Homes Are Alot Like People...
...TLC, a healthy diet and even a little surgery may be required! As a former nurse, I have come to learn the commonalities that Charlotte real estate shares with patients--they really do have a lot in common. No anesthesia is required for the treatments necessary to remedy the home aging process though! As homeowners, however, we may need a little anesthesia when we receive the maintenance bills if we don’t stay on top of our home's aging process right from the beginning.
1. Homes get wrinkles, too. Yes, believe it or not, I’ve seen Charlotte homes for sale with sagging plaster, drooping windows and hanging doors. Brand new “For Sale” signs sit out front, their clean, white sparkle starkly contrasting with the wrinkles. It’s not attractive; the homes may be only ten years old (30 in house years!), but they look much older. Be kind to your home – use a little cosmetic surgery when necessary.
2. There ARE cosmetic surgeons available for homes. Only, in home-speak, they’re called “contractors.” If you notice that your home has wrinkles and you want to sell it, see what replacements you can afford to have the contractor handle for you before putting your home on the market. Windows? They’re reasonably affordable on most budgets and can make a huge difference in how the house looks. Hanging doors? Not as affordable as windows, but still doable. With $10,000 or less, you can give your home a major facelift.
3. Homes do get tired too. Have you looked around your house lately? This is one of the first things you want to do before putting it on the Charlotte real estate market. Is your home tired and worn out? Even relatively young homes can show signs of energy-deficiency. Cabinets start sagging. Doors groan and sigh when you open them. Windows refuse to stay open all the way and slowly slide back down in the tracks. Give your home an energy boost. Even a little WD-40 can make a huge difference, especially on groaning doors. If we’re talking about groaning garage doors, a $5. can of silicone spray can do wonders (and should be used about once a year to keep them youthful).
4. Homes can go bald and get age spots. It’s true, they can. What used to be a bright red roof has faded and peeled in places, giving the home an “aged” look. The real kicker is, to keep it bright and pretty, you have to maintain it, dye it or replace it. Keep the overhanging oak trees trimmed back to avoid the age-spotting sap from necessitating early hair plugging! Take care of your home’s head!
5. Homes need TLC too. To stay happy and healthy, homes need tender loving care too. With a steady diet of maintenance, touchups and cosmetic surgery, your house will be happy and you will be able to find a good buyer too!
If you’re selling your home, make sure it stands proud above the rest—youthful, despite its age!
Located just off South Boulevard, (at the corner of Arlington Avenue, across from Factory South), The Arlington was developed by The Metropolitan Group, founded in 1990 by Jim Gross, licensed architect. Jim Gross has developed some of the most unique housing in the Charlotte area - from Dilworth Crescent, Ivey's Town Homes (the former Ivey's building in Uptown), Factory South (a turn-of-the-century industrial building turned lofts) and Carmel Crescent to The Arlington, Charlotte's tallest structure in the Dilworth/South End area. 
You will also need experience with legal contracts and excellent negotiating skills.
