Ideally, sellers put their homes on the market during spring and summer months. The yard is more appealing, you have more daylight time and overall, the mood during warmer months tends to be cheerier. Yet, if you’re faced with a winter move, here are 10 tips to help ease the stress of winter home selling.

1. Fight the ice and snow. Be sure that your sidewalk, driveway, steps and patio / deck are ice – free and safe when prospective buyers view the home.

2. Staging is key. Make your home feel as warm and welcoming as possible by using ample throws, decorative pillows, fresh flowers and lit fireplaces.

3. Show during the day. Try to arrange showings during the lightest part of the day – early morning to late afternoon. It’s difficult to gain a full impression of a space’s interior and exterior in complete darkness.

4. Highlight location advantages. If your neighborhood is within walking distance of shops and restaurants; if it’s regularly plowed and de-iced; or if it’s near public transportation, let potential buyers know of these benefits.

5. Decorate for the seasons. If you’ll be showing during Thanksgiving, Christmas or other widely celebrated holidays, decorate the home accordingly, keeping simplicity and classiness at the forefront.

6. Offer your guests warm cider, hot tea or similar beverages during the walk through.

7. Make the space feel lived-in. While you want to remove most of your personal mementos – such as family photos – you also want to ensure that your home feels like a great place to live during winter. Set the table, light candles and play music to create a lived-in atmosphere.

8. Wash the windows. Bright winter light, especially when bouncing from the snowy ground, can reveal grime on unclean windows.

9. Set timers. If you’re going to be showing your home after work, or if you’re not always there when potential buyers drive or stop by, set indoor and outdoor lights to timers. Unlit homes are particularly uninviting.

10. Man homeowners require guests to remove their shoes or cover them with booties while viewing the house. While some people like this – as it proves the previous homeowner is clean and cares about the space – others find it peculiar. During the winter, however, when caked-on snow and mud are more commonplace on the soles of shoes, being meticulous about cleanliness is advised.

Planning to sell your Nashville home will undoubtedly be a big decision, and if you’re forced to make it during winter, keep these tips in mind when showing your home. Contact Todd Taylor at todd@tnsoldhome.com for more advice on selling your home.

Located only eight miles south of the bustling city, Brentwood, Tennessee is often referred to as the place “where Nashville lives,” according to the city’s official website.

The real estate market in this wealthy enclave has remained remarkably stable through the nation’s recent crash; “housing maintains its steady appreciation, while new construction provides a continuing stream of both large-lot luxury subdivisions and mixed-use developments,’’ claims the website. Home hunters will find a pleasant blend of 1960s architecture—some fixer-uppers—contemporary homes, million-dollar estates and antebellum homes. Brentwood maintains a rural, tree-filled atmosphere, despite the fact that 450 new homes are built annually, and the area “has grown at a steady rate of 4.7 percent each year.”

Originally settled in the 1700s, Brentwood saw devastation throughout the Civil War. The 1920s brought the purchase and restoration of many homes, and the 1960s encouraged growth with the arrival of the Interstate. “By the 1990s, the area was again one of the wealthiest in the state,” claims Come to Brentwood’s website.

If you’re hoping to find work in Brentwood, you’re in luck. The Bureau of Labor Statistics says Williamson County is in the “top 5 fastest growing counties in employment growth in the nation.”

Brentwood also offers recreation opportunities for the entire family. A local sports complex, YMCA and several golf courses are conveniently located. Lakes make water sports a popular form of play in Brentwood, and the Natchez Trace Parkway National Park is ideal for outdoor fun. Brentwood is also near Nashville, where musical entertainment abounds, as well as the Tennessee Performing Arts Center.

While the cost of living in Brentwood and throughout Middle Tennessee is lower than the national average, “88.1 overall cost of living using 100 for a national average according to the ACCRA Cost of Living Index,” housing in Brentwood is somewhat more expensive. That’s because there is a minimum one-acre residential density policy. This policy helps Brentwood maintain an open, rural feel while meeting its residents’ housing needs.

If living on your own piece of land, only minutes from a major urban hub, in one of Tennessee’s fastest growing and upscale areas is appealing, contact a reputable Realtor and begin touring Brentwood. Get in touch with Todd Taylor at todd@tnsoldhome.com.

