Berkley & Veller Greenwood Country Realtors

Mount Snow and Brattleboro, Vermont Real Estate

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We are still working to make your Real Estate Dreams a reality! Please don’t hesitate to reach out to individual agents, or for general inquiries email sales@berkleyveller.com or call 802-254-6400.

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Common Myths, Mistakes, and Misconceptions for Homeowners

July 30, 2018 Leave a Comment

How to Identify and Avoid Commonplace Errors in Caring for Your Home

If you own a home, you have to make important decisions nearly every year regarding its upkeep and any changes or improvement. Unfortunately, some of these choices can be quite difficult, as there are many factors to consider, such as finances, changes in aesthetics, and of course your own living experience. Though there are rarely clear-cut answers when it comes to caring properly for your home, there are certain pitfalls that all homeowners should be aware of. Strive to avoid these all-too-common mistakes:

-Painting Over Anything (With Any Kind of Paint)-

If you feel that the exterior of your home is in need of a new look or is simply beginning to appear a bit shabbier than you’d like, repainting with a new color is usually not a bad idea. However, if you have brick on the outside of your home, applying anything besides brick stain can prevent the brick from breathing properly. Over time, this can cause serious structural damage.

On the inside of your home, be similarly careful if you choose to paint over wallpaper. Water-based paints can break down the glue from the paper and it can start to come away from the wall. If you don’t feel like stripping the wallpaper, opt for latex paints rather than water-based paints.

-Tossing the Bathtub-

You may never have the desire to take a bath, and if the bathtub is separate from your shower, you might feel that it takes up far too much space in the bathroom. But even if you never use it, don’t be so quick to kick a bathtub to the curb, especially if it’s the only one in the house. For prospective buyers, a bathtub is often an important, if not essential, part of the bathroom. Unless you are never going to sell your home, be wary of making changes that buyers will find disappointing.

-Overly Pricey Kitchen Remodels and Changes-

Making updates in the kitchen is often a good idea, and there is nothing wrong with switching to more efficient appliances, creating open floor plans, or installing more durable and stylish countertops or floors. But price points can differ significantly when it comes to making changes in the kitchen, and many of the more expensive options are not necessarily worth it. For example, high-gloss lacquer on cabinets may look attractive, but purchasing them comes with a high cost up front and fixing any damage done to them is also quite expensive.

-Poor Landscaping Decisions-

The upkeep and changes you make to the outside of your home are nearly as important as what goes on inside it. And with any work you do around the house, it’s necessary to be at least somewhat knowledgeable about what it is you’re trying to accomplish. With that in mind, be sure to do your research when it comes to landscaping, gardening, and yard work. After all, you don’t want to end up with a tree’s roots damaging underground pipes or the foundation because it was planted too close to the house or having a dry, unhealthy lawn because it’s being mown too short. Even if you are doing most or all of the work yourself, it’s usually a good idea to at least consult a landscaping professional or a trustworthy online source to avoid making any errors.

-Throwing Anything Down the Drain-

Even if you aren’t constantly finding yourself with clogged sinks or showers, it doesn’t necessarily mean you are treating your drains as well as you should. Few people realize, for instance, that there are certain foods that should be kept away from the garbage disposal, including rice, pasta, and other foods with high starch contents. When you do end up with backed up drains, dumping drain cleaners or bleach in to clear them up can actually cause a fair amount of damage and the eventual repair costs will certainly not be worth the trouble.

 

Filed Under: DIY, Real Estate News Tagged With: Home Advice, HOme Improvement, Homeownership, mistakes

New Homeowner? Here’s What to Know

June 2, 2015 Leave a Comment

Tips to Avoid the Most Common Mistakes New Homeowners Make

HomeownerIt’s exciting to be a new homeowner. It’s a thrill to have a home that’s all your own, with nearly endless possibilities for upgrades and personalized details. It’s such a thrill, in fact, that new homeowners often overlook some basic safety measures, putting themselves and their homes in danger.

Take these safety measures into consideration before embarking on any improvements to your property.

Drill Carefully. Almost all new homeowners are drill-happy. After all, drilling is how we add shelves, hang artwork, and secure cabinets. To drill safely, you must understand what’s behind your walls (a maze of wires, cables, ductwork, and plumbing pipes) and how to avoid drilling into them.

Start with a stud sensor, which will help pinpoint studs, ducts, and cables. Stud sensors aren’t foolproof though, so consider taking an extra precautionary measure by only drilling 1.25 inches into the wall. This will be deep enough to drill through plaster and drywall, but not deep enough to reach most pipes or wires.

Electrical wiring can run anywhere from 8 inches to 2 feet from the floor. It runs horizontally and strings from outlet to outlet throughout your home. Avoid the whole area to be safe. Also avoid drilling above and below light switches, as wiring travels vertically to reach them.

Know how to shut the water off. Knowing where your water valve is—and how to shut it off—can help you avoid massive property damage in the event of a burst water pipe, which can gush an alarming amount of water into your home in a matter of minutes.

Since it’ll be imperative to act fast, know where your valve is beforehand and make sure everyone in your household knows how to operate it. You’ll find the valve where a water main enters your home.

Know what’s underground before you dig. Some of the most common mistakes new homeowners make don’t happen in the home at all, but rather on the outside property. Making a house feel like a home often requires digging into the ground—planting bushes, digging post holes for a fence, etc. Before digging, dial 811 (or visit www.call811.com) and talk to the folks at the safe-digging hotline. They’ll contact all of your local utility companies for you. The companies will come to your property (often within 24 hours) to mark the locations of underground cables, pipes, and wires. 811 is a free service and calling before you dig is a requirement in many states.

Let a professional cut down that tree. Cutting down a tree can be deceptively challenging. Even a small tree can cause a host of problems. It can fall unpredictably or awkwardly, harming you, your property, or even your neighbor’s property. This is a task best left to the experts.

Following these simple steps will put you a step ahead of many other new homeowners, and you and your home will be safer for it.

Filed Under: Real Estate News Tagged With: homeowners, mistakes, tips

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Our real estate offices are located in Southern Vermont in Brattleboro and the Mount Snow ski area. Since 1965, Berkley & Veller Greenwood Country Realtors has been the area’s leading independent full service real estate company serving Windham County in Southern Vermont and Cheshire County in Southern New Hampshire.

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119 Western Ave.
Brattleboro, VT 05301
1-800-388-5454
O. 802-254-6400
F. 802-254-6403
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West Dover, VT 05356
Office Location:
118 Route 100, West Dover, VT
1-800-666-1911
O. 802-464-8900
F. 802-464-8903
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