You've looked at countless Raleigh homes for sale, and you've finally found the one. Is it too early to start planning your housewarming party? Not at all! A housewarming party is a perfect opportunity to show off your new home to your friends, celebrate with those you care about most, and just relax in your own space. The following are some hosting tips that may come in handy as you plan and hold your housewarming.
A housewarming party is a great opportunity to show off your new space and welcome others into it as well. With the hosting tips above, you'll be set for success. If you're still on the hunt for the perfect home, feel free to contact us soon. Our real estate agents will be happy to guide you through the house-hunting process, working with you closely every step of the way.
Want to purify the air while improving the appearance of your home? Add a few indoor plants to improve your indoor air quality, reduce your stress levels, and enhance your home's aesthetic.
Our real estate agents also know that indoor plants effectively make any space look more inviting. Here are a few plants that will boost your indoor air quality and help your home look its best.
Want a home with more space for indoor plants? Contact us to start your search!
Spring isn't here quite yet, but it's poking its head around the corner. If you're someone who looks forward to a good spring cleaning, then you probably can't wait to pull out your mops and buckets. Planning ahead for spring cleaning is a great way to stay busy and make sure you're ready to go the second the weather breaks. So, how do you plan for a successful spring cleaning? Our real estate agents have some helpful tips.
Getting your house clean so you can list it this spring? If you're thinking of moving, don't hesitate to contact us. Our real estate agents can help you find incredible Raleigh homes for sale, and they can guide you through the buying process.
Home sustainability plays an important role in keeping our planet and our community healthy and clean. From recycling to energy efficiency, eco-friendly best practices can help reduce pollution, diminish dependence on raw materials, and ultimately helps prevent garbage from filling up landfills.
With National Recycling Day coming up on November 15, our real estate agents thought we'd take a moment to reflect on the importance of green living. Here are some everyday sustainability tips to incorporate into your home and life.
Energy efficiency, sustainability, and green-living play a critical role in reducing carbon emissions and reducing utility bills. For assistance finding a home with eco-friendly features, contact us today.
Our real estate agents know that a beautifully decorated home is inviting to potential buyers. If you're searching for options to decorate your home's spaces, one trend that you'll encounter is known as cottagecore, which adds a woodsy and cozy feel to your home's interior. Consider this trend for your home with these interior design tips.
Cottagecore is an increasingly popular style of home decor that focuses on creating a cozy environment with high-quality, environmentally focused materials. It's similar to hygge, a Danish decor trend that focuses on creating a comfortable space that utilizes multiple cozy elements.
The look of cottagecore includes soft hues, gorgeous floral prints, string lights, and soft area lighting, and authentic vintage or vintage-inspired pieces. Your end result is a romantic space that incorporates elements from nature. While a room decorated in a cottagecore style may remind you of a rustic cabin or a lovely beachside cottage, this decor works well in any area, including homes in the city or suburbs.
While minimalism isn't the sole focus of cottagecore, there are minimalistic elements. With cottagecore, less is more, especially since this decor movement values sustainability.
Instead of five cheap throw blankets, invest in one or two durable throws that you adore and are of superior quality. When buyers are searching for Raleigh homes for sale, homes that embrace cottagecore are less likely to be filled with distracting clutter.
If you're ready to use cottagecore design trends in your home, you don't have to invest a lot of time or money to get started. Start with fresh flowers. Since floral prints are one of the main tenets of cottagecore, an arrangement of flowers instantly adds a romantic, nature-inspired vibe.
Then, add soft lighting to the space. A few strands of string lights are an affordable option, or you might opt to add candles. When using candles, stick with nature-inspired scents that will coordinate well with the decor.
Check your cabinets for porcelain dishes, etched glasses, and mason jars. Display your favorite pieces on a floating shelf or bookcase.
The thrift store is an excellent spot to find vintage-inspired or even authentic vintage items for your decor. Look for paintings or prints that feature nature scenes. A glass vase or wood-framed mirror are other pieces that work well in almost any home.
Perhaps you're ready to make more significant renovations to your home, so it adheres to the cottagecore look. Look for flooring that mimics the appearance of wood. While hardwood floors are one alternative, engineered wood floors are another durable, budget-friendly alternative that recreates the look of wood.
Or, if you're renovating a space where you prefer to use tile, check out ceramic tiles that maintain a wood appearance. Search for tiles with a low-gloss finish, and avoid intricate designs. The goal is to produce a simple, classic look.
Ready to sell your current home and find a new one for you to decorate with the latest interior design trends? Contact us today to get started!
Once you've found your perfect home, the next step is to make it your own - starting with the kitchen. If cooking is your passion, you can up your culinary game with a few simple design ideas. There are plenty of Raleigh homes for sale with amazing kitchens to suit your needs. Here's how to take those kitchens even further.
