Small home? Here are 20 hacks to make it look and feel bigger!

Square footage is always at a premium when you buy a home, but that’ even more so as prices climb and centralized neighborhoods become more attractive.

In fact, the average square footage of new homes has gone down since the zenith of McMansions in the mid-2000s. In neighborhoods like East Sacramento, Arden, midtown, Curtis Park, and more, we often find a lot of smaller homes – often with two bedrooms, one bathroom, and maybe only around 1,000 square feet – that are otherwise charming and perfect.

So, how can you make the most out of a small home, and make it look and feel much larger than it really is? Here are 20 hacks that “solve” your small home dilemma.

Hint: I can even help you with #20!

1. Install floor to ceiling bookshelves to make your rooms look taller. It’s also great for additional storage and you’ll look well read!

2. Add outdoor living spaces to extend the use of your home. This can be a wrap-around porch, an outdoor eating area, a covered patio, or a sitting area to enjoy your wine/coffee and greet your neighbors in the front of your home.

3. Remove unneeded walls, opening up the floorplan and making it appear bigger. (For instance, many smaller homes in East Sacramento have a wall separating the kitchen from the living area that can be taken down with the addition of a new header beam by a licensed contractor.

4. Add a breakfast bar across a window or even “floating” on the wall. Breakfast bars and counters save you a lot of space by eliminating the need for a whole table.

5. Use large mirrors to trick the eye into seeing the room as much larger than it really is. Mirrors are also great for spreading natural light.

6. Turn your eyesore fence into the highlight of your yard by covering it with vines, stone, colorful paint, strings of outdoor lighting, or other decorations.

7. To maximize space and add more storage, install a loft over your desk or office, in the spare bedroom, or over your main garage area.

8. If you have a two-story home but are cramped for space, a contractor can transform your plain staircase into a storage dream. The stairwell is particularly spacious, and each riser can be turned into a separate drawer, too.

9. If you can’t remove walls (because of load-bearing issues), you can easily swap doors for sliding walls, opening up options for multi-purpose spaces.

 

10. Or, reconstruct walls with interior glass panes, windows, or opaque materials that allow natural light to go pass.

11. Adding a nice shelf over your kitchen sink (even across the window) frees up a lot of countertop space.

12. Too often, people think that they need to paint small rooms all-white to make them look larger and brighter. However, a fun and funky paint color can revive old cabinets, adding personality and interest in the kitchen.

13. For bedrooms and living areas, try the opposite: go with a white motif and color pattern. Your place will look more modern and airy, and any color that you do have (like paintings, pillows, etc.) will really jump out!

14. Just about any window can be expanded to a floor-to-ceiling window or French door!

15. Floating, fold-down, and floor-to-ceiling shelves are all great, but they still take up valuable airspace in your small home. However, you can easily build shelves into the recesses of each wall, so they’ll only slight protrude—or not at all.

16. Small bedroom with very limited storage space? Dreaming of a bigger bed—and a walk-in closet. You can actually have both by building a large sleeping loft in the bedroom that with a full closet underneath!

17. Postage stamp-sized backyard? Dreaming of a swimming pool on hot days? A small pool is better than no pool, and they make all sorts of easy-to-install pools that fit in any corner of your yard.

18. I love this idea;- make use of empty corners by building in small shelving. You can even hang rods in the bedroom and closets across corners to hang clothing.

19. Not only can you use a floating desk, nightstand, or breakfast bar to save space, but they can actually fold down from the wall—and go back up again when you need the room.

20. Buy a bigger house! Problem solved!

 

 

Love thy neighbor? We don’t like or even know our neighbors according to new surveys.

Do you love your neighbors? How about like them? Even know them on a first-name basis?

Maybe not, according to a new study. In fact, your relationship with those who live around you may not even be amicable according to a new study, which reveals that 42% of Americans surveyed admit to having some sort of dispute, issue, or problem with at least one of their neighbors.

So, today, we wanted to look past the anger and resentment and look at the actual statistics on neighbor disputes.

36% of people polled admit to having issues with their neighbor that was so serious that they grew into full-scale arguments. About one in ten of these even erupted into physical confrontations!

These arguments often linger into prolonged feuds, as 1 in 4 has a long-running conflict with one of their neighbors.

Sometimes, petty disputes between fellow homeowners or renters can escalate into all-out battles. For instance, problems grow so profound that 1 out of 5 survey respondents admitted calling the police on their neighbor.

