It’s spring, and many people are starting to think about refreshing their home décor. If you’re in that group, here are some tips for regarding design trends you might want to incorporate into your home. Some trends are going to be “out” very quickly, but these trends will have more staying power.
Lots of people like neutral walls, and those colors are best if you’re thinking of selling in the near future. But, if you just want a change of pace, you’ll see much more color on the walls this year, especially in rooms with lots of sunlight. Think about dark blues or greens. If deep wall colors aren’t for you, try using sage as a new neutral.
If you watch shows like Fixer Upper, you’ve seen some of these trends for kitchen islands. Cooks and their helpers are getting a bit more practical about kitchen counters. Many are turning away from the heavy maintenance materials like granite and marble.
Quartz is becoming a very popular alternative for a number of reasons. It’s a manmade material, but can have the rich and varied look of granite and marble. Quartz isn’t porous, therefore, it doesn’t need a sealer and it can’t act as a home for bacteria. Cooks also love that it’s resistant to stains and chipping.
Kitchen islands are also being used to house built-in appliances. Rather than taking up valuable upper cupboard space with a built-in oven or microwave, the kitchen island can handle those appliances while keeping the easy to reach upper cabinets free.
Other trends include using the kitchen island for easy seating for family or guests to keep the group together while food is being prepared. In addition, using different colors for upper and lower cabinets, or one color for cabinets and another for the base of the island is also popular.
Designers are using more geometric patterns in accent pieces. For example, a geometric patterned accent wall can be a real attention-getter and set off a room’s more subdued décor. Pillows are another place for geometric designs if you don’t think an entire wall will work for you! And, subway tile is sometimes being replaced with tile with geometric patterns as a backsplash in the kitchen.
Traditionally, ceilings haven’t been a big part of home design, but that’s changing. You can try using a unique paint color for the ceiling, wood or shiplap, and even wallpaper.
Pantone is the organization that chooses a Color of the Year. That color usually shows up in clothing, appliances and home décor. The color of 2018 is called Ultra Violet. This color is intended to represent what’s needed in the world in 2018 – “originality, ingenuity and visionary thinking.”
If you’re ready for a change, try some of these trends when you refresh your home décor in 2018. You may find that these tips will give you an entirely new outlook on the year, compliments of the top Broward County real estate agents!
If you like the outdoors, you’ll love the Secret Woods Nature Center. It is the first nature center built in Broward County, and it’s just minutes away from Davie. Broward County designated the 57-acre site as an Urban Wilderness Area. That means the Center is part of the County’s program to establish a park system of urban areas that will be permanently maintained as wilderness areas.
The Center has many outdoor activities for residents of Davie and the surrounding communities. In addition, visitors from other parts of the country rates it highly on Trip Advisor.
If you’re looking for a peaceful and rustic place for an event, Julia Hall might just be what you’re looking for. The Hall can seat 75 people, and you’d have access to a fully-equipped kitchen. The open-air amphitheater adjacent to the Hall can accommodate 100 people. You can also rent Butterfly Island, and it would make a lovely setting for an outdoor wedding.
The center is a 2,000 sf facility where you can participate in a number of interactive displays. You’ll also be treated to a safe look at a working beehive, Native American artifacts and videos about the Everglades and more.
Do you have a group of children or adults who want to learn more about the environment you see at the Center? The classroom holds 20 people, and the Center staff will customize a presentation to fit your group’s needs and interests.
If you love butterflies, you’ll love the butterfly garden. It covers almost an acre filled with different plants that attract the little creatures. You can walk along a 250-foot path through the garden and sit on benches along the way to get a closer look. You may spot monarchs, swallowtails, and a number of other butterfly species you probably won’t see in other places.
This trail winds through different habitats, starting with laurel oaks, live oaks and many different types of vegetation. The four bridges will let you walk through a tidal marsh. All along this trail, you’re sure to see birds, crabs, lizards and other forest and swamp dwellers.
This trail is a boardwalk, mostly constructed from recycled plastic lumber. When you stroll along the 3,200-foot trail, you’ll see three distinct ecosystems, a hardwood forest, tidal marsh, and a tidal marsh area that is completely under water during high tide. Get out your camera – the opportunity for wildlife photography is around every turn.
