Sell my Newport News home

Top Green Gardening Tips

• Keep it real
  You know what they say about Mother knowing best? Well, Mother Nature never needed to steal sips from a chemical cocktail of pesticides, weed killers, and chemical fertilizers to keep her act together. Nix the poisons and layer on some all-natural compost, instead. Call in beneficial insect reinforcements to wrestle pesky garden pests to the ground. Who needs to play Command & Conquer when you have battlefield drama unfolding before you in real time?
• Make compost from kitchen scraps
  Compost like a champ by throwing in your vegetable waste, instead of allowing it to be trucked off to the landfill. Known as “gardener’s gold,” compost enriches soil fertility by giving it a shot of high-powered, plant-loving nutrients. Aside from stimulating healthy root development, the addition of rich and earthy compost also improves soil texture, aeration, and water retention. Why waste your hard-earned cash on commercial products when the real deal is free for the taking? Speed up the process with the help of earthworms or go wriggle-free (if you’re the squeamish sort).
• Buy recycled
  If your delicate aesthetic sensibilities balk at the idea of reusing yogurt or takeout containers to house your hydrangeas, check out the myriad environmentally friendly planters and raised-garden kits now available. It takes less energy to recycle something than to mine virgin materials, so whether you choose recycled copper, plastic, or even rubber to anchor your tender shoots, it’s all copacetic. Admire your handiwork and eco-smarts while lounging on recycled lawn furniture.
• Grow your own food
  Buying organic produce can admittedly get pricey, so how about growing your own food instead of painstakingly manicuring that lawn for the umpteenth time? An estimated 40 million acres of the 48 contiguous American states are covered in lawns, making turf grass the United States’ largest irrigated crop. American homeowners apply a cringe-worthy tens of millions of pounds of fertilizers and pesticides to their lawns, often at many times the recommended levels. All that for little more than ornamentation. It’s time to return to the use of gardens as food sources—you won’t find fresher (or cheaper) eating anywhere else.
• Join a community garden
  Urban dwellers bereft of a yard shouldn’t fret: You can still get in on the hoeing and growing action by signing up for a plot at your local community garden. Community gardens typically have a communal composting area, as well, so if you don’t have room for one of those triple-duty rotating barrel composters in your home, here’s your hookup.
• Go native
  Now that you’ve learned some of the merits of “de-lawning” your home, consider replacing the ol’ putting green with native and indigenous plants, whether they’re cactus gardens in Arizona or bottlebrush grasses in Northern Michigan. Already adapted to local conditions, native plants are easy to grow and maintain, generally requiring less fertilizer and water, as well as less effort to rein in pests.
• Harvest rainwater
  Adding a rain barrel is an inexpensive and effortless way to capture mineral- and chlorine-free water for watering lawns, yards, and gardens, as well as washing cars or rinsing windows. By harnessing what’s literally raining from the sky, you’ll not only notice a marked dip in water costs, but also a reduction in storm water runoff, which in turn helps prevent erosion and flooding. Pop a screen on top of your barrel to keep out insects, debris, and bird missiles, and make frequent use of your water supply to keep it moving and aerated.
• Water with care
  While we’re on the subject of water, adopting a few smart-watering habits will do much to stretch out your supply, especially during dry, hot spells in the summer. Adding mulch and compost to your soil will retain water and cut down evaporation. Plus, soaker hoses or drip irrigation only use 50 percent of the water used by sprinklers. Water early in the day so you can avoid evaporation and winds. And the best place to drench your plants? Directly on those thirsty roots.
• Bring on the butterflies and bees
  Provide a pesticide-free sanctuary for our pollinator pals, such as butterflies and bees, by growing a diverse variety of native flowers they’re particularly drawn to, such as wild lilac, goldenrod, and lemon balm. (Gardens with 10 or more species of attractive plants have been found to entice the most bees.) If you haven’t already heard, we’re in the throes of a major bee-loss epidemic, which is causing beekeepers in North America and Europe much hand-wringing. Because pollinators affect 35 percent of the world’s crop production—and increase the output of 87 of the leading food crops worldwide—extending a little hometown hospitality could go a long way.
• The power of 4
  Get hip to four “R”s of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s GreenScapes program: Reduce, recycle, reuse and rebuy. You want to reduce your output of waste to ensure you’re using materials efficiently. Reusing compost and tree clippings for mulch, or rainwater for watering take up little time and energy, but offer plenty of environmental bang for your buck. Recycling saves resources, while rebuying means seeking products that meet your needs, but are more environmentally friendly than your usual purchases—take, for instance, solar outdoor lighting versus electric-powered fixtures.

