LISTING OF THE WEEK
HOUSE PLAN
Deer Creek large home
Nostalgic charm
The Listing of the Week is a large home with a two-car workshop and other extras in the Deer Creek area. PAGE 7F
The country-style Pine Hill makes an ideal retreat cottage, but it is equally well suited for year-round living. PAGE 8F
REAL ESTATE SMART MOVES
Housing market benefits buyers Two years ago, a young family’s hopes of buying a spacious suburban house they loved were dashed. No lender would approve their mortgage. But after cleaning up their finances, a few days ago these first-time buyers jumped the hurdles to become proud owners of an even bigger place. “They were shocked and thrilled at how much more house they could get than expected. They got a five-bedroom, multilevel home with a threecar garage and a sunken living room. Plus it’s move-in ready,” said Jacqueline Hoff, the couple’s real estate broker. Why are many firsttime buyers faring better than a couple of years ago? Hoff cited several factors. More home sellers are realistic on pricing and willing to bargain. Mortgage rates have slid to nearrecord lows. And many wannabe buyers have bettered their balance sheets. For instance, this family paid off their student loans and wiped out a big car-related debt. They also cut expenses, saving enough cash for a down payment on a Federal Housing Administration-backed mortgage. Their improved financial picture made them more appealing to lenders. “More buyers are getting back to basics because they know there are amazing opportunities out there,” said Hoff, who’s affiliated with the Council of Residential Specialists (www.crs.com). Still, she said most first-time buyers now refuse to max out on a mortgage. “People are cautiously optimistic about the economy improving. But they don’t want to be house-poor. Families want to have money to go to the zoo, buy presents at holidays and to have nice dinners out,” she said. Young buyers, especially, don’t want to overextend themselves on a house, said Merrill Ottwein, who heads a realty firm that works solely with buyers. “They’ve seen too many people in the older generation lose their properties to foreclosure and refuse to let it happen to them,” Ottwein said. Ottwein said first-time buyers with stable jobs are gradually feeling more positive about real estate. Despite the encouraging SEE SMART, PAGE 2F
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THE NATION’S HOUSING
THE OKLAHOMAN | NEWSOK.COM
SATURDAY, MARCH 3, 2012
Ellen James Martin
Kenneth Harney
Golden Pond homes help people live freely
End to mortgage relief? Given the huge resources being devoted to helping financially distressed homeowners, you might assume that a key federal tax law benefit underpinning these efforts would be a shoo-in for renewal. Not so fast. PAGE 4F
IN BRIEF GOOD REPAIR MANUAL
Sarah Skinner sits at the kitchen island designed so a wheelchair can pull up to it in her unit at Jack Mills’ On Golden Pond neighborhood. The development on the northeast corner of NW 36 and Amelia, near NW 39 and Meridian Avenue, specializes in units that are affordable and accessible to the elderly and people with disabilities. PHOTO BY NATE BILLINGS, THE OKLAHOMAN BY DYRINDA TYSON For The Oklahoman dyrinda@gmail.com
For Sarah Skinner, the world opened up when she was 13, within the four walls of a home offering everything she needed — space to maneuver her wheelchair, and the nuts and bolts of everyday life built within her reach. She was finally able to brush her teeth on her own at a bathroom sink she could access. Spina bifida has confined Skinner to a wheelchair her whole life, but the 1,100-square-foot duplex she and her mother, Margo Skinner, moved into in 2004 was the first wheelchair-accessible home she’d encountered. “It’s good,” said Sarah Skinner, 20. “It feels good to finally be able to do things on my own.” “It’s kind of a blessing and a curse, though,” her mother said, grinning at her. “You know, ‘Mom doesn’t do everything for me anymore.’ ” Except for occasional help locating a rogue cellphone, Sarah Skinner has blossomed into an independent soul with her own tasks and her own dreams. She enrolled at Oklahoma State University-Oklahoma City this semester, testing the academic waters. A Metro Transit bus pulls into the driveway to pick her up for class. “I want to become a sign language interpreter,” she said. “It’s so much fun.”
Developer’s dream And if Jack Mills has his way, she’ll someday take that a step further — living
A good home repair manual is arguably just as valuable to a toolbox as a hammer or screwdriver. Stephen Fanuka and Edward Lewine have teamed up on one that’s easy for a firsttime homeowner to understand and use. “What’s a Homeowner to Do?” combines the knowhow of Fanuka, a Manhattan contractor featured on DIY Network’s “Million Dollar Contractor,” and Lewine, author of the Domains and Ask the Contractor columns in The New York Times Magazine. Their book contains information for people from raw novices to more seasoned do-ityourselfers, addressing everything from how to hammer a nail to how to replace a window. “What’s a Homeowner to Do?” is published by Artisan Books and sells for $17.95 in softcover.
EASY WALL TOUCH-UPS
Jack Mills is shown near the pond at his Golden Pond neighborhood, which has affordable homes accessible to the elderly and people with disabilities, on the northeast corner of NW 36 and Amelia in Oklahoma City. PHOTO BY NATE BILLINGS, THE OKLAHOMAN
in her own cottage just a few steps from the duplex she and her mother now share. Stakes mark where he hopes to build the 500square-foot structure, essentially a studio apartment with few walls that will roll away with a voice command, and cabinetry situated to leave most of the space free for a wheelchair. Monitors would allow mother and daughter to check in with each other, and each could shut her side off. The concept isn’t exactly new. The rising popularity of the “granny pod,” a mini mobile home that could be set up in a backyard to house an elderly relative, first got notice a couple of years ago.
In 2010, Seattle changed its zoning ordinances to accommodate cottages similar to the one Mills envisions, aiming to better use limited urban space, make housing more affordable and offer flexibility to families who want to live near an elderly relative or adult child. Similar moves have been made in Denver and other cities across the country. Mills said he is picking his way through a city government obstacle course to get his own project approved. “There’s a long process to getting this done,” he said.
A bright vision Sarah and Margo Skinner are among about a half-dozen residents living
in duplexes Mills has had built on the 2½ acres surrounding his rock home at NW 36 and Amelia — near NW 39 and Meridian Avenue — a home hand-built by his grandparents just as the Dust Bowl was beginning to kick up across the Great Plains. Dubbed “Golden Pond” in honor of the 1981 movie, the last for Mills’ favorite actor, Henry Fonda, the miniature community features duplexes especially tailored to the handicapped and elderly. All back up to Golden Pond, where ducks, geese and one very vocal guinea hen provide entertainment. Mills, 74, and his family grew up in the big stone SEE MOBILITY, PAGE 2F
The Slobproof Paint Pen makes it easy to keep walls looking freshly painted. The pen is simply a plastic tube with a brush top that you fill with the same paint used on your wall, trim or other painted surface. A cap keeps the paint from drying out between uses, so it’s always handy for touching up dings, discolorations and other small flaws. The pen was created by Debbie Wiener, an interior designer who specializes in mess-proof interiors. It can be ordered from her website, www.slobproof.com. A set of two paint pens and a syringe for filling them costs $19.99 plus shipping. MCT INFORMATION SERVICES
INDEX Permits Stone
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REAL ESTATE
THE OKLAHOMAN | NEWSOK.COM
Mobility: Developer works to make homes accessible Left: Sue Dunham sits at her computer in the master bedroom, which she also uses as an office, in her unit at Jack Mills’ Golden Pond neighborhood in northwest Oklahoma City. PHOTO BY NATE BILLINGS, THE OKLAHOMAN
FROM PAGE 1F
house, and Mills has lived there since his mother died 17 years ago. “My brother remembers 1941 — Pearl Harbor — listening to the radio next to this fireplace, and (President Franklin D.) Roosevelt telling them about the bombing,” Mills said, pointing to a sunken fireplace in his wood-paneled living room. Mills said marketing is his passion, and it has led him around the world. He routinely led junkets to Acapulco and other farflung points through the 1970s, and he briefly tried life as a restaurateur with General Jack’s Pizza in Norman before that.
