Staff Writer
Frost warnings are becoming part of the daily weather forecast, some schools have recessed for the harvest break, the trees are beginning to show their true colors, department stores are full of warm apparel and yes, even some holiday decorations are on display. The calendar may tell us that we’re still in the summer season but we’re all well aware of what’s around the next very near corner.
Aroostook Republican photo/Barb Scott
Mark Madore, left, and PJ Saunders have been scraping and painting the Bennett Drive building which houses the Aroostook Republican and News, getting it ready for another winter season.
With fall and winter months fast approaching area residents are hurrying to do all those projects that have been set aside including fixing up their homes and businesses, getting them ready to face the cold months ahead.
Local realtors suggest anyone who has a home or business already on the market should make sure that it continues to look fresh and clean when being shown to potential buyers.
The inside of a home ready to be sold should be freshly painted and any nicks or holes in the walls should be filled, sanded and painted. Carpets should be cleaned, windows washed and floors scrubbed. If the interior of a home for sale is clean, the viewers will be more apt to concentrate on other more important aspects such as the size of the rooms, heating and plumbing factors and of course location. Should a property be dusty and in need of major cleaning, this will be the first thing noticed. As a rule anyone moving into a new home will do their own serious cleaning prior to settling in but if it’s in dire need of an army of cleaners when it is first seen, then the overall appeal of the property is lowered.
Graydon Mahoney of Mahoney’s Real Estate in Caribou suggested, “ Anyone getting ready to list a home or already has one on the market should make sure it is winterized and tightened up. Windows need to be replaced or at least caulked to prevent drafts, basically, the property should be in the best shape possible.”
“It’s not only the interior of a home that needs attention,” Steve Scott of Bernard/Coury Realty stressed, “Street appeal is a major factor to anyone looking to buy. If a property has peeling paint, steps in need of repair or replacement, if the yard is un-kept with debris lying around, the overall first impression of this property is negative.” Scott also said that chimneys must be in good repair, a major safety factor as well a definite necessity regarding any home inspection.
Harold Pelletier of Pelletier’s Plumbing and Heating in Caribou said he recommends that homeowners (not only with properties to sell) should be concentrating on having their furnaces tuned up and cleaned. Pelletier also said that at this time of the year people should pay attention to any roofing or window problems that need to be addressed and making sure that there is proper insulation in place.
“One thing I always tell people is to take care of the drafts. If you have a draft, no matter how small, chances are you’ll have problems with pipes freezing. The draft doesn’t have to be any larger than a drill hole and doesn’t have to be close to a pipe, but that little draft will give someone a lot of problems.”
“A little tiny hole will freeze a pipe faster than a fist-sized one. Homeowners need to inspect every little spot and fill it with insulation, it saves a lot of headaches later on,” he added.
