Washington DC Realtor

The first thing people think about when attempting to sell their Washington, D.C. area home is about cleaning it up and make it look as nice as possible. And that is great! But, before you get too far in your plan, think about what it takes to make your  home look its best — getting rid of the clutter.

Nothing makes a home look smaller and dingier than a cluttered home. It happens to the best of us, especially after living in your Trinidad neighborhood home for many years. Art projects from the kids school days, greeting cards, family photos, souvenirs from family vacations and the countless other dust collectors that adorn the shelves all make your house a home, but are not great for selling your home.

Rather than convincing yourself you need to throw it all away, think about storage instead. These items may not be valuable in the true sense of the word, but they do hold significant sentimental value that is irreplaceable. Keeping those items in the family is perfectly acceptable and understandable, but the potential homebuyers walking through the door are really not concerned about the trip to Disney World you took in 1983.

So, all that said, rent a storage unit. These available-for-rent spaces are easily accessible, convenient and inexpensive — providing you the ultimate opportunity to remove the clutter from your home, while keeping your precious memories. Here are some tips on finding a storage facility that is right for you:

• The storage facility should be dry and well light. Mold and mildew grow in places that are dark and damp, and you never want to open a box to discover the contents are ruined by mold and mildew.
• Ventilation also is important to prevent mold and mildew growth on your items. Find a location that provides air circulation throughout each of the units.
• Safety is a major concern, especially if you plan to store valuable items.
• Convenient location should also be considered. Find a storage unit rental company that is conveniently located near your home to save time and money in travels.

Do you have a tip you would like to share? We would love to hear it!

~ Michelle

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It’s that time of year again; when the kids go back to school, the Redskins start playing and the outdoor chores come back full-force. Even though gardening and tending to the lawn does constitute outdoor chores, the real work has yet to begin — getting your home ready to sell.

If you want to sell your NW DC area home, you better get to work and ensure you have done everything you can to make it appealing to prospective home buyers. Let’s start with gutters. Cleaning your gutters is perhaps one of the least appealing jobs you can to in preparation for selling your home. But, it should be done at least twice each year. Typically, you will do this in the late spring or early fall, but that does not imply that’s the only time it need to be done. When you consider listing your home for sale, make sure you clean the gutters to prevent any unexpected mishaps that may occur. When gutters become full and get clogged with debris, you can expect them to overflow, cause leaks inside your Palisades home, and even lead to hazardous mold growth in your basement or attic. And be sure to include an inspection of the downspouts, if those are clogged you may find similar accidents in your future.

Next on the list is exterior painting or cleaning. If you live in a home that does not require painting – such as vinyl siding or brick – you are not off-the-hook. You still are responsible for preparing the exterior of your home before you can hope to sell a home. Exterior painting — painting the outside of your home — can be completed as quickly as every three years or as infrequently as every 10 years; it all depends on your home, the surface material and the paint used. And don’t forget the window trim either, if it is wood. Most older homes in the Washington DC area have wood trim around the windows and some doors, but newer construction typically includes vinyl trim that does not require painting. While these steps may not sound entertaining or enjoyable at all, they are necessary as you prepare to sell your Northern Virginia home.

That’s enough reading on the subject, now it’s time to get to work and prepare the outside of your home for a sale. Selling your home truly begins and ends with the homeowner and the amount of preparation he’s prepared to do.

~ Michelle

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This heatwave is making it tough to get outside and enjoy my Chevy Chase neighborhood, it’s simply too hot to spend much time out there. But, my friends and I try to spend time enjoying other activities in the Washington DC area that we can do indoors…like spending time in the National Gallery of Art.

When I work with clients in the real estate market, we spend so much time talking about particular houses we often forget to think about the other important factors – like the surrounding neighborhoods and activities to enjoy. Within a 10-mile radius of our homes, we have more opportunities than some (unlucky?) people within a 100-mile radius.

The Collections Frozen in Time: Selections from the National Gallery of Art Library exhibition is running through July 24. If you have already had the pleasure of discovering these lost treasures, tell me what your favorites are. My girlfriends and I are planning a trip in the next couple of days and I would love some input.

Looking for other ideas for entertainment? Check out the offerings from the Cultural Alliance of Greater Washington for ideas on how to beat the heat and expand your horizons at the same time.

Give me some more ideas on what you do in the Washington DC area, or Trinidad, or Palisades neighborhoods for fun. I’m always looking to try new things, after all, NW DC real estate can’t be all I have in my life.

~ Michelle

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