If you're selling your home or plan to do so soon, a little strategic planning can mean more dollars in your pocket. You want the most you can get for the place, don't ya? These 4 "Ss" will have you seeing dollar signs once the "for sale" sign is taken down, thanks to their value-increasing benefits. While you may want to get the home on the market right away, it's worth the effort to make these changes and fairly quick fixes so your home can be as sought-after as possible. Sell with these "Ss" completed and watch the price tag numbers go up. Your first showing will prove the time spent did the trick.
Simplify
Decluttering is one of the best ways to make your space instantly more appealing. No potential buyer is interested in tripping over your kids' toys or being distracted by the silly knick-knacks you've collected over the years. The more you make your home as "generic" as can be, the more the potential buyer(s) can picture themselves living there… with their stuff.
According to Consumer Reports, "Vital to the process is de-cluttering and depersonalizing the space as much as possible. Buyers will have a hard time imagining themselves in your home if it's filled with family photos and other personal effects." Additionally, HGTV notes, "A clutter-free home appears cleaner and larger, which is more attractive to homebuyers and therefore more valuable."
If you're place is a real mess, you may want to consider hiring a pro to help clear things out, and Consumer Reports estimates the cost for such a service can run anywhere from $600 - $2,500. Seems steep, but on the bright side, they claim the potential return goes up 5%. Plus, since you're moving anyway, this clean-out will help you when it's time to pack up and go.
Spruce Up
A few fix-ups can make a world of difference in the appearance of your home. You don't have to go all out and make major repairs or renovations, but spiffing things up by applying a fresh coat of paint, filling chips and cracks, removing or steam cleaning a dirty carpet, re-grouting, etc. will make your home a whole lot more appealing.
This Old House recommends dealing with the basics rather than doing anything too pricey or extravagant. "Insulate the attic, repair plumbing leaks, replace rusty rain gutters, inspect the furnace and the septic system, replace or repair leaky windows, install storm doors, etc." As This Old House says, "A couple hundred dollars spent could increase the value of your house by a few thousand dollars."
Along with indoor touch-ups, consider the first impression. Bankrate suggests to "reframe your entry." "A nice, big piece of hardware on the front door signals to newcomers that this is a solid home." And Consumer Reports recommends a power washing followed by any needed paint touch-ups, especially on the front of the home.
As per This Old House, "Brokers and agents from across the country say the houses that get attention in this buyer's market are in tip-top shape. Because there is so much inventory, the houses that sell are in pristine condition and are priced to the market." Don't let a few neglected simple fixes trip up your chances of selling.
Smell Fresh
A potential buyer wants to walk into a home that smells good. If anything makes them turn up their nose, how could they ever imagine living there? As per U.S. News & World Report, "Realtors always say that your home needs to smell great before a showing."
One way to eliminate any stale odors in the home is by using baking soda, as U.S. News & World Report recommends. Use some on the carpets, in the fridge, and even inside the trash cans to absorb unpleasant odors that you may have grown used to.
Some recommended scents that appeal to most, as suggested by U.S. News & World Report include pine, vanilla, and citrus. Don't go overboard, but a light scent wafting through the home will make potential buyers feel welcomed and comfortable. Try a light air freshener, candles, or oils.
Along with providing a pleasant scent, wipe down all tabletops and shelves, clear out pet cages and litter boxes, and make sure the bathroom is mildew- and odor-free before any showings. Run a fan or two to clear the air to make for total freshness throughout the home. And one last trick… bake a batch of cookies! The familiar scent will make anyone looking at the place feel like they're home.
These quick fixes are nearly cost-free, but the change they'll make will give a potential return of at least 3% as per Consumer Reports.
Scenery
The surrounding yard space of your home is nearly as important as what's going on inside. An unkempt lawn, untrimmed hedges, and poorly manicured landscaping make for a poor first impression. Consumer reports suggests, "Start with basic maintenance: mowing the lawn, trimming overgrown shrubs, applying a fresh layer of mulch to garden beds."
According to This Old House, "Tangled trees and unkempt bushes can obscure views, darken interiors, promote mold, and block a good look at the house. Landscaping is one of the top three investments that bring the biggest return. According to a 2007 survey of 2,000 brokers conducted by HomeGain, an online real estate marketing site, an investment of around $400 or $500 dollars in landscaping, can bring a return of four times that."
But what if you're not the gardening type? Bankrate has the solution, "If you don't have a green thumb, consider hiring a landscaper to install some new sod, plant a few evergreen shrubs and give your front yard a good cleanup. These kinds of changes can instantly change people's perception of your home and, therefore, increase its value."
With these 4 "Ss" completed, your showings will be at their peak. Your realtor will thank you and the potential buyers will be delighted. And you will enjoy the extra bucks your home is sure to sell for!
Every time payday rolls around, I’m on top of the world. Jeff Bezos-level rich - even though I’m anything but. And then somehow the very next day, rent is due.
The cycle continues. The next payday, bills for my apartment. I find myself without a surplus of savings since I just moved and newly-furnished my apartment completely.
Even more terrifying is the looming presence of the holiday season. Halloween’s officially over and before we know it, hello Thanksgiving…and then there’s Hanukkah, Christmas, New Year’s. It’s insane.
I’ve been feeling very British lately. Not in a Union-Jack-obsessed, “Keep Calm and Carry-On” way. I went through that phase in 2012 with everyone else… no thank you. And it’s not even a surge of patriotism catalyzed by the Queen dying — I’m firmly team Diana and team Meghan.
