The Real Advantage Buying, Selling, and Maintaining Your Biggest Asset
March 2021 Issue
Renovating Your Kitchen? Do These 5 Things First Page 3
Juliet Clark juliet@julietclark.com 661-313-7120
Utah License # 11343304
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Creating the Perfect Outdoor Space – While Keeping it “Green”
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What Is a Short Sale
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To Vacate or Not to Vacate? How to Approach Selling Your Home
Creating the Perfect Outdoor Space – While Keeping it “Green”
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reating a comfortable, inviting outdoor space that is also environmentally friendly may seem daunting, but with so many recycled and natural furniture options available today, your eco-conscious patio or porch is more accessible than ever.
What should you look for in your outdoor furniture?
Recycled plastic furniture is available in just about every size, shape, and color imaginable.
First and foremost, any furniture that will be regularly exposed to the elements needs to be weather resistant. It won’t do you any good to invest in “green” pieces that crack or rot at the first change in season and are subsequently thrown out. At the same time, you want something appealing that suits your personal taste, style, and needs. So, what materials can check all the boxes? Wood If more rustic, natural wood tones are your go-to aesthetic, teak and cedar are both terrific options. Teak is a tropical wood that is has been used for centuries. Famous for its durability and beauty, teak is one of the most
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popular options for outdoor patio furniture today. But because of this, it is also typically among the more expensive. That said, teak virtually lasts forever and will rarely have to be repaired or replaced, keeping trash waste to a minimum. It also carries the added advantage of not needing to be treated like other woods, reducing chemical impact on the environment. Cedar is another strong, solid wood that is highly resistant to warping, cracking, and sagging. As with teak, cedar lasts for decades and its beautiful red tone can add a touch of class to any outdoor space. Cedar also has the unique trait of staying cool to the touch even in warm weather, keeping your space cool and comfortable during the hottest summers. To keep things super green, look
for wood that is certified by the Forest Stewardship Council. The FSC is an international non-profit organization that sets the standard for responsible forest preservation. Any FSC-certified products purchased, from raw lumber to fully assembled furniture, help support and protect forests and preservation efforts. Recycled Plastics If wood isn’t quite your thing, not to worry! Whether sleek and modern is more your style, or you are all about
funky and eclectic shapes and colors, there is a huge array of furniture made from 100% recycled plastic that is sure to match your particular vibe. Recycled plastic furniture is available in just about every size, shape, and color imaginable. From beachy Adirondack chairs and “wicker” conversation sets, to dining tables made to look like wood, there are endless possibilities to suit every budget and aesthetic. No matter which way you decide to go when designing and creating your perfect outdoor escape, if keeping it environmentally conscious is important to you, don’t hesitate to do some digging and research the manufacturers to see if they are a genuinely green company. Your choice to support the companies that produce this furniture supports not only the green industry, but the future of the earth as well. And that is a worthy cause indeed!
juliet@julietclark.com 661-313-7120
Renovating Your Kitchen? Do These 5 Things First
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kitchen design project can be a daunting undertaking. A good designer will be able to take the guesswork out, helping you create a design you love and keep the project on track. But there are some steps you should take before jumping into demo day. Here are five things to consider that will make the process as smooth as possible. 1. Set Your Budget Setting a maximum budget before starting the design process will save you a lot of stress and heartache. If your designer and contractor have a set limit to work within, they will be better able to allocate funds when drawing up plans and choosing materials.
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2. Determine How Much Time You Want to Devote Consider how construction will interfere with your daily life. Do you need to be able to access the kitchen throughout the renovation, or will you be okay if it is temporarily inaccessible? An experienced designer will be able to help determine a workflow and timeline that you and your family can work with. 3. Know Your Style You should have a good idea for the look and feel you want in your kitchen even before bringing in the professionals. The more information you can give your designer, the better. Consult home design magazines, websites, and shows to help
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you get a feel for the kinds of design elements you want to incorporate. Think about colors and textures—what do you like? What don’t you like? Be sure to visit your local design showrooms and home improvement stores to take a look at those design elements, too; something might look totally different in person than it does online. Take notes and use clippings and images to show your designer the vision you have in mind for your new space. 4. Know How You Use Your Kitchen Your designer will come prepared with questions when you first begin the design process. To answer these questions, consider how you use your kitchen. How can the space better suit your needs? Do you frequently entertain family and friends? You may opt for more open-concept space that can accommodate a lot of people. Do you have a
busy family and a full schedule during the week? You may decide to incorporate a workspace or additional storage. 5. Prepare Yourself and Your Space for Disruption Ongoing construction in the kitchen will cause disruption. While every project may have hiccups, the right planning and preparation will minimize any setbacks and keep the project running smoothly. If possible, separate the kitchen design project from your main living space to ensure your family’s safety and to keep them out of the way of the construction crew. Consider setting up a temporary kitchen elsewhere in the house—for example, move the old refrigerator into the garage. If renovating during the warmer months, cooking and eating outdoors is a great option. No matter your renovation goals, preparation is key to making your dream kitchen a reality!
