Category: Guest Blog Posts

Before You Settle In: Five Critical Details for First-Time Home Buyers

Posted on by Jenny Zamora

So you found a home you love and you just closed. Finally, your dream has come true. But before you hit the closest furniture store and start picking out chesterfields and credenzas for that gorgeous little nook, you’ll want to sort a few things out. By taking a few precautions upfront, you can save yourself plenty of heartache in the future. So before you settle in, consider these five tips for first-time home buyers.

Meet the Neighbors

Although it seems like such a small thing, you never know when you’ll need a hammer or screwdriver during the moving process. Who better to help you out than your neighbors? Plus, you’ll likely be living next to them for several years, so getting on good terms early can only make your tenure in your home a much more pleasant experience.

Figure out the Circuit Breaker

File this tip under “things you don’t think you need until suddenly it’s critical.” Figuring out which outlets go to which switch on the circuit breaker is a challenge under normal circumstances, but when the lights are out, it can be nearly impossible. Consider tackling this task early on, before things get hectic. That way, the next time the power goes off, you’ll already have mapped and labeled your circuits.

Start a Maintenance Fund

Now that you’ve purchased a house, you’re in the clear, right? Time to go buy furniture? Not so fast. Even in a custom home, you’re likely to run up against maintenance issues from time to time. Start saving now and you’ll be sure to have enough cash stashed on a rainy day. It may even be worth putting off major purchases (like credenzas) in order to start saving up today.

Paint Hard-to-Reach Spots

Before you start moving things into your new abode, consider painting. Custom homes typically start off white or off-white. Estate home builders in Orlando and elsewhere aren’t sure of new occupants’ color preferences, so many homes start off neutral. If you want to inject personality, consider painting before your home is full of stuff. This is especially critical for hard-to-reach places, like ceilings and closets. Painting before you move in means you don’t have to worry about moving objects out of the way or staining your belongings.

Start a Filing System Right Away

Now that you’re a homeowner, you’re going to have plenty of paperwork. Taxes may become slightly more complex, you may need repairs or you may just want to track how much the interest on your mortgage is. If you start a filing system when you first purchase a home, you can avoid staring down a huge pile of paperwork in the future. Plus, you’ll always know where your important home documents are.

It can be so exciting to buy your first house that it’s hard to know what to do next. Fortunately, a little preparation and work now can make owning your first home that much easier. Before you get comfy in your new home, make sure you use these five tips to prepare yourself for the future.

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Perfect Patio: How to Create Your Own Backyard Ambiance

Posted on by Jenny Zamora

Patios today are not just outdoor areas to stop before heading into a backyard. They are living areas and extensions of the inside of the home. Many different options are available that allow homeowners to design comfortable, elegant, and functional patios. Several ideas will help Orlando homeowners to create a perfect patio with ambiance and style.

Pick a Comfortable Patio Furniture Set

Modern patio furniture is just as comfortable as furniture inside the home. A great patio should have a complete set of furniture. This should include a relaxing couch, chairs, and at least one table. They can be made from strong resins or sustainable woods like teak and bamboo. Comfortable furniture will make spending time on the patio more enjoyable.

Install Designer Lighting

Good lighting is responsible for the ambiance on the patio, especially in the evening. Homeowners should install designer lighting in several places. Landscape lights can illuminate the area around the patio. Sconces and hanging pendant lights can create gentle light while dining or relaxing outside. Lights can even be installed in the patio surface for safety or unique ground illumination.

Add Attractive Plantings

Part of the ambiance of a backyard patio is the presence of nature around the property. Homeowners should add attractive plantings on, and around the patio. Large outdoor pots can hold small trees or robust succulents. Climbing vines can cover nearby fences or the walls of the home. Shrubs and hedges can act as dividers. Plants make the patio more attractive while also sometimes absorbing sound and creating privacy.

Consider Patio Heaters

Patio heaters make the space comfortable even during cold days in the winter. Patio heaters look like tall lamps or poles. They can increase the temperature on the patio so it remains comfortable, in all but the worst conditions. They can create a warm and inviting patio all year long.

Choose the Right Patio Surface

The patio surface will largely determine the comfort and stability of everything from furniture to appliances. Homeowners will want to choose concrete when designing a patio. Concrete companies provide mixtures that will pour easily and level simply. Concrete is durable and does not attract pests like some other materials. Concrete can also be finished in a number of ways to create a very distinctive and memorable appearance.

Patios should be designed just like any room inside the house. They must include lighting, a solid surface, and comfortable furniture. Patios today can even be equipped with fireplaces or kitchen appliances so it is easier to spend hours enjoying the outdoors with friends and family.

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Beach Party: Best Locations for a Summer Home

Posted on by Jenny Zamora

Picking out the perfect summer home starts with an important decision, where that home should be located. There are a number of amazing summer spots to choose from, but consider some of these top beach locales to get your gears turning.

Tybee Island

Tybee Island is an often overlooked gem that is ideal for a relaxing beach house right on the shore. Located off the coast of Georgia, near the historic city of Savannah, it is not the spot people always think of for a beach property. The island boasts beautiful homes on idyllic beaches, and is perfect for families or couples looking for a romantic getaway.Vero Beach

Like Tybee Island, Vero Beach offers a calmer alternative than its neighbors in south Florida. This beautiful beach area is located in the center of the sunshine state, and has some incredibly impressive homes to offer, many that are right on the water. Nearby restaurants and shopping also make it an attractive vacation spot.

Malibu

Everyone knows Malibu is a stunning beach spot, it has been showcased in countless films and TV series. But this area is actually a reasonable spot to invest in for the summer, particularly if you are interested in beach rentals. You get all the luxury and beauty of this beach city, for an affordable rental price.

