New House Builder | Get a Pool That Makes Your Home More Valuable

 

New House Builder | Nobody seems to have told Kanye West that pools aren’t always the smartest real estate investments.

The rapper is building a pool the size of a lake in the backyard of the home he’s renovating with wife Kim Kardashian, according to TMZ. It will reportedly be five times larger than any other pool of the homes in their Hidden Hills, CA, community. Classy!

But such a warm-water basin can actually deter prospective buyers who don’t want to keep up the maintenance or worry about it not being environmentally friendly, say real estate agents.

West clearly hasn’t won any awards for his financial savvy. He tweeted about his $53 million debt earlier this month. 

“The prevailing wisdom is that you never receive a dollar-for-dollar return,” says John Lucy, a real estate agent at the Keller Williams office in Los Angeles’ Hollywood Hills. “The best reason for [installing a pool] is for personal enjoyment only, rather than increasing the value of the home.”

Home Builder Jacksonville | How to Tell if Your DIY Project is a Disaster

 

Home Builder Jacksonville | When you first envisioned your renovation project, it was the stuff of rainbow-colored daydreams. A few weekends of manual labor, a forcibly fun painting party, and your house would be totally transformed. A new you!

Indeed, it was fun for a while. The first weekend you blasted out the walls, ripped up the floors and channeled your inner Bob Vila.

That was 11 weekends ago.

Since then you’ve taped some stuff off, laid down some plywood and covered everything with plastic tarp so the settling dust wouldn’t get into your morning coffee. Is it time to accept you are in over your head? Maybe. Or maybe not. You might need a good contractor, but you also might be able to rally and get this done yourself. Here’s how to tell:

Home Building Trends | How to Customize a Shed for Work or Play

 

Home Building Trends | If you’ve been dreaming of an addition for your home but don’t have the space or the funds, we have a solution for you: a shed.

No, we don’t mean those prefab metal contraptions available in the parking lot of your neighborhood Home Depot. The modern take on backyard sheds is anything but a bare-bones storage solution for lawn equipment and bikes. Sheds can be used as outdoor bars, yoga studios, relaxation and mediation centers, private retreats, and office spaces. Some are even nicknamed “she sheds,” the feminine equivalent of the man caves. Compact and customizable, they can even be beautiful. And they’re a great way to make the most of your existing property.

New Home Communities | Cool Tricks to Keep Your Attic From Going to Waste

 

New Home Communities | If you’re currently using your attic as a catchall for everything from your old Beanie Baby collection to those torrid letters from your sixth-grade pen pal (what were you guys thinking, anyway?), you’re missing out. Homeowners craving some extra space can pass on a pricey addition and invest in a top-floor renovation in the rafters instead. Whether you’re on the prowl for a kid’s playroom, the walk-in closet of your wildest (and weirdest) fantasies, or a man cave with a view, the attic might just be that special ticket. Here’s how to turn this long-forgotten space into the fave new spot in your home.

New House Builder | Planting an Edible Garden

 

New House Builder | If you ever worry about where your food comes from, or what kind of chemicals might have been put in or on it, growing your own is a great solution. Plus, you won’t be spending all your cash on organic produce from Whole Foods anymore.

But don’t worry, you don’t have to give up attractive landscaping—an edible garden can look good, too, says Jamie Durie.

“The reason I wrote this book is, I got really sick and tired of looking at ugly vegetable gardens,” Durie said in a phone interview from his Southern California home.

Home Builder Jacksonville | Should You DIY or Hire a Pro?

 

Home Builder Jacksonville | Should you tackle that home improvement or maintenance project yourself, or should you hire a professional?

It’s time for spring cleaning and home maintenance after a long hard winter, and time to get ready for summer. For some of us, it doesn’t matter whether it’s changing the fixtures or remodeling the bathroom. We call in the professionals. For others, home improvement and maintenance is a hobby or a necessity. Deciding whether to hire a professional or do it yourself depends on the project and the most important question: What’s it going to cost?

Home Building Trends | Aging in Place

 

Home Building Trends | Bill and Betsy Owens recall the growing concerns they had about their house—built in 1876—in Powell, Ohio. They loved the 12-foot ceilings, the circular stairway and the formal parlor. But when the couple thought about the future, the home’s steep steps and narrow doorways meant “it wasn’t very livable,” says Mr. Owens, age 57.

So, three years ago, the Owens built an addition. Now there are no steps from the driveway into their new kitchen and great room. A control pad with smart technology turns lights on and off, and three-foot-wide doorways offer easy access for a grandchild in a stroller or, if the Owens should need it, a walker or wheelchair.

New Home Communities | 9 Telltale Signs Your Home is Outdated

New Home Communities | Despite its many flaws, you love your home—outdated wooden baseboards, disco-era living room set, purple exteriors, and all. But does anyone else love it?

