Tips - Real Estate, Updates, News & Tips

Ranch, Victorian or Tudor? The agent’s architectural house styles cheat sheet

Dive into the history and core characteristics that make these styles uniqueKey Takeaways Recognizing and identifying home design styles can be tricky. Here's a few easy ways to recognize nine of the most popular.For most buyers today, a home’s architectural style usually isn’t a “make or break” feature, and is ranked below other features and attributes such as the functionality of the indoor layout, energy efficiency, smart home technol

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How to Paint a Room

You have finally sorted through thousands of shades and found your perfect paint color. You bought a few cans of paint. You cleared out your weekend. You are ready to jump in, but where do you start? Having the proper tools, correctly prepping your space, and taking your time using the right technique are all key to getting a perfectly painted room. Tools and Supplies The proper tools can make or break your affinity and patience for painting

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3 Celebrity Color Schemes to Covet and Copy

Make a dramatic statement with design choices inspired by celebrity homes.Folks who are in the spotlight often love to surround themselves with dramatic colors and furnishings. See the shades three celebs chose for their homes, and learn how you can get the look, too.Zooey Deschanel: ship-shape navy Photo from Zillow listingThe “New Girl” actress’ bold blue kitchen pairs crisp navy cabinets with brass accents and a nautical-inspired light

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Green Matters in Real Estate, Surveys Show

Your clients want to hear more about green real estate and why it matters, surveys show.Whether they're first-time buyers or existing homeowners, consumers are showing more desire to learn more about environmental matters in housing.Indeed, 61 percent of homeowners have researched energy-efficient improvements, according to the Bank of America Homebuyer Insights Report. Eighty-six percent of homeowners say they have some type of energy-efficient

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5 Environmentally Smart Landscaping Tips

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

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Why Removing That Wall Isn’t Always So Easy

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

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The 5 best places to renovate your home

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

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5 Ways to Make Listing Photos Pop

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

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Creating A Patio Scene That Sells

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

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Watch for These Open House Red Flags

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,

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