Wendy’s Weekend Adventure Falmouth Center

Thinking of moving? Now is a great time to repurpose Covid Fatigue to Prepare Your Home.

The real estate market is HOT in suburban and non-urban areas particularly since the onset of the covid-19 pandemic. This is a great time to sell or at least prepare your property if you are thinking of a near future move.  Since most of us are homebound over the next few months I thought I would share some steps you can take to get started.  Instead of succumbing to Covid fatigue perhaps this project will re-energize you.  

Take this opportunity to declutter, organize and fix up your space if needed. The goal will be to present the property as being well maintained. While it may be tempting to do a renovation or remodel, a renovation should only be done if the seller plans to stay in the home longer term to enjoy it. In general this cost will not be recuperated from the buyer. 

I always recommend minimal spending on home renovations unless there is a repair that will become a potential issue during an inspection.   Spend money wisely on cosmetic items that will give the home a fresh feel. 

If you have structural repairs that are of concern these should always be addressed as they will need to be disclosed by a seller.  While most of us are at home this is a great time to get estimates on needed repairs. You may be able to schedule these while working from home.  (Of note, Coldwell Banker offers a unique program called RealVitalize that allows sellers the opportunity to make needed repairs without upfronting the payment.  The settlement of the cost will be taken out of the proceeds of the sale.)  

More often than not there are many simple things a seller can do to prepare the property for sale on his or her own. Keep in mind that there is only one opportunity for a first impression, so you want to make it a good one. Why not take advantage of the time you have now to get started?

Curb appeal is key.  A seller should spruce up landscaping as well as exterior home features.  Touch up paint on home trim, door, outside lighting and the mail box will signal that the outside is well maintained.  Also it may be a good idea to buy a new welcome mat and check the foundation, steps, walkways, walls and patios for cracks and crumbling, and reseal if possible as well. .

Depending on the season or where you live you may want to trim hedges, clean the yard and plant bright flowers during spring time, keep lawn well watered in the summer, rake leaves in fall and keep outside walks clear during winter months.   

Inside the most important first step will be to declutter.  I recommend going through each room and determine which items you no longer need. The key is to show the property in the best possible light without distractions. Once decluttered go through each room and look for cosmetic items you can easier fix up to make the home feel fresh and clean.  

Some easy ideas may include cleaning all appliances, replacing any old worn or broken cabinet knobs and door fixtures. Also you may want to buy new guest towels and a a shower curtain to spruce up the bath.  Remember first impressions count and you want to do what you can to make a best first look.  Need more suggestions?  Feel free to reach out.

Wendy is a Realtor with Coldwell Banker Needham. She is available to help sellers prepare for the prospect of selling a home either virtually or in person.  For more information please email her at wendy.bornstein@nemoves.com or check her website at www.wendybcb.com.

We need to have some Crucial Conversations

Two years ago I read a book called Crucial Conversations. The book was published almost 10 years ago and has had a few updates and supplemental editions. Since reading it I have referenced it as a Bible to help with my interpersonal communication skills. The thesis of this book is that we all need to communicate better in our approach to business and personal confrontations particularly when the stakes may be high for both sides. Most of us build a wall of defense around us because we are insecure and afraid. We become reactive to comments or actions that we think may hurt us. We build a protective shield around us and often turn to anger or disengagement when we presume the other party challenges our beliefs. (Of note, I just bought the updated summary edition above today.)

Trump has figured out how to market to these fears. About 50% of Americans are increasingly becoming afraid of their shadows and buy into xenophobia of anyone perceived as not being like them. Instead of embracing different perspectives Trump fires or removes any opposition. There is no respect for differing perspectives and instead dehumanizing tweets make many afraid to speak up to his behavior. Trump pampers these fears and persuades his followers to believe he alone is the savior. To those who are insecure it is easier to follow along and remain complicit. The MAGA group identity they share provides a false sense of security.

The book Crucial Conversations teaches us how to break this wall. By learning how to understand the trigger points that cause fear we can learn how to engage the other party in meaningful conversations that will lead to conflict resolution or the issue at hand. Instead of continuing the pattern of stoking fear it is better to identify these trigger points and allow the other party to openly share their concerns. This is easy to do simply by asking a few opening questions that express an empathetic tone. Then one can address these concerns by listening and then reframing them to find a way to resolve and move forward.

I recently took a real estate course called "Owning Objections" to improve my own negotiation skills. Many of the concepts I learned in this class were similar. We need to develop the ability to listen to the other party, reframe and repeat what they are saying to understand their concerns and then figure out a method to work together to develop a solution. This requires mutual respect by each party. I would never be able to close a deal with a buyer or seller client if they weren't able to share their concerns about a property. We then develop a deal to allow both sides to feel happy with the outcome. This requires a level of maturity for the parties involved to be able to work together.

I fear for our country as many Americans have lost or have never had these skills. Many do not care to and instead thrive on angering the other side. I personally have sadly seen this on Facebook with persons I know saying they love to troll and anger the "liberals." The idea behind a Democracy is to be able to work together to resolve our issues. The ideology of trumpism is to divide by red and blue and focus on winning by a loyal base only. We can't continue with this diviseness if we truly are "The United States of America".  

I am still hopeful for a Biden win in the final count however he needs to have a team that is willing to work with him. This requires us to work together as a country. Last night Biden said we need to keep the faith. Let's all "Keep the faith" and try harder to have the needed crucial conversations in our lives.

addedumhttp://www.executiverecom/infographics/Crucial_Conversations_2334C.pdf

Wendy is a Realtor with Coldwell Banker Needham.

She enjoys coffee, walking her dog, theater/arts, reading, writing, travel and meeting new people.  She is happiest when she can bring her clients together with a deal that makes both sides happy and always welcomes referrals.  Check out her website at www.wendybcb.com or her fb page @wendybcb as she posts up to date content to meet the ever changing marketplace.  

One Day More-Please vote BLUE

I raised my family in a pretty conservative leaning town.  When my kids were in middle and high school (2002-2013 years) we would record comedy shows like SNL and allow them to watch these circumstancially after a full vetting .   My son, who is now over 30 had a few friends and in particular one mom who told us she would not allow her son to visit our home if they watched SNL.   I guess we were considered the "Liberals" in town although we were much stricter about partying and inappropriate risky behaviors.  

Since this time my kids have grown up and moved out.  I still live in a conservative leaning town.  I have not changed and suspect these same neighbors would react the same today.  One thing that has changed is the age of Trumpism.  These folks watch shows like Fox News and welcome what is said as being Patriotic.  They welcome vile language in defense of their president.   In a reverse world I would not allow my kids to watch Fox News or the right wing shows they watch on their TVs. 

These same so called conservatives suddenly are blind to trumps rhetoric and illicit behavior.  They witness his constant lies, misinformation and obscenities.  They are complicit to his bullying and the encouragement of violence or terroristic tactics of his opponents.  Some say they are happy about the economy but they don't like what he says.  It is sad that they value their personal wealth over ethics.  

This past Saturday night I watched SNL with my son who now lives in NY.  He has been staying with us since the start of the pandemic.  The last skit was a New York Musical taking place in a Times Square souvenir shop.  

This was a very clever sketch and made me pray for the last song in the skit which is the title of this blog post.  

Please vote BLUE tomorrow and lets all say ONE DAY MORE.  Lets end this now.  If you run into any problems with voting please call the hotline.