Most of us move homes every 5-10 years but many stay put for decades. If you haven’t moved in a while, switching rooms is a great way to declutter & freshen things up!

Co-Founder NorthStar Moving Company Laura McHolm

 Was one of your New Year’s resolutions to give your house a makeover or declutter? Tired of the old paint colors, the piles of catalogs, over stuffed closets and toys that your kids haven’t touched since 2013? Is your tween not lovin’ the Winnie the Pooh theme room anymore? Well, then its time to room swap!

Most of us move homes every 5-10 years but many stay put for decades. Moving is the time when we get rid of the most stuff, so if you haven’t moved in 5 or 10 years things are piling up! Remember when you first moved into your home? Life in your new home was full of possibilities: the empty space, clean shelves, the fresh paint, and newly organized, just moved into closets. Come on admit it, you want that feeling back. You can have all of that bliss again just by moving rooms in your home. It is a giant way to clean, get rid of unwanted belongings, redesign a room to fit your new needs and get set-up to attain your goals for the year.

Want to work out more in 2019? Transform your guest room into a work out space. Does your child need better study habits? Have them swap rooms with a sibling for a new fresh space with a new desk to inspire focus. Create rooms in your home that match your current interests, style and your kids’ ages. Move your house around to support your resolutions. Your newly arranged home will function so much better for your current goals and needs. The bonus is your house will feel bigger and new because you have gotten rid of so much stuff!

Convinced? So, how do you go about a room swap? I reached out to my cousin, Krista Burdine, who just implemented a room swap of her own. A freelance writer with three growing kids, Krista needed a quiet workspace away from the busy hub of the house. At the same time, her youngest daughter needed a bigger room. She has named the process: “Out-With-The-Old Room Switcheroo.” Here are the switcheroo steps to room swapping:

1. Set Goals: Besides a cleaner, more organized, newly designed home, what do you want to get out of the room swapping? Sit down with each family member to determine what their goals are for the year and their new space. What type of room will support those goals?

2. Make the Match: Based on the goals of each family member determine what room fits with their goals and desires for a space. Does Maren’s room best fit little Larkin’s desire for grown-up bunk beds? And, does Jesse’s room best fit Maren’s hope to create a space for her art? This planning also includes shared spaces. Has the office been unused? Change it into another living space, media room or game room. Make a detailed plan of what each room will be used for, who gets each bedroom and arrange each room to support each person’s goals.

3. Measure: Save yourself major headaches by using a measuring tape. Make sure all the furniture will actually fit in the new dream layout. You can make drawings of each room to scale and use scale cut-outs of each piece of furniture – ala paper dolls. Move your new design layout around with your finger tips a few times before you actually do the heavy lifting.

4. Design: Here comes the fun part! Each person gets to pick out the paint color for his or her new room, as well as drapes, new bedspread, furniture layout, etc. It is up to you how much you want to spend. Repurpose your old furniture – sand and repaint. Maybe’s Jesse’s desk is really the right size for Larkin now? Just sand it down and paint it her favorite color. Give your older kids a budget and stress they need to stay under budget. Tell, them: “It’s like having your own design show – how far can you make the money go?” No need to spend a lot, some heavy lifting and just a new paint color can transform a room!

5. Move Out: Okay, brace yourself for a little bit of chaos but it will be so much better on the other side of the transformation. Set aside one week for each room swap. Move everything out of the chosen room. That child is now going to be camping in the living room and/or sleeping in the same room with a sibling for a week. Make sure they have a packed suitcase of what they will need that week (clothes, meds, school books, fish food, etc.…). Now, designate a space in your home where all of the furniture and belongings can sit for a couple of days. Garage? Basement?

6. Sort: Now, sort EVERYTHING as it comes out of the old room into five piles: keep, recycle, store, donate to your favorite charity (a good start to this year’s taxes!) and items to pass along and repurpose for another family member. If you don’t have the time, hire a moving & storage company to help you move furniture and place items in storage, etc.

7. Clean: Scour each room. This includes shampooing the carpet, waxing floors, washing windows, and dusting closet shelves. Clean the walls, fill up the nail holes, etc.

8. Decorate: Once clean, paint the room in the soon to be new owner’s chosen color. Make any other DIY decorating makeover that this room’s budget allows. New carpet? New flooring? New area rug? Window coverings? New bedspread?

9. Move In: Carpets are clean, paint is dry, its move-in day! Move in only the furniture and items that were selected to keep. Hang new and old wall art, put away clothes (clothes go vertically in drawers to save space) and handle every detail down to hanging the new occupant’s name on the door. That night the child gets to sleep in their new room that they designed themselves! Or, Dad gets to read a book in his new office. Whatever the new space is designed for, it is clean, organized and will inspire you in 2016!

10. Next! Keep going until each room has it’s makeover and each person has their new space.

You really do have a way to have a fresh start in 2019, make it happen with new living space! Ready, set, swap and experience the Switcheroo! Yep, it’s going to be a Happy New Year, indeed! You’ve set yourself up to make your resolutions your reality!

Laura McHolm is an organizational, moving & storage expert and co-founder of NorthStar Moving Company. NorthStar Moving Company is an award winning, “A+” rated company, which specializes in providing eco-luxury moving and storage services.   www.northstarmoving.com

SOURCE: Coldwell Banker

By Athena Snow

How to Maintain Success after Relocating

When Michelle Gray, a seasoned agent with Coldwell Banker Hickok and Boardman in Burlington, VT, decided to escape the cold and relocate to Greenville, SC, she was ecstatic to ditch her parka and snow boots. But there was one thing she absolutely wanted to take with her – her affiliation with Coldwell Banker.

Although she was glad to bid the Northeastern winters adieu, Michelle wasn’t as happy to leave her strong network of family, friends and referrals behind. Michelle had been with Coldwell Banker for over 15 years, and when she told Leslee MacKenzie, her broker/owner, about her plans, Leslee connected with Brad Halter, the chairman of Coldwell Banker Caine, and gave her full endorsement of Michelle. While Leslee was sad to see Michelle leave, she was happy to help her find a new work home in South Carolina.  

Coldwell Banker Caine welcomed Michelle with open arms. But in her new city, Michelle realized that even with her 15 years of experience and her familiarity with Coldwell Banker, she was going to need to get back to basics to ramp up her business. Making new connections, reengaging with the fundamentals and building up her sphere of influence in her new city seemed daunting for Michelle, until she discovered the AMP! Achieve Maximum Productivity class offered through Coldwell Banker.

In addition to providing Michelle with an opportunity to connect with her new colleagues, AMP! helped Michelle refocus on the basics of structuring her business by putting her in touch with service providers, such as mortgage lenders and attorneys, who helped her build up her business in a new state. “I strongly believe that this program can benefit anyone in real estate. It’s a time commitment and an investment in your business and yourself that will pay off down the road,” Michelle noted.

In a testament to her own hard work and the skills she learned from AMP!, Michelle’s move was seamless. Here are Michelle’s top tips for other agents that may be considering relocating their business to a new market:

1. Find a brand you can trust. Relocating to a new area gives you the opportunity to explore whether or not you’re working with company that can best support you. Michelle felt confident sticking with the Coldwell Banker brand because of her positive experiences in the past, and the opportunities it provided for her future. Coming from Coldwell Banker Hickok and Boardman, a leader in the Burlington market, Michelle found that Coldwell Banker Caine had similar market dominance in Greenville, and their training programs gave her all the tools she needed to succeed.

2. Reengage with fundamentals of structuring your business. The Coldwell Banker AMP! class is a great way to get a refresher on important foundational behaviors that support a strong business – learning the best ways to time block for activities like making appointments, following up and networking can make a big difference in staying focused.

3. Be accountable to yourself and teammates. Invest time in yourself and your business, and the pieces will start to align on their own. Michelle advised that you should not assume that everyone in your network knows all that you do as a real estate professional. By taking the time to make yourself known and asking for business, your clients (and your book of business) will thank you. Michelle made that investment, and as a result, received raving reviews from her new clients this past year.

Michelle has made a successful transition and is now enjoying a thriving business in a climate suited to her lifestyle. She attributes hitting her goals at the one-year mark of her move to the support she received from Coldwell Banker Caine and the Coldwell Banker AMP! class that helped her return to her roots and build a strong business in her new city.

SOURCE: Coldwell Banker

A “Mindful Move” can alleviate the stress of moving by focusing on giving back and positively impacting others within your old and new community.

