Sell A Home, While Managing Your Stress

When we are going through a difficult and stressful time, our bodies naturally react to the situation. This "fight or flight" reaction to stress makes us more alert and ready to avoid danger, so it is helpful in the moment.

However, if you are in a constant state of stress on an ongoing basis, this can be very damaging to your health and can increase the risk of diseases such as heart disease, depression and other problems.

Chronic stress can also result in insomnia, headaches, upset stomach, elevated blood pressure, chest pain and much more – as well as emotional issues such as panic attacks, anxiety and worry.

This is why learning to manage your stress is crucial to your health. Many people try to manage their stress by overindulging in unhealthy substances, such as tobacco, drugs and alcohol.

However, by managing stress in this way you are actually making the problem worse because you are contributing to the stress on your body.

So what are some of the healthy ways that you can manage stress?

Express Your Feelings

A lot of stress comes from being angry or upset about a situation, but keeping your thoughts and feelings inside. You can relieve that stress by sharing your feelings and expressing how you feel.

Take Time To Relax

No matter how busy and chaotic things might be, take time for yourself to recharge and relax. Even if it's only 20-30 minutes per day, having a bath, reading a book or going for a walk – it will really help to keep you calm.

Get Some Exercise

The act of exercising is a great stress reliever because it encourages your brain to produce feel-good chemicals such as endorphins. Also, your body will be better able to fight stress when it is in good shape.

Make Sure You Get Sleep

When there are a lot of demands on you, it can be tempting to want to skip sleep so that you can get more things done. However, when you are sleep deprived you will actually be much less effective and you won't be able to handle stressful situations as well. Make sure that you go to bed at a reasonable time and get the sleep you need.

Speak To A Friend

Having a close friend who you can discuss your issues with can be a huge help when you are feeling stressed. Even if they can't solve anything, it is simply helpful to have someone who listens, cares about how you are feeling and offers some encouraging words.

Managing your stress is crucial to your health, so make sure that you keep these tips in mind when things start to get overwhelming.

What's Your Home's Real Value?

As a society, it seems like we've gotten away from appreciating our homes for their emotional and sentimental worth. Instead, we focus solely on their monetary value. 

An Appraiser Can Estimate A Home's Monetary Value, But To Gain A True Concept Of Your Home's Worth, You Must Also Take Into Consideration:

1. Pride Of Ownership. You don't buy a pair of Prada shoes because you're going to be able to resell them and make a profit. You buy them because they make you look good and feel good.
2. Security And Stability.Your home provides a roof over your head that's in your control. You can decorate it how you want. You don't have to worry about a landlord selling the property or asking you to move out. In the "olden days" (or should I say "golden days"), we called our homes our castles because, as owners, we felt like the kings and queens of our homes. You can still feel that way! Claim your castle and crown yourself king or queen today.
3. A Safe Haven.After a tough day at work or a day of disappointments, where's the first place you think of going?  Home! As Dorothy says, "There's no place like home."
4. A Place To Make Memories.  Your son's tree house and daughter's playhouse. The markings on the wall that tracked your children's growth. The porch swing where you start and end every anniversary celebration.    
5. A Neighborhood Full Of Friends. In the event of an emergency, your neighbors are your first line of defense. They're also the simplest, best and least expensive form of security. Additionally, they may have the exact tool you need for a project; the extra pair of hands you need to complete a project or children to become playmates with yours. Neighbors also give you that much needed in-person, up-close social network.

Even if your home's economic value has dropped, you continue to benefit from its emotional values of community, stability, security and success.

Thinking of buying a home? I can help you evaluate the emotional and monetary worth of homes and find a home that fits your values and lifestyle. Give your trusted real estate professional a call today.

Dine In Style, Kitchen Design Dos And Don'ts For 2014

The kitchen is one of the most important rooms of your home. It is where you prepare all of your meals and it is often a hub of family activity. When you host a party, the action often ends up in the kitchen.

