Our current buyers know what they want and it truly takes a determined Realtor to find it!!! With inventory at record lows and our ” 3 bed, 2 bath with a garage and updated kitchen buyers” out in abundance, it takes diligent searching to find properties that match our abundant buying pool needs. Daily searching at what is on market as well as what is coming on is critical in order to best serve our buyers. It’s so interesting to me how having a garage trumps having an updated kitchen and open concept design by 27% of buyers polled. I truly love working ” for” my buyers and am up early checking the market to find options for their perusal.  I’m a firm believer in the notion that what is meant to be will be and that if you work relentlessly at meeting the needs of your buyers and your sellers both sides can and will have their real estate vision realized! Fortunately for me, the inner athlete loves the inhernet challenge of real estate and the strategic, competiive element. It truly is an honor and a priviledge to work on behalf of my incredible clients ! So buyers??? Keep “serving ” up your requests and must haves and I will be sure to return that serve with a winning shot!!!

Click on the link below for some further insight on what today’s buyers are looking for in a home and as always please reach out to me if I can be of any real estate assistance in MA or RI!

http://realtormag.realtor.org/daily-news/2018/04/02/spring-buyers-want-type-house?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+DailyRealEstateNews+%28Daily+Real+Estate+News%29

Rhode Island has become, over the years , a food mecca. Well known, highly acclaimed chefs now coming to our little Providence to create some of the most acclaimed restaurants in the area. Whether it’s the big named spots like Al Fornos, known for their phenomenal grilled pizza, or Hemenways – the go to spot for seafood, Rhode Island is also home to some of the most iconic, small town, beach side eateries around.  Whether it’s a delicacy from a local diner or famous clam cakes from a coastal shack, Little Rhody has it ALL~~ Click on the link below to “dig into” some of the local eats that have garnered nationwide attention cast right here on Rhode Island! While you are here taking in some clam chowder or an Awful Awful, reach out to me and let me show you around to some special spots to reside at. Who knows, you may be choose to stay a while!!!!

https://www.foodnetwork.com/restaurants/packages/best-food-in-america/photos/what-to-eat-in-rhode-island

It’s eclectic….It’s charming…..It’s diverse…..It’s unique…..It’s on the cusp of reinvention …..It’s kept it’s historical value…It’s Providence… Come to Providence as this article below beckons and stay awhile. Come eat at some of the finest restaurants on the East Coast and take in our emerging craft beer scene continuously bringing in some of the best hops around at The Guild in Pawtucket….Head to Federal Hill and enjoy some of the best Italian food found anywhere. All right here in walkable, bike-able*, hip, happening Providence. Visit on a Saturday night and take in Waterfire down by my office at Water Place Park!  Take a walking tour up by my Alma Mater on College Hill and take in some essential New England Architectural beauty found along Benefit Street and Prospect St. Enjoy a coffee along Wickenden St or take in a movie sitting on a couch at the famous Cable Car Cinema. Head over to my favorite city parts – Elmwood and The Armory District and see Victorians, wall art and eat authentic cuisine at the numerous “markets” found sprinkled along Broadway in the West End. Take in a performance at the Performing Arts Center and then nosh on some late night eats at the renowned Haven Brothers food truck in Downtown PVD….

Come to Providence and see her charm, her innate beauty and then reach out to me so that I can show you a property or two..Heck , you may never leave like this RI born and bred Realtor can attest to!!! Here’s to our beloved PVD of old and of “new”…. A city wrapped tightly in her ways of old yet slowly morphing into something quite magnificent!

* http://www.providencejournal.com/news/20180319/rentable-smartbikes-coming-soon-to-providence

https://www.vogue.com/article/where-to-eat-drink-find-art-in-providence-rhode-island-travel-guide

                                       7 home maintenance tasks sellers must do before listing

Proactive is the buzzword when addressing both cosmetic and mechanical components of a listing. If you are thinking of listing your home now is the time to tackle these practical and “listing imperative” home maintenance projects!  I’ve been meeting with several clients thinking of listing their homes all around RI the past few weeks and would love to meet with you to come up with a game plan! Please reach out to me at 401 255 2578 and I will be happy to come do a consultation. With sales in Newport, Barrington, Rumford and Providence I truly love engaging in real estate ALL around this spectacular state! Give me a call and we can put together a game plan!

Spruce up the exterior

Curb appeal…it’s more than just a buzz word as the exterior is the first thing a buyer will see whether online or driving by. Now is the time to make sure it looks its best.

Walk around the entire exterior of the home, and conduct an assessment.

Consider pressure washing, painting, having the windows cleaned, cleaning out gutters, trimming back any overgrown or dead landscaping, cleaning the front door and changing out any worn door hardware that may look old and corroded. And make sure the front doorbell actually works!

Service the heating/cooling system

A home inspector is going to check this anyway, so be ahead of the game  by having the system serviced and cleaned. It’s better to take care of any repairs that may need addressing now versus waiting until a buyer decides to make an offer.

Do a light bulb check

Make sure all of the lightbulbs are working and free of dirt and debris. Don’t forget to check the outdoor lights as well.

