April 1, 2015
Spring is the optimum time to sell a home. Regardless of whether it’s a buyer’s market or a seller’s market, inventory almost always rises in the spring. Why? Because the largest number of buyers are actively searching for a new home during the months of April, May and June. Even if you aren’t selling your home, this list of things will help you maintain the value of your home. Here are some things you can do to improve the odds that your home will stand out among the sea of new listings flooding the spring-time real estate market: CURB APPEAL First impression of your outside, you want them to want to make it in the house not just drive by. Mow & trim around trees. Trim bushes. Power wash the house. Declutter (toys, garbage, vehicles, etc.) the yard. Plant flowers, either in the ground or in containers. Lay a fresh cover of mulch in the flower beds. Replace/update the address numbers. Paint the front door. CLEAN Vacuum & dust. Wipe down bathroom walls. Wipe down kitchen cabinets and counters. Wash windows and mirrors. Add a fresh coat of neutral paint. Clean flooring, a shiny floor can sell a home. STAGING […]
May 12, 2015
Repair Tips Every Homeowner Should Know By: Lisa Kaplan Gordon Article reposted from National Association of Realtors Relax. Here’s how to make short work of every common repair annoyance from a leaky toilet to a sticky window. 1. Fix a leaky toilet. Running toilets not only rob sleep, they waste water and jack up your bill. Here’s how to change a flapper — the usual suspect — and solve other likely problems. Related: How to Fix a Sweaty Toilet 2. Repair drywall holes. The hardest part of drywall repair is making the patch flush with the existing wall. A “pumpkin patch” is an easy repair that cuts down on sanding. Related: Another Clever Way to Fix Drywall — with Makeup Sponges! 3. Adjust cabinet doors. Changes in humidity can make cabinet doors rub, refuse to close, or just look cockeyed. Adjusting them is easy and generally requires only a screwdriver. 4. Open a stuck window. Windows stick when paint, dust, or moisture builds. Use a utility knife (or a pizza cutter) to remove old paint. Be careful not to gouge the wood sash. If high humidity is making windows hard to move, run a humidifier that sucks moisture out of […]
June 15, 2015
Daily Real Estate News | Thursday, June 11, 2015 The residential real estate market, now at its midpoint in 2015, is on track for its best year since the peak of the housing bubble in 2006, notes realtor.com® chief economist Jonathan Smoke. But as Smoke is quick to point out, this time it’s not a housing bubble. That’s because job growth is fueling the most recent climb in demand for homes. More than 3 million jobs have been created in the past 12 months. As job growth increases, demand has followed. Homes are selling more quickly. The median age of inventory from homes on the market nationwide in May was 66 days – eight days faster than last year. Some markets are even seeing inventory move in just 18 to 45 days too, realtor.com® notes. “A rapidly declining age of inventory signals that demand is growing more rapidly than supply,” Smoke writes in commentary at realtor.com®. “Indeed, we’ve had 32 months in a row of existing-home inventory at less than a six months’ supply. That’s why we’re also seeing above-normal price appreciation.” Median home prices rose 9 percent in April year-over-year. Home owners are seeing strong gains in equity lately. […]
July 15, 2015
If your front-facing outdoor space leaves you yawning, these 3 inexpensive paint ideas will perk up your curb appeal. By: Deirdre Sullivan. Revamping your curb appeal doesn’t have to be a pricey undertaking. Three bloggers show us how they used paint to freshen their front entryways. Image: The 2 Seasons/Bella Tucker/A Pinterest Addict Think your exterior entryway lacks zing? Is your plain garage door a bore? Be bored no more with these budget-friendly painting projects. A Playful Porch Image: Bella Tucker Dana from Bella Tucker wasn’t fond of her dowdy front porch with a cold cement floor. Several coats of fresh paint later, she says she “grins like a goofball” each time she turns into her driveway. Her statement-making painted floor is the showstopper in this porch makeover. How did she create the Moroccan-inspired pattern? She used a stencil to create a repeating pattern. Dana shares the process behind the eye-popping design here. Tip: Practical features can be pretty, too. Dana also updated the porch’s lighting, added a clearly visible house number, and replaced the front door’s hardware. A Charming Garage Door Image: A Pinterest Addict How do you add character to a builder-grade garage door? Eliesa from A Pinterest […]
September 17, 2015
Mixed metals in Home Design By Melissa Dittmann Tracey, REALTOR® Magazine Mixed metals are growing in popularity in home design, adding some bling and modernizing spaces. Warm metallic — such as in burnished gold, bronze, and copper – are among the most popular, but the metal finishes being incorporated into home decor is diverse. Often, the metal finishes are being mixed together. These mixed metals often are combined with wood elements — creating one of the most popular design trends for homes in 2015,according to Denise Dick, vice president of the National Kitchen and Bath Association. Just where is metal popping up in home decor? Everywhere — from lighting fixtures and cabinet hardware; vases and home accessories; to furnishings like accent tables and industrial-looking chairs; and even metallic wallpaper. Even gold metallic wreaths are finding their way into home décor year-round, regardless of the season. Want to add some metallic finishes to your spaces? Here are some ideas.