Home Mortgage • September 12, 2022

What Kinds of Banks Issue Mortgages?

by Brad Gibson

When you’re shopping for a mortgage, it can be tempting to just talk to the first person you meet, sign the loan documents, and be on your way. But before you do that, it’s actually pretty important that you ask what type of financial institution you’re dealing with, because they’re not all the same. Here’s a quick rundown of the main differences.

Traditional Banks

Traditional banks are exactly what you imagine when you think of banks. They’re big institutions that collect deposits, notarize things, and sell bonds to the public. With the funds from these activities, they also may lend their own money for the long term, or they may sell their loans to a secondary loan buyer like Fannie Mae to free up more cash.

With a traditional bank, you’ll often get a pretty good deal when it comes to fees, since there are no middlemen to pay, and a competitive lending rate. However, if you’re looking for special homebuyer programs, you’ll find that banks can’t always offer the same ones, and you may have to go to the specific bank offering the program you’re after. They can also be pretty picky when it comes to borrowers, and may not be willing to overlook blips on your credit report.

Mortgage Brokers

Mortgage brokers often get a bad rap, but they can be very useful if you’re looking for different kinds of programs to help with things like down payment assistance or loans that are far more forgiving of credit issues or high debt-to-income ratios.

You will pay a higher fee for using a mortgage broker, but sometimes that fee is worth the value they bring. Unlike with a traditional bank, mortgage brokers can match you with loans from a portfolio of banks, making it easier for borrowers to secure the mortgage loans they’re after. They can also often close very quickly, since they should know which lenders move quickly and which are slower to respond.

Credit Unions

Credit unions generally require borrowers to be members, but they can be valuable assets when it comes to securing a loan. Like a traditional bank, they typically loan their own money, or the money of credit unions in their network, but unlike a traditional bank, can often make unusual types of loans for specific circumstances. What each credit union will or can do will vary wildly between credit unions.

The fees with a credit union will typically be on the low side, but you may find that the lending is a bit slower and more tedious, since they may not make very many loans per year. This isn’t a bad thing, but it is a thing to be aware of if you need a quick closing because a previous loan or contract fell through and you’re scrambling.

Community Development Financial Institutions

Community Development Financial Institutions (CDFI) are specially certified organizations that have a primary aim to increase access to financial services like mortgages for low-income communities and other people who simply lack access to financing. These organizations can be banks, credit unions, or even venture capital funds.

If you qualify for a loan through a CDFI, you’ll find that you’ll receive favorable terms, as well as low fees, but may also be limited in your options when it comes to lending programs. However, the loans you can get through these organizations are generally very flexible, making it significantly easier for less than perfect borrowers to qualify.

Uncategorized • September 1, 2022

How to Pick an Air Compressor

by Brad Gibson

When you own a home, it’s important to have the tools that are necessary to make little repairs, or even do major DIY if that’s your thing. One of the most useful tools you can add to your collection is an air compressor. An air compressor can do so many things around the house, from helping you keep screens and vents debris-free, to airing up car tires and other inflatables, and even powering a whole collection of useful tools. But how do you pick the perfect air compressor for your projects? Don’t worry, it’s easier than you may think.

First, Choose Your Air Tools

Before you can really select an ideal air compressor, you need to know what you’re going to do with it. Are you going to use it to power an air nailer to help you install new trim work throughout your home? Will you just use it seasonally to blow up tires and pool toys? Knowing what you plan to do with your air compressor can help you choose an air compressor that can do the work.

How quickly an air compressor can supply air is measured in cubic feet per minute (cfm) and different tools use air at different rates. Paint sprayers, for example, will use a lot more air than a pneumatic nail gun, so if you plan to do a lot of painting, you’ll need an air compressor that can really step up. If you’ll use more than one air-thirsty tool at once with the same compressor, that goes doubly.

Consider Tank Size and Shape

The size of the tank on your future air compressor does matter, but nowhere near as much as the cfm it can supply. Having a large air tank can help compensate for a lower cfm, but that won’t work if you’re using a tool that uses air most of the time, such as a sprayer. You can’t exactly stop mid-spray to wait for the tank to refill, but you certainly could take a break if you were nailing or sanding.

