A recent study by Zumper, an online rental marketplace, reveals massive shifts in renter behavior and historic market changes for renting in 2020. The company’s
Source: century21.com
New Report Reveals Massive Shifts in Tenant
What Itâs Like Living In An RV
For the past year, me and my husband, as well as our two dogs, have been living in an RV.
Some people think we’re crazy (okay, most people think that), others are extremely interested and want to do it as well, but the most common question we receive from anyone is “What is it like living in an RV?”
Makes sense, as living in an RV isn’t the “normal” American dream.
Just over a year ago, I never thought I’d live in an RV either. It was never a dream of mine or anything like that. I never gave it a second thought.
However, one step into an RV and I knew it was for me. Living in our RV full-time has been the best thing ever, and we truly love living in an RV.
In case you’re new here, below is a picture of our home:
In the past year, we’ve traveled around 15,000 miles in the RV, with even more miles put on our Jeep.
We’ve already traveled to many awesome places in our RV, such as:
- The Pacific Northwest (Wes cycled 1,000 miles from Port Angeles, Washington to San Francisco, California, while I drove myself and our two dogs in the RV). We went to Mount Rainier National Park, Olympic National Park, Kalaloch and Ruby Beach, Hoh National Rainforest, La Push Beach, and many other beautiful places. This was the trip of a lifetime!
- Utah (many times) – Arches National Park, Canyonlands National Park, Moab, and many other places.
- Colorado (many times) – Rocky Mountain National Park, Black Canyon of the Gunnison National Park, Colorado National Monument, Dinosaur National Monument, and many other places.
- “Home” in Missouri
- Mississippi
- Arizona – Saguaro National Park, Tucson, Sedona, and many other places.
- California – This was a part of the Pacific Northwest trip, but we continued on and hopped along beaches all the way to Los Angeles.
- Wyoming – Yellowstone National Park and Grand Tetons National Park
- Great Smoky Mountains National Park
And much, much more.
If you’re interested in RVing, check out these other blog posts on Making Sense of Cents:
- The Ultimate Guide To Getting Started RVing
- Becoming an RV Family – How We Travel Full-Time With 4 Kids and 2 Dogs
- How To Make Money While RVing
- How Much Does It Cost To RV?
- Common RV Questions – Yes, I Even Talk About What We Do With #2
- Beginner RV Tips – Dreaming Of A Life On The Road?
Here is what it’s like living in an RV.
You can park your home wherever you want to.
This is probably one of the best things about living in an RV. Going on vacations is nice, but I love being able to bring my entire home with me. This way I’m not forgetting anything, and because my home is always with me, I still get to live comfortably.
We get to park our home wherever we want. This means that we can follow great weather, visit family and friends whenever it’s convenient for everyone, move to awesome new places whenever we want, and so on.
Following the weather is something that we truly love. We really only have clothes for one season, so we avoid places that are cold.
I pretty much wear flip flops, shorts, and tank tops year round, which is really nice.
It’s exciting living in new places all the time.
You cannot beat the kind of views we’ve had out of our RV window.
And, there have been a lot of them.
We’ve seen beautiful national parks right outside our window, amazing mountain ranges, all different kinds of landscapes, and more.
This means that there are always plenty of things to do. Boredom is a thing of the past, and I really cannot remember the last time I said I was bored. We can go on hikes all the time, paddle board, try a new restaurant, go Jeeping, biking, and more.
Not seeing friends and family all the time is different.
I’m not going to lie, when we first started RVing, I was a little sad.
Not seeing friends and family as much as we were used to was hard, especially knowing that we’re missing out on big life events and all of the little things in between. We still try to go home as often as we can.
However, this feeling has passed a little bit. I no longer get that FOMO (fear of missing out) feeling as much as I did in the beginning.
Now, we really just try to enjoy the times when we do go back, even if they are brief.
Working while living in an RV is a great thing.
Living in an RV has taught me to better manage a comfortable work-life balance, work ahead, as well as seek ways to increase my passive income.
Due to all of this, my business income has significantly increased, and I now manage everything much better.
Working while living in an RV is super nice, as you can probably tell!
Plus, having great views while you work is very motivating. It’s really refreshing to sit in the passenger seat up front, and just work while glancing at the scenery right outside our front window.
Also, I’ve had a lot of you ask what I’m using for internet. I am using a Verizon MiFi Jetpack. I also have AT&T for our cell phones so that we are always covered. This may sound crazy, but every RVer we’ve met has the same set up.