Providing access But 17 years ago, when he looked over renovations a neighborhood man made to his own home, his life changed direction. “I didn’t know the word ‘accessible,’ what it really meant,” he said. But with his eyes opened, he made plans. “I was sitting here with this land all paid for, so I went downtown and got it rezoned,” he said. With each new duplex, the designs have been tweaked. Sue Dunham occupies the oldest, moving to Golden Pond with her husband, Carroll C. Dunham, and beloved pup Troubles right after Mills completed the first duplex. Her husband and dog have died, but Dunham, 85, lives on amid gleaming antiques and treasures in her 1,500-square-foot unit. Family photos scattered around her bedroom and across the dresser include one of a young man with a beaming smile: her husband in younger days. “He was a sweet man,” she said. An eating bar divides her living room from the kitchen, a design element Mills has abandoned in subsequent duplexes. “It’s useless, you know, for seniors,” Mills said. But other elements, such as the oversized, step-in shower in the bathroom, are welcome, Dunham said. “I never had a shower ’til I got over here. I always used the bathtub,” she said. “I wasn’t sure I’d like it, but once I had one, I wouldn’t go back to a bathtub for anything.” Among the newest duplexes is the home of Inola Collard, where a center
Ilona Collard shows the lowered countertops in the bathroom of her unit in the Golden Pond neighborhood in northwest Oklahoma City. PHOTO BY NATE BILLINGS, THE OKLAHOMAN
The opening of the garage door is higher than in typical garages to accommodate the high-top van at Ilona Collard’s unit in Jack Mills’ Golden Pond neighborhood. The small development specializes in units that are affordable and accessible to the elderly and people with disabilities. PHOTO BY NATE BILLINGS, THE OKLAHOMAN
work island in the kitchen has replaced the eating bar, and the stove sits lower to accommodate a wheelchair. Collard has offered Mills constructive criticism. “I never use my oven.” she said. “I told him if he builds more, he needs to drop the counters, put a convection oven in there
and a microwave oven, and that’s all you need. You’re not going to do major cooking, baking and all that.” The kitchen island plays a big role in the Skinners’ home as well. “Oh my gosh, she has spent so much time at this island,” Margo Skinner said of her daughter. “It’s
the perfect height. She eats on it — we just love it.” Mother and daughter hope Mills’ cottage plans will one day take shape next door. Sarah Mills has grown more independent during the years at Golden Pond, Margo Skinner said. “Eventually, I want her to be solely in charge of herself.”
Smart: Look for fixable problems FROM PAGE 1F
signs, Ottwein, a past president of the National Association of Exclusive Buyer Agents (www. naeba.org), urges buyers to take special care when selecting a home. “People no longer count on appreciation to bail them out if they make a mistake and pay too much or buy the wrong house,” Ottwein said. Are you seeking to buy
your first home? Make your first step a visit to the mortgage lender’s office. Though the real estate market is slowly strengthening in many areas, mortgage-lending standards remain stringent. This makes it especially important that would-be buyers make their first stop the office of a reputable lender. There they can obtain mortgage “pre-approval,”
meaning the lender will verify that they have the wherewithal to buy and define their borrowing capacity. Shop for housing in the strongest neighborhoods you can afford. Because of lower home prices, Ottwein said more prime neighborhoods are now within the reach of first-time buyers. “Look for a very viable neighborhood with strong schools and homogene-
ously good upkeep — not one where many homes have fallen into disrepair and are going through foreclosure,” he said. “The key for buyers is to distinguish between a house with little problems that are fixable for a small sum and a house with big problems that would cost a fortune to fix.” To contact Ellen James Martin, email her at ellenjamesmartin@gmail.com. UNIVERSAL UCLICK
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Five agents join Paradigm’s east office FROM STAFF REPORTS
MIDWEST CITY — Five real estate agents have joined Paradigm AdvantEdge Real Estate’s east office, 2150 S Douglas, Suite F, in Midwest City I Kathy Waite has a bachelor’s degree in business management from Park University in Parkville, Mo. She served for five years in the U.S. Air Force and worked as an office manager for a government contractor at Tinker Air Force Base before entering the real estate business five years ago. I Ruth Johnson earned a
Debbie Campbell
Ruth Johnson
Stephanie Matthews
Shawna Stephens
Kathy Waite
bachelor’s degree at the University of Central Oklahoma. She was a teacher in Mid-Del schools for 13 years. She has been selling residential real estate for the past 23 years.
I Shawna Stephens is a native of the metro area and has been selling real estate for the past six years. I Debbie Campbell has a degree in applied science
form Rose State College. Before entering the real estate business seven years ago, she worked for a dental practice and for a major
national bank. I Stephanie Matthews is a native of the Oklahoma City area and studied business at Oklahoma City
Community College before working in banking and sales. She has been selling real estate for the past six years.
Sales of existing homes up 4.3 percent in January BY MARKETWATCH MCT Information Services
WASHINGTON — Sales of existing homes rose 4.3 percent in January and inventories fell to nearly seven-year lows, as lower prices, unusually warm weather and an improving economy all lifted demand. The National Association of Realtors said that January sales were at a seasonally adjusted annual rate of 4.57 million, compared to a MarketWatch-compiled economist forecast of 4.7 million. Sales rose in all four major regions, including an 8.8 percent pop in the West. Job creation, mild weather, rising rents, and increased household formation contributed to the sales gains, according to Lawrence Yun, chief economist of the Realtors’ group. “Things are genuinely improving,” Yun said. “Maybe we are seeing household formation popping out.” That could mean children moving out of their parents’ homes as they got a job, he said. December’s sales were downwardly revised to a 4.38 million rate from a previously reported 4.61million, making the final month of 2011 a 0.5 percent decline instead of a 5 percent gain. December sales were downwardly revised as part of a seasonal adjustment that affected monthly, but not annual, sales. That’s not to be confused with the 14 percent downward revision the Realtors re-
cently conducted on all sales data from 2007 onward. The Realtors called the latest revisions “minor” and said the figures didn’t affect total 2011 sales of 4.26 million. “It’s still the case that existing home sales are recovering, albeit only gradually,” said Paul Diggle, property economist at Capital Economics. He noted that sales are up 13 percent over the past six months and up 38 percent from their mid-2010 low, “so there’s clearly an underlying recovery in place.” Median sales prices in January fell 2 percent from the year before to $154,700. Home prices are usually weaker in the winter because there are fewer transactions, and the National Association of Realtors doesn’t seasonally adjust the price data. Inventories fell 0.4 percent to 2.31 million, which represents the lowest supply since 2005. That represents 6.1 months of inventory, the lowest since April 2006 and down from 6.4 months of supply in December. “The supply and demand situation may be coming into balance,” Yun said. Inventories were as high as 4.04 million in July 2007. Not everyone is convinced. “We are skeptical that this trend will continue in the months ahead due to the wave of foreclosure activity that will likely begin following the end to the moratorium on foreclosure activity around the country,” said economists from Wells Fargo in a note to clients.
