How trees can help sell your home [Video]

Everyone understands the importance of curb appeal. However, much of the discussion surrounding this homeselling hot topic centers on smaller landscaping features like flowers and shrubs. Little attention is paid to their taller, sturdier counterparts: trees. It’s a shame, because these bark-covered beauties can earn sellers serious cash.

Researchers from the U.S. Forest Service studied more than 2,500 real estate transactions in Portland, Oregon and found that sellers with trees earned over $7,000 more than their tree-less competitors. Plus, their homes sold faster. Another study found that well-landscaped yards with trees increase home values from 7 to 19 percent.

Those looking to replicate such gains should formulate a planting plan and consult with a professional landscape designer. Most buyers prefer mature trees that look nice and provide privacy.

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Staging is an essential step in the homeselling process. Organized interiors help buyers visualize prospective properties as their own. Plus, those extra coats of paint also net additional cash. According to the National Association of Realtors, staged homes often fetch a higher price. If you’re looking to attract more buyers, start the staging! Just make sure you follow some simple tips.

Kickoff the process with a homewide deep clean. Vacuum and shampoo the carpets, scrub the kitchen and, most importantly, declutter key common areas like the living room.

Next, try adding some color to the equation. Stop by your local home store and pick up some vibrant couch pillows or other accent pieces. Blue, indigo and turquoise are trending at the moment.

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Mold can be a major problem for property owners. It not only degrades physical structures, but also causes serious health problems. Business or homeowners – especially those in temperate areas – should vigilantly scan for mold growth and take preemptive steps to prevent it.

First, make sure to keep a close watch on home humidity levels and quickly fix small leaks or water damage. Also, ventilate your kitchen and bathrooms to prevent moisture buildup.

If mold has already begun to grow within your home or business, don’t worry. There are steps you can take. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommends cleaning the growth with a bleach solution. If you go this route, wear protective gloves and open your windows so fumes can escape. Additionally, try to address the leak that is most likely causing the growth.

If you feel overwhelmed, call in a home inspection company to perform mold testing. Inspectors can identify your growth and pinpoint the underlying structural issues behind it. Alban Inspections offers mold testing services to business and home owners in Maryland. If you need assistance with mold growth, give us a call today!  

Over the past few years, millennials have flooded the real estate market. According to the National Association of Realtors, adults aged eighteen to thirty-five accounted for thirty-five percent of all home sales in 2015. If you’re looking to take advantage of this trend and attract younger buyers, you should follow a couple key guidelines.

Online real estate platforms are essential resources for these youthful house hunters. According to the NAR, ninety-three percent of them use the internet to search for homes and seventy-one percent employ mobile devices. So, act accordingly and post a web listing with detailed descriptions and engaging photographs.

Most young homebuyers gravitate toward houses with open floor plans and clean, simple spaces. If your home doesn’t have such features, you can compensate with a little crafty staging. Perform a deep clean and de-clutter larger areas. You might also consider adding a fresh coat of white paint or uncovering your windows. Both of these tweaks will make your interior spaces seem larger.

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Radon is a serious threat to homeowners. The colorless, odorless and tasteless gas can seep up through radioactive sediment into properties new and old and cause major health problems. As a result, the Environmental Protection Agency advises all homeowners to regularly test for the gas.

According to the National Cancer Institute, radon is known to cause aggressive forms of lung cancer. Normally, individuals who develop cancer as a result of radon exposure inhale radioactive particles of the gas. Researchers estimate that 15,000 to 22,000 people die each year from cancer associated with the gas. Smokers account for around 90 percent of these deaths.

You can mitigate these risks by scheduling a radon test. The procedure is incredibly simple. Representatives from your home inspection company of choice will install radon detectors in your home. These automated devices conduct hourly radon readings for a period of 90 days. Then, experts analyze the data to look for elevated levels of the gas.

Call Alban Inspections to schedule a radon test today. We use state of the art equipment and serve customers throughout the state of Maryland.

Roughly 15 million households in the U.S. depend on private wells for drinking water. While effective, these water sources are more susceptible to contamination than more modern systems. As a result, agencies like the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency recommend well users organize annual tests to check for bacteria and other contaminants.

Fecal coliforms are the most common bacteria found in contaminated wells. The reasoning behind this is simple. Seepage from failing underground septic tanks sometimes mixes with well water. These bacteria causes a variety of illnesses, including dysentery and hepatitis. Of course, particularly acidic or basic well water can cause health problems, as well.

Well water users looking to test should talk to their mortgage providers and get in touch with a local water testing company. Alban Inspections performs such tests and deploys inspectors authorized to collect  and screen water samples in all states.

Energy efficiency is a major for concern for modern homebuyers. As a result, many sellers are fine tuning their homes to adjust to this market trend.

You don’t have to perform extensive renovations to improve your home’s energy efficiency. In fact, switching out a few key fixtures will do just fine.

According to the National Resources Defense Council, low-flow bathroom and kitchen fixtures are easy-to-install, energy-saving solutions. Replacing your stock faucet with an energy-saving model will save you 700 gallons of water per year. And, trading in your shower head for a low-flow version will conserve 40 showers worth of H20.

You might also consider installing a programmable thermostat. These devices enable homeowners to schedule automated temperature times to fit their lifestyles. According to the U.S. Department of Energy, programmable thermostats can save you 10 percent a year on cooling and heating costs.

Drafty windows hurt home energy efficiency. In the winter, cold air seeps inside. In summer, air conditioning leaks out. The fix is simple. Laying down a layer of caulk will resolve this problem quickly, but you’ll have to repeat the ritual annually. So, go with weather stripping instead. In no time, you’ll be fielding offers from energy-savvy buyers.      

Spring is the perfect time to schedule a home inspection. The flowers are blooming, temperatures are mild, and home defects once hidden by snow or low winter light are now out in the open. But before you pick up the phone book and call the first home inspection company you see, do a little research. 

First, take a tour around the neighborhood and ask people for recommendations. Also, check out industry sources. For instance, The American Society of Home Inspectors maintains a detailed database that includes information on all its members. The Better Business Bureau is also a good source for concerned consumers.

Once you’ve narrowed down the field, make sure your candidates are certified in your state. Homebuyers looking to inspect a prospective home should pay special attention to this guideline. Many times, sellers only accept repair requests based information gathered from in-state inspectors.

Finally, make sure your inspection company carries insurance to cover any inspection-related damages. Ready to start your search for a reputable home inspection company? Contact Alban Inspections today.

Energy efficient changes, both large and small, can make a real difference in terms of reducing wasted resources, carbon footprints and dangerous pollution emissions.

In terms of changes the U.S. has made, how have they actually enhanced energy efficiency?

According to the American Council for Energy-Efficient Economy, between 1998 and 2014, energy intensity dropped from 12.1 Btus per dollar to 6.1, a 50 percent improvement overall. In 2014 alone, energy efficient changes totaled 58 quadrillion Btus, a savings of almost $800 billion.

Investments in energy efficiency create new job opportunities for workers, in both a physical sense by installing and creating sources of energy, as well as in future savings created by said energy changes.

Consider energy savings in your home today beginning with an energy audit with Alban Inspections.