A few years ago, my husband and I decided to do a remodel of our kitchen and we had no idea where to start. We knew that we wanted new flooring, cabinetry, counter-tops and recess lighting, but the cost to implement these fabulous ideas would be substantial! We interviewed contractor after contractor hoping to find not only the right price, but a licensed contractor who had integrity and great customer service. After a couple of months of planning, we were able to TRANSFORM our old kitchen into an oasis of cooking pleasure. We got a great looking kitchen without breaking the bank! Below are some tips on how you can get more BANG for your buck:
- To save money, keep your existing wiring and plumbing in place
- Consider painting your cabinets instead of buying new ones
- Use ceramic tile versus laminate flooring (Laminate floors leave a negative impression)
- Shop for the best looking inexpensive granite counter-tops
A minor kitchen remodel along with with new lighting and fresh paint may get pricey, but it’s a relatively inexpensive face-lift to what many buyers consider the most important room in the house, THE KITCHEN!
To find out other creative ways to enhance the beauty of your home, call me directly.
Have a great week!
Shantell Owens
Direct: 925-594-0321
Do you sometimes hear a negative attitude coming out of your mouth, and wish it weren’t so? Can anything be done about a negative attitude? In other words, can you change? Of course you can. If you’re in need of a New Attitude for the New Year, here are some thoughts to keep in mind:
- Attitudes are not something we’re born with – they’re created, which means they can be recreated as well.
- Attitudes are infectious. Try spending time around people who have good attitudes and who make you feel good. When you’re around a positive person you feel energized – not drained.
- Start your day on a positive note. It might feel phony at first, but it will become second nature if you keep at it. Change your clock radio to upbeat music instead of the news, give someone a small compliment as soon as you get to work, perform a random act of kindness for someone you know – or a complete stranger.
- Greet people like you’re genuinely happy to see them – and then think of reasons why you are genuinely happy to see them.
- Instead of heading straight for defensive mode and expecting the worst out of others, reverse the process and try expecting the best out of everyone
- Don’t be so hard on yourself. Throw your perfectionism out. It won’t do you a bit of good since you’re essentially setting yourself up for failure. Repeat after me: No one is perfect.
With all the chaos and confusion in the world today, what are some of the things you do in order to maintain a GOOD attitude? Call me directly at 925.594.0321.
I am thouroughly convinced that EVERY child in California deserves a quality education. Here in East County, adminstrators and teachers integrate the vital element of FUN into the serious business of learning. Which is why my husband and I made a choice to move to Brentwood. As the state of California attempts to balance the budget under our newly elected Governor Jerry Brown, districts are subject to fianancial stress that not all school districts are able to build new schools to handle new population growth. As a result, the quality of our children’s education is jeapordized. Here in East County, school districts have done their best to make sure this doesn’t happen by incorporating Family Participation and Partnership Programs that will aid in the educational process of teachers and students. Some districts in the area have instituted a dress policy desinged to counter the inlfuence of fashion as a distraction from education. This type of intervention is intended to reduce gang activity and bullying while providing a safe learning environment for our children. In addition to excellent primary education, East County is home to a host Colleges and Universities from Los Medanos College (LMC), Carrington College, Cal State East Bay and J.F.K University to name a few. If you want your kids to have a quality education in a safe fun atmosphere, making a move to East County would be a great choice!
Call me directly at 925.594.0321 and I can share with you my experience here in beautiful Brentwood.
“Placing the cart before the horse” is what I refer to when asked that question.
Before a transaction closes the anxious buyers request the keys to the home to move items in, maybe just to the garage area. Surely there is no harm in just placing a few things in the home before it officially closes.
Your heart strings will be tugged to varied reasons and circumstances that the keys should be yield over. We have heard them all.
- Movers will be there and we thought it would be closed by now.
- Just a little delay from the lender but all is well. We just need to get a jump on the move time.
- We took off from work to move and we don’t want to waste those days.
- We have closed on our home and will have no place to move and put our things.
And the list goes on. So how do you approach this situation as the Realtor representative for the seller? Sticky situation and certainly your heart may want to be of assistance, help the buyer out. Just remember as a listing agent, as callous as this sounds, need to focus on your client’s best interest. There are risks that should be discussed and recommendations you can make. Just remember, the seller is the one who gets to make the ultimate decision. You need to be factual, present all arguments and just sit back and let the seller tell you what to respond when that question of keys early arises.
Consider the following in the discussion – the best thoughts are to give the What If circumstances:
- Liability – contents in the home and damages that could possibly occur from moving items in. Also the items them self could be damage and what if they home were broken into and contents stolen.
- What if the home did not close at all. It derailed due to unforeseen factors and now you have contents in a home that needs to be sold.
- What if they moved in and they did not like the home or neighbors before closing … now we have a problem.
And that list can go on as well. There are some suggestions should your client, the seller decide to look favorably to hand over the keys to minimize the risk.
- Get a buyer’s temporary lease back and outline responsibilities for possible issues.
- Obtain a security deposit that is non-refundable but will be credited back to the buyer when the home closes.
- Make sure the buyer has insurance coverage for contents.
Different avenues for decisions to hand over the keys. I believe that this is a huge risk and certainly fully discuss this with my clients. What advice would you recommend when asked to hand over the keys before the transaction has funded?
A short sale is when the borrower/owner sells a piece of property to a third party during a “pre-foreclosure”. It is called a short sale because the owner will sell the property “SHORT” of the balance owed on the note. Over the past 16 months, various banks and lending institutions have been more responsive to negotiating and approving short sales. Below, I will address 4 of the most frequently asked questions my clients have regarding the short sale process:
How could selling my property as a short sale affect my credit history?: Once we’ve successfully negotiated your short sale with the lender and the short sale transaction is complete, it will show on your credit report as “paid as agreed”, “paid as negotiated” or “settled for less than the full credit amount”. Depending on how the creditor chooses to report the credit, the credit reporting agencies (Transunion, Equifax & Experian) will determine the impact of your credit score. If you choose to walk away from the property and your property is foreclosed upon, the foreclosure will remain as a public record permanently and will remain on your credit report for up to 10 years.
How could a short sale affect my credit score?: With a foreclosure, your credit score may be lowered by up to 300 points in some cases and your credit score will be affected for up to 10 years. In the case of a short sale, it may lower your credit score as little as 50 points if all other payments are being made. A short sale’s effect can be brief as 6 to 12 months on your credit history or FICO score.
How could a short sale affect my employment?: Employers have the right to actively check the credit of all employees who are currently working in sensitive positions. A short sale has less impact and will not impeded your progressive for current or future employment.
How long must I wait to buy another home after I short sale my current property?: A short sale is always a better choice versus a foreclosure. The current home guidelines call for a mininum 24 month period following the short sale before you will be considered for a new home loan. However, with a foreclosure the conisderation for a new home loan can range between 3 years to 7 years!
One of the most compelling reasons for a short selling a property versus a foreclosure is the impact a foreclosure will will have on your financial future. Simply put, a Short Sale places you in the driver seat and puts your back in charge of you situation. With a short sale, you and your realtor will have a plan of action and a exit strategy that is catered to your needs. Always remember to seek legal and tax advice before making any decisions.
If you have any questions or need more information on the short sale process, please call me for a free NO OBLIGATION consultation @ 925-594-0321.
