Month: June 2020

Whether you are looking to make more room in your home or planning to redecorate, selling some of your lightly used home items is a great way to make a few bucks. Below are some tips to sell your items quickly and safely online.

Choose the Right Site

There are numerous reputable websites to sell your home items and many that come with a mobile app for your Android or iOS device. Some popular sites include Facebook Marketplace, Craigslist, eBay, Mercari, OfferUp, and Poshmark.

 

Represent Your Item in the Best Light

To catch the eye of potential buyers, clean the item thoroughly and do any paint touch-ups or repairs that are needed. Then take a series of well-lit, high-quality photos. Make sure you are capturing every angle of the item and inside any drawers or cupboards. If the item’s brand holds any weight, you may want to take a close up shot of that logo or name plate on the item. Pair your scroll-stopping photos with a detailed description that covers the dimensions, color, brand, damages, and any other pertinent information.

Practice Safe Delivery

Depending on the site you are using, it may have built-in shipping options available with that cost worked into the price. However, if you choose to ship the item yourself, you may want to add on a few dollars to the listed price to account for packaging and shipping. If you are doing an in-person handoff, we recommend meeting in a public place in the daylight instead of having the buyer come to your home or place of work.

*Joe Thompson from Black Slaughter & Black guest wrote this blog entry*

NC Governor Roy Cooper announced today, June 24, that on Friday, June 26 the State will NOT move to a “Phase 3” with regards to coronavirus restrictions. North Carolina will instead remain in Phase 2 for at least an additional 3 weeks as a result of failing to meet certain key benchmarks. In addition, new face mask requirements have been added.

Here are some highlights for North Carolina’s homeowner and condominium associations:

• Phase 2 restrictions will remain in place through at least 5 pm on July 17, 2020.
• Restrictions on gatherings remain in place. Executive Order #141 issued on May 20 limits indoor gatherings to ten (10) people and outdoor gatherings to twenty-five (25) people. The outdoor “mass gathering” limit of twenty-five (25) people also applies to groups of people that may gather together in a park and on a beach or trail. Such restrictions should be considered with regards to any membership or board in-person meetings.
• Executive Order #136 provided for the possibility of remote communication (i.e., telephonic, Zoom, GoToMeeting) membership meetings. However, that order expired yesterday, June 23, 2020.
• Requirements on pools remain in place. See Pools in Phase 2: Requirements for Reopening NC HOA/Condo Pools.
• Face coverings will be mandatory in numerous settings where individuals will be within six (6) feet of another person, including retail businesses, restaurants, personal care/grooming/tattoo businesses, child care facilities/day camps, state government, certain high-density occupations, processing plants, etc. Citations are only to the business, and not to individual workers, customers or patrons. NOTE: None of the listed required locations include association property or common area, such as pools. However, many cities and counties have adopted more broad face covering requirements, and those must also be followed. In addition, some associations have adopted and enforce face covering requirements on the common elements, such as common entry areas, elevators, etc. Questions about a specific association should be addressed to a community association attorney,

Executive Order #147 will take effect on Friday, June 26 at 5 pm. The entire order can be found at Extension of Phase 2 Order and New Measures to Save Lives in the COVID-19 Pandemic.

 

If you have questions about new state regulations or using/opening amenities in your community, contact one of the attorneys at any of our four offices.

If you’d like to speak with Joseph about title fraud, you can reach him at 704.970.1593 or via email at JThompson@LawFirmCarolinas.com.

You can find more information about Black Slaughter & Black by clicking here!

 

The exterior of your home reflects your individual style just as much as the interior. If you feel the need to give your porch a new look and feel, then check out the ideas below.

Plants. Bridge the gap between your front yard and porch area by introducing some natural elements. Install hanging planters on the roof of the porch and select beautiful greenery that trails down or add some flower boxes along the railings and plant colorful flowers or unique succulents.

Color. Adding a pop of color can really liven up your porch. Try painting the ceiling, railing, or front door or, if you aren’t ready for a larger DIY project yet, consider purchasing some brightly colored pillows or throws for your patio furniture or large ceramic pots.

Lighting. Changing up your lighting on your porch can make a huge difference. Start small by wrapping lights around your railing or hanging café lights across the ceiling. If you’re interested in a larger project, you can install a pendant light, rustic lanterns, decorative wall lights, or sconces.

House number. One of the easiest updates you can make to your porch area is switching out your house numbers. Some options to consider are modern, metal numbers, colored numbers that match your front door, a custom stained-glass plate, or a small mounted planter box with the numbers fixed to the front.

Porch drapes. Porch drapes are easy to install and are the perfect way to give your porch a little privacy and shade. Keep it simple with a nice white linen or spice it up with a color or pattern.

 

Having a Realtor® on your side means assistance with marketing, negotiating, and a seasoned professional guiding you each step of the way! Give us a call at 704.467.8877 to get started!

 

If you’ve been thinking of selling, now is the time! Make sure to follow these 10 tips, so you’re home is ready to sell itself!

Bonus tip #11: Hire a Yancey Realty agent to list your home! Give us a call at 704-467-8877 to get started!

Feng shui is the practice of using spatial arrangement and orientation to create synergistic, harmonious surroundings in a room or home. Mirrors of many shapes and sizes are often used to achieve this because they help bring light and movement into space and move energy throughout a room. Here are some tips for placing mirrors in your home!

1. Add a mirror to your home’s entryway. Adding a mirror in your foyer is recommended by feng shui experts because it’s where energy flows into your home. Make sure to place it on a wall perpendicular to the door as opposed to directly across from it.
2. Place a mirror in your dining room. Experts recommend placing a mirror in your dining room to invite more wealth and abundance into your home.
3. Hang mirrors along your hallways, not at the end. If you’re hanging a mirror in your hallway, place it along the length of it. Placing a mirror at the end of a hallway is said to slow or stop the flow of energy throughout that area of your home.
4. Be careful when placing a mirror facing a window. In most cases, a mirror facing a window is a good practice as it brings nature and light inside. However, if there are any structures like electrical poles, wires, pipes, etc. outside the window, experts say that mirror placement can bring negative energy instead.
5. Keep mirrors out of the kitchen. In the feng shui practice, kitchens are considered areas of negative energy. By keeping mirrors out of this area, you avoid doubling that negative energy.

Nothing ruins a workday like not having a designated, comfortable place to work from. And when you are working from home, whether it be temporarily or indefinitely, setting up a great workspace gets even tougher. However, your productivity and body will thank you if you take a few steps to upgrade your desk setup. Here are some ideas!

Seating

Purchase a chair that offers great spine support and has adjustable height, armrests, and back. If a new chair just isn’t in the budget, there are many seat pillows and cushions available that are designed to attach to an office chair and encourage you to sit properly and help support your lumbar.

Desk

Adjusting your desk height to fit your specific needs can be tricky, but necessary. If you are able to, investing in an adjustable-height standing desk is ideal because you can adjust your desk for different tasks, such as typing, writing, and reading documents. If you are unable to make that purchase, consider installing a keyboard tray to lower your keyboard or raising your chair to ensure your wrists are above your keyboard. If you are experiencing neck pain, that may be a result of your monitor height. Purchase a laptop or monitor stand or use normal household items like books or a box.

Lighting

Poor lighting can cause a lot of strain on your eyes and may decrease energy levels. If you are unable to work in an area with natural light, find a LED desk lamp that can be adjusted as needed. These come in all shapes and sizes and LEDs bulbs have a long lifespan and are energy-efficient.