Tag: real estate

The Home Inspection Report: How to Utilize the Homebuyer’s Playbook

As we enter into the fall, the college football and NFL seasons are finally underway. Practice is over, and the time for speculation and prognostication has ended. Now it’s time for players to make plays, and for all of the hours put in during the offseason to lead to some tangible results. In other words, it’s game time. Success at any level of football ultimately goes back to the playbook: both the team’s knowledge of the plays and whether those plays fit the team’s personnel. The right playbook really can be the difference between just another mediocre season and taking home some hardware, so you can bet that fans everywhere are hoping their teams did their homework heading into this season. In our everyday lives, we usually do not have the benefit of a playbook to help us make our decisions. We don’t have a personalized guide we can follow to file our taxes, no coaches telling us which car to buy, and no scouting report that outlines how we should raise our kids. But when it comes to buying and maintaining a home (shockingly), we sort of do. When purchasing a house, buyers order a home inspection from a

Read More »

Home Design History: The Bauhaus

The Most Influential Art School For Home Design Every decade, homes seem to take on a whole new look. Is minimalism the new trend? Are we heading back to cozy cottage-core vibes? And who decides whether our living rooms are pleasantly retro or out-of-date? Interior design philosophies and architectural styles cycle in and out of fashion, but one early twentieth-century art movement has shown a staying power that separates it from the pack. Of course, we’re talking about what was probably the most impactful art school in history when it comes to the way the modern home looks: the Bauhaus. What exactly has made Bauhaus designs so impactful, and where can its influence still be seen today? Let’s take a jaunt down memory lane to find out! What Was the Bauhaus?First established in Weimar, Germany, the so-called “Bauhaus” was an art school masterminded by Walter Gropius in part to combat the unique challenges of its day. World War I had ravaged Western Europe, and people like Gropius were seeing an increasing divide between the fine arts and the applied arts. Society needed to rebuild, and for the fine arts to be part of that reconstruction, Bauhaus artists developed innovative and

Read More »

Unpack Like a Pro: Essential Tips for Settling into Your New Home Quickly

By Lauren from Allied Van Lines Moving to a new city or state is an exciting adventure, but it can also be stressful. Even after the initial chaos of the move subsides, unpacking and settling in can take a while. Here are some key unpacking strategies to help you feel comfortable and at home in your new place as soon as possible. 1. Pack an Essentials Box for Easy Access One of the most important tips for both packing and unpacking is to create a designated “essentials box.” Before you move, compile a list of items you’ll need right away, including: Clothes for a week Medications and toiletries First-aid kit Chargers for electronics Snacks and drinks Having this box readily available in your car will make the first few days in your new home much smoother. 2. Prioritize Utility Connections and Major Appliances Ensure a smooth transition by scheduling utility connections (electricity, water, internet) well in advance. Ideally, have them turned on before you even arrive. This allows you to focus on unpacking essentials upon arrival. Next, prioritize unpacking and setting up major appliances like the stove, refrigerator, and coffee maker. If you work remotely, prioritize setting up internet access

Read More »

Why Spring is the Best Time to Buy for New Homeowners

Optimism in the housing market among Gen Zers and millennials is on the rise thanks to mortgage rate drops from the Federal Reserve (per reports at Business Insider). While this is great news for those who have been waiting to jump into the housing market, people who are waiting for lower housing prices are likely to be disappointed as mortgage rates are just one piece of the puzzle. A lack of inventory and high demand mean that housing prices aren’t likely to see a substantial change anytime soon, so when is the right time for a new homebuyer to start looking? For many reasons, it might be this spring! The Housing Market is SeasonalIt’s no secret that the housing market is largely seasonal, especially in regions that see a large amount of snow. The hassle of moving during inclement weather obviously isn’t ideal, plus homebuyers can have an inaccurate view of what the home and its neighborhood even looks like if it’s covered in snow. Because of these factors, warm weather tends to bring the busiest time of the year for real estate agents – but this doesn’t necessarily mean summer is the best time for everyone to buy a

Read More »

