Top 4 "Easy-to-Fix" Issues That Turn Off Potential Buyers

If you're planning to sell your Louisville home then you obviously want to get top dollar for it.

The problem is that it's  not in your budget to spend thousands to get your house in tip top condition, or maybe you just don't want to put any money into a house that you're selling.
Fortunately, there are some things that you can do on your own that can make a huge impact on how fast your home sells for and for how much.

In my time as an Louisville Home Inspector, I've heard the same complaints from buyers over and over. Here's a list of the top complaints that I hear from potential buyers.

1-Funky Paint Colors- Coming in at number one is the "paint complaint". Even though it's a relatively easy fix, paint color can be a huge turn off for buyers. Most buyers just want to move their stuff in and be done with it. Unless the buyer is looking for a fixer-upper, they don't want to have to deal with breaking out the paint rollers and painting the house they just closed on.  Sellers will have a much better chance at getting top dollar for their house if they paint over the dark blue kitchen and burgundy living room that they once thought was a great idea. Paint color is not only one of the easiest things to change but it's also one of the least expensive repairs that a seller can do.

2-Un-maintained Landscaping- Believe it or not, even overgrown landscaping can cause a potential buyer to take one look from the street and just keep on driving. With the average buyer it comes down to "the perception is the reality" and first impressions start with curb appeal. Many people are just not able to see past certain things and as simple as it is to trim up those trees and shrubs, most buyers just don't want to deal with it.

If you want to sell your house sooner than later, then get out there and start trimming, raking and mowing. It doesn't cost anything but time and a little time and hard work. Don't have a potential buyer "make like a tree and leave"  just because of some poorly maintained landscaping.

3-Clutter and Dirt- There's nothing worse than bringing a client into a dirty house that they can barely walk around in. Oversized furniture or too much furniture can send buyers running out the door. Clutter can make a house look much smaller than it actually is and if the house is dirty on top of that, then this will almost guarantee that you will lose whatever potential buyer sees it in this condition.

The advice that I hear agents give to their sellers, even if it's an Louisville short sale ,

• start throwing out anything that they can
• consider moving any oversized furniture to a storage or at least the garage
• clean, clean and clean some more

Cleaning and de-cluttering a house will give it an entirely different and much more pleasant feeling to a buyer doing a walk through. I've actually had clients change their mind about selling once they've seen what their home looks like after de-cluttering and cleaning it.

4-Mirrored walls, paneling and wallpaper- The seventy's and eighty's were a great time but the party's over now and it's time to bring your house into the new millennium. You don't want a potential buyer to feel like they've stepped into a time machine when they see your house. Get rid of those large mirrors on the walls along with the flower patterned wall paper and that ugly paneling. it's relatively easy to do and totally worth the effort. Oh, and if  there are any disco balls around, you should toss them to.
The moral of this story is that some time and hard work can go a long way when you want to sell your home for the highest dollar amount possible.

Special thanks toi our guest blogger, John Conde, Orlando Realty Consultants.

Making a Smooth Transition from Renting to Owning

When you’ve been renting homes all your life, you may not really know where to start when it comes to finally buying a home.

• Should you get pre-approved for a mortgage or find a home first? 
• Should you go with a starter home or treat yourself to luxury homes for sale? 
• Do you need to save up the down payment before you do anything else? 
• What about hiring a luxury realtor to help you find the home of your dreams? 

Here we’re going to go over some things that you will need to know to get the home that’s right for you, so let’s get started!

Itemizing Your Costs

When you own your home you’re going to be able to itemize costs of your luxury home like:
Mortgage Interest – Whatever money you pay towards interest will be tax deductible, so you’ll want to keep on top of it throughout the year. Keep your mortgage statements every month so you know how much you’ve paid and how much you’re still paying.
Property Taxes–Property taxes on your real estate are for the most part tax deductible. You’ll want to talk to your financial advisor to see if you can do this for your case, but it never hurts to ask. If not you can always deduct gifts to charity, private medical expenses and even stuff like home improvements.

