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Are you ready to refinance or sell your home? If you answered yes, then it’s time to get your home appraised in order to define its true value in the current real estate market.
On the day of your scheduled visit, a licensed home appraiser will evaluate your home by going from room to room, assessing its condition. He will also take upgrades into account and do a comparison of other homes in your neighborhood. In the end, you’ll get an appraiser’s report. If you’re selling, you can use this document to decide your asking price. If you’re refinancing, you’ll now be able to determine how much equity you have.
Before the appraiser comes knocking at your door, however, you need to be prepared. The higher your appraisal value the better, so we have put together a list of tasks to complete beforehand.
If your home needs any small repairs at the time of the appraisal, that will have a negative impact on your outcome. Make sure all door latches and handles work properly, carpet does not look worn out (replace if necessary), plumbing is operable, and all windows work effectively. Not fixing these can make your home look older than it really is, so do everything you can to avoid that.
If the light fixtures throughout your home are worn and outdated, then it’s a good idea to update them before the appraiser arrives. Don’t spend too much in this category, though!
Depending on how long you’ve lived in your current home, there are probably some chips and holes in your walls. They may also be a little faded. Freshen up these areas with some spackle and a new coat of paint.
The front of your house is the first thing the appraiser will see when pulling into the driveway, so it should be dressed to impress. First, look at the outside of your home as a whole – do you see any peeling paint, damaged gutters, siding, bricks, or mortar? Address all these issues. Then tackle the lawn by mowing, trimming, and cleaning up and weeds or dead plants. Make sure all tools or equipment are out of sight. The front porch and driveway should also be free of any debris like leaves and sticks.
Prepare your home for an appraiser like you would for an interested buyer. Make any updates or repairs necessary, clean everything, and keep track of all the updates that you’ve made. A licensed appraiser will take everything into consideration in determining your home’s true market value.
Source: http://blog.realestatebook.com/2015/09/17/what-to-do-before-the-appraiser-arrives/
Water heaters are energy-intensive appliances. In fact, they are the second largest energy user in the home, and as they age, they become less efficient, according to the Propane Education & Research Council.
If you don’t know the age of your current water heater, or think it may be reaching the end of its lifespan, it may be time to replace it, says home improvement expert Danny Lipford, host of “Today’s Homeowner.” Lipford advises keeping these three factors in mind when evaluating your water heater:
According to U.S. Department of Energy estimates, the average family spends $400 to $600 each year on water heating costs, and as an older unit ages, its efficiency continues to erode. Rising water heating costs year after year could be a sign that it’s time to replace your unit. By switching to a new energy-efficient water heater or a new energy source, you could save hundreds of dollars each year.
Depending on where you live and how often you use your water heater, a tankless water heater could drastically lower your annual water heating costs compared with electric storage tank models, which are working to heat water even when it’s not needed. In comparison tests with electric units, propane-powered tankless water heaters saved more than $300 annually.
Most water heaters should be replaced every 10 to 12 years. To make the right choice for replacement, you should factor in the annual cost of ownership, which is the cost of original equipment, installation and expected annual energy costs divided over the unit’s lifetime.
Both high-efficiency propane storage tank heaters and tankless models deliver lower annual ownership costs than electric or heating oil. At the same time, tankless water heaters also have a much longer lifespan than storage models — they can last 5 to 10 years longer than storage water heaters.
Upgrading to a newer, more efficient model means reducing your carbon footprint. Compared with standard efficiency electric storage tank models, propane produces two times fewer emissions. The difference amounts to about 1,300 pounds of carbon dioxide a year, the equivalent of driving a car more than 18,000 miles.
Source: http://blog.realestatebook.com/2015/09/17/is-it-time-for-a-new-water-heater/
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Whether you have a pet or not, there is dust-free light at the end of the tunnel! You’re not alone, either – allergies affect more than 20% of Americans. In this post, we’ll go over specific ways to free your home of allergens so you and your family can finally breathe cleaner air. Here are some trusty guidelines to get the allergy proofing started.
In each entryway of your home, lay down two doormats – one on the inside and one on the outside. This helps prevent allergens from being tracked inside. Another alternative is to have your family and guests remove their shoes when they enter your home. Otherwise, allergens are just spread around.
If you don’t have one already, make sure your vacuum cleaner has a HEPA filter. These are specifically made to trap particles as small as 0.3 microns. Basically, they’ll be able to capture the majority of allergens.
Remember to always clean or replace the air filters in your heating or cooling system as often as required. You can refer to the manufacturers’ instructions regarding when to change them and how often.
Minimizing mold, especially in your bathroom, is one of the most effective ways to lessen allergens. With more than 100,000 species of mold in the world, the last thing you want is for your bathroom to turn into a war zone. Clean regularly and remind yourself to dry off surfaces that collect standing water. Also, it’s important that your bathroom has good ventilation. Every few years, you should replace any broken tiles and re-caulk sinks and tubs. This keep mold from growing behind the walls.
Consider switching from curtains to blinds or shades because they hold much fewer allergens. However, if you insist on having drapes, make sure they’re machine washable since those are easier to keep dust-free.
From cooking fumes and cleaning vapors to dust and pet dander, there are so many different types of particles that can pollute the air inside your home. Air purifiers can be very effective in helping reduce allergens in the air, but just make sure you stay away from those producing ozone. We recommend using one with a HEPA filter.
By investing in a hygrometer, you’ll discover the exact moisture levels in your home. Take a measurement in each room and if the reading is above 60 percent, you may consider using a dehumidifier. High humidity can lead to mold growth, so this is your best tactic to prevent that.
Carpet does a great job of trapping in countless allergens, so it’s a good idea to replace your carpeting with hardwood or linoleum flooring. If that’s not an option, use low-pile carpeting instead of high-pile. Be sure to vacuum at least once a week and shampoo your carpet frequently.
Source: Mayo Clinic, This Old House