GUSTAVO GONZALEZ

Written by NorthStar Moving Co-Founder Laura McHolm

We are all trying to be more mindful. No reason to “try;” instead, relax and be. Easier said than done, right? We all strive to be mindful: aware of emotions, present in the moment, attentive to the needs of others, conscious of our planet and calm. But, in our mindful practice, we tend to let the stressful moments of life knock us off course. And, we all know that one of the most stressful times is moving. Even during your move, you can be mindful which will actually help you relieve the stress.

The goal is to stay present, aware and to not allow the outside turmoil of all your added to-dos for your move dictate your mood. Here’s a proven trick: Flip your mindset from reacting to the moving and packing to-dos, to how your move can impact you and others. By remaining thoughtful throughout the process and using the power of kindness, you can make your move a positive experience. After all, kindness is contagious; so spread it all around on moving day and in your new hood!

Here are simple ways to conduct a Mindful Move:

Be Mindful of Your Surroundings

Moving can be a time of giving. Show your new community and your old community some love by thinking about their needs. Now, take another look at all your stuff and your clutter. Do you really want, or need, all that in your new home? Perhaps, you have clothing, furniture, kitchen items or even food you have been meaning to clear out? No time like the present to give presents to those in need.

This is not just another to-do on your moving list, it’s very simple and the rewards are immense – it’s the ultimate win-win! You assist others and at the same time you receive a clutter free home. And, a clutter free home is a more mindful space, nurturing a clearer mind and calmer life.

1. Donate Non-Perishable Food:

   • Find your local food bank here.

   • Visit www.MoveForHunger.org, a non-profit organization that will connect you with a local moving company that will deliver your non-perishable food donations to your local food bank for you. Check out their Find a Mover tool

2. Donate Clothing:

   • Salvation Army

   • Epilepsy Foundation

   • Veteran organizations

   • Big Brothers Big Sisters of America

   • Red Cross

   • Check with your local fire department, churches, synagogues and schools, to see if they are hosting clothing donation drop offs

3. Donate Toys:

   • Local children’s hospitals

   • Local Ronald McDonald House. Find a local Ronald McDonald location or care mobile here.

   • Local Boys & Girls Club

   • Many local shelters or children’s charities accept toy donations. Use this Homeless Shelter Directory to find shelters in your area.

   • Organizations like My Stuff Bags and Stuffed Animals for Emergencies offer children a familiar object in times of crisis.

   • Other places to check include a children’s social services office and even stores often have a donation bin at the front entrance where you can place donations.

4. Donate Household Goods & Furniture:

   • Habitat for Humanity ReStore

   • Salvation Army

   • Epilepsy Foundation

   • Veteran organizations

   • Big Brothers Big Sisters of America

   • Red Cross

5. Donate Vehicles

   • Habitat for Humanity Cars for Homes

   • Salvation Army

   • Kars 4 Kids

   • Wheels for Wishes

   • Cars Helping Veterans.org

Be Mindful of the Environment

Time to show Mother Earth some love. Moving is the time we finally clean out those closets, junk drawers, spare rooms, attics and garages. Moving time equals major trash time. What if you were more environmentally conscious on moving day? That would be pretty mindful, wouldn’t it?

The great green news is there are simple steps you can take during a move to reduce your waste. Being eco-conscious on moving day will boost your mood and your wallet!

1. Use Eco-Friendly Moving Supplies: From boxes, packing paper to bubble, there are now green 100% recyclable materials to keep our neighborhoods cleaner and greener. Yep, there is even biodegradable eco-bubble, pop away guilt free.
ECO-BONUS: Save money by asking your moving company for used boxes made of recyclable materials. You can get used boxes at a discount and some moving companies will even give you a refund for returning your used boxes at the end of your move. Pop! Pop! Cha-ching!

2. It’s Not Just for the Movies: Instead of the foam popcorn and peanuts, use real popcorn to pack fragile items! Just pop and fill the gaps in your boxes to secure and pad fragile items. Cheap and earth friendly!

3. Be Kind to Your Electronics: Contact a domestic e-waste recycler so your old computers, microwaves, etc. are recycled domestically, under strict environmental laws, rather than being shipped off to be processed by highly toxic and polluting techniques.

4. Don’t Just Toss it out. Upcycle and recycle everything you can. Don’t just send your old stuff to the land fill. See above on how to Donate. Donate. Donate.

5. Hire an Eco-Conscious Moving Company: Use your “green” to influence and encourage green habits by hiring companies that use environmental-friendly practices. Make sure your moving company is bright green by asking: Does the staff recycle? Are the offices and warehouse designed to be energy efficient? Do they use biodiesel to run their trucks? Do they use 100% recyclable materials? Do they sell used boxes? Do they buy them back at the end of the move? Chances are if they care about the earth, they are mindful of their customers too!

By using the power of mindfulness and kindness, you will feel more relaxed and calm during your moving experience. There is no better way to start a new chapter in life than feeling good about giving back, free of clutter and present in your new home! Time to relax and say how good it is to be om.

This is a contributor post by Lori Arnold, broker/owner of Coldwell Banker Apex, Realtors

A few months ago, I had the privilege of speaking to the latest class of Ascend Leadership Summit participants at the Realogy headquarters in New Jersey. It’s always an inspirational opportunity for me as the new leaders are so excited about their careers and what the future holds for each of them. As much as I love my home state of Texas, I also LOVE New York City.  Anytime I can get close to NYC, I am going to find an excuse to spend a few days there. I arranged a long weekend in NYC before going to the Realogy headquarters with my daughter-in-law, who happens to be our Marketing Director, and my sister-in-law, who happens to be a mortgage superstar.  

To add a bit of context, I have to share a few things that led up to the Ascend Leadership Summit. About a year, some of my fellow CB owners pointed out that my company was the largest woman owned and operated Coldwell Banker affiliate in the US based on closed sales. And for the record, they were all guys. Frankly, I had never given much thought to that fact before that day.  To say I am passionate about my business and leading my agents is a bit of an understatement for anyone who knows me. I am busy each day building something that I hope matters to those around me and contributing in a way that leaves a legacy. I am highly competitive and want to win in my market simply because I know we are the best so thinking from only a “women’s perspective” never occurred to me. Once we began sharing the fact that Coldwell Banker Apex is the #1 woman owned and operated CB in the US, I felt a calling to do more for women in our community to hopefully inspire and motivate them in their own personal journey. A quarterly meeting for area real estate professionals called “Listings & Life With Lori” was born from that idea. For the first time in my career, the idea of women leading and supporting each other was really on my mind.

On our NYC girls’ trip, we were shopping in a stationery shop in Grand Central Station when I saw a “big green button” novelty item that had the word “YES” written on it.  You pressed the YES button, and it audibly shouted “YES!”. I began chatting with a sales person about the YES button, and she went on to tell me that they had NO buttons too, but those sold out immediately, while the YES buttons were slow sellers.

Oh my. My mind immediately went to the true-life application of that lesson. Why would the NO buttons sell out fast while the YES buttons lingered on the shelf? One of the principles of the Coldwell Banker Apex leadership staff is that we try to say YES! as often as we can.  Can I market my team this way? YES! Can you assist me in getting this tool set up? YES! I want to think a little outside the box and implement this new marketing idea. Can I do it? YES!  I know I did not follow the process, but I need this today, can you help me? YES! Although it sounds intuitive, it really is not. It’s much easier to say “No, you can only do it this way” or “No, you need to follow the system.”  No stifles originality, new thinking and progress towards goals we have not yet set!

As I reflected on YES, I realized how important that one little word has been in my real estate journey.  I got my license at 19 years old. Often people thought my clients were the Realtor instead of me! I could have said, “No, I am too young to succeed in real estate.” In 1993, when we joined Coldwell Banker, I did not have the funds to purchase the franchise without borrowing it. I could have said, “No, it’s just too much risk to commit to a franchise when I don’t even have the money to get started,” but instead I said YES! When Coldwell Banker assigned me an incredible mentor to guide me and he shared ideas of what I needed to do, I could have said “No, I can’t do that idea.” Honestly, I was so afraid to implement many of the ideas he suggested. At that time, I truly loved and excelled at selling real estate, but only in a one-on-one setting. The idea of speaking up in public was way out of my comfort zone. I was so timid that I would not even share about my new listings at the local MLS meetings. Those that know me now do not believe that story, but it is the truth. I ignored my fears and just did what my mentor told me to do. I said YES! When we wanted to grow, and it was time to open another office from scratch, as a start up, I said YES! I had no idea how to open a successful office and really didn’t even realize how risky start up offices were and how many start up offices fail to launch. I said, “Yes, let’s do it!”  We’ve now opened 11 start up offices, with plans of opening more in the future.

