Wake Forest Homes & Real Estate

Foreclosures! Complete MLS Sheets on all the Raleigh Area Foreclosures & Information on Buying Them!

tripp@aliceray.com (Tripp) — Tue, 18 Aug 2009 16:13:51 GMT

Are you looking for or thinking about purchasing Foreclosures?

Here is the information you need to know as well as access to all of the areas foreclosures!

To start with here are the links that will show you the full MLS sheet on every property in Foreclosure in the following counties that is actively listed in the MLS system:

Links Updated 8/18/2009

Click here to view foreclosures in Wake County - 132 Available!

Click here to view foreclosures in Franklin County - 26 Available!

Click here to view foreclosures in Granville County - 9 Available!

Click here to view foreclosures in Johnston County - 69 Available!

Click here to view foreclosures in Durham County - 77 Available!

On each of the above links it will take you to a page that looks like the screen shot below. You will be able to move through each of the listings by clicking on the right arrow as indicated in the screen shot below. The screen shot below also tells you how to look at the pictures and a virtual tour if available.

You can also request any of these searches be set up for you and have them automatically email you new listings everyday by sending us an email at alice@aliceray.com and letting us know what type of search you would like.

If you are interested in purchasing any of the homes please let us know and we would be glad to assist you as your buyer's agent. You can call us at 919-556-6459 or email us at alice@aliceray.com.

*These listings are in the Triangle MLS System and are not listed directly by our team. As Realtors we are able to show you any home on the market and provide information to you. We will be able to assist you as your buyer's agent in the purchase of any of the homes.

First Time Homebuyers - This Blog is for You! $8,000 Tax Credit Info & More!

tripp@aliceray.com (Tripp) — Wed, 20 May 2009 16:10:21 GMT

First Time Homebuyers

What you need to know!

First off you have made a good first step by visiting our website. In this blog we are going to try to give you all the information you want without requiring anything of you. No special meeting to attend, no phone number, and no email address. In the end we hope you have gained some knowledge and are ready to make that exciting step into homeownership!

Here is a list of things we are going to cover:

1. First Time Buyer Tax Credit

2. Getting Pre-Approved for a Mortgage

3. Choosing a Realtor to Represent You!

4. Searching for Homes

5. Making the offer!

6. Savings of Owning versus Renting

7. Give the Alice Ray Team a Call or Email!

You can reach us at alice@aliceray.com or contact Alice directly at 919-906-5794!

Ready? Let's get started! Click on any of the above topics to the specific blog on that section!

First Time Homebuyer Section 3 - Choosing a Realtor to Represent You

tripp@aliceray.com (Tripp) — Wed, 06 May 2009 20:05:54 GMT

Choosing a Realtor to Represent You

Many 1st time home buyers are often confused about how a Real Estate Agent helps to represent them and how that Real Estate Agent is paid. I hope to clear up these questions in this blog and help you to understand the benefits of choosing the right agent.

1. Working With Real Estate Agents

The first thing I would like to bring your attention to is a document called Working With Real Estate Agents, which was produced by the North Carolina Real Estate Commission and is designed to give you a description of all of the different types of Agency and the differences between them. I recommend you click on the link above and read that form. Your Agent will ask you to sign a copy of that form to acknowledge that you have received a copy. The NC Real Estate commission requires agents to have a signed copy with every client they work with, buying or selling.

2. Buyer’s Agent

The most common type of agent for a buyer to have is what is known as a Buyer’s Agent. In the buyer’s agent relationship the agent works in the sole interest of the buyer. Here is the information from the document above about Buyer’s Agents:

Duties to Buyer:

If the real estate firm and its agents represent you, they must

· promote your best interests

· be loyal to you

· follow your lawful instructions

· provide you with all material facts that could influence your decisions

· use reasonable skill, care and diligence, and

· account for all monies they handle for you.

