Author: Connie - Gadget Girl

If you’re hanging curtains try these three tips:

1.  Hang high.  Hang your curtain rods at the ceiling and add floor length drapes, even if your windows aren’t floor length.  This draws the eye up and gives the impression of enlarging the room.

2.  Go full.  Using full height window treatments on small windows give the illusion of a larger window.

3.  Utilize Architecture.  Use curtain rods and other window treatment hardware with some architectural interest to add some drama to the room.

Thinking of buying or selling a home in Sussex County?  Give us a call at Cooper Realty Associates and put us to work for you – 302-856-6434.

1.  Know the Safety Standards and Zoning Codes
Make sure all access points meet safety standards – do the stairs from the inside of the house meet building codes?  Are there any exterior entrances or does there need to be?  Is the ceiling high enough?  Will any structural support be altered?  Is there enough airflow?  Have you gotten any permits that you need for the work you’re planning to do?  And if you’re planning to refinish your basement as a rental unit, you will need to check with your local municipality to be sure that rentals are allowed in your neighborhood.

2.  Make Sure It’s Dry
Lots of basements flood.  If you want to finish your basement, you need to make sure the exterior of your house has good drainage.  If you have an older house, this is especially important.  If you’ve recently purchased your house, consider living in it for a year before making any plans to finish the basement.  See what it’s like in all seasons, so that you know what kind of moisture issues you are dealing with.  If your basement has moisture issues, take care of them before you do any finishing work.  Whether you need to install a drain, re-landscape for better drainage, reroute your gutters, install a sump pump, or waterproof the exterior of your house, not taking care of the issue before you finish your basement is like throwing time and money down the drain.

3.  Decide What It Will Be Used For
Finishing a basement just to have it finished is a bad idea.  Decide beforehand how the space is going to be used.  Will it be a family room?  An office?  Converted into bedrooms?  A media room?  A game room?  Your plans for the room will factor into your design and ultimately the amount of time and money it takes to do the work.  For example, a game room might just need some walls, flooring, and paint.  But more extensive projects will require you to think about electrical wiring, plumbing, and ventilation well in advance of starting the project.

4.  Decide How You’ll Weather-proof
There is no sense in refinishing an area that is too cold to use in the winter and too hot to use in the summer.  There are many different methods of insulating, and you should research them to decide what type will work best for your house.  In addition to insulation you want to make sure you have the proper heating and/or air conditioning installed in the space as well.  This might mean rerouting or adding duct work to your home, installing small wall units, or even upgrading your home’s existing system if it is not equipped to handle heating or cooling the extra space.  Again, you will want to do all of this research before you start any work so that you don’t end up with any big, unexpected costs, or worse, a lovely finished basement that can only be used for a few weeks out of the year due to climate control issues.

5.  Decide on the Finishing Touches
There are so many options for finishing the ceilings, walls, and floors of your newly improved space that you will want to do some research ahead of time.  A lot of these choices will depend on what you plan on using the space for (see #3), and I’m not suggesting you have every last detail down to your paint colors chosen before you start any work.  It is in your best interest, however, to do some research and narrow down your decisions ahead of time.  Putting this thought in before any work begins will prevent your costs from skyrocketing at the very end of the project.

Basements are versatile rooms that add useful living space to any home, but refinishing them poorly is not only a waste of money, but can also detract from the value of your home.  Spending time planning, researching, and fixing any existing issues before you begin work will save you a lot of hassle and money in the long run!

Are you looking for a new home?  (Perhaps one with a basement that is already finished?)  We’d love to help you find your dream home.  Give us a call at Cooper Realty Associates – 302-644-2266 and put us to work for you!