We often say NO to the things we should say YES to while saying YES to things we should say NO. We say YES to things we feel obligated to do and NO to the things that would drive our goals forward.

The question becomes, what should we say YES to?

1. Say YES to things that you fear but you believe are important for your growth. You don’t know what you can accomplish until you say YES. You have no idea how much capability you have until you say YES.

2. Say YES to mentors. Mentors are a HUGE component in growth. A good mentor will challenge you and hold you accountable. They will inspire you. Find a mentor and say YES to what they tell you to do.

3. Say YES to learning from others. Anyone. Not just those you feel are ahead of you in the journey but anyone. Being open to learning exposes you to growth you don’t even know is possible, while learning from those who are behind you on the journey keeps your ego in check. They do know more than you in lots of areas that matter.

4. Say YES to a big dream. Chances are, you are not dreaming NEARLY big enough. I know I didn’t. But if you say YES when you are scared (revisit #1 if you need to!), your dreams will grow as fast as you grow. 

5. Say YES to giving back. That is why I went to New York City in the first place. So many people in the Coldwell Banker system have given to me. They have invested in my life and my company. I need to say YES to giving back every time I can.

Today, we have 15 offices with 650 of the most talented, successful, kind, warm human beings that work together as a team at Coldwell Banker Apex.  Truly remarkable, inspirational people who work collaboratively in an industry that sometimes is filled with ego and drama instead of collaboration. I look around at this group, and I am truly amazed at the blessings that have come my way through these people. As I look back from where I am at today, I wonder what would have happened if I said NO, and I am so grateful I said YES. Now, I need to buy that YES button!

If you’re a part of the Coldwell Banker network and interested in listening to the next Women in Leadership call, be sure to visit CB Exchange and search “Women in leadership” to find out the details.

SOURCE: Coldwell Banker Blog

Guest post by Laura McHolm

You have probably heard of mobile storage and self storage, but if you aren’t familiar with a storage vault you are overlooking a third key option when it comes to deciding what type of storage to use for your belongings. In fact, a storage vault is the greenest storage solution and can save you green: you only pay for the space you need!

Here are the three top factors to know if storage vaults are the storage solution for you:

1. Adjustable Space & Pay for the Space Needed

Storage vaults cater to your storage space needs. If you need more space one month, you can easily add more space. And, if the following month you need less space, you can move things out and pay for less space. You only pay for the space you actually use. It’s not one size fits all storage. Mobile and self storage units offer standard spaces and default prices that make you pay for space you don’t want and don’t need.

2. Management of Your Stuff

Most storage vault providers are professional moving companies and they are skilled at packing your belongings into the storage vault. They are doing the heavy lifting for you, saving you time and effort. It is critical to think about how often you actually need access to your storage unit. If you need weekly access to your stuff in storage, then self storage is probably a better solution for you. However, if you are looking for long term storage and you are likely to only need access on occasion, then a storage vault is a great option. If you’re going to be remodeling, going on an extended vacation, building a home, etc. then vault storage could be the perfect solution for you. Just call up the moving company and they will move your items for you when you need them.

3. Secure & Temperature Controlled

Storage vaults are secured in a warehouse so they are protected from the outside elements and often have top security. Before choosing a storage vault provider, ask about their security system and temperature control. They should have security cameras in place as well as limited access to the vaults for authorized employees only.

Lastly, the bonus feature of storage vaults is that they can be eco-friendly! Ask what kind of vaults the company uses. Your belongings are stored inside a warehouse and can be stored in eco-friendly recyclable and reusable wooden vaults. This type of storage reduces land usage because it is warehouse based and is not long paved rows of self-storage “garages.” The wooden vaults are cleaned, recycled and renewable, not giant metal tin cans.  It’s a double green win! The earth wins and so does your pocketbook. Plus, it’s always nice to be kind to your Mother,  Mother Earth that is!

SOURCE: Coldwell Banker

Here’s our go-to list of what sellers should be doing now to ensure for a successful sale next spring.

Guest post by Patti Stern

If you are planning to sell your home next spring, why not get a jumpstart during the fall /winter season so you have more time and less stress while preparing? An added plus is that your home could potentially be ready to list in time for the early spring selling season at the end of January when the market is less crowded. It’s a win-win! Here’s our go-to list of what sellers should be doing now to ensure for a successful sale next spring.

1. Assess Your Home’s Condition – Inside & Out

The first step is to do a thorough walk-thru with an objective eye. Does it have “move-in ready appeal” that will “wow” young, savvy buyers? Is there chipped paint on moldings and trim? Is the front entry carpet runner worn and could benefit from replacing? Look at your property through the lens of your buyer and determine what needs the most attention so that Millennials with families can immediately connect and envision themselves living there with minimal work to do when they move in. 

2. First Impressions Go a Long Way

With the changing seasons, try to tackle exterior repairs and landscaping while you can by keeping gutters clean, lawn raked, shrubs trimmed and driveways/walkways shoveled. For an inviting front porch with curb appeal, maintain a polished look each season with welcoming accents such as potted evergreens or berry branches, a beautiful wreath on the door, glowing lanterns, and a colorful welcome mat.

Living Room Staged by PJ & Company Staging and Interior Decorating

3. Remove Distractions & Get Organized

Tackle clutter one room at a time and decide whether to keep or purge items based on when you last touched or used it. Remove personal items, collectibles and excessive furniture that distract from the room’s key features as well as its perceived size and flow. Then organize the remaining items with efficient storage solutions such as baskets and containers for closets, drawers and cabinets.

Library Staged by PJ & Company Staging and Interior Decorating

4. Make it Fresh & Bright 

Ask yourself if the color on the walls and cabinets is too dark? Does wallpaper need to be removed? Are window treatments dated and heavy? Does worn carpet need replacing? Do hardwood floors need polishing? Simply adding a fresh coat of neutral “greige” paint to dark walls will brighten the room by creating a backdrop to showcase the other elements in the room, such as the white trim, new carpeting, wall art, and furniture (as shown in library above).

Living Room Staged by PJ & Company Staging and Interior Decorating

5. Create the “Wow Factor”

Once you’ve invested in the necessary upgrades for move-in ready appeal, buyers still need to emotionally connect by envisioning how their furnishings will look in the space. Staging a home is an investment in getting the property sold and for top dollar. Professional stagers can create the “wow” factor that might be needed after all of the repairs and upgrades are finished. Complete the look with strategically placed modern furniture paired with pops of colorful and inviting accents that will make a lasting impression as pictured in the living room photo above. 

SOURCE: ColdwellBanker.com

Figure out which smart home products can work best for you.

Guest post by Patrick Hearn

Many people are drawn into the world of smart home technology by cool features like smart lights and smart assistants, because they help make life more convenient. But it can also be somewhat intimidating for people to get started when they’re faced with a bevvy of technical terms and limitless options. Getting past the jargon and understanding how smart home devices can work together can all add up to a much more convenient lifestyle.

Here’s how to figure out which smart home products can work best for you.

Consider How Devices Communicate

When you’re selecting smart home devices, you may come across the terms Insteon, Zigbee, and Z-Wave. These are different types of networks that smart home products use to communicate with one another. Insteon can communicate over a Wi-Fi network or through the existing electrical wiring in your walls, while Zigbee and Z-Wave communicate only through your Wi-Fi network.

The main thing to keep in mind is that there are compatibility differences to consider. Not all smart home products are compatible with these networks, but the vast majority of smart home products will work with Zigbee and Z-Wave.

Choose Devices that Can Simplify Your Life

The number of available smart home devices grows with each passing day. Where once there were only smart lights and security systems, now you can purchase everything from a connected oven to a smart robot that vacuums your home for you. The majority of newer products are compatible with most existing products, and even those that don’t work together straight out of the box can be made to work together through smart home hubs.

1. Security

Take a moment and think about the conveniences you want in your home. If you invest in only one type of smart home technology, make it a security system complete with security cameras. Connected home security systems make it easy to keep an eye on things around the house when you’re away, and even the presence of a security system can be enough to deter someone with malicious intent.

2. Smart lighting

For people who work out of the home, go away on vacation, or simply want an easier way to manage their lighting, smart lighting can help. With smart lights, you can control your lights from afar with a mobile app. Because smart lights have been around for a while, there are a lot of different options to fit every budget and color range.

3. Smart assistants

A smart assistant is just what it sounds like — a voice-activated device that can tell you everything from the news to the weather, control your smart home, play music, and much more. Although each device comes with varying levels of complexity, most of the difference lies in the volume level of the speaker.