Note: Read more about how I earn a living on the road.
Watching scary movies in an RV makes them even scarier.
If you’re a fan of scary movies or TV shows involving zombies (like The Walking Dead), everything becomes even more enjoyable (i.e. scarier) when you’re watching it in an RV.
Note: Good luck letting the dogs out at night after doing this.
Driving an RV can be fun, but also stressful.
Wes always drives our RV, and I’m always sitting up front with him so that we can have a second set of eyes watching the road at all times.
Driving an RV isn’t necessarily hard, but there are a lot of bad drivers out there who are especially bad around RVers. Plus, you have to watch for construction areas, big dips in the road, and so on.
Due to this, we limit our driving to 250 miles a day on travel days. However, because we travel fairly slowly, travel days don’t come around too often.
Making friends when living in an RV is interesting.
Whenever we make new RV friends, it’s like we’re long lost best friends. There’s always an instant connection, lots of laughs after just a few moments of meeting each other, and going our separate ways (a normal thing in RV life) is always a little sad.
One time we had a young couple knock on our RV door and ask us if we wanted to hang out with them for drinks that night. We had never met them before, but they said they saw us roll into the campground and that they wanted to hang out.
This is a completely normal thing when living in an RV, haha!
Downsizing is liberating.
Living in an RV means that you’ll have to downsize. While some people dread this, getting rid of nearly all of your stuff is extremely liberating.
When we sold our house and moved into an RV, we donated and got rid of a lot of our belongings. At first it was difficult to get rid of so much, but it became easier as time went on.
These days, all we have is what we have with us. We have a small amount of everything, and we like it best this way.
We are much more mindful of what we buy, we waste hardly anything, and this is allowing us to save money as well.
Plus, when you’re RVing, you no longer have a need to buy as much stuff because the outdoors take up all of your time. Whereas before we would waste time by going to the mall, Target, and other stores- we hardly ever do that now. Now, we spend a lot of our time exploring new places.
Read more at Downsizing Your Home? Here’s How I Went From A 2,000 Square Foot House To An RV.
We still get along in close quarters.
One of the top questions I hear is “Do you guys get along even though you’re in such a tight space?”
Yes, we do. If we didn’t, RVing would be near impossible. We’ve been near RVers who’ve gotten into heated fights, and let me tell you- fighting in an RV isn’t fun, haha.
Everyone can hear you, and there’s really nowhere to escape to.
Yes, RVers take showers.
For some reason, some people believe that RVers don’t take showers or use the bathroom. We have both a shower and a bathroom in our RV, so you don’t have to worry about that any more 🙂
Showering in an RV isn’t as nice as showering at home. We have to watch the amount of hot water we use, but we haven’t really had any problems with that so I don’t have any complaints.
Food tastes better when living in an RV.
Me and Wes always talk about this, but it’s true – meals in an RV always taste better. I think it has to do with always having great views.
Are you interested in living in an RV? Why or why not?
The post What Itâs Like Living In An RV appeared first on Making Sense Of Cents.
Source: makingsenseofcents.com
Compliments to the Chef
As more Americans turn to home cooking and entertaining, the functionality of a kitchen is more important than ever when choosing a home.
Over the past half-century, kitchens have become somewhat fetishized; a place to display high-tech appliances and high design cookware, a social hub for friends and family, and a continuation of home style that showcases elegance and considered design choices. Pare it back to basics, though, and todayâs kitchen is still essentially what it always has been: a place to prepare food. And homeowners, spurred recently by stay-at-home orders, but also inspired by home-cooking television shows, health concerns and the rising expense of dining out, are increasingly relying on their kitchens in times when eating out is not an option, as well as using their kitchens as additional entertainment space; somewhere to try their hand at cooking for their friends and family. For house hunters who relish the opportunity to regularly entertain and prepare food for guests, it pays to know what to look for when assessing kitchen space during your house searchâand the best person to ask is an expert.
Edouard Massih is a private chef and caterer in New York City. He hosts intimate dinners in his own home, giving local diners the experience of enjoying his food in a less formal, more personal way. Massih, who was born in Lebanon, found his love for cooking in his grandmotherâs kitchen. Sharing food and creating community has always been the driving force behind Massihâs cooking, and he has discovered a way to do that in his own backyardâliterally.
