With one of the major PCS seasons approaching near many military bases, now is the time to sell.  It is time to get your house ready so that it will have the sale-appeal you are looking for!

Before we start, remember this:  This is not personal… you are selling a product.  How are you going to market it?  How do you plan on showcasing your home’s great potential and benefits?  You need to make those great things stand out.

First a mental shift needs to occur.

• Disassociate emotions connected to the house. Imagine handing the keys over to the new owner as you gain the keys to Your new home!
• Next, remember to depersonalize your house.  Pack the memoirs and family photos.
• Remove all extra “stuff”.  Leave enough furniture for functionality, but leave plenty of space open.  Buyers need to be able to envision themselves living in the home and they can’t do that if it feels cluttered.  Plus, most buyers like feeling that the home is roomy.  Even if your rooms are large they can feel small if there is too much furniture.  Getting a head start on the packing will make life easier on you later!
• Don’t forget about the closets and cabinets.  Make sure they are neat and organized.  New buyers will want to see the storage space available.
• Remove items that will not come with the house and replace if necessary.  This includes antique furniture, chandeliers, appliances and anything else that you know you can’t leave behind.
• Make minor repairs – leaky faucets, holes in doors or walls, drawers that jam and doors that don’t close properly.
• Replace cracked tiles in floors, showers or counters.
• Paint neutral colors.  Not everyone likes a hot pink bathroom…

Spring Clean!

Pull out the brooms and cleaners – it is time to get busy!

• Clean windows inside and out
• Scrub floors and baseboards
• Wipe fingerprints off of outlets and switchplates
• Sweep away cobwebs and dust from corners and ceiling fans.
• Polish faucets
• Bleach grout
• Vacuum daily and always keep house presentable.  You never know when you might have someone waiting on your doorstep!
• Replace worn out rugs, bedding or towels
• Keep the air smelling fresh

Best tip – go through your home as a buyer.  Put on those blinders and imagine you are looking at your house for the first time.  (and don’t forget the curb appeal!)

Imagine yourself as a homebuyer.  Drive up to your home as a potential buyer would.  Their first impression of the outside of your home will determine whether they decide to look at the inside.  First impressions go a long way, especially when selling your home.  You want to do all you can to make your home stand out and shine!

Take a Stand:

Stand a distance away from your home – possibly on the sidewalk across the street so that you can have a full view of your home and yard.  What do you see?  What are your home’s best external qualities?  Can you enhance these?  Likewise, what are the worst qualities?  How can you downplay those or change them?

The Approach:

Walk up to your home as a potential buyer would.  What do you notice?

Camera Time:

Take a picture of the exterior of your home and yard area.  View the images in full color and in black and white.  Some things may stand out more in black and white since color could cover up details.  Is there anything unsightly or in need of a good cleaning?  How does the sidewalk look?  Are there cracked or broken bricks that need to be repaired?

Time to Work:

Now it is time to tackle the list you made for improvements.  Start with the items that could be cleaned, moving on to extra things like adding flowers or mulch.

Here are some ideas:

• Pressure washing the siding, porch and sidewalk can make a big difference if suitable.
• Clean windows, doors, and gutters
• Put away garden tools and implements
• Keep lawn mowed, edged, and raked
• Remove growth in the sidewalks and other areas
• Trim trees, especially those near or over the roof

These tips can help all  homeowners, but especially those looking to sell their home in the coming months.  Remember that your home’s exterior is the first thing potential buyers will see!

Garden:

• Depending on the bulb, either remove the bulb from the ground and store in a dry, cool, dark location, or cut the stem back to 6″.  Some may need to be protected during freezes, but most fare well in our area.
• Protect roses in mid-to-late October.
• Mulch bulbs and perennials after several hard frosts.
• Remove summer annuals.
• Plant spring flowering bulbs.

Trees/Shrubs:

• Prune branches before the end of October.  Pruning generally stimulates new growth and damage can occur if the tender new growth is exposed to colder temperatures.
• Wrap young, thin barked trees.

