Topsail Island Agent - Glynda Bradshaw with Ward Realty

Friendly reminder!

Are you planning to plant anything this spring or do some fresh landscaping?

Most people think about decluttering easily visible spaces - mainly the countertops - in the kitchen. But did you know a lot of people who book a showing of your home will open at least one or two cabinets or drawers?

They are looking to see if the storage space is sufficient. But the biggest problem is that they are seeing it hold YOUR stuff, not THEIRS. Unfortunately, their mind doesn't always consciously process that! So when your stuff looks crammed and cluttered, they assume their stuff won't fit well either.

Do you need to organize every shelf and drawer in your kitchen? No. But could you declutter and perhaps pack away some of your lesser used items and then organize a bit what is left? Maybe put a little extra focus on some of the most likely to be opened.

This extra effort might or might not make a difference, but if feels doable and you want your house to sell, I'd recommend it!

I'm not going to pretend I understand all the science behind it, but I'm convinced Plato was pretty close to accurate on this claim!

Most of us go through a decluttering and re-organizing phase in January. And after that's done, it's a great time to evaluate if the home you are in is still a good fit for this season of your life.

Yes, lots of people move because of a job change or life changing event, but sometimes it's simply because their house no longer fits their season of life and finding a better fitting space offers a fresh start!

Regardless of your reason to move, let me know if you're curious about what's on the market. While inflation is definitely impacting prices at the grocery stores, current interest rates are still pretty affordable so now is a great time to start looking!

If your goal for 2022 is to downsize, here is a simple 3-step process that will help you stay focused on your end goal of fitting your life (and your favorite, most essential things) into a new smaller space!

A 3-Step Downsizing Plan When it's time to move to a smaller home, these tips will help you save the memories while minimizing clutter in your new place.

It can be easy to lose sight of this important point when you are at the end of a long, hard day (or week!), but beach living truly is a privilege many will never pursue... and I don't understand that at all! 🤣

At the end of a long day, knowing there is sand nearby and waves to watch fills my soul with hope that a better day is coming, even if I have to wait for it a bit.

Did you put all of your Christmas decorations away only to notice your garage is running out of space? Here's an article that offers some simple tricks to gaining storage space in your garage. It's a must if the garage space is getting overrun with tools, toys, beach equipment, decorations and other things in storage!

Regain Your Garage: Simple Tricks for Getting Organized A thoughtful approach to garage storage makes the most of this valuable space and keeps every necessity at your fingertips.

Of course your family and friends make the house a home... but I think of my role as a real estate agent more like a matchmaker - helping you find a great new home for your family to thrive in the next season no matter what unique situations we need to navigate.

And of course helping you sell when the time is right so you can leverage your property for the most amount of value and step into a new season to continue creating that sense of home but in a new and fresh location!

home

Mood check... How are you doing settling into winter mode?

I know we settled at the beach for a reason... mainly to enjoy warm weather at the beach! But when the weather goes a bit frosty, we have to adjust for a bit.

It always helps if I remind myself it never gets too cold to enjoy those ocean views... but it also helps to turn up the cozy factor inside! Here's an article with some great cozy tips to help you enjoy these chilly months...

8 Tips for Achieving Maximum Coziness Gray skies don’t have to mean a drab indoor life.

There's a lot to think about when you are moving. Packing all the things and slowly shutting down your daily life in preparation to re-launch in a new location take as lot of energy! But before you start unpacking, here are a few key suggestions to make your transition a bit smoother:

*Schedule the power and water to be turned on (optional: cable and wifi to be turned on within the first week or so)
*Plan about a day to clean before moving in while all of those hard to reach corners and cabinets are empty and easy to reach. If you're running low on time, hiring and cleaning crew could get this done in a few hours!
*File a change of address form with the postal service. Also update your address with all providers you regularly use (credit cards, subscription services, online retailers you frequent, etc)

If you're considering moving this winter, here are some reasons you might want to make the leap before spring!

5 Reasons Why Winter Is the Best Time to Buy a Home | Home Matters | AHS Everyone has their opinion on when the best time to buy a home is. Here are some reasons why the winter months might be the best time. Learn more.

Are you planning your Weekend Warrior Projects for January & February? Here are some great winter time DIY projects you can tackle this weekend or start planning to tackle soon!

10 Parts of the Home You Can (and Should) Renovate in Winter Don't let the brutal winter weather keep you down. Being holed up inside is actually the perfect excuse for finishing these home improvement projects.

Did you know that when you buy a house, the interest rate on your mortgage is based partially on your credit score?

The better your credit score, the more the bank believes you to be trusty to manage your debt well so they give you a smaller interest rate.

Basically, if your score is below the excellent range, I would work on adjusting a few things to get it up before you try to make a big purchase like a house... you're future self will thank you for your effort!

