Nevertheless, the cottage and courtyard really have a lot going for it. It’s part of a historic Spanish-style home. The cottage itself is quite cute, and the floor of the courtyard is of a lovely old brick. Very desirable in many ways, but the privacy/containment fence around it stuck out like a sore thumb. something had to be done, but without spending much money. A big home remodeling project was not an option at this time.

So, besides cleaning it up, uncluttering it, and adding a used iron patio set (with a fresh coat of black spray paint) and a matching bench, I really needed to do something about the mish-mash wood fence.

Well, I love the pre-made bamboo fencing that is readily found at home improvement stores like The Home Depot. It comes rolled up in different heights and lengths, and with various diameters of the bamboo shoots. I have found a wide variety of uses for it, including a makeshift floor over dirt or to provide a decorative pet barrier or containment fence.

For the purpose at hand, I used some 6′ height rolls in 8′ lengths, and wired them against the existing fence. As you can see in the photo, it worked really well for this application — as a temporary aesthetic facade over a mish-mash courtyard fence.

Longer term, the existing fence really needs to be torn down, fumigated, and rebuilt … but not today.

Seek simplicity, comfort, and value!

Tweet This Post

These pictures show before and after shots of a tub that we just refinished. It only took the contractor a few hours to prepare the tub and perform the work, and then a couple of days of curing time before the tub was ready for use. But it saved a lot of money, mess, disposal, and time … and it sure looks great.

Here is another look at it:

Seek simplicity, comfort, and value!

Tweet This Post

As you’ve read in my free report and e-book, I am a big fan of Craigslist for finding great home furnishings and home decor at bargain prices. It’s also a great place to find buyers for the furnishings and decor that you no longer need (or choose to store for a future home, as I often do).  Right now, I am preparing for another move, so I have listed many items in Craigslist, which of course is free.

If you think you can’t sell higher-end stuff, you are wrong. It’s not just the poor folks who use Craigslist. Yes, there are people who will come to buy your $50 item and try to get it for $45 (or even $20), but there are also buyers for cars, pianos, oriental rugs, and artwork who will pay several thousand dollars — provided it’s truly a bargain at that price. Many buyers who are looking for unique items or a better deal on high quality home furnishings and decor regularly comb the listings. Often you’ll find professional designers and home decorators, along with the DIY designers and remodelers, scouring the estate sales and Craigslist ads for special items.

Over the past couple of weeks, relying solely on Craigslist ads, I have sold a casual dining table and chairs, slip-covered chaise, rugs, a desk, slip-covered sofa, … and even a parlor grand piano! I still have several other great pieces for sale, including a Tommy Bahama bedframe, a wrought iron chandelier, a cowhide rug, but I’m confident they will sell, even if I end up having to list them in another nearby community’s Craigslist.

A couple of months ago, we sold a very nice car through Craigslist. For some of the items, the buyer came to buy one thing and ended up looking at some of my other home furnishings that were listed for sale. That was the case with the piano. The buyer was really only looking for a special rug I had posted, but he also bought my piano (although he never saw the listing and wasn’t really on the market for one) because it was such a good deal and he likes to put pianos in the restaurants he owns. All of these home furnishings, decor, and musical instruments went for prices that were good bargains for the buyers but also very attractive prices for me.

However, I also found last week a gorgeous rustic leather Ethan Allen sofa that still looked almost brand new — for only $150. I almost felt guilty paying such a low price, but many sellers are simply looking for someone to come take items away because they have something newer and they really aren’t looking to make money. Although I’m planning to use it in the next house, I could easily resell it for closer to $400. (In fact, I’ve done this before.)

For those of us who frequently buy and sell on Craigslist for home remodeling and staging, however, it’s more important from a financial standpoint to seek the highest price possible for home furnishings and decor when selling, while paying the least amount possible when buying. In fact, there are people who make a nice side income finding great buys on Craigslist (or in the classifieds or consignment stores) and reselling them for higher prices. It simply takes a good eye for value plus a little patience and persistence in seeking the higher price.

Yes, buying and selling home furnishings and decor for home remodeling, decorating, and staging projects has been quite fruitful for me. But I never guessed that a side benefit would be all the great people I’ve met in the process. Some even continue on as friends after the deal is done.

Seek simplicity, comfort, and value!

Tweet This Post

http://www.bloomberg.com/apps/news?pid=20601206&sid=aH_4WjvZMGrE

During 2009, “flipped” homes (i.e., homes that changed hands within 6 months of purchase) increased by 19% over 2008 across the nation.  However, cities like Phoenix and Las Vegas that have suffered from high foreclosure rates are seeing much higher levels of flipping activity than the national average.

