The Griffith Group

Thursday, January 21, 2016

What Does Your Living Room Say About You?

Your living room says more about you than any other room in your house—whether or not you want it to.

With most floor plans, it’s the first room guests are ushered into, and where they spend the most time schmoozing, hanging out, and generally soaking in your style. Some people are messy; others are obsessively organized. Some living rooms are closed off, others are open.

So what signals is your living room sending about you?

Open layout

If you actively sought out an open layout for your living room, it’s a good indication that you keep up with the hottest and most up-to-date architectural trends—or maybe you just inherently understand the vast appeal of a free-flowing floor plan. You’re an entertainer at heart, even if it’s just you and your spouse assembling fish tacos while keeping an eye on the Super Bowl (or maybe the latest episode of “Downton Abbey”), and you think communication and interaction trump private space. You don’t just tolerate controlled chaos—you thrive in it.

Neutral everywhere

You prefer a blank canvas, but it’s never boring. Neutrals are classic and crisp, immune to the variances of seasonal trends. You’re practical, down-to-earth, and easy to please—and happy to be a backdrop for others’ wild antics. But when it comes to décor, you’re not scared to throw in a few colors to liven things up.

Bright colors

Criticism? Haters gonna hate. Who cares! You’re bold and gregarious, eager to show off your tastes and don’t give a hoot whether your guests dig it or not. Your living space makes a proud statement—just like you. Like your décor, your personality is colorful and bright, if a bit overwhelming to the shy among us. (Don’t worry: We’ll come around.)

Metallic accents

You’re a glamour queen or king, full of sparkle and shine. You’re attracted toHollywood Regency, and we bet you’ve got a few bold pops of color tucked away in your bookshelves, too. You love attention and being the star of the show, but you’re happy to cede the stage to friends—after all, you want everyone to feel as glamorous as you.

Formal

You love big-time entertaining with an intellectual twist—from predinner cocktails, to four-course gourmet meals, to galas. We’ll bet we won’t find a single fingerprint on your polished glass cabinets. You’re not just a clean freak—you’re also meticulous. You’re successful and urbane, and can argue your way through an economics debate without batting an eyelash.

Green thumb

If your shelves are covered in plants and you’ve swapped a gallery wall for a living wall, you’re more than a nature lover. You’re stable and well-balanced—assuming you keep those plants alive, of course—and you’re probably a great listener. You love long hikes and are eager to bring nature home with you.

Gallery wall over the couch

You’re a bit of a Pinterest addict, and you’re proud of the artwork investments you’ve made. There’s no denying your eye is impeccable, and you’re the master of finding the perfect piece at a garage sale—but now that your gallery is made, you’re not sure what blank wall to tackle next. Might we suggest the stairway?

Pristine surroundings

You probably don’t have kids, and if you do, gosh, they’re well-trained. You love order and arrangement, and we’d bet your personality tends toward Type A—you might be just a bit tightly wound. But the payoff is huge: Jaws drop when guests enter your stunning living room (even if they’re a bit nervous about knocking something over). Congrats, you’re the person whom people call when life becomes overwhelming.

A bit of clutter

Don’t let anyone call you a perfectionist. Free spirit, maybe. What’s a bit of a mess in the long run? You’re not a hoarder, but you don’t care if everything is perfect, either. Marie Kondo has no hold over you. You find a lot of joy in your possessions, and you’re proud of your home, but you don’t treat it like precious property.

No TV at all

You’re a bookworm, and that’s great. For you, entertainment is disappearing into a good novel, enjoying deep conversation with friends, or taking in a cup of tea and a warm fire with your pug Humbert at your side. Or maybe you just prefer bingeing on “Jessica Jones” on your laptop—after all, a giant TV can ruin a cozy living room.

Pillows and fluff

Some people might complain about stuffing your couch with throw pillows and fluffy blankets, but they’ve never known the joy of curling up in cozy heaven and chilling with a glass of wine. Comfort is your No. 1 priority—and if those pillows happen to perfectly complement your rug, that’s a bonus! Shine on, you downy dreamer.

Shared from: http://www.realtor.com/advice/home-improvement/what-does-your-living-room-say-about-you/

Tuesday, January 19, 2016

7 Things People Forget to Do Before They Move

You packed everything perfectly, including that dining room chandelier, the big-screen TV, the vintage ’70s “Dukes of Hazzard” T-shirt collection. You even got your dog’s medical records from the vet. But something’s keeping you awake at night as your move draws nigh. You know you forgot something.

