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What? My insurance doesn’t cover THAT??

January 21, 2011 By Lisa Hanley

509-771-9463

Many people are unaware that their homeowner’s policy doesn’t cover problems that occur in their sewer or water lines once they leave your house until they reach the city/county property at the street.  This leaves a stretch of approximately 50-400′ (or more) that is a no-man’s land.  A friend of ours recently learned that the hard way.  $3800 later, the sewer line was replaced. There is now another option!  National Water Company has recently been given the green light to offer insurance protection for both lines here in the state of Washington.  You can purchase individual protection or combined protection for $95.88 for both lines for the whole year.  For me?  An easy decision. There is no deductible, and each line is covered up to $5000 per calendar year.

For more information, check online at http://www.nationalwatercompany.com/.
Enter ID CODE: NWC2500 to sign up.

While you are there, spend some time looking at the water conservation efforts that are underway.  As they state, “Water…it’s everyone’s business!” Those of us in eastern WA know that only too well.

Get the facts….and get protected!

 

 

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Rules to Sell By-Part 2

October 4, 2010 By Lisa Hanley

(509) 771-9463 

Now that you have begun to highlight your home’s strengths, downplay its weaknesses and appeal to the greatest possible pool of perspective buyers or simply your inner designer – here are the rest of the 10 secrets of home staging.

 

6. Use color creatively. Do you have a chromatophobia?  Fear of colors. Do you admire other people’s colorful walls but just KNOW that you could never do that yourself?  Fear not.  There are few things you can do to your home that are as reversible as paint.  Not sure where to begin?  Take a picture of your living room to the paint store and brainstorm with a color specialist on possibilities.  Buy several options in small tester containers and try them out.  Invite someone over to help you decide.  Then…just do it!!!  You will find that smart color choices can boost a homes value and sell ability instantly!   Still scared?  Pick a single wall or feature, such as a fireplace, to highlight!

 

7. Paint it black. Do you have a roomful of older or mismatched furniture?  Painting them with a satiny black after a good sanding will result in instant elegance and a room that flows and appears much larger.  Optional:  use a fine grade of sandpaper and slightly distress the edges to soften the look.  But don’t paint everything in your room black!  Use is wisely as an accent to make other colors pop!

 

8. Rearrange your art. Top mistake homeowners make with art is hanging it too high.  Pictures should be hung (in moderation!) right at eye level for the average person.  Consider, also, hanging your art creatively.  Pictures arranged diagonally can lead the eye toward a focal point such as a fireplace. Hang long items or smaller items vertically to draw the eye up toward a high ceiling.

 

9. Accessorize in three’s. In accessorizing, odd numbers of objects are more eye-pleasing than even.  Arrange the objects in a triangular layout rather than in a line.  Stagger the height of objects to keep the eye moving.  As with reading, eye gaze travels from left to right, so putting your more dramatic elements on the right side will lead the eye across the room and make it appear larger.

 

10. Float Furniture. Moving furniture away from walls will surprisingly make your room feel larger.  Try out various angles and arrangements and try them out for a day.  Too cramped?  Maybe you have too much furniture.   

 

 

If you have any questions about staging, don’t hesitate to call me.

 

 

 

 

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Rules to Sell By – Part 1

September 20, 2010 By Lisa Hanley

(509) 771-9463

 

Highlight your home’s strengths, downplay its weaknesses and appeal to the greatest possible pool of perspective buyers or simply your inner designer – with these 10 secrets of home staging.

  1. Make an entrance. You know the saying: ‘You never have a second chance to make a first impression.” The outside of your home is the first thing guests see. Polish, de-clutter, freshen and replant as needed.
  2. Bring the outdoors in. Raid your yard. Take clippings of branches or twigs and place them in a large vase in the corner of a room to add height. It’s a great structural piece that doesn’t cost a thing! Think seasonal greenery and summer blooms!
  3. Conquer clutter. Admit it: you have too much stuff. The most people can do to improve their home is to clear out, clean up and get rid of clutter. Best advice? Get a friend to help you with the pain of removal.
  4. Less is more. A cluttered home can also be caused by too much furniture. People tend to line their walls with furniture – one piece after another. While you’re doing this sometimes-painful pruning, remind your self that every square foot you free up is prime real estate. Same goes for table tops!
  5. Repurpose unused rooms. If you have a room that currently serves only to gather junk, repurpose it into something that will add to the value and enjoyment of your home.

 

Stay tuned for the rest of the 10 secrets of staging a home! If you have any questions don’t hesitate to call me.

 

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How to Make Small Spaces Bigger

September 10, 2010 By Lisa Hanley

 (509) 771-9463

 

 

 

In our current economy home owners are putting off additions and buyers are looking for homes that fit their budgets more comfortably. Here is a list of six ways to make small spaces roomier without adding on to your home.

 

  1. See it, Use it. There are many hidden spaces in your house that are not being utilized, because you don’t see them! Space under the stairs, the wall between the kitchen and living room, these are just a few examples. Organized storage is also helpful when space is limited. It can also make a room seem bigger, because of the “white space” between the storage units. Check local home improvement stores for inspiration.

