Latest Trends in New Homes

Great Article!!

Some of the latest trends that Home Builders are seeing as they meet the new home buyer's needs.

These trends tend to always flow into the remodeling trends within one year to 18 months.   Thus

you may be seeing what you will want in your new home or your present home if looking to remodel a kitchen soon(for example).

Albert Clark Co- Creator, HomeActions 570 510 3507 aclark@homeactions.net HomeActions About Us Features Pricing Contact Us

Home Builders Pick Top New Home Design Trends The National Association of Home Builders recently passed out its Best in American Living Awards. The winning projects were recognized for innovative design, so they tend to highlight design trends you’ll see in new homes in coming years. BALA Chairman Stephen C. Moore, senior partner – marketing with BSB Design Inc. in Des Moines, Iowa saw an overall simplification in the designs with cleaner lines, more natural elements and an emphasis on relaxation. Here are some of the top trends from the winning projects: White, White, White Kitchens Many of the winning kitchens had white cabinets, white counter tops, white back splashes and were finished with, you guessed it, white trim. Industrial textures are being introduced, but they are muted or white. You can incorporate this look into your kitchen without committing to a full remodel by painting your cabinets and retiling the backsplash. Doubled Island Kitchens Back-to-back islands and side-by-side islands are showing up in all styles of homes—one island for cooking and preparing food, and the other for serving food and dining. Sometimes the second island takes the place of a more formal dining room table. Not ready to get rid of your dining room table? You could enlarge kitchen countertops where you already have seating. Centered Bathtubs Bathrooms are continuing to becoming more spa-like. As a result, large, well-designed tubs are becoming the center of attention. They are being pulled away from the wall and treated like sculptures. If you’ve got the bathroom floor space, this would be a fun update. Be sure to add radiant heat if you replace the floor tile. Indoor-Outdoor Living Where weather permits, indoor-outdoor transitional spaces are showing up by utilizing removable walls, screens and foldable walls. In urban homes, using extra space on the roof can give you a great view. Outdoor kitchens are particularly in demand in luxury neighborhoods. Let me know if you need help finding a hardscaping specialist who can transform your yard into a relaxing entertainment space. Natural Elements Mixed With Contemporary Materials A softer side of modern design is evolving as contemporary and industrial materials are beginning to mix with natural materials. Wood, steel and glass are a popular combination, allowing the best from both worlds. Modern textures are being combined with old-world or classical elements. If you’d like this look but don’t have the know-how to pull it off, contact me. I can refer you to a professional designer who can help. Increased Quality Of Details Across the board, the details, such as how a hand rail meets a stair, are getting better. Light, classic details that are clean and well thought-out are amplified when pulling together major pieces of a simple, clean-lined space. When you remodel, pay attention to decorative elements. Get Away Rooms Whether it is a room with a view or a game room, creating spaces that allow you to get away from everyday life are becoming popular. These spaces are designed to encourage relaxation, family-time or allow one to practice their hobbies. When adding new rooms, or repurposing rooms as kids leave the nest, consider what you like to spend time doing. You’ll get lots of use from the space by setting it up as a place where you can enjoy a hobby or pastime. Wine Rooms And Bars Wine is finding its home everywhere and anywhere. Wine displays under the stairs are beautifully filling spaces that could otherwise go to waste. Full rooms dedicated to wine or liquors are no longer just for the avid collector. Wet-bar nooks are adding to the overall encouragement of relaxing and enjoying time at home. You’d be amazed at the wonderful ways today’s wine-room designers can make use of existing space. Adding a dining table near a wine cellar or wine closet creates an instant wine room. Image source: Jauregui Architecture Interiors Construction

Airbags aren't the Only Recall!!!

 Recalls:  Take Care

We all know about the present challenge with the airbag recall that has been all over the press.  It is a very serious situation that I am sure we all are together in hoping the auto companies resolve this quickly for their car owners.

Though the airbag recall is noted at the end of the list, there are seven other recalls that I hadn't heard about that you may really want to be aware of for your personal well-being.

Al Clark's Home Again newsletter shared these recalls that range for smoke detectors to lawn mowers.  

Please read and ensure your family will be safe!!

Do You Have These Dangerous Products In Your Home?

Kiddie and Interlogix Smoke and Combination Smoke/CO Alarms

Kiddie is recalling about 1.2 million home smoke and carbon monoxide detectors. The recalled models are i12010S, il2010SCO and KN-COSM-IB. The model number and manufacture dates are printed on a label on the back of the alarm.

The alarms are hard-wired into your home's electric power and were sold by CED, City Electric Supply, HD Supply, Home Depot, Menards Inc. and other retailers, electrical distributors and online at Amazon.com, HomeDepot.com and shopkidde.com from January 2014 through July 2014 for between $30 and $50.

Sanus Simplicity SLF5 Television Wall Mounts

The nut securing the television to the main arm assembly can loosen causing the attached television to become detached from the arm assembly, posing an impact hazard.

The recall affects 207,000 mounts sold at Costco from July 2013 to September 2014 for about $125.

Fiskars Bypass Lopper Shears

The lopper handles of these 32" bypass shears can break when attempting to cut branches, posing a risk of serious injury and laceration. This recall involves about 277,000 loppers sold at Home Depot stores nationwide and online at HomeDepot.com from May 2011 through June 2014 for about $40.

"FISKARS” is printed on one handle and product identification information, including model number 6954, is printed on a label on the opposite handle above the barcode.The firm has received 11 reports of incidents involving lopper handles breaking, including reports of bruising and lacerations, some required stitches to the head and face.

