Signs a Bedroom Has Gone Bad

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FL, FL real estate, Homes for sale in Jacksonville, Jacksonville, Modernize your bedroom look, Removing popcorn ceilings, Retro bedroom, Staging your bedroom, Update your bedroom

It can be hard to see your home through a buyer’s eyes. Sometimes you’ve become so used to your rooms you lose the ability to see when a room needs an update. The bedroom is notorious for making or breaking a buyer’s decision to make an offer. Here are some signs yours may need an update. Bedrooms don’t come with an expiration date, but some really should. When buyers are touring a home, a stale bedroom with outdated style can be a deal-breaker. Problematically, many sellers simply can’t see their own bedrooms honestly anymore.

Give your bedroom the “has it gone bad?” sniff test by checking for these common signs of stale design:

Your ceiling has more popcorn than the home theater: Is your ceiling a constellation of dusty, stained popcorn texture? Nothing says “state of the art 1950s design” like the popcorn ceiling. Removal can be a dirty job, and you’ll want to have it checked for asbestos before you do, but getting rid of it goes a long way to modernizing the look.

Mirror, mirror, on the wall. And the closets. And the… ceiling? A little reflected light makes a bedroom look bigger, but if you’re rocking the fun house / journey-into-infinity effect, consider removing some of those reflective surfaces.

Frills, frills everywhere. Check those bed skirts, window dressings, and curtains. Could a Civil War-era southern belle scratch together a formal dress from your assortment of puffy fabrics? Tone it down.

Sorry, captain, the pattern is… retro. Check the paper in your drawers, the shelves of your armoire, and the paper on the walls. Does it feel like felt? Is it yellow like a pirate map? Does it remind you of an 80s prom? Any (or all!) of these are signs you need to update.

Prison ward pillows. Wow, that bed looks… really, really flat. You sleep like that? Clean lines are one thing, an uncomfy bedroom is another. Puff it up and make it cozy.

Formica anything. Does your dresser look like it would make a nice kitchen island in the 1970s? Spring for some staging furniture and replace that laminate wonderland. But I’ve had that alarm clock / television / stereo for 30 years! Yes, and it shows. Nix the flip-digit clocks, the wood grain television cabinets, and the neon-striped boom boxes. Modernize or put them in storage, stat. Yes, buyers can modernize a bedroom when they buy the house, but expecting them to see past your bedroom’s past is taking a gamble. Do a few simple things to freshen up that room!

Need someone to evaluate your interior appeal? We’re happy to share our candid thoughts and guide you towards maximizing your home’s appeal: Kevin and Jennifer Hanley, REALTORS Keller Williams Realty Atlantic Partners Southside http://www.HanleyHomeTeam.com

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Overlooked Open House Items

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FL, Open House Items, Protect your belongings, real estate in Jacksonville, safety at an open house

For many, the open house is a make-or-break event for marketing a home. The mix of people stopping by can lead to an offer or a quality referral. With the directionals pointing your way, the balloons bumping off the sign posts, and the house looking its best, a successful open house creates a network of awareness around your listing.

A lot of cleaning and preparation goes into an open house, and it can be easy to forget some crucial elements which might impact the safety of the event or even make the difference between an offer or no interest. Before the doors open, be absolutely sure you’ve secured the following items in a safe, alternate location:

1. Drugs. No, we’re not (necessarily) talking about the sort of stuff you’d see on Law & Order. We’re talking about prescription drugs. Remember that strangers are going to visit your home, and while we like to think they’re all interested buyers, there’s always the possibility that someone will comb through your medicine cabinet. Pain pills and ADD/ADHD drugs are common targets.

2. Guns. Have a weapon in your home? Is it locked in a safe, or stashed under the bed? The last thing you want to grow a pair of feet and walk out the door is a home defense weapon. Don’t assume your weapon is well-hidden. It they’re not absolutely inaccessible and secure, they need to be stored off the premises.

3. Heirlooms & valuables. Don’t tempt the weak. Gather up the family jewels and store them securely elsewhere. Don’t assume that putting them in a jewelry box will keep prying eyes away. Same goes for highly portable antiques.The expectation of privacy can get a little murky when people are opening up closet doors and the like.

4. Animals. Okay, so you don’t keep a wild cougar in your living room, but what about the family dog? A friendly cat? There’s no such thing as an open-house-friendly pet, especially where allergies and personal preferences are concerned. (And don’t even get me started about snakes.)

5. Political material. You can be as Tea Party or as Socialist as you want to be, but does that mean your buyer has to be, too? Don’t eliminate half of your buyers off the bat with polarizing political messaging. (Double-check the fridge for those funny bits like-minded folks appreciate… they could send your offer right out the front door.)

When it comes to open houses, we like to make sure they go off without a hitch for you. If you’re listing soon, get in touch so we can chat about selling your home fast!: Kevin and Jennifer Hanley http://www.HanleyHomeTeam.com Keller Williams Realty Atlantic Partners Southside

Protecting Your Home from Burglars

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Buying a home, Home Burglary, Home security, Home Security for the holidays, Home security systems, Jacksonville FL Real Estate, Protecting your home from burglars, Protecting your valuables, real estate, Security for your home

Some very interesting info on how to protect your home from burglars, courtesy of the Washington Post. You might be surprised at the stats.

Some interesting facts:

* Most burglaries occur between 10AM and 3PM.
* The typical house burglar is a male teenager who lives within a couple of miles of your home.
* Burglars spend on an average between 8 and 12 minutes inside your home.

Not only did the graphic detail the most common entry points for a burglar, but it also offered these helpful tips for protecting your home:

* A home with a security system is 3 times less likely to be broken into than a home without a security system. (Even if you don’t have one, buying the stickers for them can deter an amateur.)
* Consider alternatives to the master bedroom for hiding valuables. It’s the first place most burglars go.
* Burglars want to spend fewer than 60 seconds breaking in. Anything you can do to lengthen that time will increase the likelihood they’ll pass on your house.
* The appearance of an unoccupied home is what typically attracts burglars. Not bringing the garbage cans back up a few days after trash day can be a big sign you’re not around.

For a detailed look at the infographic, visit the Washington Post site here:
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-srv/artsandliving/homeandgarden/features/2007/burglary-070507/graphic.html

Protect your home and your valuables! Common sense is often enough to keep you from becoming a victim. And remember: Keep an inventory of your possessions for insurance purposes.

Quality of your neighborhood got you nervous? Contact us! Kevin and Jennifer Hanley, REALTORS, Keller Williams Realty Atlantic Partners Southside, http://www.HanleyHomeTeam.com