How to Prepare for a Disaster: Granada Hills REALTORs Advice

Michael Gentile, a Granada Hills REALTOR and an active volunteer of National Voluntary Organizations Active in Disasters (National VOAD) discusses how to prepare your neighborhood for a disaster.

Image via WikipediaIt is better to start small. Informal gatherings allow you to recruit sincere volunteers. You can also assess the needs of each household that the neighborhood should respond to in case of a disaster. Create a neighborhood disaster planning committee, complete with board members and representatives. Include people with useful skills such as doctors, nurses and carpenters.

The two core functions of a neighborhood disaster planning committee are business continuity and public safety, according to Community Association Institute.

Business Continuity includes protecting important association records, keeping a list of vendors, and contracting with vendors ahead of time to ensure speedy, cost-effective services after a disaster strikes,

Safety planning covers creating a disaster plan, designating evacuation routes, checking emergency generators and supplies, keeping a list of owners, employees, and local relief personnel, and planning for post-disaster cleanup

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Extending the Lifespan of Your Roof: Tips For Green Homes From The Best Granada Hills Realtor

Michael Gentile, a California Granada Hills REALTOR and home renovation specialist, provides tips on how to prolong the lifespan of a residential roof.

Moss Problem

Moss traps water, which is harmful to a roof. Kill the moss with products based on potassium salts of fatty acid. Do not let the wash water go all over the roof. You can buy zinc strips to keep moss from coming back. For $300, your local roofer will place strips near the top of the roof. The runoff from strips stops the moss from growing.

Gutter Cleaning, Leaves and Ice Dams on the Roof

Clogged gutters result to wet basement and rotten roof rafters. Avoid it by cleaning gutters every fall and spring. Leaves that settled on your roof trap moisture and the seeds may take root. For a one-storey house or a low-slope roof, use a car-wash brush with telescoping pole to remove leaves. A roof leaf rake cost around $20. A leaf blower requires a pro to climb to the roof to remove the leaves. Remove wet leaves by washing them off with a garden hose. Trim overhanging branches for prevent moss and leaves residing on your roof. Image via Wikipedia

Ice Dams

Removing ice buildup on the roof can avoid leaks. Get rid of snow using a roof rake, but do not forcefully remove already-formed ice as it may damage the roof. Air leaks and poor insulation in your attic invites ice dams so you need to fix them too.

Check your roof right after a hail storm, big wind or if you hear scurrying. You can use a ladder for better view or use binoculars to inspect. If you see something wrong, do not hesitate to call your roofer to check the roof. Roof problems become costly if you do not address them quickly.

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1. What You Need to Know About Ranges: a Granada Hills REALTOR’s Perspective

Granada Hills REALTOR and a savvy expert, Michael Gentile, shares his knowledge about buying ranges.

Typically, homeowners make decisions in buying a range based on budget, appearance, performance and ease of use. The cost of a range starts at $350. Added cost includes delivery, installation, gas line, outlet installation, etc. Gas ranges have an average life span of 11 to 15 years.

In choosing gas or electric, it all boils down to what you have in the house. Those with natural gas line prefer a gas range, and those without choose electric. The average size of a home range is 30 inches. High-end ranges can be as big as 48 inches wide. For homes with smaller space, you can buy the 20 to 24 inches model. Standard oven compartment is 5 cubic feet. For an additional $200, homeowners can get a range with convection heat, which spreads out hot air inside the oven evenly.

Image via Wikipedia

Burner Quantity, Type and Performance

Ranges can have four to five burners. Ranges with five burners cost at least $800. With burner type, one can choose from an ultra-low burner or a central oval burner for cooking with griddle pans. A bridge burner is used for bigger heating needs (i.e. cooking with roasting pans). Gas and electric ranges that have BTU are preferable, with heating speed almost twice as effective as the standard range. Power burners have 9,000 to 15,000 BTUs. The upgrade will cost you an extra $200.

Pro ranges that emulate those that are used in restaurants have a tag price of $4,000 to $10,000. Ranges like these have multiple large ovens, ultra-high powered burners, etc.

New ranges either have a warming drawer to keep the food warm or a small extra oven for cooking multiple items at the same time. Such models cost $1,000 to $1,200 at least. For an additional $100 each, you get halogen lighting, smooth-glide racks, and porcelain-coated racks.

Ranges with temperature probes (starts at $1,300) tell you that your food is cooked enough. An alternative is to buy a battery-powered probe that cost $30.

