Volume 96
One Smart Update Can Upgrade Your Entire Home
If your home is 10 years old or older, your garage door is probably a plain-Jane raised-panel steel door that adds little or nothing to the overall design of your house.
So why not make an improvement? In the last decade, the garage door industry has generated stunning new designs that can transform the curb appeal of your home from boring to exciting.
Large Area = Big Impact
"When something consumes such a large part of the front of the house, it should not be generic; it should be special," says Michael Walsh, a syndicated home-improvement columnist. "It should improve the looks of the house, not detract from it."
A better-looking garage door can actually parlay into a more-valuable home. One nationwide study of real estate professionals by StrataMark revealed that an attractive new garage door can add as much as 4 percent to the home's selling price. That adds $10,000 to the value of a $250,000 home, which means that a new garage door can easily pay for itself.
Two New Designs That Dazzle
Chris Long, long-time editor of Door & Operator Industry, a garage door trade magazine, identifies two new garage door designs that are hot right now: woodgrain prints and carriage house styles.
A woodgrain print is a steel garage door that looks so much like wood, you need to thump on it to realize it's actually durable steel. This technological breakthrough by steel coating companies brings big benefits for garage door buyers.
"The rich wood-look of these doors is gorgeous," says Long. "Plus, since they're made of steel, they're incredibly durable and require almost no maintenance."
The other popular new design is the carriage house style. These attractive doors open just like your old door, but they look like the side-hinged, swing-out doors of the charming carriage houses of yesteryear.
Quick Design Tips
Since both of these new designs come in dozens of attractive styles, here are a few tips to select the one that integrates best with the personality of your home. Design experts advise you to select a door that matches with three exterior features of your home: colors, lines, and shapes.
"The color of your garage door should complement the overall house color as well as the window trim colors," says Gale Steves, former editor-in-chief of Home magazine.
Then look at the lines on your home exterior. Are they horizontal, vertical, diagonal, or curved? Today's garage door styles can provide excellent matches for any of these architectural features.
Finally, consider the shapes of elements on your home, particularly the window panes. Are they arched, square, or small rectangles? Matching the panes on the house with the garage is not that difficult, given the wide variety of garage door window designs now available.
Cool Choosing Tools
Thanks to new technology, you don't need to guess at the right door design. Most garage door manufacturers now offer door designer tools on their websites. Many door dealers also have similar software on a computer tablet they bring to your home. You just upload a photo of your own home and drop in any of hundreds of door designs to see exactly how it would look on your home.
A good starting place is GarageWowNow.com, a non-commercial website that features dozens of garage door photos from many manufacturers. It also includes a find-a-dealer function that helps you find qualified dealers in your area.
Your new garage door is not only a perfect spring home improvement project, it's a smart investment. Celebrity designer ChayseDacoda says, "You are investing in the single largest moving part on your home, which is going to affect its appearance for at least the next 20 years."
5 Ways to Get Buyers to See Your Open House as Their Next Home
What makes a person or a family decide a home is the perfect for them? Is it all location, location, location? What about price, schools or the neighborhood? Or is it something else; a feeling they get when they walk in the door, a detail they notice or a scent in the air.
If you're selling your home your home, your location, neighborhood and school district are predetermined. Yet there is plenty you can do yourself to make sure your open house has that wow factor and captivates would-be buyers. Here are five tips to get you started so that next family will determine your home is the perfect home.
- Get clean. It sounds simple, but it's amazing how many homeowners don't clean their homes before an open house. This is one case where lived-in isn't going to cut it. The kitchen and bathrooms should be spotless, cracked tiles should be repaired and any plumbing issues should be addressed. Expect that people will try the sinks and flush the toilets. If you don't feel you can get your home ready on your own, hire a professional cleaning service to do the job for you. The money you spend on the cleaners will be well worth it when your house sells quickly.
- Add a fresh sent to the air. Your home should be pleasing to the eye as well as pleasing to the nose. Realtors have recognized the benefits of great smells for years. You can keep your home smelling great throughout the showing - and without synthetic ingredients - by using pure essential oils from Aura Cacia. Try this simple recipe to create a warm, comforting atmosphere that can help put potential property buyers at ease with these recipes:
1 cup coarse-grained, chunky sea salt
1 teaspoon jojoba or grapeseed oil (just enough to make the salts glisten)
25 drops vanilla precious essential oil
10 drops lavender essential oil
10 drops sweet orange essential oil
Mix salt and oils, pour into a decorative dish or bowl and set out on a table. Placing the crystals in a warm sunny window or near a heat register will help diffuse the delicious aroma throughout the room. Stir in additional essential oils to boost the scent as needed.
More recipe ideas and open house tips can be found at - Time for a makeover. If your home needs a more substantial makeover before it can sell, focus your energy and your money on the most important rooms in the home. Kitchens and master bedrooms sell homes, meaning that a granite countertop, new appliance or fresh coat of bedroom paint will give you a better chance to sell your home than other projects may allow.
