Show Us Your Best Examples of Using Turquoise in Staged Homes
Turquoise is the color of the year, and we want to know how you’ve used this year’s “it” color in staging properties. Show us photos of how you’ve weaved in the color to brighten a room!
Send your photos to Melissa Tracey at mtracey@realtors.org, along with your name and contact information. Your photos and ideas may be featured in an upcoming article in REALTOR Magazine.
Top Kitchen Trends for 2010
By Melissa Dittmann Tracey, REALTOR Magazine
So what’s cooking in the kitchen this year? The National Kitchen & Bath Association surveyed designers to reveal the top design trends for 2010.
Among the trends gaining popularity this year: Hide your appliances in kitchen drawers, whether dishwashers-in-a-drawer or undercounter refrigeration (drawers being used as refrigerators). More home owners are opting to tuck their appliances away so they don’t interfere with the design.
Also part of the appeal to dishwashers-in-a-drawer is their convenience with the capability of washing small loads of dishes in each drawer, which saves water and electricity.
Here are some of the other top kitchen trends for 2010:
Color: Shades of white and off-whites are the most common kitchen colors, followed by brown, beige, and bone hues.
Cabinetry: The most popular wood for kitchen cabinetry remains cherry, followed by maple. In the decline: Painted cabinetry and light natural finishes and distressed finishes.
Design style: Traditional is the most popular kitchen design with contemporary following closely behind. Read more
The Color of the Year
By Melissa Dittmann Tracey, REALTOR Magazine
So what’s the “it” color for 2010?
According to Pantone, it’s turquoise’s year to shine.
Look for this vibrant blue-green color to pop up in many fabrics, textiles and home interiors this year.
It’s a color that many people respond positively to, according to Pantone, which predicts the hot color each year by surveying designers. Many people associate the color with a pleasant and inviting form of escape, such as a tropical paradise, according to word-association studies.
“With both warm and cool undertones, turquoise pairs nicely with any other color in the spectrum,” according to Pantone. “Turquoise adds a splash of excitement to neutrals and browns, complements reds and pinks, creates a classic maritime look with deep blues, livens up all other greens, and is especially trend-setting with yellow-greens.”
Do you agree? Do you think turquoise is a good color to work into home interiors?
HouseLogic: A Home Owner’s Treasure Chest
By Melissa Dittmann Tracey, REALTOR® Magazine
The National Association of REALTORS® launched a new Web site this week that helps home owners make smart decisions when it comes to maintaining and increasing the value of their homes. The Web site — HouseLogic — allows you to plan and organize home projects as well as access tips and how-to advice on how to tackle each project.
You can register at the Web site for a free account and you’ll then be able to customize the site by creating your own to-do lists, setting project reminders, and finding ways to save money and increase the value of your home. You’ll also be able to take some quick, fun quizzes on many of the housing tips offered on the Web site to see if you mastered the topic.
Check it out: www.houselogic.com
10 Must-Have Features in New Homes
By Melissa Dittmann Tracey, REALTOR® Magazine
So what home features are buyers asking for the most in their search for a new home?
AVID Ratings Co., a firm that provides surveys and employee training to home builders across the United States and Canada, conducts an annual survey of home buyer preferences.
The company found the following hot home features reign supreme in today’s market:
1. Large kitchens with an island.
2. Energy-efficient appliances and high-efficiency insulation and windows. (These were the most sought-after “green” features from buyers.) Read more
It Ain’t Worth What it Used To Be
By Melissa Dittmann Tracey, REALTOR® Magazine
So what’s the going rate for a 132-room, 55,000-square foot mansion with 18 acres, 16 family-guest rooms, three kitchens, three elevators, 28 fireplaces, and an underground bunker? Oh, and we forgot to mention: The president happens to live there too.
Apparently the White House can’t seem to escape the sagging housing market either. In the last year, the posh 1600 Pennsylvania Ave. address dropped in value by 5.1 percent—from $308 million to $292.5 million, according to a recent post on Zillow’s blog. Read more
From the International Builders’ Show: Room to Consider
By Erica Christoffer, Contributing Editor, REALTOR® Magazine
A quick takeaway from the Thursday morning International Builders’ Show session “Top 10 Technology Trends” – the average age of a gamer is 33 years old.