Image via WikipediaAny contemporary range (except the cheapest) has smooth ceramic cook top design and sealed burner design for easy cleaning. For models as low as $350, you get a self-cleaning oven feature. Expect to change oven bulbs periodically. Glass top replacement costs around $250. Electric control panel replacement can cost you $250 plus labor. Coil-style electric burners that fail often will make you shell out $50, excluding labor.

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Granada Hills Realtor's Guide To Attracting Buyers

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A Granada Hills Realtor can make his property inviting to people and make a sale in a lot of ways.

Showcase your property. Persuade prospect buyers by letting them be aware of other interested parties on the property. Let people know of what your property has to offer that would make it the best pick, and make sure you gather contact details needed for callbacks to further the sale.

Promote your property by the use of advertising, and make your property known to all. Make your ad inviting and attractive to compel potential buyers to contact you for further information.

Invent ways that would motivate people to want to buy your property. Offer freebies and enticements or financing help to your buyer. Commission people you know to aid you in the sale of your property to better your chances of making the sale.

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Learning The Basics of Marketing Homes From a Professional Granada Hills Realtor

Image by Floyd B. Bariscale via Flickr

Despite the low interest rates and bargaining price, it takes a whole lot more effort on the seller’s part just to make a successful sale.

According to Michael Gentile, a Granada Hills REALTOR®, the task of selling a home will be much easier if you are working with an experienced and professional Granada Hills Realtor.

Some of the task that your Granada Hills Realtor will be to advertise and show the property to prospective buyers, determine how long has it been since the house is on the market, and whether you are planning to make another purchase. As much as possible, your property should be listed through a Multiple Listing Service (MLS).

Granada Hills real estate agent Web sites, classified ads and Granada Hills real estate guides, these are only a few of the ways to advertise your property. Promotional advertisements through offices and MSL tours are some of the good ways to get other buyer agents to take a glimpse of your home and in turn they will promote it to their clients.

Primitive as it may seem but having ‘For Sale’ signs on your front lawn is still an effective way of advertising. A lot of Realtors use these signs to promote their web sites and use brochure boxes along with the signs to market the property. Your Realtors could also send mailing about your property to your neighbors, with your permission of course. Who knows, they may have a relative or friend or two who is seeking a house to purchase. You’ll never know, word-of-mouth can be and is a powerful advertising tool.

Make your home as bright, clean, and appealing as possible when you are planning to have Showings and Open Houses. Also, you might want to consider to be absent during the actual open house. This will allow your buyers to feel free as possible. Put yourself in the shoes of the buyer. Do you like to open closets and cabinets or doing some tests on the plumbing system or converse openly about what you think if the owner of the house is there? I think not. The place should be free as possible when you do an Open House, meaning no to your kids or your pets.

If the schedule of your open house has been decided, be sure to invite your neighbors. Who knows they might just have a friend or two who is a prospective tagging along as they make a short tour of your house.

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The Job Of A Professional Granada Hills Realtor: What He Does For You

Image by Getty Images via @daylife

Do you know what your Granada Hills REALTOR® does for you? You may not notice this but there are a lot of thing going on behind the scenes after you and your Granada Hills REALTOR® agreed to sign a contract.

According to Granada Hills REALTOR® Michael Gentile, you will be surprised at what goes inside the mind of your agent.

Here are some of the things that run inside our heads when we get the call to list your house:

1. Realtors verify whether the seller really owns the property they are selling. “You can’t sell what you don’t own.

2. Checks for outstanding trust deeds and liens. When the property is over-encumbered and in short sale situation, the seller’s agent will have to ask for additional documents and financial information. When the bank has a say on the matter, Realtors would make sure that the bank gets the information they needed to make a decision.

3. We do comparison of the seller’s statements on the number of bedrooms, baths, etc. Any discrepancy can be costly.

4. Research around the neighborhood about recent sales, current listings, and pending sales. What matters most is the present value, not what’s in the past or what will it be in the future. We are like appraisers; we use recent sales to establish value. Statistics will reveal the real story of the current value.

5. Realtors check, take down notes and make recommendations to increase the chances of your property to achieve top market value. We know what’s hot and what’s not. Sellers may think that doing little things like washing the windows is insignificant, but together with our other recommendations it will help your property rise above your competition. Improving your property’s condition makes a big difference.

6. Consider what buyers are willing to pay. We all know that sellers might think that their house is the best in the neighborhood. That’s what they think, but that’s not always what buyers are thinking. Start the listing process with a firm groundwork; this will help the seller achieve their goal of selling their property.

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