posted May 12, 2017, 8:37 AM by Tom Tianich
[
updated May 12, 2017, 8:37 AM
]
By Elizabeth Weintraub
Prepping
and staging a house.
Every seller wants her home to sell fast and bring top dollar. Does that sound
good to you? Well, it's not luck that makes that happen. It's careful planning
and knowing how to professionally spruce up your home that will send home buyers scurrying
for their checkbooks. Here is how to prep a house and turn it into an
irresistible and marketable home.
Difficulty: Average
Time
Required: Seven to 10 Days
Here's How:
Disassociate Yourself With Your
Home.
Say to yourself, "This
is not my home; it is a house -- a product to be sold much like a box of
cereal on the grocery store shelf.
Make the mental decision to
"let go" of your emotions and focus on the fact that soon this
house will no longer be yours.
Picture yourself handing over
the keys and envelopes containing appliance warranties to the new owners!
Say goodbye to every room.
Don't look backwards -- look
toward the future.
De-Personalize.
Pack up those personal photographs and family heirlooms. Buyers can't see
past personal artifacts, and you don't want them to be distracted. You
want buyers to imagine their own photos on the walls, and they can't do
that if yours are there! You don't want to make any buyer ask, "I
wonder what kind of people live in this home?" You want
buyers to say, "I can see myself living
here."
De-Clutter!
People collect an amazing quantity of junk. Consider this: if you haven't
used it in over a year, you probably don't need it.
If you don't need it, why not
donate it or throw it away?
Remove all books from
bookcases.
Pack up those knickknacks.
Clean off everything on
kitchen counters.
Put essential items used daily
in a small box that can be stored in a closet when not in use.
Think of this process as a
head-start on the packing you will eventually need to do anyway.
Rearrange Bedroom Closets and
Kitchen Cabinets. Buyers love to snoop and will open closet and cabinet doors. Think of
the message it sends if items fall out! Now imagine what a buyer believes
about you if she sees everything organized. It says you probably take good
care of the rest of the house as well. This means:
Alphabetize spice jars.
Neatly stack dishes.
Turn coffee cup handles facing
the same way.
Hang shirts together, buttoned
and facing the same direction.
Line up shoes.
Rent a Storage Unit.
Almost every home shows better with less furniture. Remove pieces of
furniture that block or hamper paths and walkways and put them in storage.
Since your bookcases are now empty, store them. Remove extra leaves from
your dining room table to make the room appear larger. Leave just enough
furniture in each room to showcase the room's purpose and plenty of room
to move around. You don't want buyers scratching their heads and saying, "What
is this room used for?"
Remove/Replace Favorite Items.
If you want to take window coverings, built-in appliances or fixtures with
you, remove them now. If the chandelier in the dining room once belonged
to your great grandmother, take it down. If a buyer never sees it, she
won't want it. Once you tell a buyer she can't have an item, she will
covet it, and it could blow your deal. Pack those items and replace them,
if necessary.
Fix doors that don't close
properly and kitchen drawers that jam.
Consider painting your walls
neutral colors, especially if you have grown accustomed to purple or pink
walls.
(Don't give buyers any reason to remember your home as "the house
with the orange bathroom.")
Replace burned-out light bulbs.
If you've considered replacing
a worn bedspread, do so now!
Make the House Sparkle!
Wash windows inside and out.
Rent a pressure washer and
spray down sidewalks and exterior.
Clean out cobwebs.
Re-caulk tubs, showers and
sinks.
Polish chrome faucets and
mirrors.
Clean out the refrigerator.
Vacuum daily.
Wax floors.
Dust furniture, ceiling fan
blades and light fixtures.
Bleach dingy grout.
Replace worn rugs.
Hang up fresh towels.
Bathroom towels look great
fastened with ribbon and bows.
Clean and air out any musty
smelling areas. Odors are a no-no.
Scrutinize.
Go outside and open your front
door. Stand there. Do you want to go inside? Does the house welcome you?
Linger in the doorway of every
single room and imagine how your house will look to a buyer.
Examine carefully how
furniture is arranged and move pieces around until it makes sense.
Make sure window coverings
hang level.
Tune in to the room's
statement and its emotional pull. Does it have impact and pizzazz?
Does it look like nobody lives
in this house? You're almost finished.
Check Curb Appeal.
If a buyer won't get out of her agent's car because she doesn't like the
exterior of your home, you'll never get her inside.
Keep the sidewalks cleared.
Mow the lawn.
Paint faded window trim.
Plant yellow flowers or group
flower pots together. Yellow evokes a buying emotion. Marigolds are
inexpensive.
Trim your bushes.
Make sure visitors can clearly
read your house number.
Please see the 1998 Lawn Acres Neighborhood Master Plan below.
We encourage input from our neighbors.
In the Attachment is a copy of our Lawn Acres Neighborhood Master Plan from May 20 , 1998 - written 18 years ago.
