Tag: Fixers

Fall Home Maintenance Checklist

Posted on by Living Room Property Management

Here are 5 things you need to do to get your home ready for fall.

 

Hi, I’m Ash Jimenez, Maintenance Manager and General Contractor for the Living Room Fixer’s maintenance team.

As the weather begins to cool down this is the perfect time to get your home ready for the upcoming start to the rainy season. With that in mind I’m here with 5 tips to help you get you ready for a snug and dry fall season. 

 

1.Clean out those gutters! 

Did you know that a whopping 90% of water intrusion in basements is caused by faulty downspouts and clogged gutters? Yikes! But don’t worry, we’ve got the scoop on how to prevent this. Taking care of your gutters is a crucial part of home maintenance that can save you from leaky roofs, water damage, and even the dreaded mold. You’ll thank yourself later when you’re relaxing inside, warm and worry-free. 

 

2. Disconnect Garden Hoses and Insulate Bibs

Leaving water in your hose can lead to some unfortunate mishaps, and we definitely want to avoid that. When the cold weather hits, frozen water can expand and cause your hoses to crack, leaving you with a leaky mess come spring. How do you avoid that? 

 

First things first, make sure to close the shut-off valves for your bibbs inside your home to prevent freezing. Now, here’s the counter-intuitive part: open all of the hose bibbs and keep them that way for the season. By doing this, any remaining water can easily drain out, preventing any freezing-related headaches when the temps drop.

 

3. Check On Your Furnace

It’s a fantastic time to take care of your home’s heating and air quality. Consider installing a new furnace filter and giving your furnace a quick check-up to ensure everything is in tip-top shape. Trust me, you wouldn’t want to experience a freezing day with a non-functional furnace! On top of that, doing some vent cleaning right now will keep the air in your home fresh and clean. It’s a win-win for the comfort and well-being of both you and your home.

4. Keep Out The Cold

It’s time to give your windows some love and care. First, let’s throw those windows wide open and clear out any pesky dirt, sand, or dust from the tracks. A quick clean will do wonders! And here’s a pro tip: make sure to lock the windows afterward, as they work their best when they’re locked.

 

Next up, let’s check for any sneaky drafts or gaps in the windows. If you find any, simply replace any weatherstripping that needs it and re-caulk where necessary. Your windows, and your bank account, will thank you, as you enjoy a cozier and more energy-efficient home.

 

5. Replace Smoke Detector Batteries

Remember, it’s essential to check the batteries in these life-saving devices once a month, be sure to replace them as needed and keep in mind the expiration date of the unit. This simple habit ensures they’re always ready to alert you in case of any emergencies.

Call Us Today!

 The Living Room Fixers are a full service Maintenance team that can assist you with any of these services and many, many more. If you have any questions at all, call us today, chances are we can fix it.

Spring Home Maintenance Checklist

Posted on by Living Room Property Management

Here are 5 things you need to do to get your home ready for spring.

Hi, I’m Ash Jimenez, I’m the Maintenance Manager and General Contractor for the Living Room Fixer’s maintenance team.

We’ve reached that time of year where the weather is getting warmer & dryer, kinda. With that in mind here’s a seasonal spring checklist to help you prepare your home for what will hopefully be the warmer dryer months ahead.


1. Get Those Windows Looking Fresh!

Wash exterior windows and install or repair screens as needed. This will give you the best view of all that beautiful sunshine and make sure no unwanted little friends make their way into your home when you’re leaving those windows open to let nature be your AC unit.


2. Inspect The Roof & Gutters

Roofs are expensive to replace, patch or fix. Help keep them tip top and extend their longevity by removing moss, checking for damage and giving them an overall cleaning. While you’re up there check the gutters to make sure there are no clogs or obstructions. Clogged gutters often lead to water being directed up under your roof, which is bad news bears.

 

3. Clean Yard Furniture & Grill

With spring comes BBQ season and you don’t wanna be caught off guard when that impromptu gathering pops off at your house. Plan ahead by removing all pitch or other unsavory winter collection from your yard furniture as well as scrubbing & cleaning your grill now, so it’s ready when the party is.

 

4. Take Your Driveway & Sidewalks To The Spa

Power wash your driveways and sidewalks to not only make them look nice by removing staining, but also alleviates hazards such as moss & leaf residue that can be a slip or falling hazard.

 

5. Refresh The Yard!

Tidy up  landscaping and flower beds… give the walkways some TLC. We recommend power washing those as well.

 

Call Us Today!

The Living Room Fixers are a full service Maintenance team that can assist you with any of these services and many more. If you have any questions or inquiries, call us today, chances are we can fix it.  

 

Leap of Faith!

Posted on by Erika George & Kari McGee

 

KUDOS to Bill and Sara for closing on this property with HUGE potential.  Bill was on his way to pick up his son from golf lessons when he stumbled across three adjoining properties for sale.  Bill immediately saw the potential and called his wife Sara.  Well, actually first he called us, and then he called his wife, Sara, but he sounds like a much better husband the first way.  We were able to help him get an offer accepted right away (despite multiple offers from other buyers — beginners’ luck!).

