By Jule’ Dunham
Greetings from the World of Real Estate with Julè. Hope you had a wonderful Easter weekend. Although, we could not physically attend church, there were several good services on the television. I am thankful for all of the many blessings that I have been blessed with, both small and large. Right now, I am especially blessed that my friends and family are healthy. Keeping our physical being in shape is important, but it is equally if not more important to keep our spiritual being in shape as well.
Like most of you, we have had to do our general needs shopping this past weekend. I was pleased to notice that everyone appeared calm and collected. Some were wearing a mask and gloves, some were not. Most people were trying to keep their distance from one another which is helpful for the virus situation.
I believe in making the best of a bad situation. This is a great opportunity to catch up on things around the house that we have put on hold because we have not had time due to work schedules, rain or activities outside the home. Working from home has reduced my driving time which I can allocate to other areas. I am actually getting more work done, being more organized and productive. For some people, this in not a big deal, but for me it makes my life much easier.
Wow! There was no rain Saturday. Finally, we can mow the lawn and work on the details of the flower beds, entrance ways, etc. Our lawn is still wet in some areas, but we were able to work around them. It no longer looks like George of the Jungle lives here (just kidding). Although, it really did help the curb appeal of the property.
Sellers – Preparing your home for sale. What an opportunity to get those repairs done, both small and large. Take this time while so many businesses are closed, and activities of gathering are cancelled to do painting, decluttering, deep cleaning and curb appeal are all tasks that you can be working on to sell your home. Make these tasks a little more fun by playing your favorite music. When I clean house, I put on some fast music to help me get it done more quickly. Painting is a different story. I play a variety of music to keep me going and before you know it – ta da – we’re finished.
Buyers – Preparing for buying a home. This is your opportunity to get everything you need in order to buy your home. Check your credit, get pre-qualified, purge closets and declutter all rooms. You will be glad you did when it comes to packing, moving it and unpacking. Take time to really decide what you need in a home, then look at your wants realistically.
How much house note can you afford month after month? Buying a home at the top of your budget may put you in a strain. If so, look for something a little less expensive. The main thing is you are happy with your purchase. Don’t misunderstand, I will be more than happy to assist you with your purchase of any home regardless if the home is large or small.
Other than work and cleaning, let’s talk about some ideas to get you through staying at home with the people you live with on a daily basis. Exercise is a great way to reduce stress. You can make laps around the yard, do basic exercise, workout with television exercise instructors, be creative and make it fun. Hold each other’s ankles for doing sit ups and laugh at your mistakes. Include the children in meal preparation. Let them participate in meal planning as well. They need to learn this anyway, right? They eat, right? Well, if you eat you need to learn to cook and clean the kitchen immediately after the meal if finished. Then everyone can relax and play a game of some kind. Get back to board games such as “Life”, “Scrabble”, “Dominoes”, “Monopoly”, “Operation” and so many more. So many of the children haven’t even heard of these good old games. This encourages family interaction without electronics. Put a puzzle together with family members. Play in your own yard.
Grill out and picnic without leaving your property. Have a building project of some kind. Maybe, get some plywood and do a painting on it for Christmas, or the current “Bear Hunt”. The possibilities are endless.
The time we are spending together now is a great time to do a Bible study with the family.
Our country and communities need much prayer, especially during this unusual historical moment. If you do not know how to get started, contact a friend, church or neighbor. I’m sure they will be glad to help. We have all had to start somewhere, sometime. The somewhere is here, the time is now.
What does all of this have to do with real estate? Everything! A happy family will work together much better when it is time to relocate to a new residence. Moving is stressful enough and if everyone gets along and learns teamwork, games help with this, then the whole process will go much smoother. They will have learned to plan, cooperate, compromise and work together for the move.
It works! Try it and see the difference in your family. Working together makes happier memories. After all, we love happy memories.
Should you have a topic you would like addressed, please feel free to contact me.
Thank you for reading my column and have a blessed week. Here is your local realtor, Julè Dunham, signing off until next week.
Crye-Leike Realtors
Julè Dunham, Affiliate Broker, SRES, RENE. Contact her by phone at 901-828-8471 (cell) or 901-840-1181 (office) or by email to: [email protected] for an appointment to speak with you, your group or club.
