This is our most trusted competitive weapon of late. We counsel our clients to consider investing in a professional “pre-listing” home inspection as an integral step in preparing their respective properties for the market. Why do we do this? Every buyer is likely to have a professional inspection conducted as part of their purchase and sale agreement, and it makes …
2011-Fast Start
It appears that 2011 is off to a more robust start than 2010, or maybe it’s just the way I feel, or maybe it’s the way you feel. This is admittedly conjecture on my part, but it feels as if everyone has a little more energy, a little more positive outlook than a year ago. Is it that the bad …
How To Replace Interior Doors
Interior door replacement can be done in many ways. Concerns vary, but the overarching issue is generally whether your doors should be stained or painted, in accordance with the existing millwork in your home. In my humble opinion, painted doors with stained millwork looks odd, even if they are nicely painted 6-panel doors. Until recently, stain grade doors were very …
Drain Your Hot Water Heater…
Click Image to Enlarge I have heard over the years that it is a good idea to periodically drain your hot water tank. It is one of those things that I may have remembered to do about 3 times out of 20 years of home-ownership. Today I stumbled upon an article which sheds some light on the matter, and I …
Proactive Maintenance
Great article in Seattle Times this weekend. (Can’t believe I said that. Oh yea, it’s because it was copied from a reporter for the Denver Post.) Proactive maintenance is key to saving money as a homeowner. Something mentioned in the article is what we have recommended to homeowners for years: If you had an inspection performed when you purchased your …
Avoid Freezing Pipes
When it gets cold there is nothing worse than when a frozen pipe bursts. The mess, the expense, is easily avoided with a few simple steps. 1. Protect all outdoor hose bibs . You don’t have to buy those Styrofoam covers. Simply wrapping the fixture with a thick rag will do the job just fine. Plus, you won’t have to chase …
Appliances: Enough is Enough!
We have owned many appliances in the course of our home-ownership lives. As agents, we have witnessed thousands of issues involving home-ownership and maintenance. However, never before have we encountered such a pesky, unrelenting, annoying issue as a dishwasher that requires more than annual service, and has never performed properly. We have had the same service folks out repeatedly, the …
What’s Hot In The Kitchen: The Latest From Forbes.com
Have you been considering a kitchen remodel? Even if you already have a Viking Range and a Sub-Zero, there are new items that fall into the “to die for” kitchen appliance category. Lucy Maher at Forbes.com does a nice job of presenting the latest technologies for the kitchen. Wait ’til you see the kitchen sink/dishwasher, or the refer/oven. Very cool …
Avoiding Bathroom Floor Troubles
If you’re a homeowner, it is likely that you have had to remove and reset a toilet of two, OR hired someone to do it. It’s a fairly easy, but messy, inexpensive task. However, a common problem with toilet installations is that some people and plumbers and re-modelers like to caulk the toilet flange to the floor. It doesn’t matter …