Archive for the ‘Home Maintenance’ Category

• Nov 25

  4 Ways to Reduce Your Power Bill This Season

  As the days get shorter and the weather gets steadily colder, homeowners across the country will see their power bills increase dramatically. Heating and lighting your real estate investment through the late fall and winter can cost you thousands if you’re reckless. So don’t be! Here are a few steps you can take to help keep your heating and power bills to a minimum:
  

  1. Pull the plug. Did you know that even when a device or appliance is turned off it’s still drawing power? Things like televisions, home theater equipment and stereos actually run in “standby” mode when you leave them plugged in, and they can draw as much energy as a 100-watt light bulb. If you remember to switch off your power strips or unplug the individual devices, you can easily save $10 a month on your electric bill.
  2. Put your computer to sleep. Much like car engines, a computer uses more energy during startup and shutdown than it does when it’s left to continuously run in a low-power state. Instead of shutting your computer down, try putting it into hibernation mode instead. You’ll save money on your power bill, and because you won’t have to boot up quite so often, you’ll save time too.
  3. Use small space heaters. Don’t crank up the thermostat every time your real estate investment gets a little chilly. Small, portable space heaters can warm a bedroom in minutes, and when used wisely they can save you hundreds a month on your heating bill. You can pick them up at any department store for less than $20 per unit.
  4. Upgrade your windows. Do you have double-paned argon-filled windows in your home? If you don’t, they’re definitely worth considering. Not only will they save you 9.8 tons of heat annually, they’ll also boost your property value significantly.

  The weather might be extreme this season, but that doesn’t mean your power bill has to be. If you take the right steps to insulate your real estate investment and remember to unplug your appliances when they aren’t being used, you can keep your wallet stuffed and your property value high.

   

  Tags: property value, real estate investment
  Posted in Home Improvement, Home Maintenance | No Comments »

• Oct 30

  4 (Weird) Threats to Your Property Value

  Every homeowner likes making their house unique, but it’s not always good to stand out. Sometimes what you think gives your home character will actually drive down your property value when you list your house on the market. Here are four odd threats to your sticker price you should be aware of:

  1)    Bigger Isn’t Always Better. While you might think the largest house in a neighborhood would be the most coveted, this is surprisingly not the case. If your home is significantly larger than other homes in the area, it will actually be harder to sell, because many buyers in that price range will first look to neighborhoods filled with larger houses.

   

  2)    Clashing Colors. It’s not unusual for people living in the suburbs to give their house a unique paint job – or even a few highlights –to make it stand out from similarly-styled homes. But this colorful twist could end up wringing thousands of dollars out of the house’s property value. If you’re selling a home with orange shutters or a purple door, it’s probably a good idea to repaint them in neutral shades before listing your real estate investment on the market.

   

  3)    Inconsistent Appliances. Believe it or not, consistency in a room’s theme is a major selling point for today’s buyers. If you’ve got a kitchen with black plastic appliances and a stainless steel refrigerator or a bathroom with a copper basin sink and a white porcelain toilet, it can take a significant bite out of your final sale price. If you plan on selling your home, invest in appliances that fit a general theme. Instead of sinking your property value, these brand-new, matching appliances will increase it by thousands.

   

  4)    Alarming Homeowner’s Associations. With more and more people migrating to the suburbs, homeowner’s associations have become a factor in many people’s decision to buy a house. If your neighborhood watch acts more like the neighborhood police – or if they hardly exist at all – you could see a major hit in buyer interest. The best thing you can do to overcome this obstacle is to show your real estate investment on days when your neighbors are least active and to try to clean up around your neighborhood if they’ve been shirking their duties.

  Just because you didn’t expect these things to hurt your property value doesn’t mean that you can’t take steps to avoid them. As long as you stay creative and active when it comes to listing your real estate investment, you should be closing your sale at a good price in no time.

  Tags: increase property value, property value
  Posted in Home Improvement, Home Maintenance, Home Selling | No Comments »

• Oct 27

  Flipping Houses: Those Leaky Pipes

  If you’re into rehabbing properties, you’ll eventually come across a real estate investment whose plumbing needs a little TLC. While major work should be left to the professionals, fixing a few leaky pipes yourself is easier than it looks, and it’s a great way to pull your property value out of the basement. Here are a few tips to get you started:

  • Start With a Sealant. The quickest way to repair leaky pipes in your home is to use a chemical sealant or patch kit. These are inexpensive, easy to apply and can be found in every home improvement section across the country. The only catch is that they aren’t as sturdy or permanent as a splice. If the leak continues to drip, people who are rehabbing properties will want to consider replacing the section of pipe.

