Price improvement in Leicester!

July 29, 2018

Nicely renovated large farm house style colonial on a tree lined country road is now ready for you! Large rooms and high ceilings provide a light and airy flow to this house.  Great outdoor space with a wrap around farmer’s porch, flat yard and 3 bay garage.  Updated kitchen includes granite counters, mud room/pantry, stainless steel appliances and propane cook stove. The living room has newly refinished parquet wood floor, a fireplace with gas insert, beamed wood ceiling and entrance to the deck.  Dining room features newly refinished hardwoods, a pellet stove and is bright with multiple front windows! Master bedroom has a dedicated staircase and cathedral ceilings with decorative window. 2 additional bedrooms are also generously sized.  NEW well!  NEW septic!  Great yard!  Great commuter location! 3 bedrooms, large general living space and over 1700 sq feet! Now listed for just $309,999!

Check out the full listing HERE!

Check out the 3D tour HERE!

10 Tricks for Hosting an Open House That Make Buyers Say “OMG, Wow!”

July 27, 2018

By: HouseLogic.com

Here’s what you can do to get your home ready for its big reveal.

Few words get home buyers more excited than these two: open house.

An open house is their opportunity to give your house a whirl. To wiggle the light switches. To admire the crown molding. To, y’know, awkwardly ask to use the bathroom. (Which, by the way, savvy buyers will totally do — because they’ll want to test how the water pressure holds up when they give the toilet a flush.)

For you, seller, an open house is a chance to throw open the doors. To dazzle buyers with the big reveal. To make someone fall head over heels for your charming abode.

These tricks can help you make your open house a massive hit.

1. Time It Right:

Your agent will typically hold an open house for two to three hours between 11 a.m. and 5 p.m. on Saturdays and Sundays, when buyers have time and flexibility away from their jobs. To maximize your foot traffic, avoid having your open house during holidays, big community events (marathon days, for example), or unofficial “holidays” like Super Bowl Sunday.

2. Let Your Agent Take the Lead:

In your own personal Open House Show, your real estate agent has two roles. To you, they are the director, giving you instructions on how to prepare for open house day, and what to do during the event. To buyers, your agent is the host. They will welcome viewers, introduce your home’s impressive features, and take questions from the audience

Your job is to make your house look like a million bucks — or more like $300,000, depending on your price range. (Tips on cleaning and spiffing up your home in a moment.)

The job of your agent, an expert on your local real estate market and what makes buyers tick, is to take care of the rest. 

That will include:

• Staging your home, or recommending a reputable stager that you can hire
• Hosting the open house
• Communicating with home buyers and buyers’ agents
• Receiving feedback during the open house and communicating that feedback to you

Your agent will also recommend that, actually, you should probably leave while they show off your house to strangers, who will look under your sinks and peek into your closets. Why should you heed that advice? Because it makes good business sense for you.

• A home owner’s presence can make it awkward for the buyer. Buyers want to make assessments on their own, without worrying about how the seller might react or try to influence them.
• Buyers may have trouble picturing themselves living in the house when the owner is right there, say, serving lemonade in the kitchen.
• Sometimes sellers say too much. You might point out something that you think is a nice feature or amenity of your home, when it’s something that might turn off a buyer. (That busy arcade bar down the block may have been your favorite place to meet friends and play Pac-Man during weekends, but it could be a deal breaker for a buyer looking for a peaceful block.) You might blurt out something that could tip your negotiating hand, like how motivated you are to sell (soon!), or that you always wanted to update the retro kitchen — but just never got around to it.

The last things you want buyers to think after the open house is, “This place needs work,” or “This seller is desperate — I have the upper hand.” So, let your agent take the lead. This won’t be their first rodeo. They know the nuanced ways to show your home in its best light so that buyers will oooh and ahhh. They also know how to strategically answer questions from buyers to help set you up for success later, during negotiation.

Your agent can also stage a broker’s open house on your behalf.Unlike standard open houses — where buyers can stop by — at broker’s open houses, only real estate agents and other industry professionals are invited to attend.

