I have begun using tips from this show (as well as other HGTV shows) to sell the homes I represent in Orange County.  I find myself constantly amazed by the creations that these home stagers come up with and just how much money they save.

I’d now like to share with you some of my favorite tips from this show.

1. De-clutter – Serious.  Nothing else matters without it.  Not your version of de-clutter, either.  A professional organizers seal of approval is what’s going to get you an offer in.
   
2. Make it yourself.  In this economy, your elbow grease can pay off.  go ahead, Use that scrap wood to make a clutter container, a mantle, a masterpiece!
   
3. Improvise.  If you want affordable design, you can’t be set in your ways.  I loved the way they sewed together 3 bathmats to make a rug.  There is always a cheaper solution if you are creative enough to improvise.  And that MDM wood is a great option too!
   
4. Recycle.  I love the flea market dumpster diver approach!  One mans trash truly is another’s treasure, so don’t be afraid to take something, fix it up, and make it yours.  Plus it’s the green thing to do!  Also, if you’re doing demo remember to call habitat for humanity.

Should you have any questions about these tips or if you’d like to share your tips with me, please contact me.

Hanging artwork and photos in your new home really shows visitors insight into your life.  Custom framed artwork and photos is so expensive. We recently tried to frame a 20″ x 24″ portrait at a local frame store and the price we were quoted was $400. Buying posters and puting them in inexpensive frames can really save money. Ikea, TJ Max and Ross are some of our favorite places to buy posters, frames and framed art. Great looks and even better values.

Our HOT TIP of the day for framing family photos and getting the “custom framed” look is this. Measure your photo you want to frame. Go to TJ Max and shop for an already framed piece of art with similar measurements. Example: your photo is 16″ x 20″. Plan on matting the photo with about 2″-4″ on each side. So, a 16″ x 20″ photo with need a frame aproximately 18″ x 22″ or 20″ x 24″ opening. Take your photo and your new fram to JoAnn’s or Michaels and get new matts cut to match your photo. Ask them to put the matts, photo and frame together for you so it’s all done right. You will get the custom look for a fraction of the price!

It looks WONDERFUL and everyone will think you paid the BIG bucks. Our 20″ x 24″ portrait cost us $85 in our new frame and matts. Shhhhh! Don’t tell our guests.

Hope you had a great weekend – ours was very nice!  We went to a baby shower for a couple of our past clients, which was so fun.  (Did you know like 50% of our closed clients have a baby within a couple years of moving in???  OMG!) 

There were gifts galore – the place was littered with pink and fuzzy everything.  One awesome gift that Grandma-to-be got for our friends was 3 months of cleaning services.  Way to go Grandma!!  She mentioned she wasn’t sure of any cleaners in the area, though, and I felt bad that I have not done a better job of telling people all the resources we have available on our website (like cleaners and painters and CPA’s).  Bad Realtor, Angie, BAD!!!

 Mike and I do a ton of networking in Orange County, and we come across all kinds of businesses and business people in our line of work.  One thing we do as a service to our past, present, and future clients, is keep a database of these community services.  We even put many of them online right here on our website, on the Local Services page:

 http://www.askangie.com/communitynetwork.htm

I want to encourage all of our past and future home buyers and sellers to use our experience to save time and money on Orange County services.  Mike and I take feedback from our clients and add / remove businesses regularly from our website.  We keep only the best people on there, and if you have a bad experience we WANT TO KNOW, we will take the contractor or business off of our website, AND warn others. 

We would love nothing more than to advertise all the best businesses in Orange County based off of YOUR feedback.  Please help us be a better resource to you by giving us your good and bad stories on some of the people you used from our site. 

I hear many complaints from buyers and sellers who bought with another Realtor…they say that agent just dropped off the face of the earth after the deal closed, never to be heard from again.  We feel that quickly and painlessly providing good info and direction to our clients  is ALWAYS our job, whether we are in escrow or not.  We understand all our clients are busy and we want to make life easier for them all the time. 

Every Realtor should be a RESOURCE, and we are happy to be your Orange County, CA business connection   Don’t hesitate to email us if you ever have questions about someone on our website.  Another great way to find “the dirt” is to Google the business name you are considering using, or check the Yahoo local ratings.  Hope this helps

Orange County has very low crime rates and that’s one of many reasons it’s so great to live here. Keeping your home safe while letting your pet access your yard can be tricky. We just discovered a great company that sells pet doors that can be installed in your patio doors, screens, sliders and even walls of your home. Petdoors.com has everything you need. They have magnetic and electronic doors that keep out unwanted intruders while allowing your dog to access the outdoors. The electronic doors work like this….your pet wears a charm on their collar that unlocks the pet door when they get within a short range. It then re-locks and only opens again when the pet comes back into range. You can set up the system for up to five animals in your home.

