Operation Cleanout to Move Out!

The spring Real Estate market has bloomed. Whether a seller takes their time preparing their home for sale or waits till the last minute, it is difficult to deal with a house full of years of accumulated content as part of the moving process. That is where a clean-out service can help.

Marty McDermott and Robyn Yearwood, owners of Warwick’s fun upbeat antique showroom, Retro Modern Antique, are always asked, “How do I get rid of a house full of stuff” or “I am downsizing and my kids don’t want my stuff.”

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Mary Tyler Moore’s design influence

Mary Tyler Moore passed away this week causing a flood of memories of her characters from her TV shows. As Laura Petrie, her home was Mid Century Modern eye candy. As Mary Richards, her stylish studio apartment was dreamy. Her Minneapolis sunken living room had a pull out couch that turned into her bedroom.

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Moving in together

Dear Claudia,

I need tips on how to blend two households. I am moving into my boyfriend’s house. We are both in our 50’s. His taste is very “Ikea”, Swedish style modern simplicity, and I am eclectic/eccentric with antiques and funky mix. His house is fully furnished, as is my funky eclectic apartment, which is FULL of stuff. Quite honestly even my glassware would clash with his, not to mention my furniture, art pieces, and smalls. Any ideas on how we can do this so that it looks great, fits us both, I feel like I’m at home, and he doesn’t feel like he lost his?

~Anonymous

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Fabulous Flip of a Home

The definition of a “Real Estate Flip” is as follows: Profits from flipping real estate come from either buying low and selling high, often in a rapidly rising market, or buying a house that needs repair and fixing it up before reselling it for a profit as in “fix and flip.”

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The steps of an ‘occupied staging’

The desire to sell your house is not enough. Being proactive by preparing your home for sale can translate into a quick sale for your asking price. Keep in mind, no amount of staging will help an over priced home.

My ‘staging tips for sellers’ class is offered throughout the area. Attendees may have a long timeline or are moving quickly. It is never too early to start the process.

 

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Prepping your home for sale? This expert ‘Nailed It!’

During a staging consultation, I walk with the homeowners to offer suggestions on how to prepare their house for sale before putting it on the market. When questions come up, the best way to find the solution is to ask an expert. If I can’t answer it, I’ll find someone who can.

This column provides the answers for questions from recent consultations. The expert to answer them is Corinne Courtney, owner of Nailed It! Hardware Corp. on South Street in Washingtonville (496-3755). Read more

As Seen on TV “HGTV’s House Hunters!”

Laurel Lustgarten of Better Homes and Gardens Rand Realty was recently selected to film an episode of House Hunters for HGTV, after a multi-stage audition process.

The episode followed Lustgarten and her buyers, Daphne Garcia and Rudy Rodriguez, during their home search in the Goshen and Middletown area. Three properties that were listed for sale at the time were toured, as well as various locations in Orange County. The House Hunters episode is set to air at 3:30 p.m., Feb. 21 on HGTV. Look for reruns to air titled, “Moving Up in New York State”.

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Tips for a successful office makeover

Kathleen Day, chief organization officer at LifeSmith University, loves working with business owners.

“They give their heart, soul and the majority of their time to their companies. Sometimes the environment and the schedule get the short end of the stick. My intention with an office makeover is to create an immediate difference in those two areas, in a way that the clients can embrace, and most importantly, maintain,” says Day.

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