Spring Home Maintenance
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We have already “sprung forward” on our clocks.  It is now the time of year to do the little maintenance jobs on the exterior and the interior of you home, to keep the structure as well as moving parts in good repair and working order.  These twice-yearly maintenance jobs go a long way to maintaining the value of your home.

Spring clean.   Top to bottom.  The windows.  Behind the frig.  Inside the frig.  Clean the carpets.  Knock down cobwebs.

Replace the furnace/AC filter.  Schedule an AC check and clean by a professional.

Replace any torn or damaged window screens.

Check the roof.  Look for missing or damaged shingles and have them replaced.

Check siding and window frames.  Replace any rotten or damaged siding.  Check caulking around the window frames and door frames and replace or fill-in as needed.

Clean gutters and downspouts.  Clean debris from gutters and replace any downspout areas that show damage or wear.

Make your own list.  As you work on your spring jobs, keep a list of other clean-up or maintenance jobs you see that need to be done.

Keeping your home in top shape with fall and spring Spring home maintenance is the most important way to retain the full market value, as well as the comfort and enjoyment for your family.

Buyers’ Most Important Rooms
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As we enter the busiest and most important real estate buying and selling period of the year, it is worth noting some important statistics gathered by the National Association of Realtors®.

Upon collecting feedback from buyers’ agents, the following is a list of the most important rooms to stage and present well to buyers for the best first impression.

Living room or great room.  Usually the first room to enter and the room most-used in a home. Any showing will be served well by taking the time and effort to de-clutter, clean and spruce up this very important area, creating a positive first impression.

Master bedroom.  Somewhat surprising as the second most important area to spend extra time staging.  Increasingly, a sanctuary for home owners with busy lives and families, buyers are interested in the master bedroom and bath.

Kitchen.  The all-important kitchen is the third most important room, according to agents.  In the past the kitchen may have been first on this list.  Changing life styles and how families live have shifted the kitchen to the third spot.

Along with the three most important rooms to stage well, agents also recommended the top three improvements to execute for showings.

• declutter
• entire home deep cleaning
• remove pets during showings

Garage Doors
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When considering how to improve the curb appeal of your home, one often overlooked element is the garage door.  Many times, garage doors are ignored until they are damaged or so old and broken, they don’t work and must be replaced.  But they are an important part of curb appeal, in many instances as important as the front door. Garage doors are built to last a long time, so there’s a good chance that you have a garage door that may look old and weathered

Garage doors that face the street are especially crucial to the curb appeal and overall look of your home.  It should reflect the design and style of the house.  Rather than plain panels, add detail that reflects the style of your house.

• Small windowpanes for a traditional look
• Cross pieces to create a barn door or rustic look
• Horizontal windows mimicking a mid-century or modern look

You can change the look of your home by tricking out or replacing your garage door.

Finish off an updated look with style-appropriate light fixtures to show off your new and improved door.  Don’t be afraid to dress up the garage entryway a little. You may want to consider installing decorative hinges and handles in order to make the door stand out and look a little more elegant.

Quick Lighting Updates
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Lighting with LED’s is the biggest trend in home lighting in years.  And it is with good reason.  LED lighting offers:

• Great light and color quality
• Energy efficient, using 80% less energy than incandescent
• Do not generate heat, stay cool
• Durable and long-lasting

Start with something simple, like changing out your light bulbs or even your lampshades. Colored bulbs come in lots of colors, including red, yellow, green, blue, pink, orange and amber. And, of course, you’ll find an even larger selection of colored lampshades at any home décor store.

Downlights.  Because LED’s do not generate heat, new ultra-thin downlight kits are available, allowing installation in nearly any ceiling.  Replacing ceiling fixtures with downlights, instantly gives visual height to a room.

Edison bulbs.  The new LED Edison bulbs in all shapes and sizes are an integral part of the current look in lighting fixtures.  Replacing candelabra flame-look incandescent bulbs with new LED Edison-style bulbs offers an instant update for many outdated fixtures.

Patio LED strands.  For really quick lighting updates, outdoor string lighting is easily found in many different looks and styles.  Highlighting an outdoor area by looping strands of lights across a deck or patio overhang, or creating an area using posts is an easy way to create an all-important outdoor living area.