The Little Realtor

 Its the beginning of the year, and nothing is more popular than predicting what comes next. Whether its fashion, home decor, paint colors, or real estate, we love thinking about whats to come.  Of course, predictions are only that: an educated guess at what is to come. No one could have predicted Covid, and few guessed at its ensuing impact on health and the economy, and similarly few predicted we would see the intense rate hikes that may only come once or twice in century. So with an ever-changing, quick moving and unpredictable market, lets put a few predictions together for the Philadelphia real estate market, regardless...  Rates will continue to Rise.... Momentarily  The rate hikes aren't over yet. We know that. And since the Fed gives the market little time to catch up, we definitely will see more over the first quarter. That will impact the Spring market to some effect.  However, we expect those to rate hikes to be less intense going forward. Since that ...

  As it gets colder and you break out those winter coats, its a good reminder to make sure your home is also warm and dry this winter season. Here are some home maintenance reminders, and local suggestions for help, as we head into colder weather: Have your boiler/furnace serviced Climate Care HVAC Clean your gutters ‬ Ned Stevens Gutter Cleaning Have your chimney cleaned and checked Lou Curley's Chimney Services Alliance Chimney Check the trees on your property McFarland ProTree Additional suggestions: Remove AC units and seal windows Shut off and drain exterior water lines Test sump pumps Reverse ceiling fans to circulate warm air Test smoke and carbon monoxide detectors Get snow blower ready and purchase pet safe ice melting compound Winterize (blow out) your sprinkler system Let me know if you have any questions or need additional resources! Have someone else you have loved working with? Please tell me! I love passing along other tried-and-true contractors.

 We've all see the headlines.  INFLATION!  MORTGAGE RATES SOAR!  HIGHEST RATE JUMPS!  IMPENDING DOOM!  And to be fair, some of those are completely true. The last two years have led to insane inflation. The rates have jumped up at unprecedented levels. But in the grand scheme of things, if you are thinking of moving and still have the financial wherewithal to do so, there are still plenty of advantages for buying now. Just remember, its about perspective -  You want or need to move  Your rate is still lower than previous generations saw  You can refinance. You aren't stuck with the current rate forever  Even if inflation drops down significantly year over year, home values, on average will continue to go up. So will rental rates. Unless your income will also go up annually to keep up with annual inflation, then now will be a better time to buy than 5-10 years down the line.  If you've been a buyer in the market, on the fence or tr...

 Posted a few years ago but still a go-to list, don't forget to give your home some love this Fall too!  Fall Maintenance Check List

 I've been impressed lately with some of amount of accessible design features I've seen around as of late. By "accessible design", I mean home decor, renovations and design that is accessible to those with a physical impairment or disability.  First I noticed that back in March, Better Homes and Gardens did a great feature on a home designed with a wheelchaired child in mind.  Yes, it was a rancher and mid-century modern in design so it leant itself to move open-flow and clean line design. But even if this isn't your style, there were some great ideas here!  Check it out here  Then I saw Southern Living did a great home build with "adaptive design" in mind. This was a great feature because it reviewed new construction and slight changes in thinking to make just a welcoming, easy access home for all guests.  As noted in the article,  " If you’re going to be a good host, particularly from the Southern point of view, where we’re all about hospitality, ...

Its International Women's Day today, in the midst of Women's History Month, and I keep remembering or reading about amazing women (not to mention knowing and working with many!).  So today I want to share another amazing woman who made this beautiful space for her child... by herself... with her own tools... while pregnant...  Emily Higgins is a rockstar!  Great DIY chops here!  With another one on the way, it was time to bump up their toddler, Oliver, to his big-kid room.  And if you are a mom with a design itch, thats such a fun prospect. Kids rooms are fun. Full of design opportunity we don't afford ourselves in other spaces. But also full of challenges (where do the toys go?!).  I asked Emily to divulge a bit on what went into her big-boy room makeover. Read on...  Where did you get inspiration from for the overall aesthetic?  So I always browse Pinterest for my room inspiration, but honestly for this one I never saw one room that sparked eve...

 Bright white and moody colors will likely never go out of style but we are seeing more and more mid-tones come back on trend (last time mid-tones were cool were probably around 2000 when Pottery Barn was THE word).  One of the ones I am seeing most often is a gray-green. Its a friendly color that pairs well with more modern tones (think the grays, blacks and whites we have been seeing) but warms nicely with wood tones and natural materials.  Apparently SW sees this too as their color of the year (and the month of Jan) is Evergreen Fog.  Want to see some of the best ways to use it?  Loving these cabinets in green!  Again, working well hear with both bronze/black and earth tones  Love this more traditional-eclectic look. Looks much more saturated in a dark space!  But also a great pairing for a mid-century boho look  Great combo color - bold but not overly so. Here looking more truly green against the dark blue Whatever your style, this is ...

With inventory limited, move in ready homes at a premium and more and more new construction filling up the market, there is a trade off thats becoming more common - buying new instead of old.  It used to be that first time buyers would have to buy an old house and spend time and money fixing it up. And while thats still a common option, I'm seeing more first time buyers buying new construction, often townhomes, or homes with less "character" than they would prefer. While making old new is more of a common theme in renovation stories, we are seeing more people have to make new look old to add the touches of warmth, history and place that so many people crave.  But how do you make a new construction townhome with builder-grade finishes look like something with history?  I'm sharing some great starting ideas and some of the people who have done it best!  Add architecture  Via BHG Ornamental architecture additions might be one of the biggest-impacts to making a new ...

 One of the reasons many buyer's "over pay" for a home is because the final product is evident. Its painted the "right" colors, its been staged, the floors have been refinished, the lighting changed to trendy picks, etc. Maybe its even something as simple as a built in window seat. Or maybe its more, like a renovated kitchen that's been opened to the dining area. Whatever it is, the finished product is there for the buyer to see and appreciate.  But for many buyers, especially in today's market, the "finished product" house is out of reach. But many homes have similar bones and, often, would take very little to get to the end-goal.  One of the things I often do with my buyer clients is help them see the final product in the not-quite-ready home. If a similar home was renovated or redecorated and I can send them those listing photos, I'll start there. If I find a similar Pinterest image of a living room or kitchen with paitned cabinets, I...