Coffee with Real Estate

Thinking about tackling a project yourself before you buy, sell or move in? In this episode, Kurt and Susan dig into DIY projects gone wrong, and what a bad DIY job can really cost you. Susan shares what she has learned to do herself after owning several properties (ceiling fans, wallpaper that's still up after seven years, and painting, the first step for any DIYer), and why "move-in ready" isn't always the best way to get a good deal.Then the numbers from a new Home Oops Report from Angi: 78% of homeowners who went the DIY route had a project take a sour turn, the average fix for a single mistake ran $1,171, and homeowners spent an average of $3,166 over three years on project blunders. Kurt tells the story of the garbage disposal full of screws that turned into a three-day battle (a plumber would have charged about $120), they agree you never want to open up a wall, and they explain how replacing their own water heater cost about $600 instead of a $2,200 quote. Susan's advice: start simple, add slowly, watch the pros when they come over, and leave electrical and major plumbing to the professionals.Then it's The Human Condition: making friends as an adult. Loneliness used to be a secret, and now people are posting on social media to find friends. Kurt quizzes Susan, they talk about why friendships get harder after college, and they play a game: what would your "looking for a friend" post say? Thrift shopping on a Thursday at 2, a horse-jumping friend, an art friend. Their take: find people who share your values and interests, and don't be a lump on a log.If you enjoy the show, please give us a follow. Susan and Kurt really appreciate it, and it helps the show get better. And if you can, leave us a 5-star rating on Apple Podcasts and Spotify.Coffee with Real Estate, with realtor Susan and co-host Kurt. Instagram: @coffeewithrealestate. Also on YouTube Music, iHeartRadio, Amazon Music and Pandora.Credits:Music: "Easy Lemon" by Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com), licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 4.0 License, http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/Announcer: synthetic voice (Microsoft Edge TTS).Photos (video): Pexels contributors, Pexels License.

Thinking about selling, or just want your dining room to feel like home? In this episode, Kurt brings Susan the vintage furniture find designers are adding to all their projects right now: the vintage dining table. Susan's longtime favorite is a big, heavy farm table, and she explains how to dress it up with Parsons or upholstered chairs, or keep it casual with rustic ones.They talk about what "slowly curated" really means (no matching sets, finishes or fabrics, just pieces that complement each other and a handful of statement pieces), why home stagers use the same idea to bring interest to a space, and why the all-farmhouse house is out but one great farm table still adds history and charm. Then three tips for designing with a vintage table: mix and match it with contemporary chairs and lighting (but don't mix seven styles), repurpose it as a kitchen island, home-office desk or a console behind the sofa, and lean into the patina instead of sanding away every scratch. Plus Kurt's story about his grandmother's table and the scratch he got blamed for.Then it's The Human Condition: why we can't stop watching strangers pay off their debt on TikTok. A flight attendant's debt video hit 1.5 million views, more than 28,000 debt videos went up in a year, and Susan and Kurt guess the average American's debt, talk car payments, student loans and the "anything with wheels and motors" rule.If you enjoy the show, please give us a follow. Susan and Kurt really appreciate it, and it helps the show get better. And if you can, leave us a 5-star rating on Apple Podcasts and Spotify.Coffee with Real Estate, with realtor Susan and co-host Kurt. Instagram: @coffeewithrealestate. Also on YouTube Music, iHeartRadio, Amazon Music and Pandora.Credits:Music: "Easy Lemon" by Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com), licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 4.0 License, http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/Announcer: synthetic voice (Microsoft Edge TTS).Photos (video): Pexels contributors, Pexels License.

Selling your home? Learn how to style a bookshelf that helps sell your house, with home staging tips and bookshelf decorating ideas from professional home stagers.Enjoying the show? Follow Coffee with Real Estate and leave a 5-star rating, it really helps!In this episode, Kurt brings Susan a stack of staging tips, and she shares what actually works when you're styling shelves for showings and listing photos.Susan explains why you should keep displays neutral (save the Beanie Babies for after closing), how to add height with stacked books, plants and pedestals, and why she organizes books by color, or turns them around so the spines don't distract. Then they run through the big rules: create one focal point slightly off-center, group items in odd numbers, vary heights, layer pieces front to back, balance without matching, and leave 20 to 40 percent of the shelf open. Plus a color story of three to five colors, the 60-30-10 rule, and the big, medium, small formula. Her bottom line: if styling isn't your talent, get help, because a well-styled shelf really catches the eye.Then it's The Human Condition: how mid-century modern went from cool to cringe. Millennials, Pottery Barn, knockoff Eames chairs in every Airbnb, IKEA, tiny European kitchens, and the "anything goes" look taking over.Music: "Easy Lemon" by Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com), licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 4.0 License, http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/#realestate #homestaging #homestagingtips #bookshelfstyling #shelfie #bookshelfdecor #homedecor #sellingyourhome #homesellers #realestatetips #interiordesign #midcenturymodern #realtor #realestatepodcast #coffeewithrealestate

Selling your home or buying a home? Here's how to read a home appraisal report, what to do about a low appraisal, and how an appraisal vs. home inspection really differ. In this episode, Kurt walks Susan through the appraisal report section by section, and she explains what each part means for buyers and sellers.Susan covers the property description and condition, neighborhood and market trends, and how the appraiser picks comparable sales (comps) and adjusts for things like an extra 100 square feet or a pool. Her best tip for sellers: be home when the appraiser comes by and hand over a list of the improvements they can't see, like a new roof or updated HVAC. (Donuts are optional. A bag of cash is not recommended.)If you're under contract at $500,000 and the appraisal comes in at $475,000, the lender will only lend on the appraised value. The buyer can make up the difference, you can renegotiate, or you can meet somewhere in between. Susan also shares how waiving the appraisal helped her buyers win a bidding war, and why an appraisal and a home inspection are two very different things.Then it's The Human Condition: why people collect airline amenity kits, from a Star Wars kit to designer pouches to a German collector who keeps his in an airline trolley.Music: "Easy Lemon" by Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com), licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 4.0 License, http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/#realestate #homeappraisal #appraisal #appraisalreport #lowappraisal #homeinspection #homebuying #homeselling #firsttimehomebuyer #sellingyourhome #realestatetips #realtor #realestatepodcast #coffeewithrealestate #amenitykits

Remember when every house got multiple offers and sold over list? A friend's house went 10% over list just a year ago. Now a lot of sellers are hoping for one good offer. In this episode, Kurt throws seller questions at Susan about what to really expect in a slower market.If your house was worth $500,000 at the top of the market, don't count on that number now. Susan says to look at comparable sales from the last 90 days and expect maybe 5 to 10% less, depending on where you live. In their market, homes are taking around 120 days to sell. She covers fixing deferred maintenance, fresh paint, why landscaping is the number one thing, and why buyers may ask for a new roof if yours is 15 years or older. Be ready to pay the buyer's agent commission and maybe help with closing costs or a rate buydown. Not sure it's worth it? Depending on your goals, renting it out could make more sense.Then it's the social issue of the day: are arms the new abs? Susan shares why toned arms are getting so much attention and the moves she uses, like "bus drivers" with a 10-pound plate.#realestate #sellingyourhome #homesellers #housingmarket #realestatetips #realtor #realestatepodcast #coffeewithrealestate #armday #fitnesstrends