Garage Sales

Carolyn Capalbo asked:


Many agents have come across the client who wants to sell their house and who wants to get rid of their clutter, but has no idea of how to go about it.  A garage/yard/lawn sale is a terrific way to both get clutter out of the house and put some money in your buyers’ pockets.  It’s also a good way to develop a rapport with your clients.  Here are some tips for you to organize a garage sale with your clients and then get all the deadweight out of the house!

Take your clients through the concepts of staging.  Impress upon them the need to have everything uncluttered to attract buyers. Give your clients an action plan.  For instance, have them divide each room into “Keep, Consider and Sell.”  Once everything is divided, they need to go through the Consider pile and make a final decision. Offer to put the ad in the paper. Tell them to consider buying a few flats of pop to sell for $1 during hot garage sale days. Help them obtain enough tables for the day; people like browsing on tables as opposed to blankets on the ground. Help them with pricing items.  A price tag should be on everything.  One thing that can help are pre-printed stickers that you can purchase at most print shops or print out yourself using your computer. Remind them that the main goal is to get rid of clutter, not get the maximum price.  For more valuable items that they wish to dispose of, suggest consignment shops, Craigslist or E-Bay. Ensure that their float is suitable.  A good number is $100 broken down into a $20, $10s, $5s and change. Provide them with a cash box for use on the day. Offer to assist with set-up and take-down. Help put up signs. Arrange for transporting the articles they don’t sell to thrift stores, family centers or the dump.  Don’t give them a chance to get it back in the house, because it will stay there.

You certainly don’t have to organize a sale for your clients if you don’t want to, but it’s a great way to bond with them and show them that you care about their situation and their home.  Also, money from the garage sale is a good incentive for your clients to get their home staged quickly.



DOYLE

Emily Siliwon-Curb Appeal CSI Garage Doors asked:


Many people have had their garage door openers for 10 years, or more. What they may not realize is that it offers a discrete and easy access point for anyone with a laptop and a remote transmitter. Take a look at the following video to see just how easy it is.

Everything is pretty simple. The remote used in the video is one of the most common older models in use. Many different brands used the same technology as this one. Most of these units are over 10 years in age, but there are plenty still in use out there. Code cracking software is easily obtained by anyone with an internet connection.

The people in these homes may not realize their door is going up or down. Even worse, people in the home may hear it opening, but dismiss the event as a family member arriving home. Using a method like this, an intruder could enter and exit your home without your knowledge.

You can still protect your home with a few common sense measures. Always keep the door from the garage to the interior of your home locked. This should be something everyone does at night and when away. Since your remote is usually clipped to the visor, make sure to lock the car when parking in the driveway. It may also be time to consider a new opener if yours is outdated.  Newer models usually have more up to date security and safety features.

In order to determine whether or not your model is using old school technology, take a look at the manual that came with it. (Many manufacturers offer an online version of their owner’s manuals.) Make sure it has some type of “rolling code” technology. For example, LiftMaster brand units use Security+ rolling code technology. Any models with this newer type of remote control will not open using the system used in the video. Most other manufacturers will have a similar technology in their models.

If you do have an older model garage door opener, you may consider replacing it. They can usually be installed professionally starting at around $250, or can be purchased at a local retail store. If you do decide to start shopping, prepare to be impressed by the abundance of motor sizes, drive types, warranties, and various types of accessories that are available. You may want to call a few reputable installers in your area to get an idea about which of the many types would be right for you. Most companies will provide you with an idea about pricing over the phone, as well.

Even if you can’t afford to replace your old opener, there are still steps you can take to make the garage more secure. Some models have a “Lock” function which blocks any remotes or keyless entry from being used. Enabling this option will cause nothing but the wall button to function.  Worst case you can always dis-engage the motor. Usually this is accomplished by pulling the red cord that hangs overhead.  Just remember to lock and unlock your keylock on the garage door, especially before re-engaging and using the opener again. If you don’t have any kind of manual lock available, a simple lock for this purpose can be purchased at most hardware stores. Of course, last but not least, always keep the door from the garage into your home locked.

For more information, including links to manufacturer sites, please visit our website.



