HOMEOWNER'S HALLOWEEN HORRORS?

Not if you follow these Safety Tips

As Halloween creakily creeps around the cob webbed corner, many of our thoughts will be on decorating, pumpkin carving and costume making.

But, before the parade of ghosts and witches comes knocking on your door, here's a helpful list of things that you can do to keep your home and yard safe for all those anxious trick-or-treaters.

Clear your yard of ladders, hoses, leashes, flower pots, low tree limbs, support wires and anything that could cause someone to trip.

• Be sure to keep your outdoor steps, porch and walkways well lit.

• Use battery powered jack o'lantern candles instead of a real flame.

• If you do use candles, keep them away from where trick or treaters will be walking or standing.

• Dried flowers, cornstalks and crepe paper are highly flammable. Make sure paper or cloth yard decorations can't blow into a flaming candle.

• Consider fire safety when decorating. Don't overload electrical outlets with holiday lighting or special effects.

• Remember to keep exits clear of decorations.

• Remind all household drivers to remain cautious and drive slowly through the community.

• This is also a great time to install fresh batteries in your home smoke alarms.

Don't Let Your Pets Get Spooked!

Halloween can be a traumatic even dangerous experience for some pets. Here are some sensible tips to protect your pet on Halloween:

Don't leave your pet out in the yard on Halloween. To a menacing prankster, an unguarded pet could be an easy target.

Halloween candy is not for pets. Chocolate is poisonous to a lot of animals, and foil or cellophane wrappers can be hazardous if swallowed.

Be careful that pets can't knock over a lit pumpkin. Curious kittens especially run the risk of getting burned.

Don't dress your pet in costume unless you know he loves it. Otherwise, it puts a lot of stress on the animal.

If you do dress your pet, make sure the costume isn't constricting, annoying or unsafe. Be careful not to obstruct her vision!

All but the most social dogs should be kept in a separate room during trickortreating hours too many strangers in unusual costumes can be scary for a dog.

Be careful your cat or dog doesn't dart out through the open door.

TIPS FOR ADDING A BATHROOM TO YOUR HOME

Scrambling for bathroom space in your home? Wish you had a second shower for guests or a new tub for kids? Here’s what you’ll need to consider when expanding your home’s bathroom options.

Have you been living with a single-bathroom home? Is the time here to consider adding an extra full-bathroom or “water closet” to your existing layout? First, know that of all the renovations you can make to a single-bathroom home, adding an extra bathroom is one of the soundest investments you can make. 

With rare exception, the money you put into a second bathroom should pay handsomely when you list your house in the future. The bathroom is one of the most-used rooms in your home and it can have a profound impact on how prospective buyers see your home in the future once you’re ready to move on. 

If you’ve been curious about the process or want to make the leap two a two-bathroom home without relocating, you’ll want to keep some tips in mind about this special renovation project.  

1. Think about where you can add a bathroom versus where you think it’s ideal. You’ll want to identify where your existing water and waste lines are in the home. Adding a bathroom across the house ups the complexity and expense.

2. Single-story homes with crawl spaces have a bit more flexibility for adding a bathroom since crawl spaces provide easy access for running plumbing lines. If you have a two-story house, aligning your new bathroom (either upstairs or down) with your existing one can ease plumbing challenges.

3. Adding a tub can add value, especially if you suspect future buyers might have children.

4. Natural light and ventilation are a big plus. While fans are common and should be installed, being able to draw in sunlight or air out a bathroom via an exterior wall can really upgrade the luxury feel.

5. Always get the proper permits for work and only collaborate with licensed and bonded contractors. You want to make sure you’re covered in the event of any problems and you’ll definitely want to be able to show future buyers that your work is legit and up to code.

6. Choose high-end design fixtures where possible, especially if the bathroom is small. Innovative luxury options can make the room feel larger and really add that “wow” factor. Some nice-to-have options include a towel warmer and separating the toilet from the rest of the room via a “water closet” partitioning. Go with neutral palettes and classic tiles for a timeless effect. You can always jazz up the space with rugs, towels, or other bath accessories.

If adding a bathroom sounds like more hassle than it’s worth, you might want to consider your next move! Your local REALTOR® would be happy to help you find a home with your dream bathroom already included! Contact an agent today!

REFLECTING LIGHT IN EVERYDAY LIFE

If you feel yourself overwhelmed from time to time by the darkness in the world, be it from current events in the news, or personal struggles, I wanted to offer some encouragement today that might lighten the burden.

The American writer Edith Wharton once wrote, “There are two ways of spreading light: to be the candle or the mirror that reflects it.” Even when we find ourselves with so little light to share, the one thing sure to enhance our defense against the darkness is reflecting the light we encounter. When we act as a mirror, amplifying the light, we light the way for others.

In that spirit, here are seven simple ways to cast or reflect light:

1. Send a simple, honest compliment out of the blue.

2. Give people hope through direct assistance.

3. Introduce someone to a helpful resource.

4. Provide pathways to free education and hands-on learning.

5. Introduce two of your friends who do not know one another yet.

6. Include people in efforts for common (or community) good.

7. Find opportunities to be a good listener.

The next time you despair, rouse your waning energy to attempt one of these seven small acts. Though they may not solve all of your problems, or reverse the course of the world, they will give you a lift and light your way forward.

All the best,

Valerie McConville

HOW TO PROTECT YOUR REPUTATION ON LINE

Why do so many online conversations turn toxic? What’s the best way to stay engaged with the good while steeling ourselves against the trolls? 

