A Fond Farewell from Claudia’s Corner
The only thing that is constant is change and 2020 has been challenging. After running for 14 years, this is my final Claudia’s Corner column. What an amazing ride!
Keeping a cool house on hot days
Question: What are some active and passive ways to keep your house cool in the summer?
As temperatures rise during the summer months, keeping cool becomes a priority. Air conditioning is ideal, but not all homes have it. When my former house was being building in the late 80’s, we added central air with multiple zones and the builder thought we were crazy. Crazy or not, it is a necessity in my life and well worth the investment. In my new house, which is 3 levels with one zone, I’m getting adjusted and finding ways to cool my house. Here a few of my tips followed by shared tips from readers.
Landscape with good bones
Attractive landscapes need good bones. Look around your neighborhood to notice what this means. The hardscape of good-looking properties is well designed and developed with natural landscape to enhance it.
The 2019 Colors of Year
Every paint company announces their color of the year along with Pantone, the global color trend forecaster. Based on trends and color psychology, here are a few color trends for 2019.
Finding inspiration and connections
In October I attended my first conference with the International Association of Staging Professionals held in Charlotte. The Staging industry has becoming a vital marketing component for Real Estate. It takes more than just watching a TV show to become a stager. Look for professionalism and accreditation.
“Our 2018 IAHSP Conference & EXPO was a HUGE success! Not only did we have the largest number of attendees to date, we also had the hottest duo in the Home Staging/Design world – The Scott Brothers! They charmed and educated our attendees and added such great celebrity star power to our event! All attendees earned their Luxury Home Staging (IAHSP-LHS) Designation as well as learned valuable information and insights from top-notch speakers.”
– Jennie Norris, Chairwoman, IAHSP International
The everlasting patina of the Country Living Fair
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.
A stager preps her house for sale
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.
Is your house paperwork ready for sale?
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.
Super Bowl Sunday
Are you ready for some football? I’m ready for the super commercials and halftime shenanigans. More than that, I’m anxiously waiting to watch the episode of ” This is Us” running after the game.
The 2018 colors of the year
Happy New Year! Here are the 2018 Colors of the Year. Get ready for pops of color.