Tag Archives: Marie Dinsmore

Home Ownership – The American Dream

History of National Home Ownership Month

June is National Home Ownership Month.  Do you know the history of the American Dream of home ownership?

In the 1800s, most Americans had no way of really owning a home.  Mortgages became common only after the U.S. banking system came into being after the 1860s National Bank Acts.

During the time of the Great Depression, the banks did not have any money to lend and the average borrower didn’t have any cash.  As a result, people couldn’t afford to buy homes, while existing homeowners often failed to pay their debt.  To stabilize the housing market, the U.S. government created the Home Owners’ Loan Corporation in 1933, the Federal Housing Administration in 1934, and the Federal National Mortgage Association (now known as Fannie Mae) in 1938.  All these institutions took homeownership to new heights and helped prevent a crash in the housing market.

What changed the face of the housing industry, along with that of the American economy, was the G.I. Bill of 1944.  This bill provided subsidized mortgages for the veterans of World War II.  Another milestone in the history of American housing came when Congress passed the Fair Housing Act of 1968.  The Act was signed by President Lyndon B. Johnson and banned discrimination in housing based on religion, race, gender, and national origin.  It came into being only a few days after the assassination of Martin Luther King, Jr.

In its 87 years of existence, the Federal Housing Administration (FHA) has saved America an almost $4 trillion loss of household wealth.  It has helped more than 44 million citizens to become homeowners.

National Homeownership Week began in 1995, which was a strategy of the administration under President Bill Clinton to increase homeownership across America.  Later, in 2002, President George W. Bush expanded the period of observance from a week to the entire month of June.  National Homeownership Month reinforces the belief that owning a home is one of the steps toward achieving the American dream.

My passion is helping people home ownership and finding their dream home.

Information derived from NationalToday.com

In appreciation,

Marie Dinsmore

Experience, Passion, and Commitment to Excellence!

Circle of Excellence 2021

2021 was another challenging year both personally and for real estate.  With the pandemic still looming and low inventory of homes, etc., we were still able to help many clients with their real estate needs. We feel very grateful and blessed to be honored again and to be among those achieving the Circle of Excellence Award from the 400 North Board of Realtors for 2021.

While it’s an honor and I’m very grateful to receive these awards, it’s not necessarily my goal. My goal is to give my clients the best possible service possible, whether it is to help them sell their home or to find them their perfect new home. My passion is helping people. That is why I strive for a high level of service and as a result, I have many repeat clients as well as referrals of friends and family over my 20-year real estate career. For this, I am truly grateful for my client’s trust and confidence.

One of the other ways I service my clients is my knowledge of the market. I continue to make sure I am well versed in all matters of real estate. As a REALTOR, we are tasked each year to accomplish additional education units. I typically go beyond what is required. I am certified in negotiating, probate, distressed property, luxury home market, iRep Pro, etc. So, please know whatever someone’s real estate needs are, I will always do my very best to deliver the ultimate service experience.

For a list of certifications and awards, please see our ‘About’ page.

In Appreciation,

Marie Dinsmore

RE/MAX Around Atlanta

Marie@DinsmoreTeam.com

Experience, Passion, and Commitment to Excellence

Feeling Grateful

Despite such a challenging year of 2020, with the Pandemic, low inventory of homes, etc. we are very honored to have been among those achieving the Circle of Excellence Award from the 400 North Board of Realtors.

While it’s an honor and I’m very grateful to receive these accolades, honors, and awards, it’s not necessarily my goal that I set out to achieve each year. My goals are to give my clients the best possible service possible, whether it is to help them list, stage, and get the best price for their home or to find them their perfect new home.  My passion is helping people.  As a result, by providing this high level of service, I have many repeat clients as well as referrals of friends and family over my 19-year real estate career.  For this, I am truly grateful for their trust and confidence.

One of the other ways I service my clients is my knowledge of the market.  I ensure I am well versed in all matters of real estate.  As a realtor, we are tasked each year to accomplish so many education units.  I typically go beyond what is required.  I have been certified in negotiating, probate, distressed property, luxury home market, iRep Pro, etc.  So, please know whatever someone’s real estate needs are, I will always do my very best to deliver the ultimate service experience.