Problems That Home Inspectors Find in Newly Constructed Homes

In the world of property inspections, one of the most common industry adages is “no home is perfect.” From excessive mold to roofs nearing the end of their lifespan, it’s a rare occasion when a home inspector walks through a home and doesn’t discover a substantial issue worth addressing before closing a sale. Homeowners across the country are undoubtedly thankful for the problems (both big and small) they became aware of thanks to their buyer’s inspection, but there’s one common misconception that leaves many new homeowners with avoidable headaches. The Misconception: New Homes Don’t Need Inspections Many home buyers mistakenly believe that if they’re buying a newly constructed home, they don’t need to order a home inspection. The truth is, brand new homes are not immune to major problems, issues that can accumulate into costly repairs down the road or lead to inconvenient downtime without key home systems functioning. To understand why new homes also benefit from a buyer’s inspection, let’s delve deeper into how a home is built and explore some of the common issues inspectors find in newly constructed houses. Inspections Throughout Construction Throughout a new home’s construction, building code inspectors employed by the city or municipality periodically

Read More »

Interior Design Trends of 2024: Putting the “I” Back in Interior Design

Whether you’re moving into your brand-new home or you’d like to reinvent a space sorely in need of an update, keeping up with the latest interior design trends is crucial for anyone wanting to avoid a dated feel. Just as people change every year, tastes are bound to transform with new experiences and innovations. If you want your home to catch up with you in 2024, consider incorporating some of these styles into your layouts. The Continuation of Naturalism vs. the Rise of MetalHeading into 2023, we noted how one interior design trend was quickly rising in prominence, and naturalism certainly is having its time in the sunlight through 2024 as well! With this overarching style, warm, earthy tones incorporated into paint and furniture are meant to evoke the natural world surrounding the home for a cozy, welcoming atmosphere. This idea is great because of its inherent variety based on where the homeowner lives, whether they own a home tucked away in the mountains, in a dry, arid region, or they’re surrounded by sun and the beach. For many homeowners, constantly reinventing their homes to follow the latest shifts in style is not necessarily a habit they want to fall

Read More »

The Home Inspection Report: How to Utilize the Homebuyer’s Playbook

As we enter into the fall, the college football and NFL seasons are finally underway. Practice is over, and the time for speculation and prognostication has ended. Now it’s time for players to make plays, and for all of the hours put in during the offseason to lead to some tangible results. In other words, it’s game time. Success at any level of football ultimately goes back to the playbook: both the team’s knowledge of the plays and whether those plays fit the team’s personnel. The right playbook really can be the difference between just another mediocre season and taking home some hardware, so you can bet that fans everywhere are hoping their teams did their homework heading into this season. In our everyday lives, we usually do not have the benefit of a playbook to help us make our decisions. We don’t have a personalized guide we can follow to file our taxes, no coaches telling us which car to buy, and no scouting report that outlines how we should raise our kids. But when it comes to buying and maintaining a home (shockingly), we sort of do. When purchasing a house, buyers order a home inspection from a

Read More »

Home Design History: The Bauhaus

The Most Influential Art School For Home Design Every decade, homes seem to take on a whole new look. Is minimalism the new trend? Are we heading back to cozy cottage-core vibes? And who decides whether our living rooms are pleasantly retro or out-of-date? Interior design philosophies and architectural styles cycle in and out of fashion, but one early twentieth-century art movement has shown a staying power that separates it from the pack. Of course, we’re talking about what was probably the most impactful art school in history when it comes to the way the modern home looks: the Bauhaus. What exactly has made Bauhaus designs so impactful, and where can its influence still be seen today? Let’s take a jaunt down memory lane to find out! What Was the Bauhaus?First established in Weimar, Germany, the so-called “Bauhaus” was an art school masterminded by Walter Gropius in part to combat the unique challenges of its day. World War I had ravaged Western Europe, and people like Gropius were seeing an increasing divide between the fine arts and the applied arts. Society needed to rebuild, and for the fine arts to be part of that reconstruction, Bauhaus artists developed innovative and

Read More »

Unpack Like a Pro: Essential Tips for Settling into Your New Home Quickly

By Lauren from Allied Van Lines Moving to a new city or state is an exciting adventure, but it can also be stressful. Even after the initial chaos of the move subsides, unpacking and settling in can take a while. Here are some key unpacking strategies to help you feel comfortable and at home in your new place as soon as possible. 1. Pack an Essentials Box for Easy Access One of the most important tips for both packing and unpacking is to create a designated “essentials box.” Before you move, compile a list of items you’ll need right away, including: Clothes for a week Medications and toiletries First-aid kit Chargers for electronics Snacks and drinks Having this box readily available in your car will make the first few days in your new home much smoother. 2. Prioritize Utility Connections and Major Appliances Ensure a smooth transition by scheduling utility connections (electricity, water, internet) well in advance. Ideally, have them turned on before you even arrive. This allows you to focus on unpacking essentials upon arrival. Next, prioritize unpacking and setting up major appliances like the stove, refrigerator, and coffee maker. If you work remotely, prioritize setting up internet access

Read More »

Why Spring is the Best Time to Buy for New Homeowners

Optimism in the housing market among Gen Zers and millennials is on the rise thanks to mortgage rate drops from the Federal Reserve (per reports at Business Insider). While this is great news for those who have been waiting to jump into the housing market, people who are waiting for lower housing prices are likely to be disappointed as mortgage rates are just one piece of the puzzle. A lack of inventory and high demand mean that housing prices aren’t likely to see a substantial change anytime soon, so when is the right time for a new homebuyer to start looking? For many reasons, it might be this spring! The Housing Market is SeasonalIt’s no secret that the housing market is largely seasonal, especially in regions that see a large amount of snow. The hassle of moving during inclement weather obviously isn’t ideal, plus homebuyers can have an inaccurate view of what the home and its neighborhood even looks like if it’s covered in snow. Because of these factors, warm weather tends to bring the busiest time of the year for real estate agents – but this doesn’t necessarily mean summer is the best time for everyone to buy a

Read More »

Problems That Home Inspectors Find in Newly Constructed Homes

In the world of property inspections, one of the most common industry adages is “no home is perfect.” From excessive mold to roofs nearing the end of their lifespan, it’s a rare occasion when a home inspector walks through a home and doesn’t discover a substantial issue worth addressing before closing a sale. Homeowners across the country are undoubtedly thankful for the problems (both big and small) they became aware of thanks to their buyer’s inspection, but there’s one common misconception that leaves many new homeowners with avoidable headaches. The Misconception: New Homes Don’t Need Inspections Many home buyers mistakenly believe that if they’re buying a newly constructed home, they don’t need to order a home inspection. The truth is, brand new homes are not immune to major problems, issues that can accumulate into costly repairs down the road or lead to inconvenient downtime without key home systems functioning. To understand why new homes also benefit from a buyer’s inspection, let’s delve deeper into how a home is built and explore some of the common issues inspectors find in newly constructed houses. Inspections Throughout Construction Throughout a new home’s construction, building code inspectors employed by the city or municipality periodically

Read More »

Interior Design Trends of 2024: Putting the “I” Back in Interior Design

Whether you’re moving into your brand-new home or you’d like to reinvent a space sorely in need of an update, keeping up with the latest interior design trends is crucial for anyone wanting to avoid a dated feel. Just as people change every year, tastes are bound to transform with new experiences and innovations. If you want your home to catch up with you in 2024, consider incorporating some of these styles into your layouts. The Continuation of Naturalism vs. the Rise of MetalHeading into 2023, we noted how one interior design trend was quickly rising in prominence, and naturalism certainly is having its time in the sunlight through 2024 as well! With this overarching style, warm, earthy tones incorporated into paint and furniture are meant to evoke the natural world surrounding the home for a cozy, welcoming atmosphere. This idea is great because of its inherent variety based on where the homeowner lives, whether they own a home tucked away in the mountains, in a dry, arid region, or they’re surrounded by sun and the beach. For many homeowners, constantly reinventing their homes to follow the latest shifts in style is not necessarily a habit they want to fall

Read More »