The First Time Buyer's Dream!

So... the time is ripe to buy a house, and as a first time buyer, you're finding the choices are very limited! In fact, most of the houses are looking so small and plain that you just want to give them a miss. The parents are urging you that now is the time to buy! It seems ludicrous that you should put all your hard earned cash into such a sad looking deal.

Well, the parents are right, you know; realty is a good buy. At the very least you will have paid the equivalent of rent all your life and have a rent-free place to live in when you are old and unable to work anymore. What's more, no-one can ever kick you out of your own home, and you will have accrued equity in it, so that you can sell up and move to a sunny paradise if you want!


Long way off till retirement, eh? Of course, there is the other scenario: last year, thousands of people sold their homes for double what they paid for them only ten years before. Try getting that kind of interest in the bank! Of course you do have to start small.......

A small house will be a good investment after a few years have passed; this is a fact. Baby boomers will not be able to make it up their staircases anymore (sorry boomers, it's coming!). When this happens, they will be looking to downsize - into a smaller home - yours, maybe?

There is an old expression: If life gives you lemons - make lemonade. Well, you can actually make a smaller home very appealing by accentuating its tiny size and playing into the cozy aspect of a small home. By investing a little cash into the available gingerbread trims and shutters, you can transform a plain house into a real traffic-stopper!

If you want to add extra value into a small home, think of building a porch onto it and trimming that with the gingerbread edging and spindles. Add a few climbing plants up the side, wisteria and clematis, and you have the complete picture!

Another attractive idea is door screens. There are companies out there that actually offer matching gable trims and door screen trims, and they will mail them to you. Just search on the Internet for "gingerbread trims" and you will find many companies offering ready made trims. One site which is well laid out with prices and sizes that are easily found is called unclejohns.com, and there are many choices of design on that site.

'Doing up' an older home together can be a lot of fun; many older couples look back on those DIY years as some of their best. Of course, at times it can be heavy going, but you're not scared of a little hard work, surely?

By: Kevin Koitz

Article Directory: http://www.articledashboard.com

The Koitz Group offers elite real estate services in the greater Bethesda/Chevy Chase and Washington DC area (and they have a website that covers it all!). Visit the Koitz Group's Washington DC real estate guide or Georgetown DC homes guide, packed full of information, search tools, and links to other fine neighborhoods in the DC Metro area.