How to beat the competition and buy a foreclosed home BY PAUL OWERS Sun Sentinel
FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. — Buying a bank-owned home can be difficult. “There’s such demand from buyers,” said Judy Trudel, a real estate agent for Balistreri Realty in Florida’s Palm Beach and Broward counties. “Whatever foreclosures hit the market this year will be eaten up.” Here’s how buyers can find the homes and make their offers stand out from the competition:
Find foreclosures Ask real estate agents or go online. Any good agent can direct clients to bankowned homes. Buyers who want to do their own research beforehand can visit websites such as Realty Trac.com, which gives consumers a free, sevenday trial. After that, there’s a $49.95 monthly fee to search for property addresses. Governmentrun mortgage companies Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac market foreclosures nationwide on HomePath.com and HomeSteps.com, respectively. Neither charg-
es a fee. In addition, Fannie and Freddie have a program called First Look that gives first-time buyers and others who need financing a head start on investors in the search for bank-owned homes.
substantially more. But that strategy isn’t for the faint of heart. If a buyer has to back out of the deal for a reason not allowed in the contract, the deposit is at risk, Trudel said.
Make best offer first
Volunteer to close quickly. And when submitting offers, buyers should turn in all the requested paperwork. If a bidder forgets to include a “proof of funds” letter or other documents, the bank may just move on to a more complete offer.
This isn’t 2007 or 2008, when sales were sluggish and sellers were thrilled with any offer. Demand creates bidding wars. “If I was a purchaser, I definitely wouldn’t go in (offering) less than the asking price,” said Summer Greene, a Fort Lauderdale real estate manager and the 2012 president of the Florida Realtors trade group. “My advice is to offer the most you feel you would ever pay for the property,” said Laura Cameron, 51, who paid cash for a Deerfield Beach, Fla., foreclosure home last year.
Pay up Consider making a hefty good-faith deposit. Upon making an offer, a typical buyer puts down $1,000 to convey interest. Buyers who want to impress the bank may want to offer
Be accommodating
Stand firm Don’t cave in to unreasonable demands. Trudel said she was told by a bank’s real estate agent that her client would have to waive his right to a home inspection if he wanted the property because so many bidders were interested. Buying a foreclosure without an inspection is risky because many of the homes are in disrepair, and some have been sabotaged by the previous owners. “I 100 percent do not recommend it,” Trudel said. MCT INFORMATION SERVICES
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THE OKLAHOMAN | NEWSOK.COM
Mortgage relief may face a nightmare WASHINGTON — Given the huge public and private resources being devoted to helping financially distressed homeowners — including the recently announced $25 billion national mortgage settlement with five major banks — you might assume that a key federal tax law benefit underpinning these efforts would be a shoo-in for renewal. But it’s not. The Mortgage Forgiveness Debt Relief Act is set to expire in 10 months, and there are early indications on Capitol Hill that it might not make the cut. The law, first enacted in 2007, allows homeowners who have received principal reductions on their mortgages as the result of loan modifications, short sales or foreclosures to avoid income taxation on the amounts forgiven. Loss of that tax help would endanger huge numbers of distressed mortgage arrangements in the months ahead. For example, the $25 billion mortgage settlement with state attorneys general requires the banks to provide more than $10 billion in principal reductions to borrowers. Meanwhile, other lenders and mortgage servicers who are not
Kenneth Harney THE NATION’S HOUSING
parties to the settlement already provide principal reductions to troubled borrowers. Many of these owners would face hefty and ill-timed taxable income hits if the law is not extended. Yet election-year politics and a contentious lame-duck, year-end congressional session loaded with tax and budget issues could doom renewal of the debt relief tax legislation. Republican strategists say the cost of continuing the program — $2.7 billion for two years — is substantial enough to catch the eyes of budget-deficit hawks. They add that some members of Congress may be opposed to what they see as another targeted federal benefit for people who didn’t pay their mortgages — subsidized by taxpayers who did the right thing and stayed current on their loans, even while underwater or facing financial distress. Douglas Holtz-Eakin,
Government seeks smaller role for Fannie, Freddie THE ASSOCIATED PRESS
WASHINGTON — The government regulator for Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac has submitted a plan to Congress that would shrink the mortgage giants’ role in the housing market. The Federal Housing Finance Agency’s proposal for a leaner Fannie and Freddie would mean fewer mortgages are backed by the government. That could make buying a home more expensive because it would lead to higher interest rates. Under the plan, Fannie and Freddie could also increase prices to guarantee loans and establish agreements with private investors to take on added credit risk. The Obama administration last year laid out three options to wind down the government’s support for the mortgage market slowly. Rather than making a single recommenda-
tion, the administration left the decision to Congress. Fannie and Freddie buy mortgage loans from primary lenders, pool them, and sell them with a guarantee that investors will be paid even if borrowers default. The agencies have helped people buy homes at affordable interest rates. But the two nearly collapsed in 2008, after the subprime mortgage market collapsed and defaults and foreclosures piled up. The government seized them in September 2008. The bailouts of Fannie and Freddie have so far cost taxpayers roughly $150 billion, and that figure continues to grow. Republicans have called for Fannie and Freddie to be abolished, and have largely blamed the two for leading the country into the 2008 financial crisis. But there is a growing recognition that drastic action would upend the housing finance system.
president of the centerright American Action Forum, former director of the Congressional Budget Office and economic adviser to Sen. John McCain’s 2008 presidential campaign, said in an interview that there is “a powerful sentiment,” especially among conservative freshman House members supported by the tea party, that tax code “bailouts” to delinquent and underwater homeowners are fundamentally unfair. “It’s going to be an uphill fight” to get an extension through, he predicts. Real estate and housing groups are worried about the same political dynamics and are gearing up campaigns to try to save the mortgage debt cancellation tax provisions in advance of the November elections, well before the expected year-end squeeze. Some industry lobbyists put the current odds of getting a pre-election, stand-alone extension bill through Congress at less than 50-50.
What’s at stake Here’s what’s involved, and how it might affect someone contemplating a short sale or loan modification that involves debt forgiveness.
