The reason that some people will only consider newly built downtown Toronto townhomes is that they have trouble thinking of resale homes as "theirs." Living in one feels too much like living in someone else's house, with their renovations and their choices. However, if you want to be able to afford real estate in Scottsdale, Arizona, you've probably going to need to consider resale homes, not just new ones. But that doesn't mean your resale home has to feel like someone else's. Here are some tips on making it yours.
Renovate
If there's anything you particularly don't like about the house, something that really screams "someone else's choice," you can always renovate and fix it. If shag carpeting is something you'd never have chosen, pull it up and replace it with hardwood. Knock down the wall between the living room and the kitchen. Replace the appliances. If you think the light fixtures are hideous, replace them with the ones you brought from your London, Ontario real estate. You don't have to go nuts and replace the whole interior, and you don't have to do all the renovations you want right away.
Repaint
You'd be amazed at what a big difference a coat of paint can make. If the previous owners left for their new Toronto lofts and left behind a house with brown walls, repainting them white will make the whole house seem brighter. Each family member should have input into what color their bedroom should be painted so that they feel like they own that space. Painting is much less expensive than renovating but has almost the same amount of impact.
Rearrange
It's hard to shake the look of the house as the former owners had it when you did the walkthrough. Even though they're now off looking at Georgian Bay Islands for sale, they have left their stamp just by showing you how they used the rooms and arranged their furniture. To make the house feel like yours, purposefully ignore their arrangements and create your own. Turn the dining room into an office. Put the couch against the other wall. Use the spare bedroom as an exercise suite. Whatever meets your needs - you don't need to be deliberately contrary if an arrangement of theirs was optimal.
Redecorate
And finally, bring in all your possessions. The saying goes that home is where the heart is, but for most people home is where their stuff is. Being surrounded by your greenhouse supplier awards, furniture, photographs, artwork, and knickknacks will do more than anything else toward making your new place feel like home. You can even buy some new pieces that will help tie the new house to your old things.
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