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Craig Diez - Diez & Sigg Properties

SPCA DOGGY DASH RELEASHED!

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Join forces with Diez & Sigg Properties and Silver Oak Funding to help save the lives of thousands of animals at this year’s Doggy Dash Event, benefiting the Sacramento SPCA. 

The health and safety of our community continues to be a top priority so this year’s event is a VIRTUAL experience! Just because we won’t be walking side by side, doesn’t mean we can’t still walk together to save more lives! 

On June 27, walk around your neighborhood with your pup, hit a local park or trail, or get creative at home with your pooch. The Sacramento SPCA will be kicking off the walk LIVE on Facebook and you will be able to share your photos, videos and participate in activities throughout the day! You will still see some of their famous Bark in the Park games and contests to participate in right at home! They will be tracking all the fun using the hashtag: #DASHRELEASHED

Ways You Can Contribute: If you would like a Doggy Dash T-shirt, you can register under our team as an individual. Click here to view our team page. Click on this direct link to register as an individual under our team.

NEW T-SHIRT DEADLINE: June 5 is the LAST day to guarantee your shirt size!  Your registration fee will make a difference for the animals who continue to need our help during the COVID-19 crisis.

Just Keep Swimming…Your May Newsletter is Here!

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As we continue to self-quarantine at home, many of us might be feeling disconnected, lonely, and stir-crazy—all of which are perfectly normal feelings to have at this time. However, it’s important to remember that there is light at the end of the tunnel. Coronavirus numbers are beginning to stabilize as a result of social distancing, and California is just weeks away from modifying its stay-at-home orders.

So while it may be difficult, just know that we are all in this together. In the words of Dory from Finding Nemo, when life gets us down we must, “Just Keep Swimming…” until we cross the finish line together.

I also want to extend a heartfelt thank you to all of our real “lifebuoys” out there. Thank you to our healthcare workers, first responders, police officers, firefighters, grocery store workers, and all of the brave heroes on the frontline for serving and loving your communities during this critical time.

This month’s newsletter is dedicated to answering some common questions and concerns that sellers and buyers might have during this time. I am also sharing a fun DIY home project to keep you and your loved ones busy and entertained!

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The coronavirus pandemic has brought much of the country to a screeching halt. But just because people are stuck at home, it doesn’t mean your home sale has to come to a screeching halt too. You can sell your home in the midst of this challenging time—as long as you’re safe.

Here are some precautions homeowners should take in order to sell their home safely during the COVID-19 crisis:

Embrace virtual showings: You don’t need a swarm of potential buyers walking in and out of your house; it’s not safe for you or them. Instead, have your real estate agent vet buyers and give them virtual tours of your home.

A recent survey from realtor.com found that, if given access to the right information and technology features, nearly ¼ of respondents (24 percent) would be willing to buy a home without seeing it in person. The number is even higher for younger homebuyers, at 29 percent.

But what information and tech features do buyers need to make a purchase? According to the survey, the features most important to would-be buyers when making a decision about buying a property remotely include:

  • A virtual tour of the home (61 percent)
  • Accurate, detailed listing information (58 percent)
  • Accurate, detailed neighborhood information (53 percent)
  • High-quality listing photos (51 percent)
  • A video walk-through with their real estate agent (39 percent)

Give me a call today to learn more about our virtual tours, professional photography, and 3D Matterport technology. 

Practice safety measures for in-person showings: If you have a buyer who has already been vetted and is extremely interested in the property, they may want to see your home in person before writing an offer. Prior to allowing anyone into your home, make sure to thoroughly clean and disinfect all surfaces to protect potential buyers—and then make sure to do the same after the in-person tour to protect yourself and your family.
The coronavirus pandemic is changing the way people buy and sell homes. But with the right safety measures, there’s no reason it has to derail your home sale.

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With social distancing in full swing, searching for a home in the traditional sense—including going to tour homes in person—is getting put on the back burner. But just because you can’t see as many homes in person, it doesn’t mean your home search has to suffer!

A recent article from realtor.com outlined tips for conducting a virtual house hunt that’s just as good as the real thing:

Learn how to read an online listing and what’s hiding: You don’t want to waste your time virtually touring homes that aren’t going to be the right fit. When going through a listing, look for red flags that might indicate that a listing isn’t what it seems—and isn’t worth your time (for example, a complete lack of photos of the home’s interior or photos that appear to be stretched out to make a room appear bigger). It’s also important to stick to your original home search criteria whether that applies to living in a particular neighborhood and location or requiring a certain bed/bath count—it can be easy to venture off course to other neighborhoods and homes with just a click of a button, but sticking to your criteria is key.

