Tips To Get Your Home Ready For The Sale!

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Posted on 9th September 2011 by jenn in CB Bullard Quick Tip |FSBO Tips

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women cleaning, cleaning, houseworkIf sell, sell, sell has now become your mantra regarding your home and you’re having trouble getting serious buyers, it might be time to consider some easy and affordable staging ideas. Here are ten tips that might factor into you getting that much desired offer. Some require more effort than others, but in total they are very easy on the budget.

  1. Absurd as it may sound, your first task is to extensively clean every room from top to bottom. In short, make Mr. Clean proud!
  2. Assess which rooms could use a new coat of paint, and choose colors that are warm and inviting. Avoid colors that are too bold or dark. Hint: don’t make it feel like a cave!
  3. Rearrange your living room furniture in a non-conventional way, and maybe even remove the TV–just like those darned designers do. (I know, we’re all going, “Oh come on, get real, where is the TV?”)
  4. Remove ALL clutter from every room and put in a storage area that perspective buyers won’t see.
  5. Assess the lighting in the living room and master bedroom, if it seems gloomy; buy some affordable lamps at Wal-Mart.
  6. If you have old pillows on your couch, remove them and buy two that bring warmth into the room.
  7. Remove any wall art that is cute, family oriented, theme oriented, etc. (i.e., sports, animals, collectibles). After fresh paint goes on, the walls can either be left blank or have one large piece of art put on each one. Something that most people would find appealing, like flowers or scenery.
  8. Replace hardware on your kitchen cupboards if it’s old or looks dated.
  9. Remove all spider webs anywhere on the property, and if you have ants or other bugs, spray.
  10. Assess the curb appeal of your house as though you don’t live there. If there is anything in the yard that detracts from the look remove the items completely and put in storage. Here are just a few things that might be decorating (and I use the term loosely) the view: toys, tricycles, birdbaths that are officially “green with envy,” old broken gnomes, furniture that has seen better days, etc. Exchange those decorations for a few colorful plants.

Now it’s time to go make a list and roll-up-your-sleeves—let the work begin and the home sold!

Curious what your home might be worth? Have one of our agents provide you with your home value: Contact Us

6 Things To Consider When Choosing A Real Estate Agent

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Posted on 25th July 2011 by jenn in Atlanta Real Estate |CB Bullard Quick Tip |Georgia Real Estate |Home Buying |Meet Our Real Estate Agents |Uncategorized

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women at the computer, online realtor searchLooking to buy or sell a home? It’s not hard to find a real-estate agent, but it may be overwhelming when trying to find a great agent. There are several things to look for in a good agent.

First, find an agent who works full-time. A full-time agent can be available when the client is available. They are also more available for other agents who may have clients interested in the home. Additionally, a full-time agent is likely to have only one job and they have a greater need to make the sale than a part-time agent.

Second, find a well credentialed agent. A broker typically has more experience than an agent. A realtor belongs to a national association that has an ethical standard. This gives the buyer or seller an extra layer of insurance that the person they are working with has a solid ethical standard.

Third, make sure the agent isn’t a dual agent. This is less common than it used to be. While most agents work equally effectively as a buyer or a seller’s agent, it’s important that they only be acting as one on any given sale. If they have the listing for a home, they should not be the agent bringing in a buyer as well. This avoids any conflict of interest.

Fourth, the agent should work with the types of homes the client is looking for. A client looking at low-end foreclosures would not work well with an agent who specializes in high-end new homes. Likewise, someone selling a condominium may not get the best results from an agent who works primarily with single family homes.

Fifth, the real-estate agent should communicate effectively and listen to the client. There are many different styles of listening and speaking. The client should find an agent who communicates well with them. This includes taking the time to answer questions and address any concerns. No one should feel their agent doesn’t care about their needs.

Sixth, the real estate agent should have a network of inspectors, insurance agents and mortgage brokers they commonly work with and recommend. While it is not imperative to work with any of these people, it helps to know the agent can recommend a qualified professional.

There are many well-qualified real-estate agents who work very well with many customers. It’s important to know that no one agent works well with every single person. It is up to the client to make sure the agent is well qualified and able to work well with them.

