Tag Archive for: DIY

Home Environmental Features in Athens Real Estate

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Helping Your Home Be More Efficient in the Greater Athens Area

(Information  and graphic via Keller Williams)

When you’re ready to sell your home, it’s important to know what features home buyers are looking for. Whether their motivation is to save the planet or just to save money, buyers in today’s market are looking for energy efficiency in their homes.

What features do buyers say are most important to them?

Upgrading your home with environmentally friendly and energy-efficient features can attract more buyers to your home and increase your home’s value. Before investing in any upgrades, give our team a call or submit a request for contact and we will help you customize which upgrades are most appealing for your home to buyers in the greater Athens GA area.

13 Ways to Help Your Home Sell Faster

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13 easy updates by room to improve your home’s appearance

Getting ready to sell your home, or looking for ways to update the appearance to attract more potential buyers? There are several changes and updates you can make by room that may help sell your home in the greater Athens area faster! Below are 13 easy ways to update your home, room by room, to enhance the appearance to a potential buyer. Would you like more information or a customized plan to sell your home? Give us a call or submit a request for contact and we’ll work with you to create a customized marketing plan for your home.

Information via Keller Williams.

In the Bedrooms:

  • Create a master suite effect in your decorating.
  • Depersonalize bedrooms and decorate in a neutral scheme.
  • Make sure that the beds are made and the linens are clean.
  • Organize your closets, remove unnecessary items and put them in storage.

In the Bathrooms:

  • Do no leave towels around and wipe down the sinks and shower areas after each use.
  • Re-caulk the tub if the caulk is not sparkling white.
  • Repair or replace broken tiles in the shower/tub.
  • Replace shower curtains and keep them clean.
  • Put out fresh towels and decorative soaps.

In the Kitchen:

  • Microwave a small dish of vanilla twenty minutes before a showing and place it in an out of the way place.
  • Highlight an eat-in-area in your kitchen with a table set for dinner.
  • The kitchen and bathrooms should always be spotlessly clean.
  • Expand your counter space by removing small appliances.

 

 

4 Ways To Help Make Your Home As Pet Friendly As You Are

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Adding pet friendly features to your home in the greater Athens area

(information and photo via Keller Williams)

Keller Williams
Is Your Home as Pet Friendly as You Are?Pet ownership is at an all-time high, with 65 percent of U.S. households owning a pet. That shakes out to more than 79 million homes. Whether you own a pet (which you likely do!) or if you’re thinking of selling your home in the future, adding these 4 pet friendly features to your home will boost its value – both with potential home buyers and your four-legged friends!

1. Sturdy fence. Pets need a secure, sturdy fence to keep them, well, fenced in. Look for solid materials and a height of at least six feet, and make sure the end structure is escape-proof.

2. Safe plants. Certain plant varieties are toxic to cats and dogs, so look up the names of all plants – whether for indoors or out – before you purchase them to determine their toxicity rating.

3. Easily cleaned flooring. A durable, easily cleaned floor will make any potential pet accidents less of a problem. Carpet may be soft, but it tends to trap hair, allergens and stains.

4. Mudrooms. With pet ownership on the rise, dedicated pet owners are in the market for special features like mudrooms that include handheld pet showers or utility sinks.

Looking to buy, sell or invest in real estate? Let’s talk about it. Call us today to send us a request for contact to arrange a personalized consultation.

7 January Home Care Tips in the Greater Athens Area

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Simple Steps You Could Take to Maintain Your Home

Information and photo via Keller Williams


You can keep your home in top shape with simple tasks throughout the year. This month, be sure to:

  1. 1. Check your attic for birds, squirrels, raccoons, etc.
  2. 2. Pour 1 gallon of water down unused drains.
  3. 3. Clean the refrigerator drain pan.
  4. 4. Inspect your dishwasher for leaks.
  5. 5. Check the operation of your sump pump if you have one.
  6. 6. Have your air ducts cleaned.
  7. 7. Service your kitchen disposal by grinding several cups of ice cubes.
  9. Ready to learn more about selling the home that you’ve maintained over the years? We’d be happy to help! Submit a request for contact today, or simply give us a call! We’ll review your home with you, and provide you with a simple analysis and home sale plan, as well as an analysis of homes in your neighborhood!