Generally, a broker’s open is held within the first few days of a house being put on the market. Complimentary lunch is often served as an incentive to get more people to show up.

There are two main benefits of having a broker’s open house:

• It gives your listing more exposure.
• It allows you to get feedback from real estate agents on your home.

If your house “shows well,” as they say in the industry, the agents who toured your home may recommend it to one (or more) of their buyer clients. If your home doesn’t get rave reviews, your agent will relay that feedback to you, and may suggest improvements before the next open house, such as staging certain rooms.

3. Try Some Simple Staging:

You want your home to look its best while it’s on the market — especially during the open house. Many agents say the best way to primp your home for its big day is to stage it.

Depending on what your agent recommends, staging may involve renting new furniture or decor for certain rooms in your home. There are also some easy staging tricks you can try on the day of your open house. Consider displaying a bouquet of fresh flowers in the entryway, setting your dining room table to make it look inviting, or turning on your outdoor sprinklers shortly before visitors arrive to make your lawn sparkle.

4. Clean Like Crazy:

When your home is on the market, you need to keep it in showing shape — not only for the open house, but also for any scheduled showings with buyers. Even though you’ve already (hopefully) cleaned and organized your home for its listing photos, there’s a good chance you’ve let clutter or dust pile up again, especially if you have children or pets.

Make sure appliances, windows, and mirrors are fingerprint-free. Clean and organize your closets, cabinets, and under the sinks (during the open house, buyers are allowed to be nosy). Clear every bit of clutter and get rid of it or put it in storage.

Don’t have the bandwidth to do a deep clean? Hire a house cleaning service to do the work for you. A professional cleaning service costs around $115 to $230 on average. If you’re not sure about which service to hire, ask your agent to recommend cleaners.

5. Do a Smell Check:

If buyers get a whiff of something funky, they’re going to run — not walk — out of your open house. A week prior to the open house, ask your agent or a neighbor to do an honest, no-holds-barred smell check. Some possible smell solutions:

• If your house has the aroma of your beloved pet(s), deep clean the carpets, relocate the litter box, and take steps to eliminate all olfactory traces of Fluffy.
• If the basement is dank and musty, buy a dehumidifier to remove air moisture and run a fan to circulate the air.
• If the kitchen drain stinks, drop in a cup of baking soda, then two cups of white vinegar. Enjoy the bubbling, then let the mixture sit for 20 to 30 minutes. Finally run hot water for 15 to 30 seconds to flush the odor.

6. Put Your Pictures (and Valuables) Away:

You want your home to feel cozy and inviting, but not like someone specific (you, for example) is living there. Personal belongings such as family photos, awards, and religious art can distract home buyers and make it harder for them to imagine themselves living in your home. You don’t have to go overboard — the idea isn’t to eliminate every trace of yourself — but consider temporarily hiding some pictures and personal effects out of sight during the open house.

There’s a safety element to stowing your personal belongings, too: Though your agent will be at the open house, you’re inviting strangers into your home.

• Securely store checkbooks, jewelry, prescription medications, family heirlooms, and other valuables.
• Alert your neighbors to your open house date — as a courtesy, but also to ask that they let you know if they notice any suspicious activity, in the unlikely event suspicious activity occurs.
• Make sure your agent signs visitors in and asks them to show I.D., so that you have a record of who was in your house. (Bonus: With the sign-in sheet, your agent can follow up with buyers to find out if anyone is interested in making an offer.)
• Lock windows and doors after the open house.

We’re not suggesting that visitors have any intention other than potentially buying your home. It’s just a good idea, generally speaking, to keep your home secure.

7. Let the Light In:

Light doesn’t only (literally) brighten up your space. It also makes rooms look and feel larger. On open house day, open all curtains and blinds to let natural light in. (And in the week before the open house, make sure curtains and blinds are squeaky clean.)

Replace every single burnt-out light bulb in and outside the home — buyers should see a working light every time they flip a switch.

