While the average family isn’t going to wind up on reality TV’s Hoarders, studies show that Americans have more clutter than anyone else in the world. One interesting statistic showing this is that while the US only has 3.1% of the world’s children, it consumes 40% of the world’s toys.

This is just one market, so you can imagine how much Americans buy in other, more essential areas. If you’re someone who wants to clean up your life a little bit, you likely have thought about installing more shelving into your home. Still, knowing exactly how to create shelving space to clear up clutter is a challenge.

Here, we’re going to give you some awesome shelving ideas to make sure each room in your house is neat and tidy.

For the Bedroom

Having a cluttered bedroom isn’t a fun experience. How can you be expected to relax when clothes and books are strewn everywhere? You can’t.

If you have books or trinkets that you want on display or to have easy access to, one unique way you can shelve items is by color. Rainbow bookshelves are all the rage right now, and why wouldn’t they? They’re art in and of themselves!

For the Bathroom

In the bathroom, there are some items you may not want on display. We get it! From medication to menstrual products, the bathroom is a place that we keep some of the most private essentials in our lives.

Consider creating shelving space within a cabinet to store- and hide- these items. Keeping them covered will clear up clutter while preserving your privacy.

For the Kitchen

One of the coolest kitchen shelving trends is installing hanging hooks onto the wall or the bottoms of shelves. It’s cheap, easy, and requires basically no work, so there’s no reason not to look into it.

You can use these hooks to hang kitchen essentials like pots, pans, and stirring spoons. This makes them not only look organized but allows you to have easy access to whatever you might need while cooking.

For Your Living Space

Your living room is another area that you’re going to want to install shelves. Think about the things you use most and shelve them by your seating area. This will give you easy access. 

On the other hand, you can shelve things that you use less often behind other items. This will clear up space and present a clearer picture to anyone who walks into your home.

This is, even more, the case if you decide you ever want to sell or rent out your house. A real estate company wants to see that your home is neat and tidy before engaging with potential buyers. Start de-cluttering now in case you may do this in the future.

More Shelving Ideas

While organizing can be difficult, it’s crucial to living a comfortable life. Shelving helps by getting things you don’t need out of the way, reducing clutter, and preventing you from losing things.

Now that you have some great shelving ideas for the most essential rooms in your home, check out the ‘about us’ section on our page! Here, you’ll learn a little about the knowledgeable professionals that can help you during any remodeling process.

Good luck!

The average time it takes to sell a home is about 68 days. 

For some people, it takes much longer, while for others, it takes much shorter. 

While the time it takes to sell a home can come down to luck, oftentimes, it has a lot more to do with how you prep your home for the sale. 

By doing the appropriate home prep, you’ll be much more likely to make a quick (and profitable) sale. 

But, what exactly do you need to do to get your home ready to sell? 

Check out this guide to learn the top things that will make your home sell fast. 

1. Find a Great Real Estate Agent 

Selling your home on your own is always an option. However, if you’re looking to sell your home quickly, hiring a real estate agent is the best way to go. 

Unless you really know what you’re doing, selling your home will almost always end in disaster. And, you’ll likely end up losing a lot of time and money in the process. 

That being said, you shouldn’t just hire the first real estate agent you come across on Google. 

Instead, make sure to do your research and find a highly-qualified agent who’s extremely familiar with the area you’re selling in. 

Also, make sure the agent you hire has excellent communication skills and is someone you actually like working with. You may be working with your agent for several months or more, so it’s important to hire someone you can trust. 

2. Make Small Repairs 

Yes, making repairs that you’re not going to benefit from can feel like a huge pain and even a waste of time. 

However, these small repairs can really make all the difference when it comes to selling your home. Plus, there are a lot of small repairs that you can do yourself and that won’t eat up a lot of time or money. These include:

• Fixing leaky faucets
• Fixing running toilets
• Repairing and repainting walls
• Repairing damaged window screens
• Replacing burnt-out lightbulbs
• Repairing grout
• Replacing caulking in the bathroom

As you can see, nothing on this list involves remodeling a whole section of your home. And, these simple repairs can really help make your home look 10 years younger, so don’t neglect them!

3. Remember, It’s All About Curb Appeal 

We’ve heard time and time again that you should “never judge a book by its cover.” However, this is what everyone does when looking for a new home. 

