I'M NOT CHANGING THE WALLPAPER!  As a Realtor or a homestager, have you ever heard that one?      Wallpaper is a wonderful decorating tool that swings in and out of vogue, but taste in wallpaper is really personal like fashion.  Send two women to the mall for a new blouse and the odds are that they select  two different styles, and two different colors.  If you don't want to wear the same blouse as your friend, why do you think a new buyer is going to want the same wallpaper as you? I grew up in a house with wallpaper and shared a room with my sister and she liked this bold pattern that I thought was really ugly, but somehow she got her way.  I hated that wallpaper for years!  Wallpaper is so personal there is not much chance your new buyer is going to fall in love with it even if it is... 09/03/2011

Abilene's Buffalo Statute in front of FRONTIER TX. FRONTIER TX is located near the intersection of N 1st and Treadaway.   If you haven't been inside, it is a must see, the closet thing to "Disneyland" in Abilene. IT IS A MUSEUM ABOUT THE HISTORY OF WEST TEXAS AND HAS A LITTLE SOMETHING FOR EVERYBODY.  tHERE IS A SHOW THAT DISPLAYS IN THE ROUND WHERE THE CHARACTERS LOOK LIFELIKE "A LA DISNEYLAND" There is a stagecoach inside that makes a good photo stop as well, but that will be another blog! The Farmers Market is across the street from Frontier, TX as well and is open Tues, Thurs and Sat. morning but get there early, because they closeup when they run out of produce.    BUFFALO STATUTEFRONTIER TEXAS GROUNDS   FRONTIER TEXAS AND ITS BUFFALO MAKE A GOOD PLACE TO STOP WITH THE KIDS AND GET... 09/03/2011

  EVERY TIME I SEE THIS BIG BIRD, THIS BIG PINK FLAMINGO CARRYING  HER  SUNGLASSES IN HER BEAK, I CRACK A SMILE AS I AM STILL SURPRISED THAT THE BIRD IS STILL THERE.  I think this heat has been hard on the bird as it seems she is not quite as hot pink as I recall her being last summer.  Do birds ever need a paint job??  Maybe so, if you are NOT REAL!    CHECK IT OUT FOR YOURSELF.  The big GIRL is on the right just past Everman Park which is just past T&P depot on N 1st and also is the way to get to Frontier, TX,  a musuem all about West Texas.   HERE'S THE BIG PINK BIRD HERSELF!               AND ANOTHER VIEW ---       09/02/2011

Oh for a home where the Buffalo Roam ....   This Abilene, Texas  buffalo  is a very tame one  complete with steps on its behind, don't quite know how to say that, but the steps really are behind the buffalo.  This is a great fun photo opportunity that is kid friendly.  The kids will enjoy getting in the saddle of this buffalo.    Here's the buffalo on the east corner of N1st and Grape just waiting for you to climb in the saddle.       I'm not kidding. There's a real saddle on this buffalo.  The saddle is  REAL.  The buffalo is NOT!       Here are the steps behind the buffalo.     Next time you are out about with the kids, stop and let them ride a buffalo.  Be sure and take some photos and make a memory of being at home where the buffalo roam. This is a photo op not to be missed!     09/01/2011

  Here are the some before and afters of my three bedroom rental in Abilene.     AND NOW THE   LIVING AFTER STAGING!   AND ANOTHER VIEW OF LIVING     AND CONVERSATION GROUP OPPOSITE FIREPLACE.   KITCHEN BEFORE STAGING       AND AFTER STAGING!!!     The kitchen cabinets have been freshly painted in both the before and after and the handles were spray painted silver since the previous tenant.   For information on home staging in Abilene, call me at 325-721-2429. 08/31/2011

  "THERE'S NO PLACE LIKE HOME"- I even have a door mat that says that!   Isn't that what we all want to do at the end of a hot summer day is to collapse in the cooling comfort of a place that feels like home? This summer heat is trying it's best to melt me and my car and my cat, too. However, my most recent buyer clients are  MOTIVATED.  They wanted to look at houses NO MATTER WHAT.  There's someting especially motivating about a looming apartment lease end date.!   One would think that sellers would be accommodating and leave the air conditioning on, but no such luck IN YESTERDAY'S ABILENE TEXAS SCORCHER OF OVER 100 DEGREES.  Fortunately my buyers found THE HOUSE that FELT LIKE HOME.  The screened in SHADED  deck helped immensely!  The offer is in waIting on approval by both parties, b... 07/29/2011

