Home Rentals – Save Yourself A Fat Wedge In Mortgage Fees


Lots of people are opting to rent a home rather than buy one outright. The most obvious reason for that is some people don’t enjoy the prospect of being in debt to a bank for the next 20 or so years of their life. Plus, maintaining a house that you’ve purchased isn’t cheap either. Many people have purchased a house to find that after 3 years the whole roof needs replacing at a cost of $5000 or $10,000.

Renting a home has often been compared to throwing your money away to a landlord, but in truth, this is not really the best way to look at it. First, with home rentals, you’re not paying any interest on money borrowed, as you would from a bank. Second, insurance costs, home and lawn maintenance/repairs and real estate agent commissions are things that are gleefully avoided with home rentals.

If you were to put away all the money you saved by not having to pay high interest rates and upkeep costs of owning a house into a savings account with even a modest rate of return, chances are, you’ll have made more money than you would by selling a house that you own.

Another great thing about home rentals is the fact that relocating is much easier when compared to owning a house. Many people like to travel and experience living in different areas. This is made much easier if you don’t have to worry about selling your house.

Depending on where you live, you may be eligible to receive assistance when trying to rent a home. This is especially true if you are just moving out of your parents’ house for the first time or moving to a different area in order to go to post-secondary school. Banks will sometimes finance your first and last month’s rent, plus your security deposit at a fairly low interest rate. This will allow people who need to move quickly or find it difficult saving up for first and last months rent to move into a new home quickly.

Home rentals typically relate to where one would be living, but there are other kinds of home rentals, too. Vacation home rentals are a popular option, especially if the rent is shared with other people. You could easily rent a vacation home with a few, or even a dozen, other people that you could share with throughout the year. This is an inexpensive alternative to buying a vacation property or staying at an expensive hotel with hundreds of other guests.

There are several home rental resources available on the internet. Topics will range from what to look for in a rental home to the proper budgeting and other financial tools that relate to home rentals. Renting instead of owning a home is a smart way to save money and give yourself the freedom to move around the world if ever you wish to do so.

Summary:

Renting a home has often been compared to throwing your money away to a landlord, but in truth, this is not really the best way to look at it.



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10 Most Common Mistakes Rental Home Owners Make and How to Avoid Them


As a property management company specializing in single family homes and small residential rental property, we have helped hundreds of owners manage their homes and small rental properties.  We have found similar mistakes that these owners have made while managing their own property.  The following are the ten most common.  We hope this report will help you become better rental property owners.

1. Not screening each applicant.

Besides the fair housing violation by screening some applicants and not others, you are heading for trouble if you don’t properly screen your prospective renters.  Good tenants are a key to an enjoyable rental property investment. You should have each interested renter fill out an application, which should be screened according to credit, prior rental or ownership history, income, income stability and criminal history.  Your criteria needs to be consistently applied to every applicant applying for the property.

2. Not following Fair Housing Laws

Rental owners are losing millions of dollars every year because of ignorance and blatant violations of the Fair Housing Laws.  It is against the law to discriminate against anyone based on Race, Color, Religion, Sex, National Origin, Handicap or Familial Status.  This is a Federal Law.  Minnesota State laws also includes marital status, status with regards to public assistance, and depending on the municipality your property is in, may also include affectional preference and age.  There are some exceptions to the law if you are an owner occupant, however, it is best to consult with your attorney or HUD before you rent your home.

3. Not keeping up on the home rental market

Most rental home owners simply look in the newspaper to see what other owners are renting their property for and determining a rent.  This is a way, but certainly not the only way or the best.  Unless you rent out hundreds of properties, you are not going to have the data and experience to effectively set the rent.  If you don’t have professional management, try some testing.  Start advertising your property two months out.  Set the rent higher than what you see in the newspaper.  See what response you get.  If you get flooded with calls, you may feel good, but this usually means your rent price is too low.  It is a matter of testing.   Upon lease renewal, most owners are hesitant to test a higher rent.  The typical excuses are that they think the tenant will move or they don’t have enough time to re-rent the property.  Consider the cost, time and hassle for the tenant to move.  If your tenant is serviced like a valued customer during the course of the lease term, coupled with the hassles of moving, a modest rent increase will typically not scare them away.  Tenants don’t expect rent will never go up; and a modest increase every year, as the market dictates, is far easier than a large increase every so often.

