10 Christmas Light Tips to Save Time, Money, and (Possibly) Your Life

Here’s how to light up your Christmas light display safely and economically. 

Christmas lights can be modest displays to show good cheer, or million-bulb light-apaloozas that draw gawkers from near and far. Here are some tips on how to get the most from — and spend the least on — your holiday display.

1. Safety first. Emergency rooms are filled with home owners who lose fights with their holiday lights and fall off ladders or suffer electric shocks. To avoid the holiday black and blues, never hang lights solo; instead, work with a partner who holds the ladder. Also, avoid climbing on roofs after rain or snow. 

2. Unpack carefully. Lights break and glass cuts. So unpack your

Tips on How To Prepare Your Home for Holiday Guests

Is your home ready for holiday visits from friends and family? Here’s how to prepare for the invasion.

Some preparations for holiday guests take only a few minutes; some take a lot longer. My advice: Start preparing your home for the holidays now.

Prioritize

The day before guests arrive is no time to pull apart junk drawers and clean out linen closets. Declutter guest rooms and public areas — foyer, kitchen, living room, den, and dining room. Remove anything unnecessary from countertops, coffee tables, and ottomans; if it’s out of sight, keep it out of mind, for now.

If you run short of time, bag up the clutter and store it in car trunks, basements, and out-of-the-way closets. Sort and

TCT Real Estate Phoenix Home Holiday Lighting Contest Winners

We are pleased to announce this year's Home Holiday Lighting Contest Winners.  We want to thank all those who entered as everyone did a great job decorating this year.  The decision was extremely tough as the competition was amped up from last year.  The decision for 1st place this year was tough, as two very competitive homes were neck and neck.  Ultimately, the deciding factor came down to music which was used to enhance the experience of another walking or driving by.  We want to thank both 1st and 2nd place for doing such and outstanding job.

 1st Place - 20367 W. Lost Creek Drive

 2nd Place - 20420 W. Terrace Lane

Five Ways To Increase Your Homes Value

Owning real estate can be a great way to build equity over the long-term. While home values have historically appreciated in value over time, those who are looking to sell their homes may want to find ways to increase the value of their home before selling. Here are five ways in particular that you can increase the value of your home.

The first way to increase the value is to complete unfinished products. If you have some projects around the house that you have started, it would be wise to complete them. Otherwise the home can appear cluttered and unfinished.

Another simple way to improve the value of your home is to improve your landscaping. Planting new trees, shrubs, and bushes will help to improve the curb

Every seller wants to sell their home quickly and for top dollar. With some careful planning and preparation, you can have buyers scurrying for their checkbook. Here is how to prep your home to sell:

1. Disassociate Yourself With The Home:

- Say to yourself "This is not my home, it is a house" - a product to be sold like a box of cereal on the grocery store shelf.

 - Make the mental decision to "let go" of your emotions and focus on the fact that soon this house will no longer be yours.

- Picture yourself handing over the keys and the necessary paperwork to the new buyers!

- Say goodbye to every room.

- Don't look backwards -- look toward the future.

2. De-personalize: Pack up those personal photographs and family heirlooms. Buyers

A topic that I like to revisit every few years is how ownership should be taken when one buys real estate. If you are in the market to purchase a home, a question that you should ask yourself is how you want to take title. When you go under contract on a property, your title and escrow company will ask you this question.

To help you prepare for the answer, here are the most common ways that parties take title in Arizona. There are other methods in our state that are designed for, trusts, corporations, and partnerships; however, in the interest of simplicity, they are not included here.

Community Property: Arizona is a community property state. There is a statutory presumption that all property acquired by a married couple is community

Phoenix had largest decline in foreclosures among big US cities

How To Sell Your House Within 60 Days!

Is it possible to sell your home within 60 days WITHOUT giving it away? The simplest answer is yes you can. In order to sell your home quickly you will need to assistance from a real estate professional. He or she will be able to provide you with current market trends, and custom value analysis of your home.  They can help prep you in getting your home on the market.

SELLING YOUR HOME FAST CAN BE DIFFICULT:

The real estate market is always fluctuating, both up and down. While the market is currently holding steady it can go up, or down again. The current market and demand for homes in your neighborhood will determine how quickly your home can sell.

Step 1: Picking the RIGHT agent for YOU

Many people

OPEN House Sunday December 14th 12-4 P.M.

18144 W Desert Blossom Dr Goodyear Az 85395

Welcome! 

I am holding a great open house this weekend at 18144 W Desert Blossom Goodyear AZ 85338 . This is a great home located in the community of  Estrella Mountain Ranch in Goodyear AZ 85338 with The Award Winning Starpointe Residents Club.  There are lots of nice features in this home. I am looking forward to spending time showing you this great house, and answering your questions. The open house is between 12 and 4 PM. You don't want to miss out on this offering. 

 You can see the full listing at the link below:

Listing 18144 W Desert Blossom Dr Goodyear

Are you looking to sell your home? I have created a FREE Home Value Report tool for you to

Come join The Cascade Team & The Gilman Village Merchants for Santa's Workshop this Saturday in Issaquah taking place in Gilman Village. Over 30  local vendors are participating and 15,000 mailers have gone out. We are expecting 8 - 10,000 people to come through. Kids young and old can enjoy free horse drawn carriage rides along with free Santa photos by renowned local photographer Janet Griswold, and indulge in free Holiday sprinkled donut holes from Krispy Kreme all provided by The Cascade Team Real Estate!

Gilman Village Holidays!

Join The Cascade Team & The Gilman Village Merchants for Santa's Workshop!

When:  Saturday, December 13th from 11am to 3pm

Where:  Located at Gilman Village in Downtown Issaquah ~ 317 NW Gilman Blvd, Issaquah