Preparing your house for sale?

- take an outside look...

So the time has come and you have made that critical decision to sell your house. You have mixed emotions about the thought of selling. On the one hand you are ecstatic by the thought of buying a new house that has some of the amenities that you are currently missing; while at the same time getting your house to the point where it has appeal to a prospective buyer has you concerned. Where do you start?

Most real estate professionals will tell you that there are improvements that will not get you a return on your investment, while others will payback two times over! Start with curb appeal. Stand across the street from your house and for the moment ignore the colour of the building and look at the lines. Do the horizontal and vertical lines of the building appear straight, level, and uniform? If they don't, spend some time to find out why - it could be that some of the siding has come loose and has dropped down; maybe the shingles have come loose around the edge and are overhanging; maybe the front steps have sunk in one corner and need to be readjusted; maybe the shrubs and trees need to be trimmed; or maybe something else. Be critical when you look - put yourself in a prospective buyers shoes.

Painting...
By far, the quickest and least expensive way to spruce up your house is by applying a fresh coat of paint. When selecting a paint to use, don't be fooled by thinking you are saving money by buying inexpensive paint. For only a few more dollars you can get a paint that looks good, won't require as many coats, and provides the look you are after. No one wants to spend anymore time painting than they have to!

Kitchens and Bathrooms...
Numerous studies will confirm that remodeling of the bathrooms and kitchen of a house will provide one of the greatest returns for the money invested.

Updating bathrooms can be include the replacement of vinyl flooring with ceramic tile, updating fixtures and faucets with more modern ones, and replacing a dated vanity with a pre-made or custom-made vanity, mirror and light.

Kitchens can brought current by simply replacing a dated countertop, replacing a single sink with two smaller sinks, replacing the hood vent, and updating faucets with more modern fixtures. Rather than going to the expense of replacing your kitchen cabinets, consider painting those older dark cabinets with a light paint that has been specifically designed to cover kitchen cabinet material. You will be surprised how much larger and how much cleaner looking your kitchen will be after repainting.

Hardwood Floor Re-finishing...
Few things will compete with the look of hardwood floor. Often times homeowners of older houses that have gone through flooring transitions and have seen carpet, vinyl, or tile coverings installed overtop top grade wood flooring are unaware of the wood flooring that exists below the current covering. While refinishing these floors seems like a simple enough task it is something that is best left to experienced professionals.

Mould Detection and Clean-up...
Dealing with mould is not one of the most exciting topics, however, a situation that needs to be dealt with as soon as it is detected. Mould needs moisture to grow and consequently does not grow on dry material. The presence of mould indicates a moisture problem that if not dealt with quickly, can lead to more severe problems including air quality concerns, health related concerns, damage to household materials and expensive clean-ups and repairs. Mould may appear as one of many colours including black, white, red, orange, yellow, blue and violet.

If you suspect the presence of mould apply a drop of household bleach on the spot and if the colour changes or disappears, then it is a pretty good indication that mould may be present. Armed with safety goggles, rubber gloves, a good disposable dust mask, and an unscented detergent solution, small areas of mould can be scrubbed away, sponged with a clean wet rag, and dried quickly.

Bathroom Grouting...
The bathroom is one particular area of the house the consistently contains a higher level of moisture and more specifically, the bathtub and shower area. Tiles on shower walls provide a durable, water resistant surface, that can withstand the normal wear and tear in the bathroom. Unfortunately, the grout between the tiles offers a porous surface that over time will tend to develop mould and mildew stains, if not treated will result in additional work for the homeowner.

A simple and effective grout sealer can help to ensure that water doesn't penetrate the grout. Most sealers come in the form of either a paste or liquid and can be applied to clean, grease free grout and will last for 5 to 10 years depending on the product and the conditions it is subjected to. After applied, sealer will for a barrier and when it becomes wet the water will bead on the surface much like what a fresh wax will do for a car.

Cleaning Latex Paint off Carpet...
To remove latex paint from carpeting, the makers of Wear-Dated® carpet fibre suggest blotting area with a white paper towel or scrape with a dull knife to remove as much paint as possible. Then using isopropyl-rubbing alcohol on a clean cloth, blot the area or rub in one direction. Be careful not to let the alcohol penetrate the carpet backing, as it will tend to dissolve the latex bond in the backing material. As always, test it on an inconspicuous area first.