Month: August 2022

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How to Enjoy a Speedy Home Selling Experience

When it comes to selling a house, it helps to plan ahead. By doing so, a home seller can identify and resolve potential home selling hurdles right away.

With the right approach to selling a house, any seller can minimize problems along the way. In fact, the right approach may increase the likelihood that a seller can enjoy a speedy home selling experience.

Now, let’s take a look at three tips to help sellers streamline the home selling journey.

1. Price Your House Competitively

What is your house really worth? This question is difficult to answer for a home seller, as many factors impact the value of a home.

A home’s age and condition likely will play important roles in your residence’s value. Furthermore, external factors like the crime rates in the city or town where your home is located or your house’s proximity to parks and schools may affect your residence’s value.

To establish a competitive price for your house, you’ll want to study the local housing market. Look at the prices of available houses that are similar to your own; this data can help you define a competitive initial asking price for your residence.

In addition, it frequently helps to perform a home appraisal. During a home appraisal, a property expert will assess your house and provide a property valuation. Then, you can use this valuation to determine the ideal asking price for your house.

2. Conduct a Home Inspection

Although a home inspection generally is completed after a seller accepts a buyer’s offer on a house, there is no need to wait. Instead, a home seller can conduct an inspection prior to listing a residence to learn about a house’s strengths and weaknesses.

Review the results of a home inspection closely – you’ll be glad you did. After a home inspection, you can identify any underlying problems with your house and take the necessary steps to resolve these issues. That way, you can prevent such problems from cropping up after a buyer submits an offer on your house.

3. Hire a Real Estate Agent

If you are unsure about how to price your house or complete other home selling tasks, there is no need to worry. Remember, you can always hire a real estate agent who can provide plenty of support throughout the home selling journey.

A real estate agent understands the ins and outs of selling a house. As such, this housing market expert can teach you about the real estate sector and ensure you can achieve the best possible home selling results.

Typically, a real estate agent will set up home showings and open house events, negotiate with a buyer’s agent on your behalf and simplify the home selling cycle. With a real estate agent at your side, you should have no trouble receiving expert responses to your home selling questions too.

Ready to add your house to the real estate market? Use the aforementioned tips, and you can reap the benefits of a speedy home selling experience.

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How to design a minimalist living room

If you’re a fan of simple design, a minimal living room might be your perfect match. By using minimalist design style, you can create a sleek atmosphere without sacrificing comfort. Here are some tips for designing a minimalist living room:

Decluttering

Getting rid of clutter is the first step to designing a minimalist living room. However, don’t let the decluttering stop once you’ve removed the items belonging to other rooms. If you have accumulated a collection of accessories or accent furniture, consider removing one or more pieces to instantly open up the space,

Size & scale

When working with a minimal living room design, it’s important to think about the size and scale of your furniture pieces. While not everything needs to be tiny to achieve a minimal approach, oversized silhouettes can make the room seem crowded. Try combining pieces with sleek, clean lines and matching in scale. Doing so will make the entire design feel simple and comfortable.

Natural light

Natural light is essential to a minimalist living room design. Try to maximize the amount of natural light you have through windows by using sheer or light-colored drapes. Simple fabrics without pattern or texture are perfect for framing your windows without making it feel dark and cluttered.

Multi-functional pieces

If you’re concerned about not having enough storage space in a minimal living room design, invest in some multifunctional furniture pieces. There are plenty of options available for seating and accent furniture with hidden storage built-in. You can also use certain pieces for unexpected purposes, such as a stool for an end table.

Color palette

Minimalist design doesn’t mean you have to forgo your favorite colors in a space. Instead, focus on one or two colors to anchor the design and connect every piece. If you’re unsure about color choices, try virtual interior design apps with preview options for furniture and wall color. When in doubt, white and other light neutrals are staples of minimal living room designs.

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No Demolition Required: 3 Build-In-Place Renovation Projects to Consider

Photo by Pixabay from Pexels

Renovation projects might seem like a huge undertaking, but transforming rooms does not necessarily require demolishing the existing infrastructure. Some living spaces simply require additional elements to enhance their usefulness and your peaceful enjoyment. These are build-in-place home renovation ideas that can change the way people experience being at home.

1: Create A Recessed Bookcase

Property owners may be pleased to discover that building a recessed bookcase does not necessarily require demolition. The existing wall can remain in place as long as you use some strategic planning. Although you will likely need to remove moldings, you only need to know where the wall studs are and make sure to avoid electrical outlets.

