Homeowner Tips • July 25, 2023

Reclaim the Dining Room Table!

by Coldwell Banker Graham & Associates, Inc. Realtor

The Home Identity Crisis: The Dining Room Office

Remember life pre-pandemic lock down before your dining room morphed into your zoom room, office, workstation and study hall.? Thanks to your new work-at-home lifestyle, files and papers found a permanent home on your dining room table. You probably haven’t had a meal on that table, besides a quick sandwich and many lattes, since the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Now the holidays are here, and while we won’t be hosting big gatherings this year, it would be nice to have a holiday meal with a few close family and friends in your safe bubble. It’s time to reclaim and tame the dining room table! A little organizational magic and presto you can alleviate the room identity crisis and turn it into a beautiful two-in-one space. An office by day and a dining room by night!

Here are simple ways to keep your dining room/office space organized and easy to clear for holiday meals:

Place trays on the dining room table so your work stuff has a home. At the end of the work day, simply remove the trays and…voila! There’s actually a clear table when it’s time for dinner.
Use magazine organizers for filing. Place magazine organizers on a tray. They not only keep your files tidy; they can easily be transported from the dining room. Way more efficient than stacks of papers or files; and your paperwork takes up less room.
Tuck a folding computer desk in the corner of your dining room. Use it as the home base for all your office trays and supplies. And when you want to completely clean-up the dining room, move your office trays into a closet or bedroom, and simply fold up the desk and remove it.
Use a rolling utility storage cart for office supplies and items. They easily roll away into a closet. You might call it a “miracle vehicle” as it whisks away the office items, clearing the way for holiday meals and pie.
Reuse a toy chest, or purchase a trunk, simply store all your office items inside. A trunk can hold and hide everything from files to your laptop. You can even choose a trunk that complements your dining room decor.
Have fun shopping online for pretty organizers. After all, you spend a huge part of your time working, so make it enjoyable!

With these budget friendly storage solutions, your dining room can easily do double-duty: a functional space to both entertain and work. Your transformed two-in-one space has the added bonus of giving you peace of mind. Mindfully designing your space so it actually functions will make you feel more relaxed, organized and in control. Here’s to a unique and joyful holiday season!

Selling A Home • July 25, 2023

Dreaming of Selling Your Home?

by Coldwell Banker Graham & Associates, Inc. Realtor

You Could be in a New Home for the Holidays

Have you been dreaming of selling your home, buying a new one and moving in before the holidays? This scenario is actually fairly common and totally doable. A knowledgeable agent can guide you through the process, negotiate the best terms and get you into a new home – all in time to celebrate with family and friends. Here’s how you can get started.

Understand the Market

Although spring and summer are considered peak buying and selling season, you can still snag a great deal during fall and winter months – if you have a good handle on your local market. Your agent is an invaluable resource for information on current inventory, comparable properties, average home prices and median days on the market. Once you know where you stand, you can weigh the options and make smart decisions.

Prepare Your Home for Listing

Now is the time to do a careful review of your property and determine if any repairs or upgrades are needed. Your agent can provide a list of trusted vendors, tradespeople and contractors to take care of larger tasks while staging your house for broad buyer appeal, arranging professional photography and marketing your home for maximum exposure.

Get Ready to Move

To further prepare your home for the market, you want to start decluttering and depersonalizing by boxing up items for donation or storage. You can make this process manageable by targeting one room at a time. Before you know it, you’ll be one step closer to the big move.

Evaluate Your Finances

Taking a realistic look at your financial situation is crucial to determining the size and location of the home you want to purchase and if you need to sell your current home before buying. Your agent can connect you with a reputable lender who will walk you through the available loan options. Having a good understanding of your finances will also ease any stress you may be feeling.

Find Your New Home

To help narrow down the search, create a wish list, prioritize your “must-haves” and check out homes for sale on coldwellbanker.com or in person with your agent. While viewing properties, imagine living there. Is the dining space large enough for Thanksgiving dinner? Do you have somewhere to hang your stockings? How will your holiday lights look to neighbors passing by? If you feel that emotional connection, you know you’ve found the one.

