Holiday Mantles
Cocktails
Tablescapes
Welcoming Decor
How are you getting ready for The Holidays? Leave a comment and share your ideas (and pins!) with us!
Find more great Holiday pins on our Holiday Pinterest Board.
Tuesday, December 11, 2012
Pinteresting Ideas: Holidays
The Matt Fetick Team is gearing up for the holidays. Pinterest came through with a multitude of holiday decorating, recipes and JOY! Here are a few things we found:
How are you getting ready for The Holidays? Leave a comment and share your ideas (and pins!) with us!
Find more great Holiday pins on our Holiday Pinterest Board.
How are you getting ready for The Holidays? Leave a comment and share your ideas (and pins!) with us!
Find more great Holiday pins on our Holiday Pinterest Board.
Monday, November 12, 2012
Pinteresting Ideas: Thanksgiving
With Thanksgiving only a week away, now is the time to decide how to decorate your home for guests and visitors! The Matt Fetick Team went to Pinterest to for inspiration. Here is what we came up with:
How are you getting ready for Thanksgiving? Leave a comment and share your ideas (and pins!) with us!
Find more great Thanksgiving pins on our Thanksgiving board.
Unique ways to use veggies for tablescaping
Welcoming ideas for porches
Beautiful thoughts for table and home
How are you getting ready for Thanksgiving? Leave a comment and share your ideas (and pins!) with us!
Find more great Thanksgiving pins on our Thanksgiving board.
Wednesday, October 10, 2012
OCTOBER Monthly Challenge!
OCTOBER'S CHALLENGE
CHANGE IS IN THE AIR! This month we are challenging you to send us your BEST local Fall Foliage pictures! Step outside your front door or go to a local park and snap a picture with your camera or smartphone. Then, email your picture toTeamChallenge@SoldNotListed.
We'll be announcing the Challenge on Facebook in the next week, so take the opportunity to get a head start on your opponents. One entry per person. Please have all photos emailed or posted by Friday, October 26.
Thursday, August 30, 2012
SEPTEMBER Monthly Challenge {Win a $50 AMEX Gift Card)
We are excited to introduce the *new* Matt Fetick Monthly Challenge. Each month, we'll announce a new challenge in our newsletter (have you signed up yet??), and then a few days later on our blog and Facebook. If you choose to participate in the challenge, you'll be entered into a drawing for a prize!
SEPTEMBER'S CHALLENGE:
Have you seen a Matt Fetick Real Estate sign in your neighborhood? On your commute to work? Along the route you run? Snap a picture of a Matt Fetick Real Estate sign (only the sign please--no houses in the background) on your smartphone and email it to TeamChallenge@SoldNotListed.
We'll be announcing the Challenge on Facebook in the next week, so take the opportunity to get a head start on your opponents. One entry per person. Please have all photos emailed or posted by September 25.
Thursday, April 19, 2012
March iPad Winner: 2012 Referral Contest
Marina is our March iPad Winner in our 2012 Referral Contest!
Will you be our next winner? Just refer a buyer or seller to the Matt Fetick Real Estate Team, and you'll be entered into a drawing to win an iPad! In December we'll be picking a GRAND PRIZE WINNER for a trip to the Caribbean!
To learn more about the Referral Contest, watch this video where David gives all the details.
Will you be our next winner? Just refer a buyer or seller to the Matt Fetick Real Estate Team, and you'll be entered into a drawing to win an iPad! In December we'll be picking a GRAND PRIZE WINNER for a trip to the Caribbean!
To learn more about the Referral Contest, watch this video where David gives all the details.
Tuesday, April 10, 2012
Meet The Team: Abby
If you haven't yet, we'd love for you to meet one of our newest team members, Abby. She does a lot of behind-the-scenes work, and if you call up the office you might just catch her answering your call!
Name
Abigail Cellars
Position at MFRET
How long have you worked for the MFRET?
Favorite Ice Cream Flavor
Mint Chocolate Chip
Favorite spot to grab dinner in Chester County
On my deck, grilling with my son on a beautiful summer day
Where was the best vacation you have ever taken?
Puerto Rico, I go every year to relax and unwind
Eagles or Phillies?
Neither, I'm not much for watching sports. I'd rather play!
Why do you like working in real estate?
I like learning about an industry that has such a great impact on our economy. Hopefully one of these days, I will understand it all! It's ever-changing, and my team is great.
Favorite thing about Chester County?
The history and beauty surrounding it all
If you could have lunch with 1 famous person, who would it be and why?
Emily Dickinson. She is an amazing poet, and I have always been intrigued as to what she was thinking when she was writing a particular piece. Also, Dr. Seuss. He is a literary GENIUS!