8. Give Your House Some Extra Curb Appeal:

Buyers will judge your house on its outsides. So make last-minute improvements to turn up your home’s curb appeal. Cut the grass, prune the trees, and trim the shrubs. Touch up porch fixtures and furniture with a little paint. Heck, paint the whole porch, if your budget allows. Plant new shrubs or set out potted flowers.

Small, relatively low-budget outdoor enhancements will make your home look all the more enticing to buyers — and can add some last-minute value to its price.

9. Draw Attention to Your Home’s Best Features:

After your agent signs in and welcomes buyers to your home, they typically will have some time to wander around on their own. Even though you won’t be there, you can still draw visitors’ attention to features in your home that you’d like to highlight.

Prior to the open house, post (friendly, aesthetically pleasing) signs around the house with calls to action such as, “look down, new hardwood floors,” or “gas fireplace, push this button.” Buyers will likely appreciate the help, and that they’re working with a conscientious seller.

10. Serve Refreshments:

Serving warm cookies or freshly baked brownies at an open house is one of the oldest tricks in the book. That’s because it works: Buyers love being greeted with a sweet treat and a cold or warm beverage depending on the time of year.

Refreshments also give people a reason to stay longer: No one will rush off because they’re hungry or thirsty.

Your agent may even have relationships with a local cafe or bakery, which might offer snacks for free advertising at the open house.

What to Do During and After the Open House:

Once you’ve done everything you can to make your house look and feel amazing to buyers — and your agent is on site to assume their hosting duties — the time during your open house is yours to enjoy. Go to the park, get a three-course lunch, do whatever you like as long as you’re free to take calls.

Your agent may need to get in touch with questions, so make sure you’re available and have good cell phone reception. (A movie, for example, is not a great activity for you during the open house for that reason.)

After the open house ends, your agent will share with you what questions buyers asked and any comments they overheard by visitors. Buyers’ remarks will likely run the gamut, including some that could be negative. (“Why is the closet such a mess,” for example.)

The important thing is to stay open to buyers’ feedback, and to follow your agent’s advice about how to respond. Based on buyers’ reactions, your agent may recommend that you make certain repairs, do some painting, or invest in additional staging before your next open house. Whatever they advise, it’s not personal — it’s just the business of selling your home.

You’ll Want to Steal These Amazing DIY Ideas for Your Front Yard!

July 25, 2018

By: Leanne Potts

Because they’ll put money in your pocket.

Landscaping done right can put as much as $4 in your pocket for every $1 you spend, according to the “Remodeling Impact Report” from the National Association of REALTORS®. So what are you waiting for?

Grab a shovel, and let’s go.

#1 Mix Rocks with Bark Mulch:

Surrounding bark mulch with a rock moat makes for a tidy, everything-in-its-place yard. It also makes maintenance easier because mulch smothers weeds and keeps plant roots cool and moist. And the rock mulch next to your home’s foundation is smart, because it keeps water away.

Best of all, this is a simple landscaping idea to DIY: Put rubber garden edging along your beds. Put down weed guard. Pour bags of mulch and gravel in the beds. Done.

#2 DIY Window Flower Boxes:

Window boxes are like jewelry for house, adding bling to the blah. If you’re handy with tools, make your own, but you can also buy prefab ones and mount them yourself. Fill with plants, and your curb appeal improves at point five past light-speed.

TIP: Leave an inch of space between the window flower box and the house to prevent moisture from destroying your siding.

#3 Build a Dry Stream:

Here’s why we love dry rock streams: They add a touch of mountain-y rugged to your yard. They drain water away from the foundation of your house. They don’t need to be mowed, watered, or fertilized.

Oh, and it’s a simple two-step install:

1. Dig a trench. (It’ll replace your cardio and strength workouts for the week, so prepare accordingly.) 
2. Place the rocks.

#4 Build a Paver Path:

Creating a path from the curb to your door to adds a civilized touch and makes your front yard feel designed. It also means less lawn to mow and weed. You can do this one yourself with pavers or bricks.

TIP: Choose a brick pattern with staggered edges to handle curves without the drag of cutting bricks.

