For babyboomers, the downsizing dilemma on both coasts

As babyboomer kids grow older and flee the nests I can't tell you how often the conversation becomes are you going to downsize, what will you do with all your stuff and where would you go?  For those of us with larger homes in suburbia the harsh reality hits in the northeast at the first snowstorm when there is no one to help shovel or at the beginning of the season when you are hit with a huge landscaping bill after the winter clean up.  Although the ideal would be to live in a care free maintenance free environment there are important decisions that need to be considered.  A first step in this discussion may be the decision to sell your primary home and is it better to rent or buy a smaller place.

Still working?- If you are not yet retired chances are you would want to remain in a close by community.
Socially engaged?-Think about how involved you are with your social network.  Will you have a similar type of activities at a new destination?
Following your kids?-  If you want to move close to your kids think about if they are permanently in their current location or will they be moving at the next promotion?  You shouldn't move just to be near your kids.  If they leave the area will you again follow them?
Economics of a move? Depending on the current market you may end paying more than your current home.
Is it better to rent or buy?

An article last fall in the Huffington Post asks many of these questions and is worth your read.

Depending on where you live here are some insights into the economic side on both coasts.

East  The Kids Are Gone But Is Downsizing An Affordable Option

West   Should I Stay or Should I Go

Our youngest child moved to NY last year and it looks she will stay. We have two others living out of state as well. All visit for key holidays and assorted weekends but it is rare that the nest is full.  My husband and I have this discussion often and are starting to plan towards retirement.  Our house is fairly large for the two of us and our dog but we are caught in the East coast bubble.  We live close to our work and our social activities.  For now we will prepare to transition but are not quite ready to give up our home.    I am constantly attempting periodic decluttering as well as resisting the urge to buy more!!  I now only buy household items absolutely needed or that will replace others.   Having helped move clients and family who have downsized I am constantly learning about new resources to help with this transition.  I read and post extensively on this subject (see my facebook page @wendybcb.  I am always happy to share my insights and reply promptly to messages.

Wendy is a realtor with Coldwell Banker Needham and enjoys helping baby boomers and their parents transition from a primary home to the next phase.  She has a strong network both locally and nationally to help clients move anywhere in the country.  Feel free to visit her website at WendyBCB.com

The Book Club and Aging in Place

I recently saw the movie "The Book Club" and it was hysterical.  Although meant as a comedy there were also some insightful reflections on the aging process as brought out by the stages of four adult women who got together since college days, baby booming and now through to the early retirement stage for their monthly Bookclub.  One of the characters, Diane recently lost her husband and had two grown millennial daughters who lived out of state.  They worried constantly about her safety and encouraged her to leave her comfortable home and lifestyle in Southern California to move nearby to them in the Scottsdale Arizona area.  Although well intended this was not what Diane aspired to and would have preferred to continue living independently in her California home.  That being said I am not going to write much more about the movie other than to say that often Millenial's think they know what is best and may force a situation that really is not what the "Adult" in the family wants.  Often it is better to allow one to remain independent and to stay in their home until it is their decision to move on or downsize.

Of course as we age safety measures may change based on physical ability.  When we have young children it is important for example to have child safety locks to prevent unwanted access to dangerous tools or hazards.  On the other extreme there are safety measures that should be considered as one ages to safely stay in place. The NYT recently had an article on such safety measures which should be considered. click here.

A recently published book “Age in Place: A Guide to Modifying, Organizing, and Decluttering Mom and Dad’s Home,” by Lynda G. Shrager, may be worth picking up as a guide to help a loved one begin this process if the goal is to stay put.  For those with out of state parents there are professionals who can help orchestrate this process to help declutter and make necessary recommendations for safety modifications to an existing home.

If you are into technology, there are now Robots available to help monitor health and even offer companionship to an elder who may be living alone.  Of course,  a digital companion cannot provide empathy or physical help one but they can help monitor vital statistics and send an alarm to medical services when intervention may be required. 

If you live in Massachusetts there are some very helpful options for those living alone.  MassOptions is a resource that provides a network of services available for both elder and disabled residents who wish to bring help into their home.  If you live in Norfolk County there is a service called Are You OK?  Registered seniors will get a daily phone call from the Norfolk County Sheriff's office to ensure the senior is safe.  