This is why curb appeal is so important. 

Even if the inside of your home looks immaculate, if the exterior of your home is a little run down, it won’t matter. 

Also, just like home repairs, there are some pretty simple things you can do in terms of curb appeal that will make all the difference. These include:

• Trimming trees, shrubs, and bushes
• Repairing gutters and downspouts
• Cleaning and repairing concrete areas
• Putting out some new flowers, if it’s seasonally appropriate
• Applying new mulch or river rocks

Again, these are very simple things you can do to boost the look of your home and get it ready to sell. 

4. Declutter and Depersonalize 

When potential buyers enter your home, they don’t want to see what your decorating skills are like. 

Instead, they want to be able to imagine how they would be able to decorate the place if they were to buy the home. 

This is why it’s so important to declutter and depersonalize your home before putting it up for sale. 

To declutter your home you need to:

• Purge your home of any unnecessary items: Either donate, put things in storage, or move it into your new home if you’ve already purchased.
• Deep clean your house: This involves more than just dusting and mopping. To truly deep clean, you need to go room-by-room and make each space look like it’s almost never been lived in. 
• Organize storage spaces: Your closets, cabinets, and drawers should all be organized. Many potential buyers will open these spaces, so it’s important to have them clean. 

Then, in order to depersonalize your home you need to:

• Remove all personal items including family photos, certificates, calendars trophies, etc. 
• Remove any bold artwork or furniture
• Remove “knick-knacks” i.e., antiques, souvenirs, magnets, and family heirlooms
• Keep your children’s’ toys stored away

By doing all of this, it will make it much easier for potential buyers to envision themselves living in your home. 

5. Focus on the Kitchen 

The kitchen is the heart of the home, and because of this, it’s often the first place that potential buyers head to when checking out a home. 

Therefore, it’s very important that you really make your kitchen stand out. 

First things first, you’ll want to take care of repairs. This includes repairs both big and small. Fix leaking sinks, burned bulbs, wobbly tables, and, don’t forget to check that your appliances are all in working order. 

Appliances are a big deal to buyers, so make sure your fridge, dishwasher, oven, and stove are all in top-notch shape. If they’re not, you’ll need to hire a repairman. This blog can tell you more about hiring a repairman for your kitchen appliances. 

6. Eliminate Odors 

Last but not least, you want to make sure your home doesn’t have any funky smells to it. 

Foul odors, even faint ones, can be a deal-breaker for buyers. But, the problem is, you likely won’t notice them since you’ve been in your home for so long. 

So, invite an unbiased party over to conduct a smell test. Whoever you invite will have a much easier time detecting pet odors or lingering smells from your kitchen. 

Home Prep: Are You Ready to Sell Your Home? 

As you can see, there’s a lot that you need to do in terms of home prep. 

However, all of this preparation will soon pay off, as it will help your home sell in no time at all. 

If you liked this article, be sure to check out our blog for more home selling tips and tricks! 

It used to be that, when arriving in a new house in an unfamiliar city, the first questions someone would ask was, “Who is my TV service provider?” It’s different now.

Getting TV service–that is, the kind of TV service you want–takes quite a few choices involving providers, delivery technologies, number and types of channels, whether or not to bundle TV service with other options, and a lot more.

We’ll help you out. Well, that is, we’ll help you out as long as everything hasn’t changed since we last checked. So read on!

Your First Decision: TV Service Provider

What is a TV service provider in today’s multifaceted multimedia environment? The various types of providers include:

• Traditional cable
• Fiber optic “cable”
• Direct-to-home satellite  (DTH)
• Broadcast antenna
• Internet streaming
• Some combination of or a variation on the above

Broadband

With all the video delivery technologies and the many companies involved, it can be hard to tell where one technology ends and the next begins. For example, some “cable providers” actually originated as phone companies using fiber optic cable.

Cable companies today usually deliver their programming through a combination of old-fashioned coaxial cable and fiber optic cable. The two types of cable look nearly identical from the outside but are configured very differently inside.

The programming offered by cable, fiber optic, and DTH providers is extremely similar among the three.

So we’ll just call the whole mix “broadband” since that’s what they call themselves.

To identify your local options in broadband TV service providers, it’s best to check one or both of two websites:

• The first website is inmyarea.com.
• The second is providersbyzip.com.

Both will give you names and information on local providers.

