Spring is here and it's time to get your home ready for the warm weather ahead. Regular maintenance and upkeep will not only keep your home looking its best but also help to prevent costly repairs down the road. Here are 12 home maintenance tips to help you get started: Clean gutters and downspouts: Clogged gutters and downspouts can cause water damage to your home's exterior and foundation. Clean them out to be sure they're in good working order. Check for roof damage: Winter weather can take a toll on your roof, so inspect it for any missing, cracked, or damaged shingles. Have any repairs done promptly to prevent water damage. Inspect windows and doors: Take the time to check for any air leaks around windows and doors and add weather stripping if necessary. This will help your home stay cool during the coming summer months. Service air conditioning unit: Get your air conditioning unit serviced to ensure it's ready to keep you cool when temperatures rise. Protect yourself by completing this step, so you won’t lose your reprieve from the hot summer months. Power wash exterior: Power washing the exterior of your home to remove any dirt, mildew, and grime that has accumulated over the winter is a great way to breathe new life into the exterior of your home. This also boosts the curb appeal of your home. Clean and repair decks and patios: Inspect your deck and patio for any damage, such as loose boards or cracks, and make repairs as needed. Clean the surfaces and don’t forget to add a fresh coat of sealant to protect them from the elements. Landscape maintenance: Cut back any overgrown shrubs or trees, add fresh mulch, and plant new flowers to enhance the look of your yard. Using Preen or similar weed control early in the season (February or March) can help you keep weeds at bay for a longer span into the spring season. Clean and repair chimney: After all the use from this winter’s cold days call a professional and have your chimney cleaned and inspected to ensure it's safe to use. Repair any cracks or damage to prevent chimney fires next season! Check appliances: Have your appliances inspected and serviced to ensure they're running efficiently and safely. This is also a great time to change out your fridge water filters to keep your drinking water fresh and delicious. Paint and touch-up: Touch up any chipped paint on the exterior and interior of your home to keep it looking fresh and new.Be sure to complete this after power washing the exterior! I now it sounds obvious but… Check smoke detectors: Test your smoke detectors on Daylight Savings in March and replace any batteries that are low. Do this and you avoid that wretched middle of the night beep! You know it always goes off in the middle of the night!! Clean and organize garage and basement: Clean out your garage and basement and get rid of any items that you no longer need or use. Organize the items you’re keeping using a system that works for you to help you make the most of your storage space. There you have it! By completing these home maintenance tasks, you'll be well on your way to having a beautiful, safe, and efficient home for the spring and summer months ahead. I’m off to remind my Hubs of the broken burner on our stove!! Happy Spring everyone! Cheers,

When selling your home, there are several things to consider to make the process smoother and more successful. Here are 10 things to consider when selling a house: Determine the right time to sell: Timing can be critical when it comes to selling your home. Consider the local real estate market, the time of year, and your personal situation when deciding when to list your home for sale. Set the right price: Pricing your home competitively is essential to attracting potential buyers. Research similar homes in your area and work with a real estate agent to determine a fair market value. Prepare the home for sale: Make sure the house is clean, decluttered, and staged properly for sale. Consider making repairs and improvements that can add value to the home. Choose the right real estate agent: Working with the right real estate agent can make all the difference when selling a house. Look for a knowledgeable agent who can guide you through the process and help you get the best price for your home. Market the property effectively: A successful home sale requires effective marketing. Your agent should use a variety of marketing strategies to promote your home, such as online listings, open houses, and print advertisements. Negotiate effectively: Negotiating the terms of the sale is a critical step in the process. Work with your agent to prepare for negotiations and be willing to compromise to close the deal. Understand the legal and financial requirements: There are several legal and financial requirements when selling a house, such as disclosing information about the property and settling outstanding debts. Make sure you understand these requirements and work with your agent and lawyer to meet them. Be prepared for showings and open houses: Make sure your home is always clean and ready for showings and open houses. Be flexible with scheduling and accommodate potential buyers as much as possible. Consider your next steps: Selling your home can have a significant impact on your life, so it's important to consider your next steps. Determine where you will live next and make plans accordingly. Stay organized: Selling a house involves a lot of paperwork and important documents. Stay organized by keeping all paperwork in one place and making copies for your records.  

