The Carr Report

Moving with Kids

Gina Carr,
Advantage Team Leader.

said Cindy London. Cindy and husband Tony moved into Township Place from Charlotte last year. Since their children were teenagers, Danielle and Justin were pretty involved in the move.

Another tip is to let the children choose their decorating scheme. This really adds to the sense of ownership that children need to have for the new home.

Getting Acquainted.
One of the best ways to get your children acclimated to the new home is to invite the immediate neighbors over for a get acquainted party. Let the kids choose the theme — ice cream, luau, holiday, etc.

Mary Kay Newman recommends spending time on the weekends to explore the local attractions. "Most every weekend we go to see something special in the area. We've been to a lot of neat places," said Mary Kay.

Keeping in Touch.
I t's important for the children to keep in touch with old friends. Help them write letters and send frequent postcards. Make a picture of the new home with the family in front and use it as a change of address postcard. (Office supply stores sell postcard backs that make the process very easy.)

As the number one seller of homes in the 30189 zip code, Gina's team members are recognized as the experts in helping people buy and sell Towne Lake area homes. We hope that you love Gina's magazine, The TowneLaker, and that you will think of us, CENTURY 21 Advantage, first when you need to buy, sell, or lease real estate in the Towne Lake area

Visit us at ginacarr.com or
viewtownelakehomes.com.

What are some things I can do to make a move easier on my children?

There are several things you can do to make the move to your new home less stressful on your children.

Planning the Move.
One of the most important things you can do is to familiarize the children with their new home and emphasize the positive things about the move.

A recent corporate transfer brought long-time Chicago residents Mary Kay and Jim Newman to Eagle Watch with their young children Katie and Patrick. "We looked at the whole thing as an adventure. That seemed to get the kids really excited," said Mary Kay. "They (the kids) didn't come with us on the house-hunting trip so we video-taped everything — the house, the school, the pool. That made them a lot more comfortable."

Other things you can do to make leaving easier include having a goodbye party just for your kids and their friends. Be sure to have a camera and an address book handy. Let friends write goodbye notes on a T-shirt or in a book that your children will keep as a special memento.

Moving Day is typically the most stressful day of the entire move. It's a great day to let the children go spend one last day with friends or relatives. It's also a good idea to have one last meal at the family's favorite restaurant.

The New Home.
Make the first night in the new home a special occasion. Have a lemonade toast. Let each family member talk about what he or she likes best about the new home.

One of the most difficult decisions is deciding which child gets which room. Seniority seems to be a popular method.

"We let the oldest child choose first. That has worked well for us in all of our moves,"

Property Value Tip of the Month
Replace that carpet!

One of the most important things that you can do to get your home sold for top dollar in the least amount of time is to replace your worn carpet. This gives your home a major advantage over other competing homes and makes your home look fresh and updated. Don't worry about the color — just choose something neutral. In our area, carpet prices are very reasonable. Replacing carpet is a must-do for most serious home sellers!