Author: Connie - Gadget Girl

If you’re one of the roughly 15% of people who need (or want) to return a gift you were given over the holidays, consider these tips to make the chore as hassle-free as possible:

Do your research.  Most places with websites list their return policies there.  Checking ahead of time to see what you need to bring with you can save you time in the long run.  Your receipt is another good place to look if you need information about a return policy.  At the very least it should give you your “return by” date in most places.  If the purchase was made online contact the company via phone to see what their policy is and request a pre-paid return label if you don’t have one.

Return in kind.  Return the item exactly how you received it, which means including all bubble wrap, cardboard, instruction manuals, etc.  Many places will not return an item that has been opened, had the tags removed, etc.  So if you think you might return it, don’t open it fully until you’ve made a decision.

Use pre-paid labels.  If you shopped online, use pre-paid labels to return your merchandise for a smooth transaction with no out-of-pocket costs.  Be sure to record the tracking numbers, etc. so you know when you should receive your credit.

Utilize “off” hours.  If you can wait until a week or so after the new year to make your returns, that is best, but if you can’t try to get to the store really early or really late to avoid as much of the crowd as possible.

Happy returning!

If you’re looking to buy or sell 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 like to plan ahead , scoring some major deals after Christmas will put you in a good position for next year.  I’ve done a little research and culled together the best tips for getting the most out of post-Christmas sales:

Make a list.  Take inventory of what you have left and what you think you’ll need for next year’s holiday season.  Things like cards, candles and gift wrap that you go through yearly should definitely make the list, but things like ornaments, lights, and other decorations that may need replacing should also be considered.

Wrapping Paper.  A lot of wrapping paper that is marketed as “Christmas” paper can be used year round – so stock up!

Candles.  A lot of candle scents are marketed as “holiday” but can be enjoyed year round if you just peel of the sticker!

Do Research.  Spend some time looking at the newspaper, sales circulars, and internet.  You can find a lot of coupons and deals and know where to go for the best bang for your buck.

Shop Department Stores.  Department stores have to clear out their excess “holiday” inventory to make room for new arrivals in the near year.  You’ll find a lot of on sale that doesn’t necessarily include holiday accessories.

Winter Wear.  You’ll find a lot of coats, hats, boots, etc. on sale beginning now.

Happy shopping!

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.

 Merry Christmas to you & yours from all of us at Cooper Realty Associates.

As Santa prepares for his whirlwind tour of every house and chimney in the world, NORAD (North American Aerospace Defense Command) prepares to track him, just as they have every Christmas Eve for the pas 58 years!

It all began in 1955 when a Sears Roebuck & Company catalog promised a Santa hotline but misprinted the number and gave the number for what was then the Continental Air Defense Command (now NORAD) instead.  When Col. Harry Shoup fielded the first call that Christmas Eve he was probably expecting the Secretary of Defense, some kind of red alert, or perhaps even the President, but instead he heard a little girl on the other end of the line asking about Santa.  He immediately sprang into gear, instructing staff to check the radar for signs of Santa, and thus a tradition was born.

The official NORAD website explains how they use radar, satellites, Santa Cams, and fighter jets to track Santa in a very high-tech system that begins the moment the NORAD radar indicates that Santa has lifted off.

You can track Santa personally and check the running count of gifts delivered at NORAD’s official website by clicking this link.  Your kids (or you!) can also follow Santa by emailing noradtrackssanta@outlook.com or by phone at 1-877-HI-NORAD, or download the NORAD Tracks Santa mobile app.

Happy Santa tracking & Merry Christmas Eve!

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.

Make one of these delicious breakfasts up tomorrow and stick it in the fridge overnight so that all you have to do on Christmas morning is pop it in the oven.  Easy, delicious and not at all time consuming!  Here are some recipes to try:

Christmas Morning Casserole
Cut 4 English muffins in half and arrange them face up in the bottom of a greased 9×13 pan, cutting to fit when necessary.  In a large skillet, toss 2 medium tomatoes (chopped), 1lb of sliced mushrooms, salt & pepper to taste & 1 tablespoon of olive oil.  Sautee until veggies are tender and the liquid is thickened (8-10 minutes) then spoon over the top of the English muffins and set aside to cool.  In a large bowl whisk together 8 eggs, ½ cup milk, ½ tsp of garlic powder, ½ tsp of onion powder, salt & pepper to taste and 2 tsp of dried basil.  Add to casserole then cover and refrigerate.  In the morning, let the casserole come to room temperature for an hour , then preheat the oven to 350 degrees, sprinkle with the cheese(s) of your choice and bake until cooked thorugh, about 45-50 minutes and serve immediately.

