Home-In-Fusion

Magical Turkey

2008-05-29T12:37:00.014-04:00

Turkey’s Mediterranean shore called the Turquoise Coast, is nearly 1600 km (994 miles) long, scattered with fine-sand beaches and sprinkled abundantly with classical cities turned to picturesque ruins. From Marmaris to Antalya the coastline is gorgeous and the weather is excellent.
This is where East and West meet, an exceptional blend of modernistic influences and Islamic tradition. The Ottoman empire had definitely left marks on the Turkish living style – fusion of oriental and modern elements.
Turkish homes frequently have plenty of mats, a divan, and small tables heavily inlaid with Arabic designs, plenty of arches, bead curtains, potted palms, and heavily sprung ottomans. Turkish carpets and rugs are another prominent characteristic of the typical Turkish home. They have strong, precise, stylized geometric or floral patterns in bold colors—red, yellow, green and blue—found usually portrayed the local mosques.
Also, Turkish ceramics are among the finest in the Mediterranean. The Turkish tradition of making pottery stretches thousands of years and reached its creative pinnacle in the 16th and 17th centuries under the rule of the Ottoman empire.

Bottom line: all you need to do is mix and match oriental and modern pieces to create your own unique style.

Mediterranean Turkish homes

Contemporary Turkish home

Magnificent fusion of modern and oriental elements

Turkish bath

Turkish design oriental wool rug

The famous Turkish tiles

Turkish mural

Sun-kissed Southeastern France…Cannes, Nice, Monaco, Cote d’Azur (French Riviera)–an epitome of style

2008-03-09T12:34:00.022-04:00

Irresistible beaches, lots of sun, a splash of Mediterranean charm, simplicity, luxury, romantic sensibility…and those unforgettable hot summer night rendezvous.
Basically, to create a typical French Mediterranean style at your home or garden, you have to mix and match with romantic, oriental or modern pieces.
Provence (a region in southern France) style is a mixture of rustic simplicity and timeless elegance. Terra cotta tiles, bright colored pottery, usually hand painted with Mediterranean fruits or flowers, rustic urns, 18^th century floral designs, lace, antique baskets, mixing and matching fabrics (florals, stripes and plaids), intense color scheme: reds, blues, greens, beige and deep mustard create an inviting, cozy and joyful atmosphere.

French Riviera, fun, style and French romantica!

Southern France charm, simplicity and elegance

It is simply inevitable...when you think authentic French cuisine, you can't help but think cheese and wine, of course...

Capture the charm of the French Country style by using earth tones and colors from nature. Add splashes of color using decorative prints, bright pottery and other unique accessories. Creating your own special French Country look is easy with some well chosen accents. http://www.mcvayslimited.com/frenchcountrykitchen2.html

Romantic French style bathrooms

ROMANTIC NEW ORLEANS STYLE Including soft secondary lighting in a room makes it more romantic and draws attention to cozy spaces. Old world decorating accessories, when placed in an old world style bedroom or master bath, embellish the room's comfort while creating ambience, drama and style. Reminiscent of antique light fixtures found in fine hotels across Europe, Veneziano iron light fixtures are a classic style created for romantic Italian/French bathroom decorating and design.
http://www.accentsofsalado.com/FRENCH_BATHROOM_DECORATING_DESIGN.html

Transform your French bathroom with a color palette in soft, sun-drenched tones and the beauty of wrought iron. Our Scrolled Iron Mirror and coordinating accessories are at home in the romantic French bathroom or as a striking focal point in your French design foyer. The mirror is beveled for a classic finished look in your French design bathroom.

Tuscany - La dolce vita

2008-02-24T19:24:00.014-05:00

Tuscany, the birthplace of the Renaissance movement, Dante Alighieri, Leonardo da Vinci, Michelangelo and Botticelli, Chianti and olive oil…

Tuscan homes are usually of stucco and natural stone in light colors, dark hardwood furniture, and wrought iron accessories, open, airy, with many arched windows and gorgeous gardens. In other words, we can’ help but admire the peaceful, yet festive feeling that those Mediterranean dwellings exude.

We can’t get enough inspiration from that old world charm, simplicity and beauty. Infuse your life with some Tuscan appeal – comfort, warmth and style!
Use fabrics that are warm and close to nature, yet sophisticated and luxurious, calming, inviting colors: terracotta, olive greens, brick, yellows, blues, gold. Venetian or stucco plaster effects are used on new walls to add some texture and create that worn, aged Tuscan feel. Bring into play plenty of terracotta pots in the garden (different shapes), outdoor iron chandeliers and pillows, stone firepits, stone ovens (for those unforgettable homemade pizzas! Mama mia!) and you could easily recreate a Tuscan getaway.

A Tuscan villa

Tuscany

Chianti

Tuscan dreams...

A Tuscan feel bathroom

I wouldn't mind a similar wine storage in my house...

A Tuscan-style water garden
HGTV designer Scott Cohen

A traditional winding staircase reminiscent of a Tuscan villa
HGTV designer Zina Samek

Stone and dark wood, a typical Tuscan dining room
by designer David Stimmel

Mediterranean Spain

2008-02-18T17:15:00.020-05:00

The Spanish mainland is bordered to the south and east almost entirely by the Mediterranean Sea. Spanish style is influenced by many cultures: Christian, Jewish, Moorish, but basically is a combination of Spanish and Arabic styles. The result is a quite unique mixture in decorative design. Simply splendid!