Ask your real estate agent to go into detail during virtual tours: Thanks to technology like Zoom or FaceTime, your agent can take you on a virtual tour of potential properties. But video doesn’t catch all the small details you would catch if you were physically in the space (like the finishes on cabinets, or crown molding on the ceiling)—so make sure to ask your agent to talk you through those details.

Check out the neighborhood: There are a ton of interactive map tools and neighborhood guides on the internet that will give you insight into a potential home’s neighborhood. Ask your agent to send detailed neighborhood reports and information.

Bottom line? With a little creativity, technology, and patience, there’s no reason your virtual home search can’t be just as effective as a traditional search!

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The kitchen has (not surprisingly) become one of the most popular areas in our homes these days…So much so that our fridge may see us more times a day than the outside world…All jokes aside, you might consider using this extra time at home as an opportunity to add that extra “wow” factor to your kitchen. The best part? These DIY home renovation ideas don’t require a lot of time or money:

Build a custom copper rack for your pots and pans: Easy and inexpensive, a custom copper rack for your pots and pans is a great way to add a stylish edge to your kitchen. Just hang a copper pipe from your wall or ceiling, hang your pots and pans with inexpensive hooks, and you have a unique focal feature that instantly elevates your kitchen design. Click here for DIY inspiration. If you’d rather leave it to the pros, there are lots of affordable, ready to assemble options like this elegant Copper Rack from Home Depot.

Add a new light fixture above your kitchen table: If you have a kitchen table, switching out the light fixture above the table can instantly breathe new life into the space, making your kitchen feel more modern and on-trend. Pinterest has light fixture ideas for just about any style of kitchen. Click here to find one that matches the design and look of your kitchen.

Add crown molding to cabinets: Adding crown molding to the tops of your cabinets accomplishes a few different goals. It adds visual interest, makes the cabinets look more expensive, and also draws the eye upward, making cabinets look taller. Check out this DIY tutorial here.

Small changes to your kitchen can make a big impact on your home—and with a little time and effort, you can easily make those changes in a single weekend.

3 Decorating Tips To Make Your House Looks Fancy

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These days safety and our well being come first. However, staying at home does give us some time to create and do some different things in our home. We have created a list of areas that we can improve our home in that are pretty inexpensive. A lot of our improvements have painting involved so we are about to get the painting going.

Geraldine Mills writes on additional tips to help make your home fancy.

Everybody wants a home that is graceful and aesthetically pleasing to look at. However, the art of interior design isn’t something that a lot of people have. There’s a reason it’s a profession for many people.

With that in mind, you may want to know some tips and tricks that will make your house look fancy. If you do, then just read below to find some simple decorating tips that can improve the look of your home.

1. Living Room

The living room is part of the home where you are likely to be entertaining your guests most often. Thus, you should make sure that it presents itself very well to others. Otherwise, people may think you’re a messy and cluttered person.

 You don’t need to do much or modify too many parts of your living room. You only need to consider a few factors such as your lighting, the artworks in your living room, and the paint on the walls.

Lighting

A subtle element of interior design that people don’t often think about is the lighting of a room. With great lighting, you can make an ordinary living space more open and welcoming.

Make sure that you have a lot of natural light coming in from windows in your living room. This way, your living room can look wide and at the same time, people would feel more welcome.

Artwork

If you feel that your living room needs a little something to make it truly shine, then consider displaying some artwork. You can go two ways with it: You can either make it the highlight of the room, or you can use it to subtly change the atmosphere of the room. There are lots of affordable artwork for you if you know where to look.

Paint

Changing up the paint of your living room walls makes a difference in the space. You might want to make it warmer, then you should add warmer colors on the walls. You can even try painting cabinets in the room to create a subtle but needed change. Maybe you might want to try more neutral colors to make the room much more subtle and soft.

2. Kitchen

When it comes to renovating your home, one room in your home that isn’t cheap to renovate is the kitchen.

Kitchens have lots of appliances that you should keep up-to-date. Plus, there are countertops and cabinets and more that you should keep up with. However, there are some decorating tips that you can try that are cost-effective as well as attractive to look at.

