I'm sharing secrets of the trade

HGTV.com just shared their best kept secrets for selling your home. I picked my favorites to share with you but if you want to read the entire article, here it is.

#9 - HALF EMPTY CLOSETS
Taking half of the stuff out of your closet and tidying the rest of it lets potential buyers think that if you have plenty of storage space, they will too. Storage space is important to everyone and if you can make it seem like your home offers alot of it, then your house gets to move up to the top of their Favorite Homes list.

#8 - LIGHT IT UP
Maximizing the light in your house is a very effective way to make your home more desirable. Clean the windows, clean lampshades, dust or remove window coverings, go for a higher watt light bulb, and cut the shrubs to let the sunshine in through the windows. Making your house more bright and cheery makes it more sellable.

#6 - CONCEAL THE CRITTERS
I love my dog and you love your pets, but not everybody else does. It is a turn off to potential buyers to walk in your house and see the slobbery dog dish, smell the litter box, hear the dog barking furiously from the laundry room, or walk out of your house with tufts of pet hair on their clothes. It gives the impression that your house is not clean. Take your critters with you and put the traces of them away when your house is being shown.

#4 - TAKE THE HOME OUT OF YOUR HOUSE
One of the most important things you can do when selling your house is to depersonalize it. The more personal stuff in your house, the less potential buyers can imagine themselves in your house. Remove 1/3 of your stuff, especially personal memorabilia, photos, and keepsakes.

#3 - THE KITCHEN COMES FIRST
The kitchen can make or break a home sale. The benefits of remodeling a horrible kitchen are endless and you'll probably get much of your investment back with your home sale. If you had to chose between spending a few thousand dollars on new kitchen countertops or getting $10,000 less for your home because your kitchen was too outdated, I think you'd pick completing the upgrade. The fastest most inexpensive kitchen updates can be just a fresh coat of paint and new cabinet hardware. Use a neutral colored paint so potential buyers can see their own blank canvas to work with.

#1 - THE FIRST IMPRESSION IS THE ONLY IMPRESSION
Spruce up the exterior of your home. Inexpensive shrubs and flowers go a long way in making your house feel welcome, warm, and safe. You can typically get 100% return on investment on your home's curb appeal expenses. Entryways are also important. Even though you use it for keys, coats, and shoes, when you are selling your house furnish it with a bench, a table, and some flowers.

Hopefully these 'secrets' are helpful in helping you think about what will help you sell your house faster and more easily. If you would like to talk to me about specific concerns with your house I am more than happy to offer you my professional opinion and help. 801 631-3430

PS, you might also enjoy my blog post about 4 easy ways to add value to your home, the smartest remodeling projects, and should I sell. 

Brought to you by Heath @ HeathsHomes.com

Does your parking strip need to be resuscitated?

If that spot between your sidewalk and the street is looking pretty raggedy, now is the perfect time to be taking care of that. Parking strips with lush grass that look perfect are one thing, but most parking strips aren't lush and full and green and pretty. They're sad little extensions of our yards that we as homeowners are responsible for, and they usually look less than ideal.

Here are a few easy steps I found at Sunset Western Gardens that I added to as well, They will help you get yours looking spiffy before the heat of summer hits us. Because face it, you would rather be out there digging in the sweet April warmth than the tough July heat radiating off the pavement.

1. Remove weeds and unwanted plants, which is usually the half-way alive grass. For some stubborn roots and plants, give them a little shot of Round-Up or Killzall.
2. If the soil is compacted and lifeless, you need to till it up and add some compost or well rotted manure as well as a bit of fresh topsoil if needed. (I know that sounds super easy, but we all know that takes some time and some muscle.)
3. Figure out your layout. If it's a long strip, you will for sure want to add some stepping stones, pavers, or a few paths for people, mostly kids, to walk through. Plus, hard-scaped materials like rock, stone, and wood just make landscapes look better.

They add an element of structure, stability, and permanency. Even if your strip isn't really long, a nice path that takes your feet from the road to the sidewalk looks good and it reduces the amount of space you have to plant.

4. Think about smart plants for your space. There may be an existing tree or shrub you can work around or totally remove. Your choice. Is your spot sunny or shady? Is there water readily available or do you need to figure that out? Do automatic sprinklers hit that area or do you need to figure out a soaker hose solution? Will the plants deter or be harmed by snow plows or mail delivery? Do you know how tall or wide your new plants will get? Heber City Ordinances say this about landscaping parking strips:

The area of the street right-of-way between the curb line, or the proposed curb lines as established by the City Street Standard, and the property line (park strip) shall be landscaped, maintained and kept free of weeds by the abutting property owner with any combination of lawn, shrubs, trees, flowers, growing ground cover, small rocks, bark, and non-grouted/non-bonded pavers. Park strips may not be hard surfaced except for approved driveways, bike trails, equestrian trails and walk areas. No objects or plantings shall be placed within the right of way which would obstruct the visibility of street signs or which would obstruct the intersection visibility triangles. Such objects and plantings are deemed a public nuisance.

