Meet Three New Neighborhoods Located in World Golf Village St. Augustine

Windward Ranch

               If you’re looking for a single-family home in a neighborhood community, look no farther. This new community has a beautiful resort style swimming pool, clubhouse, fitness center and playground perfect for a growing family. It’s located down the road from I-95, the St. Augustine Outlets and Premium Outlets, and only a 15-minute ride to the beach. Public Schools: Mills Creek Elementary School, R.J. Murray Middle School, and St. Augustine High school.

TrailMark

               Want to live in a neighborhood but also want the secluded nature feel? TrailMark is the place to be. This new community has oak tree hammocks, nature trails, and even a kayak launch located on Six Mile Creek. With a fitness center, lagoon style pool, and a pavilion you’ll never run out of activities to explore. Not only does the neighborhood have all these awesome amenities but it is also conveniently located to I-95 and just minutes away from downtown historical St. Augustine and the beach. Public Schools: Mills Creek Elementary School, Pacetti Bay Middle School, and Allen D. Nease High school. 

Park Place

               With no CDD fees and alluring views, Park Place is an excellent place to call home. Every home either backs up to a peaceful pond or a natural preserve. Its easy access to I-95, beaches, and the local schools making it a perfect community for you and your family. Public Schools: Mills Creek Elementary School, Pacetti Bay Middle School, and Allen D. Nease High school. 

5 DIY Bathroom Improvements You Can Tackle in Just One Weekend

Aside from the kitchen, an updated bathroom is something almost all buyers sniff out when shopping for a home. But a complete bathroom renovation can prove to be quite costly and time consuming. Don’t stress! Below are some incredibly easy and inexpensive DIY fixes to help you add some serious value to your home.

Change up the lighting.
Outdated light fixtures can make a bathroom look ugly and dingy. By replacing just one light fixture, you can really bring life back into the bathroom. Depending on what kind of lights are in your bathroom, there are a handful of designs you can choose from. If you have vanity lighting above the mirror over your sink, consider putting in some stylish sconces or hanging lamp fixtures. If you have a light that is hanging from the middle of the ceiling, find a modern, industrial fixture or a more creative lantern shade. If you aren’t sure what style you want, take a stroll down the light fixture isle at a home improvement store– you’ll find more than a few options.

Get creative with storage.
Boring towel hooks and over the toilet shelving are total snooze-fest to buyers. Help your home stand out to buyers by installing fun, untraditional shelving like hanging baskets on the wall or a free standing ladder to hang neatly folded towels over. Instead of plain towel hooks, find a cool re-purposed coat hook and mount it on the wall. While it’s important to get creative with your designs, make sure you aren’t going too wacky with your storage designs– you still want the room to appeal to a wide demographic of buyers.

Install a towel warmer.
Nothing says luxurious living like stepping out of the shower and wrapping yourself in a fresh, warm towel. Believe it or not, you don’t have to live in a fancy mansion to enjoy such luxuries. Towel warmers are fairly inexpensive and easy to install. Buyers will be thrilled to find a new towel warmer in the bathroom and will assume the bathroom is new and updated. Other inexpensive things you can add to your bathroom to make it more luxurious? Invest in some fluffy, expensive- looking towels or a pretty soap dispenser. These little touches can help buyers imagine how luxurious the bathroom will be when they use it every day.

Frame the mirror.
This is probably one of the simplest things you can do to give your bathroom the style it needs to appeal to buyers. Unless the mirror in your bathroom is cracked or damaged, there’s no need to spend the money on a brand new one. Just take the mirror’s measurements and buy appropriately sized wood pieces to frame it with. With so many styles and finishes, you can really get creative with the wooden frame. A framed mirror can help a boring bathroom look clean and refined.

Upgrade knobs and handles.
Worn down, outdated handles and faucets can really put a damper on a bathroom. Even if your appliances aren’t necessarily new (replacing old cabinets and sinks can be quite costly), updated fixtures can make them appear new and appealing. Consider replacing sink faucets and shower heads with updated, more styled fixtures. If buying new handles and faucets really aren’t in your budget, you can paint your already existing ones! Painting fixtures with a darker, matte chrome finish can give your bathroom the boost it needs to stand out to buyers. Don’t forget to paint handles, and any metal pieces that may be framing your shower or sink.

Would you consider upgrading your bathroom yourself? Tell us what you think in the comment section below. If you’re thinking about remodeling your home check out this article on smart ways to modeling your home on a budget

website: http://dreamcasa.org/

Tags: DIY Home Designs, Selling Home Tips

Make Spring Cleaning a Breeze With These 5 Easy Tips

Some people look forward to Spring cleaning all year long. They’re ready to tackle all the clutter that’s built up in their garage, basement or anywhere else. Warm weather also means you can finally go around the house and comfortably give your home a good cleaning both inside and out.

