DO IT RIGHT THE 1ST TIME AROUND-HAVE IT STAGED

"The house has closed and we've yet to unpack, but the relief is huge. This morning I'm reflecting on the magnitude of selling a home and moving, even when everything goes exactly as planned. I never doubted for a moment when we put the house on the market that it would sell quickly."

Staged homes that are priced correctly almost always do sell very quickly. But as a person who doesn't live well with chaos around me, I understand that a major life change like selling a home (up there with a death in the family and divorce) creates some major upheaval. I feel for those who have yet to discover how much easier it is to do it right the first time around. For those who've had homes on the market a long time already, it isn't an option to go back and do things right. That place is reserved for folks just beginning the process.

FASCINATING ARTICLE ON THE EFFECTS OF COLOR

.....from the University of Rochester, a leader in the field of color psychology-

"The subconscious effects of color is a hot area of research, in part because marketers try to use color to hook us on whatever they're trying to sell."

We've known for years that we're being tracked and observed to further the cause of market research, but only now has the level of sophistication become pretty fascinating. Red aids in recall and attention to detail as it's a provocative color. Blue is calming and stirs the imaginations and helps when an amount of invention is required. So when we consider how to make our homes stand out from the crowd, drawing the buyer into the space, let's not discount the psychological implications of color. And when we seek to improve our homes so they are more comfortable to live in, choose your colors carefully.

SAVING TIME AND MONEY BY CALLING ME FIRST

It comes as no surprise to me that my business is at the forefront of the green movement, largely by eliminating what folks put in the landfill. I'm often confronted with disillusioned homeowners who've given up on their kitchens, have turned their backs on a less than perfect bathroom, or are ready to junk their entire living room for the current trends. But why spend the unnecessary dollars when a creative eye can envision a better way? Almost always, I can save you thousands of dollars spent in the wrong direction, allowing you to spend somewhere it will really pay off- now, and when you list your home for sale! Going green DOES pay.