âI wanted to invite people into my backyard, because I had a very unique space in Brooklyn, and not a lot of people [in New York] get to have dinners in a backyard,â Massih says. To bring to life his vision of cooking for the community, Massih extensively renovated his Greenpoint backyard, creating a lush urban escape where guests can enjoy the exquisite food that he prepares in his own kitchenâeach dish enhanced by a dash of his grandfatherâs olive oil, all the way from Lebanon.
Having worked on his kitchen to ensure that it had everything that he needed to support his at-home dining experiences, Massih has the knowledge of both a professional chef and a home cook. We asked him for some tips to help aspiring culinary hosts to choose the right kitchen space, starting with the five kitchen elements that he finds to be indispensable. First, Massih says, is âthe right fridge, or the right fridge space.â Part of taking the pressure off yourself when entertaining, he says, is making sure that youâre prepared in advance. âEntertaining is all about making it simple for yourself when people are thereâ being able to prep ahead and batching the drinks; having the pitchers of water ready in the fridge; and having everything ready to go. Maybe serve more cold stuff than hot. You can do a pasta salad and an orzo salad, and make it two hours in advance.â
Preparing food in advance, chilling drinks and ensuring that all of your produce is fresh all comes down to having the right fridge. And while interactive fridges with weather forecasts and recipe databases can be useful, the main thing is spaceâand plenty of it. If you want to get fancy, you could go for a hot-water dispenser and temperature-adjustable drawers, both of which assist in various cooking processes; just make sure that you have enough shelf space to hold all of the food and beverages that youâve prepped for your guests.
Because you canât make a lot of food without creating a lot of mess, Massih insists that having two sinks is vital: one dedicated to food prep, and one to cleanup. You can keep your prep equipment near your prep sink (think bowls, colanders, appliances), and dishes near the cleanup sink (which should ideally be close to the dishwasher). In addition, having two sinks creates more flexibility for multiple cooks, and streamlines the flow while youâre cooking.
The third must-have for Massih is âa lot of prep areaâlots of counter space.â You need space for laying out, preparing and organizing ingredients, which most people consider when thinking about counter space; but if youâre planning on entertaining groups of diners, you also need enough counter space to plate all of the meals at once. Nobody wants to be balancing plates on top of kitchen stools because thereâs not enough room for everything on the countertop.
Fourth for Massih is storage, in terms of both kitchen cabinets and a decent pantry. You want plenty of space, and also space that complements your cooking flow. Pots and pans should be as close to your stove as possibleâeither on a rack above or in a cabinet belowâand serving utensils like spoons and tongs should be close to where you do your plating, to minimize the number of steps you have to take to collect your cooking tools, which helps with efficiency when youâre cooking for a group of people. A walk-in pantry is ideal, with various shelf sizes and storage options for appliances that are not in regular use. For chefs, thereâs nothing worse than a cluttered cooktop.
Lastly, Massih emphasizes the importance of, as he calls it, âlegit trash.â âYou want a trash can thatâs near the sink or accessible around [where youâre working], and not one of those little tiny trash barrels that fits nothing,â he says. âOtherwise, every two minutes, youâll have to take the trash out when youâre prepping.â Massih also spends a lot of time cooking in other peopleâs kitchens as part of his catering and private-chef business, and the one feature that he is always delighted to see is a back kitchen.
âWhat is really nice about some of [the private homes that I cook in] is they have a back kitchen, like the âhelpâ kitchen,â he says. âThat really does help a lot. If I [had the resources], and I was looking for a house to entertain in a lot or to do a lot of dinners in, then thatâs definitely something that I would look for. âA lot of these kitchens nowadays are very open-plan, because the idea of it is that itâs really fun. But it gets annoying when youâre [hosting] a formal dinner, and you canât do dishes [or hide them away] while your guests are eating. Having a small back kitchen really helps, because then you can hide all of the stuff that you donât want people to see.â
Thereâs nothing wrong with a kitchen as a style statement, and most people whose interests lie in kitchens will admit to some fetish-like reverence. Just keep practical concerns in mind, particularly when you have culinary aspirations; remember, you can have a waterfall countertop AND legit trash. Thatâs what we call the best of both worlds.
For more information on Edouard Massih and his home-style cooking, visit www.edouardmassih.com.
The post Compliments to the Chef first appeared on Century 21®.
