Scottsdale Real Estate Blog - Judy Orr

5 Interior Design Styles From Around the World

This has been a fun post to create. I love home decorating (especially my home in Scottsdale), and I've always loved exotic decor. I suppose my favorite style of the five below would be #1, but #2 is interesting. My least favorite is #4, which many people are aiming for today. That would be followed by #5. And I do like the photo depicting #3, and would love to see more decor in that style. I'm not sure just looking at one photo of a particular style is fully representative of that particular area's decor.

1. Moroccan Style

Many ethnic groups have called Morocco home. Their various influences merged into a dazzling, distinctive style of decor. From Ancient Rome comes the craft of tile-making. Vividly colored ceramic tile mosaics are a Moroccan…

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Things To Prepare When Planning Your First Move

Everyone has at least experienced how to move once in their life. And in such a case, planning every aspect of the relocation seems to be a daunting task. With all the scheduling, coordinating, and packing you’ll need to accomplish over the next few weeks, it can be easy to get overly stressed and anxious. If you’re a starter, you may not know where to start and what to do precisely.

To get all things done without losing your mind, here are the things to prepare when you’re planning your first move.

1. Calculation of moving costs

The first thing in your checklist should be the calculation of moving costs and the setting up of your budget. While most people who are moving don’t really feel like creating a budget, you should understand that…

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5 Strategies to Enhance Your Scottsdale Home Security

Optimizing security must be a priority for a homeowner. Of course, the immediate purpose behind optimizing home security is to protect and keep a family safe and secure. In addition, a comprehensive approach to home security can also enhance the market appeal of a residence if put on the market for sale. There are five key strategies to consider when it comes to the enhancement of home security in the 21st century.

1. Security Cameras

Tremendous advancements have been made in regard to home security cameras. In addition, the cost associated with security cameras suitable for the exterior of a residence has dropped significantly in recent years. In other words, this type of equipment has become markedly affordable for homeowners working within…

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3 Phases to Efficiently and Affordably Prepare a Hoarder’s Home for the Market

Following is another guest post from author Jessica Kane

There is nearly always work that must be done to a home to prepare it for sale and the marketplace. Even if nothing else, some coordinated staging needs to be undertaken to make the interior appealing to prospective buyers. Some effort may be needed to up the curb appeal of a property to garner a prospective buyer’s attention in the first instance. Unfortunately, there are especially challenging situations in which a property needs more than the normal amount of work to get it into a condition suitable for sale. One such circumstance is when hoarding has occurred in the residence.

What most people know about hoarding they’ve gleaned from media reports or perhaps one or another of the…

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Moving Tips: How to Ensure That Your Valuables are Safe During Your Move

Moving all your possessions from your old Scottsdale house to a new one can be emotionally and physically stressful. From deciding which item should be put in one box to ensuring all valuable items are safe and secured, everything involves careful planning and preparation. When it comes to your belongings’ security, steps should also be taken throughout the move.

If you want to guarantee the safety and integrity of your belongings during your move, here are a few tips to consider from the get-go.

1. Make an inventory of your items

The first step is to come up with a detailed inventory of all the things you currently own. Prepare a spreadsheet and list down the quantity, description, and photos of all your valuables. Having an inventory…

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Restoring a Residence to Livability: Biohazard Remediation Following a Tragedy

Not all articles and blog posts directly relevant to preparing a home for sale are bright and happy presentations. The grim reality is that tragic events and challenging situations arise when it comes to residential property that must be frankly discussed. This is one of those times. Through this discussion, you are provided important information and necessary strategies to restore a residence to livability (and salability) in the aftermath of a tragic event or ongoing situation that existed on the premises for an extended period of time.

Examples of Traumatic Events and Other Challenges in Residential Property

Typically, when a person makes the decision of putting a residence on the market for sale, the overriding issues include making certain…

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Top 8 Home Design and Remodeling Trends for 2019

If you’re a current homeowner, or in the market to buy, you’re probably curious about the latest trends in home design. We can't constantly keep changing everything in our homes, but it's fun to see what's trending now.

Sellers who make strategic updates before listing a Scottsdale home for sale can generate increased interest from buyers and, in some cases, a premium selling price. And buyers should consider which features of a home will need updating immediately (or in the near future) so they can factor renovation costs into their overall budget. We will be selling our home next year and we're working on updates now.

Even if you have no immediate plans to buy or sell, we advise our clients to be thoughtful about the colors, materials, and…

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6 Strategies to get Your Scottsdale Home Ready to Sell

Following is a guest post written by Jessica Kane

If you are contemplating placing your home on the market for sale in the not-too-distant future, you certainly want to make sure that your residence is in the best possible position to attract prospective buyers. With that in mind, here are six strategies you should consider implementing as part of preparing your residence for the marketplace.

Update the Tile

An important factor that you need to bear in mind is that bathrooms are key focal points for people who are looking to buy a home. Therefore, when it comes to preparing your home for sale, you do need to pay particular attention to your bathrooms.

If you are like many homeowners, your bathrooms may be in need of a facelift. Specifically,…

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What is the Forecast for Scottsdale Real Estate in 2019?

We're just starting the new year of 2019, and those of us thinking of buying and/or selling Scottsdale real estate this year are probably wondering what the new year will bring.  This will give you an idea of what your current Scottsdale home might be worth and what you'll be paying for your next place.

What is the prediction for Scottsdale real estate prices?

The news is positive.  Freddie Mac predicts housing prices will increase by 4.3 percent in 2019.  That might seem low to you, but it is an average national increase, and more popular areas, like Scottsdale, could see higher numbers.

Since we're planning on moving in the future (probably next year), we are keeping a closer than normal eye on Scottsdale home prices.  It's interesting how…

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6 Tips for Selling Your Scottsdale Home

Below you'll see a quick video showing 6 tips for selling your Scottsdale home (or a home in any area), and I'd like to add, selling it for top dollar.  That was the mantra when we sold our prior home.  I would say to my adult children, keep your bedrooms (and the house) clean so we can get top dollar!  We made a joke about it.  But it's true.

Today's Scottsdale home buyers are extremely picky.  With flip homes as competition in most price ranges, you might be competing with almost "like-new" places.  Many buyers want a home in move-in condition.  They don't want to have to paint or change the old carpet or remove dated wallpaper.  Wallpaper tried making a comeback, but it really isn't working.  Many buyers will accept a smaller floorplan in a clean,…

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