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December Home Maintenance Checklist
The year is coming to an end…and what a year it has been! While traveling through this challenging year, many changes, new experiences, and even a few opportunities have entered. Let’s wrap up this year with a brief December Home Maintenance Checklist so there is time to make the most of these final weeks of the year.
Grab a cup of hot chocolate and let’s get started…
December Home Maintenance Checklist
- Check Furnace Filters / Change if Needed
- Check Sinks and Toilets for Leaks
- Check Door and Window Locks
- Clean Garbage Disposal
- Treat Septic System if Needed
Leaky sinks and toilets can cause a lot of damage if left undetected. Depending on the size of the leak, that damage can happen real quick! Click here for some tips for finding those pesky leaks a little faster.
Just in case you missed November, you can find it here.
So there you have it, Cape County! A short and sweet December Home Maintenance Checklist. Start the list this weekend and leave much time to enjoy all the holiday festivities!
Home Maintenance Checklist – November
Welcome to November! November also means the holiday season is here. It’s time to gather family and friends to reflect on all the blessings that surround us. First, let’s make sure our homes are in good repair with the November Home Maintenance Checklist.
November Home Maintenance Checklist
Let’s just jump right in…
- Check Furnace Filters / Change if Needed
- Test Carbon Monoxide & Smoke Detectors
- Test Garage Door Auto-Reverse
- Clean Carpets
- Remove Lint From Dryer Exhaust
- Check Fire Extinguishers
- Clean Garbage Disposal
- Treat Septic System if Needed
- Oil Garage Door Tracks
- Turn Off & Flush Outdoor Faucets
Excess lint in dryer vents can reduce the efficiency of the dryer. That excess lint also creates a fire hazard in your home. Here are some tips on How To Clean A Dryer Vent. Click Here.
Just in case you missed October, you can find it here.
So there you have it, Cape County! The weather is cooling off and the landscape is preparing for winter! November is a transition month for Cape Girardeau County. Whether you live in Cape Girardeau MO or Jackson MO, our outdoor scenery is changing all around us. Start the list this weekend and leave much time to enjoy November!
9 Home Buyer Tips
Buying a new home can be confusing. After all, a home is the largest investment most families will make. Relax! Here are 9 Home Buyer Tips to make your journey to homeownership a little easier.
Home Buyer Tips
Tip #1
The No. 1 tip for first-time homebuyers is to be sure you’re ready. The average mortgage loan term is 15 – 30 years. Although you don’t need to stay in your home for that amount of time, buying a home is still a major commitment.
Tip #2
Before you find that perfect home, get a mortgage pre-approval. It tells you exactly how much loan money you can get. Plus it gives you leverage when you negotiate.
Tip #3
Now is not the time to open a new line of credit. When you apply for mortgage pre-approval, lenders will pull your credit report. If they find that you’ve taken out another loan or line of credit, your credit balance has increased or you’ve started to make late payments, it could risk your final approval.
Tip #4
The type of loan you choose will determine your down payment amount, what type of home you can buy, and more. Conventional loans are the most common type of home loans that require as little as 3% down.
Tip #5
Don’t assume that your down payment is the only thing you need to close on your mortgage loan. You’ll also need to cover closing costs before you take control of your property. Closing costs are expenses that go to your lender in exchange for arranging certain loan services.
Tip #6
Once you’ve decided on the type of home that’s right for you, you can begin to prioritize which features you want in your home based on your needs.
Tip #7
Work with a real estate agent to find the perfect property. REALTORS® are local professionals who are experts in the home buying process and your local market.
Tip #8
Giving earnest money signals to the owner that you’re serious about the offer. The deposit is typically equal to 1% – 3% of your total home loan value and goes toward your down payment. If you back out of the sale for a reason not listed in your offer letter, you’ll lose your earnest money deposit.
Tip #9
It’s likely that your reason for purchasing a home is driven by emotion. Many home buyers get too invested in a home only to find out they can’t get the loan for it, or there are some significant issues.
So there you have it! Nine Home Buyer Tips to help you on your Home buying journey.
Ready to get started? Click here to see what’s on the market right now. Let’s find the perfect home for your family.
What Is A Zestimate?
What is a Zestimate? It’s Zillow’s estimation of your home’s worth. You can look your home up on Zillow and see this number right now! But is it even accurate? Can you trust it, especially in a market as volatile as this?
What Is A Zestimate and Can I Trust It?
Zillow gets that estimation from an algorithm it’s developed that looks at many factors, including the recent sale of homes in your area. And, to be honest, it’s gotten a LOT better over the last few years, mainly as Zillow has gathered more and more data on homes in every city.
But the reality is that Zillow’s estimation of your home’s worth is only as good as the data it has. Yes, Zillow knows what other homes sold for in your neighborhood. It most likely knows the square footage of your home, and how many bedrooms and bathrooms it has. But does it know that you recently updated your kitchen? Or that you just put on a new deck? Or that your roof and furnace are only 2 years old? No, of course not!
And to further complicate things, Zillow has a more difficult time estimating value if you live in a neighborhood with varying ages of homes. Old homes and new homes mixed together, or older homes with newer additions, confuses the algorithm and muddies the waters.
Bottom line, the BEST way to get an accurate estimate of your home’s real market value is to set up a quick appointment with a trusted Real Estate Agent. I can take into account all the updates and work you’ve put in, and get a real snapshot of your neighborhood and the current market conditions to give you a MUCH more accurate picture of your home.
Would you like a more accurate idea of what your home is worth? Send an email to Ellen@CapeCountyLiving.com and let’s schedule a time for a free market analysis on your home.
Thinking about selling your home? Here are some tips to get your home ready to place on the market to sell quick:
Perfectly Pretty Home Listing Photos
Are you ready to sell your home? Perfectly pretty home listing photos will attract more buyers.
I’m sure you have seen some gorgeous homes on Zillow and Trulia and other online websites. Those photos didn’t happen by accident. Most of these pretty home listing photos are professionally staged and shot.
You don’t haven’t spend thousands to stage your home. Follow these simple tips to make sure your home is ready for perfectly pretty home listing photos to hook a possible buyer at first sight.
4 Tips For Getting Perfectly Pretty Home Listing Photos
Here are 4 tips to ensure your listing photos are attracting potential buyers to your home:
- Declutter, Declutter, Declutter. Open, airy spaces attract buyers. To achieve this look, remove excess furniture and decor as well as heavy drapes and window coverings. Let the sunshine in!
- Turn off fans and turn the lights…all of them. A well-lit space always looks more welcoming. If the walls could use a touch-up, consider a light neutral color that will brighten the room. The brighter the better!
- Decide the weather and time-of-day for the perfect shot. Does your home have an incredible sunset? Can you watch the sunrise while sipping your morning coffee in the kitchen? Whatever creates the magic for your home…that is the best time to take listing pictures. Allow potential buyers to “see” the special features of your home that you love the most.
- Make sure the outside looks clean and organized. Put garden hose away. Put the kids’ outdoor toys away. Weed and trim the landscaping. The outside of the home is usually the first image a potential buyer sees… so make it count!
A picture says a thousand words. That is why my clients receive a complimentary staging consultation when listing their home.
Tips from the staging consultation will not only give you perfectly pretty listing photos, but also help to sell your home quicker.
If you are thinking about making a move, I can help you through the process.
Send us a message or call and let’s start that conversation today!