Broadband Alternative: Streaming

Many people would just as soon “pull the plug” on cable and its sister technologies altogether and put their hard-earned resources toward what they consider better quality programming: which is usually available from Internet Streaming services.

Streaming services include Hulu, Netflix, Amazon.com, various broadcast and cable television networks, and a variety of others. These can be viewed on computers or mobile devices or they can be viewed on a television using a special adapter.

Some of the services that provide streaming adapters include Apple TV, Amazon Fire, Roku, and others–which are in various stages of merging and or sharing programming, either with each other or with other entities. It’s all rather confusing.

Broadband Alternative: Broadcast Television

This can be delivered by either a bare-bones cable subscription (the tier of service marketers never mention) or a digital broadcast antenna (often accompanied by a large rooftop antenna).

This option is sometimes used in combination with streaming services since local broadcast channels still have a good following.

By the way, click here if you live in Australia and need a digital TV antenna installation.

Your Second Decision: Services

There are two levels of choices you’ll need to make regarding services: programming tiers and bundled service packages.

Programming Tiers

Just how much TV do you want? You can have pretty much all you want, provided you have the money to pay for it. If you don’t have the money, though, you need to pick the service levels you want. These are also known as packages or tiers.

Bundled Service Packages

Besides just programming packages, there are also “bundled” service packages available that offer you one monthly rate for one or more service in addition to your television service. These can include:

• Internet telephone (landline or mobile)
• Digital video recorder (DVR)
• Internet connectivity–at various speeds and with or without Wi-Fi
• Smart home technologies

Your Final Decision: Just Read a Book Instead?

Just kidding. But you can that you’re facing a lot of decisions here–all to get a local TV service provider. Didn’t it use to be that you just plugged in your television and turned it on?

OK, it wasn’t quite that simple. It was a lot simpler than it is today, though.

One of the many types of TV service out there will meet your needs, at least for a while. And as soon as you’re ready for something new, there will be a lot of new options to choose from.

So contact your TV service provider of choice now and get things started so you can actually enjoy some TV!

Houses in the U.S. are taking longer to sell than they have in the past.

If you’re tired of waiting for a buyer for your home, or if you don’t have time for it to sit on the market, selling to a house buying company is a great alternative.

Have you ever considered the idea of selling to one of these companies? Are you unsure of whether it’ll benefit you in the long run?

Before you decide against this type of sale, be sure to consider the benefits you can enjoy when you sell direct to house buying companies. Six of the greatest benefits are listed down below:

1. Save Time

One of the main benefits of working with a house buying company is that the entire home sales process gets wrapped up very quickly.

Your house doesn’t sit on the market for weeks or months at a time when you take this approach.

2. Save Money

When you sell your house with the help of a realtor, you have to pay them a percentage of the money that you receive when you sell the house.

If you’re not interested in having a realtor’s commission eat into your bottom line, working with a house buyer is a great alternative.

3. Less Stress

You get to avoid a lot of stress when you work with a house buying company, too.  For example, you also don’t have to worry about wasting your precious time and money fixing things up around the house or trying to keep it clean for showings.

4. Fast Closings

The whole home-buying process can take as little as seven days to complete. Sales to home buyers also rarely fall through or get delayed.

If you need to sell your home in a hurry and don’t want to waste time waiting to hear back from lenders, a home buyer is a good way to go.

5. Reasonable Offers

Home buying companies offer reasonable amounts for the houses they’re considering purchasing, too. You won’t have to worry about getting ripped off just because you’re not selling in the traditional way.

6. No Risks or Obligations

If you reach out to a local We Buy Houses Company and ask for an offer on your house, you have no obligation to accept that offer. The buyer will also calculate the value of your home at no charge to you.

There are virtually no risks associated with selling to a house buying company or reaching out to see what they have to say.

Sell Direct to a House Buying Company Today

As you can see, there are plenty of reasons why you might want to sell direct to a house buying company instead of trying to sell your house on your own or with a realtor’s help.

If you’re interested in taking advantage of these benefits, reach out to a local house buying company and you’ll likely get an offer right away.

Do you want to learn more about getting your house ready to sell?

Whether you’re selling with a realtor or selling to a direct buyer, we’ve got lots of tips that can help you maximize the offer you receive. Check out our other real estate articles today for more advice. 

