June 2009
Did the Winter Destroy Your Lawn?
Spring has rolled around again, and it's great to get outside when it's nice out. However, when you step out onto your front porch to look over your lawn, you are not too pleased. The winter months have won, your lawn lost - as evidenced by the overriding brownish color. Or perhaps there are just a few spots on your lawn that need help. Either way, if you want your brown lawn to glow green once again, here are a few steps to pamper your lawn with a little effort. Reviving your lawn does not have to be an intense process or an incredibly time consuming job, but you will need a few bucks and a few hours, perhaps a Saturday afternoon. And DO NOT wait until summer. Grass seed that gets established before the summer heat hits will be less likely to dry out. The following four steps will bring life and health back into your lawn.
Decision
Your first step is to look closely at your lawn. Do you have a few brown spots that need attention or does your whole lawn need help. If you simply have a few brown spots, try to identify why those spots are brown. Maybe you have a water drainage problem. Or perhaps you have skunks or groundhogs digging around for grub, which means that you need to take care of the grub problem first. Or perhaps you have ruts in your lawn. The depression needs to be filled in an inch higher than ground level to allow for settling.
Dethatch
Your next step is to look closely to see if the lawn is compacted with more than a half inch of thatch. What is thatch? Thatch is simply dead grass and leaves pressed down among the roots. Thatch blocks water and nutrients from reaching grass roots, weakening the whole plant. Thatching can also trap moisture near the blades of your grass, which can lead to lawn disease. By regularly dethatching the grass buds are forced to grow near the base of the grass stem, freeing up the new grass to grow in healthy and thick. If the thatching is less than half an inch, simply rake it out. If you have heavy thatching, you may need to rent a dethatcher or a power rake.
Aerate
Your lawn may need aerated if your soil is too compacted from heavy use. Buy or rent a coring device that will cut three to four inch deep holes in the soil, leaving the cores on the lawn to decompose naturally. The holes created by the aerator provide the grass roots with the ability to receive fertilizer, water, and oxygen.
Overseed
Before you jump into reseeding, you must get rid of current weeds. You can either dig them out with a pronged tool, or spot spray them with a broadleaf herbicide. Then give the area a good soaking. To prepare the soil, drag a rake over the bare spots. Then, take a good look at your lawn and determine which kind of grass seed you will need. If you have blue grass, an overseed of any kind of blue grass will do just fine. But do not use the old seed in the garage, it may be dead already. Do not put all your hard work down the drain by using dead seed to try to replant. After you get the seed, sow the seed at twice the rate that is recommended for a new lawn and simply use your hand to lay the seed. Then lay a very thin layer of light organic topsoil so that the seed won't blow away, approximately an eighth of an inch. Make sure that the topsoil is not laid more than a forth inch thick.
Fertilize
Your final step is to fertilize. Use a spreader to distribute slow-release granule over the entire lawn. Keep the newly seeded area moist until seeds germinate, at which point you can back off of watering.
Now you are equipped to transform you're struggling lawn to a healthy, thriving lawn. Have fun reviving your land.
This article was provided by The Klundert Team.
www.johnklundert.com
May 2009
Smart Reno's Payback:
Ten Home Improvement Projects Tha Add Value
What are the best home improvement projects to undertake?
If you're selling, focus on the renovations a buyer would be most likely to undertake, not those you're most itching to do.
Painting
If you're only to dfo one thing, paint. Interior/exterior painting is one of the very few improvements on which you are likely to realize a profit - as long as you choose tasteful, current, neutral colours and the work is very professional.
Payback: As much as 300%
Kitchen Remodelling
Typically one of the most expensive improvement projects, and you can quickly run up a huge bill. When remodelling the kitchen, remember to keep the project in line with the style and quality of the rest of the house and neighbourhood.
Payback: 68-120%
Bathroom Addition
If you home has only one bathroom and is meant to house more than two people, a bathroom addition should be one of your top priorities.
Payback: 80-130%
Bathroom Remodelling
Uprgrading a pokey bathroom will enhance the value of your home and add to your daily comfort and enjoyment. White porcelain is the safe, timeless choice here.
Payback: 65-120%
Finishing Unfinished Space
Whether it's an attic or a basement, by finishing these spaces, you add significant value to your home. This increases square footage without having to build.
Payback: 50-90%
Window/Door Replacement
If your windows or doors are wasting energy or are simplu decrepit looking, replacements can be an excellent use of your home improvement dollars. Stick to standard styles.
