Community Magazine February 2019

Karen Behfar is a Licensed Real Estate Broker of The Behfar Team. She can be reached at 718 309 0439. KAREN BEHFAR HOME IS WHERE THE IS ORGANIZATION TACTICS AND TIPS: When you are living in the house that’s on the market, it can be tricky to give your home the organized and neat appearance that appeals to potential buyers. There are a few quick-fix ideas that can help, plus a long-term solution that will assist you, as the seller, as well. First of all, keep surface clutter to a minimum. That means coffee tables, end tables, and dresser tops. One single decorative piece is sufficient; remove the rest. This is especially true for the front entryway and any area that is visible from the front door. Secondly, contain it all! In your coat closet, garage, laundry room, and playroom, use opaque containers and bins to hide what’s been sitting on the shelves in a practical way. This creates a neat, streamlined look and makes the space much more visually appealing. Every potential buyer wants to be able to envision themselves living in the home, and by hiding your own belongings you’re helping them accomplish just that. Lastly, as a more thorough and helpful solution all around, use my DONE method for packing. Because ideally, that’s the goal! D eclutter: Now is the time to sort through and part with the belongings you don’t want to pack up and bring to the next home. O rganize: Keep similar items together. It will help make the packing stage so much easier if all the crystal is in the same place, likewise the storage, Pesach dishes, and such. Pack N early everything: Pack anything that you don’t need in the near future. Pack E ssentials: Right before your moving date, pack all the important last-minute items. As you declutter and organize, your home will gain an open and airy feel, making it most appealing! Thenwhen the house is sold, you’ll have an easy time packing up. (Thanks to Ruthie Levy/Simplifized!) The Fear of Moving Debunked The fear that accompanies moving homes is normal. It is common to have some doubts afterwhat feels like youare signing your life away. Butwithout thenervousness in the pit of your stomach, the process of moving won’t help you grow. Buying a new home and resettling is all about growth, even when you are downsizing. If everyone had the courage to face big moves head-on, you would see people buying and selling homes left, right, and center to turn a profit. The fear of moving really stems from a fear of making big, scary, concrete decisions. In order to break those chains of fear, you can divide things into lists. By laying out the pros and cons, it is easier to see why you made the decision to move in the first place. Having a great real estate agent behind you can also alleviate some of the pre-move jitters. They are there to help in more ways than just the logistics – they can provide information about the process of moving that will bring you peace of mind. After all, they have helped hundreds if not thousands of people move before you. Another helpful strategy is to play the “worst-case scenario”gamewhenitcomestohome-buying,because, realistically, there arenotmany things that can gowrong if you have taken the proper avenues to make your purchase. By asking yourself these questions, you can ground your fears in tiny probabilities that make big decisions seem easier. When it comes to home insurance it is important to note that everypolicyisdifferent,and proper research should be conducted before signing papers to ensure that there are no surprises in the future. Usually policies cover destruction of actual property and property on grounds, suchas garages, fences, driveways, or sheds. It is important to be aware that businesses run on such propertymay not be covered. If something were to happen on one’s property, the value of the coverage depends upon the insurance policy and on a distinction between “replacement cost” and “fair market value.” If an item is assessed by fair market value it is likely that the payout amount given will be rather low, due to how items depreciate on the market. On the other hand, replacement costs coverage ensures that items lost will be replaced by similar items of similar initial value. FUN FACT: Getting rid of excess clutter would eliminate 40% of housework in an average home! 76 COMMUNITY MAGAZINE