There are many resources available to allow seniors to age in place.  Often seniors don't like to ask for help so it may be helpful for those who are worried to do some homework and make a list of services and resources available.  When the older relative is ready for help they will indicate this by their behavior but perhaps you can proactively engage and make recommendations to ensure safety ahead of time.  

Wendy is a Realtor with Coldwell Banker in Needham, Mass.  She also works with buyers and sellers on the lower Cape during the summer months.  Since earning her SRES, she has been networking and learning about available resources to help her more mature clients.  She is always happy to chat and make recommendations to help baby boomers and their aging parents.  She can be found at www.wendybcb.com or on facebook  @wendybcb.  

How to get rid of your stuff-garage sale?

How to Have a Successful Garage Sale
Its spring time and most of us feel inspired to do some spring cleaning.   Previously I have posted several blog posts about decluttering and downsizing.  I am now going to share some ideas on how to actually get rid of your "stuff".  One has the choice of giving things away, donating them or selling them.  The first two options are a great way to repurpose your treasures by sharing them with either someone who will appreciate them or possibly have a need for items they otherwise may not be able to purchase.

There are several methods available if you are considering the option of selling your things.  If you have a lot of time you may consider selling things online on sites such as Ebay or Craigslist.  If you are a facebook user many areas have Marketplace sections where you can also sell items.  These sites require you to take a photo of the item, write a description and post a price.  You have the option of shipping (you can charge the shipping fee) or arrange for pick up if local.  If you agree to have a local pickup you need to be cautious and may want to meet the purchaser as a mutually agreed upon public space.  For safety purposes I would not recommend welcoming an unknown buyer to your personal home.
I know from experience that the above methods are extremely time consuming and labor intensive.  In addition you need to be readily available to ship an item when there is an interested buyer.

If you decide to go the yard sale route it can be a fun social way to have a one weekend event.  The frequent problem though is that more often than not buyers cherry pick and may leave you with the "junk" you still need to get rid of.  Sometimes you get lucky and it is often true that one man’s trash is another man’s treasure.  Many times garage sales have benefited both buyer and seller. If you do decide to go this route below are suggestions to make this effort a success. 

What to Sell
lBecause variety is the spice of life, garage sale shoppers prefer sales that feature a little bit of everything. If you have nothing but used clothing and toys to sell, wait until you can pull together a few more items.  When deciding what to sell, never underestimate the value for absolute junk. One of my neighbors last year was selling used Tupperware containers.  Although shocked they are great for artists to use to paint or store supplies.  If you haven’t used something in the past year, put it up for sale.  lSince dealers and antique collectors frequent garage sales, proudly display one-of-a-kind items.  Buyers look for household items such as dressers, bookcases, baskets, tables, toys, and tools. If you do decide to sell appliances, make sure they work or if they note, include a receipt saying you are selling it for the parts.  You don't want to have the buyer return it because it didn't work. You may want to. have an outlet for buyers to test a TV set before buying it.

How to Price
Be sure to label and put price tags on items. Customers may assume that unmarked items are out of their price range. Part of the fun of a yard sale is that buyers want to get a "good" deal.  Be prepared to haggle. Price things higher than the price you really want for it so you can accept discounted offers.   Most garage sale enthusiasts love to negotiate but if you are selling something that you value it’s okay to say, “I’m firm on that price.”  Price things you want to move fairly.  It is common to sell items at a 10-30% discount from retail. 

How to Display
Presentation is important.  Be sure everything looks clean and if dishes sparkling.  Larger items bring the most foot traffic. If you sell a couch or table early in the day, ask if you can keep the item with a “sold” sign on it until the end of the day.
Keep things organized.  Clothing on racks sells higher than similar items thrown on a blanket. If possible, hang a line in your garage or buy a portable rack. People who dig through boxes expect to pay much less for those items.
Clearly mark your sales area or buyers may try to buy items you hadn't intended to sell. If you have a sale in your garage, cover the lawn mower, shovels, and rakes.
Attract attention with eye-catching balloons and signs.

How to Publicize
Use social media and if practical you may want to place an ad in a local newspaper.  Also it is a good idea to put posters around town and post at local community areas at strategic locations, directing traffic to your neighborhood, street, and house.  When the sale is complete don’t forget to take them dow.

