Home Sweet Home Improvement

Home sweet home improvement – the Coldwell Banker® Network offers tips for upgrading your home and increasing property value

Whether you are planning to add more rooms, upgrade your kitchen or want to put your home on the market, the Coldwell Banker Network offers some essential home improvement tips to increase the value of your home.

Kitchen makeover. The kitchen is the most popular room in the house to remodel. Most in the industry will tell you money spent upgrading a kitchen produces the highest return on investment. Hot makeover trends include adding dual sinks, cooking stations, bigger dishwashers, under-cabinet lighting, warming ovens and wine coolers. Also consider upgrading all major appliances.

Bathroom fixer-upper. Upgrading a bathroom is another sound choice and will often provide a significant return on investment, as large bathrooms typically top the list for those seeking a new home. Adding skylights, sunken whirlpool baths, or larger showers are other attractive selling features.

Cosmetic touch-ups. A paint job, new double-paned windows, or new carpeting will increase the price of a house virtually dollar-for-dollar. It is important to make sure your home standards are in-line with other houses in the neighborhood. Neutral colors and no clutter make a world of difference! It is vital to look after minor problems such as a leaky faucet or a loose cabinet to guarantee your house doesn't experience any long-term damage. As soon as you notice a problem, fix it sooner than later to help avoid a larger expense down the road.

Home improvement professionals for hire. Whether you need an architect, gardener, interior designer or contractor, it is always important to do a background check prior to hiring a professional. Get references from family or friends and then interview your selection. Important qualities to look for are trust and experience, not initial price.

For more great tips, check out the Sellers section at http://www.richgillespie.com/

New Construction in Washington

616 Grandyle, Washington
Over 2600 finished square feet! Magnificent E.O. Reed built 2 story new construction in Trails Edge. Very open floor plan in this 4 bedroom and 2-1/2 bath home with a fireplaced great room, kitchen with granite countertops, formal dining, informal dining, & main floor laundry. This home offers lots of hardwood and ceramic tile floors, arched doorways, rounded corners, vaulted ceilings, 9’ ceilings on the main level and a 9’ basement. All 4 bedrooms are upstairs including a huge master suite with 2 walk in closets. The master bath has dual sinks with granite tops, a walk-in shower, and a corner whirlpool tub. Bedrooms 3 & 4 also have walk-in closets, and the main bath also has dual sinks with granite tops. Still time to make selections! Estimated completion date is late September. $279,900. See the listing for more details. Email or call us at 309-657-0063 if you have any questions.

Open Sunday!

Come visit us Sunday at our Open Houses.

407 Coral Drive, Morton (Open 2 - 4)
Signature Home Built 5 bedroom 3 1/2 bath home located in Thornridge subdivision. This home offers a formal dining room, an eat in kitchen and large family room. The basement is finished with a full bathroom and rec room. The main level has chestnut hardwood floors and the kitchen has custom Amish cabinetry and granite Counter tops. The family room offers a gas log fireplace, and a patio out back for entertaining. $349,800. See the listing for more details.

1916 Deer Lane, Washington (Open 1 - 3)
Come take a look at this very well maintained 3 bedroom 2 full bath ranch in Washington. The master bedroom has his & her closets and the master bath has dual sinks. The basement is finished including a family room and a den/office. There have been numerous updates including flooring, light fixtures inside and out, interior paint, newer sump pump, and more. The yard has been professionally landscaped by Greenview. The backyard has a deck and a patio! $174,900. See the listing for more details.

14821 N Fruitland, Chillicothe (Open 2 - 4)
WOW!! This 3 bedroom, 1 bath ranch located just outside of Chillicothe. The house has many updates. Newer flooring including wood in the living room, carpet in the bedrooms, and tile in the kitchen. All appliances stay but are not warranted. The one-stall garage has been enclosed for a workshop, but it can be changed back to a garage. The heating and cooling were new in 2007 and the well was replaced in 2000. Very clean and neat. Ready for a new family. Do not miss out!!! $104,900. See the listing for more details.

Email or call us at 309-657-0063 if you have any questions.

New Listing in Chillicothe!

13605 N Dover Lane, Chillicothe

Come take a look at this very well maintained 4 bed 2.5 bath home with a 3 car garage in Cedar Hills Estates. Numerous updates have been done including high efficiency furnace & a/c, tankless water heater, windows, roof, carpet, fresh paint and much more. This home offers approximately 3,000 square feet of finished living space and sits on over a half acre lot. Truly an exceptional value in Mossville and IVC school districts. See the listing for more details. Email or call us at 309-657-0063 if you have any questions.

Support the Fight Against Breast Cancer!

We will donate $250 for every home sold during May to support the fight against breast cancer!*

*Sales contract must be accepted between

May 1, 2010 and May 31, 2010.

Help us welcome a new Realtor to the team!

We would like to welcome Jennifer Conrad to the Gillespie Group! Read more about Jennifer in the About Us section of our website. Contact Jennifer by email or phone at 309-369-4036.

Selling a House with Pets

You love you pets and so does the rest of the neighborhood. However, when it comes time to sell your home, you shouldn’t expect the same of those interested in your property. While it is difficult for some homeowners to understand the negative perceptions about pets held by some prospective buyers, you should try to make your home as appealing as possible to everyone who walks through the door. Before showing your home, consider some of these steps to minimize the impact of pets and potentially maximize interest from prospective buyers.

Before showing your home to buyers, you should try to remove all signs of your pets. Start by putting away any food and water bowls, pet toys and litter boxes. If your dogs use a doggie door to get in and out of your home, consider replacing or sealing up the door. If you keep photos of you and your pets on display, pack the images away when prospective buyers are in your home. Lastly, if you have any items that are too big to hide – like cages or dog carriers – find a discreet storage location in the garage or outside the home.

To ensure that you don’t offend the eyes (or noses) of prospective buyers, you may want to devote extra time to cleaning your home. If you have cats or dogs that roam freely in the home, start by vacuuming the entire house. Next, as most pet-loving homes have a carpet stain or two, consider hiring a professional cleaner to get rid of the offending spots. If you find any stains that cannot be removed, you may want to replace the carpet or flooring before showing your home. To remove the last whiffs of pet smell from your home, avoid air fresheners (some of your guests may have allergies) and try using a heavy-duty enzyme cleaner. When you are confident in your cleaning, ask a friend or extended family member to inspect for stains and smells before showing the home.

Ideally, homeowners may want to try relocating their pets while their home is on the market. Rather than keeping your four-legged loved ones locked up in the garage, consider asking your friends and family to help out. If you can’t find anyone with the ability to watch your pets, you may need to consider using a nearby kennel. While this might be incredibly difficult to do – for pet and pet owner alike – this step could go a long way towards helping prospective buyers feel comfortable in your home. By keeping your pets out of your home while it is on the market you will be able to minimize the impact they’ve had on the property and avoid any mishaps with prospective buyers. However, if you can’t bear to part with your pets while your home is on the market, you should still try to remove your furry friends during open houses and tours.

While there may be plenty of pet-friendly home buyers that visit your open house, it is important not to offend anyone who looks at your home. In fact, even some pet owners might be turned off by the presence of your pets. After all, plenty of pet owners believe their own animals to be cleaner and better behaved than anyone else’s. Hence, when it comes time to show your home to prospective home buyers, you should try your best to minimize your pets’ impact.

The staff at Coldwell Banker Real Estate LLC writes select articles about important topics related to real estate. For more information about buying a home or selling your current property, visit ColdwellBanker.com today.

Visit the Sellers section of our website for more helpful tips. Email or call us at 309-657-0063 if you have any questions.