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5D REAL ESTATE/IJe tjarlotte ^ort Thursday, June 30, 2005 Give your home an Italian flair Continued from page 4D add architectural intei’est to ©qjanses of blank wall, often at a fraction of the cost of lai^e-scale artwork or custom painting. “Our murals are very easy to install,” says Imholte. “They go up just like wallpaper. It’s an instant transformation for any room. Our customers love using the lYiscan Wla design in their dinii^ rooms. It gives the fee ing of eryoying a meal ‘al fi'es- • co’ year round.” For Sicdllian stjde in the kitchen, use accessories to bring in touches of the old country. Earthenware jars with green, blue or yellow glazes can hold utensils near the stove, or biscotti on the counts. Serve wine in slender tumblers instead of stemware and let guests help them selves family-stjde fix)m large platters at the table. Use a sunny windowsill to hold small pots for gi’owing fresh herbs. Oregano, basU, flat- leaf parsley, rosemary and sage each add an authentic taste to recipes with a quick snip. For more infomiation on wall mm’als, visit www.Mm*alsYom'Waycom. Innovation makes kitchens convenient and stylish Continued from page 4D adding other stylish elements as well, such as colorful tiled backsplashes and beautiful wood cabinets. ‘Teople real ize the value of a good kitchen, and the value it adds to thefr homes,” says Hiud. And details hke plumbing and lighting are just as important as the right appli ances. Two new sinks and accessories from Kohler reflect the trend of kitchens that work hard and look great. Cast iron sinks with Smart Divide functionality provide the best of both worlds — the convenience of a double-basin sink and the roominess of a single-basin sink. Kohler accomplishes this thanks to a basin divider that is half the hei^t of con ventional dividers and there by offers greater clearance between the faucet and the mid-section of the sink. Thanks to this innovative design, the Small; Divide sink is better suited to accommo date larger pots and pans with extended handles. It also helps save water, since extra long pots and pans can be more fully submerged, meaning less water is I’equired to soak the cook ware. The Smart Divide sinks are available in two models, Iron/Tbnes and Langlade. Homeowners who want sti'eamlined functional ity will love the accessories they can use with the sinks, including Kohler’s popular Forte pullout kitchen faucet. Graceful and functional, the spout height and reach are generous enoi^h to provide added cleai’ance when han dling large containers. The pullout spray head is easy to maneuver and the spray pat tern can be changed with one hand. It is easy to maintain, featuring a MasterClean Sprayface that withstands calcium buildup and can be cleaned simply by rubbing the sprayface with a finger tip. The faucet is available in a number of finishes to fit any decor. If you’re searching for an uncluttered look for your kitchen, you can add a hot water dispenser for making instant coffee or tea and put One call can protect home and credit Continued from page 4D year payment plan along with a smaller portion of your con sumer debts. Making a monthly Chapter 13 payment and resuming your regular payments may or may not work for you. If bankruptcy is not a valid option remember, most lenders will work with you and your situation if they can. Some lenders will consider a short sale if the mortgage payoff exceed the mai'ket value of the home. By accept ing a short sale your lender have accepted the sale of your home which is short of the payoff amount due. Contrary to popular belief, lenders prefer not to take , back properties. Contact your local attorney and/or realtor to find out what options you have in Ueu of losing your home. A simple phone call may prevent you from beii^ fore closed on and ruining your credit. Be proactive, because more often than not this infor mation is fi^. ROLAND K. HAWKINS is a Real Estate Agent with Caldwell Banker United Realtors. He can be reached al (704) 840-5762 or WWW Tolandhawkins earn. Beautify your home for the summer Continued from page 4D Other ways to beautify your home include cleaning your windows and screens, which will improve exterior a,ppearance and allow more light into the home. Refin ishing your deck can bring back a warm, natural wood look, while also protectir^ it fix)m the sun’s UV rays and heavy summer foot traffic. You can even restore your home’s vinyl siding and shutters to their original color and shine! In the past, the only vinjd care options available were both costly and time consuming, but now there’s an easy-to-use, inexpensive solution that can be done in half the time of painting. Restora, fixjm The Flood Company, is a unique two- step process that thoroughly cleans exterior vinyl, and then restores the original, rich color and vibrant sheen for a ‘like new” appearance. siding and shutters are consid^ed low-mainte- hance materials for your home. However, vinjd still needs to be cleaned, especial ly after a few years in the elements when it begins to look weathered,” says Danny Lipford, host of the national television show. Today’s Homeowner with Danny Lipford. “Restora offers a quick, effective and long- lasting solution homeowners can do themselves.” The easy, two-step vinyd care system first removes surface dirt, chalk, stains, etc. and cleans deep to elimi nate oxidation and built-in contaminants, then restores the original color of dull, faded exterior vinyd. Guar anteed not to crack, peel or blister, Restora gives home- owners a solution that pro vides long-lasting color, strong surface adhesion, and superior penetration, while saving time and money So before you answer the call of the great outdoors, take the time to get your home ready for summer. Clean and revitalize your weathered vinyl and be proud of ha'/ing the best looking house on the block. For more information, visit WWW. flood, com. Feathering your first nest Continued from page 4D much theirs as yours. • Ib find common ground, each create a folder of magazine images that reflect your personal preferences. TVade folders. Talk about how a room makes you feel, what you like. How can you blend your stydes? “Fortunately, my fiance Sean and I have similar tastes,” says Kristy “We decide things mutually and shop together. We’re trying to