Navy Fellas Realty Group

Real Estate, Residential sales and purchase

3 Smart Home Gadgets That Are Worth the Investment

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3 Smart Home Gadgets That Are Worth the InvestmentIt’s no secret that high-tech homes can provide a more effortless living experience while also being just really, really cool. If you’re looking to up-the-ante and introduce high-tech gadgets into your home, check out our top three smart-home suggestions:

1. Robotic Vacuum Cleaner

Robotic vacuum cleaners are one of our favorite high-tech toys as they can alleviate a significant portion of the burden of your regular household chores. They’re even more beneficial considering the fact that they can also make your home much more comfortable to live in.

Food crumbs, pet fur, and dust bunnies are no match for an iRobot Roomba, which will soon become your own personal home-cleaning minion. Your house will feel cleaner and look more pristine, and you won’t even have to lift a finger!

Bonus: these things have serious entertainment value. Google “shark cat” if you don’t believe us.

2. Smart Thermostat

This high-tech addition is a fantastic way to boost comfort within your home while also controlling household expenses. When you invest in a smart thermostat, a small sensor will be able to detect the temperature in each room of your home, adjusting the heat flow accordingly.

With no more uneven heating throughout your house; the chilly den that you dread working in will now become a usable space! On the flip side, your thermostat will no longer be blowing heat into rooms that have already hit your desired temperature. Now that’s what we call a ‘smart’ home upgrade.

Bonus: smart thermostats work for air conditioning as well, meaning that they can help ensure your stuffy guest room is as cool and comfortable as the rest of the house.

3. Sleep IQ Bed

You’ve likely heard of sleep number beds, whose firmness is independently adjustable on each side of the mattress, but have you heard of their newest add on, the Sleep IQ?

Sleep IQ beds monitor your sleep by tracking a number of factors such as your heart rate, breathing patterns, and movement throughout the night. Based on these stats, the bed will recommend ways you can improve your overall sleep quality, and ultimately your overall health.

Bonus: since you can adjust the firmness of each side of the bed independently, you and your partner will never have to compromise on your preferences again!

Looking for a more high-tech home? Speak to your trusted real estate professional today to learn what exciting new options are available to you.

4 Bathroom Design Trends That Buyers Hate

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4 Bathroom Design Trends That Buyers HateBathrooms are an essential part of any home, especially when it comes to buying and selling a home. They’re impossible to ignore and one of the first things buyers look at. Despite this, it’s simple for homeowners to forget how important these rooms are.

Bathroom decor can quickly go wrong. Little features look big when they’re packed into these small spaces, so minor things like shower curtains or how clean the window is can make a big difference.

On the other hand, homeowners are also able to take advantage of how powerful interior design can be in smaller spaces. A little effort goes a long way when looking to maximize the price of property or speed up a sale.

Homeowners can boost the benefits of their sale with these four tips on the most unappealing bathroom trends around.

1. Color Toilets and Sinks

Toilets and sinks in colors like rose pink or seafoam green were incredibly popular years ago, but they’re still loved by many people who enjoy a vintage look or just love bright spaces.

However, homeowners have a greater potential to make more money faster if they appeal to a wide range of buyers. Bathrooms decorated in a classic style are great looking to most people, making them more likely to put in an offer.

2. Peel and Paste Wall Paper

Modern peel and paste wall paper is a new trend that’s taken over many interior design websites and stores. It’s available in countless prints, colors and patterns and its popularity continues to grow.

Despite this, it’s difficult to find a style that’s sought after by the majority of buyers. Yellow polka dot cabinets may be hip, but it’s usually best for homeowners to decorate in neutral colors and traditional materials.

3. Carpet

Carpet is warm and feels great, but there are several drawbacks to decorating with this trend. Buyers know the potential hassle of wall-to-wall carpet, which may reduce the price of their offer or stop them from buying at all.