You can search through our list of agents by clicking this link, using the “find an agent / office” tab and selecting the area you wish to purchase a home: Find A Georgia Real Estate Agent

Creating Curb Appeal

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Posted on 28th June 2011 by jenn in CB Bullard Quick Tip |FSBO Tips |Georgia Real Estate |Meet Our Real Estate Agents |Uncategorized

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home with curb appeal, georgia home, fayetteville GA home for saleIf you are selling your home, most likely your realtor has talked to you about the importance of curb appeal. The first impression a buyer has of your home is the same as a first impression when meeting you. How likely is it that someone will take you seriously at a job interview if you arrive in dirty clothes, hair that isn’t brushed or wrinkled clothes. Not the best impression. If the lawn isn’t mowed, toys, tree branches or weeds growing out in the lawn … same bad fist impression for your home.

Here are a few things to keep in mind for your checklist:

  • Make sure large bushes are pruned or removed to showcase all of your home
  • Check to make sure your driveway looks good
  • Kill weeds and grass in those sidewalk cracks and driveway cracks
  • Add a new layer of mulch in those flower beds
  • Install lighting (some lighting is solar powered for easy installing) for your pathways and spotlights for focal points
  • Make sure the front door is freshly painted, hand print free and looking clean

These are just a few tips and ideas.  Home Depot created a more detailed list and you can do most of the updating yourself!  (Easy Ways To Create Curb Appeal from Home Depot)

Of course, the picture above is of one our listings by our agent Jim Qualls.  Full listing details here:140 MORNING MIST WAY, FAYETTEVILLE 30215

What Can You Remodel In A Weekend?

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Posted on 24th June 2011 by jenn in CB Bullard Quick Tip |FSBO Tips |Home Buying

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remodel, georgia homes, jonesboro remodelingIt’s getting close to the weekend and you might be thinking of all those home improvement projects you want to do. Where do you start? Do you have the time and the expertise to do a project on your own?

We at Coldwell Banker Bullard Realty decided to put a list of our 5 favorite home improvement books for you. So without further ado, we give you our 5 favorite home improvement books from Amazon.com:

1. What Your Contractor Can’t Tell You: The Essential Guide to Building and Renovating by Amy Johnston. With rave reviews from other Amazon.com buyers, this book walks you from the very beginning thought process of your remodel project down to project closeout. The planning, the financial aspects, the contractor selection – it’s all there!

2. Make It Right: Expert Advice on Home Renovations by Mike Holmes. Who doesn’t love watching Holmes on Homes come in and save the day from homeowners who have employed bad contractors. It’s a great show and you can learn some great tips in each show too. Now you can have Mike Holmes great advice in a book!

3. Black & Decker The Complete Photo Guide to Home Repair: with 350 Projects and 2000 Photos. Who doesn’t like photos? Not only does this book give you a step by step instructions, but Black and Decker gives you photos to go with each project. Seeing is always helpful! That’s why we liked this book.

4. Treehouses and other Cool Stuff: 50 Projects You Can Build - by Jeanie and David Stiles. If only dad had this book when we were kids, imagine the treehouse we’d have then! This book has it all; the tree house, accessories like a tarzan swing and even a list of activities to do in your new tree house. The other cool projects in this book? … a lemonade stand, cootie catcher and a recycled raft – it’s all there! A fun weekend project list for you and the kids for sure.

5. New Fix-It-Yourself Manual: How to Repair, Clean, and Maintain Anything and Everything In and Around Your Home by Reader’s Digest. One of the things we love about Reader’s Digest is it’s simplicity and shorten versions. Well, now Reader’s Digest has put together a great fix-it-yourself manual. Great read to have around your Georgia home!

There you have it! Our 5 favorite home improvement books. We know Georgia homeowners are always looking for ways to improve their homes, make changes and maybe … add a fun lemonade stand on this hot summer!

What was your favorite home remodel project?

Note: Links point to Amazon.com of which we are an affiliate.

You Can Now Search For A Home Based On Lifestyle Needs!

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Posted on 28th March 2011 by jenn in Atlanta Real Estate |CB Bullard Quick Tip |Georgia Real Estate |What's New At CB Bullard

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As we create more and more uses for the internet, we become creative in ways that allow us to help our customers more. Coldwell Banker has designed a great new web tool that allows you to search for a home based on your lifestyle criteria!

Welcome to our new Lifestyle Search Page!

You can now search by lifestyle criteria and rate it’s importance in your search. You rate items such as area amenitys, schools, mass transit and price range. It really helps customize your home search to your specific needs. Once your list is narrowed down, you can contact any one of our real estate sales professionals to schedule a showing of those homes you have a further interest in.

