Organize Your Home: Part 2

In our last post, we defined clutter as anything that is out of place, broken, unused or just something you really dislike. Today we are going to start in one small place (a closet or junk drawer will do nicely) and put things in order!

First, you will need 4 cardboard boxes and a large trash can. Label the boxes as follows:

• Mementos

• Put away

• Fix

• Set Free

The trash can. You will find plenty of stuff that is absolutely unusable. Be ruthless.

Mementos. Set an alarm clock to go off in 1-2 hours. You don't want to overdo things! Open the closet or junk drawer and select the first object. Now we will use the four definitions of clutter to help us decide which box to use for each item.

The Put Away box. Anything goes in here that is out of place and would be better off in a more convenient location. As soon as the alarm clock goes off you will take 10 minutes or so to put all the items in this box where they really belong.

The Fix box. If the item is damaged or missing a part, but you are certain you would use it regularly if repaired, put it in this box. Objects can only reside in the fix box for one week before they have to change residence! If you do not repair the item by week's end it must go into the Set Free box.

The Set Free box. This box will hold items that you dislike, things you haven't used in more than a year, orphaned gifts from friends and family (when you said, "Oh, you really shouldn't have!"), things that still have some good use in them, things that will surely fit again someday. This box will go in the trunk of the car. You will take the box to a local resale store or to a charity center. Many charities will even pick up this stuff at your front door,what convenience! You will be doing a good thing, since someone will be getting some good out of these items right now.

The Mementos box. This one can be a bit tricky. It's for things that have true sentimental or family heirloom value. You will want to invest in a cedar chest or other similar sized permanent storage unit. The items from this box will go into that permanent storage. But remember, that cedar heirloom chest will fill up rapidly if you are too casual about what's an heirloom. Consider passing on some of these things to extended family members right now, don't wait 20 years!

Now you are one closet closer to having a serene, uncluttered home!

Organize Your Home: Part 1

In the next two posts we will share some great tips on how to de-clutter and organize your home.

The first step in winning the Clutter War is to de-bug your own mind! Most of us don't recognize clutter when it falls out of the closet onto our heads, so how in the world will we conquer it? Let's start by defining what clutter is. Clutter is anything in your home:

• That is out of place

• That is broken

• That you have not used or worn in more than a year

• That you dislike

Now don't panic! We won't be telling you to throw everything away that falls within the above definition of clutter. BUT, once you get a clear picture in your head of what constitutes clutter you will be better able to deal with it. In the next installment we start in one small place to give you some practice in sorting through all that clutter.

Curb Appeal

Today we want to share some simple ways that you can improve the curb appeal of your home. Curb appeal is something every homeowner needs!

Walk across the street and look at your overall landscape.

• Are shrubs trimmed neatly? Windows and doors should not be overshadowed by overgrown bushes.

• Clear your entry, sidewalk, and plant beds of leaves and debris.
• Add a new layer of attractive mulch to all planting areas.

• Are there bare spots or weeds in the lawn? Your local garden supplier can tell you the best way to remedy this problem.

• Hardscape (bird feeders or houses, simple water features, statuary) can add warmth and character to an otherwise drab terrain.

Don't forget to call The Davidson Team with any real estate questions you may have, and remember to tell your friends about us!

Belly-To-Computer-Screen OR Belly-To-Belly

The most wonderful thing about being Realtors is getting to know people on a business and individual level, learning their personal needs and wants, helping them find their dream home or selling their property based on their definition of success, and ultimately becoming life long friends.

In this Internet and technological age, we're finding more and more people who prefer to conduct much of their research on their own before working with a Realtor, online and through the numerous educational resources available today...and then using a real estate professional near the end of their home buying/selling process in areas like marketing, legalities and transaction details. These are our Belly-To-Computer-Screen clients and friends.

And then there are those who we work with Belly-To-Belly from the start, perhaps spending several hours together looking for the perfect home, sharing dreams over a cup of coffee, introducing people to our wonderful community and friends, and who we're in daily contact over the phone and email.

Regardless what communication and participation level you find yourself in, it is VERY important to us that you know who we are, what our values and ideals consist of and what skills we provide which differentiate us from other Realtors, and that we get to know you and your goals so we can deliver the personalized approach that fits you!

For those of you who we haven't met yet, here's some info about our mission, purpose and who we are.

Our mission is to provide world-class real estate representation, innovative sales and marketing strategies, and exceptional personal service. Our purpose is to educate and guide our clients through the real estate process with professionalism, integrity and knowledge. Our mission and purpose are fulfilled when we have earned the respect and friendship of every client we work with. We bring over ten years of sales/marketing, real estate training and coaching, and educational background to the North Central Washington real estate community. As full-time real estate professionals, we put considerable energy and fresh ideas to work for our clients every day, including:

 Recognizing that every client and every property are unique, and then using their experience and flexibility to create unique property marketing strategies.

 Exceeding client expectations and finding ways to create new standards in professionalism and responsive personal service.

 Using their training as professional educators to help clients understand the real estate process from beginning to end and minimize stress.

 Applying their knowledge of today's Internet home marketing strategies to effectively position and differentiate properties, and creating new marketing opportunities for clients.

 Diligently searching for homes that meet client needs, and pricing properties to ensure it is sold for the most money in the least amount of time.

 Negotiating on behalf of the client and tracking the closing process to ensure a smooth transaction.

