Maryland and D.C. Home Improvement and Home Inspection discussion and Repair Advice

By: Teris Pantazes, co-founder Settle Rite Home Repairs Also published by Settle Rite at their blog, Pre-Sale Home Improvement Tips (Baltimore, MD) If you think getting your home ready for Thanksgiving Dinner is stressful, have you tried getting your home ready for sale? This is why we created Settle Rite. Using my 25+ years experience of preparing homes for market, we designed a service that takes the stress out of home improvement and prepping your home for sale (or performing repairs based on home inspection reports). One of our main features is our deferred payment program (currently available in Maryland, expanding to other states soon). Here is a rundown of when/ how Settle Rite can help. First: All of Settle Rite’s services offer deferred payment options, with nothing due until closing or settlement of your home. There are no finance charges/ fees and when you get an estimate, your flat rate is provided up front. Plus, we know you are likely buying a new home ...

  The original version of this blog was published by Maryland Home Inspection Contractor’s , homeseller advice blog. If you are selling a home, the buyer will undoubtedly request a home inspection. The repairs that are required after the inspection are usually up for negotiations and often depend on the type of financing your buyer has elected to use.  The most common repairs have to do with safety. 9 out of 10 times, they have to be fixed and it is usually the responsibility of the home seller to pay for these. One Common (preventable) item:  If you are not aware, your outlets have 3 wires connecting them, which supply the right amount of (safe) power. The positive, neutral, and ground all have a specific purpose and are safest when installed correctly and in the right spot.  This is why during the home inspection, your inspector will test each/ every outlet for ”polarity”, which is a way to If you are not aware, your outlets have 3 wires conne...

When you begin thinking about selling your home (the "pre-sale" period), one of the best things you can do is to get an honest assessment of what repairs or updates should me taken. The right work, at the right time, can help home sellers earn money on the repairs, and save of costs. We believe there are 3 stages in the home selling processes and all home improvement work should be broken into these categories. 1. Pre-market: This is the period of time prior to your Realtor officially putting your home on the market or listing it for sale. It is the "prep time" and the work and updating you do in this period of time should focus on marketing. You want to update appliances, color schemes, declutter, landscape, etc. These are the things that will help attract more home sellers and bring in a higher price. More information on this can be found from our friends at EFynch, who spoke about choosing repairs the add value. ( pre-sale, home improvement tips ...

This is a phrase that sound good rolling off the tongue but, in reality, it is sign to potential contractors that you really don't know what you are talking about. No big deal, however, most pros know the reason you hire them is because you don't know how to make a repair or install "that item" so this is not New News. However, if dishonest, it might be a sign and a bad contractor uses this to take advantage of you (quick story at end of this on how). You see, in home improvement (residential, specifically here in Maryland), bonding has little to no benefit to a homeowner. In fact, only if their bond specifically names the homeowner, does it help. Further, all licensed contractors in Maryland are technically "bonded", so the "bond" as typically referenced, is kind of repetitive (even though the original bond, does not apply to homeowner).   <let me explain> The Maryland Home Improvement Commission (MHIC) has the   Guarantee Fun...

Pre sale kitchen renovation & improvement. Columbia, Maryland: Early last month (June, 2019), we received a phone call from an Agent with Long & Foster. There was a condo for sale in Central Maryland and after 2 months on the market, the property had only received 1 offer, which was below market and had multiple contingencies (aka, unacceptable). When the Agents called she had a clear direction of the issues at hand and with her guidance, we quickly developed a plan that ultimately worked-  - - better than we could have expected! The Background, the property was subject to fire/ smoke damage previously. The owners worked with their insurance company who restored 90% of the home with new carpet, painting, etc. BUT- the kitchen was left untouched with the exception of replacing the floors (which they did). So, we had a property that was partially new, partially old! As you can see below, the kitchen was in terrible shape with old wallpaper, cabinets, app...

June 5th, 2019 By: Settle Rite Pre Sale Home Improvement Arlington, VA: We live in our homes and within the beauty we see, we also recognize the practicality of what it is. Kids toys, keepsakes, and even that water glass from 2 nights ago might be overlooked, but to a potential purchaser it is C-L-U-T-T-E-R! The "For Sale Playroom" that does not exist in reality Every day we live in our rooms and it is easy to see beyond some things that are offensive to others. When we speak with Realtors, often their toughest pre sale challenge is working with homesellers to de-clutter their homes. They make lists, do a walk through, and often sellers go "back and forth" trying to decide what should be removed vs. what might add character. Clutter is a huge issue and it not only reduces the number of offers on your home, it will also reduce potential offers value. Who knew, a snow globe collection might cost your a few thousand $$$? Well we have a...

What is Pre-Sale Home Improvement? and how it helps home sellers. . . Curb appeal is obtained by the work prior to putting your home on the market. Arlington, VA: The best way to increase value in the sale of your home is to do the pre-sale home improvement work ahead of time- so when your property hits the market, it leads the competition in a specific niche. Most home sellers and new realtors believe in order to do this, the fastest way to get to the top spot of marketing your home is to reduce the price. Although reducing your listing price is one option, it is not always the easiest and is certain is not the best practice for a home seller to use. We recommend speaking with a pre-sale home improvement company which is focused on this topic. Many can offer free estimates and also offer deferred payments which can position your home for a quick start, and sell when you decide to list it. These repairs include (1) market prep (or pre-market), (2) contract contingency, o...

Advice for home sellers, determining timing, dealing and paying for inspection repairs  Information provided by EFynch, a home improvement platform aiming to automate social media recommendations and provide community members with un-biased advice.  April 28, 2019 Washington D.C: Getting ready to sell your home? Then you should also get ready for the home inspection which will undoubtedly return several items (some you might have not even known about). This is inevitable and it  typically launches a new round of negotiations in which a list is provided and the buyer either asks for the repair to be performed, or concessions. **AVOID FINANCIAL CONCESSIONS, you ALWAYS loose out.** Your other option is to have the repairs performed yourself. Typically, the repairs stipulate the work must be carried out by a licensed and qualified contractor or tradesman. Forget DIY approach at this stage.   So, we recommend taking a solid look at your home BEFORE p...

 April 15, 2019 Baltimore, MD: April is the time we can finally head outdoors. By the end of this month, 70 degrees will be normal, tulips will be in full bloom and the trees will be sporting leaves! If you are as excited about Spring as we are, you are probably ready to take home improvement outdoors! Below are the monthly home owner tips from EFynch! All advice is designed for homeowner in the Baltimore and Washington D.C. area. *If you are new home buyer- we hope this can help you plan  your budget and get ready for home ownership! APRIL TO DO LIST: 1.  Okay to energize outdoor water spigots The threat of hard freezes are over. We may still drop below freezing but it is safe to turn out outdoor plumbing. If it drops below freezing, you may want to turn faucets on a drip. 2. Change HVAC air filters April is a bi-monthly air filter changing month. Your lungs will thank you. Don't skip this. 3. Inspect Gutters/ Downspouts Because Gutte...