Check out the latest One Cool Thing at The Lawhead Team’s blog about remodeling return on investment:

Not all home improvements are created equal. These five projects will reward you the most when it comes time to sell:

• New Roof – The cost is approximately $7500 and your return is 109% at $8150.
• New Garage Door – The cost is $2300 for a two door garage and the return is 87% at $2000.
• Hardwood Floors – The cost to refinish hardwood floors is $2500 with a return of 100% at $2500. The cost to buy new is $5500 with a return of 91% at $5000.
• Better Insulation – The cost is $2100 with a return of 76% at $1600 (plus the added savings on heating and cooling costs).
• New Siding – The cost is $13350 with a return of 75% at $10000.

Source for Remodeling ROI: HouseLogic

Check out the latest One Cool Thing about some great high-tech features you might want to include in your new kitchen!

• Cut The Cords! There are many appliances now that are wireless and compatible with smart countertops. Plus a wireless kitchen reduces the number of cords, which is extremely important near kitchen sinks.
• Find A Digital Hub To Manage Your Kitchen – Download apps that can help you take greater control over your kitchen by using voice commands or allowing you to directly turn on your oven remotely or access videos with step-by-step directions.
• Make Sure Your New Appliances Are WiFi Enabled – Appliances that can connect to the internet are the future., and some companies believe other appliances will eventually be outdated. Connectivity, for example, allows ovens to control the baking for you!
• Consider A Wireless Charging Countertop – Yes you heard us!! Wireless charging countertops may become the “new quartz”. When choosing a countertop, it may be a smart idea to skip the stone and opt for smart countertops that charge your devices.

Do you have any ideas for updating your kitchen to be more tech-savvy? Please comment to let us know!

The Lawhead Team would like to share the latest One Cool Thing about the most popular home renovation projects that are happening this year. Check it out:

Did you know that 58% of homewoners are planning to spend money on home improvement projects this year?

According to the latest One Cool Thing, here is what projects they have planned:

• 43% want to remodel their outdoor space
• 31% are going to take on a bathroom remodel this year
• 28% will be doing home repair (Isn’t it fun being a homeowner?)
• 26% are tackling a kitchen remodel
• 16% want to remodel their garage
• 5% will be adding a pool to their backyard

How are homeowners planning to pay for their home improvement projects?

• 62% will tap into their savings
• 30% will put the home projects on a credit card
• 13% are going to use a home equity line of credit
• 8% plan to liquidate or tap into investments
• 5% will get a home improvement loan

Source: Lightstream Home Improvement

Are you looking to upgrade instead of remodel? Contact The Lawhead Team!

The Lawhead Team would like to share a few stylish ways you can add bamboo to your home decor from the latest One Cool Thing. 

Bamboo is making its way into more home interiors. From flooring, window treatments and wall accents to furnishings and more, this sustainable material is popping up everywhere.

• Gold bamboo is particularly hot for home accents, such as coffee tables.
• Bamboo is popular in landscapes and for adding privacy.
• Bamboo-textured walls can add a focal point to a space.
• Bamboo flooring is an alternative to wood flooring and comes in many different color variations.

Source: REALTOR Magazine

The Lawhead Team would like to share the projects that have the greatest and the least return on investment from the latest One Cool Thing. 

Here’s a look at the projects with the greatest and least return on investment in 2017. Typically, the 29 projects on this year’s report paid back an average of 64.3 CENTS on the dollar in resale value.

Top 5 projects with the GREATEST ROI in the “upscale” cost category:

• 85% – Garage door replacement
• 77.8% – Entry door replacement (fiberglass)
• 73.9% – Window replacement (vinyl)
• 73% – Window replacement (wood)
• 70.1% – Grand entrance (fiberglass)

Top 5 projects with the LOWEST ROI in the “upscale” category:

• 61.9% – Major kitchen remodel
• 59.9% – Master suite addition
• 59.1% – Bathroom remodel
• 57.1% – Bathroom addition
• 56.4% – Deck addition (composite)

Source: Remodeling Magazine, Cost vs. Value Report

The beginning of the new year is the perfect time to get your house organized! The Lawhead Team would like to share a these tips from Coldwell Banker to get your started.

1. Get Rid of Indoor Condensation – Look for indoor condensation on windows and take corrective action. For 7 ways to reduce humidity in your home, check out this great video from Andersen Windows & Doors.