#5 Light Your Walkways:

The only thing better for your curb appeal than making a walkway is making a walkway and lighting it. LED lighting adds the most value, but you can DIY it with a solar lighting kit. Lighted walkways look very Architectural Digest, and they’ll keep you from taking a header when you’re bringing in the groceries.

#6. Plant Flowers and Trees:

“I want a yard devoid of trees, shrubs, and flowers.” Said no one, ever. Adding plants (a.k.a. softscape) to your yard adds to your home value.

You’ll get every penny you spend on plantings back when you sell your house. So apparently money does grow on trees.

Plants get more valuable as they get older, so take care of the tree saplings and azaleas you planted. You’re getting ROI as well as flowers and shade.

#7 Grow Grass:

If you do nothing else to your yard, plant a lawn or reseed a patchy one. Americans love lawns, so for every dollar you spend planting a lawn from seed, you’ll get more than $4 back when you sell your home. It’s hard to beat a 400% return on an investment.

Staging Your Home: How to Make Buyers Fall in Love!

July 24, 2018

By: HouseLogic.com

With these tips and tricks, your house will be swoon-worthy in no time.

All the world’s a stage, said the Bard.

That includes your house. Which is for sale. And thus needs to look bee-yoo-tee-ful.

Staging entails hiring experts with a flair for interior design. They reimagine your living space and give your house a makeover (with temporary decor and furnishings) so that it gets “oohs” and “aahs” from the buying masses.

Great staging isn’t an insurance policy — there’s no guarantee it will bring in more money when you sell your home — but it’s an important marketing tool. It presents your house in a flattering light and helps you compete at a favorable price. (In that sense, staging is like dressing your house for the price you want, and not the price you have.)

Staging also leads to eye-catching listing photos, which are especially valuable given that most homebuyers begin their search by scrolling through listings online.

So, are you thinking about hiring stagers for your home? Here’s what to consider.

Staging Really Does Help. Like, a Lot:

But you don’t have to take our word for it. A recent survey from the NATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF REALTORS^® revealed that:

• 77% of buyers’ agents said staging makes it easier for their buyer to visualize the property as their future home. It’s like helping the buyer dream it so they can achieve it — and so you and your agent can make the sale.
• 39% of sellers’ agents said staging a home greatly decreases the amount of time a house is on the market. For you, time saved could mean moving into your new house even sooner.
• 21% of sellers’ agents said staging a home increases its dollar value between 6% and 10%. Simply put, that may lead to more money in your pocket.

Before You Stage, Budget Accordingly:

Many listings agents offer staging services to clients as part of their services. If you want to use someone you find yourself, you typically will have to pay out of pocket.

Staging costs vary depending on where you live and how many rooms you’re staging. On average, home sellers pay between $302 and $1,358 for staging, according to HomeAdvisor.com. If your house is empty because you’ve already moved, you might also have additional expenses for renting furniture and other homey decorations to make it look lived-in.

Many stagers offer consultations for as low as $150, Fixr.com reports. Using the advice you learn during the consultation to try DIY staging may be your best option if you’re on a tight budget. Listen for tips on how to use the furniture and decor you already have to show off your home’s best assets.

For the Best Results, Declutter:

Spoiler alert: No buyer wants to walk into a messy house.

So, take time to clean and declutter your home. Organize everyday household items into crates and keep them out of sight. Stow away seasonal decorations (that means no Christmas in July). Make time for — or invest in — a whole-house cleaning, including carpet shampooing. Change lightbulbs, finally make those minor repairs, and add a fresh coat of paint to any room that needs it. Clean out closet spaces — because buyers will want to check out the closets.

Also worth considering? Removing personal items from view, such as copious family photos, artwork, or religious keepsakes. The concern is not that home buyers will be offended by you or your lifestyle. The goal is to neutralize the space and help home buyers imagine themselves living there.(But don’t go overboard. You don’t want rooms to feel sterile, either.)

Yes, we did just tell you to clean out your closets. So where are you supposed to put all this stuff? If you don’t have a discrete place to tuck things away, consider renting a storage unit.