According to several surveys updating a tired bathroom is the single best project to undertake before selling your home.  But all updates are not considered equal… some updates have a better return on investment than others.  If you can’t afford an entire room make-over you definitely want to replace the sink and faucet.  This sets the tone for the rest of the room, and although it can be costly, it also returns the entire investment plus some upon sale.  After the sink and faucet, changing out the counters and vanity for something function but stylish and replacing the flooring both offer a good return on investment.  If you still have some room in the budget, replacing your current toilet with a water saving model and replacing a worn tub/shower with something is also a good idea, but if you can’t do it all these are the two areas you will want to skip for sure.  It is often said that buyers make offers based on the kitchen and bathrooms, so if you have the budget for a project, making your bathroom a buyer’s dream before you sell is well worth it!

Thinking of buying or selling a home in Sussex County?  Give us a call at Cooper Realty Associates and put us to work for you – 302-629-6693.

If you need to freshen your floor in a relatively quick and easy way, try one of these three options:

1.  Carpet Tiles.  Carpet tiles are relatively easy to install and can define an area or add color to a room instantly.

2.  Area Rugs.  If you have an open floor plan, using different area rugs will define separate areas quickly without too much trouble.

3.  Laminate Flooring.  In hard to maintain areas like a mudroom, bathroom, or laundry room, consider light-colored laminate flooring.  It is easy to install and even easier to maintain.

Thinking of buying or selling a home in Sussex County?  Give us a call at Cooper Realty Associates and put us to work for you – 302-856-6434.

There are many reasons to downsize.  Maybe your kids are all grown and out of the house, maybe you are retiring, maybe you hate keeping up with the yard and housework, maybe you’re tired of spending so much money to heat and light rooms that you rarely use.  Whatever the reason, downsizing is typically a part of everyone’s life at some point.  When you’re ready to downsize the first thing you should do is evaluate your finances and your credit to see what you can afford.  After that you should make a “wish list” for your new home.  Ask yourself all the same questions you asked yourself when you bought your previous home and prioritize the things you want and need in your new home.  Finally, begin to tour homes.  Homes with less than 1200 square feet and condos are the best bets for those looking to downsize.  Of course, with downsizing the real estate adage of “location, location, location” still holds true.  And when it comes to school district, remember that even if it doesn’t matter to you, it may matter when it comes time for you to sell.  Finally, when it comes time to move remember that you are going to have to get rid of both furniture and stuff.  Downsizing can be difficult, especially if you have a lot of “things” that you are attached too.  A good rule of thumb is to sell, donate, or pass on anything that you haven’t used in the past year.  If your kids are still storing things at your home give them a time frame to remove their goods before they get donated.  And don’t forget about scale of your items too.  If your furniture is oversized, you will want to sell it and buy new, smaller pieces for downsizing.  In a large home, oversize furniture is cozy, but in a small home it is cramped at best and at worse doesn’t even fit.  Downsizing can be stressful, but when it is all said and done it is so much nicer to have less to take care of, and the lower utility bills that generally come with downsizing are a nice perk too!

Thinking of buying or selling a home in Sussex County?  Give us a call at Cooper Realty Associates and put us to work for you – 302-644-2266.

A lot of times when people are remodeling, they look to cut costs wherever they can.  However, a penny saved is not always necessarily worth it.  Cutting corners on the finishes of your home such as paint, plaster, the floors, the ceiling, the roof, or anything else that you notice on a daily basis can leave you with a sloppy looking house.  If you are remodeling, the best option is to put aside a set portion of your budget for the finishes before the project even begins.  Otherwise, you may begin running out of money just as the job is wrapping up, which will tempt you to cut corners on all of the visible portion of your job.  The better way to cut costs is to look for bargains on items such as lumber, piping, wires, etc.  As long as the unseen portions of your job are safe, sufficient, and up to code nobody will notice if you cut corners, but when it comes to flooring, roofing, painting, and so on you should definitely make sure it’s done well, even if it means not getting a bargain, otherwise it won’t matter how much you spent on the remodel because what you look at daily will seem cheap.

Thinking of buying or selling a home in Sussex County?  Give us a call at Cooper Real Estate Associates and put us to work for you – 302-644-2266.

