8 Tips to Maintain Beautiful Wood Flooring

Houses with wood flooring sell faster and for more. Wood flooring continues to be the popular choice among many homeowners. Hardwood...Pergo...Bamboo...There are a multitude of options. Before investing into a wood flooring, homeowners need to investigate which one will work best with their families and lifestyle. You will want to visit the National Wood Flooring Association website http://www.woodfloors.org/ for more information on styles and types of flooring.

While there is a variety of Wood floors styles and types, with the advances in stains and finishes, most require little more than sweeping with a soft-bristle broom and an occasional cleaning with a reputable wood floor cleaner.

According to the National Wood Flooring Association, the following tips will help protect and maintain your hardwood floors:

1. Use a cleaner that is specially made for wood floors. Avoid using sheet vinyl and tile floor care products. Self-polishing acrylic waxes can cause the wood to become slippery and appear dull quickly.
2. Use throw rugs both inside and outside of doorways to prevent scratches and keep dirt and grit from being tracked onto the floor.
3. When cleaning, do not use a wet mop. Standing water can dull the finish, damage the wood and leave a discoloring residue.
4. Wipe up spills immediately with a slightly dampened towel.
5. Avoid walking on wood floors with cleats, high heels and sport shoes, which can dent the floors.
6. When moving heavy furniture, pick it up instead of sliding it. Place guides under furniture legs to prevent scuffing and scratching.
7. For wood floors in the kitchen, place an area rug in front of the kitchen sink.
8. Use a humidifier throughout the winter months to keep wood movement and shrinkage to a minimum.

Using these tips, will help to maintain the luster and beauty of your wood flooring.

For more tips on preparing your home to sell, see my blog Price Wars and Beauty Contests--8 Simple Tips to Win!

--Virginia Hall

Buy Today with Recession Proof Plans

Afraid to buy a home during this Economic Recession? Afraid of losing your job? Then how will you make your house payments? Even in good times and even if you are renting, this is a concern. But not quite as much as now when the news is filled with layoffs and people you know in San Diego are losing their jobs.

Normally, I would say you need to have some reserves and then you just have to find another job. However, in these uncertain times it may take longer than usual. Well the California Association of Realtors® has the come up with a safety net that you can rely on to make that leap of faith into home ownership with a secure feeling.

On April 2, James Lipsak, the 2009 C.A.R. President, announced, "Through the C.A.R. Housing Affordability Fund Mortgage Protection Program (C.A.R.H.A.F. MPP), first-time home buyers who lose their jobs due to layoffs may be eligible to receive up to $1,500 per month for up to six months to help make their mortgage payments. A qualified co-buyer also can participate in the program, for a reduced monthly benefit of $750 per month for up to six months in the event of a job loss. Program benefits also include coverage for accidental disability and a $10,000 death benefit. C.A.R.’s Housing Affordability Fund is dedicating $1 million to the program this year, and estimates that as many as 3,000 families will benefit from the program throughout 2009."

"To qualify for the Mortgage Protection Program, applicants must:
. Be a first-time home buyer – someone who has not owned a home in the last three years
. Open escrow April 2, 2009, or later, and close on or before Dec. 31, 2009
. Use a California REALTOR® in the transaction
. Purchase the property in California
. Be a W-2 employee (cannot be self-employed or military personnel)
First-time home buyers must request an application for the H.A.F. Mortgage Protection Program from their REALTOR®."

"The Mortgage Protection Program is a proactive approach by C.A.R. to address consumers’ concerns about the real estate market and their ability to make their mortgage payments should they loose their jobs. I encourage you to take full advantage of this new program by sharing information about the C.A.R.H.A.F. Mortgage Protection Program with your clients. There is no cost to either you or your clients to participate."

So don't let the uncertain times keep you from making your move. Know that this plan is there if you should need it.

--Virginia Hall

Negotiating--Powerful Representation To Get What You Need

"I want what I want, and when I want it!" This is an unrealistic attitude to have when buying and selling homes. Buyers and Sellers need to remain open to winning some battles and losing others.

Negotiating is defined as “the art of influencing or persuading others.” It is a essential skill for a Realtor® who is representing Buyers and Sellers. However, it is important to point out that negotiating is not about taking unfair advantage of someone and should never involve dishonest or unethical behavior. In persuading or influencing others, our goal is to create genuine win-win outcomes by helping people see where they do, in fact, share common ground and can benefit from a give-and-take arrangement that advances their mutual interests.

