Lia Hartley- Realtor

01/24/2024

🔎 Looking for a new home?

📝 Make it easier to find the things you want in a new place by creating a checklist of features you can’t live without.

What Works And What Doesn’t

This section of the checklist gets you thinking about your current home and what makes you happy – or not so much so – about it.

Amount Of Space

Do you have enough space in your current home or is there too much? Does the floor plan suit your lifestyle? What about the bedrooms? Are there enough, or do you need more? Perhaps there’s a special room you’ve never had before, such as a home office, that you’d really like in your new home.

Outdoor Spaces

The outside of your home is just as important as the home itself. In your new home, how much time are you willing to devote to exterior maintenance such as painting, staining, etc.?

The Neighborhood And Surrounding Community

Having good neighbors can make living in your dream home all the better, so don’t ignore this important aspect when searching for the perfect home.

Lia Hartley | Berkshire Hathaway Home Services
[email protected] | (610) 659-8913
thalia.hartley.bhhs.com

Lia Hartley

01/22/2024

😋 The kitchen is the heart of most homes, and as such, it should convey an inviting atmosphere. If you’re looking to make your kitchen more welcoming, consider remodeling it.

🧰 Below are several ideas you might want to try in order to create the kitchen of your dreams.

5 Ideas On How To Remodel Your Kitchen

1. Cabinetry. Reface the old cabinets to freshen their look, and then rearrange their placement to give your kitchen a whole new feel.

2. Make greener choices. Choose things like recycled glass or concrete countertops, which are available in an array of designs and colors or opt for something a little more maintenance-free by choosing quartz instead.

3. Open kitchen concept. Open, airy spaces are very appealing to homeowners, and the open kitchen concept is one of the most popular

4. Kitchen islands. Adding a kitchen island is a great way to increase usable space in your kitchen as well as increase the value of your home.

5. Add backsplashes. If your kitchen sink doesn’t already have a backsplash, consider adding one. Not only are they a great way to add pizzazz to your kitchen décor, they are quite functional as they protect the wall behind the sink from moisture.

Lia Hartley | Berkshire Hathaway Home Services
[email protected] | (610) 659-8913
thalia.hartley.bhhs.com

Lia Hartley

01/19/2024

🔍 Are you a new real estate investor?

👍 Here are 5 basic things every real estate investor should know.

1. Local pricing
As an investor, one of the first things you should look at is the current pricing trends in the area.

2. Mortgage pre-approval
The lender locks in an interest rate for you that stays the same regardless of interest rates at the time you actually purchase a home.

3. Developing communities
One way to ensure your success as a real estate investor is to buy properties in up-and-coming neighborhoods. Growing communities experiencing new infrastructures make for great investment opportunities.

4. Low-tax areas
If taxes are higher or are slated to rise in a given area, but a neighboring community has lower taxes, more people will want to buy in the lower tax community.

5. School rankings
Communities with high ranking schools tend to draw parents hoping to enroll their children in quality education. Good investors know that buying in such areas can lead to high profits.

Lia Hartley | Berkshire Hathaway Home Services
[email protected] | (610) 659-8913
thalia.hartley.bhhs.com

Lia Hartley

01/17/2024

✨Unique Circumstances That Could Make Your Home Worth More

1. Living Close To Starbucks
It’s obvious we love our coffee, but did you know that if your house is located within a quarter-mile of a Starbucks, it could be worth quite a bit more?

2. Kitchens And Bathrooms Painted In Shades Of Blue
Why is blue worth so much more? Potential buyers tend to see cool neutrals like blue and gray as signs the house is well cared for and maybe includes special features.

3. Trendy Features
While the term “trendy” indicates the features are popular in the short-term, if your house includes something popular at the time you’re selling it, it can potentially increase its value.

Lia Hartley | Berkshire Hathaway Home Services
[email protected] | (610) 659-8913
thalia.hartley.bhhs.com

01/15/2024

🛏️ Your mattress is vital to the quality of your sleep. If it isn’t the right one for you, it can lead to sleepless nights and daily aches and pains.

👉 Here’s how to choose the right mattress for you.

1. Get Your Doctor’s Advice
He or she can give you advice as to which features you should look for in a mattress.

2. Do Your Homework
Take the time to visit websites to read reviews of specific mattresses to find out what real people have to say.

3. Test The Mattress Before You Buy
Lie down on the mattress and lay in your normal position for at least 10 minutes. If you'll be sleeping with a partner, have them lay with you.

4. Consider The Rest Of The Bed
If you’re buying an adjustable bed, don’t take for granted that the head raises to a sitting position just because it says it does.

Lia Hartley | Berkshire Hathaway Home Services
[email protected] | (610) 659-8913
thalia.hartley.bhhs.com

Lia Hartley

01/12/2024

👌You’ve found a great apartment, signed the lease, and have your move-in day. What to do next?

📝 Now it’s time to gather the things you’ll need to turn your new place into a home you can be comfortable in. Here’s a checklist of essentials you’ll need when moving into your first apartment.

1. Bedding
2. Kitchen Supplies
3. Bathroom Supplies
4. Cleaning Supplies
5. Living Room Furniture

Lia Hartley | Berkshire Hathaway Home Services
[email protected] | (610) 659-8913
thalia.hartley.bhhs.com

Lia Hartley

01/10/2024

🌱 If saving money and taking care of the planet are important to you, check out these tips for creating a greener bathroom in your home.

1. Check For Leaks In Your Toilet
Check to see if your toilet leaks by adding a few drops of food coloring to the tank. Don’t flush the toilet and let it sit for an hour or so. If you notice that the color has seeped into the bowl, your toilet leaks and needs to be fixed.

