Tag Archives: Home Repairs

Do You Have a Home Inventory? Get One!

Homeowner Checklist“Hopefully, you’re fortunate enough to have never had a major incident at your home.  But if you did, would you know what was missing or damaged?  Would you know what you paid for it?  How long you had owned it?  Take these steps to be prepared,  just in case.”

Denise Buck & Ed Johnson – DC Metro Realty Team

 

 

How old is your bedroom furniture and what did you pay for it? Don’t know? That’s okay, let’s try an easier question. When did you buy the TV in your family room and is it a plasma, LCD or a LED?

Whether you are the victim of a burglary, a fire or a tornado, most people are comforted they have insurance to cover the losses. However, unless you’ve filed a claim, you may not be familiar with the procedures.

The adjustor will want to know the date and how the loss occurred. Assuming you have contents coverage, the claim for personal belongings is separate from damage to the home.

You’ll be asked to provide proof of purchase, like receipts or cancelled checks, or a current inventory. If they’re not available, you can reconstruct an inventory from memory. The challenge is trying to remember things you may not have used for years and may not miss for years more.

Relying on memory can be a very expensive alternative. A prudent homeowner will create a home inventory with pictures or videos while all of their belongings are in the home and they can see them.

Download a home inventory to make your project a little easier.

Quick Fixes Before You Sell Your Home

Curb Appeal“When you’re going to put your home on the Market, it pays to put a little time into sprucing it up a bit.  There are so many little things that go unnoticed around your home, even though you walk by them every day.  We can help you with this, and most of these don’t cost much, but have a big pay off in buyer appeal.”

Denise Buck & Ed Johnson – Dc Metro Realty Team

If you are selling your home, nothing matters more than making a good first impression. Get potential buyers to stop and notice your property by amping up its curb appeal. With a few inexpensive fixes, you can help your home stand out.

If you are selling your home, nothing matters more than making a good first impression. Get potential buyers to stop and notice your home by amping up its curb appeal. With a few inexpensive fixes, you can help your home stand out.

The #1 thing to keep in mind: Make sure your home looks well cared for. Achieving a fresh, modern look doesn’t have to be difficult or expensive. 

Spend a Little, Change a Lot

1. If your house numbers are weathered, buy new ones in a style that matches your home’s character. Or paint the old ones to give them new definition.

2. Has your mailbox seen better days? Paint it for a fresh pop of color or swap it out for a new one. You’ll notice an instant difference.

3. If the lighting fixtures near your front door scream “dated,” look for some trendy, inexpensive replacements that are available at most hardware stores.

4. If the hardware on your doors, windows and other areas has been painted over, is getting rusty or is coming unhinged, repair or replace it.

5. Want to take your home’s exterior from drab to fab? Add plants, whether they’re in window boxes, containers or a garden, their color and lushness can transform your house into something special.

6. If you’re lucky enough to have a porch, show it off with comfortable furniture, like a glider or Adirondack chair, to add a friendly, welcoming touch.

Common-Sense Fixes

1. Repair anything that is chipped, peeling or cracked, including garage doors, fences, gutters, sidewalks and more. Sand, patch and repaint as needed.

2. Wash your windows. Simple enough, right? It’s amazing how appealing cleanliness can be! Plus, natural light is a major selling point.

3. Pick up debris on your lawn and edge the grass. A manicured edge shows you care about the details. Prune bushes and trees to maintain their shape. 

4. Remove weeds growing between the cracks in your driveway. While you’re at it, seal the cracks and clean up any oil spills, too!

5. For night showings, put your outdoor lights on a timer to warmly welcomebuyers. If you can, install a spotlight and aim it at a tree or an especially nice feature of your house.

Originally published in American Home Shield Newsletter

How to: Clean Baseboards

how-to-clean-baseboards“One of my least favorite household cleaning chores…Baseboards.  You really have to get down on your hands and knees to get this one done.  And when you stop and look at all the baseboards you have in the house it seems a bit overwhelming.  This article not only shows you to clean them properly but also how to make it not quite so daunting of a task.”

