Staging Your Outdoor Space

In most towns across our country we are seeing a sellers market. The majority of agents are communicating to their sellers that they don’t need to renovate their homes too much or have open houses as we are seeing 50+ offers on some homes.

Sellers sometimes think this means that they can just sell as is and in most cases yes. Have you ever seen the homes that receive the large offers? They are clean, beautiful, and very inviting. That being said, selling your house without some small updates will not always yield the optimum offers that your neighbor might have received. Think about what people want in a house during the pandemic. A clean home they can and a place to enjoy some outdoor activities!

Staging your outdoor spaces will help buyers and agents get a feeling for the house they want without having to see the inside. Outside of interior photos the buyer’s agent and buyers themselves will be attracted to what they see and will adjust their offers accordingly.

Here are some tips to staging your outdoor space:

Wash Everything

Start with a good clean. You can use, hose, power washer, or cloths to get rid of polled, debris, wasp nets, and other unwelcomed pests. If there is a deck or pergola, do a fresh coat of stain. If there are rusty pieces on the deck remove them or replace them. Better to have an empty space then have dirty, rusty pieces out there.

Create an Inviting Space

Stiff materials can make a home seem uninviting. Adding outdoor area rugs with beautiful colors and textures, pillows, seating can add a soft welcoming touch to the house.

Use Lighting

Think about the when people use their outdoor space specifically in your state. Typically it’s in the cooler evening times or after work time is when we use our outdoor spaces in Texas. Installing some lighting, string lights, lanterns or even some battery powered lamps on patio tables can really bring a warm and inviting atmosphere to the space.

Strategic Planting

Colorful flowers, plants, pots, vines bushes will add color and texture to the outdoor area. If you have a white house then add some pretty colors to help break the muted colors of the brick. If you experienced the harsh winter storms the past couple months you may have to remove and replace some of the trees and bushes. No one wants to see dead plants on their new house!

BRRRR... Prepping Your Home For Freezing Temperatures

This high impact ARCTIC BLAST could see temperatures dip below 20 — for some of us in the South or in Texas in particular we haven’t dealt with temperatures this low in several years. It’s super important to winterize your house. Of course we have very minimal time to do this all in one weekend!!   Your home is a big investment and it’s important to protect your home. Here are the tips we use for our clients and recommend to our own friends and family. :)

TIPS FOR PREPARING YOUR HOME FOR FREEZING TEMPERATURES:

• THERMOSTAT – set to a minimum of 60-65 degrees to protect against frozen pipes

• TURN OFF WATER - If home is vacant.  Once water is off, drain the pipes by opening the faucets and flushing toilets to clear water from them.

• LET WATER DRIP - If water is left on, let cold water drip from faucets.  Moving water is hard to freeze.  

• OPEN CABINETS - Open kitchen and bathroom cabinets, so warm air can circulate.

• DRAIN EXTERIOR WATER PIPES - Winterize the pipes by draining all water from the hose lines and shutting off the water to the sprinkler’s backflow.

• WRAP EXTERIOR WATER VALVES - Wrap or cover outdoor water pipe and above ground irrigation valves with a piece of insulation to prevent water from freezing and busting.

• CLEAN GUTTERS - Clear all the debris out of rain gutters and check the downspouts for any blockages.

• TRIM TREE BRANCHES - Check for any tree branches that may have grown too close to the roof and need to be trimmed. 

• CHECK FOR ROOF LEAKS - Inspect roof to ensure there are no active leaks.  

• CHECK FOR DRAFTS - around windows and doors and seal them with caulking or new weather strips to prevent cold air from seeping.  (Temporary draft protection can come in the form of blankets, towels or bubble wrap over leaky windows and draft stoppers under doors).

• CHANGE AIR FILTERS - it can help central air and heat work better. 

• REVERSE CEILING FANS - Reverse the ceiling fans to a clockwise direction so they push hot air along the ceiling to the floor.

• PRESERVE YOUR PLANTS - Water plants before it gets cold and bring them inside or cover them up.  Adding mulch to flower beds can also help insulate. 

• SECURE REAL ESTATE SIGNS - Remove or secure outdoor signs, furniture and décor that could be blown away in strong winds.

• DON’T FORGET YOUR POOL - Make sure the water levels are correct and break up any ice that may have accumulated on the surface or near the skimmers.  Consider running pump continuously through the night when temperatures are freezing.

• DO A FIRE HAZARD CHECK - Fireplaces, furnaces, and heat sources can be dangerous.  Consider hiring a professional to check fireplace, heater or furnace prior to winter use.  Check all smoke and CO2 detectors to ensure they are functioning properly.

• CHECK FIREPLACE - If fireplace hasn’t been used lately, make sure to check the chimney/flue before using.  Birds may have nested or debris could be trapped at top. 

• BE CAREFUL WITH SPACE HEATERS - Make sure if you run a space heater it’s on a good flat surface and at least 3 feet away from any objects!

Please leave us any tips in the comments that you have that work for your home in your part of the world. :)

Moving 101

The Moving Checklist to Keep in Your Back Pocket

christian koch

With Moving season coming up around the corner we could all use a checklist so we can cross all our T’s and dot our I’s to ensure we are in tip top shape. A big thanks to American Home Shield for some amazing tips!

A Month Before Moving:

• Hire a Mover

• Purchase boxes, tapes, and all other items needed to move your furniture and household

• Notify your utility companies about your move and your new residence.

• Notify schools, banks, doctors if the move is a distance that will impact you.

• Clean out and de-clutter. You don’t want to move any items you don’t use to your new space.Donate/sell, dispose of items.

• Make sure you have home insurance on your new residence to protect your budget from the unexpected.

2 Weeks Before Moving

• Submit change of address forms and postal change of address online.

• Empty fuel from power tools and lawn mowers.

• Notify Cable, internet, TV Security, cleaning, lawn maintenance and all other services you receive.

• Follow up on incomplete repairs prior to move.

Days Before Moving

• Defrosting fridges and freezers that you are moving with you to your new residence

• Hire cleaning service with priority on bathrooms, kitchen (refrigerator, stove tops and oven.

• Have additional used towels, bedding ready to protect furniture during the move.

• Clean indoor and outdoor furniture, back up all computers in case of hard drive damage during the move.

• Confirm travel arrangements if needed for move.

• Have cash ready for movers and tipping.

• Confirming arrival of movers.

Moving Day

• Check closet, cabinets, appliances are empty and powered off.

• Give movers a tour and provide instructions on what they need to move and what not to move.

• Leave new address in the home (if you feel comfortable) for the new residence to fwd you your mail.

• Take final walk through.

Your New Home

• Make sure your home has been cleaned through especially now with COVID-19 you want to be sure all surfaces have been thoroughly cleaned.

• Ensure new refrigerator is set up and ready to go.

• Ensure your utilities are all set up and internet,cable and other services are set up and ready to go.

• Unpack and organize. No Rush you want to be sure your new space represents you and is a comfortable set up for you and your family.

DON’T FORGET TO CELEBRATE!