Once you have agreed (either orally or in writing) for the firm and its agents to be your buyer's agent, they may not give any confidential information about you to sellers or their agents without your permission so long as they represent you. But until you make this agreement with your buyer's agent, you should avoid telling the agent anything you would not want a seller to know.

3. How a Buyer’s Agent is Paid

When a buyer’s agent helps to represent you in the purchase of your new home they are compensated by the listing company. The listing company has a listing agreement with the seller that states a specified commission that will be paid to the listing company. The listing company then advertised the property in the MLS system and agrees to pay a buyer’s agent a certain portion of the commission they are receiving.

Frequently Asked Questions:

Question: Will I get a better deal if I go directly to the Listing Agent?

Answer: Many times a buyer thinks they will get a better deal if they deal directly with the listing agent. But in reality the listing agent will just end up getting the entire commission and will not be paying any portion of the commission to a buyer’s agent. In the end the same amount of commission is paid by the seller.

Question: How do I know an agent has the experience to represent me and help me avoid potential pitfalls?

Answer: Real Estate Agents in the last several years have increased in numbers dramatically. Almost everyone knows a friend, family member, or friend of a friend who is a Real Estate Agent. In the last year though, there have been a large reduction in the number of agents in the business do to the current economic situation and the increase in education that is now required to be an Active agent. When choosing an agent to help you I would recommend picking someone who has been steady in the business for many years and they do real estate as a full-time profession. There are many agents who do real estate part-time and try to help there friends and family when their real estate needs arise. This is OK if you feel confident that they stay on top of the real estate industry and are very knowledgeable of the latest forms, contracts, and potential problems that are arising in today’s market. The market today is changing on almost a daily basis and you need an agent that is dedicated to the profession. Would you have a doctor perform surgery who did not have the past experience, is up to date on the latest techniques, or only occasionally performed surgeries? I don’t think you would want to make the same mistake with the most likely largest purchase you ever make. Find someone with experience......and by the way – even you couldn’t guess, I highly recommend the Alice Ray Team with RE/MAX Hometown!

4. Dual Agency

Dual Agency comes about when the agent representing you as your buyer’s agent shows you one of their own listings or one of the listings their company has listed. Sometimes Dual Agency is not the best option for a buyer. If you are working with a reputable agent who has been in business for a while you probably do not have anything to worry about as that agent will be able to represent both sides the correct way and will not risk their reputation and credibility at the sake of one side or the other. Even though your agent is showing you a listing that is listed by their company there is a good chance that they are unfamiliar with the seller or any of the details of the listings. You can have the agent represent you as a designated agent in this case and you pretty much have the same relationship as you would with a buyer’s agent.

Here is an excerpt from the Working With Real Estate Agents brochure on Dual Agency:

Dual Agent

You may permit an agent or firm to represent you and the seller at the same time. This "dual agency relationship" is most likely to happen if you become interested in a property listed with your buyer's agent or the agent's firm. If this occurs and you have not already agreed to a dual agency relationship in your (written or oral) buyer agency agreement, your buyer's agent will ask you to sign a separate agreement or document permitting him or her to act as agent for both you and the seller. It may be difficult for a dual agent to advance the interests of both the buyer and seller. Nevertheless, a dual agent must treat buyers and sellers fairly and equally. Although the dual agent owes them the same duties, buyers and sellers can prohibit dual agents from divulging certain confidential information about them to the other party.

Some firms also offer a form of dual agency called "designated agency" where one agent in the firm represents the seller and another agent represents the buyer. This option (when available) may allow each "designated agent" to more fully represent each party.

If you choose the "dual agency" option, remember that since a dual agent's loyalty is divided between parties with competing interests, it is especially important that you have a clear understanding of

· what your relationship is with the dual agent and

· what the agent will be doing for you in the transaction.

This can best be accomplished by putting the agreement in writing at the earliest possible time.

Conclusion

Find an agent with experience, good reputation, and is full time. They can end up saving you money in negotiations, delays, choosing the right loan, repairs, etc.

