3 Creative Ways to Increase the Value of Your Condo

During the process of placing your condo on the market, there are many aspects to consider and tasks to be completed. Since it is such a competitive market, it is very important that your condo has updated features for buyers to fall in love with. Updated features are the best way to increase the value of your condo and keep potential buyers interested. Before you put your condo on the market through your local Beverly Hills real estate agency, here are 3 creative ways to increase its value and have buyers flock in by the dozen:

1. Carpet to hard surface flooring: Carpets are one of the first things within a home to show signs of wear and tear and can eventually be a minor health hazard. Carpets are notorious breeding grounds for dirt, allergens, and contaminants that can’t be reached with a standard vacuum. When left to fester for too long, the allergens and contaminants can affect the overall air quality within your home and start to harbor unpleasant odors. All of these factors can have a negative effect on the selling of your home. The last thing buyers want to walk into is a condo that smells a tad bit funky and with floors decorated with old, dirty carpets. Replacing the carpet in your condo with hard surface flooring is one of the best ways to increase its value and peak interest in potentials buyers. Hard surface flooring such as laminate, tile, and wood are much easier to clean and keep clean, do not emit odors and most importantly, are a great way to keep your condo looking updated. Everyone knows that updated homes are what buyers are searching the market for.

2. Scrape the popcorn ceilings: Take a good look at your ceilings. What do you see? If it’s popcorn, then it’s time to get rid of it. Popcorn belongs at the movies, not on ceilings, so grab the scraper or call a professional because it’s time to reveal those smooth-surfaced ceilings. This is a great way to increase the value of your condo because it will give your condo an overall updated look.

3. Neutral wall colors: Even though everyone has their own taste in color and decor, it’s best to paint your walls a neutral or earthy tone when the time comes to put your condo on the market. With a neutral pallet, buyers will be able to better envision the color scheme that they themselves would want the rooms to be in. Not to mention, neutral tones are a wonderful way to brighten up a room. Freshly painted walls are a guaranteed way update your condo and increase its value.

With brand new floors, smooth ceilings, and freshly painted walls, your condo will be any Beverly Hills realtor's dream to sell.  

Must-Have Luxurious Upgrades for Your Home

Whether you are in search for the perfect luxury home with the help of your Beverly Hills real estate agent or planning to do a little remodeling on your current home, be sure to add the following upgrades to your ‘must-have’ list:

1. Dual ovens: This upgrade is a must for families who love to spend time creating restaurant-worthy dishes in their personal kitchen. Dual ovens are found in most luxury homes and are great when you want to host a lavish party. You’ll be able to bake all of your decadent desserts at the same time as your savory dinner entrees. With dual ovens, you can bake your cake and eat it too.

2. Theater room: This feature is a big hit for little ones who love their Disney movies or for those who like to watch the game on a large screen. If you have children, theater rooms are a great space for them to hang out with their friends and are even better for family movie nights. Most theater rooms are installed with soundproof walls to keep the rest of the house nice and quiet.

3. Heated bathroom floors: If you tend to have cold feet, heated bathroom floors are exactly what you need. This trending system comes with a thermostat that allows you to set the floors to your desired heat. The thermostat also enables you to set the heat on a timer so you never have to walk on frigid floors in the morning.

4. Walk-in steam shower: This luxury spa-like feature is great for those who love a nice, hot shower. Steam showers are known to clear sinuses when you’re feeling under the weather and open up your pores for a proper skin detox. Combined with heated floors, this combo will feel like you checked into a spa for the day.  

Investing in these must-have luxurious upgrades is just another way to turn a house into a home and, of course, is just another excuse to have your friends and families over for dinner and drinks. These upscale features can be found in many Beverly Hills and Malibu luxury homes.

The Pros and Cons of Living Near a School

Looking for a Beverly Hills real estate agency? There are many different facets to looking and buying a new home, especially when there’s the possibility of starting a family in the future. Is it a safe neighborhood? Am I close to shops and eateries? Are we near a good school system? Does this community have HOA’s? These are some of the many questions that are asked by prospective homeowners. For families with young children, the quality of a school system is an important factor in their quest for a new home. Isn’t living near a school the optimal choice when toting small children? Let’s take a look below at the pros and cons of living near a school:

Pros

There are many benefits to living nearby a school. The most obvious benefit to residing near a school is the easy access you and your family will have to that establishment. The rush of getting everyone out the door and on time is virtually eliminated with the school’s close proximity. Mornings with little ones become a little more enjoyable and a lot less stressful. Another great aspect is the quality of the neighborhoods; the neighborhoods are significantly safer since you’ll be residing amongst other families with young children. There are also plenty of police officers that monitor the neighborhoods surrounding schools; school zones are closely surveilled for the safety of the children. Living near a school also means that your property value is much higher than average. In the event that you and your family move, you will be able to attain a higher resale value when you sell your home.  

Cons

Though the property value of a house located near a school is much higher, especially with Malibu luxury homes, it could also mean that it is much harder to sell; quite a perplexing concept. Many buyers, especially ones who do not have children, have little interest in living near a school or find it questionable. Unfortunately, living near a school also entails quite a bit of traffic when the school day begins and ends. There are also many buses traveling down the streets en route to the designated stops. These factors create a lot of congestion on the roads leading up to schools during the mornings and late afternoons. Lastly, living near a school also calls for the occasional noisy day. From practice fire drills, recess time, school bells, and sporting events, the once quiet neighborhood can be filled with a lot of noise (Source).  

What You Should Know Before Hiring a Tree Care Professional

Homeowners, you may have a big branch that needs to be cut or a tree trunk that needs to come out of the ground. Doing it yourself could be potentially dangerous. It is time to call in a tree care professional. What should you look for?

Safety

Safety is the most important aspect of tree work that needs to be considered when hiring a tree

company. With the dangerous nature of the business, a culture and tone of “safety first” in a tree

company is critical (Source).

Licensure and Recommendations

Ask for an up-to-date certificate of insurance and a copy of their work contract. You want to ensure that the company is properly insured and that you will not be held liable for damages, accidents, or injuries. Secondly, you’ll want to look for recommendations and credentials. Three notable credentials are:

• International Society of Arboriculture (ISA) - certified arborist
• Tree Care Industry Association (TCIA) - accredited business
• Certified Tree Care Safety Professional (CTSP) - individual license

(Source).

Price

Will they give you a detailed estimate (along with time to completion)? Get written estimates from three equal companies to compare prices and understand the scope of the job. This way you can leverage them against each other, getting the best price from the tree care professional you are most comfortable with.

If you live in Malibu, California or Beverly Hills, California and have a particular treescape problem, be sure to speak to a real estate agent first. Malibu realtors and Beverly Hills real estate agents can point you in the right direction and help you make the right choice!