A Critical Eye - The Key to Selling Your Home
When you put your home up for sale you have to look at it the way a critical stranger would. That’s what prospective buyers will be – critical strangers. And that comfortable lived-in look that you enjoy so much will seem like so much clutter to a buyer. Examine what real estate agents call “curb appeal”. Drive up to your home to see the first impression you get. It may be time to clear the driveway, spruce up the shrubs, repair the front walk and light up the entryway. Some things you might want to discuss with your agent…
Purging:
Repairs:
The biggest thing I find is that people have to unclutter their house. If you’re not going to take it with you, throw it out – NOW. You are moving anyway so you may as well start packing! If you are going to take it with you, box it up and store it somewhere. If you plan on taking things to charity then now is the time. Take advantage of the new door-to-door moving and storage systems offered by several moving companies. This may also be a good time to start packing away extra clothes and things you don’t need on a day to day basis to help de-clutter your home for showing. Removing excess furnishings makes the house look cleaner and gives the appearance of space. Space is often a matter of feeling, not just square feet.
There will be small or medium repairs that are recommended (low-cost items you can do yourself or hire a handyman to help with). These are usually things you’ve been “meaning to take care of” for a long time. We want a buyer to feel comfortable and concentrate on how much they love your home, not on that unsightly torn vinyl or unpainted wall. This is usually not the time for major renovation projects. It is the time to make repairs, like fixing doors that stick, loose doorknobs, and leaky faucets… things that distract from the charm and livability of your home. Another worthwhile fix-up is painting. Spending a couple of thousand dollars can bring $10,000 back. Get rid of dark bold colors and go with neutrals. A neutral décor will appeal to almost every buyer, giving your home a marketing edge.
Exterior:
Mow the lawn, trim shrubs, weed and bark the planter beds. Clean up pet areas and remove distracting lawn decorations. Wash windows, sweep or pressure wash walkways and driveways. Remove all cobwebs from the eves. Repair anything that is broken.
5 Ways to Get Your Home Ready for the Holidays
(StatePoint) Whether you’re hosting or just trying to get into the holiday spirit, preparing your home doesn’t have to be daunting or expensive.
Check out these five tips for getting your home in tip-top holiday shape on any budget from the experts at Dollar General:
Deck the Dining Table
Get your dining table holiday-ready by purchasing staple décor pieces that can be rotated throughout the year. Fill glass vases with seasonal ➧ READY FOR THE HOLIDAYS, Page R3
Magnolia Residential
Key to Selling Your Home
Eliminate earth/wood contact by removing dirt or bark that is touching the siding. Touch-up trim paint (especially the front door), and re-stain decks.
Interior:
Patch walls, repair wallpaper, apply paint touchups. Professionally clean the carpeting and wash hard surface floors. Get rid of pet or tobacco odors. Dust and polish furniture and lighting fixtures. Remove newspapers and magazines; clear off coffee and end tables. Straighten up the clutter on desks and bookshelves. Open blinds or drapes to let in the light – buyers want homes with lots of light. Clean the appliances, cabinets and sinks. Polish mirrors and chrome. Clean the children’s bedrooms; store extra toys and arrange the room to look inviting. Tidy up the closets. The goal of interior staging is to make the home look as much like a model home as possible. And don’t forget the garage – straighten up tools and gardening supplies and remove as much junk as possible.
Staging:
To achieve a polished home presentation with wide market appeal, you may want the services of an Interior Designer or Staging Professional. An Interior Designer is an ideal cost-effective service for assisting you in preparing your home. The Interior Designer will re-arrange your existing furnishings and accessories and add a few touches from his/her own resources to complete an attractive environment for prospective buyers. A Staging Professional is best when the home is empty and you want to give the home a fresh-look with furnishings. A Staging Professional can furnish an entire home or just add a few key items to give the home color and texture. But be aware that staging an entire home can cost thousands of dollars, depending on size and degree of staging.
Of course every home is unique and will have its own set of items to address. But if you properly prepare your home for the market, you will be rewarded with a higher price and shorter selling time. Get going!
Queen Anne Residential
3 Beautiful Ways to Add Pops of Color to Your Kitchen
(StatePoint) If your kitchen is bland or boring, it’s time for an update. Consider those home projects that add pops of color and beauty, inspiring you to do your best culinary work.
Here are three beautiful ways to add new hues to any kitchen.
Natural Color
For a verdant, fragrant and useful pop of color, grow an herb garden right in your kitchen. From lavender to basil to chives, you can brighten your kitchen with natural colors, while adding some zest to salads, stews and more.
Evaluate your kitchen for direct sunlight to determine the ideal size and shape of your garden, then get creative. Many people choose to create a hanging wall garden. Others prefer a tiered counter for the floor or pots for the countertop.