Thursday, March 29, 2012
Pinterest: Closets
It's easy to get stuck into creative ruts once you own a home. For some, you do a lot of gutting and painting when you first move in. For others, the home is move in ready, and you become too content with the previous owner's status quo. There are lots of fun projects you can do to give your home a personal touch. Sometimes a small change is all you need to be excited about your home all over again.
Today we'll be checking out some fantastic Pinterest pins on Closets. Closets, you ask? That's right. Sometimes, these small nooks and crannies can afford some great and creative space. You just need the right inspiration!
Check out some of these fab ideas:
Turn your closet into an office area. Perfect to hide away and keep things organized!
Wish you had room in your home to create? A closet craft area is a fun solution.
The small space of a closet makes the perfect reading nook.
Tucked away private guest bedroom?
Lose the doors, and you've got a spruced up mudroom or entryway!
The possibilities are endless, if you just let your mind run free! What other ideas do you have for what to do with a boring closet? Leave a comment below!
Thursday, March 15, 2012
520 Southview Ave
Here is one of our newest listing in the Kennett Square Borough. David shares a bit about the home in this quick video. If you are looking in the Kennett Square area, the value of this home can't be beat!
Tuesday, March 6, 2012
The Chronicles of a First-Time Home Buyer: BE PREPARED
Today's Tip:
BE PREPARED
Being prepared is a good motto for life in general. But when it comes to buying a home, it is particularly keen advice. There are lots of things you will encounter or have to complete before getting the keys to your new home. Knowing some of the things to be prepared for in advance can take some of the burden off of homebuyers who have never bought a house before.
BE PREPARED...
...To wait.
In the dream world of real estate, particularly to those of us who have never bought a home, the process goes something like this: you find a house you like, you bid on the house, your offer gets accepted, and you are handed the keys the next day. In real life, the process is not like this. Most settlements are 45-90 days after the offer is accepted. So be prepared to wait for 1-3 months, in some cases longer. If you are working with a short sale or foreclosure, the wait time could be longer (and there are no certainties or guarantees for exact closing dates). Sometimes settlement gets pushed back after items are found out of compliance on an inspection, or if there is a home sell contingency. Be flexible, and be prepared to wait.
...To move quickly.
In direct contradiction to the statement above, you should also be prepared to move quickly, if the need arises. You might be expecting 45-90 days for a settlement, but circumstances might be such that settlement must be pushed sooner (I had friends who settled 3 weeks after their offer was accepted - rare, but possible). With a short sale, while you often have to wait months for the deal to go through, you might be given only a 1-2 week window of notice before settlement happens. Be prepared!
...For anything that might arise.
Expect the unexpected, and lower all your expectations when buying a home. Not on the actual house, but on how things will play out. Expect for things to show up on your home inspection. Expect negotiating instead of a clean deal. Expect timelines to change. Expect unexpected costs. Expect bumps to arise. Things WILL arise. And better to assume they will than to be caught off guard or blind-sided!
...With all your paperwork.
This will be a longer, more comprehensive post in the near future. But, as you are getting ready to start looking at houses for the first time (or you are already in an agreement of sale and waiting on settlement), make sure you have all your paperwork in order. Some of the forms you might need with both realtors and mortgage brokers: Bank statements from the past 3-6 months, Tax statements from the past 3-5 years, personal identification information (social security, birth certificates, passports, etc), household budget, employment contracts, any and all forms/proof of debt (credit card statements, alimony/child support statements, school loans, car loans, etc). Go back as far as you can with these statements - better to be safe than sorry (or left routing through your house at all hours of the morning in a panic - been there, done that).
...For life as a homeowner!
As you stay flexible and try not to get too attached until the keys are in your hand, get excited! Dream! Go furniture shopping as the settlement gets closer. Home-buying shouldn't just be stressful, it should be fun. You are buying a house that will become your home! With that said, be sure to go over your new household budget, with the figures of taxes, mortgage, and every bills so you are prepared and not totally thrown during your first few months as a new homeowner. Do everything you can to think ahead and be ready!
Little steps help you be prepared for one of the biggest (and exciting!) purchases of your lifetime. Make it easier on yourself and think ahead, so you are ready (and not freaking out) when settlement arrives.
We'd love to hear your First Time Homebuying tips and stories - so please leave a comment below!
Monday, February 13, 2012
Pinterest: Valentine's Day Decor
I know, two Pinterest posts in a row. BUT, with Valentine's Day being TOMORROW, I thought it would be fun to share a few Valentine-theme decor pins to inspire you in making your home festive for the romantic holiday. I couldn't resist!!
I love that little touches here and there can make a home subtly "themed" for a holiday:
An aptly-decorated mantle
Simple Window Art
A Classic, clean vase arrangement
A wreath to greet you at the door
A wreath to greet you at the door
Or you can go all out:
Dining Room a la Valentine
Can someone create this for me????
