C21 Communications, Author at CENTURY 21 MarketLink Realty - SMARTER. BOLDER. FASTER.

This Doesn’t Have to be Awkward

September 22, 2020 By C21 Communications

This time last year, the term “new normal” was unheard of. Fast forward to today, and it’s become a term that just about all of us (like it or not) has adapted as every day language to sum up, the unexpected turn of events of 2020. A year ago, it was common to muster up a casual conversation with someone, while grabbing coffee at your favorite barista. Trying to initiate this same conversation today, and it can become a mildly awkward moment where two people are attempting to speak to one another through muffled words while wearing face masks with misinterpreted hand gestures. When you’ve become accustomed to interpreting facial expressions such as a smile, or someone mouthing the word, “Hello,” the challenge we’ve all come to face, at some point, is how do we continue interacting with one another and building relationships day to day, when our main lines of communication have been impacted through the measures of social distancing? How can we avoid making things awkward?

Century 21 real estate agent, Bernz Fernandez, hasn’t missed a beat with his clients and says he’s found the sweet spot in making things less awkward in his day to day interactions. Building and maintaining relationships is the bread and butter for most real estate professionals and entrepreneurs alike, and the measures of social distancing can make it difficult to communicate and show yourself friendly to others.

In California, when masks were first mandated, Burnz began hand-delivering them to his clients to continue fostering those relationships. “It’s about making sure people understand that you are here to help them,” Burns says. It’s in times like this where you may have to consider thinking outside the box for simple ways to communicate through thoughtful gestures while interacting with those you encounter.

According to psychologists, increased levels of social interaction can cause the hormone oxytocin to be released in the brain. Known as the “soothing hormone” studies have shown the release of this hormone can have a positive impact such as wellbeing, stress reduction, and even health promotion. Though we have a new normal with our person to person interaction, there are other ways we can create non-awkward social experiences. Paul J. Zak, Professor of Economic Sciences, Psychology & Management and Director, Center for Neuroeconomics Studies at Claremont Graduate University, believes that using technology to communicate and stay connected with others may be 80% as effective as face to face interaction.

Entrepreneurs can follow the necessary safety precautions while still building relationships. Implementing technology such as texting, video chatting, email, and social media can be ways to build awareness for your business and simultaneously build the relationships you and your business need. “Social media has helped a lot,” Burns says. “I post a lot about work and personal life and I try to be genuine. People see this and when they see they can learn from you or relate form you, they are more inclined to reach out to you and they feel like they can trust you.” He has continued to generate new leads through the use of social media. He has also used technology as leverage to communicate “what to expect” with his clients during the homebuying process to help put them at ease and build their trust.

Engaging with others doesn’t have to be awkward, and in speaking with Burnz, he shares some of the ways he’s been able to not only continue building his business, despite social distancing measures, but he’s also strengthened relationships and built new ones.

Over iterate- Burnz shares, “I am very expressive and I talk with my hands. I also have very expressive eyebrows.” Even wearing a mask, you can communicate with others in a meaningful way. Whether it’s through a gentle head nod or smiling with your eyes, adding some extra expression can go a long way.
Be sensitive- “I keep things short and quick, in a caring way, instead of going straight to asking them if they want to buy a house. You just don’t know what they’re going through, with all that’s happening,” he says. Putting others first and considering them outside of your work relationship can help build a solid foundation moving forward.
Be authentic- “Be your authentic self. There is only one you and you can’t alter yourself because of what’s happening. Learn to work around you.” Creating authentic workarounds to new communication challenges can help put an end to those awkward encounters.

If you’ve found yourself struggling with what to say, or wondering if the person you said “hello” to as you walked past each other even heard you; know you’re not alone. We are all learning to find our new footing with what’s become our new normal. Taking just a few moments, each day, to intentionally communicate, in a more meaningful way, can help things feel…well, less awkward.

