New Home Friday - February 16, 2024

NHA A REAL ESTATE NEWSLETTER FEBRUARY 16, 2024

WHAT IS GOING ON IN THE MARKET An update of the real estate market

HOMEKEEPR Moving Made Simple

E-CREDIT ADVISOR Get Mortgage Ready

DESIGN TRENDS Designers Predict the Flooring Trends of 2024

HOMEOWNER TIPS How to Have the Most Organized 2024

PAINT DESIGN BOARD Virtual Color Consultation

HOUSING UPDATE

Chances are at some point in your life you’ve heard the phrase, home is where the heart is. There’s a reason that’s said so often. Becoming a homeowner is emotional.

So, if you’re trying to decide if you want to keep on renting or if you’re ready to buy a home this year, here’s why it’s so easy to fall in love with homeownership.

Customizing to Your Heart’s Desire Your house should be a space that’s uniquely you. And, if you’re a renter, that can be hard to achieve. When you rent, the paint colors are usually the standard shade of white, you don’t have much control over the upgrades, and you’ve got to be careful how many holes you put in the walls. But when you’re a homeowner, you have a lot more freedom. As the National Association of Realtors (NAR) says: “The home is yours. You can decorate any way you want and choose the types of upgrades and new amenities that appeal to your lifestyle.”

Whether you want to paint the walls a cheery bright color or go for a dark moody tone, you can match your interior to your vibe.

Imagine how it would feel to come home at the end of the day and walk into a space that feels like you.

Greater Stability for the Ones You Love Most One of the hardest things about renting is the uncertainty of what happens at the end of your lease. Does your payment go up so much that you have to move? What if your landlord decides to sell the property? It’s like you’re always waiting for the other shoe to drop.

Jeff Ostrowski, a business journalist covering real estate and the economy, explains how homeownership can give you more peace of mind in a Money Geek article:

A home is a place that reflects who you are, a safe space for the ones you love the most, and a reflection of all you’ve accomplished.

“Homeownership means you are the boss and have the biggest say in your lifestyle and family decisions. Suppose your kids are in public school and you don’t want to risk having them change schools because your landlord doesn’t renew your lease. Owning a home would remove much of the risk of having to move.”

A Feeling of Belonging You may also find you feel much more at home in the community once you own a house. That’s because, when you buy a home, you’re staking a claim and saying, I’m a part of this community. You’ll have neighbors, block parties, and more. And that’ll give you the feeling of being a part of something bigger. As the International Housing Association explains: “. . . homeowning households are more socially involved in community affairs than their renting counterparts. This is due to both the fact that homeowners expect to remain in the community for a longer period of time and that homeowners have an ownership stake in the neighborhood.”

The Emotional High of Achieving Your Dream Becoming a homeowner is a journey – and it may have been a long road to get to the point where you’re ready to take the plunge. If you’re seriously considering leaving behind your rental and making this commitment, you should know the emotions that come with this owning a home are powerful. You’ll be able to walk up to your front door every day and have that sense of accomplishment welcome you home.

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FLOORING TRENDS 2024 - DESIGNERS PREDICT THESE STYLES WILL LEAD THE WAY

Flooring is one of the most important design elements of any home. Not only does flooring need to prioritize practicality to endure heavy daily footfall, but its style will set the tone for the rest of the space, whether that's traditional, maximal, or rustic to name just a few. Whether you're remodeling your bathroom and want to experiment with on-trend floor tiles or want to decorate with rugs to achieve a cozy bedroom, there are lots of flooring ideas here to give you some inspiration along the way.

Mosaic Tiles in Geometric Patterns

'Patterned flooring has been very popular over the past few years and I expect to see that continue in 2024,' says designer Catherine Ebert. 'Mosaic tiles in geometric patterns are often a go-to for me because they animate the space in spaces where you cannot rely on rugs and furnishings to provide interest.

Multi-colored marble mosaics have been really on the rise and I'm looking forward to using some with more curvilinear forms in the coming year!'

Art Deco-Inspired Parquet Parquet is a timeless style that promotes a feeling of grandeur, especially when used in large, open spaces such as living room flooring. Designers expect that this wooden flooring style will continue to be embraced throughout 2024 for its widespread appeal. 'I think we’ll continue to see the use of hardwood floor inlays and geometric parquet patterns,' observes interior designer Lauren Sullivan, founder of Well by Design. 'They feel nostalgic yet timeless, and I love the Art Deco vibe they bring to a space.'

