Cleaning up the outside of your home to sell

Homes that have a good curb appeal command higher prices. I’m not talking about replacing vinyl siding with redwood siding, I’m talking about maintenance and tasks you’d like to live with anyway. The way your house looks from the street says a lot about your home and goes a long way.

Wash the general dirt off the outside of your house. Washing your house can make a huge difference.  A bucket of soapy water and a long-handled, soft-bristled brush can remove the dust and dirt that have splashed onto your wood, vinyl, metal, stucco, brick, and fiber cement. Don’t forget garage door and wash the windows inside and out.. 


Replace overgrown bushes with leafy plants and colorful annuals. Surround bushes and trees with dark or reddish-brown bark mulch, which gives a rich feel to the yard. Put a crisp edge on garden beds, pull weeds and invasive vines, and plant a few geraniums in pots. Green up your grass with lawn food and water. Cover bare spots with seeds and sod, get rid of crab grass, and mow regularly

A splash of color goes a long way.  Plant some flowers, add some hanging baskets.

Nothing looks worse from the curb — and sets off subconscious alarms — like hanging gutters, missing bricks from the front steps, or peeling paint. Not only can these deferred maintenance items damage your home, but they can decrease the value of your house by 10%.

Here are some maintenance chores that will dramatically help the look of your house:

Refasten sagging gutters.

Repoint bricks that have lost their mortar.

Reseal cracked asphalt.

Straighten shutters.

Replace cracked windows.

 

Contact Stacey Guzanick 262.490.3696,   RE/MAX Service First  Guzanick@gmail.com,  if you have questions about buying a house or selling one.

I can  guide you  toward your next home.

www.MyWisconsinDreamHome.com

See you at the closing!

Quick Tips for Selling Your Home

Focus on the Foyer

Most prospective buyers enter your home through the front door, so that's a prime spot to make some improvements. Apply a fresh coat of paint if it's looking dingy, eliminate or hide all clutter, and clean out the coat closet so that it looks more spacious. Then pick one thing that you could upgrade in this area. Add a new hanging light fixture or replace that painting or picture with a large mirror. Maybe it's time to replace that old bowl of potpourri with a simple, fresh floral arrangement or a stack of design books with an ornamental accessory on top. The look should be simple and sophisticated.

Go for the Odd Number

After you've edited your accessories, show them off the right way. Most interior decorators will tell you that odd-numbered groupings can be very effective. When organizing vignettes of accessories, vary the shape, color, and size and don't line them up. For example: Hang a large landscape above a table where there's a lamp and a plant, or groups of three. Less really is more.

 Expand Spaces Visually

Dark wall color can make a room look smaller, focus on lighter neutral tones. Float furniture (pushing it against the walls actually makes the room feel smaller) in logical conversational groupings, with enough space for people to move between pieces easily. Make sure large pieces of furniture don't block sight lines to a great view or a pretty focal point, such as a fireplace. Stagers suggest that rugs stop a foot or two from walls. A rug that's too big shrinks a room; if it's too small it just looks awkward. If your dining room is modest in size, take extra leaves out of your table and limit chairs to four.

 Dress the Set

What are those last-minute things you can do that make a difference? Make sure your fridge is clean and kitchen cupboards are organized. Throw away kitchen sponges and put away dirty dishtowels, mops and brooms. Place a floral arrangement on your dining room or kitchen table. Empty all wastebaskets and take out all garbage. Replace bar soap with liquid soap dispensers bathrooms, and put out clean, pretty towels. Make sure your doormats are clean and presentable. Sweep your front porch and sidewalk.

Contact Stacey Guzanick 262.490.3696,   RE/MAX Realty Center  Guzanick@gmail.com,  if you have questions about buying a house or selling one.

I can  guide you  toward your next home.

www.HomesWithStacey.com

See you at the closing!

Tips for Curb Appeal in Spring

Critique Your Property

Start treating your home like a commodity.  Take a look at it like a buyer would.  Walk out to the front of your house so that you can get a good look.  Find the best exterior features, find what buyers might think of the first impression and improve on it.  You should also be looking at the bad, and figuring out how to fix that.   The front of your house is important because it is the first thing the buyer sees.  Walk around your house to see if anything needs to be replaced or repaired.

Cleaning and Maintenance

Keeping the outside of your house clean and neat is the most important aspect of curb appeal. Clean up your yard, storing or getting rid of toys or other items that have been left out.  After the necessary work, clean the outside of your home.   If you see any exterior paint that is old or peeling , it would be worth a fresh coat of paint.