Andalucia

Spanish hacienda

Cordoba

An olive tree, Cordoba

Impressive wall decor: Castile Chargers/Trays (http://www.accentsofsalado.com/LG_CastileIronChargersTrays.html)
One of my fav websites for Mediterranean theme furniture, wall hangings, iron wall decor, kitchen, bath and wine accessories for a Tuscun, Mediterranean Old World casual home decor is Accents of Salado. If you are fond of the bold, sophisticated, yet simple Mediterranean style of living, you should definitely check it out!
http://www.accentsofsalado.com/index.html

Romantic Alhambra Iron Candle Holder,
http://www.accentsofsalado.com/item_06leather.html

Spectacular Malaga Tall Glazed Earthenware Vases http://www.accentsofsalado.com/item_06leather.html

Beautiful Hacienda Decorative Chest on Stand http://www.accentsofsalado.com/item_06leather.html

Spanish Mediterranean Hardwood Occasional Cocktail Table with rustic, yet rich, and timeless flair http://furniturefromhome.com/products/Coffee-End-Sofa-Tables/PWL-352200

A sense of color and pattern

Reminiscent of the Spanish sunflower fields

An inviting Spanish Mediterranean living room by HGTV host/designer David Bromstad

Another authentic Spanish Mediterranean living room by HGTV designer Lauren Jacobsen

In love with Mediterranean style of living: homes, gardens, food, wine…

2008-02-16T15:53:00.010-05:00

Growing up in a country which is almost Mediterranean, (a couple of hours to Turkey and Greece by car) this feel of simplicity and warmth had been installed in me since birth. I’ll always vividly remember the wood-beam ceilings, the verandas, the terracotta roof tiles, the big round ceramic containers, the copper pots and pans. I’ll always long for those inviting, peaceful homes endured time and space, unfazed by history, still standing solid and quaint. No charade, no pretense. Just this Southern European charm and peace. If you’ve experience this overwhelming serenity once, you simply won’t let go. Nature plays a critical part in the Mediterranean style of living: striking gardens, garden paths set with stone, endless sunflower and lavender fields, infinite vineyards, and…the best wine …no kidding. So, no surprise that the Mediterranean homes are profoundly infused with vibrant colors, warm stone, wood, textures and lots of light. It’s all about feeling relaxed. Comfortable. Peaceful. Celebrating life.

Chianti wine region

Breathtaking haciendas

Endless lavender fields...

Magnificent Spain

Sunny Greece

So Old World...

A fun and relaxing Mediterranean living room...pretty neat!

Sizzling Mediterranean kitchen!

Spectacular Mediterranean bathroom/spa

My fav Moroccan dish

2008-02-09T18:56:00.000-05:00

Morocco, the culinary star of North Africa, is the doorway between Europe and Africa. Much imperial and trade influence has been filtered through her and blended into her culture. Unlike the herb-based cooking across the sea to the north, Moroccan cooking is characterized by rich spices. Cumin, coriander, saffron, chiles, dried ginger, cinnamon, and paprika are on the cook's shelf, and in her mortar. http://www.cuisinenet.com/glossary/morco.html

So, if you decide to try something exotic and different try the following recipe (it was a big hit at my party!):

MOROCCAN CHICKEN TAGINE WITH HONEY AND APRICOTS

-about 6 lbs of chicken pieces

-2 large yellow onions

-2 sticks of butter

-1/2 tsp turmeric

-1 tsp black pepper

-2 cinnamon sticks

-1 lb dried apricots or prunes (less if you're not too fond of the fruits).

-8 tbsp honey

-2 tsp ground cinnamon

-1/2 peeled almonds

-1 tbsp sesame seeds

-oil

In a large pot, melt the butter. Fry the chopped onions until soft, and

add the chicken, salt, pepper, turmeric and cinnamon sticks. Add enough

water to cover the chicken, about two cups. Bring to boil, reduce heat,

and simmer until the chicken is done, adding water if necessary. Remove

the chicken pieces.

Add the prunes or apricots and simmer for about fifteen minutes. Add the

ground cinnamon and the honey, stir and cook until the sauce has a

honey-like consistency. Add more honey if necessary.

When the sauce is almost ready, sautee the almonds in oil. Drain most of

the oil from the pan, and toast the sesame seeds.

Return the chicken to the pot and re-heat. Place chicken in a serving

sheet, pour sauce on top of it and top with almonds and sesame seeds.

This dish goes great with couscus.

Serve food on colorful, vibrant dishes, use lots of copper plates, pillows, cushions, place floral bouquets around the room, pour some Moroccan wine, play some exotic music (my suggestion is Buddha-Bar), light a bunch of candles and you are ready to fly on a magic carpet to enchanting Morocco.

My inspiration for the Moroccan Party

2008-02-09T16:47:00.000-05:00

I‘ve always wanted to visit Morocco…For some reason, it has always been intriguingly unusual and mysterious. Spices, colors, mosaic, tiles, belly dancing and sexy exotic music…it’s simply magic!
My inspiration for the party was a trip to the annual Flower Show in Phila, PA.

