Tag Archives: Knoxville homes

Spring Break in Knoxville

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The countdown to Spring Break has begun for Knoxville area school children. Don’t despair if a trip to the beach or Disneyworld isn’t in your plans, there are plenty of fun-filled, kid-friendly activities right here in the area.

Ijams Nature Center is a wildlife sanctuary and learning center located on 275 acres of walking trails, ponds, and fields. They offer children and family programs, and they also feature a spring break camp with each day focusing on a different theme. Campers can attend the whole week or just one day.

The Knoxville Zoo offers Camp Wild for school-aged children. Kids can enjoy a day of adventure or the full week. They will participate in activities, like a behind-the-scene tour of animal areas and creating animal-inspired works of art. The Knoxville Zoo is also a great way to spend the day making memories with your family.

The American Museum of Science and Energy in Oak Ridge features many exhibits that will capture the attention of children and adults alike. Also, this museum provides a glimpse into the history of Oak Ridge and its role in World War II.

Sir Goony’s Family Fun Center in Farragut provides a fun-filled day for kids of all ages. With miniature golf, go-karts, and paint ball, there’s something for everyone.

Tuckaleechee Caverns is a short drive to Townsend. Estimated to be 20 to 30 millions of years of old, these caves are located under the Smoky Mountains. Tour guides provide historical information about the area and about caves.

The Lost See is the site of the largest underground lake. Located in Sweetwater, the Lost See adventure allows visitors a chance to explore caverns, tour an 18th century village, and take a boat ride on the underground lake.

Cades Cove in the Great Smoky Mountains is the perfect spot for a family picnic or an early morning bicycle ride. An early evening drive around the cove could offer a chance to spot some exiting wildlife.

Knoxville is a great place to raise a family because of the excellent school systems and the wonderful opportunities for adventure and family fun. If you are looking for a home in Knoxville, it’s best to consult with a Knoxville Realtor, like Judi Starliper, who has experience in finding families their perfect dream home.

The Benefits of an Open House

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Spring is almost upon us. The signs will begin to appear, the grass turning greener, the blooming flowers, and real estate “Open House” signs on every corner.

In this technological age where pictures of homes are on every real estate website, people sometimes wonder what the benefits are to having a Open House.

In order to sell a Knoxville home in this competitive real estate market, effective marketing of the home must occur. Basically, it’s about getting the house for sale in front of as many eyes as possible. An Open House is one of the methods to increase the number of people who view the home.

People attend Open Houses for a variety of reasons. During an Open House buyers don’t feel pressured and they can look at the home at their leisure. Also, potential buyers do not feel pressured to work with an agent or even feel obligated to leave their personal information with the agent.

Another benefit of an Open House is that potential buyers are free to ask questions about the home and the neighborhood.

Open Houses also capture extra interest and generate excitement in the area. It is a way of getting “lookers” into the house on the spur of the moment. People who are riding around are inspired to drop in and look at the home since it is open.

An Open House provides buyers an opportunity to let many people view their property at one time. This means getting it show ready once, rather than multiple times for multiple showings. Also, homeowners may keep in mind, while the Open House might not yield an offer, it could produce referrals. Someone who attended the Open House may know a friend or relative who would love the home.

If you are buying or selling your home in the Knoxville area, it’s best to use an experienced and professional Realtor, like Judi Starliper and the J-Star Team.

Creative Fixes for Challenging Spaces

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Natural light brightens any room

Most homes have some sort of design challenge, like a small room, or a room that doesn’t get enough natural light. When listing your Knoxville home, it’s important to tackle these design challenges and make the most of the space.

Here are some design tips to improve common problems:

For a small room, furniture placement, paint color, and lighting are important.

Home staging experts suggest to scale the size of the furniture to the size of the room. This means that in a small room, large bulky sofas or chairs should be avoided. Also, furniture should never block walking pathways. Placing the furniture against the wall allows visitors a clear visual into the next room, which also helps to make a room look larger. If you don’t like the all the furniture against the wall, try placing it at an angle. This creates a diagonal line, which seems longer, thus creating the illusion of a larger space. For table suggestions in a small space, try a glass tabletop. This provides an open feeling to the space.

Natural lighting really opens up a space. Make full use of light from windows to make a small space appear larger. Sheer curtains or pulling back the drapes will bring the outside view into the room, which will make the room look more spacious. If the view is less than desirable, a hanging plant will divert the attention.

