Corey & Erika Kahler

As a busy real estate agent and homeschooling mom with six kids, people always ask me how I "do it all." Of course I don't "do it all." I don't even try. My husband and I work together and we focus on our family, our clients, and our business and not a lot of other stuff.

Even at that, there is a lot to do, so we work hard to train our kids to work as a team, helping each other and helping us. Our kids get real self-esteem from what they can accomplish, but they often need inspiration to get started.

A few months ago, I was feeling a bit overwhelmed with all that needed to be done to get ready for Christmas when I had a "Mary Poppins Moment," and came up with the "Hour of Power" plan. The next day we tried it out, and we've been doing it ever since! The competitive aspect gets the kids to work fast and have a great attitude. It's like a "spoonful of sugar!"

It is a blast and we get so much done! Here are the rules:

1. Divide the family into two teams - one parent on each team.
2. Assign specific rooms, areas, or tasks to each team.
3. Everyone goes potty first. No bathroom breaks. (My kids tend to spend 20 minutes in the bathroom when it's time to do the dishes.)
4. No complaining, arguing, or criticism - only encouragement, and "cheerleading"!
5. Blast some upbeat music to get everyone going!
6. Set the timer for one hour and work as fast as you can!
7. When the hour is up, stop!
8. Mom and Dad choose the winning team.
9. The winning team chooses a family activity - (This way the whole family reaps the rewards of their hard work. For example, the winning team might choose baking a cake and watching a movie.)
   

Sometimes we do "team uniforms." For example, the team doing the kitchen might put on aprons, and the team cleaning the family room can wear baseball hats.

Sometimes we also do a "Power Burst" where each person gets a small area and we all clean for 15 minutes.

This method is great for any family, but it's especially fabulous for a family with their house on the market! And no, you don't have to have six kids!

Try it; add you own twists; and let me know how it goes!

There ought to be special place in hell for whoever invented popcorn ceilings. They're ugly, they're impossible to clean, they may contain asbestos, and they are a big turn-off to potential home-buyers. My personal favorite is when it has glitter in it! If you are trying to sell your home, I recommend getting rid of them. Popcorn ceilings distract potential buyers from the true value of your home. So what can you do?

The first thing you should do is test your popcorn for asbestos! Asbestos was added to many popcorn ceilings because of its strength and fire-proofing qualities. It is very hazardous to your health. If left undisturbed, they shouldn't cause any problems. If the fibers are released into the air, they can be inhaled into your lungs where they stay and can eventually cause Mesothelioma and Lung Cancer.

You can have them tested at a local lab for about $25.00. In the Seattle area, you can get more information from the Puget Sound Clean Air Agency. (http://www.pscleanair.org/regulated/asbestos/homeowners/asb-popcorn.pdf)

If you DO have asbestos, here are some options:

1. Hire a certified asbestos abatement specialist to remove the "popcorn."
2. Have new drywall installed over the popcorn ceilings. One-quarter inch drywall does the trick.
3. Paint over them using a spray-painter. Using a roller or brush causes pieces of the "popcorn" to fall. Not only is this messy, but it can release some asbestos into the air. (Be warned, if you try this option, you still have popcorn ceilings and they will be much harder to remove later!)
4. You can remove them yourself, but you have to follow very strict regulations regarding both the removal and the disposal. I don't recommend this, but if you do decide to try it, make sure you get a permit and carefully research the proper procedures. Otherwise you could endanger the health of your family, yourself, and possibly risk legal action.

If you DON'T have asbestos, you can still paint or drywall over them, but removing the "popcorn" yourself is messy, but not difficult. I did my master bedroom by myself in about 4 hours, start to finish! Here's how:

1. Wear clothing you don't care about and cover your hair with a hat. Do one room at a time.
2. Take all of the furniture out of the room. Trust me on this one. You may want to do this right before you put in new flooring. It's also a great time to give the room a fresh coat of paint.
3. Cover the floor in tarps first, making sure to overlap them and cover the whole floor.
4. Place a layer of disposable plastic film over the tarps, taping them together and to the walls near the floor. You can purchase this in large rolls from the paint supply section of local home improvement store.
5. Using painter's tape, place the same plastic film about 10 - 12 inches down from the ceiling all the way around the room. This should overlap with the floor coverings.
6. Now is when it gets messy! You have to start getting the ceiling wet. You can use a garden hose if you like. I purchased a fertilizer sprayer and filled it with water. (DON'T TRY TO USE ONE THAT HAS EVER HAD CHEMICALS IN IT!)
7. Work section by section and give the water a chance to soak in before you start scraping.
8. Use a long-handled drywall knife, and scrape off the "popcorn" which essentially drywall mud. Be very careful as it is very easy to nick the drywall.
9. Gather all of the plastic with the "popcorn" inside into a ball in the middle of the room, put it in a garbage bag, and dispose of it. Note: This will be very heavy, so you may need help carrying it.
10. Allow ample time for the drywall to dry out and, if you are lucky, the ceiling underneath will be mudded and taped, and with a little sanding, and possibly texture, will make it ready to paint. This is a great time to add crown molding!

It's messy, but it's very satisfying and inexpensive. The room seems cleaner, the ceiling seems higher, and you've just added value to your home!

Follow our blog for more tips on making your home market-ready!

