Real Estate Agent

Realistic Real Estate Advice. Experienced, Communicative, Receptive, Neighborly, Savvy. Since 2004.

[courtneydrennon]

Selling During the Holidays: A few small tips that make a big difference.

It's that time of year when people are on the fence about selling their home. Many folks think they have missed the "right time" to sell.  Fall and winter months in Washington are not always our prettiest months, especially as our days shorten and we lose the leaves on the trees. However, since the majority of sellers believe in a "right time" to sell, they often wait to list or cancel their listing until Spring time. So as logic follows, supply lessens. If you want or need to sell your home, what better time then when you have less competition? This chart below shows statistically nationwide the best time to sell is October and in Washington in the past 5 years we have had the best sales figures in February. So do not be discouraged, NOW could be the PERFECT time to sell!

I do not always get around to blogging, because I always prioritize my clients first. BUT when I do find the time, I love to offer a few helpful tips about your home. This time of year I like to remind sellers to not over do their holiday decor. It is really important for buyers to see past clutter and equally important, sellers want the buyer to perceive that your home is up to date and on trend, which helps maximize value. Since the front porch or front entrance is one of the first things buyers see, I am going to give some Do's and Do NOTs for how to decorate during the upcoming holidays. I touched on this last year, and not that I have a million followers on my blog, BUT why do so many people still make those burlap wreaths?! Unless it's a cute pillow, you live in the country, or you are having a themed event or wedding, say  "NO" to too much burlap and no to fake flowers and save the funky ribbons for the kids! Here is an example of NO:

Here is a HECK NO:

The above screams "I spent my Saturday at Joann’s craft store!" I know it is fun to be festive especially if you have kids, BUT lots of this stuff comes across as cheap or tacky, things you do not want associated with your home whether you are selling or entertaining. Keep your porch simple! You do not want to distract buyers. Simple, on trend looks will appeal to more buyers. Here are some examples of "DO":

Above is a classic look and you can add lights to the tree and add a few pumpkins to give it some holiday vibes. Also lanterns and candles are a great way to decorate your entry. Below is a very classy on trend way of decorating that would work with almost any type of home, modern, craftsmen, etc: And notice it's not junked up with a bunch of fake foliage:

Check out these awesome candle holders below, imagine this with pumpkins around them or pine garland draped. You could even buy and distress your own wood and cut out the places for your candles. Cheap and very classy decoration that you could decorate with year round.

While I am not a fan of burlap wreaths, I do absolutely LOVE wreaths made of natural materials and I have a few suggestions of where to find some, and even a DIY article on how to make your own:

http://www.homemadeginger.com/2015/11/giant-diy-christmas-wreath.html

I also suggest checking out westelm.com. They have a lovely eucalyptus wreath that would surely be perfect for your front door, you could even wrap some of the tiny lights available for sale on Restoration Hardware and now available at Target:

Lastly, here in Olympia there is a lovely floral shop Fleurae Floral, www.fleurae.com and they make beautiful wreaths. They even did a wreath making class. Here is an example of a beautiful piece they created:

When in doubt simplify! Go NATURAL! This will save you time not searching pinterest for hours on craft decorations, AND money not spent trying to DIY with all the pins you find. Trust me, these examples will showcase your home as much more current and stylish. If you have read this far on this post, THANK YOU! One thing that should be important when you hire a real estate agent is how well they know their own posts, emails, letters and blogs. Often such things are auto populated from a company that has no idea who you are or where your property is. It's like a generic letter with stats that agents digitally sign. While it's nice to get an update, it's not nearly as personable and it's not specific towards you or your neighborhood. Call me anytime for free advice. AND for fun, text me a pic of your front porch and I will text you back with some ideas that will work perfectly for you! I would love to come up with a few custom ideas to make the front of your home look perfect for the upcoming holidays! 360 790-0262 direct. And remember I will give you a FREE MARKET ANALYSIS, FREE STAGING ADVICE and I will do some staging for FREE depending on the size of your home. 

Have a wonderful holiday season! Cheers!