You can start your Real Estate Lifestyle Search by clicking this link: Coldwell Banker Lifestyle Real Estate Search You can find an agent to help you schedule a home viewing appointment by clicking this link: Real Estate Agent Search for Coldwell Banker Bullard Realty

We hope you like this new feature. Have you used it? What do you think about it?

Top 10 Maintenance Tips for Georgia Homeowners

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Posted on 24th February 2011 by jenn in CB Bullard Quick Tip |Home Buying

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Moving into a new home is exciting, that’s why it’s important to start out on the right foot and start caring for your home right away.

Clients often ask us about the most important areas of the home to maintain. So we put together a list of top 10 things to maintain in your new home!

Regularly checking on these areas, you’ll be avoiding more expensive problems down the road:

1. Windows and doors – Be sure to regularly check seals around all your doors and windows to keep drafts out. This simple measure can result in big savings when it comes to your heating and cooling bills. You can look for a local Energy Audit company to see where you may need to make additional changes. An energy audit can also identify areas you may not have considered a problem to your energy bill.
2. Safety devices – Check all smoke and carbon monoxide detectors and replace batteries twice a year. A great tip is to make sure you change your smoke alarm batteries at daylight savings! Also, keep small fire extinguishers in appropriate places such as in the kitchen, the garage and basement areas.
3. Roof – In early fall, check around vents, skylights and chimneys for cracks or leaks and repair or replace tiles as necessary.
4. Gutters – Keep gutters clear of leaves and debris to prevent clogging, and always make sure they drain away from the house. Keeping gutters clear of debris will help keep water away from your home. Check flashings where rooftops may attach to exterior home walls. Proper flashing in these areas will prevent water from coming down rooftops and seeping into walls of the home.
5. Fireplace – Have a chimney sweep assess any fireplaces to check for cracks and creosote build-up that can cause chimney fires. It’s a good idea to have your chimney cleaned annually especially when using your fireplace on a regular basis.
6. Filters – Clean or replace furnace filters once every month or as needed. Some filters will last as long as 3 months – usually the manufacturer recommends the length of time on a filter. Check and clean the dryer vent, air conditioner, stove hood and room fans regularly.
7. Air conditioner – When you cover your outdoor furniture for inclement weather, be sure to cover your air conditioning unit as well. This will protect the air conditioning unit from damage during the fall and winter months.
8. Refrigerator – Test door seals to ensure they are airtight. If you have a coil-back fridge, the coils should be vacuumed twice a year. Don’t forget to clean out under the refrigerator as well.
9. Faucets – Check for leaks in kitchens and bathrooms and replace washers as necessary.
10. Siding and paint – Look for cracks or peeling areas. Repaint or replace caulk as necessary.

These are just a few home maintenance tips to watch for when you purchase your new home. Home Depot has a great “how to” book that provides instructions for home maintenance issues called the Home Depot 1-2-3 Maintenance Book. It’s a great book to have around the house for those smaller maintenance issues.

We hope you enjoy your new home and look forward to helping you keep up with the current market trends.  If you’d like to find out how the value of your home is holding up in this current market – any of our agents would be happy to help you!

Coldwell Banker Bullard Realty Drop-off Location for Toys For Tots Campaign!

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Posted on 23rd November 2010 by jenn in CB Bullard Quick Tip |Press Release |What's New At CB Bullard

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BULLARD REALTY ORGANIZATION AGAIN PROVIDING DROP-OFF LOCATIONS FOR ‘TOYS FOR TOTS’ CAMPAIGN

For the 29th year, the Coldwell Banker Bullard Realty organization’s locations are serving as drop-off points for the annual U. S. Marine Corps Reserve “Toys for Tots” campaign.

The Coldwell Banker Bullard organization and its affiliated companies, Coldwell Banker Commercial Bullard and Coldwell Banker American Land Mart, have already begun accepting contributions. The final pickup of contributions from these offices this holiday season will take place on Tuesday, Dec. 21.

Jim Fulton, managing broker of the Bullard’s Peachtree City/Fayette County office and Coldwell Banker Commercial Bullard, is coordinating the project for the company.

The real estate organization’s offices are serving only as collection points and will not distribute toys, as this is done through local churches, local Department of Family and Children Services offices, or the Marines.

Area residents wanting to contribute can drop off new, unwrapped toys at a Coldwell Banker Bullard office, Coldwell Banker American Land Mart, Coldwell Banker Commercial Bullard, or one of the other collection points, and the Marines will take care of the rest, distributing the toys to needy children through local charitable organizations. The website address for the campaign in the Atlanta area is www.atlantatoysfortots.com.

