Pinterest idea!

I found this picture on pinterest and I LOVE the idea of using window panels as shower curtains!  You can get longer ones to make the ceilings seem higher and you can even put a something like this sunburst mirror on the bathtub wall and keep the curtains open to make the room seem larger!  LOVE IT!

5 mistakes homesellers should avoid

AOL Real Estate published an article 5 Mistakes Homesellers Should Avoid.  Check it out for a more detailed verstion, but here is the break down:

1.  Not taking your first buyer seriously.
90% of the time, your first buyer is the best buyer!  Most of the time the buyer with the first offer is highly motivated and even if the offer is lower than you want, NEGOTIATE!  Lots of times, if you wait for that better offer, you're home sits on the market and after 3 months you'll likely, get 5% less than that original offer!

2.  Offering buyers credits for work you'd rather not do.
People like move in ready, so instead of making the buyer do the work, skip the "credit" part and get the job done yourself!!  You're home is likely to sell faster and you will most likely get your money back and then some!!!

3.  Making highly personal changes to your home.
Don't assume just because you want something in your house, the buyer would too!  Think carefully before any home project right before selling.  If you are going to paint, go with a neutral.

4.  Overpricing.
It doesn't take long for people to figure out your house is overpriced since they can compare it to comps in your neighborhood.  If you price it right from the beginning, chances are you will sell it for a higher price than if you have to reduce the price.  You'll also sell it faster and then avoid all the carrying costs (i.e. more mortgage payments, property taxes, etc).

5.  Making your home difficult to show.
Always try to have your home ready to show within 24 hours.  Try to make it easy for people to come and see your house.  It gives the impression that your are motivated and serious about selling!

5 Great Staging Ideas!

It's a great idea to have neutral paint on the wall when you go to sell your home. I read a great article about staging (you can read it here). Cheryl Eisen, a NYC top real estate stager, says, "The colors we use can outshine the property, so it's important to stay with neutrals on most walls."  You want the buyer to focus on the beautiful space.  You don't want any design element to overshadow the home.

Here are Eisen's favorite staging tips:

Favorite all around neutral:  Stonington Gray

Best dramatic neutral: Chelsea Gray

Make a room look bigger with stripes:  

-  Thick vertical stripes make the ceilings look taller.

-  Horizontal stripes can make a room look wider.

-  She likes to alternate closely related neutrals or using different finishes with the same color (semi-gloss and flat).

Create a virtual room:

-  Paint one wall a deeper color, if you want to create a special area within it.  For example, if you want a desk space in a bedroom, paint the wall the desk is on a different color.  Eisen LOVES chalkboard paint.

Calm chaotic spaces with Gossamer blue:
This is a great color for kids or teens room.

Halloween DIY projects!

I was searching Pinterest yesterday looking for some EASY Halloween DIY decor and I found lots that I really liked, but I think these two were my favorites!

Halloween Rag Wreath - found on Sassy Sanctuary's blog.  She gives a very detailed, step by step, explanation, which I LOVE!

Mummy lights - found on Hi Sugarplum's blog.  She also gives a great step by step explanation and they look SUPER easy!  I love the idea of doing a "mummy family" and wrapping all different size jars and putting them together!

3 hot remodeling trends!

Yahoo Homes published an article about hot remodeling trends right now!

Here is a short version of the article!

Garages are doing a lot more than storing cars.  Lots of people use them for craft areas, exercise equipment, or even a place for entertainment.  People are making these rooms look less like simply a slab of concrete and more multipurpose.  Storage is key in this room!  Built in storage with doors is a great way to keep it looking clean.  Paint the walls and consider staining the floor or getting a garage mat surface.  Keep it bright too!

Laundry rooms are also a space that is becoming more multi-functional.  I don't know about you, but my laundry room always gets my excess of things I'm not sure what to do with (i.e. toilet paper rolls, paper towels, phone books, light bulbs, etc.)  Storage in this space is KEY!  You can never have too much storage!  

Kitchens have always been a hot remodel!  A lot of people agree kitchens help sell a home.  One of the biggest items buyers look for is an island!  Eat in kitchens also remain popular and having seating at your island or peninsula is a great idea!!!

Check out the article, though, for a more detailed version!

Rule of Thumb Measurements for Decorating your home!

I found this great blog post on Driven by Decor, and I think it's a great thing to save for measurement references.

She gives tips for:

Hanging artwork

Window treatments

Light fixtures

Rugs

Market Report for August 2012!

Number of homes sold in August 2012: 224

Number of homes sold in August 2011: 205

We did +9.27% better this August compared to last August.  

Cumulative Sales January-August 2012: 1,750

Cumulative Sales January-August: 2011: 1,467

We have done +19.29% better in 2012 compared to 2011.

Average days on the market from January-August 2012: 100

Average days on the market from January-August 2011: 113

Houses have been listed an average of 13 less days in 2012.

Although, home sales went down from July 2012 to August 2012, so far this is the best year we've had in real estate since 2007!  I certainly won't complain about that!  Let's hope for a GREAT September - December!!!!

How to hide your cords!!

I've seen so many large televisions on TV stands or mounted on walls and you can see all the wires hanging out.  I found this excellent website that shows you how to fix that eye sore and it isn't hard!!!!  Plus, it makes the living room look so much cleaner and put together!!!

Here are some before and afters:

Before:

After:

HGTV's September Color of the Month

HGTV's color of the month for September is EMERALD GREEN!

What do you think?  Personally, I am not sure I LOVE the color on the walls, but as an accent color it isn't so bad.  HGTV features a Pinterest board for all of their colors and you can take a look at all their favorite green looks.  Here are a few that I liked when I searched for Emerald Green in a home!

New 3.8% tax that will take effect January 1, 2013

Beginning January 1, 2013, a new 3.8 percent tax on some investment income
will take effect.
.
Below you’ll read examples of different scenarios in which
this new tax — passed by Congress in 2010 with the intent of generating
an estimated $210 billion to help fund President Barack Obama’s health care
and Medicare overhaul plans — could be relevant to you.
.
Understand that this tax WILL NOT be imposed on all real estate transactions,
a common misconception. Rather, when the legislation becomes effective in 2013,
it may impose a 3.8% tax on some (but not all) income from interest, dividends,
rents (less expenses) and capital gains (less capital losses). The tax will fall only
on individuals with an adjusted gross income (AGI) above $200,000 and couples
fi ling a joint return with more than $250,000 AGI.

EXAMPLE 1:

EXAMPLE 2:

EXAMPLE 3:

Example 4:

EXAMPLE 5:

EXAMPLE 6:

EXAMPLE 7:

EXAMPLE 8:

How much can you spend on housing?

If you are thinking about buying a house (or even renting), this is a great calculator that can help you figure out about how much you can afford to spend on monthly payments.  Obviously, before you buy a house, you need to get pre-approved for a mortgage, but sometimes you can pre-approved for a mortgage that you can't really afford.  You need to be honest with yourself and decide what number works for you!!!!  Being house poor is NO fun!

According to this site, it's a general rule not to spend more than 28% of your gross income on a mortgage.  So take your gross income (a full year's salary), multiply it by .28, and then divide by 12.  This is the most you should aim to spend because you have to factor in other monthly expenses that come with owning a home (repairs, upgrades, etc.)