A DE
AN OLYMPIC MEDAL — FOR ARTS
If you’re considering selling your home in this hot market, you might find that a fresh coat of paint or pulling some weeds will make your home sparkle in the eyes of potential homebuyers, but you may want to consider looking at your HVAC system, too. Your home’s HVAC unit is a big-ticket item. Like the water heater, stove, and roof, your HVAC system could impact who puts in an offer and what stipulations you have to abide by — such as repairing the HVAC system — before officially handing over the keys. So, before your home goes on the market, consider getting your HVAC system’s affairs in order. READY TO SELL? Three Ways to Prepare Your HVAC System From 1912 to 1952, the Olympics awarded medals for arts and sculpture, though most people do not remember this. In 2012, the first book in English on the topic was published, The Forgotten Olympic Art Competitions by Richard Stanton. Stanton dug through decades-old, crumbling files that were packed away in Switzerland in order to uncover the origin of this forgotten Olympic tradition. Apparently, Baron Pierre de Coubertin, the founder of the International Olympic Committee (IOC) and the modern Olympic Games, saw art competitions as integral to his vision of the Olympics. Stanton told Smithsonian Magazine of Coubertin, “He was raised and educated classically, and he was particularly impressed with the idea of what it meant to be a true Olympian — someone who was not only athletic, but skilled in music and literature.” Coubertin thought that without the arts, it couldn’t be a true Olympic event.
However, Coubertin had no luck convincing local organizers from Athens, St. Louis, or Paris that art competitions were necessary. At the 1912 Stockholm Games, Coubertin finally secured the Olympic fine art competitions. There were categories for architecture, music, painting, sculpture, and literature, but every work had to somehow be inspired by sports. Judges didn’t have to award gold medals if they were disappointed by all the submissions, but 1912 was a success. With 33 artists in participation, a gold medal was awarded in every category. (Coubertin even won for his poem, “Ode to Sport”! He disguised it with a pseudonym.) As the Olympics exploded into a beloved international event, the fine arts competitions rarely caught people’s attention. Not all categories won gold medals, if any at all. There were significant winners, however. John Russell Pope (the architect of the Jefferson Memorial) won a silver at the 1932
Los Angeles Games for his design of the Payne Whitney Gymnasium, constructed at Yale University. Other famous participants include Italian sculptor Rembrandt Bugatti, American illustrator
Percy Crosby, Irish author Oliver St. John Gogarty, and Dutch painter Isaac Israëls. Even if the art competitions are not a part of the games anymore, they are fascinating to learn about! We’ll definitely think about them the next time the Olympics (finally) roll around.
Have Your Unit Serviced A thorough inspection, cleaning, and repair job by an experienced technician can catch potential issues before the buyer can even raise a stink about them. If any large issues are caught during a homebuyer’s inspection, it could cause the buyers to pull out of the sale or create added — potentially more expensive — costs for you. Instead, having your HVAC system serviced before your home is on the market allows you to anticipate and fix any glaring issues beforehand. Gather Historical Records Potential homebuyers will want to know the details of your HVAC system. When was it installed? When was it last serviced? Have there been recent repairs? Gather installation information, maintenance records, and proof of any repairs made to the system — if possible — and be upfront. This honesty will establish a line of trust between you and those who want to purchase your home. Do Your Own Cleaning Your technician can take care of cleaning the ducts, fans, and so much more on your HVAC system, but consider what it looks like to passersby. Clean up any overgrowth by your outdoor unit and clear the space around your furnace. (Some potential homebuyers like to look at this equipment!) Regularly vacuum the registers and grills during the home viewing process, too. Despite how hot the market is, homebuyers can be picky!
Ready to jump into the market? Aire Serv of the Mid-Hudson Valley can ensure your HVAC system boosts your home’s marketability. Give us a call today to schedule an appointment.
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