News Shorts

3 Ways To Get The House You Want

Over five million homes are sold in America every year, according to realtors. In a perfect world, you’d fall in love with a new home, submit an offer, and have the seller accept it. The world, however, is rarely perfect. So how can you make your offer stand out when there’s competition for the home you want? Here are three hints that can help.

1. Shorten the timeline:

Sellers want to move on. Offering a quick close lets them get to their own new home sooner and alleviates worries about the transaction falling through. Removing contingencies is a strategy to fast-track the closing timeline. You can work with your agent to determine whether waiving contingencies is a good option in your situation.

2. Make a cash offer:

Nothing appeals to sellers like cash. When you offer cash instead of getting a mortgage, you eliminate the time for the mortgage to close. You also remove the risk of the mortgage loan not going through.

Don’t have the cash? There are still options. Companies such as Flyhomes make the cash offer on your behalf, close with the seller, then sell the home to you at the same price after your mortgage is finalized. That firm also supplies you with a Client Advisor who is your coach from start to finish. You’re supported by specialists for touring, research and more. Plus they’ll help you deal with title and escrow.

3. Find out why the seller is selling:

A great real estate agent will tailor your offer to the seller’s goals. A seller who’s lived in a home for a long time is likely looking for a buyer who will cherish the home as much as they did. In that case, you might choose to write a letter to the seller to accompany your offer. On the other hand, the home may be owned by an investor, who will be most interested in selling to the buyer with the highest price and best terms. For further facts and tips on buying a home, go to: www.flyhomes.com. (NAPSI)

What To Know About Mold & Mildew

If you’re like a lot of homeowners, your domicile is in danger from an insidious, invisible growth—mold— and you don’t even know it. That’s because for many people, mold conjures up images of smelly, green and black growth that can cause serious respiratory issues.

It is often found in a home after an intrusive water event, such as a flood or a severe rainstorm. The reality is, just about every home has mold, though it only becomes a concern when there are moist building materials and you begin to notice visible mold growth and can smell it.

Mold and water damage can have a negative effect on your and your family’s health, as well as on the safety and structure of your home. People with allergies to mold may experience sneezing, runny nose, red eyes, rash and upper respiratory problems.

Homes in areas where there’s a potential for flooding, tornadoes, or hurricanes are especially at risk. Mold typically grows in damp places such as basements and crawlspaces. Apart from floods, the four major causes of mold and water damage in residences are: leaks in the building envelope (that is, around window frames, roof); unattended plumbing leaks; high humidity levels (particularly from unvented or improperly vented indoor moisture sources, such as kitchens, bathrooms, and clothes dryers); and condensation on cool surfaces (on kitchen and bathroom surfaces, on window frames, in basements).

The good news is there are steps you can take to identify and remove mold, and prevent its re-occurrence by keeping the water out of the house. AIHA (formerly American Industrial Hygiene Association), the organization for scientists and professionals committed to preserving and ensuring occupational and environmental health and safety (OEHS) in the workplace and community, created free resources for consumers including: “Facts About Mold: A Consumer Focus,” a downloadable guide to the problems of mold growth and what you can do to prevent it; and a brief video, “What is mold? Who’s affected?”—a quick guide to the dangers of mold in your home.

If mold damage is severe, it may be time to seek the help of an OEHS professional or Certified Industrial Hygienist with extensive mold investigation and remediation experience. You can find a list of OEHS experts at www.aiha.org/public-resources/consultants-listing. (NAPSI)

Make Your

House Safer This Summer

Even though we try to make our homes as safe as possible for our children, accidents and injuries can still occur in the home. Preventable injuries, unfortunately, happen more often than they should, and some occur because of hazards we may not even think of.

Keeping your family safe is a priority! Below are a few ideas to prevent accidents from occurring in your home. The tips on this list are easy, inexpensive and can make your home safer in as little as a day.

• Convert all corded window coverings to cordless alternatives:

The Window Covering Safety Council (WCSC) recommends that parents and caregivers check for corded window coverings in all homes their child spends time in. Corded window coverings pose a risk to small children, who can become accidentally entangled in the cord. It is best to use a cordless window covering, or a window covering without an accessible cord. If you find your window coverings are corded and purchase replacements, look for the Best for Kids™ label on the box of the window coverings. This label is present on the box of window coverings that have been tested by an independent third-party and deemed safer for children than their corded counterparts.

• Purchase child safety locks for cabinets:

Some of your cabinets are where you store your ingredients to make your next homecooked meal. Others are where you store potentially dangerous household cleaning objects. Do not let your child have access to either. Purchase child safety locks to prevent messes and hazardous situations from occurring. Remember to store items like prescriptions in places children cannot reach, like high cabinets.

• Cover all open electrical sockets:

If your child can crawl, they may become curious about objects around the house. Remember to purchase covers for any unused electrical sockets so children cannot place their hands in them. Additionally, tie down any cords that connect to an electrical socket from a household item, like a television. Children may become curious about these cords and become accidentally entangled.

• Cover sharp objects and edges on furniture:

You can prevent an unnecessary injury to a child by covering corners on furniture, like coffee tables. Soft objects, such as tennis balls or foam pads, can be placed over these pieces of furniture to make them safer for children. If you have the budget, you can also replace this furniture with new items that do not have sharp or pointed corners.

• Trash can safety:

Young children can accidentally make their way into your trash can and ingest something they are not supposed to or cut themselves on a sharp object, such as glass. You can prevent this by keeping your trash in a location a child cannot get into, such as a locked cabinet, or by placing a locking lid that a child cannot open on the trash can.

• Consider using a toy box without a lid:

A toy box is an easy way to make sure all your child’s favorite items are in one easy-to-find place. However, toy boxes with a lid can slam shut, potentially injuring your child’s hands, or even trapping a child inside. Remember to buy a toy box without a lid to prevent this. If your toy box does have a lid, make sure the lid is springloaded, easy to open, and has holes in it.

For more childproofing tips check out WCSC’s safety blog. (BPT)

Easy Drywall Repair Solution

Tired of repairing holes in drywall and having to wait hours, or even days, to complete the job? Whether the damage is small from a picture frame nail or anchor or as large as doorknob damage, you might want to check out this easy solution that requires no spackling, sanding or tools.

EclipseTM Rapid Wall Repair Patches from DAP make completing repairs so easy and fast, you can repair drywall damage in minutes and the patches are available in multiple sizes. The smallest patch is great for repairs such as nail holes/pops, screw holes, anchor and cable cord removal damage. The biggest patch is specifically designed to withstand doorknob impact and repeated impact. Simply patch the damage and it’s ready to paint immediately, allowing projects to be finished in minutes, not hours or days. The patch provides a smooth, seamless repair, while also providing strength and durability.

It offers a permanent, long-lasting repair that won’t peel or lose adhesion over time. Specifically designed for easy blending, DAP Eclipse provides a smooth finished repair that won’t flash once painted for a superior and flawless finish.

Look for Eclipse Rapid Wall Repair Patches at a local home improvement store. For more information, visit www.dap.com. (PRNewswire)