Syndicated via Century 21®. Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/century21/wAvv/~3/WLVkdURFgaw/

The Pandemic Can’t Stop Military Home-Buyers – 5 Reasons VA Loan Usage is Surging

September 17, 2020 By C21 Communications

It comes as no surprise that the rise in COVID-19 cases rocked the housing market in more ways than one. Military homebuyers are facing new challenges in their search for a dream home. Yet, VA loan usage has surged in 2020 and is likely to hit record highs dating back to when the program started in 1944.

The VA loan has always been an attractive and beneficial mortgage option for many military borrowers, but there are a few reasons it is increasing in popularity during the pandemic.

They are safeguarded against foreclosures. One of the most important VA loan benefits during COVID-19 is the protection against foreclosures. Many mortgage lenders have foreclosure avoidance teams to ensure that veterans can keep their homes in times of financial instability, making this an attractive option for homebuyers financially impacted by COVID-19.
Mortgage rates hitting historic lows. Veterans and active-duty homebuyers are taking advantage of lower monthly mortgage payments and the VA loan’s competitive interest rates.
No down payment means more cash. Unlike many other mortgage options, one of the most significant benefits of the VA loan is the ability to purchase a home with $0 down. With financial hardships hitting many families, taking advantage of the no down payment provides more money in the bank and peace-of-mind for military members.
No PMI or monthly mortgage insurance. Unlike other mortgage options, VA loans don’t require either of these recurring, monthly charges. Military homebuyers can expect to save a couple of hundred dollars a month without these fees.
Limits on closing costs. This is to ensure that homeownership is affordable. While other mortgage options tack on fees during the closing, the VA adds another incentive by limiting what the buyer is required to pay.

Regardless of the circumstances, the VA loan is a powerful mortgage option that military homebuyers choose time and time again. Military homebuyers won’t be stopped by these uncertain times, and the VA loan is their key to purchasing the home of their dreams.

Syndicated via Century 21®. Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/century21/wAvv/~3/CTahJw2DBO0/

Compliments to the Chef

September 15, 2020 By C21 Communications

As more Americans turn to home cooking and entertaining, the functionality of a kitchen is more important than ever when choosing a home.

Over the past half-century, kitchens have become somewhat fetishized; a place to display high-tech appliances and high design cookware, a social hub for friends and family, and a continuation of home style that showcases elegance and considered design choices. Pare it back to basics, though, and today’s kitchen is still essentially what it always has been: a place to prepare food. And homeowners, spurred recently by stay-at-home orders, but also inspired by home-cooking television shows, health concerns and the rising expense of dining out, are increasingly relying on their kitchens in times when eating out is not an option, as well as using their kitchens as additional entertainment space; somewhere to try their hand at cooking for their friends and family. For house hunters who relish the opportunity to regularly entertain and prepare food for guests, it pays to know what to look for when assessing kitchen space during your house search—and the best person to ask is an expert.

Edouard Massih is a private chef and caterer in New York City. He hosts intimate dinners in his own home, giving local diners the experience of enjoying his food in a less formal, more personal way. Massih, who was born in Lebanon, found his love for cooking in his grandmother’s kitchen. Sharing food and creating community has always been the driving force behind Massih’s cooking, and he has discovered a way to do that in his own backyard—literally.

“I wanted to invite people into my backyard, because I had a very unique space in Brooklyn, and not a lot of people [in New York] get to have dinners in a backyard,” Massih says. To bring to life his vision of cooking for the community, Massih extensively renovated his Greenpoint backyard, creating a lush urban escape where guests can enjoy the exquisite food that he prepares in his own kitchen—each dish enhanced by a dash of his grandfather’s olive oil, all the way from Lebanon.

Having worked on his kitchen to ensure that it had everything that he needed to support his at-home dining experiences, Massih has the knowledge of both a professional chef and a home cook. We asked him for some tips to help aspiring culinary hosts to choose the right kitchen space, starting with the five kitchen elements that he finds to be indispensable. First, Massih says, is “the right fridge, or the right fridge space.” Part of taking the pressure off yourself when entertaining, he says, is making sure that you’re prepared in advance. “Entertaining is all about making it simple for yourself when people are there— being able to prep ahead and batching the drinks; having the pitchers of water ready in the fridge; and having everything ready to go. Maybe serve more cold stuff than hot. You can do a pasta salad and an orzo salad, and make it two hours in advance.”

