The Top 4 Questions We Get From Renters

We often get questions from renters who are either enjoying renting or those who are contemplating making the switch from renting to homeownership.  Today, we’re answering the four most common questions renters are asking us.

 Should I rent or buy? 

For nearly every individual or family, this answer will vary. Depending on your circumstances, budget, and personal preferences, your conclusion may change. For example, your decision to rent or buy is highly dependent on where you’d like to live, what the housing market looks like for a comparable rental property versus buying something similar, and your overall budget for housing. 

A good rule of thumb is if you can comfortably afford to put a down payment on a home, find value in being in one spot for several years, and want the ability to change or renovate your home, homeownership may be the right decision for you.

On the flip side, if you live in a more urban area and prefer to live closer to different amenities and entertainment options, prefer to keep your housing costs as a line item on your budget, and would rather be able to call maintenance to fix your leaky faucet, renting may be a great fit for you. 

 Should I get renters insurance? 

Our answer to this commonly asked question is a resounding yes! Renters insurance protects you from all kinds of potential costs that are difficult to plan for otherwise – and often, it’s required by the landlord of a property. This is because the landlord is responsible for the structure and property of the rental, but not your personal belongings that are inside. 

The best thing about this type of insurance policy is that it’s relatively inexpensive and typically comes in at a cost of anywhere from $15-30 per month. Renters insurance includes protecting your belongings in a rental property and when you’re traveling, and liability coverage should something happen to your home.

If renters insurance is affordable to you and you are living in a rental property, we always recommend renters insurance.

 How do I find out more information about the community?

 

There are a few ways to go about learning the reality of living in a new place. 

First, we recommend taking advantage of websites like Niche.com and Nextdoor.com that allow a behind-the-scenes peek into what people who live in those neighborhoods experience and talk about daily. These sites are also great for vetting a complex or area with limited reviews available online. 

The second way to get a better feel for a new area is by driving through the neighborhood multiple times. This doesn’t just mean every day right after work, but driving through at varying times to get a better understanding of how active, slow, safe, etc. the area feels at different hours of a normal day.

 What repairs fall under the landlord’s responsibilities and what do I have to fix?

Are you unsure of who the responsibility for a repair falls on? This can vary depending on your landlord or property management team. Generally, if maintenance or repairs are needed for normal wear and tear, or issues predating your occupancy of the unit come to light, it is your landlord’s responsibility to fix the issue.

However, if there is an issue or repair needed because of neglect by the tenant, failure to comply with property rules, or otherwise self-inflicted damage, those repairs will fall on the tenant to fix. 

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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5 Ways to Preserve Your Cold Weather Curb Appeal

As much as we may not want to admit it, our curb appeal in the fall and winter can sometimes be lacking. Particularly when the weather turns bitterly cold, brown grass, dull skies, and a dirty mess of snow and ice can cheapen the appearance of an otherwise beautiful home.

Are you looking to spruce up your home’s first impression? Here are some of our best tips to freshen up your curb appeal in the fall and winter months, whether you’re prepping to sell or settling in for the long haul.

1. Clear Off Your Driveway

Whether it’s covered in leaves, cracked, or stained, you’ll want to address your driveway first when looking to level up your home’s curb appeal. Also, if it’s been snowing, we always recommend shoveling the driveway along with any walkways up to the house. 

2. Clean Gutters

Gutters are one of those things – if they’re clean and clear, your potential buyers don’t notice them. If they’re full of junk and leaves, however, they’ll make quite a negative impact on your home’s presentation. 

Remove the possibility of a less-than-incredible first impression of your home by clearing your gutters. While you’re up there and making sure they’re in good condition, consider that your gutters will also be a signal to your potential buyers of how well the rest of the home is taken care of. Keep them clean and in good repair, and you’ll be in great shape!

3. Add Outdoor Lighting

Lighting can make all the difference. Even if your home is in excellent shape with a beautifully manicured lawn, lighting takes the impact of your curb appeal to a whole new level. 

Add path lighting along walkways, and driveways, uplighting on the house itself, and lights on your porch or mailbox to create a dramatic first impression when potential buyers drive up to your home. Even if you aren’t planning to sell your home, updated lighting can take a winter home from “meh” to magical for your winter holidays and festivities!

4. Include Cold-Weather Plants

Adding greenery makes any time of year feel more fresh and full of life – even in the winter! Any type of evergreen plant that is hardy enough to brave the low temperatures is a great way to add extra curb appeal to your home in the cold weather months. 

One of our favorites is when we see folks use evergreen trees or bushes on their porch or patio, and then they can add lights to them around the holidays for an especially festive look. 

5. Decorate Your Door

No matter the season, door decorations are a great way to showcase your personality and style. Particularly in the fall and winter, use your front door to celebrate the holidays, and add a touch of flair to the front of your home. 

If you’re looking to sell your home, we do recommend sticking with neutral or natural colors to decorate with to allow your potential buyers to envision that it’s their home. If you’re in your home to stay, however, you can use your door to express the personality of you and your family members – feel free to go wild! 

Make Your Winter Curb Appeal More Welcoming

However you choose to maintain and decorate your home in the cooler weather, the most important thing is that it appears well-maintained and welcoming to the passerby. 

Incorporate these tips into your home selling plan for an excellent first impression or simply to enjoy a more beautiful home for the holidays. 

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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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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Smart Home Tech 

The New Year is upon us, and smart home devices make excellent gifts! 

1. Video Doorbell

Whether it be during the holiday season or any other time of the year, if you live in a home or apartment complex, you’re very likely to have people knocking on your door. Sometimes it’s a welcome visitor, sometimes a friendly (or not so friendly) neighbor, and occasionally a solicitor vying for your attention. Regardless of who comes knocking, there is incredible peace of mind when you are able to see who is outside of your home before opening the door. This is where a smart video doorbell will be your new best friend. 

2. Smart Lock

If you’re looking to increase the security of your home or simply make life easier, a smart lock might be something to consider as you’re putting together your holiday wishlists this year. 

These gadgets allow you, as well as whomever else you choose, to use a digital key right from your smartphone to unlock your front door. This technology is excellent for day-to-day uses like entering, exiting, and securing your home on a daily basis, but also for a situation where you may need to grant someone else access to your door remotely. Think – babysitter, dog walker, etc. With a smart lock, you have complete control of your front door locks at all times! 

3. Smart Plugs

One of our personal favorites, smart plugs can change the whole environment of your home. How? Well, smart plugs can turn any appliance or electrical device into a connected device that can be controlled from your phone. For example, you can use them to turn on all of your living room lights with the push of a button. If you have a smart home device such as an Amazon Alexa or a Google Home, your smart plugs can even be voice controlled to turn your devices on and off. 

Smart plugs are typically very reasonably priced, so whether you’re putting them on your wish list yourself or considering them as a gift Idea for a loved one, you may find that one, two, three, or more will make for an affordable “wow” gift for just about anyone who is at least a little bit tech-savvy. 

Home (Tech) For the Holidays

The holidays can be stressful, but finding gifts for others and figuring out what to add to your own wishlist don’t have to add to your stress level! When you give or receive smart home devices, your home or the home of your loved ones is instantly leveled up and equipped to make your life safer and easier. 

Are you interested in all things home? Follow along with the Paula Higman Real Estate at Coldwell Banker Global Luxury blog to stay updated on how we’re helping our clients make the most of their homes, sell their houses, or find their dream 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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