Category Archives: Holiday

It’s time for Thanksgiving, the holiday that is most likely to put your kitchen to the test. Every oven, stove-top, and utensil will come into play as you prepare a Thanksgiving feast for all ages. Chances are, when your kitchen is under so much strain, its flaws and shortcomings become much more apparent. So, what would make a perfect kitchen for preparing a Thanksgiving dinner, or any feast for that matter? Here is some kitchen advice that will help you decide which family member should actually be hosting the big feast and some tips on what to upgrade and remodel to make your kitchen ready to handle Thanksgiving for years to come.

Start with the lay of the land. From the beginning, the design of the kitchen needs to provide you with plenty of counter-space to work with, as well as a setup that is useful and efficient. Plenty of pantry space is also nice for hosting large gatherings. In the industry, when designing a good kitchen, we try to stick to the fundamental kitchen design principal called the “work triangle.” This means that within the four walls of the kitchen, or sometimes the kitchen island, the refrigerator, sink, and oven are arranged on three different walls with no obstructions in between. When laid out in this fashion the chef can easily access all of the most important and commonly used kitchen appliances while moving through the kitchen in an efficient triangular space. If your kitchen is linier or set up in an odd fashion due to lack of space or other design shortcomings, then a remodel is sure to make your kitchen more useful and enjoyable.

With today’s lifestyle you will also want a kitchen with an open floor plan. This design has gained popularity over the years for many reasons. Most importantly for you, it encourages socialization and makes hosting gatherings at the home much more enjoyable. Now instead of hiding away in a kitchen that is separated from the action, you can converse with guests and be a part of the festivities while you are monitoring the meal. In fact, the tendency for side groups to gather and mingle in the kitchen during parties was another big influence for the shift in design preference. Now it is common to see islands and counter-tops worked into the kitchens layout specifically designed for small groups of people to gather. Once again, if your current home lacks an open floor plan it may be time for a remodel.

Now it’s time to talk about equipment. Appliances have come a long way over the years and if yours are starting to show their age it might be time for replacements. Smart home technology is the way to go now, with appliances doing everything from monitoring temperatures to turning themselves off – ultimately, they can take a lot of stress off of the cook, especially during a holiday feast when attempting to balance so many dishes at the same time. You can even use your smart phone to have the oven preheat before you get home or give you reminders and change oven settings while you are enjoying the party in the other room. Also, to improve the number of dishes you can be cooking at the same time, there are a number of great split ovens available that do the job in less space and more efficiently than the double stack ovens of yesterday.

If your home is lacking the efficient layout, open floor plan, and upgraded appliances needed to host a fabulous Thanksgiving feast, rather than spending the time and money to get it up to your standards, you could sell your home and move into one with the perfect kitchen. Sound crazy, not so fast. We are Gulf State Homebuyers and we will buy your home as-is for all cash. Our offers are extremely competitive when you consider the cost of upgrading your kitchen or any other remodels and repairs your home may need. Plus, you can skip all the fees for brokers, real estate agents, and marketing. We can close in as little as five days and can even help you move. So, contact us today for a no obligation appraisal – if you like what you hear you can be in the home with the kitchen of your dreams next holiday season. Happy holidays from the team at Gulf State Homebuyers!

It’s true, the holidays are a very busy time of year. With the kids out of school and parties to attend there never seems to be left over time for anything extra, let alone selling a home. So, do homes sell during the holiday season? When it comes to real estate, the ideal time to sell your home is in the spring. This is because many buyers want to be settled in their home before the start of a new school year. However, putting your house up for sale around the holidays has its benefits.

This season is going to bring only the most serious buyers. In real estate, properties will always move, it’s just a matter of how fast. This can depend on how many homes are on the market –

more homes mean more competition which can leave your house sitting on the market for a while. For whatever circumstances, some people simply need to sell over the holidays, and some buyers have to buy a home during the holidays. It’s up to you to take advantage and make the most out of selling during this slower season.

To start, lower inventory during the holidays makes homes sell more quickly. As we mentioned, there is simply less competition and this can work to your advantage in several situations. Data suggests that homes sold around the holidays command a higher price due to the increased demand caused by low inventory. This can also be a great time to list a home that has some imperfections or needs an upgrade or two. This is because in the spring inventory picks up, and your home could get pushed to the bottom of the showing list – only the top homes in the best neighborhoods are going to sell quickly. Bottom line: Most homes listed in the fall sell quicker than homes on the market at the height of real estate season.

We also mentioned that anyone who is shopping for a new home around the holidays is likely to be a serious buyer. In the spring and summer many Americans will pop into open houses out of curiosity or even entertainment, daydreaming about what they would do if they were to move into the home, but with no intention to buy. During the holidays however, they aren’t going to spend their precious time looking at homes unless they have a real need to buy. If someone is looking at your home in the fall and winter months, chances are they are serious and ready to pull the trigger.

Career professionals can represent a large portion of the serious buyers towards the end of the year. This is because around this time many companies announce restructuring and transfer plans. Employees who get notified of a transfer are going to need a house on short notice and as a result, will be hunting for a new home during the holidays.

Tax breaks are another reason home buyers during the holiday season are highly motivated. There are some major tax benefits available that can be taken advantage of only if your home sale closes before December 31^st. The deductions can be significant and include the mortgage interest, property taxes, and interest costs of the loan. These tax deductions are significant enough to prompt many home buyers to move during the holidays instead of waiting until the spring.

Nobody wants their home to sit on the market or even worse to have to lower their asking price because they have to sell during a slow time of year. The holidays can be stressful and throwing home sales into the mix is the last thing people want to do when they would rather be celebrating with family and friends or snuggling up next to a cozy fire. If you are faced with the challenge of selling during the holidays season, we have the solution for you. Sell to an all-cash buyer! We are Gulf State Homebuyers, and we buy homes all cash, all year, any season, and in all conditions. Skip the hassle this holiday season and sell your home at a competitive price before you invest in repairs, upgrades, brokers fees, and all the other wasted time and money that goes into selling your home. We just do a free, no-obligation home appraisal and make you an offer that same day. If you like what you hear, we can close in as little as five days, it’s that easy! Contact us today and have a happy holiday season this year!