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Creating Extra Living Space with Orangeries

Adding an outdoor living room to a home is a great way to better enjoy the outdoors and to expand the living space of the home. Not only does an outdoor living room make the home more enjoyable for the homeowner, it also increases the resale value of the home. Unfortunately, in many parts of the UK, an outdoor living room can only be used for a few months of the year before the weather becomes too unpleasant and the cooking equipment, outdoor furniture and other components of the living space need to be put away. With bespoke orangeries, on the other hand, the outdoors can be enjoyed for a longer period of time and the furniture and accessories never have to be stored away for the winter.

Enjoying the Extra Space

One of the benefits to having an orangery added onto your home is the fact that it provides you with extra living space. Unlike an outdoor living room, which only provides extra space for a few months per year, an orangery offers year-round added living space. Here, you can enjoy dinner with your family, play games inside on a rainy day, or simply sit and watch nature unfold before you outside. orangeries can be particularly helpful if you have relatives coming to visit or if you are entertaining guests and in need of extra space.

Building it Quickly

Another perk of orangeries is the fact that they are generally easier to install than home extensions. Whereas an addition can take 6 months to complete, an orangery can be built in a 2 – 4 months. In addition, an orangery can easily be built over an existing deck or porch, which can further expedite the construction process.

Saving Money on an Addition

While it is certainly possible to spend over one hundred thousand pounds on an orangery, it is also possible to build one for twenty to thirty thousand pounds. Therefore, it usually is far less expensive to build a orangery as opposed to building an actual addition onto your home. In this way, you can enjoy additional living space without having to spend as much money as you would when building an addition.

Of course, an orangery provides one benefit that other additions cannot: natural light. With the glass panels and the roof lantern ceiling that many orangeries have, you can enjoy the natural light without the need to turn on the lights!

orangeries – Orangeries from The Kent Conservatory Company. With over 30 years experience in the design, build and installation of bespoke lanterns, gazebos, lodges and all kinds of glazed extensions

Creating Extra Living Space with Orangeries / Author: Matt

Commercial Application of Hidden Tank Rainwater Collection Systems

The conservation of water in Australia is not limited to homeowners. Though controlling water use in the house is an important focus, it is also only part of the picture. Commercial operations also use plenty of water, and there are many opportunities for reducing treated water usage through the installation of underground tanks that collect rainwater.

Commercial applications for underground water storage tanks vary widely. The tanks are affordable, easy to install, and come in a number of sizes which reach 200,000 litres. The water conservation tanks can also be used in even the most elaborate landscaping arrangements, because they are buried underground. You can install the tank in gardens or parks and then landscape right over the top. The permanent access entrance is small and unobtrusive while insuring you can enter the tank for maintenance purposes if necessary.

Speaking of maintenance, another great feature of the underground rain recycling tanks is the fact they are low maintenance. The tanks should be inspected annually to insure no environmental contamination problems have occurred. This is unlikely if you keep the water supply pipes and gutters clean and regularly check filtration screens and water inlets.

A Walk in the Park

There is an old expression that says, “It was a walk in the park!” When someone uses the expression, they mean the project was easy. If that is the case then you say the underground water storage tank installation process is a walk in to the park. The tank can be used in a variety of commercial settings leading to lower water usage.

* School fields
* Sports or athletic fields
* Golf courses
* Community parks
* Streetscapes
* Wildlife watering facilities such as zoos or preserves
* Commercial building landscapes
* Farming operations
* Cemeteries

The underground storage tanks are ideal for collecting rainwater which can be used to maintain water levels in outdoor ponds and for decorative waterfall setups.

Another important use for underground water recycling tanks is to protect outdoor areas from erosion due to stormwater runoff. The water can be directed down a guttering system into a water storage tank. The water in the tank can then be used to water outdoor yards and plants or for any of the other purposes listed above.

Everyone Should Care About Water Conservation

Australian water supplies are rapidly dwindling. Some studies indicate the water supply will be inadequate within another 5 to 10 years. That is a short time to deal with an enormous problem.

The use of concrete water storage tanks makes sense. Since the hidden tanks are custom built, they can be configured to fit almost any space. This is an important feature when talking about commercial applications. The water problem will not be solved just by household consumers or just by commercial water users. It will take a concerted effort on the part of everyone.

The fact is the water shortage problem can only be addressed one user at a time. But the more people conserve, the more water will be available for human consumption.

Hidden Tanks is a leading Australian supplier and installer of underground concrete rainwater tanks. For a free consultation please visit Concrete Water Tanks.