Wanting to go green with your cleaning products?  Try these well rated solutions:

1.  All Purpose Cleaner.  With gloves on, mix 1 tsp. washing soda, 2 tsp. borax, 2 Tbsp. white vinegar, 2 ½ cups hot water, 5 drops lavender essential oil & 7 drops of lemon essential oil in a 32-oz spray bottle.  Shake well, add ¼ cup liquid castile soap & shake again.  Once mixed, use as you would any multi-purpose pray.

2.  Glass Cleaner.  With gloves on, mix 3 cups water, 2 Tbsp. rubbing alcohol, and ¼ cup white vinegar into a 32-oz spray bottle and shake well.  Add ½ Tbsp. liquid castile soap and shake again.  Spray onto windows and wipe clean with newspaper.

3.  Furniture Polish.  With gloves on, mix 2 Tbsp. olive oil, ¼ cup white vinegar, and ¼ tsp lemon oil or fresh lemon juice in an 8-oz squirt bottle and shake well.  Make sure it is very well mixed.  Squirt polish onto a microfiber cloth and polish wood furniture with the grain.  Remove excess polish with a clean microfiber cloth.

4.  Toilet Bowl Cleaner.  Pour ½ cup baking soda into the toilet bowl.  Follow with 10 drops of tea-tree essential oil.  Follow oil with ½ cup white vinegar.  Let sit and bubble for 10 minutes then scrub with a toilet brush and flush.

5.  Laundry Soap.  With gloves on, mix ½ cup washing soda, ½ cup borax, and 1 bar of lavender castile soap (grated), ¼ cup baking soda, and 15 drops of lemon essential oil in a tightly lidded 24-oz plastic container.  Cover, shake well, and use 3 Tbsp detergent per load.  This detergent is HE friendly, but don’t use too much.

Thinking of buying or selling a home in Sussex County?  Give us a call at Cooper Realty Associates and put us to work for you – 302-644-2266.

If you’re got mold issues in your home, consider these tips for cleaning it up.

1. Use soap & water.  If mold only occupies a small area of the home you can clean it up with soapy water and a lot of elbow grease.  Allow the area to dry completely and repeat if necessary.  Once the area is completely dry, repaint the area.  This strategy is only recommended for mold that covers an area less than 10 square feet.

2.   If you don’t feel that soap is strong enough, try mixing 1 cup of bleach into a 1 gallon of warm water and scrubbing with that.  Just know that although bleach kills mold, dead mold spores can still be dangerous.  Again, this method is only recommended if the mold covers an area less than 10 square feet.

3. Hire a professional. If mold occupies large areas in your home it is best to have it removed by someone with experience so that it can be truly taken care of so that it doesn’t recur.

Thinking of buying or selling a home in Sussex County?  Give us a call at Cooper Realty Associates and put us to work for you – 302-644-2266.

If you’re looking to save money, try these tips to cut the cost of your homeowner’s insurance:

1.  Raise Your Deductible
Your deductible is the amount you agree to pay before insurance kicks in to cover any claim.  Raising your deductible from $100 to $1,000 can save you up to 25% on your insurance premium.

2.  Bundle Your Policies
By combining your homeowners insurance with your auto insurance policy you can qualify for a discount of up to 10%.

3.  Get Rid of Coverage You Don’t Need
If you don’t live in an earthquake zone, then earthquake coverage is just costing you more money.  Same thing goes for flood insurance, jewelry policies, and more.  Comb over your coverage and dump the unnecessary parts to lower your premium.

Thinking of buying or selling a home in Sussex County?  Give us a call at Cooper Realty Associates and put us to work for you – 302-644-2266.

Many people don’t realize that the term “first time homebuyer” is not necessarily a literal one.  If you are interested in taking part in a state or local program for a first-time homebuyer, you should research the true definition according to the individual program.  Some programs define a first-time home buyer as someone who has never owned a home in that specific area or who hasn’t owned a home in that area within the past three years.  Most of the time this means if you owned a home more than three years ago in the same area or even if you currently own a home outside the area covered by the program you can still be considered a first time home buyer.  There can be many other obstacles to qualifying for first-time home buyer assistance, but understanding that you could possibly qualify is the first step.

