By now, many flooded homeowners are on the road to recovery and are starting the rebuilding stage in their homes. As a flooded homeowner myself, I understand many of the concerns and obstacles ahead for all of us, so I would like to share some of my insight on how we can rebuild our homes and not only regain the lost values, but also increase the values of our homes and neighborhoods. 

As the Broker/Owner of Energy Realty, I have the advantage of seeing the changes in construction and remodeling on a daily basis as I tour both new and old construction homes on the market. In this newsletter, I have included articles to make our homes more modern and appealing as we rebuild our homes, but I will try to highlight some of the elements that I think are more critical: 

Proper Remediation:  The first step before remodeling is to have your home professionally remediated by a professional, certified moisture remediation company like Servpro. I hired laborers to tear out sheet rock and flooring, then had a local Servpro company complete the remediation with drying machines, dehumidifiers, and anti-microbial for $2100. Please call Thad with Bear Creek Servpro at 713-501-5652 if you have not done this.  I then had AQ Mold Testing Services test for mold prior to starting construction on my home, and I passed! My home is mold free!  The mold test was $500, and they will issue me a certificate from the Health Department that my home was mold free after the flood.  This is a critical step! 
Open Floorplans:  Prior to 1990, homes were constructed with kitchens closed off to living areas. Most new homes built after that time opened the kitchen to the living area. This accommodates a lifestyle for families so that they can be together when they are cooking and is also a great lay out for entertaining. No matter how appealing we make the other rooms, everyone ends up in our kitchen! I hired a design firm called Kent and Kent at www.kentandkent.com. I am happy to share my designs for an open floor plan upon requests. 
Timeless Finishes:  Design trends change every 10 years, so what we updated 10 years ago is already out of style. Oil Rubbed Bronze faucets and fixtures were the rage 10 years ago, but they are already outdated. Believe it or not, gold is back, but I believe it will be out again in 10 years. If you don’t want to remodel your home again in 10 years, select classic finishes like chrome or brushed nickel;  hardwood floors in medium brown finish; and white cabinets. Greige is the trending color for walls currently, but may be out of style in 10 years as well.  However, it is not expensive to re-paint, so if you like the grays, go for it! White walls are coming back, so don’t be afraid to go with this timeless neutral. 
Update for Your Neighborhood:  Your updates need to be a consistent with the quality found in your neighborhood. I see home owners make the mistake of over updating for their neighborhood often. Talk to your neighbors or look at their homes. If you are in a custom built neighborhood, you will need higher end finishes, but if you are in a starter neighborhood, you can install lower grade finishes that look great. 
Update the Exterior:  Now that we have the opportunity to update our interiors, we should make our exterior look new as well. The water from the floods could have damaged exterior paint, fences, pools, and landscape. You don’t have to spend a fortune, but don’t forget to make the exterior look new as well. 

We have a long path ahead of us, and the floods were devastating to so many. I am confident that we can see the bright side of the damage caused by Harvey and rebuild our neighborhoods to be better than ever! I have a team of experienced agent on hand to sit with you and offer guidance on rebuilding, or I am happy to share the names of contractors, designers, and builders. Harvey Knocked Us Down, but We Will Rebuild Together!