To Find the Right Stager for Your Home, Ask Questions:

If your agent doesn’t offer staging services, he or she can likely recommend local stagers for you to work with. Before you hire a stager, it’s best to interview at least three candidates in person. You’ll want to get a sense of how much they charge — and whether they have good taste.

To do your due diligence, here are 10 questions to ask prospective stagers:

• On average, how many days were your staged homes on the market last year? Experience is important, but it’s not the only factor to consider when vetting stagers. You want someone who stages homes that sell — ideally within 30 days, because that’s when agents often recommend making a price reduction if your house is still on the market.
• What price range do you typically work in? Staging luxury homes is a totally different ball game than staging starter homes. Find someone who specializes in homes near your listing price.
• What styles of homes do you usually stage? Staging different types of homes also requires different skill sets (think of a penthouse versus a bungalow, for instance). Look for someone with experience working in homes similar to yours.
• What formal training have you received? A number of staging organizations, such as the Real Estate Staging Association (RESA) and the International Association of Home Staging Professionals (IAHSP), offer certification or accreditation. Training from these associations can distinguish professional stagers from beginners.
• Do you have insurance? Your home could get damaged when the stager moves furniture in and out. Find someone with business insurance so that you’re protected.
• Can I see your portfolio? One of the best ways to judge a stager’s skills is to look at their work. Ask to see photos from the person’s three most recently staged homes.
• Do you select the accessories, furniture, and paint for the homes you stage, or do you collaborate with other experts? Some stagers work independently, while others collaborate with other vendors. Make sure you know everyone who will be involved in staging your home, so you don’t have surprise guests rearranging your living room.
• What are your rates? Some stagers charge a fee for decorating services, plus a monthly fee for renting furniture, while others charge a flat fee per room for the duration of the listing. Ask about how a stager determines costs before you commit to working with him or her.
• What’s your availability? If you’re on a tight timetable, make sure the stager can get your house ready by the date you want to put your house on the market.
• Can you provide contacts for past clients? Get in touch with two or three people who have worked with the stager before. Ask how the stager’s services helped with the sale of their homes, and what they might have done differently.

Focus On the Rooms That Count the Most:

You don’t have to stage your whole house to make buyers swoon.

Staging the rooms where people tend to spend the most time usually makes the biggest impression on buyers. Start with the living room followed by the master bedroom and the kitchen.

Keep in mind that you’re not going for an HGTV-worthy overhaul: Even small touches, like putting fluffy towels in the bathroom or replacing shabby throw pillows in the family room, can make your home that much more attractive.

Oh, and BTW: Stage Your Yard, Too:

Your house has to look its best — inside and outside. After all, buyers form their first impression when they pull up in front of your home. It’s no surprise, then, that curb appeal — how your home looks from the exterior — can increase your home’s sales value up to 17%, a Texas Tech University study found.

If you’ve never had your yard professionally landscaped, now may be the time to do it. Landscaped homes have a sales price advantage ranging from 5.5% to 12.7%, according to research by Alex Niemiera, a horticulturist at Virginia Tech. That would mean an extra $16,500 to $38,100 in value on a $300,000 home.

Professional landscaping, however, can cost a lot. You’re aiming for polish, not a new garden of Versailles. If budget is a concern, start with these DIY improvements:

• Plant blooming flowers and fresh greenery. Even if it’s winter, you can add colorful winter blooms and seasonal touches such as garland or lights.
• Mow the grass.
• Reseed bare patches of lawn and add fresh sod, as needed.

Then move on to these easy upgrades to your home’s exterior:

• Wash the front windows.
• Power wash siding and walkways.
• Repaint or stain porches and stairs, as needed.
• Make sure house numbers are easy to see, visible, and pretty.
• Make sure important outdoor features such as the front door, porch, and sidewalks and paths are well lit. (If not, install new fixtures or lighting.)

Even basic upgrades — like laying fresh mulch, changing porch lights, or installing a new mailbox — can help a buyer fall in love at first sight.

Just wait ’til they come inside and see what else you’ve done with the place.

Price improvement in Leicester!

