Easy Home Repairs - Three quick tips to spruce up your home

Several home repair suggestions were featured in a recent issue of Chattanooga's Blush Magazine. These are easy handywoman fixes for common problems. Even I can follow the simple instructions to these fixes.

1. Fix a leaky faucet
Turn off the water to the faucet and plug the drain with a stopper or rag. Take the faucet handles off and remove the old washer behind the handles, replacing them with new washers. Replace the handles and screw back on until they feel tight but don't use extra force. Turn the water on to see whether the faucet works properly. If not, you may need professional plumbing assistance. This tip was placed in Blush from wikihow.com.

2. Open a stuck window
Blush quotes hometips.com. Their solution is to wedge a putty knife between the window's sash and frame from the inside. Tap with a hammer to loosen the opening. From the outside of the window, wedge a pry bar between the sill and sash, and apply upward pressure. Work from each corner back and forth until the sash moves up evenly. Once the window is open, chisel built-up paint or residue off the sash edge. Sand the edges smooth if appropriate and apply wax to prevent further sticking of the window.

3. Re-grout tile
Another tip the local Blush Magazine is from move.com. To replace dark or mildewy grout in your tiles, get rid of the old grout first by razoring it with a utility knife or other grout instrument. Use a color for your grout that matches your tile and ask a supercenter attendant if you should use sanded or unsanded grout (you might take a sample). Mix the grout according to instructions, and use a squeegee to apply. Using a damp sponge, wipe off the excess grout. Let it dry and wipe with a clean, damp cloth.

Whether preparing your home for a sale, moving into another home that needs a few fix ups or just spucing up the home in which you want to stay; these tips can make your home more pleasant for you and/or for a potential buyer.

Home Security While You Are Away

Basic steps that may improve your home's security:
> Make your home appear occupied at all times by leaving some lights on or using light timers.
> Ask a neighbor to park one of their cars in your driveway.
> Ask a friend or neighbor to collect mail and newspapers.
> Have a delivery hold placed on mail if no one can pick it up.
> Turn off WIFI and DSL connections to deter identity thieves.
> Use motion sensor floodlights placed out of reach from thieves.
> Forward home phone calls to your cell phone so you can be reached.

There is no certainty that you can prevent thieves from stealing your possessions, but you can lower the chances of break-ins by taking simple precautions like securing your doors and windows or not leaving a spare key for a burglar to find. As always, use good judgment, and weigh the pros and cons in the decisions you make.

Your home is a valuable possession. Enjoy your vacation or allay your fears while away through precautions that lower the chances of a break-in or thieves. And when you decide to sell your home or buy a new home, give me a call. I will be happy to assist you as you buy or sell your home in the Greater Chattanooga-Hamilton County, TN area. Call Pat Branham, Affilliate Broker, Exit Upward Realty at 423-304-5597.

Has your home been on the market too long?

Are you one of those homeowners who has been waiting for 6 months or even a year to be matched with a buyer? You've priced your home competitively, but the magic still doesn't happen.

Consider the importance of first impressions and take the time to prepare your home for a favorable showing.

Try these steps, and see if they make a difference in homebuyer interest:
1. Get rid of that clutter. If you must keep all those knicknacks, pictures, and fake flower arrangements; consider getting a storage unit, and get that clutter out of sight. Move excessive furniture out that is making your home look crowded. Permit buyers to get around and really see your home's features.
2. Think about curb appeal. Is your yard mowed, and are your shrubs trimmed? Is there trash or toys around your home? Clean it up, and give your yard a fresh appearance.
3. Clean house. Make sure the spots are off the carpet, vinyl and tile. Clean countertops, and scrub toilets and tubs. Make your home sparkle!
4. Repair obvious items and some that aren't so obvious. Some buyers climb in the crawl space and attic. Some repairs are simple and quick. Get help from a handyman if you need it, but get your home ready for move-in condition.
5. Assure lighting shows off your home's features. Do you need to paint in neutral colors and take down heavy drapes? The buyers need to envision themselves in your home.

Ask your realtor and friends that have successfully sold their homes for honest criticism. They just might have the hints that will make a difference and move your home off the market and into the right buyer's hands!