Lawn and Garden

Weed your lawn and flower beds.  Make sure to mow your grass, edge your sidewalk and driveway.  Give your flowerbeds a clean look.  Trim down any shrubs, and get rid of any dead plants or flowers.

Contact Stacey Guzanick 262.490.3696,   RE/MAX Realty Center  Guzanick@gmail.com,  if you have questions about buying a house or selling one.

I can  guide you  toward your next home.

www.HomesWithStacey.com

See you at the closing!

#realestate  #curbappeal  #waukesharealestate

Silver Lake Wisconsin

Silver lake is located just outside of Oconomowoc WI.

Silver Lake is a public 222 acre lake located in Oconomowoc, Waukesha County. It has a maximum depth of 40 – 60 feet. Visitors have access to the lake from a public boat landing. Located off Highway B (Valley Road )  The fish you will find in silver lake are large and smallmouth bass, northern pike, crappie, perch, bluegill and walleye.  The lake's water is very clear and you can see all the way to the sandy bottom.  There are not a lot of weeds in this lake so the best place to find fish are by the tall reeds, lily pads or were the DNR puts the fish cribs in front of the boat launch.  This is a good lake to take the kids and fish, swim, water ski or just hang out.

Contact Stacey Guzanick 262.490.3696,   RE/MAX Realty Center  Guzanick@gmail.com,  if you have questions about buying a house or selling one.

I can  guide you  toward your next home.

www.HomesWithStacey.com

See you at the closing!

#oconomowoclakes #oconpride

Prairie Creek Ridge Subdivision

Prairie Creek Ridge Subdivision

Prairie Creek Ridge Subdivision is located in the heart of Lake Country, just off Hwy 67 with easy access to the highway.  This subdivision offers beautiful views and country charm, and close to shopping, and activities within the community.

·         Homes from low $300's

·         78 lots

·         Lots starting at $75,990

·         Professionally decorated model home

·         Fully improved lots

·         Sidewalks on both sides of the road

·         Lots with exposures and pond views

·         Close to Hwy 67 and I-94

·         Easy access to Hwy 16

·         Close to Okauchee Lake

·         Minutes from Oconomowoc Golf Club

·         Planned green space inside the subdivision

·         One Cul de Sac

·         Many corner lots

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Contact Stacey Guzanick 262.490.3696,   RE/MAX Realty Center  Guzanick@gmail.com,  if you have questions about buying a house or selling one.

I can  guide you  toward your next home.

www.HomesWithStacey.com

See you at the closing!

I have lived in Oconomowoc for the past 16 years and know the area well.  I am a good resource for your Real Estate and Community Needs. 

#oconomowocrealtor 

#oconomowochousesforsale

Oconomowoc Market Update for February

Oconomowoc Market in a Minute

The Oconomowoc Real Estate Market:

23 homes sold;  9 were listed and sold by the same company, and 
14 were sold by co-brokes.
63 new listings.
27 pending listings.
 6 withdrawn listings.
0 canceled listings.
24 expired listings.
9  back on market listings.
25  extended listings.
277 current active listings.

The  Average home sold price  $288,911.00

The Average days on market     154

Contact Stacey Guzanick 262.490.3696,   RE/MAX Realty Center  Guzanick@gmail.com,  if you have questions about buying a house or selling one.

I can  guide you  toward your next home.

www.HomesWithStacey.com

See you at the closing!

I have lived in Oconomowoc for the past 16 years and know the area well.  I am a good resource for your Real Estate and Community Needs. 

#oconomowocrealtor 

#oconomowochousesforsale

Waukesha Real Estate

Look for your next home in Waukesha WI  here!

http://realtycenter11.sites.remaxagents.com/listings-search/#/1644093394

I am always trying to make your Home Buyer Process as easy as it can be.  Check out Waukesha Listings by clicking the link or the image above.  You can also search my website at:

www.HomesWithStacey.com

Contact Stacey Guzanick 262.490.3696,   RE/MAX Realty Center  Guzanick@gmail.com,  if you have questions about buying a house or selling one.

I can  guide you  toward your next home.

www.HomesWithStacey.com

See you at the closing!

It is my passion to help you with your Real Estate needs and will be with you every step of the way.

Do you know of someone looking to buy or sell a home?  Send them my way and I can help them as well.

#waukesharealtors  #waukesharealestate