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Design Trends to Watch in 2016
What are the hot trends to look out for in 2016 in home design? Here are a few predictions from the remodeling and design site Houzz on some of the big trends to expect.
1. Two shades of kitchen cabinets.
The upper cabinets may be a white or neutral but then more designers are trying out deeper colors or wood tones for the lower cabinets.
2. Formal dining rooms are back.
More home owners are opting to keep the dining room and not turn it into an office. The formal dining room is expected to get more attention this year.
3. Multi-purpose kitchen islands.
The “workhorse” kitchen island is about more than just adding workspace in the kitchen, but also for adding more storage, prep sinks, and a way to add extra seating.
4. Mirrors that make a statement.
Medicine cabinets are heading out and now wood-framed, modern, or vintage mirrors are adding more style to bathrooms.
6. Sunrooms are hot.
Houzz identified this as one of the top dream spaces for home owners. Some home owners are finding ways to even transform tucked away corners in their home into a sunroom with a few chairs to relax near windows.
7. White kitchens dominate.
White kitchen walls and cabinets and even countertops is a trend with staying power, Houzz predicts. To add some splash to the all-white kitchen, designers are adding touches of color through the tile floors or floor-to-ceiling bookcases.
8. Powder rooms get more bold.
Wall coverings are getting punched up in powder room, that include everything from custom graphics to textured walls. Also, designers are mixing in ornate chandeliers or furniture-like pieces to add some more pizzazz to these spaces.
9. Farmhouse style guides the entryway.
Farmhouse style is catching on, particularly for the mudroom. Simplicity in the storage solutions and durable materials are taking charge.
4. Mirrors that make a statement.
Medicine cabinets are heading out and now wood-framed, modern, or vintage mirrors are adding more style to bathrooms.
5. “Barely there” kitchens.
Kitchens are fading into the backdrop as the open layouts infuse more seamlessly into the living room or other spaces in the home. Aiding that trend, more kitchens are featuring open shelves to add to that openness.
6. Sunrooms are hot.
Houzz identified this as one of the top dream spaces for home owners. Some home owners are finding ways to even transform tucked away corners in their home into a sunroom with a few chairs to relax near windows.
How FHA is Helping Buyers Obtain Condo Financing
And yet there’s some good news, too, because FHA has announced changes to its rules to make it easier for buyers to get federally insured financing for condominiums. This is important because condos have traditionally been one of the best ways for new home owners to get into home ownership.
Under administrative changes FHA has announced, second homes are no longer considered “investment property” for purposes of determining the owner-occupancy ratio of a condominium project.
Prior to the change, if someone who owns a unit in a condo project uses the unit as a second home, that unit doesn’t count as part of the project’s 50-percent owner-occupancy threshold, which FHA requires. Under that rule, if fewer than half the units are owner occupied, someone who wants to buy a unit in the project can’t get FHA-backed financing. That hurts if FHA is the only viable financing option.
But the FHA change has wider implications than that because it sends a signal to conventional and other mortgage financing sources that it might be time for them to rethink their owner-occupancy ratios as well.
FHA announced two other changes: a streamlined recertification process, and an expansion of the types of insurance condo owner associations can have for their project to be eligible for FHA financing.
These three changes are key because they address one part of condo financing that has nothing to do with the creditworthiness of the borrower: they address the hoops the condo project has to go through before FHA will permit a borrower to apply for its mortgage insurance.
It’ll be helpful to watch how things change in the months ahead to see if the eased requirements lead to more households obtaining FHA financing for condo purchases. But for now, REALTORS® can take satisfaction in knowing FHA responded to concerns NAR had been raising for the last three years. And more changes are in the works, according to the agency. Details are in the video above.
The FHA announcement is one of the stories in The Voice for Real Estate for the week of November 23, 2015. Another segment looks at NAR’s new member benefit for keeping REALTORS® integral to real estate as transactions increasingly go digital. Under the benefit, REALTORS® get free access to two products from zipLogix®: its forms software program and its transaction management platform
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Remodeling Benefits Owners Who Sell or Stay
WASHINGTON (December 9, 2015) — Homeowners preparing to sell often make improvements, both big and small, to their homes that can help yield positive results and garner top dollar from buyers. According to a new report from the National Association of Realtors®, remodeling projects can also bring major benefits to homeowners who choose to remain in their homes.
"Realtors® know that certain home upgrades and remodels can be beneficial to get more buyer eyes on a property, potentially bring in more offers or gain more equity from a home," said NAR President Tom Salomone, broker-owner of Real Estate II Inc. in Coral Springs, Florida. "But remodeling projects are just as valuable to homeowners who simply want to get more joy out of their dwellings. Regardless of the situation, Realtors® know what remodeling projects bring the biggest bang for the buck and what projects are most likely to improve a homeowner's impression of their current place."
