Architectural styles often reflect a buyer's personal taste—and budget. Styles that resonate with the most people have higher potential for appreciation.

Homes in modern and contemporary styles are popular especially among young buyers. They are known for their simple, geometric shapes, large windows that fill the space with natural light, and a harmonious blend of interior design with the surrounding landscape. Plus, more recently constructed modern homes tend to be more energy efficient. They appreciate at about 7.7% annually.

"Traditional" generally refers to homes with classic designs like simple roof lines and symmetrical windows, along with a welcoming front porch, and often cozy fireplaces. Homes of this kind appreciate at 5.6% a year.

Niche traditional styles, like Craftsman bungalows and Victorians, may appeal to history buffs, but tend to leave regular buyers unimpressed. The responsibility of maintaining a vintage abode can be huge.  The Craftsman style is defined by its low-pitched, gabled roofs, exposed wooden structural elements, and most importantly, hand-crafted woodwork. A Craftsman home isn't cheap to come by—and has not seen rapid growth recently, at only 3.7% a year.  Victorian-style homes, famous for their elaborate decorative trim, came out last in annual appreciation rates, at 2.2%.

How do you make a small space look bigger? Knock down some walls and open it up! Homes with open floor plans appreciate 7.4% a year.  The great thing about an open plan is its flexibility. People of all ages enjoy having a larger space for entertaining. Parents can safely watch their 3-year-old play while preparing a meal in the kitchen area. Older people who have mobility issues find it easier with fewer twisting corridors to navigate.

And to bridge the indoor and outdoor spaces, a patio is also a worthwhile investment. Homes with a patio appreciate 6.8% a year.
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Some HGTV bywords, like stainless steel appliances and granite countertops, have surprisingly little impact on price appreciation—3% and 2.5% respectively. Yet, they do create more interest among buyers and help your home sell faster.

Multiple bedrooms have fallen out of favor now that Americans are having fewer kids.  So, what would you do with those extra rooms, anyway?

Homes with five bedrooms appreciate at only 4.3% a year, far lower than the national average of 6.3%. Meanwhile, a cute two-bedroom home appreciates by 6.6%.
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So converting a garage into a bedroom probably isn't worthwhile, especially since this is one area where people do want a little more room. Two-car garages are still the gold standard, offering the highest annual growth, at 6.4%. It makes perfect sense, considering that an average American household in 2016 had 1.9 cars, according to Nielsen Pop-Facts® Demographics. A one-car garage comes in next, at 6%, while three-car garages—a luxury amenity—appreciate at just 3.8%.

Will a bigger or smaller abode appreciate most in a few years?
Small is so big right now!

You may dream of walk-in closets, a roomy master bedroom, and a three-car garage, but bigger isn't always better. Turns out the smallest homes actually appreciate the fastest: Homes of less than 1,200 square feet have appreciated at 7.5% a year for the past five years. Meanwhile, homes larger than 2,400 square feet only inched up 3.8% a year.

The demand for smaller homes is driven by the two largest and most influential groups of buyers: millennials and baby boomers. Millennials are entering the market hungry for more affordable starter homes, and boomers are seeking to downsize.

Yet the supply of smaller homes is limited—housing developers still prefer to focus on the high-end market, so they can get more bang for their buck. Furthermore, those who own smaller abodes aren't trading up quickly enough to meet market demand.  Because the market [for smaller homes] is tighter, prices tend to increase more quickly.

Inventory is still low!  The colder weather appears to be holding back the spring market. Yet, there are qualified buyers still lined up to buy.  Nice homes that are priced right are selling in a matter of seconds with multiple offers.
 
For buyers, rates have gone up overall this year and are now holding around 4.25 to 4.5.

• The average 30-year fixed-mortgage rate is 4.27 percent. A month ago, the average rate on a 30-year fixed mortgage was higher, at 4.30 percent.
• The average 15-year fixed-mortgage rate is 3.69 percent.

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So, if you are a buyer, now is a great time to buy, while interest rates are still low!  Just a small increase in the rate can mean a higher mortgage payment.  Why not save that money, or better yet, use it and pay a little more money each month towards the principal of the loan and get it paid off early!
 
If you are thinking about selling, our next home selling seminar will be on May 17, at the Lower Southampton Library at 6:30.  