For a list of certifications and awards, please see our ‘About’ page.

In Appreciation,

Marie Dinsmore

The Dinsmore Team

Experience, Passion, and Commitment to Excellence

Deal with a Home that’s Not Move-In Ready

lkjAfter months—and possibly even years—of planning, searching, and organizing, you’ve finally done it—you’ve signed the paperwork and left with the keys to your new home; however, unless your purchase is totally move-in ready, you’re just getting started.

If you’ve decided to close on a house that could use a little bit of TLC, it’s important to understand the amount of money and effort it will take to make your home something you are truly happy with.  At the very least, a little paint will help spruce things up; however, in all reality, if there’s updating to be done, it may take more than a new color scheme.

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Simple Updates to Bring Your 1970s Home into this Century

before-and-after-photos_005Whether you’re looking to move in the next few years or at some unknown point down the road, if you own an older home, it can be challenging to think about entering a housing market that is frequently flooded with new builds.  While there’s something to be said for the quality and integrity of older building materials, as well as the character that comes with etched woodwork and crown molding, if your home was built in the 60s or 70s, chances are good that it’s missing that old-time charm anyway.

What you will find, however, are things like wood paneling, dark flooring, dim lighting, and an abundance of popcorn ceilings.  In essence, things tend to feel a bit tight.  Therefore, if you’re looking to bring a home that’s 40 to 50-years-old into this century, a few tweaks can make a great deal of difference.

GET RID OF DARK PANELING

Homes in this era tend to have lower ceilings which, combined with darker wall coverings, often make people feel as if they’re living in a cave.  To really make things feel open and light, one of the first considerations should involve removing the dark paneling.  While this process definitely requires a bit of effort, it will be well worth it in the end.  If you’re extremely handy or have experience with this type of renovation, it’s certainly a project that can be done without professional help; however, depending upon the condition of your walls beneath the paneling, additional assistance may be required.

If you don’t have the time or money to remove the paneling all-together, consider painting over it with a light color.

BRING IN THE LIGHT

Since low ceilings tend to restrict the amount of light that comes into your home, a great remedy involves the installation of a few skylights.  While this is another project that you may be able to do on your own, it’s probably wise to hire the services of a professional.  Not only can they help make sure the installation is done right—you certainly don’t want rain leaking in—they can help you select the right type of skylights for your home, as well as your budget.

ADDING WINDOWS

Although replacing your existing windows may go a long way towards making your home feel a bit more modern, especially if they’ve become drafty over the years, part of allowing more light into your space may simply involve adding additional windows to certain rooms.

Clearly, this is generally a job for a professional, especially if you’re planning on adding windows or expanding existing ones.  Anytime you mess with your walls, it’s important to have a solid understanding of where your structural supports are, so making sure this project is done correctly is pretty important.

REPLACE YOUR FLOORING

Whether you’re dealing with carpeting, tile, or wood flooring, you’ll add more appeal to your home by replacing any dark flooring with lighter alternatives.  Consider swapping dark carpeting with lighter, more muted tones (e.g. beige, grey, off-white, etc.) and refinish any dark-stained wood with a lighter stain.  If you have an abundance of dated vinyl flooring, you may want to opt for a pale colored tile instead.

SAY GOODBYE TO THE POPCORN CEILINGS

Most homes built during the 60s and 70s have popcorn ceilings, which have a tendency to cause shadows and trap dust.  With that, no matter how well you renovate the rest of your home, they will always scream, “I was built in 1973!”  Therefore, updating your ceilings is wise investment and is something that doesn’t necessarily require the services of a professional painter.  Most people are entirely capable of doing it themselves; however, aside from being messy, it requires the use of certain tools that you simply may not have at home.

For tips on updating the curb appeal of your outdated home, stay tuned for next week’s blog.  As always, if you would like advice or want to know what types of home changes will give you the best bang for your buck, please contact me.  I’m always here to help.

Marie Dinsmore | The Dinsmore Team | www.DinsmoreTeam.com | 770-712-7789