Any experienced realtor can tell you their greatest pet peeves when it comes to touring a home with clients. From roaches to pets on counters, there are many situations that can cost you a  successful house showing. Save yourself (and your realtors) the embarrassment by avoiding these mistakes and make sure your home is showroom ready. 

Being Late or Absent For Showing

There are many mishaps that occur with improper scheduling. Not pre-approving buyers ahead of time or letting them access the lockbox can lead to awkward moments that can destroy your chances of selling your home. You could have family members lingering during a potential showing, or not give the proper time for you or your agent to be there to answer questions. 

Image from Pixabay

Receiving Unwelcome Guests

Pest control is probably one of the most overlooked steps when planning an open house. At the same time, it’s also a top priority before you allow buyers to enter your home. Not only could it cause you to lose opportunities, hiding any need for pest control can also result in a lawsuit. 

If you feel like the critters are out of your control, check the website for more info by professionals on how to prevent pests from invading your home. The last thing you need is a sneaky little roach to show up during the final walkthrough.  

Leaving Private or Dangerous Objects In The Open 

Sellers should be careful not to leave personal belongings or information lying around. Leaving valuables unattended can be a perfect opportunity for theft or invasion of privacy. There are also certain items that can raise doubts about buying the home. Here are some things to stow away until the viewings are over.

Signs of Smoking

It doesn’t matter if you smoke outside. Any buyer that sees cigarettes or any accessories used for smoking will automatically assume that you’ll smoke indoors too. 

Medicine Cabinet

Keeping your prescription away from prying eyes is a matter of privacy and safety. Instead of storing your medicine in the bathroom or nightstand (the first place a theft will look), find a way to lock it away in a safe or less accessible area. 

Personal Information

Hide your mail, documents, and anything else that has your full name, address, and other private information. This should also be kept away from visitors. 

Portable Heaters/Air Conditioning

Anything that’s designed to make the home warmer or cooler will make buyers doubt the central system. Even if you have a good reason for it, having a portable HVAC system sends the wrong message. 

Personal Stances 

While your ideologies or political standings have nothing to do with the sale, your buyer might take it personally. Keep your views to yourself if you don’t want your buyers to turn down the deal on principle. 

Image from Pixabay

Distracting Buyers From The Home

A home is meant to be lived in, but when it comes to showing, you want as little distractions as possible to keep buyers at ease. There are many things that can be highly disruptive and off-putting for your guests, such as: 

Family or Pets

As much as we love them, having family or pets hanging out while you’re having your home viewed can be a terrible idea. They can create messes, occupy rooms, and prevent guests from becoming comfortable and seeing the house properly. Make arrangements when you have appointments set for homebuyers to stop by. 

Strong Smells

Baking cookies is a sales tactic used to make a home smell cozy. Homebuyers are becoming aware of the cliché, so you can save the baking until you move into your new kitchen. 

Another common mistake is sprucing the house with too much fragrance. While it may smell delightful to you, homebuyers may not share the same sentiment. Keep your home smelling fresh and clean with a pleasant but subtle surface cleaner instead.   

Clutter and Filth

The more mess and clutter you have, the more attention you take away from the home itself. When you schedule showings, it gives you extra time to tidy up or hire someone to take care of the heavy-duty cleaning.  

Odd Decor

Showcasing your home to potential buyers is the worst time to display your conversation starters. This also goes for unusual paint colors or unprofessional home projects. 

The Bottom Line

There’s a lot to keep track of when trying to sell your house. With enough planning and communication, you can keep everyone on the same page. Talk to your realtor and other residents in the household to prepare and maintain the home in tiptop shape.

Are you looking to down or up-size your home? Maybe you want to live in a different city, town, or state. Whatever your reason is for moving, you need to sell your house. 

When getting ready to put your house on the market, there are some areas to focus on. We’re going to go over five things to think about when offering your home. 

Updated Security System 

Nowadays, we value safety for our families more than ever. With the internet filled with hackers and predators, crime is on the rise. Potential buyers, especially ones with children, will pay attention to what homes have the best security systems. 

