When we were house hunting, nothing was “move in ready”. Meaning nothing was up to my taste, or just really needed a lot of work. If you are like me or many other home buyers in today’s market, you want something that is READY! Ready for you to add your special touch and live happily ever after. No need to panic!. Any house could have a lot of potential but you might not be able to see it. Let me walk you through our experience so you can have some insight when house hunting.
YOU want move in Ready? Reality is, that comes with a very high price tag. But what is really “Move in Ready”? It depends on the person’s perspective. Technically speaking, it refers to a house or property that is ready for immediate occupancy, which usually includes operable plumbing, electricity, locking doors and windows, and passing certain required pest inspections; the basic stuff. Now, for US trying to buy our forever home, we want the right floors, the right paint colors, the perfect kitchen, updated bathrooms, you name it- WE WANT IT!. I am here to tell you that as long as that home is on the perfect location, has good bones and of course, good price tag, there is a light at the end of the tunnel.
My #1 advise when house hunting, is overlook. You can still find a good property that works for you, keeping in mind that cosmetic details can be tackle down the road, just make sure your house has good bones and is technically move in ready. In this particular room space we removed popcorn ceiling, added new floors, new crown molding, removed outdated light fixtures, painted the walls and added recessed lighting. As you can see, it looks like a total different space and these changes were accounted for when we made our offer.
Everything else, is just decor and style and time for you to have fun!. Think about your color palette and do not deviate too much from it so your space looks cohesive and balanced. Find below my 5 top tips to style your space.
1. Pick your style and stick with it. Do you like Rustic, Modern or Transitional?. A little bit of everything? Find your style, what defines you, find your inspiration and start creating. Create your own inspiration board and start adding things you might like so later on you can redefine what must stay and what has to go.
2. Pick your color palette for your main big items. This is a tough one for me or at least it used to be. I realized that dark colors mess with my mood. I had this stage when I wanted a lot of things in dark navy blue but came to realize light colors bring me the peace and tranquility I am looking for in my home. So make sure the colors you pick talk to you and represent your vision. Stick to 2-3 and work around those. Neutral colors are the best since you can mix and match with anything.
3. Assess your area and figure out your must items. For instance, big couch, coffee table, area rug and entry way table. Sometimes less is more and your space will look clean and less cluttered. Also, it makes it easier when you want to re decor your space without breaking the bank.
4. Home decor items. This is where you can have all the fun. These often times are inexpensive, can be repurposed for other areas of your home, and can be rearranged to suit your decorating mood. Go for statement pieces in different sizes. Books, candles, flowers and vases are some of the items that have ton of usage in all decorating styles. I find myself changing things around the house almost every day so it looks like new, as if I had just bought new decor. HA! Got ya!.
5. Last but not least, have fun!. This is your space and it represents who you are. Remember our home is our fort and when we get to it, we want to feel at ease.
Have a question? Leave a comment and I will be happy to answer it. Hope you enjoy this article.
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