Staging is today’s Real Estate topic!

 

Have you ever walked into a bare home and just felt a sudden cold feeling? Whether you are shopping for a new home or showing a client possible homes you have been in this situation. You start to wonder…

·      Is my furniture going to fit?

·      Where will the tv go?

·      This room looks so small or way too big

This can be a challenge for people who can’t visualize and imagine what the space could possibly look like. Staging is aesthetically pleasing and gives off a sense of warmth and comfort. Time and time again we see that we get great offers and great feedback when we have a professional staging company come in and add some sparkle to our homes for sale. Show your buyers the potential your home has without making them use their imagination.

              

Why stage?

·      Get top dollar for your home

·      Sell your home faster

·      Allow clients to mentally move into your home

·      Appeal to the masses and not just your own personal taste

Do your research on what company to use and have them prove their expertise to you by showing you past jobs and experience. When it comes to staging in Southern California we always use Everything Creative Designs. They are affordable and very professional. Check out their website here.

Mt. Woodson AKA Potato Chip Rock in Poway, CA

    “In every walk with nature, one receives far more than he seeks.”  John Muir

I went on an adventure this weekend to Mt. Woodson in Poway, CA. From Carlsbad, CA it took about an hour to get there and find parking. We decided to go up the back side of the mountain because I read on Yelp it would only take an hour to get to the top. We parked at the base and started our journey up. You will want to bring water, a snack, and wear sunscreen! The trail we went up was paved and quite steep. The scenery was amazing! We had great views in every direction and many photo opportunities. Once we got to the top it was an HOUR wait to get a photo on the infamous Potato Chip Rock. I was in search of a new profile photo haha! We waited and yes it was nerve racking. 

You have two options:

        1. Climb up one boulder and  jump to the potato chip rock  

        2. Climb down in a tight crevice and climb up on the potato chip rock

Believe it or not I was terrified! I have jumped out of airplanes and hiked up crazy cliffs but I still get scared at the thought of falling down or getting injured. With a little encouragement from the onlookers I made it! We took a few quick photos and started on our trek back down the mountain. It was a great day and I got a great workout! This will be one of my many day trip adventures this year! Stay Tuned and go check out Mt. Woodson in Poway, CA.

~Del Mar Bluffs, Del Mar, CA Searching for the Right Neighborhood

                       

When searching for The Right Neighborhood to purchase your new home you have to make sure to do your homework. Make a list of what is important to you and start researching. If you have a seasoned Real Estate Agent they should be able to point you in the right direction. If you want to do some of the legwork before you contact your agent this is a great place to start.

Examples of some items that may be of importance: school district, crime rate, animal/pet friendly, near ocean or lake, nearby shopping centers etc…

Once you get this list started Google is a great reference to search for these items in your target area. You can get as picky as you want or keep the search fairly simple.  

Go around Del Mar Bluffs, Del Mar and read bulletin boards to see if there are community events that interest you or your family. Check what the traffic is like during your commute times. Is this something you want to deal with. Is the neighborhood easy to walk through. Can you get to the corner store easily? If you like guests inquire about the parking situation. Some neighborhoods have parking restrictions. If you are going to be taking public transportation check out what the services are like.

Hopefully this helps you in your search for The Right Neighborhood in Del Mar.

To see local listings click here. We are happy to set up a customized search for you as well. We look forward to hearing from you.

Looking to sell?? Here are common mistakes that will lessen the value of your home.