Potential Home Improvement Projects for Home Resale

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Which projects might be the best to complete when thinking about home resale?

Information via Brandon McEachern with Jennifer Westmoreland & Associates

As usual, the kitchen is the focal point on interior value.  From there, it’s the bathrooms and wood floors (instead of carpet) which boost your return.  But what folks may be missing is what I call the “big ticket items”.  Buyers are savvy when it comes to research these days.  And when they get the Seller’s Disclosure, they’re looking for these important factors:  The age of the roof, HVAC system and water heater.  So if you have a 30-year roof, and it’s 27 years old, replacing it is a tremendous selling point that may give you the edge over the competition.  The same goes for the other components I mentioned.  The good thing is that you can likely get the value back out of these upgrades.  Let’s face it: buyers will spend their budget on the purchase…and rarely have additional money set aside to replace the roof, HVAC, water heater, etc.  So check up on the ages of these systems.  If they’re near the end of their shelf-life, you may seriously want to consider replacement prior to listing.  If all of them are in great shape, then go ahead and splurge on that big kitchen renovation.

Interested in your specific home or neighborhood? Submit a request for contact today, or simply give us a call! As your local real estate agents, we know the greater Athens area market!

5 Tips for Christmas Tree Safety

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Christmas Tree Safety in the Greater Athens Area

(Information and photo via Keller Williams)

 

It’s hard not to get into the holiday spirit when you bring out the ornaments and decorate your tree. Keep in mind however that both real and artificial trees can pose a hazard in your home if they are not properly cared for. Here are a few tips and reminders on how to keep your tree and your family safe

  1. If you are using a natural tree, make a fresh cut across the tree’s base before setting it in the stand and immediately place in water. Keep the tree’s water container full at all times, checking the water level daily.
  2. Place the Christmas tree well away from the heat registers, space heaters, fireplaces, wood stoves, televisions, computer monitors and other heat sources.
  3. Check all Christmas tree lights, other electric decorations and electrical appliances for wear (frayed cords, for example). Use only UL approved electrical decorations and extension cords.
  4. Unplug tree lights and decorations when out of the room or sleeping.
  5. Place the Christmas tree clear of doors to keep the emergency escape route clear of trees, packages and furniture.

Happy Decorating!

4 Reasons Why Bamboo Is Taking Home Decor by Storm

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Is bamboo a part of your home decor?

(Information and photo via Keller Williams)

Homeowners are often looking for home improvement options that strike the right balance between affordability, functionality, aesthetics and eco-friendliness. Bamboo has been marketed as something of a panacea—a kind of wonder wood that checks all the boxes. Designers, contractors and consumers have all taken note, as bamboo has made its way into homes as flooring, walls, window treatments, furniture and more. Here are the properties that are making this popular material a go-to green choice for interior design materials.

Affordability
Bamboo is a readily available wood…except for the fact that bamboo isn’t a wood at all, but a grass! Therein lies the secret to bamboo’s ascendant success as a housing material: It grows like a weed because it essentially is one. At a maximum of three feet per day, it is, in fact, the fastest growing plant on Earth.

Versatility
Just the one word “bamboo” doesn’t do justice to the range of looks the material offers. It can vary greatly in shades and textures, making it a versatile option for decorators and designers.

Durability
Whether natural or manmade, few materials can match bamboo’s physical properties pound for pound. Because bamboo grows in wet, tropical climates, it is well-suited to resisting rain and wind. In fact, this unassuming reed beats out hardwood, brick and concrete alike in terms of compressive strength, while rivaling steel in tensile strength.

Sustainability
As a growing number of homeowners look for eco-friendly materials in their decor, perhaps no single factor has contributed to bamboo’s modern vogue in interior design more than its sustainability. As it is a grass rather than a tree, it can grow to a harvestable size (often over 100 feet) in a matter of months. This is in stark contrast to the years of water, fertilizer and pesticide required by other timber woods.

3 Small Steps To Prepare Your Home For Rain

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(Information and photo via Keller Williams)

Complete these home maintenance steps before spring rains begin:

  1. Inspect the foundation for low areas and fill with compacted soil to help prevent foundation damage.
  2. Check the wood trim around windows, doors and railings and make repairs before wood rot occurs.
  3. Inspect the deck for discolorations and reseal before warping occurs.

Small tips can add value to your home. A few maintenance steps can help prevent long-term damage.

Thinking about buying or selling a home? Let us be your resource for local real estate information. Give us a call today, or submit a request for contact!

5 DIY Improvements to Make Your Home Classier

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Updating your home to be more chic – without looking cheap – is completely doable on a budget.

If you’re looking to add more class to your home, taking on a DIY project can give your house that extra sense of style while saving you money. No need to cringe at those three little words: “do it yourself.” There really are fast, easy and affordable projects you can do on your own. Here are five relatively easy ways to enhance your home.

1. Replace Your Light Fixtures
Switching out an old or basic light fixture for a more elegant one is an easy way to shift the ambiance of a room. By adding a sophisticated light fixture, you can control the intensity of the light and character of your room. And you don’t need to pay a pretty penny for expensive new fixtures – you can buy used fixtures online.

2. Add Floating Shelves
Installing floating shelves in your home combines the functionality of extra storage space with a bit of style and personal flair. Floating shelves can be mounted on walls in many different patterns, and they come in various materials to give your rooms a unique touch. For a small room choose shallow shelves to display framed photos; for a larger room you can afford to use deeper shelves to hold vases, books and unique trinkets.

3. Paint an Accent Wall
Painting an accent wall can add a pop of color and showcase your personality. Usually a low-risk project, a homeowner of any skill level can tackle this project in a day. You just need some painter’s tape, a brush and the color that suits you! Just make sure the color you choose is complementary with the other colors in the room. Stay consistent between warm and cool tones.

4. Install Decorative Molding
Adding decorative molding around your home can add an extra touch of elegance. Install molding to the ceiling by capping walls, columns and cabinets, or add chair molding lower to the ground. With detailed molding you can add character to your rooms while also making them feel taller and more finished.

5. Build a Stone Fire Pit

Take your sophisticated style outside by building a stone fire pit in your backyard. Completed in only a few hours, take uniquely shaped rocks or large stones and put them together to create a functional and stylish fire pit. Before starting the project, be sure to check your local fire codes or homeowners association to ensure you are safe and allowed to start building.

Adding a touch of class to your home doesn’t have to break the bank! Just be sure to start with one project at a time, allowing yourself to complete one before starting the next. Otherwise, you’ll fall victim to chronic project incompleteness syndrome – not a good look!

Now that you know about these five inexpensive DIY projects, which will you try? Or let us know what your favorite home improvement project is on our Team JWA page!

6 Ways to Stage Your Home in the Greater Athens Area

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Expertly staging your house could be the difference between whether or not a buyer is captivated by your house.

Here are six ways to make sure that your house makes an outstanding impression and is staged for success (information and photo via Keller Williams):

1. Store Personal Items: As your real estate team, our goal is to make sure your house appeals to the largest segment of likely buyers in order to secure the best possible price. In order to do this, it’s important to make sure the buyer can picture themselves in your house, so that means safely storing any personal items.
2. Minimize Furniture: Rearranging and even storing furniture will allow your house to appear more spacious as well as show off its charm and unique details.
3. Go Easy on Scents: One buyer might love the smell of a candle or freshly baked cookies, another might not. It’s best to keep scents neutral and minimal in order to boost appeal.
4. Show off Storage: Clearing out closets and other storage areas will show off their size and capacity.
5. Create a Hotel-like Space: Some of the best hotels invite guests to feel at home – and that is precisely what a buyer should feel when viewing your house.
6. Curb Appeal: The first impression is often the most important. We will help you identify landscaping that complements your house’s distinctive style.

 

Interested in learning more about what Team JWA can do to help market and sell your home? Submit a request for contact today, or give us a call for more information!