Hurricane Irene has caused some flood damage..here's help

Hurricane Irene came and went this weekend, leaving behind debris, damage, and tons of waters in some folks homes.  A question many ask themselves, is where to begin.  For some, it will be a painstaking task, but it must be done.  Here is a guide to help with the cleanup of a flooded home. I hope this helps.

Creating a healthy home.

Preparing your home for the Home Inspection

 Several times a week, I enter a stranger’s house to perform what’s become an expected part of most real estate deals --- a home inspection.  Yet I find, too often, that while a seller may have gone to great lengths to make a house ready for a real estate agent to show, it’s not always ready to inspect.  From my observations, as well as conversations with agents, buyers and sellers, there are a few minor repairs and maintenance chores that sellers can do to reduce the number of defects that will show up on the inspection report.

Here’s a checklist that can help your house inspect as well as it shows:
Expect the inspection to take 2-3 hours for an average size home (1000-2500 sq. ft.) Don’t rush it.
__Clear out all storage items from the oven
__The dishwasher will be run, do not run it just before the inspection.  You can put soap in it if you like.
__ Place all breakables, antiques and other valuables out of the way.

You found your home..be sure to ask the seller questions.

It may have taken months or longer to find the perfect house for your needs, you had your home inspection, and now your ready to close.  Many home buyers (especially first time buyers) will have many questions about their new home and community.  A great way to get answers to these questions is directly from the seller.  Most of the time, sellers are extremely willing and want to help.  Some of the most important questions should be about the home.  Whats this for, what does that do, and so on.

Trulia.com has published a nice list of basic questions many new buyers ask. They are:
1. Whats the story of the house.  Everybody likes a little history of there home.
2.Where to go and who to know.  If your new to the community this can be a lifesaver.
3.What surprised them when they moved in.
4.Where it is and how does it work.
5.Is there anything you'd like to leave.
6.What did I forget to ask you.

Homeowners have trove of information, let them help out. You can read the complete article here.

May is Deck Safety Month, have you checked your deck lately?

May has officially(or maybe unofficially) become deck safety month.  With the winter thaw, and the spring bloom of flowers, many homeowners with decks begin to clean off the winter residue in preparation of outdoor living for the spring/summer.  However, a unsafe deck can lead to accidents and perhaps fatalities.

The North American Deck and Railing Association is dedicated to increasing public awareness of the necessity for regular inspection and maintenance of existing decks and proper installation of new decks, and we would like to help pass along this safety message.  To an untrained eye, simply looking at a deck, it may appear that everything looks fine.  However, over time, components of the deck such as the deckboards, railings, banisters, or stairs may decay, split, rot, or simply become loose.  Look for missing or loose connections as well.  These are all warning signs.  Furthermore, many older decks may not be in compliance with newer building codes.  All these are potential safety concerns.

To begin with, take a look at this deck safety checklist.  How does your deck stack up? Does it seem that your deck may have potential issues? How about annual maintenance? Has your deck been kept up? If it seems that maybe you have more than a few issues going on, maybe a professional deck inspection may be needed.

Deck failures can be avoided. It's a matter of making the consumer aware of the necessity of choosing a professional deck contractor, regular maintenance and inspection, and knowing the limits of the deck structure.

If you haven't check your deck lately, join deck safety month, and do it this May.