If no man is an island, then no home is, either. No matter how static and enduring our homes can seem, they’re also dynamic entities, influenced by the world around them. You’ll notice this most intensely when needing to heat your home, or dealing with a leak, or trying to remedy frozen pipes in the winter.
While it’s important to consider the maintenance needs of your household and to keep up with it where appropriate, it’s also worth considering that sometimes, the task is a little above our pay grade. That is, of course, unless you have accredited skills in a chosen trade.
For most people, keeping emergency contacts in their address book can help them resolve an issue before the damage requires true recuperative work. Sure, you can easily just type in ‘X service near me,’ to Google should you need that, but it’s much more appropriate to vet those services ahead of time to find an approved source you can trust, especially at a time when you’re relaxed rather than needing immediate assistance.
Keeping an effective plumber in your address book is more than just a nice accessory to have when you’re thinking about renovating your space. For instance, searing for a ‘hot water plumber near me’ can be essential should you try to take that morning shower only to sing in falsetto’s thanks to how cold the water is, while at large, plumbing companies can also help you with leaks and emergency assistance where necessary too. Without this service in your address book, it’s easy to feel out of sorts should your plumbing fail to keep up with your needs.
A Security Specialist & Locksmith
We’ve all locked ourselves out of our houses at one time or another, to do so is almost comically ubiquitous. Yet it’ also true that when renovating or extending your house, after suffering a break in, or if just wanting to make sure you have every element planned out, a security specialist service (perhaps helping you maintain a proprietary security system you have in place), and a locksmith’s can help you retain your skills for some time to come.
An Emergency Gas Specialist
Emergency gas specialists can more readily identify and stop a leak, as well as install essential measures like carbon monoxide detectors. This is essential as carbon monoxide can be lethal and unfortunately, doesn’t have a smell. Gas specialists can also help you should you renovate the household, as well as make sure that certain speciality ovens are properly aligned with the gas network of the household. This approach can give you the peace of mind knowing that all installations have been made with care, and from now into the future you need not worry provided you keep up with the best and most reliable practice.
With this advice, you’re certain to keep all the essential services you need in your address book.
Beautifully lit rooms with perfectly placed furniture and elegantly crafted accents aren’t just for the cover of an interior design magazine. They are the key to a well marketed home. Home staging is one of the most important aspects of selling your home quickly. In fact, 83% of real estate agents say that a staged home sells faster than an unstaged home. With home prices still on the rise, now is a great time to sell your home. Here are several tips to help you stage your home in a way that will quickly attract buyers.
Improve your Curb Appeal
Image credit: Shutterstock
First impressions are extremely important when selling a house. If you want to sell your home quickly, you don’t want buyers to immediately second guess buying your home based on an unkempt yard. Depending upon the time of year, you’ll need to first start removing any debris from your yard. If it is summer, pull weeds where as if it is fall or winter, remove dead leaves and branches. Make sure your lawn is mowed and your landscaped areas are completely manicured and free of overgrown plants or bushes. Boosting your curb appeal also means sprucing up your front door with a fresh coat of paint. Vibrant red and bright teal are always a hit with buyers. You can also keep a classic wood door and dress it up with a seasonal wreath. When you’ve freshened up your home with a new coat of paint you can add the finishing touches. A couple of well placed rocking chairs make your front porch warm and inviting. Place a few perfectly manicured topiaries around your front door and add accents of colour with decorative lawn ornaments or hanging lanterns.
You may adore your bright pink accent wall but interested buyers will most likely see it as a distraction or worse a headache they will need to deal with if they buy your home. Neutral colours are appreciated by the majority of home buyers and they make staging easier since they serve as a basic background rather than an eyesore to decorate around. Soft greys and warm whites are classics as are warm beiges. Neutral paints are also easy to use throughout the whole house. Keeping the same colour palette will add to the natural flow of your home.
Declutter and Deep Clean
Home staging can’t begin until the clutter has been cleared. Remove anything that doesn’t need to be in the room. That means toys, extra furniture, and even decorations. When you have decluttered you do a deep clean. Everything from baseboards to the tiny corners you usually skip over need to be cleaned.