Here are some tips I use to protect myself and my reputation online. Maybe they’ll help you gain a little perspective, too.

In our age of nearly instantaneous communication, we find ourselves paradoxically with exponentially more opportunities to make fools of ourselves. With every Tweet, Facebook update, Instagram comment, bulk email, accidental “reply to: all,” blog post (and blog comment), we have countless opportunities to stick our feet squarely in our mouths.

What’s even more daunting is how the lack of face-to-face communication makes it easier to be outright negative. How many times have you come across blog and Facebook comments that no one in their right mind would say to someone in person?

Character and integrity matter as much as they always have, especially in the professional world of real estate. I try to keep this in mind as I interact online, and perhaps some tips I use as guidelines for civil, friendly discourse online can help you, too.

For example:

1. Ignore spam; delete and move on. Most of the time, it’s not even a human that has spammed your mailbox or blog… it’s a program, or “robot” and your effort in responding is a waste. (Like shouting into a dial tone!)

2. Do not feel compelled to respond to all negative comments. Let them hang in the air or delete them if you can’t stomach it. But don’t feel every negative comment is an occasion to speak. Remember: Engaging trolls also legitimizes them. Do you want that?

3. Do not engage in point-by-point arguments. They sap your energy and produce nothing. People aren’t interested in seeing you “dismantle” someone’s opinion online. These debates quickly turn into personal attacks that can get ugly.

4. Acknowledge differences without creating enemies. Ask yourself: How would I respond in an office meeting? An open house? Find a way to acknowledge your difference in opinion without making a fight about it.  Do you have to be “offended” by a difference of opinion? Of course not.

Staying above the storm is a mark of integrity.  It shows you know how to keep a cool head and it also gives you more authority when you do weigh in on an issue.  

I read somewhere that the Eagle is the only bird that, in order to avoid the rain, starts flying above the cloud. It’s too easy to get caught in the storm online. Choose instead to fly high! 

Feel free to email me at: valeriemcconville@gmail.com

AN ADVISOR'S DISCERNMENT

Discernment, (according to Wikipedia) is defined as “the ability to obtain sharp perceptions or to judge well (or the activity of so doing).” Furthermore “considered as a virtue, a discerning individual is considered to possess wisdom, and be of good judgement; especially so with regard to subject matter often overlooked by others.”

A byproduct of our technologically-accelerated times is the pressure to form and share opinions rapidly. Facebook posts must be reacted to, comments are written on the fly, and tweets get launched in response to issues even as they are just breaking into the news cycle. It is as if there is some unspoken fear that silence is the same as acquiescence. Silence is inaction.

Of course this is an absurd way to live one’s life. Silence is the space in which we practice discernment. More often than not, a pressured response will lead to misrepresentation or simplification of our views. Why be handcuffed by knee-jerk reactions? We must learn to admit we may not know how we feel about a subject, or what we believe is the best course of action.

As a real estate professional, my judgment is central to my effectiveness, reputation, and ability to best serve my clients. Among buyers and sellers, no small portion of my value lies in my ability to be steady, see clearly, and instill confidence while I help you navigate complex property issues. 

The next time you feel the pressure to react to an issue or commit to a stance, remember that a rash declaration or decision may ultimately work against you. More than ever we need people who place emphasis on discernment.

  

Respectfully,

Valerie McConville

DEALING WITH INEVITABLE CHANGE

Do you find yourself unsettled by uncertainty in your job, neighborhood, or housing market? Are you looking for ways to anticipate change and flow with the times? Here are some strategies to help you cope with the inevitable and prepare for “what’s next.”

These days it can feel like everything is subject to dramatic and sudden change. If you’ve found yourself unsure how to live well in the face of “technological disruption” or other macro forces in the media and the markets, perhaps some perspective will help.

Most anger and anxiety around upheaval and uncertainty comes from fear. “Where do I fit in?” “How will I adapt?” Sometimes this fear blossoms into full-blown denial. Denial includes a refusal to accept the changes happening before our eyes, an unwillingness to learn about future possibilities, and self-soothing stories which assure us that all will remain basically the same.

Instead, you might do well to enhance your mindset perspective. Here are five tactics to help you prepare:

1. Look at patterns in other areas. Though there is no “one size fits all” for radical change, there are lessons to be learned from recent history. Understanding big shifts in other industries, markets, or countries may help you get a feel for how your world may change.

2. Recognize when you’re in the echo chamber. Many established players will tell you what you want to hear: “Don’t panic, everything’s fine.” It can be alluring to listen to those voices who say “change is overblown” or “we’re in a unique industry, immune to many of the changes.”

3. Seek contrary opinions. Find out who holds different values. Listen to the arguments they have for revolutionizing the world or urging for reforms, even if it threatens your “normal.” You may disagree, but you can’t rationally evaluate your options if you keep your head in the sand.

4. Avoid catastrophizing. Catastrophizing “is an irrational thought a lot of us have in believing that something is far worse than it actually is.” (Learn more here: https://psychcentral.com/lib/what-is-catastrophizing/) Even sea changes take time. Many predictions are too dire and unrealistic. Don’t let your fears drive your actions. Be smarter about your feelings.

5. Don’t fall victim to excessive nostalgia. We have a tendency to romanticize and simplify the past, giving ourselves the luxury of rose-colored glasses. Take time to appreciate the upside of change. Wishing for a time machine is a sure-fire way to remain paralyzed.

Yes, adapting to these changes can be a challenge. But take heart. You are more resilient than you might realize.