Tag Archives: home improvements

May the Chi be with You

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zenTake a look at the dining room table you never use, the toys on the floor or maybe the pile of dishes in the sink. Clutter, for many people, can induce stress and is often the source when you can’t quite put a finger on what is bothering you. Understanding some basic principles of Feng Shui can help bring you and your home back into balance. A stress free home is not only important for every homeowner, but it is important to a potential buyer as well. A happy home is easier to sell.

Feng Shui Principles when Selling a Home

Chi is energy. Star Wars fans may identify more with the idea of The Force. The energy that binds the galaxy together is the chi that flows through us and our homes. When our chi is blocked, energy is zapped and we feel sad. Houses are no different than living beings when it comes to chi. When chi is constantly flowing through our homes – we feel good. That is why we often feel better after cleaning them. Clutter blocks chi, which is why we feel suffocated when it starts to build up.

Buyers pick up on positive and negative chi very quickly. When the energy is good, they immediately light up even if the house is not exactly a match. On the flip side, when the energy is bad, buyers either can’t wait to leave or start picking the house apart.

Home Selling Tips

If you are just trying to feel more at harmony with your home, sometimes a good cleaning is all you need. That cleaning also includes a certain level of decluttering. Everything on that dining room table needs to go to its proper home, papers need to be filed and everything lining the stairs needs to go to the second floor. If you are selling a home, it is time to take things to the next level. You have all seen the TV shows – it’s time to keep it, sell it, toss it or donate it. Don’t move things you don’t want and don’t shove them in the closet either.

Good Chi in Homes

When selling, living space needs to have good chi and closets do as well. Buyers want to open closets and feel like there is room. When a closet is disorganized and stuffed to the max – the buyer’s brain says “there is no room in here for my things.” Garages and cabinets need to be organized too. If you want to keep things, but know your house is overstuffed, renting self-storage space may help. You can often rent climate controlled space for just a few months until closing on a new home. You may not need a very large space and can cram things in to your heart’s content.

Giving a home space to breathe will help you do so as well. The positive chi will flow, which will not only make you feel good, but feel good to be home.

The Reality of Remodeling

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remodel HGTV is powerful. I cannot even begin to tell you how many homeowners I speak to who got an idea to attempt a do-it-yourself project as a result of watching a home makeover show. If you are chuckling on the inside, it may be because you are one of them. I use the word ‘attempt’, because while these shows inspire and educate, they also tend to make projects seem simpler than they are.

Reality TV Shows vs. Remodeling in the Real World

Remember, it’s an 10 hour project shown in 30 minutes. TV shows have the power to edit and often have a team completing the handiwork behind the scenes. It’s a reality show, just like any other.  I laugh on the inside and try not to show my angst on the outside when I go on a listing appointment with those who lost their drive on a remodel. The results range from unfinished faux painted walls, tile put in place that was never grouted and crown molding that doesn’t completely go around the ceiling. All of these unfinished projects are going to affect the sales price of your home.

It is easier to sell a dated home that is fully functioning and completed, than a home that seems to stop mid sentence. To a buyer, the project needs to be finished. I often have to change the perception of the seller, to see these things with buyers’ eyes, because after a while the seller doesn’t see the projects anymore. They have been living with them for so long; they just tend to blend into the background.

Do-it-yourself Projects

Many home supply stores offer classes on do-it-yourself projects. I often recommend someone take one before making a decision to start a project. We are all good at something, but certainly not good at everything. Have a reality check with yourself when you are watching those reality shows. Get a real education on what’s involved with a do-it-yourself project, before you begin one.

Kitchens Designed for Living

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kitchenMy first house was built in 1939 and had a door on every entry point to the kitchen. The purpose was to keep the smells of the kitchen contained and possibly to keep traffic out while cooking. My how times have changed. Kitchens are not just for cooking anymore.  People find themselves multitasking constantly, so it’s no wonder why modern kitchens are designed for multiple purposes.

Austin New Home Builds

Open concept kitchens are common floor plan designs in new home builds in both single family houses and condos. The size of the home does not matter. I recently started planning a new build for a client in Northwest Austin. Every size and floor plan includes a desk area, bar area or center island.   New kitchen designs welcome people to congregate, provide more organization for home office space and sometimes even include a built-in dining space for your pets.

Kitchen Designs for Today’s Living

An open concept kitchen is often an extension of a living area in today’s new homes. When I am a designing home with a client I try to get them to think about the kitchen and living area as a unit. The idea is that you want the kitchen finishes to compliment the look of the living room furnishings. The selections available today in cabinetry, range hoods and back splash are more ornate in design and diverse in material, often becoming the focal point in the home.

Open Concept Kitchens

When I am showing older homes, many buyers have thoughts and ideas of taking walls down to open up the kitchen floor plan. Although HGTV and other home design programs make taking a wall down look easy – it often is not. Those walls were put there for a reason, so it is important to hire an engineer or building professional before breaking out that sledge hammer to find out what wall or column is load-bearing. Modifications may need to be made to help you achieve the look you want without compromising the structural integrity of the house.

Turning Projects into Home Improvements

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kitchen floorsThe last month in Austin has been a little crazy for many people. School is out which means graduations, graduation parties and vacations. Memorial Day weekend and Father’s Day lend themselves more to backyard barbeques then house hunting. Austin also hosted the X Games.

South and Central Austin Home Finds

I have been spending quite a bit of time in South and Central Austin with buyers looking for homes, specifically Circle C Ranch, Hyde Park and just south of South Park Meadows. I’ve seen some of great laminate that looks so much like wood you can’t tell the difference and really nice stained concrete; both great – low maintenance alternatives to wood and tile.

