Nov 15, 2016 | Around The Home, Uncategorized
Even small spaces can feel spacious when the art of storage is mastered. Here are 7 inexpensive storage hacks to free up space in your home.
1. Racks On Racks On Racks
It’s often the first mess you see when walking into someone’s home a clutter of shoes sprawled out by the entrance. Take care of this mess with a shoe rack, which will only take up a few feet of space but allow you to store numerous pairs of kicks.
2. Fold & Hang
Not your clothes, your chairs! If you don’t use chairs often or rarely eat at the table, consider buying folding chairs instead as they can easily be put away when not in use. Attach a few hooks to a nondescript area of your home and hang the chairs to store them.
3. Slide Into An Island
Need more counter space but can’t sacrifice your kitchen table? Well now you can have both (without renovating!). Install a small island that has a slide-in table: you can slide out the table during meals and slide it back in when finished. Perfect when paired with folding chairs.
4. Make The Most Of Your Cupboards
Install small storage solutions inside of your cupboards to make the most of their space. Hooks can hang mugs from the tops of shelves, and towel racks placed on the inside of a cupboard door can fit pot lids. For a large cupboard, consider a hanging shoe rack for compartmentalized storage space from top to bottom.
5. Multi-Purpose Furniture
When trying to maximize space, choose furniture that also offers storage, such as a bed frame with pullout drawers underneath it, or an ottoman that opens up to store remotes, books, or toys. There are countless pieces designed for small spaces, so find ones that meet your own unique needs.
6. Build Me Up Buttercup
When floor space is limited, you have no choice but to build upwards. Shelves allow you to make the most of vertical space, and can fit into almost any area. Corner shelves can help you take advantage of otherwise dead space, and tall shelving units can act as a room divider which is perfect for a studio. If you want to create a more open concept, choose wall-mounted shelves as they have minimal design impact.
7. Hang It Up
Along with every door comes a fantastic storage opportunity! Choose a door-mounted hanging storage system to keep clothes, robes, towels, or shoes off of the floor. Feel free to be creative you can use them to store whatever you like.
Want more tips on small space living? Contact your trusted real estate professional today.
Oct 28, 2016 | Around The Home, Uncategorized
The future is now! You may know that there are already many smart (Internet-connected) appliances and items that you can use to update your home for the connected age. But for your reading pleasure, here are five of them already on the market.
Energy Efficiency: The Smart Thermostat
One of the first smart home upgrades to make it big on the market is the smart thermostat, specifically the Nest Learning Thermostat. Connected to your heating system, and to your phone through Wi-Fi, this device ‘learns’ your energy use habits so it can adjust to them. It saves you money by tailoring its output to your usage, which means it is kinder on the planet as well. Smart tech for the win-win.
Intelligent Alarms: Smart Smoke Detectors
In the same vein is the smart smoke and carbon monoxide detector technology. These alarm systems assess the danger and speak to you. They report on multiple details, including what kind of danger you’re facing (fire or carbon monoxide poisoning), where it is exactly in your home, and whether it constitutes an immediate risk to you.
Turn It On!: Smart Light Bulb
A-ha! The intelligence continues. There are smart light bulbs now like the Philips’ Hue Connected Bulb which speak through your Wi-Fi. This light can be controlled remotely through your phone or computer, where you can change its color and adjust the brightness without ever touching the bulb itself.
Baby Care: The Smart Onesie
You know those moments you need to yourself, when you step out of your baby’s room to let them sleep? Well, there’s now a device to help keep track of them even then. The Mimo Baby Shirt is a smart onesie. Its organic cotton is woven with sensors that monitor elements like your child’s temperature or sleep pattern and streams that info to your device through your home’s Wi-Fi. It can be fitted with a microphone, again linked to your phone and it’s machine-washable!
The Next Mouthful: The Smart Fork
Last but not least, there’s the HapiFork. This smart utensil monitors your eating habits how fast you’re eating, the time between meals, how many bites it takes to finish the meal. These tidbits can be uploaded to your laptop or phone, and can help you track and change how you eat.
As technology continues to progress, our homes are becoming smarter and smarter. Keep up with the tech by staying abreast of new developments starting with these five. Oh, and one last smart thing? Reaching out to your local real estate agent for more information, recommendations or just to chat about the future.
Oct 11, 2016 | Home Buyer Tips
Solar-powered homes are becoming more commonplace, and are an excellent step in the right ecological direction. That said, there are some aspects to consider if you’re thinking about investing in solar energy. Read on for some salient points about living by the sun.
The Sun And The Economy
As solar power has grown in popularity, the government has introduced incentives to help homeowners combat the once-high costs of purchasing and installing solar panels. And companies are springing up to rent you panels and cover the cost of installation. This means that your initial costs are smaller, but also that those third party companies reap the government incentives and may not always maintain strong relationships between you and your utility company.
The Sun And Your Roof
Roofs are the primary locations for solar panels, particularly on homes. Ensure that your roof has enough strength for the added weight of the equipment, and enough space for the proper placement (away from the edges, for example). The equipment comes with a lifetime guarantee so if the roof it’s on is already old, consider updating it before installation (which is an extra but necessary cost).
