Tag Archives: improvements

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The Renovations That Will Pay Off the Most for Your Home in 2017

updates-for-your-home

New year, new home improvement projects? Whether you’re dying to update your kitchen, add a half-bath, or kick back on a brand-new deck, it pays off big-time knowing just what kind of return on investment your dream renovation might deliver. And you’re in luck, because Remodeling magazine has just released its annual Cost vs. Value report, which analyzes what you’ll pay for various upgrades—and how much you’ll recoup on that investment when you sell your home.

For this much-read report (which, by the way, is celebrating its 30th anniversary), researchers scrutinized 29 popular home improvements in 99 markets nationwide, polling contractors on how much they charge for these jobs as well as real estate agents on how much they think these features boost a home’s market price. From there, they divided each project’s upfront cost by the home’s resale value; the resulting percentage gives you a sense of how well each particular reno “investment” pays off.

Read more…

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Open Floor Plan Still Popular

Front Door

Open floor plans continue to reign. Eighty-four percent of builders say that in the typical single-family home they build, the kitchen and family room arrangement is at least partially open. Fifty-four percent say it’s completely open, according to responses from a September 2016 National Association of Home Builders/Wells Fargo Housing Market Index.

“Completely open” essentially means the two areas are combined into the same room. Partially open signifies areas separated by a partial wall, arch, counter, or something less than a full wall.

Seventy percent of recent and prospective home buyers say they prefer a home with either a completely or partially open kitchen-family room arrangement; 32 percent say they prefer the arrangement completely open, according to an NAHB survey.

Only 16 percent of buyers say they want the kitchen and family rooms in separate areas of the house.

As demand continues to increase for open floor plans, homeowners of existing-homes are also looking to open up their kitchen and family room areas. Professional remodelers report that 40 percent of their projects involved making the floor plan more open by removing interior walls, pillars, arches, etc., according to first quarter of 2016 data in the Remodeling Market Index.

Source: “Builders Satisfy Demand for Open Floor Plans,” National Association of Home Builders’ Eye on Housing blog

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Small-Cost, Big-Impact Updates for Your Home

updates-for-your-home

Consider making some of the following updates before listing your home. It could add to your confidence when putting your home on the market, and possibly bump up the sale price as well.

  1. Do a walk-through of your home

Visit each room and make a checklist of items that need to be repaired or replaced – and be objective while doing so. Keep an eye out for outdated styles, bold patterns and colors, dated fixtures, unfinished projects, and over-cluttered closets and cabinets – these items all need to be considered to showcase your home in the best light possible. After making your checklist, develop a budget and establish dates on your calendar to complete these tasks.

  1. Incorporate today’s styles and trends

Our homes and our styles are as individualized as we are. So although you may love an ultramodern or country cottage look, the majority of buyers may not. Choose transitional styles if you need to replace your lighting, hardware, appliances or flooring. And don’t be afraid to ask your local suppliers for help during the selection process.

  1. Remember: First impressions count

It takes just 15 seconds to grab the hearts of potential buyers – or leave them completely unimpressed. Make those 15 seconds count! Fresh sealant on a driveway, vibrant and healthy plants on the front porch, a clean rug and a nice fragrance in the entryway, clutter-free hallways – these all make a huge impact but require little effort.

  1. Focus on the kitchen and baths

Kitchens and bathrooms are some of the most frequently used areas of any home, so put in some extra effort to freshen them up! Things like stained shower stalls and toilets, broken grout, leaky faucets or dated cabinet hardware are easily replaced at little cost. Or, instead of replacing tubs or shower stalls, consider having them professionally resprayed for a fresh new look. A small investment goes a long way in these spaces. And when it comes to hardware and supplies for kitchens and baths, consider shopping online. Many online suppliers don’t have a middleman in the process, so they can sell their items for much less than local hardware retailers.