Heber City also has ordinances for street trees. What kind to plant, what not to plant, where they may be planted in association with hydrants, corners, other trees, stop signs, etc. Click here to visit their website to see this ordinance. Midway City doesn't have any ordinances regarding parking strips other than it is the owner's responsibility to improve and maintain them.

5. Purchase plants and get planting. The best overall look will result from planting in drifts. Choose a handful of plants and buy a few of each one. Plant three of the same kind of plant in a triangle together. This method will get you a a simple, classic and cohesive look. If you want a more bold look, you can plant them more sporadically or perfectly symmetric. 

Sunset Western Garden says you should make your plant selections with these traits: unthirsty, unfussy, persistent, compact height, attractive foliage, tidy growth, variety of textures and shapes, and varied bloom times.

This photo shows moderately carefree, easy, drought tolerant plants. Irises are very easy to grow and get thicker and thicker every year. Their water needs are moderate to low once established and after they are done flowering, their lush green foliage looks great for the rest of the season.

Because we live in Utah, we need to be smart with our plant selections even more than other areas do. There are so many varieties of perennials and shrubs that still look great with less water. When you go shopping, ask the nursery employees and read the tags. Visualize your parking strip area and the amount of water, sun, traffic, and maintenance it will get and make a good choice. 

6. Mulch your area and make sure it gets watered well to establish your plants. If you plant now, by July they will look fuller and more beautiful than if you wait to do this project in the heat of the summer. And of course, you need to weed. Give your new plants the benefit of not having to compete for water or sun with weedy plants.

A spiffed up parking strip at your house will be well appreciated by you and everyone else that gets to walk, bike, and drive past your property. Your enjoyment increases as well as your curb appeal. - Rachel

PS - for a look at some gardening styles you can incorporate into your yard, click here and here.

Brought to you by Heath @ HeathsHomes.com

If there is a remodel in your future, this is a must read.

Let's talk about remodeling. 

There are a handful of reasons people remodel their homes. Maybe a family requires a change in the shape and stage of their home, or they may want to get more enjoyment out of their home so changes are needed to do so. If home owners are not planning on staying in their home for the long haul, they may be trying to get more equity in the home, or they may be trying to impress potential buyers or bring in higher offers.

Whatever the reason, there are smart ways to look at a remodel. In a recent Remodeling Impact Report by the National Association for Realtors, it tells home owners who are looking to sell their home that there are a handful of remodeling projects that appeal most to potential buyers. 

The most desirable indoor projects are:

1. complete kitchen renovation

2. kitchen upgrades

3. bathroom renovations

4. new flooring

However, the interior projects that yield the largest financial return upon the home's resale are:

1. hardwood floor refinishing (one can usually recover 100% of project costs)

2. new wood flooring (about 91% of costs can be recovered)

3. insulation upgrades (76% of costs will be recovered)

4. Bathroom renovations yield the smallest financial recoup, at resale time. About 50% of project costs can be recovered.

According to the report, when the remodel or renovation goes outdoors, the exterior projects that are the most appealing for potential home buyers are: 
1. new roofing

2. new windows

3. a new garage door

4. new vinyl siding

The study also shows that new roofing recovers about 109% of the cost of the new roof when the home is resold. 

Exterior remodeling projects help with curb appeal and the first impression to potential buyers. They can also be extremely satisfying for the home owner as well. 

If you have a remodel on your mind, keep these study results in mind. They may help you direct your efforts where they are best appreciated.

Brought to you by Heath @ HeathsHomes.com

A common misconception among homeowners

Heber Valley homeowners, here is a MAJOR fallacy for you to think about this fall as we head into colder weather. 

'New windows make a home energy efficient.'

Studies are telling us that this is not true. While new windows definitely help with curb appeal, they are unlikely to be super important to a home's energy efficiency. "A window is basically a hole, and a hole is never efficient, " states Laura Stukel, an agent with LW Reedy Real Estate.

In the National Association of Realtors' most recent edition of REALTOR MAGAZINE, there was an article titled 7 Real Estate Ideas That Deserve to Die, where I found this interesting information. So many people think that new windows are the answer to make their home more energy efficient and a great way to save money in the long run. Some window manufacturers are claiming a 50% return on the investment of new windows that the Federal Trade Commission has recently found to be untrue and very unlikely. 

So what is a better investment and a great way to cut energy bills? Insulation. Insulation is probably close to 1/3 the cost of new windows and will give you a better return on your investment. So before you get busy replacing those windows in your home to become more energy efficient, try calling the insulation company first. Owning a home is kind of a big deal, and helping you become a more knowledgeable homeowner is one of my goals.

Brought to you by Heath @ HeathsHomes.com

Add value to your home by using 1 of these 4 methods

Expanding your living space into the great outdoors is one of the top four ways living landscapes can add value to your property and extend the usefulness of your home. 

Yards can be outdoor family rooms and are becoming a more and more important element for those of us that like to spend time outside and provide a safe place for our kids and pets to play outside as well. Merging indoor with outdoor living to increase living space is a huge trend right now and will in most cases increase the value of your home and make it more desirable to home buyers as well as yourself.

