About Lackawanna County, PA

PART FOUR ~ NO DUCT TAPE PLEASE!

Previously we discussed assessing the exterior and interior of your home. We addressed clutter, paint, and the condition of the living area.

The next area to explore is everything that is mechanical or requires maintenance.

NO DUCT TAPE PLEASE!

If you find some temporary fixes or work arounds take the time to repair them properly.

ROOF Inspect your roof and make any repairs if it is leaking. Does it need to be replaced?

GUTTERS Clean the gutters. Attach any areas that are pulling away from the roof. Down spouts should be directed away from the house. Gutters are extremely important. They direct water away from the foundation of the home. Over time water seeping down through the ground can seriously damage your foundation and in some events cause it to shift.

HEATING/AIR SYSTEM Buyers are very concerned about the condition and life expectancy of the heating and air conditioning systems. Usually it is best to have a professional conduct an assessment of your system. Does it need to be replaced?

PIPES Many older homes have asbestos around pipes to insulate them. This needs to be addressed. Asbestos needs to be contained so it is not shedding into the environment. If you know you have asbestos do not try to remove it yourself. Seek professional advice.

PLUMBLING All pipes and faucets should be free of leaks. If you know of leaking or malfunctioning have it repaired.

ELECTRICAL check to be sure that all outlets are working. Any outlet that is close to a water source should be a GFI outlet. Bathrooms, kitchens and laundry areas are the most common areas that should have a GFI outlet. Replace old outlets.

WINDOWS Replace cracked or broken windows. Check to see that all your windows work smoothly. Inspect all windows to be sure that the caulk has not dried out or is chipping off. Scrap and re-caulk.

EXPOSED WOOD Check any wood trim that might be peeling or in need of paint. Trim around the windows and sills are likely places that need attention. Look at railings and decks that might need a touch up.

DOORS Be sure all doors are working properly. If windows stick or are swollen have them fixed.

APPLIANCES all appliances that you intend to include in the sale should be in working order.

WATER Find the source of any water that enters the basement or any other area of the home. If you have water in the home it needs to be eliminated or remediated with something like a sump pump system.

PROFESSIONAL HOME INSPECTION

In this competitive market having a professional pre-sale inspection is something to consider. Hire a professional inspector to give you an independent assessment of the condition of your home.

A pre-marketing inspection followed by repairs if necessary is a valuable tool when selling your home.

Condition of your home is a critical element to achieving a successful sale.

Our next installment in this series will discuss how to determine which is a MUST fix verses what can be addressed in another manner.

Part Five ~ Spring into Action

Part Six ~ Plan a Staging Party

Part Seven ~ Who is the Best Realtor

If you have any questions I'd be delighted to answer them. My area of practice is North East Pennsylvania. Through my Active Rain community I have relationships with thousands of active and successful Realtors all over the country. Some may work in your home town. My fellow Active Rain members are available to assist you. Use the search option at the top of this page to find other homes for sale in your area and find Realtors who are committed professionals.

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A MESSAGE FROM YOUR ELECTED OFFICIALS!

SIT DOWN ! SHUT UP ! AND HANG ON !

Last night I read a post authored by Tony Toto.

'General Welfare' and it's Meaning in The U.S. Constitution

My mouth dropped when I read it. At first I did not grasp what he was saying and then it hit me. I urge you to read it. Tony breaks it down for us much better than I can.

This is not about political affiliation. This is about being an American. Put aside your political beliefs and allow yourself to ponder this from neutral ground.

"WE THE PEOPLE" have given our Constitutional rights away in dribs and drabs. It did not start with the previous administration, nor did it begin with the current administration. It began when we became apathetic. The realization that something is wrong has only begun to hit us.

It matters not whether you are a Democrat, Independent or Republican.

"WE THE PEOPLE" began giving our rights away when we elected officials and then sat back and ignored what they did in office. It's not about the President, the Congress or the Senate. The demise of our rights started in our own back yard.

