All posts tagged real estate

new year, new home?

 

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It’s the start of a new year and many of us are reflecting on areas of our lives we want to improve on. The pandemic over the course of the past two years has made many of us reflect on our living spaces. Some of us are now working from home, so need extra space for desks and other office style equipment. Some of us have new jobs and want to move. Some of us have realised we want to be closer to friends and family. Some of us have simply had time to reflect on our properties and have decided we want something different. Whatever your reason for considering a new home for the new year, here are a few areas of focus that you can take into consideration. Hopefully, they’ll help you to find something that works for you!

Considerations

There are so many things to consider when choosing a new home. Some will hold more weight than others for different people, so here are just a few to take into account to get the ball rolling.

  • Area – where would you like to live? This is the first step you should take, as it will allow you to begin your property search. Do you need to be close to work? Do you need to be near schools for children? Do you want to be close to friends and family? Would you like to live in the city or a more rural area? These types of questions should help you to find a location that you’re happy with.
  • Property size – how big does your home need to be? Would you be fine in an apartment? Or do you need a home with separate rooms and living spaces? If you’re buying, it’s generally best to go bigger than your current needs if you think your family may be growing in the near future.
  • Aesthetics – how a property looks can determine how much you like it. Do you want something new or older? Modern or traditional?

Once you have an idea of what you’re looking for, you can use reliable real estate sites like Compass to get your property search started.

Remember

Moving isn’t necessarily the only option. Sure, if you want to move location, then you will have to move home to achieve this. But if you’re considering moving because of things like outgrowing your property, wanting more natural light or wanting more or fewer rooms, you could always consider renovating the property you’re already in. This is a great option for those who love their current home and don’t really want to leave and those who have children who they don’t want to disrupt. Sure, renovations can mean having work carried out in your living spaces for a while, which isn’t always ideal, but it’s a good way to make the property you’re already in better fit your needs and preferences.

These are just a few suggestions that could help you find the living space of your dreams. Hopefully, some of the information will come in useful for you and make all the difference! You’ll be in your new home before you know it.

** This was a contributed post.

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by Hello, Scarlett Blog on 01/06/2022  •  Permalink
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Posted by Hello, Scarlett Blog on 01/06/2022

https://helloscarlettblog.com/2022/01/06/new-year-new-home/

the checklist guide to finding your dream home

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Buying a new home can be an overwhelming and exciting adventure. Before you go home hunting, you probably have an image of the kind of home you want to buy in mind. The more significant challenge comes when you do not have the knowledge or experience in looking for homes; deceitful agents are many.

Once you know what you are looking for, you can start by researching online for any locations and neighborhoods that fit your description; but you will need some legwork. Arm yourself with the necessary information before facing any agent.

If you are still uncertain about which home to buy, these tips might help you.

Do Quality Research

You will need to do intensive research before settling for any home in the market. When you notice a potential home, visit the neighborhood and learn it better. Make sure that the surrounding is conducive for your family, especially if you have kids and pets. 

It would be best to find an excellent person to guide you through the process. Then, you can identify a reputable agent who knows the area. Check here for more info on the best real estate agents to involve in determining a perfect home.

Work Within Your Budget

Many properties will fit the descriptions of your dream home, but they will have different prices. Nevertheless, it is good to have a budget in mind and probably write before going to the market. Suppose you plan to buy the home on mortgage or loan, get the home loan approval beforehand to know how much you have to spend.

Weigh various payment plans offered by different sellers and see which one suits you best. Negotiating prices can save you a significant amount of money. It may be more comfortable settling in a new home without straining your bank account.

You May Need to Renovate

It is possible to find a home design that attracts you, but the condition is not pleasing; look at the potential it holds. Then, check if some new painting, kitchen, and bathroom remodeling would transform it to meet your dream.

With a few renovations and additions like new lighting, front yard improvement can turn a haggard-looking compound into a magnificent home.

Home Inspection Is Critical

A home inspector will look through the entire home, from the interior to the exterior, and provide you with genuine information. The inspector will also check for any structural damage or necessary replacements and give reports to you as the home buyer and the seller. 

From the inspection report, you will know whether the seller needs to do some renovations or you are ready to close the deal. Ensure that you are receiving the correct value for your money.

Do Not Expect Too Much

As much as you have a mental picture of the home you are looking for, always make your mind flexible. Some things could be different even when you are building a house yourself. If a home entices you and you can afford it, move in, then spruce it up to your style.

Conclusion

Finally, you have found a perfect home; it is time to seal the deal. Property purchase involves a lot of paperwork. Complete this part with your lender and the home seller, then settle down in your new home.

** This was a contributed post.

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by Hello, Scarlett Blog on 12/31/2021  •  Permalink
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Posted by Hello, Scarlett Blog on 12/31/2021

https://helloscarlettblog.com/2021/12/31/the-checklist-guide-to-finding-your-dream-home/

tips for finding the perfect home

Buying a new home is always an adventure. No matter whether you find it stressful or exciting – or more likely a combination of both these things – you will, once the dust has settled and the boxes are removed, be living somewhere new, and if all has gone according to plan, that new place will be the perfect home. 

Of course, in order to be living in the perfect home, you need to find it. With that in mind, here are some valuable tips for finding your perfect dream home and enjoying it to the fullest. 

Photo by Jessica Bryant from Pexels 

What Is Your Perfect Home? 

Before you can begin to search for your perfect home, you need to know what that ideal home looks like, or at least what elements it needs to have to make it right for you. Make a list of everything you must have in the new place, and ensure anyone moving with you does the same. Ideally, you should have two lists; one that contains ‘must haves’ and one that contains ‘nice to haves’. The first list is unchangeable, but the second is full of things that you could compromise on if need be. 

