How to Remodel Your Bathroom on a Budget

Taking on a remodeling project can cause anxiety and stress especially if you don’t know where to start or have the right budget set up.  But remodeling your bathroom can be simple and as detailed as you want it to be. Once you set up your budget, there are simple ways to remodel your bathroom without breaking the bank.

Add New Tile- Simple way to give your countertops looking new and fresh is by adding new tile.  Adding new tile is simple and can be done without a professional.

Refresh Bathroom Fixtures- Replace or refinish your existing fixtures to add an updated look. You don’t need to replace the cabinets or shower/tubs to add a new look.

Paint or Refinish the Floors- Paint your floors instead of replacing them or stain the floors if you have wood flooring.

Choose Light Colors- Adding a fresh coat of paint can do wonders for sprucing up your bathroom. Choose a light color to make the room look bigger and more open.

Get Chandeliers- Turn the focal point of the room onto an elegant chandelier.  Choose a piece that draws attention to it.

How to Ensure Your First Mortgage Gets Approved?

Planning on buying your first home can be nerve-racking but it can also be exciting at the same time. Taking the first step to your future home is making sure you can get approved for the loan.  Mortgages sometimes are not easy to come by and you may have to submit additional information to ensure you get approved.

Document Your Income- When you are submitting your loan application, make sure you submit your correct income with your tax returns from the last 2-3 years.  You will also have to submit documents proving your income is still the same and you are currently employed.

Shine Your Credit Score- Lenders may require a higher credit score these days than years prior.  Be sure to check your credit score before looking at homes and submit a pre-approval to a mortgage lender.

Buy the Right Property- Make sure your pre-approval from your lender doesn’t come with any contingencies such as having your home as a rental property or an owner-occupied home.

Get the Right Appraiser- Your lender will contact an appraiser to take a look at your home to ensure you are not overpaying for your home and your loan will be approved.

Pick the Right Lender- Pick a lender you trust and is willing to work with you. Your lender will be helpful when it comes to giving you the correct guidance and information about your loan.

How to Decide on the Perfect Paint Color?

Home improvement projects can be fun, but they can also be scary.  Putting that first coat of paint on your walls can be difficult if you aren’t sure if it’s the right color. It can also be a big investment if you truly aren’t satisfied with the color you picked.  Find out how you can pick the perfect color:

Don’t Pick Your Paint Color First- First pick all the furniture and décor you want to go in the room you intend to paint first. Once you have selected that, it’s time to pick your paint color. 

Use an Inspiration- Use a color board or build your room online to help match paint colors. You may even explore Pinterst for ideas or have a favorite piece in your home to match the color.

Go with the Neutrals- Don’t avoid color all together but you don’t want to go over the top with colors.  Color can be good, but you need to decide which wall or room you want the attention to go to.

Get Samples- Select a few colors you like and test them in the room you are painting. Select the best color that goes with your décor, furniture and natural light.

Select the Correct Sheen- If your room has a lot of flaws, choose a sheen that has little sheen as possible.  Choosing a flat sheen will help with hiding flaws in your room.

What are 5 Extra Storage Spaces You Many Not Have Thought Of?

After living in your home for a while, you may not notice all the “new” places to store your items. If storage was available you would think that you would have already notices it, but that may not be the case.  Your home probably has at least two new places to store your items.

Above kitchen cabinets- Store your party platters you may not use all the time to add some color to your home and keep your cabinets clear.

Inside a windowsill- If your window has deep casements you can prop up a floating shelf or two inside the recess.  

Airspace- Screw a hook into a ceiling joist, hang items from each hook such as pots and pans or other kitchen items.  You may also hang bikes, shelves, or even seating to free up space.

 Behind the Couch- Bump your couch out 6 inches from the wall to store extra folding chairs or a fold up table.  If your couch is not against a wall, rest a console along the back of it and stash it with extra dishware, linens, or kids; toys.

Inside the Shower- This may sound kind of crazy but if you don’t have a linen closet you may need extra room to store your items.  Find a roomy stool and place it far away from the nozzle then stack the bench high with your linens.

