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Monthly archives for December, 2016

Holiday Hazards!

Dec14
2016
Written by mary.w

It’s easy to get caught up in all the decorating and festivities of the season and forget some very basic safety precautions that can keep your holiday festivities from turning into a holiday disaster. Below are a few safety reminders.

  • When putting up your outdoor lights, make sure and use cords that are designed for outdoor use. Indoor lights are not protected from weather damage.IMG_3905
  • Make sure your cords and strings of lights, whether indoor or out, do not have any cracks or exposed wires which could spark a fire.
  • Never leave your tree lights on while you’re not home.
  • If you have a real tree, be diligent about keeping the stand filled with water to minimize the branches from drying out creating a fire hazard.Christmas-Trees
  • If you have small children or pets, take time to secure your tree so that it can’t be tipped over onto either.
  • Also, to avoid cuts from broken ornaments to tiny fingers or paws, place only non-breakable ornaments on the bottom 1/3-1/2 of the tree.
  • Cats do have a tendency to climb up the middle of the tree and onto the branches so be especially careful regarding the last two tips as they can suffer extreme harm if the tree falls with them inside or if they jump down onto a broken ornament.
  • Enjoy opening presents by the warmth of your fireplace? Great! Just don’t throw your wrapping paper into the fire as the ink may become a toxic fume.
  • Another fireplace tip: Though it crackles and smells great, burning evergreen branches can be very dangerous as the flames can quickly get out of control causing burns or throw ashes out onto the floor or carpet causing a fire.
  • Another often forgotten hazard is the danger of candles burning for long periods of time or even at all, again if there are small children, pets or your drunk Uncle Bob accidentally knocking them over. A great alternative are LED candles that now flicker as realistically as real candles and can even be purchased to emit holiday aromas. If you forget to “blow those out” the worse thing that happens is you need to buy more batteries!

Simply put, be smart, be diligent, be aware, be safe and Enjoy a Very Merry Christmas and Happy Hanukkah!

 

Posted in General Information, Tips and Ideas, Uncategorized
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Reducing your Energy Costs

Dec02
2016
Written by mary.w

winterSo you bought your early 20th century dream home with all its charm, beauty, deep crown molding and…energy leaks?  Winter is here so lets talk about how to resolve those problems before you receive your first bill!

  • Areas to check for leaks:  Of course you have the obvious…windows, doors, attic (rafters & windows), basement windows or concrete blocks but there are some spots you might never think of: electrical outlets on exterior walls, dryer vent, plumbing and ductwork at their point of entry, recessed can lights if the ceiling has attic or roof directly above, whole house fan and even your mail chute if it’s in your door or wall. If you’re in a freezing cold climate, make sure you cover and insulate your exterior water spigots to avoid pipes breaking inside your home. (I speak from experience, this is not a pleasant experience but an easy one to avoid!)
  • No sure if you have a leak? On a windy day, hold a match to the area (with necessary precautions) you’re checking and see if it stays lit or blows out. If it blows out, you have a leak.
  • Once you’ve determined where your leaks are located, simply choose the best method to resolve it: A great product that is easy to use and very effective is Flex Shot. (Again personal experience…I live in one of those 100 year old homes!) It is less messy than caulk, works as well as weather stripping and creates an immediate seal. There are inexpensive foam inserts that fit inside the outlets on your exterior walls that works like insulation to keep out the air.
  • Insulate your attic and basement exterior walls. You can also check and see if there is a shutter seal available for your type of whole house fan.
  • If you can’t afford to replace old windows or you love the charm of the original wavy glass so prevalent in century old homes, again, grab some Flex Shot in either white or clear, whichever will match your trim the best, and seal around the outer edges of the trim and the interior edges around the glass.

If you take the time to do even a fraction of the tips above, you will see your heating bills in the winter and your cooling bills in the summer rival newer homes that don’t have anywhere close to the character of your own!!

Posted in Uncategorized
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Budget Friendly Updates!

Dec01
2016
Written by mary.w

So you want to get your home looking fresh and new but don’t have the big bucks to make major changes?  Here are a few ideas to help you look like you spent more than you did and create a market ready home!

  • Can’t afford new kitchen cabinets? Give them a good cleaning with a product like Cabinet Magic, or even try a Mr. Clean Magic Eraser to remove the daily dirt, grease and splatters. Top with Old English or Murphy’s Oil. Then replace the cabinet knobs with more updated styles. Before you pay full price at a big box store, try shopping at a  “Restore” store which benefits Habitat for Humanity. However you buy them, count all the drawers and cabinet doors to ensure you buy enough to complete the job.
  • To add a custom feel to your base cabinets, add roll out shelves (available at Container Store, big box stores and online).
  • Can’t afford to repaint the whole kitchen or baths? Wash the walls. (Again a Magic Eraser is great for easily cleaning grease, oils and dirt from painted walls without scrubbing the paint off). Then clean and paint the door and window trim with semi-gloss paint. Just refreshing the edges will create a freshly painted look.
  • Bathroom updates: Do the same cleaning and trim painting as you did in the kitchen. Then replace the faucets, showerheads, hardware, towel racks and toilet paper holders as needed. Make sure they all match to create a customized renovation. Scrub the tub, toilet and sink so they gleam. If they need to be replaced, do so and then promote as “brand new”.  Can’t afford a new tub? You can get one reglazed for a few hundred dollars.  Again, a stop at a Restore location can help you find some high end materials at a fair price and support Habitat at the same time.
  • A new shower curtain will add a fresh look BUT make sure you replace the outdated, rusty shower rod and curtain hooks. Also, put up fresh, clean matching towels with no ragged edges or stains.
  • Update your light fixtures. There are lots of places where you can find updated versions at a not so upscale price. New fanlights, chandeliers and ceiling lights can take your home from outdated to modern with minimal cost and effort.
  • Now this might seem like an obvious notion, but is often overlooked. Take time to go through your home and clean all your switch plates and outlet covers. Hands leave lots of prints and dirt. A clean white switch plate against a freshly washed wall and trim can do wonders. If they’re too far gone, invest in new ones. It will be worth the minimal cost.
  • Wash your windows. Then clean your curtains, draperies and blinds so your buyer sees only the beautiful sunbeams pouring through.
  • Also clean your rugs or carpets. If they are too far gone and you can’t afford to replace them, consider offering a flooring allowance to your buyers. At least then they can look past how worn they are knowing they will be able to replace them once they purchase your home.

These should give you some great starting points and may inspire you to think of more things you can do that will cost you more in elbow grease than they do in dollars while producing very positive results toward achieving your home selling goals!

Posted in Uncategorized
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Founded in 1984, BuyOwner.com® is the leading provider of real estate marketing services. We pioneered the "For Sale by Owner" (FSBO) market, which today represents over 20 percent of all residential real estate transactions.

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