Turn Your Home Green

Buy new light bulbs
When it's time to buy light bulbs, opt for the premium fluorescents. They will shine a pure-white or buttery-golden light and can cut your electricity bill by 5%. These bulbs can range from $3 to $12.

Have a barbeque
Outdoor grilling doesn't just result in a tasty burger — it's also good for the air. Outdoor grills use less energy that your electric kitchen stove and also keep heat out of the house; therefore, lowering air conditioning costs. Choose a grill that uses propane or natural gas because they emit 5.6 pounds of carbon dioxide per hour whereas a charcoal grill emits 11 pounds!

Brew coffee with an energy-efficient coffee machine
The energy-efficient coffee machines brew coffee at the exact temperature recommended for coffee; therefore, it doesn't waste any extra heat and you'll never have burnt coffee again!

Buy a flat screen monitor
The old, bulky monitors not only take up space, but they also increase your electric bill. You'll save money by switching to an LCD flat-panel model because a flat screen uses as little as a third of the electricity as the conventional tube-based models. You should also consider this when shopping for large-screen TVs — the savings are in the LCDs and rear-projection models because they use less than half the energy of plasma TVs.

Clean-up with recycled papers towels
Next time you're in the paper good aisle, throw the recycled paper towels into your cart — they're cheap and environmentally-friendly.

Become an expert recycler
Local recycling practices may vary, but there are a few universal rules that you can follow. First of all, shopping bags never go in your recycling bins. Look on the bottom of your plastic items for a number and only put the items with a one or two in your bin. Second, don't put light bulbs, broken glass or bits of food into your bin — they slow up the process and make waste professionals feel like they've been tossed to the curb.

For more home-owning advice or any other real estate needs, contact me today.

Spring Cleaning Time

Spring cleaning is a great time to complete those chores you've been putting off all year — or in some cases, for the last few years. The process can be overwhelming at times, but if you create a list of projects and complete a few each day, the spring cleaning process can be quite manageable and even fun! Here is a helpful list to get your started:

Wash your blankets, comforters and rugs, and have your carpet shampooed and floors waxed.

Clean all walls, ceilings and woodwork, including baseboards. Repair any cracks in the plaster.

Empty everything out of the refrigerator and freezer. Throw away any unused or expired items and place the rest in a cooler. Scrub down all interior surfaces, including around the doors.

Clean and sweep under the refrigerator and other heavy appliances like your washer and dryer.

Empty your kitchen cabinets and closets, and discard any unused items or stale chips or cereal. While you're at it, organize your spices and put them in alphabetical order for easy access.

Dry-clean all curtains and draperies, and wash your windows inside and out.

Dust furniture, ceiling fan blades, light fixtures and window blinds.

Go through your closets and wash and pack away all out-of-season clothing.

Re-caulk tubs, showers and sinks. Also, fix your leaky faucets and remove any water or rust stains in these areas.

Tighten loose doorknobs, pulls on drawers and cabinets, towel racks, switch plates and outlet covers.

If you have a garage, clean it out. Create efficient storage for sporting goods, camping equipment and garden tools.


It's also important that you enjoy yourself during spring cleaning. Turn up your favorite music, open your windows for some fresh air and have fun! If you're looking for more cleaning or home maintenance tips, contact me today.

How to Stage Your Home

Make a good first impression
Touching up the outside is a must. Create curb appeal by throwing a coat of bold, glossy paint on the front door — it will make the home seem cheerful. Polish the door knob and knocker to make them shine. Lay new mulch and plant bloomed-potted plants — all this makes for a welcoming abode.

Depersonalize
Put away family photos and anything else that is unique to you. The goal here is for buyers to focus on the space and structure of the home — not the current homeowners. This will help them visualize their things in the home.

Get your swatches ready
You also should consider painting and re-carpeting in neutral hues. If a home has torn carpeting or chipped paint, some buyers struggle to look past the defects and are not able imagine how the home could appear. The typical buyer can only see a home as is. In addition, some buyers may take into account the inconvenience of painting or re-carpeting themselves, which may reflect in their bidding price.

Maximize your space
Homeowners tend to clump furniture together — but the rule of thumb is two pieces per wall. Arranging your couch and chairs away from the walls and in a conversational setting will also help create extra space.

De-clutter
It's also a good idea to rent storage space in order to de-clutter — this will add significant value to your home. Contact me to learn about the partnerships Real Living has with moving companies offering discounts on storage facilities and vans.

Let in the light
Make sure your home has lots of light. If you have heavy, dark curtains, switch to simple sheer ones — they are light and airy and will visually enhance the size of the room. Also, leave the lights on when you know your home will be shown.

Don't forget to sniff
Pleasant, refreshing smells are also key, but stay away from lighting too many candles — it will give the idea that you're hiding something. Instead, display fresh flowers as centerpieces and decoration.

For more home-selling advice, contact me today.