Month: October 2011

Everyone’s saying it, and the low interest rates prove it: It’s a buyers market and a great time to buy a second or vacation home—if you can afford it. Just like every other sector of the housing business, though, the vacation-home market has fallen victim to the financial meltdown.  

Priced under assessed value, this home on Wintergreen’s Devils Knob Golf Course is in move-in condition and is listed at $597,000. Photo courtesy of Francesca San Giorgio.

“Things are moving at Wintergreen, but the prices are so low,” said Francesca San Giorgio of Four Seasons Realty, which specializes in Nelson County and Wintergreen properties. “You can get a house or condo with a view, whereas before you couldn’t even afford to look at a condo with a view.” 

The latest data from the National Association of Realtors (NAR) reflects this trend. According to its 2011 Investment and Vacation Home Buyers Survey, the median vacation-home price declined more than 11 percent in 2010 to $150,000 from $169,000 in 2009. The prices of investment homes suffered much the same fate, with a decline of 10 percent compared with 2009 numbers.  

One of San Giorgio’s clients has a condo ready to be put on the market. The property is currently assessed for more than $300,000, but it will be put on the market for much less than $250,000. 

“People are being very realistic,” said San Giorgio. “They are usually pricing their homes or condos under [assessment] and they are barely making a profit, if at all.” 

The number of vacation homes has declined nationwide to 543,000 in 2010 from 553,000 in 2009, according to the NAR survey. For Julie Kuhl of Re/Max Affinity Group, the number of phone calls for mountain land has declined in the last year. 

“I used to show mountain land at least two weekends a month, and now I don’t think I show mountain land more then once every four months,” she said. 

Those who can afford to buy land to build a home, however, choose mountain views and are very specific about the style of home they want to build. 

“Most of them are looking for something unique, with character, something that’s rustic,” said Kuhl. “Generally 1,400 square feet is sufficient, because they just want a little getaway.” More specifically, Kuhl says clients, who are usually from Richmond, Washington, D.C. and Northern Virginia, buy within the $175,000 to $275,000 range. “That could easily get you a brand new log home on five acres in the mountains.” 

But when it comes to paying for that small getaway, although mortgage interest rates are at an all-time low, getting a mortgage can be a challenge. Those who can, pay cash.

In fact, according to the NAR survey, 36 percent of vacation-home and 59 percent of investment-home buyers paid for their properties in cash. If you can’t afford to pay in cash, you may still be able to get a good deal on a loan. 

“The financing is still very favorable,” said Kuhl. “The guidelines have not changed; you qualify with the same rates as you would for a first-time home.” The only difference is that vacation-home buyers will have to come up with 20 percent as a down payment and cannot apply for FHA loans. 

For sellers of vacation homes, the scenario is tougher. San Giorgio: “The first thing that a seller has to do is be realistic and price well. Price is pretty much what is going to bring people in the door.” When that fails, Kuhl suggests renting. “I think it’s probably the smarter thing to do than to give your property away right now,” she said. “The rental market is strong.”

Though it’s small, we expect a lot out of the bathroom. It’s a place where we go to escape, to groom, to pamper, and to well, you know. If you’re a renter, or living in a small space, you most likely only have the one bathroom to share. We can’t lock the door and ask our guests to do their business at the Shell Station down the street—and to make things more challenging, when it comes to rentals, most bathrooms are designed for function over form. From dealing with dated tile to conquering your clutter, a quick, inexpensive bathroom makeover can keep sound design from slipping down the drain. 

Photo by John Robinson.

Many renters and owners alike are plagued with unattractive bathroom finishes and fixtures, from soap-scummed shower tile to dingy peel-and-stick flooring. The key is to work with what you have. When possible, make “mistakes” look purposeful.  

For example, one of the bathrooms in my house is covered in Pepto pink deco tile. Unable to remove the tile, and unable to ignore it, I embraced it. By selecting a new shower curtain, towels, and accessories that complement the pink tile, I made it part of a deliberate scheme. 

If you’re able to paint, awesome. (Semi-gloss works well and still cleans in damp conditions.) A contrasting color will help draw the eye away from your eyesore and make the old feel new again. Pink and gray are a beautiful combination, or pink and green if you’re feeling particularly preppy. Add a fun and colorful bathmat to distract from the lackluster floor. Make your own vinyl mat by priming, painting, and cutting a shape out of a roll of vinyl flooring. Seal it with some marine varnish for a unique, waterproof floor covering. 

Measure your towel bars and hooks, and then swap them out for new, inexpensive, stainless steel fixtures. They’ll add a fresh, modern touch to the space, and if you stick to the same size, you won’t have to drill any new holes. If your landlord left you hanging out to dry, consider an over the door towel bar or some command adhesive hooks. If you’re stuck with a dirty and depressing glass shower enclosure, consider masking it with peel and stick frosted window film on the outside of the glass (allow it to dry out/adhere before using the shower). 

With all the “functions” that happen in the bathroom, there can in turn, be a lot of clutter. You don’t want to feel claustrophobic in what’s already a small space. Start by sprucing up your vanity. Empty out your cabinetry. Toss all of the products that are unused or expired. Remove excess packaging for a cleaner look. Replace cabinetry knobs with new ones to add a personal touch to dated fixtures. (Anthropologie is great for inspiration.) 

