Top 7 New Home Trends

Image by jonlarge via FlickrNew homes are the top tier when it comes to home buying

because they afford you the option to customize your home to your liking with upgrades and you get to be the first owner of the home. As the real estate market continues on its path to recovery there are many home builders who are now reconsidering what to include in a new home's standard features list.

Many of these newly included standard features previously served as pricey options so new home buyers today are getting the latest in creature comforts without the heavy price tag. Check out seven of the latest new home trends and keep this list handy as you browse new homes to see what's included in the builder's standard features list.

Granite Countertops and Undermount Sinks in Kitchen and Baths - This premier touch surface of high end homes can be seen on the standard features list of townhouses and other moderately priced properties nowadays. A secondary benefit to granite countertop surfaces is the undermount sink which means you won't have any sink edges rising up past the countertop creating a very clean, modern look.

Living Room Evolution - Living rooms used to serve as the crucial gathering room but today's homeowners tend to gather in the kitchen instead. If builders are using a floorplan that includes a living room you can expect it to offer features unseen in living rooms of the past like ethernet wall ports and home theater system niches to hide home theater hardware.

Solid Wood Front Doors - The cold steel front door is more frequently being swapped out with the vastly more attractive solid wood door. Solid wood doors come in many styles ranging from intricate glass detailed doors to solid wood doors reminiscent of those seen in craftsman home design.

Hardwood Floors - During the middle and late 20th century it was all the rage to have carpeting throughout your home because it was a softer walking surface and kept the floors warmer than hardwood and tile during the winter. Now that radiant floor heating and the demand for low maintenance flooring have become more common it's expected that hardwood floors will replace carpeting in high traffic areas like foyers, hallways and family rooms.

Stone Exteriors and Accents - Vinyl siding is very low maintenance and styling options have grown in recent years. Even so, full stone exteriors or stone accented exteriors are hot because they give a more substantial curb appeal to a home and help break up the monotony of some home designs.

Solid Interior Doors - An increasingly popular trend in new home design are solid interior doors. Solid interior doors are different because they create a stronger sound barrier between rooms and are more durable.

Nine to Ten Foot First Floor Ceilings - Feeling cramped inside a home is the number one reason homeowners opt to move up into a larger home. One way builders are countering this concern is to raise ceiling height by one to two feet bringing the total floor to ceiling distance to nine or ten feet. This creates a vastly more open space and the cost to builders is minimal.

Utilizing this list of the seven latest new home trends, many of which can now be found standard in new homes, you will have the distinct advantage of buying the most house for the money and owning a home that will require few, if any, updates should you decide to sell in the future.

Joshua Ferris is an associate real estate broker in Orange County NY and specializes in both Monroe New York and Newburgh New York real estate. Be sure to visit Josh's Monroe New York real estate guide and Orange County NY Real Estate website.

Top 7 Do-It Yourself Home Staging Tips

Image by darque9 via FlickrHome staging shows your home in the best light possible by making your home look like a model home so taking on the task of staging it yourself can be a big one. The advantages of staging your home are numerous with the possibility of multiple offers and a shorter number of days on the market being just a few of the benefits you could enjoy.

Crank up the curb appeal - When it comes to selling your home the curb appeal, also known as the first impression the buyer will see, is crucial. Clean the exterior of your home by pressure washing the siding, cleaning the gutters to prevent sagging and landscaping the walkway leading to the front door. You don't have to spend thousands of dollars on landscaping because a few hundred dollars in plants and flowers will go a long way.

Clear away cluttered spaces - Cluttered counter spaces and rooms steal valuable square footage and make home buyers think the rooms are smaller than they actually are. Leave room for only the essential appliances on the kitchen counters and clear away any unused furniture or storage containers in bedrooms, family rooms and home offices.

Add complementary accessories - Staging your home isn't just about clearing away the clutter because a home that is too bare will make the home seem like it lacks personality. Use accent pieces and accessories that complement each other. For example, a round coffee table will help a living room with large chairs and sofas feel more open and flow better.

