Mastering the Art of Harmony: Creating Your Ideal Work and Relaxation Space

n an era where the boundaries between work and leisure have become increasingly blurred, our homes must transform into versatile spaces that seamlessly accommodate both productivity and relaxation. Striking this balance is essential to lead a fulfilling and well-rounded life. In this article, Korbin Bielski Homes delves into practical updates you can make to your home, enhancing its capacity to serve as an ideal environment for work and a sanctuary for unwinding, where the hustle of professional tasks and the solace of personal leisure harmoniously coexist.

Eliminating Distractions With Noise-Canceling Headphones

Invest in noise-canceling headphones to create a focused workspace, eliminating external disturbances while working or unwinding. These technological marvels provide a soundproof cocoon, allowing you to dive into tasks or enjoy a good book without disruptions. By neutralizing ambient noise, they help create an oasis of quietude amid the bustling world.

Designing a Child-Friendly Workspace

For work-from-home parents, partitioning off a corner of your living room can keep kids entertained with activities like watching TV, using tablets, or doing homework while you work. This clever division of space ensures that your children remain nearby, engaged in their activities, while you focus on your work. It fosters a harmonious coexistence making multitasking more manageable.

Painting With Harmonious Colors

Paint your walls in serene shades like blue or green to promote relaxation, setting the tone for both work and leisure. The influence of color on mood and productivity is undeniable. WOW 1 Day Painting explains that soothing hues like blue or green imbue your living space with a sense of calmness. They provide an ambiance that encourages deep focus during work and invites relaxation during leisure.

Prioritizing Home Enhancements for Comfort and Value

Consider home modifications that not only enhance your comfort but also add value to your property, creating a win-win scenario. These upgrades are an investment in your well-being and your financial future. Whether it's energy-efficient appliances, smart home technology, or improved insulation, these improvements offer increased comfort and an enhanced quality of life.

Ensuring Restful Sleep

Invest in a supportive and comfortable mattress to ensure restful sleep, vital for maintaining a productive work and relaxation routine. A quality mattress is more than a simple piece of furniture; it's an investment in your overall well-being. The right balance of support and comfort ensures you wake up refreshed and ready to face the day's challenges.

Bringing the Outdoors Inside

Beautify your space and purify the air by adding low-maintenance indoor plants like a philodendron caramel marble plant. These botanical additions offer a touch of nature's beauty to your indoor environment. Beyond aesthetics, they also purify the air, creating a healthier atmosphere in which to work and relax. Low-maintenance plants like the philodendron caramel marble plant ensure that you can enjoy these benefits without the need for extensive care and attention.

Enhancing Ambiance with Aromatherapy

Elevate your relaxation experience with scented candles or essential oils, adding an extra layer of tranquility to your environment. Aromatherapy isn't just about pleasant scents; Medical News Today notes that it's a gateway to mental and emotional well-being. By infusing your space with carefully chosen fragrances, you can create an ambiance that supports both productivity and relaxation.

Creating a Cozy Retreat

Consider the addition of a fireplace or space heater to create a cozy, inviting atmosphere, perfect for relaxation. The warmth and ambiance these features provide are transformative. They not only physically warm your space but also envelop it in an inviting, comforting aura. These additions beckon you to unwind and destress, making your home a true sanctuary where work and relaxation blend seamlessly in a comforting embrace.

Hiring an Interior Designer

Hiring an interior designer can bring professional expertise, creative vision, and a personalized touch to enhance your home, transforming it into a beautiful and functional space that perfectly reflects your style. Discover traditional and unique interior designs that reflect your personality and bring your dream space to life!

In an increasingly interconnected world, where work and leisure often intertwine, the ability to craft an environment that embraces both is paramount. By implementing the practical changes discussed, your home can genuinely become a space where work and relaxation seamlessly coexist, nurturing a higher quality of life. In this dynamic, ever-changing landscape, the pursuit of equilibrium between productivity and serenity is not only worthwhile but essential for your well-being and personal satisfaction.

Korbin Bielski Homes is the go-to photographer for short-term rentals in Los Angeles. Contact us today to learn more! 323.646.6702

How to Stage a House: A Room by Room Guide

If you’re planning to put your house on the market, you’re probably wondering how to get the most money for your home. That’s where staging comes in. Home staging is a proven way to get more buyers interested and help you meet or exceed your asking price. So what exactly is home staging, what’s the return on investment, and how effective can it be? This article will answer those questions plus more and explain everything you need to know about how to stage a house. 

How staging a house affects sale price 

Home staging has been around for decades, but the rise of home decorating television has increased the need for showing a staged home.

The good news is that it pays off. According to the National Association of Realtors (NAR) 2021 Profile of Home Staging, 47% of buyers agents indicated that staged homes had an effect on most buyer’s views of a home. And 38% said that home staging increased the offer amount by 1 to 10%. 

