Hot Home Trend: Kitchen Backsplash

Staying up on all the latest hot home decorating trends? Plugged into the HGTV, TLC? Love the Flip or Flop shows?

Then you have got to know about Kitchen Backsplashes!

That’s right say it with me: Back Splash! And just like it’s name they’re making a big impact on the home styling scene.

It’s easy to see why too! Your kitchen is one of the prime focal points of your home, some call it the heart of the home even, so it’s no wonder that it is also one of the best places to add a little personality beyond functionality.

Sure, a backsplash protects the wall behind the stove, keeps things tidy, and generally makes what accidents that do pop all over much easier to clean up, but beyond that they can really add a much needed burst of inspiration to what can sometimes be an otherwise utilitarian space.

There are any number of amazing tile options from plain to wild that you can use to dress up your space. Geometric patterns are popular, and bright pops of color are all the rage; patterns like Azulejo are timeless.

We love being able to offer these tips and insights to help you enjoy your home long after the paperwork is signed! We hope that you will rely on us for years to come and count on us as a trusted community resource to assist you whenever you have home questions.

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Get Your Home Ready For Spring!

The rains have come and the wind is blowing the fresh smells of a new season across the land…and that means Spring cleaning!

Yay. Right? Nobody looks forward to the work part of the process but everything sure is nice when it’s done and you can sit back and breathe in that crisp clean house smell.

We’ve put together a few quick but powerful tips to help you get ready for Spring without taking the spring out of your step!

Dust Off The A/C
Seasons change fast, and if you have central air it won’t be long before you’ll be wanting to turn it on to cool down. It’s a good idea to give the unit outside a good hose down and inspect it for any damage. Go ahead and change those air filters and turn the system on to make sure everything sounds right.

Do the Junkmail Jump
It’s a good time to review all those subscription and junk mail ads hitting the mailbox. Unsubscribing may not be the way you want to spend your Saturday but by the end of the year when the sales ads are really hitting you’ll be glad you did. It’s not a bad idea to take a look at your online subscriptions and bills in general as well…are there some things you’re paying for that you’re not even using? Cut them out!

Clean the Grill!
This one brings it’s own reward really. For many of us grilling season never really stopped so this may just be a matter of some light brushing off, but for everyone else go ahead and break out the wire brush and get things looking clean. Dump out old ashes and maybe even fire up a few burgers after you’re done – just to make sure it’s still “good”.

Brave The Deep Clean
Now is the time. Before Summer sports and the year really gets rolling, Spring is often the best time to go beyond your normal maintenance cleaning and go for the deep grime. Bleach the grout, wash down the baseboards, and do all the little things that make a big difference.

A good real estate agent wants to help long after the paper work is signed and helping you take care of the home you’re living in is just one part of that. If you’re looking for a home, or even looking to sell the home you’re in just get in touch!

Home Improvements To Reconsider

It’s natural to think about upgrading your home, especially if you’ve lived in it for some time or are thinking about selling in the near future.

While updates can be good, and cleanliness is a must above all else, there are some upgrades that can actually hurt your home value rather than help it.

We’ve put together a quick list of these possible improvements gone wrong that can have a negative impact when it comes time to move.

Wall to Wall Carpeting
Believe it or not flooring is a very personal thing. While some love the plush, soft feel of carpet others recognize it can be a cleaning nightmare to keep up with, or simply just don’t prefer it. Regardless, installing new carpeting throughout the house may be a costly investment that could be better applied elsewhere.

High End Landscaping
While curb appeal is very important and you want your yard to look it’s best going overboard with exotic plants and waterfalls may be a bit much. Your potential buyers taste might not match yours, or they simply might not want to inherit all that upkeep, so keep your yard simple and trim.

Built In Electronics
Home automation is all the rage these days. Set your thermostat from your phone, have your house ask how your day was when you walk in the door – if you can imagine it they are finding a way to make it possible. Some people don’t want all this technology however; some in fact out right oppose it. Beyond that it may be too complex for them to even figure out and no one wants to be stuck in a home with a thermostat set for “Arizona Summer” year round.

Wild Quirky Colors
Chartreuse is trending! And it’s fine to stay up on trends, or to even paint the kids rooms in a fun way, but you may want to keep from applying huge swaths of unconventional colors to rooms. Yes, potential buyers can always re-paint them later, but a big part of the sale comes from them being able to picture themselves in the home and that’s hard to do with bright yellow and pink stripes on all the walls.

Live in your home, make it your own and love every single minute of it, but when it comes time to find your next place keep in mind these things to help make the transition as easy as it can be. The new owners will appreciate your consideration and you’ll have a whole new house to transform into your dream home.