Commercial Application of Hidden Tank Rainwater Collection Systems / Author: Philip Kilworth

Phantom Real Estate Profits

You see it all the time on TV.

People refinance their mortgage and draw equity out of their house to remodel a kitchen, bathroom or addition based on the hope that their house is going up in value and will cover the costs of the remodel. You know if you refinance in order to remodel, you are effectively financing your remodel over the life of the loan if you stay in it, well past the “design life” of your remodel.

The big risk is that the house may go down in value.

But there is even more risk.

The refinancing craze we have had in recent years is actually the largest transfer of assets in the history of the world.

What we have all been doing is selling our assets to banks for loans that have high interest rates based on equity that is a phantom…unrealized by the sale of the property. This is one of the reasons why many homeowners are now “under water” where their home is worth less than their mortgage.

We don’t actually have the real money…as opposed to play money…until we sell.

Additionally fashion in decoration changes with distressing regularity. The granite counter tops you put in today could be passé in as little as 5 years when people all MUST have something else.

So what is the right strategy if you really need to refurbish a bath or kitchen?

Do it for cash and do it as cheaply as possible.

It doesn’t have to look cheap.

It just needs to be cheap.

An interior designer I know told me, “You know all the cheap ways to decorate.”

Well, you know what?

It’s true.

I look for used furniture, rejected paints, good used bath and kitchen fixtures, architectural salvage and anything that can make my houses look the way I want them to look.

I also look for good classic design.

Does a chair need recovering? It’s not hard. I do it all the time. Most of my chairs, nice upholstered chairs, were purchased for $29.00 or LESS! I always shop garage sales with 30 dollars in my pocket, all in ones.

Furniture tends to be a bad investment. You can buy good furniture every day for 10 cents on the dollar. If that’s all it’s worth, that’s all I’m willing to pay.

The best part is that no bill will arrive in my mailbox about the time I get buyer’s remorse.

It always sets in when the bills arrive, doesn’t it?

But it gets better.

Need new tile in a bath? Look for salvaged tile or ceramic tile that looks like real stone.

Then do the work yourself. Make sure you do it right. But, remember it’s not that hard to do.

Make your house look good but don’t sell your equity to get the look.

I once had a club meeting at one of my houses. The ladies were going around lifting the cushions on my chairs and opening the cabinets to see who made my furniture, it looked so good.

No one realized it was mostly second hand stuff and I’m keeping this to myself. You should too.

Paula and her husband Ron have a note buying business. They buy mortgage notes and help home sellers offer owner financing to sell their home fast and for top dollar while selling the private mortgage note at a simultaneous closing. Learn more about note buying and selling at Mortgage Buyer

Phantom Real Estate Profits / Author: Ron Stone

The Sweet and Sour of Entering the Real Estate Industry

It may seem odd to consider starting a real estate career when the national housing market is facing tough times, but it is during these times that agents who aren’t cut out for the industry have left, thus paving the way for new agents to try their hand at the business. If you think that real estate may be calling your name, then it’s important to think about the pros and cons of entering this industry.

One of the most appealing aspects of being a real estate agent is the fact that you’re really an independent contractor that works under the umbrella of a brokerage. This means that you have the autonomy to choose your own schedule and build yourself as a brand.

Work ethic also plays a critical role in the success of an agent. Without a willingness to work long hours and be attentive to your clients’ needs, you won’t develop a very strong client base. This is great for hard workers, but not so good for those who think that being a realtor only requires you to put up a For Sale sign, host an open house, and uncork the champagne bottle at the end of a successful transaction. If you don’t have the commitment, perseverance, and organizational skills it would take to run a small business, then don’t become a real estate agent.

Because clients come first, you may find that your personal life suffers once you don a realtor’s hat. You will receive phone calls at random hours—any day of the week. Usually it’s something really pressing that the client needs to see you about. You may have to miss the PTA meeting or cancel dinner plans to attend to your work, which is understandably not something that everyone wants to do.

In exchange for your time and dedication, you may get rewarded handsomely. I say “may” because there are no guarantees in real estate. You could spend months working for a client, only to have them switch to another agent or change their plans entirely. Agents only get paid after a successful closing, so there will be times that you feel like your time was totally wasted. On the positive side, every experience gives you new tools to work with, so even bad clients teach you ways to improve your business.

A successful sale will net you a decent commission, which is of course why many enter the industry. If you provide good customer service, are good at sales, and willing to work for your money, you can make a very comfortable living as a real estate agent. In fact, many of the most successful agents believe that an agent’s success is relative to their efforts more so than their abilities and skill sets. This is very good news for new agents are insecure about their inherent selling abilities.

