Sell Your House – Make it Memorable – Create a First Impression and a Lasting Impression

With so many houses on the market, how do you capture a prospective buyers attention in a manner that is immediate and lasting?

Stage your home in a manner that reveals it’s most appealing features for a first impression that allows prospective buyers to imagine “making it their own”. Sometimes a buyer will just “know” they have to have this house and not want to take a chance on loosing it to another buyer. But with so many homes choose from, it makes sense to find as many ways as you can to make your house memorable.

How do you do that?

1. Look around and choose your homes best features and be sure they are presented in a clean, uncluttered, appealing manner. First impressions usually start at the curb, so take an objective look and correct and enhance your properties appeal.

2. Open your front door, pause, and take a good look around as if you have never seen this home before. If you do not see an immaculately clean, uncluttered, spacious, beautifully lit, color neutral environment, with appealing furniture and window treatments, create a detailed to-do list and get busy.

3. Kitchens are a big selling feature. There is a lot you can do to enhance your kitchen to create a great first and lasting impression. Clean, polish, shine and de-clutter. Countertops should have only a few items on them enhanced by an accent of color from a fruit bowl or flowers. Repair or replace countertops as needed. Organize the inside of your cabinets – box what you are not using. Investing in painting if walls and cabinets that are worn and tired looking will help you sell faster and put money in your pocket. Consider replacing the floor if it is very worn or torn. Upgrading faucets can make a kitchen feel new and updated with just a modest outlay of money.

4. Bathrooms are easy to enhance. Repair tile and grout. Make sure your sink, bath, shower doors and toilets are unbroken, immaculate and shinning. If beyond repair … replace. Paint if tired and old looking. Consider upgrading faucets, lighting and mirror as needed. Accessorize with fresh towels, a picture, a soap dish, and perhaps a small dried or silk flower arrangement on the countertop.

5. Doors and windows should all be operable, clean and fresh looking.

6. For all other rooms approach them as suggested in #1 above. Wash walls so they are clean or paint. Be sure to use NO VOC paint that is better to your health, the the health of future owners, and does not create noxious unpleasant oder.

7. De-clutter and de-personalize every room, closet, storage space and garage. This is a wonderful opportunity to lighten your load. Keep only that which you love, has value and is essential to you life. Donate to a charity of your choice. Find your local recycling center for the rest – earth911.com makes this easy.

Do-it-Yourself and/or get professional help.

See YouTube: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ec7QCZAxidY

 

What Kinds of Projects Does a Handyman Do?

Wikipedia Defines a Handyman as…

A handyman, increasingly known as a handyperson or handywoman, is a person skilled at a wide range of repairs, typically around the home. These tasks include trade skills, repair work, maintenance work, both interior and exterior, and are sometimes described as “odd jobs”, “fix-up tasks”, and include light plumbing jobs such as fixing a leaky toilet or light electric jobs such as changing a light fixture.

Handyman projects

The term handyman increasingly describes a paid worker, but it also includes non-paid homeowners or do-it-yourselfers. Tasks range from minor to major, from unskilled to highly skilled, and include painting, drywall repair, remodeling, minor plumbing work, minor electrical work, and furniture assembly (see more complete list below.) The term handyman is occasionally applied as an adjective to describe politicians or business leaders who make substantial organizational changes, such as overhauling a business structure or administrative division.^[1][2] In the past, handypersons have usually been men, and home repair tasks have been seen as a male-oriented activity, but handywomen are becoming more prevalent as well as women using the term handypersons to describe themselves.

List of handyman jobs

The list of projects which handymen can do is extensive, and varies from easy-to-learn tasks which take little time such as changing a light bulb, to extensive projects which require multiple steps, such as kitchen remodeling. Here is a partial list:

Air conditioner installation Appraising of property Barbecue pit maintenance Cabinet refacing Carpentry Ceiling repair Ceramic tile repair Cleaning Concrete work Countertops Curtain hanging Decks Door installation Door repair Drain cleaning Dryer repair Dryer vent cleaning Dryer vent installation Drywall Installation Drywall repair Electrical wiring Energy Updates Fan installation Fence fixing Fireplace cleaning Flooring Installation and Repair Foundations

Framing Garage door openers Garage doors General Maintenance Gutter Cleaning Gutter Repair Heating system tune-up Home inspections Home security systems Hot tubs and spas Insulation installation (batts) Insulation installation (blown-in) Lamp repairs Landscaping Lawncare Lockset adjustment Molding installation Moving Paint removal Painting Patio stone installation Pest control Photography Plumbing repairs Porches Remodeling basements Remodeling bathrooms

