Wednesday, January 8, 2014

Incorporating Radiant Orchid, The Pantone Color of The Year, Into Your Decor


The Pantone color of the year for 2014 has been announced, and the winner is: radiant orchid. So get ready for a purple reign all over the retail and home design worlds soon.

According to Pantone, "Radiant orchid reaches across the color wheel to intrigue the eye and spark the imagination." It "inspires confidence and emanates great joy, love and health. Purple was once the color of "Roman Emperors and magistrates, and later by Roman Catholic bishops," said Wikipedia.

Since that time, purple has been commonly associated with royalty and piety."

So how much radiant orchid will we see?

Lest you think radiant orchid is a flash in the purple pan, the Chicago Tribune says we should "Look for the hue to carry deeper into fashion and beauty items, including nail and lip color, and to infiltrate home furnishings and paint."

Adds the L.A. Times: "At the International Contemporary Furniture Fair in New York last spring, Emerald - Pantone's color of the year for 2013 - could be found seemingly everywhere: Bernhardt furniture, acoustic wall textiles, Ikea velvet sofas. Bottom line: Prepare yourself for purple furniture, pink poufs, fuchsia bedding and perhaps Radiant Orchid gowns at this year's Oscars."

Whether you're looking to make sweeping changes to your décor or simply want to infuse your place with a few colorful on-trend accents, we have a few easy ways to incorporate radiant orchid into your home.

Paint

Paint is typically thought of as the biggest yet most affordable change you can make in a room. For under $100, you can alter the whole look and feel of the room, if you do it yourself.

Is radiant orchid a little too strong a color for a entire room? Elle Décor doesn't think so.

"Purple is divine as an accent or as a wall color," said New York designer Alex Papachristidis in Elle Decor. "I think of purple as a neutral - it looks wonderful with mossy green, a bit of yellow, red, and aqua blue. Purple is rich and lush, and has an incredibly regal quality."

If radiant orchid is a little too much pinky-purple for you, "Deeper shades of purple have been on the upswing as well," said the Wall Street Journal. "Sherwin-Williams recently announced its 2014 Color of the Year is a murky violet called 'exclusive plum.'"

Multiple shades of purples can also work together, especially in a girl's bedroom, because the "typical" rules of design are more easily bent - or broken.

One Big Punch

But if you like your colorful impact in smaller, but no less potent, doses, maybe this graphic wallpaper from HGTV is more your speed.

Graphic wallpaper from HGTV

Looking for something a little less labor-intensive? Hang a piece of art that offers a vibrant counterpart to more muted hues or plays off of opposites.

"In home interiors, Radiant Orchid pairs well with many colors, such as turquoise, teal and light yellows. It also livens up neutrals such as gray, beige and taupe," said ApartmentTherapy.com.

Accessories

One of the easiest ways to incorporate a new color into your home - especially a color as bold as radiant orchid - is with accessories. A cool ottoman gives an instant pop.

Still too much work? Head to the flower mart and pick up a bunch of the color or the year's namesake flowers: orchids. There: instant update!

Check out Houzz.com or ApartmentTherapy.com for more great ways to use radiant orchid in your home. 

Written by Jaymi Naciri

Tuesday, January 7, 2014

Home Design and Remodeling Trends for 2014

Home Design and Remodeling Trends For 2014

The end and beginning of the year brings many things. Special time spent with family and loved ones. Presents from Santa. The promise of a fresh start. And, if you're like us, an insatiable desire to change up your environment by updating it with the latest trends.

If you are feeling the pull toward renovating, redecorating, or revising your home for 2014, there are some exciting trends you may want to incorporate. We break it down for you below.

Color Trends

Radiant orchid is the Pantone color of the year, but color trends for 2014 are also feeling blue. Blues across the color wheel are predicted to be hot hues for 2014.

Navy, in particular, has captured the fancy of design experts. "Navy blue will be a big trend for 2014. I'm seeing a lot of the shade on the runways, on the streets, in editorials, in chic interiors... I actually think everyone will get it in 2014," said designer Mark D. Sikes in House Beautiful's Top Decorating Trends for 2014.

Glamming It Up

Another way to change up your space: inject a glam feel as a nod to art décor or the Great Gatsby. This is another hot 2014 trend showing up in wallpaper, textiles, furniture, and accessories.

"Move over white walls, in 2014 we'll be seeing rooms with a lot more drama and glamour. Dark, moody walls in black will be the perfect backdrop to the metallic accessories that we're all loving right now," said Jeanine Hays of House Beautiful.

