'Pride and Joy' Remodeling

Still don't know what you've been waiting for before you finally jump into your home remodel?

Feel like time is running wild, with a million dead-end streets? And every time you think your home has got it made, does it seem the taste is not so sweet?

Well, strategies do exist wherein you might successfully embrace some ch-ch-changes to your mid-century modern home, and many of them are included in 'Pride and Joy,' a sneak preview of the new Winter '17 issue of CA-Modern magazine.

Eichler Network home-improvement editor Tanja Kern consulted experts in an array of fields for the story, and they explore virtually every major question related to remodeling: when to do it, why to do it, which projects to prioritize, and how to go about it.

In conjunction with Kern's story, we talked to two South Bay Eichler Network experts on the subject: realtor Eric Boyenga of the Boyenga Team; and general contractor Michael Spehar, who heads the Building Company.

Kern starts by documenting the national increase in people doing home improvements, a climb pegged at 8 percent in 2016 by a study at Harvard University's Joint Center for Housing.

"Homeowner remodeling activity continues to be encouraged by rising home values and tightening for-sale inventories in many markets across the country," said Chris Herbert, managing director of the Joint Center.

The CA-Modern story reports that remodeling is not as common these days, though, with brand-new Eichler buyers. Most experts, including Boyenga, encourage buyers to get used to their new home for at least a few months before making big changes. Spehar, however, hastens to point out the convenience and efficiency gained by remodeling an empty house.

"Once they buy, it's best to do it before you move in," says Spehar of remodeling an older home. "Eichlers are a particular animal. All the things you want to do, it's tough to do any of it when you're [living] in the house."