Buyers like stress-free flooring that’s difficult to stain, so homeowners should consider using easy-to-clean materials in their bathrooms.

4. Unusual Tile and Linoleum Flooring

Unusual tile colors and patterns can look outdated, while linoleum flooring can look inexpensive. Unfortunately, neither results are attractive to buyers. To get the most out of their property, homeowners should consider replacing the flooring with hardwood or a convincing laminate alternative.

Reach out to your trusted real estate professional to get more advice on how to create beautiful bathrooms today.

How to Design a Modern, Luxurious Home Inside of an Older Piece of Real Estate

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How to Design a Modern, Luxurious Home Inside of an Older Piece of Real Estate Newer properties may be infused with built-in designer touches that give them an instant sense of luxury, but older homes may lack many of these built-in features. Whether buying or renovating an older property, many people are interested in learning how to instill modern luxury in older property. The good news is that this is easier than it sounds, and it can be accomplished by following a few simple tips.

Make Thoughtful Upgrades

It may not be cost-effective or reasonable to upgrade the entire space with an extensive renovation, but making a few thoughtful upgrades can yield fabulous results. The light fixtures, faucets and hardware in the space should receive attention first, and homeowners should choose a modern finish that goes well with the rest of the home. If funds permit, consider upgrading the counter tops, sinks and bathtubs to further add luxury and modern style to the style.

Choose The Right Fabrics

When decorating the home, it is important to choose fabrics that speak to the luxury that is desired in the space. While some affordable materials have a luxurious look, it may be necessary to invest in premium materials like leather or upgraded upholstery in some areas to achieve the desired results. Think about the use of color, and layer fabrics for a truly upscale, finished look in the space.

Take Advantage Of Antique Charm

Most older homes have a special antique charm, and homeowners may have better results when working with this charm rather than trying to remove it from the space. Antiques can be incorporated with modern pieces to create a historic, classic or even rustic look to a home. Consider which aspects of the existing decor to highlight, such as gorgeous wood floors or an antique banister, and celebrate these areas while also including modern fabrics and other decorative touches to create the luxurious, modern look that is desired.

Decorating an older home can be challenging for many reasons, but it is possible to instill a sense of modern luxury into the space without a complete renovation. Some smaller remodeling efforts may be needed for the best results, and they can be incorporated with these tips to provide a lovely look that homeowners can truly fall in love with. Those who are thinking about buying an older home or renovating their older  speak with your local real estate professional for more information about thoughtful upgrades that can add value to the property.

A Quick and Easy Guide to Hiring the Best Contractor for Your Pre-sale Home Renovations

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A Quick and Easy Guide to Hiring the Best Contractor for Your Pre-sale Home RenosIf you’re planning to complete some renovations on your home before putting it on the market, you may be unsure of the best way to go about finding the right contractor for the job. While there are probably many contractors available who can do your renovations right, here’s how you can get to the bottom of who will work the best for you.

Make A Few Phone Calls

Once you’ve done some research and determined a short list of prospective contractors, you’ll want to call each contractor to determine that they can complete your project in good time and are the right candidate for the work required. If they’re not available or are cagey about your question, this can be an easy way to whittle down the list.

Arrange A Meeting In Person

While a phone interview should provide you with some good insights right off the bat, you’ll also want to meet your potential contractors face to face before making any final decisions. If you get along well with the contractor and they are able to answer the questions you ask with confidence, it’s a good sign that they may be the right pick for your project.

Check In On The References

Once you’ve decided between a few candidates, make sure you contact their former clients to determine how happy they were with the work and the contractor. Since you may have a date in mind for when you want to put your home on the market, it will be important to know if the job was completed in good time, as well as if any final issues were left hanging in the air unfinished.

Consider The Estimated Costs

Last but not least, you’ll want to have each contractor break down the project and provide a projected cost for labor and materials. You should be able to get a good sense of exactly what it’s going to cost and which bid is the most realistic. While it may be tempting to go for the lowest bid since you’ll probably be moving soon, you’ll want to strongly consider which contractor and which price will turn out the best in the end.

