westfield area real estate Archives - Luxury Homes/Top Towns

Decluttering Tips That Help Sell Your Home and Organize Your Move

April 29, 2022 by Scott Gleason

One of the top priorities when getting your Westfield area property ready to sell is to get rid of the clutter. This helps prepare your home for staging. Remember, staged homes sell faster and for more money than unstaged ones. However, clearing your space with intention performs double duty. How? Organizing your “stuff” not only clears the clutter, but it also helps you when it comes time to move. Use these decluttering tips when preparing to list your home for sale.

Decluttering Tips

Start Right Away

First, start the declutter process right away. It might surprise you how long it takes to go through personal items, memorabilia, etc. The sooner you begin, the less stressed you will feel about meeting your home listing deadline. Also, simply start in one room and work your way throughout the house so as not to feel more overwhelmed than necessary.

Sort

Another one of my helpful decluttering tips is to sort everything you come across into three separate piles: keep, donate, and trash. If you want, you can even make a “maybe” pile. Box these particular items up and include a detailed label. Then, if you find that you have not opened that box in six to twelve months, you may want to consider donating them.

Pack

Next, start packing. Clear bins work best because they make it easy to see the contents inside. However, cardboard boxes offer a cheaper alternative. When using cardboard boxes, make sure to clearly label which room it belongs in and what the box includes inside. That way your dishes do not end up in the bedroom and your clothes do not end up in the kitchen. Trust me. You’ll thank me later. Make sure to write the appropriate room on more than one side of the box in large letters for easy recognition.

Trash the Paper

Finally, get rid of all that unnecessary paper. Receipts. Magazines. Old bank statements. Junk mail. We tend to accumulate paper. Shred any personal or financial information to avoid identity theft. Recycle junk mail and envelopes. Magazines can either be tossed out or donated to libraries and retirement homes.

Perhaps the most important one of these decluttering tips is to just get started as soon as possible. Before you know it, your Westfield area home will be ready to show. Plus, you will already be well on your way to being ready to move out when it sells.

Scott Gleason, CRS at Coldwell Banker Realty – East, NJ Luxury Homes

Easy Landscaping DIY Projects for the Home Seller

April 22, 2022 by Scott Gleason

Ever get the itch to do a DIY project? Whenever we do, our favorites involve getting outdoors and mixing up our landscaping features. Whether it’s as simple as installing some lighting or a little more time-consuming like re-plotting plants, a fresh look for the lawn always gives your Westfield area home a fresh look as well. Plus, this offers the best first impression for home buyers. Since we are entering the busy home buying period right now, you need to put your best foot forward when selling your home. Landscaping always needs to be included in your staging strategies, too. Here are our top five easy landscaping DIY projects!

Now that the weather is starting to warm up and buyers are on the hunt for Westfield area homes, try one of these easy landscaping DIY projects to enhance your curb appeal when you want to sell your home.

Easy Landscaping DIY Projects for the Home Seller

Create a Pathway

To guide you and visitors throughout your yard and link different areas together, install a pathway. You can use a wide variety of materials, including reclaimed pallet wood, flagstones, gravel, and more to add texture and color. Use these ideas from This Old House for inspiration if needed.

Add a Wall or Border

Installing a flagstone, rock, or brick wall around flower beds or trees adds a sleek, clean look to your landscaping and helps separate different sections of your yard. These landscaping DIY projects can be done over the course of a weekend.

Install a Water Feature

Nothing says “zen” quite like the sound of trickling water as you relax in your backyard. You can start simply by purchasing and installing a small feature powered by a solar panel. Or create a larger focal point in your yard by installing a waterfall wall or small pond.

Light Your Way

An easy way to transform your yard is to strategically use lighting. Place cool-colored lights high in trees to recreate a moonlight feel. Use pathway lights to naturally guide the eye or highlight objects or plants.

Plant Upwards

Expand your yard space by drawing the eye to the sky with a trellis fence or screen made of wood or metal. Once you install your trellis, select your climbing plants and vines and get to planting!

Scott Gleason, CRS at Coldwell Banker Realty – East, NJ Luxury Homes

What to Repair Before You List Your Westfield Area Home

April 8, 2022 by Scott Gleason

Being named one of the best places to live in New Jersey is not enough. When you’re getting ready to list your Westfield area home, it is of the utmost importance to ensure that you are showing it in its best light. Taking time to highlight its strengths and fix up some of its possible weaknesses can make a big difference in how fast it sells. Here are the top four recommended repairs to make before you list your home.

Make these simple repairs to before you list your Westfield home to highlight its strengths and help it sell more quickly.

What to Repair Before You List Your Westfield Area Home

Repaint Walls

Giving your home a fresh coat of paint before you list is one of the most cost-effective ways to spruce it up. Generally, it can also be a do-it-yourself project. Make sure to cover any walls with scratches and chips. Then consider updating any accent walls with a more neutral coat.

Repair Floors

Hardwood floors are a very desirable feature in a luxury New Jersey home. So you want to ensure that they look their best by fixing scratches or dull areas. If your carpet is worn or stained, consider replacing it. And don’t forget the tile in your kitchen or bathrooms. Re-grouting can go a long way in making dingy tile work look brand new!

Refresh the Landscaping

Landscaping should be included in your staging strategies. Show buyers that your Westfield area home is the full package by dressing up the outside as well as the in. First, clean walkways and driveways. Next, plant seasonal flowers and plants. After that, trim hedges and trees. Install outdoor décor pieces. Finally, fill in mulch and gravel.