Organize

The simple act of reorganizing your kitchen tools and utensils can make your kitchen look more seamless and appealing. Plus, you’ll be thankful for it in your day-to-day use of the kitchen, knowing where everything is supposed to be.

Make use of all of your cabinets and store the appropriate tools within for better organization. You can even try shelves that don’t hide your kitchen utensils if they match. That way, they can serve as a decoration when not in use.

Faucet

Nowadays, there are plenty of designs available for faucets.

If you have a plain one, then consider changing things up in your kitchen by installing a new one. This time, make sure that it matches your cabinets so that you have a harmonious design working for you in your kitchen. Of course, you should make sure that the faucet works.

Wallpaper

For your kitchen, instead of repainting the walls, you might want to consider plastering wallpapers on it instead.

You don’t even have to put it on all of your walls. Small sections of the kitchen that’s plastered with some wallpaper is good enough to create such a lovely appearance. Plus, it doesn’t cost too much money to accomplish.

That’s one design tip that you should take notes on. A simple pop of color or a different pattern is often an effective design scheme.

3. Bathroom

If you’re planning to modify your home, then one of its most important parts to renovate is the bathroom. You spend a lot of your time doing your business there, so redecorating your bathroom can be a worthy investment.

With that in mind, below are some design tips that you can consider to beautify your bathroom to the next level.

Tiles

The tiles in your bathroom are an important design choice so make sure that you take extra care into which one you plan on installing.

Marble is a great choice for any bathroom. Not only is it sleek and stylish, but it is also sturdy and relatively water-proof.

Plus, styling your bathroom with marble tiles makes it easy for you to find other decorative pieces in your bathroom because it goes well with a lot of things.

Mirror

Mirrors in your bathroom are one of the things that you can splurge on a little. When you do that, you can make your bathroom look significantly fancier. You can go minimalistic with it or avant-garde depending on your bathroom theme.

You should consider buying a bathroom mirror that can also serve as a storage place for your toiletries. That way, you have a stylish yet economical bathroom design piece.

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Buying That First Home

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Do you remember buying your first home? I recall that it was a very exciting yet stressful time. I had only been married for a few years. I was literally tired of paying the rent. A lot of people told us that we could get a house for less than our rent which is a total eye-opener. After we got our first house, we did our darndest to not have to rent again. Just having something that was our own was very gratifying.

Craig Middleton writes on how to make that first home possible.

Buying a home is an exciting life event that most people never forget. If you do not know what you are doing you can make some mistakes that can have major consequences. But with the right amount of information and a good head on your shoulders you will not regret your first home purchase.

Set yourself up for success by using these five tips when buying a house:

Repair and Build Your Credit

This is a step that has to be done before you start negotiating rates and looking at houses. If you have a lot of debt to pay off you will need to start paying it off or find some way to repair your credit. You want a good credit score because that will allow you to get better rates on a mortgage.

If you do not own a credit card you will want to get a credit card. You can start out with a nice credit card for beginners that will not cost you anything. All you have to do is pay off the credit card monthly. Use it for purchases that you would normally make such as gas and rent. Instead of using your debit card or cash use your credit card and pay it off on time.

Down Payment

To buy a house most people need to take out a mortgage, which is a loan specifically meant to buy a house. Most people will not be able to pay 200,000 plus dollars in one payment so they take out a mortgage and pay that off throughout the years.

You are going to need some kind of down payment to get the mortgage that you want. Typically anywhere from a 15 to 20 percent down payment is what banks and lenders are looking for when issuing a mortgage. There are zero percent down mortgages but, as with any loans, there are pros and cons to them.

Find a Realtor

You do not have to have a realtor but a lot of people do not know a lot about home buying so they hire a real estate agent. There are perks of using a real estate agent such as not having to deal with a lot of the paperwork. Real estate agents are great if you are too busy to do all of the nitty gritty work of buying a house. They are also great if you are brand new and not really sure what to do.

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A Few Things to Know Before Building Your Dream Home

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When I am having a vision on my dream home, it is normally after I have visited a house or neighborhood that I really like. I have never looked at a step by step process of my dream home as the family inside the home is what makes the dream come to life.

Gary Bordeaux sees it a little different than myself. His dream home is pretty awesome as well. Read on.

