Show Your Home A Little Love Love is in the air this month, and while chocolates and flowers are still the main staple this Valentine's Day, let's not forget that "home is where the heart is!" This year, why not consider a few inexpensive but wonderfully creative ways to update your home with a little love! Tiny details and quick fixes can bring new rooms to life & make you smile.
Let's take a look at four little ways you can add a new look to your home:
Paint Your Front Door: Consider a vibrant red or hunter green and add a touch of bold to warm your front entryway and increase your curb appeal. All it takes is a gallon of paint, a little elbow grease and a steady hand and your house will take on a whole new look! Get a good quality exterior latex which will run you somewhere between $20-$35 per gallon.
Make Your Mark: Chalkboard paint is a fun, creative way to make your mark in your home. A child's bedroom door can be an extraordinary art easel! A wall or cabinet panel in your kitchen can be your communication command post or take on the air of an old Italian cafe'; by posting the menu for the day. Check your home improvement store shelves for this crafty paint choice or choose the "peel and stick" variety of wall coverings that you just press on and can peel off later! A quart of the paint will run you somewhere in the neighborhood of $10-15 and the peel and stick variety anywhere from $19 on up.
Get a Handle On It: Changing a room's mood and look can sometimes be as simple as changing out the hardware. Pretty pull drawers and new knobs can change a kitchen from boring to beautiful, or a bathroom from plain to perfect! The varieties are endless and come in prices that range from a couple dollars to the sky's the limit. And the possibilities? Just fun to consider!
Let there be light: Under-cabinet lighting makes a shiny debut in kitchens; lighting the way for your culinary creations. Easy to install, do it yourself strip lights usually run under $50, but more elaborate varieties are also available.
There are a million little ways you can dress up or change the look of your home. Get creative, get crafty and have fun making memories with these do-it-yourself projects!
Real Estate Outlook ~ Buy? Sell? Wait? 
Our markets have certainly run the gamut in recent years and it's tough sometimes for consumers to keep pace with the trends to know how timing can and will affect their home buying and selling decisions.
Interested in buying? When the interest rates are low and prices have bottomed out, you'll find the very peak time for the best buying deals. Financing is critical, so make sure that you have a handle on that credit score and a history of steady work. I'm happy to put you in touch with a qualified mortgage professional who can tell you exactly how much you qualify for and what you'll need to buy now!
Interested in selling? When home prices are peaking and the market has stabilized, it's a good time to sell your home. Even in a buyer's market, it's a great time for consumers interested in the "move-up" market, or buying the next size home. What you may lose on the sale of one house, you usually more than make up for in the purchase of a new home. Call me today to find out just how much you could sell your home for in today's market.
Still waiting? Not sure if it's a good time to move, if you have enough for a down payment, or just want to weigh all your options? No problem. I can help you anytime to better understand where you are in terms of market conditions, price analysis, and buying power. I'm a resource you can trust!