Ed Johnson & Denise Buck – DC Metro Realty Team

You can spend hours washing the floor, dusting the furniture, and vacuuming the nooks and crannies in any given room, but so long as its baseboards are dirty, they are going to attract attention and create an overall impression of shabbiness and neglect. It’s by no means difficult to clean baseboards; this is not one of the great housekeeping challenges that you will face in life. Indeed, the trickiest bit is overcoming inertia. So if you’re actually reading this, the hard part is over! 

MATERIALS AND TOOLS 
– Vacuum (with brush attachment or duster) 
– Sponge 
– Dish soap, vinegar, or wood cleaner 
– Cotton swabs 
– Dryer sheets 

Rather than set out to clean the baseboards in every single room of your house all at once, make an agreement with yourself: Each and every time you break out the sponge and plastic gloves, you will clean the baseboards thoroughly in one room only. That way, the task of cleaning baseboards never becomes overwhelming. Also, remember that baseboards accumulate the dust and dirt that housework stirs up. Save the baseboards for last—don’t waste effort cleaning the same thing twice. 


STEP 1 
Begin the process by removing as much dust and dirt as you can from the area. If your vacuum has a brush attachment, use it to suction along the length of the baseboards, paying special attention to the crevice where the trim meets the floor. In lieu of a vacuum, you can rely on a duster to do a decent job of freeing up debris, which you can then corral and remove with a broom and dustpan. 

STEP 2 
Once you’ve removed all loose dirt and dust, you can begin to address stains and stuck-on grime. (Particularly in the kitchen, baseboards are the notorious hosts of unidentifiable splatters.) Dip a sponge into a mixture of warm water and dish soap (vinegar works well too), then go about scrubbing any marks that you can find. Note that if the baseboards in the room you are cleaning are stained, not painted, it may be preferable to use a cleaning solution formulated specifically for that application. 

STEP 3 
As you’re already crouched over cleaning the baseboards, you might as well do as good a job as possible. For those hard-to-reach spots—the crevice between the trim and flooring, for example, or around any imperfections that appear on the wood surface—use a cotton swab dipped in the cleaner. 

STEP 4 
Protect the baseboards’ newly acquired cleanliness by rubbing them with a fresh dryer sheet. Not only will this leave a fresh laundry scent that lasts a few days, but also—and more importantly—the sheet’s anti-static properties actually repel dust. Perhaps it sounds like overkill, but going this one step further can really pay off. 

Unless you live in a fraternity house, you’re unlikely to find that your baseboards need to be cleaned weekly. In the grand scheme of housekeeping, baseboards are rather low maintenance. If you’re like me, you probably notice baseboards only when they are not clean. So if on each occasion that you clean, you live up to the promise of doing the baseboards in one room only, you may never notice them again!

By Bob Vila – originally appearing on BobVila.com

Factors that Influence Your Home’s Value

ForSale“Often times, Sellers will wonder why their home isn’t selling as fast as the one down the street did.  Sometimes it’s just timing…the right buyer was looking at the right time and found the perfect home.  The following article identifies the key factors. But at the end of the day pricing it too high will completely negate all of the items below, so be sure to let us help you price it right to begin to begin with.”

Denise Buck & Ed Johnson – DC Metro Realty Team

While home sellers hope to get top dollar for their property – and some have an inflated idea of what to expect – establishing a home’s value can be a complex, multifaceted process. Do home renovations really pay off? And which is more valuable: a three-bedroom or a four-bedroom with the same square footage? We talked to real estate insiders to find out.  

1. Location. The classic real estate refrain says, “location, location, location.” Location includes factors such as the price of recent nearby transactions, the quality of local schools and whether the area has a strong sense of community. “Buyers increasingly value community in the community where they’re buying,” says Amy Anderson, an agent with Davidson Realty, Inc. in St. Augustine, Florida. “They come to me not looking for a house for four years, but focusing much more on the community, the activities and the school district.”

As Americans scale back their dependence on automobiles, some homebuyers seek out communities that don’t require cars to get around. One resource is WalkScore.com, which rates neighborhoods throughout the U.S. based on access to public transit and proximity to grocery stores, parks and more.” I think walkability has become more important in many markets, especially amongst millennials,” says Ken Wilson, president of the Appraisal Institute, a professional association for real estate appraisers, and founder of Wilson Realty Advisors in Dallas. “You’re also finding empty nesters that are looking into properties that have walkability.”

But as Zillow.com chief economist Stan Humphries points out, location encompasses many other considerations. “Does it have a view? Is it a waterfront home?” he asks. “What’s it next to? Is it near retail establishments? Or a highway?”

2. Size and layout. While homebuyers used to swoon over ample square footage, many have fallen out of love with the McMansion. “I think people realize when they buy a 3,300-square-foot house, they’re not getting what they thought they were,” Anderson says. “There’s more upkeep and a lot more involved with taking care of these huge houses.”

Layout is a key factor because an open-concept design can look much more spacious than a boxy space of the same size. The number of bedrooms also influences a home’s value, so think twice before putting up a wall and subdividing one room into two. “Adding a bedroom will take away value,” Humphries says. “Fewer but larger bedrooms tend to boost value.”

3. Age and condition. Historic homes (assuming they’re livable and well-maintained) and new homes are typically more valuable than homes built somewhere in the middle. “Generally, as a home gets older, it becomes less valuable,” Humphries says. “Then there’s a U-shape where, at some point, homes become so old that they have historical significance. A home that’s built in 1910 is probably more valuable than one built in 1970.”

Age aside, condition matters too. “Someone will pay $15,000 more for a well-kept house that’s move-in ready than they will for a house that needs $5,000 worth of work,” Anderson says.

4. Upgrades. Renovations play into a home’s value, but if your home is considered “over improved” compared with other properties in the neighborhood, it can actually hurt the property’s value. “You want it to be common for the neighborhood or subdivision,” Wilson says. “It wouldn’t hurt to visit neighbors’ homes or visit a home via an open house to see what people are marketing [before undertaking big improvements].” You could also hire an appraiser to prepare a feasibility analysis that will help you determine the impact of renovations on your home’s value.

Unless you live in an area where granite countertops and built-in wine fridges are the norm, Humphries says you might be better off saving the money and choosing more basic finishes. “It’s harder to recoup [your investment] if you guild the lily, if you will, on granite this and chrome that in your kitchen,” he says. “You’re spending a lot of money on something that might have a lot of personal taste attached to it.”

However, you should keep records of repairs and upgrades to show potential buyers that the home has been well-maintained.

5. Negative events. If your property has issues like mold or experienced a fire or was the site of a violent crime, it could be a harder sell – and command a lower price. “Nowadays, people are very concerned if there was a fire, prior mold damage or even if there were some sort of death or crime at the property,” Wilson says. Federal law requires the disclosure of all known lead-based paints, but state laws vary in whether the seller must disclose issues related to natural disasters or crimes committed on the property.

The appeared on Yahoo Homes and was from US News & World Reports

By Susan Johnston July 15, 2014

Protect Yourself from DIY Disasters

DIY Disaster“It always looks so simple, especially when they do it on TV.  Anyone can caulk the bathtub, or install a new light fixture…and think of all the money you can save by Doing it Yourself?  But before you tackle one of these projects, do yo have the right tools, do you really know what you’re doing?  Maybe you’re ready, but maybe you’re not.”

Denise Buck & Ed Johnson – DC Metro Realty Team

“The road to the hardware store is paved with good intentions,” says David Pekel, president and CEO of Pekel Construction in Milwaukee and a master certified remodeler. He is often greeted at his office on Monday by frantic calls from homeowners who failed in their DIY weekend projects.

Just know this: “It takes twice as long as you think it’s going to and generally costs twice as much,” Pekel says.

Here are 11 tips for avoiding your own DIY disasters.

