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austin home inspector

Sep 30
0

Pressure Washing 101

By | Home Maintenance Tips, Seasonal Home Maintenance | No Comments

Weekend warriors around the country have noticed one thing in common since March 2020: Regardless of business restrictions, one group that has stayed consistently busy (and perhaps even surged in demand) is home improvement. While Americans have more time at home to assess and enhance their surroundings, hardware stores have become the place to go as homeowners flock with mile long honey-do lists.

In case your list has run low or you’re looking for a way to make your home’s curb appeal shine even brighter, pressure washing is an excellent way to deep clean your home. Pressure washers utilize high-pressure water measured in pounds per square inch (psi) to remove tough stains from a variety of surfaces. They are available for sale and rent in both gas and electric, portable and stationary models. Once you find the pressure washer that’s right for you, familiarize yourself with the settings and safety operating instructions, as this is a significant piece of machinery.

When you’re ready to get started, here are a few ideas of projects you can accomplish at home with a pressure washer:

  • Blast years’ worth of dirt from your driveway in record time using a pressure washer. Whether you own or rent the equipment, be sure to read the safety manual and follow the proper operating procedures and precautions. Sweep the driveway and sidewalk before you start to remove surface-level debris that may become airborne. Hold down the spray handle and sweep back and forth in broad, overlapping strokes from one side of the concrete to the other. Your neighbors (and potential buyers) are sure to be impressed!

Pro Tip: Use the same method for your patio to stop tracking dirt inside the house!

  • Give your home a face lift with a good wash. While elbow grease is helpful, pressure washing can eliminate dirt, mildew, and grime from your home’s exterior in much less time. Whether your home is finished with brick, wood, aluminum, stucco or steel, pressure washing on a yearly basis is a great idea to keep it looking new! Before you begin, read the manual carefully to ensure you follow the settings for your home’s exterior, and then use a top-down method to wash away the gunk. While you’re at it, be sure to pressure wash your windows.

Pro Tip: If you are pressure washing in preparation for paint, be sure to give the home at least two days to thoroughly dry before you begin.

  • Refinish your fence. We all know good fences make good neighbors, but after taking a daily beating from the sun, wind, and rain, even the sturdiest of fences can look a little run down. Use detergent, medium pressure, and a sweeping fan pattern to restore your fence with a pressure washer. After two days, you can seal or paint your fence for the ultimate DIY makeover.

Pro Tip: Pressure wash your fence once a year to keep it looking new (annual painting not required!).

As we continue to spend more time at home, it’s great to cherish and take care of the spaces we love. Follow us on Facebook and Instagram @BarfieldHomeInspection for more home maintenance tips from the company that’s been telling it like it is since 2003. Stay safe and happy washing!

Jul 07
0

The Unexpected Impact of COVID-19

By | Home Maintenance Tips, Real Estate News | No Comments

When it comes to great places to live, few places hold a candle to Austin, Texas. The vibrant culture, thriving economy, delicious food and beautiful scenery top the ongoing list of reasons we love it here. When you have a place this desirable to live, it’s inevitable that people will move to the number one city in the United States from all over the country and the world. Perhaps that’s one of the reasons our business and client base continue to grow year-over-year, even despite the 2008 recession and the current pandemic.

As we navigate this critical time in history, it seems like a great opportunity to examine the consequences of COVID-19 on the Austin real estate market. While some of these effects are more expected than others, here’s a snapshot of the things we see out in the field:

  • Houses are selling…Fast! Just as we discussed on the last episode of Under the Roof, homes in Austin and the surrounding areas are selling quickly. Mortgage rates are low, buyers are motivated, and early trends indicate people are moving to larger homes with more room to spread out, since social activities are less abundant than usual. While this is great news for sellers, it means buyers should be prepared for competition as inventory remains low.
  • People are moving out. Although sales in Austin city limits continue to soar, individuals are seeking more space, both within their home and on their property. For many buyers, this means a turn from condo-style living to single family homes on larger lots where available. For the unique cities and towns that surround Austin, this is good news.
  • Option periods are slim. The typical option period on a home purchase is seven days. During this time, the buyer has the home inspected and can cancel the contract for any reason. In other words, this is where we come in! However, due to heavy demand we are seeing option periods as narrow as three days, which creates a quick turnaround for the inspection team. At Barfield Home Inspection we are careful not to overbook, so we can give each and every home our careful attention and keep telling it like it is!
  • Purchases must be planned. Just as buyers need to be pre-approved and offer-ready, now is a good time to educate yourself on what commodities are available. Due to high retail demand and the trickle-down effects of reduced manufacturing during the first wave of the COVID-19 outbreak, buyers may find that many items are as scarce as Clorox wipes. If, for example, your new home purchase means you will need to buy large appliances or furniture, do your homework now to find out what is available and set proper expectations for the wait.

Although the situation continues to unfold, we are grateful that Austin’s housing market continues to thrive in 2020. The Barfield Home Inspection team takes social distancing and safety precautions seriously to protect home buyers, sellers and agents at each home we visit. Stay in the know and follow us on Facebook and Instagram for more details about Austin real estate and home maintenance.

Mar 25
0

Join us for virtual home inspections as Austin residents stay-at-home

By | Home Maintenance Tips, Real Estate News | No Comments

Dear friends,

We hope this message finds you safe and healthy. These are unprecedented times. Barfield Home Inspection is here for you and we understand the feeling of uncertainty and the difficulties those in the real estate industry face. We are here to support you. As you may have seen, today Mayor Adler’s shelter-in-place orders take affect in Travis and Williamson counties through Monday, April 13.

Barfield Home Inspection will remain open to serve as many home buyers and sellers as possible during this critical time. ABOR advises no showings in Travis County and limited showings in surrounding areas to avoid in-person interaction as much as possible. Closings should continue as scheduled. In light of these orders and out of an abundance of caution, we are taking extra steps to safeguard you as realtors, sellers and buyers from in-person interaction with our team. The good news is business can continue. Here is how my team and I are conducting home inspections amidst COVID-19:

• Limiting and/or eliminating person-to-person interaction with a VIRTUAL HOME INSPECTION. Homeowners, buyers, and real estate agents do not need to be present at the time of inspection. In an effort to comply with social distancing and offer an added layer of safety for our clients, our team will proceed with the inspection inside the house without occupants inside the house at the time of inspection (approximately three-hour timeframe). Residents are welcome to spend time outside the home in the backyard or take a drive during the inspection.

At the end of the inspection, we will conduct a virtual meeting via FaceTime or Google Duo to recap the inspection and answer any questions. We will then vacate the premises and save the handshakes for later! We are proud to embrace the technology at hand to continue serving home buyers and sellers during this challenging time.

• N95 particulate respirator masks, boot covers and gloves worn at each inspection. We continue to wash and sanitize our hands thoroughly and often. Before and after each inspection we thoroughly wipe down and sanitize all equipment used.

The Barfield Home Inspection team also understands the importance of respirator masks for the medical community who face a shortage. Luckily, as home inspectors, we have this type of equipment on hand. We have reserved the few masks we need for home inspections and have donated the rest to those facing the front lines of the crisis. If there are other ways we can be of service, please contact me directly via text or call (512) 350-0123.

On behalf of the entire Barfield Home Inspection team, thank you for your partnership, your business and your trust. We are honored to continue to serve the Austin real estate community and appreciate your support. We will get through this and be stronger for it. Stay in touch and look for updates from our team by following us on Facebook and Instagram @BarfieldHomeInspection. In the coming weeks, we plan to provide additional resources for you and your clients as we all hunker down at home. Home improvement here we come!

Feel free to get in touch with any questions, and stay healthy out there,
Randy

Randy Barfield
Owner, Barfield Home Inspection
(512) 350-0123
randy@barfieldhomeinspection.com