Are you in the market for new furniture for your home?

You could run out and pick up some pieces at your local furniture store. But why would you want to do that when you can decorate your home with custom furniture instead?

You can find custom made furniture for your living room, your dining room, your bedrooms, and just about any other room in your home. You can also make it look like whatever you want so that it looks custom for your home.

Check out the seven most beautiful benefits of outfitting your home with custom furniture below.

1. Fits Into the Available Spaces in Your Home

Is there anything worse than buying a brand-new couch, sticking it into your living room, and realizing that it’s a little too big for the space? Most people try to make a scenario like this work, but it’s not ideal.

You won’t have to worry about running into this problem with custom furniture. You can design furniture that will fit into any room in your home.

Whether you’re ordering a new sofa for your living room or a bedroom set to go in your master bedroom, you’ll love the fact that it’ll be designed to fit your home’s exact dimensions. It’ll make the furniture look better and make it more functional, too.

2. Comes in a Wide Range of Materials

When you look at, say, a sofa, it’s easy to overlook all of the different materials that are used to make it. From its solid wood frame to its upholstery, there are lots of materials that are put together to create something like it.

The same goes for almost every other type of furniture. There is a whole host of materials used to bring them to life.

Buying custom made furniture will allow you to pick and choose the materials that you like best for your sofa, your dining room table, your bedroom set, and more. You can find the materials that work well in your home and use them to create custom made furniture that you love.

3. Allows You to Choose the Right Colors

You might love the way that a couch, a dining room table, or a bedroom set at a furniture store looks. But you might not be 100% convinced that it features the right colors.

The furniture store might have other color options for you to look at. But they also might be limited in how many colors they can show you based on what the manufacturer of the furniture provides.

With customized furniture, this is never an issue. You can make almost any piece of furniture any color you want. You can make furniture lighter or darker by staining it or by adding different upholstery to it.

4. Gives Your Home a More Modern Feel

If your goal when buying furniture is to make your home feel more modern, you’ll be able to accomplish that goal with custom furniture. Buying it is one of the best moves you can make to achieve a more modern feel.

You can also choose paint colors, window treatments, and other finishing touches that complement your custom made furniture to complete the modern look.

5. Ties the Appearance of Your Whole Home Together

Many homeowners will buy a bunch of new furniture for their living room one year before then buying furniture for their bedroom the next. A year after that, they’ll buy furniture for their dining room and then they’ll get furniture for their den once that’s done.

This is a good way to slowly redesign your house without spending a fortune at the start. But the problem that you’ll often run into is that you’ll end up with mismatched furniture throughout your home.

When you buy custom furniture, you can avoid having this happen to you. Even if you break up your home into sections and buy a little bit of furniture at a time, you’ll end up with furniture that coordinates.

It’ll tie the style of your entire home together.

6. Stands the Test of Time

Custom furniture manufacturers don’t use any low-quality materials when building furniture. They utilize only great quality materials when creating their furniture from scratch.

This helps customized furniture to last a whole lot longer than the furniture you would find in stores. In many cases, your custom made furniture will last for the rest of your life once you invest in it.

This will prevent you from having to replace your furniture anytime soon. You might also want to use this as a selling point sometime down the line when you sell your home with your custom build furniture still in it.

7. Costs Less Than You Might Think

There are a lot of people who brush off the idea of buying custom furniture because they’re under the impression that they can’t afford to do it. But that isn’t the case for those who really want it.

Purchasing custom made furniture for your home will require an investment on your part. 

You’ll benefit from making the investment in a big way when you don’t have to buy new furniture again for a long time.

Invest in Custom Furniture for Your Home Today

Your home will look amazing when you add custom furniture to it.

You and your family will love waking up to it every morning. Those who visit your home will also be blown away by just how incredible your home looks with custom made furniture in it.

Consider the benefits listed here the next time you’re looking around for new furniture for your home. They illustrate why you should consider welcoming customized furniture into your house and enjoying all the advantages that come along with it.

Do you need some pointers on working furniture into your home design? Read our blog to get some great interior design tips.

Did you know that 66 percent of all first time home buyers are Millenials? Millennials are taking the real estate market by storm and it seems they’re bringing their love of technology with them.

At no other time in history has technology been so prominent in the real estate market and it is making a huge impact. If you are ready to find out how real estate is being impacted by technology, then read on. You are about to find out exactly how far-reaching technology is in the real estate industry.

