Pets and Tulsa Cold Weather
January 1, 2010
Many pets are indoor pets and are use to the comforts just as us humans are and have the same troubles as we would if left outdoors for extended lengths of time. The Tulsa, OK area has been hit by colder than normal winter weather this year and according to the Tulsa weather forecast more is on the way. The sad news is that many people think that all animals can live outdoors and adapt to the weather just because they have fur. This is far from the truth. Our pets are not wild animals that fight and hope to make it through the cold bitter winter. Many of the animals out in wild do not actually make it through the winter months. It is our responsibility to take care of our pets.
Things you should do to care for your pets during the winter include:
- Ask your vet to check your pet to ensure they do not have any medical problems that make them vulnerable to cold temperatures
- When the weather is cold, keep pets in as much as possible
- When they must go out, go with them. When you are ready to go in bring them in as well. This way you know they are not outside in the cold too long
- If you have to leave them outside for long periods of time make sure, they have access to a solid shelter. The shelter should be constructed so the wind cannot get inside with warm thick bedding and plenty of water. The water should of course be liquid. If possible, wrap a hot water bottle in a towel and place in the shelter as well.
- Of course, there are some breeds that can stay out longer in cold temperatures such as Huskies and Komondors. On the other hand, dog’s breeds such as Chihuahaus and dachshunds are not winter weather dogs. Any animal that has to wade through piles of snow up to their shoulders will of course become cold quicker than taller animals. Cats may seem to like the cold, but the temperatures can sneak up on them.
The health of your pet has quite a bit to do with the length of time they can stay outdoors in the cold. Certain conditions like hormonal imbalances, heart disease, diabetes, and kidney disease the ability to regulate their body heat. Pets that are not in good health, older pets, and young pets cannot tolerate the cold.
Winter Precautions:
If you own cats or have feral cats in your area they will curl up against practically anything to stay warm which does include the engine on your vehicle. Before starting your vehicle, honk your horn or beat on the hood to wake up any sleeping kitties as starting your engine could be a fatal mistake.
If you have a lake or pond on your property, do not let your dog run loose. He can fall through the ice.
Electric heaters can be enticing to pets and they can and will curl up to be toasty warm. Make sure they do not have a paw or tail against the heat source.
If you allow your pet to go outdoors, you should wipe their paws with a clean cloth when they come indoors. This will make sure that they do not lick chemicals or rock salt from their paws. These types of winter products can cause an inflammation of the digestive tract.
Watch your pet to ensure they do not get frostbit. If you notice small particles of ice forming on their ears, paws, or tails they need to be taken indoors to get warm. You can soak his extremities for about 20 minutes in warm water to melt the ice and start circulation. You should take him to the vet after he is warm.
We hope you find these winter pet tips are helpful and you return for frequent updates from our Tulsa Real Estate Blog or subscribe to our RSS feed to stay current.
Making Great Real Estate Agents
September 20, 2008
As a Tulsa real estate agent, you more than likely find clients through word of mouth of satisfied customers. Due to this fact, you should be aware of what makes a great real estate agent and a very awful real estate.
Too many times, homebuyers or home sellers do not do their homework and wind up with a real estate agent they could almost strangle. The reason is they are more involved in the quest of new home. They want to hurry up and find home with all the amenities they desire and get packing or they want to sell their home quickly so they can move into their new home as well.
What should you look for in a real estate agent as a homebuyer or home seller?
Here is a list of the most popular things clients want to see in their real estate. By using this guideline, you should have a wonderful experience shopping for a real estate.
1. One that listens – Have you ever met a person that when you talk with them it seems to go in one ear and out the other? If you have a realtor like this, you have a terrible one. You need a real estate agent that will listen to your desires. If you give them an area, you wish to live, or a price range for your new home and the list you are given to see is in TimBuckTwo or $50,000 over your maximum range, you have a realtor that is definitely not listening.
2. One that works with you along the way – A great real estate agent will have leads ready for you to see in a very short time, explain to you about the house including any information they can find out about the sellers and even go so far as to have a list of lending companies that might help you. Will they not only give you this information, but also will go with you during the appraisal or help you fill out paperwork or whatever might be needed to make your home purchase go smoothly.
3. One that will help you objectively – You will more than likely fall in love with one of the first houses you visit, however, a great real estate agent will help you see everything there is to see a house before you sign the dotted line. You should have given your realtor a list of things you desire in a home such as location, size, and other amenities. When you see a home that has all the amenities you may want to sign the dotted line. Your real estate agent, if they are great, should remind you of all your stipulations and help you see all sides of the property. Is it smaller than what you envisioned, does it have a nice backyard for your dog, will it fit your lifestyle, etc…. If you are not happy with the purchase, later on you will not be as happy with the real estate agent.