When buying or selling a property, hiring a realtor can be a valuable investment. Here are 10 reasons to hire a realtor: Experience and expertise: A realtor has the experience and expertise to guide you through the buying or selling process. They have knowledge of the local real estate market, the buying and selling process, and negotiating skills. Access to information and resources: A realtor has access to a variety of information and resources, including property listings, market data, and legal and financial resources. Market knowledge: A realtor has an in-depth knowledge of the local real estate market, including property values, recent sales, and trends. This knowledge can help you make informed decisions about buying or selling a property. Pricing expertise: A realtor can provide expert guidance on pricing your property or making an offer on a property. They can provide a comparative market analysis to help determine a fair market value for the property. Marketing strategies: A realtor can develop and implement effective marketing strategies to promote your property to potential buyers. This includes online listings, print advertising, and open houses. Negotiating skills: A realtor has the negotiating skills to help you get the best price for your property. They can negotiate on your behalf and help you reach a fair agreement with the buyer or seller. Legal and financial knowledge: A realtor has knowledge of the legal and financial requirements of buying or selling a property. They can provide guidance on contracts, disclosures, and other important documents. Time-saving: A realtor can save you time by handling the details of the buying or selling process. They can handle showings, paperwork, and other tasks, allowing you to focus on other important aspects of your life. Network of professionals: A realtor has a network of professionals they can refer you to, including home inspectors, contractors, and other experts in the industry. Ongoing support: A realtor can provide ongoing support even after the sale is complete. They can provide guidance on home maintenance, upgrades, and other important aspects of homeownership.

So you have decided it is time to buy a new home. Whether that's new construction or just new to you, there are several things thatyou should avoid doing to ensure that the process goes smoothly and you make a good investment. Here are 10 things not to do when buying a home: Don't rush the process: Take your time to find the right property for you and your family. Rushing the process could lead to regrets later. We saw this happen with some purchases during the COVID pandemic. The frenzy created a huge FOMO spell in the housing industry which has left some buyers wishing they had something different. Yes, the frenzy is over but FOMO is very much still alive. Being in a rush AND not knowing (really knowing) your wants and needs can lead you down the path of buyer's remorse. So take the time to nail down YOUR non-negotiables and like to haves BEFORE heading out on that search. This will help keep you focused on finding the right home for you and your family. Don't buy a house you can't afford: Make sure you can comfortably afford the monthly mortgage payments and other related expenses. Things like taxes and insurance are typically rolled into your loan thus your mortgage payment. Be sure your lender is looking at all programs you are eligible to use for your purchase. There are programs specifically designed for First Time Homebuyers and Military Veterans and Active Duty members. Don't skip the home inspection: A home inspection is critical to identifying any potential problems with the property, so make sure to schedule one before finalizing the sale. These are back since the pandemic selling season. Be sure to choose to have one, even if you buying a home AS-IS. We all know about the inspection of the house, but this is a fabulous time for YOU to inspect those utility bills so that you are more prepared for the costs of owning THAT specific home. Don't neglect the location: You've heard the old adage LOCATION LOCATION LOCATION!! Only you know the perfect location for you! Be sure to look at all the aspects of where the house is in relation to its convenience to shopping, work, amenities, safety, and social things to do. The location of the property is just as important as the property itself. Don't ignore hidden costs: In addition to the purchase price, there are other costs to consider, such as maintenance. Some buyers don't think about these seemingly hidden costs of home ownership... things like the lights, gas and water (if applicable), lawn maintenance, trash pick up, plumbing problems, bugs 🐛, rodents, air conditioning, heat! Whew! That is a long list. Be prepared! Don't make big purchases before closing: This is HUGE. Please for the love of all things sacred avoid making big purchases, like a new car or furniture, before closing on your home loan. This could impact your credit score and loan approval. The last thing you want is for your loan qualification to be in jeopardy and lose the house you have picked out! This happens more than we want to see so protect yourself and wait until after closing to go do those shopping. Don't rely solely on online research: While online research can be helpful, it's important to physically visit the properties and the neighborhoods before making a decision. We know that most buyers begin their home search online. That is great for giving you a starting point and pick out some favorites. Take a drive to see the neighborhood and proximity to the things you find important. Even seeing how the house sits on the property has been a deciding factor for some of our clients. Don't forget to factor in your future plans: Consider your future plans, such as starting a family or changing jobs, when choosing a property. As a teacher we planned with the end in mind. I'm not referring to the forever end but if you know a life event is coming up be sure this home purchase fits in that plan or easily adaptable. Selling prior to 2 years of ownership has tax implications so you want to be sure you can at least that long before selling or perhaps renting the home out! Don't