Home Owners – Page 2

2019 Color Trends: 7 Interior Paint Colors for the New Year

November 8, 2018 by Danielle Negroni Leave a Comment

Painting the interior of your home is one of the best ways for a home refresh. A new paint color instantly changes the tone of the room- literally! With a new year approaching, new color trends come too. Be sure to keep reading for a complete list of my favorite paint color trends for 2019.

Behr: Blueprint

Behr describes Blueprint as a “honest, approachable color” and I agree! Blueprint is a warm shade of blue that crosses between denim blue and classic navy. It is a great color for a bedroom, bath, or kitchen. Blueprint also looks great mixed with other shades of blue, for a sleek monochromatic look.

Benjamin Moore: Metropolitan

Benjamin Moore has a 15 shade color palette released for 2019. The Metropolitan palette features “calm, composed, and effortlessly sophisticated shades.” The colors are neutral and understated, and are classic colors that can be used in any room in any way.

Sherwin Williams: Cavern Clay

Sherwin Williams has announced their 2019 color of the year, Cavern Clay. The company describes the hue as a “warm terracotta color with ancient, elemental roots.” Cavern Clay is a warm, earthy tone and can be used in any room in your home. It pairs wonderfully with soft neutrals and earthy toned accents.

PPG Paints: Night Watch

PPG Paints has announced their 2019 Color of the Year- Night Watch. Night Watch is a rich shade of dark green that truly pops. According to PPG Paint, “Night Watch’s versatility allows the paint color to be used in a variety of rooms and design segments – from healthcare to commercial and residential design.”

Pratt & Lambert: Earthen Trail

Pratt & Lambert chose a softer shade for their Color of the Year. Earthen Trail is described as a soft, elegant terracotta. They suggest combining it with neutrals that brings out the sherbet side of the color. Earthen Trail is a fun color that can go in just about any room of the house.

Dutch Boy Paints: Garden Patch

If you couldn’t tell, Garden Patch is inspired by nature!”All of our colors for 2019 have a happier tone and reflect an upswing in how people are feeling,” said Rachel Skafidas, color and design manager, Dutch Boy Paints. It may look intimidating but remember- you don’t have to paint your whole house green! Use Garden Patch on a patio door. It’ll brighten the space with just a touch of color.

Dunn-Edwards Paint: Spice of Life

The Spice of Life has been named Dunn-Edwards Paint Color of 2019. This rich, warm, shade of red is described as “warm, inviting, adventurous, strong, and life-affirming by Dunn-Edwards. Use this shade throughout your home, especially in a living room or dining room for a cozy, welcoming appeal.

If you’re ready to pick a paint color and get started, I’d be happy to provide you with a few local professionals in San Diego. If you’re updating your home in hopes of putting your home on the market soon, give me a call so we can discus which improvements and paint colors will appeal to buyers today!

8 Affordable Ways to Update Your Home

May 4, 2018 by Danielle Negroni

Whether you’re planning to sell in the future or just want to breathe new life into your home, there are many easy and affordable ways to update your house! And you don’t need to have any special skills or need to hire someone to do these updates – you can tackle most projects in a weekend.

Repaint

It’s amazing what a can of paint can do. Whether you entirely repaint the interior of your home, paint the cabinets, add an accent wall, or repaint your existing furniture in a trendier color, paint is the DIYers best friend! There are thousands of online tutorials for painting projects – all you need are the right tools, a can of paint, and a little creativity.

Swap Out Hardware

Handles, drawer pulls, knobs, hinges – these come in hundreds of styles and finishes to fit any aesthetic. Choose gold or brass hardware for an on-trend look or go for a classic finish like brushed nickel. If your style is more eclectic, mix and match finishes or hunt for vintage options.

Update Your Light Fixtures

You may need to call in an electrician to help you update your light fixtures, but some may be easy enough that you can do yourself. If you have builder-grade light fixtures, take a trip to your local Home Depot or Lowe’s to pick out a few new pieces. This will instantly add character to your home and can help you pull a room together.

Refresh Old Appliances or Furniture

Whether you’ve recently brought home a vintage piece or just want to fix up an existing piece of furniture that has seen better days, contact paper and stickers are a great way to fake the look of a luxe piece for less. Use faux marble contact paper to get the marble-topped table of your dreams or use stainless steel “stickers” to cover an appliance that is starting to yellow with age. You can also use wallpaper or even washi tape to put a new spin on an old favorite.

Install New Light Switch Covers

It might not seem like much, but updating your light switch covers can help a room feel complete. It’s the attention to details that can really make or break a space.

Upgrade Your Window Treatments

You can work with a professional window specialist to get drapes, shades, and shutters. But you can also browse your local big-box retailer to choose a new solution for your home and install it yourself. While you won’t be able to boast that you have custom window coverings when you go to sell your home, you will get a new look at a fraction of the cost.

Install a New Tile Backsplash

Did you know that they make peel-and-stick tiles that are ideal for use in your kitchen or bathroom? These are easy to install and don’t require a handyman to do the work.

Rearrange the Furniture

This might seem obvious, but never underestimate how powerful rearranging the furniture can be. It can dramatically affect how light, bright, and open your space feels. If you can’t figure out how to rearrange a space, consult a friend with a good eye to help you see the possibilities!

These are just a few of the many affordable home projects you can tackle on your own! And if you’re willing to pick up a few new skills, you can save even more on future home updates.

But if you’d rather hire someone to do the work for you, I would be happy to provide you with some local recommendations. Just reach out to me and let me know what you’re working on!

4 Great Places to Shop For Home Decor and Furniture in San Diego

April 22, 2018 by Danielle Negroni

In San Diego we’re lucky to have access to both chain furniture stores and local boutiques. It makes decorating a home a breeze. But while you can always find great pieces at West Elm, Pottery Barn, and Crate & Barrel for your new house, it’s a good idea to mix and match pieces from different stores to avoid having your home look like a catalogue with too many matching sets. I always like to check out our local stores when I get the chance and these four San Diego shops are some of my favorite places to look for furniture and decor for my own home.

Skylar’s Home & Patio

Website

Skylar’s Home & Patio has two locations in San Diego, Carlsbad and Kearny Mesa. They sell high quality furniture for both indoor and outdoor living in a variety of styles. They carry top brands like Dovetail Furniture, Fermob, Kingsley Bate, Polywood Eco-Friendly Furniture, and Hunter Douglas window treatments. They also offer design services if you need help picking out furniture and decorating your home. If you can’t make it in to their store, you can also shop much of their inventory online.

Nativa Interiors

Website

The husband-and-wife team behind Nativa Interiors created their brand with the vision to offer high-quality home furnishings at a fair price. Alongside their own creations, they also carry luxury brands like Lee, American Leather, Stressless, and Gamma Arredamenti. In addition to the beautiful pieces available at their two show rooms in Solana Beach and La Jolla, they also offer interior design services. In their words, “Nativa Interiors is no longer a furniture store where customers came to buy one piece of furniture but rather an exclusive resource where our customers come to work with our interior designers to transform a house into a dream home.”

Kern & Co

Website

Kern & Co is my go-to resource for specialty pieces. They are a high-end furniture and interior design company with two showrooms in Solana Beach and Rancho Santa Fe. Kern & Co offers selections from leading brands as well as custom furniture options, upholstery, window treatments, and kitchen and bath designs through their partnership with Susan Spath Inteior Design. Susan’s team can help you bring your vision for your home to life.

Living Spaces

Website

While Living Spaces has locations outside of San Diego, they’re not as main stream as Restoration Hardware or Z Gallerie. Living Spaces carries many great brands like Magnolia Home by Joanna Gaines and Studio 7 Collection. While some furniture stores have a signature style that infuses all of their offerings, Living Spaces has something for everyone. You can shop for mid-century modern, coastal, transitional, and rustic pieces (among other styles) online or at one of their two San Diego locations. Living Spaces also has great accessories to outfit a home or office.

