Bringing the Party Outside

Author: GreenThumbs
July 20, 2010
Bellevue outdoor kitchens

There’s nothing better than a summer evening at Uncle Dave’s place having barbecue; his house is tailor-made for summertime events. When he first moved in, Uncle Dave researched Bellevue outdoor kitchens and had an extravagant model installed. Grilling flank steak, sausages and hot dogs is a cinch, and while they’re cooking we also have the capacity to prepare the side dishes outside. My favorite time is rolling around on the lawn playing with my uncle’s dog Rufus while waiting for the food to get ready.

Uncle Dave also has a pool, so he is very popular with the neighborhood kids. When the dog days of summer hit neighbor kids often knock on his door asking to go for a swim. This gets annoying after a while, so sometimes he turns off his lights and pretends like he’s not home.

Improving Your Home’s Façade

Author: GreenThumbs
July 6, 2010
seattle outdoor lighting

The majority of people often neglect the outside of their homes when redecorating. Mostly because of financial reasons, people feel that it’s better to use their limited finances to maintain and improve the interior of their houses. Such considerations are valid but one does not need a lot of money to revitalize the exterior of their residents. Installing outdoor lighting is one way to improve not only the look of the house from the outside but it also the security of their house. Form and functionality can most of the time improve your home’s façade.

Installing Seattle outdoor lighting in porches, backyards or driveways can greatly improve the look of your home.  Outdoor lighting can also highlight a prize-winning front yard or a blooming garden.  It also decreases the chances of break-ins.  Poorly lit exteriors sometimes encourage burglary or vandalism.  By lighting the perimeter of your residence, such crimes can be discouraged.

June 17, 2010
seattle outdoor kitchen plans

Every summer, garden parties are a pleasure to look forward to for me and my family. It is always a delight reuniting with other family members to catch up with them.

Aside from preparing sumptuous meals for everybody to enjoy, I also make it a point to decorate my garden in such a way that all of my guests will feel comfortable and at-home. I always start with my garden landscaping which I usually do weeks ahead. This year I have even employed the aid of some professionals to develop some Seattle outdoor kitchen plans. And then when it’s time to accentuate my garden, hanging colorful and illuminating garden lanterns always does the trick. Garden lanterns instantly give my patio and deck a festive ambiance.

The Art of Feng Shui

Author: GreenThumbs
June 3, 2010
Feng Shui

The art of arranging furniture in respect to color, astronomy, and cardinal directions to improve one’s quality of life is an ancient Chinese discipline called Feng Shui. This practice was founded in China almost six thousand years ago. The founders of Feng Shui believed that a person could achieve various goals in life, whether that be finding love, attaining wealth, or honoring one’s elders, through the arrangement of objects in a household, and also through landscape architecture. Feng Shui relies on finding and channeling an energy called Qi, which translates to air, though more refers to an internal or physical energy. Locations rich in Qi are suitable for human development, while those bereft of Qi should be left in their natural state.

Feng Shui is practiced in several locations around the world, and has been used to find settlements from ancient cultures who based the position of their cities and towns on astrological signs. You can find Feng Shui influences in everything from interior design in New York to Seattle landscape planning.

Estimating the Value of Your Home

Author: GreenThumbs
May 17, 2010
seattle outdoor kitchens

Putting your house up for sale is a big step. It requires many personal considerations, of course - where to move being foremost among them. But even assuming you know exactly what you want from your next home, it’s comparatively difficult to put the old one on the market.

 Buying a house is easy enough. You assess your finances, line up any loans you might need, locate a realtor and begin making offers. But to sell, you must set a price. Until recently, there was no clear-cut way to immediately determine the value of your home. Realtor.com has solved that problem by revealing the closing-sales prices of homes in more than 20 metropolitan areas across the country. Those figures are updated daily.

The value of one’s home depends on a number of factors, and unfortunately, some of them are beyond the homeowner’s control. For instance, if a significant number of homes in a given neighborhood have gone into foreclosure, it decreases the value of the neighboring homes. Likewise, if a home is situated within a safe, well-manicured neighborhood of elegant houses, it gains value. When determining the value of your home, remember to include peripherals such as marble countertops or Seattle outdoor kitchens.

May 3, 2010
Bellevue landscaping

Let’s face it; selling a home in the current housing market can be difficult, and most of problem is finding an interested buyer. In the current market, homebuyers are aware that they have the upper hand, and sellers need to provide a bit of enticement if they want to sell their home fast. One simple method to attract buyers is to keep an accurate record of all services, appliances, and facts about your home. Homebuyers want to know all about a home before purchasing, and right now, it’s important to accommodate their needs.

Sellers, think of the record you keep like a homeowner’s manual for your home. If the dishwasher breaks, who fixes it? Who installed it? When was it bought? You should also think about services performed on the home: when was the chimney last swept? When were the gutters last cleaned? Who does the Bellevue landscaping in the front yard? These are all questions potential homebuyers want answered. Buyers will be more comfortable making an offer on a home if they know all about it. Whether you’re selling a house in Seattle, a townhouse in Bellevue, or a Redmond condominium, have a file ready for potential homebuyers; if they’re comfortable making an offer where they might otherwise continue browsing, you’re the one who benefits!

April 20, 2010
Seattle residential landscaping

With the housing market in a downturn, it’s been much more difficult for real estate appraisers to determine the value of homes. The main tool appraisers used in the past to determine home value was sale prices of similar homes in the area. But as sales volume falls, there are fewer and fewer homes with which to compare. Even when an accurate value is determined based on sales of other homes in the area, because prices decline at such a fast pace, the determined value of a home changes as time passes.

To know what a home is worth, homeowners who are interested in selling their home need to look at the broader market.  For example, a single family home in the Seattle real estate market will sell much higher than a home located on the Eastside or north of Seattle. Location is paramount in determining the value of a home, so note what central locations are near (parks, businesses, schools), and find out what other homes are selling for in similar locations. In addition to location, there are myriad other variables to consider, such as the Seattle residential landscaping and the quality of the schools in the area.

Home Options in Redmond

Author: GreenThumbs
April 6, 2010
Redmond landscape designs

Serving as the center for technology in the Northwest, Redmond has a sizable population living at several different income levels.  Thus, housing in the Redmond area is quite diverse; you will find several neighborhoods with homes valued in the millions, featuring elaborate Redmond landscape designs, as well as smaller locations with apartments, condos, and more affordable housing.  Because home prices differ so much in Redmond, it can be difficult to find homes within your price range in the area where you want to live.

 Redmond is a sprawling town that spans a lot of distance; the more residential part of Redmond near I-405 is much different from the area surrounding Redmond Town Center. In most cases, looking for homes on your own can offer more privacy, but if you’re serious about finding an ideal home, browsing with a realtor allows you access to someone with years of experience who knows the area.

Furnishing a New Home

Author: GreenThumbs
March 18, 2010
Redmond landscape planning

Who doesn’t enjoy watching those television programs where professional designers refurnish homes at low costs? While they make it look simple on those home improvement programs, the fact is there’s a lot of carpentry, metalwork, and interior design that goes on that isn’t practical for a normal homeowner, not to mention the need for Redmond landscape planning. Those fixer-upper homes can be quite tempting, and a great investment when the home only needs cosmetic refurbishment. When refurbishing a new home, it’s a good idea to check out salvage shops. The kind of salvage shop you want is the non-profit recycling center; which are found near every major city. These locations discount furniture, cabinetry, and all manner of home upgrades. You can often find amazing deals on commercial, residential, and industrial furnishings.

If you’re looking for a home in the Northwest, even in the popular Seattle, Redmond, and Bellevue real estate markets, don’t be shy about choosing a fixer-upper. You should ensure that the home is structurally sound and that the land (if applicable) fits your needs, but don’t be concerned with cosmetic damage. How the home looks shouldn’t be your chief concern, because with a little effort, fixing it up can be a breeze.

March 4, 2010
Bellevue residential landscaping

When purchasing a home in Bellevue, Washington, there are a few precautions one should take to ensure the home is a solid investment.  First, like all Northwest homes, your roof will be a susceptible to adverse weather conditions.  It is wise to have a roofing repair company check out your roof for potential leaks, or structural issues. In addition to the roof, the walls of Northwest homes are common places for mould to develop. Having a building inspector check for signs of moisture corrosion or rot will deter a potential poor investment.

Though Northwest summers don’t become too hot (unless you’re from somewhere further North), winters in the Northwest can be quite cold, thus a working furnace and heating system is essential. In addition to the nuts and bolts, you will also want to ensure that you have adequate Bellevue residential landscaping, as this will have a drastic impact on the resale value of the home.