HOME Sweet HOME Magazine
Long Island
Home seller’s edition Staging your home for sale
Top 10 ways to
CANT SELL YOUR HOME? Find out how to sell it in 90 days!
boost your home’s value Popular painting trends
IN THE SPOTLIGHT
Brendan Hall Icon Homes When it comes to selling your most treasured asset, it ‘pays’ to take the advice of those who do it on a daily basis, and do it well. This is why Home Sweet Home magazine chooses top agents and points the spotlight on them, to assist our readers with the advice of a pro.
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Table of contents: Staging your home for sale: 4 Popular painting: 6 Planning your outdoor kitchen: 7 Know your kitchen trends: 9 SELL YOUR HOME IN 90 DAYS: 10 12 Common swimming pool mistakes:11 TOP 10 WAYS TO IMPROVE YOUR HOME’S VALUE: 12
In the spotlight! When it comes to selling your most treasured asset, it ‘pays’ to take the advice of those who do it on a daily basis, and do it well. This is why Home Sweet Home magazine chooses top agents and points the spotlight on them, to assist our readers with the advice of a pro.
Brendan Hall Icon Properties 1-888-846-ICON www.IconPropertiesLI.com
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Staging your home for sale Home staging is about illusions. It's how David Brendan warns. "Without staging, it will probably Copperfield would sell a house. It's beyond decorating remain on the market for many months." He calls the and cleaning. It's about perfecting the art of creating kitchen the "heart of the home," and offers this practical moods. Staging makes your house look bigger, advice for making that space sparkle: brighter, cleaner, warmer, more loving and, best of all, it Apply orange oil to cabinets that appear dry, which will makes home buyers want to buy it. Contrary to what renew their original luster you might think, it's about more than preparing the Put out large bowls of fruit such as polished apples, house for sale. Staging is what you do after you've bright oranges, luscious grapes cleaned, decluttered, painted, made minor repairs; it's Arrange colorful and fun cookbooks on the counters all about dressing the house for sale. Brendan believes in bringing the outdoors inside It's about adding the small details: the lipstick, mascara through the use of greenery and plants; in creating and, for simplicity, a stunning, single strand of Tahitian clean, crisp spaces and arranging furniture with plenty pearls. of room to walk around. He says bathrooms are What is a Professional Home Stager? essential to dress well. "Bathrooms should look open, Professional stagers are highly skilled artists. They can airy and delightful," says Brendan. One of his favorite take a blank canvas and paint a sensuous portrait tricks is to add baskets filled with spa treatments such without ever lifting a paint brush. Stagers possess the as: skills of a top-level designer and they create dramatic Towels, tied with ribbons scenery that appeals to all five senses. Here are some Scented soaps of their secrets: Creamy lotions Arrange sparse pieces of furniture in an appealing Moisturizing & Facial jars grouping known as a vignette The back yard needs staging, too. For patios and Showcase a generous usage of soft fabrics such as decks, Brendan brings in plants and potted flowers, and silk, lambswool, satin adds additional color by setting the picnic table with Display unusual knickknacks in units of 1, 3 or 5 bright, plastic dinner plates. Drape window coverings with simple lines How Much Does it Cost? s vary depending on where Add unique elements to shelving, bookcases and you live and the local demand for professional home fireplace mantels, which draw attention to staging. Coastal areas and large metropolitan cities predetermined areas where home staging has been prevalent for years What Accessories Does a Stager Use? command higher prices. Brendan helps sellers Stagers bring in a vast array of items to spruce up the Stage速 the home themselves. house. Here