Once you have your list, you will be able to narrow down the options available to you and only seriously consider the ones in which you’ll feel most comfortable. This is particularly important if you are preparing for interstate moving and not staying in the area you currently live, as you’ll only want to visit houses that are really going to suit you so you can save time and money. 

Stay In Budget 

There are lots of houses that are definitely going to suit whatever your idea of perfection is. However, they may not all fall into your budget range, and this is important to think about. It’s not worth stretching your budget to breaking point (or beyond) and being very uncomfortable every time you need to pay the mortgage for the next twenty or thirty years just to get one more item on your list ticked off. It makes a lot more sense to compromise on some of those listed items and pay less for a property. 

In the end, you’ll be much happier in a house you can comfortably afford, even if it doesn’t have everything you thought you wanted, than you would be in a home that is difficult to pay for, even if it has all the things you thought were important. 

Use Your Imagination 

Some of the houses that will be in your budget and seem to have everything you need will require a lot of work – this is why they are priced much more cheaply than anything else you are looking at. In this case, you’ll need to use your imagination when you go see them or when you conduct a virtual video viewing (whichever is best for you). 

It could be that your perfect house is lurking underneath a layer of old wallpaper and wonky floorboards and that with some time, money, and effort, you can create something that is exactly what you want out of the bones of the houses you’re looking at. Using your imagination to think about what the place could be like might be the thing that finds you your perfect house when you didn’t think you would.

** This was a contributed post.

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by Hello, Scarlett Blog on 07/05/2021  •  Permalink
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Posted by Hello, Scarlett Blog on 07/05/2021

https://helloscarlettblog.com/2021/07/05/tips-for-finding-the-perfect-home/

we bought an acreage

Almost five years ago to the day (though it feels much longer), we began our search for an acreage home. Having grown up on a few acreages, and my husband on a farm, we have always felt drawn to a more rural lifestyle. We started out by going north of our current city. I published my first post about our hunt here.

Since then, we have pursued homes in every possible direction. We must have looked at between thirty to fifty properties- small acreages with nicer houses, big acreages with smaller houses, nice yards, hideous yards, newer homes, older homes, ones less than ten minutes from the city, ones more than an hour from city limits, and so on. Years went by and we could not find an acreage that ticked most of our boxes. We also went through quite a few realtors during that process. In the meantime, we sold our place in the city, purchased an empty lot at a lake where we built a home, temporarily moved onto my parent’s acreage, sold the house at the lake, and returned to the city. All within the last five years. Now, I can finally say that our quest is over. We bought an acreage!

As life and luck would have it, we ended up settling on a place a few minutes from where we began searching- north of the city. While it does not have as much land as we originally wanted, it is newer and in better condition than most of the properties that we have looked at over the years. It is also completely fenced with a large garage and a finished basement (the latter of which we have never had the pleasure of owning). There are so many other positives about this home, many of which I plan to discuss in the coming months. There are also a few negatives of course, as no home is perfect. However, for right now, it is the best and most wonderful fit for our family.

I am just so thankful and grateful to God for answering my prayers, and to my husband for working hard and being able to afford this place, and putting up with my restless nature. It has been an eventful and long five years, but now I can finally say that we are home.

Emory

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by Hello, Scarlett Blog on 03/04/2019  •  Permalink
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Posted by Hello, Scarlett Blog on 03/04/2019

https://helloscarlettblog.com/2019/03/04/we-bought-an-acreage/

porch makeover: peony wallpaper

peony-wallpaper-diy-2When we bought our home, our back porch was designated as the family room. Yet, the set-up that they had felt off. The large living room was nearly empty, and the back family room felt small and disjointed from the rest of the house. I knew immediately that I would be combining our living room with the family room, and that the back room would become a porch.

peony-wallpaper-diy-1Before photo.

Once we had moved in and I had turned the space into a porch/dog room/office, my next task was to make the room look nicer. With its grey carpets, low ceilings, and dirty white walls, the room felt more like a messy dorm than a nice area to study and a cozy space for the dogs to hang out. Sure, it didn’t need to be gorgeous. It did need to be different, though. I just didn’t know how.

peony-wallpaper-diy-4One thing about still having to get up in the middle of the night to nurse Remy is that I do all of my best internet searches then. After perusing Pinterest one night, I found the prettiest back porch. The layout from the kitchen to the back living space was almost identical to our home, it was actually quite startling. The only difference was that the Pinterest room had wallpaper. I knew that I was going to have to buy some as well.

peony-wallpaper-diy-6I lucked out by stumbling across nearly identical wallpaper at HomeSense. I didn’t even know that they sold it there, so it was quite a happy accident. It was so easy to install! I’m going to be returning to the store to get more (but different looking) wallpaper for our bathroom. However, one room at a time.

peony-wallpaper-diy-7We really only have a few hours each weekend to do renovations and DIYs, but I’m kind of enjoying slowly setting up the rooms. I definitely feel less pressure to have a perfect home, this time around. I’m thankful for that.

<3

Emory

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by Hello, Scarlett Blog on 10/05/2016  •  Permalink
Posted in new home
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Posted by Hello, Scarlett Blog on 10/05/2016

https://helloscarlettblog.com/2016/10/05/porch-makeover-peony-wallpaper/

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  • Hello! My name is Emory. I am a wife, mother of four (three on earth in heaven). This is our life on the Canadian prairies.
    email: helloscarlettblog@outlook.com

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