Michael J. Maher, MBA, STAR POWER STAR, CyberStar, Hall of Fame

Are you getting feedback saying the curb appeal of your home could be better? If so, this article goes through steps on how to improve curb appeal. Anything that could speed up the selling process is worth looking into.

How to Improve Curb Appeal

by Janet Wickell

Home Selling Advice to Help You Attract Potential Buyers

A large percentage of home buyers decide whether or not to look inside a house or take it seriously based on its curb appeal-the view they see when they drive by or arrive for a showing. You can help make sure they want to come inside your house by spending some time working on the its exterior appearance.

It's difficult to look at our own house in the same way that potential home buyers do, because when we become accustomed to the way something looks and functions, we can't see its faults. Decide right now to stop thinking of the property as a home. It's a house-a commodity you want to sell for the highest dollar possible.

Curb Appeal Exercise

The next time you come home, stop across the street or far enough down the driveway to get a good view of the house and its surroundings.

What is your first impression of the house and yard area?

1. What are the best exterior features of the house or lot? How can you enhance them?
2. What are the worst exterior features of the house or lot? How can you minimize or improve them?

Park where a potential buyer would and walk towards the house, looking around you as if it were your first visit. Is the approach clean and tidy? What could you do to make it more attractive?

Take photos of the home's exterior. If you have a digital camera, view the color versions first, then remove the color and look at it in black and white, because it's easier to see problems when color isn't around to affect our senses.

Make a list of the problem areas you discovered. Tackle clean up and repair chores first, then put some time into projects that make the grounds more attractive.

• Kill mold and mildew on the house, sidewalks, roof, or driveway.
• Stow away unnecessary garden implements and tools.
• Clean windows and gutters.
• Pressure wash dirty siding and dingy decks.
• Edge sidewalks and remove vegetation growing between concrete or bricks.
• Mow the lawn. Get rid of weeds.
• Rake and dispose of leaves, even if your lot is wooded.
• Trim tree limbs that are near or touching the home's roof.

Don't Forget the Rear View

Buyers doing a drive by will try their best to see your back yard. If it's visible from another street or from someone's driveway, include it in your curb appeal efforts.

Evening Curb Appeal

Do your curb appeal exercise again at dusk, because it isn't unusual for potential buyers to drive by houses in the evening.

One quick way to improve evening curb appeal is with lighting:

• String low voltage lighting along your driveway, sidewalks, and near important landscaping elements.
  
• Add a decorative street lamp or an attractive light fixture to a front porch.
  
• Make sure lighting that's visible through front doors and windows enhances the home's appearance.

Landscaping Decisions

There are times that adding elements to your landscaping can improve curb appeal, but there are other times when removing something is even more effective.

For example, we had a listing for a large brick house with large white columns. Tall evergreens, planted in front of each column, had grown taller than the roof. They obscured the columns and windows and made it difficult to see the front of the house.

We suggested that the owner remove them. She trimmed them back, but it didn't do the trick-they were unattractive and still kept potential buyers from seeing the true character of the house.

I sold the house to a couple who could see past the trees. One of their first tasks after closing was to yank them out of the ground, instantly boosting the home's curb appeal.

Most buyers cannot visualize changes, and often won't take a second look at a house if the first look doesn't appeal to them. Home buyers who can visualize changes, and are prepared to make them, expect you to reduce the price of the house to compensate for the work they plan to do.

A Few Curb Appeal Tips

• If you can budget it, a fresh paint job does wonders for a dingy house. Drive around your town to find color schemes that are appealing.
• Install a more attractive front door, maybe something with leaded glass inserts.
• If you can't justify the cost of a new door, consider replacing plain doorknob hardware with something more attractive.
• If new hardware is beyond your budget, repaint or stain the door and polish the hardware?

If you brainstorm, you'll find that there's a solution to most problems-one that lets you stay within your budget. The trick is to find the areas where improvements are needed, then work on them as best you can.

http://homebuying.about.com/cs/sellerarticles/a/curb_appeal.htm

Wondering what to do for the Holidays? Come check out Zona Rosa's Light Ceremony, Breakfast with Santa Claus and much much more!