Before 2007, all cancellations of debt by creditors — whether on auto loans, personal loans or mortgages — were treated as taxable events under the federal tax code. If you owed $200,000 but paid off only $150,000 through an agreement with the lender, the $50,000 difference would be ordinary income, taxable at regular rates. Under the debt relief law for qualified homeowners, you can avoid taxation on forgiven mortgage amounts up to $2 million (married filing jointly) and $1 million for single filers. To be eligible, the debt must be canceled by a lender in connection with a mortgage restructuring, short sale, deed-in-lieu of foreclosure or foreclosure. The transaction must be completed no later than Dec. 31. That impending deadline — and the risk that Congress won’t reauthorize the law in time — has real estate professionals and tax planners on edge. “This is serious,” said Harrison K. Long, of Coldwell Banker Residential Brokerage in Irvine, Calif. “Anybody thinking about doing a short sale this year needs to get moving on it now,” given the long timelines needed to complete
Occupy LA activists rally outside the Bank of America Plaza in Los Angeles on Feb. 9. A landmark $25 billion settlement with the nation’s top mortgage lenders was hailed by government officials as long-overdue relief for victims of foreclosure abuses. The settlement also ended a separate investigation into Bank of America and Countrywide for inflating appraisals of loans from 2003 through most of 2009. AP PHOTO
such transactions — often from four to 12 months. Picture this scenario: You negotiate for months with your lender, realty agents and potential buyers. You pull together a short-sale package calling for the bank to forgive $100,000. But the deal runs into hitches and doesn’t close until after the Dec. 31 expiration date. Now your house is gone,
your credit is shot, you’re looking for a place to rent, and the Internal Revenue Service demands taxes on your phantom “gain” of $100,000 on the sale. With that sort of nightmarish liability on the line, it’s worth it to gear up for action sooner, not later. Ken Harney’s email address is kenharney@earthlink.net. WASHINGTON POST WRITERS GROUP
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Owners of homes face Mortgage group replacement dilemma to host VIP Night BY AL HEAVENS
Maggie Shirk
Shirk joins Paradigm AdvantEdge Maggie (Margaret) Shirk has joined Paradigm AdvantEdge Real Estate’s south office, 1530 SW 119, as a residential real estate sales associate. She holds the Graduate Realtor Institute (GRI) professional designation, Certified Residential Specialist (CRS) and the National Association of Realtors’ ePro technology designation. She has served on the board of directors of the Oklahoma City Metro Association of Realtors, the Oklahoma Association of Realtors and the Multiple Listing Service. She serves on the Oklahoma Real Estate Commission’s Education Advisory Committee. She was awarded the metro Realtors’ Board of Directors Award in 2004 and was voted Realtor of the Year in 2008.
Jane Droze
Droze joins Paradigm west office PIEDMONT — Jane Droze has joined Paradigm AdvantEdge Real Estate’s west office at 13100 Colony Pointe Blvd., Suite 109, in Piedmont, as a residential real estate sales associate. The Oklahoma City native has been selling real estate in the metro area for 32 years.
Wintermute added by Paradigm PIEDMONT — Debbie Wintermute has joined Paradigm AdvantEdge Real Estate’s west office, 13100 Colony Pointe in Piedmont, as a residential real estate sales associate. Previously, she was a legal assistant at an El Reno law firm for 20 years.
The Philadelphia Inquirer
PHILADELPHIA — When should you repair and when should you replace? With the economic downturn keeping people in their homes longer and money ever tighter, it is a choice being considered by more homeowners now. For example, during concerns about energy costs mounting, many cash-strapped homeowners are trying to figure out how to reduce the $1,900 per year that the Department of Energy says the typical family spends on utilities. A new furnace or energy-efficient windows, although both obvious ways to lower heating costs, may not be in the budget. In the meantime, caulking around windows and doors doesn’t cost that much and can reduce the flow of cold air into the house. Opening the curtains, shades, or blinds on a sunny winter’s day can add warmth to a room. The Home Builders Institute of the National Association of Home Builders suggests a few other inexpensive ways, including applying weather stripping around windows and doors, changing the
filter in the furnace, using draft dodgers inside exterior doors, and installing programmable thermostats to control when the furnace goes on and off. After surveying thousands of its readers on the matter, Consumer Reports maintains that if your appliance is eight or more years old, usually it makes sense to buy a new one. If you have a favorite high-end, older appliance, you may want to repair it. Consider replacing a newer model if it has been repair-prone. But skip any repair that costs more than half the price of a new product, the magazine staff recommends.
Costly process The magazine found that its readers sometimes began the repair process but stopped in midstream in frustration. That, too, can be a costly process, because a repair shop will still charge you even if you change your mind and buy a new whatever. AARP has millions of older members on fixed incomes. It recommends considering the “50 percent rule,” which financial experts have long advocated as a gauge when determining the cost-effectiveness of replacement versus
repair. Those experts say that if a repair was estimated to cost 50 percent or less than the amount you paid for the item, it was usually better to have it repaired. AARP, however, suggests that the 50 percent rule should be based on replacement value, not original purchase price. One of the factors governing the decision to repair or replace is life expectancy of the product. Most refrigerators last 15 to 19 years. Unless the fridge has been a lemon since the day it came into the house, the newer it is, the more consideration should be given to repairing it.
The National Association of Professional Mortgage Women Oklahoma City Chapter will have its annual VIP Night on March 13 at the Petroleum Club to thank members and recognize the VIP Member of the Year. The event, for anyone who works in the mortgage business, will begin with a social hour at 5:30 p.m., followed by dinner, a program and entertainment by Michael Hix. The Petroleum Club is at 100 N Broadway, 34th floor. “This is an evening to be rewarded for accomplishments, dedication and perseverance our members demonstrate through hard work and teamwork. It is a night to showcase and give
thanks for each and every member, as well as recognize the VIP Member of the Year,” said Lauren Layman, marketing committee chairwoman. “Many have contributed to the success of (the chapter) throughout the year, which has helped to create a friendly atmosphere among all organizations and the opportunity to share valuable insight into the mortgage industry with one another.” The cost is $35. Reserve a place with Gaye Liddle by sending an email to gliddle@oldrepublictitle.com or calling 354-4848. Reservation deadline is Thursday.
