My New Blog

Stacy Lyons has moved to Paradigm AdvantEdge Real Estate’s north office at 16301 N May Ave. as a residential real estate sales associate.

Lyons has sold real estate for 11 years and has earned seven professional designations: GRI (Graduate, Realtor Institute), e-Pro (for online and social media proficiency), SFR (Short Sale and Foreclosure Resourse Certification), AHWD (At Home with Diversity), CHMS (Certified Home Marketing Specialist), ABR (Accredited Buyers Representative) and SRS (Sellers Representative Specialist).

Lyons, who grew up in a military family, graduated from Yukon High School and has lived in Yukon ever since.



Read more: http://newsok.com/stacy-lyons-moves-to-paradigm-north-office/article/3718221#ixzz29EtA16K9

Posted by Stacy Lyons on October 13th, 2012 10:08 PMPost a Comment (0)

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If you want to get a home sold quickly and inexpensively, you should review these sales and design tips.

Even with rising values and reduced inventory in certain markets, selling a home remains challenging. Buyers expect not just a shiny new stainless sink but pruned hedges, freshly painted walls, glistening hardwood floors, and more. Making everything look great can cost a pretty penny, and many sellers won’t be able to afford all the suggestions you might make.

You can help them prioritize based on the condition of what’s needed most, what buyers in the area typically request, what competing houses offer, and — of course — cost. Here’s a list of 25 affordable, easy-to-make changes from top design and real-estate pros:

