Forget the Open Floor Plan--It's Time to Bring Back Walls

1. Find Your Expert Agent! —   A  team that will assist you in your selling needs. Real Estate has changed dramatically over the years especially with technology. And you want to be backed by a TEAM that can make sure your home is seen by everyone and anyone who is looking at your area through technology tactics.  2. Consider Your Curb Appeal —  Yes it's true, people will judge a book by its cover, especially in Real Estate. First impressions are everything when selling & buying a home. You always want to start the experience with a win, and that starts with the exterior. By investing some effort in relatively easy fixes, like planting colorful flowers and repainting your front door, the outside of your house can beckon prospective buyers to come on in. Need guidance, ask me and my team as we know what is "In" and what buyers want to see. 3. Declutter Living Areas —  Less is definitely more when it comes to getting your house ready to sell....

1. Make your own pendant light Photo by Abelow Sherman Architects LLC Sure, you can always go out and buy a pendant light—but with so much time on your hands, why not make one? “Pendant lights are all the rage right now, but they can get expensive,” says home blogger  Jeneva Aaron  of  TheHouseWire . “This DIY pendant is stylish, super easy to make, and very affordable. It also has an earthy, organic quality that can bring some boho style to any room.” 2. Hand-paint some throw pillows Photo by Nisha Tailor Interior Design. LLC Whether you’re sick of your current pillows or just in need of a refresh, hand-painting your own throw pillows is a great way to give your bedroom the pop of color it needs. “Can’t find the perfect pattern for your throw pillows? Looking for some that match the exact colors in your room? If you can’t find them, make them,” Aaron says. “With a little bit of fabric paint, you can create the pillows of your dreams.” 3. Build a rustic s...

1. Pull weeds Photo by Cording Landscape Design The yoga studio is closed, but that doesn't mean you can't squat down in the dirt and clean up your flower beds. Lay out an old yoga mat or towel to kneel on, and get low to pull some weeds. You could also lay some stones around your flower beds or along walkways in the garden to delineate and highlight your work. 2. Sow seedlings and forced bulbs Now's the time to get those bulbs and seedlings in the ground. Plant any water-forced bulbs you've been caring for during the colder months, transfer seedlings to outdoor pots, and start the seeds for annuals. If you've got nada to plant, head outside and see what's blooming, and then bring it back into the house to propagate indoors. Gray-Plaisted recently clipped some forsythia branches to force in some water inside, and she plans to cut apple blossoms next. 3. Pick up sticks You need to do a spring cleanup anyway, so why not get the whole family to pi...

1. Install a dish-drying rack Photo by red. Not everyone is fortunate enough to have a dishwasher. And if you’re sick of leaving handwashed dishes in a wet pile on the counter (or staring down that ugly plastic drying rack you’ve had for years), then it might be the perfect time for an upgrade. “Installing a dish-drying rack is both decorative and functional,” explains interior designer  Michael Helwig . “Installing one above the sink allows dishes to air and drip-dry, and the decorative aspect makes dishes look neat and orderly. It also makes dishes more easily accessible for daily use, [and] depending on the dishes themselves, can add more color and pattern to the space.” Check out  this video  to get started. 2. Try a different window treatment (or none at all) Photo by Marvin Home decor trends are getting farther and farther away from curtains and window coverings—so unless you have a real attachment to yours, now’s a great time to ditch them for a more...

Last month, as the coronavirus pandemic began affecting businesses across the nation, Congress and the president approved the CARES Act to help small businesses — including self-employed design and remodeling pros. But at first the rules for self-employed people weren’t immediately clear. Then the initial $377 billion allocation ran out. Now Congress and the president appear on the brink of approving an additional nearly $500 billion in relief to help small businesses (and provide funds for hospitals and testing). If you’re a freelancer or the owner of a one-person business, here’s what you need to know about the Coronavirus Aid, Relief and Economic Security (CARES) Act, federal and state unemployment and other new programs that can help your business now. Thayer Design Studio 1. Forgivable Loans Through the Paycheck Protection Program The Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) is a forgivable loan that will cover up to 2½ months of your firm’s average payroll costs (up to $100,000 ...

California home sales fell from both the previous month and year in March as the coronavirus pandemic began taking a toll on the housing market, especially in the last two weeks of the month as the state’s stay-at-home order was put in place, the CALIFORNIA ASSOCIATION OF REALTORS® (C.A.R.) said.  Closed escrow sales of existing, single-family detached homes in California totaled a seasonally adjusted annualized rate of 373,070 units in March, according to information collected by C.A.R. from more than 90 local REALTOR® associations and MLSs statewide. The statewide annualized sales figure represents what would be the total number of homes sold during 2020 if sales maintained the March pace throughout the year. It is adjusted to account for seasonal factors that typically influence home sales. “The relatively moderate sales decrease that occurred in March is only a prelude to what we’ll see in April and May because sales were still modestly strong during the first two wee...

Members of the  National Association of Realtors  are reporting a severe decline in homebuyer activity during the ongoing coronavirus crisis. According to a survey of 2,291 NAR members conducted April 12-13, 90% of respondents cited decreased homebuyer interest at this time, with 44% reporting buyer interest fell off by more than 50% in their market. Only 8% of respondents stated there was no change in activity and 2% of respondents identified increased activity. Sixty percent of NAR respondents said their buyers were opting to delay home purchases for the next several months, with 12% stating their buyers have put the process on indefinite hold. But 12% reported they are pushing ahead by using virtual communication and 8% stated they were conducting business as usual. On the flip side, 57% of respondents said their sellers were delaying listings for the next several months while 10% of sellers put their proposed sale on indefinite hold. For the buyers that are still in t...

As the country struggles through the economic impact of the coronavirus,  numerous mortgage companies  have raised their lending standards to protect both borrowers and themselves. Now, one of the  largest mortgage lenders  in the country is joining that list. JPMorgan Chase  this week is increasing its minimum lending standards to require nearly all borrowers to have at least 20% down in order to buy a home. Beyond that, Chase is also raising its minimum FICO credit score to 700 on purchase mortgages. Put simply, if a borrower doesn’t have a 20% down payment and a FICO score of 700 or above, they will likely not be able get a loan from Chase to buy a home. According to Chase, those lending standards also apply to refinances on non-Chase mortgages. The bank will still move forward with refis under its previous lending standards if the loan is either serviced by Chase or in Chase’s portfolio, but for all other refis, it’s 700 FICO or look somewhere else. ...

Although there is debate on whether or not real estate may be considered an  essential business  in some states, construction is a hot topic, too. As of mid-march, construction  employment has dipped  by 29,000, according to the  National Association of Home Builders . Based on responses from a survey completed by the  Association of General Contractors of America , the novel coronavirus has  triggered layoffs  at more than a quarter of firms that responded. Coinciding with that, residential construction employment decreased by 4,300 in March, NAHB said. This comes after there was an employment increase of 24,100 in February. Residential construction employment rounded out at 3 million in March, with 844,000 as builders and 2.1 million as residential specialty trade contractors, according to NAHB. NAHB Chief Economist, Rob Dietz, told HousingWire that reports from April and May will show much more unemployment in the construction indust...