Now that summer is here, its time to take care of some things that need getting done on the outside. Guys, surprise your wives by doing some of these things before they ask.  Just a suggestion, to keep everyone smiling.

Flashing, which is typically a thin metal strip found around doors, windows, thresholds, chimneys, and roofs, is designed to prevent water intrusion in spaces where two different building surfaces meet.

Vents: All vents, including clothes dryer, gable vents, attic vents, and exhaust vents, should have hoods, and  be in good working order.

Exterior Siding:

Replace any wood siding and sheathing that appears to have water damage.

Inspect any wood sided walls to ensure there is at least 8″ between any wood and the earth.

Exterior Walls:

Exterior walls should be kept well painted and sealed.

Don’t place compost or leaf piles against the outside walls.

Landscape features should not include soil or other bedding material mounded up against walls.

Landscaping:

Keep trees trimmed so that branches are at least 7 feet away from any exterior house surface. This will help prolong the life of your siding and roof and prevent insects from entering your home from the tree.

Vines should be kept off all exterior walls, because they can help open cracks in the siding, which allows moisture or insects to enter the house.

Irrigation: Inspect the sprinkler system,

To prolong roof life, have a professional roof inspection annually. Request a detailed inspection report that includes the condition of the flashing, roof covering,  and drainage system.

Firstly, keep in mind the kind of market it is.  In a buyer’s market chances are there will be lots of first time buyers looking at your home.  Most first time buyers expect a move-in ready home for the lowest possible price they can afford.  It might appear that these FTBs (first time buyers) have a somewhat unrealistic view, and this is to be expected. After all they are starting out without much previous experience to rely on.

Here is how you can wow buyers with some easy fixes:

Improve your landscaping. Curb appeal is crucial to a good first impression, so make sure your home’s lawn is immaculate. Mow the lawn, prune the bushes, and weed the garden and plant flowers.

Give your front door a fresh coat of paint to make it inviting.

Replace house numbers with new ones that are larger and can be seen from the street.

Clutter:  Can’t say enough about this.  You are going to move eventually, so why not pack up all the items that are on shelves and counters, except the very essential items you need daily.  Get some boxes from the local pet store, and pack away all the items on counters.  Label and put these boxes in the garage in a neat stack.

Buyers tend to get distracted by knickknacks, photos, extra furniture and other personal items, and miss out on the best features of the home.

Give the house a thorough cleaning to make it shine.

Make the mirrors sparkle, and clean the window glass, so the view is not streaky.

The outside should be clean.  You can pressure wash the home’s siding and this will give it a fresh look and get rid of cobwebs and dirt.  Mow the lawn.

Fix major defects like broken window glass, holes in walls or floors and peeling paint.

Fix leaky roofs or old stains on ceilings.  A wet spot or large stain on the ceiling in any room could discourage buyers.  Don’t forget to clean the fan blades.

You can also clean the rugs and draperies to give the home a fresh smell and feel.   Wipe down the blind slats and window ledges.

Finally, if you have pets, now is the time to hide the litter box and spray air neutralizer throughout your home. Open up the windows for a time and let fresh air into the home, especially if it’s been sealed up for the winter.

When showing the home, fill it with inviting smells by putting out fresh flowers and baking a batch of cookies.

Now go ahead get started!  You can change your home from ‘HOME FOR SALE” TO ‘SOLD’ .
For more tips on how to prepare your home for market contact Serena for a free consultation.

From the kitchen to the bedroom here is a how to for keeping your home neat and tidy.

FLOORS

The key with floors is to focus on high-traffic areas. If you keep those clean, your floors will stay fresh looking forever — well, almost.

Each week, attend to the most heavily traveled areas of your home. These include the hallways and entryways where your family walks all the time, and of course, the kitchen floor.

For wood floors: Vacuum with an appropriate vacuum or dust with a good microfiber dust mop to pick up dirt before you wash it. Then put hot water and up to six tea bags in a bucket. Make it strong. And wash the floor with that. The tannic acid in tea is really, really good for wood floors. It doesn’t stain; it’s inexpensive, natural and it’s safe for pets and kids.

For vinyl: Again, vacuum with an appropriate vacuum or dust with a good microfiber dust mop. Then put a gallon of plain water, or water with just a tablespoon of Borax, into a bucket. And wash your floor with that same microfiber mop.

