Use Caution When Removing Leaded Paint

Experts are warning again about the dangers of removing leaded paint products in your home. If your home was constructed prior to 1978, there is a 75% chance that there is leaded paint somewhere on the walls. Take heed, as this would be true of many of our homes in the older Portland Homes for sale. Leaded paint is not harmless until you go to remove it. Take all precautions when sanding or removing the paint. 

Check with your city’s building department regarding any regulations regarding the removal and disposal of leaded paint chips and air dust.

Faced with strict local removal and disposal regulations, many painters prefer to leave lead removal to licensed subcontractors. “Abatement is more than just having the equipment and sucking up the dust,” says Portland, Ore., painting contractor Kathleen George. “You need to understand and follow all the rules. I prefer calling in a pro so that I can focus on painting.”

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Time To Upgrade That Old Fireplace

According to the National Association of Home Builders, fireplaces rank among the top three features desired by new homebuyers, but unfortunately, traditional fireplaces can send up to 8 percent of valuable furnace-heated air out through the chimney, making them really fun to look at but inefficient as heating sources. You can transform your firebox in your Portland Home into an efficient room heater by adding an insert, installed by a factory-trained professional (to ensure proper venting and best efficiency results), will draft-proof an open fireplace while the unit’s shell keeps heat in the room.

Check out the possible tax credit and the savings on your monthly heating bill and it might be time to look into installing a new fireplace insert.

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Portland Homes: Tree Maintenance

We all spend much time checking the overall condition of our  Portland homes, garages, patios and just about everything around our property to be sure everything remains in good shape. Now with winter almost upon us, how many of us have really checked out the condition of the large trees in our yards? We check our roofs and gutters, the siding and the windows, doors and driveway but we also should check the condition of the trees and their limbs. Many accidents happen in the winter when heavy rains and snow begins falling putting extra weight on the limbs and branches causing them to break under the stress. Even the main trunk should be checked regularly for problems that might cause the tree to fall over easily, even though it may look sturdy enough. Pests and disease can eat away at a large tree and weaken it over time.  If you are not familiar with the different diseases and pests that can harm a live tree, seek some professional advise and you might save yourself many problems later on when the tree finally gives way to heavy winds and rain, or snow.

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Help for Low Income Families to Purchase a Portland Home

Through the free, statewide Home ownership Hotline, this group offers free information for first-time home buyers who often face multiple barriers to home ownership. By calling WHC, you will be given a home ownership readiness assessment. This basic assessment includes a review of your family size and income, credit history, housing and location requirements, and other factors used to determine eligibility for a variety of first time buyer programs. You will then be referred to the appropriate resources and encouraged to call us back throughout the process for further assistance. This is a great first step to owning your own Portland home.

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Advice on Moving Insurance

You are all excited and about to relocate to your new Vancouver or Portland  home .  Are you going to pack and move everything yourself, or hire a professional moving company? Moving can be an exciting experience but it involves much hard work, worry and responsibility. If you are using a professional company to move you, you should be aware that you can purchase moving insurance to cover any loss or damage to your property. Your moving company usually can provide you with a referral or agent to talk to on this. If you are moving yourself, then you usually can obtain this type of coverage through your homeowners or renter’s insurance agent. When thinking about moving insurance prepare yourself with your receipts, full descriptions of all items and even take photographs of the major, or expensive items to be moved. Remember, some moving expenses are tax deductible so check with your accountant to see what you can or cannot use as deductions on your taxes.

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