Real Estate Apps

The way real estate is advertised is changing dramatically. Listings can now be placed on real estate apps. This means that your clients can browse properties in a more constructive way, as they have a wealth of information and choices at their fingertips.

These apps allow real estate agents to display their contacts right on the listing. If you pay a fee, you can even have other agents removed from the listing and be the premier agent for contact about a property.

Virtual Staging in The Real Estate Industry

Technology has taken away a lot of jobs and it looks like it is about to take away the job of real estate stagers. There is now technology available so that you can virtually stage a home yourself if you are an agent.

You can place furniture and other items in areas of the home where you think they will look their best. In essence, you can now decorate the home before you get there in order to see how it will look. Your clients can do this as well.

This will help your clients make better and quicker decisions about buying the property or not. You can expect to be able to do even more virtually as time goes by and this technology evolves.

Voice Technology

Voice technology is becoming even more sophisticated than ever before. One example is Agent Neo – Voice Technology for Real Estate agents. Agents are now able to have apps for themselves. Once a buyer downloads your app they are able to do voice searches on just about anything concerning real estate.

As the real estate agent, you will have access to all their searches and enquires. This helps you to become more aware of what they are looking for so that you can find properties that they are more likely to buy. This information will also help you to answer your client’s questions in a more targeted way.

Final Thoughts

There can be no doubt that the real estate industry has been affected by technology. Technology has made it easier to sell a property and connect with the right clients. This means that both agents and potential buyers have a greater chance of listing, selling and buying properties a lot faster.

With all this technology at your fingertips, you need to know how to use it effectively. This is why you should ensure that you make the right connections in the industry.

If you would like to learn more about being an effective real estate agent, please join our network.

Clutter clings to you like a bad cold. However, lots of tea and vitamin C won’t make it go away. In fact, the longer it stays untouched, the more it permeates your home.

Unlike a bad cold, a cluttered house can actually cause you to develop chronic stress and anxiety. So stop stressing, and start clearing it all away. Here’s how to get rid of stuff in your house and live clutter-free ever after.

1. Give Stuff Back

How much of the junk in your house isn’t even yours?

If you went through every inch of storage, you’d probably be surprised at the stuff that was cast aside and never returned.

Your mother’s good salad bowl? Check. Your sister’s sweater that you “borrowed” in college? Check. An ex-boyfriend’s letter jacket? Who needs that anymore!

Let’s not forget all the gifts you received that you could never warm up to. How many mugs with quirky sayings can you possibly collect in that dusty China cabinet? How many unwanted trinkets do you hold on to for fear of hurting a misguided loved one’s feelings?

Gather all the things you aren’t attached to. Put it all in one big box (or ten). Then, just dump it. Enlist the help of a same-day rubbish removal service before you change your mind.

2. Get Rid Of Old Clothes

Are you really going to wear those 20-year-old jeans you loved in high school? Are you still waiting to fit that college crop top again?

Be kind to yourself and say no to old clothes. This is especially crucial if those clothes were sitting in storage or in a dingy closet for years at a time.

Since you’ve thrown away the things you never wanted in the first place, tackling your wardrobe full force is the next logical step.

Again, you can just dump the clothes you haven’t fit into for ages or which don’t suit you anymore.

If you can’t bare to part with them, pay it forward. Collect all your old favorites and bring them to a charity or a thrift shop. Whether you sell or donate your clothes, the hand-me-downs have a chance of actually being useful to someone instead of deteriorating in your storage room.

3. Sell Stuff Online

By now, it’s no secret that auction sites like EBay are raking in the dollars for enthusiastic online sellers.

There is no shortage of apps, platforms, websites, and tutorials for prospective online sellers of used goods. Go on a little treasure hunt in your attic or basement, and inventory stuff that might sell well. Then, research the value of each product, and sell away!

4. Declutter Room By Room

Let’s face it: you didn’t accumulate clutter in your house overnight. It won’t take you a day to clear it away, either.

Take your decluttering process step by step. Each weekend or every day, assign yourself a room to clear. Once you’ve cleaned up one room, mark it down on a list of completed goals. This will motivate you to do a little more cleaning each day.

