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6 Things to Consider Before Finishing Your Basement

Is this winter’s bout of cabin fever got you dreaming of more space in your home? Do you find yourself fantasizing about a separate room where you can cloister the kids when it’s too cold for them to play outside? Your solution may be right beneath your feet. Here are few things to keep in mind if you’re considering refinishing your basement.

1. Water, water, anywhere?
Have a pro come in and investigate any evidence of water damage in your basement. You’ll need to resolve any moisture issues before you begin remodeling. 

2. Know the code
Before you design your dream basement, check the municipal code for any restrictions that may impact your project, such as the number of exits required or regulations about adding bathrooms and kitchens below the main floor of your home.

3. Kill the chill
Check with a contractor to find out if there are ways to adjust your home’s current ventilation and heating configuration to efficiently heat your basement. Installing quality flooring can help with insulation.

4. Light up your (underground) life
Avoid creating a well-decorated dungeon by installing adequate lighting, especially if there are no windows.

5. The right steps
Don’t skimp on the stairway. Carpeting on the stairs, bright lights and handrails make access safer and more inviting.

6. Turn down the volume
If you have plans for an entertainment center, consider installing sound insulation in the ceiling to help tone things down.

Not sure if turning your basement into an underground oasis is worth the investment? Talk to a local agent familiar with your particular market and find out which features buyers have been looking for. Find one here: www.remax.com/officeagentsearch/wisconsinhousehunt.com.

Waukesha Real Estate Agent Lisa Bear

Call an experienced RE/MAX agent Lisa Bear from RE/MAX Realty Center help you become a home owner! 262-893-5555

7 New Home Superstitions from Around the World

7 New Home Superstitions from Around the World

Moving to a new home? Here are a few traditions from around the world to bring luck and cast out bad energy. Here are a few.

1. Make a clean sweep
According to U.S. superstition, your old broom can carry all the negative energy from your former dwelling place to the new one. Leave it behind for a fresh start.

2. The door to success
According to old Irish tradition, the first time you leave your new home you should exit through the same door you entered to ensure good luck. After your initial departure you’re free to leave through whichever door you’d like.

3. Ward off evil (and stale smells)
Native Americans traditionally burn dried sage and wave the smoke around the corners of a room to clear out negative energy. If you’re allergic to ragweed, you might want to skip this one as sage is in the same family.

4. Let your pot overflow
Indian tradition holds that boiling milk and rice in a pot until it overflows helps bring purity and long life to the homeowners. Another Indian tradition is to bring a cow into your new home and wrap a flower garland around its neck – a bit more logistically challenging than the rice.

5. Set the tone
Tibetan moving rituals include ringing a “space-clearing’ bell in each room of a new home to clear away old, dying chi (life force energy).

6. Bread and salt
According to Jewish tradition, bread and salt should be the first items brought into a new home. The loaf of bread ensures that the homeowners never know hunger. The salt will bring a life that’s always full of flavor.

7. Lightning insurance?
The ancient Norse believed that putting an acorn on a windowsill protected the home from lightning strikes. Blind-pulls shaped like acorns remain popular today.

You don’t need magic tricks or superstitions to find the right home. An experienced agent can work wonders — find one here.

What is that smell?

7 Tips for Pet Owners Selling a Home

Lingering animal smells and fur can be a turn-off for would-be buyers. Be sure to remove all signs of your furry friends before showings. Here are some tips.

1. Holey backyard, Batman!
Does your dog bury more bones than they munch on? Start at the perimeter of your yard and circle inward to find your pup’s landscaping efforts and fill them in.

2. Scoop the ####
One misstep can ruin a buyer’s impression of your yard (and possibly home). Make sure your property is clear of any pet-related landmines.

3. Mend fences
Check your fencing, deck and porch for any marks from scratching or chewing. Most can be erased with elbow grease and a bit of sandpaper.

4. Stash the evidence
Collect your pet’s toys, bowls, beds and litter boxes and keep them out of sight. Hide pet photos for now, too.

5. De-scents-itize
Have a friend or Realtor come by to sniff out any animal scents you may have become accustomed to. Light candles, open windows or hire a professional carpet cleaning crew to deodorize your home.

6. Need a buffer?
Have claws scratched up your lovely hardwood floors? Ask your Realtor if professional resurfacing might be a good idea.

7. Don’t leave pets home during showings
Not only is there a chance they may bolt through an open door when strangers stroll around, there’s also a liability issue. It may be a good idea to temporarily relocate exotic critters, such as snakes or tarantulas.

Looking for a home with a bigger yard for Fido, or more naturally-lit lounging space for Fluffy? Your Realtor can help you find properties with features all members of your family will love. Start here.

RE/MAX, The Staging

Selling your Home in the Winter

5 Things to expect when selling your home in winter

Winter is traditionally a slower time for home sales, but don’t despair. Here are a few ways the timing might play in your favor.

1. Buyers tend to be more motivated
Buyers looking for homes are doing so because they really must relocate due to job, family or other unavoidable circumstances. You’ll probably waste less time dealing with real estate tire-kickers.

2. Things move faster
Because there are fewer transactions during the winter, mortgage companies, home inspectors and appraisers have less on their plates. You should be able to schedule appointments sooner and expect faster turnaround for reports and approvals than in the busy warmer seasons.

3. You can leverage the smaller inventory
With fewer homes on the market, it can be easier to promote your property’s comparative advantages. Highlight your home’s unique features. Are you the only townhome within walking distance of downtown? The only split-level with a pool in your school district? Be sure to mention it in your listing.

4. Summer buyers are looking now
Not everyone looking in the winter must move immediately. Your Realtor may have ideas about how to market your home among local businesses and organizations with fluid populations, such as universities, or via school district websites that might attract families moving to the area.

5. You can remind buyers of warmer weather
Be sure to include images of your home during greener summer months, including lifestyle shots of your deck, patio, porch and/or yard. Feature these photos in a frame during showings to remind buyers how the home can come alive in the spring.

An experienced agent who knows your unique market and the current inventory can paint a more specific picture of what listing your property in the winter will be like. Find one here:www.wisconsinhoushunt.com

Stage for the selling season.....

Fall, Spring, Summer or Winter - Homes sell all season long.

Give your home some added seasonal curb appeal by decorating!

If you’re selling your home in today’s real estate market, you probably know that curb appeal is your first chance to make an impression on a prospective buyer. In the first few seconds a potential buyer sees your home, they decide if they want to drive on by or come on in. You can’t change the basic structure of the house or change the location, but you can make your home worthy of a deeper look.

Maintaining curb appeal is a year round job, with different challenges each season. For winter, decorate with wreaths and pine cone centerpieces. In spring, adding fresh-cut flowers and pops of color go along way. If selling in the summer, highlight decks and patios. For fall, display pumpkins and gourds by your entryway.

The impression your home creates is the magnet that first attracts viewers and turns them into buyers. Maintaining curb appeal is a year-round job, but it’s a vital part of selling your home.

Any season is the best season to call Lisa Bear of RE/MAX Realty Center to help sell your home!

262-893-5555