According to NAR's 2015 Remodeling Impact Report, which uncovers the reasons homeowners choose a remodel and the increased happiness certain projects bring once completed, 64 percent have experienced increased enjoyment in their home after completing a remodeling project. Additionally, 75 percent of respondents said they felt a major sense of accomplishment when thinking of their completed project. Fifty-four percent of respondents felt happy about the changes to their home, and 40 percent felt satisfied. As for their reasons to complete a remodeling project, 38 percent of homeowners said they wanted to upgrade worn-out surfaces, finishes and materials; 17 percent wanted to add features and improve livability; and 13 percent believed it was time for a change.
Realtors® named kitchen upgrades, complete kitchen renovations, bathroom renovations and new wood flooring as the interior projects that most appeal to potential buyers. Similarly, Realtors® also ranked projects based on expected value at resale (without accounting for project price); the projects that ranked the highest in this category were complete kitchen renovations, kitchen upgrades, bathroom renovations and the addition of a bathroom.
When looking at the interior projects that yield the biggest financial results upon resale, Realtors® ranked hardwood flooring refinishes (100 percent of project cost recovered upon resale), insulation upgrades (95 percent recovered), new wood flooring (91 percent recovered), and converting a basement to a living area (69 percent recovered) as projects to consider.
Exterior projects are also important for both sellers and homeowners looking to increase satisfaction with their current home. Realtors® said new roofing, new vinyl windows, new garage doors and new vinyl siding are most appealing to potential buyers and are highly valued upon resale (both considering project price and disregarding project price). Upon resale, Realtors® said new roofing would recover 105 percent of its project cost, a new garage door would recover 87 percent, new vinyl siding would recover 83 percent, and new vinyl windows would bring back 80 percent of their cost. As for exterior projects that bring the most happiness for those not necessarily intending to sell, homeowners said new fiber-cement siding, new fiberglass or steel front doors, new roofing, and new garage doors brought the most satisfaction.
The 2015 Remodeling Impact Report, the first of its kind from NAR that examines personal satisfaction from remodeling projects, surveyed Realtors®, consumers who have completed their own remodeling projects, and members of the National Association of the Remodeling Industry.
"Remodeling projects can greatly improve both the value of and satisfaction with one's home, which are great things no matter the reason for a project," said Judy Mozen, president of the National Association of the Remodeling Industry. "This report highlights the best projects to consider in either situation and showcases just how much of a difference a good and professional remodel can make in real numbers."
Salomone said the report not only assists homeowners who are preparing to sell in choosing the best projects to attract buyers, but it also helps those looking to get more personal satisfaction out of their homes. "Realtors® know that remodeling projects aren't just done to get more money for a home once it's time to sell - a home is your sanctuary, the place you raise your family and where you make lifelong memories, which is why the report can also help consumers decide which projects could enhance their current quality of life and happiness," he said.
The National Association of Realtors®, "The Voice for Real Estate," is America's largest trade association, representing 1.1 million members involved in all aspects of the residential and commercial real estate industries.
The National Association of the Remodeling Industry is the medium for business development, a platform for advocacy and the principal source for industry intelligence. NARI connects homeowners with its professional members and provides tips and tricks so that the consumer has a positive remodeling experience.
Homeowners Reap Remodeling Benefits Whether Selling or Staying, Say Realtors®
WASHINGTON (December 9, 2015) — Homeowners preparing to sell often make improvements, both big and small, to their homes that can help yield positive results and garner top dollar from buyers. According to a new report from the National Association of Realtors®, remodeling projects can also bring major benefits to homeowners who choose to remain in their homes.
"Realtors® know that certain home upgrades and remodels can be beneficial to get more buyer eyes on a property, potentially bring in more offers or gain more equity from a home," said NAR President Tom Salomone, broker-owner of Real Estate II Inc. in Coral Springs, Florida. "But remodeling projects are just as valuable to homeowners who simply want to get more joy out of their dwellings. Regardless of the situation, Realtors® know what remodeling projects bring the biggest bang for the buck and what projects are most likely to improve a homeowner's impression of their current place."
According to NAR's 2015 Remodeling Impact Report, which uncovers the reasons homeowners choose a remodel and the increased happiness certain projects bring once completed, 64 percent have experienced increased enjoyment in their home after completing a remodeling project. Additionally, 75 percent of respondents said they felt a major sense of accomplishment when thinking of their completed project. Fifty-four percent of respondents felt happy about the changes to their home, and 40 percent felt satisfied. As for their reasons to complete a remodeling project, 38 percent of homeowners said they wanted to upgrade worn-out surfaces, finishes and materials; 17 percent wanted to add features and improve livability; and 13 percent believed it was time for a change.
