Do you know one of the most searched home related questions on the internet? Dry basement and questions related to keeping your basement dry are searched over 1300 times each month. Check out our video here:   For those of us that live in northeast Wisconsin – especially Oshkosh and Neenah, we struggle with keeping water out of our basements.  When we take buyers through a home or have an inspection done, one of the single biggest callouts are related to water, dampness or evidence of water in the basement. As a homeowner there are a few simple things that we can do during spring, summer and fall to protect and help our basement situation.  Here are some simple tips and reminders that any homeowner CAN and SHOULD do.  I’ve done each of them personally myself--- you can too! Always make sure your downspouts are DOWN and pulling rain water away from the house. Next time your teenager mows the lawn, remind him or her to put those spouts back down after the mowing. Does the landscaping along side your foundation slope towards or away from the house? You want that soil and landscaping to slant away. How often are you cleaning your gutters of debris? The recommended timing for that is twice per season.  My fiancé is a stickler for this so he tends to do it once a month or more.  It has helped with my water issues tremendously.  If you have mature trees like I do, sticks, leaves, debris from the trees are constantly plugging up the hole the exits downward.  (and a little hint, don’t blow out your gutters too soon after a rain… I might have a little experience in that.) When you put your sump hose out this spring--- check them for small leaks that can be putting moisture back towards your house. Make sure the water runs far enough away from your foundation. I was also recently told by an inspector that having your lawn maintained helps with seepage back toward the house. That includes keeping the grass and landscaping in somewhat good shape and picking up debris.  All of that contributes to the overall health of your yard and home. Healthy grass absorbs the heavy rain; pulling water away from your foundation. We tend to have really wet springs here in Wisconsin and the clay that our homes are built on tends to suck up that moisture and create issues for us in lots of ways.  By being a little more diligent doing these foundation preventive maintenance items, I have had a noticeable difference in my water issue in my basement.  You can too! Check out Lauren's Spring Home Hacks here:  Follow us on Facebook and Instagram: https://www.facebook.com/joinfreedomteam https://www.facebook.com/valeriecohn.gehrke/ https://www.facebook.com/kyle.meyer.965 https://www.facebook.com/lauren.nobbe.3 https://www.instagram.com/joinfreedom https://www.instagram.com/vcohngehrke/ Freedom Team Real Estate Agents serving Appleton, Neenah, Oshkosh, Fond du lac and surrounding areas in Wisconsin.  Check us out at www.joinfreedomteam.com or by calling us at 920-410-7230 today.

Are you thinking of selling your home? There are several simple things that you can do to maximize your home sale to prepare your home to sell quickly and for the most money. When we are walking through houses one of the most common things that we see is clutter. This is also one of the easiest fixes. If you're planning on selling, you're going to eventually be packing up your things to move, so why not pack them now and set your home up for a successful sale? This could be knick-knacks, framed photos, clothes that aren't being used---anything that you can pack away until the move is complete. You may want to rent a storage unit until you've moved in.  When you have your realtor take photos for online pictures, clutter stands out and is a major deterrent to buyers that are seeing your home mostly online for the first impression. Another thing to do is determine if there are any fixtures or appliances that will not stay. This could be light fixtures, appliances, tv wall mounts, or anything else that is attached to the house that you plan on keeping.  If so, remove or replace those items now and make sure that you disclose any that may not be in good working order. You could also make any minor home repairs that your home needs.  This could be adding a fresh coat of paint (using a neutral color)or replacing broken faucets. Fix damaged flooring or patch up any holes in the wall. Look for electrical outlet and switch plate covers.  Touch up with paint where necessary. Also remember that most buyers will come through your front entrance, so anything that you can do to spruce that up add curb appeal make your entrance look inviting is helpful. Lastly, CLEAN. Buyers notice when a seller chooses not to do a deep cleaning.  If you don't enjoy cleaning, this may mean hiring that out just before you're ready to list your home, and then maintaining that through showings. And remember you're moving on so you will have to do some packing and cleaning anyway.  If you take the time to do it right before you put your home on the market, your home will sell more quickly and for more money. Checkout Lauren’s VIDEO as she walks through these tips: How to prepare your house for sale & a Home Selling Tips Checklist Also feel free to print out our helpful HOME SELLING TIPS CHECKLIST.   Freedom Team Real Estate Agents serving Appleton, Neenah, Oshkosh, Fond du lac and surrounding areas in Wisconsin.  Check us out at www.joinfreedomteam.com or by calling us at 920-410-7230 today.