4. Smart appliances

These days, you can connect everything from toaster ovens to washers and dryers. Most of these alert you via smartphone when something is finished cooking or a load of laundry is ready to go in the dryer, but certain appliances offer different features. Any homeowner with a busy schedule and lots of chores can benefit from the conveniences of managing appliances remotely.

5. Smart power strips and outlets

Smart outlets are one of the easiest ways to add smart home tech to your home without breaking the bank. Smart outlets can control the flow of power to and from a device. You can monitor the status of an outlet from your phone and turn it on or off. Are you one to leave the house and panic over whether the iron was plugged in? Next time, plug it into a smart outlet and you won’t have to worry.

6. Smart thermostats

Many people are introduced to smart home technology through a smart thermostat. These devices learn how you like your home to feel. If you keep it cooler at night and turn up the heat in the morning, a smart thermostat will pick up on that after a few days and adjust automatically. Like other smart devices, these can be controlled from your phone or via voice input with a smart assistant. They’re also an energy-saver. Homeowners who are concerned with energy efficiency would benefit from this device.

With these devices, you can get creative and customize them to the needs of your lifestyle. Services like If This, Then That (IFTTT) make it possible to connect devices together in ways you never would have imagined. You can also connect them through a smart home hub, like one provided by your internet service provider. For example, program a smart light next to your bed to simulate a sunrise if you have to wake up before dawn, and trigger your heat to turn on. Program smart lights to turn a certain color based on the temperature outside. Set your smart coffee pot to be linked to a motion sensor so that it begins brewing the moment you get out of bed. Make your life smarter, and a lot easier, with the limitless options.

Patrick Hearn is an Atlanta-based tech writer for Xfinity Home. When not researching the latest gadget or home security solution, he can be found at the latest coffee shop trying the newest pour-over.  

SOURCE: Coldwell Banker

Why should you consider upgrading to this increasingly prevalent technology? Let’s explore a few reasons.

JILL HERTZBERG

Today’s smartphones go a tremendously long way in making some of life’s responsibilities easier to manage. Their ability to interact with home automation tools has contributed significantly to the rise of Smart Home technology. By making the move to this increasingly innovative tech, homeowners can reap significant benefits. It’s not unusual to come across listings these days promoting Smart Home as one of the several features of a home or a condominium residence. Why should you consider upgrading to this increasingly prevalent technology? Let’s explore a few reasons.

Control at the Touch of a Button

Smart appliances create an unprecedented level of control that simply makes life easier. Take for example something like an oven. Let’s say you were in the middle of baking a great meal for your family or friends but you forgot an essential ingredient, forcing you to head to the store. Instead of worrying whether or not you turned the oven off and having to waste valuable time by turning back, just turn it off at the touch of a button. The same idea applies for your air conditioning. You may wish to turn it off completely when you’re not home, or perhaps turn down the temperature a couple of degrees when you’re on your way home. That way when you arrive home, your home is nice and cool.

Better Safety and Accessibility

Besides making sure ovens don’t stay on, your security is dramatically improved. Through a smartphone, you can see who is knocking at your door when someone rings the doorbell, you can lock your doors remotely, or even keep track of when certain people in your home come and go such as when children arrive from school or when an elderly relative is picked up. Speaking of the elderly, voice commands make it much easier for them to perform simple tasks such as turning on the lights, reducing the risk of injury while attempting to fumble for the light switch in a dark room.

Better Use of Energy

Modern smart appliances have advanced enough that they use minimal electricity. Today’s cooktop stoves, for example, are intelligent enough to know that heat should only be applied when there is a metal pan placed on top. With this intelligent technology, homeowners can potentially save money on their electric bill.

Money Savings

The US Environmental Protection Agency published a study showing that using smart thermostats resulted in as much as thirty percent in energy savings for homeowners. When evaluated over a long-term period such as five years, that’s quite the chunk of money being saved. It’s also worth noting that if and when it comes time to sell your home, Smart Home technology may significantly improve the resale value of your home and catch the eye of a buyer looking for something that offers modern conveniences.

Transitioning towards a fully Smart Home equipped home may require a significant investment upfront but again, the long-term rewards outweigh the initial costs. Consider how the technology can benefit you and your family.

SOURCE: Coldwellbanker.com

By LINDSAY LISTANSKI

Clear out the clutter and tidy up your kitchen with tips from our friends at HomeAdvisor

The following is a guest post from Andrea Davis of HomeAdvisor

The kitchen is one of the most difficult places in the home to keep clean and organized. Between your dishes, utensils and cooking appliances, you have lots of oddly shaped and bulky items to store. If you find yourself overwhelmed by all the stuff in your kitchen, or maybe just need a more efficient way of storing and organizing, consider these genius ways to tidy up your kitchen.

#1 Group Similar Items Together

Grouping items together according to their use is a sensible way to organize your kitchen. Categorizing similar items makes it easier for you and your guests to find things quickly.

#2 Use Baskets to Store Commonly Used Items

Searching for commonly used kitchen items is frustrating. Rather than storing them in random cabinets, use a simple wicker basket to corral and hold popular items. It looks nicer than just stacking utensils on the counter and it’s more organized than stashing them in available cabinets.

#3 Install Slide-Out Pantry Drawers

There’s nothing worse than having to pull everything out of a drawer or cabinet to reach something you’re looking for. Rather than shuffling with all of that mess, install slide-out pantry drawers or cabinets. Now, when you need a spice or are looking for specific dry goods, you can slide the entire cabinet out.

#4 Use Open Shelving

There’s nothing wrong with showing off some of the items you own, like your formal dinnerware or antique teapots. The only challenge you’ll face is keeping it all straight and tidy on your shelves. Installing an open shelving solution will help you organize everyday kitchen items and bring an open, airy energy to your kitchen. As an added benefit, you won’t have to open drawers and doors to find the items you’re looking for.

#5 Explore Alternative Storage

Traditional kitchen storage is great, but sometimes alternatives are just as functional. Consider storing extra kitchen items in wooden crates, baskets and other containers. Do you have a movable kitchen island with space underneath? Use woven baskets to hold your plates and bowls below.

#6 Don’t Waste Space

If you’re struggling to find space to organize all of your cutlery, plates and other utensils, consider high-shelf storage. Remember to only store rarely used items, like your fine china or fondue pot, on high shelves.

#7 Cut Down When Necessary

The kitchen is one of the most popular places in the home to display knick-knacks. If your assortment of collectibles has outgrown your space, the easiest way to organize is to eliminate what you can’t put out on display. This cuts down on clutter and opens up the visuals of your kitchen.

Conclusion

These are just a few simple ways to improve the organization of your kitchen. Now you can enjoy less frustrating meal preparation and less overwhelming visuals.

By LINDSAY LISTANSKI

Buying a house is probably the single largest investment you’ll ever make – learn how getting a home inspection can help you get the most value for your home.

That’s why more and more home buyers today are turning to professional Home Inspection experts. A professional Home Inspector takes a close look beneath a house’s surface, and then prepares a detailed written report for the prospective buyer on such things as the condition of the foundation, electrical service, roof, insulation, and other critical structural factors. Your Coldwell Banker sales professional can help you connect with an experienced trusted Home Inspection service in your community.

Although costs will vary, you can probably expect to spend two to three hundred dollars for an inspection of a single family home. And who pays for it? Well, since the benefit is almost entirely that of the home buyer, it’s usually the buyer who pays the cost of the home inspection …particularly in a “hot” real estate market, where the home sellers have more leverage. All things considered, it’s a small price to pay for the peace of mind it provides, and the negotiating power it can give you — especially if it indicates that there are major repairs required, but you decide to make an offer anyway.

When it comes to making your offer to purchase, your Coldwell Banker professional can provide you with good advice on how to allow for a home inspection as a part of this process. Subject to the homeowner’s permission, you can commission a Home Inspection before or even after submitting your offer to purchase. This is done by having your Coldwell Banker salesperson prepare a conditional offer that’s contingent on a Home Inspection report that’s acceptable to you. This approach gives you some distinct advantages: if the conditional offer is accepted, the property is temporarily held against other offers, yet you still have a legal escape route if the report turns up some major negative surprises, such as a bad roof or a crumbling foundation. On the other hand, if the conditional offer isn’t accepted, then the need to pay for a home inspection may never arise. Your Coldwell Banker professional can counsel you on the best approach to suit your market and your individual situation.

For more information about inspections please contact me any time.

SOURCE: LINDSAY LISTANSKI Coldwell Banker

By VICTORIA KEICHINGER

Being proactive when it comes to your home’s maintenance can save you time and money! Focus on maintaining these 5 areas.