Preparing food in advance, chilling drinks and ensuring that all of your produce is fresh all comes down to having the right fridge. And while interactive fridges with weather forecasts and recipe databases can be useful, the main thing is space—and plenty of it. If you want to get fancy, you could go for a hot-water dispenser and temperature-adjustable drawers, both of which assist in various cooking processes; just make sure that you have enough shelf space to hold all of the food and beverages that you’ve prepped for your guests.

Because you can’t make a lot of food without creating a lot of mess, Massih insists that having two sinks is vital: one dedicated to food prep, and one to cleanup. You can keep your prep equipment near your prep sink (think bowls, colanders, appliances), and dishes near the cleanup sink (which should ideally be close to the dishwasher). In addition, having two sinks creates more flexibility for multiple cooks, and streamlines the flow while you’re cooking.

The third must-have for Massih is “a lot of prep area—lots of counter space.” You need space for laying out, preparing and organizing ingredients, which most people consider when thinking about counter space; but if you’re planning on entertaining groups of diners, you also need enough counter space to plate all of the meals at once. Nobody wants to be balancing plates on top of kitchen stools because there’s not enough room for everything on the countertop.

Fourth for Massih is storage, in terms of both kitchen cabinets and a decent pantry. You want plenty of space, and also space that complements your cooking flow. Pots and pans should be as close to your stove as possible—either on a rack above or in a cabinet below—and serving utensils like spoons and tongs should be close to where you do your plating, to minimize the number of steps you have to take to collect your cooking tools, which helps with efficiency when you’re cooking for a group of people. A walk-in pantry is ideal, with various shelf sizes and storage options for appliances that are not in regular use. For chefs, there’s nothing worse than a cluttered cooktop.

Lastly, Massih emphasizes the importance of, as he calls it, “legit trash.” “You want a trash can that’s near the sink or accessible around [where you’re working], and not one of those little tiny trash barrels that fits nothing,” he says. “Otherwise, every two minutes, you’ll have to take the trash out when you’re prepping.” Massih also spends a lot of time cooking in other people’s kitchens as part of his catering and private-chef business, and the one feature that he is always delighted to see is a back kitchen.

“What is really nice about some of [the private homes that I cook in] is they have a back kitchen, like the ‘help’ kitchen,” he says. “That really does help a lot. If I [had the resources], and I was looking for a house to entertain in a lot or to do a lot of dinners in, then that’s definitely something that I would look for. “A lot of these kitchens nowadays are very open-plan, because the idea of it is that it’s really fun. But it gets annoying when you’re [hosting] a formal dinner, and you can’t do dishes [or hide them away] while your guests are eating. Having a small back kitchen really helps, because then you can hide all of the stuff that you don’t want people to see.”

There’s nothing wrong with a kitchen as a style statement, and most people whose interests lie in kitchens will admit to some fetish-like reverence. Just keep practical concerns in mind, particularly when you have culinary aspirations; remember, you can have a waterfall countertop AND legit trash. That’s what we call the best of both worlds.

For more information on Edouard Massih and his home-style cooking, visit www.edouardmassih.com.

Syndicated via Century 21®. Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/century21/wAvv/~3/fx_SFR-PC9w/

What you need to know about refinancing your home

September 9, 2020 By C21 Communications

With mortgage rates at historic lows, it’s not surprising so many people are looking to refinance their home. Is such a move right for you? Here are a few things you need to know.

Several refinancing options

Many homeowners seek to refinance to lower their monthly home mortgage payment. However, you can also pursue refinancing to change the duration of your loan, cash out the equity of your home, remove your mortgage insurance requirement or change the structure of your loan.

Risks remain

While refinancing is a popular option today, there are still risks. Many mortgages include a clause that assesses penalties if you pay down your mortgage with a line of home equity credit. You may also incur fees in the beginning hiring the proper professionals to manage the refinancing process.

Stay with what you know

Most lenders will want you to have been in your home at least one year before attempting to refinance. It’s also better to try and refinance with your original lender as this can remove fees and time associated with title searches and property appraisals. It also offers you a better chance at the most favorable rates.

Syndicated via Century 21®. Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/century21/wAvv/~3/9oPZpS1asF8/

Century 21® 2020-08-27 09:27:26

August 27, 2020 By C21 Communications

ALL IN: Building on a foundation for exponential growth

Earlier this year when Broker/Owners Phillip Bolte and Renee Bolte-Stein held a team meeting to announce their decision to affiliate with the C21 Brand and become CENTURY 21 Bolte Real Estate, they knew there was a lot at stake. What can be considered an institution in their area, the Bolte name celebrated a unique history with their local community that extended back to 1936. Not only did they have tenure, they had notable wins as well, all ingrained in an unshakable culture that has carried their company – and clients – through generations. As recent as 2019, the real estate company completed a key acquisition in their local market, effectively growing their reach. All indications point to a successful company with great longevity and momentum. So, from an outsider’s viewpoint one cannot help but wonder, “Why join the C21 Brand now?”

A Good Fit

A general rule of thumb for job seekers is that the interview process is a two-way street – it’s an opportunity for the company to interview you and more importantly, for you to interview the company for fit. The same rules apply when positioning your business for a potential partnership. The CENTURY 21 Brand takes pride in our mission: to defy mediocrity and deliver extraordinary experiences. That is in the DNA of everything we do and business decisions, projects, partnerships, etc. are all taken on with that filter in mind. Spend 5-minutes with Phillip and Renee and the commonalities in their business approach to ours are evident. They often cite their unique company mission, to “have fun, treat people right and make money.” How this translates to business is through their ultimate focus on growth. As Renee said, every decision they make must answer one of two questions, “will this help our brokerage grow? or “will this help our agents grow?” – if the answer is no, they will not move ahead – simple as that. For the C21 Brand, the journey to affiliation did not occur overnight, but was 5-years’ worth of building relationship on both sides of the conversation to evaluate alignment. What was mutually discovered in the process?

We both have a growth-oriented mindset
The desire to continue to improve is core to our success
We believe in delivering exceptional experiences to our clients and maintaining a commitment to excellence by taking a personal approach with customers

The challenge the Bolte team was experiencing is that, despite the efforts they took in working towards some of these needs, they ultimately began to learn there was a limit to what they could achieve on their own when it came to their growth aspirations. With dedicated consultants from the C21-side as well as platforms and resources available to spur growth and productivity, value was supported on both sides of this conversation.

It’s About Time…

But back to that team meeting. CENTURY 21 Bolte Real Estate consists of 48 agents with an agent age range spanning 50 years, the youngest agent clocking in at 24. The decision to affiliate not just extended to their culture and community – but also to their agents, who all have unique needs. A reality they had to consider is this announcement and could result in an agent deciding to leave, also known as breakage. As Phillip recalls, the moment he knew this transition would go well is when the oldest agent in his office, at 74, approached him after the announcement and simply said, “it’s about time.” What it showed Bolte leadership was that their team recognized there was more opportunity out there to individually – and collectively achieve their goals. The transition to the CENTURY 21 Brand for the Bolte team ultimately saw 0 breakage. What’s more, despite the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic across the U.S., the company had two consecutive record-breaking months in June and July 2020. They went into that meeting confident, and cautiously optimistic. They came out on the other side – ready.

Bolte 2.0

According to the Harvard Business Review, there are two qualities to be a coachable person: demonstrate a commitment to development and have the capacity to reach a desired skill level. Our team across the global C21 network all have that in common – despite our location in the world, we are all 121% committed to delivering extraordinary and we are dedicated to success. This common denominator came into play in affiliating with CENTURY 21 Bolte. The Bolte team has a long history of being trailblazers in their own right, going back to their founder, Ann Bolte being the first female Broker in Ohio. In addition, they understood the importance of technology in their business but often felt it was a challenge to maintain a competitive edge. That combination of qualities opened the door for the C21 Brand to provide the right resources to the Bolte team to make these attainable realities. The Bolte team is a leader in their local market and arguably know the real estate landscape in their area better than anyone, they made the conscious decision to become students of the brand – and absorb all of the learning, training and tech opportunities they could from Century 21 Real Estate. This allowed that team to build on their fundamentals and create a new space to push through the barriers they might have previously experienced and effectively impact their business with best-in-class resources.

