Fall Home Maintenance Checklist
Fall is upon us which means a few things need to be done around the house! Here is a great list that Zillow shared with us. Right click to download or print. Happy Fall Y’all!
7 Easy Landscape Ideas for a New Home
The following is a guest post by Meredith Hale.
You’ve closed on your new home, unpacked your belongings and breathed a sigh of relief. Now it’s time to look outside and turn your attention to the landscaping. If you’re lucky, you purchased a home that was once owned by a master gardener. However, most of us find our new yard needs a bit of work to make it our own. While some large-scale projects are more complex, there are some simple things you can do to personalize your outdoor living space. Check out these seven easy landscape ideas for a new home:
Plant Shade Trees
Trees are valuable to a landscape once they’ve matured. Older trees not only help shade your home and yard but also freshen the air. Trees also harbor neighborhood birds, which are important to the local environment. Planting a tree is a great way to mark the purchase of your new home and invest in the future. Make sure to plant a shade tree far enough away from the house so that it doesn’t interfere with the foundation or sewer system. You also want to avoid trees that will have you constantly raking and cleaning out the gutters. Consider planting evergreens on a breezy side of the yard to help block the wind.
Go Native
If you plan on adding any new plants to your landscaping, choose purple yarrow, coreopsis, red yucca shrubs or any of the native options that thrive naturally in Dallas. These are the plants that you may notice growing along the edge of a lake, beside roadways, and in untamed areas while on a hike. Native flowers need little water and will attract pollinators to your yard. They’ll also cut down on the amount of time you’ll have to spend maintaining your landscape.
Spread Some Mulch
Bringing in mulch to spread around the base of your landscaped plants is easy and will pay off in the long run. Organic mulch options, like bark dust, will provide beautiful color to the yard and keep plants hydrated. Inorganic mulch options, like stones or pebbles, will last longer but can be harder to spread due to their weight. Both options will help prevent weeds from popping up. Investing an afternoon spreading mulch can also save you a lot of maintenance time later on.
Make It Private
There will be areas of your yard that you will want to enjoy without the glances from neighbors walking by. Have fun with it and start some outdoor projects by planting a row of boxwoods for some semi-private areas or even hang some lattice on one side of the patio. Windscreens and vertical gardens are other ways that you can use the vertical space in the yard to add privacy. Adding a shade canopy or large umbrella can create a sense of privacy for homes with two-story neighbors.
Find A Favorite Spot
Outdoor seating is an integral part of landscaping a backyard. You can easily incorporate room amid plants and garden beds. Place a metal café table near your favorite rose bushes or even hang a hammock between two mature shade trees. Finding a spot in the yard that you can enjoy daily, while also being comfortable, will help you use your outdoor space more often.
Light it Up
A string of patio lights or outdoor solar lights will make the yard safer in the dark and allow you to use your yard well after dark. Go a step further and add a fire pit to the patio (either a permanent or less expensive portable one). The extra light will add a certain ambiance to your yard and encourage your family to get outdoors more often.
Add Some Stepping Stones
Many backyards have gates or side entry points that allow you to enter the yard without going through the house. These areas are often forgotten and usually, don’t include any kind of walkway or path. Consider adding stepping stones from the gate to the back patio to help encourage the use of the pathway without bringing dirt into your new home. Installing just a few stones will also help keep shoes out of the mud and provide a stable area that’s safe to use.
Updating your landscaping will help you increase the usable square footage of your home. You’ll now have more areas to relax and entertain guests.
Meredith Hale is a gardening and landscape writer, and design addict. She has coordinated the design on many house flipping projects, admitting that her favorite part is creating inspired outdoor spaces.
MAY 26, 2019
Writing the Perfect Dear Seller Letter
As written by:
In a seller’s market, buyers frequently find themselves competing for a limited number of available properties for sale. When competing for a home, one thing that can give buyers a distinctive edge is writing a dear seller letter to the homeowners.
A dear seller letter is one thing that can give the buyer a distinctive edge in a seller’s market. In Mid-Michigan, like many other parts of the country, listing inventory is low and buyers find themselves competing for a limited number of available properties for sale. When competing for a home, there are many ways to make your offer attractive to the seller. When a seller is reviewing multiple offers on their home that may be very close in price and terms, you want them to feel an emotional connection to you. A well-written dear seller letter can create that connection.