With the bright sunlight and warm temperatures that accompany summer, you may be spending more time outside — and you may be noticing areas of your home’s exterior that need repair. But there’s more reason to tackle your home maintenance projects this summer than simply cosmetic appearance. Maintaining your home will prevent major leaks and damage that may eventually require professional help, usually when its most expensive and inconvenient for you.

Being proactive when it comes to your home’s maintenance can save you time and money, and it makes sense to do it when you’re more likely to be outdoors in the comfortable summer months. Here are five areas of your house that are most important to keep updated.

Windows

Start by cleaning the exterior of your windows with hot soapy water and a sponge or squeegee. If you’ll need a ladder, make sure to review safety guidelines.

While you’re washing, inspect each window pane for cracks. Double or triple glazed windows with damaged seals or cracks may need to be replaced. Think back: Have your windows had excessive condensation inside through the winter and spring? That’s another sign that the seal might have been compromised and that your window might need to be replaced.

You’ll also want to inspect caulking and weatherstripping around your windows. Recaulk any spots where the caulk is loose or chipping away, or consider applying new caulk for a tight seal. Summer is a perfect time to do this because the warm temperatures and low humidity will help the caulk set perfectly.

Finally, wash window screens and replace any screens that have rips or holes. 

Roof

Visually inspect your roof every summer for missing or broken shingles, shakes and panels. Again, if you’ll be using a ladder and climbing up to your roof, make sure you follow safety guidelines. If you have any concerns about using a ladder or moving around on your roof, or if you’re unsteady on your feet, call your roofing company. Most roofers will make inspections and do basic maintenance for you.

While you’re up on your roof, you’ll also want to check flashing and seals around vents, chimneys and skylights. Apply caulk around any areas that haven’t been re-sealed in the past year.

Algae and moss can plague even new and well-maintained roofs. Apply a moss killer designed for roofs or install zinc strips that can help keep algae and moss from taking hold.

Your gutters should be cleaned and checked for holes or other damage. Look for water stains around your gutters and downspouts that indicate a problem.

Exterior

Check high and low over your exterior and look for holes, gaps and cracks in your siding. It’s less expensive to replace siding that is just starting to deteriorate than to wait until it’s broken down completely and impacted your home’s structure, insulation and inside walls.

While you’re walking around your home, look for any signs of pests. Termites and carpenter ants can be devastating to your home’s structure, while ants and wasps can be a nuisance and cause minor damage to your home’s exterior. Check vents and crawl-space access doors to make sure rodents and other wildlife can’t get in.

Foundation

Check your foundation for any cracks and signs that there has been a leak, such as water stains. Any small cracks can be repaired, but larger cracks should be inspected by a pro. Once you repair small cracks, re-seal the foundation with a good waterproof masonry sealer.

Pull out any larger plants growing close to your home that might impact the foundation. Besides the risks of roots growing into your foundation, watering plants close to your home can cause water to pool around the foundation and lead to damage.

Heating and Cooling

You’re going to want to make sure your air conditioning is ready for the heat ahead, so replace filters and remove and clean your unit’s fan and condenser. Make sure you turn off power to the unit before you tackle any work.

At the same time, your furnace should be checked and readied for use again at summer’s end. Vacuum out the burner and blower cavities, and vacuum and brush the blower blades. Change the filter so the furnace is all ready to go when it’s time to turn it on again.

Your home is a big investment, and it’s important to keep it in good “health.” Spend some of your summer days inspecting and making minor repairs and you’ll reduce your chances of needing a big repair later.

Source: Coldwell Banker

By Athena Snow

As part of Coldwell Banker’s Women in Leadership Series, we’ve been sharing the unique, uplifting, and trailblazing stories of women leaders throughout the Coldwell Banker Network. On a recent call, I shared my story.

This is a contributor post by Anna Visioli, VP of Operations for Coldwell Banker Real Estate LLC

I believe it’s important for women to hear how taking on the roles of caregiver and leader made me better in both. And how, far from having to hide my experience as caregiver for fear of seeming like a less than dedicated employee, my company gave me the space I needed and earned a loyal employee in the process. I’m the VP Operations for Coldwell Banker Real Estate and have been with the company for almost 13 years, I live about 15 miles from the office with my husband, Kevin, my 11-year-old-son, Dylan, (who still likes me on most days), and my 16-year-old daughter, Emma, who I affectionately refer to as “Genetic Karma.”

My personal experiences have taught me important lessons that are also applicable to my career and have made me a better leader, employee and mom.

Life Lesson #1, while I encourage everyone to aggressively pursue their goals: be it work, family, or higher education, attempting to do it all at once is a terrible idea. My advice: Do not attempt this. 

Typically, when we write a resume or share our relevant work experiences, the focus is on the jobs we’ve had, but I think of my timeline as three parallel lines: work, education and family –  since those three are inexorably linked and have such significant overflow with each other. And for me these three areas hit a significant point of impact in late 2001 and early 2002 when I was working full time (for Thompson Financial as a municipal bond research analyst), going to get my MBA at night (at nearby Rutgers University) and being very pregnant/having a newborn (see my now 16-year-old, referenced above).

About a year later I was still working, still MBA-ing, kid still in tow, when I was let go as part of a massive lay-off. What my Type-A self initially saw as a failure ended up being one of the best things that ever happened to me.

Life Lesson #2, sometimes your biggest opportunities are disguised as setbacks and you need a swift kick in the butt to push you in the right direction.

Temporary unemployment was a gift that allowed me to finish my MBA and pursue a career more in-line with my interests. While financial research left me with a deep understanding of data and finance, it didn’t inspire or excite me. So I started working for a very small marketing consulting firm – six people small.

In the end that job wasn’t for me but it did provide me with hands-on experience that set me up for my next role – Interactive Marketing Manager at Coldwell Banker. About three months into the job, I found out I was pregnant with kid #2.

Things were finally falling into place.

Life Lesson #3: Sometimes, despite your best efforts, things don’t work out the way that you intended.

After a very uneventful pregnancy, my son was born. Immediately I knew something was wrong. They placed him next to me for a second, then quickly whisked him away, and he looked a little blue. And there was a larger crowd of doctors than was necessary.

He was born with a number of issues, ‘congenital anomalies’ I was later told: low muscle tone, club feet, most concerningly, a condition called Pierre Robin where an underdeveloped jaw caused his tongue to fall back into his airway. He was unable to breathe without oxygen support and despite our best efforts, unable to eat by mouth.

Two days later, we were transferred to the NICU at Morristown Memorial Hospital (right around the corner from the Coldwell Banker Madison Home Office) because the local community hospital where he was born couldn’t handle his issues.

Our lives were shattered, I had done everything right. Gained the perfect amount of weight. Exercised a little, but not too much. All my tests results had been right where they needed to be. This was a complete shock to my system.

Initially, we were told he just needed to get a little stronger, he’d start breathing on his own, he’d start eating on his own. We spent over four months at the NICU. He confounded every doctor and specialist. While they had seen his individual issues together, they had never seen these issues all at once, in one tiny human being.

And they continued to find other things: congenital lobar empyema that required the removal of half of his lung. To help his breathing, they did a tongue lip adhesion (which is exactly what it sounds like) which required him to be in a medical coma for five days while the adhesion healed. Spoiler alert: the surgery did nothing to help his breathing.

These were probably the toughest months of my life. He stopped breathing and needed to be resuscitated more times than I care to remember. But through it all I continued to work.

Life Lesson #4: Everyone is going to have a time when life eclipses work and your employees need the flexibility to get through whatever is going on. 

I continued to work, more or less full-time, when he was in the hospital. Mentally, I found that working was good for me and my goal was to take time off when Dylan finally came home. My boss at the time was great and allowed me to work a flexible schedule so I could be at the hospital when I needed.

In my case, the empathy was expected. I was a woman with a newborn with health issues. It’s easy to empathize with that. But what about men in a similar situation? Or a child caring for an older parent? Or someone dealing with an ailing sibling? It’s really underlined the huge importance of allowing the people we work with the flexibility to manage whatever personal crises arise. Because if we support people when the chips are down, that will always be remembered.

Women often take on most of the burden in caregiving situations. And it’s critical that we don’t overlook our male employees. We need to allow the same flexibility for men to help alleviate the burden of their wives or same-sex spouses. I was only able to work because my husband spent just as much time in the hospital as I did. Part of creating workplaces that support women requires allowing fathers similar flexibility that we allow mothers – and making it acceptable for them to take advantage of that flexibility.

Life Lesson #5: Prioritizing is hard to do, in work and in life, but you can’t be everywhere at once, and it’s critical to focus on the people and things where you can make the most impact.