The best way Phillip captured the company’s reasoning to affiliate, “we knew it was something we had to do – to get to the next level…and once we committed, we were all in.” There are some things that just won’t change. Although Buckeyes might visit CENTURY 21 Bolte Real Estate to a slightly different name and look, the fundamentals of this organization are sound, steeped in 80-years’ worth of growth and culture that has left – and will continue to – leave an indelible mark on the communities they serve in the Northern/Central Ohio area.

Syndicated via Century 21®. Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/century21/wAvv/~3/9Cmv55Mc9jI/

Century 21® 2020-08-27 09:27:26

August 27, 2020 By C21 Communications

ALL IN: Building on a foundation for exponential growth

A Good Fit

We both have a growth-oriented mindset
The desire to continue to improve is core to our success
We believe in delivering exceptional experiences to our clients and maintaining a commitment to excellence by taking a personal approach with customers

It’s About Time…

Bolte 2.0

Syndicated via Century 21®. Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/century21/wAvv/~3/9Cmv55Mc9jI/

Home Buyer: How to buy the right home for your family, especially your kids

August 18, 2020 By C21 Communications

Your children are more precious to you than anything else, and that’s why they are an important part of your decisions related to purchasing a home.

Here are a couple of simple tips to help you find the right home for your family.

Think school first

Websites like schooldigger.com can give you an immediate look at the quality of the schools in your area based on a series of ratings.

You can also check with the school district to make sure they have programs to match your children’s needs, like art, music, gifted and talented or special education programs.

Finally, never assume you’re in a given school district based on the home’s location. It’s possible for your neighbors across the street to be enrolled in a completely different school.

A floor plan that works for your family

Does it matter to you if all the bedrooms are on the same floor? If you have small children that don’t sleep through the night, this could be a huge issue.

An open floor plan will also help you as it provides more flexibility to monitor your children’s play throughout the house.

Safe and secure

Reviewing local crime rate data can provide a macro level estimation of an area’s safety but you should also consider whether the yard is fenced, or if the neighborhood has sidewalks for your kids to use.

Then, take a drive around the neighborhood to see how other homeowners are caring for — or not caring for — their homes. This pride of ownership will tell you a lot about whether you want to live here.

Syndicated via Century 21®. Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/century21/wAvv/~3/llXVQiYEdR4/

Getting Back to Work Safely

August 5, 2020 By C21 Communications

As many states move to reopen businesses affected during COVID-19, it’s essential that building owners, managers and tenants follow safety guidelines to keep employees and customers safe.

The best way to do this is to review safety resources from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, which include general mitigation strategies as well as specific guidance for restaurants, bars and casinos.

For office buildings, for example, the CDC recommends that the following steps be taken before resuming business operations:

Evaluate the building and its systems to determine if it’s ready for occupancy. Check for hazards such as mold growth.
Ensure that ventilation systems are operating properly.
Increase circulation of outdoor air by opening windows and doors and using fans.
Ensure water systems are safe to use to minimize the risk of Legionnaires’ disease.
Identify where workers might be exposed to COVID-19 and develop controls to reduce transmission.
Encourage sick employees to stay home and conduct daily health checks.
Stagger shifts if feasible.
Require masks when social distancing isn’t possible.
Clean and disinfect high-touch surfaces.
Post instructions on hand hygiene, COVID-19 symptoms, wearing masks and cough and sneeze etiquette.

Establishing a system to cover each touch point can help ensure your work environment is safe for your clients, and employees.

Syndicated via Century 21®. Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/century21/wAvv/~3/TXr7UO8AYoM/

Getting Back to Work Safely

August 5, 2020 By C21 Communications

As many states move to reopen businesses affected during COVID-19, it’s essential that building owners, managers and tenants follow safety guidelines to keep employees and customers safe.