Here are some tips on how to write the perfect dear seller letter:
You want the seller to know who you are: Start out your letter by introducing yourself and let the seller know who will be living in the house. They might be thrilled to know that you are, for example, recently married, first-time buyers who work in a field like theirs. It’s all about making that personal connection.
Tell the seller why you are moving: Helping the seller understand your motivation for buying their house can make a difference too. Sellers might be more motivated to sell the house to a family who is weeks away from the birth of a third child and desperately needs the fourth bedroom their house offers.
Explain to the seller why you love the house: Chances are the seller originally purchased the property because, like you, they felt an emotional attachment to the home. Let them know the distinct characteristics that drew you to the house; whether it’s the beautifully remodeled kitchen or the hardwood oak floors they may have painstakingly just refinished. Sellers will appreciate knowing the details that make their home special to you.
Use social media to learn a little bit about the sellers: Checkout the seller’s Facebook and LinkedIn profiles to make some connections. If the seller has frequent posts about races they’ve run and you’re a runner too, include that in your letter. For example, you can’t wait to establish a new running route through the beautiful tree-lined streets of the neighborhood. Perhaps you discover on LinkedIn that you and the seller attended the same university; be sure to mention that you’re an alum.
You should also remember and mention things about the house that show your common interests like evidence of pets, kids, or hobbies. If you know the seller has a dog and you have one too, be sure to let them know how much you appreciate, for example, the fenced-in back yard that will be perfect for your beloved pet.
Compliment, Compliment, Compliment: Lastly, every good dear seller letter should include lots of compliments and seller love letters are no exception. Make sure your letter is full of sincere praise. Did the sellers custom-build the home? Let them know how much you appreciate their design aesthetic. Is the lower level recently finished? Let them know how much your family will enjoy the space. Did you notice a copy of a classic novel on their kid’s nightstand? Mention how, as an English teacher, that impressed you!
Everyone needs a little love and home sellers are no different. If you find yourself competing for your dream house, using these tips to write the perfect dear seller letter may give you a edge. It’s also always a good idea to get the help of an experienced real estate professional to help you navigate through the home buying process.
Spring Cleaning List
Spring is a wonderful reminder of the beauty of new beginnings. Flowers are blooming, grass and leaves grow full, and singing birds start forming their nests. It’s the best time of year to complete a thorough cleaning of your house. A few of the most popular spring cleaning checklist include the following:
- Open The Windows To Air Out Your Home
- Move Rugs and Clean Floor Beneath
- Clean Or Replace Your Shower Curtain
- Clean Your Patio Furniture (Research Proper Methods Based on Type)
- Clean Your Cleaning Tools with Warm Water and an Oxy Powder or Bleach
- Clean Vacuum Filter Using Hot Running Water & Dish Soap
- Wash Kids Toys and/or Dog Toys in the Dishwasher
- Wash Walls, Baseboards & Doors
- Launder Curtains & Dust Blinds
- Dust Light Fixtures
- Wash Window Sills & Glass
- Clean Light Switches, Outlet Covers & Vents
- Replace or Clean Door Mats
- Wipe Down Bath & Kitchen Cabinets with Warm Soapy Water
- Clean Microwave, Oven & Dishwasher
- Clean Sink, Disposal & Refrigerator
- Pull Out Appliances & Clean Floors/Walls
- Organize Drawers & Shelves (Purge Unneeded Items!)
- Clean Washing Machine (Buy Cleaner at Store or DIY)
- Clean Dryer Lint Trap With Hot Water & Vinegar
- Dust Wall Hangings, Shelves & Decor
The spring is also a prime time for home buying and selling! Katie, Dee & Marc are always ready to answer questions and assist along the way! We are happy to provide you contact information for our preferred contractors and vendors as well.
Most Profitable Home Improvements for the Luxury Market
Want to get more bang for your buck when selling your luxury home? Explore a couple of additions and improvements that have been shown to be the most profitable in luxury homes.
