June 2013

storage unit to do it. 2. Work those walls - Painting is

one of the cheapest, easiest ways to help your home look fresh and great. Choose neutral colors that will appeal to the broadest range of buyers. Do not forget that neutral does not have to mean bland, either. Consider dressing up an accent wall, easily and cost-effectively with a removable wallpaper mural. Choose an adhesive that makes it easy to install the mural - creating an eye-catching focal point for any room - and easy to remove it later if buyers decide they do not want it. It is a great way to get a designer look at a fraction of the cost, without the commitment of traditional wallpaper.

3. Fix up the fireplace - Sure, you are heading into the summer selling season, but fireplaces charm buyers no matter what the weather. Make yours look its best. Old brick fireplaces can get designer flare from a coat of paint. If your fireplace is wood-burning, remove and clean the screen. If it looks tired and rusty, give it a fresh look with a coat of heat-resistant spray paint. For gas fireplaces, keep the glass clean and make sure everything is in working order.

4. Spruce up outdoor living spaces - If you have a deck or patio

do whatever it takes to spruce it up, from power-washing to staining tired-looking wooden decks. If you do not have a patio or deck, and do not want to spend a lot of money adding one, you can still create an appealing outdoor seating area. Mark off an area using stones or edgers near the house or in a shady spot in the yard. Fill in with pea gravel, then add an attractive bistro set - with umbrella - to create a pleasant seating spot.

5. Brighten the bath - Bathrooms and kitchens sell houses, yet many sellers are reluctant to sink any additional money into staging a bathroom. You do not have to spend a bundle to make your bathroom more appealing. After a deep cleaning, invest in some designer towels that only come out for showings. Put up a fresh shower curtain and fresh area rugs that will make buyers think clean.

Staging a home can help make it more appealing to potential buyers and ensure you sell it faster.

Inside This Issue

Sell Your Home Faster

More Leisure Time

Local Businesses

Appearances count, especially when you are trying to sell a home. Even though the housing industry experts predict this summer will be a seller's market, it is important to grab every advantage when you are trying to sell your home.

Staging - decorating a house to appeal to the broadest possible range of buyers - can make the difference between a quick sale or a long, painful linger on the market.

Fortunately, many of the most effective staging tips are also inexpensive, from a thorough cleaning to decorator details. Here are five staging tricks that don't cost a bundle:

1. Cleanliness counts - Nothing turns off buyers faster than a dirty house. Before you list your house, give it a thorough top-to-bottom cleaning - something that costs nothing but the price of supplies if you do it yourself and a couple hundred bucks, tops, if you hire pros to do it for you. Do not overlook little details like baseboards, ceiling fans, blinds and shower doors. Include de-cluttering in your cleanup efforts, and remove excess items from your home, even if you have to rent a

Sell Your Home Faster With These Cost-Effective Staging Tips

The Summer Selling Market

is sizzling!

River Hills Realty, Inc.

(813) 681-3555

JEFF CHANDLER Broker/Owner

River Hills Realty, Inc.

RIVER HILLS REALTY NEWS A Special Report for the Residents of River Hills Country Club

Volume XX Issue VI

Taco Seasoning

Chili powder, cumin, paprika, and a few other easy-to-find spices make up this homemade taco mix recipe. Ingredients:

1 tablespoon chili powder 1/4 teaspoon garlic powder 1/4 teaspoon onion powder 1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes 1/4 teaspoon dried oregano 1/2 teaspoon paprika 1 1/2 teaspoons ground cumin 1 teaspoon sea salt 1 teaspoon black pepper Directions:

In a small bowl, mix together chili powder, garlic powder, onion powder, red pepper flakes, oregano, paprika, cumin, salt and pepper. Store in an airtight container.

More Leisure Time

Are you at the point where you want to spend more time with family, traveling, recreation activities or just taking life easier? A number of River Hills residents have already made that decision and that is what two Realtor’s with my office, Rick Massimei and Mike Bardell, de-cided to do. Both were longtime resi-dents and active members of our com-munity and still feel that River Hills is the best family orientated community in the area. However, being empty nesters it was time they make a change. For 18 months they studied the MLS listings, Internet sites and personally visited lo-cations from Sarasota to Crystal River, examining sites that have Maintenance Free Homes. They did not want to be concerned with lawn watering, mowing, fertilizing, weed elimination, and pool mainte-nance. No longer have to be concerned about repair or replacement of the roof, or having to hire painting contrac-tors for their homes exterior. They stud-ied Town Homes, Villas, Condos and sin-gle family home sites. Some with no age requirement, others in the age 55 com-munities. Some have golf courses; club houses; recreation facilities; docks with water access to Lakes or the Gulf; oth-ers without any amenities or with a com-bination of same. Prices ranged from $100,000 to $500,000 and every-where in between. Homeowner and Condo Associations documents were re-viewed and items such as whether or not pets were allowed, ARC requirements, and Association fees were noted. Both have now moved from River Hills to maintenance free communities but are still part of the River Hills Realty Team. The have done the leg work and in-curred the expense involved in hundreds of hours of study and thousands of miles of travel, which can benefit you. If a Maintenance Free Home is in your fu-ture, call the office and they will be happy to share their experience with you. Another service available when associating with River Hills Realty.

