If You Don’t Check Now, You May be Sorry Later!

Recently I decided to have a professional building inspection performed on my own home – just so that if there is a problem, I can address it before it gets any worse (and more expensive!)  It is often a good idea to have a building inspection done for yourself whether you plan on selling soon, or even if this is your forever home.  You can learn a lot about potential problems or hazards and/or prepare yourself for what a buyer might want to have addressed before a sale.

So as a result of the inspection, I learned that most things that came up were minor at my home and can be fixed over time, but there was one problem discovered, that much to my dismay is going to cost me a bundle! 

I feel the need to blog about this so perhaps all of my readers will run outside RIGHT NOW and check out there own homes to stop this from happening to them!

It turns out that when my landscaper installed my new sprinkler system, he didn't think to check the heads to ensure that they do not spray the lower parts of the house.  As a result, every time my sprinklers have run in the last few years, they have soaked and rotted my sills and piers which now need to be replaced and will likely cost me upwards of $15,000.00!

This is such an easy fix if you can catch it in time.  Just put on the system and watch to see if you need to pull up the heads and move them away from the house, or simply change the direction to spray away. 

So, PLEASE learn from this and prevent this from happening to you! Put on your bathing suit, run outside, and check your sprinkler heads right now!!   

Simple Changes That Can Make Your Home More Marketable

Making your property stand out is an essential part of any home selling strategy. Here are some suggestions on how to do this.  Of course there are standards like removing clutter and keeping your home neat and clean. However, in our current competitive market, you might need to step up your game.  Here are some simple changes that you can make that will highlight and increase the marketability of your home for sale.

Replace outdated counter tops
Kitchens and bathrooms are a home’s major selling points. Consider replacing outdated counter tops with something more current.  Don’t feel as though granite is the only option!  There are many materials available for countertops that will add sophistication and style to your kitchen in a flash.  Consult home design magazines and kitchen showrooms for inspired ideas.

Refinish decks and porches and paint or stain concrete surfaces 
If you have a wooden deck or porch, consider having it refinished or stained before showing your home to potential buyers. Likewise, concrete surfaces such as garage floors or patios will look cleaner and more inviting with a fresh coat of sealant or paint.

Update light fixtures and change out dim light bulbs for higher wattage ones
Take a look at your home’s interior and exterior light fixtures. If they are outdated or damaged, you should think about replacing them with new updated ones that coordinate with the style of your home.  Making you home light and bright makes it show all the better.  Take the time to insure that you have working, high-wattage light bulbs in all of your fixtures.  This will make every room “shine” at its best.

Add shelving to make the most of storage spaces 
Closets and garages are good places to add a few shelves.  If you’re feeling ambitious, you can even paint or stain the shelves to make them look like a custom built-in.  Adding storage options goes a long way to impress potential buyers.

Replace blinds or add window treatments
Many homes have older mini blinds that have seen better days.  If yours are looking dowdy, consider an upgrade to something a little more modern like wood blinds or plantation shutters.  If your curtains seem dated and worn, perhaps a quick fix is in order.  Standard size window treatments can be bought most anywhere inexpensively and can go a long way toward giving a room a quick upgrade.

Spruce up your landscaping and mulch plant beds

Curb appeal is extremely important in enticing buyers to want to see more of your home.  Freshly mulched beds and tidied lawns go a long way for very little cost.  Consider adding planters on your porch or under window sills for a splash of unexpected color.

Happy Mardi Gras (and Superbowl) 2013!

Tomorrow night the first uptown parades will roll down St. Charles Avenue starting at 6pm!  Like everyone else, I enjoy the parades, the bands, the floats and the parties, but to those of us who live in the area, are visiting and have cars here, or are just trying to get around town, this means street closures and difficulty getting home from work, running errands and parking near our homes if we live anywhere near the route.  As a Realtor trying to show properties around town during Mardi Gras, I find that this can be quite a challenge!

Here is what I have learned in my experience.  I hope that it helps you get to where you need to be in good time and without stress so that you can enjoy the parades!  Lazziez les bon temps rouler!

1.      The guides, newspapers and websites say that most uptown parades start around Napoleon and Perrier.  While this may be true, it also means that Napoleon all the way to the river, and parts of Tchoupitoulas and the Rouses’ parking lot will be used for THE REST OF THE PARADE.  Float trucks will mostly come from Mardi Gras World on Tchoupitoulas at the I-10 (or the various dens on the Westbank) and line up from Rouses’ on back.  Band busses, dance teams, horses etc. Will use the Rouses’ parking lot for their staging area.

2.     Streets will be blocked off as early as one hour before parades also.  At St. Charles, this means you will not be able to cross the neutral ground.  Police with barricades will be standing there so even if you think that you can eke your car by the barricade, the police will surely stop you and possible ticket you if they are feeling surly.  On the river side of St. Charles, the side streets will have barricades blocking entrance one or two blocks from their intersection with St. Charles.

3.     Main thoroughfares like Prytania and Magazine will move slowly but more-so, the side streets will be very congested early as parade goers try to find excellent parking spots.  As a rule of thumb, congestion on the river side of St. Charles tends to start earlier and be more prevalent than the lake side.

4.     It is a good idea to check parade times and routes daily so that you can successfully avoid the line-up areas and circumvent street closures.  For example; if the parade starts at 6pm on Napoleon and (Rouses’), you will probably still be able to cross St. Charles at Louisiana to as far down as the Quarter until about 7pm.

5.     The I-10 is your Friend (mostly).  If you need to get from the Carrollton/Mid-City area to the Uptown/University area and the parade time is rapidly approaching, try the I-10.  You can get off at the St. Charles exit and work your way toward Prytania, Magazine or Tchoupitoulas which will carry you through.  Once the parades begin, if you wait about an hour, Tchoupitoulas will likely have cleared and you can sail on by.  (Unless of course there are a few parades set to roll one after another or in the event of a “super krewe”.)  In those cases, you will have to settle in somewhere and wait it all out.

6.     Lastly, go with the flow.  There is really no use in getting angry and frustrated as you try to maneuver during parade season.  Re-schedule your difficult-to-get-to appointments.  Decide to stop and watch the parade.  Enjoy the season and all it has to offer!

Here is the uptown parade schedule for 2013.  You are on your own for the rest!  Good Luck and Happy Mardi Gras!

Friday January 25: Oshun 6:00, Cleopatra (moved from Westbank)

Saturday January 26th: Pontchartrain 1:00, Choctaw (moved from Westbank)

Sparta 6:00, Pygmalion

Sunday January 27th: Carrollton 12:00, King Arthur

Wednesday February 6th: Druids 6:30, Nyx

Thursday February 7th: Babylon 5:45, Chaos, Muses

Friday February 8th: Hermes 6:00, Krewe D'état, Morpheus

Saturday February 9th: Iris 11:00, Tucks 12:00

Sunday February 10th: Okeanos 11:00, Mid-City, Thoth

Bacchus 5:15

Lundi Gras February 11th: Proteus 5:15, Orpheus

Mardi Gras February 12th: Zulu (at Jackson) 8:00, Rex, Elks Orleans, Crescent City