Protecting your family from carbon monoxide
You can’t smell it, taste it, or see it, but it’s out there: carbon monoxide is the number one cause of accidental poisonings in the United States. In California, all residential properties with a fossil fuel burning heater, fireplace or attached garage are required to have a carbon monoxide detector installed. Make sure your home and your family are covered!
Sound the alarm
Install a carbon monoxide on each floor of your home. If you only have one detector, keep it close to the sleeping area so it will be heard if the alarm goes off. Do not place detectors near flames.
If the alarm does go off, get everyone out of the house and check for symptoms of carbon monoxide poisoning. Call 911 if any family member shows symptoms of poisoning, including:
· severe headaches,
· dizziness,
· confusion,
· nausea or
· faintness.
Don’t enter the home until emergency responders clear the area,
Safety first, every hardware store sells carbon monoxide detectors. Reliable carbon monoxide detectors cost between $30-$50. Detectors are typically plugged in, but purchase one with a battery backup, just in case of a power outage. Perform weekly checks to ensure all detectors are fully functional.
Carbon monoxide is produced by burning any type of fuel, including wood and gas. Prevent the risk of a carbon monoxide build-up by following this list of DON’Ts:
· DON’T idle your car in a garage
· DON’T use a gas oven to heat your home
· DON’T use appliances indoors that don’t vent fumes outside; and
· DON’T ignore the signs of CO poisoning.
Important note: A carbon monoxide detector does NOT replace a smoke detector. Residential properties require both!
Buying and Selling at the Same Time
Unless you are a first time buyer or seller, there are likely two sides to your real estate experience. If you’re selling, you may be looking for something to buy and if you’re buying you probably have something to sell. Timing is everything! The following tips will help you along your process:uying First
Are you in a financial position to purchase a house before selling your current property? If not, talk to your financial institution about a bridge loan. This temporary loan (no more than 6 months) usually provides for interest-only payments.
Selling First
Will you have temporary shelter if you sell the home before you finalize the purchase of another? Investigate options such as renting back from the new owners for a short period of time, renting an apartment, staying at a hotel or staying with friends or with relatives. The best option will depend on the specifics of your transactions and your financial standings. Don’t forget to think about storage and moving options for your belongings.
Don’t Forget
Whether you decided to buy or sell first, there are a few things you should probably start planning for now. How will the timing of the move or moves interrupt daily activities? Don’t forget to provide your child’s school, your employer or other important relationships with your contact information and your expected length of stay.
Ideally, you’d like both the sale and purchase closing dates to be as close as possible. Contact me to discuss the options to ensure you make the best choices throughout the process.
The Dos and Don’ts of Home Selling
Selling a home in the recession-hit times of today is no less than an ordeal that one needs to pass before they get a fairly compensated deal for their property. The nuances of home selling are many and they all need to be heeded if you want your home to sell quicker and at a good price. But many a home owner end up making mistakes that cost them heavily in the deal.
We throw some light on some common mistakes that you should avoid:
1.Inappropriate Pricing
Bad prices are great deterrents to fast home-selling. They include both – too high and too low prices. It is important to remember that real estate prices fluctuate like tides and need to be kept track of if you are going to put your home up for sale. If you market your home on too high a price, it will ward off clients, whereas a price too low will rob you of the profits you very much deserve.
2.Wrong or Incomplete Marketing
Good marketing is essential for selling a house effectively. Thinking that selling a house is local business is a big mistake that home-owners make. Make your house on sale visible to as many people as possible. Use the Internet and its valuable resources like social media to market your house to a global audience; you never know who is moving to your city from around the world.
For doing the same, use pictures, as many of them as possible because a humble little picture is worth a thousand words. Click high resolution photos of your house at its visual best. If you get a lot of natural light in the house, it is best to click day time photos on sunny days, otherwise use appropriate artificial lighting to get the best results.
A disastrous mistake to avoid is shooting photos of an untidy residence. Therefore, it is strongly advised that you de-clutter your house before you begin your home selling marketing campaign.
3.Homes in an untidy or ill-maintained condition
Unkempt homes give a negative vibe that may lower the chances of a prospective buyer finalizing a deal with you. Append sufficient efforts and money on getting things fixed in the house. Leave no walls with paint peeling off them. Do your home maintenance assignment right if you want to influence clients to like your home better.
4.Not treating the buyers right
The happier a buyer feels on visiting your house, higher are their chances of fixing a deal with you. So always treat any prospective buyer with utmost respect and hospitality. Give them a warm reception and serve some snacks to eat. Most importantly, don’t stick to the visitors while they see your house. This makes them tad uncomfortable. Just give them some time to view the house on their own.
Home selling is serious business and demands a great deal of patience from you. It is important to stay calm even if you have had your home in the market for pretty long because this is just the plight every home seller has to go through, and it eventually passes!
Open House this week!