Now that fall is officially here, the holidays will sweep in and I’ll have to contend with the fact that I won’t be spending them with my family in the UK. I went home to London earlier this year, so there’s not much left in my travel budget for another trip across the pond. A few domestic jaunts might be in my future, but the closest I’ll get to England this winter is watching Love Island and Love, Actually.
So in that spirit, I’ve been filling my days with content from my favorite Brits. I’m listening to all the old British rock bands I grew up listening to, patiently awaiting the new Arctic Monkeys album, and rewatching anything with Michaela Coel in it. I even shipped myself an order of British Baked Beans, so you know it’s dire.
I’ve also been watching British YouTubers like Grace Beverley — my favorite. Generally, I only go on YouTube to watch Vogue Beauty Secrets and AD Open Door videos. But I’m so glad I stumbled on Grace. Her content is a mix of London lifestyle (what lured me in), relatable entrepreneurship, and mindful productivity. I’m not a hustle-and-grind-girlboss, but as a creative person in a 9-to-5, I need all the help I can get to stay plugged in. So, the video “how to be really really really productive without getting overwhelmed” changed my approach to WFH.
Grace outlines her own productivity method: the to-do table. Instead of making a simple to-do list, she divides her tasks into a table that anyone can follow. As someone who’s survived with to-do lists for years, I recently implemented Grace’s method, and it’s revolutionized my workdays.
how to be really really really productive without getting overwhelmedwww.youtube.com
I follow her routine to a tee. Here’s how it works:
Essentially, she divides her daily responsibilities into four categories: quick ticks, tasks, projects, and non-negotiables.
- Quick Ticks: Actions that take less than 5-minutes
- Tasks: To-do’s that take up to 30-minutes. Probably don’t take too much brain energy.
- Projects: Long-term list items. These help guide your priorities, even if you’re not crossing them off in one day.
- Non-negotiables: Pick 3 things each day that you must get done. This is how you’ll truly measure success.
With everything written down and sorted, next address your schedule. Meetings, deadlines, and time blocks — whatever works best for you. Write it down. Then make a pact with yourself to stick to them.
This way of categorization provides a roadmap for prioritizing your day — making you far more productive. Have you ever spent the entire day on small tasks and then suddenly realized you hadn’t moved the needle on any task? Or do you spend way too much time on tasks that aren’t a priority? No more. With your non-negotiables laid out, you know what to laser-focus on and what to dedicate energy towards.
Also, it pays to know your working style. I’m not a morning person. Yet, I have to be up and at ‘em super early. So, first thing in the morning, I march through my Quick Ticks to warm me up. I set a time limit, so I can knock out some easy wins which is totally inspiring. Then I move on to bigger things without lingering on emails or admin. For others, it might be more helpful to tackle the big things with all that early-in-the-day brain power earlier.
Grace has great tips on avoiding overwhelm and burnout. My favorite is taking more intentional breaks rather than scrolling through social media. I call this scrolling “productive” because I’m “coming up with pitches.” Oh, the lies we tell ourselves. It’s more productive in the long run to giving my brain a break with non-screen related stimuli.
Grace’s solution? Set a timer to read a real, an actual book. I’ve never thought of this. It’s a genius way to check off some books on my TBR and kickstart my creativity. After reading a good book, I’m completely inspired to write. So having books near my desk helps me step away from the computer during my lunch break for an actual reset. (And yes, the current books I’m reading are by British authors: Assembly by Natasha Brown, and Love in Color: Mythical Tales from Around the World, Retold by Bolu Babalolu.)
In my pursuit of switching out my WFH set-up and getting my life together, I’ve engineered my workstation for success. With my new WFH essentials and Grace’s productivity technique, I’m revitalized for work — despite the fall blues and my melancholy about the pending holidays.
Here are the things getting me hyped for work and helping me crush my Grace Beverley-inspired to-do tables — no lists in sight:
Southwest Airlines Sale 2022
Pack your bags — Southwest Airlines is having a major sale! Fares are as low as $59 one-way if you book by October 3rd.
This end-of-summer super sale is a game-changer for your travel plans through the end of the year. Summertime travel gets all the glory. But why not take advantage of your long weekends, holidays, and PTO this fall. You’ll be surprised at how much travel you can fit in. Keep the fall/winter season exciting with domestic trips that give you all the excitement without breaking the bank. All thanks to Southwest.
Here’s the breakdown:
Where can you go?
You’ll find discounted tickets to and from most airports. Sale fares apply to cross country travel, and even Hawaii, Mexico, and the Caribbean! Whether you’re visiting a new city or revisiting your last beach vacation, this sale has fares to make your travel dreams come true.
What do the fares cover?
Southwest Airlines has multiple fare tiers, each with various benefits. Wanna Get Away fares start at $59, while Wanna Get Away Plus fares start at $89. You can also find great deals on Anytime fares, which offer priority boarding and express lanes. Then there’s Business Select tickets for a luxe experience at an affordable price point.
Do you have to be a Southwest Rapid Rewards member?
You may think these sale fares are too good to be true. Is there a catch? Do you have to be a Southwest Rapid Rewards member to access them? You’re in luck — anyone can attain these fares for a limited time.
But, insider tip, you should consider signing up for Southwest Rapid Rewards. With a free sign up, you earn points and miles with each trip you take. And with this sale, each dollar you spend on these discounted tix can stretch super far until you eventually earn free travel. The only thing better than a sale is free stuff.
So pack your bags and brace yourself for those chaotic airport lines. Everyone’s hopping on this deal so get on it. Don’t miss out — grab your sale tickets by October 3rd!
I’ve been browsing the Southwest Airlines site, checking out flights and dreaming.