Easy Ways to Update your Bathroom

Bathrooms are more than just functional – they are one of the selling points in a house. A clean, modern bathroom will increase your home’s value and make every day feel like a spa day. If your bathroom needs some updating, but you don’t want to spend the time and money on a complete renovation, read on for some tips that can help transform your bathroom with minimal time and on a budget.

Accessories A super quick and easy way to change the look of any bathroom is to change the accessories. Switching it up with lighting and color scheme will make a huge difference. You could replace knobs on doors and cabinets, get a new shower head and shower curtain/door, bring in candles and bath salts, change light fixtures, swap out towels and towel racks, soap dishes and dispensers, and whatever else typically resides on your bathroom counter. These seemingly small changes will make your bathroom feel like new and allow you to play with a new color palette. 

Tiles If you want to make a bigger impact and spend a bit more money, consider replacing your floors, counter tops, shower stalls, or back splash. New tiles will really transform the space. You could do all of the above or just tackle one at a time. Roll up your sleeves for a DIY floor project. If you don’t currently have a back splash, consider creating one with a unique design that will brighten up the space. If a new shower stall is out of the budget, consider using some of the leftover tile pieces from the back splash project, and incorporate that into the shower space. Get creative and have fun with it.

Paint If you’ve read any of my previous home improvement blogs, then you know that I am going to mention paint. Painting is one of the fastest and least expensive ways to redo a room. A fresh coat of paint will help make the space feel new again. All white walls are crisp and clean; pastels like light blues and greens are spa-like and relaxing; dark, jewel-tones are edgy and elegant. You could even have an accent wall and just paint one wall a different color from the rest. Another quick hack is to choose a wall and hang different types and sizes of frames, like a gallery wall. The theme is up to you, and the frames will serve as accent pieces.

What are some things you’ve done to update your bathrooms? 

How to Save on Summer Travel Plans

Looking to get away this summer? Whether you’re looking for a relaxing and quiet few days off the grid, or to explore a new place, you want to get the most bang for your buck. Read on for a few money-saving tips for your next summer vacay.

Book Early Summer sales aren’t just for fashion or big ticket items like appliances and electronics. They apply to flights and hotel rooms as well. Since the months of June – September are a popular time for travel, if you can, try and book as far in advance as possible. This will ensure you have enough time to research different sites and compare rates, to get the best possible deal. It will also allow you to lock in a lower price than if you were to book last minute. You don’t want to settle for a hotel that doesn’t fit your budget or style, or for a flight that’s inconvenient and expensive. Book ahead and save some cash to spend on your trip!

Try Somewhere Unexpected There are so many popular warm-weather destinations that see tourism sky-rocket during summer. While some of those places might be at the top of your list to visit, why not think outside the box and visit a place that’s not as popular but can provide an equally amazing experience. Beaches and big cities can get a lot of traffic, and your dream vacation might consist of long lines, crowded cafes, and tourist-centered activities. If you’re looking for a more unique but equally awesome vacation, look for places that aren’t on top ten lists on travel sites. You'll get to actually relax or explore a new place without any added stresses.  

Stay Local If budget and time constraints won’t allow for exotic and opulent travel, you can always look to stay local and experience your own city or state in a new way. For example, if you live in LA, you can book a weekend getaway to: Palm Springs for a desert escape; Santa Barbara for a beachfront haven; Disneyland to bring out the child in you; Las Vegas (Nevada, but still a close enough drive) for world class dining and gambling; San Francisco for shopping and site seeing; Sacramento for history; and the list goes on. The point is, booking a hotel or AirBnB in your town or somewhere nearby will make it feel like a vacation and you won’t have to spend as much money or take extra time off work.

Happy travels! What are some of your summer travel tips?    

Get your House Ready for Prospective Buyers

When you’re ready to sell your home, there are a few things you can do to help make the space more welcoming. Small changes can make or break a potential buyer’s first impression, so it’s important to ask your realtor what fixes you can implement to help prepare your home for open houses and private showings. Here are some quick and inexpensive fixes to try.

De-clutter A messy space is a turn-off for most people. A clean and tidy living space, on the other hand, will help prospective buyers see the space and not the stuff that occupies it. Removing personal items will not only help de-clutter the space, but also allow the buyer to imagine his or her own items on display. That’s ultimately the goal – for the buyer to imagine living in the home. And, if all of your stuff is scattered everywhere, that will be harder for them to do. You can keep a couple of things out on counters, mantles, and tables, but scaling down on accessories or adornments can go a long way in preparing your home for showings.

Outdoor Space A clean and tidy outdoor space is equally as important as an indoor one. Whether it’s your front porch, driveway, balcony, deck, backyard, garden, or pool house - keeping these spaces clean and clutter free will allow the buyer to imagine spending time in those spaces, and utilizing them. Pool toys or garden tools should be stored away. Outdoor furniture, grills, and kitchenettes should be clean. If you have a balcony, keep the furnishings so the buyer can see how big the space is. This might be the one place where you might not need to put away any furniture or accessories.    

Scent Realtors sometimes like to light candles, or bake chocolate chip cookies, when hosting open houses. The reason we do this is because scent can make the space feel more homey, cozy, and inviting. What’s better than the smell of freshly baked cookies right out of the oven; or, the fresh scent of vanilla, pine, or citrus from a newly lit candle? Many scents evoke feelings of calm, and providing a fresh clean or warm scent while buyers are touring a property can make for a more positive experience, and one they’ll remember on their home search.

What are some things that stand out to you at open houses?

Earth Day

Today is Earth Day! A great way to celebrate is to make (big or small) changes in your daily life that you can sustain in the long run that will help protect and preserve our planet. You may feel as though your daily habits won’t make a dent in the enormous ecosystem, but small changes add up and lead to a big effect. Today, we’re taking it back to the basics of the three Rs – recycle, reuse, reduce.

Recycle According to the EPA, the United States generated 262.4 million tons of trash in 2015. 137.7 million tons of that ended up in landfills. So much of that trash could have been recycled; so much of the materials that end up in our landfills can be recycled. Plastics, aluminums, paper – all things we use on an almost daily basis. If we make it a habit to recycle those, we can help eliminate the amount of recyclable trash that ends up in landfills, and contribute to the sustainability of recycled items that come back to market.

Reuse Recycling doesn’t just apply to trash. Reusing items again and again, for the same or for other purposes, is a form of recycling as well. A great place to start is to buy items that can be used more than once, such as using nylon or cloth bags every time you shop for groceries, instead of plastic bags. Newspapers or magazines can be repurposed as wrapping paper. Glass jars can be reused in a multitude of ways around the house. Old shirts can be used as dusters. Think about items in your home and how you can find different uses for them.

Reduce Here are a few tips you could incorporate into your daily routine that can make a real difference. Replace paper towels with reusable bamboo paper towels. Use glass tumblers for your water instead of plastic bottles. Stainlees steel straws can replace single-use plastic ones. By reducing the amount of trash you generate, you are reducing the number of items that would potentially end up in landfills. Now think about what would happen if we all made these small changes – it would definitely make Earth a better place!

Share any tips you’ve got below!   

Spring Styles at Home

Looking to brighten up your space for spring and summer? Check out the tips below for how to get your home ready for the warmer months ahead. 

Pastels Painting is one of the quickest and cheapest ways to transform any room in your home. By sticking to pastel shades – think blush pinks, baby blues, mint greens, soft yellows, and muted warm or cool tones – any room will immediately become lighter and brighter. If you don’t want to commit to painting all the walls, you can choose one and create an accent wall. Or, you could repaint any shelving in the room to add a pop of color. Adding throws, pillows, or other decorative pieces in pastel shades will have the same effect, and will make the space more festive.

Flowers “Florals for spring? Groundbreaking.” Name that movie! But seriously, is there anything that screams spring more than fresh, colorful flowers? It can change the look and feel of a space. Bunched in large arrangements, or single stems placed in small vases, flowers can be used to decorate a space, as well as breathe life into it. Beyond the aesthetics, the invigorating scents of fresh tulips, daisies, and garden roses can brighten your space and your mood. If you happen to be allergic or just don’t enjoy the maintenance, you can always achieve the same look with fake flowers. Investing In high quality pieces will insure beautiful flowers for years to come.  

Indoor/Outdoor Living A great way to bring the summer vibes indoors is to create areas in your home that will remind you of sun, sand, and surf. For a nautical theme, you could reupholster your couch using whites and blues. For a tropical vibe, add palm tree or banana leaf print pillows or throws. Stick to light colored wood pieces for end tables and use “outdoor furniture” re-purposed for use indoors. By incorporating colors, styles, and pieces that remind you of summertime fun, you can bring easy, breezy outdoor living indoors and enjoy it year round, even if the weather doesn’t comply. 

Spring Cleaning Tips

Most people dread deep cleaning and de-cluttering their home. But, there’s no better time than spring to lighten and brighten your space after the heavy winter months. Keep reading for some tips.

Closets Three words: keep, donate, discard. The most efficient way to tackle your closet is to first remove every article of clothing and other items (accessories, hats, bags, etc). Decide whether you want to keep it in your closet, donate it, or trash/recycle it. The rule of thumb with clothes is that if you haven’t worn it in the last 12 months, you probably won't wear it, and so shouldn’t keep it. Ultimately, you choose what to keep, what to donate to family or charity, and what to recycle. Once you have completed the sorting, it’s time to add all the items in the keep pile back into your closet. To stay organized, hang clothes by color or sleeve length, or any other system that works best for you. By doing this, you’ve not only cleaned out your closet, but also organized it!

Indoors Now that the closets are clean and neat, it's time to tackle the rest of the house. Get out your tools (duster, mop, vacuum, etc) and get to work! While you’re cleaning, take inventory of all of the furniture in your home. If you no longer want these items, or if they don’t work with your décor, donate or recycle them. It clears up space and potentially makes room for new items. In addition to cleaning your floors and furniture pieces, don’t forget one of the most neglected parts of a home – the walls! Take a damp cloth or towel and wipe down those walls. Also, make sure your air filters are replaced regularly and vents are properly cleaned. 

Outdoors Your house is clean! What about your outdoor space? While you’re in cleaning mode, make sure your backyard, patio, balcony, and/or porch is also included in your spring cleaning routine. Mow the grass, tend to the garden, clean the pool/Jacuzzi, pressure-wash the driveway, wipe down the outdoor furniture, wash the windows, and clean or organize the garage and whatever else you like. The goal is to clean your home from the inside out. You could do this all yourself, or hire a cleaning company to do it for you. Either way, your home will be in sparkling condition and ready for you to enjoy in the coming warmer months.

Have you started spring cleaning your home?

Escrow Tips for Sellers

In last week’s blog, we went over some tips for buyers who are in escrow. This week, we will look at tips for sellers in escrow. Keep reading for more!

Communicate Communication is definitely a two-way street. It’s important to discuss all concerns and questions openly and honestly with all parties in escrow. Your agent or broker is there to help guide you through the entire process of selling your home, and should be utilized as a resource. Any and all communication is imperative for a successful escrow. It’s equally as important in building a trusting and long-lasting relationship with your agent. As I mentioned in last week’s blog, there is no such thing as over-communication. So, go ahead and ask questions, voice concerns, and ask for updates throughout escrow.

Disclose Everything As a seller, you are most knowledgeable about your home. You know its history, its charm, and all the details (both positive and negative) in between. Therefore, it’s your responsibility to accurately and honestly disclose all information about your home to your agent and to the buyer(s)/buyer’s agent.  For example, if there are any issues with the home, if there have been any recent or major repairs or insurance claims, basically, anything you’d want to know about your home or a home you would be buying, should be disclosed and communicated to ensure a smooth escrow.

Nothing Personal You’ve lived in your home for a select period of time. You’ve made memories and shared the space with loved ones. You’ve added your personal touches, and worked hard to make it perfect. Now that you are selling it, you have to detach from those feelings because the new buyer will undoubtedly want to make changes and specifications to make it perfect for them. During inspections and repair requests, and throughout the whole process, it’s best not to take such changes personally. It doesn’t mean that they don’t like what you’ve done with the home, it’s just that they want to make it fit their tastes and make it unique to them.