A suave Realtor®, who understands your needs and is skilled at negotiating, acts as a buffer between you and the other party. They know where you stand and look out for your needs. While there is give, there is also take. They understand how to negotiate and work to get the majority of your needs met. By the end of the transaction, both parties should feel somewhat satisfied not angry and bitter.

Although, quite often the market has a bearing on the outcome of the negotiations. For example, if you are a buyer competing with multiple offers you may have to pay a bit more than you wanted to for the property and accept more imperfections than you hoped for. On the other hand, if you are a seller and haven't had an offer in 2 months, you may take less for the property than you expected. A Realtor® who understands your position will educate you on what is reasonable and unreasonable in the negotiations. However, they won't be afraid to ask for the unreasonable if it is in your best interest.

While, the buyer or seller may be adamant about their stand and they seem to be winning all the battles. If the market is leaning in their favor, you could stand firm and lose the transaction all together or reluctantly compromise one more time.
Sometimes, understanding that by getting over these bumps ultimately leads to your goal, the sale. Don't judge the method, but judge the results.

Price Wars and Beauty Contests--8 Simple Tips to Win!

Buying a home is an emotional decision. Buyers are making multiple offers on homes that may need new plumbing or furnaces; but the floors are swept, the bathrooms shine, the fragrance of muffins linger in the kitchen, the beds are wrinkle free made with simple but stylish bed spreads, light flows through clean windows, and the counters are clutter free with a few designer touches.

While lower prices and good photos on the internet are getting people into the home, the Sellers who stage their home with a few simple moves will appeal to all the Buyer's senses and will get multiple offers. Buyers driven by their desire to have that particular home are getting into bidding wars. The sellers are ending up with thousands of dollars above where they started.

8 Simple Tips:

1. Clean up the yard. Weed and cut the grass. At the last minute, add a few plants that are in bloom for color.
2. Remove Clutter. Removing clutter makes the rooms feel bigger.
3. Deep cleaning is a must. Floorings must be cleaned. Kitchens and bathrooms must sparkle. Kitchen counters tops must be cleared. Trashcans must be emptied. Remove litter boxes to the garage or clean everyday to reduce any odors.
4. Simple Stylish Decorating. Open up the room by reducing excessive furniture. Freshen up the home with neutral colored paint. Remove all personal items and photos. Set a beautiful inviting table. Play soft music for atmosphere. More decorating ideas can be found on Better Homes and Gardens (www.bhg.com).
5. Let the Sun Shine in. Open window blinds and drapes or turn on lights for a bright cheery home.
6. Simple Repairs Can Make a Huge Difference. Loose knobs, dripping faucets, burned out light bulbs, sticking doors and windows, warped cabinet drawers and other minor flaws detract from the home value. Have them fixed.
7. Safety. Keep stairways clear. Remove throw rugs on slippery surfaces. Tack down any loose carpets or protruding boards. Dogs must be kenneled or restrained.
8. Clear Out Closets. Neat, well-organized closets make them look bigger and show that space is ample.

With the advice of an experienced Realtor®, who can give you more staging tips, will make all the difference in how easily and quickly you sell your home--to win the beauty contest!

--Virginia Hall

Go Green, Save Green

You don’t have to build from scratch to have a greener home. These quick and easy home fixes will shrink your consumption and your monthly bills.

• Rate it. Look for Energy Star-rated products. This government program helps people make energy-efficient choices, which can lead to savings of up to a third of energy costs.


• Switch the lights. Compact fluorescent light bulbs use up to 75 percent less energy than traditional bulbs. Replace them in highly used fixtures such as porch lights, bathroom vanities and office lamps.


• Go with the flow. Use low-flow showerheads and consider installing low-flow toilets to reduce water usage and save on water-heating costs.


• Plug in, turn off. Use a power strip for your home office or home entertainment center. Even in standby mode, consumer electronics — which account for 15 percent of household electricity — use a little juice, so turn the power strip off when you can.


• Cool it. Turn the water temperature for your washing machine or dishwasher down to 120º F to cut water-heating energy consumption.


• Seal it. Search for hidden air leaks in your attic, basement or crawl space, and seal them with caulk, spray foam or weather stripping. Home sealing can be an inexpensive way to cut energy consumption by up to 10 percent.
  

