The Little Realtor

If you are a home buyer or seller who has pushed back their home move, whether its listing their home or looking for their next, due to the COVID-19 crisis and pause on typical real estate activities, there is still a lot you can do to get ready for the "new" Spring market, which will be delayed till late Spring or Summer. If you are a seller....  Photo by  Brett Jordan  on  Unsplash 1) Get an updated CMA and have your agent keep tabs on the competition, many of which may relist later too. 2) Work on your listing ! This is the #1 positive for sellers having to wait to list, or relist. The "pause" allows you to do those odd jobs around the house that you might not have had time for before. Touch up paint, clean up baseboards, edit and stage, etc. Plus, all this time indoors, I bet you have eyed a few issues in your home that you have visually ignored before! 3) Spruce up outside ! Another perk is that now we are finally seeing Spring weather and greene

Home. We've all been spending a lot (yes, too much) time here. Our homes are all vastly different but its generally the place we lay down out heads, the place we find the most privacy or relaxation, the place where our family is (which is why when you were in your first apartment as a young adult, "home" might still have meant where you grew up or where your parents lived). Home is a construct of a million ideas, emotions and, yes, a physical place. If you have a home, whether you rent it or own it, be grateful. There are many who do not. And as this goes on, many will be forced to give up their homes as jobs shut down and small businesses struggle. Many of us, despite what we have, are longing for something else. You only have one bathroom and two kids. No yard or one thats very small. You live in a studio apartment but love to entertain. Etc. This time at home has given us even more time to think, and live, what works in our homes and what doesn't. An

Update: As of March 23rd, all real estate activities that take place in person (listing appointments, showings, open houses) are no longer allowed in PA. The only way to see a home is through images and virtual tours, where available.  Last Thursday's announcement that all non-life-sustaining businesses should close in Pennsylvania was, likely necessary, but extremely upsetting to industries and small businesses across the state. In the real estate world, the initial list suggested there would be no further buying, selling or leasing of real estate going forward. However, we, I, am still here and my (virtual) doors are actually open. Photo by  Alexa Williams  on  Unsplash (This is not how my home office looks. My home office is currently covered in 'washable' markers)  The PA Association of Realtors (PAR) and Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices Fox and Roach have interpreted Gov. Wolf's orders to be mostly in terms of physical locations. So Fox and Roach o

As noted yesterday, many people are working from home for the first time, but many more are facing working from home with their kids for the first time ever - and for the foreseeable future. So how are you to possibly get anything done with clinging, whining, demanding (and sometimes distractingly cute) kiddos around? Photo by  Ben Wicks  on  Unsplash Well first off, we are lucky enough to all be going through the same thing. No one will think poorly of you if kids pop up on your screen during a video conference or a sharp "DAAAADDDDDY!!!" is heard over the phone. We are all struggling with the same. And, generally, most work has shifted to the "must do" only. But we still need to be effective on those must-do items over the coming days or weeks so here are a few tips on how to best get work done with littles ones around: 1) Honestly, this media website wrote most of the post for me, ha!  It works for multiple disciplines and has a very import

Many of us are forced to work from home over the next few weeks. While many people, thanks to corporate environment changes, may often work from home or have had occasional opportunities to do so, for many people, setting up shop at home is completely new. As a Realtor, when I am not working with clients, contractors, or inspectors, I am often working from a home office. I've had years of experience going straight from breakfast to my daily to-dos and learning what works and what doesn't to be most effective working from home. I wanted to take this opportunity to share a little about what I've learned! But first, let me just acknowledge that there are so many people who can't work from home. There are the people who own their own businesses and have been forced to close up shop for the next few weeks, not bringing in any income. And then there are the people still working in and for the public - the wonderful health care professionals keeping us all as healthy and c

