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10 ways to increase the value of your home [video]

August 17, 2012 By Leave a Comment

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Whether you just bought a house or you have lived there for a while, the fastest way to increase your home’s value is by making a plan.

You will fare better if upgrades are made intentionally and not on impulse. Home improvement projects cost about 20 to 25 cents on the dollar. The other 75 to 80 cents spent go directly back into the home through increased value.

Start slowly. It’s a marathon, not a sprint. If your home is new, get to know it. If you have already been there a while, get started. List the things you want to change and the updates you would like to make. Don’t worry about organization, just write it all down. Take a guess on how long you may want to live in the house. If you’re planning on selling, talk to your realtor and make a selling plan.

Take the list and categorize by how much it may cost, including your time and money. Be realistic. It’s OK to list an outdoor pool with a waterfall, but keep your financial picture in mind.

Once you have a categorized list, take a look and prioritize what is a real "must have" and what is more of a dream. See if you can come away with a reasonable balance.

Once you have made a plan, do research or give me a call or contact me, to see what sort of return those improvements may bring. Some improvements will add considerably more value to your home than others.

Filed Under: Blog, Home Care, Home Remodel, Real Estate

AUDIOBULB | WIRELESS SPEAKER LIGHT BULB

August 10, 2012 By Leave a Comment

audiobulb-wireless-speaker-light-bulbThere is no stopping technology and imagination, the latest mind-boggling product we found are these wireless speaker light bulbs. Appropriately named AudioBulb, the revolutionary device allows you to use up to eight light bulbs as speakers, connected wirelessly to your iPhone/iPod or any other auxiliary input. You can also dim the lights from your iPhone, all this avoiding holes in the wall for running wires through! source

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Filed Under: Architecture, Blog, Home Care, Home Remodel, Music, Technology

Wee Washrooms: Stylish Subcompact Apartment Bathrooms

August 10, 2012 By Leave a Comment

toto-sprino-small-bathroom-2Small-space living often necessitates compromising on style, functionality, or both. The Subaco line of tiny bathrooms from Japanese company Spiritual Mode is rich in style but doesn’t skimp on function – and manages to cram it all into an impressively tiny footprint.

The sub-compact bathrooms can include tubs, toilets, sinks, and perhaps even laundry and/or kitchen facilities in an area no bigger than 2 square meters. Although definitely not large enough to be considered luxurious, the bathrooms offer just enough room to take care of necessary hygiene tasks.

The designers user vertical space in their designs as well. The bathrooms can be lofted to allow for a second level, giving a bit more space (and a fair dose of minimalist design cred) for those essential functions without taking up more precious floor real estate.

Filed Under: Architecture, Blog, Home Remodel Tagged With:

Paradigm shift for handicapped-accessible housing

August 9, 2012 By Leave a Comment

game_changerCasey Nolan’s goal is to transform handicapped-accessible housing for wounded warriors and their families. He is the project director for Wounded Warrior houses, a public-private partnership between the Army and Clark Realty Capital to upgrade 40,000 family units on bases across the U.S. When Nolan toured Walter Reed Military Medical Center in Bethesda, Maryland, he recognized that the units needed more than a makeover.

Taking feedback from returning soldiers, their spouses, caregivers, and doctors, Nolan and his team set out to create both suitable and comfortable homes. Currently, Patriot Homes are constructed for qualified soldiers, but Nolan believes that the project brings a paradigm shift to housing. Rather than perceive the housing needs of the disabled and elderly as unique, Americans will see them as part and parcel of the mainstream market.

Filed Under: Architecture, Blog, Home Remodel, Real Estate, Technology Tagged With: ,

12 Ways to Cool Your Home Without Air Conditioning

August 9, 2012 By Leave a Comment

cool-homeIf your summer energy bill is leaving you hot under the collar, consider these savvy alternate strategies for cooling down

Summer heat waves have everyone looking for ways to cool down at home. Blasting the air conditioner isn’t always an option, and it certainly uses a lot of energy. Instead of shelling out the big bucks to keep cool, consider several alternatives that can make a big difference.

