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RE/MAX real estate Newsletter - November 2018 Edition
In This Issue
Getting your home tidied up for the holidays can feel overwhelming when your home is at its messiest. But what if it never got to its messiest in the first place? Get into these clean-home habits, and you’ll be halfway to holiday-ready (or anything-ready) all year.
Cleaning Your House for Guests: A Checklist
Countdown to a perfectly clean guest-ready home no matter how much — or little — time you have.
Could You Pass a Real Estate Exam?
Regular People Take A Real Estate Exam
Are men or women buyers more likely to compromise?
Real estate is all about compromise. Did you know that 76 percent of all sellers make at least one concession or compromise?
Toast to the Season with Lehigh Valley Libations
Cozy up during the holiday and winter seasons with a beverage crafted from spirits made right here in Lehigh Valley.
Print-'Em-Out Checklists for a Holiday-Ready Home
It feels great to have a clean, organized, well-functioning home when you’ve got guests coming. Especially around the holidays. It’s like your gift to you.
Here’s how to get that satisfying feeling — no matter how much time you have. Just choose your starting point on this checklist:
Three (or More) Weeks to Go
Think big picture. Get anything that requires a pro or installation out of the way now. No one wants calamity to strike when guests are pulling into the driveway.
- Get your HVAC maintained if it’s overdue.
- If you have a self-cleaning oven, clean it now. An oven is most likely to break down during the cleaning cycle, so don’t save this task for last.
- Replace any appliance on its last legs. You don’t want your hot water to go out or fridge on the fritz with a houseful of guests.
- Steam-clean upholstery. (Or hire a pro. It’s a big job)
- Hire a handyman for those repairs you’ve been putting off.
- Check outdoor lighting. Replace old bulbs and call an electrician to address any bigger issues.
Two Weeks to Go
It’s not panic time yet. Focus on decluttering and a few deep-cleaning tasks now, and you’ll have a more manageable to-do list when the clock really starts ticking down.
- Do a deep declutter. It’ll make things easier to keep clean.
- Dust ceiling fans, light fixtures, and high-up shelves.
- Wipe down baseboards.
- Clean out and organize the fridge.
- Wash windows to make the entire house feel brighter and cleaner.
- Toss washable shower curtains and drapes in the washing machine and re-hang. Easy.
One Week to Go
It’s strategic cleaning time. Here’s what to tackle now — things your family won’t easily undo before your guests arrive.
- Declutter again.
- Vacuum and dust guest rooms. If they’re low-traffic, the cleanliness should hold with just a quick wipe-down right before they arrive.
- Wipe down walls.
- Wipe down kitchen and dining room chairs and tables, including the legs. You’d be surprised how grimy they get.
- Deep clean the entryway — and make room for your guests’ stuff.
72 Hours to Go
The final cleaning stretch is on the horizon.
- Do another declutter.
- In the kitchen, toss stove burners, drip pans, and knobs into the dishwasher for an easy deep clean.
- Wash kitchen cabinet fronts.
- Scrub the kitchen floor.
- Clean and shine appliances.
48 Hours to Go
Now it’s time to get serious.
- Clean and sanitize garbage cans to banish mystery smells.
- Wipe down doorknobs, faceplates, and light switches. They’re germ magnets.
- Clean the front door.
- Deep clean the bathroom your guests will use, and close it off if possible.
- Wash guest towels and linens.
24 Hours to Go
Your guests’ bags are packed. Time for final touches.
- Do a final declutter - by now it shouldn’t take more than five minutes.
- Give one final wipe-down to toilets, tubs, and bathroom sinks.
- And another final wipe-down in the kitchen.
- Do all the floors: mop, vacuum, sweep, etc.
- Make guest beds and set out clean towels.
- Plug in nightlights in guest baths.
- Put out guest toiletries so they’re easy to find.
- Add a coffee or tea station in the guest room or kitchen.
- Get your favorite smell going, whether it’s a scented candle, spices in water on the stove, or essential oils.
- Use rubber gloves to wipe off pet hair and dust from furniture. It works.
- Do the full red carpet: Sweep or shovel porch, steps, and outdoor walkways.
Regular People Take A Real Estate Exam
Could you pass a real estate exam?
Are men or women buyers more likely to compromise?
What’s surprising is that there’s a big different between women and men when it comes to compromising during a home purchase. NAR (National Association of REALTORS®) research shows that women are better overall at compromising than men. In fact, single males are much more likely to not make any compromises during a home purchase than single females, married couples and unmarried couples.
There are generational differences, too. Millennial sellers – 85 percent – make the most compromises to finalize a home sale, Generation X is next at 75 percent, followed by Silent Generation sellers at 70 percent, and Boomers at 67 percent.
Toast to the Season with Lehigh Valley Libations
Cozy up during the holiday and winter seasons with a beverage crafted from spirits made right here in Lehigh Valley. With nearly 50 wineries, breweries, and distilleries peppered throughout the region, you’re sure to find something to fit the tastes and lift the spirits of your guests.
Apple Sangria
- 3 1/2 cups of chopped apples (about 2 pounds)
- 1/2 cup apple schnapps
- 2 (1/4 inch wide) slices of peeled fresh ginger
- 1 large navel orange, quartered
- 1 (750 milliliters) bottle fruity Amore red wine (if using a dry Amore red wine, add a little honey or sugar to sangria)
- 4 whole cloves
- 2 (3 inch) cinnamon sticks
- 1/4 cup ginger ale, chilled, divided
- 4 thin horizontal slices cored Honeycrisp apples
Combine first seven ingredients in a large bowl and stir well. Refrigerate 4 hours or until thoroughly chilled, then discard solids. Strain wine mixture through a sieve into a bowl and discard. Pour about 2/3 cup of sangria over ice in each of 4 glasses, serving with 1 tablespoon of club soda and one apple slice.
RE/MAX real estate
Email: joel@lehighvalleyhomes.com
Website: http://www.LehighValleyHome.com
Location: 3120 Hamilton Boulevard, Allentown, PA, United States
Phone: 610-770-9000
Facebook: www.facebook.com/LehighValleyHome/