In the wake of neighborhood, work, school and general community shut downs in order to curb the spread of Coronavirus, I'm suspending the usual Philly Weekend Events Lineup to bring you a great list of things to do at home or low-key in your community. Please don't panic - just stay safe, be courteous have fun where you can! Binge Watch A Long Movie or Show  Photo by  Thought Catalog  on  Unsplash Ever want to watch all of the Lord of the Rings movies back to back? How about rewatching all of  Game of Thrones? What better time than now! (P.s. I bet people aren't stockpiling popcorn!) Tackle a DIY Project  I just posted about great DIY projects for homeowners but if you have something you've been putting off trying and already have the supplies (like you bought all of the new hardware for your kitchen cabinets but just haven't gotten around to installing them) now it the time! Just make sure your DIY project doesn't require 40 trips to Home Depot,

With home prices soaring and limited inventory, a lot of people are sticking where they currently live, or are buying homes in less-than-move-in-ready condition. So general contractors are seeing an increase in home renovation projects. But not everyone can afford, or wants to afford, a hired professional. So what home design and renovation projects are worth doing yourself? P.s. Emily Henderson has already done a great job with this list here ! Photo by  Milivoj Kuhar  on  Unsplash Lighting  As a previous post of mine noted, replacing lighting is extremely impactful to a space and can be pretty inexpensive (and moveable if you rent or sell and decide to take it with you!) Its definitely a great DIY project if you are familiar with your wiring and you have updated electrical (no knob and tube). If things are a bit more complex or your wiring is older, then its best left to a professional Tile Work  This CAN be a great DIY project in some cases. Namely, if you

Philly Weekend Events - March 6th - March 8th  All Weekend  Philadelphia Flower Show  Pennsylvania Ballet's  La Bayadere at Academy of Music  Visually-stunning love story set to dance at one of Philly's most beloved venues Women's History Month - Various activities all over the city!  Of note is the Kimmel Center's interactive experience, A Seat at the Table , up all year  Franklin Institute Camp In  (Friday and Sat)  Israeli Film Fest  Friday  Plein Air Inside Out in Brandywine  String Trio at Chestnut Hill's First Friday  Saturday  Philly Craft Beer Festival  Showcasing over 50 nation-wide breweries and 150 beers at the Naval Yard!  Free Design Workshop - Women in Design  Kids intro to the world of design with design-based problem-solving!  Tapping the Sap in Ambler Learn all about finding tree sap!  Sunday  The Secret History of Women in Hollywood  Happy Weekend! 

In today's world where most buyers shop online and gather all the information they can until stepping into a property, an open house seems dated. And there's a lot of truth to it - most serious buyers have an agent and would prefer a private showing. However, open houses aren't a waste of time and can work well to sell a home. If your agent recommends hosting one, its worth your Sunday to give it a try! Further, here are a few scenarios in which an open house could work marketing wonders:  Photo by  Francesca Tosolini  on  Unsplash 1. You've got a unique home  Perhaps the house is unique for the neighborhood but shows really well. While buyers might not schedule a look because of stats online (for instance its a 2 bedroom house but an extra space you can't count as a bedroom works as a great guest area or office), they would be open to casually walking through on a Sunday because you are open and, honestly, who doesn't love seeing houses?! The

Its feeling very Spring-ish out today and I know everyone's jumping to finally enjoy nice weather again. So I thought it would be fun to give us all something to look forward to! Did you know Philly is so full of gardens and arboretums that its called the Garden Capital ? Lets walk through some of the best, well and little-known, garden, arboretums and open spaces in the greater Philly area. Bartram's Garden  - Philadelphia Photo courtesy of Bartrams Gardens 45 acres in a city-setting, founded in 1728, this botantical, agricultural and education-focused garden is a Philly gem. If the date didn't give it away, its also the oldest surviving botanical garden in the US. And because its right on the water, every Saturday is free boating day! P.s. Its free and open to the public! Chanticleer  - Delaware County Photo courtesy of Chanticleer  Chanticleer is one-of-a-kind. Somehow, packed into 48 acres in Wayne are about 100 botanical gardens in one. It ha