But remember, while you may be daydreaming about all the new pieces you’d like to buy for your home, make sure you close escrow before making these big purchases. You could jeopardize your escrow by making significant charges to your credit card, which can impact your debt-to-income ratio and affect your loan approval.

If you’re planning to buy a home this summer, I would be happy to meet with you and discuss how we can get you into the San Diego home of your dreams!

5 Things to Consider Before You Downsize

April 1, 2018 by Danielle Negroni

No matter how much you love your home, there will come a time when your house simply won’t fit your needs anymore. Perhaps your home feels too roomy now that your kids have gone off to college. Or maybe you’re just tired of lugging the vacuum cleaner up the stairs and are ready to purchase a smaller, single story home. Whatever your reasons, here are 5 things to consider before you downsize.

1) Know Your “Why”

It pays to keep your “why” firmly in the front of your mind. For most people, downsizing is not an easy task. You’ll likely need to spend a considerable amount of time decluttering and going through all the things you’ve accumulated after years in your current home. Having a strong reason to get to the finish line will keep you motivated when you’d rather throw in the towel.

2) Separate Yours Wants and Needs

As with any other home shopping experience, you’ll need to separate your needs from your wants before you start looking. This will allow you use your time more efficiently and help you avoid buyer’s remorse down the line. For tips on separating your wants from your needs, check out my recent blog.

3) Know How Small is Too Small

It’s important that you don’t get too hung up on purchasing the smallest possible home. Take time to think about the spaces you most enjoy in your current home, your hobbies, and how much time you plan to spend in your new house. You may find that “downsizing” really means downsizing on your monthly costs, not square footage.

4) Consider Your Costs

It seems simple on paper: smaller house = cheaper mortgage = more money in your pocket. But that’s not always the case. Particularly if you’re moving to a condo community, make sure you’ve factored in HOA and mello-roos fees. If your primary reason for downsizing is to save money, you’ll want to keep track of these “hidden” fees to ensure your monthly housing costs will truly be reduced.

You should also take into account how much it will cost to move and furnish a new space. Many times, people who downsize find themselves having to purchase all new furniture that will actually fit into their new space. A visit to a local furniture store can help you estimate your costs.

5) Explore Neighborhoods

San Diego truly has a neighborhood to fit every lifestyle. Just because you’ve spent the last twenty years in the same location doesn’t mean you have to buy another property in the same area. Imagining the possibilities is part of the fun of house hunting. Spend some time checking out communities before narrowing your list down to a couple to focus on during your search.

While it can be difficult to say goodbye to a beloved home full of wonderful memories, downsizing can be a fun and exciting adventure! If you’re thinking of making a change, I’d love to help you through this next step – give me a call to get started!

What Propositions 60 and 90 Mean For You

February 18, 2018 by Danielle Negroni

If you are age 55 or older and live in San Diego County, you need to know about Propositions 60 and 90 and how it can benefit you! If you’ve been thinking of selling your current home and downsizing or moving to a different home, these propositions can make moving easier on your wallet.

What is Proposition 60?

If you’re age 55 or older, Proposition 60 allows you to move within the same county (in this case, San Diego) and transfer your base year value. Your property’s base year value is tied to Proposition 13, which was established to protect buyers from increases in property taxes by setting a base year value on a property. If the property was acquired in 1975 or earlier, the base year value is set for the property’s assessed value in 1975. If the property was purchased after 1975 then the base year value is set by the market value of the property at the time of purchase. Under Proposition 60, when you purchase a new property you can transfer that base year value to the new home!

What Are the Restrictions of Proposition 60?

-You or your spouse must be 55 years of age.

-You must sell your home and purchase a new property within two years.

-The value of the replacement property must be equal to or less than the value of your current home.

-Proposition 60 only applies to primary residences, not investment properties.

-Proposition 60 can only be utilized one time unless you become disabled and need to move again to a property that fits your needs.

What is Proposition 90?

