School, Schmool

You may be surprised how many people tell me that good schools are not in their criteria for a home.  The goal when selling is to make your home appealing to the largest pool of buyers.  Not everyone likes stainless steel appliances, but right now most people do.  Not everyone wants a move-in ready home, but 87% of buyers do.  If your home has 1960's harvest gold appliances and the need for many updates, the pool of buyers that are going fall in love at first sight is mighty small.

from uglyhousephotos.com

However, an unpopular appliance color and the need for general updating (two small examples) CAN be remedied.  School districts and lot location are here to stay.  District lines may be redrawn, or your neighborhood could experience a revitalization, but those things are rare and often take years.  Location, Location, Location isn't an empty saying.

If you don't have kids, even if you never plan to have kids, please do yourself a favor and research schools when buying a house.  Many of the folks that will look to purchase that home from you down the road will care about schools.  I have a listing right now that was purchased by a bachelor.  He is now married with two kids and they can't sell the house because of the poor location and undesirable schools.

Your real estate agent isn't going to be able to "steer" you, but he or she will likely tell you where you can go to get informed.  I tell my clients to visit greatschools.org.  It ranks schools by test scores among other things.

So buy that house with the ugly wallpaper in the fantastic district over your dream home zoned for crummy schools.  You will be thankful that you did when you need to sell.

Dream Home Series: 121 Triami Path

Every few months I'll see a home that I wish we could buy.  Could we rush to get our home on the market for an old charmer in an established neighborhood?  Or an incredible lake deal?  So I've decided to write blog posts about these homes when they come up.  You might decide that we have very different taste, and that's ok.  I like unconventional homes with charming detail.  Cookie-cutter neighborhoods are not for me.  Hopefully you'll at least find my choices interesting.

The property to start the series is 121 Triami Path, Lexington, SC 29072.  At 2500 sf listed for $290,000, it certainly isn't the largest home that you could get for your money.  However, it's in a great location, zoned for fantastic schools, and it sits on 2.27 acres.  3 bedrooms, 3 full beautifully-retro baths.  It was built in 1976 after all.  Throw in handscraped hardwood floors and a saltwater pool, and I'm sold!

Charming... love the vines.  And I'm a sucker for painted brick.

Seriously??  Could be straight out of a magazine

Look at those floors, y'all!

To view more photos of this beauty, visit Trulia.  This home is listed and marketed by ISave Realty and Randal Longo.

What do you think of this home?  Love it, or is new construction more your thing?

Living Room Revitalization

My poor husband.  Every few years I get tired of certain rooms and completely redecorate.  We've lived here for four years, and I'm still trying to find my groove.  The living room was the most recent victim.  So far I've purchased two new floral side chairs (marked down to $179.99 from $229.99 at World Market), brought a pedestal side table in from the office, found throw pillows at Target and Etsy, purchased a new rug on sale from Overstock, and bought 2 16" x 20" frames from Etsy to go between built-ins and windows.  Here is the layout that I've been envisioning:

The back wall is all windows and a door to the backyard.  The front left corner is where the built-ins meet.  The front right side is open to the dining room/foyer. 

We still need:

-two leather couches
-new coffee table
-mount TV above fireplace (mirror above FP is moving to E's big girl room)
-two chicken man (Ernest Lee) paintings for above the paino

We love our Haverty's sectional, but it is too light in color for a two-year-old and a golden retriever.  It's had a five year run, and is so comfortable that two of our good friends have purchased the same one.  We machine wash the cushion covers about every two months, but it should be done once a week.  They get gross from little grubby fingers!  I need something that will just wipe off and be able to stand up to childhood.

What do you think of this?

Dad's House

I've mentioned a few times that my dad and his family moved to town this spring.  We couldn't love having them nearby more.  They headed north for spring break to get their other home on the market, meanwhile we took advantage of the beautiful weekend by hosting a BBQ on their patio.  We ate around the fire pit, then roasted mallows for s'mores and a good time was had by all.  We only went inside to use the restroom... a good thing because there isn't any furniture.