With the median home sales price currently at $380,271, that can mean a few thousand to tens of thousands more in net proceeds from your home sale. 

When and why should you stage your house? 

Home staging isn’t just for walk-throughs. Your home should be staged when you get listing photography and videography done. It’s important to pay attention to this as 7 out of 10 agents have found photos, videos, and virtual walkthroughs to be more important due to COVID. More so, a Redfin study found that homes listed with professional photos sold quicker and for more money compared to those listed with amateur photos. Work with a professional photographer to ensure you get high-quality photos of your staging. 

The basics of staging a house

Staging a house is about creating a neutral space for potential buyers to imagine themselves living in. Think of it as offering a blank canvas for prospective buyers to paint their future lives on. 

Staging also helps buyers visualize where their stuff will go. Empty rooms or rooms filled with too much furniture make it difficult to understand if there’s room for a king size bed or a home office. 

Home staging comes down to a few basic principles. Most homebuyers will be able to follow the general rules, but some may opt for professional help. When you’re selling your home, it’s important to show it off in the most appealing way possible.

Staging begins with a few key tasks:

• Decluttering

• Cleaning

• Depersonalizing

• Highlighting

Decluttering 

Clutter is a fact of life, but potential buyers don’t want to see yours while touring a home. Clutter makes your home seem smaller and may lead buyers to believe there isn’t enough space for their family.

Decluttering is more than removing the mail pile. You should declutter junk drawers, cabinets, closets, and your crawl space or basement. Buyers can and should inspect those areas during the viewing. 

Decluttering is a great task to undertake as you prepare to move. First, decluttering means there will be less for you to pack up. Second, you can make some extra cash when you get rid of your no-longer-needed items through a garage sale or tax-deductible donation. 

Some easy ways to declutter your home include:

• Removing kitchen appliances from countertops

• Donating unused items

• Editing your pantry

• Cleaning out your closet

• Creating zones for specific items

Cleaning

Cleaning your home keeps your potential buyers focused on the details of your space, not dirt and grime. It has the added benefit of making your home smell great. If you deal with pet odors, be sure to use a deodorizer — baking soda is cheap and effective. You can also freshen the smell of your home with scented essential oils such as lavender.

Don’t forget your walls, doors, and cabinetry. Pay attention to places where hands tend to fall — such as doorknobs, locks, corners, and door frames. Over time, the grime from our hands builds up on these surfaces. 

Cleaning these areas with warm soapy water made of gentle dish soap with degreaser usually gets the job done. If stains are stubborn, vinegar or a degreaser solution like Simple Green can often get these stains out. But if you’ve got years of grime to remove, you may need more action. Don’t be afraid to invest in a fresh coat of neutral paint or hire a cleaning service as it can make a huge difference. 

Depersonalizing

Your personal objects make it more difficult for buyers to connect with your home and imagine themselves living there. Depersonalize by removing family photographs, memorabilia, and collectibles. You should also store items like toothbrushes and deodorant in a cabinet or storage bin and your clothes neatly in closets and drawers. Finally, remove anything that aligns you with a specific viewpoint. That means religious objects, political items, signs, and posters. 

Highlighting your home’s best features

Each room has a unique selling point. This could be a fireplace, a bay window, crown molding, high ceilings, or hardwood floor inlays. These selling points should become the focal point of a room when buyers first walk into your home.

You should arrange your furniture and decor in such a way that makes these unique details immediately obvious to the buyer. Flanking your fireplace with chairs, hanging neutral and airy curtains to frame your window, and using lighting to your advantage will draw attention to what’s amazing about your home. 

Low on focal points? There are many ways to add unique architectural details, and most of them won’t break the bank. Just remember that staying neutral is key. You want something that lends itself to many styles and sensibilities. 

How to stage each room of your house

Staging with curb appeal

Because the outside of your home makes the first impression on buyers, curb appeal is important. Small tweaks can make a big impact. Some examples include:

• Removing dead plants or foliage

• Renovating your landscape

• Adding complementary plants or planters

• Replacing your doormat

• Painting your front door

• Updating outdoor living spaces

• Power washing concrete and siding

• Installing a new mailbox and house numbers

Staging an entryway

It is important that your entryway is inviting as it’s one of the first places potential homebuyers will see. Adding a potted plant or vase of flowers can make the transition from outside to inside feel cohesive. Entryway furniture should be proportional to the space. Make sure to avoid overcrowding. If your home doesn’t have a designated entry, use a rug to define the space. 

Staging a kitchen

A freshly remodeled kitchen is a great way to attract buyers, but small changes make a difference as well. Start by clearing your countertops and appliances. Store kitchen gadgets in cabinets or storage. Freshen up your cabinet paint and update the hardware to make an outdated kitchen look new again. 

