Avoiding Moisture Problems in the Home

Avoiding Moisture Problems in the Home

There are many hidden sources of moisture in your home that can lead to serious problems, such as mould.

To keep moisture levels in check, consider these tips:

  • Bathrooms are an obvious source of moisture build-up. Contractor and TV personality Mike Holmes recommends keeping the fan going for at least half an hour after a shower.
  • Check regularly for water infiltration around window and door sills, as well as other intakes into the home, such as dryer vents and cable wiring.
  • Determine the humidity level in your home. According to the Environmental Protection Agency, it should be 30-60%. (Keep in mind that humidity may vary greatly from room to room.)
  • Regularly inspect caulking around sinks, tubs and showers. Even a tiny break can cause water to leak gradually into the wall or floor, causing damage you may not notice for months.
  • Clean up wet spills as soon as possible. Be particularly careful with hardwood floors, as water can seep through and become trapped.
  • Repair leaking faucets and pipes immediately. Even a small drip can add significant moisture inside a vanity or kitchen cupboard.

Being mindful of moisture today can help you avoid potentially high repair bills later on.

**Article provided by Ixact Contact Solutions Inc.
Helping You With Your Home Sale: Pricing

Helping You With Your Home Sale: Pricing

Determining the right asking price is the most critical factor to the success of your home sale. 

 

Your chosen real estate professional should guide you through the preparation process to help you: 

 Help you understand current market conditions and how they will impact your home’s asking price.

 Prepare a market analysis to give you an appreciation of what comparable homes in your area have recently sold for.

 Assist you in understanding the marketability of your home’s location, size, style and condition.

 Explain how pricing appropriate to market value will help make your home more marketable, exposing it to more qualified buyers while generating the best offers.

 Clarify the importance of capitalizing on the early activity associated with new listings by pricing your home appropriately when it first goes on the market.

 Help to create value and future negotiating power through chattel inclusions and exclusions.

 Work with you to develop a pricing strategy and determine an asking price that will sell your home in the shortest amount of time at the best possible price.

Need help?

 

I can help you determine an asking price designed to deliver results.  Put my expertise to work for you and learn more about these steps in your home sale:

Helping You With Your Home Sale: Preparing

Helping You With Your Home Sale: Preparing

Placing your home on the market requires objectivity and potentially significant preparation. 

 

Your chosen real estate professional should guide you through the preparation process to help you: 

 Appreciate the impression your home will make on potential buyers.

 Define improvements that you can undertake to sell your home faster and at the best possible price.

 Outline suggested interior and exterior preparations for cleaning, repair and organization.

 De-clutter and depersonalize your space to achieve the broadest appeal.

 Arrange furniture to make rooms appear as spacious as possible.

 Connect with professionals to help prepare your home for sale, such as painters, cleaners, contractors, carpenters, repair people, home stagers, and more.

 Create a mood ideal for showcasing your home. Choosing appropriate background music, adding plants, maximizing lighting, can all help potential buyers feel more comfortable in your home.

Need help?

 

I can help you see your home through the objective eyes of a prospective buyer and suggest preparations to make the right impression. Put my expertise to work for you and learn more about these steps in your home sale

Moisture on the Windows

Moisture on the Windows

You’re standing by your window admiring the view.  Then you notice it.  Moisture has built up around the edges of the glass.  Should you worry?

 

Well, it all depends on the reason for the build up.

Assuming you have traditional double-pane glass in your windows, there are a few things to look for if you notice moisture.

Often, moisture at the bottom of your windows is simply caused by too much humidity in your indoor air.  If that’s the case, simply adjust your humidifier.

If the moisture is on the outside of the window, typically there’s also no problem with the window itself.  It may have rained recently, or the outside humidity may have spiked causing the accumulation.  Generally, there’s no reason for concern. 

If the moisture is in between the two panes of glass, that indicates that the seal has broken

However, if the moisture is in between the two panes of glass, that indicates that the seal has broken and surrounding air – along with it’s water content – has made its way in.  This disrupts the thermal barrier of the window, reducint it’s energy efficiency.  In fact, the glass might feel noticeably colder than your other windows on chilly days.  In that case, you’ll need to replace the pane.

Similarly, if the moisture is coming in through only one spot – the bottom right corner for example – then you might have a leak.  If you have a wood frame or sill, you may also notice a growing water stain.  It’s important to get leaks fixed quickly.  There may be water damage occurring within the frame that you cannot see.

When your Dream Home isn’t Available

When your Dream Home isn’t Available

Imagine you’re looking for a new home.  You have a list of all the features you want, just like you would have a grocery shopping list.  However, when you explore the homes currently on the market, none meets all your criteria.

What do you do?  You  have a few good options…

First, you can take a second look at your list.  Does your new home need every single feature on it?  Are there one or two features you can do without?  For example, can you settle for a smaller kitchen assuming the property has everything else you want?

Often, buying a home that’s close to perfect is perfect enough.

Second, consider what features you might be able to add to a home later, by way of a renovation or other improvement.  If a property doesn’t have a finished basement, for example, you might be able to get that done down the road.  Indeed, there are probably many features you can add later to an otherwise desirable property.

Finally, consider the current level of activity in the local real estate market.  Is it likely that a lot of new homes will be coming on the market soon?  If so, your perfect home may come up on the market within the next few weeks.

In that situation, make sure you arrange to get immediate alerts for newly listed homes that meet your criteria.  You’ll want to jump on each new opportunity before other buyers learn of the listing.

I can help you do that with my Private Client Services program, where you can receive email updates whenever new homes come on the market that fit your criteria.

The good news is, in most cases you should be able to find and buy a great home, with most – if not all – of the features you want.

To sign up for my completely FREE private client services, click below!

Sign up for automatic email updates for new listings!