A Thousand Words

Decorating with a Thousand Words

By Blair Dixon

Using wall art to tie the room together

The great thing about art these days is that you don’t need to be a collector — or know much of anything about it — to be able to find the right piece to help complete a space. Art gives a home a personality. There are so many different types of art, but its goal is to complement any room. I come from a family who absolutely loves art in all forms: framed, sculpture, canvas, graphic, mixed media/textural art, photography, large format, small format, and the list goes on. What did I learn by growing up surrounded by different types of art? Outside of accessories, wall art really is the best way to bring color, contrast, and/or movement to room.

Our home not only tells the story of who we are but it also adds to making a home our sanctuary.

If you’re someone who feels lost when figuring out how to choose something for a particular space, don’t stress. You can do this.

Start by determining how you want to live in a space. Do you want calming or provoking? Do you want child-friendly or grown-upfriendly? Is there a particular function for any given room? Making these determinations as you choose pieces will create a cohesive space.

It’s also important to determine what you love. Do you love color or neutrals? Are you a landscape person or is it abstracts all day? Different art media evokes different emotions. Abstract art can reflect ambiguity and novelty. Environmental pictures, which can range from snow-capped mountains to calm lakes and rivers to a bench in a quiet park, can create a sense of serenity. Photography wall art can be color, sepia or black and white; each creates a different feel within a room. Perhaps even enlarging and framing photographs you took on a vacation is an option for your walls to not only show off your skills but to also surround yourself with memories.

When you look around your house, each piece of art, as cliché as it sounds, should bring you joy. Cold, sterile art creates cold, sterile homes. So, the opposite can be said for heartfelt choices when choosing art to bring warmth to the rooms.

Big blank walls are great opportunities for making a statement with art. One large piece of art taking up one wall instantly becomes a focal point in any room. It is important to gauge proportion, though. One large piece should not take up more than 70 percent of the given space it is occupying. There is also sometimes a tendency to hang too high or too low. A good rule of thumb is that the center of any piece should be at eye level.

Gallery walls with some of your favorite art are great in smaller, more intimate spaces because they can present a more up-close and personal look into your tastes. It can be a way to mix and match different concepts, scenery, frames, sizes — and together they all embrace your personality.

The truth is that art has the power to transform a space — so we want pieces that transform our home. Our home not only tells the story of who we are but it also adds to making a home our sanctuary.

Stragetic Overview

In the current market, we are experiencing limited inventory. Properties are going under contract within days of being listed when priced appropriately. This “supply and demand” issue is keeping home values on the high end as there is just not enough supply and a surplus of demand. As the buyer pool begins to feel the effects of higher rates and reduced purchasing power, there could be a slight return to fewer bidding wars. It is hard to say when things will calm down with so many factors out of our immediate control.

*Information contributed by West Coast Escrow, Equity Title and Guaranteed Affinity Rate.

Mak ng Moves

Talking Strategy with Julian Alexander, Luxury Property Specialist

Seller Strategy

1. First Impression: You only get one first impression, so when advertising your property, it is very important to have professional photography and video. Not everyone purchasing a home has an elaborate imagination, that is why helping a potential buyer visualize the space with staging can help considerably. 2. RealVitalize: Coldwell Banker offers a valuable program that enables a seller to make improvements to increase the marketability of their property with no capital investment out of the seller’s pocket up front. With RealVitalize, sellers can get a 0% interest loan on fixing up their property, which is settled when the property is sold. No markup, interest or fees. You would be surprised what some minor changes can do to increase your property value. Use the cash advance for fresh paint, staging, landscaping, curb appeal improvements and much more. 3. Listing vs. Off-Market: In this market, it only benefits the seller to put his or her property on the open market. With limited inventory, there may be multiple buyers who are looking for the same property. If you are teetering on whether or not to list your home, I’d be happy to offer my professional services and give you an objective price opinion based on sold comps at no cost. Buyer Strategy

Have an agent that knows the local market. It’s important to know what the comparable sold properties are when purchasing a home. When presenting an offer, there are a few conditions that set a buyer apart from the competition: 1. Cash vs Loan: Cash remains king. When a Seller has two offers in hand for the same price and terms, but one is all-cash and the other is a loan, he or she will most likely choose the all-cash offer. If you are unable to pay all-cash, don’t worry. Not everyone has $5M or $10M cash burning a hole in their pocket. As a Coldwell Banker agent I have some amazing partners that offer competitive loan packages. Please reach out if you would like me to connect you. 2. Appraisal Contingency: It’s beneficial to have an appraisal contingency because you want to know that the home you are buying is appraised by a professional and worth the amount you are paying. If the property appraises for a value other than the proposed purchase price, you would have the option to cancel or revisit the negotiation based on the appraised value. 3. Close of Escrow: Sellers don’t always necessarily accept the highest price offer; sometimes they may be looking for specific terms. A quick close may be important to them. The Seller could be in escrow on a replacement property and need of a Buyer who is able to close in 30 days rather than 60 or 90 days.