Real Estate Information Archive

Let’s face it, there isn’t a better time of year to get some home maintenance taken care of in and around your house than now.  The days are a little bit longer than they were and the temperatures are almost perfect, not too hot and not too cold, unless it’s raining of course.  Below is a list of a few home maintenance tasks you might want to tackle along with a few shortcuts to help you get them done more quickly. 

1.  The task of planting flower beds and adding mulch can sometimes be an overwhelming one but if you take the shortcut of planning a day just for flowers and mulch it won’t be as bad.  Have mulch delivered to your house on a particular day making sure to have it put in a spot that will be easily accessible.  This is better than not having things planned out then ending up with a pile of mulch at the tip top of your driveway where you have to go back and forth to retrieve it as you work on your landscaping.
2. Window washing is no one’s favorite home maintenance task but if you take the shortcut of having someone wash the inside of the window while you’re washing the outside of it, your time will be cut completely in half!  Have a little fun with it and be silly with your window washing partner.  Make sure to look out for streaks on both sides as you go taking care of them before you move on to the next window.
3. Repairing your old wooden deck or fence can many times be a daunting task but it doesn’t have to be.  Take the shortcut of using a cordless nail gun to get those loose boards back into place quickly. 
4. Brick or stone patios and walkways can many times become damaged during the winter months.  A quick shortcut to fixing this problem is to push around a wheelbarrow filled with sand to help smooth out any unevenness that has occurred. 

These few home maintenance shortcuts should help you get things done around your house a bit quicker this year than they may have taken you in years past.  Sometimes by simply thinking a bit outside the box you can come up with ideas to get tasks done in a more efficient manner than you previously have.  These shortcut ideas will get you started in the right direction.  

Courtesy of New Castle County DE Realtors Tucker Robbins and Carol Arnott Robbins.   

If you have recently put your house on the market and want it to sell quickly you may need to take a look at a few of these tips on how to eliminate smells so that your house will be more likely to sell. While selling your home quickly may sound good to you, you may not be thinking about exactly how clean your house smells when you have a last minute showing pop up.  If you are caught in a bind with a last minute showing and you need to get rid of a few household odors, be sure to read below for some ideas. 

1. If you have pets you already know that they have a smell all their own.  Pets that may not be house trained yet may be hard to deal with during a house showing.  If you need to cover up the smell of pet urine quickly there are several ways to go about it.  One way to get rid of pee smell in the carpet is to soak the area with enzyme spray.  Another way to get rid of the smell all together (however it may take a bit longer) is to get rid of the carpet once and for all and put in hardwoods. 
2. Another way to eliminate smells so that your house might sell is to open up your windows while you are cooking.  If you know you have a showing one night, be sure to keep your windows open while you are cooking with the hood fan on as well.  Another good way to get rid of the smell of a recently prepared meal in your home is to set a bowl of coffee grounds on the countertop over night (if your showing doesn’t happen to be the same evening of course.)  If you don’t want to take any chances of having your dinner linger during the showing you could always just go out to eat for the evening. 
3. Garbage smell in a home is some of the worst odor possible.  One easy way to get rid of that particular smell is to be sure and take it to the curb before you leave for the showing. 

These are just a few ways that you can get rid of smells in your home  so that your showing might go well and you may be more able to sell your home.  Hopefully they will get you started in the right direction.  

Courtesy of New Castle County DE Realtors Tucker Robbins and Carol Arnott Robbins. 

With the summer season upon us, we need to tend to a few maintenance tasks before we can settle down in a hammock without a care in the world.  Keeping in mind the adage, “A stitch in time…”, we need to test the garage door opener, check the air conditioning system, and service the lawn mower to ensure a breakdown-free summer.

• When was the last time you thought about your garage door or its automatic opener?  Like any mechanical system, the door and opener need some periodic, preventative maintenance. If you live in an area of frequent thunderstorms, a tight, well maintained garage door can also help prevent expensive results of a storm-ruptured door. The Door & Access Systems Manufacturers Association International has a good guide to help you inspect and test your complete garage door system. It's a good idea to make monthly inspection and testing a part of your regular routine.
   
• Sweltering temperatures may be just around the corner, and your best defense is a central air-conditioning system. There are a few things you can do to make sure that it's tuned up and ready to go when the summer heat arrives.  Before you start tinkering with the system, however, it's important to have a basic understanding of: the condenser, the blower unit, and the ductwork of your system.  Visit the DASMA website for a complete explanation and instructions on how to fine tune it.
   
• Many small tasks are involved with getting your lawn mower ready for reliable summer use.

Check, belts, blades, all bolts and fasteners, tires, and wheels. If you have fuel older than 30 days stored in containers, not use it.  Any idea when you last changed the oil?  Drain it and replace it with oil the manufacturer recommends. Consider, too, replacing the sparkplug—if you do, add a couple drops of engine oil into the hole, and then replace the plug. Check your air and fuel filters and replace if they are dirty or clogged.  Follow the recommendations found at LawnCare.com.

