Some Home Upgrades Do Not Pay When Trying to Sell a House

We recently sold our fifth house, bought a vacation home and moved into our sixth purchased house.  When it comes to buying and selling houses some home upgrades simply do not pay for themselves when trying to sell a house.  They may help sell the house faster but you won't recoup the costs.  The list of upgrades fitting into this category will depend on the location and the current real estate market.  For example, it would have cost us $30,000 to rebuild our dock at our last house and yet we still would have taken a loss on the house.  The real  estate market had softened to the point we could have spent $100,000 on the house and still see a loss.  'Twas the sign of the times.  In general, in our area the following will not help greatly when selling a house and in some cases may even hurt the sale:

• swimming pool - In our area we pay taxes on an inground pool but no taxes on an above ground pool. Pools in general are not selling features in our area.  If you are lucky a pool can be used from June to mid-September.  They are expensive to operate and work.  We looked at two houses, one with an inground pool and the other with an above ground pool.  We chose the one with the above ground pool because it could easily be dismantled if we decide we did't want a pool.  In reality, any pool is not a selling feature unless you find the right buyer.
• landscaping - Landscaping is expected but specialty landscaping (eg. formal garden with greenhouse, ponds, and etc.) is not a selling feature.  About 90% of potential home buyers will see this as a lot of work so won't even bother putting in an offer.  The reality is most home buyers will remove a good portion of the existing landscaping so when sell just make it neat and tidy, without emphasizing any additional work.
• windows - Prospective home buyers expect windows and they really don't seem to care whether they are energy efficient or not.  Our real estate agent said this is just the way it is but I'm not sure why.  
• carpeting - Many prospective home buyers are not impressed with newly installed carpeting.  The growing trend is to go with hard flooring, not carpeting.  If you have carpeting, rather than replacing it, have the carpet steam cleaned for selling purposes.  Chances are very good anyone who buys the house will rip out the carpet anyway so just make sure it is clean and stain free for the showings.
• painting - A fresh coat of paint may make the house more appealing but may not necessarily help you sell your house.  If a prospective buyer smells fresh paint in the house, they may view it as a quick cover-up, hiding something so painting may actually hinder the sale of your house.  Unless you have a garish colour in a room, the best bet is to wash the walls to brighten them a bit then leave them alone when selling.  Any potential buyer is going to repaint anyway so save yourself the work.  

Garden Gnome
©2006-2011

House Inspections

A formal house inspection is done by a professional home inspector at the expense of the buyer prior to the final signing of the contract to purchase.  It is usually written into the offer to purchase as a condition.  The house inspection is an extra protection for the buyer so they don't buy a house with undisclosed major repairs needed.  For example, the seller of the house we are in now did not disclose drainage issues, a non-functioning dishwasher and non-functioning air conditioner.  Had we have had a house inspection the drainage issues and non-functioning air conditioner would have been discover prior to us signing the final purchase contract.  The results of a house inspection can cause a buyer to back out of their offer to purchase which is why it is a very common condition on an offer to purchase.

This is our sixth primary resident house purchase.  We have never had a house inspection for any of the houses (5 primary, 1 vacation) we have bought.  In fact, two properties we bought were purchased without seeing inside or even entering the property prior to the closing date.  Of the four houses we successfully sold, the buyers did not ask for a home inspection.  So we have had no experience with home inspections.  The buyer for this house had a home inspection as one of the conditions.

The home inspector arrived at 9 AM this past Wednesday.  The buyer's brother-in-law was with him which is quite normal as is having a real estate agent attend the house inspection.  Now the house inspector was a very congenial, likable person but the brother-in-law was an arrogant jerk.  He was to stay with the inspector as per terms of the house inspection but he kept wandering off.  My husband made a point of following him around.  A house inspection goes from attic to foundation.  The inspector goes into the attic, up on the roof and into any crawl spaces.  He checks the electrical panel, tests all outlets and switches, checks for any plumbing leaks.  He tests the furnace to be sure it works, tests the air conditioner and for any CO leaks on gas appliances.  I was not thrilled on a very hot day to have the AC switched off so he could fire up the furnace.  It lit up nicely and went through the cycle then he switched the AC back on only to fire up the gas fireplace.  I was surprised he did not check the dishwasher as it stays with the house but perhaps he could see it is quite new.  He checks for the insulation value on the walls using a rather nifty gadget.  Oh and the neatest thing is he has a complete portable office set-up complete with printer so the report is written as he does each zone.  Of course he had to plug it in using our electricity, something I didn't bank on since we did not request the inspection so there should be no expense to us.  In the big picture and knowing the home inspection results could be a deal breaker, I wasn't about to say anything about him using a bit of our electricity.  Besides he was a very nice guy!