Where drinks and snacks are enjoyed into the early hours of the morning. It's crucial that your kitchen functions well because you will use it every day, but you also want to make it beautiful and stylish.

Renovating and decorating your kitchen can also be one of the best ways to increase the resale value of your home. If you are planning on a kitchen makeover:

Here Are Some Dos And Don'ts To Keep In Mind:

• Don't forget to consider the proportions of everyone who will use the kitchen. Don't choose kitchen stools that are too high for your kids to sit on, or cabinets that your wife cannot reach.
• Think carefully about storage space. What do you need to store and how much room do you need? You might want to store away your blender and toaster and other small appliances as well, so that they don't have to clutter up the counter all the time.
• One of the hottest trends of 2014 is a simple and elegant white and cream kitchen. A neutral color like this can be accented with vibrant splashes of color, such as a bright fruit bowl or a wall hanging. If you are selling your home, a neutral tone will appeal more to the majority of buyers.
• Another popular trend is green and environmentally sustainable elements within the kitchen. Recycled, renewable and energy-efficient products are in abundance at the moment and these options will not only save you money, they will be much better for the environment.
• Instead of placing your microwave on the counter, it makes a lot more sense to fit it in seamlessly with your cabinets. This will allow you to free up counter space in your kitchen.
• Be careful not to over design – it's a common decorating mistake. Keep things simple and know when to stop, so that you don't have a kitchen that looks overwhelming and cluttered.

These are just a few tips to keep in mind if you are giving the kitchen of your home a makeover for 2014. For more helpful tips and information, contact your trusted real estate professional.

4 Tips On Hosting A Cozy Open House

The weather is starting to become a little too crisp for outdoor barbecues and camping. When Mother Nature goes into hibernation, then it's time to move the party indoors.

Whether you're looking to show off your new digs or have just listed your home on the market, winter is the perfect time to host an open house.

You want this to be a fun event that is as stress-free as possible. So plan ahead and don't go too crazy. With a little furniture rearranging and a casual menu, you can plan a special evening that everyone will enjoy. Below are a few party tips to help get you organized.

Invitations

Get personal and send out invitations — not just an Evite. Hand-deliver them around your neighborhood. If you're listing your home for sale, then give a stack to your real estate agents to pass along to other brokers that might have interested clients.

Clearly print a start and finish time to the open house. You don't want strangers outstaying their welcome.

Furniture Arrangement

Hosting a festive get-together requires some furniture rearranging. You want to have open floor space for mingling that is interspersed with seating areas. It might be wise to declutter by putting some of your larger furniture in the basement.

Lighting

Try to use as little overhead lighting as possible. Turn on lamps in each room, especially around seating areas. Light unscented candles in places that are clear of accidental bumping. This will create soft, cozy glow within your home.

Food And Drink

Keep the food and drink simple. Warm apple cider and coffee along with appetizers and dessert should be sufficient. Also, place your buffet at the end of one a room, so it doesn't block any entryways. Put the bar close to the entrance, so guests can grab a drink in case you're occupied and can't introduce them around.

A winter open house is the perfect way to surround yourself with all you favorite people. Or, it can be the best method for highlighting a house you're hoping to sell. Follow the tips above to create a fun and cozy atmosphere that makes everyone feel right at home.

4 Staging Tips For Your Vacant Land For Sale

In some ways, selling vacant land is no different from selling a home. You still have to prepare it for sale, and you still need to make it look as good as possible. This process of cleaning and beautifying is called staging. Here are a few tips for staging your land.

1. De-Clutter. Your buyer wants to actually see your vacant land, and clutter only blocks their vision. Remove fallen tree branches, trash, and junk like car parts and damaged buildings. Cut back large brush. Clear paths so potential buyers can easily walk around the property.
2. Highlight the positive features. Do you have a section where birds like to feed? Keep it stocked with bird feeders. Is there a section filled with colorful wildflowers? Don't cut down this section when you mow. Does a group of trees form a canopy? Place a picnic table under their shade. Point out these positive features to your buyers.
3. Make minor improvements. Repair any damaged section of fence around your property. Dig a pond and use the dirt to fill low areas so they are level with the rest of your land. Keep the grass mowed. These small efforts can make the difference between whether or not a buyer chooses your property.
4. Mark property boundaries. When you're looking at vacant land, it's difficult to see the difference between 5, 10, or more acres. At the very least, you should place stakes (like those used by a surveyor) to show where the property begins and ends. Your buyers will want to know exactly what they are purchasing.