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SATURDAY, MARCH 3, 2012
Permits Oklahoma City W.S. Bowlware, 441 NW 122, manufacturing, addon, $3,100,000. Pascal Aughtry & Associates Architects, 7121 Millionaire Drive, airplane hangar, erect, $1,500,000. Schwob Building Co. Ltd, 5401S Hattie Ave., office, erect, $1,200,000. Massey-Mann & Associates, 10609 S May Ave., restaurant, erect, $850,000. Jester Homes, 6201 Shiloh Blvd., office-warehouse, erect, $550,000. Gibbs Construction Inc., 5009 Wisteria Drive, residence, add-on, $500,000. Cobanks Construction Inc., 13700 Portofino Strada, residence, erect, $350,000. Larry Lee, 1228 NW 27, retail sales, add-on, $300,000. Sheppard & Sons Construction Inc., 13205 NW 4, residence, erect, $289,000. Raywood Homes, 3504 Sagebrush Place, residence, erect, $260,000. Jason Powers Homes, 10916 SW 21, residence, erect, $260,000. J.W. Mashburn Development Inc., 5609 NW 119 Circle, residence, erect, $246,000. Shawn Forth Custom Homes, 18413 Haslemere Lane, residence, erect, $245,000. Katleron Construction Inc., 4908 SW 126, residence, erect, $225,000. DTM Custom Homes LLC, 15324 Milanese Ave., residence, erect, $220,000. Katleron Construction Inc., 19000 Pinehurst Trail Drive, residence, erect, $220,000. D.R. Horton, 10900 NW 118, residence, erect, $212,100. Specialty Construction Services LLC, 204 N Robinson Ave., office, remodel, $200,000. J.R. Bowers Jr. Construction Co. Inc., 10905 Kristin Court, residence, erect, $200,000. Sun Properties LLC, 1312 NW 172, residence, addon, $200,000. Hoshall (Tom) Homes Inc., 15017 Monticello Drive, rehabilitation center, erect, $200,000. Caston Construction, 1025 Straka Terrace, medical clinic-office, add-on, $200,000. Elliott Architects, 544 N Pennsylvania Ave., shell building, add-on, $200,000. Aaron Tatum Custom Homes LLC, 17301 Serrano Drive, residence, erect, $195,000. Katleron Construction Inc., 19108 Green Springs Drive, residence, erect, $185,000. S&D Homes, 720 Tall Grass Drive, residence, erect, $185,000. Larry Toombs, 19832 Oakshire Drive, residence, erect, $180,000. S&D Homes, 716 Tall Grass Drive, residence, erect, $180,000. Taber Built Homes LLC, 8920 SW 48, residence, erect, $180,000. Taber Built Homes LLC, 19101 Butterfly Blvd., residence, erect, $180,000. Cliff Marical Homes Inc., 11300 SW 37, residence, erect, $170,000. Cliff Marical Homes Inc., 11209 SW 38, residence, erect, $170,000. Taber Built Homes LLC, 4809 Millstone Drive, residence, erect, $170,000. Timber Craft Homes LLC, 14313 Brinley Way, residence, erect, $166,816. RSCS LLC, doing business as Steve Stone Custom Homes, 21001 SE 98, residence, erect, $163,200. RSCS LLC, doing business as Steve Stone Custom Homes, 21101 SE 98, residence, erect, $161,900. D.R. Horton, 9616 Squire Lane, residence, erect, $157,200. Jim Whitfield, 9300 Pine, residence, erect, $150,000. Bryce Enterprises LLC, 4808 Millstone Drive, residence, erect, $150,000. Tray Cornman Construction, 14109 Northwood Drive, residence, erect, $150,000.
Mashburn Faires Homes LLC, 17205 Serrano Drive, residence, erect, $143,000. King’s Crown Homes Inc., 16 SE 88, residence, erect, $140,000. King’s Crown Homes Inc., 20 SE 88, residence, erect, $140,000. King’s Crown Homes Inc., 24 SE 88, residence, erect, $140,000. Cliff Marical Homes Inc., 10625 SW 34 Terrace, residence, erect, $135,000. Leonhardt Enterprises Inc., 15813 Big Cypress Drive, residence, erect, $125,000. Leonhardt Enterprises Inc., 8104 Hillers Road, residence, erect, $124,500. Ideal Homes of Norman LP, 309 Partridge Run Road, residence, erect, $121,000. Precision Style Homes, 709 Tall Grass Drive, residence, erect, $120,000. Precision Style Homes, 717 Tall Grass Drive, residence, erect, $118,000. Ideal Homes of Norman LP, 609 Christian Lane, residence, erect, $116,000. J. Mark Gray Homes Inc., 6008 Vixen Way, residence, erect, $110,000. J. Mark Gray Homes Inc., 6016 Vixen Way, residence, erect, $110,000. Rausch Coleman Homes LLC, 11809 NW 132, residence, erect, $109,000. Rausch Coleman Homes LLC, 11813 NW 133, residence, erect, $109,000. Rausch Coleman Homes LLC, 13212 Camden Drive, residence, erect, $109,000. Home Creations, 6228 SE 79, residence, erect, $101,900. Rausch Coleman Homes LLC, 9612 Lauren Drive, residence, erect, $100,000. Home Creations, 2340 NW 196 Terrace, residence, erect, $96,400. Home Creations, 2340 NW 196 Terrace, residence, erect, $96,400.
REAL ESTATE Ideal Homes of Norman LP, 18617 Agua Drive, residence, erect, $94,000. Home Creations, 12013 SW 8, residence, erect, $92,500. Home Creations, 2341 NW 196 Terrace, residence, erect, $90,600. Home Creations, 2341 NW 196 Terrace, residence, erect, $90,600. Home Creations, 2448 NW 197, residence, erect, $85,100. Caston Construction, 1025 Straka Terrace, medical clinic-office, add-on, $85,000. Topmark Construction Services, 204 N Robinson Ave., office, remodel, $85,000. White Hawk Construction Inc., 2412 SW 104, canopy-carport, erect, $83,680. Home Creations, 905 Redwood Creek Drive, residence, erect, $82,400. No name provided, 2317 Cashion Place, residence, add-on, $82,000. Central Oklahoma Habitat For Humanity, 1329 NE 7, residence, erect, $80,000. Central Oklahoma Habitat For Humanity, 621 SE 39, residence, erect, $80,000. Home Creations, 2449 NW 197, residence, erect, $78,300. Home Creations, 2449 NW 197, residence, erect, $78,300. Home Creations, 12017 SW 8, residence, erect, $77,000. Southwest Builders, 10123 Southridge Terrace, residence, add-on, $74,900. Spring Valley Construction Co., 5401 N May Ave., retail sales, remodel, $70,000. Ryan Vicadomini, 9229 S Interstate 35 Service Road, automotive sales, erect, $59,400. No name provided, 3308 SE 89, manufactured home, move-on-mobile home park, $45,000.
