When my husband and I bought a beach vacation condo last fall, we knew the place needed work. But because our goal was to rent it out to cover the carrying costs and occasionally enjoy the place ourselves, we didn’t want to overdo the improvements. We wanted to do “just enough” to spi up the place and not blow our budget. (For the record, costs are still outpacing rent but the season’s not over!)
Because we know that the kitchen is the most important part of a home, and that cabinets are the most important part of a kitchen, we looked for an a ordable way to update the 20-year-old oak cabinets. They dragged the whole place down. Our options: replace, reface or repaint.
Ooof! Ka-ching!
All new cabinets were out of the question. Refacing them, which involves keeping the cabinet boxes and shelves but changing the doors, drawer fronts and hardware, was less expensive but still costly. That le the option of painting the existing wood cabinets, which made me nervous.
I have seen old cabinets get a paint makeover and look fantastic. I have also seen jobs where the cabinets end up looking worse than before. The paint blisters, akes, chips and peels like a bad manicure. The old ugly wood shows through and the hinges are gummed up.
I looked online for encouragement.
■ See JAMESON, page 4
Whitewash those cabinets — Paint is the least expensive way to update tired kitchen
ones pictured before and after painting. The key to a long-lasting nish is to sand and
and allow for
use
with big windows. A gardener and a rockhound lived here! Kids will have a ball hunting for cool rocks, playing cowboys, or just being kids! Enjoy plants and trees that were once lovingingly cared for including a magnoila tree, grapefruit tree, hydrangea, lilac, roses, wisteria & more. Fantastic parcel is fully fenced and gated with a circular driveway. Loads of room for trucks, boats, gardens, sports play or a pool. Located just two minutes to the quaint town of El Dorado with famous Poor Reds BBQ. Two minutes to hike/bike trail; 7 minutes to groceries/shops; 6 minutes or less to nearby elementary, middle, high school! Country life is calling! What are you waiting for? SEE MOVIE TOUR: WWW.TOTEMPOLEHOUSEINELDORADO.COM $575k
“No person shall be deprived of life, liberty or property without due process of law, nor shall private property be taken for public use, without just compensation.”
Private property rights were important to our forefathers, which is why they incorporated protections into the Fi h Amendment of the Constitution. The government has the power to take private property through eminent domain but only through a judicial process and it must pay market value.
The Constitution was rati ed In July of 1788 but 236 years later, property owners continue to ght against the government’s over-reach of taking private property without compensation to property owners. Regulatory agencies may not actually seize a property, but their regulations may make a property worthless to the property owner.
A er his father passed, Jim inherited a residentially zoned lakefront property that had been in the family since 1939. Once the estate was settled, Jim made a trip to the county’s planning o ce and met with a planner
to discuss building a modest lakefront home where he was planning to retire. The planner provided Jim a list of items and other departments that would all need to approve his building plans before the county would issue a permit.
Jim hired an architect to design the house, an engineer for soil and drainage studies and an environmental rm to assess and mitigate any known environmental issues. A er 14 months, Jim had his house plans and an environmental report showing the house would not have a negative impact on the lake.
There was, however, a notation in the environmental report regarding an abandoned eagle’s nest in a pine tree about
200 feet from where Jim was planning to build his home. Since the nest wasn’t in use and the tree would remain, the environmental report dismissed any negative impact. The county thought di erently and required Jim to furnish a report by an ornithologist and an approval from the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service.
Jim was to discover that from 1970, landowners with a single bald eagle nest on their property were prevented from building anything on their own land. That’s because the bald eagle was listed as an Endangered Species, and for good reason. In the 1960s only a few hundred bald eagles remained in the lower 48
I found many YouTube videos of DIYers tackling this project. God bless them. Now I am not going to tell you whether you should or should not do this yourself, except to say you should not.
When Anne Tyler, one of my favorite authors, was re ecting on her work, she endearingly said, “Reading my own books always feels like lying awake in a bedroom I’ve painted myself. The mistakes are so noticeable and so upsetting.”
I feel exactly the same way about my writing and my paint jobs. I called up Jerry White, owner of JW Painting in Orlando, whose services I have used over the past 10 years, and asked him to assess the job. JW has been in the painting business for 25 years. His best painter, Alfredo, has worked with him 20 of those years. I love Alfredo.
“Tell me that painting these cabinets white would be a bad idea,” I said.
“We can absolutely paint these and they’ll look great,” he assured me.
“They won’t bubble and peel?”
“Not if you prep right, use a good product and allow enough dry time,” he said. “Done right, the paint will last for years.”