If the roof over your head doesn’t have an up to date system, it’s time to invest in a home alarm monitoring device. This will not only make your house more attractive to buyers, but it can increase the value as well. 

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Fresh Paint 

When people move in, they don’t want to spend a lot of time fixing it up. They want to get there, and everything is ready for them. A fresh coat of paint can bring a room to life. 

There shouldn’t be any marks, smudges, or chips in the paint. It’s better to go for neutral colors when painting to sell your home. Stay with whites, light greys, blues, and greens. 

Take Out All Personal Items 

Although you love looking at your family photos and heirlooms, potential buyers don’t. You want to give them a blank canvas so that they can imagine their loved ones in the space, not yours. 

Take out any personal items and declutter. Don’t leave knick-knacks on the shelves or extra gadgets lying around. You want your house to look clean and straightforward for staging. 

Maintain Curb Appeal 

Before you start showing your home, you should tidy up the front lawn. First impressions are essential when potential buyers come to visit. Remember, they’re looking at lots of houses on the market, and you want yours to stand out. 

Keep your lawn mowed, clean up any debris, and plant some fresh flowers. When people drive up, the curb appeal will welcome them from the start. 

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Make Sure It Smells Nice 

If you have pets, it’s crucial your home doesn’t smell like it. Take the time to wash the blankets, cushions, and bedding before you have potential buyers come to your house. Put your animal’s toys, bed, and crates outside or in a bin for when you have visitors. 

Ask a friend or family member to take your pet for the day while you’re showing your home. Also, refrain from making food with strong scents on the days of the showing. Foods to avoid are seafood and potent spices. 

Then, spray your house with a pleasant fragrance, but nothing too overpowering. For subtle smells, light a candle or put fresh cut flowers in a vase. This small detail can make a huge difference. 

The Bottom Line 

When you offer your home on the market, some work needs to be done. You have to prepare your house for visitors and try to make it as attractive as possible. 

Some things to focus on are updating the security system, giving the house a fresh coat of paint, taking out your personal items, maintaining the curb appeal, and making sure your home has a lovely scent. If you do these things, your space will sell quickly and for a great price. 

 When it’s time to sell your home, or sell a home period, it’s never as simple as just planting a sign in the front yard and letting the offers roll in. Even if you may think your property, or the one you’re representing, could be a bona fide gem, that never guarantees an easy sell.

A home’s appearance is one of the most crucial aspects when it comes to presenting its value come showing or open house time. Appearance doesn’t just mean some landscaping and lawncare with a clean interior; it involves arranging the home in a way that promotes its best features. This is called staging a home, and it’s vital for your property’s performance on the market.

When staging a home, consider its importance in the process and the prominent role it will play in the appraisal and appeal of the property. Sellers should not choose just anyone to professionally stage, much like they should hire professional movers to bring in the furniture and accessories for them.

Why Staging Matters, And Why Who You Hire Matters Even More

Staging matters for several reasons, but the most important one is the buyer and their perception. Buyers aren’t just walking sums of money looking to purchase a home. They want to be able to visualize what their future home will look like, fully furnished, when they relocate their entire lives—especially if the distance is great. Staging helps them do that with ease.

Another element not to be overlooked in the process is appraisal. When your home is appraised by a real estate professional, you want it to be looking its best. Staging sets the home up to accentuate its best features and downplay its weaknesses. It often involves decorating the place according to the latest design trends. This may involve furniture arrangement, color schemes, lighting adjustments, layout, and a number of tiny details that can help the home flow more seamlessly. A slight boost in appraisal value can bump your home into another market segment.

Here are some key reasons why it’s important to hire a reputable company when bringing in items for your home’s staging.

1. The Right Company Will Protect The Items

When staging a home, you may be renovating it and arranging the furniture already in the property, or you may hire a professional staging company to rent the furniture, appliances, and others accessories, while they also use their expertise to place them for you. This can set you back hundreds to upwards of several thousand dollars, depending on your specific situation and the details. Paying people to stage your home is expensive, but it’s an investment likely to yield positive results when it comes time to sell.

So, no matter which situation you’re in, it’s highly recommended you hire a professional moving company to bring in and shift the furniture. After all, if you’re investing in the staging process with the goal of securing a higher sell price, you don’t want to lose money by damaging the goods in the process.

