12 Simple Home Repair Jobs to Lift You Out of Winter's Funk

Like that annoying squeaky floor board. 

Accomplishments — even little ones — go a long way toward a sunny outlook. Fortunately, there are plenty of easy, quick home repair chores you can do when you’re mired in the thick of winter.

For max efficiency, make a to-do list ahead of time and shop for all the tools and supplies in one trip. On your work days, put the basics in a caddy and carry it from room to room, checking off completed tasks as you speed through them.

#1 Sagging Towel Rack or Wobbly TP Holder

Unscrew the fixture and look for the culprit. It’s probably a wimpy, push-in type plastic drywall anchor. Pull that out (or just poke it through the wall) and replace it with something more substantial. Toggle bolts are strongest, and threaded types such as E-Z Ancor are easy to install.

Spend Oh-So-Wisely on a Kitchen Remodel

1. 6 Materials Savvy Remodelers Never Use in Their Kitchens
2. How to Shop for a Retro Kitchen — and Not Get Stuck with Junk
3. Refacing Your Kitchen Cabinets: The Options and Costs

#2 Silence Squeaky Door Hinges

Eliminate squeaks by squirting a puff of powdered graphite ($2.50 for a 3-gram tube) alongside the pin where the hinge turns. If the door sticks, plane off a bit of the wood, then touch up the paint so the surgery isn’t noticeable.

#3 Stop Creaky Floor Boards

They’ll shush if you fasten them down better. Anti-squeak repair kits, such as Squeeeeek No More ($23), feature specially designed screws that are easy to conceal. A low-cost alternative: Dust a little talcum powder into the seam where floorboards meet — the talcum acts as a lubricant to quiet boards that rub against each other.

#4 Remove Rust on Shutoff Valves

Check under sinks and behind toilets for the shutoff valves on your water supply lines. These little-used valves may slowly rust in place over time, and might not work when you need them most.

Keep them operating by putting a little machine oil or WD-40 on the handle shafts. Twist the handles back and forth to work the oil into the threads. If they won’t budge, give the oil a couple of hours to penetrate, and try again.

#5 Repair Blistered Paint on Shower Ceilings

This area gets a lot of heat and moisture that stresses paint finishes. Scrape off old paint and recoat, using a high-quality exterior-grade paint. Also, be sure everyone uses the bathroom vent when showering to help get rid of excess moisture.

#6 Fix Loose Handles and Hinges

You can probably fix these with a few quick turns of a screwdriver. But if a screw just spins in place, try making the hole fit the screw better by stuffing in a toothpick coated with glue, or switching to a larger screw.

#7 Replace Batteries on Carbon Monoxide and Smoke Detectors

If you don’t like waking up to the annoying chirp of smoke detector batteries as they wear down, do what many fire departments recommend and simply replace all of them at the same time once a year.

#8 Test GFCI Outlets

You’re supposed to test ground-fault circuit interrupters them once a month, but who does? Now’s a great time. You’ll find them around potentially wet areas — building codes specify GFCI outlets in bathrooms, kitchens, and for outdoor receptacles. Make sure the device trips and resets correctly. If you find a faulty outlet, replace it or get an electrician to do it for $75 to $100.

Another good project is to replace your GFCIs with the latest generation of protected outlets that test themselves, such as Levitron’s SmartlockPro Self-Test GFCI ($28). You won’t have to manually test ever again!

#9 Clean Exhaust Filter for the Stove

By washing it to remove grease, you’ll increase the efficiency of your exhaust vent; plus, if a kitchen stovetop fire breaks out, this will help keep the flames from spreading.

#10 Clean Out Clothes Dryer Vent

Pull the dryer out from the wall, disconnect the vent pipe, and vacuum lint out of the pipe and the place where it connects to the machine. Also, wipe lint off your exterior dryer vent so the flap opens and closes easily. (You’ll need to go outside for that, but it’s quick.) Remember that vents clogged with old dryer lint are a leading cause of house fires.

Related: How to Maintain Your Dryer

#11 Drain Hoses

Inspect your clothes washer, dishwasher, and icemaker. If you see any cracks or drips, replace the hose so you don’t come home to a flood one day.

#12 Check Electrical Cords

Replace any that are brittle, cracked, or have damaged plugs. If you’re using extension cords, see if you can eliminate them — for example, by replacing that too-short lamp cord with one that’s longer. If you don’t feel up to rewiring the lamp yourself, drop it off at a repair shop as you head out to shop for your repair materials. It might not be ready by the end of the day. But, hey, one half-done repair that you can’t check off is no big deal, right?