Staging is an important step in the home selling process. It helps display the space to a potential buyer as one that could easily become his or her new home. During the holidays, staging can be tricky.

Realtor Magazine online and HGTV’s Frontdoor have several tips for staging your home during the holidays. The one rule that seems to hold true — don’t overdo it.

If your holiday season is reflective of your religious beliefs, as it is for many, it’s not necessary to hide your nativity scene or Hanukkah menorah. Simply be tasteful and courteous when displaying them. If you typically erect a Christmas tree during the holidays, continue to do so in your staged home — you do still live there, after all. Yet, consider simple, white, non-blinking lights, and pare down your ornaments to give the tree a cleaner, timeless look.

Another rule to follow when staging, no matter the season, is never detract from the house’s permanent fixtures. During the holidays, this means no hanging of long stockings across the mantle, and don’t fill every shelf of the built-in bookcase with holiday trinkets.

Realtor Magazine says color coordination and decorating for the senses are important staging rules during the holidays. You can add pops of green and red with fresh greenery in centerpieces or bright ribbons tied around candles. Be diligent about coordinating with your room’s current color. If the room is a bright blue, for example, red is a poor choice—stick with silver and gold during holiday decorating.

Appeal to homebuyers’ senses with soft holiday music, the scent of mulled cider and warm, rich lighting schemes. “Christmas music — mixed with holiday scents — has been shown to boost people’s attitudes in retail stores and increase their likelihood of wanting to visit them, according to research conducted in 2005 by Eric R. Spangenberg, Blanca Grohmann and David E. Sprott Journal of Business Research,” cites Realtor Magazine.

Curb appeal during the holidays is key. Winter months are harsh on the outdoor aesthetics of your home. Be sure decks, porches and patios are clean during showings. Fill planters with seasonal appropriate flora; poinsettias give off the holiday vibe and add color to an entryway. Hang a clean, fresh wreath on the door, or bring warmth to the house by placing battery-operated candles in windowsills that buyers can see from the road.

If you’re planning to show your home during the holiday season and want further staging advice, get in touch with Todd Taylor at todd@tnsoldhome.com.

As projected, Nashville homes sales were stimulated by recent tax credits and home buying assistance programs. With the majority of these campaigns coming to a close at the end of April, 2010, Realtors and real estate market experts projected a lull in home sales – they were correct.

After two months of consecutive rises in home sales, Nashville, along with the rest of the country, saw a 1.8 percent fall in pending home sales during September, 2010. The National Association of Realtors was cited on the News Channel 5 website as saying their “…index of sales agreements for previously occupied homes dropped 1.8 percent in September to a reading of 80.9. Contract signings fell in every region of the country except the West.”

The following month, Nashville saw a huge dip in land and property sales. “Nashville-area residential home and land sales in October fell 30.3 percent from the same month last year, according to figures released…by the Greater Nashville Association of Realtors,” reported the Tennesean.

Single – family home sales fell by 28 percent, while Nashville condo sales dropped by more than 50 percent.

President of the Realtors group, Lucy Smith, concurs that the fall in real estate purchases is coming on the coattails of the expired tax credit programs. However, she contends it is still a buyer’s market, with interest rates being favorable in the greater Nashville area.

Whether or not it is truly a buyer’s market in Nashville is up for debate. The median price for a single – family home in October, 2010, was around $173,000 thousand dollars.

According to November 12^th’s broadcast on Realty Times, Fannie May’s most recent, national housing survey claims that 70 percent of people believe it is a positive time to purchase a home, a statistic up from this time in January, when only 64 percent of people felt confident about home buying. However, 78 percent of people are confident that home prices will hold steady or increase over 2010 and into 2011.

Smith is quoted in the Tennesean as saying, “with the state of the general economy still causing some uncertainty, it is understandable that consumer confidence is low.”

Regardless of flattening or rising home prices, a drop in home sales and the continued instability of consumer confidence, the Nashville home market is improving – as are real estate sectors across the country.

If you want to learn more about the home buying climate in the greater Nashville area, it’s important to contact an experienced, involved real estate agent. Consult Todd Taylor at todd@tnsoldhome.com.