Measure twice, cut once. There is a reason this proverb has been around for decades. If you cut your crown molding, tile or paneling too short, you can’t go back and make it longer.

Beware of plumbing projects. Most people can change the insides of a toilet, but problems can still arise, as Prescott discovered. If you have just one bathroom, be prepared to stay overnight elsewhere if something goes wrong. Make sure you turn off the water before you start any plumbing project.

Leave electrical projects to the professionals. If you know what you’re doing, you can change a light fixture. But replacing a light fixture with a ceiling fan involves more than just changing the fixture. Other electrical projects are even more complicated. If you do give it a shot, turn off the breaker before you touch anything.

Look for instructions online. You can find a YouTube video or detailed instructions for any project. But if that’s all the information you have on a project that you’ve never done before, beware. A video on building a deck from someone in Florida may not tell you what you need to get the deck to withstand 80 inches of snow, and a video from Minnesota on building a deck may not have the instructions you need to ensure your deck can survive a hurricane.

Take a class at Home Depot. Nearly every week, Home Depot stores nationwide offer free classes on everything from replacing a faucet to tiling a room. Be mindful that you need to register ahead of time to participate in these workshops.

Ask questions at the hardware store. Most hardware stores, and even some big-box stores, have experts on staff who can answer questions about home projects. If you’re replacing specific parts, bring along the parts if you can rather than trying to remember what they look like.

Use the right tools. You can rent or borrow some tools if you don’t own them yourself. Hint: If you’re going to assemble a lot of Ikea furniture, invest $20 in an electric screwdriver.

Know which work requires a permit. Some cities are stricter than others about permits, and only licensed contractors can obtain permits for some work. Doing major renovations without a permit could cause problems when you sell your home. Some cities require presale inspections, which can result in fines and the need for retroactive permits. That can mean redoing the job to city specifications.

Know what you can and can’t do yourself. “If you have to go to YouTube to learn something, you probably don’t know what you’re doing,” Pekel says. Homeowners often “don’t know what they don’t know.” If you mess up a painting project, you can always redo it. But if you take down a load-bearing wall and bring the second floor down with it, you’ve created a very expensive problem. With DIY projects, being cautious is typically the way to go.

Consider what your time is worth. If you earn $100 an hour and replacing a faucet takes you three hours, you would probably save money by hiring a plumber.

Be prepared to live with the results. That includes both the quality of work and the time your house will be in disarray. Can you install crown molding well enough to be happy with the results? Or will it forever bug you that it’s not exactly straight? That goes for more complex projects, too. If you gut the kitchen and end up taking six months to redo it, can you live without a kitchen that long?

Written by Teresa Mears, Originally appearing in US News

How to Paint a Door

how-to-paint-a-door-2“Painting a door…pretty simple right?  Well maybe not.  It’s an easy way to to add a pop of color to a room, but only if done properly.  Take your time and plan it out before you start to make sure it gets noticed for all the right reasons!”

 

 

Denise Buck & Ed Johnson – DC Metro Realty Team

Considering the low cost of the project and the relative ease with which it can be completed, painting a door is a terrific way to add a punch of personality to any interior. Painting a door involves virtually no risk: If you decide to paint the door orange, let’s say, and you end up hating how it looks, no problem: You can always revert to the original color or experiment with a different one. That said,painting a door is different from painting other surfaces. It requires more planning, a slightly modified approach, and a few supplies you might not have anticipated. Follow the steps below, however, and you ought to encounter few difficulties. 

MATERIALS AND TOOLS 
– Interior paint 
– Sandpaper 
– Tack cloth 
– Mineral spirits 
– Painter’s tape 
– Paintbrush 
– Roller (with paint tray) 

[inset] 

STEP 1 
If you’ve painted before, you’re most likely familiar with the idea that proper surface preparation means the difference between a smooth, lasting, beautiful finish and a sloppy-looking job. Satisfying, professional-level results begin with sanding, which goes a long way toward ensuring that the paint readily sticks to the door. Use 120-grit sandpaper and either manually, or by means of a hand-held power sander, sand the surface of the door in the direction of the wood grain. Once finished, wipe down the door with a lint-free tack cloth dampened with mineral spirits. Doing so removes the dust and oils that can interfere with paint adhesion. 

STEP 2 
Of course, the presence of hardware—that is, hinges and knobs and perhaps a locking mechanism—spells the crucial difference between a door panel and a wall of plaster or gypsum board. Avoid getting any paint on the door hardware, not only for aesthetic reasons, but also because you might disturb the hardware’s functioning. The safest course is to remove the knob and lock—or to completely remove the door from the hinges—before you start painting in earnest. For those looking to avoid that sort of hassle, a decent compromise would be to protect the metal parts of the door with strategically positioned painter’s tape. 

STEP 3 
Paint the frame of the door (also known as the casing) first—assuming you want to—so that any errant brush strokes land on the door panel that you’re going to paint anyway. If you do choose to paint the frame, use a one- or two-inch brush and let the coat dry completely before you proceed any further. That way, you won’t have to tread carefully later on, fearing that your next movement might result in an unsightly smudge. 

STEP 4 
Are you painting a door with inset panels? If so, paint those before the rest of the door. As you did with the door casing, use a one- or two-inch brush for this round of detail work. Your goal is to get these more-demanding aspects of the job out of the way, so you can then speedily finish with a roller. 

STEP 5 
A roller not only enables you to work faster, but it also delivers a smoother finish. As you go, remember to blend in any brush marks created in earlier steps. To avoid leaving fingerprints, it’s smart to paint one side of the door, let it dry completely, and then go on to paint the edge of the door and the opposite side. 

A word to the wise: While the paint is drying, minimize imperfections by keeping pets and children away from the door. Replace any hardware you’ve removed only after the paint is fully dry. Finally, step back and marvel at what a difference a painted door can make!

Originally appearing on BobVilla.com

How to Clean Granite Countertops

how-to-clean-granite-countertops“Many of you have either purchased a home with Granite, just upgraded to Granite, or are thinking about Granite…but do you really know how to clean it?  Don’t make the mistake of using ‘normal’ cleaning products.  Take  a few tips from the pros and do it right!”

 

Denise Buck & Ed Johnson – DC Metro Realty Team

In many people’s minds, granite means strength and resilience. But to clean granite countertops successfully, a homeowner must act with caution. The stone can actually be damaged by many of the products and techniques that are perfectly safe to use on other kitchen surfaces. You don’t have to be a genius to clean granite countertops; the job just requires a bit of extra care and attention. Follow the steps outlined here, and you’re bound to be satisfied with the result of your efforts. 

REGULAR CLEANING 
Your best bet is nothing more sophisticated than mild dish soap that’s been diluted with water. Bear in mind, however, that because granite scratches easily, the solution ought to be applied with a cotton cloth or soft sponge—that is, not with an abrasive scrubber. Before gently wiping down the counter, wring out the cloth or sponge so as not to compromise the highly absorbent stone (it can become discolored under standing water). Dry off the countertop as a final stage in this routine, not only to protect the granite from water damage but also to eliminate streaks and leave the surface with an eye-catching, irresistible shine. 

STAIN REMOVAL 
Don’t panic! Most of the time, stained granite countertops can be cleaned with household items so common that you probably already have them in your pantry. No matter the source of the stain, start with baking soda. If you wish to clean a water stain, mix the baking soda with a small amount of hydrogen peroxide. For an oil-based stain, mix the baking soda with water. In either case, the mixture should generate a thick paste. Generously spread that over the stain, then cover the area with plastic wrap, taping down its edges. Leave the stain remover overnight (or even for a couple of days), before rinsing and wiping down the granite. 

ADDING PROTECTION 
Most installations of granite are protected by a layer of sealant. If you’ve repeatedly tried and failed to remove stains from your counters, chances are that the sealant has ceased to function as it should. In situations where the sealant is to blame, stained granite becomes difficult or impossible to clean, at least for the average do-it-yourselfer. Your best bet is to hire a professional to completely clean and then properly reseal the stone, thereby preventing future problems.

