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Category Archives: Home Improvement

New Year, New and Improved Home Value

Happy 2019! What do you want to accomplish in the New Year? If you’re thinking seriously about selling your home this year, or just want to add some value to your property, then it’s time to make a game plan for 2019.

You don’t have to break the bank to build your home equity; there are a number of small, easy projects you can do to increase your home’s value. And bonus: they’re indoor-only, so you can get started right away!

Here are three DIY, cost-effective ways to add value to your home.

Update Your Kitchen

Light-filled kitchen with hanging light fixture.Kitchens and bathrooms sell homes. It’s just a fact. If you’re aiming to add value to your entire home, start with these areas.

In the kitchen, refinish wooden cabinets or use a faux-wood finish on non-wood cabinets to give them an updated look. You can also replace your sink with a trendy single-basin fit and sprayer nozzle, and upgrade your appliances to stainless-steel.

With just a few small updates, you can have your whole kitchen feeling brand new!

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The Most Popular Features in Multimillion-Dollar Properties

Ever wonder why some homes sell for millions of dollars? As different as each listing might be, many share a number of common features that are known to bolster home values.

If you’re on the hunt for your dream home, some of these features could be yours! Don’t worry about breaking the bank; prioritizing your wants and needs can help you determine which of these luxury features will fit your lifestyle and your budget.

Here are 5 features of multimillion-dollar homes you can get at affordable price tags.

In-Ground Pool

In-ground pool with small cabana and water slide.Who needs a neighborhood pool when you could have your own?

Imagine spending those warm summer days cooling off by your own private pool.

It’s not uncommon to see multimillion-dollar homes outfitted with gorgeous entertaining spaces, all centered around a luxurious in-ground pool—but many homes in lower price ranges also feature great backyard pool areas, too. Continue reading

DIY Upgrades That Make Your Home Sell for More

Spring is here, and with spring comes another anticipated time of year: home selling season. Traditionally, spring is one of the most popular times to list a home for sale. It’s also an excellent season for spring cleaning and trying out a few home-improvement projects on the weekends.

If you’re thinking about selling your property, or simply want to up its resale value down the road, take a look at our most recommended DIY upgrades. Not only are these projects simple and affordable, they’re sure to increase your home’s overall value.

Two Key Places to Start Your DIY Upgrades

Can you guess which two areas of a home are most important to buyers? The kitchen and bathrooms. This is because these are the rooms where people tend to spend a lot of time.

The Kitchen

Spacious open kitchen with wood floors.Oftentimes, the kitchen is the first place potential buyers rush to when they’re touring a home for sale. This room is considered the “heart of the home.”

While the idea of updating your kitchen can be scary (all those expensive new appliances!), improving this room doesn’t have to break the bank. There are many projects you can complete to upgrade your kitchen that cost less than $1,000.

These inexpensive kitchen improvements include: Continue reading

Staging Shortcuts That Sabotage Your Home Sale

4 Home Staging Shortcuts to Avoid

Thinking of selling your home? Home staging is a major player in a home sale. How your home looks, feels, and even smells can influence buyers’ decisions, so it’s important to present your home in the best light.

Cleaning, decluttering, and rearranging furniture are essential to preparing your home for showings, but it can be tempting to take a few shortcuts to get your property on the market faster. Out of all the home staging shortcuts that can hinder your home sale, these you should avoid at all costs.

Keeping Your Interiors Too Dark

A dimly lit kitchen with tile floors, wood cabinets, and laminate countertops looking out onto a dimly lit dining area.Your property needs to shine on the market — don’t dim your home’s sparkle.

Natural light works wonders to maximize space, especially for small floor plans, so it’s important to let in as much sunlight as possible when staging your home.

Throw open the curtains, trim any shrubs blocking the windows, and polish the glass to welcome in the natural sunlight. Continue reading

End of Winter Projects to Get Ready for Spring

Get Ready for Spring!  Frozen Fence Waiting for Spring to Come

The groundhog appears to have been right and it’s hard to believe that spring will ever come. Now is the perfect time to finish some final winter projects so you’ll be ready when the flowers start to bloom. Consider working on these during your last few (hopefully) cold days to get ready for spring:

  • Have your lawn mower blades and other tools sharpened, pick up some extra spark plugs and smoke alarm batteries, change the furnace filter, and check your garden hose for leaks.
  • Take advantage of the end-of-season sales to buy next year’s winter gear for your growing kids.
  • When you’re planning next week’s meals, make a couple of double batches and freeze the extras for reheating later. When summer comes and you want to spend all of your time outside, you’ll be thankful you planned ahead and already cooked dinner.
  • After trudging in with dirty boots every day, your carpets, rugs, and upholstered furniture might need a little TLC. Schedule a professional cleaning to leave your entire house feeling clean and fresh.