When it comes to styling, less is more. A vase of fresh flowers or a small stack of cookbooks is enough to make the kitchen feel lived in, but clean. 

Staging a dining room

If you have a dining room, you don’t need to set your table with your finest dishes, but you should make your formal dining room feel like one. Be sure your table is free of dust and use a neutral table runner to bring everything together. 

Remove anything that doesn’t belong in a dining room. Many homeowners use their dining table for more than eating, but you want your buyer to envision entertaining in this space.

If you don’t have a dining room, be sure to create a dining area in your home. A well-proportioned table in the kitchen or modern stools at a breakfast bar will do in smaller spaces.

Staging a living room

You want to show your buyers a living room space that feels open, clean, and comfortable. That may mean removing oversized furniture. But you don’t need to strip your room bare. You can use throw pillows to introduce pops of color and draw your buyers’ eyes around the room. Adding healthy houseplants (not too many) will make the room feel nurturing and alive. You should also have warm, fashionable lighting to brighten the room. 

Staging a bedroom

If you can’t stage every bedroom in your house, be sure to stage the master bedroom. Your color palette should feature neutral colors and feel calming. Soft blues, whites, and taupes tend to do best in sleeping spaces. Accessories should be kept to a minimum, but warm lighting and a throw blanket will pull the room together. 

Staging a bathroom

Your bathroom should be clean, but it doesn’t need to feel sterile. For inspiration, consider the bathroom at a spa — clean, calm, and inviting. Amenities like fresh, fluffy towels, a textured shower curtain, and a new bar of soap in a spotless dish can make a big impact.

If your vanity is out of style or damaged, consider replacing it. A simple mirror can make things feel higher-end and doesn’t need to cost much. If your bathroom is dated consider doing a simple shower remodel by replacing tiles or changing out the showerhead. 

How much does it cost to stage your house?

The cost for staging your home depends on the methods you use, the size of your home, and the buyer you’re trying to attract. Below are the common ranges depending on your circumstances. 

Professional staging for the luxury home seller

If you’re selling a luxury home or trying to appeal to a high-end buyer, you should stage your home with high-end design. That means pristine floors and walls, top-of-the-line finishings, and upscale furnishings. 

When appealing to this crowd, it’s best to work with a professional. The cost will depend on your home size and ideal sales price. But, staging at this level should give you a sizable return on your investment. 

Professional staging for the average home seller

The average seller isn’t selling luxury. But that doesn’t mean your home isn’t quality. For the average home seller, professional staging takes all the guesswork out of the process. 

The good news is that it only costs about $1,500 with a good chance to get a return on the investment, according to NAR. How much it costs you depends on the specifics of your home, your buyer, and local costs. 

DIY home staging

If you’ve got an eye for detail, basic design sense, and like taking on projects, DIY home staging may be a great fit. Depending on the work that needs to be done, DIY home staging typically costs less than $1,000.

However, be ready to invest some time and elbow grease. But, don’t be afraid to hire out. Bringing in professional cleaners, for example, can lighten your burden for a small fee.

How to save money on home staging costs

Whether you’re hiring a professional or going full DIY, there are some tips and tricks you can use to lower your costs. 

When hiring a professional:

• Speak with your real estate agent first about how much work should be done

• Compare costs from several services in your area and be sure to read reviews

• Look for a referral discount through your realtor, friends, or coworkers

• Take on some (manageable) projects yourself, like minor landscaping and paint touch-ups

• Stage key rooms — living room, kitchen, and master suite are a must.

When DIY home staging:

• If you’re painting, purchase several gallons of premixed paint in the same neutral color family

• If your furnishings need an upgrade, shop thrift stores, Facebook marketplace, and garage sales— you can get higher quality items for major discounts

• Consider getting a consultation from a professional. For $100 to $300, you can get the right guidance on how to maximize your staging investment

When it comes to staging your house, it is important to create a space that potential buyers can envision themselves living in. By following these simple steps, you can create a great first impression and get one step closer to selling your home. 

*Median Sale Price as of October 5, 2021

Originally published on Redfin.com 

Staging Tips That Will Get You More Property Inquiries

Although it may seem like a tedious process of changing small details, staging your home can make a dramatic difference in not only the number of property inquiries you get but also affect the sale price. When your home is fixed up, clean, beautiful, and people can see themselves living there, you will make much more than if it needs repairs, is cluttered and dirty, and it is full of your personality. 

Let Them Make it Their Own 

Remove personal photos, mementos, and keepsakes you may have on your walls or in your home. People want to be able to picture their family living in a potential home, not the family who lives there currently. The more a person can visualize living in a space, the more likely it is that they will want to buy it. 