2. They Can Save You Time

There are countless things to consider when selling your home, from finances to logistics and the place you’re moving into yourself. The last thing you want to worry about is finding time to shift staging furniture into and out of the property. Finding a great moving company to handle this will not only save you the stress of doing it yourself, but it’ll save you the time it’d take to do so. That way, you can focus on more important factors, and leave the furniture shifting to professionals.

3. They’re Worth The Investment

Budgeting is important when you’re dealing with real estate, but the price difference between high- and low-quality moving services is not a great enough discrepancy to sacrifice quality. Picking cheap movers may seem like a good cost-saving measure in the short term, but it's risky —particularly if your staging process involves custom or expensive furniture. Don’t pick a low-level moving company that isn’t willing to do this extra bit for you. Reputable companies are worth the investment for a quality, all-encompassing job done.

In Conclusion:

Use Discretion Buying and selling your home can be a stressful process. With so many things to consider, it’s easy to let certain aspects slip through the cracks. Staging, however, shouldn’t be one of them. The process of having furniture brought into and arranged in your home can add many thousands to your eventual sell price, and ensures the property appeals to a wide range of buyers. No matter whether someone is doing the staging for you, or you plan to re-arrange furniture yourself, it’s best to hire a professional moving company to bring in and shift the items for you. 

If you are fortunate enough to have owned a luxury home in Colorado over the past decade, there is a very strong possibility that you have seen a handsome appreciation in that home’s value.

Nevertheless, even with the booming real estate market in Colorado, the COVID-19 pandemic has upended the natural rise of the market, causing volatility in some areas. As such, home improvement projects have increased exponentially over the past months as homeowners have turned to renovations as a means of effectively filling their upended schedules.

If you own a luxury home and are looking to add some value to your property as you wait for life to return to normal, consider the following remodeling projects.

1. Replace the Kitchen Countertops

An important aspect of owning a luxury home is that quality remains consistent throughout the property. For example, it would be extremely tacky to have a million-dollar home utilizing budget roofing materials.

Nowhere can consistency of quality be more difficult to achieve than in the kitchen. From appliances to fixtures, cabinets to flooring, the kitchen has many components that must be appropriately tied together in order to make the space feel luxurious.

With this in mind, take a careful look at the countertops. If these surfaces are cracked, heavily stained, and/or feature a subpar laminate material, then making an upgrade should be a high priority. 

Quartz countertops are some of the trendiest surfaces on the contemporary market and will play exceptionally well in a luxury kitchen. Not only are these stately stone surfaces fabricated in a wide array of elegant designs that will mesh well with the color scheme of any space, but the durable, nonporous finish ensures that minimal effort will be required for cleaning and maintenance, keeping your luxury kitchen looking fresh for years to come.

2. Increase the Curb Appeal

While elements such as framing and foundation are the backbone of a quality home, even the most-well constructed houses will not maximize their potential market if they do not look pretty.

Those homes that cause passersby to do a double-take and pull out their phones for more information have a significant leg up on the competition. 

As Colorado arguably experiences greater exposure to the entire gamut of elements than any other state (the current summer snowpocalypse can serve as proof), it is a good idea to look into those exterior remodeling projects that both increase curb appeal while enhancing functionality of your luxury home, with the following ideas good places to start:

• Permeable gravel driveways that allow for the even dissipation of melting snow--without the threat of freezing and cracking

• Innovative exterior door trim that can give your entrances a facelift while helping seal out unwanted air and debris

• Pergolas and awnings that can enhance functionality of your luxury home’s exterior spaces by providing shade on those bright Colorado days

3. Select Siding to Match the Region

Despite the huge influx of new residents that Colorado has seen in recent years that has led to hundreds of new subdivisions popping up over the Front Range, Colorado’s appeal is still deeply rooted in its western, frontier heritage.

Therefore, any remodeling projects that can help residents feel at one with the ranching and mining pioneers that helped shape this state will have unique appeal in the Colorado market. One idea is the use of white board and batten siding to give your luxury home the feel of an old-time farm estate. In addition to looking rustic, the steel siding from which it is composed is among the best choices for handling the broad spectrum of Colorado weather.

