Wisconsin Real Estate & Wisconsin Living presented by First Weber Group

Are you a luxury home buyer or seller looking for help with buying or selling a luxury home? Check out this video about luxury home online advertising which First Weber offers as a member of Luxury Portfolio, a division of Leading Real Estate Companies of the World.  LuxuryPortfolio.com showcases luxury properties all over the world with sophisticated online marketing for properties listed at $750,000 and up.

Luxury buyers and sellers are different

We understand the luxury home buyer and seller are different and the Luxury Portfolio program we are honored to be a part of offers just that: online marketing created just for the high-end home buyer and seller.

As a luxury home seller, we offer  tasteful exposure for your exceptional property on LuxuryPortfolio.com which tracks statistics of property searches and views in different countries and languages.  For home buyers, you’ll find stunning homes, inspiring photos and a well designed web presentation to peruse. Even if you are just a casual looker, it is fun to look through life in a luxury property.

To learn more about First Weber’s involvement in Leading Companies of the World and Luxury Portfolio, please see the Leading Real Estate Companies of the World website, the Luxury Portfolio website or search for a First Weber agent in your area of Wisconsin to discuss luxury real estate.  You can also watch more Luxury Portfolio videos at First Weber’s Luxury Portfolio Video Channel. No matter where you are or where you are coming from, we can help you buy or sell through First Weber’s  International  Relocation connections with Leading Real Estate Companies of the World.

Thanks for reading the First Weber Wisconsin real estate & Wisconsin living blog about First Weber’s International Relocation connections with Leading Real Estate Companies of the world and our involvement in their luxury property program: Luxury Portfolio.  If we can assist with your luxury real estate needs, please contact First Weber.

A home is a refuge where you can retreat, relax and enjoy a space that is your own. People typically feel safe at home and safety is one reason people buy homes in the first place. Here is an excellent article, excerpted below, that outlines nine tips for increasing home security without having to install an expensive security system:

Nine ways to increase safety at home

• Install peepholes to see who is outside your door before opening it.
• Install Security mailboxes. Once mail is dropped in, a key is needed to open it.
• Install a small safe for valuables and bolt it to the floor.
• Keep windows locked and think about installing wireless window and door alarms.
• Use motion lights around home entryways – perhaps consider solar powered versions.
• Add a second patio door lock at the floor level, or use a bar/board in the track to prevent it from being opened.
• Take a look at your deadbolt and reinforce it.
• Enforce your garage door if it is an inexpensive one. And don’t forget to keep that side garage door locked at night and when you are gone.
• Buy a shredder for sensitive document disposal.

Any or all of these steps are inexpensive options to make your home a safer place, providing peace of mind whether you are at home or away.  We hope you found the tips useful. You can read the entire article at  The Family Handyman.

Thanks for reading the First Weber Wisconsin real estate & Wisconsin living blog about nine steps to increase safety at home – your refuge.  For additional around the home tips including neat decorating ideas, please see First Weber’s Around the Home category.  For home related service providers, you can browse First Weber’s Concierge Desk and of course, for Wisconsin real estate, you can find all you need at firstweber.com.

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The Power of Greenery

Cleaning and preparing your homes for showing is very important. We realize it can be difficult to keep a home in show-ready condition, but it is an effort you must keep up.  In addition to clean and tidy, your home should be welcoming.  You may have heard of the baking cookies or bread smells, burning a candle or putting out fresh flowers.  Those all work and do make a home feel welcoming.  Another thing to consider is greenery and plants.  Well placed and well cared for plants can add a lot to a room.  Take a look at these gorgeous pictures of ferns in the home and see if you get any ideas.

Bathrooms on a budget

Little things can make a big difference. When looking into getting your home for sale, fresh paint is always a good bet.  See how some of the paint choices in this Houzz post make a big statement.  Also, you can create an updated look with simple things such as a new mirror, light fixture, faucet and draw pulls.  You can create a new look without a total makeover. These ideas may be useful to you when preparing your home for sale.  The same concept can be applied to kitchens, too.

Dream home wish list

This is an interesting article on what people wish they had in a home if they were designing one. “Most wanteds” include a covered outdoor room or screened area, a secret passage, motorized shades, a charging station and more. Read the article and let us know what you think?  Houzz always offers wonderful pictures.