When you hire someone to do a job you provide oversight of their job performance. If they are not attaining your expectations you counsel them and give them your guidance. If they fail to make corrections you fire them. As Donald Trump so aptly puts it - "IT'S NOT PERSONAL - IT'S BUSINESS."

"WE THE PEOPLE" have lost control over our government by our own doing. Those of us who do exercise our right to vote sit back after election day and let our officials do as they please. We figure on the next election we will right the wrong. BY THEN THE DAMAGE IS DONE.

LIFE, LIBERTY AND THE PURSUIT OF HAPPINESS needs to be nurtured and stewarded daily. We are so caught up in our daily lives we ignore the big picture.

CHANGE needs to come from within us - "WE THE PEOPLE"

It starts by speaking out and being involved at a local level. When was the last time you attended public hearings at a local level?

It requires us to continually reach out to all our elected officials up the chain to the Oval Office. When was the last time you wrote, called or emailed a state, or national elected official? Discount the current issues at hand.

If we have lost control WHO IS AT FAULT?

YOU ARE I AM WE ALL ARE

While you are busy building your business and prospecting for leads - set aside an hour a day to

PROSPECT FOR FREEDOM

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TURN AN EXPIRED LISTING ~ INTO A SALE - PART 3

THE VIEW FROM AFAR!

In our previous installment we talked about curb appeal and interior appeal.

Now lets take a critical look from afar.

Being objective is critical to changing the outcome. Are there things in and around the home that cause buyers to overlook the positives and focus on the negatives?

Start by going around the exterior and interior of your home looking for ways to improve the way it shows. In the last installment we suggested sitting outside your home and making a critical assessment.

CURB APPEAL: Keep the lawn and shrubs trimmed, plantings weeded and add fresh mulch. If the exterior of your home looks drab or plain add some color. Add a nice seasonal wreath to the front door.

Place colorful pots with plants or small shrubs outside the front door. Power wash your home to eliminate green mold, cob webs, and accumulated dirt. Wash down the driveway. Clean the gutters and remove branches from the roof. Keep all lawn equipment, toys, and clutter stored away out of sight.

KITCHEN: This is probably the most important room in the home. If your kitchen is outdated or messy it will not show well.

Look for some inexpensive fixes to make it more appealing. Dark and dingy cabinets could be given a fresh look with paint. Try washing the cabinets with Murphys Oil soap, waxing them and adding new hardware.

How is the counter top? If it is scratched or laminate is peeling consider replacing it with a more modern inexpensive laminate.

How is the paint? Is it neutral? Consider repainting the kitchen.

How is the floor? Does it show wear? Use some throw rugs in areas that are not perfect.

Keep the counter tops as free from clutter as possible. That lovely 4 piece canister set maybe distracting.

Remove everything you can from the counter. Make it look spacious. No magnets on the refrigerator. No dishes left in the sink.

This kitchen is dark, cluttered and looks small.

PAINT: All the rooms should be neutral. If any are painted strong colors this can be a turn off. Strong colors make a room look small and dark.

Consider repainting. Many homeowners feel they will leave the painting to the new owner. In today's competitive market prospective buyers are selecting homes that need the least amount of work. A fresh coat of neutral light paint might completely change the way your home shows.

FLOOR COVERINGS: If your carpet shows stains arrange to have it professionally cleaned. If it is worn or stretched you might want to consider replacing it.

Many prospective buyers are looking to eliminate carpet because of allergy factors. Your Realtor can offer you advice as to the trends in your market. Today there are several choices for floor covering that offer affordable solutions. If you have hardwood floors under the carpet you might consider removing the carpet and rejuvenating the hardwood.

BATHROOMS: Clear off the vanity tops. Remove any unnecessary decorating items. Keep the tub, shower doors, toilet and sink clean. Be sure the caulking around the tub is not black, cracked or pulled away from the tile. Make sure the grout is clean in any areas that are tiled.

CLUTTER: Start packing now. Pack away off season clothes, collectibles, and any items you do not use on a regular basis.

Clean out all the closets so they do not looked stuffed. Pack up toys that the kids have outgrown or donate them. It's fine to neatly store boxes in the garage or basement. Less is more.

