At Home With Valerie

Don’t let your move become more expensive than it already is! Check out these tips for protecting your valuables during your next move. Some of the techniques might surprise you. Moving isn’t cheap. And really, it shouldn’t be. If it is, you might find out how expensive it can get when all of your valuable possessions have been destroyed in the move! Whether you’re hiring a company to help you relocate, or you’re planning a DIY (Do It Yourself) adventure, keep these handy tips in your pocket to protect your goods. Use the right-sized boxes. Small boxes are ideal for heavy, dense objects (see: books), while larger ones are preferable for lighter items such as pillows and comforters. A large, heavy box is more likely to split or crush other items, so keep an eye on each boxes’ size-to-weight ratio. Fill until it’s still. If a box is rattling around, you’re risking damage. Fill in the empty space with towels, padding, or other cushioning items to isolate the valuable conte...

The process of purchasing a home can be a complicated and stressful experience, but if you have to purchase a new home in another city the experience can become even more complicated.   Whether you are relocating for a job, retiring to a dream location, or are just looking for a change, purchasing a home long distance has a whole separate to-do list on top of the already long list of things that need to be done to purchase a new home.  Here are some tips to make purchasing a home long distance a little easier, and still get the home of your dreams! The Internet Is A Powerful Tool! The internet is a powerful research tool for learning more about virtually any topic, and purchasing a home is no exception.  From finding a REALTOR® to searching properties, the internet is a great aid in finding a home.  It is also a great resource for finding information about potential lenders, home inspectors, and all the other extras involved in buying a home....

Before you hire a real estate agent, be sure to ask to see sample photos from their past listings. Sometimes a picture is worth a thousand warnings. (See 8 terrible  photos here!) When you’re thinking about hiring an agent to help you market and sell your home, it’s probably a good idea to ask to see listing photos of homes they’ve represented in the past.  A true real estate professional will go the extra mile to make sure there are plenty of high-quality, detailed photos to help market your home online. At the minimum, the photos should be well-lit, the homes should be tastefully presented, and the photographs should appear to be taken by a professional. Less than that, and you might want to consider looking for a new agent. There are, of course, major red flags you’ll want to look for in sample listing photos. Consider some of the following: -    No owners sunbathing in the pool in Speedos. -    No attic rooms cluttered with pe...

If you live in a smaller home or condo, you face some particular decorating challenges.   Getting comfort and style while reducing clutter in a small home can be done with a few smart furniture choices and a good understanding of colors and placement in small rooms. Keep It Light And Bright Dark colors make a room look smaller, so stick to lighter choices for small rooms.  If you absolutely love dark red or chocolate brown, there is no reason you can't make it a part of your room, just use it as an accent color instead of painting the walls in that color.  Try to choose lighter tones for flooring, wall paint, and the largest pieces of furniture in the room. Darker, more vibrant colors are perfect for things like throw cushions, place mats, candles, and decorative vases and other art pieces.  They will bring those richer colors into the space without overwhelming it and making it feel dark and cramped. Choose Furniture That Does More ...

If you’re thinking about listing your home, one thing you might be nervous about is the home inspection.  Some of my clients are curious about pre-listing inspections.  Perhaps you’d be interested in the pros and cons of the decision, too: Part of my job as a real estate agent is educating and protecting my clients. Many of my clients get nervous about home inspections. They often ask: “Should I have a home inspection before I put my home on the market?” Here’s my take on the pre-listing inspection: Knowing what you're in for when it comes to selling a house is always better than getting a nasty surprise down the line. In the event you find repairs that need to be made, they can be done in a reasonable time frame. The pre-listing inspection is also useful in situations down the line when you suspect the buyer's home inspection reflects wildly inflated estimates for repairs. Also keep in mind that if you fail to disclose a problem found in the inspecti...

What a wonderful day Valentine's Day is! It's the only holiday set aside just to tell all the special people in our lives how much they mean to us.  So here's wishing you and your family a very Happy Valentine's Day.  May your day be filled with all the warmth and joy your heart can hold! These are three of my favorite poems for you to clip and enjoy or share! Love is like a cabbage Divided into two The leaves I give to others The heart I give to you Author Unknown O, my love's like a red red rose That's newly sprung in June O my love's like a melodie That's sweetly played in tune Robert Burns Through all eternity to thee A joyful song I'll raise For oh! Eternity is too short To utter all thy praise Joseph Addison

I thought I’d share this simple exercise that helps me maintain a positive outlook every day. If you find yourself feeling overwhelmed or stressed, try it out and see if it improves your view, too. "Most human beings have an almost infinite capacity for taking things for granted." -Aldous Huxley, (1894 - 1963) English writer Do you have a practice for dealing with daily stress? I thought I’d share a simple and surprisingly effective exercise you can do each day that will not only boost your spirits, but lighten the perceived burden of “the daily grind.” No running shoes required! You can do it without breaking a sweat, right from the comfort of your car, your desk, or even the line at Starbucks. It sounds simple, but it’s quite powerful: Each day, think of five things you're grateful for. They don't have to be big things. In fact, it's great to start with the little things. It helps get you in the flow. Start with one or two basic things ...

