I was reading an interesting article by Paige Tepping that talked about getting your home ready this fall for our spring market. Many recent indicators that I have been hearing are stating that our spring real estate market should rebound above and beyond our expectations and take us out of the recession all together. Let’s hope! Anyway, I thought I would share some of her thoughts with those of you out there not only preparing your home for sale but also those who just want to make their place shine this fall.
Now that summer is beginning to wind down and cooler weather is on its way, it’s time to get some of the routine home maintenance out of the way before it gets too cold. If you don’t prepare your home in the fall season, and clean up the yard, when spring comes along, you could be left with an unsightly mess. But don’t start too early, we’ve probably got a little more warm weather on the way.
One that everybody puts off and hates to do but is so VERY important is to clean out the rain gutters. If you have rain gutters on your home, fall is the best time to get them cleaned. Cleaning rain gutters isn’t that difficult of a task, it’s just a tedious and occasionally unpleasant one. The easiest way to get rid of the junk is to use a high pressure hose, and then use a small trowel to get rid of the rest of the debris. Once you have gotten rid of all the debris, give your gutters a final spray. And don’t let this go for too long. The longer you wait, the worse the clean up will be and you could cause serious damage to your siding and gutters.
Take care of your pots and planters. If you’re like most homeowners, you have some planters or potted plants sitting around the yard. Before it gets too cold, be sure to empty the dirt out of any pots or planters and put them in a place where they won’t freeze. If you don’t empty or store your planters, there’s a good chance they will either crack or fall apart.
Rake the leaves, all of them! Keeping your yard free of leaves is an important task for homeowners and with all of the trees we are lucky enough to have in Raleigh…it’s a tough one. If you have numerous trees in your yard and piles of leaves that you don’t take care of, you might find that your grass is dead once spring arrives. Leaves can smother your lawn and replacing a lawn can cost a lot of money, so it’s a good rule of thumb to get rid of the leaves in the fall.
Weed and feed the lawn this fall. The best time to weed and feed the lawn is in the fall so get out there and do it. If you add weed killer in the fall, the weeds will store the poison in their roots during the winter season, and will prevent a breakout in the spring. By feeding your lawn with fertilizer in the fall, you are promoting healthy root growth, and this will help your lawn grow greener and faster in the spring.
Give your tools and storage area a tune-up. Once you have finished your fall maintenance chores, make sure you clean your tools and store them in a dry place so they will be in working order once spring arrives. Be sure to store metal shovels with the head upwards, as this will help detour rusting when it dries. Sheers need to be oiled up, wheel barrels should be left upside down and don’t forget to spray off the underside of the lawnmower. Clean and organize your garages and sheds. Take the time to make it look neat and it will pay off in the spring.
For other tips, ideas or information please email info@RtownLiving.com
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