A portion of our sprinkler system recently quit working. No warning, no suspicious leaks, it just stopped working. I’m sharing this with you because our journey to find a competent sprinkler repair company was lengthy. I will end this brief story with my recommendation to spare you the same tedious process. As a Realtor, I [...]
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The Appraisal Institute has finally created a Residential Green and Energy Efficient Addendum in order to quantify and value Green and Energy Efficient upgrades in residential homes for sale. The previous lack of this Addendum has made it very difficult for appraisers to legitimately add value to energy efficient homes even though it has been [...]
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Is your bathroom looking a little tired? This inexpensive bathroom upgrade will give your bathroom a new, versatile look. Update the light fixture(s), add a water-conserving faucet, new matching towel bars and toilet paper holder. Satin Nickel and Rubbed Oil Bronze are the current finish preferences. The combination of these items can be purchased for [...]
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California Civil Code Section 1101.5 requires that that all noncompliant (i.e. not water conserving) plumbing fixtures shall be replaced with water-conserving plumbing fixtures no later than January 1, 2019. This includes kitchen and bathroom faucets, showerheads, toilets, hot water heaters, etc. so if you plan to replace any plumbing fixtures, make sure to purchase water-conserving [...]
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As we help sellers prepare to sell, we have discovered (or stumbled upon) some very effective cleaning products and tips. Let’s start with our favorite cleaning products: Sprayway Glass Cleaner – this glass cleaner doesn’t have ammonia and doesn’t leave streaks. Use this to clean your light fixtures as well as your windows. Zep Professional [...]
Read More Cleaning producs, Cleaning tips, Prepare To Sell Cleaning
Did you know you should clean your smoke alarm to ensure that the sensors can operate appropriately? Smoke alarms should be cleaned at least once a month, especially in homes equipped with forced air heating and air-conditioning. This is a very easy cleaning task which can potentially save your life. Dust particles from circulating air [...]
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Special features in homes that are increasing in popularity focus almost exclusively on energy efficiency, according to the American Institute of Architects Home Design Trends Survey. Research projects in California, Oregon and Washington suggest that energy efficiency and sustainability certifications for homes may result in easier sales and higher prices. As a homeowner , whenever [...]
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With the soaring price of gas and utility bills, many have attained a significant level of appreciation for the free “green” resources available online. This article includes a few baby steps to “greenhood” that are ridiculously easy to do: Switch to compact flourescent light bulbs (the swirly bulbs). Did you know that changing 5 of [...]
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Upgrading or remodeling your home can be an excellent way to turn a good home into your dream home. But, beware, horror stories abound regarding cost over-runs, missing permits, projects that don’t finish on time or at all and poor workmanship. Here are a few basics you should know regarding a contract for your home [...]
Read More Home Improvement ContractIf you own a home in Contra Costa county CA, this home maintenance tip could save you THOUSANDS of dollars in future repairs – get a Pest Inspection every 2 – 4 years! Pest Inspections cover more than rodents and creepy crawly things. The #1 repair item on Pest Inspections in our market area of [...]
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