Sherri Mercurio Blog

Now that we've all smashed our way into a new decade (and I celebrated my birthday by getting my avalanche safety certification) it is time to take a look at what buyers are going to be itching for in the coming year. There are certainly features that always stand the test of time. Like a roof that doesn't leak and windows that go up and down. But I digress. What we're focused on today are those features that (for the most part) you can add to or upgrade in your own home in order to make it more enticing for buyers. And as with all of these options, they simply make your home more pleasurable for YOU while you are still living there. Let's jump in. (And Happy New Year!)

The survey was done by Porch.com and they picked the brains of 980 recent home shoppers. One of the more interesting notes I found was that these buyers...

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Depending on when you are reading this, the new year has likely begun. If you are like me, you stayed out WAY too late on Tuesday night. And, since my birthday (still not quite yet 50 years old.), is on Sunday, I am still enjoying a couple of lazy days. Those include getting out in the snowy woods followed by some good quality time on the couch! I'm super excited about this new year and new decade! Today I'd like to take a little time to peek ahead and see what's in store.

A dear friend of mine introduced me to a fantastic, introspective exercise that I think we can all benefit from. It is a simple process of looking "back" and "forward" through the last/next decade. You basically choose the three things you are most proud of in the last decade and dig a little into the "why" behind those. Then you shift the focus on the future...

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Alfred and Eleanor Wilcox were two of my favorite people on earth. When I was first born, our family lived with them in New York for those first years of my life they introduced me to the concept of "home". As I grew up, and our family relocated all over New England, we always found a way to get back to Alfred and Eleanor's house for the holidays. "Nana" and "Bampa" were their "real" names for all four of us grandkids. The smell of Nana's cooking and Bampa's ever-present smile were always a highlight for our visits. Of course, actually FINDING Bampa sitting down in one place long enough to see the smile was always a challenge. As I look back now it is obvious that lots of care, love, time and hard work went into creating that atmosphere that we looked forward to and appreciated so much.

Shortly after their passing, a strange...

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I'm a huge fan of Calvin and Hobbes. If you haven't had the pleasure of those comic strips, run-don't-walk to your local bookstore and grab one of the collections. You won't regret it and your family will continue to enjoy it for years. One of the sadder storylines Bill Watterson told was when Calvin's home was broken into and burglarized. He did a great job of eliciting the fear and vulnerability that Calvin's mom and dad felt after coming home to that scene. You feel like a stranger in your own home. And you have certainly lost all sense of safety and comfort inside those 4 walls. Of course Calvin was mostly concerned that they stole the television!

This is the time of year when many of us are hitting the road. Whether to head off on a skiing (or more likely - beach) adventure or simply visiting family and friends for the holidays...

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I played hooky last Monday. I know! You are likely saying: "Who takes the Monday off after an extra-long holiday weekend?" This guy. That's who. We had 12 people at the house over the weekend and only the remaining 2 were left on Monday. We all decided to venture up into the mountains and go sledding. Yes, I'm talking about hiking up a mountain trail and then hopping on a sled (hanging your legs off the front to slow down) and screaming (literally and figuratively) down the trail. A more fun Monday has never been had.

This time of year there seems to be a plethora of extended weekends, holiday breaks and simple days taken off. And if you are not in the camp of those of us willing to step away from the computer, we collectively feel bad for you and are now encouraging you to take that break. We all k...

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