Executive director, Home Builders Association of Dayton

The people of this community did not give in when times were at their worst but rallied around each other to help.

People’s lives were upended by circumstances out of their control, and yet, the community turned to strangers who became friends.

It is with those sentiments that we, the Home Builders Association of Dayton, have a due diligence, duty and pride in who our members are and how they serve the Dayton region throughout the year, and as importantly, in a time like this. It is our responsibility to do something and right now, we want to educate and inform and always be a resource to the community.

When you have been impacted by an event like the May 27 tornadoes throughout the Dayton region, you will be faced with hiring a professional contractor to make repairs or rebuild your home.

The following is a list of things to remember when hiring a contractor:

■ Ask for proof of a business license from the city of Dayton or local municipality.

■ Ask for proof of general liability and workman’s compensation insurance. A reputable contractor should be able to provide you an insurance certificate with your project listed as a certificate holder.

■ In Dayton, jobs should be permitted and inspected. You should check with the inspection department in your area for complete information on what is required.

■ Ask for references and check those references.

■ Verify the company’s permanent business address is in this area and not from out of state.

■ If you get more than one bid, be sure you are comparing apples to apples.

■ You should understand your contract and warranties that the builder will provide for the work performed. The contract should outline the scope of the work, price and at what points of completion payment is due.

■ Be wary of low bids – the lowest bid is not always the best.

■ Be wary of contractors who want full payment before the job begins.

Do your homework, proceed with care and remember that the Home Builders Association, more than any other networked association, has vetted out and promotes safety and regulatory standards that are imperative in protecting you, your famil, and your most valuable assets.

Find more resources like a complete listing of builders and subcontractors at HBADayton.com. These are local professional men and women who live and work in this community every day. They will be here long after this disaster is over – an out-of-town contractor will be long gone if the roof leaks next spring.

You can also call 937298-2900 for a list if you do not have internet access.

It’s a great time to work on a nice, clean yard if you’re trying to sell your home. Curb appeal is very important, but it’s only half of the battle.

When getting the inside of your home ready to sell, don’t be surprised if your Realtor tells you to clean up the clutter, pack up the knickknacks and ship it all off to storage before you put your home on the market.

What many sellers don’t realize is that buyers can’t visualize themselves in a home with too many personal items on display – especially items such as family photographs and various treasures a seller has collected over the years.

While you may have an interesting story to tell with decorations or photos, the buyer needs to be able to imagine how their personal items will occupy the space in your home. If your personal things are in the way of that vision, it can be a detrimental distraction that could cost you a buyer.

While sometimes sellers cannot move everything out of their home and into storage, all sellers should consider at least packing away some of the items housed in closets and cupboards. By packing these items away, a seller can easily create space in the potential buyer’s eye.

It is also recommended moving various pieces of furniture out of the house before marketing it as another way to create additional space within a room and help the potential buyer imagine their own furniture in place of yours.

If you can’t figure out what to put where, your Realtor can help you or give you the name of a home stager to help you make your home show the very best that it can.

Sellers can also check with their Realtor for contacts of storage facilities and movers in your area. Typically, storage facilities offer large garage-type storage spaces that are weatherproof. Some are temperature-controlled, and they offer high security with easy access for renters.

In some cases even semi-trailers are being used for portable storage units. These types of storage are very reasonable, with flexible lease terms to fit almost every need.

If you don’t wish to store some of your items, one popular way of cleaning out the clutter is to hold a yard sale. Another option is to donate the items to a local charity.

Sellers should think of themselves as living in a

Story

model home when they market their property. That means that in addition to making sure the home is constantly kept clean, they need to be willing to move their favorite chair, end table or couch out. It just makes it easier for a potential buyer to envision a home office in place of the cozy den you may have created.

Since buying a home is usually the biggest purchase of a consumer’s life, it gets frustrating for them if they cannot see past someone else’s clutter or design choices.

Finally, sellers should plan ahead. Too many times, sellers wait until the last minute to get their items moved and they end up paying more in the long run for services or space they don’t need because what they do need is not available at the time.

No matter what route a seller decides to take when clearing out the clutter, it is an investment in time and money that both the experts in the storage business and real estate profession agree is well worth it.

For more insights on making a good first impression, contact a Realtor with Dayton Realtors today.