Does this sound like you or are you one of those people who dread Spring cleaning? If so, it’s probably because you’re doing things the hard way. Before you take on this year’s spring cleaning, consider these tips for your annual routine. We’re confident they’ll help you not only do a better job but you’ll do it so quick and easy that you’ll have a good time as well.

1. Store your winter clothes the right way

The high temperatures are coming, which means goodbye to all your big jackets, thick socks, and other clothes that kept you warm all winter. Instead of just tossing it all in bags or boxes, consider using large plastic storage containers. We’re talking about the ones with snap-on lids that you can find at Target, Wal-Mart, and just about any department store.

We recommend plastic containers because they’re the best way to keep your stores clothes from collecting dust. The bigger containers can also keep plenty of clothing inside if you store them the right way— rolling. Doing so (instead of folding) saves more space while reducing the amount of wrinkles and creases the clothes will have when you take them out again later this year.

2. Equip yourself with a cleaning kit

A lot of people set themselves up for a hectic Spring cleaning experience right from the get go. If only they knew that with a little preparation they could significantly reduce the amount of running around the house they do while cleaning. To avoid this, whip up a cleaning kit that you can carry around with you from room to room.

While this tip sounds like a no-brainer, you’d be surprised by how many of us spend our cleaning time going around looking for the cleaning spray downstairs, the dusters inside the garage, etc. Make things easier for you by tossing together a carriable kit with brushes, sponges, sprays, and everything else you’ll need to get the next task done.

3. Throw a yard/garage sale

Have you ever watched one of those hoarding shows on TV? The ones where people with excessive hoarding problems receive treatment and help. One of the reasons they’re so popular is because deep down inside we find seeing a junk-stuffed house getting cleaned up very satisfying.

Your place is probably nowhere near as crazy as people who suffer from compulsive hoarding disorder. Of course, most people approach springtime with way more things than they need thanks to the holidays. Instead of stressing over where you’ll keep all your old stuff, consider selling some of it in a yard sale. You’d be surprised by how much extra cash you can make by selling stuff you don’t need to people who do.

4. Focus on one room at a time

One way to overwhelm yourself while spring cleaning is by trying to clean everything at once. Whether you have a big house or small home, you’re more likely to tire yourself out and leave unfinished jobs if you go from one side to the other instead of taking on one room at a time.

By staying in one room at a time you’re reducing the chances of getting distracted. Otherwise, you’ll find yourself with a half-finished bathroom all because you couldn’t resist giving the microwave a good cleaning. And since you were already in the kitchen, you went ahead and scrubbed the tile counters as well. Focusing on one room at a time also lets you separate your spring cleaning into different days instead of trying to do it all at once.

5. Listen to your favorites while you clean

Let’s face it: not everyone is counting down the days until their spring cleaning session with joy. The thought of scrubbing, sweeping, and wiping your entire place doesn’t sound nearly as fun as going out or relaxing in front of the TV. But since it’s something that has to be done, you may as well do things to make it go faster.

The age-old tip is to listen to some of your favorite music while tackling those dirty toilets and tubs. With today’s technology you can even set up your smartphone or tablet to play your favorite shows or movies for you to listen to (not watch!) while you work. You’d be surprised by how much quicker the cleaning process goes when you’re listening to a good podcast or Youtube channel.

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Want to learn more tips to help out your Spring cleaning this year? Check out how to Spring clean your home the environmental responsible way.

website: http://dreamcasa.org/ 

Tags: Home Improvements, House Maintenance

What You Should Think About If You’re a Millenial Buying Your First Home

While much of the world perceives millennials (also known as, “Generation Y” or “Gen Y”) to be fun seeking, tech-savvy, and an experimental bunch; many of you are starting to settle down and giving more serious thought about the future. As the older members of Gen Y are entering into your thirties, it’s only natural that many of you are shopping for a first home for your young families. According to the National Association of Realtors, in 2015, 30% of home-buyers were millennials with the median age being 30 years old. In a world where millennials are used to receiving instant gratification, buying a home is in no way a “quick-buy”. So a friendly word of advice to all you millennials reading this, you must take your time and seriously consider whether or not you’re financially fit for such a purchase.

Think about loan programs you can take advantage of as a first time home buyer.