Monkey Bread
Take 3 packages of 10 count packaged biscuits (30 biscuits total) out of their tubes and cut each tube into 4 parts lengthwise.  Shake rolls in a bag with 2/3 cup sugar and 1 tsp cinnamon.  Spray a bundt pan and arrange sugar coated biscuits in the bottom of the pan, creating a layered effect.  Melt 1 cup of butter and mix in 1 cup of brown sugar, 1 tsp of cinnamon and ½ cup of chopped nuts.  Pour butter mixture over biscuits and bake at 350 degrees for 25-30 minutes.  Store in an airtight container and warm the loaf up when you’re ready for it.

Breakfast Burritos
In a large skillet, fry one 16oz package of frozen hash browns  according to the instructions and then set aside.  In the same skillet, brown a ½ lb of pork sausage then drain and set aside.  In a large bowl beat 12 eggs and ¼ cup of milk.  Add chopped onions, peppers and any other veggies you’d like to taste and season with salt & pepper.  In the same skillet that you used for the hash browns, cook the egg mixture over medium heat, stirring occasionally until the eggs are set.  Remove from heat, add the hash browns and sausage and mix gently.  Place ¾ cup filling on a 10” flour tortilla (about 12 tortillas total) and top with ¼ cup of shredded cheddar cheese.  Roll up the tortillas, wrap in foil and refrigerate overnight.  When ready to bake, place on a baking sheet and bake on 350 degrees for 20-30 minutes until heated through and serve with salsa.

French Toast Casserole
Cut 1 (10oz) loaf of French bread into 1” cubes and place in a greased 13×9 baking dish.  In a mixing bowl beat 8 eggs, 3 cups of milk, 4 tsp of sugar, 1 tsp of vanilla extract and ¾ tsp of salt.  Once mixed, pour over bread.  Cover and refrigerate overnight.  In the morning, remove the casserole 30 minutes before baking and dot with 2 tablespoons of butter in small cubes and sprinkle with a mixture of 3 tablespoons sugar and 2 teaspoons of ground cinnamon.  Cover and bake at 350 degrees for 45-50 minutes or until an inserted knife comes out clean.  Let stand for 5 minutes.  Top with maple syrup, honey, whipped cream, fruit, or whatever combination you desire and serve.

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 there are still a few people left on your shopping list, consider these last minute gift ideas:

Hot Cocoa.  Google recipes for homemade hot cocoa and whip a batch up.  Package it in a cute mug with some marshmallows and candy canes for an instant hit.

Edible Bark.  Look up recipes for peppermint bark, chocolate cookie bark, or other edible “barks” and whip up a batch or two.  Package it nicely in a festive bag or tray and tie with a ribbon and you’ll have a whole host of gifts by the end of the day.

Food In A Jar.  There are lots of recipes around for just-add-liquid cookies, soups, and more.  Assemble the ingredients in a mason jar, add a cute tag and you’re done!

Instant Movie Night.  Box up a cozy throw blanket, a couple of dvds and a box of popcorn for an instant movie night.

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.

It’s not too late to do a little holiday baking, if you’re in the mood.  Here are some of my favorite simple recipes that don’t require a whole lot of work:

Peanut Butter Oatmeal No Bakes
Mix together 2 cups sugar, 3 tablespoons of unsweetened cocoa powder, ½ cup of margarine, ½ cup of milk, and a pinch of salt in a saucepan and bring to a rapid boil for 60 seconds.  Remove from heat and quickly add 3 cups of quick cook oats, ½ cup of peanut butter, and 1 tsp of vanilla extract.  Mix well.  Working quickly, drop by teaspoonfuls onto waxed paper and let cool.

Foolproof Fudge
Prepare a 8 or 9 inch square pan with a wax paper lining (wax paper should overflow the edges).  In a heavy saucepan, on low heat, melt 3 cups of chocolate chips, 1 (14oz) can of sweetened condensed milk and a pinch of salt.  Remove from heat, stir in 1 ½ teaspoons of vanilla and any nuts, marshmallows or other additives you desire.  Spread evenly in the prepared pan and chill for 2 hours or until firm.  Lift the fudge out of the pan, peel of the paper and cut into small squares.

Macaroons
Preheat oven to 325 degrees.  Combine 14oz shredded coconut, 14oz (1 can) sweetened condensed milk, and 1 tsp vanilla extract in a large bowl.  Whip 2 extra large egg whites (room temp, not cold) and ¼ tsp of kosher salt in a separate bowl with an electric mixer until medium firm peaks are formed.  Carefully fold the egg whites into the coconut mixture.  Drop the batter onto cookie sheets lined with parchment paper and bake for 20-30 minutes, until they are golden brown.