4. Not signing a lease

Many owners have the idea that a month-to-month lease is the best way to go, since they can get the tenant out easier. Consequently, these owners don’t sign a lease.  Although it is true that you would only have to give a 30-day notice to the tenant to vacate, if they didn’t, you still would have to evict them.  By then, they would probably be a month behind in rent.   Having a good written lease is always the best way to go.  You reduce your risk and have a better understanding with your tenant.  Even if you decide to go month to month term, get it in writing.

5. Not doing a Move-in/Move-out Property Condition report

One of the best ways to justify withholding money from a tenant’s security deposit is to have proof of the condition of the property prior to the tenant moving in and again after the tenant moves out.  This can be in the form of a written report, photos and/or videotape.  Without such proof, you will be defenseless if it goes to court. Be sure to give a copy of the move-in condition report to the tenant upon move in.  A good lease would indicate that the tenant  needs to complete the Move-In Property Condition Report Form, noting any defects or damages to the property, and deliver it to you within 7 days after the Lease begins. In addition, it would state that tenant’s failure to timely deliver the Move-In Property Condition Report Form shall be deemed as tenant’s acceptance of the property in a clean and good condition.

6. Not giving your new tenants and renewing tenants Title X information

For most rental property owners, as of December 6, 1996, the Lead Based Paint Disclosure Law went into effect.  According to the law, every owner with a property built prior to 1978 must give all new and renewing tenants a disclosure and pamphlet on lead paint.  Failure to do so could result in a $10,000 fine.

7. Not having the property ready for new tenants

If you have your tenants move into your property without cleaning, repairing items and painting if needed, you are asking for more calls and complaints and less renewals.  Good tenants expect to move into a clean, well-maintained property.  By doing it before the tenant moves in, you can work around your schedule, the tenant is happier and you have to deal with less phone calls and enjoy fewer turnovers.

8. Not maintaining the property

It’s easy to defer maintenance because you are too busy to do it or don’t have the funds.  However, it costs a lot more down the road when the item becomes a problem.  Set up a preventive maintenance schedule of changing furnace and A/C filters, testing for carbon monoxide, cleaning gutters, recaulking bathtubs and floors, testing smoke detectors, cleaning under and behind refrigerators along with general upkeep of your property.  It doesn’t have to cost a lot, but will surely save you a lot.

9. Not properly handling security deposits

Owners consistently violate security deposit laws and end up losing in court.  Even if you are entitled to withhold the deposit, in Minnesota, you must give the tenant an accounting of it within twenty-one days after they move out.  Don’t forget to include interest. The rate is set by state statute.

10. Not documenting

It’s been said “he with the most notes wins.”  In today’s litigious society, this is very true.  The simple handshake or verbal Okay just doesn’t do it anymore.  Have written leases, document your conversations, document your property condition upon move-in and move-out, keep record of applications you denied and keep accurate records of income and expenses.  Your organization will pay off.  It only takes one time without proper documentation that can cost you a lot of time and money.

This article is not intended to give legal advise.  Please consult your attorney. To learn more about how to make owning rental property hassle free, contact R.P. Management, Inc at 612-379-7890 for a 24-hour recorded message on services and rate.



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How To Raise The Rent At Your Investment Property

rent back

Being a landlord requires management skills, sales skills, and negotiation skills as you are constantly working with people (your tenants). One sensitive subject for both the landlord and tenant can be “How much is the rent going to be?” Once the tenant is living there, raising the rent is important but can be a delicate decision.

Keep in mind that you must keep your investment real estate business growing. To that end, you must keep your rents increasing at pace with the market and your rising costs. Raising the rent is simply part of managing your business smartly. Done correctly, it can be an easy and stress-free process.

Although every rental situation and each tenant/landlord relationship is different, I think raising the rent depends upon a couple items:

1. Is the tenant paying a fair market rent? If the rent is currently lower than market, it may be easy to raise it slightly as most tenants will realize they are getting a good deal where they are currently living. Plus they will not want to take on the added expense and time of moving.

2. When making your decision, ask yourself: “If the tenant decides to move because you are increasing the rent, can you re-rent the apartment for minimal cost and minimal or no vacant months?” If you increase the rent by $50 and the tenant decides to leave and you are left with a vacant $1200 per month apartment, was the increase worth it?

3. Consider that if you are increasing the rent in the spring, generally you can be more aggressive because it will be easier to re-rent that apartment in May than in December (at lease in colder climates).