With so many millennials up to their necks in student loan debt, it can be hard to even fathom being able to afford a home, let alone qualify for an FHA loan. If you’re one of the many millennials questioning whether you can afford a home in this day and age, then you will be pleasantly pleased to know that you may qualify for an FHA First Time Home-Buyer’s Loan. If you’re not familiar with the home buying process, here’s a bit of clarification: in order to buy a home, the buyers have to be prepared to provide a down payment. The exact amount of the down payment can vary, but more often than not, it ends up being 20% of the home’s selling price. When applying for an FHA loan (first time buyer or not), it’s very important that the potential buyer is in tune with his or her current financial standing. Lenders look at a buyers’ paper trail; in other words, the buyers’ credit score, current income, and on-going monthly bills. While an FHA First Time Buyer’s Loan may make it possible to put less than 20% down on a house, it may not always be the smartest choice financially; the lower the down payment, the higher the mortgage rate can be– not to mentioned you would also have to pay for a private mortgage insurance (PMI). While some of you millennials would be able to budget for such a mortgage, it may prove to be too overwhelming for others.

Think about affordable locations you can buy a home in.

Typically, urban areas are known to house the more socially outgoing and younger generations as it offers an active nightlife and faster paced lifestyle. Yet, as metropolitan areas become more and more expensive to live in, if you’re a millennial trying to search for a home, you’ll find that the only way to afford to buy a home is away from the city and into suburban neighborhoods. At first, this may not seem ideal to you, but you’ll find that it is probably the financially smart move– especially with gas prices being lower, commuting to the city is a lot more affordable than it has been in the past. Moreover, as more and more millennials search for homes to buy and filling up suburban neighborhoods, more independent shops, cafes, and other small businesses are popping up too. So if you’re in the market to buy a house, don’t let the expensive home prices in the city stop you from finding your perfect home. Do check in suburban areas that are on the rise, because you may just find everything that you’re looking for.

Are you a millennial looking to buy a home for the first time? Tell us about it in a comment below.
website:http://dreamcasa.org/

Tags: First Time Home Buyer, Mortgages, Real Estate

7 Steps To Get Your Home Off the Market Fast

When it comes to successfully selling your house, there are a lot of moving parts.  While a real estate agent will help you through the entire selling experience, it’s important to understand the different phases you’ll go through to ensure nothing ever goes over your head and that everything runs as smoothly as possible. First of all, be sure you have a qualified real estate agent you can trust. Once your home is listed be sure to post high-quality photos of your home online – posting them on social media is essential in garnering interest in your home. Aside from posting pictures online, providing potential buyers with a video via drone can really give them an idea of how great the exterior of the home is.   When setting up your asking price, be sure you and your real estate agent are in agreement on what your home is worth and don’t be afraid to be up front about what you’re willing to negotiate about.  Don’t forget to make sure your home is clean and in tip-top shape to impress the buyers who will be coming through your home. As long as you move quickly and stay on top of the tasks at hand, there’s no doubt your home will sell in no time!

Whether you’re a real estate agent or a home-owner looking to sell your home – here is a helpful flyer about the selling process you can print out and/or share with others.
7 Secrets to Selling Your Home Fast 

website: http://dreamcasa.org/

4 Big Reasons to Become a Homeowner This Year

Still on the fence about becoming a homeowner? While owning a home comes with many responsibilities, its financial and personal benefits can prove it to be one of the best investments you’ll ever make.

1.Tax Breaks

One of the greatest perks of becoming a home owner is being able to save a little bit on taxes. In the U.S. most homeowners are allowed to deduct money off the interest they pay on their mortgage every month.  Not only is your home interest partially deductible, you can oftentimes get money back on extra cash you’ve spent on refinancing, a home equity loan or line of credit.  Each homeowner’s financial situation is different, but be sure to inquire about the great financial perks available to you when you invest in a home.

2.Plant Your Roots

Before becoming a homeowner, you probably jumped from rental to rental every few years (or maybe even more). How do you know if you’re ready to take the leap from renting to buying? While it can be nice to have a change of scenery every once in a while, the money you spend on moving, security deposits and other fees can really take a toll on your savings.  One of the great benefits of owning a home is having the opportunity to plant yourself in one, secure place and really make a life for yourself there.  Being that you’ll live in the same residence for a long period of time, you’ll likely build lasting relationships with neighbors and play an active role in your community.  And if you choose to raise a family in this home, your surroundings become a part of your family history, allowing you to make lasting memories.

3. Be Your Own Boss

While renting may come with fewer responsibilities than owning a home, you’re often confined to the rules of the property’s owners.  When you own a home, you’re free to paint the walls any color, plant whatever you’d like in your garden and even adopt furry friends you never were allowed to before.  Your home should be a place you can express yourself freely and live comfortably in.

4.Build Equity

Along with getting a sizable tax break, having the opportunity to build equity is another great financial benefit to owning a home. As you pay off your loan over time, you build more and more equity. Equity equates to whatever amount you have paid off on your home and no longer owe.  If you decide to sell your home down the line, having equity plus any increase in the current market value of your property can put you in a really great position financially.  When you rent a home, you aren’t building any equity at all and have nothing you can walk away with.

What is your favorite part about being a homeowner? Let us know in the comment section below.

website: http://dreamcasa.org/