Leneiva Head is one of Nashville’s top real estate broker/expert and designer. Ms. Head is the founder of WELCOME HOME REALTY, one of Music City’s leading top performing real estate management companies. Leneiva entered the world of real estate in 2000, after enduring her own nightmare of a bad first home buying experience. The lessons she learned proved to be priceless, as she was inspired to create her own real estate solutions to help first-time homeowners realize the home of their dreams.
Leneiva’s specialties include Residential & Commercial Leasing and Sales, HUD/VA/REO Properties, short sales, standard sales and creative financing. Leneiva Head’s experience and knowledge being awarded spots as a First Time Home Buyer Class Educator for the New Level Community Development Corporation, and as a certified Achieve Global Leadership Educator. One of Leneiva’s biggest priorities is staying on top of cutting-edge information. Over the years, she has taken an excess of 350 credit hours to complete numerous designations and is GREEN certified by The National Association of Realtors, as she received advanced training in green building and sustainable business practices which enable her to seek out, understand, and market properties with green features. Adding to her expertise Leneiva has received her Accredited Buyer’s Representation designation, which is the benchmark of excellence in buyer representation. Only a few agents in Nashville have their ABR designation, giving clients added protection of experience and knowledge when purchasing a home. Additionally, she is a graduate of the REALTOR Institute. She always provides clients with education and guidance throughout every home buying and selling process.
Here, Leneiva answers 5 Questions about trends and homes specifically for the Nashville area.
TRIBUNE: Does Nashville have any particular trends in styles of homes? LENEVIA H: The trend right now is 2 to 3 story narrow homes with open floor plans, hardwoods or concrete flooring, granite, and tons of luxury lighting; however, the traditional contemporary style home still reigns supreme…with similar interior amenities of course.
TRIBUNE: We hear a lot about how to add value to a kitchen, but what are some things that can be done to make your bathroom more valuable? LENEIVA H: Start with a design concept. Create a decorative theme. Think about items or images that help you relax. Is it the beach, Paris or New York? Add pictures and accent pieces to the space. Update the colors to give energy without making the room feel small. Gray is the new white! Add life to your lighting. Try overhead pendant lights at the vanity, then add dimmers to create ambiance. Update the Fixtures. How about a square vanity sink vs. round? Better yet, make it a work of art and install an above-counter basin. Install a Rain Shower. Be sure it comes with a handheld head as well. Give your cabinets a facelift. This can be as simple as re-staining or painting the existing cabinetry and updating the knobs/drawer pulls. You can update the flooring with luxury vinyl tile. It allows you to create the illusion of hardwood floors while enjoying the freedom of choosing assorted colors and textures. Add Seating and Sound. A chaise or side chair with a nice throw will transform the space. Because Bluetooth technology abounds, and music changes the atmosphere of any space. Watch out, you may have just transformed your bathroom into a spa!
TRIBUNE: What are some trends that are popular when it comes to decorating…such as paint colors, flooring, lighting features, etc. LENEIVA H: Decorating trends right now are slight enhancements to what’s existing. The colors are changing. Gray is the new white! This year it’s going even darker. You’ll begin to see homes with Charcoal colored walls and gray cabinetry for example. Brass is making a comeback; however, not the old polished brass from the 80’s. This time it’s a brushed brash like the concept of brushed nickel that was designed to soften down the appearance of polished chrome. Luxury vinyl tile has made its way into the residential world where before it was mainly reserved for commercial space because it’s so durable. It comes in various appearances and textures giving the look and feel of hardwood flooring without the maintenance/care requirements. Pendant lighting remains popular. Recessed lighting has evolved and remains popular as well. Bluetooth technology is making its way into the kitchen.
TRIBUNE: Should sellers always use a staging service or stage the home themselves and why? LENEIVA H: Sellers don’t have to use a staging service. It’s truly optional. Typically, their REALTOR® can walk the home with them and give them ideas on what to move, change, relocate, or get rid of to make the home show its best. If the home is already furnished, sometimes it just takes a fresh set of eyes to transform an existing space using existing pieces.
TRIBUNE: What is the latest in curb appeal trends? Any tips you can recommend for getting cool curb appeal on a budget? LENEIVA H: Curb appeal is key. Would you believe that the red front door remains popular; however, yellow has become quite popular too. Likely because of the gray tones that are a favorite now. In addition to proper grooming of the lawn and shrubberies, add color to the landscaping and freshen up the much. Turn the front porch into an area where people imagine themselves relaxing on a nice Spring afternoon. Add a bistro set that complements the color of your front door. Add hanging plants sparingly because you don’t want to attract insects. Do the same for the deck or patio. Make it look like an oasis. The curb appeal only starts at the front. It should cover the perimeter of your home. So, when buyers pull up, they are wowed, when they view the home’s interior they are wowed, when they decide to look at the backyard, they are wowed and when they walk back to the car, they remain wowed.
Readers are welcome to contact Leneiva or schedule a time to discuss her real estate or decorating expertise at: Office: 615-410-4300, Email: LHead@WelcomeHomeRealty-TN.com Website: www.WelcomeHomeRealty-TN.com or visit us: Welcome Home Realty located at 1307 Bell Rd Suite 106 Antioch, TN 37013.