Thanks for reading the First Weber Wisconsin real estate & Wisconsin living blog for this week’s around the house tips.  We hope you found them useful for either preparing your home for sale or just making your home a more enjoyable place to be.  If a new home in Wisconsin is in your future, please search Wisconsin real estate at firstweber.com

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Formal dining rooms… Does your home have a formal dining room that you never use for dining? You’re probably not alone.  Here are some decorating ideas to transform an unused formal dining room into a game room, office and more!

Furniture arranging  Is your home’s furniture arranged around the TV or do you try and create a space geared more toward conversations and entertaining? If you’d like to get away from the TV focus, here are a whole bunch of ideas on how to switch up your furniture placement a bit.  Nice tips for getting ready for a party or just on furniture placement in general.

When selling your home, little things count.  The cleanliness of your home, counterspace, neat closets, attractive front door and even annoyances like sticky doors and creaky floors.  Fix/prepare all these prior to putting your home on the market so you really impress buyers when they come in – not give them something to eliminate your home because of.  And it has happened… the buyer cringed thinking about stepping into the creaky-floored bedroom every night and did not buy that condo because it bothered her so much. Things like that should be fixed prior to selling and here are some tips on how.

Some people have a talent for arranging and decorating and some don’t. We hope you find these quick posts useful around the house and thank you for reading the First Weber Wisconsin real estate  and Wisconsin living blog. To view Wisconsin real estate for sale or find a real estate agent in Wisconsin, please see firstweber.com To see additional home tips, please see our Around the House category.

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It’s Spring time in Wisconsin!  The crocuses have come and gone, Brewers Opening Day is less than a week away, the daffodils are up and the Junco’s have left for cooler weather.  Real Estate “FOR SALE” signs are popping up like the dandelions that are sure to follow.

Get your ducks in a row before signing on the dotted line.  What do I mean by that?

1.  Prepare your home for the market and the microscope that buyers will be placing it under.   Pre-Sale home inspections have become increasingly popular over the past few years in response to these economic times.   Better to know up front what a buyer will be asking for than after negotiations have begun.  Make repairs as necessary in order to allow for a smooth transaction.
2. Eliminate all clutter!  Empty out all closets.  Start packing.  Use a corner of the basement to organize the things you can pack up now, before showings begin.  Make certain to NOT pile boxes around the foundation walls.  Buyers want to see what the walls look like.  I don’t have an issue with putting boxes in the middle of the basement – you have to put them somewhere!
3. Touch up all woodwork!  Nothing says “I don’t take care of my home” more than chipped woodwork.  Little things add up and mean a lot.  Those things translate to dollars off the purchase price.
4. Clean, Clean, CLEAN your house.  Hire a professional service if necessary. No one wants to buy a dirty home!
5. Organize your kitchen cabinets and pantry.  Even if you normally don’t live this way, a buyer won’t know that.  When Buyers see an organized home they feel comfortable that the house itself has been maintained during the seller’s ownership.
6. It is no secret that bathrooms and kitchens sell homes.  Eliminate all appliances from the kitchen counter tops for all showings.  Put everything in a large laundry basket and store in the garage until the showing is over.  Re-caulk your bathtub and shower if the caulk has seen better days.
7. Consider hiring a professional stager!  They make a world of difference!!
8. Start your Spring clean-up outside too!  Make your home welcoming from the street.  Plant a few pansies in pots to make a positive first impression.

It is never too early to make a good impression on your buyer.  It starts from the moment they drive up to the house.  Do things that your competition isn’t doing.  Tip the scales in your favor.  It’s easier than you may think!!

Good luck!  And remember, feel free to email me with questions.  I am happy to help!

Fran Maglio Wallace

fwallace@firstweber.com Originally posted at Fran’s personal blog. http://phonefranfirst.wordpress.com/2012/04/02/preparation-the-key-to-selling-your-home/

Thanks for reading the First Weber Wisconsin real estate & Wisconsin living blog for tips on preparing your home for sale. For additional tips on getting ready to sell, please see the Home Seller category on the blog or check out other properties for sale at firstweber.com. Set up a free MyFirst Weber account to get emails on properties like yours: price changes, change in avialability, new listings and more.

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