July 2006
Volume 9 Issue 7
Dressing Down for the Holidays 
Christmas lights, birthday streamers, July Fourth balloons and Easter eggs are great ways to celebrate the holidays, but when you’re trying to sell your home, less is more. While a wreath or candles can be tasteful and attractive, sellers might consider staying away from large Christmas trees (they make a room look smaller or darker) or collages of holiday cards and pictures (they cover the refrigerator). Not only can decorations take up space, but also they often distract buyers from seeing the house itself. And you definitely don’t want decorations to show up on virtual house tours or online photos, because they will look dated very quickly.
If you do want to put up holiday decorations, do so on an abridged schedule. Rather than stretching the December holidays out to a full month, for example, you might want to put up your tree a week before Christmas and take it down on New Year’s Day, and keep Hanukkah or Kwanzaa decorations up only for the actual days of the special occasions.
Of course, there is always an exception to the rule. In some cases, says Mary K. Martin, CRS, of Semonin REALTORS® in Louisville, Ky., decorations help with the sale of a house. “In my neighborhood we have a holiday house tour,” Martin says, “so when a house goes on the market later, people sometimes remember it from the holiday tour and its decorations. In our case, it’s an attraction rather than a problem.”
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2006 Risa's "Thank You for Being my Client" party pics are up and GREAT. Visit them by clicking here
Hope to see you next year at THE PARTY!
FLIP the SWITCH
Rising energy prices are hurting everyone these days. But experts suggest that a few simple, inexpensive changes can lower your energy bills and help the environment.
• Create your own custom lighting with dimmer switches. Dim a room by 50 percent and you’ll use 40 percent less electricity and extend the bulb’s life by as much as 20 percent.
• Replace old light switches with occupancy sensors, which turn the lights on automatically when someone enters the room and shuts them off when the room is vacated. Occupancy sensors are especially beneficial in garages, laundry rooms or other areas where a light may be left on accidentally.
• Outdoor motion detectors, which activate floodlights when someone approaches, provide additional security at night.
• When you don’t want to leave lights on longer than you need to, timers and night lights are convenient, inexpensive alternatives. Timers also are useful for shutting down heat lamps, exhaust fans and pool filters when they are not being used.
But experts agree that the single most important energy-saving change you can make is one your father reminded you to do: turn off the lights when you leave a room.
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New Holiday/Vacation Homes For Sale
This months joke:
Question: Why do sea-gulls fly over the sea?
Answer: Because if they flew over the bay they would be bagels!
Question: If my home needs repairs, should I do the job myself?
Answer:
When it comes to home improvement projects, many homeowners face a common dilemma: Should I do the work myself or should I hire a contractor? If you have the know-how, tackling a home improvement project yourself can be satisfying, and it is usually less expensive than hiring a professional.
Hiring a contractor is often a better option for larger, more complex projects, especially those that involve plumbing, electrical or carpentry work. Crunched for time? A contractor can usually complete the improvements in less time than if you did it yourself.
Several online resources can help homeowners assess potential costs of home improvement projects. For example, ImproveNet’s (www.improvenet.com) project estimator determines a project’s approximate cost based on the type of work, the room dimensions, and the user’s zip code. Home Inspector Locator (www.homeinspectorlocator.com) lists approximate costs for the most common home improvement projects. Both sites provide tips and links for finding and working with contractors.
If you decide to work with a contractor, experts suggest that you collect at least three estimates, interview each contractor thoroughly, and examine their references before selecting one. Also keep a checklist of tasks that need to be done before the project is considered completed. Don’t make a final payment or sign off on the project until all work is done to your satisfaction.
Have questions? email Risa at questions@risa.net or call her at 1-800-699-4901
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When Risa helps you buy or sell a home, just let her know that you would like to use the RE/MAX Moving Truck. Then Ray, the Moving Truck Coordinator, will coordinate your reservation to use the truck for a 24 hour period and outline all of the details for the truck’s use. Tell Risa early on in your transaction that you’d like to use the truck to make sure that you can reserve the best time for your move!
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