Source: century21.com
This Dream Getaway Home is Part of a $220 Million Aspen Ranch
If you’re a fan of the mountain farmhouse aesthetic, you’re in for a treat. Nestled into a hillside just minutes away from Aspen core sits the Mount Daly House, one of the eight modern ranch retreats at the 800-acre Aspen Valley Ranch.
The massive Colorado ranch — owned by oil and gas executive Charif Souki — was initially listed back in May 2020 for $220 million, which propelled it to the top of the list of most expensive residential properties for sale in the U.S.
Since then, marketing efforts for the property, led by Souki’s son, Chris Souki, along with Carrie Wells (both with Coldwell Banker) have shifted, with the massive ranch being divided into more manageable assets. One of which is the biggest home on the ranch, Mount Daly, which has been listed alongside a future homesite (so far simply titled Lot 9), which has a 13,000-square-foot proposed floorplan that would outshine all the other existing homesteads on the property.
The asking price for the two properties — Mount Daly and Lot 9, the future homesite of a 6-bed, 9-bath dream ranch home with a generous 13,000-square-foot floorplan — is a whopping $30 million, but that’s not above the mark for properties in the area, especially considering that the lots total 82 acres (in what’s undoubtedly a phenomenal location).
Mount Daly house has 5,373 square feet and comes with 4 bedrooms, 4.5 baths, and a barn. Designed by Michael Fuller, the residence beams with mountain farmhouse aesthetic, with its interiors paying homage to western culture and history, boasting reclaimed beams, barn wood, stone features, and other traditional ranch-style elements.
Best of all, the home rests on the valley floor at the confluence of two mountains, offering some of the best Elk Mountain range views. The massive windows carefully placed throughout the home make the most of these views, and invite calm and relaxation.
More luxury properties for sale
Charming Estate With Ties to The Beatles On the Market in Connecticut
This Stunning Modern House Was Built With Fire Safety in Mind
New Jerseyâs Gloria Crest Estate, Once Home to Hollywood Silent Film Starlet, Is on the Market
Morgan Brown Re-Lists Stunning West Hollywood Home Amid Split from Actor Gerard Butler
The post This Dream Getaway Home is Part of a $220 Million Aspen Ranch appeared first on Fancy Pants Homes.
Source: fancypantshomes.com
Trophy Apartment Once Owned by Composer Leonard Bernstein Asks $29.5 Million
A 14-room apartment atop one of Manhattanâs most exquisite prewar buildings is looking for a buyer with exquisite taste â and deep pockets.
Source: fancypantshomes.com
Newly Renovated, 1915-Built Townhouse in Park Slope Asks $4.4 Million
A four-bedroom townhouse with park views and tons of charm has recently hit the market, and we’re dying to tell you all about it. The listing, brought to market by Compass’ Michael J. Franco, is right next to Prospect Park, Brooklynâs second largest park, and has plenty of outdoor space (and a rooftop deck to boot).
The townhouse sits in one of Brooklynâs trendiest, most desirable neighborhoods — Park Slope — with its leafy streets lined with brick and brownstone townhouses, many of which were built near the turn of the 20th century and have been lovingly updated over the decades by young families migrating from Manhattan. Much like its neighboring properties, the 2,600-square-foot townhome at 15 Prospect Park was originally built more than a century ago in 1915 and retains its old-world charm — but has been carefully updated to meet modern standards of living.
With 4 bedrooms, 3.5 baths, a generously sized living room, and a finished basement, the Brooklyn townhouse also comes with a few rare features for a New York home: ample outdoor space and private parking (that includes a private garage and its own driveway).
The layout is split on three levels, with the first floor housing a large living room and open dining room — both with distinctive pre-war features like classic moldings and arches — and a renovated kitchen that opens up to a lovely terrace.
The second floor is home to 3 bedrooms and a sizeable landing which is perfect for either a library or a home office, while the third floor is dedicated to the primary bedroom suite and its massive walk-in closet, renovated bath with skylights and soaring ceilings, with a separate sitting area/den. The third level also provides access to the townhouse’s own rooftop deck, which adds more outdoor space and looks like a perfect place to entertain guests.
The property is listed for $4,400,000 with Compass associate real estate broker Michael J. Franco.
More beautiful New York City homes
This Brooklyn Condo Has a Dreamy Backyard that Will Make You Forget Youâre in the City
Trophy Apartment Once Owned by Composer Leonard Bernstein Asks $29.5 Million
These 5 Unique Listings Will Remind You of Everything that Makes NYC Real Estate Special
This $16M NYC Penthouse Has Unobstructed Views of Central Park and the Manhattan Skyline
The post Newly Renovated, 1915-Built Townhouse in Park Slope Asks $4.4 Million appeared first on Fancy Pants Homes.
