Things I've Learned From House Hunting

As most of our friends and family know, we have been searching for the right house for some time.  Some may say we are picky, I say we are meticulous.  I thought I would share some of the things I have learned about house hunting/selling a house.

1. Make sure your house smells good.  This is key.  We have walked into some pretty nasty smelling houses.  This could mean one of many things, you are dirty, smelly people, you have pets that you do not clean up after, you smoke or you have mold issues.  Making a home smell nice is inviting (Scentsy products do wonders to a home :) ).
2. Clean up.  It's unbelievable to me how messy some people are.  If you are selling your home, make sure it's appealing, first impressions are everything.  If nothing else, run a vacuum to make sure there are not dead bugs laying all over the place.
3. Price your home right.  It's been our experience, if the home is priced right, it sells quickly.  In our experience we find the ones that are overpriced for the market (or our budget :/) sit on the market longer and the seller becomes unwilling to negotiate.
4. Staging.  This goes back to cleaning up.  If the home is staged right, it gives the buyer an idea of what the home will look like with their stuff.  If you have too much or too little, sometimes it's hard for they buyer to get a feel for the size of the home.  *Side note: we have walked into homes that people clearly need to be nominated for the hoarders show. 
5. Information.  Realtors that leave disclosures, maps and neighborhood information for the potential buyers have a much better chance selling the home.  All of that information is helpful to the buyer, especially if they are new to the neighborhood.  Plus it shows that the seller is up front and honest about the condition of the home.

Clearly I am no expert, but I find these small things helpful.

Summer Reading

I always dreaded the summer reading assignments when I was in school. I was never a very strong reader and the books they chose were boring. Since I have graduated college though, I enjoy reading a lot more! I have been reading a lot this summer so I thought I would share some of the books I chose!

I started with Kisses from Katie.  I could hardly put the book down.  I think I finished it in just a few days.  Katie's heart for God and the children/people of Uganda is awe inspiring.  She says yes.  She says yes to some of the most devastating circumstances and God always provides.  It’s truly an amazing testament of God’s faithfulness and the power of love.  I strongly recommend this book.  You can read more about her journey on her blog.

The next book I started on was One Thousand Gifts.  I started this book but found it hard to finish.  I actually have not finished the book.  At first I really enjoyed her message and story, however I felt the book became repetitive.  I truly think I took some great insight into finding joy in the midst of chaos. 

Lastly, I've had a hard time finding things to read so I've resorted back to some books I have read previously.  I started cleaning out our guest bedroom, because I thought we would be moving soon and because the room is just full of junk, and found my collection of Stephanie Plum books.  It's been awhile since I read most of them and they are laugh out loud funny.  I am now on book six and get some funny looks when out at lunch reading because I can't stop laughing.  Stephanie is a bounty hunter and isn't very good at her job which winds up in some ridiculous situations.  It's a great, easy summer read! By the way, since I was reading the books again, I tried watching the movie, I had to turn it off.  It was terrible!


If you are looking for a great devotional everyday, you should follow along the She Reads Truth.