The Benefits of Equity
If you own your own home, you won’t have to worry about rent – and with equity you’re saving up money for a rainy day. You’ll be able to put that money away for when you need it! If you pay off your home in full you’ll be able to borrow against up to 80% of your home’s value, but most people never need that much. You’ll want to be careful about what lenders you work with for that though, because you can easily get trapped in a situation where you lose your home.

Paying for Everything
A Downside of owning your own home means that you’re going to have to pay for everything. You’re going to have to make sure that you keep up on maintenance, you’ll have to make decisions and if you don’t take care of it no one else will. That means you’re going to have to keep on top of it, and that can be a lot of responsibility for one person, especially when you’re not used to that.

Mobility is Limited
Mobility is limited when you own real estate, but that can be remedied when you have a portable mortgage. You don’t have to be trapped, but you do have to be willing to stay in the same place for a little while. That’s just the trade off when you own your own home; you’ll want to consider this before you buy any kind of homes for sale or real estate. It’ll tie you to a certain area until you can sell it again, and no one knows when that might be.

This guest blog was submitted by The Goodale Miller Team.  The #1 team in Canada for Century 21 for 8 years running.  Specializing in Oakville luxury real estate, including Oakville Lakefront luxury homes, infill building lots, condominiums and more. If you would like to submit a guest blog, please visit our website at www.homemd.com 


For more helpful information and resources or to schedule a home inspection in the Louisville and surrounding areas, call us directly at
502-290-3935 or schedule online at www.homemd.com. 

Must-Have Garage Door Security Features

Garage doors make life convenient, but they do come with some security risks. Garage doors can be dangerous and cause damage to property and people if they do not have the proper safety features. They can also be used to gain entrance to a house if they are not properly used. Do not install a garage door without ensuring that it has all the proper safety features. Follow this guide to the essential safety features that every garage door should come equipped with.

A High Button

The button to activate the garage door should be out of the reach of any curious little kids. A proper height for a garage door button is at least four feet high. This will prevent little kids from getting injured by the door coming down or getting in trouble by getting outside.

Don’t Let Kids Play with the Garage Door

Even when kids get older, they still should be educated not to play with the garage door. Every year, hundreds of kids wind up headed to the emergency room because they like to play with garage doors. These injuries usually occur because they like to play games where they try to slide under the garage door while it is closing. Make sure to inform kids of the dangers of playing with garage doors to keep them safe.

Emergency Release

The garage door should have an emergency release as an essential safety feature. This will allow owners to open and close their garage doors even when the power is off.

Automatic Reversal Mechanism

This is perhaps the most crucial safety feature on a garage door. The automatic reversal mechanism activates when it encounters an object on its way down. It should instantly stop and start to come back up when it encounters anything. This safety feature is one that should be tested regularly by garage door owners. Every month or two, owners should try closing the garage with a 2x4 in its path. When this safety feature is working properly, it can save cars from being damaged by an accidental closure. It can also save lives by preventing people from getting smashed by a closing garage door.

Vacation Lock Security Switch

This is one of the most important safety features for homeowners who are worried about burglars. The vacation lock security switch can be flipped by homeowners whenever they will be away from their home for extended periods of time. This will disable the garage from being opened by a remote control. Many burglars break into homes by using multiple remote controls until they find a frequency that will open the garage door. Then they simply walk in the house door in the garage because it is almost always unlocked. Always activate the vacation lock security switch when you will be gone for more than a day.

Small Garage Door Remote Control

Because the remote control can be used to gain access, thieves will often smash into a car to grab the remote control. Then they can use it at their leisure to gain entrance to the house. Do not leave your garage door remote control out in plain sight in your car. It is best to get a small remote control for the garage door that can fit onto a keychain. This will allow you to keep it with you at all times, taking away the chance for a thief to steal it from the car.

Lock Your Door

Even with security features, a garage is an easy access point for thieves. Make sure to always deadbolt the house door inside the garage. This is a crucial line of defense for your home safety.