Make sure your vacant land is ready to sell. Let me help you sell your property fast and for top dollar. Call your trusted real estate professional today.

Beware Of Zombie Titles

With the economic downturn, anyone dealing in real estate quickly became familiar with previously little-known terms such as foreclosure and short sale. Now that the housing market is picking back up and people are moving on, a new term is coming to light — zombie titles.

The Zombie Title

This is when a home has been vacated because the owners defaulted on their loan and their bank started the foreclosure process. However, for some reason or another the bank never completed the foreclosure and sold the home.

So, when the city starts fining someone for the overgrown grass and dilapidated structure, the homeowner who thought they were finished with the property gets the bill.

A Home That Keeps Haunting

Homeowners think they don't own the property any longer and therefore try to move on by rebuilding their credit score and finding a new place to live. It can be a rude awakening to find out that not only do they still own a home they could have been living in, but also its long vacancy has caused it to fall into disrepair.

It's Spooking The Neighborhood

These vacant homes can decrease the value of a neighborhood. If the bank or the un-suspecting homeowner are neither one taking care of the property, then it can become overgrown and an eyesore on the block. It becomes a problem with no solution because the owner won't want to invest any money in fixing up the property when the bank could come back with the foreclosure at any time.

Nail Shut The Foreclosure Coffin

Homeowners who have foreclosed on a home should double check that their bank actually followed through to closing on a sale. They could contact their lender or check public property records just to make sure. Otherwise, they could be haunted by their housing nightmare all over again.

Don't let the zombie title of a past property haunt your future! Check with your bank to make sure you're free and clear of your foreclosure. If you'd like more information on zombie titles or have other questions about local real estate, please contant your trusted real estate professional.

Your Home List Price, Should You Lower It?

Are you trying to sell your home and finding that it is not selling very well? This might be due to a number of reasons that you can't control, such as its location or the fact that the home layout is somewhat unusual.

If you are struggling to sell your home, there is one factor that you can alter that might change things – the price.

Many homeowners are reluctant to lower the price of their home, because it feels somewhat like a defeat. However, while you want to make as much money from your house sale as possible – it is better to sell your home at a slightly cheaper price than to let it sit on the market for a long time.

Have You Had Many Lookers, But No Buyers?

If you have had many people come to look at your home, but no one place an offer, this might be a sign that your price is too high. These lookers might be interested in your home, but are waiting for the price to fall before they would consider buying it.

How Long Has Your Home Been On The Market?

Has your house been on the market for more days than the average for your particular neighborhood? If it has, this might be due to the price. Letting your home sit on the market for a long time is not such a good idea, because buyers will start to wonder what is wrong with it. This can turn people off and delay your sale even further.

Do You Have A Deadline?

Perhaps you have a job offer in another city or you have already purchased another home, so you need to sell your house ASAP. In this case, dropping your price a little bit can be a great way to generate buyer interest and get the home sold. Remember – it doesn't matter how much you need the money, a home is only worth what the buyer is willing to pay for it.

These are a few situations where you might want to consider reducing the price of your property. To find out more about selling your home, contact your trusted real estate professional.

Remove Those Pet Odors With These Quick Tips

You might love your furry friends, but are their pet odors turning off potential buyers when you are trying to sell your home?

Many cat and dog owners are around their animal companions so often that they become immune to the smell and don't notice it in their home, so you might not even realize that your home smells of pet odor.

However, when you are selling your property first impressions are very important and if a potential buyer gets a whiff of pet odors when they walk in the door this can really make them lose interest in your property.