  1. Add power outlets with USB ports in rooms that lack them, especially in the kitchen, bathrooms, and bedrooms where they’re most needed. “Younger, more tech-savvy couples and individuals love them,” says Tyler Drew, broker and property investor with Anubis Properties Inc. in Los Angeles.
  2. Eliminate acoustic popcorn-style ceilings since they look dated and tacky.
  3. Remove exposed posts and half walls. Today’s buyers want more space, and partial walls and posts gobble up room. The only walls that should remain are those that offer privacy or conceal electrical wires or plumbing stacks.
  4. Update wiring for the Internet and flat-screen TVs. You don’t have to run CAT-5 through walls, which can be costly and require opening and closing and repainting walls. Instead, find a place to put a wireless router, Drew says.
  5. Clean carpets and wood floors since they’re often the first part of a room that buyers check out; you don’t need to replace them unless they’re in terrible shape. A good carpet steam cleaning or wood floor waxing can be relatively inexpensive, sometimes less than $200.
  6. Expand a small kitchen to make it work better and look larger. Two quick fixes: Change the backsplash by adding mirrors, stainless steel, or paint, which will introduce light and views; and add an island, which requires only 30” between counters and the island to pass through comfortably. If there’s not enough room for an island, bring in a rolling cart with pull-out shelves underneath and a wood top, says Libby Langdon, an interior designer, author, and expert with Liebherr Refrigeration..
  7. Clear out and clean a garage, a big selling feature.Power wash the floor or paint it if it’s in bad shape, remove dated cabinets, and remove all junk that’s been stored there, so prospects can see how much space they would have for their stuff.
  8. Change out corroded or dented door knobs and levers. The replacements don’t have to be expensive but they should look new and clean, Chicago architect Allan J. Grant suggests.
  9. Pay attention to landscaping, which can add 7 to 15 percent to a home’s value, according to HabitatDesign.com principals Jessy Berg and Bonnie Gemmell. Focus on mowing grass, removing crab grass, and eliminating dead plants and tree branches. “I’d rather have dirt and the potential to paint a picture for the buyers’ mind than a backyard full of dead plants,” Drew says. But if you have extra funds, consider Sacramento, Calif.-based landscape designer Michael Glassman’s ideas: Add lots of seasonal color through blooming annuals and perennial plants and remove problems like too much noise from traffic or neighbors by installing an inexpensive fountain with trickling water.
  10. Paint exterior windows, doors, gutters, downspouts, and trim, then go inside and paint the home’s trim, doorways, and walls that are in need of freshening. Don’t worry about the colors but consider those that veer toward quiet and comfort such as Benjamin Moore’s Yosemite Sand, Edgecomb Gray, or Carrington Beige. “Gray is a hot interior color now,” says Manchester, Vt.-based designer Amy Thebault. Painting rooms other, lighter colors such as white, yellow, and beige help to bounce and reflect sunlight and use more natural and less artificial light, according to Chris Ring, vice president at ProTect Painters, a professional painting source. But in cooler months, Ring says, dark colors such as deep brown and blue absorb sunlight, thereby reducing heating costs. And don’t forget ceilings, which can be a “fifth wall.” You can improve them with paint or old-style metal or faux-metal tiles, says Beverley Kruskol, a general contractor and owner of MY Pacific Building Inc. in Los Angeles.
  11. Remove outdated wallpaper, replacing it with paint and preferably a neutral color, says Shelley Beckes, ASID, CID, a designer with Beckes Interior Design in Los Angeles.
  12. Remove, store, or discard excessive accessories on tabletops and walls and in cabinets. “Less is more, and you want the house to be seen by prospective buyers without the distraction of too many personal items,” Grant says. Some suggest following the rule of three: Leave out only three things on any surface.
  13. Get the house inspected before it’s listed to know its condition and identify any structural issues that could derail sales. Many problems can’t be detected by an untrained eye, including those in a basement, crawl space, or attic, says BillJacques, president-elect of the American Society of Home Inspectors. “There might be roof damage or a plumbing leak. Many inspectors take photos and provide a detailed report,” he says. “And if home owners have repairs made, they should be handled by a qualified licensed contractor, so the home owner can get problems corrected.”
  14. Outfit closets for extra storage to make rooms look larger and less cluttered, but don’t redo all closets and elaborately. Top contenders for redos are an entry closet for a good first impression, kitchen pantries where storage is key, and a linen closet to keep sheets, towels, and other stuff neat, says Ginny Snook Scott, chief design officer at California Closets Co. “The costs needn’t be excessive. A linen closet can be fitted with baskets and cubbies for between $500 and $600, an entry closet for between $400 and $700, each dependent on closet size and features,” she says.
  15. Tighten a home’s “envelope” to improve energy efficiency and savings. Put money and effort into well-insulated double-paned windows, sealed furnace ducts, energy-efficient appliances, the newest programmable thermostats, LED and compact fluorescent lights, and a smart irrigation box on a sprinkler to cut water usage, says Kate Latham, energy consultant with WattzON, a service based in Mountain View, Calif., which analyzes home energy use to pare costs. “After a few months, sellers can show buyers how costs have dropped. They also should put together a green manual to show which features they added,” she explains.
  16. Improve a home’s healthfulness by using paints and adhesives with low or no VOCs. Point out these changes to prospective buyers in another list or manual, Latham says.
  17. Use what you have, and arrange each room in a conversational way if possible. Don’t set all furnishings in a family room so they face a TV, since most potential buyers like the idea of an open-room milieu for socializing.
  18. Remove and replaced faded draperies, fabrics, and rugs, or leave windows and floors bare to avoid showing lack of attention, Thebault says. Slipcovers, which can cover worn furniture can also provide an affordable decorative feature, changed for each season, says Hugh Rovit, CEO of Sure Fit, a manufacturer and distributor of ready-made slipcovers and other accessories. The company’s slipcovers range from $49.99 to $149.99, based on fabric and treatment.
  19. Replace old, dated, or worn bedding. Before any showing, fluff up pillows and covers, and make all beds neatly. Affordable choices can be found at stores like Target and Web sites like Overstock.com.
  20. Toss out old magazines. “You don’t want a People magazine from a year ago; it looks like nobody lives in the house or cares,” Thebault says.
  21. Check smells regularly. Besides getting rid of bad odors from pets and mildew, introduce nice fresh fragrances, but don’t go heavy on scents from candles. A light lavender or citrus spray is smart and inoffensive. Open windows before showings to bring in fresh air.
  22. Make rooms lighter and larger for showings with good lighting. Thebault prefers warm, cool colors rather than fluorescents. Additionally, 60-watt bulbs are a good choice, even though they’re not as energy-efficient.
  23. Go with plants rather than flowers indoors since they last longer, but either choice can add vivacity to a room.
  24. Pay attention to your bathrooms. Specifically, make sure you have freshly laundered towels, new soap in soap dishes, spotless mirrors, and no mildew in view.
  25. Be sure your house is priced competitively with the current market and homes in your area. In most regions, it’s still the No. 1 “fix” to sell quickly. Go a bit under the market price, and you may even bring forth multiple offers that are higher than expected, says Jill Epstein, a REALTOR® with Nourmand & Associates in the Los Angeles area.

