Try some of these simple and easy steps to improve your homes curb appeal to make a great impression on potential buyers:

• Brushing a new coat of paint obvious first step
• Adding small splashes of color to your home's exterior can entice buyers to walk through your door.
• Don't have the time or budget to repaint the entire exterior? Focus on 1 or 2 areas, such as the front door, window trim or rood.
• If budget allows decorative glass inserts add more visual interest, and often complement a range of housing styles
• Don't feel like painting? Changing out the hardware and lighting in your front entrance - from door knockers and house numbers to the porch lights and mailbox - adds character to your homes appearance, while plants such as coleus and big-root geraniums are lower-cost and colorful options for your landscaping.
• Clean the Gutters!
• Border your entryway with matching potted plants to create symmetry
• Check out your mailbox; if it is rusty, dented or just old consider replacing it with a long-lasting aluminum or steel model.
• Wash the windows!
• Add a window box, it's the quickest way to add color to your facade. Make sure to change the planting along with the seasons!

Its time to get into the Halloween spirit. Whether your hosting a costume party or just awaiting the ghoulish trick-or-treaters creating a haunted house is a fun way to showcase your Halloween spirit and home!

Scope: A DIY haunted house can be simple or elaborate, whatever you're up for! A few scary props can do the trick or you can go all out and give your guests a Hollywood style haunted house.

Location: If your home is not large and roomy enough to hold all the props you need it may be worth while to move the haunting outdoors!

Plan: Once you've picked your location its time to create a plan by drawing up a a map of the proposed haunted house. Laying out where props will be placed and figuring out what props you may need to build, measurements, etc!

Props: Part of the fun of creating your own haunted house is choosing props! Some to consider include fog machines, smoking cauldrons, coffins, sound effects, spider webs, prop tombstones, wigs & masks, black lights, and of course plenty of jack-o-lanterns!!

Decorations: Now its time to set the mood for your haunted house, using lighting, candles, and music are some ways to set the proper mood. Also think about some food items and creations that can quickly become scary!

Dressing Up: Dressing in costume is what will make the whole haunted house experience a great deal more effective and fun!

Now think about how you're going to show off your spooky hard work. Host a costume party, invite the neighborhood families over for some Halloween themed games. Have fun with it! Read more here!

Last but not least, don't forget the following important safety tips while decorating!

• Avoid candles and live flames in your Halloween decoration, instead replace them with LED or battery operated candles!
• If you are putting up Halloween lights, make sure that all electric cables are safely out of the way of prying little hands!
• Since flickering and darkness are such a large part of Halloween, it could be difficult to see very clearly. Keep the area around your home clutter free!
• Check your porch lights or entry lights beforehand to make sure they are fully functional in order to keep the area around your entry brightly lit to prevent accidents.
• If you are hosting a Halloween party for children inside your home, put away all the breakable stuff.

Happy Halloween!

This Sunday, October 26, 2014 from 1:00-3:00pm, Geri Reilly Real Estate is hosting an Open House at 3 Repa Drive in Essex, Vermont. Stop by to say "hi" and take a look around!

We look forward to seeing you there!

3 Repa Drive, Essex

Wonderful Design

Brilliant 4 BR/3.5 BA colonial with open chef's kitchen, breakfast bar and room, formal dining, fireplaced family room with vaulted ceiling, finished fireplaced walkout basement. Filled with windows and sunshine! Convenient Lang Farm location.

MLS#4384834/ $484,500

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