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tracee ribar's take on cool home stuff

Reclaiming for a New Future May 29, 2015

Filed under: Home Innovations,Real Estate — tracee ribar @ 9:34 am
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Some of you may have been to this years Home and Garden Show at the Ohio fairgrounds and seen the amazing reclaimed barnwood sided “cabin” erected by the Mount Vernon Barn Company. This structure was the centerpiece of the show this year; show emphasis was the idea of reclaim and reuse as a central theme. Doug Morgan, founder/owner of the company see’s this as a labor of love which began when he dismantled, moved and rebuilt an historic cabin on his property in Mount Vernon. It was the birth of  a new calling-reclaiming what has been forgotten and giving it new life.

Mount Vernon Barn company can take on a variety of projects from a complete home build, to additions and garages. They also have a millwork division creating custom cabinetry and flooring. Check out their website!

Mount Vernon Barn Company

 

Top Home Projects for Best Returns May 23, 2015

Filed under: Home Innovations,Real Estate — tracee ribar @ 9:27 am
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Not sure what to do to get ready to sell?  Here is a tidy look at project costs and benefits. Rule of thumb: mid-range projects yield a higher return, but a lot depends on the price point of the property at resale, current housing market (hot!) and how far in advance of selling you make the improvements. In short, spend money wisely but improvements are often worth the investment.

The following is a re-look at the top 10 midrange and upscale projects from the 2013-14 Cost vs. Value Report:

Top 10 Midrange Projects

1. Entry Door Replacement (steel)
Job Cost: $1,162
Resale Value: $1,122
Cost Recouped: 96.6%

2. Deck Addition (wood)
Job Cost: $9,539
Resale Value: $8,334
Cost Recouped: 87.4%

3. Attic Bedroom
Job Cost: $49,438
Resale Value: $41,656
Cost Recouped: 84.3%

4. Garage Door Replacement
Job Cost: $1,534
Resale Value: $1,283
Cost Recouped: 83.7%

5. Minor Kitchen Remodel
Job Cost: $18,856
Resale Value: $15,585
Cost Recouped: 82.7%

6. Window Replacement (wood)
Job Cost: $10,926
Resale Value: $8,662
Cost Recouped: 79.3%

7. Window Replacement (vinyl)
Job Cost: $9,978
Resale Value: $7,857
Cost Recouped: 78.7%

8. Siding Replacement (vinyl)
Job Cost: $11,475
Resale Value: $8,975
Cost Recouped: 78.2%

9. Basement Remodel
Job Cost: $62,834
Resale Value: $48,777
Cost Recouped: 77.6%

10. Deck Addition (composite)
Job Cost: $15,437
Resale Value: $11,476
Cost Recouped: 74.3%

Top 10 Upscale Projects

1. Siding Replacement (fiber-cement)
Job Cost: $13,378
Resale Value: $11,645
Cost Recouped: 87.0%

2. Garage Door Replacement
Job Cost: $2,791
Resale Value: $2,315
Cost Recouped: 82.9%

3. Siding Replacement (foam-backed vinyl)
Job Cost: $14,236
Resale Value: $11,124
Cost Recouped: 78.1%

4. Window Replacement (vinyl)
Job Cost: $13,385
Resale Value: $10,252
Cost Recouped: 76.6%

5. Window Replacement (wood)
Job Cost: $16,798
Resale Value: $12,438
Cost Recouped: 74.0%

6. Grand Entrance (fiberglass)
Job Cost: $7,305
Resale Value: $5,163
Cost Recouped: 70.7%

7. Deck Addition (composite)
Job Cost: $35,158
Resale Value: $22,881
Cost Recouped: 65.1%

8. (tie) Bathroom Remodel
Job Cost: $51,374
Resale Value: $32,660
Cost Recouped: 63.6%

(tie) Major Kitchen Remodel
Job Cost: $109,935
Resale Value: $69,973
Cost Recouped: 63.6%

9. Roofing Replacement
Job Cost: $34,495
Resale Value: $21,731
Cost Recouped: 63.0%

10. Bathroom Addition
Job Cost: $72,538
Resale Value: $43,936
Cost Recouped: 60.6%

The data used in the Cost vs. Value Report was collected with the help of REALTOR® Magazine in an online survey between August and October 2013. More than 4,500 NAR members participated from 101 U.S. cities, up from 81 cities included in last year’s survey.