It can seem complicated to hire a contractor for your home renovations, but by conducting simple interviews and checking references you should be able to determine who the best person for the job is. If you’re curious about renovations and how they can impact the sales price of your home, you may want to contact your local real estate professional for more insights.

Working from Home? Learn How to Create the Perfect Office with Any Spare Room

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Working from Home? Learn How to Create the Perfect Office with Any Spare RoomWith the increasing flexibility of the modern workplace, there are many more businesses offering their employees the opportunity to work from home. While this shift in the job market has created a bevy of new options for freelance workers, it can also be a good reason to turn a spare room into a spanking new office. If you’re working from home, here are some tips for a stylish transition.

Prime It With Paint

Outside of lighting, the color and upkeep of the walls is going to have a huge impact on the way your spare office will look. Before even considering placing furniture or putting up pictures, decide on the perfect shade of paint that will keep you inspired and will go with the rest of your house. This will easily brighten the room, and prep it for its future purpose.

Start With Good Lighting

There are few things that will change the ambiance of a room like light, so make sure the room your changing up has a great set of windows or the kind of fixture that will provide effective illumination. Since many people have a hard time focusing in the orange or bright light that can come in certain work settings, a well-lit place may make all of your work seem a little bit easier.

Decide On A Desk

Many people put any old clunker of a desk in their spare office since it will do the trick, but if you’re making the decision to renovate your spare room for work, it will be worth it to choose a desk you’ll want to work at. Before going desk shopping, measure out the length and width of your spare room so you can make a desk purchase that will work for your new office.

What’s On The Wall?

Beyond the supply of pens, paper and a computer, it might seem like the extras of your office situation can be kept out of the equation, but a few pictures can add a lot. While you may want to add some photos of family and friends, it might also be helpful for your work-time diligence to put up a picture that adds a shot of color and will inspire your best work.

There are a lot of great options for a spare room, but if you work from home an office can be the ideal renovation. If you happen to be sprucing up your spare room to sell your home, you may want to contact one of your local real estate agents for more information.

Smart Appliances Get Smarter: Here’s What We Saw at the 2016 Consumer Electronics Show

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Smart Appliances Get Smarter: Here's What We Saw at the 2016 Consumer Electronics ShowWith technology advancing at a mile a minute, the 2016 Consumer Electronics Show is a great place to see what’s new to the market and what will be sure to turn heads in the year to come. If you couldn’t make it to the show yourself but are curious about the highlights of the event, here are some of the hottest items in technology that appeared in Las Vegas this year.

Make It Molecular With A Spectrometer

Designed by Consumers Physics, the SCiO is a modern, small-sized molecular sensor that can give you volumes of information about your food that you’ve never had before. Instead of consulting the nutritional information, you can easily obtain all of the products contained in your food (or any other product, really) by simply pointing it at the item in question. This information will then be transferred to the product’s associated app for you to review.

Forgot To Lock? Grab Your Phone!

We’ve all experienced the fear here and there of thinking we forgot to lock the door, but with the innovative Kwikset Premis door lock, you can easily put this former fear to rest. Instead of having to rush home with key in hand, the Kwikset allows you to easily control its locking mechanism with a PIN number using your smart phone. So, the next time you’ve think you’ve forgotten to lock the door behind you, you can instantly access your smartphone and put your mind at ease.

Wake Up To Your Favorite Scent

Waking up is often associated with the uncomfortable sensation of a beeping clock, but with the Sensorwake the first few minutes of the morning don’t have to seem like such a chore. Instead of beeping, you can insert an aroma module into your Sensorwake that will release the scent you choose, whether it happens to be espresso, croissant or peppermint. If you don’t think this will be enough to wake you up, you can also arrange for an audible alarm that will come on a little bit later.

The Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas is one of the best events of the year for interesting, new technology, but if you missed it there are plenty of exciting gadgets that will soon be available on the market. If you happen to be looking for a new home that has all of the gadgets on the horizon, you may want to contact your local real estate agent for help in your search.

Dream Renovations: Upgrading Your Bathroom from ‘Regular’ to ‘In-Home Spa’

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Dream Renovations: Upgrading Your Bathroom from 'Regular' to 'In-home Spa'There are times you might long for the relaxed leisure of the spa experience, but with the cost of a manicure it’s not always a pleasure one can afford. If your current bathroom set-up isn’t the optimal place for rest and relaxation, here are some cues for how you can turn it from a bit of a problem to a consummate pleasure.

Install A Vintage Vanity

The look of slick steel and porcelain can certainly be classy, but if you’re looking for an upscale room you’ll love to spend time in, consider a vintage dresser that you can turn into your very own unique vanity. While you’ll need to develop some plumbing and woodworking know-how to make this dream a reality, it will easily fancy up your bathroom and lend for an elegant, everyday experience.

Spring For A Bold Color

Part of the spa experience is often the palette of jewel-toned colors that are used on the walls, but it can often be considered a risk to take on such an intense tone in one’s own bathroom. However, if you have a smaller sized bathroom and can find a brilliant color you really love that will work with your decor, it may make for a unique and singular spa-style experience.

Add An Accent With Tile

A sizeable Jacuzzi that you can really get comfortable in is a great start for an in-home spa experience, but there are some stylish ways you can add to it that will make for a particularly sophisticated look. Instead of taking out the tub, pick a colorful tile that will mesh with the other colors and textures of your bathroom to add an accent. It’s not necessarily a simple fix but it will add a lot of oomph.

Work A Walk-In Shower

It goes without saying that a shower curtain does not always provide for the most sublime of bathroom experiences, so one step towards your own ‘in-home Spa’ may involve the addition of a walk-in shower. While this can be an expensive upgrade, it can completely change the look and feel of your bathroom, and might just mean you’ll save on manicures.

The spa experience can be enticing for the relaxation and comfort it offers, but you can create a similar experience in your own bathroom with a few changes that will elegant it up. If you happen to be renovating your home because and would like to look at financing options, you may want to contact your trusted real estate professional for more information.

3 Quick Painting Tips That Will Help Take Your Walls from Tacky to Tasteful

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3 Quick Painting Tips That Will Help Take Your Walls from Tacky to TastefulWhether you happen to be a painting pro or you’ve never dared to pick up a roller, there are a few tricks of the trade that professionals use to make a paint job look its best. If you want to take an old, outdated paint job and turn it into something you can be proud of, here are a few tips from those who know best.

Start With A Perfectly Smooth Surface

If you’re trying to rush through it, sanding might seem like an unnecessary step in re-covering your walls, but it’s very important in order to level out the spackle paste and ensure that no ridges will appear in the paint around the nails. According to one professional painter, you should start by sanding from the baseboard to the ceiling with a fine grit sandpaper, and then move on to a horizontal sand that will make for a smooth wall finish.

Forget About The Plastic

The proper floor coverage while painting is just as important as the paint when it comes to getting the job done properly, so opt for a large canvas cloth instead of linens or plastic. Paint on linen can sink through to your floor and stain it, while paint on plastic takes a long time to dry and may end up smearing all over other things. A canvas cloth will keep any paint splotches away from your floor and ensure they aren’t tracked throughout the home after they fall.

Stick To One Wall

It can be tempting to get done the rudimentary step of completing the corners and trim before you move on to painting, but this can actually make for a less smooth finish. Instead of finishing one task at a time, complete the corners and trim on one wall and immediately reach for the roller. This is something professional painters do to ensure that the brushed and rolled paint will blend together more seamlessly.