Not only can you use the Center as a place to get close to nature, but there are activities you and your family can use for occasional outings. For example, there are programs aimed at 2-4 year olds that let the kids explore their environment and take short nature walks with their parents. Group programs for students of all ages teach about the flora and fauna around the Center.
You can also take advantage of guided nature walks on the weekends. If you’re a music lover, attend the impromptu music jams the fourth Sunday of every month. If you can play, bring your acoustic instrument and join in!
The Secret Woods Nature Center is another one of the things that people love about the Davie area. If you’re looking for Davie Florida homes for sale, or you want to sell one you already own, the members of the Teri Arbogast Team are here to help. With years of experience and in-depth local market knowledge, we can help you complete a real estate transaction that exceeds your expectations. Call us at 954-242-8030 or send an email.
You have probably heard the predictions about all the new technology and online resources that will make real estate agents obsolete. Before you buy in to that prediction, take a look at what REALTORS® actually do. For every hour a REALTOR® spends with you, we’re spending weeks, and sometimes months, behind the scenes working to make your transaction run smoothly.
If you’re looking for REALTORS® in Broward County, the first thing you need to know is that there is a difference between a real estate agent and a REALTOR®. A real estate agent has passed the state exams and acquired a real estate license. A REALTOR® has a license, but they’re also members of the National Organization of REALTORS® (NAR).
As NAR members, REALTORS® have access to a wide array of tools, market data and educational opportunities that help them to serve their clients at the highest levels of professionalism. In addition, members must abide by a wide-ranging Code of Ethics.
The Code of Ethics covers everything from how a REALTOR® will represent their clients, handle offers and counter offers, preserve confidential information, disclose facts about properties, and more. It makes a REALTOR® a person that can be trusted to assist with one of the most important transactions they’ll ever make.
Technology has many uses in the real estate industry. However, technology can’t do many of the things that a REALTOR® does. Here are some examples.
A REALTOR® can give you the best information about the real estate market in your area or the area you’re interested in. Some online resources say that they provide this type of information, but if you want the real facts, you need to talk to a REALTOR®.
For example, Zillow Zestimates are notoriously inaccurate. If you’re selling your home, you won’t have much success if you depend on a Zestimate of your home’s value to set a selling price. A REALTOR® has the knowledge and the market insight to prepare a Competitive Market Analysis (CMA) that will help you set a market price to get the highest price the market will bear.
REALTORS® can give you the latest market data, but they can also help you interpret that information. If a home in your neighborhood sold for more or less than you’d expect, your REALTOR® is the one who will know why.
Your REALTOR® will also be familiar with the neighborhoods you may be interested in and can help you quickly narrow down your search to those neighborhoods that offer the type of homes and lifestyle you’re looking for. You could figure it out yourself, but it would take hours of looking at home listings or matching home listings to demographic data. And, even after all that, you’d still need to visit the neighborhoods to get an idea of what’s behind the statistics.
Real estate is becoming an increasingly complex undertaking as federal and local governments pass laws or regulations to protect consumers. If you had to identify and study all of these regulations, you’d never get around to buying or selling real estate!
The State of Florida has regulations that govern the type of disclosures sellers must make concerning the condition of their home, home inspections, purchase agreements and other paperwork requirements. The Federal government publishes laws about things like fair housing and settlement procedures. Local governments have regulations that govern zoning, building permits, property lines, taxes and more.
Besides the legal side of real estate transactions, your REALTOR® is the conductor for a symphony of people and paperwork that must be done properly to successfully close a real estate transaction. This is just a brief overview of the types of things a REALTOR® does:
Most people get into real estate because they love helping people. But, in the end, REALTORS® are conductors, schedulers, negotiators, mediators, relocation experts, teachers, problem-solvers and sometimes even marriage counselors.
I figure that when a computer can do all those things, the members of the Teri Arbogast Team will need to find other employment. But, I’m not planning on that happening any time soon, are you?
If you have questions about Davie real estate, or plan to buy or sell homes in Davie, feel free to give us a call at 954-242-8030 or send an email. We’ll use all of our skills to help you make a wonderful and informed real estate decision.
