Prepping Your House for Sale

Samantha Goodman on August 13, 2016

In this day and age where image is everything, getting your house ready to sell is more work than the actual move itself. No longer is a simple clean up job going to do the trick. Now people get rid of their furniture and family photos, repaint, and hire a stager to make sure their house looks magazine perfect.

How much you sell your home for really depends on the amount of time and money you can realistically invest in getting it ready. In a perfect world, we’d all like to be able to stick the For Sale sign in the lawn the day we decide it’s time to move on, but life usually gets in the way and the little things like a broken door knob or a loose stone in the walkway gets ignored. While you may have learned to live with your home’s quirks, prospective buyers do not have any interest in them.

If you are thinking of selling, there are certain steps you need to take before you can put that For Sale sign in the lawn. See below for a list of suggestions and links to HomeStars categories for businesses who can help you cross to do’s off your list.

Repair anything that’s broken or not up to par.

Call in plumbers, electricians, and furnace specialists to fix any leaky toilets or taps, light switches and furnace or air conditioning problems you might have. Fix doors and windows that may have been painted shut. Contact a stone mason to repair loose or missing stones in your walkway.

Paint. 

How are your walls holding up? Are there scuffs marks or little hand prints all over the place? Did your cranberry dining room actually turn out raspberry and you never bothered to change it? Now is the time to give your house a fresh look. Paint is the most cost effective way of improving your home’s appearance. If you’re doing the job yourself, take fabric swatches into your local paint store for colour advice. If you can’t spare the time, hire a painter and ask for their advice on colour. While it might not reflect your personal style, a neutral colour scheme is best and attracts the widest audience.

Declutter. 

Less furniture and knick-knacks add up to a more spacious feel in a room — that also goes for the basement and storage closets. If you’re not sure what to do, hire an organizer. Book a storage locker or hire a portable storage container (the container is dropped off at your door and picked up when you’ve filled it), sell anything that’s too good for a garage sale at consignment shops, craigslist, ebay or other on-line auction houses. Give away goods and clothes to rummage sales, Goodwill or other community reuse centres. For junk that is truly un-usable use a junk hauling company or a moving company to take your stuff to the dump. Hold a garage sale if it’s during prime season (spring or fall), but don’t expect to price your items too high, garage sales are really more about getting the stuff out of your house than making money.

Clean, clean, clean.

Now you can clean your house from top to bottom, including the basement and the attic if they have usable space. Hire a cleaner if you’re worn out from all the prep work so far. Don’t forget about getting carpets cleaned, windows washed and the garden spruced up. The outside of the house reflects the inside and should be as impeccable as indoors.

Hire a stager. 

Depending on what your goals are, how much time and money you are willing to invest, and what the maximum return will be on your house will help you determine whether or not you need a stager. If you’re unsure, ask your real estate agent. An agent will advise you as to whether it’s necessary depending on factors such as your neighbourhood, your target market, and the current state of your home.

You’ve finished prepping your home, the open house is coming up, and you’re completely exhausted and frazzled from all the work you’ve done. If you can in any way swing it, take a mini holiday or go stay with your parents or friends for a few days — especially if you have kids. Imagine trying to keep your now picture perfect home clean and tidy with little ones under your feet. Being out of the picture will take an enormous stress off of you and the family.

Cottage Closing Checklist

Leslie Andrachuk

The days are getting shorter, and the nights are getting cooler. It’s that time of year again. Summer is wrapping up, and with the kids heading back to school, time to close up  the cabin or cottage sometime soon and enjoy the lovely cool, fall weekends in the city.

If you have a summer cabin or cottage that is not winterized, this means that the closing up procedure is very important in order to ensure your cabin remains safely uninhabited until next summer. Every cottage is different, but here are some basics to keep in mind in the form of a handy-dandy checklist to make sure you hit everything on the list.

Inside the cabin

Aside from giving your place a good cleaning to prepare for winter, here are some specific tips to make your closing up process a little more organized.

1. Kitchen Cupboards And Fridge

Remove all food from kitchen cupboards and fridge, including dried and canned goods. Defrost your fridge and unplug it. Clean your cupboards and fridge as thoroughly as possible to remove all food particles that might be attractive to animals seeking food and shelter.

Line the shelves in your kitchen cupboards with new shelf paper to prepare for your arrival next spring. Ensure all dishes are clean and put away in their proper places.

Remove all fire hazards including loose papers, newspapers, old rags and chemicals.

2. Beds And Furniture

Mice and squirrels will be looking for a cozy place to make their nest during the winter, and there’s nothing nicer than soft bedding and furniture cushions. Make sure you remove all bedding and place plastic sheets over all mattresses.

Cover any chairs or sofas that have ticking or stuffing with plastic sheets to keep mice and other rodents from destroying your furniture.

3. Water System

If your cabin is not winterized, you will need to fully drain all water pipes prior to leaving. The water supply line can then be filled with non-toxic anti-freeze made especially for supply pipes. And pipes that are carefully wrapped at key junction points are better protected against the cold.

It’s also a good idea to check the inside of your hot water holding tank for residue that can affect water quality and get caught in the faucet screen. If you do not have one already, you might consider getting a water filtration system which can significantly increase the purity level and lessen the wear-and-tear on your cottage water system. You should have your water analyzed regularly by a lab to ensure its quality, especially if the water suddenly displays a yellow or brown tinge.

This is also a great time to thoroughly check your plumbing and faucets to make sure they’re still functioning properly after a summer’s wear-and-tear.

Outside the cabin
Inspect your property and do any landscaping required to prepare your summer home for winter months. Inspect the outside of all your buildings for little holes big enough for critters to use to gain entrance. Plug anything you find with steel wool. If you discover large holes you may want to call a pest control company to come and cover them for you. Remove all garbage and clutter from under your cabin to improve airflow and remove any potential homes for wildlife.