July 24, 2018

Nicely renovated large farm house style colonial on a tree lined country road is now ready for you! Large rooms and high ceilings provide a light and airy flow to this house.  Great outdoor space with a wrap around farmer’s porch, flat yard and 3 bay garage.  Updated kitchen includes granite counters, mud room/pantry, stainless steel appliances and propane cook stove. The living room has newly refinished parquet wood floor, a fireplace with gas insert, beamed wood ceiling and entrance to the deck.  Dining room features newly refinished hardwoods, a pellet stove and is bright with multiple front windows! Master bedroom has a dedicated staircase and cathedral ceilings with decorative window. 2 additional bedrooms are also generously sized.  NEW well!  NEW septic!  Great yard!  Great commuter location! 3 bedrooms, large general living space and over 1700 sq feet! Now listed for just $309,999!

Check out the full listing HERE!

Check out the 3D tour HERE!

Renovated home for sale in Leicester!

July 23, 2018

Nicely renovated large farm house style colonial on a tree lined country road is now ready for you! Large rooms and high ceilings provide a light and airy flow to this house.  Great outdoor space with a wrap around farmer’s porch, flat yard and 3 bay garage.  Updated kitchen includes granite counters, mud room/pantry, stainless steel appliances and propane cook stove. The living room has newly refinished parquet wood floor, a fireplace with gas insert, beamed wood ceiling and entrance to the deck.  Dining room features newly refinished hardwoods, a pellet stove and is bright with multiple front windows! Master bedroom has a dedicated staircase and cathedral ceilings with decorative window. 2 additional bedrooms are also generously sized.  NEW well!  NEW septic!  Great yard!  Great commuter location! 3 bedrooms, large general living space and over 1700 sq feet! Now listed for just $319,999!

Check out the full listing HERE!

Check out the 3D tour HERE!

9 (Totally-DIYable) Kitchen Ideas That’ll Get Insta-Love!

July 20, 2018

By: Anne Arntson

Personalize your kitchen with design ideas like painting your floor instead of using tile.

A new year, a new opportunity to make your kitchen swoon-worthy. Whether your most-used room is in need of a total refresh or a few simple tweaks, make this year, the year that you fall in love with your kitchen all over again.

Let these nine stylish (and doable!) ideas serve as your inspiration for a kitchen that’s more “you” this year.

#1 Go Retro:

Yesteryear’s color palette has made a comeback. Whether it’s avocado green or mustard yellow that speaks to you the most, give your backsplash or cabinet doors a vintage feel with a kitchen color palette that takes inspiration from your chic grandma’s house.

#2 Opt for Slide-Out Shelves:

Make it easy on yourself already. With pull-out shelves, you can see exactly what you have (and how much of it) without having to tear apart your kitchen to find your red lentils.

#3 Use the Inside of a Cabinet Door for Storage:

Put the tools you use most right where you need them — no more rifling through a cluttered drawer to find the right measuring cup. A handy painted chalkboard chart, like this one, can make double-checking your measurements a breeze.

#4 Wallpaper the Inside of Your Cabinets:

You love your dishes. Why not give them a backdrop? A budget-friendly idea for updating blah, boring kitchen cabinets: Add decorative glass to cabinet inserts, then line the interior with whimsical wallpaper.

#5 Add Colorful Knobs:

It’s all in the details. An inexpensive way to transform the overall look of your kitchen in under 15 minutes: Swap out cabinet knobs and drawer pulls for something with a little more spunk. These teal ones tie the kitchen’s color palette together.

#6 Switch to Sleek, Long-Handled Cabinet Hardware:

Bye, builder-grade hardware. Put your kitchen cabinets’ best face forward with contemporary kitchen hardware that look and feel fancy. They’re easy to clean and easy to grab — especially when your hands are full and in the throes of cooking up a feast.

#7 Maximize Your Storage Space:

Cabinets running out of room? Look up. Not only does open shelving up high let you show of your shiny, new pro mixer, it lets you take advantage of every square inch of storage space your kitchen has to offer. And a rolling library ladder makes it easy to access all your beloved cookware.