 

 

  1. Diagonal view. Being able to see from one corner to the other of a house can make a space feel bigger as it allows a person to see more space than usual and opens the room.

 

 

  1. Double duty. Many people admit to not actually using their formal living and dining rooms, a suggestion is to make them both formal and informal, so you can get more use out of them, or repurpose one of the rooms into an office/game room. Add doors or curtains for more privacy.

 

 

  1. Get comfortable. Buy furniture that you will use. Lots of homes are decorated with great looking furniture but no one ever really uses it, because it is uncomfortable or “too nice”. Find furniture that is both functional and comfortable. If you aren’t using it, no one else will either.

 

 

  1. Vary ceiling heights. Contrasting ceiling heights can distinguish rooms and make a house flow better. Perhaps low ceilings in the kitchen, medium ceilings in the dining room and high ceilings in the living room, this will make a contrast between areas. If you are planning on changing ceiling heights it is easier to lower them as it doesn’t effect the support structures as rising ceilings does.

 

 

  1. Create Groups. A common mistake many homeowners make is to push all the furniture against the walls.

 

These are just a few tips on how to make small spaces appear larger, if you have any questions don’t hesitate to call me!

 

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Gardening? Don’t Make These Mistakes

August 16, 2010 By Lisa Hanley

(509) 771-WIND

 

Do you like gardening or are you thinking about starting? Are you thinking about buying new construction home? Well I have some helpful tips for you before starting. There are quite a few mistakes that beginning gardeners make, and I want to help make your garden beautiful and plentiful.

 

Mistake #1: Not waiting to weed! After moving into a new house you remove all the “weeds” the previous owners had, when in fact these “weeds” might be beautiful vines/flowers in the next season. I suggest you wait a year before planting a garden area, just long enough to observe your landscape change throughout all the season.

 

Mistake #2: Not reading the directions that come with your new plants. Take careful note of spacing and the amount of sun/water your new plant needs to grow.

 

Mistake #3: Not planning. You wouldn’t build a house without a plan, so why would you try to plant a garden without a plan? After observing the area you wish to plant draw a sketch of what you want the outcome to look like. If you are not sure, go to a local home improvement store or nursery and together you can come up with a plan that is cohesive with your landscape.

 

Mistake #4: Neglecting the root. Just as we massage our heads to make sure that our hair roots are getting stimulated we need to make sure plant roots are getting stimulation and nutrients also. For this I suggest placing a hose near the roots and letting water drizzle for 20-30 minutes twice a week. For a simple irrigation system, buy a short hose, puncture small holes in desired locations by plants, and add end cap to hose.

 

Mistake #5: Sun light surprises. The most common rookie gardener mistake is to pick plants by looks not conditions in which they grow best. Make sure you are picking plants that will thrive in the area you wish to plant them in. Hint: Full sun= 6+ hours a day and part sun= 3-5 hours a day.

 

Mistake #6: Irrigation misuse. In order to properly saturate a plants roots, and encourage deep root growth it should be watered for 40-60 minutes a day two or three times a week. If you are unsure, you can call your local irrigation company for suggestions.

 

Mistake #7: Not concentrating on budget. When building a house without landscaping in place, you need to keep in mind a budget for expenses. These expenses include damage to grass from vehicles parking on it, plants, fences, pathways, etc. To keep you from going over budget, I suggest you plan on putting 10-20% toward landscaping and plants. This may seem like a lot, but it will add up quickly. This is the hidden cost of new construction that is often overlooked.

 

I hope that these tips help you build a beautiful retreat and wish you luck on creating a great landscape that can be enjoyed for years to come!

 

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2009-Year in Review Grant County, WA

February 9, 2010 By Lisa Hanley

(509) 771-WIND (9463) lisahanley@windermere.com

Yes, it is painfully obvious that the real estate market remains down. BUT, hold on there Little Buckaroos… don’t get too worried yet! The numbers actually are better than expected, and bear in mind that Grant County is a relatively small market, so pay more attention to the numbers than the percentages.

Using quarterly figures from Northwest MLS, Grant County has seen increases in both solds and pendings in the 4th quarter of 2009. The number of single-family homes that have gone pending (under contract but not closed yet) in Grant County is up 12% from 110 in 4th quarter ’08 to 124 in 4th quarter ’09. Sold homes are also up 11% from 142 in 4th quarter ’08 to 158 in 4th quarter ’09. The increases are due to several factors including the obvious, such as the home buyer tax credits (recently expanded to include current home owners), and the less obvious… the rapidly expanding pool of short sales and foreclosures hitting the market, as well as improved weather conditions.

Interest rates have miraculously, and against all predictions, remained low. The most recent news from the feds is that, for now, they are going to keep them as low as possible. This should result in brisker than predicted market activity. The graph below shows the current active, pending, and sold for the last 15 months. Be sure to pay attention to the month to month comparisons, as well as the overall trends.
 

Summary: It is still an AMAZING time to buy. It is a respectable time to sell if you approach it pragmatically, get educated information about how to prepare your home, and set the most realistic price point. Homes are still selling…you want yours to hit the ground running!

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