When to Sell
Yard sales attract the most customers when the weather is nice.  Be sure to check the weather forecast before planning your sale.  Spring and fall are often good times to sell.  Saturday is often the best day for a yard or garage sale, though this varies regionally. In some places, people tend to favor Thursday or Friday sales. If you are new to an area, ask around to see which days are the most popular for sales.

What to Do with Leftovers

At the end of your sale you may have many items left.  You can decide if you want to donate these or store them away for a future sale.  If you decide to donate be sure to arrange to get a donation receipt as you may be able to get a donation benefit.  Again remember that one person's junk may be another person's treasure.

Clean and enjoy the new found space you have once you reorganize after the sale.  Feel proud that you were able to purge whatever you did.

If you need advise or ideas on how to get rid of your things feel free to reach out to me.  I have a great network of people who specialize in helping with the downsizing and process of asset liquidation.  

Wendy is a realtor with Coldwell Banker Needham,  She has her SRES and specializes in helping clients with the downsizing process.  You can read more about her at her website.  www.wendybcb.comwww.wendybcb.com.  

Do it yourself or not- why a FSBO may not be the best option when selling

In today's do it yourself world we often learn the hard way that sometimes it may be easier to pay someone.  There is an article in today's NYT Smarter Living section that suggests the importance of knowing one's strengths and weaknesses.  Click here.  Let's face it we can't be a jack of all trades in everything.

How often do you try to fix something minor at your house only to make it worse.  My husband recently tried this with a sink faucet and accidentally broke the inner faucet valve and now we need to replace the entire fixture.  Sadly this model has been discontinued and we now need to replace both sides.  Lesson learned, it cost more in the long run to do try to save a few bucks.  If you buy do-it-yourself furniture for one of your kids who is moving to an apartment out of state you can spend money to travel to help build the furniture (hotel $300 night, meals $150 plus,  transportation $100) or you may be able to hire someone from Task Rabbit to build it for under $75.  Your choice!!

Although both of these experiences were not significant in monetary value they highlight the overlooked aspect of how a well thought out plan can go wrong.  Always think time and money when factoring in a business transaction.  I always ask myself to think about the opportunity cost if I go one way when another approach may be more effective, produce a higher return and save me time in the long run.

As a realtor I am quite sensitive to this when I see potential sellers who want to sell on their own.  As a FSBO (for sale by owner)  a seller is taking all the risk of selling a property into their own hands.  Statistics show that in the long run a seller will yield a higher sale price by using a realtor and will more than cover the commission.  Further selling a property is a legal transaction and a seller must fully understand his or her legal obligations of disclosure as mandated by local regulations and Massachusetts State law prior to entering a contract with a potential buyer.  These regulations are constantly being updated and a realtor's job is to know these regulations.

By selling privately the seller risks the level of market exposure of MLS to bring the maximum number of buyers in the common market.  An example of this is highlighted here.  He/she will spend a lot of time selling and may not be as savvy in asking the best price.  An independent agents sole job is to represent the seller and do everything possible to help the seller best position the property.

Selling a house on your own is great if it sells quickly but if not this can become a challenge when you are the one showing it to potential buyers.   Can you separate your emotions from the business side of the process?  Do you want to tie up all your time to meet the buyers needs?  After an accepted offer there are times the buyer will need to visit the property for inspections, work estimates and other tasks up to the close.  There is a lot of hands on work that realtors do to make the transaction go smoothly to alleviate the time constraints on the seller.   Remember time and money are key.

Next time you get the urge to do something on your own think out the process and ask yourself if it will really save time and money in the long run.  Chances are you are better off hiring a professional to do the job at hand using their hard learned expertise.  You will be happier and less stressed. (Incidentally inventories are at an all time low and this is a great time to sell while interest rates are still reasonable.)

Wendy is a realtor with Coldwell Banker Needham.  She works in both the metro-West Boston area and the lower Cape.  She loves working with first time buyers, sellers who may be downsizing and anyone else who is an enthusiastic client.  Check out her website www.wendybcb.com.

Its Moving Time, Tips on Hiring a Mover- updated

Although this blog originated over a year ago many of the points are still very useful.  In today's Boston Globe there was a great blogpost on how to hire movers that I thought I would share this as an update.  

Enjoy and comments welcome.
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It’s time to get down to business and start packing your things.  In a recent Coldwell Banker Blue Blogpost there was a discussion on how to pack the 10 important items that may need special attention.  Packing is a huge job and cannot be underestimated.  

The first step should be to take a visual inventory of everything you will be packing.  Do you have furniture that needs special handling?  Many fragile items?  Can you pack your clothing or do you need wardrobes to move the hanging items.  Make a list of each item by major category.  Be sure you know ahead of time the destiny of each item you will be moving in its new home.  

Next determine when you plan to move.  According to the American Moving and Storage Association the end of the month and summertime are the busiest times for moving companies, so you’ll need to book at the very least six weeks in advance. If possible try to time your move between October and April, during which time AMSA says many companies offer discounts.

Next you will need to decide if you want to do the actual packing yourself and only use a moving company for the actual moving, or if you want to trust them to do the packing for you. Again if you pack things yourself you will not be able to make an insurance claim for any damages.  A reputable mover will have insurance coverage and be fully bonded.  Below is a checklist that will help you interview moving companies to find the best fit for you and your treasures.

Once you know what your parameters are it is time to research movers who will fit your needs.  You can ask your realtor for a reference as often they have movers they refer.  Sometimes they will also offer a referral discount.  You can also get a reference from a friend who has moved recently.   Take the time to do research on the various companies that service your area.  If you have a houseful of things you will most likely need a full service moving company.  If you are moving a few items you may be able to be an add-on to a larger move.  The problem with this however can be timing as you will most likely be added on to the moving truck after the larger move is fully loaded.  You may opt to move yourself with a UHaul but remember your items will not be insured for damage.

Here are some important questions to consider: 

*Licensing and bonding. Always be sure the moving company is fully accredited.  Usually they will offer a pamphlet issued by The Interstate Commerce Commission  called “Your Rights and Responsibilities When You Move.” You can call your local ICC office for a copy if you’re moving out of state.

*Local moving costs. Get an estimate of the moving costs.  Ask for specifics based on the number of hours (usually this includes the travel time to and from their base destination) as well as by the number of movers hired.  Sometimes there is a minimum time requirement of 4 hours. 

*Long-distance costs. These are calculated on the total weight of your shipment and the distance traveled.

*Packing. These costs are not included in a basic moving bid. Ask for the price up front to avoid any confusion. Ask for specifics if you have them pack for you including time and materials.  Once we have the mover pack a lamp for us and they charged a fortune to put the lamp shade in an individual box.  (note: If you opt to have the company do the packing, they will inventory your stuff and describe any existing damage. Ask for a copy of the inventory form.)

*Payment. Most movers only accept money orders or certified checks. Find out in advance, because movers will not unload until you pay them. Tipping the driver is optional.

*Reputation. You may want to get references from prior customers and check their ratings with the local Better Business Bureau or other service organizations in your area.  You can also find out if the company is a member of the American Movers Conference (www.amconf.org), which requires members to meet certain standards.

Get a written estimate and an understanding of any incremental charges.  You want to fully understand what your obligation will be when you hire the mover. 

Once you’ve hired a mover,  this is only the beginning of your move.  

Make yourself a checklist of things to do every week for the weeks prior to the move. Stay as organized as possible.

Put everyone in your family to work.  Start going room by room and figuring out what you really need at your new place and which items you may pack away and never use.  Maybe you can give some of these items away. This is a great time to purge.   When we moved I packed boxes of my kids toys and left them in the basement for months.  When I realized they weren't missed I gave many away!

Before you move to your new location you may want to have a floorplan and figure out where you want to place each piece of furniture.  It is a lot easier and less timely if you have all of this thought out ahead of time.  Also it is helpful to label each box with its destination.  

Confirm the arrangements with the moving company a couple of days before your move and ask for the names of the movers. On moving day greet the movers and be friendly to them.  Be sure to offer them water or coffee.  I have always found that if you are kind to them they will respect you and your things.  

Addendum:  If you are planning an out of state move you may want to read this article about not getting scammed from the New York Times.  It is always important to do your DUE DILIGENCE before hiring a contractor.

Wendy is a realtor with Coldwell Banker Needham and also works from a satellite office on the lower Cape during the warmer months.  She loves working with buyers and sellers on both sides of the Bourne Bridge.  If you need any help buying, selling or investing in real estate please check out her website www.wendybcb.com.  