When I was in college, I spent my Spring Break working at the Northwest Flower and Garden Show (www.gardenshow.com/) During the set up for the show, I had a blast driving fork-lifts, Bobcats, and man-lifts. Each day, I watched the designers create amazing indoor gardens with flowers, trees, bushes, grasses, water features, outdoor living areas, cottages, and bridges. They were beautiful!

Then, the day before the grand opening, when all the gardens were built, I spent the evening 30 feet up in the man-lift helping the lighting designer "set the lights." He used colored gels, created focal points, and carefully created light and shadow in each garden. I was stunned by the transformation. The room went from being pretty to being magical! At that moment, I understood the importance of lighting to design.

Living in the Seattle area, there are a lot of overcast days, and dark homes are not as appealing to buyers. The first thing I do when setting up an open house, is to go through the house and turn on all of the lights. Home-buyers like houses that are light and bright, but many homeowners are unsure of how to make the most of their home's features. Here are a few tips to help you get started:

• Can lights, sconces, under-cabinet lighting, and updated chandeliers don't have to be expensive, but can add real value to your home.
• Place up-lights behind favorite plants or armchairs to add visual interest to a room. (You can find these for as little as five dollars at your local discount stores!)
• Look for dark areas in your home and add beautiful lamps. You can take these with you and they make your home warm and inviting.
• If you have track lighting, focus your lights on appealing art work or nice features of your house.
• Before you leave for a showing, turn on all the lights! I know you are used to turning the lights off when you leave, but leaving them on for a showing can really "set the stage" and help you make money!
• If you have a china cabinet, grandfather clock, or other furniture with built-in lighting, turn those lights on, too.
• Don't neglect the outside lighting! People will be driving by at night, and you can really increase your curb appeal by lining your flower beds or walkways with simple solar lights.
• Keep plenty of light bulbs around! Your bulbs will not last as long and you will want to have them on hand for short-notice showings.

Highlight your home's beauty with lighting and follow our blog for more tips on staging your home to sell!

The charming Kingsgate Neighborhood (http://www.kingsgate.org/) of Kirkland/Woodinville is only a 10-minute drive away from Bellevue Square Mall and 20-minutes from downtown Seattle, yet it is a place where people get to know each other and neighborhood events are commonplace.

What makes this neighborhood so wonderful and unique? Well, perhaps the number one reason is the community pools. These fully-staffed pools with adjacent parks and playgrounds create place for neighbors to gather and kids to play together. From Easter Egg Hunts, complete with giant Easter Bunnies, to Annual Barbeques with free food and lots of games, tradition and friendship are integral to the character of Kingsgate!

The pools offer so much to their members. Besides being great places for summer fun, each of these outdoor pools also hosts a swim team. These teams compete in the Midlakes Swim League (http://www.midlakesswimleague.org/) and are open to kids ages 4-18! Each pool also offers private and group swimming lessons as well as adult lap-swim times

Additional ammenities include: wading pools, tennis courts, basketball courts, soccer fields, and covered picnic areas. There is shopping area in the center of Kingsgate with an Ice Arena (http://www.kingsgateskatingclub.org/), a Grocery store, a number of stores, restaurants, banks, and salons, as well as the Kingsgate branch of the King County Library (http://www.kcls.org/kingsgate/). You are also about 3 minutes away from I-405 and the nearest park-and-ride facilities.

To learn more about Kingsgate and other Eastside neighborhoods, follow our blog!

How does your home smell? Inviting? Repelling? Nuetral? This is so much more important than you realize! Scent is powerfully linked to memory and mood. You want people to be in a good mood when they tour your house, and you want them to remember it!

Last weekend, I showed many, many houses, but one in particular stands out for HOW BAD IT SMELLED! It was so bad my clients and I didn't even go through the whole house! The musty smell wasn't just annoying, it was a sign that the house might have a serious problem.

On the other hand, I previewed a townhouse recently that smelled amazingly good! It was wonderful! I didn't want to leave. I took my time touring it, and I remember it for all the right reasons.

The scent of your home doesn't show up online, but it speaks volumes to the people who come through the door. Here are some things you can do:

1. Deal with the source of the smell! If there is something causing that smell, (animal waste, cigarette smoke, a diaper pail, mold, mildew, or just your garbage can) get rid of it! Don't just try to cover it up!
2. Use cleaners that have a nice scent. A strong smell of ammonia for example, is not very pleasant!
3. Plug-in air fresheners are inexpensive and can be wonderful. In fact, you can often find good air fresheners at the the dollar store. (I don't recommend scented candles or incense! No fire hazards please!) Just make sure you smell it before you buy it!
4. The smell of fresh paint is not particulary nice. Try to paint several days before listing if at all possible.
5. Bake! Not only does it make the house smell great, but a plate of cookies is a nice touch for an open house. Slice and bake dough works great.
6. Try this simple trick. Pour a bit of vanilla into a saucer and pop it in the microwave for a minute. It makes the house smell terrific!
7. Keep in mind that you may not really notice the smells in your home. Ask a your agent, or a friend you trust to tell you if there are any lingering smells that you might have missed.
8. Don't overdo it! Some people are very sensitive to smells, and smells that are too strong can make people wonder what you are trying to hide!

First impressions are vital when selling your home and how it smells leaves a lasting impression! Keep reading my blog for more tips on selling your home!