7 Tips to Help You Make Sure Your New Home Is Pet-Friendly


If you want to find the perfect home for both you and your pet, I have seven great tips that can help.


Many of us have pets we love and care for, but finding a house that fits both your family and your pet(s) can be a challenge. Here are seven tips that will help you find a home that fulfills both sets of needs: 1. Be aware of the local pet laws. In different neighborhoods, there are different HOA restrictions and rules that may outlaw certain breeds of pets or certain pets in general. Look over those restrictions and rules before putting a contract in place just to make sure there aren’t any that might cause an issue for you and your pet. 2. Know the yard and fence situation of the house you want to buy. Some neighborhoods will require a certain type of fencing. If your home is in a neighborhood that requires wrought-iron fencing, for example, that could cause an issue as far as keeping your pets contained. You might also encounter a neighborhood that doesn’t permit fencing. 3. Make sure your property has room for your pets to be able to get out and roam. This usually means having a big enough yard for them to be able to run around in.

Look over the neighborhood’s restrictions and rules regarding pets before putting a contract in place.
4. Make sure your home doesn’t back up to or border a major road. One of the worst things that can happen for a pet owner is a dog getting out and running into a busy road. A house that backs up into a green space can also be an issue, depending on what type of pets you have. Here in Texas, if your home backs up to a green space, you may encounter certain animals that would prey on your pets. 5. Choose a house that has pet-friendly floors. National flooring expert Debbie Gardner suggests having solid hardwood floors because they can stay in good condition for a long time and you can reseal and restain them if they endure any damage. As far as hardwood floors go, I would personally suggest using a more distressed wood type so if and when your pets scratch the floor, it adds to the character instead of making it look out of place. Stained concrete and tile both work great for pets as well, especially if they’re sealed. The one type of floor that doesn’t mix well with pets is carpet because it traps pet odors and will show any stains they make. 6. Pay attention to the floor plan. Some floor plans are very restrictive, so make sure you choose a house with a floor plan that will allow enough room for both you and your pets to move around without constantly being in each other’s way.

7. Make sure your pets can handle the home’s stairs. Some pets have trouble with stairs, especially if they’re older. Having a carpeting stretch going up and down the stairs can make it easier for pets like that.

 If you have any questions about finding a pet-friendly home or you have any other real estate questions you’d like to ask me, don’t hesitate to reach out to me. I’d be glad to help.
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Location: Temple, TX, USA

Thinking About Staging Your Home? Make These 4 Repairs First


When you’re preparing to stage your home for sale, we recommend making these four repairs first.


I’m here today to discuss four repairs you should make before preparing to stage your house prior to sale. In meeting with different folks who are preparing to sell their house, and we’ve seen that there are some consistent repairs across the board that we suggest they make—even before their staging appointment. We’ve boiled that list of repairs down to four. 1. Update and clean the exterior of the home. When I say ‘update,’ I don’t necessarily mean investing tons of money into the exterior of your house, but you do want to clean it up. This might mean trimming up the yard to look nice or fixing any obvious wood rot issues. Just make sure that when people come to see your house, the exterior curb appeal is good.

Saving your receipts from any repairs made will make great leverage as we go into negotiation.
2. Make sure that your air conditioning unit works well. This is something that concerns nearly every buyer in Texas, even though winter is on the way. Hire a professional to come out and service the unit to make sure it’s in working order. Keep the servicing receipt, by the way; when we’re pursuing a buyer or going under contract, that would be great to share with them. 3. Clean your floors. If your carpet is threadbare or dirty, have a professional come clean it for you. Tile and laminate hardwood floors need to be touched up as well. 4. Check on the status of your plumbing and electrical. You don’t want any surprises later on down the road as you get closer to contract. The buyer will eventually go through the house with a fine-toothed comb in the form of inspections anyway, so get any necessary repairs made so those issues won’t cost you later down the line. Again, saving your receipts from any repairs made here will make great leverage as we go into negotiation. Anything that can help you save and make money is something that we encourage you to do. If you’re thinking about selling your home soon or at some point in the future, these are some great tips to great started on before we meet. Feel free to reach out to us for any more tips like these or questions about buying and selling a home. That’s what we’re here to do for you.
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Location: Temple, TX, USA

6 Tips to Get Your Home Ready for the Holidays


There are six easy tips you can do to make your house appealing and inviting for any holiday guests that might be headed your way.


If you plan on having friends and family stay at your house this holiday season, here are six tips that will get your house in top condition. First, make over your guest room. You don’t have to spend a lot of money to do so. For most people, the guest room functions as a catch-all storage room, so clear out any unnecessary items from it. It also might be a good idea to buy a new set of sheets for the bed or repaint any dingy furniture. Next, polish the silver. If you have silver kitchenware you plan on putting out, make sure it looks nice and clean instead of tarnished or drab-looking. Third, make the house inviting. You can go to stores like TJ Maxx or Tuesday Morning and find nice items to set out or other things like guest soap, hand towels, and slippers that can really make people feel welcome when they stay at your place.

Just because you can walk around your house blindfolded at 2 a.m. doesn’t mean your guests will be able to do so.
You should also think about the functionality of your home. If someone stays in your guest room, they’ll need room for their clothes and other items they’ll have to put away. This is why, again, it’s a good idea to empty out the closet and clear away your things so guests have room for their things. This is not only very easy to do, but it’s also very helpful. It’s important to make sure that your home has good lighting. Just because you can walk around your house blindfolded at 2 a.m. doesn’t mean your guests will be able to do so, so be cognizant of having good lighting. The same rule applies to the outside of the home as well. Make sure your porch lights are working and there is a clearly lit path up to the house. Lastly, make sure your home smells nice. Give your house a good cleaning and put out some air fresheners so everything smells clean and fresh. If you have any more questions about how to spruce up your home for holiday company or are thinking of buying or selling a home in our area, don’t hesitate to reach out to me. I’d be glad to help you.
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Location: Temple, TX, USA
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