- Cut the clutter. Even the cleanest homes still feel messy if there's lots of clutter. Before your open house, adopt a minimalist approach and keep your home as clutter-free as possible. Remember, you want buyers to see the beauty of your home, not simply the items you keep in it.
- Start at the curb. Poor curb appeal can put buyers off to your home before they even step foot inside. Make sure your home's outside is every bit as beautiful as the inside. Paint the exterior if you need to, plant flowers in the flower bed and mow the lawn. Buyers should never walk up to your front door already thinking it's a fixer-upper.
(Retrieved from brandpointcontent.com
5 Tips For a Seamless Moving Process
Packing up your entire life and moving it somewhere new is an exciting, yet intimidating task. Whether you're moving across the country or just down the street, you're bound to experience all the ups and downs of the moving process. Between the packing, moving and eventual unpacking, the process seems never ending.
It's easy to become overwhelmed when you look around your current home and ask yourself, "What am I supposed to do with all of this stuff?" First thing's first, you need a plan. Don't wait until the last minute to start cramming your belongings into boxes. Take some time to create a moving strategy before taking action.
If you're planning a move and are struggling on how to get started packing, follow these tips from Apartment Therapy and Staples for a smooth and painless moving process.
- Don't wait to get organized. Don't make the mistake of procrastinating. Even if you're not planning to move anytime soon, you can still take small steps to help your future self. If your home feels like chaos, slowly organize each room, one at a time. When it comes time to pack up and go, you'll be better prepared to take on the challenge.
- Purge before packing. View the moving process as a shining opportunity to clear out the clutter. Don't move anything you won't need or want in your new home. The more items you donate or throw away, the less you'll have to pack and move. Your new home will also feel more like a fresh start after paring down your belongings. For added convenience, some charitable organizations offer a pick-up service for donations.
- Color code and pack by room. Using moving boxes and plastic totes, create a system where each box contains items from only one room. You'll be able to simply drop a box in a room of your new home and not have to move it again until it's unpacked. Color coding the boxes by room is helpful to anyone helping you move or unloading the moving truck. They'll know exactly where to drop off each box.
- Become a label person. Don't waste time running around searching for lost documents or important items. When it comes to organization, storage and moving, labels are your best friends. Take an inventory of all the boxes you've packed so you're sure not to lose track of any. Keep a master list of each box and its contents in case anything gets lost. For the safe-keeping of important documents, file them in clear boxes so they're conveniently stashed away until you need them.
- Stay organized in your new home. Once you've made it to your new home, it's time to unpack and organize. If you're going to make the effort to organize, you might as well get excited about it. Instead of using plain boxes and containers, consider using decorative totes and boxes that look as good as they store. You can use these to develop an organizational strategy in your new home. Additionally, if you use these boxes to pack, your belongings will already be organized before they even enter your new home.
(Retrieved from brandpointcontent.com)
Planning a Home Improvement Project? Financing is The First Tool You’ll Need
If you're planning a home improvement project this year, you're in good company. The economy and housing market are recovering, home values and equity are rising, and many homeowners are beginning projects they had put off over the past few years. A recent report by the Joint Center of Housing Studies at Harvard University predicts that the home improvement industry could post record-level spending in 2015.
Creating your dream home could involve major work, like remodeling a bathroom or finishing a basement, or smaller changes like landscaping or new flooring. As costs can range from $30 for a can of paint to six figures for big additions, a significant part of planning your project is financing. Numerous options may be available and it's important to seek information from an experienced financial professional.
"Many consumers aren't aware of all the financing options for home improvement, or they may not have thought of those options to pay for the work they want to do," says Kelly Kockos, senior vice president with Wells Fargo Home Equity. "Homeowners can start by defining a vision of what they want their finished project to look like, and talking with a banker or lender to explore how to pay for it."
As you prepare to make decisions about financing, ask yourself these questions to get started:
Size of project: How much do you want to spend, and will you need access to funds throughout your project or one lump sum? You may not know your total budget but it's important to have a good idea of what your project might cost. DIY vs. contractor: Are you planning to do the work yourself or hire a contractor? If you are using a contractor, references and your own research can help you make an informed choice. Repayment plan: Will you need long-term financing or is short-term financing sufficient? If you plan to borrow funds, consider the monthly payment that would fit your budget.These are some common financing options to explore:
- Home Equity Line of Credit (HELOC) - A HELOC can provide ongoing access to funds using the equity in your home, which typically results in lower interest rates than unsecured credit. This type of credit may also provide you potential tax benefits. Consult your tax advisor regarding the deductibility of interest. Wells Fargo has a combination of industry-leading features to help you borrow responsibly - principal and interest payments that rebuild your equity, annual and lifetime rate caps, and the ability to lock and unlock your rate with a fixed rate advance.
- Mortgages with built-in renovation financing - These loans help homeowners complete renovations with a loan amount that is based on an appraiser's estimate of what the property value will be with completed improvements. This is also an option for aspiring homeowners who purchase properties that need repair. Whether a home purchase or a refinance, this option finances the renovations and mortgage in one loan. Wells Fargo is the nation's leading originator of renovation financing, with a dedicated team of home mortgage consultants specializing in renovation lending.