Last week Alfredo painted the once yellow-oak cabinets Sherwin-Williams Pure White. I then replaced the old dull hardware with new chrome knobs and pulls. The result: a brighter, newerlooking kitchen, within our budget. Sort of.
If you’re looking to update your cabinets and still aren’t sure which option is for you, here’s what to consider:
• Weigh the property value. When deciding how much to invest in your home’s cabinetry, ask whether the return will be worth it. Factor in the property value and whether the rest of the home, the real estate market and the surrounding neighborhood would support the upgrade.
• Replace cabinets if you are changing your kitchen’s layout or if the existing cabinet boxes (the structure that hangs from the wall and holds the shelves) are in bad shape. Last month I wrote about my daughter’s kitchen remodel, which involved replacing cabinets, an excellent choice in her case. Although this is the most expensive and timeintensive option, it will bring the greatest
transformation.
• Reface cabinets if you are not changing your kitchen’s con guration and if the cabinet boxes aren’t waterdamaged or structurally unsound. Refacing existing cabinets can dramatically upgrade your kitchen and give the look of new cabinets for about half the cost, o ering a welcome compromise.
• Paint your cabinets if they are basically in good condition, you still like their style, your kitchen layout isn’t changing, you want a faster x and you don’t want to over improve for the market. Though a good professional paint job won’t be cheap (beware if it is), painting generally costs less than half what you’ll pay to reface, giving you the biggest bang for your buck. If you want to retain the look of wood, staining lets you change the color without hiding the grain.
If you paint, don’t cut corners. To get those durable, long-lasting results, JW says you have to prep well, use good products and not rush. Alfredo wiped down the cabinets, removed handles and de-glossed the wood surface with ne sandpaper. Although some painters remove door hinges, in White’s experience, getting the hinges back on and getting the doors to hang just right can be challenging. Instead, Alfredo taped them o and painted around them. Next he primed all the surfaces and let the primer dry overnight. He then handpainted the cabinets with high-quality, durable paint using a 4-inch velour roller. Spraying paint on is also an option, but you need a large, open area free of wind, which can bring dust and debris. Although JW used Sherwin-Williams ProClassic Smooth Enamel semi-gloss acrylic latex for all the interior trim in the condo, he used the even tougher (and more expensive) Emerald urethane semi-gloss trim enamel for the cabinets. Alfredo applied three coats over two days. Three days later, I added the new hardware. And, presto! New kitchen. Marni Jameson is the author of seven books including the newly released “Rightsize Today to Create Your Best Life Tomorrow,” “What to Do With Everything You Own to Leave the Legacy You Want” and “Downsizing the Family Home.” You may reach her at marnijameson.com.
states.
The government’s protection e orts for the bald eagle worked so well that by 1997 FWS was ready to delist the bird as a protective species. In 1999 President Bill Clinton announced that the FWS would delist the bird. However, that never happened. Although studies show the bald eagles were now plentiful and the species was no longer in danger, the bird remained protected. The FWS regulations provided, “No human activity within 330 feet of a bald eagle nest” and “disturbing” a bald eagle’s nest came with a $100,000 ne and/or a year in jail. It didn’t matter that the nest had been abandoned. The eagles could return.
A er two years and having invested $250,000 in initial development studies, Jim could not do anything with his property. He was stuck. He o ered to sell the property to the government. They refused. By preventing him from using his property, a government agency had essentially acquired his property without compensation.
“The Constitution protects property owners from government takings,” Jim told the local newspaper. “It doesn’t say, unless eagles need a home.”
Jim eventually led a lawsuit against the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. Two years later, a district court ruled the government needed to remove the bald eagle from the Endangered Species List. Jim died before he could nalize his building
permit but hundreds of property owners, who have been prevented from building on their properties, now bene t from Jim’s ght for private property rights.
Few property owners have a protected species preventing them from building, but government agencies and lawmakers continue to pass regulations and approve fees that restrict property owners from developing their property.
In April, a unanimous U.S. Supreme Court decision, Sheetz v. El Dorado County, ruled the Taking Clause in the Fi h Amendment applies equally to legislative and government agencies. Neither can impose unconstitutional conditions on land use permits and that permit conditions must be proportional to the development’s impact on the use of the land.