When The Time Comes To Sell Your Home,

Then It Is Time To Call

River Hills River Hills Realty, Inc.Realty, Inc. (813) 681(813) 681--35553555

Mosquito‐Repelling Plants A trio of lush potted plants will have you saying good-bye to bug spray. Outdoor entertaining is one of the great joys of spring and summer. Un-til, of course, the bugs invade. In place of spray and pesticides, try a cluster of mosquito-repelling potted plants. Grouped together near a seating area on your deck or patio, they make a pretty and lush addition to your outdoor landscape while also protecting you and your guests. Things to Know: Most plants that re-pel bugs possess an herbaceous scent that adds a pleasant aroma to your garden. These plants are generally sun-loving, prolific growers, making them very easy to care for. Remember: In warmer weather, pot-ted plants dry out faster than plants in the ground. Make sure to water them often. Suggested Plants: Citronella, or West Indian lemongrass, is a tall plant and the source for citronella oil. Catnip is said to be 10 times more effective than DEET in repelling mos-quitoes. Cascading Geranium will cascade over its pot and add a deli-cate floral scent.

Residential * Commercial * Realtor Services * Managed Properties

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Richard G. Steinbrueck CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER™

4316 New River Hills Pkwy, #7 Valrico, Florida 33596

(813) 654-0264

Certified Financial Planner Board of Standards In. owns the certification marks CFP®, CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER™ and federally registered CFP (with flag design) in the United States, which it awards to individuals who success-fully complete the CFP Boards initial and ongoing certification requirements.

Securities and investment advisory services offered through Thrivent Investment Management, Minneapolis, MN 55415, 800-8474836, a FINRA and SIPC member and wholly owned subsidiary of Thrivent Financial for Lutherans.

Member NASD, Member SIDC 20328PS 8107 200700711. Thrivent Financial representatives are registered representatives of Thrivent Investment Manage-

ment Inc. They are also licensed insurance agents of Thrivent Financial.

Appleton, Wisconsin · Minneapolis, Minnesota · Thrivent.com · 800-THRIVENT (800-847-4836) Inc., 625 Fourth Ave. S., Minneapolis, MN 55415

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• Income Tax Planning & Preparation • Pension & Retirement Planning • Accounting & Bookkeeping Services • New Business Consultation & Set Up

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Conveniently located in the

River Hills sales office

*Landscape Design *Sod Replacement & Install *Lawn Maintenance *Sprinkler Repair *Tree Trimming *Mulch

Rick Gearin 391-5430 River Hills Resident

• Roof Replacement • Roof Repairs • General Contractor

813-924-3728 Licensed & Insured

COLE’S PAINTING ~Jeff Cole, Owner Lic # PA2723 Bonded and Insured

● Painting – Exterior / Interior / Deck ● Pressure Cleaning – All Surfaces

.62 a Square Foot

FREE ESTIMATES 813 361-0636

JIM MANNING CHRIS MANNING

Established River Hills/Fish Hawk Handyman

Kitchens, Baths & More By Allen Cobb Interiors

A River Hills Resident 4366 Lithia Pinecrest Road

Valrico, FL

(813) 653-3765 www.allencobbinteriors.com

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Service Repair 24 Hours On Call Installation Custom Design

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Kitchens, Baths & More

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Home Pet Care Service Owned and Operated by

Katherine Wick

• Daily mid-day walks • Vacation pet care • Bring in newspapers,

mail, water plants

813-217-1487 katwick@tampabay.rr.com

Serving your area since 2003

Congratulations to the Winners of the $250 Movie Gift Cards… The Mariner Family and Molly Logan.

SET YOUR WATCH FOR RELAXATION & enter to win $1,000 vacation cash!

Prize to be awarded by a drawing of all entries. Drawing to be held July 26, 2013. Winner need not be present. Odds of winning are 1 in 1,000. No cost or obligation to participate. Gift Card awarded

where available. Cash may be substituted if prize cannot be purchased for any given area. ©Farm Net.

RIVER HILLS REALTY NEWS A Special Report for River Hills

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