Some Tips for Restoring Home Decor

Did you buy a vintage home only to find all of that historic charm had been whitewashed with the upgrades over the years? You are not alone; with the recent spate of flips (especially in Vallejo, downtown Suisun, etc.) many homes have lost a lot of their original character. 

Of course, no one says that you are required to retain your home’s original personality, but if you are hoping to reestablish its original glory and don’t have hours to spend on Pinterest, check out this blog for some history and inspiration!

I would actually highly encourage you to take some time to read this blog regardless. It has 100 years of home decor and whether you have a new build, or 1980’s build or something more architecturally interesting, there are a ton of ideas in here for everyone!

There are also 5 additional easy ideas for restoring your home’s heritage:

1. Wainscoting
2. Molding and Rails
3. Built-in Bookshelves
4. Bring back wood floors
5. Distress & Antique your furniture

For more information about each of these items, check out the Pacific Union blog…

Less is More…

Less Is More: How to Make the Most of a Smaller Home

If you’re planning to purchase a modest-sized home or condo, you’ll want to maximize every inch of space. These general guidelines can help. They’re online at http://pacunion.us/1qZezWe

Don’t Break the Bank on Home Remodels!

This week’s infograph from CAR looks at the Top 10 projects with the highest rate of return at point of sale.  Do you know what doesn’t make the top 10? Completely renovating your kitchen. Another item that doesn’t appear? Tearing out all of your carpets and spending thousands of dollars on hardwood floors. 

What is there? Try switching out your front door with a mid-range replacement…101% return on investment.  For your front door!!  What else does CAR come up with? Minor kitchen remodel at a mid-range level (79% ROI)…Don’t get me wrong, I love gourmet kitchens with Bosch ranges, but the return on investment just isn’t there.  If that’s what you want for your own home than great! Do it.  However, if you’re getting ready to sell I would encourage you to hold off (unless you plan on taking the industrial dishwasher with you).

This is especially true for those in the American Canyon market where many of the homes look the same on the outside. Minor tweaks like landscaping the front yard or simple renovations (e.g. having a different front door), a clean home, and a good negotiator are ultimately what will get you the highest possible price for your home.  And who doesn’t want the highest possible price?

Drag out those old board games!

As I mentioned in my post yesterday about 54 Hahnemann (listed @ $819,000 by Beth Braby w/ Terra Firma Global Partners), I absolutely loved the staging by Jodie Perry-Zimmerman. It made the home sing and it showed really well.  It’s the type of home that most of us agents absolutely love to see.  With so many cookie cutter homes on the market it was great to see a home sparkle. One of my favorite tricks that she used was to find old board games that have been turned into prints:Perhaps you’ve seen this before; I haven’t and so I found it extremely refreshing.  It provides a different kind of color and changes the overall environment. Although it’s my understanding that these “prints” can be purchased, why bother? This is a great way to repurpose the boxes from old board games while making a game room come alive with something unique. For more information about Napa Valley Home Staging, check out their website.