Click here to go to the next topic – Searching for Homes

Click here to go back to the main Blog.

First Time Homebuyer Section 5 - Making the Offer!

tripp@aliceray.com (Tripp) — Mon, 20 Apr 2009 19:42:03 GMT

Making the Offer!

You have your pre-approval letter in hand, have done your home searching, viewed your favorites with your Realtor, and have made a decision on the house you are ready to make an offer on.

How do you know what to offer?

Depending on the market you will want your Realtor to pull up comparable homes in the neighborhood or area that have sold in the last 6 months. They will be able to provide you this information from the MLS system and the tax records. This will help give you an idea on what comparable homes have been selling for and what is realistic. You Realtor will be able to help you decide what to offer and help go over all of the terms of the Standard Offer to Purchase and Contract form. There are many addendums available to go with the offer that your Realtor can recommend if they fit your situation. This is where having an experienced Realtor who is a good negotiator is crucial. They will be able to help negotiate the best terms for you and keep everything running smoothly.

One thing you will need to keep in mind is that you will need to present and Earnest Money Deposit with your offer. The Earnest Money Deposit is generally written to the Listing Company and they will hold the money in their Trust Account until closing. At closing the amount of your Earnest Money Deposit goes towards the purchase price of the home. Depending on the price of the home you are purchasing this can range from as little as $250 to $10,000 and up. Most of the times for first time homebuyer’s it is in the $500 to $1,000 range.

Once you have looked at the research your Realtor has gathered for you and have completed the Offer to Purchase and Contract form, your Realtor will present the offer along with a copy of your earnest money check and pre-approval letter to the listing agent. Many times the Seller will end up submitting a counter-offer back to you. At that point you can either accept the seller’s counter-offer or choose to send them another counter-offer back. This can go back and forth several times but an experienced Realtor will be able to get to an acceptable point for both parties without too many counter-offers. For common Questions & Answers on Offers & Acceptance visit this link: Questions & Answers on Offers & Acceptance

Once an agreement is reached any changes from the original offer will need to be corrected and then signatures from both sides will be needed. At this time the Listing Company will deposit your Earnest Money Check into their Trust Account.

More than likely your contract will read that you are able to do various inspections at the home. The most typical ones are the following:

Home Inspection – The most common inspection you will perform is the Home Inspection. If you do not already know of a Home Inspector you would like to hire your Realtor will be able to provide you with a recommendation. The home inspector will inspect the home and let you know of any problems they recommend being fixed. They will generally provide you with a report that includes descriptions and pictures of any problems. For common Questions and Answers on Home Inspection click on this link: Questions and Answers on Home Inspections

Radon Test – A Radon Test is also recommended. Radon is a colorless, odorless, tasteless, naturally occurring, radioactive noble gas that is formed from the decay of radium. The majority of times Radon is a problem is in a home that is built with a basement or on a slab foundation. If you are purchasing a home that has either of those you will probably want to get a radon test. There are homes with crawl spaces as well that have high radon levels so just because you are purchasing a home that has a crawl space does not mean you may not have a radon problem. Many times the home inspector you choose is also able to perform the radon test for you. For more information on Radon visit this link: Radon Information from the EPA

Termite Inspection – A termite inspection is also recommended. Many homeowners will keep a termite bond on their home with a Termite Company who guarantees to keep the home free of termites and will treat the home if any termites appear. The homeowner pays an annual fee that is typically 1/10 the price of having your home treated. The company will typically allow for the bond to be transferred for a small fee so that is something you will want to look into if the seller already has a termite bond in place. If the homeowners do not have a termite bond in place it is definitely recommended to have the property inspected.

Water/Septic Inspection – Depending on the type of water & sewer system the home you are purchasing has you may want to have them tested. If you are on a county or city sewer and water system you more than likely do not need to worry. If you have a private well and septic tank it may be a good idea to have a Water Test and also a Septic Inspection. Your Home Inspector can probably perform the Water Test, but it is recommended to have a licensed septic installer inspect the septic system. Your Realtor can recommend one to you.

