Pro Or DIY: Questions To Ask Yourself Before You Start A Remodel

Summer is one of the best times of the year for renovation and remodeling projects when you're getting ready to put your house on the market. But before you pick up that sledgehammer to start taking out those old cabinets, it might be a good idea to hit the pause button. First, ask yourself whether it's best to DIY or hire a professional for the job. Those Youtube tutorials may make your DIY project look easy, but you don’t want to ruin your home by biting off more than you can chew.

You don't need to hire a contractor for every renovation job you do, especially if the project is small. But how do you know for sure when it's best to call someone else or when to pull on your safety goggles and save some money?

Here are a few key questions to ask yourself when you're not sure if your remodel requires an experienced set of hands.

Do you have all the tools you need for your project?

One important thing to remember when you plan to DIY a project is that your main goal is to save money. You won't be saving money if you need to invest in a series of expensive tools and equipment to DIY your remodel. You may want to have a machinist tool box for your upcoming project.

That said, when you're still in the planning stages of your remodel, make sure that you're considering every material and tool you might need and the cost of that material. Do you need specialized drills or flexible graphite, which is 95% carbon? Or do you just need a good saw and some new hardware?

If you need more expensive materials or equipment, it may be in your best interest to contact a professional to do the job for you. This way, you're only paying for the contractor's services instead of paying for all of the equipment, which you might not use again.

However, if the materials you're using are inexpensive or you plan on using the equipment you're purchasing again in the future, it might not be a bad idea to DIY your project. Just be sure to do the calculations and compare them with your budget before making your final decision.

Does your remodeling project require specific skills?

Approximately 50% of the world's steel is used for buildings, and you don't necessarily need a degree in engineering to use steel in a remodel if you're going for an industrial design.

However, you might need professional assistance if you want the steel you're using to look a certain way. For instance, powder coating is a popular dry finishing process that represents 15% of the industrial finishing market. Powder coating provides both protection and decoration for steel and other metals.

The same is true for wood materials. You can stain wood cabinets yourself during a kitchen remodel. But if you're looking to paint your cabinets, it might be a good idea to have a professional do the job to avoid any mishaps that might make a potential buyer think twice. After all, 8% of consumers said they "caused damage to my home" as the result of their DIY home improvement projects. In this situation, it’s far better to find a reliable, professional home remodeler to give you the quality and expert finish you’re looking for without causing any damage. 

Do you have the energy to take on a remodeling project?

Once you've established the materials, equipment, and skills you need for the project you've decided to take on, it's important to ask yourself whether you have the energy to do it. This might sound like an odd question, but there's a reason why millennials are more likely to take on a DIY project.

Just one hour of moderate intense exercise such as martial arts can burn up to 500 calories. If you can handle the sweat, you can take on a remodeling project by yourself, with a partner, or with friends and family.

However, if you're on a time crunch for selling your home or you don't have a lot of energy to do the project yourself when you get home from work, it might be a better idea to contact a contractor.

There are many factors to consider when deciding whether to DIY a home project or to hire a professional. But ultimately, the decision comes down to your budget, your schedule, and your capabilities. Small renovations that are on the cheap can easily be done on your own, but be careful with larger and more complicated projects.

How A Destin Real Estate Company Can Help Sell Your Home Fast

With the number of individuals and companies selling their homes in Destin, standing out from the competition can be hard. This is especially true if you don’t have any experience in selling your home. However, all is not lost—there are several Destin real estate companies that can help you sell your home fast. 

The Martineau Group is just one of the real estate companies that you can find in Destin. Once you tap their help, you’ll be able to find potential buyers and earn a sale in the fastest way possible. Here’s how they do it:

1.    Real Estate Companies Have The Necessary Experience And Education

Regardless of how affordable or spacious your home is, don’t expect that buyers will immediately flock to you once you post an ad online. Selling a home and getting buyers for it isn’t that easy. If you don’t have the time and interest to learn the ropes of the real estate industry, work with a real estate company. These companies employ professionals who have studied and trained on how to effectively sell houses. Some of these people have even spent most of their lives mastering their profession. You can never be at par with their knowledge and skills, no matter how many tutorial videos you’ve watched online. 

2.    Real Estate Companies Can Provide Price Guidance 

Pricing your home can be very tricky. If you price your home too low, you’ll end up losing money instead of earning. If you price it too high, you won’t be able to attract buyers. To ensure that you’ll price your home just right, choose to hire a real estate company. Aside from their experience and skills, real estate companies can price your home according to the market supply, expectations of the real estate market, and buyers’ demands. This information will ensure that both the parties involved (buyer and seller) can benefit from the price of the house without compromising the other. 

