http://myemail.constantcontact.com/Sunda
June 16, 2011One FREE admission ticket to country sin
May 13, 2011One FREE admission ticket to country singer, Mark Chesnutt in concert at Memorial Auditorium for Saturday 5/14 at 8pm. **Email geri@buyvtrealestate.com if you want it!**
Don’t forget about the Vermont Home & G
April 14, 2011Don’t forget about the Vermont Home & Garden Show this weekend at the Champlain Valley Expo! For info and discounted tickets: http://ow.ly/4AeFg . Geri Reilly Real Estate will have a booth and we’re raffling off lots of great prizes!
Looking to build your own home? We have
February 18, 2011Looking to build your own home? We have several lots available in Shelburne. Check out our new Rivercrest Estates website: http://www.rivercrestvt.com
Looking for a Unique Holiday Gift?
December 10, 2010On exhibit at Geri Reilly Real Estate is Vermont artist, Natasha Bogar’s Archival Giclee Prints on canvas. These limited edition prints are embellished by the artist with acrylic paints. The collection includes beautiful paintings of Vermont’s Camels Hump, Burlington Bay, Stowe Mountain Lodge and ski trails at Stowe Mountain. It also includes a lovely portrayal of Ames Pond at Deer Isle in Maine as well as several other landscape pieces.
Natasha Bogar received her painting BFA from the University of Maine. She spent a year a Studio Giambo in Florence, Italy studying ceramics, mosaics and fresco painting. Natasha also attended the School of Italian Plasters Decoration Academy. As a certified applicator of Safra Plasters from Verona, Italy, she creates many old world wall finishes. Her twin sister, Saskia Reinholt, is also an artist and the two of them often collaborate on large murals and stained glass commissions. You can explore their works on www.twinspirations.us. Natasha’s design sense is inspired by the natural world, especially the beauty of Vermont. Her studio is located in the backside of 144 Main Street in Stowe and welcomes visitors!
Geri Reilly Real Estate also welcomes visitors! Stop by and check out Natasha’s exhibit. You might just find that perfect gift you were looking for!
Crafty Ideas for Winter Curb Appeal
December 3, 2010Fortunately, it is possible to create striking winter curb appeal without expensive or complicated exterior changes. It just requires a little creativity.
Home-design experts offer these eight tips:
1. Add splashes of green and purple. Plants, grasses, and evergreens can liven up a home’s winter landscape. Experiment with tall grasses, such as fountain grasses, that survive harsh winters. And in late fall and early winter, plants from the cabbage family add a vibrant purple color. Make the front door the focal point with a large wreath adorned with a colorful ribbon. To finish the look, place large, colorful planters filled with evergreens beside the front door.
2. Give it seasonal sparkle. Transform an unused bird bath or fountain into a seasonal display by adding twigs with red berries. Or fill frost-resistant urns with twigs, winter greenery, and sparkly baubles (sold at most craft stores). For extra sparkle, roll twigs in glitter and incorporate a gazing ball—a mirrored glass ball available in various colors—into the display.
3. Make the garden statuesque. Roman- or Greek-themed outdoor sculptures can add class and elegance to a garden in winter. Be sure to use frost-resistant statues so they don’t crack. Place the statues strategically throughout the garden to draw buyers’ eyes around the outdoor space.
4. Light it bright. During the winter, it’s more likely that buyers will be viewing home after sunset. Use clear flood spotlights to focus on the home’s architectural features. Keep exterior lighting fixtures at maximum wattage and clean them regularly. When snow covers the ground, ask your Realtor to take photos of your house at night with all of the interior lights on—the light will bounces off the white snow to create a warm, inviting glow. For the best results, turn off the flash, and use a tripod to avoid blurring.
5. Show off the lifestyle. Just because it’s cold outside doesn’t mean you can’t use the deck. Shovel your backyard sitting area and leave your grill uncovered so buyers can envision themselves using the space. If the home has a hot tub, leave that open and running during showings as well.
6. Create a photo display of sunnier days. Show buyers what the outside of the home looks like during other seasons by displaying some landscape photos in frames or using a digital photo frame with a slide show of images. This will give a sense of what the property looks like at other times of year. If the home has a garden, make a list of what’s planted where. Perennials can be expensive, so treat them as a selling feature.
7. Don’t forget to clear a path. If the ground is covered in snow, the simplest and most important thing you can do is shovel the driveway and sidewalks and keep the home’s patios and decks as clear as possible so buyers can get a sense of their true size. This also makes it easier for buyers and Realtors to access the property without getting their feet and pants legs all wet!
(Article from Realtor magazine)
2010 Kitchen Trends
October 15, 2010Living room and family room activities are merging into the kitchen, and it’s changing how kitchens look. Particularly as homes are getting smaller, we’re using the kitchen for much more than we have in the past. Home owners want a more versatile floor plan and need to get creative with their space.
The walls in kitchens started coming down in the 1980s and 1990s. First to go were walls separating the kitchen from the dining room and now home owners are saying goodbye to walls between the kitchen and the living room. Kitchens also are being designed in a less utilitarian way with larger windows, fewer cabinets, and softer lighting.
