Inside an efficient mind • February 2008
By Sean Boone Florida Freedom Newspapers
The Engel residence looks like a typical lakefront home in the South but according to its owner, Mike Engel, the house is built to withstand anything – or most anything – Mother Nature or life can throw at it. Mike Engel began building his dream nearly a decade ago. The 4,200 square foot customized home is being built to be not only energy efficient, but a place where Engel and his wife, Mary, can remain for the rest of their lives. more...
Lovelace Interiors expands design options with a one-stop shop • February 2008
By Deborah Wheeler Florida Freedom Newspapers
After months in the works, Lovelace Interiors is now ready to debut its new Design Center and artist-in-residence, Donna Burgess. Considered the area’s foremost interior design and home furnishings firm for the past dozen years, the owners have raised the bar to make it a one-stop design as well as furnishings center for those who are building, remodeling, decorating and furnishing. more...
Visual tours help Realtor make his pitch • February 2008
By Joyce Owen Florida Freedom Newspapers
Starting with photos of a gated entrance or water view, Keller Williams Realtor Harold Martin’s visual tours give homes a sense of place and help viewers feel like they are there. more...
‘Short sales’ presented as alternative to foreclosure • February 2008
By Joyce Owen Florida Freedom Newspapers
For many people, the American Dream of home ownership has given way to the American Nightmare. Homeowners are finding themselves trapped in a retreating housing market. With declining values and a bloated inventory, the market offers little prospect for cash-strapped owners looking to sell a home they can no longer afford. Whether buyers paid too much for a home, accepted a variable interest rate that has put their mortgage payments out of reach, took on too much debt or lost their jobs, millions of homeowners are facing foreclosure. more...
What makes a Realtor successful in today’s marketplace? • January 2008
By Joyce Owen Florida Freedom Newspapers
While no one working in the real estate business can ignore the changes that have occurred in the last two years, Realtors are still making sales. What makes someone successful? What helps set them apart? more...
Chef service in demand for real estate closing gifts • January 2008
By Joyce Owen Florida Freedom Newspapers
What might seem to be a luxury, the services of a personal chef, is an alternative some Realtors are providing as a closing gift to celebrate the purchase of a client’s new home. “I had a big closing and thought a Table Five gift certificate was a unique, out-of-the-box gift,” ResortQuest Realtor Kevin Kramer said. more...
Aisles of Tiles • January 2008
By CAROL McGRAW Freedom News Service
“This is the one,” Candy Outlaw said as she pointed assuredly to a rosy amber porcelain tile. Well, it’s about time. In the past few weeks, Outlaw had dragged home a dozen tiles and flipped through many a catalog to find just the right material for her new sunroom floor. more...
Simple treasures • November 2007
By CAROL McGRAW, Freedom News Service
Is your house Arts and Crafts? We’re not talking about that room piled high with scrapbooking supplies, but a sleek, natural architectural style embraced in the U.S. in the early 1900s as a reaction against social stuffiness and the gingerbread excesses of Victorian homes. more...
This sold house • September 2007
By Jeff Collins, Freedom News Service
Leaky faucets. Dirty carpets. Overgrown shrubs. Clutter. Sid Davis has seen it all. It’s the little stuff that homesellers refuse to fix before listing a home. more...
Diverse Decorating • May 2007
By Jennifer J. Bush, Freedom News Service
Click in on any hip new trend these days and at some point you are almost sure to trip across the phrase “international design.” What it means seems to depend entirely on the design genre. more...
Peek at Spring • March 2007
By Jennifer J. Bush, Freedom News Service
Multifunctional furniture with innovative designs. Sleek, contemporary styling. Environmentally friendly furnishings. Interesting uses of natural grasses and woods. And global accessories that prove that the world is, in fact, smaller. These were among the design trends that emerged from the recent Las Vegas Market, a semiannual trade show where more than 1,200 worldwide exhibitors introduced new product lines to store buyers and designers. more...
Interior Landscaping • March 2007
By Julie Bawden-Davis, Freedom News Service
Have you ever sat in a hotel lobby surrounded by lush plants and wished you could have your own indoor garden paradise? If so, it’s time to call a plantscaper. Just as some breathtaking outdoor gardens are planted and maintained by professionals, there are stunning indoor gardens installed and cared for by trained interior landscapers. more...