A house inspection is invasive and extremely stressful for the homeowner.  It is recommended the homeowner remain on the premises and keep an eye on what they are doing.  The professional home inspectors will not climb on your furniture or touch your personal possessions.  The buyer or a  representative for the buyer should be with the house inspector during the inspection.  It is recommended that the seller move anything that will prevent the home inspector from getting a good view of what they need to see (eg. items in under the sink cabinets).  The home inspector will bring their own ladder for getting onto the roof.  A house inspection will cost the buyer  $300  or more.  The inspection will take at least 3 hours.  The seller should provide access for the house inspection then try to be as pleasant as possible (eg. bite your tongue a lot if necessary) to get the inspection done in a timely manner.  If the inspector asks a question or you know there is a problem (eg. our upstairs shower leaks) answer truthfully or in our case volunteer the information.  This tells the home inspector and buyer that you are not hiding any possible problems.

Once the inspection is over, you will feel like you have been run over by a semi-truck.  Relax, breath!  You survived it.  Barring any major, and I do mean major problems (eg. structural, fire hazards) the house inspection is really just a formality that gives the buyer a false sense of security.  The reality is the buyer can't go back on the house inspector even if a major problem was missed AND problems can easily arise with the house during the time between the inspection and the closing date.  This could be as much as 90 days or more.  Anything that happens after the home inspection is only disclosed if the seller is honest enough to say anything. 

Garden Gnome
©2006-2011

Freshening a House for Real Estate Showing

We've had the house on the market now for thirteen months.  Each time I get the house ready for a showing I am very cognisant to household odours.  We don't use chemical sprays like air or fabric  fresheners so as normal I rely on natural deodourizers like baking soda and vinegar.  Sulphur from a lit match is effective in the washrooms.  Burning a couple of beeswax candles has air cleaning properties as well.  Dusting as well helps to remove that off, not quite fresh smell.   Opening a window or two a crack even during the winter is another great way to freshen the air.

Various textiles like comforters, pillows, bath mats, cushions and afghans can hold onto odours and while not necessarily blatant can make a room smell just not quite fresh.  I have found that popping these into the dryer on air setting for fifteen minutes is enough to freshen.  Hanging items on the line outdoors is another good way to freshen them if there is enough time and the weather permits.  Vacuuming larger upholsteried furniture (eg. couches, mattresses) helps to eliminate any odours as well.

These few extra efforts make your house smell as good as it looks, helping to show it at it's best.

Garden Gnome
©2006-2011

Back into the Routine of Showing the House

We are back into the tiresome routine of showing the house again.  We arrived home on the 9th and have showed the house three times since getting home with a fourth showing tomorrow afternoon.  After the house being on the market for 10 months, the novelty has worn off of doing a spit and shine at the drop of a hat.  We told our real estate agent to not worry about giving us 24 hours notice for a showing.  That is a good thing and a bad thing but hopefully it will help get the house sold.

Garden Gnome
©2006-2011

Duct Tape Fixes Everything

I have to tell you our house is sometimes like living in a comedy of errors.  There is never a dull moment.  We have had a problem with field mice each fall when the crops come off.  The problem was big enough when we moved here we baited indoors, outdoors, in the garage and set traps.  So we continue to seal every nook and cranny we can find.  A few nights ago my husband claimed he heard a mouse in the furnace room.  Mice are not quite when they are trying to gnaw their way through.  I did not hear anything to put the idea out of my mind.  A couple days later he was in the furnace room and saw an empty mouse trap on the floor when it had previously been up in the beams so he baited it then put it back up in the beams.  Onward to a couple of nights ago...

We arrived home just after midnight Saturday night.  It had been a long day spent in the GTA visiting our kids in two different communities.  We both crashed!  About an hour later my husband got up to use the washroom and then it happened...

The toilet seat broke!  Knowing the stores weren't open at 2 AM and being the ever thoughtful husband, he fixed the toilet seat with duct tape.  I'm not kidding as you can see.  But when he was in the furnace room looking for the duct tape he spotted the mouse trap had done it's job.  Apparently there had been a mouse after all!  So he got rid of the mouse, fixed the seat and finally crawled back into bed.