[courtneydrennon]

10 Home Projects to Work On Over Your Holiday Weekend

Make the most of your time windfall by accomplishing one of your back-burner tasks

Good ideas here! If you are selling your home consider updating your light fixtures for a fresh look (#5). Here are a few of my favorite fixtures for sale:

Restoration Hardware “19th Century Casbah Crystal”... simply stunning! Something like this is a great way to incorporate some elegance and softer vibes in your home if your home tends to be masculine or too modern.

Here’s a more affordable option with the same idea:

How about grouping two of these smaller pendants and one larger one above the dining room table or kitchen bar? These are the “Shimmer pendants” from Pottery Barn Teen!

Or If your home has an overly feminine feel you may want to incorporate something more modern and/ or rustic. I am in love with the new Restoration Hardware modern collection, but it is not in my budget. Here are some items that are:

I think I mentioned in a post last year... brass is back. This “Banded Glass Chandelier” from West Elm is a perfect fixture to harden an overly softly decorated home, i.e. do you have framed artwork of too many flowers, are your throw pillows all fluffy and girly? Make sure your home has a masculine and feminine balance. Using stronger lines like this fixture below from Hinkley Fulton adds a masculine touch and the Edison lights give that rustic look.

Here’s a fun idea on switching up flush mount lights. Does your home have a lot of the “boob” lights. How about getting crafty and updating them without replacing them, check out this unique spin on a boring flush mount light. 

Here’s the blog for the DIY steps on the sunburst light: 

http://simpledetailsblog.blogspot.com/2014/02/diy-gold-sunburst-flush-mount-light.html

 BACK to the home projects article... make sure to always keep your entry way updated with current pots and or foliage (#10). First impressions go a long way and you want to set the right tone for prospective buyers! Here are some of my favorite looks for transitioning from a Fall to Winter entry:

Keep it clean and simple! Real trees, wreaths, pinecones and Floor lanterns! Do not over do your house inside or out with Holiday decor, keep it uncluttered so not to distract buyers. You may love your blow up Frosty and Santa yard set, but save it for when you are not trying to sell your home. 

Again floor lanterns, real wood, these items would look great outside most NW homes.

Can’t go wrong with natural wood, Love birch wood and for the holidays wrap them in white lights and add some green fir branches! Cheap, easy and classic look perfect to carry your front entry into the new year!

Have a wonderful holiday season and if you or anyone you know needs help getting a home ready for sale or staging advice give me a call! 360 790-0262

#courtneysellsolympia.com #olympia #realestate #staging #homedecor

[courtneydrennon]

Keeping it Green Inside

I love an endless Summer, but eventually the leaves begin to fall around here. When selling your house in the Summertime, especially in Washington, it’s nice to keep windows open and get fresh air flowing through the home.  But when the cold air comes and we start closing our windows, how do we keep the inside of our homes feeling fresh? Living house plants are the new way to go. Time to remove the old silk plants, which have probably been collecting dust over the years, and replace them with live plants! There are so many wonderful things about the Fall months, but seeing bare trees isn’t one of them. Getting houseplants is one way to keep green in our lives. Check out how much life just this one plant gives the room! Fresh cut roses are an added bonus!

An added benefit is that most house plants are natural air purifiers, so while you are updating your home with a fun new trend you are also helping clean the air you breathe and sleep in.

Are you worried about your indoor green thumb? Do not worry there are several low maintenance plants, but if you really are afraid of taking care of plants, try buying succulents, where a little texture and green variety go a long way to making a home feel lively and fresh. Most succulents can go plenty of days without water and are very low maintenance. How charming are these little guys in colorful pots?

Some house plants can even provide your space with good vibes! Bamboo is known for good luck and prosperity, Sage is known for cleansing negative energy, Rosemary smells delicious and can stimulate awareness. As an added bonus, Rosemary plants are great for cooking with and often come looking like little Christmas trees, so you can add a little decor to them. Trader Joe’s usually sells mini trees just like this:

Over the past few years house plants have had a stigma of being “hipster” and often we see homes that have way too many house plants, avoid looking like a greenhouse. DO NOT DO THIS: 

But here are some looks for inspiration that are classic, crisp and appealing:

Here is a simple foyer plant, adds color and life to the entry!

