2. Wash your windows and screens. This will help get more light into the interior of the home.

3. Keep everything extra clean. A clean house will make a strong first impression and send a message to buyers that the home has been well-cared for. Wash fingerprints from light switch plates, mop and wax floors, and clean the stove and refrigerator. Polish your doorknobs and address numbers. It’s worth hiring a cleaning service if you can afford it.

4. Get rid of smells. Clean carpeting and drapes to eliminate cooking odors, smoke, and pet smells. Open the windows to air out the house. Potpourri or scented candles will help.

5. Brighten your rooms. Put higher wattage bulbs in light fixtures to brighten up rooms and basements. Replace any burned-out bulbs in closets. Clean the walls, or better yet, brush on a fresh coat of neutral color paint.

6. Don’t disregard minor repairs. Small problems such as sticky doors, torn screens, cracked caulking, or a dripping faucet may seem trivial, but they’ll give buyers the impression that the house isn’t well-maintained.

7. Tidy your yard. Cut the grass, rake the leaves, add new mulch, trim the bushes, edge the walkways, and clean the gutters. For added curb appeal, place a pot of bright flowers near the entryway.

8. Patch holes. Repair any holes in your driveway and reapply sealant, if applicable.

9. Add a touch of color in the living room. A colored afghan or throw on the couch will jazz up a dull room. Buy new accent pillows for the sofa.

10. Buy a flowering plant and put it near a window you pass by frequently.

11. Make centerpieces for your tables. Use brightly colored fruit or flowers.

12. Set the scene. Set the table with fancy dishes and candles, and create other vignettes throughout the home to help buyers picture living there. For example, in the basement you might display a chess game in progress.

13. Replace heavy curtains with sheer ones that let in more light. Show off the view if you have one.

14. Accentuate the fireplace. Lay fresh logs in the fireplace or put a basket of flowers there if it’s not in use.

15. Make the bathrooms feel luxurious. Put away those old towels and toothbrushes. When buyers enter your bathroom, they should feel pampered. Add a new shower curtain, new towels, and fancy guest soaps. Make sure your personal toiletry items are out of sight.

16. Send your pets to a neighbor or take them outside. If that’s not possible, crate them or confine them to one room (ideally in the basement), and let the real estate practitioner know where they’ll be to eliminate surprises.

17. Lock up valuables, jewelry, and money. While a real estate salesperson will be on site during the showing or open house, it’s impossible to watch everyone all the time.

18. Leave the home. It’s usually best if the sellers are not at home. It’s awkward for prospective buyers to look in your closets and express their opinions of your home with you there.

Reprinted from REALTOR® magazine (REALTOR.org/realtormag) with permission of the NATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF REALTORS®.
Copyright 2008. All rights reserved.

I often get frustrated with how selfish people are in general.  They jump lines at the stores, race you at a red light to try to get in front of you, and ride the person’s bumper in front of them, so as not to let you in.  But I will say that in the last few days, for the most part, I have noticed people are a little nicer around this time of the year.  I actually had a guy at the grocery store yesterday who was getting his shopping cart push it over to me and say “here you go”.  I was shocked to say the least and I probably even looked that way.  I smiled and said “thank you” and much to my surprise when I went to the checkout there was a lady who came up right behind me with one item in her hand.  I turned to her and said “you go ahead” and she looked surprised and thanked me a couple of times.  So my point is, be kind to others, it will make them want to be kind as well.  Couldn’t this crazy, messed up world use some more kindness and less “I am more important than you”?

The other day it dawned on me that there are things that we all learn at our first jobs that we carry on with us through life. For me, one of the things that I learned and still carry on is how I fold my jeans. I know this sounds goofy but, I still fold my jeans the same way they taught Brian and I to at American Eagle. And I worked at that job about 15 years ago. I realized we all must carry on with some things we learn on those jobs when I was sitting in the truck watching Brian clean the windshield the other day. He cleaned it the exact same way they taught him to at an oil change place he worked at while we were in college. So what I wonder is, do we continue to do these things because they seem like the best way to do them? Or do we continue to do them because we completed those tasks hundreds or maybe even thousands of times, to a point where they become a part of us?

