I saw this sign on a truck while I was walking to Dandenong the other day.
If you want to be ‘upfront’ with a fence builder who has a sense of humour. . . and you live in South East Melbourne Suburbs perhaps you should give Bob a ring!
This is not a recommendation as all I saw was the parked truck.
Guest Post by Hubert Dwight
House envy. . . . The struggle is real. . . .We have all been there.
You walk into someone’s home and your eyes dart from corner to corner in disbelief that everything is so in-place and perfect.
Trying to play it cool, you say something like “I like what you have done with the place”, while inside you are screaming “I WANT TO LIVE HERE!”.
Well folks, that is just the sentiment you need to capture when you are prepping your house to go on the market.
The smell of fresh baked cookies and a reasonable price are not going to cut it in today’s real estate landscape.
So, for those looking to put their house out for sale, read ahead for 6 tips for giving your home a pre-sale makeover.
If you read that intro paragraph and immediately started to panic, don’t worry, you have options.
So style and “home-making” is not your specialty, you are certainly not alone.
Many people preparing their home for sale will turn to a trusted company for property styling in Melbourne.
Good styling companies will turn any house into a high end, classy and elegant home.
With a competitive buyers market, styling your home is an integral part of selling your home quickly for the price you are after.
Ambient lighting, correct wattage, and purposefully placed candles will transform the feel of your house.
Make sure very room in your house has a cozy, welcoming lighting rather than harsh high watt bulbs that make anyone cringe.
Don’t underestimate the power of candles in your house either. Investing in some high quality candles will whisk potential buyers away to their favourite beach, or coziest fire place, all whilst standing in your living room.
Indoor plants can have a calming effect by bringing in the natural healing properties of mother nature.
Plants are not only aesthetically pleasing, they are scientifically proven to improve health.
Indoor air, like outdoor air, can contain harmful pollutants.
Indoor plants can actually act as a natural air filter, making your house have that fresh, clean air feeling – something any home buyer will be drawn to immediately.
Feeling like your green thumb is a bit out of practice? . . . Don’t worry, help is available in choosing the best plants for your indoor space.
You know that feeling when you go to your mum’s house at Christmas and it is perfectly decorated and you get all warm and fuzzy inside? There is no reason not recreate this feeling all year long, with every season. A bowl of fresh cherries in Summer, fresh tulips in a vase in Spring, a bowl of pinecones in Winter. These small touches will really make a house a home.
Stressed about the small size of some of your rooms?
Boost the perceived size of any room with large feature mirrors.
From bathrooms to small second bedrooms, mirrors make rooms feel larger and also increase the amount of natural light reflected into a room.
It also is a way for people to literally see themselves in the home making a quick purchase more likely!
Did you know the average human spends 1 hour 42 minutes in the bathroom per week?
That is a lot of time! So you should put in some serious love into your loo.
Creating a mini-vacation feeling in your bathroom will highlight the room as a feature in the house.
A clean, crisp, well-organised bathroom will catch the eye of any style savvy home-buyer.
Plush towels, fresh flowers, clean and crisp surfaces and a scented candle will transform your bathroom into a holiday escape.
You don’t need to remodel to get that feeling, small style tips can make all the difference!
Selling your home is a scary and exciting time.
Taking the time to assess your style, and how it will fare to a wider audience is an essential part in the process.
A pre-sale makeover may be just what you need to pass on your property to the next owners.
Whether you seek expert guidance from a company, or re-style room by room, take the time to create that “wow” moment for anyone who walks through your front door.
You never know who will insist on making that their front door after one look at your perfectly styled house!
Walking around my local area I came across this abandoned partially built house. . . 
. . . and next door this abandoned 3 house development.
They are reminders that things can go wrong, and if you are over committed financially you can’t find a a way back.
Here are just some of the ways that you can run out of money during the build, and finish up owning a ghost.
Make sure you aren’t over committed!
This shows what can happen when you get it wrong!
Thanks to Tradie Mayhem for this photo, well worth a look to see what can go wrong.
Did you know they aren’t very secure? . . . as they can easily be lifted out, even if they are locked.
Here is a low cost fix that stops that happening.
Its just a thin piece of wood screwed to the top door/window track with a self tapping screw.
The door slides under the wood to close, but once closed can’t be lifted.
Total cost around 10 cents and about 5 minutes of your time!
Just rip of a length and pull when you think they are dirty.
Also easily recyclable if you don’t mind a dusty a – – e!
Thanks to Heather Grinstead’s Facebook Page for this photo, well worth a look to see what can go wrong.
Can’t find a quality rating for your builder?
Perhaps you should check your contract before you sign it.
Apparently some builders require customers to sign a contract that: ‘Prohibits them from publishing anything about the builder without the builders express permission.’
That could include sending a rating to a ratings website, or commenting on an internet forum.
It seems to me that any builder that has a clause like this has something to hide on the quality front.
You have been warned.
Want to find out more then check out the story at this link : Sydney Morning Herald
Perth Home Builder 101 Residential removes “Unfair” clause banning customers from writing unapproved reviews
The Deputy Chair of the ACCC, who brought forward this case said “Consumers should be free to have their say about their experience with a business and must not face penalties for doing so.”
Guest post by James Andrew
If you have invested in buying a property, you want it to look good and you want it to be a safe place.
The last thing you want to happen is for someone to get hurt while living in, or visiting, your home.
This is why you need to pay attention to aspects of your property that provide protection.
Once such aspect is the balustrades in your home.
The aim of this article is to explain what balustrades are and why you need to ensure that they are installed in your home, and well maintained.
The word balustrade sounds very grand; but balustrades are actually very common place, they consist of a series of posts or columns, topped by a rail.
You find them on staircases, platforms and terraces, including in your own home.
The foremost aim of a balustrade is to provide protection.
They can also form an important part of the interior décor of a property.
From a safety point of view if you do not have secure balustrades in place in your home, it’s easy for people to have accidents.
Looking at balustrades as a item of décor, it’s important that they fit within their surroundings.
We have already touched on the importance of balustrades for safety purposes; let’s look at this in
more detail.
Imagine someone is visiting your home.
You have a balustrade fitted to your raised terrace but it’s old and you do not pay much attention to it.
Your visitor leans on the balustrade, it gives way and they fall to the ground below.
Not only is the person likely to get hurt, you will feel guilty and could be sued by the injured party.
It’s not worth taking the chance when it comes to balustrades.
You need to ensure that they are good quality, securely fitted and well maintained.
If you want information about the fitting of balustrades, click here for more information.
We have established that balustrades are essential in your home.
This being the case, it’s important that you see them as an integral part of your décor.
If you do this well you can actually use them as an impressive feature that catches the eye.
Balustrades can be made from different materials, with the most popular being timber, metal and glass.
The material you choose will depend on how your home is decorated as well as your budget.
Do not forget that it’s also possible to have balustrades outside your property.
They can still be used to add to the overall visual appeal.
You also need to ensure that this type of balustrade is able to withstand varying weather conditions.
Now you know what balustrades are, and why they are so important.
Do not neglect the balustrades in your property.
Doing so could be dangerous and someone could end getting seriously hurt which is not something you want to happen in your home.
Where did the other house go?
Thanks to Ugly Belgian Houses for the photo
I visited a couple of weeks ago and was really impressed.
All this and free entry!