Call us to come walk through your house prior to listing so we can show you some things to take care of.

Home-Selling Checklist: 12 Things to Do Before Selling Your House

By Cathie Ericson | Nov 2, 2017

Getting ready to sell your house? Then it's time to roll up your sleeves and get to work! Selling a home, after all, entails a whole lot more than just planting a "For Sale" sign on your front lawn or uploading a few random photos of your place—especially if you’re angling for the most cash. (And, honestly, who isn’t?)

So before you put your house on the market, peruse this checklist of things you must do in preparation. Some of these tips are surprisingly easy, while others might require a bit more elbow grease. But they're bound to pay off once buyers start oohing and ahhing over your place—and hopefully ponying up a great offer.

1. Find a great real estate agent

Think you can sell your home yourself, and pocket the cash you would otherwise pay an agent? It can be tempting, especially in a hot market, but resist the urge, says Jon Sterling, a real estate consultant with Keller Williams Realty in San Francisco. He’s found that a "For Sale by Owner" transaction is almost always a disaster, leading you to sacrifice both money and time.

Related Articles

• 10 Tips to Prepare Your Home for an Open House
• How to Stage Your Home While Living in It (Without Losing Your Mind)
• 5 Reasons Why FSBO Sales Fail

That said, don’t just blindly hire the agent who most recently sent you a flier or the one your uncle’s friend's co-worker's cousin used. Do some research to find a real estate agent (or ideally a few) who is knowledgeable about your specific market, and then interview her to make sure she's a good fit.

2. Consider your curb appeal

Make sure the first thing prospective buyers see of your home entices them to want to see more. Yes, for better or worse, buyers do tend to judge a book by its cover. By investing some effort in relatively easy fixeslike planting colorful flowers and repainting your front door, the outside of your house can beckon them to come on in.

3. Declutter living areas

Less is definitely more when it comes to getting your house ready to show, notes Boris Sharapan Fabrikant, a real estate broker with Triplemint.

Do a clean sweep of counters, windowsills, tables, and all other visible areas, and then tackle behind closed doors: closets, drawers, and cupboards—since virtually nothing is off-limits for curious buyers. And if the house is overflowing with stuff, they might worry that the house won’t have ample space for their own belongings.

Take the excess and donate or pack it up for a storage space. The bonus to taking care of this now is that it’s one less chore you’ll have to do when it’s actually time to move.

4. Depersonalize your space

The next step on your declutter list? You want to remove any distractionsso the buyers can visualize themselves and their family living in the property, says Kipton Cronkite, a real estate agent with Douglas Elliman in New York.

He says that includes personal items and family photos, as well as bold artwork and furniture that might make your home less appealing to the general public. The goal is to create a blank canvas on which house hunters can project their own visions of living there, and loving it.

5. Repaint walls to neutral tones

You might love that orange accent wall, but if it’s your potential buyer’s least favorite color, that could be a turnoff, warns Sharapan Fabrikant.

“You’re pretty safe with a neutral color because it's rare that someone hates it, but the other benefit is that a light color allows [buyers] to envision what the walls would look like with the color of their choice,” he points out.

6. Touch up any scuff marks

Even if you’re not doing a full-on repainting project, pay special attention to scrubbing and then touching up baseboards, walls, and doors to make the house sparkle and look cared-for.

7. Fix any loose handles

A small thing, sure, but you’d be surprised by the negative effect a loose handle or missing lightbulb can have on a buyer, notes Sharapan Fabrikant. “It can make them stop and think, ‘What else is broken here?’"

8. Add some plants

Green is good, because plants create a more welcoming environment. You might also want to consider a bouquet of flowers or bowl of fruit on the kitchen counter or dining table.

9. Conduct a smell test

Foul odors, even slight ones, can be a deal breaker, and the problem is that you might not even notice them, says Sharapan Fabrikant. He recommends inviting an unbiased third party in to try to detect any pet smells or lingering odors from your kitchen.

If the smells are pervasive, you might need to do some deep cleaning, because many buyers are on to your “masking techniques” such as candles or plug-in room deodorizers.

10. Clean, clean, clean

And then clean some more. You want your property to look spotless. Take special care with the bathroom, making sure the tile, counters, shower, and floors shine.