If you’re considering putting your place on the market soon, it’s high time to take a step back and take a good, hard look at your decor. Dated touches might seem charming to you (wall-to-wall shag will totally be back in style soon, right?). Or maybe you don’t want to go to the trouble and expense of overhauling your decor if the new owners are going to change it anyway.

New House Builder | How to Solve Home Decor Disputes Between Couples

New House Builder | When my husband and I were in the market for a new couch two years ago, we each had a pretty good idea of what we wanted. The problem? Our ideas were polar opposites. He wanted leather; I wanted pale stripes in twill or linen.

“Leather is so cold, and makes those embarrassing noises each time you sit or stand,” I argued.

“But a light color is going to show every mark, and you’re going to freak out each time someone sits on it with a drink,” he countered.

Off to the showroom we went. Almost immediately, we each found the couch we were looking for, and a battle broke out. Before a showroom salesman came over to referee our public screaming match, my husband caved.

Home Builder Jacksonville | 7 Fantastic Takes on Decorating a Rustic Getaway

 

Home Builder Jacksonville | “If you’re one of those lucky folks who owns a vacation home nestled in the woods or just steps from the beach, maybe you’ve thought of decorating your place with seashells or pinecones, or some other nod to its location.

The book features cabin interiors that make clever use of these notoriously “cozy” (aka cramped) spaces and perfectly complement the natural environment around them. Learn from these creative homeowners how you can take vacation-home decor to the next level.

Home Building Trends | The Disadvantages of Popcorn Ceilings

 

Home Building Trends | Hey, remember when the popcorn ceiling was a-poppin’? The embarrassing, weird-memory-inducing, spray-on, paint-on style treatment was wildly popular from the late 1950s to the 1980s. Some called them acoustic or textured ceilings; a few devotees (and they’re not so easy to find these days) still euphemistically call them “stucco ceilings.” But here’s the thing: Even in the hallowed popcorn heyday, this was never a haute design statement—it had its merits as a quasi-solution born out of budget and convenience.

New Home Communities | The Financial Benefit of Having Trees

 

New Home Communities | Trees don’t ask for much—dirt, water, sunlight. Yet they provide a wealth of benefits: They improve the air you breathe, cut your energy bills, provide a home to wildlife, and add beauty and value to your home in the form of curb appeal.

The financial benefit of trees

The most tangible bang from your bark comes from energy savings. Trees properly placed around your home can reduce your air-conditioning needs by 30% and save 20% to 50% in heating costs, according to the USDA Forest Service. The U.S. Department of Energy says three properly placed trees could save you $100 to $250 a year.

New House Builder | 7 Tips for Making the Most of Your Outdoor Space

 

New House Builder | When your mom told you to turn off the TV and play outdoors already, she knew what she was talking about. Hanging outside is good for your mental and physical well-being.

As adults, having an outdoor retreat adds an economic component: Upwards of 80% of homebuyers said patios and front porches are “essential” or “desirable,” according to the “What Buyers Really Want” survey from the National Association of Home Builders (NAHB).

So how come when we move into our dream home, we hardly ever use our decks, porches, and patios?

Moving Tips | Which of These 7 Packing Mistakes Are You Making?

 

Moving Tips | Quick: What’s the worst part of a move? Packing—or packing? (Or is it packing?)

Stuffing your entire home into a bazillion cardboard boxes (knowing you will have to unstuff them after the move) is, by general consent, one of the worst activities ever. And while it might seem like a mindless task, keep this in mind: It’s entirely possible to do it wrong.

Home Builder Jacksonville | 8 Landscaping Tricks That Can Save You Money

Home Builder Jacksonville | Whether you are hoping to sell your home, or it’s summer and you just want an excuse to be outdoors and dig in the dirt, sprucing up your landscaping can be a wise investment. Research has found that sophisticated landscaping with large plants can increase a home’s value by as much as 12.7%.

But what are your options if you are trying to make every dollar stretch as far as possible? There are ways to make your yard look more inviting on a budget.

Home Building Trends | 7 Decorating Mistakes Rookie Homeowners Make

Home Building Trends | Like securing a mortgage, decorating your first home is a rite of passage. But not everyone always knows what they’re doing.

“When I first bought my house, I was totally into shabby chic, and then I bought a lot of those things only to realize that I actually hated them,” says Anna Sundman,. To this day, “my taste is still evolving.”

Yours truly has been there, too. After upgrading to a one-bedroom apartment in Manhattan, I quickly began bombarding my husband with links to pricey ceramics, West Elm furniture and whatever else I thought we “needed.” Turns out, I was just overwhelmed by seeing so much blank space.

New Home Communities | Are We No Longer Mad for Mid-Century Modern?

