Surviving the Holidays at Home

Are you hosting your family's Thanksgiving celebration this year?  While the holiday is all about being together and being thankful, many of us get so overwhelmed by our hosting duties that we forget to relax and slow down long enough to cherish our holiday moments.  My email has been filling up with tips and tricks to make it through this holiday with time to spare after your hosting duties to actually enjoy them! Here are some of my favorites:

Lauren Miller, author of 5 Minutes to Stress Relief, says the purpose of any stress-relieving task is that it “distracts us from the brain muck, and gives us a brain break.” Even if your tea choice isn’t scientifically backed, the act of brewing and sipping can be enough to take your mind away from family tension.

Jill Donenfeld, founder of the private chef service, The Culinistas, and author of “Party Like a Culinista: Fresh Recipes, Bold Flavors, and Good Friends.”  suggests When people ask what they can bring, I always say: ice. You can never have enough! And when the refrigerator is packed with food, it’s great to have plenty on hand for filling ice buckets.”

Start preparing the week ahead!  Here is a list of tasks to get done ahead of time and save you some last minute stress:

Set the table
Grocery Shop
Prepare for overnight guests
Take inventory of you kitchen supple - do you have your meat thermometer? Serving dishes and spoons?
Start cooking on Sunday

For these and more tips to help you survive (and enjoy!) this Thanksgiving holiday, visit Real Simple.  

I hope that everyone has a wonderful and enjoyable holiday season with friends and loved ones.  If you are thinking about listing your home, or currently have it listed, feel free to reach out for additional tips on how to survive the holiday season while trying to sell.  It adds a whole new level of stress to hosting and enjoying the season while trying sell or pack for a move.

5 Reasons New Construction Might Be Right for You

Thinking about buying a home?  Have you thought about building?  Here is some great information from RE/MAX.net about the benefits of building a new home versus buying an existing home.

If you're looking at homes for sale, it might be worth adding some newly built houses to your list. There are plenty of good reasons – financial and lifestyle – that a new home could be the right home, and here are some of them.

1. Cheaper maintenance. Upkeep of new homes can be more economical. One study shows owners of new homes ­– defined here as those that are four years old or less – spend significantly less than homeowners in general.
2. More protection. A new home means new appliances and other systems that are still under warranty. Anyone who has dealt with a misbehaving dishwasher or hot water heater will appreciate the peace of mind that possible repairs will be covered.
3. Energy efficiency. Because they're often built using contemporary methods and materials, and include the latest appliances, many new homes tend to be more energy-efficient. For a certified green home, look for Energy Star designations and construction companies that specialize in energy-efficient structures.
4. Your home, your taste. If you're working directly with the builder or the developer, your new home will reflect many of your own preferences, down to the appliances, colors and layout. No need to spend your weekends on home-improvement chores to undo someone else's work.
5. New feels and looks good. It's nice to move into a clean, fresh space that's never been lived in before.