5007 Navajo Dr. is a wonderful drive up appeal on a corner lot in Cheyenne Crossing of West Frisco. This is an open floor plan with a wall of windows in family room overlooking the sparkling pool and spa with a beautiful waterfall. The backyard oasis also offers a magnificent outdoor kitchen and arbor.

The kitchen is spacious with an island and is open to the huge great room with soaring ceilings. A larger master retreat with a marble fireplace is a great place to relax. There is a finished study with built-in cabinets and hardwood floors. This house boast gorgeous decorator’s colors throughout the home and has picture frame and crown molding throughout.

For more information on this great neighborhood and all the homes; contact Shelly Wiginton with RE/MAX Summit Realty who is a Cheyenne Crossing homeowner. www.shellywiginton.com

Garbage Disposal

• Disposal does not make any sound when the switch is turned on. The most likely cause is no power to the unit.

1.) Most disposals have a “Reset” button on the bottom or side of the unit, this acts as a “built in” circuit breaker. Depress this button to reset the unit.
2.) If step 1 does not help, try resetting the designated circuit breaker in your electrical panel.

• If the disposal makes any sound at all (i.e. buzzing) when turned on, it probably means the unit has power but is jammed.

Use an “Allen” wrench to un-jam the unit. This is a five sided tool (”L” shaped) that will fit into the bottom of the disposal ($2-$3 at a hardware store). With the unit turned off or unplugged, insert this into the bottom of the disposal. Move it clockwise and counter clockwise to loosen the jammed unit. Sometimes you can reach into the disposal and remove the item if it is large enough. Always Unplug The Garbage Disposal Before Reaching Into The Unit. Once you believe the unit to be clear of the jam, plug the unit back in and turn the disposal on to see if it rotates!

• Disposal drains slowly.

Pour 1 cup each of baking soda, salt & vinegar. Pour baking soda & salt into drain, immediately followed by vinegar. Let sit for approximately 15-20 minutes. As you wait, boil a pot of water. After the 15-20 minutes, pour the boiling water down the drain to flush the pipes out. Note: Do not use this remedy if you have already used a store-bought remedy in the same drain.

• Disposal doesn’t seem to chop the food well or drain has an odor.

Fill an ice cube tray ½ full of vinegar and ½ full of water. Once the cubes are frozen, place them down the disposal 2-3 cubes a week for about a month and this will not only sharpen the blades, but keep your drain clean at the same time! (Lemon peels also work well for odors).

If you need more information or a contractor referral contact TEAM DECELL. Call 214-975-3210.

Garage Door Opener

• The door does not open or close smoothly.

Garage door openers have a tension knob on the back of the opener which needs to be adjusted to the weight of the door. In the winter, wooden doors may absorb moisture thus making them heavier. This will result in the door operating with a “jerking” motion.

The tension knob is located on the back, side or front exterior of the opener. There are usually indicators that read “higher/lower” or “increase/decrease”. Adjust this knob slightly to one direction, test the door, if that doesn’t help, turn the knob the other direction, until you are satisfied with the door’s function.

• Door reverses in mid-opening or closing.

Remove any obstructions in the hinge/spring area. Most units have an automatic reversing feature in the event the door hits an obstruction.

Many units have an “electric eye” or sensor that may become obstructed. If so, remove the obstruction. At times these sensors may become misaligned. If the light on the sensor is blinking, it means the two sensors are not aligned and need to be adjusted to become aligned. Once alignment is made, the lights will discontinue to “blink” and the “obstruction” will be eliminated.

For more Information or if you need a referral contact TEAM DECELL.

Electrical

• No power to an outlet.
  First try resetting your circuit breaker. If that isn’t effective, and a bathroom or kitchen outlet is affected, it could be a tripped GFI. The GFI is a “mini” breaker located inside an outlet within 10 feet of water (ie: a sink). This GFI “button” tends to be red with test/reset noted on it, located directly on the outlet cover. This prevents electrocution by shutting off power immediately if electrical current comes in contact with water.

  A GFI is most likely located:

  1.) In the bathroom.
  2.) In the kitchen.
  3.) In the garage.
  4.) At the circuit breaker panel box.

  Regardless of where it is located, it is likely that all the kitchen and bathroom circuits are hooked through this outlet. Builders generally install one GFI and then wire other outlets through it. Look in these areas for the GFI and be sure the reset button is depressed.

• No power to an outlet or a specific light switch does not work.
  Replacing an outlet or switch is actually a very minor repair. With the power turned off to the area, it is not at all dangerous. The parts can be purchased for around $5 and the local hardware store can walk you through the steps to replace.

Dishwasher

• The dishwasher will not drain.
  The dishwasher does not necessarily have a mechanical malfunction if it does not drain properly. Read on for our simple ways to cure this problem!

  1.) Inside the dishwasher at the bottom of the unit there is what looks like an upside down cup. This is the float or pressure switch that should move up and down freely. Gently attempt to move it, if any large food particles, glass, plastic, etc. have become lodged under this switch, remove them so the unit can function properly.