For those preferring to contribute money to the campaign, a check made out to “Marine Toys for Tots Foundation” will be accepted. Cash donations will help the Marines buy toys at deeply discounted prices, and donations to this non-profit organization are 100 percent tax deductible.

Coldwell Banker Bullard offices are located at 238 Stockbridge Rd., Jonesboro; 4295 Jodeco Rd., McDonough; 201 Prime Point, Peachtree City; 90 Glenda Trace (Ste. M), Newnan; 407 Covington St., Jackson; 9901 Hwy. 19, Zebulon; and 222 Forsyth St., Barnesville.. Coldwell Banker American Land Mart has offices at 889 Commerce Dr., Conyers, and in the McDonough Bullard location, while Coldwell Banker Commercial Bullard is in the Peachtree City Bullard location.

The “Toys for Tots” campaign, which was begun in 1947, has grown from a small project in the Los Angeles area to a nationwide effort. The effort not only helps less fortunate children in the local community, but it also reinforces stronger community relations and patriotism in our future generations. The campaign has the support of a wide array of other organizations, groups, committees, local businesses, and national corporations.

_______________________
Jimmy Booth
706-864-9007
www.jimmybooth.com

Photo Credit: Atlanta Toys For Tots Website

5 Unique Reclaim Ideas For Your Home

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Posted on 2nd November 2010 by jenn in Atlanta Real Estate |CB Bullard Quick Tip |FSBO Tips |Georgia Real Estate

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As we move forward and try to find ways we can recycle, reuse and be more eco-friendly, we found the following 5 unique ideas to share with you. These are great ideas to bring into your new Georgia home!

#1: Wine Barrels: How about using wood from wine barrels?: French and American oak, reclaimed from the winemaking process, gets all it’s color from the wine, no stain. It can be used for furniture, shelves wall panels and doors. We’ve seen these woods used in floors of private wine cellars. Would also look great in your kitchen area! Cliff Spencer has outstanding collections from Wine Oak and reclaimed wood. Check out his site for more design options for the home.
(Cliff Spencer Collections )

#2: Granite: So do we, but what about scrap granite counter tops as patio pavers? That’s what Denali Stoneworks is doing. We think that’s a pretty clever idea!

Utilizing scrape pieces of granite to create fantastic patios and driveways. Patterned designs and always a unique look since its made from scrap pieces, you’ll have a one-of-a-kind look! You can read more about their reclaim project here on Designer Pages.

#3: Leather belts: Think again, Ting of London has created leather rugs and floor tiles out of old leather belts. This company has set out to minimize their environmental impact in their products and with their employees. The leather belt tiles are just a sample of their creations, they also design seatbelt hammocks and bags! Visit their site to see their process for recycled tiles for the home. (How they recycle leather belts into tiles)

#4: Newspapers: Love reading the newspaper and simply recycle the ones you’ve read? How about weaving it into an armchair? Of course we realize that project may take some time and experience, so you could always purchase one from VivaTerra who offer a number of reclaim ideas you can purchase.

#5: Plastic Bags: Lastly, what to do with all those plastic bags from the store? Why not try weaving them into a floor mat? This is a project you can do yourself and maybe a little project for older kids. The design ideas for this are limitless. For a quick “how to” on this check out this eHow article: How to use recycled plastic for mats.

We think these are just a few great ideas for the home. Do you have some projects or ideas of your own to share? Thinking of using these ideas in a new home? Check out Georgia Real Estate Listings with us!

CB Bullard’s Home Quick Tip: 1 Idea For Those Plastic Soda Bottles

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Posted on 5th October 2010 by jenn in CB Bullard Quick Tip |FSBO Tips

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Here is a cute, quick and green project for your home! Making hanging flowers from those plastic soda bottles – it’s quick and easy! Great project for the kids with parental supervision!

Coldwell Banker Bullard’s Quick Home Tip: Glass For Landscaping?

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Posted on 21st September 2010 by jenn in CB Bullard Quick Tip |FSBO Tips

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Always trying new and unique ways to be sustainable and green? We found the following video from Shawna Coronado – The Casual Gardner talking about using glass very interesting. Easy, green and from what we can see … pretty chic!

For more ways on using glass for your landscaping, we found the company EnviroGlas doing some amazing things. Check out their site when you have time!

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