Outdoor Living is Hot!

The days of a vast expanse of grass and a couple of lawn chairs are long gone.

Today’s sophisticated homeowners are creating outdoor rooms for living, entertaining and recreation. Functioning as extensions of indoor spaces, these outdoor rooms are attractive yet useful. In addition to being great places for the family to relax and hang out, they are a great investment for the homeowner.

Here are some ideas when planning your outdoor living oasis:

Seating areas – Whether you have a courtyard, terrace, pergola, porch, deck or patio, make sure you have plenty of room for chairs, couches, and tables. As an extension of your living room, you want it to be comfortable and inviting. Bonus: Screened porches make great rec rooms – especially if they’re wired for TV/stereo, and have a fireplace.

Fire elements – Fire pits and fireplaces help turn your outdoor space into a three-season space. Fire pits can be simple metal bowls or actual pits dig into the ground. Fireplaces can be wood or gas, and can be designed to match the architecture of the home. Either adds warmth and comfort.

Outdoor kitchens – Ranging from a simple grill, to a real cook’s stations with sink, cabinetry, beer tap, pizza oven, refrigerator, and countertops, these spaces can be as elaborate as you want or need. Definitely makes entertaining easier.

Water elements – Nothing adds a sense of tranquility like water. Fountains, waterfalls, swimming pools and ornamental pools have become more common as people look for different ways of relaxing in their outdoor spaces. Whether you want to go for a swim or listen to the sound of running water, a water feature is the answer.

Dining areas – Elegant light fixtures and sophisticated finishes like teak or wicker definitely add some style. Comfortable chairs mixed with banquette seating, all with matching upholstered cushions, will make meals more relaxing.

If you’re ready to build your dream home – complete with a luxurious outdoor living space – contact The Calvosa Organization today!

12 Ways to get your home sold faster!

When families come to us here at The Calvosa Organization, they want to build their new dream home. But most of the time, they need to sell their existing home. For our experts, that’s no problem. We offer advice and support for choosing the right realtor, and Vince Calvosa himself will even go look at a potential home buyers current residence to make suggestions on how they may be able to sell it quicker. We find it helps having a true expert on your side with the market experience that can give you insight you need.

Though real estate markets vary drastically depending on where you live, there are some basic tips that will show your home at its best – and get it sold faster!

Take a step back. Go outside and look at your house the way a stranger would. Walk up the driveway and front path. Open your front door. Does the house welcome you? Imagine how it will look to a buyer.

Curb appeal is key. A buyer’s first impression of your home comes the second they pull up to the house. Keep the sidewalks cleared, and the lawn mown. Spruce up the mailbox, siding and window trim. Plant seasonal flowers. Trim the shrubs. Make sure visitors can clearly read the house number.

Make minor repairs. Replace cracked tiles. Patch holes in the walls. Fix leaky faucets. Fix doors that don’t close properly and drawers that stick. Replace burned-out light bulbs. And give everything a fresh coat of paint. Stick to neutral colors.

De-personalize. You have stuff. Potential buyers don’t need to see it. Think of your home as a model home. All visitors need to see is uncluttered surfaces, empty closets and neat rooms.

Less is more. Homes show better with less. Remove furniture that blocks views, paths or walkways. Remove extra leaves from the dining room table. Leave just enough furniture in each room to showcase the room’s purpose.

Organize & de-clutter. Do you want people to see your messy coat closet or that over-stuffed kitchen cabinet? No, you want them to see neat, organized spaces with plenty of room to store things in!

Let the sun shine in. Raise the shades. Open the curtains. Wash the windows. Turn on the lamps. Rooms that are bright seem larger and more inviting than those that are dark.

Take a deep breath. It’s very common for people to be unaware of smells in their own homes. (Tobacco, pets, mustiness, cooking odors.) Open the windows, and thoroughly clean rugs, floors and walls. Put out fresh flowers. Bake bread or cookies.

Clean the house – top to bottom!

Rent a pressure washer and spray down sidewalks and exterior.
Clean out cobwebs.
Polish faucets and mirrors.
Wash & wax floors.
Dust furniture, ceiling fan blades and light fixtures.
Bleach dingy grout.
Hang up fresh towels.

Send pets and children away. If prospective buyers are coming to have a look, you don’t want them to be intimidated by your dog or distracted by your children.

Price it right. Don’t price your home too high. A higher price will only discourage potential buyers, and leave your home on the market longer.

Picture perfect. Make sure your listing has lots of good photos. Photos go a long way to enticing prospects to come visit your home in person.

When you’re ready to build a new home – and sell your current one – call The Calvosa Organization. We’re the experts who can get it done.

Things to Consider While Planning Your Grace Estates Dream Home

Building a custom home is your dream come true. But it is also months of planning everything from how the home is situated on the lot, to what kind of doorknobs you’ll have. Not to worry… The Calvosa Organization will be with you every step of the way!

Here are some things to think about as you plan your new home at Grace Estates.

Take a hard look at your budget. Take stock of your finances: net worth, income, expenses, investments, and debt before you meet with your builder. Determine how much you can afford to spend based on the down payment you have saved, and the monthly payment (based on current interest rates). If you are not a 100% comfortable with an amount that will allow you to build your dream home, then find ways to cut your budget, lower your debt, etc.

Visit other homes. You think you know what you want your dream home to be, but do you really? Drive around and visit other homes. Take pictures, make notes about what you like about them, what you don’t like, and how you feel about the construction. Deciding to change things halfway through is the single most expensive mistake most people make.

Think long-term. Do you have children? Do you have aging parents? If so, you’ll need to think about accommodating family members in different scenarios, such as returning college students, visiting grandchildren and/or grandparents, caring for elderly parents. Will you be working from home? You’ll need an office. Are you less likely to drive to the gym in bad weather? Plan for a fitness room. Flexible spaces are a good long-term solution for our ever-changing lives.

Prioritize. Once you brainstorm your “wish list”, start prioritizing. Custom home design can easily exceed a budget if you let things run amok. With so many amenities to choose from, it’s important to prioritize the most important items on the list.

Know what you want. Start looking through design magazines and websites to get inspiration. You will not only be picking your appliances, but designing the cabinetry around them. You’ll have to choose the trim, the paint colors, the floors, and, yes, the doorknobs. Do you have a style you like? Are there definitely things you don’t like? If you have some ideas when you come in for your concept and design meetings, the process may be less overwhelming.

Embrace the opportunity. It’s a rare thing to be able to design something that is truly the only one of its kind. A custom home is a personal, special opportunity. It’s built from scratch just for your family. Make sure you work in some unique elements or features that are distinctively yours. At Calvosa, we will build whatever you want.

Most of all, we want you to be excited! We might be a little biased here at The Calvosa Organization, but we believe we’re the best – and we look forward to helping you build your dream home!