My Moroccan Theme Party

2008-02-04T20:24:00.001-05:00

I love theme parties, they are so much fun. I love planning them, buying stuff for them and tying the whole idea together. But the most thrilling part is organizing a theme party on a budget.
I threw my husband a fab Moroccan B-day party a couple of years ago. That was the first theme party I’d ever organized, so I was a little nervous. Besides, I didn’t want to spend a lot of money.
The bash was a big success, the Moroccan food I cooked was delicious (it vanished in a heartbeat), I had such a good time setting up the party, and my final budget (not including food and beverages), was merely $125. Yeah, gimme five. (Having a couple of friends around while making the finishing touches before the guests arrive could be extremely helpful! Thank you Danielka and Emsi, love ya!)
And now, with no further ado: my Moroccan feast…

Transform the look of your home in ways you’ve never imagined!

2008-01-26T12:49:00.000-05:00

Tempted by rich, sophisticated color? Considering the dimensional beauty of a specialty finish? Explore the multi-faceted world of color with the Benjamin Moore® Personal Color Viewer. This color visualization program allows you to experiment with color before picking up a paintbrush. Select an exterior home or interior room image from our vast pictorial library and create the look for your home that you love.
http://www.benjaminmoore.com/bmpsweb/portals/bmps.portal?_nfpb=true&_windowLabel=portletInstance_2&portletInstance_2_actionOverride=%2Fbm%2Fcms%2FContentRenderer%2FrenderContent&portletInstance_2WT.svl=1&portletInstance_2currentNodeUUID=%2FBEA+Repository%2F5612&portletInstance_2NodeUUID=%2FBEA+Repository%2F30001&_pageLabel=fh_home

If you are enticed by Mary’s color as much as we are or if you simply want a gist of freshness and sparkle in your life, don’t hesitate, get your bum to the nearest paint store and grab some paint. BTW, professional painters highly recommend Benjamin Moore paint. It won't fade quickly, it resists dirt and stains and cleans up well, without having its color or gloss greatly affected, it also won't be affected by frequent contact with water. And you don’t even need a primer with that paint. (In Mary’s case primer was used because of the intensity of the color she chose.) FYI, I always use primer, because it is simply safer. Benjamin Moore paint is a little pricier but it is absolutely worth it!

So, next time when you decide you want some color in your life, don’t think twice, be bold, embrace your inner Leonardo Da Vinci and go for it. At the end, you will be so proud of yourself! I know, I am!

The Results: Before and After

2008-01-26T12:26:00.000-05:00

OMG, the color transformation turned out just beautifully! The rich Bordeaux Red color goes perfectly with Mary’s carpet, with the little ornaments on her lovely china set (yes, it is important! :)), and it delightfully compliments her cherry wood dining furniture. I’m totally loving it! Apparently, so is she.

Speaking about color and painting…

2008-01-26T11:41:00.000-05:00

…Mary, a cute (tiny little thing:)) co-worker of mine, came to work a week ago a little frazzled. She simply couldn’t decide what color her dining room should be. For the rest of her house Mary and her husband had chosen warm, earthy colors: gold, brown, and Mediterranean orange with reddish undertones. I love this color palette, very balmy and incredibly inviting. Generally speaking, I like earthy colors, but I equally enjoy rich, regal jewel-tone colors, which are very much in right now.
Mary’s dining room, on the other hand, is positioned a little far from the rest of the other rooms, and Mary’s concern was that if she painted her dining room a jewel-tone color, it wouldn’t work with the rest of the rooms. I agree there should be a flow, a repeated theme of colors through out the entire house. Mary was thinking burgundy (burgundy is a nice, rich color) would go well with the grayish carpet she had in her dining room, and it would be a great color overall. I mean, yeah, burgundy is grand, but don’t you think that everybody goes for burgundy in their dining rooms? A little too corny I’d say!
So, I thought a gallant, regal purple with reddish/brownish undertones would be just perfect for her. It would make a statement (that is for sure!), and it is original yet elegant. Also, it would not be far from the burgundy color she had initially chosen. I did a little research, resorting to one of my favorite home design websites, HGTV, and voila, there it was a gorgeous, striking purple/reddish color. (Have I mentioned that I love HGTV!)
I send her the link (http://www.hgtv.com/hgtv/rm_walls_other/article/0,1797,HGTV_3805_1394033,00.html), and just minutes later she was looking at different paints trying to match the color I suggested. The next day, Mary showed me all the different matching paint samples she could find. We chose a few, but the most important thing was that Mary already knew what to look for. She decided to go with Benjamin Moore paint, Bordeaux Red (1365), which very much resembled the color we liked.

2008-01-26T11:35:00.000-05:00

OK, let’s assume you’ve made the big decision, you are finally going to paint! However, you still feel a little scared, not so sure about the color, double guessing the outcome of your “endeavor”. Well, think about it, what is the worst thing that could happen? You hate the color, so what?! It is not the end of the world. You can always redo it, and the paint is not that expensive. (No, it is not!)
To safe yourself some additional complications, I suggest before you decide to paint, get samples of the paint colors you like and just tape them on the wall. That might give you an idea of how the color is going to look when the entire room/wall is painted. It is very important to see it both during the day (natural light), and at night (artificial light). You’ll be amazed how different color looks depending just on the quantity and the type of light reflecting on it.
Happy painting!

