Favorite Pinterest Trends

We all love pinterest right? Well we've saved you hours of your precious time of scrolling through pin after pin to bring you the hot trending home styles currently taking 2016 by storm.

Typographic Art - It's cool, it's trendy, it looks expensive.... it's a total DIY that you can get step by step instructions for here from abeautifulmess.com.  All you need is a few basic supplies like magazines, scissors, a glue stick and some paint and you are well on your way.  We may give this a try and see if we can be typographic Picassos.

Neutral Tones - We can't gush enough about gray okay?  It's all about that gray,  bout that gray, no pur-ple.  All joking aside, neutral tones bring a peaceful atmosphere to any room and also make it easier to show when it comes time to sell.  Check out this article from Studio M to see some great neutral interior design.

Pops of Color - Okay I know we just said neutral is on point, however a pop of color mixed into those neutrals gives a room life.  Think pillows, throws, flowers, lamps etc.  Not too much though cuz we aren't going for circus theme, just a happy splash.  Check out these examples from deocor8blog.

Graphic Throw Pillows - How about some bright abstract pillows?  We think these are super fun and can give a great statement to any room.  Mix and match and have fun.  These are great because they start at $20 each.  If you haven't checked out Society6, what are you waiting for?  It's got a little bit of everything unique.

We hope you enjoyed these up and coming trends.  Let us know if you find something unique that brings your home to life.

What Do You Think?

Have you seen the new "wood look" ceramic tile?  What do you think?  This type of flooring has become one of the hottest new trends in home flooring.  Thanks to the advancements in manufacturing wood look ceramic tile looks so real that many people cannot tell it's not real wood. I'm really enjoying the rustic wood look and be choosing new flooring for a home sold to me by these lovely gals so I will be sure to take a look at this type of flooring before making my decision.

friday favorites

Welcome to our first edition of Friday Favorites! We consider ourselves a trendy group of gals and we not only like to keep up with what's hot but also like to set the trends ourselves. Keep watching for more Friday Favorites if you'd like to see what we recommend in the areas of food, decor, fashion, hometown life, entertaining and more!

MATCHA TEA

Matcha Tea - Ahhhh what can you say about Matcha besides, YUM?!  Okay well I guess you could say a few things besides yum, but trust me, if you have one you're gonna start craving another.  The gals make fun of me because I think it has a sorta fish tank flavor... yeah I know that's totally weird, right? But honestly it's more like an earthy, sweetness that reminds you of your favorite Japanese restaurant. I can't get enough of this stuff.  My Dad even bought me some serious ceremonial grade tea with the whisk and cool little matcha bowl to go with it. I'm kinda of obsessed with this stuff.  So besides being super yummy in a totally unique way, what's the big deal about matcha?

Matcha is a finely milled green tea and has been used in traditional Japanese tea ceremonies since the 12th century.  It has surged in popularity recently due to its visual appeal, health benefits and beautifully distinct flavor. It's high in antioxidants, improves memory and concentration, increases energy levels and endurance and also somehow has a calming effect to it too.  How cool is that?  I know that my mornings are extra special when I whisk up some matcha.  If you'd like to give it a try without going through all the hubbub you can always grab a green tea latte at Starbucks - but be aware theirs is yummy, but full of sugar.  All in all it's a great way to see if you enjoy the unique flavor that everyone is seeking to fill their cup with.  Let us know if you try it and what you think!

SERIOUSLY CUTE SWAG

Okay I'm seriously swooning over this cute t-shirt representing our sweet side of the mountains.  Who doesn't love a little state camaraderie? I mean if Texas can be in love with their sweet tea lovin' state we can be in love with our mountain bike lovin' side of Colorado right?

This year The Downtown Music Festival has combined with the  Grand Junction Off-Road Mountain biking event to create the biggest downtown event of the year! With 18 bands, 3 stages, a 4-block beer garden, a bike and gear expo, local food trucks and kids activities at 6th and Main! And guess what?  You can get this super cute swag there! Get your #‎WestSlopeBestSlope tee shirt any time between May 20-22 at the Downtown booth which will be located at 5th & Main.

This is Downtown Grand Junction's biggest event of the year and it all starts tonight!

WALLABY JOEY BAG-IN-BAG

How cute is this bag? If you hadn't noticed yet, sea foam is the color of the season.  I should know... I'm about to paint my teenage daughters room this color and that means it's cool, right? Ahhh, in all seriousness this tote is great because there are FIVE different ways to wear it, it's functional so you can fit half your life in it (cuz we all do) and the color will compliment many different outfits and your soon to be summer tanned self. This tote goes from weekdays to weekend easily. It has a secure slide-through closure, it features a matching pouch (that doubles as a clutch!) and functional cross-body strap (that can be worn 4 ways!) It's also available several fresh colors for spring/summer.  You can get it here...

CHARMINGCHARLIES

HAPPY LITTLE HOUSE PLANTS

I don't know about you but my house as a child always had fresh potted plants.  My mom was able to make them thrive and it always gave the house a clean and fresh appeal with a beautiful splash of color.  Cue the 90's and everybody seemed to gravitate towards silk plants.  -ick. Now I probably should also lean towards silk as well since I don't totally have a green thumb but I'm all about learning new things so about a month ago I went out and bought 4 plants and 2 big outdoor planters full of flowers.  As of now they are all thriving!  I can feel my thumb getting greener!  Check out the great article from camillestyles.com to improve your skills with house plants so that you too can bring some life and color to your home.

How To Keep Your House Plants Green and Gorgeous

blog author: Jillian Gallegos

Production Assistant

Maves Group

You Know What They Say...

