The BEST Ways to Keep Up With Your 2023 Resolutions for Your Home

As we enter the new year, it’s natural to want to start fresh with new habits and goals. Whether you’re on the hunt for a new home and are getting ready to sell or are settling into your space, we all have home-oriented goals.

But are those habits and resolutions that you set on January 1st sticking around? Either way, we’ve got you covered with some of the best tips and tricks to keep up with everything from decluttering to decorating your home. 

Make a Plan

No matter what your goal is, if there is no plan backing it up, it’s just an idea. In order to make a goal actionable and realistic in your home, make sure you’re really looking at the things you want to accomplish and break them down into the steps that will need to be taken. Ultimately, if there are smaller tasks that can be completed to get you to your home goals, they’re much more likely to happen and help you reach those larger goals. 

 

For example, if you can break down the task of decluttering into specific 5-minute projects (ie. going through the medicine cabinet, shoe collection, or desk drawer), you could tackle one every day. Over the course of a few weeks, months, or even years, those seemingly small tasks will have a significant impact on the overall clutter in your home.

If your goal is to DECLUTTER: 

Start small and select one room or area of your home and focus on that. This can be larger areas such as an open kitchen/living/dining space like we see in open-concept homes, or it can be as simple as one drawer in your bathroom. Whatever you have the time or focus for is a great place to start. Some progress is better than none! 

Go through each item at a time. Ask yourself if you really need each item and if it is something that still brings you joy. If not, consider donating, selling, or recycling it. Once you have finished with one area, move on to the next. Again, these can be as small of chunks as you want. Don’t overwhelm yourself – decluttering can be particularly emotional and sentimental, so it’s essential to not rush the process if you’re feeling overloaded. 

If your goal is to CLEAN: 

Create a schedule for yourself to help stay on track. Break down your tasks into manageable chunks, again considering the time you have available to you and the time each task will take. Then, assign each task to a specific day of the week. This will help you stay on top of your cleaning and make it easier to stay consistent. 

Another great way to motivate yourself to tackle those cleaning tasks is to associate them with something you enjoy. Call up a friend, listen to a podcast, or put on a favorite movie in the background while you work, and cleaning can become more than a chore – it can become almost enjoyable. 

If your goal is to DECORATE: 

Maybe you’re prepping your home to sell and looking to decorate with the intention of having great listing photos, or maybe you’re just wanting to have a home that better reflects your style. Either way, this is a great goal to have but can feel limited by your available time, budget, and skill. 

Begin by focusing on one room or area at a time, and create a general schedule of when you’d like to have each room “done.” Decorating is an ongoing process, so there’s no pressure to be completely finished, but a schedule will help prioritize each area of the home and encourage you to take the time to get it done. 

Then, create a vision for what you want the space to look like. If you’re planning to sell your home, that might mean focusing on the home’s features – like placing furniture to accent a beautiful fireplace. Or, maybe that means that you need to understand how the room will function and where you can add some personal touches of style. Consult Pinterest or similar websites to gather inspiration, and then schedule time for yourself to search secondhand stores, home decor websites, and local boutiques to curate the look you want at any budget. 

Regardless of price point, our team is united in their efforts to support the client, support each other, and get the job done in the best way possible. Paula Higman Real Estate is a unique team of talented and diverse individuals with a passion for success and client satisfaction.

Contact Paula Higman today and let us take this journey with you to marketing and selling your home for the best value, to the biggest luxury real estate market out there.

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How to Choose the Right Commercial Property for Your Business

Evaluating and selecting a commercial property for your business or organization is no small feat, and it can have an enormous impact on the trajectory of your organization going forward. Even so, there is no one-size-fits-all approach to finding the right property. 

Instead, the process is highly dependent on your needs, priorities, and budget. But you don’t have to brave this potentially overwhelming decision alone. Today we’re diving into some of our best advice when it comes to choosing the perfect commercial property for your organization. 

1. Location 

The first thing to consider is the location(s) you may want to move to. You should choose a location that is easily accessible to your target customers or clients, and that is in a safe and reputable area. 