1. Overly upgrading- When upgrading your home, make sure you are spending money that will get you a possible return. If you put up remote control blinds in a $250,000 home in a bad part of town you are probably not going to get your money back from that investment. Try putting in new carpet or doing a new paint job those are things that really make sense to most buyers.
2. Wide variety of upgrading- Did you put in a lot of money towards an upgraded kitchen but nothing else in the house is upgraded? Yes, the kitchen is nice but now the rest of the house looks even more out dated. Try taking care of the main items that will create a sense of flow in your floor plan/design.
3. Overly customized- Yes, you probably love all of your personal touches throughout the house, but you are now cutting down your target market. If you appeal to the masses you have a better chance at selling much sooner. Choose finishes that aren’t over the top.
4. Bad floor plan- Did you decide to add square footage, but didn’t consider that now your master bedroom has no full bathroom near it? Really think about making these changes and talk it over with someone who knows about construction they can typically save you from this kind of costly mistake.
5. Converting the garage- We see this all the time. You wanted another bedroom, but now when are you are ready to sell you have spent $15,000 to convert it and every one who sees it hates it. Now, all the buyers see is $$$ that they have to spend to put it back to how it was. This is a very common mistake that will steer buyers away as it is now not a move in ready house.  
6. Paint options- Did you let your children pick the color of their room? One is pink, one is green, one is yellow, your living room is orange and your kitchen is lime green. This is a NO NO!! Sure you can have it like that when you live there. Your best bet is to paint the rooms neutral colors when you are getting ready to sell. Some people just can’t see past the rainbow.

                                  

If you or someone you know is looking to sell, remodel or buy a new home we would be happy to steer them in the right direction. We have many remodel success stories to prove these facts are true! To find a local Realtor in your area click here. To see some of our remodels visit our Facebook page. 

Top 5 things to do in Encinitas California. Whether you are planning a trip or a move you won’t be disappointed.

Top 5 things to do in Encinitas California. Whether you are planning a trip or a move you won’t be disappointed.

                         

1. Leucadia Surf School- Adult and beginner surf lessons available. All equipment is included.

2. San Diego Botanic Garden- Has four miles of garden trails with amazing scenery.  They also have a children’s garden which is the largest interactive children’s garden on the west coast!

3. Moonlight Beach- Great for walking or setting up for a day at the beach. It has an affordable snack shop and the beach is well maintained.

4. Swami’s Beach- Great for surfing, lounging or walking.  Very clean beach with amazing views.

5. Encinitas Ranch Golf Course- This is an 18 hole championship golf course. Amazing ocean views from every hole!

There is a little something for everyone in Encinitas! Great schools, beaches, shopping and dining. Who wouldn’t want to live here??? To find a local realtor click here.

***Check out this beautiful 3 bedroom 2 bathroom home for sale west of the 5 with Lagoon views. This home is one of the most affordable homes in all of Encinitas west of the 5 with a great view! It has been through a complete remodel using highly upgraded materials and fixtures. This home is close to all of Encinitas’ main attractions. To get more info about this listing contact Lindsey Haworth. To see more before and after photos click here.

Remodel project in Fire Mountain! View progress pictures of this Oceanside, CA property,

This 4 bedroom 3 bathroom 2,570 sqft home is going through a complete remodel! We have knocked down walls, cut down huge trees, re-arranged the floor plan and we are ready to take this property's value way up! Fire Mountain is a great community located in Oceanside, Ca. It has mainly custom homes with a lot of character. Some of these homes have not been updated for quite some time. We love to remodel homes with character and not your typical cookie cutter home.

This home was built in 1963 and was in need of some major rehab. It was very dark and uninviting. We have since opened up the floor plan and opened up the views by trimming down quite a few large trees. We can't wait to show you the finished product! Here are some before photos accompanied by some progress photos. Stay tuned to see the finished product!

Bye Bye ugly fireplace...Hello open floor plan!

Beautiful views!

Outdated master bathroom

New open master bedroom!

*If you have a home in need of some rehab/remodeling and you need some ideas contact me! I have been involved in over 20 remodels of all different price ranges. 

To view some of our projects click here. To contact a local Oceanside Realtor call me!

*If you have a home that needs to be remodeled and you want to sell we have several options that can help you. One being we can get you an all cash offer if your property works for our guidelines. 

EMAIL: Lchaworth@gmail.com