The kitchen is the most important room in a home – sell the kitchen to the buyer and you’ll sell the home. Full kitchen renovations are not always necessary and don’t always result in the highest return. In most cases, your kitchen doesn’t need renovations, just a few updates. Buyers love trendy features that make the home look like a stylish place to live.

1. Subway Tile

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If the only thing you update is the backsplash, you’ll transform your whole kitchen.  According to Zillow, homes that feature subway tiles sell for 13 percent more and about 60 days more quickly than homes without.

2. Try Two Tones

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Two-tone cabinets are another trend that buyers love. Try gray and white or navy and blue – neutral tones mixed with wood finishes are also a great pairing.

3. Farm It Out

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Stainless steel sinks are being replaced with apron-front farmhouse sinks are as they tend to create an immediate focal point and project an illusion of a higher priced kitchen. Zillow also reports that homes with farmhouse sinks can sell for eight percent more than those without.

4. Granite Countertops

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Zillow also found that listings touting the word “quartz” corresponded with a six percent sales premium. Granite countertops saw a boost too, though a lesser one at four percent. Still, homes with granite-topped counters sold 38 days sooner than those with less coveted surfaces, especially laminate.

5. Eat In

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almost 70 percent of homeowners surveyed by Houzz are planning or recently completed kitchen renovations that incorporate a place to eat, with 25 percent adding an actual dining table. Removing a non-load bearing wall to accommodate a table and chairs can be a cost-effective upgrade.

6. Open Floor Plans

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Last year’s Kitchen Trends Survey by Houzz found that homeowners prefer seamless transitions between living spaces and the kitchen. Almost half of renovating homeowners are opening up their kitchens to other interior spaces and 18 percent are opening them up to adjacent outdoor areas.

A fire pit is a fun and simple way to create an outdoor space perfect for entrainment. Firepits are a great commodity that can be used year round by roasting marshmallows in the summer and huddling around it for warmth in the winter.  They can be purchased from home improvement stores like Home Depot and Lowes or built by yourself, but tailored to any yard.

These homeowners decided the focal point of their backyard would be their fire pit. Decorated with lights, this chic backyard pit is perfect for any summer festivity.

These homeowners decided their fire pit would make a great addition to their yard by creating a small area  for it. This is a great way to incorporate a fire pit without dedicating your whole yard to it.

This square pit is perfect for cocktails around the fire while the meat is barbaqued. These homeowners found the perfect spot in their yard without creating a home space for it.

This unique pit was built below ground level, using the edges for seating. This may take a bit more work, but it is a fun way to peek your guests’ interest.

While fire pits are great for warm summer nights, backyard fireplaces add a level of luxury. While not all yards are built for these, getting creative in where to install them will prove to be beneficial. Perfect for day or night use, outdoor fireplaces are beautiful whether they are in use or not.

Now that Summer is here and interest rates are relatively low, there is no better time to buy or sell. Traditionally, the spring buying and selling season begins to pick up mid-January, but this year the market never slowed down.  If you want to get the most value for your home, there are a few improvements experts say you should invest in before you sell your home. Here are the top 5 ways to boost the value of your home:

1. Clean up and clear out

Nothing turns off prospective buyers more than a cluttered, disorganized home.

• Depersonalize your home. This doesn’t mean you have to remove all your family photos, but limit them to a decent amount. Remove or put away any trophies, awards, or religious decor items, and strive for a clean, simple look.

2. Spruce up your kitchen

The kitchen is one of the main selling points of your home – it’s the heart of the home.

• Don’t go and drop thousands on a brand new kitchen.  
• Start with a fresh coat of paint, new cabinet hardware, and new curtains.
• Fix any leaky faucets, loose light fixtures, and burn marks on the countertop.

Starting with these few fixes will greatly improve the overall look of the kitchen.

3. Freshen up the bath

Behind the kitchen, bathrooms are the second most important rooms in a home for sale.

• Start with small improvements, such as new light fixtures, new faucets, and mirrors.
• If it needs it, caulk the edges of the bathtub and regrout the tile.
• Also, new toilets will not only improve the look of the bathroom but the functionality.

 A well-kept bathroom will show buyers that your home is clean and well-maintained.

4. Paint the rooms

The fastest and cheapest way to transform a room is to paint it.

• This doesn’t mean you have to go through and paint every room in the house.
• Common rooms like kitchens, bathrooms, and living rooms are your best candidates.
• Rooms that have unusual or bright colors should also be painted.
• Stick to neutrals such as white or off-white, grays and beiges.

 Sticking to these colors will be less distracting, allowing prospective buyers to focus on other attributes.

5. Enhance curb appeal

Think of your open house as an interview. You wouldn’t go to an interview without brushing your hair or wearing a sharp outfit, you want to look the part. Now your home needs to look the part.

•  Start by trimming the bushes and trees, mowing the lawn, and putting mulch in between the in-ground plants.
• Make sure your porch and front door are looking its best as this area is the main focal point of your home. 

Just as everyone returns back to work from the biggest summer holiday, mortgage rates are taking their own vacation. Last week, mortgage rates hit the lowest levels of 2017.  This comes at a time when homes are in high demand while supply is low.

Economists were predicting mortgage rates to rise by the end of the year, but as legislative agendas and tax reform has slowed, rates have remained low.

Low rates provoke refinance activity, but since rates have been at historical lows for so long, there are limited numbers of homeowners who can refinance to an even lower number.

The demand is expected to increase even though there is a lack of for-sale supply.

Economists believe there is very little chance of rates bouncing back in the near future. If you’ve been thinking of buying a home, now is the time to do so. Call us today: 562.424.0333

Even if you haven’t sold a home before, you can guess there is a lot of work that goes into the process. From maintenance on the home to finding an agent, it’s no wonder so many things fall through the cracks. Here is a list of the most important to-dos that most sellers forget to do:

1. Google your address

Not all sellers search the internet to see what people are saying about their property or neighborhood, but they should. You should be aware of your online listing so you can further understand buyer’s concerns. Don’t forget to look at your home on Google Maps so you can see if there are any updates you may want to include in your description if they don’t show up.

2. Insist on social media marketing

After you’ve staged your home, picked competitive price, and listed it, it’s time you marketed on social media. Video tours, floor plans, and photos are a must do if you want to sell your home in 2017.

3. Clean everywhere inside

Potential buyers are going to be a bit nosey, as they should be. They will be looking inside closets, ovens, cabinets, even refrigerators. If they are not clean now, they should be by the time of the viewing. Even if you’ve cleaned every surface to a shine, you’re not done until you’ve cleaned every corner, small space, and inch of your home.

4. Account for improvements and issues

If you’ve lived in your home for a while, make a list of improvements and issues you have fixed. This includes flood damage, flooding in the basement, and chimney fires. Whether you solved the problem or not you should disclose the information to the buyers so you don’t wind up with a lawsuit post sale.