Keep It Neutral 

Bright or dark colors can be polarizing and can keep people from really seeing the space, instead of the paint color. Keep not only walls but for furniture, light, and neutral colors, so that people have an easier time visualizing their own things in the space. A blank canvas will raise your asking price and get people asking for a showing. 

Deep Clean and Declutter 

Clutter is distracting, and if your home is dirty or full of junk, people will assume other parts of your property have been neglected. Do more than just a light dusting; call in the professionals. You can have a cleaning company do a deep cleaning of your home so that everything from the carpets to the air ducts is sparkling clean. 

Make Minor Repairs to Make Major Money 

If you have a hole in the drywall, a door that is off level, or even a light switch plate that needs to be replaced, fix it! Make any small repairs before photos are taken to be posted online, and especially before a showing. Your potential buyers will be distracted by any small repair that is noticeable. They will take it as a sign of bigger repairs to come. You will get a much higher price for your property if you make sure that the small stuff is taken care of. 

First Impressions Matter

The outside of your home is just as important, if not more important than the inside when it comes to making the crucial first impression on potential buyers. Make sure that your landscaping is top-notch, and pressure wash anything that needs it. You can even spruce up your front door with a coat of paint and put out flowers, or a bench. Make your home look as inviting as possible. It may mean the difference between a sale or your buyers walking away. 

Styling

You want your home not only to be clean and neutral but also styled. This means cleared off countertops, fresh-cut flowers, and a bowl of fruit in the kitchen. If your sense of style is not neutral enough, renting couches and other furniture is a great option and allows you to move into your next home while selling your current one, and not leaving it bare. 

Remember, the goal is to make people looking at your home picture themselves living there. Home staging is a valuable tool that will make your home seem larger, more livable, and can even increase your asking price. If you are thinking about selling your home, or if you are noticing that you don’t get very many inquiries on your current property listing, home staging is a skill that will increase the interest and value. 

Corey Tyner is a writer and business owner who helps sell your house fast. He is the founder of Cash land buyers Arizona and Austin Fast Sell Home Buyers. As one of the top real estate investors in Arizona with over a decade of experience, his work has been featured on Bigger Pockets, Real Estate Agent Magazine, and several other mainstream real estate investor publications.

Why Professional Photography Sells Homes Faster

The advent of smartphones ushered in a time where almost everyone has a camera at their immediate disposal. In turn, camera accessibility created social platforms where the main medium of communication is through photos—hello Instagram and Snapchat—creating an increasingly visual society. Today, selling a home, and selling it quickly, depends on more than just the goods—that house has to look amazing in photos to entice prospective buyers doing internet searches to book an appointment. Read on to discover why professional photography sells homes faster.

The internet plays a huge role in the process

It’s reported that 92 percent of homebuyers use the internet as part of the house hunting process -- 92 percent! And according to the National Association of Realtors, 44 percent of homebuyers begin their search online before contacting an agent for assistance. And of those buyers who used the internet during their search, 87 percent said that photos of property listings were very useful.

You never get a second chance to make a first impression, so featuring professional photos in your listing can make the difference between people passing over or clicking on your listing...and calling you for an appointment. Appealing photos get more clicks.

The photoshoot is planned and staged

When you’re taking photos of a home, you may just set a date and time with instructions to make sure that the seller’s home is tidy. Perhaps you have an idea of a unique or enticing feature you want to capture to post in the listing. Professional real estate photographers, however, utilize art direction, staging, and master the angles of a home to capture it in the best lighting from the best vantage point.

If you've ever seen a dark and dreary listing photo taken in the depths of winter, you know how important lighting is in presenting a home at its finest -- it can mean the difference between being bombarded with requests for more information or a showing, or absolute crickets. While a professional photographer can’t change the weather, they can take well-lighted, beautiful photos of the exterior of a home on a grey winter day; when all else fails, post-production editing can brighten things and transform a dreary day into a cheery day.

Professional real estate photographers take the “right” photos

Letting a professional direct your listing’s photoshoot means getting the “right” photos to market a house. What are the “right” photos? Photographs that showcase just enough of a home to highlight the features and get people in the door for showings.

You know your listing best, so team up with your seller to assist the photographer by pointing out any unique features that are selling points. A window seat in one of the bedrooms, a walk-in pantry with custom shelving, a cubby hidden under a stairwell; point out any interesting features to your real estate photographer so that they can capture them in their planned shoot.

Beautiful photos on an internet listing are worthless if they don’t generate traffic. Professional photographers approach a home from a visual standpoint and know which features to focus on for listing photos--and how to stage them--as well as ways to “camouflage” less than desirable attributes (c’mon, we know not every home is perfect!).

““Lauren B. Stevens is a writer and member of the American Society of Journalists and Authors. She spends her days crafting content for businesses in the areas of family, technology, and home. In her free time, she drafts personal essays about her experiences growing up in Cold War Europe, several of which have been featured in print anthologies.””