Posts by : Laura Macdonald

I recently had a discussion with a client about needing a home office. With a rising number of people working from home, the want/need to have a private and dedicated workspace in our homes has increased significantly. For this particular client, she is needing a private office space, but doesn't have a spare room to create a good work area. So here is what I suggested...

You can use your guest bedroom as an office space as well. This is probably a really easy way to develop that work space. You can get creative with multi-functioning furniture for your desk and still have the space warm and welcoming to your guests. If your guest room isn't very big, you can always consider getting a ...

With 2021 finally arriving, you might be thinking about what home projects you want to work on this year. There are so many things to consider: remodeling to sell or remodeling to "live in," budget and what projects need to be done first. 

The number one way to efficiently and effectively get your Home Improvements completed while being budget conscious is to have a plan! If you develop a roadmap for each improvement you have in mind, it helps you avoid getting too many ideas at once and spending more than you anticipated or even wanted to. A plan will help you stay the course and actually complete those improvements sooner.

Click Here to get your printable Home Improvement Planning G...

I have a big hack for you today when it comes to saving money and being more eco-friendly when it comes to those home renovations. When saving money and saving the ecosystem coincide, that is a big win in my eyes, AND to be able to accomplish both of these while making improvements to your home is another big plus. Here's how you can make this a reality in Springfield MO!

Have you heard of the Habitat for Humanity Restore? If you haven't, now is the time to take a look and give them a visit. Habitat for Humanity is a non-profit organization with a belief that every person deserves a safe and affordable place to call home. They help improve or build around 107 homes each year to help pr...

I think we can all agree that we are ready for a new start and are ready to welcome 2021. There is no doubt that we have spent more time in our homes this year more than any other year. What does this lead to? New home trends that we can expect to see in 2021. I have been surprised by some of these predictions, but they all make sense because of the living style that we have experienced this year.

The "Cloffice"

Yes, that is a new, unofficial term that we are starting to talk about. Not everyone has an extra space in their home to create a home office, and this year, we learned that we NEED an office space in our home. So what do you do if you don't have an extra room for an office? C...

I have always been passionate about supporting local businesses in #417land. This year, I know many of our small business have been facing many unforeseen challenges. With that, I would like to encourage my readers/followers to please SHOP LOCAL for the holidays. 

I have compiled a list of some businesses that have great gifts for anyone in your family. Many of them have an option to order online. To visit their website, simply click the name of the business.

CULTURE FLOCK

SOAP REFILL STATION

5 POUND APPAREL

HOUSE COUNSEL

THE LOCAL BEVY

BOOKMARX

There are so many more options, but this is a great list to get you started. Happy Holiday Season!

As many of us know, the popularity of Air BnB's has continued to grow. Many people are searching for a unique place to stay that is reasonably priced. So, the question is, is it as easy as purchasing a property and putting it on a website? Not necessarily.

Last year, Springfield MO introduced several new regulations in regards to short term rentals. It is important to educate yourself before making that investment. You can find many of these new regulations here:

https://www1.springfieldmo.gov/bills_pdfs/ORD6497.pdf

For more information and an overview of what you need to know, here is a video you can check out:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jiFRnIRKNnM

If you have any specific q...

Veteran's day is coming up next week. In honor of our heroes, I recently joined a program called Homes for Heroes. This program helps Veterans and active military purchase their own home, provided them savings in multiple ways. 

I am a Homes for Heroes Real Estate Specialist. They also have specialists that I can put you in touch with when it comes to your mortgage and closing, all providing more savings to our heroes that deserve it.

Please let the Veterans and active military in your life know about this program. If you would like more information, please email me at lmacdonald@swmrealty.com

Let's help our heroes get into a home of their dreams!

For more information about this pro...

It's Halloween!! I want to take the time and wish all of my readers, clients and followers a happy and safe Halloween this year!

If you are wondering the best way to celebrate Halloween safely this year, I have mentioned in a previous post some events taking place in our area that will be implementing several safety practices this year. You can find those events here.

For more recommendations about celebrating and protecting yourself, you can read the CDC's recommendations here.

Happy Halloween!

In true 2020 fashion, Halloween is going to look a little different this year. We were just discussing today how we would like to safely celebrate this year. I have gathered a few events that will be taking place outdoors that would be fun for all ages. We are definitely missing times before 2020, but it is great to have organizations in our community who are getting creative so we can all still enjoy this season! For details to each of these events, click the title for location, dates and times.

NIXA PUMPKIN HAUNT

Explore this outdoor porch in Nixa MO with over 560 jack-o-lanterns!!

TRICK OR TREAT WITH THE SHOPPES AT THE VALLEY

Visit the Shoppes at the Valley in Ozark for som...

Covid 19 has changed just about every industry out there. Throughout the Real Estate Industry, we weren't sure what things were going to look like during a pandemic. Thankfully, people are still buying and selling houses. Because of this, I wanted to make sure that I keep each client as safe as possible, no matter whether they are the buyer or seller.

I decided to earn my "Move Safe Certification" through Homelight to make sure I am taking every step I can to keep my clients safe. Buying or selling a house is a big deal and my clients don't need additional stress if we can prevent it.

I am proud to have taken the steps as your REALTOR to protect you each step of the way. If you ...

