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/

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

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/

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.

Cape Cod

Cape Cod with steep roof and second-story dormers

Pop Chart Lab

OK, it’s no spoiler that these homes are named after the quintessential New England vacation destination—Cape Cod in Massachusetts—where they first became prevalent. Much like the Puritans of old, Cape Cods are modest and economical. This makes sense, since Colonial settlers in the Northeast modeled their newly built homes after British cottages. These homes have steep roofs that reach the first floor (to quickly shed rain and snow) and second-story dormers (a window that projects vertically from a sloping roof). Fun fact: Original Capes used unfinished cedar shingles, which are ideal to weather the stormy and unforgiving East Coast winters.

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Colonial

Colonial with symmetrical features and entry door in the middle

Pop Chart Lab

A Colonial is an OCD fever dream come true: It’s symmetrical and features an entry door in the middle of the front of the home with two windows on either side; there are five windows on the second floor, with one directly above the entry door. Colonials, which originally rose in popularity in the oh-so-uniform 1700s, are still common around the U.S. They’re usually built of wood or brick, which are perfectly suited to the simple, clean, and boxy style. If you see a hint of ancient Greece and Rome in the style, you aren’t wrong. Looking for distinctive flourishes? Keep looking.

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Victorian

Queen Anne–style Victorians: aggressive whimsy or detail-packed charm?

Pop Chart Lab

Did you spend hours with your dollhouse as a kid? Were your parents, teachers, and various health care providers worried? Then the detail-packed Victorian style will probably look familiar. Key features include a complicated, asymmetrical shape with wings and bays in various directions; elaborate trim; shingles or patterned masonry; steep rooflines; and a large, wraparound porch. They are often painted in bright, complementary colors to highlight the painstaking details. Some people are put off by their aggressive whimsy, but plenty consider them perfect houses to grow old in and sip lemonade on the porch.

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Tudor

Tudor with multifaçade gables

Pop Chart Lab

Love yourself some neutrals or Jonathan Rhys Meyers? Then you’re probably drawn to Tudors, which are built of brick or stone on the first level and complementary stucco and timbering on the second—all of which is inspired by the medieval architecture of Tudor England in the early 16th century. These babies are made to withstand the elements, with deeply pitched roofs and detailed, covered entryways, which is why you’ll see more of them in the chilly northeast.

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Ranch

Ranch with cross-hipped roof

Pop Chart Lab

Blame (or credit, depending on how you feel about this style) the rise of the automobile, not cowboys, for ranch houses. Cars made it possible for families to buy large lots of land outside traditional metropolitan centers—aka “the suburbs”—so people built spread-out ranch houses to take advantage of these new spaces. These homes are one story and often have an L- or U-shaped floor plan surrounding a patio, sliding glass doors, and a carport or garage. Quite possibly the best-known symbol of American housing, the ranch can conjure up images both good and evil, but no doubt you will see lots of them.

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Bungalow

Bungalow/Craftsman with handcrafted details

Pop Chart Lab

These adorable one-story homes are characterized by their low pitched roof and large front porch. Also called Craftsmans, they rose in popularity in the early 1900s during the arts and crafts period and were revered for their—you guessed it—handcrafted details: hand-cut wood, iron and copper work, and masonry. Bungalows hit their peak during this time and became so popular in the early part of the past century, that you could order a complete kit from Sears.

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Spanish

Spanish-style home designed to withstand heat

Pop Chart Lab

You find a lot of these homes in the South or Southwest (Hollywood is full of them). One reason for their popularity: They’re built from the ground up to take the heat. Clay tile roofs keep the home cool during the hot summer months and extend beyond the walls to provide extra shade, while extensive outdoor living areas, columns, and arched windows and openings take advantage of the breeze.

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Mid-Century Modern

Mid-Century Modern with sharp angles and void of ornamentation

Pop Chart Lab

If you squint just enough, Mid-Century Modern homes (sometimes just called “modern,” though the century in question is the 20th) can look a bit like your grade-schooler’s art project. Full of sharp angles and void of ornamentation, these contemporary homes offer flat or shallow-pitched roofs and loads of glass. They often incorporate the surrounding outdoor space via decks and balconies. While they started sprouting up in the 1950s, the timeless aesthetic has turned these sleek, stripped-down houses into classics.

