Landscaping Your Home

I love trees, shrubs, flowers, color, nature, rocks, benches, bird baths...yes, and even grass! I've always loved color but I don't know when the gardening thing hit me. The homes I've owned have all had a blank canvas for me to design. They have been sold with a much improved landscape, but the home I'm in now is probably the one I'm most proud of. I say that now because I am still hard at work designing it.

My daughter teases me..."Mom, did you draw this one out too?" Yes I did! I sit out on my patio drawing, dreaming, designing, visioning, and reading about different plants and flowers. I have binders I refer to when I'm wanting to know what to plant, how to take care of bugs or diseases, and when to transplant.

There are three times I can think of that my creative mind is at work:

1. I wake up in the middle of the night and can't go back to sleep. That, my friends, is this morning. Not about landscaping originally...but about a Top 10 list. If I could write in the dark I wouldn't forget these things when I get up!
2. I think of things to do, people to see or talk to, emails to send, things I need, you name it...when I'm driving. Unfortunately, I can't write as fast as I can type, and I shouldn't be writing then, but I do it and hope I can read it and it makes sense. It's called a legal pad with scribbles. I'm wondering if I should invest in a micro-recorder!
3. The last, but not least, is when I'm out watering my flowerbeds. As soon as I put down the sprayer, the thought is gone. But trust me...I've taken paper out with me knowing the moment may strike.

So where are you in landscaping your home? By definition, home landscaping, means arranging or modifying the features of the grounds around a home to improve the property from the standpoint of aesthetic ideas and/or practical usage.

If your property is about to be listed, you need to think in terms of "curb appeal". You are essentially landscaping for other people's tastes -- namely, the tastes of potential home buyers.

A spiffy home landscaping design increases real estate value. The average figure yielded by studies over the years is a range of from 7% to 15%. Let's just use the 15% number as an example, even though that figure is on the high end. Putting that percentage increase into perspective: for real estate valued in the $200,000 - $225,000 range (before considering its home landscaping), an effective home landscaping design could add $30,000 to its value. How often do you get to make a $30,000 decision?

Below are just a few tips for home landscaping ideas:

• Observe what other people are doing with their home landscaping designs. I get tons of ideas when I'm showing or listing property. I have always loved real estate and looking at homes. You can still find me driving neighborhoods just for the fun of it. 
• Magazines, books, television and the Web all provide an abundance of information on what kinds of home landscaping designs are currently "selling." Knowledge is power. That knowledge could lead to more return on your investment!
• Consult with a professional in the landscape design field.
• If you don't want to pay for a landscape designer's advice, at least try to minic some ideas from your local nursery. Ask people, we all love sharing what we have done or what we know!
• Real estate agents see the reactions of potential buyers to home landscaping day in and day out; consult with them on trends or how to improve what you have.

Homebuyers are seeking low maintenance landscapes, the most striking design with a focal point, or accent, and year-round visual interest. If you have that, you will see your home sell quicker than those homes that have little or no landscaping. I've seen it time and again. The home with landscaping will more than likely sell quicker than the home right next door with nothing, but priced closed to the same.

I'd love to hear about your landscape designs, what's worked, what's not, how it improved your property!

Real Estate and Divorce

While it isn't a fun topic, it does come up, it does happen, there are questions, and no one seems to want to ask. Unless you've been through it, most people don't understand it and it does or can be complicated.

Real estate a couple owns can be a real stumbling block to divorce. Property problems won't keep people together, and they might even drive people apart who have in­compatible investment philosophies.

Splitting up the equity can be particularly difficult when there isn't cash available to one marital partner or the other. There are options. Let's start with the simplest and common case of the couple that only owns their home.

1. "Sell the house" is the first advice that friends and attorneys usually give. A sale has the advantage of helping the couple make a clean break. When the transaction closes there are only cash proceeds to divide. A 50-50 split is common.

2. "Keep the house." The husband or wife may prefer to continue to live there, at least until after the divorce is final. When one party wants to stay and there is an outstanding balance on the loan, the best solution is for the home to be refinanced in their name to be the responsible party. Oklahoma is a 50-50 state, meaning equity would be split equally.

In these cases the first step is to determine the equity in the home. What would be the proceeds of an outright sale, after all costs and the mortgage balance are paid off?