5. How To Get Rid Of Stuff In Your House If You’re A Hoarder

Most people’s clutter happens due to a little bit of procrastination. If you’re more than a typical pack rat, you can get help from professionals as well as your community.

Are you a hoarder? It’s not a bad thing to be labeled a hoarder; that label just identifies someone who accumulates large quantities of stuff for illogical, often emotional reasons.

Hoarding is considered a mental illness. It requires the support of loved ones, as well as an intervention from family, friends, and a clean-up crew.

If you suspect you suffer from hoarding, start by consulting a behavioral therapist. He or she can assess you during a one-on-one preliminary cleaning session.

Cleared The Clutter?

If your home is clutter-free, maybe it looks good enough to sell. Or perhaps you’d rather just buy a brand new property instead of figuring out how to get rid of the stuff in your house.

Whatever your circumstance, come back early and often for more tips on real estate as well as home management.

When it comes to the elusive question, “how much do real estate agents make” the answer varies. It varies according to how hard you want to work, how you want to work, and even where you live.

On average, most real estate agents are working 35 hours weekly, and their income varies from 9 thousand annually to 90 thousand. It all depends on multiple factors, from years of experience to commission structure.

If this field excites you, read on to get your feet wet and your hunger for commission tickled with this guide on real estate agent salaries.

How Much do Real Estate Agents Make?

The answer to this question differs and depends on several factors. There are several figures floating around the Internet with a wide range.

In a nutshell, a real estate agent will make as much as they are motivated to make.

Realistically, real estate agents making less than 10 thousand annually also had less than two years’ experience.

It’s difficult to feed a family, never mind a person, on that salary alone.
If you want to make more than that, you must be hungry, to understand your market, and learn how to work commission structures in your favor.

You will also need to understand that working in this industry comes with business expenses, which include everything from marketing costs when listing properties to the business cards you give to potential clients. Save some of those costs when using services like the one here.

Commissions are where you will earn most of your money. But if you are expecting to make commissions like the ones you see on “Million Dollar Listing” on your first day, you may be disappointed.

How to Earn Commissions

There are several ways to earn commissions in real estate. Some are functioned at a flat rate, while others are a percentage.

And then there is a difference between a real estate agent and a real estate broker. Many commissions are split between the agents and the broker.

The broker has more clout in real estate and maybe the agent that hires you. They may pay for your business cards and listing prices, and they may not.

But they will expect you to share the goods at the end of it all.

When do Agents Get Paid?

Agents are the sellers, and can not work on their own. Thus, simple agents can not earn their own commission independently.

But a broker can. All commissions are paid to the broker who brokers the deal, and that broker then pays out the agent.

Every commission rate is negotiated between the seller and the broker. It is against antitrust laws for brokers to impose their own rates.

You will make more money being a broker than just an agent.
The commissions are paid for by the seller, and at the time of contract, the commission structure is negotiated. Don’t forget, buyers often have their own agents or brokers working with you, and they will need to get paid too.

So answering, “how much do real estate agents make” will lead to another question: How much do you want to make?

If you are hungry, you can make as much as you want.

Start Your Earning Potential Today

Trying to understand the answer to the question, “how much do real estate agents make” can be a difficult process. There are several factors that go into that answer, with each salary being as individual as the real estate agent.

Besides learning your own gross income, you also have to research the cost-of-living expenses and business expenses for yourself.

The Bureau of Labor Statistics notes that you could make as much as 100 thousand in New York State as an agent, but in the Big Apple, you may have housing costs that exceed that are astronomical.

States such as Montana or Wyoming may give you a lower income, but your living costs could be lower, leaving more in your pocket.

You want a chunk out of every property you sell no matter where you live. Jumpstart your earning potential today in this exciting career, and you’ll never second guess your job market again.

 

Considering buying real estate in Mexico so you can have some foreign assets in your investment portfolio?

While buying property in Mexico might sound like a good idea — how do you go about it? And what are the best places to buy property in Mexico?

You want to make sure you find a property location you’re going to love and that will retain its value and increase in value. Continue reading this article to learn more about buying real estate and investing in Mexico.

The 411 for Buying Real Estate in Mexico

Having a clearer understanding of Mexico and its cities makes it easier for you to buy the best properties. The following information will help you as you’re making your decision on what to buy.

Why Invest in Mexican Real Estate?

Do you need a little more motivation to invest in Mexican real estate? These reasons will help you as you decide whether Mexico is a good place to put your investment dollar.

