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Oz Free Real Estate

Commercial Real Estate Listings in Australia - Ozfree now gives you the best houses available in the whole territory of Australia - apartments, rooms, flats, garage, parking spaces, lots are also available


Welcome to the part of Oz Free Real Estate Blog where you can get useful information about buying and selling properties. Our blog is composed of articles from different contributors around the world. If you'd like to submit to our blog, please send your work to: erfdelferro@ispx.com.ph. We may have to check your articles for accuracy to keep with our standards of providing valuable information to the readers.

Saturday, February 24, 2007

The Wonders of Painting Your Home for Sale



Article Written and Prepared by: Barbara Thorp



Let's admit it, whatever our reasons for being attracted to a real estate property for sale, whether they be location, size, price, proximity, etc, etc, whatever they are, it still boils down to one thing: We are still primarily motivated by what we see.


Which is why the paintwork is very crucial when you're considering putting up your home for sale. Indeed, paint spells the difference between a house that gets sold for a winsome price, and one that gets ignored.


Whether you need a major paint job for your home or just some minor touching up, only you can decide. But whatever you do, painting should be approached in a systematic manner.


The Basics in Painting.


If you have rooms that are on the small side, paint them with a lighter colour. Lighter colours make a room look larger. Conversely, dark colours make a room seem smaller.


Before you select colours, experiment with small patches of your house first. Colours in samples often translates to a very different appearance on your walls. To save money, time and frustration, buy a small amount of the colour of your choice and apply it to a small part of the wall in question. Let it dry and decide whether it is what you really want. Often, experimenting with colours can lead to spectacular results you didn't plan on. So don't be shy.


Remember to record the mix of the paint on the can so that whenever you need to re-order, you can effortlessly duplicate the right shade of colour.


What to Paint With.


Choosing the right paint depends on the particular area you're painting. Generally, there are two paint types: water based or solvent based.


Go for water-based paints when doing walls and ceilings. They're easy to apply, touch dry in 20 minutes, can usually be re-coated in two hours, and clean up in water.


A semi-gloss or satin finish acrylic, on the other hand, gives a hardy surface in high traffic areas, such as kitchens, family rooms or children's rooms.


Flat or low sheen acrylic or vinyls are better suited for more formal areas like dining rooms, bedrooms and lounge rooms.


For ceilings, try a special ultra flat plastic known as ceiling white that helps mask imperfections. But choose one that doesn't drip.


For areas that need constant cleaning, such as doors, windows and furniture, or walls subjected to frequent dampness, you can't go wrong with solvent-based enamel paint. It gives hard-wearing surfaces a tough finish. Kitchens, bathrooms and laundry rooms are popular with enamel paint.


At the end of the day, the physical appearance of your home will be the reason a prospective buyer will make an offer. Paint your way to a successful home for sale then.


























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Barbara write articles and press releases for http://www.ozfreeonline.com - this piece she made served as an article exclusive for http://realestate.ozfreeonline.com - which offers a comprehensive list of office & commercial real estates, homes for rent or sell and an apartment finder to thousands of properties in Australia.


Saturday, February 17, 2007

Renovate Your Kitchen and Up the Value of Your Real Estate for Sale



Article Written and Prepared by: Barbara Thorp




Renovating a kitchen can be haggard and time-consuming, but we all have to start somewhere if we want to create the kitchen of our dreams. Kitchens are one of the busiest rooms in the house and where people always congregate, which is why it deserves much attention. What you might be surprised to find out is that kitchen renovations can even up the value should you decide to put up your home for sale.

  1. When renovating real estates for sale, a kitchen can be a nice starting point. You can choose to either keep the kitchen's original layout, or start over from scratch. You can open up your kitchen and connect it to the living and entertaining area so that you are always a part of what’s going on there. Council approval or permits are generally not needed for internal renovations of kitchens, unless required by the current building code in your area. If you intend to actually extend the real estate you will need plans and council permits, get expert advice first.



  2. If you like the general design of your current kitchen and want a less expensive option, you can simply replace the cupboards, benches and fittings, plus add new appliances. You don't have to pay for relocation of taps, sinks and power points, which means you save quite a deal of money on plumbing and electricals.


  3. If you decide to start from scratch, it will be more expensive but you will have complete choice of how you utilize the space. It also gives you the opportunity to have more bench space and storage space – two things you can never have enough of. Get exact measurements of the space available, and entrust the project to a trusted builder so you know you're getting what you have envisioned.


  4. Consider installing environment-friendly features such as water-saving taps and energy-efficient appliances. Buyers appreciate real estate property for sale that boasts of eco-friendly features unlike the ordinary ones.


  5. To plan a cost-effective and stress-free kitchen renovation, do your work in the following order: plumbing, electricals, cabinetmaking/carpentry, bench tops, splash backs and flooring. Finally, after appliances have been installed, you can proceed with the painting and installing the blinds.


So there. Five things you might want to consider when readying your home for sale. Transform your kitchen into something stunning yet functional and you know the rest of the story.























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Barbara write articles and press releases for http://www.ozfreeonline.com - this piece she made served as an article exclusive for http://realestate.ozfreeonline.com - which offers a comprehensive list of office & commercial real estates, homes for rent or sell and an apartment finder to thousands of properties in Australia.


Thursday, February 08, 2007

Stand Your Ground When Choosing Hardwood Flooring



Article Written and Prepared by: Neoli Marcos




Tiles, carpet, or laminate? These days, it is not enough to just have floor in your house; you simply have to have the best floor. Why not consider a hardwood floor then?




A hardwood floor is a handsome and durable substitute to carpeted or laminated floor. Due to its warm tones and distinctiveness, wood dramatically changes the appearance and atmosphere of a room.



Exclusive. Your wooden floor will be truly exclusive to you, not only because of the natural grain, which is unique, but also because you have the option of designing your own floor. When you do, you get to choose the exact pattern you would like on your floor. Mixing woods together gives a remarkable effect and endless pattern can be created. Hardwood floors even add more market value to your home so the next time you put up your home for sale, you are confident your home will fetch a good price.



Elegant. For centuries, wood has been used in the home and many of the homes for sale in Australia have opted to use wood to bring warmth and character to every style and décor. Nothing beats a wooden floor when it comes to enduring quality and touch of class it brings to any home. Buyers of real estates and homes for sale will be more than willing to shell out the additional price for the elegance of a wooden floor.



Healthy. Dust, dust mites, fleas and other nastiest can be trapped in carpet pile. Unlike carpets where even the most powerful vacuum cleaner cannot remove all traces of dirt, a wood floor helps end allergy and respiratory problems, precisely because it is easy to clean and free of dust. Also, a real wood floor retains warmth and keeps draughts at bay. This can be added selling point to your real estate property should you want to put your home for sale in the future.



Sensible. The wear and tear of everyday life can take its toll on a carpet, but a hardwearing wood floor will last for years if looked after properly. It requires minimal maintenance to keep it looking good.



Economical. Unlike carpets, wooden floors are durable and will pay for itself in a few year's time. Furthermore, a wooden floor may not cost any more than a superior carpet, and better still, it will probably even turn out to be the cheaper alternative.



So there, stand your ground when choosing a hardwood floor for your real estate. At the end of the day, you will be glad you did!






















_________________________

Neoli write articles and press releases for http://www.ozfreeonline.com - this piece he made served as an article exclusive for http://realestate.ozfreeonline.com - which offers a comprehensive list of office & commercial real estates, homes for rent or sell and an apartment finder to thousands of properties in Australia.