The mortgage lender can quote a payoff and real estate companies can state their marketing fees. Title companies can quote figures for title insurance and other closing costs. The only other usual seller costs are the appraisal and survey.

What's less clear are the costs that might have to be incurred to get the property to qualify for a buyer's financing. The type of financing the buyer chooses affects the standards that appraisers and lenders will apply.

Estimating the equity that a couple could split if one keeps the house is also something to consider. 

Hire an appraiser (about $400) to help establish value and note the items that lenders look for. Hire a home inspection service (about $250) to look for repair items that buyers might say must be fixed or they won't go through with the transaction. Finally, hire an engineer approved by the Municipality to test the well and septic system (about $500, plus pumping and Municipal fees).

If any of these reports show a need for corrective action, get contractor bids. These figures can be deducted from the equity that the couple plans to split. The work doesn't have to be done: the one who winds up with the house can assume the respon­sibility for taking care of these items later, having been "paid" by the divorced spouse by a division of a smaller equity.

From the time of the divorce forward, the spouse with the house assumes all the risks and responsibilities of home ownership. At least the risk of surprises is minimized.

After agreeing on the equity, what if the spouse who is keeping the house doesn't have the money to buy out the spouse who leaves? This is a common problem.

It may be possible to balance the books through the rest of the property settle­ment. Considering cars and other personal property it may be possible for the spouse who leaves to end up with enough of these items to balance what the "house spouse" keeps as equity.

The other answer may be for the "house spouse" to give the departing spouse a note secured by a deed of trust recorded against the house. The payments can be negoti­ated to fit both parties needs and capabilities. The items to consider are the term of the note, whether the remaining balance is due at any particular future date, the term, inter­est rate and payment. Simple financial calculators can provide these answers for spouses who are doing their own dissolution.

There are so many other things that can be considered as trade offs, but this is the short version of what to consider if you should find yourself in this situation.

Adult Truths: Something to make you go...hmmmm.

1. I think part of a best friend's job should be to immediately clear your computer history if you die.

2. Nothing is more awful than that moment during an argument when you realize you're wrong.

3. I totally take back all those times I didn't want to nap when I was younger.

4. There is great need for a sarcasm font.

5. Seriously, how in the world are you supposed to fold a fitted sheet?

6. Was learning cursive really necessary?

7. Map Quest really needs to start their directions on # 5. I'm pretty sure I know how to get out of my neighborhood!

8. Obituaries would be a lot more interesting if they told you how the person died.

9. I can't remember the last time I wasn't at least kind of tired.

10. Bad decisions make good stories.

11. You never know when it will strike, but there comes a moment at work when you know that you just aren't going to do anything productive for the rest of the day.

12. Can we all just agree to ignore whatever comes after Blue Ray? I don't want to have to restart my collection...again.

13. I'm always slightly terrified when I exit out of Word and it asks me if I want to save any changes to my ten-page technical report that I swear I did not make any changes to.

14. I keep some phone numbers in my phone just so I know not to answer when they call. Stop trying to sell me something. If I really wanted it, I would have called you!

15. I think the freezer deserves a light as well.

16. I disagree with Kay Jewelers. I would bet on any given Friday or Saturday night more kisses begin with Miller Lite than Kay. Sorry, the commercial is cute, but it's probably true.

17. I wish Google Maps had an "Avoid Ghetto" routing option.

18. I have a hard time deciphering the fine line between boredom and hunger.

19. How many times is it appropriate to say "What?" before you just nod and smile because you still didn't hear or understand a word they said?

20. I love the sense of camaraderie when an entire line of cars team up to prevent a jerk from cutting in at the front. Stay strong, brothers and sisters!

21. Shirts get dirty. Underwear gets dirty. Pants? Pants never get dirty, and you can wear them forever.

22. Sometimes I'll look down at my watch 3 consecutive times and still not know what time it is.

23. Even under ideal conditions people have trouble locating their car keys in a pocket, finding their cell phone, and Pinning the Tail on the Donkey - but I'd bet everyone can find and push the snooze button from 3 feet away, in about 1.7 seconds, eyes closed, first time, every time.