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Jumpstart the New Year: 3 Goals for Your Home

A 30-day calendar with the number 18 circled in red marker.We’re at the end of January, but it’s not too late to develop goals for your home in 2018.

Now is the perfect time to jump right in and start fresh in your current home! Need ideas? Here are a few real estate goals that you can achieve this year.

Fix Those Pesky Maintenance Issues

Maybe it’s a leaky faucet. Maybe it’s a drafty window. Maybe it’s a clogged shower drain. You can probably think of one or two issues off the top of your head that you haven’t gotten around to addressing yet. The New Year is the perfect time to get those problems fixed. Continue reading

A Quick Guide to Tax-Deductible Donations in Your Home

Coffee cups protected by paper in a cardboard moving box.In the season of giving, many local organizations and businesses often accept donations of clothing, household goods, and other gently used items to help those in need.

Homeowners looking to downsize or preparing for a move (or just clearing up some space at home) can not only pay it forward by donating to a local charity, they can also take advantage of tax deductions. We’ve created this handy guide to tax-deductible donations in your home.

Belongings and Household Items That You Can Donate

Most organizations have guidelines about the specific items that they accept, but in general, you can donate these kinds of items to local charities:

  • furniture, such as beds, desks, tables, and chairs
  • clothing, such as shirts, shoes, and new underwear
  • appliances, such as heaters, working TVs, and A/C units
  • vehicles, such as cars or boats
  • building materials, such as doors, windows, and wood flooring

Continue reading

12 Month-by-Month Organizing Goals for Your New Home

A beige couch in the middle of an open living room.‘Tis the season — for goal planning, that is! Many people spend December reflecting on the year and creating a list of goals to aim for in the New Year, and recent home buyers are no exception.

If you’re thinking about ways to preserve that “new-to-you” feeling in your home and keep the clutter at bay throughout the year, follow our handy month-by-month home organization planner.

January: Clear Out Any Cluttered Spaces

Decluttered spaces can keep your home looking and feeling like new (even if it isn’t). While you’re putting away holiday decorations, take some time to tackle any clutter that has begun to accumulate in catch-all spaces, such as closets, the garage, and any rooms that are still full of half-unpacked moving boxes.

February: Create a Home Organization Plan

A list of things to do each day of the week.Detailed planning is a great way to stay on top of your New Year’s home organization goals. Outline a list of tasks to complete daily, weekly, and monthly. This list can include indoor and outdoor maintenance as well as fun tasks like decorating.

Be sure to pin your home organization plan in a conspicuous space, such as on the refrigerator. You can also lighten your workload by divvying up the tasks to other members of the household. Continue reading

5 Simple Ideas for a Low-Maintenance Indoor Garden

Winter is Coming – Cheer Up with an Indoor Garden

a small potted plant on a living room tableMany homeowners find gardening is an enjoyable outdoor activity with several additional benefits: enhancing curb appeal, creating bright pops of color, and even providing homegrown ingredients for meals.

But outdoor plants need just the right amount of sunshine, space, fertile soil, and maintenance to be able to flourish.

You don’t need to abandon your dream of having a garden if you don’t have the space or it’s not the right season — bring the garden indoors! Here are a few ideas to spice up your home with easy-to-maintain indoor plants.

Grow Herbs on Your Kitchen Windowsill

Cooking can be a breeze when you have fresh herbs within easy reach. Choose a spot in your home with a lot of natural light, plant your favorite herbs in a container with good drainage, and you’ll be all set. Continue reading

Transform Your Home with These Timeless Seasonal Color Schemes

rainbow of colors on paint swatch samplesNothing can transform a home quite like a simple seasonal color palette. Whether you want to embrace the fall foliage, some holiday whimsy, or a little winter coziness, you can do all that with a few coats of paint and some well-placed splashes of color.

The best part of all? Not only are these color schemes great for seasonal home decorating, they work wonders when staging your home to sell, too! Here are a few irresistible color schemes you can blend into your home this fall and winter.

Down to Earth: Rust Red and Terra Cotta

Connect with nature in the fall season using rich tones of red and brown. For an added touch of earthiness, incorporate natural elements like wood to really pull the look together. Continue reading