That time in the hospital wasn’t easy, especially with a healthy, happy but still emotionally needy 4-year-old at home. My instinct was, as I think most people’s is, is to focus all my energy on my sick newborn. But Dylan had no idea what was going on, and Emma did—and she needed us. So, for her, we needed to maintain some level of normalcy. We went to amusement parks and out to dinner and scheduled playdates. And it was hard.

Dylan finally came home in November of 2016, but our medical rollercoaster ride didn’t end there. He went back into the hospital after just a month of being home to have a tracheotomy tube put in. He still wasn’t eating, so a “mickey button” was permanently installed in his abdomen so he could be tube fed. His hip dysplasia didn’t resolve, so an osteotomy was performed that involved cutting his hips and casting both his legs. In an attempt to extend his chin, he had a jaw distraction.

Life Lesson #6: I quickly learned that it’s pretty amazing the things you’re able to accomplish when failure is not an option.

It’s a mantra that I’ve tried to extend to the rest of my life.

Now mind you, I am a squeamish person. I still can’t donate blood because I pass out. After the jaw distraction, Kevin and I had to turn Frankenstein-like screws that protruded from below Dylan’s ears two times a day to manually push his jaw out. The trach had to be changed once a week. The interesting thing that most people don’t know is that a hole in the neck can close up in seconds, so changing a trach requires quickly pulling out one tube and reinserting another before the hole closes up. If you hesitate, your child’s only viable airway can close right in front of you.

Lesson #7: Stop feeling sorry for yourself and realize how lucky you are. 

As we went through all of this, there were a lot of long, arduous stays in hospitals. But it was here that we realized that lucky we were. When Dylan was recovering from his tracheotomy surgery, he had to stay at Children’s Specialized, a local hospital here in New Jersey, to recover. It’s a good 45 minutes from our house, and it was frustrating to have him so far away. Until, through broken English, the couple next to us shared how they took three buses for over two hours to see their son, who had been in that hospital bed for nine months.

We had insurance, and transportation and a supportive family. We had the resources to get through this. Others were not nearly as lucky.

Life Lesson #8: Find (and use) your voice.

One of Dylan’s toughest surgeries was for his early onset kyphosis and scoliosis at the age of 4. He had a bar placed in his back that would be surgically extended every six months. And until he had adequate bone growth to support the newly inserted bar, he was put in a pin less halo for six weeks.

Almost immediately, we knew something was wrong. The halo looked crooked, Dylan seemed to be in a lot of pain. We were assured by the various residents and post-doctorate students that his doctor, who was the head of orthopedics at the Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia (I mean, he was world-renowned, he was THE guy for this type of surgery) knew what he was doing. When we complained about the pain, our doctor told us that was to be expected.

About four weeks after his surgery, I was sitting with him on my lap, attempting to console him, and noticed crusting around the halo on his head. I immediately knew something was wrong, and called his doctor, who wasn’t available, and the doctor who was covering for him, and was told he was in surgery and also unavailable.

So I put my kid in the car, and drove the two hours down to Philadelphia.

In the end, they discovered he had two ulcers, about two inches in diameter on the sides of his head, that opened onto his skull.

As women, we sometimes have difficulty finding our voice, standing up to authority, and going with our gut. Trust me, after that experience, I’ve learned to never, ever question my inner voice.

Life Lesson #9: Optimism and a positive attitude can overcome just about anything. My son taught me this one personally.

When Dylan first came home from the hospital at five months he couldn’t hold his head up or eat by mouth. Doctors and therapists told us his ‘functionality would be limited,’ whatever that meant.

And he did spend the majority of his early years in therapy.

He first sat at 12 months, walked at 18. He finally began eating by mouth when he was three, and began speaking that same year when his trach was finally taken out.

But, a few months later, something pretty amazing happened. We were all having breakfast one Saturday morning, it was August, just a few weeks after his fourth birthday, and he started reading the back of a cereal box.

In the 7 years since, he’s certainly made up for lost time. He is now in 6th grade and his reading level is the same as a high-school junior. Even though we were warned about food aversions because of his inability to eat early on, he’ll try anything, and raw mussels and oysters rank among his favorite foods.

Even though he’s half the size of the kids in his class (he’s on growth hormones for that), he still has those rods in his back that protrude a little bit, and the Pierre Robin that he was born with left him with a squeaky voice, he’s one of the most outgoing, happy kids you’ve ever met.

He’s been playing drums for five years (and he performs in a rock band with other kids), he is starring in his middle school play, and writes and directs a seemingly endless stream of movies with plotlines heavily inspired by Star Wars.

Life Lesson #10: Share your story

So why is my story important? Because our lives outside of work inform who we are as employees. Which is why nurturing a diverse employee population is so critical. Because I firmly believed people that lead full, whole lives—whatever that life looks like to them—make the best employees.

At Coldwell Banker, we want to address the significant disparity between the proportion of women agent versus women in management and brokerage positions within our affiliated companies. As we work to narrow that divide, it’s critically important that we not only allow—but encourage our agents, brokers, and home office employees to share their own stories.

So, what’s yours?

Source: Coldwell Banker

By Laura McHolm

If you are moving this summer you probably already feel the stresses of moving, but have you thought about what your four-legged family member may be feeling? Dogs and pets do feel the stresses of a move and often even more stress than their human companions are feeling.
Imagine: you can’t read, understand all of the chatter around you and all you see is the chaos of boxes. Your home is in an upheaval plus there are stressed out humans everywhere. Sounds even more stressful, right? That’s why it is vital to take special care of your furry friends during the moving process.

Moving doesn’t have to be a dog-gone cat-astrophy. The good news is that with a paw-ful of wise tips you can ease the trauma on your pets. Here are ten vet approved tricks that have been to keep Fido and Fluffy cared for during the moving process:

1. Before Moving Day

Become familiar with pet rules and regulations. Landlords and homeowners’ associations may have specific pet rules. Become familiar with your new area’s leash laws, pet ordinances and/or pet licensing requirements. Your pet may need additional vaccinations, medications or certain certificates depending on where you are moving. A call to the local animal control facility should answer your questions.

2. Talk to Your Current Vet

Your veterinarian is a great resource. If you have an animal that dislikes traveling, your vet can suggest behavior modification techniques or medication that can make traveling less stressful for your pet. When talking to your vet, also discuss getting Fluffy or Fido micro-chipped, a vital step in reuniting pets with their owners. Make sure the pet’s microchips information is tied to a cell phone number that will move with you.

3. Find a New Vet

Find a new vet in your new area before moving day. Your current vet may be able to make recommendations for colleagues he or she knows in your new area. When finding a new vet, it is recommended to set up an appointment as soon as you move in order to get established. It always important to make sure you are comfortable with their practice before they are needed in an emergency.

4. Get Medical Records

Before you leave your old home, make sure you get a copy of all of your pet’s medical records to give to your new vet and be sure to find the closest emergency animal hospital and keep that phone number handy.

5. Update Your Address

Don’t forget to have new identification tags with your new address and phone number made for your pet’s collar, and if your pet has an identification microchip, remember to update your contact information in the database.

6. Keep Things Normal

Instead of pulling an all-nighter to pack, try to pack over a long period of time so that your pet thinks everything is normal. This will keep their stress level down. If you are moving with cats, it can help to bring out their carriers out a few a weeks before the move. Put their favorite treats and toys inside their carriers so they can get used to it before the big moving day. Don’t pack the food away! Keep your pet’s food, water, bowls, medication and any other important supplies (like that favorite squeaky toy) off the moving truck and with you.

7. Moving Day

During the actual moving day, where boxes and furniture are being moved, pets should be removed. Find a friend who wouldn’t mind pet sitting or find a place away from all the noise of moving such as a doggy day care or cat care center. If you can visit them during a spare moment, it can help reassure the pets that nothing is going on. Keeping pets locked away in a room during moving day can make them anxious from all the noise and new people that might be in your home. If you must keep them locked away, find a quiet room, water bowl and put a HUGE sign on the door.

8. Travel with Your Pet

Unless your move is long distance or international, your pet will likely be traveling by car with you nearby. By driving them yourself you can care for them and give them a sense of familiarity as they move. To prepare your pet for this trip, drive for short distances with your pet to prepare them before the final move. Also, remember to plan ahead for any special carriers your pets may need for transportation. There are even special seat belts for large dogs.

9. Air Travel

If you are moving your pet by air or internationally, check all rules and regulations far ahead of the day you plan to leave and remember to keep your pet’s special documentation at hand.

10. After Moving Day

Don’t let pets roam around the neighborhood until they are acclimated. Take them out on a leash to explore their new territory and show them how to get home. If you let them out in a new place right away, they might get lost or run away due to stress. Make sure your pet’s new identification tags are secured to their collar.

