Renovations in RVA - A Young Perspective

(photo courtesy of Wikimedia, VCU)

Have you been downtown lately? It's the middle of the summer so you'd expect the city to be quiet with all the students on summer break. When you visit downtown though, even in the middle of the day, the city is vibrant with city life. 

A quick drive through the VCU Campus, Carytown and even Shockoe Slip will prove that there is a lot happening downtown. There are buildings being constructed left and right, spaces that have been previously unnoccupied are running as busy commercial spaces, and even the those streets that were considered as some of the less desirables areas are now being occupied with restaurants and small businesses. MCV keeps expanding adding the need for more student and resident housing close to Shockoe Bottom. VCU has created the demand for more restaurants and retail shoppes. Carytown has attracted more business in the past couple of years than they ever have with places like: Carytown Cupcakes, Mellow Mushroom, The Daily and a couple of Froyo places. 

Downtown is making a comeback and as homeowner or investor you should take advantage of an emerging housing market. As a homeowner you have the opportunity to make improvements on your existing property, don't let it detiorate in value because this area keeps growing and you need to grow with it. When it is time to sell, there is a good potential for a great return, especially if you're home is up to par with the modern architecture of the renovated warehouse spaces turned into apartments. You'll even have the upper hand because your home will be more in line with Richmond's traditional architecture. 

As an investor, it is time to look at downtown with the respect that it deserves, so many people have been turned off by the idea of living in a home that needs a lot of renovations. This challenge should be accepted as an opportunity to see the potential down the line. With the economy of downtown growing as exponentially as it has, this is a great time to invest in a property that is of a good value and bring it up to date. There will be interested parties that are willing to purchase a home that is ready to move in at an alarming rising rate.  

There is a lot of a lot of value in Downtown Richmond, you just need to have the vision for it. 

Pros and Cons: Wooden Floors

As a Class-A contractor, New Earth gets often asked to install wooden floors in all types of homes. We have realized that people usually have quite a few questions about the process, the cost and some of the benefits and disadvantages of wooden floors. We've put together a list of things to consider when purchasing a new home or updating an old one to wooden floors. Let's start with the positive first:

Pro's

• Easy Clean Up - What makes this particularly important is that you can easily recognize dirt or dust and clean it up. There are plenty of ways to clean a wooden floor, from: items you can pick up at your local grocery store to steam mops that disinfect.
• Cost Effective Repairs - If a section of your wooden floor happens to be damaged, it is very easy to target the replacement of the floor. You don't need to replace the entire thing. 
• Environmentally Friendly - Wooden floors come from natural materials which means they are biodegradable and it is a resource that can be replanted. 
• Hypoallergenic - Suffering from allergies is no joke, wooden floors allow to measure the amount of dust and allergens that live on the surface. Other flooring options like carpet don't give you that level of control since carpeting is often considered a breeding ground for allergens. 

Con's

• Cost - It usually costs more money upfront to install wooden floors, although in the long run you might see the value because it is a low maintenance option. 
• Durability - Even though wooden floor tend to last for a long time, it can scratch easily especially if you have pets or kids in the house.

Although the our Con's list is not very extensive, price is something to consider that can be a major factor in your decision. Keep in mind that this is a long term investment and that you'll probably end up saving money in the long run. 

For more great tips and info visit our website www.NewEarthVA.com

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Tips for Spring

Spring is here and soon it will be summer, before this wonderful weather runs out there are a few projects that you should consider doing that our friends at Forbes Magazine suggest. 

1. Gutter Check

This one seems simple enough  but most people overlook it. The reason why you should check your gutters is because a lot has accumulated over the Fall and Winter. Having a backed up gutter can cause all kinds of problems to your home including leaky roofs and fire hazards. This is a project that will not take very long but can save you a lot of money. 

2. Chimney Sweep 

A lot of older home in Richmond, VA have fireplaces. Again, they could be heavily backed up from use over the winter to all kinds of debris coming in from the outside. If a chimney is not properly kept it can be a major fire hazard. Do it now so you don't have to worry about it later on! 

3. Water Pipes

This one is definitely one that can be easily missed. Water pipes can freeze over the winter, especially in Virginia. Water freezes and expands in the pipes, sometimes rupturing them. This can be a very costly problem if it is not address immediately. Broken pipes can cause floods in unexpected areas of the house costing thousands of dollars in repairs.

4. Air Conditioning

Summer will be here before you know it and with that you'll have a vey expensive AC bill. Optimizing your home for climate control is a good idea for saving money down the long run. Make sure that you don't have any leaks in windows, doors, attic, etc. Also ensure that your AC unit has all the properly maintenance done: filters, cooling liquids, etc. You can find different set on AC maintenance by visiting different resource sites on the web. 

5. Roofing

Your roof has taken a beating over these couple of seasons so it is smart to check to make sure everything is in order. This is something that if you suspect could be a problem, you might want to call a professional to inspect your roof. It can be a dangerous spot to check yourself so if you have any doubts we recommend to leave it to the professionals. 

To read this article in full please visit Forbes.com

To find more about New Earth VA and our work click here

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