Decorating your house for the holidays while it’s on the market requires a delicate balance. On one hand, you want to create a warm and inviting atmosphere for potential buyers. On the other hand, you don’t want to overwhelm them or distract them from the features of your home. Here are some tips for holiday decorating when your house is for sale:
- Keep it Neutral: Opt for neutral and universally appealing decorations. Avoid overly religious or culturally specific items to appeal to a broad range of potential buyers.
- Accentuate Architectural Features: Use decorations to highlight the best features of your home. For example, if you have a beautiful fireplace, consider decorating the mantle tastefully.
- Avoid Clutter: Don’t overcrowd your space with too many decorations. Keep it simple and elegant to maintain a sense of spaciousness.
- Consider Scale: Choose decorations that are proportional to the size of your rooms. Oversized decorations can make spaces feel cramped.
- Curb Appeal Matters: Create a welcoming exterior with tasteful outdoor decorations. A wreath on the door or subtle lights can add a festive touch.
- Limit Personalized Items: While personal touches can make a home feel cozy, too many personalized items can make it difficult for potential buyers to envision themselves living there. Keep family photos and highly personal items to a minimum.
- Use Seasonal Scents: Consider using subtle seasonal scents, like cinnamon or pine, to create a pleasant atmosphere. Avoid strong or artificial scents that could be off-putting.
- Ensure Safety: If you’re using lights, make sure they are safely installed and don’t create any hazards. This is not only important for potential buyers but also for your own safety.
- Take Advantage of Natural Light: Use natural light to your advantage. Decorate near windows to enhance the festive atmosphere without relying solely on artificial lighting.
- Quick Cleanup: Be prepared for showings by having a quick and efficient cleanup routine for your holiday decorations. This ensures that your home is always ready for potential buyers.
Remember, the goal is to strike a balance between creating a warm, inviting atmosphere and allowing potential buyers to see the true potential of your home. If you’re unsure, you can always consult with your real estate agent for personalized advice based on the current market trends in your area.
Before seeing a house, there are several important steps you should take to ensure you are well-prepared and can make an informed decision:
- Determine your budget: Know how much you can afford to spend on a house, and get pre-approved for a mortgage. Sitting with a mortgage professional who knows the details of closing costs, taxes, and can sift through your finances to see what you can afford is invaluable – and necessary. Definitely take the time to find someone you’re comfortable with. The mortgage professional will also be in communication with your real estate agent, lawyer, and your homeowner’s insurance company. They’re a critical link in the house-buying process.
- Hire a real estate agent (ME!): Hiring a licensed real estate agent who can help you navigate the home-buying process and show you properties that fit your criteria. A professional real estate agent coordinates all communication between the mortgage professional, Seller’s agent, lawyers, and any others involved in the deal. They make sure to dot the i’s and cross the T’s to make sure your experience is as seamless as possible. They’re the hub of all of the activity and worth every cent.
- Find yourself a local, reputable real estate lawyer. They will make sure all the documentation and legal side of the transaction is accounted for and you’re covered. They will also pull the title to the house to check to make sure it’s clear and ready for purchase.
- Research neighborhoods: Research the areas you are interested in living in to get a better sense of the local housing market, schools, amenities, crime rates, and transportation options. Take a drive through the town and neighborhoods to get a good sense of the area. Be proactive in this regard! Also, drive by the house you’re interested in viewing – take a look at the yard, neighbors, driveway, and condition of the house. Don’t be creepy – keep your distance, but do your due diligence.
- Make a list of must-haves and deal breakers: Determine the features that are important to you in a home, such as number of bedrooms, bathrooms, square footage, and outdoor space.
- Check the property’s history: Look up the history of the property, including any previous sales, current and past owners, and any past issues or repairs that have been made. All of this can be found in town offices. Your real estate agent will also do this for you.
- Schedule a viewing: Once you’ve identified a property you’re interested in, schedule a viewing with your real estate agent. During the viewing, take note of any potential issues or concerns, and ask the seller or agent any questions you have.
By taking these steps before seeing a house, you can make sure you are well-prepared and able to make quick, and informed decisions about whether or not the property is right for you.