Although warm, muggy air promotes the reproduction of mold, don’t discount the fall and winter months. Mold can develop in cooler, moister environments, as well. Mold can be both visible and hidden, but either way, it can present health hazards, can damage your home and should be removed as soon as possible.

Mold

Mold is a microscopic organism that reproduces by dispersing tiny spores. These spores land on other surfaces and begin to cultivate, reproduce and spread.

Leaks around plumbing fixtures, wet attics and basements, leaky roofs…all of these are catalysts for the growth of mold.

Health Hazards

People react to mold infestations in different ways. Headaches, coughing, sneezing, itchy and runny eyes, as well as dizziness are common effects. Long-term exposure can lead to more serious problems, such as respiratory difficulty and neurological issues.

Structural Hazards

Mold can also be damaging to the structure and soundness of your home. It can weaken support beams by creating moisture buildup, cause ceilings and floors to bow and create discoloring and water stains.

Mold Remediation

Mold is like termites in that left untreated, it can cause intensive damage to your home. It’s paramount to identify the infested areas and move forward with removal.

If you decide to take on the mold remediation project on your own, keep these tips in mind.

• Adequate ventilation is necessary since harsh cleansers will be present.
• Wear a mask and gloves at all times when dealing with mold cleanup.
• Remove and bag any damaged components (insulation, wood, etc), and keep in mind that some areas (ventilation ducts, interior building components, etc.) may have mold on them, without it being in plain view.
• Wash and dry thoroughly the infected areas.
• Use a diluted bleach solution to kill remaining mold.

Professional mold removal companies have the technology, such as infrared cameras, and advanced identification and cleanup procedures to thoroughly rid your home of mold and mildew.

Maintaining the value of a home is something every homeowner should strive for, and if you’re trying to sell your home, mold problems will definitely be cause for alarm in a buyer’s mind.

If you think your Nashville area home is in need of an inspection, contact a mold remediation company or certified home inspector. Select a trustworthy professional that is recommended by a reputable Realtor. Consult Todd Taylor at todd@tnsoldhome.com.

We have all known a mom, sister or girlfriend who can literally save the world with the contents of a well-stocked purse. Everything from band-aids to bobby pins, duct tape to batteries can be neatly stashed in a put together purse, just for emergencies.

First-time homeowners, take a bit of this preparedness to heart. It’s inevitable that you will need to repair things, touch things up and work fairly consistently to keep your new home in well working order.

Here are some simple kit-building ideas that will make handling any unforeseen project in your home a breeze.

Tools

If you’ve been a renter for some years, it’s quite likely that you’ve never had the need for a hammer, nails or screwdriver. If something broke, you probably called the property owner. Now, home repair responsibilities fall to the shoulders of the owner.

Put yourself a basic tool kit together. Think about common tasks and repairs around your home and stock an easily accessible box or bag with the equipment you’ll need.

• Hammer – the foundation of any tool kit.
• Nails and screws – for securing loose items, hanging pictures and general construction.
• Screwdriver
• Drill – drills come in handy when creating pilot holes. Many drills also have screwdriver bits, so this tool can double as an electric screwdriver.
• Level
• Adjustable pliers and wrench – commonly used in plumbing projects.
• Duct tape – it really is a fix-all.
• Tape measure
• Box cutter
• Small saw

Cleaning Supplies

Cleaning supply kits are often overlooked when people move into a new home. Amidst the excitement, finding the bottle of Windex or dish soap is an afterthought.

Prepare a kit that includes your basic cleaning supplies, as well as trash bags, twisty ties, wipes, a small broom and dustpan, vacuum filters and other items used to keep your house tidy.

Store cleaning supply kits out of sight but within easy reach – it will make cleaning up messes quicker and more convenient if you don’t have to hunt and reach for the tools you need.

Medicine Kit

Colds, allergies and small sicknesses can develop into big problems in the middle of a move or the home buying process. Build a kit with basics – aspirin, allergy medicine, band-aids, common ointments – and create an auxiliary, travel component that can be easily carried with you on the go.

