blog.MikeJaquish, REALTOR

I saw it in yesterday’s Raleigh News and Observer, a reprint of an article from the Washington Times.
Wallpaper is staging a comeback!!!
Read all about it here!

I had heard wallpaper rumblings and rumors. A year or so ago, HGTV Househunters featured a fellow who wanted a condo where he could unleash his burgeoning wallpapering talents.
And, it seems that anytime something falls as far from grace as wallpaper assuredly has, it rebounds into the spotlight again just to keep us on our toes.

I worked hard many years ago to develop wallpaper hanging skills. To cut and match and plumb and level well enough to let people see my work.
About the time I got good at it (Or so I thought), wallpaper fell completely out of favor.
And now, my skill is redeemed! Wallpaper is back!

So, you have a home to sell in Cary? And now your wallpaper is back in favor, right? Not so fast. It can be expensive to be a trendsetter out on the bleeding edge of the cutting edge.
I have yet to hear Buyers mention “Wallpaper” without wrinkling up their noses at the concept.
And a new media fad doesn’t mean that your floral 1990′s have suddenly become chic, in, old school hot, desirable, retro. Not at all. And that foil paper? Buh-bye!
Decor is a personal and volatile subject. Your delight may well be a well-qualified Buyer’s stupor. And we all know there is no excess of well-qualified Buyers.

The advice to strip and paint is going to be with us for a while, I am afraid.

How many cars can you fit into a 2 car garage?

What makes a garage a 2 car garage?  Or a 3 car garage?
How can you tell?

The big door in front won't tell you.  You can get a pretty big door on a pretty small garage.

We see Cary listing agents marketing 2 car garages, or 3 car garages, for their seller.  But, some garages are so tight, it is difficult to imagine parking two cars and being able to open their doors.

Or, as often done in Cary, the water heater is placed in the garage, in the parking space.  Or the builder adds a flight of stairs from the garage to the living area, and that flight of stairs encroaches into a parking space.

Et cetera…

So, when working as a buyers agent, I take a very close look at the garage layout, the dimensions, and other factors that can impact the utility of the space.  And sometimes I will tell my home buyers, "Well, heck.  That's a 4 car garage.  If you own 4 Smart cars."  In other words, you will work hard to park 2 cars in that garage.

Zoysia Sod Installation

We are seeing more and more real estate listings touting “drought-tolerant Zoysia grass” in the Cary area. I think there is merit to that promotion by listing agents and home sellers. I had Empire Zoysia sod installed last week at home.  In near 100 degree heat.  It is supposed to be a "warm season" turf, and I surely hope so.

Green Level Environmental Landscaping did a great installation, and I was impressed how the crew pressed through the heat to finish.

Why Zoysia?  It will turn brown in winter, and some folks don't care for that.  But, it also will deal with the stresses of hot weather, will spread to repair itself, and will tolerate more abuse than fescue will.  Zoysia grows thick like carpet and offers a luxurious lawn grass.

I also shot some Before, During, and After photos of the project:

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Thousands of homes in Cary NC neighborhoods, built from the mid-1980's through the mid-1990's were plumbed with polybutylene water supply lines.

Polybutylene water line systems have a history of higher than expected failure, to the point that the manufacturers settled a class-action law suit with an agreement.
That said, I don't consider Polybutylene Pipe  to be a deal-breaker if found in an otherwise desirable home.  Location, Lot, and Layout are still most important.  And, if the system is working without issues known to the homeowner, the existence of Polybutylene piping in a Cary NC home is not even a material fact that is required to be disclosed to a potential buyer.  A buyer may be able to negotiate for credit for replumbing, or an agreeable price that considers the cost of replumbing.  Again, thought, the existence of polybutylene piping is not a violation of any building code, and is not a material defect.
 

As a real estate agent working for buyer clients, I tell them that, to the best of my ability, they will not write an offer on a home from the 1980's or 1990's until we determine whether it was plumbed with polybutylene water lines.
I try to help them avoid paying a home inspector a few hundred dollars to tell them that they have PB pipe, particularly if they consider it a deal breaker.
A photo of PEX water lines (the white pipes) connecting a replacement water heater to an existing polybutylene piping system:

Identifying Polybutylene water supply piping can be accomplished in a few different ways. 

Often it can be seen coming through a wall at the water heater.  Sometimes it is exposed at laundry room connections, or under sinks or vanities.

My preferred method is to look in a crawl space or basement to see what water line material was used.

For further information on polybutylene piping uses and issues, here is a great article by Kenny Hart, former plumber, real estate agent, and home inspector.

Welcome to Spring, in Cary, North Carolina.
Soon we will be into the spring termite activity season. Termites will swarm in attempts to settle new colonies. And they can be pretty dramatic when they swarm in and around a home.
This is also the time of year when termite control sales kick into high gear. Homeowners become unnerved by swarmers and have homes inspected. Evidence of termites unnerves them more and many will contract for a termite treatment. It is a busy time for the termite treatment technicians.
Don’t take termites too lightly. But, don’t panic over them, either. Despite what the TV ads show you, termites will not devour your home in a weekend, or in a week, or a month, or even a year.

Yes, they can get well-established, and over time, they are capable of significant damage. But, it is not necessary to hire the first termite control company that offers a quote. You have time to take a week or so and interview a few service providers, and make a choice without being in a terrible rush.
So, if it is time to have termite treatment performed, do it logically, methodically, and dispense with the fear and doubt that the television commercials are trying to provoke.

Bradford Pears are currently in bloom in Cary, and are very common ornamental trees. Continue reading ‘Bradford Pears: Beautiful in Bloom. Weak in Structure.’ »

See, that hose bibb, the valve in the photo below? Continue reading ‘House stuff: Don’t let your garden hose flood your home!’ »

Under the auspices of the Triangle, Piedmont Triad and Charlotte, North Carolina Chapters of the US Green Building Council, and presented by NC State University’s Solar Center, the Raleigh Convention Center will be the home of the 5th Annual Green Building Trade Show for North Carolina. Continue reading ‘GreenNC Tradeshow, Raleigh, NC, September 9, 9 to 5’ »

I get a kick out of watching the house frame go together.  The crane lifting trusses to start the roof framing is a favorite. Continue reading ‘Topping off the house’ »

The topic of polybutylene plumbing pipes recently sparked a little exchange in another venue, one in which I just had to participate. Continue reading ‘Modern and New Homes? Or Historical and Older?’ »