49002 Cinnamon Fern Common #202, Fremont, CA
September 03, Saturday 1:00 PM – 5:00 PM
September 04, Sunday 1:00 PM – 5:00 PM
$ Click for current price
3 BEDROOMS | 2 (2 full ) BATHROOMS | 1385 SQUARE FEET
Rare single level 3 Bedrooms 2 bath luxury condo* Elevator* Contemporary style* Bright, spacious and open floor plan* Only 7 years new* Granite counter top with full back splash* Stainless Steel Appliances* Washer and Dryer* Park facing unit with balcony* Central AC* Owner purchased additional storage* Corner Unit* Gated community* Club House with kitchen* GYM* Kids play area* Two underground parking spaces* Master bedroom with walk-in-closet and built-in-shelves* Upgraded bathrooms and Carpet* Formal Entry* Excellent schools – Warm Spring Elementary (API 978), John M. Horner Junior High (API 920) Irvington High(API 884) buyer to verify schools* Close to the shopping* Conveniently located to 680 and 880* Close to future Warm Springs BART which is targeted to open in fall 2016. A must see!
Presented By:
Geeta Phadte
REALTOR, GRI, SFR, ASP, e-pro
Century21 Alpha
408-483-0719
Licensed In: CA
License #: 01371806
30 Fantastic Wall Tree Decorating Ideas That Will Inspire You
How to make your home decor look elegant and away from the monotony and dullness? How about using trees or even tree branches as a basis for wall decor? Decorating a wall with tree decals, paintings or tree shaped shelves would be a beautiful and inspiring idea. Just imagine what a charming landscape that a […]
Source: 30 Fantastic Wall Tree Decorating Ideas That Will Inspire You
How’s the real estate market doing in Milpitas?
In the last 3 months, 138 homes have sold in Milpitas area. There are 72 homes are currently on the market. 190 new listings came on the market and 138 were sold.
Median Home sale price- 800k
Median Sold price- 830k
Average asking price -900k
85% home are selling above asking price
Milpitas average days on the market 20 days
Average sold price 4% above the asking price
Looking for homes under 1M in Milpitas?
Looking for homes with a pool?
Top Eight Home Showing Tips!
Showing your home is essential in the real estate business. After all, who would purchase a property sight unseen? When a potential buyer stops in, here are eight recommended tips to follow when showing your home:
Tip # 1: Welcome Your Buyers graciously greet your potential home buyers and invite them to look around. Make sure that you instruct them to take their time and to ask any questions that they may have.
Tip # 2: Be flexible Many home buyers are on a tight schedule, whether it be work, school or other commitments. Time is tough to come by, so try to be flexible about allowing potential buyers to tour your home.
Tip # 3: Climate control When a buyer comes into your home, they do not want to feel cold in the winter or overly stuffy in the summer. Make sure that the temperature is comfortable. Otherwise, your buyer may not spend as much time in the home as necessary in order to form an accurate opinion. The last thing you want is a buyer who’s in a hurry to leave.
Tip # 4: Quick cleaning If you have enough time before the buyer shows up, run the vacuum over the floors and make sure that any clutter is cleaned up. A clean home appears larger, while a cluttered one gives the appearance of being too small. If you really want to impress your potential buyers, place a plate of freshly baked cookies on the dining room table. When they walk into your home, they will be greeted by the wonderful smell.
Tip # 5: Animal Control – If you have pets, remove them from the home temporarily or place them in a contained space, such as a kennel, exercise pen or carrier. This will allow buyers to tour the home without being distracted by a nervous animal, which could result in a nervous buyer.
Tip # 6: Light The Way – Your home should appear open and bright, even if it’s a winter day, so open the curtains and turn on the lights throughout the home. Buyers will not likely be drawn to a dark, dimly lit house.
Tip # 7: Educate Your Buyers – When someone is looking for a home, they are looking for more than the perfect floor plan. If you have recently had the home appraised or inspected, place copies of each report on the dining room table. Purchasing a home is a big step, and buyers will be drawn to a home that has everything out on the table, so to speak.
Tip # 8: Ask For Feedback – Once the potential buyer has completed their tour, invite their feedback by placing comment cards in the home. The information provided could be potentially helpful during your next home showing, and it will make the potential buyer feel as though you value their opinion.
Moving Day!
Moving can be a stressful time, however, there are several things that you can do to make your move a smooth one. If you know that you’re moving ahead of time, it’s a good idea to start packing as early as possible. Remember, Rome wasn’t built in a day and, unless you have to be out in a hurry, it’s better to take your time and remember every little detail now than to find yourself with the moving blues later.
Ways to save water inside your home
1.Operate household appliances such as washing machines or dishwashers only when they are at full capacity. If possible, set the load amount for the amount you are actually washing.
2.Drink tap water? Keep full pitchers in the refrigerator rather than running the tap every time you feel thirsty.
3.Make sure your water pipes are insulated so you’ll get hot water faster!
4.Repair leaking faucets, sticking toilet flush handles, toilet leaks, and other water-wasters promptly. Did you know that if a faucet drips at a rate of one drip per second, 2,700 gallons of water per year would be wasted?
5.Never leave water running while you’re shaving, brushing teeth, and taking care of other personal grooming.
6.Always take shorter showers and don’t overfill the bathtub.
Use less water when cooking by carefully steaming vegetables rather than filling an entire pot with water.
When waiting for hot water to heat up, use the cool water for other purposes.
Don’t over water your lawn or garden.
Silicon Valley News
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Geeta's Real Estate Blog 