Stavrosgroup

The Best Bold Kitchen Trends for Your Orange County Home

They say that the kitchen is the heart of the home. It’s where traditionally families come together to cook and eat the majority of their meals. Now, due to the recent trend of open concept in Orange County homes, it has become one of the focal points of the home and a place where people spend much of their time, serving as the hub of the home. While all white has dominated the kitchen decor market for some time, there seems to be a recent trend to the opposite side of the spectrum in darker colors. Recently, homeowners are getting bolder in their choices of design features and even bringing back some vintage trends. Whether on the hunt for a new home in Newport Beach or making updates before putting your Laguna Beach home for sale, we’re sharing some of the latest bold Orange County kitchen design trends that could give your cooking space a whole new style.

Get Creative With Backsplash

Backsplashes have been popular for a while now, but the way homeowners are using them to vamp up their kitchen is evolving. Rather than just a small slab behind the counter, people are becoming adventuresome by extending them all the way up the wall. The portion of the wall in which tiles are used isn’t the only thing increasing in size — we now see larger slabs of tiles as well as a variety of textures and patterns taking over. If you’re looking to add a pop of color to your cooking space, this may be the way to do it, as you can pick from virtually any color tile to complement your kitchen area. Large slabs, such as quartz, marble, wood, glass, and stainless steel, are also becoming increasingly popular. With the endless amount of color, texture and material options, it’s no surprise that backsplashes are causing such a big, well, … splash.

Darken the Mood

Another decor trend that provides a multitude of options to be creative and have a little fun with is with paint colors. Slowly we see homes doing away with all traditional beige or grey walls, instead leaning towards more darker, moodier colors like navy, black and dark green. Check out our recent blog post about some of the hottest paint color trends to help spur your inspiration. Although pristine white kitchens are still popular at the moment, we’re seeing more and more people get in touch with their darker side, as well. If you’re looking for a bold update to your kitchen space, try a dark green wall or navy cabinets with gold hardware. It’ll surely make your space pop.

Add a Pop of Color

Remember the days that having all stainless steel appliances was the new, modern craze? Though their popularity still remains high, as they provide a sleek, modern look, some homeowners are becoming a bit more daring and opting for bold colored appliances such as red or blue. This 70’s era trend may not be for everyone, but for those looking to liven up their kitchen area a bit, going with one or even a few bolder appliances may provide the pop that you are looking for. Have fun with it a little and start with a blue or green toaster. If you find you like it then take the next step by replacing one of your larger appliances. One thing to remember, though, is that you want to ensure that your love for that red refrigerator will remain intact for the life of the appliance!

What are your thoughts on where kitchen trends are going? Do you like the bolder, more textured and patterned designs that are taking place or do you prefer the sleek, white, clean kitchen aesthetic? Whatever your preference, here at the Stavros Group, we aim to locate the perfect home for you, complete with either the kitchen of your dreams or a space you can envision once you add your personal touch. If and when the time comes for you to buy or sell, we would love to be of service!

How To Increase The Value of Your Orange County Home for Sale

The time has come to put your Orange County home for sale. You most likely know that your home will increase in value due to inflation over time, leaving you with more money in your pocket than what you paid for it. But many homeowners want to put their best foot forward when selling their home, offering their home in peak condition by completing renovations and in turn increasing their resale value. So how can you increase the value of your Newport Beach or Laguna Beach home for sale so that you’re able to walk away with even more of a profit? Read on to find out what home projects are going to be most advantageous in getting you a higher resale value.

A study conducted by Porch surveying 781 homeowners who have sold a home in the past 5 years found that sellers, on average, got around 7% more than their desired asking price when they did some sort of home renovation project before putting their house on the market. The project that was found to lead to the highest resale value? Construction. The data shows that those who chose to do construction on their home got an impressive 21.1% above their desired asking price when sold. Other popular renovation projects that were cited as adding value included updating multiple bedrooms or bathrooms (14% more than desired asking price), purchasing new appliances (11.5% more), kitchen renovation (8.2% more) and painting the exterior (6.2% more).

See the breakdown of the home renovation projects and just how much value they can add on the graph below, generated by Porch.

Image Source: Porch

The study also surveyed 22 real estate experts, gathering their input on things such as pre-listing project recommendations and where to focus your home renovation energy and budget. According to the majority of the experts, the project that agents are most likely to suggest to clients is painting the interior of their home, as this is one of the least costly projects, yet it can still go a long way by transforming the aesthetic of any space.

