Here are some easy to follow tips on how to stage your home for sale. Thank you to Melinda Peterson from Oregon who first shared this information with her customers. Enjoy!
How To Stage Your Home For a Quick Sale. You don't have to invest a ton of money to make your home more appealing to potential buyers - a few tips and tricks might just do the trick.
You Will Need
Flowers
Storage space
Pillows
Time to tidy up
Good coffee
Frozen cookie dough
Step 1: Start outdoors
For homebuyers, the first impression starts before they even get out of the car, so make your front yard and walkway as appealing as possible. Plant some flowers, rake any leaves, remove weeds, paint the fence and porch-make sure everything is in tiptop condition.
Step 2: Clear the clutter
Put away knickknacks and any odds and ends that wouldn't be in a model home. If you're in a hurry, just stick them in your car, inside desk drawers, or in other places the buyers won't look.
Step 3: Let the sun shine in
Open up your blinds and curtains; light makes a room look bigger.
Appealing aromas like coffee beans and freshly baked cookies make people feel at home and put them in a good mood. So put on a pot of good coffee and pop a roll of cookie dough in the oven.
Step 4: Pare down
Put extra furniture in storage and clear the kitchen counter of appliances like the microwave oven and toaster. Besides making your house look bigger, it will help prospective buyers picture their own belongings in your home.
Step 5: Throw around pillows
Steal a page from the home décor magazines: add throw pillows to make rooms look warm, comfortable, and inviting. And put soft, fluffy comforters on the beds, even if it's summer.
Step 6: Make it less personal
Remove family photos and your kids' artwork from the fridge. Homebuyers like to imagine what it would be like to live in the house; your photographs subconsciously prevent them from doing that.
Step 7: Splurge on fresh flowers
Put fresh flowers throughout the home. The sight and scent of flowers are proven mood boosters, which will help buyers look more favorably upon your home.
Industry surveys show that staging your home can make it sell three months sooner, and for 3% more!
All content, including text, original art, photographs and images, is the exclusive property of Silvia Dukes, P.A. and may not be used without expressed written permission of Silvia Dukes, P.A. Copyright 2009
For Sale: 3197 Gardenia Drive Hernando Beach - Florida Waterfront Living
Fantastic Views across several Waterways from the Wrap-around Balconeys!
Paradise is calling! This is a beautiful 3-story stilt home on a wide spring-fed canal in the waterfront community of Hernando Beach, Florida.
Hghlights:
Boating access to the Gulf of Mexico via nearby boatlift.
100 feet of waterfront with seawall, kneewall, and floating dock
Large bedrooms with Master Bedroom on the third level with sitting area, huge walk-in closet and private balconey to enjoy the view.
Spacious Master bath features jetted tub, separate shower, and double vanities
Upgraded kitchen cabinets and views across the canals from the kitchen sink!
Large enclosed ground level serves as garage and large workshop - a dream for any mechanic, woodworker, or other hobbyist.
Built: 1999 Bedrooms: 3 - Baths: 2
Living SF (under air): 1932 Total SF (under roof): 3669
List Price: $300,000
Hernando Beach, Florida, is a residential boating and fishing community with waterfront homes for sale in a variety of styles, sizes, and price ranges. Hernando Beach is located west of Orlando and just north of Tampa and within easy reach of two international airports at Orlando and Tampa as well as the central Florida attractions.
All content, including text, original art, photographs and images, is the exclusive property of Silvia Dukes, P.A. and may not be used without expressed written permission of Silvia Dukes, P.A. Copyright 2009
Thankful not to be a turkey this time of the year! Spotted at Weeki Wachee Springs State Park - a popular destination worth a visit at any time of the year. Not sure where this peacock got the hat but he's trying hard to blend in with the rest of the pilgrims. Happy Thanksgiving!
All content, including text, original art, photographs and images, is the exclusive property of Silvia Dukes, P.A. and may not be used without expressed written permission of Silvia Dukes, P.A. Copyright 2009
36th Annual Fall Harvest of Art and Weeki Wachee Springs State Park
If you didn't have the time today to visit the 36th Annual Fall Harvest of Art that is presented by the Spring Hill Art League you will have another chance tomorrow, Sunday, November 21, 2009 from 10 AM to 4 PM.