Rooms over-decorated with furniture will look cluttered so it’s important to only keep furniture that lends to the natural flow of a room. So while you may love your overstuffed recliner if it doesn’t match with the rest of the furniture set or if it simply takes up space you’ll need to remove it. Choose furniture that is cozy. This means you should stay away from metal furniture and instead opt for soft fabrics in warm neutral colours. And keep in mind that furniture should add to the flow of a house so that buyers can comfortably walk through without bumping into anything. Simple ways to ensure that your furniture is following a flow is to always point furniture toward the room’s focal point and keep seating at least 30 to 36 inches apart.
Let In the Light
Natural light is the best way to illuminate your newly decluttered and perfectly staged rooms. Keep your windows free of heavy curtains and thick blinds to allow for ample light to flow through windows. If you have a room that does not get much natural light or if you are showing your home in the evening, you will need to use artificial light. Choose soft white light bulbs rather than ultra bright lights. You can also add warm light with candles placed around counter tops, shelves, and even the bathtub.
Remember that home staging is just adding in decor, rearranging furniture, and playing up accents to highlight your home’s best features. Stick to the most important rooms when staging your home. Few buyers are concerned with the staging of a laundry room. But according to the National Association of Realtors, they will be swayed by the staging of the living room (46%), master bedroom (43%), and kitchen (35%). Once your home is staged you should have it professionally photographed for added marketing. Then all that is left to do is wait for the perfect buyer.
Staging a house is the process of not only preparing a house for sale, but presenting the house in such a way that it highlights its best features and makes it all the more appealing to potential buyers. It includes decluttering, removing personal belongings, and adding furnishings and decorations to make the home look in tip-top shape.
It might seem like a waste of time and money to stage your home for sale, but there are many benefits to doing so. In fact, staging is one of the most cost-effective ways you can make your house more appealing to buyers.
According to the real estate agency Modern Realty Guam as well as National Association of REALTORS, the average national cost to stage a home in the US is $1530, although that price can of course vary depending on several factors. These affecting factors include the time your home spends on the market, how many rooms you’re having staged, and the overall condition of your home.
Typically, the initial consultation on a house staging can be anywhere from $300 to $600. After that, you’ll be charged approximately $500 to $600 per month for as long as your house is on the market. If your house is needing major furniture rentals, the cost per month will be on the higher end. If you’re strictly having someone suggest how you should rearrange your own furniture or instruct you as to which decor you should highlight or remove, you’ll keep the cost on the lower end of the spectrum. Each house is unique and each staging company may offer different levels of services.
What are the benefits of staging a home for sale?
First off, when people come into a staged home they will be able to imagine themselves living in that space. They can picture their furniture in that room or imagine what the kitchen would feel like if they cooked in it every day. This means people who see homes with good staging have an easier time picturing them as their own and making decisions about whether or not they want to buy them.
Secondly, staged homes tend to sell faster than those that are not staged. This is because when people come to see a staged home, they know it’s ready to be moved into and don’t have to wait for the seller to do any work.
Thirdly, staging can help you get more money for your home. This is because potential buyers will be more willing to pay a higher price if the house has been updated and is looking great.
Lastly, staging will increase your exposure to buyers and can lead to more people viewing your home. For all of these reasons, it’s definitely worth spending the time and money on good staging.
Typically, it’s best to schedule staging as close to the time that your house will be shown by agents. The more time agents have with which to show your home, the more likely they are to recommend staging. If an agent is about to show your house and sees that you haven’t done any staging, they may very well recommend that the potential buyers wait until you do stage your home.
There is no “set in stone” rule about when to stage your home. It all depends on how much time you have before your house goes on the market as well as how much money you’re willing to spend on staging.
To ensure that potential buyers get the best impression of your home from the get-go and as such are more likely to make an offer, it’s best to stage your home before it goes on the market. This way it looks great and you don’t run the risk of not getting any offers because the house isn’t looking its best. If you’re unable to stage your home before it goes on the market, make sure that at least someone is there every time a showing agent comes by so they can give your home a “once over” and get rid of any clutter or other problems that may be distracting buyers from making an offer.
Are there any drawbacks of staging a home for sale?
The main issue with staging is you’ll be spending money every month paying for someone to stage your house. This can get very expensive depending on how long your house sits on the market and how much work needs to be done. However, when you consider how much money you can make back in the sale of your home, as well as how quickly it will sell, the cost is definitely worth it.
In some cases, you can do what’s called “pre-staging” which involves putting together your own version of a staged home by removing all of the clutter and decorating according to a set style. This will help you save some money, but it’s important to make sure that everything is done correctly or it could actually end up hurting your chances of selling.