is a small sampling of items professional stagers often use to dress each room. How they are FOR A FREE HOMESTAGING REPORT- Call utilized is limited only by the creativity and vision of the Brendan 631-363-4201 stager. Mirrors Plants Silk Flowers Floor & Table Lamps, Area and Throw Rugs Small Love Seats Ottomans Afghans Pillows Inflatable Queen-Size Beds Baskets Plastic Tables & Chairs Professional Staging Tricks & Tips An Realtor for 6 years, Brendan Hall, is the owner of Icon Homes and master stager for as long. He says the idea behind staging is to allow rooms to show themselves. "If your home is vacant, it's soulless,"
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POPULAR PAINTING TRENDS
If you've got a room that's due for an update, bring out the brushes and look to this year's popular paint colors for inspiration. A fresh coat of color can easily and affordably transform a space, and thanks to a new wave of design awareness among DIY decorators, there’s no shortage of bold, statement-creating colors from which to choose. "Over the course of the past decade, consumers have shown a desire to bring new hues into their living space," says Debbie Zimmer, paint color and decorating expert for the Rohm and Haas Paint Quality Institute and member of the prestigious Color Marketing Group, an international organization that helps shape the latest color trends. "They’re so much more color confident today, especially since they’ve had the opportunity to visualize color through examples on home improvement shows, magazines, and radio shows.” If you’ve collected a few of those design ideas yourself, take the next step with this tour of the leading color palettes identified by Zimmer and her fellow trendwatchers. Back to Nature Consumer interests in green building and earth-friendly living have found a literal outlet in natural tones reflecting the world outdoors. Yellows and blues, leaf-like greens, and organic browns all star on consumers’ wish lists, something to which the folks at BEHR Paints can attest. Such natural green shades as "Rejuvenate," "Sagey" and "Restful" are among the top ten tones viewed on BEHR.com, and the fresh "Asparagus" and warm "Medieval Gold" are also among their hottest hues. Bedrooms, bathrooms and rooms including an accent wall are ideal destinations for these shades, and Zimmer suggests accenting such natural color schemes with rust or copper-like metallics.
Comfort Colors Stress-free shades that wrap a room in warmth continue to be popular, especially when it comes to kitchens and family rooms. To create a welcoming refuge from the rough-andtumble world, choose colors that sound as delicious as they look, including pumpkin orange, cinnamon apple pie, cocoa brown, and biscuit and wheat neutrals. Stark Contrast This palette pairs sophisticated black and white with such dramatic tones as deep plums and clean, clear reds, the latter of which will be popping up more and more as a certain global sporting event draws near. "We'll see the use of red grow tremendously as we head toward the 2008 Beijing Olympics," says Zimmer, noting the increase in consumer confidence with this dynamic color. Whether red or another bold shade is in the mix, polished brass metallics are great complements to Stark Contrast schemes, and mix to great effect in dining, living and powder rooms. In addition to color considerations, Zimmer recommends using texture to add interest and style to a room. One approach is incorporating different paint sheen levels to lend translucency and a glass-like quality to surfaces, including unexpected and dramatic applications on ceilings. And don't discount the power of metallics as highlights, undercoats and surface textures in any color scheme. "Over the last 12 to 24 months it’s been more about subdued metallic finishes, but we’re going to be seeing a return to more bold, brassy metallics as we get closer to fall and the holiday season. From silver to brass, metallics are again going to be on the rise."
