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Moving home is a lot of work, and you want the process to go smoothly if you’re to avoid the stress. There’s a lot happening, a lot of money being spent, a lot being received - the experience can be overwhelming. You’ve got to take things one step at a time, and your first step should be preparing your own home before you’re moving. Before you’ve sold the home or looked at new ones - your current home needs to be ready to sell. It needs to be appealing to those who would buy it from you, so you’ve got to put the work in to make it that way.  Source
Get rid of everything you don’t want During a move, you discover that you own a lot of things that you have no use for or reason to keep, and getting rid of all of that can be a pain if you don’t have a way to do so. That’s why you can get a budget bin hire to dump all of your unwanted items into, then have it taken away. You don’t have to throw it all into the bin, you should consider either selling it or giving it away to people who need it. Charity stores will accept a lot of what you have to get rid of, and you can sell the rest of it online. Anything that you don’t feel would be desirable can go straight into the bin. The reason you want to get rid of this now is, it’s the perfect time to do so. You won’t have to pay so much when it comes to removal services, and you won’t have to clutter your new home with it when you move. Get it done before you’re in a rush, and your move will be a lot less stressful. Depersonalize When you’re trying to make your home more appealing to customers, you’ve got to make it look like somewhere they could live. If the home is very much styled to how you like it, it might be hard for them to picture it as their own home. You want your home to look comfortable and like a home, but something more commonly acceptable. You need to leave it to the imagination of the clients. You should also consider putting up generic art, and air fresheners to bring about a more positive atmosphere when people do come to visit. Consider repairs and renovations If your home is looking a little worse for wear, it might be worth considering putting some money into it before you move. If you’re willing to wait, working on repairs and possible renovations can help you to raise the price of it when you sell it. Of course, not all investments are going to make a big difference, but if you do it right you could make some money when it comes time to sell. A nicer house will attract more visitors, so consider that if you’re not desperate to get moved out.
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Buying a new development home can be extremely tempting. Knowing that you are the first people who have ever lived there, knowing that the house was constructed with the most modern techniques and designs in mind, knowing that there should be nothing wrong with the home, at least for the next few years, along with many other benefits. However, benign a ti be constructed home can come with certain problems you need to consider. So, to help you out, here is some advice on purchasing a new development home.  Image from Pixabay
Educate Yourself This is your investment on probably the biggest purchase of your life, your home, so you need to do your homework. So do some investigation because if you don’t have the right strategy, the team around you, and the correct knowledge, you could lose a lot of money. Ensure you understand the neighborhood details and what the plans are for the future. This will help you decide if this development is right for you and your family. You really need to create a list of personal priorities and go from there. Make sure you do your research in the developer too. What is their track record, etc? Take a look at their website, such as Rockford Homes, and do a Google search to see if there are any articles about them. The more knowledge you have, the better equipped you are to deal with such a transaction. The Mortgage Lender The right mortgage lender can save you thousands of dollars, so you need to shop around. Additionally, you need to consider them as a team and teammate. The right lender will offer you some valuable advice too. Ask at least five lenders minimum for their rates and options. The Realtor The agent actually gets paid from the builder, so it is a no-brainer to hire a realtor who is able to get the best deal possible for you. It is wise to choose a realtor who is experienced in dealing with these sorts of transactions. You will want someone who you feel you can get along with and is prepared to tell you the truth no matter how good or bad it is. Once you have the realtor, you can develop a plan of action together. Negotiations When it comes to the negotiation having an expert realtor on side is a must. They will be able to negotiate certain upgrades to the property for you. If you want the space to be a little more luxurious and to your tastes, you are able to do this at the tie of negotiation. That way, the builder will keep the same asking price and get a little more for your money. Get Everything in Writing Verbal contracts are, of course, worth the money they’re printed on. Get everything in writing, every upgrade, the costs, timescales, everything, and signed and dated. The onus is on you to get this sorted. It is going to be your house after all. Also, create a copy of the builder so they can keep at the forefront of their mind what needs to be done.  Give the gift of interior design services! Online or in person (LA/OC areas). A one hour interior design consultation for anyone, anywhere looking for interior design advice, feedback, remodeling questions, staging ideas, furniture layout ideas, home office design, paint colors, or any other design advice! $100 for 1 Hour
