September 2020 – Yancey Realty

Must-Haves For Your First Home

You’ve just purchased your first home and it’s time to start filling it up. But, where to start? Below is a list of must-haves for each room in your home!

Living room. Aside from standard furniture, like a couch, chairs, coffee table, and television, there are a few other staples you should consider purchasing, such as a plush rug, floor lamp, TV stand with cupboards or drawers, and throw blankets.

Kitchen. On top of dishes, silverware, and glassware, don’t forget other kitchen essentials such as a can opener, bottle opener, toaster, strainer, oven mitts, baking sheet, measuring cups and spoons, and cooking utensils. Plus, it’s a good idea to stock up on basic seasonings, oil, and other commonly used condiments.

Bedroom. When you think of your bedroom, purchasing a bed frame, mattress, bedding, dresser, hangers, and bedside table are the first items that come to mind. In addition to those, you may want to consider picking up a table lamp, laundry hamper, wall or full-length mirror, wall or door hooks, and under bed storage bins.

Bathroom. A bath mat, shower curtain, shower liner, toothbrush holder, hand soap dispenser, plunger, and toilet brush are must-have items for each bathroom in your home.

Cleaning supplies. New home means new cleaning supplies. Start by purchasing dishwashing soap, laundry detergent, handsoap, disinfectant spray, glass cleaner, floor cleaner, mop, broom, and sponges.

Other. It’s always a good idea to keep a few maintenance and safety essentials on hand in your home. Some items to consider are a step ladder, small safe, first aid kit, batteries, flashlight, lighter, extension cord, toolbox, and duct tape.

How to Save Water (and Money!) at Home

As a homeowner, if you don’t maintain good water-saving habits, you could be sending more money than necessary straight down the drain every year. Start saving by trying out the tips below!

Replace the showerhead. Daily showers account for a huge portion of water usage at home, especially if you have multiple people residing in the house. To help cut down on water used during each shower, swap out your normal showerhead with a WaterSense-certified replacement that uses fewer gallons of water per minute. According to the EPA1, this can save a family of four up to 2,700 gallons of water a year.

Fix leaking faucets. According to Forbes2, a leaking faucet can result in up to 20 gallons of wasted water a day. To avoid the expense that comes with this waste, make it a habit to check your faucets regularly for leaks and repair them quickly. Most of the time, it’s a quick fix and can be done with a faucet repair kit purchased online or at a home improvement store.

Don’t hand wash dishes. In this day and age, most homes are equipped with water-efficient dishwashers. By running a mostly full or entirely full load in the dishwasher, you use 1/6 less water than if you hand wash your dishes.

Water your garden by hand. Using a hose to water your outdoor plants and garden can result in a lot of waste. Try opting for an old-fashioned watering can, allowing you to keep your yard alive and well while also controlling the amount of water used each time.

Grocery Shopping On A Budget

As a homeowner, it’s never a bad idea to look at different ways to cut costs and one of the easiest areas to tweak is your grocery budget. Take a look at the tips below to help you tighten it up.

Test out stores. Take a couple weeks to trial some neighborhood grocery stores and track how much your staple foods cost at each, such as eggs, milk, vegetables, and chicken. Once you’ve completed your survey, determine if one store offers more savings overall and try to primarily shop at that location.

Plan ahead. Everyone has heard the sound advice to never shop while hungry. But, it’s also a good idea to never shop without a well formulated grocery list. Before heading to the store, outline your meals for the week, keeping in mind breakfast, lunch, dinner, and snacks. Don’t forget any condiments, seasonings, etc. you may be out of. Then stick to the list, preventing overspending.

Shop local. Farmers markets are an amazing way to save money. Not only are you likely to find amazing deals, but often the quality of the fruits and vegetables is higher than at chain grocery stores. Many of these markets offer “stuff your bag” deals where they allow you to fill a bag with as many yummy items as you can and pay one set price.

Don’t knock the freezer. Although it’s best to pick up fresh groceries, there are certain items you can venture into the frozen aisle for, like organic fruits and veggies. Plus, if there’s a great deal on a fresh item, like chicken, consider buying in bulk and safely freezing some for later.

Top Tips For The First-Time Homeowners

Owning your first home is one of the biggest milestones in an individual’s life. Once it’s finally all yours, you want to make sure you avoid common rookie mistakes like the ones below.

Starting major renovations right away. With all the excitement and energy from the closing table still lingering, it’s easy to get caught up in home improvements. Before starting a major renovation, give yourself 2 or 3 months of living in your home to really solidify that it’s the right financial investment and what you really want.
Ignoring routine maintenance. Ignoring routine upkeep and maintenance, such as prepping your pipes for winter, clearing gutters, and filling cracks near doors and walls, can cause big issues down the line. Make sure to budget both time and money for these tasks.
Hiring the cheapest option. If you have a job that a professional, don’t always opt for the cheapest option. Makes sure to get several estimates for the work and look online for reviews. Once you do your research, select the professional you think will do the best job.
Not knowing your property boundaries. During closing, you may receive a survey of your home and property, however it’s crucial you know exactly where your property lines are. Outline this before your start planting or building fences or structures.
Neglecting the exterior of your home. Once you move in, it’s easy to focus your energy and effort on the interior. But don’t forget to give your exterior some TLC with thoughtful landscaping and regular checks to ensure weeds are taken care of and water is draining correctly.

Year-Over-Year Change in Buyer Traffic

The number of potential buyers was up 46.7% in the South this year so far according to Showing Time!

If your thinking about selling your home, this may be a great time to get the best price and the most favorable terms!

Whether you’re interested in buying, selling, investing or renting, the Yancey Realty team is here to help YOU!

Give our team a call today at 704-467-8877 to get started today!

Top Lifestyle Considerations for Buying a Home

You’re not just buying a house, you’re buying a lifestyle! That means when you’re writing out your list of must have home features and deal breakers, you need to think beyond the “house data” and figure out which features to focus on that will give you the lifestyle you want to live! As a buyer, you might say you’re looking for a 3 bedroom home with a finished basement on at least an acre and with an updated kitchen. An example of what you really might be looking for is a place to raise your growing family, a kitchen that overlooks the private backyard where you can watch your kids play catch while you make dinner, and extra space in the basement for games, toys and movie night! That’s just an example but I think you get the idea. So the lifestyle you are going to have in your new home is something you want to consider when determining which home features are best for your needs.

Number one – LOCATION MATTERS FOR YOUR LIFESTYLE! You hear it all the time in the real estate world – it’s all about the location, location, location, location… and it really is true! Because while you can change paint colors, counter tops and put on that massive deck you’ve always dreamed of, you can’t move your house to a new spot (not without a lot of money anyways).

Think of things like what your work commute will be like, how far of a drive you’re willing to have each day, the features you want in your community, and the school district you want to be in if that is important to you. Do you want to be in walking distance to the downtown? Do you want to be set further back from the road for privacy? What about the size of the city you live in? Do you want the feel of a small town lifestyle or are you happier in a busier city? The location of your home will be something that isn’t going to change so figure out what is essential to you when it comes to the location of your home and the lifestyle it will create!

Now let’s talk about the home features that fit your lifestyle. When you think of home features it’s easy to automatically jump to your running list of criteria such as the size of the garage, how many bedrooms you want, that must have updated kitchen and all of the “house data” like I mentioned. However, you are ultimately buying a lifestyle, not just a house. So I have some things for you to consider when it comes to the type of lifestyle you are ultimately looking for when you make a move! Write down these questions and really think about what your answers are:

Where do you spend most of your time at home? If you love to cook and spend most of your time in the kitchen, you’ll want to prioritize the layout of the kitchen when looking for a home. You can always add in upgraded quartz countertops or that dreamy double oven but the size, layout and location of the kitchen should be a top concern if you don’t want to do any major renovations.
What is something you wish you had in your current home?
What is something you don’t want any longer in your current home? Is your yard a lot to maintain and you want something smaller with a lot less maintenance? Maybe it’s the opposite and your current yard is just too small for the lifestyle you have making one of your top priorities having a bigger yard with privacy.
Which room in your house do you spend the most time in?
How much space do you need to live comfortably and be able to enjoy the things you love the most?

Are you hoping to have enough bathrooms to avoid chaotic mornings?

These questions will help you determine which features could be the most important to focus on when the time comes to look for a new home. Maybe features like hardwood floors aren’t as necessary as having a layout that is perfect for entertaining and hosting holiday parties. You can always swap out flooring later but the layout will be a little harder to change!

Think about how much time you want to put into your house. Do home flipping shows on HGTV resemble your homeownership goals? Many buyers are intent on finding a house they can remodel exactly they want they want which is awesome! However, they often don’t realize how much work, time and money it can take. HGTV can make remodeling and flipping houses look a lot easier than it is in reality. Consider how much time you have to spend on home projects before getting yourself into something that is over your head and potentially over your budget which leads us to…

Your lifestyle budget. Lastly, make sure to budget for your lifestyle, not just your house. It’s important to consider how much you can afford comfortably, not just what you can afford on paper. Many buyers are pre-approved for a significantly higher amount than what they are actually comfortable spending on a monthly basis. Think about other expenses you have when it comes to your lifestyle – what else is important to you? Do you love to travel or go out to nice dinners on a regular basis? Do you love attending as many games of your favorite football team as possible? What hobbies do you have that cost money every month? Make sure the amount you spend on your house doesn’t eat up all of your extra funds so you’re glued to the house and can’t have any fun doing the things you love!

There you have it, the top lifestyle considerations for buying a home! Location, home features that fit your lifestyle, how much work you’re willing to do and remember to budget for your lifestyle! If you’re considering buying a new home in the near future and you want to chat more about the type of lifestyle you’re looking for, comment below or send me a direct message so we can set up a time to grab coffee!

How To Curate Art For Your Home

The right artwork can transform any room in a home, plus it has the unique ability to display the homeowner’s personality, character, and energy. Because of that, choosing the right pieces can feel a little overwhelming sometimes. Use the below guidelines to help you get started.

Find a Statement Piece

One of the easiest ways to select art for a room is by starting with one central piece. This could be a meaningful photograph, colorful painting, or eclectic print. Once you find one piece you really love, use it as an anchor and select other pieces to complement it.

Play with Colors

Often, people get caught up in the idea that artwork must match the color theme of the room it’s displayed in. Although this is a great starting place, don’t be afraid to think outside the box and choose art in contrasting colors to catch the eye or try implementing black, white, or gray pieces.

Be Selective with Size

When selecting artwork for a room, knowing where it will be placed on the wall can help determine sizing. As a general rule of thumb, pieces of art should be hung about 57 to 60 inches from the ground and leave 6 to 8 inches between them and the top of furniture.

Try a Gallery Wall

If you have a large wall begging to be filled, a gallery wall could be a great option. This allows you to incorporate a lot of different pieces in one place. Your gallery wall could contain artwork and images of the same texture, color, and material or you can mix and match different prints, photographs, décor pieces, and frame.