How to Pick a Color for a Playroom

A playroom should be a special place where a kid can create, pretend and have fun. The playroom's wall colors should echo this, but choosing the right color or colors can be difficult. To make this easier, try using the designer's rule of 60/30/10, with the walls providing 60 percent of the color, the flooring providing 30 percent and the accessories 10 percent. If the accessories and flooring don't provide color, the walls should. Ad Choosing Color Schemes? Use Our Tool To Find The Perfect Color Scheme For Your Home - Start Now! www.bhg.com Considering Light and Room Size When picking out paint colors, consider the size of the room, the amount of natural and artificial light it receives and the paint finish. Add life to a small room with abundant artificial light by choosing bright or dark jewel tones. Enhance a room awash in natural light with a light color. Choose a paint finish that won't show handprints and smudges. Eggshell- or satin-finish paints won't draw attention to a wall or trim's imperfections and are washable, though flat paints have stain-resistant properties. Add dimension to the space with paints in two different finishes. Paint the ceiling in a semi-gloss and the walls in a flat finish for a contrast between sheen and matte while making the ceiling feel more light-reflective. Cohesive Design The playroom's paint color should complement the surrounding rooms. Choose colors that reflect the overall color scheme of the home, but don't be afraid to go with a bold color. If painting the playroom a bold color not used on any other walls in the house, introduce that bold color in the form of accessories in nearby rooms. Don't neglect the color of the playroom's floor. When in doubt, consult the color wheel and choose complementary or contrasting colors. Red walls can work with green carpet while blue paint pops when paired with a wooden floor in an orange hue. Injection of Color A playroom should be fun and a place where children are free to be themselves. Consider the colors of the playroom's furnishings, accessories and architectural features. If the furniture is vibrant, such as bright pink or bold blue, choose a light color that won't compete for attention. The same applies for wall accessories such as framed art or wall appliques. If the furnishings are in natural, wooden tones, choose a bold paint color for the walls. Add visual interest by painting a built-in bookcase or accent wall in a darker shade than the room's primary color. If painting the room a gender-neutral light green, create visual interest by painting the accent piece in a shade of green at least three shades deeper. Making a Decision Don't go to the paint department unprepared. Try to eliminate some color choices prior to shopping. Of the seven colors found in the paint spectrum, the same colors found in the rainbow, decide on four or five you are willing to consider. Once at the store, start looking at the darkest colors found on the bottom of the paint strip. If the darkest color is appealing, the same is true for the colors on the middle and top of the strip. Another way to choose paint color is to bring along a favorite playroom accessory. Select three paint strips with the color of the accessory and you have roughly 20 choices to select from. Hang your paint strips on the playroom walls and have family members look at the strips in natural and artificial light. Allow each family member three choices for paint and choose the color with the most votes.

Interest Rate Rise Shelved until December

Interest rates will rise, but not until December at the earliest, the Federal Reserve announced Wednesday, confirming a long-held view that the Fed would not raise rates ahead of the presidential election. The benchmark interest rate determines the movement of mortgage rates, which currently linger around 3.5 percent. “The Committee judges that the case for an increase in the federal funds rate has continued to strengthen but decided, for the time being, to wait for some further evidence of continued progress toward its objectives,” according to a statement released by the Fed. The announcement comes following a divided vote in September that resulted in the decision to hold steady on rates. “Our decision does not reflect a lack of confidence in the economy,” Fed Chair Janet Yellen said at the time. “We’re generally pleased with how the U.S. economy is doing.” The economy since then has shown slight improvement, growing at an annual rate of 2.9 percent in the third quarter. On the housing front, single-family starts came in ahead of estimates in September, and homeowner wealth in equity has continued to accumulate. The Fed last raised the benchmark rate, up 0.25 percent, in December 2015.

Happy New Year! 21 Rules for a Good Life

I know this time of year is hectic for everyone. But as we look eagerly towards 2011 and what we want to accomplish in the New Year, I thought these simple, but profound "rules" for a good life might be inspirational for you.

This piece is entitled "21 Rules for a Good Life" by H. Jackson Brown, Jr. If you adopt these Rules and follow them deliberately and honestly each day, you will see some amazing results in your life, your work and your attitude.