Being the good wife that I am, I managed to sleep through the whole fiasco.  I woke to find duct tape on the toilet seat and no memory of him waking me up to tell me all about his adventures.  He called me later in the day to tell me again.  I could only laugh about his early morning fun. 

My husband came home with a new oak toilet seat to replace the broken one.  It likely was a good thing as explaining to potential buyers about why  there as duct tape on the toilet seat is likely something our real estate agent would rather not do.  I liked the look so left the fuzzy lid cover off, something that is only on along with the floor mats for showing the house.  I seriously don't like bathroom mats especially around the toilet.  So we have decided to put a new floor in to help this bathroom show better and eliminate the mats all together.  Ah the fun of late night adventures and where they lead...

Garden Gnome
©2006-2010

Little Touch-ups When Selling a House

It is surprising how far a few little extras can go to make a house show a bit better when selling a house.  Aside from being squeaky clean and sparkly a few things can be added to give a little bit of pizzaz without breaking the bank. 

• Place a vase or two of fresh flowers in one or more rooms.  When placed in front of a mirror they will give double the pleasure.
• Buy a nice set of display towels for the bathrooms(s).  They need not be expensive just on the fancier looking side and co-ordinated to give the bathroom(s) that little extra.
• Place inexpensive but fancy soap in the bathroom(s) soap dishes.
• Add a touch of greenery inside and out (weather permitting).  Place a nice potted plant on coffee table and a seasonal plant outside of the front entrance if possible.  
• Place a loaf of fresh baked bread on the counter or a plate of cookies on the kitchen island or breakfast bar to create a cosy atmosphere in the kitchen.  An alternative to bread or cookies is a nice fruit basket.
• Add a couple of new throw pillows to the sofa.
• If you have a wood fireplace or wood burning stove, add a small stack of wood beside and be sure to have either on if at all possible.  If you have a gas fireplace be sure to have it turned on if at all possible.

Garden Gnome
©2006-2010

A Bit of Touch-up Painting

Our new real estate agent pointed out a couple of areas where a bit of touch-up paint would go a log ways.  The main area was the stairs leading to the sunporch.  We boughht $60 worth of supplies including two colours of paint and set to work knowing the weather was against us.  As we worked on the staircase I looked around for other small projects to do a bit of touch-up paint on just to spiffy them up a bit for showing the house. 

What ends up happening when living in a house for any length of time is you tend to overlook some of those little things that need doing.  The underneath of the railing might need a bit of touch-up paint or the railing itself might be showing a few dull or rusting spots but because the railing is so familiar you don't really notice it.  These are the little things that potential buyers will notice when walking through your home and surprising a little thing can be a deal breaker.  We had one potential buyer not put in an offer the first time around because the staircase needed paint.  The reality is with materials it cost us under $30 since we used less than half the paint and it took us 2 days or about 4 hours of time maximum and yet because that staircase wasn't painted we did not get an offer from them.  Yes it sounds petty but that is the market at the moment.  Buyers are making demands and in some cases almost unreasonable demands because it is a buyers' market and they know it. 

As a seller that means you have to anticipate and ward off these demands by doing a bit of touch-up painting.  Take a walk through your house looking at the way a buyer would see it.  If that isn't working get a friend or family member to do a walk through.  A fresh set of eyes can make a huge difference because they will see those little things you don't.


Garden Gnome
©2006-2010

The Real Estate Dog & Pony Show

When we listed the house in the spring the listing agent did not do a dog & pony show.  A real estate dog & pony show is where the listing agent invites other agents from their real estate firm as well as any interested MLS agents to view the home.  A time frame is set up so the agents can show up during that time at their convenience.  This is an excellent networking strategy when selling a home. The more agents looking at the possibility of selling your home the better!   If another agent sells the home part of the commission is paid to the other agent so both agents make a commission and the home owner is happy because the house is sold. 

Our listing agent set up two time slots for the dog & pony show.  The first slot was Monday morning for just agents from their real estate firm.  The second was this morning for any agents from their firm that couldn't make it Monday as well as any interested MLS agents.  Seven agents went through on Monday and three this morning so that is 10 more agents working behind the scenes, doing a bit of networking to get our house sold.  I'm quite pleased with this. 

