http://www.articletrader.com/ Articles at ArticleTrader en-us http://www.articletrader.com/finance/real-estate/how-to-renovate-your-home-a-guide-for-girls.html http://www.articletrader.com/finance/real-estate/how-to-renovate-your-home-a-guide-for-girls.html Fri, 14 Sep 2007 00:00:00 -0500
First of all, renovations are not easy, and they are not the sort of thing that can be entirely explained on paper, so the sad truth is you will need an actual experienced person to help you at least a little bit. But this is not to say the bulk of the work can not be done on your own. This person is there solely to provide occasional instruction, NOT to do the work for you. Finding someone willing to give up hours of their free time to provide help, answer questions, field frustrated phone calls and lift heavy stuff is not easy. A guilty ex-boyfriend works nicely. If you do not have anyone who can help you, you will have to postpone renovations and wait for the next article in this series, entitled “How To Find Someone Who Can Help You Somewhat In Renovating Your Condo”.

Bathroom

The most notoriously disgusting room in the house. You are almost certain to get a good return on any money you invest in renovating your bathroom, providing you do a good, tasteful job.

Things you can do: Purchase new tile, sink, toilet, bathtub, faucets, light fixtures, mirror, storage. Tear down any existing tile. This can be done with a crowbar. Apply new tile. It really isn’t hard. Paint any exposed walls and the door. Hang mirror. Install light fixtures. Assemble storage. A note on tile: I recommend getting tiles that are as large as possible. There are lots of neat small tiles out there, but the smaller the tile, the more grout, and grout is the weak link in any bathroom. It gets moldy and yellow and cracks. Which reminds me, try choosing a grout that is dark in color, not white. This will help to hide any mildew that might occur. For the floor, I suggest getting dark tiles because again, they will hide dirt.

Things the experienced helper must do: Remove bathtub, toilet, sink, faucets, storage. Install new bathtub, toilet, sink, storage.

Tip: Have the experienced helper assist you in planning your tiling project. Since he has experience, he can help you figure out which corner you should start in and give you other helpful tips.

Kitchen

The second most notoriously disgusting room in the house. Again, money invested in renovating your kitchen is generally well spent.

Things you can do: Purchase cabinets, hardware, appliances, counter, sink, faucet, flooring. Assemble cabinets. Attach hardware to cabinets. Install floor.

Things the experienced helper must do: Remove old cabinets, remove sink, install new cabinets, install new sink, install appliances.

Tips: Buy your cabinets from Ikea. You can’t beat the combination of quality/price. Allot approximately 2 years to assemble the cabinets. Many of the large chain stores such as Lowes and Home Depot will haul away your old appliances for free when they deliver your new ones. Check on eBay for cheap 10% off coupons for these stores – they can save you a lot of money if you are buying multiple items at once. Tile works great for a kitchen floor and you already know how to install it, since you worked on the bathroom portion of the project.

Other

Painting the walls and replacing cheap doors and fixtures, baseboards, trim, light fixtures, electric outlets, switches, and cover panels are some of the easiest things you can do yet make a big contribution to the renovation process.

Things you can do: Remove old baseboards and trim with a crowbar. Remove old light fixtures, electric outlets, switches, and cover panels. Install new baseboard and trim. Install new electric outlets, switches, and cover panels. Caulk new baseboard and trim so there are no gaps between the board and the walls. Paint. Install new fixtures in doors.

Things the experienced helper must do: Install new doors. Lend you the machine you use to cut the baseboards and trim.

Tips: Contrary to popular belief, it is NOT hard to do things like changing an old electrical socket for a new one. Just make sure you turn off the electricity before you touch anything, and copy what’s already there. So in other words, notice where the wires USED to be, and duplicate it as you install your new hardware. Look online or in magazines to get ideas about paint colors and combinations. Solid wooden doors are not super expensive, and they are a lot classier than crappy old cheap ones.

A Note on Floors

Installing a new hardwood floor is not that complicated, but it is difficult. However, it can be done.

Things you can do: Purchase new floor, rip up old floor using crowbar, install new floor.

Things the experienced helper must do: Lend you the machine you use to cut your floor boards and the nail gun you use to nail down the floor. If it’s a floating floor, a nail gun is not necessary. If you are installing over a concrete sub floor you will need to use glue, not nails.

Tip: Have the experienced helper assist you in planning the project. He can give you tips on what part of the room to start in and he can show you how to install the first few boards. Having your existing floor refinished is another option if a new floor sounds too drastic, and if you have carpet, well, replace it.

In conclusion

As you can see, there are many, many things an average girl can do by herself when renovating her home. Hopefully, this guide gave you an idea of what projects are reasonable to take on, and which ones will probably require an experienced helper. If you happen to be an ABOVE average girl – if you have say, plumbing skills – you can expect to accomplish even more of the projects on your own.


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Jen works for Richmond Realty. If you are looking to purchase in the Richmond market check out her site Inside Richmond Real Estate or start your search of the Richmond MLS.


