Is Your Home Fire Safe for Your Pet?
National Pet Fire Safety Day on July 15th is the perfect time to make sure your home’s fire safety plan includes getting your pets to safety, as well as the people, in the event of a fire. Taking preventable measures can protect your home, your family, and your pets in an emergency situation. Many times our pets are the cause of a fire when we don’t take these precautions. PET FIRE SAFETY TIPS: Extinguish open flames. Wagging tails and curious kitties can haphazardly knock over candles. Consider using flameless candles. Remove knobs from the stove when not in use. Dogs may jump on the stove and accidentally turn a knob with their paw without anyone realizing it. Use plastic or metal water bowls, not glass for outside. Glass can actually heat up from the sun to the point of starting a fire. Keep leashes, collars, cages, and carriers close to the exit(s) on your fire escape route plan. That way you have a better chance of grabbing them as you exit the home with your animal. Garage’s tend to be a good spot. Fire can happen when you aren’t home to rescue your pet- so you need to have a plan just in case this happens: First, take them to a kennel or family member’s if you plan to be gone for an extended period of time. If you don’t have that option, or aren’t going to be gone long, then make sure your pets are secured in the main living area- this is where firefighters will look for them first (or that you have fire alert window clings, see next). Purchase and place fire alert window clings to help firefighters identify how many pets are in the home and the rooms they may be residing in (if your pooch prefers your bedroom to hang out in, cling it to your bedroom window- because it is likely that’s where they will be). Put your phone number on them as well. Determine which family member is responsible for which pet in the event of a fire. Go over these plans and practice getting you and your pets out of your home to safety! Source
Spectacular Spaces; Outdoors Edition
Taking the time to make your backyard as inviting as possible is just as crucial to securing a buyer as the interior staging process is! Outdoor living space is often just as important to buyers as the kitchen and living room are, especially during prime outdoor entertaining months in the summertime. Take it from our team of Professional Home Stagers, who have put together these tips to make sure your outdoor space looks spectacular to prospective buyers. 1. GIVE IT A GOOD SCRUB Cleaning isn’t just a must for your home’s interior, it’s a must for the outdoors, too! Remove dust and dirt from your patio, walkways, stairs, window ledges, and outdoor furniture. Finally, hose down the concrete, you may need to use a pressure washer to wash away those stubborn layers. 2. REFINE THE LANDSCAPINGAdding a fresh layer of mulch overtop tired looking dirt, patchy grass, and flower beds will go a long way. It will make your outdoor space look and smell brand new and well taken care of. To go the extra mile, plant some flowers in those beds and get rid of any weeds that may be visible. 3. FURNISH THE SPACEYou want buyers to visualize themselves in your space, so it has to look inviting and liveable. To make this happen, furnish your patio, deck porch, or any areas that let you naturally incorporate furniture and decor (our stagers recommend adirondack chairs). Put out a bistro table and chairs with a vase of flowers on top, or if space allows, a patio dining table or a conversation set of a loveseat and chairs. And don’t forget to remove those grill covers! 4. REMOVE WINDOW SCREENSWindow screens should be removed before you have listing photos taken of your home. This will make them look shiny and clean and allow for the most natural light. 5. POOL CAREMake sure your pool is open and looking it’s best for photos and open houses! Skim the surface to remove debris and leaves to give it that crystal clear look. 6. MAKE IT A SHOWSTOPPERIf you have fountains, outdoor lighting, outdoor fans, fireplaces or pits- turn them on for showings. It will amp up the appeal of the space (go ahead and add some drama!) After all, you want to show off everything your space has to offer. If you’re looking to buy or sell your home, contact us today and we will make sure your space looks spectacular for showings!
