What's Eating You? Maybe it's Termites...

Don't let termites prevent the sale of your home.

There are a few signs that may indicate there might be an infestation. Termites tend to be most active in states with warmer climates, but can be found nearly anywhere and the varieties of the insects differ depending on the area and climate.

Many homeowners don't think about the possibility of having termites until they're getting ready to sell their home. Unfortunately, a history of termite issues can eat away at the sales price. Being prepared and understanding what to expect from an inspection is not only helpful but could help ensure a better price and smoother home sale.

Here's what you should know about termites.

If my neighbor's home is infested; will mine be attacked next? TermiteInstitute.com says not necessarily. However, the risk is, of course, high. Preventive treatment is recommended.

How are homes treated for termites? The methods vary depending on the severity and the professional company that you choose but a couple different methods include, termite bait systems (requires termites to eat poisonous food) and, liquid termite treatment (poisonous liquid applied throughout the structure and surrounding soil).

Will my homeowners' insurance pay for treatment? It's not likely. Although, in some areas of Louisiana some insurance companies have covered termite treatments for those structures that suffered hurricane damage.

While termites are annoying and can certainly eat away at your sale price. They can cause severe structural damage, but they are not harmful to humans. It's best to know right away whether you have an infestation and what your options are to resolve the problem. It could save you money and frustration when it comes time to close the sale on your house.

How to Prepare for Open Houses

Many sellers love houses, but having to clean and get their home organized to possibly snag a buyer.

But preparing for an open house doesn't have to be difficult. If you're living in your home and trying to show it, here are a few quick tips to get you organized.

- Coil it up! This might not come to mind right away but, until everything is wireless, we have to deal with those unsightly long cords. Using devices, such as the Cableyoyo or even twist-ties, will clean up the clutter and leave your electronic areas looking much better. When you have electrical cords in a jumble behind your entertainment center (but still in view) it creates a feeling of chaos and clutter--not to mention, the cables collect dust and then can create an impression in the buyer's mind that the home is dirty.

- Off the table into the portable bin. Get a portable file cabinet--small but one that can hold about a week's worth of papers. Leave it in the living room and instruct family members to place their papers in their labeled folder when they're finished reading them.

Homework, newspapers, documents that need signing should all be placed in the family member's folder and not stuffed in between couch cushions, entertainment center shelves, or left on the coffee table. Just before the open house, you can easily and quickly do a sweep of the rooms, picking up papers and storing them in the appropriate folder in the portable file cabinet.

- You don't want Guns 'n Roses singing "Welcome to the Jungle". Go green selectively. We're talking house plants in this next tip. The folks at HGTV recommend that your house plants be placed on a cute stand or in several decorative pots. While plants are usually seen as a welcome addition, creating a jungle with too many big, sprawling plants in your living room won't go over well.

- Put all your personal care products out of site in the bathroom. Clutter is not attractive and no one wants to see your anti-fungal foot spray.

Implementing these quick tips can help you be prepared in a moment's notice, saving you hours of searching for items that would have otherwise been swept up and crammed into any hidden place.