If you’re willing to tackle more full-on home renovation projects, the experts recommend refreshing the kitchen or bathrooms. These are some of the rooms that buyers are attracted to first and where updates will go the farthest. It is important to keep in mind that renovation projects can get quite costly, though, so if you’re not wanting to overhaul an entire room, remember that there are smaller projects you can do to a space to still spruce it up. Replacing only the cabinets, for one, can still give your kitchen quite the facelift. Or change out some of those dingy appliances you’ve had for years to some shiny new stainless steel ones. Smaller touches like these still go a long way and are sure to add more value to your home. If you’re smart about where and how you budget your home renovation projects, your return on investment could be quite worth it.

Regardless of the magnitude of the renovation you put into your home before putting it on the market, one of the most important pieces of the puzzle is pricing accurately. When it comes time to put your Orange County home for sale, you don’t want to overprice your property for fear of driving potential buyers away. However, if you undervalue it you could be walking away with less money in your pocket than it’s actually worth. It’s a tricky situation knowing how to accurately price your Newport Beach or Laguna Beach home for sale, which is why it’s imperative to have a knowledgeable real estate professional by your side through this process. Here at the Stavros Group, we would be honored to be that guiding hand through the process of selling or buying. If and when the time comes for you to buy or sell, we would love to be of service!

What Are The Tax Benefits of Buying a New Home in Orange County?

Tax season might be over this year, but it’s never too early to start thinking about how events in your life now may affect your tax benefits for next year. Purchasing a new home in Orange County could arguably be one of the biggest financial decisions in your life. It’s also one that is known to potentially come along with multiple tax breaks. We’re breaking down a few of these potential benefits, along with changes under the recent tax reform, that you should familiarize yourself with before buying a new home in Newport Beach or putting your Laguna Beach home for sale.

Aside from the obvious gains of mere pride and joy that come with owning your own property, home ownership can offer multiple financial benefits, such as home tax deductions, tax credits and other breaks that shouldn’t be overlooked. If you plan to purchase a new home in Orange County this year, it would be wise to familiarize yourself with current tax laws, as they have undergone changes in the past few years, which may affect how that house purchase benefits you.

As a recap, the federal Tax Cuts and Jobs Act (TCJA) underwent a significant tax reform, which Congress enacted in December 2017 and is currently scheduled to go through December 2025. Below we have broken down a few of the tax benefits that you may receive if becoming a first-time homeowner this year, as well as changes implemented by the new TCJA that you should be aware of if buying or selling a home for the first time since January 2018.

Mortgage Interest Deduction

One of the biggest benefits of owning a home is the fact that mortgage interest expenses are deductible. Under the TCJA, homeowners can deduct the interest you pay on a loan on up to $750,000 from your income taxes. Although this limit used to be $1 million (the TCJA reduced the limit and made modifications on how a home equity line of credit could be used), this benefit should not be overlooked. This deduction could still provide you with massive returns come tax season next year. Homeowners with new loans could especially benefit from this, as interest charges on mortgages are normally higher at the beginning of the mortgage’s term.

Homeowners should keep in mind that this tax deduction limit only applies to those who itemize their personal deductions. For those that choose not to itemize deductions, the standard deduction for individuals or married couples filing individually is $12,000, if you’re the head of household it’s $18,000, and for those married filing jointly it’s $24,000. It is worth speaking with a financial advisor to determine which method of filing is ultimately most beneficial for you.

Tax-free Capital Appreciation

One benefit that is going unchanged even with the TCJA is the capital gains you receive tax-free after the sale of your home. Homes appreciate in value during the life of your ownership, so when it is time to part ways with that Newport Beach home you’ve lived in for years to move to one up the road in Laguna Beach, you can relish in the profits of your sold home without worrying about being taxed. Under the TCJA married homeowners can retain up to $500,000 in home appreciation profits from the sale of their home, or $250,000 for single filers. There is a catch, though. You have to have used your home as your primary residence for at least two years out of the five years before the sale date to qualify for this exclusion.

Property Tax Deductions

Another tax benefit from being a homeowner is the ability to be able to deduct portions of your property taxes. Although prior to the TCJA you could deduct the entirety of your property taxes, all is not lost, as you are still able to deduct up to $10,000 ($5,000 if married filing separately) under the new law. Under the TCJA, the deduction was changed from solely property taxes to a combination of property taxes and either state and local income taxes or sales taxes under the $10,000 limit.

While being a homeowner in 2019 offers a variety of tax benefits, with the overhaul of tax laws in the past few years, it is wise to evaluate your choices to determine what is best for you and your family. It is worth noting, as well, that many of these recent changes may end in 2025, so it’s always good to be knowledgeable about how tax changes could affect your returns. Whether looking for a new home in Newport Beach or thinking of putting your Laguna Beach home for sale, we would love to help you with whatever Orange County real estate needs you may have. Please do not hesitate to give us a call here at The Stavros Group!