Often the roof is a neglected area of maintenance.  An inexpensive service makes it easy and safe to clean the roof and make it look like new.  The company we used here was the Roof Medic.  It is important to not overlook this detail, as a dirty roof can make a buyer think it is old or may be problematic. Even  if you are not selling your home it is a good idea to clean the roof for your own curb appeal.

Click to enlarge. 

From the Roof Medic web site: “The type of growth you have determines the amount of damage. The least damaging are the algae and molds. These growths hold moisture, which very slowly causes rotting of the shingle. The worst growth we encounter is lichen. We find it growing on roughly 30% of the roofs we clean. Lichen is such a hardy feeder, it creates enough damage to the roof, in as little as 3 years, so as to cause granular to fall off. Customers often forget the visual damage growth causes to their roof. Most roofs are replaced today due to the way they look. We are finding many people are repairing or replacing their 25-30 year roofs in as little as 10 years because they look so bad. Often a roof cleaning is all they need.”

For more information on this service contact Roof Medic.

 

By: Anne Patterson, RE/MAX Gallery

For many younger Americans, the dream of owning their first home is alive and well. But for others, it’s still an elusive dream.

Only five years ago, it was relatively easy to finance a home, but the Great Recession and the mortgage market’s meltdown have made it difficult for many people to qualify for home loans. The shifting state of home values and prices has complicated matters. In some markets, values have plunged by more than 40 percent. While that has created once-in-a-lifetime opportunities for younger people to enter the real estate market, others have taken a more cautious approach, waiting to see if prices will continue to fall.

Whether you’re ready now or will be down the road, buying your first home takes preparation. Here are some tips from FindLaw.com, the nation’s leading website for free legal information, on how to get started.

Save aggressively for your down payment. Many first-time homebuyers seek a mortgage insured by the Federal Housing Association, which insures loans made by lenders for qualifying homebuyers. The program allows buyers to put down as little as 3.5 percent of a home’s cost. However, if the home you want to buy doesn’t qualify for the program, you’ll need to obtain a conventional loan, which will require you to put down anywhere from 10 to 20 percent of the purchase price as a down payment to qualify for a mortgage.

Get your finances in order. Lenders are now taking a closer look at debt-to-income ratio (percentage of monthly income that goes toward debt payments) and housing-to-income ratio (percentage of monthly income that goes toward housing payments). In general, responsible lenders follow the 28/36 percent rule – no more than 28 percent of your monthly income should go to housing costs, and no more than 36 percent of your monthly income should go to debt (including auto loans, credit cards and other loans).

Read the rest of this entry »

(NewsUSA) – Foreclosures and high maintenance costs mean that new homes go up for sale faster than you can say “down market.” And what is great for buyers – more homes to choose from – means that sellers need to distinguish their properties from the rest of the crowd.

Home staging, or temporarily redesigning a home to appeal to buyers, can give homeowners an edge in an overcrowded market. Staged homes look bigger, newer and warmer. They invite buyers to see themselves living in the home.
Staging projects include inexpensive tasks, from rearranging furniture, to renting contemporary living room sets. Here are some tips for staging homes:

- Declutter. When buyers see overcrowded book shelves and wrinkled towels, they focus more on the dingy details than the architecture. But staging means more than a thorough cleaning – sellers should also remove personal items, like family photographs. Buyers should picture their families living in the home, not yours.

- Make things look new. A little paint can go a long way. Light colors make rooms look larger and brighter, so use them to make your home appear spacious. Wooden floors and cabinetry make big impressions, so make sure that they shine. If any wood looks dry or dirty, apply an orange oil for a quick restoration job. Touch of Oranges Wood Cleaner and Restorer s small scratches and removes build-up, fingerprints and grease from cabinetry, wood floors and fixtures.

Hard water stains on glass shower doors and windows look unattractive, so remove them with a specialized product like CLR, Lime Away or Bring It On Cleaner, which uses oxygen bleach to clean minerals from glass and tile. Some hard water stains will often yield to scrubbing with white vinegar and a non-scratch pad. If you find that vinegar is ineffective, a paint scraper or razor blade can be used to remove the bonded stains before resorting to harsher chemicals.

- Add small details. In the kitchen, bowls filled with fresh fruit create an attractive, colorful eyepiece. Place vases filled with fresh flowers in the bedrooms and dining room. Put candles in the bathroom. Small touches make homes feel more inviting.

Project: we expanded our concrete paver patio to make it larger. This resulted in having pavers of very different colors. To start with, our old pavers were very worn and of 2 different colors to begin with.

After expanding the patio, we used a concrete paint to unify the color. To keep it simple, we used the trim color from our house. The before photo shows pavers half painted with the first coat. After painting we re-filled the gaps in between with slag sand.

Now we are ready for spring and summer out door entertainment!

Click to enlarge

After a long, Michigan winter we welcome spring with open arms. April showers give way to sunshine and longer days; it’s time for renewal and an re-awakening of our senses.

