N.B.Taylor & Co., Inc. Realtors
356 Boston Post Rd, Sudbury, MA 01776
(978) 443-8300 | [email protected]
356 Boston Post Rd, Sudbury, MA 01776
(978) 443-8300 | [email protected]
Image by Brady Pevehouse from Pixabay
When purchasing a home, there are many issues to keep in mind. These often include items such as the interest rate on the mortgage, real estate taxes, and homeowner's insurance. If you've purchased a home governed by a Homeowner's Association and have not lived within a similar community before you may find some challenges adjusting more specifically, HOA fees. Changes to rules and regulations within HOA communities usually require an official voting process before they are implemented. However, if you consider your community fees to be too high, there are a few negotiation tips that might get the process started.
One of the first steps to consider is joining the governing board of the HOA. The best way to search for ways to lower HOA fees or impact other types of change within your community is to participate in meetings and to get to know the history of your community and the other members. These relationships and experiences provide a view of the current issues and goals of the governing group.
The breakdown of how the HOA is allocating fees is information that should be readily available to the community. If you're interested in exactly where these fees are going, request to review the books. You'll gain insight into the contractors that help serve the community whether it be landscaping, pool maintenance or any other amenities. If you have suggestions for adjustments the community may implement to save money, it is worthwhile to present those options to the board for consideration. When the HOA saves money, the HOA members save money as well.
One of the most common areas where an HOA allocates considerable funds is on landscaping. It is important to have well-kept property to benefit property values; however, it doesn't have to be expensive. If the books show high landscaping or maintenance fees, request that the board negotiates with the current provider for a reduced rate or interview other providers who may be a better value. If the current contracts are reasonable, the board may be able to defer non-essential maintenance.
Finally, consider the costs associated with the current property management company. Those who live in a condo building, townhome, or other collective living association often have a property management company that handles the high-level issues. While they perform an important function, they can also be expensive. It can be helpful to negotiate a reduced rate with the property management company or consider other management companies that might come at a cost-saving to the community. This can help the HOA members save money on their periodic fees.
Do you ever look at pictures of dream homes online and wonder what yours is missing? The answer probably lies in a cohesive design style. All homes are built around architectural and design principles. Whether you realize it or not, there are probably at least two or three interior design styles that would perfectly complement your home’s architecture, giving it that dream house” appearance that we all wish we could achieve.
In today’s post, I’m going to cover some of the top interior design styles, from time-tested classics to contemporary trends that are sure to stick around for decades to come.
Minimal, but not barren. Reserved, but not sterile. Mid-century modern, as the name suggests, began to take shape in the mid 1900s. You’ve probably seen mid-century decorations dozens of times, especially if you’re a fan of TV shows like Mad Men.
Mid-century furniture has some of the most creative, while still tasteful shapes and textures. Egg-shaped chairs and wide, minimal sofas are highlights of this style. However, one of the most defining features is the use of wood. Exposed wood in furniture, floors, walls, and ceilings give the home a warm and cozy feeling in spite of its modern decoration. It really is all about balance.
One of today’s most commonly used design trends, especially in urban areas, is the industrial home. Industrial homes use a great deal of white, stainless steel, and classic red brick to give the home a factory vibe.
While this may seem off-putting, once you see an industrial home you’ll immediately recognize the appeal. Industrial design appears clean well put-together. With the use one or two bold colors, it’s also easy to showcase fun decorations that are used sparingly throughout the home.
A more recent design trend, shabby chic, takes influence from a number of other trends over the years, combining them into something that is both cozy and clean.
Most people associate shabby chic with vintage items painted white and then stuck into a corner somewhere with fairy lights dangling off of it. And, while this style does leave room for fun lighting and getting creative with paint, it’s core really lies in repurposing items whose era has gone by and giving them new life.
Contemporary design is what we call the amalgamation of today’s design trends that have yet to be identified as a particular style. At one time, mid-century modern was contemporary. And, someday, today’s style will be given another name and its place in the interior design history books.
Contemporary design uses modern principles but take some artistic liberty. Curved lines, and patterns that may be seen as too noisy for modern design find a home in contemporary styles.
Similarly, furniture choices are geared more toward comfort than aesthetics, making contemporary a more livable alternative to modern styles.