So, is it possible to buy and sell before the holidays? The answer is yes. By working closely with a skilled real estate professional, you can set a timeline, plan out your strategy and ring in the new year in your new home.

Buying a Home • July 25, 2023

Want to Move to a 55+ Adult Living Community?

by Coldwell Banker Graham & Associates, Inc. Realtor

Contemplating a 55+ Community?

Making the decision to move to a 55+ adult living community can be a big one with a lot of factors to consider. Are you looking for an active lifestyle with loads of amenities and opportunities for social connection or a quiet place to relax without a lot of distractions? While there are many benefits, it’s important to ask the right questions so you can determine if the neighborhood fits your vision of the future.

The Atmosphere

If you enjoy using the pool, gym or sports facilities in a more adults-only environment – with perhaps only a few sporadic encounters with grandchildren – then a more peaceful 55+ community may be the right fit. But if you are very active and social, a community with walking clubs, bocce ball tournaments, pickle ball courts and happy hours by the pool will provide more opportunities to meet your neighbors and establish a group of friends.

Maintenance-Free Landscaping

Lawn and yard upkeep can become a pesky, cumbersome task, especially as you age. If you enjoy not having to worry about sprucing up the outdoors and making decisions on shrubbery and plants, then a 55+ development with full landscaping services will be appealing. However, if gardening and landscaping is your thing and you love a good outdoor DIY project, a 55+ community may be too restrictive. Read the fine print to understand exactly what your responsibilities are, and what can and cannot be done in your yard.

The Active Lifestyle

With neighbors so close in the community, you may enjoy the friendly, interactive side – especially if you are a social butterfly and enjoy partaking in events, classes, clubs or holiday-themed activities. You may want to examine any clubhouse costs or dues and determine if it is worth it so you are able to take full advantage of these mingling opportunities.

Considering these circumstances with your needs and desires can help you understand if a 55+ community is the right move for you and get you on the right path to discovering the best development.

Entertaining Tips • July 20, 2023

Turn Your Backyard into a Pop-Up Movie Theater

by Coldwell Banker Graham & Associates, Inc. Realtor

Five Tips for an Awesome Outdoor Movie Night

There’s something magical about watching a movie on a warm summer night under the stars with friends. If you’re not close to one of the few drive-in theaters still in existence, no worries – you can easily transform your backyard into an outdoor home theater. Here are five tips for turning your backyard into a pop-up movie theater.

Projector and Screen

If you want to capture the essence of the drive-in theater, there’s no substitute for a good projector. An outdoor projector should be at least 1,200 lumens, a measurement of how much light a device emits. Another must-have feature are HDMI ports, so you can connect items such as Blu-ray DVD players. If you don’t want to invest in a projector, bring your TV and DVD player outside.

Comfy Seating

Provide your guests with a range of comfortable seating options, including patio furniture, lounge chairs, blankets and outdoor pillows. Of if you have a pool, even better. Host a raft-up party and invite guests to bring their own pool float to relax on while the movie plays.

Snackage

Step up your game by creating a popcorn bar for guests. Fill small decorative bags with popcorn and offer an assortment of candy treats, marshmallows and other sweet mix-ins. And, of course, a movie night wouldn’t be complete without offering some classic movie-theater candy like Raisinets, Jujubes and the perennial favorite – Junior Mints!

Soft Lights

While your yard needs to be dark enough to see the movie, you also will need a little light so guests don’t trip over each other on the way to the snack bar. String lights and luminaries are a nice inexpensive option, casting a glow over your yard without distracting from the movie.

De-bugging

Spray the backyard before guests arrive, or, if your backyard isn’t generally buggy, offer them insect repellent. There is quite an array of natural bug-repelling options available to keep the swatting to a minimum.

Hosting a backyard film fest isn’t as challenging as you might think. With just a little planning ahead and some creativity, you can bring the drive-in movie theater experience to your backyard… possibly even better.

