Jan 2, 2015 | Around The Home
Are you feeling the “renovation itch” or perhaps looking for a fun project that you can take on which will provide you with a return on your investment? There are numerous home upgrades and renovations that can add value to a home without costing a large sum of money to complete.
Let’s take a look at three popular home renovations that can increase your home equity without draining your bank account.
Paint Your Home Inside and out
Painting the interior or exterior of your home costs very little when compared to how much it can freshen up your home’s appearance and increase its value. Painting is also an excellent time to get rid of any old wallpaper or other decor touches that are a little dated. Spend some time browsing through Pinterest or through home improvement websites in order to choose a color palette that is warm and inviting without being too bold. Remember, if the goal is to increase your home’s value you’ll need to paint using colors that buyers will find attractive.
Upgrading Your Windows
If your local environment is cold or wet during parts of the year you may find that upgrading your windows improves your home’s appearance and provides you with some additional savings in the form of reduced energy costs. Look for windows that are energy-efficient and that are guaranteed to eliminate drafts. Depending on the area of the country that you reside in, you may find that windows that are insulated with vinyl or aluminum are your best bet.
Finishing Your Basement into a Suite
If you have an unfinished basement which has a lot of space and running water you may want to consider finishing it in to a full basement suite. Some buyers will be enticed by the additional rental income that can come from a suite, while others will be excited at the opportunity to provide an older child or family member with their own suite inside of the same home.
You’ll find that investing a little time and money in your home now can pay huge dividends later when it’s time to sell and move on. If you’d like to learn more about the value of your home and what you could receive for it if you sold, contact your local real estate professional today.
Dec 19, 2014 | Around The Home
Light is an important design element that can be used to influence your interior decor in a number of ways. In fact, you can experience a major transformative change on the overall style and ambiance of a room by making a few simple lighting changes. Consider how these ideas can help you to improve the look of your space with great results, and think about ways that you can improve your space by making a few changes.
The Addition of Spotlights
If you have fine pieces of artwork, decorative display areas or other features that you want to illustrate with beautiful clarity, the addition of spotlights is a great idea. You can shine light on these special features in your home by installing a single, bright fixture with a focused beam overhead, or you can use track lighting to highlight larger features. In some cases, the design or layout of your room may be sufficient to allow lighting to be placed at eye-level or even below the fixture to shine upward at it.
Background Illumination
While spotlights can shine a focused beam of light on fixtures, you can also use background lighting for ambiance. Consider how you can incorporate background lighting with under-cabinet kitchen lighting, dimmer recessed lighting placed behind a sofa or other features. Generally, these are lights that do not provide direct lighting, and the light may not be the main source of light in the room. It may even have a hint of color to it for a dramatic flair that further establishes ambiance.
Beautiful Lamps
Another idea is to use beautiful or decorative lamps in your room. These may be smaller desk lamps, towering floor lamps or table top lamps. There are lamps available in a wide range of colors, sizes and styles. The lighting from the lamps may influence ambiance and provide functional lighting, but the decorative nature of the lamps themselves can enhance the décor even when the lights are not turned on.
There are many different types of lighting that can influence your home’s décor, and in many cases, it makes sense to incorporate each of these styles of lighting in a single room to enjoy different benefits. You can study your rooms’ layouts and designs today to learn more about how the existing light fixtures influence decor, and you can make a few appropriate changes to enjoy better overall results for your space.
Dec 10, 2014 | Home Buyer Tips
Does your home feel like it’s starting to burst at the seams? Many homeowners across the country can relate to this feeling having bought a home only to run out of space due to a growing family or for other reasons. Let’s take a quick look at a few questions that will help you to determine whether buying a new home or expanding your current home is the best choice when you’re in need of some extra space.
Why Are You in Need of More Space?
The first question you’ll need to answer is…”why?” Are you running out of space because you’ve decided to start a family and have another child on the way? Or perhaps you’ve decided to start a business out of your home and you’ve outgrown the small room you had set aside as your office? Whatever the case, a major renovation or a move to a new home are both major decisions and ones that shouldn’t be made lightly. Sit down with your family and consider why you need more space and what you would do with a larger home if you had one.
How Much Space Do You Need?
“How much space” is another consideration that you’ll need to make in order to come to the best decision between expansion and buying a new home. If you find that your needs are perfectly suited except for that missing bedroom you may want to undergo a renovation. Conversely, if you find that you could use at least 2 or 3 new rooms and some extra room in the garage, you may want to start shopping for a new home.
Note that expanding your home to add an extra bedroom or to finish the basement will provide a limited amount of additional space – space which may end up feeling constrained later if your family or needs continue to grow. If you’re thinking bigger over the long term, you’ll likely be better served in finding a larger home that has extra room that you can grow into.
Other Factors for Consideration
If you’re thinking about expanding your current home you’ll want to consider how this will impact the other rooms in the house. Are you going to feel the need to renovate every room once that new bedroom is added? If so, is renovating a wise investment or should you simply move on to a newer home?
Living in a more spacious home is a liberating experience that your entire family will enjoy. Contact your local real estate agent today to learn more about buying larger properties and to view available real estate opportunities in your area.
Nov 18, 2014 | Home Seller Tips
Are you getting ready to sell your home? As soon as your listing goes live you’ll begin entertaining potential buyers who will be inspecting your home from top to bottom to ensure it meets their needs perfectly. Your bathrooms will be a key area of focus and you might be surprised to learn that the look and feel of these small rooms can make or break a sale.
In today’s blog post we’ll share three quick tips for renovating or upgrading your bathrooms to freshen up their look before potential buyers start viewing your home.
Clean Your Bathroom Out and Start Fresh
Before you begin, take a close look at your bathroom. Is there wallpaper on the walls? Are the sinks and faucets a bit dated and stained? Does the bathtub have a crack in it or is there some discoloration in the tiles or grout?
If your bathroom hasn’t been renovated in the past few years, there’s a good chance that the entire room needs a top-to-bottom overhaul. Clean all of the fixtures, materials, cabinets and even that dated flooring out and start from scratch.
Choose Your Color Palette Wisely
Before you begin you’ll want to have some sort of color palette in mind. Does the bathroom receive some sort of direct sunlight? Is there a skylight or a window in the room? Is there a color theme in other rooms in the house that you’ll need to match up with? Having some color ideas in mind will greatly assist with painting and adding shower curtains, mats, towels and more.
Don’t Skimp on Fixtures and Accessories
Remember that you’re selling the home and that you’re likely to recoup some or all of the costs of your bathroom renovations in the form of a bump in your selling price. Don’t buy cheap faucets or fixtures as buyers will be looking closely and they’ll want to ensure they’re buying a home that has quality building materials used throughout. If you’re going to upgrade your bathrooms, use materials that are high-quality but avoid anything too luxurious unless it fits with the rest of the decor.
Breathing some new life in to your bathrooms won’t break the bank, but it might just help secure your home sale. For more tips and strategies on how to ensure a quick and successful sale, contact your local real estate agent today.