Now snuggle up with your furry friend and enjoy the new home!

Source: Coldwell Banker

As the weather warms, you are no doubt yearning to be outside to get your hands working in the dirt again. If you have never tried gardening, spring is the perfect opportunity to give it a shot and plant your own vegetable garden.

Growing your own vegetables is a great way to get some fresh air and exercise, and it also allows you to get the highest possible amount of nutrients from your food. Fresh vegetables are much healthier for you than those bought from the store, as they begin to lose nutritional value the longer they sit on a shelf.

Get your gardening gear out from storage. Here is a round up list of the easiest–and most practical–vegetables to grow in your garden.

1. Tomatoes

If you are new to gardening, tomatoes should absolutely be your first plant to try. Homegrown tomatoes, ripened in the sun, are a delicious addition to any meal. They are high in fiber, iron, magnesium, niacin, potassium, and several vitamins (including A and C). They are also one of the only sources of the beneficial antioxidant lycopene. If you’re just starting out or have limited space, try growing tomatoes in a container on your deck first. Usually, you can get by with just an 18-inch deep container. One plant will yield dozens of tomatoes throughout the season. Just remember that tomatoes like lots of sun and heat, so if you live in a colder area, it may take a little bit longer to get them growing.

2. Beans and Peas

Beans and peas are incredibly easy to grow. Depending on your preferences and your gardening space, you can choose to grow either bush or climbing varieties. Bush beans support themselves, while climbing or “pole” varieties need a stake or trellis to climb up on.

If you’re feeling extra organic, consider planting your beans and peas next to your corn. Beans fix nitrogen in the soil which aids the corn, and also use the stalk as a natural trellis. Both peas and beans are high in fiber, iron, potassium, and a wide range of vitamins. Plus, they continue to produce basket upon basket of delicious vegetables throughout the entire season.

3. Broccoli

Broccoli is a great vegetable to grow as it is one of the most nutritionally dense. It is high in crucial nutrients such as calcium, magnesium, iron, vitamin A, vitamin B6, and vitamin C.

Although broccoli can be grown in containers, it’s just as easy to plant it directly in the ground. It is commonly known as a cold-season crop, so it can withstand a light frost–and actually tastes better after doing so. Meaning, you can plant it when soil temperatures are still a bit chilly in early spring and keep it going long into autumn.

4. Peppers

There are dozens of varieties of peppers you can grow, but most of them are all cultivated in about the same way. Consider bell peppers for your first try at pepper planting. A cool feature of planting bell peppers is that you will have different types of peppers at every growing stage. Harvest them young for crunchy green peppers, or wait a few weeks to allow the sun to further ripen them into delicious red peppers.

Whichever type you choose, peppers are full of nutrients, such as riboflavin and potassium. They can also be planted in pots, but grow best directly in the ground. Like tomatoes, they like lots of heat. Make sure you plant them in a warm, sunny area.

5. Carrots

A word to the wise–if you have rocky or clay soils, consider planting carrots in a raised bed or container. Carrots like fertile, loose soil and need plenty of room to stretch out and extend their roots. Carrots are an icon of healthy eating and are high in vitamins A, B6, and C. Sow carrot seeds about two to three inches apart, and be sure to thin them as they form tops.

6. Leafy Greens

There are dozens of varieties of greens you can plant in your garden. Choose the one that best works for your climate and soil type. Popular varieties that tend to work almost anywhere include spinach and kale. Both are cold-season crops that can be started a bit earlier than other crops, and can be harvested continually throughout the year. As a bonus, once they begin to die back and your harvest dips, you can reseed over the existing plants to produce new, fresh plants. Regardless of the type of greens you plant, these are easy to grow and harvest and contain high amounts of iron, calcium, potassium, and vitamins.

7. Cucumbers

 Make room for at least one cucumber plant in your garden this summer. Cucumber plants produce large quantities, all of which spiral out in spiky vines. They can spread up to twenty-five feet away, so make sure you have plenty of room. Whether you plant pickling or slicing cucumbers, you should plant about five seeds in 6-inch high hills, and then thin to the two strongest plants. These warm-season crops love heat, so consider planting them on top of a layer of black plastic to heat up the soil.

8. Zucchini

The last plant on our list is zucchini. Zucchini plants have a reputation for being prolific producers, developing so many fruits at a time. The roots of the plant need regular moisture, but besides that, this is a low-maintenance vegetable that will pump out a bumper crop with just a single plant. You can eat both the fruits and blossoms of these delicious giants. Like cucumbers, they prefer warm, moist soil, so the black plastic sheet method works well in this situation, too.

Growing your own vegetables is a noble task that can take very little time and skill. If you’re ready to start on your path to self-sufficiency, give these tasty plants a try this spring.

SOURCE: Coldwell Banker

As the weather begins to warm, NYC becomes a veritable rainbow of beautiful blooms, blue skies, and smiles, as everyone is able to emerge from their winter hibernation. Here are some of the best places to watch spring in NYC come to life.

By JACQUELINE CLAIR

Surely we can all agree on one thing: There’s nothing like spring in NYC! As the weather begins to warm, the city becomes a veritable rainbow of beautiful blooms, blue skies, and smiles, as everyone is able to emerge from their winter hibernation. Here are some of the best places to see springtime blooms in New York City.

The Central Park Conservatory Garden

The Conservatory Garden is one of New York’s best-kept secrets. It’s not exactly hidden, but it is far enough off the beaten path to retain a more peaceful, calm atmosphere than other parts of Central Park. It is actually one of the Park’s eight officially designated quiet zones, which means music, bikes, and running are banned, and dogs must be leashed. This makes the Conservatory Garden the perfect place for a quiet stroll or an afternoon relaxing with a good book. The Conservatory Garden is the only formal garden in the Park (the Garden actually consists of three formal gardens), and it truly is beautiful all-year round — but spring is when the area really comes to life. Tulips bloom in the northern French garden, and the more wild English garden shines with all manner of colors and textures.

Brooklyn Botanic Garden

The Brooklyn Botanic Garden is never more beautiful than during spring in NYC, for one simple reason: cherry blossoms! The BBG puts on a resplendent display of cherry blossoms every year, which are celebrated each spring at the Garden’s annual Cherry Blossom Festival. You can see the blooms in several spots in the Garden, and various different cultivars are scattered throughout — they all bloom at different times, so you have a great chance of seeing the beautiful blossoms no matter when you go in spring. In addition to the cherry blossoms, spring brings other beautiful blooms to the BBG, such as tree peonies, Japanese wisteria, flowering crab apple trees, and so much more.

Carl Schurz Park

Carl Schurz Park is somewhat of a hidden gem in the city. Tucked away on East End Avenue on the Upper East Side, Carl Schurz Park is a lovely green space full of charming corners, benches to sit and relax, gorgeous foliage, and a walkway that affords stunning views of the East River. During springtime, Carl Schurz Park bursts to life with multi-colored tulips, stunning pink cherry blossoms, and a proliferation of other springtime blooms.

Riverside Park

Riverside Park is a great alternative to Central Park if you’re looking for something a little quieter and a little less crowded, or if you simply happen to be spending time on the Upper West Side. Spring in NYC is a great time to visit this Park. There is an abundance of cherry blossoms and other flowering trees, and the charming Garden People’s Garden between 90th and 91st is full of pretty, colorful flowers (plus it was featured in You’ve Got Mail).

Overall, there is no shortage of places to enjoy spring in NYC and take in the city’s abundance of blooms. Take your pick and enjoy the blooms to the fullest while they last!

Read article on Coldwell Banker.

No one likes spring cleaning (except maybe Danny Tanner) but here are some easy ways to get the job done quickly!

Guest post by Andrea Davis

After a long winter, nothing feels better than having a clean and sparkling home. But, actually jumping into a deep clean is another story. Here are some simple tips to whip your home into shape without breaking a sweat:

#1 Wall Cleaning

A Magic Eraser is your best bet for tackling walls — it can spot clean anything from splatters to crayon marks. It’s tough enough to reach the cobwebs that collect in the corners of your walls and ceiling. You can also cover the bristles of a broom with a cloth or old T-shirt and use it to knock down any dusty spots.

#2 Carpets and Rugs

Take a little more time vacuuming the high-traffic areas of your house. (Make sure you don’t forget to spot treat any stubborn stains with a stain-removal product.) If your rug or carpet has lingering odors, sprinkle some baking soda over it and let it sit for a few hours. Vacuum up the baking soda and you’ll find the odors have disappeared.