For household use, there’s a secondary concern with tank size. Most of the tasks many homeowners will be tackling will be small jobs, and they may happen anywhere on the property. Having a smaller tank means that your unit is more portable, generally speaking (some do come with wheels), and can get into tighter spots. This can be an advantage, depending on how you’re using the air compressor.

Convenience IS an Option

Sometimes, you know you need tools, and you know you need an air compressor, and you find a delightful bundle of both. If you’re just doing occasional work around the house, and the bundled tools are ones you’ll actually use, it can be a great way to get into an air compressor and tool kit at a significant discount.

You’ll still want to consider all the other things you may do with that air compressor in the future, to ensure it’ll be useful to you as time goes by. So you’ll need to keep in mind how much air it can hold and how much it can produce, but choosing a bundle can make the decision easier. No matter which you choose, though, always make sure to get things like an air chuck for tire inflation, because you’ll use them over and over again.

Not Sure You Want the Baggage of an Air Compressor?

For some homeowners, extra tools just mean extra clutter and valuable space being taken up by things you might not use all that often. It’s ok to not buy an air compressor if it doesn’t make sense with what you hope to do with your home. If you’d rather hire someone to come around and hang your trim or winterize your pool house, that’s perfectly fine.

Home Improvement • August 31, 2022

Smart Switches 101

by Brad Gibson

As smart homes become more common, some homeowners are going beyond basics like smart bulbs and assistant hubs like Google Home and Amazon Echo. This can take a number of forms, from the addition of smart electronics and security systems to sensors throughout the house that can recognize when people walk into rooms and adjust the lighting and other resources accordingly. One increasingly popular option is the installation of smart switches in lieu of simply relying on individual smart bulbs to control lighting.

So what are smart switches, anyway? How do they work? Can you install them anywhere, or are there specific things that your home needs? If you’re curious about smart switches and whether they would be a good addition to your home, here are some of the basics that you should consider.

How Smart Switches Work

At their core, smart switches operate like most standard light switches and can turn lights or other connected devices on and off. Given that the switches are smart devices, though, they can do significantly more than that. Smart switches allow you to control the lights remotely using either an app or voice control through a digital assistant or a third-party hub. Depending on the bulbs that you use with your smart switch, you may also be able to control the brightness of the lights (similar to a dimmer switch) or function as a three-way switch. It’s worth noting that unless the bulbs are designed for it, smart switches can’t give you the ability to control the light’s color the way that standard smart bulbs can.

Perhaps the greater benefit of smart switches is that they allow you to tie your lighting into a larger smart ecosystem without having to pair each individual light bulb to the network. This gives you greater control of your home as a whole and allows you to incorporate lighting into smart home routines without having to program a bunch of individual components. You can also pair your smart switches with remote controls, giving you a portable switch that lets you control your lighting even without accessing your overall smart home controls.

Smart Switch Requirements

There are two major things that you’re going to need to use smart switches in your home. Perhaps the most important is grounded wiring, as all smart switches require grounding to operate. If you’re upgrading light switches that weren’t grounded, you’ll have to ensure that a ground wire is available, or your new switches simply won’t work.

Once you’ve got your switches grounded, you’re also going to need access to a 2.4Ghz Wi-Fi network. While this is a standard Wi-Fi frequency, 5Ghz Wi-Fi is also increasingly common, but is not compatible with most smart devices (including modern smart switches). Almost all modern routers and wireless access points are capable of broadcasting on both the 2.4Ghz and 5Ghz bands, so if you don’t have a 2.4Ghz band currently at your home then it shouldn’t be too difficult to add one.

Installing Smart Switches

There are two aspects to installing smart switches: installing the physical switch, and connecting it to your Wi-Fi network. Installing the switch is similar to any other grounded light switch installation, so it’s certainly doable as a DIY project if you feel confident in your wiring abilities, but check with your code office to make sure you’re allowed to do this kind of work. Once installed, the switch can then be connected to your Wi-Fi network using the manufacturer’s smartphone app on a phone or other mobile device that’s connected to the same network that the switch will eventually use.