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It used to be that outdoor entertaining conjured up the featured areas, which offering a covered bar and buffet familiar image of the picnic lunch at the park. You only area. needed a picnic basket, thermos, paper plates and In planning your outdoor kitchen you will need to plastic utensils. consider how much you will use your outdoor kitchen Or if you wanted to be able to host an outdoor luncheon and whether it will be just a small part of your deck or or dinner you would toss some items on a barbecue pit patio or a fully functional outdoor kitchen. out in the backyard and flip burgers and hotdogs. Today, however outdoor kitchens have made Cooking on a grill is a great way to entertain outdoors. entertaining more convenient as well as luxurious. Now However it is a nuisance to have to go back and forth you can have all the accoutrements of any indoor from the kitchen to the patio. That is why outdoor kitchen all year around no matter what part of the kitchens have become more and more popular. country you live in. Besides the outside grill, outdoor The outdoor kitchen can include stovetop-style burners, kitchens frequently include many features - the number griddles, roasting spits, sinks, refrigerators, storage depending on your budget Outdoor kitchens range in space for dishes and cooking gear, low counters for prep cost from about $3,000 to more than $30,000.The latest work, bar-height counters for guests, stereo systems products on the market include luxury grills equipped and more. with all the capabilities of stovetop cooking. Outdoor Preparing and enjoying meals outdoors along with kitchen setups include kitchen islands, sinks, casual entertaining has in recent years really taken off refrigerators, wet bars and dishwashers. as homeowners have come to see just how appealing these alfresco preparation areas can be. Having originated in the southwest, outdoor kitchens are now to be found all over the country. So just what kinds of foods can be cooked outdoors? Actually any type of food that can be prepared in an indoor kitchen can be prepared in an outdoor kitchen. Today's outdoor kitchen designs can include such items as: sinks, cabinets, and cutting boards. They can be fully
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Outdoor Kitchen Design Factors An outdoor kitchen design can include different components and styles and there are many factors in deciding on the right outdoor kitchen design. One of the factors is just how much space you have to work with. Will it just include a small grill island or will your outdoor kitchen be as big as your indoor kitchen? Will it be the place where you and your family will spend a considerable amount of time? It is important that for an outdoor kitchen to work you must be able to provide adequate seating and dining areas. If you want to be able to enjoy your outdoor kitchen when the weather turns cooler it is a good idea to also have an outdoor fireplace to keep everyone warm and toasty. Custom or Prefab Grilling Islands Next, you will need to determine whether you will want your grill to be freestanding or built into an outdoor grilling island. Custom grilling islands can help provide your outdoor kitchen with a more upscale look. Just like an indoor kitchen island, the outdoor grilling island includes masonry with cabinets. Many experts agree that custom masonry grilling islands can add tremendous value to your home. You can also go with a prefab grilling island. These prefab islands come in a variety of configurations and exterior finishes. They cost less than more custom islands. Building Materials For Your Outdoor Kitchen You should select sturdy and durable materials that can stand up to climate changes. Many building experts agree that Polymer is the perfect material for the construction of outdoor kitchens. It can withstand outside elements and unlike wood, concrete or stucco it does not absorb moisture. Polymer is a solid material not a laminate or layered material and it will not warp, crack, or split. Countertops can be made from ceramic tile, granite, marble, slate and other natural stones. Outdoor Lighting Another area just as important is designing your outdoor kitchen is outdoor lighting. This can change and improve the overall feel of your outdoor kitchen. There are many types of lighting to choose from including: ambiance lighting that can include soft white lights or colored bulbs. Solar lights can be charged during the day and turn on automatically as it gets dark.
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Know your kitchen trends 1. Country Style - Often called Early American or Colonial as it is designed to create a lovely quaint farm style kitchen. Often such kitchens will feature open shelves, pot racks and have the feeling of it being well lived in. Such kitchens are usually accented by the various colour schemes relating to the actual cabinetry of the units. 2. Contemporary - More and more often this style is being used because of its clean and simple lines. Often the cabinets are quite futuristic looking have no carvings or ornate features on them. With this style of kitchen the emphasis is put more on style and practical sophistication rather than beauty and that warm lived in feel.
4. French Country - Such kitchen designs based on this style are warm and inviting with lots of wood and soft colours being used. Not only do natural materials feature heavily in this style of kitchen, but you will find that the furniture used is large and rather ornate.
3. Shaker - A simple and utilitarian style of kitchen that has flat panel doors, wooden countertops and brass handles (hardware). 5. Arts and Crafts - Yet again another style of kitchen decoration which is becoming more popular because of the use of feature glass doors and natural wood tones which are finished off in a matt sheen effect. Certainly with this style of kitchen decoration there is the chance for you to be a little bit more artistic and creative in
the design
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FROM
TO
During the first 30 days it is vital to promote your home on the web. Over 85% of buyers these days come from internet searches. In addition, your home should be listed on MLS to give every agent in your area the opportunity to sell the property. Open houses should be held every weekend, every 2 weeks at a minimum!
By the second month, ads should start appearing in Newsday, The Real Estate Book, Harmon Homes etc. All marketing from your first month should remain in full force during this time. Pay close attention to feedback from previous showings and work with your realtor to make any feasible changes. Once changes are made, have your realtor call all prior prospects to make them aware of the changes.
