Posts made by author 'Sprague and Curtis'

Birds are chirping and blossoms are beginning to emerge. Just as Mother Nature awakens from her long winter snooze, home buyers around Augusta, Maine are emerging from their homes to take a peek at the beautiful Augusta homes for sale this season. This can create competition for property and buying the home of your dreams requires strategic planning on your part. If you want to submit the right bid at the right time, the following are five tips for successful springtime home bidding we recommend.

1. Secure Pre-approval Locally
   Securing pre-approval shows the seller that you have the ability to purchase the home. This puts them at ease and gives you a little leverage to negotiate. When you secure the pre-approval from a local lender, you're likely to receive preference over competitors who have pre-approvals from online or out-of-area lenders.
   
   Don't forget to polish your credit before you go in to secure a mortgage preapproval. Make sure that the information is accurate and that any discrepancies are addressed. It's also advisable to pay as much of your debt down and take steps to improve your debt-to-income ratio.

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Are you considering a move to the Hallowell area? Perhaps you're already working with our real estate agents to find your next new home among Hallowell homes for sale, or maybe you're still making up your mind about whether or not our area is right for you. Whichever the case may be, you'll certainly want to get to know more about the area, and if you're an art lover, there's no better place to start than the Harlow Gallery.

About Harlow Gallery

The Harlow Gallery, located at 100 Water St. in Hallowell, has a long history in the area. It was founded by the Kennebec Valley Art Association over 50 years ago, opening its doors in 1963. Its mission was to ensure that Hallowell became a center of culture in the area, cultivating and supporting visual and performing arts. Over the years, the Harlow Gallery has offered art lessons for children, art workshops for adults, scholarships for young students and has hosted a variety of events, including arts balls, exhibitions, walks, and festivals, among many others—a tradition of service to the creative that continues to this day.

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Take a deep breath in.

Now exhale with a slow "Om."

Residents who value the calming effect of meditation know that Augusta and Hallowell are perfect places for a peaceful and relaxing yoga session. Our real estate agents know that a good instructor, class, and ambiance is key to helping you disconnect from the world and reconnect with your inner spirit. We've gathered a list of our five favorite yoga studios around town that we know will enrich your mind, body, and soul.

1. Harmonious Spirit, 74 Winthrop St., Augusta
   Seek inner harmony, and you shall find it at Harmonious Spirit. Right down the street from cozy Augusta homes for sale, this studio focuses on whole body wellness. Individual coaching or group classes are available for yoga, meditation, mindfulness, and stress management. Their additional services include reflexology, cupping, Reiki, and full-body massages. They even offer specialty services like infant massages and can provide in-home chair massages by request. Licensed massage therapist, registered yoga teacher, and Reiki II practitioner Hilary Spear will guide you through holistic practices that promote mindful living throughout your life.
   
   

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You've probably already done a lot to get your home ready to sell. There's deep cleaning, decluttering, and working on the curb appeal. But if you want to get your home sold as quickly as possible and for the best price, staging is a must. Our real estate agents can tell you, it really does make a difference!

According to the National Association of REALTORS®, staged homes can go for up to 10% more than comparable properties that aren't staged. Even if you're not an interior designer, don't worry. You can always hire a professional or try some of these easy DIY staging tips that can make a big difference.

• Don't be afraid to rearrange or repurpose. Once you've decluttered, you'll want to get rid of some furniture. Put it in storage, sell it, or get rid of it; just get it out of the house. Alternately, you may want to rent furniture instead of using your own. Rooms look bigger if they aren't overcrowded, and the size of the furniture makes a difference, too. Furniture should be a few inches off the wall and grouped. Living rooms and dining areas should look like an inviting social space, where you would want to have conversations with friends. Feel free to try pieces in different rooms.
  
  

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If you're looking for vintage or retro décor for your next home, Hallowell, Maine, has been a wonderful antiquing destination for decades. Their many unique antique stores have a wide variety of items big and small dating back from the 1800s and beyond. Our real estate agents at Sprague & Curtis Real Estate love getting lost in the relics of yesterday and have picked out a few of our favorite Hallowell antique shops for you to check out!

1. Hallowell Antique Mall - 191 Water St., Hallowell
   How could a stop at the antique capital of Maine not be on your antiquing list? The Hallowell Antique Mall has two buildings featuring 30 separate dealers that have thousands of treasures waiting to be found. In addition to a large selection of furniture, The Hallowell Antique Mall has a stunning collection of vintage clothing, military items, coins, tools, gifts and more. Swing on down to the largest antique store in town and discover what wonders await you near amazing Hallowell homes for sale.
   
   

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