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Displaying blog entries 61-69 of 69

Sprucing Up for Spring

Wednesday, May 17, 2017
by The Hat Team

It is that time of the year again, spring has sprung. As you begin thinking about spring cleaning, don’t forget to include the homes exterior in your plans. Whether you are selling your property or plan on calling it home for awhile, every house could use a boost in curb appeal. Curb appeal creates the first impression of your home. If selling your home, curb appeal reflects how well the property is cared for and intrigues buyers to take a look inside. Curb appeal is also a way to showcase your personality and create welcoming scenery for your guests. Spring is the perfect time to spruce up your home’s exterior. The following tips will help you attain enchanting curb appeal.

Start With A Checklist

The first step to enhancing curb appeal is to determine what needs improvement. Take a walk around the outside of your home pretending that you are a potential buyer and take note of things that could possibly impair your first impression. Be sure to consider all factors from possible missing shingles on the roof to rotten wood around windows or doors.

Landscaping

If your home does not receive routine yard maintenance, a through clean up can make all the difference. Start by removing debris, giving the grass a fresh cut, eliminating weeds, and trimming over grown bushes or trees. Keep in mind that bushes should never exceed the height of window sills or extrude growth beyond the threshold of sidewalks. Use a pressure washer to clean the exterior of the house, making sure to leave all windows sparkling. Replace any rotten wood and touch up chipped paint.

The Front Door

Establishing a welcoming entry can really improve the first impression of a visitor or potential buyer. Make sure the pathway and porch leading to the front door is well lit. Use decorative porch fixtures that compliment the color of the house and other hardware. Lining walkways with solar powered garden lights gives the yard a vivid glow after dark. Make the front door a focal point by repainting it a warm, inviting shade that contrasts from the siding and shutters. Use a classic shade of red or go bold and try yellow. 

 

Courtesy of Montgomery AL Real Estate Expert Sandra Nickel.   

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Spring Maintenance Check List for Your Home

Wednesday, April 19, 2017
by The Hat Team

Spring cleaning has likely already become underway in your household.  What you may not have given much thought however is spring maintenance for your home.   There are several things that folks generally check around their homes before the winter months but there are also a few things you need to check in the early spring months.  Below is a spring maintenance check list for your home.   
 

  1.  Springtime means it is time to start mowing your lawn again.  If your lawn mower has been outside all winter due to lack of storage space you may need to do a bit of maintenance on it before you get it going.  Sharpening the blade is always a good idea before a new season so that you get a nice clean cut on the grass.  It’s also a good idea to check the oil on your lawn mower before beginning to use it for the warm season.   

  1. Spring is a great time to check your house for worn paint areas such as your shutters.  If you find worn or chipped paint on your house what better time to fix that than in the typically perfect weather of spring.   

  1. Be sure to check your crawl space vents for any debris that may have accumulated there over the winter months.  Also you want to keep your eye out for any animals such as snakes or rodents that may have made their home in your crawl space over the last few months.  Get rid of anything that doesn’t belong and repair anything that may be broken such as the vent covers.   

  1. Get your flower beds and any garden areas ready for spring by cleaning out any debris that may have accumulated and trimming back any old growth.  It is also a good time to add mulch to your flower beds and fertilizer to your garden.  
     

The above list of spring maintenance ideas is just a start in the right direction.  There is certainly much more that you need to do in and around your house before the summer time approaches.  Once you get started with these, you will likely find and think of more things that need to be done.   

 

Courtesy of Montgomery AL Real Estate Expert Sandra Nickel.   

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Organizing Your Home Made Simple

Wednesday, March 22, 2017
by The Hat Team

It is almost time for the seasons to change once again as we move from winter slowly into spring.  As the seasons change many people find that they like to get things around their home organized to make the transition seem smoother.  Organizing your home can be made simple with a few of the following tips. 