Overall, if you have the money and time, staging is a great way to go. It can lead to a faster sale, more money for your home, and more buyers seeing your property. Just make sure you factor in the cost and that you’re doing it for the right reasons. Otherwise, it may not be worth it.
Staging your home before it goes on the market is definitely worth the cost. Not only does it make your home more appealing to buyers, but it will also help you get a better price and sell faster. In short, staging is one of the best ways to make sure your house sells as quickly as possible for as much money as possible.
Buyers’ regret is a reality many homeowners have experienced at some point. In fact, in May 2020, research on UK homes discovered that about 12.5 million households were unhappy about certain things in their new properties. Several reasons account for this pretty common phenomenon. While some people agree that the fault may have come from buyers, others believe sellers must be blamed because they were successful in hiding liabilities. Below are three common aspects buyer’s regret after making a home purchase.
Hidden faults
Just when you thought you got yourself a great property deal, things in your new home begin to spiral out of control. It could be the heating system or another essential building component of the house. At this point, you have no choice but to dig into your financial resources to attend to costly repairs and high maintenance issues. Usually, when this happens, the suspicion lands squarely on the seller since it is assumed that sellers know all the hidden faults in a new house.
However, they fail to admit to an unsuspecting buyer for what may seem like selfish reasons. Shortly after the new owner moves in, these faults become apparent. Perhaps, buyers can share the blame as well, especially because they have a responsibility to conduct thorough checks on the property before making any financial commitment. Thankfully, some companies offer snagging surveys to give you peace of mind.
After several months of searching for the right mortgage rate, you finally landed what looked right from all others you were presented with. Then you went ahead to sign the necessary documents to become the new property owner. Your mistake now is continuing to search for mortgage rates on the market just to reassure yourself. Unfortunately, you come across a far lower mortgage rate than you signed up for. This is when buyers’ regret sets in.
At this point, you start to wish you had waited a little longer before making the purchase. This is a reality many new homeowners face, and it can be quite unnerving if it is your first ever purchase. Fortunately, you can initiate a home refinance process to land a lower mortgage rate. When you’re successful at refinancing it, you get to pay lower monthly mortgage rates. However, to avoid feeling buyers’ regret in the first place, you may want to avoid surveying the mortgage market after making a property purchase.
Image: Pixabay
Unattractive layout
In many cases, people cannot determine the proper layout of a new home until they have moved in and unpacked. At this point, everything seems clearer than the previously empty space. This is particularly important for people who emphasise the layout of a home. A poor or unattractive layout may feel like you invested in the wrong home, and it can feel like your new space doesn’t satisfy your home needs.
If this is a real issue for you, renovating it wouldn’t be bad. However, that can also be a burden because you just bought a house, and taking on a renovation project can be a bit too much in the pocket. You can start correcting your layout one room at a time to cut back on the costs involved with an entire home renovation.
To avoid experiencing buyers’ regret, it would help if you do all the necessary checks on the house before buying. According to experienced buyers, it is never a good idea to rush through the process.
Moving into a new home marks the start of a new and exciting adventure. But alongside the excitement, there’s always a lot of work to do. Even if your house is brand-new, there will be things to get sorted after moving to help you settle into your home quicker.
Here are 15 new home musts to help you enjoy a smooth move, and a cosy start in your new home.
1. Get your keys sorted
Changing the locks is one of the first things you should do after buying a house if it had previous owners – you never know how many old keys are lying around with relatives, friends, previous occupants, etc. By getting all new locks, you’ll feel a lot more secure in your new home. Remember to get a load of extra keys cut and start handing them out to those you want to have them – you don’t want to wait for an emergency to happen before realising nobody has a spare key!
It’s one of those things that is easy to forget when you move home, but if you want some privacy, you’ll want to make sure you get some blinds and curtains up as soon as possible! Remember to budget for them in your move, as the cost of poles, curtains and blind installation soon adds up.
Getting insurance for your home is something you should do before you move. This can help cover you for any loss or damage whilst moving after you’ve taken ownership of the property. You’ll need to find home insurance that covers you for both buildings and contents to make sure that the structure of your home is insured, as well as its contents.
Remember to take advantage of cashback websites like Topcashback or Quidco when buying your home insurance policy.
