Children's Rooms Through the Years

Here are some tips on changing room decorations over the years.

Nursery

• The key to longevity is keeping the essentials basic (e.g., beds, dressers, side tables) and decorating with temporary things. For example: White or mint-colored walls provide a basic pastel backdrop; you can then swap out knickknacks, wall photos and mobiles as your child grows up.
• You can choose a theme or add a few prints and patterns in places, such as with the bed linens.
• Keep colors gender neutral so your children can vary how masculine and feminine they want to decorate as they grow up, or easily swap rooms with a sibling.
• Monochrome themes are sleek, but make it interesting with varied textures, wood accents and fun wallpapers.
• Storage boxes are a must for storing baby care supplies and, later, toys. Consider buying a vintage or secondhand dresser for decorative storage.

Child's room

• Involve your child: Bring in his or her favorite colors, hobbies and inspirations! Think of how to incorporate travels, comics, celebrity role models and your kid's dreams.
• Swap out baby accessories for items for older kids.
• Keep things simple; kids love to change their minds, so let their decorations bring the color and texture to the room.
• Removable wall stickers let your kid change the walls easily and inexpensively.
• A bedside light will let a child read before going to sleep and help him or her find the bathroom in the middle of the night.
• Drape some string lights across the room for a cozy look.
• When there are multiple kids to a room, keep the walls and furniture simple to reduce visual clutter; bring out each person's distinct personality but aim for complementary designs.
• Storage is a must: Keep it at the edge of the room and leave space in the center for play. To encourage kids' tidiness, ensure storage is nearby and at their height.
• Here are some fun features most kids love: a blackboard wall, a loft bedroom (if possible) or glow-in-the-dark painted stars on the ceiling.
• Let your kids help out in the decorating; afterwards, they'll love their rooms!

Teen's room

• A desk is a necessity for studying, as well as a place to spend free time online.
• Storage is still essential, so make sure it's something he or she wants to use.
• Give your teen display space for pictures, postcards and collections — peel-and-stick cork is inexpensive and easy to use.

Personal space is important, so let your teen decorate after you install the basic furniture.

Is It Risky to Buy a New Home Before Selling My Current One?

Which comes first, the chicken (buying a new home) or the egg (selling your current home)? There is no simple answer. Knowing and understanding your options can help you make the decision that’s right for you. There can be several advantages to buying a new home before selling your current one, so we've broken down a few things you should consider.

Timing Your Move

You can take your time with the buying and moving process. You’ll have more time to shop for a new home that has the features and location that you want. Then once you buy your new home you can move in at your own pace, and put your current home on the market when ready. 

On the other hand, if you sell your current home before buying, you face the possibility of not having a place to live. There are options. You could rent until you buy a new home, including the possibility of renting your current home from the new owners. Or, once you have an offer, you can begin shopping for your new home and try to coordinate closing dates. While not impossible, this would take a bit of finagling and a lot of luck.

Financing Your Move

If you still owe money on your current home, then you’ll have to be able to afford two mortgages until your current home sells. How quickly that happens depends on the housing market in your area. Having two house payments will limit your purchasing power for a new home.

Selling before you buy gives you the advantage of knowing the exact amount you can put toward your new home purchase. While this might give you more peace of mind and buying power, it might mean missing out on homes you want while waiting for yours to sell.

Ask the Professionals

Your real estate agent can estimate the value of your current home and how quickly the current market is moving. They can also help you find information about neighborhoods you are interested in moving to and how much buying power you’ll need for the home you want.

A mortgage lender can help you figure out if you can afford to have two mortgages. They can also inform you about how to use equity in your current home to help with the down payment on a new home.

Whether you decide to buy first or sell first, you can make the process easier by being prepared and able to take action when the right opportunity comes along.

Have more questions about buying a new home before selling your current one? Feel free to contact me for more information.