Five Things That Increase the Value of Your Home

scottsdale house photoAre you thinking about buying or selling a home in the Scottsdale area? Either way, you may be interested in finding out what can increase the value of the property. There are quite a few different things that can make a difference in the value of your home, but below, we’ve listed our top five choices that can help you either sell your home for a good price or buy the perfect home at a great value.

Location, Location, Location:  If you’re selling your home, you can’t do much about the location. However, you can be sure you talk to your realtor about mentioning convenient local attractions in the listing. If you’re looking to buy, pick something that’s not just convenient to your work or to good area schools, but also to popular attractions. For example, if you want a great home for the money, look for homes near Camelback or Papago Park for some great natural scenery and a lot of location-based value, too. Quick walking or biking to local attractions makes for a lot of resell value, too!

Update Appliances and Bathrooms:  If you’re trying to sell, replace old appliances and bathroom fixtures with new ones. Brand-new appliances will increase the value of your home significantly. If you’re buying a home, choose one with newer appliances so you know you’re getting the best value for your money.

Keep it Clean:  It may go without saying, but keeping your home clean can make a big difference in terms of its value. This will reduce the number of stains and other problem areas in and around your home. Keep the outside of the home clean, too!

Add Storage Space:  Buyers are always interested in storage space, so if you’re looking to upgrade a home you’re thinking about selling, add more storage space to make the house much more appealing. On the other hand, if you’re looking to buy a home, be sure you keep your eyes peeled for those that have plenty of storage in the first place. Later on, when you’re ready to sell, you won’t have to add as much to make it worthwhile to the next buyer.

Energy Efficiency:  Being green or at least eco-friendly is very popular in homes today, so the more upgrades you can make to improve the energy efficiency of your home, the more value it will have. Adding energy efficient windows is a great place to get started. Depending on your budget, you can take this all the way up to solar panels or just stick to improving your interior with efficient appliances and a hidden composting trash can in the kitchen.

Popular Trends in Kitchen Designs

remodeled kitchen photoWhether you’re looking for a new home, considering selling yours, or just wanting to make an upgrade to your living space, the kitchen is a great focal point to pay close attention to. Picking kitchen design trends that are up-and-coming or have just become popular in the past couple of years is an excellent way to ensure that your kitchen is going to stay modern for as long as possible. It can be difficult to keep up with ever-changing styles and ideas, though, so it’s important to keep an eye out for any new trends that might be on the rise.

Easy-Open Cabinet:  In a modern kitchen, you can’t go wrong with automated sinks and easy-open cabinets. The more hands-free your kitchen space is, the more desirable it will be. Easy-open cabinets are mounted on hydraulics that can be opened with the push of a finger—or with your knee, hip, elbow, or whatever you’ve got free while you’re working on putting together dinner in your upscale new kitchen.

Gray Cabinets:  While starkly contrasting black and white kitchens are still popular—and probably won’t be going anywhere any time soon—gray cabinets and fully gray kitchens are starting to gain a lot of traction, too. Painting your cabinets gray and changing the color of your countertops to match can make for a beautiful uniform look throughout your kitchen. If you already have silver fixtures in place, that’s even better! Stainless steel appliances can complete this look for a truly stunning kitchen that’s sure to remain stylish for years to come.

Better Storage:  Whether you’re talking about a house, an apartment, a condo, or a townhouse, storage is key in any kitchen. No matter how small or large the kitchen space may be, the more drawers and cabinets present, the better off the whole room will become. Stacking drawers have become very popular in recent years, as have hidden cabinets and even those that may be uniquely-shaped but offer a little extra storage even so.

Wood Countertops:  Granite isn’t the only way to go anymore! For a warm and inviting texture that’s much different from the norm, wood countertops can be a beautiful addition to any kitchen. Combine them with other textures throughout the room for a contrasting design experience that’s sure to look amazing. They can look especially nice in a country style kitchen!

Farmhouse Sinks:  Last but not least, we’ve seen a recent trend toward big cast iron farmhouse sinks. They’re available in a lot of different colors to fit into just about any kitchen remodel, and they offer a lot of great benefits for any home. These sinks tend to stay in style no matter what types of trends the rest of the kitchen may follow, so if you’re looking for something timeless, you can’t go wrong with a farmhouse sink.

click here to get a free home value estimate

Chris and Cheryl Park are a top notch team

Written about Cheryl & Chris Park on Zillow 5/19/17

Rating: 5 stars – Highly likely to recommend

“Chris and Cheryl Park are a top notch team. We met them at an open house and they really guided us as first time home buyers in every way. As first time home buyers we needed a professional to educate us and reinforce our decision. In the end we got a great house and still have the support of their team even after closing.”

Bought a Single Family home in 2016 for approximately $635K in Scottsdale, AZ

Tips for Staging Your Home to Sell

living room photoIf you’re planning to sell your Scottsdale area home, there are a lot of things you need to keep in mind. You may start to feel pretty overwhelmed with all the ins and outs of selling a home, and you might overlook one of the most important steps: staging your house before you ever start showing it. Home buyers are much less likely to purchase a messy home that hasn’t been properly staged, so putting a little effort into the look and feel of your house is sure to go a long way toward helping you make that sale quickly. Below are our top 4 tips for perfect home staging, even if you’re working on a budget.

De-Clutter Your Space: Cut back on the clutter throughout your home to help make the space look a lot more inviting. Even if it seems comfortable and cozy to you, others may not agree, and you’ll be a lot better off and make a better impression on potential home buyers if you reduce the clutter. Even if you have to put it all in boxes in the attic or garage for the time being, try to get it out of the living spaces.

