“You don’t need to see the whole staircase, just take the first step”
Martin Luther King Jr
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Tag Archives: Escanaba
Besse Park
This park is one of my absolute favorites to bring the kids. It is family friendly for kids of all ages. One great feature is the rubber underneath all the equipment making falls less harsh. It is located at the intersection of 8th Avenue and 30th Street in a quiet part of town. There are baby swings, a tire swing, slides, climbing and more! We choose this park often and especially on the brisk days it is too cold to be right next to the lake. See this link for the informational handout from the City of Escanaba about this park.
Home Buying with Furry Friends
One of the advantages of owning your home is the freedom to have pets in your house. According to the American Pet Product Association 68% of American households have pets. That’s about 85 million people.
Our family had a dog for nearly the last decade and the freedom to let our dog out and have a place for her to roam around was very crucial. At some times over those years we rented and at some times we owned. When renting, it proved especially difficult trying to find a place that would work for our family and our dog as well. With home ownership, you get to decide if you want to add add a pet as a family member to your home without needing it to be approved by your landlord.
Questions to consider if you do have pets and are buying a home:
1.) How much space do you need?
2.) Does the home have a fenced in yard?
3.) Do you need to register your pet with the city?
4.) Is there somewhere you can put your pet in the home if they can’t be out when visitors are over?
5.) Is there enough space to accommodate your family and your pet?
Once we finally purchased our current home, our dog truly seemed more at peace than ever. She knew she was finally home.
Real Estate Fact of the Day
Did you know that the famous “Hollywood” sign was originally constructed as a way to sell real estate?
Consider the curb appeal when selling your home
Put yourself in the shoes of potential buyers. The curb appeal will be what potentially draws them in to look at your home. Anything, that makes your home look more appealing as someone drives by refers to curb appeal. What do they see: Is the home inviting or does it look like it needs extensive work? What could make your home look more desirable than other homes in your neighborhood?
Improving your homes curb appeal may determine if a potential buyer actually decides to enter your home.
Examples to help your home look better during the drive by:
- Keep your lawn mowed and neat
- Give a fresh coat of paint to peeling trim or doors
- Trim or remove overgrown shrubs and trees
- Remove weeds and plant tasteful plants or flowers near your home
- Sweep brush and dirt from sidewalks and driveways
Check out some tips from realtor.com to help you add instant curb appeal for under $200.
Quote of the Day
“Paths are made by walking”
Franz Kafka
Fishing dock in Escanaba
Do you you love to fish? If so, the Escanaba area is the perfect place to buy a house. The fishing on the Bays De Noc is so good, several professional fishing tournaments have been hosted here. The Bays are known for the awesome walleye fishing. Other types of fishing include salmon, bass and whitefish. During the winter, you will see countless ice shanties on the bay as people additionally enjoy ice fishing. Click on the linked words above for more local information about fishing. Also, check out this guide from the DNR.
Guess what time of year it is
Spring is coming and what does that mean, besides the weather beginning to warm up and the flowers beginning to bloom? Its also Spring cleaning! It is that time of the year when we go through all our belongings and determine what we need and what we could live without. This is especially important when you are buying or selling your home. Spring cleaning can help streamline both the buying and selling process. Let me give you a couple of examples:
Buyer: If you have a large amount of personal belongings that you need to pack and bring to the new place, it can be very stressful. In my family’s experience, the less stuff we have to take with us the easier the transition seems. It becomes less daunting to pick up and move if there a great deal less to pack.
Seller: For prospective buyers, the more stuff you have in the home, the harder it may be for them to picture themselves in the home. They could become overwhelmed by all of your stuff and decide that it would take too much room for them to “make it their own”. It helps to organize your main living areas and even tidy up closets to give the buyer space to see living there.
Spring offers us a chance each year to in a sense, “begin anew” to lighten our load if you will. I would recommend that you look around this Spring to see how you can lighten up. Sometimes it can be overwhelming to know where to begin. Here’s a tip a family member previously shared with us: If we haven’t used it in a year, you may want to consider getting rid of it.
Happy Spring Cleaning!
Reasons I choose to live in the UP
My family has lived in different areas throughout the years. Soon after my wife and I had our first son we moved home to the UP. We decided to pack up and drive north to leave the hustle and bustle of the city behind. There are many reasons we were called home to build our life.
1.) The people- Yoopers are a very special type of people. The people who live here have your back. I once broke down in Crystal Falls on my way home to Hancock. A local repair garage owner, who I did not know, offered to drive me the hour and a half home. This is one example of many.
2.) Pace of life- this is huge for me, personally. Living in the U.P. offers a significantly slower pace of life I have come to appreciate. In the city, my wife and I both had long commutes in heavy traffic. Now we are both minutes from work and love the extra time we have with our boys.
3.) Nature- the vast amount of wildlife and landscapes are truly breathtaking. There is continually more to explore and appreciate. Locally around town we are always heading out on an adventure to a trail, park or beach to enjoy as a family.
4.) The “big lakes”- there is always something to do at the lake and this is where my wife says her “soul feels free”. Something about water as far as the eyes can see make me reflect on life.
Quote of the Day
“The more sand that has escaped from the hourglass of our life, the clearer we should see through it”
Jean-Paul Sartre
Upper Peninsula Homes 