Appliances
The right tools can help in a myriad of ways. An induction cooktop, for instance, regulates heat much more accurately than a regular stovetop, allowing for more precise temperature measurements. The appliance itself never gets hot, reducing the risk of accidental burning. Plus, it's more energy-efficient than electric or gas stoves.
You might also consider a high-speed oven. Using both convection and microwave heating, it heats better and more accurately, cutting cook times in half.
Finally, if you don't have a stand mixer, it will change your life. A good quality mixer will last for many years, providing thorough, even mixing. You can do everything from whip cream to beat meringue to knead bread dough quickly and easily without wearing out your arms. Plus, with extra attachments, you can roll out and cut your own fresh pasta, grind your own meat, and much more.
Organization
A few simple organizational improvements can help you tremendously. Install some sturdy hooks above the stovetop, on which to hang your pots and pans. This will make them easier to find and access when you need them. You can do the same for mixing spoons, spatulae, and other basic tools. For knives, consider installing a long, magnetic strip that the knives can stick to. That way, you can simply remove one when you need it and put it back in its place when it's clean.
In your cluttered cabinets, try putting in a Lazy Susan. They design them for all different purposes, from organizing herbs and spices to storing empty containers. Whatever you're using it for, a Lazy Susan lets you keep everything organized and view it at a glance, so you don't have to rummage through a lot of extra clutter to find what you need.
Also, consider installing tension rods in your cabinets. They make great customizable barriers that you can prop things like pans and cookie sheets against, rather than stacking them up. By storing things vertically, you can create more space in your cabinets and keep things more organized.
Renovation
If you're really committed to updating your kitchen, consider some renovations and remodels. Start with more shelves. A single shelf that stretches across an entire kitchen wall can provide a tremendous amount of storage for various things without taking up much extra space.
If your home doesn't have a kitchen island, you should put one in. It provides extra space for everything you need: a counter for prep work, a table for seating, plus storage beneath for pots and pans, appliances, etc.
To make cleanup simpler, cut a small hole in the kitchen island countertop, and store a trash can in the cabinet underneath. Now you have a quick and easy way to eliminate everything from eggshells to empty packaging as you cook.
These are just a few of the kitchen updates you can make in your home to make cooking easier and better. Get creative and see what other improvements you can make to help you when you cook.
If you want to find your perfect home with your dream kitchen, contact us. Our real estate agents can help you find the right space for you and ensure every room will meet your needs.
What's so hard about buying patio furniture? Why not just go online or to a store and pick something pretty and buy it? You can do that, but you may not be happy with how that plays out in the patio area of the dream home you chose among homes for sale in the Triangle. A little planning will help you make the most of your outdoor living space. If you're not sure what questions to ask about a patio furniture purchase, follow the guidelines our real estate agents have put together.
Need more tips to improve your outdoor living space? Contact us today.
When you find furniture, artwork, or a decor scheme that you love, it's natural to want to incorporate it into your own home. However, our real estate agents know that some stylistic components aren't a good fit for every home; they may make the room appear small, cluttered, or unattractive. Your space will then be unappealing to you and potential buyers. Here are some common interior design mistakes you might be making and some simple solutions for fixing them.
Now that you've addressed these interior design mistakes, are you ready to put your home on the market? Contact us today to start the process!
Have you ever noticed how some rooms entice you into settling back and relaxing, and others make you feel energetic and ready for fun? Understanding the effects of your choice of colors will help you send the correct message to potential buyers. Our real estate agents can tell you that painting your home will probably bring the greatest return on investment of any upgrades you make when selling your home. Keep in mind the psychological effects of these colors before starting to paint.
The most important thing to remember when you are preparing your house for sale is that you want to make it attractive to buyers, not make it a personal statement. You may find it better to stick with neutral colors of paint and, if you are showing it with furniture, add colors with pillows, bedspreads, and other accessories that can be easily removed.
Looking at other Raleigh homes for sale will help you see how a fresh coat of paint can make a difference! Contact us for assistance listing your house.
Whether you enjoy binge-watching your favorite shows or like to host at-home movie nights, a home theater system is an excellent addition to your home. Our real estate agents find that a home theater system is also appealing to potential homebuyers and helps define your home's unused spaces. Here are a few ways you can take your home theater to the next level.
Want a home with more space for your home theater? Contact us today to explore your options!
When you think about changing up your home decor, you may assume that only big projects can have an equally big impact. But small design details can have a much greater effect on your home's appearance than you think.
Our real estate agents love the following small design changes that can make a big difference in your home's appearance:
Contact us to learn more about small changes that can make your home stand out among other Raleigh homes for sale.