10 Simple Tips to Take the Stress Out of Home Buying Process - Focus on the Positives!

Tip 10: Buyer's Remorse After the Purchase.

 

 

Buying a home is a big financial commitment, but many first-time home buyers suffer from buyer's remorse after they complete the closing on their brand new home. This is common not only because it represents a significant change in the life of one's family, but also because it is an enormous financial decision that often creates waves in the family budget. If you're suffering from home buyer's remorse, follow these tips to deal with the regret you feel.

Talk to Friends and Family

Someone - your spouse, your sister, your aunt or your best friend - can remind you why you fell in love with the house in the first place. Often, home buyer's remorse is a result of new problems you find in a home, so try to remember why you thought it was such a good idea during your first tour. In most cases, your fears are just products of stress and worry, which are making small issues seem like big ones. Deep breaths, everyone.

Get to Decorating

Perhaps you're experiencing home buyer's remorse because your house just doesn't feel like home yet. If you start decorating your house - new paint, new floors, new window treatments, new counter tops - it will start to look like a place in which you want to live. If you don't have the cash to replace things just yet, start putting your own pictures on the walls and knick-knacks on the shelves.

Surround Yourself with Familiarity

Don't let regret overshadow the real reasons you feel depressed. Home buyer's remorse can be the product of unfamiliar territory. You've uprooted yourself from your old home and now you're in an unfamiliar place. Remind yourself that you have family and friends who love you, and you still have the belongings you brought to the new house. Get rid of that pesky regret by going through boxes of old books or looking through scrapbooks.

Get Off the Internet

A major pitfall that can cause home buyer's remorse is the continual scouring of the Internet for other, better houses. You can't return the one you just bought, so quite looking at MLS listings on the Internet.

 

Sure, that other house might have a bigger master bedroom or prettier landscaping, but that isn't the one you chose to buy. You'll sink yourself farther into regret by looking at houses you just can't have.

Shun the Negativity

You'll have people in your life who will praise your new home and congratulate you on a job well-done. You'll also have people who want to criticize everything from the ceramic tile floor to the sloped bedroom ceiling, so get rid of that negativity. Home buyer's remorse can be created through the negativity of others, so please don't let them get to you. It's better to focus on the positives.

Distance Yourself

If you've found that your home buyer's remorse is more than overwhelming, take a brief vacation with your family to get away from it all. The weeks after you buy a new home might seem like the worst time to leave, but it can help you distance yourself from your worries and bring a healthy new glow to your life. Perhaps the stress of packing, moving, closing and unpacking has just clouded your judgment. 

Finally...

Take time to make it yours. With each area of the house you "settle" -- that is, get the room to the point at which you can enjoy being in the room without distraction by the undone items in the room. Prioritize structure over cosmetics, and heavy use rooms over out of the way corners, and prioritize anything that affects your day to day living -- water, heat, electricity, kitchen functions, etc. Take the better part of the day and do one area that you know you can finish that day and truly notice the change and feel more settled for having done it. 

Start having people over. They will tell you how great your home is. They won't see all the little things you see. Take pleasure in the pleasure others take in your house.

Congratulations! You are a home owner...and everyone loves your new home and how you have made it yours!

 

12304 Swanhaven Dr - Rivendell on the Lake

You will fall in LOVE with this incredible 2 story home in prestigious Rivendell on the Lake. The features are endless: hand scraped wood floor, marble & ceramic tile, designer fixtures, Pickled Oak cabinetry, stainless steel appliances,  Sub Zero fridge, huge pantry, granite breakfast bar, beautiful open staircase w/ wrought iron railing, wired for surround sound, wonderful whirlpool tub in master, huge shower, dbl vanities w/granite, 6” crown molding & baseboards, plantation shutters, Romeo balcony, library paneling, 3rd living room upstairs has wet bar & lots of hall cabinets. Study for him, computer nook for her by the kitchen. Huge laundry room. Square footage of a 5 car garage, but 3 car side entry, keyless entry, intercom system, insulated garage doors, tons of storage. Upstairs: 3 bedrooms, 2 bathrooms, 3rd living, wet bar, library, & media room. Salt water heated pool. Lots of details & charm await you. Call TODAY for your private viewing!

Be sure to visit: http://www.rhondasrealestate.com for more information.