  1. One way to organize your home is to get rid of “junk drawers” throughout the house. Many times folks tend to throw things they don’t know what to do with into a drawer that soon becomes a drawer full of junk. While these drawers DO keep the junk out of the eye of those that come to visit, you just never know when someone may open one of them looking for utensils or other useful items and you may be embarrassed by them.  Simple fix…..throw out the junk once and for all and have no more junk drawers in your home!
  2. Another great and simple way to organize your home   is to organize and de-clutter your pantry.  Typically there are items in your pantry that you haven’t used in years and they end up just sitting there taking up space.  This is very true for old canned food items that tend to have a shelf life of forever.   Once you get this simple organizing of your pantry complete, be sure not to let it get messy again by throwing away things you don’t use periodically. 
  3. Yet another simple way to organize your home  is to use all of your closet space for things you will actually use instead of just getting things out of the way.   If you have a lot of games for example why not make a game closet just for the purpose of storing all of your family games.  This type of closet will make it more likely that your family may have a game night once a week because you will know exactly where to go to find the games. 
  4. Keeping all of the books in the house in one spot is another great organization tip.  If you have various bookshelves in your home, you can utilize them for other purposes and keep one for only books.  Organize each shelf for books from each family member if you have a lot of books.  

Courtesy of Montgomery AL Real Estate Expert Sandra Nickel.   

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Tips for Keeping Your House Ready To Show at Any Time

Wednesday, March 15, 2017
by The Hat Team

So you have your house on the market and you are eager and ready to sell it as quickly as possible?  Here are a few tips for keeping your house ready to show at any given moment throughout the day or night. 

  1.  If you are a busy working person in society it is likely that you don’t have time to keep your house spic and span twenty four seven.  However you CAN make the house look as if it is clean all the time by simply getting rid of some of the clutter.  Two of the main rooms you should concentrate on to accomplish this are the bathrooms and the kitchen.  Make sure that all counter space is clean and free from any clutter in each of these rooms.  Also a good way to make the kitchen look less cluttered is to take any and all items you have posted on your refrigerator off while you are trying to sell your home. 
  2. Another way to keep your house ready to show at any time  is to clean eye catchers first.  Items you should clean first are such things as the ceiling fans, floors, countertops, stovetops, ovens, trash cans and bathroom fixtures.  These places can get dirty quickly and will be noticed by folks who come to tour your home so make sure they are clean at all times. 
  3. Do a few extra things like adding a touch of color to each room with pillows to make the space pop.  Also if there are any beds left unmade or any areas of the house that need a quick pick me up do your part to make that happen on a daily basis before you head out the door.
  4. Another tip for keeping your house ready to show at anytime   might be to use an essential oil diffuser in the main room of the house so that it always smells fresh and clean. 

These are just a few tips for keeping your house ready to show at any time of the day or night.  You never know when you might get a call to show your house at the last minute and by doing these simple things you will always be ready.  This doesn’t mean you will be guaranteed an offer by any means but it does mean that your chances may be greater!

Courtesy of Montgomery AL Real Estate Expert Sandra Nickel.   

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How to Spruce Up a Boring Kitchen

Wednesday, March 1, 2017
by The Hat Team

The kitchen is a place in the home where many hours are spent preparing meals and spending time with family.  If the kitchen is boring and not ecstatically pleasing to you or your family, no one is going to want to spend any time there.  Below is a list of a few ways in which you can spruce up your boring kitchen and make it a place where you really love to be.  

  1. One of the first ways you might think about to spruce up a boring kitchen is buying new appliances.  The typical type of appliance these days is stainless steel.  Another type of appliance that folks are using these days are the ones that look just like cabinets.  Whatever type of appliance you decide to buy, you will be helping your kitchen look as good as it possibly can.
  2. Another way to spruce up your kitchen is by changing the paint color.  If your kitchen is older, it is possible that the paint has gotten worn over the years and adding a pop of color with new paint can make all the difference in the world.
  3. Yet another good way to spruce up a boring kitchen  is by changing the cabinets.  You can choose to have all new cabinets put in or you could just change the way they look by painting them.  Antiquing is a popular way to refinish and spruce up furniture.  Antiqued cabinets are very beautiful and can make a kitchen look really nice. 
  4. Buying some new lighting for your kitchen is an easy way to spruce it up.  You can get as crazy as you want with lighting when it comes to making your kitchen an exciting place to be.  Go to your local hardware or lighting store to see what all is available for you to choose from. 
  5. New flooring in the kitchen is another way to make it look updated.  If you currently have laminate you may want to change it to tile, or you could choose to extend the hardwoods from the family room or whatever room adjoins the kitchen into the kitchen.   