Originally publish by Bob Villa on BobVilla.com

5 Upgrades to Consider when Re-Roofing

reroofing“Putting a new roof on a home is something that almost every homeowner has to deal with at some point.  Once you’ve made that decision there a several additional upgrades that can and should be considered at the same time.”

Denise Buck & Ed Johnson – DC Metro Realty Team

Although re-roofing is not necessarily a glamorous home improvement, it is certainly an important one. If you are planning a new roof, consider these 5 upgrades that will make your roof more beautiful, functional, and long-lived.

Re-roofing your home is not the most glamorous of home improvements. You’ll note that HGTV shows rarely even mention the roof. Unlike decks, kitchens, and baths, the roof is not really something you’d invite your friends over to admire. But re-roofing does present some appealing opportunities for the homeowner who wants to reduce maintenance and unnecessary expenses for years to come. Here are five roof upgrades to consider when you are about to reroof your home.

1. Install an airtight chimney cap
Unlike masonry and metal chimney caps that are designed to keep rain and (if screened) birds and other critters out of your chimney, airtight caps are about saving energy.

When your fireplace is not in use, warm air from inside your home is literally gushing out the chimney when the weather is cold. The damper in your firebox does little to stop it because it is not airtight.

Ask your roofer about installing an airtight chimney cap while the roof is being worked on. These units are spring-activated. To open the chimney cap, you just tug on a steel cable that’s attached to a bracket inside your fireplace. Pull it shut after your fire is completely out. An airtight cap has the added benefit of keeping animals from nesting inside your chimney.

2. Install eave flashing
If you’ve ever experienced damage from an ice dam, you might want to invest a little extra when re-roofing to install eave flashing. These peel-and-stick bituminous membranes are applied prior to shingling to a depth that is 2 feet inside the exterior wall plane (three feet on low-pitched roofs). The membranes self-seal around roofing fasteners, forming a watertight seal over the eaves, which are the portion of the roof most susceptible to ice dams. Bituminous eave flashing may also be specified for other vulnerable roof areas, such as over valleys and around skylights and dormers.

3. Improve roof ventilation
Attics become like furnaces in summer if they are not well ventilated. That heat buildup radiates to the rooms directly below the attic, making them uncomfortable. To keep the attic—and your home—cooler, be sure your roofing contractor installs ridge vents across the top of your roof. Barely noticeable from the street, ridge vents allow air movement beneath the ridge cap shingles. For ventilation to be effective, soffit vents located under the eaves draw cooler air into the attic as hot air is being expelled. Gable vents, which are located near the roof peak of exterior walls, may also be needed to ensure adequate airflow. A cooler attic means your home will be more comfortable during the summer without your having to spend a fortune on air conditioning.

4. Choose an energy-efficient shingle
The recommendation for a cooler roof used to be to select light-colored or white shingles. This option, however, wasn’t always aesthetically appealing to homeowners. Today’s new reflective shingles come in assorted colors, from popular slate to wood tones. The granules not only reflect the sun’s radiation but also quickly reemit much of the heat that is absorbed. Depending on your climate and your home’s construction, a cool roof can save between 7 and 15 percent of your cooling costs.

Photo: LeafGuard Brand Gutters

5. Install low-maintenance gutters
While you’re having your home reroofed, it’s also a good time to scrap your old gutters and install new ones—especially if your existing gutters are misaligned or unsightly. Gutter systems with built-in curved hoods, such as those from Englert LeafGuard, are designed to be maintenance-free. The patented design works on the scientific principle of water adhesion, allowing rainwater to travel down and around its curved hood and into the gutter while deflecting leaves. This prevents clogs and unsightly staining on gutters and siding due to gutter overflow. It also means you can forget about the messy and hazardous chore of climbing a ladder to clean your gutters. The one-piece, seamless LeafGuard Brand gutters are generously sized for the heaviest of downpours, and homeowners like the clean architectural way they define the roof eaves. They even come in a variety of colors, allowing you to choose a tone that will complement your trim, roofing, and siding. Use LeafGuard’s design tool to get a preview of how the gutters will look with your new roof.

