Posts with tag 'Home improvement'

April showers bring May flowers…and many home care opportunities. This is a great time to check on gutters, downspouts, rain barrels, foundational cracks, and windows. 

Did you know that for every inch of rainfall on a 1000 square foot roof, 600 gallons of water can collect? If you collect water in a rain barrel, you can reuse it for irrigating ornamental trees, lawn, and flowers; washing your vehicles; rinsing out recyclable containers before tossing them into the bin; and spraying down your walkways. 

Rainy spring days are a good time to check on the basement and crawlspace. Water stains along the wall and floor, excess moisture, or mold can be good indicators that you need to look further at windows and foundational issues with a professional. 

If the sides or bottoms of your windows show a few leaks during a downpour, y...

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On average, homeowners spend hundreds or even thousands of dollars heating their homes every winter. Fuel — no matter what kind you use — isn't getting any cheaper. Even in the Roanoke Valley, where our climate is fairly mild, we get some cold, cold days during winter, when your heating system has to work hard to keep up.

Depending on your current system and your budget, there are some easy and not-so-easy improvements that can help bring your costs down. The right answer for your home is probably a combination of improvements rather than a silver bullet. 

Start with an inspection

If you feel like your heating system runs and runs and runs but your house is still cold, hire a licensed HVAC contractor to inspect your system and its components. A good inspection might cost you a...

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Deciding when to sell your home isn't always easy. Most people don't expect to stay in their houses forever, but it can be hard to decide when to place your home on the market. If you're on the fence about selling your home, here are several signs it's time to take the leap. 

You have positive equity

Equity is the difference between your home's value and the amount you owe on your mortgage. One of the most important signs you're ready to sell is that you have positive equity in your home. With a high amount of equity, there's a higher chance of making a profit on the sale. 

To find out how much equity you have, compare the amount you owe on your most recent mortgage statement with your home's market value. Don't re...

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When selling your Roanoke Valley home, the goal is usually to sell in the shortest amount of time for the highest price. It might seem like getting there is out of your control, but the truth is, there are so many things you can do right from the start that will make your home sale go smoothly.

That said, there are also some things you can do that will make the process more difficult. Here are my Top 10:

Pricing too high

I just

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If you've been searching for homes in the Roanoke region for any length of time, you might have encountered listings for properties that are being sold "as is." This means exactly what it sounds like, too. The owner is selling the property in its acurrent condition and doesn't intend to do any repairs.

For some folks, "as is" means "stay away," but I think that for the right buyer, an as-is property can be an excellent opportunity. If you're curious about an as-is property, here are some things to consider:

What is the condition of the property?

"As is" can mean anything from a home that needs some TLC to a home that needs a complete rehab. Because the seller is not making any guarantees about the condition or quality of the house, it can be difficult to know exactly what you are buying.

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