Steve & Ruth: Your Valley Realty Team

Considering a Short Sale? Answer These Questions First

While you may have heard that selling your home as a short sale can be a long, frustrating, and sometimes futile process, the tide may be turning as lenders have become increasingly more amenable to short sales. Many lenders, says real estate professional and educator Gee Dunsten, are viewing short sales in a more favorable light after suffering through failed loan modifications and countless foreclosures. Before embarking on the short sale process, however, talk to a REALTOR® who is experienced in the area of distressed properties. Dunsten asks all his clients to start by completing the following questionnaire. One of the top reasons short sales fail is because the home seller never actually qualified for one in the first place. Answering the following questions...

Does Your Kitchen Work Like a Dream?

Forget about the living room; the kitchen is the social hub of a home. Today’s homeowners want their kitchens to reflect their personal tastes and accommodate their daily lives; however, a kitchen that can do all this is in need of one thing—smart storage. According to renowned chef Curtis Stone, “A dream kitchen is one that’s designed for the way you live. The best advice I’d give anyone looking to remodel their kitchen is to think about how they will use it, and to choose the right storage features to suit their lifestyle.” Paul Radoy, manager of design services for Merillat cabinetry, agrees, “Everyone uses the kitchen to prepare food, but many homeowners use their kitchen for entertaining, crafting, or just spending time...

Do-It-Yourself Home Projects Save Time and Money

This year, everyone is looking to save on their household budget. But just because you’re scaling back, doesn’t mean you can’t make some improvements around the house. Use these DIY home improvement and cleanup tips from the experts at Grime Boss to help revamp your home, without spending a fortune: Repaint the walls One great way to update your home without having to replace carpeting or furniture is to refresh walls with a fresh coat of paint. Determine the amount of paint needed by using an online calculator. To save even more, simply update the paint on doors, cabinets and crown molding, rather than the walls. Likewise, you can paint an accent wall along a hallway, or within your kitchen or living room, rather than the entire space. Replace...