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Just listed a great property in Colchester - a 3 bedroom, 2.5 bath, 2225 square foot Townhouse built in 2001 for $269,900. It had been listed by another Realtor prior and hadn't sold yet, so now it's our turn to try to sell it. A few things we noticed that might make the home more sellable were if we upgraded the kitchen and bathroom cabinet knobs as well as paint a few rooms to more neutral colors. The cabinets in both the kitchen and full baths are a light wood color - most likely maple and they featured white ceramic knobs. We decided to upgrade the cabinet hardware to a more modern style - satin nickel! You can buy a set of 10 knobs at Lowe's Home Improvement for about $19 - that's less than $2 per knob! All that was required to switch out the hardware was a screwdriver and it only took about 20 minutes. A cheap and easy way to give any kitchen or bath a fresh new look!

We also have plans to paint the dining room and living room in this Condo. The dining room is currently a light orange color, which probably looked great with the previous décor and furniture, but it's better to have a more neutral color. This way, prospective buyers can start with a clean slate, so to speak. In addition, the dining room is the first room you see when you walk in the door and the old saying couldn't be any more true, "You never get a 2nd chance to make a 1st impression!" The living room is a deep red, which again is nice and gives the room some warmth and personality, but again most buyers prefer to see homes in more neutral state, so they can picture their own furniture and decorations in the room more easily. Also, new owners can always paint later to match their specific style, but it's always easier to paint over a light color than a dark one.

These are just a couple tips to make your house more sellable, especially in the slow market we're experiencing now! Click here for more tips on how to make your home sell faster!

The Geri Reilly Team ranked the #1 Coldwell Banker Team in Vermont for 2008 and #3 in the Northeast Region which consists of 19 states (including Massachusetts, New York, and Illinois) and 862 Coldwell Banker offices.  Geri Reilly, herself, as been the #1 Coldwell Banker Agent in Vermont since 2000 and has held various spots within the top ten across the region over the years. She has been selling real estate in northern Vermont for over 28 years and there is a reason why she and her team hold such high honors. They have the knowledge and expertise to get the job done right the first time, every time. Results like these matter given our current market and economy. Whether you're thinking of buying, selling or just need some real estate advice, contact her and her team now!Geri Reilly has been selling real estate in northwestern Vermont since the early 1980s and has consistently been a top producer. She specializes in listing homes, buyer brokering and consulting. She can be reached at 802.862.6677 or Geri@BuyVTRealEstate.com.Carolyn Weaver has over 13 years experience as a real estate agent and has marketed and sold hundreds of homes in Chittenden County. She specializes in neighborhoods, condominiums, new construction, custom homes and lakefront property. She can be reached at 802.846.9554 or Carolyn@BuyVTRealEstate.com.Bryce Gilmer has been selling real estate in both Vermont and New Hampshire since 2005 and has several years of sales management experience. His expertise and knowledge of the real estate market is an essential part of assisting clients in their search for a new home. He can be reached at 802.846.9546 or Bryce@BuyVTRealEstate.com.Chad Dion has over 12 years experience as a real estate agent and has marketed and sold hundreds of homes. He specializes in residential sales of condominiums, single family homes, and 2-4 unit buildings in Chittenden County. He can be reached at 802.846.9562 or Chad@BuyVTRealEstate.com.Joanna Gnaedinger has over 26 years of experience working as a Realtor in Vermont. In addition to her experience, Joanna also has remarkable interpersonal skills which give her the ability to connect with her clients and meet their every need. She can be reached at 802.846.9522 or Joanna@BuyVTRealEstate.com

 For more information, testimonials, tips or to search for Vermont property visit www.BuyVTRealEstate.com.

Thank goodness all of the holidays are over with!! They seemed to last forever this year and they were all crammed into about four weeks! It was fun while it lasted, but now back to business!! Let's hope 2009 has alot to offer home buyers and sellers this year! I think it will. With interest rates hanging in around 5%, this may be the year for first time home buyers to make it happen. In addition, the government is offering upto $7500 for a tax credit for first time home buyers if they buy between April and June.  For more information on this, visit FederalHousingTaxCredit.com. This is all good news for home sellers too! With low interest rates, that means buyers will be out there looking more and hopefully making some offers. We've already see ALOT of activity this year so far in our office, Hickok & Boardman Realty.  I have high hopes for the real estate market this year!Looking to buy? Contact me now for a FREE Buyer Consultation!Looking to sell? Again, give me a call or email for a FREE Market Analysis of your home!Looking to find our more information on the low mortgage rates everyone is talking about? Talk to our good friend Nick Parent from Spruce Mortgage.