Don’t worry, keep packing. We assembled this handy checklist of things people often forget to do—or don’t even realize they should take care of—so you can make sure you’re covered and can move and settle down in your new digs with ease.

1 month before: Cancel recurring charges

Taking care of a gym membership or other subscription services may fall by the wayside during the madness leading up to moving day. Worse, those recurring charges will keep mounting on your credit card while you’re in the throes of unpacking. Get a jump on canceling these at least a month before your last expected day of use, especially since many gyms require a 30-day notice.

Can’t get out of your contract or transfer your gym membership to a facility by your new home? Sell it through online classifieds such as GymTransfer (yes, most gyms allow this!). Don’t forget to unload any prepaid class cards, too.

On the flip side, important recurring charges on your credit card—such as mail-order medications—might be canceled if your address change hasn’t caught up with billing information. So compile a list of charges and make the effort to call these companies and give them a heads up to avoid disruption in service.

2 weeks before: Call your car insurance company

The Department of Motor Vehicles advises people in the process of moving to closely manage their car insurance during the transition, as states have varying levels of required coverage. Even if you’re staying in the same city, rates can differ from neighborhood to neighborhood. So call your insurer well before the move to find out the parameters and deadlines for updating coverage at your new address.

2 weeks before: Change your address early

Most people know the U.S. Postal Service offers an online form to quickly change an address for all of your mail, but that doesn’t mean you should wait until the last minute to fill it out.

“To make sure mail arrives at your new home in time for your life there, complete the form about two weeks before your move,” says Desmond Lim, founder of QuikForce, an on-demand website that links people with professional movers. That way “you should see the first of your forwarded mail by the time of move-in.”

1 week before: Organize your finances

Important financial tasks are often forgotten in the whirlwind of moving, says consumer finance expert Kevin Gallegos, vice president of Phoenix operations for Freedom Financial Network. Since losing track of bills among piles of boxes is all too easy, Gallegos recommends setting up systems before a move that can easily transition from old home to new. For monthly bills such as phone, rent, or mortgage, it can really help to set them up for autopay, which you can typically do through your bank or the billing company.

“This can help ensure on-time payment during a hectic time,” he says. Whatever system you choose, decide which household member will be responsible for paying which bills. And as moving often incurs unexpected costs, be sure that you’ll have enough money in designated accounts at time of payment.

1 day before: Snap pictures of your electronics

Those cables in the back of your TV and modem that keep your life wired? They don’t make sense now and will make even less sense when they are tangled in a box. A simple solution is to snap a picture of the setup before you take your electronics apart—and coil the cords and label them with masking tape, for good measure.

1 day before: Pack your plants

Do you have a special plant (maybe that hydrangea you planted for your child’s birth or your mom’s prized azaleas)? To make sure you aren’t forced to leave it behind in your rush, make a list of what plants you want to take with you and put a plant plan in place. Don’t put your shovels into the moving van until the last minute—you’ll need them to carefully dig up root balls. Buy large buckets beforehand and use them to transport each plant.

1 day before: Stock a go-to box

Jen Sandlin, an agent with Cornerstone Real Estate in Boston, reminds movers to “set aside one box for the first 24 hours” in your new home. “Pack paper towels, cleaning supplies, clean sheets, towels, paper plates and silverware, toilet paper, and maybe even a bottle of bubbly to celebrate all your hard work, picnic-style.”

Shared from: http://www.realtor.com/advice/move/things-to-do-before-moving-out/

10 Home Renovations That Offer the Best (and Worst) Return on Investment

Remodeling may be a labor of love, but it’s also an investment that can seriously boost the value of your home. Only by how much? Well, according to Remodeling magazine’s 2016 Cost vs. Value Report, you’ll recoup an average of 64% of what you paid for a renovation if you sell your home this year.

To arrive at these figures, Remodeling asked consultants in various markets to estimate the average cost for 30 home improvement projects, from adding a bathroom to replacing a roof. Then, they asked real estate agents nationwide to estimate the expected resale value of these renovations so that readers could compare their out-of-pocket costs to how much money they’d get back when it came time to sell their home.

So, what projects gets you the most bang for your home renovation buck? It may not be nearly as sexy (or fun!) as adding a chef’s kitchen or glam bathroom, but attic insulation gets the top spot. That’s right: Stuff some fiberglass insulation into the walls of a 35-by-30-foot attic, and you’ll pay an average of $1,268. But when you sell, you will rake in $116.90 for every $100. For you math-challenged out there, that’s a recoup of 116.9% of your costs. It’s the only home reno on this year’s report that redeems more money than you spend!

The next best-paying renovation on the list: manufactured stone veneer, offering a respectable 92.9% return.