 

Tips for Selling a Small Home

Everything is moving in this market! …At least that’s what you’d like to think, but fact is sometimes having a unique home, or a small home can present unique challenges when it comes time to sell – even in this hot market.

To help we’ve put together some tips for how you can make the most of small spaces and get that home sold FAST!

Have a REVERSE House Welcoming Party
At a regular house warming party friends show up with gifts, but at a reverse house warming party you invite friends over and ask them to find something they want to take home with them! Make some appetizers and play a few games – make it a happening! This is a great fun way to get rid of extra clutter that you don’t want to have to move and get the house ready for showing.

Pack Early
Start putting unneeded items away early. Box things up and stow them in the garage or storage if you’re not using them. This is all about creating more available space; the less STUFF you have everywhere the bigger your small space can look.

Change Your Drapes
Heavy or dark drapes can really bring a room down. They let in less light, which can be bad in small spaces, and hide the windows. Consider switching our heavy thick drapes for lighter airy ones that let the light come in more strongly, it will help make your home feel more cheery.

More Mirrors Fewer Prints
If you’ve got a lot of pictures up, especially if the color palettes are wild, you may want to consider taking them down – or even better yet swapping them out with mirrors! Unlike pictures mirror can give an amazing illusion of depth and make a small space feel much larger. Now that’s something to reflect on!

Like any home a small or unique space just needs to find the right buyer.  Applying these helpful tips can present your home in the best light possible; that’s an important part of attracting the right buyers. If you’re thinking about selling your home, or struggling trying to do it on your own we’d love to help!

Is Your Home Budget Cramping Your Style?

You’ve found the perfect place and made it your own.

The boxes are unpacked and it’s been a great time getting settle in and making it your own. But well…you haven’t really changed much yet.

Part of that could be because you really found the perfect place, just the way it is, but if you’re like many homeowners the biggest challenge you face when the honeymoon days are over is budget. So here are some great ideas for decorating your home on tight purse strings and still getting a lot for your dollar!

Paint It Up!
Tried and true a fresh coat of paint works wonders to transform any room and is also one of the most affordable updates you can do yourself as well. While you can always hire a profession if it’s in your price range you really can handle most paint jobs on your own. Maybe start small, do a closet or kids room one weekend to get your skills honed in and then go for it!

Get Rid Of Stuff
Believe it or not, the cheapest update – one that could even make you money – is just not buying more stuff you don’t really need. If it’s too late to prevent that you should look into possibly getting rid of some stuff you don’t need to clear space. Not to get all hoopy-froopy but having more open space really does lend a cleaner feel to a space rather than having it over stuffed with…well…STUFF.

Think Storage Friendly
Getting a new piece of furniture? Remodeling a room? Think storage-first! One thing the tiny house movement has taught us is that any time you can reuse or re-imagine how an area works you can save space.  Foot stools with lids that open, hide-away spaces under stairs, and wisely cycling out home items based on season are all great examples of thinking storage-forward.

These three things are just a good place to start – get creative! There are always new ways to transform a space if you put your mind, some time, and a little elbow grease into it. And of course don’t hesitate to talk to me, your trusted real estate pro about ideas for making your home even better!

Is a Tiny House Right for You?

You’ve likely seen the TV show or heard someone talking about the latest home trend: Tiny Houses. There’s even a local home builder in Nampa Idaho who specializes in these new micro-homes! While down-sizing is one of the latest things to sweep the world of real estate, and some of the designs are quite cute, you’ve got to really consider a few things before jumping into a mini-house.

What is a Tiny House anyway?
Tiny Houses feature living spaces as small as 90 square feet, with overall home sizes generally being under 900 square feet in total. Some are permanent structures, while others sport wheels or trailers for easy relocation. The emphasis is on activities and a lot of your actual living outside the home and using less space for “stuff”.

Will it all fit?
The biggest adjustment is just the difference in available room. Storage can become a large part of the creative process in these reduced space homes and new homeowners for this style of living must consider the difference between what things are necessary and what things might just be clutter.

You don’t have to skimp.
Despite what you may think these tiny homes offer anything but spartan amenities. Many high end small homes include exotic woods and materials throughout; the real difference is just in how much room you have.

While generally these small houses aren’t ideal for large families the appeal for younger home buyers, and older couples who are finding their empty nests a little too empty, is easy to see. So much of the things we need in our lives for happiness all happen outside where we live anyway; there are many seeing this as a way to live a more free lifestyle.

Big or small it’s not hard to find great homes in our state! We invite you to search to find exactly the right place for you!