- Cash-out refinance mortgages - A cash-out refinance replaces your current mortgage with a new and larger mortgage that pays off your current balance and allows you to use the equity in your home to provide additional funds for other purposes.
- Credit card - Credit cards can be used for large or small purchases and may earn rewards, which can add up to significant benefits when you're making big home improvement purchases. However, credit cards often have higher interest rates than other loan or credit options, which should be taken into consideration.
- Personal loans and lines of credit - These personal credit options typically offer quick credit decisions and access to funds in a day. Lines of credit provide ongoing access to funds.
- Savings - If you have a do-it-yourself project or a small renovation, accessing your savings might be an option. By paying cash, there is faster access to funds and nothing to repay.
With these tips and the help of a finance professional, you can go from imagining your modern kitchen or new deck to getting started on them.
(Retrieved from brandpointcontent.com) /
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Inside This Issue
- One Smart Update Can Upgrade Your Home
- 5 Ways to Get Buyers to See Your Open House as Their Next Home
- 5 Tips For a Seamless Moving Process
- Planning a Home Improvement Project? Financing is the First Tool You’ll Need
-Maya Angelou
Homebuying: Beware of Foundation Problems
When buying a new home, chances are you spend a lot of time inspecting various aspects of the property. Before making an offer, be sure to take a closer look at one hidden area of the home: its foundation.
New Studies Illistrate How Consumers Misjudge Home Values
Encouraged by strong price increases and hot sales this spring, increasing numbers of owners are listing their homes for sale. But changes are good that millions of owners are making wrong assumptions about the value of their homes, according to two new studies.
To Sell or Not to Sell? 5 Signs it’s Time to List Your Home
If you’re like me, thoughts of putting your home on the market and moving up, down or out of dodge all together periodically float through your mind. These days, there’s extra incentive given the inventory shortage in most reions of the country.
8 Smart Ways To Make a Small Kitchen Look Larger
A large, open kitchen may be the dream of most homebuyers today, but with restrictive budgets, smaller square footage, or homes that were built before this trend took over, not all are making the grade. If you find yourself with a smallish kitchen, there are ways to make it feel more spacious.
What Happens When Property Is Not Deeded Into A Trust
These days it is not unusual for people to hold their real estate and other assets in a trust. Regrettably, it is also not unusual for many of the same people to neglect to actually place their assets into that trust.
Movie Trivia
At the conclusion of which of the following films did the narrator (in voice-over) caution against spoiling the film for others: “…you will not divulge to anyone the secret of the ending”?
- The Crying Game
- Planet of the Apes
- Psycho
- Witness For the Prosecution
- Lizzie Borden
- The Boston Strangler
- Jack the Ripper
- The Zodiac Killer
- Flora
- Maleficent
- Fauna
- Merryweather
- Raiders of the Lost Ark
- Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom
- Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade
- Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull
- BeetleJuice
- Edward Scissorhands
- The Nightmare Before Christmas
- Pee-wee’s Big Adventure
- Journey Back to Oz
- Return to Oz
- The Wiz
- The Wonderful Wizard of Oz
Mini Chicken and Broccoli Pot Pies
Recipe Courtesy of foodnetwork.comIngredients:
2 tablespoons unsalted butter, at room temperature
2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
3/4 cup whole milk, at room temperature
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1/4 cup grated Parmesan
1 small store-bought rotisserie chicken breast, chopped into 1/4-inch pieces (about 3/4 cup meat)
1 cup broccoli florets, cut into 1/4 to 1/2-inch pieces, steamed (about 2 ounces)
Directions
Place an oven rack in the center of the oven. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. Spray a 12-count mini-muffin pan with vegetable oil cooking spray. Set aside.
For the pot pie filling: Melt the butter in a 1-quart saucepan over medium-low heat. Add the flour and whisk until smooth, 1 to 2 minutes. Gradually add the milk, whisking constantly to prevent lumps. Simmer over medium-low heat, whisking constantly, until the sauce is thick and smooth, about 6 minutes. Remove the pan from the heat and stir in the salt, pepper, Parmesan, chicken and broccoli.
For assembly: On a lightly-floured work surface, roll out the dough 1/8-inch thick. Using the 3-inch round cookie cutter, cut out 12 pieces of dough. Using the 2-inch round cookie cutter, cut out another 12 pieces of dough. Press the large rounds of dough into the bottom of the prepared pan. Spoon the sauce into the pastry.
Combine the egg and 1 teaspoon water in a small bowl, using a fork. Brush the edges of the pastry with the egg mixture and place the remaining pieces of dough on top. Lightly press the edges of the dough together to seal. Press around the edges of the pies using the tines of a fork. Brush the tops of each pie with the beaten egg. Cut a 1/2-inch-long slit into the top of the pies using a paring knife. Bake until the tops are golden and the filling is bubbling, 15 to 18 minutes. Cool for 10 minutes and serve.