Archive for May, 2008
Presto, Change-O in West Hartford
Some people balk at the difference staging can make when selling a house. Well, let me tell you, I’m a believer.
I recently listed a house in West Hartford that was staged to sell. I’ll be writing a more detailed blog about the process once it closes (it just went under contract today, after 7 days on the market), but I want to give you a preview of what a difference staging can make.
This was the Dining Room of the home before staging…
And this is the Dining Room after staging…
Would you have ever guessed this was the same room? Me either!
Be on the lookout for a more extensive blog on this home, and even more before and after pictures, in the middle of June.
Fleming’s- Blue Back Square, West Hartford
I’m typically not a “fancy steakhouse” kinda girl. When it comes to restaurants, I’m more of a “hole in the wall” kinda girl. But when I received an unexpected $100 grand opening gift certificate from Fleming’s a few weeks ago, I said “Put on your fancy pants Kyle, we’re going out!”
Fleming’s Prime Steakhouse & Wine Bar recently opened in Blue Back Square in West Hartford. Comparable chain steakhouses in the area would be Morton’s in Downtown Hartford or Ruth’s Chris in Newington. Non-chain comparable establishments in the area would be Max’s Downtown or J. Gilberts (okay, J. Gilberts is a tiny chain, 4 locations nationally).
So this past Sunday, Kyle and I put on our dressy digs and headed out to Fleming’s.
A few disclaimers about our visit. We don’t drink, so the “Wine Bar” portion of the experience is completely wasted on us and I can’t comment on that. Also, we are one of those lame couples that dresses the same (quite unintentionally) and tend to eat the same thing, so our menu choices were not diverse, therefore the review will only be on a few items. We’re not professional restaurant critics, after all…
We booked a reservation for 5:45pm and were promptly seated at a booth, after being offered the choice of a table or booth. Nice touch!
I was offered a black napkin when being seated. After giving a quizzical look, “Have I done something wrong? Black napkin?,” I was told “Because you’re wearing dark pants.” Clearly an indication that I don’t belong at a place like this. Any who…
The main dining room was very dark, lots of rich wood accents, high ceilings. There was also funky/rocker music playing in the background, which I found to be a nice, non-stodgy touch.
Our server was pleasant enough and quickly brought us some toasty bread pieces and spreads for smearing. Yum!
Fleming’s is your typical steak house where everything is served a la carte. We each ended up getting their Prime Rib Dinner, available only on Sundays. It includes a choice of salad, a side dish, a 12 oz. prime rib, and a dessert. All for $35. This was a great deal, considering what everything was priced at individually. Because we had $100 to spend and don’t drink, we also threw in an appetizer and an additional side dish.
Here’s our review for the items we ordered…
French Onion Soup: Good. Not the best I’ve ever had, but good. And why do I always burn my mouth when I eat this stuff?
Wedge Salad: Great. Really wonderful blue cheese dressing.
Caesar Salad: Good. Caesar-y, as Kyle said.
Plain Mashed Potatoes: Okay. Not fantastic.
Asparagus: Somewhat charred from the grilling. Just okay.
Onion Rings: Good. Served with an interesting sauce. But way too many. We only ate 2 and there was a huge pile left.
Prime Rib: Super. Cooked just like we ordered. Very tender. Not too fatty. Three side sauces that were briefly tried and abandoned.
Chocolate Lava Cake: Holy cow. The best chocolate lava cake I’ve ever had. And I’m a connoisseur of chocolate lava cake, so this is a well researched review.
All in all, it was a good meal. It’s somewhat comparable to Morton’s, but I think I like Morton’s a little better (granted, I’ve only be there twice). I would go back to Fleming’s if I had a special occassion, and it was Sunday. Otherwise, I’ll stick to my new favorite “hole in the wall.”
Bon appetit!
Open House DOs and DON’Ts
As a buyer, visiting open houses is a helpful way for you to see several homes that might meet your needs, in a short timeframe. It’s also a great way to understand different neighborhoods, and pricing for houses in those neighborhoods.
I host quite a few open houses on a yearly basis and typically I’ll see something new at each open house. These are the tips I’ve come up with for buyers to get the most out of an open house and make your visit enjoyable for both you and the sellers.
Please Do…
1. Sign in. You are a guest in the home and it is nice for the homeowner to know who stopped by their house.
2. Ask questions. Want to know something about the mechanicals of the house? How about potential for changing a floor plan or room use? Some agents have very good vision and can help you see alternate uses that would better fit your needs and lifestyle. Take advantage of their skills.
3. Talk to the neighbors about the neighborhood. They will tell you what they like about the street and what they don’t. Try to talk to a few people to get a balanced view.
4. Take measurements if you need to. Some people have large pieces of furniture that they can’t live without. Will the house accomodate them? Carry a small tape measure with you for quick measurements.
5. Tell me what you do and don’t like about the house. Maybe I have suggestions for how to overcome the “don’t likes.” This feedback is also helpful for me to give to the seller. If we see a pattern of “don’t likes,” it may be necessary to address them, if possible.
6. Stay as long as you like. Some people are in and out of a house in 5 minutes. Others stay for an hour talking about room possibilities or looking over every nook and cranny. If you are staying a long time, please just don’t ask the agent a lot of personal questions. The “creepy” factor comes in to play and agents have actually called the police in the past.
7. Watch your children. We encourage sellers to remove valuables and breakables to avoid any problems, but it’s important to make sure kids aren’t touching personal items. Also, please encourage them to walk through the house and speak in a quiet voice.
Please Don’t…
1. Take anything from the home, other than the paperwork provided by the agent. Seriously, this means no fruit from fruit bowls in the kitchen, flowers from the inside or outside of the house, pet toys, etc. Would you want an unknown person helping themselves to your things? Probably not. Please extend the same courtesy to the sellers.
2. Ask to use the bathroom or use the bathroom without asking. There are lots of people in the house. They are opening doors to see what is behind each of them. No one wants to be involved in an embarassing moment.
3. Ask me what the sellers do for a living. It really has no bearing on whether or not you like the house.
4. Open furniture drawers. Looking in cabinets to understand storage space and quality of craftsmanship is fine. Opening someone’s clothes dresser that will not be sold with the house is not.
5. Ask me if the house is overpriced. I represent the sellers and will never tell you that a house is overpriced. Ever. Even if in my opinion it is. If you’re interested in the house, I would always encourage you to work with your buyer’s agent to put in an offer. They will help you understand if the pricing is fair and we will work together to try and get you and the sellers on the same page.
Happy open housing!