It’s also the season for that tried-and-true household tradition: Spring cleaning. I don’t know about you, but I tend to really notice the winter’s accumulation of clutter, dust and grime when there’s more natural light pouring into my home! That means it’s time to stock up on cleaning products, buy a new mop and a pull on a fresh pair of rubber gloves. Years ago, spring cleaning meant days of dusting, mopping, wiping and scouring; a job that usually landed on the shoulders of the lady of the house (with assistance from the rest of the family). It meant a complete top-to-bottom cleaning of every square inch of the home and often included removing, cleaning, and replacing an extensive list of household items to create that spring-fresh feeling. Who has time for a project like that in today’s busy world?

But let’s be honest; nothing feels better than a home that looks and smells clean,fresh and uncluttered, and this is the perfect time of year to make that happen. (And if you’re planning on putting your home on the market, it’s not an option…it’s a MUST!) It’s also a great time to add a few easy, inexpensive (but high-impact) improvements. Whether you’re selling your house or simply enjoying living in it, this short list of “must-do” Spring chores and a few quick spruce-up tips will help make your house look as beautiful as the season. –Darla

Read the rest of this entry »

4709 Elmhurst Ave., Royal Oak, MI

Beds 3
bath 2
SqFt 967

Completely updated turn-key 3 bedroom, 2 full bath ranch in Royal Oak. Beautifully refinished oak hardwood floors throughout, updated kitchen with granite counter tops, new stainless steel appliances, tile floor. 2 car garage, large backyard, partially finished basement. Newer roof, windows, high efficiency furnace, hot-water tank. Home warranty. Don’t miss this one!

MLS: 212020520

Contact ELLIOTT BRODERICK, EAGLESTONE REALTY ADVISORS LLC, 248-680-7214

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

159 Baldwin Road, Birmingham MI

Beds 2
Baths 2.5
SqFt 2,118

Best location in Birmingham! Perched on a lovely lot siding the Rouge River w/gorgeous views of waterfall & walking distance to downtown. Mid century modern open light-filled floor plan w/spectacular views, hardwood floors, floating staircases, volume ceilings & tons of charm. Could easily be converted to a 3 BR home. Also, has original basement w/exterior access & houses furnace, etc… & tons of storage. Very special GEM. Must see!!

MLS: 212017729

Contact: Rebecca Meisner, Coldwall Banker, Weir Manuel (248) 433-5405

As you may or may not know, the Michigan Design Center has a sample sale 2 times a year.  This is an opportunity for the general public to get a great discount on home décor and furniture.   Consumer days are Jan. 27th and 28th.  There is a $5.00 admission with a portion of the proceeds going to COTS.  For more information you can visit www.mdctrade.com.

Darla Rowley, President
Impact Interior Design Solutions, LLC

When decorating I often come across the fact that my clients have many small items to use for decorating.  It can be decorative items such as knick knacks, or in this case small art or photos.   In this example we took a grouping of smaller images to create a dramatic effect.  The sum of the parts is much larger when grouped together.  Since the subject matter is also complementary, it enhances the presentation.  This represents a good way to transform small items into a larger scale presentation.

The same application can be used for accessories; group smaller size items together, sit on books or decorative boxes to give you different heights to add interest.  Small items singularly displayed often look like clutter, so this is a good solution.

This is a great way to save money when looking for larger scale items to fill a larger spaces.

Why is the design of your fireplace so important?  Fireplaces are usually a major focal point in the room and it is important to have it be the most dramatic item in the space. In the 70’s, 80’s and early 90’s there was a tendency to use the trendy brick of the time.  Unfortunately it does not hold up to today’s standards of what is deemed attractive, and unlike red brick, does not have the timeless appeal.   The reality is, if it is ugly what’s the point of having one?

If you have a dated fireplace there are economical ways to update. (I can hear brick lovers cringe when I suggest this) Painting the brick is a good way to neutralize.  When combined with adding a new mantle, you can achieve a dramatic update for very little cost.  This is a great approach if you are selling a modest, lower price point house.

In higher priced homes, ugly fireplaces can kill a deal.  So do not go cheap, because in this case painted brick will not add value.  You need to do it right.  In the photo below we made over a fireplace selecting ledge stone veneer which pulls from the colors of the ceiling, the lake and the kitchen cabinets.  It feels like it was always there.  The design should complement the architecture of the space, modern vs. modern, historical in a historical setting.

We asked ourselves is we should add a mantle. We selected no mantle, because it wasn’t needed.  The stone acts like artwork in the space.  In a more traditionally shaped fireplace or setting this approach would probably not be appropriate.

For more decorating and staging ideas, please visit us at impactids.com

 

Many individuals use the New Year as an incentive to take on challenges and or desires for changing lifestyles in the New Year.  As homeowners we all have the “honey do list” of projects needed to either sell a house, or simply live better in the house they are living in.  Homeowners often just do not know where to start.  Impact can make this process much easier by helping to prioritize and coordinate the implementation of the plans.  Summarized below are some New Year’s resolutions Impact Interior Design Solutions can help you with:

Getting organized:
Our team of stagers and organizers can make a huge difference in just one day.  For many getting organized is a huge breakthrough.  It can be as simple as getting the basement cleared for making a play space, or office paperwork.   Organizing a house can be a big challenge.  We recommend breaking in down into smaller projects, and tackling them one at a time.  At the same time put in place a structure that will allow for you to find things, and keep it organized. Read the rest of this entry »