If you’re short on storage space, avoid cluttering surfaces. A few wicker baskets are great for storing paper products, and necessities. Or how about an over-the-door, clean vinyl shoe organizer to hold your extra toiletries and smaller items—a fun and efficient way to stay clean and organized. Avoid unnecessary items like knick knacks and picture frames. They’ll only take up space. 

With a few easy steps, and a few bucks, you can take your dated bathroom from washed out to overflowing with style.—Ed Warwick

Before joining the ABODE team, Ed Warwick was the author of “Simply Cville,” a blog about D.I.Y. design, entertaining, and home improvement projects. A UVA grad, Ed currently works as the Coordinator of LGBT Student Services under the University’s Dean of Students.

On tape

Is duct tape really all that it claims to be? I think not.

In my experience, the adhesive on this supposed “cure-all” inevitably turns into a gummy, gooey mess and often makes the problem worse.

In fact, duct tape was never intended for use on ductwork at all (for that, you’ll need a fire resistant, foil tape). Duct (or “duck”, as it was more likely originally named) tape was created for military use back in the 1940s and has been used for emergency, in-field repairs on Army Jeeps and boats, and has even saved lives aboard NASA spacecraft. 

Civilians, it seems, tend to use duct tape more for fashion and hazing than anything else. Yes, you can patch holes in inner tubes, hoses and kiddie pools—I’ve done it and it wasn’t worth the effort. You can also bundle things such as computer cords and use it to hang stuff from walls, like posters and small children, apparently. But getting the stuff off cleanly and without further damage is a major hurdle. 

If you are looking for a strong, useful and removable, fabric-backed tape, I recommend gaffer tape. True, you might not find it in hot pink zebra stripes, but when you need to keep your vehicle’s taillight in place until you get to the mechanic, it will do the trick. Traditionally used in television, film and theatre, gaffer tape can be precisely torn by hand and is employed in “the industry” to keep cables and cords tidy (among myriad other uses). It comes in a variety of widths and several colors. In the home, the tape can be used in small pieces as labels for containers of fasteners and tool drawers, to create an ant trap, to fix holes in everything from hoses to pants, and the list goes on. 

The big benefit of gaffer tape is that it is made with synthetic rubber, offering the bonus of clean removal (read: no sticky mess). You can use it, just like duct tape, to tape a dorm room shut. But at least with gaffer tape, you’re more likely to get your deposit back at the end of the year.—Christy Baker

Christy Baker is a local Jane-of-all-trades. Whether it’s fixing furniture, building a chicken coop or maintaining her roller skates, this creative mom of two always keeps a toolbox (or at least some gaffer tape) handy.

The 300-square-foot studio apartment where Sean Santiago lives is not easy to find. Hidden behind an iron gate and an urban, ivy filled garden, the space is a refuge for the local designer, writer and photographer. In it, he’s created a home that tells a story of who he is and what he likes. 

Photo by Nick Strocchia.

In Santiago’s favorite corner, amongst stacks of fashion magazines that are piled almost waist-high, there’s a white mirror that has a collection of vintage black-and-white photographs sticking around the edges. In fact, Santiago’s entire space, like he himself, is a nod to the past. 

“Almost my whole wardrobe is vintage. I would say that my aesthetic vibe is secondhand glamour.” A true embracer of all things local, Santiago is adamant about furnishing his apartment with Charlottesville finds or hand-me-downs from his family, who live in Crozet. “So much of what I have is stuff my mom thought was ugly!” 

Having just gotten back from a year he spent in China (a collection of his photographs will be on display this October at Artifacts), Santiago betrays an Asian influence: pops of bold, primary colors, like a kelly green bench he spray painted. Santiago, who “loves a good floral pattern,” surrounds himself with retro finds, all the while making sure his belongings have a place to go. “That way, if things get a bit hectic, cleaning involves putting everything back where it belongs.”—Cate West Zahl

In his own words…

“It was definitely fun coming into this small space and expressing myself, but it’s harder for me to design interiors because my vision that I have in my head for a space doesn’t easily manifest itself. There’s something so immediate with fashion and putting together an outfit; a room takes much longer. I’ve definitely taken my time with this space. Everything is very edited. 

“Respecting your belongings is important. I think that when you don’t respect your belongings, it’s reflected in your space, and that’s when it turns into an episode of ‘Hoarders’ or something!

“My great aunt lived in Panama, and that painted candlestick holder was a gift to my grandmother, and it was out in my parents’ dining room. I’m pretty sure my mom thought it was ugly, but I thought it was cool, so I took it! That’s actually how I acquired a lot of items in the apartment—I had a vision for something that was going to be discarded or was in storage.

“I’m a total form over function person. I’m like ‘It doesn’t function at all, that’s O.K., it looks good!’ And that’s very true in everything I have. The books here, the magazines, I can’t read them. But they look good in the stacks. I mean yes, there are days when I take apart the piles, but it just feels like a mess. 

“I love a good floral pattern. I love color, especially really bold, primary colors. The walls are white, because it is easier. I painted it this color because in the end I thought it would be more peaceful. Before I moved in, I did a month of cleaning up and painting. I polished it up. The space really felt like a blank slate that I could slowly make my own.

“I like creating little moments or vignettes around my space. It’s almost like ‘merchandising’ your areas, if that makes sense. Even the bedside table has surprises. There’s an Hermes box, hidden under the ‘Arrested Development’ DVD case! Which is all under War and Peace, of course.”