At Home With Valerie

Figuring out how much time you should spend viewing properties for sale is a little like asking, “How long should I spend trying on shoes?” The answer seems obvious: As long as it takes to make a decision! Buying a home is significantly more complex than purchasing shoes – and the stakes are higher too! You need to make sure you have all the information necessary to confidently make the best decision. There are basically three stages to viewing a property: Macro Micro Professional When you view a home on a macro basis, you’re looking at it from an overall perspective. For example, you may do a general walk-through to get a first impression and determine if the property has the basic features you need, such as the number of bedrooms and the size of the backyard. Macro viewing is often the fastest stage in the viewing process and can sometimes take just a few minutes. If you like what you see, then it’s onto the micro stage. At this stage you take a clos

When you own your home, you need to take an elevated interest in some details you might have overlooked as a renter. Here are a few crucial examples of things you’ll want to keep in mind as you get to know your new home. When you’re a renter, there are a lot of details you might overlook. Given how much is out of your control about the condition or landscaping around your apartment complex or rented home, you may not be greatly interested in certain aspects of the house. All of that changes when the home is your own investment. With your money and your safety on the line 24/7, you’ll need to pay attention to some areas which renters take for granted. Keep these few tips in mind and you’ll avoid several common homeowner mistakes. 1. Call 811 before digging up the yard. Landscaping is a great pleasure for many homeowners, especially those who want to plant their own food or dig in a nice water feature. The only problem? There could be pipes, power, and telecom cables un

Doesn’t it seem strange that people buy houses without actually living in them a little first?  There’s a new trend emerging in which some sellers are listing their house on AirBnB while they’re looking to sell. Is this a good idea? If you stop to think about it, selling a home is a bit of a strange endeavor. You’re asking prospective buyers to make a huge investment in your home without the experience of actually living there. Yet this is standard procedure. Buyers make offers after showings without having spent a single night in the home where they’re planning on living! Now there’s an emerging marketing trend designed to take some of the ambivalence out of buying a home. Some sellers are taking the steps to let prospective buyers “live” in their house for a few days to see if the home is right for them. AirBnB is one platform making this strategy possible. Most effective for sellers who have staged their house and are not currently living in the listing, the appro

When travel funds are tight, it doesn’t mean there’s no fun to be had. Here are ways to take a summer staycation right in your own back yard. During the summer months many families find budgets tight and vacation plans thin. If you have a little summer left, and you’d like to squeeze in some more fun, here are some ideas for how to maximize the fun without going into debt. First, keep a real vacation mindset: This means taking full days off. No laundry, no chores, no slipping away for email checking. Take the days off work, even if it’s just a Friday and Monday to make a four-day weekend. Unplug from social media. Be present with those who are with you on your staycation! Here are some ways to fill the days with leisure: 1. Pitch a tent in your yard. If you have a backyard, it can be surprisingly satisfying to set up tents, dust off your grill, and take a night under the stars. Only retreat into the house for bathroom breaks and rough-it suburban style. Get a cooler

When the warm summer months begin to wind down and the days become a little shorter, you can almost smell it in the air--back-to-school time is here! And just as fall and cool weather approach, so does back-to-school anxiety. Between kids fearing they'll miss the bus and won't make new friends, and parents feeling stressed about hectic mornings and carpooling chaos, how can anyone get excited about the first day back to school? Parents however, can set the tone for a smooth transition from summer to the new classroom by proactively addressing their children's concerns. Here are a few tips to ease your family's back-to-school anxiety: Be enthusiastic. If you are excited and confident, your child will be too. Prepare yourself.  Note your child's reaction to separation. If possible, visit the new setting together and introduce your child to the new teacher in advance. Start Daily routines. Encourage kids to become involved by packing their o