It’s time to stop putting it off and get fresh for spring! Whether you own your home or are renting, brightening up your home can lift the spirits and make the transition into summer much easier. There’s double the benefit if you’re thinking of selling – nothing is more appealing to prospective buyers than a clean, cosy and fresh house!

 

Here are a few basic tips to get you started, but depending on the last time you spring cleaned the list could become endless!

 

·         Wash your house – no matter what your house is made of or what type of finish it has on it, there’s no denying that it is exposed to the elements and that they do take their toll. Giving the outside of your house a good wash, removing bird droppings, sap, tannins and stains can give your home a whole new lease on life!

·         Make like Jamie Durie – You might not want to get too carried away, but you’ll be surprised what a difference you can make to your yard by just sprucing up garden beds and trimming the lawn. If things are looking dire, consider some lawn seeding or fertilizing to give plants and grass their own spring facial.

·         Become a world class entertainer – I love firing up the BBQ in summer, and a big part of relaxing outside is having a relaxing environment to do it in! Check your outdoor setting for necessary repairs, replace cracked pavers and give everything a good sweep – before you know it you’ll be ready to party!

·         Fix the fence – Are your palings out of place? Is the dog doing more digging under the colourbond than an archaeologist? It might be time to put in a new fence, or fix the old one. Good fencing can adds security and value to your home, and most importantly keeps kids and pets in!

·         Kill Clutter- the rooms you spend a lot of time in often ‘fill up’ with items you may not even need any more! Consider a new storage system, a garage sale, charity collection or ebay sale to get rid of things you no longer want. You may be surprised at just how spacious your house is, and sunlight will flood your rooms without falling on ‘treasures’ that were just gathering dust.

·         Add a splash of colour – Freshen up your house with a lick of paint. Neutrals are always in fashion, but you would be surprised how much a room can change when colour is used carefully. Look at the style and colour of furniture and other items you already have, then let your imagination go.

·         First class bathroom – you don’t need to spend a fortune to brighten the bathroom. Clean towels hanged neatly, the odd pot plant and a bit of a scrub can turn your bathroom into a pamper palace.  If the colours, tiles or fittings are outdated or in disrepair, try shopping around for new taps, spouts and shower heads, paint walls and even consider  painting or replacing tiles.

·         Snuggle In – See that old mattress? We’re meant to replace them every ten years – max. Now’s the time to invest in restful sleep. If you can’t stretch to that (or you don’t need to) then a doona and pillows make a world of difference. Redecorating with bright, fresh linen makes going to bed early a much more enticing idea.

·         Become a Kitchen King or Queen – Clean out that pantry, get on top of the cupboards and get scrubbing! Throw out expired foods ask yourself if you really need old spices or marinades. We spend a lot of time in our kitchen so keep only the utensils, pots and plates you actually need. Do someone a favour by offering items in good condition to charity.

·         Freshen the air- There’s nothing worse than waking up on a beautiful spring morning in a musty house. Open all of your windows and try and get ahead on your washing! If you’re on a budget, wash the pets yourself or if you can afford to treat yourself get them groomed. Move muddy shoes outside and give any rugs or mats a vacuum and a good old-fashioned beating on a sunny day!

 

 

Now that you’re inspired, hop to it and enjoy what’s left of spring in Armidale!

Well the Spring season in Armidale is fully underway and what a season 2010 is shaping up to be. Already we have seen people purchase homes here from Cairns, Brisbane, Melbourne, Sydney and many other areas. In talking with these families they believe Armidale shows fantastic value and offers fantastic services.

 

The tree change phenomenon is truly underway and Armidale is certainly up there as one of the top destinations.

 

Reasons for the tree change is certainly due to the booming markets, especially Sydney. The multi-national companies that will appear in Armidale over the next eighteen months backs this up; one CEO told me recently that Armidale is the perfect destination and their research indicates that Armidale is an untapped market and they believe Armidale is certainly going ahead.

 

In other good news our annual National Breast Cancer Foundation BBQ raised fantastic funds to this great cause and the annual total thus far tops $1.3million in donations from Professionals. So thank you to all our clients, past and present and the general public who help us help the NBCF!

 

Thinking Real Estate?? Think Pink; Think Professionals Armidale! 

Armidale residents are in for a special treat this weekend as ABC’s “At the Movies” co-host David Stratton visits Armidale to present a mystery film, host a short talk and answer your questions at the UNE Arts theatre this Saturday evening.

 

Once again the enthusiasm of groups such as Armidale’s Friends of the ABC (who are celebrating 10 years of ABC advocacy in the area) and the Armidale International Film Festival has resulted in an interesting event which could be insightful, challenging or even confusing – it all depends on what sort of film is shown!

 

I think it’s exciting to be welcoming David to the area this weekend – let’s show him our cinematic stripes and turn out to support this important fundraiser for the 2011 AIFF!

 

Tickets for this great night out are only $20 ($15 concession) and will be available from the NERAM front office.

 

Which film do you think David could be showing? His favourite movie IS Singing in the Rain…