 

New Home Communities | The medicine cabinet seemed to be precisely what my friend Gretchen Siemers was looking for at the Long Beach Antique Market. The lighted, chrome-mirrored piece was priced around $75, a true bargain for a mid-century piece in near-mint condition. When I pointed it out to her, thinking it would look great in her new home in the slowly gentrifying neighborhood of East Hollywood, her response was visceral: “Ew, no.”

“I hate Mid-Century Modern,” she declared. “It’s so lame to like it at this point.”

When I pressed her, I quickly got to the root of her hostility: “That stuff is everywhere and everyone loves it. But I don’t want my home to look like everyone else’s.”

New House Builder | 10 Home Projects You Can Do in a Day

 

New House Builder | To the uninitiated, home renovations sound daunting and conjure up painful images of burning cash. But don’t let that scare you. Many projects can be done in a day, and if you’re smart about it, says Kerrie Kelly, founder of Kerrie Kelly Home Design Lab, they’ll boost curb appeal without breaking your budget.

“Whether it’s something you leave on a list for a handyman to do or you do it yourself, which is always gratifying,” she says. Here are few of her favorites.

1. Switch the hardware

Sometimes it’s easiest to begin with the front of the house rather than what’s inside, Kelly says, especially if you’re on a tight budget. To that end, changing the front doorknob and lock is a quick update that only takes a few minutes and can complement the style of the house. Add a kick plate for a touch of glam or go gold for a traditional feel.

Home Builder Jacksonville | 6 DIY Projects you Should Never Do Yourself

 

Home Builder Jacksonville | Whether you’re addicted to watching HGTV or “This Old House,” home improvement shows always make everything look so easy. But before you pick up the drill and sledgehammer, please pause for this public service announcement. “Those TV shows don’t show about 90% of what happens to complete a project,” says Arthur Sadura.

As contractors know all too well, home improvement shows are more about people than projects; in their pursuit of drama and a compelling narrative, they bypass a whole lot of details about how repairs and renovations actually get done.

So for inspiration, TV or YouTube is a fine start. But beyond that, a little knowledge can be a dangerous thing. Certain jobs are too dangerous, others too complicated, and some too pricey as the equipment will cost as much as hiring a contractor.

Home Building Trends | 4 Furniture Shopping Tips

Home Building Trends | Buying furniture has always been a perilous, complex affair. You don’t buy a couch the way you buy a television or a laptop computer. You can’t carry the couch out of the store with you (most of the time). Heck, usually you don’t really have a great idea when the couch will get to your living room.

Like all businesses, the furniture industry is undergoing dramatic changes, thanks to the dual challenges of the digital age and the recession. That means both good and bad things for furniture shoppers. The good: There are more choices than ever, including buy-couches-from-home apps. It helps with comparison shopping, too. The bad: Many furniture stores are struggling, which means you are even more likely to encounter aggressive sales tactics and sneaky techniques for adding profits, like funky financing offers. I can’t tell you what color love seat will best match the carpet in your living room, but I can tell you four gotchas you should watch out for the next time you furniture shop.

New Home Communities | Learning the Lingo: Doors, Windows, and More!

New Home Communities | Few features of your home are as crucial to potential buyers—or, heck, to your mom, your former college roomie, and any random houseguest—as your doors and windows. They’re the first thing people see, long before they even set foot inside your place. They’re the last thing that they interact with. And there’s way more to them than you might think.

So, as unlikely as it might have once seemed, it’s high time to become a door and window expert! To get up to speed on all the variations, features,  and terminology, look no further than our Learning the Lingo series.

Read on to know your casements from your transoms, your grilles from your speak-easies, and to find door and window styles that fit your home like, well, perfectly fitting doors and windows.

New House Builder | How to Add a "Hidden Room" to Your Home

New House Builder | You walk into what appears to be an ordinary house, but looks can be deceptive. That candelabra by the fireplace? It makes the hearth swivel 180 degrees, revealing a speakeasy bar. “White Noise” by Don DeLillo on the bookshelf? Pull it and the bookshelf swings to reveal a private theater.

This isn’t a movie set, it’s a living room. It could even be yours, if you have the space and the cash. Apparently, many people do. Secret passageways and rooms are surging in popularity in homes across the country.

“Secret doors have definitely become more popular in the past few years,” says Elissa Morgante. “We’ve been in business for 28 years, and it’s only in the last five years we’ve seen them requested more often.”

Designers can’t quite pinpoint the reason for the rise in demand (it’s mysterious!), but they say secret rooms have been on a steady uphill climb, and market factors haven’t affected their rise.

“I wish I could point at one event—it’d be a lot easier for us from a marketing perspective,” says Travis Humble.

Whatever the reason, the secret’s out. Here’s how you can create a secret room of your very own: