Green Real Estate Appraiser

Home Stylist answers most FAQ

Posted on April 19, 2016 | Leave a comment

HOW DO YOU DECORATE A KID’S ROOM THAT WILL GROW WITH THEM?

The best advice I was ever given was to not buy into fads and ‘theme’ the room, and go straight to a double bed from the cot (this will see them through teenage years too as single beds only last a short time at the rate kids grow).

Purchase one beautiful piece of art that will work from babyhood through to their adult years. Vintage posters are a great option as they are often bright, fun, and not overly ‘kiddie’.

However, to ensure the kids stamp their own personality on the room too, consider installing an ‘art line’ (like a fishing line) that they can peg their own creations to, or paint a wall in blackboard paint. This can be easily changed over time but will allow them some creative input that is age appropriate.

WHAT IS THE EASIEST WAY TO CHANGE UP MY HOME ON A BUDGET?

One word: ‘paint’. And I don’t just mean the walls. Why not consider painting more unsuspecting surfaces, like a ceiling, a door, or a fireplace, in a bold colour. Or how about reviving an old chair in a vibrant yellow, or giving a chest of drawers a lick of hot pink? Paint is an instant game-changer; it is inexpensive, and with a bit of elbow grease can completely transform a room from drab to fab. Some of the best rooms I have ever seen and shot for magazines come down to a creative use of paint. And the best part? If you don’t like it, just repaint it.

disclaimer: for information and entertainment purposes only

Selling property: weird, quirky or unusual features of a home can put off buyers

Posted on April 19, 2016 | Leave a comment

aquarium

When you’re looking to sell a property, you want it to appeal to a broad market – for punters to come in and be able to picture their happy, home-owning future. What you don’t want is a confused giggle when they get a look at your bathroom.

When buyers are attending several inspections over a weekend they’re looking for reasons to rule out properties, according to agents.

“Buyers tend to exclude rather than include”, says Walter Burfitt-Williams, of BresicWhitney. “You might think the leopard print wallpaper is gorgeous, but it’s not to everyone’s taste.”

In older homes it’s better to stick to classic styling rather than something on-trend, and try to avoid over-complicating interiors with multiple trends or time periods. You don’t want a clash of different styles in a house, let alone a room, he notes.Steep, spiral staircases in narrow terraces – a popular option for renovations of a certain era – were another feature to rethink, according to Peter Gordon, from Cobden & Hayson, particularly in small terraces in Sydney’s inner west. Jacuzzis were another addition to consider getting rid of, as buyers tended to view them more as a second-hand spa.

San Francisco’s housing market is at tipping point

Posted on April 18, 2016 | Leave a comment

San Francisco’s housing market is at a tipping point is San Diego next.

A shortage of housing inventory, with demand that has not flatlined, has jacked up home prices at a faster pace than inflation and wage growth.

Among the biggest housing markets, San Francisco was the most expensive in the fourth quarter, according to the Federal Housing Finance Agency.

But sales, and home prices, are now slowing down, according to brokerage firm Redfin.

Redfin said last week that house prices in San Francisco fell for the first time in four years in March.

Their data also showed that the month-on-month decline in home sales relative to overall inventory was the most in the city, as people had a hard time selling.

“At some point something has to give,” Redfin CEO Glenn Kelman told Business Insider.

“There’s just been a change in the market where people feel much more careful, much more sober than they did in the fall. We started to see some of that late summer, where demand started to taper off. Houses would sit on the market an extra day, only get four offers instead of fourteen.”

A few things have spurred this recent declines, including the tech sector that contributes to a swath of the demand for housing in San Francisco.

The market sell-off at the beginning of the year impacted buyer sentiment because a lot of Silicon Valley workers get compensated in stock and equity. Also, many buyers that can afford high-end homes in excess of $1 million are linked to the tech industry.

And so anything that impacts market valuations potentially affects buying, said Redfin chief economist Nela Richardson.

Richardson said San Francisco’s softening is not a sign of worse to come for the national housing market. But it is for other markets like Washington D.C. where prices are far outpacing affordability.

disclaimer: for information and entertainment purposes only

Home Stylist answers most FAQ

Selling property: weird, quirky or unusual features of a home can put off buyers

San Francisco’s housing market is at tipping point

Follow Blog