Chocolate Chip Candy Cane Cookies
These festive cookies are easy to make!  Just whip up your favorite chocolate chip cookie recipe, add 4-5 crushed up candy canes to the batter and bake as directed.

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’re looking for some ideas to fill out your Christmas tree a little bit more, try some of these homemade Christmas ornament ideas:

A Button Wreath.  Use a piece of craft wire and string up any buttons you choose (you will need approximately 50-80 depending on the size of the wreath), create a wreath shape and hang with a ribbon.
Cookie Cutter Ornaments.  Back a cookie cutter with whatever style scrapbooking paper you’d like and hang with a piece of ribbon.
Santa Belly.  Use craft paint to paint a black Santa belt around the center of a red Christmas ball.  When it dries use a white, silver, or gold paint pen to draw on a belt buckle and you’ve got a cute Christmas ornament in a short amount of time.
Glitter Ornaments.  Take a clean, clear craft ornament and put in enough drops of Murphy’s Oil Soap to swirl around and coat the inside of the entire ornament.  Once it’s coated, drain the excess back into the container and pour glitter into the ornament – enough to more than coat the inside.  Once it’s coated, dump out the excess glitter and place it to dry with the top off.  Once dry, use a ribbon to hang or use paint markers to decorate the outside however you’d like.

Bottle Cap Snowman.  For this one all you have to do is take three bottle caps, paint them white and attach them by hot gluing a ribbon up the back of them (use enough ribbon to loop over and hang).  Decorate the insides (front) of the top and middle with markers to make a face, carrot nose and buttons and hang.

Fill An Empty Ornament.  An easy way to make an ornament is to purchase a container of empty clear glass ornaments at the store and fill them with whatever you’d like.  Some easy ideas are: a spring of evergreen, colorful craft pom poms, small photographs, loose leaf tea, dried flower petals, cranberries, baby’s breathe, dried herbs, bath salts, extra Christmas light bulbs, feathers, cut up strips of literature or sheet music, beads, or really anything you can think of!

Have fun and Merry (almost) Christmas!!

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.

With Christmas just days away, the hustle, bustle and stress may be getting to you.  Take some time out of the busy-ness of the season and just enjoy your family.  Unplug, order take out and de-stress with a family fun night.  Focus on quiet activities and not on the never-ending to do list.  Some great ideas are: watching Christmas movies, baking or decorating cookies together, playing board games, or going for a drive to look at Christmas lights – you could even use this amazing Christmas light scavenger hunt idea!

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.

With Christmas just days away, here’s a fun idea:
Make a “Christmas Morning Basket” – include things such as scissors, a box cutter, notepad & pen, camera, video camera, phone charger (just in case!), storage bags (to store small items so they don’t get lost), envelopes for each family member (for money or gift cards), extra batteries, hot chocolate packets, special snacks, and anything else you might need for your family’s Christmas morning traditions.  Put everything in a nice basket, add a festive ribbon, and stick it under the tree for easy access on Christmas morning!

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 like me then long after your Christmas shopping is done you still have to take care of the stocking stuffers.  Here is a list of 50 great stocking stuffer ideas for anyone on your list:

1. Earbuds
2. Inexpensive gift cards to places like Starbucks, McDonalds, iTunes, etc.
3. Favorite candy bar
4. USB drive
5. Gum
6. Book Light
7. Fuzzy Socks
8. Toothbrush
9. Lip balm
10. Winter hat
11. Tic Tacs
12. Batteries
13. Key ring
14. Hot Chocolate packets
15. Comb
16. Lifesavers
17. Hand sanitizer
18. First aid supplies such as band-aids
19. Markers
20. Mini flashlight
21. Bubble Bath
22. Water bottle
23. Movie Tickets
24. Underwear
25. Gloves
26. Magnets
27. Pens/pencils
28. Magazine
29. Rubix cube
30. Travel size game
31. Umbrella
32. A good book
33. Roll of coins
34. Magnets
35. Lottery ticket
36. Tote bag
37. Fun post-it notes
38. Card game
39. Playdoh
40. Deodorant
41. Puzzle Book (Sudoku, Crossword, etc.)
42. Homemade coupon book
43. Silly String
44. Snacks
45. Dental floss
46. Sunglasses
47. Fruit
48. Lollipops
49. Shower pouf
50. Ornaments

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.

