After living in the same house for 28 years, Marian Magiera’s life was, well, predictable. Until now. At the age of 66 she is getting married, taking a long-planned trip to Australia with a girlfriend and moving into a new townhouse in Hickory Hills.
“Getting married is not that unusual by itself but this will be my first marriage,” she said with a shy smile. “It took me that long to find the right one.”
Marian and her fiance, Frank Waligoria, have spent the summer making wedding plans and figuring out how to combine two households into one. Frank has already moved out of his house, where he lived for 44 years. Marian’s next project is to get her Park Forest home ready for sale. They expect the townhouse to be ready about Nov. 1.
When Marian wrote us asking for advice, we called in Barbara J. Fundich of Coldwell Banker 1st American in Homewood. She agreed to meet with Marian and Frank and offer spruce-up suggestions so they can get the best possible price for the home.
Built in the 1960s, Marian’s three-bedroom ranch home is located in a residential neighborhood near shopping and major highways. The exterior is brick and siding. Features include 1 1/2 baths, a formal dining room, an eat-in kitchen, a utility room and a one-car attached garage. Most of the walls are painted white and the carpeting is medium beige. The back yard has a patio and is heavily landscaped for privacy. The house is built on a slab.
“I have an idea what needs to be done but if someone gives me a professional (evaluation), so much the better,” Marian told Fundich.
Neatness counts
“I think you’ve done a great job at keeping the house clean and well-kept,” said the broker. “One of the biggest selling points is neatness. People don’t think enough about that. Buyers shop and compare. They purchase what gives them the most value for their dollar.”
Marian correctly anticipated that Fundich would comment on her many collectibles. A wall of shelves in the living room is lined with music boxes, bells and a Christmas village.
“The shelving unit is the focal point and detracts from the rest of the room,” Fundich said. “I’m not suggesting you remove the shelving unit, but you have to pack anyway.”
“Just thin it out,” said Frank in agreement.
Before showing the home, kitchen clutter should also be cleared, the broker added. The breakfast area appears smaller than it is because of the surrounding entertainment unit, shelving unit and humidifier. The collection of milk glass dishes standing along the plate rail is both subtle and attractive; it can stay, said Fundich.
“I hadn’t thought that much about the kitchen,” Marian said. “I’ve lived here so long I don’t notice it.”
The bedrooms are neatly appointed without an overstock of furniture. In the one used as an office, Fundich advised removing the orange draperies and letting the white sheers underneath suffice. The heavy window treatment is a bit dated, she explained.
`Pastel jungle’
The full bath is papered in a neutral geometric print. Fundich didn’t have a problem with it. However, the wallpaper in the half bath is a tropical print in pink, peach and green. A better choice would be something neutral and on a smaller scale, she said. The curtains, made from bath towels, overpower the small room. The window is frosted glass, so a lightweight or sheer fabric would be suitable, she said.
“I knew you were going to bring up the wallpaper,” Marian said. “I used to call it my pastel jungle.”
Frank is temporarily storing some of his possessions at the house. The one room that seems cramped is the dining room. In addition to a fold-up table that seats 12, the furnishings here include a buffet and hutch plus two oversized easy chairs. One way to clear space would be to remove the artificial fireplace that juts into the room, Fundich said. “It isn’t serving any real purpose.”
Marian agreed that it’s a good idea. “It’s either get rid of Frank or get rid of the fireplace. I’ll get rid of the fireplace.”
