Magnolia Mastermind Meetup at the Westshore Grand Hotel, Tampa!
White After Labor Day? Not a Fashion Faux Pas Inside Your Home
Have you heard that white is not appropriate to wear after Labor Day? It’s one of the most well-known fashion faux pas around. However, we beg to differ when it comes to your home’s interior! As the summer days come officially to an end and fall begins, you may be thinking about your next DIY home project.
At Magnolia Property Solutions, a very popular trend in some of our real estate investment properties – both in our renovations and flips – is white cabinetry in the kitchen. However, this doesn’t mean you have to buy all new cabinets. At MPS, we know that not everyone has the financial means to invest thousands of dollars for brand new cabinets, especially during this time in COVID-19. In fact, there is a more economical way for you to accomplish the fresh and airy feel of white cabinets without having to sell your kidney to obtain it — you can refinish your cabinets with paint!
If you follow us @magnoliapropertysolutions on Instagram, you may have seen our recent post “DIY Home Improvements That Really Pay Off“. The top improvement we listed was freshening up your kitchen cabinets with a coat of paint or stain. Don’t underestimate the power of paint, especially a shade of white, off white, or cream paint to make a HUGE difference!
Can you can imagine a dark and dreary kitchen with beige walls, old 1980s oak cabinetry, and hardware that almost matched the cabinets. You can? Yikes, sounds scary right?!?! An MPS Affiliate — Emily — shares her experience on the process she used to refinished her cabinets. Her kitchen was transformed from a dull, boring kitchen and into a beautiful, fresh, airy, and enjoyable space that helped her receive top dollar for her efforts when #selling.
Painting Your Cabinets:
1.) Prepare
There are so many resources on the internet for you to find tips and tricks to accomplish whatever project you’re working on. Emily followed the steps outlined in the blog post by This Old House titled “Tips for Refinishing Kitchen Cabinets“.
What we enjoy is about this article is the acronym that This Old House uses to help you remember the steps to prepare your cabinets – SVT – sand, vacuum, and tack. Preparation is probably the most tedious step, but it’s also what sets the foundation for great, long-lasting results!
2.) Paint
The paint color that Emily chose when refinishing her kitchen cabinets is Behr Ultra #73 “Off White” in semi-gloss which is perfect for painting indoor furniture to include cabinets. Behr Ultra is a stain-blocking and a paint + primer in one can. The benefits of paint + primer in one is that it cuts down on the total number of steps in the painting process. Also, this will help in overall cost-savings on your project as well!
Emily decided to go with a more off-white/cream color because her crown molding, chair rail, and floor boards were a high-gloss, bright white. She also wanted her kitchen to be warm and welcoming and not too crisp and impersonal.
3.) Finish
If you really want your cabinets to make a statement, we recommend investing a little more money and sweat equity into updating the hardware in addition to the refinishing them with paint. There’s nothing worse than fresh cabinets and old, out-dated hardware. The hardware on these beautifully re-done cabinets is bronze which ties in the warmth of the flooring to complete the entire look.
If you’ve been considering refinishing your kitchen cabinets, we hope this article added value to you! Please comment below, share, and follow us on Instagram @magnoliapropertysolutions.
Happy (almost) Fall Y’all!
Realistic Advice for Selling Your House During COVID-19
Are you considering selling your house? You’re probably wondering if a pandemic is even a good time to sell your house. Those are all valid questions! This blog post will go through the top 5 things that you should keep in mind if you’ve put your house on the market at anytime, plus the key to selling your house during COVID-19. Read below to help you sell your house now during the pandemic or at anytime with realistic expectations and results.
The KEY for COVID-19: Supply versus Demand!
The current market is favorable to sellers because the inventory and the supply of houses has taken a drastic swing in the last five months. According to the both the U.S. Census Bureau and the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, in July 2020, the supply of houses in the United States will last about 4 months. That is, if the sales rate was to stay the same. To give some perspective, in April 2020 the supply of houses in the United States would last around 6.8 months, which is a 2.8 months of supply decrease. Additionally, the new residential sales for July 2020 has increased by a total of 36.3% since July 2019, with most of this increase taking place in since the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic.
SO… you have determined that 1.) NOW is a great time to sell; and 2.) you WANT to sell. So what should you do?
5 Tips to sell your house:
- Curb Appeal
- De-personalize
- Design & Staging
- Know the Market Value
- Professional Photography
Tip #1: Curb Appeal
It might seem trivial, but curb appeal is the #2 (yes… read on) thing that will attract potential buyers to your house. Have you ever heard the phrase “You only make a first impression once”? Well, the curb appeal of your house is similar to the first impression. Before potential buyers even step foot into your house, they see the curb appeal (or lack thereof!). You want to draw potential buyers into your house with appealing and updated exterior paint, fresh and bright windows, and a clean and manicured lawn with landscaping. You want to get potential buyers in the door, not to run away after seeing unsightly landscaping overflowing with weeds.
