Tuesday, June 28, 2011
Monday, June 13, 2011
What a little paint can do for a home
Maximum Value Budget Projects: Painting
By FrontDoor.com | Published: 11/08/2010
With the right color paint, a room can feel brighter, larger and cleaner.CURRENT TRENDS
- Ceiling paint. In older homes, the unfortunate and dated trend of popcorn ceilings can be a deterrent for potential buyers. Get rid of the textured treatment and go over the newly smooth ceiling with a color that complements the rest of your home. Usually a white or some sort of neutral shade will work best.
- Start with a smooth foundation. Painting a room will do you no good if you haven't primed the walls for painting. Patch holes and seal any cracks you come across to begin with a smooth foundation. According to appraisal expert, Leslie Sellers, president of the Appraisal Institute, getting the best result always comes from following one simple rule: "80 percent preparation and 20 percent paint."
According to Sellers, if your home was built before 1978 and the paint has seen better days, you should consider getting rid of all old paint that most likely has traces of a lead base. "Talk to a professional about how to get rid of the lead-base paint safety, and start from scratch," says Sellers.
Secondly, once you have decided to paint, it's important to pair a room with the correct paint. It sounds simple, but without knowledge of what kind of paint to use, you could wind up doing more harm than good. Once you have decided where to paint, consult a professional at your local home improvement or paint store to find the best paint for that specific area. All those paint choices exist for a reason! Learning the fundamentals will help keep you from having to start from scratch. Once you learn the basics, terms like eggshell, latex, primer and textured won't seem so daunting.
EXPERT TIPS
- On a Budget: Make a big statement without taking up a significant amount of time and money by choosing two or three rooms in the home that get the most use or have the most work to be done. Paint those areas to brighten the space and renew their purpose. Dirty kitchen backsplashes or a bright-purple kid's room can be given new life with a neutral color that appeals to the masses.
- Mid-Range/High-End: Once you have a satisfactory referral, consult with a professional painting company or paint contractor that can come in and tackle designated -- or all -- areas of the home. Typically, with more than one set of hands to do the job and with years of experience under their belt, you can expect an efficient and high-quality job to be done. The time saved by allowing a professional to step in is often well worth the price.
Thursday, May 19, 2011
High Gas Prices Trigger Changes in Buyer Behavior
Seventy-five percent of the real estate professionals surveyed say the spike in gas prices is influencing their clients’ decisions on where to live. What’s more, if gas prices continue to increase, 93 percent predict that even more buyers will choose to live somewhere closer to their work.
Gas prices are topping $4 a gallon and higher, and are up about 30 percent over last year, which is starting to put a dent in many Americans’ pocketbook.
More real estate professionals also report that the rise in gas prices is prompting more buyers to look for homes that will allow them to work-from-home. Indeed, 77 percent of those surveyed say that more of their buyers are showing an interest in having a home office compared to five years ago.
Gas prices also seem to be spiking a renewed interest in urban living. More than half of real estate professionals surveyed say they are seeing more buyers wanting to target homes in urban areas compared to five years ago, citing shorter commute times, being able to walk to more places, and being near public transportation as the most likely reasons for the urban-area migration.
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