4. If you are actively managing your lease renewals, you must be talking with the tenant 60-90 days prior to the lease renewal about their plans and any rent increases. This will give you time to re-rent the unit if the tenant chooses not not to renew.

5. Have the rent increase conversation with them verbally or in person. This will give you the opportunity to read their reaction to the increase. It is also more difficult for them to say no to your face.

6. If the tenant is hesitant about the increase, immediately see if they will accept the increase if you set the lease renewal to 18 months (locking their rent for that time) in exchange for the rent increase. This is actually an even better win for you as the landlord, as you have just locked them in as tenant for 6 extra months (and you got your rent increase).

7. When talking with your tenant, Use your best sales techniques to show them why they should both stay and accept the rent increase. At the end of the day, be honest. If the increase is related to increases in your costs, explain how your costs have changed. Most tenants can understand that taxes, insurance, or utilities do go up.

8. Lastly, if they are a great tenant consider simply leaving the rent at the same amount for another year. I would, however, let them know that you thought about a rent increase but “because they are such great tenants, you have decided to not change the rent for another year”. This will set up the idea in their minds that you did them a favor and will get them to expect a rent increase next year.

Having your rents keep pace with your expenses and market rents is an critical part of running investment real estate business. Although it can seem intimidating at first, if you just take your time and think through the process with each tenant, it can be a simple process when lease renewal time comes around.



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How an Instant Sale Can Save You From Repossession


Some of the latest UK statistics show that more than a million people will find their current fixed rate for their mortgage coming to an end in 2008. This means they may have to pay an average of £140 more each month, unless they can re-mortgage with a correspondingly low interest rate as the one they had before.

The economists don’t paint a brighter picture, saying that just a small increase in interest rates will spell financial doom for many. This they consider will create a detrimental snowball effect on the whole economy and see many fighting with debt repayments and having to sell their home or even finding themselves being repossessed.  Obviously this increases the supply and will in turn reduce house prices.

If you have any concerns regarding repossession, this article is aimed at helping you. Firstly lenders will take proceedings because the terms of your mortgage say they have a right to if you have two months arrears.  Most lenders however will usually try and come to an understanding to help you clear the arrears before starting proceedings.

If a resolution is not possible your lenders will get their arrears department to chase missed payments. This will continue for no longer than six months when your account will be refered to their solicitors and you will be warned that if you do not clear your arrears that repossession will take place.

If you are not in a position to do anything about your situation then the solicitors will instigate County Court proceedings for repossession of your property and a hearing date will be set. It is never to late for a resolution and the courts will give you further time to pay your debt.  However if your circumstances don’t allow for this, the lender will be given right to possession, usually this is set at 28 days.

On the designated date a court bailiff will arrive at your home with a locksmith and the lenders agent and they will take formal possession of your house.  This is indeed an extremely sad day for all, but one which could have been avoided.

There are many house sale specialists operating throughout the UK.  One well known one is An Instant Sale in Leicester.  They specialize in buying properties fast, for cash and the sale is guaranteed. They can stop repossession at any stage and can achieve a sale in as little as seven days. There are no valuation charges to pay and no solicitor’s fees.

If you do not wish to move from your home they can buy it from you, allow you to clear your debts, return any equity to you and then allow you a rent back option.  At this time you will also be given a fixed price to buy your house back in the future if you circumstances change.

Although these companies do not offer full market value on your home, offering usually between seventy five and ninety percent, you will find that when you weigh this up against either waiting your time out with an estate agent and paying their fees or the risk of losing your home, then the difference is very little.

What I consider best about this is the option to remain in your home, the children will not need to be removed from their schools or friends and no on at all needs to know about it.  That is, unless you choose to tell them.



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Mumbai, Jan 13 Real estate developers fear 30% to 50% increase in prices as well as demand for property in Mumbai, Pune, Nasik, Chennai and Bangalore, compared with the ongoing steady demand and prices in Delhi and the NCR region from March 2008 onwards.

According to industry experts, with Indiabulls (14 lakh sq ft of commercial and retail) and Peninsula II (5 lakh sq ft) properties under construction in Lower Parel in Mumbai, the demand for residential properties is expected to rise by 30% from March 2008. While Indiabulls property is expected to be operational this

year with a parking space for 3,500 cars, the Peninsula II properties will be completed next year.