Natural light and a plant opens up this space

A common misconception is that small rooms must be painted white to appear larger. Some design experts suggest bold colors for a small space. However, if staging a home to sell, a sunny or warm shade may be the right choice.

For rooms that seem dark and cave-like, paint color should be selected wisely. Contrary to popular belief, pale paint colors do not necessarily brighten a dark room. Design experts suggest mid-tones which are the colors located on the middle of the paint sample. To brighten up dark rooms, light and neutral-colored furniture and accessories will also help. For example, if it’s a bedroom, light linens will bring pizzazz to the space.

For more tips on how to sell your Knoxville home, contact an experienced Realtor like Judi Starliper and the J-Star Team. The website offers many Buyer/Seller Tips.

Necessary Repairs to Sell Your Home

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In this Knoxville home market, buyers are expecting the property to be “move in” ready. In order to sell your house in this competitive market, these repairs should be made before you list your Knoxville home for sale.

Repair and clean the gutters. Loose or hanging gutters are a huge red flag that the property hasn’t been maintained.

Fix cabinet doors that are askew. Make sure all cabinet doors can open and close easily.  Cabinet pulls and hardware should be updated and installed properly.

Replace chipped tile and re-seal grout. A cracked or chipped tile will stick out like a sore thumb to potential buyers. It leaves an impression that the home will require a lot of work before moving in.

Repair leaky or dripping faucets. You might not notice a drippy faucet, but a potential buyer will.

Patch nail holes. A little putty and paint and potential buyers will never know where pictures or posters used to hang.

Eliminate odors. Candles or potpourri can’t mask powerful kitchen odors or the smell of smokers living in the home. Cleaning can usually eliminate most kitchen smells, but certain deep fried cooking aromas can permeate the cabinets, ceiling, and walls. A more thorough, deep scrubbing might be necessary. For smokers, cleaning might not be enough. Removing carpet and painting the walls may be the only way to eliminate the smell of smoke.

Clean the baseboards. Dust and grime accumulate along the baseboards and in corners where the vacuum and mop can’t reach. Spend some extra time getting those hard to reach places.

Remove peeling wallpaper. Outdated, peeling wallpaper represents a headache to a potential buyer. Remove the wallpaper and go with a neutral paint color.

Making all these necessary repairs will give you an advantage when trying to sell your Knoxville home. If you have any questions about listing your house, then contact an experienced Realtor, like Judi Starliper and the J-Star Team.

Tips for Outdoor Holiday Decorating

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Decorating the exterior of your home can be a festive way to celebrate the Christmas season. The first priority should be safety and the next objective should be decorating in a manner that suits your home and family.

For decorating safety, following the manufacturer’s guidelines is a must. Always check lights for fraying and toss any lights that appear damaged. When putting lights up, use hooks to hold them in place. It is not recommended to staple or tack the lights.

When using a ladder to put up lights or decorations, be cautious about position of the ladder. Avoid areas next to power lines and check the sturdiness of the ladder position before climbing up.

Dressing up your home’s exterior can bring joy to your family and to the neighborhood. Whether you like the look of wreathes in every window or the fun and festive feeling of multiple inflatables, the key is the have a cohesive theme.

Every neighborhood has that one house at Christmas that has a mix of everything and the result is usually, um, well, tacky. They have some lights that look like they were put in the bushes by an angry squirrel. While the lights on house are a multitude of colors with some blinking and some not. They’ve got a yard full of inflatables that during the day look like a bouncy house exploded on their lawn. It’s fun and festive, but can be an eyesore, especially if they leave the decorations up well into the New Year.

It is possible for homeowners to enjoy a whimsical spirit at Christmas and still keep it tasteful. Homeowners can accomplish this by choosing a theme, like candy canes. Try lining a walkway with candy canes for a fun, seasonal outdoor decorating idea. If you like snowman, try one inflatable and an assortment of light-up snowmen for a fun display.

Other homeowners go for a more elegant look when decorating their home’s exterior for Christmas. For example matching wreathes on the windows with greenery on the mailbox is a nice way to show the holiday spirit. White lights on outdoor trees and bushes can be elegant and festive if you have the right coverage and consistency.

No matter how you decorate for Christmas, one of the season’s favorite activities is driving through neighborhoods that embrace the holiday spirit.