Fort Lauderdale

Fort Lauderdale is a time tested standby for a reason, it delivers the goods with prime, luxury real estate. Rental properties and beach houses in this sunny city put you in the center of the action, so you can have a summer spent in the middle of all the south Florida scene can boast. They don’t call it vacation heaven for nothing.

Jersey Shore

If you are looking for more than respite and relaxation for your holiday in the sun, you can’t do much better than the Jersey Shore. This area is famous for large rentals and vacation properties that let you take advantage of the amazing beaches by day, and the exciting nightlife once the sun sets. It’s a party from dusk till dawn, plus you are close enough to the city to take in hot bars at the Crosby and other boutique hotels.

A summer at the beach is the stuff of dreams, and a beach home makes that dream a reality. Look into these awesome beach spots and start planning your holiday away from it all. And make sure to pack your sunscreen!

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Let the Lights Guide you Home – Attracting Potential Buyers with Dynamic Outdoor Lighting

Posted on by Jenny Zamora

Any small advantage that can gain your home or rental property those few extra views should be viewed not with caution but with wide-eyed enthusiasm. Even small things such as making sure the house has a fresh coat of paint, making sure the windows are all clean or the floors are all recently vacuumed, should not be looked down upon.

One area that most of us overlook is outdoor lighting. It’s said that you can’t change the first impression, so why are we spending so little effort in making sure that the first impression is a keeper? Subtle, strategically placed outdoor lighting can be used to make your home appear bigger, more attractive, and more sellable. You have no doubt spent a significant amount of time and effort making sure that your indoor lighting is up to scratch, so why not spend just a fraction of that time and effort making sure your outdoor lighting is just as impressive?

Safety First

Outdoor lighting is not just aesthetically pleasing but it also makes your home safer. Not only does it dissuade potential robbers from breaking into your home due to the extra exposure they would receive, but it also means you and any potential buyers are less likely to take a nasty tumble between the car and the front door.

Lit Up

Think about it, what’s the first thing a potential buyer or renter will do before they make the decision whether or not to book a viewing? They’ll have a drive past the house of course. If they are driving past at night in the dark, they won’t be able to see anything if there are no external lights and you could have just missed out on viewing.

Adding Value

It might sound too good to be true but if it’s implemented in the right way, outdoor lighting can actually increase your property value. This is especially true if your front garden is particularly attractive or there are features at the front of your house (a nice tree, a perfectly maintained flower bed or a generous space for parking perhaps) that might look quite desirable when they are illuminated.

Standing Out

Not only will an unlit home look dark and uninviting, but it will simply merge into the background. With strategically placed outdoor lighting giving your home a warm, comforting and inviting glow it will stand head and shoulders above the competition.

LED

Whilst you might (understandably) wrongly believe that outdoor lighting is an expensive pursuit, the prevalence of more energy efficient, LED lighting has meant expensive electricity bills could be a thing of the past. There are no bulbs to change, the energy efficiency is literally 10 times better than halogen bulbs and they are far more durable, meaning they are far better suited for outdoor usage. LED lights might be more of an initial investment, but their dynamism, reliability and energy efficiency will save you potential hundreds in the long run. Solar-powered outdoor LED lights are also an option.

Placement Tips

  • Outdoor lights will always appear larger in the shop than they will once they are installed so be sure to take this into account when you’re shopping around.
  • Place the exterior lighting in areas that can be seen from inside your home, it will add a deceptively bold extra layer to your overall lighting that will really help sell your property.
  • Use different types and levels of light together to give your home a three-dimensional sense of depth. Experiment with different positions and levels until you achieve the desired effect.
  • By lighting surrounding trees and bushes you can achieve a pleasant ‘spill’ effect. Also, try decorating the foliage with fairy lights, especially in winter when you can get away with it.
  • Don’t go overboard. You don’t want your home to be lit up like a fairground attraction. You simply want to give the impression that it’s a comfortable place in which someone would be happy to spend the rest of their lives! So no pressure!

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Five Great Tips For Reducing The Burden Of Buying a Home

Posted on by Jenny Zamora

Purchasing a home is a goal that many people have, and to do so is quite an accomplishment, especially in very expensive areas of the country. However, no matter how much money you have, buying a home tends to be at least a little bit of a burden. How can you reduce that stress?

Give Yourself Time

Some people start looking for houses right as their apartment lease is about to be up or as soon as they are going to start a new job. Purchasing a home is a process that takes time. The actual process of getting the house will eat up a lot of time, and so will going around to look at potential homes. Trying to squeeze all of this into a short time frame is only going to stress you out.

Choose Affordable Areas

You also do not want to get yourself in too deep with the mortgage. Do not feel as though you need to purchase the biggest home in the most regal area right away. Plenty of real estate in upstate New York is affordable and in nice areas. Remember, you need to feel comfortable in the town and house; other peoples’ opinions of them do not matter. Many live in a starter house and then upgrade later.

Don’t Max Out On The Mortgage

Before you are actually able to buy a house, you are going to get approved for a mortgage. No magic number exists for determining how much you’ll be approved for; however, many estimates do put the figure at about 3.5 times your total salary or salaries. Still, though, this doesn’t mean that you should spend that much on a home. Factor in utilities, groceries, car payments, etc., and you’ll quickly see why.

Don’t Do It Alone

Trying to find a house without a real estate agent can be a little bit overwhelming. Some do feel that they are able to procure a home without assistance, but others make the decision to select another company. These agents can help you to find the perfect home and ensure a cohesive process.

Remember Closing Costs

When you are closing on the house, you are going to have to pay money out of pocket. Some people forget this, and then they find themselves in an unpleasant situation. Find out how much closing costs are going to be right away so you can plan accordingly.

When you enter your home, you’ll be thrilled to have a place to call your own. These five steps will help the process to run more smoothly.

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