According to Abhinandan Lodha, director, Lodha Group, “The commercial property rates in Mumbai are expected to rise by about 50% with more premium buildings getting constructed. Besides, India is emerging as a leading hottest destination for premium commercial establishments whereby builders would be setting up huge number of commercial buildings situated in one location.”

Property prices has already touched the roof since the past two years when the booking for Ashoka Towers started at Rs 4,000 per sq ft. However, now the prices have shot up by an additional Rs 18,000 per sq ft. As a result, home buyers have started eyeing Pune, Nasik, Chennai for setting up second homes instead of buying a second home in Mumbai for weekends.

This is also because of the requirement of 90 lakh homes in Mumbai, only 30% homes have been built so far. For example, investors have bought many flats in Kharghar, where 70% of the buyers have still not resided.

In Chennai and Bangalore, dual income families have started spending more on EMIs on buying big homes. Although currently Chennai is not considered a very active property destination, with the mixed used development under construction by Hirco (15 mn sq ft), Chennai will also see boost in prices and demand as well. Besides, there is already overbuilding been happening in Bangalore. Hence, the huge demand. On the contrary, NCR region and Delhi has already seen developments of this size.



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Home Renovation And Redecoration Techniques

renovation

A big renovation job – like that of the kitchen – needs proper planning of its particular stages and steps. With a general idea about how much money will be spent on the project, you need to know how to begin and go about it to perfection.

Advance Planning

Plan your kitchen renovation to precision – give an adequate forethought to the ‘what, when, how, why’ aspect of the renovation. A general statement about making changes in the kitchen could imply a lot of things – change of kitchen appliances, change in storage space etc. May be, it is redecoration you are aiming at! For obvious reasons, your project will go a lot more smoothly if you know exactly what you want to do.

Although you may end up doing both – renovation and redecoration – the two terms do not mean the same thing. Renovation is a much wider term, which includes major changes in the kitchen – like redoing the floors, cabinets or even moving a wall. Consider these changes first, and then as per your budget go on to redecoration – the change in the color design of kitchen appliances!

Your renovation plan should also include the decision of the project you wish to complete on your own. If you have the desire and knowledge, you may try taking up the renovation work by yourself. That is if ripping out cabinets and floors is something you know how to go about! For hiring a contractor, be prepared to spend the extra money that would make up his charges. Ensure the credibility of the contractor, as he and his crew will be in your home for weeks.

Make renovation ‘fun’

When you renovate your kitchen, have fun mingled with it to make the changes desirable. Have fun picking out the hardware, appliances and accessories, as you would not get to do such things often. For finding products that you want, take out time for shopping. Your effort will be well worth it and, surely, you will love the new things in your new-looking kitchen.

No doubt, a lot of time and money goes into kitchen renovations. However, careful planning of things you want changed will result in giving you the kitchen of your dreams, a delight to work in!



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Apartment Rental Hunting: A guide to finding your dream place




When you are house or apartment rental hunting, many people have fallen in love with a place then moved in. After all the hard work of getting all your stuff in place do you discover that this new abode of yours, isn´t exactly the answer to all your rental apartment or rental house dreams. A lot of people fall into the trap, excited by the thoughts of living in a new apartment or house. These renters tend to overlook some important details.

Some of these details include: just a month after you move in, you discover that your neighbor upstairs likes to play bowling in the hallway in the middle of the night or those thick plaster walls you were so happy with, block your cell phone signal.

Do not despair. There is a quick and easy list for you to follow when apartment rental hunting. By following these tips you will be able to find a house or apartment rental which will fit perfectly for you.

The Lease

• Is there a security deposit? Are there any move in fees? Many larger houses and apartment buildings limit the days and hours when new residents can move into a rental apartment or house. This is to limit the disruption to other residents.

• Are the utilities included with the house or rental apartment?

• Are the lease terms flexible? Some larger houses and apartment buildings offer options such as six month or 12 month leases.

• Is the house or rental apartment rent controlled?

• Is there a broker’s fee?  The fees for house or rental apartments are common in cities such as New York.

Amenities

•  What´s the cell phone reception like? When you are house and rental apartment hunting, be sure to take out your cell phone and walk around the property to test the signal.

• Is there off-street parking available? If so, how much does it cost? On-street parking is another option. This works out cheaper but be sure to check if you need to register your car or if you have to buy a resident parking sticker.

