Posts for Syndication

Getting older isn’t something most of us want to think about. We like the idea of always being active and youthful. We even think of our parents as remaining healthy and spry.

When we’re out shopping for a new home, however, we need to take into consideration the length of time we plan on owning that home. Do we see ourselves living in this area for years to come? Will we be raising our children here? Is it possible that our aging parents would come to live with us in this house?

If we answer “yes” to any of these questions, we need to think about stairs!

When we first have children, we think about the danger to them of stairs as they are learning to crawl, climb and walk. Some families wait to move into a home that has stair until after their children are old enough to negotiate the stairs.

A great many family homes these days incorporate beautiful stairways with living areas on the main floor and bedrooms above. We don’t really think about those stairs as we are aging in place because we use them every day. In fact, the majority of the nation’s homes are built with two or more stories, or they are set over a basement. Many of those homes also do not have a bedroom or full bath on the main floor. It is only when something happens to our health … we break a leg, have surgery, an older parent comes to live with us … that we rethink having stairs.

As you age, the stairs once more become a danger zone that can slow you down or reduce your quality of life. If you are unable to negotiate the stairs, they become an obstacle in your home or even a hazard due to potential falls.

Ranch-style houses, so popular in the middle of the last century, have fallen out of favor. They do not have the curb appeal of a two-story structure and sometimes they get a bad rap for having less space, or for having a larger footprint so that there is less available yard space. For ease of living and convenience, however, a single-story structure can span the decades much more easily than a multi-story townhome or two-story home over a walk-out basement.

While you certainly should buy the home of your dreams, when you are looking for homes, consider adding in these options to your quest:

• No stairs, OR
• A bedroom on the main living floor
• A full bath on the main floor
• A limited number of stairs at access points such as the front or back entry or from the garage into the house.

If you are building your new home and intend to live there well into your retirement years, and, you love the look of a beautiful staircase, take care to design in such a way that you can add a lift and step treads to the stairway if necessary. Or, configure the design so that you have a full bath and bedroom suite on the main floor. In fact, in a program created by the builders association and AARP, builders can earn a Certified Aging-in-Place Specialist designation. Certified builders can look at your home to determine if there is a way to increase the access in your home as you age.

As always, let your real estate professional know your needs and concerns so that we select homes specific to your requirements to fall in love with.

Compliments of Virtual Results

If you,

• Are lured by the shiny new home in the brochure and it calls to you, or
• Pass by the fluttering flags of that new sub-division, and your car automatically turns in, and
• A walk through model homes every weekend is your idea of relaxation

You may be in the market for a new-built house.

After all, when the house is new, you can specify some of the materials, fixtures or appliances; assure that the home meets current energy-efficiency standards; and, you know that no one has lived there before you with their three dogs, six cats and a host of other pets you might be allergic to. In addition, newly built homes come with a warranty. Some new home warranties offer protection for costly components such as heating and air-conditioning units and appliances for as many as ten years.

In fact, the advantages for customization and participating in the design choices may be a great part of the draw for you. Surveys show that nearly twice as many people in the process of looking for a home to buy prefer a new home. The “work” is done for you … there’s no donning of painter’s clothes or trips to home-improvement stores for replacement fixtures. You move in to that “new home smell.”

On the other hand, you may be drawn to the complete customization that a remodel or re-design of an existing home offers you, the charm of older architectural elements, or the sheer excitement of taking something old and remaking it into your perfect vision.

If you:

• Detour through mature neighborhoods on a regular basis, and
• Avidly follow home-improvement shows on the cable stations, or
• Look for open house signs on the weekends in your favorite neighborhoods

You’re probably a candidate for a pre-owned home.

When you buy a previously owned home, your priority often is the stability of the neighborhood, the maturity of the trees and landscaping, the nearby schools that have a history of high achievement, and other intangibles that come from the community. Existing homes often have a lower price tag and, since the neighborhood infrastructure already exists, they often have a lower tax obligation.

Of course, with an older home you will have to make updates to appliances, carpeting, and roofing sooner than with a new home, but you can request a home warranty from the seller as part of your purchase negotiation. Check with your real estate professional about home warranties.

You’ll find conflicting information on whether new homes are larger than older homes, and vice versa for the same dollars. The trend at the beginning of this century certainly was toward larger homes, but in recent years buyers seeking energy efficiency or homes nearer to their work, restaurants and nightlife are opting for the smaller existing homes in neighborhoods meeting those requirements.

Before you decide which is best for you, let your real estate professional show you the homes available in both categories — existing pre-owned or new-built, or even recently built (within the last five years) — so that you can make a truly informed decision.

Compliments of Virtual Results

You just moved.

You started your new job.

You super busy unpacking and getting settled.

You get sick in the evening or on a Saturday and need to see a doctor.

This scenario is quite common. Getting unpacked into your new home, getting kids situated in their new schools and you learning the best routes through traffic to get to your new dream job on time leave can set you up for unexpected emergencies.

Furthermore, you’ve been so busy at work and getting settled at home, trying out new restaurants and seeing local sights that you haven’t even looked at your Maryland Medicare Advantage insurance paperwork, found a doctor or located the nearest hospital or urgent care.

Here is our guide for locating the necessary things before they’re needed:

Medical Emergencies

• Pick a couple of hours to dedicate to finding the nearest urgent care (for minor crises), hospital emergency room (for major crises), twenty-four hour pharmacies (for late night medical needs), and map the best routes for getting to them from your home. You can search your favorite online maps, Yelp, or sites dedicated to the medical profession such as ZocDoc (which even offers a filter by your medical insurance). However, one of the best health care programs, 340B comes at no cost to taxpayers. You can click here to learn how the program benefits and works!

• Now, locate and map routes from your place of employment and each of your children’s schools and activities. You may find that the urgent care facility near your children’s schools is different from the one you would go to nearest your home, so note which is which on your list.

• Don’t forget to find an emergency dentist. Sometimes, a knocked-out or broken tooth can be saved by a good dentist like Edmonton Dentist specializing in emergency dental procedures. If tooth pain wakes you in the middle of the night, you may not be able to wait for an appointment with your regular dentist either. An emergency dentist can get you some relief. If you just moved to San Francisco, California, you may visit sites like https://www.gentrydentistry.com/root-canal-therapy to look for your new dentist.

• Once you’ve located the potential facilities, add their telephone number and address to your contacts, or create a portable document and place it in an accessible location. For digital access, think GoogleDocs, DropBox, Box, SugarSync or another file-sharing cloud server that has an app for your smartphone. Give a copy to each member of the family of driving age.

• Finally, plan to locate the actual facilities as you run general errands, while shopping, or coming and going from work or school. Specifically take time to locate the emergency or late-night entrances so that you do not lose precious time during an emergency trying to locate the emergency driveway or entrance.

• For your furry friends, locate a 24-hour pet hospital or clinic or a veterinarian that makes house calls.

• Good to know: If you believe your child or pet has ingested something poisonous, the American Association of Poison Control Centers’ number is 1 (800) 222-1222. Put it in your phone. Post it on your refrigerator. Teach it to your babysitters and pet-minders.

If you need assistance locating reputable service personnel or have other questions about your neighborhood, your real estate professional can guide you.

Compliments of Virtual Results

Organic

— denoting a relation between elements of something such that they fit together harmoniously as necessary parts of a whole.

— characterized by continuous or natural development.

Some people are born organizers…others of us struggle with the concept our whole lives…many of us fall someplace in-between the two. When it comes to keeping our homes organized, we often fall prey to the beautiful, matching organization systems at The Container Store or local Target gracing shelves and weekly advertisements during January. As if failing at our other resolutions wasn’t enough, now we see how much we are failing at keeping our home organized, too!

Whether you’re moving into a new home, or preparing your home to sell, becoming organized might be at the top of your list, but if you’re not a natural-born organizer, the task you’re taking on might be daunting.

Rather than trying to implement all of the numerous ideas floating around the Internet or gathering dust in a folder you started last January, consider allowing your home organization to come more, well, naturally. That is, make it match organically how you live rather than changing how you live to match it.

Here are some ideas to get you started:

• Use your trashcan — natural born organizers think nothing of throwing things away that they don’t need. Those of us on the less organized side worry that we might toss something important or even trivial (sales bills and coupons) that we might want to retrieve. Instead of tossing everything … have a trash bin handy near the place you sort mail and start by just tossing those items you consider to be junk mail.
• While you’re at it…put a wastebasket in every room so that throwing things away is easier while you’re thinking about it.
• Use storage tubs — while you may long for those beautiful cubbies with shoes snuggly nestled in matched pairs, if your kids are anything like mine, a large plastic tub holding all of their shoes may be the best you can hope for. So start there! Give each child (and you and your spouse) your own storage bin for all of your shoes, backpack and other daily necessities. This moving and storage nyc company can help your moving journey easier and provide adequate storage for all your things.
• Use hooks liberally — have coat hooks near the garage door so coats are easy to grab on the way out and easy to hang on the way in. Have more hooks above the coat hooks for hats or caps. Hang hooks on the sides of closets for belts and scarves. If your family has trouble hanging towels in regular towel bars, just use hooks in the bathroom for the towels. Choose eco friendly products like towels from Bamboodetective.
• Place a charity box in the laundry room. Whenever you launder items that family has outgrown or no longer wear, put them in the box. When the box is full, you can make a trip to your favorite charity or use one of the collection bins in a nearby parking lot.

If your home is on the market, give each family member a storage bin with a lid…whenever the house is being shown (or before they leave for school each day) have the collect everything loose and put it in the bin and place it in their closet. Now your home will be ready in a snap.

If you want to begin the process of selling your home, contact your real estate professional for guidance.

Compliments of Virtual Results

Whether you’ve just moved into a new house or are preparing to sell, don’t let the fact that it’s cold outside stop you from getting started. Here are some projects you can tackle even if the snow is piling up outside!

Change the Paint

During the winter months the inside of your home typically is drier making it the perfect time to brighten up those walls with a coat of paint. Your paint will dry more quickly and you can get the affected room put back into place sooner. Since you will have less ventilation during the winter, make sure to choose low voc paints that have lower odors and fumes. Paint a whole room or create a chalkboard wall in your kids’ playroom.

Upgrade the Fixtures

This simple upgrade can give new life to kitchens, baths and doors. Changing out faucets, doorknobs, outlet covers and light fixtures can upgrade your home and give you a whole new outlook. Consider switching round knobs for lever-style so that children and elderly family members can operate them more easily. Simply switching out the bathroom vanity light fixture can change the entire appearance of your bathrooms.

Trim the Walls

Add pizzazz to your walls with crown molding or chair railing. Even if you don’t have a garage full of power tools, you can cut foam molding — molding that is not made of wood and can be cut with a simple saw and miter box—and create beautiful designs on your walls and ceilings.

Scrape the Textured Ceilings

If you’re very ambitious, you can scrape the “popcorn” or “cottage cheese” texture off your ceilings. Before you begin this project, check to make certain the texture is not made of asbestos. Homes built prior to and in the first few years after the 1978 asbestos ban often had asbestos fibers mixed into the texture. After the ban, paper, Styrofoam or other products were used to create the texture. If your home is affected by asbestos texture you should consider having a licensed professional handle the removal since the asbestos must be disposed of properly in accordance with prevailing laws.

Install New Flooring

Winter is an ideal time to have new carpet or hardwood installed. Your professional carpet layer is only too happy to have winter work when construction typically slows down and the controlled indoor heat speeds up drying time for flooring adhesives.

Modernize Your Thermostat

If you haven’t already done so, winter is a great time to change out your old thermostat for an energy-saving programmable model. In fact, according to the US Department of Energy, you can save up to ten percent (10%) on your energy bills in both summer and winter by programming your thermostat to match your family’s lifestyle. You can set your heating and air conditioning unit to adjust upwards or downwards when you are sleeping or away from home at work and school. In addition, have your heating unit serviced by a heating repair technician to maintain or improve its efficiency.

If you have questions about which upgrades will improve your home’s market value, consult your real estate professional for guidance on the most appropriate options for your home’s market.