There are a few simple steps you can follow when painting a room that will make it look like a professional did the job. By using a canvas cloth to cover your surfaces and sticking with one wall until the job is done, you should have a smooth new surface you can be proud of. If you’re currently painting your home and preparing to sell, you may want to contact one of our local real estate agents for information about your options on the market.

Spring is Almost Here: Planning a Massive Spring Cleaning in Just 4 Easy Steps

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Spring is Almost Here: Planning a Massive Spring Cleaning in Just 4 Easy StepsIt may seem like the holiday season has just passed, but it won’t be too long before the flowers begin to bloom and spring peeks out from around the corner. While the tradition of spring cleaning that comes with the season may not be as common as it once was, it can actually be a great way to revive and refresh and prepare for the summer ahead.

Begin With The Bedroom

Start with your bed by washing all of the sheets and linens, and then move on to dusting, making sure that all of the spots missed throughout the year are wiped clean. Since you may find yourself purchasing some extra items in the summer months, take an hour or two to look through your closet and donate or discard any pieces you haven’t worn for two years.

Liven Up The Living Room

As one of the most lived-in rooms, your living room will likely need some extra time with the vacuum or mop, so once you’ve dusted the baseboards and vacuumed the couch, give the floor your undivided attention. Once it’s thoroughly cleaned, dust everything and sort through any books or papers that have been left about so they won’t sit around for another year.

Clear Away The Kitchen Grease

The kitchen can be one of the easiest to spots to sully, so clear out the fridge and wipe down the shelves rigorously, ensuring any food that has expired is composted. Give the floor a good scrub and pull the refrigerator and stove back from the wall so you can get rid of any dust or accumulated grime underneath. Last but not least, wipe the countertops with an all-purpose cleaner for a fresh scent.

Bargain With The Bathroom

If you’ve already cleared away the dirty towels, clean out the drawers and cabinets and ensure any toiletries you no longer use are thrown out. Wipe the mirror clean with a glass cleaner and give the toilet a good scrub. It may also be a good opportunity to get down on your hands and knees and scrub the floor for a clean feel it may not get for a while.

The arrival of spring after the long months of winter is always a welcome occurrence, but it can also be the perfect opportunity to clear away the dust of last year.

Thinking About Selling in the Spring? You Should Be Renovating Now. Here’s Why

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Thinking About Selling in the Spring? You Should Be Renovating Now. Here's WhyThe cooler months of winter might seem like the perfect time to hibernate into the house, but it’s actually a great time to consider ramping up your home for improvements. If you’re thinking of selling come the spring, here’s why winter is the perfect time to get started on home renovations.

Flexible Scheduling And Availability

Many people are not interested in renovating their home during the winter months, so it can actually be an ideal time of year to make plans with a contractor to do some work. Since many renovations that occur on the outside of the home are likely to take place during spring or summer, it can be easier to schedule renovations for your home’s interior when it’s colder.

Pre-Planning Your Project

Since contractors can have more free time in the winter months, it’s a good time to contact them to discuss, decide and plan exactly what needs to be done in your home. With the workload of many contractors ramping up in the springtime, there’s a good chance their meeting schedule may be congested and the planning and renovation implementation will take much longer.

Get Ahead of Higher Prices

With the holiday season in swing, there are many sales on common home items from appliances to windows and cabinets. Since manufacturers will be trying to get excess stock off the floor before year’s end, it can be a great time to purchase products for instant money savings. With the new stock filling the stores in spring, there will be a higher premium to pay for all of the newly marketed products.

A Good Time For The Market

Spring is one of the most popular times of year to put a home on the market. With so many people considering a home purchase among their yearly plans, the milder season is an ideal time to get out and go house shopping. In order to have your home ready to show for the spring, you’ll need to have the renovations complete so your house will be market ready when the potential buyers are out.

If you’re readying your house for the springtime real estate market, it’s a good idea to get started on renovations now so you can save money on materials and schedule ample time with your contractor. If you happen to be considering your options for spring sale, you may want to contact your local real estate agent for more information.