Free First Time Home Buyers Seminar

Learn what you need to know BEFORE you buy your first home. Attend a Free First-Time Home Buyers Seminar in Pleasanton every 6 weeks.

Call 925-998-7747 for more information.

Decorating On A Budget

Some people say were in a recession, but when it comes to our homes, most of us have an uncontrollable urge to remodel and decorate!  So, what do you do in times like these if you don’t have the money to do a full remodel but you just can’t take it anymore?   Here are a few budget decorating ideas that you can either hire someone to do without spending a lot of money and some other things you can do yourself.

1.  Paint!  Paint is probably the most cost effective and design efficeint things you can do to update your home without spending a lot of money.  Even if you hire someone, the cost is low compared to other remodling expenses, but if you paint yourself … it’s down right cheap!  And the best bang for your buck!

2.  Interior Redesign!  Maybe you have a room you never use, or a room that just doesn’t feel or look right, maybe your bored with the room, but you may or may not want to go out and purchase some furnishings to change the look of the room.  Hire an interior redesigner to REDESIGN your home/a room using what you already own and love.  A redesinger will redesign just one room or your entire home.  You decide, based on your wants, needs and budget.  Another best bang for the buck!

3.  Update your accessories.  Try changing out your throw pillows, accessories and art.  This can change the look and feel of your home …maybe just enough to make your decorating urges go away for a while.

4.  Change out your art.  I know, you always hang this piece over your fireplace and that piece in the living room  – change it up.  We get so used to seeing them in the same place that we stop seeing and enjoying them.  Make it fun and invite a friend over (one who’s taste you like) and take down all of your art and then together take turns holding up different pieces in new and different locations.  It’s fun, costs no money and you’re home will look and feel refreshed.

5.  What budget decorating projects have you done?  Please share your experiences here.

New Conforming Loan Limits Are Here!

County	Median price	FHA limit	Conforming loan limit
Alameda County	$995,000	$729,750	$729,750
Alpine County	$438,000	$547,500	$547,500
Amador County	$355,000	$443,750	$443,750
Butte County	$320,000	$400,000	$417,000
Calaveras County	$370,000	$462,500	$462,500
Colusa County	$318,000	$397,500	$417,000
Contra Costa County	$995,000	$729,750	$729,750
Del Norte County	$249,000	$311,250	$417,000
El Dorado County	$464,000	$580,000	$580,000
Fresno County	$305,000	$381,250	$417,000
Glenn County	$230,000	$287,500	$417,000
Humboldt County	$315,000	$393,750	$417,000
Imperial County	$260,000	$325,000	$417,000
Inyo County	$350,000	$437,500	$437,500
Kern County	$295,000	$368,750	$417,000
Kings County	$260,000	$325,000	$417,000
Lake County	$321,000	$401,250	$417,000
Lassen County	$200,000	$271,050	$417,000
Los Angeles County	$710,000	$729,750	$729,750
Madera County	$340,000	$425,000	$425,000
Marin County	$995,000	$729,750	$729,750
Mariposa County	$330,000	$412,500	$417,000
Mendocino County	$410,000	$512,500	$512,500
Merced County	$378,000	$472,500	$472,500
Modoc County	$125,000	$271,050	$417,000
Mono County	$370,000	$462,500	$462,500
Monterey County	$599,000	$729,750	$729,750
Napa County	$615,000	$729,750	$729,750
Nevada County	$450,000	$562,500	$562,500
Orange County	$710,000	$729,750	$729,750
Placer County	$464,000	$580,000	$580,000
Plumas County	$328,000	$410,000	$417,000
Riverside County	$400,000	$500,000	$500,000
Sacramento County	$464,000	$580,000	$580,000
San Benito County	$790,000	$729,750	$729,750
San Bernardino County	$400,000	$500,000	$500,000
San Diego County	$558,000	$697,500	$697,500
San Francisco County	$995,000	$729,750	$729,750
San Joaquin County	$391,000	$488,750	$488,750
San Luis Obispo County	$550,000	$687,500	$687,500
San Mateo County	$995,000	$729,750	$729,750
Santa Barbara County	$615,000	$729,750	$729,750
Santa Clara County	$790,000	$729,750	$729,750
Santa Cruz County	$719,000	$729,750	$729,750
Shasta County	$339,000	$423,750	$423,750
Sierra County	$228,000	$285,000	$417,000
Siskiyou County	$235,000	$293,750	$417,000
Solano County	$446,000	$557,500	$557,500
Sonoma County	$530,000	$662,500	$662,500
Stanislaus County	$339,000	$423,750	$423,750
Sutter County	$340,000	$425,000	$425,000
Tehama County	$250,000	$312,500	$417,000
Trinity County	$200,000	$271,050	$417,000
Tulare County	$260,000	$325,000	$417,000
Tuolumne County	$350,000	$437,500	$437,500
Ventura County	$599,000	$729,750	$729,750
Yolo County	$464,000	$580,000	$580,000
Yuba County	$340,000	$425,000	$425,000

Source: Department of Housing and Urban Development

Paint Color Tips and Tricks

 

1.  Most of the local hardware/big box stores carry poster sized pieces of wallboard and sample boards (about the size of a piece of paper).  These are GREAT tools to have if you are unsure about your color choice.  Buy samples of the paint you’re considering and paint on the boards.  You can move these all around the room  and you won’t have paint patches all over your walls.  Be sure to place the board on each wall because the color will look different on every wall depending on the lighting.

2. Now that you’ve selected the right color, you have one more choice to make.  Which sheen do you want?  Ah geez!  Another decision.  Flat, Eggshell, Satin, Semi-Gloss or Gloss?  (These are in order from flat to one with the most shine for Kelly Moore paints). Here’s a tip.  The higher the shine the more washable the paint/wall.  However, the higher the sheen the easier it is to see imperfections in the wall.  Nowadays, I find the most popular sheen is Eggshell.  It give you a little wash-ability without being over shiny. However, if you’re painting a wet area (bathroom/kitchen) most people use a  semi-gloss.

3.  How to get a perfect seam.  Sometimes you’ll find that you’ll need a perfect seam in between paints.  Maybe it’s a rounded corner or a transition from one room to another where two different paint colors meet.  Here’s the tip.  Start by making a line with painters tape. Then (and this is the most important part) apply a clear acrylic – matt finish to the seam of the tape and let dry.  This seals the tape to the wall so your new paint color won’t seep under the edge of the tape.  Paint your walls and remove the tape to find a perfect paint line.

Jill Denton

Changing Spaces

Is now a good time to buy a home in the San Francisco Bay Area?

Nowadays we hear, “It is not a good time to buy real estate” … then we hear “It IS a good time to buy real estate!”  So which is it?  You could ask 100 different people and you’d get 100 different answers.  The real quesstion is … “Is it a good time for YOU to buy a home?

Before you decide to shop for a new home ask yourself a few questions.  For example: Why are you buying a home? Are you a first time home buyer?  Looking to upgrade?  How long do you plan to live there? What interest rate do you qualify for? Is it a fixed or variable rate?  How much are you planning to put down? How much income do you earn? Are you living alone or sharing expenses? What are the many tax benefits?  These are just a few questions you should ask yourself.  Do your homework. Buying a home is probably the biggest and most important decision you’ll ever make, so make sure that all of your answers are in your favor.

Buying a home in the San Francisco Bay Area can cost a lot more money than in other parts of the county, but typically the return on investment is also a lot more.

Depending on your circimstance, now may be a great time to buy!  Why?  Because …

Reason #1: Home prices lower than they’re been in long time!

Reason #2: Mortgage rates lower than they’ve been in years!

Reason #3:  This is a Buyer’s Market!

Reason #4:  Because it’s a Buyers Market, usually you can take a little more time to make a decision.

Reason #5:  Plus you typically do not have to worry about bidding wars in a Buyers Market.

Reason #6: Prices are more likely to be negotiable in a Buyers Market.

Reason #7: With a home as a right-off, you’ll most likely pay less in taxes.

Reason #8: If you’re currently renting, you’ll be able to decorate or renovate YOUR home any way you like.

Reason #9: Appreciation!  Although real estate moves in cycles, sometimes up and sometimes down, over the years real estate and consistently appreciated.

Reason #10:  I’m available to assit you in finding and purchasing the place you’re looking to call home.