Since wiring a smart switch involves dealing with electricity, if you aren’t confident in your ability to install the switch, if your local code office requires an electrician for that kind of work, or if you need a wiring upgrade, then you should call in a professional.

Home Improvement • August 25, 2022

What is a Deep Energy Retrofit?

by Brad Gibson

Owning an older home can be a really amazing experience. Not only do you get to actually live in a slice of history, you’re also there to make decisions about this building that will stay with it potentially for generations to come (no pressure). But it’s not all pink toilets and clawfoot tubs; a lot of the most important calls in older homes are about energy efficiency.

Deep energy retrofits are becoming increasingly common for older homes, helping to turn these structures that can be absolute energy vampires into far more efficient versions of themselves. This is well beyond a little weather stripping, and can make a big difference to longer term performance.

Deep Energy Retrofit Versus Weatherproofing

Weatherproofing is vital for homes of all ages, just to make sure that your home is sealed as best it can be, and that the equipment you have is performing at its best. But weatherproofing usually involves sealing cracks, caulking trim, and making sure everything fits snugly together. Deep energy retrofits can go well beyond that, depending on your home, your goals, and what your experts have to say about it.

In a deep energy retrofit, sealing the holes is important, but so is upgrading materials that are fundamental for the energy efficiency of an older home, using materials that make it more on par with newer ones. For example, as part of a deep energy retrofit, you might replace all your windows with triple pane insulated glass unit windows, and insulate the underside of your roof to help prevent heat penetration into your attic.

You might also upgrade or completely change your HVAC system, for example, going from a boiler to a ductless mini split system or improving air flow by adding new air intakes throughout your home. The combinations are endless, and largely depend on your local climate and your home’s needs.

Problems to Watch for With Deep Energy Retrofits

Although deep energy retrofits can save you a lot of money in the long term, there are some issues with doing the wrong kinds of upgrades to your home. Some houses, for example, use a type of exterior wall structure that isn’t very compatible with spray foam. They actually need the air gap between the walls to help moisture evaporate away from your house.

Other homes might have never been intended to be sealed so tight, so older fixtures like gas stoves and furnaces may require additional ventilation to prevent build-up of harmful carbon monoxide gasses. Most older homes constantly exchange air with the outside world, which is why they may require significant modification to achieve a safe deep energy retrofit.

Because deep energy retrofits often require a rethinking of how the building envelope functions, they can be very time consuming and costly to complete. This isn’t a reason to not pursue one, but it is something to keep in mind while you’re planning out your upgrades. After all, it’s hard enough to live with a kitchen in chaos, let alone an entire house turned upside down. A “one section at a time” approach can work well.

Home Improvement • August 22, 2022

Summer Siding Clean-Up

by Brad Gibson

Good siding can go a long way toward making your home look beautiful. For a lot of homeowners, they discover only one big drawback to having siding on their homes: it needs to be cleaned to keep it looking its best. Depending on the color of your siding, you may notice dirty streaks, dusty discoloration, and possibly even green tints from algae or mildew that will need to come off in order to restore your siding’s beauty.

Fortunately, cleaning siding usually isn’t too difficult, provided you have the right tools for the job. In this case, the right tool is typically a pressure washer. This can make short work of cleaning your siding, though it’s important that you understand how a pressure washer works and what you should and shouldn’t use one on. With a little caution, though, you’ll have your siding restored to its original beauty in no time.

Pressure Washing 101

Pressure washing isn’t difficult, but it does require a bit of preparation and care. Any loose items or decorations that could be damaged need to be removed from the area being cleaned, and electrical boxes and other items that don’t need to be hit with a high-pressure stream of water should be identified and possibly marked with tape so that you can avoid them. The pressure washer should then be positioned in a convenient area to clean the part of the house you’re focusing on and hooked up to your hose, and any cleaning product that you want to use, such as algae remover, should be added.