 

Roller Coaster Remodel May 19, 2015

Filed under: Home Innovations,Real Estate — tracee ribar @ 11:37 am
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What?? Dwell Magazine’s Mind Bending Remodel–it’s a little like what i think the Beelejuice house would look like in real life…take a look!

http://www.dwell.com/house-tours/article/mind-bending-renovation-brings-bold-modern-addition-old-farmhouse?utm_source=newsletter&utm_content=2015-05-08&utm_campaign=thisweekfromdwell&utm_medium=email#9

 

“Houzzers” you know who you are May 15, 2015

Filed under: Art "Seen",Home Innovations,Real Estate — tracee ribar @ 9:36 am
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Houzz.com has become the ubiquitous mecca for all things…well…housy. Search for anything related to architecture, home decor, landscaping, remodeling, diy projects…the list is endless and all internet roads seem to lead to houzz.com. Avid “Houzzers” (yes, they are referred to as such) create accounts and wish lists and dream of beautiful duplification. The dizzying visuals this site gives the average consumer allows people to have the courage to try new colors on their walls (navy blue is trending big right now), accept and seek out a re-tread accent(gold is the new black), choose unlikely pairings (reclaimed table with mod seating), BLACK WINDOW TRIM (highlights windows, you know, like eyeliner and mascara does for the eyeballs)…idea-feast!! Need someone to help implement all of this for you? Referrals included. Houzz.com is taking over the world of home/space management.

Wow.

 

Winds of Change: People, Places and Environments May 12, 2015

Filed under: Art "Seen" — tracee ribar @ 9:21 am
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Winds of Change: People, Places and Environments  is a collection of orignal art prints by the members of Phoenix Rising Printmaking Cooperative opening at the Cultural Arts Center May 22nd, 6-8 pm, and will run until June 20th. Check out their website:phoenixrisingprintmaking.com to see more about the organiziation, membership, classes offered, and info on upcoming and past events.

About the exhibition:

Perception is unique to the individual. We recognize that Change is constant. The translation of change can be deciphered through examples in nature, personal introspection or even beyond our global level. When a moment of clarity can be captured and shared with a larger community, then time has been made relevant. It is our unique perception of changes, great and small, that composes our personal stories.

 

What makes a city smart? September 15, 2014

Filed under: Real Estate,Uncategorized — tracee ribar @ 3:40 pm

Everyone wants to live in a smart place. But the magic mix that draws people in is composed of a lot of different dynamics coming together all at once, according to the National Geographic Channel’s Smart Cities program.

“A city needs a heart and soul—typically the center, where people congregate for work and leisure. Smart cities are well-connected locally and internationally, have a sustainable lifestyle, and are places where people come first,” says Ian MacFarlane, consultant for the program.

National Geographic’s Traveler magazine recently compiled a list of the 50 top attributes that make for a smart city, naming cities that exemplify each factor along the way. Of course, the authors were thinking of travel destinations when they put the list together, but many items on their list matched attributes that make for a top place to live, too. Here are a few that resonated with the U.S. real estate industry:

Support for local artisans. Example: Paducah, Ky. was recently named a UNESCO City of Crafts and Folk Art for its promotion of its fiber arts assets and its attempts to attract creative types to its LowerTown Arts District.
Dreamers who foster innovation. Example: San Francisco is a city that has more than its fair share of tech start-ups and their eager investors.
Urban farming. Example: Manhattan was ahead of the curve when Bell Book & Candle started growing greens in aeroponic rooftop gardens many years ago.
High-tech data streams. Example: Chattanooga, Tenn. got the nickname of “Gig City” for its lightning-fast Internet.
The magazine included 47 other examples from around the world of how cities are demonstrating the types of intelligence that delight travelers and residents alike in the upcoming issue.

Source: “The 2014 Traveler 50: World’s Smartest Cities,” National Geographic’s Traveler magazine (October 2014 issue).

 

Pre-Fab Trending? June 20, 2014

Filed under: Home Innovations,pre-fab,Real Estate — tracee ribar @ 8:37 am

Other countries have for some time seen the cost efficiency and quality benefit of building modular residential structures. Most particularly in multi-family or apartment complex design. Can we finally be coming to a realization that this can be both cost saving and just better? I’m sure there is an argument about loss of local labor. Unions I bet have had an influence here on why modular construction has not been more widely used, most construction obviously done off-site, but still need for plumbers, electricians, site development… Read the attached article about a pre-fab apartment building in New York. 

http://www.marketplace.org/topics/business/prefab-apartment-buildings-rise

 

Better Market Enables the “Drive” to Reverse Mortgages March 23, 2014

Filed under: Real Estate — tracee ribar @ 12:11 pm

Have you noticed the number of reverse mortgage commercials surfacing during prime time? Fred Thompson brought such confidence to the idea.. still a good option for some.

Daily Real Estate News | Wednesday, March 19, 2014

Baby boomers are fueling a resurgence in reverse mortgages as boomers are in search for extra retirement income, and small lenders are stepping up as they view reverse mortgages as a way of growing their business, Reuters reports.