   

  • Replacing Pipes. Before replacing a section of pipe, shut off all of the water running through your pipes. When they’re safe to operate on, use a pipe cutter to evenly slice off the damaged length. After you’ve done that, it’s just a matter of fitting in the new section of pipe and soldering it with sweat solder.

   

  • Leaks That Don’t Stop. If you have a leak that persists even after you’ve replaced a section, check your spliced-on section first. If there’s no water coming out, then it’s likely the entire pipe is aged and needs to be replaced. If this is the case, then calling a plumber might be your best option. While small repairs are simple, you risk damaging the entire house if you botch a major installation.

  The key to replacing leaky pipes is to take your time. Search thoroughly for the source of the leaks, and when you find them, don’t rush to replace a section of pipe. Since it’s going to be pressurized, you need to make sure that your cuts are even and your solder is sturdy. If you follow this advice, you can save hundreds the next time you’re rehabbing properties.

  Tags: home improvement, home maintenance, plubming
  Posted in Home Maintenance | No Comments »

• Oct 25

  How to Make Your Old Home Feel New (For Less)

  Does your house feel more cramped than cozy? Are those mauve walls driving you mad? Then it’s time to give your real estate investment a much-needed facelift. Although renovating or rehabbing properties can be expensive, especially in this economy, there are a few tricks you can use to make that old house look new without breaking the bank. Here are a few to try:

  • Paint a room or two. If you really need to remix your house’s look, then the best place to be is in the paint aisle at your local home supply store. By slapping on a fresh coat of paint, you can make a room feel bigger, smaller, louder or quieter all for less than $100 and an afternoon’s worth of work. As an added bonus, a fresh coat of paint is a surefire way to up your home’s property value. So grab a brush and get going!

   

  • Change places! When you’re really strapped for cash, rearranging your furniture will give your real estate investment a fresh new perspective without requiring you to spend a dime. Don’t be afraid to get drastic with your experiments – transferring furniture to different rooms and floors will give your entire house a brand new vibe.

   

  • Fix your fixtures. New furniture might be expensive, but new lamps and lights definitely aren’t. You can find them in all sorts of shapes and sizes at your local department store at affordable prices, so pick up a few and experiment. Switching out your lamps will not only change the aesthetic value of a room – it’ll change the entire feel of the space, at the flip of a switch.

  You don’t need to break the bank to make your old house feel new again. With just a little creativity and a few small purchases, you’ll be the talk of the neighborhood in no time.

  Tags: home improvement, increase property value
  Posted in Home Improvement, Home Maintenance | No Comments »

• Oct 20

  Rehabbing Properties: Updating Historic Houses

  If you’re rehabbing properties in areas like Connecticut or San Diego, you’ll often come across historic homes that could be quick sells with a little remodeling. While these old houses aren’t exactly known for their creature comforts, spending some money here and there to bring their technology into the 21st century can net you big returns on signing day. Here are some things you should definitely consider upgrading when rehabbing historic properties:

  • Bring the power. The 18th century was a great time for powdered wigs – and a terrible one for domestic electrical systems. Many historic houses have crudely-tacked-on wiring and suspect fuses that are decades old, so if you’re remodeling your walls, why not take the time to install a modern, high-wattage system in your real estate investment? Not only will you be able to use three appliances at once, you’ll also make your home’s property value skyrocket.

   

  • No more old panes of glass. Some parts of historic homes are better left as they are. Your windows aren’t one of them. Old single-pane windows are fragile and will add hundreds of dollars to your heating bill each winter, so why not replace them with antique-styled argon-filled windows? They stay cleaner, are sturdier and offer exponentially better insulation than their predecessors.

   

  • Bring it to a boil. Most water boilers in historic homes are woefully underpowered as a result of outdated technology or space constraints. Luckily, new water heaters are getting more compact and powerful every day. If you can’t get your shower to stay hot for more than a few minutes, a new heating system might be just what the doctor ordered. You won’t even have to replace the plumbing.

  Don’t worry about building in some creature comforts when rehabbing historic properties. No home can stay in its original state forever, but luckily there are new products on the market that have the vintage styling and the specifications you need to keep your house looking authentic for another hundred years.

