All Blog Entries by Alexander Chandler 
There are currently 122 blog entries published by Alexander Chandler.
6 Tips for Buying a Home in a Short Sale
Monday, June 17th, 2013 at 1:24pm. 17 Views, 0 Comments.
6 Tips for Buying a Home in a Short Sale
Published: March 19, 2010
By preparing for a real estate short sale, you can emerge with a great home at a favorable price.
1. Get help from a short sale expert
A real estate agent experienced in short sales can identify which homes are being offered as short sales, help you determine a purchase price, and advise you on what to include in your offer to make the lender view it favorably. Ask agents how many buyers they've represented in short sales and, of those, how many successfully closed the transaction.
2. Build a team
Ask agents to recommend real estate attorneys knowledgeable in short sales and title experts. A title officer can do a title search to identify all…
A Financial Plan for Your Home
Wednesday, June 12th, 2013 at 10:31am. 58 Views, 0 Comments.
Visit HouseLogic.com for more articles like this. Reprinted from HouseLogic.com with permission of the NATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF REALTORS®." www.HouseLogic.com
A Financial Plan for Your Home
Published: December 31, 2012
Your home is probably your biggest investment. To manage it, create a financial plan that takes into account repairs, upgrades, mortgages, insurance, and taxes.
Use our home financial plan budget worksheet, and start by writing a list of expenses, such as:
- Mortgage
- Taxes
- Home insurance, including liability
- Repairs and maintenance, such as new furnace, roof, painting
- Voluntary upgrades, such as a swimming pool, a premium range, a new powder…
Extend the Outdoor Living Season
Tuesday, June 11th, 2013 at 2:27pm. 38 Views, 0 Comments.
Extend the Outdoor Living Season
Published: October 3, 2011
Make an outdoor living area comfy long after the sun sets or the leaves turn with outdoor lighting, a patio heater, and a glowing firepit or portable fireplace.
With both lighting types, you can:
- Light deck railings and stairs
- Define the patio perimeter
- Illuminate the edges of paths and walkways
- Draw attention to a planter or tree
Other fixtures light up dining tables, grill surfaces, and even underwater in swimming pools.
Low-voltage fixtures clip onto a safe, 12-volt cable connected to a transformer, which plugs into a GFCI-protected 120-volt electrical outlet. A timer or light-sensitive control automatically…
Your Guide to Choosing Patio Pavers
Monday, June 3rd, 2013 at 11:33am. 102 Views, 0 Comments.
Your Guide to Choosing Patio Pavers
Published: April 9, 2013
There are so many options on the market for patio pavers, it can be hard to choose. So we’ve done the research to help you make the right choice for your home.
Brick pavers come in a variety of shapes, sizes, colors, and finishes, and can look old or new. Because they’re smaller than other pavers, they take a while to put in place, and installation costs can be higher.
You can do the job yourself for $3 to $5 per sq. ft. You’ll need to rent a brick saw — a heavy table-mounted saw that makes cutting masonry a snap. Cost: $60-$95/day. Don’t forget: You’ll need to figure out a way to get the brick saw to your house.
For a pro-installed brick…
Repair Walls to Give Rooms a Fresh Face
Thursday, May 23rd, 2013 at 10:50am. 97 Views, 0 Comments.
Repair Walls to Give Rooms A Fresh Face
Published: January 14, 2011
Sooner or later you’ll repair walls that make rooms look worn out. Erasing dings, dents, and scuffs is an easy fix. We’ll show you how.
Patch drywall to smooth walls
A putty knife, Spackle, or joint compound can repair wall damage that ages a room.
Dents and dings: A quart of Spackle ($11) and a putty knife can fill dozens of small wall indentations. Spackle adheres to painted walls better than joint compound, though it takes a bit longer to dry. Cut wall repair time by thoroughly wiping away excess Spackle.
