The heart of the home is the kitchen. My best memories from my childhood were centered on food. Who am I kidding? Food still takes center stage in my life. Even at a fair, food is a big draw. Eventually we have to eat. Read more
The 3-day Country Living Fair in Rhinebeck is filled with antiques, vintage, rustic and handmade items where the pages of Country Living Magazine come to life. The fair is held the first weekend in June.
As I sit here wondering what to write about, I think of change and how so many fear change. The one thing that is constant is change. I’ve worked with a few clients over the years that have a hard time with change. One client, during a staging consultation, had an issue with moving a chair away from the fireplace. “It has always been there”, they said. I explained how it was blocking the view to the fireplace and how we are selling the house and its beautiful architectural feature is hidden behind a chair upon entry into the space and in photos. The chair stayed put and the house lingered on the market for a very long period of time. The energy was blocked.
Admittedly, I’m less of a ‘do it yourselfer’ and more of a ‘find a pro to do it’. If a client has a question concerning paint, I turn to Corinne Courtney of Nailed It! Hardware in Washingtonville. The store also runs classes on chalk painting and crafts. I took a chalk paint class with Corinne. The hardest part was selecting a color as she can turn any paint color into chalk paint. The rest was easy.
One size does not fit all for updating a house, especially the kitchen. There are many simple home improvement projects that are affordable with huge return on investment without remodeling.
From simply replacing hardware, updating light fixtures to painting the cabinets, the possibilities are endless. Beth Owen updated her kitchen countertops with chalk paint and it looks amazing. Owen shares her story here.
Along with preparing a house for sale, it’s important for a homeowner to make sure their property is paperwork ready. Some realtors will research a property at the building department before listing but not all do. Homeowners should ask to view the building file for their property to check for any issues. Some municipalities may require a FOIL (Freedom of Information Law) request to view the file.
The authentic home is your own home that reflects your personality and lifestyle. It not only functions, but also looks and feels good. If there is a room that is not being used, try to figure out why. If no one uses the family room because it feels uncomfortable, that’s not an authentic room.
Simple changes can transform a space. It’s all in the details. The right color, whether a new paint color on the wall or new accent pieces, can refresh a space. Sometimes all that is need is editing, de-cluttering, rearranging furniture and a few new decorative accessories, your home can be an authentic home.
The way you live in a home is not the way to sell the house. Every house can benefit from staging before it hits the market. Life happens and things get messy daily.
The weather may not allow us to easily think it is spring, but we are close. Back to back Nor’easters have been a struggle to deal with, as winter tightens it grip. Spring begins March 20. My dreams are filled of spring flowers and golf.
The official day of spring is March 20 but as I write this on a warm day of 70’s in February, Yes It just snowed the other day. Yes the temperatures will drop again and we will get ice or snow. But getting this close and feeling this warm is close enough! I officially caught spring fever and so had the Spring Real Estate market.