How to Minimize Property Clutter Before Selling Your House

One of the most common issues that realtors and their clients face is the valuation of a property for resale when the grounds and home are full of old clutter, construction garbage, and other remnants of prior residents. Many prospective buyers will simply walk away if this issue isn’t dealt with before listing, but doing this on a budget can be a problem.

Auctioning

In some cases, depending on the type of clutter in the home or garage, paying a consignment store or auction hall to take the lot off your hands is a good way to empty out a large space quickly. This is particularly useful when the clutter involves large pieces of furniture or antiques. Not only does it empty the space, but you may also earn some residual income based on how much the items sell at auction.

Car Buyers

Another option is to contact an unwanted car buyer. Many metal recyclers actively seek out non-drivable cars to recycle or sell for parts. This tip will again add money to your black column, as the market price for steel will be paid by the pound hauled off your land. If there were any fluid spills (gasoline, oil, or other fluids), the next step will be digging out the affected dirt and carting it off to prevent ground contamination, as well as backfilling the hole with clean dirt.

Landscaping

Then, before you list and after you’ve hauled out the sheds and the cars, it might be a good investment to have a professional landscaper come and detail your property. Having a licensed crew getting rid of dead trees and shrubs, as well as shoring up the sightline with freshened mulch and removing old debris and leaves is worth every penny to have your property’s first impression be a memorable one.

Home Staging

Last, partner with your realtor to have your home’s interior staged for showing. Once you have emptied out your personal belongings, the house becomes a blank canvas. A savvy stager can add dozens of offers onto your listing by using professionally designed leased furniture and details that will help your prospective buyers envision life in the space. Staged homes sell nearly three times as quickly, and ensure you receive quality offers near to or over the asking price. When you are ready to clean up in the real estate marketplace, be sure to rely on professionals that can help your prepare your property.

What to Do When Your Home Sustains Water Damage

We all would like to think that nothing bad could happen to our homes. However, situations do arise that are out of our control. You could be enduring a winter storm and the next thing you know a gush of water is flowing into your home because of a busted pipe. A hurricane could make its way into your area and flood your home. The question is what do you do once your home has sustained damage from the water that came? Several things do come to mind.

Get Everyone to Safety

When you encounter water damage, the first thing to do is to get everyone out of the affected area. If it happens to be the entire home, then evacuate the children and pets immediately. Second, turn off the water from the mainline. This will stop the damage from getting worse if it’s a burst pipe. Next, make sure to turn off the electricity for the entire home. If you have to walk through the water for any reason, you don’t want to get electrocuted.

Take Pictures and Document the Damage

For insurance purposes, it’s a good idea to take pictures, and write down the areas of the home that were affected by the water. If you can measure how much water is actually in your home, then do so. This will help when you are looking for your homeowner's insurance to cover some of the cost. Also, when the inspector comes to see the damage you will the proof you need. They will have done their own documentation, but you will have yours to compare against theirs.

Call a Reliable Company to Fix the Damage

You will need to call a company that offers water damage services to come in and fix the mess in your home. Some companies, like Water Emergency Services Inc, know that professionals would know how to extract the water to keep you from having mold issues. If mold is already present, then they would need to know how to extract it. Make sure you call at least three of these companies and compare the pricing along with the quality of service.

It is a tedious task dealing with water damage inside of your home, but these tips should make things just a bit easier to cope with. No one is ever really prepared for disasters to strike like this. The good part about it is that things can return to normal once the home has been repaired.

Injury-Preventing Stretches For Your Next Construction Project

When working on a new home renovation project, it can be tempting to jump into the construction phase as soon as planning wraps up. However, it’s important to take a moment to focus on your health and safety before diving into physically demanding work. 

Construction projects of any size come with the risk of injury. In fact, manual laborers frequently experience musculoskeletal injuries on and off the job, and heavy lifting and overexertion are common culprits. Fortunately, stretching is one of the simplest, most effective ways to prevent these types of injuries. 

4 Benefits of Stretching

Stretching before, during and after a construction or renovation project can benefit your mind and body in multiple ways. No matter what type of project you’re taking part in, stretching can deliver the following benefits: 

1. Improves flexibility: Regularly stretching can improve muscle flexibility over time, reducing the risk of muscle strains and tears while lifting heavy objects. 

2. Increases range of motion: Stretching can help improve and maintain range of motion in your joints, making them less prone to permanent injury.  

3. Builds muscle tone: Some stretches, like shoulder circles and side bends, can help build muscle tone and reduce muscle strain. 

4. Can improve overall mood and boost focus: Taking a break to stretch during long construction or renovation projects can improve your mood and help you focus when you get back to work. 

How to Stretch Successfully 

Stretching is a great way to prevent injuries and keep your body healthy. However, improper stretching can reduce the benefits and even cause pain if you aren’t careful. To ensure that you are getting the most out of your stretching routine, try out the following tips: 

• Breathe steadily while you stretch. 

• Stretch slowly and avoid overextension. 

• Get into a regular stretching routine. 

• Stop or modify your routine if it causes pain. 

Whether you are planning your first home renovation project or have worked in construction for years, taking the time to stretch during your next project can prevent injuries and keep you feeling your best. If you are looking for a new stretching routine, see the infographic below for eight injury-preventing stretches for manual laborers. 

4 Ways You Can Make Your Move Quicker and More Efficient

Moving is a tiring situation for anyone. Finding the best ways to make the process faster and easier is always welcome. Here are four top tips to help you make your move go better.

Make Checklists

Create deadlines for everything you need to do before the move. Start two months before your moving day to give yourself plenty of time to get everything done without overwhelming everyone. You can create lists for each room to help everyone make sure the boxes get labeled and nothing goes unnoticed. Create a two-month list, a one-month list, and then one for each week. Finally, make a checklist for each day of the final week of packing. Add in a few rewards for jobs well done.

Pack up Seasonal Items Early

Some of the easiest things to get in the box are clothes that you will not need for the next three to six months. Next, work on holiday items or special things you only use for certain occasions. Anything you can do without for six to eight weeks will be fine to put away in advance. Packing these things early lets you have the time to organize and label everything to make sure it ends up in the right place after the move.

Hire Some Help

If you do not have family or friends who can help, then you can always call professional movers. Many companies offer a variety of services from providing materials to packing and delivering your belongings to your new place. Ask your company if the items you are having moved will be protected and covered in case of accidents.

Plan Meals and Snacks in Advance

One of the most important things you can do to save money and time during your move is to plan out how you and the family will eat while everything is a mess. Finding the plates is not easy after a long move. Purchasing disposable dishes and planning to order pizza on moving day is a great idea. Healthier options include a trip to the salad bar or going to a restaurant, but many will not feel like dressing up after carrying all those boxes.

A good cooler with plenty of refreshing drinks will come in handy. Keeping a bag of snacks like trail mix, cereal bars, nuts, and fruit in the moving van will save meltdowns when everyone is cranky and ready to drop. Be sure to keep wet rags or baby wipes close for easy cleanups.