Easy Feng Shui Tips for Your Home

   

Feng Shui is the ancient Chinese art of placement. By placing things and objects in your home in a certain way, it helps to create an environment where positive energy flows. When there is a positive energy flow in your environment, it helps to bring about positive energy in other aspects of your life which will lead to personal and professional success.

So now that you know what it is, how do you incorporate it into your living space so that there is a natural flow of positive energy.

Declutter Your Home- Clutter keeps positive energy from moving about freely. Clean out your closets and drawers. Don’t let stacks of papers sit and make sure you never have piles of clothes laying around.

Bring the Outside In- If possible, keep windows open. Add plants to your home. The best plants which will help to purify the air and remove toxins include Areca Palms, Bamboo Palms, Rubber plant, English Ivy and Peace Lily.

Move Furniture- You want energy to flow freely around your home and from room to room. Move the furniture out of the natural pathways and don't overcrowd rooms with furniture.

Put a Mirror in the Dining Room- This is supposed to help with finances, but make sure it reflects the dining room and not a window or door. This is a symbol for a family’s abundance and having a mirror will double that abundance. If the mirror faces a window or door, it is believed that all that good fortune will leave though that opening.

Remove Mirrors in the Bedroom- If you have mirrors in the bedroom, remove any that reflect the bed. Old feng shui traditions teach that a mirror reflecting the bed will create infidelity by inviting a third party into a marriage bed. If the mirror is part of a dresser, cover up the mirror.

Curb Appeal-Make sure that pathways and walkways to the front door are clean and accessible, allowing energy to flow. Make sure that the lawn is cut and trees and shrubs are well manicured.

Keep Bathroom Door and Toilet Lid Closed- The bathroom is the biggest hole and is dedicated to carrying waste from the home. Plus, when you flush, it pulls the energy down and out of your home. To keep it contained within this room, always keep the bathroom door closed. In addition, keep the toilet lid closed when not in use and especially when flushing the toilet to prevent family wealth and finances from being flushed from the house.

Fix Leaky Faucets and Running Toilets- When you have leaky faucets and toilets, your money is literally going down the drain. There is a constant out flow of money.

9 Move Desk to Command Position- One of the best ways to improve work and finances is to move your desk to the command position of the room. The command position is facing the door that opens into your office and having a solid wall, not window, behind you.  A solid wall will provide you with support in your work or career.

I am a realtor working in South Florida. If you need help buying or selling a home, please contact me. Also, please view my website where you will also be able to search the MLS. http://www.lindatabaskygoldberg.keyes.com/

Food Trucks in Broward County

Are you one of those people who can’t get enough of the food truck craze? If so, you’re in luck. I have compiled a great little list of where you and your family can go in Broward County for some great food at great prices.

Food Truck Invasion at Quiet Waters Park 401 S Powerline Road, Deerfield Beach 954-357-5100

·        When: The 1^st and 3^rd Thursday of Every Month
·        Time: 5-9 pm

A great deal of fusion cuisine, comfort foods and sweet treats to choose from will be available by over 20+ food trucks. Be sure to bring your folding chairs or blankets to picnic at the park grass surroundings.

Family Night with Food Trucks at Heritage Park  – 1100 S. Fig Tree Lane, Plantation 954-357-5135

 ·        When: Every Tuesday

 ·        Time: 5-9:30 pm

Trucks featured in the past have been The Lobsta Guy, El Orgullo Latino, B.C. Tacos, Coldstone Creamery, Dough Dough Donuts, Crazy About Chew and many other delights - See more at:

Food Trucks at Arts Park Hollywood, Fl.  1 Young Circle Hollywood 954-921-3500

·        When: Most Mondays
·        Time: 5:30-9:30pm

Tell your friends, tell your family, bring your chairs, bring your blankets and of course bring your appetite!

First Friday Food Truck Event Flamingo Gardens 3750 S. Flamingo Road Davie 954-473-2955

·        When: Most 1^st Fridays of the month
·        Time: 5-9 pm

The First Friday event includes a DJ spinning music in the venue’s parking lot

I am a realtor working in South Florida. If you need help buying or selling a home, please contact me. Also, please view my website where you will also be able to search the MLS. 

http://www.lindatabaskygoldberg.keyes.com/

Preparing Your Home for a Quick Sale

Thinking about selling your home and wondering what you should do to make it look better? As long as your home does not need major work or repairs, here are some helpful tips on how to spruce up your home without breaking the bank.

The first thing to do is make sure your home has curb appeal. The outside of your home will be the first thing that a potential buyer sees as they pull up to your driveway. Make sure your lawn is cut, plant some seasonal flowers and make sure you lay down fresh mulch. Also, you may want to pressure clean your roof and sidewalks. Does your entry way look inviting? You may want to buy a new door mat, paint your front door and clean the dirt and spider webs away from your windows.

Now, let’s move into the inside of your home. You must de-clutter. This means remove all of your personal photos. People want and need to be able to visualize their own personal effects in the house. They are unable to do this when everywhere they turn they see pictures of you and your family. Remove the tons of refrigerator magnets that every relative has given you as a souvenir. Move through each room of your house and put away things that are not necessary. Pack everything up in a box and put them away in the garage.

Clean your house. This may seem like an obvious thing but you would be surprised how many homeowners don’t think this is necessary. Well, it is. Every day you must make a conscious effort to keep your house clean. Don’t leave dishes in the sink, clean off countertops, clean your bathrooms and put clothes away. Don’t forget to also vacuum your carpets and fluff your sofa pillows, or better yet, you may want to buy a few decorative pillows. A clean house is a happy house.

Make your home smell pleasant. Some homes just have a stale smell or perhaps you have pet odors. Febreeze your home on the daily and get plug-ins for the wall sockets. When people look to buy a home they use all their senses, including their sense of smell.

Remember, you only get one shot to make a great first impression. The main objective is to sell your home as quickly as possible and for as much money as possible. Having your home look nice and smell good is a must. The quicker you can get your home sold, the quicker you can start the next chapter of your life.

I am a realtor working in South Florida. If you need help buying or selling a home, please contact me. Also, please view my website where you will also be able to search the MLS. 

http://www.lindatabaskygoldberg.keyes.com/

Moving Tips for a Local Move

They say that moving is one of the most stressful things you can do. However, with the right planning and organizational skills, you can make it a relatively easy and stress free process.

Before you get started, be sure you have all your supplies: boxes, packing tape, markers, rope, bubble wrap, and old newspapers. Read on for easy moving tips for a stress-free move.

Chances are you have accumulated a lot of things since you moved into your current home. While some items you would never dream about parting with, other items you would be more than happy to not have anymore. So the first thing to do is to take everything that you no longer need or want and put them in boxes and label garage sale. After all, one man’s junk is another man’s treasure. Whatever items do not sell, pack them up and donate them. I suggest doing the garage sale about a month before your closing date.

Next, pack up items that you will not need for a few months. Go through each room of the house and do this and be sure to label the tops and sides of boxes as follows: Kitchen, Master bathroom, Living Room, etc. Be sure to keep all fragile items together and label the boxes as such. Be sure to pack the boxes tightly, so things can’t move around. Everything else that you will use on a daily basis, keep in one area of each room. These items you will put into your car and bring over separately. This way, you don’t have to go searching through any boxes to find them. As soon as you get to your next home, put those items away in their correct location.

Take important papers with you in your car. You do not want to take any chances when it comes to your important paperwork that it somehow gets lost in the move. Hopefully you are organized anyway and everything is in one box ready to go.

Next, about 3 weeks before your move, call around to some of your friends, family and co-workers and see who is willing and able to help. You want enough people there who will make the moving process quicker but you do not want too many people where everyone will be getting in each other’s way. When it’s time to break for lunch, buy a few pizzas, have some nice cold drinks on hand and thank everyone for helping. And remember, you will probably have to return the favor one day.

Pack up the truck in an organized manner. Put the largest and heaviest things in first like your furniture. You may need to tie some furniture down so it doesn't move around. Then start loading in with the largest and heaviest boxes, moving on to the smaller and lighter boxes and you can even use a mattress for extra cushioning. Make sure that whoever you designate to load the items into the truck knows how to pack.

When you finally get to your next home, bring everyone in and show them the different rooms of the house. Then, tell them to start grabbing boxes and put them in their appropriate rooms. This will make it much easier when you start to unpack. When you start to unpack, I find it easiest to complete one room at a time; it gives you more of a sense of accomplishment.

Hopefully this will help make the moving process easier and less stressful.

And remember, if you need a South Florida realtor to help you buy or sell, please contact me. I would love to help you start the next chapter of your life.

Best Parks in Davie

One of the reasons that I love Davie is because of its close proximity to just about everywhere. It’s conveniently located near I-595, which makes getting to Miami, downtown Fort Lauderdale and Palm Beach a breeze. They have a great school district, wonderful residential neighborhoods and they have some wonderful parks. If you are looking for a great city to raise your family, Davie should definitely top your list.