Your Dream Vacation Home According to Your Zodiac Sign
When you get lost in vacation real estate dreams, what exactly are you dreaming of? Your astrological sign knows exactly what kind of vacation home you should stay in, and why that home would perfectly suit your get-away needs. Read on to discover what your zodiac sign says about your dream vacation home. AQUARIUS- CAPE COD STYLEJanuary 20 - February 19Aquarians are dreamers, consistently advocating for change. They probably live in big cities, like D.C. or NYC working a political job. Which is exactly why you need a nearby escape. Try the suburbs of NYC, the Hamptons, or Cape Cod. Both of these locations have eclectic homes suited for a professional, but with a relaxing twist. Cape Cod styles are breezy and refreshing-exactly what an Aquarian needs on summer vacay. PISCES - COUNTRY TUDORFebruary 19 - March 20 Pisces are artsy dreamers. When they get away they won’t settle for something ordinary. A Country Tudor style home is just the thing to settle their creative appetite. With the comzy interior and exciting exterior, they are the perfect spot. Many of these homes exist in Europe’s countryside- try staying outside of London, England, or a small town in Norway. ARIES - METROPOLIS PENTHOUSEMarch 21 - April 19 Aries are way too career oriented to enjoy their time anywhere without opportunity, or most of all- WIFI. Staying in a metropolis penthouse will stimulate excitement in Aries. They don’t want to relax on vacation-they want to do it all. See the city, experience bars and restaurants, tourist attractions, shopping, see shows, meet new people etc. They crave the energy of a bustling city- and who wouldn’t want to stay in a penthouse with a panoramic view of it? TAURUS - FARMHOUSEApril 20 - May 20 Taurus are the most simple-minded of the zodiac signs. They would really be happy anywhere on vacation, even a farmhouse. Being an earth sign, they would enjoy getting out there in nature, waking up to the sound of a rooster, and driving past meadow after meadows of cows and corn fields. They’re also one of the most hardworking of the zodiac-so milking a cow and taking a chicken’s eggs from the coop to make their own breakfast would be no problem. They’d have fun with it! GEMINI - LOG CABINMay 21 - June 21Gemini are the most outgoing of the zodiacs- a vacation alone would never do. A perfect getaway for a gemini would be renting a huge log cabin with a ton of friends. Gemini would spend the day hanging out on the lake, tubing, going on hikes, relaxing by the firepit at night- and they’d do it all with their closest friends. This will make the gemini’s vacation one to remember. CANCER - LAKEFRONT COTTAGEJune 22 - July 22 Cancer’s are known as the sweetest and friendliest of the zodiac signs, so what’s better than a cute, little, cozy cottage beside a lake. These homes don’t boast too many rooms or fixtures, just the basics. As long as there is a porch overlooking the lake where a cancer can sit, relax, and enjoy their morning coffee-they will have all they need for a perfect getaway. LEO - HOLLYWOOD MANSIONJuly 23 - August 22 Leo’s, known as the king and queens of the zodiac, love to be noticed. Nothing short of a palace would suit them best. Leo’s would thoroughly enjoy vacationing mansion-style in the Hollywood Hills, in close proximity to celebrities. After all, Leo’s do want to live like royalty. VIRGO- MOUNTAIN HOMEAugust 23 - September 22 Virgo’s tend to be the deepest of the zodiac signs. They overthink way too often, so they need somewhere they can take a break on vacation. A house in the mountains far away from wifi and civilization will do just the trick. They can go hiking and forget all their troubles at home. The mountain view is exactly what the doctor ordered. LIBRA - BEACH HOUSESeptember 23 - October 23Libra’s are the social butterflies of the zodiac signs. They dream of throwing huge parties, drinking, eating, and entertaining on their vacations. A beach house is perfect for this! Libra’s will love to entertain in the outdoor/indoor setting of a beach home and show off their view. Plus, many of these homes have 6-8 rooms perfect for hosting friends and family. Try renting one in Outer Banks, North Carolina! SCORPIO - CAVE HOMEOctober 24 - November 11Scorpio’s are driven with passion but coated with mystery. They need a vacation home unlike anything they’ve already experienced, that matches their unique, sometimes dark personality. Caves are a new trend that Scorpio’s may find enjoyment from. They can hide somewhere you wouldn’t expect and still enjoy all that a vacation has to offer. It will be an experience they can use as a conversation piece for years to come. SAGITTARIUS - TREEHOUSENovember 22 - December 21Sagittarius’ are the most adventurous of the zodiac signs- so a tree house off the beaten path would suit them perfectly. Sagittarius’ would love to wander the trails of a jungle in Bali, and then retreat to a vacation home up in the branches, surrounded by nature, never once returning to the hustle and bustle of suburbia or rural towns. Sagittarius’ want to explore while on vacation, completely immersing themselves in their surroundings. CAPRICORN - TINY HOME ON WHEELSDecember 22 - January 19Capricorns like to travel, so vacationing is something they do often. To make it more financially possible, we suggest staying in a tiny home on wheels, or in an RV. For capricorns, it isn’t about where you stay, it’s about the destination. This way, Capricorns can just pick up and go- basically living on vacation 24/7 with ease.
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