Save $ When Selling Your Home

Getting to the closing table with your home sale can be very frustrating.  Sometimes, it just takes a little extra time because of an error.  Other times, both buyers and sellers learn that there are repairs needed to the home.  Although not every problem can be avoided, for sellers, having a pre-listing inspection performed can help alleviate some future problems.  You might find out that you need to hire a Broken Arrow area electrician or a  Broken Arrow area A/C Company to do some repairs, however, it could save you money and frustration in the long run.  For more information on how a pre-listing inspection can help you save money, visit the blog post, "Sellers, Save with a Pre-Inspection". 

What do Buyers Want?

When putting your home on the  market, or even simply remodeling with a possible future sale in mind, considering a buyers wants can be a very important decision.  "Home Features Buyers Love" is a recent blog post by Darryl Baskin with some quick information about what interior home features buyers really want, such as granite countertops.  Visit the link above for some more information on what to consider when thinking about buyers for your Broken Arrow home for sale. 

Importance of Title Insurance

If you are buying Broken Arrow area real estate for the first time,  the article "The Basics of Title Insurance"on  Broken Arrow area title insurance will help reduce the confusion of title insurance. Find out:

• What  is Title Insurance?
• Why is Title Insurance Important?
• What is a title opinion from a Broken Arrow attorney?
• The importance of proper Broken Arrow insurance coverage.

Reducing Summer Energy Costs

Summer is almost officially here and with it has come warm weather and increased energy costs.  Darryl Baskin, a Tulsa realtor, has provided some helpful energy savings information in an article "Easy Ways to Cut Summer Energy Costs".  The simple tips include: installing a programmable thermostat, planting shade trees, and shortening your shower times.

To read the entire article click the link above or talk to your  Broken Arrow area plumbing company, Broken Arrow electrician, or your Broken Arrow heating and cooling company for more ways to reduce your energy usage.

There are Bugs in Dust...

Believe it or not there are bugs in the dust in your Broken Arrow home.  According to the website, www.martinfrost.ws, "Eighty per cent of house dust is made of dead, human skin. We shed 5-10 grams a week and this is what dust mites like best for dinner."  In addition to Dust Mites in your home, Bed Bugs are also becoming more common.  To find out more about how to eliminate Bed Bugs and Dust Mites in your Broken Arrow home, visit www.darrylbaskin.com.

Preparing Your Family for Spring (part 3)

In two previous posts, we discussed:  Preparing Your Home for Spring and Preparing Your Landscape for Spring.  In this final part of the Prepare for Spring blog series, we will discuss Preparing Your Family for Spring.  Read on for some important safety tips.

• Make sure that you have a fire escape plan, fire escape ladders, and tornado shelter (or know the safest place to be in case of a tornado) in your home.
• Practice your fire escape plan and what to do in the event of a tornado. Practice will help keep your children calm because they will know what to do.
• Make sure your children are aware of what happens in a storm, tornado, etc. and what to do if they are away from the home. For example, know not to go under a bridge (the overpass) during severe weather/tornado could save their life. Be prepared! Local TV weather station websites are great places to learn this life-saving weather safety information.
• Make sure you have done proper maintenance on your home and any necessary repairs to prevent water leaks, unsafe electrical wiring, leaking roofs, annual A/C service, etc.  This will help prevent further damage, should there be maintenance problems.
•  Go over your insurance policy with your Broken Arrow insurance agent.  Having proper insurance cover in case of a disaster is one way to ensure that you have prepared your family for Spring.

To read the first two parts of this blog series, "Prepare Your Home for Spring" and "Prepare Your Landscape for Spring" click here.

In the event that you have property damage from a Spring storm, contact Broken Arrow home maintenance professionals to have repairs done.

For more information contact the following professionals:

Broken Arrow Pest Control- Mother Natures Pest and Lawn, 918-362-2000, www.pestsecret.com

Roofing Repair Broken Arrow- Judy Smith, A-Best Roofing, 918-587-1426 or www.abestroofing.com.

A/C Service in Broken Arrow- Stephen Taylor, Air Assurance, 258-COOL or www.airassurance.com.

Broken Arrow insurance- Tedford Insurance, 918-299-2345 or www.tedfordinsurance.com.

Broken Arrow Mortgage- Karen Heston, BOK, 918-230-9432 or kheston-boklo.mortgagewebcenter.com

Broken Arrow Electrical Service- Murray Electric, 918-835-9605 or www.murrayelectric.com

Broken Arrow Plumbing- Mullin Plumbing, 918-258-6636, www.mullinplumbing.com.

Preparing Your Landscape for Spring (part 2)

In a previous post, we discussed Preparing Your Home for Spring.  With Spring storms, winds, pests, and more, there are many ways to prepare for Spring in order to avoid damage, reduce costs, and simply reduce the stress should a disaster occur.  In this second part, read on to discover a few things to consider when preparing your landscaping for Spring.

• If you are planning on adding new plants to your garden, get proper information about when to plant the species that you want.
• Make sure that you don't have drainage issues around your property. If you find that water sits around the perimeter of your home or in areas around your property, have those issues solved before Spring storms come and make it impossible to repair quickly. Water that sits around your foundation can cause cracks and other foundation problems later. Don't assume it won't happen to your home. Foundation problems are more expensive to repair than drainage problems and will affect the resale ability of your home as well.
• Weed around your plants now and add 3 inches of mulch to help keep the soil moist and weeds away. For a little sparkle or a greener alternative, consider Garden Glass Mulch.
• Remember to guard against termite damage and other pests.  The Sentricon HD Baiting System will eliminate the entire termite colony and prevent what could be thousands of dollars of damage to your property.  There are also many great treatments for fleas, ticks, mice, and flying insects. 

To read part 1 in the Prepare for Spring blog series, "Preparing Your Home for Spring", click here.

In the event that you have property damage from a Spring storm, contact Broken Arrow home maintenance professionals to have repairs done.

For more information contact the following professionals:

Broken Arrow Pest Control- Mother Natures Pest and Lawn, 918-362-2000, www.pestsecret.com


Broken Arrow Plumbing- Mullin Plumbing, 918-258-6636, www.mullinplumbing.com.

Glass Mulch in Broken Arrow- Garden Glass of Oklahoma, 918-232-0210 or www.gardenglassofoklahoma.com

For all your Broken Arrow Real Estate needs, contact Darryl Baskin, McGraw Realtors, 918-258-2600 or www.darrylbaskin.com.