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.

Things Buyers May Notice #35 – Country Kitsch Gone Mad

A few weeks ago I was out with Buyers looking at homes.  Of course we had done our homework by looking at the listings on the Internet and evaluating the worthiness of viewing the homes based on the pictures.  One set of home pictures stood out for two reasons  It seemed that the Seller was overly fond of dark maroon paint – it was on the walls inside the home and on the exterior bricks.  Rooms were too dark and depressing because the paint was a no-no.  Secondly, it seemed the Seller was running a craft / country store of kitsch from her home.  Every bit of wall space and every horizontal surface was covered in craft-like items.  It was difficult to see the rooms beyond the stuff.  It was on our “not to see” list.  However, the Listing Agent asked us to give it a chance and take a look.

OMG – we were in the house for 1 minute and one of the Buyers wanted out.  Our eyes were spinning.  There was nowhere to look without being attacked by stuff.  The other Buyer recognized that all of the clutter was, in fact, expensive pieces and probably lovingly collected over time.  Sadly, everything was on display but nothing was a focal point.   The house was lost in the stuff.

How would the Agent tell this client to start to pack up a lifetime of collecting and start painting in beige?  Good luck.

Photo credit:  Kitsch-cow @ http://www.flickr.com/photos/itnomad/11340853/

Things Ottawa Buyers May Notice #33 – Sweat Equity

With housing being one of many investment opportunities, some Buyers are in the market for more than just their housing needs.  On recent forays into “handyman specials” it is clear that there is a market for those with skills and determination to get a house to fix up for increased future value.  

Buyers are getting more and more savvy, thanks to the shows on TV, about spotting a house that has been cosmetically improved but the basics were not touched.  No matter how wonderful the paint colours, most informed Buyers will have a house inspector ensure that the house is safe and sound.  As such, it is important for investment Buyers to prioritize the projects, put in some sweat equity and improve the house to the point of getting a decent Return on Investment.

Address the fundamentals first:  foundation, HVAC, windows, roof.   Look at energy conservation.  Good windows and improved insulation may not be glamourous but they are key.  Keep all the permits and receipts.  Buyers want to see that good quality work has been done and that any warranties go with the house.

Photo Credit:  Shacks at Low Tide @ http://www.flickr.com/photos/braydawg/174567361/

Things Ottawa Buyers May Notice #32 – A Crawl Space in Need of Insulation

 While not the most common foundation type in Ottawa, there are homes with crawl spaces in lieu of full basements.  At a recent showing, the Buyer and I noticed that the living room and kitchen floors were really cold, even though the heat was on in the house.  This was an indication to take a good look in the basement.  After opening the trap door and crawling in, it was apparent that

  1. the crawl space had a dirt floor,
  2. the walls were not insulated and that,
  3. while there was some attempt several years earlier to put a little pink insulation between the joists, it was inadequate. 

All of this contributed to the cold in the house.  In addition, the heating ducts were not fully wrapped in insulation and they crossed the area.  When it is below zero outside, it is very cold in this type of uninsulated basement.  On the positive side, there was only a little indication of damp (some efflorescence) and the dirt was dry. The picture in this blog is not the exact basement but very close to what we saw. 

Structurally the house seemed solid.  For the comfort of the new owner and to reduce energy consumption (to heat the very cold rooms), I advise that additional insulation be added plus vapour barriers where possible.  At a minimum, the duct work needed to be protected from the cold. 

Photo credit:  Darwin repeater work 8-30-2008 @ http://www.flickr.com/photos/davef3138/2811740417/

Things Ottawa Buyers May Notice #31- Bathroom Doors

 When you think you have seen everything, there is still more to surprise you.  A few years ago, I was looking for a new house.  I must have seen over 20 homes when lo and behold – a bathroom with a clear glass door.  I thought it was a joke.  Who would want to have the most private room in the house, clearly visible?  My only thought was that nudists lived in the house.  It would be bad enough that everyone can see how clean or dirty the room is BUT it would also be a huge surprise to dinner guests and visitors. 

If you think the clear bathroom door brings light into the rest of the house, you may be right.  However, privacy will always trump light when it comes to bathrooms.  I never went back to that house and thought it was a unique ‘feature’.  Later in my search, I came across another bathroom, this time in the basement, with the clear glass door.  Was this just an Ottawa phenomenon?  Apparently not.  I recently saw a home on a TV make-over show that had the same issue.

If your bathroom door is clear glass or you see a house that you want to buy with a clear glass bathroom door, you have three choices – leave it and learn to live with voyeurism, remove the door and replace with something more standard and private or frost the glass so that it is not transparent.  A bathroom is not the place to play….

Peek-a-boo, I see you.