In the Kitchen

When it comes to renovating, kitchens are going glam too. "The kitchen has long since become the heart of the home, and now designers are dressing it up accordingly," said Elle Décor, "with elaborate custom cabinetry painted in rich gemstone colors, and accented with gleaming brass or chrome, all lit by unusual lighting fixtures. Kitchens are becoming downright glamorous."

Floating shelves are also a hot 2014 design trend according to remodeling firm the Neil Kelly Company.

Bathroom Beauties

A recent Hanley Wood survey revealed that 58 percent of those planning to renovate in 2014 are planning bathroom updates.

The trend toward creating a spa-like environment in the bathroom continues, with "clean lines, fluidity and futuristic bath fixtures. Bring a spa-like feel to your master bath by indulging in floating sinks and softer, contoured shapes that bring a serene feel to the bathroom and give a feeling of spaciousness.

Add depth to the bathroom by incorporating textures in the bathroom with mosaic tiles that feel luxurious and modern. Blend in futuristic trends like a waterfall shower, modern touch faucets, and heated floors to add interest and visual splendor," said Scott Yancey from Flipping Las Vegas.

Kelly agrees, emphasizing oversized walk-in showers and elegant standalone tubs as strong bathroom trends for 2014.

The Tech Touch

For those who are remodeling, Kelly also points out the No. 1 trend for 2014 that brings some much-needed tech help to the home. U-Socket is a wall plug that "has two built-in USB ports to power devices including iPhones, gaming devices, digital cameras, Kindles and iPads... and features a smart sensor that allows it to shut off when the device is fully charged." 

Written by Jaymi Naciri

Monday, January 6, 2014

9 Easy Ways to Go Green

9 Easy Ways to Go Green

So, you've decided you want to go green. Time to ditch everything leather, along with all the meat in your diet, buy a bike, and turn your backyard into a composting garden. You ready?

You could make all these drastic changes - go "cold turkey" eco - or you could make these nine small changes that make a big eco-friendly difference.

1. Being eco - friendly will not only lower your carbon footprint and allow you to do your part for the environment, but it can also pay you back financially, said Better Homes and Gardens in their "10 no- or low - cost ways to lessen your impact on the planet, create a healthier house and garden, and even fatten your wallet."

Start with your light bulbs. "Installing a compact fluorescent bulb (CFL) is the quickest, easiest way to save energy -- and money," said BHG. "Unlike incandescents, CFLs convert most of the energy they use into light rather than heat."

That translates to less cost over the life of the bulb - a savings Better Homes and Gardens says can be $83 for one 75-watt incandescent bulb swapped out for a 25-watt CFL. That's big when you consider that Energy.gov says energy for lighting accounts for about 10% of the average family's electric bill.

2. That gorgeous French door refrigerator you've had your eye on? Here's another great reason to buy it: It could actually save you money! Older appliances can be energy suckers. Check EnergyStar.gov and take their test to see how much energy you could be saving by upgrading your fridge.

According to Energy Star, "a household with Energy Star products uses about 30% less energy than the average household -- an annual savings of about $570."

3. Do a home audit. A home audit can give you a close-up look at your home's energy usage and identify areas that could be more efficient. But Fox Business estimates an audit would cost between $300 and $500. If you're just trying to shave a few bucks off your electric bill in the summertime, it might make sense to go another route, like a self-audit of the most likely suspects. (Energy.gov recommends starting by making "a list of obvious air leaks (drafts)," because the "potential energy savings from reducing drafts in a home may range from 5% to 30% per year.")

But if you're about to spend $15,000 on new windows, a few hundred bucks of before-hand checks won't hurt.

4. Talk about simple. Improving your eco-friendliness and removing toxic substances from your house is as easy as buying a spray bottle and a bottle of vinegar. If you really want to get crazy, get a couple of lemons and some olive oil, too.

"As many as a third of Americans have an adverse reaction to common household chemicals. Safer products can save you money, too," said Martha Stewart. "While furniture polish will set you back about $4, cleaning with 1/4 cup of distilled white vinegar and a few drops of olive oil costs mere cents.

5. Switch to showers. A typical bath takes 30 to 70 gallons of water, while the average eight-minute shower uses only 17 gallons, said Stewart. If you just can't bear to can't give up your weekly soak, installing low-flow shower heads and toilets will help offset the greater water usage.

6. Recycle your water. It's far easier (and way less disgusting) than it sounds. "For many areas of the United States, rainwater harvesting systems could probably provide at least 50% of our water needs, saving the huge amounts of energy required to process the water and transport it to the home," said Live Green. All you need is a 50-80 gallon rain barrels that you can connect to your downspout, and rainwater collected can be used for gardening.

7. Recycle…your clothes. We all know about recycling paper, plastic, and glass. But what about clothes? Donating your unused clothes has an impact on the environment, and on the individuals who receive your items."
"By some estimates, for every item of clothing donated, 27 pounds of carbon emissions are reduced based on the fact that you don't have another item being produced while one is headed to the landfill," said Real Simple. You can donate to a local charity or list your items on Freecycle.org.

8. Hold on to that holey pair of sweats or the t-shirt you never got rid of from your college ex and turn it into a rag to clean with. "13 billion pounds of paper towels are used in the U.S. every year. If all Americans used one less paper towel a day, 571,230,000 pounds of paper would be spared over the course of the year," said Earth 911.

9. Go Meatless on Mondays, says RealSimple.com. Think you can handle a day a week living like a vegetarian? "Raising livestock produces a large amount of greenhouse gases, so cutting back, even one night per week, makes a big difference.

How big a difference? "Adding one meat-free meal per week (for a family of four) has the same impact as driving a hybrid car," they said. 

Written by Jaymi Naciri

Sunday, January 5, 2014

New Loan Requirements For Getting a Mortgage

New Loan Requirements For Getting A Mortgage

The number of homes purchased with a home loan has been dropping steadily since May, according to RealtyTrac. Instead, cash is king for many reasons. As mortgage rates began creeping up, some homebuyers started opting to purchase with all cash. And that trend may continue as new loan requirements become more strict.

However, for those buyers who do need to purchase a home with a loan, expect to see some changes in the loan requirements as the new year rings in. Here are a just a few of the changes that are going into effect in January 2014. Some of these requirements are already in place by lenders.

The new guidelines are being implemented under The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau's Qualified Mortgage (QM) and are designed to help avoid the borrowing catastrophes that caused the housing crisis. The guidelines are what the lenders use to prove borrowers' ability to repay a loan.

One of the guidelines is borrowers must have a maximum debt-to-income ratio of 43 percent. Debt-to-income ratios have been in place but the new rules won't allow for any compensating circumstances. That means that not even a significant down-payment or a large cash reserve will be allowed to offset a higher debt ratio.

The incentive to follow these guidelines is huge for the lender. If the mortgages don't meet the QM guidelines then the lender will be required to hold the loan as opposed to being sold to Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac.

The QM requirements potentially may have lower loan limits for conventional conforming loans. The agency that regulates Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac, The Federal Housing Finance Agency, will delay it's normal adjustment of loan limits from January 1, 2014 to sometime later in the year. The agency is trying to see what kind of impact the new QM guidelines will have on the housing industry. For most housing markets, the current limits are $417,000 and up to $625,000 in high cost areas. How these figures will change remains to be seen in 2014.

Fee origination fees will be limited under the QM requirements which could make getting a smaller loan more difficult. Originating loan fees will be limited to no more than 3 percent of the loan amount. This could make mortgage lenders less likely to offer smaller loan amounts because they may not always be able to recoup their costs and make a profit.

The self-employed borrowers will also face tougher requirements with the new QM rules. These borrowers already face tough standards and they'll likely be even more strict in 2014. In the QM guidelines, all borrowers must prove there is sufficient cash flow to make payments on their loan but self-employed borrowers' incomes typically fluctuate. These borrowers frequently have cash reserves that they rely on to pay bills when the income is off in a particular month. However, even if there is a large amount of money in reserve, this may still be difficult for the self-employed borrower to get a loan approved due to this new "ability-to-repay" QM guideline.

Expect to see changes in the loan approval process as the new year begins. However, some of the specific requirements may not be determined until later in 2014. 

Saturday, January 4, 2014

Steven Crane's Profile on "The Broker List"

View Steven Crane profile on theBrokerList.com

4 Tips for Effectively Staging Your Home for Sale


4 Tips for Effectively Staging Your Home for Sale

You've accepted the job offer, met with the REALTOR, and are starting to get bids from moving companies.
It's official—you really are selling your home and moving away!
As anybody who has ever sold a home knows quite well, it takes a lot more than sticking a For Sale sign in the front yard and hoping that potential buyers will love it as much as you did. In order to get the best price for your home and pique the interest (and bidding power) of buyers, you need to take some time to stage your home so that it looks and smells—yes, smells—terrific, inviting, and worth every dollar of your asking price.

The following four tips can help home sellers effectively and attractively stage their home:

1. Consider new window treatments

Take a look at the various window coverings in your home and ask yourself if they look new, clean, and in excellent condition. If the answer to any of these questions is an honest "no," then consider getting some new window treatments. Home window treatments are available in a variety of textures and colors, and can make a huge difference in the quality of light that enters a room.

2. Upgrade your tile with paint

As HGTV notes, bathrooms have been known to help sell a home, but old and shabby tile will definitely steer potential buyers away faster than you can say "avocado and almond tile." Because replacing tile can be on the costly side, sellers can repaint them. After coating the tiles with a primer (be sure you purchase one that is marked "high adhesion"), paint the tiles with a ceramic epoxy coating. This relatively easy and low-cost job can really help update the look of the bathroom without having to spend a ton of money on new tile.

3. Tone down an old fireplace

Sure, that brick fireplace in the living or family room looks great during the holidays when it's festooned with stockings and the various trimmings of the season, but the rest of the year it really doesn't do much for the look of the room. To lessen its visual impact, try adding a thin coat of paint to the bricks. In order to avoid the mortar, you do have to paint one brick at a time, which can be time-consuming. But the pay-off of painting your fireplace is well worth your patience when you have a new neutral focal point in your room. One additional tip: to make sure the fireplace blends in as much as possible, choose a color that closely matches the surrounding walls.

4. Simmer some apples

Nothing will turn off home buyers faster than a musty, moldy, smoky, and/or any other type of undesirable smell. Even the cleanest home can often benefit from the addition of a nice aroma. Shortly before your open house, place some sliced apples and cinnamon sticks in a sauce pan on the stove, and let them simmer. The delicious smell will be sure to tempt potential buyers to spend even more time—and hopefully money—on your home. 

Miller Professional Building is LIVE on "The Broker List"

MILLER PROFESSIONAL BUILDING (SUITE 107)
Contact: Steven Crane | RE/MAX Commercial | Excalibur Realty | +(888) 562-5991
Miller Professional Building is a 2550 rentable square foot, medical/general office suite located in the heart of medical corridor of Downtown Scottsdale. Near the Scottsdale Healthcare facility. This attractive building has several medical tenants and professional tenants. This suite 107 has at least 3 exam rooms, office space reception, lobby and more. There is a 1/2 bath inside the suite, and public restrooms adjacent to the suite. Conveniently located on the corner of the building, signage can help maximize your exposure to the public.
Property Type: Medical/Healthcare
Available: For Sale, For Lease
Address:
3337 N Miller Rd, STE 107
Scottsdale, AZ, 85251, USA
Additional URLs
http://thebrokerlist.com/have/miller-professional-building-suite-107-2222

Steven Crane
RE/MAX Commercial | Excalibur Realty
+(888) 562-5991
More...
Published 01/04/2014

theBrokerList. opt-in profile, is a "MUST" for CRE (Commercial Real Estate) Professionals.

MILLER PROFESSIONAL SUITE


MILLER PROFESSIONAL BUILDING



  The Miller Professional Building is a 2550 rentable square foot, medical/general office suite located
in the heart of medical corridor of Downtown Scottsdale. Near the Scottsdale Healthcare
facility.

  This attractive building has several medical tenants and professional tenants. This
suite 107 has 3 exam rooms, office space reception, lobby and more. There is a 1/2
bath inside the suite, and public restrooms adjacent to the suite. Conveniently located on
the corner of the building, signage can help maximize your exposure to the public.


Contact:
Steven Crane | Associate Broker
RE/MAX Excablibur
480-812-5447
stevencrane@live.com


ADDITIONAL PHOTOS










Friday, January 3, 2014

For Those Who Held On, Equity Has Returned

 Home prices surged 11.3 percent this year compared to 2012, the latest
housing data by the National Association of REALTORS® (NAR) shows. 

  A rise in home prices has pulled more home owners out from underwater
with the return of equity this year, NAR notes.

 On NAR's Economists' Outlook blog, researchers explain that a borrower who
bought a median-priced home in 2004 and held it for nine years - the average
tenure in a home - would now have $28,114 in equity (this includes combined
price appreciation and paying down mortgage principle).

 A home owner who purchased a median priced home in 2012 would have
more than $23,000 in equity.


 Home owners who purchased in 2006 and 2007 - during the peak of the market
- have faced the biggest falls in home prices, but NAR researchers note they
are "nearly in positive equity" territory. A home owner who bought a home in
2006, for example, and owned through 2012 would have been underwater by
about $28,200. However, by this year, that downfall has lessened to $4,700.
 Home owners who bought since 2007 are mostly in positive equity, according to
NAR research.

 A study released last week by CoreLogic showed that more home
owners were regaining equity. About 13 percent of all homes with a mortgage
remain in negative equity by the end of the third quarter, compared to 14.7
percent who stood in negative equity at the end of the second quarter.

Steven Crane Real Estate - Facebook Page Reaches a Milestone (100 page likes)

I want to thank all of the support that you have shown me in the past weeks.   This has been great to see the increased activity and positive responses from all.   I wish everyone Happiness in the new year of 2014 and much success. 

Warmest regards,

Steven Crane

Thursday, January 2, 2014

Your Credit Score - Understand It!

   A Credit Score is a three digit number but this seemingly
harmless number is strongly tied to the amount you can borrow.
It also influences the terms of borrowing. In order to stay on top
of your finances, it is crucial for an individual to thoroughly
understand credit scoring in order to make well-informed
decisions.

Credit Scores: How Credit Bureaus Calculate Them
   There are three main credit bureaus operating in United
States, Equifax, Trans Union and Experian. While every credit
bureau uses a different method for calculating the credit score,
individuals with a long history of paying their debts on time,
using the appropriate types of credit and not exceeding their
available credit lines are most likely to have a good credit score.
The ideal credit score falls in the range of 300 to 850. The
higher your credit score, the higher are your chances of
securing a loan with desirable terms.

   While there are several credit scoring companies, the FICO
score is the most widely used in mortgage application. Several
factors contributing to the FICO score are as follows:

Payment history

   As the highest contributor to your score, individuals with a
habit of paying bills late are most likely to suffer. Since payment
history is a clear reflection of an individual's likelihood of
committing default on financial obligations, it is the biggest
contributor in a credit score calculation at a 35% value.

Outstanding debt

   The next biggest contributor to your credit score is the
amount you owe. If the amount of debt you owe is close to your
credit limit, your score will take a steep decline. Similarly, if you
have outstanding balance on several accounts, this reflects
negatively on your credit score. Outstanding debt has a 30%
value on the score. This factor also takes into account the
amount of debt you owe as compared to the amount of the
amount of debt available.

Length of credit history

   The next most crucial aspect of your credit score is the
length of credit history. They say old credit is the best credit.
This is indeed true because the longer your accounts are open,
the better it is with boosting your score. Length of credit history
has a 15% contribution to the credit score. 

   The length of credit history is further broken down into three
parts which is how long certain account types have been
opened, how long accounts have been opened, and how long
since those accounts have been used. At least one credit
account that is active in the last six months is crucial for a long
and well established credit history.

New credit

   If you have applied for any new credit accounts recently, it
will calculate a 10% value towards your credit score. If you have
opened several accounts in a small time frame, your credit
score will decrease. This can be particularly dangerous if an
individual does not have a very long credit history.

Types of credit

   This is where the types of credit you have come into play.
Finance company accounts, retail accounts, installment loans,
and credit cards accounts are the ideal scenario for a healthy
mix of installment and revolving accounts. This aspect is usually
taken into consideration only when there isn't sufficient
information to determine the score.

What is worse for your credit scores?

   Are you wondering what is worse for credit scores?
Bankruptcy, foreclosure, collection and charged off accounts?
Whether it's a foreclosure on your report, bankruptcy or charged
off accounts, the credit score is going to drop. All three
scenarios show a pattern of not being able to fulfill your
financial obligation and will obviously lower your score.

Wednesday, January 1, 2014

Rates Show Little Change

In Freddie Mac's results of its Primary Mortgage Market Survey the 30-year fixed-rate mortgage averaged 4.47% for the week ending December 26, 2013.

 Last year at this time, the FRM averaged 3.35%.

 Mortgage rates were little changed this week following mixed economic reports.  Real GDP was revised upwards to 4.1 percent growth in the third quarter of this year.  However, existing-home sales dropped 4.3 percent to a seasonally adjusted annual rate of 4,900,000 in November.

The January 2014 Real Estate Update

Steven Crane sent you this copy of the Real Estate Update newsletter.

Monthly Newsletter - Real Estate Update - January 2014


Click on the link below to view the newsletter:

http://realtytimes.com/182/remaxexcalibur