Posted by Stacy Lyons on October 3rd, 2012 11:13 AMPost a Comment (0)

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September 26th, 2012 1:15 PM
Buyers are quick to judge a home by what they see on the outside. Are your sellers ready for the scrutiny?

A property’s curb appeal naturally makes a critical first impression. “If everything within the front space is well-chosen and in perfect repair—from the mailbox and house numbers to the walkway and landscaping—buyers will think, ‘This house is obviously well-cared for,’ ” says Lisa Grant Vail, a real estate professional with Keller Williams Atlanta Perimeter and coauthor of Creating Curb Appeal (Schiffer Publishing, 2009). “This message is imprinted on their brains, even if the rest of the house is actually not as well cared for. It’s very hard to change a first impression.”

While most real estate professionals advise their clients to tend to the yard work, trim the trees, and put out a new welcome mat, they may miss other opportunities to help sellers improve a home’s curb appeal. Staging and real estate professionals offer some compelling ideas for sprucing up exteriors.

Front door

A front door can be a home’s focal point—but you don’t want that to be because of its peeling paint or dinged hardware. Replacing an entryway door with a new steel door (which costs about $1,200) actually offers among the biggest bang for the buck at resale (an average of 73 percent of the cost may be recouped, according to Remodeling magazine’s 2011–2012 Cost vs. Value Report, which analyzed 35 remodeling projects’ payback potential).

Sometimes a front door can be salvaged with a fresh coat of paint. Just don’t overdo it: Vail recalls when her clients went too bold with their door’s hue—a vivid blue that didn’t complement the home. It had dated brass handle and lock hardware, too. (Satin nickel and black or oil-rubbed bronze are more the trend these days.)

Windows

Wash them—inside and out—and remove the screens for added sparkle. Then, try dressing up the windows with flower boxes, suggests Peggy Johnson, owner of Redesign + More, a Charlotte, N.C., interior design and staging firm. Also, consider a new color for shutters. The trend is a shift away from high-contrast green, red, or black to more monochromatic palettes that blend with the rest of the house, according to the Paint Quality Institute.

Garage

Depending on its orientation to the house, a garage can make a huge impact. Does the door need paint or repairs? Should it be replaced? While sellers might not be willing to spend on a stylish new cedar wood door, they can find more budget-friendly options in metal or fiberglass. A new steel garage door can cost about $1,500, but sellers, in average, recoup nearly 72 percent of that investment at resale, according to the Cost vs. Value Report.

Front porch

Don’t overlook this key selling point. “It’s an iconic symbol of American living,” Vail says. “‘Sell’ your front porch as additional square footage by staging it with as much care as you would other rooms. Invite buyers to ‘sit a spell’ with a pair of rocking chairs, Adirondacks, a porch swing, or even an outdoor living suite.” And don’t forget to “add a coffee and a side table for writing up contracts,” Vail notes.

Driveway

Is the driveway covered with cracks and oil stains? If sellers can’t afford a complete resurfacing (which may cost about $2,000 for concrete driveways), encourage them to look into patching up cracks using premixed concrete materials, Johnson says. Driveway cracks a quarter-inch or smaller may be able to be filled with asphalt or concrete that comes in caulk-like tubes. A patching compound for asphalt can be used for larger cracks. Some experts recommend kitty litter for removing oil stains, though hardware stores offer designated products, too.

After dark

Evening curb appeal also matters. “Conceal a couple of portable outdoor lamps and aim them at the house or a beautiful tree for low-cost, high-value impact,” Vail says. Have outdoor lights on a timer so they’re always on for nighttime showings. Interior lights, too, work to create a warm glow from the curb. If the home isn’t wired outdoors, line a pathway to the door with solar lights. “The technology has improved considerably over the past few years, and solar lights are much cheaper to install than hardwired lights,” Vail says. “Plus, sellers could probably take the lights with them when they move.”


Posted by Stacy Lyons on September 26th, 2012 1:15 PMPost a Comment (0)

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September 20th, 2012 2:00 PM

Local REALTOR® is recipient of the Real Estate Designation Seller Representative Specialist (SRS)Ô



Stacy Lyons with Paradigm AdvantEdge Realty has earned the Seller Representative SpecialistÔ (SRSÔ) professional real estate designation conferred by the SRS CouncilÔ. The SRS CouncilÔ educates REALTORS® in the specialty of representing consumers looking for the highest benchmark of service and professionalism. When selecting a listing agent to market their home, we believe the seller should have the best.