Failing to maintain your backyard can have a disastrous effect on the overall aesthetic of your property, as your outdoor set up is just as important as your interior design! Fortunately, figuring out how to transform your garden into a space that is both functional and attractive doesn't have to be as difficult as you might expect, as there are in fact just a few key tips and tricks that you can make the most of to turn your dreams into a reality in no time at all! So, if you're interested in finding out more, then read on to uncover a variety of innovative ideas that you can utilize now!  Image Source - Pexels Repair, Repaint & Revitalise First and foremost, the easiest (and most affordable) way to upgrade your garden space is through a little bit of backyard TLC. Sometimes you'll end up with the same result when purchasing a brand new item as you would when choosing to simply update or upgrade your old stuff, so you can still maintain the same look and feel of something that's fresh out-of-the-box without having to spend the same amount of money. Enlisting the help of a team of expert fence repairs specialists when you fall victim to degradation rather than starting from scratch could save you thousands, yet the end result will still be an eye catching, secure and top quality perimeter. Choosing to buff out signs of wear to repaint will breathe new life into your shed or storage space, and it will take far less time than erecting a new shed from scratch! Regular maintenance is key when it comes to creating the perfect garden space, so be sure to get out there and repair, repaint and revitalise the features that tie your backyard together! Focus On Pretty Plant Life
A brilliant way to take your outdoor space to a whole new level is through the planting of flowers, herbs and many other colorful or sweet scented plants which will add life and soul to your backyard. Maintaining a boring, blank and lifeless backyard with nothing but basic green grass and a couple of trees to complete the scene is such a wasted opportunity, as deciding to add a splash of color to your garden will change the vibe and aesthetic completely! Thankfully it couldn't be easier to try your hand at gardening, as you don't need any specialist skills or equipment to get started. Simply source some seeds and get digging, following any guidance or instructions detailed on the seed packet (such as recommended locations or watering needs). Having a beautiful basil plant can upgrade your Italian cooking, strawberry plants provide amazing fresh fruit, and being greeted with the sweet smell of pollen rich flowers will upgrade the look of your garden while sustaining local bees and insects at the same time - what's not to love? Breathing new life into your backyard has never been so simple when you can take the time to utilize the brilliant tips and ideas that have been carefully detailed above.  Pexels - CC0 License
Aside from saving our income in order to one day purchase or mortgage a property, the idea of settling down somewhere can take its own space in our forecasting. After all, it can sometimes be that what’s right for other people, or what may have been right for our parents, isn’t quite right for us. After all, the notion of ‘settling down,’ is something that more and more young people are starting to eschew in favor of flexibility and chasing their careers. That said, a booming real estate market catering to new parents and families hoping to purchase their own land for potential construction also shows trends of people thinking into the long term, rather than drifting from place to place. The question remains - which style of home are you comfortable settling into, and what variables should you consider when trying to establish and move into your dream home? These questions are worth pondering. It’s that which we hope to do in this post, discussing a few vital insights that can help you curate your future plans more effectively: Our Family Plans Are Key Your family plans will determine exactly what kind of home you not only want, but need. This will determine how many bedrooms you may be comfortable with. For instance, if you’re a young family, working as professionals with a child on the way, then it might be the best apartments with two bedrooms could be key for you right now, allowing you to cultivate the best of family living with flexibility and a modern living style. Forecasting our future is never easy, but having a rough plan can help us chart our direction for living. Deciding On A Commute Deciding on a commute that works for you is key towards deciding exactly how you’d like to travel, and how far. For instance, it might be that you’re happy to right the train into the city thanks to how close your apartment is in proximity to it. However, it might also be that a long commute is okay for you provided it’s on the way to your children’s school, allows you to drive your nimble car around, while helping you avoid the main traffic routes. Your home isn’t just your home, it’s your anchor point for the world around you. Planning the orbit of your daily tasks around that can help you define your must-haves and deal-breakers. Luxury & Calming Amenities It might be that luxury and calming amenities are important to you. For instance, having access to a community pool, or a pool of your own could be key in helping you rest easy and feel able to relax during the summer. Perhaps you wish for space for your own carport, or land in which you can build an outhouse for an exterior office. This kind of approach matters, because it will determine exactly how and what luxurious additions you will be happy with investing in, paying rent for, or raising that loan towards. With this advice, we hope you can more easily identify and ascertain which style of home you’re comfortable settling into.  Pexels - CCO Licence Decorating can be pretty expensive, so although we’d all like to be able to fill our homes with all the finest things interior decor has to offer, it is not always possible. If you’re always looking at luxury apartments for rent with envy or you simply want to have a little more luxury in your life on your budget, the good news is, there are lots of small ways you can make your space look more luxurious, so let’s take a look at some of them right now… Apply decorative moldings Decorative, or crown molding as it is sometimes known, is a very affordable way of giving your home that high-end luxurious feel that you tend to find in very big, very old houses owned by aristocrats. You can even apply it yourself - there are plenty of Youtube tutorials that will teach you the basics. Once it’s up, give it a coat of paint to match the walls and it will look fabulous. Choose curved furniture and accessories Even if your furniture and accessories are not exactly high-end, if they are curved, they will really help to add to the luxuriousness of any room they are placed in. Furniture that has straight lines tends to look a little dull and uninteresting with a lack of designer flair, whereas more curved shapes are stylish, full of life, and even a little bit sexy. So, whether it’s a couch, a lamp, or a mirror on the wall, make it curvy if you want to make it luxe.  Pexels - CCO Licence