In the home inspection and home security industry, your best defense is knowledge.  So, try your best to make note of these security features on your new home and improve your families safety profile. For more home related information visit the HomeMD Blog

3 Common Plumbing Problems You Can Inspect and Fix to Save Money

As you continue to look at the interior and exterior of your home, we found three common plumbing problems that most home owners can fix themselves - often for less than $5. 

Sneezing. Coughing. Running nose. Itching red eyes. Sound familiar? Up to 50-million Americans each year experience these symptoms due to allergies. In the Ohio valley, we seem to have more than our share of allergens.

Even though we can't control the allergens in our environment, according to many allergists, we can impact the sniffing, sneezing and wheezing within our homes.
  
Common household allergens such as dust, dust mites, mold, pet dander, and cockroaches can trigger allergies, explains pediatric allergist Dr. Mary Lasley. "Simple changes in your routine house cleaning can reduce allergies and help your family live more comfortably," she adds.

1. Control Ventilation and Filter the Air
Simply opening windows to let indoor allergens out of the home can bring outdoor allergens such as pollen and mold spores into the house. Instead,

• use heat and air conditioning to clean, circulate and dehumidify the air in the home. 
• use a high-efficiency particulate air (HEPA) filter to remove airborne allergens, such as pet dander, can lessen the amount of circulating allergens.

Just remember, dust mite and cockroach allergens are generally heavy particles that do not stay suspended in the air and settle quickly, so air filters or air purifiers do not work well for these allergens.

2. Reduce Moisture

Dust mites and molds thrive only in high humidity areas. Inspect your home's  relative humidity level and try to maintain below 55 percent by using heat and/or air-conditioning equipment consistently and using a dehumidifier where necessary - doing so will discourage dust mite and mold growth. Inspect and repair all roof and plumbing leaks to prevent mold.

3. Regular Cleaning
Cleaning is the best way to reduce allergens. Done regularly, cleaning stops allergens from accumulating, which helps minimize allergy and/or asthma symptoms. Pay special attention to the bedroom since most exposure to dust mites is while sleeping - 60 percent of dust mite allergen is found in mattresses and bedding. In order to control these allergens, wash bed linens in hot water (at least 130 F) weekly and vacuum mattresses regularly. Comforters, blankets and curtains should be washed frequently. Encase pillows, mattresses and box springs in "allergen-control" covers, and freeze or wash stuffed animals weekly in hot water (at least 130 F).

1. Clean and disinfect wet, warm areas - such as kitchens and bathrooms - weekly to stop mold growth.
2. Smooth floors should be vacuumed, dusted and wet mopped weekly. When sweeping, take care not to circulate dust from the floor into the air.
3. Vacuum carpet and rugs at least once a week - twice a week in bedrooms and high-traffic areas. Use a well-functioning vacuum cleaner that has adjustable brushes, and bears the Carpet and Rug Institute'sSeal of Approval (SOA). These are vacuum cleaners that have been tested for and meet strict standards for removing soil and containing the dust within the bag and the vacuum cleaner. The SOA program endorses only vacuum cleaners that perform each of the following three tasks well: soil removal, dust containment (without putting the dust back into the air) and carpet appearance retention.
4. Vacuum upholstered furniture regularly, and clean hard furniture with a damp cloth. A damp cloth should be used on window treatments, windowsills and window frames, ceiling fans, light fixtures, and storage units as well. Dust also can be reduced by storing books and knick-knacks in closed cabinets - doing so leaves fewer places for dust to settle and makes cleaning easier.

With just a little modification in your routine house cleaning chores, you can help control the allergens in your home- even if Mother Nature continues to antagonize our outdoor environment.
 
If you think you may have other environmental concerns in your home, you can visit our website at www.homemd.comfor more information on air quality inspections.

It’s time to see what winter’s ice, snow, and rain have done to your home and make fixes quickly to head off damage - and add a little curb appeal to your home as you go.
 
