Home repair can be the remodel to give you the house of your dreams, or it can be all those pesky weekend tasks that never seem to end. Check out our articles, blog posts, videos and radio shows for helpful advice to keep your home in pristine condition.
Enhance Curb Appeal When Selling Your Home
When you're selling your home you'll want the outside to look as good as the inside. Outside of the home you'll want to enhance curb appeal by improving landscaping. How can you enhance your home's curb appeal? Learn tips on how to put your home's best foot forward so you can sell your home.
How To Resolve Missing Building Permits
When you buy a home that's had home improvements made without building permits, it's up to you to rectify that with your local government. In many cases, the local government will allow you to buy the building permits after the fact and consider the work in compliance with the building code. If you discover that the home you want to buy has had work done without building permits, you can stop the closing on the house.
When Selling Your Home, Hire Your Own Inspector
Before you list your home for sale, it's a good idea to get a pre-listing home inspection. A pre-listing home inspection will alert you to items that may need repair in and around your home. Getting a pre-listing inspection will reduce the surprises that could appear during a home inspection commissioned by the buyers.
Suing Tenant For Extensive Damage
Tenants leave a landlord with cigarette burns on the carpet and kitchen floor. Damages exceed the security deposit. What can the landlord do to recover the damages? The lease may provide that in case the tenant damaged the apartment, you have the right to restore it to the condition in which it was supposed to be returned. If you are allowed under the lease to replace the carpet and the flooring, you should be able to recover these costs when you sue your former tenants.
Home Warranty Programs Worth The Money?
Is getting a home warranty program a good idea? Usually, home warranty programs are not worth the money. Home warranty programs are expensive and still include a service fee for a service call.
Seller Disclosure Includes Material Defects
When you sell your home you will have to share if the home has material defects as part of seller disclosure. Does seller disclosure include sharing what kind of wiring your home has? Do you have to share items under seller disclosure that weren't made public to you when you bought your home? Seller disclosure means disclosing hidden material defects - items that the seller knows about but can't be seen with the naked eye.
Home Improvement: Plan Ahead For Budget
Most remodeling projects require some planning, and the best ones are typically planned far enough ahead so that the details can sink in: How you use and live in a space should dictate the design, scope and cost of the project. Learn about planning a remodeling project including the budget.
Research Water Damage Contractors Through BBB
When you get water damage on your roof and it begins to leak you'll need to hire a contractor to repair your roof. How can you find a reliable roofing contractor? Ask friends, family, colleagues, and local real estate agents to provide referrals. Contact the Better Business Bureau to check the contractor's record.
Releasing Escrow For Home Repairs
A buyer and seller agree to set aside money in escrow for the repairs needed per the home inspection. Now the seller won't release the funds. The buyer and seller should have some agreement of file that indicates what the escrow money was for.
Management Company Obligated To Pay For Fence
A home owner would like to replace their fence and believes the management of the development is obligated to pay one half the cost. They could try sending a letter to the property manager by certified mail (return receipt requested) along with a copy by regular mail. In the letter, they need to make sure to outline the scope of the work and the expected cost.