George Sheetz had applied for a county building permit for an 1,800-square-foot manufactured home on his property. Before the county would issue a building permit it required George to pay a $23,420 tra c mitigation fee. George argued that conditioning a building permit on the payment of the tra c impact fee constituted an unlawful “exaction” of money in violation of the Takings Clause. The fee had no correlation to his road use. The fee was the same regardless of the size of the home or the number of occupants. George paid the fee under protest and obtained his permit. He then led a lawsuit against
the county. Seven years later he won another ght for private property rights. Private property rights continue to be under assault. Recently, the Biden administration introduced a plan for national rent control. Legislation has been approved by the California Assembly that will restrict homeowners from selling their homes to corporations despite the price they are o ered. Both state and federal lawmakers are considering the wealth tax as a revenue source. Hopefully, the Supreme Court will continue to uphold the Fi h Amendment.
Ken Calhoon is a real estate broker in El Dorado County. He can be reached for questions and comments at ken@ kencalhoon.com.
All real estate advertising in this newspaper is subject to the federal Fair Housing Act which makes it illegal to advertise “any preference, limitation or discrimination based on race, color, religion, sex, physical handicap, familial status or national origin, or an intention to make any such preferences, limitation or discrimination.”
California also extends protection based on age and marital status. The Mountain Democrat makes every effort to comply with these federal and state regulations. We ask your assistance in maintaining an acceptable standard of advertising. While they may seem inconvenient at times, these laws are written to protect you, our readers and advertisers, as well as ourselves. This newspaper will not knowingly accept any advertising for real estate which is in violation of the law. Our readers are hereby informed that all dwellings advertised in this paper are available on an equal opportunity basis. For further information, you can call the Dept. of Fair Employment & Housing at (916) 445-9918 or the State Dept. of Consumer Affairs at (800) 344-9940.Note: Rental ads that contain the phrase “Single Occupancy” refer only to the physical characteristics of the dwelling and are not intended to state a preference of either marital or familial status.
Serene retreat in Auburn Lake Trail. 3 acres of natural beauty, offering direct access to the extensive trail system, perfect for hiking and riding. Beautiful 2,300 sf Craftsman Style home offers 5 possible bedrooms w/3 full baths. Remodeled kitchen w/granite counters & island provide the feeling of living in a treehouse. Newly built deck. Lower level features guest bedrooms and bathroom, and a separate living room with wood burning stove. The gated community features pools, golf, tennis, lakes, & trails. Embrace a lifestyle of relaxation & beauty, where every day feels like a getaway in your own private paradise. MLS#224069948
3 bedroom + office, 2 full baths, 3 car garage on 3 acres with barn and creek. Built in 2021. Exquisite newer custom home in a special neighborhood within walking distance to town. Thoughtfully designed with taste and energy efficiency in mind, this stunning newer home includes a 50 year Cool composition roof, 2x6 construction, Low E Milgard windows, superior insulation, and more. Experience rural living with modern excellence! MLS# 224056854
Above the fog & below the snow, with sweeping views from Mount Diablo to Sutter Buttes. Very unique opportunity to own larger 10 ac. parcel w/convenient location & truly custom home w/4 bedrooms, 3.5 baths + an office & Owned 8kw Solar System . 2 minutes drive to supermarket, 5 min to El Dorado Hills & European style Town Center, 7 min to Bidwell exit in Folsom w/Palladio Mall & about anything you could need, plus forty minute drive to Sacramento Int. Airport. This custom home features 9 ft. ceilings throughout w/an elegant entry w/ winding stairway & soaring ceiling w/two operable skylights in open, catwalk hallway above. Excellent floor plan includes great room concept with 17x18.5 Family Room w/woodstove & amazing views, as well as covered balcony with spa. Wonderful home for entertaining with/15x15 Dining Room w/coffered ceiling & 16x20 Living Room w/huge picture windows, & transoms too. Kitchen w/4x7 island & plenty of counter & storage space, new appliances, pantry & wine fridge. Stunning Master Retreat three sided fireplace, soaking tub, new shower, skylight, 6’x 8’ walk-in closet w/access to laundry room & a private balcony. Lighted full size tennis court, 40x30 1200 sq. ft. garage, 34x13.5 R.V. building and 2bd. 1.5 bath. A.D.U.! MLS#224072459 $1,500,000
Meticulously maintained Placerville. Truly the from Main Street conveniences. where large windows granite countertops, fresh generously sized updated large deck o the main landscape has been carefully peace of mind. Downstairs family room for entertaining the perfect outdoor space
