Jeff Cook Real Estate BlogRecently posted or modified blog posts in the category - Holidayshttps://www.jeffcookrealestate.com/blog/Copyright JeffCookRealEstate.com2023-11-29T11:36:44-07:00tag:jeffcookrealestate.com,2012-09-20:15075New Years Resolution: Home EditionThe holiday season is already here and soon, you’ll be facing a New Year. This is a time to look forward to the future — but that can be hard to do with so many uncompleted home improvement projects still needing attention. Don’t let those pending tasks rob your holiday joy. Set some New Year’s resolutions to make 2023 the year of home improvement for you.
Here, Jeff Cook Real Estate shares some possible projects you can tackle this coming year to raise your property value and overall satisfaction. And, some suggestions for helping you complete your chosen changes by this time next year.
Popular Homeowner Projects
Being a homeowner is no small responsibility. There are constant needs for upkeep, renovation, replacing worn items, or adding more space. And sometimes, it’s just time for a change in color, decor, or layout. Here are some popular tasks that homeowners often take on, with a few suggestions here and there.
Garage Clean-up/Reorganization — Isn’t it amazing how much can accumulate in a short time! Extra space always seems to fill up. Get brutal and begin throwing out anything you haven’t used in the last year; chances are, you won’t need it again. This can be a great weekend project that can provide fodder for charitable donations or a yard sale for extra cash.
Landscaping — <a href="https://www.jeffcookrealestate.com/blog/these-landscaping-tips-can-increase-your-home-value/">Redoing your landscaping</a> can transform your property. Start by cleaning out existing areas and adding some trees. Flowers, shrubs, edging, and efficient lighting can make your yard the envy of the neighborhood.
Outdoor Patio — Extending your living space into the outdoors is a great way to enjoy natural light and fresh air. Even a small outdoor patio can add value and a new escape for sunrise cups of coffee and silence.
Backyard Entertaining Area — Entertaining at home is a blast with the proper setup. A backyard entertaining area complete with seating, cooking and grilling center, a bar, and a cozy firepit is just the project to add excitement to your home lifestyle.
Minor Bathroom Remodel — Small changes to your bathrooms can make everything seem new. Replace the shower door or install a new tub cover, add new hardware to cabinets and drawers, and consider new faucets or a new mirror.
Minor Kitchen Remodel — Similar <a href="https://www.jeffcookrealestate.com/blog/budget-friendly-kitchen-upgrades-to-help-sell-your-house/">upgrades to your kitchen</a> can add a sense of newness, color, light, and a fresh attitude toward cooking and entertaining. New cabinet hardware, backsplash, faucets, and lighting can make a world of difference.
Smart Technology — New <a href="https://www.jeffcookrealestate.com/blog/smart-home-features-to-add-to-your-home/">smart helps</a> can add safety and convenience to your home, like plugs, detectors, and other home assistant devices. Smart appliances are also available, like refrigerators that can even create and email you a grocery list!
Major Bathroom Renovation — For those needing a whole new look, consider adding new tile, shower or tub combinations, fixtures, and more storage space to completely renovate your bathroom. Serious changes may require knocking out a wall or moving some plumbing, both major undertakings that will need a professional.
Major Kitchen Remodel — The simplest major kitchen remodel is replacing all your appliances with smart or other modern models. New cabinetry, flooring, and paint can also make things new. While you’re at it, how about adding an island or serving area?
Pool Addition — What South Carolina home is complete without a swimming pool? Your kids and neighbors will love you, and relaxing in your own backyard pool can become a wonderful pastime. Get ready for massive changes when you decide to make this new addition.
Accomplishing My Home To-Do List: One Bite at a Time
Making a list of needs and wants for your home is the easy part. But what about accomplishing all those projects? Here are some suggestions to help you get started and keep going until you are satisfied with the results.
Prioritize — While no one wants to eat an elephant, there is wisdom in the method for doing it: one bite at a time. Organize your tasks according to importance, size, and cost. Do small chores first that can be accomplished in a single afternoon or day. Take care of small expenses first. Make a plan for when and how the larger projects will be accomplished. Schedule time to dedicate to each one. Keep your list in a public place like the refrigerator to remind you of your goals and the necessary steps.
Budget — <a href="https://www.jeffcookrealestate.com/blog/budgeting-for-home-improvement-projects/">Setting a budget</a> and funding it are two vital aspects of completing your projects. Research your project costs and determine how much you need to save, then make a plan for saving it. As you reach your funding goals for each project, complete it. Remember to include permits, insurance, professional assistance, and materials.
Know Your Limits — You may be surprised at what you can accomplish yourself on your list, but don’t push yourself too far. Many small tasks can be DIY for a weekend, but know when you need to call in the professionals. You will never regret money spent wisely here.