Jill Denton, Realtor

Hometown GMAC Real Estate

925-998-7747

Arranging furniture in a rectangular shaped room

I’ve had so many people contact me about arranging furniture in a rectangular shaped room!  This is one hot topic!  It all comes down to space planning.  If you’ve got a good eye for space planning, do it yourself (see my other article on “How to arrange furniture in a rectangular shaped room“).  If not, call in a professional Interior Redesigner. In 2-3 hours (for an average sized room with an average amount of furniture and accessories) an Interior Redesigner can transform your rectangular shaped room. 

I have people contact me who say, “We never use that room”, “I don’t like the way it feels in the room so we don’t spend any time in there” and “You could blow that room up and none of us would miss it.”  Don’t waste your valuable space.  Let’s turn it into something you’ll love and use.  Don’t wait another day! Contact me and get that rectangular shaped room redesigned!

Jill Denton ~ Changing Spaces

Show me your ceilings!

A while back I wrote “What color is your ceiling?” 

They’re spectacular all around the world and in the US, they’re white.  Countless numbers of people have seen my blog on What Color is your ceiling.  Now I want to know, what color is your ceiling??? What else have you done to make your ceiling spectacular.  And if you have an image posted/uploaded to the internet, I can even show what you’ve done.  It’s time to share.

Jill Denton ~ Changing Spaces

Do You Have Good Traffic Flow Inside Your Home?

 

One crucial part of design is traffic flow.  A room not only needs to look good, but it needs to have good traffic flow. 

Have you ever stepped into a room only to be blocked by a piece of furniture.  Not too long ago I went to a friends home.  It’s decorated very Pottery Barn style.  From the entry, you walk down a hallway to the family room where you run right into the back of an overstuffed chair.  I literally had to side step around the chair to get into the room.  While I did a little dance around the chair my mind began rearranging or “Interior Redesigning” the room.  Overall the room was laid out well.  It was just the one overstuffed chair that created a problem. 

Click on the “Good Traffic Flow” link below and you’ll see two sample layouts but first, let me explain.  The top layout is BEFORE, and you can see the open doorway that leads you into the chair and a round ottoman in another corner.  In the AFTER layout, you’ll see that by just switching the over-sized chair with the ottoman, the flow into the room has greatly improved.  One thing you can not see on the layout is the difference in height of the chair and ottoman.  Where the back of the chair visually blocked the entry, the ottoman visually lets you enter the room.  Good Traffic Flow

Traffic flow is essential for comfortable living; as well as, comfortable viewing for those of you who are planning on selling your home.  Dana Dickey says: “Control the flow! If you have a problem with traffic flow, bump into things and do not like the way your rooms feel, then a potential buyer will FEEL the same thing. Proper placement of furniture is essential when buyers are looking at square footage. Remember why you bought the house and try to change what doesn’t work.” Source: Inside Redesign LLC

How about you?  Do you have any traffic flow problems in your home?

Jill  Denton ~ Changing Spaces

Top 5 Reasons to Get an Interior Redesign:

5.  Interior Redesign fits any budget. 

4.   Interior Redesign works for any style.

3.  Interior Redesign gives a designer look to any room.

2.  Interior Redesign uses what you already own and love.

1.  An Interior Redesign  is completed in just ONE DAY!

Contact Jill Denton at Changing Spaces for more information about getting an Interior Redesign for one room your your entire home.

The Color Wheel

 

Complementary: This scheme uses two colors which are directly opposed on the color wheel (for example: Orange and Blue)  

Split Complementary: This scheme uses 3 colors. One color and two other colors that are directly adjacent to its complement on the color wheel (for example: Orange, Blue-Violet, and Blue-Green)  

Triad: This color scheme uses 3 colors that are equally spaced out on the color wheel (for example: Orange, Violet, and Green)  

Analogous: This scheme uses three colors, one that is in the center, and the two colors adjacent to it on the color wheel (for example: Orange-Yellow, Orange, and Red-Orange).

Monochromatic: This color scheme uses colors from the same Hue on the color wheel, but with varying saturation and/or lightness (for example: different shades or tints of Orange).  Jill Denton ~ Changing Spaces