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Front doors are the first impression that visitors and passersby
get of your home. We all make instant judgments about a home’s
interior when we see the front door, just like we do about a person
we first meet. If you want to make a good first impression, you
should make sure your front door is attractive and welcoming.
I have a fascination with front doors. I drive by homes and
look at the front door or front entry. I love to see a home with
a touch of personality or a piece of artwork displayed by the front
door.
This front door reminds me of castle. I saw several doorways similar to
this in England inside the castle walls.
Holidays and seasonal decorating are especially fruitful for my
voyeuristic entertainment. I especially like the his and hers
well-dressed scarecrows guarding this front door.
Westbrook Realty Grand Rapids MI Real Estate
Contact Terry 616-292-7263
For all of you that are not attending the NAR Convention in San Diego a little
peak at one of the Hot Topics. NAR has announced a new web site to
assist home Owners. It is still in Beta but you might like to check it out:
You care about your home. The NATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF REALTORS®
cares about home ownership. To help you become the best, most responsible
homeowner you aspire to be, we want to provide you with free information
and tools you can use to make smart and timely decisions about your home.
_____________________________________________________________________________________________________
Terry Westbrook is the broker-owner of Westbrook Realty in Grand Rapids Michigan. We offer time tested benefits and marketing results for buyers and sellers. Call 1-616-292-7263 to talk with Terry or email him at: terry@terrywestbrook.com.
For MLS access to the homes for sale in the West Michigan Area,visit: Westbrook Realty ~ Grand Rapids Real Estate for a free search. Your search can be saved and modified as you view homes, with no obligation.
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It is spring and the home improvement train is chugging along.
Especially for people that are staying in their home, by choice
or economic necessity. A home improvement project can be top on
the list of things to do. So, how do you determine if it is a
cost that is reasonable for your budget or even a smart thing
to do? Wouldn’t it be nice to have a ball park figure before
you call the contractor.
As usual, the web is here to help you.
HGTV has a Local Cost estimator for home improvement projects
that will estimate a project in your local area. Costs do vary by
location, so remember this is just a guess-timate. If you want
marble tile or $500 faucets, the cost of your new bath can
escalate quickly.
Here is another site that might be helpful in your process of
home improvement decisions. The DIY Network has a remodeling
Budget Estimator that covers frequently asked questions. It
is always helpful to get as much information as possible to aid
in your decision making process.
Viewing these home improvements from a Realtor’s viewpoint,
some projects will make your home more attractive but will they
make it more valuable to a buyer? Check out Realtor Magazine’s
to see if that new bath will add to the value of your home before
you spend your hard earned money.
It might be worth while to you as a family no matter what the
payback if you sell your home in the future. It might not, too.
For example, if you know that your job will probably be
transferred in a year or two, do you really want to put $40K in
a new bathroom? Will you get any payback for this when you
sell?
The Top Five Remodeling Project Paybacks:
1. Upscale fiber cement siding (86.7%)
2. Midrange wood deck (81.8%)
3. Midrange vinyl siding (80.7%)
4. Upscale foam-backed vinyl (80.4%)
5. Midrange minor kitchen remodel (79.5%
Exterior projects that improve curb appeal are leading the list.
What will your home improvement project be this summer?
Westbrook Realty ~ Grand Rapids Michigan
Copyright 2009 All rights reserved
If you are considering selling your home, please do your homework!
I mean this literally. Your To-Do List needs to be completed before
you put your home up for sale.
Homes that are in good condition, super duper clean, and have an
attractive street appearance are MUCH more likely to sell than the
average listed home.
Other people want to be able to imagine themselves in your home,
not imagine themselves working every weekend to get the trim
painted, get the front door replaced, and take care of the landscaping.
If your window trim looks like this – you need to scrape it and
repaint.
First with primer, tinted to match your paint[ a little painters
secret, if you have the primer tinted a lighter shade of your trim
color, the final coat will cover better than over white and you can
see just where you have painted ]
This window looks like it could use new caulking around the glass, too.
All these little items really make a difference to a buyer. If you ignore the
little things about home maintenance, you probably will ignore the big things.
Be sure that your front door is freshly painted, and the approach to your
home is free of leaves, clutter, and attractive. Trim your lawn edgings, fill
flower pots or boxes, make sure your beds are weeded or have fresh mulch.
You don’t want to lose your buyer’s interest before they even get in the door.
Grand Rapids Ada Real Estate ~ Westbrook Realty
Copyright 2009 All rights reserved
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