How important is color?

2008-01-26T11:04:00.000-05:00

Awfully important. Imagine living in a black and white world. It could be fun. Briefly. Human eye craves color. Color influences our decisions, dictates our mood, and helps us enforce our crazy impulses. It gets lonely without color. In other words, color makes us feel alive. So why be afraid of it?
The cheapest way to decorate a house is to paint a house. It is simply unbelievable what a little color does to freshen up a room. Color not only changes a room, color completely transforms a room. And it doesn’t get simpler than that, all you have to do is go to the store, get some paint and get the ball rolling, I mean, get the roller scrolling. I get excited just writing about it:)!

Pennsylvania Real Estate Market News

2008-01-24T21:38:00.000-05:00

Sluggish housing sales are sending Pennsylvania real estate markets right into the national real estate recession, despite having markets that never got caught up in out of control appreciation.

Home sales are softening in Philadelphia and Pittsburgh after two quarters of slower growth. The national credit crunch is making it harder for buyers to get mortgages, not that there are that many buyers in the market place. Lenders in most of Pennsylvania no longer offer mortgages that require no money down, and those that are offering them most people don’t want to get.

In Philadelphia, where many financial and insurance companies make their headquarters the market has slowed, and prices are beginning to fall. Philadelphia has never been a boom to bust real estate market, but the glimmers of hope home owners had for a boom have long ended.

The five counties surrounding Philadelphia, the city that has the nickname as the City of Brotherly love is anything but that these days for home owners, who want to sell their homes. An increasing inventory of homes and condos are hitting the market daily and prices are beginning to come down. A growing majority of home owners are losing equity in their real estate.
//www.housingpredictor.com/pennsylvania.html">

Fixed mortgage rates fall to lowest since '04

2008-01-24T20:56:00.000-05:00

Rates on home loans drop after Fed makes emergency cut to fed funds rate, Freddie Mac says.

January 24 2008: 11:25 AM EST

NEW YORK (CNNMoney.com) -- Mortgage rates continued to fall this week, with 30-year and 15-year fixed-rate mortgages hitting their lowest levels in nearly four years, Freddie Mac reported Thursday.

The government-sponsored loan buyer said the rate on a 30-year fixed-rate loan averaged 5.48 percent for the week ending Thursday, down from 5.69 percent last week.

At this time last year, the 30-year fixed-rate mortgage averaged 6.25 percent. The 30-year rate has not been lower since the week ending March 25, 2004, when it averaged 5.40 percent.

href=//money.cnn.com/2008/01/24/real_estate/mortgage_rates/index.htm?postversion=2008012411">

My Dream Home

2008-01-22T21:32:00.000-05:00

I fell in love with a house. You’d think I would be happy, but I’m sad. I guess, it is the non-reciprocating type of love, when one side is always brokenhearted. Well, that would be me…over a house.
I knew it from the very beginning, it was a big mistake that we even considered viewing that house. I haven’t felt that strongly about a house ever, or maybe I have, but now I’m just super tired of looking for one, and I subconsciously want this to be over….?!

Anyway, this last Sunday, we had only 2 houses to view. None of them deserved our attention, really. Okay, perhaps the first one, but I, honestly, tried so hard to make myself like it. My efforts were in vain. It wasn’t a bad house, just too small for the money they wanted, and it lacked character. The backyard was decent. A very nice exterior (hacienda). We love Mediterranean style houses, they remind us of home (Europe). However, the house simply didn’t do it for me. And I so wanted to like it. Anyway, a nice house but not for us.

If truth be told, one thing really bothers me when it comes to houses, or to be more precise, when it comes to their interior set up. The family room is usually the room with the fire place, right? This is the room where the TV set goes, basically, your main hang out room. Well, most family rooms, at least those that I’ve seen, are so small, that I can’t figure out where the TV goes. (See, my TV is very important to me, I love movies!) You have a fireplace, you have a big plasma TV, and you have a tiny family room, what do you do?! It follows that, your focal point will be either the fireplace or the TV (it can’t be both, otherwise you’ll go crazy). On the other hand, you can’t have two separate designated areas, for your home theater, and for a cozy sitting area by the fireplace, there is simply no room, so you have a problem. I mean, I do. However, I think you should be concerned too. In fact, we are left with 4 possible options: 1) ignore the focal point rule; 2) buy a cabinet that hides your TV; 3) hang you TV over the fire place (and you’ll tremendously enjoy the two black holes on your wall); or 4) buy a different house! None of the first three options appeal to me. Obviously, I’m going for the fourth one.