The house is pretty much in show condition all the time because we lifted the 24 hour notice before a viewing which means the house needs to be ready for viewing as soon as our agent calls.  In many ways this is a lot easier than rushing around to get the house tidy and sparkling for a showing.  I'm doing a daily spit & shine, running any necessary laundry and dishwasher in the late evening, and daily decluttering.  Anything we can't use or don't need is out the door.  I also took our listing agent's advice and am in the process of painting the stairs leading to the sunporch.  I must say even though they aren't finished yet they are looking a lot better.  It was an excellent suggestion!

Garden Gnome
©2006-2010

House Sale Update

Selling a house often includes a lot of decision making even during the sale process. Our house has been on the market since March, first privately then followed by using a real estate. When we put the house up for sale we had just bought a vacation home so downsizing a bit seemed logical.  As we talked about it more we realized that moving from our rural, waterfront property would greatly reduce the amount of driving.  We found a house, put a conditional offer in and it was accepted.  Since then the market has softened in our area so we reduced the price of the house.  The HST came into effect which is affecting house sales in Ontario as now the associated fees of selling a house have an additional 8% tax on them.  We had to extend our conditional offer.  In the meantime the market softened a bit more.  The extension on the conditional offer expired but that worked out to our benefit.  A home inspection had been done on the home by another potential buyer.  Apparently some major water issues were found so it is a good thing we didn't ask for another extension since a home inspection was not part of our conditions.  Over the past weekend we did a lot of talking about the pros and cons of moving into town verses staying where we are.

The general consensus is moving into town is the frugal decision.  It would eliminate my husband's daily commute to the office.  We would be able to walk or bike to get groceries and other necessities.  It would not eliminate my food runs to various farms and farm markets but staying here wouldn't eliminate those either.  It would eliminate our gorgeous view of the water but we still have the boat to enjoy the water during the nice weather.  So we have both come to the conclusion that we do want to move.  We reduced the price of our house again but have already decided that will be the final reduction.  If the house doesn't sell at that price we will take it off the market next month.  In the meantime we are back to house hunting. 

Garden Gnome
©2006-2010

House Sale Update

If you have been following this blog you will know we listed our house privately for sale upon getting the news that the sale of vacation home we wanted had gone through.  At that time we were officially the owners of two houses.  After trying to sell our house privately we finally listed with a real estate and set about finding another permanent house to buy.  We found a house and after a bit of negotiations the offer was accepted.  And here we sit getting closer to the mark where we are going to have to ask for a second extension on that offer.  To date trying to sell this house has been on the frustrating side.

We actually showed the house more and had more inquiries when the house was for sale privately.  To date we have had no offers on our house so we are currently sitting with owning two houses and and accepted offer on a third house.  The real estate agent added a take-me box to the sign for the pertinent details of our house with a few pictures on flyers.  Apparently take-me means just that.  Over 50 flyers have been put out and gone without so much as a call to see the house.  We don't have high traffic on this small dead end street so the flyers are going somewhere.  Our neighbours are the type to take them and there's only 5 school aged kids on our street that are always with their parent(s) if walking past our house.  So where the flyers are going remains a mystery.  At any rate they are very effective.

Hopefully my next house sale update will be sharing that the house is sold...

Garden Gnome
©2006-2010

A Bit of A Housing Update

If you recall our house has been on the market since March when we found out about buying the vacation house. At that time we kept the price high while finding the house we wanted then kept it high to give us the time to really hash it out whether or not we actually wanted to sell this house. The problem is this house has a lot of excellent features including location, location, location as it is waterfront property. The second problem is the house we have the conditional offer in will eliminate a lot of driving, is bigger and because it is urban has a lot more conveniences. So both properties have some very great amenities. Depending on the day we lean towards staying here and other days moving is the choice. My personal preference would be to getting an offer then making a decision. I want the bigger kitchen of the new house and the challenge of once again creating a very energy efficient home but at the same time I want the rural area.

We showed the house again today with the new reduced price. Having your house up for sale is always a pain because perspective buyers expect perfection. Keeping a house neat and tidy isn't a problem as long as you aren't living there. Right now everything is up in the air as to whether or not we are moving including my gardens. Do I expand knowing we might be moving or do I not expand because a potential buyer might not like the expansion? Everything is so very much in limbo. At this point I just want a decision either way.

