N e x t D o o r N e i g h b o r sHomeGardenNowI N D O O R S!By Greg Lilly, EditorHydroponics loosely means workingwater (from the Greek hydro “water” and ponos“labor”) according to Crystal Mihansky.She and her husband, Bill, have employed thisancient and eco-friendly method of growingplants for years. Six and a half years ago theyopened a local hydroponics store and nurserycalled Let It Grow to help introduce hydroponicsto the region.The basic concept of hydroponics is to recreatethe growing environment indoors thatplants usually have outdoors, but with lessPipe Replacement SpecialistPolybutylene (PB) pipes tend to crack and split with age. Homes that havepipes made from PB could experience leaking pipes and water damage.Call me to replace or repair your problem pipes!• Specializing in interior PB Pipe Replacement since 1995• New pipes installed using CPVC or Copper• First Class workmanship at a fair price• Expert drywall repairs included in your quoted priceVirginia Class A Licensed and Insured Plumbing & Building ContractorJohn A. Tompkins & Son32 Years Plumbing ExperienceCall for More Information and a FREE QUOTE.757-221-0019 (Office) 703-803-7776 (Cell)www.metroplumbing.com40 NEXT DOOR NEIGHBORSMARCH2011Lisa W. Cumming PhotographyAll Soaked Pressure WashingSiding • Decks • Sidewalks • Driveways • Patios • Boats and more!“ I prepare your estimate and I dothe work. When you do businesswith All Soaked Pressure Washing,you do business with me. I lookforward to serving you!”~ Tommy Hayes, OwnerInSuREdResidential & CommercialFREE ESTIMATES(757) 768-9158www.all-soaked.com
mess and more control over theconditions.“We take away the soil,” Crystalexplains. “The soil has two purposes:an anchoring system and thenutritional base for the plant. Wetake the soil away and apply thenutrition through the water, whichrecycles, and we use a different mediumto anchor the roots, like rocksor sand.”This method can work for mostplants and is only limited by a gardener’simagination. “And space,”Bill adds. “You can grow anythingfrom herbs to tomatoes and peppers,but you need to consider theheight of the plant and how muchroom you have to work with.”Crystal agrees. “If you can growit outside, you can recreate the environmentand grow it inside too,”she adds. “We’ve grown bananatrees inside, pineapples, and othertropical plants.”Bill and Crystal met when he wasworking in Florida and she was onvacation there. The romance blossomed,and Crystal moved south tobe with Bill. “We started our familyin Florida,” she says. Even thoughthey resided in a tropical climate,the young couple lived in apartmentsand didn’t have the outdoorspace to raise fresh herbs and vegetables.That started their interest inhydroponics.Their son was the first grandsonfor both sides of their family. Billand Crystal wanted him to be closerto the grandparents. “Bill is fromNew Jersey originally,” Crystal says.“I’m from North Carolina. Virginiaseemed like a midpoint. Everythingwe read about Virginia pointed to<strong>Williamsburg</strong> – family-oriented,tourism economy.” Both of themhad been working in the restaurantindustry at that time and knew <strong>Williamsburg</strong>had job opportunity.What is home staging and whydo Realtors® recommend it?PILAND:Whether you are currently inthe real estate market or not, youhave probably heard of home staging.Within the past several yearsit has become a commonplaceterm in the real estate industry.Many people think of it as a wayto prepare your house for sale, butit is much more than that.Home staging is about creatingthe most positive first impressionpossible about your home and creatinga positive feel or perceptionabout it in the mind of the personviewing your home. Professionalhome stagers are highly skilled attheir craft and are experts at recommendingways you can improvethe odds of selling your home.Home staging can make a differencetoo. In a recent nationalsurvey based upon Today’s Market,non-staged homes stayed on themarket an average of 145 dayswhile staged homes stayed on themarket for an average of 29 days.(www.stagedhomes.com/mediacenter/stagingstatistics.php)An Interview with Nan PilandPRESIDENT OF WILLIAMSBURG AREA ASSOCIATION OF REALTORS ®When you listyour home forsale you typicallywant to put yourbest foot forward by cleaning itthoroughly, making minor repairsand de-cluttering it.Home staging takes it onemore step - and that step is important.A professional homestager will evaluate your homeand make recommendationsthat may include some verybasic tasks: removing personalitems from bathrooms, removingevidence of pets, turning allthe lights on in the home, havingthe home furnished ratherthan empty (if you have alreadymoved out), removing garbagecans, removing personal photographs,painting walls neutralcolors and more.Additional recommendationsmay be to arrange sparse piecesof furniture in an attractive vignette,showcase soft fabricssuch a silk, satin or lambs wool,add unique items to shelving,bookcases and other areas of thehome to draw attention to thoseareas. Home stagers will provideyou with other creative ways tomake your home fresh, open andappealing while removing yourpersonality and tastes in decor toQ & AEmail Nan at info@waarealtor.comallow the viewer to project theirown personality on the home beingconsidered.Home staging is smart toconsider anytime you want tosell your home but it is especiallyvaluable in a competitivemarketplace where there are anumber of homes on the marketsimilar to yours in the same pricerange. Just as an artist can visualizewhat to put on a blank canvasto bring it to life with color andbeauty, a home stager can visualizeopportunities to bring outthe best visually in your home sothat the presentation to a potentialhome buyer is the very bestit can be.Similar to other professionalservice, not all home stagers arealike. Your Realtor® is a goodperson to consult with to helpyou select the right home stagerto help you accelerate the saleof your home. Costs vary dependingon the professional youchoose and the depth of servicesprovided but like most expenses,the cost is relative to the returnon investment. If a professionalhome stager can help you sellyour home sooner that’s moneyin the bank!www.WAARealtor.com.<strong>Williamsburg</strong> Area Association of Realtors ®757-253-00285000 New Point Road, Suite 1101 <strong>Williamsburg</strong>, <strong>VA</strong> 23188-9418www.waarealtor.comNEXT DOOR NEIGHBORSMARCH2011 41
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