Rob Dunlap, 17801 NE 192, storage, erect, $40,000. Southbelt Constructors Inc., 2501 W Memorial Road, business, remodel, $38,000. Frankford Properties, 610 NW 178, accessory, erect, $30,000. Apollo Mobile Home Park, 4304 Apollo Drive, manufactured home, move-on-mobile home park, $25,000. Callahan Steel Buildings, 12720 Oakcliff Road, storage, erect, $25,000. CSG Construction, 6444 Northwest Expressway, business, remodel, $25,000. No name provided, 4218 Apollo Drive, manufactured home, move-onmobile home park, $25,000. No name provided, 1503 Sonic Lane, manufactured home, move-on-mobile home park, $25,000. No name provided, 4217 Jupiter Place, manufactured home, move-onmobile home park, $25,000. No name provided, 4126 Jupiter Place, manufactured home, move-onmobile home park, $25,000. No name provided, 5916 S Bill Ave., manufactured home, move-on-mobile home park, $25,000. No name provided, 5935 S Terry Joe, manufactured home, move-on-mobile home park, $25,000. Southwest Builders, 4436 N Vermont Ave., residence, add-on, $24,882. Alloy Building Co., 14715 SE 75, accessory, erect, $23,000. Lloyd Watson, 8001 S Triple X Road, manufactured home, move-on, $20,000. Spring Valley Construc-
THE OKLAHOMAN | NEWSOK.COM tion Co., 5401 N May Ave., retail sales, remodel, $20,000. Walter Owens Homes Inc., 2200 Wheatfield Ave., residence, remodel, $19,000. Heritage Square LLC, 317 NW 23, recreation center, remodel, $18,000. Marlene Arenas, 1123 N Holly Ave., residence, add-on, $15,000. Rush Remodel & Make Ready, 4924 NW 19, fire restoration, fire restoration, $15,000. Nikki Dickson, 3308 SE 89, manufactured home, move-on-mobile home park, $15,000. CBR Commercial Contracting Inc., 14101 N May Ave., office, remodel, $13,000. Schwob Building Co. Ltd., 5401 S Hattie Ave., temporary building, move-on, $12,000. Chance McClurkin, 4300 Ruby Ave., storage, erect, $10,000. Spring Valley Construction Co., 5401 N May Ave., retail sales, remodel, $10,000. Billy McCallie, 11500 Core Ave., storage, erect, $8,000. Mohsen Construction, 13313 Oakcliff Road, residence, remodel, $7,000. Todd D. Harlin, 505 SW 48, residence, fire restoration, $7,000. Tommy Trompeter, 12601 S Land Ave., storage, erect, $5,500. Robert Zehner, 1601 NW 43, residence, remodel, $5,000. Rodger Barrow, 5000 SE 87, storm shelter, installstorm shelter, $5,000. Ann Kirkpatrick, 7401 SE 179, storm shelter, install-storm shelter, $4,895. Keith and Amy Kassabian, 13504 Canyon Lakes
Drive, storm shelter, install-storm shelter, $4,895. William Kilgore, 1537 SW 121, storm shelter, install-storm shelter, $4,295. Richard Bartlett, 1117 NW 199, storm shelter, install-storm shelter, $4,200. Christopher Jay Owen, 525 SW 153, storm shelter, install-storm shelter, $4,045. Aaron’s Storm Shelters, 9204 W Reno Ave., storm shelter, install-storm shelter, $4,000. Chad Louis Drabek, 705 SW 160, storm shelter, install-storm shelter, $3,995. Frank Rowbotham, 15212 Wilford Way, storm shelter, install-storm shelter, $3,995. Ken Sturges, 12205 Hobbiton Court, storm shelter, install-storm shelter, $3,995. Kevin and Susie Boyer, 4124 NW 144 Terrace, storm shelter, installstorm shelter, $3,995. Larahn Frazier, 704 SW 161, residence, installstorm shelter, $3,995. Philip Durham, 14505 Sylena Way, storm shelter, install-storm shelter, $3,995. Randall Wickersham, 2700 SW 123, storm shelter, install-storm shelter, $3,995. Tom Breninger, 18416 Mesa Road, storm shelter, install-storm shelter, $3,995. No name provided, 17400 Silver Chase, storm shelter, install-storm shelter, $3,920. Don and Theresa McQueen, 8829 NW 121, storm shelter, installstorm shelter, $3,900. SEE PERMITS, PAGE 7F
THE OKLAHOMAN | NEWSOK.COM
Permits continued FROM PAGE 6F
John Anderson, 16904 Hardwood Place, storm shelter, install-storm shelter, $3,900. Russ Holden, 804 SW 158, residence, install-storm shelter, $3,800. Daniel Leslie, 3308 NW 175, storm shelter, install-storm shelter, $3,395. Ryan Pivonka, 3433 NW 172 Terrace, storm shelter, installstorm shelter, $3,300. David Avery, 7300 SW 118, storm shelter, install-storm shelter, $3,200. Joan Mariconda, 16212 James Thomas Court, storm shelter, install-storm shelter, $3,200. Anthony Sofio, 2309 NW 152, storm shelter, install-storm shelter, $3,195. Jerimiah Russian, 14600 Sable, storm shelter, install-storm shelter, $3,100. Lydia Cervantes, 5416 SE 155, storm shelter, install-storm shelter, $3,100. Derek Campbell, 2417 NW 175, storm shelter, install-storm shelter, $3,000. Henry Thiems, 10721 NW 31, storm shelter, install-storm shelter, $3,000. Ike Laver, 6416 NW 132, storm shelter, install-storm shelter, $3,000. Joe Daves, 104 SW 174, storm shelter, install-storm shelter, $3,000. Luis R Jaquez, 1244 SW 30, storm shelter, install-storm shelter, $3,000. No name provided, 9713 Allie Hope Lane, accessory, erect, $3,000. Charles McDonald, 10500 Regent, storm shelter, installstorm shelter, $2,995. Clarence Strong, 11616 SW 3 Terrace, storm shelter, installstorm shelter, $2,995. David Brinker, 6608 Newman Drive, storm shelter, installstorm shelter, $2,995. David Sears, 3016 NW 191, storm shelter, install-storm shelter, $2,995.
Patty Berglund, 2332 SW 136, storm shelter, install, $2,995. Randall Wickersham, 1208 SW 132, storm shelter, installstorm shelter, $2,995. Tamara Hise, 513 SW 160, storm shelter, install-storm shelter, $2,995. No name provided, 3209 NW 192 Terrace, storm shelter, install-storm shelter, $2,995. Schwob Building Co. Ltd., 5401 S Hattie Ave., temporary building, move-on, $2,977. Eddie Sein, 19217 Greenery Lane, storm shelter, installstorm shelter, $2,825. Thomas Lee Couch, 1252 SE 24, install-storm shelter, install-storm shelter, $2,825. Teresa Sherrill, 1356 NW 138, storm shelter, install-storm shelter, $2,795. Kerri Luna, 7404 Walnut Creek Drive, storm shelter, install-storm shelter, $2,725. Larry Ringwald, 6005 SE 56 Court, storm shelter, installstorm shelter, $2,700. Scott Davis, 14708 Westcreek Road, storm shelter, install, $2,700. Larry and Renee Sachau, 3401 Bob Thomas Drive, storm shelter, install-storm shelter, $2,500. No name provided, 17324 Grove Hill Terrace, storm shelter, install-storm shelter, $2,500. Roberto Solis, 1133 SE 22, canopy-carport, add-on, $2,000. Troy Labani, 4300 NW 17, canopy-carport, add-on, $1,700.
REAL ESTATE
SATURDAY, MARCH 3, 2012
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LISTING OF THE WEEK
The Listing of the Week is at 14450 Cottonwood in the Deer Creek area.
PHOTO PROVIDED
Deer Creek home has space for five cars
Demolitions Midwest Wrecking, 1008 SE 29, storage. Midwest Wrecking, 715 NW 64, residence. No name provided, 1136 NE 17, shed. Little Tiger LLC, 1220 NW 40, storage. Midwest Wrecking, 1634 NW 3, residence. Midwest Wrecking, 1021 SE 66, accessory. Midwest Wrecking, 1008 SE 29, accessory.