Once your pet is outside what do you do about lawn damage? Once again another company we’ve come across can keep that lawn, dog run or patio beautiful. WaterlessTurf.com can put down artificial grass that your animal can urinate on. It’s laid on 2-3 inches of rock & gravel that allows for drainage. All you need to do is rinse it off regularly and your green lawn stays green all year long.

Mike and I are such animal lovers we bought our home for our dogs! As Orange County “Pet Friendly” Realtors, we know and understand your pet needs first hand and can help you search for a home as well as sell your home when pets are involved. Give us a call today and let us help you get started.

If you are the type who spends their weekends touring the many model homes in Orange County looking for ideas or strolling down the isles of EXPO or the Great Indoors, you know what we’re talking about.

Todays kitchens are a gathering place for friends and family. They are warm and inviting and no longer sterile or secluded. Kitchens should have warm, cozy places for your guests to relax. There might be a comfy chair or small sofa, bar stools surround the island, and textures of furniture and drapes are what you would put in your family room.

The “matchy match” cabinetry look is out! The new look is stained-wood bases and painted wood upper cabinetsw. The old-Europe-look rules, but with today’s appliances. Today’s aspiring chef’s want to cook like the stars on the Food Network. Give your kitchen top notch appliance, televisions, conveniences that will make life easier.

The investments you make in your kitchen really go a long way in the resale value of your home.

First, decide if you’re going to showcase the room as a bedroom or other space. Small rooms should NOT be used as an office/guestroom. Pick one or the other.

Next, if you’re making the room a bedroom put in a twin size bed. Possibly with a trundle that tucks away and can be pulled out for multiple visitors. Add a small nightstand and skip a large dresser. Floor space is key! If you’ve got it the room looks bigger. Make sure the bed is positioned to maximize the space and not cut off the room.

If you are displaying the room as an office or other work space buy smaller scale furniture. A big oversized desk will dwarf the room. There are furniture stores that specialize in small spaces and you will be able to find pieces that will work. Try IKEA or Plumbers, right here in Orange County. Take measurements of the room before you go shopping to avoid buying too large. Be realistic. Another great idea is to install closet organizers to store your work related supplies. California Closets is Great. The more the room looks like an office the better chance you have that the buyers will see the advantage of the space. With gas prices on the rise a home office is a fantastic idea!

Last, keep the decorating simple!! No large print patterns, keep the paint neutral and minimal artwork on the wall. Clean lines help the room appear larger.

With the right planning your small spaces can mean BIG dollars.

Did you know they have 2 REstores here in OC? Habitat REstores are actually home improvement warehouses that have new and gently used items for sale at ROCK BOTTOM prices. There’s one in Santa Ana, and another in Garden Grove. Supposedly the stores are stocked with overflow inventory from various SoCal builders, Lowes, and personal donations.

See http://www.restoreoc.org for hours and addresses.

At the volunteer meeting last evening in Orange, they mentioned that an interior designer just decided to redo their office, and dropped a ton of stuff off The Habitat REstores sell these donated items and use the funds to finance new land or home building projects, so you are putting your money to a very good cause by buying your furniture, cabinets, or countertops there.

Another thing…Habitat does DEMO for FREE!!!!!! They have a philosophy that many of the items we “throw out” when remodeling our kitchens, bathrooms and bedrooms really don’t deserve to clutter up a landfill, they deserve another go-around. (Especially for a family in need)

For example, the demo team has a Balboa Island demo to do this weekend, and they are salvaging all kinds of great items like appliances, cabinets, granite counters, & cedar ceilings. Then they have another one this month for a Corona del Mar kitchen that is way out dated (4 yrs old), the owner wants a new theme. He must be watching Top Chef or something!! I will take that Bosch dishwasher thank you very much, mine’s got to be 10 yrs old haha

If YOU are thinking of remodeling, there IS an order of operations to what will bring you back the most $$$ when you sell your home. Contact us for a free report, and then go nuts with the free demo and cheap REstores!. How fun and fantastic is that?!?! Serve others – serve yourself – save some money! Make sure to spread the good word!

Our recent clients loved the Wagon Wheel home they were buying, but the backyard needed help. They really wanted a home with a great pool area as well as a manicured yard for the kids to play. So now they found the perfect Orange County home, and they were determined to add the backyard of their dreams.

They added an awesome built-in pool with attached hot tub and beautiful rock waterfall. The also added a great yard area by the pool that is the perfect place for the kids to play, or the pets to lounge.

The new saltwater pool looks great in the yard and has really made their house a model Orange County home. Check out a few pictures of the building process and our client’s new yard – it will leave you wanting to do the same backyard remodel in your new home! 

Of course, as experienced Orange County realtors, we have to warn you that an investment in a pool is usually only recommended if you plan to stay in your home for at least five years. If you’re planning on selling in the next couple of years, you may not recoup your investment.  Since our clients are planning to raise the family there, they have time on their side

Congratulations Krysta and family on your great new backyard!  We know the twins are going to love it!!!