BLOGS

So you’re kickin’ around the idea of renting your home on Airbnb or VRBO?? Before packing your bag and dreaming of a stash of cash, here are a few questions to ask and things to consider. The more you know, the better!?

There are a lot of areas around the home that may seem kind of useless or wasted. Partial dividing walls, areas below (or even above) a staircase, or little nooks or alcoves that were created by the house’s unique design are all common examples. You might not think much about these areas, but if you consider them for a moment, you might see how they could be some serious missed opportunities. With a little bit of creativity, though, you can change all of that for the better. That blank wall around a doorway doesn’t have to stay empty, and the space under the stairs isn’t just for boy wizards anymore. There are a number of ways that you can revamp these empty and otherwise useless spaces and make your home more functional and fun in the process. Here are just a few ideas to get you started. Surfaces and Seating Look around your home at the various nooks and crannies that seem to just be empty space. With a little bit of work, it’s easy to add seating, tables, desks, and more to these areas and make them much more functional. Once you start thinking creatively, a whole wealth of options opens up. Some of the open space in your foyer could have benches added for you and your family to sit and get your shoes on in the morning, possibly with bins that slide under the benches to keep those shoes in when they’re not being worn. A little alcove could be a great place to install a small desk or computer workstation for homework, bill paying, creative writing, or even grabbing a quick bite to eat. You could even stick a chaise lounge or part of a sectional couch in a largely unused corner to give people a private place to wind down or relax. And this is just the tip of the iceberg. Storage and Organization Some of these seemingly useless places can be a great place to add storage solutions to your home. Shelves and cabinets can instantly transform empty walls, giving you additional storage even in the small spaces around doorways or in closets. Drawers are also great additions, as are sliding cabinet racks that pull out and then slide fully back into the wall. There are even more options available if you really want to get creative. If your kitchen has a small dividing wall separating it from other rooms, consider adding a built-in wine rack within it to hold a few of your favorite bottles. A pull-out vertical cabinet next to the sink or stove can also be a great area to add a spice rack or store cutting boards. Bookcases are relatively easy to install, and if you have a large unused area, it might even be an ideal place to add a built-in pantry. Not only do details like these really liven up your home, but they can also help reduce clutter in other areas and make everything a bit more organized in general. A Use for Every Space You might be surprised at just how much space there is in your home for these types of projects. The options can increase even more if you start looking at the outside of your home or in the garage, too. While some projects might require a bit of work, others are simple modifications that can really go a long way toward improving both the look and functionality of your home. If you aren’t sure where to start, consider bringing in an interior designer or general contractor to discuss what you want and see what your options are.

Whether it’s with knobs, pulls, handles, or some other hardware, you need to have some way to access your cabinets. If your cabinets are relatively new, that hardware is probably fairly modern. But for older cabinets, you may need to replace the hardware, and it might be kind of tricky to figure how to get it. This can make replacing old cabinet hardware stressful, especially if you’re not sure where to start. While your success will depend on the specific pieces that you’re looking for and how recently they were manufactured, here’s some info that will hopefully point you in the right direction if you find yourself on a hardware hunt. The Need to Match Hardware Why do you need to match old cabinet hardware, anyway? There are a few reasons. The most common is that handles and knobs sometimes become damaged or break over time, especially if the cabinets see frequent use. You may also find yourself adding new cabinets or other fixtures that you want to match as closely to the older cabinets as possible, including similar finishes and hardware. In some cases it may even be a matter of hardware being removed to repair or replace cabinet doors and then getting lost or accidentally tossed out. Whatever the reason, you want matching hardware, and it doesn’t seem to be available in stores anymore. Sources for Older Hardware When trying to match old hardware, it’s important to start by checking if it’s actually available. Visit cabinet or woodworking shops in your area with pictures of the hardware you need (or the actual hardware itself) to see if anyone can recognize it and know where to order it. If that doesn’t pan out, check the internet; there are a lot of stores online that specialize in older items, and this can include out-of-production hardware and other materials. Even if you can’t find the specific hardware from its original manufacturing run, you may be able to locate visually similar reproductions that will at least match the look of your existing hardware. If that doesn’t work, spend some time searching online auction sites to see if you can find the hardware that you’re looking for there. While online auctions can be a mixed bag, there are a lot of people who post used or out-of-production items that they have a surplus of to make some money off things that they no longer need. It may be worth checking a few times on different days, as new items are listed all the time, and you never know when someone is going to list that handle or knob that you need for a few dollars. Unable to Find a Match? Unfortunately, there may be some cases where you simply can’t find a match for your old cabinet hardware no matter how hard you try. If this happens, you typically have two options: You can upgrade all your hardware to a new style, or you can find something that complements your existing hardware to create a mix-and-match arrangement. It basically comes down to whether you want to upgrade some of your existing hardware or all of it with something a bit newer. You can choose pieces that complement your cabinets, hardware that goes well with sinks and other fixtures in the room, or even something significantly more modern than the cabinets to create a visual contrast between the cabinets and the hardware. Regardless of what you choose, be sure to pick something that you enjoy.

When it comes to choosing whether to build or buy a house, there’s no one right answer; there’s only the one that works best for you. With that in mind, we’ve compiled some of the most common advantages and disadvantages to help you weigh the costs of building a house versus buying.

Your windows are one of the most important features of your home. They provide you with natural light and visibility while also giving you the option to let fresh air in when your home gets stuffy. As with everything else in your home, your windows will start to accumulate some wear and tear over time. Eventually they might even have to be replaced. How do you know when it’s really time to replace your windows, or when a little maintenance will keep them in operation for a while longer? While this varies a lot depending on the specific windows that are installed, how well they’re maintained, and what the average temperature and other environmental factors are like, here are a few things you can look out for to see if you need new windows. Leaks and Drafts Two big signs that your windows might be having problems are drafts and leaks around your window. Both of these problems can cost you money and make your home less comfortable overall. Drafts can drive up heating and cooling costs, while leaks can cause water damage that in some cases may need a significant amount of work to repair. Sometimes these issues might not be readily apparent at first. A small leak may disguise itself by traveling along seams in wallpaper or similar wall features, so you may not even discover it until it has been there for a while. Drafts can also start small, requiring you to come toward the window from a certain direction before you feel the draft at all. These small issues can become much larger problems if left to fester over time. Cracks and Condensation Visible cracks are also a sign that there is some problem with your windows. These cracks can appear on the frame of the window itself or in the surrounding wall. In some cases, cracks in the window glass may be visible as well. Regardless of where the damage occurs, cracks in your window are bad news, since each crack is a potential entry point for drafts, water, and other problems that could become costly to repair down the line. Some of these problems may not be immediately visible if you don’t know what you’re looking for. Condensation between the panes of double-pain glass is often seen as a big red flag, since the condensation means that water is getting in somewhere. That little bit of moisture can eventually lead to mold and mildew in your windows as well as other damage occurring within the walls. Replacing Your Windows If you do need to replace your windows, finding the right new windows for your home is important. You’ll want to make sure that the windows you choose are well insulated or have other features to help control the temperature in the summer and winter. If you want to add security alarms or other sensors, it’s important that you choose windows that are compatible with these devices as well. Most people don’t see window installation as a DIY job, since depending on the window layout and materials involved it might be a significant undertaking without assistance. If you think that it’s a bit more than you can handle, don’t be afraid to consult a contractor or professional window installer. They can help with everything from the installation itself to selecting styles and materials that go best with your home.

This week, we want to talk about housing affordability and share something that we find fascinating and very insightful, The Housing Affordability Index. This can be found on the California Association of Realtors website, www.car.org. This index maps out just how much money (on average) a person would need to make per year to be able to afford a median priced home in each county of the San Francisco Bay Area. In the first column, is the percentage of residents that could afford to buy a median priced home in Quarter 1 of 2021. In Napa County, because of the demand for housing, this number has gone down from 34% in 2020 to just 24%. You can also see that in order to qualify for a median priced home of $901,500, you would need to make about $164,400 per year. In San Mateo County, the minimum qualifying income is a whopping $337,200 per year (wow!!!), and Solano County, our neighbor to the east, is much more affordable by comparison. To purchase the average priced home in Solano, you or your family would need to make about $95,600 per year. Now, for most people who live and work in the area, these numbers can be a bit alarming. But even if you don’t make over $100,000 per year, hope is not lost! These prices reflect the median price of homes in the area, meaning that half the homes sold above that price and half sold below that price. If you desire to become a homeowner, I encourage you to be empowered by the information. There are so many different paths to homeownership, often times we have to get a bit creative. This can mean starting small by purchasing a condo, purchasing in less desirable area or building up equity by improving your home little by little and then selling to move up to something nicer. We have helped some amazing families get into homes by being creative. This can mean finding off market deals, utilizing first time home buyer and down payment assistance programs, or finding that diamond in the rough. Where there's a will, there's a way! Feel free to reach out to discuss your options. We would love to help.