These are just a few ideas for sprucing up a boring kitchen.  Hopefully they will get you started in the right direction for making your kitchen a room that everyone wants to congregate in.  

Courtesy of Montgomery AL Real Estate Expert Sandra Nickel.   

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How To Not Let Your Pets Ruin Your Home Sale

Wednesday, February 1, 2017
by The Hat Team

When you have pets and you are trying to sell your home there are a few ways that you can avoid your pets ruining your home sale.   Many times folks love animals but that doesn’t mean they want to see evidence of your pets in your home when they are trying to envision themselves living there.  Below are a few ideas on how to not let your pets ruin your home sale.

  1.  Vacuuming your home is a great idea before you have someone tour your home for a showing but it is essential if you have pets.  Pet hair and tufts of fur can find their way into your guest’s noses and faces if you aren’t careful and that is not going to be good for your potential sale.  If you have someone who happens to sit on your furniture during their home tour you don’t want pet hair to get all over them.  A good way to insure that this doesn’t happen is to run a damp sponge over the furniture before they arrive. 
  2. As you already know pets are bad about leaving little surprises for you on your floors especially if you are gone during the day.  Pet stains are not a welcomed sight to anyone that might be interested in buying your home.  Think about it, would you want to see someone else’s pet mess when touring a home?   I think not.  Do your best to remove any types of these stains before your potential buyers come to tour your home even if you have to spend some money to get things cleaned and stains removed by professionals. 
  3. Pet odor is another thing that can ruin a potential home sale.    You are likely use to the way your pet smells and may not even be aware that they have an odor but they do.  Those folks who may come to tour your home will likely be able to smell it as soon as they enter the house.  Spraying odor neutralizing sprays can help with pet odor as well as perhaps having just baked some cookies for your guest to enjoy.  Whatever you have to do to get rid of the odor is what you need to do. 
  4. If your pet has a bed in your home it is best to stick it in the closet or to remove it from the home before your home tour begins. 

These are just a few ideas on how to not let your pet or pets ruin your potential home sale.  Hopefully they will get you thinking in the right direction so that you may be more able to walk away with an offer.  

Courtesy of Montgomery AL Real Estate Expert Sandra Nickel.   

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Real Estate Listing Photo Mistakes

Wednesday, January 11, 2017
by The Hat Team

There are many kinds of real estate listing photo mistakes that can be made when listing your home for sale.  Realtors know these mistakes and will do their part to make sure these types of photos do not end up in the advertisement of your house, however if you are going it alone doing a for sale by owner you will need to learn these and avoid them at all costs.  Below are some real estate listing photo mistakes that you need to be aware of so that you don’t make them.

  1.  One of the worst things you can do when listing your house is to show pictures of each room’s corners.  We all remember children having to be put in the corner in the olden days of school and therefore the corner is not a very friendly spot to show when listing your house pictures as it may have some negative connotations associated with it.   If you want to show how big a room is, be sure to include at least two corners of the room in the picture, not just one corner. 
  2. It is best to not take pictures of the outside of your house at night if you want to use it as a listing photo. The best time of day to take a photo of your home for a listing photo is when the sun is shining brightly and the entire house looks nice and inviting. 
  3. Taking a photo of your home with a distorted lens to try to make the room look bigger is an old trick that needs to stop. Everyone knows that the picture is distorted and that the room is not as big as you are trying to make it seem.  Do your best to make the photos give a clear representation of what the room actually looks like so that folks are not disappointed when they come for a tour. 
  4. Make sure when taking a picture of a particular room in your house that you don’t show more of the ceiling fan than the room itself.  These types of pictures can look very dated and make your home look less than stellar. 