If being outdoors is your thing, you’ll love the parks and recreation areas that Davie Boasts. My favorite park is Tree Tops. Located off of Nob Hill Road and Orange Drive, Tree Tops Park has the best walking trails (in my opinion). The trees are so beautiful and densely populated that even on very hot days; it stays relatively cool and shaded. They also have a watch tower, fishing and paddle boats. If you want to have a party there, you can rent an enclosed room or rent a pavilion with bbq grills and picnic tables. And for horse lovers, they have over 7 miles of designated Equestrian trails. Plus, you can bring your dog as long as it is on a 6 ft leash.

Bamford Sports Complex- Located off of Pine Island Road between State Road 84 and Orange Dr. is Bamford. Although this is the local sports park, they do have a swimming pool, a small walking trail, and a tot lot. Plus, on certain holidays, it’s the neighborhood park to be at with a great fireworks display on 4th of July and they offer Halloween fun for the kiddies. Plus, they have a multipurpose center with a gymnasium, meeting rooms, stage and restrooms.

Vista View Park- Located off of Orange Rd and just east of I-75, Vista View has over 272 acres of green rolling hills and meadows. Thy have 8 shelters with plenty of picnic tables, bbq grills and electrical outlets. They also have two playgrounds, basketball courts, an airstrip for electric radio-controlled planes and glider pilots, fishing docks, and walking trails. Pets are welcome here too (must be on a 6 ft leash)

So bring your family and friends and enjoy the great outdoors right in your backyard.

I am a realtor working in South Florida. If you need help buying or selling a home, please contact me. Also, please view my website where you will also be able to search the MLS. 

http://www.lindatabaskygoldberg.keyes.com/

Energy Saving Tips!

Looking for ways to conserve energy, help with climate change and cut your electricity costs? Making just a few small changes can add up to big savings each and every year.

For starters get control of your thermostat. When you leave for work in the morning, get into the habit of setting the temperature to 78 degrees. There is no reason to keep it colder than that in the house if no one is home. Even if you have pets, 78 degrees is still cool enough. And if you are going way for the weekend or on vacation, set your thermostat to 82 degrees. Also, make sure you clean/change your A/C filter once a month.

Have ceiling fans in your home? Although using fans are a great way to stay cool, make sure they are turned off when you leave the room or leave your house. Running them all day will cost you a little over $5 a month to run.
The hot water heater accounts for about 18% of electricity costs. If you are able to purchase a new, energy efficient water heater, you should. If not, here are some helpful tips that can help to decrease your costs.

• Lower the temperature on your hot water heater from 140- 120 degrees
• Take shorter showers and don’t take baths
• Don’t let the water run when brushing your teeth, washing your face.
• Wash clothes only when you have full loads and wash with cold water
• Use dishwasher only when you have full loads
• Add low flow shower heads and faucets

If your home has a pool, did you know that pool pumps are one of the highest consumers of energy in the home? One of the best ways to save money is by limiting the amount of time you run the pool pump. During the summer, you only need to run it 6 hours a day and in the winter time, 4 hours a day is fine. If you have a pool heater, get a solar cover too and be sure to use it especially at night. This will help to ensure your pool stays warm the next day.

Hope you found these tips to be helpful!

I am a realtor working in South Florida. If you need help buying or selling a home, please contact me. Also, please view my website where you will also be able to search the MLS. 

http://www.lindatabaskygoldberg.keyes.com/

Why You Should Hire A Realtor

If you are ready to sell your home and you are thinking about doing it on your own, you may want to think again. Although you may feel as if you are more than capable to sell your own home and save the commission in the process, there is a reason why 90% of the time, homeowners use a real estate professional.  Selling a home on your own requires a lot of extra time on your hands. You always have to be available to show your home when someone wants to see it. You will have unqualified buyers passing in and out of your home and people who are looking to buy “for sale by owner”, are usually looking for a bargain, which translates to low-ball offers.

Here is why you Should Hire Me to Sell Your South Florida Home!

• I will prepare a market analysis to see how much your home is worth and market your home accordingly
• I will Give you tips on how to make your home look its best, preparing it for a quick sale
• I can reach millions of potential buyers through my online marketing efforts and my relationships with other realtors. Plus, I can also get you international exposure.
• I will be available to host open houses to help sell your home
• I will schedule appointments to show your home
• I will review all contracts received
• I will negotiate terms of sale/ handle counter offers
• I will get your home sold for the most money possible; in the least amount of time.

Even if you live outside of Florida, I can connect you to our network of Realtors who specialize in your area of interest.

I am a realtor working in South Florida. If you need help buying or selling a home, please contact me. Also, please view my website where you will also be able to search the MLS. 

http://www.lindatabaskygoldberg.keyes.com/