An important boost was given by the Federal Housing Authority’s one-year waiver of its anti-flipping rules that took effect on February 1. Now, FHA borrowers can buy foreclosed homes from owners who have held title for less than 90 days. This brings a pool of first-time buyers into competition for investor-renovated (flipped) homes.

A few other points in the article that I think are notable:
1. Flippers are helping to stabilize prices in neighborhoods that have been overwhelmed by high foreclosure rates. 
2. Foreign investors are returning to the U.S. — both for investment properties as well as vacation homes.
3. As more players see the profit potential and return to the flipping business, the competition for cheap foreclosures is growing and the easy money in quick flips will get harder.

For homeowners and flippers alike, there is much that can modernize and enhance the look and feel of a home without having to spend a lot of money on major remodeling or adding square footage. I always suggest starting by first addressing curb appeal, then floors and paint. An impressive front door helps alot. Next, move to kitchens and baths. New faucets, fixtures, and appliances can do wonders.

Above all, focus on cost-effective, high-value-added projects. Be sure to download my free report, “Home Remodeling Success Secrets: Essential Tips Before You Buy, Sell, or Remodel a Home,” by entering your email in the opt-in box here or at http://TransformYourHouse.com.

 Seek simplicity, comfort and value.

Tweet This Post

http://www.marketoracle.co.uk/Article18090.html

Here’s a snippet that summarizes his main point:

“… With the housing market at the center of the credit crunch, any recovery in the housing market could quickly turn the Wall Street recovery into a Main Street recovery. Consumers would start shopping again. Employment would rebound. And stocks would likely make the next move higher. But we’re coming out of a genuine bubble decades in the making. And decades of overinvestment creating oversupply are rarely worked off in a couple of years … Now, we know the government has done everything it can to prop up the housing market. From tax credits to the Fed buying mortgage securities, no price has been too high. [But] the housing bubble was just like any other bubble. Prices must fall to a point where all the excess supply will be bought. All the costly government efforts have merely been delaying the inevitable ….”

In effect, he doesn’t think housing prices are done falling — he thinks it could fall another 10% or more — so it’s not a “safe” investment.

Relevant to our ongoing discussion about remodeling to increase a home’s value, he goes on to say, “… In the post-housing-bubble world, consumers look at what they can afford, not how much they can ‘flip’ a house for or how much equity they’re going to get while only paying interest on their mortgages … That’s why we have to look at what really drives housing prices in a normalized housing market: income, rental rates, and interest rates ….”

So, for those who are trying to sell a home, or for those who still want to buy a house as a turnaround project (“flip”), the main point I take away from his analysis is that, more than ever, you must make your home stand out from the crowd. I think you can still make money on a house project in many areas if you spend wisely and create a highly desirable home that buyers want more than the comparables and for which they are willing to pay up.

With this challenging objective in a difficult market, there is much that can modernize and enhance the look & feel of a home without having to spend a lot of money on major remodeling or adding square footage. Start with curb appeal, floors and paint, then move to kitchens and baths. An impressive front door helps alot. New faucets, fixtures, and appliances can do wonders, too. Above all, homeowners must focus on cost-effective, high-value-added projects.

You know my motto:Seek simplicity, comfort and value.

Be sure to download my free report, “Home Remodeling Success Secrets: Essential Tips Before You Buy, Sell, or Remodel a Home,” by filling in the opt-in box

Tweet This Post

You can upload a digital photo of a room into the program. Then, selecting from the entire palette of available colors, you can digitally paint the walls of the room to see how it would look.

It’s a great little program. And it should help you avoid multiple trials and repainting while you search for just right color for each room.

Just look for the sign up box on my home page, enter your name & email address, and I’ll send you a link to this unique and valuable little tool.

http://TransformYourHouse.com

Seek simplicity, comfort, and value!

Laura

Tweet This Post

As the founder and owner of Artistic i, “the other Laura” provides her creative services to a diverse residential and commercial clientele.  She paints detailed murals or simple decorative painting for nurseries, children’s rooms, daycare centers, schools, and commercial interiors. She can also do a realistic-looking Trompe L’Oeil, as well as faux finishes, hand-made portraits, or even canvas paintings of your favorite photos. Quite a talented young artist!

You can find her web site at http://myartistici.com.

Seek simplicity, comfort, and value!