What if your house doesn’t have these elements? There are simple things you can do to create that cozy, social feel:
Install a kitchen island. Kitchen islands not only have functional benefits but also provide space for entertaining, informal dining, and extra storage. If space is limited, consider a portable island, which can range from a butcher block to a breakfast table with bar stools. Just make sure that the style you choose is consistent with your existing decor in the kitchen and the size is appropriate. At least 3 feet is recommended between the island and walls so there’s plenty of space to move around. If the kitchen island is large, add chairs to show it can serve as an extra gathering place.
Furnish with comfy chairs. Skip the typical wooden stools for an upholstered bar stool with a back. Switch out traditional chairs around the kitchen table for wing chairs, a love seat, or even an upholstered bench.
Soften the light. Use accent lights and sconces, usually associated with a hallway or den. Numerous small lamps also will create a softer effect. Hang a chandelier or light fixture over the kitchen island.
Get crafty and add a decorative backsplash. Not only are backsplashes super functional behind the sink and stove, they can also be very appealing to the eye and can exemplify personal style. Glass tiles are very popular now, but so are ceramic tiles and tin panels which are particularly easy to install.
Add storage. Extra storage is key especially in smaller kitchens. Consider a wall peg board or a hanging wrought-iron rack to hang pots and pans. Add a standalone cabinet, cupboard, buffet, or wall shelving. Stage cabinets with craft supplies to show that the space can serve many purposes.
Display quality pieces. Take the artwork you may have once reserved for the living room and display it in the kitchen. Accessorize shelves with collectibles or books. For smaller kitchens, mount a mirror on one wall which will give the illusion of more space and reflect light.
Make sure the basics are strong. If the bones of the kitchen aren’t strong, fix those first. The condition of countertops, hardware, flooring, appliances, and cabinets aren’t going to be covered up by creating a cozy atmosphere.
(Contributing writer: M.D Tracey)
Interesting Tips to Save Money, Energy & Resources!
October 1, 2010Did you know the average house produces over 5,000 lbs. of trash each year?
You can reduce your household’s impact on landfills by recycling glass, aluminum, paper and plastic. Call your local waste management department for details.
We are lucky that here in Vermont, most of our town’s pick up or take in recycling for free! For locals, check out www.cswd.net for more information.
Does your house have a “vampire problem”?
Items likes your coffeemaker, computer and television often referred to as “vampire devices” still use energy even when they’re turned off. Simply unplugging them can save an average household about $100 per year.
Sometimes also called “ghost appliances”. (How appropriate with Halloween just around the corner!) For more energy saving tips, visit www.greenmountainpower.com.
Do you know how to save 10,000 gallons of water this year?
If every person shaved 2 minutes off their shower time, each would save 10 gallons of water. With an average of 3 people per household and one shower each per day, that’s over 10,000 gallons of water!
Again living in Vermont we are somewhat lucky that water is plentiful here. In fact as I write this, it is pouring rain outside and has been for the past few days! Unfortunately some VT towns face flooding tonight. And supposedly we get more rain than Seattle, Washington! BUT, that doesn’t mean we shouldn’t try to save water whenever we can! After all, water is a limited natural resource. For more information on how to save more H2O, visit www.savewateramerica.com.
Attention Veterans who are Ready to Buy a Home!
September 16, 2010Choosing the VA Home Loan
Since 1944, the Department of Veterans Affairs has helped over 18 million men and women who have served our country achieve homeownership. The VA offers veterans one of the most progressive lending programs available complete with flexible loan terms and competitive rates. VA loans in the amount of $417,000 can be given to borrowers in most areas of the United States giving potential homeowners in Vermont – where the average home price is between $260,000 and $312,000 – 100% financing. VA loans up to $1,094,625 can even be loaned to eligible borrowers seeking real estate in more expensive markets.
Benefits of the VA Home Loan
Although high loan limits are incredibly beneficial to eligible borrowers seeking their dream home in Vermont, it is not the only perk the VA Home Loan offers. Because the VA insures 25% of each loan given to borrowers, VA-approved lenders are more likely to give borrowers benefits they would normally not find elsewhere with conventional loans. Other VA loan benefits include:
- No down payment
- Down payments in the form of gifts
- Lenient debt-to-income ratios
- Mortgage insurance not required
Who is Eligible for a VA Home Loan?
The VA home loan was specifically designed with veteran and active duty service members in mind. Nearly 80% of all veterans and active service members who qualified for a VA loan would not have been eligible for a conventional home loan. Although the VA home loan was created to help veterans and service members achieve homeownership, there are a few initial requirements that must be met to achieve eligibility. These initial requirements include:
- Must have served 181 days on active duty or 3 months during war time
- Or must have served 6 years in the National Guard or Reserves
- Or be the spouse of a service member who was killed during active duty
If a potential borrower meets one of the above eligibility requirements, they must also receive a Certificate of Eligibility which an approved VA-lender may be able to help file for. Although there are no income or credit requirements associated with the VA home loan program, most VA-approved lenders will desire a credit score of at least 620 to secure financing.
If you think you might qualify for a VA loan, we recommend contacting Nick Parent with The Mortgage Guys at Spruce Mortgage He can be reached at 802.863.5102 or Nick@Spruce Mortgage.com.
