Gail Schoeneberg

Is Spring the Best Time to Buy a House? Maybe.

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Spring in Oregon is a beautiful time to get outside, embrace the warm weather and … buy a house? Perhaps. As winter disappears and summer looms on the horizon, many prospective homebuyers begin to peruse the market in hopes of finding their dream home.

Most people associate spring with change; nature’s metamorphosis can reflect in our own lives as we make some major shifts, including moving houses. If you’re looking to sell your home this spring, now is the time to start preparing. Your home isn’t going to sell itself, and there are buyers out there just waiting to see what you have to offer!

To land the best deal, you have to employ some spring-savvy home seller tips that will attract the right buyers for your house and ensure that everyone winds up happy.

Make Your Home Radiate Life With a Spring Garden

People love potential, but they also love pretty things. A lovely garden illustrates both beauty and possibility to potential buyers. You can showcase your home’s natural landscape and emphasize its potential to grow (literally) with a simple flower bed or and even some fruit and vegetable plants.

If you have a professional landscaper lay out the basic framework, prospective buyers will be delighted at the prospect of buying something that’s not just professionally done but also easy to maintain.

Take Spring Cleaning Seriously

Declutter as much as possible, and utilize your spring cleaning as a chance to boost your home’s organization systems. Install some new shelves, smart storage solutions and built-in cabinetry that allows buyers to make the most of the space while simultaneously reducing your own clutter.

Tackle Any DIY Home Improvement Projects ASAP

Whether you want to spruce up the kitchen with some new quartz countertops or apply some mosaic tiles in the bathroom, emphasize aesthetic with your projects so they make your home look updated and comfortable to potential buyers.

Stick with neutral colors and simple textures as you make any renovations; people want to buy a home that instantly feels welcoming but not too lived in. If your own style is very distinct, buyers might be put off and look for somewhere else that has more of a “blank canvas” feel.

Learn More About Selling Your Home This Spring

Contact me today to learn more about selling your house in Oregon fast. I’ll help you take the stress out of selling and ensure that getting your home on and off the market is simple, easy and maybe even fun.

Your Spring Maintenance Checklist

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Spring maintenance and cleaning are annual chores required to maintain your home, but they take on special significance when you are preparing to sell your home. Spring marks the beginning of the peak home-selling season, so your seasonal maintenance efforts should ideally help your home to stand out positively in an active market. These are some of the primary tasks to include in your spring property maintenance plans if you are positioning your home to appeal to buyers.

Clean and Update Your Landscaping

Winters in Oregon can be tough, and your yard may have taken a beating over the last few months. Now is the time to assess the health of your vegetation and to complete related chores. For example, you may need to trim trees and bushes, add a few patches of sod to fill in bare spots and more. Power washing hard surfaces can also improve curb appeal.

Focus on the Floors

All flooring surfaces can lose their luster with regular use. Now is the time to schedule professional carpet cleaning service or even to replace dingy carpeting. Tile flooring may need to be professionally cleaned to restore it to like-new condition.

Check the Condition of Caulk and Grout

Inspect your bathroom and kitchen grout to determine its current condition. Cleaning grout can give these areas a rejuvenated look that makes the entire home more appealing to a potential buyer. Chipped grout should be repaired for aesthetics and to prevent water damage.

Remove Unwanted Items

Spring cleaning often involves removing clutter and unwanted items, and this is also an essential step as you prepare to move. Too many unnecessary items in your home can create a cluttered look. This can make your home feel smaller and less hospitable. Remove all items that you have not used within the last year and that you do not intend to use in the near future.

Update Paint

If your walls are an unusual color that may have limited appeal to the masses of buyers who will look at your home, now is the time to repaint the walls a neutral color with universal appeal. Repainting walls and trim is also a great way to give your home a fresh, clean look. If painting is not necessary, consider the need to remove smudges and to wipe down baseboards.

Hire a Handyman

You may be able to complete many of these tasks on your own, but you may have a lengthy list of smaller items that could take several days or longer to complete. Perhaps you lack the tools and equipment required to complete some tasks. Whether you need to replace lightbulbs that are out of reach, repair a damaged fence or tackle other projects, hiring a handyman may be an important step to take this season.

It may be impossible to erase all signs of wear in a used home, but spring cleaning and maintenance can erase many signs of wear. These efforts may position your home strategically to generate more interest in a busy market. Contact me today to learn more about the current market and to begin the sales process.

10 Tips to Prepare for the Spring Real Estate Season

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You’ve waited all winter and spring has finally arrived! If you’re thinking about selling your home, now is the perfect time to roll your sleeves up and get to work to get ready for the spring real estate season. But before you list your home for sale, you need to make sure it’s showroom ready. Below are 10 tips, ranging from surprisingly easy to ones that require a little elbow grease.