As a first-time homebuyer and owner, it’s important to get your new space in order. Use these kits to keep often-needed objects close at hand. For other first-time homebuyer tips and advice, contact a reputable real estate agent, such as Todd Taylor at todd@tnsoldhome.com.

Considered to be “one of the prettiest of Tennessee’s country towns,” according to Lebanon, Tennessee’s official website, the once home to Native Americans, living amongst cane breaks and cedar groves, is now a thriving, modern, cultural city.

Lebanon does retain some of its antiquated charm and historic richness. The long – standing town square is still dotted with small boutiques, shops and antique markets.

This home to five of Tennessee’s governors is a popular living destination for several reasons. The medium home price is modest, there exists the serenity of rural living, but the location of Lebanon is close to larger, more urban hubs, making commutes convenient and improving property value.

If you’re looking to relocate to Tennessee and build a family, Lebanon is a sound location to begin seeking real estate. There is a movement to make the city more walker and biker friendly, and within the city limits, there are endless amenities appropriate for raising a family. Several baseball fields and parks, retail and large – chain shopping options, dining opportunities, a hospital, university and mall are all within city limits.

Lebanon also boasts a municipal airport and the Music City Star rail line helps commuters make the 28-mile trek from Lebanon to Nashville during the week and for special events. There are several options for education – Lebanon Special School District, Wilson County School District, Cumberland University – and for the most part, the climate is clean and mild.

According to Lebanon’s official website, there are currently approximately 10,519 housing units in the city. Ninety–four percent of these are occupied, with around 60 percent being owned and 40 being rented. The median value of a single-unit, owner-housed space is around $145,000.

Lebanon is a forward-thinking Tennessee city that offers job opportunities, places to eat, shop, play, with amenities for families, couples and single dwellers. It retains its history and somewhat rustic charm while managing to keep up with the changes in times.

If you’re considering the purchase of real estate in Tennessee and want to live slightly outside the hustle and bustle of big city life, contact Todd Taylor at todd@tnsoldhome.com. As a reputable real estate agent, Todd and his team can help you find the perfect Lebanon property.

Broderick Perkins of Realty Times published an article on September 9, 2010 citing that neighbors – despite the prevalence of social media – still enjoy, even prefer, engaging with one another face-to-face.

In a recent poll conducted by Pew Internet, over 2,000 adults were asked about their neighbor relations and how they kept current on community events. Perkins cites these as the results of that poll:

• Twenty percent of adults used digital tools to correspond with neighbors and stay current with community events and news.
• Forty-six percent of adults prefer to speak face-to-face with neighbors.
• Twenty-one percent discussed neighborhood matters over the telephone.
• Only eleven percent read a blog concerning the community.
• A mere nine percent email with neighbors.
• Only five percent belong to a community email distribution list of sorts.

The stronghold that traditional neighborly interaction has on many communities should be seen as a positive thing. It gives families and friends the opportunity to host neighborhood-building events, and fall, when the weather is cooling, is the perfect season for doing so.

Here are some ideas for bringing neighbors in your Nashville neighborhood together this fall.

Charity

Hold a canned food or winter clothing drive. Ask people to donate food and warm clothes at a central event. There could be cider, hot chocolate, chili and a bon fire – if your community will allow one – to keep people warm and socializing during the drive.

A community trip to help at a local soup kitchen is another charitable way to bring neighbors together this fall.

Kid’s Activities

Kid’s activities are popular during the fall and winter months. Hold a small community festival with kid-friendly activities such as pumpkin painting/carving, gingerbread house building and costume competitions.

Scavenger hunts can be easily fall-themed. Have each child, or each family attending the event, put together a fall gift bag, and swap them anonymously amongst the children.

Displays

Cultivate friendly neighbor rivalry with door decorating competitions and scarecrow contests. Ask each participant for ideas on what the winner should receive, and pool your resources to provide the victor with a gift certificate to a local Nashville restaurant, theater tickets or a fall-themed gift basket.

If your community has an entryway, get neighbors together to replace the summer plants with cold-weather ones and to decorate the entrance with a harvest theme.

Contact Todd Taylor at todd@tnsoldhome.com for more Murfreesboro area events, too!