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French Country

French Country home with symmetrical shape and balanced windows

Pop Chart Lab

Is that a Nicholas Sparks movie we feel coming on? No, it’s just the French Country/Provincial style that’s inspired by the rustic manors that dotted the fields of northern and southern France during the reign of Louis XIV in the mid-1600s. The Revival style popped up in the 1920s and 1960s. The homes have a square, symmetrical shape with windows (often double windows and/or balconies) balanced on either side of the entrance and a steep hipped roof. They are most often made of stone, stucco, and brick.

Shared from:  http://www.realtor.com/advice/buy/most-popular-architecture-styles/

How to Save for a Home When All Your Money Is Going Toward Rent

Renters everywhere are feeling the constraints of rising rents. Higher rents erode your ability to save the cash you need to buy a home. Your living situation becomes a Catch-22: the longer you rent, the bigger percentage of your discretionary income you may need to save to offset rent increases.

Saving up to buy a home is no easy feat. You typically need at least a minimum of $20,000 to cover a down payment plus closing costs. That’s because you’ll need at least a 3.5% down payment to qualify for a mortgage and closing costs can be around $7,000 to $10,000 (about 2% to 3% of the purchase price). This goes without saying, but the higher the home price, the more funds you will need for the down payment.

(Keep in mind, you’ll also need a good credit score to qualify for the best mortgage rates. You can get your credit ready to buy a home by checking your free annual credit reports at AnnualCreditReport.com and looking at your credit scores for free each month on Credit.com.)

Picture this scenario: you’re diligently putting away at least 15% of your gross monthly income to buy a home in the near future. If your income is $8,333 per month ($100,000 a year) either from you or a spouse or combined, you would be saving $15,000 per year (or $1,250 a month) to meet that 15% mark.

Savings tip: A 15% home savings rate is a figure you may want to aim for if you make at least $60,000 a year and are looking to buy a house within the next two years. In some markets, however, your savings rate may need to be higher to be consistent with the cost of living in that area.

As demand for housing remains strong, monthly rents are subject to change commensurate with what the market will bear. Let’s say your rent payment is $2,200 per month now, but rises to $2,500 due to housing market changes. You would need to find a way to recover the $300 increase if that money was formerly going into your savings fund. How do you do it?

How to keep rent increases from ruining your plan

Taking no action and using the money you would be saving for a home to cover the higher rent payment will lengthen your home-buying trajectory as your savings rate diminishes. With the rent now at $2,500 and your annual income still at $100,000, your savings rate, as a consequence of losing that $300, falls to 11.4% a year.

You may still get you a home, but will perhaps have to look for one in a lower price range or a different neighborhood. Alternately, you can lengthen your timeframe for making your purchase. You can also cut expenses to offset the rent increase. Here are a few ways to possibly do so:

1. Cut an expense equal to the rent increase. Sounds obvious, but if you can find another spending area to cut back on (Daily Starbucks? A rarely used gym membership? Online shopping?) rather than diverting the home savings to cover your higher rent, you’ll be able to stay on track.
2. Look for a new place with a lower rental obligation. The process might be difficult, but could be worth it for the greater good of buying a home in the near future.
3. Move in with family to aggressively save for your new house. Going from $2,200 a month in rent to $0 can super-accelerate your home-buying timeline.
4. Get a roommate to help pay the rent and offset the increase.
5. Lock in your rental amount with a lease, keeping in mind that a lease binds you to the property. This contract, however, might not be such a bad thing if the term of the lease is consistent with your savings and home-buying plan.
6. Consider buying a home sooner, if you’re financially able to do so. Many 401(k) and retirement fund accounts allow for special privilege borrowing provisions to buy a primary residence. If you have a slush fund in your 401(k), this could be a good option and the money comes out of your paycheckpre-tax.
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   This article was written by Scott Sheldon and originally published on Credit.com.