The parking lot was almost full when I arrived today around noon. Admission is only $4 a person, a huge discount over the regular admission.
It's been a great day for the exhibiting artists, food vendors, and visitors alike who were able to enjoy all the attractions of the Weeki Wachee Springs State Park ihas to offer n addition to the juried art show.
Several mermaid shows were scheduled throughout the day. I was there just in time to attend "Fish Tales" and the 500-seat underwater theater with view of the crystal clear water of the spring was filled to capacity.
There were already quite a number of people in line for the boat ride down the scenic Weeki Wachee river so I passed and had a slice of heaven in form of Raspberry Cheesecake instead while being watched by one of the park's peacocks.
Other entertainment includes live music, animal shows, and even a belly dance troupe scheduled to perform on Sunday.
As in previous years, the available art and craft items are again of outstanding quality. From paintings in oil, acrylics, watercolor, and mixed media to fine craft in the categories of glass, sculpture, wood carvings, and metal, there is something to please every taste and budget. I couldn't resist and purchased an exquisite oil miniature of a hummingbird.
So, go ahead and spend a great Sunday at Weeki Wachee Springs Park and enjoy the show!
All content, including text, original art, photographs and images, is the exclusive property of Silvia Dukes, P.A. and may not be used without expressed written permission of Silvia Dukes, P.A. Copyright 2009
Real Estate Professionals from around the Globe attend NAR Convention 2009
One of the prime objectives for going to conventions is the opportunity to network with other professionals in your chosen field.
The NAR convention offered numerous great opportunities to network not only with REALTOR(S) from around the US but from many different countries.
There were the formal sessions of the International Operations Committee and ICREA, the International Consortium of Real Estate Associations, both of which were very informative but also somewhat formal.
And then there were the various networking sessions at the International Pavillion on the Expo floor.
If you've never witnessed people from every corner of the world speaking a multitude of languages converge on one spot eager to share information, exchange contacts, and discuss possible business opportunities, you would have seen it here. It was also interesting to observe the behavior of the different nationalities. Real estate has become global and with the right relationships and contacts it is possible to reach out to the world.
Oh yes, the French brought food - wine and cheese! Guess who got the most attention?
Plan on attending and having a great time networking in 2010!
All content, including text, original art, photographs and images, is the exclusive property of Silvia Dukes, P.A. and may not be used without expressed written permission of Silvia Dukes, P.A. Copyright 2009
If you've been to the NAR Convention, you may recognize this sight! It's the USS Midway Aircraft Carrier docked along the San Diego Bay just a short walk from the convention center.
The ship is open to the public and I was told that an entire day would not be enough to see it all. With everything that was going on at the convention, there was no time to visit and I was content to capture some photos in the evening light. I love the way the sun reflects in the hull.
All content, including text, original art, photographs and images, is the exclusive property of Silvia Dukes, P.A. and may not be used without expressed written permission of Silvia Dukes, P.A. Copyright 2009
Rotary Club of Spring Hill, Florida Delivers Dictionaries to 3rd Graders
"The limits of your language are the limits of your world."- Ludwig Wittgenstein
This is the message printed on this year's edition of the student dictionaries that members of the Rotary Club of Spring Hill, Florida presented to the third graders of the Elementary Schools in Hernando County, Florida.
The dictionary project is an annual effort by Rotary Internationalto promote language skills and awareness among young students as they are becoming proficient in reading and comprehension.
Met with curious looks from the students as we entered each classroom, the exitement of receiving a book "to keep forever" soon took over.
From looking up a special word to discovering graphs of the solar system, the multiplication table, or flipping to the last page of the book to discover the longest word in the English language with 1909 letters - it is a pleasure and a reward in itself to watch young children be so enthusiastic about reading and finding out about the world.
With this kind of curiosity, enthusiasm, and desire to learn and know, the world for these kids will be limitless.
