Real Estate Decoded

In Part 1 of this mini blog series, you should have gone through most of your household belongings and separated and organized them into piles you donate, sell, trash , etc. Part 2 consists of making a moving checklist. If you know your moving date is months away, I suggest you do the following: 6 WEEKS BEFORE MOVING __ 1.  Make a list of everything you pay for. (e.g. monthly memberships, magazines, Internet, cell phone, insurance, electricity, water, trash) I recommend you list them vertically on a spreadsheet or something similar. __ 2. Find the contact information for the items listed in Step 1.  Write down the information __ 3. Decide when you will contact each company and cancel or transfer services and update your address.  If your list is lengthy and you don't want to do it all in one sitting, break it up into two different hours or two different days. __ 4. Update your account information on the day you designated in Step 3. Example spreadsheet/tab...

So you've made the decision to move... Congratulations! But now you need to pack your things. Image Source here . Packing your things can be overwhelming.  Here are my three P's for your packing process: 1. PLAN - Create a plan of some sort determining how and when you will begin your packing process.  Will you be asking your friends and colleagues for boxes?  Will you go to your local hardware store and buy some boxes?  Which room will you pack first? 2. PACK - Packing is a great time to go through your belongings and donate or sell or trash the items you no longer need or use. I have a friend who once expressed to me she's an expert packer.  In her most recent move, she read Marie Kondo's, Spark Joy .  The book discusses decluttering and organizing.  My friend summarized it like this, "The book basically says don't store stuff, only keep things that bring you joy.  Hold something in your hands and ask, 'Does it spark joy?'  An...

Feeling tired this morning? Image Source here We’ve all been told over the years how important sleep is.  And we all know how we feel when we don’t get enough sleep.  How far would you go to get a good night’s rest?  What if the reason you can’t sleep is because your spouse snores? Image Source here Have you heard of a “snore room”?  In places like the UK and Australia, having a snore room is becoming popular.  A snore room is an extra room, usually attached to the master bedroom.  Some builders actually include a dual master bedroom, as many couples begin to want their own sleeping space due to one spouse snoring or other reasons their sleep is being interfered.  The extra room doesn’t have to be a snore room though.  It can also be used as a nursery for mothers who need to breastfeed, or it can also be used as an office or sitting area. “As wealth increases, demand for comfort increases.” -Peter Brookes, associate director of Sa...

Happy Fourth of July! 7 things to know for today! What is Independence Day? 1. Independence Day or July 4th or the Fourth of July (whichever you prefer) is a federal holiday Americans celebrate and honor the adoption of the Declaration of Independence on July 4, 1776. On displaying the flag... Image Source here 2. One should display the flag from sunrise to sunset, but it can be displayed 24 hours a day, if properly illuminated at night using a light. 3. The flag should never touch anything beneath it. 4. The flag should never be displayed in inclement weather, unless one uses an all weather flag. On fireworks... Image Source here 5. Always have a bucket of water nearby in case of an emergency. I know when I'm done lighting sparklers, I douse it in the bucket. 6. If a firework does not light on the initial attempt, do not try to light it again. I chose to include this tip, because last year, I skimmed through safety tips and I actually didn...

Who Fights For You? Image Source here Who can you say will fight for you? Who says they will keep your business private and never let it be used against you? Who in your life has a primary goal of protecting you and your family (besides your own family)? Who swears an oath to this and is willing to be reprimanded if they break your trust? A lot of consumers think Realtors are a commodity. It is a case where a few rotten apples spoiled it for those of us who take all of the above to heart. Take this from a Realtor who does not break promises... We risk a lot to take on clients with no guarantee to be paid. We do not do it for the money. Those of us in this business stay in this business, because we value things like your privacy and the well being of your family. Everyone needs an advocate. Most of us take pride and honor in being that for you. Image Source here

Summer is officially here! As the seasons change and the temperatures change, it’s important to keep up with maintenance for your home, whether or not you plan on moving.  While it’s a good thing to replace anything that has been damaged, it’s also a good idea to learn of any prevention measures. Today, let’s focus on lawn maintenance.  Here are three things to know when watering your lawn include: 1. WHEN? Water 2-3 times weekly, early in the mornings, year-round. 2. HOW MUCH? Your lawn needs 1”-1.5” of water per week. 3. HOW LONG? Water your lawn for a total of 60-90 minutes per week to apply the 1”-1.5” of water it needs.  This means you could water your lawn for 30 minutes, 3 times per week or 20 minutes, 3 times per week. Happy watering!  And remember, the grass is green where you water it... and when you water it well.

People love routine.  People love being comfortable.  Comfort makes us feel secure. So many people want to grow, but they enjoy comfort all too much.  Your mind and your heart have to be open and be receiving and ready for new changes.  Tiny positive tweaks, maybe once a day, maybe once a week, or maybe once a month, need to occur.  It's great to have wants that better yourself and your lifestyle, but you need to make changes to allow those things to happen. My challenge to you is to do something that makes you uncomfortable.  What do you want?  What is the next step for you?  Maybe you're wanting to buy a first home, or maybe you're wanting to move.  How long have you been thinking about that next step?  Make one change to help yourself get to that next step.  Once you've done that, make another change.  Remember, tiny positive tweaks.  A friend of mine once asked and said, "How do you eat a whole elephant? ...