Seller Representative SpecialistÔ Designation course is a two-day content rich course focusing on the special skills Listing Agents need to represent their seller clients plus interface with cooperating agents - specifically Buyer Agents”. Congratulations to Stacy Lyons from all three founders of SRS Council, LLP.

Stacy Lyons completed her required course work in August and now joins an elite number designees who have earned the SRSÔ designation. Paradigm AdvantEdge Realty is proud that their fellow associate has reached a most sought after professional pinnacle by obtaining this designation.




Posted by Stacy Lyons on September 20th, 2012 2:00 PMPost a Comment (0)

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September 8th, 2012 10:44 AM

In real estate when competition increases, listing marketers have to use every tool possible to standout. Every owner wants to attract the best buyers, so agents and owners often go beyond aggressive pricing to “sweeten the pot” for prospects with incentives.

The question is, “which buyer incentives are the most effective?”

Offering an incentive is a good idea, but only if you offer an incentive that can actually attract a buyer. We want to give you the knowledge you need to offer the incentives

Here are the 3 most attractive buyer incentives that are most likely to be successful, according to the 2011 National Association of REALTORS Survey of Home Buyers and Seller:


1. Home Warranty Policies

The thing that is most attractive to buyers is a home warranty policy. The good news is that this is also the most cost-effective incentive option for sellers, too.

Sellers can assure buyers that any unexpected repairs that fall under the warranty policy will be covered. A home warranty typically costs only a few hundred dollars for the seller and can offer the buyer a tremendous amount of peace of mind. There are a number of home warranty providers out there, so make sure you do your research to find the best provider for the home in question.

2. Assistance With Closing Costs

The economic and lending environments have created a situation in which many prospective buyers don’t have the cash required to cover their closing costs. Many times, the difference between a buyer being able to buy a home or having to pass it up can lie in the closing costs.

Sellers who are willing to contribute to the closing costs stand a much greater chance of attracting a larger pool of buyers. Sellers can decide how much they want to offer based on what makes financial sense for them and the prospective buyers. While this might be a bit more costly option than the home warranty, it can be equally as effective in sealing a deal.


3. Remodeling/Repair Credit

If your listing has a feature or flaw that repels buyers, consider offering a credit towards repairs or remodeling. If you are receiving feedback that buyers consistently don’t like a particular aspect of the floor plan or condition of a listing, then consider a credit. This gives you and your client a way to overcome a potential objection right up front. The more objections you can remove, the closer you get to a sale.

These were the top 3 most attractive incentives in according to people who actually purchased homes in 2011. For more, download this great handout on attractive buyer incentives.

The next time you are trying to sweeten the pot for a prospective buyer, consider these options with your sellers. These just might be the incentives you need to land that perfect buyer and close the deal.


Posted by Stacy Lyons on September 8th, 2012 10:44 AMPost a Comment (0)

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Pretty Wedding & Shower Printables

April 12, 2012

Print This

    Wish the bride and groom matrimonial bliss with ready-made wedding and shower printables. Showing your support couldn’t be easier—just download, print and cut to give cards, gifts and more made-with-love appeal.

Free Wedding & Shower Printables

Download and print our Free Wedding & Shower Printables, cut them out, and let your creativity take hold. Here, 5 ideas to get you started:

  1. Prettify packages. Use our designs as custom tags for wedding, shower and anniversary gifts. Or add homespun charm to packages wrapped in plain craft paper by gluing on cut outs with rubber cement.
  1. Create shadow box art. Cut and layer different designs to create 3D Greeting Card Art, a heartfelt gift for bridal showers, weddings and anniversaries alike.
  1. Make pop-up cards. In place of shopping the greeting card aisle, craft pop-up scenes sure to delight any lovebird. Our Easy Pop-Up Cards are totally kid-friendly, too, making them a great way for youngsters to congratulate the couple.
  1. Decorate favors. Give shower and wedding favors the sweetest touch by tying or hot gluing cut outs to them.

Tip: Hosting a bridal shower? Pamper the girls with luxurious little favors—jars of homemade bath salts adorned with our pretty tags.

