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Ty Lacroix

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You Passed Curb Appeal, Now what?

11-03-09
Ty Lacroix

You Passed Curb Appeal, Now what?

A Series of Inexpensive Ways to Maximize Your Selling Price While your Home is for Sale

I have talked about curb appeal, so now that the potential buyers have liked your house from the outside, they now have parked their car and are walking up to your entranceway. You don't want them to turn around and head back to their car, so here are a few tips for the front entry.

Does the front entrance and front door make a good first impression? (Remember the 10 second rule?). A fresh coat of paint can make the front door look great.

Does the front light work? You'd be surprised of the homes I go to where the porch light bulb is missing, or there are cobwebs, or are crooked or cracked. Make sure it's on if people are going to be coming after dark.

Make sure the doorbell works.

Replace any torn or worn screens on storm doors, and make sure the door is in perfect working order. No ‘KEEP OUT SIGNS' or ‘Danger' nailed to the door! No squeaking, jamming, or sticking locks. Make it easy to get in the house.

Once they get inside, make sure the hallway or foyer is free of clutter, shoes, coats, umbrellas, Uzi's and anything that takes up space.

Get rid of all the "stuff" from the entry table, or shelves in the front entry. Pick up extra key rings, mail, and other junk that gets piled up at the front door.

Clean out the front closet all of the clutter that gets thrown in the closet. Extra coats, shoes etc.and old Uncle Harry should be removed to make the closet look spacious not cluttered.

Need I say anything about cooking odours, body odours, and (BO) animal smells? And if it is you that reeks, leave while prospective buyers are touring your house. (Please note that we Canadians add a ‘u' to our words, so instead of odor, we spell it odour. Instead of color, we spell it colour. Why? No idea, we just like to confuse the heck out of spellchecker.)

So that's it, next I will talk about the other rooms in the house. I apologize up front for my lack of a sense of humour! (There is that ‘u' again!)

Ty

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Creating Curb Appeal Is Easy & Inexpensive

11-02-09
Ty Lacroix

Creating Curb Appeal Is Easy & Inexpensive .Someone said that you have 10 seconds to make a good first impression of your house, and if that is the case, the outside of your house may cause some buyers to keep on driving!

Here are a few ideas to make them want to come inside:

Clean up the outside by removing leaves, branches, dying shrubs or other "yard clutter" to make it neat and tidy.

Sweep off the driveway, walkway, patio and deck and if you get snow, shovel it off the driveway and walkway.

Put away any garden equipment such as rakes and tools.

Keep the grass cut and shrubs pruned.

Clean the windows and repair any caulking or paint that needs attention

Make the garage and front door look as inviting as you can. If it needs it, a fresh coat of paint and kick plate can inexpensively transform a front door. Make sure the garage is not dented or dirty. Little things count a lot.

What about eaves troughs, gutters, shutters and house numbers. Are they clean, can they be painted or washed down? If rusty, a coat of paint is worth 100 times the cost of the paint!

Make sure the mailbox is not rusty or dented and if so, what about replacing it if it needs it?

Wash down or brush off any spider webs, nests or dust, grime or chipped paint and if required, touch up the paint.

Get rid of the pink flamingos, or one of the 7 cement dwarfs you bought at a yard sale, or the plastic geranium bush, or the tomato plants or whatever shouldn't be there.

All in all, a couple days of elbow grease could be worth thousands!

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How to Keep Your House in Model Home Shape

11-02-09
Ty Lacroix

This list was provided by Melody Salazar and was taught to her by one of her teachers! Melody called it

TIDY-UP TIPS

This checklist will help keep you on track so that you will be ready to show your home to a potential buyer at a moments notice. Remember, you are SELLERS not DWELLERS!

DO THIS DAILY:

•ü Make the beds.

•ü Get clothes off floors and into a hamper or back on hangers....overcrowded hampers...stuff into washer or dryer temporarily.

•ü Hang towels and wash cloths on towel bars to dry.