Choose Projects and Materials that Enhance Luxury

When remodeling in Colorado, choosing projects and materials that will enhance the essence of your luxury home is paramount to help your property rise to the top of a competitive market. 

Upgrading the kitchen countertops to nonporous quartz surfaces, taking steps to enhance curb appeal, and siding your house with rustic options that suit the region are a few remodeling projects that can increase the value of your luxury home.

Matt Lee is the owner of the Innovative Building Materials blog and a content writer for the building materials industry. He is focused on helping fellow homeowners, contractors, and architects discover materials and methods of construction that save money, improve energy efficiency, and increase property value.

In the USA, in 2019 alone, over 5 million existing homes were sold by sellers to buyers. There are millions sold each and every year. While most people will enlist the help of a real estate agent to sell their home, this isn’t always the case. Many people instead elect to sell their homes on their own. This can save them a lot in realtor fees and give them more control.

Of course, while cheaper, selling a home on your own isn’t always that easy. There are definitely some challenges you may face along the way. With that in mind, this blog post is going to cover 5 of the biggest obstacles homeowners face when selling a house on their own.

Creating a Strong Listing

Because most people begin their real estate search online, it is incredibly crucial to have a strong listing. This will include the price of the home, the size of it, photos of the rooms, the features of the home, and many other pieces of important information.

Oftentimes, it will be your real estate agent that crafts your listing, or at least is a big influence on what is included. Without one, you’re pretty much on your own. As you could imagine, this can be a little challenging. You will have to know what people are looking for, and how best to convey the quality of the home.

Thankfully, there are some sites and platforms that can help you out a little. For example, a seller will be able to market their for sale by owner by going to Houzeo and using the platform to create their listing, attract more business, and use many other tools.

Choosing the Right Price

In addition to the listing, arguably the most important aspect when it comes to selling your home (with or without an agent) is the price. You need to choose a price that isn’t too high, but also not too low. If the price is too low, you won’t get the amount of profit you deserve. On the other hand, if it is too high, you may encounter difficulty when it comes to selling the home.

While the price choice is up to you, agents generally have a lot of knowledge and can assist you in valuing your home. The most important part of choosing the right price is to do your research. You need to look at the average selling price of homes in your area, and then compare your home to those. After enough homework, you should be able to come up with a value that is relatively fair for both sides.

The Paperwork

Another obstacle to selling your home could be the paperwork required to sell a home. Normally, the responsibility of filling everything out would fall on your landlord, but that isn’t the case if you sell on your own. You are responsible for the purchasing contract, disclosure forms, and several other important documents.

If you miss something crucial or fill it out wrong, it could be a major obstacle and roadblock in the selling process. Even if you don’t hire an agent, it is a wise decision to hire an attorney to assist you with these documents. The last thing you want is to reach the end of the sale, only for it to fail because of an issue related to the paperwork.

Remaining too Attached to the Home

When selling a home, you need to do your best to take emotions out of the picture. Normally, if you sell with an agent, with them handling most of the work, this won’t be a concern. But if you sell on your own, these emotions and your connection to the home you are selling could cloud your judgment.

Not only can be attached to the home make you unwilling to sell, but it can also often make you overvalue the home. Because of all the good times and memories in the home, you may want to list it for a price that is too high. When selling a home, try to detach yourself and value it honestly and do your best to keep emotions out of it.

Getting the Home Prepared for the Sale

While it might seem simple, getting your home prepared for sale on your own may not be the easiest thing. The home needs to be clean, look a certain way, and generally be fixed up before the sale is final. If you don’t have an agent, you might not have a good idea of what more needs to be done before the deal is done.

If you overlook this important stage, it could leave your listing photos looking subpar and can lead to dozens of hours of work before the home is really ready to sell. If you’re up to the task, that’s great, but many people don’t have the time to fix up and prepare their home ahead of time.

While selling your home on your own is viable, it is important to be aware of the potential obstacles in your way. If you work on ways to overcome these obstacles ahead of time, you could be well on your way to a successful sale.