Choose Wisely — Research the professionals you will need for your home projects. Get quotes and review online comments and recommendations from other clients. Talk to your family and neighbors about home improvement professionals they have used and their recommendations. Here again, time invested in this process will save you considerable headaches and money.
Whatever your home project New Year’s resolutions, we hope our suggestions have given you some direction and purpose to begin with determination and complete each one to your satisfaction! 2022-12-02T09:47:19-07:002022-12-02T10:02:10-07:00Patricia Utseytag:jeffcookrealestate.com,2012-09-20:9463Southern Thanksgiving Dishes<img src="https://assets.site-static.com/userfiles/1451/image/South_Carolina_Thanksgiving.png" width="1200" height="800" alt="Thanksgiving in South Carolina" />
Charleston celebrates Thanksgiving like nowhere else! A <a href="https://www.tasteofhome.com/collection/southern-thanksgiving-recipes/">classic South Carolina Thanksgiving</a> spread includes creamy, indulgent dishes made with love from recipes passed down by older generations. Jeff Cook Real Estate takes pride in knowing that our clients are able to celebrate the holiday season in their new homes with their loved ones. Our passion is not only helping clients <a href="https://www.jeffcookrealestate.com/blog/the-home-buying-process/">buy </a>and <a href="https://www.jeffcookrealestate.com/blog/scrambling-to-sell/">sell </a>their homes, it’s bringing families together under the same roof.
Some of our favorite southern holiday dishes are listed below. Try one or try them all at your table this Thanksgiving!
Apple Cheddar Pie
Cheddar cheese has to be combined in this apple pie if it is to be Southern. It is added to the pie crust and is amazingly delectable. When you serve a double-crusted apple cheddar pie, people will want more than one piece most assuredly. If you are having a large gathering for Thanksgiving this year, then keep in mind that making just one of these pies likely will not be enough. Be ready to make two at least, or even more, because they are so good.
Creamy Confetti Corn with Bacon
When you are looking for a specialty dish that will go nicely with your Thanksgiving meal, then this southern dish will be a wonderful veggie side dish that will be extra pleasurable. The addition of the cheese and bacon to the corn make this a classy specialty dish that is impressive, festive, and colorful.
Cheesy Hash Brown Casserole
We all love comfort food. This casserole is another way to bring more comfort food to your table at Thanksgiving. It is quick to put together and it is a rather hearty dish. It will please most of your family members and guests, so you can rely on this dish being a real winner every time. It is packed with flavor and the cheese is the star of this dish. No dish can usually go wrong when it is loaded with tasty cheese.
Ultimate Green Bean Casserole
It would be very rare to have Thanksgiving in the south without an ultimate green bean casserole. Fried onions, green beans, and cream of mushroom soup simply have to go together to make this fine dish for a real Southern Thanksgiving. It is a traditional staple and is quick to make. Everyone loves this dish and there likely will not be any leftovers.
Cranberry Jello Salad
In many southern homes, you will notice cranberry Jello salad on the table during the celebration of Thanksgiving. This is really quite an old dish that has been enjoyed by many generations. This is a nifty replacement for regular cranberry sauce. If you still want regular cranberry sauce, by all means, you can have it. But it may be nice to add this dish as well this year for something different and refreshing.
Add on any of these scrumptious dishes to your turkey feast and expect everyone to clean their plates. The holidays are a wonderful time to make memories with your family in your new home. Happy Thanksgiving from all of us at Jeff Cook Real Estate!2020-11-23T11:50:00-07:002020-11-23T11:51:45-07:00Matt Serratotag:jeffcookrealestate.com,2012-09-20:719010 Last-Minute DIY Christmas Decorations<img src="https://assets.site-static.com/userfiles/1451/image/10LastMinuteDIYChristmasDecorations2.jpg" width="1000" height="659" alt="10 Last-Minute DIY Christmas Decorations" />
Christmas is so close we can already hear the jingle bells ringing. If you haven’t decided on the holiday décor yet but you want your home to look festive without breaking the bank, we have the perfect solution. Homemade Christmas decorations are easy to make and budget-friendly. Here are the best DIY projects for the winter holidays:
1.Coffee Filter Snowflakes
Let’s start with the most popular of the winter DIY projects: paper snowflakes. It’s one of the easiest projects out there, but what if we told you there’s even a simpler way to make the snowflakes? You can use coffee filters to ease your work. Fold the filter in half, then in thirds, then fold it in half again, and cut to create the shape of a snowflake. It’s that easy!
