Is there hardwood under there?

Since the real estate market slow down, most of my home-buying clients look for properties in the best neighborhoods that they can afford having wonderful lay-outs or flow with potential for improvement.  They are willing to live in an outdated home that is structurally sound.  Old floral wallpaper or brown 1978 laminate kitchen cabinets? Bring it on!

I’d say the number one question asked when house hunting: is there hardwood under that carpet? ( if there is wall to wall carpeting)  I often look for hardwood in the closets or any small seam in the carpet to take a peek.  When Amy and Drew purchased their home last Fall, we knew there was hardwood in all of the rooms except the hallway was an unknown. The day escrow closed, I met them at their new home with my go-to hardwood floor guy, Danny.  We immediately pulled  up the carpet to reveal oak floors.  Refinishing hardwood floors before your move-in day is ideal, as you will not have to re-arrange and move furniture later for access.  Silky smooth, clean floors is a great starting place for new beginnings in your space.

At Amy and Drew’s Crocker Highland’s property, Danny sanded a few spots on the floor and rubbed on oil based and water based polyurethanes for comparison. Amy who has a fantastic aesthetic  preferred the matte and subdued water base finish that also has lower VOC’s.

Here in the East Bay where we have older housing stock,  original oak and fir floors are prized.  If you are considering a floor improvement try to avoid, laminate or engineered flooring if you can. Floors that match the era of your home is ideal.  A good hardwood floor person can make repairs on your existing floors including the removal of your old floor furnace and /or a few rotten boards and add new boards that will blend in seamlessly.

Oil based finish is on the left and water based is on the left. The difference is very subtle.

Hardwood floor extraordinaire , Danny refinishing the Douglas fir in my Maple Avenue listing.

The Douglas fir floors after refinishing.

I love fresh flowers!  10 years ago, I planted 12 rose bushes, with the goal to always have fresh flowers in my home.  To mix things up, the other day, I picked unripened green oranges from my orange tree and put them in a bowl.  What do you think?