Lawn Care:

• Rake leaves to prevent diseases in your lawn.
• Continue to mow your lawn as long as it continues to grow. The last cut should be left at 2″.

Weed, Pest, and Disease Control:

• Store pesticides in dry areas that will not freeze. Keep them locked and out of reach of children.

Misc.:

• As days grow shorter, make sure your houseplants receive enough light. Moving to a sunny window, along with keeping the foliage clean and dust-free will help your plants get all the light they need.  Direct sunlight in the fall and the winter is fine for plants.
• Sprinkler system maintenance.

As a buyer, there is a lot at stake in purchasing a home.  You want to make sure that your purchase is a sound one.  Whether this is  your first home or your dream home, make sure that you know what you are getting into before it is too late.  However, home inspections are not only for buyers.  Even owners should invest in an inspection periodically to make sure any small problems don’t become huge problems later.  Sellers can benefit from a home inspection by having the inspection report ready to show the buyer.  Combined with other information, this gives the buyer all the information they need to know prior to deciding to make an offer on the home.

#1 – Home Inspections can alert you to needed repairs

#2 – Home Inspections let you know what to expect when purchasing a home.

#3 – Home inspections help to secure home owner’s insurance.

#4 – Home inspections can help lower home insurance premiums.

#5 – Home inspections can lower property taxes.

#6 – Home inspections can result in a lower purchase price.

#7 – Home inspectors are a neutral third party

#8 – Home inspections can offer a summary of the condition of your home

#9 – Home inspections can help make the decision to purchase the home.

#10 – Home inspections can speed up the purchase process

When it is time for your home inspection, contact Dickson Home and Building Inspections.  John Dickson is a Class “A” certified general contractor.  What this means to you is that you can be assured that your inspection will be a complete and accurate assessment of the condition of your home.

Having a home inspection can cost a couple hundred dollars, but has the potential to save you tens of thousands.  A home inspector, particularly one that is also a licensed general contractor or engineer, can see issues that the average person won’t recognize.  Many wiring, plumbing, air-conditioning and roof issues can be seen in a thorough inspection.  A home inspector will inspect every inch of the house from the roof to the foundation to ensure you know what your a getting in your new home.  As much as we don’t like it, some sellers either don’t know or don’t want to disclose issues with the home in an attempt to sell quicker.  Without an inspection you may end up spending much more for the house than what you bargained.

Here is an example:

Q: I bought a house about 4 years ago. We did not hire a professional home inspector, but instead used a contractor we trust to look over the home.

Recently, we noticed the corner of the garage was starting to sag. We called the insurance company, thinking it was due to a snow and ice problem, but the engineer they sent out said the problem had been there for a long time. He said the prior owners had known about it because they did a scab job in order to hide the problem that would come out later.

Our insurance company said they would not cover it because it was structural problem, not caused by a catastrophic event, like a huge snowstorm. The damage was caused over time.

He specifically wrote in his report that someone did a scab job to cover up a big problem. So, we spent over 7000 dollars fixing a problem that the sellers knew about, and did not disclose in their seller disclosure form.

Is there anything we can do about this now?

A: Unfortunately, the time to catch this problem would have been four years ago, when a professional home inspector might have found it.

Unless you can prove the sellers fraudulently deceived you, I think you just have to accept the fact that some people will do almost anything to get out of paying $7,000 to fix their roof.

These kinds of situations can be avoided if either the buyer or the seller have the home inspected.  Especially in Florida, there are dozens of reasons to have an inspection. One of the best reasons is that in addition to uncovering major problems,  there are cost savings on insurance if the home meets the increased wind resistance codes.

What should you look for in a good inspector?  This article explains what you need to look for in a good home inspector.

How can a home inspection lower your home insurance bill?  A thorough home inspection can validate that your electrical, plumbing, and air-conditioning systems, as well as your roof, are code-compliant.  Having a code compliant roof in Florida can mean substantial savings.  The less damage your home is expected to incur during a storm, the lower risk your home is to the insurance company.  Lower risk translates to lower premiums.