Entertaining Tips • July 20, 2023

Fun Ways to Plan the Perfect Picnic

by Coldwell Banker Graham & Associates, Inc. Realtor

How to Plan the Perfect Picnic

A summer picnic is always a fun way to enjoy time with friends and family and soak in a beautiful day, whether it’s at your favorite park, beach or lakeside, at the top of a lovely overlook or even in your own backyard. You can simply grab a few items and be on your way.

Here are a few fun and inspiring ways to help you plan the perfect picnic this summer.

First, you’re going to want to make sure you have something to carry your food and beverages in. There’s something really nostalgic and charming about those classic woven style picnic baskets. But don’t worry if you don’t happen to have one, a cooler, backpack or large tote will also do the trick. Whatever you choose, you’ll just want to make sure that you can keep food and drinks cool.

When you think about picnics, you most likely think about an outdoor blanket that you can sit, eat and relax on. If that’s your preference just make sure it’s durable and can be rolled and unrolled easily. If you want to make sitting on the ground a little more enjoyable, then pack some decorative pillows to add both comfort and style to your picnic. Another great option is to bring along a few folding chairs that are easy to transport and set up.

You may also want to consider bringing a grab-and-go style picnic table. These lightweight, easy-to-carry tables feature folding legs – some even include handy slots for wine glasses. And lastly, you don’t want to forget utensils and dinnerware. Make sure you they’re durable and can withstand being packed and dropped.

When it comes to the menu, you can keep it light and simple. Easy sandwiches, chips or pretzels, some cheese and fruit and refreshing drinks like homemade lemonade help complete the perfect picnic. Or you could go all out and get creative with a beautiful charcuterie board with your favorite meats, cheeses and chocolates. You can even add some decorative greenery and flowers to make it a little more Instagram-worthy.

Sunny warm days are the perfect excuse to ditch the dining room and dine alfresco, just don’t forget to bring a book or a frisbee!

Entertaining Tips • July 20, 2023

Make Guests Feel Welcomed and Comfortable

by Coldwell Banker Graham & Associates, Inc. Realtor

Guest Room Tips for the Warmest of Welcomes

Opening your house to guests is one of the many joys of being a homeowner. You can make guests feel welcomed and comfortable by following these simple tips.

Create the Ultimate “Flex” Room

Flexibility is key in getting the most out of your guest quarters. If you host frequently, the room will likely be used by a wide variety of people – from your high school bestie visiting with her kids on spring break to Great Auntie Edna who’s there for the holidays to your nephew who’s in town to tour college campuses. If you expect to holiday children or multiple guests at the same time, consider investing in bunk beds or at least twin beds to offer several possible combinations of sleeping arrangements. The important thing is to plan ahead and anticipate who you may be hosting. Keep this in mind when decorating the space as well. Selecting a neutral color palette (step away from that ruffled, hot pink comforter!) will ensure that everyone feels content in their home away from home.

Add Some Local Flavor

Showcase your local community by displaying the highlights or most popular features of your city. Display a coffee table book about its history or attractions. Framed postcards or other artwork that show the best and coolest spots around town will not only dress up the space, but also give visitors a little taste of what they might see and do during their stay. Go one step further and stock the dresser drawer with brochures or travel magazines they can browse through to gather ideas about an itinerary for their vacation.

Walk a Mile in Their Shoes

Want to really understand what your visitors might need? Spend a night in your guest room with suitcase in tow, and you’ll discover all sorts of little niceties that would make a difference to your guests: handy hooks for wet towels, extra blankets in the bureau, plenty of empty hangers in the closet, a convenient luggage rack, drink coasters for the nightstand, an alarm clock or even a collection of short stories for nighttime reading. Endeavoring to understand their needs from their perspective will help you play the role of the perfect host.

Feel confident when you lay out the welcome mat that those who cross your threshold will enjoy the time spent in your home. Refer to these tips when preparing for overnight guests and you’ll be sure to win points as a first-rate host.