All content, including text, original art, photographs and images, is the exclusive property of Silvia Dukes, P.A. and may not be used without expressed written permission of Silvia Dukes, P.A. Copyright 2009
While I'm not sure what the "Turkey Shoot" is all about, I do know a good Fleamarket andTreasure Sale when I see one!
This Saturday, November 21, 2009 from 8 AM to 2 PM stop by Killingsworth Plaza on Cortez Boulevard in Brooksville for the Annual Treasure Sale conducted by the Junior Service League of Brooksville.
Booth rental is available so besides the Junior Service League, other community organizations such as the Rotary Club of Spring Hill are participating with "crafts, produce, plants, trash, and treasures" to raise funds for a variety of worthy causes.
There will be a raffle with a chance to win a free turkey - just in time for Thanksgiving!
All content, including text, original art, photographs and images, is the exclusive property of Silvia Dukes, P.A. and may not be used without expressed written permission of Silvia Dukes, P.A. Copyright 2009
What to do and Where to go: Fall Harvest of Art in Spring Hill, Florida
The Spring Hill Art League will have its 36th Annual Fall Harvest of Art on Saturday, November 21 and Sunday, November 22, 2009. Doors open at 10 AM each day and will be open until 5 PM on Saturday and until 4 PM on Sunday.
Traditionally an art show, this year the show is combined with a live music and food festival. The show is a juried art show with awards in the categories of fine art, fine craft, photo, and country crafts.
The event will take place at the Weeki Wachee Springs State Park. There will be a $4 admission charge which includes access to all the parks attractions including the always popular mermaid show and the wilderness river cruise down the scenic Weeki Wachee river.
This will be a fun event for the entire family and a great opportunity to explore Weeki Wachee Springs State Park at greatly discounted admission. At the same time, this is also a great opportunity to start shopping for very unique gifts for those special people on your holiday gift list!
All content, including text, original art, photographs and images, is the exclusive property of Silvia Dukes, P.A. and may not be used without expressed written permission of Silvia Dukes, P.A. Copyright 2009
It's hard to believe that it's been 20 years since the Berlin wall came down and with it a very real symbol of oppression.
I was living in Germany then and remember well the events that lead up to the day when East German border guards just gave way even before politicians gave the final go ahead.
People could not believe at first what was happening and many couldn't believe it would last so people started coming over from East Germany into West Berlin thinking they better do it while they could with no intentions of ever returning.
I believe that every generation is witness to at least one great event in history. For me, this was the one. I still feel exhilirated remembering when my husband and I travelled to Berlin a month or so later and for the first time saw gaping holes in the very same wall that was thought to have been indestructible and not conquerable. There were people chiseling away at the concrete and the ever industrious people of Berlin were renting tools to tourists.
Since that time, Berlin has changed. East and West are melting together again at least in urbanization, there is very little evidence left of the wall. East Berlin has developed from an ugly duckling into a beautiful swan full of life and hope for the future of all of Germany and by extension of the free world.
The post that follows is by Katerina Gasset sharing her memories of that time. Please go to her post as well and read up on some of the comments. Her memories, mine, and those of so many others will forever be the legacy of the events that have shaped the years that followed.
The day the wall came down in Berlin was a day that I will never forget. My brother was in Germany for the historic event and as the wall starting being torn apart piece by piece he was on the phone with me. This was before youtube, before Iphones and Ipods, before the typical cell phones we have today. But he had access to a phone near the wall and I was able to be there in spirit and an earshot to this event.
Why would this event be so important to us? Memories flood my mind as I think back to this day and to the four years that we lived in Germany right near the border of East and West Berlin. The wall was a big part of our lives for those four years.
How many times we had walked along that wall- the wall between whether you could worship God or not, the wall between whether you could make money or not, the wall between whether you could voice your opinion or not. We were on the freedom side of that wall.
