Brighter Sells Better

Homes that are bright tend to sell better than homes that are dark.  There is something about bright open spaces that just makes people feel better.  It gives them that happy, warm and fussy feeling.  That is why all things being equal, most buyers will typically prefer homes that let in a lot of light.  It is the reason Realtors will turn on all the lights during an Open House because we know light translates to a faster sale at a higher price.  What are you to do if you have an area in your home that is dark and gloomy?  A relatively inexpensive solution is a solar tube.

Solar tubes are just that, tubes with a patented reflective interior that harnesses natural sunlight from your roof into the room where it is installed.  A typical 10" tube will light up an area about 10 x 10 feet.    They can produce as much light as a three 100 watt bulbs, and all of that without the use of electricity.  And they are a lot easier to install than skylights.

That leads us to our next point.  You do not necessarily need to be ready to sell to take advantage of solar tubes.  Solar tubes can save you money in the long run.  It will eliminate the use of lights during the day and over time they pay for themselves.  It is a "green" alternative.

Solar tubes can be found in places like Lowes and Home Depot or you can purchase them online. There are various brands on the market available, so make sure you find one that is right for you.  Although you can have them professionally installed, if you are a little bit handy, the kits typically come with everything you need to install them yourself.

One of our team members installed it in her home and the difference is noticeable.  Feel free to view her review here and check out the results below!

Cheaply Remodelling a Bathroom

It is very rare that a buyer will find the "perfect" home.   Some sacrifices will have to be made because most of us are working within a budget. What you don't want to sacrifice are the "bones" of the home (structure, roof, HVAC, etc), the floor plan, and the size of the rooms.  However, there are a lot of cosmetic issues that will become a deal breaker for many buyers when in reality, they can easily be changed with a little bit of sweat equity.  Here is an example of how to cheaply remodel a half bath.

I remodeled the half bath when we purchased a colonial that was almost 50 years old.  The existing bath when we first moved in was very dated.  I wanted to make it classy without breaking the bank.  I splurged on the toilet and faucet because I wanted "eco options," but there are a lot cheaper toilets/facuets that will also look nice.

Toilet  $275.00 (I saw some nice looking ones for as low as $100)
Vanity and Top: $130.00
Mirror  $55.00
Vinyl Tile  $20.00 (.69 cents per tile) (super easy to install)
Faucet $150.00   (but classy styles as low as $80).
Misc Supplies $50.00  (caulking, glue, etc).

Dated Bathroom

Cheaply Remodelled Bathroom

Doing it yourself will save you hundreds of dollars.  Installing the toilets, vanity, faucets can be pretty easy if you take the time to read directions, use a little common sense, and have patience.  If you have never done it before (which I had not), you can google instructions and many times you will find YouTube videos that teach you step-by-step.  Also, make sure you plan out what makes more sense to do first, which most likely will be the tile.

Fresh paint? or Toxic Air?

I am an environmentalist at heart.  I have been for sometime now, but it went into overdrive when my daughter was born 5 years ago.  So it is a natural progression for me to become more involved in "green" real estate as a Realtor.

A lot of my buyers will get excited when they smell the "fresh paint" on some of the homes.  Part of the excitement is that they know they won't have to do any repainting themselves, but few know how toxic that paint smell is.  Today's paints are less toxic than they were 10 years ago due to public demand but even low-VOC paints can still be harmful.  There are non-toxic paints out on the market and although more expensive, the health of your families will benefit in the long run (and this holds true for different types of paints and stains).  

Here are somethings you should know about paint.

1)  The EPA says that indoor air quality can be more seriously polluted than outdoor air and one of the causes is paint.
2) VOLATILE ORGANIC COMPOUNDS (VOC) are a traditional component of many oil based paints and even latex paints (and some of your household cleaners as well).
3) Exposure to VOCs can cause can cause the following symptoms:

conjunctival irritation

nose, throat discomfort

headache

allergic skin reaction

dyspnea

declines in serum cholinesterase levels

nausea, emesis

fatigue

dizziness

4) Prolonged exposure has been linked to kidney and liver disease and even cancer.
5)  VOCs continue to be released well after the paint dries (I am talking years)
6) Zero-VOC paint will still have some level of VOCs but still at lower levels than traditional paints.
7) Small children and the elderly are the most susceptible to the negative effects of VOCs in the air.

I realize that as a buyer there are not a lot of homes that will use zero-VOC paints or non-toxic paints.   But you can choose to buy a home that has NOT been "freshly painted" and then paint it yourselves with the paint of your choice.  I know it is a lot more work and higher expense, but think about the savings in health care costs!

As a buyer you should demand greener and healthier homes.  Eventually sellers will comply.

My primary source for putting this blog together was Home Repair  and the EPA website at  www.epa.gov.

Luisa Rodriguez

Prestige Property Group

Exit Choice Realty

Woodbridge, VA 22192

240-377-7104

www.RealEstateEliteTeam.com

www.PrestigeRealEstateTeam.com

luisarodriguez@mris.com

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