It was a very cold, windy Sunday (01/20/08), and I was glad that we were going home. Well, not quite so…
Two weeks ago my husband and I were driving by one of the neighborhoods we liked, and it was then we saw this beautiful colonial house with a rather familiar “for sale” sign. The house looked big, the backyard looked promising. We couldn’t see much from far away. My husband called the listing agent to get more info about the house. It was way too much money for us. Of course. I tried not to think about that house anymore, I mean, it was simply pointless.
Well, apparently, the image of that house was still haunting me. As a result, on that cold, windy Sunday, when we thought we were officially done with the house viewing, I suggested we go and check out that house…again. Our real estate agent Jane happened to be with us, so we thought she might call the listing agent and request a viewing of the house, despite the consequences.
It turned out it was an open house day, and it was easy to get in. I had a feeling I’d like this house a lot. I did. Very much. I want this house. Badly. How can it be so darn expensive?! Actually, the price was reduced a little, still too pricey. But, boy, was it nice…Spacious, airy, open, sunny. A house with a nice "Californian feel" not congested like most split levels I’ve seen. That house was simply “The House”. It had everything I wanted: a nice location, a huge backyard with a lot of trees and privacy, a Florida room with skylights, a gym room, an office room, and numerous other rooms. I didn’t really care about the number of the rooms, but the way the rooms were set up. Different. Good different. The truth is, you just know when a house is right for you. The most important question is, Can you see yourself living in that house? And if you can, go for it. (If you can afford it, of course! :)) Probably not much renovation would be necessary, since the house seems to be in good condition. I even liked the kitchen cabinets, and I never do. Okay, breathe….Given that we can’t afford the house, (we can’t afford even thinking about it), we decided we’ll keep an eye on it and see how it goes. If nobody buys the house within the next month or two, we’ll shoot for it. We’ll make an “affordable” offer and see what happens. In the meantime, I hope nobody snatches it! If it’s destined to be, it will be! I’ll keep you posted!

2008-01-21T11:04:00.001-05:00

Have you noticed the condition of the houses on the market? Terrible! I mean, seriously, most of the houses for sale are in such a bad condition, yet so expensive. And most of them are so old (old, as in stale), out-of- touch, out-of-fashion, out-of-style, out-of-everything. Okay, with respect to older people, I’ll cut them some slack, but young families, professionals, intelligent and educated people, come on! You can do better than that! You deserve healthier, more organized, more tasteful homes! To me, there are two basic categories of people. The first category includes folks, who have no sense of style, and no idea what a classy, cozy home is (I’m sorry!), they need help making their home a better place, and they have no problem admitting they do, and the second category includes those, who are completely ignorant, and respectively, content with their shabby way of living.
I’m here for the first category.

Apart from that, to be honest, I haven’t seen a single house done tastefully. (Okay, maybe one.) And don’t tell me it is all about the money, because it is so not. Although, perhaps it is, but only a tad. On the other hand, I’ve seen very expensive homes, homes with posh furniture, homes that scream “money”, except, that does not necessarily mean elegance and chic. Such a shame! See, money can’t buy you sense of style. You can make a home timeless and sophisticated with just a little money and a touch of imagination. How simple is that! And I’ll try to prove it to you.

Philadelphia Home Show, (January 19-27, 2008 - Pennsylvania Convention Center)

2008-01-21T10:49:00.000-05:00

The annual Philadelphia Home Show starts this Saturday (01/19/2008). The motto of the show is, “Fall in love with your home, again!” We shall see if it is going to live up to it.
Last year I went for the first time, simply because, I thought, it was something, I’d always consider right up my alley, and I knew I’d enjoy the experience. We met a couple of friends in front of the Philadelphia Convention Center (and yes, I made everybody go with me:)), and went on to explore the endless realm of habitat wonders…To be frank, I was a little let down, only because it was not quite how I pictured it would be. Have you been to the Flower Show, here in Philadelphia? What a wonderful celebration of beauty and nature, myriad of magnificent colors, textures, proportions and fascinating ideas. I’ve gone two consecutive years and I just loved it. So, I thought the Home Show would be something similar. Well, it was, but in a different way. It was more of a practical show that lacked the splendor of the Flower Show, which, was not necessarily a bad thing. There were plenty of local companies (Absolutely cool! We totally support local business!), exhibiting their own products and services, small show rooms for trendy kitchen countertops, kitchen appliances, sinks, sample bathrooms, uber modern shower cabins, bath tubs, saunas, Jacuzzis, and so much more. There were also plenty of experts giving free piece of advice, samples, catalogs, and other useful info. Last year I even got a free subscription to Philadelphia Home magazine! Plus, the admission charge this year is just $10 for adults ($8 when purchased online), for children ages 6-12, the admission is only $3, and ages 5 & under get in for free. Probably, this year I’ll enjoy it even more, considering the fact that we are interested in home stuff more than ever…

I suggest, if you are planning a renovation, remodeling, or simply redecorating your house (in our case, buying a house that would need to be completely or partially renovated, redecorated, and all that fun stuff), going to the show could be very, very helpful. It is worth the try, and who knows, maybe you will be able to snatch a few good deals, and why not collect a few ideas free of charge. (Not counting the admission charge!)