A wonderful FREE resource we provide is our website, http://www.WenatcheeHouses.com/. If you haven't checked it out, here are some of the many helpful features it provides:

* MLS Property Search http://www.wenatcheehouses.com/MLS.php

* Free Over-The-Net Home Evaluation http://www.wenatcheehouses.com/home_worth.php

* North Central Washington Community Info http://www.wenatcheehouses.com/communities.php

* Exclusive Buyer System http://www.wenatcheehouses.com/email_home_listings.php

* Buyer & Seller Articles, Education and much more! http://www.wenatcheehouses.com/buyersandsellers.php

* Find My Dream Home http://www.wenatcheehouses.com/dream_home.php

* Customer Marketing Plan http://www.wenatcheehouses.com/buyersandsellers.php

This just scratches the surface, as WenatcheeHouses.com also provides real estate news & RSS feeds, monthly contests, newsletters, mortgage information and calculators and much more!

Whether you're buying for the first time, looking for your "dream home," interested in acquiring investment property, or simply educating yourself, The Davidson Team is the clear choice for professional, ethical real estate representation in North Central Washington.

Negotiating and Submitting an Offer

One of the best reasons to hire a real estate agent is to ensure you have someone representing your best interests. Also, having someone to negotiate on your behalf will minimize the emotional stress of the home buying process.

When you make an offer on a home, the seller can accept, decline, or counter it. Some tips to increase the chances of your offer being accepted include:

• Ensure you are pre-approved by a lender.

• Provide a substantial money deposit

• Limit your contingencies only to those that are important to you, like financing and inspections, and sale of your current home, if applicable

• Offer a fair price based on the marketplace

Here's a great article by Dian Hymer, distributed by Inman News Features:

What is the Best Negotiation Strategy?

In a seller's market, where houses are selling quickly for the list price or more, you may want to start out with your best possible offer. In a slow market, where houses may take months to sell, and there are plenty of houses to choose from, you may want to make a lower offer and negotiate from there toward a mutually acceptable price.

Before you sit down to write up your offer, find out how much interest there is in the property. Your agent should be able to find answers to these questions: Are other buyers considering making offers? Have other offers already been written? Is the house being shown often, or barely at all? If you are making an offer without the threat of a competing offer, you will adopt a very different negotiation strategy than you will if other buyers want the house.

In a slow market, you might bid low initially, and then jump up in price if necessary. If you're trying to buy a listing that's over-priced, the negotiations may take time. You may have to inch along, moving up a little in price with each counteroffer.

FIRST-TIME TIP: The split-the-difference approach works more often than you would think. This occurs when the buyers and sellers agree on a price that is half way between their last prices.

Successful negotiations usually involve give and take on the part of both parties. The ideal negotiation is when both the buyers and sellers come away feeling like winners. This is called a win-win situation.

It's important to strive for a win-win negotiation. There's a lot of emotion involved in a home sale transaction. And, it's often hard for sellers to be unbiased and detached when selling something as personal as their home.

You want the sellers to feel good about selling their home to you because you will want their cooperation during the transaction. You may need to have further negotiations with them after the inspections are done. Problems could arise, even after closing. If you have built a good rapport with the sellers, you'll have an easier time working out all the issues related to the sale.

Our objective as your agent would be to get you the best home under the best conditions. Contact The Davidson Team with any questions you may have about the negotiating process.

Common Products Can Help You Clean

Have you noticed all of the so-called miracle products that will remove sticker residue, unclog the drain, prevent mildew, remove rust, degrease the garbage disposal and get rid of toilet bowl ring? Of course there is a special product for every little situation and none of them are cheap! But before you go shopping, take note of some of the uses you can get from common products already in your home.

Everyday products that help keep your House in top condition

• Use steel wool to: Fill a screw hole that has become to big for the screw. Stuff the hole with steel wool and re-insert the screw.

• Make an instant pin cushion: Stuff an old sock with steel wool and tie tightly for a pin cushion that will keep pins and needles rust free.

• Repel kitchen pests, by placing steel wool around the pipes under the sink.

• Use nail polish remover to: Remove sticker residue from glass objects; unstick your fingers after a superglue mishap; remove marker and ink from appliances, glass and stainless steel.

• Use olive oil to revitalize leather shoes and baseball gloves or clean greasy hands.

• Repel moles in the yard: Soak a cloth in olive oil and stuff it into the mole hole. Moles hate olive oil!

• Use cola to: Remove grease stains from the garage floor; clear a sluggish drain; loosen a bolt that is rusted on; remove stubborn stains from the toilet by pouring in the cola and waiting one hour before scrubbing.

We hope these tips come in handy! And remember, if you need help with any real estate matter, The Davidson Team is just a phone call away.

Home Decorating

One of the joys of owning your own home is having the freedom to decorate a room to please yourself. The only problem is, most of us don't even know where to start! Here are some simple tips on re-arranging a room that can make the difference between "okay" and "wow" whether it be from a friend of a potential home buyer.

Before you start your room re-arrangement, consider emptying the room completely. Take down all the wall décor and remove any rugs. Now, look at the room as if you are seeing it for the first time. Also consider what activities you want to take place in the room. Let form follow function.

The number one mistake people make is to push all the furniture back against the walls of a den or living room. This makes conversation difficult and creates a walkway through the middle of the conversation area. Try pulling your furniture out into the room into a cozy grouping for conversation. Experiment with placing the seating group at an angle instead of neatly lined up with the walls. A rug and a coffee table can anchor the seating group so that it looks like it "belongs" in the center of the room.

Instead of spreading out your wall hangings along the walls, try grouping several pieces together for stronger impact. Also, it is easier to create "random" groupings than symmetrical designs which require careful measuring and spacing.

Now that your furniture isn't lining the walls you can add depth to your wall décor by creating three dimensional groupings. If you have a grouping of pictures or accessories on the wall, try placing a small table or chest below them. Dress the table top with 2 or 3 favorite objects of varying heights to add dimension.

The Davidson Team hopes you find these tips helpful, and don't forget, if you have any real estate questions, we're just a phone call or email away!