You need to sell your home, and you’re already picked your agent. You’re right smack dab in the middle of cleaning, decluttering, painting, and prepping your home. However, you still need to solidify the final price and marketing plan. As your listing period approaches, there are three big questions you need to ask your agent. 1. What’s the highest price tag I could put on my home given its location and size? Your home’s final price will be based on the property’s layout, square footage, lot size, and location. Better understanding your home’s appeal will help inform your final price. […]
6 Questions To Ask Before Signing a Lease
Apartment hunting is typically stressful, which it’s why it’s extremely important to remain calm and thoroughly evaluate your options before you make a final decision. If you’re feeling overwhelmed by your apartment search, here are six things to consider before you lock one down. 1. Is this your first apartment tour? If your answer is “yes”, don’t jump on it. See at least three other places. It’s too easy to make a poor decision if you haven’t fully scoped out the market. 2. Is this your dream neighborhood? Before you start scheduling tours, look at neighborhoods. It’s important to determine […]
3 Simple Ways to Decorate For The Holidays
You might have grand ideas of decorating your home like a department store during the holidays, but chances are, you don’t have the extra time or money to embrace your imagination and go all out. Instead of overwhelming yourself, aim for simple decor. Sometimes, less is more! 1. Start with your tree. For a simple, problem-free tree, choose a monochromatic color scheme. If you’d like a different option, use neutral colors so your holiday decorations coordinate with your room’s normal decor. 2. Bring some holiday cheer to your mantel. Choose a bold piece of garland to hang or drape from […]
6 Tips for Hosting Holiday Guests
The holidays are filled with delicious food, festive celebrations, and guests upon guests. Whether you’re hosting a few family members for the whole weekend or having the entire family over on the big day, there’s a lot of preparatory work to do. From cooking a feast to preparing the guest bedroom, there are several ways you can make your life a little easier while your home is occupied by extra people. Here are six holiday hosting tips to get you through the end of the year. 1. Cook in advance. When you have a house full of guests, food preparation […]
10 Tips For An Organized Thanksgiving
Thanksgiving dinner can make even the most organized people anxious. Holiday meals, in general, require an abundance of time, energy, and effort. Here are ten ways to ensure your Thanksgiving meal is prepared and executed smoothly. 1. Create a game plan. Grab a notebook, your calendar, and your favorite pen, and brainstorm every Thanksgiving detail you can muster. Taking an hour out of your day to plan now will save you a lot of time later. 2. Cross off dishes you don’t need to make. Who’s bringing what? Designate a dish for each person to bring. This will significantly reduce […]
5 Tips to Begin Your Home Search
You’ve solidified your credit score, saved up a reasonable down payment, and decided to take the plunge into homeownership. Now, you just need a house! Here are five tips that will help you find the home of your dreams. 1. Get pre-approved for a mortgage. This is the first step you should take, if you’re serious about buying a home in the near future. Understanding your budget will give you the tools necessary to determine if your dream home is within reach or not. This will help you avoid falling in love with a home outside your price range. It […]
6 Kitchen Upgrades for a Brand New Look Without Remodeling
Kitchen remodeling requires a substantial amount of time and money. If you don’t have the extra cash for a full-blown renovation, there are several ways you can spruce up your kitchen for less. From refacing cabinets to replacing lighting, a few surface-level tweaks can give you the kitchen of your dreams. 1. Cabinets Refacing you cabinets involves replacing doors, drawers, and hardware, and covering the exterior with a different veneer. If you want to change the aesthetic of your kitchen, this is a great option. It’s also ideal for people who have kitchens from the 70s and 80s. The cost […]
5 Ways to Make Your Home a Hit This Halloween
This year, you’ll probably be stocked for Halloween with plenty of sweet treats. But is your front lawn prepared for the festivities? Have you given any thought to ghoulish decor, creepy props, and carved pumpkins? Your trick-or-treating days might be a thing of the past, but that doesn’t mean you can’t bring some spooky Halloween spirit to your home. Here are five ways to thrill visitors and make your home stand out this October. 1. Project your fears. Use a video projector and show a pack of zombies trying to break out of your living room windows. You can buy […]
5 Steps To Get Your Garden Ready For Fall
Fall isn’t the most ideal season for gardening…that’s what people say, at least. But it’s not always the case! There a lot of of fun gardening activities you can do in the fall. You can plant cold-tolerant vegetables, flowers, shrubs, and trees, and you can do strenuous yard labor you’ve been putting off without breaking a summer sweat. Here’s a quick list to get you started. 1. Dig up summer bulbs. Summer bulbs should be removed before the first frost. Be careful and gentle while taking them out of the ground, and store them in paper bags filled with sawdust […]
5 Ways to Get Over Losing Out On a Home
You had such extravagant dreams. You were ready to commit. You thought you’d be together forever. But then, your offer wasn’t accepted. You lost the house. How do you get over the heartache? Here are five ways to heal after you miss out on the house of your dreams. 1. Symptom: You know it was “just a house”, but you’re heartbroken. Solution: Let yourself feel all the emotions. Don’t bury your feelings. Don’t pretend it’s not a big deal. Let yourself feel every emotion that courses through you – sadness, frustration, disappointment, and/or emptiness. Cry if you need to, scream, […]