Once you’ve got the pressure washer set up, get a firm grasp on the wand and start spraying the siding. Start at the top of the house and work your way from side to side, slowly making your way down, to keep dirt and other unwanted material from flowing down onto areas that you’ve already cleaned. Keep an eye on the pressure and maintain a good grip on the wand as you move it to keep it from getting out of control. After you’ve finished the section you’re working on, move your pressure washing setup to a new area and start the process over.

What to Wash (And What to Avoid)

It should seem pretty straightforward what you should spray with a pressure washer and what you shouldn’t. Unfortunately, there are some potentially problematic surfaces that you might not consider which could result in unexpected damage.

Obviously you should avoid spraying anything fragile or loose, but you might not consider the effect that a pressure washer could have on painted siding where the paint has started to chip or flake. It turns out that pressure washers are great at removing old paint, which isn’t a discovery that you want to make while trying to clean your siding! Another thing to watch out for is siding that’s cracked or otherwise damaged. The pressure washer can make this damage significantly worse, both in vinyl siding and wood siding.

This is why it’s important to double-check the area you plan to clean and look for signs of damage before you actually start up the pressure washer. A little bit of inspection beforehand will go a long way to ensuring that you only wash siding that can withstand the pressure and that you won’t end up breaking or stripping something along the way.

Send in the Pressure Washing Pros

If you’re worried about the possibility that you might mess something up, you can hire a professional to get the job done. Power washing pros are available who know exactly how to handle the job, and siding installers and painters often offer power washing services as well.

Home Improvement • August 18, 2022

Create Cool Summer Spaces with Awnings

by Brad Gibson

If you have any kind of outdoor space, the chances are good that it’s the perfect place to hang out in only limited windows throughout the year. Although you probably imagined something like a backyard oasis when you chose your home, the reality is a little different when the sun gets a bit too bright and bears down a little extra enthusiastically.

That’s ok! There’s a solution for this very problem, and it’s a simple fix that can help transform that hot, bright patio or deck into a truly flexible outdoor haven. That’s right, it’s time to consider adding an awning to your home.

What Is an Awning?

Awnings were very popular features of homes prior to widespread air conditioning systems, and even persisted after central air was common to help shade windows and porches. You still see them as standard features on recreational vehicles, but they’re also coming back as important parts of a home’s exterior.

These large shades, made of materials like durable cloth or aluminum, are simple to install, relatively inexpensive, and create pools of shade immediately. Unlike trying to grow trees for shade, which can take years and years, or installing temporary shades like sail shades, awnings are fast and permanent solutions to your heat puddle woes.

In the past, they only came as fixed units, so once installed, they were where they were, even if you needed there to be more sunlight in the shaded space at certain times of the year. Today, however, you can choose between fixed awnings and retractable awnings, and even awnings that have remote controls to help you open and close them whenever you feel like it.

Retractable Awnings Versus Fixed Awnings

Because there are so many awning types available today, it can be hard to decide which one is ideal for your situation. Perhaps the most important question you need to ask yourself is if you’d be better off with a retractable awning or a fixed awning. Both have their pros and cons.

Fixed awnings are generally very sturdy, and can be less expensive because of the lack of additional mechanisms required to make them open and close. They don’t need a lot of maintenance because they have no moving parts, so besides the occasional wash, they mostly just hang around. Fixed awnings are great for patios that you’d like to shade year-round, or for places like above windows or doors that let far too much sun into your home.

Retractable awnings, on the other hand, can be an important part of your home’s climate management, even if they also double as shades for entertainment spaces. Because they can retract, you can close these awnings when the weather starts to cool off to allow the sun to help warm your home through passive solar heating. Even if you don’t need the thermal help, they can be closed before bad storms or heavy snows, leaving you with one less thing to worry about.

Freestanding Awnings Offer Flexible Solutions

If you’re not quite sure where you want your awning installed, or that you want it installed on your home at all, a freestanding awning might be the right solution for you. They’re great for backyards and pool areas, creating a lot of shade exactly where you need it, without being dependent on the location of a nearby wall.

Like building-mounted awnings, freestanding awnings come in a variety of materials, designs, and with retractable or fixed options. The only difference is that instead of being mounted on a building, they’re mounted on top of legs, much like a pop-up canopy. There is some risk with this design of wind damage, so if you’re in a windy area, make sure to choose one rated for high wind speeds and mount it securely to the ground.