Thinking of buying or selling a home in Sussex County?  Give us a call at Cooper Realty Associates and put us to work for you – 302-629-6693.

A short sale occurs when a home sells for less than the seller owes on it.  In this case, the bank agrees to the loss they will take by agreeing to the sale price.  A short sale helps a seller avoid foreclosure which could ruin their credit report.  Short sales can be a significant bargain, but in reality they are anything but short.  As a buyer you will have to be very patient should you decide to purchase a short sale property.  Not only will you have to agree to a price and terms with the sellers, but then the bank also has to agree to all of the same terms, which can take up to months.  In addition, it is not likely that you will be able to write any contingencies into your contract.  Any negotiation you want to do will probably not work in your favor since the bank will already be losing money and only cares about the bottom line.  If you go the short sale route, keep in mind that just because you and the sellers agree on the terms of the sale doesn’t mean that the house is yours.  Lenders approve less than 50% of all short sales, so you may spend months waiting on news only to be answered with a big, fat no.

If a short sale does work for you, be sure you are getting a clear title to your home.  It is helpful to have a good agent and real estate attorney on your side to help you through all the contractual nightmares that a short sale can bring.

Short sales are not for everyone, but if you are willing to be patient then they can pay off big-time.

Thinking of buying or selling a home in Sussex County?  Give us a call at Cooper Realty Associates and put us to work for you – 302-644-2266.

If you’re trying to decide whether to keep renting or buy a home, consider the following questions:

1.  Where will you be in the next 5 years?  If you buy a home, you need to live in it long enough for it to appreciate in value.  If you end up moving, changing jobs, or anything else unexpected comes up, selling a home quickly can result in loss of money.

2.  How’s my credit?  Look into your credit and the credit of your partner if you are buying together and take steps to fix any discrepancies before applying for a mortgage.

3.  What’s the expense?  In addition to the down payment and cost of the mortgage, consider the expense of insurance and taxes, monthly upkeep and maintenance as well as any necessary repairs.

4.  What’s the market like?  Don’t just look at the current market, take into account over the past few years too.  Resist the urge to pay more than you should for a home and keep in mind that the more quickly you have equity in your home, the less of a burden it is.

5.  Plan your exit.  Decide what you will do if and when the time comes for you to move.  Keep in mind that you will not be able to sell for a profit until home values rise in your market or until you’ve lived there long enough to have equity in your home.

Thinking of buying or selling a home in Sussex County?  Give us a call at Cooper Realty Associates and put us to work for you – 302-856-6434.

If you google home remodeling, it’s easy to come across lists of which improvements give you the most bang for your buck and which improvements will be difficult to recoup in selling costs should you ever decide to move.  However, if you know you’re going to be in your home for the long haul, should renovating be about what works best for your family and not what is going to get you the most money if and when you ever decide to sell?

If your object in remodeling is to enjoy living in your home even more than you do now, then consider a few of these improvements instead of some of the more traditionally encouraged renos:

1.  Rethink bathrooms
There are a few ways you can get creative if you’re looking to change up your bathrooms.  First, consider sharing the master bath.  Meaning, position the floor plan so that the tub and sink are accessible to the rest of the house.  This can prevent you from needing a separate half bath.  Think about it!  How often do you use the toilet/sink portion of your master bath during the day?  You could always have a second sink in the “master” portion of the master bath as well.  That’ll still save you money!

Another idea is to do a similar thing with a second bathroom.  Tuck the toilet and shower away, and have a nice double sink in a separate attached area.  This will allow three people to get ready at once without needing three separate bathrooms!

2.  Consider a walk-in pantry or two
Cabinets can be very expensive and depending on how tall you are and how they are positioned, can also be a pain to utilize efficiently.  Consider using kitchen wall space for windows and building a couple of walk-in pantries instead.  They save space, store a lot more stuff in a more convenient configuration, and they cost less to build than cabinets do to install.

