Month: September 2018

Taking care of your home isn’t just another item on the to-do list. It’s a way to protect your financial investment — one that will hopefully result in a bigger ROI when you decide to sell.

Although you might not have a yard or tons of square footage, your home can still benefit from some regular maintenance. Things like carefully chosen upgrades, thoughtful painting decisions and creating smart ownership habits will all help keep your home in top shape. These tips can help:

• Prevent problems. By acting ahead of time, you’ll hopefully avoid annoying and costly repairs. Some proactive measures you can take right now? Make sure you have pest services scheduled regularly. And keep an eye on your appliances. Outdated appliances are more likely to break and aren’t very energy-efficient.

• Get smart. Smart home technology doesn’t just add convenience to your home, but many times, it also reduces your energy and utility costs as well. This means savings for you — and a more marketable home years down the road.

• Maintain appearance. Don’t underestimate the importance of cleanliness and a welcoming vibe, especially in small spaces. A fresh coat of paint and regular decluttering will help make your day-to-day life and a future sale easier.

• Check seals. Windows can shift and loosen in their frames over the years, and that means lost air conditioning and higher energy bills. Have your windows inspected annually, and make sure any weatherstripping and caulking is in good condition. 

Consistent upkeep means big problems are less likely, and it usually pays off when it comes time to sell. Want more advice on caring for your home? Get in touch today.

Reported by Jonathan Miller’s Housing Notes: August 31, 2018  

I came across a New York Times piece that looked at price trends as indicative that there has been no real impact from the new federal tax law on the housing market. The Trump Tax Cuts Were Supposed to Depress Housing Prices. They Haven’t.

It was a rehash of a Ken Harney piece in the Washington Post on June 13th: The new tax law was supposed to cause a slump in housing values. It hasn’t materialized — yet.

Relying on price trends is the same flawed logic used during the housing bubble. Pick any market back then. Housing sales fell sharply eventually leading to a sharp drop in prices. Peak prices nationwide were seen in 2006 while peak sales were achieved a year earlier. I continue to be amazed at how this continues to be missed in economic circles.

Think of a seller anchored to a ridiculously high list price. It takes them 1-2 years to de-anchor and not feel like they haven’t left money on the table. What happens when a housing market is exposed to a federal new tax law overnight? The sellers continue to demand their price and a rising number of buyers opt not to pay it. In other words, sales decline first. This is exactly what is happening in high tax, high-cost states right now.

And it is true, the new federal tax law likely won’t have any real impact in 80% of U.S. markets because of their much lower housing prices, mortgage amounts. property taxes and SALT. The doubling of standard deductions made it irrelevant. But let’s not proclaim the same goes for the entire U.S. when without too much effort you can see the slowdown in real-time in high-cost markets. This article treated the national housing market as, well, a single market. The new federal tax law, as far as housing goes, was designed to have the most impact on high-cost housing markets such as those found on the west coast and the northeast and the reform aspect centered on reducing the amount of itemization.

We are seeing slowing sales in the northeast and west coast right now, 9 months after the law became effective. Price trends are not a reliable basis for the premise being suggested in this piece. Here’s how it goes:

• external impact (tax law)
• sales decline (yes)
• inventory rises (happening now in the U.S. including NE and West)
• prices slip (next)

In other words, 9 months is way too early to be calling for no impact. We can see it happening in NYC right now.

New lighting is one of the easiest ways to update your interior design FLOS has some inspiring lighting designs,  But you can find similar light fixtures at discounted sites like Overstock.com to help keep to a budget

Living rooms tend to be the biggest spaces in the home, and as such need the most diverse sources of lighting. Chandeliers, pendants, table lamps, and floor lamps all have their role to play in making them shine. See how top talents used FLOSlighting to craft beautiful living spaces and also how they made a smaller (but no less effective) design statement in chic studies.

Elias Associates devised a powerhouse living space that mixes the traditional and the hyper-modern, with FLOS’s 2097 Chandelier as the centerpiece.

Michele Safra Interiors used the iconic Arco floor lamp by Achille Castiglioni to illuminate this chic, neutral living space.

more “Living Rooms & Studies Feat. Inspiring FLOS Lighting” …