Better Homes and Gardens Real Estate Life

Author: admin

  • 10 Tips for Finding Great Real Estate for Sale

    Finding your dream home can feel stressful, but there’s plenty of great real estate for sale to suit nearly every buyer. Breaking down the process of buying a new home into steps isn’t only helpful, but it will help it feel manageable. Below are 10 great tips to help you go from dreaming of owning a new home to actually holding the keys.

    Make a wish list and prioritize your needs

    Now is the time to think about what your perfect home looks like. Unless you have a bottomless bank account, you probably won’t be able to get everything you want. Perhaps you’ve always dreamed of having a fireplace, but when it comes down to it, what you really need is a home located near good schools.Taking time to make a wish list will help you prioritize needs over wants.

    Set a realistic budget

    Perhaps the most stressful part of buying a home is setting a budget, yet this doesn’t need to be a daunting task. Figure out how much house you can afford by examining your current salary and debts. A mortgage payment should never be more than a third of your income, while your debt should be less than 40 percent of your income.

    Hire a great real estate agent

    Unless you’re an orthodontist, you probably wouldn’t attempt to fit someone with a pair of braces, right? The same theory holds true for buying real estate. Great REALTORS® will demystify the process of finding your dream home, from working within your budget to putting in a bid. In addition, it’s their job to know the market and they can help you find your perfect home, even when there’s competition from other buyers in your area.

    Make a checklist

    You’ve prioritized your wish list, set a realistic budget, and hired a real estate agent. Time to sit back and relax, right? Wrong! Now’s the time to make a checklist of all the things you need to consider when finding your dream house. Your list should include the priorities from your wish list. For example, how close is the house to schools and grocery stores? Does the home have a fireplace? How much does the current owner pay annually in taxes? Preparing a list of questions before you purchase your new home will make sure you don’t have questions later.

    Location, location, location!

    Although it might seem obvious to carefully choose where you buy a home, you’d be surprised how many people cut corners. Is it a priority for you to find real estate close to schools? Or perhaps it’s a priority to be located off a busy street to avoid noise pollution. In short, a dream home isn’t ideal at all if it’s not located in the perfect place.

  • Ask A Pro Q&A: Housewarming Party

    Celebrate in style, no matter the size of your new home. Interior design expert and Dream Team member Jennifer Adams shows you how to go from cramped to cozy with a few great tips for your housewarming party in the latest edition of Ask a Pro!

    Q: “I just recently brought my new condo/townhouse.  It has 2 beds, 1 full bath, 1 partial bath, a basement, and it is 986 Sq. ft.  I am going to host a house warming this spring and would like to know how do I fit 20 – 30 guests in my small home?”

    — Nancy J

    A: Congratulations on your new home! It’s so fun to get settled into a new space and create a home for yourself that you love. And how wonderful to have a great group to help you enjoy it. Here are a few of my tips for entertaining your friends and family for any gathering.

    Expand outdoors! Add festive lighting and consider inviting the neighbors so they won’t mind your friends spilling out onto your driveway. Rent or borrow a pop-up canopy if it’s going to be hot or rainy. Have some spare throw blankets nearby if some of the seating is outside and it’s going to be chilly.

    Set up the bar/beverages area accessible but separate from the food. Your kitchen is going to be packed no matter what, so having the beverages further away will keep your gathering a little more spread out. Consider someplace where spills are not very consequential but still social, perhaps in the back yard or garage if you have one.

    Push the major furniture pieces toward the walls. You’ll need the extra room for people to mingle. Turn the dining table sideways or place in a corner to make even more room, and remove all your breakable accessories. The table surfaces and seating are still going to be useful for food and mixing up conversations groupings, so don’t hide it all. After the party you can re-arrange your furniture how you like it for daily life and smaller gatherings.

    Keep the food prep and beverage service simple. With that many people, there will be that many extra drink glasses and plates! Serve mostly finger foods that are easy to eat while standing up. Pre-plan an obvious place for garbage and the empties, so your guests can more easily clean up after themselves.

    Invite your closest friends and family a little early to help you set up. That way there will be people at your home when the rest of the guests arrive! It’s kind of awkward to be the first guest to show up at a party set up for a big event.

    Remember, you don’t have to have everything perfect! In fact, nothing has to be perfect. Plan ahead, but if you run out of something, you can send somebody to go get more. Invite a casual atmosphere, and everyone will have a great time, including, yourself!

    — Jennifer Adams

     

     

     

  • Boost Your Home’s Curb Appeal with Breathtaking Front Yard Landscaping Ideas

    Ready to give your front yard a makeover, yet don’t know where to start? It’s easy to get a little intimidated when it comes to yard design. Many of us are convinced that landscaping is something only professionals can do because it will be too time consuming to maintain. However, anyone can have a swoon worthy front yard without a ton of effort.

    Whether you’re looking to sell your house or simply want to try something different, there are countless ways to enhance your curb appeal. Read on for some front yard landscaping ideas and planning suggestions.

    Charming pots and beautiful boxes

    Flower pots provide an instant front yard upgrade that can be updated easily and often. Southern Living recommends choosing pots that complement the colors of your home and keeping it simple with regard to the planters.