What Is a
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lthough it sounds like a fast-moving transaction at first blush, a short sale is often quite the opposite. In real estate, a short sale is a situation in which a financially distressed homeowner is forced to sell a property for less than what they still owe the lender on the mortgage. Now, you may be thinking—what a great opportunity to swoop in for a bargain! And that may be so, but it is important to understand the short sale process and possibilities before putting in an offer. A short sale is triggered when a homeowner can no longer keep up with their mortgage payments. To forestall a foreclosure, which would have greater credit implications, the homeowner can initiate a short sale with an application to their lender. A short sale cannot proceed without lender approval. There are two requirements that must be satisfied to qualify a sale as “short.” 1. The market price of the home has decreased enough that it is worth less than what the homeowner still owes on it, meaning they now have negative equity. 2. The homeowner must be in new financial hardship (meaning there is a changed circumstance, such as a job loss or divorce, that has occurred since the original disclosure), and will be unable to catch up on mortgage payments.
house, how is a short sale different from a foreclosure? In a foreclosure, the bank or lender forcibly repossesses a property from a homeowner, and then sells the home in the hope of recouping what they lost on the loan. A short sale is a way for the lender to take steps to recoup as much money on the loan as possible. They will still take a loss, but it will be a smaller hit than they would take in a foreclosure. A short sale also allows a lender to avoid the eventual resale process and additional red tape of a foreclosure. Now, that’s not to say that a short sale won’t have its own fair share of red tape. Short sales are complex transactions between three parties— lender, seller, and buyer—and they play out as such. Because it is up to the lender, and not the seller, to accept an offer, the process has the potential to drag out for months. Even if you offer the full short sale price, there is no guarantee the lender will accept it. For a potential buyer of a short sale home, there are other considerations as well. The home will likely be sold as-is, and there is always the possibility that, if the home’s value has decreased, it could be poorly maintained, outdated, and any host of other issues that might render it a bona-fide “fixer-upper.” A knowledgeable, experienced short sale realtor and thorough home inspection will be critical to ensuring that your “bargain” home is really a bargain.
A short sale is triggered when a homeowner can no longer keep up with their mortgage payments.
Without both of these factors present, a lender will not consider a short sale. So, if a homeowner isn’t paying their mortgage, and the lender will keep all the proceeds from the sale of the
juliet@julietclark.com 661-313-7120
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To Vacate or Not to Vacate? How to Approach Selling Your Home
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t’s one of the most common questions when selling a home – does a vacant property sell better or faster than an occupied one? It depends! Here are six things to consider when preparing to sell your home.
1. Occupied vs Unoccupied An unoccupied house certainly has some distinct advantages. Realtors are able to show the property at the convenience of the prospective buyer, rather than having to create appointments that work for the seller, and the seller doesn’t have to worry about keeping the house immaculate while still trying to live in it.
However, while many prospective buyers are better able to visualize themselves in a vacant space than one that is still occupied by the seller, it can still help to show off a home’s potential.
2. Staging Staging is the happy medium between an unoccupied and an empty house. You can always hire a staging company to take care of everything for you. But, if
To ensure your home makes the best possible impression on potential buyers, consider putting in new carpet, or replace it altogether with a hard surface flooring. 6 | The Real Advantage
you would like to stage your home yourself, you can select pieces from your current inventory or buy some inexpensive furniture to arrange in your home. Keep in mind: any furniture you use to stage should help give a potential buyer a sense of the size, scale, and purpose of the room. Multifunctional rooms, such as a finished basement or converted attic space should be made to look warm and inviting.
3. Pay Attention to Lighting Anywhere you can allow in natural light, take advantage and show it off! That said, you should still be able to close curtains or blinds as needed. Be sure to keep any window dressings neutral. For spaces where natural light is minimal, well-placed lamps and attractive lighting fixtures can really help give a room some personality.
4. Flooring Issues Once furniture has been moved, or removed, you’ll be exposing any hidden issues with the floors, such as carpet stains or discoloration. To ensure your home makes the best possible impression on potential buyers, consider putting in new carpet, or replace it altogether with a hard surface flooring. If new hardwood or tile seems too tall an order, laminates and vinyl make for durable, beautiful alternatives.
6. Cut the Clutter If you choose to, or need to, continue living in your home throughout the sale process, it is critical to remove any clutter. Occupied homes tend to sell well when décor is kept neutral and minimal, and the home is well maintained. Occupied homes can also have the advantage of drawing larger offers. Prospective buyers will sometimes lowball an offer if they sense the seller has taken on the mortgage of a new home and is desperate to sell the old one quickly. The bottom line? Your home doesn’t have to be vacant to sell well. A tidy, nicely staged home that still feels lived-in and inviting is the best way to get a quick sale.
5. Appliances You know you’ll be bringing your furniture with you, but what about your appliances? Removing major appliances from a kitchen, for example, will leave the space looking gutted and may deter potential buyers concerned about having to start from scratch. If your appliances are more than five years old, leave them behind and invest in new, energy-efficient ones for your new home. juliet@julietclark.com 661-313-7120
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The Real Advantage Buying, Selling, and Maintaining Your Biggest Asset
License# 11343304-SA00 Email: juliet@julietclark.com Phone: 661-313-7120