And 1 in 4 (25%) said that their neighbor’s aggrievances were so grating that they “significantly reduced” their daily happiness and cause “serious stress.”

According to numerous studies, these are the top reasons people argue or don’t get along with their neighbors:

1. 1. Noise
2. 2. Parking dispute
3. 3. Trash
4. 4. Dogs, pets, and animals
5. 5. Ill-acting guests
6. 6. Children
7. 7. The physical appearance of their home
8. 8. Property boundaries
9. 9. Suspected criminal behavior
10. 10. Health or safety issues

Sometimes, we don’t necessarily want a confrontation with our neighbors, just to avoid them. Research shows that up to 40% – or 4 out of every 10 – people try to purposely avoid bumping into or talking with their neighbors.

But we shouldn’t always take it as a personal affront if our neighbor doesn’t stop and chat or even say hello. Studies show that the top reason people avoid their neighbor is that they’re too busy, themselves, to exchange pleasantries.

However, the next four reasons fall into the “it’s not me, it’s you” category:

2. 2. The neighbors are too noisy
3. 3. They are too weird
4. 4. We don’t get along
5. 5. Other reasons

Sometimes, problems between neighbors never get resolved, and both parties just find an unhappy peace. Or, in extreme cases, homeowners may even sell their homes and move because of problematic residents next door.

In fact, 16% of respondents have moved houses or apartments because of a bad neighbor (or that was one of the factors), and 20% are now considering moving, or have done so in the past.

Problems, disputes, and strained relationships between those living side-by-side certainly seem to be worse in cities, where people are crowded in more tightly (and more likely to share walls in apartments, etc.) In fact, a report shows that city residents are twice as like to have their personal items stolen by one of their neighbors (or so they suspect).

However, while we might guess that noise disturbance complaints would be much higher in cities, they occurred at almost the same rate as in the suburbs and countryside.

The cliché of nosey neighbors sometimes can be true, as 20% of those polled – or 1 in every 5 – said that their neighbor spies on them at times, watching their home, peeping at their windows, and paying attention to who else comes and goes.

Sometimes, things get a little more than friendly between neighbors. For instance, 1 in 6 surveyed admit that they’ve had a neighbor flirt with them at some point – or flat out make a move!

That trend of is even worse in cities, where 1 in 4 reports that they’ve fended off advances from flirting neighbors.

Amorous advances aside, how did most people deal with irritating and disrespectful neighbors? 86% of people who answered the poll said that “they took some kind of action.”

Those steps to rectify the problem included:

• 49% Discussed the issue with the neighbor directly.

• 27% Called the police.

• 15% Notified the homeowners association.

• 14% Just let it be and took no action.

• 12% Sued them, filed a legal complaint, went to court or some sort of mediation.

• 11% Sent a note, letter, or email to the neighbor with their complaint.

But it’s not all bad when it comes to neighborly relations.

In fact, 23% of respondents say that they have neighbors who they consider their friends,

30% admit that they trust their neighbors a lot and 86% rate themselves as good or very good neighbors! (Although the folks that live around them might not agree.)

Maybe, we just need to reach out and spend more time with those who live around us, fostering a sense of togetherness and community? According to data, only about 20% of Americans regularly spend any time at all with their neighbors, and about 33% report having never spent any time with the folks who live around them! In fact, about one in three

That’s a far cry from a few decades ago, as polls from the 1980s reveal that our neighbors were often our best friends, when a similar one-third share of Americans used to hang out with their neighbors socially at least two times per week.

So, once you’re done reading this, go say hi to your neighbor!

Your East Sacramento real estate market report.

It’s been called the Paris of Sacramento, the cultural epicenter of the region, and the best neighborhood in the City of Trees. There’s no denying that East Sacramento is one of the premier places to live, work, and play in all of Northern California.

Affectionately known as “East Sac,” those of us who live here enjoy its spacious, tree-lined streets, vibrant restaurant, café, and bar scene, myriad local fairs, festivals and events, eclectic architecture, and throwback family vibe.

But when it comes to real estate in East Sacramento, it’s all out business, as it’s also one of the most desirable and highest-priced areas in the capital city of California.

Here is a current real estate snapshot for East Sacramento:

The current median sale price for homes in East Sacramento is $575,000.

That’s an increase of approximately 8.2% from this time last year, and a significant jump from 2015 when the median home sale price was $460,750.

That’s a total recovery from when East Sacramento’s prices bottomed out five to seven years ago during the real estate crash and recession. In fact, the median home sale price in East Sac was only $350,000 as late as 2012!

