Steel Wool to Keep out the Mice

There are some things you wish you never had to know and, when forced to be aware, wish you had slept through the lesson.  The appliance repairman came to fix the ice maker in the fridge.  The repairman pulled out the fridge drip tray.  First, I had no idea that such a thing existed but, in retrospect, where else would the water go from a self- defrosting fridge.  When he pulled out the tray (and all self-defrosting fridges have them), it was green and slimy and disgusting.  I had a chance to clean it and it was likely the first time since the fridge was installed with the previous home owner 15 years ago.  As if my house cleaning skills were not already in a failing grade, the repairman then told me that the house had had mice in the past as evidenced by all the mice poop around the tray.  ARG!!!!!  According the repairman, mice can always find the drip trays in homes because they are searching for drinking water and this is one source they can get to.  Yuk, yuk and double yuk. 

When we moved into the house, there were entry points for mice.  Apparently they get into the attached garage when the doors are open or where pipes and wires enter the house and then they sneak through the tiny little openings.  With a box of fine steel wool and some patience, MDH was able to close every entry.   Mice will eat through almost anything but don’t like steel wool.  Since the steel wool application, we have had no mice.

So, in case the fridge needs repairs and you are not up to humiliation that day, unscrew the bottom panel of your fridge and take out the drip pan to clean it (say more than once every 15 years), watch for signs of mice and take time to stuff steel wool around the entry points of pipes and wires into your house. 

As an aside, I was saved from a final mortification when the repairman did not find mouse cadavers at the drip pan.  Thank god for small mercies.   

Stainless steel wool 1 http://www.flickr.com/photos/oskay/2362752031/

Buying a Cottage – Potable Water

If you are out shopping for a cottage make sure you understand the drinking water sources.  

1.  Is there a well? How deep and has the water been recently tested?  You will want to take a sample and have the water tested yourself.  

2.  Is the cottage on municipal waterlines?   Wow and good for you.  Of course you will be paying for that in water bills but the convenience may be worth it.  

3.  What happens if the only water is from the lake?  Of course you will want to run a line into the lake for all the non-potable needs (showers, dishes, washing).  You may even decide that you will drink that water once it has been filtered.  Make sure you have the water tested from time to time.  You may decide that boiling the water that you drink will be sufficient.  Again, have the water tested.  

4.  Finally, you may decide that hauling drinking and food prep water in from the city in big plastic jugs /thermos and stocking a good supply of water bottles.  Watch out for containers with  bisphenol-A (BPA ).  I know there are many cottagers who go to the nearest town and fill their bottles regularily from a communal pump or tape.  

Just because you have a whole lake in front of you doesn’t mean that you will want to drink from it.  Before buying, look at your options.

Eliminating Cat Spray Odour

 There are a few cats in my neighbourhood who are allowed to roam freely.  One of the by-products of these free range cats it that they like to mark or spray ‘their’ territory and that includes my backyard.  When the sun heats up the sprayed area, the smell is way beyond pleasant.    I like to sit outside and enjoy the summer and there are days when this is not possible because of the cat smell.

I have been doing a search on what can be done to first get rid of the smell and, second, get rid of the cats. 

  1. This week we started to dump the morning coffee grounds in the smelly area.  That will, I hope reduce the smell.  Perfume sellers often have a jar of coffee beans for customers to inhale between smelling different perfumes.   Who knows, this may work and costs nothing. 
  2. We bought something called a CatScat mat (don’t you just love it) from Lee Valley and will be putting it along the top of the fence.  
  3. I discovered that cats are not that fond of citrus.  Many people have recommended putting orange peel in the flower beds are around the doors and area that the cats seem to scent.   I found a citrus spray called  Nature’s Miracle Orange-Oxy Power Just for Cats Stain & Odor Remover that is available at pet stores and on Amazon.ca amazon.com
  4. On another note and this one more potent smelling, I have mixed white vinegar with water in a spray (LOL) bottle.  Some goes on the cat sprayed area and the bottle sits on the patio table waiting for me to use to shoot the cat should it dare enter my area while I am outside. 
  5. Finally, and we are not up to doing this, there are humane traps that we could buy and trap the cats to take to the pound.

It seems I am not suffering alone.  My favourite veterinarian columnist, Dr. Bernhard Pukay,  wrote an article in the July 3, 2012 Ottawa Citizen about keeping cats out of flowerbeds.   According to the article, I am on the right track with all of these efforts.

If you are selling your home, make sure that you do everything possible to eliminate offensive odours – both inside and outside the home. 