The Listing of the Week is a large home with garage space for five cars — an attached three-car garage and a detached two-car “man cave.” The home at 14450 Cottonwood in the Deer Creek area has four bedrooms, 3 ½ baths, two living rooms and two dining areas. The living-dining room has a tray ceiling, fireplace and ceiling fan. The family room has a ceiling fan. The kitchen has stainless-steel appliances, gran-
ite counters, a pantry, breakfast bar and eating space. The master bedroom has a ceiling fan, walk-in closet and bath with double vanities and a spa tub. Two other bedrooms have full baths, walk-in closets and ceiling fans. The home has a storm cellar, covered patio, storage area, underground sprinkler system and security system. The home, built in 2008, is listed for $395,000 with Emily Talmadge of The Covington Co.
Open house will be from 2 to 4 p.m. Sunday. From Portland Avenue and Waterloo Road (NW 248), go west to the Antler Ridge addition, on the north side; enter the addition, turn left and follow the curve to the home. For more information, call 694-5678 or 840-4141. Nominations for Listing of the Week are welcome. Send information on single-family homes to The Oklahoman, Richard Mize, P.O. Box 25125, Oklahoma City, OK 73125. Nominations may be faxed to 475-3996.
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SATURDAY, MARCH 3, 2012
REAL ESTATE
HOUSE PLAN
Pine Hill has nostalgic charm While the country-style Pine Hill makes an ideal retreat cottage, this home is equally well suited for year-round suburban living. Wooden shutters and a wraparound front porch add their nostalgic charm. Light spills into the entry through sidelights that flank the door. The stairs directly ahead of the entry lead to the three bedrooms and two bathrooms upstairs. On the first floor, four linked family living areas wrap around all sides of the staircase. Families with young children can set them to counting the circles they can run there on rainy days. The entry is open to the living room on the right, and a den on the left. The fireplace serves as a focal point on the living room’s exterior wall. A wide arched opening links the living room to a dining area that is expanded by a window bay. Sliding glass windows there access a large deck, down a few steps from the main floor. The dining room is totally open to the kitchen, where a large work island adds to the counter and cabinet space. Standing at the kitchen sink, you can keep close tabs on the dining room, patio and backyard. Just around the corner are a good-sized utility room and a small bathroom. In the utility room, cabinets line the wall above the appliances. The hallway leading to these rooms ends with an exterior door that leads out onto the covered porch and then on to the patio. Installing a dog flap in this
door would allow wet pets to get dry without muddying the rest of the house. The Pine Hill’s owners’ suite has a second fire-
place, a deep soaking tub and a dual vanity. A review plan of the Pine Hill, including floor plans, elevations, section and artist’s conception, can be purchased for
$25 by phone, mail or online. Add $5 for shipping and handling. Associated Designs, 1100 Jacobs Drive, Eugene, OR, 97402. www.associateddesigns.com. (800) 634-0123.
THE OKLAHOMAN | NEWSOK.COM
Ignoring room leak could become issue DEAR BARRY: We hired a home inspector before buying our home, but he dismissed a defect that has now become a problem. In the room below the master bathroom, there were water stains on the wall around a drain cleanout. We asked the inspector about it, and he said it wasn’t a problem. At the time, the stains were dry because the house had been vacant for months. But he didn’t even run water in the shower or sink and didn’t mention the stains in his report. After we moved in and began taking showers, the wall surface became wet. The inspector now says that it was not his responsibility to figure out if the leaking would continue in the future. Besides this, the seller says that she never had a leak while she lived in the home. This seems unreasonable and unfair. What can we do? John DEAR JOHN: If the seller denies having known about the leak, she may or may not be telling the truth. There is probably no way to prove or disprove her position, so that issue may be a stalemate. The problem with the home inspector, however, is another story and involves three main issues: I It is understandable that an inspector might fail to notice a leak or evidence of a past leak, but to dismiss an issue that is specifically pointed out by a buyer is inexcusable. If your inspector didn’t want to test for leaks, he should have recommended in his
Barry Stone INSPECTOR’S IN THE HOUSE
report “further evaluation by a licensed plumber.” I Testing showers, tubs, and sinks with running water is normal operating procedure for a home inspector. The idea that a home inspection would not include a routine test of the plumbing fixtures is outrageous. An inspector who won’t turn on faucets or test for leaks should find another line of work. I Now that the leak has been confirmed, the inspector needs to be accountable for his failure to provide disclosure. All inspectors miss some defects, regardless of their levels of competency. But an inspector who will dismiss this kind of situation, without assuming some degree of responsibility, is not a true professional. Hopefully, the repair is not an expensive one. Have it evaluated by a licensed plumber. It is possible that this is a minor defect that will not require legal action against the home inspector. It would also be wise to hire another home inspector for a second evaluation of the property. Additional defects will most likely be discovered. To write to Barry Stone, visit him on the web at www.housedetective.com. ACTION COAST PUBLICATION
REAL ESTATE
THE OKLAHOMAN | NEWSOK.COM
SATURDAY, MARCH 3, 2012
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Women seek a room to call their own BY KRISTA JAHNKE Detroit Free Press
DETROIT — Make way for the woman cave.
Birmingham, Mich.-based interior designer Michelle Mio said that more of her female clients are staking out a room or nook in their home just for them. No husbands, kids or sticky fingers allowed. Whether they are used for sewing, scrapbooking or just paying bills, the rooms women want are typically private, pretty and functional, Mio said. “With the workload women carry at home, they need a space that is organized and one that they can call their own,” she said. “It seems imperative with our clients to be able to find things in a moment’s notice. A space that can accommodate anything from a kid’s daily schedule to bill paying is growing in trend.” More than 80 years ago, writer Virginia Woolf penned the essay, “A Room of One’s Own,” about how women, especially those who want to practice a form of creativity, need a place to do it. In 2012, given the explosion of the handmade and creative arts movements, many women are finding that as true as ever. Here, a couple of women share the spaces they have taken over in their homes to fulfill their creative pursuits.
For scrapbooking Alison Oleshansky, 38, of Birmingham hired Mio and her design team from Rariden Schumacher Mio Interior Design to decorate her entire home. The space that presented a big question mark? Two adjoining closets in the basement. Oleshansky didn’t need them. And so her scrapbooking room was born. The room features a few statement-makers. The floor is a glittery light pink. The back wall is dressed in a bright pink, large-scale damask print that’s velvety to the touch. A light metallic wallpaper covers the other walls. Four crystal chandeliers gleam from the ceiling and cast a pretty but bright light on the space; it’s good for the creative work Oleshansky wants to do. A waist-high, custom-made rolling table fills the middle of the room. Surrounded by four white leather bar stools with pink trim, it’s the nerve center where the creative work happens. The table top — white and shimmery — is made of recycled materials, including bits of mirror. “Everything sparkles,” said Dayna Rasschaert, an interior designer who worked on the room. The custom white cabinets and drawers — 26 of them — provide room to organize everything. “I love that I can have everything out and not have to box things up or spread them out on the floor in another room,” said Oleshansky, who also works as a consultant for the scrapbooking supply company Creative Memories. “I just love it in here; it’s so bright. It’s happy.”
