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Ask a Realtor

Welcome to Ask a Realtor !

Our expert this month - Barry D. Briggs - is a resident of Whitby Shores. He is a Real Estate Broker, with Sutton Group-Classic Realty Inc., Brokerage, of Whitby. Barry has been a licenced Realtor for over 11 years.

To ask Barry a real estate-related question, please click here.


Disclaimer: The advice given in this editorial is described as “expert” as it is provided by a full-time licenced Real Estate Broker. His advice is his professional opinion on matters related to his business, based on experience and education in Real Estate, and is for information purposes only. In addition, the expert and this site accept no liability or responsibility for any advice/information provided.

Dial the Dewsburys
Menary - Your Friends in Real Estate

Is there anything I should do to prepare my house for winter?

Summer has come to an end and the colder, and often wetter, weather is just around the corner.  This is a great period, while the day-times are still warm enough to do some work outside, to get your home ready for winter. 

 A major concern, especially in areas that face harsh weather (as we certainly can in windy Whitby Shores), is keeping the “envelope” of your house as tight as possible against water—either as rain, snow, or ice.  Water can, and will, enter through all the little spaces and cracks that we tend  to ignore, especially where different materials join (for example, where the siding meets the brick or stone).  These are the places that the builders have put caulking, as a sealant.  But, if your house is like mine, the guys who did the caulking might have been in a hurry to start the week-end!

 To begin, walk around your house at ground level, then proceed very carefully to the higher areas.  In addition to the brick/siding line, and the frames around the doors and garage, check all of the points where something goes through the wall:  the windows, vents and ducts (from the kitchen, bathrooms, and laundry), cable, gas, electrical service, outside lights, any screws or nails, etc.  (Be sure to inspect the tops of the windows—I had several windows beautifully caulked at the sides where I could see it, but not done on top at all!)  Check that the caulking that is there seals up against each side of the seam—that it seals the two materials together.  If you see cracks and/or gaps, then cut or scrape that old caulking away.

 Once you have cleared away all the old, bad caulking, you are ready to replace with new.  What to use?!? I find DAP Alex Plus, an Acrylic Latex Caulk with Silicon, to be among the easiest to use.  It cleans up with water, is easy to fiddle with after application (can be smoothed with a damp cloth), and is about the least toxic that caulk can be. It comes in a variety of colours and can be bought at most hardware locations.  And it is Durability Guaranteed for 35 years:  but you’ll want to check it again next year anyway.  And every year!

 There are lots of other items to inspect on your house each fall, like the painted wood surfaces, the state of the shingles on the roof, and whether the rain gutters are still firmly attached, and not full of dirt or blocked by some other unwelcome mess.  But if you check and redo the caulking every year, you’ll have a great start at keeping water from damaging your biggest investment, your home!

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What tips can you give me on getting my house ready to sell?

Home preparation is vitally important, and so often ignored or lightly glossed-over. It is completely in the control of the Realtor and Seller, and can make a difference of thousands of dollars in the seller’s bank account at the end of the sale process. Not every home can be prepared in the same way, or to the same extent, nor does every seller’s goals and time-constraints permit all aspects of preparation to be addressed, but every home, and every sale, can benefit from effective preparation.

De-clutter! De-clutter! De-clutter!

Clear off counter tops and other surfaces, put away shampoo, hide make-up, toothbrushes, razors, and all the other clutter we so often live with. I recommend using small covered bins for our daily necessities, and storing them under the counter, in the kitchen or bath. And box up most of the knick-knacks and bric-a-brac from the rest of the house, and store it neatly in the basement or, better yet, at a friend’s place. After all, you’re going to be moving anyway!

And, while you’re at it, take half of the clothes out of every closet, box them, and move them off-site as well. Then apply this same “thinning out” to furniture and other floor pieces. You can live without that ratty old (but oh-so-comfy) overstuffed plaid chair and striped ottoman, at least until your house is sold.

And, if you haven’t already done so, add some colour to your walls. Some recommend tamer neutral colours, others lean towards braver, bolder colours, but either way, colour will serve to highlight the window treatments and door-frames, baseboards, artwork, and other details of your rooms.

Remember, prospective Buyers are more likely to be impressed with what they could do with the space, if they are already impressed with what you have done with the space. And that means that your home should look lived-in, but not too personalized, and never crowded!

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