This Gorgeous 4 bd/3 ba, home is on 10 scenic acres in the heart of Gold Hill. Light & airy is the best way to describe this well crafted home, with an indoor atrium, Vaulted Ceiling. Skylights & Walls of windows. Cool off in the summer in an inground pool. There are 3 separate living areas, with a walkin basement, that has a wet bar and a full bath. This area could easily be converted to in-law quarters. First time on the market. RE/MAX
maintained by the original owners, this hidden gem rests on 1.4 acres within the city limits of best of both worlds, what feels like a private retreat with serene views is just minutes away conveniences. From the front door you can see through the kitchen to the back of the home reveal a remarkable natural landscape. e desirable oorplan o ers nine-foot ceilings, fresh interior paint throughout, and a cozy replace. e primary ensuite bath includes a updated shower with dual shower heads and a low-pro le entry. Relax and rejuvenate on the main living area with ample space to entertain indoors or out. Outdoors the surrounding carefully tended to, the exterior has been recently painted and a Generac generator o ers Downstairs you’ll nd two additional large bedrooms and a full bathroom with a separate entertaining or hosting guests for extended stays. A second covered deck downstairs creates space for staying cool in the shade and allows easy access to the yard below. MLS#224033225 $735,000
3785 Coon Hollow Road, Placerville
Welcome to your dream home nestled just minutes from downtown Placerville. This exquisite single-story custom home offers 4 bedrooms and 3 baths, including two luxurious primary suites, each with heated oors, ensuite bathrooms, and walk-in closets. Save on energy bills with the owned solar system and enjoy peace of mind with a 22KW backup propane generator. Designed to maximize natural light, the home boasts a warm and inviting ambiance throughout. The upgraded kitchen is a chef’s dream, featuring high end Sub-Zero and Wolf appliances, glass countertops, and more. The open layout ows seamlessly into the large family room, perfect for entertaining guests. With 2,852 sqft of living space on a 1-acre lot, this home offers an entertainer’s oor plan with a welcoming living room, formal dining area, and a large covered patio leading to a backyard oasis. Enjoy the convenience of ample parking, a three-car garage, and covered RV parking. Additional features include upgraded Anderson Windows throughout, attic storage, and custom nishes and details. Experience the perfect blend of luxury, comfort, and convenience in this beautiful Placerville home. Don’t miss the opportunity to make it yours!
$895,000
$1,599,000
$1,650,000
$1,825,000
$2,550,000
$2,685,000
$2,687,000
POLLOCK PINES $1,100,000
This is more than a home, more than just another estate, it’s a legacy, a legacy of hard work, caring and love. For almost 40 years, this area’s most successful builder has built and refined this magnificent Country Manor. It has seen Weddings, countless spirited Basketball games, and hundreds of swim parties. The three acre property is located on a hilltop that is only 1/2 mile from fishing or water skiing at Sly Park Lake, only one hour from Lake Tahoe and Sacramento. It boasts a view of the Crystal range mountains and the 10, 000 foot high, snow covered Pyramid Peak. It features a pool house with a full bath, a gaming court, a heated pool , and gazebo. The grounds have lush lawns and gardens amongst a forest of towering Cedars and Pines. This is the perfect elevation. with four distinct seasons, allowing for family fun all year long. The home itself is over 4200 square feet, with 4 bedrooms and 3 full baths, It has a soaring open beam ceiling and a wall of windows that let in the sunshine and expansive views. The hardwood floors radiate warmth, and the huge chef’s kitchen opens to the living and dining room for causal mountain style living. Down the elaborate staircase, you will find the family fun center, with a full bath. Start your Legacy today!
by the Department of Business Oversight under the California Finance Lenders law - #6073455. CA Department of Business Oversight - 866-275-2677. California - Bureau of Real Estate Branch Of ce License Endorsement #00988341 1-2024
$634,000 MLS#224073564
Placerville Ranch home on 5 useable acres! You will spend lots of time at the Built in swimming pool w/spa, pool area fenced. Or in the 2 SHOPS!
Man cave. Solar. Tall R/V-Boat port. Updated kitchen, 4+ bedrooms, 3 baths. Local views. 5 oak treed acres, partially fenced & mostly useable! Home needs a bit of fixing up, but has potential plus! Call Ty & Marysue for a tour!
DRE#00972284 & #00896013 THE RUSSELLS ~ TY & MARYSUE (530) 417-3727
DRE#01246556 TheRussellsRE@gmail.com THE RUSSELLS PROUDLY PRESENT:
WHAT A FANTASTIC PLACE TO CALL HOME!!
Beautiful 2007 Manufactured Home in a Desirable Park, Newer Vinyl Plank Flooring, Vinyl Blinds. Beautiful Kitchen with Local Views, Nice Living Area with Den and/or Formal Dining Room. Large Fenced Back Yard for Outdoor Enjoyment and Gardening. Located on a Cozy Cul-De-Sac. Park Features Mature Landscaping, Club House, Indoor Pool, and More.
JULIE CLARK (530) 306-7661
