Selling? We will devise a marketing plan
together, tailoring strategy to the property and to your specific timing
and needs. My business is structured for you to deal with me
directly from A to Z. You will find me very accessible. When the
phone rings, I pick it up. When you have a question, I find the answer. It
is a personalized way of doing business that my clients enjoy and share
with their friends and family. I would love the opportunity to create a
plan for your consideration. Then the choice is yours.
Need Curb Appeal?
* First Impressions Are
Critical! If everything in the "Curb Appeal Zone", is thoughtfully chosen and in perfect repair - from
the mailbox and house numbers to the walkway and landscaping, buyers will think,
"This house is obviously well cared for." Even if the rest of the
house is not actually as well cared for, this first impression is imprinted in
the brain and very hard to change. You know the basics - Keep the Lawn Mowed
(or walks Shovelled!), Trim the trees, Add pots of flowers, and put out a new
welcome mat. But here are a few compelling ideas for taking the next
steps...
*
Your Front Door can be your home's curb appeal
focal point. Replacing a dinged and uninsulated entryway door with a new steel
door (about $1200 installed) brings the biggest bang for the updating buck. Or
replacing the old with a wood door complementary to your home style will make a
huge initial impact. If your current door can be saved with a coat of paint,
just don't overdo. The line between striking and garish can be tricky, so take
care with color choice. Consider replacing worn bright brass door hardware with
satin nickel, black, or oil rubbed bronze - the door hardward finishes du
jour. And of course, if need be, finish with a full view storm door that shows
off your efforts.
* Make your windows sparkle. Wash them in
and out. And consider removing the screens for curb sparkle, inside light and
ultra-clear views. Clean glass makes a huge difference. Then, how
about dressing up the windows with flower boxes? Have shutters? The trend is
away from high color contrast greens, red or black toward a more monochromatic
pallet that blends with the rest of the house.
* Your Garage can make a huge impact, depending
on its orientation to the house. Does the door need paint? Should it be
replaced? A new steel garage door can be installed for about $1500. And if the
garage door is a strong design element of the face of your home, it may be
worth bumping up to a new decor door. Garage door choices have gotten
amazing!
* The Front Porch is an iconic symbol of American
living - Worth staging with perhaps a pair of rocking chairs and a small
table, a porch swing or an outdoor living suite. (Same goes for the deck -
Stage it as as additional living space.)
* Driveways covered with cracks and oils stains
send the wrong message. If it's needed and in the budget, consider a complete
resurfacing. Or cracks can be patched with premixed materials. Driveway cracks
a quarter inch or smaller can be filled with asphalt or concrete patch
available in calk gun tubes. Your hardware store should have products for
removing oil stains from concrete.
* Evening Appeal - Portable outdoor lamps directed
toward your house and toward landscaping focal points add low-cost, high-impact
Wow. Put them on a timer. Turn on interior lights for a warm glow from the
curb. If you're not wired for outdoors, line a pathway to the door with solars.
The technology has improved greatly recently and they are much cheaper to
install than wired lighting.
* Your Home is like no other.
Preparing your home for market means finding the greatest positive impact for
every fix-up dollar and hour of your time. That's where my years of experience
comes into play. I have re-habbed vintage and modern homes for years. And just
this year, Loretta and I have so-far visited The Parade of Homes, the
Remodeler's Showcase, the AIA "Homes by Architects" two-day tour, six
Preserve Minneapolis neighborhood architectural tours, and the twin cities
Docomomo (Documentation and Conservation of Building Sites, and Neighborhoods
of the Modern Movement - Whew!) Mid-Century Modern tour, as well as visiting
new and existing homes on market. We talked with architects and builders about
the specifics of their projects. We analyze the design elements of homes both
as an avocation and to keep current with the trends. I have a strong eye for
style and my years of rehab experience allows me to recognize how to achieve
the best fix up results most cost effectively. It's a small but very important
part of service that I provide.