  1. Personalize place settings. Shower or wedding, rehearsal dinner or anniversary party, beckon guests to the table with place cards handcrafted just for them. Simply write guests names on one, or an assortment, of our designs.

Tip: Seat guests in sweet style, too. For beyond-the-bow chair decorations, string together tags to create precious garlands.


Posted by Stacy Lyons on May 3rd, 2012 9:56 AMPost a Comment (0)

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April 26th, 2012 8:25 AM
Cabinet Makeover

January 4, 2012

Cabinet Makeover
Print This
    Begin with outdated or basic cabinets and end up with a beautiful set. It’s simple to fix them up on your own, from cleaning and organizing to lining and painting, our tips will help make it easy for you to update cabinets in any room of your home.

Step One: Prepping

The first step in any makeover is to thoroughly clean and de-clutter.

  • Storage: Store holiday or special occasion items elsewhere to free up valuable space.
  • Purge: If you never use certain items, consider getting rid of them. Donate, sell or recycle.

Tip: Get detailed cleaning and organizing tips with our Kitchen Cabinet Refresh suggestions.

 

Step Two: Painting

Whether you’re painting a specific material or simply choosing a beautiful color, we’re here to help.

Cabinet Makeover

Tip: Consider using an embossed wallpaper technique before painting the cabinets. The textures will be subtle, yet beautifully decorative.

Tip: If your cabinet doors have grooves and layers, experiment with different colors in sections. Or paint the outer edges, and wallpaper the center to create a unique focal point.

Step Three: Lining

When it comes to adding decorative flair, don’t forget the inside of cabinets.

  • Wallpaper: It’s not just for walls! Use wallpaper to line the cabinet insides for an accented finish that also creates easy-to-clean surfaces.
  • Fabric: Bring texture into the mix. Cut fabric to size and attach it to the bottom of the cabinets with hook and loop tape. It’s easy to remove and toss in the washer as needed.

Step Four: Embellishing

Before shopping for new cabinet hardware, consider some simple techniques that can transform what you already have.

  • Knobs and Handles: Don’t buy new knobs and handles! Try our tips for gilding or decoupage to give current ones a fresh new look.
  • Decorative trim: Use small strips of trim molding to accent and finish the look of the cabinets.

Step Five: Organizing

Keep things in order with organizers, labels and other clever options.


Posted by Stacy Lyons on April 26th, 2012 8:25 AMPost a Comment (0)

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Kitchen remodeling sales were up 36 percent in the third quarter of 2011 compared with the same time a year earlier, according to the National Kitchen & Bath Association. It’s no wonder: The kitchen is the focal point in many homes.

Kitchens are one of the features buyers compare most closely when they’re shopping for a home. Here are cost estimates for some of the low-cost kitchen upgrades that listing agents often recommend to sellers:

1. Hardware.
Replacing cabinet hardware, such as handles, knobs, and hinges is a quick, DIY way to enhance kitchen space. According to HouseLogic.com, an average kitchen is 200 square feet with 30 linear feet of cabinetry, which equates to about 40 handles and knobs. Averaging between $2 and $20 per knob or pull, a home owner can expect to spend from $80 to $800 for this enhancement.

2. Faucet.
There are myriad options today in terms of height, spouts, pullout hoses, and folding necks, with quality faucets starting at around $200.

3. Lighting.
Adding an LED undercabinet light can have a dramatic effect for about $40.

4. Organization.
Buyers today choose functionality over elaborate decoration, says Jamie Goldberg, a National Kitchen & Bath Association–certified designer. Practical storage in the kitchen will go a long way. Over-the-door hooks, baskets in the pantry, drawer organizers, wall hooks for pots and pans, and stackable shelves for cabinets will add appeal, typically for less than $100.

5. Countertops.
Laminate can mimic the contemporary look of granite at a significant discount. The cost for an average kitchen with 30 linear feet of laminate countertop is roughly $1,575; the same space in granite would be about $2,400.


Posted by Stacy Lyons on April 20th, 2012 8:12 AMPost a Comment (0)

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On Earth Day, much press is given to all the altruistic reasons we should watch our energy consumption and carbon footprints. From those baby polar bears stranded on icecaps to visions of our grandchildren's grandchildren living on the Atlantic Coast of Montana, the unselfish reasons for going green, so to speak, abound.

Reality check: greening up your home does not have to be a pious experience, or a lifestyle downgrade. You don't need to cut back on showers or go all Birkenstock, all the time. (Although, hey - I went to Berkeley. I've got nothing against the occasional sporting of the 'stocks.)
In fact, I've realized over the last few years that there are some rather fabulous, somewhat selfish perks to making green changes to your home and your lifestyle. Here are a handful of them, in honor of Earth Day.

1. Save Money Now. When it comes to the economics of most home improvements, homeowners spend hours and hours trying to project the return we'll recoup on the upfront costs of our granite countertops and built-in theater equipment years down the road. And for the most part, the numbers look grim. Except for the basic upgrades that are essential to moving an older home, real estate insiders generally advise homeowners to avoid even trying to find an investment return on home improvements, and to simply execute improvements they can both afford and enjoy in the time they plan to live in the home.

However, many so-called 'green' home improvements turn this entire concept on its head. Studies show that utility bills are one of the highest monthly expenses for most households, and that green home improvements can bring those bills down by as much as 20 or 30%. I did the math - on the average American home's energy bill of almost $2,000/year, that would represent a savings of $400-$600 - potentially much more if you live in an area with temperature extremes!

If you install a tankless water heater, insulate your pipes and walls or even do something as simple as weather-stripping your doors and windows, you will begin to save money on your utility bills immediately. And, depending on how indulgent you really want to be, that's cold hard cash you can redirect to the college savings fund, your own retirement accounts, or a tropical adventure.

2. Sell Faster. Green homes simply sell faster than comparable homes without energy efficient features. Today's home buyers want to save money (that's why they're buying now!) and are willing to prioritize homes that allow them to do this by way of energy efficient systems and upgrades.

The data particularly bears this out when it comes to homes with solar energy systems. The US Department of Energy’s Office of Energy Efficiency & Renewable Energy recently released reported that solar homes sell twice as fast as a home without solar panels – even in a down market. (As an aside, don't believe the old hype that going solar requires a big investment; in some states, homeowners can sign up for something called 'solar power service' and get solar savings without ever having to pay for panels.)

If your home isn't currently on the market for sale, you might scoff at the notion of a speedy sale as a selfish aim. But if and when the day comes that your personal, career, family and financial plans are hanging in limbo, making the ability to move forward with your life and your vision contingent upon the sale of your home, you'll understand what I mean!

3. Boost Your Net Worth. Not only are buyers willing to bestow a preference on 'green' or energy efficient homes, they are willing to pay more for them. And remember - the value of a home at any given time is based on what a buyer would pay for it.

The Appraisal Journal recently published data to this effect: for every $1 green home improvements decreased the property's annual energy bills, the home’s value increases by $10-$25. That might not seem impressive on such a small scale, but these numbers translate to an increase of $8,000 to $25,000 to the market value of a greened-up 3,000 square foot home.
Same goes for solar homes; Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory compared solar homes to similar homes without solar panels, and found that a solar system can add around $17,000 to a home’s value.

If you are like the average homeowner, your home may be your largest asset - or your largest liability. One of very few ways you can reliably bulk up the value of this asset - and your net worth in the process - is to implement any number of green home improvements. If this is a big motivator for you to go green, talk with an experienced local agent about what green features local buyers most value.

One more thing: think very broadly about what it means to 'go green'. You could go solar or tankless, install insulation and weatherstripping, convert to low-flow toilets, and shower heads, switch out old aluminum windows for dual-paned - the options are limitless, and vary widely in cost.

4. Look better and live longer. There are green homes, and there are green households. I'm going to make the argument that if, in the process of greening your home, you take the next step and engage in the lifestyle activities that make for a green household, you can lose weight, feel better and possibly even avoid some of the chronic diseases that plague our society.

The green home element of this includes planting a kitchen garden and minimizing the water that is wasted just keeping your lawn green. Then you’ll have a back-yard (or front-yard, for that matter) harvest to reap and eat. Your household garden will attract birds, bees and, if your street is anything like mine, squirrels, deer or wild turkeys – fauna which all participate in the circle of life. (Hakuna matata.)