 

Bill is “two thumbs up” excited!  Sara?  Maybe a tepid one thumbs up, but she is taking a leap of faith and believes in Bill’s vision.  We know that this property will shine when they have completed their vision.  We are looking forward to seeing the end results.  Does this all sound a little vague and mysterious?  Well, that’s because the first rule of rehab club is . . . . Well, you know!

 

Are you looking for inspiration?  Have dared to let yourself dream about investment opportunities?  We want to help make your most daring dreams come true.  Call us!

Does “AS-IS” really mean “AS-IS”?

Posted on by Living Room Realty

Agents and Buyers perk up…..

We currently have a house listed in North Portland that needs about $100,000 in work.  The home is cute on the outside, good location, nice curb appeal, etc.. On the outside, it looks might it just need a new roof and some new paint.  But on the inside it’s a train wreck.  It needs EVERY SYSTEM replaced. Plus, it has a leaking underground oil taken and busted sewer line.  We marketed the house stating all of that – train-wreck-house – beware.

Here is my pet peeve.  We marketed this house “AS-IS” – meaning the seller is not to do any repairs.  I even wrote the following in the private RMLS remarks: “House is AS-IS (for real). Needs MORE then elbow grease. Please see attached addendum for list of known repairs w/numbers. Do NOT write an offer if you plan on asking for something. If so, this is not your house – move on.”

Today we received an addendum asking for $13,000 in credits from the buyer’s agent.  The buyer’s agent stated to my partner over the phone – “We’ll you do know that AS-IS is really never AS-IS?.  We all know that no one abides by that.  Come on… this is real estate.”   ———–    (ummm… that’s the attitude that leaves a bad taste in one’s mouth.)

Here’s the deal.  We believe in integrity.  Our words hold weight.  All you have in life is your WORD, so make it count.  If you don’t make your word mean something then people will never trust you.

If I write or say something is “AS-IS” then that is my word.  You can ask all you want, but that doesn’t change what was clearly stated.

Integrity and Word.  They go together.

Not Wishing to Follow in Van Gogh’s Footsteps…..

Posted on by Living Room Realty

You might have heard that many of Van Gogh’s paintings are fading. The artists famous Sunflower paintings, which contain petals and stems, once vibrant and ‘yellow’, look as if they are literally withering to an olive-brown color as a result of his use of a light-sensitive yellow paint. Many of his contemporaries used several pigments that discolored over time; blue’s, red’s and yellow’s are all primary colors that like to fade back then. But guess what? Those colors still like to fade because they are cadmium based.

That’s why it’s incredibly important to buy HIGHER quality paint if you plan on painting your house yellow, red, or shades of blue. Most often color fading is due to the quality of the paint in regards to color retention. When the paint is of low quality, the upper layers of the paint quickly begin to peel off. The paint coating chalks off, and the color fades out. Color fading happens with excessive exposure to sunlight as well. The UV radiation is harsh to the pigmentation of the paint especially bright blue, yellow and red. If you decide on this palette of colors, as we are doing with our current project, its best to spend the bucks and look into a brand like Benjamin Moore’s Aura. Yes, it costs way more them something at Miller Paints or Sherwin Williams, but it’s worth it. You won’t come home to a chalky looking paint job after a few years.

A Shout Out to Another Agent —–

Posted on by Living Room Realty

Real Estate Can be Transaction Based or Authentic Based.. Or BOTH.

I never knew when I got into Real Estate that so much of a REALTORS® job hinges upon the agent on the other end…

Just as important as the underlying sales contract which was signed in ink, is an ongoing social contract between the buyer’s agent and a listing agent.  As realtors, we don’t get to choose who we get to work with.  Our clients choose us, but we don’t choose the other agent. Expectations for how we will work together: norms for communication, decision making; how unforeseen events will be handled; dispute resolution; conditions and means for renegotiation; and the like are unknown from the start (unless you have worked with that agent in the past).  Sure, we are required to work from a code of ethics, but there are still some rotten apples in our industry, agents with BIG ego’s that are unresponsive, inflated, over-confident or lazy.  Most of us that have been doing real estate for awhile have an “A” list of agents we love, and a “D” list.  Some have “F” lists too. Thankfully, mine only has three names on it.

The best real estate agents follow the common goal of closing on a home but also have a clear focus on being genuine to one another. In a genuine relationship, both parties are responsive to each other regardless of the situation. Both sides can negotiate their clients needs – but do so fairly.  A transaction can become more personal when an agent takes the time to share a fuller picture of their client and their client’s fears. Building authentic relationships in real estate is not complicated, but it does take patience and a shift in focus. Instead of measuring success by the number of deals closed, we can measure it in smiles and gratitude.

I have another “A” agent to throw onto my “A” list.  Charity Adams.  She worked hard to facilitate a safe environment for her client to feel heard.  My job was to listen.  The result – A happy buyer and a happy seller.