Jim Valentine: Spring real estate chores

Whether you are selling, spring is an active time for property owners. As we shake off the challenges of winter and prepare for the upcoming summer there can be a lot to get done.

The inside part is relatively easy, open the windows and get fresh air into your home. If you cycle your closet from winter to summer it’s time to put away the boots, gloves and other cold weather gear until next fall.

Outside its prep time. Start by getting ahead of the weeds. Weeds thrive in Nevada and must be dealt with. If you have DG or gravel walkways you might want to put down some pre-emergent weed killer. It will prevent them from taking hold and growing in those areas.

If you are too late then you might want to spray them when they are young to keep them down. If they get away, then you’ll be spraying or weed-eating that area. Get ahead of them and stay ahead as the summer progresses.

If you have ditches, culverts or drainage areas on your property be sure to clean them out before water comes. If they are irrigation ditches the water will be coming soon. If not, be aware that the spring showers will be coming and those can generate a lot of water flow in a hurry that can be disastrous if your ditches aren’t clean.

Remember, you aren’t just protecting your property, but others beside and downstream from you that will be impacted by flooding if your ditches/culverts plug up. Look at your trees. You might find broken limbs from the winter storms.

Often, they fall by the tree, but you can find some that got hung up and didn’t make it to the ground. For safety reasons it is a good idea to liberate them from the clutches of the tree, so they do no damage falling on their own.

Leaves are likely to be strewn about even if you did a good job last fall cleaning them up. The winds bring in leaves from the neighbors’ properties and they always seem to find crevices to build up in. This can also affect water flow and inhibit new growth of your flowers and other young plants.

Check your gates and fencing to see how they fared through the winter. Winds can shake things loose, which can put your pets in danger. Whether it’s from them escaping or providing easier access to your yard for predators, the security you are used to from your fence may be compromised.

Check the latches, the joints where things come together, and for erosion at the bottom that could leave an opening for ingress or egress. Paint can take a beating in our climate. No time like spring to freshen things up with touch-up paint.

Just as nature freshens itself in spring, so you can freshen your home with touches of care to help you and your neighbors appreciate your asset fully. A little elbow grease expended now when it’s cool will allow you to relax in the shade with a cool one when summer hits full stride.

Protect your investment by caring for those things that Mother Nature has done, or may do in the future, to your property. It is natural that she massages your property as she does, and it is good for you to prepare for the next season as you close out that just leaving.

Just like selling a car, people will pay more for those well taken care of than those that were run into the ground. Spring is a time of new beginnings.

From the many young animals, we will see over the next couple of months to the fresh starts of vegetation that we will all enjoy, it is a time to begin anew. Spruce up your property and enjoy the recreational opportunities of summer that are just ahead.

When it comes to choosing professionals to assist you with your Real Estate needs… Experience is Priceless! Jim Valentine, RE/MAX Gold Carson Valley, 775-781-3704. dpwtigers@hotmail.com