Tidy Your Home Quickly for a Better Showing!

Realtor.Org recently posted tips from the Chicago Tribune on how to tidy a home quickly. If you have potential buyers arriving within the hour, bring improved order to a messy home for a better showing to potential buyers. This is according to Julie Edelman, author of "The Accidential Housewife..."

How do you accomplish this within an hour? Try these tips:

1. Target the bathroom. Clean the sink, toilet, mirror and floor with disinfectant wipes. Empty the trash. Use toilet bowl cleaner or drop a denture cleanser into the toilet and let it fizz for 20 minutes - then flush.
2. Salvage the kitchen. Clear off the countertops. Put your dirty dishes in the dishwasher. Spray a clean smelling multipurpose spray on the counter tops and wipe down.
3. Pick up Debris. Get rid of clutter in the living room, and put it in a bag you can hide in the bedroom closet . Sort it out later.
4. Vacuum everywhere.

Oye! Now you have some order in your home, and a clean smelling one at that!

No need to panic if potential home buyers are on there way within the hour. Utilize these tips to show your home in a better light and provide an improved opportunitiy for a sale!

Home Staging for a Quicker Sale and Better Price

Unlike its reputation for being costly, home staging has simple principles, according to the on line site, RIS Media.

The sentimental attraction that owners have to items in their home will often cause them to be reluctant to eliminate items that clutter the appearance of rooms. Staging is about clearing the room and showing floor space. Moving furniture off the wall and leaving some space for pictures (not family photos) is a big part of staging.

Minimizing the amount of furniture is an important part of staging. That means not adding a convenience table next to a chair just so you can put a glass of water there. It means showing off the space.

Staging includes decorating dining tables as if you are preparing for a meal or party. Game tables should show games in action.

Keep TVs off and music soft or jazzy - not strong like rock music. Fresh flowers rather than fake flowers are the rule, and white towels are more effective than colored.

Professional stagers often can use the furniture you already have, but you don't have to use a professional. The goal of staging is to make your home appeal to the broadest range of buyers. This means the buyer should be focused more on the house and its elements that have attracted the buyer.

Furniture placement on a budget

So, you have a new home, but how do you fill up the spaces with your furniture? About.com has some advice on budget decorating and basics of furniture placement.

Make the most of furniture placement of what you have available if you are decorating on a budget. Remember to assure you have room to open doors fully, that you have pathways to other rooms, that the furniture is placed in a way that you get the "feel" you want (i.e. cozy, formal), and that there is flexibility in seating if you want to use the room for entertaining or other special needs.

Some furniture placement guidelines to consider:
1. Designers typically allow 48-100 inches between the sofa and side chairs, but adjust to meet the room size and your family's needs.
2. Normal placement of a coffee table in front of a sofa is 14-18 inches, but adjust for comfort.
3. Allow three feet for traffic spaces, but lots of children or large family members may require more than three feet.
4. An average adult needs 20 inches of depth for a dining room chair plus 16 inches to scoot back the chair from the table but, again, adjust for comfort. To serve guests, you may want to allow 46 inches between the wall and dining table.
5. To get out of bed comfortably, allow at least 24 inches between the bed and the wall and you may want to allow 36 inches between the end of the bed and the bedroom or bathroom door.

Guidelines should be adjusted for your family and are approximate. Allow for your lifestyle too, such as entertaining needs.

To enjoy your home more fully, think carefully about furniture placement!

Economic Stabilization Act - What it Means for Consumers

On October 3, 2008 the Emergency Economic Stabilization Act of 2008 was signed into law by President Bush after passage by the House and the Senate.

According to Richard Gaylord, President of the National Association of Realtors® (NAR), the bill may not be perfect; but many Realtors® believe several additions make the bill more favorable than the previous version. Raising the FDIC insurance limit and other measures are considered advantageous to protect taxpayers. Consumers may have faced dire consequenses, according to Gaylord, without passage of the bill.

The NAR, of which I am a member, will continue to work with Congress and the Administration to assure measures included in the bill are implemented quickly so the needs of Main Street - your needs - will be placed right up front.