3.  Shower vs. Bath
The idea of a big bathtub is nice, but unless you use it often, it’s probably not worth the space it’s in.  Consider installing a large shower instead.  You will use it more often, guaranteed!  Plus, it takes up less space and saves you money since it uses less hot water.

4.  Skip the vaulted ceilings
Unless you are absolutely convinced that the drama of a vaulted ceiling will make your life better, consider skipping it.  It might add square footage, but it isn’t square footage you can actually use.  Rooms with high ceilings are harder to clean and decorate and cost way more money to heat and cool as compared to rooms with average ceilings.  If you really want high ceilings, go for the 10 foot ceiling and cap it there.  There are plenty of tricks for adding the illusion to height of a room if you feel too claustrophobic.

5.  Go for the view
If you have a great view somewhere, capitalize on it!  Instead of placing a couple of windows in each room, choose a room that faces the view and put (almost) all of your windows there!  Trust me, you won’t regret it.  One of the most beautiful homes I’ve ever been in was in Alaska.  It was not that fancy or that large, but two walls of windows in the living room looked out over one of the most amazing views I’ve ever seen!  I just wanted to sit in that living room all day long and stare!  I still drool when I think about that otherwise plain house.

Thinking of buying or selling a home in Sussex County?  Give us a call at Cooper Realty – 302-644-2266!

When you are buying a home, the industry standard is a 30-year mortgage.  However, if you can swing it there are definite advantages to a 15 year mortgage instead.  The biggest benefit of a fifteen-year mortgage is, of course, that you pay your home off in half the time and wind up saving a lot of money in interest.  In addition you will also accumulate equity in your home faster as you pay off the principal, which could free you up to take out a home equity loan if needed.  Of course, you shouldn’t bury yourself to be able to afford a fifteen-year mortgage.  Remember that you don’t want to spread yourself too thin… your home should not be your only source of savings.  You also want to make sure you can save for retirement and emergencies each month.

Thinking of buying or selling a home in Sussex County?  Give us a call at Cooper Realty Associates and put us to work for you – 302-644-2266.

The idea of flipping a home is less popular now than it was a decade ago, but it’s still out there.  If flipping a home is something you’ve ever thought of, here are three tips for you:

1.  Remember the 70% rule.  In order to profit from your purchase, take the price that the home will sell for after renovations and factor 70% of it.  Subtract your renovations from the 70% and that leaves you with the maximum price you should pay for the home.

2.  Remember the rules.  If you’re considering a short sale or REO because of a great deal, be sure to research the Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac guidelines that restrict resale of such properties within a set amount of time from the original sale.

3.  Remember the inspection.  Even though you intend to flip the home you buy, you should not forgo the home inspection.  You will want to know if there are hidden problems that are more of commitment than you are financially prepared for.

Thinking of buying or selling a home in Sussex County?  Give us a call at Cooper Realty Associates and put us to work for you – 302-629-6693.

They key to successful staging is a clean & clutter free space that prospective buyers can imagine themselves living in.  If it is done well, nobody will be able to tell you’ve done anything at all!

Bathroom:  Remove personal items such as toothbrushes, make-up, hair products, etc. from counter space.  Be sure the entire room is clean, and invest in a new shower curtain and some hand towels.  (Do NOT stack towels, tie them with a ribbon, fold the toilet paper into a pocket and put flowers in it, or in any other way make your home bathroom look like a maid from a luxury hotel cleaned it.)

Kitchen/Dining Room:  Be sure the table and chairs and clean and clutter free place a simple centerpiece on the table – a vase of fresh flowers is always a nice touch!  Be sure that kitchen counters are clear and clutter free (put any large appliances away in cabinets or closets) – a simple bowl or basket of fruit gives a clean, open look – go for multiple colors! (Do NOT set the table with a full place setting!)