I hope that:  I don’t get any catcalls for writing this post; my curiosity will kill the cat (smell;) and, this post will not rub you the wrong way.  

The Boomer’s Dream – A No Hassle Condo

This makes me think of The Man of La Mancha - The Impossible Dream.  While condo dwelling is highly unlikely to be as unpalatable as living in Don Quixote’s dungeon, itmay not live up to the expectations of the carefree living the Boomer is hoping to obtain. 

When retirement finally arrives, many Boomers have plans to spend time traveling, reading, relaxing by a pool, maybe fishing and spending weeks every year at a cottage.  Having the big suburban home AND having the freedom to live the nomadic life may not be compatible objectives.  This is when the Boomer starts dreaming of moving to a condo.  Boomers were brought up to be owners.  Condos are a type if shared ownership.  Just remember, condos were not likely in existence when the Boomer was an apartment renter and just starting out on his or her own.  Some things are going to be a surprise. 

In life, there are always trade-offs and compromises.  The attraction of a condo is to have the freedom to close your door and take off for months without worrying about your home, to never have to mow the lawn or water the flowers, to have the exterior of your home maintained and to share in the costs of the common parts of the property.  The downside is:

After living in a suburban home with the independence of total ownership, condo living trades some of this for additional freedoms and peace of mind for not having to be personally responsible for the property. 

Don’t tilt at the windmills.  Make sure that you see the windmill and not your dreams   

Photo credit:  Windmill

Snowbirds need to be Snowy Owls

It is January.  The cold sets in to the northern states and Canada and whole flocks of people head south for a reprieve from the misery of boots and parkas.  Many people go to the same location year after year.  They develop friendships and links to the community.  It gets to be a home away from home and eventually, what with the crash in home prices, the Snow Bird starts to think of buying versus renting.

Oh, it is tempting to see residential and condo opportunities at an unbelievable price.  For Canadians, the temptation is compounded with the strength of the Canadian dollar.  Buy or rent?  Buy or rent?  I get asked this question a lot.  Mostly these come from friends and acquaintances who have been going to Florida – Texas – Arizona for years.  I have a couple of questions just to make them think that there are both pros and cons to buying.

Now, this might sound like a long list of negatives but…..  The temptation to buy is so great and the deals are so wonderful that the informed buyer needs to spend some time considering all of the pros AND cons.
 
Be a wise snowy owl and do your due diligence before making a buying decision. 
 
Every summer for 20 years I shopped for a cottage.  Something always stood in the way of making the final purchase decision.  Sometimes it was the money or the location or our relocation or the work needed to be done or the worry. Now we are going through the same process over winter vacation properties.  My dream situation would be to have a shared interest with one other couple on a vacation property so that the cost, responsibility and time could all be shared. 

 Photo credit:  Snowy Owl

Good Money and Good Enough

You are getting your house ready to sell.  You have read a lot of advice on things that you should do and buy in order to improve your home and its appearance.  Oh, those ideas are so wonderful but you have at least 3 problems with those ideas. 

First: there is going to be a change and change is difficult.  We just get very comfortable with the way things are and making a change is a little like rattling our brains. 

Second:  Getting the house ready might cost money.  No, not might, it will cost money.  The amount depends on you, the Seller, your ability to make money available and the current state of your home.  It might be a case of spend a little now to get a much better return later.

Third:  It is not just that it is work to do but it will take your time and physical effort.  Painting, shopping, rearranging furniture, raking, washing – all ‘ing’ words that sound like a lot of effort.  It is going to be worth it when Buyers come into your house and do their own ING – as in Buying. 

As real estate agents and stagers we don’t often hear you argue making improvement from those three vantages.  You know that if you talk about resisting change sounds like you might be 100 years old and boring; not spending money sounds like you are too cheap and not willing to work to sell your home sounds like you are lazy.  What do you say?   You may fall back on Good Money and Good Enough. 

Good Money

Good Enough

When it comes to getting your house ready for sale

Be ready for change, to spend money and to exert a little effort. 

Photo credit:  International Money Pile in Cash and Coins

Blinded By the Light

 

Yesterday I was finally moved to do something that I have put off for years.  Yes, years. 

I have wooden blinds on many of the windows in the house.  They get dusted and occasionally vacuumed on a semi-regular basis.  They do not get washed.  Now, I notice dirty blinds in homes that Buyers and I look at and also those in my own home. Real dirt can accumulate on blinds as they get their fair share of household grease, dust, sprays, air born pollutants, etc.  Over time, dusting no long does a good job.  