pick pieces we agree on so one of us won’t resent the decision later on.” Setting priorities Buying furniture gives added meaning to the vow, “"Ill death do you part.” • You will likely live with your furniture decisions for a long time — and not necessarily in the same home, so take your time; consider scale and flexibility Be safe with big purchases, play ful with accessories. • Create a master plan and prioritize purchases and projects. • Don’t paint yourself into a trend comer. like the basic black dress, classic styding endures. Beautiful proportions and clean lines can be dressed and re-dressed imaginatively as your taste evolves — as it surely will. Express your personal styde throu^ easy-to-change accessories and color. • Do, however, follow today’s trend toward quality Quality is worth saving for - it never goes out of fashion. Hint: An eclectic styde of decorating blends thit^ you each love and allows your look to evolve naturally and without feeling dated. Begin with the basics A few quality pieces create a strong foundation. Bed: A great bed honors you, your health, and your relationship. Think eclec tically add your own personality /and future flexibility) by mix ing a nightstand with an open or skirted side table. Sofa: “Transitional” upholstery combines contemporary and traditional styding. The Brewster sofa fix>m Nautica’s Breakers Point line is a good example, blending modem sleek lines with a gracefully tailored skirt. Such neutral styding holds its value and good looks. Small space? Consider the versatility of two loveseats, or a loveseat with a chair and ottoman—the latter can double as a cocktail table. Dinir^ Table: Unless you’ll use a grand dining table regularly opt for a round table or a table that can expand with leaves. Later it can dress up a breakfast room. You can pair your sim ply styded table with farmhouse, formal, or funky chairs to cre ate your own look. An off-duty dining table also makes a hand some work space. Hint: Invest in at least one good piece of fur niture each year. You’ll soon have a most solid foundation. Do your homework Before buying anything, measure everything (don’t forget ele vators and doorways), and draw a floor plan. Check out design Web sites and TV shows. Visit furniture manufacturers’ online catalogs and furniture stores for ideas on styde, function and dimensions. And always keep a packet of your fabric swatches, paint chips and favorite room photos handy ‘We’re not buyii^ on impulse,” says Kristy’s fiance, Sean Keller. ‘We’re shopping piece by piece. And when we find some thing we like, we think about it for a few days just to be sure.” ‘We’ll be living with the things we buy for a long time,” adds Kristy “And we want our home to reflect who we are now and in the future.” Tb explore Nautica and other stydish furniture brands can be seen at www.lexington.com. Expand your horizon CJartjJtte www.thecharlottepost.conn soap or lotion dispenser under yom* sink for a sleek look. A new univemal cutting board means you can wash and chop yoiu* pi’oduce right at the sink no mattei’ what size youi* kitchen sink hap pens to be. For moro infomia tion on these and othei' inno vations for the kitchen, visit KOHLER.com or caU (800) 4- KOHLER, www.ttiecharlotleDOSt.com OWNING YOUR FUTURE Homeownership is a national priority, HUD is the nation’s housing agency committed to increasing homeownership and dedicated to helping first-time buyers and minority families become homeowners. Each year, HUD programs and services help tens of thousands of families accomplish the dream of a life time: owning a home. Most likely, you’ll need to borrow money to buy a house. Getting a fair deal will help you to keep your home and boost your home equity wealth. Home equity is the part of the value of your home that belongs to you—the value of your house minus what you owe on the mortgage. Your goal is to get a loan that doesn’t include high fees or a high interest rate. With low fees and a low interest rate, you can pay down your debt more quickly and own more of your house. In The Fine Print The starting interest rate on adjustable rate mortgages (ARMS) may be low, but they can go up after a cer tain period of time. Check how much your interest rate can increa,se each year and over the life of the loan—and what that could do to your monthly pay ments. Also be aware of be any unnecessary fees, payments, and penalties. Some loans appear to give low monthly payments, but require a big lump sum payment, or a "balloon" payment, at the end of the loan. Some loans come with prepayment penalties; fees charged if you pay off your loan to sell your home or to refinance. For more information, call 1 (8(X)) 569-4287 or go to www.owningyourfuture.gov and select "Buying a Home." OWNING YOUR FUTURE Homeownership is a national priority. HUD is the nation’s housing agency committed to increasing homeownership and dedicated to helping first-time buyers and minority families become homeowners. Each year, HUD programs and services help tens of thousands of families accomplish the dream of a life time: owning a home. Most likely, you’ll need to borrow money to buy a house. Getting a fair deal will help you to keep your home and boost your home equity wealth. Home equity is the part of the value of your home that belongs to you—the value of your hou.se minus what you owe on the mortgage. Your goal is to get a loan that doesn’t include high fees or a high interest rate. With low fees and a low interest rate, you can pay down your debt more quickly and own more of your house. Watch You Wealth The wealth you accumulate in a house is no different than money in a checking or savings account. Be as careful and attentive to your home equity as you would be to your bank account. Be cautious about refinancing or borrowing against your home equity. Remember, refinancing isn’t always a good idea. Don’t let someone sell you a loan you don’t need or can’t afford. Be wary of pitches like "NO CREDIT, NO PROBLEM" or random mail promising favor able mortgage rates. If it sounds too good to be true, it probably is. For more information, call I (8(X)) 5694287 or go to www.owningyourfuture.gov and select "Buying a Home."
The Charlotte Post (Charlotte, N.C.)
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June 30, 2005, edition 1
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