When it comes time to sell your luxury home, you want to ensure you’re receiving the biggest bang for your buck. Typically this means making sure that any additions and improvements made to your home are ones that have the best odds of being profitable. With that in mind, let’s explore a couple of additions that have been proven to be the most profitable in luxury homes.
If your home lacks a true family room or has one that can be spruced up, this is a great way to not only bring the family together but also get a nice return by adding some additional resale square footage.
Is your luxury home a single story residence? Why not consider adding another floor to it? To be competitive in today’s market, a two-story home is practically a requirement. This may likely include having the aforementioned family room on the first floor and a luxurious master suite on the second. With the additional floor, it’s almost like having a blank canvas full of different ideas you can entertain and implement that will help to give your home a profitable edge if and when it comes to sell. An additional bedroom or two for guests or growing families, a home office space with all of your necessary items to get work done, the options are virtually limitless.
For some extra living space, you may wish to consider adding a deck or patio to the home. Buyers are really big on outdoor spaces and with the right deck addition, your home will essentially become a paradise of entertainment. With a return on investment of just over seventy percent, it’s a profitable addition that will definitely attract the attention of buyers that like to host their own al fresco get-togethers.
The next one is one that you may be quite familiar with, and that’s a kitchen remodel. Perhaps best of all, it’s a remodel that doesn’t have to be elaborate as you might think. As opposed to a full kitchen remodel, a minor remodeling involving something such as replacing appliances for newer ones, swapping a countertop for one with natural stone or granite can result in great resale perks.
Looking for something quick yet effective? Let’s use the front door. Considering it’s one of the first things you and your guests will see each and every time you walk into the home, it’s something that could use a replacement. Plus, the entry door will also be one of the first things a buyer will notice as they walk inside the prospective home they intend to purchase. This replacement won’t take very long and can be completed during the afternoon.
No home improvement and resale value guide would be complete without the mentioning the possibilities available by choosing to upgrade and modernize the bathroom. You may not see the significant return on investment like with some of these aforementioned upgrades like the deck addition, but a larger or modernized bathroom will certainly have its perks among certain buyers.
The following is a guest post written by Hillary Hertzberg of the The Jills®
© 2019 Coldwell Banker Blue Matter
How to Prepare Your Home This Winter for a Successful Spring Sale
Here’s our go-to list of what sellers should be doing now to ensure for a successful sale next spring.
If you are planning to sell your home next spring, why not get a jumpstart during the fall /winter season so you have more time and less stress while preparing? An added plus is that your home could potentially be ready to list in time for the early spring selling season at the end of January when the market is less crowded. It’s a win-win! Here’s our go-to list of what sellers should be doing now to ensure for a successful sale next spring.
1. Assess Your Home’s Condition – Inside & Out
The first step is to do a thorough walk-thru with an objective eye. Does it have “move-in ready appeal” that will “wow” young, savvy buyers? Is there chipped paint on moldings and trim? Is the front entry carpet runner worn and could benefit from replacing? Look at your property through the lens of your buyer and determine what needs the most attention so that Millennials with families can immediately connect and envision themselves living there with minimal work to do when they move in.
2. First Impressions Go a Long Way
With the changing seasons, try to tackle exterior repairs and landscaping while you can by keeping gutters clean, lawn raked, shrubs trimmed and driveways/walkways shoveled. For an inviting front porch with curb appeal, maintain a polished look each season with welcoming accents such as potted evergreens or berry branches, a beautiful wreath on the door, glowing lanterns, and a colorful welcome mat.
3. Remove Distractions & Get Organized
Tackle clutter one room at a time and decide whether to keep or purge items based on when you last touched or used it. Remove personal items, collectibles and excessive furniture that distract from the room’s key features as well as its perceived size and flow. Then organize the remaining items with efficient storage solutions such as baskets and containers for closets, drawers and cabinets.
4. Make it Fresh & Bright
Ask yourself if the color on the walls and cabinets is too dark? Does wallpaper need to be removed? Are window treatments dated and heavy? Does worn carpet need replacing? Do hardwood floors need polishing? Simply adding a fresh coat of neutral “greige” paint to dark walls will brighten the room by creating a backdrop to showcase the other elements in the room, such as the white trim, new carpeting, wall art, and furniture (as shown in library above).
