The Keys to Stress-Free Homebuying There is basically no such thing as a completely stress-free homebuying experience, but following these steps can significantly reduce your stress to some small doses of natural anxiety. Get Educated About Your True Price Range You can easily reduce future stress by not spending more than you can truly afford. There are some standard rules of thumb concerning what you can afford, but talking to a professional in the finance industry may be the best way to get the most accurate price range that your income allows. Your future self will thank you endlessly for being fiscally responsible. Create a List of Wants and a List of Needs With the variety of features in any given home, it’s easy to get swept off your feet by something like a built-in pool or a home theatre, but don’t forget about the features you absolutely need! If you’re starting a family you probably don’t want to consider a home with less than three bedrooms, no matter how cool the sauna in the master bath is. Here’s a real source of stress: You buy a home that’s too small today so in five years you have to choose between buying another new home or listening to your children fight because they’re in such tight quarters. Long story short, don’t pass up things you need for things you want! Let Your Agent/Lender/Financial Advisor Shoulder the Load It’s no secret that a lot of work goes into the home search process as well as the home purchasing process, but not all of that work should fall on you. It may be difficult to let go to a certain extent, but allowing professionals to do what they do is a surefire way to reduce your stress. Trust that you’ve done your research and selected the right professionals to facilitate this process, and you’ll be happy you did. @ 2022 Trending Home News / All rights reserved

5 Steps to Take When You’re Ready to Sell Your home is likely your largest investment. When it’s time to sell, you’ll want your investment to impress buyers and earn top dollar. A real estate agent can suggest ways to make the process go smoothly, but all homeowners can take some basic steps even without professional help. Here are five important steps to take when you’re ready to sell your house. 1. Declutter Remove knickknacks, toys and other belongings that clutter the rooms in your house to make the spaces seem larger and more open. Buyers will also have fewer distractions as they walk through the home. Don’t plan on shoving your clutter into closets, though, because potential buyers will open closet doors as they tour your house. If you have a lot of clutter and find it hard to get organized, consider temporarily renting storage space for some of your belongings. 2. Repair damaged items If you have small issues, such as holes in walls or lights that don’t work, now’s the time to fix them. To get an idea of what you need to repair, walk through your home and imagine yourself as a buyer, or walk through with a friend you can trust. Are there defects that you’ve learned to overlook but that would catch your attention when seeing them for the first time? You’ll also want to make sure you correct major issues that a buyer may not see immediately, such as problems with the heating and cooling system, before you put your home on the market. A potential buyer will probably hire a home inspector before closing. If the inspector finds problems, the sale could be put on hold until they’re resolved. 3. Deep clean Go beyond your weekly cleaning routine. Every surface a potential buyer sees is a surface that needs to be clean. Messy spaces could send the message that you don’t take care of your home, and it could make potential buyers wonder what else is wrong with the property. A deep cleaning means shampooing carpets, washing windows and cleaning tile grout throughout the house. Pay special attention to bathrooms; make sure fixtures are sparkling and wipe out any dirt rings or mold patches. Keep up the cleaning routine while your home is on the market. If you’re pressed for time, consider hiring a weekly cleaning service. 4. Plan pleasing scents You probably don’t want buyers who enter your home to catch lingering odors from last night’s dinner. For a nicer aroma, add fragrances around the kitchen and throughout your home. The smell of freshly baked cookies is pleasant for many buyers. If you prepare a batch just before a showing — and offer them to the buyer and real estate agent — you could make your home stand out. There’s no need to worry if you’re not much of a baker. A few well-placed sticks of cinnamon or citrus fruit, such as oranges, can also produce a refreshing scent. In fact, a 2013 study published in the Journal of Retailing and reported by the Wall Street Journal determined that a simple orange aroma encouraged buyers to spend more money at a home decor store, compared with other scents. 5. Stage your home Your decor expresses your personality, but home shoppers may have different tastes. Consider changing the decor to appeal to a large number of buyers. This practice is known as “staging,” and it could mean you rearrange furniture, tone down dramatic wall paint with more neutral colors or even rent new pieces of furniture until the home is sold. In a 2015 National Association of Realtors report on home staging, 52% of buyers agents reported that their buyers were willing to increase the amount of money offered for a staged home compared with a similar property. You could ask your real estate agent for design suggestions and stage your home on your own. Or if you’d prefer a professional home stager, your agent may be able to suggest someone. You can also contact the Real Estate Staging Association for names. The survey showed the median amount homeowners paid for staging services was $675. Take note of these five steps to get your home ready to sell before you put it on the market. The effort you make repairing, cleaning and staging can pay off big when a buyer makes an attractive offer on your house. This article originally appeared on NerdWallet.    

Up-and-Coming Kitchen Trends The kitchen is one of the most important rooms in a house, and your kitchen’s design can say a lot about you and the rest of your house. If you’re looking for an update, here are a few up-and-coming trends for the design of your kitchen. Dark Floors If your walls or cabinets in your kitchen are on the lighter side, opting for dark floors will give the room a fantastic look. Black Appliances While stainless steel is a classic look, many appliance manufacturers now offer black as a color option and could look good as a contrast to white tile or granite countertops in many kitchens. Quartz > Granite This is a trend that already has some steam behind it, but could continue in the coming years. More and more people are choosing quartz countertops over granite in their kitchens, partially because it’s easier to maintain than granite since it doesn’t have to be sealed every year. LED lights A newer trend is putting LED lights along, under, and on top of cabinets. You can buy LED lights that change colors or ones that glow in the dark. LED also lights have also become popular for their energy efficiency. Pecky Cypress Wood with a grainy texture, Pecky Cypress looks great on kitchen islands and cabinets and gives your home a beach house vibe.