Featured Attractions
The Philadelphia Home Show offers everything you need to renovate, decorate or give your home an overall "face lift" including: Windows & Doors * Kitchens & Bathrooms * Fencing, Railings & Metal Work * Paving * Landscaping * Outdoor Furniture * Pools & Spas * Greenhouses * Lawncare Equipment * Decks * Awnings * Home Builders * Window Treatments *Interior Design * Security Systems * Appliances * Carpet & Flooring * Lighting: Exterior & Interior * Mirrors * Cabinetry * Decorative Glass * Marble & Granite * Antiques, Specialty Bedding * Pools & Spas * Closets/Garage Storage Systems * Basement Refurbishing * Solar Energy & Film/Window Tinting * Art, Clocks & Cookware/Cutlery - and many other home and garden related products and services.
http://philadelphia.about.com/od/calendarofevents/a/phila_home_show.htm

For more info go to: http://www.phillyhomeshow.com/ME2/Sites/Default.asp?SiteID=473D4339FA3F4D7E86230E5A6C899464

2008-01-21T10:34:00.000-05:00

Last Saturday we saw four houses that caught our attention. They were a little out of our price range (hey, so what?! why not see how affluent people live?! :)). Ignoring the money hitch, it was an exciting…and yet again a fruitless experience. Two of the houses had a potential flood problem (actually they were flooded in the past), nice area though. Our real estate agent warned us in advance, but we still wanted to see the area. Washington Crossing is so picturesque, so quiet, so history related, and so flood inclined! (Okay, maybe the picture is a little too good!)
Gorgeous homes. Expensive. My husband is an avid fisherman, (or so he says:)), and Washington Crossing has been a long coveted area.

The first house we saw was one of the best houses we’ve seen so far. The real value of the house was much more than the asking price (low 400K), but darn floods (and we just can’t possibly think of buying a flood insurance; very, very expensive)…What a shame! The other problem, besides the likelihood of over flooding, was that the property taxes were way too high. You know, the better the house looks, the higher the property taxes are, and you don’t have to be super smart to figure that one out. Except, see, we want to buy a nice house, but we, on the other hand, don’t want to pay a lot of taxes.:) Tough, but I hope, not impossible.

When I think about property taxes, I get mad, and how wouldn’t I. OK, let’s do this together: you buy a house, you pay a lot of money: down payment, not even mentioning the closing costs, you pay your mortgage for the next 15-20-30 years, the property is officially yours (sort of), you own it, are you still with me (just checking:)), and then, on top of all that money that you have already paid, and you still have to pay in the future, for a looooooong, long time, they want some more, in a different form - property taxes. That is just ludicrous! I’m not against property taxes in general, but what I’m trying to say here is, the darn property taxes are way too high!

The second house in the area didn’t do it for us… at all.

Anyway, so much for Washington Crossing. Unless we won the lottery, and bought a house on a hill (easy over 700K). (And there will be no flooding, guaranteed!)

The third house was somewhat interesting, a not too big split level, considerably over priced. Just a “maybe” for us.

The last house had an amazing exterior. I wish I could say the same about the interior. Otherwise, a very desirable neighborhood, excellent schools, a little backyard with a little creek, rather cute.

A house either does it for you or it doesn’t, it is as simple as that, at least according to me. And there is nothing you can do about it. Actually, there is…keep on searching until the right one comes along.

After the house viewing was over, my husband and I, accompanied by Jane, the realtor, had lunch. We like Jane, she seems like a cool person, but is she a cool real estate agent? We hope she’ll help us find a home soon. (Come on, she is a 100% Sicilian. How can you go wrong with that?!)

2008-01-21T10:33:00.000-05:00

Virtually, there isn’t a house for sale in the neighborhood that we haven’t seen. Unfortunately, there is always something that turns us off when it comes to “house fondness”, which, in return, keeps us searching for “The House”.
It is the beginning of the year and the real estate market should become active again… soon (it was rather slow during the holidays). Our real estate agent, Jane, keeps encouraging us that there will be plenty of new homes on the market in the next couple of months. And we want to believe her…

2008-01-21T10:29:00.000-05:00

Our first offer was rejected. After the offer was made, we spend the following day sitting by the phone, waiting for the phone call. I was daydreaming about the house, picturing my black sofa in the living room, my fuzzy rug next to the fire place…you get the picture. The phone call finally came but Jane said that the offer was rejected; the seller didn’t want to go below the listing price. We, on the other hand, offered 70K less than the asking price, which was absolutely reasonable, considering the condition of the house and the condition of the real estate market at the moment.
The house was a total wreck, an abomination, but with a lot of potential, to be precise, a lot of work. I’m just very fortunate because my husband is very handy, which is quite helpful. Because of the realty market crisis, it is mostly a buyer’s market at the moment (too many houses on the market, not too many buyers), meaning, potential buyers are allowed to make lowball offers, i.e. offers way below the listing price.
http://homebuying.about.com/od/offersnegotiations/qt/0507lowballoffr.htm
http://realestate.msn.com/buying/articlebankrate.aspx?cp-documentid=253527

Then again, most houses are artificially priced (I would say 100K more than their real value), and sellers continue to keep them unchanged?????
Personally, I don’t think that this is a very smart move on their part. As a result, the best case scenario is to find a seller who is very motivated, i.e., a seller who is desperate to sell because of an impending foreclosure, because of relocation or whatever reason. Usually, your real estate agent will be the person who will give you all that info.

Oh well, I guess it was not happening for us, at least not with respect to that house, anyway.

2008-01-21T10:23:00.000-05:00

We made our first offer.
One Saturday morning, in mid December, my husband and I, arrived at Jane’s office (she works for one of the biggest real estate companies in Bucks County). Two hours and tons of paperwork later, we walked out, full of hope and anticipation. We were a little tired of the house hunting, even though, everybody was telling us that we were just beginning. (It’s been 3 months since we had officially started.) Don’t get me wrong, we want to buy a house, but, on the other hand, we are by no means desperate. Thank God, we are not pressured to buy; can you imagine all the stress involved?! We definitely will be taking our sweet time, and that is, I think, the smartest thing to do, considering the current condition of the market.

One more thing, please, you want to be very cautious when signing documents (a little patronizing won’t hurt!). My advice is: read carefully every single clause of the contracts you sign, even the fine print. Better safe than sorry! BTW, most real estate agencies use standard contract forms. And don’t you worry, when the offer-making time comes, your real estate agent will do all the necessary paperwork for you. You just have to sit there and be pretty!

Before you make an offer, it is better if you have a mortgage pre-approval letter (considering you are a serious buyer). If you have no clue what I am talking about (I didn’t):
http://loanlane.com/preapprove.php
http://www.fool.com/homecenter/finance/finance08.htm">a

It looks more convincing, it shows the seller that you are a motivated buyer. Furthermore, it is helpful to you too, because you will then get a quote, in other words, you will have an approximate estimate of the potential loan you will be getting. But don’t be fooled by the numbers you’ll hear from lenders. You have to decide for yourself how much are you willing, able and ready to pay monthly for a house. Think about it, the lenders will want to give you more money (that means more money for them, even though the criteria for lending house loans is more stringent now), nevertheless you don’t want to become a slave to your house!(Unless you really do!) Consider carefully how much you are prepared to pay each month, as your mortgage payment will consist of: principal and interest, insurance and property taxes (it may also include PMI payment, which could be avoided if your down payment equals 20% of your home’s purchase price). If you have never heard of PMI before, here is a helpful link: http://loanlane.com/preapprove.php

It is a lot different than having a simple rent payment, huh? Did I make you think twice?

2008-01-21T10:17:00.000-05:00

We’d like to purchase a house in Bucks County, PA. http://images.google.com/imgres?imgurl=http://content.answers.com/main/content/wp/en-commons/thumb/d/d6/300px-Map_of_Bucks_County_Pennsylvania_With_Municipal_and_Township_Labels.png&imgrefurl=http://www.answers.com/topic/bucks-county-pennsylvania&h=272&w=299&sz=99&hl=en&start=4&tbnid=29wYp0J_oTshPM:&tbnh=106&tbnw=116&prev=/images%3Fq%3Dbucks%2Bcounty,%2Bpa%26gbv%3D2%26svnum%3D10%26hl%3Den

We’d fancy a house with 3-4 bedrooms, 2-1/2 baths, with a nice backyard (there is a reason we didn’t choose the city life, hello suburbs!), preferably a basement, and a garage. (BTW, I’m totally enjoying my brand new 2008 car, and he (yes, it’s a boy) needs a home too!) We want a quiet, woody location, far from trains, cars and fumes. I think it sounds pretty undemanding, well, apparently not. But then again, money talks, and our price range is not that promising. Although 300-400K sounds fairly respectful, or at least to me…
The other factor playing a huge role in our home buying process is the real estate market, which is going bananas right now. The good news is that the interest rate is going down, and there is some hope that the prices of the houses will go down in the next couple of months, too, a trend following the real estate market crisis with the unsecured mortgage loans and the subsequent foreclosures, happening all over the US.
Given the huge inventory of homes already for sale plus the ones likely to come into the market as more homeowners default on their mortgages and go into foreclosure, prices are forecast to tumble another 6 percent or so in 2008. It is doubtful that prices will rebound in a significant way until 2009 at the earliest. http://money.cnn.com/2007/12/26/pf/expert/expert.moneymag

The truth is that most houses in Bucks County have kept their listing prices unchanged. We shall see.

2008-01-21T10:14:00.000-05:00

We’ve been on the lookout for a couple of months now, but we haven’t found anything that interests us that much. OK, we are a little picky, but we should be, it is going to be our first home, and if I’m trading my meager rent pay($650 per month) for a fat mortgage payment, I’d better be picky, right? ! (The very thought of it makes me a little nauseous.)
Of course, we talked a lot about what is the right thing to do, pros and cons, buying a house versus renting one. However, my family agrees on something: we are not huge fans of the idea “Every American family - a proud home owner!” (My husband and I come from an ex-communist country, we grew up with slogans and brainwashing of that kind, and we, sort of, had enough of it.) If we are being realistic, buying a house is not an investment, really, it is more an illusion of an investment, and we did the math. Believe it or not, it turns out, it’s cheaper if you simply rent and just put away, or even better, invest the “mortgage” money. Check it out for yourself:
www.dinkytown.net/java/MortgageRentvsBuy.html

I clearly see all of you now, grunting in disagreement and contempt. (To clarify, I’m talking specifically in our case; it is all relative as you know.) Anyway, that is a wholly different story, and I won’t be talking about this now, I don’t want to spoil it for you, future home owners. And again, what do I know?! Remain calm, I’ll try to keep the enthusiasm and spark alive.
Nonetheless, we have decided, we were buying a house! We wanted to have more privacy (good bye deejay-wannabe-neighbors!), we finally came up with some money, and both, my husband and I, rather like challenges.
So be it, what the heck, we are buying a house. Yay!