2. When Buying Toilet Paper
When you’re at the store buying toilet paper, look for a brand that’s recycled, or opt for a brand that contains no inner cardboard tube, so there’s less waste.

3. Turn The Water Off
Save money and water by turning the faucet off when you brush your teeth.

4. Fix That Leaky Faucet
That periodic drip amounts to gallons upon gallons in water down the drain each year.

5. Make Baking Soda Your Go-to Cleaner
For a greener, healthier bathroom, opt instead to use baking soda to clean its surfaces. Baking soda is non-toxic and is great for cleaning all kinds of surfaces.

6. Eco-friendly Odor Control
Place a lavender sachet near the toilet to absorb offending odors or use essential oils for odor control rather than aerosol spray cans for an eco-friendlier option.

7. Install Low-flow Water Solutions
You can reduce your home’s overall water consumption by installing low-flow water solutions like a low-flow showerhead.

Lia Hartley | Berkshire Hathaway Home Services
[email protected] | (610) 659-8913
thalia.hartley.bhhs.com

Lia Hartley

01/08/2024

💖 6 tips for making your home a healthier place

1. Balance social and private spots
Studies suggest that the key to happiness resides in the strong bonds we form with family and friends.

2. Have a dedicated workspace
Today’s digital world allows many of us to work from home. Unfortunately, most people who do telecommute don’t have a dedicated workspace.

3. Let natural light in
Research shows that a flood of natural light instantly improves mood and maintains good health. Adding natural light is relatively easy.

4. Heat your home properly
A home that’s heated properly can have a dramatic impact on your health and your wallet. Cold, drafty, poorly heated rooms can be uncomfortable and weaken your immune system.

5. Reduce noise levels
Too much noise can have devastating consequences on our health and wellbeing.

6. Eliminate clutter
Cutting down on clutter in every room of your home can greatly reduce stress. Implement storage space to organize belongings and get rid of things you no longer need or use.

Lia Hartley | Berkshire Hathaway Home Services
[email protected] | (610) 659-8913
thalia.hartley.bhhs.com

Lia Hartley

01/05/2024

🌳Making your backyard an inviting space is fun, and there are a ton of easy garden DIYs you can try to create the kind of backyard you want to spend time in.

🏡 Looking to spruce up your backyard. Try one or all of these easy garden DIYs.

1. Make a unique bird bath

2. Dress up your home’s foundation

3. The buried pot garden project

4. A practical and stunning herb garden

5. Extra table space in the backyard

6. Transform an old tree stump

Lia Hartley | Berkshire Hathaway Home Services
[email protected] | (610) 659-8913
thalia.hartley.bhhs.com

Lia Hartley

01/03/2024

🐾 Do you have small children or pets in your home? What about someone with a weakened immune system?

⬇️ If so, you may want to add disinfecting your floors to your sanitizing routine. Here’s what you need to know.

1. Not Everyone Needs To Disinfect Their Floors
The best way to go about disinfecting your floors is to begin where you enter the house. Entryways are notoriously germy as that’s where everyone comes in with shoes on.

2. Use Steam To Disinfect
Steam cleaners work on almost every type of flooring, including carpeting. Make sure it reaches temperatures of at least 167ºF, which is the temperature the CDC recommends for killing most bacteria and viruses.

3. Mopping
Regular floor cleaners typically contain surfactants that loosen bacteria so it can be mopped away. After mopping with a household floor cleaner, be sure to follow up with a spray disinfectant that contains rubbing alcohol or bleach to fully disinfect the floor.

Lia Hartley | Berkshire Hathaway Home Services
[email protected] | (610) 659-8913
thalia.hartley.bhhs.com

Lia Hartley

01/01/2024

🛋️ Do you find it frustrating to decorate your small living room?

✨ If so, here are a few tips to help you turn that tiny living space into a fabulous one that meets your needs.

1. Controlling The Clutter
In your small living space, take advantage of it and get creative.

2. The Right Amount And Size Of Furnishings
A small living room demands smaller furnishings and less of them.

3. Keep Color And Patterns To A Minimum
Stick to light neutrals, and if you must have a pattern, choose something small and light in color. For pops of color, add accent pieces like throw pillows or rugs.

4. Let There Be Light
Hang mirrors on the walls to help bounce light around the room.

Lia Hartley | Berkshire Hathaway Home Services
[email protected] | (610) 659-8913
thalia.hartley.bhhs.com

Lia Hartley

12/29/2023

✨ Here are a few tips to help you choose the right house cleaning service for you.

1. Look At The Company’s Experience

When you find a company with years of experience, you automatically know that they are obviously doing something right. They likely have a proven track record of providing good service and customer satisfaction.

2. Note Their Responsiveness

If it takes days for the company to get back to you, this is a good indication they don’t take your business seriously. Should you have concerns that require a timely response, their slow response time could be detrimental.

3. Inquire About The Company’s Security Measures

A good cleaning service will conduct background checks and drug screenings on every person they hire. A trustworthy company will have no problem discussing its hiring practices to help alleviate your concerns.

4. Check Their Reviews
It’s often hard to find good reviews of a company because satisfied customers usually don’t leave reviews. What you’re more likely to find is bad reviews if the company has a habit of providing poor customer service.

If you find very few good reviews but also very few bad reviews, it’s likely the company is a good choice. Be very leery of hiring a company with many bad reviews.

Lia Hartley | Berkshire Hathaway Home Services
[email protected] | (610) 659-8913
thalia.hartley.bhhs.com

Lia Hartley