Valentine's Day is fast approaching and every year, Valentine's Day serves as a celebration of love, happiness and a commitment to those that you cherish.   We all know that roses and chocolates are the traditional Valentine's Day gift, but what if there were other ways to be especially creative and still express your love?   Here are a few ideas to get you started: Give Him/Her A Fortune A fortune cookie, that is.  If you want to tell someone that you love them in a truly unique way, place a customized message in a fortune cookie that reads, “When I found you, I found a fortune.  I love you.” Name A Star In His/Her Honor Through the years, the novelty gift of a star personally named after someone special has become an increasingly popular tradition.  Most star-naming services allow you to customize the naming with a date, which means you could indicate Valentine's Day as the date a star was named if you choose.  What be...

Local housing sales and inventory up in stable market The residential home inventory on the Edmonton Multiple Listing Service® (MLS® System) rose 16% in January. Typically just over 1,800 homes in the Edmonton CMA (census metropolitan area) come onto the market in January.  Last month’s listings of 1,842 were higher than the 783 listed in December. Sales figures (adjusted) of 885 properties (820 reported) were higher than a typical January and higher than sales in December and January 2013. The increased inventory of 3,537 (up from 3,049 in December), kept prices stable in all housing categories. Compared to December, the all-residential average price of $347,847 was down just $1,226 or -0.16%. Single family detached (SFD) home prices were down 1.5% at $416,344. Condominiums were priced on average at $230,463 (down 1.5%) and duplex/rowhouses showed the biggest movement and were down 5.3% at $336,220. “Price stability and more property available for sale results i...

Occasionally clients ask me about little extra tips and tricks to improve the appeal of their home while it’s on the market. This is especially true when it comes to open houses or showings. Below I answer a common question about home odors. Q: Is it a good idea to add pleasant odors (cookies baking, cinnamon, fresh flowers) to a staged home for showings? A: Not necessarily. Odors do matter, but assuming you know what "a nice smell" is to your buyers could be trouble. If anything, your house should smell freshly cleaned, but not "chemical." Your best bet is to focus on eliminating foul or dominant odors. If the house smells stuffy or "closed up" (you know, that "back of the closet with coats from 1974 smell"), concentrate on circulating fresh air first and foremost. Replacing air filters in forced heat/air systems is a good place to start. The problem with adding odors such as baking cookies or fresh coffee is one of pr...

Finding the perfect home is a task, but shopping for the best home loan can be even more tedious.  With so many lenders promising low rates, closing costs and little or no down payment requirements, it's often difficult to know which way to turn.   Luckily, there are several steps that you can take to find the right lender for your individual needs. Assess Your Situation Do you know what your credit score is?  If not, you should.  Most lenders rely on this triple digit number to determine both your creditworthiness and interest rates.  If you have excellent credit, you can probably work with almost any lender.  If you have severe blemishes in your financial past, however, finding the right lender may require a little more footwork. How much money do you have for a down payment?  If you are on a budget, you will need to choose a lender that can help to get you into a home with a minimal down payment.  Knowing where you stand...

February is a great time to accomplish simple tasks that will add to the value and appearance of your home.   I hope that you are enjoying the unique experience of being a homeowner!  I've done a little research and have compiled a list of quick, easy projects that you might enjoy! FIVE QUICK AND EASY HOME IMPROVEMENT PROJECTS Go green: A few changes to the landscaping of your home can make a world of difference!  You might want to consider planting some fruit trees in the backyard, adding a touch of color with some bright and unusual flowers, or perhaps finally starting the vegetable garden you've always dreamed about. Add a touch of color: Feeling creative?  Why not give the family room, bedroom or bathroom a whole new look?  By focusing on the improvement of one room at a time, you'll find that what can seem like an overwhelming job becomes fun and simple.  Repainting a single room can be inexpensively completed over a single w...