Staging Your Home-Leaky Faucets

Most faucet leaks can easily be fixed with a rubber washer, an O-ring or seals depending on what type of faucet it is.  By fixing the problem yourself, you can save a good bit of money since plumbers can be expensive and will charge you a standard fee even if it takes only 10 minutes to fix the problem.



Linda Shank Broker Owner Linda Shank and Company is a 32 year real estate veteran in Phoenix's Southeast Valley.  Contact her at www.ISellAZSunshine.com

Staging Your Home-Nail Pops

Nail pops are a annoying and seen in many homes especially in dryer climates.  The term comes from the nails that hold the drywall to the studs actually popping out through the face of the drywall.  This is from either a house settling, poor workmanship (? my opinion) or a home settling thus squeezing the nail out of the wood and pushing it through the drywall.  The fix for this isn't terribly hard but it's tedious because there are up to 32 nails in a 4 foot by 8 foot sheet of drywall.  My suggestion is to pound the nail through the drywall to the stud.  Then just above it place a drywall screw to hold the drywall to the sud and finish it off with a few coats of joint compound.  Finally, seal and paint it.  Many home improvement stores also sell nail pop kits that can make this job easier.


Linda Shank Broker Owner Linda Shank and Company is a 32 year real estate veteran in Phoenix's Southeast Valley.  Contact her at www.ISellAZSunshine.com

Staging Your Home-Squeaky Stairs

The most common problems that occur in a staircase is that the horizontal surface of the steps (treads) are coming loose and that causes squeaking.  Another common problem are the spindles or balusters coming loose.  If you can get underneath the staircase fixing the treads is easy.  You will need to attach an L-bracket from the underside of the tread to the stringer (the long piece of wood that connects the treads and runs diagonally up the wall).  If you can't get underneath the staircase, you'll have to make the repair from above.  Squeaky stair kits are available that allow you to make this fix even through the carpet.  Otherwise, you can secure the tread to the stringer with a time screw.



Linda Shank Broker Owner Linda Shank and Company is a 32 year real estate veteran in Phoenix's Southeast Valley.  Contact her at www.ISellAZSunshine.com

Home Closing Process - What Questions to Ask Your Agent Part II

If you are a buyer, these are questions you should be asking your agent:

*What if the seller decides not to sell and a purchase contract is already in force?

*What if the termite, home, roof or other inspections turn up more work than the seller anticipated and the expense for these repairs is much great than expected?

*What if the home suffers major damage in an earthquake, flood, fire or other act of Nature?

*What if liens or encumbrances are discovered which have been placed against the property?  For example, if the seller was handed a large tax lien against the property that had to be paid at or before the closing and the Seller would not have enough money to purchase their new home.  What could happen?

*What if the buyer changes his or her mind at the last minute and decides not to close the transaction for no apparent reason?

 Linda Shank Broker Owner Linda Shank and Company is a 32 year real estate veteran in Phoenix's Southeast Valley.  Contact her at www.ISellAZSunshine.com

Home Closing Process - What Questions to Ask Your Agent Part I

If you are a seller, these are questions you should be asking your agent during the sale process:
*What if the appraisal for the lender who is making the loan for the buyer comes in lower than the sales price and the loan amount is reduced?


*What if, even after an appeal, the lender refuses to raise the loan amount to the amount that the buyer needs to close the transaction?

*What if the sales price is altered due to a low appraisal?  Can the seller negotiate fees that they have agreed to pay such as repairs, inspections, loan fees or commissions?


*What if a buyer though they were pre-qualified does not ultimately qualify for the loan?


*What if the buyer tries to continue to negotiate throughout the closing process?


*What if the buyer, the buyer's agent, the lender, the appraiser, the different inspectors or the repair people are not doing their jobs within the time frames which were projected at the onset of closing and it now appears that these actions are going to delay the closing?


*What if a buyer has a significant change in his or her life before the closing (loses job, divorce or bankruptcy)?

Linda Shank Broker Owner Linda Shank and Company is a 32 year real estate veteran in Phoenix's Southeast Valley.  Contact her at www.ISellAZSunshine.com

Home Showing Hints

Follow these following hints for successful home showings and the Realtors will love you:

Staging - Staging is simply preparing your home as if you were setting a stage for a play.  Make it feel very complete and comfortable for the buyer as they tour the property.


Descriptive Signing - Another specialty technique involves the use of small, professionally printed signs approximately two inches high and two to four inches wide.  The signs can be placed throughout the home pointing out specific highlights of the property.


Should You be there? - It is almost always best that a seller vacates the property when it is being shown.  Many potential buyers feel uncomfortable if the seller is in the home as a buyer will want to look at the property very carefully (ie. storage areas, closets, cabinets, under beds and in the garage).


