Hello, future homeowners! I'm Allison Hansen, a Realtor with RE/MAX Alliance with over 20 years of experience proudly serving the Metro East area of Southern Illinois. Today, I'm here to share valuable insights into a crucial aspect of the homebuying process – home inspections. In my pursuit of providing you with essential information, I had the opportunity to sit down with Brett Ahring, a trusted local inspector from Ahring Inspections, for a candid conversation about the ins and outs of home inspections. By the way, Brett recently conducted a home inspection for me today in Glen Carbon, IL, adding a real-world perspective to our discussion.

Brett, with his extensive 20 years as a licensed inspector, shed light on the significance of home inspections. In our conversation, we explored why inspections are vital, tips for a successful inspection, and how they've evolved over the years. Brett is one of several inspectors I collaborate with, ensuring my clients receive top-notch expertise.

During our conversation, Brett emphasized the importance of being present during inspections. This hands-on approach allows buyers to gain firsthand insights into the property's condition and facilitates direct communication with the inspector. It's a valuable opportunity to ask questions and better understand the nuances of your potential home.

In today's dynamic real estate landscape, some buyers are opting for inspections solely for informational purposes or restricting repair requests to a specified dollar amount, for instance, $1000. This strategic approach, especially in multiple offer situations, can enhance the competitiveness of your offer. As your Realtor, I'm here to guide you in crafting an offer that strikes the perfect balance – competitive and aligned with your comfort level.

In conclusion, home inspections are not just a box to check; they are a pivotal step in ensuring your future home is a sound investment. Staying well-informed equips you to make decisions with confidence.  As your dedicated Realtor, I'm committed to guiding you through this journey, ensuring your offer is not only competitive but reflective of your unique preferences and comfort level. Happy house hunting! 🏡✨

I'm excited to share that I'm currently preparing a listing in Granite City, IL, for the market. As part of the process, I'm collaborating with a professional painter, Trent Prueter, of Painting with a Purpose, and Laura Harris, of Turn Staging, to ensure the home looks its absolute best. One of the most impactful changes we're implementing is painting the home with neutral colors, a strategy that will significantly enhance its appeal to potential buyers. Let's explore the power of neutral colors and how they can make a difference.
The Allure of Neutral ColorsNeutral colors have long been favored in home design for their timeless appeal and broad market appeal. These versatile shades provide a backdrop that allows buyers to visualize their own style and preferences in the space.

For the Granite City listing, we're using two Sherwin Williams colors:

• Repose Gray (SW 7015):
  • Why: A modern mid-gray with subtle warmth, creating a sophisticated backdrop that appeals to a wide range of buyers.
• Analytical Gray (SW 7056):
  • Why: A balanced neutral with a blend of gray and beige, providing a timeless and adaptable backdrop for staging.

​Two other popular choices are:

• Alabaster (SW 7008):
  • Why: One of my personal favorites; a soft, warm white that brightens spaces and complements various decor, making rooms feel more spacious and inviting.
• Agreeable Gray (SW 7029):
  • Why: A versatile greige that opens up spaces and harmonizes with different decor styles, offering a light and airy feel

Elevate Your Home with Professional Painting

Painting your home with the right colors is a crucial step in the selling process. A professional painter can ensure a flawless finish and help you select the perfect neutral shades that resonate with buyers. By investing in professional painting services for the Granite City listing, we aim to create a welcoming atmosphere that showcases the home's full potential.
Expert Guidance Every Step of the WayNavigating the home selling process can be complex, but you don't have to do it alone! As your trusted real estate professional, I'm here to assist you with painter recommendations and color selections tailored to your home's unique style. For this project, I partnered with Laura Harris of Turn Staging, a talented local expert. I always provide a complimentary staging consultation to my clients. Staging serves as a potent marketing strategy, highlighting your home's standout features and cultivating an emotional connection with prospective buyers. By combining neutral paint colors with Laura's staging, we're enhancing the Granite City home's marketability for a successful sale.

Conclusion
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Preparing your home to sell in 2024 requires strategic planning and attention to detail. Using neutral colors and teaming up with professionals can really boost your home's charm and help it shine in this competitive market. If you're thinking about selling in Metro East, reach out! Let's work together to make selling your home easy and successful.

Hello hello! Although I haven’t taken a break from real estate, I’ve taken quite a break from this blog.  After a year plus vacation from writing, I’m excited to share again.  Today, rather than focusing on something directly related to real estate, I wanted to write about something more personal – our bathroom remodel in our Glen Carbon home.  As a broker, I get so many ideas going into all my clients’ beautiful homes.  I pretty much always have a project going on.  In 2021 we decided to take our main floor guest bathroom and kids’ bathroom from builder grade – think neutral tile floor and a one-piece plastic shower surround – to a space with more natural light and LOTS of personality.

Preparing your home to sell, or just updated your decor? Staging your bedroom will not only elevate your listing it will also give you an oasis away from the rest of the home. Watch the video for tips on staging your bedroom.

The inspiration for my gallery wall was this large painting of Neyo and Nala that I had done by a local St. Louis artist – Cbabi. When I first brought this painting home, I hung it by itself on a huge wall in our great room.  It just didn’t work.  After watching a few online tutorials and reading up on gallery wall tips, I decided to put a gallery wall together featuring this painting. While it was intimidating at first, the project turned out to be fun, and I love the results.  Here is my process and what I learned.   

​The first thing I did was gather up art that was meaningful to me.  In addition to the painting of Neyo and Nala, I knew I wanted to use a painting we had done of my Mom’s house in DC. I also was drawn to the idea of having a number as part of the wall, so I bought an inexpensive “27” off Etsy.com for $6 or so.  Omba and I were married on the 27th of August ? I liked the style of the font and the vintage look.  I also included some original art by Neyo and Nala and some family photos.  Once I had my collection of meaningful items, I added to things I already had, keeping in mind that I wanted an array of shapes, colors and sizes.  One tip is that it’s helpful to have at least one oversized piece to anchor the group.