Check the smoke detectors

Now is the time to make sure that all smoke detectors are working and have new batteries. Replace any old ones as an inspector is likely to flag those during a home inspection and recommend that they be replaced.

Blue tape it

Conduct a thorough walk through of the interior of the home. If there are any nicks, dents or scratches on the walls and moldings, blue tape them so sellers can go through and have each area repaired.

The more wear and tear a home appears to have, the more the buyer is going to chip away at the asking price.

Deep clean, declutter and depersonalize.

Now is the time to give the home that deep clean it needs. Consider hiring a cleaning crew to tackle this; the more hands, the better.

Deep cleaning means wiping down all of the baseboards and moldings and cleaning cabinets, appliances (including the oven) and every corner from top to bottom including light fixtures and ceiling fans.

It’s also a good time to gather all those unwanted closet items together to donate as well as any unused furniture and decor. The less stuff in the house, the less there is to organize and keep clean. Similarly the less personlized the home the better as far as a potential sale goes.  Once our outstanding photographs have captured our online viewers ( 90 % of buyers begin online) and they step foot into your home we desire a space in which they can envision themeselves living.  A living room where the buyer can see his or herself sitting down to read a book, or watch a Patriots game….a kitchen where the spacious, clutter free island invites thoughts of homework acitivities and family meals….. We want to present to the buyers a clean, tidy, distraction free ” canvas” from which a buyer can envision writing his or her own story….

Clear out the garage

Often overlooked when preparing a home for sale, don’t forget this space. Make sure the garage is clean, in good repair, organized and that you can actually walk through it.

Consider painting the floor or having an epoxy finish put down. Take a look up at the ceiling as well because also look up when touring this space, so make sure any drywall cracks or loose seams are repaired.

Buyers recognize and appreciate homes that have been taken care of. Taking some time to invest in home maintenance before selling will likely yield a big payoff when it becomes offer time.

As I took this photo below this morning the feel , smell and excitement of spring is truly in the air! I’m excited , motivated and enthusiastic about the potential stellar sales in the spring market forecast here in RI for all of my clients! Reach out to me so that we can come up with a game plan for your beloved home should a listing be on your spring or summer ” to do ” list!  All the best, Sarah

Music for me has always been my outlet…My daily source of ” disengagement”…of escape… Akin to diving into a great book, music allows one to go outside of oneself…to look within oneself deeply, to reflect. Music also provides imagery…..the melancholy of a tune bringing thoughts of loss or sadness and the upbeat, heightened points of a song bringing thoughts filled with joy, with happiness. It’s that emotive effect of music that I covet the most. Music and art go hand in hand. Both forms of expressing oneself or sharing with the world an outlook , a perspective. To hear that Drake has collaborated with Sotheby’s instantly grabbed my attention. For many it seems an odd pairing, a dichotomous twosome but for me not at all. Drake in his most raw fashion is a genuine artist….expressing the trials and tribulations of inner city life to that of living the “high life” as a famed celebrity in our uber socially connected world. Whether one enjoys his style of music or not is completely subjective but to see his music linked with the likes of Sotheby’s fine art is completely enchanting and awesome. Music and art…both means of expression…both instruments utilized to tell a story and to share or express an idea or viewpoint. To me as a Realtor and lover of the written word , the same can be said about the story each home has to tell. The art of telling that story , alinged with the most trustworthy brand in the luxury market, that of Sotheby’s, is a challenge I’m fortunate to be given. It’s a gift to be a Realtor representing this incredible brand and it’s my job as a Realtor to convey the art behind each and every home…to tell it’s story…to “sing the music” each home is seeking to exude.. It’s an honor and a task I hold near and dear to my heart. Art, music and real estate Sotheby’s Style…..I’m all in!

http://www.vulture.com/2015/05/drake-on-his-nerve-racking-sothebys-collab.html

Just released Rhode Island Market Insight found below! A consistent  statitistic of price upticks and low inventory extending with an overall increase of 9% in the median home price this past month with days on market decreasing from 5 months to 3 months. The numbers continue to support the observance of competitively priced homes moving swiftly and lucratively here in the Ocean State. Click below to get all the details contained regarding the RI real estate market for January and please reach out to me if I can be of real estate assistance here in RI or Ma! I truly love what I do!

https://indd.adobe.com/view/8dbdfeab-2394-4f36-8125-ad76323d0a17?utm_campaign=website&utm_source=sendgrid.com&utm_medium=email

Looking for some fun winter activities for the pre holiday weekend? Despite the often stagnant “mid season” status we are in there are actually several fun local events to be a part of this weekend here in the Ocean State! If outdoor activities are appealing you might want to consider heading down to the Newport Winter Festival which begins this weekend and runs through Feb. 25th. There will be over 150 events in the lovely “City by the Sea” (where I sold my very first home!) including a free ice sculpting demo on Saturday at the Long Wharf Mall. Check out www.newportwinterfestival.com for more info!

http://www.providencejournal.com/entertainmentlife/20180131/ri-pubs-restaurants-gear-up-for-super-bowl-sunday