Get Funky • March 2007
Turn your old junk into beautiful new works of art. Getting funky has never been easier. Try these three projects. more...
Buying Your First Home: Everything I Did Wrong • February 2007
By Jennifer Otto
Buying your first home can be a frustrating experience, but there are certain steps that you can take to help alleviate some of the stress. I am living, breathing proof of what not to do when you buy your first home. Never take advice from someone that does it right every time; it is better to take the advice of someone like me who failed in my mission to purchase my first home. more...
Buy a House, Not a Car • February 2007
By Jennifer Otto
You recently fell into a job that pays better than you ever could have imagined. With all this extra money lying around you have started thinking about the things you really need or want – a brand new Lexus and a house in the city. The question is which one should you run out and buy first? more...
To Rent or Buy? • February 2007
By Tara Roberts
In today’s real estate market, with low interest rates and increasing property values, it is sometimes difficult to decide whether renting or buying a new home is the right choice. In local markets, home sells have slowed and rental properties are scarce, so choices are even more challenging. When making what can be your most expensive decision, consider both the pros and cons of renting versus buying your next home. more...
Buyer Be Aware • February 2007
You are out house hunting and you see what could be “the one.” The exterior of the home is immaculate, and the landscaping award winning. You step inside and are rendered breathless by the interior – it is perfect. Or is it? You can’t see the frayed wires behind the foyer walls, you can’t see the termites eating away at the baseboards, or floodwaters seeping into the yard whenever it rains. Since you can’t see it now, you don’t think to ask. Do the sellers tell you without that all-important question? more...
Safety Accessories for the Home • February 2007
By Tara Roberts
When you move into your new house, you begin to imagine ways to give it a little of your own personality by accessorizing. With a new suit or outfit, accessories can mean the difference between office casual and evening attire. With a new home, the right drapes or carpeting can say “lived-in with children,” or “take your shoes off at the door.” But, how about “this is a safe place?” more...
Mortgages Reach the Half-Century Mark • February 2007
By Tara Roberts
Prepare to takes notes, there will be math involved. Remember these numbers – 15, 30, 40 and 50. What do these have to do with real estate? The first two are easy – those are common mortgage loan terms. A 40-year loan term is also growing both in availability and popularity. But, does a 50-year mortgage belong in this group? One California home lender opened that door this past March and a handful of agencies around the country have joined the onslaught. more...
Getting Ready To Sell • February 2007
By Tara Roberts
When selling a house, owners do not necessarily need to make expensive upgrades and renovations on their home to improve their chances at a quick sell. The simple task of cleaning the outside and inside is one of the best ways to perk up the appearance of a house. Maybe a little paint here, a few minor repairs there and it has a completely new look. more...
Timing is Everything • February 2007
By Jennifer Otto
Are you tired of all the headaches and stress associated with selling property? Me too, but I can’t help you there. I can, however, share with you some of the tips handed down to me by the experts. One question that is often asked – when is the best time to sell? There really is no predetermined “best” time to sell; however, looking at current market trends may help you get closer to making that decision. more...
Investing in Your Home • February 2007
By Tara Roberts
When making significant changes to your house consider more than cost of the project, also consider whether that cost can be recovered when it comes time to move. Think about whether the improvement is really that – an improvement – and not a drawback to a future sale. In the category of home improvements, bigger is not always better. Look to your neighbors when adding rooms or contracting for a major remodeling project. more...
Is The Housing Market Cooling Down? • February 2007
By Joseph Kemp
For five years now the housing market has been the workhorse of the U.S. economy. The cost of homes has risen substantially – thanks in large part to low interest rates, “flippers,” and more Americans buying homes than ever before. It has truly been a sellers market for quite sometime. But, is the market cooling down? more...
Transferring the Assumable Loan • February 2007
By Jennifer Otto
Jack is trying to sell his 1975 Destin home in a competitive market. He has had several offers on the house, but all the loans keep falling through – either the applicants have no credit or poor credit. Potential buyers who can afford Jack’s place in the high-cost real estate market want something newer or in the more touristy section of Destin. more...
Reverse Mortgages • February 2007
By Tara Roberts
At a time when most seniors should be enjoying a little time to themselves, many are facing an uncertain future filled with mounting medical costs, rising fuel bills, and shrinking pension checks. One option to make life easier and eliminate at least one major expense is to do away with a monthly house payment. The good news is that there is a way to do this and still retain home ownership. more...