Home Mortgage • August 11, 2022

How Does a Heloc Work?

by Brad Gibson

With home values having risen dramatically in the last few years, many homeowners are looking for ways to tap their equity without selling their home or refinancing their primary mortgage. If your home has gained significant value since you purchased it, or you’ve just paid so much of the mortgage down that you’ve got ample equity to work with, a second mortgage on your home might make sense.

Home Equity Lines of Credit (HELOCs) are popular options for homeowners in this very situation. They’re flexible loans that give you a lot of options and time to decide what you want to do with your equity, but they can also be a bit confusing because they don’t work like a more traditional home loan.

HELOCs Are Lines of Credit

The most important thing to keep in mind when it comes to a HELOC is that, unlike a traditional home equity loan, HELOCs are lines of credit. That means that they work much more like a credit card than a mortgage. You’re approved for a line of credit that represents the maximum amount of money you can charge to your HELOC (just like with a credit card), and your payments are based on how much of that line of credit you’ve used.

If you max out your HELOC, you can pay it down and charge again, just like with a credit card. Unlike a credit card, however, your home is being used as the security for this loan, so if you get in over your head, your home is at risk of foreclosure. So you must be very careful with this particular kind of credit line.

HELOCs Have Two Separate Loan Periods

HELOCs start out their lives as open lines of credit, allowing you to charge or pay off as much as you wish at any given time. You’re usually expected to make at least an interest payment each month, but beyond that, you can charge a lot or a little and only pay based on the percentage of the credit line you’ve utilized. This is known as the “draw” period.

This period of the HELOC, where it functions as a line of credit, is usually about 10 years, but can be more or less, depending on the loan you take out. Immediately following this period, your HELOC becomes a set loan, and you can no longer charge anything else to the line of credit.

In the repayment period, your HELOC becomes much more like a traditional second mortgage, with a payment that’s based on the amount of credit you ultimately used during the draw period. From here on, your payment is more or less fixed, but can vary if you have an adjustable rate loan. The repayment period is usually about 20 years, but, again, can be different based on your agreement with your bank.

There is often a balloon payment due at the end of the repayment period, so if this is a concern for you, make sure that your loan either will fully amortize or that you’re paying extra each month to ensure your last payment takes your note to a zero balance.

HELOC Requirements

Like other home equity loans, you’ll need to be able to qualify for a HELOC with a reasonable credit score (ask your lender for specifics), a debt-to-income ratio of about 40% or below, and a high amount of home equity. Most lenders won’t lend more than about 85% of your home’s equity back to you, in case of default.

Of course, there are exceptions to all of these rules of thumb, so it’s very important to consult with multiple lenders before you make your final decision on who will be servicing your HELOC. You’ll also need an appraisal to assess the current value of your home, as well as minimal closing paperwork to finalize and record the loan.

Home Improvement • August 8, 2022

Tips for Your Basement Remodel

by Brad Gibson

Having a finished basement is a great addition for just about any house. It can give you a place to relax, a play area for your children, or even additional bedroom space if you need it. Some people even use basement areas to create fully furnished workshops, craft rooms, and other furnished DIY areas so they’ll have comfortable places for hobbies and keep DIY clutter out of the main house areas. The possibilities of a finished basement are limited only by your imagination.

With that said, finishing or remodeling a basement area can be a big undertaking. There are ways to keep it from becoming overwhelming, though, as well as things that you can do to avoid potential problems down the line. While the specifics of your basement project will depend on where you live and how you’re designing your basement, here are some tips that should help you to remodel your basement space into something closer to your liking.

Plan for the Basics First

There are a few things that you’re going to want to tackle before you get too far into planning your basement remodel. Some issues such as stuffy air, moisture problems, and poor lighting often plague basements and cause finished basement areas to be underutilized compared to the rest of the house. You’re going to want to make sure that any foundation cracks or other leaks are taken care of, that the basement has good ventilation and air purification as needed, and that there’s sufficient lighting for your needs.