Before 
During 
After
Tip #2: De-personalize & De-clutter
This might be a little hard for some, but you should de-personalize your home once you’ve decided to sell. Buyers want to be able to see themselves in your home, not you living in your home. Ways to de-personalize include removing personal photos, faith-related art or decor, anything political and children’s toys just to name a few. You want to appeal to the masses and not alienate a certain demographics.
In conjunction with de-personalizing your home, you also should take this time to de-clutter as well. De-cluttering will help you get some packing done in advance (you’re welcome), but less is also more! You want to be able to display the ample storage of your home. It’s more appealing for a potential buyer to see a closet that is organized and not overflowing with your stuff.
Magnolia Property Solutions recommends that you declutter and de-personalize every room in your house and put it into your garage (if applicable) or into storage. This is essential before you jump to tip #3 of the design and staging of your home.
Tip #3: Design & Staging
Similar to the tip above, tip #3 is important to not turn off potential buyers. The interior design and staging of your house are essential for a couple reasons: 1) appeals to the masses; and 2) can make the home feel bigger. We at Magnolia Property Solutions believe that if your house has neutral colors that are trending and is staged (doesn’t have to be professionally done) you’ll have success with a bigger pool of interested potential buyers being able to see themselves in your home. We hate to sound like a broken record, but there are tried and true methods in real estate and sticking to certain principles and guidelines will pay off for a quicker sale and a higher price! You can also check out one of our previous blog posts for some tips on staging: How to Lightly Stage a House.
Tip #4: Know the Market Value
This is where a professional in the real estate market where you live becomes a game changer! Sometimes homeowners believe their house is worth a certain price, but market dictates value not personal beliefs or attachments to a house. We at Magnolia Property Solutions recommend finding a real estate investor or agent who knows the market and will give you both honest and realistic expectations before you enter into contract with any listing agent.
Tip #5: Professional photography
This fifth and final tip is the #1 thing that will get potential buyers interested in your home. You may believe that you can do without professional photos, but amateur versus professional photos may be the difference between an offer within 24 hours of listing, versus weeks or months on the market. Our recommendation is to invest in professional photography to get a quicker and larger return when you sell!
Living Room – Amateur 
Living Room – Professional 
Entry Way – Amateur 
Entry Way – Professional
We hope these tips help you in your decision making and planning process. You can always reach out to Magnolia Property Solutions LLC for any assistance with selling your house, determining property value, referrals for contractors or photographers, or getting an as-is, hassle free, cash offer from MPS!
How to Lightly Stage a House
An empty home can give a cold and lonely vibe. It is not exactly what home buyers would describe as the “welcome home” feeling. When a buyer sees a home that has been staged it is easier for them to visualize it as being a future home.
Although staging a home is quite necessary, it does not come cheap. Staging a home can cost anywhere between $750-$2,000 per month, depending on the house size and what value you are looking for. To make sure you do not exceed your budget, you can look for small accents to incorporate into each room and bring the “homey” feel every buyer is looking for.
When you are selling your home, it is important to show the purpose of each room for the buyer. Buyers may get confused on how to utilize each space and make it their home. So it is your job to show them the potential of your home!
Start off by using area rugs to define spaces and show where furniture would theoretically go. Making sure the rugs are large enough to almost cover the whole space. As far as colors, each rug should complement the room that it is in.
One of the most simple things you can do to improve the value of a space is adding a fresh coat of neutral colored paint. Our recommended colors for any room is beige, white, or gray. When buyers see bright or bold colored rooms, it may overwhelm them, ultimately turning them off.
What kind of accent piece is warm and brings “light” to any room? A lamp of course! Without bring in a whole living room or bedroom set, lamps can bring brightness to the room while creating a warm, inviting feeling. When choosing light bulbs, think warm temperature bulbs for an intimate ambience.
Bathrooms typically give off a cold feel to begin with but adding small inexpensive items could make the space feel luxurious. Fluffy towels, a pop of color, and a shower curtain will usually do the trick!
I don’t know about you, but the first thing I look at inside a home is how many windows there are. Natural light is so inviting and really makes the space seem big, bright and full of life. Unfortunately not all homes have many or big windows. If you haven’t had time to change them out, hanging mirrors is the next best thing. When mirrors are added, it creates the feel of a bigger space.
In the kitchen, simplicity is key! It is best to keep the pieces simple on the countertops as most buyers just want to see that there is plenty of counter-space. A favorite of mine to add on the counter tops are fresh flowers. Others include fruit bowls, a piece of art work on the wall, or a tea kettle.
With all the commotion going on on the inside of your home, don’t forget to spice up your curb appeal. Fresh landscaping and a cut lawn! The outside of your home is the buyers’ first impression, you can’t afford to let that slide. Wanting to add more personalization, try adding new house numbers or painting the front door a fresh color.
All in all, adding small, personalized details to a home can be the difference between buyers loving the home or being turned off. If you still feel overwhelmed by the process of staging, I believe it is best to start with the rooms that are more of the “heart of the home” rooms.
Happy Staging!
