Saturday, August 17, 2013

5 Creative Ways to Organize Your Closet


Closets. They are often overlooked. We tend to throw stuff in them without thought, hiding things we don't know what else to do with. When it comes time to actually use the closet for it's intended purpose (i.e.,: store and showcase our clothing), it's all but an avalanche falling on us.

Closets can be organized to maximize their space and potential. Our team member, Bridget, gives us five creative ways to organize your closet. It may just change your life!





Use Your Boots for Storage

Many of us hurry to store our boots far away from sight in the summer months. This is perfectly natural but keep in mind that in order to maintain shape, boots should be stuffed. This can be done with craft paper or newspapers, but why not maximize your space and stuff your boots with heavy winter socks? While they do keep our feet warm, winter socks do not need to take up precious drawer space during the summer.



Color Code Your Clothing

Do you feel frustrated when you cannot find your red blazer or purple dress shirt? If you have trouble finding items in your closet, think about color coding for a better dressing experience. Aside from this your closet will look bright and colorful, making your morning routine a cheerful experience.



Prepare Pre-Styled Outfits

Save a small section of your closet for pre-styled outfits, or outfits that can be put on at a moment’s notice. This process is quick and will save you time when you need it the most. Some ideas for pre-styled outfits include a formal look, a dinner look, a weatherproof look, and a look that can transform easily from day to night. This is also a great idea for organizing work outfits for the week ahead.



Clutch Meets Tote

Many women’s closets are filled with bags of every size. From makeup bags, to evening clutches, to tote bags; it is very easy for these treasured pieces to take up precious closet space. When your bags are not being used, try the Russian nesting doll approach to storage. Put a coin purse inside a makeup bag, a makeup bag inside of a clutch, and a clutch inside of a tote. You may not have each type of bag mentioned but this can work as long as one bag is smaller than another. A good example would be placing five small clutches inside of a beach tote.



Pegboard Organization for Men

Most men are not into closet organization but here is one trick to get them interested. Use a pegboard, typically found in garages and basements for tool organization, to create an organized accessory wall for men. The possibilities are really endless for this project being that the pegboard could be framed or covered in fabric to suit your needs. Once hung up this area can be used to hang ties, belts, or hats.


For more fashion and organization inspiration, check out Bridget's blog: Fashion Frenzy Wardrobe Styling

Friday, August 16, 2013

Expectations from Your Home Inspection




So you’ve found your dream home -- it may be in what appears to be perfect “move-­in ready” condition or it might have some obvious things that need to be “loved on” a bit. In either case, you should have a home inspection performed by licensed professionals.

 

Cost

The average cost for the basic three (home inspection, termite, and radon) is about $550. This is a necessary expense in the home-buying process and is paid at the time of the service. Think of it this way, if you plan to spend $150,000 on a new home it is merely 0.3% of that to prevent you from making a “Money Pit” investment.

 

Purpose

The inspector you choose has one primary job--FIND EVERYTHING POSSIBLE that is wrong with the house. Keep this in mind, because the reports can be daunting. It doesn’t mean that the house is a tear down, it just means they have done their job educating you on the condition of the home. The best inspectors provide a categorized and prioritized list of defects that can help you determine what to focus on when making your final decision on how to proceed. 

 

Response

Once you’ve completed all the inspections you plan to perform, it’s time to decide your next step, of which you have many.

1. Accept the property “as is” and happily skip toward settlement.
2. Terminate the contract--if your contract is written as such, you can terminate the contract based on the findings in the reports and receive a full refund of your deposit money.
3. Request repairs--this is where your Agent comes in. There are strategic ways to itemize and prioritize this request so that you are getting the most done, with the best reaction from the Seller.
4. Request a credit--if you feel that you prefer to do the work and have quotes to support your request, you can ask the Seller to credit you toward the repairs. This becomes a little tricky - if the number gets large - your Agent and Lender can make sure the amount is within the acceptable limits of your financing.


In most cases, a Seller will be responsive to reasonable requests that are presented in a detailed, documented fashion. In specific situations, the Seller may stipulate that the home is being sold “as is” and no repairs will be made ­ - this can be true of private sales and most definitely applies for short sales and foreclosures. In “as is” situations, the inspections are purely for the Buyer information purposes only, make sure you prepare to just say no in the event you find something that is a deal­breaker.

For more information on inspections and the inspection contingency period, give us call so we can answer all your questions! 
You can reach me at:  (610) 427-4420

Tuesday, August 13, 2013

Meet the Team: Deneen


Have you met Deneen? She is one of our newest team members! Read on to learn more about what Deneen does as our Listing Specialist!

 


Name
Deneen (Silvano) Heffernan


Position at MFRET
Listing Specialist
 
How long have you worked for the MFRET?
6 weeks

Favorite Ice Cream Flavor?
Used to be fudge swirl, but just became addicted to Cinnamon Apple Greek Frozen yogurt by Giant!  



Favorite spot to grab dinner in Chester County?
TECA and Nonna's on date night, but when I have the kids they love Barnaby's!


Where was the best vacation you have ever taken?
Just this past summer over Memorial Day to visit both of my boys who are serving in the military (One Marine and one Army soldier).  We had a week on Topsail Island in NC.  It was heaven to just be together!!  Both boys entered just one year ago, and it has been quite the adjustment for my 10 year old daughter and I without them around!  We miss them so much!


Favorite Website?
Facebook.  Total junkie!

Favorite App?
Finally got sucked into Candy Crush.  I wouldn’t say I’m addicted, but it’s quite fun. If you were to ask which app I use the MOST? I would say I also use Instagram to stay on top of my 10 year old little girl!  They grow up so fast!

Why do you like working in real estate?
Being a people person,  I love interacting with all the different people, especially my new co-workers.  Everyday is different with a different challenge and things are never boring! 

Favorite thing about Chester County?
Everything! Can’t imagine living anywhere else! The restaurants.  The people.  All of it! 

If you could have lunch with 1 famous person, who would it be and why?
Maya Angelou!  Her words and actions inspire me. She is such a strong empowering woman who seems to have the power to heal the hurts of man/womankind with just her words.