1. Marry the right person. This one decision will determine 90% of your happiness or misery.
2. Work at something you enjoy and that's worthy of your time and talent.
3. Give people more than they expect and do it cheerfully.
4. Become the most positive and enthusiastic person you know.
5. Be forgiving of yourself and others.
6. Be generous.
7. Have a grateful heart.
8. Persistence, persistence, persistence
9. Discipline yourself to save money on even the most modest salary.
10. Treat everyone you meet like you want to be treated.
11. Commit yourself to constant improvement.
12. Commit yourself to quality.
13. Understand that happiness is not based on possessions, power or prestige, but on relationship with people you love and respect.
14. Be loyal.
15. Be honest.
16. Be a self-starter.
17. Be decisive even if it means you'll sometimes be wrong.
18. Stop blaming others. Take responsibility for every area of your life.
19. Be bold and courageous. When you look back on your life, you'll regret the things you didn't do more than the ones you did.
20. Take good care of those you love.
21. Don't do anything that wouldn't make your Mom proud.

Christmas Lights on Eucalyptus!

It's that time of year again! Time for Eucalyptus Ave. between Orange and Tamarack in San Carlos to shine like the stars for Christmas. If you haven't experienced driving down this street at night during the holidays - don't miss out! It is truly breathtaking and a lot of fun.

Check out some of the homes at:
http://www.lightsofthevalley.com/Properties/San_Carlos.asp

What’s Next in Real Estate? Markets, Trends to Watch in 2017

Real estate in 2017 is to be shaped by cities that meet not only the economic standards of a sustainable market, but also the demand for distinct neighborhoods within those markets. This is according to the Urban Land Institute’s (ULI) and PwC’s latest report, “Emerging Trends in Real Estate® 2017,” which analyzes trends-to-come in both the U.S and Canada housing markets. Ten “gateway” markets, as defined in the report—those with both a diverse economy and “niche” neighborhoods—will stand above the rest: Austin, Texas Dallas/Fort Worth, Texas Portland, Ore. Seattle, Wash. Los Angeles, Calif. Nashville, Tenn. Raleigh-Durham, N.C. Orange County, Calif. Charlotte, N.C. San Francisco, Calif. Dominating the report’s list are markets in California, North Carolina and Texas, which have become ideal investment areas in both the commercial and residential sectors.

Make Moving With Pets Easier

Americans are big pet owners. About 65 percent of all U.S. households — 79.7 million households — own pets, according to the American Pet Product Manufacturers Association’s 2015–2016 survey. In 2015, Americans spent more than $60.6 billion on their pets. Read more: The Power of Pets in Real Estate About 10.7 million people move with their pets every year. To make those moves easier, some real estate professionals are stepping in to help their clients make Fido’s move less stressful too, by offering up a list of nearby dog parks or pet resources, such as groomers, pet sitters, and vets. Florida real estate pro Rhona Sutter created the Pet Friendly Resource Directory, which offers a list of pet-friendly services to pet owners moving to a new area of town or to a new city. Along with a list of vets and pet sitters, the directory also includes handyman, cleaning services, and interior decorators that present themselves as being pet-friendly. It includes a list of real estate professionals as well. The directory includes 45 categories, such as pet-friendly hotels, pet relocation services, assisted living for seniors, pet supplies, and more. “Moving is traumatic enough, whether your move is across the street, across the city, or across the country,” says Sutter, owner of the Pet Realty Network. “Our goal is to include all different types of services in all areas for when a pet owner is searching for businesses and services that understand their pet-friendly requirements.” Ease pets’ move with this customer handout: How to Move with Pets

Think All Millennials Live in Their Parent’s Basement? Think Again!

According to the Census Bureau, millennials have overtaken baby boomers as the largest generation in U.S. History. Millennials, or America's youth born between 1982-2000, now represent more than one quarter of the nation’s population, totaling 83.1 million. There has been a lot of talk about how, as a generation, millennials have ‘failed to launch’ into adulthood and have delayed moving out of their family’s home. Some experts have even questioned whether or not millennials want to move out. The great news is that not only do millennials want to move out… they are moving out! The National Association of Realtors (NAR) recently released their 2016 Profile of Home Buyers and Sellers in which they revealed that 61% of all first-time homebuyers were millennials in 2015! The median age of all first-time buyers in 2015 was 31 years old. Here is chart showing the breakdown by age: Think All Millennials Live in Their Parent's Basement? Think Again! | Keeping Current Matters Many social factors have contributed to millennials waiting to buy their first home. The latest Census results show that the median age of Americans at the time of their first marriage has increased significantly over the last 60 years, from 23 for men & 20 for women in 1955, to 29 & 27, respectively, in 2015. Those who went to college and took out student loans are finally paying them off, as the terms on traditional student loans are 10 years. This means that a large portion of the generation is making its last loan payments and is working toward saving for a first home. As a whole, the first-time homebuyer share increased to 35% of all buyers, up from 32% in 2014. Not all millennials are first-time buyers, they also made up 12% of all repeat buyers! Bottom Line Millennials will continue to drive the housing market next year, as well as in the years to come. As more and more realize that owning a home is within their grasp, they will flock to own their piece of the American Dream. Are you ready to buy your first or even second home?