Meanwhile—sorry, luxury tub fans—the home improvement project that reaps the worst ROI is the addition of a bathroom, at 56.2% (although the “added value” of an extra bathroom for anyone who’s ever had to wait their turn for one is, of course, priceless).

Take-home lesson? If you’re looking for a general rule of thumb, it’s that less is more: Lower-cost projects generally reap bigger returns, with four of the five projects that cost less than $5,000 ranking among the top five for money back when you sell.

Check out the best (and worst) returns for home renovations in the two charts below, including how much you’ll pay and get back if you sell your home this year.

Shared from: http://www.realtor.com/advice/home-improvement/heres-how-much-remodeling-pays-off/

Wednesday, January 6, 2016

Say Goodbye to These 10 Home Design Trends That Are So 2015

The debate over open shelving has raged on for a few years now, but 2015 is the year we drew lines in the sand. Some open-shelving fanatics seem to be tip-toeing quietly back, complaining of dust and grease splatter. (We told you!) Come back to the side of cabinet doors and cleanliness, friends. Let’s leave those dirty open shelves in the past.

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9. Faux deer heads

For some reason, when designers tell homeowners they need to add something three-dimensional to their gallery wall, everyone leaps toward fake antlers. Whether you choose cardboard or white resin, it’s time for these eerie oddities to go the way of chevron decorations and cheap wood panelling.

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10. Explanatory walls

Does America really need this many reminders to eat?

sweetpickinsfurniture.com

The writing’s on the wall: Stop putting writing on your walls. You don’t need to stick the word “family” in the middle of your gallery wall—we know. And believe it or not, most guests will understand that a kitchen is for “EAT”ing without enormous metal letters stating as such. Let your guests determine each room’s intentions without spelling it out for them—literally.

Shared from: http://www.realtor.com/advice/home-improvement/say-goodbye-to-these-10-home-design-trends-that-are-so-2015/

Thursday, December 10, 2015

After a Quiet Hurricane Season, Hunker Down in These Homes Before Next Year

concrete-house — Shubin + Donaldson Architects, Inc. via Houzz

This week marks the end of the traditional hurricane season, which we weathered pretty well here in the U.S. Despite a few close calls, 2015’s Atlantic hurricane season rated below average, thanks in part to El Niño.

That got us thinking: If we escaped Mother Nature’s wrath this year, are we in for a doozy next year? After all, the flip side of El Niño was that the Pacific had its second most active season on record.

Never fear! We’re already preparing for ways to hunker down in case of stormy weather or a zombie apocalypse.

In a hurricane, your home is challenged to withstand massive winds, heavy rainfall, flooding, and debris pelting down like shrapnel. That’s a lot to ask, which is why the prospect of living in a hurricane zone can be so terrifying.

Certain homes, however, fend off hurricanes better than others—through either their shape, construction materials, or other ingenious fortifications or architectural features. So if you’re home shopping in a hurricane zone and want an added layer of protection, look for these types of residences to feel a bit safer once those 100-mph winds hit.

Eclectic exterior by Wrightsville Beach photographers Rick Ricozzi Photography

Dome homes

Monolithic “dome homes” are akin to modern-day igloos, made of a solid piece of concrete that allows even strong winds to slide easily over the top of the home—which comes in handy during hurricanes.

“This is critical because in a hurricane buildings don’t get blown over, they get vacuumed up. The wind actually sucks part of the building along with it as it is leaving,” says Walter Sedovic, principal and CEO of Walter Sedovic Architects. But the dome won’t provide much protection against rising water, according to Sedovic. That makes these designs ideal for areas that are prone to high winds but not flooding.

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Contemporary exterior by Brisbane building designers and drafters Ziegler Build

Shipping containers

Shipping containers are touted by companies that build with them as hurricane-resistant; their heavy steel construction makes them resistant to wind and water of any sort. That comes in handy on the high seas, but it can also work wonders on land, too. What’s more, you can link multiple shipping containers like building blocks to make a home.
That said, quality matters.

“It really depends on how the containers were made,” says Sedovic. “If you’ve ever seen an accident with a tractor-trailer carrying those containers, you know those containers can split open.” Still, planted firmly on the ground, they sure stand a better chance than a wood shack.

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Rustic exterior by South Deerfield architects & building designers Habitat Post & Beam

Homes on stilts

Homes directly on the coast can escape the rising tide if they’re built on stilts—also called pilings or piers, depending on what part of the country you’re in.

