How to Maintain Your Grill

Wed, 12 Jun 2013 by Rose Anne Erickson Realty

Hold the meat! Don’t kick off grilling season without seasoning the grill! We’ve got the best tips and tricks to keep your grill maintained all summer long at your new home in Columbus GA.

Get Organized for the New Year

Sun, 30 Dec 2012 by Rose Anne Erickson Realty

Don’t be comfortable with chaos. Get your new home Columbus GA organized and ready for the New Year. But don’t stop there. We found tools to help you keep track of your valuables, health and even travel. Here are a few apps that can help you get organized and stay organized all year long.

First up is Boxella. This app for your iPhone or iPad will come handy with all those new gadgets and goodies! Their slogan says it best, “Track everything you own”! You just enter the model number or upload a photo and tons of information is ready at your fingertips. Warranty, product support, users manual, recalls, receipt, and cash back opportunities are all stored for your products. Great for appliances, electronics, baby products, garden equipment and more!

Got your gadgets in order, now keep your health in check with PocketHealth. It’s a personal health record controlled and managed by you. Access health information for yourself and your family, share information with providers, and increase health and wellness understanding. Even participate in clinical trials. This app will also help you manage condition-specific treatments and medication schedules. Get this app for your iPhone, iPod, iPad and Android devices.

Traveling away from your new home Columbus GA? Whether it’s business or pleasure, it can be organized and easy! TripIt lets you keep all your plans in one place. And makes it accessible on the go via your smart phone, iPad or tablet. If something changes, you can easily update the new information. Just forward your confirmations for hotel, airfare, cruises, rental cars, and more. Then, TripIt creates your itinerary. Share it with colleagues and family or through Facebook or LinkedIn.

And finally, a free app for iPhone or Android that will help you quickly and easily inventory your new home Columbus GA. Digital Locker keeps an inventory of your personal belongings right at your fingertips. Use it to maximize a claim should you ever need to make one. PLUS, organizing your lists by room or category creates the perfect tool for packing and unpacking your new home! Just take a picture or use one already on your phone to get started!

How to plan a fun, festive and relaxed New Year’s Eve without spending a fortune.

Fri, 21 Dec 2012 by Rose Anne Erickson Realty

Plan the perfect farewell to 2012 with these tips. From lights to goodbyes we’ve got some ideas to help you keep it fun, festive and relaxed this New Year’s Eve!

To create a festive atmosphere in your home in Columbus GA, just add lights! Swap you standard lights with pink bulbs for the evening. Add ambiance by using votives throughout your home. For the kiddos (or if you’re a little punk rock) set out a bowl of glow accessories!

Keep things lively by creating fun platters full of traditional New Year’s Eve garb like noisemakers, hats, boas, and tiaras! These also make great props for a photo booth. Guests will love snapping photos with their smart phones to post, tag, and geo-locate in an instant! You may end up with a few more guests…

Unless you’re hosting a dinner party at your home in Columbus GA, your menu should include bite-sized snacks. Plates optional! This keeps it relaxed and lets guests mingle while they socialize. Something sweet, something salty, and few things in between will be perfect. Try fruit kabobs, bruchetta & olives, cheese cubes and mini eclairs.

As the countdown ensues, be sure you have mints on hand and even mouthwash and cups in the powder room—everyone wants their first kiss of the year to be a fresh one!

Throw together fun favor bags to get them going in the morning after a late night. Fill them with singles of Emergen-C, Goody’s, Alka Seltzer, and Instant Coffee like Starbucks Via. Offer hot cocoa and fresh coffee in to-go cups for the ride home!

If you still have guests for breakfast, make it simple by providing a continental set-up of cereal, fruit, instant oatmeal and bagels. You can set it all out the night before and everyone can serve his or herself as they wake up in the morning.

Follow these few tips and you’re sure to pull off a great New Year’s Eve party at your home in Columbus GA!

Selling Your Home During the Holidays

Tue, 11 Dec 2012 by Rose Anne Erickson Realty

Worried about selling during the holidays? Don’t be. Instead, take advantage of the season to add a little extra charm to your home for sale in Columbus GA.

Deck the halls with style! Before you string up the bright red and green tinsel, take a look around. Add holiday décor that will compliment your existing color scheme. Stick with deeper cranberry red and warm forest green if your color palette is earthier. Try rich jewel-toned blues, purples, or metallics if your room has a modern flare.