Fist-sized holes: Joint compound is your best bet when covering the mesh or drywall patches that cover big holes. You’ll need at least…
Plumbing Leaks: 8 Smart Tips to Stop Them
Monday, May 20th, 2013 at 2:16pm. 135 Views, 0 Comments.
Plumbing Leaks: 8 Smart Tips to Stop Them
Published: November 12, 2010
Plumbing leaks can be prevented with a few simple measures. Plus, learn what to do when leaks occur.
1. Locate your home’s main water shut-off valve. If there’s ever a plumbing leak, you can go straight there and quickly turn off the water to the entire house.
2. Install shut-off valves at individual appliances and fixtures. That allows you to keep water flowing in other areas of the house while making site-specific repairs. Expect to pay $4 to $10 for each valve; expect to pay $50 to $75/hour for professional installation.
3. Install a flow sensor that detects plumbing leaks and automatically shuts off water to the entire house or a specific…
The Easy, Fun Way to Spring Clean Your Deck or Patio
Friday, May 17th, 2013 at 4:12pm. 144 Views, 0 Comments.
The Easy, Fun Way to Spring Clean Your Deck or Patio
Published: March 28, 2012
The spring cleaning chore with the most fun potential is prepping your deck or patio for spring. Here’s how to do it with a touch of fun.
Water toy #1: A pressure washer
If you don’t have a pressure washer in your tool shed, you’re missing out. Spring is a good time to add one to your arsenal of lean, green cleaning machines. They blast away dirt mostly without harsh chemicals, which is good for the planet and your deck and patio plants.
Plus, they’ve come down in price, and are easier to manage than they used to be, making pressure washing your deck and patio much more fun and much less hassle.
A 1,500 to 2,000…
Clearing Clogged Drains and Preventing Future Clogs
Monday, May 13th, 2013 at 10:15am. 52 Views, 0 Comments.
Published: November 18, 2010
Don’t use chemicals to clear clogged drains. Use a plumber’s snake and follow these tips on preventing clogged drains.
Avoid chemical drain-clearing products
You can buy chemicals to clear clogged drains, but these products sometimes do more harm than good. They can actually erode cast-iron drainpipes.
And because they typically don’t remove the entire clog, the problem is likely to recur, causing you to use the chemicals repeatedly. The caustic action of chemicals may eventually wear away the insides of pipes, causing leaks.
Better to hire a plumber to snake the drain (usually $85 to $325) and completely remove the chunk of hair…
12 Causes and Cures for Common Home Maintenance Problems
Monday, May 6th, 2013 at 1:42pm. 256 Views, 0 Comments.
12 Causes and Cures for Common Home Maintenance Problems
Published: April 8, 2010
Many sensory clues give you early warning of home maintenance problems—if you can decode the symptoms.
1. Peeling exterior paint
Cause: Moisture is probably getting underneath the paint, perhaps from a leaking gutter overhead or from a steamy bathroom on the other side of the wall.
Cure: If you catch the problem right away, you might just need to address the moisture issue and then scrape off the loose paint, prime bare spots, and repaint that wall, for a total of a few hundred to a couple thousand dollars. Delay too long and the siding might rot. Patching and repainting the whole house might cost $10,000.
To prevent a chronically…
5 Deck Makeover Projects Under $300
Thursday, April 25th, 2013 at 3:48pm. 153 Views, 0 Comments.
5 Deck Makeover Projects Under $300
Published: July 2, 2012
Want to upgrade your deck but watching your budget? Here are 5 easy deck makeover ideas, many well under $300.
You won’t have to plug them in or wire anything, either. Their solar-charged batteries are renewed every day, and the lights are built to withstand all kinds of weather.
Types and cost:
- Paper lanterns (made from synthetic, weatherproof nylon; $20-$30) are made for hanging and come in all sorts of fun shapes, sizes, and colors.
- Carriage lights can be fixed on top of a pillar or railing newel post. $45-$150.
- Solar illuminated replicas of old-fashioned mason jars can be set on any flat surface, about $35.
- Rope lights have…