Monday, December 2, 2019

Santa's City Hall Tour Salt Lake County Utah

                                                                 

      Want to avoid mall lines and see Santa in the city where you live? Below you will find dates and times of some Santa visits in a city near you. 



Friday, June 28, 2019

That costs how much?? Average Cost of Home Improvement Projects in Salt Lake City

Average Costs of Common Home Projects in the SLC

Salt Lake City, Utah Home Project Pricing
We all have one, that long list of "honey do's" or an itemized list of contractors to call for bids. I bet a lot of s have a similar list here in Salt Lake City. So when I saw an article on Angie's List I couldn't help but share the ones I found most applicable to home buyers and sellers here in the Salt Lake City, Utah market. 

This is handy information to know. Whether buying, selling, or just budgeting for improvements you need to have a rough idea of what you are getting into. Keep in mind these are national averages, but a lot of these are in line with what I have found here in Utah specifically as well. 






Painting the Interior of the Average Home: $1,754 ($969-2724) obviously depends on the size of project but this is one that is wise for a lot of home sellers to consider, and one many home buyers may want to know when budgeting for home ownership.

Adding blown in insulation: $1,391 ($885-1896). Here in Utah this can be a good one to look at to trim down those utility bills, and increase your home's efficiency. There are usually even rebates that can further help with this expense.

Bathroom Remodel: $10,236 ($5942-$14,760). This one is on the more extensive side of projects, but one that is fairly common when buying a home. Perhaps the current bathroom and those oak colored cabinets are out of date, or the overall condition is in desperate need of repair. According to Angie's List the average cost for a bathroom remodel is $10,236 ($5942-$14,760). As with most things your personal style and taste is a large factor here, that golden throne will cost you.  


Kitchen Remodel: $22,925 ($12,547-$34,218). Along the same lines as a bathroom, a kitchen remodel is another major project. This can be a huge expense, but one with pretty good bang for your buck. Since we spend a lot lot of time in the kitchen this one can totally change the feel of a home, if you've got it in the budget go for it!


Finishing a Basement: $19,301 ($10,807-$27,869). A very common home improvement task here in Utah is finishing your basement.  Considering in some cases this can double the livable square footage in your home, this is a valuable consideration for adding quality and value to your home with the average cost clocking in at $19,301 ($10,807-$27,869).

Painting the Exterior of your Home: Average Home Cost: $2,800 ($1,682-$3,919). If you are feeling up to it, pull a Chip and Joanna Gaines and really change the look of your home with an exterior paint job. This can take an outdated home and bring it up to current trends and aesthetics for relatively little money. 


When I am showing homes to buyers I am always sure to look at the shape and age of some of these high cost items or repairs: 


Replacing Windows: Average Home Cost: $5,092 ($2,594-$7,602)

Installing a New Roof: $7,521 ($5,132-$10,023)

Replacing a Furnace: Standard Efficiency ($2,200-$2,500) This range can escalate based on size of home or a need for a multi stage system, high efficiency and so on. **This is assuming you also already had an HVAC System)**

Installing or replacing a central air unit: ($3,000-$7,000) Again similar to furnace installation size of home and the required size or number of units is a factor. Furthermore if you are budgeting and need to upgrade your furnace soon, you may benefit from performing both upgrades at the same time. 

I'm sure I've missed a few. I would love to hear what you guys would like to know more about. I will gladly call and get any specific questions answered that you need me to! 

Until the next time...



Sunday, May 26, 2019

Curb Appeal On The Cheap

It is that time of year! Signs are popping up in your neighbors yard, and maybe you are considering making the move as well. Wondering what little items you could do to give you the cutting edge in landscape curb appeal? I'm here to help with a few inexpensive fixes that wont break the bank, and will give you the most bang for your buck~


pull Those Weeds



Mulch Riverton, Utah Lowes 
Even if you need to pay a neighbor kid, fork over a little cash or take an afternoon and pull the weeds in your flower bed....it will make a huge difference. 






Grab a few bags of mulch and sprinkle it in all of the front beds. I prefer the darker black or brown color which creates a nice clean look, and at $3.66 a bag it is a bargain sprucing up tool. 









Grab Some Resilient Accent Plants 

Now you've got a nice fresh slate with the weeds pulled and the mulch stacked high in the driveway. Add a little pop of color with a resilient drought tolerant plant that will look good for the weeks to come and appeal to prospective buyers as they arrive. Here are some of my favorites. 

Day lilies are very resilient 





Try using a few annuals and perennials of varying heights for dimension. 



You don't need to go crazy here. A few plants and some bright color with the mulch as a contrast goes a long way! 


Pay Attention to Your Front Door


The buyers will really be paying attention as they stand at the front door, and while the agent gets the key out and opens that door, you take this chance to win them over with your amazing entryway! 


Step #1 Just clean the front door and handle. This may seem to simple, but cobwebs and finger prints set a bad impression. Make it clean and simple. If your door needs a coat of paint, grab a gallon and get it done. Under $40 and worth every penny.


Step #2 Buy a new welcome mat. Easy Peasy...Make it cute and inviting. 

Target in South Jordan, Utah find 

Step #3 Consider a pre made planter or potted shrub to add a little extra lovely to the porch. 

South Jordan Costco Find


That's about it! Don't over complicate it but do something. Bonus..It will make you happier every time you walk through your front door. 

Until the next time...



Thursday, February 7, 2019

Home Inspection Tips Utah

Hi Everyone! As I was driving to  my most recent home inspection in Ogden Utah I had a thought, "I wonder what the biggest tip a home inspector would give to a potential home buyer or current homeowner?" I'm always trying to find new ways to help my clients and educate myself, so lucky for me the home inspector I was meeting was kind enough to take time out of his busy day and help us out! Enter Chris Hutchens of All Points Inspections. If you're interested in Chris' tips for items to lookout for when buying a home, or even just maintaining the one you own keep reading. 

Chris' tips and simple things you can do and look out for in your home


The biggest enemy to a home and its components is water. The building envelope of a home is made to shed water, but it does require simple maintenance.
Basic maintenance like caulking around trim and windows goes a long way. In these winter months(as we know) anywhere water can sit, it will freeze. Checking your home once a year and refreshing caulking where needed can save a headache in the future. 


This can also pertain to driveways. As expansion joints in driveways are made to crack, this can and will allow ice and water to heave the soil causing more cracks and trip hazards. Even though this may be cyclical with the weather, some flexible joint sealant can help prevent damage. 


Shoveling your driveway should be part of basic home maintenance when needed. This will lessen the need for a snow melter or "salting" your driveway. Using these can cause pitting or "spalling" of the concrete, basically deteriorating your driveway. 


Lastly, grading is the most called out item on a home inspection. Making sure that water is directed away from the home can be a big help in preventing excessive wear and water intrusion to the home.


As a home inspector that has been around, seeing these item taken care of on a home shows not only pride of ownership but an understanding of some basic maintenance needs.


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A lot of those items are so simple but when neglected can turn into major problems. As a real estate professional I know the value of home maintenance and pride of ownership when selling homes. Buyers can feel nearly immediately if a home has been well maintained, and it reduces days on the market and equates to a higher sales price in most scenarios. 

If you don't know how to do some of these maintenance items you can reach out, I would be more than happy to help, or connect you with a trusted professional or some references. 

If there are any other questions I can help answer I am always available to answer any questions and help in any way I can 

Chris is willing to help us with future questions, so if you have any questions you've been wanting to ask a home inspector leave a comment below or send me an email and we will get them answered on the website in the future! 

Until the next time! 
 
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