What Is Smart Home Technology? There are many smart home product categories, so you can control everything from lights and temperature to locks and security in your home. What if all the devices in your life could connect to the internet? Not just computers and smartphones, but everything: clocks, speakers, lights, doorbells, cameras, windows, window blinds, hot water heaters, appliances, cooking utensils, you name it. And what if those devices could all communicate, send … [Read more...]
Staging your Luxury Home to Sell
Staging for Success According to National Association of REALTORS® 2017 Profile of Home Staging, seventy-seven percent of agents representing buyers said that a staged home helped their buyer visualize themselves living in the home and forty-nine percent of those agents said that staging a home impacted their buyers’ impression of the property. Staging a home for sale has also shown an effect on buyers’ offers to purchase the home. Offers are augmented between one to five percent for a staged … [Read more...]
Housing Market Check-In
Housing Market - 6 Expert Predictions for the Second Half of 2019 A. Yale - Forbes.com The year has so far been a promising one for would-be home buyers. The seemingly unending rise in home prices started to slow and mortgage rates dipped to unexpected lows. Both were good news for Millennials who—despite the never-settle-down stereotype—are yearning to become homeowners. Still, despite suggestions that a buyer’s market might be on the horizon, that dream has yet to be realized. … [Read more...]
Americans’ Favorite Long-Term Investment
Survey: Real Estate Is Back as Americans’ Favorite Long-Term Investment Stocks have long been the most glamorous of the major asset classes. Many a Hollywood film has centered around making fast money in the stock market, and becoming a Wall Street big shot. But despite their great long-term returns—they’ve averaged about 10 percent annually for decades—stocks are no longer Americans’ favorite long-term investment. What is? According to a nationwide Bankrate survey, it’s real … [Read more...]
The New Useppa Island
The wind whips through your hair as a ferry zips through the mangroves that line Pine Island Sound. In the distance, a small island appears on the horizon. It’s a place where cars are forbidden, where croquet is king and where, each morning, children are instructed to be home by sundown. Welcome to Useppa Island. Once frequented by pirates and captains of industry, Useppa Island has long been a place for people looking for respite from the hustle and bustle of the mainland. But as the … [Read more...]
Home Lighting Guide
Home lighting - What and Where When it comes to lighting, not all bulbs are created equal. And, neither are types of lighting, locations of lighting, styles of lighting... you get the idea. Different rooms are suitable for different types of fixtures, and it can all get confusing. If you’re wondering what the best place is for that chandelier or wall sconce, here are some basics. Three major types of lighting The first place to start when it comes to lighting is learning the three … [Read more...]
A Designer’s Top 10 Tips for Increasing Home Value
Unless my clients are designing their forever home, they are usually quite concerned with resale home value when discussing renovations big and small. A home is often a person’s largest asset, so design upgrades are not only an aesthetic decision but a financial one as well. As my clients have sold their homes over the years, I have found that these 10 design tips have been the most beneficial in helping their houses stand out from the pack. These suggestions for decorating, remodeling … [Read more...]
Popular Contemporary Paint Color Guide
What to know about contemporary paint colors. From avocado green to millennial pink, trends in interior paint colors have come and gone. So how do you choose a color palette that looks fresh right now, but you’ll still love tomorrow? Find out in this exclusive interview with Sherwin-Williams color expert Sue Wadden. What defines a contemporary paint color for home interiors? Contemporary home design is all about the “now” and making a bold design statement. There’s currently a strong … [Read more...]
Support Native Wildlife & the Environment with Natural Beauty
Including nectar- and pollen-rich plants in potted displays, or in your garden, can help support the native birds, butterflies and bees where you live. While pollinators require more than just a food source for survival — they’ll also need water, native plants for laying eggs, habitat for roosting and more — supplying our winged friends with a place to stop for a meal can help support them. Include at least one flowering plant guaranteed to attract bees, butterflies or hummingbirds — or even … [Read more...]
How an Island Off SWFL’s Coast Played a Pivotal Role in Bay of Pigs Invasion
An exclusive island, home to the wealthy, has a mysterious history. We went behind the scenes of Useppa Island Florida, a 100-acre, private island that played an important role in preparation for the Bay of Pigs invasion. On a sunny day, the boat ride to Useppa is beautiful. But 60 years ago, one particular ride to the island was in the middle of the night, during a covert CIA operation. Agents shuttled Cuban exiles from Miami to an island in the middle of the Pine Island Sound. “They … [Read more...]