They moved here with the bare minimum.  There's no sense in paying to move bulky items that you don't love, so beds and the dining set were all that made the cut.  Everything else was CraigsListed or brought to Goodwill.  Genius idea!  I have so many clients move all their junk into their new home and then start purging.  So much easier to do it the other way around.  Now they are having a decorating contest.  He gets to decorate the "man cave" in the basement, and she gets to make the main floor living room her own.  His first purchase?  A monstrosity of a television.  I can't wait to see how this real-life "Design Star" works out.

Not that I don't trust that he has great taste, but I've never seen him decorate anything.  I've been having fun bugging him about what he's going to purchase.  I created a Pinterest board of things that I thought he would like- just in case.  I already promised that he would host the 2014 Super Bowl party after everyone saw the 70" tv on their way to pee, and I'm sure that there are many more patio parties in the future, so he needs to get those orders in for furnishings.

1. Larry Sectional from Overstock $1899.99
It's a giant sectional for a giant room.  Measures 123" wide by 86" deep
2. Autumn Skies II from World Market $139.99 (my housewarming gift to him)
3. 8' x 10' Rainbow Multi-Stripe Rug from Overstock $179.99
A bright, masculine rug that will hide the coke stains that are surely in its future.
4. Pillows from Etsy $48.00
I thought these would bring all the colors together.  They were vetoed for being too "girly."
5. Henry Coffee Table from World Market $348.00
This rustic table calls for to put up your feet, and drink rings would just add to the character.
6. Lattice Detailed Writing Desk from Overstock $349.99
The room will double as my dad's home office.  This large 54" x 26" cherry desk will fit right in.
7. Dexter Navy Armless Chair from Overstock $223.99
Large, comfy chairs are necessary for my gaming husband and brother.

Some navy drapes to keep glare out and a few more pieces of wall art would make the room complete.  It's going to be a great place for weekly Duck Dynasty dinners!

Big Girl Room

Changes are happening in our house!  My baby will be 3 this summer, and since she could somersault out of her crib, it was time to upgrade her room.  We could not get her to stay in her converted crib-to-toddler bed, so we had to try something new.  Since we turned the fourth bedroom into an office for my husband, we have had an extra full bed lying around.

I love a steal, so I hit up TJMaxx, Target, and World Market one Saturday morning to see what I could find.  TJMaxx had a beautiful white Cynthia Rowley Quilt with pinks, purples, greens, and teals ($39.99).  E calls it her "pity flower banket" or "pretty flower blanket."  Target had fuchsia sheets with white polka dots ($20), some white quilted shams ($18.99 each), and the perfect teal woven accent pillow ($24- steep, but it was perfect... even my husband said so!).  World Market had a gorgeous 30" x 40" floral canvas in the clearance section ($59).  I had picked up a headboard in February in anticipation of the room redo ($20).  My nickname of "spraypainting queen" was well-earned.  You should have seen me in the backyard with my Kilz spray primer and Rustoleum white spray paint.

Other items we have collected/repurposed include: E's great-grandmother's old white desk (free); a large mirror from over the fireplace in the living room where the TV will be mounted (cost $30 five years ago); my childhood bookcase, dresser, and nightstand (free plus cost of white paint); a wooden headboard from the Junior League of Columbia's annual rummage sale ($20 plus cost of white paint); two printed Bible verses to put in white Walmart frames (prints $8 on Etsy, frames $13).  If you spray paint as much as I do, you need one of these:

I am THRILLED with how E's room is coming together.  I've asked if I can snuggle with her a couple of times when putting her to bed and she says, "No Mama, I go seep."  She loves her bed, and the fact that her doll has her own pillow.  Picture a tear rolling down my cheek for my baby girl who isn't a baby anymore!  Pictures to come when I'm finished.  If the rain would go away so I could paint, I would have made more progress by now.  My to-do list looks like this:

1. paint wooden headboard
2. set up full size bed, including safety rails
3. hang large canvas over dresser
4. print, frame, and hang prints over bookcase
5. paint mirror for over desk (currently silver and in living room)
6. paint old bookcase (currently silver... I know, I know)
7. paint old nightstand (currently brown and in guest room)
8. purchase bedding
9. purchase black-out curtains

Thing I learned today: Color is spelled "Fuchsia" not "Fuschia."  Named after scientist with last name Fuch.