DION

Laura Rupert Garcia asked:


Do you want to stay in the same home you live in now, but you are having problems paying the mortgage? This happens to many people and they unfortunately choose to move away from their beloved home to get away from the high mortgage payment. However, there is an option for you to sell to rent back. This is basically you selling your home so that you may then rent it back. This is a great option for many people who want to sell house fast for financial reasons yet continue living in the same home. There are several reasons why you might want to sell your house and then rent it back.

Reason #1 Financial

The biggest reason you would want to sell your home and then rent it back would be financial. In many instances, people find they are unable to make their house payment. In this situation, there are not many options. One is to simply quit paying the mortgage and let a foreclosure take place. Or, you could continue sacrificing everything to pay the mortgage yet have no money to afford other things. Selling the house to rent back allows you to stay in the home without being financially worried about it.

Reason #2 Comfort

Another reason to sell your home fast is so you can continue living there without the financial responsibility. This results in you and your family continuing your comfortable lifestyle. This is definitely one of the reasons why UK residents continue to sell and ret back their homes. It is really a convenience to sell the home yet continue living there on a monthly basis.

Reason #3 Embarrassment

Nobody likes to talk about his or her financial situation in front of others. That is especially so for those who are not financially well off. However, if you sell your home many will question why and others will simply assume it is for the financial responsibility. You can quietly sell your home quickly and easily and avoid the embarrassment by continuing to live in the same home.

These are just a few of the reasons why you should sell your home and rent it back. It really is a great opportunity for you if you find that making the monthly mortgage payments is not feasible for you. Consider the options offered by Sell My House Fast to find the best option for you.

Remember, many people worldwide are finding that they can’t afford their mortgages. If you find this happening to you don’t despair because there are options available to you. Act sooner, rather than later, to ensure you are able to sell your home and save your credit! Then you will be in a better position in the future should you want to buy a home again when you are financially able to afford it. Recognize you need help as soon as possible in order to sell your home and minimize your losses rather than potentially losing your home to the bank!



WILMER

Shaun Greer asked:


Lets face it, the real estate market has changes and many of you got caught with high mortgage payments and now have a house that you can not sell, or can you. When the real estate market slows, the demand for houses goes down and appreciation stops.

The majority of home buyers wait on the side lines for the real estate market to come back around.

If you own a home that you can not afford then you need to sell now, not a few years from now when the home buyers decide to buy.

Well, know that you still do have options. One great option to sell your house now, is to sell it to a real estate investor and then rent it back. Yes some real estate professionals do buy houses and then allow the home owner to rent it back.

The sell and rent back process is fairly simple actually. If your home qualifies then you sell your house to a professional home buyer, keep living in the house, pay rent, and if you decide you want to purchase the house in the future you have the option to.

The rent back option is great for home owners who are over extended and can not afford their mortgage payment. Possibly they purchased a home and now their mortgage is adjusting and they can not afford the new payment. Just contact your local home buyer, ask them to buy your house and let you rent it back. If your home selling situation works for the real estate investor then you will have no problems.

Another great thing about the sell and rent back home selling option is that you can find out if your selling situation qualifies quickly and painlessly. All offers by professional real estate home buyers are no obligation offers which means you have nothing to loose.

Who knows, you could sell your house this month, get your finances in order and buy back your how in a few months. Like I said the process is simple and can be done quickly. Besides, when the offer is a no obligation offer, you have nothing to loose.

If you need to sell your house fast and do not know where to turn, contact your local home buyer. They can explain your free home selling options and help you.

Just taking a couple minutes to find out ways to sell your house could save you from a foreclosure and save your credit.



CHADWICK

Jason Kay asked:


Stories of ordinary people becoming millionaires overnight with the help of some wonderful programs are flooding us from all directions and even though many of these stories are exaggerated at best and total lies at worst, there are many ways in which you can make money, even if you are not a unique talent. Well, I don’t mean that photography does not require talent, but even beginner photographers can make money by selling their photos. Most likely you will not make your first million selling photos, but this is a viable way to earn some extra cash. Photos are a product and as with all products, you need to know what to offer and where to sell it.