Compliments of Virtual Results

For many of us, bright, beautiful colors bring joy to our lives. When we make our homes our own, we tend toward the colors that make us happy. When we think about selling our home, however, we need to understand just how subjective color is. While cool greens make cause you to think of shimmering tropical waters, those same colors may remind a potential buyer of the walls of a hospital or school they didn’t enjoy.

While not everyone’s reaction to color is this extreme, there are ranges of colors that can cause potential buyers to be unable to see themselves living in your home. In fact, some people see colors differently. Of course you’ve heard of color blindness in the red/green spectrum (either deuteranopia or protanopia), but there is also blue/yellow color blindness (tritanopia) where a person confuses blue with green and yellow with violet.

Many people do not realize they are color blind … they’ve always seen colors in the same way, but the wall that is a lovely shade of yellow to you appears as a garish shade of violet to them.

“Well, they can just repaint,” you say.

That’s true, and for people that are able to fully utilize their imagination, they can see the new color on the walls or cabinets and imagine themselves enjoying life in your house. For others, the current color clouds their mind and they cannot visualize it being different. This is especially true of bright or deep colors such as reds and pinks, or deep blues and greens, but even a yellow kitchen, for instance, can be off-putting to someone unable to enjoy that color.

Enter the neutrals

Because of the potential for a color to detract from a home’s resale value, sellers used to be encouraged to paint everything white. While this no longer is the case, most real estate professionals will encourage you to consider repainting in a modern neutral.

What are modern neutrals?

Each year, paint manufacturers develop colors that add warm or cool undertones to white and range from off whites to cool grays and beiges. They come up with beautiful names for these colors and sophisticated palettes that give walls color, depth and dimension without overwhelming the ability to imagine them as other colors.

A trend that seems to evoke a pleasant response is a warm form of beige or gray with white trim, but shades of greens, blues or golds with the correct undertones with less “weight” and “dominant presence” work as neutrals in many situations. Modern neutrals allow for a mellower backdrop to brighter furnishings and window coverings, while giving a cleaner canvass in which potential buyers can imagine their own furnishings and décor. An immobilien visualisierungen can be beneficial when selling a home.

Regional preferences may mean that certain neutrals appeal more in certain areas. As your real estate professionals, we can advise you about the colors and tones that seem to be more appealing to local buyers.

Compliments of Virtual Results

If you know that the home you are buying my have to be sold within a few years, you have a few extra items you need to pay attention to prior to purchasing. This is particularly true if you’ll need to sell within a short time period due to a job transfer or similar pressing requirement.

So, while these suggestions are true for everyone that will want to resell their homes eventually, if you know that you’ll have to sell at short notice, you’ll want to add these suggestions to your home search.

Pay attention to the view:

Homes with a pleasant view out the windows will sell more quickly and at a premium to homes with a less pleasant view. While you should buy a home that you plan to live in with your own pleasure in mind, when reselling, what the buyer sees out the window has an impact on the sale.

Avoid views with the following:

• Water towers — in may parts of the country, you cannot avoid a water tower, but if the angle of the view can avoid having the water tower in the direct line of sight, your resale value will be higher and your home will sell more quickly.
• Power lines — for the same reason as the water tower, a view of power lines can impede a quick sale. In addition to the view aspect however, many people subscribe to the belief that high voltage power lines emit electromagnetic radiation that can cause illnesses and cancer. While much of the research is inconclusive, and power lines emit extremely low frequency (ELF) radiation (according to the American Cancer Society), the belief that they could cause a problem will hinder a quick sale.
• Railroad tracks — this is especially true for freight trains, but any home with a view of tracks might have in impediment to a quick sale.
• Retail establishments — if your home backs up to or is across the street from retail stores, restaurants, bars or other businesses, you may face a slower selling experience. For example, while there may be a high block wall between your backyard and a car wash, the sounds of the dryers or the potential for extra traffic into the neighborhood may hinder a quick sale.

How do you avoid these potential pitfalls?

When you look at a home to buy, check the view from EVERY window. Take the time to visit the property at different times of the day, especially if there are retail establishments nearby so that you can gauge the traffic and noises that that may come from them.