Hearth & Home Gas Fireplaces, Stoves, Inserts and Log Sets

The gas valve in certain Hearth & Home Technologies®, Heat-N-Glo®, Heatilator®, Outdoor Lifestyles® and Quadra Fire® natural or propane gas indoor and outdoor fireplaces, stoves, inserts and log sets can leak creating a fire hazard.

The recall affects about 20,000 units sold by fireplace stores from May 2014 through July 2014 for between $1,200 and $8,000.

Ace Bayou Bean Bag Chair

Ace Bayou Corp. has recalled over 2 million bean bag chairs following the deaths of two children. The zippers on the bean bag chairs can be opened and children can then crawl inside, get trapped and suffocate or choke on the bean bag chair’s foam beads.

The recalled chairs with zippers that open were sold in a variety of sizes, shapes, colors and fabrics. They include round or L-shaped, vinyl or fabric, and are filled with polystyrene foam beads. They were sold in a variety of colors, including purple, violet, blue, red, pink, yellow, Kelly green, black, port, navy, lime, royal blue, turquoise, tangerine and multi-color. “ACE BAYOU CORP” is printed on a tag sewn into the bean bag chair’s cover seam.

The recalled bean bag chairs were sold at Bergner's, Big Lots, Bon-Ton, Boston Store, Carson's, Elder-Beerman, Herberger's, Meijer, Pamida, School Specialty, Wayfair, Walmart and Younkers stores and online at Amazon.com, Meijer.com, Walmart.com and other websites before July 2013 for between $30 and $100.

Vornado Air Recalls Electric Space Heaters

This recall includes about 79,000 Vornado VH110 Whole Room Vortex electric space heaters sold in two colors, black and white. The heater can overheat and cause the units to melt, catch fire and ignite nearby items, posing a fire and burn hazard to consumers.

The heaters were sold at Bed Bath & Beyond, Home Depot, Menards, Orchard Supply, Target and other retailers nationwide and online at Vornado.com and Amazon.com from June 2013 through May 2014 for about $60.

Briggs & Stratton Snapper Rear Engine Riding Mowers

Weld on the drive axle can fail resulting in loss of brake control, posing an injury hazard. The 8,500 Briggs & Stratton Snapper Rear Engine Riding Mowers recalled are red with a black fuel tank, steering wheel and seat. The name Snapper is printed on both sides of the mower. The mowers were sold at Family Farm stores, Power Equipment Direct and Briggs & Stratton Snapper dealers nationwide from April 2013 through May 2014 for between $1,300 and $2,000.

Auto Airbag Recall

Over seven million Toyota, Honda, Mazda, BMW, Nissan, Mitsubishi, Subaru, Chrysler, Ford and General Motors vehicles may have been recalled because they have  defective Takata airbags. The recall was first issued 18 months ago but was updated in October.

Many of the vehicles involved were shipped to Florida, Puerto Rico, limited areas near the Gulf of Mexico in Texas, Alabama, Mississippi, Georgia, and Louisiana, as well as Guam, Saipan, American Samoa, Virgin Islands and Hawaii.

The Safercar.gov VIN lookup tool will tell you if your car is involved in the recall.

Do I Hear A Credit Score Rising??

The Credit Bureau Changes

Hurt or Help?

Not long ago, I had posted on this blog a note on the changes coming to the FICO credit score created and distributed(sold) to by Fair Issac.

Knowing your credit score is very important as it impacts mortgage rates, car loans, credit card loans, insurance rates and so much more.  The changes came as a result of consumer groups and the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau(newly created after the fiasco in 2008) put pressure on Fair Issac.

The complaint, addressed in the changes, is that medical debt, collection debt paid, and the practice of not using credit heavily should not weight so heavily on an individuals credit score.

You will see in the article below that the changes have been made. You should be doing hand stands if your credit score was hampered by any of these causes if it is true that your credit score took a 25 point improvement(i.e. 650 to 675) with the change.

Such a bounce will definitely change your credit costs in the future and just may help you buy that car or house that you were hoping to buy in 2014.

No doubt, as with most credit related items, time will help that score to rise even further!!!!

Don't hurt yourself doing the hand stand!!!

Love your thoughts!  Did you benefit??? 

Albert Clark Co- Creator, HomeActions 570 510 3507 aclark@homeactions.net Scranton, PA HomeActions About Us Features Pricing Contact Us

FICO Changes Score Calculations: Will Your Score Rise? A change in the way the popular FICO credit score is calculated could boost your score if: You've settled past debts with a collection agency. You have unpaid medical bills. Your credit is thin because you're just starting out or you're a retiree who no longer uses a lot of credit. Fair Isaac, the company that sells the FICO credit score to mortgage lenders, auto lenders, credit card companies and banks, says it’s changing its formula to give less importance to unpaid medical bills and debts that consumers settled with collection agencies. In general, the higher your credit score, the less interest you pay when you borrow money to buy a home or a car, or to pay via a credit card. If your score drops too low, you may not be able to get a loan or a credit card. Here’s what will change starting this fall: If your medical debt is the only unpaid bill on your credit report: Your score could rise by about 25 points.  If your debt was sold to a collection agency and you then paid it: That won’t lower your FICO score. If you don't use credit much: Fair Issac will use other data, like rent payments, to bolster the accuracy of your score. Fair Issac made the change after a Consumer Financial Protection Bureau report argued that medical debt isn't a strong indicator that a consumer won’t pay other types of debt.  When your credit score rises, chances are you’ll first see an improvement in the rates you’re charged for credit cards, auto loans and personal loans. Your mortgage rate may take longer to come down because most lenders follow Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac’s lending guidelines. Those guidelines tell lenders to use a very specific mortgage credit score rather than the latest version of the FICO score. Currently, the average Fannie Mae borrower has a FICO of 744, while the average Freddie Mac borrower has a 749.