2008-01-21T10:09:00.000-05:00

Actually viewing houses is an enjoyable experience. I like that part the most, I mean, really, think about it, if you are fond of decorating as much as I am, or if you are ready for a change in your life (and I suppose this is one of the biggest changes of all), hunting for a house could be so much fun.
My husband and I also went to a few open houses (usually on the weekends between 2-4 pm), you’ve all seen those big open house signs, quite often nowadays. I’d recommend that, the more houses you see, the more competent you become, and able to distinguish what you really like/dislike about a house.

Real estate agents are like vultures, so in no time we met quite a number of them, and they all wanted to work with us. Personally, I don’t like very much to be hassled like that, even though aggression could get you a house faster. But see, all the real estate listings come from a huge database, and are practically the same with every real estate agency in the area. Hence, no matter how many real estate agents you meet, they all offer you the same listings, i.e. the same properties. Nonetheless, the more of them you meet, the more experienced you happen to be.
Honestly, we went back and forth about keeping our agent. Many times. Moreover, we weren’t involved in any type of agreement with her, so we were open to work with other agents as well.

And the Odyssey begins...

2008-01-21T09:48:00.000-05:00

A good real estate agent is almost crucial when looking for a house. I didn’t have the slightest idea how to find one. A friend recommended an agent, we (my husband and I) met with her and thought she was not bad. More importantly, she was an experienced and aggressive (aging) Russian lady. We talked to her about our humble desire to own a house, joked around, and never heard from her again.
Then, one sunny day, I was surfing Internet for houses, and a real estate agent’s name came up when I saw a couple of properties I happened to like. I called her, and the next thing I knew, my husband and I were seating in her office. We didn’t have to sign any contract acknowledging our buyer-agent relationship right away, but we tacitly agreed that she will be the one. She seemed cool, for some reason. Jane showed us some houses, and I liked her candor. She would point out defects, she’d say if a house was overpriced, or simply, that a house was not for us. She was very laid back, not pushy at all. I liked her. But shortly after, she disappeared too. (I don’t know, maybe this is the way they roll in the real estate world?! Alright, I suppose we are not very patient, and we want the whole thing: a nice house, in a nice neighborhood. Not too expensive. I don’t know… The mystery remains.)
My hubby and I literally had to go after Jane, our potential agent, and beg her to show us homes. We’d drive around neighborhoods we liked, go online, try to come across various ways to find houses for sale that we liked, and then call her with the MLS number of the houses we wanted to check out. (MLS stands for a Multiple Listing Service, every house for sale has one, and it is very helpful when searching for a particular house in a huge database of listings)
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Multiple_Listing_Service

Jane would then call, make appointments for us to view the houses, and of course, we’d go with her and see the properties.

BTW, you can check out prices online and take the pulse of the market in different cities and neighborhoods by going to trulia.com, zillow.com, homegain.com , as well as other sites that are featured in the "Know Your Home's Future", "The Best Money Web Sites."
http://money.cnn.com/2007/12/26/pf/expert/expert.moneymag/

It is really important to find out the selling price of other, similar to the house that you are interested in, properties. Also, how much have they sold for, if at all, how long have comparable houses been sitting on the market before they sell. This way you‘ll have a better understanding overall, and you’ll know where you stand.

2008-01-21T09:26:00.000-05:00

Well, I’m finally doing it…I’m starting my own blog, a blog about a life full of excitement, beauty, creativity, flow, fun, order and disorder, comfort, pleasure, hobbies, fusion and infusion, joy, the list can go on and on… (I know it sounds a little Martha Stewart-ish, except, I look better:). For the moment. Or so I was told.)
The bottom line is: generate something beautiful, plant a tree, redecorate your home, paint your walls a daring color, be bold, be playful, embrace your inner creativity, get inspired, do something for the soul, life is too short, you know. Wait, don’t you dare going away just yet. I know, it sounds trite and boring, but be patient, there are some more practical, some more down-to-earth stories waiting to be told, namely, my personal (and my husband’s for that matter) quest for finding the home of our dreams! (Quite thrilling, yet, quite frustrating undertaking!) I’ll be taking you all the way with me. I’ll be talking real estate agents, real estate markets, interest rates, offers, negotiations, closings….and all that jazz. No, no, no, I’m not a connoisseur, nor I’m trying to become one, not at all, I’m just an ordinary gal who is ready to buy her first home, and happens to enjoy interior design a little bit too much, that’s all. In other words, you will be able to experience with me the whole thing: finding the right house, sealing the deal, moving in, constructing, remodeling, demolishing and building, budgeting, shopping for the right stuff, being in distress and being at ease, and last, but by no means least, decorating, or to be more accurate, having fun and creating splendor! I can’t wait! And I consider this to be the key reason, the main motivator for starting this blog! I sincerely hope that you guys will enjoy this as much as I do! I promise you, I’ll do my best not to bore you much.

P.S. Any words of advice would be greatly appreciated. (After all I’m an absolute novice at this.)