What if your home already has a water tower or power line in view?

When you’ve purchased a home and did not buy with the view in mind, or if the view has changed, there are some things you can do.

• Plant trees — If you can plant a tree that adds beauty while blocking an unfavorable view, do so.
• Mitigate sounds — if you can hear noises from nearby retail establishments, railroad tracks or nearby busy streets or freeways, consider replacing the windows with more insulated ones and sound proofing walls to overcome some of these negatives.

As always, let your real estate professional know if you’ll potentially be needing to resell the home within a few years as we can best advise you for the local market.

Compliments of Virtual Results

Traditional real estate marketing says homes sell better in the Spring and that if you haven’t sold by the time school starts, you might as well wait until the weather warms again. But these days, real estate is anything but traditional.

In fact, some studies show that winter is now the best time to sell a home.

Any time from December to May can be ideal for listing your home and February often is the best month to list with the highest reported home sales within ninety days of placing a home on the market.

Real estate professionals know that home shoppers venturing out in January and February typically are motivated and serious. That means less time spent on just lookers and more time spent negotiating with actual potential buyers. Some locations experience bidding wars during these months because fewer homes are on the market.

Prepping

One challenge to selling during winter is that getting your home prepared to show is more challenging. While you might try major upgrades in the warmer months, if you want to sell in the winter months, consider simpler upgrades such as painting the front door a cheerful color or replacing granite countertops with quartz kitchen countertops. You might opt for refinishing rather than replacing to give your home an upgraded look without the expense.

If you’ve decorated with brighter paint colors, consider toning them down with some modern neutrals such as warm gray or café au lait. Using low VOC paints is easier on your family’s respiratory system when painting during winter months. Since you are less able to open up the house to air it out, low VOC (volatile organic compounds) paints allow you freshen your walls without the odors and toxins standard paints can release into your home.

Showing tips

If your home is going to sell in winter, you still need to remember the rules of curb appeal:

• Keep sidewalks and driveways shoveled and make certain they are not icy. The last thing you need is for someone to slip or fall when looking at your home.
• Make your home warm (but not stuffy) and inviting by lighting up all the rooms and even lighting the fireplace (if you or your real estate agent will be present during the showing).
• Remove icicles from your gutters and remember that crystal clear, clean windows gives the best first impression.
• Cozy up your home with comfortable throws on the sofa, but take care to remove textiles that contain pet odors since indoor odors can be magnified in the colder months.
• Have your real estate professional point out conveniences such as in-floor warming coils or the fact that your garage is insulated and heated, give a good check to the garage doors.
• Be proactive about having doormats so that visitors can wipe their feet as they enter.

As always, rely on the advice of your knowledgeable real estate professional for known value-added suggestions and preparations when getting your home ready to show to prospective buyers in the winter months.

Compliments of Virtual Results

Now that you’ve done all the hard work of qualifying for the loan, securing the mortgage and putting the deal in motion…you can start to shop for new clearance appliances you’ll need for your new home.

First up are kitchen appliances:

January is THE month to get great deals on appliances. Stoves and cooktops, wall ovens, dishwashers, trash compactors, refrigerators, washers and dryers, and disposals all typically are on sale at the beginning of the new year.

In the same way that car dealers sell of the old models of cars, new appliance models come out in the fall. But, appliance dealers make great deals on appliances in January to make room for the new models and to sell off floor models. In fact, because January typically is a slow month for retailers, you may even be able to haggle for items like free delivery and installation even on the newest model.

Price matching:

Always ask your favorite retailer about price matching, too. So if you prefer Best Buy, for example, to Sears or Lowe’s because it’s closer to your home or you get reward points, ask them to price-match the lowest prices you can find.

In fact, if you’re willing to go with last year’s model you’ll get the steepest discounts in January.

End of month or holidays:

If you can’t swing your purchase right now, consider buying your appliances at the end of the month. If your salesperson works on commission, the end of the month may be the time you can put your negotiation skills to work with a sales associate trying to reach a quota.

