If you have ever had the experience of returning to an old “stomping ground” after a significant time away, you can appreciate the experience I had this past week. After spending considerable time away from where I used to call “home”, I returned for a visit. While I’m content and excited about my new location, the familiar surroundings and faces that met me on this last visit were a very welcome sight. While new friends, new clients, new scenery and even new mountains are exciting and filled with new potential adventures, it is always nice to come “home”.
My earliest (coherent) childhood memories are from the earliest days of grade-school. We lived in an apartment in Amesbury, MA filled with lots of similar-aged kids. I have visited that location a few times since those early days and was immediately refreshed with loads of fond memories. Skateboarding down the hill to the lower lot, putting baseball cards in the spokes of the bike tires and running around playing tag and dodge ball until the streetlights came on or until we got the call (via voice, not phone!) from mom.
In a similar way, a visit to the beaches of Wells, Maine brings back memories of our house on Ocean Pines Circle. Dad wearing a pumpkin on his head for Halloween, Ben, our black lab, dragging his entire dog house across the street in the name of “love”, and the awful-tasting orange marmalade sandwiches the baby-sitter across the street would serve to my brother and I for lunch. Even a drive along the street that connects to Ocean Pines Circle brings back a flood of great memories and fond feelings of “home”.
After having been away from where I called home for a significant amount of time, the return was bitter-sweet. The familiar faces brought an immediate smile and a sense of belonging that I had not enjoyed in a long time. The relationships themselves, though altered now by distance, are still strong. I’m convinced that this sense of familiarity has the power to bring a smile to our face and even an easing of present stresses. Even if specific memories are not recalled or old stories not re-hashed, the collective snippets in time, from years of shared experiences, make us feel welcome and provide that sense of belonging and comfort. The “bitter” part of the visit was knowing that in a few days those familiar faces would become memories, only to be re-lived in my mind.
There is no question, that same phenomenon is what gives us that immense feeling of relief, relaxation and melted-away stress when we arrive back to our actual home after an extended absence. Even walking through the front door after a long, particularly exhausting day at the office can bring a smile to your face and cause an immediate relieving of the tension throughout the body. The feeling of being “home” is unequalled in its power to make us feel at ease.
They say our sense of smell has the strongest memory “database”. A smell from 20 or 40 years ago can immediately bring back a very specific experience or location. Whether you are aware of it or not, you and your family have a distinct “presence” in your home. This becomes apparent when, after a long absence, you first open the front door and are met with that familiar aroma.
Perhaps that is why real estate agents are taught to bake cookies or light a “cookie” candle when having an open house or a showing. What better way to encourage an offer on a home than to immediately associate with the buyer’s fond memories of fresh cookies or family holidays. “I have found that lots of people, first-time buyers in particular, really tend to relax a bit when I use scents in my showings,” commented Badger Realty agent Karla Badger. She continued, “It simply helps them feel more at ease and allows them to more easily imagine themselves making this house their home.”
I’ll leave you today with two thoughts. First of all, be sure and appreciate those around you. The next time you see a familiar face in the market or on the street, make the extra effort to walk over and say hello. I promise you they will be excited to see you (unless they owe you money!) and you both will feel better for the rest of the day. The feeling of connectedness we share with friends and family simply cannot be replaced.
Second, just take a minute to appreciate that place you call home. It does not make any difference if your “home” is a 4,000 square foot mansion at the summit of Mt. Washington (wouldn’t that be cool?!) or a camper in the parking lot of a big-box store. Your home is (ideally) your respite from the world and a place to be completely at ease. If it’s not, I encourage you to take a few steps to create this rejuvenating environment for yourself and your family. You deserve it.
I’ll see you on the sidewalk.
It appears that we are successfully (finally) rolling into Spring and even jumped into Summer there for a few days! While the temps are warming, the same is true with the real estate market. On a broad scale, according to the National Association of Realtors, pending home sales are at their highest level since April 2010 and a full 7% higher than this time last year. Applications and refinancing are both up and rates are still ridiculously low; this all points to a stronger market and a solid spring season for 
“We all know that kitchens and baths sell houses, but my experience has also taught me that people love their closets, and that goes for both men and women”, notes 
Everyone knows Springtime is the season of change. Those nasty brown snow banks are finally waning into the streams and rivers and the fresh flowers and plants are starting to take shape. A very dear friend of mine is also in the midst of a big change. A change that will take him 2,000 miles across the country into a new land, a new town and completely new, albeit beautiful, surroundings.
Making this type of major decision is not unlike the decision to sell your home and buy a new/different one. Granted, this part of most “moves” is inevitable, but the decision making process still holds some of the very same factors. The surroundings of your home have become familiar and have given you and your family that sense of “home” for as long as you have been there. Uprooting that, even temporarily, is not a small undertaking.
I remember moving from my 300 square foot cabin to my 2 story cape a couple years ago. The most amazing thing was the home did not feel “empty” with my very limited amount of furniture and “stuff”. In fact, it felt clean, open and spacious. A feeling that I thoroughly enjoy both inside and outside the home. Badger Realty agent Kevin Killourie comments “I find families that have filtered through their belongings, prior to their home going on the market, tend to be more prepared for this change. They are beginning to emotionally detach themselves from the house and it makes the transition much more smooth for everyone.”
One of the easiest steps to take, which even the least mechanical of us can tackle, is to swap out your light bulbs. Going the way of CFL bulbs provides a huge increase in energy efficiency (Using 75% less than traditional incandescent) and longevity (CFLs last up to 6 times longer). Even if you don’t have the motivation to swap out all of your bulbs this weekend, at least go buy a box or two so you are able to start the exchange as the old bulbs burn out. This is a great way to take this step and be easy on the wallet at the same time.
Moving from the air to the water, it might be time to replace your tired, old water heater. I will warn you ahead of time, there are loads of options available in order to get hot water to spray out of the faucet. These include tankless units, heat pump water heaters and of course traditional gas or electric “storage” water heaters. The former two are typically about twice as efficient as the latter choice simply because they are only heating the water as you need it. They are not trying to maintain 50 gallons of water at a certain temperature. It is well worth some research on your part and be sure to consider the energy savings each month as you are evaluating them for price.
We have all done it. It hits you on the way home or shortly thereafter. We have bought that item, regardless of how big or small, and been overwhelmed with a feeling of regret. 
Slow down a bit during the buying process and take a closer look at your home inspector. Granted, they are now going to be required to be licensed but not all inspectors are the same. Get some recommendations from trusted friends, relatives or co-workers and make sure you are comfortable with your choice. Also, much like the advice we get when going to the doctor for a check-up, make a list for your inspector before they get there. As you are walking through the home for the first time, you are going to have specific areas of concern. Make note of these and highlight them during the inspection. (You ARE going to be there for the inspection, right?) Also, if you plan to make any renovations, try to coordinate your contractor’s availability during the inspection. What a great opportunity to have two professionals offering insight on the current and future condition of your home.