We believe the time has come that we need to review this plan, especially since we are coming upon our LACA 60th anniversary next year; the timing could not be more perfect. We ask that each of you review the Attachment and share your ideas with the rest our Board of Directors so that we can create and present a Lawn Acres Master Plan at our January 23, 2017 Civic Association Meeting.
posted Feb 18, 2015, 3:53 PM by Tom Tianich
[
updated Feb 19, 2015, 11:22 AM
]
Yes, you heard it right :)
Our Second Annual Food Drive was a SUCCESS!!! I would like to take this opportunity to extend a warm thank you to all our Lawn Acres Residents who came out to support this very worthy cause. I have to say that everyone that participated did come with smiles on their faces: if you are happy, you are successful :)
Please mark these dates on your calendar for 2016: February 1 - 15 (3rd Annual LACA Food Drive) and help to make this event a success, year after year after year!!!
The Lawn Acres Focus Group wishes to thank the residents of Lawn Acres who expressed their viewpoint whether in favor of or in opposition to the establishment of a RaceTrac Gasoline Station and Market at The Place at Hollywood. Inforation and comments were also solicited from residents of Hollywood at-large as well as other interested parties. After due consideration of a number of factors, the Focus Group decided at a meeting held on October 27, 2014, to withdraw their formal objection to the establishment of a RaceTrac enterprise at the new shopping area being created by Mr. Alberto Micha of Dacar Managemnet, LLC.
Lawn Acres was well-represented at the Technical Advisory Committee meeting on November 03, 2014, involving City of Hollywood Departments reviewing the plans for the creation of RaceTrac on the south side of Hollywood Boulevard immediately west of 58th Avenue. In attendance were: Ms. Bostwick, Mrs. Clark, Mr. Cooney, Mrs. and Mrs. Dinkel, Mr. Llanos, Ms. Morford, and Mr. Rodriquez. Commissioner Linda Sherwood attended this important meeting as did Mrs. Quintana-Hayden, President of the Hollywood Gardens West Civic Association.
Note: The Hollywood Gardens West community is our neighbor on the north side of Hollywood Boulevard between 56th Avenue and State Road 7 up to Taft Street.
The Lawn Acres Focus Group will continue to keep abreast of developments regarding the RaceTrac enterprise and other projects impacting our neighborhood. Mr. David Dinkel is the Chairperson of the Focus Group.
posted Mar 29, 2014, 12:14 PM by Tom Tianich
[
updated Mar 30, 2014, 8:36 PM
]
Over the past month there have been reports of a pack of dogs (2 - 4 in a pack) entering backyards and killing our neighbors' pets. Attacks reported to us have happened at night 3-7am. We are unsure if these are wild dogs living on the street or dogs belonging to a neighborhood resident who lets their dogs out at night, unsupervised.
We have advised the City of Hollywood and Broward County authorities. As a precaution, bring your pets in at night and leave them indoors as much as possible until this issue is resolved.
Here is some advice from the City of Hollywood Animal Control Officer.
--------------------
IF YOU SEE AN ATTACK IN PROGRESS
Contact the Hollywood Police Department immediately. An attack in progress constitutes an emergency and it is appropriate to call 911.
Do not try to engage the animals but If you can do so from the safety of your locked car, try to see where the dogs go. In many cases, if someone can follow the dog(s) in their vehicle they will usually lead you to their home.
If you should obtain any addresses after the fact, please contact the City of Hollywood Animal Control Officer directly at 954-921-3925.
Below if a video from a family in Lawn Acres that has lost 2 cats on that night and number of their neighbors' cats were killed as well.
4 dogs killing our cat
We believe dogs have been found (see pictures below). Animal control is on the case, but please mind your cats until further notice.
The Hollywood Police Department is hosting an open house on Friday, March 28, 2014 from 5 p.m. to 7 p.m.
The event is free and will be held at the Hollywood Police Department
headquarters, 3250 Hollywood Boulevard in Hollywood. View a K-9
demonstration and SWAT display, tour the Hollywood Police headquarters,
obtain important crime prevention tips, and get a close-up view of the
Police Command Vehicle and technology.
The Miami Food Trucks will be on
hand and children are welcome. For more information, call 954.967.4357.
400 S. 57 Avenue (SW Corner of Jackson St. & S. 57th Avenue)
We are conducting a FOOD DRIVE during the first two weeks of February in order to help stock the shelves at "Open Heart Food Pantry" located at 1708 North 60th Avenue, Hollywood. Please drop off non-perishable food items in carport area. The Delarosa's will be going door to door to pick up food donations for residents who are house bound, or may have challenges with "time" schedule to drop off their donation. If you are unable to drop off your food donations, please call Donna O'Keefe to schedule a pick-up. Please be generous as possible. Thank You for your Support!
Food Drive Committee: Donna O'Keefe, Chairperson 954-964-5615 Home#, Dacia Delarosa, Crystal (her daughter), Richard (her son) and Owen Braden