Heating and cooling issues are another thing you’re going to want to plan for early on. Finished basements can become stuffy or drafty if you don’t have proper HVAC extensions or other heating and cooling options in place, and pipes running through the basement ceiling can make a huge mess if they freeze and burst during especially cold winters. Proper insulation, good seals around windows and doors, and some way to keep temperature-regulated air flowing can go a long way toward avoiding these issues.

Make the Room Your Own

Before you really dive into a major remodeling project, take the time to figure out exactly what the space is going to be used for. Once you have this in mind it will help a lot with other design decisions. Having a purpose in place can help you choose wall and ceiling colors, aid in determining storage needs, and even help you choose the sort of flooring or furniture that you want in your finished basement area.

As you plan out your basement and what you want to use it for, your needs can also make it easier to tell whether you’ll need a single large room or if you’ll want to partition the basement space into multiple smaller rooms. Having a plan in place will go a long way toward making sure that all of your needs are covered and that your new space will actually meet your needs.

Bring in Some Help

While there are a number of jobs that you can DIY in a basement remodel, there are still some areas that are best left to the professionals. This is especially important if your basement needs new lighting installed, new plumbing, or an extension to your HVAC system to ensure that you have adequate ventilation in your new basement area. While it may be tempting to try and do some of these things yourself, that can set you up for a lot of problems down the road.

Fortunately, JoAnn and I are here to help. We can connect you with plumbers, electricians, HVAC pros, and other professionals to make sure that everything is done correctly and up to code. Whether you just need some lights installed or full room partitions, we’ve got you covered.

Home Improvement • August 3, 2022

Is Your Smart Home Spying on You?

by Brad Gibson

Once upon a time, smart home devices required dedicated hubs and a unique kind of wireless network to operate their various lights, sensors, and switches. With the popularity of digital assistants such as Alexa, Siri, and the Google Assistant, though, it was only a matter of time before they became a dominant force in smart home technology. While dedicated device hubs still exist, a significant portion of smart home devices are now designed and marketed to work with popular digital assistants and devices such as the Google Home and Amazon Echo.

This brings a considerable amount of convenience to smart homes, since instead of having to use control apps or other means to interact with hubs you can simply ask Google or Alexa to do what you want to do. Some people consider this problematic, however; after all, just how much are Google and Alexa listening to you? Is your smart home spying on you without your knowledge? Let’s find out.

Your Home Has Ears

Devices such as the Google Home and Echo can do a lot of things, but their general design is kind of simple; they are essentially internet-connected speakers with microphones. This means that they could theoretically listen to anything that you say, and given the way that they function, they are actually listening all of the time. The devices passively listen for their “wake words”, the “Hey Google” or “Alexa!” that activate their features and get them ready to receive instructions.

This leads some people to wonder whether these devices are spying on them, listening to conversations for words or phrases that could then be used for marketing or more sinister purposes. This ranges from people who think that the devices are building targeted ads off of the things that they say, to those who believe that the devices record what you say and turn incriminating speech over to the police or government. None of this is true, but that doesn’t mean that some of it couldn’t come to pass in the future. It also doesn’t mean that there aren’t some other potentially problematic activities going on.

Is Your Smart Home Spying?

Having a computer process the things that you say and convert them into marketing (or flag them as “problematic” and turn them over to some sinister government agency) is programmatically intensive. That’s why digital assistants primarily use wake words to activate their language processing; it’s much easier to listen for a few specific words before diving deep into language processing. The problem is that if the assistant hears something close enough to its wake word, then it will start recording for processing even if you didn’t actually try to engage the device, and that recording can pick up background conversations as well.

There is some concern that certain patents and algorithm updates could result in more targeted use of recorded data, allowing companies to pick out keywords from discussions for marketing purposes. It’s worth noting that not all patents actually make it into commercial products, especially given the spotlight that’s being shined on data leaks and consumer privacy in recent years. While these patents definitely show that Amazon and other companies have considered how this sort of data harvesting would work, the sort of large-scale harvesting for marketing purposes that some people fear is (at least currently) not actively out in the wild on these devices.