Shared from:  http://www.realtor.com/advice/finance/how-to-save-for-a-home-when-all-your-money-is-going-toward-rent/

8 of the Creepiest, Craziest Things People Have Found in Their Homes

Buying a new home is exciting, but you don’t want it to be too exciting—say, by finding a gravesite in your backyard. Not cool! For a glimpse of why you should never, ever skimp on your home inspection, check out this list of the most bizarre things new homeowners have unearthed on their property after moving in.

Dead chickens

During renovations in February 2015, the dream home of the Bretzius family in Auburn, PA, quickly devolved into the stuff of nightmares when they discovered their 1930s house had been insulated with dead chickens in the walls, along with spices and other “ritualistic objects.” Why? Experts theorized it was a form of Dutch folk magic known as Pow-wow, meant to ward off sickness, which is ironic because this discovery made homeowner Kaija Bretzius feel sick to her stomach.

“We were shocked, horrified, and disgusted,” Bretzius told WNEP News—even more so when she learned that excavating the carcasses would cost $20,000 (they started a GoFundMe for donations).

13 graves

When attempting to build a deck at the back of her house in Charlotte, NC, in June 2012, Roslyn Wright got a nasty surprise when she unearthed 13 gravestones. With graves underneath, naturally. Granted, Wright had been informed before buying the house that there was a graveyard somewhere out back, but the macabre discovery still gave her a turn.

“I never expected that they would be that close,” she told WSOC-TV. At least if a poltergeist arrived, she’d know why.

A lot of ammunition

The previous owner of this house was fully armed to fight off a zombie apocalypse. At least, that’s what the new homeowner figured as he posted images on imgur claiming he found a secret room containing tons of ammo, including thousands of bullets, military-grade gun crates, a defused grenade, and hundreds, if not thousands, of pennies. Maybe so they could be melted down into more ammo?

An ‘odd’ fellow

A family in Leflore County, OK, happened upon a coffin while searching their barn out back—and within it, a 100-year-old skeleton. The bones, which were found in February 2015, belonged to the Independent Order of Odd Fellows, who use skeletons in their initiation ceremonies. Yup, those are odd fellows, all right.

A medieval well

Colin Steer in Plymouth, England, had always wondered why his living room floor dipped in the middle, so he started digging. Three days and 17 feet later, he figured out why.

His home was sitting on top of a medieval well.

Further research and excavation revealed that the well dated to the 16th century and went down 33 feet. Crews also unearthed a sword that must have been tossed in centuries earlier.

“I love the well and think it’s fascinating,” Colin told The Telegraph in August 2012. “I’d love to find out who was here before us. I’ve got a piece of Plymouth’s history in my front room.”

A used body bag

In October 2015, a Detroit woman was cleaning out the garage of her newly purchased home when she came across a menacing find: a body bag, empty but for an “unknown male” tag. The funeral home across the street unequivocally states the bag isn’t theirs, but it’s definitely no super-size Ziploc. Local 4 Detroit tried figuring out who it belonged to and why, but doesn’t have any answers. We kind of hope it never does.Shared from:http://www.realtor.com/news/trends/8-bizarre-finds-by-new-homeowners/

Home Design Tips from Ellen

Who knew? Ellen DeGeneres isn’t just an affable talk-show host and beloved comedian. She’s also an extremely prolific home designer and house flipper, as shown in her new book, “Home.”

“I wanted to be an interior designer when I was 13,” DeGeneres admits in her book—which explains why, over the past 25 years, she has bought and renovated nearly a dozen homes. Each home was an adventure and an education, she recalls. Below, from her book, are a few lessons she’s learned, as well as gorgeous photos of her interiors that illustrate her points.

Neutral colors make the best palette

“I like neutral colors with stronger colors in art, pillows, or a nice throw. Big color statements on walls or furniture can be fun, but limit the possibility of changes.”

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Get a chalkboard in your kitchen

“Chalkboards make a great, fun statement in a home. You can draw on them or use them practically to make lists or write notes. You can write something like, ‘Remember to put away your shoes,’ just as a random, not-specific-to-my-life example.”