How will your home say Valentine's Day? What are you doing for your Special Someone??
Can someone create this for me????
How will your home say Valentine's Day? What are you doing for your Special Someone??
Friday, February 3, 2012
Pinterest: Tips for Home
Are you on Pinterest yet? It is the hottest new site to waste hours of time on, and I LOVE it. I didn't quite understand it at first, but once I registered for an account, I learned quick and became infatuated.
One of the things I love about Pinterest is all the ideas I get for how decorating my home, tips for cleaning or fixing things around the house, and many other pertinent resources for homeowners.
Each week, I'd like to share a few "pins" I've come across that many home owners (and home buyers and home renters....really, anyone who lives in an abode qualifies here) will find useful and fun.
This week on Pinterest:
Source: marthastewart.com via Stephanie on Pinterest
What a great and simple tip! Now painting a room won't involve splattering color everywhere!
Source: pbjstories.blogspot.com via Stephanie on Pinterest
Love how this maximizes the space in a "cozy" kitchen!
Source: google.com.au via Stephanie on Pinterest
A very fun color palate for a bedroom or living room.
Source: Uploaded by user via Stephanie on Pinterest
GREAT visual guide for picture layouts!
Source: design-decor-staging.com via Stephanie on Pinterest
*****
So many great ideas for the home. If you haven't signed up for an account already, head over to Pinterest to get started!
We'll bring you more Pinterest Home Tips next week, so check back!
Wednesday, February 1, 2012
Defining a Room
Defining a Room
When you walk into a room in your home, do you sometimes think "this doesn't feel right" but don't know how to fix it?
Here goes:
A room is defined by the largest and the first thing that you see when you walk in. Example: The bed defines the bedroom.
So, when you look into a room, what do you see first? It should be the focal point.
Here's a story...
I met with a new client to stage her home. The first room we walked into was her living room which she had set up the same way for 22 years. My first impression was that it could be BETTER, so I suggested that she allow me to move some of the furniture around. She was a bit taken back, but granted me permission. The effort was minimal, but the impact was huge. She's contacted me several times afterward stating "I should have done this long ago" or "my friend was over the other day and couldn't believe how much better it felt"
Check out the before and after (click the right arrow to scroll to next pic):
The sofa defines the living room.
This doesn't always work so easily, since some bedrooms don't allow for the bed to be on every wall, but then you have to improvise - or call a professional to help you sort it out.
You don't have to redesign, repaint or spend thousands of dollars to make an impact, sometimes all it takes is a new look on an old space.
Thursday, January 12, 2012
Chronicles of a First Time Homebuyer: Know Your Limits
Today's Tip:
Know Your (Financial) Limits
In our last First Time Homebuyers post, we discussed knowing what you want and making sure your realtor does too. Being on the same page, both with your realtor and with yourself, it such an important home buying aspect. It will save you a lot of heartache in the long run!
Today we will talk about another important aspect, which goes hand-in-hand with our previous post: Knowing your limits.
We all know the economy is in a bad place, and part of the reason it declined is due in part to real estate. People were buying bigger and better, despite not being able to afford bigger and better. So they stretched their credit, their wishes, and then the foreclosures started popping up.
One thing I really appreciate about our journey is that after our initial chat with the realtor, my husband and I were directed to speak to a mortgage company. We crunched numbers, down to the penny, and had a solid grasp on what our absolute limits were. We knew we could not go above and beyond a certain amount (partially because we couldn't afford it, partially because no bank would [thankfully] approve loans above a certain amount).
Now, with an absolute range in mind and a mortgage pre-approval in hand, we knew exactly what houses we could (and couldn't) look at. We knew what bids we could put in. And even though a particular house might have been approved by a bank, my husband and I knew OUR limits. We knew what we could and couldn't afford (or, rather, what we wanted to afford). It really helped narrow down our search.
We also had a solid concept of our present financials. We were clear on how much actual money we had to put towards our offer. We did not kid ourselves with what savings we would have after we bought the house (for unexpecteds, for home repairs, etc). We knew without a renovation loan, it would not be prudent to look at major fixer-uppers (even if they were really inexpensive) because we did not have the actual funds in hand to put towards the repairs. We knew we could deal to buy appliances if it came down to it (which it did - a refrigerator, washer and dryer).
Today's Takeaway: Know your financial limits by meeting with a mortgage broker or bank before you start actually looking at homes. Know your current money and asset situation inside and out, so you can feel comfortable with what you can (or cannot) take on in possible renovations. And even if the perfect house is just a few thousand dollars outside of your range, check yourself by asking: Am I REALLY able to afford this on a monthly basis?
So I would encourage you to Dream Big as you search for a home. Make sure you are on the same page about those dreams. But then anchor those dreams with a visit to your mortgage broker or bank, so those dreams can become an affordable reality.
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