14 Home Maintenance Tips for Spring 

When most of us think about spring, the first thing that comes to mind is… Yep, you said it - Cleaning! However, spring maintenance is just as important, if not more important than the cleaning. Here are 10 Tips to follow to prep yourself and your home for the approach of beautiful, sunny spring! 

The Checklist:

1) Gutters and downspouts: Ensure that you pull leaves and debris out of gutters and downspouts. Reattach any gutters that may have pulled away from the home. Run a hose on the roof and check for proper drainage. If any leaks exist, dry the area and use caulking or epoxy to seal the leak.

2) Siding: Clean siding with a pressure washer to prevent mold from growing and to get that nice, shiny exterior you fell in love with. Check all wood surfaces for weathering and paint chips. If wood is showing through, sand the area and apply a primer coat before painting. If paint is peeling, scrape loose paint and sand smooth before painting.

3) Exterior caulking: Inspect caulking and replace if deteriorating. Scrape out all of the eroding caulk and recaulk the area as needed.

4) Window sills, door sills, and thresholds: Fill cracks, caulk edges, repaint or replace if necessary.

5) Window and door screens: Clean screening and check for holes. If holes are bigger than a nickel, that is plenty of room for creepy crawlers to climb in. Patch the holes, or if necessary, replace the screen. (Note: Save the old screen to patch holes next year.) Tighten or repair any loose or damaged frames and repaint if necessary. Replace broken, worn, or missing hardware. Wind can ruin screens and frames if they are allowed flap and move so make sure they are securely fastened. Tighten and lubricate door hinges.

6) Drain waste and vent system: Flush out your system.

7) Hot water heater: Lubricate circulating pump and motor.

8) Evaporative air conditioner: Clean unit, check belt tension and adjust if needed. Replace cracked or worn belt.

9) Heat pump: Lubricate blower motor.

10) Foundation: Check foundation walls, floors, concrete, and masonry for cracking or deterioration. If a significant number of bricks are losing their mortar, call a foundation professional (or ask “Mr Action” to refer you to one). If you can slide a nickel into a crack in your concrete floor, slab or foundation, call a professional immediately.

11) Roof: Inspect roof surface flashing, eaves, and soffits and clear thoroughly. Check flashings around all surface projections and sidewalls.

12) Decks and Porches: Check all decks, patios, porches, stairs, and railings for loose members and deterioration. Open decks and wood fences should be treated every 4-6 years, depending on how much exposure they get to sun and rain. If the stain doesn’t look like it should or water has turned some of the wood a dark grey, hire a professional to treat your deck and fence.

13) Landscape: This is a more obvious one for spring home maintenance, but equally as important. Cut back and trim all vegetation and overgrown bushes from structures. Limbs and leaves can cut into your home’s paint and force you to have that side of the house repainted. A little trimming can save a lot of money and time. (Tip: Fall aerating can help significantly in the regrowth of grass. If you didn’t do it this year, not to worry, next year awaits). Laying fertilizer down as soon as able will help speed up the process of achieving that gorgeous, soft, green lawn.

14) Sprinklers: Check lawn sprinkler system for leaky valves, exposed lines, and improperly working sprinkler heads. If there is an area of your yard that collects too much water or doesn’t get enough, run the sprinklers to figure out the problem. If it’s not something you can fix yourself, call a professional before your lawn needs the water.

Use this checklist to ensure a smooth sailing spring/summer, and happiness/healthiness for both you and your home! Any questions or concerns? Contact Gary “Mr Action” Fayerman at 403-620-2800 or mraction@telus.net! 

Great staging isn’t an insurance policy — there’s no guarantee it will bring in more money when you sell your home — but it can be a very important and useful marketing tool. It presents your house in a flattering light and helps you compete at a favorable price.

The Stats Behind Staging:

• 77% of buyers’ agents said staging makes it easier for their buyer to visualize the property as their future home. It’s like helping the buyer dream it so they can achieve it — and so you and your agent can make the sale.
• 39% of sellers’ agents said staging a home greatly decreases the amount of time a house is on the market. For you, time saved could mean moving into your new house even sooner.
• 21% of sellers’ agents said staging a home increases its dollar value between 6% and 10%. Simply put, that may lead to more money in your pocket. - data as per the NATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF REALTORS

Budgeting:

Staging costs vary depending on where you live and how many rooms you’re staging. On average, home sellers pay between $300 and $1,350 for staging. If your house is empty because you’ve already moved out, you might also have additional expenses for renting furniture and other homey decorations to make it look lived-in.

First & Foremost, Declutter:

The simplest, and most effective part of home staging before you consider hiring a professional is completely free - DECLUTTER! Buyer's don't like walking into a messy house, and as cute and sweet as they are, they don't get the same feeling looking at your stunning photos of your family and pets as you do. Decluttering and de-personalizing are the number one priority when it comes to staging. Note: We can all sometimes be guilty for shoving things into closet when we're cleaning the rest of the home, but keep in mind that buyers WILL be checking out the closet space, and an organized closet is much easier to imagine their own belongings in than a messy one. 

Decipher Most Important Rooms:

You don't have to stage every room in your home, that could get quite expensive quite quickly. Once you've decluttered all rooms and spaces and taken down your personables, take a look at the Living Room, Master Bedroom, & Kitchen first. Check to see if these rooms give that "WOW" factor. If not, you may want to consider staging. 

Lastly, Stage Your Yard:

This step may sound silly at first, we don't want you to imagine hanging art work on your fences or putting leather couches in the yard. Instead, especially in Spring/Summer, make sure your yard also has that wow factor. If you haven't done much landscaping, now might be the time. Plant some flowers to add some zest and life to your yard, cut the grass or resod if need be, ensure that any leaves are raked and removed, and lastly, you guessed it, declutter. If there are childrens toys, plenty of chairs scattered through the yard, or tools that have been left out, put them away neatly, preferably in an out of site area. 

You've got the basics, and now you're a pro. Use these small tips when the time comes for Gary "Mr Action" Fayerman to sell your home.