1. Windows

If you have any broken screens or windows, now is the time to repair.

The best way to protect your cottage from animals, weather and potential break-ins is to board up all your windows. It’s definitely more work than just pulling the blinds, but is worth it for your peace of mind.

2. Sporting Gear And Boats

Safely store your boats away from the water. Do not drain gas from the motor, rather use a fuel stabilizer which you should be able to find from your dealer or auto parts store. Store boat motors, lawnmowers and other items with engines in a dry, weatherproof place such as a shed or inside your boathouse. Cover anything that may rust over the winter with a coat of oil.

Stack canoes, kayaks, paddle boards and any other large water sports equipment somewhere safe and out of sight, and chain together with a solid padlock for good measure.

3. Outdoor Furniture And Cooking Areas

Store any outdoor furniture in the cabin or garden shed, including your picnic table. Clean your barbecue and cover it.

4. Sheds And ToolsDisconnect and remove the propane tank. Store them both in a protected area.

If you have an outdoor garden shed and tools, now is a great time to tend to them so they’ll be ready to help you get the job done come spring. Use your gas-powered tools until you burn all the gas off. Clean all of your equipment and inspect and clean air filters. Spray all moving parts with a lube, and sharpen all blades.

Have a look inside your garden shed and organize it with your freshly maintained tools. You’ll be happy you did so come the spring.

5. Buildings, Roof And Chimney

All sorts of woodland critters will want to make your cabin their home during the cold winter months, but this would obviously not be good for your cabin. Board up your chimney so that animals cannot climb in via the flue and ensure your fireplace damper is tightly closed.

Inspect your roof and replace any missing or broken shingles. Trim overhanging and dead branches to prevent snow buildup which can cause branches to snap, potentially resulting in damage to your cottage.

Clean out your gutters and make sure they are clear of anything that can obstruct drainage when the snow melts in the spring.

6. Dock

Disassemble your dock and store safely. Paint the crib with rust-proof paint to be ready to put it in come spring.

If it’s the correct due date, book a pump or cleaning before your last visit. If your system does not yet need a clean or pump, add some approved “good” bacteria to help break down the waste over the winter months.7. Septic System And Outhouse

If you have an outhouse, remove all toilet paper and give the bathroom area a thorough clean and sweep.

When you leave

• Disconnect all the appliances and then shut off all the breakers. This will make it easier to reconnect in the spring.
• Take photos of your cabin and your property, in case anything happens and you need them for insurance.
• Do a final inspection of all buildings.
• Check and lock all outbuildings
• Take all garbage and recycling as well as all personal belongings
• Lock your cottage.

Closing up the cabin is always bitter sweet, but if you do it properly, all you’ll taste is the sweetness of spring returning when you open back up again next year!

FALL POOL MAINTENANCE

Jessica Graves

We know the calendar has only just turned to September, but as we look forward to the leaves changing and the temperature dropping, it’s never too early to start thinking about protecting your pool for the coming fall season.

We’ve collected 8 tips to ensure you take all the steps needed to ensure your pool can handle the harsh Canadian fall and winter months ahead.

1. Leaves are the enemy.

The first place you want to start when preparing your pool for fall is on the surface level. Make sure to skim the pool for debris and clean out the strainer baskets regularly. This is the time of year when leaves and twigs will be blowing around and the last thing you want is for them to fall to the bottom of the pool and sit there until next summer as some leaves can leave stains at the bottom of the pool. Be sure to skim the pool regularly to avoid a mess next summer.

2. Clean out your filters.

Just as regularly skimming the pool will ensure no fallen leaves or other debris get in, it’s also important to regularly clean your pool filter. Much like the debris that floats on top, filters can get clogged up with leaves and who knows what else. Keep it clean to ensure it’s in working order for next year.

3. Invest in a pool cover.

If you’re a new pool owner, you should invest in a good pool cover. A quality pool cover is essential when protecting your pool from snow and heavy rain. If you already have a pool cover, be sure to inspect it and make sure it’s in good condition after being used last year. Check for any tears or rips, and if you’ve had it for multiple years, consider getting a new one.

4. Maintain water levels.

Making sure your pool maintains a healthy water level is always important. Water will naturally evaporate over time, but if it becomes too low your pump could become damaged. A damaged pump is a costly mistake that is easy to prevent. Be sure to repair any leaks in and around your pool area. Fixing minor issues will ensure that your water levels remain consistent and your pump will not become damaged or broken.

5. Pool heater.

If you have a pool heater, be sure to contact a professional and ensure it’s working correctly. Once a year maintenance is standard for most pool heaters.

6. Prepare for freezing.

Be sure to check your pool’s pipes and pumps. As the temperature drops and water begins to freeze, make sure there’s no leftover water sitting around in your filter, pump or pool heater. Frozen water in pipes can cause them to crack which can be expensive to fix. Get the water out now.

7. Remove, clean and store accessories.

If you have external accessories like a diving board, water slide and ladder, be sure to remove, clean and store them away. The last thing you want is to leave them out all winter and find they’ve become worn and damaged over the season. Store them away now so you can use them later.

8. Drain the water.

Ideally, you should drain the water to about 5 inches below the pool skimmer. Late fall or early winter is a good time to discard any of the pool chemicals you’ve used this past season. You never want to reuse pool chemicals for the following year.

Consider these tips when preparing your pool for fall and winter this year. Did you know HomeStars has an entire category dedicated to pools? Check out our Swimming Pools, Spas & Hot Tubs category here to help you hire your next pool company.