Annual RVNA Breakfast Auction

It was an early morning celebration at the Annual Ridgefield Visiting Nurse Association Spring Breakfast this morning at The Amber Colonade in Danbury. The breakfast served to bring people together to support a cause bigger than themselves, while providing some light-hearted ribbing as pillars of the community delivered coffee and juice to their friends and neighbors. But above all, the event served to raise critical funds for the organization. After some moving speeches and rowdy auctioneering, the morning adjourned at around 9:30am and was a resounding success!

In today’s healthcare, it is becoming increasingly apparent that home care services, and preventative and rehabilitative services, are of the utmost importance. Few us can say we don’t know of someone affected by a long (or short) term disability requiring rehab. Founded in 1914, the RVNA is a private, non-profit organization dedicated to providing exceptional home and community health services, and supporting public health and safety. Last year RVNA provided 36,802 home care visits, 3574 vaccines, 136 free rides for seniors or those requiring transportation, and put in over 4667 volunteer hours. In addition, the organization offered rehabilitation services, paraprofessional care, medical alert services, care solutions, community health services, travel clinics for those headed abroad, pediatric services, and public health and safety solutions to those most in need.

I wholeheartedly support their wonderful work and I hope you will too. To find out more about the organization, visit the RVNA website.

Get It Sold: Quick Tips For Home Staging

So, you want to sell your home quickly? Then you’d better get staging. One of the most important parts of getting your home ready for the market is making it look like it just stepped out of the pages of a Pottery Barn catalogue. Stop looking at your home through your sentimental eyes and start thinking like a buyer. Would you want to see a picture wall full of kids you don’t know, or a fresh coat of neutral paint that allows you to imagine what a great picture wall you could hang in that space? Here are some quick ways you can spruce up each of the most important rooms in your home and make buyers say “how much?”

Overall – one of the most common problems we encounter is that there is simply too much ‘stuff’ in the home. In general, we recommend moving excess seating, toys, clothing, tables, and personal items to the garage or basement.

Bathroom – it needs to be spotless. Ensure that towels are crisp white and that you clear all of your everyday bathroom necessities off the countertops. Beautify the room with coordinating candles, soaps and flowers.

Bedrooms – whether it’s the master bedroom or the kid’s rooms, the bedding needs to always look freshly laundered. Invest in puffy, decorative pillows and place them on the bed over an inviting comforter. Remove nightstand paraphernalia, and organize and declutter closets.

Kitchen, breakfast areas, and the dining room table – remove everything from the countertops except for a couple of stylish items. Set the table and breakfast areas in an inviting way by laying centerpieces, candles, napkins, place settings and stemware.

Living room – when it really comes down to it, minimalism is the way to go. A couch, coffee table and beautiful floors are enough in most homes. If you have a very large room, an additional couch or loveseat, end tables, and a rug may be in order. If you have a wall unit, mantle or built-ins, make sure to treat each shelf as its own showpiece.

To find out more about how staging affects the perceived value and emotional impact of your home, contact me.

Commuting to NYC

Westport

March Market – Ridgefield

In general, the first quarter of 2013 has shown an increase in unit sales over the same period last year. Homes are selling for approximately 97% of their list price and we are starting to experience multiple offer situations on homes that are show ready and priced properly. Buyers are taking note of the perfect storm caused by low interest rates and finally stable home prices. As the local real estate market begins to rebound, I expect we will see values rise slowly. Unit sales will continue to climb, outpacing recent years.