One thing you need to be prepared for—both emotionally and financial—is the fact that agents typically go for several months without a paycheck. When you close a sale, you need to keep a portion as an emergency reserve in case your local market comes to a standstill, and you can’t find any clients.

Another drawback to real estate is the amount of money it takes to be in the business. Hosting open houses, printing up brochures and business cards, setting up your web site, and taking clients to properties can all add up to a lot of money. This is on top of the fees you’ll be required to pay to belong to national and regional associations. If you’re going to go into this business, you definitely need to have substantial start-up funds, or you’ll find the months long and very lean.

The pressure on an inexperienced agent can be great, but if you have experience working in sales or customer service, your road will be much easier. The more people skills and experience working with clients of all ages and backgrounds you have, the better. You will need to love being around people, as you’ll be working with them all the time. If you’re shy or have trouble dealing with difficult people, you may find real estate a challenging career choice. You’re going to be working with people from all walks of life during a very exciting and stressful time of their lives. They’re putting their dreams (and money) in your hands, so there will be heightened emotions among everyone involved. When you find them the right house though, they will be thrilled, and you’ll have played a huge part in helping them achieve their goals. That feeling alone is a great motivator for many agents to stay in this business.

The Koitz Group offers elite real estate services in the greater Bethesda/Chevy Chase and Washington DC area (and they have a website that covers it all!). Visit the Koitz Group’s Bethesda Real Estate guide or Washington DC real estate listings guide, packed full of information, search tools, and links to other fine neighborhoods in the DC Metro area.

The Sweet and Sour of Entering the Real Estate Industry  / Author: Kevin Koitz

The Difference Between Foreclosure Homes and Short Sale Homes

Numerically, foreclosures and short sales have overwhelmed the housing market as homeowners desperately search for ways to lighten their own financial difficulties. As people are laid off and hours are reduced, many people are perplexed and speculate if the right plan of action is to sell or give up their home. The first thing to study is the difference between a foreclosure and a short sale, weighing advantages and disadvantages for each.

The Logistics of a Foreclosure

A foreclosure proceeds when a mortgage lender secures a court order. This court order ends the mortgagor’s equitable right of redemption. This denotes that the borrower has failed to pay their loan and has lost the ability to pay the remaining debt to the lender. The mortgagor’s house has been recovered by the lender, and the borrower will have to leave the property when the home is sold. On the other hand, some states give borrowers from four months to a year to reside in their foreclosed homes rent-free. Unfortunately, this has been the case for thousands of Americans, who in the last couple of years, have been unable to make payments and take on the painful task of waiting for their home to be sold before they move.

If you are a homeowner who is experiencing trouble paying your mortgage, prior to letting your home go into foreclosure, determine whether your financial circumstances are temporary. If so, you may have the opportunity to refinance your mortgage to your benefit, keeping you in your home.

How Short Sales Work

If your lender consents to cut its losses, it may propose a discount on a mortgage to escape a foreclosure. This procedure can only be successful when the homeowner and lending institution work together to sell the home. Some lenders will reject a short sale, which makes it necessary to hire either a attorney or a real estate agent to help you. Also, if you have cash resources, the lender may take those assets in compensation for the defaulted loan. A short sale does not ensure that your house will not fall into foreclosure but may be the best alternative to paying off a portion of your mortgage. With a short sale, if you owe $500,000 on your mortgage and you reach a deal with the lender to give them $430,000 from the sale of the home, then if the lender agrees to this proposal you can walk away from the home. But why would the lender elect to give up $70,000? At this time, a lender merely wants to recover as much of its money as it can and not become responsible for the upkeep of a home.

Your Credit After Foreclosure or Short Sale

It may astonish and depress you that your credit score will be changed by a foreclosure and a short sale negatively. Nevertheless, the time that it takes for a lender to loan you money for a new home is significantly shorter when you decide in a short sale. A homeowner who has undergone a foreclosure will have to wait up to 24 to 75 months to have the opportunity to take out another loan. Conversely, a homeowner who has experienced the short sale procedure will only have to wait 18 to 27 months.

In brief, it is wise to examine your financial crisis before choosing such a crucial decision and get advice from a real estate agent who specializes in short sales will help you make the right choice.

For an affordable purchase, look at condos for sale in Glendale, AZ. If you are relocating to Dallas, check out Texas community guide for information and property for sale. For southern Arizona property, consider Bisbee homes for sale.

The Difference Between Foreclosure Homes and Short Sale Homes / Author: Karen Bellas