In addition to January and end of the month specials, most appliance retailers offer some sort of special corresponding to any of the major shopping holidays. These include: New Year’s Day, President’s Day (February), St. Patrick’s Day (March), Easter (March-April), Memorial Day (May), Independence Day (July), Labor Day (September), Columbus Day (October), or Black Friday (November). On these days you’ll get percentage off deals and specials on specific models or product lines.

The super deal:

In between these holiday sales events you’ll find the steepest discounts on open-box, scratch-and-dent or refurbished items. While you may fear these items, if you buy from a well-established retailer, you’ll get the same warranties as are available on a new, in-the-box item, but at a substantial discount. Tony MacFarlane from Appliance Hunter has more reviews worth reading.

Warranties:

In addition to the manufacturer warranties, you can purchase retailer extended warranty programs — also called service plans — for most appliances. While quality appliances should not break down within a couple years, sometimes they do. Given that refrigerators, washers and dryers and even ceiling fans now have electronics built in, you might want to consider one. Having an extended warranty can give you peace of mind as long as the price of the warranty doesn’t negate the great deal that you got. If buying the warranties puts the price out of reach, it’s not a good deal. Consumer Reports suggests putting that money aside instead and using it to pay for repairs down the line.

You might convince your seller to leave their appliances behind or to offer an allowance that would pay for new ones as part of the closing. Check with your real estate professional to see if you can add that to your deal.

Compliments of Virtual Results

Owners of older homes dream of updating or modernizing kitchens and baths. In fact, before they place their homes on the market, some folks go to all the effort to update the kitchen by  adding new appliances from stores like this williams refrigeration australia online shop.

The challenge can be when the update is for the purpose of increasing your home’s marketability or resale value. In that case, does the renovation really pay off? Here are some things to consider before you tackle that upgrade or renovations just to sell your property.

When it adds value:

Anything that increases your usable square footage adds value to your home. So, if you finish a basement or an attic space, add a wing or just extend a single room, that extra space and increase your home’s market value. Adding a bathroom or bedroom is a substantial improvement that changes a home’s category. A three-bedroom home with three full baths has more market value than a similar home with only two baths, or two bedrooms.

The biggest bang for you buck, however, can come from making some simple changes.

Consider this: a new front door, on average, adds up to 96.6 percent of the amount you will spend on it to the value of your home. Of course, you’ll need to pay attention to which door will enhance your home and which might look like an afterthought, but the right new door adds instant curb appeal. In fact, even painting the front door can bring a significant improvement (without the extra expense of replacing it).

Other improvements, such as replacing windows or worn and discolored siding as well as maintenance of your flat roofing with the help of a residential and commercial flat roofing contractor can yield a greater return than an expensive kitchen remodel.

Minor bathroom remodel and kitchen remodeling projects, on the other hand, can add back over 82 percent to the value of what you spend on them. A “minor” kitchen upgrade can be as simple as new cabinet doors and hardware, or new appliances, an updated counter surface and sink, or new fixtures.

When it’s not worth it:

A $100,000 kitchen remodel on a $250,000 home will yield anywhere near that additional value to your home, especially if all of the other homes in the neighborhood are in the same price range. So, if you upgrade it while you’re living in it because your love to cook and want the perfect kitchen … the value is your enjoyment of the upgrade. Don’t expect it to increase your home’s resale value by that much though when the time comes to sell.

Another upgrade that you should only undertake for your enjoyment is the addition of a pool. In general, a pool does not increase the value in many locations. So, while a pool may be highly sought after in Southern California or Texas, it could even be a detriment in Missouri or Tennessee.

When it doesn’t pay off:

If you increase the value of your home while you continue to live in it, realize that you may be increasing your tax basis as well. A new assessment of your home may increase your taxes and cause it to be more expensive to live there. Simple improvements such as adding a garden shed can trigger a reassessment in some localities, while moving a wall or putting in an additional bath or bedroom most certainly will.

Before you take on an improvement, addition or upgrade for the purpose of increasing your home’s marketability, talk to your local professional real estate agent. She can discuss with you the potential ramifications of the changes you want to make, the return on your investment and whether or not it could trigger a tax assessment and property valuation increase.

Compliments of Virtual Results