The Sun And Your Surroundings
A solar-powered home is all about location, location, location. Watch for tall and shady trees, or for high buildings that will shadow your panels and decrease or prevent their output. Look forward, too are there any plans for development in your neighborhood that would introduce such impediments in the future?
The Sun And Cloudy Days
The most obvious hiccup with solar power is that bane of a sunny existence: cloudy days. Location has influence here too: the climate of your area will determine how many panels you’ll need, where you’ll need to place them and how much energy you’ll be able to glean in each season. There are batteries you can purchase for collecting and storing solar energy but they’re still an expensive option. And solar power is still somewhat unattractive in the global economy because of how variable it is. Fossil fuels are more dependable, and therefore more marketable, than an energy source so tied to the weather although that looks to change if solar energy continues its rise in popularity with the masses.
All things considered, there is a deep and growing draw to solar-powered homes, but don’t enter into anything without looking at all sides of the equation. If you have questions, or want to know more about how solar energy works in your neighborhood, contact your local real estate agent.
Oct 4, 2016 | Home Seller Tips
The floor of your bedroom is important it’s the first thing you touch in the morning, and the last before you go to sleep. Not to mention all the other life moments that go on in there. So take time to consider what you want your bedroom floor to be made of and read on for pros and cons of carpeting and hardwood floors.
The Noise Factor
One of the biggest elements to consider is how sound will carry. Carpet is a very quiet medium, perfect for those bedrooms on higher floors, or in houses that want to keep a quiet profile. Hardwood creaks, and all movements can be heard from walking to a child playing, even to the acoustics of a TV or laptop.
Keeping It Clean
Carpets are hard to keep clean. Dirt, pollen, hair, food and other particles get ground into the fabric, especially if it’s a high-traffic area, and it can be expensive to get them out. Hardwood is easy to tidy and even stains can be refinished without too much cost or effort. On the other hand, carpets need only be vacuumed weekly, whereas a hardwood floor should be swept every other day.
The Life Span Of Your Floor
With careful maintenance, carpets can last for many years but barring anything unforeseen, hardwood floors last forever. They also never go out of style, and offer their rooms a sense of prestige. Carpets need replacing and the patterns can’t be changed with the ease that hardwood floors can be refinished or refurbished with area rugs.
The Cost Of It All
In initial costs, carpets are largely cheaper, although they cost more to maintain because they need to be replaced more often. Hardwood floors take a big initial payment, but because they are more durable the costs even out, in the end. Environmentally speaking, hardwood is often more sustainable (as long as it comes from an ecologically-sensitive company), but there are recycled options for carpeting too.
What Goes On In There
Consider what kind of life will be lived in the bedroom in question. Will it be a kid’s room, where the padding of carpet might be safer? Is it meant for guests, where the beauty of hardwood could make a strong first impression? Does the occupant have allergies, so that hardwood (which doesn’t gather allergens like carpet fabric) is a better choice?
Consider everything when making your decision. Remember, in the end, both hardwood and carpet have pros and cons. For a second opinion, or advice on what works in your neighborhood, talk to your local real estate agent.
Sep 8, 2016 | Home Seller Tips
Fail to complete these renovations before selling your condo and you may be missing out on huge profit gain! Don’t sell yourself short, tackle these reno projects before your home hits the market to maximize offers.
#1: Is It Time To Paint?
Painting is one of the most cost effective ways to make a property look newer, bigger, and brighter. Scuff marks and scratches are one of the most common types of wear-and-tear, but they’re also a huge turn-off to buyers, which makes this easy renovation is a no-brainer. Choose paint colors that are neutral to ensure that they’re adaptable to the wide variety of interior design preferences that your potential buyers will have.
#2: Let There Be Light(ing)!
Old light fixtures can not only bring down the aesthetic appeal of your condo, they can also give it a gloomy vibe. Adding new light fixtures to your home will brighten the space and provide it with more vibrant energy while also increasing the modernity of its design. Now that’s a bright idea!
#3: How Is Your Flooring?
Flooring is another design element that can easily make an old unit look more modern, especially if your condo is carpeted. By replacing the floors you can also avoid the possibility of a buyer trying to deduct the cost of floor replacement from your sale price, which would most likely outweigh the cost of doing your own reno in advance.
#4: Spruce Up The Kitchen With New Counters
Changing kitchen countertops is one of the effective ways to spruce up an outdated kitchen. Since countertops are so large the eye is drawn to them immediately, making them a key design factor. Many modern buyers prefer high quality stone such as granite or marble, though there are many stylish options to choose from if visual appeal is what you’re after. Add new countertops to give your condo that “WOW” factor and you’ll instantly tack on extra value to your property.
#5: Don’t Forget Your Balcony!
Balconies are often overlooked when it comes to condo showings, so if you choose to pay attention to this significant detail you’ll not only stand out from the competition but will also showcase an important selling feature of your home. Dress the balcony to show its functionality: does it fit a BBQ, table and chairs, lounge chair, planter? Adding some furniture will show the possible uses of the space, making it more valuable to potential buyers.
Ready for a successful condo sale? Contact your trusted real estate professional today for further advice.
