Archives for July 2014

New Construction Will Soon Be New Competition For Sellers

July 21, 2014 By EmmanuelFonte Leave a Comment

For the last several years, home sellers had to compete with huge inventories of distressed properties (foreclosures and short sales). The great news is that the supply of these properties is falling like a rock in the vast majority of housing markets. Many homeowners are now thinking of selling as the impact of this substantially discounted competition has disappeared.

However, every seller of an existing residential property must realize that there is a new form of competition about to hit the market: newly constructed homes.

As the economy improves, builders will again be bringing their housing developments to the market. Trulia recently reported that the purchaser, given a choice, actually prefers new construction. Here are two charts showing the results of the Trulia survey:

Filed Under: Blog, Real Estate Updates

8 Beautiful Ideas for Floating Shelves

July 18, 2014 By EmmanuelFonte Leave a Comment

Get clean-lined storage and display on walls, over windows and in nooks using versatile floating shelving

Floating shelves — those that attach to the wall without visible brackets — are sleek, chic and so versatile. From filling a tricky nook to customizing a workspace, floating shelves are an underrated workhorse all around the house. Here are eight ways to use floating shelves, plus key tips for when it comes time to hang them.

8 Beautiful Ideas for Floating Shelves

Filed Under: Blog, Furniture, Home Care

Get the Look of Wood Cabinets for Less

July 17, 2014 By EmmanuelFonte Leave a Comment

No need to snub plastic laminate as wood’s inferior cousin. Today’s options are stylish and durable — not to mention money saving

While plastic laminate cabinets might seem like a relic of another era, they actually are a practical, affordable, and — dare we say it? — stylish alternative to conventional wood cabinetry. “The general public doesn’t have an understanding about the durability, flexibility and options that laminate offers,” says Julie Cavanaugh, the owner of Design Matters, an interior design firm in Los Gatos, California.

Cavanaugh estimates that only about 15 percent of her clients request laminate cabinet faces, and a good chunk of those are for rooms other than kitchens. But the material doesn’t deserve to be neglected, she believes. It’s usually a cost-effective option and more environmentally stable and easier to care for than wood.

Wood-patterned laminate can emulate exotic materials and graining without the limitations and scarcity of the real thing. “You can make beautiful lengths of book-matched cabinetry, because the cabinetmaker is in control of the patterning and the repeat,” Cavanaugh says. The price is another incentive: Cavanaugh estimates that laminate cabinets can save homeowners an average of 15 to 30 percent over wood versions.

Get the Look of Wood Cabinets for Less

Filed Under: Blog, Home Care, Home Remodel

What People Share On Social Networks: Statistics and Trends

July 16, 2014 By EmmanuelFonte Leave a Comment

Everyone seems to be sharing their lives on social networks. Some people have accounts on several social networks at the same time! People share many things on their social networks with friends and sometimes even with strangers. Aren’t you curious as to what they share? Check out our infographic, “What People Share On Social Networks” to get the low down on what’s really going on out there, socially speaking!

Filed Under: Blog, New Media, Technology

What Goes With Granite Counters?

July 15, 2014 By EmmanuelFonte Leave a Comment

Coordinate your kitchen finishes beautifully by choosing colors that complement granite’s natural tones

They are classy and hard wearing and come in a range of shades — is it any wonder granite counters are still so popular? Whether you are planning a new kitchen or want a fresh look that works with your existing granite counters, here are eight ideas to get you started.

What Goes With Granite Counters?

Filed Under: Blog

Keep Your Kids Safe Room-by-Room [Infographic]

July 14, 2014 By EmmanuelFonte Leave a Comment

Whether you have kids living at home or just the occasional child visitor, you should know about your home’s danger zones. This infographic takes you room by room in the house to identify hazards.

The tips are cross-referenced by the age of the child and the particular room in the house, so you’ll know some of the new hazards to watch out for as children get older. Many parents already know these tips, but for those of us who only have little ones as occasional guests, this is a great reminder of the lurking hazards around your home.

Filed Under: Blog, Home Care

15 Ways to Ready a Summer Home on the Cheap

July 13, 2014 By EmmanuelFonte Leave a Comment

Set up a comfy getaway where stress goes down the drain, without sending wads of cash along with it

So, you bought a vacation home — congratulations! But after saving and scrounging to pull off your dream, it may be that there isn’t much left over for actually furnishing said vacation home and making it, you know,livable. Once you have the nonnegotiables (working plumbing, wiring etc.) taken care of, it’s time to make your place your own. Here are 15 budget-friendly ways (including a few worthy splurges) to get your holiday cottage ready for summer, so you can get busy doing what’s really important: relaxing.

15 Ways to Ready a Summer Home on the Cheap

Filed Under: Blog, Home Care

9 Exit Strategies for Your Clutter

July 12, 2014 By EmmanuelFonte Leave a Comment

How to efficiently — and regularly — rid your home of the things you don’t want

Many of us have a problem with clutter. It can be so hard to get rid of things. Often the difficulty comes down to deciding whether something really is clutter. The struggle can be internal (“I could use this some day”), or with various family members (“Are you kidding me? That was my Aunt Agatha’s!”)

If you are desperate to clear things out of your house, a good place to start is the stuff everyone can agree needs to go. In our family no one wants to hold on to outgrown clothing, dead batteries, returnable bottles and cans, and books we’ve read but don’t love enough to keep. So why can’t we get them out of the house? Why are they piled by the door or on the end of the table, stashed in the back of the pantry or moldering in bags in the garage? Why!

I was thinking about this as we cleaned the garage last week, and then again when I unloaded a table outside our laundry room and noted the various bags of things I had carefully gathered and sorted and then forgot about for weeks on end. I realized we need to come up with a few systems for getting this stuff out of the house. We need some exit strategies.

9 Exit Strategies for Your Clutter

Filed Under: Blog, Home Care

13 Upgrades to Make Over Your Outdoor Grill Area

July 11, 2014 By EmmanuelFonte Leave a Comment

Kick back on your patio or deck with a grill that focuses on fun as much as function

When the weather cooperates, there are few meals more pleasant than those you can enjoy in your own backyard. The fresh air and hot grill have a way of conjuring a vacation mood — even if you are only grilling up a quick weeknight dinner. Get inspired to make over your grilling zone for luxurious outdoor dining with these 13 ideas.

13 Upgrades to Make Over Your Outdoor Grill Area

Filed Under: Appliances, Architecture, Blog