We are one with nature

This blog is totally different than any I have posted.  I have spent my last week in reflection and greater observation of the world around me after attending a weekend at the Kripaly Center for Yoga and Mindfullness.  One of my goals in attending was to have a weekend to clear my head of all the craziness around us.  I encouraged my husband to also attend as I felt we both needed an opportunity to learn more about yoga and meditation.  I do yoga regularly and think the mind/body connection is vital to our survival.  I will share my experience below.
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Last Sunday morning my husband and I journeyed close to 120 miles for a two day yoga retreat with 16 members of my synagogue at the Kripalu Center for Yoga and Health, located in the serene and tranquil Berkshire Mountains of Stockbridge Mass.  The drive itself gave us a chance to separate from the busy lives we lead and metaphorically represented the space needed to transition to a quieter place. 

The first official program many of us participated in was Yoga Dance.  As someone who is very self-conscience and sometimes too aware I found this exercise particularly challenging at first.  The premise of the class was to encourage each participant to get outside of his/her personal space.  By being able to freely express one’s self through dance and movement one can learn to be moved by the breath.  I admit I was tempted to leave after the first 10 minutes but then my breath and the flow overcame me.  I suddenly felt able to let myself move freely and embrace the flow.  By the end of the class I felt much more at ease. 

Next we had a group lunch and then an optional program entitled Deep Unwind for Body and Mind.  This class further explored R&R techniques through a series of breathing exercises, mild meditation and journalizing our free flowing ideas.  As the afternoon progressed we were invited to participate in various levels of yoga classes which were followed by a private group dinner.  As dinner concluded our Rabbi shared a reading from Psalm 104 and historic perspective on Judaism’s relationship to nature.  Many of our holidays are related to the seasons and the importance of specific crops.  Many of our rituals express gratitude for the gifts from nature of the food we eat.   He specifically spoke about wine and bread as a symbolic food in our traditional meals.  The blessings we recite over both are a small sampling of how we nurture and utilize nature to feed and sustain us.  The significance of bread throughout our practice is fascinating and ties into many of our traditions today.  (I am limited on words or could add much more). 

Following dinner we had a program on Meditation and Mindfulness.    The group leader Bhavani asked each of us for our ideas on what meditation was.  She shared interesting visual and background perspectives from her 30 years of leading meditation practices.  Through guided exercises we were introduced into a method of meditation that allowed us to slow down physically and get to into a space where we could meditate. After completing this session I thought began to think how we could embrace this ideology into our daily lives.   We should each take time to slow down and breath and allow ourselves to think.  Maybe this would give each of us a little time to act with reason instead of just being reactive to the stimuli surrounding us.  We gathered after this program for tea and conversation.  As we got to know each member of our group we began to develop deeper bonds and spirituality  together through heightened awareness of our common interests.

On the second day those who were adventurous attended an early Gentle yoga class(6:30am) and then proceeded to breakfast.  Breakfast hour is silent at Kripalu.  Embracing silence was an amazing opportunity to observe the environment around us. Although we didn’t speak we still sat primarily as a group and were able to communicate through our eyes and facial expressions. 

Following we had Shacharit, this was a form of group gathering.  We formed a circle where we shared morning prayers and personal readings reflecting our relationship with nature.  The CEO of the Kripalu Center joined us during this service.  She shared that she grew up in an ultraorthodox community that was very judge-mental.  She appreciated our ability as a Temple group to share our openness or how valuable this was to the mission of the mission of the Kripalu Center and its integration of Eastern/Western values. 

We were invited to further explore our oneness with nature as our group participated in a group hike around the wooded 400 acres of the Kripalu complex later that morning.  We were given Snowshoes and hiked along the Shadowbrook and surrounding terrain. During the hike we had opportunity for silent meditation and observance, thus continuing the theme of our being one with nature.  As our group leaders shared we are all part of the same eco-nature system.  The quality of our air is created by the breath and a nature of the trees surrounding us. 