    Similarly, carefully tended window boxes can elevate your front yard design from basic to beautiful, especially when they include varied sizes and colors.

     

    Stylish stones

    Does the thought of plant-heavy landscaping make you nervous? There are other ways to make your front yard stand out that don’t involve plants or flowers. Pros call the use of pebbles and stones hardscaping, which can vary your yard with texture and color.

    Whether you’re using them as an accent or making them more of a focus, stones add a sophisticated textural element to your yard, with minimal maintenance.

  • 10 Easy Spring Centerpieces to Impress

    Consider these 10 easy spring centerpieces, whether you want to impress guests or create an awe-inspiring space for yourself.

    Whether you’re hosting a brunch, throwing a shower or simply decorating your house for the season, spring centerpieces can add the perfect touch to your table. With the abundance of flowers during spring, it’s easy to find blooms that will bring life to your home. In keeping with the season’s theme of newness, the time is ideal for trying out a fresh style in floral containers or even centerpieces sans flowers.

    1. Keep it cool

    Welcome spring with cool-toned flowers accentuated by a simple tin bowl or glass vase. Choose blossoms like purple or blue grape hyacinth, plum tulips, and grape fritillaria combined with ruffled columbine foliage for a dramatic, yet well-balanced effect. Arrange your flowers on their own or with black pussy willow crisscrossed to form a nest that they can nestle in.

     

     

    2. Make a statement with daffodils

    Gather daffodils from your garden or purchase them from the farmers market or a nursery. The cut blooms are alluring in cream, yellow and apricot. Pair them in a sleek and minimalist container with twigs of heritage pussy willow. Consider cutting daffodils before their buds open to enjoy a long-lasting bouquet that affords glimpses of the flower in its many forms.

     

  • Ask A Pro Q&A: Painting A Deck

    Debating whether to paint a deck? It is easy to assume that a few coats of color will transform a space for the better. However, Dream Team member Carson Arthur shows you how to dress up a fresh air space for a look that will last well past summer.

    Question: I have a large deck that is looking a little boring. Should I paint the surface? What can you recommend to help warm up the space and make it more appealing?

    -Ken G.

    Don’t paint the deck! Never paint a deck. The paint will never adhere to the wood for a long period. If you want to add some zing, look for a semi or transparent penetrating wood stain. These can be tinted to any color you choose. Just make sure to properly prepare the wood according to the stain directions first.

    – Carson

  • Boost Curb Appeal with an Entryway Garden

    Eye-catching entryway plantings packed with color help your home extend a friendly welcome.

    First impressions count, and when you preface a front door with floral and foliage fireworks, you create an atmosphere of gracious warmth. A colorful entry also adds curb appeal, which enhances home value. The trick is to arrange plantings that blend fuss-free style with traffic-stopping beauty. Add a trickling fountain to mute traffic noise, or, if you don’t have the space, embrace a container garden that features a variety of different blooms and buds to appeal to guests and potential home buyers alike.

     

    Boost curb appeal with color

    Using seasonal color in a front yard works well for several reasons. It provides a loom on which you can weave different planting patterns year to year, so for a gardener who enjoys designing plantings, an entry garden furnishes endless opportunities to satisfy the craving for staging something new. In areas with rugged winters and ample snowfall, quick color that disappears with the frost means no worries about plant damage from road salt or piles of snow. And whenever you trade turf for plantings, you reduce lawn-mowing duties—a cause to cheer.

     

     

    Profusion Series Zinnia

    This mounding grower is blanketed with daisy-like blooms.

     

     

     

  • Container Gardening: What Works Best

    The very best methods for growing container gardening vegetables

    There’s no better time to start planting than in spring. Gardening vegetables in a container is a great way to grow healthy food and an easy way to add some color to porches or around windows. To help you get started, we’ve put together a list of some of some of the best methods for gardening vegetables in containers.

     

    Window boxes

    Are you short on yard space? Do you lack a front porch? Then a window box might be the perfect solution! Vegetables often need between six and eight hours a day of sunlight, so just make sure your window boxes get enough light.

     

     

     

     

    Clay pots versus plastic

    Clay pots are arguably more attractive than plastic pots. They are often more expensive and dry out faster in the sun. With that said, if you decide to invest in clay pots, consider having it glazed to hold water. If you prefer the unglazed look, a trick of the trade is to insert a plastic pot into a one made of clay.

  • Ask A Pro Q&A: Adding Color to Your Home

    While neutrals provide a great foundation for any room, color offers personality and drama. Learn how to transform a brown space into a visual delight with a few brightening hues from interior design expert and Dream Team member Jennifer Adams in the latest edition of Ask a Pro!

     

    Question: How do I add color to my interior design? I currently have brown floors, couches and a tan rug.

    Kim F.

    Answer: Brown is a wonderful foundation in which to add color. I recommend contrasting completely and boosting interest with white or ivory, especially for walls.

    Add textural fabrics

    Wool, linen or raw silk provide options for increasing visual interest in a room. Baskets, natural treasures, aged wood pieces or large driftwood pieces make for darling accessories. Furry area rugs make great options, particularly ones from Morocco. Consider one with colorful geometric shapes for drama.