With Christmas just days away, you may be doing a lot of holiday entertaining.  Here are a few inexpensive and relatively easy decoration ideas you can do in an afternoon:

Create an Ornament Wreath.  All you need for this one is a styrofoam wreath and about 100 glass ball Christmas ornaments (you can get lots at the dollar store to keep costs low!).  Find the instructions for this simple & gorgeous creation here.

Candy Cane Vase.  Slide a thick and close-fitting rubber band over a cylindrical vase and slide candy canes between the vase and rubber band one by until the vase can no longer be seen.  Once the vase is fully covered, tie or hot glue a ribbon around it to hide the rubber band.  Fill the vase with a favorite flower, evergreen branches, or whatever your heart desires.  (See above photo.)

Decorate Your Kitchen.  Choose a thick, holiday inspired ribbon and “wrap” your kitchen cabinets by running the ribbon over the top and bottom and taping the ribbon to the insides of the cabinets.  This is a simple & elegant decorating idea that can fit any taste or budget!

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.

With Christmas just days away, here’s a few helpful preparation tips:

Prepare the gifts.  If you have young children, prepare any before wrapping them.  Open the box and remove the “childproof” wires and such that most toys contain.  Add batteries if necessary, and clear out any unnecessary packaging then rebox the toy and wrap it.  This will prevent the toy from getting broken or fingers from getting pinched in the rush to play with new toys!

Keep the receipt.  As you do your shopping, keep an envelope for all receipts and keep it in your purse or wallet until all gifts have been given.  This way you have the receipt handy if something needs to be returned or exchanged and you are not frantically trying to remember where you put an important slip of paper.

Go around.  To avoid losing gifts, money, and small pieces of new toys clean up the wrapping paper after each round of gift opening.  Give each member of the family a gift to open.  Take turns opening and then immediately clean up the trash from that round before handing out new gifts.

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 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!

 

Creating a weekly routine that works for you is the best way to keep your house clean.  Here’s a list of chores that should be done once a week to keep your house in the best possible shape.  Assign one room to each day of the week, and viola! you’ve got a weekly cleaning schedule that will help you keep your whole house spic and span in less than an hour each day!

Each Day
-wash and put away dishes
-wipe down kitchen and bathroom counters
-wipe out kitchen and bathroom sinks

Kitchen
-mop the floor
-wipe down cabinet doors and the exterior of the appliances

Bathroom
-polish fixtures
-scour the tub
-disinfect the toilet and wipe down the base
-mop the floor

Living Spaces
-dust shelves, furniture, and trinkets – don’t forget the things hanging on the wall!
-vacuum carpets and mop hard-surface floors

Bedrooms
-same as living spaces, plus
-wash bed linens

And don’t forget to sweep and de-clutter your front entry area/foyer each week too!  If you don’t like the idea of spending one day per room you can always change it up and do the kitchen one day, bathroom one day, and then spend one day dusting all rooms, one day vacuuming, and one day mopping all hard-surface floors!  Adjust as needed and do what works best for you!

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.

When you are looking to sell your home, the most important relationship to cultivate is the one with your agent.  A local agent who is smart, prepared, and aggressive can be the difference between making settlement and continuing to make mortgage payments.  Although you should keep in mind that agents are not magicians, (even the best agent is not going to be able to sell a home that is not market friendly when it comes to price and preparation), working with one is definitely in your best interest as a seller. Here are 3 reasons that you should consider listing your home with a Cooper Realty agent:

1.       We know what people are looking for.
Cooper Realty agents work with a lot of people looking to buy in the area and have seen a lot of local homes.  We’ve seen it all, and we know what sells and what doesn’t!  I’m sure you’ve heard that when you’re trying to sell your home it is important to find “comparables.”  At Cooper Realty we have seen those comparables first-hand and will translate that experience into advice on how to best price, stage, and market your home.

2.       We know how to market in this area.
Agents at Cooper Realty know the protocol of selling a home in this area and can use it to your advantage as a seller.  For example, we know what day/time is best to hold an open house in the area that you are trying to sell.

3.       We know people.
Agents at Cooper Realty will get the word out about your home in a way that nobody else can.  We have been through this process before and have relationships with other agents, inspectors, appraisers, and lenders that might come in handy.  Local agents (such as those at Cooper Realty) are also likely to be members of the Chamber of Commerce, a school board, town council, or other local agency.  We also have friends, neighbors, colleagues, and acquaintances in the area.  All of these networks can potentially translate into more traffic for your home.

Now that you know why you should list your home with a local agent, give Cooper Realty Associates a call and let us help you get your home on the market!  We are Southern Delaware’s best local agents – we know what people are looking for, how to market it, and we have the contacts that can get your home sold!   Call us today – 302-644-2266!