Source: http://www.articletrader.com ]]> http://www.articletrader.com/finance/real-estate/when-to-drop-a-client.html http://www.articletrader.com/finance/real-estate/when-to-drop-a-client.html Sat, 01 Sep 2007 00:00:00 -0500

1) A client wants to engage in illegal behavior or wants you to engage in illegal behavior. No client is important enough to risk losing your license and/or reputation. No client is important enough to risk going to jail. Even if the behavior is legal, but ethically questionable, it is best to back away.

2) A client thinks that you should spend twenty-four hours a day, seven days a week working for them and zero hours working for your other clients. Every client is important and at one time or another deserves your undivided attention, but you can not spend so much time on one demanding client that the rest of your client base suffers. Any client who is so unreasonable that he/she demands this kind of attention isn’t worth the hassle.

3) A client is doing business with more than one realtor. Each realtor is different – one might insist that client-realtor relationship is exclusive, others don’t mind if a client is interacting with one or two other realtors simultaneously. But regardless of your stance on this issue, if it becomes clear that the client is working with multiple realtors just because he enjoys having someone to do his bidding, without any intention of committing, it is time to drop the client.

4) A client is excessively rude. Everyone has personality quirks and off days, and to be a successful realtor you definitely have to learn to deal with this fact. However, if a client is so hard to deal with that it sours your mood and begins to effect the way you interact with your other clients, it’s time to call it quits.

5) You realize a client is never going to buy anything. Again, each client is different. One might leap at the first home he is shown, another might have a tough time making decisions and need to search for a year or more before he can commit. But if you realize a client is just house hunting because he enjoys it, or because he is lonely or bored, it is time to move on.



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If you are looking for a home Inside Richmond Real Estate can help you in your search. They provide a search though their site of the Richmond MLS.


Source: http://www.articletrader.com ]]> http://www.articletrader.com/finance/real-estate/steps-to-buying-a-home.html http://www.articletrader.com/finance/real-estate/steps-to-buying-a-home.html Thu, 30 Aug 2007 00:00:00 -0500
2. Get your finances in order. Once you decide what kind of home you are looking for, you have to figure out how much you can afford. To do this, have a mortgage broker preapprove or prequalify you for a loan. If you do not have a mortgage broker, your realtor will probably be able to refer you to one. However, you should feel free to shop around.

In addition to helping you figure out your price range, this step will often give you an advantage when you find a home you want to bid on. It will signify to the seller that you have gone through a credit check and that a lender is willing to work with you. If a seller receives to identical offers, one from a buyer who is preapproved and one from a buyer who is not, chances are he or she will prefer to work with the preapproved individual.

To avoid getting turned down for a loan, and to get the best interest rate possible, it is a good idea to know what your credit report says, and take steps to fix any problems, before you approach your mortgage broker.

3. Find a home! Using your wish list as a guide (see Step 1), you realtor can do some initial investigating and provide you with list of potential properties to review. Together, you can visit the top contenders. Your realtor can also alert you to new listings that meet your criteria by email, phone, or fax. You can also search listings by yourself using a tool such as our *on-line search*. Reading local classified ads and real estate magazines and driving or walking through your favorite neighborhoods can also yield promising leads. If you find a property that piques your interest, just alert your realtor and he or she can arrange a visit. As you view different homes, let your realtor know what you like and what you dislike, so he or she can find better possibilities in the future.

4. Bid on a home. When you have decided on a home, it is time to make an offer. Your realtor can provide you with information concerning the sale price of similar homes that have recently been on the market and together you can decide on an appropriate amount to bid. You will also work with your realtor to come up with a list of requirements, if any, for the sale to go through. There are many things that are negotiable when buying a home. Price is an obvious example, but other variables might include financing, closing date, repairs, items that are included in the sale (such as appliances), closing costs, and so on. You realtor will draft a contract and if the seller accepts it, you have a legally binding document! An offer should generally be contingent on an inspection and an evaluation of the results. This way, if an inspection reveals a major problem, you can reconsider and if necessary, renegotiate your offer.

If you are lucky, the seller will accept your first offer, but often he or she will respond with a counter offer, which you can then respond to in turn until eventually (hopefully), you both agree on a deal.

5. Take care of your responsibilities as a buyer. In preparation for the closing, there are several steps that you, as the buyer, must complete in a timely and responsible fashion. Generally, you will need to arrange for a home inspection for your potential real estate purchase, finalize your financing, have the home appraised, purchase title insurance, and purchase home owners insurance. Once again, your realtor will probably be able to make referrals and assist you with these steps.

6. The closing. The closing is when ownership of the home is legally transferred from the seller to the buyer. All involved parties sometimes attend the closing. There are also circumstances under which a party might be absent, such as when the seller lives out of town, and circumstances under which the buyer and seller might be in different rooms. At the closing a series of documents will be signed and funds will be dispersed. Just prior to the closing date you will be provided with a financial statement outlining the exact amount of money you owe. This money, along with any other necessary documents, should be brought to the closing.

7. Get the keys. Congratulations! The home is now yours!


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Jen works for Inside Richmond Real Estate in Richmond Virginia. Her website offers a free search through the Richmond MLS


Source: http://www.articletrader.com ]]>