It can take some time to settle into your new home, but it’s important that you make it secure straight away. Check that all the locks on your doors and windows work, and consider getting a home security system installed. Being in an unfamiliar home can make you feel uneasy at first, but putting all of your security measures in place will help you feel more at ease.
5. Change your address
If you want to make sure you don’t miss any post, start changing your address. It’s likely you’re registered to a lot of different websites, so it’s important to update your address as soon as possible – especially if you have regular deliveries!
There’s a mail redirection service to make sure all post sent to your home address ends up at your door. You can have it set up for up to a year, so make sure you change the address when you spot a new letter through the door.
6. Get your TV and broadband setup
The wait to get your TV and broadband set up can be unbearable, although there are plenty of worse things to happen in the world! But as waiting times can be lengthy, you’ll want to try and book your TV and broadband setup for moving day or soon after. You may need to look at TV antenna installation too if your home doesn’t have one already. Check your internet speed before you tie yourself in with a provider, you don’t want to be caught short with slow internet speeds, especially if you’re going to be working from home.
7. Go meet the neighbours
There’s a lot to do when you move into a new place, but it’s a good idea to go and meet the neighbours. A quick knock on the door to introduce yourselves can be really worthwhile and means you won’t be complete strangers when you see them out on the street.
It’s easy to forget the practical things when you move, but you’ll definitely want to find out when bin collection day. You’ll probably be dealing with a lot of rubbish when you first move, as well as a lot of boxes that will need recycling! You don’t want to miss the day and have to wait a week for the next one, so take a look at your council’s website to find out what the situation is with your waste collection.
The temptation to unpack everything in your new home at lightning speed will be great. But it’s a good idea to spend time thinking about where you want everything to go and to put storage solutions in place to help keep everything need and organised.
For the first couple of weeks, you might want to put some sticky labels on drawers, cupboards, etc. to tell you what’s inside them, so you can find what you need easily. If you have children, it’s a good idea to have them put their own things away so that they’ll know where to look for them.
10. Get maintenance quotes
If you have a list of jobs that need doing after moving in, you should start getting quotes as soon as possible so that you can budget and plan the work. Some work should be carried out urgently, like roof work if a roof inspection showed signs of damage.
Some maintenance jobs are easier to do before you start decorating or moving furniture in, so find out what can be done before you start to get settled.
11. Install your hardware
Your new home may come without some key fixtures and fittings, or the previous owners may have taken them with them. Things like toilet roll and towel holders are easy to forget about, but they can go a long way towards helping your home feel a little more homely. Hardware also adds some decorative touches, so why not choose some sleek finishes like matte black or brushed brass to give your home a little bit of luxury while you get the rest of your decor sorted?
12. Establish a cleaning routine
When you move into a new home, you’ll want to give everything a good clean. It will help you find any missed dirt and dust, and will just leave everything feeling a little fresher. Establishing a cleaning routine for your new home can help you get into some good habits in your new home, and help you find a routine too. Knowing what needs to be cleaned and how to do it will help you settle in and make your home feel more like your own.
13. Check your smoke alarms
Never take for granted that your smoke alarms are all in working order. It helps to check them yourself. You should also set a little reminder on your phone to check them regularly. You might want to consider replacing your fire alarm with a modern version that gives you some additional assurance. There are smart smoke detector devices, for example, that can alert you via your phone, so that you’re always kept in the loop about any fires that could happen while you’re away from home.
While it won’t be at the top of your priority list, it’s worth thinking about where your shoes will go not long after you move in. This is because shoes soon clutter up hallways and other spaces, making the entrance to your home look untidy and also posing a trip hazard. Even if you just have a basked as a temporary solution, it will be helpful to find somewhere to put all the family’s stray shoes that won’t leave you tearing your hair out at the mess!
Make sure you get a doormat too to help keep your new flooring protected from footprints!
15. Budget for your bills
A new property will bring with it a whole new set of bills. From your council tax to your energy bills, you can expect there to be some differences compared to what you used to pay. Start getting an idea of what your bills will be (it may take a couple of months to receive them all), and then set up a household budget to help you manage them. Make sure you get all of the meter readings sorted when you move in so that you’re not left covering someone else’s bill.
With all the things that need doing when moving home, there are some things that are bound to get missed off. Hopefully the list above will give you some ideas to help make those first days and weeks in your new home go smoothly so that you can focus on settling into your new place.