Gorgeous neutral tones with pops of color and lovely plant life appeals to a broad base: 

A few additional classic looks that will win over any buyer if you are selling or wow your guests with design and decor. These looks are on point:

Thanks for reading! Do you or anyone you know need help getting a home ready for sale? I can help with that... call me today! 

[courtneydrennon]

What is trending? Tips for keeping up without overdoing it.

Do you find yourself getting bored often with how your home is decorated? One way to play with keeping your home fresh and on trend is to follow what the pantone of the year is... it’s easy to find, just google it. This year is an awkward one for me, it’s Marsala. Makes me think of the food dish, not something I necessarily want to decorate with. The use of color will be great for Fall Fashion, but not so much for home design in the warmer months in Washington. So how can we incorporate this year’s color trend in a home?

It’s a really deep color for the Northwest, so do not overdo this color. Especially if your home is situated where it does not get as much natural light. I would never paint a room this color, and unless you are decorating a New York hotel lobby, I would never buy large furniture pieces in this color. With that said... it does have a neutral quality to it because it pairs well with many things that are Northwest, like natural wood, grey, beige and pale blues of the beaches. (But not green.... do not use green and marsala as accents colors together, you do not want a Christmas vibe going all year round!) To incorporate this trend use the color for accent pieces. Rugs, pillows, votive candle holders and small artwork. Here are some very tastefully designed homes to showcase how pops of color can be incorporated without over doing it: 

Rug and light fixture accents, gives the color a pop but the rest of the home staying neutral. (Although it needs a big bouquet of fresh flowers to give the room some life). It makes the room more airy, brighter and will appeal to more people’s taste. Painting a room a dark color that is the trend of the year could mean lots of primer to cover up when the trend fades. Plus if you are selling your home, avoid going overly trendy, especially if you get a buyer who, like my taste isn't a fan of the color of the year for 2015.

Again, above is neutral with a perfectly placed chair that accents the home with that pop of color. If you are selling your home, you want buyers to see a tasteful classic look that appeals to a larger base, but with the slightest of trends to showcase how the home looks nicely designed with up to date design in mind.

Inexpensive poofs can be found often at Target or Ikea and these ones look great paired with the neutral sofa and rug.

Throw pillows are my favorite way to keep a tiresome looking interior fresh and fun. It is also an inexpensive way to stay on trend. Just follow the simple rule of keeping the bones of the house basic and switching out the small pieces to stay on trend. Check the Handmade Etsy website for hand sewn pillow cases, some vendors on the website will do custom orders. 

And if you LOVE this color and want to go crazy.... then by all means wait until Fall... especially if you want to list your home for sale in the Spring or Summer. It’s not a very light weight color, it’s heavy and will show better when the weather is cooler. 

Here are some examples of how an overly done trend can go bad:

BARF. ^ Sorry, this one looks like it belongs in a kids movie. Maybe the castle in Beauty and the Beast? Ok, not a good look.

It’s so bright and bold, yet boring! If you want to go big with an accent wall use additional colors as accents, not the same color. It’s too much monotone and lacks character.

Way too much color in the kitchen! Probably the coolest feature of this room is the farm sink and exposed wood beams, but you hardly notice because there is way too much marsala red! If you like the bright painted cabinet look, I suggest painting only the lower ones and keep the uppers more neutral, it will give more visual depth and not feel so dark, while highlighting the awesome ceilings.

Bottom line is: keeping it simple means you will have to redecorate less often, spend less money buying things to keep up with trends. If you are selling; the more neutral you are, the larger the audience you will appeal to. People like to see the home designed in good taste but not overly trendy. If there is too much going on, they cannot see the home in it’s true state, and may miss some of it’s best features. Crazy painted walls, and funky fixtures etc, take away purchasing power as buyers calculate the costs or redoing and repainting into their budget.