    For some color

    Consider warmer tones or navy blue along with off-white colors. Stay away from bright turquoise, forest or mint. If you like green, choose warmer olive or sage. Earthy burgundy tones and dusty rose hues are also stylish alternatives.

    Artwork and area rugs

    Natural tones will give you a starting point to add color. Choose some of the warmer tones for pillows, vases, blankets and small accents.

    Jennifer Adams

  • The Process of Home Buying

    Buying a home is a multi-step process that can be complicated, particularly for first-time buyers. It is crucial to be aware of each step, as competition can be steep: one misstep and the keys to a dream home could go to another family. Read on to discover the best path to acquire one of the greatest investments to date.

    Step No. 1: Decide on a REALTOR®

    A real estate agent and a REALTOR® are different.  While both must be licensed to sell real estate, a REALTOR® goes through numerous background checks and must follow a strict code of ethics, which is consistently enforced by local real estate boards. Another distinction between a real estate agent and a REALTOR® is that a REALTOR® is a member of the National Association of REALTORS®. Ask for referrals and read online reviews/testimonials. Interview multiple agents to find the right one. Look for agents who have realistic expectations and are experts in desired neighborhoods.

    Step No. 2: Get finances in order

    A three-digit credit score and credit report tell financial stories more than bank accounts do. Everyone must carry debt in some form, and the process of paying it can span a lifetime. Paying cash for everything results in a lower score than responsibly carrying debt. A steady job and income can bypass a bad score if prospective clients are willing to put down 10-20 percent. To improve scores, future homeowners should pay all bills on time. A single missed payment can stay on credit reports for seven years, with recent delinquencies impacting scores the most negatively. Additionally, credit limits should not be exceeded, and balances should be kept below 30 percent of the credit limit.

    Step No. 3: Apply for pre-approval

    A pre-approval letter is a statement from a lender demonstrating that one is a qualified buyer who sellers will take seriously once ready to make an offer. Unless one plans on paying cash, a mortgage pre-approval is a good idea before beginning the home-buying process.

    Step No. 4: Know the difference between wants and needs

    Real estate agent will not know where to begin if a prospective client does not. Start thinking about must-haves. They can range from location to the number of bedrooms. Wants can include a pool or a guest home. Compromises are the things one is willing to exchange for needs. For example, a great school district can be attainable if the number of bedrooms is reduced.

    Step No. 5: Begin the home search

    Open houses will become a favorite activity when a real estate agent begins showing homes that fit criteria. This is a fact-finding mission. Take notes and jot down ideas about what is liked and not liked. This will streamline the process and give real estate agents all they need to know to make a happy homeowner.

    Step No. 6: Check off mortgage approval

    An accepted offer will begin the closing stage of the home-buying process. A lender will give the final approval for the purchase and specify the closing date. This is not the time to celebrate by splurging on big ticket items. Unexpected expenses can show up without warning. Paying property taxes or insurance for the first full year on the closing date might be a noted point.

    Step No. 7: Get a home inspection

    A good home inspector will audit the house from top to bottom, literally. They will look at the basement and the roof and everything in between, including the heating system, plumbing and windows.  Given that purchasing a home is likely one of the largest investments a person will make, don’t skip this critical step.  If repairs are necessary, this can be negotiated with the seller before the final sale.

    Step No. 8: Prepare to close

    Once at the final step in the process, one can pat themselves on the back for a job well done. The closing table is the desired location where the deed will be transferred from the seller to the buyer. John Hancocks should be ready because there could be hours of paperwork. An attorney or settlement agent will most likely be present.

     

    May your new home be the happiest one on the block.

  • 5 Tips to Find New and Exciting Things to Do in Your Community

    Moving into a community is an adventure. Think of all the neighbors you can add to your social circle and areas to explore just for fun. Execute these simple tips to make friends and be part of the community.

    Join social media groups

    Social media can help you find everything there is to know about your new community. From local events to citywide activities, everything can be found by simply logging into your account. Conduct a search for local social media groups and join. Connect to others within the area while also being informed of the various options of entertainment your community has to offer. RSVP for an event and start connecting to other attendees with similar interests. Local company Facebook pages are a great way to find out what’s going on in the area.

    Read mail flyers

    Some of the best things to do in the community can be found right in your mailbox. Local events still rely on traditional flyers and ads in local newspapers to garner interest. Take a look through your mail as it may be the key to filling your upcoming weekend with fun and excitement.

    Chat with your Neighbors

    Neighbors can be amazing resources for things happening in the community. The longer they’ve lived in the area, the more familiar they will be with annual events within the community and much more. Neighbors may also know of some hidden gems that you may not have ever discovered otherwise. Turn neighborly chats into friendships.

    Frequent Businesses in the Area

    Skip the drive-thru next time you’re ordering something from a local business. Try to go patronize establishments within the area; many have bulletins pinned with various advertisements of local events and activities. This is an excellent way to meet new people within your community. Focus on frequenting these businesses to help you learn about your new community.

     

    New areas can be intimidating. Put these tips into place and by the end of the week, you’ll have plenty of new and exciting things to do on the weekend.