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Making Your House Stand Out in a Tough Market

Making Your House Stand Out in a Tough Market

Making Your House Stand Out in a Tough Market

As the real estate industry continues its downward trend, it’s becoming increasingly difficult to sell your home. Prices have dropped, there are more listings than ever to choose from and sellers are giving incredible deals to buyers. Here are a few tips to make your home stand out.

Curb Appeal

Curb appeal is the first way to draw attention to your home. Since it is the first thing that anyone sees, you want the “WOW” factor. I know people that have bought houses just because of the spectacular landscaping. I also know people who have not even bothered looking inside of a house because of the condition of the exterior. Make sure the exterior of the house is in tip-top shape so the potential buyer immediately wants to see the inside.

The following is your list of items to maintain curb appeal:

• Cut grass

• Trim all hedges and bushes

• Add mulch to beds

• Have flowering plants or potted flowers on the porch

• Keep toys out of sight and place in the backyard or in a shed

• Clean all cluttering debris such as sticks, garbage, old newspapers, etc.

• Replace all the light bulbs surrounding the house
You want the inside of your house to wow potential buyers just as much as the outside.

The following checklist gives ultimate interior appeal. Make sure all items are completed before the first showing of your house is scheduled.

• Clean! Every floor, window, closet and cupboard!

• Remove excess clutter, toys, paperwork and knick-knacks. Clutter makes counter tops and rooms appear smaller than they really are.

• Paint the walls in dirty rooms or where a room needs brightening. Bright rooms give the appearance that they are more spacious.

• Make repairs to anything needed – hinges, doorknobs, plaster, steps, plumbing, etc.

• Replace all burned out light bulbs.

• Wash all window coverings. Open all of the curtains and blinds before a showing. Natural light makes a room appear bigger.

• Open the doors and windows before a showing to fill the home with fresh air.

When the inside and outside are clean and neat, you may need to provide a bigger incentive to your potential buyers. If the house has repairs that you didn’t have the time or cash to fix, you can offer credit towards the purchase price. That way, you acknowledge the repairs and give the buyer a discount for accepting the home as is.

Another option is to offer an allotment if your house needs new carpeting or flooring. Buyers like allotments because they get the item new, plus they get to pick out their colors. A win-win situation for everyone.

The time spent cleaning, making minor repairs, and providing incentives for major repairs, will make your home stand out above the competition. Although these little fixes may require some time and effort, selling quickly in a tough market will be worth the effort in the end!

Things to Consider when Building a Bird Deck House

Things to Consider when Building a Bird Deck House

Bird deck houses are one way of making your home feel brighter and livelier everyday. It is the first thing that you can look at in the morning and the thing to see once you want to relieve some of the stress of your day. Believe it. Birds and bird houses in your home can make a lot of difference not only to your home but also to your life.

Building a bird deck house can be easy if you know what you are doing. There are some guidelines that you can learn from those who have done it. Bird experts have also some things to say about how to properly make your own bird deck house.

Overall, below are some of things you have to consider when building a bird deck house.

1. Ventilation.

You probably would not want to suffocate the birds inside your house. And you probably would not want to make them feel like they are your prisoners too.

What you need to do is to provide proper ventilation in your bird deck house. If you have one that is fully covered, consider putting on holes on the top, bottom and the sides. You do not need to do this if the bird deck house has an open space where birds can move out and about.

If you have a pet bird that you do not want to fly away from you, consider having bird houses that lets the air in naturally.

2. Roof.

Having a roof on your bird deck house is a means of protecting the birds from wind and rain. It is also one way of preventing bigger animals from playing and eating the birds inside.

In addition, the roof can prevent moisture from seeping inside the bird house. This serves the same purpose as the walls that you need to have in the bird house.

3. Space.

If you have more than one bird deck house in your house or garden, keep them some feet apart from each other. Having the appropriate space between bird deck houses is a way of reducing conflicts that might arise between the birds.

Birds are also like human in terms of protecting their territory. They also do not want other birds to trespass into their space. It is better to give them the appropriate space that they can have for their own.

4. Material.

The best material to make your bird deck house from is wood. They are more durable than metal that can rust and cartons that rot. Avoid using paint as much as possible. They tend to secrete vapors that can harmful for the birds.

Check out for unwanted visitors in your bird deck house. They can be insects or mice capable of causing harm and injury to the birds. Regular checking and cleaning can prevent these things from taking advantage of what you consider as pets.

The main purpose for putting up a deck in your bird house is to attract more birds. Your bird deck house will be a waste if birds are not visiting and coming back to it. An exception is when you already have the birds to put into your bird house. But for those who do not have, then the bird house should be a point of attraction and a regular safe place where birds can stay.

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