New Home Friday - October 27, 2023

NHA WHAT IS GOING ON IN THE MARKET A REAL ESTATE NEWSLETTER

An update of the real estate market

OCTOBER 27, 2023

HOMEKEEPR Moving Made Simple

E-CREDIT ADVISOR Get Mortgage Ready

DESIGN TRENDS Fall Decor Trends to Stay Away From

HOMEOWNER TIPS Candles to Make Your Home Smell Devine

PAINT DESIGN BOARD Virtual Color Consultation

HOUSING UPDATE

WHAT ARE THE REAL REASONS YOU WANT TO MOVE RIGHT NOW? If you’re considering selling your house right now, it’s likely because something in your life has changed. And while things like mortgage rates play a big role in your decision, you don’t want that to overshadow why you thought about making a move in the first place.

It’s true mortgage rates are higher right now, and that has an impact on affordability. As a result, some homeowners are deciding they’ll wait to sell because they don’t want to move and have a higher mortgage rate on their next home.

But your lifestyle and your changing needs matter, too. As a recent article from Realtor.com says: “No matter what interest rates and home prices do next, sometimes homeowners just have to move—due to a new job, new baby, divorce, death, or some other major life change.”

Here are a few of the most common reasons people choose to sell today. You may find any one of these resonates with you and may be reason enough to move, even today.

RELOCATION: Some of the things that can motivate a move to a new area include changing jobs, a desire to be closer to friends and loved ones, wanting to live in your ideal location, or just looking for a change in scenery.

For example, if you just landed your dream job in another state, you may be thinking about selling your current home and moving for work.

UPGRADING: Many homeowners decide to sell to move into a larger home. This is especially common when there’s a need for more room to entertain, a home office or gym, or additional bedrooms to accommodate a growing number of loved ones.

For example, if you’re living in a condo and your household is growing, it may be time to find a home that better fits those needs.

“Deciding whether it’s the right time to sell your home is a very personal choice. There are numerous important questions to consider, both financial and lifestyle-based, before putting your home on the market. . . . Your future plans and goals should be a significant part of the equation . . .”

DOWNSIZING: Homeowners may also decide to sell because someone’s moved out of the home recently and there’s now more space than needed. It could also be that they’ve recently retired or are ready for a change.

For example, you’ve just kicked off your retirement and you want to move somewhere warmer with less house to maintain. A different home may be better suited for your new lifestyle.

CHANGE IN RELATIONSHIP STATUS: Divorce, separation, or marriage are other common reasons individuals sell.

For example, if you’ve recently separated, it may be difficult to still live under one roof. Selling and getting a place of your own may be a better option.

HEALTH CONCERNS: If a homeowner faces mobility challenges or health issues that require specific living arrangements or modifications, they might sell their house to find one that works better for them.

For example, you may be looking to sell your house and use the proceeds to help pay for a unit in an assisted-living facility.

With higher mortgage rates and rising prices, there are some affordability challenges right now – but your needs and your lifestyle matter too.

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Is the Open Concept Floorplan Still Popular?

The open-concept floor plan has been coveted by homeowners and seen as the standard for modern living for many years. However, during the pandemic, the case for walls and divided spaces became more compelling.

Similarly, with affordability being top of mind for many homeowners, efficient design with purpose-specific spaces is important too. Does this mean that open concept is dead?

Not necessarily. Homeowners continue to be drawn to the benefits of an open-concept floorplan but are also prioritizing practical, defined spaces for various uses. “The open floorplan remains popular, and I don’t think will ever go away fully,” says Lee Crowder, national director of design and model experience with Taylor Morrison. The question becomes, how can you maintain the benefits of open concept while defining and enclosing space for other purposes?

Pros and Cons

Undeniably, modern homeowners love the enhanced sense of space that comes with open concept. For many, having the ability to prepare meals, while remaining connected to guests or keeping an eye on children is a must.

For those aging in place, open concept is favorable because walls (and corners) can limit mobility and create hazards. And then there are the aesthetic benefits of extended sightlines, with more natural light, particularly important in homes with smaller footprints.

For new-build home buyers in particular, the openconcept floor plan isn’t just about benefiting from the sense of space; it gets them the most for their upgrade budgets, another reason that the open-concept floor plan remains so popular. “The open floor plan brings a focus of all home activities to one main space. This allows the bulk of the design budget to be dedicated to that one area. We know that our buyers focus their budget on flooring, cabinets, countertops, and appliances, which all live in the open kitchen/great room space,” says Crowder.

But, for all the free flow that open-concept living offers, it does not allow for privacy or quiet, two features that climbed the priority ladder in a hurry during the pandemic. The main drawback to an open floor plan? The inability to shut the door, a practical necessity particularly in households where work-from-home is the lifestyle.

And being able to enclose space from the main part of the home isn’t just about work productivity. After the chaos of stay-at-home, many homeowners value having a room of one’s own, for downtime, whether reading, exercising, or meditating. Similarly, without walls, sound carries freely, making it difficult for different types of activities to occur simultaneously in the same household.

