Lowes Home Improvement sends me information on various topics but I enjoyed this quick snippet on presenting your home in the fall or anytime for that matter. If you are thinking about a new home or your are ready to sell your "old" home, please call me @ 609-335-3222 and I'll generate a free market analysis for you.
Less than one week until the Ghosts knock at the front door...hopefully it will cool down a bit or we may be serving lemonade to the kids (and parents!). TW
Ten Tips for Selling Your Home in the Fall Season
1. Make a good first impression. Your entryway sets the tone, so clean the front
door and polish the brass door knocker. If your
welcome mat has lost its luster, replace it with a
new one.
2. Wash the windows. On sunny days, the strong southern light
can reveal dirt and grime you might not have
noticed. Sparkling clean windows suggest
to potential buyers that your home is well
maintained.
3. Warm it up. Give your home that “cozy” feel by keeping
the room temperature warm and comfortable
during showings. Build a fire or turn on the gas
logs – but only if you plan on returning home
right after the showing.
4. Add seasonal touches like warm throws and
fall floral arrangements. Update your planters
with fall favorites such as pansies and mums.
5. Give your home a nice aroma
with a cinnamon candle, freshly baked
chocolate chip cookies or a faint pine scent.
But don’t overdo it, as buyers might wonder
what you’re trying to cover up.
6. Turn on the music. Create a relaxed atmosphere by playing
classical music or soft jazz, but keep the
volume low.
7. See the light. Shorter days means less natural
light, so make the most of your indoor and
outdoor living spaces with well thought out lighting plans.
8. Clean gutters. After the leaves have fallen,
clean your gutters before snow and freezing
rain set in. Clogged drains can cause back ups,
resulting in visible water damage that could
scare buyers away.
9. Keep walkways clear. When the temperature
drops below freezing, make sure your home
is easy to show by keeping walkways and
driveways free of snow and ice. A treacherous
path to your front door can keep potential
buyers inside their cars!
10. Paint works wonders. If your walls need
a fresh coat, check out the latest fall color
trends. Remember that neutrals
work best when selling a home, but you can
use throw pillows and small area rugs to bring
the autumn colors to life.
Thursday, October 25, 2007
Tuesday, October 16, 2007
Halloween time...
It's pumpkin picking time...get out those stencils and carve out the toothless faces!!! Remember, Terror in the Junkyard in "Skullville" runs all month...go get your scream on!
Whether you’re growing your own, visiting a local pumpkin patch or browsing at the store, there is a technique to finding just the right pumpkin. Carefully chosen pumpkins will last longer, look nicer, and taste better.
First, choose a design to carve before you go shopping for pumpkins. Think about which shape would best suit your design–tall and narrow? Flat and round? If you’re going to use stencils, look for a pumpkin with a shape similar to the pattern you’re going to carve.
Check for a smooth, uniformly colored skin. The flesh should be firm, not elastic in any way. Inspect the entire pumpkin. Stay away from pumpkins with bruises, cuts, scratches or any signs of mold. If you’ll be using stencils, steer clear of dents as well.
Keep an eye out for smaller, “sugar” pumpkins for eating. Not all pumpkins will taste good in a pie. Sugar pumpkins are 200-250mm (8-10″) in diameter and will have smoother, less stringy flesh than a decorative pumpkin.
Knock on the shell. Ripe pumpkins will make a “hollow” sound. If the pumpkin is the on the vine, the vine should be dry and the stem should be hard and brown. The ripeness of the pumpkin might not matter as much if you’re only interested in carving (in which case an unripened pumpkin might last longer).
Set the pumpkin up to make sure it sits level. You don’t want to choose a pumpkin for carving only to find that it won’t sit up straight for you. If the pumpkin grew on its side and has a flat spot there, you might be able to incorporate it into your design or turn that side against a wall so it isn’t seen.
Pick up the pumpkin from the bottom–never from the stem. It can break off easily. If it does break, save the stem because you can often patch it back on with toothpicks.
Handle it carefully on the way home. Don’t slam it down on the table or let it roll around in the trunk. Any bruises will shorten the pumpkin’s lifespan.
Store your pumpkins in a cool, dry place. Doing so will help cure the rind, making it less vulnerable to rot.
It’s always best to seek pumpkins straight from the vine, because you’ll have a better idea of how fresh and ripe it is, and they’ll have avoided the abuse of being transported. Some types of pumpkin ripen faster than others. If you’re dealing with an unusual pumpkin variety, research it and adapt these instructions accordingly.
Since a pumpkin is a member of the winter squash family, it’ll last quite a while in storage. It’s only when it’s carved that it’ll begin to deteriorate rapidly.
Happy Picking!
Whether you’re growing your own, visiting a local pumpkin patch or browsing at the store, there is a technique to finding just the right pumpkin. Carefully chosen pumpkins will last longer, look nicer, and taste better.
First, choose a design to carve before you go shopping for pumpkins. Think about which shape would best suit your design–tall and narrow? Flat and round? If you’re going to use stencils, look for a pumpkin with a shape similar to the pattern you’re going to carve.
Check for a smooth, uniformly colored skin. The flesh should be firm, not elastic in any way. Inspect the entire pumpkin. Stay away from pumpkins with bruises, cuts, scratches or any signs of mold. If you’ll be using stencils, steer clear of dents as well.
Keep an eye out for smaller, “sugar” pumpkins for eating. Not all pumpkins will taste good in a pie. Sugar pumpkins are 200-250mm (8-10″) in diameter and will have smoother, less stringy flesh than a decorative pumpkin.
Knock on the shell. Ripe pumpkins will make a “hollow” sound. If the pumpkin is the on the vine, the vine should be dry and the stem should be hard and brown. The ripeness of the pumpkin might not matter as much if you’re only interested in carving (in which case an unripened pumpkin might last longer).
Set the pumpkin up to make sure it sits level. You don’t want to choose a pumpkin for carving only to find that it won’t sit up straight for you. If the pumpkin grew on its side and has a flat spot there, you might be able to incorporate it into your design or turn that side against a wall so it isn’t seen.
Pick up the pumpkin from the bottom–never from the stem. It can break off easily. If it does break, save the stem because you can often patch it back on with toothpicks.
Handle it carefully on the way home. Don’t slam it down on the table or let it roll around in the trunk. Any bruises will shorten the pumpkin’s lifespan.
Store your pumpkins in a cool, dry place. Doing so will help cure the rind, making it less vulnerable to rot.
It’s always best to seek pumpkins straight from the vine, because you’ll have a better idea of how fresh and ripe it is, and they’ll have avoided the abuse of being transported. Some types of pumpkin ripen faster than others. If you’re dealing with an unusual pumpkin variety, research it and adapt these instructions accordingly.
Since a pumpkin is a member of the winter squash family, it’ll last quite a while in storage. It’s only when it’s carved that it’ll begin to deteriorate rapidly.
Happy Picking!
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