Do you have any unusual design 'mistakes' in your bathroom?

🥰🥰Jen & Jackie!! What a happy surprise.

Be patient, us baby boomers will be moving along soon enough! 💯

This is a joke, bright shiny objects

Bowser is from Mario, I think you meant the stay puft marshmallow man.

Somehow I doubt builders are going to pass those savings on. I also live in Plymouth and, as you know, new builds are being snapped up.

Median-cost house prices would need to be cut in half for the median-income working individual to be able to afford that house on any semblance of a sustainable budget. Says it all right there.

Well dang. I feel really lucky. Took the downsizing route. Speaking of local regulations (where that affects us the most). It’s considered “rural” but it’s just outside of town. The thing that sticks out the most in light of this vid is how the place I picked seems to have no interest in “regulating” what I do with my property. Now true. That can be a tricky thing seeing that the last homeowner didn’t have to pull a bunch of permits. However, I had a guy. I’ve been in a fam biz (can’t say it was great) but I DO know a little bit about fixer uppers. The house I got was decently and mostly updated and I had a guy with loads of construction experience to make sure. Even the selling agent wasn’t all that “formal” either. Lol. And I didn’t even get a buyer broker. But main thing is for me is I’m happy that I actually COULD redo the second dilapidated super small home with pretty much zero government red tape. Sure there is a balance between building things to a decent standard but I really tend to think that America is at the point to where it’s way too overly regulated with way too many obstacles that aren’t even necessary. Fortunately my guy knows code and likes to make sure it’s built right. I feel almost like you’d have to “go rogue” to be able to get your affordable home. Oh right. Yeah. I have half acre. Room to grow. 😬 Just about an hour out from Atlanta, GA. Of course I’m a big fan of the tiny house movement and I def want them to make at least small cottage homes easier to get permission to put them on. Like one lady said. Just ALLOW us to live more affordably and undeniably smaller homes are a huge part of the affordability equation. Smallest I could legally get tho was my little 840 sq Ft bungalow. And maybe a future tiny behind it one day. 😬 It was my original plan. Even considered van and RV life. Yet it was a long time coming and me digging and digging and digging. Running all over the southeast. I ran the whole gamut of tiny or RV or land or traditional small home. Modular. Mobile. Using a broker or not. Stayed open to various locations. Etc. And finally this is where I landed. About 5 years later. My comment is already way too long but…lol. Yah this property. Circa 1940s. 2 small homes on one plot. It made me think about what life must have been like back then. Seems like we DO need to look back at our roots and consider redoing what they used to do out of necessity. It is odd tho. Rare. You don’t see that most anywhere…to have 2 small houses back to back like that.

What is the $50,000 regulated add on that this administration says it is removing? I purchased a house and do not remember this being added on, can you explain?

Crashing the economy will lower housing process

It means nothing... You guys are silly.

Missed the live stream again! But, your idea of approval of a new business moving in should also require housing has been around in England for centuries. Towns are known as mill towns or mining towns and houses are modest row houses. Part of the problem is zoning and the requirements for a certain minimum size house or land acreage. And buyer expectations that you can't have a great house if it isn't 2000 sq ft.

So your saying building costs are too high for New Building Projects?

Jen i had a couple who made an offer then walked away. Now their back with a lowball offer. My house is off the market but they decided they wanted it again. Would you counter at what they were willing to pay 2 months ago?

Great information

Another reason not to believe anything US News writes. No one in IL would consider Rockford a great place to live, and certainly not to retire!

Third option that we are doing is making an separate apartment in part of our larger house. The rent will completely offset our taxes, insurance and maintenance costs. We have lots of experience with rentals. We are adapting our unit for aging in place.

I don't often comment, but every point you make is better than every professional designer I have seen. Having worked in about 50 professional kitchens and being a guy, I do not care what my kitchen looks like. For me, this is NOT a "public space"; anybody in there is helping me, so no gossip or chit chat. That is what the dining room and living room are for. I often work on five dishes at once so I need to concentrate. I also loath tech for the sake of it, LED strips that jump in different colors are the tackiest. I do NOT need an app to open and close the drapes, etc. I do NOT trust self timing coffee maker. I blocked off the kitchen with some walls, so it is less visible. But now making it a little more visually appealing; there tends to be too many horizonal lines in the kitchen, so for one thing, the counter tops should go from floor to counter to uppers to ceiling, in one swoop tonally. (a dark counter is a very strong horizonal and shortens the room - and a space above the uppers is another one). I completely agree with everything you said, ALL good advice. One small thing is door pulls that come out to a T, even I snag myself on those. Those are also at eye level for a child, so they could be very dangerous. Also most people don't have an over abundance of storage, so glass front cabinets must only be for show. I would only use glass doors if I had too much space. Thanks.

Hi Jen, I was a contest winner. Thanks, the insulated cup is great. Wonderful promotional item. Enjoyed the stream. Hope both you and Jackie have a great holiday season and New Year.

Always enjoy your videos, always very informative! I'm in the process of listing, and I am trying not to get too emotional after 36 years in my first home! Thanks!!

GREAT VIDEO 😢 I vowed NOT to repeat a move from 1999. I lived in a house from high school through college. I THOUGHT I would be ok............ instead it tore me apart. The last walk through, I turned around and looked back before closing the door. This DECEMBER, I moved from the second home, after 23 years. *This time, ALONE . My Sister and Mom had passed. I needed to downsize. My advice; don't take that PANORAMIC house view and the same, as you drive away. I did much, much better. I'm now living 3 counties away, adjusting, and rarely have pangs of returning to the family home. When it happens, I accept it. I moved Dec. 2024 right before Christmas. I was surrounded by boxes, but the stress of moving was over😊.

Thank you so much Jen for this VERY important video regarding something that all of us have to go through sooner or later. Your words of wisdom from your heart and professional expertise help all of us on this journey more than you know. And cherish each and every moment with your parents in this life. Mine are in Heaven and I also cherish them but in a spiritual way now. Take care and God bless you for sharing all this with us.

When the agent brings a buyer to inspect a house. Do you recommend that the seller be at home during the tour, or do you recommend that the seller leaves the house and leave it to the agent to sell it for you

Thank you. I have been thinking of counseling to get through the process of selling my parents home in which I grew up in. It really has been a roller coaster. You have helped.

This advice is so spot on! I wish I had taken photos of the small details as you suggested. I, too, struggled for years at the thought of leaving my home of almost 40 years - until one day, I just knew the time was right. My family was not in agreement since the memories of our late father still seemed to be there and all the holidays spent in this house. But, I was ready - and didn't want to let anyone change my mind (they never lived there - lol!). So happy with my decision! But, again, a lot of good suggestions!

FYI: Your yeast is expired by now if you bought it in 2020.

Thanks, Jen. Our parents gave us the gift of a will and a named executor. This was invaluable. My mother left a "wish list" that also was very helpful. My siblings and I worked together when my mom passed. I was the representative. It was during Covid, so there were lots of moving parts. My dad built the house, so it was especially painful to sell. It was a therapy of sorts for me to be hands-on in every aspect. We had a thoughtful realtor, I'm not sure how we would have managed if we did not.

Emotional attachments are so real. Thank you for acknowledging this. I understand the business aspects of a sale, but it's nice when an agent takes a few moments and talks through those with you. Being able to share a few memories, and being validated, makes all the difference in the world. Thanks Jen.

It is so true. The emotional attachments can be strong when trying to let go of a house. When my grandparents house sold, I wanted to buy it. The area was being gentrifed and the value of the house became so high I had no chance.