Selling a house may prove to be a long, complicated process. Fortunately, those who craft a house selling strategy can determine the steps they will need to take to accomplish their desired results.
A home selling strategy may prove to be a must-have. Because if you enter the real estate market with a plan in place to sell your residence, you could boost the likelihood of getting the best price for your home.
Ultimately, there are several factors you need to consider as you develop a house selling strategy, and these include:
1. Your Home's Condition
For those who want to speed up the home selling journey, it generally helps to perform property upgrades. That way, you can ensure your house stands out to dozens of potential buyers.
To upgrade your home's curb appeal, you should mow the lawn, trim the hedges and repair any cracked or damaged siding. These improvements usually are simple to complete and may help you make your residence more attractive than comparable available houses.
Meanwhile, to enhance your home's interior, you should clean as much as you can. With a neat, tidy home interior, your house can make a positive impression on buyers as soon as they walk through the front door.
2. Your Initial Asking Price
The initial asking price for your home may have far-flung effects on your house selling experience. Because if your initial home asking price is too high, you risk alienating potential buyers. Worst of all, your home may linger on the real estate market for many weeks or months, and you may need to lower your residence's price to facilitate a sale.
To price your home competitively, it typically is helpful to study the local housing sector. Find out how your residence stacks up against comparable available houses in your area, and you can determine how to price your home.
You also may want to conduct a home appraisal. By doing so, you can obtain a property valuation to help you decide the optimal initial home asking price.
3. Your Home Selling Timeline
Consider how much time you have to sell your residence – you will be happy you did. If you understand your house selling timeline, you can find ways to maximize the time and resources at your disposal.
If you need to move from your current home as soon as possible, for instance, you may need to be aggressive to promote your residence to buyers. On the other hand, if you can afford to be patient, you may be able to take a wait-and-see approach to obtain the best-possible offer to purchase your residence.
Lastly, as you get set to sell your home, you may want to hire a real estate agent. This housing market professional can teach you what it takes to sell a home in any city or town. He or she will even help you craft an effective house selling strategy, thereby ensuring you can quickly and effortlessly sell your house any time you choose.
Although it may seem like the Internet and email have always been an integral part of our daily lives, those modes of modern communication have only been around for the past two decades or so.
With technology like video teleconferencing, online document sharing, and other collaborative tools becoming commonplace in the business arena, more and more companies are allowing (and even encouraging) their employees to work from home -- at least a couple days a week. For better or worse, many employees, managers, and executives are putting in lots of overtime from their home offices.
Whether you're telecommuting for a job or running your own home-based business, having a dedicated work space can make all the difference in your ability to stay focused and productive. Not only can you control distractions by closing the door, but having a separate work space at home makes it easier to stay organized and maintain a professional image. Depending on the layout of your house, the cooperation of your family, and neighborhood zoning regulations, it may even be possible to meet with clients at your home office.
While some people don't have a problem setting up their laptop and working at the kitchen table, in their bedroom, or the living room, problems can arise when your spouse or other members of the family want to use your temporary work space for something else!
Other potential complications are possible, too: When people in your household have easy access to your computer, work files, and research materials, there's also the possibility of accidentally losing unsaved documents, unfinished emails being prematurely sent or closed, and having to deal with spills, sticky surfaces, misplaced work materials, and other miscellaneous mishaps! On the other hand, setting aside a dedicated work space at home for tackling office projects, preparing reports, or creating client proposals can help you avoid losing valuable work, missing deadlines, and looking unprofessional.
Home Offices Are a Selling Point
In addition to making your own life more organized and less chaotic, there's also the advantage of increasing your home's marketability. If you happen to be considering putting your house on the market now or in the near future, having a dedicated office space will help make your home look more appealing to potential buyers.
Today, more than ever, the idea of having a home office is on many people's minds and priority lists -- or at least, their "wish list". When prospective buyers can envision ways in which your home can meet their lifestyle goals, business objectives, and career requirements, they'll be a lot more likely to seriously consider making an offer on your house.
As more and more people pursue work-at-home options, freelancing opportunities, advanced degrees, and home-based businesses, a dedicated office space will continue to be a highly desirable feature for both current and future home owners.
