You know you want to!

You've been waiting for this!
Come join us and our very own artist Jen Turner for PAINT NIGHT.  All supplies will be provided along with snacks and drinks with your $25 fee. Wednesday July 18th from 6 to 9 pm at the Innovative Real Estate Office at 2nd South Main Street Suite 2F in Heber City. 

Click here to register and save your spot!

Brought to you by Heath @ HeathsHomes.com

Top 10 remodeling projects by costs recouped at resale

Recently quite a few people have asked me these questions as well as similar ones. You may have the same questions too. 
"What are the most important things I need to fix on my house before I put it up for sale?" 
"I am planning on selling my house in the next 4 or 5 months, what can I do now to get ready?"  
"What is the smartest remodeling project that will get me more money at resale time and make my home more desirable?"

In the most recent Salt Lake REALTOR Magazine there is a table in the corner of one page that answers most of these questions people are asking me. You may be interested as well.

This report says that a new garage door will recoup 98.3% of its costs and a new front entry door will get you 91.3% of the cost back at resale as well. A wooden deck addition claims an 82.8% return on investment and a minor kitchen remodel will get you 81.1% back on the cost of the remodel.

There are a handful of projects that you can do by yourself that can really help your home stand out from the others on the market and give you that extra edge. If you have any questions, call me or send a text. I'd be glad to offer my help and advice. 801-631-3430

Brought to you by Heath @ HeathsHomes.com

If there is a remodel in your future, this is a must read.

Let's talk about remodeling. 

There are a handful of reasons people remodel their homes. Maybe a family requires a change in the shape and stage of their home, or they may want to get more enjoyment out of their home so changes are needed to do so. If home owners are not planning on staying in their home for the long haul, they may be trying to get more equity in the home, or they may be trying to impress potential buyers or bring in higher offers.

Whatever the reason, there are smart ways to look at a remodel. In a recent Remodeling Impact Report by the National Association for Realtors, it tells home owners who are looking to sell their home that there are a handful of remodeling projects that appeal most to potential buyers. 

The most desirable indoor projects are:

1. complete kitchen renovation

2. kitchen upgrades

3. bathroom renovations

4. new flooring

However, the interior projects that yield the largest financial return upon the home's resale are:

1. hardwood floor refinishing (one can usually recover 100% of project costs)

2. new wood flooring (about 91% of costs can be recovered)

3. insulation upgrades (76% of costs will be recovered)

4. Bathroom renovations yield the smallest financial recoup, at resale time. About 50% of project costs can be recovered.

According to the report, when the remodel or renovation goes outdoors, the exterior projects that are the most appealing for potential home buyers are: 
1. new roofing

2. new windows

3. a new garage door

4. new vinyl siding

The study also shows that new roofing recovers about 109% of the cost of the new roof when the home is resold. 

Exterior remodeling projects help with curb appeal and the first impression to potential buyers. They can also be extremely satisfying for the home owner as well. 

If you have a remodel on your mind, keep these study results in mind. They may help you direct your efforts where they are best appreciated.

Brought to you by Heath @ HeathsHomes.com

Give Thanks

Are you looking for a fun and sweet new little Thanksgiving project to work on and display now that November is here? My Girlfriend's Quilt Shoppe in Midway is our incredible local fabric shop and has just what you are looking for.

This wool appliqued pillow gives you the chance to express your creativity and do it at your level. If you are a beginner at playing with fabric and wool or if you are a seasoned wool handiworker, this little project is great for everyone.

The Girlfriends have made up kits for this project just for us. Go in and tell them you saw it on Heath's blog and get a 10% discount on the kit. They have many other decorating projects and ideas for you to spiff up your home this season, as well as great gifts.

Brought to you by Heath @ HeathsHomes.com

A common misconception among homeowners

Heber Valley homeowners, here is a MAJOR fallacy for you to think about this fall as we head into colder weather. 

'New windows make a home energy efficient.'

Studies are telling us that this is not true. While new windows definitely help with curb appeal, they are unlikely to be super important to a home's energy efficiency. "A window is basically a hole, and a hole is never efficient, " states Laura Stukel, an agent with LW Reedy Real Estate.

In the National Association of Realtors' most recent edition of REALTOR MAGAZINE, there was an article titled 7 Real Estate Ideas That Deserve to Die, where I found this interesting information. So many people think that new windows are the answer to make their home more energy efficient and a great way to save money in the long run. Some window manufacturers are claiming a 50% return on the investment of new windows that the Federal Trade Commission has recently found to be untrue and very unlikely. 

So what is a better investment and a great way to cut energy bills? Insulation. Insulation is probably close to 1/3 the cost of new windows and will give you a better return on your investment. So before you get busy replacing those windows in your home to become more energy efficient, try calling the insulation company first. Owning a home is kind of a big deal, and helping you become a more knowledgeable homeowner is one of my goals.

Brought to you by Heath @ HeathsHomes.com

Your home can get a fresh new look with this simple idea - tips and tricks included

Have you heard of the HGTV program called Curb Appeal? It's a great program that focuses on house front facelifts, real life solutions to front entryway problems, eye catching exterior makeovers, and front yard landscape issues. There are 146 videos that are 3 or 4 minutes long you can view online that all deal with adding curb appeal to your home. That is a lot of ideas for you to glean from and make your own to fit your home.

Curb appeal is the first impression your home makes to those that see it as they drive by, pull into your driveway, and walk up your front walkway. It's the attractiveness of your property and it's surroundings as viewed from the street or the curb.

Front yard landscaping, the front entrance, and the condition of the paint or siding are the biggest factors in curb appeal.

A pretty impressive way to add curb appeal to your home is to paint your front door. It sounds a little intimidating, but that punch of color will make you wonder why you didn't do it before now.

Here are three great links to help you learn how to add some curb appeal to your home by changing the color of your front door. There are all kinds of tricks and tips from the right kind of paint, the preparation needed, to when is the perfect time to paint and what to avoid.

1.  DIY Network- Read this before you paint your front door.

2.  All Things Thrifty - How to paint your front door in a snap.

3.  I Am Hardware - Paint your front door and totally like it.
She uses a gel stain for those of you that might think a turquoise door is just too much for you. It looks great!

If you have been itching to paint your front door, now is a perfect time. Be sure to check out the three links above for helpful tips. If your front entryway would benefit from a bigger statement than just painting a door, the link to the HGTV Curb Appeal program will get your creative juices flowing. It's amazing what a difference just a few changes can make in the attractiveness of a home.

Brought to you by Heath Harvey @ HeathsHomes.com

Nasty shower heads and cook top? Time to tackle them.

We all feel it. That increase in daily temperatures. It's so nice. Even though there are days of lingering cold rain and snow, spring fever is infecting us.

So, with that comes a little spring cleaning. We know, yuck. But your home will feel so much better with a few small spring cleaning items checked off your list.

Here are just a few feel-good-to-get-moving cleaning items for you to work on this week. Just a few.

IN YOUR KITCHEN

1. We'll start with a simple one - run some really really hot water down your sink drains. Clear out the gunk that's been accumulating in there. If you notice a slow drain, give it some chemical clog- cleaning solution.

2. The stove top and oven. Pull off all the knobs, burners, spill catchers and soak them in hot water and dish soap. While they are soaking, give that stove top and control panel a good wipe down with a wet cloth and dish soap to help cut the greasy build up.

If you have a stove/oven combo, most of them have tops that lift up with a hinge at the back of the stove top. At the front of the stove, just give a little tug on the top 2 inches or so and it should come up like a car hood and you even get a little wire to hold it up like a car hood!

Give that entire area a good wipe down and if you haven't done it before, then it will probably need a bit more attention and elbow grease. Replace the knobs, burners, and spill catch plates. Clean your oven as well. Give the racks a little scrubbing and everything about your oven and stove top is now super spiffy!

3. One more spot in your kitchen you should take care of today is behind the refrigerator. More than likely a year's worth of goodies are underneath it and behind it. Just pull it out real quick, grab your vacuum and suck it all up. Get your fridge coils too. With warmer weather ahead your fridge will be working harder. Dirty coils make your fridge inefficient.

*** A quick little cleaning the microwave trick - fill a microwaveable mug with water, heat it for two or three minutes. The moisture in the hot water evaporates a bit then condenses on the sides and top of the microwave which softens the casserole that was heated and splattered all over last week. That softened food comes off so much easier!

IN YOUR BATHROOM

1. Another easy one - wash your shower curtain. If you have a plastic liner, you can wash that too. Throw it right in the washing machine. It can be dried in the dryer as well but only for a few minutes. That's all it takes.

2. Clean your shower head. The hard water around here takes it's toll on shower heads and faucets. If your shower head is removable, then just soak it in a pan or bowl of half water and half vinegar. If it's not removable, then place a gallon ziplock bag over your shower head, fill it with vinegar and water, and seal with the top with heavy duty painters tape or even a strong rubber band. Let it soak all day. After the shower head has soaked, use a brush to clean off all the hard water chunks and debris. While you have out that brush and vinegar-water, give your sink and tub faucets a little attention as well.

3. Clean out that medicine cabinet. If you haven't used an item in a year, there's no need to keep it cluttering up your life. If it's expired, then it's a goner for sure. Wipe down the back of the cabinet as well as the shelves. 

So there is a quick little jump start to some of the spring cleaning items that will feel so good to get completed. There is too much to do in just one day, but if you take a few little jobs and do a few every week, then you'll be golden and ready for full fledged SPRING!

Brought to you by Heath Harvey @ HeathsHomes.com

How to refurbish your outdoor furniture cushions easily and for less $$

As the weather gradually warms up but still isn't consistently warm everyday, there are quite a few outdoor projects you can do inside to prepare and be perfectly ready for spring. Projects you don't think about doing until Memorial Day Weekend but wish you would have taken care of earlier.
One of those things is your patio furniture cushions.

Here are a few tips to help you get ready now so when those beautiful days arrive, you'll be ready to sit on your deck or patio, sip some lemonade, listen to the the kids laughing, feel the sun on your face and enjoy it rather than be inside sewing up cushions.

This first link is from a blog called Front porch ideas. It's a pretty great video tutorial on sewing up some super simple new covers for your cushions that you already have that just need a little face lift. Maybe they are a little worn out, faded, ugly color, or ripped a little bit. Don't freak out if you aren't a seamstress, her tutorial is REALLY simple.

This second link is if you are starting from scratch and making a brand new cushion, like I need to. She shows a bunch of pictures and it is a no-sew method. She uses an electric knife to cut her chunk of foam. So smart. She purchased fabric but I also read that buying a nice shower curtain is a great way to get good fabric for a little less money because most outdoor fabric is a little spendy.

Heath hung this old couch that my dad made 40 years ago as a porch swing under our deck last summer. The kids seriously love it. But I never made a cushion for it last year. That's my goal next week.

This third link is not the best method, but if you don't have a sewing machine or are scared to death of using one, then this is an okay alternative. This video is called the no sew canvas drop cloth method. This tutorial is if you already have cushions that you just want to recover. She uses a drop cloth from a home improvement store which is a super inexpensive way to buy fabric for outdoor use.


The last link is from a gal in Texas, a YouTube channel called Shelly's Home Life. This method is best if you already have decent cushions in good condition but maybe just faded a bit or just plain old ugly fabric. She uses Dupli-Color vinyl and fabric paint. Heath has used this exact paint on the interior seat of a Jeep and it held up nicely and looked so good. It seems like a pretty easy and inexpensive option, cans are only $7.59 here in town and the video said they did 8 cushions with less than 2 cans of paint.

The nice fellow at AutoZone said he wasn't too sure how the paint would hold up on patios and decks that are totally exposed to the sun all day. The video tells you to be sure you get the FLEXIBLE FINISH so your cushions don't turn into crunchy blocks. 

There are many advantages to this method like low price, easy to do, and little time investment. The disadvantages are that you need to have cushions in good condition, the colors are limited (these are the colors that are available in Heber City's AutoZone), and if your furniture is always in the sun all summer, it might not last. But it might....

Now you are ready to check one thing off of your spring to-do list and get your patio and other outdoor furniture ready to go early this year! You can enjoy being outside basking in the spring and summer weather rather than just wishing you were.

Brought to you by Heath Harvey @ HeathsHomes.com

Your first outdoor spring project of the year

Doesn't all this snow shoveling make you want to take a little break from it, build a cheery little fire, and roast a marshmallow? We had a little peek at spring with a February Thaw and now SPRING is what is on our brains.
That February Thaw gave us a glimpse at our yards that have been buried all winter and many of us thought of a few landscaping and yard projects we would like to make this spring to enjoy this summer. That is the magic and beauty of a February Thaw. It helps our minds look forward in time and mentally prepare for those projects we want to do with our spring fever energy.

So, lets think about fire pits.
There is magic in a crisp evening and the crackle of a fire giving off its warmth. A few marshmallows and a Hebrew National dog are a good addition to a marvelous evening. If you don't already have some kind of fire pit, it's time.

There are professional custom built, pretty nice fire pits and there are do-it-yourself custom built, pretty simple ones. Whatever floats your boat and your debit card.

It's pretty simple to whip one together with some gravel and landscaping blocks, or even some cinder block and old barrels. The result is about the same - friends, family, laughter, memories, stories, jokes, burnt marshmallows. 

One of the most appealing elements of a fire pit is it's environment and overall ambiance of the area you place the fire pit. You can go for structured and precise with everything in place or more relaxed and casual with an anything goes feel.

As we finish off the late winter and early spring season, let your mind think ahead to warmer days and get those mental projects figured out and put down on paper. If you have a plan on paper, you can get some preliminary shopping completed so when those warmer days appear, you will be ready to get that fire pit dug and laid out. The more you mull ideas around in your head, the better they become. You can figure out the best placement in your yard, the best products to use to get the desired outcome, and the best alterations to make it just how you want it.

Brought to you by Heath Harvey @ HeathsHomes.com