24
Oct
By Jim Hasek
Real Estate, ,

Ways to Stay Safe During the Holidays

The arrival of fall, with cooler temperatures followed by a season of holiday celebrations, means getting cozy at home, spending more time cooking and enjoying friends and family in front of a blazing fire, and lighting up your home for a series of holidays. Sadly, though, it is also a time that carries a higher risk of property losses due to fire and accidental injuries. Here are some guidelines about how to reduce those risks and stay safe this winter: Keep The Kitchen Safe Serious burns and kitchen fires can dampen any holiday celebration. Statistics show that Thanksgiving and Christmas…
Read More
23
Oct
By Jim Hasek
Real Estate, ,

Real Estate Tips for a First-Time Home Seller

Many homeowners don't think about what it takes to successfully sell a home until they make the decision to purchase a new home. It makes sense to consider the best ways to improve your home sales appeal early if you think you might consider selling at any time in the future. Some reasons for buying a new house are to accommodate a growing family or a transfer to a new job. No matter the reason you want to buy a new home, it is important that you take the right steps to ensure you sell your home on terms that…
Read More
22
Oct
By Jim Hasek
Real Estate, ,

4 Easy Ways to Make the Most of Your Outdoor Living Space

If you want to maximize your outdoor living areas, the ideas below will help you do so. Backyards are seldom used to their full potential. No matter how large or small your yard is, a makeover can create cozy sitting areas and larger spaces that are perfect for entertaining. Here are four ideas to transform how you use your yard: 1. Move Your Kitchen Outside Outdoor kitchens let you enjoy fine weather while you cook. It also makes feeding a large gathering easier since there's probably a lot of room to expand. Setting up a fully stocked outdoor kitchen gives…
Read More
17
Oct
By Jim Hasek
Real Estate, ,

Pros and Cons of Replacing Your Roof Before a Listing

You might be wondering whether to replace your roof before listing your property. Most reputable real estate agents will advise you only to do so if your current roof isn't likely to pass inspection or if replacing it will significantly raise the value of your home.  Here is some valuable information to help you decide. Pros Of Replacing Your Roof Before You Sell Buyers are attracted to homes with curb appeal and online photos highlighting a new roof will attract a lot of traffic. That means you may sell your home more quickly. Roofing replacements also help you when it…
Read More
11
Oct
By Jim Hasek
Real Estate, ,

3 DIY Home Improvement Projects You Can Complete Before Thanksgiving

It's the time of year when many people are making their holiday plans: booking travel, making shopping lists, and getting their home ready for guests. Hiring a house cleaner, having the carpets steamed, and buying new furniture ahead of the holiday season are all common, but what about completely updating a room (or two)? It's easy to think that home improvement projects are too expensive or will take several weeks or even months to complete. However, there are several simple, affordable do-it-yourself projects that can be completed in a weekend to give outdated rooms a fresh new look -- in…
Read More
10
Oct
By Jim Hasek
Real Estate, ,

How To Stage A House For A Faster Sale At A Higher Price

"Staging" a house means to prepare it for sale in ways that make it more attractive to potential buyers. Homeowners can do much of this staging work themselves and should get suggestions from their real estate agent. They can also hire a professional to do the staging work for them. Value-Added Staging A study of 4,200 sold homes, conducted by Home Staging Resource (HSR), found that 85% of the staged homes sold for 6% to 25% more than a home that was not staged. Forbes reports that 95% of staged homes sell in 11 days or less. This is 87%…
Read More