A bookcase is basically a large open box with shelves running inside it. A handy DIYer can craft the structure using pine boards ranging from 1×6 to 1×12, depending on desired shelf depth. The trick will be either securing the bookcase frame to the wall studs or adding a backing that can be screwed directly into them.

On either side and above the bookcase, a non-bearing partition will be necessary. Attach drywall, spackle, tape, sand and paint the facade. This is a very simplified overview of the process but should allow homeowners to visualize the possibility. That previously bare wall will come alive with books, family photos and more.

2: Built-In Window Seats Enhance Leisure Experience

Homeowners typically install large windows to infuse rooms with warmth and natural sunlight. You can also combine a window with seating to add character and improve quality of life in the home.

Window seats can be built in place by handy homeowners or carpenters. This structure is usually made from 2×4 lumber with a finished facade and plywood top. The measurements should account for the depth of the comfortable seating cushion. The overall height generally runs a few inches below the window sill. Most built-in widow seats possess a backrest for sustained relaxation. You can top it off with throw pillows or a throw blanket for extra comfort.

This build-in-place asset can upgrade an under-used nook or be part of reinventing an entire wall. Imagine recessed bookcases with a window seat integrated into the room’s design.

3: Create a Mini Mudroom

One of the hot-trending home renovation ideas involves transforming entrances into spaces that accommodate soiled shoes, umbrellas, rainwear and other items. Transforming a foyer or under-used entrance into a mini mudroom tasks the homeowner or carpenter with building only a few things in place.

A sturdy bench or seating platform can be designed from 2×4 lumber with plywood overlays and then painted. Some people prefer a decor that accentuates natural wood. Thick pine materials can be employed to design a traditional bench with room for shoes underneath. Another facet that many homeowners appreciate is creating a mini cubby where jackets, hats and a little storage space above can house all-weather gear. What could be more transformational than ending that trail of mud?

By re-imagining the existing space and adding key enhancements, you can eliminate the cost and inconvenience of demolition work. These and other build-in-place home renovation ideas allow everyday people to enjoy their living space’s maximum benefit.

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Automation to Get the Most Out of Your Entertainment Center

Photo by Tima Miroshnichenko from Pexels

The vast majority of homeowners have put some time and effort into setting up their entertainment centers. Whether it’s movies, TV or video games, we all have our priorities. No matter what enjoy, automation can be a great way to get more from every experience at home. Of course, this means that you’ll need to tackle the technical setup of all your devices, as well as figure out which ones you actually need. We’ll look at some ideas to get you where you want to be.

Lights, Camera, Action

Automation makes it possible for you to dim the lights, draw the shades or start/pause the movie. Maybe you hit a single button that can do all three, or maybe you program voice commands through virtual assistants like Siri or Alexa. If the doorbell happens to ring during a pivotal scene, an automated entertainment center can immediately pause until you come back.

How you design your home theater will depend on where it is and how you consume content. For instance, a basement converted into a home theater won’t necessarily need to account for outside sunlight. A home encased in concrete walls might present challenges for reconfiguring cables. You also need to take into account how large your screen size is, whether you’ll be using (or eventually using) a projector and what kind of sound system you want.

Equipment Tips

We’re used to thinking about equipment in terms of the manufacturer. For instance, an Apple device isn’t immediately compatible with your PC (and vice versa). New developments such as Z-wave technology make it possible to connect a variety of devices no matter where they originated.

Linking everything together on one network serves several purposes. Not only do you get the benefits of having each component communicate with the other, but you can also mix and match different home theater equipment. This can save you money, depending on sales from different companies, and also help optimize everything from your picture to sound.

Here are a few suggestions to take your viewing to the next level:

  • Turn up the lights whenever you pause a movie, TV show or video game
  • Allow access to all media so people in the house can watch what they want, when they want
  • Program victory music or colored lights for dramatic moments (e.g., sports games, video games, etc.)
  • Play a custom introduction before a movie or TV show

One Remote

Having more than one remote has become more the norm than the exception, but automation provides a way for you to consolidate. So instead of trying three remotes before you remember that the sound system came with its own separate remote, use a single remote to control everything from the lights to the playback. Customized remotes are more available than ever, and this can be a great way to cut back on the clutter and confusion in an entertainment system.

An automated wonderland is one that’s built around your needs. Some people might be interested in nothing more than dimming the lights, while others will want everything. Whatever it is you’re looking for in automation, you can bet there is technology to help.