#3 Mattress Ideas

Give your mattress cover a thorough cleaning in the washing machine — don’t forget to throw in a cup of white vinegar to boost the cleaning process. Sprinkle baking soda on your mattress while you’re washing the cover. You can vacuum it up later when you’re making the bed.

#4 Shower Care

Don’t knock yourself out trying to clean glass shower doors. Add a couple drops of water to your dryer sheets and use them to wipe down your shower doors. You can even let your showerhead clean itself overnight while you sleep. Simply tie a bag filled with white vinegar around your showerhead and let it soak overnight. Remove the bag in the morning for a non-clogged shower experience.

#5 Toilet Scrubbing

Have water stains built up in your toilet? Cola can help you attack these stains with little effort.  Just pour some in the toilet, let it sit for several minutes, then flush.

#6 Oven Shine

If you have an oven with a self-cleaning feature, spring is a great time to finally run that cycle. Otherwise, mix baking soda with a bit of water and use it to quickly clean up grease and various other spills inside the oven.

#7 Clutter Solutions

When you don’t have time to clean but you need your house to look presentable, tackling clutter is the quickest way to create the illusion of a clean house. Zip through each room of the house and put anything that doesn’t belong into a basket. This strategy requires very little work and can make a big difference in your home’s appearance.

Conclusion

Although these tips won’t completely eliminate the effort involved in spring cleaning, they’ll make the job a whole lot easier. Spring is a time of new beginnings — if you use even a couple of these ideas, your home will enjoy a clean and fresh start to the upcoming season.

LINDSAY LISTANSKI View full article here

It’s the ultimate recycling trick. Make your home feel new by employing materials that have been around the block a few times. Perhaps surprisingly, beautifully aged elements can breathe life into a house that is overdue for an update.

Repurposed Doors

Open your mind to all the possibilities that an antique door has to offer, from the pretty to the practical. Fasten shelving, hooks or brackets to transform a barn door into the ideal storage spot for jackets, hats and books to liven up an entryway. Place artsy, black-and-white photos behind the glass panes of an old French door and create a cool display frame that is a work of art in itself. The options are endless, limited only to your imagination – from privacy screens that craftily divide up a large, open living space to a whimsical flower pot stand on the back patio.

Cast Iron Sinks

Salvage an old farmhouse sink and give the powder room a fully functional conversation piece. Extra-wide basins that are also conveniently deep and feature a broad drainboard not only make doing the dishes less of a chore, they also make an impactful design statement in the kitchen, whether fancifully footed or placed atop an otherwise contemporary countertop.

Reclaimed Wood

With the booming popularity of HGTV, wooden planks known as shiplap have seen an enormous surge in demand. Used for generations in the construction of barns and other rustic buildings, this rough-hewn, countrified material is as much fun to use as it is to say. Besides lining sections of walls in a traditional, horizontal fashion to create a lovely, pastoral feel in the home, the boards can also be manipulated into gorgeous pine tables, benches, bookshelves and more.

Secondhand Appliances

The vibrant enamel colors and unique styles of refurbished refrigerators and gas stoves from yesteryear lend the kitchen a touch of pizazz and personality. Even well-loved, much-used appliances can be restored to brand new condition and given modern upgrades such as wine racks and water dispensers to add a touch of flair to your kitchen décor.

Antique Accents

Decorative elements such as crystal knobs and intricate hardware can be applied in their originally intended use to ornament doors and furniture. They can also be restyled into handy hooks or unusual artwork to adorn your home and dress it up in some history. Similarly, antique panes of stained glass are given a new lease on life when positioned into a front door to give guests a warm welcome or placed on a window ledge to cast a colorful glow.

Doing a good turn for Mother Earth is always on-trend! Consider some of these eco-friendly ways to add a dash of panache to your home, while preserving a little piece of a bygone era.

By Adam| February 27, 2018 View Full article

Stop and Look Before You List

Putting your home on the market is a big project with a lot of different steps along the path to “SOLD!” But if you take the time and effort to make sure some key pieces are in place, the transition to the new homeowner can be swift and smooth.

Prepare yourself

Over the years spent in your home, you will likely accumulate a mountain of paperwork. Even if you are super organized and have everything carefully sorted and filed, it is still a lot to gather together when the time comes to pass it all along.

Your buyers may want to carefully review HOA documents and accumulated addenda to be sure they understand the ins and outs of the community rules and procedures. In some cases, pet restrictions, visitor guidelines or the approvals process for home décor and improvements might influence potential homebuyers in the decision to relocate to your particular neighborhood. This is important information to provide upfront.

It is helpful to have appliance manuals and warranty information on hand as well. Notes on any service calls or brochures for replacement parts will aid your home’s new occupants. Records of repairs may also be needed to verify information that is relayed to the potential home buyer. Plumbing or electrical issues that have been addressed should have backup paperwork with detailed information regarding the contractor (in case future issues arise), the scope of work performed and the cost.

The survey of your property is another important document that can provide the potential new homeowner with a plethora of information. It will note if any portion of the property is in a flood zone for insurance purposes, as well as indicate property lines and setbacks so that designs for a pool or fence can be correctly laid out while still in the planning phase.

Prepare your house

There are a number of reasonably quick and inexpensive upgrades that can make a big impact on your home’s selling power. By addressing the more obvious issues upfront, you will be ahead of the game when the ball really gets rolling.

Take care of any obvious concerns such as a leaky roof or loose pavers that should be fairly simple fixes, especially if you are pretty certain they will be noticed during a first showing. You want your home to make an excellent first impression, so get those problems out of the way immediately.

Ensure that the house will photograph well. Remove any overhanging tree limbs that obstruct a nice view of the façade. A fresh coat of paint will work wonders in giving your residence an instant facelift. That first shot of the exterior is the image that will greet visitors to your listing and hopefully entice them enough to look into your property further, so do what you can to make it beautiful at first glance.

Prepping yourself and your house in these ways during the early stages of listing your home will help make the entire selling process as stress- and hassle-free as possible.

Post created By Adam| February 6, 2018 | View Full article

The overall fundamentals in luxury housing are stable and strong, according to the highly anticipated 2018 edition of “The Report” presented by the Coldwell Banker Global Luxury® program. 

Released at the beginning of each year, The Report is a comprehensive guide to high-end property buying and selling, covering annual trends, statistics, demographics and analysis from a wide range of vantage points. For the very first time, The Report brings together a powerful knowledge base provided by local market experts affiliated with the Coldwell Banker® brand and leading luxury insiders from The Institute for Luxury Home Marketing, Wealth-X, Unique Homes and others.

Here is a snapshot of what’s inside The Report for 2018:

• “Year in Review”: Significant Trends and Insights of 2017 – The Institute for Luxury Home Marketing analyzed median sales prices, number of sales, median sales-price-to-list-price ratios, median days on market and price per square foot in the top 5% and 10% of nearly 50 U.S. luxury metro areas — dubbed “Power Markets” — to identify key trends coming out of 2017.
   
• 2017 Landmark Listings  – The editors of Unique Homes compiled the year’s noteworthy residential listings across the globe ahead of their May/June 2018 “Ultimate Homes” issue.
   
• Ultra-High-Net-Worth Growth – The rise and diversification of property ownership among ultra-high-net-worth individuals, according to Wealth-X.
   
• Top Luxury Property Must-Haves – A collection of the most-wanted luxury property attributes and amenities as curated by the Institute for Luxury Home Marketing.
   
• Power Markets: A Comparison of U.S. Luxury Metro Areas – The Institute for Luxury Home Marketing analyzed median sales prices, number of sales, median sales-price-to-list-price ratios, median days on market and median price-per-square foot in the top 5% and 10% of nearly 50 U.S. luxury metro areas, identified as “Power Markets” — the destinations where the wealthiest and most powerful players tend to own property.
   
• Luxury Buyer and Seller Markets to Watch – The Institute for Luxury Home Marketing examined metrics such as sales-price-to-list-price ratios, median days on market, median list price and inventory to determine five buyer markets and five seller markets to watch.
   
• Domestic Spotlight: What Defines Luxury in U.S. Resort, Vertical, Lifestyle and Evolving Markets? – What are the most important emotional and financial considerations for affluent homebuyers when making a purchase decision? The Institute for Luxury Home Marketing took a look at 12 distinct locales across four key market types — resort, vertical, lifestyle and evolving — and some of the leading indicators used to determine their desirability.
   
• International Spotlight: The Most Desirable Cities for Real Estate – Based on a recent report from Wealth-X, five global cities were analyzed for luxury real estate desirability.

Download the full edition of The Report, above.

presented by the Coldwell Banker Global Luxury® program. View full article!