Make it metallic Metallic surfaces are naturally associated with luxury because silver and gold were once, of course, a preserve of the rich. So, although you don’t need to invest in solid gold candlesticks or a silver mirror, if you want to make your space more luxe, then a gold leaf mirror or sparkling vintage silver photo frame can go a long way to upping the seeming expensiveness of the space without actually costing you too much money. A Flourish of fresh flowers Flowers are decadent. Not only do they look and smell amazing but their presence is fleeting which makes it even more special. If you place cut flowers in every room, then it will immediately give the whole space a lift and make your home seem much more expensive and sophisticated, especially when placed in cut glass or crystal vases. Add an antique A pretty antique will show your class and add a hint of sophistication to any room, providing it isn’t a novelty piece, so if you can find something good in the thrift store, display it proudly and it will look great. Lower the lights Okay, so this may sound a bit weird, but dimming the lights a little can really help to make your space feel more luxurious. When the light is softer and more diffused, everything takes on a certain expensive glow that you would find in high-end hotels and restaurants, and obviously, some of the flaws in your decor will be less visible too! Pexels - CCO Licence For a lot of people, who aren’t professional interior designers, the prospect of decorating a small space and getting it right can seem almost impossible, but it can be done. Many of us aren’t lucky enough to live in luxury homes or apartments where space is readily available, but that doesn’t mean we can’t enjoy beautiful-looking, functional spaces too. Below you will find a few basic tips to help you get your small space decor just right. Keep the floor as clear as possible When there is lots of furniture cluttering up the floor space, it can make a small space seem even smaller. So, where possible try to use things like floating shelves and lamps that are attached to the walls so that the amount of floor space being used up is kept to a minimum. This will immediately increase the sense of spaciousness within. Put the focus on lighting Small spaces often feel darker than bigger ones because they usually don’t have as many windows. Luckily, you can mitigate against this by adding a few lighting sources of your own. Things like glass chandeliers that diffuse the light very effectively may seem extravagant in a small space, but they can work really well. Combined with mounted wall lights and a handful of table lamps, you can really get your small space looking every bit as light and airy as those larger spaces that always feel so special. Make room for mirrors While we’re on the subject of lighting, mirrors are also great for making a room appear lighter, while also making it seem bigger too. As you will know, mirrors reflect light, so any available sources of light will be amplified by having mirrors in the space. Since they also reflect the room back, they can also make it seems like there is more space to the room than there actually is. Go bold Although conventional wisdom would say that using light colors in your small home’s interior design would be a smart move to make it feel more light and open, it is actually the case that bold, dramatic colors can work quite well. They can make your smaller home look much more luxurious and give it even more personality. Just because it’s small doesn’t mean it needs to be white all over, and actually, a really glossy navy, jade, or red can make your small space feel like a beautiful jewel box. Stick to a small color palette
Although there are no limits to the colors you can use in your small space, it’s better to stick to two or three colors across your walls, furniture, and accessories. Having too many different colors could be far too overwhelming for such a small space. That being said, if you think you can rock a multi-colored space there is no one who is going to stop you. Small spaces can be just as beautiful as bigger ones providing you take the time and effort to get the decor right! Does your backyard lack purpose, functionality and flare? Being blessed with your own outdoor space provides you with the opportunity to do so many different things, so wasting such an opportunity by leaving your garden to go wild is such a huge mistake. Thankfully, figuring out how to totally transform your backyard doesn't have to be as difficult as you might expect, as there are A variety of simple tips and tricks that you can make the most of to give your garden a new lease of life in no time at all. So, if you're interested in finding out more, then read on to uncover a range of brilliant ideas that you can utilize today!  Image Source - Pexels Build A Pool One of the best ways to upgrade your backyard is to build your own pool, because what could be better than taking a dip after a long hot day at the office?! Pools are perfect for bachelor pads and family homes alike, as almost everyone loves to have a splash around or cool off whenever the sun is shining. Using a free pool design software app will allow you to better visualize your ideas, as there are so many different details you need to decide on. Make sure that your pool is the right size as you don't want it to overwhelm your backyard, and spend time sourcing the best weatherproof materials to be certain your build will stand the test of time. Get Gardening Even if you have no experience in gardening, you need to get down and dirty to make your backyard look tidy and presentable. Fortunately it's pretty easy to maintain an aesthetically pleasing backyard, as long as you have the right tools and equipment on hand! Investing in a good lawn mower should be your first priority if you have any large areas of grass, while a strimmer is ideal for more sturdy foliage that might cause a mower to clog up. You'll need a shovel of some kind if you want to maintain flower beds, as you'll have to turn up the soil and make large enough holes to plant new flowers each season. Make Use Of The Space