#8 Put Spices in a Drawer:

If spice racks have failed you, and organizing your kitchen cabinets feels next to impossible, move your spices to a drawer so that they’re easy to locate. No more fumbling around in a dark cabinet for the spice you need.

#9 Give Floors a Pop of Color:

Say “goodbye” to boring, worn-out kitchen floors once and for all. Show your surfaces some love with a paint project, like the one below, that is easy on the budget and the eyes.

Or swap out your dingy floor tiles for something a lot more durable and cool. Dress up an all-white contemporary kitchen with glazed ceramic tile floors that’ll stand the test of time.

Open house in Blackstone tomorrow!

July 20, 2018

TURNKEY investment property in Blackstone! Spacious DeLeaded 4 unit building that has been maintained with outdoor area and off street parking. Great high visibility location only minutes from 146! Vinyl sided, recent roof, certified deleaded and most mechanicals updated. Longer term tenants in place with TAW agreements and one vacant unit. Grab this investment or move-in and enjoy the rental income! Listed for $299,999! Group showings on Saturday 7/21 11am-1pm!

Check out the full listing HERE!

5 Inventive Ideas We Found On Instagram To Boost Bath Equity!

July 18, 2018

By: Amy Howell Hirt

Try wall-mounted faucets to add precious space to a tiny bath.

The best bathroom updates aren’t just easy on the eye: They make life easier — and they add to your home’s value.

For inspiration, check out these #bathroomrenovation ideas from Instagram that pack style, function, and a whole lotta’ equity into one little room.

#1 A Doorless Shower Design:

Um, hey. The shower head in this sweet bath is hanging out there with no tub or enclosure below it.

It’s not an oversight.

With this liberating doorless shower design, there are no door tracks to clean (or trip over), no glass panels to bang your knee on, or mildewy shower curtains to wipe off. #loveit!

To drain your suds properly, you’ll need a slightly sloped floor in the shower area, great drainage, and probably a skilled contractor to make it all work.

#2 Budget Bath Update:

A complete bathroom do-over can run $30,000! But you don’t have to risk defaulting on your student loan to get an oo-la-la before-and-after.

Keep as much of your bathroom’s pricey bones in place as possible — in this Instagrammer’s makeover, the wall tile, tub, and shower were keepers.

That brought the cost of this DIY project to just $3,000, which covered a new vanity, mirror, flooring, lighting, window treatments, and paint.

#3 Wall-Mounted Faucets:

Got a tiny bath? Get a little extra elbow room by mounting sink fixtures on the wall. (And without those tight crevices around the faucet to navigate, cleaning your sink will be a lot less awkward.)

Wall-mounting can cost a bit more, and may require additional insulation (especially if it’s on an exterior wall), but isn’t any bit of extra room in a small bathroom worth it?

#4 Attic Conversion to a Bathroom:

If you’re constantly juggling for bathroom time, the peacekeeping solution could be right overhead: your attic can serve a higher purpose as an extra bath.

To save thousands, situate it above an existing bath or kitchen so you don’t have to redirect plumbing lines.

And look at all the built-in character that sloping roofline adds to the space that’ll surely wow future buyers.

#5 Built-In Shower Shelf:

Speaking of built-in character, you can build some into your shower with a little between-the-studs magic — which comes with the added benefit of a better-functioning bathroom.

If you already have plans to gut your shower surround, recessed shelving is an easy add to the project. (Just think, no more gunky shower caddies!)

Adding niches during construction won’t add much to your budget or schedule, but the result is sure to add to your home value (and Instagram ♥s).

New price in Southbridge!

July 16, 2018

Opportunity for a great return on investment! This multi-family in Southbridge has great potentional at this asking price!  This 3 unit has updated electrical, recent roof, gas heat and parking.  The building will be delivered with 1st and 3rd floors vacant so they are ready for renovations and higher rents! Each unit has 3 bedrooms, one bathroom, living room and eat-in kitchen. Great in-town location for future advertising exposure. Listed for $119,900!

Check out the full listing HERE!