•ü Give tubs, showers, sinks and ovens and range tops a light scrubbing after use.

•ü Wash dishes or put them in the dishwasher as soon as the meal is done.

•ü Sort and file or dispose of mail as soon as you get it.

•ü Find a home for EVERYTHING. Newspapers into the recycling bin or trash, coats and shoes into the closet, dirty clothes into the hamper---

NO EXCEPTIONS!

•ü Put away personal items, such as eyeglasses, magazines, and books on the nightstand and lotions and toothbrushes on the bathroom vanity.

•ü Clean the litter box, pet areas & cages and pet soiling.

DO THIS WEEKLY:

•ü Tend to the yard (mow, rake, water, & pick up debris).

•ü Dust, vacuum, and sweep bare floors ( do more often as needed).

•ü Lightly scrub refrigerator surfaces and shelves and oven.

•ü Shake out, launder or vacuum throw rugs.

KEEP A CLOSE WATCH ON:

  • Windows & light fixtures. Clean as needed...they need to sparkle. Even light bulbs need dusting.
  • Laundry. Don't let it pile up in a heap on the floors or in the laundry area.
  • The dishwasher. Empty is as soon as dishes are clean. Letting clean dishes sit there encourages dirty ones to pile up in the sink and on the countertop.
  • Food bowls & litter boxes for pets. Put them in an out-of-the-way place. Not visible in the kitchen. Keep the area around them clean. Remove entirely during an open house or showing to potential buyers.
  • Odors. Avoid cooking foods that leave strong odors, such as bacon, fish or garlic. If they can't be avoided turn on vents and open windows and light a fragrant candle to mask smells.
  • The thermostat. Try to maintain a comfortable temperature level so the home isn't overly hot or cold. 68 degrees is usually comfortable.
  • The garage and basement or carport. It's easy for these spaces to become the new home for items you've cleared from other rooms. If these spaces are overly crowded and you simply cannot part with things permanently, rent a storage unit so that you don't give the buyers the impression that the house lacks storage and space.

So as you can see, fairly extensive list of things to do but let me ask you a question: Do you think if you did all of the above your home might sell quicker and for a higher price?

Ty

This list has been provided to you by Salazar Staging & Custom Interiors

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Afraid of Getting a Flu Shot?

11-01-09
Ty Lacroix

Over the last 2 weeks I have heard and read the pros and cons of getting the HINI swine flu vaccine shot. I personally will get one when I am elegible to receive one.(I am in a group that is supposed to be healthy and less of a risk of catching it, and because of shortages, high risk groups get it first).

A few points to ponder however:

  • The Canadian government has agreed to cover the cost of any lawsuits launched against the manufacturer GlaxoSmith-Kline should something go wrong.
  • The Canadian government approved the vaccine before Glaxo finished clinical trials
  • Health Canada decided to to rely on tests to a similar HINI vaccine similar to one made for the European market by Glaxo. It was approved following clinical trials on 129 healthy adults between 18 and 60
  • According to Health Canada, no test s have been done on children or those over 60
  • It was reported by Reuters that Glaxo will make more from swine flu than any other drug manufacturer.
  • Under US law, Washington can ban lawsuits as well against drug companies in the event of an emergency

Hmmmmm! Makes you wonder, doesn't it? I am not a fear monger and sometimes a little knowledge can be harmful, however, I am either naive or I believe in and have trust in my family doctor to want the vaccine.

Ty

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OPEN HOUSE IN LONDON ONTARIO OF A BANK SALE IN HAZELDEN NORTH

10-30-09
Ty Lacroix

OPEN HOUSE IN LONDON ONTARIO OF A BANK SALE IN HAZELDEN NORTH

2 Story, 4 bedrooms, 3 baths, finished basement, pool, double car garage all for $412,900!

Open Saturday October 31 from 2-4PM and Sunday November 1 from 2-4 PM

WHERE? 416 Stonehaven Place which is located off of Riverside Drive and Hartson Road in London Ontario.

For more pictures and info, go to www.enveloperealestate.com

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