Maybe it is because I want spring to really get underway or maybe it is genetic programming to do some spring cleaning but yesterday I finally got the wherewith-all to start washing the wooden blinds.

Oh sure, there are those of you who have metal blinds that you pop in the tub or take out to the driveway.  Lucky you.  Wood blinds, however, are not made to be soaked.  So, with a bucket of warm sudsy water, yellow rubber gloves and several cleaning rags I got the job underway. It took hours and a couple of breaks but it was a start.

Next week if I hear the same call or you hear the call to sell your home, get out the bucket and cleaning rags and wash those slated wooden blinds and shutters.  It will surprise you how much brighter and lighter the clean blinds will make the room.

It was a dirty job but someone had to do it. 

Photo credit:  Blind Perspective

Have you ever wondered what professionals are saying about – FUZZY BATH MATS AND TANK COVERS?

Well, now you can find out.  Yesterday I posted on ActiveRain about why Sellers should never have fuzzy bath mats and toilet tank covers.  I received over 80 comments from the 740 readers (plus over 25 of my responses) on this post.  Now it is time to share with my website readers…….  Here is the post:

Don’t flush away a sale

Get rid of those fluffy toilet tank covers and any floor mats or carpeting. 

There I have said it. 

What?  If you, the Seller,  have them and your house is not on the market, okay enjoy.  But…..  They have two huge negative factors going for them: 

1.  The Granny Factor – You know, Grandma had the tank cover, the toilet seat cover and a floor mat all in the same colour.  She also had a Barbie doll stuck in a roll of toilet paper with a crochet skirt.  Do you want people to think your house is so outdated that you have not moved away from the 50s.  A half century later and Barbie lives. 

2.  The Yuk Factor – when it is your house and your body bits in the carpet, who cares.  When you have your house for sale, get rid of any type of floor carpet.  It just turns Buyers off. 

There are some easy and cheap fixes for your house and the bathroom is likely the least expensive room to update with the biggest impact.  I found the photos below on Flickr that nicely illustrate the point.  I might have removed the throw mat.  Enjoy.

Photo credit:  Bathroom Metamorphosis @ http://www.flickr.com/photos/alexik/422735652/sizes/z/in/photostream/

Here is who commented: 

Wow, it’s funny to find a discussion based on my bathroom :) I am the owner of the above home; I’m glad it helped you illustrate your point Valerie! I lived in that house for 5 years and gradually did the work you see above. Disgusting toilet covers aren’t the only thing that should be destroyed though, don’t forget to replace all the cheap brass 80′s fixtures and door knobs. Swapping out ivory outlets/switches for pure white also makes a subtle but big difference.

All in all, renovating that house cost about $10k (the largest expense was Pergo flooring.) But in a neighborhood of un-remodeled homes, I was able to recoup that on the sale 5-fold.

(Also, Ellen, pulling down the wall paper was a royal pain in the ass!)     Alexi

 

Comments received as of 8:00 AM this morning.  I encourage you to go to the  site  and read through everyone’s comments.  Funny and instructive ~ just they way I like them 

Curry take away

I love curry and the smell makes me hungry but I wonder about people who cook strong smelling food just before having an Open House.  As much as you can, avoid cooking with curry, boiling cabbage or popping microwave popcorn.  There are some food smells that the majority of  Buyers will not like.

Let your house pop without getting corny.

Zinger 115

Things Ottawa Buyers May Notice #36 – Popcorn Ceilings

Stippled or popcorn ceilings have been popular to builders for decades.  The drywaller or painter would be hired to tape off the dry walled ceiling and then, rather than do the fine sanding and make the joins invisible, stippling was added.  This covered any and all imperfections.  Once up, this application is a real bugger to remove. 

Times change and Buyers and Owners seem to hate stippled ceilings.  Removing stippled ceilings is not for the faint of heart.  You need a shower cap and cape, you need a lot of water to loosen the stippling and you need plastic sheet to cover everything in the room including you.  Wet – scrape – wet – scrape – wet – scrape.  This is followed by:  drywall – tape – sand – mud – sand – mud – paint.  Now you know why those stippled ceilings are still around.  If you consider this process also consider hiring someone to come in and do the ceilings professionally.  An alternative is to drywall right over the stippling / popcorn and start fresh. Using ceiling tiles in fancy material and patterns is another way to hide the stippling.  Whatever your decision on your ceilings, minimize the odd and bizarre. 

Be proud of the house you are selling.

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