Proposition 90 is similar to Proposition 60, except for that it allows you move from one participating county to another in the state of California and still receive the same benefits of Proposition 60. The participating counties are as follows:

Alameda County
El Dorado County
Los Angeles County
Orange County
Riverside County
San Diego County
San Mateo County
Santa Clara County
Ventura County

Where Can I Find More Information on Propositions 60 and 90?

To learn more about Propositions 60 and 90, you can read the FAQ page on the California State Board of Equalization website here.

I’ve Decided That It’s the Right Time For Me to Make a Move – What Should I Do Next?

If now is the right time for you to sell your current home and purchase another, give me a call to get started!

Home Improvement Projects With the Best ROI in the San Diego Area

February 12, 2018 by Danielle Negroni

Most San Diego homes could use a few updates before going on the market. But you want to make sure you’re investing in the right home improvement projects. In my experience, these are some of the best updates you can make to your home to maximize your ROI:

Necessary Updates: Before getting into more cosmetic and trendy choices, you should make sure your house is in good condition. If the roof needs repairs or the windows need replacing, you should take care of those things before remodeling the kitchen or bathrooms. These updates may not be glamorous, but most buyers want to purchase a home that isn’t going to need immediate maintenance.

Curb Appeal and Landscaping: First impressions are lasting. Paint or replace the front door, get new house numbers, install outdoor lighting, and plant some colorful flowers to help your home make a great first impression on potential buyers!

Interior Paint: Painting the interior of your home is one of the cheapest and easiest updates you can make. Choosing a trendy color like white or grey and applying it to the walls, ceiling, trim, baseboards, railings, and cabinetry can dramatically makeover your home!

Flooring: You might not need to necessarily replace your home’s flooring, but it could probably use some TLC!

-If you have carpets, replacing them is your best bet. Carpet is made to last anywhere from 5-15 years, but most homebuyers will look skeptically at any stains. If replacing carpet is not in your budget, then hire a professional cleaning service.

-If you have hardwood floors, consider having them refinished before putting your home on the market. This will take care of any scratches or gouges in the wood.

-If you have laminate wood floors that appear worn out or scratched, you should replace the flooring. Laminate wood floors cannot be repaired or refinished like hardwood floors.

-If you have tile floors, hire a professional to repair any cracked or broken tiles.

Exterior Paint: If the paint is cracking and peeling, you should definitely consider repainting your home – it will give buyers the impression the home has been well cared for. If the paint is in good condition, you may be able to get away with just power washing the exterior.

Minor Kitchen Remodel: Updating your kitchen doesn’t have to be a big undertaking. In fact, minor kitchen remodels tend to offer better returns that major remodeling jobs! In a minor kitchen remodel, cabinets are usually replaced, repainted, or refinished. Old hardware and appliances are swapped out for new ones. New countertops may be installed. But in contrast to a major remodeling job, no structural changes will be made and the layout of the kitchen will remain the same.

Garage Door Replacement: Replacing your home’s garage door might not seem like a big deal, but it is one update that consistently tends to yield a great return on your investment at the time of resale!

Every home’s remodeling needs are different. If you’re not sure what investments will offer the best ROI, give me a call! I’d be happy to discuss how the House 2 Home program can get your home ready for market!

18 Things to Do Before You Close Escrow

January 21, 2018 by Danielle Negroni

There are so many moving parts during the escrow process, it can be hard to keep track of everything you need to do before you close. Here are 18 essential things you should take care of before picking up your keys!

File a Change of Address Form With the Post Office
Schedule a Professional Mover 2-3 Weeks Before You Need to Move
Contact SDG&E to Schedule When You Will Need Gas and Electric Services Turned Off at Your Old Residence and Turned on At Your New Home
Contact Your Water Company to Schedule When You Will Need Water Turned Off at Your Old Residence and Turned on At Your New Home:

City of San Diego

Carlsbad Water District

Olivenhain Water District

San Dieguito Water District

Santa Fe Irrigation District

Update Your Address on Your Credit Cards and Bank Accounts
Update Your Address on Any Magazines or Subscriptions You Receive in the Mail
Give Your Church, Doctor, Veterinarian, Etc. Your New Address
Notify Any Government Offices of Your Move
Contact Your Cable/Internet Provider to Schedule When You Will Need Their Services Turned Off at Your Old Residence and Turned on At Your New Home