After all of the inspections are completed your contract typically allows for you to request for the seller to repair any items that are not doing their intended function. This sometimes will end up being another negotiation item that your Realtor will be able to help you with. If you are purchasing a New Construction home it is generally not a problem to have all the items fixed that may come up in the inspections and you will also do what is called a punch list walk-through with the builder. This is where you are able to get even cosmetic items like paint touch ups fixed.

This covers the basics of making an offer on a home and into the first few steps of working towards closing. There are other items that your Realtor will help you complete between acceptance of your offer and closing, but for now if you have further questions about the process feel free to contact us and we will be happy to answer your questions! You can email us at alice@aliceray.com or call Alice directly at 919-906-5794!

Click here to go to the next section called Savings of Owning versus Renting

Click here to return to the Main Blog that shows all of the sections

First Time Homebuyers Section 6 - Savings of Buying versus Renting

tripp@aliceray.com (Tripp) — Wed, 01 Apr 2009 20:11:22 GMT

Savings of Owning versus Renting

You have to consider a number of things if you are wondering whether you would be better off renting versus owning. One of the biggest things is how long you plan to stay in the home you buy. If you are only planning to be in the home a year or two, renting may be your best option. If you plan to stay in the home 5 years or more you will probably be better off buying.

Here are several links to some research that was done to help you decide what is best. These links take you to the Government National Mortgage Association (Ginnie Mae) website:

Buying Versus Renting

Buying Versus Renting Comparison Chart

Buying Versus Renting Calculator

If you play around with the calculator you can see that there is a huge advantage to owning a home versus renting if you plan to stay in the home for a while. If you have further questions about this feel free to contact us at alice@aliceray.com or by calling Alice directly at 919-906-5794.

Click here to go back to the Main Blog page showing all of the First Time Homebuyer Sections

B.W. Wells Heritage Day - Saturday March 28th from 9am to 5pm Rain or Shine!

tripp@aliceray.com (Tripp) — Sat, 28 Mar 2009 15:10:33 GMT

Heritage Day

at Rock Cliff Farm

Saturday March 28th

9:00am - 5:00pm (Rain or Shine)

Free Event!

Come visit and discover the farm of B.W and Maude Wells. This homesite is one of Wake Forest's hidden treasures that sits on a penisual on Falls Lake! Hear stories about growing up on the farm, visit Dr. Wells' Art Studio, enjoy the nature trails around the farm and Falls Lake, and see the famous Zeagle's Rock!

The book: "The Natural Gardens of Rockcliff Farm" will be available for purchase!

More Information Below!

>Guided tours
Self-guided walking tours
Tours, crafts and games for kids
Seed and plant giveaways
Displays, exhibits and other activities

Learn about the pioneer ecologist and early botanist of North Carolina by visiting his retirement home at Falls Lake. Learn about 19th century farm life; take a walk to look at the geology or wildflowers; hike to Zeagle’s Rock; participate in an activity about plants; learn about B.W. Wells through ecological games; look at his book and other literature while enjoying the displays, games and exhibits.

Rock Cliff Farm is open for guided tours only, so don’t miss this opportunity! Entire event is FREE!

SCHEDULE OF EVENTS >

Registration is required for all tours at 919-676-1027. Full hike descrtiptions and details at the bottom of the page.

B.W. Wells History Tour - every hour on the hour >

Zeagle’s Rock Loop Trail Hike - self guided >

Geology Walk - 10, 12, 2, 4
>
Wildflower Walk - 9, 11, 1, 3 >

Hog Farming Tour - 2 p.m.

Capital Tree Hike - 4 p.m. >

Bird Hike on Zeagle's Rock Trail
>8:00 >a.m.