  1. Let’s talk paint

Paint is a minimal investment, especially if you have the skills to do the painting yourself. From walls to doors to cabinets to fixtures (and even tile), paint can drastically transform spaces. Keep your selections neutral and universally pleasing. Cover bold colors with neutral ones, making the home move-in ready.

Here’s a checklist for small investments with big impacts:

  • Paint or replace brass or dated light fixtures
  • Update bathrooms and kitchens with brushed nickel, chrome or oil-rubbed bronze fixtures and hardware
  • Replace switch plates and outlets with Decora-style devices
  • Paint walls and trim using a neutral palette
  • Refinish worn hardwoods by applying a fresh coat of stain and sealer
  • Remove wallpaper, borders, decorative decals and patterns from walls
  • Power spray your home’s exterior

Keep these items in mind when making improvements to your home and you’ll enter the selling process with confidence. Don’t hesitate to contact me for all your real estate needs!

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9 Tips for Creating the Perfect Guest Room

guest-room

The holidays are coming – is your home ready for overnight guests? Follow these suggestions to create the perfect guest room for friends and family.

  1. Offer reading material

A pile of recent magazines or a shelf of assorted books offers guests a way to wind down before bed.

  1. Add flowers

A simple flower arrangement adds class and color to any room.

  1. Provide seating

Make sure there’s somewhere cozy for guests to sit if they need some alone time during holiday chaos.

  1. Make wi-fi connection easy

Leave a piece of paper with your internet server’s name and password on the dresser so guests can easily access your wireless connection.

  1. Did they forget something?

Fill a basket with sample-sized containers of essentials, like toothpaste, mouthwash and shampoo.

  1. Add a luggage stand

Put out a folding luggage stand where guests can prop their suitcases to avoid having to squat all the way down to the floor every time they need something.

  1. Make the closet functional

Be sure to stock the closet with empty hangers for guest’s clothes.

  1. Add charm with decorations

Create a welcoming, calm space for guests. Err on the side of generic. Remember, not everyone wants to sleep surrounded by Star Wars-themed decorations or your horror movie poster collection.

  1. A picture perfect welcome

Place a framed photo of you and your guest on the nightstand.

Is your “guest room” your living room sofa? Maybe it’s time to look for a larger space; I’ll be happy to help!

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4 Considerations When Updating Appliances

appliances

Nothing lasts forever – including the “vintage” stove that came with your adorable fixer-upper or the washing machine your parents gave you when they decided to downgrade. When it’s time to replace the appliances in your home, here are four considerations to keep in mind.

  1. Repairing vs. replacing

Sometimes an appliance is so far gone (smoke is often a sign) that repairing it is not an option. And if the estimate for a repair is more than half the price of a new (or great, used) machine, Consumer Reports says you’re better off buying.

  1. Classified ads

There are several reasons someone may be selling a perfectly good appliance. They may be moving to a smaller home. They may need a bigger, more powerful version. They may no longer be able to resist the lure of a fridge with a smart panel that tells their phone when they’re out of eggs. Appliance repair pros tell Angie’s List that newer appliances tend to have about half the life span of past models, so just because a machine is a few years old, it doesn’t mean it’s time for it to go.

  1. New, but not perfect

Ads may insist Labor Day weekend (and then Veteran’s Day, and then the next holiday, etc.) is the very best time to find deals on appliances, but if you don’t mind a cosmetic blemish or two, you can find deals year-round. Many big box and furniture stores and outlets have “scratch-and-dent” sections where you can find significant discounts.

  1. Refurbished shops

Some stores specialize in repaired appliances. They often come with delivery and service offers. If you can, bring a pro (or at least a handy person) with you when you shop to take a look. If the store doesn’t know a machine’s age, you can look it up by serial number here: http://www.appliance411.com.

Is it time to upgrade your home as well as appliances? I’ll be happy to help!