Analysts expect East Sacramento will continue its healthy price increase, with conservative forecasts anticipating a 5.1% price increase throughout 2018.

Sizable lots are always in high demand in this premier Sacramento neighborhood, as are homes with significant square footage. For instance, the median price per square foot is 465, which is nearly double the Sacramento median $209 price per square foot!

Since East Sac is such a desirable area to live, even rental prices reflect the hot demand. The current median rent in East Sac is about $2,100. But that represents a wide spectrum of properties, as there are smaller apartments, modest one and two-bedroom homes, and many more available for rent, all the way up to larger houses and even mansions.

With well less than a hundred available homes for sale in East Sacramento at any given time, competition among home buyers is fierce – and sellers look to capitalize on that fact. Right now, the median list price (not yet sold) for all homes for sale in that neighborhood is a lofty $672,000. Larger homes, those located in the iconic “Fabulous 40’s” area, and other sought-after pockets of East Sacramento often sell for well over a million dollars.

In fact, a report by ABC 10 recently named East Sacramento as the #6 most expensive neighborhood in greater Sacramento. Out of all Sacramento zip codes, their report listed only Richmond Grove, Land Park, Poverty Ridge, Southside Park, and Med Center as having higher average listing prices.

However, sellers don’t have carte blanche to overprice their homes in East Sacramento when selling, and savvy buyers, with the help of Realtors who are area specialists like myself, ensure that prices remain fair and equitable.

To that point, 6.7% of the current listings in East Sacramento have undergone at least one price cut, signaling that not every single home sells quickly and easily without proper pricing.

Homes also sell in a timely fashion in East Sacramento – when priced correctly. In fact, the current average Days On Market (DOM) is 50, meaning that from the time a home first is listed on the MLS to when an offer is accepted and it goes Pending, an average of 50 days pass.

Over the last twelve months, the average DOM in this neighborhood has ranged from a high if 65 days to a low of 43.

That’s also about average for the DOM in East Sacramento over the last few years, although we have seen some anomalies. Whether it’s a seasonal slowdown or sellers just pricing their homes beyond reasonable expectations, the DOM in January 2016 was 88, and it took 106 days for a home to sell in January 2015!

At the time of this writing, the East Sacramento listing with the highest asking price is a $1.8 million multi-family on Elvas Avenue. Among single-family homes, a fully remodeled 4-bed, 3-bath 2,800+ square foot home on H Street is going for an asking price of $1.135 million.

But before you think that you’re priced out of buying a home in East Sacramento, there are three listings in the mid $400,000 range in family-oriented areas with charming designs, good sized-lots, and one of them even has three bedrooms!

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Contact me if you’d like more information about buying or selling a home in East Sacramento!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

East Meets West!!

I’m excited to announce my new affiliation with Capital West Realty — a professional real estate brokership based out of West Sacramento.   As a new home specialist in West Sacramento for many years, I have decided to join this office of the area’s top producers and best agents!  But that’s not all!   With my home office still based out of East Sacramento, I still continue to specialize in East Sacramento / McKinley Park and all surrounding neighborhoods:   Arden Park, Carmichael, Fair Oaks, to name a few….

As an experienced Sacramento area Realtor, I can help you with all of your needs — short sales, investment property, first-time buyers, move-up buyers, relocation and East Sac rental assistance.

So call me today for a Better “Way” to Real Estate — in both the East and the West!   I’m here to help…. 

www.courtneyway.com

BE RESOLVED IN 2011!

I don’t believe in New Year’s resolutions. I don’t believe in diets, either. Why set a “start date” to changing your life? If you’re putting off to tomorrow what you could do today, what exactly are you waiting for? The New Year has begun, and people are on the move. They’re looking for change. And yes, they’re even looking for help: No one should feel stuck in a mortgage they can’t afford—and there are ways out without foreclosing.

I believe that THIS is the year—to change, to move, and to make what you want to happen actually happen. If you need a change, change it. If you need to move, move it. If you feel stuck, get unstuck. Look for help wherever it may be, whether from within or elsewhere—but don’t resolve to wait to change until something ELSE happens. Take control of your life and MAKE it happen!

If you find yourself wanting to move or make a change with regard to real estate, but you don’t know where to start— or know someone else in the same spot—call me. I’m here to help. And I do my best to help—just ask my references.

Let’s all work to make 2011 a great year!

And to see what else I’ve featured in my January/February newsletter, click here!