Do you feel lost when it comes to decorating or staging??? Call me! I would love to help you! The last two homes I staged both had multiple offers and were on the market less than 3 days each!  I’m never too busy to take your call.

www.courtneysellsolympia.com

[courtneydrennon]

I DO STAGING: Why it works!

I recently had a listing that was vacant. There had only been one occupant, a newer home, move in ready, favorable interior paint colors and a very conducive floor plan. I listed it during a time where there were plenty of buyers, and in a convenient and desirable area. So what's the issue? Why did I have over 50 agents through the home with no offer? Priced and advertised at an unbeatable price per sq foot, I had been doing open houses, the online marketing campaign was widely successful... tons of online traffic and inquiries. There really was no reason why this property wasn't moving other than it needed to tell a story. It had a large dining room and a generous living room but they were empty. Now, some people are so visual they envision exactly how furniture would fit within the space, but for others they may disregard the property and write it off as perhaps a floor plan that didn't work or they didn't like.

Staging serves TWO different but important jobs. Firstly, staging a home or room gives buyers an eye for space. It is this tangible visual where people memorize that image of a living room e.g, and compare it to other living rooms they've viewed and then compare with their own belongings they plan to use. This is why staging is a visual measuring tool.  In this sense it doesn't have to do with a buyers taste in design, but rather how the space can function. Without furniture and a few pieces in a room, some people simply will not grasp how a room "works."

Secondly, staging serves its purpose in a way I describe as "branding." What I mean by that is; the pieces and things you have in a home may give visitors an indicator of how nice the home is and perhaps how well its been maintained.  Here's an example: when you walk into a home and see that classic 80's silk fern with the sea foam green love seat and mauve throw pillows, it screams: "this house is old, no updates, and I cannot live here unless I spend money to update it." So buyers have a harder time looking past the outdated furniture and are more drawn to any lack of updates because they associate the look and decor with the quality of the home. This scenario is an easy fix for me, remove the pillows and accessorize the old couch and home with things that are more forward and on point with today's trend. Let buyers grasp the visual idea that modern and up to date decor works in the home in its current condition. (Buyer talk: "Hey maybe we don't need to do much to improve this place?" Or maybe they won't even notice because they are not drawn to how outdated or flawed it might be). They will not be as likely to think about all the updates a home may need and thus perceive the value to be better.

I recently saw a bottle of "Sunflowers" perfume from the 90's (and I'm pretty sure they stopped making it in the 90's) still displayed in a bathroom (Buyer might think if the perfume is that old "when is the last time they deep cleaned the shower... how clean is this place? Has the home had any updates?") Who knows where a buyers mind could go from there. But let's not let them get there, let's stop any negative thinking from even beginning if we can help it. Don't leave 20+ year old bottles of perfume sitting out. This example might be overly observant on my behalf, but why not have a critical eye when you are trying to sell your home?

It's marketing 101. Retail stores trick us everyday into thinking things are worth more than they are. Imagine the store front windows at Nordstrom where they dress up a manikin in some new trend they are trying to sell and they pair the clothing with well known expensive brand accessories, like a Burberry scarf or a Chanel handbag. It's natural to assume that anyone wearing those nice of brands must be wearing equally expensive clothing. For those who can afford it, they buy into that "story" and probably overpay for those clothing items. Without those expensive accessories we might otherwise assume the clothes to be worth much less. The moral here is, your clothes ("House" wink wink... you get the analogy) don't have to be expensive; but let's accessorize them so people think they are. So put away your Glade air fresheners, don't leave the "two buck chuck" wine bottles out on your wine rack, go buy a new trendy shower curtain, put out your nice hand soap and hand towels, put your fruit in that Waterford Crystal bowl you never unpack except for special occasions... because selling your home is a special occasion. It may be the greatest occasion of all time if you can sell your home for TOP DOLLAR!!!