Garden Gnome
©2006-2010

Five Mistakes That Will Cost You When Selling a House

Selling a house is a little more complicated that it appears.  In most cases the realtor will advise of various things the home owner can do to increase the possibility of a quick sale.  If you are selling privately using these tips will help you sell quicker and closer to the price you want.  Either way when selling a house there are a few mistakes you can make that will cost you both in terms of length of time to sell the house and they can influence the final selling price.  Here are five of these mistakes that will cost you:

•  cigarette smoke - The presence of cigarette smoke lingering in a house is a complete turn off for many people and some are sensitive enough that it can cause asthma attacks.   In addition to that cigarette smoke leaves a yellowish residue that you may not be aware of but potential buyers will spot immediately.  If you smoke it in your best interests to hire a firm that specializes in cleaning and deodorizing the signs of smoking prior to listing your house.  While your house is listed do not smoke in the house.  Remove any clothes you were wearing while smoking and wash immediately to keep any smell out of the house.
• any strong smell - This includes: air fresherners, cleansers, scented candles, litter boxes, cooking odours and any other odours that would fit into this category.  Again more and more people are becoming very sensitive to chemical scents that can trigger asthma for some.  If a potential buyer has an asthma flare-up or attack while viewing your house due to a strong odour the chances of them buying it decreases dramatically.  The second problem with strong odours is in the potential buyer's mind the question becomes what is that smell trying to hide?  and chances are they immediatly think it is hiding a problem.
• too many house plants - Too many house plants can cause humidity problems which in turn lead to mould problems.  Moulds can cause significant health problems so any hint of mould including that from house plants should be eliminated.  
• clutter - Clutter can be one of the biggest mistakes that will really cost you when selling your house.  Get the clutter out of your house to make it feel more open and spacious.  Without the clutter potential buyers can focus on the rooms and your house where it should be rather than all of your stuff.
• ignoring eco-friendly living trends - Many potential home purchasers are interested in eco-friendly living so if your house is not up to snuff they may pass it by just on that basis.  Eco-friendly home buyers are looking for energy efficiency (hydro, water, gas) especially when it comes to home heating.  That means storm doors and updated windows make a difference.  The lower your home heating bill the better.  If appliances are included in the purchase it is imparative that they are EnergyStar® qualified.  Potential home buyers do not want the prospect of replacing appliances as soon as moving in.  If your appliances are old write them out of the deal unless a buyer specifically asks for them.  Carpeting is not on the eco-friendly list unless it is a special eco-friendly carpet which might be a selling feature but not likely.  Hard flooring is a high priority for those wanting eco-friendly homes.  If you have a carpeting in a room that needs replacing choose hard flooring rather than carpeting.  Pay attention to plantings around your house especially evergreen trees that may lessen solar gain in the winter months.  Solar tubes and solar powered roof vents aare also a big selling feature as are any type of solar water heating or electric generating solar panels.  If you have a vegetable garden which is a selling feature for eco-friendly home buyer be sure you have some type of rain collection system and a compost bin that are written in to remain with the house.

Garden Gnome
©2006-2010

Best Improvements When Selling a House

If you have been following this blog you will know that earlier this spring we decided to sell our house.  As a bit of an update, our house is still listed and we put in an extension request for the house we are interested in buying.  However, there is a possibility we may remove our house from the market so things are still very much up in the air.  When we decided to sell the house we set about decluttering and doing a few small finishing touches.  For the most part our biggest expense was finishing up a renovation project started just before deciding to list the house.  We continue to do a bit each day just to keep the house ready for showing. 

Now that we may take the house off the market we are going through with the middle yard make-over but the rest of the rip-out will take less than a day as we are hiring that out.  Spreading the top soil for seeding will take little time as will seeding or installing new raised garden beds.  In total the project will be completed with the exception of planting the beds and a couple of new trees in the period of a weekend at a cost of under $700.  If the house stays on the market we expect that this improvement will pay for itself because it falls under cleaning-up (removing delapidated beds) and getting rid of junk (tree stumps).  It will definitely make the house show better.  If we take the house off the market we will be able to enjoy thisDeciding what projects to do when selling a house can be a real issue. 

Some will immediately set about doing a renovation job in the hopes of making the house more salable.  According to Forbes in most cases you should not start any new renovation projects when getting your house ready for sale as in most cases you will not realize a good return on the investment.  They indicate the best investment is cleaning-up your act so decluttering, getting rid of junk and giving your house a good cleaning from top to bottom then keeping the house tidy until it is sold.  Forbes does recommend painting to cover up blemishes or bright and/or outdated colours.  According to several of the home and garden shows on HGTV a fresh coat of paint can really help sell a house.  Painting is a low cost way to spruce up a house that can be done in under a weekend.  Simply painting the front entrance door can be extremely effective and the colour most often recommended is red!

