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2018 Home Remodeling Trends

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Selling a home almost always requires some updates. According to Houzz, there are some home remodeling trends you should consider before putting any holes in your walls!

Color in kitchens

For a while now, all white kitchens have been the “in-thing”. Finally, colors are coming back into kitchens. However, you’ll want to be careful. If you add too much color, your kitchen will look dated within the next ten years. If you add color into your kitchen, keep it minimal, such as only the island.

The neutrals are turning

The neutral color palette has usually been grays, blues, and white. Now, the neutral color palette is turning to rust, earthy colors, and black-browns. With this palette you can add in colors like dark red and mustard yellow, bringing an entirely different look to your home.

Personalized Spaces

Personalized spaces are becoming increasing popular. Using unique patters and designs in a room with a mix of colors to personalize spaces. Tropical prints and bright colors will slowly make its way back.

More metal

Concrete has slowly worked its way up as an accent material. You might see more metal accents, sinks, counter tops and even floors. The added benefit of these metal pieces also means the added durability.

Remember, anytime you do a major home remodel it will always benefit you to have the work inspected. You don’t want to find a major problem with the work when you’re trying to sell the house. Make your home inspection appointment here!

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Keeping Your Home Safe For The Holidays

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It’s the holiday season and shopping is in the air! Unfortunately, so are break-ins. Keeping your home safe for the holidays is a top priority. Many neighborhoods have already reported break-ins and attempted thefts as people fill their home with presents. There are a few things you can do to take precaution and discourage thieves from breaking into your home.

Keep your security lights on

With your Christmas lights up you may forgot to turn on your security lights. But when the timer goes off during the night and turns off your Christmas lights the area becomes very dark. Lights are a direct determent for thieves so make sure to turn them on.

Shopping bags go in the trunk

When you are shopping at the mall and decide to drop off some bags to the car, make sure you put them in the trunk. Scouts hang out in parking lots at malls and watch what people do with their shopping bags. Putting your gift in the backseat will be very attractive to someone staking out cars to break into. The backseat is much easier to access and get away so put them in the trunk.

Lock up your home securely

You may be thinking this one is really obvious. However, many people who feel secure in their home will leave doors and windows open or unlocked throughout the day. Some maybe even at night. During a season that theft is at its peak, it’s even more important to always keep your home secure. Even if you are home.

We hope everyone stays safe and has a wonderful holiday season. Don’t forget to put down the phone and other technology, and be present with the ones you love. Have a Merry Christmas everyone!

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How To Prepare Your Home For Cold Weather

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We don’t get cold weather too often here in Florida. But every once in a while a good cold snap come through, like the one we’re getting next week. Believe it or not, there are some steps you can take to prepare your home for the cold weather.

1. Fix any window that don’t close properly

Windows can be a huge source of heat loss. This is also an easy way for allergens that come with the cold to get into your home. Make sure all of your windows, doors, and sliding glass doors close properly.

2. Prepare your fireplace

A fireplace in Florida can actually come in handy. Thanks to he humidity, 50 degrees can feel a lot colder. A fireplace is a quick and easy way to heat the home without burning your energy bill and is also a great way to keep the allergens at bay. Just be sure your flute is open and clean.

3. Change your filters

Changing your filters should be done every month. If you have pets, then even more often. Yet many people don’t change their filters for three months or more. Your filter is key to keeping allergens out of the home and the air fresh and clean.

4. Do a pre-winter clean

We all have those heavy blankets and bedding that are pulled out for use only a few times a year, if that! Don’t wait until you need them. Go ahead and wash them, get them ready for use. Do a big clean around the house to get rid of dust mites and mold spores that can create trouble in the cold.

5. Do as much as you can before you close things up

When you close up the house to keep the cold out is when you close up the house to keep everything else in. So the more you can do before you close up the house, the better. Keep in mind you won’t have the fresh air blowing through the house for days, maybe even weeks.

We hope these tips help you fair the cold weather. It should be coming in this week and lasting for a while so get ready Floridians!

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Getting Your Home Inspection During The Holidays

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Getting your home inspection during the holidays can be a challenge for both the homeowner and our inspectors. We want your inspection to be as thorough and smooth as possible. So here are some things you can do to make it easier for the both of us!

1. Put away the holiday storage boxes

After you decorate your home, you may find yourself left with empty storage boxes. The idea of taking everything out and putting it all back after a month may seem daunting. However, these things can easy get in the way for us.

You can make a big difference by simply putting your storage boxes back in the attic, garage, etc. Leaving boxes all over the home could mean we have to move them around if they get in the way of our inspection.

2. Keep your holiday decorations to a minimum

I know you probably don’t want to hear this, but your decorations could actually get in the way of our inspection. If we have to inspect your roof and you have it covered in lights, it will be a problem. In fact, likely we will end up breaking some of your lights in our attempt to do our job.

Worse, we may not be able to do our inspection completely and you would have to reschedule your inspection. Simply put, if you think the decor will be in the way of your home inspection, either put it up after the inspection or skip it this year. Whichever is more convenient for you.

3. We’re not liable for breaking your stuff, so keep that in mind

If you treasure a specific piece of decor, consider putting it away. We are very respectful of your things and would move it aside before every taking the chance of breaking or damaging your property. That being said, if we break some Christmas lights because we have to get on your roof, we’re not liable.

In fact, we would likely ask you to remove those roof lights before doing our inspection so we can confidently do our job with no chance of ruining your decorations. So as I said above, better to remove them or wait until the completion of the home inspection to put them out.

Having your home inspection during the holidays can be inconvenient. But, there are many benefits to listing or selling your home this time of the year. We will do everything we can to make your home inspection go smoothly, including scheduling one! Right here on our website.

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Required Repairs After A Home Inspection

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Any home inspection can result in finding various issues, both minor and major. However, some of these issues may fall under the requirement to be repaired by the seller. And others will not. You may find it important to become familiar with both. Here’s what you need to know!

Required repairs after a home inspection

There are two very specific issues that will be required by the homeowner to repair, regardless of the purchase deal or contract. The first is any water penetration issues such as mold or water in the walls. The second is local code safety violations. This includes any home issues that break any required codes, such as using specific materials for your roof, insulation, an unstable deck, etc.

If any of these two repairs are uncovered during the home inspection, the seller will be required to make the repairs before closing the sale of the home. You can depend on your agent to see this through. You should also expect to make sure you see the repair has been done yourself.

Repairs not required but you can negotiate them

Apart from the two repairs listed above, nothing else is required by the homeowner. However, if a major issues is discovered by an inspection, you can petition the homeowner to pay for the repair. This is part of a negotiation. You and your agent can negotiate with the seller to address any major repairs as part of the home sale.

Allow your agent to guide you

You should know that you won’t always get what you request. Your agent should guide you to to handle your expectations in what the seller will agree to and what they won’t. You won’t know exactly what you will get, but it never hurts to ask. You may also benefit to back up your requests with research. This is why a home inspection is so important. It helps when the sellers hear it from an expert.

As your home inspector, we’re on your side. We want to make sure you are as educated about your home as much as possible. And we also recommend you attend your inspection so you can ask as many questions as you like. Make sure you include us in your home inspection by scheduling right here online!