Too much stuff in this room. The photo was taken at Christmas, but was still on the MLS in June.

PETS: A bird in a cage is not usually a problem. There are some pets that are innocuous. There are others that can create a problem.

The best advice is to remove all signs of the pet before a showing. Remove dog or cat beds, scratching posts, and dishes. Be very aware of pet smells and do what you can to neutralize them.

Living around the pet everyday and in the environment you will become immune to noxious odors. Ask a friend or relative to give your home the sniff test. Make it a point to remove the pet well in advance of showings. Some people are highly allergic to pet dander. It's ok that they know you have a pet, it's better that they don't see it.

BE READY: A showing request can come anytime. Most sellers want notice and Realtors understand that. Always be reasonably prepared for a showing. If you do get a short notice request it won't impact you adversely. Doing a quick pick up or a load of dishes is much easier than cleaning the entire house. That spur of the moment showing might be the buyer you have been looking for.

WHAT IF THERE ARE BIG PROBLEMS? In a future installment we will discuss prioritizing improvements or changes. Some issues are too cost prohibitive to completely eliminate. Rather than ignoring them we will come up with a plan to address them.

Please watch for more articles in this series.

Part Four ~ No Duct Tape Please

Part Five ~ Spring into Action

Part Six ~ Plan a Staging Party

Part Seven ~ Who is the Best Realtor

If you have any questions I'd be delighted to answer them. My area of practice is North East Pennsylvania. Through my Active Rain community I have relationships with thousands of active and successful Realtors all over the country. Some may work in your home town. My fellow

FIDELITY DEPOSIT AND DISCOUNT BANK

Recently contributed $15,000.00 towards a new Autism Center in Scranton, Pa.

FIDELITY BANK donated the funds towards the building a state-of-the-art center.

The center will be run by Friendship House.

Autism has been diagnosed more frequently in recent years. It affects 1 in 150 children.

Friendship House has been offering services to children and their families for a number of years in Scranton Pa. Friendship House provides services for children who are experiencing emotional and behavioral issues. The ages range from infant through teens.

Services are available for those families living in Northeast and Southeast Pennsylvania.

For more information please use the links supplied to contact the sources mentioned in this article.

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Bonnie and Jayne Vaughan - Driven and Dedicated Realtors. Serving Buyers, Sellers, Investors, Clarks Summit Pennsylvania

For more information and free MLS please visit THE SISTERS WEBSITE

Dear Friends of Animals,

PETLAND a national pet chain has been uncovered by the The Humane Society of the United States as a huge outlet for puppy mill puppies.

The Humane Society of the United States is collecting signatures on a petition to stop PUPPY MILLS.

They have filed a class action lawsuit against one well know NATIONAL pet shop PETLAND. The case was dismissed by a federal judge on August 7, 2009.

An ongoing investigation into the suppliers of PETLAND puppies uncovered horrible abuses.

Those of us who have worked for the humane treatment of animals know that puppy mills are nothing more than flesh mongers. People profiting through abuse and inhumane treatment need to be stopped.

Retail outlets such as PETLAND reap huge profits at the expense of these pitiful creatures who live miserable lives. They spend their entire lives confined to small dirty cages stacked one on top of the other.

Please read the referenced articles. Included is a Facebook petition you can sign. If you cannot access it let me know. The petition ends August 30, 2009. There are currently 633,000 signatures.

FACEBOOK PETITION

http://apps.facebook.com/causes/petitions/31

ARTICLES REGARDING PETLAND

http://www.hsus.org/pets/pets_related_news_and_events/petland_investigation_2_062909.html http://www.hsus.org/pets/pets_related_news_and_events/puppy_mills_dark_hopeless_040408.html

PETLAND HOME PAGE

In addition to signing the petition you can tell PETLAND how you feel about their activities.

If you currently shop at PETLAND kindly consider your choice more carefully. Spend your dollars at a Pet Store that DOES NOT SELL DOGS OR CATS.