If you have the desire to declutter, but are stuck for methods or ideas of how to even get started, here's an article with lots of ideas on how to tackle it. There's sure to be at least one that feels both doable and vibes with how you prefer to approach the decluttering and organization process. What's your favorite technique?

The 27 Greatest Decluttering Tips of All Time "Keep what you need and what makes you happy" is enough of a north star for some people. But many of us need a little extra guidance to help decide what's worth keeping.

At the start of the year, we all evaluate what should change, be improved or stay the same. And a house is often one of the things we dream about updating or upgrading. If a new house is on your to do list for 2022, talk to me about how you can get the most when you are ready to sell your current one. The market is shifting and what was working 6 months ago isn't optimal anymore. Working with a LOCAL real estate agent gets you the edge on the local market trends.

Now that we have transitioned into full winter season, it's a great time to take a bit of time to check over your house. This is a list of 13 pretty quick things to check in your home to give it a little TLC for the winter season!

To-Dos: Your January Home Checklist Protect your home from harsh winter weather and get a jump-start on your top projects for the year

Whether you are planning a move, wanting to update your home a bit or finally declutter your garage now is a great time to write your house goals for the year. Take some time to dream about how you want to intentionally build equity in the biggest investment you own!

Whether you met all your goals and knocked it outta the park this year or you are counting down the seconds to be done with this not-so-excellent year, in the morning we start fresh! And there's something beautiful about that season of refreshing that is rejuvenating. Take tonight to look back and reflect and consider the direction you want to take in the new year. Leave any regrets and missed expectations in the tide as it washes away the old year and move forward with fresh hope, fresh clarity and fresh expectation!

Don't worry, the insane amounts of clutter usually subsides within 1 week - 1 month. It definitely helps if you can donate some of the old things and perhaps re-arrange to make new homes for all the new things...

But in rare cases, the answer is yes its time to upgrade to a home with more space / better storage. I'm here for that, and I'm just a phone call or text away! (910) 548-3312

In case you missed it, this gem of a house officially sold right before Christmas! It's one of the many great investment properties on Topsail Island that are ready to make a profit. So if you have been thinking about a new investment property, we should talk! I can keep an eye out for exactly what you are looking for. It might take time if you have specific requests, but we can certainly make it happen!

Happy first day of Winter!

In case your Friday needed a fun holiday boost... here you go!

Personally I don't think any sweater on a dog qualifies as ugly.

"Christmas comes but once a year" or so I'm told...

Here's a great list of fun holiday activities to help you make the most of this season before it's gone again!

Christmas Bucket List: 50 Fun Holiday Activities & Festive Things to Do The holidays always seem to arrive way too quickly, and usually by the time I even think about decorating with boughs of holly it has turned into 'oh crap' I forgot to buy Aunt Mary her annual set of dish towels and then also frantically calling the local bakery for my contribution to the cookie ex...

Either way you go, it's an investment!

Business for contractors usually slows down during winter, but it can be a great time to do a few simple projects. Here are some suggestions for affordable projects to tackle this winter season.

Winter Home Improvement Projects For Under $500 Winter home improvement projects offer slight advantages over warmer seasons. Here are eight improvement ideas to try this winter.

This looks like a delightful way to spend a Friday night with some friends chatting by the light of the Christmas tree!

Cozy Up and Stay Warm with a Cute Coffee and Hot Cocoa Station — Mint Event Design If you are like me and you like to have friends over no mater how the weather is outside, let me share with you this pretty yet simple Hot Cocoa...

Living by the beach teaches you so much about life! There's wisdom hidden in the waves.

Real estate agents have encouraged people to use scents for home staging forever. This has a few combinations that would make your space cozy for the holidays whether you're staging to sell, prepping for a Christmas party or a classic movie marathon... Garfield Christmas anyone?!

DIY Holiday Simmer Scents: Make Your Home Smell Great for the Holiday These holiday simmer scents are super light and clean, a great way to make your house smell welcoming to anyone who visits this winter!

The old real estate motto of "Location, Location, Location" has faltered a bit in our digital age. People can shop for a home online and put in an offer without ever seeing the property in person. They can choose an agent that has no real understanding of local areas at all.

But coastal areas are unique. The beach ecosystem is ever-changing and navigating the unique intricacies of beach living is best done by someone who knows the area well!

I've been in the Topsail area for over 15 years. I know what roads are busy, which parts of the island floods easily during a hurricane and who to call when you need repairs done that will do the job quickly for a fair price.

You don't have to go with me, but I strongly encourage people to use a *local* agent. It makes a world of difference in your real estate experience!

You know, these decorating tips are also great when you're in the season of "I was in the neighborhood" drop-bys from friends and family ;)

7 Low-Cost (or Free!) Kitchen Staging Ideas Real Estate Experts Swear By These tips will, yes, sell potential buyers on your kitchen. But, even if your home isn’t on the market, embracing some of these kitchen styling rules will help you create a lovely space for entertaining or providing an Instagram backdrop for those great food photos you’ve been taking.