HAVE YOU EVER hit one of those parking lot speed bumps going way too fast and you were bouncing and abobbin up and down in the car trying to slow the car down in time before you hit the next speed bump?   I hit a BLOGGING DROUGHT speed bump and like hitting the speed bump just abobbin along trying to kickstart the brain to think of something to say. Maybe it has something to do with the 107 degree Fahrenheit West Texas heat or not. I suspect that it does. But it clouded up yesterday and sputtered and finally spit out a few drops of rain and got me to sit on the porch for a bit and be thankful for the rain and the fresher air. Here it is Sunday morning and my favorite day of the week, and my favorite time of the day, early morning before the sun comes out and starts the slow bake of the ... 06/19/2011

A former client couldn't find my phone number so she "googled me"  and wallah she found me!!!! What a relief to know that I am not LOST!!! This may not be the most earthshattering piece of news, but I'm sure that active rain deserves the credit. When one searches for Beverly Carlson + Abilene, one gets 47 results and most of them are my blogs on activerain.  How cool is that? I know I know, get over myself.   Blogging is a form of online journaling and is very relaxing for me anyway.  Active rain blogging has been a good habit for me and has proven itself to me a marketing tool to reach others.     THANK YOU ACTIVE RAIN!!!         04/12/2011

 To Sell or Lease?  Leasing a Home is an option that many sellers are considering particularly when the house will not sell for what is needed to cover the cost of selling.   Leasing is not without its risk.  If upgrades have already been made, the upgrades will not be so fresh in one to two to three years when you do decide to sell.  In fact there is the chance, new investments will have to be made to bring the house to the same quality as before the tenants.  The house may have to be repainted and recarpeted prior to selling. However if the leasing of the home covers your carrying cost of the home, the seller stands to gain because of the tax advantages of elgible deductions such as mortgage interest, repair items, and depreciation.    Take into account that there is a vacancy cost.  ... 04/09/2011

My ad is in the Buiness and professional section of the Abilene Reporter News offering STAGING CONSULTATIONS.   NOW WHAT IS A STAGING CONSULTATION?   A Staging consultation is a step-by-step plan written detailed report  on how to prepare your property for the market to sell faster and for more money.  The consultation will cover the property from curb to curb and give recommendationshow to showcase the house to appeal to the most buyers.   If there are extensive repairs or potential remodeling to be completed a stager might recommend doing a cost/benefit analysis of  those options before the staging begins. When a property would benefit from repurposing such as closing in a patio, or reconfiguring the enclosed garage, there is another broader term called real estate merchandising to in... 04/07/2011

        30 WAYS STAGING MAKES EVERYTHING BETTER!              30 WAYS HOME STAGING MAKES EVERYTHING BETTER!   Staging makes your home STAND OUT from the competition. Staging makes your home be the one BUYERS WANT TO LOOK at. Staging makes your home get MORE SHOWINGS and thus MORE OFFERS. Staging makes your home appeal to a WIDER AUDIENCE of buyers. Staging creates buyer appeal for the TYPES OF BUYERS for your neighborhood. Staging helps buyers “MENTALLY MOVE-IN.” Staging makes your home the one with which the buyer “FALLS IN LOVE.”  Staged Homes Create BUYER APPEAL and buyers spend more time looking at staged homes.  Staged Homes are MORE FUN To look at.Staged Homes get more OPEN HOUSE traffic. Staged Homes are UNIQUE in a market glutted with the mediocre. Staged Homes appear more UPDAT... 03/29/2011

Today is a beautiful sunny day in Abilene and Spring is HERE!   Here's the redbud tree from Redbud Park that I talkd about in my Pretty in Pink Blog.       Sometimes I have an idea for a blog  and them sometimes I just talk. That is what a blog is just some talk hopefully something fun, or useful, or insightful and a maybe a tad of hot air!     Blogging is more fun when Spring is in the air!  Enjoy your Saturday!    I am having a happy Satuday even though the spring cleaning fever bug has seemed to caught hold!  I hooked up the hose and misted the six rosebushes around my house.  In Abilene, water is precious and you can only water certain days depending on whether your house number is odd or even, but one can handwater any day.  Then I got really ambitious and sprayed the exterior scrr... 03/26/2011

EZ EMOTIONAL APPEAL  - SET THE TABLE!     Keep it Simple.  Keep it Clean.  Keep it Crisp!    I love ideas that anyone can do and doesn't involve making bows, tying ribbons or using a hot glue gun. Here's  a fun look for an owner's table that I set and the house SOLD!!!!  and the apples are NOT real and the tulips are silk, but you could use fresh apples and fresh tulips                    03/21/2011

iT'S THE DIFFERENCE  between night and day in this apt between vacant and NOW STAGED.   A prospective tenant just walked through THIS APT and  upon arriving at the bedroom ecitedly exclaimed, "Oh, this is so pretty," and  I have to agree with her! HERE"S the Living Room before: Although freshly painted ,it is still hard to see where to place furnishings.       NOW HERE'S THE SAME ROOM WITH WINDOW PANELS AND A SITTING AREA.         HERE'S THE BEDROOM BEFORE STAGING AND BEFORE FRESH PAINT             BEDROOM AFTER STAGING:         KITCHEN/DINING BEFORE STAGING!       KITCHEN/DINING AFTER STAGING!         2ND VIEW OF KITCHEN STAGED!  APT INCLUDES ALL APPLIANCES INCLUDING REFRIGERATOR AND THE  WASHER AND DRYER.     NEED HELP WITH STAGING RENTAL PROPERTY CALL ME AT 325-721-2429. 03/21/2011

  ABILENE, PRETTY IN PINK THIS SPRING!   Spring is in the air and the redbuds are blooming at Redbud Park - Now we know why it is called Redbud Park, don't we? The redbuds are also  blooming on Sayles Boulevard, a very pretty divided street in Abilene lined with gorgeous older homes. The weather was made for walking today and many walkers and runners were seen enjoying the track around Redbud Park today. Even one of my rosebushes has a pink rosebud blooming!  Spring is here! If a home move is in your future, now is the time for a staging consultation. A staging consultation is a step-by-step checklist on what items to complete to prepare your home for the market to   A staging consultation includes  recommendations on cost effective ugrades, color recommendations, furniture arrangement,... 03/20/2011

     TOASTMASTER FRIENDS!!! Lately, I have had a  bit of a blogging block, sounds better than saying MENTAL block. TODAY I found the cure for lifting the fog.  I attended Clearly Speaking Toastmasters which meets every Wednesday Noon at the SW United Methodist Church, here in Abilene.  Go in the door  by the Whataburger. My good friend and real estate client and fellow Toastmaster gave a dynamite speech on inviting guests to Toastmasters.  Consider this your personal invitation to join a local Toastmasters Club.  There are three clubs in Abilene and clubs in every state and most cities and many many foreign countries.    For a plethora of information about Toastmasters check out www.Toastmasters.org.   HERE IN ABILENE, CLEARLY SPEAKING TOASTMASTERS is making it really easy to try  out T... 03/16/2011

ARE YOU THIS PICKY ABOUT CLEAN?! Recently a tenant moved out and I had  agreed the deposit would be refunded when left clean.  When the tenant requested their deposit, I refunded it.  The apt was "cleaned"  except as is very COMMON not quite as CLEAN as MOVE IN condition clean.   The refrigerator was empty and wiped  but there were a few straggly crumbs and a smudge or two lounging inside the refrigerator and outside on the door.    Yep, I'm picky!    The kitchen cabinets and counters were cleaned except for a few crumbs in the drawers.  Yep, more picky! Overall, it was not too bad. From long experience, "TENANT CLEAN" is not the same as MOVE IN CLEAN!   I had a cleaning person to "Reclean"  the apt, specifically to wipe out kitchen drawers, and cabinets, rewipe the refrigerator, and va... 03/06/2011

I was inspired by the idea in another blog about baking cinnamon buns before the open house.  That is a great idea.  If perchance the open house doesn't sell the first day and need some more smell good tricks, here they are:  Another way to get the vanilla cinnamon scent and prevent the risk of someone scarfing all the cinnamon buns down,  simmer some vanilla extract  and cinnamon powder in a teakettle of water on top of the stove. If there is no stove or no electricity in the house, bring hot water in a thermos already infused with vanilla extract and pour in a dish uncovered just prior to the open house.     Yankee Candles make little votive candles that the fragrance REALLY does  linger a bit after being lit.  My absolutely favorite fragrance is lilac  (reminds me of my grandmothers ... 02/24/2011

BEFORE AND AFTER PHOTOS HELP SELLERS STAGE AND SELL!   This is a BEFORE shot reduced in size to protect privacy of personal items.      PHOTOS are so important to help the seller visualize the marketing impact of home staging.  Photos are the visual aid that people need to see how a home can be transformed.    WHEN you live in a house, you get used to the way things are.  Until you get ready to sell, it is really no one else's business how your furniture is arranged or what you have on your bookshelves. or even if you have a dining table or not. There are several steps required to get a house ready for the market including cleaning, decluttering, downsizing and making any necessary repairs. THEN it is time to STAGE the inside of the home with furnishings, appealing decor, lamps, art, gr... 02/09/2011

  If you are a FSBO, you need a staging consultation!   Staging is a marketing tool make your home standout from the competition. Staged homes are clean, decluttered, and arranged to appeal to buyers! As a For Sale By Owner, you may be used to doing things yourself and that is exactly why you need a staging consultation.  A staging consultation completed by a professional home stager will provide you with a step-by step checklist for preparing your home for sale. Each area of the home, each room of the home including both interior and exterior will be addressed for minor repairs to be completed, any needed sprucing up, and arrangement of interior furnishings and decor. Once the staging consultation is in your hands, then all you do is go down the list and check each item off when comple... 02/06/2011