Loving Your Home Doesn’t Have To Be Expensive

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What can I do to get my home ready?” This question is often posed when someone is ready to sell a home, but it doesn’t have to be. Making your home repairs and upgrades as needed can actually lead to a happier home owning lifestyle and will also mean that you are ready to go, when and if, it is time to sell your home.

Home improvements can be costly, but they don’t have to be. There are many projects that can be done inexpensively and relatively quickly that will deliver huge value.

Take for instance, paint.  Painting a room or the front door of your home instantly brightens that space and can bring a smile to your face whenever you enter the area. While painting can be labor intensive, the actual material cost is quite low, with a gallon of high quality paint costing less than $35.

Painting the outside elements of your home, whether it’s the trim, stucco or fencing, will bring that same joy every time you return or leave your home, as well. And, for exterior walls, painting may actually be more than you need – it’s amazing what power washing can do to illuminate your home! The same could be said for installing additional lighting to your landscaping. Small exterior painting and lighting projects can be done for under $350 and deliver results you can instantly see!

Perhaps you feel the interior of your home is dated and cramped and would prefer a more open design. If so, you can take on a slightly bigger project and remove a wall or convert an existing wall to a half wall. Check with a contractor to make sure you aren’t removing a bearing wall beforehand, as that could result in a more costly project than originally intended. Another option would be to build or install built in organization systems in your home so that you have more “homes” for your stuff, or better yet, just reduce the amount of stuff you already have. The adage “less is more” will really have you appreciating the space created through clutter removal.

Installing new windows, a tank-less hot water heater, an outdoor eating area, and adding insulation or other energy efficient home items can also improve your satisfaction as a home owner and increase your home’s perceived value when it’s time to sell. These upgrades may initially cost more, however with rebates and available tax credits, may be a very worthwhile expense for your home.

No matter what projects, if any, you decide to do with your home, the key is to enjoy it.  Enjoy it now, enjoy it later, and enjoy the memories that owning your home will allow you to create in the far distant future.  Your home is part of living the American Dream and you need to make sure your dream is the best it can be!

Too Big? Too Small? Choosing the Size of Your New Home

Trends in home buying are based on averages, the medium between extremes. Today’s economy has spurred the need for downsizing and created a market for the so called “tiny home.” However it wasn’t too long ago when every new home buyer was searching for the perfect “McMansion.” Deciding the size of a home, especially your new home, is a very personal decision and many considerations should be taken into account before your purchase.

Ask Yourself the Following Questions When Buying Your New Home

• What are your needs in your new home?
• Do you need space geared to a family or is studio living more your speed?
• Is a guest room (sewing room, office, you fill in the blank) a necessity on a short or long-term basis?
• Do you prefer a one-story or two-story home?
• Do you enjoy cleaning house or prefer a minimalist approach?
• What’s more appealing to you – functional space or white space?
• What’s your lifestyle and how will it play out in your home – more formal or more casual?
• How do you feel when entering friends’ homes?  What impresses YOU?

Asking these questions can more easily direct you to options you may not have contemplated initially when searching for your new home.  Take some time and consult with a real estate agent who knows your area so that when it is time to buy, you can focus on what matters most to you in your new home, other than location, of course.  To see the latest trend in “tiny homes,” visit the Tiny House Blog here.

Selling Your Home This Holiday Season?

Traditionally the holiday season is not the best time to sell your home due to tight schedules, weather conditions, and overall busy schedules. However if you still would like to sell your home before year-end, there are some things you can do to make your home outshine other listings.

You may even find that the holiday season makes for a better sale as only serious buyers are spending the time to view your home due to all those demands. Your buyer could also have goals or timeframe deadlines they are trying to meet with regards to the end of the year, giving you a more solid escrow, as well.

 

Suggestions to get your home ready while still enjoying the holiday season:

 

• Warm up your home and your buyers with freshly baked treats, a comfortable thermostat, and a few well-chosen decorations.  Remember the “less is more” phrase and keep surfaces clear when possible.
• Only use the best photos in your online and paper advertising. When it’s cold out, more buyers shop from home and only venture out if they REALLY like what they see.
• Maintenance of your home is critical at this time. Many potential buyers may “drive by” and you need to make sure their first impression leads them to want to know more.
• Use a real estate agent who knows your area. An agent who specializes in relocation could be key, as well, since job transfers often create end of the year buyers. Give me a call to see how quickly we can get your home sold!