At Home With Valerie

You may not have kids of your own yet, but if you have people visiting your home for any extended period of time, you’ll want to make sure to do your best to baby-proof your space. Here’s how to shore up the biggest risks. You may not have kids right now, but chances are you may be entertaining guests one day who do. You can put your guests at ease and do your best to protect their little ones from harm by investing in some modest pre-visit baby proofing. Here are some sound strategies to make their visit low-stress and safe: Mind the Power and Appliances Outlets are enemy #1. Baby fingers are like magnets for electricity, so splurge on some plastic outlet covers which fit snugly into those empty sockets. If you have any multi-socket power strips around, be sure to cover those as well (or elevate them out of harm’s reach). Depending on the age of your youngest visitors, some may be able to reach knobs and buttons on appliances like your stove. Exploring han...

Do you have property big enough for a spare cottage? Is there a basement or garage-apartment you’ve been thinking of adding?  Learn why these “Accessory Dwelling Units” (ADUs) are making a comeback. Years ago, it wasn’t so uncommon to have multiple generations living in the same home.  Sometimes these were aging parents moving back in with their kids, and other times they were college students getting their finances in order after graduation.  Many homeowners utilized extra space in their home to create independent apartments or separate living spaces. Though they go by many common names (in-law unit, granny flat, garden cottage, basement apartment), these types of spaces are known as ADUs, or Accessory Dwelling Units. If you have extra space such as an above-garage loft, or extra land where you could build a freestanding structure, you might be interested in adding an ADU to your home. Even if you don’t have a family member in need of the space, th...

Sometimes things simply don’t go your way in a real estate deal, and bouncing back can feel exceptionally hard.  If you’ve recently been disappointed buying or selling a home, here’s some advice to help you put things in perspective and prepare yourself for the next move. Real estate deals are emotional roller coasters, often marred by unexpected setbacks. The dream house deal doesn’t come together. A closing fall through at the last minute. It happens. Sometimes the setback is so overwhelming we feel momentarily disoriented, unsure which direction to take next. We want to carry on, but we can't quite muster the will to make the next right move. If you've felt this way lately, perhaps the following process will help you: 1. Grieve the loss. If you're feeling disappointment, loss, shock, or sadness, don't gloss over it. Give yourself time and space to feel it. There's nothing healthy in pretending the way you feel is wrong, shameful, or otherwise w...