March 15, 2022

Now is the Time For Spring Cleaning!

Spring has sprung, and with it, an urge to purge. Spring cleaning is an annual tradition for many people, and for those who really love to clean, nothing is more satisfying. It’s a time to open all the windows and rid the house of stale, winter air. It’s a time to organize cupboards, scrub the nooks and crannies that get overlooked all year, and tackle the stuff that has piled up in the garage. If you’re getting overwhelmed just thinking about it, relax. There are many resources available to help you prioritize—and if you play your cards right, you can engage the entire family in the project.

The mother of perfection, Martha Stewart, has a thorough room-by-room checklist that includes the types of cleaning supplies and products to use. It even has step-by-step instructions for perfectly clean windows. You can download it online.

If you’re looking for something simpler, consider these room-by-room suggestions:

Kitchen

  • Deep clean fridge and freezer, defrost if needed
  • Dust cupboards and top of fridge
  • Deep clean stove inside and out
  • Deep clean small appliances
  • Deep clean dishwasher
  • Disinfect sink and faucet
  • Wipe down walls, cupboards, drawers, countertop, and light switches
  • Clean out junk drawer(s)
  • Wash out garbage can
  • Sweep and mop the floor—move all large appliances if possible
Happy woman mopping the kitchen floor

Bathroom

  • Scrub shower walls and fixtures
  • Clean shower curtain or door
  • Wash trash can
  • Organize cabinets and drawers
  • Wipe down mirrors
  • Clean walls, light switch
  • Clean and organize medicine cabinet
  • Mop the floor
  • Dust décor
  • Clean toilets

Family Room

  • Dust surfaces, including décor
  • Organize book shelves, DVD collections, and gaming equipment
  • Wash throw blankets and pillows
  • Steam clean furniture
  • Wipe down walls and light switches
  • Dust and clean window treatments
  • Clean lampshades
  • Dust electronic and wipe screens clean
  • Clean crevices of baseboard
woman cleaning a table

Master Bedroom

  • Dust all surfaces
  • Wash curtains and blinds
  • Wipe down walls and light switches
  • Wash bedding
  • Flip and rotate mattress
  • Sort through clothes and separate for garage sale, donation, etc.
  • Organize closet
  • Clean out under the bed
  • Clean carpet and rugs
  • Organize drawers
  • Clean lights

Kids' Rooms

  • Wash bedding
  • Organize closet
  • Sort through clothes and separate for garage sale, donation, etc.
  • Organize toys
  • Sanitize toys and toy boxes
  • Organize books
  • Dust and wipe down all surfaces
  • Clean carpet and rugs

Dad and son making the bed

Laundry/Mud Room

  • Deep clean washer and dryer
  • Wipe down all surfaces
  • Organize cleaning products
  • Wipe down walls and light switches

Garage

Two teens cleaning the garage

Now is a good time to pay attention to the most neglected parts of your home and establish a routine to keep up with cleaning so next spring it won’t be such a big project. As mentioned above, spring cleaning is about purging too. Here’s a concise list of things to throw away, donate and recycle from Simply Kierste.

Now that your house is sparkling, you want to keep it that way. Maintaining a clean house can be a challenge, especially if you have a busy work schedule. Consider making a weekly cleaning list to help you stay on top of it. Again, this is the perfect opportunity to enlist the help of your kids. Give them easy to complete tasks that they can do as they are getting ready in the morning or after they finish their homework after school.

Good Housekeeping has a great checklist for every day, weekly, and monthly cleaning tasks to help you stay on top of it. You can adapt this checklist for your home and create a sticker chart chore list for your kids! You also might consider checking out this list of 9 Homemade Cleaners You Can Make Yourself

Here are a few more quick tips to help you keep your home clean throughout the year:

  • Clorox wipes- Keep them in the kitchen and the bathroom and wipe down all surfaces daily
  • 2000 Flushes Antibacterial Automatic Toilet Bowl cleaner- just drop it in your tank and it lasts up to 4 months.
  • Roomba- If you hate vacuuming but want clean carpets and floors, consider investing in a Roomba. You can set it to vacuum every day if you need.
Posted in Community News
March 9, 2022

HIDDEN FEES TO BE AWARE OF WHEN PURCHASING A HOME

HIDDEN FEES TO BE AWARE OF WHEN PURCHASING A HOME

The article below is for real estate professionals to use on their own blog or website copyright free.

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Purchasing a home is arguably one of the biggest financial decisions you will make in your lifetime. As you start your hunt, don't forget there will be other costs associated with your purchase then the price of the home. Here are 5 fees to keep in mind as you begin to budget.

  1. Home inspection. This is a crucial step in the home buying process. The findings that come from the inspection can help you negotiate price and repairs. Generally, you can expect to pay between $300 to $500 depending on the home and the location.
  2. Title services. Title services encompass the transfer of the title from the seller and a thorough search of the property’s records to ensure to no one will pop up with a claim to the property. Additionally, you may need to buy title insurance which will protect the lender or your investment in the home.
  3. Appraisal fee. Before getting a loan, you will likely be required to get an appraisal of the home to determine its estimated value. This will be conducted by a third-party company and the cost can land anywhere between $300 and $1,000, depending on the size of the home.
  4. HOA fees. Many communities have a homeowners’ association that enforces monthly fees. This money is used for general maintenance and updates to areas like pools, parks, and more. Typical HOA fees are around $200 per month.
  5. Taxes. The taxes each buyer pays at the closing table differ, but it is not uncommon for it to be up to two months’ worth of county and city property taxes. Additionally, there may be taxes for the transfer of the home title.

Posted in Buying a Home
July 31, 2017

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Posted in Market Updates