11. Hide valuables

From art to jewelry, make sure that your treasures are out of sight, either locked up or stored offsite, recommends Kronkite.

12. Consider staging

Does your house scream 1985? Nothing invigorates a house like some new furnishings or even just a perfectly chosen mirror. The key is getting your home staged by a professional. Home stagers will evaluate the current condition and belongings in your house and determine what elements might raise the bar. They might recommend you buy or rent some items, or they might just reorganize your knickknacks and bookshelves in a whole new (that is, better) way.

At Backus Real Estate Group, we take great pride in providing a 10+ customer service experience for our clients.  Give us a call TODAY to set up your FREE home consultation! 325-603-3507  Feel free to check out our website at www.backusrealestategroup.com as well!

Tina Backus, Team Leader/Owner

REALTOR ABR, GRI, MRP, TAHS

Fall Leaves Bring Sold Signs

Summer has come to an end and you probably are thinking you've lost the opportunity to sell, and need to wait till next summer. But that's far from the truth! Although it's not as hectic and crazy with the swarm of buyers on the market, the fall season brings out the most serious of lookers. They are the pool of buyers that waited out the summer frenzy to find their perfect home in the fall, and you don't want to miss these buyers! They are ready to make a move, today! And selling in a slower period does not equate to less money. That's a misconception that home owners have based on untrue data that floats around. With the right agent, and your home being priced correctly, you can get a great deal selling your home during the fall season. And might actually prefer it. Here are the top 3 benefits to listing during the fall season.

1. Serious Buyers - Let's be honest, if buyers are out during the busy season, looking for homes, they are serious and ready to buy. Although the summer brings in a large crowd, that crowd contains a lot of people that are excited by the season, and fall into the "trend" of house hunting. These people end up not really being serious about the process, and tend to hold off for another time. If people are investing time to look during the fall season, they are more likely to be interested in actually buying your home, instead of touring it.

2. Less Competition - Selling in the fall isn't something many families can accomplish due to personal schedules. That's why a significant amount of homes get listed during the summer season. Which means that summer time brings in a lot of competition. Selling in the fall means the potential house next door that has slightly more perks that may have been listed during the summer, doesn't make your home sit stagnant, since everyone wanted your neighbor's house. It also doesn't devalue your home because of the house that could go up next door that could be under-priced in your neighborhood, and draw all of the attention.

With a slower season, you get dedicated attention to your property, which increases the chance of a sale. 

3. Easier to Find Your Dream Home - Not only do you get to benefit from a slower season during the selling process, but you can also benefit on the buying side. With less competition on your dream house, you can get a better deal. The summer brings a lot of missed opportunities for buyers on their dream homes, because they go off the market instantly. This will give you the opportunity to get your home on the market and take your time to find the right one to resize into. A much calmer pace to the transaction will make it less stressful, and everyone all around happier. Don't feel rushed into buying a home overnight during the summer, it could turn into a headache. If you want a far more peaceful transaction, that has calmer pace, then selling during the fall is perfect for you.

Call us at Backus Real Estate Group to help you with all of your real estate needs...we can't wait to hear from you!

325.603.3507

www.backusrealestategroup.com

tina.backusrealtor@gmail.com

The Home Buying Process

Buying a home can get quite detailed. Here are the steps to take to ensure you’re prepared for the exciting road ahead.

 Choose Backus Real Estate Group

Why?  We will help you with all the following steps and more.  We will save you time and money by researching properties based on your criteria, helping you secure the best mortgage rates, counseling you on the offer amount and terms most favorable to you, and negotiating on your behalf. Tina Backus has over 10 years of experience in working with buyers, and sellers.  Nikki Valdez is a buyer's specialist and will work very hard to help buyers find the perfect home and walk them through the entire process.

Decide What You Want

Before you start looking, make a list of what you want. Then assign each item a priority. Some areas to consider are:

• Location: How close do you want to be to your job, shopping, the kid’s schools, or entertainment?
• Type of home: A single-family house typically provides the most space and gives you fewer restrictions on customizing your home. But a condo offers amenities without yard work—for a price.
• Age of the home: Existing homes have mature yards and established neighborhoods; however, they require more maintenance. Although new homes aren’t always without problems, they usually require less maintenance initially. Of course, you may have to put in landscaping and endure nearby construction.