A Strange New World
Some reports are saying that the entertainment industry has already, as of August 2020, lost $160 billion (with a “b”) dollars. That’s a lot of cash and explains why places like Los Angeles and San Francisco are seeing a flat out Exodus. They’re not alone. New York City lost over 400,000 residents in 2020—more than the population of St. Louis, Missouri.

What does this indicate? Well, as it turns out, a lot of millennials are purchasing real estate “site unseen” to escape the insanity of the big cities. Rioting has blossomed out of the lockdown crisis, and this fetid fruit is rotting America’s most well-known metropolises. This has even affected Texas—though Texas might have the most cities that will bounce back.

Houston, Austin, Dallas/Fort Worth, San Antonio, Corpus Christi, Amarillo—these cities have had their issues during the lockdown, but not nearly so terrible as the larger municipalities out there. What this has produced is a millennial trend that has directed millions of people toward the center of the country.

People are leaving Seattle, Portland, Chicago, Denver, Atlanta, Baltimore, Philadelphia, and Boston as well. They’re headed inland. States like Wyoming, Colorado, the Dakotas, Idaho, Montana, Nebraska, Kansas, Oklahoma, and Texas are seeing their numbers increase, and that trend will continue throughout the rest of the year.

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Considerations For Either Political Scenario
Regardless of who is elected in November, the nation’s big cities intend to maintain lockdown laws until some sort of vaccination becomes available. This means that until 2021, you can expect economic realities in such areas to continue worsening. This will stress localized infrastructure, and it will affect local housing markets.

In a word, California has “Detroit-ed” itself. Real estate markets are going to bottom out in the large cities. They’ll likely retain effectiveness in smaller cities, but the bigger municipalities are going to see their real estate plummet. This is already the case in New York. San Francisco has more inventory than they’ve had in years.

In Colorado, there is more sustainability. Colorado Springs has barely locked down at all. Meanwhile, Denver is full-bore in their lockdown directives, Boulder is full of masked individuals walking their streets, and Fort Collins, CO has remained steady despite the population being politically split on whether they should mask up.

So though some Colorado communities are suffering, some aren’t. People are leaving cities like Denver for cities like Colorado Springs, but many are looking for cheap living elsewhere. West Virginia, Ohio, Indiana, and Alabama have some of the most cost-effective housing options in the country right now, and a brief examination of Zillow proves it.

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Okies And Texans Are Sitting Pretty
Oklahoma and Texas also have exceptionally affordable living conditions, and a brief examination of these Dallas neighborhoods proves as much. For those who are working remotely, the country is your oyster right now, and you’re not gaining anything by staying in cities where the cost of living is thrice the average.

Additionally, as people migrate from these massive cities, that will drive their cost of living down as a natural consequence. It’s supply and demand writ large. This has always been the case with real estate because the costs involved in property acquisition are very high. This means trends tend to trail phenomena in the market.

So when 420,000 people have left NYC for Kansas, Texas, Florida, and Oklahoma, then NYC’s real estate market will bottom out even as the economies of the states where people settle tend to expand. Florida is a place many New Yorkers are fleeing in the time of COVID-19. They were headed to Rhode Island for a while, too; until the locals took umbrage.

Millennials are additionally looking into van-dwelling or RV living, as well as tiny homes. Basically, the name of the game is affordability. In the last decade, millions have gotten away from traditionally centralized occupational infrastructure, meaning they can live wherever they want, as pointed out earlier. So this trend means the digital nomad is king.

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Surfing The “V”
Today’s real estate market will begin to be defined not in terms of property value, but in terms of affordability. Hopefully, the economy does make a “V” shape, wherein the latter end is higher than the former end. But even if this is the case, in 2020, real estate won’t catch up for a little while.

If you’re a real estate investor, now is the time to buy up big properties cheaply. Alternatively, cheap properties could be purchased and sold for more than their value as the migration continues and local markets transition. Get advice, seek consultation, examine local markets, and keep an eye on Texas.

Today’s economic and political difficulties are having a very direct impact on real estate, and that means those who don’t pay attention will lose out, while those who are savvy have a high opportunity to succeed gloriously in the 2020 market.