With the holiday season in full swing, it's time to select a Christmas tree for your home. A real Christmas tree is a charming option that instantly lends a festive touch to your space. Our real estate agents know that a home with gorgeous decorations appeals to potential buyers.
Not only does a real Christmas tree fill your home with the seasonal smell of pine, but it helps support the local businesses who grew, transported, and sold the tree. Here are some guidelines to follow to help you pick the best Christmas tree for your home.
Want a home with more space for holiday decorations? Contact us today to explore your options!
A spare bedroom can come in handy for overnight guests, but if this is a rare occurrence in your home, the space is often better utilized for everyday use. The extra room can be transformed in many different ways to suit your family's needs.
Our real estate agents suggest the following 7 ways to put a spare bedroom to use and to make it your favorite space in your home:
Contact us to look at Raleigh homes for sale. We'll help you find a home that has extra features you'd love to have, such as a spare bedroom.
When our real estate agents help sellers price their homes, the amount of usable space is always an important factor. While some of the best Raleigh homes for sale make great use of all the available space, most do not.
If you have an unfinished attic or basement, you're missing out on the opportunity to increase the value of your home. Even better, you'll also create a new space that you and your family can enjoy. Not sure how to get started? Here are seven of the best ways to reclaim your unfinished space.
If you're thinking about buying or selling a home in the Raleigh area, we can help! Contact us today.
Ready to pick out paint to make your new home your own? Perhaps you're toying with the idea of changing a wall color to refresh a room before you sell? Maybe the front door needs a facelift to boost your curb appeal? No matter what painting project you want to take on, you may soon find that selecting the perfect paint color isn't as easy as it seems.
There are thousands of colors to choose from in varying finishes making it hard to narrow down the best hue for you. Not to mention, that studies have proven that a home's paint colors may have the power to impact its sale both positively and negatively.
Zillow's 2017 Paint Color Analysis discovered that "walls painted in cool neutrals like blue or gray have broad appeal, and may be signals that the home is well cared for or has other desirable features." Even more interesting, especially to soon-to-be sellers, the study revealed that homes with blue bathrooms, specifically hues of powder blue or pale periwinkle, sold for $5,440 more than anticipated. Zillow's Chief Economist Svenja Gudell added:
"Color can be a powerful tool for attracting buyers to a home, especially in listing photos and videos. Painting walls in fresh, natural-looking colors, particularly in shades of blue and pale gray not only make a home feel larger, but also are neutral enough to help future buyers envision themselves living in the space. Incorporating light blue in kitchens and bathrooms may pay off especially well as the color complements white countertops and cabinets, a growing trend in both rooms."
Fortunately, the pros have weighed in and made some excellent recommendations for the perfect paint colors to choose for your home. Plan to bookmark these paint chip picks.
It may surprise you, but white is among the hardest paint colors to pick. Just like other hues on the color wheel, white comes in varying shades that appear warm or cool depending on the mix and the colors with which the paint is paired (think trim work and walls).
Elle Décor recently shared its interior design team's favorite white paints including:
On the hunt for something neutral? Get ready; there are a lot of paints that apply in a variety of colors.
A paint-picking article published by the Washington Post keys this task up honestly with input from an in-the-know designer; "Neutrals are difficult to select because thought needs to be given to whether a warm or cool tone best suits the project," says Josh Hildreth, a Reston designer. "Natural light and lighting conditions need to be considered."
If beige is what you are after, Curbed, a popular website about all-things home, offers up some paint suggestions from its designer contributors:
Gray continues to be the color of choice among home décor designers. If it's also your preference, you should know that the new neutral comes in blue-, green- and taupe-based hues that may change color under different light sources.
Your best bet will be to consider some paints picked by the professionals and test them out in your own home before you commit to a final color. Here are some gray paints recommended by the design team at House Beautiful:
The most popular color across the board, blue is a hue that you'll see in all styles of home décor. The cool color evokes a serene, soothing feeling making it a great option for a kitchen, bathroom or bedroom.
Designers are also a fan of using the color to create a statement against complementary shades of white, gray and beige.
Some soft, watery blue paints to consider include:
Seeking a shade that will make more of a statement? These blues may be just what you desire:
Much like blue, green is a color that is often used in home décor designs to set the stage for calming and relaxing rooms.
Well displayed in nature, the hue styles well with many colors and is a good pick for a fresh, clean look. Designer-approved shades include:
Do you want to add a pop of red in your home? The bold hue is a homeowner favorite, but may not always be the best choice if you are prepping for a sale.
Think strategic paint placements—a statement wall, a friendly front door or a backdrop to your built-ins—over total saturation. Some red paint chips to pick up and test out include: