Make the most of your rainy-day with these 10 gratifying activities.
#1: Create a Vision Board using images and words cut out of old or unused magazines.
#2: Pick a topic you know more about than others, write about it, and publish it on the internet.
#3: Try a healthy new slow-cooker recipe and make enough for plenty of leftovers.
#4: Order presents for upcoming loved ones’ and/or clients’ birthdays, anniversaries, etc. and have them mailed to your home until the date approaches. Then, wrap the present yourself before mailing.
#5: Make your list of vacations for the year and start booking the travel.
#6: Download and organize your musical playlists for a) working out, b) road trips, and c) winding down.
#7: Clean out your refrigerator and pantry of old or expired foods and liquids. Organize what’s left by category.
#8: Go through closet and make a pile for donations or resale. Go one more step and take photos of items with value and post to Ebay, RealReel, etc.
#9: Skype or FaceTime family members.
#10: Download a crossword, sudoku, podcast, or new eBook and get cracking!
Digitally decorated rooms in seconds from your mobile phone, and you can shop the app directly. CURATE by Sotheby’s International Realty.
Not everyone was gifted with an eye for interior design. The good news is, Curate by Sotheby’s International Realty® has solved that problem.
Curate by Sotheby’s International Realty® is the best augmented reality app for decorating an empty room. It’s free, easy to operate, and quick! Plus, if you like what you see, you can purchase directly through the app.
Once the app is downloaded, you don’t need internet. All you need is an empty room and your smart device.
How it Works
First step: Select decor type and room type. Options range from tradition to modern and include rooms designed by real-life industry experts from Elle Decor, Town & Country, and Veranda.
Second step: Find the floor. Angle the phone’s camera at the floor until the floor becomes illuminated in green. This sets the aspect ratio to ensure furniture and decor are scaled proportionally.
Third step: Situate the room. Angle your phone up and using your fingers, pinch, swipe or spread the screen to properly affix the decorated space. Save a snapshot of the finished room down to your device for future reference.
My Favorite Part
You can shop different styles of décor for the same space and when you settle on one you like, you can simply click on the different elements and purchase straight from the app.
Home Staging
As a Real Estate Agent, I find this app critical when working with clients on homes that have not been staged. A recent example of this happened with a small third bedroom. Client wanted to ensure he could fit a full or queen-sized bed, side table and dresser and within 30 seconds, we were able to know for sure on the spot.
This app is another reason to choose an agent with Sotheby’s International Realty®. If you’d like to learn more pro tips for selling your home, contact me at amanda.youngblood@pacificsir.com or message me on Facebook.
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Curate by Sotheby’s International Realty® is an immersive Augmented Reality experience.
Curate by Sotheby’s International Realty allows consumers to visualize a house as their own before purchase, thereby curating the homebuying experience. Sotheby’s International Realty® brand is the first real estate brand to launch and implement a virtual staging AR app, transforming the homebuying and selling experience for sales associates and consumers. Once a new home is purchased, Curate can be used to help a new homeowner, through augmented reality, design and purchase furnishings for their new home.
Embrace the outdoors in the comfort of your living room.
A sure way to wow guests is with a great room that opens, from floor to ceiling, to the outside. This can be interpreted many ways, as seen in the photos above. A fast growing trend, is to have sliding glass panels that slide into the wall, completely opening up the indoor living room to the patio, as though it were one continuous space.
In Southern California, why wouldn’t you take advantage of the great weather and added square footage gained from an indoor outdoor living room? Just think of all the guests you could entertain! Not to mention, this will likely increase the resale value of your home.
A great company to check out is Cover Glass USA. They have a showroom in Costa Mesa. Cover Glass USA specializes in frameless sliding glass walls and are known for their sleek designs.
Decorating tip: maintain similar decor elements both inside and outside so when the walls slide away, the two spaces feel like one.
Selling your home? Here’s what a real estate agent provides.
What is the costliest decision you’ll ever make?
For most, it’s buying a home. You see a doctor for your health, you consult an attorney if you’re in trouble. If you don’t, you could wind up with a shortened life or behind bars. If you go into the purchasing or selling of a home without a professional, you’re bound to make costly mistakes that could impact you financially for the rest of your life.
What is a real estate agent? What is a REALTOR®?
A real estate agent, working on behalf of a licensed real estate broker, is a licensed professional who works on behalf of the buyer and seller of real estate during a sales transaction.
In other words, a real estate agent is a middleman; an intermediary in a transaction or process chain. A middleman will facilitate interaction between parties, typically for a commission or fee.
A real estate agent becomes a REALTOR® when and only when he becomes a member of the NATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF REALTORS® and subscribes to its strict Code of Ethics.
What’s the average real estate agent’s service (when selling your home)?
Enter the listing on MLS.
Take professional photos of the property.
Conduct open houses on the weekends.
Include the listing in the local newspaper.
Feature the listing on their website.
Receive and present offers from interested buyers.
Schedule inspections during escrow.
What’s the average real estate agent’s commission?
When listing the home, it’s between 5-6% of the final selling price. That is, if a buyer brings an offer unrepresented. If the buyer is working with another agent, the commission splits 50/50 amongst the two agents.
What should an agent provide in addition to the basic services above, to earn a fair commission?
Devise and fund a moving marketing plan that generates the highest exposure possible in targeted markets.
Provide pricing strategy options based on in-depth analysis of comparable homes in the area and economic market forecasts.
Provide consultation on home improvements and effectively stage the home to maximize home’s salability.
Negotiate all parts of the deal on your behalf.
Leverage relationships with lenders, escrow officers, title and home warranty reps to ensure great service and competitive pricing during the Escrow period.
What’s a good agent worth to you?
If you put a dollar amount on each service item, what would it amount to? Now consider what it would cost you if you were to try to do everything yourself. Add it up to determine what you’re willing to pay an agent for their services.
Don’t be misled. Sure, there are bad agents out there. But there are great ones too. 1) Make sure your agent is a licensed REALTOR®. 2) Be smart and do your homework. Interview several agents and get them to itemize on paper what they provide. 3) Don’t be afraid to tell the agent what you’re looking to spend and negotiate more or less based on your needs.