Adding curb appeal is something also commonly talked about when discussing ways that living landscapes can add value to your property. A first impression is very important to most home buyers and the front yard and front entry is the ticket. Studies show that improving curb appeal by beautifying the lawn and front landscape can boost property values by as much as 17 percent.

The third way to make your living landscape work for you is by adding trees. Mature trees are a positive point for home buyers. According to the Society of Arboriculture, each mature front yard tree adds 1 percent to a homeowner's sale price and a large specimen tree can add as much as 10 percent to a property's value. That 1 percent may not seem like much, but given that the usual commission of a real estate agent working for you receives 3 percent of the sale price, that little tree investment is pretty awesome.  The research suggests that if you plant 3 trees to increase your price by 3 percent, then you've technically paid for a real estate professional to help you with the contracts, deadlines, and hassle of selling your home.

The other top four method to add value with living landscapes is to actually plant and nurture them. Living landscapes impact monthly utility bills. The U.S. Department of Agriculture tells us that strategically placed trees can save up to 56% on annual air conditioning bills and in the winter, evergreens that block winter winds can save 3% on heating costs. Even your lawn is beneficial and can impact your energy efficiency. According to the Alliance for Water Efficiency, cumulatively, eight average sized front lawns can provide the cooling equivalent to air-conditioning for 18 homes. 

So as you decide what living landscape projects you want to undertake to increase your property value as well as your own outdoor family happiness, consider these statistics from the National Association of Realtors:

Seeding the family yard will recover 417% of the project cost.

Updating a landscape with sod will result in a 143% recovery of costs.

Adding a new patio will recover 102% of the investment.

Building a new wooden deck will recover 106% of the project cost.

It looks like any beautification or enhancement to your outdoor living space will pay off financially as well as let you enjoy the great outdoors to a fuller extent.

To read the full article I found about this topic, please go to www.LivingLandscapes.Matter.com. 

Brought to you by Heath Harvey @ HeathsHomes.com

A Few of the Beautiful Front Yards of Wasatch County

I was driving down center street, minding my own business on May 17th when I saw this beautiful yard. I had to stop and take a picture to send to my mom.  She appreciates a gorgeous spring yard almost as much as I do. The bulbs were in full color-display and were completely showing off. That photo started it - my quest for the prettiest front yards in the valley.

There were other pretty yards beginning to come out of their winter and spring sleep but that one was the best I had seen all year. As the weeks passed and the temperatures warmed up, I began seeing other beautiful yards starting to fill in, so I took pictures of them. I took pictures until July 8th. 

This video is the compilation of those pictures from the past 8 weeks. I have recently driven by some of the yards that I photographed just a few weeks earlier and they are even more gorgeous!  Most of the photos were taken in early June, so I actually missed the grand show that most are displaying now.

So there they are - some of the most beautiful front yards in Wasatch County. I know I have missed some incredible yards; ones that are not on the main roads that I seem to travel on as I take children to various activities. I apologize, I would LOVE to see yours as well. And backyards!  Don't even get me started because I don't want to start jumping fences and running from dogs to see those beauties! 

Thank you Wasatch County for making our valley even more gorgeous with your green thumbs and hard work. If Better Homes and Gardens ever published anywhere in the west besides Denver and San Francisco, they would be proud of you! - Rachel Harvey

Brought to you by Heath Harvey @ HeathsHomes.com

Your home can get a fresh new look with this simple idea - tips and tricks included

Have you heard of the HGTV program called Curb Appeal? It's a great program that focuses on house front facelifts, real life solutions to front entryway problems, eye catching exterior makeovers, and front yard landscape issues. There are 146 videos that are 3 or 4 minutes long you can view online that all deal with adding curb appeal to your home. That is a lot of ideas for you to glean from and make your own to fit your home.

Curb appeal is the first impression your home makes to those that see it as they drive by, pull into your driveway, and walk up your front walkway. It's the attractiveness of your property and it's surroundings as viewed from the street or the curb.

Front yard landscaping, the front entrance, and the condition of the paint or siding are the biggest factors in curb appeal.

A pretty impressive way to add curb appeal to your home is to paint your front door. It sounds a little intimidating, but that punch of color will make you wonder why you didn't do it before now.

Here are three great links to help you learn how to add some curb appeal to your home by changing the color of your front door. There are all kinds of tricks and tips from the right kind of paint, the preparation needed, to when is the perfect time to paint and what to avoid.

1.  DIY Network- Read this before you paint your front door.

2.  All Things Thrifty - How to paint your front door in a snap.

3.  I Am Hardware - Paint your front door and totally like it.
She uses a gel stain for those of you that might think a turquoise door is just too much for you. It looks great!

If you have been itching to paint your front door, now is a perfect time. Be sure to check out the three links above for helpful tips. If your front entryway would benefit from a bigger statement than just painting a door, the link to the HGTV Curb Appeal program will get your creative juices flowing. It's amazing what a difference just a few changes can make in the attractiveness of a home.

Brought to you by Heath Harvey @ HeathsHomes.com