The time has finally arrived.  The for sale sign is up!  You've given the walls a fresh coat of paint, cleared the clutter from the counters and removed all family photos.  Your house looks so good you'd buy it from yourself!
    So what's this curb appeal about?  Think of the outside of your home and what it's saying to potential buyers.  We like to think about the outside of your home as setting the mood for showings and open houses.  Does it convey feelings of clutter or neatness?  Is it warm and inviting, cheerful and happy or chaotic with weeds and bare patches of grass?  You can see how the saying about first impressions  is true and they really do matter!  Here are some of our favorite ways you can improve the curb appeal of your home and set the stage for a great buyer experience. We are going to help your house sing with curb appeal.



1.  WELCOME
Give the front door a fresh coat of paint or stain.  Choose something that compliments your house color and is cheery.

diy.com

2. SPLASH OF COLOR
Plant flowers outside during the spring and summer months.  Nothing makes a home come alive more than fresh floral accents inside and out.  And go ahead and think outside of the box... How about large potted plants in front of the house so that when you move you get to take your plants with you? Or how about adding some window boxes?

diy.com

3. SPRUCE IT UP
Camouflage any eye sores, repair fencing, pull weeds and makes sure your lawn has been freshly mowed.

bhg.com

4. REPAIR
Address areas that need repair.  Refasten sagging gutters, repoint brinks that have lost their mortar, reseal cracked asphalt, straighten shutters, replace cracked windows and damaged screens.

hgtv.com

5. SCRUB A DUB
Give your house a bath! Grab the hose and give it a good spray down.  You could also rent a power washer if it's really dirty.

bhg.com

Not only will these little things make a big difference in the mood of your potential buyers but it will show in the offers your receive.

Diary of a Realtor - Entry 1 - Cast of Characters

I would like to invite you to join me on a journey. I am representing the buyers in this transaction and over the next month or so we are going to go with them as they purchase their home! 

We recently found a house they wrote on (more on that to come) and went under contract. So for the first entry I want to introduce you to the cast of characters:

-Johnathan, Jennifer, Campbell and Whitley; my wonderful buyers. Recently moved to western Colorado from the front range. This family, I can't say enough good things about them... Johnathan is a middle school teacher (bless you, Johnathan), Jennifer gets to stay home and take care of those two beautiful girls. Speaking of those girls, it was such a kick showing houses to them. I found out that built in niches are for hiding in, grapes on the trellis in one back yard were good enough to eat and one house even smelled like dog. They are super fun and always on the go. Anybody that meets this adventurous group is bound to love them!

-Judy, Listing agent on THE house, she is AWESOME!

-Jayne, Daughter of the Sellers
-Anna, Seller

Here is a glimpse of THE house

400 Cedar Avenue, built in 1954, mid-century modern, ALL original! Check out that Mamie Pink kitchen! The seller is only the second owner!

Is that house not the coolest thing you have ever seen?! 

Next entry I will tell you the story of the house, the seller and the buyers.  

Lifestyle Living

You've heard it said, "Location, Location, Location". Its always been the most important thing when looking for a new home. We, however would like to challenge you to think about another one. "Lifestyle, lifestyle, lifestyle" Often times when we are working with a client they have it set in their heads that they need 2500 sq/ft with a price of $350,000. What we would then ask is what those clients want in their 2500 sq/ft. Do they need 4 bedrooms? I've seen 1200 sq/ft floor-plans with 4 bedrooms. Do they want two living areas? Large kitchen? Will one bedroom be used as an office? This means one can be a bit smaller than a bedroom. 

Take a look at these two examples that are currently for sale in the area...

This home is priced at $375,000, 4 bedrooms, 3 bathrooms on 7.98 acres. 3003 sq/ft in the North Area. 
Click here for more info on this home. 

This home is priced at $329,900, 4 bedrooms, 3 bathrooms on less than .25 acre 4046 sq/ft in Downtown Grand Junction. Click here for more info on this home

Both of these homes are lovely, not one better than the other. Both offer equal bedrooms/bathrooms with nearly 1000 sq/ft size difference. Which one are you more drawn towards. Does the thought of being downtown make you want to dry heave? Maybe the idea of having nearly 8 acres gets your creative wheels spinning at the possibilities. Or maybe you love the idea of walking to the parades downtown and the isolation of no close neighbors brings back memories of The Shining.

What does your lifestyle look like? Do you spend non-working hours at home or are you on the go constantly and just need a place to crash. Are you a lover of the dirt and as soon as you clock out are you out at the lunch loops? Do you need storage space for your bike/kayak/ski collection but you could care less if your Subaru is sitting out in the cold? Where are your favorite places to hang out? Maybe you eat out on Main Street 3 nights/week and only ride on the weekends. Let's look at houses downtown where you could easily walk to dinner. Maybe all of this sounds like torture to you, do you yearn for wide open spaces but still want to be 10 minutes to town? Could it be possible that a smaller house on a larger lot would be exactly what you are looking for? Maybe your kiddos are in a charter school, you work up valley in the oil field and the lady of the house wants to be connected at the Country Club? Let's think about the North area of town. 

 We know a lot of this boils down to location, however there is really more to it than that. When we work with clients it's not about finding them a house, it's about finding them someplace to LIVE! 

If you want to do a lifestyle analysis we would love to sit down with you. Let's evaluate your lifestyle and see if it matches up with your ideas in a home! 

Give us a call to set up an appointment 970.414.0956 or email kelly@mavesgroup.com

Want to start exploring on your own first? Visit our website to begin your home tour! www.mavesgroup.com