Canoe Tour of Rock Cliff Farm
>9:00 am and 1:00 p.m.
Space is limited, registration fills up fast

Family > >ecology hikes - 11 and 3 >

Displays, exhibits, childrens activities and games >
9:00 to 5:00

NC Botanical Gardens booth will have free seed packet giveaways and free hourly plant raffles!>

Rock Cliff Farm is located at the end of SR 1919, Bent Road, inside the B.W. Wells Recreation Area at Falls Lake State Recreation Area. It is reached from Highway 98 in between Wake Forest and Durham, north of Raleigh. For information contact Heritage Day coordinator.

For mapquest use 2201 Bent Road, Wake Forest NC 27587.

Sponsored by the NC Division of Parks and Recreation and it's partners:
    B.W. Wells Association
    Wake Forest Garden Club
    Master Gardener Volunteers of Wake County
    NC Botanical Gardens
    NC Native Plant Society
    Wake Audubon Society
    Paddle Creek
    Wake County Parks and Open Spaces

Back to B.W. Wells Association Home

HIKE AND TOUR DESCRIPTIONS - PDF HIKING FLYER

BW Wells History Tour – Every hour on the hour >

Length: about ½ mile on easy terrain

Time: about 45 minutes

This short history walk leads you around all the main features of the Rock Cliff Farm home stead. You will hear about the history of B.W. Wells and the farm itself.

Geology Tour – 10, 11, 12, and 2 >

Length: about 1 mile loop on hiking trail with some steep sections

Time: about 45 minutes

This tour leads you down to the lake shore to discuss the unique geology that caused the shape of Rock Cliff Farm. You will visit a rock outcrop along the lake shore and then return uphill along the same trail. You can opt to continue along the trail adding another ¾ of a mile.

Wildflower Tour – 9, 11, 1 and 3 >

Length: about 1 mile loop on hiking trail with some steep sections

Time: about 45 minutes

This tour leads you along a series of north facing slopes where spring wildflower can be spotted. Plant ecology and history will be discussed as you meander along the trail. The trail returns uphill back to the farm, you can opt to continue along the loop trails in either direction adding another ¾ of a mile.

Hog Farming Tour – 2:00 p.m >.

Length: about ½ mile of easy terrain

Time: about 45 minutes

This tour takes you back to 1950, when hog farming was the livelihood of area residents. We will explore the old time techniques of hog farming by visiting a pen and smokehouse.

Capital Tree Hike – 4:00 p.m. >

Length: about ½ mile of easy terrain

Time: about 45 minutes

Take a leisurely stroll around the farm looking at the large trees that have been recognized as Wake County Capital Trees for their size and historic significance.

Family Ecology Hike – 11, 1 and 3 >

Length: about 1 mile loop on hiking trail with some steep sections

Time: about 45 minutes

Join a naturalist for an exploration of the different plant communities at Rock Cliff Farm. Just like B.W. Wells did throughout North Carolina, you will look at these different communities with an ecologist’s eye. The hike will end along the lakeshore, with a return uphill or option to continue the loop trail in either direction.

Canoe tour – 9 and 1 (SIGN UP REQUIRED) >

Length: about three miles of leisurely paddling

Time: 2 ½ hours

After a brief orientation to paddling, participants will walk about 1/3 of a mile to the lake shore to board the canoes. From there it is a leisurely paddle along the narrow lake making a few interpretive stops of the Rock Cliff Farm shore line. After a unique photo opportunity and view of Zeagle’s Rock, you will turn back and return to the launch site. There will be a 1/3 of a mile return hike up the trail with some steep sections. Participants must be at least 12 years old and know how to swim. Sign up is required. Canoes, life jackets and paddles provided courtesy of Paddle Creek.

>

3 Open Houses in Wake Forest, NC - Twin Creeks, Galloway, & Bishops Gate Subdivisions!

tripp@aliceray.com (Tripp) — Mon, 16 Feb 2009 16:30:21 GMT

3 OPEN HOUSES SCHEDULED THIS WEEK!

Thursday February 19^th from 4:00PM to 7:00PM

Visit the new home at 1304 Haltwhistle Street in the Twin Creeks section of Olde Mill Stream in Wake Forest , NC . This is a new construction home that features over 3000 square feet. You can view more information about this Wake Forest Home by clicking here.

Directions: US1N to Wake Forest past 98 intersections. Follow to third stop light -Rt on Harris Rd. - Cross over at 4 way stop- Lt on Barnford Mill - Lt on Coram Fields - Rt on Haltwhistle.

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Sunday February 22^nd from 1:00pm to 3:00pm

Visit the home at 7488 Drumantrae Lane in the Galloway Subdivision of Wake Forest, NC. This luxury home sits on a beautiful 1.37 Acre Lot and also features an attached 4 car garage. You can view more information about this Wake Forest Home by clicking here.

Directions: From Raleigh take US1 N./Capital Blvd -pass Hwy 98-Lt on Jenkins Rd-Rt on Thompson Mill - Lt into Galloway on Calliness- Lt On Blykeford- Lt on Drumantrae.

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Sunday February 22^nd from 2:00pm to 4:00pm

Visit the home at 12764 Pamplona Drive located in Bishops Gate Subdivision in Wake Forest , NC . This 3 Bedroom, 3 Bath ranch plan with upstairs Bonus features a 1 Acre Lot with patio, deck, screened porch, and side load 2 car garage! You can view more information about this Wake Forest home by clicking here.

Directions: US1 N to Wake Forest. LT on Purnell Rd. RT into Bishops Gate. OR 98W to RT on Camp Kanata. Left on Purnell. RT into Bishops Gate on Pamplona.

Tax Time - Find out how owning a home can help!

tripp@aliceray.com (Tripp) — Fri, 30 Jan 2009 15:00:44 GMT

Tax Time

Update - Read about the new first time buyer tax credit of $8,000 here that has replaced the $7,500 tax credit talked about in this article.

Are you renting when you would be better off owning a home? Now may be the perfect time to talk with us and your accountant about the benefits of home ownership. Historically low interest rates, best home prices in years, and the tax advantages available are too good to not take advantage. First time home buyer's can even take advantage of a tax credit up to $7,500!

Please call or email us today to advise you on purchasing a home. We can show you every home on the market that is listed with any company. We will be glad to set you up with a home search directly from the MLS system that gives you the same exact information that realtors see - you can't get this from any other search online! Every day homes that match your search will automatically be uploaded to your custom webpage and an email will be sent to let you know to view them. Go here to see an example and to fill out your information to get your search set up today: My Custom Search!

Visit our last two blogs to find out why you need us to buy or sell your next home in the Wake Forest, Rolesville, Raleigh, Youngsville, and surrounding Wake, Franklin, Granville, and Durham County Areas.

I Want You to Buy a Home!

Call Alice at 919-906-5794 or email at alice@aliceray.com!

Merry Christmas from the Alice Ray Team!

tripp@aliceray.com (Tripp) — Wed, 24 Dec 2008 16:18:25 GMT

Merry Christmas! >
Merry Christmas to you and your family! Here are a few pictures of the RE/MAX Hometown float and the balloon basket that I was riding in the Wake Forest Christmas Parade. The flames from the balloon basket helped keep everyone warm at the parade! After Christmas Day we will be on call ready to help you find your new home or get your home on the market for sale. You can call us on our main number, 919-556-6459, or on my cell at 919-906-5794. Our toll free number is 1-866-516-0369.

Alice

Party Time - Yikes!

tripp@aliceray.com (Tripp) — Mon, 22 Dec 2008 14:37:13 GMT

I found this article that I thought you might like to read if you were thinking of throwing some sort of Holiday or New Year party. Enjoy!

Party Time - Yikes!
By Marni Jameson
It starts innocently. One night you're sitting by the fire with your significant other drinking eggnog that's probably too strong when one of you says, "We should have a holiday party."
The warm feeling grows and pretty soon you're on the phone; the word is out, and there's no going back.
Then reality hits: You have to clean the house! I mean clean beyond what any housekeeper can do. (Housekeepers can't throw away your clutter, magazines, and mail; they just make it straighter.) You look around anticipating the public humiliation. You imagine your guests wrinkling their noses and whispering, "Oh, they're that kind of family."
You start to notice everything you've been ignoring or stepping over: moldy socks behind the drapes, the dog's chew toy in the bread box, lice in the light fixture, the refrigerator that smells like cooked cabbage four weeks out, and the carpet stain where one of the dogs chewed up a watermelon-scented marker. Next thing, you're running around like your hair's on fire screaming, "Whose idea was this?"
Parties put the pressure on. Yet every holiday season I have at least one. To prepare, I dart through the house like a roller derby queen armed with Pledge, Mr. Clean and a stun gun. My goal isn't perfection. I gave that up years ago, along with the goals of six-pack abs and a caffeine-free existence. Some efforts aren't worth the agony.
But I do want my home to look better than usual, usual being a cross between the epicenter of a large earthquake and a frat house.
I start with a big basket and go room to room. I fill it with the flotsam and jetsam of our lives: unpaid bills, chewed gum wads, overdue library books, dull razors, dead flowers, burned out fireworks. When I get to my kids' rooms, I close the doors and put thick red "biohazard" tape over the doors.
I stand back and try to see my house as someone who has never seen it would. First, I want to know whether there are any more bombs inside. Then I get down to business. It's party time. I roll up my sleeves and start staging.
Although I have my own kamikaze way, I decide to call a staging pro. Dana Dickey is vice president of Interior Redesign Industry Specialists, a national organization based in Chicago whose members specialize in staging homes for sale and events.
"It's not that people don't want to pick up," she says. "They just stop noticing what other people do." She's being kind. Most of us avoid housework like the endodontist.
Beyond a good cleaning, here's what Dickey says to do to make your house party-ready:

Clutter bust. Put all toys in one designated playroom, ideally with the kids, a pizza and a babysitter. Cut back your stack of books and magazines to two each, and the newspaper to that day's. Blast through the mail stack. Put what you can't throw away or file in a basket in the garage to sort after the party.

Strip the refrigerator of all the kids' pictures and artwork. Open it and toss anything old, smelly or gross.

Edit your stuff. If you must feature your angel collection, don't put out all 15, put out three of your prettiest, together. "Staging is all about selective decorating," says Dickey. "It's better to start with a clean surface and add a few carefully selected items, than figure out what to remove."

Get the magazines out of the bathroom. "No one needs to know what you're reading in there. It conjures up a weird image." Speaking of weird images, I once went into a bathroom and found a laptop. Detail this space well. Set out clean guest towels. Remove anything embarrassing from the cabinets. People look.

Edit your bulletin boards. Remove appointment cards and prescriptions. No one wants to know when your next colon screening is, or that your husband's on Viagra and you're on estrogen.

Hide the laundry room. However, if your guests will be in there, dump all dirty clothes in the washer and close the lid. Put a tablecloth over the washer and dryer to make back-up counter space.

Cut the lights. Switch 60-watt bulbs to 40-watt for softer ambience. Light candles. They hide a lot, including dust in corners and worry lines. Pillars burn longest. Avoid scented candles, which make some people sick.

Do a walk through. Start at the front door. Plan where guests will put coats and purses, where they will head for a drink or food, and where they will go from there. Be sure the experience flows. If a place in your house usually becomes a bottleneck, rearrange furniture to open it. To move guests to another part of the house, put food there.

Point the way. For large parties, place directional signs on easels that point to the coatroom, bar or kitchen. This frees you from being traffic cop.

Or simply think twice before opening your big mother mouth and saying: Party at my place!

Marni Jameson is a nationally syndicated columnist and author of "The House Always Wins" (Da Capo). You can learn more about her and her book at www.marnijameson.com.