David Barr's Sarasota and Venice Real Estate Blog

There's a lot of home and condo buyers in the Venice FL area, and over half of them are paying cash.  This suggests two things about our market: 1) Cash buyers are renovating and flipping; 2) Cash buyers are holding and renting for cash flow. In either scenario, how you stage the property for sale and the colors you pick create an emotional (positive or negative) reaction in a potential new buyer. One of the things that can create the biggest emotional reaction is paint color.  And there's one paint color you should avoid in FL at all costs:  RED. This bathroom color may be great in cold Norway, the NE US or Canada, but the color red does not work in Florida. Red is hot.  Red is danger.  Red means stop.  Florida is hot.  So don't use this color in your home.  Florida home buyers want soothing, cooling spaces after being out in the Florida sun and heat. The pale green glass tile makes this bath feel more sedate and cool. If yo...

I've been blogging about how Venice FL home owners and real estate investors can make the most of their property for today's home buyers by using light colors to help create an open feel in any space. This kitchen, from modernize.com, is a perfect example.  The light counter tops, cabinets, and wall color all combine to create an appealing, timeless kitchen design. Notice the spare use of color I have mentioned in previous blog posts.  I also thought the pine flooring was an example of the vintage appeal buyers are searching for, as evidenced by a recent report from Google Trends. Wood flooring is not the best choice for a Venice FL home, especially if the home is constructed on a concrete slab.  Concrete slab foundations emanate water vapor from the ground, which will cause warping, mold, or decay, of real wood floors. You can mimic this look by using wood-look ceramic tile, available in Home Depot or Lowe's.