​I have a lot of clients ask me,  "Should I invest in Central air, will it increase my home value?"  And my answer is YES!  Most buyers today search exclusively for homes with central air.   When I sit down to do a needs analysis consultation with a buyer, 9 times out of 10 they put in their search criteria - Central air.  So, if your home doesn't have central air, you maybe losing a large pool of buyers.  

If your home doesn’t have central air, it won’t even come up in many buyer’s searches.  We talk at our home selling seminars about creating demand to net the most for the home. To create demand for the home you have to get the most buyers interested as possible.  So adding central air will increase demand for your home which will in turn increase your sales price! 

So it is well worth it!  If you are interested in selling in the future and want to net the most, come out to our next educational home selling seminar - 5/17/18 at the Lower Southampton Library in Feasterville at 6:30pm

If you have a topic you would like us to cover, let us know. 

One of your best return on investments with your home is your curb appeal.   Your front door enhances your curb appeal.
 
After all, the front door is one of the very first features that every potential buyer sees. Interestingly, not all door colors fare equally well when it comes to fetching a good price. Zillow found in their 2017 Paint Color Analysis that on average, doors painted in shades of blue or gray -- ranging from navy to pearl -- sold for $1,514 more than other color choices. 
 
Then there is always advice from Feng Shui
Feng shui says that each direction is associated with an element, which will guide you in selecting the best paint shade.
 
North’s element is water, making a blue or black door ideal. South is associated with fire, which is nourished by red, pink, purple, and orange hues. East's is wood, suggesting greens and browns. A westward-facing entrance has metal as its element and white and gray as recommended door colors.
 
If you live in a condo community or within a homeowners association don’t forget to check your regulations!

When it comes to creating outdoor use-able space, there are so many different options out there, but for a majority of homeowners, it always comes down deciding between either a deck or a patio.   So which is the right choice for you and your home? Here are my top deciding factors for each:

Decks
• According to the Gallop Organization a good deck can increase a home’s perceived value by up to 10 percent by increasing the available living space.
• When it comes to costs, decks will always be the less expensive option.
•Installation is also a big benefit for choosing a deck. The way a deck is built allows you more creativity in location. The actual structure is built above the ground. This means that tree roots, wet ground, even big slopes can be easily overcome without adding significant expenses.
• Traditionally, the lifespan of a wood structure is about seven-eight years if its not cared for. This average is getting longer with more options coming into the market like composites and all-weather stains.

Patios
• Patios reign supreme when it comes to home Return-On-Investment (ROI) with a perceived increased value of up to 12 percent according to Gallop.
• While patios may be a large initial investment, a well-built patio can exceed 25 years with no maintenance, holding its value for the entire time.
• Originally, patios were limited to flat surfaces, but with new retaining walls and multi-level systems, patios can now tackle almost any front or backyard situation.
• Visually, patios offer one design element that makes them very desirable. Patios can be built flush to the ground. If you have basement windows, you get to keep natural light that could be lost with other structures.

At the end of the day, both of these selections have fantastic merits. When faced with making a choice, homeowners need to understand that creating use-able space outdoors is by far one of the smartest renovating decisions they can make.
Way the pros and cons of each option, but feel confident that investing in the outdoors is not only good for your family, its good for your largest asset; your home.

Have a topic you would like to learn more about? Let us know.  

Coming Soon!...April 2, 2018!  To learn more about this home or to schedule a tour in advance, please call 215-757-7257 or email us at: TheSwainTeam@gmail.com.

​Tucked away in lovely Bensalem Village, you are going to love this well maintained townhome! The first floor boasts a laundry room with storage, powder room, eat in kitchen, living room and dining room. Exit onto a large deck through the newer sliding glass door with blinds between the glass. The home is ideally located with no homes in the rear. Sit and relax as you enjoy your morning coffee on the deck. Upstairs hosts the spacious master bedroom with it's master bathroom is a great place to escape at the end of the day. The master bathroom is sure to please with granite, ceramic tile floor, newer cabinetry, shower with framless glass door, subway tile and more!  The second floor also features two additional bedrooms and a hall bath. The third floor offers additional living space or a bedroom.  The finished basement is another living space area that also comes with additional storage. In addition to all of the homes features, enjoy all that Bensalem Village has to offer with it's pool, clubhouse, playground, basketball court, tennis courts and so much more. Easy commute to all major thoroughfares, shopping, and restaurants. There's something for everyone. Come enjoy both the benefits of home ownership, and the maintenance free lifestyle this home offers! 

​Coming Soon!...April 2!