Blog
Spring Cleaning
Now that the weather is finally warmer and spring really seems to be here, it’s time to tackle some of those nasty cleaning jobs you’ve been putting off. If you’re planning to put your house on the market, or getting…
Keeping Your House Show Ready
Having your house on the market while you’re living in it can be a stressful time. You still have to live. The dog still puts muddy prints on your freshly mopped floor. The kids still race down the hallway bumping…
Lofts — Not Just for the Young
As a real estate trend, loft living is here to stay. Originally thought of as live/work spaces for artists and musicians, the term “loft” evokes transformed warehouses and industrial spaces with exposed brickwork, open pipes and electrical conduits and other…
Help for Prospective Homebuyers
While there is no dearth of advice when it comes to saving up to buy a home, some of us just need a little more help. Introducing the Housing Counselor What, you ask, is a housing counselor? Different from a…
Why Use Wood-Look Tile?
A newer trend sweeping the building industry is the use of wood-look porcelain or ceramic tiles. While natural wood flooring is still an optimal choice for most homes, here are some reasons you may want to take a second look…
Futuristic Kitchen Upgrades
A recent display at the Saloni design fair in Milan, Italy, featured parts of Concept Kitchen 2025, a collaboration between IKEA, the IDEO design firm and Swedish design students. Their exhibit showcases concepts from tables that double as computers and…
Should I Haggle Over the Price?
Buying a home, especially for the first time, is emotional. You’ve saved and scrimped for months—years even—and now you’ve found the home of your dreams. You’re in love and you don’t want someone else to get it. Joss Whedon, the…
Home Loans Especially for College Grads
With outstanding student loan debt topping $1.2 trillion, and more than 40 million borrowers carrying student loan debt, the age of first-time homebuyers is edging upwards. Among millennials, homeownership is down from 43 percent a decade ago to just 36…
What to Know about Summer Lawn Care
Lush greens and rolling verdant fairways stoke homeowner dreams of the perfect lawn. In most areas, July starts the season with the highest demand on the water supply. So maintaining those lavish landscapes takes knowledge and a plan. Planting Not…
Does Size Really Matter?
Now that you’re embarking on home ownership, you might wonder how large a space you actually need. After all, apartments tend to be a bit smaller than the average home and the siren song of extra space lures many a…
Avoid Budget and Time-Busting Scope Creep
Whether you’re remodeling to sell or renovating to make your place your dream home, there are two faces to the enemy of your plans: time scope creep and budget scope creep. Either can wreak havoc on your project, and both…
What Matters Most? Why Location Trumps Everything!
Take a lesson from that old real estate adage “location, location, location.” Many seasoned homeowners will tell you that the size of your home and the amount of space you have—including extra living rooms, game rooms, or even acreage —…
Should I Sell As-Is?
As one of the most difficult decisions in real estate marketing, the idea of selling “as-is” (without making any repairs, renovations, or upgrades) appeals to homeowners needing to sell quickly or that are cash strapped. Can you do it? Yes.…
Need an Air Conditioner But Don’t Have Ducts?
As scorching or humid summer days approach, you may be second-guessing the purchase of that vintage or historic home you’ve had your eye on. In fact, in many places homes as new as 15 to 20 years may not have…
Choose the Right Paint
Whether you’re preparing your home to move in, or preparing it to sell, choosing the right paint from the myriad choices available to day can be daunting. Paints come in up to six different finishes, so even if you’ve chosen…
What a Credit Score Really Means
As one of the least understood numbers homebuyers deal with, their credit score confuses many would-be buyers. So, what does your credit score really mean? Firstly, understand that a credit score is not a credit score is not a credit…
Quick Tips for Adding Resale Value
When you’re in a hurry to sell, you need top dollar, try some of these tips: Have us evaluate your home. As real estate professionals, we know what sells and what doesn’t and we can help you spend your money…
Easy Update: Chalky Painted Kitchen Cabinets
If you’re hesitant to purchase an older home because you don’t love the kitchen or bathroom cabinets and the idea of having to sand all of that wood makes you cringe, fear not … chalk paint to the rescue. You…