Shuffle furniture so each room has a purpose - Sometimes when you live in a home for a while a room can lose its original purpose because you found a better use for the space. This frequently happens in casual living environments when the dining room becomes an office or catch-all space. Once you have decided to sell your home make sure that each room has a purpose and that the space is clearly defined so home buyers aren't ticking away dollars for a perceived loss of space.

Finish any deferred projects - Occasionally we all take on projects that end up being far more time or labor intensive than we can handle. Before putting your home on the market be sure to finish all of your "some day" home projects to give your prospective buyers confidence that they are buying a well cared for home. These projects can be as simple as changing out dead light bulbs and as complex as finishing a deck. Either way, they need to be done!

Rent furniture or accessories to fill in empty spaces - Like most people, you live in your house and your furniture may be showing signs of significant wear and tear. To keep your home looking fresh you should consider replacing aged furniture with rented newer looking pieces. You can also rent accent pieces like vases, dishes and more.

Wash your windows and open the shades - Probably the most laborious task on the list, washing your windows on the outside and on the inside will make a big difference in the way your home shows. Clean windows show off the views around your home while showing buyers that you take pride in your home's appearance. A win-win all around.

Staging your home by yourself can be a daunting task but knowing where to start and what steps will help you achieve the most benefit from your time invested will increase your chances of selling your home faster and for more money than comparable properties in the neighborhood.

Joshua Ferris is an associate real estate broker in Orange County NY and specializes in both Monroe New York and Newburgh New York real estate. Be sure to visit Josh's Monroe New York real estate guide and Orange County NY Real Estate website.

Sell and Rent Back Schemes

Image via WikipediaSell and rent back scheme is a tax-free scheme, which allows you to release the equity, tied up in your property without having to move out. When you sell your home to a house sales specialist you can join their rent back scheme. This allows you to remain in your home for as long as you wish but as tenants rather than owners.

Rent Back Schemes are ideal if you find your self in any of the following circumstances:

Retirement – if you have reached retirement or are planning to retire and want to release the equity that has built up in your home, so you can enjoy retirement, but don’t wish to move. This will be an ideal scheme for you and you will always be given the opportunity to buy back later at a pre-agreed price if you want to.

Financial Difficulty -If you are having difficulties trying to keep up repayments on loans or your mortgages a house sales specialist will be able to help. They will quickly buy the property from you giving you a cash sale and allow you to remain as tenants at a rent you can manage to pay. They can even stop repossessions, right up to the very last minute, if your home is at risk and allow you and your family to stay in your home. If the financial problems are just a temporary set back, again they can agree to sell your home back to you at a pre agreed price, in the future, if your circumstances change.

Emigration - If you are planning to sell up so that you can move away. You will find that you have enough things to worry over without having to be concerned about broken chains, deferred sales or sales falling through. A house sales specialist can buy your property quickly from you and allow you to stay as a rent-paying tenant until you have made all your preparations and are ready to go to your new home.

If for some reason you decide not to move on and want to stay after the sale you will be welcome to stay as our tenant or you will be given the opportunity to buy back your home.

You may also decide to sell and rent back if you have health problems and want to fund an operation, divorce or separation, or even if you are a landlord who has problem tenants. If you have a commercial property and wish to release equity a house sales specialist can offer you a similar deal so that you can sell, rent back and still run your business.

When I discussed the possibility of these schemes with company operating in this manner in Leicester, An Instant Sale, I was told that selling in this manner is quick and discreet and the your friends, family and neighbours will be none the wiser, unless you tell them.

The rent is set in line with current market rents; you can fix the rent and the term. They pay for your buildings insurance, and a Corgi registered engineer will service your boiler each year.

An Instant Sale are house sale specialists and property investors who operate throughout the UK. For a free, confidential and no obligation offer on your home visit our website at: http://aninstantsale.co.uk