Bedroom:  Invest in nice bedding and be sure there are night tables on each side of the bed.  For the master bedroom include a dresser and chest of drawers.  If the room seems crowded, use a double bed and put your larger bed in storage for the time being.  (Do NOT drape a throw, stack multiple books on the end table, or place any kind of tray on the bed or otherwise stage in a way that in no way reflects the way you live!)

Thinking of buying or selling a home in Sussex County?  Give us a call at Cooper Realty and put us to work for you – 302-644-2266.

Freshen your kitchen with one of these relatively quick and easy updates:

1.  Open it up.  Add some open shelving, which can be as simple as removing the doors from a few cabinets and show off your colorful, collective, or otherwise interesting or beautiful dishes.

2.  Go glamorous.  Add a beautiful or interesting chandelier over an island or kitchen table too add some architectural interest to the room.

3.  Add some red.  The color red is known to enhance the sense of smell, sensitize the taste buds, and stimulate appetite.  If your kitchen is neutral, add a splash of this appealing color to the room’s palate.

4.  Organize.  Fit your silverware drawer with dividers, add a pot rack, and fit disorganized cabinets with wire shelving to clear the clutter and keep things neat.

5.  Add an artful touch.  Tile a backsplash for a simple, relatively inexpensive custom touch.  To keep costs down choose a simple tile and throw in just a few accents.

Thinking of buying or selling a home in Sussex County?  Give us a call at Cooper Realty Associates and put us to work for you – 302-644-2266.

Consider these professional storage tips to declutter your home:

1.  Sliding drawers.  Add shelves on rollers to any deep, difficult to access storage space, such as a linen closet.

2.  Divide and declutter.  Set up busy drawers like nightstand drawers and junk drawers with compartments to keep things organized.

3.  Mobile office.  To help tame clutter keep your office mobile.  A cart with wheels allows you to move about and work wherever you want, but it also limits the amount of clutter you can stow, keeping you organized and clutter-free.

Thinking of buying or selling a home in Sussex County?  Give us a call at Cooper Realty Associates and put us to work for you – 302-629-6693.

Whether you believe it or not, the front door of your home is a powerful tool to help you sell.  Your front door provides the first impression for everyone who comes to your home and helps them form an opinion of your home before they ever even come inside.  To help give your home the grand entrance that architecturally appealing homes have, first you need to be sure that your entrance is apparent from the street.  This doesn’t mean it has to be magnificent, just that any old person passing by needs to be able to identify it.  Some ways to do this are add a pediment, trim it out, or place it under a roofed porch.  An unsheltered front door should never be flush with the house – that will give it the look of a side door.  At the very least the front door should be recessed or projected from the house a noticeable bit.  For the most welcoming atmosphere, provide a separate path for walking to your front door and keep electric meters and other utilities, garbage cans, or other unfortunate outdoor storage areas out of the path and vision of your entrance area.  Remember, a great front entrance means a better first impression, which can mean an easier sale!

Thinking of buying or selling a home in Sussex County?  Give us a call at Cooper Realty Associates and put us to work for you – 302-644-2266.

Whether you’re a die-hard do-it-yourselfer or you just tackle a project occasionally, here are five tools you definitely need in your arsenal:

1.  Multi-bit Screwdriver.  A screwdriver with interchangeable bits will tackle pretty much any job you will encounter and is a definite necessity in every homeowner’s tool kit.

2.  Cordless Drill.  Second only to the interchangeable screw driver in usefulness, the cordless drill is a versatile and necessary part of any tool kit.

3.  Tape Measure.  A tape measure is the first tool you use in many projects, but you don’t just need any tape measure.  A quality tape measure is worth its price in the time it saves with improved accuracy.

4.  Quality Level.  A weighted level/straight edge is a definite must for all kind of projects from hanging photos to heavy repairs, and a magnetic level can be even more useful.

5.  All Purpose Saw.  There are many options for a small, power saw, so you just need to find a versatile one that you are comfortable with and learn to use it.

Thinking of buying or selling a home in Sussex County?  Give us a call at Cooper Realty Associates and put us to work for you – 302-644-2266.