances. Doing so only draws attention to the area.
Excuse yourself. Many prospective buyers like to look at a home privately with their agent, feeling free to ask any questions they may have concerning your home. This will relax the buyer. If you should be present, please don't discuss terms, price, etc.
Be informed. Be ready to furnish accurate taxes, cost of utilities and any information about recent improvements, such as a new roof or driveway. Doing your homework first will leave a good impression.
Be prepared. If a reasonable offer is presented, it is wise to negotiate immediately. Remember, this offer may never be repeated.
Don't delay. Have your property ready to show at any time, your realtor will arrange appointments in advance. Don't lose a sale because your home isn't in "showable" condition.
Be available. Keep your real estate agent informed on where you can be reached at all times. It could be that one phone call that closes the sale!
REMODELING?
Need some help with remodeling?
Here are a few web site you can visit:
www.remodel.com - This site will help you estimate the cost of remodeling.
www.abwf.com - Going through this web site can get you that wallpaper you have always wanted, at a discounted price!
NEED DIRECTIONS?
Get directions to the property?
You can get detailed directions on how to get to the property. Visit https://maps.google.com/
DISASTER HELP?
Help is on the way!
No one likes to think about disaster striking, but it does happen. Here are a few web sites that are helpful to victims:
www.fema.gov - Federal Emergency Management Agency - information on preparing for disasters, flood insurance, disaster relief/assistance. Phone No. 800-427-4661
www.redcross.org - American Red Cross - information on preparing for disasters, disaster assistance. Phone No. 703-248-4222
www.weather.com/safeside - Project Safeside (joint project of the Red Cross and Weather Channel) - information on types of disasters, preparing, what to do after a disaster.
www.sbaonline.sba.gov/disaster - Small Business Administration Disaster Assistance - information on preparing for disasters, disaster loan program. Phone No. 817-885-7600
www.drj.com - Disaster Recovery Journal - information on protecting/maintaining business operations in the event of a disaster. Phone No. 314-894-0276
It's the best money you will ever spend!
Home inspections are designed to assist and protect a potential home buyer, but it can also aid a home seller, discovering the condition of a home before putting in on the market.
An inspector comes to the home and looks over the structure, covering areas such as the central heating/cooling system, interior plumbing, interior electrical, roof, siding, walls, ceilings, floors, foundation (basement, if applicable) and built-in kitchen appliances.
The best way to protect your investment is to have a home inspection done. Please feel free to ask Caryn about the estimated cost of a home inspection.
HOME WARRANTY
Why purchase a home warranty?
A home warranty helps to protect you against potentially expensive repair and replacement costs.
There are several companies out there who offer home warranties and some of the areas they cover are: plumbing systems, water heaters, electrical systems, dishwasher, garbage disposal, microwaves, range and oven, trash compactors, heating system, air conditioning, ductwork, and then other areas specific to the home like pools, well pumps, and septic systems.
There are several companies who offer both buyer and seller warranties. Ask Caryn about the best warranty for you.
TIPS FOR BUYING A HOME
What to look for when buying a home.
There's a lot more to buying a home, and you want to make sure you've done your homework before making your purchase.
Drive around the neighborhood. Do you like the atmosphere and condition of the other homes?
Does the area in which the home is located have building restrictions, eliminating the possibility of a trailer home being brought in.
Check out the demographics. By going to the web site www.eneighborhoods.com you can find out a lot about the area your considering moving to.
Finally, if you're not shy, knock on a few of the neighbor's doors and inquire about the area. Ask them what they like about living there.
TIPS ON SELLING A HOME
Make selling a pleasant experience!
Make a good first impression. Have the lawn mowed and raked, shrubs trimmed, driveway and sidewalks swept or shoveled clean and all debris removed from the property. Maintain your yard throughout the year.
What does your home look like to the viewer on the inside? Arrange shades and drapes to give a maximum amount of light in dark room. Replace all burned out light bulbs and repair faulty switches. Light adds a cheerfulness to dark rooms, especially kitchens.
Make small repairs. Badly cracked plaster, loose door knobs, crooked light fixtures are among the small items that can be easily repaired. Small things sometimes hinder a sale more than large repairs.
Make the most of your storage space. Display your storage and utility space by removing all unnecessary accumulations in attic, stairways, basement and garage. They will appear much larger than they actually are.
Fix the plumbing. Correct faulty plumbing. Leaky faucets can discolor porcelain. Pay attention to plumbing defects.
Minor redecorating is recommended. Paint the walls, shampoo the rugs.Small changes will create a much more appealing appearance.
Keep the sound low. Keep radios and televisions off or turned down during the showing. This small gesture eliminates any possible distraction of the prospect.
Do you have pets? It's recommended you place your pets outside or out of the way, if possible. Pets may detract from the prospects attention to your home.
Keep it comfortable. Pay close attention to the temperature in your home, keeping it comfortably warm in the winter and moderately cool in the summer.Even if you don't have central heat and air, this can be accomplished through other alternative measures.
No apologies! Don't apologize for any adverse appearances. Doing so only draws attention to the area.
Excuse yourself. Many prospective buyers like to look at a home privately with their agent, feeling free to ask any questions they may have concerning your home. This will relax the buyer. If you should be present, please don't discuss terms, price, etc.
Be informed. Be ready to furnish accurate taxes, cost of utilities and any information about recent improvements, such as a new roof or driveway. Doing your homework first will leave a good impression.
Be prepared. If a reasonable offer is presented, it is wise to negotiate immediately. Remember, this offer may never be repeated.
Don't delay. Have your property ready to show at any time, your realtor will arrange appointments in advance. Don't lose a sale because your home isn't in "showable" condition.
Be available. Keep your real estate agent informed on where you can be reached at all times. It could be that one phone call that closes the sale!
REMODELING?
Need some help with remodeling?
Here are a few web site you can visit:
www.remodel.com - This site will help you estimate the cost of remodeling.
www.abwf.com - Going through this web site can get you that wallpaper you have always wanted, at a discounted price!
NEED DIRECTIONS?
Get directions to the property?
You can get detailed directions on how to get to the property. Visit https://maps.google.com/
DISASTER HELP?
Help is on the way!
No one likes to think about disaster striking, but it does happen. Here are a few web sites that are helpful to victims:
www.fema.gov - Federal Emergency Management Agency - information on preparing for disasters, flood insurance, disaster relief/assistance. Phone No. 800-427-4661
www.redcross.org - American Red Cross - information on preparing for disasters, disaster assistance. Phone No. 703-248-4222
www.weather.com/safeside - Project Safeside (joint project of the Red Cross and Weather Channel) - information on types of disasters, preparing, what to do after a disaster.
www.sbaonline.sba.gov/disaster - Small Business Administration Disaster Assistance - information on preparing for disasters, disaster loan program. Phone No. 817-885-7600
www.drj.com - Disaster Recovery Journal - information on protecting/maintaining business operations in the event of a disaster. Phone No. 314-894-0276