If you do your best to avoid these common listing photo mistakes you will be well on your way to making the best impression of your home with photos.  When you make a good impression with photos, you are more likely to get a bit of interest in your home that may even turn into an offer! 

Courtesy of Montgomery AL Real Estate Expert Sandra Nickel.   

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How to Choose the Best Offer When You Have Multiple Offers

Wednesday, January 4, 2017
by The Hat Team

These days’ houses are selling like hot cakes!  If you have ever thought about selling your house, now is the time to do so!  The only “issue” you are likely to run into is that you may end up with multiple offers.  While multiple offers may be a good thing, you still should know how to choose the best offer  in the event this happens to you. Below you will find a few ideas on how to best handle this particular situation. 

  1.  Finding out which of the potential buyers have the best financing available to them is a great way to help you choose which offer you would be best to go with.  If you pick someone who hasn’t got the financial side of it all worked out for themselves you will likely end up spending more time than you would like getting all the kinks worked out.  Choosing someone who has a reputable lender on the other hand and has already been pre approved will make the transactions go nice and smoothly for all involved.   
  2. Another way to choose the best offer  when you have multiple offers is if the closing date is good for you.  You may have one person that wants to buy your home that has to wait on their home to sell first while another person is ready to go right away.  If you want to and are ready to move out quickly you may want to go with the latter however if you are not quite ready to move that fast you may want to go with the folks that need to wait a while.  Choose the offer that best suits your own personal needs.
  3. Yet another way to choose the best offer on your house when you have been given multiple offers is to make a checklist of the pros and cons of each offer.  This will make sorting out the details a bit easier for you. 
  4. Be sure that you have peace about each offer and if you don’t feel a peace about a certain offer, take that one off the list of who to choose from. 

It is a good idea to go through all scenarios that may arise with each offer that is given before deciding which one to go with.  Once you choose the right offer, you can look forward to moving into a new chapter of your life! 

Courtesy of Montgomery AL Real Estate Expert Sandra Nickel.   

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Things to Hide When Selling Your Home

Wednesday, November 16, 2016
by The Hat Team

 

If you are currently trying to sell your home, you need to make sure you are doing all that you can do to make the sale a priority.  There are many things that people tend to leave out during a home showing that should definitely not ever be seen by a prospective buyer.  Below is a list of a few things you should totally hide when in the process of selling your home. 

  1. Taxidermy is awesome to avid hunters and their wives but when someone is coming to view your home, you don’t want to leave it out.  Dead animals hanging on the walls of your home are not what folks typically have in mind when coming to look at a potential home.  You don’t have to get rid of your taxidermy obviously but perhaps take it off of your walls and gently place them in the closet until after the showing.
  2. Another thing that you should likely hide when folks come over to your home to take a tour of it in the hopes of buying it from you is your shotguns and other weapons that you may use.  This type of thing being displayed throughout the house is likely to scare any potential buyers away in a hurry.  Do your part by placing these items out of sight during a showing. 
  3. If you collect dolls or anything that can be seen as creepy in any way, put them away until after the showing.  Better yet, put them away until after your house sells.  Collections may not only be creepy to others but they tend to collect dust as well and don’t look nice during a showing. 
  4. If you have political signs in your yard, especially right now and you want to sell your house, by all means take them down!  This election was a big one and folks have very big opinions about who should be elected.  Seeing a sign in your yard for the opposite candidate that your potential buyer wants may actually lose you an offer even before the folks make in inside of your house to look around. 
  5. If you have a ton of family photos around your house, you may want to hide them during a showing as well if selling your house is your top priority.   Folks want to picture themselves in your house and having your family pictures all over the place can make that task more difficult.  

 

Courtesy of Montgomery AL Real Estate Expert Sandra Nickel.   

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