9 Ways to Appreciate Your House Just as It Is

Whether you've been letting your home improvement to-do list get the best of you, or are finding yourself comparing your real-world home to professionally styled and photographed ones, it's natural to get a little down on your home from time to time. Luckily, feeling content at home is something available to everyone, no matter the size or condition of your space. By working your way through these nine suggestions, you can gain a deeper appreciation of your house, just as it is today.

1. Consider what first drew you to your home. No matter where you live, there was likely something that attracted you to your house when you first saw it. Was it the sunny yard, charming porch, original wood floors? Once you are living in a place, it's natural to focus more on home improvements, but taking a moment to recall your favorite things about your home can put things in perspective.

2. Use your senses. If you're getting down on your house, it can be hard to find anything to appreciate — but using your senses, you can zero in on the pleasures of home. Take a quick sensory tour of your home and note anything positive: the cozy comfort of your couch, the smell of coffee brewing, the feel of a fluffy rug between your toes.

3. Contrast it with not-home. Imagine you've just been on a long trip, and you are arriving home for the first time in weeks. You close the door behind you and take a deep breath. What are you most looking forward to about being home in that moment? Think about the ways your home comforts and supports you.

4. Think beyond the visible. Is your rent or mortgage affordable, allowing you to live within your means? Is your home near your best friend's house, a lovely park or your favorite café? Is it quiet? Are your neighbors nice? There are many factors that you may not see when you look around but that are just as (or more) important than the space itself.

5. Consider what visitors like about your home. When friends come over, do they comment on how welcoming and relaxing your house is? Is it great for parties, intimate chats, or barbecues on the lawn? Pay attention to what others have to say about your space.

6. Look at the living things. Be sure to count the people and furry friends you share your home with among your blessings. Does the light in your home make it easy to grow that windowsill herb garden? Does owning your own home or having an accommodating landlord make it possible to share your space with furry friends? Do your kids love jumping on that squashy old couch?

7. Look out your windows. Do you have a view of your private garden, a bustling city street, a beautiful tree? Do you have a favorite spot where you like to sit and daydream, simply gazing at the clouds outside?

8. Look on the bright side. Sometimes all it takes is a fresh perspective to turn what could be a negative into something good. A small space may feel cramped, but it also uses fewer resources, so it's naturally greening your lifestyle.

Sharing a home with extended family may be trying at times, but it's undoubtedly providing memories you will cherish for many years. If something has been irking you, try to think of an upside.

9. Consider what your home allows you to do. Whether you love to cook, entertain, read, watch movies or play with your kids, focusing on the activities you enjoy at home can help take the focus away from that never-ending list of improvements. In fact, using your home more is one wonderfully simple way to appreciate what it has to offer.

Looking for real estate services? If you, or a friend or relative is looking for a new home, commercial building or lease, have them give me a call at (714) 584-5509, or send me an email at frank@resusa.org. There are a variety of listed and unlisted opportunities for investors and first time home buyers alike. Let me know how I can help. 

9 Things to Ignore at an Open House

Don’t let signs of a home’s previous life deter you from making it your dream home. The sellers may not have had the time, money, or willpower to professionally stage or remodel their homes before their open house, but that isn’t always a bad thing.

While a turnkey home is ideal for people who want to move right in and make no changes, don’t ignore those “time warp” homes. They can be incredible gems that just need a little polishing. As you step into each home while you’re house hunting, try your best to ignore these nine buyer turnoffs that are actually pretty easy to adjust.

1. An Older Home

“Old” isn’t synonymous with bad. In fact, sometimes newer homes are more affordable simply because they were built with cheap materials — and that may cost you more money in upkeep than a home built decades ago with quality materials that have proven to stand the test of time.

Remember that there are many simple fixes to modernize a dated home, and many older homes are full of charm and character that you can’t find in a brand-new build.

2. Paint Colors

Ignore the existing paint choices and focus on the structure of the room, the placement of the windows, etc. Paint is an incredibly easy, cheap fix and something you can change in just a few hours.

3. Wallpaper with roosters and chickens

It may feel as if you are walking into a barnyard, but remember that wallpaper (even when it’s covered with roosters and chickens) is easily replaced or covered over. So no matter how design-challenged the walls look, it’s an easy fix.

4. Kitchen appliances and accessories

The kitchen is the heart of the home, but sometimes the appliances just don’t live up to your dreams. As long as you have room in your budget or a timeline to replace the existing appliances, a seller’s ancient yellow fridge shouldn’t be a deal breaker.

5. Ugly carpet

Flooring options are getting more and more diverse, and there are now many low-cost options that look just like their higher-priced counterparts. Don’t walk away from a great house just because you’re not a fan of what you’re walking on.

