Home Improvement - Kitchen Renovation

Why we decided to renovate our kitchen...

Our kitchen in 2008 (at purchase)

Everyone knows that kitchens sell houses. That fact alone does not mean that you should renovate your kitchen. As I shared in my previous home improvement blog, you always need to make sure you aren't spending more on updates than you will get on return if your primary motivation is to sell your home. Caveat: if you plan to live in the home for several years you don't need to consider the ROI nearly as much. But when selling you should be sure to update your home according to the ROI on the updates. There are cheaper ways to improve a kitchen than doing a full kitchen renovation.

My wife hated our kitchen from the start. I can't say I blamed her since there was cheap, pealing laminate on the floors, dark wood cabinets and old appliances in a dimly lit kitchen. We made changes early on that significantly improved the look of the kitchen, including painting the cabinets white, installing more updated drawer and cabinet hardware, laying a better quality floor, installing a nicer light fixture and painting it a brighter color. Though we dreamed about a full renovation, we never thought we'd really do it because the ROI was questionable for our neighborhood. Plus, the few times we looked into bigger renovations, the price tag seemed way too high.

Fast forward to this summer when I sold one of our neighbors homes within 2 days of being on the market at the highest price the neighborhood has seen since 2007. They had done a beautiful update

Winter Home Maintenance

The temps are starting to drop! Get a head start on winterizing your home so you aren't caught in the cold. Also remember to do quarterly maintenance to keep your house and appliances running smoothly!

Outdoor Tasks

• Walk around your home's exterior and check the crawl space vents located at the foundation to close any that are open.
• Check windows and doors for any cracks in the frames or separation from the home. Caulk and/or make needed repairs.
• Clear debris from gutters to ensure water flow. Removing build-up prevents icicles and ice dams from forming later and damaging gutters.
• Shut off outdoor water pipes to prevent freezing.
• Protect your central air conditioning unit with a cover.
• Store unneeded patio furniture/cushions, garden tools and summer toys.
• Move snow shovels and snow blowers to a convenient spot.
• Resist the urge to cut back shrubs and garden debris. Doing so now

Annandale/Alexandria Residential Construction News

New residential construction plans for the Annandale/Alexandria area!

How Do I Price My Home?

Pricing your home right is a critical aspect of selling. No one wants to undervalue their home, but overpricing it can be just as costly. You could miss out on buyers who are ready to make an offer, resulting in longer days on market and potentially needing to do multiple price drops before finding a buyer. Price drops are often necessary in the real estate world, but too many can make you appear desperate to sell, which impacts your leverage during contract negotiations. This article does a great job of explaining this in greater detail, and how to watch out for realtors who over promise on price just to secure your business, only to reduce the sale price down the road, impacting YOUR bottom line. Want an honest and thorough assessment of your home's value? I'm happy to talk with you anytime!

Home Improvement - Where To Start?

Here’s What I Did In My House… 

Our backyard when I purchased the house. Old bricks
and rotting wood were under all those leaves!

When I bought my house in 2008 it needed a fair amount of work. It was a foreclosure and the bank had done the minimal amount of work needed to sell the house. The basement was completely gutted from flooding, the bathrooms and kitchen were all original to the house (and UGLY), and the backyard had a 9 foot petrified rose bush (no joke), among other problems.

My first priority was finishing the basement and updating the master bath. The basement was an obvious place to start and the master bath was a more affordable (and just as necessary) update than the kitchen. I was able to secure a 203k loan that gave me the cash I needed to get these projects completed within the first 6 weeks of home ownership. These projects alone significantly increased the value of my home and also allowed me to get cash flow out of my house because I was able to rent out the upstairs rooms and live in my basement. If you are comfortable with doing that and are looking for a

MARKET MONDAY - FED Raising Rates?

The New York Times gives their take on the impending raising of interest rates by the Fed  The next meeting ends on Dec 16th (Less than a month away!) and a rate increase is expected. If it's not announced then, its almost sure to come in January or March. Don't hesitate to call me to discuss your home buying goals!

Why Winter Is A Great Time to Buy

Winter 2014 outside our house with my older daughter

It was the Wednesday before Thanksgiving 2008 when I called Sarah (my girlfriend at the time, now wife) to see if she could leave work early to meet me and my realtor at a property that just had a significant price drop.  I had been house searching for months with little success.  Although we weren’t engaged yet, I was hoping to pop the question soon so I really wanted Sarah’s opinion if I was going to move forward with this home.

We toured the home, a foreclosure, and although it needed some work we knew we could manage it and the price was right. I made an offer that night which was ratified over the holiday weekend.  I settled in late December and started 2009 off in my new home!  Granted
I bought at the bottom of the market which was great for me, but it has turned out to be a great home AND a great investment.

You don’t need the market to crash to take advantage of a great housing market.  There are aspects of the Winter Market that I was able to take advantage of and YOU can too! Veterans United has a great infographic. Essentially, they point out the following:   

• Sellers Are Motivated to SELL   People that sell in the Winter often do so out of necessity.