• Does the house or apartment have extra storage? Sometimes if the closet or storage space is small, some buildings have extra storage for a fee.

• Is the laundry on site or in the house or rental apartment unit? Do the washing machines look new or look worn out? What kind of system do they use, a card system or coins?

• Does the house or rental apartment have air conditioning? If not, is it allowed to install air con units?

• Does the kitchen have appliances like garbage disposal, a stove, a refrigerator or a dishwasher? Are they new?

• It´s a good idea to bring along a tape measure so that you can measure the rooms and doorways.

• Are pets allowed in the building? If so, are there any fees to be paid.

The Neighborhood

• What is the access to public transportation like? Sometimes an ad might say that the rental apartment or house is “close to the subway/bus”, its better to walk it yourself to see exactly how far it is.

• Is the house or rental apartment far away from grocery stores, gyms, restaurants, drugstores, discos, bars or cafes?

Building

• What type of people live in the building? Is it full of college students or retired people?

• If the ad says the house or rental apartment is “walk-up”, that means there are no elevators. This might be of concern if you have a lot to move or if you have some oversized furniture.

• It´s a good idea to visit the house or rental apartment during the evening when more of the residents are more likely to be home. What is the noise level like?

• If you need work done, how fast is the landlord to respond?

Ask these questions, and you will surely find a rental apartment or house that suits you and your lifestyle perfectly. Are you into keeping it real estate …? A good place to start house or apartment renting hunting is www.keeping-it-real-estate.com. We have a lot of houses and apartments for sale and for rent. Happy hunting!

 



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Statistics as of Friday, 3/20/2009

 

The market continues to shift.  The supply of available Single Family Detached homes  dropped an additional 2% to 38,652.  In the past month, closings stayed strong at 6087 to lower the overall supply to 6 ¼ months.  Keep in mind a balanced market is considered 6 months, which makes about 60% of our market a sellers market.

 

Additionally, pending sales have reached another new high at 12,265.  Scottsdale, another area of pendings, is under $1M so it is showing activity.  An increase of nearly 30% in pendings has been observed here in the past 3 weeks, so increased sales should be seen over the next few weeks.

 

The best markets in the Valley at the current time are Phoenix and the West Valley, at 5 ¼ months each.  Following closely is the SE Valley at 5 ¾ months.

 

Because of a shortage of realistic financing for JUMBO loans, the higher end continues to lag behind.  For $1M+, supply levels are at 4 years for Scottsdale and 5 years for PV.

 

 

 

 

 

 

MLS Statistics

Area Breakdown

 

Overall Market.  Since last week, inventories are down 2%.  Active listings total 38,652 with closings in the past month of 6087.  This is approximately a 6 ¼ month supply.

 

Phoenix.  Since last week, inventory levels are down by 2%.  Active listings total 8816 with closings in the past month of 1719.  This is approximately a 5 ¼ month supply.

 

West Valley.  Since last week, inventory levels are down by 2%.  Active listings total 9644 with closings in the past month of 1800.  This is approximately a 5 ¼ month supply.

 

NE Valley.  Since last week, inventory levels are down by 1%.  Active listings total 5691 with closings in the past month of 309.  This is approximately a 18 ½ month supply.

 

SE Valley.  Since last week, inventory levels are down by 2%.  Active listings total 8696 with closings in the past month of 1532.  This is approximately a 5 ¾ month supply.

 

Scottsdale Over $1M.  Since last week, inventory levels are down by 1%.  Active listings total 1469 with closings in the last month of 31.  This is approximately a 47 ½  month supply.

 

Scottsdale Under $1M.  Since last week, inventory levels have not changed.  Active listings total 2494 with closings in the last month of 192.  This is approximately a 13 month supply.

Paradise Valley.  Since last week, inventory levels have not changed.  Active listings total 578 with closings in the last month of 10.  This is approximately a 58 month supply.