Accessibility doesn’t just refer to the availability of parking and proximity to other similar businesses that your customers may frequent. You’ll want to ensure that any property you’re considering as a move for your business has adequate accessibility for any customers who may have disabilities or other difficulties with getting into or out of your building.

Additionally, consider the reputation of the area you may purchase or lease a property. Whether or not you intend for them to, your customers, staff, and vendors will take the surrounding area into consideration when they think of your business or organization- so choose your location wisely. 

2. Size

Equally as importantly, you’ll need to ensure that the property you select for your move is big enough to accommodate your business operations and any projected future growth. It is imperative that growth is taken into account, because a purchase or lease is a long-term investment, and reselling or breaking a lease could result in major financial loss should you realize that you’ve outgrown the space too quickly. w

You should also consider the layout of the property, its current condition, and any necessary renovations or updates. Potential renovations will also play a part in the affordability of the space, and you’ll need to take those into consideration when calculating the costs of each potential property you look at. 

3. Price

Likely at the very top of mind when any business is deciding to make a move, price is often a major deciding factor in where a business chooses to purchase or lease property. 

You should consider the cost of the property, but don’t neglect the other associated costs including property taxes, utilities, and any renovations or updates needed to make the space workable for your business. 

You should also consider the potential return on investment (ROI) for the property, as well as any potential tax benefits. These may not reduce the sticker price of renting or purchasing a property upfront, but they will be benefits that will be helpful down the road. 

Consider a Commercial Real Estate Broker

Choosing the right commercial property for your business is an important decision that can significantly impact your business’s success, and it’s important to carefully consider all the factors involved. 

For many business owners, the process of selecting a commercial property is a necessary one, but maybe not one that they have expertise in. That’s where working with a professional real estate broker can not only level up the entire process but can take the pressure off of the business owner while all the details are handled expertly – Identifying properties, negotiating contracts, securing financing, etc. They’ll ensure your needs are met and that you understand the entire process. 

No matter what you’re looking for, consider working alongside commercial real estate experts – to find your business’s next home. 

Regardless of price point, our team is united in their efforts to support the client, support each other, and get the job done in the best way possible. Paula Higman Real Estate is a unique team of talented and diverse individuals with a passion for success and client satisfaction.

Contact Paula Higman today and let us take this journey with you to marketing and selling your home for the best value, to the biggest luxury real estate market out there.

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A Guide to Purchasing Luxury Real Estate in Park City

 

A Guide to Purchasing Luxury Real Estate in Park City

#1: UNDERSTAND "THE REAL ESTATE SEARCH."

Technology and the internet have changed how luxury home buyers find properties for sale. The current statistics show that nearly everyone starts their search online. Potential buyers research the real estate market, and home buying tips, and analyze the housing market, and comparable properties. I will tell you I have not had a client in the past three years that have not used the internet to search for their future home. However, you should know that not all search sites are the same. This site updates every five minutes, but other real estate websites may take 24 to 72 hours (or more) for properties to populate.

#2: PHOTOS MAY BE WORTH 1,000 WORDS – OR LEAVE YOU SAYING HUH?

Listing brokers should make the property shine online to get as many showings as possible. Many brokerages have a professional photographer who shoots home photos and manipulates the images by boosting colors and using lenses that make the rooms look more significant than in real life. In contrast, other brokers take pictures while holding their cell phones which may be crooked and provide poor-quality pictures. Nevertheless, cell phone photos could be an opportunity for you to find a hidden gem. Another option for out-of-town buyers is to preview properties via a live video application to help get a better feeling for spacing and views.

#3: WORK WITH LOCAL EXPERTS AND HIRE RELIABLE ADVISERS.