I started my Real Estate career 9 years ago and back then when someone wanted to look at a house you pulled up the MLS sheets and printed them out. (I know there were days not far before that when you had to pull out a large book to look at them.) You then had to figure out what order to put them in that made sense and map them all out. (Horrible for me because I have no sense of direction at all.) Then while you were out showing if the buyer saw another home that they were curious about you just jotted it down to look up once you got back to the office.

Well now 9 years later, the whole scenario is completely different. I now can pull up the MLS info and save it on my ipad. Then put the addresses in my GPS or on Google Maps. (I still get lost sometimes, but quickly recover.) Then while we are out viewing the homes I can video the homes that the buyers like so they can easily review them later. Also if they see a house that they are curious about I can very quickly pull up the listing on my ipad and tell them any info they want. I can even show them the inside pictures, video/virtual tours of the home, and where the closest grocery store is.

The devices we are using are getting smaller and smaller. (Except for cell phones and they are getting larger because people want larger screens to view.) This is effecting our office spaces at home as well. Before, when I showed people homes, they would say this room will make a nice office. Now, more and more, you see office nooks and desks built into the kitchen spaces. We no longer need large desk to accommodate the desktop computers because most everyone uses laptops. And if the trend continues even those will be obsolete when everyone discovers tablets.

We don’t even need bookcases for books anymore with ereaders. We don’t need file cabinets for files anymore with scanners, pdfs, and the cloud backup systems. We don’t need home phones since even children have cell phones now. Our TV’s are super thin and typically hang on the wall.

So here is my question…will new homes become smaller since we don’t need space for all of these items or will they just become more minimalistic? Maybe we will just have less items that take up space so the rooms will look much cleaner and larger. Will we utilize outdoor spaces more because of our ability to be so mobile?

I know these are all things that have been changing for several years. I just wonder how it will change our floorplans on houses with so many technology changes taking place at once.

Inspect the exterior of your home for any bare wood.  Bare wood will let the elements eat away at it until it begins to rot.  So scrap any peeling paint and repaint the wood.  This will save from costly repairs later.

If you have a crawlspace, open up your vents to allow the gases under the house to escape. This will prevent mildew from forming in your crawlspace.

Inspect all of your downspouts from your gutters and make sure they aren’t clogged and are draining properly.  Also make sure you have splash blocks diverting the water away from the foundation.  If you don’t, this could cause water to go into your crawlspace and eventually cause your house to show significant settling which is very costly to repair.

Now is a good time to check your fencing for any loose pieces as well.  We have a lot of wind this time of the year and that could cause part of your fence to fall over if it isn’t fastened properly.

And the last quick thing that will make a big difference for having your home ready for spring is trimming overgrown bushes and putting out new mulch around your landscaping.

Whether you are getting your home ready to sell or not, these are good things to take care of this spring to not only make your house look better but to extend the life of your house.

Across the US, flooding is the No. 1 natural disaster, according to Federal Emergency Manageme.

There are a lot of things to consider when thinking about how to protect your belongings with flood insurance.

A basic homeowner’s insurance policy will cover damage caused by storms, such as a leaky roof, fallen tree limbs or broken pipes.  But a homeowner’s policy typically does not cover damage due to flooding.  For rising water flooding, you need a separate flood policy, which can be purchased through a local insurance agent.

In some areas, flood insurance is required, particularly in high-risk areas.  And in TN it is common to have a flood certification done and if it comes in stating that you are in a flood plain then you are required to carry flood insurance.  This is usually done when you are acquiring a mortgage.  If you are paying cash for a home you will need to ask about this.

Flood insurance covers most damage to your home, but most policies do not cover mudslides.  Their are limitations to flood insurance and you should consult a local insurance agent for specifics.  Flood insurance premiums vary, depending on where you live and whether your home is considered at high or low risk of flooding.

Regardless of whether you purchase flood insurance, it’s a good idea to conduct a home inventory.  It’s easy to underestimate the number and value of possessions, from major appliances to decorative objects. But in the event of a disaster, you want to be able to get reimbursed for your losses.  Doing a home inventory can help with replacement costs for any type of damage, whether it’s a flood or other disaster covered by your regular homeowner’s policy.

To do a home inventory, walk through your house, room by room, with a video or regular camera, photographing major objects, such as furniture, electronics, etc.  If using a video camera, talk and describe the room and its contents. If taking still photos, date and label each photograph with details. Jot down serial numbers for major appliances and electronics.  You can file everything on a CD or jump drive with copies of sales receipts for major purchases, such as electronics, appliances, furniture, etc.

Keep a copy—along with your insurance policy and insurance agent’s contact information—in a secure and waterproof place: a safe-deposit box, a home safe or in a separate location, such as with a trusted family member.

So consider your options when trying to protect yourself from flooding.  Call your local insurance agent and see what best suits your needs.

• Schedule a family garage clean-out. Create efficient storage for sporting goods, camping equipment, recreational vehicles, and garden tools. You’ll have the jump on summer fun!
• Inspect, clean and repair outdoor furniture.
• Tour house exterior and grounds. Make a list of any needed seasonal maintenance.
• Inspect the roof for winter damage: leaks, missing or broken shingles or tiles. Arrange for any needed repairs early; roofing contractors can be hard to find during summer’s construction season.
• Use a sunny Saturday to scrape, prime and paint peeling spots on trim or woodwork. You’ll protect wood against Summer’s heat and moisture–and prevent a more difficult paint job come fall.
• Clear away any remaining dead foliage and weeds from beds and lawn. New growth will be protected from damage or disease.
• Begin major Spring landscaping projects. Spring’s the time to put in shrubs and trees.
• Changing seasons, changing clothes. Hold a family wardrobe check as you bring out warm-weather clothing. Sort winter clothing for discards and donations before you store.
• Hold a garage sale! Declutter house and garage to turn trash into cash.
• Pick a weekend and enlist the family for Spring cleaning. Many hands make light work! Reward the team with dinner at a pizza parlor.
• Wash windows inside and out.
• While at the window area, check drapes and window treatments. Vacuum any dust; send dirtier drapes to the cleaners.
• Move furniture and vacuum beneath it.
• Arrange for a spring inspection of cooling systems. Don’t wait for the first hot day! Air conditioning companies will give better service when they’re not busy.
• Drain sediment from hot water heaters.
• And in the south, don’t forget to open the vents in your crawl space, leaving them closed too long will build up mildew in your crawl space.

If you need a reputable plumber, HVAC person, or window cleaner just let me know I will be happy to provide a list of outstanding companies that provide these services!

Price
In order to sell your home in this market the price has to be right.  If your list price is too high then people will quickly overlook your home since there are so many “deals” out there.  Look at what homes you are competing with.  If your home is priced higher than theirs and doesn’t have the upgrades their home does, why would the buyer pick your home over the competition?  In this case, you will help sell the other home!

Location
You can’t change this physically but there are some things you should consider when your home isn’t selling.  Is your home close to railroad tracks?  Is there a busy highway or interstate close by?  Are there large power lines, power plants, or cell phone towers within view of your home?  Are you located close to a hospital or airport?  For buyers noise and items that are deemed as an eye sore are of concern to them.

Condition
This is a very important aspect when trying to sell your house.  Buyers are a lot more aware of this now with all of the TV shows about buying homes.  They expect your house to be in excellent shape and to be spotless and clutter free.  Buyers are immediately turned off by wallpaper and anything dated like flooring and appliances.  A fresh coat of paint can go a long way.  Be sure to pick neutral colors that anyone would like.

Being aware of the market and doing some things to get your home show ready is key to selling your home in today’s market.