Ms. San Francisco Real Estate (Janice Lee)

Outdoor lighting improves safety and aesthetics Just as you rely on a well-designed lighting plan inside your home, you should pay careful attention to how you illuminate the exterior. Outdoor lighting can ensure your family’s safety, improve home security and enhance how you use the space. Decorative lighting Judicious use of outdoor decorative lights gives your home character. They can be used to highlight flower gardens, decorative architectural components and landscaping. Small, low-voltage fixtures work well along the edges of walkways. These fixtures can be powered by the home electrical system, or solar cells that collect and store energy during the daylight hours. Handrails and stair steps can be accented and illuminated by rope lighting. Rope lights are plastic tubes that house a string of LED lamps. Often these rope lights are used on deck railings to create a festive look. They come in a variety of colors and are often inexpensive. Small spotlights a

How to avoid these 5 common new homeowner mistakes Take the time to plan and prepare before executing design and new project ideas     So you’ve just purchased a new home. Naturally the experience is filled with lots of excitement and anticipation. From renovation and remodeling ideas to design, a number of projects and considerations likely come to mind. Poor execution and planning can derail or delay a homeowner’s opportunity to enjoy a new home to the fullest. Here are some common new homeowner mistakes and how to potentially avoid them. 1) Purchasing furniture in advance:   This is a common mistake of new homeowners. Often if you purchase furniture prior to moving in, the result is a space that may be overstuffed. Proper planning and measuring is critical to creating a successful floorplan. 2) Attending to renovations and repairs after move-in:   Renovations, repairs and painting are best executed prior to moving in. This willavoid disruptions of your everyday life

Real Estate Client Expectations in a Tech-Driven World Remember the days when selling a property meant your real estate agent hammered a sign in the yard and put a lockbox on the doorknob? Today's world of selling properties looks vastly different with the advances and conveniences afforded by technology and the Internet. However, with that comes higher expectations of a seller's real estate professional. Sellers are more sophisticated about the real estate transaction, thanks to the proliferation of online information. They want to know things like what kind of marketing their agent does, how that agent uses online tools, whether staging of their home is included in the agent's services, what kinds of photos will appear on the agent's website and brochures, and whether twilight open houses will be held. There are some important new developments for sellers to know: • Expanded listing exposure. Multiple Listing Services (MLSs) can now collaborate through

Are You Really Ready to Buy or Sell a Home? Your home. It's likely the biggest investment you will make in your lifetime. It can also be the biggest asset you own. So, making a move to buy or sell a home can be one of the most consequential decisions you make in your lifetime. Certainly, you will have a primary reason for doing either, but have you weighed other important considerations? There are guideposts that can help to ensure you are being necessarily thoughtful when approaching the purchase of a new home, or selling the one you're in. Buying a home? Think about... •   Financials . How much can you afford in a down payment? If you put down less than 20%, you will pay a lot more for your house in fees like mortgage interest because lenders see you as a riskier buyer. Look at what the taxes and other fees, as well as maintenance costs, will be and how much you will need to save every month in addition to paying your house note. •   Growth.   How long do you plan