It would be best if you worked with local appraisers, attorneys, title companies, real estate brokers, and possibly lenders that understand the local nuances of Real Estate. In Park City, there are as many as 25 micro-markets that all have their history, which plays into pricing. Recently, an agent was "helping" their buyer find investment properties in Park City and put several homes and condos under contract. Because the agent wasn't familiar with the area, the buyer didn't have a listing history or relevant properties, and the negotiation process went poorly. Several of these homes never closed because the agent didn't understand the local market. As a Park City Realtor, I like to say, "I've got a person for that" - whether you need an entire remodel or something as small as a countertop repaired, I always have someone who will care about the issue.

#4. DO NOT POST ABOUT THE HOME YOU LOVE ON SOCIAL MEDIA.

Social media is not new anymore, but sometimes buyers get too excited about buying the home they love on their social media. Once negotiations open, the buyers and sellers often look up the other side on Facebook, LinkedIn, Instagram, and many other social media platforms. If you post too soon, you could hurt your negotiating power.

Another quick tip is if you get separated from your loved one during the property showing (you are looking at a bedroom while your loved one is still in the living room). If the listing agent asks you about what you do for a living, what other homes you're considering purchasing, etc. Do not answer them directly, but it is acceptable to say you need to get back to your Realtor.  

#5: WHAT'S GOING TO HAPPEN BY THE YEAR 2024?

Look at the view and possible access to your property. Some time back, a real estate developer didn't realize that an easement was going down the middle of his property; this added to lengthy and costly negations with the adjacent landowner.  
Ask your broker or title company for plat maps of what types of properties can be built in your neighborhood that could steal your views. Around the time I originally wrote this article in 2017, I had some clients who purchased a home next to about 15 acres of open land. I told them that that area could be developed in two or fifty years - no one knew. We listed their home for sale three years later because a developer had started building homes right behind their property.  

#6: PARK CITY LUXURY PROPERTIES – IS NOW A GOOD TIME TO BUY?

Sure - I had a great friend who once told me there's never the "right time" for life-altering events, and if you don't do it now, you may never do it. However, life is short, and there's no better mountain town than Park City and the surrounding area. Most of the people that live here visited a few times, purchased a vacation property, then moved here full time. So it's okay for you to do that too!

There's one thing we know for certain ~ if you wait to buy until next year, you'll be one year older.

#7: BE READY TO SHOW YOU HAVE THE ABILITY TO PURCHASE.

While this isn't usually the case, there are times that sellers or their agents will want to ensure you can purchase when making an offer on their property. Do not be offended by this request, as it will allow you to negotiate from a position of power. On the same note, do not provide a dollar amount you have available or how much you are pre-approved – have your banker or mortgage broker say you can purchase a property in the price range you are searching.

#8: CASH IS KING, BUT NOT ALL SELLERS ARE DESPERATE.

Fifty percent of Park City home buyers purchase their property with cash when buying a luxury home - nine out of my last ten transactions have been cash buyers. Cash purchases are often more straightforward, but it does not mean the seller will give the property away. Many luxury home sellers like you are financially savvy, so we need to find a starting place for the offer that won't be considered a lowball offer. Low-ball offers frequently start negotiations on the wrong foot and kill the deal before it even starts. If you are not paying cash when looking for luxury homes for sale, some lenders have bank statement programs, and the lender will be able to provide a pre-approval letter.

#9: EVERY DEAL IS DIFFERENT ~ BONUS.

Every real estate transaction I've ever done is different from the others. For example, a seller in Park City who held up a multi-million dollar transaction for two months will be held up for the seller to retrieve a few hundred dollars worth of personal items. I sometimes use a great inspector that can throw some kinks into the deal, which takes a few extra days to figure out, and often the seller may be traveling out of the country, and hard for the listing agent to contact. But, cool, calm, and a level head always prevail to get past the uniqueness of every real estate deal in Park City. 

Regardless of price point, our team is united in their efforts to support the client, support each other, and get the job done in the best way possible. Paula Higman Real Estate is a unique team of talented and diverse individuals with a passion for success and client satisfaction.

Contact Paula Higman today and let us take this journey with you to marketing and selling your home for the best value, to the biggest luxury real estate market out there.

Connect With Us: