Colorado Springs Vintage Homes Blog
719.287.1049
Kitchens are #1 for buyers
What do homebuyers want?
Related Articles:
The following was provided by AVID Ratings Co., a firm that provides surveys and employee training to home builders across the United States 
and Canada. They conducted this annual survey of home buyer preference at the 2010 International Builders Conference in Las Vegas. Definitely includes some interesting insights:
- Large kitchen with an island — no surprise to me that this is #1 on the list
- Also, some of the top kitchen and bath trends according to a designer survey conducted by the National Kitchen & Bath Association include cherry as the top choice for kitchen cabinets, ceramic and porcelain tile for the flooring, under-counter refrigeration, and flexible faucets.
- Energy efficient appliances and energy efficient windows
- Home office/study – I wonder if this has more and more to do with people working at home, vs. commuting to an office
- Main Floor master suite — Is this a result of the baby boomer population aging?
- Outdoor living room – One of my personal favorites
The other top 10 features included Ceiling Fans (I found this one surprising to be included on the list), master suite soaker tubs, stone and brick exteriors, two-car garage, and community amenities.
If you enjoyed reading this article, why not Subscribe to be notified of the next one?
Kathy (719-287-1049) KTorline@msn.com
Colorado Springs home Improvement — it’s all about the windows
Windows
Colorado Home Improvement Part I
With a major snowstorm in the works in Colorado, I thought it may be a good time to talk about windows — as they are an investment in your home. If you are considering purchasing new windows, here are some ideas and tips you might consider:
Reasons to replace: If your house has ugly, older aluminum, steel or cheap warn wood windows, replacing your windows can definitely enhance your home as well as provide a major energy savings. There may also be all types of other reasons you want to replace them …….if you only have single pane windows …… if they are cracked ……..if the seals are broken ……. if you can feel a cool breeze around them.
In the Colorado Springs area, there were may houses that were built in the 80’s that included lower quality wood windows. When you look at these homes now, many of the the windows don’t slide open, and the wood has warped; hence some of the seals are broken. I can’t imagine they are very energy efficient. All good reasons to look into replacing them. Also, some studies show that 25% to 40% of the heat in your house could be reduced with a window replacement.
Materials: There are many, many different options including wood, clad wood windows (wood on the inside and vinyl or aluminum on the outside), vinyl windows, aluminum windows, and steel windows. Each type has different benefits and costs associated with them. Read the rest of this entry »
Colorado Homeowners, don’t remodel until you read this!
Get a Free Market Analysis on your Home, Email KTorline@msn.com or call 719-287-1049
I
f you’re thinking about doing a little work on your home, make sure you understand the VALUE it will add to your house. There are many reasons to improve your Colorado Home, but don’t expect to get dollar for dollar back on your home improvements costs. One of the most important articles to read is published by Remodeling, as they put together a great report called Remodeling Cost vs Value Report 2008.
As mentioned by the article, despite home price drops in many cities, including cities in Colorado, remodeling projects are holding their own as a way for homeowners to add value.
What I really liked about the article is that it broke things down by regions instead of grouping everyone together. We all know that things cost different prices in different areas, so this was a plus.
According to the information on the web site: Read the rest of this entry »
