As an ASP Home Stager® I know how important curb appeal can be in making that critical first impression when selling your home. However, with growth of real estate advertising over web, there is another first impression that you should consider when marketing your property. Web impression. Does your property have a great one?

Over past few months I have spoken with realtors and home sellers who have all been saying same thing. "The listing is getting a lot of web traffic but there hasn't been much buyer interest". They say this without even realizing that they have just contradicted themselves. The web traffic that listing is receiving actually is buyer interest. If number of home showings isn't as high as expected compared to web traffic received, there must be something from web listing that is turning buyer off. It could be price. It could be location. But it may also be that pictures of property have given a poor web impression.

I hesitate in using saying "a picture is worth a thousand words" but it is. It is also worth something else, in this case. Buyer interest. I've suggested it to realtors and home sellers that I spoke of earlier and I'll suggest it to you, now. If photos of your house, which are out there for all to see, are not showing your property at its best, you should re-shoot. Make sure rooms are dressed and gleaming and then simply re-shoot.

Kids Just Wanna have FUN!

During recent “schools out session” for holidays. I was reminded how much kids crave entertainment. No matter what time of year “Kids Just Wanna Have Fun.” And who could blame them? I don’t think there are many of us who haven’t longed for carefree, playful days of our youth. I have four of these carefree fun hungry kids. Keeping them entertained on a tight budget is always a challenge.

I have discovered over years that more money doesn’t necessarily mean more fun. In fact, some of simplest, age old activities, seem to feed their fun hungry souls best. Remember, in “old days” that is “very old days”. Family gatherings provided a great source of entertainment. Its hard to believe that in today’s fast paced, high tech, world that children still enjoy this kind of interaction.

I have found that for some reason, maybe because it validates their own behaviors, kids love to hear stories of when we were young. No, not kind that remind them of how good they have it today. I’m talking about our childhood antics, times when we misbehaved, did something wrong, and consequences .

Most of us have funny moments in our life that just stick with us. Sometimes they weren’t so funny at time at least from our prospective, then. My kids love to hear stories of my childhood antics, when I broke rules, how I felt about it , and what punishment I had to endure because of it. They especially like punishment part. Some sort of satisfaction knowing that I had to endure cruelties of punishment also!

Of course it doesn’t sound amusing to talk about times when you got in trouble. But, those memories are funny to us now that we look back at our childhood. Sure we can laugh now……… We’re a lot smarter and see innocence of our ways.

This is a great way to also remind ourselves that we were once kids also. And not so different than our own kids. With much same innocence, gullibility, and scheming potential. Ahhhh… a great tool for reminding us that at least some of behaviors we frown on in our kids is just normal age old process of growing up! A very reassuring thought when you’re ready to pull your hair out.

In some ways this ritual of reminiscing shows our children that we love them unconditionally. That we understand. Why, because we’ve been there, done that. And we acted in many ways , and felt in many ways , same way they do today. Its true that some things never change. I have a shorter list of tales to tell being one of three siblings. My husband on other hand is one of eleven children, and he can keep them in belly busting laughter for hours, leaving them begging for more. Telling not only his own antics but those of his brothers and sisters.

So, if you ever find everyone sitting around looking bored to gills, start up a casual conversation and work in some of your funny moments in life. You’ll have them begging for more and more tales. “Tell some more, tell some more!” And best part ….. It’s Free Entertainment!

With a little research….what was that?……..research? If you’ve been to visit http://www.simpledebtfreeliving.com you know this is one of my pet peeves….. If you don’t know what’s out there or if you don’t know what you’re looking for, you’re doomed to spend too much of your hard earned money!

There no disputing fact that an “ Informed Consumer = More Savings! “ There! I said it again. Boy did that feel good. Well now that I got that off my chest let me share some ideas on this FUN thing.