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Dan Smith

Keller Williams Real Estate

Office: 215-631-1900 Ext. 1901

Direct: 215-723-3851

7 Tips for Staging a Home

1 Get rid of clutter, it sucks all the energy out of a room and prevents buyers from noticing a home's features.
2 Set the table, it allows buyers to imagine entertaining family and friends in this space, creating that important emotional connection.

3 Potential buyers are often skeptical that their large bed and two nightstands would fit in a bedroom. A bed already in place proves the point.

4 Use minimalist window treatments to highlight your view.

5 Don't over-furnish rooms. Staging isn't about decorating; it is about highlighting a home's best features. Also, be sure to banish evidence of pets (feeding dishes, beds, toys) when your home is on the market.

6 Use a lot of greenery. In today's market, selling a house is a price war and a beauty contest.

7 Repair cracks in the drywall and repaint woodwork.

                                                                                                                           By Ingrid Cummings

Beautiful Colonial In Franconia Township

561 Beck Road, Souderton, PA 18964

MLS# 6127822

List Price: $314,900

 This beautiful 4 bedroom Colonial in Franconia Township features four spacious bedrooms, hardwood floors throughout, central A/C, a full unfinished basement with outside egress, a side entry two car garage and a beautiful deck that overlooks the peaceful setting on 1.40 acres. Many upgrades adorn this pristine home including a brick fireplace with a stove insert in the living room, an updated kitchen with many new appliances, remodeled bathrooms, and a recently paved driveway. Anderson windows were installed in 1997, a new water heater in 2009. Pride in home ownership shows throughout this nicely decorated home. This is a tranquil location with close proximity to many major roadways, restaurants and shopping.

Contact the Daniel J. Smith Team for more information

Direct: 215-723-3851

Office: 215-631-1900 ext 1901

Email: DanielSmith@kw.com

HOLD: How to Find, Buy and Rent Houses for Wealth

A strong financial future is key to a successful business venture or stress-free retirement. But simply having money won’t get you there—building wealth will. HOLD, the third and final book in the Keller Williams Millionaire Investor Series will teach you how to begin your journey. Take Hold of your financial future, and learn how to obtain financial freedom though buying and renting real estate. HOLD will teach you the proven and reliable real estate investing process to achieve financial wealth.  HOLD will teach you how to start your journey.

Follow the HOLD strategy to plot your own journey to financial freedom.

For more information on how to build your wealth, contact       Daniel Smith 215-723-3851

Keller Williams Real Estate

215-631-1900

Winterizing Your Home

It is a good time of year to start thinking about preparing your home for winter, because as temperatures begin to dip, your home will require maintenance to keep it in tip-top shape through the winter.

Here are tips to help you prepare your home for winter:

1) Furnace Inspection

• Call an HVAC professional to inspect your furnace and clean ducts.
• Stock up on furnace filters and change them monthly.
• Consider switching out your thermostat for a programmable thermostat.
• If your home is heated by a hot-water radiator, bleed the valves by opening them slightly and when water appears, close them.
• Remove all flammable material from the area surrounding your furnace.

2) Get the Fireplace Ready

• Cap or screen the top of the chimney to keep out rodents and birds.
• If the chimney hasn't been cleaned for a while, call a chimney sweep to remove soot and creosote.
• Buy firewood or chop wood. Store it in a dry place away from the exterior of your home.
• Inspect the fireplace damper for proper opening and closing.
• Check the mortar between bricks and tuckpoint, if necessary.

3) Check the Exterior, Doors and Windows

• Inspect exterior for crevice cracks and exposed entry points around pipes; seal them.
• Use weatherstripping around doors to prevent cold air from entering the home and caulk windows.
• Replace cracked glass in windows and, if you end up replacing the entire window, prime and paint exposed wood.
• If your home has a basement, consider protecting its window wells by covering them with plastic shields.
• Switch out summer screens with glass replacements from storage. If you have storm windows, install them.

4) Inspect Roof, Gutters & Downspouts

• Check flashing to ensure water cannot enter the home.
• Replace worn roof shingles or tiles.
• Clean out the gutters and use a hose to spray water down the downspouts to clear away debris.
• Consider installing leaf guards on the gutters or extensions on the downspouts to direct water away from the home.

5) Service Weather-Specific Equipment

• Drain gas from lawnmowers.
• Service or tune-up snow blowers.
• Replace worn rakes and snow shovels.
• Clean, dry and store summer gardening equipment.
• Sharpen ice choppers and buy bags of ice-melt / sand.

6) Check Foundations

• Rake away all debris and edible vegetation from the foundation.
• Seal up entry points to keep small animals from crawling under the house.
• Tuckpoint or seal foundation cracks. Mice can slip through space as thin as a dime.
• Inspect sill plates for dry rot or pest infestation.
• Secure crawlspace entrances.

7) Install Smoke and Carbon Monoxide Detectors

• Some cities require a smoke detector in every room.
• Buy extra smoke detector batteries and change them when daylight savings ends.
• Install a carbon monoxide detector near your furnace and / or water heater.
• Test smoke and carbon monoxide detectors to make sure they work.
• Buy a fire extinguisher or replace an extinguisher older than 10 years.

8) Prevent Plumbing Freezes

• Locate your water main in the event you need to shut it off in an emergency.
• Drain all garden hoses.
• Insulate exposed plumbing pipes.
• Drain air conditioner pipes and, if your AC has a water shut-off valve, turn it off.
• If you go on vacation, leave the heat on, set to at least 55 degrees.

9) Prepare Landscaping & Outdoor Surfaces

• Trim trees if branches hang too close to the house or electrical wires.
• Ask a gardener when your trees should be pruned to prevent winter injury.
• Plant spring flower bulbs and lift bulbs that cannot winter over such as dahlias in areas where the ground freezes.
• Seal driveways, brick patios and wood decks.
• Don't automatically remove dead vegetation from gardens as some provide attractive scenery in an otherwise dreary, snow-drenched yard.
• Move sensitive potted plants indoors or to a sheltered area.

Taken from: About.com

Written by: Elizabeth Weintraub

Beware of Craigslist Rental Scam

There is a growing list of fraudulent rental listings on Craigslist.  A few months ago, I received a phone call from a tenant looking to lease my property that was for sale.  This particular property was not listed for rent, at least not by the owner, myself or any other Realtor.  I found the property listed for rent on Craigslist by a scammer.  The rental price was for $1,200 when it could’ve realistically rented for $2,500 a month.  I notified Craigslist of the scam and they immediately removed it.

Just last week, I received an e-mail from a consumer saying that she had paid $500 for a security deposit and $700 for a first month’s rent.  When the keys to the property never arrived, she investigated a bit further to find out our office had the property listed for sale.  Confused, she called us and we informed her that she was a victim of a Craigslist scam.  Once the fraudster has your money, there is generally very little you can do.  You will need to contact your local FBI office or state attorney general.

To avoid this completely, a consumer must take the following action before entertaining a lease listed online:

·         The first clue of a scam is a low monthly rental price.  Potential tenants get excited about the possibility of renting something so nice at a low rent price and become afraid they may lose the deal to another tenant.  If the deal is too good to be true, it probably is!

·         Confirm all the facts on the rental listing by driving by the property. Google the address to see if it’s also for sale, contact the listing agent for details.  Always verify the actual home owner by checking the county records which are available online.

·         Lastly, never send money or credit card information with-out pre-viewing the property! 

Taking these steps will help ensure you are dealing with a real Landlord.  If you have any questions or need help finding a rental home, please call or e-mail us!

Dan Smith

Keller Williams Real Estate

Direct: 215-723-3851

Office: 215-631-1900

Email: DanielSmith@kw.com