Be mindful of the space in your home for sale in Columbus GA. This may be the year for a store-bought tree. Trade the fresh pine scent of a live tree for a balsam plug-in and buy a tall skinny tree to accentuate high ceilings and open floor space! And if you pack presents underneath, be sure they’re tastefully wrapped and tucked out of the way.

Serious buyers are the ones out shopping in the colder weather. Go the extra mile to make them feel at home with a warm fire glowing, the smell of hot cider on the stove and a plate of cookies (even if they’re store bought) on the table. The longer they linger in your home, the more time they have to imagine themselves there!

Go easy on the reindeer and keep inflatable Santa in storage. You want potential buyers to see your home for sale in Columbus GA and not be distracted by too many shiny objects! However, simple white lights may be a great way to accentuate an architectural feature. Donning your front door with an evergreen wreath or lining your steps with poinsettias can also be a simple welcoming addition.

Take these tips from Rose Anne Erickson Realty and do a little selling along with your shopping this season. If you’re waiting until the holidays are over to list your home for sell, don’t hesitate—beat the crowd and get your home on the market now while the serious buyers are out!

Staging your home to sell during the winter months

Fri, 30 Nov 2012 by Rose Anne Erickson Realty

Take these 5 tips from our Real Estate experts at Rose Anne Erickson Realty and let your home be the winter showcase home for sale in Columbus GA.

Outside – Remember that everyone who may come in your house first drives by your house. Outside curb appeal is most important during the winter months because the ground is brown and the trees are bare! Make sure your yard is tidy; leaves raked, lawn edged, hedges trimmed, paint touched-up, mailbox and house numbers fresh and visible! Bring some attention by planting pansies that survive most of our mild, southern winter and hanging a bright winter wreath on the front door.

Toasty – All experts agree turning the thermostat up a degree or two in your home for sale in Columbus GA will give you an overwhelming edge over vacant homes. Buyers will be comfortable taking their time to walk through your house, inspect all the rooms and imagine themselves at home if it’s warm. If you are just stepping out during the showing, leave your fireplace on for even more ambiance. If you’ve already moved out of your home, have your realtor turn up the heat on the weekends when your home will see most traffic.

Bright – With the gray skies of winter and early sunsets it is important to keep your home bright! Start with a few outdoor lights that ensure buyers get a glimpse of your home when cruising in the evenings. Then, think of lighting as layers inside key rooms of your home for sale in Columbus GA like the kitchen, family room and master bedroom. Be sure all bulbs are replaced and working in overhead lights, use table and floor lamps that can be left on when you’re away as well as accent lights in bookcases, behind furniture and under cabinets. Open blinds and curtains to let in natural light.

Cozy – Tap into emotional appeal this time of year by cozying up your home for sale in Columbus GA. Allow buyers to imagine themselves curled up with a book by adding a few plush throws over the arm of chairs and sofas. Spark ideas for family fun around the coffee table by using board games for centerpieces. Set your dining room table to create an inviting mood for holiday entertainment. Use candles and potted poinsettias to add warmth throughout your home.

Clean – This should go without saying but clean, organized homes send a message that everything is well taken care of and there are no hidden problems underneath the mess. Most buyers value storage space and the winter months seem to bring a lot of extra stuff with them so clean out the closets and de-clutter rooms to give an appearance of extra space. Renting a storage unit or designating one room for “pre-packing” will help you better stage the area.

Stress free Holiday Hosting tips

Tue, 20 Nov 2012 by Rose Anne Erickson Realty

The holidays are a perfect time to show off your Ft. Benning new home. You’ve put a lot of work into choosing the right floor plan, painting the perfect colors and adding the personal details to make your home warm and inviting. Now, enjoy the holidays in your own home by hosting friends and family!

Start by offering a fun seasonal drink where guests can serve themselves and you can be free to mingle. Stage a hot chocolate bar where everyone can top their drink just the way they want. Homemade hot cocoa topped with whipped cream and peppermint sticks is perfect for the younger crowd while adding crème de menthe will make a festive adult treat!

Carefully plan the meal to include a main dish that can be entirely or mostly prepared ahead of time. Create a rich bourguignon you leave to finish on the stovetop or reheat an hour before. Choose side dishes that can be made a day or two before, like a casserole or salad, then reheated or served cold. Make a dessert that’s best at room temperature to avoid getting back in the kitchen after dinner.