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9 Mood-Lifting Ideas For a Cozier Home This Winter

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It’s been a freakin’ long day at work and you just want to get home and relax on your deck. But nooooooo, it’s already dark outside and that chill in the air is telling you it’s time to pull out your parka. OK, inside it is. But then it hits you: Indoors feels more like a dank cave than a welcoming oasis. Depressing.

You don’t have to succumb to the winter blahs. Just implement a few of these ideas, and you’ll be warm and comfy inside until winter’s worst blows over.

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The Reasons Behind 2017’s Color Trends

feng-shui

Every year, paint company Sherwin-Williams puts together a series of palettes to predict the hues and combinations that will influence interiors in the coming year. They look not only at paint swatches but also at the cultural forces behind a color’s popularity.

Recently representatives from the company were on hand to reveal the palettes to interior designers and others attending the Chicago Design Summit. They predict surging interest in “new spirituality, cultural flux, feisty self-expression, and soulful nostalgia” will bring these four palettes to prominence in 2017.

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7 Ideas for Using Feng Shui to Create a Harmonious Home

feng-shui

The ancient Chinese art of feng shui uses design principles to create harmonious spaces that encourage health, wealth and happiness. According to the practice, colors encourage energy to flow freely throughout a structure, and each color is thought of as an expression of one of the five feng shui elements: fire, earth, metal water and wood.

Here are a few things to keep in mind when designing your home using general feng shui color principles.

  1. Wake up a space with yellow

Yellow energizes spaces and is great for brightening rooms and adding a welcoming feeling. Yellows can be an excellent choice for kitchens, living rooms, hallways and offices.

  1. Hues that work for you

If it’s a calm sanctuary for a restful night’s sleep, feng shui rules suggest water-element colors of calming blues to create tranquility. If you’d like your bedroom to be more passionate than peaceful, fire element colors like red can help crank up the heat.

  1. A blank canvas for the kitchen

In feng shui, white is one of the preferred shades for a kitchen because it encourages purity and freshness. Plus, it creates the perfect palette for the rich colors of food.

  1. Better than a lullaby

Shades of green in a child’s room help make calm, serene spaces for sleeping. Plus, wood-element shades of green also encourage growth and learning.

  1. Mind your reds

While red is the Chinese color of luck and happiness, too much of the fiery color can throw things off balance, bringing aggression and overstimulation.

  1. Shades for success

Wood-element colors like greens and browns promote creativity, and water elements like blues and blacks promote wealth. Combining shades of each can change the energy of your home workspace.

  1. Look outside your walls

According to feng shui principles, adding accent pieces and furniture in elemental shades also can help change the energy of a space. You don’t need to go big (or commit) with an entire wall.

Color can help bring balance to your home, but it works best when you’re living in a place that suits your needs. Looking for harmony in a new zip code? I’ll be happy to help!

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4 Colors That Turn Off Buyers

Designers

Could the wrong shade of paint dampen interest in a home?

First, take note of palettes consumers tell researchers they like: The favorite color combos for exteriors are white and gray, beige and taupe, and slate and black, according to the 2013 National Home Color Survey. On the inside, neutral wins too. The most popular 2016 colors include grays and shades of white, as well as natural-looking greens.

Although it’s tough to prove, a Zillow Digs analysis of 50,000 photos of recently sold homes even suggests homes with creamy yellow or wheat-colored kitchens, light green or khaki bedrooms, dove or light gray living rooms, and mauve or lavender dining rooms sold for $1,100 to $1,300 more than properties decorated with less popular colors.

So, what are the paint chips that should be avoided? Credit.com highlights the findings based on studies of colors.

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Renovation Tips to Attract Millennial Buyers

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Generation Y makes up the largest pool of potential buyers, and builders and current home owners alike are keeping their needs in mind when building and renovating homes.

The millennial generation is overwhelmed with options and information online, which is also reflected in their home search process. They are not looking to settle for a home that is good enough, they want to find one that is ready to move in and enjoy right away.

Read the article on REALTORmag…