Staging is for everyone

When something if familiar, we tend to take it for granted and stop seeing it as clearly. This is a fact that home sellers need to be aware of.

When you are selling your home, consider having an extra set of eye walk through to look for the things your might not notice any more. Perhaps the friend who seems to have the Midwest Living quality home can give you some advice. Consider a staging consultation, offered free for all of our sellers.

If you can, hire a professional staging service. The costs to modernize window treatments, paint colors and art work can be minimal, and the payback in higher selling price and quicker selling time can be enormous. Some people also consider furniture rental for vacant homes; this can turn vast empty spaces into a home the buyers can see themselves living in. The cost of professional staging services is often less than you think. One nearby company lists costs as $195 for a do it yourself guide filled with suggestions of things like paint colors and where to put your furniture. A complete home staging using your furnishing runs $595 to $895 (furniture and accessory rental extra). According to industry data, staged homes spend 80% less time on the market, and staging costs have up to a 578% return on investment.

If a professional stager is not in your budget, there are still some simple things you can do to help your home show better:

• Remove all the personal photographs. You love to see your wedding photo, your children and grandchildren, but the goal is to have buyers see themselves in your home. Your family's faces on the wall tells the buyer this is your home, not theirs.
• Declutter. You are moving, right? So pack away the knick knack collections. Clear the appliances and papers off the kitchen counters. Have the entry areas clear inside and out.
  
• If your furniture is older or dated, invest in some modern slip covers to freshen them up.
• Remove any dated window coverings and replace them with more modern pieces. This can be done inexpensively by shopping discount stores or even the local Swiss Colony outlet store.
  
• Put away the silk flower arrangements and replace them with a few real plants throughout your home. Don't go for a jungle, but a few glossy green plants or succulents in the kitchen and living spaces can modernize things.
• Take a weekend to fix the little things: broken light switches, door latches, holes in the walls, off-track sliding doors, missing trim pieces, etc. Invest in a little paint to freshen up any dated color schemes or spongepainting.
• Buyers will see everything, so make sure your home is clean for every showing. The bathroom should sparkle, the corners of the rooms should be dust-free, windows should be free from little handprints.

Staging can be time and money very well spent, making a difference in how quickly your home sells and how much your home sells for.

Local Foods + Business = Success

Food plays a large role in our lives here in Green County. Family farms grow food, raise animals and milk cows. Our many cheese factories create award winning cheese. CSAs and market farmers grow vegetables. Established businesses like Swiss Colony, Minhas Brewery and New Glarus Brewery distribute goods nationwide.

There is a new initiative beginning that has the goal of getting more of our local foods into local homes as well as helping people start the value-added food businesses they have always dreamed of, but never had the resources or support to begin. The group, sponsored by UW Extension, is currently doing a survey to assess demand for a community kitchen in order to secure funding.

If you currently have a small local food business, from jelly making to cake decorating, or if you dream of a business, please take a few minutes to fill out this short survey. Green County Community Kitchen Survey If you yourself do not have these dreams, but you know of someone in the area who has an amazing salsa, if your neighbor gives away batches of delicious kettle chips, if your cousin creates sublime fudge, please pass this along. Sometimes all it takes is a suggestion and some support for a business to grow out of a hobby.

The group is also promoting two events this spring and summer along the local foods and business theme. See Jane Grow is a workshop presented by local author, business owner and director of the Rural Women’s Project, Lisa Kivirist. The workshop is described as "bringing together various tools, resources and networking opportunities for women passionate about food and agriculture." See Jane Grow is free, but pre-registration is required. Contact Cara at UW Extension (328-9431) to register. This event takes place at Kookaburra's on Monroe's Square on the evening of April 30, and it is co-sponsored by the Chamber of Commerce, Blackhawk Technical College and Green County Development Corporation.

The Wisconsin Humanities Council has also given the group a grant to fund a three part potluck discussion series this June, July and August. Stirring the Pot: Dialogue, Discussion and Dinner in Dairyland will feature a cooking demonstration, potluck and topical discussion led by national local food leaders each month. Mark your calendar for June 17, July 15 and August 19. The family friendly events will bring together area farmers, chefs, educators and anyone who appreciates our area’s rich food and agriculture traditions.

Kidz Kloset in Monroe, WI

There is a window on the south side of Monroe's Downtown Square that often shows little hand prints and nose marks. The kids cannot help themselves; the toys and clothes in the window display at Kidz Kloset are so colorful and fun that getting closer is the natural thing to do.

Kidz Kloset has a great selection of clothing and shoes for infants and toddlers, plus a selection of wonderful pieces for preschoolers and elementary age boys and girls. Once glance, one touch will let you know these are not big box store items. Finding durable children's clothing locally is a wonderful treat for those of us who call Green County home. The heavy cotton girls tights are brightly patterened, the boy's clothing are classic pieces, and I like knowing that I can find age appropriate clothing for our elementary aged girls here.

If you need a gift for a baby in your life, Kidz Kloset is the perfect place to go. Angie offers a wonderful selection of baby and toddler items that you will not find anywhere else in the area: baptismal clothing and gifts, brightly patterned soft soled shoes, touch and feel books, taggie balls or blankets and so much more. Don't miss the adorable Bee Squeaky shoes. They squeak with every step your toddler takes. Our little one thinks they are so much fun that he dances every time he wears his!

Kidz Kloset has more to offer than just clothing. Angie has been expanding the selection of toys and games over the last few years. It is our first stop for birthday presents nowadays. There are puzzles and toys from Melissa and Doug's, crafting kits from Creativity for Kids, read and do sets from Klutz, great toys from Toysmith and more. I can walk in and find presents for infants through tweens in a matter of minutes, and Angie will wrap them for me for free. During the holidays, distract the kids at the small play area in the back. Angie or her staff will help you stash your gifts behind the counter without the kids noticing.

Kidz Kloset is the kind of store that makes Monroe such a special place to be. It has all of the fun and the quality merchandise of stores in the nearby big cities, but it is right here in Monroe, and I don't have to pay any extra for the convenience of shopping locally. I couldn't wish for anything better than that.

Things to Do around Monroe, WI

What to do, what to do. Here is a sampling of the upcoming events in the Monroe area:

~ Young Professionals of Green County is having a speed networking event at Blackhawk Technical College on Thursday evening beginning at 5 pm.

~ The Monroe Public Library has their annual St Patrick's Day event on Saturday, March 14 from 11 until 2. Enjoy stories at 12 and 1 pm, and crafts throughout with Miss Kris and the Volunteens.

~ The Browntown Firemen's Dance is on Saturday evening starting at 7 pm at the Civic Center in Browntown. Support the small town fire department with a fun evening out.

~ Saturday evening is also the Green County Harmony Chorus annual show! Listen to sounds of All that Jazz, Skyline, Adamz Applez and more at the Monroe High School Performing Arts Center. Tickets are $5 for students, $10 for adults. Show starts at 7:30.

~ If a pub crawl is more your speed, join the Celtic Pub Crawl in Monroe. Contact Tracy at 608.328.4404 for details.

~ Get on your green! The annual St Patrick's Day parade on Monroe's Downtown Square is on Tuesday, March 17 starting at 5:17 pm. Enter your pet in the best costume contest sponsored by Green County Humane Society. If you have a child who wants to be in the parade, all are welcome to join Miss Kris from the Monroe Public Library. Bring your quarters to buy popcorn from Shakespeare on the Edge and help support this great group of teens.

~ The Stephenson County Home Show is going on Saturday and Sunday at the YMCA complex on Pearl City Rd in Freeport. Come see over 70 local businesses and get ideas for building and remodeling.

~ There is still time to enroll the kids in Monroe Theatre Guild's workshops for Saturday. Learn the art of physical comedy, Elizabethan sword fighting for the stage, or both. Contact MTG for additional information or registration.

~ Plan ahead now for Chocolate Temptation's next Chocolate Fondue Night! The Valentine's Day event was so popular that they are doing it again on March 28. There are two seatings: 5:30 and 7 pm. Call Robbyn at 328-2462 to make your reservations now before they fill up again.

Please visit Green County Spotlight or Stephenson County CVB for additional events.

Location, location, location

Everyone knows the classic realtor phrase "Location, location, location." There is a reason this phrase became cliche. When you are buying a house, pay careful attention to your location.

Where do you want to live? What lifestyle do you want? Do you want a larger lot in the country? Do you want to live close to work? Are school systems important to your family?

These are all things that are important to think about as you begin looking at homes. Consider both what features you will look for in a home as well as what location features you want.

Homes in town tend to have smaller lots than those in the country. The neighbors will be closer, and your taxes will likely be higher. You will be closer to schools and urban amenities. City services like police and fire will be closer to you, and you won't have to worry about trash pick up. If you live in the same Green County community as you work, your commute will be short or you could bike to work. This can be an important consideration if gas prices climb again.

Some people prefer country homes. There is space to spread out, put in the outbuildings to store your classic cars. You can garden or perhaps keep animals. The views can be majestic. In a rural subdivision, you will still have nearby neighbors. You may have home owners association rules and covenants. When you live in the country, pizza delivery won't be available, and your children will have to be bussed or driven to school. You may feel safer letting the kids bike on the surrounding roads, or you may worry about leaving the teens home alone in the semi-rural setting.

Urban or rural? Subdivision, downtown or a home on ten acres? Look at your lifestyle, your wants and your needs, then narrow down the location that works best for you.