With all these improvements, maybe a new roof is worth celebrating.

This posts facts and opinions are those of BobVila.com.

5 Ways to Improve Your Homes Curb Appeal

Curb Appeal“Nothing Quite sets the tone like good Curb Appeal when you are preparing to sell your home.  This is one of the first things we work on with our Sellers.  It’s all about getting that good first impression.  Through a Buyers eyes, if you can’t take care of the exterior, how could you take care of the interior?”

 

DC Metro Realty Team – Denise Buck & Ed Johnson

House hunting is a little like speed dating. You only get a few minutes to make a great impression. That’s why curb appeal is so important.

“When potential buyers pull up to your house, they’re asking themselves: Is this place worth getting out of the car to look at?” says Kevin Kieffer, a real estate agent based in California’s East Bay area. “Your house needs to be framed up: It needs to look like a picture when people pull up. They expect to see tasteful paint colors, well-trimmed grass, new bark, fresh flowers — the whole deal.”

Real estate agents participating in Zillow’s 2014 Home-Selling Season Survey identified curb appeal as a key way to make a property more attractive to buyers. Kieffer says that, while it’s hard to quantify return on investment, curb appeal is the best way to get quick action and top dollar for your property.

“In a market like ours, if people can see that a property is turn-key and they’re not going to have to spend time resodding or painting, you’re more likely to get more interest,” he said. “If you end up with a multiple-offer situation, it’s typical for the price to go up by 3 percent per bidder — that can add up to $10,000 over asking price really quickly.”

The great news is that you don’t have to spend a lot to make big changes to your home’s exterior appearance. Start the makeover by cutting the grass, power washing the porch and walkway, and getting rid of clutter. Then, tackle one or all five of these perk-up projects to enhance your home’s curb appeal.

Hardware redo

 

Hardware

 

House numbers, a wall-mounted mailbox and a porch light can add interest to your home’s exterior — unless they’re dated or dinged up. Ideally, all this hardware should match, both in style and finish. You’ll also want to choose hardware that coordinates with the style of your home. Sleek, brushed nickel house numbers, for instance, might look great on a contemporary home, but they’d probably be out of place on a log cabin.

Add a splash of color

 

Red front door

 

You can buy a gallon of quality exterior paint for about $25. That should be enough to add new color to — or simple freshen up — your front door, shutters and trim. Don’t be afraid of bold colors; just make sure they complement the other shades on your house and in your landscape. Of course, if the rest of the house is peeling, you may need to outlay more cash and paint the whole thing — or, at the very least, the side that faces the street.

Go green

 

Plants and flowers

 

Plant some flowers along your front walkway or add planters by your front door to give your home a welcoming feel. You can purchase pre-planted containers from your local garden center or create your own with your favorite plants. Window boxes are another great way to add color and interest to your home’s exterior. Just be sure you tend to your flowers after you plant them. Dying geraniums will not enhance your curb appeal.

Manicure trees and shrubs

 

Manicured landscape

 

Your house may be gorgeous, but that won’t matter if no one can see it. When your home’s best features are obscured by overgrown branches and shrubs, it can make the house seem uninviting and unkempt. In addition to looking unappealing, trees that rub against your house can damage your siding and provide a direct pathway for squirrels and other rodents that want to get onto your roof or under your siding. Tame bushes and branches or hire someone to do the job for you.

Bring the indoors out

 

Front porch seating area

 

If your outdoor space allows it, add a comfortable place to sit. Use an outdoor rug to visually anchor a seating area and then add a loveseat or chair and small table. Colorful cushions and pillows in outdoor fabrics will add punch to the space; select cushions with removable covers so you can wash them or swap them out as seasons change. Choose all-weather art to add the finishing touches to your outdoor space. If you already have outdoor furniture, make sure it’s clean and cared for. Create a setting that’s so attractive prospective buyers can’t resist it.