What You Can Sell

For those people, who have no idea about photography, a photo is just a photo, but for people who are familiar with photography and arts in general, there are separate distinct groups of photos. The most obvious distinction of photos is based on their content, but for the purposes of selling photos, this distinction is not as important as what the photo can be used for.

The two major uses of photos are for the Web and in print. Web photos tend to be low resolution and lower quality is acceptable for them, while print photos generally are high resolution and low quality is unacceptable. As a beginner photographer, you will most likely target the Web market first because the entry barrier there is not as high as with the printing market. Additionally, if your camera is not a high-end one, your skills in photo processing will hardly be able to compensate for this, so in this case, print photos are not an option for you because of technical reasons. This shouldn’t discourage you because the Web market is vast and there is a lot of space for beginners.

The main buyers on the Web market are Web designers, who make sites for their clients. For many Web designers it is much easier and cheaper to buy ready-made photos than to take the pictures themselves. A solo Web designer can make 10 or even more middle-sized sites a month, which means that he or she will need at least 200-300 photos and illustrations. This does not mean that you will be able to sell 200-300 photos a month to each Web designer you contact, but even if you manage to sell him or her 10-20 photos a month, or more realistically a batch of several hundred photos for him or her to use in the next year, then you can make a lot of money.

Similar to other arts, photography also has genres. Not surprisingly, photos of people, nature and cities sell best. Another category, which is especially popular with designers, is objects of different kinds. You can shoot a light bulb, a pen, some pills, or whatever object you choose, and this may be enough. Add some unobtrusive background to it and you get a cool photo for a Web site. But be careful with copyrights because not all manufacturers will be happy if you shoot their products and make money from this. Try shooting generic products, which have no visible branding.

Similar copyright issues apply to people. If you want to shoot people and you want to be on the safe side, ask them to sign a model contract, which clarifies all the issues in regard to copyrights and sales. Very often you won’t have to hire professional models and you can shoot your friends and relatives instead. Your models don’t have to be extremely beautiful because pictures of ordinary people also sell well. Shooting friends and relatives has one more advantage - they work cheaply or free.

Nature and urban photos are always in demand, but avoid photos which look as if they were taken by tourists because they simply look too unprofessional to be sold. Abstractions are also popular, so if you are creative with PhotoShop or another image processing program you can wake up the Picasso in you.

Where You Can Sell

The type of photos you have is one of the major factors in choosing your sales channels. Basically, the options to sell your photos are the following:

1. Stock photo sites. Stock photo sites are the most popular sales channel. Stock photos are photos you have already taken, i.e. you have in stock. You open an account with a stock photo site, upload your images and every time somebody downloads your photo, you earn a commission. Different sites have different policies, but it’s not unusual to earn $40 per photo each time it is downloaded.

If your photos are popular, it is not impossible to reach dozens of downloads per week. One of the prerequisites for success is to submit sought after photos and to use the right keywords in the descriptions of your photos. The best stock photo site I have found is Shutterpoint. They provide photographers an e-commerce store-front for selling photos, handle advertising and promotion, handle all purchase transactions, provide customer service, and securely deliver images to buyers. All of these features are provided for a very reasonable fee, and in addition, other members often provide valuable feedback on your photos. This is a great way to begin your career as a professional photographer.

2. Stock agencies. Stock agencies are similar to stock photo sites, but in addition to listing your photos, they consult buyers and handle all the legal and logistical matters. Stock agencies usually deal with professional photographers mainly but there are stock agencies, which are beginner-friendly. As with stock photo sites, you usually have to decide (if you have the choice of course) whether you want to sell exclusive rights or only per use rights.

3. Sell directly to newspapers and magazines. Although this is hardly the easiest way to sell your photographs, it is worth trying. Newspapers and magazines are a very tough market to get into but can be a very high paying one. For a start, you can try your local or community media.

4. eBay and similar auctions. Auction sites, such as eBay, are one more sales outlet you can try. Yes you really can earn decent income from selling photos on eBay. This is a good alternative if you sell other products in addition to photos, but even if photos are the only thing you sell, eBay and the other auction sites can do a lot for you. Make sure to avoid small and dark photos. Listings should be created which are descriptive and include realistic prices. Check the Completed Listings option when searching to see examples of photos which have sold.