Sell my Newport News home

Eight Steps To Help You Quickly Unload Your Home

When you’re in the process of selling yourNewport News, Virginia home, you want to ensure that you get it sold relatively quickly. After all, you don’t want to pay for your home each month you don’t live in it. How can you ensure that you sell your Hampton, Virginia home fast? Follow these eight steps that ensure your home sells fast.  

Step 1 – Know What Your Home Is Really Worth

Make sure you know what the value of your home is. If it’s priced high, people aren’t going to stop because they think you are being irrational. If you price it low, people will assume that something is the matter with it. Make sure you work along with a real estate agent or look at your taxes to give you an idea of where you should price your home. If you must sell it fast, this can help you determine where you should price your home. Don’t forget that there are other factors involved with your pricing; do your research before you choose a number.

Step 2 – Know What the True Costs Of Selling Your Home

Most sellers don’t realize the other costs that are associated with selling their home. For instance, you’ll need to advertise your home especially if you plan to sell it on your own. You’ll need to set aside several hundreds of dollars to cover the advertising costs. If you hire an agent, you’ll need some commission money. More than likely, you’ll be responsible for all the closing costs, attorney or professional fees. You’ll have to pay the excise taxes that come from the sale. You may need to pay for the property taxes and homeowners association fees. If the home has several items that need to be fixed, you may need to repair those before the sale is final.

Step 3 – Get An Inspection

Make sure you have an inspection so you know what needs to be repaired. This helps you so you don’t lose your buyer.

Step 4 – Keep The Home In Showing Condition

You always want to remove the personal items from your home such as toothbrushes, pet food, combs, etc. Take out the garbage. You should never cook foods with spice the moment you put your home on the market.

Step 5 – Improve Your Home’s Curb Appeal

It’s important that your home’s curb appeal looks appealing. Make sure to remove dead plants, mow the yard and edge around the property line.

 Step 6 – Don’t Be Offended By Low Offers/ Be Flexible

 People who would like to buy a home may have a hard time getting financing by a bank but if they can get a great deal, they are willing to take the chance. Don’t be offended by it; just start negotiating. You certainly don’t want pride getting in the way of you selling your home.

 Step 7 – Accommodate Your Buyers

 You may hate that you need to keep your home in great shape at all times but you have to be the best if you plan to sell it. Make sure you are available any time a buyer wants to view the home. Don’t turn on a burglar alarm when you have an agent who shows the home to potential buyers. They may set it off and never want to show your home again.

 Step 8 – Have Buyer Make You An Offer

This sounds crazy but have the buyers looking at your home make an offer on the house. If you don’t like what they have to offer, counter them with another offer. In the end, you have the upper hand and don’t have to take their offer. The idea is to have a middle ground. This gets people off the fence and into the market.

When you take the above eight steps, you can sell your Norfolk, Virginia home quicker but in every case, how quick your sell your home is up to you.

Bear in mind you do have another option. If it seems you’re not getting any nibbles or bites trying to sell your Virginia home, consider going with a company such as Community HomeSolvers that will buy your home. You’re still in charge and don’t have to take the offer they give you. Remember they, too, will want a discount. Any repairs your home needs won’t make this people go running, as they are used to seeing rundown homes. You don’t have to say available anytime you need to show the house. You can leave all your personal items in the home and leave out pet food dishes if you want. Investors who look at the home will look past these items to see the potential that stands there.