1. Strong US Dollar

The US dollar is strong compared to the Mexican peso. Since the US dollar is so strong, you’ll be able to get a good deal on real estate in Mexico.

Besides for getting a good deal on Mexican real estate, you’ll also find the cost of living is great because of the strong US dollar.

2. Will Not Depreciate

When you own property in a vacation hot spot, it is not going to depreciate. People enjoy coming to these locations and reserve months in advance to get the best spots on the beach.

If you own one of these spots, you’ll be able to enjoy returns that will rival and often beat the stock market.

3. Cultural Similarities

Worried about a culture shock when you buy a property and want to spend some time there as well as make some money off the investment?

If you don’t understand the culture of a place, it can be disorienting. When you buy real estate in Mexico, you will find many cultural similarities. Even if you don’t take part in some of their practices, you likely know about them because of a friend or acquaintance that is Mexican.

4. Many English Speakers

Learning another language can be difficult. If you have no interest in learning another language then Mexico is a great place to buy a property.

Whether you’re using it yourself or you’re renting it out, having easy access to people that speak English is a plus for your property. People wanting to vacation on a beautiful beach will be more than happy to pay big dollars for a beach where they can communicate with people easily.

5. Six-Month Visa-Free Stays

Don’t want to deal with visas but want to stay in your property for a large part of the year? No worries because you can stay in Mexico for six months without a visa. 

Best Places to Buy Real Estate in Mexico

Buying real estate just anywhere doesn’t work. Try one of these locations for a great place to invest.

1. Riviera Maya and Cancun

Ready to live in a Mexican hot spot? Hello, Riviera Maya and Cancun! You’ll meet people that have been coming to this part of Mexico for years as well as many people visiting from all over the world.

If you love to meet new and interesting people or know you have a market for people that would love to — this is a great spot to purchase a property. 

Tulum is lined with beautiful beaches and there are many places to spend your cash so get ready and bring plenty of pesos. As you can see here, investing in Tulum is a wise move.

2. San Miguel de Allende

Know someone that wants to retire in Mexico and want to rent to them long-term for some extra cash? San Miguel de Allende is one of the most popular places to retire in Mexico.

Your renters will fall in love with the cobblestone streets and many choices of places to eat. Don’t forget about all of the amazing annual festivals that will take place when your residents need to enjoy something new.

3. Merida

Merida is known as one of the safest cities in Mexico. It’s also known for its hammock trade. Who wouldn’t like to invest in a town that makes hammocks?

There are many immigrants here in Merida and the food is amazing. There is also plenty of colonial architecture that will transport you back in time.

4. Puerto Vallarta and Punta Mita

If you’re looking for ex-pats — you’re going to find them in Puerto Vallarta. There are plenty of co-working spaces and gourmet food to attract people from all around the world.

The people don’t just come for the food and the co-working spaces though, don’t forget about the amazing beaches of Puerto Vallarta.

5. Guadalajara

If you’re looking for an investment property that isn’t as pricey as some of the locations mentioned above then Guadalajara is a great place to look.

It’s close to many important parts of Mexico, like the capital, beach and of course, the birthplace of tequila.

Choosing the Best Investment Property for You

There are many things to think about when you’re choosing an investment property than a location. Beyond all of the best practices and best places, you have to decide how you’re going to use it.

Will you be staying some yourself? Do you want to rent it out long-term? Answer these important questions before you invest in any properties.

Another important part of buying an investment property is finding a good real estate professional to help you. There are many legalities that go into buying land out of your own property. Find someone you can trust and go after your new investment.

Learn More About International Property and Beyond

Thinking about buying real estate in Mexico is a wise move. Now you know some of the best practices as you’re moving forward with your plan.

Our website has some of the best resources for people that want to grow their investment portfolio with foreign properties and other properties. Don’t stop your learning here.

Browse our website, find your favorite section, drop a bookmark and come back soon for more great reads.

The kitchen is the heart of any home, so it’s no surprise that tons of people are looking to remodel.

Whether you adore modern design or your backsplash just needs a bit of sprucing up, there are plenty of incredible kitchen design trends right now that will give your home a major update.

Before you commit to a new look, check out these nine knockout trends for 2019 that will blow you away.