Payback: 50-90%
Deck Addition/Improvement/Expansion
Decks are one of the few exterior improvements with any significant return, apart from painting.
Payback: 65-90%
Additions of Bedrooms, Family Rooms, Sunrooms, Conservations, Garages, etc.
Increasing square footage is almost always an excellent use of remodelling dollars, but don't expand your home so much that ther's a little outdoor space left.
Payback: 50-83%
Home Office Remodelling
This project is becoming increasingly popular. Be sure to plan for plenty of electrical and cable outlets to accommodate all the required machines and gadgets.
Payback: 60-73%
Energy Efficiency Retrofits
If your primary concern is return on investment, proceed with caution. Some retrofits, like better insulation and high-efficiency furnaces, pay for themselves relatively quickly. Others, like solar panels, heat recovery ventilators and tankless water heaters may take years to pay for themselves.
Payback: Highly variable.
This article was provided by The Klundert Team.
www.johnklundert.com
March 2009
Shorter days during the winter months mean longer nights. Spending more time indoors and in the dark makes it easy to fall into the 'winter blues.'
Here are some lighting project ideas that will make the light at the end of the winter tunnel seem closer than you think.
Living room lighting
Lighting in the living room should be decorative and functional. Use lamps to compliment the height and size of your living room - tall lamps for small rooms and ceiling fixtures for high ceilings.
Back on track
Install a track lighting fixture and instantly boost overall light in the room. Track lighting allows you to isolate areas you would like the light to shine the brightest on.
Sky's the limit
The sun has an early curfew during the winter months. Skylights cut energy costs and create a refreshing feeling by reminding you the sun is still around during the cold winter season.
The right glow
There are two types of bathroom lighting; task and vanity. Place a light fixture above the bathtub or shower to avoid bathing in the dark. For the best results when putting on your face, light fixtures should be mounted on either side of the mirror to eliminate shadows under the chin, eyes or cheeks.
Walking on sunshine
Is it hard to find your way to the front door in the dark and even harder when there's snow on the ground? Install solar lights along your walkway to create a warm feeling during the dark winter nights and to make it easier to get to the front door.
This article was provided by The Klundert Team.
www.johnklundert.com
February 2009
Which is the Best Season to Sell Your Home?
Realizing the time has come to sell your home can create mass confusion. Timing is everything in real estate; however, some also believe one season is better than another to sell your home.
If you ask a real estate professional when you should sell your home, most will say , "Now is the best time to sell your home."
Real Estate today is a year-round business, and most agents will agree that do nearly as much business in December as June.
If that is the case, then how do you decide, which is the best time of year list your home? Each season has its own characteristic. Let's review each one.
According to most Real Estate Professionals, spring is the busiest time of the year for buyers and sellers - spring offers the opportunity to showcase their home at its best. There's always something nice about listing your home when it's not too hot or too cold out and the air is fresh.
If you have a green thumb, summer might prove to be the best time to show off your garden. Potential buyers come through houses looking for such amenities as a well-cared for garden. Also, if your kids are away for the summer, you might be able to keep their rooms clean from one showing to another. If you have central air, this season is also a great time to show it off. This is also a great time to boast about any access to summer recreational activities such as a beach, lake, or community tennis courts, or swimming pools.
A possible downside to showing a house in the summer is that most kids are home, and you'll have to work harder to ensure their rooms are maintained clean enough for buyers to get through them.
Even though falling leaves could make for extra work in the fall, with children back at school, daytime showings might be easier to accommodate. The tax benefits of home ownership can be a push for homebuyers to get into a new home by December 31.
Fall is historically a shorter selling season. A homes that doesn't sell in the fall can be stigmatized as being held over on the market until the New Year. An old listing number in the MLS can give buyers the misleading impression that a home has been on the market for a long time and the seller might be willing to accept a lower offer.
Real Estate professionals agree that only the most motivated buyers and sellers are active in the market during the winter season.
If you decide to sell your home in the winter, expect the unexpected. You will come across buyers who want showings at odd hours, or during your family holiday parties. At this time of year, you can expect potential buyers to track mud, snow, and salt through your home.
In conclusion, how do you decide which is the best season to sell? As discussed, every season offer some plusses and minuses. If you want to list your home in the spring, you might want to list in mid-January, rather than waiting for February or March. On the other hand, you might get even more attention if you wait until mid-March, when many of the spring houses have already come on the market and buyers are hungry for something new.
Real Estate is an industry of immediacy. It's always a good time to sell your home of the price is right, no matter what the season.
This article was provided by The Klundert Team.
www.johnklundert.com
