Linda Sticklin

Penn State University and Liberty Property Trust launched a farmers market earlier this month. The market is held rain or shine in the lower parking lot of Penn State Great Valley (30 East Swedesford Road, Malvern) from 11:00 am--2:00 pm every Thursday through November. Fresh fruits and vegetables, mums, cheeses, baked goods, sandwiches, gluten free items and more are provided by local farmers and vendors. Additionally, cooking demonstrations, seasonal recipes and samples as well as workshops on health and nutrition will be offerred.

The Great Valley Corporate Park setting allows farmers to bring the market directly to the people in the convenience of their work setting--a pretty novel idea. Additional information is available at www.pennstategreatvalley.org. Be aware that many vendors only accept cash.

I haven't had an opportunity to check it out yet, but hope to get there in October. What a great way to eat healthy and support local businesses!

Chester County Parks & Recreation will again sponsor the Town Tours & Village Walks this summer. On Thursday, August 13th the village of Berwyn will be featured. The tour begins at 6:00 pm at the Easttown Library (720 1st Avenue, Berwyn) and includes historical residences, churches and businesses. Classic cars will also be on display.

Enjoy a pleasant summer evening walk and learn interesting facts about the history of Berwyn. In addition, you will receive a souvenir and refreshments. For additional information and registration, call (610) 644-0138. This event is free and only cancelled if severe weather.

Warmer weather, longer days and flowering bulbs give us spring fever after the long dreary winter. It also reminds me that many sellers miss the opportunity to make a great first impression at the curb. If a potential buyer doesn't like what they see when they pull up to a house, they are not likely to bother going inside--ask any realtor. The exterior of a house sets the tone for what awaits a buyer inside. If the exterior is drab and not well maintained, what impression does that give of the interior?

When you have lived in a house for a number of years, it is easy to lose sight of how overgrown the landscaping has become. I recently had difficulty locating a new client's house because I could not see the house numbers due to the overgrown shrubs. The sellers loved the privacy the hedge provided, but had not considered the impression it may give a potential buyer.

It can be helpful to stand across the street and critically look at the front of the house as if you were a potential buyer. Be honest--what impression does it convey? Inexpensive curb appeal "fixes" include a new mailbox, house numbers, a large welcome mat by the front door and fresh mulch in beds. A variety of lightweight planters can be found at craft or home improvement stores. Fill them with pansies and place them by the front entrance to add some much needed color to an early spring landscape. Investing a few dollars in improving a home's curb appeal can set the tone for a successful sale.

I was faced with what initially seemed like a daunting task of pulling together this master bedroom, sitting room and bathroom in a vacant house. The bedroom is painted a very dark gray. Although you cannot appreciate it from the photos, the gold sitting room is adjacent to the gray bedroom. Finally, the master bathroom is a stark white! My initial reaction was "what an incohesive space," largely due to the choice of paint colors. In this case, the seller was unwilling to repaint any of the spaces.

I was on a tight time frame to complete this job and knew that nothing in my accessory inventory would work with this combination of wall colors. Lucky for me, I found some great pillows that were gold with a touch of gray woven into the fabric! That became my starting point and more gray/gold accessories followed on a very successfull shopping trip. I even found some framed art that continued the gray/gold theme! Unfortunately, I dropped one of the two art pieces and the glass shattered, necessitating plan B. So I changed out the artwork over the bed and used the remaining gold/gray art in the bathroom. Although not a color combination I would normally choose, I do think it works to bring some cohesion to these adjoining spaces.

I had the recent pleasure of working with Susan Mangigian, fellow activerain maker, to stage her listing in the highly desirable Tattersall subdivision (Broad Run Golf Club) in West Bradford Township, Chester County. This is a beautiful home with many great features that staging helps to highlight for potential buyers. This is an expansive home that felt uninviting when vacant. After staging, furniture and accessories define the purpose of each space and make it more welcoming!