Before and after plus design advice for turning dumps into magical dream houses for your buyers.
The National Real Estate Investing Expo in Las Vegas
February 24, 25 and 26, 2005
Jeanette and the Joy to the Home design team will be in booth 124.
Wednesday, February 23, 2005
Friday, February 18, 2005
Creating Dynamic Window Coverings Without Breaking the Budget
When creating dynamic window coverings, it’s important to choose carefully, because your window coverings will become the focal points of a well-decorated room. But choosing the right window treatments, at the right price, takes some thought about not only the look you're hoping to achieve, but also about the nature of the space itself.
The first consideration will be how much exposure the fabric is going to receive. All fabrics are susceptible to sunlight, but many homemakers invest in acrylic, modacrylic, polyester, or another glass-based fabric in order to get the longest life out of window treatments. Although it gives a room an elegant feel, silk is most vulnerable to sunlight.
I save money on window treatments by using some imagination and creativity. For example, I often create a custom look by covering a tension rod with a thicker piece of PVC pipe. To avoid having the PVC’s printing bleed into my fabric, I sand off the numbers, but the printing can also be neutralized by using PVC primer, acetone, or even fingernail polish.
I've found PVC pipe to be very versatile. I've spray painted it black to look like wrought iron or brown to look like wood, and I've sponge painted it with copper and dark green over a light green for a verdigris effect. I've also painted it to reinforce an accent color or to look like gold or silver. It’s not expensive, and PVC’s decorating uses seem to be endless.
When it comes to longer window spans, wooden closet dowels, stronger than PVC, cost considerably less than drapery rods. I've also used copper pipe, which works well for curtain rods and looks great for significantly less money. If the curtain fabric will be touching the copper, though, I spray the copper with a clear gloss. That way, my fabric doesn't get stained if the copper should happen to oxidize.
To save even more money, I also get creative with the decorative hardware when creating window treatments. For instance, I've used the braid cords and tassels from Christmas tree decorations to add a touch of class to my window coverings, at a fraction of the cost of what similar drapery accessories would cost at a window fashion center.
I also love to create unique treatments by using unusual tieback holders. For one remodeling project, I found some old lamp finials and used them as tieback holders. I've also created a nice, airy atmosphere in a room by forming delicate swags of sheer lace curtains by securing them with clear fishing line.
Dynamic window treatments are a vital part of the overall look and feel of a room, but they don't need to break the budget. If you're creative and allow your imagination to run free, your decorating choices are truly endless.
(c) Copyright 2005 Jeanette J. Fisher
The first consideration will be how much exposure the fabric is going to receive. All fabrics are susceptible to sunlight, but many homemakers invest in acrylic, modacrylic, polyester, or another glass-based fabric in order to get the longest life out of window treatments. Although it gives a room an elegant feel, silk is most vulnerable to sunlight.
I save money on window treatments by using some imagination and creativity. For example, I often create a custom look by covering a tension rod with a thicker piece of PVC pipe. To avoid having the PVC’s printing bleed into my fabric, I sand off the numbers, but the printing can also be neutralized by using PVC primer, acetone, or even fingernail polish.
I've found PVC pipe to be very versatile. I've spray painted it black to look like wrought iron or brown to look like wood, and I've sponge painted it with copper and dark green over a light green for a verdigris effect. I've also painted it to reinforce an accent color or to look like gold or silver. It’s not expensive, and PVC’s decorating uses seem to be endless.
When it comes to longer window spans, wooden closet dowels, stronger than PVC, cost considerably less than drapery rods. I've also used copper pipe, which works well for curtain rods and looks great for significantly less money. If the curtain fabric will be touching the copper, though, I spray the copper with a clear gloss. That way, my fabric doesn't get stained if the copper should happen to oxidize.
To save even more money, I also get creative with the decorative hardware when creating window treatments. For instance, I've used the braid cords and tassels from Christmas tree decorations to add a touch of class to my window coverings, at a fraction of the cost of what similar drapery accessories would cost at a window fashion center.
I also love to create unique treatments by using unusual tieback holders. For one remodeling project, I found some old lamp finials and used them as tieback holders. I've also created a nice, airy atmosphere in a room by forming delicate swags of sheer lace curtains by securing them with clear fishing line.
Dynamic window treatments are a vital part of the overall look and feel of a room, but they don't need to break the budget. If you're creative and allow your imagination to run free, your decorating choices are truly endless.
(c) Copyright 2005 Jeanette J. Fisher
Monday, February 14, 2005
18 Easy Steps to Buy a Bargain House
What is a "distressed" property? What is "bargain" real estate?
