The coffee table is a staple in the family or living room of most homes. It’s also a magnet for clutter. Nico de Swert of Pottery Barn demonstrates three ways to stylize your table using thoughtful design that’s simple to implement.
Archives for October 2012
Guest Picks: Bathroom Remodel Items Worth the Plunge
October 16, 2012 By Leave a Comment
Make a splash in your renovated bathroom with these sinks, tubs, lighting fixtures and accessories
A bathroom renovation can be one of the most stressful projects to undertake. It’s messy, uncomfortable and usually expensive. I’m about to take the plunge (no pun intended), so I’ve been trawling the Internet for inspiration. The array of products — and prices — out there is really quite bewildering. There are so many possible directions to take: clean and minimal, glamorous and sparkly, warm and organic. How’s a girl to choose? — Lucy from Four Walls and a Roof
Browse Storage And Organization on Houzz- For Example:
The Garden Home concept
October 14, 2012 By Leave a Comment
Have you wondered about the Garden Home concept? P. Allen Smith, garden designer and lifestyle expert, explains the inspiration behind the concept in this video, part of the eHow Home series. For Smith, the Garden Home “blurs the lines between indoors and out.” Learn how he utilizes Greek Revival architecture to create indoor spaces that serve to frame the natural beauty of surrounding landscapes.
A Light Touch: Sunlight-Filled Stockholm Artist’s Penthouse
October 13, 2012 By Leave a Comment
Located in the heart of busy Stockholm, this penthouse is eye candy for bibliophiles and lovers of great design alike. It is perched at the top of an historic building and offers an artful refuge from the bustling streets below.
The home’s interior was designed by its owner, Swedish artist Carouschka Streijffert, and featured in the magazine Skönahem. Two sunken reading areas form the focal point of the luxurious space, although they have stiff competition from a stunning spiral staircase leading up to a luxurious second floor bathroom.
Make no mistake about it – this is not a kid-friendly, soft-cornered, baby-proofed home. This penthouse is all grown up, as evidenced by the open stairs and stunning open fireplace.
The abode is shaped like a “U” with one elongated side, allowing the resident to look into her own windows from an entirely different part of the home.
In addition to all of the fabulous features here, the abundance of natural light is one of the most compelling things about this penthouse home. Windows of all shapes and sizes adorn every wall, allowing sunlight to permeate the artist’s residence all day long.
Meet the New Super Toilets
October 12, 2012 By Leave a Comment
Indoor plumbing is arguably the greatest invention in the history of humankind (with the possible exception of Peeps sushi). And the porcelain and chrome toilets that grace most bathrooms in the industrialized world work fine. While most people think, "If it ain’t broke, why fix it?" some gadget-happy companies — especially in Japan — say, “Why not?”
Fancy electric high-tech toilets, which the Japanese call super toilets, can be found in more than 72 percent of Japanese households. At minimum they include a bidet feature and often a seat warmer.
High-tech features vary, but most of the toilets use electricity to provide warming, automation and bidet functions.
Browse Outdoor Products on Houzz- For Example:
House Flipping Returns Due To Demand, Inventory Shortage
October 12, 2012 By Leave a Comment
The housing market is picking up steam like a freight train, but we’ve unfortunately run into a major roadblock: lack of inventory. Tons of homebuyers are actively searching for their dream home, however their search has turned into more of a journey.
The problem is that a vast majority of homebuyers, especially first-time buyers, prefer move-in ready properties. They’re simply looking for a roof over their head, not an enormous home improvement project. Renters feel exactly the same way and either run from outdated properties or squeeze landlords for a rock bottom price.
Due to high demand, house flipping is making a major comeback with real estate investors scooping up properties left and right. In fact, according to the National Association of REALTORS®, investors purchased 18 percent of houses in the U.S. in August 2012. The properties will either be remodeled and rented, or flipped for profit within a short amount of time.
Lawrence Yun, NAR chief economist, stated: “The West and Florida markets are experiencing inventory shortages, which are placing pressure on prices.” To capitalize on such shortages, house flippers are flocking to Florida and the West Coast.
When flipping houses, investors tackle two things first: kitchens and bathrooms. “People buying a house look first at kitchens and baths,” says Kermit Baker, director of the remodeling futures program at the Joint Center for Housing Studies at Harvard University. Plus, statistics show that bathroom and kitchen upgrades are one of the best ways to boost interest as well as value.
As house flippers continue to purchase and remodel properties, we can expect the quality of homes for sale to improve. Hopefully higher quality listings will spur more home sales.
source: Fix&FlipNet
A Home’s Worth: Value, Price and Cost: How They Work Together
October 12, 2012 By Leave a Comment
For homebuyers, determining what a home is worth requires systematic analysis, careful thought, and some guts.
Value
The value of a property is established by the prospective buyer. Market value is an opinion of what a buyer thinks the home is worth, based on how it will be used. Value is calculated based on one’s lifestyle, so it is different for each perspective buyer. For example, a home near public transportation could be more valuable for someone who does not drive than it would be for someone who does. Buyers with children, may consider a home in a particular school district more valuable than another.
Price
Price is what the home should be worth in today’s market. Occasionally, a seller doesn’t price the home right, so what a buyer must do is an analysis to determine the fair market value of the property. This is what the seller should reasonably be asking for. Similar, recently sold properties (six months or less), should be used to establish fair market value. They should be similar in size and upkeep to the property you are considering. Of course, the current condition, location and surroundings, as well as the view from the property, can all affect the price of a house.
Cost
Typically, sellers believe a house is worth what they paid for it, in addition to how much was spent on improvements. In reality, when a seller improves a home, the value of the property is increased, not the cost. Since value is based on the buyer’s preferences, improvements and other extras are all subjective. A seller could receive dissimilar offers from potential buyers because they have made personal decisions about the home’s value. When a homeowner makes improvements, they receive benefits from those choices and if they remain in the property, derive pleasure from that investment. When those improvements are very specific, or personalized, they may not received the monetary benefits they expected.
If you or someone you know is considering buying or selling a home, contact me so that we can analyze the situation together.
Cost of a Home: Impact of Interest Rates
October 12, 2012 By Leave a Comment
The buyer should always look at the COST of a home, not just the PRICE. The cost is determined by the price and the mortgage interest rate which is available at the time. Below is a list of the interest rates over the last ten years and the impact they have on a $100,000 mortgage payment.
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