After lunch we had one last structured session with a talk led by Michah Mortali.  Michah lead a conversation with the Rabbi on the Eastern Western Perspectives on the Spiritual Benefits of Nature.  With a powerful introduction Michah shared  an area he has been studying coined by author Robert Louv titled  “NatureDeficit Disorder”.   He put up a slide showing common causes of this disorder.  Many of its symptoms of correlated with our day to day lives.  As highlighted there are numerous negative consequences to human development the more we fall victim to our jobs, city lives, computer screens and all things that take us away from the outdoors.  For thousands of centuries our development and adaptability to the environment was based on our survival needs.  In many ways we have tools that enable us to be removed from the land in our daily lives.  Rabbi Perkins complemented this perspective by sharing Psalm 23 The Lord is My Shepard.  This prayer is one of many that ties Judaism and our worship to the importance of nature and the earth we walk on.  He also shared a few other examples of prayers that tie our faith to nature.  The more we sit at a desk and have the world brought to us the less we are able to assure our physical sustainability to survive the natural instincts we were born with.  This heightened much our awareness to the importance of being able to step back and look at how we can improve our daily routines to better embrace nature.   I took this to mean that we as individuals needs to better understand our soul and our space.  Then we can use this strength to forge ahead to better build relationships with our community and then the community with the larger world. 

In our hour of free time before we wrapped up to leave,  I exited through the gift shop as my son would say is the tourist thing to do and bought a meditation dvd and a beaded yogi bracelet.  I plan to wear the bracelet to remind me to sit back and think about the breathing techniques I learned through the program.

As we came to the end of our program the Rabbi suggested we go outside again to have closing remarks.  As a group we formed a friendship circle and were given one last opportunity for a closing blessing.  We were encouraged to go around the circle and share our final reflections on our experience. What came to my mind my Dad when I was young as he always asked me if I thanked him for the breath of life.  I had always taken this question for granted and today as we were all together as one, as a community and ready to journey back to the other end of the Mass Turnpike my answer was yes.  I think we arrived to Kripalu as individuals but left with a new sense of community.  Although I speak for myself I believe each member of our group left feeling a much stronger connection with our faith, our spiritualism and appreciation for the world surrounding us.  My prayer for the group is that we are able to transcend what we learned and experience it with those around us.  It is with much gratitude to our group organizers that we were able to participate in this program at the Kripalu and hope that we can return again next year. 
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One week later as I reflect on the program I am trying to spend more time each day thinking vs just reacting to stimuli around me.     I used to log on to my social media real time and am now trying to significantly cut back and segment my day to leave my phone and toys out of sight.  

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Wendy is a realtor with Coldwell Banker in Needham and truly loves helping people. 

Pet Safety when traveling and at home

According to the North American Pet Insurance Survey over 68% of Americans own pets and this translates into over 85 million families.   A large number of these owners have a dog or cat who they enjoy traveling with.  These pets typically are considered a family member and thus usually are treated as a vibrant part of the nuclear family dynamic.

As a dog owner I was horrified to hear of two separate incidents last week with United Airlines concerning pet travel.  In the first a flight attendant forced a passenger to put her 9 month old puppy in the overhead storage cabinet on a flight going from Houston to New York.  Although if it were me I would have asked to speak with the pilot or would have gotten off the flight, I am not writing to pass judgement on the passenger but to point out the inherent dangers of pet travel.  On the second incident a German Shepard was accidentally flown to Japan instead of its domestic destination of I believe Akron Ohio.

I have put together some travel tips for those planning to travel with a pet.  The Wall Street Journal had a useful article today with many suggestions if you must fly although ultimately recommends making alternative arrangements if you are traveling somewhere short term as travel puts unnecessary stress on a pet.

Below are some useful websites to check before planning your next trip with your pet

Petfriendlytravel.com- list of airline, hotel and other accommodations for traveling with a pet

AAA.com PetBook- before you go by plane, train or automobile, advise on documentation and what you will need to know

ASPCA.org- wide range of health and safety tips to consider for all steps in preparing for safe travel

RedCross.org - insight into how to prepare for an emergency before and during travel

III.org -article on pet safety during an emergence evacuation

Of course, common sense should prevail. After you travel with your pet you will be at your destiny whether it be a new home for you due to a relocation, a hotel. or  you are a guest at someone else's home.  I wrote a blog post about having a pet safe home about a year ago and have some other articles below.   Safety is key and you want to be proactive to be sure you are vetting a safe environment.  

Pet Safety Guide

Sharing Your Home with a Pet

How to Make Your Home Design Pet Friendly

Wendy is a realtor with Coldwell Banker Needham and enjoys writing about issues near and dear to her heart.  She advocates for pet safety and her own pet fits this bill.  She runs a small side business selling light up dog leashes to improve pet visibility (Bella Cose .  For more blog posts or real estate information please visit her blog at www.wendybcb.com.