Ask your real estate agent for an honest opinion. If they say that you have a problem, here are some ways that you can freshen up your house without getting rid of Fluffy or Fido.

• Air everything out. Open up all of the windows to let the fresh air come in from outside and sweep away all stuffiness and smells.
• Wash the floors and the walls with vinegar, floor cleaner or an odor-neutralizing cleaning product. You can find pet-specific cleaning products at pet supply stores.
• Pet smells can seep into fabrics, so steam clean or dry clean your fabric drapes and upholstery.
• Washing blankets and bedding in a mix of laundry detergent and a quarter cup of apple cider vinegar can help to remove the smells.
• Before showing off your home, have your carpets professionally cleaned so that all of the deep-down dog hair and cat dander will be removed.
• When potential buyers come over, you can place potpourri or scented candles around the room in strategic locations. However, be careful that you don't go overboard as some people are sensitive to strong perfumes.
• Keep your pet contained to one section of the house to make cleaning easier and keep the rest of the house smelling fresh. If at all possible, have your pet stay with a friend when the home is being shown.

With these tips, you should be able to present a fresh-smelling first impression to anyone who comes to view your home. For more information about selling your property, contact your trusted real estate professional. 

Tips On Passing Your Home Inspection With Flying Colors

Home inspections are a tense time for everyone. Sellers are fervently hoping that nothing major is wrong with their home that could hold up the transaction.

Buyers are eager to hear that their new house is in prime condition. Whatever the wishes, one thing is for sure; any news from an inspector is usually bad news.

Home inspectors have a tough job. They have to be trained to spot hundreds of potential issues with a home and be knowledgeable of local codes, community restrictions and residential permit parameters.

Stay one step ahead of your home inspector by reading the list of common home inspection issues below. Then hopefully your inspection won't reveal any unwelcome surprises.

Electrical Wiring

This is a common bubble-busting issue, especially in older homes. Wiring might have been up to code when the home was built, but it now violates code and is a fire hazard.

Look for ungrounded outlets, shoddy wiring or a mass of confusing connections in the electrical panel. Replacing an entire electrical system can be expensive, but it's worth it not to risk a fire.

Plumbing

Look for signs of water damage in the ceilings. This could be a sign that something above, like a bathtub or sink is leaking into the floor or walls. Look around toilets and inside kitchen cabinets for traces of wet flooring or wood.

While external leaks are easy enough to fix, interior pipes might require you to rip up flooring.

Foundation And Framing

Examine the foundation and framing of your home for any structural issues. You'll want to keep an eye out for cracking in the foundation due to water runoff or settling. Also, look for signs of wood rot or termite damage.

These issues affect the framing of your home and could cause scary structural problems if left unattended.

Roofing

While it's probably too difficult for you to inspect the roof yourself, just stand back in the yard and see if you can notice any bare spots. Also, check for water damage around the roofline from rain leaking in. Don't get too discouraged about roof issues. It might not call for a complete replacement, but just a repair on one section.

These common home inspection issues affect both sellers and buyers. As a buyer, you'll want to keep a eye out for these problems so that you know what you'd be getting for your hard-earned money.

As a seller, it's good to stay one step ahead of the home inspector so that whatever price is agreed upon goes through.

Which Additions Really Add Value To Your Home?

When you own a home, there are additions that you can make to the property that will improve the value of your home. For example, a newly renovated kitchen or bathroom is a popular choice that will really make the home more desirable to buyers.

Also, adding storage space or a well-thought-out family room or other practical space can be a very good investment that will bring up the home's value.

However, there are other projects that are not really worth your time or money and will allow very little opportunity to recover your costs when it is time to sell the property. Here are a few examples of things that you think might add to the value of your home, but really don't.

An Elaborately Landscaped Garden

A beautifully landscaped garden might make the home more visually attractive to buyers when they are looking at the property, but it will not likely add to the selling price.

This is especially true if the new buyer is not interested in putting in the effort to keep the garden well-maintained and sees it as a burden. If they don't have time to do the landscaping, they will need to hire a gardener which will add to their expenses.

