AUGUST - REAL ESTATE NEWS: More Homes, Better Prices: A Buyer’s Summer

If you’ve thought about buying a home in the past few years, you may have run into two frustrations: asking prices that kept climbing and too few homes to choose from. In many places, both sticking points are letting up this summer, with lower asking prices and more homes for sale. Let’s look at the trends, and what they mean for your search. Sellers Are Pricing To Attract Buyers According to Realtor.com , the national median asking price was $430,000 in June, nearly $11,000 under what it was the year before (see graph below) : That’s the eighth month in a row that the typical asking price has dipped below where they were the previous year, according to the same Realtor.com report. And while falling prices can sound worrying, this isn’t a sign of an impending crash. We’re talking about asking prices, not sold prices. This is a sign that today’s sellers are meeting the market where it is and pricing to draw buyers. And that’s actually something normal we’d expect from the market. As...

Summer House Backyard Retreat


1. Add architectural interest to the exterior.
"It's important to take design cues from the main house," says Norman. Keep elements consistent with your home and its surrounding features.
2. Use an unexpected material on the floor.
Marble is used for outdoor fountains and planters, so why not a covered-porch floor? A graphic black-and-white check is striking and sophisticated.
3. Bring the comfort of the indoors outside.
"Outdoor rooms can be just as stylish as indoor rooms," says Craig. Give your covered porch the feel of a true living room with upholstered furniture. Choose woods that hold up to the elements, such as teak and mahogany, and use outdoor-grade batting and foam.
4. Get bold with a signature color.
You can never go wrong with lots of white on a porch, but add punch with accents of a strong color. A coat of marine varnish over brightly painted furniture increases its durability.
5. Pay attention to the details.
Trims such as box-pleated grosgrain, gimp, and fringe upgrade plain outdoor pillows to star status.
Get the Look:
Lantern | Nantucket Lantern (9130 3c), $875; solaria-home.com
Bench | Chippendale Garden Bench in Dark Red (46931), $299; grandinroad.com
Ottoman fabric | Bolton in Putty (W8452); thibautdesign.com
Furniture paint | Mai Tai (RLIB228); ralphlaurenhome.com
Stool | Diamond-Pattern Stool (W5398), $275; wisteria.com
Mirror | Observatory Mirror in White, $299; potterybarn.com
Architect: Norman Askins, Norman Davenport Askins Architect, Atlanta; normanaskins.com or 404/233-6565. Builder: Rex Friedlein, Pupshire Builders, Atlanta; 404/876-1598. Interior designer: Craig Duncan, C.W. Duncan Designs, Atlanta; cwduncan@gmail.com or 404/374-1641. Hanging lantern: Boxwoods Gardens & Gifts Inc., Atlanta; boxwoodsonline.comBergère chairs: custom by C.W. Duncan Designs, Atlanta; cwduncan@gmail.com or 404/374-1641. Pillow trims: Lewis & Sheron Textiles; lsfabrics.comStool: Drum Garden Stool in White (1254WT) by Emissary (emissaryusa.com), available through decor-decor.comSide table paint: Hearty Orange (SW 6622); sherwin-williams.comTable lamps: custom-made from antique ginger jars, available through Lamp Arts, Inc., Atlanta; lampartsinc.com.
Original Article via Southern Living

Comments