First, step outside and look at your house as if you were going to purchase it  It's a sure way to stay on top of your home’s maintenance and protect your investment - short-term and long-term.  
Look at your home's exterior curb appeal to see what winter's fury might have done to your exterior appearance.

• Check steps, decks and porches for wood rot and peeling paint. 
• Repaint porch steps and railings yearly with durable deck paint. 
• Wash winter grime and dust off the front door and door frame. 
• Repaint or stain the front door to protect wood doors and give the whole home a little face lift. 
• Consider using a fun accent color such as barn red, black, hunter green, navy blue or gold, depending on the other colors on your home’s exterior.
  
  
  

Now, carry your eyes upward to the roof  - With any luck, Louisville has put another winter behind us - but before the blustery May winds come in - it may be the perfect time to pull a ladder up to the roof to check the valleys and remove accumulations of sticks, leaves, tree needles and other storm debris. Similar to the dangers posed by melting snow on a roof, dammed-up debris can let moisture penetrate the roofing and reach into structural timbers and walls, causing rot and mold.

While on the ladder: 

• Check the flashings, or metal seals, around roof joints, chimneys, skylights 
• Check the other structures that penetrate a roof for holes or rust.
• Make repairs where you can, but be sure to call a professional if you need their experience and tools.

And finally, be sure to check for water under the house at this time of the year also.  While spring rains are still falling, or shortly thereafter, get beneath the house to see if there’s any accumulated water.  It should be dry there, even when it’s raining outside.
 
If it isn't dry,  you can try the following steps to help assess the problem:

• Eliminate the possibility of leaks from inside the house by checking the underside of the floor for dripping water or water stains. 
• Track down any plumbing leaks and repair them or call a plumber. 
• If an inside leak is not to blame, look next for seepage from outside the house. 
• Check where the foundation meets the ground for spots where the earth slopes toward the house. 
• Even dirt mounded around shrubs should be corrected by replanting. 
• Fix any sloping earth so that it directs water away from the house.
• If you live at the bottom of a hill, that may mean calling a drainage expert to diagnose problems or help devise solutions. 
• Keep up preventive maintenance by trimming trees and shrubs to keep them from touching the house and channeling water down the walls; 
• Remove ladders, wheelbarrows and other equipment stacked against the outside of your home. 
• Install extensions on gutter downspouts to keep water far from the structure.

To stay on top of your home’s maintenance and head off expensive repairs, hire a home inspector to scrutinize your home from top to bottom. For the cost of $200 to $400, you can learn more about your home, get some peace of mind that everything’s in good shape, and prepare a list of chores to be done. Ask the inspector to help you prioritize the repairs.

Spring in Louisville can be a beautiful time - but take the time to make sure your home has a once-over following the last winter and is ready for April Showers.

If you are interested in a comprehensive home inspection and a list of what is covered, you can visit our web site at www.homemd.com

 

April Showers Can Bring Leaky Basements and Moldy Walls 

April showers may bring May flowers, but to a homeowner starting their first spring in a new home, there could be a possibility of leaky basements, moldy walls and costly cleanup in their new neighborhood.
 
When you start your spring cleaning, don't forget to check the outside of your home to make sure it's protected from water damage and natural disasters.

• Make sure gutters are clean and stable. This ensures proper drainage and lessens the chance they will become flying debris in high wind.
• While you're there, examine fascia or soffit boards. If they are rotting or soft, they may allow rain into your attic or atop interior walls.
• Make sure downspouts are sloping away from the house and carrying water at least five feet away from foundation walls.
• Lawn sprinkler heads should not spray the walls of the house. This moisture can lead to unwanted growths, wall failure and other destructive moisture problems.
• Examine your roof carefully, looking for worn, curled or missing shingles.
• If you can't inspect your roof easily, your attic is the next best place to check for problems. Look for moisture or surface discoloration -- and do this every time you go into the attic. The earlier you find a roofing problem, the better.
• Examine window and door flashing, seals or weather-stripping. If sealants around those openings are no longer pliable and continuous, reseal and caulk them.