Many 'Smart' Locks Open to Easy Hacks

Are smart locks an open invitation to homes? At a recent computer security conference, some researchers said yes. Two presentations at the recent Def Con event, where hackers and security professionals gather to trade information and show off security failures, highlighted the ease with which smart locks can be hacked. Anthony Rose and Ben Ramsey of Mercurlite Security found that they could open 12 of 16 models of smart locks with less than $200 worth of hardware. While smart locks made by August resisted their efforts, another researcher in the other presentation was able to defeat the August lock, although the process required some technical knowledge. Locks made by Noke and Masterlock also resisted Mercurlite's efforts, as did the Kwikset Kevo — until they simply unscrewed it from the door. The researchers contacted the 12 companies that make the easily hacked locks and received only one reply, which had no commitment to fix the bug, reports said. Locks from three companies store their passwords in plain text, readable by anyone with a device that can connect via Bluetooth. Other locks opened when the researchers recorded network data as an authorized user opened the locks and replayed it later. One lock failed and unlocked automatically after it was sent data it didn't recognize. Source: "Surprise: a lot of smart locks have terrible security," The Verge (Aug. 9, 2016)

Mortgage Rates Rise on Hints of Inflation

Mortgage rates increased 7 basis points to their highest level since late June, the largest one-week gain in more than six months, according to Freddie Mac. The 30-year fixed-rate mortgage averaged 3.54% for the week ending Nov. 3, up from last week when it averaged 3.47%. A year ago at this time, the 30-year fixed-rate mortgage averaged 3.87%. "A jump last week in the PCE (personal consumption expenditures) — the price index tracked most closely by the Fed — raised the prospect that inflation might not be completely dead after all. Investors reacted by driving the yield on the 10-year Treasury to its highest point since June," said Sean Becketti, chief economist at Freddie Mac. The 15-year fixed-rate mortgage averaged 2.84%, up from last week when it averaged 2.78%. A year ago at this time, the 15-year averaged 3.09%. The five-year Treasury-indexed hybrid adjustable-rate mortgage averaged 2.87%, up from last week when it averaged 2.84%, while a year ago it averaged 2.96%.

What to Do If You Can't Make Your Mortgage Payment

What to Do If You Can't Make Your Mortgage Payment By Avvo on 8 Nov 2016 Know-How Whatever you do, don't skip a payment and think no one will notice. By Elizabeth Weiss Living paycheck to paycheck is not uncommon for many homeowners. And sometimes, when you find yourself in a bind and you’re struggling to make the next mortgage payment, you may be tempted to try to skip a payment, thinking you can repay it later once you get back on track. But a passive approach to a financial issue — particularly one involving something as impactful as your mortgage — is not advisable. Being proactive and straightforward with your creditors is far more prudent in a personal financial crisis. The power of honesty “The first and most important thing I always tell clients concerning delinquent mortgage payments is to contact their lender/servicer, in writing, to advise them of the hardship and inability to make payments,” says Cydney Bulger, attorney with The Bulger Firm in Jacksonville, Florida. Openly admitting your inability to pay your mortgage is probably one of the last things you want to do, but being forthright about your situation will serve you far better in the long run. Don’t wait too long The longer you wait to make your financial struggle known and the harder you attempt to work the system, the less favorably your personal financial crisis is likely to work out. “The farther the issues go, the less affordable a modified loan can be,” warns Bryant H. Dunivan, Jr., a real estate and consumer protection attorney in Florida. Don’t assume that you have no options — you won’t know if your bank or servicer will work with you unless you ask. Educate yourself For homeowners who have already missed a mortgage payment, Dunivan recommends making the most of rules restricting dual tracking, by seeking loan assistance as soon as possible. Dual tracking is when a mortgage servicer forecloses on a property while simultaneously considering a loan modification. Created by the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) in 2013, the rule restricting dual tracking prohibits the practice in the 120-day period after a default. Dunivan explains that this rule has “… allowed for a lot more protecting for homeowners going into, or already in, foreclosure.” Violations of this rule, “… may subject the servicer to damages, and may give a borrower leverage in a foreclosure lawsuit,” he adds. Pursue all possible options “There may be some state programs that make mortgage payments for people,” says Dunivan. The Hardest Hit Fund (HHF) was developed in 2010 for homeowners who struggle to make their monthly mortgage payments in an effort to prevent foreclosure and stabilize neighborhoods. Not all states participate in the HHF, but those that do focus on helping two groups of people stay in their homes: unemployed homeowners who are looking for new work, and homeowners who owe more on their mortgage than their home is worth. But don’t expect miracles “Calling your bank gets the ball rolling on any potential loan modification option,” says Dunivan. But banks may or may not offer leniency, even if you’re honest about your situation. And if your situation is more serious and your ability to pay back the loan is truly compromised, “it’s a typical handoff system where once you meet certain criteria, you are put into foreclosure and then a series of automated messages are sent out by mail.” Be proactive Failure to act can lead lenders to believe that you don’t care about your financial obligations. “Now, more than ever [post-2007 housing crash], lenders are willing to work with delinquent homeowners, but if the homeowners fail to advise them of the problem, [lenders] don’t know that they need help, and assume the worst,” says Bulger. If you wait too long to ask for help, you could eventually discover that it’s too late. If foreclosure is inevitable, consider reaching out to an attorney who specializes in helping people through — or, if you have a good case, fighting — the foreclosure process. A version of this story was originally published on AvvoStories.