“The principal reason is to allow a body of water that floods to pass underneath the building,” says Sedovic. This not only keeps the home and its belongings dry, it also helps it stay put. “It keeps the home from being washed away by a large mass of water,” he says.

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Beach-style exterior by Clemmons design-build firms TOPSIDER HOMES

Octagon homes

Octagon homes, like domes, allow wind to travel around the sides without much resistance. Plus, since these homes are typically on a pedestal, they offer flood protection, too.

Of course, there’s a downside to this type of design: If the home isn’t built right, it might turn into a liability more than a protection.

“If it’s lightweight, it might get blown into the next state,” says Sedovic. Instead of opting for cheaper, pre-fab models, homeowners should opt for designs using sturdier building materials such as reinforced steel.

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Rustic exterior by Culver City architects & building designers Shubin + Donaldson Architects

Homes built from concrete and steel

Concrete and steel homes look like any other home on the outside: There are four straight walls, windows, and doors. However, storm protection is packed into the inside. With walls made of concrete and the roof and joists made of reinforced steel, the wind protection can be immense.

“Before, the tendency was for homes to be ripped apart at the seams as a result of the construction techniques that were employed, especially around the 1970s when coastal regions like Florida were in a housing boom,” Sedovic says. On the flip side, modern concrete and reinforced steel homes keep the corners of the home from ripping apart in high winds, offering more protection than siding or brick.

Shared from: http://www.realtor.com/advice/buy/hurricane-resistant-homes/

Wednesday, December 9, 2015

5 Types of Properties That Make the Best Investments

When it comes to real estate, it's typical to hear that location is everything. While that is certainly a critical aspect of any real estate investment, so is the type of property you're considering purchasing. There are many kinds of property choices, both for those that produce income and those that don't, and each will have its own factors that help to determine whether or not it ends up being a successful venture. Though any investment involves some percentage of risk, there are certain properties that have less risk than others and generally yield a nice return. Below are the types of properties most people find to make the best investments.

OFFICE SPACE

As businesses in various industries continue to grow and flourish, there becomes an increased demand for office spaces. These properties are greatly desirable due to their common location in bustling downtown areas and big, impressive office parks. Owners of office real estate can make a generous profit with high rental rates and long term tenants in areas that enjoy a positive economic environment.

MULTI-FAMILY RESIDENTIAL

Multi-family residential units are often where newer real estate investors choose to place their money, and for good reason. As long as you find a property that is in good condition and in an appealing neighborhood with low vacancy rates and are able to fill it with credible tenants, this can be a fairly simple way to earn quite a bit of money over time, even more so than with commercial properties. It's a fact that people will always need a place to live, making it easy to keep spaces full while collecting a stable income.

SINGLE-FAMILY RENTAL

Just like its multi-family counterpart, owners of single-family rental properties can look forward to a nice, steady cash flow each month and to making a profit even after all expenses are taken care of. Rental properties can frequently be purchased for less than market value, and they give owners the chance to take advantage of some considerable tax deductions.

RETAIL

Retail locations may include stand-alone brick and mortar buildings or entire shopping centers. Oftentimes, in shopping center situations property owners find they fair much better if there is an adjacent retailer that is well-known and will draw large crowds, such as a Wal-Mart, Target, or grocery store. Something to keep in mind is that, although owning a retail property can seem high-risk since performance and sales are largely based on the prosperity of the economy, retail tenants usually sign longer leases and are less likely to relocate than companies renting office space.

INDUSTRIAL

Industrial properties can also be a good place to start for first-time real estate investors. Owners can typically count on lower operating expenses, less hands-on management, and require smaller amounts of money to invest. These properties are utilized for a wide range of industrial uses and must be functional for its specific purpose, sometimes needing office build-outs and a large outdoor space.

Whichever type of property you choose to invest your time, money and efforts in, you will want to consider the neighborhood, property taxes, crime rate, local job opportunities, number of nearby vacancies and future development plans for the area. All of these factors will play a significant role in how successful your real estate investment turns out to be.

Shared from: http://accuplan.realtytimes.com/advicefromtheexpert1/item/40725-5-types-of-properties-that-make-the-best-investments

Tuesday, December 8, 2015

Decoding the Listings: Architecture Edition

OK, let’s get this straight: Craftsman isn’t just the brand name of the tools out in the garage, and Cape Cod isn’t just a fabulous vacation spot. We understand your confusion and feel your pain. There’s so much architecture lingo and name-dropping in listings, how’s a layman supposed to know what’s what? Oh look, realtor.com® to the rescue!Again! We’ve compiled a guide to the most popular architecture styles to help you identify what you want in your house hunt.

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