Your paint choices have a significant impact on your home. 
Not only can color determine your living space's overall aesthetic, but it can also influence your mood and set the right tone for your guests.
Do you want your space to feel comfy and serene or trendy and dramatic? Or maybe your family's style is somewhere in between. 
Here are five color inspirations that can enhance your mood and your home.

• Inspired by Nature: Are you spending a lot of time indoors? Consider adding more natural elements. Shades of sunny yellow, soft brown and deep green can open up your space and make it feel more calming.
  
  
• Uplifting Hues: Trendy tones — like Pantone's Ultimate Gray and Illuminating — make a statement. Or you could use Benjamin Moore's Aegean Teal as an accent color or to add light and vibrancy to an entire room.
  
  
• Rich Jewel Tones: Do you want an elegant and luxurious aesthetic? Bold magenta, deep blue and royal purple can help you create more dramatic spaces.
  
  
• Classic Neutrals: Use deep gray or soft taupe to create a clean, minimalistic palette. And the best part? These colors are timeless and pair well with nearly any home decor. 
  
  
• Warm and Cozy: Encourage feelings of warmth and positivity with desert-inspired hues such as rust and soft pink. A soothing color, like apricot, could be perfect in a bedroom or nursery.  

The right color palette can evoke the feelings you want in your home. Need more help choosing your tone and style? Reach out today for a recommendation or to look for a new space to make your own.

Equity — or the share of your property you actually own — is a benefit to any homeowner. For one, it means more profits when it’s time to sell. On top of that, it can also give you cash when you need it — either through a refinance or home equity loan. 
Fortunately, building equity can be easy. Every month you increase your home equity by making your mortgage payment. 
If you want to build your equity even further, there are several ways to do it, including: 

• Buying in an up-and-coming market. If home values in your neighborhood start to rise, so will your property value. That can mean more equity, too.
  
  
• Increasing your down payment. The more you put down, the less your lender will need to loan you, and the larger your equity stake will be.
  
  
• Paying more on your mortgage. Putting extra toward your mortgage loan — either each month or a few times a year — can help you pay down your balance and increase your share. Consider putting your annual tax refund toward your loan to really make a dent.
  
  
• Renovating your home. Anything that improves your home’s value also increases your equity. Choose your projects wisely, and reach out if you need some help getting started.
  
  
• Refinancing your loan. With a short-term loan, like a 15-year, you can pay down your balance faster (and sometimes get a lower rate as well). This can help you build equity more quickly.

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Do you have questions about home equity? Or are you planning to buy or sell property this year? Reach out today.

If your New Year’s resolution is to improve your health and wellness, your home can inspire you to do it. In fact, your living space plays a significant role in your overall well-being. 
A room dedicated to workouts can motivate you to reach your goals. And healthy, clean air and elements inspired by nature can make your home feel more open and calming.
Are you hoping to make some improvements in 2021? Check out these five home amenities. 

• Air Filtration System: This can improve your air quality by reducing allergens and bacteria. Regular HVAC maintenance can also ensure cleaner air in your home.
  
  
• Indoor Garden: Are you planning to focus on your mental health? Adding a calming indoor garden, a Zen garden or even just a few plants can help. Some plants can improve air quality, too, including English ivy and spider plants.
  
  
• Home Gym: It could be as simple as adding a treadmill to an empty corner or as elaborate as converting an entire room into a workout area. If you’re tight on space, consider compact fitness equipment, like a yoga mat, resistance bands or free weights. 
  
  
• Touchless Upgrades: Faucets, light switches, trash cans and door locks are high-contact surfaces. Replacing them with touchless alternatives can help you minimize contact with germs in your home.
  
  
• Nonporous Countertops: Certain materials are more porous than others, allowing germs and mildew to be absorbed into the surface. Sealing them or replacing them with a nonporous option, such as quartz, may help you reduce the spread of bacteria in areas like your kitchen and bathrooms.

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If your current property doesn’t inspire wellness, get in touch today. Together, we’ll find a home that better fits your goals.

An offer on your home moves you one step closer to the finish line in the selling process. And if you’re lucky, you’ll receive multiple offers from a range of bidders. 
The highest bid is the obvious choice, right? Not necessarily. Here’s what to consider before moving forward on an offer:

Focus on your priorities. Take this step early, before any offers roll in. Make a list of what’s most important to you in the sale of your home, like a tight moving deadline or your financial needs. Are there any requests that would make an offer a deal breaker for you? 

Review the contingencies. Now that you’ve established your top priorities, determine your bidders’ conditions for the sale. Common contingencies for potential buyers include a property appraisal and a home inspection. 

Compare earnest money amounts. People who are interested in purchasing your home need to show you that their offer is made in good faith. An earnest money deposit proves the buyer is serious about the transaction. The more money they put into the deposit, the more likely they are to be able to back it up with financing.

Be aware of unusual requests. A bidder could ask you to make unnecessary repairs or leave all your appliances in the home for them. Their offer might be high, but if something unusual interferes with your top priorities, it might be best to move on to another option. Together, we’ll carefully read over their requests and discuss any questions or concerns you may have.
Are you ready to get a great offer on your home? Get in touch today.