Best Bathroom Cabinets

Archive for June, 2009

If you have been watching the news lately you have probably heard the real estate bubble has burst. Properties around the country are sitting on the market much longer than in the past. Bad news for sellers, good news for buyers. With the downturn in the real estate market, what should you do if you need to sell your home?

If you are realistic in your asking price and properly prepare you home for sale, there is no reason you house shouldn’t sell. Set a timeline of when you need to sell by and start preparing today. The top 10 things you should do include:

1. Have a professional home inspection. Usually this is done on the back end, after someone has made an offer. By having it done yourself you can find out ahead of time all the little problems that need to be taken care of. Often it is these little things that can be a deal breaker at closing time and delay the sale of the house. You can also now offer your house with a pre inspection, letting prospective buyers know what items have been fixed.

2. Clutter. Get rid of it! The number one turn off for a buyer is walking into a house and seeing lots of clutter. Clean out your office. Pack away the kids toys. Clean out the basement and garage. Throw it out, pack it away, and get it out of the house. Empty out the closets. Buyers want to see lots of closet space. No matter how big your closets are, buyers won’t be able to tell if it is jammed full.

3. De-Personalize. A buyer has a vision of how their things are going to fit in. That vision can get distracted if all they see is family photos and all your collectibles. Pack it away and make your house neutral.

4. Clean! No one wants to buy a dirty house. A double spring cleaning is in order. Clean the grease and grime out of the kitchen. Get rid of the mold in the bathroom. Clean the dirt and cobwebs out of the basement. Dust in places you haven’t dusted in 10 years. Clean all the windows. Air out your house. A stale and musty smell is a real turn off. Keep it fresh and make it sparkle.

5. Paint. One of the cheapest ways to freshen up the inside of a house is with a fresh coat of paint. A good neutral color will do wonders. Patch the holes in the wall while you are at it. Don’t forget “ceiling white”. Another fairly inexpensive item that can make a room standout is by adding crown molding.

6. Landscape. Start with picking up the yard and any clutter. Trim up overgrown bushes and trees. Repair or replace any broken steps, retaining walls, gutters, concrete, fences or decks. Power wash your deck and give it a new coat of sealer or stain. Same with a wooded fence if it needs it.

7. Carpets and floors. Buyers love wood floors! If you have original wood floors covered by carpet, consider taking out the carpet and having the wood floors refinished. Replace old, worn or outdated carpet. Newer carpet should be professionally cleaned. New wood floors or vinyl floors can be an inexpensive upgrade.

8. Kitchens and bathrooms. Kitchens can make or break a sale. A total remodel usually is not necessary. Depending on your budget, you can paint the cabinets, have them refaced or simply add new hardware. New laminate countertops are inexpensive. Replace appliances that are old and outdated. Make use of the space if you have room for an eat-in kitchen. Replace the sink and faucet if it is old. Update the lighting. Smelly dingy bathrooms are a turn off. New paint, lighting and an updated vanity will impress buyers. Regrouting old tile will make it look like new.

9. Staging. There are professionals that will come in and arrange your furniture to maximize your space. Old ratty sofas should be move out. Clear out all unnecessary furniture. You want your home to flow and look comfortable, inviting and clutter free.

10. Set a realistic price. Pricing your home 1-2 percent less than similar homes in your area will help close the sale. The higher your price over comparable homes the longer it will sit on the market.

Start preparing your home for sale today and you will have a buyer in no time. Not only will you sell your home quicker but by following these 10 steps you will probably get more money than you would if you did nothing.

Tom Smith
http://www.articlesbase.com/advertising-articles/top-10-tips-for-selling-your-home-in-a-buyers-market-61520.html

I have a strange little landlord, from whom i rent a small one bedroom attic apartment on the third floor of a house. I have a decent sized bedroom (with out a real closet), a super duper small bathroom (barely big enough to navigate in, especially with the slanted ceiling, with no bath-just a small walk-in shower), & a kitchen. The kitchen is pretty small. I have a sink (it is hard to wash dishes with the slanted ceiling), a super small counter (which is hard to use because of the slanted ceiling), and a fridge. I created & decorated my own cabinets & for dishes, and use a bookshelf for a pantry. I have a small dining table in there as well. I went into detail as of the size for the last part of the question at the end.

My point thus far is that the place is already pretty tight in space, but i make it work. The reason i had justified it so far is, that, like i said, the bedroom is a decent size, the rent is pretty cheap, and i have hardly any sort of bug problems (which is very important to me).

My problem is my landlord. He has been a really nice guy, though kind of weird. When i first looked at this place, i told him, that if i move here, you can’t be dropping by all the time, and knocking on my door . I rent from you-that’s it. You are not my dad, boss, or friend. The last place i lived in, he landlord dropped by a lot, sometimes entering with his own key, if i didn’t answer the door or phone. And he had no reason. I payed my rent on time & everything. He was crazy. So i made sure my current landlord knew that this type of behavior was purely unacceptable, & illegal from the start, before i agreed.