Are you looking for something different to do? Do you like interactive activities? Are you a frustrated James Bond or Indiana Jones? If you answered “yes” to any of those questions, you need to explore the Lockbox Escape Room at 8490 W. State Road 84.
If you’ve never experienced one, the first thing you need to know is that you’re not really locked in. An Escape Room is simply an activity where a group of people must scour the room they’re in to find clues and solve puzzles to locate the key that will get them out of the room.
The location here in Davie has six different rooms:
All you need to do is reserve a room. When you arrive at the Lockbox Escape Room, the staff will tell you more about your challenge and the rules and strategies that are helpful. If you’re successful, you’ll escape the room. If not, you’ll still escape the room, but you’ll probably want to try it again!
You can book up to eight people per room online. Contact Lockbox Escape for information about larger groups. You’ll need a group of five or more people to book a room for your group only. Groups of four or fewer people may be paired with another group.
People of any age can play, but they suggest a minimum age of 10 years old. The puzzles are too advanced for someone younger than that, and their frustration or inattention will make it difficult for the rest of the group to get the most from the experience. Lockbox Escape Room also hosts corporate team building activities.
This is another one of the unique things to do in Davie. It’s another reason why homebuyers flock to see Davie real estate. Davie is a great community with lots of fun things to do. If you are thinking of looking at Davie FL homes for sale, please feel free to contact the Teri Arbogast Team at 954-242-8030 or send an email. We’re all local experts who can help you find a home that suits your lifestyle perfectly.
Smart home technology is a growing industry. Experts estimate that by 2020, the smart home industry will be worth over $21 billion. If that projection is anywhere near accurate, it means that more and more people will be using smart home technology, and eventually it will be as common as bedrooms in a home.
You may have seen the TV commercial where a homeowner is watching an intruder trying to break into his home on his cell phone, and yells into the phone to scare off the thief. Smart technology has many uses in today’s homes, here are just a few.
According to NextMarketInsights, people in the Gen X age group buy lots of smart technology, which isn’t surprising since that generation is very tech-savvy. However, one survey found that 68% of Millennials think that smart technology is a good investment. And, don’t forget that the Millennials represent the biggest group of potential homebuyers, according to the National Association of REALTORS®.
It must be said that the technology is still relatively new, and it can be difficult to come up with hard and fast numbers. But, there are indications to support the idea that smart technology is affecting home prices.
For example, one study found that 59 percent of buyers who have children under 18 would be willing to pay more for a “smart” home. In addition, 47 percent of buyers without children under 18 felt the same way.
At some point, smart technology will be a standard amenity. For now, it’s something that many people want in their homes. Therefore, a home with the technology already installed can be seen to save the buyer the time and cost of installing it themselves – and that could motivate them to pay a bit more.
If you don’t have smart technology installed in your home, should you buy some before you put your home on the market? I think that the technology could make your home more attractive to the right buyer, but I’m not convinced that you’ll make a profit on it.
If your home needs a boost to make it more competitive with other Davie real estate for sale, smart technology could be the push you’re looking for. However, other updates might be more effective in getting the highest price for your home. As local market experts, we can help you make that determination. If you have questions about selling your home, or home values in the Davie area, please feel free to call us at 954-242-8030 or send an email.
We specialize in Davie FL homes for sale, and Broward County homes for sale in the Cooper City, Coral Springs, Pembroke Pines, Plantation, Southwest Ranches, Sunrise and Weston communities.
While the rest of the country is dealing with winter storms, record low temperatures, fires and mudslides, thing have been pretty quiet here in Davie lately. Our mild temperatures give us the chance to continue to enjoy the South Florida outdoors. If you’re a proud owner of Davie real estate, a great place for outdoor fun is Tree Tops Park.
Tree Tops Park is a natural haven in the middle of the city of Davie. It illustrates the love Davie and Broward County residents have for maintaining the greenspace that make Davie such a special place. In 1980, the area now devoted to Tree Tops Park was a dairy farm that developers wanted to turn into a golf community. After the County made it a protected area, the park was developed instead.
The Park encompasses 243 acres of land. Approximately 20 acres of that area is restored freshwater marsh that you can access on the 1,000-goot boardwalk. Pine Island Ridge is an archaeological site that covers about 200 acres of land. It is the highest natural elevation in Broward County at 29 feet above sea level.
The South Florida Trail Riders Association helped to develop an extensive network of horse trails. Riders bring their own horses to wander the seven miles of designated trails, some of which are in the Pine Island Ridge area.
When you want to pack a picnic and head to the park, you’ll find picnic tables and grills that are used on a first-come, first-served basis. While you’re setting out the food, the kids can amuse themselves in the playgrounds located in the picnic areas.
In addition, there are five picnic shelters. Two can accommodate 60-90 people, and three hold from 40-60 people. When you are organizing a large gathering, these picnic shelters are perfect. The shelters must be reserved, and there is a small fee that covers water, electricity, picnic tables and grills.
The park’s live oaks create a beautiful canopy for the nature trails. Three trails are available, including the Live Oak Trail, Seminole Trail and the Pine Ridge Trail. All trails have either a wood-chipped or paved trail bed.
The Marina offers swan and paddleboat rentals on the weekends. The park has 15 acres of lakes and waterways that can be used for boating and fishing. Fishing is permitted from the shore, pier or boats with the required license.
Tree Tops Park also has space for business or personal gatherings. The Oak Ridge Hall is a 3,440 square foot building that offers meeting rooms, an outdoor pavilion and a catering kitchen. It has a maximum capacity of 180 people.
Tree Tops Park is just one of the ways you can enjoy the outdoors in Davie. If you’ve never been there, this winter would be a good time to visit!
And, if you need help with buying or selling real estate in Davie, be sure to call us at 954-242-8030 or send an email. As local residents and experienced real estate professionals, we’d be glad to help!
We specialize in Davie FL homes for sale, and Broward County homes for sale in the Cooper City, Coral Springs, Pembroke Pines, Plantation, Southwest Ranches, Sunrise and Weston communities.
That sounds like an impossible statement to support, but if you’re thinking of selling Davie real estate, keep an open mind as you read this blog post! There are a number of good reasons to sell during the holidays.
Everyone knows that Spring is the time to sell, right? Well, a lot of people believe that, and it causes a large number of homes to come on the market in a very short period of time. As a seller, that means that you’ll be competing with lots of other homes in your area. During the holidays, your home will stand out much better.
The holidays are a busy time. If someone is looking for a new home, it means that they’re not just out looking at homes for the fun of it. Some buyers may be looking for tax advantages by purchasing a home before year-end. In addition, people who are relocating for a job often need to be in place at the first of the year. And, people relocating are very serious because they’re up against a definite deadline for their move.
The holidays, regardless of which one you’re celebrating, generally bring out the good in people. It’s a warm and fuzzy time of the year. And, since emotion plays a big role in the home buying process, buyers can be more likely to want to “nest.”
You can also take advantage of the part that emotion plays in home buying because your home looks wonderful and reminds people of family and friends gathering together. Don’t let your holiday decorations overwhelm your rooms, but low-key reminders of the season can help.
Traffic on real estate websites increases significantly during the holidays. People have more time to spend online, so make sure your home is well represented on the Internet.
Redfin did a study of over one million home sales and discovered some interesting facts. When homes were listed from December 21 through March 21, they had:
These aren’t hard and fast rules, but they go a long way toward dispelling the myth that the Spring is the best time to sell.
If you’re traveling over the holidays, you have no problem with showing your home. But, even if you’re staying at home, you can set boundaries to ensure that your family enjoys the holiday as much as everyone else. Normally, setting restrictions on showing a home isn’t tolerated very well by buyers. During the holidays, it’s much easier to set showing times and black out dates because everyone understands the problem.
If you’re ready to sell, hopefully this information has been helpful. If you’d rather not wait until Spring, the local Davie real estate experts on Teri’s Real Estate Team can help you capitalize on the season. Just call us at 954-242-8030 or send an email!
If you love the outdoors – and most people looking at Davie FL homes for sale do – you’ll want to check out the Everglades Day Safari. It’s fun for the whole family, and it ranks No. 1 on TripAdvisor for outdoor activities in Davie. In fact, it has a 5 out of 5 rating on TripAdvisor, based on about 300 reviews!