But maintaining a kitchen garden and implementing other green household practices like taking walks or public transporation may also increase you’re the quality of the air you personally breathe and help you shift the balance of your family’s diet from focusing on meat to the plant-based diet doctors now say minimizes the risk of heart disease and cancer, increasing lifespan. Plant-based, by the by, does not mean vegetarian or vegan; Wikipedia defines a plant-based diet as "an eating pattern dominated by fresh or minimally processed plant foods and decreased consumption of meat."

If digging and planting is more than you can take on, you can support those who do this for your community on a larger scale and still get the benefits of a plant-based diet by subscribing to a Community-Supported Agriculture (CSA) program or walking to and shopping at your neighborhood farmer’s market on the weekend.

5. Live more comfortably. In the fifteen years since I moved from my scorching-hot hometown to the very mild climes of the Bay Area, I have developed an issue I call my 'thermoregulation challenge.' I’m fine when I go visit my parents or vacay in Arizona, but it’s tough to stay warm at home when dressed like a normal person. (This explains my penchant for wearing sweaters right around the calendar.)

So, I recently undertook a campaign to stop up all the drafts in my house, and wouldn’t you know it: life got way more comfortable – and fast.Call me a weatherstripping evangelist, but I can think of very few home improvements this inexpensive that make this much of a difference in the comfort level of your life. Drafts, begone!

And this increase in comfort from green home improvements was not a one-off, in my experience. I’d already noticed a major reduction in noise from installing dual-paned windows a few years back. The next thing I have my eye on is swapping out the big old vat of water that I pay to keep warm 24 hours a day for a quake-proof, tankless water-heater. Sure – the energy-efficiency sounds great. But so does unlimited hot water, no matter how long a shower I take or how many dog baths I give.

I say there’s a reason why so many A-list celebs who are used to living in luxury live green lifestyles. The good deed piece of it makes for great PR, but make no mistake: the green life can also be the good life.

All: What green living practices or home improvements have you undertaken? Did you any of them turn out to have selfish upsides?

Posted by Stacy Lyons on April 19th, 2012 2:09 PMPost a Comment (0)

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Find out which remodeling projects will provide the biggest bang for your buck this year, according to Remodeling magazine.

Optimizing the use of space in a home will not only attract buyers but also give sellers more bang for their buck, according to Remodeling’s “2011–12 Cost vs. Value Report,” conducted in cooperation with REALTOR® Magazine and NAR’s HouseLogic.com.

An attic bedroom addition costing $50,148 was expected to recoup 72.5 percent of the cost nationally—inching up 0.3 percent from the 2010–11 report. The minor kitchen remodel also fared well, returning an estimated 72.1 percent of the nearly $20,000 job cost.

The report looks at the estimated cost and expected resale return of 35 midrange and upscale remodeling projects in 80 markets. The estimated costs and returns were derived from a survey of more than 3,000 REALTORS® conducted last summer. As in past years, REALTORS® picked exterior projects to recoup the most at resale. Among those, new fiber-cement siding was expected to provide the highest return, recouping an estimated 78 percent of the $13,461 cost.

Top 6 Returns

Siding Replacement (upscale) - fiber-cement
Job Cost: $13,461
Resale Value: $10,493
Cost Recouped: 78%

Entry Door Replacement - steel
Job Cost: $1,238
Resale Value: $903
Cost Recouped: 73%

Attic Bedroom Addition
Job Cost: $50,148
Resale Value: $36,346
Cost Recouped: 72.5%

Kitchen: Minor Remodel
Job Cost: $19,588
Resale Value: $14,120
Cost Recouped: 72.1%

Garage Door Replacement
Job Cost: $1,512
Resale Value: $1,087
Cost Recouped: 71.9%

Garage Door Replacement (upscale)
Job Cost: $2,994
Resale Value: $2,129
Cost Recouped: 71.1%

Remodeling’s2011-12 Cost vs. Value Report ©2011 by Hanley Wood, LLC. Republication or redissemination of the Report is expressly prohibited without written permission of Hanley Wood, LLC.“Cost vs. Value” is a registered trademark of Hanley Wood, LLC.Visit www.costvsvalue.com for information on all 35 projects. There, you can also download a free PDF providing information on average cost and resale value nationally, regionally, and in a specific market. Estimates for construction costs were compiled by HomeTech Publishing.


Posted by Stacy Lyons on March 29th, 2012 4:24 PMPost a Comment (0)

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