Let me wrap up and bring this post back to where I started... what happened to that home I was mentioning? You guessed correctly... I staged it. Once I staged it and took new pictures, changed out all the old online pictures, "re-branded" the home and gave the rooms a story, along with that visual measuring tool... I SOLD IT. The house went pending 5 days after I staged it. Here is a before and after:

If I list your home I do this for FREE! Whether your home is vacant or occupied let me help you. I am never too busy to take your call. 

[courtneydrennon]

Fall Decor Do's and Do NOTS, especially if you are selling

It's that time of year, Fall is here! I think we all embrace the change in weather especially with all the beautiful leaves changing color... but if you are like me, the cold and rain gets old real quick! I do however, love all things decorating, even when it comes to the colder seasons!

I want to start by addressing the silk flower, fake leaves that seem to plague so many homes, whether its a wreath or bouquet... please consider going fresh or dried this year, anything but fake! Fake is a big DO NOT! Especially if you are selling, unless your home is vacant and you cannot tend to real flowers, Don't go fake!

Here are some samples of what's NOT hot for Fall decor:

The twig wreath is charming, but save the chevron bow for the kids room, and avoid the fake orange blossoms!

Another NO:

Wow the look above is simply overdone!!! Think about what this looks like from the street, a huge clutter of brown, burgundy and orange. Remember simple is best, especially if you are trying to sell your home.

Here's some inspiration for how to get the right Fall look:

Real seasonal plants are so refreshing! and Love the real pumpkins and gourds. Tending to live plants at your front door is the first sign you take care of your home, so you really want to get it right. This look is simple, appealing to all buyers or guests. There's no sign of "tacky" :)

If you are on a tight budget and you do not already have pots, they can be expensive to buy... I love the idea of buying crates for cheap at your local home improvement store (you can get them at a craft store but they are usually more expensive there). Then fill the crates with seasonal mum plants which are cheap and are easy maintenance. Here's a sample below:

As far as the indoor look goes, the same rules apply; especially if you are selling. Simpler is best. Unless you are having a Halloween party or hosting Thanksgiving, you really do not need to do much to incorporate Fall seasonal decor.

Here's some ideas:

Add a few colorful throw pillows, brings the room up to date with season without looking overly crafty or cluttered.

I love the very neutral look, which is especially helpful in creating a simple palette when you are selling. And great idea to add feathers, they seem to be an appropriate accent for the Fall season:

And again below, mostly neutral but incorporating a few accents to bring the room up to date with the season. Love the orange throw, a few "real" pumpkins and a mum plant.. it's a perfect look.

If you want to dress up your home more, take a walk outside and grab real branches and put them in vases, or pick up real leaves that have fallen in a variety of colors and scatter them on your fireplace mantel. Just always remember if you are selling your home, the "organized clutter" look is distracting, so try not to over do it.

If you have any questions about my ideas or would like my help decorating, I am just a phone call away. I would love to chat about ways to improve the look of your home.

[courtneydrennon]

15 Sneaky Tricks To Make Flowers Look Better, Last Longer, And Make YOU Happier

Great flower tricks. A few of these I had not thought of. Flowers make everything look better! Make sure you always have them for parties you host. If you are selling your home make sure to have a nice arrangement in your home, especially for open houses. Bouquets can be pricey, check out Trader Joe's or local farmers markets for some of the bouquets under $5... then check your backyard, even if you don't have any extra buds you can find leafy greens like ferns, tree branches (even bare branches can give a bouquet extra definition).

Check out this fresh bouquet on the coffee table from my mom's garden we put together for a new listing I was staging. The flowers bring the room to life!

Ask me about other staging hacks, cheap ways to beautify your home and any real estate or design questions. I'd love to help!

[courtneydrennon]

Summertime: Simple listing tips

Here is an easy checklist of sometimes overlooked items:

I want to focus particularly on item 6 because it is an incredibly cheap way to update your home's exterior. If you are on a super tight budget consider spray painting your fixtures. Even though I personally think brass is making a comeback, the majority of buyers think this is an outdated look, and may trigger them to think the rest of the home lacks updating. 