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What are a Few Resolutions You Want to Keep for Your Home?

It’s a new year and a new you with new resolutions to conquer.  Like many of use, we tend to crush our New Year’s resolutions for the first few months of the new year but tend to forget about them as time passes. For instance, that gym membership you said you would use four times a week but haven’t been in a week or two. They can be difficult to keep but holding yourself and family accountable can really help.  The same goes for your house projects.  Putting together a list of items you want to focus on with your home can help you crush your home resolutions.

Clean room by room- Instead of trying to tackle the whole house all in one weekend, focus on one room at a time.  Focus on the rooms that may need it the most- cleaning up wrapping paper from Christmas, taking down decorations or the tree, deep cleaning your kitchen after hosting Christmas, etc.  Instead of focusing on the whole house at once, try to focus on one room at a time.

Purge your spaces- Cleaning can be a great start to your home resolution but creating a real change will require some real purging.  It can seem overwhelming at first but once you are finished you will feel so much better.  If certain items haven’t seen the light of day in moths, it’s time to get rid of it.

Donate- Once the purging is complete, label each item and separate them into two piles- one for trash and one for donate.  Take the gently used items to a place for others to create new memories with your items.

Decorate your home with fresh flowers- Fresh flowers can really have an impact on you and your rooms.  Flowers can be the least expensive makeover you can bring to a space.  They can also help clean your air to provide an at home aromatherapy to lift your mood.

Plan for this year and next- None of these resolutions can be done every day or month, one of the best ways to make sure you’ll come back to them is to plan them out in advance.  Decide when you want to tackle each room and which room you want to tackle first, spread out your purging over a few months, and so on.  Once you have a plan, you are ready to tackle 2019! 

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How’s the Market in 2019?

New year, new market? Sort of. I get asked this question more than any other question, How’s the market? With the new year here it is important to talk about to expect. My quick answer is expect more of the same. Most reports are showing a similar market to what we have experienced the past 2 years, with a change from being a seller’s market to more of a “normal” market, due to the increase in the inventory levels we are seeing. The first time home buyers price range inventory is still low, and probably will remain that way in 2109, but seeing an increase inventory in the higher priced homes for sure!

Another question that comes into play here is will interest rates continue to increase? Yes, I do believe they will, but not as much as originally predicted. And remember these are still amazing rates! However, it is important to know that a 1% increase in your rate will change the price point of the house you are able to purchase.

2019 is a great year to buy a new home and/or sell your current one! If you or someone you know is looking to make a move this year, please give me a call, as I would love the opportunity to earn your business!

How to Keep Your Christmas Décor Up Year-Round?

Christmas might be the most wonderful time of the year for those who celebrate it. But it’s really hard to deny the love for twinkling lights, sparkling decoration and festive colors sprinkled everywhere.  The magic of Christmas can be so strong, a post-Christmas depression may set in for some after all the decorations are put away.  However, there are a few ways you can use your holiday décor all year-round. Finding items that don’t scream Christmas can be left out for good.

You can probably pack away anything that is sporting jolly ‘ol Saint Nick, stockings, poinsettias, and mistletoe. But you can get away with leaving out the snowmen, reindeer (without Rudolph), snowflakes, and snowy accents for a little longer.

Decorate your home with neutrals and metallic elements for the holidays- blue and silver or any other color combination used to convey Christmas.  These items could still work throughout the year

Try not to use too much green and red together.  People tend to associate those colors with Christmas.  

Leave out Christmas décor that doesn’t necessarily look specific to Christmas. Clear glass hurricane vases can be used all year-round with a few tweaks.  Fills them with colorful bulbs for the holidays, sand and candles for a summer centerpiece or acorns and pinecones for fall.

 Use string lights all year-round on your patio.  There’s no need to pack up your Christmas lights if you enjoy a soft cozy glow. 

Metallic ornaments can be displayed all year when mixed in a bowl or glass vase with other natural materials like seagrass, twine, or wood.