Apr 19
Almost every homeowner has a home improvement horror story to share—not finding an available remodeler, waiting months for appliances, having doors delivered that are the wrong size. To make matters worse, prices have skyrocketed for many items, often after a contract is signed. While these challenges don’t fall within a normal sales pro’s job, the …
Apr 18
Spring showers may bring flowers, but they also might cause flooding in basements, crawl spaces, and weakened foundations. Here’s how to help homeowners prepare and prevent that. Key takeaways: Heavy rains in spring, as well as the last melting snowfalls of winter, present a couple of distinct downsides: the potential for exterior and interior water …
Apr 17
Many developers believe that turnkey homes—high-end, furnished, predecorated homes that allow buyers to easily move in—are what home shoppers want nowadays. The trend is taking root in places like Hawaii and California and in many second-home resort communities. Rob Kildow, director of sales and principal broker for Hualalai Realty, told Mansion Global about the growing …
Apr 14
Property managers and other commercial real estate pros are increasingly leveraging “scent marketing” to boost a building’s appeal. The rules could even apply to homes. Commercial buildings are turning to the power of smell to enhance the customer or tenant experience, matching an enticing visual space to a pleasant scent. The trend is taking hold …
Apr 13
The business of home staging is under transformation. Though physical staging has long dominated the market, virtual staging is quickly becoming a go-to option, but whether it’s the better option depends on several factors. Key takeaways: When Barb Schwartz introduced the concept of home staging in 1972, inspired by her background in theater, the idea …
Apr 12
Home inspectors say they can spot the work of an amateur versus a pro. Homeowners may have gotten overconfident with their DIY skills. Armed with YouTube tutorials and extra time at home during the pandemic, more homeowners have been drawn to DIY house projects to save money and bypass waits for overbooked contractors. Home inspectors …
Apr 11
Today’s vacation homes require an updated set of features to maintain appeal in a post–COVID-19 world, including space to spread out and top-notch Wi-Fi connectivity Key takeaways: During the second half of 2020 and through 2021, vacation home sales skyrocketed, according to a report from the National Association of REALTORS®. Today, vacation houses provide important …
Apr 11
Presale renovation companies work with real estate professionals to improve a home’s looks in pursuit of turnkey properties that garner top-dollar at resale. First impressions matter in any housing market—but all the more so now that home sales are cooling. So, presale renovations may become more commonplace as home buyers, who are already stretching their …
Apr 10
Green is in when it comes to design, especially amongst the younger buying pool, and staircase gardens provide a unique, aesthetically pleasing look for those who want a touch of nature. Staircases serve an important function both in and out of homes, but their ability to add aesthetic value to a space often goes unrealized. …
Apr 10
The quest for organized storage and space for pandemic reprieve spurred interest in transforming garages, but nowadays the sky’s the limit on how the space is used and looks. Key Takeaways: When it comes to a garage, most clients won’t require the space to house 12 cars like a recent client of Los Angeles architecture …
Apr 07
More than 50 years after the federal ban on housing discrimination, upholding the law’s spirit remains a challenge. Here’s how to be a fair housing leader. Sandra Butler refused to let it slide when a seller she represented made what felt like a discriminatory comment. The seller thought the buyers, who had foreign-sounding names, were …
Apr 06
Homeowners are spending a median of $9,000 on bathroom renovations, which is 13% higher than last year, a new study finds. These are their favorite trends. Homeowners are spending more money to spruce up their bathrooms as the pandemic-fueled home renovation boom continues. The national median spend for bathroom renovations jumped nearly 13% year over …