Put some thought into an activity or game the kids can do to keep entertained. A craft where the older kids could help the younger kids or a room in your Ft. Benning new home designated as the “theatre” along with popcorn, pillows and of course a movie will take a little effort but be well worth the time. Even hiring a neighbor or teenager to entertain the kids at your home while the grown-ups enjoy an evening catching-up will be an appreciated gesture.

Finish the night with a personal touch and send your guests home with a party favor such as a recipe card from your meal and a single ingredient such as currant jelly, cocoa powder, or gourmet cheese. You can even mix it up and let guests choose their gift. Spending time together is the most memorable part of the holidays but hosting a successful soirée at your Ft. Benning new home is near the top of the list as well!

Fun Fall colors

Fri, 31 Aug 2012 by Rose Anne Erickson Realty

Interior design trends follow fashion trends when it comes to color and this season is no different as we see versatile neutrals along with bold, spirited hues translate from runway to family room inside new homes Phenix City AL.

The fun fall colors for this year include a variety of darks, brights and neutrals according to Pantone’s Fashion Color Report. Chances are you’ve already seen these colors popping up on interior accessories! Now it’s time to snatch up those pieces that have been inspiring you and prepare your home for the fall season.

Bringing seasonal color into décor of new homes Phenix City AL is simple. Take a look around your room and pull two or three items that can easily be replaced. Pillows are a great place to start! You may think Bright Chartreuse or Tangerine Tango are colors too bold for your home but toss them onto a neutral colored sofa or on top of your bed and the room is instantly reflective of the season!

Painted kitchen crocks, brightly colored teakettles and hand towels are another ideal way to tie-in fun fall colors. Trading out a few kitchen accessories will bring a new look together fast. Try combining Olympian Blue and Ultramarine Green for a fresh, clean look.

Not all of the fall 2012 colors are bright and bold. For a more traditional autumn look introduce French Roast, Honey Gold and Titanium into new homes Phenix City AL. Neutral colors make great backdrops for a variety of color combinations so think big with these shades! Updating your window treatments, a new slipcover for your sofa or dining chairs and adding an area rug are a few ways you can warm up your home for fall.

When adding these fabulous fall colors into your décor remember that layering is another trend that translates perfectly from fashion to home. Begin with a base like one of the neutrals such as Rose Smoke and then layer with accessories in colors that pop like Pink Flambé. Use pieces that will be easy to trade out later and you can update new homes Phenix City AL season to season.

Father's Day Gadgets for Dad

Tue, 12 Jun 2012 by Rose Anne Erickson Realty

Father’s Day is here and without a doubt you’re trying to avoid buying more ties, socks and golf tees this year. Rose Anne Erickson Realty found a few gadgets we think are just right for dad! Below are our top picks for Father’s Day gifts dads are sure to use in their new homes Ft Benning.

Webber Rapidfireâ Chimney Starter - What dad doesn’t love to grill and of all the useful tools out there enhancing the experience and increasing the mastery, this simple canister is one to rave about. At under $20 and easily found at your hardware store or online this tool eliminates the need for lighter fluid while igniting that primal experience of grilling over an open, charcoal flame!
Flexible Tripod Flashlight – The Joby GorillaTorch 100 is a flashlight dad will find a reason to use! It’s flexible legs wrap around items or form a tripod to stand independently allowing you to work hands free. The feet are magnetic and rubberized to enhance grip and stability without scratching surfaces in new homes Ft Benning. Shine a light on dad with this gift without breaking the bank. This intense beam is available for under $30!
The Urban Multi-Tool – The Kelvin.23 is a sleek design with a cast aluminum body and rubber touch handle making it tough, rugged and comfortable to use. It puts 23 of the most commonly used tools in the palm of your hand including an adjustable screwdriver, liquid level, measuring tape, alloy magnets, LED flashlight and a hammer! Purchase this tool online for just $25 and $5 from every purchase is microloaned to women entrepreneurs in some of the world’s poorest countries.
Roku 2 XS – Roku is a popular streaming player and the 2 XS is their top of the line device. It streams action with the biggest selection of live sports packages ever, including NBA, NHL, MLS, UFC, MLB and more. It has the best Netflix experience out there with up to 1080p HD video. You can choose Hulu Plus for current TV shows, hundreds of free movies from Crackle, and the latest Hollywood releases from Amazon Instant Video. Turn your new homes Ft Benning into the entertainment hub with this father’s day gift from $49.99 - $99.99.

If dad is looking for a new home to put some of these gadgets to use in, we would love to help with that as well! Contact Rose Anne Erickson Realty to learn more about becoming a homeowner.