Category Archives: House Cleaning

Preparing Your Old House for Sale

March 10, 2023   Matt

Preparing your old house for sale

If you’re selling your house, you have to do several things to ensure its ready for a smooth and easy sale. You can hire an estate agent, interior stager or complete sales teams to sell your house – or you can do it yourself.

Houses are considered to be easiest to sell when they are clean, tidy, free of clutter, and the walls are neutrally toned – some sites and experts suggest painting your walls white, others suggest that you should paint them with pale, neutral, matching colors. If this isn’t possible, it is important to make sure your walls are clean – removing clutter and cleaning woodwork and painted walls, can give your room a much needed lift.

If you’re de-cluttering, you can also begin packing whilst doing so, but considering some houses sell up to three months before you’re planning on moving OR up to a year after you’ve moved, its also important not to plan to sell straight away, unless your house is in a highly sought after area, and you’ve got a good, competitive price. If not, you might be in for quite a wait on selling your house – and you also have to find a new place to move to yourself.

Estate agents, and Realtors do a great job of selling houses, but in an ever increasingly competitive market, you have to do very unique things to sell your house – it has been reported that some people are offering new cars, or paying the tax on your house for the first year of your stay in the new house. The housing market is always expanding, but you can’t sell just anything – dilapidated houses can’t simply be considered ‘fixer uppers’ and all houses for sale have to meet ever increasing stringent codes – or have new owners that will fix these to meet those codes.

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Knowing As Much About Selling Real Estate Is Valuable

March 05, 2023   Matt

Knowing As Much About Selling Real Estate Is Valuable

There is a lot that goes in to getting a house ready to sell. Just throwing a home on a market as-is is a great way to ensure that it sits there collecting dust. If you want to know some great tips you can use to easily move your property, check out the various tactics provided to you in this article.

When selling real estate, you should always hire a professional cleaning service to come in and do a detailed cleaning. When buyers walk in, they will be impressed at how things look and are more likely to not be as concerned about how the mechanical systems function, since they can see that the home is spotless and well maintained.

When selling a home, follow the real estate market surrounding the home. If you aren’t pricing the home adequately to the market, it is possible the home will remain on the market much longer than you would like. This could cause you to spend more on the home than you would like, and you could lose a great deal of value in the property over time.

When selling your home, try to make sure that the price that you chose is set fairly. Avoid overpricing your home. When you overprice your house, it will turn off potential buys before they will even make an offer. A lot of times, a home will mean more to you than it is actually worth so avoid letting your feelings be displayed in your asking price.

When selling your house, the kitchen is one of the most important rooms that potential buyers will peruse. Make sure the counters are empty and the cabinets are clean, but not full. If they see full cabinets this tells them that there is not enough room for all their things.

Be sure to take a good look at the front yard of your home when you are selling it. This is very important because this is the first thing that your potential buyer will see and this is usually what gives them their first impression. So make sure it looks neat and tidy.

If you have to move, it is possible to take your home with you. If you love your home and do not want to leave it behind, you can buy a piece of land and put your home there. You may need special permits for to do this.

When selling your house, try to make it look as attractive as possible to a potential buyer. This doesn’t need to be expensive: simply a lick of paint indoors or making sure the windows are sparkling. For outside attraction, plant some brightly colored flowers, and be sure that your lawn is freshly mowed.

Unfortunately, there is no miracle formula for instantly moving your real estate, that’s just the nature of the market in any conditions. But if you can follow the helpful tips we have just outlined here, you will have a much better chance of success when attempting to sell your property.

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Ways To Get The Most From Your Sale In The Real Estate Market 2

February 28, 2023   Matt

Ways To Get The Most From Your Sale In The Real Estate Market

Today’s economy is a stressful one, and selling your home can be difficult. Finding ways to get yourself ahead in the current market can not only be helpful, but essential. In this article we will discuss some tips recommended by the experts to help you sell your home fast.

One way to increase profit on the property you’re selling is to negotiate your broker’s commission. Negotiating the commission can put more money in your pocket and a lower commission may give you room to price more aggressively. Always speak to your broker up front about this and make sure that both parties have an agreement in writing.

When you are considering what price to list your home at, choose a number that does not end in triple zeros. Studies have shown that homes listed at prices ending in 000, like 200,000, wind up selling for less money than homes that have prices ending in 500. One small adjustment could make a big difference in your overall profit.

Hire a professional carpet cleaning crew to come in and clean the carpeting in the house before you show it. They will likely be able to get those light colored carpeting a lot cleaner than what you could with a residential scrubber or one that you can rent at a store.