1. Elevate Your Sink with a Farmhouse Style

The farmhouse sink is taking kitchens by storm, and this simple change can make your entire kitchen look new again. These large, deep sinks come in a range of materials from stainless steel to enamel.

Install one in your kitchen and match it with your favorite solid surface countertops for a gorgeous look. Make sure you include a new faucet in a finish that will round out the aesthetic like matte black, brushed nickel, or brass.

2. Kitchen Design Trends: Texture

Every component of your kitchen doesn’t need to be completely smooth. Mix things up by adding a few new textures to the room.

You can easily add texture by installing a backsplash made of 3D, textural tiles. Add eclectic texture anywhere including the floors, counters, and cabinet hardware. 

See how creative you can be by mixing wood with metal or stone with ceramic. The sky is the limit when it comes to incorporating texture into your kitchen design.

3. Colorful Cabinets

The classic white or walnut cabinet is still a look, but why not spice things up a bit? Colorful cabinets are becoming a popular trend that can infuse tons of personality into your cooking space.

Bold blue cabinets paired with a sleek brass or gold-colored hardware will give the kitchen a high-end element. You can even go with something more neutral like gray that adds a touch of uniqueness without being overwhelming.

4. Creative Range Hoods

When it comes to a custom look, these kitchen design trends are a popular choice. Instead of the traditional range hood made of metal, try something crafted with a wood or stone material.

Range hoods aren’t confined to just one shape or style, either. You can completely customize your hood to be a boxy design or something more sculptural. Remember that this addition to the kitchen will become the focal point, so make it memorable and unique.

5. Incorporate Metal Elements

Copper is a popular and gorgeous choice to add dimension and depth to your kitchen. Take a closer look at a variety of metallic finishes, and then use a mixture of accessories and appliances to make it happen.

You can select a copper range hood for a bright, shiny touch in the space, or go with bold cabinet hardware in a variety of metallic finishes. Surround your island with a sheet of metal to give the kitchen an industrial element.

Small touches of metal can give your kitchen a modern edge without overdoing it. Alternatively, make metal the star by using it for a backsplash or as cabinet fronts.

6. Make Your Island the Centerpiece

It used to be that the island was merely a place for prepping meals, but today’s modern kitchens use it for a lot more. Elevate your kitchen in terms of aesthetics and function with a large, extended island.

You can utilize the island as a dining room table to free up extra floor space if you have an open plan. Add a row of trendy bar stools to one side of the island for a fantastic breakfast bar and use this software to help you get started on a design plan.

Choose an island with drawers so you’ve got lots of extra storage. Not all islands need a sink, so look for a design that makes it more of a welcoming table with tons of storage hidden inside.

7. Try Open Shelving

Thanks to the popularity of modern farmhouse designs, open shelving is becoming a popular option in new kitchen designs. Your entire cabinets don’t need to be open, but a few shelves on the wall can really make things look larger.

Use these shelves to display your favorite dishes, framed pictures, and even small potted plants. With open shelving, the kitchen appears bigger and gives the area a more open feeling.

Install a few shelves in the kitchen that match your current cabinetry. Alternatively, you can try a few in a contrasting color or material to give the space a cool two-tone look.

8. Embolden Your Light Fixtures

Switching out light fixtures is one of the easiest and most effective ways to create a new look. Instead of the classic hanging pendant light, try an impressive chandelier.

Black and brass are a popular choice for kitchen light fixtures that evokes an industrial edge. Clear glass shades with an Edison bulb can add brightness and a sleek, updated touch to the kitchen.

9. Spice up Your Backsplash

Subway tile is sleek and modern, but it’s also not quite as eye-catching as something with a dramatic pattern. Make your backsplash the focal point of your kitchen with patterned tiles or some with a unique texture.

You can try anything from fish scale shapes to Moroccan-inspired prints. The idea is to create a backsplash that adds color, texture, and artful appeal to your cooking space for a new look you’ll love.

Creativity in the Kitchen

With so many new colors, finishes, and materials to choose from, there’s no shortage of incredible kitchen design trends to try. Look for bold cabinet colors or metallic accents that will make your kitchen pop.

Create a plan for your new kitchen design and work around your favorite elements. It’s easy to craft the perfect kitchen with a few creative ideas that will inspire you to make your move.

Visit our website to browse some incredible properties and to learn more about home design trends and styles.