Fitting Your Furniture in Your New Home

It seemed so perfect on the showroom floor…

Then you get it home and no matter how you try it, you just can’t make that furniture fit in the space of your new home!

What to do? Plan ahead (duh!) or work a plan with what you already have.

Here’s how to get started:

• Measure each room. Don’t just measure once—measure twice. Write it down.
• Measure the spaces from the corners to the windows and doors. Write it down.
• Measure the width of each window and door. Write it down.
• Measure the height of the walls, windows and doors. Write it down. (You see a theme here, right?)
• Sketch out a simple floor plan with your measurements. You will use your simple floor plan to create a more sophisticated one using a free online floor plan tool like this one at Room Sketcher or any of the tools located Room Sketcher and several other floor plan tools allow you to design in two dimensions and then view in 3D to get a better idea how it will look.

It’s very important to include windows and doors in your plans. And don’t forget to locate heating and air conditioning vents and returns, power outlets, light switches and cable and Internet connections.

If you already have furniture that you are trying to fit, measure its length, width and height and any clearance it might need—such as the footrest to a recliner or the doors to a television cabinet. This is especially true if parts of the furniture extend even slightly beyond the footprint. Choose the nearest approximation from the floor plan tools to include in your layout.

When you’re done, you’ll be able to rearrange your furniture virtually, without breaking your back, to see if it will fit.

Old School:

If you find the online tools difficult, go old school with a diorama. Create rooms from cardboard boxes and cut in doors and windows. Create furniture to scale from pieces of cardboard or stiff paper. You can rearrange these as many times as you need to quickly see if your furniture will fit.

Or, grab some grid paper and a ruler and draw out your rooms and then furniture from the “top view.” While this method only offers a 2D view, it is quick and easy. If you want specific instructions, check out this guide from Decorating Studio’s archives.

Getting Help:

If none of these ways seems helpful to you, make a trip to your favorite furniture store (with your measurements in hand) and get a room designer to help you. Along the way, they’ll be able to show you which furniture in their showroom will work for your situation.

If you’re looking for a home to fit your furniture, we can help. Show us your style and let us know the sizes of your favorite pieces and we’ll track down just the right home for your beloved sofa or heirloom armoire.

Give me a call if you would like to talk about what is currently going on in the market. We have an incredible marketing plan that will help you get the the most money for your home, in the quickest amount of time. Or if you are looking to buy we can help find you the home of your dreams.

Call Now – Stan Rector 805-577-7902 (Office)

If you would like a report of area sales around you or the area you would like to live? Click the link below and fill out the form, it will be sent to you right away!

Click here for the report form.

If you would like to search for a home, Click the link below.

Map Search

 

 

Compliments of Virtual Results

Take Advantage of January Appliance Deals

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 the new items 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.

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

Selling in Winter

Selling In Winter.

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 changing out the countertops for a solid surface top. 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.
• 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.

Give me a call if you would like to talk about what is currently going on in the market. We have an incredible marketing plan that will help you get the the most money for your home, in the quickest amount of time. Or if you are looking to buy we can help find you the home of your dreams.

Call Now – Stan Rector 805-577-7902 (Office)

If you would like a report of area sales around you or the area you would like to live? Click the link below and fill out the form, it will be sent to you right away!

Click here for the report form.

If you would like to search for a home, Click the link below.

Map Search

Compliments of Virtual Results

Dreaming of that New Kitchen or Bath? What Renovations Really Pay Off?

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 they’ve been meaning to redo for years … only to have someone else enjoy it.

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 can yield a greater return than an expensive kitchen remodel.

Minor kitchen upgrades, 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.

Give me a call if you would like to talk about what is currently going on in the market. We have an incredible marketing plan that will help you get the the most money for your home, in the quickest amount of time. Or if you are looking to buy we can help find you the home of your dreams.

Call Now – Stan Rector 805-577-7902 (Office) – Your New Home Is Waiting!

If you would like a report of schools and area sales around you or the area you would like to live? Click the link below and fill out the form, it will be sent to you right away!

Click here for the report form.

If you would like to search for a home, Click the link below.

Map Search

Compliments of Virtual Results