You are ready to build your dream home, but you are not sure where to start. There are production homes that you can purchase, or you can hire a contractor and build your custom home. This is where you have to balance costs against your lifestyle. A factor to consider is how your lifestyle will change over the years. Most families have children while living in their house. The children then grow up and leave home. A production house may be able to have changes made during this process. A custom house can be built with the future in mind.

The following is some information that will make it helpful when making the decision to build a production house or to build a custom one. You will want to do your research and weigh the pros and cons on what type of house suits you. Either way, you want to hire a professional to walk you through the process. When choosing the professional ask others whom they worked with and how they felt about the experience. Word of mouth is the best recommendation. You can also contact the better business bureau to get suggestions on whom you want to hire.

Choosing a Production or a Custom House

When building a custom home, you will need to hire an architect. They charge a percentage of the cost of the home. This fee is the base charge. They may be more fees for additional drawings or if you have the architect handle ordering materials and administering the contract. With an architect in charge, your house can be designed the way you want it plus it easier to make changes as needed.

Hiring a Professional

You can also hire a designer-builder. The design-builder handles the entire process of building a custom home. In the construction industry, this is a project delivery system. The designer built house has one person responsible for everything from the contract to the completion of the house. This minimizes risks for the owner of the house. In the past, there was one person responsible for the design of the house and one person responsible for the building. Having more than one person in charge can cause things to slip through the cracks without realizing that it is happening.

The building of the house is led by a professional sometimes it is the general contractor. Other times it may be an architect or engineer. Some design-builder firms use professionals from all aspects of the project. It can also be a team venture with both the general contractor and the designer working together on the project. Which one you choose should be the one you are comfortable with as you will be working closely with them as they build your dream house.

When using a general contractor as the lead on the building of the house they work with the owner. They also work with subcontractors. While they are working with others, they are solely responsible for all the work being done. The subcontractors are responsible to the general contractor and the general contractor is responsible to the owner of the house. The owner has to deal with only one person which makes building the home much easier. The architect would be considered an employee of the general contractor.

When the architect is the lead on the project they work with the owner and hires the other professionals as needed. But it is the architect who is responsible for all the work. The architect starts as the designer and ends as the site supervisor. They make sure they complete the house according to the wishes of the owner. Once again one person is responsible for the work being completed on the house. In this case it is the architect.

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8 Tips for New Homeowners Moving to a New State

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We all have reasons for relocating. Sometimes, it is simply getting a new job in a state. We move to be closer to family. I know some folks that have moved on average once every two years and they weren’t military. However, they saw a lot of the United States and Europe as well.

Carol Evenson passes on some tips for moving to a new state to help make a move smoother and less stressful.

1. Do plenty of research.

Before you actually start the moving process, you should start by researching the city to which you plan to relocate. From local shops to schools and food chains, you should know exactly what your new city has to offer. We highly suggest doing a thorough internet search or, if possible, even driving through the city to get a better understanding of the area.

2. Search for your new home.

Before you take the plunge and move to a new city, you should spend at least a couple months beforehand finding a new home. Reach out to a local realtor. They can provide invaluable help as you look for a new place to live Whether you plan to rent or buy, a realtor can not only show you around the city but also recommend a great property to settle down in. They will be familiar with the different neighborhoods and can help you to find a home that is within your budget and provides the things you need.

3. Develop a budget.

Money can be tight while moving, which is why it’s so important to create a budget. It’s very easy to overspend or even run out of money with so many expenses coming at you. Developing a moving budget can help you monitor how much money you are spending and keep track of how much you have left to spend.

One of the biggest expenses that you should base your budget around is the moving company costs, but don’t spend everything in that one area. There are still plenty of large costs that you need to be aware of, such as plane tickets, utility connection fees, and more.

4. Hire a moving company.

The best, and sometimes only, way to move all your belongings from one state to another is to hire a moving company. However, before you hire one you should do plenty of research to make sure you are getting the best service possible. Some different moving companies have specialties they offer, so look for the best. Some movers refuse to move pianos while others specialize in that area. Some movers specialize in long-distance moves, while some bill themselves exclusively as Phoenix, Los Angeles, or Dallas movers. Make sure that the moving company you hire can handle exactly what you need them for.

Ask for recommendations from your friends and family. From there we suggest asking for testimonials from past customers. Ideally, the more positive reviews they have from customers, the more you can trust them. However, you should also check out their licensing info at the US Department of Transportation to make sure they are legally allowed to be moving your belongings.

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Craig Diez

916-425-5884|Contact Craig