For tile: As with all hard flooring, vacuum with an appropriate vacuum or dust with a good microfiber dust mop first.  Caution, that ceramic tile owner’s stay away from vinegar-based cleaning products, it’s an acid and can etch your grout, she notes. Instead, you can use an all-purpose cleaner or a tablespoon of Borax in water, and remember to wring out your mop well as you’re working.

For carpet: Use the beater on your vacuum, set it for the appropriate height of your carpet and vacuum in different directions, and . If you do this twice a week, move horizontally once, vertically next. If its once a week varies your stroke, she suggests. To save time, remember to keep the canister or bag cleaned out, since you lose suction when it’s filled up.

KITCHEN

You already do the dishes, but are you doing everything else you should to keep it clean and fresh? Find out!

For countertops: Wipe up after cooking with a good all-purpose cleaner. You can also disinfect cutting boards with your own homemade solution of a quart of water mixed with a tablespoon of liquid bleach, .

For stovetops: A little baking soda on a damp sponge cleans your stovetop naturally. Best of all, you can use it without rubber gloves, .

For appliances:  recommends that you keep a spray bottle filled with a homemade mixture of 50 percent rubbing alcohol and 50 percent water. This is great for chrome, glass and stainless-steel appliances.

For cabinet faces: Laminate cabinets clean up nicely with an all-purpose cleaner.

BATHROOMS

Sorry, folks. Nothing gets used more, so every week you need to do a thorough cleaning. Obviously guest bathrooms that don’t get much use are the exception to this rule. Give them a monthly pass.

For sink area: I wipe up mine daily with an all-purpose cleaner just to get the toothpaste and hairstyling residue off. Daily wiping up can spare you time and energy when you’re ready for your weekly blast.

For mirrors: Keep a spray bottle filled with a homemade mixture of 50 percent rubbing alcohol and 50 percent water. Never spray this directly onto your mirror, it can get behind the mirror and damage the finish. Instead, spray it onto your rag and wipe.

For your toilet: Here’s ‘s craziest tip. Sprinkle the sides of your bowl with a few teaspoons of Tang (yes, the breakfast drink mix). Let it sit, then brush and flush. The acetic acid in Tang cleans it out beautifully.

For a vinyl shower curtain: Throw the shower curtain in the washing machine with a few towels, a cup of white vinegar and your detergent, then air dry. It should be squeaky clean.

BEDROOMS

The less clutter you have in your bedroom, the better it is. The problem: Clutter catches dust, and bedrooms are notoriously dusty, making them fertile ground for dust mites, a major allergen.

Vacuum under your bed at least every other week. (If you have allergies, keep carpet out of the bedroom altogether to minimize the problem.)

For the mattress: Vacuuming your mattress once a month helps discourage dust mites.

For the mattress pad: Wash in hot water every month.

LAUNDRY

All it takes is a few good habits to slice some time off laundry duty.

For sorting: You should have three containers for your laundry. They can be laundry baskets, hampers, whatever fits into your lifestyle. When people take off their clothes, they should separate them into darks, whites and delicates. This presorting will make fast work of wash day.

For wrinkles:  keeping a hanging rack in your laundry area. Pull things straight from the dryer when they’re still a little damp and hang them on the rack. The less ironing you have to do, the better life is!

For dry-cleanables:  you can try keeping home dry-cleaning kits on hand, It doesn’t put a fresh press in your suit, but it cleans and leaves a fresh scent. You can use it with home furnishings and bedspreads and save a ton of money and time.

ORGANIZED OFFICE

When it comes to a desk or home office area, containment is everything, Here’s how to keep those stacks from overflowing.

Sort mail at the recycling bin & throw out all the junk and only bring in the stuff you need to keep.   For the stuff you keep, make sure you have an in box and an out box to capture it all.

For papers: Every month, go through your papers and file them. Go through your files and toss anything that’s old or out-of-date. A shredder is essential. It helps protect your family and reduces the amount of trash that you have, .

For clutter: Eliminate the cutesy stuff in your office that you have to move to clean.  Remember, clutter collects dust.

KIDS’ ROOMS

The most important thing is giving kids a place to put their stuff.

Make it a ritual for kids to put their stuff away before bedtime. You may need to help the little ones, but as they grow older, they’ll learn how to do it and will do it themselves.

Kids can put away their own clothes if their dressers are anchored to the wall and their clothing rod is at the right height.

To keep the clutter down, only allow kids to have a certain amount of toys in circulation, advises take some away and store them in the garage or shed. The following month, your children can have a new selection to play with while the others go into storage. It’s almost like having all new toys every month, she adds.