For office buildings, for example, the CDC recommends that the following steps be taken before resuming business operations:

Evaluate the building and its systems to determine if it’s ready for occupancy. Check for hazards such as mold growth.
Ensure that ventilation systems are operating properly.
Increase circulation of outdoor air by opening windows and doors and using fans.
Ensure water systems are safe to use to minimize the risk of Legionnaires’ disease.
Identify where workers might be exposed to COVID-19 and develop controls to reduce transmission.
Encourage sick employees to stay home and conduct daily health checks.
Stagger shifts if feasible.
Require masks when social distancing isn’t possible.
Clean and disinfect high-touch surfaces.
Post instructions on hand hygiene, COVID-19 symptoms, wearing masks and cough and sneeze etiquette.

Establishing a system to cover each touch point can help ensure your work environment is safe for your clients, and employees.

Syndicated via Century 21®. Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/century21/wAvv/~3/TXr7UO8AYoM/

Art: This time, it’s personal

July 28, 2020 By C21 Communications

Commissioning artwork for your new house is a fantastic way to personalize your space and establish the style of your home.

With the purchase of a new house comes a whole lot of wall space to fill. Rather than shoehorning your existing artwork into new spaces where it might not be the perfect fit, consider commissioning a piece that is uniquely designed for your new home, taking into account lighting, the dimensions of the room, the color palette in the space, and your own unique taste.

Commissioning artwork might sound daunting, but it’s actually a fairly straightforward process that allows you to express yourself, and to decorate your home in a way that maximizes your enjoyment of it. We spoke with three commissioning artists to understand the nuts and bolts of commissioning your own artwork.

Why commission when you can just buy?

If you need to fill a blank wall, it might seem easier to just search artworks until you find one that fits the space well enough. But a little extra effort will result in something that’s the perfect complement to your home and its inhabitants.

Artist Lanie Mann, who is based in Washington, D.C., says, “It’s extremely special to have a piece of art where you’ve worked directly with the artist—and an original piece that reflects you as the homeowner. You have a part in the creative process; this is something you can’t just go out and buy from a shop or gallery.”

Brooklyn-based geometric abstractionist Kane Grose points out that personalizing your artwork will ensure that it fits with your color and style preferences, saying, “You can customize artwork to fit your interior design palette, which is not easy to do when you’re searching through paintings on the internet. With a commission, you can customize a work so it’s 100 per cent personal to you.” From an artist’s point of view, Grose says that working on commissions is rewarding in terms of the end result. “It’s great doing commissions, because it allows you to really imbue an artwork with your client’s personality,” he says.

Choosing an artist

If you google “artist commission,” you will be presented with hundreds of thousands of search results, and many of them won’t deliver what you’re looking for. “Unless you know stylistically what you’re looking for, there’s a lot of searching involved,” Grose says. “The best place to look is online; Instagram is good—a lot of artists show their work there, so you can see their back catalogs just by scrolling. If you’re looking in person, a great idea is to find your local art precinct, and just go and visit the galleries there; often they will be showcasing the work of local artists.”

Once you’ve found an artist that you like, usually it’s not too difficult to get in touch with them to start the commissioning process. “Keep a list of artists’ work you are most drawn to,” Mann offers. “Most artists have a website, and there is usually a way to reach out to an artist directly to find out if they do commissioned work, and how they structure the commission process.”

Think about it
Before you start the commissioning process, make sure you have a good idea of the direction you want to take, the style of painting that you like, and exactly what you want from the artist. “Commissioning a piece of art is a special thing, so you want to make sure that you love the work of the artist you will be working with,” says Mann, and Grose agrees. “You are choosing an artist because of their particular style, so don’t go into the relationship expecting them to be able to do, or be comfortable doing, something that doesn’t fit with the work that they produce,” he says.