Filed Under: Appliances, Blog, Home Care, Home Remodel, Technology

How to Replace Window Trim

August 8, 2012 By Leave a Comment

WindowTrimFor finishing new windows or freshening the old, window trim gives a polished look with less effort than you may think

Whether I’m flipping through a magazine or watching the latest home show on TV, I’m always drawn to a house’s trim. I love how the use of different architectural trim elements can completely change the feel of the entire house. Sometimes that can be good, and sometimes it can be utterly awful.

When we replaced our outdated and wallet-busting single-pane aluminum windows with energy-efficient double-pane vinyl windows in our kitchen nook, I began dreaming of adorning the windows with beautiful trim. I was excited for the end result, but since I’m always so focused on trim in other people’s homes, I was completely terrified about actually choosing the trim and putting it in place in my own home.

Filed Under: Blog, Home Care, Home Remodel Tagged With: ,

10 Ways to Boost Your Home’s Resale Value

August 6, 2012 By Leave a Comment

remodelFigure out which renovations will pay off, and you’ll have more money in your pocket when that ‘Sold’ sign is hung

With real estate prices not what they once were, to put it mildly, it’s only natural for homeowners preparing to sell to be thinking of ways to up their home’s value. But it simply doesn’t make sense to throw money into a big remodeling project that won’t end up netting a higher sale price in the end. What’s a homeowner to do?

Learn what buyers want, then start early (so you can enjoy your hard work before you sell) and small (to avoid excessive spending) for the best possible results. These 10 home improvement projects make smart use of your time and resources.

Filed Under: Appliances, Architecture, Blog, Home Care, Home Remodel

What Would You Do With an Extra Room?

August 5, 2012 By Leave a Comment

home_theaterLet’s pretend for a minute. Say you have an extra room in your house and you can do anything with it. Pretend you don’t need the space for that extra kid or that collection of merry-go-round horses. It’s just extra and you can do anything with it.

It could be your salsa dancing room or your indoor basketball court. Maybe it’s a meditation room, a home gym or a family room.

The truth is, we could all use an extra room. Once we’re all housed and the kitchen, bathrooms and common rooms are taken care of, there seems to always be a need for just a little extra space. A fantasy room.

I’m trying to chose between a cozy, comfy library and a playroom for the kids. Not that there’s any hurry for my decision.

Filed Under: Appliances, Architecture, Blog, Furniture, Home Remodel, Technology

Decorating Your Home with Augmented Reality

August 4, 2012 By Leave a Comment

Science fiction is becoming more reality than fantasy. One of the most interesting ways this is happening is through a technology called augmented reality. You may have seen it before, but if not what it basically does is modify your view of reality by adding an additional layer of information when viewing through a device.

Most uses of augmented reality deal with location based information, but I think there’s a ton of opportunities for bringing augmented reality inside your home. Specifically to help with home improvement or decorating projects. Below are some incredible examples of how this can work. One is available today while the last two are just concepts for now.

Take a look for yourself and I guarantee you’ll be amazed.

Ikea Augmented Reality Room App
I could really use this. After having rearranged furniture in my family room a few dozen times, it would have been great to just let my wife virtually arrange the room using digital version of the furniture all in real time. The following is a concept video put together by a Graphic and Digital Design student at the University of Greenwich, but I’m not sure why Ikea hasn’t made this a reality yet. Maybe they’re working on it. Take a look for yourself.

A Home Depot Room Makeover App
Most homeowners at one time or another have thought a certain type of carpet, cabinet or hardwood floor would look great in a room until they actually install it. Then comes the rude awakening that it didn’t look as good as you thought. Well this video I found on YouTube could help change all that. Using augmented reality, homeowners could test out how various home improvement products in the Home Depot catalog would look inside the actual room of your home before you go through the hassle of renovating. Incredible.

Augmented Reality is still very much in its infancy, but we’re pretty sure it will play a role both in and out of your home into the future. What augmented reality concept would you most like to use in your home?

Filed Under: Appliances, Architecture, Blog, Furniture, Home Remodel Tagged With: ,
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