Garden Gnome
©2006-2010

A Brief House Sale Update

Since the house has been listed the real estate agent(s) have shown it twice.  That really isn't good news and they would like us to drop the price but be decided against that.  We run the risk of losing the house we have the offer in on if the owner doesn't want to extend the terms.  My husband and I talked it over and first of the owner would be foolish not to extend since he has had no offers at all.  Ours was the first and only offer since he listed it last August.  We have also come to the conclusion we really aren't all that interested in selling ourselves.  We love the location and our neighbours are some of the best you could possibly ever have.  The vacation home has all gone through, signed sealed and delivered so we are now the owners of two homes.  The situation has changed in our local area that warrants keeping our price up there so the bottom line is we are carrying on as normal.  Essentially things are up in the air and there are a lot of ifs.

• If the owner of the house we have the offer in on agrees to an extension we may still get that house.
• If someone comes close to the price we want for our house we may sell. 
• If we don't get an offer close to the price we want we have decided to sit tight and not sell.

All this sounds a bit confusing but as it stands right now we have two house both of which we can afford but we would like to sell our primary residence to reduce a few costs and traveling.  In hind sight we both agree we should have taken one step at a time and make sure we got the vacation house prior to listing our house.  But you live and learn.  

Garden Gnome
©2006-2010

Importance of Decluttering When Selling a House

Decluttering is a basic home maintenance strategy that prevents unused or unwanted items from accumulation to the point for some it can become a huge issue. When this happens it usually is termed as hoarding, falling under one or more psychiatric disorders. That is entirely a different issue. In this post I want to address some of the reasons why decluttering is so important when it comes to getting your house ready for sale and a couple of tips for easy decluttering.

Importance of decluttering when house before and while is on the market:

• Decluttering makes your house look more spacious and that is what potential buyers want to see!
• Decluttering means a potential can easily open any cabinet without worrying about being hit in the head with something falling out.
  
• Decluttering now and consistently while your house is listed means less stuff you have to move later.

A few easy decluttering tips:

• I use the 3 box method - keep, toss, donate. This is especially good for large scale decluttering.
• 27 Fling Boogie - This is a decluttering term coined by the Flylady. I was quite involved with this site several years ago and this is one technique I have kept. The idea is quite simple and is quite effective. Take a plastic grocery bag and as quickly as possible go through one or more rooms of your house collecting 27 tossable items. Close the bag and toss. I take this a step further in that I collect 27 items with as many as possible going into the recycle or donate boxes still the items are out and gone. In the intitial stages of getting the house ready to show and while showing do this daily. It is surprising how much clutter can be eliminated this way.
  
• Reduce packaging - If you have two packages of the same thing and you can fit the contents into one package then do it. This includes but is not limited to: laundry soap, fabric softener, shampoo, conditioner, liquid soaps, bandaids and anything else that can be consolidated into one container or packaging. At the same time do not bring anything into the house that is not absolutely necessary. I mean nothing! Use what you have on hand setting aside the replacement cost then replace after you move.
  
• Be ruthless - The ultimate rule here to help you make your space appear more spacious and to end up moving less stuff is to be ruthless. Get rid of it!
• Food - Many when they are moving don't consider their pantry or freezer stores. This can amount to a considerable amount of food to move. Instead focus on using up foods from the pantry and freezer which means less to use and a great way to revolve pantry stores as well easy eating. Put what you have spent on groceries without eating from the pantry money into an envelope during the time your house is listed then use that money to restock your pantry at your new house.
  

Garden Gnome
©2006-2010

More Electrical Updating

We have been updating and doing minor repairs ever since we made the decision to sell our house. These are all the little things that just make a world of difference when showing the house. No potential buyer wants to see signs of anything that looks like work when they go through a house so the less of that type of thing the better.

Light Fixture

Pictured on top is the light over my desk. It is a higher wattage CFL daylight spectrum light. While this doesn't matter to most people to me because that spectrum is necessary to prevent negative mood effects. I was quite happy with the light exactly as it was. However we both agreed for the aesthetics of selling the house it had to be changed out.

