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Take these factors into consideration when it’s time to decorate your living space!

Proportion & Scale

Before buying furniture, always take measurements and try to visualize how it will fill the space its intended for.

Color Scheme

Take the time to look for inspiration and choose colors that match the mood youre looking to create.

Traffic & Flow

When arranging furniture and decor, consider how youll move about each room and the way in which these items direct traffic.

Balance

The goal is for a room to have a consistent impact or weight, rather than having lots of decor on one side and wide open space on the other.

Published with permission from RISMedia.

Many people enjoy the convenience of living in a city or in the suburbs, with easy access to stores and entertainment and with neighbors nearby. For others, the idea of being surrounded by nature and away from all the hustle and bustle is appealing. If you are thinking about buying a house in a rural area, carefully consider the advantages and downsides.

Amenities and Resources
Homes in rural areas are often much less expensive than those in cities and suburbs, but lower prices often mean fewer amenities and less convenience. A rural house may not have what would be considered standard features in an urban area, such as running water, electricity, central heat and internet access. Police, fire and medical help could be miles away, and first responders could take a relatively long time to reach the house in an emergency. You might also need to drive far to reach stores, restaurants, entertainment and medical providers, but you would encounter less traffic than you would in a city.

Nature
If you love the outdoors, you may be intrigued by the idea of living in a wooded area where you could see birds, deer and even larger animals, such as bears, on a regular basis. That said, some animals have the potential to cause damage to your home or harm your family or pets. Large wildlife could also draw hunters to your property, which could be both a nuisance and a safety hazard.

Rural areas often feel the effects of severe weather more than urban and suburban locations. Heavy snow, rain and wind can be more problematic in rural areas where roads may not be paved, infrastructure may be less sophisticated or not as well maintained, and workers may need to cover much larger geographic areas since homes are more spread out. A snowstorm that would be an inconvenience in an urban area could leave you stranded in a rural home without electricity and heat for days or weeks.

Work Options
Employment opportunities are much more limited in rural areas than in more populated locations. If you have a job that allows you to work from home, that may not be a problem. If you would need to drive a long way to and from work, that could cost a lot in terms of gas, wear and tear on your vehicle, and time spent commuting instead of relaxing with your family.

Community Support
Rural areas are often more close-knit than urban and suburban neighborhoods. Residents look out for each other, and crime tends to be relatively low. On the other hand, it may take time for new homeowners to feel like they fit in, and some people dislike the relative lack of privacy.

Is Country Living Right for You?
A rural home offers several advantages, such as proximity to nature and a close-knit community, but it has downsides, including fewer employment options and less convenience. Weigh all these factors carefully when deciding whether to purchase a house in a rural area.

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Flooding can happen anytime, anywhere. And damages are generally not included in your homeowners policy. But two devices can flood-proof your home: a backflow valve, and a sump pump.

Both control floodwaters by redirecting them.

A backflow valve directs overflow to an outside receptable – a sump pump directs overflow to a storm drain or well.

Both of these should be installed by a professional, and inspected by a service technician.
If you do it yourself, you could cause more damage, or void your warranty.

If flooding occurs, contact a professional as soon as possible, and only when safe to do so.
If left unattended, floodwaters can be harmful to your home.

Published with permission from RISMedia.

According to a recent HomeAdvisor research report, Americans spent on average $564-$2,260 to install a home automation system, with prices ranging as high as $15,000 to install a hard-wired system. While outfitting your home with a full suite of smart home technology can be pricey and intimidating, there are some smaller ways you can start to incorporate this all-the-rage trend into your abode.

Smart home automation deals with syncing household devices and systems with schedules or responsive sensors, says HomeAdvisor, which means that smart home technology is dependent upon smartphone apps and wireless internet routers. The goal is to save on costs, and add convenience and security throughout your home.

A good place to start is with your thermostat. A variety of smart thermostats are available, allowing you to automate and control your homes temperature from your smartphone. Some, like Nest, learn your habits throughout the day and set the temperature accordingly.

You might also want to consider a smart television. An evolution of the Roku and Apple TV external devices, smart televisions have integrated everything you could ever want right into your set – Netflix, Hulu, YouTube, HBO Go, Pandora, network TV, gaming and much more.

Another great feature to consider is smart shades or blinds. These programmable, remote-controlled window coverings allow you to schedule open-and-close times in conjunction with the rooms exposure, putting you in control of energy saving and setting the mood.

Speaking of setting the mood, a whole host of smart light dimmers give you the option to control the lights in your home from your smartphone. This is an especially useful security feature while youre away from your home for extended periods of time.

Another great security option is smart smoke and carbon monoxide detectors”this technology alerts you to not only what the problem is but within which part of your home its happening.

While the smart home technology options are endless and fascinating, keep in mind that they are internet dependent, so if your home goes offline, so will your devices.

Like this update? As your local real estate professional, I can provide more great tips like this and answer any real estate information questions you may have. Contact me today!

Published with permission from RISMedia.

Published with permission from RISMedia.