5. Create the “Wow Factor”
Once you’ve invested in the necessary upgrades for move-in ready appeal, buyers still need to emotionally connect by envisioning how their furnishings will look in the space. Staging a home is an investment in getting the property sold and for top dollar. Professional stagers can create the “wow” factor that might be needed after all of the repairs and upgrades are finished. Complete the look with strategically placed modern furniture paired with pops of colorful and inviting accents that will make a lasting impression as pictured in the living room photo above.
Blog post courtesy of NOV. 13, 2018
Sharon is the Manager of Product and Content Marketing for Coldwell Banker Real Estate, LLC.
Back to School Tips for All Ages
Back to School Tips
Back to school season is here! Schools are starting up again after summer break in nearly all of our surrounding areas. Our young ones are heading off to the their first day of school; our pre-teens are about to enter the middle school dark ages; our teenagers dealing with the four-year road to independence; our eldest teens prepare themselves to be on their own either working or earning a degree. Each back to school era ushers in new maturation and requires different preparation. We’re here to help with it. Their education is cumulative, so most everything mentioned from each milestone can apply to future grades as well!
Elementary School
The very beginning of a child’s schooling. This is the era when they will develop the social and early critical thinking skills necessary for nearly all parts of their future daily activities. These are the foundations of their future, so they’re mighty important!
- Get things that show off what they like. If they have a deep love for Disney-Pixar’s Cars series, let them go wild and rock a Cars backpack or lunchbox. Do they love Elsa from Frozen? That Frozen T-Shirt would make for a great first day of the year outfit. It’ll be easier for them to find those who like similar things and begin a friendship with them. Friends in childhood are super important and can bring so much happiness to your child.
- Buying supplies on supply lists is a safe bet. Teachers go to great lengths to provide the best education for their students. Many days before the year begins are spent preparing curriculum, games, ideas, assignments and more. Supply lists are pretty fine-tuned to provide everything a child could need. However, many teachers also pack their classrooms to the brim with their own supplies, so you may not need to buy everything. Talk to the teacher if possible and see what they have planned, and buy supplies around that. If you want to establish a good rapport with the teacher, definitely buy the much-needed tissues and disinfectants they always request.
Middle School
These are three years, but also the years most kids want to forget. Very few people finish school and say that middle school was a great time. These are the years of true identity building, and very often that means long hair, doing whatever it means to be “cool.” These three years can go any direction.
- Social media can be beneficial or destructive. There’s a reason nearly all services state that users must be 13 years or older in the Terms of Service. Social media is a great place for friends to interact and share experiences with each other, but there’s a wild world out there on the internet. Keep tabs on their internet usage and set restrictions if you notice their usage becoming a detriment to their social or educational well-being. Time away from the screens can be a great thing.
- Stay in touch with their teachers & counselors. It’s a good idea to keep in touch with your child’s educators so that you can know what’s going on when your child doesn’t necessarily tell you everything. Keeping regular contact with their educators can help you prepare for upcoming units/chapters/homework so that you can best help your young ones.
High School
Final stretch of the K-12 system. Your children are nearing adulthood and have matured so far beyond their first day of school in kindergarten. By the time ninth grade rolls around, the previous decade will have seemed like it flew by in the blink of an eye. High school is still a long journey to the finish line.
- Recommend that they join a sport or club. If they haven’t joined one thus far in their K-12 career, now is a great time for them to hop in. Be it football, basketball, theatre, choir, band, art, math, beta, etc., they’ll be surrounded by people with similar interests. It’s a great way for them to make the friends they may keep for decades to come.
- College-credit courses are wonderful and bountiful. It’s not difficult to imagine your child walking out the high school doors with enough college credits earned via AP and dual-credit courses to make them a college sophomore or higher. AP and dual-credit courses are far, far cheaper than an entire year–nay, even a single semester–and should absolutely be taken if the opportunity is there and if your teen wants to take them.
College
After nearly eighteen years within the nest, kids are likely begging to be released out into the world to fly. College is the prime time they can be on their own and learn vital skills related to independence, time management, and financial responsibility. When the semester begins, there’s a few things you can do.
