Happy Flag Day!

 Happy Flag Day~   Betsy & Rosemary, Atkinson-Thompson Group

For a brief tutorial on how to fly the American Flag, click here.

Curb Appeal: So Important to Your Marketing

When you have your home on the market, not only is it important that you have addressed updates inside your home, but outside as well.  You want people to drive up to the front of your home and be charmed.  So much of that charm involves what you have done to the exterior of your home…a/k/a curb appeal!  Don’t underestimate its value.   The exterior of your home is the first thing that potential buyers see!  Check out U.S. News and World Report’s 7 ways to increase your home’s curb appeal for some excellent suggestions for sprucing up that exterior!

From power washing to mulch, time to get busy~                                               Rosemary, Atkinson-Thompson Group                        

Gardening Success!

It’s  that fun time of year when we get to set our green thumbs loose!  I love gardening!  Leslie Land of The Daily Green sets forth some “time-tested techniques” for gardening success in her article, The 7 habits of successful gardners.  Gardening not only brings beauty to your landscape, but a great sense of accomplishment to yourself.  Good for the soul! 

Get your gardening gloves on~  Rosemary, Atkinson-Thompson Group

Threats to Your Home’s Value

Yes, you need to know!  If you are considering marketing your home, you must be realistic about your property’s value.  From location to lack of updates to neighborhood foreclosures to major system structures to curb appeal and more, Leah L. Culler of MSN Real Estate outlines threats to home value in her slide show, 13 big threats to your home’s value.

 Take a peek, because there are some threats you can remedy and some you can’t~  Rosemary, Atkinson-Thompson Group

Super cool modern makeover in Prairie Village

There are so many home renovation shows on TV but there are a ton of home makeovers all over Kansas City.  Check out this super cool modern makeover right here in PV.  This house is AMAZING!

-Betsy, Atkinson-Thompson Group

Luxury Kitchens

Buyers love kitchens!!  When showing homes, it is the one room in which most potential buyers spend the most time.  In fact, when upgrading your home, kitchens are one of the most intelligent places to put your money, because they do become quite dated over time.  And, Americans view kitchens as a centerpiece of their home, a place for gathering with family and friends, a place to entertain.  Now, the kitchens you can view in Morgan Brennan’s article for Forbes, Buyers pay top dollar for lavish kitchens, are designed for multi-million-dollar homes, not for your typical home, but they still prove a point…one of your best returns on investment is to upgrade your kitchen.  In a more typically price-ranged home, upgrade countertops, refinish or replace dated cabinets and hardware, upgrade flooring and appliances!  Kitchens provide what you want when trying to sell your home…WOW value!  In a more modest home, just keep your upgrades to a more modest level, a level commensurate with your home’s value and with new homes in your home’s value range!

To using your renovating dollars for their best return on  investment~            Rosemary, Atkinson-Thompson Group

Good JuJu’s

Have you heard of Good JuJu?  It is the neatest shop overflowing with super cool antiques and re-purposed items.  It is in the west bottoms and is ONLY open First Friday weekends.  Luckily, today is the first Friday of April!!!

They open at 9am on Friday and there is usually a line to get in.  It is that great and the bargains are that good!  They are open until 9pm on Friday and then 9-5 Saturday and 12-4 Sunday.  They restock many times throughout the weekend so you could literally go over and over again and see new things.  So fun!

Good JuJu is located at 1412 W. 12th Street Kansas City, Mo 64101.  Check out their site here to see a preview of some of the items that will be for sale this weekend.  I will be there Friday so hopefully I will see you there!

-Betsy, Atkinson-Thompson Group

Freshen Your Home’s Look

Does your home need its look updated?  Many do!  We get so used to our home surroundings, and sometimes we need to take a good look around and change a few things!  You don’t have to spend a fortune on decorating to accomplish this, however!  A few subtle, low-cost changes can make a huge difference in the look of a room.  RISMEDIA.com’s article, Easy Ways to Transform a Room, has some great suggestions for freshening up your decor!  And, don’t forget what a fresh coat of an updated paint color can do for a room!

To a little reasonably-priced decorating updating~                                         Rosemary, Atkinson-Thompson Group

Johnson County Home & Garden Show at Overland Park Convention Center

You won’t want to miss the Johnson County Home & Garden Show running from February 25-27!  It all takes place at the Overland Park Convention Center located at 6000 College Boulevard in Overland Park.  So much to see!  There will be over 250 exhibitors showcasing the latest products and servics for making your home everything you dream it can be!  Check out the goings on and details at the official website!

Start your wish list~  Rosemary, Atkinson-Thompson Group

Super Cool Faucets!

If you are looking to add a little pizazz to your kitchen, what better way than by adding a super cool faucet?  If you have not looked at top of the line faucets, you might be surprised.  They really are super cool!  Here are a couple of my favorites.

Kohler has the Karbon Articulating Kitchen Faucet. I can’t explain it better than Kohler.  Here is what they have to say about it: Designed with multiple, moveable joints, the faucet allows you to position and lock water flow exactly where you need it. You can extend the faucet fully to fill large pots, lower it into the sink for food preparation and cleanup, fold it compactly out of the way when not in use, or position it anywhere in between. COOL! Only about $1,100 and you can check it out here!

My other favorite is the LED faucet.  There is an LED light in the faucet and the color actually changes as the temperature of the water changes!  Here are the colors and corresponding temps:

• 0~28℃ Green
• 28~38℃ Blue
• 38~48℃ Red
• Higher than 48℃ Red (Flashing)

Now that is super cool!  This one is a bargain at only $270!  You can buy it here!!!

-Betsy