Zona Rosa Northern Lights Ceremony :

Zona Rosa kicks off the holiday season with its annual 'Northern Lights' lighting ceremony the Saturday before Thanksgiving. In 2004, Zona Rosa donned it's holiday crown decor--bringing back the Kansas City tradition of large lighted crowns that illuminated KC's downtown streets. The crowns maybe found throughout Zona Rosa's courtyards, and they also have a 50-foot Christmas tree in the Town Square. The Northern Lights event also honors a local individual who performed a heroic act during the year who will flip the switch and light up the whole outdoor shopping and dining area.

2007 Northern Lights Ceremony:

Zona Rosa's Northern Lights Ceremony will be Saturday, November 17th, 2007. Don't miss Santa, the Fairy Princess, Frosty the Snowman, real reindeer and much more!

Santa Claus:

Santa Claus arrives from the North Pole at the Northern Lights Ceremony and continues to be at the Marshall's Food Court for photo op's from December 7th through December 24th.

Santa's 2007 Schedule:
Dec 7th -24th
Noon-8pm Monday -Saturday
Noon -6pm, Sunday

Fairy Princess :

Zona Rosa brings back yet another wonderful Kansas City tradition--the Fairy Princess who appeared at Kline's Department store downtown. For over 30 years, the Fairy Princess was a favorite of Kansas City children. This tradition will be re-created and children will receive a complementary photo and a magical gift from the beautiful Fairy Princess.

Fairy Princess 2007 Schedule
November 17th- December 6th.
Noon-8pm Mon-Sat
Noon-6pm Sunday

Holiday Horse Drawn Carriage Rides:

Zona Rosa also offers horse drawn carriage rides throughout the district. The group sleighs seat up to 9 people and tickets are $5 each. Children under 12 are free.

Carriage Rides 2007
Nov 23, 24 and December 1, 8, 15, 22, and 29th.

Tickets are available for purchase at Zona Rosa Guest Services in the Marshall's Building.

Other Zona Rosa Holiday Events :

Breakfast with the Fairy Princess-- December 2nd in the Marshall's Food Court, 10am.

Breakfast with Santa- Dec 8th and 15th at 8:30 am in the Marshall's Food Court. Tickets may be purchased at Guest Services or 816.587.8180

By Mary Anne McNeish-Sharp, About.com

Let someone else do the dishes!

Are you tired of slaving away in the kitchen all day for Thanksgiving? If so, there are many great restaurants in the KC area where you and your family can go and have an incredible Thanksgiving dinner without having to step foot into the kitchen.

McCormick & Schmick's
448 W 47th St
Kansas City, MO 64112
(816) 531-6800

Offering a traditional turkey dinner, as well as ham, smoked oyster stuffed salmon and pumpkin pie. Regular menu will also be offered.

Mimi's Cafe
Zona Rosa, 8501 NW Prairie View Rd., 816-587-5877
Oak Park Mall, 11885 W. 95th Street, 913-599-5848
Overland Park, 8301 W. 135th St, 913-897-5669

Will serve breakfast starting at 8 a.m., and will serve traditional holiday fare at 11am- 7pm.

$14.99/pp children $6.99.

M&S Grill
4646 JC Nichols Parkway
Kansas City, Missouri 64112
(816) 531-7799

Offers their regular dinner menu, as well as a traditional turkey dinner. A baked ham dinner or Prime rib will be served after 4pm. The kitchen will close at 8pm but the bar will remain open.

O'dowds
4742 Pennsylvania Ave
Kansas City, MO 64112
(816) 561-2700

Opens at 4pm with live music and an abbreviated menu, including an assortment of traditional Thanksgiving food. The deck will be open to provide a great view of the Plaza Lighting Ceremony.

Phillips Chophouse
106 W 12th street
Kansas City, Mo 64105
(816)221-9292

Located in the historic Phillips Hotel, the Phillips Chophouse will offer a 5 course meal with everything from caeser salad and mashed pototes to turkey and pumpkin pie.
Price: $35 and 20% gratuity per person, 10&U $15

Plaza III
Plaza-4749 Pennsylvania, (816)753.0000
Leawood-5020 W. 137th, (913)239-8499

Both locations will be serving turkey dinner from 11am-11pm.
Price: $19.95 for adults, $10.95 for children, 4 and under, FREE.