Once you’ve completed these chores, feel free to visit yet another website for more suggestions—simple ones-- on how to maintain your home during the summer months.  So much for hammock time!

Information courtesy of New Castle County Realtor Tucker Robbins.

For much of the country, winter woes are forgotten as the literal “greening of America” begins, and warmer weather, blossoming trees, chirping birds, and colorful flowers signal a time of rebirth and renewal.  Life is good…

…and demanding.  Spring requires much of a homeowner, and home maintenance checklists remind the often-harried proprietor  that it’s time to inspect the roof, repair the deck, check for cracks in concrete, repaint exterior trim, recondition lawn mowers, grills, and garden tools, and refurbish outdoor furniture.

Not quite ready to tackle such large, time-consuming chores?  Consider, then, easing into the requisite activities by initially taking on smaller, non-time-consuming tasks that generate a feeling of accomplishment while providing a gradual transition into the big jobs.

Granted, the majority of these items are for the interior of your home, but they’re important, too, and a far cry from the annual rug-beating, wall-scouring spring cleaning of yesteryear.

A sample of the” start-off-small” responsibilities includes the following:

• Shut off the water to the washing machine, remove the water supply hoses and examine them and the washers. Replace worn and damaged ones.
• Dust ceiling fan blades.
• Change or washing bathroom shower curtain liners.
• Test the pressure and temperature relief valve on the water heater by opening it and allowing some water to flow out. If little or no water flows out or it doesn't shut off, replace it. Bad valves can cause explosions.
• Clean the garbage disposal. Grind two trays of ice cubes made from a mixture of one cup white vinegar to one gallon of water.
• Check fire extinguishers to make sure they are not outdated, have lost pressure, or are damaged.
• Move throw rugs, mats, and area carpets and clean underneath them.
• Remove mineral deposits from faucets and shower heads.
• Thoroughly clean the refrigerator—one section at a time.  After six or seven mini-sessions, the entire job will be complete.

Finished?  Ready to take on tasks requiring a bit more time, know-how, and energy but guaranteed to bring peace of mind and the satisfaction of knowing your home is well-maintained?  Check out Princeton Online for monthly suggestions.

Information courtesy of Wilmington De Realtor Tucker Robbins.

As all of you know, Thanksgiving is right around the corner and that means that winter is basically here.  There are many things that must be done to get your house ready for winter.  If you properly prepare your house for winter, you and your family will be able to enjoy all that winter has to offer without worrying about getting cold inside.

• Have someone out to your house to check your HVAC system  is a good idea.  You want to make sure you stay nice and cozy warm during the winter and that your heating system doesn’t go on the fritz during the coldest months of the year.  Typically you should have your HVAC system checked twice a year; right before summer and right before winter.
• Go up into your attic to make sure you have adequate insulation.  This is especially important if you have just purchased a house.  If the home you have purchased is an older home you may have to add a bit more insulation or replace what has been there for years to get optimal benefit from it. It is currently recommended to have at least a 16 inch depth of blown insulation in the attic. Fiberglass bats should be between R-49 and R-60.
• It’s also a good idea to have your duct work checked.  If the home you have just purchased had a lot of pet’s living inside previously you will likely have to have your duct worked cleaned so that your air system works properly.  You will also want to check for mold (especially if there is or you use a duct mounted humidifier) so that you and your family will be able to breathe easily. 
• Purchase some draft dodgers for your doors and windows before winter starts.  You may be surprised at just how much cool air these crafty little things can keep out of your home and how much they can help with your heating bill.  You can purchase draft dodgers at most stores or you can even make them yourself with some fabric and beans. 
• Pull your space heaters out of the attic and put them to use.  They will help a lot with your heating bill as well and can be used in whatever room you wish.
• Winterize your outside faucets. Sometimes that means shutting the water line off inside and then opening the outside faucet to drain them. Newer designs are easier to winterize but no matter what the design is, NEVER leave a hose attached to the faucet in winter.
• Once the leaves are down, either clean your gutters or have your gutters cleaned. Most landscaping companies will clean gutters at this time of year.
• If you have a car that you don't use much, make sure to fully charge the battery. Batteries loose 1% of their charge every day and a battery with low charge can easily freeze - which ruins the battery.
• If you feel you would like a recommendation of a local contractor/handyman to help with any of these chores, please feel free to call or email me, Tucker Robbins. (302) 777-7744 or Tucker@RobbinsRealEstate.com 

The days that the cold air starts to take the place of the much warmer days of fall are here.  Do your part to make sure your family stays warm this winter by getting your house ready for the cold months ahead.  I am sure your family will be happy you took the time to make sure they are comfortable and your home will be a much happier place as a result. 

Information courtesy of Wilmington Real Estate Expert Tucker Robbins.