Photo credit:  bathroom @ http://www.flickr.com/photos/littleghoti/488561616/

Things Ottawa Buyers May Notice #34 – Dining Room Lighting – 3 Reasons to Change or Upgrade

Almost every house that I have taken Buyers to see has had some type of lighting fixture in the diningroom  Every Buyer has inspected the light fixture to determine how much they love it.  Knowing this, if you are putting your house on the market there are three reasons for upgrading and/or changing the dining room light fixture. 

The first reason is because you have a sentimental attachment to the current fixture and want to take it with you.  If so, take it down before the house goes on the market and replace is with something suitable for the home and the price you are asking. 

The second reason to upgrade the fixture is because the one you have now is old, dated and unsuitable for current design.  Go to a lighting store and see what is in style.  Find one within your budget. 

Finally, there are some newer homes where owners have never installed a light fixture.  There is a metal plate in the ceiling covering the opening for the installation.  If you have one of these, please find a nice new fixture and install it before putting your house on the market. 

There is almost nothing worse than a bad fixture except no fixture or the promise by the owner (through exclusions) that the one in the house will be removed before possession.  Good style does not have to cost a fortune. 

Photo credit:  dining room grandma’s light fixture @ http://www.flickr.com/photos/eponabri/2249768758/

When ratty looks tatty – Give it the slip

We all know that home Buyers are buying the house, not the contents.  However, Buyers are influenced by how the house is decorated.  It gives a message about lifestyle and care and attention.  If you have a couch that is beyond redemption but getting it re-upholstered  would be cost prohibitive, you have three choices:

How a house is staged with good pieces will influence how a Buyer will value the home. 

Photo credit:  i think i found it @ http://www.flickr.com/photos/themacinator/4015348619/

Selling and Decluttering – The Inside of the Fridge

As you get closer to putting your house on the market, take some time to declutter the inside of the fridge.  We all seem to keep condiments that have expired sometimes 2 – 3 years ago.  There may be onions that are sprouting in the crisper and leaking sauce bottles at the back of the top shelf.  In most cases, the fridge is left in the house.  Buyers will want to know the condition of the fridge and will open the door to inspect the contents/capacity/condition of the appliance. 

If you are moving with a company, it is unlikely that they will allow perishable foods.  When cleaning your fridge start to think of what you need to consume now, toss or give away before you pack to leave. 

This is a fussy job that should not be overlooked because Buyers will be looking inside the fridge. 

Photo credit:  Onion – May 3 @ http://www.flickr.com/photos/fabricio/3534037525/

What has been swept under the rug?

The expression “to sweep under the rug” means to hide something in the hopes that no one will notice.  For some Sellers what is being hidden under an area rug is a damaged hardwood floor.  Maybe there are stains, maybe the wood is cracked, maybe the last sanding on the hardwood took off the veneer and there are spots where no hardwood exists.  Another problem that happens in all homes with area rugs on hardwood is sun damage.  The wood under the rug, not exposed to the sun, will remain a true colour.  The wood exposed is likely a lot lighter in colour.  When Buyers are looking at homes with seemingly wonderful hardwood floors, be sure to check under the area rug to get an indication of the true nature of the floors or write in a condition in the offer to have the floors refinished if there are problems. 

I love this room in the “Beach House”.  See the great area rug.  If this was on the market, I would like to know if the condition of the wood under the rug is as wonderful as that seen at the edges.  When buying a house, get as much information before making an offer as is possible. 

Photo credit:  Beach House Living Room @ http://www.flickr.com/photos/kerryanndame/3776968872/

Things Ottawa Buyers May Notice #30 – Walls Removed

This is a photo of what should be done.  However, there are some very poor renovations being done and then sold as upgrades in homes.  The expression “Putting Lipstick on a Pig” (meaning that it is still a pig) applies in many cases. 

One of the areas that should concern homeowners is where a wall has been removed.  There is almost always evidence that this has happened.  Look for an unusual layout of an older home – more modern than expected.  Look for an arch or beam across the ceiling (which hopefully means that there is a beam holding up the next floor), look for a strip of different coloured carpeting or hardwood (used to fill in the space where the wall was), feel a bump or rise in the floor.  If the removal has been professionally done, ask for the work permits and bills for the renovation.  If these are not available, make sure that your house inspector takes a very long hard look at the attic / second floor/ floor / basement.  Your key concern is that the structural intergrity of the house has not been compromised. 

We all want open concept space or increased space in some rooms at the expense of other rooms.  Be careful that the cosmetics of getting the open concept has not put the whole house at risk.

Photo Credit:  Day Four, Support Walls @ http://www.flickr.com/photos/garyjwood/2555151293/

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