4. One that understand the local market condition – If you are searching for a home in a different state than where you reside now using a local agent there may not be in your best interest. Think about it. Will your local agent know the good and bad parts of town, what the school district is like, what the neighborhoods are like, and so on and so forth? In order to learn about everything you need to know, you need a realtor that lives in the area and is an expert in their field.
Home Staging Basics
September 20, 2008
The new trend in Tulsa home sales is Home Staging, which is an awesome way in which to entice homebuyers and help real estates make a sale quickly. The answer to what home staging is and how it works are listed below. Just by using these easy tips, you will be able to sell your home faster and have satisfied homebuyers.
The number one reason home staging is so appealing is that you will be using techniques that will in fact make your property more attractive to home buyers. Begin with the first thing potential buyers will see when they drive up – the outside of the home and the property. Make it look attractive.
A list of what you should look at and improve on the exterior of your home and property include:
- Trim foliage
- Lay new sod if needed
- Paint the gutter
- Clean the gutters
- Remove clutter from the patios
- Paint the exterior of the home if needed
- Clean the exterior of the windows
- Clean window frames
- Weed the garden area
- Be sure all weed are gone from walkways
- Do not leave dead or dying hanging plants in plain view
- Wash the bricks if needed (in some cases, you might find moss or even mold growing on the exterior of your home)
- Clean the driveway – remove oil stains
- Change burned out light bulbs
Walk out in the street. Is the outside of your home more appealing? Does it look nice day and night? If not, notice what things stand out that make your home unappealing.
Now, on to the interior of your home. As you walk through the front door, look around as if this is the first time you have seen the home. You have to put yourself in the shoes of the homebuyer.
Things you should look at and improve or repair on the interior of your home include:
- Move furniture to be inviting – open feeling
- Paint areas that need painting – preferably neutral colors
- Remove all clutter from tables, bookshelves, and even in your cabinets – Women love to look in cabinets to see how much room is in there
- Check baseboards for chipped paint
- Check doorframes and trim for scuffs – Old English is a big help here
- Change light bulbs if necessary
If you are not sure how to make your home appealing there is a wonderful way to learn these tricks and tips. Many homebuilders use home staging for their model homes. Visit a few to get ideas of how you want your home to look. You will see that the exterior is clean and debris free and the interior will be open without clutter.
These little tips will allow homebuyers to envision their furniture in your home instead of seeing the lived in look.
Showing Your Tulsa Home
September 16, 2008
You may believe that after you have cleaned up the inside and outside of your Tulsa home, you only have to sit back and let the agent show your home. This is not necessarily true if you are still living in the home. You will have to keep your home ready for the agent to show all the time and in some cases; you may only be given a short notice before potential buyers will be in your home. The worst thing you can do is put off potential buyers if you do can avoid it.
The kitchen is one room that must look clean at all times. Do not even leave a few dirty dishes in the sink. Take the time to place them in the dishwasher. Keep your countertops clean as well. If a potential buyer sees dirty dishes, that is a turn off no matter how clean the kitchen might be.
Before the showing, open up the blinds, curtains, and shades. You want your home to look bright and inviting. If the showing is in the evening, then turn on the lights in each room. Be sure that each room has enough for the buyer to see the entire room. Check the light bulbs in the closets as well. If a buyer cannot see into a room or closet, they will not be able to envision their belongings in that area.
If it is warm outside, be sure to have the air conditioner turned on and at a desirable temperature. The same goes for if it is cold outside. You want the buyer to feel comfortable. If you have a fireplace, you could always light it to give them a cozy feel.
Indoor pets should be placed in cages or taken to a friend’s house during the showing. Sorry, to say, but in some cases, the kids should go next door if you cannot get them to sit quietly.
You may not believe this, but if you can be gone while the agent is showing your home, it would be best. A potential buyer may talk to one another about the possibilities of your home, but if you are in the room, they may be afraid to talk to each other due to hurting your feelings.
If you cannot leave, stay in one room of the house, but not in the major areas such as the kitchen, bedrooms, or bathrooms. Stay in the study, family room, basement, or even outside on your patio or front porch. The potential buyers need to be able to walk around the entire house without worrying about hurting your feelings or feeling they are intruding.
Instead of waiting around for the agent to call for a showing and then jumping up to clean and vacuum, do this every day so you are ready for that buyer to walk through your door.
We will work hard to be YOUR Tulsa Real Estate Agent! We are the Tulsa Homes experts and will work hard to find the home of your dreams. Call Toll Free Direct at 1 (877) 738-8572 today.
Mistakes Made by Tulsa Home Sellers
September 15, 2008
The best way to sell your Tulsa home is to look at the mistakes of others and learn to do things a bit differently. Below are the most common mistakes made by individuals trying to sell their homes, be sure not to fall in the trap?