3.    Real Estate Companies Can Handle Volumes Of Paperwork

There are a lot of requirements to be accomplished once you decide to sell your house. For starters, you have to come up with a purchase agreement, which can be about at least ten pages. You also have to prepare disclosures required by your government and state. Failure to comply with any of these documents can result in fines and even legal responsibilities. You can steer away from this direction by working with real estate companies. They will manage all the paperwork required when you’re selling a house. This means that they will know what requirements are needed, to what office should this be submitted, and what paperwork should be prioritized. 

4.    Real Estate Companies Can Assess Which Parts Should Be Repaired In Your Home 

You can’t remember when your roof was installed, but since it still protects your home from harsh weather conditions, you don’t mind having it replaced. The same notion applies to your garage doors and windows. Since all of these are still functional, you didn’t bother changing these before selling your home. This is something which a real estate company can help you with. They can assess the condition of your house and pinpoint which areas should be repaired in order to increase your home’s value. With this information, it’ll be easy for you to make your house attractive to potential buyers and increase its curb appeal without wasting time and money. You won’t have to guess which amenities should you change or improve, all thanks to the advice you can get from a real estate company.

5.    Real Estate Companies Can Offer Objective Negotiations 

If you’re going to sell your house on your own, you’ll likely be persuaded by buyers who want to haggle for a cheaper price. More often than not, you’ll come across buyers who will tell you how important it is for their family to own a house, but they don’t have enough money to actually afford it. And because you’re only a human being, you can easily be tempted to say “yes” to whatever price they might negotiate with you. Sure, giving in to their price might help you fulfill a family’s dream, but it can also mean a loss on your part as a seller. You can prevent this from happening once you work with a real estate company. Real estate companies know how to be objective so you’ll end up having the best price for your house. 

Work With The Pros

A real estate company, no matter where you are in the world, can help make your job as a seller a lot easier. They have been in the industry for years so you can guarantee that they know what to do (and not to do) in order to sell a house fast. Make sure that you only work with a real estate company that has a proven track record in your area and knows how to take care of you as a customer. 

Have a listing you think should be featured contact us or email at Jeremy@offthemrkt.com to tell us more! Follow Off The MRKT on Twitter and Instagram, and like us on Facebook.

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The 4 Hidden Costs of Home Ownership

Buying a home is one of the largest financial decisions a person will make in their lives, which means when you're finally purchasing a home of your own, you want to be absolutely sure you're making the right call. Not every first-time home buyer realizes, however, that the listing price is usually far lower than what they'll end up paying for the home by the closing date, and that's without even considering later expenses. Be on the lookout for these hidden costs and fees when you're purchasing your home to make sure you're getting the best possible deal on your real estate purchase.

Community Costs

When your real estate agent tells you that location matters significantly, there's a good reason for it. Not all neighborhoods have the same costs associated with living in them, even if they might be incredibly similar in every other respect. U.S. homeowners paid approximately $88 billion in assessments toward community associations in 2016. Check before you fully close on your home of choice to see if there are any home ownership associations or community associations in your area; it's possible you could end up on the hook for fees and costs associated with them. If you're looking to avoid these costs, consider looking at a home nearby that isn't technically within the bounds of a more expensive neighborhood.

Material Matters

Believe it or not, the materials your future home is built out of could impact the cost you pay, even if you're not purchasing a new construction home. Remember that all material types have costs in some capacity, whether you're paying them directly or not. A study conducted by Architecture and Design reports that 16% of all the fossil fuel consumed annually is converted into concrete, steel, aluminum and brick building materials. On the opposite end, wood reduces its carbon footprint. Consider what you're willing to pay for when it comes to your home and its materials - more eco-friendly materials might come at a premium, but if that's a priority for you, it could be worth the cost.

Remembering Repairs

Even if you think your home is in perfect, move-in ready condition, you'll likely find a few small fixes and repairs that will cost you a bit of extra cash once you've moved in and settled. For example, when you're moving in at first, you might notice that the bathroom needs a bit of work - nothing too big, just some tile repairs and a leaky faucet. These two small items can end up costing more than you might think. If you're planning on purchasing tiles, be sure to budget for extra. When laying tiles, it's important to factor in an extra 10% of materials to account for trimming and waste. Likewise, that small leak will end up costing more the longer you let it sit unaddressed. 10% of U.S. households have leaks in their plumbing that can waste up to 90 gallons of water per day. Be ready to spend some extra money once you first move in to address these smaller issues that will end up adding up.

Taxes, Taxes, Taxes

Last, but certainly not least, are the costs that you'll end up paying in property taxes for your new home. Taxes will vary by state, county, city, and individual property, so it can be hard to account for your increased taxes leading up to your home's purchase. Do what you can to research your local taxes before you commit to a purchase, or you could end up with a surprisingly large amount of money to pay later.

Real estate comes with plenty of extra hidden costs associated with it, and lots of them can be difficult to account for earlier on. However, using this list as a guideline can help you adjust your budget to avoid expensive mistakes later on in your home buying process.