Buying a Home • July 20, 2023

Choosing a Golf Course Home

by Coldwell Banker Graham & Associates, Inc. Realtor

Score a Hole in One When Choosing a Golf Course Home

Buying a house on the links means more than just enjoying acres of lush greens, sparkling ponds and well-manicured hills in your own backyard. There are other important factors to take into consideration before making the decision to join a golf course community.

Environment

Remember that the beautiful surroundings come with their own unique inhabitants – from birds and turtles to more exotic, reptilian wildlife in some cases. Think about whether this strikes you as an enchanting feature that will serve as a source of constant entertainment, or a potential nuisance.

Extra Fees

In addition to homeownership, many golf communities come with mandatory greens upkeep fees for which residents are responsible. That perfectly landscaped lawn you get to enjoy may come at a significant price. So make sure you understand any associated fees or homeowner association costs up front.

Privacy

The house’s proximity to the course will obviously determine the amount of privacy and quiet you can expect. Visit the home at different times of day to check out the traffic flow, and investigate details such as what time of day the mowing is generally done. Consider whether early-bird games will be an intolerable, noisy disruption to your alfresco breakfasts, if landscaping work done later in the day will regularly disturb your poolside yoga session, or if the occasional golf ball in your yard will be a happy surprise or a cause for consternation and nagging concern.

Amenities

If you’re an avid player, then of course you’ll be more than happy to take full advantage of the perks associated with being in a golf community. As a paying member, you will likely have your choice of tee times and be able to enjoy discounted rates, invitations to tournaments and other great benefits. Also consider whether the activities offered throughout the year by the clubhouse are events you can appreciate. If you don’t intend on participating in the barbecues, buffet dinners and other planned gatherings intended to fill your social calendar, then the additional clubhouse fee will not be worth your while. The rules and requirements of every neighborhood differ, so be certain to review the ins and outs with your agent.

While living in a golf community brings with it an undeniable sense of prestige and security, there are other features that need to be carefully evaluated when house hunting. Considering these factors will help you find the golf course community home that’s perfect for your lifestyle.

Homeowner Tips • July 17, 2023

What to Pack for Your First Night in Your New House

by Coldwell Banker Graham & Associates, Inc. Realtor

What To Pack For Your First Night In Your New House

Moving day is approaching and your to-do list just keeps growing! But, there is one more to-do to add to your list. This to-do list gets you ready for a peaceful first night in your new home. You’ll thank me later. Actually, you’ll be too tired to thank me, but that’s okay. Your first night will be great and that’s all the thanks I need.

The last thing anyone wants to do after a long moving day, is to open box after box in search of your pjs, toothbrush, pillow and your kid’s night light. No one wants to go on a treasure hunt at the end of moving day!

Here’s how to have a restful first night:

Pack a suitcase for each family member (two and four legged) for their first night. Bring those suitcases with you, so you’ll know right where they are.

Each suitcase should be packed with these essentials:

Linens and pillows
Clean pjs
A fresh change of clothes
Toothpaste, toothbrush, soap, toilet paper and towels
Medications, eyeglasses or contact lenses & solutions
Your kids favorite teddy bear, bedtime story and night light
Phone, computer and chargers
A bag for each pet with food, food bowls, toys leash and bed

Keep your family happy & fed:

Pack a family box with food and healthy treats for moving day and for breakfast the next day. Include a few dishes, silverware, paper towels, snacks and food.

Take precautions:

Remember to personally move your credit cards, wallet and jewelry. Keep them safely tucked away.

If you’re moving long distance:

Bring clothing and essentials for at least a week while you’re waiting for the moving truck to arrive. No one wants to have to start their new job or school in their pjs!

Enjoy your first night!

Being able to easily grab what you need makes your first night in your new place feel like home. Watch the video below for more tips!

