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What’s Hot in Kitchen Counters

September 22, 2011 by Steve Scheer

In every home the kitchen remains the room with the most focus.  Have you ever noticed that? Perhaps it is because we all use it nearly every day to prepare meals, grab a snack or start the day off with coffee or tea.  If you entertain, you almost always find the kitchen is the one room that most congregate in. Of course, that is usually where the food and beverage are but folks still hang out in the kitchen just to talk.  It has an easy going atmosphere.

With such big focus on the kitchen, you may be thinking of a remodel, design or spruce up. Cabinets are difficult and expensive to change out, often the best bet is a re facing or paint.  However, the counters are another big focal point and with counters come a lot of choices.  Kitchen counters can totally change the look and feel of the entire home. So what is HOT these days?

Kitchen CountersGranite is still a good bet.  High quality, slab granite can really make a statement in the kitchen. However, the days of granite being in only high end, luxury homes is long gone.  Most builders offer granite in even mid level homes.  One trend emerging is the use of engineered quartz.  Quartz can be produced in many color choices, some even very vibrant. Another trend is glass. Glass can be designed and colored to really compliment the look of the kitchen, often lit from below to create a very unique glow for a look and feel much different from the average kitchen.  Marble and other natural stones are also coming back into style.

Kitchen counters can definitely make a huge difference in any home.  Don’t forget to compliment the counters with an attractive back splash if the space calls for one.  Back splash is usually a different material that sets off, or compliments the counters. Make sure it is durable enough to do it’s intended job which is to protect the walls around the kitchen counters from water and other liquids.

If you’re considering a change in your kitchen counters, take a few trips out to the home improvement stores, model homes, designers showcases or just thumb through home magazines for ideas, inspiration and the latest trends. If you may be considering selling your home here in Denver and wonder if this type of an improvement is needed, give me a call or email and I would love to come by to visit and give an honest opinion.

 

Filed Under: Real Estate Tips and Information

The Real Estate Transaction Series | Possession

September 15, 2011 by Steve Scheer

 

So you have a contract coming in on your home and there will be a lot of details to consider when handling that offer. One of the details will be a possession date and time. Of course there will be the all important closing day but that isn’t always the day the buyer gets possession, at least not here in Colorado.  Here we fund the closing at the table and there is no required escrow period.  Therefore, the buyer could be allowed possession immediately at closing.

The possession date and time is negotiated in the contract and agreed upon by all parties. With that said, let’s give it some food for thought.  Often times the seller would prefer some time after closing to allow possession to the buyer, typically 48 hours or so after closing.  In fact, that is often indicated in the MLS  for other agents to see and know the seller’s preference.  Keep in mind, everything is negotiable depending on which point of view you see the situation.

For the seller, allowing possession after closing can provide some desirable breathing room to finish up the packing and final clean up, not to mention the comfort of knowing that the closing actually took place before completely moving out of the house.  After all, what if something happens, even at the closing table and you still own the home now with all your belongings in a truck?  Yikes!

For the buyer, this is such an exciting time usually and you can’t wait to get into your new home and start making it your own.  Besides, if the seller is still in the house moving out, what if they accidentally damage it or worse?  Not to mention the fact that since closing you’re now paying for it and not living in the house.

So what to do?  There are strong reasons for both sides of the story. Most transactions are flexible with sellers and buyers working out an understanding.  In some cases possession time may be set and required by a third party such as a bank or relocation company.  It’s up to a buyer to agree to that.  In most cases, allowing possession at closing is probably the least troublesome way to go as far as potential liability is concerned.  In any case, if possession will not be at closing a best practice might be to have a written agreement, much like a rental agreement, set forth and agreed to before closing.  Perhaps this agreement may have a deposit made part of it which lends to some level of security.

There is a lot to consider in all parts of a real estate transaction.  After all, our contracts here are now over a dozen pages long, typically with many addenda to accompany it. Possession time is but one small yet very important detail to the whole transaction.

Note: This article is intended to provide general information and is not intended to provide specific advice.

The Real Estate Transaction Series | Posession is one of several posts on the subject of real estate transactions.

Filed Under: Real Estate Tips and Information

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Husband, Dad, Friend, Realtor. I keep up with technology so my clients know they have an ally on the cutting edge. I like to have fun with family and friends. I bike, golf, fish and enjoy most sports. Technology and gadgets are a big interest but I really love what I do, real estate.
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We help real estate investors, home buyers and home owners when it comes time for a purchase or sale of real estate. With over 2 decades of experience, we have the resources and knowledge to get the job done right!

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We have offices in 9 convenient locations but we work and meet clients in all metro Denver areas. My primary office location is Littleton.

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801 W. Mineral Ave., Ste 101, Littleton, 80120

Steve Scheer | HomeSmart Realty| 801 W. Mineral Ave., Ste 101, Littleton, 80120