Striking a Balance

The answer to the open-or-closed dilemma isn’t necessarily to choose one style over the other, but rather to embrace floor plans with flexibility to accommodate private spaces, make use of adjacent spaces, and use décor and design tricks to delineate zones while letting the open concept itself be unfettered.

Some other ways to mesh open space with semi-closed or on-demand space are: Broken floor plan. In a broken floor plan, a half wall, possibly with pillars or some other architectural detail, creates visual separation while maintaining flow.

Oversized doorways. While doorways (and the walls around them) will interrupt the space visually, much of the sightline can still be accommodated if the openings are larger.

Pocket or barn doors on an otherwise open room can create closed space on demand.

An outbuilding. For homeowners with space, creating an outbuilding (or even take advantage of existing structures, such as the garage or a shed) can offer the privacy desired for certain tasks, such as work, hobby, or exercise.

The Best Candles To Make Your Home Smell Absolutely Divine Candles are a powerful way to enhance the ambiance of your space, elevate your mood or create a relaxing environment. And because your sense of smell and memory are so closely linked, some scents can make you feel nostalgic or sentimental.

Regardless of fragrance, whether you’re drawn to floral scents from perfume houses or vegan options that smell like the outdoors, the best candles can do all this—and more.

When shopping for your next candle, you want to pay attention to wax and wick type, as both can impact the quality, durability, and length of a candle’s burn time. For example, soy candles are one of the longest-lasting candle options in the candle industry; paraffin candles, on the other hand, don’t boast the longest burn times, but they’re more affordable. And of course, there’s the matter of smell. If you want your candle to carry its scent an impressive distance (referred to as its “throw”), your best bet is a synthetic fragrance. For those who want a chemical-free option, a candle with a natural scent is the way to go.

Ready to transform the smell of your space? Ahead, here are the best-smelling candles that can do just that.

DIPTYQUE BAIES/BERRIES SCENTED CANDLE Burn time: 60 hours | Wax type: Paraffin | Size: 6.5 ounces These iconic French-made candles feature rich, captivating scents inspired by the famed Parisian perfume house. One of the most outstanding features of a Diptyque candle is the hand-adjusted lead-free wick, which helps the candle burn to the very bottom of the wax. In addition, no synthetic products or chemicals are used for any Diptyque fragrance.

P.F. CANDLE CO. GOLDEN COAST LARGE SOY CANDLE Burn time: 60 to 70 hours | Wax type: Soy | Size: 12.5 ounces Soy candles are often sought-after since they burn cleaner and slower than petroleum-based paraffin wax candles. P.F. Candle Co. produces vegan soy candles that come in fragrances inspired by nature, like popular piñon, black fig and patchouli sweetgrass. Other stand-out options include Golden Coast, inspired by California’s coastline.

HOMESICK AUTUMN HAYRIDE Burn time: 60+ hours | Wax type: Soy/wax blend | Size: 13.75 ounces Homesick candles are hand-poured in the United States, have 100% organic cotton wicks and come in scents that aim to bring you closer to the places and memories you love.

Homesick candles are hand-poured in the United States, have 100% organic cotton wicks and come in scents that aim to bring you closer to the places and memories you love.

While the brand’s Hawaii, Los Angeles and Birthday Party candles are among the most popular year-round, it’s Autumn Hayride that you want to burn during cooler months. With scents of fresh hay, warm amber, nutmeg and birch wood, this candle will transport you to apple orchards and pumpkin patches.

HERE FOR THE BURN Burn time: 60 hours | Wax type: Soy | Size: 48 ounces Housed in a sleek reusable black glass vessel with a keepsake white pull drawer box, Here For The Burn’s cheeky candle collection is a great gift for anyone on your list, from your friend who just got a promotion to the hostess that always goes above and beyond. Once you pick the label that makes sense for your recipient (options include World’s Best Girlfriend and Cool Mom), pick from scents like Mango Guava, Moroccan Amber and more.

OTHERLAND CHANDELIER CANDLE Burn time: 55 hours | Wax type: Coconut wax, soy | Size: 8 ounces This clean-burning, vegan candle definitely doesn’t fall short on scent. The warm and spicy combination of champagne, saffron and leather is sexy, classy and intoxicating (in the best way). Plus, the sleek packaging makes it looks divine on just about any countertop.

WOODWICK FIRESIDE JAR CANDLE Burn time: 180 hours | Wax Type: Paraffin and soy blend | Size: 22 ounces Wooden wicks are a preferred alternative to cotton wicks because of their durability. They evenly heat and disperse the fragrance of your candle thanks to their lower flame. Plus, the crackling wood sounds it makes as it burns is reminiscent of a fireplace. WoodWick offers a variety of sizes and scents such as Cinnamon Chai, and Evening Bonfire. But the brand’s most popular scent is Fireside, with notes of amber and musk.

BENJAMIN MOORE PAINT DESIGN BOARDS

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