Millennials have taken the reigns of the boomers and generation X. They’re driving the market train now. It’s headed toward decentralization station and all the properties whose costs are affected by the volatile market at that location.

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Running a business from home often makes a lot of sense. Not only do you save money not renting an office space, you also might find it’s easier to find the ideal work-life balance. If that weren’t enough, just imagine how much time you can save when you cut out your commute. All those benefits sound great, but if you’re thinning about starting a small business, how do you go about doing it? Find out what you need to know below.

Finding Space to Run Your Business

Many entrepreneurs simply don’t have the space to start a business in their current home, no matter how creative they get. If this sounds like you, don’t let that stop you from exploring your business ideas. Buying a new home might provide the perfect solution. To start the process, you’ll want to search online for homes, get preapproved for a mortgage and find yourself a realtor, such as one of the experts from Kenna Real Estate. 

Alternatively, you might decide that it makes more sense to do some remodeling where you currently live. By knocking down a wall, turning an unfinished room into a habitable space or simply rearranging an existing room, it’s often easy to create a workspace in a guest bedroom, basement, attic, garage or other area.

Creating Privacy and Professionalism

Whether you buy a new home or choose to stay where you are, there are a few important things to keep in mind when designing an office. First, if your business involves meeting with clients, Miranda Marquit recommends thinking about how you will convey a sense of professionalism. Having to navigate past dirty laundry, kids’ toys, or other things that accumulate in any normal home can be off-putting for your clients.

If possible, having a separate entrance for your office and designating a bathroom for business use can solve this problem. Even if you don’t meet with clients in person, it’s important to keep clutter controlled in any areas that clients might see over webcam meetings.

In addition to looking professional, you also have to think about issues such as privacy. It doesn’t hurt to opt for a virtual business address. Not only does this keep your home address from being publicized, All Business points out that it can also help you avoid potential legal issues relating to running a business from home -- such as zoning restrictions that may prohibit businesses in residential areas. 

Tech Upgrades for Your Home-Based Business 

Protecting your personal privacy and making your business look professional is important when you work from home, but you also have to equip yourself with tools that will help your business excel. First, make sure your internet is fast enough. If you’re running your business from a different room that’s farther from your router, or your business requires more bandwidth than before, now is a good time to upgrade.

Having slow internet leads to choppy video calls, but also causes frustration when your pages take forever to load. If you plan on working when other family members are home, keep in mind that anything they do online can make your connection even more sluggish. Getting 5G home internet might be the perfect solution, as it provides enough speed and bandwidth for all your devices.

Second, think about the gear you might need to provide top-notch services. If your business involves consultations or you frequently record tutorials, for example, getting a top-of-the-line webcam might be a priority. And even though most documents can be sent and signed electronically, you might find a printer to be an invaluable resource for your home office.

Are you looking for a new place to live? Not sure if you prefer a big city or a more suburban area?

We’ll look at the advantages and disadvantages of both. Then you can weigh the possibilities to make your decision. Once you know the type of neighborhood you’re looking for, online services can help you find exactly the right place for you, believe those at UMoveFree.

Why Live in a Big City?

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City life can have a lot of advantages. Let’s check them out.

Work and Educational Opportunities

Factories, offices, and universities often establish themselves in cities. Thus, large places have more job and education opportunities.

Public Transportation

Metropolitan areas usually have reliable public transportation in the form of buses, trains, or subways. In many cases, city dwellers don’t need to have a car.

Social Interaction and Cultural Diversity

The city is a melting pot for people from all over the country and the world. You’ll find ample opportunities to participate in events and get to know new people.

What’s Great About the Suburbs?

Suburban areas also have many good qualities. Many families choose to raise their kids a little farther away from the big city.

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Easy to Get Around

When you’re transporting kids and items like groceries, it’s not practical to do so on foot. In the suburbs, the grocery store is close enough to take a quick drive to get there. Then you can load everything and everyone into the car or van to go home.

Bigger Houses and Yards

The suburbs tend to have larger houses with more yard space. The extra room is great for families with children. There’s also more space to park cars.

