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    5 Things To Do Before You List Your Home

    Recently we shared a blog post about five things you should do when buying a home. This week we are discussing five things you should do if you are going to SELL your home! It can feel overwhelming but breaking it down into steps makes every task feel more manageable!

    Find a Realtor. Interview a couple agents. Talk to friends who have listed their homes. Read reviews. Your home is likely your biggest asset; you want to feel confident in the person helping you sell it! One of my jobs is to prioritize and streamline the process for my clients. I am familiar with all the ins and outs because I do this every day! Let your Realtor be your guide.

    Get a market assessment. Have your agent provide a market assessment of your home to determine the value. Don’t go by Zillow! There are many factors that contribute to an assessment and a professional who really knows the market should be able to provide better accuracy.

    Pare down and remove non-essentials! Less is more. One of my mantras is: living and listing are two different things! Remove personal effects, including photos! The goal is to appeal to as many buyers as possible. Find a designated spot to store items away.

    Free Printable from Smallstuffcounts.com

    Perform maintenance. Proactive maintenance is a great idea! This is often dictated by budget but my suggestions include getting an inspection of your HVAC / chimney and painting/neutralizing areas that might need attention. Your first showing happens online!

    Image Source : Home Depot

    Check your curb appeal. Pretend you are a potential buyer for your home. When you drive up to your residence, what strikes you? Curb appeal is important! Often some minimal effort will pay dividends! With that in mind, make sure your entry is clean and inviting. Add some flowers. Paint your door. I love an American flag (that’s my personal thing). It all shows pride of ownership. Curb appeal is your chance at grabbing prospective buyers!

    Beautiful Brighton Front Door!

    I’d love the opportunity to sit down with you and create a plan! I’m here for the heavy lifting. I also have many contacts to help with any home projects. Remember:

    Cheers!

    Amy

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    Thinking of Buying in 2020? Here are Five Things You Should Do!

    Congratulations on starting your journey to buy a home! Here are five steps you should take to make the process easier:

    1. GET PREAPPROVED FOR A MORTGAGE. Meet with a local mortgage lender (we can recommend people) to determine how much you qualify for. Have your lender break down the numbers to look at monthly payments and find your comfort zone. Remember to include taxes / insurance.
    2. IDENTIFY A REALTOR. Ask for recommendations from friends who have recently moved. Source Zillow reviews. Meet with at least two realtors to determine fit. A good realtor can help you by sharing her experience/connections, market expertise and abilities to network with other agents. You should be able to trust your agent. When you are actively looking for a home you are often talking 2-3 times a day! Your realtor, then, should be someone you like!
    3. DETERMINE SEARCH CRITERIA / NON-NEGOTIABLES! What are your must haves for your new home? What is MOST important? Location? School district? Style of home? Make a list of needs and wants.
    4. START VISITING HOMES. Attend open houses. The more exposure you gain, the more educated you become. There is no magic number for how many homes you should see before you find the one for you. It could be the first home or it could be the twentieth!
    5. PLAN TO HAVE FUN. The right mindset is everything! Tell yourself this is going to be fun. Surrounding yourself with experts should alleviate your stress. Let them advocate for you! My favorite part about my job is watching dreams come true! It’s the best! Let’s have fun.

    Get psyched! 🙂

    Cheers,

    Amy

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    Sea Glass Sanctuary

    I did it! I took my own advice and recently purchased a rental property in South Carolina! We call it the Sea Glass Sanctuary.

    It will serve as a getaway haven for us and also provide rental income!

    New entryway in our Sea Glass Sanctuary. (Mirror is from Pottery Barn)

    The home was already in great shape but with the help of my partner-in-crime and resident design expert, Amie Freling-Brown, we completed a home makeover ala Fixer Upper!

    Team Amie/y

    Our to-do list included:

    • Gut and remodel master bath
    • New bedding throughout
    • New kitchen cookware/dishes/utensils
    • New kitchen backsplash
    • New hardware on kitchen cabinetry
    • New flooring throughout
    • Gut and remodel powder room
    • New vanity in kids’ bathroom
    • New paint LITERALLY everywhere!
    • New decor / touches to add personal flair
    • New lighting
    • Add shiplap

    Before:

    I am happy to report we knocked off every item on that list and still lived to tell the tale! Hah! 🙂 Check out the finished product!

    After:

    New Pottery Barn bedding in the kids’ room is fun, cheery and serves as the inspiration for our home’s namesake: Sea Glass Sanctuary!
    New flooring reminds me of the gorgeous sandy beaches!
    New lighting in the kitchen and dining area, new paint and new cookware / utensils. The canvas is an enlarged photo my son Jake took from a recent Hawaii vacation! I love this personal touch to our home! It’s a great tip for cost-effective decor!
    We rearranged the living room so the flow made more sense. New flooring! New rug (HomeGoods)! New coffee table (Hayneedle)! New sleeper sofa (Bassett)!
    I recruited the best helper (my son) to help assemble our new furniture!
    There’s those beautiful, sandy floors and we repurposed a picture from downstairs
    and moved to this hallway! Thanks for your help Grade A Flooring!
    New bedding, lamps, decor and accessories in the master bedroom!
    Bathroom renovation with sea glass-inspired subway tile!
    And what makeover would be complete without a dose of shiplap? Love how this turned out! This project included three boxes of wood for a total of $75! For a small amount of money we made a huge focal point! This dynamic space greets you upon entry!

    If you’re looking for a new space or considering a rental property, it’s a great idea to enlist the help of a trusted friend or professional! Amie was able to connect my vision and brought a different perspective. We hold each other accountable and love a challenge! Sometimes even small changes can make a dramatic difference in a space. Now this beach property feels like it is really mine and I can’t wait for our family to kick back, relax and breathe in that salty air!

    If you’re interested in visiting the Sea Glass Sanctuary you can find more information here!

    Cheers,

    Amy

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