Home Maintenance Tips.

Maintaining your home isn't easy but a little prevention can spare you some big repairs! Deferred maintenance can also effect you when you go to sell your home! When buyers see things that are broken, they take a closer look at your home!

1. Give your home a good scrub down! Clean everything, even windows! A good place to keep clean is under sinks, buyers and inspectors look there for water damage. Clean homes just present well and generally have a neutral smell!

2. Keep up on minor repairs. Don't let that loose faucet or door handle get any worse. Change burnt out lightbulbs and double check smoke alarms. Also change your air filters!

3. File away major repair invoices. If you get a new water heater, A/C unit, or even an appliance, keep them all. Maintain a file with these invoice in your home, that way you're prepared for any service calls or warranty fixes. Plus, you can leave it for the next owners of your home!

4. Double check your home's systems. Make sure your A/C unit isn't wobbling or making noise. Check to make sure your hot water heater is operational and set at the right temperature. Look under sinks for leaks and check your toilets too! 

5. Look at your home like you're about to sell it. If you were touring this house, like a buyer, what would make you frown? Fix those. What would make you smile? Do more of that. Keeping this perspective will keep you from having to fix everything up before you sell it!

6. Check pool equipment and water levels. It's peak summer and your pool has probably been working extra hard to stay clean. Look over the equipment for any leaks or plugs. Grab a pumice stone and have the kids work on that water line, calcium build up!

7. Purge your storage spaces. If you have stuff in the attic or in the garage, do a small purge session and get rid of some things. Not only will it make some more room, it will keep stuff from building up. Termites and other critters can cause damage in places your stuff is building up!

8. Be aware of moisture build up. Our houses are sealed up tight during the summer and that helps keep us cool, but it may also keep bad stuff inside too. Check your bathrooms for moisture build up and make sure your exhaust fan is working. You may need to give it a little vacuum so it can breathe better. 

9. Secure gates and access points. Part of home maintenance is safety. So check your gates, add locks if needed, and fix any weak entry points to your home. Double check that your pet doesn't have any escape points either. 

10. Sweep the perimeter of your home. Are there plants touching your home? Bushes or moisture near the foundation? These things can be invitations for critters like termites and roof rats. Not good! Trim and remove as needed. Monitor the moisture at the foundation to prevent bigger problems. 

Those are your home maintenance tips! What are some things you suggest?

These items will not only keep your home looking great and performing well! It will also keep you prepared for that day when it comes to sell your home. Your home will already be inspection ready!

Selling Your Home in a Housing Shortage

We've all heard the news about how there isn't enough homes on the market to keep up with the demand of homebuyers. So you may be hesitating if you're thinking of selling your home, it may seem like there's nothing out there to move to. However, I can solve that problem for you!

1. Make a Plan: You've decided that you want to move. Now, before you put your home on the market, make sure you make a plan with your REALTOR®. Find the area and type of home you want to buy and get an idea of what's on the market. Once you have an idea of the market, then you and your real estate agent will put the plan into action.
2. Watch the Market: Once your home is for sale, keep an eye on the homes you like, and any new homes that come on the market. Don't get attached, just watch the market. Once you get a contract on your home, it's time to tour homes to buy!
3. Make an Offer: When the house you are selling has a contract on it and your are touring homes. It is time to make an offer! The key is to have a couple of homes you love, so you can put in a few offers. If you like 80% of the house, go for it!  
4. Stay Patient: Your main job is to stay patient, not only with the showings happening at your home but with your own home search. It's going to be a hectic period of time but your REALTOR® should make it as smooth as possible. If they are experienced, this type of transaction shouldn't be hard for them at all. They should be able to line up all the dominos, so that they fall into place perfectly for you!

Now that you have a better idea of how the process would work, you shouldn't hesitate to sell your home in today's market. Home values are rising, so making a move now could be a win-win for you, sell your home for a good price and move-up before prices are even higher. 

Make sure your REALTOR® is experienced and does a good amount of business, every year. The more transactions they have been a part of the easier it will be for you. Plus you'll have a good negotiator on your side for both transactions, helping you maximize your value and close on time. 

Selling Your House in The Summer

Summertime means businesses in general are seeing increased sales. The days are longer, people are going on summer vacations, and maximizing their time outdoors before it's too hot. So now may be the perfect time for you to sell your house! Here's some tips:

More Buyers: Typically, people start looking for houses in March and the search for the perfect home can take quite a few months. So by the time summer rolls around they're ready to buy! That means more eyes on the market and if you sell in the summer, you could get a lot more traffic!

Keep it Cool: If buyers are out and about  during the heat of the day, a cool house will feel like a refuge! Pair that with a house that shows well and you'll stand out in their minds. Make sure to turn the A/C down a little lower than normal, so they can cool off while they tour your home. 

Longer Days: Even in Arizona, the longer days help more buyers search for houses. If you work until 5 pm, during the summer you have daylight until almost 8 pm! That leaves so much more time to see as many houses as possible. 

Outdoor Space: It may be getting too hot out, but buyer's still want that outdoor living space. They may be looking for a house during the summer but they'll be living in a home as the temperatures start cooling down. Keep the grass green, trim all the bushes, and create some seating areas. Bonus: add some seasonal flowers to brighten it up!

Trust a Professional: Whether you're buying a new home or on the resale market. Trust a full-time REALTOR® to help you because in a highly competitive market, you need that experience. Ask them how many transactions they do each year and then ask them how close to list price is their average sales price. That will tell you a lot about their experience. If they have the answers, that's a good sign.  

Have any questions? Let me know! I am happy to help you in any way I can!

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