Slate Interiors will be having a Gallery Crawl this Friday, June 3rd from 5pm to 8pm. I absolutely ADORE Slate Interiors and have already been there at least a half dozen times since they opened. I even got a gift card there for Mother's Day! The decor and artwork they've got is amazing and the prices are even better (drum lights for $75, antique furniture pieces from $250-$700, handcrafted pillows for less than $30).

• Furniture
• Original Artwork
• Lamp shades
• Pillows
• Antiques
• Desks
• Garden furniture

Charlotte is fast becoming an artist hub along the east coast to meet and exchange styles. This Friday you can enjoy drinks while browsing Slate Interiors wide selection of fine furniture, interior design ideas and gallery style artwork. Becky Miller will be the featured artist for the gallery crawl and there will be plenty of art pieces on display for your enjoyment.


Becky Miller is a North Carolina native and this is what she has to say about her artwork:

"I am drawn to paint, its properties and the physical act of painting, with an affinity to large-scale work. Painting large is my way of capturing the content of the work, as I tend to see it…bigger than life.

Inspiration for my work is both intentional and a response to the very act of painting itself. I find troweling plaster, pastes and other media on canvas and wood exciting and refreshing raw surfaces from which the process of paint to canvas then moves quickly…uncertain of the actual outcome."


 


Be sure to check out the Gallery Crawl this Friday, June 3rd at Slate Interiors.

Tip: Leave kids at home when shopping at Slate Interiors. You'll want to spend at least 45 minutes perusing and no child under 12 that I've ever met is capable of handling that. :)

I thought it'd be fun to highlight all of my buyers as they make new purchases...they're all so fabulous, how could I resist? It'll be a great way to share their experiences and maybe teach a thing or two along the way...

This adorable bungalow is located in Plaza Midwood. Jayson wanted to come back to Midwood; he'd previously lived on Chambwood years back and loved it.

This time around, he's got his two adorable kids with him. When I went over to the house about 2 weeks after closing, both kids were playing with neighbors...they'd made friends!!!



What Jayson learned from this experience:

-Shop until you find what you want; don't settle. We looked at about 20 homes, and while Jayson was anxious to move into "the" house, he waited until he had "that" feeling upon crossing the threshold.

-Pay a fair market price. This home was priced well (thank you, Jeff King). Instead of "low-balling" the sellers, Jayson offered what was fair and comparable. He purchased the home for $5,000 less than asking price. The nice thing about this is that seller's are more willing to do repairs, buy your home warranty, and generally "make nice" with you throughout the process. They even left him a toy box and some other personal property that Jayson had his eye on. Jayson wanted the home at a fair price, he wasn't trying to take advantage of a down market.

-Get an inspection! The house was in great condition but the inspection brought up some minor things that left unnoticed could have cost Jayson much more money in the long run. This way, the sellers came out of pocket about $500 and saved Jayson thousands in the coming years.

-Have a house-warming party. A great way to celebrate your purchase with your new neighbors. When I was leaving his house, a neighbor came over with some clothes that her older son had outgrown and she wanted to give them to Jayson's son. I know for a fact Jayson is loving his purchase even more now that he's made some great friends and neighbors who will support him when his lawnmower breaks down or he's out of sugar. :)



Happy House-Hunting!...and congrats, Jayson!

This year, Midwood friends wanted to share the spirit. Adorable invites were sent out that made you feel all warm and fuzzy inside for living in such an amazing neighborhood.
Bring: Yard gloves and strands of lights
Provided: Instructions on how to make, chicken wire, beer

It was a blast. Check out some of the fun:
 



 

I know that, at first glance, this info can look sort of useless-but, if you look closely, you'll see how valuable it can be. Read on if you're selling your home. Or if you're buying, but not exactly sure what you should be looking for. The facts below might just give you a clue into what buyers these days are thinking, wanting, needing:

• 85% of homes have either a porch, deck, or patio. If you're thinking about it: expand outward!
• Interior fireplaces are not as hot (no pun intended) as they used to be; only 1/3 of homes have a working fireplace. However, put a fireplace outside (see above), and you will be the coolest patio on the block!
• Most popular floor plan is the ranch. The days of the McMansions may be over: last year ranch homes accounted for 47% of new single-family home sales.
• Having a floor plan where the master is separated from the other bedrooms seems to be another popular floor plan choice.
• Most homes today have at least 6 rooms: at least 3 bedrooms and at least 2 bathrooms
• Average property size in 1973 was .36 acres. Today, the average property lot size is .27 acres
• Census Bureau research shows that homes built in 2009 were nearly 100 square feet smaller than the average home two years earlier.

All info above was gathered from the 2010 American Housing Survey, a biannual survey completed by HUD (Housing and Urban Development) and may help be your beacon as you think about what's important when you're selling your home:


How does your home stack up to the current data found by HUD?

If you'd like me to come by and share my thoughts on how functional your floor plan is or which updates are more important, email me and I'm happy to come out.

Here's an opportunity to view some great homes:


-Carbon Monoxide & fire alarms
-Neighborhood Sidewalks
-Walkability


To see these homes before the big event (for a sneak preview!) email me at sarah@sarahmartinhomes.com




Happy Shopping!

Clients who are looking for homes and also have children seem to always put "close to a park" or "within walking distance to _______" high on their list. It's important for parents of this generation to be able to take life slowly when they choose to by taking a stroll to the park or getting out of the house without getting into the car. I think it's our desire to go back to the days when our parents (or grandparents) walked to school and church (in the snow, of course) or when we were allowed to ride our bikes around the neighborhood (without having to bring a cell phone in case of an emergency). I've put together a list of neighborhoods and the parks nearby and another list of 'hoods with markets, restaurants, or shops nearby. Hopefully the list will help you narrow in on which 'hood offers the most for you and your family:

"Walkability" sounds like a test the pediatrician is going to ask your toddler to perform, yet it's just another housing list that Charlotte tops-once again. Hooray!


Here's a snippet from the study:
"More than just a pleasant amenity, the walkability of cities translates directly into increases in home values. Homes located in more walkable neighborhoods—those with a mix of common daily shopping and social destinations within a short distance—command a price premium over otherwise similar homes in less walkable areas. Houses with the above-average levels of walkability command a premium of about $4,000 to $34,000 over houses with just average levels of walkability in the typical metropolitan areas studied."


As a mom, being able to walk to the grocery, to work, the gym, the park, to shops is a great "plus". Mom & kids get to experience a little fresh air, get some exercise, and mingle with the neighbors. It brings about that American charm most homeowners are looking for these days. Whether you're in a downtown area or in a suburb, being able to walk to and fro from your fave spots draws positive attention. Don't you "ooo and ahh" when you drive through a neighborhood that has sidewalks? Or feel proud of your fellow citizens when you see them hoofing it from home in their suits, paired with sneakers, of course, walking briskly towards the office? Being able to walk to your errands means fewer lifts of the blasted car seat in and out of the back seat (which cannot be good for our backs), shedding a few extra pounds, and getting to know your neighbors.


Top Charlotte Neighborhoods with the Walkability Factor:

• Dilworth
• NoDa
• Eastover
• Plaza-Midwood
• South End
• Elizabeth
• Chantilly
• Uptown
• Commonwealth

Other cities that topped the Study:

• Dallas
• Chicago
• Washington, DC
• San Francisco
• Seattle
• Austin

Click Here for the Full Report






Happy Walking, Charlotte!