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Improve Your Home Value By Living Cleaner

By
Real Estate Broker/Owner with Criado Realty 0548772

Clean AirKeeping your home healthy improves your home value. The number one cause for a buyer to walk away from a home, before they even see the whole home, is odor (NAR). The best way to prevent odors is to stay on top of it daily. Here are a few things you can do to live happier, healthier, cleaner, and improve your home value.

Keep it Dry
Prevent water from entering your home through leaks in your roof
and windows. Check your interior plumbing and the drainage around
your home for any leaking.

Keep it Clean
Control the source of dust and contaminants by creating smooth and cleanable surfaces, reducing clutter, and using effective cleaning methods.

Keep it Safe
Store poisons out of the reach of children. Store firearms unloaded and locked. Secure loose rugs and keep children’s play areas free from hard or sharp surfaces. Install and test smoke and carbon monoxide detectors and keep fire extinguishers on hand. Check the recall list to make sure toys
and other products are safe to use.

Keep it Aired-Out
Open windows and use fans to ventilate bathrooms and kitchens.
Air out the whole house to supply fresh air and reduce the concentration  of contaminants in the home.

Keep it Pest-free
All pests look for food, water, and shelter, so seal cracks and openings throughout the home and store food in pest-resistant containers. If needed, use sticky-traps and baits, and place them out of the reach of children.

Keep it Toxic-free
Store pesticides and other chemicals in locked cabinets out of children’s reach. Test your home for radon, a naturally occurring dangerous gas. Reduce lead-related hazards in pre-1978 homes by fixing deteriorated paint, and keeping floors and window areas clean using a wet cloth.

Keep it Well-Maintained
Inspect, clean, and repair your home routinely. Take care of minor
repairs and problems before they become large repairs and problems.

 

Courtesy of Lung.org

Posted by
Cathy Criado President & Founder
MBA, REALTOR, BROKER, NAR GREEN, EcoBroker
Published Author
Your Real Estate Consultant!
 
999 E Basse Rd. #180-425, ​San Antonio, TX  78209​
​Direct:  (210) 560-1891
 
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Andrew Mooers | 207.532.6573
MOOERS REALTY - Houlton, ME
Northern Maine Real Estate-Aroostook County Broker

Simple living. Round the board. Good advice for "easy does it" inside, outside a house that is a home.

Sep 25, 2012 10:35 PM
Gita Bantwal
RE/MAX Centre Realtors - Warwick, PA
REALTOR,ABR,CRS,SRES,GRI - Bucks County & Philadel

Cathy, Thanks for the great tips. It is easier to sell a clean house than a house that needs to be cleaned. I have hit suggest.

Sep 25, 2012 10:36 PM
Larry O'Sullivan
Sandy, UT

Cathy - Our first snow on the mountains yesterday, so closer to winter close-up which makes your suggestions need a little more attention. I find well functioning air purifiers a great help. Thanks for your advice.

Sep 25, 2012 10:40 PM
John McCormack, CRS
Albuquerque Homes Realty - Albuquerque, NM
Honesty, Integrity, Results, Experienced. HIRE Me!

Good morning Cathy....

Good tips for any home sellers.  Many don't think about how people's sense of smell is very sensitive and can often times make or break a deal.  When a home is right you're right keep it looking and smelling clean and fresh.

Sep 25, 2012 10:44 PM
Cathy Criado
Criado Realty - San Antonio, TX
Making Real Estate Profitable

Andrew - It is simple if it becomes part of your routine. But besides home values you'll just feel better overall.

Gita - You're welcome. I ran across a flyer from lung.org and thought hey, this is something good to share. Thanks for hitting the suggestion button.

Larry - Wow! We're still hoping it hits below 85! If you're all locked up the AIQ becomes significant. air purifiers are great, so long as they are superior products otherwise they can do more harm than good.

 

Sep 25, 2012 10:46 PM
Anita Clark
Coldwell Banker Access Realty ~ 478.960.8055 - Warner Robins, GA
Realtor - Homes for Sale in Warner Robins GA

Cathy: All good common sense tips that sellers need to follow if they want to give their home its best opportunity to sell.

Sep 25, 2012 10:57 PM
Brenda Mullen
RE/MAX Associates - San Antonio, TX
Your San Antonio TX Real Estate Agent!!

Looks like Lung.org has some great tips for keeping a home safe and clean Cathy.  Thank you for sharing that with us.  I have to say that I giggled a bit with the gun thing in Texas lol :)!

Sep 25, 2012 11:37 PM
Sheila Anderson
Referral Group Incorporated - East Brunswick, NJ
The Real Estate Whisperer Who Listens 732-715-1133

Good morning Cathy. This is sooooo good and sooooo very true. Clean is always better and day by day is the way.

Sep 26, 2012 01:00 AM
Glenn Freezman
Family Abstract, Inc. - Horsham, PA

Cathy, when we were looking to rent a home at the Jersey Shore for a summer, my wifes only requirement was that it didnt hhave "THE BUBBY SMELL"

Sep 26, 2012 02:55 AM
Peggy Hughes/pha logistix, inc.
pha logistix inc - San Francisco, CA
SF NYC LA

Cleaner air, healthy living.  It's what we all want so thanks for the reminder tips on how to get it!

Sep 26, 2012 03:39 AM
Scott Godzyk
Godzyk Real Estate Services - Manchester, NH
One of the Manchester NH's area Leading Agents

Good Afternoon Cathy, I do not get to read as many blogs from you any more...  This one is fantastic for home owners to follow.  Have a great day.

Sep 26, 2012 04:57 AM
Jerry Newman
Brown Realty, 210-789-4216, - San Antonio, TX
Texas REALTOR, San Antonio Military Relocation

Hi Cathy. You are so right about homes with Bad Odor. Cleaner and Healthier homes will keep the buyers in them longer, and also lead to an offer on any home too. Excellent tips and advice for any homeowner.

Sep 26, 2012 05:16 AM
Jill Sackler
Charles Rutenberg Realty Inc. 516-575-7500 - Long Beach, NY
LI South Shore Real Estate - Broker Associate

Never mind trying to sell the home, Cathy, that's how we should try to live everyday.

Sep 27, 2012 09:26 AM
Andrew Capelli
Troy, MI

Hi Cathy: I'm with Jill- those are great tips, period, not just for home-sellers!  We'd all be healthier (and happier) if we followed up on all of those.  I think we're good at my house, although with a puggle, we could stand to vacuum more than once a week!  Thanks for sharing!  :)

Sep 28, 2012 01:21 AM
Erika Naegelin
LoansByErika - San Antonio, TX
Cathy great topic. As you know I am a fellow green fan, vinegar is one of my favorite cleansers around the home and am proud to say I no longer have toxic chemicals under my sink. I got to remove the child safety latches off my cabinet this morning, yeah!!!
Sep 29, 2012 06:09 AM