It can be difficult to understand all of the options, opportunities and avenues to explore when you decide to buy a new home. We start researching neighborhoods in the area, deciding what our needs and wants are in our new house and we begin figuring out our budget to make these dreams come true. Topics that may be a bit more difficult to determine for ourselves when buying a house can include programs made to support you when buying or selling a home. There are so many programs that are made for specific fields of professionals, there are grants available for those within specific income guidelines, etc. Today, I want to talk about the Homes for Heroes program that I am involved with.

So far, this is a Summer like we have never experienced. It can be hard to know what is safe to do and what isn't. As businesses and attractions re-open, they are all taking precautions to increase the safety of guests. It is always important to make the decision that is best for you and your family, but if you do feel comfortable getting out and about, things have started to reopen, giving you more ideas for some Summer fun.

Of course, I have seen many people enjoying the local parks, rivers and outdoors, which is a great idea! Check out my post featuring the local parks by clicking here. 

Here are a couple of local attractions that have recently opened up (with precautions and safet...

Springfield MO has some exciting new business opening up by the end of this month. New food, entertainment and shopping are here! Springfield has been know as a very loyal community that supports their businesses. Let's treat ourselves and give these businesses an appropriate Springfield welcome (while physically distancing).

First up is Sweet Boy's Neighborhood Bar, which is located where Scotch & Soda used to be. They are going to be offering some inventive and delicious sounding drinks. Their open date is scheduled for 6/19/2020. Go check them out!

Next up is Niji Sushi Bar and Grill in the Galloway Creek area.This is Springfield's newest Japanese fine dining restaurant. If you are...

One of my favorite things about this area are all of the walking/biking trails and parks. From wanting a relaxing stroll to an intense bike ride, there is a trail that you will fall in love with. Not only that, but we have so many parks! Gorgeous parks! Here are a few of my favorites in the area!

Sequiota Park

Sequiota has become an all time favorite over the years. I've gone biking, walking and just went to enjoy the scenery. This park contains an entrance to a cave! Once a year, a guided canoe tour is led through the cave where you can site some bats from time to time! If you prefer paved trails, there are plenty of those, but they also have unpaved trails that are an enjoyable and ...

We have a couple of weeks until it's time to celebrate the amazing dads out there. As I did last year, I have put together a few ideas of unique gift ideas to really surprise him this year. If you don't find the perfect gift here, maybe it can give you some inspiration.

Dad Jokes

Does your dad like to crack the cheesiest jokes?! Might as well fuel the flame at this point and get him this set of Dad joke cards. They are an affordable gift option and I'm sure your dad will love it. Guaranteed "laffy taffy" funny.

Drink Chilling Coasters

You actually chill these stone coasters in your freezer and it will help keep dads beverage of choice cold much longer. This is especially a great...

I'm not sure how many days in a row it has been raining here in Springfield at this point. It's been several (and I'm sure several of us are looking for an opportunity to mow our lawns!!) This area experiences a good amount of rain during the Spring season, giving us some beautiful flowers to look at. But what about the house? Have you been keeping up with the necessary maintenance to prep your home for this much rain? Here are 3 things I suggest you do to keep you worry free as it keeps pouring outside.

CLEAN OUT THOSE GUTTERS

This is a home chore that gets overlooked A LOT! It may not seem like a big deal, but keeping moisture away from your home and it's foundation is a very big ...

It seems like a while ago, but things became very uncertain when the Coronavirus started to officially meet pandemic status. At first, I remember us all sharing different thoughts and opinions about how this new virus would affect us, and it was hard to know, because this was something known of us had experienced before. It was and still is hard to find accurate information, especially since it is so easy to find conflicting information. It didn't take us long to realize that this in fact would have a very direct impact on our lives as well as our careers. 

The first phase seemed like the questioning phase. What are we, as Real Estate professionals going to do? How are we going to get ...

Did you know that Mother's day is this Sunday, the 10th? Yes, this Sunday. Our minds are a bit distracted as 2020 has been anything but normal. That doesn't mean we don't want to make all of the moms out there feel appreciated on their day. Since many of us may not be able to see our mothers this year, I have put together some ideas that can be delivered to her door. These gifts are thoughtful gifts that may lift her spirits when we can't gather together this year.

A Magazine Subscription

Think about your mom's interests. Does she like crafts, art, gardening, etc? Get her a subscription to a magazine all about her favorite topics. You can usually pay for the full years subscription ...

This is a very different time that we are living in. We miss our family. We miss our friends. We canceled plans for events that are important to us. The health and safety of everyone at this time is very important and so is connection with those we care about. So how do we stay connected in a time like this?

If you haven't heard of Zoom yet, now might be a good time to look into it. It allows groups of people to come together for work or personal reasons and chat face to face (virtually). Not only can you catch up with those that you are missing, but people have started to get creative and started hosting fun events on zoom with their friends and family. Here are some fun ideas to ke...

If you are a fan of DIY projects, then you probably make changes to rooms in your home often. It's fun to change up accents, make something new (and it actually turn out nice), etc. You know what else makes DIY projects even more fun...when they are temporary. It's easy to spice up a space and then when you have a new idea, change it up just as easily as you did it. I am going to share some really neat, non-committal ideas for sprucing up different areas in your home. 

*These are also great ideas for updating your rental*

PEEL & STICK WALLPAPER

A home decor trend predicted for 2020 was bold colors and patterns. If you have ever had to remove traditional wallpaper, you know how diff...