Home electronics pros, contractors with smart home experience, and other professionals can help you find just the right devices and sensors to put your fears at ease and keep you and your smart home safe.

Home Improvement • July 18, 2022

Preserving the Charm of Historical Homes

by Brad Gibson

When you’re looking for a house, or even making decisions about the one you already own, there’s a lot to be said for leaving things be. Sure, there are some horrific things that history gave us that should be forgotten forever, but there are also historical features that are not only charming and quirky, but sought-after by buyers. These days, getting a house ready for sale doesn’t mean having to get rid of everything that makes that house interesting.

Preserving a Home’s Character and History

It’s not unusual to need to do some kind of updates to a home. No matter how cool the mid-century modern bathroom is in your MCM ranch, or how original the kitchen in your Victorian, sometimes change is inevitable. For example, you might need to make these spaces more accessible, or update the plumbing or electrical, requiring extensive changes.

But you can still update and preserve a home at the same time by making careful choices that make sense with the home’s history. Choosing replacement materials that are close to what would be accurate for that bathroom that needs a walk-in shower, or refitting a new kitchen with extensive nods to its period, are common ways to handle these situations. It can help complete the illusion by repurposing as many of the original elements as possible, which also keeps more trash out of the landfill. One notable exception to the rule is if your materials are considered hazardous, like flooring made with asbestos (consult with a remediator on how to legally and safely remove it in your state).

Do Buyers Want Pink Bathrooms?

Yes! Although HGTV would have you believe that the entire world wants homes that are black, white, and gray, the truth is a lot different than that. After touring homes that have been completely “grayed out,” having that cool retro bathroom or deeply detailed wooden trim is actually a point in your favor with many buyers. Your house can stand apart from the crowd, simply by being itself. There’s no amount of sterilization that can make an old house a new one, but you can sterilize the heart and history out of a home very quickly and easily by trying to turn your home into something that it isn’t.

Buyers do pick up on that in homes that have been way overdone. They never quite feel right. When people walk into a house expecting to see wooden floors or chrome plating because it reminds them so much of their grandmother’s house, and what they get is a generic house that looks like 10 others that are currently under construction, it’s a big letdown.

Preservation Also Saves Money

Not only does preserving as many of the cool features of your home as possible keep more construction waste out of landfills and help your home stand out from the crowd, it also keeps more money in your pocket. Things like Formica counters and tile floors never really go out of style, nor do good quality lighting, brick, hardwood flooring, wooden doors, or hundreds of other sturdy materials that you find in older homes.

Everyone who tours your home will have something to say about every material in it, no matter what you choose, so you might as well do yourself a favor and keep all the things that make your house your home. It’ll save you money and draw in new buyers who are looking for something beyond the boring gray of today’s real estate market.

Who Can You Call for Help?

When it comes to a historical rehabilitation, there are plenty of people who can be called in to help get the ball rolling. From general contractors who help preserve historic homes, to electricians who specifically focus on older structures, and even window installers who can upgrade the efficiency of your home without changing the look of it, there’s an army of people to consult.

Home

Properties

About Me

Blog

Neighborhood News

Coldwell Banker Realty 12731 Marblestone Dr Ste 103 , Woodbridge, VA 22192-8334 O: 703.763.1950

Brad Warren Gibson
Realtor

12731 Marblestone Dr Ste 103
Woodbridge, VA 22192-8334
Office Phone: (703) 763-1950
Cell Phone: (434) 989-9122

Real estate agents affiliated with Coldwell Banker are independent contractor sales associates and are not employees of the company.

© 2022 Coldwell Banker. All Rights Reserved. Coldwell Banker and the Coldwell Banker logos are trademarks of Coldwell Banker Real Estate LLC. The Coldwell Banker® System is comprised of company owned offices which are owned by a subsidiary of Realogy Brokerage Group LLC and franchised offices which are independently owned and operated. The Coldwell Banker System fully supports the principles of the Fair Housing Act and the Equal Opportunity Act.

The property information herein is derived from various sources that may include, but not be limited to, county records and the Multiple Listing Service and it may include approximations. Although the information is believed to be accurate, it is not warranted and you should not rely upon it without personal verification.