A Hobby Specific Room

Are you tempted to convert a bedroom into a room that is specific to one of your particular interests, such as an art studio, a library or a wine cellar? This will not add a lot of value to the home, because the next buyer is not likely to share your passions.

It might even make the home less than desirable, because the next owner will not want to spend the time and money renovating the room back into a bedroom.

You can create a hobby room; just make sure that you make non-permanent chances to the room so that you can quickly and easily switch it back to a bedroom.

A Renovated Garage

Redoing your garage and turning it into a family room or a play room might give you a short term benefit, but you might regret it when you go to sell the home. Most people want a garage to serve its original purpose – as a place to protect their cars from the elements and store their shovels, garbage cans, leaf blowers and other outdoor things.

These are a few examples of home additions that will not add to the resale value of your property. To find out more about selling your home, contact your real estate professional. 

A Few Reasons Why That Extra Bedroom Might Be Worth It

So you are looking at buying a home, but you are wondering whether or not it is worth it to pay a little extra for a home with one more bedroom.

It's a tough decision to make, especially when balancing other factors such as location and the other features of the home. However, having one more bedroom than you think you need could end up being a good thing for a number of reasons.

Expanding Family

Perhaps you only planned on having two children, but a third one might come along as an unplanned surprise... will you have enough room for everyone?

One of your children's friends might have a bad home situation and need a place to crash for a while. One of your elderly parents might need to live with you for a while.

There are many situations when the family living under your roof might expand, (even if it's just having guests over the weekend) so make sure that you have the space to accommodate.

A Home Office

If you are working from home or have your own business, a private space in the home to work can be worth its weight in gold. It's really difficult to be productive when you are trying to work at the kitchen table with the rest of the family buzzing around you, so turn your extra bedroom into a home office.

Rental Income

An extra bedroom might be a great source of income, especially if it can be turned into a basement or attic suite. As long as you don't mind the responsibility of being a landlord, you could rent out the room to a tenant and let their rent help you cover the mortgage payment.

Resale Value

Buying a slightly larger house with one more bedroom means that the home will be easier to sell in the future. This is especially true if all of the other homes in the area have similar amounts of bedrooms.

These are just a few reasons why an extra room can really come in handy. If you want to know more about home buying, you can contact me your trusted real estate professional.

Don't Turn Your Buyers Away With These Curb Appeal Mistakes

When it comes to selling your home, curb appeal refers to the "first impression" that your house gives when a buyer approaches it from the driveway or the street.

Does your house look attractive and inviting, or does it appear rundown?

First impressions are important and even if the inside of the home is perfect, the outer appearance can really affect a buyer's perception.

If you are trying to sell your property, you have probably mowed the front lawn and even planted flowers in order to improve your curb appeal. However, could you have over looked one of these common curb appeal mistakes?

Cheesy Garden Gnomes

You might think that your decorative lawn ornaments are cute, but your potential buyers don't necessarily have the same taste. If you have a few gnomes living in your garden, you might want to hide them away for a while when your home goes on the market.

Dark Pathways

Your potential buyers might want to visit your home in the evening, so make sure you invest in some outdoor lighting to guide their way to your front door. A poorly lit front walkway will not make a good first impression.

Dying Flowers

Adding flowers to your front yard can improve your curb appeal, until the seasons change and they begin to go brown and whither. Do your best to keep up with the garden maintenance throughout the year so that everything still looks fresh.

Children's Toys

If you have little ones, your yard is probably filled with discarded Frisbees, tricycles, skipping ropes, sidewalk chalk and other toys. Before showing your home, make sure that all of these are tidied away.

Your potential buyers might not have children and might not be fond of them, so they want to be able to see what the lawn and the garden will look like when it is not covered in brightly coloured plastic.

These are just a few of the curb appeal mistakes to avoid, so that your home looks as appealing as possible. For more home real estate tips, feel free to contact your real estate professional.