Kids Gain Independence Sooner

With less traffic and parks nearby, parents often give suburban children the freedom to walk or bike alone sooner than they could in a big city. This way, kids can build confidence in their autonomy.

Drawbacks to City Living

Cities can also have their disadvantages.

Traffic, Noise, and Pollution

With many people and vehicles concentrated in one area, traffic is often heavy. Thus, there’s more noise and air pollution than you typically find in rural or suburban neighborhoods.

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More Crime

Crime rates tend to be higher in big cities. This phenomenon occurs due to several factors, one of which is the lower likelihood of being recognized when committing a criminal act.

Higher Stress Levels

Studies have shown that city dwellers have higher stress levels than those who live in quieter communities. The hustle and bustle of the city can be overwhelming to many.

Disadvantages of the Suburbs

There are also some negative aspects of suburban living.

You Need a Car - or a Few!

With no public transportation, you have to drive everywhere. You end up needing a car for every driver in the family.

More Space Equals More Work

A larger house and yard mean more labor to maintain them. This work may take up time you would rather spend resting or enjoying your family.

Commuting to the City

If you work in the city, you may face a long daily commute involving high traffic. Thus, you don’t necessarily avoid traffic jams by moving to the suburbs.

To Sum Up

Both cities and suburban areas have great qualities as well as drawbacks. Cities can provide more jobs and educational opportunities, as well as social outlets. They also have the benefit of readily available public transportation.

The suburbs are attractive to families with young children due to the ease of transportation by car and larger houses and yards. Parents may also feel comfortable giving kids freedom earlier in the suburbs. 

By weighing your current needs against the unique qualities of cities and suburbs, you’ll be able to make the right choice.

If you’re in the market for a new luxury home, it’s essential to know which features and materials are must-haves. You’d be surprised how many luxury homes are built with subpar materials and workmanship, so it’s a wise idea to get clear about what things you want and need in your luxury home. 

Most luxury homebuyers have an idea of the things they want. This list generally includes things like a laundry room, ceiling fans, large closets and pantries, and green features. You likely have a list of your own “must-haves,” but what materials should you look for during the home shopping process? 

Let’s look at some of the innovative materials to look for in a luxury home, so you avoid any surprises down the road. 

Natural Stone 

Natural stone is one of the most prominent materials in luxury homes. Why wouldn’t it be? Natural stone is gorgeous, durable, and unique. Natural stone counters are some of the most durable countertops, and natural stone floors and exteriors are always awe-inspiring.

The market for faux stone has exploded, and it’s getting more challenging to tell whether the stone is natural or manufactured. Be sure to look at any stone countertop or flooring to determine its authenticity. Every slab of granite and marble is unique; therefore, no two pieces should look identical. If the pattern seems to be repeating, you might have a faux stone counter or floor. 

Additionally, it’s crucial to know that natural stone can come with some downsides. For instance, marble floors are the quintessential luxury natural stone floor; however, many people don’t know how difficult they are to maintain. They can etch and stain easily, and the upkeep can be quite arduous. 

Ultimately, it’s critical to ensure that the natural stone is authentic and that you’re up to the task of maintaining it. 

Wood 

Wood has become a trendy staple for homes everywhere. Many people love it for its rustic feel and eco-friendliness. However, like natural stone, not all wood is created equally. It’s important to know what type of wood you want in your luxury home. 

If you’re looking for eco-friendliness, then a reclaimed wood might be ideal. However, it can be tricky to determine where the reclaimed wood came from. It’s essential to get clear on the wood’s sourcing, so you aren’t unintentionally exposed to toxins or pests. 

Additionally, many commercially available kinds of wood are treated with chemicals that can be toxic. So, you’ll want to ensure that any wood in the home is sustainably and safely sourced. 

Finally, you’ll want to ensure that all the wood in the home is sealed. Wood is incredibly porous, and unsealed wood can be a nightmare. 

Acoustic Systems 

Most luxury homes have tall ceilings and tons of wide-open space. What no one tells you about these layouts is that sound can travel pretty strangely. There can be issues with echoes that can make conversations and communication a hassle. 

To remedy this, there’s a massive market of acoustic systems that help control the sound waves in spaces with these layouts. There are things like acoustic ceiling clouds, architectural wall panels, ceiling tiles, and more. 