Staging your home to sell can make a big difference in how quickly it sells and the price you can get for it. Here are some tips for staging your home:
- Declutter: Clear out any unnecessary items from your home, including excess furniture, knick-knacks, and personal items. This will make your home feel more spacious and allow potential buyers to envision their own belongings in the space.
- Deep clean: A clean home is essential for making a good impression on potential buyers. Pay special attention to areas that often get overlooked, such as baseboards, window sills, and ceiling fans.
- Depersonalize: Remove personal items such as family photos and personal artwork. This helps potential buyers visualize themselves in the space rather than feeling like they are intruding on someone else’s home.
- Neutralize: Consider painting any brightly colored walls a neutral color to appeal to a wider range of buyers. Also, make sure any home decor is neutral and not too taste-specific.
- Add some plants and greenery: Adding a few plants or flowers can make your home feel more inviting and add some color to the space.
- Stage each room: Make sure each room has a clear purpose and is staged appropriately. For example, if you have a small spare room that you have been using as a storage room, consider staging it as an office or guest bedroom.
- Light it up: Make sure each room is well-lit and feels bright and welcoming. Open up blinds and curtains to let in natural light, and consider adding additional lighting if necessary.
- Consider hiring a professional stager: If you’re not sure where to start or don’t have the time to do it yourself, consider hiring a professional stager. They can help you maximize your home’s potential and appeal to the most buyers possible.
Remember, the goal of staging your home is to create a welcoming and appealing space that potential buyers can envision themselves living in. By following these tips, you can increase your chances of selling your home quickly and for the best possible price.
Water in the basement can be a common problem, especially in areas with heavy rainfall or high water tables. Here are some signs that you may have water in your basement:
- Visible water: The most obvious sign of water in the basement is visible water on the floor or walls. This may appear as standing water or dampness on the walls or floor.
- Damp or musty odor: Even if there is no visible water, a damp or musty odor may indicate that there is moisture in the basement.
- Efflorescence: This is a white, powdery substance that appears on basement walls and is caused by minerals in the water. It can be a sign that water is seeping through the walls.
- Cracks in the walls: Cracks in basement walls may allow water to seep into the basement. They can be a sign of a structural issue or just normal settling of the house.
- Mold growth: Mold requires moisture to grow, so if you see mold growing in the basement, it’s a sign that there is too much moisture in the air.
- Rust or corrosion: If you see rust or corrosion on metal objects in the basement, it’s a sign that there is excess moisture in the air.
If you notice any of these signs, it’s important to address the issue as soon as possible to prevent further damage and potential health hazards. You may want to consult with a professional basement waterproofing contractor to assess the extent of the problem and recommend appropriate solutions.
If you’re a buyer that’s inspecting the property, make sure to investigate thoroughly. Ask the Sellers when the last time it flooded and find out the history. It’s more likely than not that it WILL happen again.
When you’re looking for a home in a specific area, researching school data, community data, and crime data are all helpful in getting a snapshot. Giving you opinions of the local area is not legal for me to do (Fair Housing Laws), but here is a list of resources to help get you started in the search!
- Niche.com
Niche.com is a great site for getting an overall feel for the community. Niche collects, filters, and analyzes large sets of data — then combines that information with real-life feedback from community residents — to offer rare insights into locations and project a much more realistic picture of what a place has to offer you.
Niche claims to have the most comprehensive data on schools, neighborhoods, cities, and zip codes, which it combines with over 100M reviews and survey responses from actual residents. It then connects data points to compare and score schools and neighborhoods using algorithms and statistics.
No one quite knows a location as well as the locals that live there. Niche.com also has a review option where natives share what it’s like living in whatever town you are looking at. - GreatSchools.org
If you have kids or they’re in your future, GreatSchools.org is the place to spend some time. There are comparative ratings of both local and private schools.
Even without kids, a better-rated school system usually denotes higher median home values. It’s important to know this information if you’re looking long-distance and can’t make the trip. - Homefacts.com
Homefacts can give you an excellent overview of any neighborhood in one quick view. It provides an area overview and then further breaks down into statistics about a given area — such as school rates, crime rates, unemployment rates, unemployment rates, environmental hazards, property facts, and property values. - CityProtect.com
CityProtect (formerly CrimeReports.com) is an immense interactive crime map that collaborates with over 1k US police departments countrywide to provide real-time data on the latest crime reports.
Its user-friendly interactive Google-based map and analytics allow you to view police data in all locations across the country. You can set parameters for geography, police agencies, time periods, and crime types.
Data displayed on the maps are continually uploaded from the Police Department’s Record Management and Computer-Aided Dispatch systems (RMS/CAD) — which are information exchange standards between law enforcement records management systems (RMS) and computer-aided dispatching (CAD) systems.
You can even sign up to receive free email alerts by defining your own parameters such as location, crime type, and frequency.
Crime incident reporting is essential to home buyers for safety reasons. But crime histories can also give home buyers insight into potential future home values. If a location is steadily experiencing an increase in crime rates, chances are that property values in that location are bound to decline with an increase in crime. - National Sex Offender Public Registry
Did you know you can see if sex offenders are living close by? Put in your address for a quick search of who your neighbors really are. - Community Newspapers
The Newtown Bee is the local paper in my community and holds a lot of information about the community – both the good and bad news. Check out the local papers for a peek!
Today’s the day! The day will be packed with all of the last-minute chores and lots of change – neither of which most of us are built to handle well. Go easy on yourself. Enjoy any peace you find. And watch in awe how the previous planning magic does its job for you. All of your hard work will pay off.
FIRST STEPS
- Get early start
Wake up nice and early and be ready for a busy day. Have a quiet morning and look around and appreciate your old home.
- Load up your car
Make sure all of your “Valuables” boxes are in your car and your clothes from this morning made it in there, too. Don’t forget the toiletries and any prescriptions.
- Take apart beds
Take the bedding apart and put it all in separate bags. The first thing you will do is make all the beds so you have a place to fall when the day is over. - Double-check that the entire home is packed. Don’t forget the hidden areas! Look in closets, drawers, etc.
MOVERS SHOW UP
- Make sure the movers are prepared and the paperwork is signed.
- Clean
As each room empties, wipe down, vacuum and dust so you leave behind a clean house for the next family. This is a great job for a kid or volunteer helper. Leaving behind a clean house allows you to keep your mind on your new place as you unpack. - To-Go Bag
Put your To-Go Bag in the car with all the other cleaning supplies and vacuum.
NEW HOME
- Unload your car and put away any food.
- Bring your To-Go Bag in the kitchen. Kitchens are always the central focus area.
- Make sure all showers, towels, and essential bathroom supplies are in their places for all family members. Wipe down/disinfect showers/sinks/toilets that will be used tonight.
- Put away freezer and refrigerator items
- MAKE BEDS
This is the most important step. Ever. The last thing you will want to do is make your bed from scratch after a full day of physical and mental stress. Make your bed NOW. You will want to put the kitchen away or work in the living room, but just get the beds done. It’ll be worth it to fall into later. - Living Room/Family Room
Get a comfortable lounge place set up. Get your internet rolling and your TV up and running. A soft place to have a rest/meal/morning coffee. - Kitchen
This is the hub of the house. Plates, bowls, cups, and, silverware are first to be put away. Ask each individual living in the house to go for a fork, a plate, and a glass and see where intuition starts you off. Pots and pans next. Remember: nothing is forever – you can always switch locations later.
My advice is to get bedrooms, kitchens, a table to eat at, and one family room finished first. This allows you to set up your personal and family spaces so that everyone is as comfortable as possible – as fast as possible – as they’re adjusting to their new surroundings. Every other space is secondary. Work your way through your house and make it yours.
Be easy on yourself and be flexible. Take breaks often to enjoy your new space.
And, most importantly, welcome home.
After 39 moves, I’ve got some advice. Moving can be hard and stressful for even the most experienced.
It’s emotional. It’s physically taxing. It’s expensive. It needs organization. It takes time.
It’s finding new grocery stores and pharmacies, new friends and support, and new schools and routines. Whether you’re moving to your dream house or to your parents’ basement, moving is HARD.
Pre-planning a move is where the magic happens. It gives you time to catch mistakes. It spreads out the emotional and physical load. It allows you to bring your stress down to manageable levels.