2. Make a maintenance calendar – Review warranties and product material to check on recommended maintenance for furnace, equipment, appliances, and tools. Mark your calendar to track scheduled upkeep and service.

3. Accessorize, Accessorize, Accessorize – After the holiday decorations come down, your walls can feel a bit dull and empty. January is a great time to add new home decor accessories, like fresh throw pillows or framed photos of the past year’s activities.

4. Get ready for the big game – Now’s the time to get ready for the ultimate game day. Here are 5 winning football party ideas that will score big.

5. Organize your files – While most paperwork is now maintained digitally, it’s still important to make sure you’re organized and backed up. Take an afternoon to sort through online statements, contacts and emails that piled up over the holidays. And after all of that hard work, be sure to back up to a hard drive or cloud service.

6. Sort and toss – Take time to sort through your toiletry products in the bathroom and food items in the pantry. Toss anything that is old or expired and start fresh for the new year.

7. Ready to Move? Do this first – If you’re thinking of selling your home in 2017, make it a resolution to collect these 10 pieces of valuable information well before the spring real estate rush.

The Lawhead Team has these steps from HomeAdvisor to help you organize your garage and make it more useful! 

Step #1 – Categorize Items

It’s hard to whip your garage into shape without taking inventory. Take a look at your possessions and divide them into categories based on use. Keep frequently used and important items close at hand and store everything else. Here’s a list of items to keep close by:

• Recycling
• Sports and recreational equipment
• Automotive maintenance/repair tools
• Seasonal décor
• Garden and yard tools
• Major equipment

You may find that storing some of the items — like decorations — indoors will free up space and make it easier to organize your garage.

Step #2 – Group Similar Items Together

Next, pull everything out of your garage and group similar items together. This might seem like an unnecessary step, but it can actually help you later on when you start to reorganize these items. Additionally, it’s easier to purchase storage solutions when you know the amount and size of items you’re dealing with.

Step #3 – Let it Go

Whipping your garage into shape is the perfect time to identify and dispose of any unused, broken or forgotten items. If you run across any items you haven’t used in some time, throw them away or donate them to make room for your more important possessions.

Step #4 – Determine a Layout

There are a number of ways to organize your garage. But, no matter how you do it, it’s best to decide on a location for each item or group of items before you start putting anything back. It’s also important to consider factors like the frequency of use and available space during this phase.

Step #5 – Install Cabinets or Purchase Storage Bins

Grouping items together will help you decide on the perfect storage solution for your garage. Once you’re ready, purchase and install cabinets or storage bins. Organizational tools help you keep similar items grouped together and within easy reach. This is especially important with tools and other items that help you keep your home in good shape during the colder months.

Perhaps the most important part of the process is giving yourself time. Don’t rush yourself or assume you’ll finish everything in a single day. Set aside an entire weekend to allow yourself plenty of time to go through all of your stuff, group it, clean the garage and then put everything back in its new home. If you have to, find some friends to lend you a hand with moving items around. You’ll have a clean, organized garage before you know it.

The Lawhead Team would like to share these fall tips from HomeAdvisor to help you stage your kitchen for the season. 

1. Fall counter decor

You should always keep the countertops nearly clear when potential homebuyers are walking through. In fact, you should keep it down to about two to three essentials if you’re living there from day to day. For the fall season, you can add small elements like placemats, fruit and leaf decor (window drapings, vase, etc.).

2.  “Fall odors”

The smell of leaves, apple pie, pumpkin and cinnamon evoke the cozy feelings of fall. Candles are nice and actually baking something “fall-like” before a showing is a sure way to make potential buyers feel more at home during a showing.

3. Colors of fall

Depending on the current condition of your home, you might consider a fresh coat of paint. What color you decide to use may or may not be influenced by the season. While you should always lean towards neutral colors, you might consider accent walls or cabinets in browns or dark tones of red or green if you think they would work.

4. Bring nature in

If there are windows in the kitchen, make sure to keep them clean. Depending on the weather outside during a showing, you might open them and let the fresh air in. It helps to create a flow between nature outside and the atmosphere you’re trying to create in the kitchen. If your budget allows, you might also accent the windows with fall-like window treatments to create an even easier flow.

5. Natural lighting elements

Lighting is an essential element of home staging, no matter the season. In fall, in particular, it’s all about enhancing the twilight or sunset and complementing of all the fall colors. For lighting in your kitchen, consider accent and track lighting. Or, you could install recessed lighting on a dimmer switch, which will allow you to control the brightness of the kitchen to complement the mood outside.