Having a wind inspection and submitting the wind mitigation form to the insurance company, provided your roof meets code, can save several hundred dollars a year in premiums.  The shape of your roof can also affect your insurance rates.  Newer style “hip” roofs, which have 4 angles,  deflect the wind much better and mean lower rates for you.  Even an older style A-shaped gable roof with tie downs can mean insurance savings.

Adding hurricane shutters to your windows can mean additional dollars saved.  Some homeowners have seen over a $3,000 reduction in their home insurance premium.  That savings almost covers the cost of the shutters, plus they also have the added benefit of a more secure, wind-resistant home.

Dickson Home Inspection provides full home inspections as well as wind mitigation inspections and consulting services.  Request an inspection today and save on your home insurance!

Chinese drywall has become a major issue to many homeowners. The drywall, which originated from a Chinese manufacturer, is blamed for tens of thousands of damaged homes and the health concerns from many of the occupants of those homes. Check to see if your home could be contaminated by tainted drywall. If you already know your home has had Chinese drywall installed, the next step is to contact a licensed general contractor. Although it is not yet known how far the fumes reach, many contractors and builders, such as Lennar Homes, won’t take any chances. Of the homes they have restored, Lennar has brought the walls down to the studs, replacing the drywall, insulation and any affected wiring, appliances and fixtures as well. It is estimated that many residents need to leave their home for months in the most severe cases. Keep in mind that most homes that are affected have a mix of Chinese and domestic drywall, so it is possible that parts of rooms or even entire rooms may be unaffected.

More Information:

• What is Chinese Drywall?
• Is My Home Affected?
• Save on Taxes: Deductions for Tainted Homes

Chinese drywall has become a major issue to many homeowners. The drywall, which originated from a Chinese manufacturer, is blamed for tens of thousands of damaged homes and the health concerns from many of the occupants of those homes. Check to see if your home could be contaminated by tainted drywall. If you already know your home has had Chinese drywall installed, the next step is to contact a licensed general contractor. Although it is not yet known how far the fumes reach, many contractors and builders, such as Lennar Homes, won’t take any chances. Of the homes they have restored, Lennar has brought the walls down to the studs, replacing the drywall, insulation and any affected wiring, appliances and fixtures as well. It is estimated that many residents need to leave their home for months in the most severe cases. Keep in mind that most homes that are affected have a mix of Chinese and domestic drywall, so it is possible that parts of rooms or even entire rooms may be unaffected.

More Information:

• What is Chinese Drywall?
• Is My Home Affected?
• Save on Taxes: Deductions for Tainted Homes

With so many homes affected by Chinese drywall in Florida, Hillsborough County is offering help to its residents. The Hillsborough County Property Appraiser’s Office will evaluate homes and will also offer to reduce the estimated value of the structure by up to 50% (minus land value) depending on the severity. “We don’t want to make it even more difficult for people already burdened by this problem,” said Warren Weathers of the property appraiser’s office. “We wanted to respond to this quickly.” Contact the office at 813.272.6100 for more details. There has not been a deadline set to request the deduction, however tax bills are sent out on November 1 for Hillsborough County, so act quickly.

For residents outside of Hillsborough County, check with your local property appraiser’s office. Although Florida received the most tainted drywall, other states such as Louisiana, Mississippi, Alabama and Virginia were also affected to a moderate degree. Several other states have also report cases. The Florida Department of Health and the US Consumer Product Safety Commission released information concerning the states nationwide that have had cases of Chinese drywall corrosion.

Hillsborough County isn’t the only government entity trying to help homeowners. The IRS is also looking at adding a deduction to help. The deduction would allow homeowners to claim a casualty loss on their federal taxes. An amount has not yet been determined, but the IRS states that it could be the difference between the value of the home prior to and after the drywall installation.

Does your home meet Florida’s case requirements?

My Inspector General performs Chinese drywall inspections across Florida. All inspectors are certified general contractors and are well aware of the damage and symptoms that Chinese drywall can create.

More Information:

• What is Chinese Drywall?
• Is My Home Affected?
• Rescuing Your Home