Here’s how:
8 Weeks Before
- Create a “Moving Folder/Binder”
Head to your office supply store and purchase a binder or folder to start collecting all of the paperwork. Print these checklists and put them in there. Include a paper calendar, a pencil, and some extra paper for last-minute notes. Save moving quotes, energy/waste/water company contact information. New school information. Keep your new floorplans in here. This folder will be your main resource. - Start the “Stuff” process
Go from room to room and decide what you want to keep, what you will give to family and friends, what you will donate, and what you’re going to toss. Get 4 different colored sticky notes or label each item. As the time nears you’ll find that certain things will change categories. - Buy Nothing _______ Facebook Groups
Join your current town’s Buy Nothing Facebook group. This allows you to give away items that you no longer wish to have to your community. It’s also a great place to snag some FREE boxes. They come up often and it is very convenient to start stockpiling now. - Find Movers
Get quotes from a few different moving companies. Make sure that they’re insured and they are working in a team of at least 2 people. You’ll need to estimate how many boxes per room to give them a good idea of how much work it’s going to be. They’ll most likely want to visit and take a quick inventory.
6 Weeks Before
- Order supplies
It’s time to find boxes. Get more than you think you’ll need and return the rest. Don’t forget to buy at least 4 Sharpie markers and LOTS of packing tape. Remember you might have other people packing at the same time and sharing markers and tape throughout the house adds lots of time and frustration. Bubble wrap or newspaper is also a must. It not only protects valuables but also takes up space in the box to prevent items from shifting. - Use up cleaning supplies, freezer food, etc. You won’t want to move extras, so don’t.
- Pick two rooms/areas that you rarely use and pack them completely. Think about guest rooms, extra bathrooms, closet space, garage, attic, basement. This takes TIME.
4 Weeks Before
- Confirm moving arrangements
Book the moving company so you’re all ready to go. Sometimes their schedules get booked quick so make sure to get yourself on the list! - Pack like you mean it
Start packing the items you don’t use on a weekly basis or wouldn’t mind going without for a month or so. Think kitchen appliances, decorations, and the like.
-Important! Clearly label each and every box. Write the destination room name and list the big items in the box. - Change of Address with the Post Office
You can schedule ahead of time when your mail needs to get diverted to your new address. Do it now to avoid stress later. https://www.usps.com/manage/forward.htm - Clean rugs, curtains, and large items and then wrap them to be ready to move.
2 Weeks Before
- Reconfirm with your moving company.
- Think about work
Schedule any time you need off of work for moving. Add another day for good measure. - Continue packing
Continue to pack like you mean it. Your home should start feeling pretty empty at this point. Keep going to avoid the moving day stress! Your garage, attic, sheds, and basement should be finished this week. - Organize boxes
Stack boxes in a room next to where the movers will be entering/exiting your home so it will take them less time – they work by the hour, so time saved is money saved! If that space isn’t available, then stack them in a spare room or corner. The garage is ideal. - Childcare
Make plans for your kids – either with friends or family who are willing to be very flexible. Moving days are stressful and emotions run high. Give yourself and those around you a little break.
One Week Before
- Meal planning
Plan your meals for the day before, moving day, and two days after. These meals should either be delivery, non-refrigerated like sandwiches, or ask a few friends for some help! Don’t forget hydration, too! - Refill prescriptions
Make sure to refill prescriptions or anything that needs pre-order that you’ll need. - Transfer services
Transfer and/or setup all utilities: gas, electric, water, phone, internet, cable, garbage. Newspapers and subscriptions, banks and credit cards, doctors and other professionals. - Plan Amazon delivery
If there is anything you’ll need to have at the new place the day of moving in, now’s the time to start your shopping cart. Think new sheets, kitchen, maybe bottles of shampoo that will show up like magic… - Start camping
Finish packing. Even when you think you’re done, you are not. Have about 5 extra boxes at the ready for the morning of moving day. - Hit the bank$$
Plan on getting some cash for tipping the movers. 15% for an awesome job is appreciated. You’ll need cash for food, cash to hand to family/friend to run an errand - Valuables
Make sure all valuables are packed away in a few boxes you keep close. Think jewelry, paperwork, school documents for kids, medical records in case someone pulls their back out, etc. When it rains it pours, so be ready! - Contact movers
Two days before moving day, contact the moving company to verify and reconfirm all information. - Reserve times
If you live in an apartment building/condo/townhouse make sure to give the proper people the heads up you are moving out. Elevators can be reserved, cars/trucks cleared, etc. - Childcare
Confirm childcare plans, if applicable. - Gas
Fill gas tanks for your drive to your new home tomorrow. You don’t want to be following the moving truck and then have to stop for gas. - Electronics box
Have one box that contains your TV devices, remotes, routers, etc. Everything that will need setting up ASAP in your new place. Label as such. - Cable boxes
Don’t forget to return your cable boxes and remotes! - Make a to-go bag: plastic silverware and paper plates, napkins, paper towels for cleaning, lysol wipes and disinfectant sprays for quick cleans. DO NOT FORGET TOILET PAPER. Put this all into a bag that will be the first you walk in your new home with.