If you do have a few extra bucks for updating here are 4 good looking fixtures each less than $75 that fit the looks of homes that are more contemporary, more rustic and more traditional:

If you don't have light fixtures consider getting them. How great do these front doors look? They add dimension, imagine these pictures without them? Really dull. The lights not only add curb appeal but obviously are functional. If you do not have electricity wired for light fixtures consider mounting ones that are solar.

Lastly, if you have a garage facing the front of the home, you might consider doing the same. 

The first pic looks a little vanilla, but the second pic adds that extra character and depth that could be the difference between a home that sits on the market vs ones that sells quickly!

Happy Summer, Happy Selling and call me if I can help!

[courtneydrennon]

Curb appeal tips: Beyond the yard

Everyone knows the basics of keeping up your yard when you are trying to sell your home. Keep your lawn mowed, weeds pulled, and fresh planted seasonal flowers are a plus, especially if you can create that extra curb appeal with some attractive pots and colorful blooms! Check out this elegant example:

But here are a few small things that sellers may overlook. First, always put your garbage cans away, especially if you have a garage. I just got done sharing this with my client who has a large garage. While the home looks tidy and there's no overflowing garbage, keeping the cans parked outside the home where's its visible detracts from curb appeal and may indicate your garage is lacking storage. Below does not look good, and really distracts from the overall look of the home, especially for looky-loos driving by who are curious. While the residence is tidy, I am drawn to the garbage can and bike left out. I am left to wonder is the garage too small, maybe there's not enough storage for me.

If you really don't have the space, it's something buyers will notice. You might consider building something like the picture below. It's organized and not exposed to the front of the home:

Sellers are also used to seeing their mailboxes and house numbers every day that they may not even notice how outdated they are.  To some people they are strictly functional, but to others they provide small aesthetic attributes to the home.  A simple detail like this enhances curb appeal but also indicates to a buyer that the seller may have considered other details throughout the home, or that small details may not be overlooked. Consider this simple before and after mailbox: 

House numbers also suggest whether or not a home has been updated inside. A home from the 60's with the original house numbers may signify to a passerbyer that no modern improvements may have been made in the home. In the example below on the left, the old numbers represent outdated taste and lack of attention to how the home has been treated. 

Here are some other examples of house numbers that need attention and should be updated: 

And here are some inexpensive, stylish replacements examples both available at Home Depot and Lowes or Amazon.com:

Remember sometimes selling your home requires the extra effort in the finer details. Make sure your real estate agent has the knowledge and tools to help you make your home stand out among the competition and procure top dollar for what your home is worth. 

Check out my website courtneysellsolympia.com to search for homes in the Olympia, WA and surrounding area. It will soon feature this blog to help inspire you with your home whether or not you are buying, selling or just living! 

[courtneydrennon]

FRESH LOOKS! My favorite sites

Do you need to update your home decor or ideas on how to make your home look fresh and ready to sell? Here are my favorite sites:

For adding an edge to your home try shopping West Elm, it's a Pottery Barn company only it's a little more urban and hip. Mix in some of West Elm style to make your home a little more current.  I just bought the pennant lights from the picture below.  www.westelm.com

For a wide variety covering all of your styling preferences check One Kings Lane. They have a mix of vintage and new. Endless ideas for your home. www.OneKingsLane.com

Looking for new textiles? Maybe curtains, throw pillows. Serena and Lily offer a variety of high quality fabrics, sure to give your home a crisp edge. They also have a great collection of artwork if you need some new eye candy for your walls. www.Serenaandlily.com

And if you like blog websites. I really enjoy "grey likes nesting." They offer great visual pictures from real homes, not just interior design magazines. It's a great resource for inspiration. www.greylikesnesting.com

I hope these sites excite you about giving your place a fresh look! Let me know how I can help, I love all things buying, selling and decorating homes!

[courtneydrennon]

Check Out These Smart Cures for Clutter — One Kings Lane

Whip your home into shape with these organizing tips and tricks from in-the-know experts. Just more insight to help with national organizational month!

[courtneydrennon]

It's national organizational month! Who knew? This was a good read, very detailed, simple ways to organize your move. 