When you are considering what price to list your home at, remember that most buyers begin looking for homes on the Internet and choose your number accordingly. Websites allow users to select prices in 25,000 to 50,000 number increments, so you don’t want to choose a unique price that will be filtered out of most users’ searches.

While many people are trying to save a few dollars where they can, don’t skimp when it comes to selling your house. Hiring a real estate agent will help you get your house sold faster, and for a better price. These people are trained in what they are doing, so trust that they will help you.

When buying or selling a house, it is very important that you understand that this is a lengthy process. It takes weeks to months to complete a sale. If you are expecting this to happen overnight, you will get discouraged and give up too soon, and you may lose out.

To make the carpet in your real estate last longer you should never use a steam cleaner to clean the carpet. The water starts to break down the fibers that make up the back of the rug and when they dry they become more brittle. Find a service that uses a dry cleaning process instead.

When selling your own home, you want to pay as much attention to the landscaping as the interior of the home. Detailed and well-manicured landscaping can throw a great deal of value into the home, allowing you to get the most out of your investment. You can actually brighten the appearance of the home overall through an elegant landscape.

In today’s tough economy you have to remain competitive if you want to sell your home fast. In this article, we have provided you with some of the most recommended tips that will help you get your house sold. The path to success is not an impossible one, just follow our advice.

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How To Clean Your Throw Rugs

February 23, 2023   Matt

How To Clean Your Throw Rugs

Throw rugs are a handy way to cover wear, spruce up a room, or add warmth and comfort to hardwood floors. They are affordable and easy to find and you can choose from all types of patterns, designs, colors, and materials. Here’s how to clean your throw rugs and keep them looking fresh and new.
Throw rugs are very easy to care for. They require no special treatment or attention, unless of course you’ve purchased wool rugs or the manufacturers instructions give you specific directions for cleaning.
1. Vacuum
The single easiest way to keep your rugs looking fresh and new and extend their life is to vacuum them on a regular basis. Vacuuming pulls dirt away so it cannot get pushed deep into the fiber and wear the rug.
2. Check Tag
Read the tag for any special washing instructions. If you find none you can assume that our instructions will work.
3. Pretreat
If your throw rug has any stains pretreat it with any of the laundry stain removers or pretreatments available. Apply as you would with any other item. Then let soak for a few hours so that it can penetrate deep into the fiber.
4. Wash
Toss it in the washing machine in cold water. Use a mild laundry detergent and be sure it does not have any bleaching agents. These could fade the color of your rug. Even the bleach free ones can be harsh on some fabrics and are not recommended for your throw rugs if you want to keep the new looking. If your rug is too large for your washer locate a laundry mat that has the commercial size washers then take it there to wash.
5. Hang to Dry
Never throw your throw rug in the dryer. Always hang to dry. Hanging over the shower door works great as any water left in the material will drip into the shower. You can also hang over any other style of door, or lay flat to dry. If you lay flat to dry be sure to flip and move regularly otherwise the water will be wicked into the surface and it will take forever to dry.
6. Brush
Not only do you have to brush your pets, now you have to brush your rugs. Once your throw rug is dry take a comb or brush and gently work it through the rug brushing against it’s natural grain so it becomes full again.
A quick search online will reveal there are thousands of throw rug choices out there. You can also buy throw rugs at local carpet dealers. Stores like Walmart or Target offer some great prices on these style of rugs so be sure to check them out too!
Throw rugs are the perfect way to add to your home decor. As you can see from how to clean your throw rugs process they are not difficult to maintain. There also great because normally they are of a small to medium size so you can mix it up every now and then and rearrange them in your home.

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Homes For Sale – Tips To Help Make Your Home More Marketable

February 18, 2023   Matt

Homes For Sale – Tips To Help Make Your Home More Marketable

You’ve finally decided that you want to sell your house. Your house is on the market, and you’ve found a real estate agent you can trust. Now what? The next and most obvious step is to get your home sold. To help aid in the selling of your home, I will outline some tips that I personally believe will benefit in the marketability and potential selling of your home. The goal here is to obtain that all important “stamp of approval” in which the red imprint reads: “SOLD.”

Usually, the first place your potential buyer is going to see, will be the front of your house. The goal here is to make it as attractive as possible, but more importantly, inviting. First impressions are very important. First positive impressions, if you will, are even more important. The key here is to make sure everything looks neat and clean. Cut the grass, pull out the weeds, trim the bushes, plant some flowers, and clear out the walkway.