- Take the time to help them move in. Moving out is an important day in both your and your child’s lives and it’s best to experience it together. You’re going to serve as the bridge between their independence and their dependent home life. It’s a great thing to help and let them know independence isn’t as scary as it may seem.
- Don’t buy all the books before the semester. Professors at many universities are often required to list a textbook as a required material even if the students don’t truly need it. For courses like anatomy, math, foreign language, and business, a textbook requirement is often true. For others, it’s best to wait until classes begin. Save your money and wait until the professor tells you to get it!
School is the wild wild west–we can never accurately predict the experience our children will have, but we have to try our best to provide them the best education and social experience possible. The hours spent in school during the 13 K-12 years and 4 university years are where they learn who and what they are. The time will speed past us at breakneck rates, but it’s important we try our best to slow down and be there for our kids whenever they need us, even when they don’t know they need us.
If you have any tips you want to share with others, leave a comment here or over at our Facebook page! Schooling is hectic, and parents are always in the market to further their knowledge. To read more tips about your home, head back to our blog.
Moving With Pets
[three_fifth padding=”0 15px 0 15px”]We’re all pet owners and pet lovers here at The Weil Team. Farewells to our beloved pets in the morning before the trip to work and the happy greetings after a long day make every single day better. Our pets are part of our family to whom we give love and care and treats to every single moment that we possibly can. When a family moves, there’s no question that their dog is along for the move as well. There’s a few extra precautions and procedures that we recommend doing for pets to make sure that moving pets from one home to another goes as smoothly as possible.
While your new home will be entirely yours, don’t forget that the home will also be where your pet will be living as well! A living area foreign to your pet may make it a bit anxious for quite some time. We recommend getting your pet acclimated to the area once the home buying process is on its way.
- Walk your dog around the home and neighborhood
- If approved by the current homeowner, bring your pet inside
- Give your pet some treats within the home before moving in
[two_third]Moving day can be wildly hectic. Boxes stacked to the ceiling and movers in and out of all doors of the house will often rattle some pets and scare them.
- Keep them in a room with the least packed boxes to keep the home familiar to them
- On moving day, let them stay at a friend’s house so they avoid the stresses of moving entirely
Now that the whole family is in the home, make sure that the home is safe for your pets! In a vacant home there can often be exposed electrical cords and possibly not-so-consumable plants on the outside.
- Tuck in electrical cords
- Make sure your furniture is set up in a way your pets can’t get stuck
- Double-check for any pest traps around baseboards and other areas
- Remove poisonous plants outside of the home
- Check for chemicals in the water (sinks, toilets, etc.)
After the move is successful, there’s still some work to be done to ensure your animal friends are happy folk. They can be wary of new surroundings for a while, so do your best to get them acclimated to their new home. Keep them in their crate in a room with you for a few hours if possible–your own comfort in a new home will ease their apprehension. Take them out of it and play or pet them for a bit to show that they can have fun in their new surroundings. Once they seem a bit more like their normal selves, open the room’s door and let them explore one room at a time.
At this point, they’ll probably be as excited as you are to check out their new home, so let them run wild! They’ll lay and roll around on the new carpet, slide all over the slick hardwood and much to our dismay will likely jump over new furniture. It’s all the fun of being a pet-owner.
From our pet-loving team to your family, we wish you luck on moving pets and moving homes![/three_fifth][two_fifth_last padding=”0 15px 0 15px”]
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Spring Home Health Check-Up: Three Areas to Examine Now
A step-by-step home check-up guide to find warning signs and advice on how to repair them
By David Baur, Product Manager, GCP Applied Technologies
Spring is here! Time to get out and enjoy the great outdoors. It is also the ideal time to do a home health check-up, inspecting what winter left behind.
So, what are the three key areas of your home to examine and what do you look for? We have you covered from roof to deck. Follow this step-by-step home check-up guide to find warning signs and advice on how to repair them.
Roof: You’ve probably never thought about it, but your roof has to battle a lot of enemies: ultraviolet rays, rain, wind, snow and ice. But the good news is most new shingle roofs are designed to last about 20 years. Slate roofs and some types of tile and metal roofs can last even longer. The actual life span of your roof is determined by several factors, including environmental conditions, material quality, proper application and regular roof maintenance.
Warning Signs: How do you know when your roof is in trouble? Look for these warning signs:
Outside:
- Shingles that are warped, blistered, missing or torn
- Shingles covered in moss or algae, which hold moisture and encourage rot
- Loose material or wear around chimneys, pipes and other penetrations
- Overhanging tree branches that could gouge the roof in a strong wind
- Excessive debris (leaves, dirt, ice, roofing granules) in the gutters or downspouts, which block drainage
Inside:
- Ceiling spots or leaks
- Cracked paint
- Discolored plasterboard
- Peeling wallpaper
- Mold, mildew or rot in the walls, ceilings, insulation and electrical systems
- In the attic, look for signs of water infiltration such as staining, dampness, or mold growing on insulation/sheathing/rafters A poorly ventilated attic that shows signs of moisture, which promotes the roof’s decay. Sufficient attic ventilation can be achieved by installing larger or additional vents
Repairs Needed?
If repairs are needed, don’t skimp on quality to save a few cents. Much of the damage associated with serious storms results from water entering the home when roof coverings or siding is blown off. This is why it is imperative that you have a secondary layer of waterproofing protection underneath the shingles and siding. If proper protection measures are not taken, the resulting leaks are the main cause of interior damage, as well as potential causes of rot and mold. Rot and mold can lead to major structural damage and even potential health problems for homeowners.
Use Underlyaments: FEMA has published recommendations for the use of fully-adhered roofing underlayments, such as Grace Ice & Water Shield®, as an enhanced secondary water barrier for homes. In the event roof coverings are blown off or water manages to get underneath your shingles, these underlayments are the key to preventing water infiltration.
Windows & Doors: Beyond the roof, a home’s doors and windows can also become major leak zones. Even if the windows and doors are well shuttered in a storm, wind-driven rain can be blown into the house at these points, especially if they have not been properly flashed and weatherproofed.
Warning Signs: How do you know when your doors and windows are in trouble? The following are some signs of water damage:
Inside & Outside:
- Leaks or breaks in seams around window trim and sills
- Uneven doorframes
- Discolored plasterboard
- Peeling wallpaper
- Chipped or cracked stucco finishes
- Mold, mildew, or rot in the walls, insulation, and electrical systems
- Missing, cracked, or blistered paint inside the home
Repairs Needed?
Use Flashing: Flashing is a critical part of your home’s weather barrier system. If not properly selected and installed, wind-driven rain, ice and snow, can leak and quickly cause damage to your home. Flexible flashings such as GCP Applied Technologies’ Vycor® Plus can be used to seal the most vulnerable spots, including windows, doors, corner boards, and other non-roof detail areas. It is designed to work in severe winter climates, milder climates, and in coastal areas where wind driven rain is common.
Deck: Last but not least, check the deck.A deck is a wonderful way to enjoy the outdoors in the warmer weather. But, if your deck is not protected against the extreme weather, it can deteriorate and become unsafe. Decks, fences and other wood products should be routinely weatherproofed and cleaned to maximize their useful life. Weather combined with the treatment chemicals used for today’s pressure treated lumber means that the modern deck must be proper constructed to hold up.
Warning Signs: How do you know when your deck is in trouble? Look for these warning signs:
- Warped boards
- Cracked or split boards
- Debris that is “clogging up” space between deck boards
- Look under the deck for corroded joist hangers and other connectors
- Soft wood
- Mold and mildew
Repairs Needed?
Use a Protective Barrier: Even with today’s treated and high-tech decking products–which look great and last and last–preventing joist rot and decay, as a result of water accumulation under the decking boards, remains a major problem. Vycor Deck Protector® is a unique solution to significantly extend the useful life of decks. Vycor Deck Protector® helps prevent joist rot and decay and decrease the corrosion rate of connectors and fasteners.
By inspecting these three areas of your home and correcting any damage with the best materials, you will ensure your home will live longer. Not to mention your wallet will be happy too! Now, put on those shades and head out to enjoy the spring & summer activities with peace of mind!
David Baur is Product Manager at GCP Applied Technologies, formerly known as Grace Construction Products. He has step by step tips for homeowners, contractors and builders on building homes for extreme weather.