Fix Your Fixtures

Leaky faucet? Rusted drains? Loose drawer handle? Making these small fixes before you list can make a big difference to potential buyers with detailed-orientated minds. Improve your kitchen. An outdated kitchen can be a real eyesore in a home. Updating cabinetry, repairing or replacing countertops, and installing new faucets and sinks may be worth the investment.

Scott Gleason, CRS at Coldwell Banker Realty – East, NJ Luxury Homes

How to Hurt Your Home Sale

March 4, 2022 by Scott Gleason

We live in a seller’s market here in the Westfield area. Even so, you still need to prep your home to show off its best features. Most buyers look for a “move-in ready” home rather than a fixer-upper. In fact, sellers benefit from a pre-list inspection. So, you might want to consider hiring an inspector to come to your home before you put it on the market. But even if you decide not to do that, keep these home sale “don’ts” in mind to capture the attention of as many potential buyers as possible. Plus, you’ll get your home sold in a shorter time frame for more money.

Be careful when preparing your Westfield area home to sell. Otherwise, you might do more harm than good. Find out what can hurt your home sale with this "do not do" list.

How to Hurt Your Home Sale

Take Your Own Photos

No matter how great of a camera your cell phone provides, leave the photo-taking to the professionals. Most real estate agents work with a professional photographer. They may even include this with their services. A professional photographer knows the right angles and lighting to use to showcase a property properly. Unprofessional photos stand out like a sore thumb against the pros. Since the majority of home buyers start their search online, you need your photos to entice them to come to see the property in person.

Ignore the Kitchen

They say the kitchen is the heart of the home. It also helps sell your house. So, if you want to hurt your home sale, ignore it. However, if you want an offer, invest in updating your outdated kitchen. No money in the budget for a major overhaul? At least stage it by clearing off the countertops, cleaning it from top to bottom, and getting rid of any “artwork” on the fridge.

Forget to Stage Your Bathrooms

Yes. Buyers want to see bathrooms as well as the bedrooms, kitchen, and other living spaces in your photos. But do not forget to stage them first. Again, get rid of everything on the countertop. Clean the mirror, floor, window, and shower until they gleam. Add fluffy towels and rugs for a spa-like feel. And, for goodness sakes, close those seat covers.

Neglect Your Outdoor Space

Whether it is your curb appeal or your backyard, always make sure that your outdoor space looks just as good as your indoor space. Touch up or repaint as necessary. Mow the yard. Trim the bushes. Weed the garden. Store away toys and tools. Keep trash bins out of sight. If the outside looks rundown and unkempt, it makes buyers wonder what other things the seller has not taken care of inside. The last thing you want to do is sow a seed of doube in a potential buyer’s mind. That will definitely hurt your home sale.

Scott Gleason, CRS at Coldwell Banker Realty – East, NJ Luxury Homes

Winter Storm Safety Tips for Your Home

January 17, 2022 by Scott Gleason

This weekend’s storm is just the latest of many that the Westfield area experiences this time of year. Most likely, it will not be the last. So, when the weather eases up, you might want to follow these winter storm safety tips for your home to survive during the next big weather event we see.

With winter weather ramping up in Union County, these winter storm safety tips may help you get through the next big weather event.

Winter Storm Safety Tips for Your Home

Carbon Monoxide – The Silent Killer

Some Union County homeowners keep a generator on hand for rough winter weather. That is smart. However, do not run these generators in your home. These generators emit carbon monoxide gases. Since they are both odorless and nearly invisible, they may easily fill up a room before anyone notices. Even generators placed directly outside of the home may allow dangerous gases to invade inside. Follow the directions from the manufacturer as to the safe placement and operation of your generator.

Another way carbon monoxide kills is from your car’s emissions. Even if you open your garage door before you start up your car, idling builds up deadly carbon monoxide inside. In attached garages, these gases could invade your home as well. Therefore, the safest way to warm up your vehicle before you leave is to move it completely out of the garage before starting it up.

Using Alternative Light Sources

Another winter storm safety tip to follow is in regards to using alternative light sources. If the electricity goes out, you might choose to light candles or use kerosene lamps. When you do, make sure to set them on a flat surface away from flammable materials. Never leave a burning candle or kerosene lamp unattended. And always keep them out of reach of children and pets.

Insulate Your Windows and Doors

Keeping the cold winter air out of your Westfield area home is crucial, especially during a winter storm. Check your windows for drafts. Replace cracked or dried caulking. If you can see light shine through your exterior doors, that means the freezing air can easily come inside. Sometimes, simply adding a door sweep may be enough. However, you may also need to add some weatherstripping along the door jambs to completely seal it.

Trim Those Trees

Wild winds and heavy snowfall can damage trees. In turn, this could mean trouble for your home. You want to keep at least a three-foot “tree-free” perimeter around your home. This includes the tree’s branches. Otherwise, you run the risk of a heavy branch falling on your home and causing serious damage.

Keep Gutters Clear

Before and after every winter storm, check the gutters and downspouts for debris or ice build-up. Ice dams form quickly. These dams prevent water from draining properly. Stagnant water tends to damage roofs and walls.

Check the Roof

My final winter storm safety tip is to check the roof. Look for signs of damage. These include rust or cracking in the flashing, shingles that are either missing, broken, buckled, or curling, and cracked rubber around the vent pipes. You might be able to repair the shingles or flashing. But it is best to leave most roof repairs in the hands of a professional.

Scott Gleason, CRS at Coldwell Banker Realty – East, NJ Luxury Homes