  2.) If the float switch is ok, then there may be a clog in the air gap. This is the hose that runs under the sink from the dishwasher to the silver cap on top of the sink. There may be an obstruction in the line or in the air gap itself. Remove the silver or plastic cap that exposes the air gap. If you see an obstruction (ie: food particles, etc.), remove them. If no obstruction is visible, the top of the air gap should pop or unscrew. Remove it to find out if you can see any other obstruction. If still no obstruction is visible, invert a plastic cup over the air gap opening (making sure the cup is suctioned tightly to the sink) then advance the dishwasher timer to the drain cycle to start pumping water through the line. If the obstruction is in the line, it should be pressurized out of the air gap opening. Be sure to keep your hand on the cup to prevent the water pressure from pushing it out of place. If the water runs through the air gap, shut off the dishwasher and reassemble the air gap.

  3.) If the disposal was recently replaced, the installer may have failed to remove the plug on the side of the disposal where the drain hose connects, thus the unit will not drain. This plug normally requires a special tool and can be rather difficult to remove. To prevent damaging the unit, contact the installer directly to remove the plug.

• The dishwasher leaks from the door.
  Liquid soap suds cause leakage around the door. Switching to powder soap will solve this problem. If you have been using liquid soap, place a cup of vinegar in the dishwasher and run it through a cycle. This will remove the remaining liquid soap from the system. If this does not solve the problem, refer to the above solution. The leakage could be a result of the unit not draining properly.
• Water sprays or drains out of the air gap.
  This means there is a clog in the line between the air gap and the disposal. The hose under the sink can be removed very easily and the clog can be removed. Be sure to re-attach the hose entirely to prevent any leakage problems.
• The dishwasher is not cleaning the dishes well/soap is not dissolving.
  Soap properly dissolves if the water temperature is above 140 degrees. Try increasing the temperature on the water heater or run the faucet at the kitchen sink until it comes out hot prior to starting the dishwasher.

1) The Gracious Welcome

Although the buyer is a guest in your home, you want the buyer to imagine owning the home. You don’t want to make the buyer feel like an intruder.

·Don’t expect the buyer to remove their shoes, unless you are selling to a buyer for whom religious or cultural reasons mandate it. Otherwise, the presumption is insulting.

·Leave the house, the buyer won’t talk about the house in front of you or open doors with you standing there.

·Don’t pressure or hurry the buyer. Tell the buyer to take all the time that is needed.

·Leave a bowl of wrapped candy or other treats near the front door with a small note thanking the buyer for coming to see your home.

2) Check the Temperature

·Now is not the time to worry about your utility bill. If it’s cold enough to wear a sweater to stay warm, turn on the heat.

·If it’s warm outside, turn on the air conditioning. It’s better to heat or cool the house a degree or two warmer / colder than usual and then set the temperature at normal. This prevents the heat or A/C from kicking on when the buyer is present, because some HVAC systems are loud.

·You want the temperature inside to be comfortable and to give the buyer more of a reason to linger, especially on hot or cold days!

3) Create a Mood

·Light a fire in the fireplace.

·Make it romantic by placing two champagne glasses on a nearby table.

·Turn on soft music. I used to play Enya until one day I heard it piped in at a mortuary.

·If you have water fountains, turn them on. They are especially useful for drowning out traffic noise.

4) Play Down the Scent

·Many people are allergic to certain scents and deodorizers, so don’t spray the air or plug-in air fresheners. Fix the problem smell.

·Don’t burn candles or spray perfume in the bedroom for the same reason.

·If weather permits, open the windows — if there is too much noise outside, close them.

·If you’re going to bake cookies or simmer spices such as cinnamon in water on the stove, put out munchies so buyers aren’t disappointed. More than one buyer has said, “Oh, darn, I thought there were cookies in here!”

5) Play Up the Visual

·If you have seasonal photographs showcasing flower gardens, leaves bursting in color or a snow-covered lawn twinkling from street lights, then display them in a prominent position.

·Open all the window coverings to let in light.

·Keep blinds partially closed that otherwise show undesirable outdoor scenery such as a dilapidated fence or a nearby structure that obstructs views.

6) Light up the House

·Turn on every light in the house, including appliance lights and closet lights.

·Brighten dark rooms with few windows by placing spot lights on the floor behind furniture.

·Turn off TV.

7) Encourage Touching

·Drape sensuous fabrics such as velvet or silk throws over chair arms.

·Leave doors slightly ajar.

·If you have carpeting, vacuum in one direction.

Provide Thoughtful Cards

Attach printed cards to items and in rooms that provide further information the buyer might miss or might not know. You have so little time to make an impression.

·If you have an antique chandelier in your dining room, put a card on it that discloses its age and other important details.

·If you have removed the washer and dryer from the laundry room, attach a card to the wall describing the room.  

·Take care when placing a card that says: “Not included in the sale.” That will make a buyer want it, but you can play that later to your advantage.

9) Top It Off With Food

The best way to entice buyers to linger and notice even more details about your home is to offer them food. You don’t need to cater a lunch, but finger sandwiches, cookies, soft drinks, water, desserts, all are welcome.

·Set out serving utensils, if needed.

·Provide plates, cups and napkins. They can be paper products.

·In plain sight, provide a waste receptacle.

10) Encourage Buyer Feedback

·Near the snacks, leave pens and a stack of preprinted questionnaire cards or a guest book to sign.

·Buyers will feel obligated to respond to your request after being fed.

·The showing feedback you receive will be invaluable.

·Allow buyer anonymity.