Turning a Project into a Home Improvement before Selling

I’ve also seen a few unfinished projects. We have all been there. We start projects with the best intentions full of excitement and a tank of energy. Home improvement projects vary from installing new flooring, to replacing windows or even repairing a water leak. Whether it is a do-it yourself project or professional remodel there are typically things left undone when the project is over. Quarter-round molding, a ceiling or even window sills may need to be repainted.

I know, I know – those new floors look great and you are tired, wanting the furniture back in place and your life back. I get it, but finishing the project completely is like putting a ‘period’ on the end of a sentence. Buyers are looking in the now, they do not know the history of the stress and aggravation you endured getting the project done. The Seller sees the beautiful windows and the buyer sees that the windows need to be painted. To the Seller, it is almost done but to the buyer the project is just starting.

When you run out of steam, the best thing to do is hire a handyman. The truth is most people run out of steam when the project is about 90% complete. Having a handyman come in a finish the job with make the project go away and allow prospective buyers to appreciate your hard work for the masterpiece it is.

78704 Finds

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1908 Glencliff Drive, Austin 78704

1908 Glencliff Drive 78704

Lately, I have been spending my time in Central Austin specifically Barton Hills and other areas within the 78704 zip code.  Conditions have varied with some needing a little love, like maybe new paint colors, while others need some major updating.

Homes in need of remodeling can be found in all price points. When you are purchasing a home that is considered ‘dated’, it is best to know what your intended use is for it. For example, if you are looking to just lease the house out, freshening up the paint and re-carpeting may be all you need to do to make it ready for a tenant. If your plans are live in the house, understand that many of the upgrades you will add are for you. They may depreciate over time and not all buyers will appreciate what you have done. When the plan is to remodel a home to flip it, budget is key. Sticking to a budget which should include a miscellaneous fund for unexpected work will keep you from buying yourself right out of the neighborhood.

Here are some houses I have seen in the past week. Doreen’s picks of the week Again, how much work they need, if any, will depend on the buyer’s intended use.

1908 Glencliff (see link above) was designed by James D. Pfluger. It is a work of art with great bones and over an acre of land on the cliff of the Barton Creek Greenbelt, about 200′ upstream from Camel’s Hole. It has privacy and a view, but the view could be better if someone cleaned up the brush and trees and perhaps redesigned the overhang on the back decks. The house has tons of possibilities. Many of the surrounding homes have been completely rebuilt and updated.

One note about investment properties. Leases are on the rise, because properties for lease are in short supply. There are many people who cannot qualify for a loan these days, so they need to lease. There are some people of course that prefer to lease, but with the addition of people that now do not have a choice – the demand is very high. So, if you are thinking about purchasing an investment property – now may be the time. Remember, investment properties also come in all price points. They require 20% down and rates right now hovering around 5% and under.

Home Owners Associations

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Home owners associations are common in neighborhoods in and around Austin. Some are voluntary like in Travis Heights, for example. Most are mandatory, which means that if you choose to own real estate within the boundaries of the Association – membership is mandatory. Home owners associations often provide additional restrictions above and beyond what the City imposes.

Rules and by-laws are defined and outlined for each home owners association and can include anything from buildings restrictions, pet limitations and quiet hours. H.O.A.s impose fee’s to manage common charges and services impacted by the community. Mandatory home owners associations are typically created at the time the subdivision is created whether it is a neighborhood of houses or a condominium community.

H.O.A.s are a legal and financial entity designed to fund and manage common services and areas. Gated entrances, pools, fitness centers and playgrounds are all examples of common areas. Common services can include water, cable, trash and even gas. What services are included typically depends on how the subdivision was initially designed. Home owners associations can be powerful; they will impose fines and can even place liens on a property if fees are not paid or rules are not complied with.

Home owners associations often manage community activities as well, which provides an environment to socialize with neighbors within the community.

Austin HOA Rules and Restrictions

Whether or not a home owners association will work for a buyer will depend on many factors. If you are looking to build and want the freedom to choose any material you want or size of home, a neighborhood with a home owners association may not work for you. Having horses or parking an RV or boat next to a house – may not be allowed. You may be limited to the kinds of fences you can have. Dog breeds that are typically labeled as ‘aggressive’ are often not allowed as well.

Some people like limitations and rules within a community. Members of an association often like the structure within the community and welcome the limitations. Some people like a common aesthetic theme limited building materials bring. They also like the sense of community and small town feeling common amenities often provide.

Home owners associations can include many amenities, rules and by-laws or very few. H.O.A.s vary greatly in terms of when fees are due. Some are monthly; others are quarterly or even paid annually. Frequency is often determined by the size and scope of the association.

Unless I have a buyer who truly doesn’t like the idea of a home owners association, I often suggest clients be open to the idea. You can often tell just by driving through a neighborhood if it is heavily restricted or looks fairly laid back. With so many of them in the greater Austin area, it is hard for prospective buyer to completely rule them out.

Beat the Heat

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Austin, like all of Texas, is experiencing severe drought conditions. Record breaking heat and water conservation has caused some shifts in routine for all of us. For me, that means trying to get out early to look at houses whether I am with clients or previewing. I showed land in Smithville last Monday, which is just west of Bastrop. My clients and I started at 10:30, spending about a good 20 minutes at the first lot. As the day heated up, we started to select what lots we actually wanted to get out of the car for. We saw 14 lots in 2 hours.   Heat can be motivating!

 
Shifts in routine also include remembering to water plants after sunset and being mindful of our foundations. Dirt is like a sponge, when it dries out — it condenses. That dirt under your house is condensing too. Cement doesn’t bend, it cracks.  Having a drip system around your house is helpful. A hose with holes placed around your house can help water your plants and your foundation at the same time.