Think About Your Curb Appeal

It’s highly recommended that you make sure the first thing potential buyers see will have them want to see more. Unfortunately, a lot of homebuyers tend to have that “judge a book by its cover” mentality. So, it’s up to you to make your house as visually appealing as possible. You can accomplish this by giving your front porch a makeover by planting flowers and repainting the front door.

Get Rid of The Clutter in the Living Space

When it comes to showcasing your house to buyers, having clutter around isn’t going to be very appealing. Before you open your doors, do a little spring cleaning first. Remove any clutter you may have on your countertops, tables, and windowsills. Afterward, you’ll have to tackle whatever is in your drawers, closets, and cupboards. Potential buyers have no limits when it comes to exploring their future home.

Make The Space Less Personal

As they explore, potential buyers like to imagine what it would be like if they lived in the house. So, it’s important that you remove any kind of distraction that would interfere with their imagination. This includes any personal items such as family photos, artwork and furniture that’s considered unappealing by the general public. You want to have a blank slate, so to speak, so that your clients can envision themselves living there.

Repaint the Walls

While you may adore that colored wall, it could be a potential buyer’s least favorite color, making it a turn-off. In fact, the three colors that you should avoid are black, orange and violet. A neutral color like white or light blue is going to be more visually appealing.

Get Rid of Any Scuff Marks

In some cases, there may not be a need for a full repaint. However, remember to keep an eye out for any kind of scratches and scuff marks you may have on the walls and baseboards.

Repair Any Loose Handles

This may be a small thing, but you’d be astonished by the negative effect that a buyer can have when it comes to a loose handle. It can make them stop and wonder if there’s anything else wrong with the house.

Perform a Smell Test

Having a foul smell, regardless of how intense it is, can be quite the deal breaker. Consider inviting an unbiased third party to see if they can detect any unwanted odors. Should the smell be widespread, then it’s time to do some deep cleaning.

Hide Your Valuables

You never know who you’re really inviting into your home. Hide anything you consider valuable such as jewelry, antiques or art. You can either lock them in a safe place or store them off-site.

Make Sure Everything is Nice and NeatAfter all of the cleaning and preparation, take the time to double check if you missed anything. You may be surprised if you noticed a stain or scratch you didn’t see the first time.

Look For a Good Real Estate Agent

The thought of putting your house on the market, selling it and pocketing the money you’d pay an agent can be tempting especially in this spring real estate season. However, a “For Sale By Owner” can turn into quite the financial disaster. Conduct a bit of research to look for a real estate agent who has knowledge about your desired market.

Looking to sell your house? Contact Gail Schoeneberg by to see how easy this spring real estate season can be.

Have the Time of Your Life at the Oregon Cheese Festival

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If you want to have the time of your life in Southern Oregon, then you need to head to the Oregon Cheese Festival this year. What is the Oregon Cheese Festival, anyway? It’s precisely what it sounds like. It’s a party that revolves around the glorious world of cheese. Since most people like noshing on the dairy staple, it’s no surprise that the Oregon Cheese Festival welcomes countless visitors from all around the state each year. It’s going to take place on March 16th and 17th in 2019. For people who are going to be in the area, it’s a not to be missed event in Central Point, Oregon.

Why You Should Head to the Oregon Cheese Festival

People have so many wonderful motivations to head to the Oregon Cheese Festival. The event, first of all, is reminiscent of a classic open market. If you adore nothing more than browsing all of the freshest food items, then you won’t be able to say no to an Oregon Cheese Festival journey. Visitors at this event can learn all sorts of things about many kinds of cheeses. If you want to take a look at cheeses that have been familiar to you for your entire life, the festival will make you grin. If you want to discover cheeses that are brand new and fascinating to you, ditto.

People who go to the festival get the chance to try out all kinds of mouthwatering cheeses that they don’t see at supermarkets every day. They can even buy them if they wish. If you want to be able to get your hands on cheeses that are ideal for upcoming dinners, then this festival can make many of your wishes come to ture. Gourmet cheese aficionados can’t deny the charms of the Oregon Cheese Festival.

The Oregon Cheese Festival isn’t just ideal for cheese devotees, either. That’s because it also puts time into beverages like ciders, wines and beers. It even puts attention into a host of other delectable kinds of foods from more than 100 different artisan food makers. It doesn’t matter if you’re hungry, thirsty, or anywhere in the middle. You’ll be able to relish a day of joy and relaxation at this famed Oregon event, period.

Get Ready to Attend the Festival

It’s crucial to plan prior to heading to the festival. The festival is going to take place between the hours of 11:00 in the morning and 5:00 in the evening on Saturday. It’s going to take place between 11:00 in the morning and 4:00 in the afternoon on Sunday, the following day. You can buy your tickets in advance (and we would highly recommend you do). This festival is suitable for people of all age groups and youngsters aren’t an exception at all. You can learn much more about the Oregon Cheese Festival by reaching out to me with any questions.