We chose a ceiling hugging, beveled glass light fixture that holds 3 - 25 W incandescent bulbs. The light was very easy to install with no modifications needed. The brass finish goes nice with the wood ceiling while the warm yellow tones from the lights enhance the tones in the wood. The effect is quite lovely! This was an easy DIY project that took about 10 minutes from start to finish. The fixture was on sale for $7.99 so it was a frugal choice as well.

New Outlet

Any older house can benefit from having the plug and switch outlets replaced. Not only is the upgrade good from a safety point of view but also aesthetically it updates the look of the room for very little cost or effort. We really like the steamline looks of the European style plugs and outlets. The flat, clean lines just look so much nicer. This will be the fourth house that we have changed out older switches and plugs for the European design.

Pictured is the before older style toggle switch and the after newer style European switch. I think it makes a huge difference with very little effort. Home renovation centres, hardware stores and lumber stores all have builders specials of the switches, outlets and covers. These are usually 10 to 12 per package at a reduced price. When replacing any outlet on an outside wall it is a good time to seal and insulate the outlet as well. If you are comfortable working with electricity this is an easy DIY project. As always when working with electricity turn off the power then test for live wires before proceeding.

Garden Gnome
©2006-2010

A Tried and True Rule When Selling a House

I am a huge fan of Shirley Temple so have a lot of her memorabilia. Pictured is one of my porcelain Shirley Temple dolls. What does Shirley Temple have to do with selling a house? If you have read anything about this child star you will already know. For those who haven't read about Shirley her mother's saying before any performance was one simple word - sparkle. That word was a direct signal to put on the sunniest smile and disposition possible. When it comes to selling a house that is what you really have to do - sparkle. Here's a few things I do before a showing to make our house sparkle:

• cleaning - This goes without saying but we have been in houses on both ends of the spectrum when it comes to cleanliness. I like using the midstream with everything neat and tidy, clean and dust free BUT not offensive smells of cleaners.
• continual decluttering - This serves 2 purposes. First it gives the appearance of rooms looking larger and more spacious. Before each showing go through the house with a grocery bag collecting up anything that can permanently be removed from the room. It's even better if you can get this bag into the donation or give away box because down the road you won't have to move it.
  
• shiny - Every possible household item that can be made to sparkle should be made to sparkle. This includes: windows, mirrors, chrome, metal trim, appliance trim, light bulbs, light fixtures and in short if you can make it shine do so. If you have a pot rack in your kitchen, shine up those pots and the same applies to any knives on a knife rack. Yes, none of this is staying with the house but honestly if someone sees your stainless steel pots are water marked they will wonder if you don't make your pots shine, what else have you neglected to do.
  
• pay attention to details - Small details do matter. Go through the house with a Magic Eraser and remove any marks on painted walls. Replace any electrical outlet and covers if necessary. Make sure all light bulbs are working. Wipe down light switch covers and wipe away any finger prints anywhere! Even if your appliances are not part of the sale make sure they are squeaky clean as any potential buyer can always put in an offer including one or more of the appliances but if your appliances are dirty this will be a turn off and one that could thwart a sale. Little things like fresh flowers on a table, a fresh loaf of homemade bread, blinds wide open if the sun is shining through and anything else you would like to see if you were viewing a potential house to buy.
  

Garden Gnome
©2006-2010

The Joys of Selling Your House

Oh gosh! I would love to say the first person that looked at our house bought it for the price we wanted but the reality is they didn't. We started off selling selling privately but then moved on to a real estate agent simply because there is a time frame involved. At any rate selling a house has to be one of the most stressful things you have ever done. I'd like to say I'm handling it well but I'm not. I'm hanging on by the tail hoping for a favourable outcome much like anyone else selling their house.

Garden Gnome
©2006-2010

A Few Tips for Selling Your Home

Sometimes it seems like we have sold more homes that I really want to think about but we learned a bit from each one. The important thing to remember from the time you put your house on the market whether privately or with a realtor it is a disruptive experience. The biggest problem is while you are living life in your home it has to be in show condition with very little notice. Here are a few tips I've used to minimize the disruption:

• declutter - The more you declutter the more you don't have to later more and the easier it is to keep your rooms tidy in show condition. Be a bit brutal here with anything out the door if at all possible. First on the list should be donating and giving away even if you have to freecycle with the last resort being throwing out.
  
• do a major cleaning - Selling a house is very different from having company over. You want everything squeaky clean, sparkling, neat, tidy, dust free and in short able to pass the white glove test in even the spots no one would ever look.
  
