A home's landscape provides curb appeal and, if designed smartly, it can also offer wellness and environmental benefits. When your clients undertake a new landscaping project, it's important that they keep the local ecosystem and environmental considerations in mind.Since some areas of the country are still experiencing drought conditions, the Outdoor Power Equipment Institute (OPEI) recently created an infographic that shares what your clients l
Design TV shows make it look so easy: Just remove a wall or two and you have the open floor plan you’ve always wanted. But not so fast.Tearing down a wall could open up a host of other problems—some structural, if not done properly. It could also prove unexpectedly costly.To hire a professional contractor to remove a wall could cost you anywhere from $500 to $4,000, according to HouseLogic.com. To that cost, you’ll likely want to add a stru
Here are the five key renovation strategies that are time-tested, require minimal effort and provide options for every budget. They are designed to get sellers the best bang for their buck and top dollar for their listing.1. Flooring Every single person in a household will touch the floor every day in varying degrees, whether it’s the bedroom, living room or kitchen. It comes as no surprise that upgrading the flooring is a key feature that w
Photos of your listing are crucial when selling a home and presenting it online to potential suitors. The New York Times recently featured several suggestions from professional stagers and interior photographers on how to achieve a picture-perfect home, including:Trim the belongings. “Instead of having lots of little things along a countertop or table, have one bold vessel or large plant, or a trio of objects that read as one whole,” says Lau
Whether you're selling an oceanfront property in Miami Beach or a Colorado mountain escape, a home's outdoor space is often key in the potential homeowner's willingness to say, "We'll take it!" With property values on the rise, it’s important to create additional living space by bringing the indoors out.No matter the size, creating an inviting area for entertainment and daily living doesn’t have to be a massive construction ordeal. Instead, j
How fast can you pick out signs of deferred maintenance in a listing? Realtor.com® recently spotlighted several red flags to watch for at an open house.Intense scents.The stronger the air freshener, the more likely the seller is trying to mask an offensive odor, warns Denise Supplee, a real estate professional with Long and Foster Real Estate in Doylestown, Pa. “When there’s too much going on in the scent department—plug-ins, wax warmers,
Your website URL is key to your brand identity. A recent article by Forbes suggests you should ask yourself some of these questions to make sure you’re using your web address in a smart way.Can others pronounce it? “Even though users aren’t likely to be saying your domain name out loud, pronounce-ability is still important,” writes Forbes writer Denis Pinsky. “This is because of something called fluency: The ease with which our brains c
A ranch-style featuring a designer kitchen, blended living space and mixed-metal trimmings — such a house would embody 2017 luxury, so long as it was also decked out in smart home technology.That’s according to twin brothers Jonathan and Drew Scott, co-founders of Scott Brothers Entertainment and Scott Living.The duo and HGTV hosts — real estate agent (Drew) and fixer-upper transformer (Jonathan) — launched their first book this year,
Fifty-six percent of consumers recently surveyed believe that a standard homeowner’s policy covers flood damage. But they’re mistaken, and their assumption could be a costly mistake.The survey by insuranceQuotes of about 1,000 consumers shows a lot of misunderstandings when it comes to home insurance and what’s covered and what’s not.“Being misinformed about your home policy can be an extremely expensive mistake—especially when a few
Soak brushes in fabric softener to keep the bristles soft. Mix half a cup of fabric softener with a gallon of water, and swish the brush in the mixture for 10 seconds. Lay flat or hang the brush to dry. The softener will keep the bristles from developing a bend and will help distribute the paint more smoothly. Use plastic wrap to protect items from paint splashes. Putting plastic wrap around large items such as toilets and sinks will protect thei
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