A distressed property is one with a distressed seller. Job loss or transfer, divorce, death, pending foreclosure, and lack of money cause sellers to sell fast for less. Discovering the seller's problem and finding a solution is the key to buying a bargain property. A distressed property may also be a "doghouse," a dump, or a fixer. Owners of "doghouses" are not always distressed sellers.
18 Easy Steps to Buy a Bargain House
1. Get good advice from successful investors. Ask friends and real estate agents for referrals to investors.
2. Create your personal "Investment Journal," like Doghouse to Dollars Workbook: Turn Yucks into Bucks Investor's Guide.
3. Define investment goals: Do you want to buy a home to live in, to fix and sell, or to hold for your future?
4. Get credit reports & scores. Create a file for each credit reporting agency. Take care of any credit issues.
5. Read Real Estate investing books and articles. Attend workshops and seminars. Avoid out of date infomercials on TV.
6. Get good advice from lenders. Choose a lender with great service, good closing record, and fair costs. Arrange financing.
7. Define your target locations: Is your desired property near home or job, vacation or second home?
8. Learn your target market. Study real estate newspaper sections. Pick up homes for sale flyers. Watch sales and note prices, amenities, and conditions. Follow HUD sales in your area.
9. Interview Real Estate agents and learn from them. Do not sign any agreements with agents limiting your search for bargain property. (These contracts make you pay the agent a commission even if you purchase by owner.)
10. Use agents who know local market customs and guarantee to make many offers for you.
11. Find a good escrow officer for buying "for sale by owners."
12. Study home remodeling, design magazines and books. Learn the costs of materials, supplies, and trades. Visit home improvement warehouses. Note costs of building materials.
13. Be ready to know a bargain property when you see it.
14. Make many offers. Bid on HUD repos.
15. Buy only bargain property. Get great terms or concessions from seller.
16. Plan house transformation during escrow. This speeds your work time -- saving you money in holding expenses.
17. Monitor real estate escrow closing. Do not jeopardize your financing by charging up credit cards or making unnecessary purchases.
18. Celebrate buying your "doghouse" with an open house!
(c) Copyright 2004, Jeanette J. Fisher. All rights reserved.
Real Estate Investor Information
Buy the book!
Doghouse to Dollhouse for Dollars
Using Design Psychology to Increase Real Estate Profits. See interior design photographs of "fixers" transformed using Design Psychology. Discover how to find, finance, fix and sell homes for top dollar --FAST!
A distressed property is one with a distressed seller. Job loss or transfer, divorce, death, pending foreclosure, and lack of money cause sellers to sell fast for less. Discovering the seller's problem and finding a solution is the key to buying a bargain property. A distressed property may also be a "doghouse," a dump, or a fixer. Owners of "doghouses" are not always distressed sellers.
18 Easy Steps to Buy a Bargain House
1. Get good advice from successful investors. Ask friends and real estate agents for referrals to investors.
2. Create your personal "Investment Journal," like Doghouse to Dollars Workbook: Turn Yucks into Bucks Investor's Guide.
3. Define investment goals: Do you want to buy a home to live in, to fix and sell, or to hold for your future?
4. Get credit reports & scores. Create a file for each credit reporting agency. Take care of any credit issues.
5. Read Real Estate investing books and articles. Attend workshops and seminars. Avoid out of date infomercials on TV.
6. Get good advice from lenders. Choose a lender with great service, good closing record, and fair costs. Arrange financing.
7. Define your target locations: Is your desired property near home or job, vacation or second home?
8. Learn your target market. Study real estate newspaper sections. Pick up homes for sale flyers. Watch sales and note prices, amenities, and conditions. Follow HUD sales in your area.
9. Interview Real Estate agents and learn from them. Do not sign any agreements with agents limiting your search for bargain property. (These contracts make you pay the agent a commission even if you purchase by owner.)
10. Use agents who know local market customs and guarantee to make many offers for you.
11. Find a good escrow officer for buying "for sale by owners."
12. Study home remodeling, design magazines and books. Learn the costs of materials, supplies, and trades. Visit home improvement warehouses. Note costs of building materials.
13. Be ready to know a bargain property when you see it.
14. Make many offers. Bid on HUD repos.
15. Buy only bargain property. Get great terms or concessions from seller.
16. Plan house transformation during escrow. This speeds your work time -- saving you money in holding expenses.
17. Monitor real estate escrow closing. Do not jeopardize your financing by charging up credit cards or making unnecessary purchases.
18. Celebrate buying your "doghouse" with an open house!
(c) Copyright 2004, Jeanette J. Fisher. All rights reserved.
Real Estate Investor Information
Buy the book!
Doghouse to Dollhouse for Dollars
Using Design Psychology to Increase Real Estate Profits. See interior design photographs of "fixers" transformed using Design Psychology. Discover how to find, finance, fix and sell homes for top dollar --FAST!
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