Amid holiday shopping, kids’ Christmas concerts, visiting Santa and sending greeting cards, you may wonder how you’ll find time to decorate your home for the season. But holiday decorating doesn’t need to be time-consuming or expensive, especially with these quick and easy shortcuts.   Decorate your home for the holidays with ease The key is to spread the cheer throughout the house using items you probably already have on hand or can easily add to your grocery list.   HOLIDAY DECORATING... read more

With Christmas just weeks away, it’s time to finish up your shopping. If a new homeowner’s on your list then our list of the top 10 gift picks for new homeowners can help.1. Tools — You can’t always predict when you’ll need them, so it’s a good idea to help the homeowners in your life get stocked up. Start with the basics: a wrench set that includes an adjustable wrench, slip-joint and needlenose pliers, a claw hammer, screwdrivers and wire cutters.2... read more

When it’s time to put your home on the market, you want it to make a great first impression. You want it to say “welcome home” to prospective buyers and present it as a space they won’t want to leave. That’s where staging your home comes in. It may sound unnecessary or time-consuming, but it will make a significant difference once you list it.   Staging your home means more money in your pocket The National Association of Realtors’ 2017 Profile of Home Staging study reported... read more

When you’re determining how much you can afford to spend on your new home, you’re likely to pull up a mortgage calculator, punch in what you can afford in a monthly payment and begin your search based on the calculator.   Don’t forget closing costs But what many first-time buyers don’t realize is there are several other costs that go into purchasing a home. The cost of closing alone can add thousands of dollars ($3,700 on average) to the price of a home, not to mention thousands more fo... read more

Moving to a new area can be both exciting and overwhelming. Whether you’re moving to start a new job, to be closer to family or just because you want to live in an area with abundant recreation and hospitality to match, you have a whole new terrain to learn. You’ll need to decide where to buy groceries, where to find kayaking or snowshoe trails and discover new restaurants and entertainment options. If you’re looking to relocate to the river valley area, we are here to help. Following are some of ... read more