Know What You Can Afford

Consider these factors:

• Get Pre-Qualified:  You need to visit with a local lender prior to us looking for homes so that you know what you qualify for, and most importantly, what you are comfortable with.  We will also need this so that we will know what type of loan you will be using...some homes will not pass all financing methods standards.
• Downpayment: Most loans require a downpayment. The amount varies, but usually runs between 3% and 20% of the purchase price. If you’re a first-time buyer or fall below certain income thresholds, you may qualify for affordable-housing programs.  Generally, a higher downpayment means better loan terms and a lower interest expense on the mortgage.
• Qualifying for a loan: A lender will determine how much he thinks you can afford based on your income, employment history, education, assets (e.g., bank account balances, other property, insurance policies, pension funds), and debt.  Check your credit report before the lender does to clear up any problems.
• Your comfort level: You don’t have to spend $200,000 on a home just because the lender says you can afford a $200,000 home.  Do some math and determine what you’re comfortable spending.  Do you want to eat Ramen Noodles every night, or occasionally have a steak?

Make an Offer

You’ve figured out your home-search criteria and what you can afford. Now find a house and make an offer.  Backus Real Estate Group is invaluable in this part of the process that involves many steps, including:

• Preparing a contract and the myriad details on it
• Handling negotiations with your best interests in mind
• Juggling inspections and option periods.

Secure Financing

Unless you’re paying cash for the home, you’ll need a loan. Keep in mind the true price of financing goes beyond the interest rate alone.  Consider items such as points, total lender fees, term of the loan, and penalties for early payment.  The lender will likely require an appraisal to verify that the home is worth the cost of the loan as well as a physical survey.  Repairs may be required.  Insurance must be purchased.  All these conditions and others must be satisfied before a transaction can close, but we will help guide you through this.

Close the Deal

After weeks or even months of research and decision-making, you close the transaction, usually at the title company's office. The title agent ask you to sign many, many documents and will explain each one.  You’ll present a cashier's check to the title company, sign another document that itemizes closing costs (the lender will have given you an estimate in advance), and pay your share of the closing costs.  In return, you will receive a deed, transferring ownership rights to you.

We look forward to helping you find your dream home...call or email us today to get started! 

(325)603-3507

tina.backusrealtor@gmail.com

www.backusrealestategroup.com

Don’t be fooled by these 3 selling myths

03/17/2017 | Author: Summer Mandell, Texas Association of REALTORS

First-time sellers beware: there are lots of myths out there about the right way to sell your home. While your Texas REALTOR® is your first line of defense against making these mistakes, here are three common selling myths busted:

Myth: I bought a house, so I know what it's like to go through a real estate transaction. I'll sell my home on my own and save money by not using a real estate agent.
Truth: Texas REALTORS® don't work for free, but that's because they provide valuable assistance through the home-selling process. Selling isn't the same as buying, and a Texas REALTOR® can help you reduce your risk of making a costly selling mistake. Plus, they help clients with the ins and outs of property transactions every day and are plugged into your local housing market. If you DIY, that means you'll have to spend time marketing your home adequately, be available to show the home yourself, and navigate your way through a tricky transaction alone.

Myth: If I price my home higher than market value, I'm leaving room for negotiations.
Truth: Buyers have no idea you're employing this strategy and won't understand why your price is too high. Many won't even view your home, much less put in an offer. When your home is priced improperly, it's more likely to sit on the market, making potential buyers think there's something wrong it. When that happens, you'll probably wind up with lower offers than if you had priced the home fairly at the start.

Myth: All I need to do is mow the lawn and hide my stuff in a closet and my home will be ready to show.
Truth: Is a mowed lawn and hidden clutter all it takes to attract you to a home? It won't work for potential buyers of your property, either. Your Texas REALTOR® might go through your home with you and identify areas that could use some sprucing up to make your home more appealing. Or, he or she might recommend working with a home stager to make the best impression. Be open to those suggestions … your Texas REALTOR® knows what makes a property sell quickly for top dollar.

For a  FREE consultation for YOUR home, call or email us today!

325.603.3507

www.backusrealestategroup.com

What to update before selling your house

Should you replace your laminate counters with granite before selling or just repair the burn marks? What about your leaking gutters? There's the outdated wallpaper in the hall bathroom, exterior paint that's peeling, and a window that sticks, too.

Deciding what to do about conditions like these can be difficult. On one hand, granite counters are expensive. On the other, laminate may turn off buyers who can choose from nearby homes with granite counters. Whether you'll get your money back on upgrades and repairs is one consideration. But some repairs and remodeling projects may make your home enticing to potential buyers.