Benjamin Moore Color the Year
It is already June. If you have not yet seen Benjamin Moore’s color of the year, that means you are not using it in your home and that is a HUGE mistake.
Color of the Year: Metropolitan AF-690
The Benjamin Moore color and design team describes the color of the year as calm, composed and effortlessly sophisticated.
“Metropolitan AF-690 emanates nuance, harmony and extravagant ease. Always adaptable, it softens to matte or shimmers with sheen. It’s neutral. It’s understated. It just is. This is color, off-duty.” —Ellen O’Neill, Benjamin Moore & Co.
A navy-painted cabinet against a gray-pained (Metropolitan AF-60) wallHow to Lightly Stage a Home
An empty home can give a cold and lonely vibe. It is not exactly what home buyers would describe as the “welcome home” feeling. When a buyer sees a home that has been staged it is easier for them to visualize it as being a future home.
Although staging a home is quite necessary, it does not come cheap. Staging a home can cost anywhere between $750-$2,000 per month, depending on the house size and what value you are looking for. To make sure you do not exceed your budget, you can look for small accents to incorporate into each room and bring the “homey” feel every buyer is looking for.
When you are selling your home, it is important to show the purpose of each room for the buyer. Buyers may get confused on how to utilize each space and make it their home. So it is your job to show them the potential of your home!
Start off by using area rugs to define spaces and show where furniture would theoretically go. Making sure the rugs are large enough to almost cover the whole space. As far as colors, each rug should complement the room that it is in.
One of the most simple things you can do to improve the value of a space is adding a fresh coat of neutral colored paint. Our recommended colors for any room is beige, white, or gray. When buyers see bright or bold colored rooms, it may overwhelm them, ultimately turning them off.
What kind of accent piece is warm and brings “light” to any room? A lamp of course! Without bring in a whole living room or bedroom set, lamps can bring brightness to the room while creating a warm, inviting feeling. When choosing light bulbs, think warm temperature bulbs for an intimate ambience.
Bathrooms typically give off a cold feel to begin with but adding small inexpensive items could make the space feel luxurious. Fluffy towels, a pop of color, and a shower curtain will usually do the trick!
I don’t know about you, but the first thing I look at inside a home is how many windows there are. Natural light is so inviting and really makes the space seem big, bright and full of life. Unfortunately not all homes have many or big windows. If you haven’t had time to change them out, hanging mirrors is the next best thing. When mirrors are added, it creates the feel of a bigger space.
In the kitchen, simplicity is key! It is best to keep the pieces simple on the countertops as most buyers just want to see that there is plenty of counter-space. A favorite of mine to add on the counter tops are fresh flowers. Others include fruit bowls, a piece of art work on the wall, or a tea kettle.
With all the commotion going on on the inside of your home, don’t forget to spice up your curb appeal. Fresh landscaping and a cut lawn! The outside of your home is the buyers’ first impression, you can’t afford to let that slide. Wanting to add more personalization, try adding new house numbers or painting the front door a fresh color.
All in all, adding small, personalized details to a home can be the difference between buyers loving the home or being turned off. If you still feel overwhelmed by the process of staging, I believe it is best to start with the rooms that are more of the “heart of the home” rooms.
Happy Staging!
How Do the Fixer-Upper Shows do it?!
This is a question I ask myself each time I watch one of those shows on HGTV. I came across an article with great advice on the questions you should be asking when purchasing a fixer-upper property.
It is crucial that you ask yourself lots of questions when buying a fixer-upper, but here are the main ones to focus on:
Does it have good bones?
Is the price comparable to the area?
Does it need special inspections?
What does your contractor think?
Please visit the link (https://karenrichardson.myhomehq.biz/investing-identifying-if-a-fixer-upper-is-cost-efficient) for more details! This is a great read and truly some of the questions you should be asking yourself when finding your fixer-upper.
410 Vista Dr. Fayetteville, NC
Magnolia Property Solutions is thrilled to flip this 2,572 sqft, 3 bed 2 bath home. This property has a beautiful terraced back yard, spacious rooms, and plenty natural light pouring into the home. To give the backyard a more relaxing feel, we will be adding a firepit. Once the basement is refinished it will make room for a 4th bedroom giving the buyer multiple options with the space.
Stay tuned for the after picture!
Dunloggin Rd, Ellicott City, MD
Our next home is up for sale! This beautiful renovated single family home is move in ready! With 5 bedrooms, 3 bathrooms and 2,744 square feet, there is plenty of space for the whole family.
New hard wood, renovated kitchen with new appliances, updated bathrooms, and plenty of space to call this home!
You can find more information about this listing here!
Coming Soon! Ellicott City, MD
Coming Soon! 9009 Dunloggin Rd, Ellicott City, MD
Fall in love with this renovated single family home! Move in ready!
5 Bedrooms
3 Bathrooms
2,744 Square Feet
New hard wood, renovated kitchen with new appliances, updated bathrooms, and plenty of space to call this home! Coming soon!
Magnolia Property Solutions, LLC 