Remodeling kitchens Safety modifications Sealing driveways Senior Living Modifications Septic system repair Shelf installation Shelving Skylight installation Solar panels Soundproofing Sprinkler repair Sprinkler system installation Stain removal Staining furniture Stone work Storage area construction Storage area repair Swapping a toilet Swimming pool maintenance Tiling Wall building Waste and junk removal Water purification Water softening Window cleaning Window installation Window repair

Note: this is a partial list

Excerpt from: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Handyman

 

State of California – Final Phase of Rebates for Heating and Air Conditioning Systems and Water Heaters Ends December 31, 2020

For Immediate Release: December 15, 2010
Media Contact: No Contact Available

MEDIA ADVISORY: http://www.cash4appliances.org/

What: The California Energy Commission is closing the final phase of the Cash for Appliances rebate program. Applications for water heaters and heating, ventilating, and air conditioning (HVAC) systems must be postmarked by December 31, 2010.

The Home Appliance program closed on December 6, 2010 which provided rebates for refrigerators, clothes washers, room air conditioners, dishwashers, and freezers.

Since April, more than 180,000 applications have been received and approximately less than $1 million is still available.

When: New applications for HVAC and water heater systems must be postmarked by December 31, 2010. Consumers that receive a request to correct their application must submit and postmark their supplemental information no later than 30 days from the postmark date of their letter.

Applications for HVAC and water heater systems postmarked after December 31, 2010 will be placed on a waiting list on a first-come, first serve basis.

Why: The program has less than $1 million remaining and is closing the program to control over-subscription of the funds.

Who: The Energy Commission has partnered with more than 80 Platinum Retail Partners and more than 50 Official Partners to assist consumers with appliance purchases, recycling their old appliances and completing their application. A list of partners is available at: http://www.cash4appliances.org/partners/list.html.

Consumers must work with a licensed California contractor for the installations of water heaters and heating and cooling units. Consumers should check with their local utility and the State of California Contractor’s State License Board (CSLB) for lists of contractors in their area and How to Hire a Contractor:www.cslb.ca.gov/Consumers/HireAContractor/

How: Consumers are eligible for a rebate when they purchase a qualified high energy efficient appliance, water heater, or heating and cooling units, properly recycle their old appliance or system, and submit a complete application package. Instructions on how to complete an application for the California Cash for Appliances rebate is available at: www.cash4appliances.org/consumers/Rebate-Form.pdf

To check on the status of a rebate, consumers can use a new tool located on the homepage of the website at:www.cash4appliances.org A consumer must enter their unique tracking number or their last name, phone number, and type of appliance that was purchased.

Consumers who need to correct their rebate application can contact their retailer or contractor, call the toll-free number at: 1-888-390-4034, or e-mail the Energy Commission at: rebates@energy.state.ca.us

Eligible energy efficient home appliances and rebate amounts were: refrigerators $200, clothes washers $100, dishwashers $100, freezers $50, and room air conditioners up to $50. Rebates for eligible water heaters are $300-$750, and eligible HVAC systems qualify for $500 to $1000.

The program notice can be viewed here: www.energy.ca.gov/recovery/energystar.html

Consumer Tips to Speed Rebate Processing:

1. Read the Steps. Read the steps on rebate application and include all of the required supporting documentation.
2. Fill out form completely and correctly. Do not leave any items blank on the application. Check the appropriate boxes and sign the application. For HVAC and Water Heaters a California licensed contractor will assist the consumer with the application.
3. Be consistent. Make sure that the applicant’s first and last name matches the name on the certificate of recycling and the name on the utility bill. Only one first and last name is required on the application. The Certificate of Recycling and Utility Bill are only required for Clothes Washers, Refrigerators, Room Air Conditioners, Freezers, and Dishwashers. HVAC and Water Heater applications must list the Certified Appliance Recyclers (CAR) name and CAR number.
4. Recycle. Consumers must recycle their old appliance to receive a rebate. The Certificate of Recycling document must be included with the application. If a consumer is participating in their utility rebate program, the utility will provide the consumer with the required Cash for Appliances Certificate of Recycling. Consumers can also obtain the Certificate of Recycling from a platinum retailer, participating city of county governments haul away program, or a Certified Appliance Recycler. For information on how to properly recycle an old appliance, visit:
   www.cash4appliances.org/consumers/recycle.html
5. Correct Postage. Affix proper postage before mailing your rebate application.