Source: fancypantshomes.com
7 Top Decorating Ideas for Your Bedroom this Fall: Making Your Room More Cozy & Stylish
Fall is one of the most exciting seasons of the year. The trees, the smells, the comfy sweaters and pumpkin spice lattes; itâs a cozy, wonderful time and who wouldn’t want to enjoy that warm vibe all year long? And since this is the season that prompts us all to spend a little more time inside, homeowners and renters alike tend to step up their interior decor game and invite the fall into their homes, adding notes of warmth and pops of color that are typical for the fall season. If youâre one of the many people that love fall
Source: fancypantshomes.com
Design Trends that Add Extra Flair to Your Fancy Home
After Celebrity Snoop Dogs launched on Channel 4 on June 26, our collective obsession with celebrity homes became even bigger. Thanks to a GoPro camera strapped to a celebâs beloved pooch, viewers are afforded a glimpse inside an A-Listerâs house.
While some celebrity homes may be described in some circles as âunderstatedâ, others are unashamedly extravagant. The world has always been strangely fascinated with celeb homes, with countless regular Joes making a huge effort to replicate certain aspects of a celebrity home when designing their own abode.
Whether you are a world-famous celeb or just someone who appreciates an exquisite home, here are a few of the hottest home design trends to follow before the year comes to an end.
Decorative elements are more dramatic than ever before
If you want your home to have the same theatrical appeal as your typical celebrity crib, consider investing in a range of dramatic decorative elements that will breathe new life into your home.
Tapestries that depict tranquil landscapes, colorful oriental designs or mythological artwork are considered hot property right now. Additionally, old, ultra-modern accessories including black-lined frames and mirrors, modern prints, oversized sculptures and vases, and contemporary cushion covers, carpets and rugs can all add a touch of drama to a room.
You can even opt for a dramatic kitchen or bathroom by steering clear of traditional white tiles and finishes and opting for dark colors and copper or gold fittings.
Bonus rooms add significant value to a house
Celebs are known to have a love for the extravagant, which is why you will find everyone from J-Lo to P. Diddy owning homes that feature bonus rooms such as gyms, sunrooms, cinemas and wet bars. Industry specialists ranging from Hollywood interior designers to home builders in Delaware are creating exquisite, award-winning homes that effortlessly incorporate innovative spaces such as sunrooms and home cinemas into a home design.
Depending on the amount of space you have available, you can add a number of lush spaces to your home design. Home offices are always popular, as are dedicated homework rooms for children. Smoking rooms, man caves, game rooms, home theaters fitted with all the latest hi-tech gear are also becoming increasingly popular among new homeowners, as are she-sheds.
Mixed metals make a lasting impression
Mixing metals is once again trending this year, with celebs and ordinary people alike opting to mix warm and cool metals to obtain an intriguing, luxurious look.
While metal finishings have been popular for quite some time, furniture in gold, silver, copper, tin and aluminum are all gaining popularity fast. Although metal is very fashionable, there are a few guidelines that need to be adhered to when it comes to decorating your posh abode. When mixing warm metals such as gold and brass with the cool colors of silver and stainless steel, it is important to choose a primary metal and an accent one. You can, alternatively, also opt for neutral metals, such as cast iron, that effortlessly combine with any other metals.
This yearâs design trends will make it possible to spruce up a house with ease. Even if you do not own a mansion in Beverly Hills or Presidio Heights you can still make sure your house is super-stylish and comfortable to live in (and nab some nice compliments from anyone that comes and visits).
Keep reading
How to Add a Touch of Luxury to Your Home without a Costly Renovation
Hereâs Everything You Need to Set Up a Meditation Corner in Your House
These Luxury Bar Stools will Take Your Kitchen to the Next Level
Hearing Colors? Hereâs What Colors to Choose in Your Home Based on Your Taste in Music
The post Design Trends that Add Extra Flair to Your Fancy Home appeared first on Fancy Pants Homes.
Source: fancypantshomes.com
8 Covid-Friendly Ways to Honor Our Military this Veterans Day
Veterans Day is right around the corner, and our military deserves all the praise and recognition for serving our country. Regardless of the circumstances,
Source: century21.com