Tweet This Post

The first-time home buyer $8,000 tax credit has been extended through April 30, 2010. (However, in cases where a binding sales contract is signed by April 30, 2010, a home purchase completed by June 30, 2010 still qualifies.) Keep in mind, “first-time” doesn’t really mean that you can’t have owned a house before. The IRS defines a first-time home buyer as someone who has not owned a principal residence during the 3-year period prior to the purchase. There are a few caveats on the tax credit:

For those who don’t qualify as “first-time” home buyers, a $6,500 credit for repeat or move-up buyers is available. You must have owned and lived in your current home for 5 consecutive years out of the last 8. All the other caveats above apply (except of course that the limit is $6,500).

For homeowners who want to remodel, the 2009 economic stimulus bill greatly upgraded the pre-existing tax credits for energy-efficient (“green“) home improvements on a principal residence, and extended them through the end of 2010. The tax credit was increased to 30% of qualifying expenses up to a maximum of $1,500. (However, the $1,500 applies to all improvements combined for the 2009-2010 period.)

Certain home improvements are considered to be so important that they are not subject to the the $1,500 limit. These include fuel cells, geothermal heat pumps, solar water heaters, solar panels, and wind energy systems. You can get a tax credit on 30% of the cost of these items, with no upper limit, for existing homes and new construction through 2016.

I’m not a tax advisor, so be sure to verify all of this before you launch into something!

Visit my full blog at http://LauraMartindale.com.

Follow me on Twitter! http://Twitter.com/LauraMartindale

Seek simplicity, comfort, and value!

Tweet This Post

Of course, this is the basis underlying everything I talk about on my blog and e-book. Whether or not you plan to sell your home in the near future, you should always think in terms of resale impact–as well as personal enjoyment–whenever you are considering home improvements, remodeling, or simple home makeover projects. 

My reader and I also agree that today’s economy and depressed construction and remodeling industries are offering homeowners a real opportunity to make value-added home improvements at prices that are perhaps 25% below what they were just 2 years ago, and probably much less than they will be in 2-3 years from now.  It’s also a great time to refinance. 

So, if you have been considering launching home remodeling projects, either for increasing your home’s value or for simply updating it for your own enjoyment, now might be the opportune time. But don’t jump in willy-nilly. Take the time to prepare. Get consultations and bids from reputable contractors (your friends & neighbors might have some referrals). See what you can learn online. Use resources like my blog and e-book to help you avoid problems, gather ideas and direction, identify green ideas to incorporate, decide what you will do yourself (DIY) or contract out, and learn tips on negotiating an appropriate agreement with your contractors.

Visit my full blog at http://LauraMartindale.com.

Follow me on Twitter! http://Twitter.com/LauraMartindale

Seek simplicity, comfort, and value!

Tweet This Post

I was in escrow to sell a house that we had remodeled extensively, and the buyer’s inspector came up with a list of minor issues to fix or bring up to code. So, we fixed some ourselves, and some we fixed by hiring a home repair contractor (basically he was a licensed handyman with one laborer).

After escrow closed and the buyer had moved in, the buyer brought out the inspector to re-check everything again, and he said that certain items still weren’t up to code, such as an exposed bundle of spliced electrical wires for some of the low-voltage landscape lighting. When the buyer called the home repair contractor we had used to come back and fix it, the contractor told her that he had done a substandard job because we had told him to do it “on the cheap.”

What we had actually told him was to do the minimum required to bring the minor items up to code, i.e., no “gold-plating.” For example, just put the spliced wires within an electrical box. But the repair contractor instead sought to explain away his substandard work by blaming us for supposedly telling him to do a substandard job, which of course made him look ridiculous. I hadn’t personally inspected all of his tasks because most items were minor, we were quite busy moving out, and I simply trusted that it was done appropriately.

But this serves to show that unless you have good reason to trust a contractor implicitly (such as a long prior history of superior work from him), you can’t be complacent in assuming that any work will be completed properly, no matter how minor it seems. There’s always the possibility that a contractor might cut corners, forget to do something, take advantage of a situation, or try to set himself up for another payday in the future, so you have to stay vigilant. In this case, the contractor ended up having to go back to perform the substandard repairs properly, but only after making himself look inept in the eyes of the buyer (who would have been a prospective new client) and burning bridges with us.

It’s not my intention to disparage all contractors, because they have done a lot of good work for me. But even the good ones can get distracted by other jobs and bigger clients. My blog is for giving ideas, advice, and cautions to homeowners, and so I’m focusing more on the occasional problems that might arise than on the good jobs contractors typically do.

Need advice on home remodeling, affordable home makeovers, home repair for resale, or home staging for putting your home up for sale? Feel free to contact me for a consultation.

Seek simplicity, comfort, and value!

Tweet This Post