Atlanta At Home

Sellers Prepare For Your Home Inspection

Sellers...you have your home under contract, now here are threetips to get your home ready for the home inspection.

1. Start with General Home Maintenance

Get out those pruning shears, paint brushes, and caulk gun.  Small home maintenance items such as trimming shrubbery, doing touch up paint, and caulking any gaps that could allow for moisture is the perfect place to start.  Buyers will feel more comfortable on the home inspection if your home has excellent curb appeal and shows well. These small items can really add up- so get them done before the inspection.

2. Beware of Water

Okay sellers it's time to think like an inspector.  What causes much of the damage around our homes?  Water!  A great place to start is by cleaning out your gutters.  Clogged gutters can keep water from running away from your home and could cause a number of water related problems.  Also check your windows.  Improperly sealed windows can allow moisture into your home causing rot around your window seals. Painting and caulking can help prevent damage to your windows, just beware that you don't paint your windows shut.

3. Heating and Air Condition Systems Maintenance

The heating and air conditioning issues are frequent in inspections and can usually be fixed very easily.  Before listing a home, have a certified HVAC service done by a licensed HVAC contractor and change all your filters.   Keep the service receipt in a readily accessible place to show the home inspector and purchaser. This should help you create a cleaner inspection report.

 

Fulton Board Adopts Anti-Tethering Resolution

On Wednesday, March 4, 2009, the Fulton County Board of Commissioners Voted unanimously in support of a resolution to ban the tethering of dogs in Fulton County.

The resolution was sponsored by Commissioner Robb Pitts, District 2, At-Large.
      
The resolution makes it unlawful to restrain or anchor a dog by means of a tether, but allows for a temporary tethering while the dog is attended by its owner or custodian.  This resolution and code amendment will become effective September 4, 2009, allowing a six-month period to educate the public about the change.

Atlanta Woman Magazine article

Recently, our very own Tonia Mann was interviewed and featured in an article in the Atlanta Woman Magazine. The article discussed whether or not women are feeling the effects of the housing crunch more than men. Tonia was given the opportunity to give details on her tips for success in this market.

“We are and have become more diversified throughout the years, and we don't have all our eggs in the residential real estate market.” Tonia says.

Tonia is currently participating in several other business ventures that branch outside of residential real estate. She constantly continues to explore other opportunities as well. This is just an example of how Tonia turned lemons into lemonade!

Please feel free to check out the article in its entirety.

http://www.atlantawomanmag.com/Articles/2008/Web_June/Are_Women_Feeling_The_Housing_Crunch_Morex.html

Written by Renee Fouquet

Get Your Home Ready To SELL!

I spoke with a seller this morning who is interested in placing her home on the market in the next 90 days.  She wanted to know what repair work she should consider doing to her home to make it ready for a prospective buyer.  I put together a few general quick fix tips to getting your home ready for the market below.

The Interior Of The Home:

• Replace any and all light bulbs that have burned out
• Repair or replace any broken appliances
• Remove stored items from the attic, basement, and garage
• Make sure all windows and doors can be opened and closed easily
• Move items away from water heaters, furnances, and electric panels
• Run water in all sinks and tubs to ensure that there are no leaks
• If the HVAC system is older than 5 years, have the unit serviced by a licensed contractor and retain the receipt for any repair work done

The Exterior of The Home:

• Make sure the yard is presentable.  Cut away any and all trees or shrubs that make contact with the home
• Have your home inspected for termites and obtain a pre-listing termite letter
• Repair any water damaged wood around windows and doors
• Make sure roof and surface water flow away from the home
• Clean gutters