  Tags: historic houses, updating a home
  Posted in Home Improvement, Home Maintenance | No Comments »

• Sep 26

  Flipping Houses: 4 Fall Hazards to Avoid

  Flipping houses isn’t easy to begin with, but it only gets harder if you wait until the fall to start your major renovations. While you can still turn around that real estate investment for a profit, there are some seasonal hazards that you should watch out for. Here are a few:

  • Cold Weather. Depending on the condition of the property, dropping temperatures could mean a real hassle when trying to get the home ready to sell. If your home still needs heating and insulation work, then step on the gas to make sure that it’s still a tolerable workplace when the weather gets cold.

   

  • Inadequate Lighting. As the days begin to shorten, you’re going to be faced with more and more night shifts if you want to get your real estate investment ready to sell in time. If you haven’t installed lights in the property yet, now’s a good time cross that project off your list. After all, there’s nothing worse than trying to tack up drywall by the light of a lantern.

   

  • Seasonal Trespassers. Crimes against property rise significantly in the fall and winter, so make sure that your exterior doors are installed and fitted with locks. Furthermore, if you’ve been leaving your tools in the house every night, consider taking them home with you from now on. A thief could be tempted to break into an otherwise uninteresting home if they spot expensive equipment or supplies lying around.

   

  • Falling Branches. While the changing leaves make for good sightseeing, it’s only a matter of time before the branches they rest on get brittle and succumb to the cold. You can remedy this situation by taking a break from rehabbing properties and removing any overhanging tree limbs before they become a problem.

  Fall can be a hazardous time to flip houses, but that doesn’t mean it can’t be profitable. If you keep your head about you and take the necessary steps to ensure that your work is as safe as it is productive, you’ll have a score of buyers queued up to see your newly renovated home.

  Tags: autumn, home improvement
  Posted in Home Improvement, Home Maintenance | No Comments »

• Sep 25

  4 Ways to Raise Your Property Value for Free

  If you’re selling your home on a tight budget, there’s no need to break the bank to raise your property value. There are a handful of projects you can do for free, all of which will go a long way towards hooking a buyer. Here are a few of them:

   

  1)    Touch Up The Paint. You don’t need to repaint your walls before selling a home, but you should touch up any smudges that won’t wipe off. Chances are good that you’ve got some leftover paint in your cellar or shed from the last time the walls were painted, so stir it up and lay it on where needed. It will take some time for the new paint to darken and match, so make sure you do this at least a week before showing the house.

   

  2)    Fill Wasted Space. If there’s a room in your house that’s not really doing much, it’s time to give it some purpose. Add a desk and a computer, then tell people it’s an office. Or maybe you’d prefer to clean out the clutter and turn it into a guest bedroom. You want buyers to see how versatile your square footage is, so make sure none of your space is wasted.

   

  3)    Mow the Neighbor’s Lawn. When buying a home, people want to know that the neighborhood they’re moving into is a pleasant one. If you’ve got neighbors that have fallen behind on their yard work, offer to mow their lawn or rake their leaves. If their houses look valuable, yours will too.

   

  4)    Warm the Hearth. Nothing says “cozy” quite like a crackling fire, so put your fireplace to good use when showing your house. A warm hearth kick-starts the nesting instinct, and it’ll increase the perceived value of your home.

   

  These are only a few ways you can quickly and easily raise the property value of your home. Remember, selling a home is more about care than flair, so as long as your real estate investment is well-kept, there’s no need to break the bank with remodeling projects.

  Tags: home improvement, home maintenance
  Posted in Home Improvement, Home Maintenance | No Comments »

• Sep 9

  What to do if Your Home Has Flooded

  Just last month, Hurricane Irene caused record amounts of flood damage to Connecticut houses. While there’s nothing anyone can do about natural disasters like Irene, you can still save a flooded real estate investment if you follow the proper procedures. Here is a list of steps you should take if your home has flooded:

   

  1)    Turn off the power. When returning to a flooded home, the first and most important thing to do is to kill the power and the gas, no matter how much water has invaded your home. Water is of course a conductor of electricity, and you could be endangering your entire family if you don’t remove the risk.

   

  2)    Document everything. No matter which agency handles your home insurance, in many cases it’s going to be a fight to get the amount of compensation you need to cover your damages. Make sure to take pictures of everything that was damaged, and make an itemized list with appropriate values. Be prepared to provide receipts if you have to. They can be a pain to locate, but they’re worth the trouble if they can prove that you deserve compensation.

   

  3)    Replace any wet carpeting. After your house has been cleared of water, remove and replace any carpeting that is still damp. It won’t be cheap to install new carpets, but there’s nothing you can do to save flooded fabric. It’s guaranteed to harbor odious mold that will sink your property value.