If you’re concerned about boatloads of visitors ruining the everglades, never fear. The Everglades Day Safari is a Florida Society for Ethical Ecotourism (Florida SEE) Gold Certified Ecotour Operator. This certification isn’t easy to come by. The Safari hosted two different Florida SEE Assessors who hitched a ride on the full day safari. The Gold status indicates that the Safari operators go far above what an ecotour company could be expected to do to protect the environment and wildlife.
You can start your tour from several hotels around the Fort Lauderdale area. But, residents of Davie just need to go to the Flamingo Gardens to be transported to the everglades.
The full-day Everglades Day Safari runs from approximately 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. It’s a full day of fun and adventure, with a good bit of education thrown in, too.
A well-educated and highly-trained naturalist will guide you during the tour. You’ll learn a lot about the everglades, and the birds and animals that inhabit it. Each tour includes transportation to the everglades and an expansive lunch. Here’s what you’ll see during the day:
Captain Bob’s Excellent Adventure is a half-day tour that includes an airboat ride in the River of Grass and a Gator Show that brings you safely up close to Florida’s famous alligators. The Excellent Adventure runs from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m.
Speaking of guides. . . If you’re thinking of buying or selling in Davie or the surrounding areas, you’ll get the expert guidance you’d expect from local real estate experts when you work with the Teri Arbogast Team. Call us at 954-242-8030 or send an email!
We specialize in Davie FL homes for sale, and Broward County homes for sale in the Cooper City, Coral Springs, Pembroke Pines, Plantation, Southwest Ranches, Sunrise and Weston communities.
It’s a proven fact that the majority of homebuyers start their home search online. One of the more well-known sites for home information is Zillow. Zillow provides a range of tools for homebuyers, including Zestimates, which are Zillow’s best estimate of a home’s value. Should you make decisions based on a Zestimate? Here are the things to consider.
Zillow uses an automated system to prepare estimates for over 100 million home in the U.S. Given the sheer volume of estimates it tracks, Zillow must use a calculation based on a range of publically available information that results in an average price.
Data sources used for the estimate include MLS home listings, county tax records, and recent sales in the target home’s area.
Zillow is open about the accuracy of its Zestimates. For example, Zillow explains that half the home values are within 5.4 percent of the selling price, and half are off by more than 5.4 percent. That means that half of the $200,000 homes on the site could be valued at roughly $190,000 on the low side or $210,800 on the high side.
Let’s say that the half that are off by more than 5.4 percent are actually off by 10 percent. In that case, the $200,000 home could be valued at $180,000 on the low side or $220,000 on the high side.
There are many reasons why the estimate could be inaccurate:
The biggest problem is that homebuyers and sellers tend to take the estimates they see on Zillow and other real estate websites as fact. They don’t know about information like this and Zillow doesn’t make it easy to find.
Homebuyers may plan on making a ridiculously low offer on a home, and home sellers may plan to set an unrealistically high listing price for their home. Then, when a professional real estate agent gets involved, the homebuyers and sellers are often presented with conflicting information.
Real estate agents are very familiar with Davie FL homes for sale, the neighborhoods in the area and the real estate market. The comparative market analyses they prepare take many factors into account that the automated systems don’t.
The advice I give to my clients is that they can use websites like Zillow to see lots of information, but that they need to take estimated home values as a very broad guideline. They need to realize that the home value estimates are most likely off by tens of thousands of dollars.
In addition, I recommend that clients use a home search that comes right from our local MLS, like this one. Searching the MLS gives you the most accurate information available, and you can simplify your search by setting up your own search account.
Using this account, you can save homes you like as favorites, and get emails as soon as homes that meet your criteria hit the market. You can also save searches so you don’t need to select your criteria every time you visit the site.
If you have questions about buying or selling home in the Davie FL area, the experts on the Teri Arbogast Team can help. Call us at 954-242-8030 or send an email!
We specialize in Davie FL homes for sale, and Broward County homes for sale in the Cooper City, Coral Springs, Pembroke Pines, Plantation, Southwest Ranches, Sunrise and Weston communities.
Please fill out the form below and we will be contacting you shortly
with information about your home.