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Save Big Bucks On Home Decorating


More people decorate their homes during the fall and winter months than at any other time of the year, and with good reason! We spend more time indoors, we owe it to ourselves and our families to create a comfortable place to be! Here are the best ways to save BIG bucks on your home decorating

Start with plan. I know you’ve heard this before, but having a plan doesn’t necessarily mean you know exactly everything you want to do in your rooms ahead of time. What it does mean is having a starting point to keep you in the ballpark, and that will save you A LOT of money in mistakes in the long run. So start with the three things you need…Color, Style, and Formality. Color is easy…if you don’t already have a color scheme you love, find one in a book or magazine, and borrow it! Still unsure? Pick your favorite color, plus white, never fail combo. Style? Maybe you know you love Country Farmhouse. Or maybe you like a little of everything! That’s ok, just make sure you give the room style a name that includes the feeling you want in the room, and that will keep you on track. For instance, I have a Fresh and Sunny Cottage Room for my family room. (I use sunny as a feeling as well as a visual clue!) Keep the feeling in the name, and you will pick the right style every time! Finally, formality. Know if you like a more formal room, where things on both sides of the room match, or a more informal feel. So my family room description would go something like this…I want an informal Fresh Sunny Cottage style full of soft blue, green yellow and white. So every time I buy something, I know if it doesn’t fit in that description, it doesn’t fit period!

Look for alternatives to everything!!! Flat sheets on sale are a great buy…I can get one at my discount store for $2.89. A flat sheet is generally 66×96 inches…that’s over 3 yards of fabric for less than 97 cents a yard! Can’t beat that, and flat sheets come in so many colors. When in doubt, buy white! Use them for tablecovers, curtain panels, making comforter covers, throw pillow covers, or even casual slipcovers! If you find a great color, stock up during a white sale…you will always find uses for fabric that fits into your color scheme.

Look for furniture at yard sales and in the classifeds. You can get quality furniture this way for a fraction of what it would cost you new. Learn to make do with the furniture you have with the art of disguise. Slipcovers, paint and floor length tablecloths go a long way towards dressing up an otherwise forgettable piece of furniture. By the way, you can paint ANYTHING these days! The trick is to use a specialty blocking primer before painting…I recommend KILZ Original. Yes, you can even paint that ugly laminate bookcase or computer desk! All your furniture mismatched in style and form? Paint it all one color, and it will help marry and unify your furniture grouping. (I love white or black for furniture, depending on the style of your room.)

Finally, look for good resources to help you learn to create your own accessories, custom paint finishes, and inspirational ideas such as TheBudgetDecorator.com.

With a little advanced thinking and a bit of creativity, anyone can have a well decorated home!



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Home Decorating for the Independent Personality


Putting your personality into your house is the best way to make it a home. Whether you’re using your own muse or someone else’s put yourself into everything you create at home for a relaxing life experience.

One of the first things I realized about home decorating-after my three thousand or so attempts at making my place look like all the pictures from the magazines-is that home decorating should reflect your personal style. Your home should reflect who you are and what you love.

Of course, I’m not saying that this revelation made me prance around my house with two cans of pink and yellow paint or that I plastered bunnies and butterflies everywhere-and yes, I do actually love pink, yellow, bunnies and butterflies-but I did put a little bit of myself into every room.

I got a certain sense of personal satisfaction from painting my ugly orange countertops a vibrant country red that matched my lust for life and the décor I actually wanted to toss around my kitchen. And my own personal works of art-paintings, photographs, sculptures-are set up around my place as well, giving it just that look of being lived in by somebody who loves and experiences life.

Of course, I recognize that we can’t all spend our evenings splashing around in water colors, or spend our weekends chasing a gaggle of baby quails about the yard trying to take their pictures.

That’s why there are professional designers out there who dedicate their lives to creating home décor that other people can use to express themselves and their individuality. And it’s okay to buy your curtains and blankets if you don’t know how to sew-crafty as I am, I still bought all my curtains and most of my blankets.

Of the things I love most in my home, my furniture doesn’t even come close to counting. It’s the accessories in my home that make it look like I personally live there and that no one else can shake my individuality.

One of my favorite items is a cotton area rug I recently purchased on a trip to the Deep South. This area rug was handmade in mills in the Deep South, where the cotton was picked fresh, milled in a southern mill, cleaned, spun and woven all by the same family of rug makers. When the bed is too hot at night, I frequently sleep on this rug and it makes me feel like I’m back in the Deep South all over again.

I realize that area rugs are not for everyone, but it can be an excellent place to start in learning to develop a personality for your home that meshes with your own personality rather than clashing and making you feel uncomfortable in your own home.

Different types of accessories are truly the way to bring out your personality in your home. Whether it is an area rug, artwork, photographs, drapery, throw pillows or knick knacks that represent different moments in your life, you can always find a way to make yourself feel at home if you just put a little bit of yourself into your own home.



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