Realtors® named kitchen upgrades, complete kitchen renovations, bathroom renovations and new wood flooring as the interior projects that most appeal to potential buyers. Similarly, Realtors® also ranked projects based on expected value at resale (without accounting for project price); the projects that ranked the highest in this category were complete kitchen renovations, kitchen upgrades, bathroom renovations and the addition of a bathroom.
When looking at the interior projects that yield the biggest financial results upon resale, Realtors® ranked hardwood flooring refinishes (100 percent of project cost recovered upon resale), insulation upgrades (95 percent recovered), new wood flooring (91 percent recovered), and converting a basement to a living area (69 percent recovered) as projects to consider.
Exterior projects are also important for both sellers and homeowners looking to increase satisfaction with their current home. Realtors® said new roofing, new vinyl windows, new garage doors and new vinyl siding are most appealing to potential buyers and are highly valued upon resale (both considering project price and disregarding project price). Upon resale, Realtors® said new roofing would recover 105 percent of its project cost, a new garage door would recover 87 percent, new vinyl siding would recover 83 percent, and new vinyl windows would bring back 80 percent of their cost. As for exterior projects that bring the most happiness for those not necessarily intending to sell, homeowners said new fiber-cement siding, new fiberglass or steel front doors, new roofing, and new garage doors brought the most satisfaction.
The 2015 Remodeling Impact Report, the first of its kind from NAR that examines personal satisfaction from remodeling projects, surveyed Realtors®, consumers who have completed their own remodeling projects, and members of the National Association of the Remodeling Industry.
"Remodeling projects can greatly improve both the value of and satisfaction with one's home, which are great things no matter the reason for a project," said Judy Mozen, president of the National Association of the Remodeling Industry. "This report highlights the best projects to consider in either situation and showcases just how much of a difference a good and professional remodel can make in real numbers."
Salomone said the report not only assists homeowners who are preparing to sell in choosing the best projects to attract buyers, but it also helps those looking to get more personal satisfaction out of their homes. "Realtors® know that remodeling projects aren't just done to get more money for a home once it's time to sell - a home is your sanctuary, the place you raise your family and where you make lifelong memories, which is why the report can also help consumers decide which projects could enhance their current quality of life and happiness," he said.
The National Association of Realtors®, "The Voice for Real Estate," is America's largest trade association, representing 1.1 million members involved in all aspects of the residential and commercial real estate industries.
The National Association of the Remodeling Industry is the medium for business development, a platform for advocacy and the principal source for industry intelligence. NARI connects homeowners with its professional members and provides tips and tricks so that the consumer has a positive remodeling experience.
Living In Bucknell
Bucknell Manor is a subdivision in Alexandria located in Fairfax County. Housing is primarily cape code style homes and a portion is also duplexes. Belle View Shopping Center is roughly 1 mile away to the east. Beacon hill mall is also about a mile away to the west.
Mount Vernon RECreation Center borders the neighborhood as well as Martha Washington Library. Mount Vernon District Park is on the outskirts of this subdivision. Biking paths are convenient and provide a great avenue for exercise.
The Huntington Metro is only a few short bus stops away. Bucknell sits parallel to the George Washington Parkway. Commuting to DC and other parts of Alexandria is easy and convenient.
Why is Montebello a good deal?
Montebello Condominiums in Alexandria 22303
Featured Properties For Sale at Montebello
5 Reasons to Move to The Eclipse
4 Ways to Winterize Your Home
- Installing storm doors and windows can increase energy efficiency by up to 45%. Sealing drafts and reducing air flow will save money on heat needed thru out your home. Storm windows can make a huge difference when cold drafts come in.
- Insulating your pipes will save money on the energy needed to heat your hot water. This can also reduce the chances of pipes freezing and causing a big headache. Most hardware stores sell pre-slit pipe foam and is easy to install.
- Replacing your filters will increase efficiency of your furnace. Typically filters are replaced every 3 to 4 months, but I recommend in the winter to replace every 4-6 weeks. 5-15% on your heating bill can be saved with clean filters and will ad up to a considerable amount over time.
- Cleaning your gutters is vital when snow and hail come into town. Ice and snow will pool on your roof and in your gutters if not cleaned prior to winter, . Pooling snow and ice can cause potential water damage to the roof. Heating your home will cost more if your roof is covered in snow and ice.