Photos courtesy of Zillow Digs

8 Spring Maintenance Projects To Save Money

“Now that the weather is finally starting to turn to Spring, it’s time to take a look around and see what might need to be done around your home.  Most of the time we think about Spring Cleaning, but equally important is Spring Maintenance.  Now is the perfect time to look for those things that went unnoticed because we were cocooning all Winter.”

 

DC Metro Realty Team – Denise Buck & Ed Johnson

When we talk about money-saving home maintenance projects, we often focus on winter. After all, heating a home is expensive, and we’ll do whatever we can to reduce the winter costs.

But many projects better suited for warmer weather can save you money, too. Here are eight projects to tackle this spring:

1. Clean the refrigerator and air conditioner coils. Your fridge and air conditioner work in nearly the same way – by exchanging heat through a system of coils. When those coils are dirty and dusty, they can’t exchange heat as efficiently, so the system has to run harder and longer to have the same cooling effect.

Luckily, cleaning these coils is simple. Just take a vacuum hose to the coils on the back of your fridge. For an outside air conditioner unit, you’ll need to disassemble the casing (making sure the power to the unit is off first), and clean using canned air and/or a stiff brush and spray bottle.

2. Schedule routine heating, ventilation and air conditioning maintenance. Yes, it costs money to get an HVAC professional to look over your system. But routine maintenance costs much less than major fixes down the road. So call and schedule your HVAC maintenance now. To save even more, check websites such as Groupon, Amazon Local and Angie’s List for deals with local HVAC companies.

3. Inspect and repair your roof. Spring is the time to get out on the roof to check for ice, hail or water damage from winter. Repairing minor damage can be a quick do-it-yourself fix, and staying on top of your roof’s condition (no pun intended) can save you money by avoiding water damage later on.

4. Clean gutters. This can be a Saturday-long spring chore for many, but it’s important, especially if you live in an area with April showers.

Water doesn’t properly pass through clogged gutters. And that means more water gets near the foundation of your home. This may not cause immediate problems, but over time, too much water near the foundation can cause damage and weakening, which are expensive problems to fix later.

5. Clean the dryer vent. Just like your refrigerator doesn’t work properly with dusty coils, your dryer is less efficient with a lint-filled vent. Even if you clean the lint trap before every load of laundry, you’ll still get some lint in the vent hose, which builds up over time.

To clean the vent, just remove the vent hose from the back of the dryer and vacuum it well. Then, remove the vent cover on the outside of your home, and vacuum it from that side, too.

6. Check the washing machine hoses. Over time, washing machine hoses can crack, which can cause leaks. Sometimes, these inconspicuous leaks go on for weeks or months unnoticed, usually because the washer is pushed back into a corner. This can cause mold problems, water damage and more.

So while you’ve got the dryer pulled out to clean the vent, pull out the washer, too. Check that the hoses are still flexible, and they show no signs of cracking. If they do look worn or cracked, just replace them. It’s an easy fix!

7. Re-caulk windows and doors. You might have caulked your doors and windows before the winter chill set in. Unfortunately, even the best caulk can harden, crack and shrink when it’s cold outside.

So check your windows and doors, and replace as needed. Keeping the hot air out during the summer is just as important as keeping it in during the winter.

8. Plant trees in strategic locations. As you think about landscaping this spring, consider planting a new tree or two. Mother Nature will certainly thank you, and your heating and cooling bills might, too.

If your house gets hit with a lot of sun during the day – which causes the inside to heat up – plant a fast-growing deciduous tree or two on the west, east or northwest side of your home for cooling shade.

And if you noticed wind whistling through the cracks of your home over the winter, an evergreen windbreak on the windiest side of your home might do the trick and block the wind.

Before you plant, make sure you understand how large a tree will grow when it reaches maturity, so you avoid potential costly issues from a tree planted too close to your home.

By Abby Hayes, 

Originally published in US News & World Report – Money