Underground Oil Tanks
Underground oil tanks were never intended to be underground forever. Right now they’re out of sight – out of mind and that’s the problem. Life expectancy is supposed to be 20-25 years and the old ones need to come out. Interestingly enough, no laws say they have to come out. But if they’re leaking, they do – and the probability is HIGH.
Opposite of assumptions, the older the house, the least likely the tank will be leaking. The old tanks were extremely solid and built with thick walls. It is hard for the acidity of soil to penetrate those walls.
We mainly worry about the tanks in houses built in the 1960’s – 1970’s during the Vietnam War era. The US was sending steel to the military to help them build an arsenal. We didn’t create that same quality steel at home anymore and now they’re not doing well against the pressures of the environment.
Tanks actually leak from the inside out most of the time. As the oil/liquid gets used and the level gets lower, the walls inside the capsule begin to sweat (condensation forms). Water and oil don’t mix. Oil rises to the top and water sinks to the bottom. Water on steel over time begins to rust out the bottom of the inside of the tank are starts producing holes. The acidity of the soil eating away at the outside of the tank and water eroding away the inside of the tank is a perfect storm for us homeowners.
Asking the sellers to take the tank out of the ground isn’t unreasonable, as eventually, Mother Nature will do her thing and oil will leak into the soil and then into the groundwater or nearby reservoirs, etc. If you’re able to remove the tank early before any leaks, the cost isn’t crazy. Where the numbers get high is AFTER the leaks contaminate the soil and the EPA has to get involved.
Cost to Replace
Removing underground tanks that are no longer leaking can cost $1200-$2K on average. If the location is in a hard-to-reach area and digging will be difficult, expect more cost.
Here’s the kicker: if the tank is leaking, the cost rises significantly and could be tens of thousands of dollars. Once the contractor sees or measures the soil for oil they are mandated to report it to the EPA. The surrounding soil will need to be removed and cleaned. There will need to have 8 clean samples of soil presented to the EPA to get an OK. This process is NOT easy or simple. We used to just take the oil out, clean the tank, and fill it with sand or foam or rock and close it back up. Today, we realize the damage these tanks can cause and the preferable method is to just take them out of the ground.
Replacing an oil tank with a double-walled above-ground tank costs approximately $2300. The double-walled tanks solve the condensation problem, much like a double-walled thermos. The inside of the tank is also made of a material modeled after Tupperware – it doesn’t leak. Won’t rust. Won’t sweat. Roth is one brand and they are so confident that each comes with a transferable million-dollar warranty for 25 years.
Rebates are available, up to $1300 through the CT Energy Marketers Association website (below).
Above-Ground Oil Tanks
The life expectancy for above-ground oil tanks is 20-25 years, as well. Did you know you can visually identify when above ground tank might leak??
Tell-tale signs:
(Disclaimer: I’m not a home inspector. Seek their advice if you notice an issue.)
- Look under the belly. Is it starting to bulge? The top and bottom should be the same shape. It’s a sign the steel is starting to spread and thin out. The tank was never intended to hold the weight for over 25 years. It means the steel is starting to give way.
- Legs should be perfectly straight. If a small buckle starts to form, it’s on the verge of collapsing. If it buckles and the bottom hits, the tank will split open. That’s no good and very expensive to clean up.
- A white waterfall of corrosion seeping down the sides is also a sign your tank has seen its final days. It’s an acid-like substance eating away at the steel and will flow to the bottom of the tank. Again, the corrosion on the outside eats the bottom of the tank at the same time the rust on the bottom of the inside. A double whammy.