5. Freelance sites. Unlike the other options listed up to here, freelance sites are generally a place for work for hire projects. This means that usually a buyer comes and asks you to make some photos especially for him or her, but very often there are buyers who offer to purchase your already made (or stock) photos as well.

6. Your own website. Even if the other options work great for you, having your own website is a valuable sales channel. You can offer everything you like - i.e. low resolution mockups for free, paid downloads, etc. The downside is that you need to market your site, otherwise you will hardly get much traffic and, respectively, sales. Search engine optimization is a must and if you are really serious about selling your photos via your website, you can even consider starting an affiliate program.

7. Free samples. These days advertisements are something one can hardly sell without. Instead of launching an expensive campaign, you can give photos away for free but keep your logo on them. This is a kind of advertisement and it will bring you new customers.



DONALD

Garry Neale asked:


What is an annuity? An annuity is a regular monthly income stream that a person receives after an initial investment of money. Answering the question, “What is an annuity?” is a lot more complicated, of course. Annuities can be very complex and come in many different forms, so it’s important to learn all you can about them before purchasing and selling. As with everything in life, knowledge is power, so it pays to know more about annuities before you get involved. Once you’ve researched more about them, you can move forward with confidence and make decisions that will benefit you the most.

You must sell an annuity in order to receive a lump sum payment from it - this is the main reason why people sell annuities. Annuities are generally safe investments, but they don’t have high returns, especially when compared to the alternatives. However, they make great short-term investments - it all depends on what you plan to get out of your investment strategy. Diversification is recommended for most people as a way to spread your assets around and reduce risk while increasing the potential for profit.

Oftentimes people sell annuity payments to make a large purchase. Instead of receiving monthly payments you get a full amount in one payment. This can be very helpful if you want to buy a home and finance a large down payment, or purchase a vacation property. The best way to sell an annuity is to find a reliable company to sell it for you. A large company makes annuity selling easier because they have the funds and the experience to make it happen. Of course, there are downsides to selling an annuity through a larger company - you have to pay a fee and you may not get as much for the annuity as you hoped.

You can sell annuity plans in another way, although this isn’t the most popular choice - directly to someone wanting the annuity. Annuity selling through this method involves a lot of legalities in some cases but it’s not impossible to do it on your own. There are many annuity selling opportunities online that can help you sell annuity plans quickly and easily.

There are other ways to sell annuities as well, such as exchanging for other annuities or using them as collateral for a loan. To sell annuity plans you can get rather creative. For example, annuity selling that involves an exchange could work like the following - swap out a smaller payment over a long time period for a larger payment over a shorter term. This is a good option if you can’t sell the structured settlement for a lump sum. You can also make a full swap, if annuity selling doesn’t work out for you. This involves exchanging with a company or individual for an annuity that may be easier for you to sell on your own.

Although the latter method charges more fees and takes longer for all the transactions to be processed, it can yield exactly the results you may be looking for. Using your structured settlement on a loan is not recommended, but if the interest rates are low and you’re willing to go this route, it’s a viable option. This method gives you a higher yield on your annuity and you get the lump sum to use as you please.



ALAN

John Morris asked:


Automatic garage doors are no longer a convenience for only a few, the new generation of garage door is reasonably priced, safe and simple to install.

Here are a number of factors to consider when choosing a garage door.

The Type of Drive System

1. Screw-drive System The screw-drive system has a lifting apparatus that moves the length of a steel rod. The system requires little maintenance due to the very few moving parts. The system body is mounted in the garage ceiling. The cost for screw-drive system is generally more than $150 and less than $200.

2. Chain-drive system

The chain-drive system has a metal chain lifting the garage door up or down along a set of tracks. The chain-drive system is the most common and usually the most affordable system. The chain-drive is priced in the range of $100 to $170.

On the downside, the chain drive system makes more noise than the screw-drive system. The chain drive system is mounted in the garage ceiling.

Chain drive mechanism: By far the most popular and affordable opening device.

3. Computer-controlled system The computer-controlled drive system uses no screws or chain. The body of the system is mounted directly above the door. Having the system mounted above the door helps in garages that have low headroom. Also, it provides more ceiling space which can be used for storage.

The type of power

Select a motor with enough power to raise your door. Have at least a motor with ½ hp if you have a double door. A large motor is likely to last longer. Try to find a motor with a “soft” start and stop. It operates more quietly and minimizes the wear and tear.

The speed

The more expensive garage door opens much faster, cutting down the waiting time on your driveway. The quicker opening model still closes at a slower speed for safety. Consider how much you are willing to spend for the quicker models.

Safety concerns

All garage doors have a safety feature that prevents the door from pinning objects. The door reverses in direction if they hit something. The safety feature is mandated by federal law. The safety feature is triggered by an electronic beam.

The computer-controlled mechanism measures the optimal operating time and speed of the door. It can detect and compensate for varying conditions - like if the door is coming in to contact with an obstruction or closing too fast.

Security features

The newer generation of garage doors use random codes for enhancing security. Each time the remote is used to open the garage door, a new random code is generated. The security feature prevents you from opening your neighbor’s garage door and vice versa. The random code prevents code theft.

If the power is out, all garage doors have a manual that will open the door. A few high-end models have a function that allows the door to open just a little bit so that your dog or cat can get out.

The remote control

Several models use a single-button remote control, while others use a remote with multiple buttons that can open multiple garage doors. The multiple button remote control is the best choice for people with several garages, each with its own door. The fixed controller

The fixed controller is mounted to the wall either inside or outside near the garage door. The fixed controller allows the door to be opened without a remote controller. The fixed controller usually does not come with the standard kit, it is usually an accessory.

The keypad provides you a means to lock the door for a specified amount of time, like when you are away on a trip. Another function is delayed closing, a brief pause between pushing the button and the closing of the door. The keypad provides a lot of time to exit on foot without running, dodging the electronic beam and the garage door.

Lighting

Many garage doors have a security light that turns on as you turn on the system. The light stays on just long enough for you to step out of your vehicle and get into the house. Most remotes have buttons that turns on the light without opening the door.



BOBBY

Garage Doors asked:


And you should not worry about the capacity of for your garage door. Its practical design means that the door retracts discreetly in the roof of garage occupying minimum space. An appropriate garage door fits at the even handy and compact garage and the remote control combines the effectiveness of long range with the separate opening of the garage door; there are some extra buttons for closing the door for the safety and some additional facilities of use.

Simply push a button and your garage door opens, then it is closed automatically, while you remain safe, in the warm interior of your car. There is also an additional internal switch to give you the possibility to actuate the door independently. Affordable devices that ensure the safety of your garage include an automatic door with a high level closing system; there are no external handles or projections to prevent the non desired entry.

You will draw benefit also from a system of integral lighting time-delayed to use your automatic garage door during the night; you can also have a device for manual operation in the event of a current failure.

Built inside deeply, the goods, enameled furnace, the plates filled with foam of aluminum box, an automatic garage door of high quality provide the excellent insulation and a safe, worry-free life. There are inscriptions on all our automatic doors of garage that means that quality and safety come as a standard.

Moreover, they come in a range from attractive colors, you will never will to paint; your automatic garage doors are practically free from maintenance. The garage doors have the quality conform to all the legal rules.

For your own safety, we strongly advise you to check your garage dimensions before ordering. It is not difficult to see how quality can increase your garage value and the value added to your house during years to come; with its excellent qualifications of installation and service there is not no need to find another house.

Very few garages are identical. They can have various widths, lengths and sizes; they are made in various building materials; the floors and doors are also different.

This is why our range of the automatic garage doors is made to suit your situation and particular conditions.

Type of trimmings used with the method to hide the mechanism of roller in the roof, there are many factors important to consider by installing your final door of garage. You can even choose of a pallet of colors so that your garage doors coordinate with the model and the color of your house and an impressive range of the devices of door including rolls up doors.

But that whatever are your conditions, a high quality garage door of garage with automatic garage door opener guarantees an operation without clash and rapid, a total safety and good operating conditions without breakdown, for a lifetime.

To start, the teams of experts must guide you in your options. They will help you to obtain the best value for the money, the electric door for automatic garage of high quality and the most adapted to your needs.

Then, our team will professionally install your high quality garage door effectively in day, leaving you to the advantage of the increased safety of household, a greater intimacy, more excellent heat and insulation for a life time. Thus the next time that you drive to your garage, you will enjoy the benefits of a quality remote-controlled automatic garage door, from comfort of your own car using the compact electronic remote control



SIMON

Sam Manfer asked:


C-Level relationship selling is simple and more effective than any other strategy, tactic or selling technique once you learn the process.  However, if you don’t know how to do it, it can be like cold calling in the sense that it’s intimidating, fraught with rejection and nobody wants to do it.  But unlike cold calling C-level relationship selling will increase your sales and market share faster and easier than anything else.

 

C-level relationship selling will enable you to sell just about 100% of all the products and services in your portfolio that fit to 100% of your existing customers.  Now would that help you meet your sales goals?  Well as tough a task as the above sounds, it is far easier to accomplish than it is to sell that same amount to new customers. What if you could sell just all your existing accounts 10% more?  Would that help your sales picture?  Of course it would and it’s really easy if you develop professional C-level relationships.

   

Yes, I’m saying that to increase your sales and market share, give-up on trying to penetrate the walled cities of new accounts, and focus on getting more and more cross-sells from your existing bastions of strength. Then as your existing accounts buy more of all your products and service (with your help), those walled citied accounts will crumble and come rushing to you for your expertise.

 

Here’s why.  First, do you believe that you can help your existing customers do their business better – more sales and/or more profits – if they bought more of the total portfolio of services you sell in addition to what they now buy?  Of course you do.  Well if they do buy more from you and do get better, that will put a lot of pressure on their competition.  The word will get out that it was you and your company expertise that did it.  And that’s when you’ll start getting requests from accounts that were previously not interested in some or any of your products and/or services.

 

However, in order to get your stuff more fully absorbed, you’re going to have to solve the issues and concerns as it relates to sales and/or profits of the C-levels or profit-center leaders of you existing accounts.  In order to do that you will have to learn what those issues and concerns are for all the senior people involved.  You can’t assume to know what their problems are and you can’t take the word of you main, lower-level contacts.  Even if you know from experience or your main contact is correct (which is usually wrong), the top people don’t know you know their issues and concerns.

 

Think about it.  A C-level would say or think, “What does this sales person know about me and my situation?”  Now once you’ve talked and related on a professional level, s/he will feel you understand and will now be willing to listen to how you may be able to help.  And this is how you cross sell and start to get more and more of your portfolio into that account.  C-levels and profit center leaders have the power to make you sales happen.

 

So here is how to begin C-level relationship selling.  First, start spending more time at existing accounts, but not just with your main contacts.  Use your relationships at the lower levels to network you up and out.  That is, meet their boss and their boss’s associates and continue to move up and out.  My motto if you haven’t heard it from me before is spread like bvnnv nvn znzz

 

Now, my meaning of “meet” with these people is very specific however.  A meeting is a one-on-one interview where you ask customer focused questions to learn what that individual’s issues and concerns are as they relate to your bigger world of solutions and listen aggressively.  It’s not your time to give a product and services presentation.  Once you know where this person’s head is at and the person realizes you understand, then you can offer to help.  As the person sees the fit, they buy into you and this is how the relationship starts. 

 

Keep repeating the process until you are networked to meet with the C-levels, the profit-center leaders, and their immediate staffs.  It doesn’t matter if the meeting is in their office or at a lunch.  What matters is you get know each person’s mind set for the moment and s/he knows you know.  Without that it’s impossible to develop a relationship.

 

Using subordinate relationship that you’ve developed over time is vehicle to get you to the top C-level and other influential people.  This will take a lot of your selling time, but it will be worth it.  My rule is 50% of your selling time should be with existing clients/accounts.  30% should be with old or lost accounts and 20% with new accounts or self-ops.  See some of my previous articles of why this works best.  