The Lawhead Team would like to share these tips to help you get your home ready for fall.

1. Enjoy the outdoors – If you’re not ready to move inside, consider transitioning your summer patio to a cozy fall retreat. Add a few autumnal touches, like a chiminea and garland lights to make your outdoor space work even as the nights get longer and cooler.

2. Apples, apples & more apples – Nothing screams fall more than the blissful smell of apple pie wafting through the house. Take a trip to a local pick-your-own farm for a festive activity and cook up some fall favorites like applesauce and apple pie.

3. Schedule doctor’s appointments – An apple a day may keep the doctor away, but it’s still best to see him at least once a year. Schedule annual physicals, dentist appointments and eye exams around the same time each year so you’ll have an easier time remembering to check all the necessary boxes. Booking appointments around back-to-school time is usually best as some extra-curricular activities will require a check-up anyway.

4. Get into back to school mode – Whether you’re looking for fresh ideas for school lunches, or tips to make it out the door on time, we have what you need to make back to school easy as the above mentioned apple pie.

5. Prep your yard for fall – With fall around the corner, there is plenty to do to prep your yard for the change of seasons. Download this printable September Lawn & Garden To-Do List, which covers everything from lawn care to building a compost bin for falling leaves.

6. Fall into home improvement – Before the weather turns too cold, plan your final outdoor home improvement projects. Roof repairs, gutter and chimney clean-up are particularly important before the winter arrives.

7. Get organized – In the coming weeks, it will be time to put away the summer attire and break out the warmer clothing. Take time now to make room in your coat closet, donate unworn summer items and assess what fall clothing no longer fits. Spring cleaning gets all the glory, but the fall sweep is where it’s at!

8. Start holiday prep – We never have enough time before the holidays, so make a point of starting prep early. Begin the Halloween costume brainstorm, collect Thanksgiving Day recipes, and start your holiday card address list. By doing a little holiday organization ahead of time, you can actually relax and enjoy the most important part—spending quality time with those you love!

Source: Coldwell Banker

The Lawhead Team would like to share these projects from Coldwell Banker to do before you list your home.

Use this checklist to get your home ready:

Project 1: Front Door and Entryway

The first project on your homeowner’s checklist is to address your front door and entryway. Beyond your front yard, your door and entry will be the very first impression on a potential buyer. Literally look at everything from the ceiling right down to the floor and draw up your list of to-do’s. Here are some common areas you can spruce up to make this area truly shine:

• Door finish or paint: Is your door dull or drab? Consider repainting, restaining, or adding another level of varnish to erase aging.
• Door hardware: How do your hinges and handles look? If they are a bit dull, try to shine them up using the right type of chemical for the metal type. If they’re banged up or in truly bad shape, now is the time to spend a few dollars to replace.
• Entry flooring: What type of flooring does your entry have: rug, wood, tile? No matter the type, clean it vigorously, fix any issues, or consider replacing it entirely if it’s in dire condition.
• Floorboards: Floorboards show aging in your home like no other accoutrement. They get banged up, accumulate dust and dirt, and just sometimes look awful. Clean these and possibly repaint.
• Lighting: Look at the lights both right outside your front door and in your entry. Replace light bulbs, clean out light surrounds, and add additional lighting if necessary.
• Furniture and belongings: While your entry might serve as the area in your home where things are dumped as you come in the door, your prospective buyers don’t want to see this. Clean up and clean out to provide a spacious and inviting area.

Project 2: Painting

Painting is one of the lowest cost ways to totally transform your home, and it’s also one of the easiest and fastest DIY projects you can undertake. Go through every room of your house with a brutal eye. Is the paint dingy or peeling? Are the colors of some spaces more likely to scare off sellers than reel them in? Consider using very neutral colors that will allow buyers to picture their own furnishings in your space.

Project 3: Landscaping

Although this is listed last, it’s actually one of the best ways you can entice buyers into loving your property. Cut back overgrowth, prune trees judiciously, plant attractive annuals, put down seeding or sod for missing patches of grass, and basically just spend the day — or five — working up a sweat around your yard, turning it into a masterpiece. This is the largest sweat equity project, so you’ll likely not need to spend much, but your own hard work can bring buyers inside.