2. Pinecone Gnomes
Moving on to the tree decorations, this fun project is all about the little gnomes. You will need a few pinecones, just a little bit of cream-color felt for the pointy hats, chenille stems to keep the hat up, wooden balls which you will use for the heads, white or gray wool roving for the beards, a hot-glue gun, and a sewing needle with white thread. Simply glue the materials to form the gnome and sew the hanging loop to the back of each gnome.
3. Cupcake Liner Garland
Cupcake liners are great for a number of other things besides baking. You can even use them to make a quick garland. Simply gather your favorite cupcake liners (preferably red, gold, silver, or other festive colors) and fold them in half over a long string of yarn.
4. Snowman Fridge
The kitchen is sometimes overlooked when it comes to Christmas décor, but it shouldn’t be. Here’s a fun project that kids will enjoy. Turn the fridge into a snowman by using adhesive paper, wrapping paper, and tape. Cut small and medium circles of black adhesive papers for the eyes, mouth, and buttons. Then cut a triangularly-shaped piece of orange adhesive paper for the nose. Finally, cut strips of colorful wrapping paper to create the scarf and use the tape to place them on the fridge. Your snowman will be ready in just a few minutes!
5. Eco-Friendly Christmas Tree
Many homeowners have started to replace the traditional Christmas tree (the evergreen conifer) with some untraditional options. Since the trees are cut for the sole purpose of being placed in a home for a short period of time before being disposed of, it does make sense to look into more sustainable ways of decorating the home. Gather all your books and arrange them in the form of a conifer. Next, make your “tree” look pretty by wrapping it up in garland lights.
6. Window Ornaments
Hanging paper ornaments from your windows will add a Christmas cheer to any room, and it will look pretty even from the outside. Simply cut the paper in the shape of Christmas balls. Play with different colors and patterns and use metallic strings for a glamorous look.
7. Pinecone Candles
Are your candles looking too boring for Christmas? Here’s an easy fix. Give your candles a festive look by lining them with pinecones. Use jute or twine to keep them all nested up around the candle. You can also use a silver spray if you don’t want to go au naturel.
8. Dressed up Doorknobs
Get your doorknobs ready for the holidays by tying a bit of red velvet and a sprig of holly onto your doorknobs. Alternatively, use satin ribbon streamers tipped with a few sleigh bells (you can find them in any crafts stores) for a fun Christmasy touch.
9. Framed Christmas Cards
What better way to show your appreciation for the wonderful Christmas cards you received than putting them on display? Use an empty picture frame, garland lights, and clothespins to create the display.
10. Marshmallow Snowmen
How about an ornament you can also eat? Kids will definitely love these marshmallow snowmen. Stack two marshmallows with a toothpick and decorate the snowmen with sprinkles and chocolate wafers using dots of frosting to glue them all up. You can place the marshmallow snowmen on a colored plate and add sugar for snow.2019-12-04T10:44:00-07:002023-11-29T11:36:44-07:00Thomas "Jeff" Cooktag:jeffcookrealestate.com,2012-09-20:7187Christmas Gift Ideas for a First-Time Homeowner<img src="https://assets.site-static.com/userfiles/1451/image/ChristmasGiftIdeas.jpg" width="298" height="450" alt="Christmas Gift Ideas for a First-Time Homeowner" />
With Christmas coming up fast, everyone's mind is on gift-giving and the Christmas spirit. At Jeff Cook Real Estate, this looks like <a href="https://www.jeffcookrealestate.com/blog/tis-the-season-for-giving-what-is-jeff-cook-cares/">giving back to the community</a> and finding ways to encourage others to give too. If you've got a friend who's just bought a new house and is in the process of moving in then they may need some of that Christmas cheer delivered to them in the form of a well-thought-out housewarming gift. Fortunately, there are plenty of things that new homeowners need and a wide selection of home-ware gifts to suit every budget.
If your first-time homeowner is moving from an apartment into a house then there are probably plenty of things that they need for their new digs that they haven't had a use for previously. If the house has a yard and garden then you have even more options for your Christmas gift-giving. Here are a few ideas for housewarming gifts to give at Christmas time.
Lawn Care Tools
Your new homeowner may be dealing with the need to care for a lawn for the first time. Chances are they don't yet have any of the tools they will need to take care of that lawn yet either. Take a trip to your local gardening supply place and see what sort of tools might come in handy for a first-time homeowner. Gardening tools come in a variety of types and prices so you should be able to find something to fit your budget. You can also get your giftee a coupon that lets them select the tools they actually need rather than the ones you think they need.
If your friend is not too keen on caring for their lawn themselves over the Christmas period then getting them a gift card for a lawn care service might be a better option than buying them tools. This lets them try out a local service and see if they want to hire someone to do their lawn for them.
Welcome Mat
One of the first things that visitors to the new home will see is the doormat greeting them into the new abode. You can find a wide variety of doormat designs that will likely suit your new homeowner, but if you want to play it safe then the standard "Welcome" message will work just fine for a gift.
Home Repair Tools
If the house your friend is moving into is a bit of a fixer-upper then they may appreciate some additions to their collection of repair tools. Hammers, saws, drills, and screwdrivers all come in handy and will find plenty of use around the home.
Houseplants
Nothing gives life to a house like adding some color and greenery to it. You can find a wide variety of plants that your new homeowner will love and which will help make their new house feel like a home to them. If you fancy giving them something less ornamental then tabletop herb gardens and self-contained indoor smart gardening systems might be something to consider.
Video Streaming Subscription
If your gift recipient needs some entertainment after moving into their new house then why not get them a subscription to a video streaming service? You can pick the length of the subscription depending on your budget, and select the type of service based on the interests of your friend. Do they like movies? Perhaps they prefer documentaries? Maybe they want something that gives them a little bit of everything? Shop around and see what services are on offer, and which ones would make good Christmas housewarming gifts.
Here are 35 more <a href="https://www.goodhousekeeping.com/home-products/g1025/starter-housewarming-gifts/">"Welcome Home!" gift ideas</a> from Good Housekeeping to help you find the perfect gift. If you're crunched for time, a gift certificate to one of <a href="https://www.jeffcookrealestate.com/blog/charlestons-best-local-restaurants/">Charleston's Best Local Restaurants </a>would be a great way to help a first-time home buyer find some time to relax and enjoy their new city!
Hopefully, this housewarming gift guide has given you some interesting ideas to help your gift recipient move into their new home. They will probably have a lot on their plate with Christmas just around the corner so they'll certainly appreciate your efforts to help them get settled. Show them you care by getting them something practical and fun to warm up their new home with Christmas cheer.2019-12-04T10:18:00-07:002021-01-22T13:05:48-07:00Thomas "Jeff" Cooktag:jeffcookrealestate.com,2012-09-20:7186Top 5 Christmas Movies to Watch with Your Family This Year<img src="https://assets.site-static.com/userfiles/1451/image/Top5ChristmasMovies.jpg" width="450" height="300" alt="Top 5 Christmas Movies to Watch with Your Family This Year" />
It’s the most wonderful time of the year! With Thanksgiving behind us and Christmas peeking around the corner, it’s time to get into the spirit with your favorite festive traditions. Grab the kids and settle in by the fire for a cozy holiday movie marathon with hot chocolate. Don’t forget the marshmallows!
Elf
Get ready for some serious laughs with a film the whole family can watch together. Elf became an instant classic since it’s release in 2003 and is completely family-friendly! Follow Buddy the Elf as he ventures into New York City at Christmas time to find his biological father. Buddy said it best, “The best way to spread Christmas cheer, is singing loud for all to hear!”.
It’s A Wonderful Life
As one of the most well known Christmas movies, It’s A Wonderful Life may already be a part of your family’s holiday traditions. The film follows the life of George Bailey, who experiences a roller coaster of emotions when an angel appears to help him remember just how abundant his life is. It’s A Wonderful Life reminds us that the best way to spend the holidays is by holding your loved ones close.
The Knight Before Christmas
A Netflix film new to the holiday scene this season, The Knight Before Christmas weaves together magic, second chances, and that undeniable charm Christmas movies hold close. This is a great film to watch with that someone special and celebrate love this holiday season!
Noelle
When Santa retires, his daughter Noelle takes over the overwhelming holiday responsibilities. Noelle is a quirky new Disney film starring Anna Kendrick that reminds families that being together is what truly makes this season so magical. Check out this film and other family favorites on Disney+.
The Polar Express
Believing is seeing with this animated Christmas classic. The Polar Express follows the story of a young boy who is heading into the Christmas season filled with doubt about the magic of Santa Claus. Your family will laugh, cry, and even sing along with this heartfelt film. A perfect film to watch under the lights on Christmas Eve!
Need more Christmas movie suggestions? Here's a list of <a href="https://www.goodhousekeeping.com/holidays/christmas-ideas/g1315/best-christmas-movies/?slide=8">70 movies</a> to help you plan all of the movie marathons your heart will desire during the holiday season.
This holiday season, our team of experts can assist you in listing your current home and moving you into your dream home before the New Year! We are committed to serving and <a href="https://www.jeffcookrealestate.com/blog/tis-the-season-for-giving-what-is-jeff-cook-cares/">giving back to our community</a> and are available for questions when you call 855-HEY-JEFF. All of us here at Jeff Cook Real Estate want to wish you and your family a very Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year in 2020!2019-12-04T10:09:00-07:002021-01-22T13:02:45-07:00Thomas "Jeff" Cook