At Home With Valerie

Summer is here, so entertaining has made the move from the living room to the backyard. It’s the season for barbecues and campouts. Here are five ways to make sure your back yard is everyone’s favorite. 1. Make sure there’s a place to cook! The way to your guests’ hearts is through their stomachs. You could have something as simple as a charcoal grill or as elaborate as a fully-featured kitchen, but it‘s essential that you can prepare some food outdoors. 2. Lighting matters. At the very least you need enough lighting to keep the party going when the sun goes down. But for a back yard that really pops, add some decorative lighting to walkways, landscaping, or anything else worth highlighting. 3. Gather around the fire. This one’s a no brainer. Everyone loves a good place to make hot dogs and s’mores—just make sure you’re not violating any neighborhood ordinances. 4. Bring the beach to your backyard. A little water will make everything loo...

Selling your home can be an exciting, but stressful time. Luckily you are not alone in this process. Finding the right listing agent is key to having a successful, smooth experience. Your listing agent will help you price and market your home, negotiate with home buyers, and walk you through home inspection and closing. You want to find someone who has your best interest in mind and is knowledgeable and experienced. Select an agent about six to eight weeks before putting your home on the market. Ask friends and family for recommendations, do thorough review searches online, and conduct in-depth interviews with several agents before making a final decision. During each interview, make sure you clearly state your goals for the sale and what you are looking for in an agent. To help you pick the best agent for you, here’s what you should consider. • Are they a full-time agent? • How many years have they been a listing agent? • Have they sold a...