Do you ever ponder your floor joists? Or give serious considerations to the cladding under your siding? Of course not! There are parts of your home that just work, and you never have to really do anything about them. Although ductwork seems like one of those out of sight, out of mind things, it’s actually one that you should look into now and again.

What are the Top Things to Do with Kids in Napa Valley?

As the heat of summer approaches, having ways to stay cool at home is especially important. Installing new air conditioners or HVAC units can be expensive and may add significantly to your ongoing cooling costs as well. In many cases, a major cooling system upgrade isn’t even needed; simple things like the right curtains and ceiling fans in your rooms can go a long way towards keeping things cool even in the heat of summer. You just need to make sure that you’ve got the right fan for the space you’ve installed it in.

Summer is wonderful. The weather is lovely, and there’s so much extra daylight that you have plenty of time for all kinds of outdoor activities. It’s almost too perfect. Well, that is until summer pests come along to ruin your lovely outdoor gatherings. But don’t worry, it’s still possible to have a perfectly pleasant time without having to fight off the bugs at your picnic. Insects are Everywhere! It’s inevitable that you’re going to run face-first into some kind of insects if you’re spending a lot of time in your own personal outdoor oasis, but it doesn’t mean that you have to like it. Even though there are way more of them than there are of us, only a few really have serious potential to ruin a party at any given moment. Let’s take a look at keeping those bugs under control all summer. Flies Flies are gross. There’s no two ways about it. They hang out in the trash, and then fly by to try to grab a bit of your lunch with no regards to personal hygiene. Once adult flies are running about, they can be hard to control, so the trick is to minimize places that are hospitable for their young to grow up big and strong. Start by monitoring your trash. In the summer, hot weather makes garbage cans super attractive to flies, since trash will begin to break down quickly. Wait until the day your trash service collects your cans to take out any kind of food waste, to reduce the chance flies have to find and breed in last week’s leftovers. Mosquitos There’s not much worse than flies, but mosquitos definitely fall into that category. Along with flying around and being obnoxious, they feed on humans like their own personal buffets. Handling mosquitoes effectively also starts with reducing breeding habitats, such as small stagnant pools of water (even a leftover party cup with standing water can be a mosquito haven) and gutters that need to be cleaned out. For bigger or more permanent water features, start using Mosquito Dunks regularly or add fish to ponds to eliminate larval mosquitoes before they grow big enough to breed. Wasps There are several different kinds of wasps to be aware of in the summertime, but they have a lot in common. If you find a flying insect with a narrow waist and an interest in sweet or savory foods, you’ve almost certainly found a wasp or hornet, which belong to the same family. Start by covering your outdoor trash cans, because they’re often drawn to pungent vinegar-like smells or sweet beverages, like that tiny bit of soda in the bottom of the can. Some wasps are also interested in raw meat, so keep the meat for the grill indoors until you’re ready to cook. Scanning your outdoor area regularly for wasp nests can help reduce populations dramatically. Never try to remove a hornet nest alone, but a smaller wasp nest can be taken out with wasp spray from a distance. Ants Like other outdoor bugs, ants tend to take advantage of the situation. If there’s food to be had, keep it tightly covered and off the ground so as not to attract their attention. Picnic blankets can be romantic, but they’re a great way to attract ants to the party, so keep your food on a table or at lap height. And make sure you’ve applied an ant barrier around your home so they don’t try to take the party inside! A simple recommendation from people you trust can ensure that your insect problems bug right off. Some pest control companies also handle other problems, like troublesome rodents or lizards, too, so be sure to ask if that’s an issue you’re dealing with as well.