• omit all smelly cleansers, air fresheners and scented candles - No house should smell like it has just been cleaned when being shown. If someone can walk in your house and immediately smell a cleanser then it can easily turn them off but worse yet could trigger an allergic reaction or an asthma attack.
• do a 15 minute daily shine - Your house is neat and tidy ready for showing so do a 15 minute shiner every morning. Walk through the house with a spray bottle of alcohol and wash cloth. Shine up every shiny surface. Wipe down sinks, tidy towels, and take the garbage out.
• the 5 minute rule - Spend 5 minutes each day in at least one room in your house. Remove/declutter what you can or straighten or shine or whatever you can do in that room within the 5 minutes.
• everytime you leave a room - Pick up one thing that doesn't belong there or that can be eliminated and remove it. This takes only a few seconds but can make a huge difference.
  
• tread lightly - Stage any room that you can. These are rooms you can get away with simply not using. Have them set for showing then leave them alone until after the sale of the house, dusting if necessary but nothing more.
• cook lightly - Cooking can become a huge issue when selling a house because you don't want the mess or the odour. Rely on your freezer for homemade freezer meals and the outdoor grill to keep odours out. Cooker easier to prepare from scratch meals to keep your routine. Immediately after doing any cooking place a bowl of white vinegar out to neutralize any cooking odours. Don't rely on take-out that can be expensive and give tell tale signs to potential buyers.
  
• make your house appealing - Aside of being squeaky clean which is a must put a couple of vases of fresh flowers out. Soft music can be appealing as can a fresh baked loaf of bread or cookies cooling on a rack in the kitchen. Do not bake anything that has peanuts in it such as peanut butter cookies. Light a few candles but only if 100% beeswax or soy wax candles with no scent. Beeswax cleans the air and neither beeswax or soy wax candles will trigger allergic reactions or asthma in potential buyers..
• pets and signs of pets have to go - Sorry but this is a must! Some such as myself viewing a home are highly allergic to pet dander. This can trigger both allergic reactions as well as asthma. In addition to this the lovely smells from the kitty litter box is not quite the smell most potential buyers want to smell. If at all possible board your pets out or have a friend take them while your house is in the selling stage.
  

Garden Gnome
©2006-2010

More on Updating Vent Covers

The sad thing about selling your home is all of a sudden you become extremely critical of every single little detail. All those little things that you've lived with and overlooked become the things you focus on. In most cases they cost little to fix, take little time to fix but somehow got overlooked because other repairs and maintenance became a higher priority. I keep thinking what a shame we didn't just get to the little things like replacing or paint vent covers, changing out electrical outlets and changing out those ugly light fixtures earlier so at least we could have enjoyed them while we were here. Ah well, live and learn.

Painted

Forced air heating/air conditioning (HVAC) have two types of vents. The larger vent covers are for the cold air return. As cold air settles near the floor it is drawn back into the heating system to be heated then returned through the smaller heat vents. Any vent cover on a vent that comes up through the floor takes a fair amount of abuse. Metal vent covers will get scratched and/or bent from walking on or being hit by furniture. They develop rust in areas where they get wet.

If the vent cover is in good condition and not bent, remove it and wash well. Dry well. Remove any rust spots with steel wool then use a tack cloth to any dust. Place the cover right side up on top of a cardboard box in a sunny location outside. Spray with alkyd enamel paint. Let dry then spray on a second coat. Let dry well then put the vent cover back into its place. This is a very low cost way to spruce up metal vent covers and one that can easily be done anytime needed or if you want to custom match a vent colour to a room.

Plastic

The downside to sprucing up the details is you find more things that need to be sprucing up. I decided the vent cover (top) in the entrance hall needed to be replaced so used a plastic cover (bottom). The downside to plastic is they only come in certain colours but there is Krylon spray paint available for painting plastic. I don't know how well it would work on plastic vent covers.

The replacement vent cover highlights the flooring issue. The kicker here is we have ceramic tile sitting in the garage ready to tile the floor except waiting for weather we can do this as it would put the side door out of commission for at least a weekend. The realtor said not to worry about doing the tiling so I will be onto plan B.

I'm going to strip the floor using household ammonia to remove all the wax build-up. I know there is a wax build-up because any standing water leaves white marks. Once the wax is removed I will use a liquid wax to bring up the shine. The floor itself is in good condition just a bit dated so hopefully this will make the entrance look good for showing.

Garden Gnome
©2006-2010