Work on Curb Appeal:  Although the weather in Scottsdale can make a big difference when it comes to what you can do with your yard, be sure you showcase the beauty of your home and how it fits into the excellent natural mountain and desert surroundings. Clean your house with a power washer, be sure it’s freshly painted or at least doesn’t show signs of a lot of wear and tear on the outside, and prune any plants in your yard. Plant fresh flowers if your yard is a little barren.

Set the Table:  There’s no need to lay out a full-course table setting for six or eight people, but if you set your table in an inviting way, this is sure to drive more interest in your home. Keep the dining area clean and clear of clutter, and put out around four table settings with an interesting centerpiece that matches your room’s style. This is a little design trick that can make a big difference.

Stage Around Area Events:  Let local events do the talking for you, or at least work with them to help drive more interest in your home. Plan an open house or be sure your home is on the market in time for big area events that draw large crowds, or pick up some interesting décor to place around your home during smaller local happenings. Head to the Old Town Farmer’s Market, for example, and bring home some fresh fruit or flowers grown locally to help spruce up your interior for just a few dollars.

click here to get a free home value estimate

Troon Village Open House Saturday 5/20/17 from 1-4 pm in North Scottsdale

We will be holding an Open House this weekend on Saturday 5/20/17 from 1-4 pm in North Scottsdale’s Troon Village neighborhood at 11015 E DESERT VISTA DR, Scottsdale, AZ 85255. Call us at 480-754-9477 or 480-754-9077 if you would like more information. This beautiful home has been completely remodeled. We hope to see you there.

Also, if you would like to see homes in other Scottsdale neighborhoods such as Grayhawk, McDowell Mountain Ranch, DC Ranch, Gainey Ranch, McCormick Ranch, Desert Mountain, Troon, Sonoran Hills, Desert Ridge, Terravita, etc, please let us know. We can send you listings for homes in your area of interest, preview homes for you and schedule showings for you to see any homes that you would like to see.

Grayhawk Raptor Retreat Open House Saturday 5/13/17 from 1-4 pm in North Scottsdale

We will be holding an Open House this weekend on Saturday 5/13/17 from 1-4 pm in North Scottsdale’s Grayhawk Raptor Retreat neighborhood at 8156 E Windwood Ln, Scottsdale, AZ 85255. Call us at 480-754-9477 or 480-754-9077 if you would like more information. This home has been completely updated. We hope to see you there.

Also, if you would like to see homes in other Scottsdale neighborhoods such as Grayhawk, McDowell Mountain Ranch, DC Ranch, Gainey Ranch, McCormick Ranch, Desert Mountain, Troon, Sonoran Hills, Desert Ridge, Terravita, etc, please let us know. We can send you listings for homes in your area of interest, preview homes for you and schedule showings for you to see any homes that you would like to see.

Tips for Your First Year of Homeownership

neighborhood path photoAre you a first-time homebuyer feeling more than a little confused about what you need to focus on during the first year of your home owning experience? Have you just bought a home for the first time in a long time and need a refresher on what this first year might bring? Either way, you’re in the right place! Buying a home is an exciting (and sometimes overwhelming) experience, but in the calm following the process, you may find yourself at a loss for what to do next. Should you dive right into remodeling? Should you save money? Below, we’ve listed our top 5 tips for the first year of homeownership, whether this is your first experience or you’re a pro.

Don’t Jump Right into DIY Projects
Maybe you bought your home with fun DIY projects in mind, and maybe you already know exactly what you want to get started on. Even if this is true, and even if you have plenty of money to set aside for these projects, don’t jump into them right away. Wait at least a few months before you get started on the kinds of home improvement that will take up most of your time, effort, energy, and funds. It’s best to wait at least six months, but three should do the trick as long as you’re sure you’ve got a solid budget in place.

Wait a While on Remodeling
Some professionals recommend waiting at least the first year before you worry about any remodeling in your home. Depending on your situation, this may not be practical or necessary, but you should wait at least six months until you’re settled in your new home and have decided for sure what you want to focus on with your remodeling budget. Your tastes and popular trends in home design may change quickly, so it’s best to “sleep on it” for a little while before making such big changes.

Fix Little Problems
While big projects can wait, if you notice small issues around your home, take care of them before they get out of hand. For example, if you notice your dishwasher makes a strange noise during one of its cycles or that your garbage disposal has quit working, take care of these problems as soon as possible. You never know when they could lead to something more significant that’s going to take a lot more money and time to fix.

Make a Budget
This is great advice for anyone in any situation and any walk of life, but it’s especially true for new homeowners. Make a budget and try your best to stick to it. This way, you’ll be able to put aside plenty of funds for savings that can be used at a later date to get started on those DIY projects and remodeling changes, too. And this will also mean you’ve got some extra padding in your budget for those inevitable times when a major appliance gives up without warning or a storm knocks down your fence.

Are you considering selling your home?  Get started with this free home value estimate.

Grayhawk Talon Retreat Open House Sunday 5/7/17 from 1-4 pm in North Scottsdale

We will be holding an Open House this weekend on Sunday 5/7/17 from 1-4 pm in North Scottsdale’s Grayhawk Talon Retreat neighborhood at 8288 E Chino Dr, Scottsdale, AZ 85255. Call us at 480-754-9477 or 480-754-9077 if you would like more information. This home has been completely updated. We hope to see you there.

Also, if you would like to see homes in other Scottsdale neighborhoods such as Grayhawk, McDowell Mountain Ranch, DC Ranch, Gainey Ranch, McCormick Ranch, Desert Mountain, Troon, Sonoran Hills, Desert Ridge, Terravita, etc, please let us know. We can send you listings for homes in your area of interest, preview homes for you and schedule showings for you to see any homes that you would like to see