How do you know whether to tackle a pre-sale project or leave things as is? Talk with a REALTOR®. He or she can give you guidance on what pays off. A REALTOR® has a finger on the pulse of what buyers are looking for in your neighborhood, how much they are paying for certain types of amenities, and how much interest properties similar to yours are generating. You will be able to discuss how the options fit your time frame and price expectations. And that can save you from making a decision you'll later regret.

Author: Marty Kramer, Texas Association of REALTORS®

4 easy ways to update the kitchen before you sell

Home buyers can overlook many deficiencies in a property, but the kitchen isn’t usually a place they like to compromise. As such, it’s a great place to make small improvements before you sell. Here are four things you can do to make your kitchen a selling point.

Freshen the paint and back splash

One of the easiest updates to your kitchen is to paint the walls and redo the back splashes to fit today’s trends. Many homeowners are opting for neutral colors, such as gray or ivory, for walls and back splashes. Not only do these colors provide a modern feel, they also provide a blank slate for prospective buyers.

Put a new face on appliances
Sure, buyers will love new appliances, but spending $10,000 on them won’t necessarily add $10,000 to your sales price. Another option is to give your current kitchen appliances a face lift. New doors on the refrigerator and oven, and panels for the dishwasher can make the kitchen pop without breaking the bank.

Lighten up the room
Lighting is extremely important for any kitchen. Simple overhead lighting is a thing of the past. Modern home buyers are interested in unique, functional lighting that is cohesive with the overall aesthetic of the kitchen. Under-cabinet lights and glass pendants over islands are two of the top trends for modern kitchen lighting. Even installed battery-powered LED strips under cabinets can go a long way toward updating your kitchen’s look.

Modernize the cabinets
Kitchen cabinets are perhaps the most noticeable feature of your kitchen. They help establish the style and aesthetics of the whole room. Some cabinet companies have gone high-tech with digital visualizations of what different cabinet styles, designs, and colors would look like in your kitchen. If completely replacing your cabinets isn’t in the budget, a simple refurbishing of the current cabinets can add significant value to the kitchen and the overall appeal of any home. Kitchen updates like these give you great bang for your buck—and will catch potential buyers’ attention.

Author: Alexandra Bohigian, guest expert, Texas Association of REALTORS®

If you have questions regarding your property, please call us today for a FREE consultation! 

Little things that make a big impression on buyers

It doesn’t take much to change a buyer’s impression of a home.

Add some peeling paint, a leaky faucet, and dirty dishes in the sink of an otherwise appealing house, and suddenly the buyer crosses that property off his list. Just as minor imperfections can turn off a buyer, a few small actions by you can make your home seem even more appealing.

Fix conspicuous problems. You want to put your home’s best foot forward. If you can’t afford to remedy all the problems with the house, at least fix obvious ones. A buyer will notice the rotten porch railing or cracked window pane on a casual walk-through.

Show the owner’s manuals. Sure, everything’s available online, but you still need to know the model number of your oven, dishwasher, and microwave when something breaks. Showing buyers that you’ve kept that information suggests that you’ve taken care of other things related to the house.

Make an effort outside. Short grass makes bare patches less obvious, and a few bags of mulch around trees and in flower beds can work magic on an otherwise lackluster yard. Add in a planter of colorful flowers by the front door, and you’ve added significantly to your curb appeal.

A little effort goes a long way with buyers, so ensure your home makes a great first impression. 

Author: Ward Lowe, Texas Association of REALTORS®

Home-staging tips for a show-worthy home

Staging your home is a great way to enhance the appeal of your property to buyers. Home-staging and lifestyle expert Tori Toth shares some tips for home sellers.

Add natural touches

Take a cue from the geography surrounding the home and use natural elements that reflect that area. You want to add plants and flowers to soften spaces and subliminally remind buyers that life grows here.

Rearrange furniture

Moving furniture to open traffic flow can make a room feel bigger, or arranging it to create a conversation area gives the space purpose. 

Set the mood with lighting

A house that's illuminated says, "Come on in." Open your blinds and curtains to let in natural light, and put the maximum allowable wattage in fixtures to boost illumination.

Accessorize the entryway

Add strategic pieces—a table lamp, artwork, mirror, decorative box—to create a statement when welcoming people into a home.

Author: Editorial Staff, Texas Association of REALTORS®

If you have questions regarding your property, please call us today for a FREE consultation!