- Leaving clutter around the home – All those family photos spread out all over the tables, walls, and fireplace look wonderful to family and friends; however, to the potential buyer it looks like a cluttered mess. Potential buyers want to come into the home and envision the home with their belongings and imagine themselves living in the home. This does not mean you have to put away all the photos, but it should be neat and tidy. The same goes for your kitchen. Remove as much as you can from the counter tops so the potential buyer can actually see how much room they have for their own things to sit on the counter top.
- Dirty or cluttered bathrooms – Ensure that the entire bathroom is clean including the counter tops, bathtub, shower walls, toilet, and floor. If a potential buyer sees that, the bathroom is not clean then they will expect the rest of the home to be dirty. If you have makeup sitting out all over the counter in disarray they will expect that the rest of the home will be just as disorganized and may be in need of repair.
- Leaving out pest control items – Even if you have had a few roaches and you used roach hotels and left them there just in case, you should throw them out. Do not leave out bug spray of any type even if you only have it in your home just in case. Potential buyers will think that you have a pest problem.
- Ignoring odors that may be there – If you have pets or are a smoker, these odors are in your home. You may not notice them, however, for individuals that do not smoke or own pets notice these odors the minute they walk in the door. You need to use something that will neutralize these odors, without being overpowering such as strong smelling sprays. This will only make the odor worse. You can talk with your Tulsa Real Estate Agent form RE/MAX to learn ways to neutralize the odors such as potpourri and open the doors to air out the house.
- Leaving closets stuffed with clutter – Once again, we are talking about clutter. If you just stuff everything you own into closets or in the attic, how will potential buyers see how roomy these areas are for holding their belongings? If you must put items in the attic or garage, be sure they are in boxes and organized. If the area looks filled to the top, they will believe the closets are small and will not hold as much.
- Children running around the house – Of course, you cannot tie the kids up in the basement, however, you can have them quietly sitting watching their favorite movie or enjoy a snack at the table. They should not be running under the feet of the potentials buyers. The same goes with pets. If you have a cat or dog, be sure, they are not jumping all over the guests in your home. No one will be able to look through your home while a dog is nipping at their heels.
- No curb appeal – The last thing on the list may be the most important. You want the outside of the home to look inviting. Hanging baskets with dead plants, un-kept gardens, toys in the driveway, and dirty windows are turn offs. Be sure the exterior is nice and pretty.
For more useful tips about how to sell your home contact one of the professional RE/MAX Agents at RE/MAX Executives today at (877) 738-8572. You will discover why we have earned the reputation as “the” Tulsa Homes experts!
First Time Homebuyers Questions Answered Part 1
September 14, 2008
Buy or Rent?
While you are renting you are giving your hard-earned money to a landlord. If you are paying a mortgage, you are actually investing in a home. You can even deduct the interest you pay on your loan from your federal income taxes and in some states your state taxes. As a homeowner, even your property tax can be deducted from your taxes. The value of your home go up each year and you will be investing in your future.
Can I purchase a home with bad credit?
The answer to this is more than likely yes, however, you will normally have to pay a much higher down payment and interest than a person with good credit. In most cases, lending companies will tell you how to improve your credit rating so you can find a better loan with a lower interest rate. Paying off bad debt or even applying for credit cards can help with bad credit as long you as make regular monthly payments and do not have more the credit cards over half of the credit limit.
How Much Money Do I need Upfront to Buy a Home?
The answers to this question can be a huge amount to very little according to the price of the home you wish to buy and the type of mortgage loan you receive.
The three major money amounts you will need include earnest money, down payment, and the portion of the closing costs you will pay.
Earnest money is the money that you submit when you submit an offer to purchase the home. The money is given to the seller or his agent to show that you are really serious about purchasing the home.
The down payment various according to your mortgage loan but can be as much as 10% to 20% of the price of the home.
Closing costs are the costs that are included as part of the processing to buy the home such as all the paperwork. Closing costs on average are around 3% to 4% of the price of your home.
At the beginning of the loan process while you are talking with your lending company they can give you a ball park figure that you will need, however, remember this price can go up should you should be prepared to have at least $2,000 more than their estimate.
Can I find a loan?
The best way in which to learn if you can get a loan is by using a mortgage calculator. You should be sure that your house payment is affordable after you add such things as taxes and insurance to the monthly payment of the loan. The best place to start is with a Tulsa real estate agent. They can guide you in the right direction for finding a lending company that will work with you and your finances to ensure you can find a home that will be affordable.
We will work hard to be YOUR Tulsa Real Estate Agent! We are the Tulsa Homes experts and will work hard to find the home of your dreams. Call Toll Free Direct at 1 (877) 738-8572 today.