AT&T

Cox

Spectrum Time Warner

If Your Children Are Staying in the Same Schools, Notify the School With Your New Address
If Your Children Will Be Changing Schools, You Will Need to Get Them Registered:

Carlsbad Unified School District

Del Mar Union School District

Encinitas Union School District

Rancho Santa Fe School District

San Diego Unified School District

San Dieguito Union High School District

Solana Beach School District

Update Your Address at the DMV
Update Your Auto and Health Insurance
Ensure Your Home Warranty Coverage Will Start on the Day You Close Escrow
Notify Your Landscaper of Your New Address and Arrange to Have Them Start at Your New Property
Notify the Newspaper of Your New Address
If You Pay For Trash and Recycling Services, Notify Them of Your Change of Address
Provide Friends and Family With Your New Address

If there’s anything you need help with that is not on this list, please let me know!

2018 Color Trends – 9 of the Hottest Interior Paint Colors

December 17, 2017 by Danielle Negroni

Want to refresh your home with a new coat of paint? Tired of that color you’ve had for years? Some of the biggest names in paint like Sherwin-Williams, Benjamin Moore, and Behr have announced their picks for 2018’s color of the year. Whether you love neutrals, prefer moody hues, or want something bold, there’s sure to be a color on this list that speaks to you!

Pantone: Ultra Violet

Pantone never shies away from choosing daring hues for their color of the year. Last year’s choice was a bright green and this year they’ve gone with Ultra Violet, a vivid shade of purple. You can read more about their selection here.

Sherwin-Williams: Oceanside

If purple isn’t for you, take a look at Sherwin-Williams’ choice for 2018, a jewel toned blue-green hue called Oceanside. This is a rich and robust color, but it’s also just subdued enough that it could be used as a neutral to balance other, brighter colors.

Behr: In the Moment

Behr’s choice for its Color of the Year, In the Moment, is a tranquil mix of blue, grey, and green. This would be a great choice for coastal spaces. In the Moment could work equally well on the walls or on your cabinetry.

PPG Paints: Black Flame

If you’re tired of everything light and bright and want to select a moody color, PPG Paints had chosen Black Flame as their 2018 color of the year. Not a true black, this hue has tones of indigo and grey. This color will make a statement wherever it is used!

Benjamin Moore: Caliente

Definitely the spiciest color on this list, Benjamin Moore’s choice for 2018, Caliente, is a rich, brick red. This color would be great in the kitchen or on the front door. It could also be used to bring a pop of color into a neutral space. Click here to learn more about this vibrant shade.

Glidden Paint: Deep Onyx

Perhaps unsurprisingly Glidden Paint (which is a PPG Paint brand) chose Deep Onyx as their color of the year. This shade is more of a true black than PPG’s Black Flame, but tones of grey keep Deep Onyx from being too harsh. Use it as a primary color or as an accent.

Dunn-Edwards: The Green Hour

Dunn-Edwards’ The Green Hour, takes its name from turn-of-the-century Paris. 5 o’clock became known as “The Green Hour” due to the popularity of absinthe. This hue is a rich and muted shade of blue-green that will work well in all areas of the home.

Dutch Boy Paints: Sandstone Tint

Grey and white have been the reigning neutrals for years. But Dutch Boy Paints’ choice of Sandstone Tint, a light sand color, could signal a return to beige and brown. Sandstone Tint is described as a color “perfectly balanced between warm and cool” making it a great neutral for any space.

Pratt & Lambert: Heron

Pratt & Lambert chose Heron as their color of the year for 2018. Heron is a calming midnight blue. It’s an elegant color that inspires relaxation and would be great for a bedroom or living space.

If you’ve decided to take the plunge and repaint, I’d be happy to provide you with the names of a few local professionals in San Diego. If you’re updating your home in anticipation of putting it on the market, give me a call so we can discuss what improvements your home needs to appeal to the broadest range of buyers!