Spring Market has Sprung

With my staging business, historically, Spring springs early. My busy season started early this year with calls starting in full forces mid-February. In the Real Estate world, Spring has sprung. If you plan on putting your house on the market, is it ready?

Quick Staging Check List

  • Review, Refresh, Repair. Access everything!
  • Donate, trash, sell anything not moving with you. Start lighting up each room of stuff including basement, garage, attic.
  • Clean entire house top to bottom, inside and out.
  • Review overgrown landscaping. Remove anything that did not survive the winter. Create a clear path to front door.
  • Pre-listing consultation will give you the guidance for the best return on investment. Before you overspend, this will help direct you. I have stopped many clients from wasted money on unnecessary remodels with more affordable suggestions.

 

A person signing a contract anf a tiny house with keys next to it are infront of the person
Photos from: Metro Creative Connection

Not Selling Yet Check List

All of the above but more of a relaxed timeline. The benefit is you get to enjoy your house while you are still living in it. Over the years I have worked with many clients who no longer see the reality of what their house actually looks like. We get acclimated and don’t see how the house presents. A well-maintained house sells for more money than a neglected house. Many staging clients have said, “We should have been living like this all along” after preparing their house for sale.

 

How to clean a top loading washing machine

In my last column, I shared instructions on how to clean a front-loading washing machine. A lovely woman, Fran from Middletown, called me because she has a top loading machine and wanted to know how to clean it. She does not have a computer, so I read her instructions over the phone. Here are those instructions.

You will need: baking soda, white vinegar, toothbrush, microfiber cloth or paper towels.

Set the machine on the longest, hottest setting. As tub fills with water, add a quart of white vinegar. Close the lid and let washer run for 1 minute to mix vinegar. Open lid to let the machine sit without running for an hour to let vinegar soak into tub. During this time, remove any parts that can soak like the fabric softener well. Dry and replace. Using a toothbrush, clean the agitator, areas under the lid and around rim of tub. Clean surface of machine including dials. After 1 hour of soaking, complete the cycle. Run one more hot wash cycle using a cup of baking soda to neutralize the vinegar. Once drained, wipe the sides and bottom of the interior tub with a vinegar solution. To prevent mildew, leave lid open between washes to allow the interior to dry out.

There will be more tips for Spring cleaning, home maintenance, places to donate your stuff in future columns. Got an idea? Please share.

 

Upcoming Events:

Staging Tips for Selling Your Home, Friday, March 20, 2020, 10:30-12:30

Mount St. Mary College Desmond Campus for Adult Enrichment
6 Albany Post Road, Newburgh, NY 12550, 845-565-2076