Just a few steps divided two very different worlds. I remember peering through the barbed wire sections especially near the guarded gates on occasion. My eyes were met with such contrast of seeing buildings and structures completely neglected, ugly and depressing and then turning around on our side of the wall to notice the wonderful German architecture with obvious care and attention to cleanliness. As a child things appear much bigger but also more obvious. This contrast affected me emotionally and the work my father was there to do became quite meaningful.
We went to German schools, spoke German in our home and socialized with Germans. Being integrated into German society was a part of my father's assignment in Germany as Naval Intelligence was a big part of encouraging the people of East Berlin to fight for their freedom. All of this helped to form my conservatism and love of our United States constitution.
As you witness what people will do to get just the chance of freedom; it is something you never forget. We saw on the news nearly every night people jumping the wall, ramming the wall, sneaking through in suitcases- knowing full well that they would be shot if they were caught trying to get to the west yet fully willing to take that risk. Being shot and killed for trying to escape the bonds of communism was better than living in the bondage and depressed state. Of course for a young girl to know this, to feel this and to witness this- one can not come away from this experience without having it mold a part of who you are.
My father had a dangerous assignment of smuggling intelligence and smuggling people over, around and through the wall. We were even able to meet some of these men who would hide in the smallest of compartments like only Houdini could do in order to cross the border. Without a full understanding of the nature of his business somehow I felt that he was doing a great duty to expand the love of freedom and help do his part to eventually bring down that wall. My experiences and recollections could fill a book.
So as my brother was giving me the step by step on the wall coming down he promised to bring me back a piece of that wall and he did. I have pieces of the Berlin wall that I treasure. I treasure these broken pieces of the wall because they symbolize that freedom can prevail. They symbolize the blood freely spent in order to bring many to taste the sweet savor of freedom. They remind me never to forget the sacrifices of many military and civilians who helped to break through the barrier and then to tear down the wall. They speak to me saying: never forget and never let it be in vain.
President Reagan did so much to help bring down the iron curtain and the Berlin wall. Below is his world famous speech to Russia's Gorbachev; Tear Down That Wall! Many of you were too young to remember or to young to care but this was one of the most important historic moments in history. Please take the time to watch and listen. This is important to understand the past so that we may have the strength and the fortitude to stand by those being oppressed, to make it possible for those oppressed to know that one day they too, can taste freedom and to never allow tyranny to come to visit us or those we care about. To feel what the people felt, to get a glimpse of what happens when the people have had enough, watch the video below President Reagan's speech. The video is 9 minutes long but very powerful about what happens when hundreds of thousands of people demand freedom.
Let us all remember the day the wall came tumbling down!
All content, including text, original art, photographs and images, is the exclusive property of Silvia Dukes, P.A. and may not be used without expressed written permission of Silvia Dukes, P.A. Copyright 2009
Professional real estate service above and beyond expectations in Hernando County, Spring Hill, Brooksville, Hernando Beach, Weeki Wachee, and the Greater Tampa Bay area. Waterfront and Golf Course properties. Florida Immobilien und US Anlagen.
Disclaimer: ActiveRain Corp. does not necessarily endorse the real estate agents, loan officers and brokers listed on this site. These real estate profiles, blogs and blog entries are provided here as a courtesy to our visitors to help them make an informed decision when buying or selling a house. ActiveRain Corp. takes no responsibility for the content in these profiles, that are written by the members of this community.
Built: 1999 Bedrooms: 3 - Baths: 2
If you didn't have the time today to visit the 36th Annual Fall Harvest of Art that is presented by the Spring Hill Art League you will have another chance tomorrow, Sunday, November 21, 2009 from 10 AM to 4 PM.
Several mermaid shows were scheduled throughout the day. I was there just in time to attend "Fish Tales" and the 500-seat underwater theater with view of the crystal clear water of the spring was filled to capacity. 
Real Estate Professionals from around the Globe attend NAR Convention 2009
This is the message printed on this year's edition of the student dictionaries that members of the Rotary Club of Spring Hill, Florida presented to the third graders of the Elementary Schools in Hernando County, Florida.
Met with curious looks from the students as we entered each classroom, the exitement of receiving a book "to keep forever" soon took over. 
;)
;)