Tomfooleries
Plaza-612 W 47th St, (816) 753-0555
Zona Rosa- 8680 NW Prairie View Rd, (816) 746-8668

Serving up Toms Turkey Dinner, which includes turkey, gravy, candied yams, green bean casserole and a dinner roll. Pumpkin and pecan pie will also be offered. Other non-Thanksgiving specials will be available. Open 5pm-3am.

By Mary Anne McNeish-Sharp, About.com

Johnson County, Kansas makes Top Three in "Best Places to Raise a Family!"

Confirming what we've known for a long time. Schools + affordability + amenities = grade place to raise children. Johnson County is confirmed as one of the three best places in the country to raise a family. Great news for an area that continues to get great reviews from the media.

Michael

TITLE: Best places to raise a family in the U.S. Schools matter - but so do commutes, affordability and other amenities

By Zack O'Malley Greenburg

Forbes updated 11:19 a.m. CT, Fri., Aug. 15, 2008 <script type="text/javascript"></script>

Steve Schwartz and his wife, Lori, have spent the last 30 years running Schwartz's Bait and Tackle in Noblesville, Ind. Just 15 miles north of downtown Indianapolis, they sell fishing equipment and rent canoes to locals like Indianapolis Colts kicker Adam Vinatieri and former Formula One racer Derek Daly.

They've also discovered something most Americans are still searching for: the ideal place to raise a family. Their sons, Pete and Eddie, 26 and 22, who still help out at the store, are the products of an idyllic upbringing in Hamilton County,

"It's the best of the best," says the 47-year-old Schwartz, also a Hamilton County councilman, referring to the area and its quaint hamlets, low crime and desirable cost of living. "It's a great place to raise your family. It's safe, it's fun, it's affordable and it's growing."

It's qualities like these that landed Hamilton County atop Forbes' list. Ozaukee County, Wis., and Johnson County, Kan. came in second and third. All earn high marks for their low cost of living, reasonably priced homes and short commute times. They also offer terrific schools, one of the most important characteristics to consider when choosing a place to raise a family.

"What parents need to look for are communities that have the resources to promote physical, social and cognitive development," says Dr. Margo Napoletano, a San Diego-based psychologist with 20 years of experience specializing in children and their families. "This includes a strong school system that provides after-school programs."

Forbes' rankings are skewed toward counties with good school districts. Using research provided by the Tax Foundation, a nonpartisan tax research group based in Washington, D.C., we started with a list of the nation's counties with populations over 65,000. To eliminate under-funded school districts, we isolated 97 counties where more than half of per-pupil spending comes from property taxes.

Next, we knocked off all the counties with average SAT scores under 1,050 (math and verbal combined) or average ACT scores under 22, leaving us with 51 counties.

Raising a happy family requires more than just a good school system. With that in mind, we ranked the remaining counties using 10 data points: cost of living, graduation rate, standardized scores, home price, property tax rate as a percentage of median home price, percentage of homes occupied by owner, per-capita income, air quality, crime rate and commute time.

A long commute "can certainly contribute to stress on a family," says Napoletano. "If you come home and the kids are already in bed, that detracts from family life, both psychologically and economically, especially considering today's gas prices."

Some of the most posh counties in the nation didn't make the cut because their rankings were tainted by outrageous home prices or lengthy commutes. Westchester County, N.Y., home to ritzy enclaves like Chappaqua and Scarsdale, was sunk by a 31-minute average commute time and a median home price approaching $600,000. Fairfax County, Va., suffered a similar fate.

Other swank suburbs made our list. Because of an outstanding school system and abundant employment opportunities, Marin County, Calif., cracked the top 20 despite a whopping median home price of $901,900. Montgomery County, Pa., famous for its sumptuous Main Line suburbs and the King of Prussia Mall, made the top 10 with solid scores across the board and a median home price less than a third of Marin's.

There are, of course, scores of other, more personal factors to consider: political atmosphere, religious climate, proximity to friends and family, and community personality, to name a few. But don't forget the obvious ones.

"Consider parks, consider recreation programs, consider shopping malls," says Napoletano. "Teenagers love to hang out with their friends at shopping malls. That can promote social development too."

© 2008 Forbes.com <script type="text/javascript"></script>

URL: http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/25625978/

Michael J. Maher, MBA
www.michaeljmaher.com
www.themaherteam.com
www.kcreu.com
www.smoothselling.com