Children and Pets - If children are present during the showing, you should make every effort to keep them out of certain areas of the home while those portions of the home are being shown.  Also, some buyers are allergic or afraid of pets.  It's a good idea to keep pets out of the home or caged during the showing.


Cards Left at Showings - It is very important for you to provide the listing agent with all of the business cards of agents which have been left each time the property has been shown. The listing agent should receive the information on the cards as soon as possible.  This will allow your agent to make contact with the buyer's agent and receive feedback on the showing. 

Linda Shank Broker Owner Linda Shank and Company is a 32 year real estate veteran in Phoenix's Southeast Valley.  Contact her at www.ISellAZSunshine.com 

Staging Your Home--How to Remove Oil Stains on a Garage Floor

You can remove most of an oil stain with elbow grease and scrubbing.  Start removing the surface oil by sprinkling some cat litter on it to soak it up.  Then clear away the cat litter and concentrate on the stain.  Make a paste of hot water and dry laundry or dishwasher detergent.  Use a stiff bristle scrub brush to scrub the area with the paste.  Hose the area and let it dry.  Another way is to use a product such as Spray 'n Wash on the stain along with the detergent and let it sit for 10 minutes.  If that doesn't do the job then spray on some oven cleaner.  Use just a small amount, wash it down thoroughly and keep children and pets away from it.



Linda Shank Broker Owner Linda Shank and Company is a 32 year real estate veteran in Phoenix's Southeast Valley.  Contact her at www.ISellAZSunshine.com

Staging At Home 101 Part II

Removing clutter is only one aspect of getting a smaller home ready to sell---or just living contentedly in it.  Box up items you don't absolutely need (especially collections) as these tend to distract curious buyers.  Temporarily part with your modern abstract art or country-themed baskets of dried flowers.

Some big pieces of furniture won't fit in modestly sized homes.  Look at the scale of your furniture and don't forget depth.  Things can be a lot deeper than you realize and all of a sudden, there's no room to walk because that deep, comfy chair you love comes halfway out into the room.
Sellers remove furniture from rooms that feel overstuffed.  If you have a huge china cabinet in a small dining room remove it or at least take the Hutch off.  Otherwise, it's very distracting.

Chose your color palette carefully.  Bright, loud colors make a space feel smaller because they jump across the room at you.  You want the walls and your furniture to recede.  Don't be matchie matchie.  Eliminate the high contrasts....the same colors should move throughout the house.  Blend colors in more medium tones. Using the same color of carpet or the same hardwood throughout the home to maximizes your perception of space.

Linda Shank Broker Owner Linda Shank and Company is a 32 year real estate veteran in Phoenix's Southeast Valley.  Contact her at www.ISellAZSunshine.com

Staging At Home 101 Part I

Here's a good rule of thumb:  If you don't see it in a model home, then it shouldn't be in your house!
Hide photographs, dishrags, toiletries, garbage cans, newspapers, refrigerator magnets and other items in your home that personalize it.  If that seems a little too much then designate a special place for picture frames like the nightstands and try storing items like toothbrushes in cool leather containers with lids.  You MUST become a master of disguise.  


Furniture can qualify as clutter too so "edit" unnecessary pieces.  Or, rent nice pieces from a Home Stager for a monthly fee to create the look that you want.  Arrange it so there is a clear traffic pattern making it easy to walk from one room to another.


Stick with neutral palettes, painting walls white or warm beige, highlighting baseboards and molding with a slightly darker color than your base.  The ceiling should be the lightest shade which creates a feeling of height.  Use a bold accent color to draw the buyer's eye from one area of the home to another.


Highlight the home's selling points.  Place brightly colored candles on the fireplace mantle or bay windowsill, a bright new dish towel by the stainless steel appliances, a brightly colored bowl with fresh green apples or bright lemons on top of a granite island.  Complimentary colors attraction the buyer's attention too!!!

And, remember the first thing that a prospective buyer should see when they enter your home should be a "WOW" factor or the focal point!!! You need to have something that says "keep coming".


Linda Shank Broker Owner Linda Shank and Company is a 32 year real estate veteran in Phoenix's Southeast Valley.  Contact her at www.ISellAZSunshine.com

Staging Your Home - First Impressions

When a buyer pulls up in front of your home this is your one and only 15 second chance for a POSITIVE first impression.  Here's what to do and not to do:


* Don't park yours cars in the driveway.
* Have some color in your yard....spring plantings or potted plants.
* A large tree or two can further enhance your home's curb appeal.
* Charm potential buyers with a courtyard fountain or some tasteful yard art by the entry.
* The backyard is important too.  Remove dead plants, trim trees, shrubs and add some flowers.

Linda Shank, a 32 year veteran,  is Broker Owner of Linda Shank & Company  Gold Canyon Arizona  Contact her @ http://www.ISellAZsunshine