   

  4)    Get a few dehumidifiers. Your best friend when you set out to repair a flooded home is a dehumidifier. Buy several. They’ll suck the remaining water out of any room and will slow the spread of damage. Floors made of real wood can even be saved if you pull the floorboards up and then place them in a small room with a running dehumidifier.

   

  A house that has flooded can seem like a tragedy, but it’s not the end of the world. If you work hard, fast, and safely, you can save your real estate investment and live happily ever after in the Constitution State.

  Tags: flood, home repair
  Posted in Home Maintenance, Uncategorized | No Comments »

• Aug 11

  4 Ways to Winterproof Your Connecticut Home (In the Summer)

  The Constitution State is known for its warm summers and beautiful fall foliage, but winters in New England are famously harsh. The ice and frost can take a heavy toll, especially on historic homes, and many homeowners find themselves struggling to patch up leaks in an effort to retain heat. Here are 5 ways you can take advantage of the nice weather and make sure your Connecticut property is ready for the changing seasons:

   

  1) Insulate Your Windows. Windows are infamous heat leaks, especially single-pane windows. Up to 35% of a home’s heat can be lost through them, so it’s important to insulate before the weather takes a turn for the worse. The best way to insulate windows is to hire a contractor to inject foam into the jambs, but if your budget is tight, you can pick up weather strips and thermal shades from your local home improvement retailer. These will work almost as well.

   

  2) Clean the Gutters. The weight of winter ice can be too much for some gutters to bear, and when they’re stuffed with leaves the resultant problems are even worse. Damp, compacted leaves add unnecessary strain, and if they freeze they can block your drainage completely. Take some time to clear out your gutters while the weather is still nice to make sure they’re ready for the winter.

   

  3) Grab a Caulk Gun. Caulk is a cheap and easy way to insulate your home. It can be used almost anywhere, but it really shines as a quick fix for cracks in your siding. Sealing exterior leaks should make for an easy afternoon project. While you’re at it, you should make sure to seal your clothes dryer vent and anywhere else cold air could sink in as well.

   

  4) Trim the Trees. That giant oak or maple in your front yard may provide welcome shade in the summer, but those overhanging branches will be hazardous when the weather turns. Get rid of any potential danger now by trimming branches that might damage your house if they freeze and fall off.

   

  Winterproofing your house can be a relaxing way to spend a summer afternoon, and properly winterproofed Connecticut houses will stay safe all season long while saving you money in the long run. Don’t wait until snow is falling to make sure your home is ready for the winter.

  Tags: home maintenance, winterizing home
  Posted in Home Maintenance | No Comments »

• Jul 17

  Real Estate Flipping Tips: Cleaning 101

  Real estate flipping tips usually tell you to update fixtures and replace the carpets, changes that can be costly and may even put you over budget. However, many savvy flippers know that with a little elbow grease and baking soda, you can make formerly grungy parts of the property sparkle. Here are a few real estate flipping tips and tricks for getting your property into shape for your open house:

   

  • Fix the floor. Carpets are expensive to replace, but it’s very important that they at least look clean. Remove stains by mixing vinegar and baking soda into a paste, then scrubbing the spot with the mixture. Let it dry, then vacuum up the remains. Make sure you test this on an inconspicuous area first – the acidic vinegar may alter the color of the carpet.
  • Get the smell out. Smelly homes don’t appeal to anybody. Although you can hide it with a candle or an air freshener at the open house, it’s better to get rid of the smell entirely. Shake some of your trusty baking soda on carpets and let it sit for a few hours before vacuuming to make the floor less stinky. Spraying vinegar around the home is also a proven odor remover. For tougher odors, place some vinegar in small dishes throughout the home.
  • Make fixtures sparkle like new. Instead of installing new fixtures, give them a thorough cleaning. Even the grungiest fixtures can be cleaned by soaking a cloth in vinegar and letting it sit on the fixture for twenty minutes. This loosens the buildup, which can then be removed with an old toothbrush.
  • Toilet and sink stains. Vinegar can make your toilets and sinks look new again. Just pour the vinegar in and let it sit overnight. The next day, scrub away the calcium and hard water buildup. If the vinegar doesn’t work to get rid of those stains, try letting half a cup of bleach sit in the bowl for a couple of hours.

   

  Before you jump in to buying all-new fixtures or redoing the carpets, try these real estate flipping tips for cleaning. You’d be surprised how many parts of the home can look new again with just a little time and effort. Make your property look great for the open house – without spending a bundle. You may not have to replace those fixtures and floors after all.

  Tags: Flipping Tips, home selling
  Posted in Home Maintenance, Home Selling | No Comments »