Sources: www.energystar.gov, http://www.eere.energy.gov/; http://www.crs.com/magazine/your_home_newsletter.shtml

If Houses Could Scream!

"What happened here?" my buyer gasped.

I was in shock. What had happened since making an offer on the home?

It had been 6 weeks since he had made the offer on this home, that was being sold as a short sale. The sellers had to sell the home as the result of a divorce, and owed more on the home than it would be sold for. The home was older and needed some cleaning, a kitchen and bathroom update, but over all the 3 bedroom house had potential.

As we walked into the house, the seller passed us leaving for work muttering something about trouble with his child who had done some damage.

However, after examining the home, it was evident that the seller had done the dastardly deed. He had removed the dishwasher, the oven, the front bathroom newer bathtub doors. In addition, two bedroom doors, some kitchen cabinet doors were missing. As we walked down the hall I noticed the matching painted wood paneling on the walls was missing and now there was exposed damaged drywall with a layer of black tar down the middle. The original hardwood floors had a long scrapes and gouges where the oven had been drug through the living room to the backyard.

While we had a contract that the seller had violated, what is the point of suing someone who is in the process of losing everything. I could have renegotiated the price down for my Buyer, but where would the angry seller stop before the end of escrow. With the damage he did in 24 hours since the offer had been accepted, would the house still be standing in the next 45 days? Unfortunately, the Seller's actions, spoke loud and clear, "That if I couldn't have it, no one would.

Since we were expecting the home inspector, any minute, my buyer had to make a decision. While I hated to see him lose the house that he had hunted months for and waited patiently for the bank to approve the offer, but there was nothing else he could do. I knew he couldn't afford to rebuild the nice little home he had bought. Not to mention, would he be able to get lending on it. While we had a contract, you can't sue someone who has nothing to lose. Much to his despair, the Buyer was forced to cancel his contract.

While I have seen foreclosed homes damaged, toilets and sinks missing, entire kitchens barren, this was the first short sale where someone had sabotaged his chances of selling a home. While I knew this seller was in the middle of a divorce and angry, I tried to make sense of the destruction.

While some may see the destruction as an expression of anger towards the banks, a silent revolution, I feel we are seeing an epidemic of angry home owners, grieving over the loss of their homes--the center of their family's universe.

While buyers have an opportunity to pick up homes at a reduced price right now, there are a lot of homes out there that have been damaged by Angry Sellers or have deferred maintenance. A big problem with these homes for buyers, is lenders often won't lend on them. So right now, patience is the name of the Buyer Game and being the first to find the diamond.

Any Ghosts in the Closets? The Neighbors Will Talk

”Do you think I will get top dollar for my home,” my seller paused before adding, “ even after what happened here?”
From the tone of her voice, my instinct told me that this wasn’t good. “What happened here?”

My seller shared the story of how after they had moved into their beautiful home that the neighborhood children began to tease their children “that they lived in a haunted house”. There was much more to a last minute disclosure of a “death” in the house than had been told. Unfortunately, they had not met the neighbors before the close of escrow to share the tale of the house. While they bought the house at a reduced price, moved in and lived there happily for many years without any problems, knowing the history may have affected their decision to buy the house and should have been disclosed more thoroughly since it will live on with the house.

I have had numerous encounters with neighbors before helping buyers purchase a home and while some neighbors may have a vendetta again the seller, most often the information is helpful.

For example, while looking at a piece of land with a buyer, the neighbor stepped over to share that she wondered why anyone would buy a piece of land you couldn’t build on, because it was in a flood plain. While this wouldn’t necessarily stop me, if I loved the land, just because a neighbor says something doesn’t make it fact. However, I would definitely heed the warning and check it out with the government agency that issues building permits.

In this day of foreclosures, neighbors can be a great source of information since the banks are exempt from certain disclosures, since they have no knowledge of the house. Recently, I approached a neighbor with a potential buyer for the house next door. With a friendly introduction, we asked the neighbor about the sewer that was noted “available” in the listing information. The kind neighbor shared with us about the home being on septic, as well as, the questionable addition had been there since the house was built. While again, I would still recommend checking out the building plans at the government agency, the neighbor’s information gave my buyers the information they needed to feel comfortable enough to proceed with an offer.

So the moral of the story is, it is a good idea to meet your new neighbors before you make an offer or as soon after, while doing your inspections…to find out if there are any ghosts in the closets.

--Virginia Hall