Why does this matter to a real estate practitioner?
Well, video games aren’t just for teenagers anymore. And this American pastime is impacting space needs in a home.
Gaming systems such as the Wii are incorporating interactive elements more and more. Homes will need open spaces for these activities.
Also consider Avatar. The movie has racked in $320 million at the box office, breaking records and resetting the bar for cutting-edge entertainment. The future is heading towards 3D everything, says Matt Carter of Encore Technology and Design in Columbia, S.C. This, too, will require more space for viewing and media interaction in the home.
The bottom line? Ask your clients what they want to use their spaces for.
Knowing whether your buyers are big movie buffs, or if are keen on the latest video games and gaming systems, will help you find them a home that best suites their space needs.
For more coverage from the International Builders’ Show in Las Vegas, also visit our Speaking of Real Estate blog.
From the International Builders’ Show: Reach Out to the ‘Green Goddess’
By Erica Christoffer, Contributing Editor, REALTOR® Magazine
About twice as many single women purchase homes than single men, accounting for 20 percent of all home buyers. So, if you’re serious about selling homes – especially homes with green features – single women are the ones to watch.
To address this very statistic, Sara Lamia, president of Building Coach Inc.,was one of three panelists presenting her take on selling green to women during day one of the International Builders’ Show in Las Vegas Tuesday. Fittingly, the session was entitled, “Evolution of the Green Goddess: Green Technologies Women Want and How to Capture Her Buying Power.” Here are a few of her trends and tips to connect women with green:
Think First Date: On a first date, people are conscious of how they look, how they act, and what they say. They want to put their best foot forward, to be impressive without being overwhelming. The same goes for selling to women, Lamia says. “In order to get more sales, you need to have more first dates.” Read more
How Do You Keep Your Home Office Organized?
According to the 2009 NATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF REALTORS® Member Survey, 72 percent of all practitioners maintain a home office. With important business being conducted in the home, how do you stay organized? How important is it to keep business life and home life separate?
We want to hear your tips for keeping a home office in order! We also encourage you to send us photos of your home office.
Your feedback and images may be included in an article for REALTOR® Magazine’s April “List Issue.” The magazine is dedicating the month to tips and suggestions from our readers — the real estate pros!
Please e-mail your comments and photos to Contributing Editor Erica Christoffer at echristoffer@realtors.org with your name, company, and city/state.
10 Hot Home Products for the New Year
By Don Logay
As the unofficial “What’s New Guru” of the home improvement industry, I attend numerous trade shows throughout the year and scour lots of magazines and trade publications looking for new and exciting products, intriguing concepts and “gotta have” gadgets that make life just a little bit better.
My checklist for “Hot Home Products” includes simplicity, ingenuity, affordability, and great end results. Here are a few of my most recent finds and all-time favorites:
1. Giani Granite Countertop Paint
Got a kitchen countertop that’s seen better days? Laminate chipped and discolored? Solid surface counter stained and scratched? Giani is the world’s first granite paint kit for countertop makeovers. Get the premium “look” of granite at a fraction of the cost — with lots of extra benefits too. Water-based paint kits come in five realistic-looking color combinations and include everything needed to go “granite” in three easy steps in 24-hours or less. One $39.95 kit covers 35 square feet (16 running feet of 24-inch wide counter). Available at paint and hardware stores nationwide. Visit www.GianiGranite.com or call 1-800-650-5699.
2. One2Flush Dual Flush Conversion Kit
Saving water is as “easy as 1, 2…” with the brand new award-winning One2Flush toilet conversion kit. In about 20-minutes, you can quickly and easily turn a standard water-guzzling tank-type toilet into an eco-friendly, high-efficiency, water-saving dual flush model. University tests prove One2Flush — with its “half flush for liquids and full flush for solids” — reduces water use by more than 38 percent and can save an average family over 10 percent on monthly water bills. Fits all standard two-piece toilets, 1.6-gallon flush and up. Starts paying for itself immediately. Available nationwide at most hardware stores (Ace, True Value, Do-It-Best). For more information visit www.one2flush.com. Read more