ignore the homeowner association rules: If the property is part of a homeowner association, make sure to read and understand the rules and regulations. Don't just put that paperwork aside and trust that all is fine. Take the time to read it to know if the neighborhood rules are things you can and want to live with. Don't skip the paperwork: Make sure to review and understand all the paperwork involved in the home-buying process, including the purchase agreement, loan documents, and title documents. I know the amount of paperwork can sometimes seem like Mount Everest but we are asking you to take the time to know what you are signing and agreeing to in those documents. Buying a home can be an exciting time. So much so we get lost in the home search that we forget about the living part. The day to day, week to week, month to month living. Oh and the paying of those bills that come with the house! Take the time to think about all these things. Review them with your REALTOR to be sure the houses you're touring fit the parameters of your life today and for years to come. Happy Home Searching,  

Can you believe the new year is here? If you said “No!” you are in good co mpany. I don’t know about you, but time seems to be on zoom speed most of the time right now. Yes! Zoomis an official measurement of speed. Usually, the years come and go and I don’t give much thought to goals or resolutions, but in 2022 I read a few books about creating habits. So as 2022 came to a close I spent time writing out goals as well as weekly/monthly measures to help me knock them out of the park. If you want to join me, I am going to give you 5 tips and tricks that will set you up for an amazing 2023. Are you ready??? Create Your Vision Board Like I said I read books about habits last year and a common thread I heard was, what you focus on expands. This is one of the driving principles of the Law of Attraction. Focus on what you want to attract in your life by creating a visual representation of your goals and dreams. This isn’t something new for most of us and I understand the stop could be the how do you complete one. When you create your board remember there are no rules. Know what works best for you. Y’all let’s keep this simple. You can use magazines, cut out pictures and create a collage of your dreams. Not a crafty person? Go online, copy/paste pics that show your goals and dreams and print it out. It doesn’t matter how you do it… just do something to bring your dreams alive visually! Shoot you can even just write words all over a page or draw, if you are so inclined. I am not an artist so online and magazines is my way to go. It doesn’t matter… just make it YOURS! So now you have a completed vision board, the key to this creating. Change and success is to place it somewhere you will see it EVERYDAY. Keep it front and center in your mind… no back burner living folks. That is the road to regret, and we don’t do that here. System of Achievement Once you know your goals decide what actions you will need to accomplish your goals. For example, if your goal is to drop 10 pounds your actions will probably involve working out and meal planning. Identifying the actions required for a goal is the difference between dreaming of your goals and achieving them. If the needed actions don’t make it to your calendar, then you are in dream land and may not end the year where you want to be. We all need a little tough love sometimes. May be hard to hear but if you are tired of not getting to where you want to go the hard lessons are necessary! Intention is the beginning… ACTION drives it home! Create a Schedule of Actions I haven’t always been good at scheduling. As a Realtor I make my own schedule. That was one of the hardest things for me to adjust to as I started that journey. I have started using time block method in my calendar and schedule EVERYTHING! If it isn’t on your schedule, it doesn’t. exist. New to time blocking? Start by tracking ALL your activities for a few days. Those 2 hours with friends… Track it, sitting watching TV… Track it, FB surfing… you guessed it Track it! Often we don’t accomplish things because we run out of time, but truthfully it is because we didn’t steward the time we have appropriately. You have the same 168 hours in a week that I do. Begin your week planning how you will spend every hour of your time. Mid-week adjust anything that isn’t working so you stay on track. At the end of the week evaluate what needs to be changed for the next coming week. Become a well-oiled machine!!! Reward Yourself So now you have created a visual board, determined actions needed and planned those actions in your calendar. It is time for you to determine rewards as you accomplish mini goals through the week. For me it is the 3 hours of football on Sunday. If I want to be able to sit guilt free eating my weekly nacho tray, I must make sure I made the calls I needed to make during the week and completed my workouts/step goals. If not, well guess I need to get to work and complete those THEN enjoy the game. Make the reward something you earn for completing a task that is hard for you to accomplish. That burger for date night? Reward for. Eating 3 salads during the week. Having the ability to enjoy life guilt free is part of having an amazing year. I know it seems that we live in an instant gratification world, but that kind of gratification doesn’t always bring happiness. True happiness is usually delayed by consistently doing the things we need to do, even if they are hard and unpleasant sometimes. Doesn’t that sound amazing? True happiness? Need help getting there?? Share those goals… with EVERYONE! No closet goals people! Share them and celebrate your achievements no matter how small they may seem. We do not celebrate our wins enough, but rather look at what we haven’t done. Remember what you focus on expands. Focus on your accomplishments! Let’s make 2023 the year of Celebration. YOU CAN DO IT! Believe in yourself. Surround yourself with people who believe in you! Dream Big! Plan to Achieve! Act According to Plan! Celebrate EVERY Achievement! Comment below with YOUR BHAG… Big Hairy Audacious Goal and let us celebrate with you every step of your journey!