Introducing Lyn Baker

Daytripping: Decluttering 101: Tips for Moving Charming New Kent Staging Your Home for Sale With Family Pets Celebrating the Region’s Most Influential Real Estate Professionals Running the Business of Family Lyn Baker REALTOR®, SFR, ABR A Conversation With A Professional Problem-Solver And 28-Year Resident of Chesterfield County



Rainmakers are selected based on their sales Lyn Baker accomplishments earning them a spot among the top 20% of Liz Moore & Associates’ top REALTOR®, SFR, ABR performers. In addition to sales volume standards, ALMA MATER Rainmakers share client-centric philosophies, a dedication to being masters of their craft, James Madison University and a commitment to giving back to the communities they serve. SUPERPOWER I am thrilled to have been selected as the featured Rainmaker for the month! I listen - and I remember! Lyn Baker KIDS I have 3 amazing adult children and 3 beautiful grandchildren ON MY BUCKET LIST Go up in a hot air balloon FAVORITE DESTINATION The beach of course! I LOVE RICHMOND because it has the small town feel with big city amenities Lyn’s responsiveness and preparation were outstanding. Ben Le

Rainmaker Spotlight: Lyn Baker BEING A Before Lyn Baker became a real estate agent eight years ago, she ran the small business of REALTOR® family. In other words, she was a stay-at-home mom who oversaw and facilitated the daily care and upkeep of her son, two daughters, her husband and her home in Chesterfield, Virginia, STARTS outside of Richmond. AT HOME While it was an organic decision, deciding to forego an established job for one with no pay, no health benefits and no promotions, it was not taken lightly. After all, Lyn had graduated from James Madison University with a B.S. in Political Science and Public Administration with an emphasis in Pre-Law and was working as a contract administrator for an environmental consulting firm before she married. She knew there would be benefits as well as sacrifices. However, the decision was made with great love and enthusiasm. “I was fortunate that my husband supported me. In fact, he often said I had the harder job.” Not only did Lyn handle the day-to-day business of managing a house as well as her family’s schedules, she also volunteered outside the home running the Ways and Means Committee for the elementary school PTA, assisting the Athletic Associations’ Booster Club, and volunteering as team manager for her youngest daughter’s soccer travel team. Her 13 years as a stay-at-home mom were a whirlwind of activity. Unlike most jobs, which end with an abrupt retirement, parenthood tends to wind down gradually, although it never truly ends. Lyn’s calendar, which for years had been inked full with the schedules and daily needs of five people, slowly began to show some white space. The weekends dominated by sports and kids’ activities began to open up. By the time her youngest daughter was a junior in high school, Lyn knew “it was time to do something I wanted to do.”

Real estate was the answer. Because Lyn’s father was a pilot in the Marines, she moved every two or three years until she was 18 years old, relocating to Marine air stations in North Carolina, Florida, Texas, California, even Hawaii. “I was a military brat, so I GET having to move. I know what my clients are going through,” says Lyn. “I am sympathetic to what it’s like making adjustments in neighborhoods, schools and friends.” Real estate was also a happy marriage of three of Lyn’s interests: Pre-law, her love for working with people, and business. Plus, it utilized a skill set she had honed everyday as the head of a business called family--problem solving and time management. “I know how to prioritize, budget my time and money, work with people, and be on call 24-7,” says Lyn who is an Accredited Buyer’s Rep (ABR) as well as a Short Sales and Foreclosure Resource (SFR). “As a problem solver, I know how to identify a problem, research answers and figure out the best solution. I have learned how to think outside of the box. If something is not fitting, I’ll stop and say let’s try another approach and go in another direction.” Her keen problem solving skills have served her many times over. For example, during the recession several years ago, a buyer who was moving to Richmond for employment was notified that he couldn’t qualify for a loan for another six months. Finding a family rental with a short-term lease was one issue. Finding the perfect home and coordinating the closing to correspond with the end of the rental lease was also a challenge. However, to Lyn, the real tragedy was that the family would have to move twice, once into the rental and once more into the home they purchased, all in six months. “I decided to go through all the active listings to match their needs and called agents to find a six-month lease purchase, so they would only have to move once,” says Lyn who has lived in the Chesterfield/Richmond area for 28 years. Problem solving also helps Lyn divine the true home needs of her buyers, even when they sometimes don’t know themselves. Recently, a couple, both of whom worked from home, was looking for a Colonial in a very narrow area of Richmond. After listening intently to them talk about their lifestyle, she suggested they look at a single-story transitional with a home office over the garage, in a different neighborhood. “They loved it and are as happy as can be,” says Lyn. “Sometimes it really is about listening to what people are saying and going outside the box.” Lyn does the same with her listings. “I look for that unique selling aspect of each listing that will make it a special home for someone.” Finding the perfect match, for buyers and sellers, is Lyn’s passion. After all, as the CEO of the Baker family, Lyn knows that home is the family command post. It’s where family gathers, connects, recharges and regroups. It’s where family begins.





DECLUTT1ER0IN1G HOME STAGING Home staging is one of the most powerful ways to help buyers imagine IS ONE OF THE themselves in your home and make them want to buy it. Decluttering is MOST POWERFUL the first, and most important step, in home staging. Removing clutter WAYS TO BOOST allows buyers to see the structure and space of your home. YOUR SELLING Sentimentality can be a powerful disincentive to declutter. You might feel guilty packing away your grandmother's china, or your ADVANTAGE budding Picasso’s finger paintings, but doing so allows your home to really be seen. Buyers need to be able to picture themselves living in your home, with their furniture and their belongings, and if too many of your things fill their field of vision, they might not be able to see their life there and they might walk away. Decluttering can be overwhelming, so we’ve broken it down and provided some helpful tips. Study your entire house. Go room-by-room, starting with the entryway. Try and view each room for the first time with a stranger’s eyes. Notice anything that sticks out? Try and make each room resemble a neatly organized, clean hotel. Taking it little by little makes the task more manageable rather than trying to tackle the entire house at once. 7

Making piles is very helpful. shine. A few well-placed home décor items can add sparkle to the space. Home stagers follow a “rule of As you go through each room, make a stack of items three” for clustering items into small groups to create to keep, one to donate, one to sell, and one to pack visual interest but not distract from the room. away. Evaluate the value, need, use, and sentimentality of every item, place it in one of the Purge attics, basements, and garages piles, and move on. This organized approach can make the task easier. of clutter. These storage spaces often don’t get much attention and quickly become cluttered, unorganized Creating a spreadsheet can also help. and untidy. Arranging items by type or holiday into clear, labeled tubs can help keep the space looking Each room will have different needs. Upon nice and neat while keeping you organized. It also evaluation, you might find one room needs new helps potential buyers see all of the storage space your paint, while another needs shelving for organization, home offers. and another needs boxes to pack excess items away. Organizing these tasks and needs into a spreadsheet Make sure your bathrooms are spotless. can help prioritize expenses and improvements. Not every house has a luxurious spa, but by cleaning Emptying closets makes a difference. your grout, tile, toilets and showers you can help your bathroom shine. Clearing off vanities and cleaning out Closets often become catchalls and graveyards; drawers, cabinets, and medicine cabinets can help when homeowners don't know what to do with buyers see the storage your bathroom offers and help something they often stash it in a closet and it them imagine their toothbrush by your sink. becomes forgotten with the out-of-sight out-of- mind mentality. A good rule of thumb is discarding Unfortunately, our homes can become cluttered on the anything you haven’t worn in the last year. Studies outside as well as the inside. Check around your show we only really wear about 20 percent of our home’s exterior for outdoor toys, decorations, and clothes and that extra space will make your closets natural clutter like leaves, branches, etc. This is also a look bigger and more attractive to buyers. great time to evaluate your home's overall curb appeal and make sure your home is making a good first Clearing off countertops impression. Lawns, shrubs, trees, and flower gardens should all be kept trimmed and tidy. and bookcases creates clean, visual lines and neutral style, allowing your home, and not your stuff, to You have loved your home and worked hard to maintain it, you want that care and maintenance to show. By removing unnecessary items, you allow your home to shine and make the great first impression needed to impress buyers. Don’t forget your bathrooms! Clean and clutter free is your goal. 8





Congratulations, Lyn!