 

Minimizing your prospecting to new accounts and competitors’ accounts sounds risky, doesn’t it? The bigger risk, however, is for an existing customer to start doing more business with your competitors, and we all know that’s exactly what your competitors are trying desperately to make that happen.

 

If the above reason doesn’t motivate you, consider this.  C-level relationship selling is prospecting, and it’s in new territory.  The beauty of C-level relationship selling, although intimidating, is that these prospects represent bigger, faster and easier sales.

 

Now I invite you to learn more about mastering C-level relationship selling.

 

Bonus Tip:   FREE E-Book “Getting Past Gatekeepers and Handling Blockers”.  Just click this C-Level Relationship Selling Link .   Selling at the C-level can make any sales person and/or manager an over-achiever for closing business.  It’s easy if you know the steps.  Learn the process at http://www.C-LevelRelationshipSelling.com



HUBERT

Bob Kirkright asked:


Choosing a garage door needn’t be painful, but as with any other home improvement project you should keep your wits about you and take all the advice that is available. In that spirit, I suggest you keep an eye on the following five secrets of choosing the right garage door. They’re particularly applicable to garage doors in Perth, but the same principles apply just about anywhere in the world.

#Secret 1: Thinking about space

The space within your garage is a valuable asset. Land use costs in the Perth can get pretty steep, and Perth’s garage doors often waste more real estate than they need to. Be wary of garage doors that rob you of that space - it is usually not worth saving money on cheaper doors, if they will rob you of valuable cubic feet of usable space. Hinged doors opening inwards tend to take up more space inside. The standard sectional design is best - most of the space sectional garage doors need to operate is above your head, where it is not used much anyway. These sectional doors take up hardly any space inside our outside, and as such they can justify a higher price-tag. If you house is in a high-density area of Perth, sectional garage doors are therefore the ideal choice for you.

#Secret 2: Let there be light

A second secret: you should be thinking about your garage door not just as a door, but as a window. So many of Perth’s garages end up as needlessly dingy rooms, lit by bare light bulbs - but there is no reason for it to be that way. If you’re ever going to work in your garage, you’ll really benefit from getting some natural light in there. Adding windows to your garage door doesn’t add much expense, but it will make your garage a much more pleasant place to spend time. So garage tinkerers should get windows in their garage doors: Perth’s sunlight is far easier on the eyes than mediocre garage lighting.

#Secret 3: Keeping safe

‘Badly installed garage doors can injure your children’. Yes, it sounds like I’m trying to scare you - but I’m afraid it’s true. I don’t know of anybody who has been injured by garage doors in Perth, but if the city has escaped so far, it’s only a matter of time. The risk is reduced enormously if you take sensible basic precautions. Employ a trustworthy, safety-conscious firm to install your garage door, and get them to explain what precautions they are taking. Demand that the doors meet appropriate safety standards. For instance, they must reverse if they hit an obstacle in their path - because that obstacle could be you.

Then once you have the garage door, you will need to keep them safe by checking and maintaining them properly. Keep your garage doors well-oiled and clean, and above all well-balanced. Have them serviced regularly (once a year is appropriate): it won’t take long or cost much, and easily justifies itself through your increased peace of mind.

#Secret 4: Locks and keys

Garage doors need to be just as secure as every other entry point to your home. If you are installing a remote-controlled set of automatic garage doors, you need to be sure that the security mechanisms in the remote control are at least as reliable as the physical bolts protecting your front door. The security of electronic devices is an area where it is notoriously easy to be hoodwinked by impressive-sounding jargon, so I would advise you against trying to understand the ins and outs of the system yourself. Instead, look for a reliable business selling garage doors, one which has been in business for some time and has satisfied customers. Check out the models of doors they suggest on the Internet or with knowledgeable friends, looking to see if there have been reports of security problems with them.

#Secret 5: Know your friends

The success of your garage door installation project will depend not just on what you choose but, crucially, on who you choose. Doing it all yourself isn’t a good decision unless you’re a skilled handyman with a lot of time on your hands. In the business of installing garage doors, experience counts for a lot, and getting your garage door installed by somebody with a lot of experience will save you from many of the errors people make first time round.



CLIFF