If your property hasn’t had any offers by the third month, take a close look at your price, similar listings in your area (the competition) and make sure you are priced just under the houses similar in size, condition and style. Have your realtor take you to look at these homes. The perfect combination of staging, marketing, response to feedback, labor (open houses) and a sense of the market will ensure a smooth sale. Guaranteed!
Brendan’s plan Free CMA, staging report and checklist. Your home marketed on over 300 different websites and the first page of every major search engine, plus a guaranteed open house every weekend if you wish! Your home listed in every major periodical from Queens to Montauk. Including direct mailers to renters and recent homes under contract for relocating sellers. Daily feedback forms emailed to you after every showing. Daily email updates when prices in your neighborhood change, houses sell or are just listed. He will bring you to see all competition, and get your home sold in 90 days!
Call Brendan Hall at 1-888-846-ICON for a free home value estimate, staging plan, and presale checklist.
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Not checking your pool's chemistry often enough. Check the pool's chemistry twice per • week in the summer and once per week in the winter. By doing this you can make minor adjustments to your water chemistry instead of big adjustments that create a wild up and down graph of activity. Allowing pH to get above 8.0. At 8.5 chlorine is only 10% active. At 7.0 it is about 73% • active. By just maintaining pH around 7.5 the • chlorine is 50-60% active. Keeping the pH in check will allow you to use to the full potential the chlorine that is already in the pool. Not keeping alkalinity between 80-140 PPM. • Low or high alkalinity can affect water balance and ultimately a sanitizer’s ability to perform. Not checking TDS (Total Dissolved Solids) or calcium hardness on a regular basis. Check TDS every 6 months and calcium hardness every month. These also affect water balance • which is different from sanitation, although related. Not cleaning the cells in salt water systems (chlorine generators). Corroded or calcified cells will produce little chlorine. Backwashing sand or DE filters too often. If you do this, the filter can never reach its cleaning potential. If you backwash on a regular basis for no reason, you are wasting water. Most filters require backwashing when the pressure gauge rises 8-10 PSI from clean. Not cleaning the skimmer basket and/or hair and lint pot in the pool pump often enough. If these are full of debris you will get little flow resulting in poor circulation, potentially creating a big problem. Adding chemicals, especially liquid chlorine, during the day. Try to add chemicals in the
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evening after the sun has set. You will get more out of them. Not brushing the walls and tile down often enough. If your circulation system is suspect, and many are, brushing down the walls will help eliminate algae problems. Keeping your tile clean will save you money. Once the tile gets calcified it becomes like plaque and will take a specialist to get it off. Make sure that you keep the space between the bottom of the cantilever on the deck and the top of the tile in check. If this cracks, then put in some silicon. You do not want water migrating from the inside of the pool out under the decking. Not running pumps long enough. You should run your pump about 1 hour for every 10 degrees of temperature. This assumes you have a decent circulation system. It is ALL about the FLOW! Circulation IS the key to a low maintenance swimming pool. Not replacing broken or missing drains or suction sources. This a real and dangerous hazard. The same could be said for defective door/gate closers and fences in disrepair.
