Winter, Spring, Summer or Fall

Owning a home is a huge responsibility and with it comes constant maintenance.  When we bought our first house my mother-in-law always said "a house is like a gonif and robs you blind".   When budgeting to purchase a new home it is always a smart idea to factor in maintenance and operating costs.    For protection against the unexpected repairs, some real estate companies are able to offer a home warranty such as AHS to help mitigate this uncertainty.  No matter the age of a home is it always a good idea to set aside a reserve fund.

Home repairs and maintenance always end up being more expensive than estimated.  I am constantly doing small repairs that spiral into larger ones. See Proactive maintenance tips for preventative care.  Several home care issues can be minimized with proper preventative care but to be honest things always happen and often when least convenient.  Below are some links to common home care tips.

Annual On an annual basis there are things that should be routinely checked as detailed in the article.

Winter is Coming and it is not the next season of Game of Thrones yet.  Here are some suggestions to winterize your home

Spring Forward as it will soon be time to clean the closets and your interior.  Martha Stewart Magazine has some great tips room by room.

Summer Loving, Time to get the BBQ and yard ready for those backyard parties.

Fall as you fall forward here are some ways to ready for winter

Moving Day tips to prepare for move-in day ahead of time

Holidays with Thanksgiving and the Holidays approaching here are some fun suggestions to make your space clutter free and guest friendly.

I hope these tips and links will help you enjoy your property to its fullest and make your house a home for whenever you choose to have family and guests visits.  "You've Got a Friend".

Wendy is a realtor in the Metrowest and lower Cape area.  She has a primary and second home that constantly need to be maintained and is often scheduling appointments on both sides of the Bourne Bridge.  To help her manage her routines she has developed a spreadsheet that she will share if you email her at wendy@wendybcb.com

Butterflies are free-part 2 of The Start of the Empty Empty Nest

When my husband and I first got married my mother in law told me children are like butterflies.  Once they grow their wings they will be set free and go off on their own.  Although she gave me this advise on our wedding day and was referring to the prospect of me taking away her only son,  I profoundly listened to these words and tried my best to always make her feel our presence in her life.  She was very fortunate to have all three of her children remain within proximity to their breeding ground.  Although one ended up moving to western Mass. she often would visit while the other two lived within a 6 mile radius of where they grew up.

In my nuclear family my parents ended up being the ones fleeing their nest when they migrated south to Florida and I was the one who remained behind.  My brother also moved out of state.  Now fast forward to thirty three years later and my butterflies have all spread their wings and moved away.  My husband and I still have our nest however it will officially be empty this week as we soon drive our youngest to New York.

Change has always been hard for me and writing gives me time to put my thoughts down on paper and allows me to find some perspective to my emotions.   Today is the official moving day.  My eyes are watering and I am hopeful to be able to contain my emotions and enjoy the move in.  I will update my blog once it is complete and further reflect on the move.  I find the transitions to always be the hardest for me and once I am on the other side usually do well.

Ironically almost 35 years ago I was the one moving to New York for my first job and my mom moved me into my studio apartment in Forest Hills.  It seems like just yesterday and I remember how excited I was to move to NYC.  At the time the song  New York, New York by Frank Sinatra was my motto.  I had an Internal Audit position with Dun & Bradstreet Corporation on Park Avenue and loved the excitement of being a part of the New York business professional scene.  I worked from headquarters but was able to travel to clients worldwide.  Coincidentally my daughter will have a similar role with a consulting firm located a few blocks from Grand Central and near my location.  In many ways I am excited to relive this stage again vicariously.  I now empathize with how my mother felt when I told her I was excited to move out to an exciting place from Newton.

I was fortunate to have my daughter spend the past month with us on the Cape and we had a lot of fun quality time including beaching, bike riding and watching Game of Thrones.  It was a great month with many packed memories.  We will soon embark on our four hour drive in a well packed car. For me the hardest part will be once it is emptied and then we return to an empty house.

 More to come in a few days.