Make sure your home is clean. These include things like steam cleaning your carpets, mopping your floors, dusting hard-to-reach areas, and cleaning your windows (both inside and out). Potential buyers are very picky people, and as such, they like to inspect as much as they can.

Try and keep both colors and styles neutral. The key here is not to influence your buyer with your own personal style. Someone might walk in, look at a red wall, and be immediately turned off. The idea is to try and make them visualize the colors for themselves. Keeping things neutral is a good solution to this “problem.”

Check lighting. No one wants to look at a house that they can’t see. Seems obvious, right? Unfortunately, as a real estate agent myself, I’ve had quite a few cases where this element has been overlooked. Check your light bulbs, and make sure they’re working. Although I recommend checking all the light bulbs, I’d be more concerned with the areas in the house that are darker or that require more artificial lighting. These include places like the basement and bathrooms. It’s also a good idea to open your curtains. Simply put, the more natural light, the better.

Make repairs if necessary. These include things like a fresh coat of paint, patching up of any holes in the wall, and torn patio screens. You want your buyer to feel like your home has been well taken care of. This is a big plus.

Try to avoid clutter. One of the worst things that can happen is when your buyer feels “boxed in.” Try and keep clutter to a minimum. Remove any unnecessary items such as too many pictures and accessories. The goal here is you want to have your house feel like a home, yet at the same time have it as spacious and organized as possible. You want the buyer to get a good sense of the space and visualize it as their own.

After all is said and done, it is important to note that the aforementioned tips do not guarantee a sell of ones home, although it can certainly help. Everyone is different, and there are other variables to consider. But like I said, these certainly can help. As a final test, invite a friend over and have them share their opinions with you about the presentation of your home. In the best case scenario, it is best to invite someone that has never been to your house (or not that often). In this way, they can view your home with a “fresh pair of eyes.” All of these suggestions boil down to one common goal: You want your home to feel inviting, and have your potential buyer view it as their own.

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Dangers of Chlorine in Showers, Pools and Cleaning Products

February 13, 2023   Matt

Dangers of Chlorine in Showers, Pools and Cleaning Products

Who would want to take a bath first thing in the morning if they knew that their showers are filled with toxins? And not only that; if you bathe in your pool or when you’re using cleaning products, are you aware that they contain toxins too? Well, that is already a proven fact and you should know because it concerns you and your family’s health. Some of the dangers of chlorine in showers, pools, and cleaning products include increasing the risk of skin allergies, cancer, sinuses, and at can also cause harm to your lungs.

It is the toxins that can damage an individual’s health. Chlorine is just one of those toxins. Most of the suppliers of water use chlorine for disinfection purposes. However, what these water suppliers don’t know is that the chlorine can harden arteries, irritate skin, destroy body proteins, aggravate asthma and sinus conditions, allergies, and most specially, respiratory problems.

There have been many studies showing that people who drink chlorinated water were more susceptible to rectal and bladder cancer. Skin absorbs chlorine. So when you take a shower or you bathe in the pool, your body is absorbing a lot of chlorine. Some tests even showed that the absorption of chlorine is far higher when an individual is taking a bath rather than simply drinking the water. When you’re cleaning the kitchen and bathroom, you usually use cleaning products. The same thing happens; it’s just like taking a bath because you wet your hands (this is where chlorine is absorbed) and you can inhale the toxins.

You might think that it’s impossible but it is definitely true. You see, when you’re taking a shower, your pores are opened and when this happens, the whole body will work similar to that of a sponge. Chlorine vapors are inhaled and absorbed by the skin. It goes directly to the bloodstream. This is much faster than drinking the water because chlorine will still pass to other organs of the body.

The risks can be divided into short term and long term. In the short term of exposure to chlorine, you can suffer from sinus, skin, and eye irritations. Over the long term, people can suffer from hardened arteries, oxidation (wherein cells and tissues age fast), and susceptibility to cancer. Individuals suffering from asthma, allergies, skin rashes, and emphysema should lessen the exposure to chlorinated water because their conditions can become worse.

Because of these alarming facts, there are now counteractive measures that people can turn to. For shower and pools, make sure that you use a proper water filter. There are shower filters available in the market but just make sure that you buy one with the KDF medium. Pool filters are also widely available. In the case of cleaning products, you should look into the ingredients before you make a purchase. If you want, you can turn to the basics and use baking soda or vinegar to clean the house.

As a responsible homeowner, you should be aware of the dangers of chlorine in showers, pool, and cleaning products. This is the only way to live a much safer life. Who could ever think that danger is lurking in the comforts of your home? Stay safe and take the necessary measures in order to address the chlorine problems.

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