“Size and color are important to consider,” says Mann. “Think about what you love about the artist’s work, so you can communicate this with them, and it will be reflected in your commissioned piece.” Then there are the more practical things, like time and budget. If you need something quickly, or if you can only pay a certain amount, these factors might affect whether or not you can work with a particular artist. “Consider that, because it’s a commission, it’s more of a custom piece, and it will take a little longer to get delivered versus buying what’s available in the artist’s gallery,” New York painter Jen Ramos points out, continuing, “you should also consider your budget, because that will determine how much art you can afford.”

The artist needs to know

As with any custom project, the more information the artist has, the better your commissioned work will turn out. All three artists agreed that the most important question they will ask you relates to their existing work: which particular paintings are you drawn to from their collection, and why? Aside from that, Mann has an information gathering approach. “I ask about colors—usually they have a palette in mind—and for any inspiration photos. I am also happy to receive photos or swatches to help inform the palette. I don’t necessarily hope to completely match a color scheme—I think it’s best when the art can complement the space without being too ‘matchy’.” Ramos wants to know about the space, as well as who lives in the home. “I’ll ask them for photos of their space where the painting is going to hang, whether they have any children or if they’re married, what colors they like, what colors they don’t like, and how large they want the artwork to be,” she says. Grose says, “For me, it would be what the purpose of the piece is—if it’s a statement piece, or if it’s something that’s going in a low traffic area. Do they want it to be the center of attention, or to bring out other features in the room?”

If an artist is local, they might visit your home to get a better understanding of the space. “I’ve often visited local clients’ homes to take a look at the space where they want to hang the piece,” says Mann. “I can advise on what size might look best, and often recommend or tape out for them (using painter’s tape) the size of the canvas so we can visualize it in the space.” “If they’re local and they want me to visit, I’ll definitely do that,” says Grose. “If possible, it’s always good to see a space first—but at the very least, a few pictures with different angles of the space are really helpful.”

Don’t get rejected

Keep in mind that, even if you want to work with a particular artist, sometimes they will turn down the commission. This usually only happens if you are requesting something that doesn’t fit with their ethos or aesthetic. “It really depends on what it is that the client wants,” says Ramos. “I’ve had people contact me to do something that was very different to what I do, and I have declined it.”

To ensure that you don’t get too far down the commissioning path and then get disappointed, do your research, and engage in proper communication with the artist. Mann says, “If I feel that the request is too far from what I do as an artist, I will be up-front about it. I encourage having a phone call to discuss the process; I feel like an actual conversation helps connect us a bit better, and the connection is an important piece of a commission. I’ve worked with so many incredible people, and I love the connections that I’ve made.” The ins and outs Commissioning an artwork is a collaborative effort, so both parties will need to agree on what’s expected.

After initial discussions, the artist will provide you with a document that describes the expected piece, including time frames, budget and inclusions. You will usually be asked for a deposit, and both parties will sign the agreement. In terms of timing, it will depend on the size, the process, the amount of work involved and whether you would like the work framed, but you can expect anywhere from two weeks to a couple of months before your artwork is ready.

Expect to pay slightly more than you would for an off-the-shelf painting; usually an artist will charge a premium for the customized work. But pricing will depend on who you choose to work with, the size of the piece, the amount of work involved, and how advanced the artist is in their career. On average, the artists that we spoke to sell commissioned works in the range of $1,000–$5,000. It might be a little more effort, but an artwork that is a combination of your personality and the work of an artist that you admire can be the difference between a house and a home.

ABOUT THE ARTISTS

Lanie Mann is based in Washington, D.C., and creates “loose and layered” works, bursting with color and optimism. Her work encompasses figures, portraits and abstract composition.

www.laniemannart.com

Kane Grose is a Brooklyn-based geometric abstractionist, creating striking works with clean lines, vibrant colors and a splash of optical illusion. He calls his work pure abstraction, which he says “removes reality and allows the senses their free rein.”

www.kanegrose.com

Jen Ramos is a New York–based artist specializing in abstract works that mix bold and muted colors to great effect. Her work is underscored by feelings of happiness, joy, hope and sometimes a little chaos.

www.jenramos.com

Syndicated via Century 21®. Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/century21/wAvv/~3/hw6-thyJ9KQ/

« Previous Page