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Less is more

“When finishing a room, I find it’s often useful to take one thing away. I always want to make sure it doesn’t look overdone or fussy.”

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Go vintage

“Vintage fabrics can help personalize your home. They can be used for throw pillows, upholstery on a headboard—even a dog bed.”

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Let there be light—lots of it

“Every room needs more than one light source. Lighting can be harsh or insufficient if you just rely on ceiling lighting. I like soft, even lighting, and I think floor and table lamps are essential to creating the right mood.”

Shared from:  http://www.realtor.com/advice/home-improvement/five-home-design-secrets-from-ellen-degeneres/

Selling Your Home? Better Make Sure It’s Clean Before Moving Out!

Let’s face it: Now that you’ve found a buyer and scheduled the closing, you’re ready to be done with your old home. A clean break! The last thing you want to do is spend the weekend deep cleaning the place for someone else to enjoy. Besides, would it even matter?

Actually, yes, it does matter.

We feel for you—the temptation to skip out on those last few cleaning chores is strong. But don’t give in. How dirty you leave your home isn’t just about etiquette—it could also cause problems with the sale of your home.

While buyers may forgive you if you forget to sweep under the stove, more serious offenses can have serious consequences. Check your contract: Some sellers may stipulate that the place be spotless by the time they move in. If you agree to this (verbally or in writing) and don’t live up to your end of the bargain, you could be at risk for a lawsuit.

So if you leave a pile of filth, the new owner could delay closing—or even bail on the sale altogether.

“In a rare case I had someone walk away from the sale because of the condition of the home at the final walk-through,” says Darbi McGlone, a Realtor® in Baton Rouge, LA.

Odds are your buyer will be incredibly stressed out by closing day, and you don’t want to make matters any worse.

“It could be the straw that breaks the camel’s back,” McGlone says.

So, what are you waiting for? Let’s bust out the yellow rubber gloves and get to work.

Work from the top down

When it comes to cleaning, starting early is easiest.

“I recommend doing a good scrubbing and decluttering before putting the house on the market—it can be very stressful to do at the last minute,” says Wendy Wrzos, certified interior redesign specialist and founder of The Blue Giraffe, a home staging and redesign company in New Jersey.

But if you didn’t start early, don’t panic. If you attack the job with a plan, it’ll get done faster. Try to clean room by room, working from the top down.

Dust the ceiling fans, wipe down the walls, and then sweep, vacuum, or mop. Clean the refrigerator (if it’s staying behind), and give a once-over to the oven and stove—including the drip pans. Check the air vents for filth or mold—and if you spot any, call in a professional. This won’t be a standard broom cleaning.

Once you’re done with one space, move on to the next. And don’t forget the details.

“Light fixtures are rarely cleaned,” McGlone says. “Wiping down cabinets and drawers inside and out would be nice also—not many sellers ever do it.​”

Take a deep breath

Cleanliness isn’t the only thing you have to worry about before the final walk-through.

“The first thing buyers always notice when they walk inside is if your home has any less-than-appealing smells, whether it is cat litter, a wet dog, garbage, or the fish you cooked two nights ago for dinner,” Wrzos says.

Reality check: Any strange odors—even if temporary—will make the buyers think the home is dirty. (And they may be right.)

Even if you’ve already moved out, go back into the home for a quick sniff before the walk-through. Bring a friend who might not be as nose-blind to your old home as you are, and ask for an honest opinion.

Air fresheners can minimize lingering odors, of course, but you can also try these innovative tips and tricks. When all else fails, call in a deodorization pro. Yes, they exist.

Take everything with you

Many sellers leave behind personal items, because either they think the new owner may get use out of them or they just don’t want to deal with them. But here’s the thing: “No one wants your old shower curtain and matching trash can,” McGlone says.

Unless the buyer specifically asked for something, take everything with you. Double-check attics, basements, storage closets, and the garage for anything you might have missed.

Shared from:  http://www.realtor.com/advice/sell/how-clean-should-sellers-leave-a-home-before-moving-out/