Queen Anne Condos
Functional Focal Point
Consider creating a focal point in your kitchen in an eye-catching color that adds vitality to the space. One great way to do this is by focusing on the heart of every kitchen -- the range. Experts point out that black finishes in the kitchen have reemerged as a trending design element this year. So if you do choose black, you may prefer to emphasize this selection with a gloss finish, which can add a layer of elegance, drama and sophistication to the kitchen.
Standard colors are offered everywhere, but for something more unexpected, seek out brands that also offer customization in addition to classic choices like gloss black, such as ILVE. Through its Custom Color Program, you can select one of 213 RAL Classic colors for your range or hood. The brand, known for professional quality custom Italian appliances for the home, offers ranges in six ➧ YOUR KITCHEN, Page R4
Tips For Holiday Prep
➧ READY FOR THE HOLIDAY, from Page R1
items such as ornaments, holly, faux snow or pinecones. Add extra light and warmth to the table with a flameless LED pillar candle. Place tea lights in small vases filled with cranberries, holly and water for an inexpensive and festive way to decorate the table.
Decorate the Tree
If you’re looking for a fun way to get kids involved in holiday decorating, purchase plain ornaments for them to design with paint or pens. Clear ornaments can be filled with glitter or tinsel to create a unique look for your tree. Decorated ornaments also make great and thoughtful gifts.
Embellish your tree by adding red or burlap ribbon from the top of each side and adding a topper. Then, consider coordinating the color scheme of your tree with gifts, using those that were wrapped early as decor throughout your house.
Deck the Front Door
Make a DIY wreath by gluing bows or pinning ornaments to a foam wreath. Designing your own door decor doesn’t have to be expensive, and it will allow you to add your own personal touch to your home’s entryway. Complete the look with festive outdoor lighting. Affordable options are available at such variety stores as Dollar General.
Design a Festive Mantle
Decorate your fireplace mantle for the holidays without spending much time or money. Wrap a garland in mini string lights and hang leftover ornaments to continue the theme from your tree. Create handmade bows to place at each end of the mantle using your choice of ribbon. If you don’t have a mantle, you can create a fireplace-like space with a cluster of string lights or LED candles in a nook of your home. Then, remember to hang the stockings!
Create a Cleaning Game Plan
The holidays can be fun, festive and messy. Create a day-by-day cleaning game plan, focusing on one area of your house at a time. This will save you stress and allow you more time to get organized. Be sure you’re stocked up on all your holiday prep cleaning supplies, including sponges, microfiber cloths and wet mop refills.
For holiday savings, you can sign up for Dollar General digital coupons, which offers a $1 off coupon when you sign up. Create an account by visiting dollargeneral.com/coupons or through the DG mobile app.
Remember, getting into the holiday spirit doesn’t have to break the bank. Save time and money decorating your home, so you can spend more stress-free moments with friends and family.
Fireplace Safety
Tips for this Holiday Season and Beyond
(StatePoint) Gathering around the hearth this holiday season? While you may be taking time off from work and school to celebrate, don’t take a vacation from practicing basic safety guidelines. Stay safe with the following tips.
Safety Devices
(c) Steve Herder/Shutterstock and Heatilator
The Savvy Homeowner’s 5-point Outdoor Winterization Checklist
(BPT) - As temperatures drop, you’re reminded that Old Man Winter will soon rear his ugly head. Before the first flurries fly, it’s important to take some winterization steps to ensure your home is ready for whatever the season brings.
This five-point checklist will help safeguard your home against winter’s woes for another year. For additional winterization ideas and detailed project plans, visit Real Cedar.com.
Inspect windows
Inspect each window from the outside to see if any gaps or cracks are present. These small openings let in cold air and are also inviting to small critters looking for protection from the cold.
If you find some gaps, it’s important to seal them quickly. Apply caulk to the openings to prevent cold air from seeping in, helping to cut down on heating bills. Plus, you won’t have to worry about bugs making your home their hibernation haven. Note: never caulk above or below the window and door openings, as this may block moisture drainage.
Prep the deck
The amount of work you have to put into winterizing your deck depends on your decking material. For example, a durable, long-lasting material such as Western Red Cedar requires the least amount of maintenance. That said, all decks require some upkeep.
To preserve your deck’s luster, start by cleaning it with a warm, soapy solution and a soft-bristle brush. Do not power wash as this can damage the wood. It’s important that you remove all dirt and
debris from the surface as well as in between the boards to improve ventilation.
Next, inspect the deck for mold. If present, wash the deck with a mild oxygen bleach solution and leave on the surface for 30 minutes before rinsing thoroughly. Finally, remove anything that might leave marks on the deck’s surface such as furniture, planters and mats.
Protect planter boxes
The majority of planter boxes are made with Western Red Cedar. That’s because the wood is naturally resistant to rot, decay and insects; and therefore, doesn’t require treatment from potentially dangerous chemicals that can leach into soil and plants. But like all garden beds, real cedar planters need protection during the winter months. Start by removing all soil and cleaning the boxes as you did the deck. Then, if possible, store emptied planters in a garage, shed or under the porch. If you don’t have the space to store them this way, then cover them with a water-repellent tarp to protect from moisture buildup, but don’t seal the tarp. As with decks, it’s very important that you allow for proper ventilation.
trees
Look for weak trees or those with dead branches, particularly those near your home. As snow accumulates, the weight may bring down a tree or branches, potentially damaging your house.