Okay, so he is really friendly with me. Just the other day, he said i am gorgeous when i answered the door, and started blushing hardcore. That alone does not bother me. But ever since i move here over a year ago, he is always “working on something” right outside my door. So he constantly makes noise, but that doesn’t bother me as much as the fact that he is constantly right outside my door! And he justifies it because of his “projects” that NEVER STOP! Once one is done, it is time for ANOTHER! and ANOTHER!

So, i have been thinking, great! now he has done everything that he can do! Now he will hang out at his house or some one else’s house, & i will have privacy….But NO-the plot thickens. Now, he wants to TEAR down part of my very small apartment to create an “office” for himself. An “OFFICE”???? It would be a very small office, and what would he do there? I can picture him now, sitting at his little desk, waiting for his cell to ring. This is ridiculous. He wants to sit right outside my door, and have a permanent excuse to be near me. Aye yie yie. Why does he want an office on the third floor of an attic next to a tenant??? This is unacceptable. This means, practically every time i walk out my door i could see him. No privacy. If i have guests over, we will walk by my little landlord and make introductions. He will be able to hear us talk through the thin walls. What if i get a boyfriend/husband & want to have wild, hot sex… he will hear us having orgasms. Is this not inappropriate/strange?

When i see him he keeps telling me about his plan, so i avoid him. He calls, knocks on the door-you name it. The other day, I answered my door in my towel & hair dye in my hair, & he just walks in & starts talking about his plan. I had to tell him, look this is not a good time. I have told him, that it would not work because, as it it i am tight on space. Then he says, he would create storage OUTSIDE my apartment. I don’t need storage – i need living space. i don’t want to have to walk out of my apartment by his little office every time i make something to eat by grabbing food & a dish to eat on. He has already started the construction on his office (it is very noisy by the way), but i am avoiding him because he doesn’t listen. I am also thinking, what will it be like when he tears open my apartment? My walls will be open? This is crazy. I know there has to be a law against this? Has anyone had an experience like this or happen to know anything about this that might help me? I am planning on moving but can not afford to at the very second.

One other weird thing about this landlord is that sometimes if i don’t answer the door he just walks in to access the water heater. Last time, fortunately i had the bedroom door closed, but what if i was naked or in the shower or something else personal?? I have a problem with my landlord seeing me naked &/or hearing/seeing my personal life. Other than all of this weird behavior, i like him, but I have to do something, & quick about this tearing down the walls for an “office” thing.
To those of you who think "it is his property, and he can do as he wants" – THINK AGAIN. i PAY him, for this space – NOT the other way around. When i pay him for the space – the duration of the lease – it is MY space & MY home – he has under no circumstances NO RIGHT to enter with out MY PERMISSION.. I already know this. And he has NO right to tear down space that is already agreed as MNE when i agreed to live here. In addition, him taking more space would make the place inhabitable. I obviously want to move but it is NOT an option right now. I need advice – not ridiclous "answers" that don't even make sense. Those kind of answers you would not be giving yourself if this was YOUR situation, so don't bother saying stupid things like that to me. I am not an idiot who will believe it.

Thank you, to those of you who really care & are intelligent.
Imaginary scenarios? the walls are thin. I can hear what he says & does on the other side of the wall, so logically HE hears what i say & do. It isn't rocket science or "imaginary"! He does walk in and could walk in on me dressing or anything else personal. For a grandmother, mother, & wife of 44 yrs – you clearly could not be dumber. How naive. I am amazed by the idiots out here on yahoo, looking to verbally assault rather than help. And the reason i specified my privacy before hand obviously is because i HAVE had this happen before, like i specified, and wanted to make sure he understands that it is illegal. I have never made sure any one else understood & they did it. So, no, i didnt cause this to happen by making sure he understood my stance on it. Moron. That does not make the least bit of sense.

First thing is get a second lock and use it whenever you are home. He may not walk in at his convenience. Ever! It sounds like you do have a written lease, so he may not reduce your living space. Only after the lease expires and re-negotiation may he do anything other then required maintenance. And then only scheduled in advance with your approval. I see others have touched on just how creepy this guy is. I will only reinforce that perception. You need to look carefully for spyware and peep holes. If this guy is up to what I think he is, you have criminal grounds to have him arrested. Then you can own the building and move downstairs into the nicer areas of the house. Of course, only after you fumigate the place to remove all hints of this perv.

I have heard that when medicines are kept in a cabinet in bathroom that the steam and heat from showers can affect the potency or efficiency of the medicine.

Just take them to a pharmacy and ask the pharmacist. That would be the easiest way.