When you have people over, is the first thing they see an overcrowded coat rack? How about shoes piles next to the door? The entryway of a home sees loads of traffic. People coming leaving for work and school, dropping off bags and jackets when they return, and in general, it’s easy to let the entrance area of your home become cluttered and unorganized. Yet, you want guests to get a clean, orderly feeling when they enter your home.

Here are some tips for keeping the entranceway of your home in order.

Seating

Carla Hill, managing editor at Realty Times, suggests incorporating seating into your entranceway. A bench is perfect for building storage underneath, and it provides a place for putting on and removing shoes.

Built-Ins

If feasible, customize a built-in for your entrance way. Tailor it to meet the needs of your family. If your children play sports, include deep, long draws for soccer bags and baseball bats. If you live in cold weather, customize an off-the ground shoe storage unit where shoes can drip dry and heavy-duty coat hanging center. A mirror is also an excellent feature for an entranceway built-in – perfect for checking that tie or your makeup before walking out the door.

Household Items

Many homeowners need to lay hands on a screwdriver, flashlight or hammer and nails frequently. If you don’t want to trek to the garage for these helpful items every time the need arises, include in your entranceway an organized draw or storage bin for keeping them nearby.

Flooring

The entrance to your home isn’t the ideal place to sport plush, white carpet. Select a flooring and a finish that are durable and can withstand traffic and moisture. Tile, sealed hardwoods, stones and even concrete are sound options.

Whatever your family’s schedule, the entranceway is sure to see a lot of traffic. Create a place for things that you need to grab quickly on the way out – laptops, school lunches, umbrellas – as well as a place for storing and organizing these items while they’re in your home.

Organization, consolidation and storage options are key to keeping your home’s entrance clean and welcoming.

For a list of vendors that can help you prepare your home for sale, contact Todd Taylor at todd@tnsoldhome.com today.

Whether you’re getting ready to put your house on the market or your list of DIY weekend projects seems to be getting too long, you can tackle several jobs on your own, usually in a short amount of time, to increase the value of your home.

Storage

Storage space ranks high on homebuyer’s lists as something they want in a new house. For this reason, keeping closets, carports and basements clutter-free and organized is important.

Weekends offer plenty of time for purging and restructuring. If you’re handy with a hammer and nails, basic wall shelves can be constructed in just a few hours. Also, home improvement store aisles are packed with ready–to–assemble shelving units and closet organization systems. Take a few days to decide what stays and what goes, and then reorganize your home’s basic storage areas.

Outside

We all know the importance of curb appeal. Homebuyers that see a messy yard and unclean driveway upon arrival at a showing will undoubtedly have a poor first impression of your home.

Pressure washing is a weekend warrior job that does a great deal to improve the appearance of your house. If you don’t own a pressure washer, you can rent one from home improvement stores or appliance rental places. It takes some elbow grease and a few good hours of work to wash away accumulated grime, but the clean driveway, deck and even siding will truly improve your home’s curb appeal.

Dated Fixtures

One of the most recommended tasks for a home seller is replacing dated fixtures. Whether this means exchanging old copper sink faucets for shiny silver ones, or taking down the ceiling fan from the ‘70s, fixture updating is definitely a weekend DIY project.

One idea, take pictures of the sinks, lighting units and mirrors in your home. Head to a home improvement store with the images in hand and ask to speak to an associate. Typically, he or she will be able to help you decide if its time to update them and provide you with some ideas.

Paint

Over time, houses settle. Sometimes, a roof will leak, and water stains will show the ceiling’s paint. Cracks in corners and dingy paint are major turnoffs for homebuyers. Plus, a freshly painted home is cleaner, brighter and generally more comfortable.

Take a quick survey of your home’s rooms, paying close attention to corners and molding. If you see cracks, chips or stains, it’s probably time to repaint. The same goes for paint as it does for fixtures – if you aren’t sure what colors would be best. Take measurements of the rooms and pictures before heading to the paint store. There will be someone there to help guide you.

Owning a home requires constant upkeep, and selling a home requires some additional fixing up. These smaller weekend warrior tasks will help keep your home looking fresh and modern, and they will definitely make your house more appealing to potential buyers.