Spring Homeowners To Dos

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Your house takes a beating over the winter. With rain and mud tracking debris across your floors, and little ventilation, the place can get pretty dusty and dirty. Caulk and sealers can crack and dry up after a long winter with little air flow. We talk about the top spring to do tips and tricks to reduce clutter, clean up your house, and simplify your life to get ready for an active spring.

Spring Homeowners Tips by Month

January

It is a good idea to check doors and windows to see if there is anything you need to seal up before the next winter. Checking now gives you time to put it on your to-do list for the spring and summer. A quick look at the roof will spot problems like uneven heating, ice dams, and leaks. This month is also an excellent time to clean out closets and begin donating things you do not use. Many stores offer linen sales this month. Rotate your mattress and deodorize it.

February

A quick property check will identify any yard work you will need to do in warmer weather. Now is a great time to inspect bathroom grout and caulk to see if you need new sealer in the shower or bath. Boost your spirits with a bouquet of fresh flowers to ward off the winter blues. Spring is almost here.

March

Organize yard sale items. Remove everything but the furniture from each room and thoroughly clean the floors. Clean the dryer vent and behind your appliances to reduce dust. Replace furnace filters at least twice this month to get rid of all the dust you are stirring up.

Making life simpler

Cleaning out extras makes space for new items

Go through DVDs, video games, and movies to clear the clutter. Give old or less used items to thrift stores. Donating clothes to a homeless shelter can help you and your community.

Homeowners can host a cooking party on the weekend to stock up the freezer

Making soups and casseroles on the weekends means you can come home after work on the weekdays to have an easy, home-cooked meal. You can prep vegetables and precook the meals on the weekend to reduce time on your feet after a long shift. Turn this day into family time and divvy up the work to get everyone to share the load.

Creating a unique nook can make your home feel fresh and new

Do you want a coffee bar? Is a reading nook something you might enjoy? Reorganizing your home to create new spaces will liven up the place making your time at home more comfortable.

Home ownership comes with a lot of responsibilities you can organize by season or month. If you have questions, feel free to contact me. I am happy to go over any concerns or help you create a useful plan tailored to your property.

A Visit to the Oregon Chocolate Festival

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Who didn’t love the story of “Charlie and the Chocolate Factory?” The chocolate waterfall. The fudgemellow bar. The golden tickets. While a visit to Charlie’s chocolate factory may only be a fantasy for chocolate-loving foodies everywhere, the Oregon Chocolate Festival is very real, indeed.

And like the entry into the chocolate factory will be required to be the carrier of a golden pass of sorts. However, these passes aren’t elusive like the magic tickets in the chocolate factory. This is great news for chocoholics!

Notable Events at the Oregon Chocolate Festival

Here’s a look at what a visit to the Oregon Chocolate Festival will include.

  • The Friday Night Social Hour: Starts at 7:00 p.m. at the Ashland Suites
  • The Chocolate Maker’s Wine Dinner, going from 6:30 to 9:00 p.m.: Dinner features crispy fried Dungeness crab fritters; cocoa nib cider braised pork belly Tartine; smoked coffee-rubbed brisket; and plenty of delicious chocolate offerings and lots of wine!
  • A chocolate brunch on Sunday. Goodies include Tillamook cheddar baked polenta, poached eggs, wilted spinach, lemon hollandaise, an assortment of breads, and of course, a chocolate dessert or two
  • Chocolate talks and workshops that include a look at chocolate history, chocolate recipes to make, and a tasting tour of chocolates from around the world.
  • A chocolate dessert contest
  • And much more

Other Cool Happenings

Chances are that you’ll feel guilty for indulging in that much chocolate, beer, and wine. Never fear. There is a built-in solution to this dilemma. The festival features a 1-mile/ 5K/ 10k run/ walk.

The Charlie’s Chocolate Run/ Walk is held on Sunday, March 10, starting at 9:00 a.m. All participants get prizes of the chocolate sort.

And for those who can’t resist a little cosplay, participants are encouraged to come dressed as their favorite “Charlie and the Chocolate Factory” character. So put on your top hat or paint your face orange and come out and run.

Places to Stay

The chocolate festival counts as one of Ashland’s more popular events. As such, it is best to find accommodations as soon as you can.

The following inns/ hotels/ motels have chocolate festival packages:

Each place offers plenty of good food, activity packages, and comfy places to land for the evening. You can find out how to get the golden tickets you need to get into the door.

A visit to the Oregon Chocolate Festival is a great excuse to visit Ashland in the early part of the year. You already know it as the place to go in Oregon for Shakespeare. Now, you know it’s a great place to go if you’re a chocolate-loving foodie, too!

If you have any questions about the festival, feel free to contact me for more information!