6. Funky smells

Serious mold problems aside, there are few things a deep cleaning can’t fix. Plug your nose and focus on the home’s bones and the potential it has once you give it your own touch.

7. Curb appeal

If you’re not saying “wow” when you first drive up, that’s OK. Close your eyes and envision a different-colored front door and some new landscaping, and, presto — it might just transform into your dream home!

8. Popcorn ceilings

It’s great at the movies, but not at home. No worries! A ceiling specialist can come in and have all that popcorn texturing scraped off. Just make sure you have it done before you move in — it’s a messy job.

9. No privacy

The house feels too exposed and lacks privacy from next door? Easy fix. Remember, “Hedges make great neighbors.”

Let me know how I can help you or someone you know purchase or sell real estate. I always have time for your questions and referrals.

Looking for a new home? If you or a friend or relative is looking for a new home, have them contact me. I can help you sell your current home and find the perfect new home. Complete the Client Registration form to receive daily listings by email that match your specific search criteria.

Decorating for the Senses

When starting a new decorating project, the big decisions are mostly about how the results will look. And the visuals of a room or house are important. But another big part of how a space feels to us is how we perceive it with our other senses. Think of how a luxuriously soft throw tossed across a worn leather chair makes a reading spot seem extra appealing or how the background scent of eucalyptus makes a spa seem clean and calming. Keeping all the senses in mind when making decorating choices will create spaces that feel more inviting and are a pleasure to inhabit. Here are some ideas:

Taste
Decorating for the sense of taste is all about implication—creating a space where food is enjoyed and celebrated. Make sure your house facilitates easy, communal eating by assessing your dining spaces. Is your table large enough for extra guests and durable enough to handle inevitable food and drink spills? Do sitting areas have handy spots for people to set drinks upon? Do you have room for an outdoor dining space? Other ideas: create a window sill garden with herbs, tiny hot peppers or tomatoes or a lettuce mix for cutting fresh mesclun. Plant a fruit tree that's visible from the kitchen or living room window. Set a warm pot of fragrant herbal tea on a guest's night table at bedtime. And don't forget the time-tested standby—a bowl full of seasonal fresh fruit.

Smell

When appealing to the sense of smell, subtlety is key. Try incorporating the outdoors by using the fresh scents of nature. Hang a eucalyptus cutting on a shower head to release a fresh, clean scent with every steamy shower. Plant a fragrant bush like honeysuckle, rose, or gardenia under a bedroom window to wake up the scent of flowers wafting in. Put a lavender plant in a bedroom or bathroom. Plant a rosemary shrub by the front door—whenever someone brushes by it, it will release its piney scent. Go seasonal with outdoor scents, bringing pine boughs in during December or fresh flowers in spring. Cedar blocks or shelves in a closet smell pleasantly old-fashioned and keep moths away too. Toss scented pine cones into the fire on wintry nights. Or just open a window and let a fresh breeze drift in.

Sight
Whether your taste is classic, mid-century modern or eclectic, there are certain visual rules that apply for all styles: Create a focal point in each space. Use harmonious colors for calm and high contrast for excitement. Group like things together and display objects in odd numbers. Allow for plenty of clear spaces on table tops and other surfaces for the eye to rest. Use a variety of light sources, including natural lighting and task lighting, and incorporate candlelight and light from a fireplace. For a cost-free makeover, walk through the room looking at everything as though seeing it for the first time. Purge art and objects that no longer suit you and rearrange furniture to engage with the space in a fresh way.

Touch
Engage the sense of touch with contrasts. Contrast crisp sheets with a soft warm comforter and big puffy pillows. Set off the smooth tiles of a bathroom with oversized fluffy towel or drape a luxe silky throw over a modernist chair. Add things that can be touched and look fun to touch, like a worn handmade wooden table, a curvy piece of sculpture, or a nubby throw pillow. Think about what flooring would feel best under your feet—the cool minimalist feel of tile or polished cement or the cushy warmth of carpet with thick padding underneath? When putting in new fixtures like door knobs, faucet handles and light switches, consider their feel. Do they move smoothly? Do they have a nice weight to them and feel good in your hand? Consider investing in luxurious items like heated towel racks, a premium showerhead, heated floors, or a quiet ceiling fan to bring in a cool breeze.

Sound
Appealing to the sense of sound is not only about emphasizing pleasant sounds but de-emphasizing or eliminating unpleasant sounds. The most obvious way to bring sound into a space is with music, but other ways include adding water feature, bamboo wind chimes or even just opening a window to bring in the sounds of the outdoors. Run a fan or white noise machine at night to create a peaceful sleeping space and install double-paned windows to mask traffic noises. Soften the sound of large open rooms with textiles and cork flooring. And don't forget ambient noise: oil squeaky doors, fix rattling appliances, knocking pipes, and creaky stairs.