Visiting Grandma? Make Your Stay Easy for Her

Visiting Grandma? Make Your Stay Easy for Her By Arar Han on 10 Nov 2016 Know-How Grammy loves to host everyone, but she may not love the work and expenses that go with it. Here's how to pitch in. The holiday season is right around the corner, and Grandma can’t wait for everyone to visit. Nothing brings her more joy than being surrounded by her family for the holidays. Although Grandma says that she doesn’t mind celebrating the holidays at her home, preparing for family to stay may not be easy on her. Here are four tips that’ll help Grandma stay stress-free while you are in town. Have an honest talk Do you know what a successful family weekend looks like to Grandma? What will make her happy during your visit? Finding out may take some prompting. Grandma will insist that she’s fine, and doesn’t need anything other than your company. So take a proactive approach: Ask her what she plans on doing for the upcoming family stay. Once you find out what she envisions, take the initiative to make that a reality. Create an itinerary for your family to reference. This will help convey Grandma’s hopes and expectations to her guests. The itinerary will let your family know what to expect each day of the visit. Then, each guest will know where they can pitch in, or when to go off on their own to give Grandma a breather. No matter how your family goes about this, communication is paramount to prevent misunderstandings and hurt feelings. Arrive early and bring your own linens Whether you’ve got a big or small family, cleaning is a time-consuming task. Grandma probably plans to do a lot of cleaning before you arrive. Guest rooms need to be aired out, and the beds need new sheets. Fresh towels need to be put out. But she’ll never admit that the work is too much for one person to handle. Offer to come a day early and prepare the rooms for everyone’s stay. The more help Grandma can get, the better. Bring extra sheets, blankets, and towels. This way, the laundry won’t pile up for Grandma when everyone leaves. Divide meal duties Preparing dinner isn’t just laborious, it’s expensive. Don’t let Grandma do it alone. Ask her for a list of groceries that she’ll need to feed the family. Then, ask your relatives and family members to chip in toward the cost of the groceries. Flying across the country? Ask Grandma if you can go to the store with her once you land. You can offer to pay and help carry items from the car. Grandma will be relieved knowing she won’t have to surrender an arm and a leg to foot the bill. Once the groceries are in the house, give Grandma a hand in the kitchen. Cooking alone for a holiday meal is an exhausting task. When everyone’s able to pitch in, it’s much easier on Grandma. And cooking is a good way to bond. Helping Grandma with the cooking won’t just make her happy, but will benefit everyone since the food will be ready faster. Tidy up at the end of your stay When it’s time for visitors to go home, Grandma is left with a mess to clean. Fortunately, there are several ways you can make the cleaning process easier for her. Start tidying up after yourself the day before you plan to leave. Toss out any trash, wipe down surfaces, and begin gathering your things together. Grandma will have less to clean if you don’t leave a huge mess when you’re rushing out the door on the last day. Ask the rest of your family to set aside some time to help clean up before departure. Cleaning will become a 30-minute activity instead of a three-day event for Grandma. Does Grandma insist that no one lift a finger? Get creative and send her off to lunch or the movies with some friends. While she’s gone, donate some good old-fashioned elbow grease. Give everyone in your family a job to have the house clean by the time Grandma comes home. Leave Grandma smiling Holidays and family go hand in hand, like milk and cookies. Nothing makes the holidays better than being able to celebrate together. Stay in the spirit of the holiday season — make sure your visit didn’t leave a bitter taste in Grandma’s mouth. If she has to spend hours cleaning before and after your visit, on top of footing the food bill, she may not want to host next year’s dinner. Leave Grandma with a smile on her face by being conscious of yourself and your mess, and pitching in whenever you can. Holidays are meant to be spent with family — not cleaning up after them.