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When you're house-hunting it's important to be able to identify the things that increase the value of a home and those that actually detract. The seller and his agent, after all, will try to • convince you that rail line that runs through the backyard is good because it provides extra green space. Here are 10 features that can add value to your home. • 1. An updated kitchen. "Kitchens are critical," says Robert Irwin, author of "Home Buyer's Checklist." "Today, people like a big kitchen with a lot of workspace." They look for solid surface counters and high-quality flooring, • such as wood, laminate, tile or stone. And they want newer appliances in working order. Even if it's not huge, it should have "countertops that are serviceable that aren't going to have to be replaced soon and cabinetry in good condition," says Brendan Hall, Owner/Broker Of Icon Homes "It has to be well-appointed and large enough to • fit your needs." And it doesn't hurt if it opens onto another room. "A lot of families are looking for that openness," says Brendan. • It helps to have a window over the sink, says Don Strong, a remodeler with Brothers Strong Inc., a Houston remodeling firm. Be wary if renovations are out of character with the community, such as granite countertops in a subdivision where plastic • laminate is the norm. "Will you sell faster? Yes," says Hummel, CEO of Iowa Residential Appraisal Co., in Des Moines. "Will it sell for more? • Not if the appointments you've done are significantly higher quality that the rest of the neighborhood." 2. Modern bathrooms. Buyers are looking for "master baths that give a little room to roam," says Brendan. • A big asset: spa or whirlpool tubs. "I'm always entertained by the people who have them in the master bath and don't use • them," says Brendan Hall . "But it's a big feature." • Some other features buyers are seeking: separate showers with steam and/or multiple jets, double sink, separate room for the • toilet. And make sure the plumbing and hot water heater can handle the job. The pipes have to be large enough to carry an adequate volume of water and the hot water heater has to be big enough to accommodate it. "You need a bare minimum of a 75-gallon • hot water heater, and most of my customers have 100 to 150," says Chicago-based home inspector Kurt Mitenbuler. • "You don't want to see that false economy of a $30,000 bathroom but nobody spent a few thousand dollars to upgrade the pipes," he says. 3. A well-appointed master suite. "People are really excited • about master suites," says Brendan. The wish list: a luxurious • bathroom, lounging areas and walk-in closets. 4. Natural materials. "People like natural materials," says Brendan. "Ceramic tile, hardwood floors, granite. We've gone • back to a real appreciation for historically true materials. And simulated works as well. The look is very popular." In floor coverings -- especially bathrooms or kitchens -- look for
ceramic tile or wood rather than linoleum, which can tear, says Brendan. In the rest of the house, wood or laminate products are a plus over wall-to-wall, says Gary Eldred, author of "The 106 Common Mistakes Homebuyers Make (and How to Avoid Them)". But if you have carpet, it should be a good product and well maintained so that "a person doesn't have to walk in and think, 'I'm going to have to spend five grand right off the bat," says Brendan. 5. Curb appeal. "A good first appearance on a home can add as much as 5 percent to 10 percent to the value of the home," says John Aust, president of the National Association of Real Estate Appraisers. "Homes in a neighborhood tend to vary about 10 percent from house to house, assuming all other things are the same." 6. A light, airy spacious feel. "People buy space and light," says Brendan "I have yet to have anybody walk into a really dark house and say, 'I love this.'" Richard "Dick" Gaylord, member of the executive committee for the National Association of Realtors, agrees. "That's a very big feature," he says. "I haven't sold many homes that aren't bright and airy." 7. Good windows. "People are looking at exposures and windows," says Brendan. "It's been a cold winter for most of the country and energy efficiency is very important." Insulated windows are always a plus, says Strong. "Typically, they pay for themselves in five years," he says. The cost: for an average 2,600-square-foot home, estimate about $10,000 for new windows, he says. Well-placed skylights are also a good touch to add value, says Hall. 8. Landscaping. Mature trees "are worth $1,000," And having outdoor spaces with touches such as pergolas and Victorian garden swings "can be very helpful," says Hall. Appraiser John Bredemeyer remembers one $250,000 home in Omaha that had no landscaping at all. "It was stark," says Bredemeyer, national chair of government relations for the Appraisal Institute, a professional group for real estate appraisers. "It just stood out as unappealing." Conversely, you don't have to spend a fortune on plants, either. Just keep it "typical with the neighborhood," he says. 9. Lots of storage. Nothing beats an oversized garage, some attic space and plenty of closets. "If you have a two-car garage, do you have extra space for those things we all have -- bicycles, lawn mower, snow blower?" says Hall. "Space is important." A nice plus in the master suite? "His and hers walk-in closets,". 10. Basement. "If it's dry, it's a plus," says Kenneth Austin, coauthor of "The Home Buyer's Inspection Guide." "But it's a negative if it has water problems." A finished basement adds even more value. "Ten years ago, nobody cared," says Brendan. "Now everybody wants them."
For a free pre-sale check list call Brendan Hall at 631-3634201 Next month- Top 10 ways to reduce the To advertise call 1-888-846-4266 value of your home
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