YouTube video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lGNhlpwQIZg

Realtor.com link: http://ht.ly/4AcN6

Be my Fan on Facebook - Click "Like": http://www.facebook.com/RhondasRealEstate?v=app_112078882147346

10 Simple Tips to Take the Stress Out of Home Buying Process - Focus on the Positives!

Tip 9: Negotiation in Real Estate.

Whether you're a buyer or a seller you want to succeed in the real estate market. That's natural and reasonable, but what are the steps you need to triumph?

Negotiation is an important part of the real estate buying process. It's a complex matter and all transactions are unique. Negotiating too much...trying to get an extra low price, or even refusing to budge on your offer may cost you the home in the end.

Both sides—buyer and seller—want to feel that the outcome favors them, or at least represents a fair balance of interests. In the usual case there is a bit of bluff, some give-and-take, and neither party gets everything they want.

 

So how do you develop a strong bargaining position, one which will help you get the most from a transaction? Experience shows there are five basic keys which will determine who wins at the negotiating table.

 

• What does the market say?

At various times we're in a "buyers" market, a "sellers" market, or a market where housing supply and demand are roughly equal. If possible, you want to be in the market at a time when it favors your position as a buyer or seller.

Because all properties are unique—it is possible to buck general trends and have more leverage than the marketplace would seem to allow. For instance, if you have a property in a desirable neighborhood with only a few sales, you may be able to get a better deal than elsewhere. Or, if you're a buyer who can quickly close, that might be an important negotiating chip when dealing with an owner who just got a new job 500 miles away.

• Who has leverage?

If you're on the front page of the local paper because your business went bust—and the buyer knows it—you have little going for you in the bargaining process. Alternatively, if you're among six buyers clamoring for that one special property, forget about dictating an agreement—the owner can sit back and pick the offer which represents the highest price and best terms.

• What are the details?

A lot of attention in real estate is paid to transaction prices. This surely makes sense, but the key to a good deal may be more complex.

Consider two identical properties that each sell on the same day for $275,000. The houses are the same, the sale prices are the same, but are the deals the same? Maybe not. For instance, one owner may have agreed to paint the property, replace the roof, purchase a new kitchen refrigerator, and pay the first $3,000 of the buyer's closing costs. The second owner made no concessions.

 

In this example, the first house was actually sold at discount—the $275,000 purchase price less the value of the roof repairs, closing credit, and other items. If you're a buyer, this is the deal you want! If you're a seller, you would prefer to be the second owner and give up nothing.

• What about financing?

Real estate transactions involve a trade—houses for money. We know the house is there, but what about financing? There are several factors that impact the money issue:

1. Has the buyer been pre-qualified or pre-approved by a lender? Meeting with a lender before looking at homes does not usually guarantee that financing is absolutely, unquestionably available—a loan application can be declined because of appraisal problems, title issues, survey findings, and other reasons.
   But, buyers who are "pre-qualified" or "pre-approved" (these terms do not have a standard meaning around the country) at least have some idea of their ability to finance a home and know that they are likely to qualify for certain loan programs.
   The result is that pre-qualified buyers represent less risk to owners than a purchaser who has never met with a lender. If the seller accepts an offer from a buyer with unknown financial strength, it's possible that the transaction could fail because the buyer can't get a loan. Meanwhile, the owner may have lost the opportunity to sell to a qualified buyer.
2. The lower the interest rate, the larger the pool of potential buyers. More buyers equal more potential demand...good news for sellers.
   Alternatively, high rates or even rising rates may drive buyers from the marketplace—and that's not good for anyone.
3. It used to be that downpayments were a major financing hurdle—but not anymore. For those with good credit, loans with 5 percent down or less are available. Reduced downpayment requirements are good for both buyers and sellers.

• Who has expertise?

Imagine you're in a fight. The other guy has black belts in 12 martial arts—and you don't. Who's going to win? Who do you want representing you at the bargaining table?

Successful negotiation depends on give and take, so make sure you are being fair in your requests. Work with a Realtor who has the negotiation skills to make the transaction come together...one with collaboration, competitive, and compromise knowledge and expertise that comes with being a Certified Negotiation Expert.

Tip 10: Buyer's Remorse After the Purchase.