While shopping for your luxury home, take notice of the way sound behaves in the space. Be on the lookout for acoustic systems within the homes. If there aren’t any present, make sure that there is space to add some in the future. 

High-Quality Fixtures 

Most luxury homes come with top-notch fixtures. Iron, brass, and steel faucets and handcrafted handrails are the norms. However, much like natural stone, it can be hard to spot a faux fixture or detail. 

Some builders take shortcuts with fixtures that are painted with metallic finishes rather than actually installing pure metals. The same goes for lighting fixtures. While shopping, look for raw materials throughout the home. 

Pay special attention to all the little details. 

Find Your Dream Home by Looking for Innovative Materials

The best luxury home builders use high-quality, raw materials for every section of the home. If you see a red flag in one area, chances are, there are other problematic materials elsewhere. 

Be thoughtful when inspecting materials and details. If you’re looking for an energy-efficient sustainable home, really ask about those details. If you want a home with tons of integrated tech, be sure to see it in action. 

Ultimately, if you find a good realtor from the beginning, they can help you find these innovative materials in your dream home. They can also help ensure you don’t get duped by faux alternatives. 

Be sure to find a realtor you trust, and you’ll find the perfect luxury home for you.   

Matt Lee is the owner of the Innovative Building Materials blog and a content writer for the building materials industry. He is focused on helping fellow homeowners, contractors, and architects discover materials and methods of construction that save money, improve energy efficiency, and increase property value.

A Strategic Approach

If you’ve got a home that’s in poor condition, and you’re looking to sell as-is, now is the time. Right now we’re in the midst of a panic related to a virus that has been labeled COVID-19. Political unrest is at an all-time high, and things are going to continue being volatile at least until November 3rd’s election.

In New York City alone, at least 420,000 people have left. That’s specifically owing to COVID-19. Numbers for L.A., San Francisco, and San Diego are scant, but in the last decade, over 5,000,000 have left Cali.

That’s an average of 1 in 8 of the total California population. Accordingly, those who have left these big cities are going to be looking for affordable options elsewhere. On the other side of that coin, enterprising investors will be looking for deals in N.Y.C. and L.A.

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Real Estate Ripples Take Years To Calm Down
If you have a property that isn’t in the best condition, you can flog it off as-is, and you’ll have more buyers available right now than there have been in many years. But there’s a mild catch: right now, everything hinges on the coming election. Even so, real estate tends to take a while to catch up with the rest of the economy.

When the hits start coming, their immediate effect compels property owners to make bold choices. The effect of those choices usually takes a few years to mature in the market. So even if Trump wins, the market will remain volatile through 2021. Some expect a housing crash in 2021 like that of 2008.

This means a lot of home buyers will specifically be looking for homes that are “cheaper” than normal. That’s a home which is in poor condition. They will be on the hunt for $10k to $100k fixer-uppers. So if you’ve got a house that’s livable, but needs a little TLC, now is the time to list. And there are certain strategies you can use to help you move the property quicker.

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A Few Specific Strategies To Consider
One strategy involves precisely how you price the property, and how you list it. Even with the best property listed a little below market price, potential buyers are going to try and bargain with you. Unless you’ve got the time to see a hundred different potential buyers, you shouldn’t stick to your price. You should anticipate the haggle.

Now, with an as-is property, there are several ways to go about this. One, establish what the absolute minimum amount you want to receive is. From there, list the property about $4k to $10k higher (depending on your bottom line), and be sure you take the most flattering pictures of the property possible, saving the problematic elements until the end of the showing.

Two, a list that bare minimum price as the listing cost, sell as-is, and refuse to negotiate about anything. With this second alternative, you’ll want to list the flaws of the property and show everything in detail on the listing. There are properties for $8k in West Virginia that are selling like hot-cakes, just look at Zillow.com to see how true that is. Either approach here may work.

Another tip involves informing the sale of your property with vetted strategy from groups who specialize in helping buyers sell as-is homes. Check out this sell a house in a bad condition article for some more in-depth data about best practices from the professionals regarding the sale of poor condition properties.