The kitchen is part of a home where people spend a lot of quality time. It’s very special, more so than most of the other rooms.

How can you make your kitchen stand out from other kitchens people might see when shopping for a home? Staging!

Staging is when you decorate a room to be more appealing to home buyers. It’s important to keep your personal items out and put in things that appeal to a larger group of people. Personal touches are perfect when it’s your home, but you are trying now to entice someone else to make it their home.

In this month’s Item of Value, get tips on how to stage your kitchen. Click here to read the full report.

October Calendar of Events

Lots of activities are happening in October around Baltimore. There is still a little time to celebrate outdoors. These activities include Fleet Week, theater, art and other cultural events.

Image: Maryland Fleet Week & Air Show.

Maryland Fleet Week and Air Show on October 3-9 in the Inner Harbor, Baltimore.

Image: Chesapeake Shakespeare Company

She Stoops to Conquer at the Chesapeake Shakespeare Company through October 21, 2018.

Image: John Waters. Divine in Ecstasy. 1992. Collection of Amy and Zachary Lehman. © John Waters, Courtesy Marianne Boesky Gallery.

John Waters – Indecent Exposure through January 6, 2019. Retrospective organized by the BMA examines John Waters’s influential career.

Image: Baltimore Running Festival

Baltimore Marathon will be dow...

Thanks to Mark Hines of Fidelity Bank for this episode of Tips from the Pros about mortgages.

As expected the Feds raised interest rates 25 bps to 5.25% on Wednesday, noting that job growth has been “strong” and inflation has been close to their 2.0% target.  In addition, a larger majority of members (12 up from 8 last meeting) now expect an additional 25 bps hike by year-end and three more hikes in 2019.

The Prime rate is for short term lending like revolving charge accounts and HELOC’s (Home Equity Line Of Credit). This also affects the construction loans that rely on the prime rate as their benchmark.

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Thanks to Cindy Bernstein of Aim4Order for this episode of Tips from the Pros about organizing mistakes.

Some people believe if their home is clean, it’s organized. That is not necessarily true. Clutter can be hidden in closets or under beds. People may have trouble finding things because they don’t have storage containers clearly labeled.

How do you make sure you don’t take these organizing missteps?

Kitchen counters

You don’t have to have your kitchen counters completely clear. If you use your toaster every morning, keep it on the counter. Putting it away and taking it out every day is a waste of time. However, if you only use it every now and then, it makes sense to keep it off the counter.

Entryway

A completely clear entryway can make it hard to find a place for your coat,...

Thanks to Tom Benisch of State Farm for this episode of Tips from the Pros about what to store in the garage.

It’s easy for a garage to turn into a catchall storage unit. For most items that’s fine, but some things simply don’t belong in a garage, and they can even become a home hazard without proper storage protection. This list of common red-flag items can help identify what doesn’t belong in the garage.

• Extra fuel. Stashing portable gas cans and propane tanks in the garage can be dangerous: Highly flammable fuel poses a leaking risk. If you store any fuel in the garage, do so only in dedicated, leak-proof containers out of the reach of children and pets and away from potential sources of ignition such as water heaters or power tools...

7830 Charlesmont Rd.

Very well maintained Dundalk end of group townhome at 7830 Charlesmont Rd. This home has an enclosed front porch with off street parking...

34 Elinor Ave.

Here it is, the one you’ll want to call home! This delightful single family colonial at 34 Elinor Ave., Baltimore County is perched on a large corner lot...

201 Janet Ct.

So much more space than one would imagine in this meticulously maintained Chartley home. It’s located at 201 Janet Ct...

Smoke detectors in Maryland homes

As you probably know, the law changed on January 1, 2018 about smoke detectors in Maryland.

You now must have a 10 year battery and the alarm needs to have a silence or hush feature. You have to have a smoke detector in every level of your home, including the basement. The smoke detector must be less than 10 years old.

If you don’t have the required smoke detectors in your home and you are selling the home, you are subject to a fine. Avoid the fine and update your smoke detectors to the required hardware.

Get the full details about home smoke detector legal standards by clicking here for a PDF infographic with all of the information you need.