What Guests Really Notice in Your Home

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Our St. George luxury homes attract attention. If you’re hosting an open house or just a get together with friends, here’s some nice touches your guests will appreciate.

candleScent

Decor isn’t the first thing a guest notices when walking through your door. It’s the smell. Your nose has acclimatized to the lingering smell of fish from last night’s dinner, but it will punch your guests in the nose like a Mike Tyson left jab. Light a candle or simmer a pot of citrus peels and cinnamon sticks.

orchidsFresh Flowers

Fresh flowers add life to your custom home and can serve as the focal point of any room. Some minimalist designers will even argue they’re the only decoration your house really needs. Buy some potted flowers like orchids. With a little tender loving care, they’ll last a month or longer.

living-room

 

 

Lack of Clutter

A tidy space puts the mind at ease. You don’t need a deep clean, just organize some of that clutter. A coffee table tray or lidded box will help you hide away those keys or stray books.

 

towelA Tidy Bathroom

This is big one. Make sure you have some clean hand towels ready and for an added touch, light a candle.

 

 

 

shoes

 

 

An Organized Entryway

A coat rack and a place to sit while taking shoes off is extremely underrated.

3 NASA Approved House Plants

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Until you add some wildlife in your home, you don’t know what you’re missing. FYI we’re talking plant wildlife, not squirrel monkeys and hedgehogs.

Not only do plants make your home feel more alive, they also clean the air. According to NASA’s Clean Air Study, the following plants will do the best job of purifying your air.

Add some extra luxury to your custom St. George home with these hygienic plants:

Garden Mumm

This little plant is the air purifying king. (We’d even argue that it’s the prettiest on the list.) They can readily be found at any garden store and can even survive outdoors. They like direct sun and regular waterings.

red-mumPollutants removed: ammonia, benzene, formaldehyde, and xylene.

Spider Plant

This low maintenance plant is known as one of the easiest to grow. It’s named after the “spiderettes” than dangle down from the mother plant like spiders on a web. Provide them with bright, indirect sunlight and well drained soil.

Pollutants removed: formaldehyde and xylene.

spider-plantPeace Lily

Flowering most of the summer, Peace Lilys are easy to grow. Find a shadier spot for them and allow the soil to dry between waterings.

Pollutants removed: ammonia, benzene, formaldehyde, and trichloroethylene.

Renting Your Home on Airbnb? What You Need to Know.

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Airbnb is huge.

In fact, it’s so popular that hotels are dropping their prices just to compete.

In case you’re unfamiliar with the service, it’s a website that connects people looking to list, find, and rent lodging. Many of those with luxury St. George homes are using this service as a side hustle while on vacation.

Families touring southern Utah are skipping the hotel suites and looking to rent private homes instead.

If you’re thinking about renting your St. George custom home, here’s some advice before you take the plunge.

Will my homeowner’s insurance cover renting?

Depends.

Some insurance companies cover a few short-term rentals, but too many visits in a row may require you to purchase a business policy. Airbnb relieves some of this headache by offering insurance to protect you from injured guest lawsuits or home damage.

Will this affect my taxes?

Yes.

If you’re planning on renting your home out for more than 14 days a year, you’ll need to report the extra income on your taxes. This is due to the IRS requiring Airbnb to report the extra income you’re making through their service. Because it’s your personal home, your options for taking deductions will be limited.

What do I have to pay to use Airbnb?

3%.

You owe Airbnb 3% of the total rental price every time you rent out your home. Most users agree it’s a pretty fair price to pay.

3 Reasons to Love Your HOA

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girlLet’s be honest, we’ve all cursed them at least once in our lives.

 

When buying St. George Homes, you may find that your neighborhood is part of an HOA. You may not notice what an HOA does for you but look closer, it’s all in the details.

Property Value Protection (Things LOOK nice)

In other words, the neighbor next door can’t put up that whimsical birdhouse/mailbox he’s shown you seven times just because his grandkids made it for him. We get it Robert, your grandkids are clever. Or perhaps the environmentally conscious neighbor down the street wants to construct a rain catcher out of “reclaimed” coke bottles. These are two examples of many HOA restrictions set in place to preserve community curb appeal and keep your luxury home’s property value from declining.

 

Defend Zoning Regulations (No Gas Stations next door)

Ok, “gas stations” is a bit far fetched. But it is possible that with continual city growth, the quiet residential road your luxury home in St. George sits on could eventually become a busy 4 lane boulevard. Occasionally HOA’s take a stand against city zoning decisions they feel are unlawful. In July of this year, a group of homeowners in Illinois filed a lawsuit against a real estate developer and the city of Springfield for a zoning decision they claimed was in violation of city code.