Natural Flooring Options 'Authentic finishes and raw materials is a key flooring trend this year,' observes Lorna Williams, Head of Product Design and Visual Creation at flooring company Amtico. 'Soft and minimal, think warmer, rustic woods and brushed metals that bring a polished, minimalist aesthetic, and juxtapose beautifully with modern furnishings for layered and characterful spaces.'

Quiet Luxury-Inspired Flooring (aka Marble) 'We expect quiet luxury to continue to dominate interiors and flooring throughout 2024,' says Lorna Williams. 'Thanks to its timeless appeal and quiet sophistication, this is a trend that never goes away and is just updated a little from season to season. For flooring that embraces quiet luxury, look to warming and sophisticated dark woods and stunning marbles that imbue interiors with a subtle luxurious finish and confident elegance.'

Durable and Practical Options

As tempting as it is to opt for a highly trend-led type of flooring, practicality should always take precedence. Flooring is a costly aspect of home decor so it's important to consider how well it will last for years to come. Interior designers predict that flooring that requires less upkeep and can withstand heavy footfall will be a popular choice throughout 2024. Gaelle Dudley, interior designer and founder of GLDESIGN sees engineered flooring also rising in popularity this year, explaining: 'We have been doing a lot more projects which call for engineered flooring versus traditional hardwood. The upkeep is less and the look is the same. It’s incredible how far flooring has come and the options are endless!

Here's How to Have the Most Organized 2024, Starting Now Do you want to have an organized life and home? If you do, it’s best to start prepping as soon as you can.

There's no real reason you should wait, so we talked to professional organizers about how to begin.

1. START YOUR TAX PREP Tax season is here! Go through your long-term files and clean them up a bit. Organize paper receipts and invoices. Even if you just put them in a folder, you’ll still be a step ahead.

2. WORK ON MINIMIZING DIGITAL CLUTTER While we all know the physical clutter in our homes can hold us back—if unchecked, digital clutter can also have the same effect while taking up valuable space on our devices. “If all the extra photo opportunities from the holidays have you maxing out your phone storage, you’re not alone! Go through your phone and delete any outtakes or old photos,” says Rose Pulver, co-founder of The Thoughtful Home. “Go through emails and text messages to make sure you only have essential items filling up your inbox.

3. ORGANIZE AND PURGE KEY AREAS OF THE HOME While you might not have time to do a whole-house declutter, Pulver suggests at least tackling “heart-ofthe-home” zones including the kitchen, pantry, and mudroom (if you have one). “These spaces can become a drop zone for any items coming in or leaving the house, like school papers, books, sports equipment, packages and returns.”.

4. DECLUTTER YOUR HOME DECOR Whether it is things you’ve been keeping out all year long, like the candle that’s almost completely burned

out, Erica Spruille, professional organizer and founder of Just BE, LLC advises using this time to declutter your decor. “Focus on broken items, and old decorations that were passed down but just don't serve you anymore.” Then say goodbye to that old Live, Laugh, Love sign. “Steer away from buying trendy decor, as they may only get used once, creating clutter,” explains the organizer.

5. CREATE A SYSTEM FOR REGULAR DECLUTTERING Spurille recommends taking the time to implement a system for next year and schedule it on the calendar. This will allow you to go into 2024 with a plan to keep things tidy all year round. “Include dates for quarterly decluttering, and seasonal clothing swap-around, on your calendar to hold yourself accountable throughout the year.”

6. MAKE A LIST OF YOUR 2024 GOALS We all have things we want to do in the coming year, so why not get prepared now? “Removing some of the clutter from your mind and getting it down on paper will help you get clear on what you want to see happen in the new year,” says Pulver.

“Whether that’s a financial goal, a home organizing project, or simply wanting to spend more time with family, knowing what you want to achieve will give you the opportunity to create an action plan.”

BENJAMIN MOORE PAINT DESIGN BOARDS

About us See how new paint colors look on your home... BEFORE IT'S PAINTED! Be "Color Confident" with a Virtual Color Consultation

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Our designers will create 3-5 initial designs for you to see online, then work with you to create more designs until you find the one you love.

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