Dedicating set areas in your backyard is the best way to help you make use of the space, otherwise you might feel a little lost trying to give your garden purpose. Decide on an area that you can use for al fresco dining, and set up a table and chairs and maybe a barbecue grill to cook outdoors in the summer. If you have little ones, create a space for play that includes some outdoor activities like swings or a sandpit! It's always a good idea to set up a comfy area where you can sit and talk the night away when the light evenings get longer, so find some cushioned outdoor benches or sofas that you can both set up and store easily. Transforming your backyard has never been such a simple task! You might like where you live, but if you’re someone with a global mindset, then you’ll likely always have one eye on other parts of the world. And while you might be content taking the odd trip to other corners of the globe, if there’s one place that holds a special place in your heart, then you may consider buying a property there. This can bring a lot of advantages; it can improve your financial future, and also give you somewhere to stay every time you want to take a trip. In this blog, we’ll look at some useful tips that’ll help to ensure that you make the right decision.  Pexels - CC0 Licence Visiting Versus Living It’s important to remember that there’s a big difference between visiting a place and living there. When you’re in vacation mode, you’ll overlook many details that may later frustrate or bother you. So it’s not a good idea to buy a property on the back of one trip. It makes more sense to stay in the area for one or two months (or longer) so that you can get a sense of what it’s like to live there. If it’s all fine, then you can proceed with your plan. The Quality of The Neighborhood When you’re visiting a destination, it’s likely that you stay in a tourist-friendly part of town. When you’re living there, you’ll want to live somewhere else; you’ll want to live where the locals live. So as well as the overall destination, you’ll need to think about which part of town you’re going to live in. Of course, neighborhoods can vary significantly. So it’s important to choose one that will provide a high standard of living, not just for you, but for your entire family. You can usually find this information on the developers’ website. For instance, the Liv @ MB Singapore condo website mentions how there are plenty of good schools in the area. That’d make it perfect if you’re thinking about your children's education. Another good idea is to ask locals about where the best parts of town are located. The Cost of Living It’s not just the cost of the property that you’ll need to think about. You’ll also need to consider the overall cost of living. You may find a great deal on a home, but if the city has an extremely high cost of living that you can’t afford, then you may want to think twice before buying it. Of course, that’ll be less of a factor if you plan to rent it out rather than live there full-time. And talking of which…. Long-Term Plans
It’s a good idea to have a plan for your property on both a short-term and long-term basis. Are you going to live there forever, or will you rent it out first and move in the future? There’s no right or wrong answer, only the one that’s right for you. But it’ll be a good idea to check that it’s possible to make your plans a reality. Small homes and apartments are becoming more and more commonplace as the demand for housing grows and available land depletes, not to mention the cost of housing is rising and new purchasers to the market find themselves being priced out of larger homes. Small homes however are certainly not a bad thing and there are lots of tips and tricks that can be done to maximize the space available in small homes or apartments. Here are some ways you can maximize the space in a small space and turn it into your dream home.  Photo credit Max Vakhtbovych from Pexels Mount TVs If you have a TV in any room, make the most of the space and mount it on the wall, whether this is your living room, kitchen, or bedroom. Entertainment units can be cumbersome and take up large amounts of space you might not have. Neutral Color palette When it comes to the color schemes and optimizing space the best options are to keep it neutral. Lighter neutrals will help make rooms feel bigger and brighter and when teamed up with neutral lighting and mirrors can create the illusion of more space. Declutter Clutter not only makes things look messy and feel disorganized it will make a room look and feel much smaller too. Keep all surfaces free of clutter by finding a home for everything. If you cannot find a home then buy a storage box to keep odd bits and bobs such as stationary, remote controls, and chargers out of sight. Expose furniture legs By opting for furniture that shows the legs, preferably thinner legs it shows more visual space and creates the illusion of a larger space. Use wall space Whether you put up shelves in your living room or hang kitchen utensils in your kitchen making the most of available wall space is another way to get the most out of the space you have available. Foldable furniture When it comes to your dining table opt for a small table that can be extended as and when it is needed. You could even invest in a small fold-away table that can be completely folded away and put out of sight when not in use freeing up space. Use mirrors Mirrors are an age-old trick that interior designers have been using for years to make a space feel bigger and brighter than it is. You can do this too by strategically hanging mirrors opposite natural light sources. This will then reflect the light and give the illusion of a larger space. Custom built storage
If your home has lots of quirky nooks and crannies or areas of space that could be better used with storage consider employing professionals to custom build storage to fill in the gaps. Having purpose-built storage will not only fit perfectly in any given space in your home it can be designed to store any items you need. Custom-built storage will be more expensive than generic items found at the local furniture store but it can have a real transformative effect in your home. |
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