In 2013, $15.3 billion of reverse loans were issued, a 20 percent increase from the year prior, according to trade publication Inside Mortgage Finance. Still, that’s only about half the number seen during a record year in 2009, in which $30.21 billion of reverse mortgages were issued.

A reverse mortgage allows home owners to borrow against their home. They don’t have to make payments on the loan until they move or die.

Many lenders remain leery of reverse mortgages. In 2011, Wells Fargo & Co. and Bank of America backed out of the reverse mortgage business, citing reasons like unpredictable home values and the high level of delinquencies at the time.

As such, smaller lenders are stepping in, seeing reverse mortgages as an opportunity to grow their business.

“The market is huge. It’s underpenetrated,” Denmar Dixon, chief investment officer at independent mortgage company Walter Investment Management Co., said at a recent conference. Lenders often charge high fees for issuing these loans since they do carry more risk.

More lenders may view it as a growth opportunity too, particularly as traditional mortgage lending is expected to decrease 37 percent in 2014 due to higher mortgage rates dampening refinance activity.

“There are lots of mortgage lenders who see declining volumes and may view [reverse mortgages] as an opportunity to increase revenues,” says David Stevens, president of the Mortgage Bankers Association.

The U.S. Federal Housing Administration posted big losses from reverse mortgages in the past, but has made changes to its reverse mortgage program last year in trying to protect the agency from steep losses from reverse mortgages again. In April 2013, the FHA limited the amount a home owner can borrow as a lump sum to 60 percent in the first year, up to a maximum of $625,500, Reuters reports. Previously, the limit was 100 percent. The FHA also now requires lenders to ensure borrowers can pay for taxes, insurance, and upkeep on their home when issuing these loans.

Source: “U.S. Retirees Return to Reverse Mortgages, Big Banks Stay Away,” Reuters (March 17, 2014)

 

A Ready Willing and Able First Time Buyer March 20, 2014

Filed under: Home Innovations,Real Estate — tracee ribar @ 12:34 pm

10 Ways to Prepare for Homeownership

1. Decide what you can afford. Generally, you can afford a home equal in value to between two and three times your gross income.
2. Develop your home wish list. Then, prioritize the features on your list.
3. Select where you want to live. Compile a list of three or four neighborhoods you’d like to live in, taking into account items such as schools, recreational facilities, area expansion plans, and safety.
4. Start saving. Do you have enough money saved to qualify for a mortgage and cover your down payment? Ideally, you should have 20 percent of the purchase price saved as a down payment. Also, don’t forget to factor in closing costs. Closing costs — including taxes, attorney’s fee, and transfer fees — average between 2 and 7 percent of the home price.
5. Get your credit in order. Obtain a copy of your credit report to make sure it is accurate and to correct any errors immediately. A credit report provides a history of your credit, bad debts, and any late payments.
6. Determine your mortgage qualifications. How large of mortgage do you qualify for? Also, explore different loan options — such as 30-year or 15-year fixed mortgages or ARMs — and decide what’s best for you.
7. Get preapproved. Organize all the documentation a lender will need to preapprove you for a loan. You might need W-2 forms, copies of at least one pay stub, account numbers, and copies of two to four months of bank or credit union statements.
8. Weigh other sources of help with a down payment. Do you qualify for any special mortgage or down payment assistance programs? Check with your state and local government on down payment assistance programs for first-time buyers. Or, if you have an IRA account, you can use the money you’ve saved to buy your fist home without paying a penalty for early withdrawal.
9. Calculate the costs of homeownership. This should include property taxes, insurance, maintenance and utilities, and association fees, if applicable.
10. Contact a REALTOR®. Find an experienced REALTOR® who can help guide you through the process.

reprinted from Realtor Magazine

 

Trash or Treasure March 19, 2014

Filed under: Art "Seen" — tracee ribar @ 9:42 am

You might have the chance to see if that junk in the attic is actually treasure waiting to be discovered! If you have more than 3 “firearms or edged weapons” don’t bring them all.

Garth’s Auctions Walk In Appraisal Day Tue Apr 29 9:30 AM — 4:30 PM

Presented by Garth’s Auctioneers and Appraisers

Venue: Garth’s Auctions Main Gallery
2690 Stratford Road
Delaware, OH 43015
http://www.garths.com

Join the experts at Garth’s Auctions the last Tuesday of every month for a walk in appraisal day.
Garth’s staff will be on hand to review your family heirlooms, treasures and more.
Bring your paintings, silver, porcelain, jewelry, firearms and edged weapons, Asian items and decorative arts and Garth’ experts will evaluate your objects and give
you a complimentary verbal appraisal.
Limit 3 items per person.