Homeowner Tips • July 17, 2023

Tips for Hydrating Plants

by Coldwell Banker Graham & Associates, Inc. Realtor

The Wonderful World of Green – Tips for Hydrating Plants

You may not know it, but there are proper methods to watering your plants that involve more than just pouring water on top. Plant size, soil type, weather, sun exposure and time of year all factor into how much water is needed. Timing and frequency are also important, according to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. So how do you effectively manage your dampening strategy? Consider:

Watering in the Morning – Water can penetrate the soil where the plant’s roots can reach, absorbing and drying in the cooler hours of the day. Watering during other times of the day could cause you to boil the roots, sunburn the leaves or grow mold spores and rot.
Increasing Drainage – Excessive moisture around the root zone can lead to stagnant water and root rot, according to Deep Green Permaculture. To prevent this add a coarser material to the bottom of the pot to vary the potting medium and water retention.
Soaking Deeply – Dampen the soil at least eight inches below the surface so the roots are encouraged to grow deeper and are not sitting too close to the surface.
Optimizing Your Soil – Clearing out rocks and debris, loosening the soil and adding organic matter can affect how your plants absorb water. Adjust your planting strategy based on the soil type and how you apply compost.

Since there are so many different aspects of an effective watering system, there are also many opportunities for blunders. Here are a few common missteps to avoid:

Watering Too Frequently – Adding too much could kill your plants because it drowns them and cuts off the oxygen. Each plant is different, but you could look out for yellow, wilted or dropped leaves, brown spots, mushy stems and molding soil to understand if your plant is being overwatered.

Using a Sprinkler – Plants absorb most of their water through the soil, and sprinklers tend to moisten the top foliage.
Relying on Rain – There isn’t always enough rainfall for plants to thrive, so don’t count on it to keep them alive. You should test your soil for the amounts of water and adjust your watering methods as your plants need it.

There are also regional variations and differing needs of specific plants, so check with your local gardening center for more information. Paying attention to your plant’s moisture and developing a watering strategy will have your garden flourishing in a wonderful world of green in no time.

Selling A Home • July 17, 2023

Get Your Home Market Ready

by Coldwell Banker Graham & Associates, Inc. Realtor

First Impressions Matter – Get Your Home Market Ready

If you are considering selling your home, there are several things you can do now to make the best first impression on potential buyers. Taking the time to declutter, deep clean and make simple repairs will show buyers that your house and property are well-maintained and ready for a new owner.

Increase Curb Appeal

A clean and attractive exterior is crucial, as it creates a positive first impression and sets the tone for the rest of your home. Spruce up your outdoor space by removing overhanging tree limbs and branches, applying a fresh coat of exterior paint, mowing the lawn, adding plants or flowerpots, power washing, painting patio and deck areas and repairing or replacing damaged screens and doors.

Take Care of the Obvious

While grooming your outside space, you’ll need to address any glaring concerns. Check and fix loose or damaged roof shingles, bricks, wood and trim. Clean out septic systems to ensure your property is in top working condition. With these projects completed, you’ll also reduce maintenance stress while your home is listed.

Make the Interior Shine

Create an inviting and welcoming atmosphere by cleaning, decluttering and organizing your home, which shows buyers that there’s plenty of space. Freshen up your indoor areas by painting walls, removing outdated rugs or furniture, polishing kitchen appliances and deep cleaning hardwood floors, sinks, tiles and showers.

Remove the Clutter

You’ll also want to check that any clutter is cleared by organizing closets with shelves and storage bins, storing everyday items like paper and toys in cabinets and closets, and removing personal items like picture frames and your kid’s tee-ball trophies. While you’re thoughtfully arranging, you could take advantage of this opportunity to get rid of any paperwork that is no longer needed while gathering documents potential buyers may need to review in in a handy folder. These papers could include HOA information, appliance manuals, warranty information, records of repairs (especially if it involved electrical, plumbing or contractor issues) and the survey of your property.

By increasing the outdoor appeal, creating a warm, appealing indoor space and gathering all the information upfront before listing your home for sale, you’ll be well on your way to smooth, stress-free transaction – and seal the deal with a great first impression.