It is frustrating to have to spend money on items that have no aesthetic value and bring us no personal pleasure, things like dead tree removal, replacing a water heater in your Los Angeles homecleaning, or mechanical car repairs. You know, the type of unexpected expenses that blow your budget. Especially upsetting are those outlays of cash that probably could have been prevented with some proactive steps on your part.

There are, indeed, things you can do to prolong the life of your home, yard, cars, and the like, thus avoiding (or at least delaying) those unexpected expenditures that throw your budget off balance. Check out these helpful hints--and follow them--for a less stressful life.

INSIDE YOUR LOS ANGELES HOME:

  1. Drain the sediment from your home water heater at least once a year, extending its life.
  2. Clean the filters for the heating and air conditioning system in your Los Angeles home at least twice a year. Vacuum in the spring before you start using the air conditioning and again in the fall before using the heating system. Your unit will not have to work as hard to heat and cool your house, which will help preserve the life of the unit. Have the unit checked and serviced every couple of years to hold off the much greater expense of having to replace the entire unit.
  3. Perform touch up paint jobs around the interior of the home as needed to save on more time consuming and costly undertakings later. Keep an eye on exterior paint as well. By putting off needed paint, your home will experience more damage from sun, water, wind, etc. In the long run, it will require much more extensive work (translates to bigger bucks) to restore the condition of your home.
  4. Clean gutters around your home at least once, if not twice a year. We experienced a very costly repair several years ago when our gutters were backed up and the water accumulated in an area that seeped under our house, coming up through the foundation and ruining our carpets! This could have been prevented by clearing the gutters before the storm occurred. Live and learn.
  5. Clean your carpets regularly and you will save on the high cost of having to replace your carpets. We finally purchased a Bissell carpet cleaner that cost less than the price of having our carpets cleaned professionally one time. We were impressed with what a great job it did and how much dirt we picked up. Now we can pull it out when there is an accident, and we can use it to clean the high traffic areas more frequently. You can also rent a carpet cleaner, borrow one from a friend, or split the cost with a friend or neighbor and make a joint purchase. Clean spills and stains immediately when they occur to prevent them from setting. Club soda is a simple and effective cleaner to keep in your cabinet to help with most spills.
  6. If you use your fireplace for wood burning, be sure to have the chimney cleaned annually. The cost to have it cleaned is much less than the costs you will incur if you have a chimney fire due to clogged residue. Many times we think these things only happen to other people, but don’t kid yourself – it can and does happen all of the time.
  7. Care for your furniture by keeping upholstery clean and wood protected with a good preserving oil or cleaner. You can use the vacuum cleaner attachment for the upholstery. Additional tip: place furniture of coasters to protect wood floors or carpet.

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Eileen Walsh has a reputation for tough, yet fair, negotiation, and for facilitating real estate transactions to a successful close. She has earned the loyalty of repeat clients who rely on her for all of their real estate needs. Eileen's goals are to ensure Los Angeles real estate sellers that they receive top net dollar for their properties in the shortest amount of time and to help Los Angeles homebuyers find the property which best meets their objectives at the fairest price. 

Empowered with the appropriate people skills, market knowledge, deal-making track record and dedication to her clients, Eileen has shown that she is THE INTELLIGENT CHOICE to represent you in your next Los Angeles real estate transaction.

For more information about buying or selling your Los Angeles home, please call Eileen direct at 310-738-3807 or via email at eileenwalsh.realestate@gmail.com.