A real quick test to see if there are any active leaks: run a tissue under the tank to see if there are oil leaks.
Some more good information:
- Connecticut Energy Marketers Association CEMA): https://www.ctema.com/
- CT NORA Rebates for Heating Equipment and Tanks: http://www.upgradeandsavect.com/
- Order FREE Materials: https://www.oilheatpros.com/ct/get-materials/
Connecticut is a state with predominantly oil-heated homes. As winter is on us, one of the top questions we all ask as oil-heated dwellers is “What can I expect”? I immediately sat to write this out after a conversation with a heating oil expert so I can let you all know the hints and tricks for this upcoming year.
The two main challenges are going to be PRICE and SUPPLY. It seems to be a reoccurring theme, so listen up!
Price Concerns Because of Supply
Prices are high but have remained fairly steady in the past few weeks. Gasoline correlates with oil, as they come from the same source. The prediction from our expert for the winter is that it’s going to get really bad, mainly because of an upcoming shortage.
Why? The War with Ukraine. One, war triggers crude oil to be a hot topic and Wall Street speculators are hot-to-trot day trading crude oil. The millionaires are getting richer and are NOT complaining. Same old story. Two, the US likes to help our friends. We are foreign-oil independent for winters like these, but when our allies are in NEED of oil because of war, we step in.
On Dec. 5th Russia declared that any country that aligns with Ukraine will be cut off from Russia’s crude oil. Europe is dependent on Russia for its oil. The US wants to help its allies and has begun exporting some of its supplies to Europe so the Europeans don’t freeze this winter. This, in turn, causes the US supply of oil to decrease – at a time when we need our reserves. When supply goes down, prices go up. AND THEY WILL GO UP.
I’m going to pop you back into history for a quick second. In July 2008 there was an oil crisis. Prices went up fast and we panicked and locked into fixed rates. But then prices dropped and people who locked in had to pay super high rates. Local oil companies got a really bad rap because they wouldn’t budge and lower their prices. The idea of locking in also got sour. Why didn’t they lower their prices?? Because when you lock in with companies, the companies then pre-pay their dealers, so our local companies are locked in, too! They can’t cut you a break, as their hands are tied, as well. Really.
So now what??
- Locking in is can be smart, but do NOT lock into a fixed rate with just any company out of fear of rising prices. Dig deeper. Ask the oil dealer if they’re offering a cap rate. If prices go higher you don’t pay more, but also make sure that if prices go down you get lower prices, too. If your dealer isn’t offering a cap rate, don’t go there. Also, ask if they’re offering an incentive cap rate deal – they offer an even better price because they’re trying to grab new customers.
- Budget program: With prices going high, anticipate high bills in a short period of time. If we have a super cold winter you could be looking at $900-$1000 fill-ups every 3 weeks – OUCH. That’s a hard pill to swallow for even the high rollers. A budget program spreads payments out over the year. When winter’s over you can pay the winter hit off and get off the plan. Know the specifics when asking questions.
- Get on automatic delivery TODAY!! Some people like to monitor their tank levels and call around to discount brokers. I used to do it. This is not the winter to do that. With looming shortages, discount brokers won’t be able to get supplies (and will potentially go out of business) and the dealers who can get supplies are going to take care of their primary customers first. The automatic delivery customers are their primary customers that they are contractually committed to. Get on an automatic delivery program so that you CAN get oil.
Note: If you choose to not heed any of the above advice, and you’re running out of oil and can’t find a supplier – don’t panic. Did you know that diesel at the pumps is 100% pure heating oil? If you’re running low on oil, go to the gas station and fill a 5-gallon jug with diesel, and pour it into your tank. It will buy you some time. It’s a different color, yes, but the same product. (It’s dyed because truckers were using tax-free heating oil to fill up their trucks to avoid paying taxes and the government caught on. Truckers need to pay taxes like everyone else and there’s a heavy fine if they get caught.)
- Connecticut Energy Marketers Association CEMA): https://www.ctema.com/
- CT NORA Rebates for Heating Equipment and Tanks: http://www.upgradeandsavect.com/
- Order FREE Materials: https://www.oilheatpros.com/ct/get-materials/