Archive for category: Homeowner Tips

Thanks to Arizona’s dry and hot temperatures, and more days of sun than not, painting the exterior of your home is of critical importance.  Whether you are living in the home of your dreams, or you’re listing your current home for sale, there are some factors that will determine when and how you paint the exterior of your home.   An improperly or poorly painted home will not bear out a higher sales price.  

As for how often you should paint the outside of your home in Arizona, the basic rule of thumb is every 5-10 years.  The determining factors here are the type of paint that was used, as well as the orientation of the home in terms of direct sunlight.  If the original paint was not 100% acrylic, the paint job will not last much longer than 5-7 years.  Paint that is of higher quality and 100% acrylic should last at least 8-10 years, with proper application.  Again, if your intention is to prepare your home for sale, then you may not want to go with the more expensive 100% acrylic paint.

Proper preparation of the exterior of your home for painting is critical for the application of the paint to be successful, and to look good.  Many of the homes in Phoenix and Scottsdale are stucco, due to its durability in the desert climate.  Stucco needs to be cleaned very well before painting, so be sure that a wire brush is used to remove sand and loose paint before the painting begins.  A pressure washer should also be used to remove surface dirt and grime, and all holes and cracks must be patched.  A paint sprayer is typically used on stucco exteriors, with the trim being painted by brushes and rollers.

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As we’re fully immersed in the heat of summer, there will be more and more days spent in the pool.  Critical to enjoyment and relaxation is making sure the pool experience is a safe one for everyone involved.  Here are a few tips to help you maximize pool safety this summer, courtesy of the American Red Cross:

1. Install a physical barrier to your pool, especially if children have access to your backyard and/or pool.  A 5-feet high fence with a self-closing, self-latching gate is the legal minimum (Source: here. )   Also consider placing a safety cover on the pool or hot tub when not in use, and remove any ladders or steps used for access. Pool alarms may offer a secondary layer of security and peace of mind.
2. Supervise children at all times, and be in physical proximity to kids (with arm’s reach) at all times.  When enjoying the pool in large groups, make sure to designate one person to actively watch the children.
3. Consider swimming lessons for young children, either through private companies or your local Parks and Recreation Department.
4. Establish and enforce swimming pool rules such as “walk, not run, near the pool” and “no diving.”
5. Make sure adults near the pool understand how to respond to emergencies by having appropriate safety equipment and taking water safety, first aid and CPR courses from the Red Cross.

About Chris and Cheryl Park

It’s often said that two rooms sell a home: the kitchen and the bathroom(s).  It’s also a widely-accepted truism that most home buyers are looking for homes that are updated, because simply put, they don’t want to do the work of updating.  Therefore, if the two most important rooms aren’t updated, many potential buyers will start adding up the cost to update the kitchen and the bathrooms, at minimum, and may not offer as much for those homes.

Therefore, if you are considering updating your home to maximize the sales price, as well as compete with similar homes in your neighborhood, there are ways to prioritize these updates, based on your budget:

1. Paint.  Painting your kitchen, especially if it hasn’t been painted in the past five years, is a simple, inexpensive and quick way to update this area of your home.  Be sure to pick a neutral color that will appeal to the widest range of buyers, and that will coordinate with your existing cabinets, countertops and appliances.

1. Stainless Steel Appliances.   Buyers still want stainless steel appliances, and this trend isn’t likely to change anytime soon.  After paint, updating your appliances is another cost-effective, yet simple way to quickly update your kitchen.

1. Flooring.  After paint and appliances, take a look at the flooring in your kitchen.  Buyers prefer tile or other hard flooring in the kitchen.  Eighteen-inch porcelain or ceramic tiles in neutral colors are relatively inexpensive, yet provide a lot of bang for your buck when it comes to updating the look of your kitchen.

1. Countertops. Non-laminate countertops in kitchens are very important to buyers in today’s market.  Granite or quartz countertops in the kitchen are upgrades that will quickly update the look and style of your kitchen.  There are various levels (or pricing) of granite, and I would be happy to suggest which level of granite would be appropriate for the price range of your home.

1. Cabinets.  Assuming you’ve already implemented the above updates, when it comes to prioritizing updates in the kitchen, the last piece of the puzzle is updating your cabinets.  Depending on the type of wood and the style of cabinet you currently have, simply painting or refinishing your cabinets may do the trick.  If the interiors of your cabinets are in good condition but the style of the doors is not current, re-facing may be a better option to update your cabinets.    With re-facing, the doors and drawer fronts will be removed, and they can be replaced with any style or finish.  A finished wood veneer will be affixed to the cabinet sides, and new knobs and handles can complete the updated look.

Updating your kitchen with any of the above suggestions will be sure to help you maximize the final sale price of your home.  We look forward to working with you to prioritize the costs of any remodel or update you plan to undertake with an eye toward maximizing the sale price of your home.

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