Eliminate this risk by removing any dead trees or dangerous branches now before the first snow. Be safe by using the proper equipment for tree trimming and removal, or, consider hiring a pro to do so. Remember, an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure, and handling this issue now could prevent costly damage to your home down the road.
Clean the roof
Your roof is a large portion of your home, and it also holds a lot of snow over the winter. To prevent ice dams and other roof problems when freezing temperatures arrive, it’s important to clean gutters and check your roof for problems now.
Start by taking all debris out of gutters to ensure free flow for water. Next, walk around your roof and inspect it for any damage. Repair loose shingles and make sure the chimney and vents look intact and secure. Your roof takes on a lot of weight from ice and snow during the winter months and you want it to be as strong as possible.
A few simple steps now can mean a cozy, safe winter for
New Hues for Any Kitchen
➧ YOUR KITCHEN, from Page R2
standard American sizes, as well as a “city-sized” 24” option. Both single and double oven options are available, as well as dual fuel and all gas connection choices. What’s more, you can further customize the legs and accents of your appliance in various finishes and looks.
Another brand offering brilliant color options such as
gloss red and light blue is Verona, which offers appliances that use exclusive cooking technology to minimize fuel and energy consumption, and provide safe and efficient cooking.
Brilliant Backsplash
For a cohesive look, consider the focal point of your kitchen and build out from there with a beautiful backsplash.
Backsplashes are stylishly versatile
and nearly any kitchen benefits aesthetically from the addition of one. Choices of materials include mosaic glass tiles, marble and metal -- the possibilities are nearly endless – giving you a lot of flexibility in color and texture.
The kitchen is the center of the home, where families make not only meals, but memories, too. Add beautiful bursts of color to the space to make it a place you love to spend time.
Trim
Safety Guidelines for Your Fireplace
➧ FIREPLACE SAFETY, from Page R3
devices, including carbon monoxide detectors and smoke alarms for functionality, and to ensure batteries are still working. You should do this periodically, but especially around a time of year with additional fire risks.
Fireplaces
A cozy, charming fire is the perfect place to gather during the holidays. Heatilator, a leader in fireplace safety and the number one fireplace brand used by homebuilders, offers these tips:
• Many holiday items and materials are combustible, so place all gifts, trees, and holiday décor a safe distance from the fireplace
• Conduct annual maintenance on your fireplace, chimney and associated elements.
• Outfit your gas fireplace with a safety screens to prevent burns.
• Always monitor children and pets near a lit fireplace or one that was recently turned off. While safety screens are meant to protect against contact with hot glass, remember that the metal can also heat up, and your heating equipment -- fireplaces, stoves, inserts and their surrounding material -- will remain hot for some time after use.
• For more fireplace safety tips, information about safety screens -- including retrofit screens for your gas fireplace -- and help finding your local dealer for annual maintenance, visit Heatilator.com.
Candles
Candles add warmth and splendor to holiday decor, but they come with certain risks. Place these burning beauties in safe locations away from fabrics, trees and other flammable objects. Only burn candles in occupied rooms. If you have children or pets, candle warmers make for a safer alternative that can offer you peace of mind. For a happy holiday, take these steps to prioritize safety.
Read all of our Queen Anne Real Estate issues online at: https://issuu. com/special
5 Reasons to Consider a Home Theater System Now
(StatePoint) When it comes to entertaining ourselves at home, there are more options than ever before. Whether you are looking to upgrade your family’s existing movie night experience or you are just getting started in assembling a home theater system, here are five reasons to consider doing so now.
1. There is more media available. With so many streaming services accessible, more movies and shows are available at your fingertips than ever before, making it possible to instantly enjoy everything from recent blockbusters to classic favorites to a marathon of your favorite TV series.
2. You can find high-quality tech. Today’s high-quality tech makes it possible to get an upgraded movie theater-like experience at home. For example, the projectors from Casio’s LampFree line-up offer quick, easy set-up and reliable, brilliant images that include models that
work well in any size room or home theater.
3. It allows you to get cozy. When the weather outside is frightful, why head to a drafty movie theater? Nothing beats staying-in and enjoying the comfort of your own home — you can even wear your PJs if you want!
4. You can make it a party. With a home theater system, you can invite all your friends and family over for movie nights. Ask everyone to bring a treat inspired by the movie that you’ll be watching for some fun, quality time together.
5. You can save time. Sports practice, homework, the school play; your kids are busy and so are you, which means you may not always find time for the entire family to head to the movie theater for a specific showing. However, with a great theater in your own home, you can plan a spur-of-the-moment movie night whenever it works for your family.