[courtneydrennon]

Tired of boring and outdated painted walls?

I had a recent obsession with wallpaper. The word probably makes some people cringe, but as trends draw towards bright colors we see more outfits supplying beautiful rolls of wallpaper and murals. Painting your house with a different color in each room, is so 2000. Envision your home with neutral bones, with pops of color. I am loving white walls with bursts of huge bright artwork, or a colorful wallpapered accent wall. 

For my own home I painted all of my walls and even cabinets "Swiss Coffee" it is a go to soft and cozy white. I love the idea of doing a colored Moroccan accent wall in my bedroom, but was finding that my wallpaper sources were really pricey. So after looking on pinterest and esty, I found my solution... a wall stencil. Cheap and easy, you can repaint over when you want a change, without the mess of removing wallpaper!

For an even easier route (not necessarily cheaper) which I will be putting in my home office, I found removable wallpaper. Here is the actual one I am getting I found on etsy (below). I will be posting my 2 year old sons artwork in the frames for an accent wall. This is really easy to put on, and comes off very easily if for example you wanted to reuse it.

Hopefully you have found some inspiration with these options like I did. Let me know if you want any of my resources. I am always happy to help, even if it isn't to help you sell your home (:

[courtneydrennon]

Winter Tips

Winter listing tips

Below is from my Holiday/Winter flier:

It has always been the general belief that fewer people are buying and selling during the holidays and winter months. Some years statistically, that has not always been the case. But suppose this year the former may be true. If you are a buyer this is to your advantage as fewer people may be shopping, and thus sellers may feel more inclined to make a deal with a smaller pool of buyers checking out their homes. With that said, if you are a seller, the buyers looking right now may be more serious, whereas less serious shoppers may delegate their busy holiday and new year time on other priorities. Bottom line, don’t discount the end of the year and winter months as bad times to buy or sell, it may be perfect timing! Here are some of my tips for selling your home during the holidays and winter months in Washington: I am all about curb appeal and presentation. The first place most buyers will find your home is online. The first thing they will see is the picture your agent selects as the main picture. During the dreary winter months in Washington do not use a picture that has dark skies, shows snow, slush, old leaves and/or debris on yard, roof or driveway. If the weather is not cooperating, then your agent should have access to some minor editing to make the profile picture of your home “pop!” or hire a professional photographer. For my listings, I have personally swept up leaves in a yard to show a better kept home. Remember your next buyer is probably looking at hundreds of photos, what is going to make them click on your listing to get more information I work with profes-sional photographers who make homes look their best and I create a virtual tour to give the ultimate preview experience to capture buyers and get them to view your home. Once you get a buyer to come view your property you want to make sure it is spruced up. Don’t let old plants from the Fall months sit dead in your pots. Pull them out and plant winter plants, or add some type of décor/ holiday wreath to make your entrance appealing and consider getting a new door matt. Like with the picture of your home, don’t let yard debris collect or slushy snow or mud puddle on any of your walkways, entry/porch. Remember even though exterior debris can be overlooked, it may represent to a buyer the way that you have maintained the rest of the home and could trigger a buyer to look for deficiencies with a more critical eye. I am always happy to help and do some manual labor to get your home looking its best! Regardless of how many trees surround our homes, or how many windows we have, we all seem to face the feeling of too much darkness during the winter months. Many buyers check to see how much light the home provides, this can be a barrier to overcome for sellers, especially when we have shorter days. Cheat a little and switch out your lower wattage bulbs for brighter ones. Your energy bill may be higher but you will be thanking your agent when your home sells quicker. (Don’t get fluorescent, but increasing from 40 watt to 100 watt, makes a huge difference). I even suggest turning on fireplaces, lamps and lights before you leave home if you are expecting a showing. Call, text, message or email me if I can help with any of your real estate needs

[courtneydrennon]

Courtney Kelley Drennon Real Estate Broker

Licensed since 2004. Sold homes in Thurston, Pierce, Lewis, King and Snohomish counties. Selected...