Alison Oleshansky, right, of Birmingham, Mich., is among a trend of women decorating or reorganizing a room in their family’s home that is totally for them. She got assistance with the design and feel of the room from professionals Michelle Mio, owner, left, a partner in Rariden Schumacher Mio Interiors, and senior designer Dayna Rasschaert. MCCLATCHY-TRIBUNE PHOTO
For pretty packages
A polka-dot wallpaper set the tone for the color scheme and design plan for Elise Hindelang’s room. She also painted the ceiling and trim a crisp white and splurged on a $350 green-and-pink area rug from Pottery Barn Kids. MCCLATCHY-TRIBUNE PHOTO
When they bought their home in 2006, Mike and Elise Hindelang had no set purpose for the all-beige, dulllooking suite that makes up the entire third floor of their 1939-built French Colonial in Grosse Pointe Park, Mich. But soon, a thought dawned on Elise Hindelang: She’d love a space devoted solely to gift wrapping. “Otherwise I’d be wrapping gifts on the guest bed, making a mess,” said Hindelang, 32. “Here, I can make a mess and, if I need to, I can just shut the door and leave it there.” Over a two-month period, with some help from family, the Hindelangs turned the space into a lively lightgreen and soft-pink haven for stamping, wrapping and making bows. And they did it without breaking the bank,
estimating that the entire renovation came in around $2,000. A polka-dot wallpaper set the tone for the color scheme, said Hindelang, a mother of two. She also painted the ceiling and trim a crisp white and splurged on a $350 green-and-pink area rug from Pottery Barn Kids. The rest of the room was completed in a thrifty manner: IKEA furniture and bins and baskets from places like Marshall’s. The couple made the craft table out of two IKEA nightstands, a door they salvaged from a previous home and a floor-model hutch that Elisa Hindelang spotted on clear-
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MCCLATCHY-TRIBUNE PHOTO
ance at Bombay Co. She scored a turning display rack from a store going out of business, and uses it to hold her ribbon spools. A small metal table holds a variety of wrapping paper. Each bin and basket is labeled and organized — there’s a home for pipe cleaners, poof balls, markers, stamps and more. An old spice rack now holds small baubles, sequins and buttons. “It’s fun and relaxing up here,” Hindelang said. “Men have their spaces. You always hear about the man cave. My husband has a very nice office that’s decorated just for him. It’s nice to have a girl space, too.” MCT INFORMATION SERVICES
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Elise Hindeland has created her own room in her home in Grosse Pointe Park, Mich. She calls it her craft-wrapping room.
The Great Southwest Home Show
QuikTrip Center at Expo Sq. (21st & Yale) Tulsa LOOKING FOR A NEW HOME? COME TO THE LARGEST INSIDE MFD HOME SHOW IN THE REGION March 3, 9-6 & March,4, 9-4 FREE ADMISSION Double Your Tax Refund!! Double your money or use your land/family land for ZERO down. New & Repo Homes. $2500 Furniture package w/new purchase. Free phone app. WAC 405-631-7600 312 S. Carney Carney, OK 3bd/2bth Mobile Home on large lot Woodlake Properties 273-5777 Cash 4 Clunkers!! Trade your used home in for a new home with Zero Down! Get up to $25,000 for your used home. WAC 405-631-7600 Abandoned D/W Repo set up on 5 Acres!! Ready to move in. Free phone application 405-631-7600 Huge 4 Bed. REPO $629/mo. wac 405-324-8000 $325/mo. New 2bd w/deck Financing avail. FREE phone app. 405-324-8000 3bed $3k-$5k down = UR approved to OWN 405-577-2884 Rent to Own: Nice 2&3bd MWC $350&up 390-9777
»»»»»»»»»»»» Man with family seeking home. Need owner carry. Have up to $4000 down/$700 month for 15 year note. Minimum req: 3-4 bed, 1K bath, gar or storage. Acceptable areas Midwest City to east Yukon, Moore to south Edmond. Call 405-6271861 or 405-875-4204. Local investor will buy any house for cash, avoid hassle of banks 822-1018
55" Flat Tv Raffle Isola Bella Apartments Come tour our 1, 2, 3 & 4 bedrooms and automatically get 1 free entry to win a 55" flat screen TV! Call today! 721-2191 $99 Move In Special 1 & 2bds, carports, coin lndry $345-445 470-3535
MOVE IN NOW! Pd. water/garbage Quiet. Try Plaza East•341-4813
Established Business For Sale
» Free Rent 'til April » 1 & 2 bedrooms. Spring Tree Apartments. 405-737-8172 Free Month Rent! 1&2bd QUIET! Covered Parking Great Schools! 732-1122
UNFURNISHED ALL BILLS PAID
DRY CLEANERS Eastern Okla. County. Call for appt. 405-323-0673
Rates starting at $825.00 month. First month FREE. Citadel Suites, 5113 N. Brookline 405-942-0016 www.citadel suites.com Including are the following:
Business Property For Rent
PRIME RETAIL LOCATION I-35 frontage, showroom, ofcs, warehouse 10,800sf $5,000mo. 8801 S. I-35 Dale or Mike, 631-4447 New I-35 frontage bldg for rent: ofc/shop/whse, 1900sf $800mo 412-7665
$99 SPECIAL Lg 1bdr, stove, refrig., clean, walk to shops. $345 mo. 632-9849
Briargate 1718 N Indiana 1bd, 1ba, 800 sf, wood floors, all elect, $550 mo, $250dp 409-7989 no sec8 Plaza Apts – Art Deco 1744 NW 17 1bed 1bath Starting at $500/month $250dp 409-7989 no sec8
» » » » » » » » » » »
All Utilities Cable High speed internet Telephone Free Laundry Business Center 2 Pools Free Movie Rental Breakfast Mon.-Fri. Social Hour Free Gym Passes
Oakwood Apts 5824 NW 34- 1bed 1bath 800sf u pay elec $350mo $175dp 409-7989 no sec 8 Furnished/Unfurnished Bills Paid » Wkly/Monthly Wes Chase Apts, Elk Horn Apts, Hillcrest 370-1077 » No Application Fee » Nice 1 & 2bed from $350 10th/Rockwell 820-2464 MAYFAIR Great location! 1/2 bd W/D hdwd flr quiet secure ngbrhood ¡947-5665
$99 Move In Special!!! Lg 1 and 2 Bdr, $345 to $420 mo. 632-9849
Yukon
438
»»»»»»»»»»»»» » Bills Paid 354-5855 » » 1 bd From $550 Move» » 2 bd From $650 In» » 3 bd From $740 Today» » Call for Specials » »»»»»»»»»»»»
Condominiums, Townhouses For Rent 441 Thousand Oaks 1bd 1ba 1car nice, NO Pets/Sec 8 $600mo $600dep 833-1955
•ABC• Affordable, Bug free, Clean » 787-7212»
Bills Paid
Furnished/Unfurnished Weekly/Monthly 370-1077
Houses for rent
2825/27 NW 20th 1bed 1bath Duplex $550/$600 Rent $300/400 dep 800sf central air, W&D connect 409-7989 no sec 8 HEFNER ROAD & MAY, 2/2/2, 2531 W Hefner Rd appt only $875¡843-5853 Nice 2 bd, liv, appls, ch&a 2343 NW 15th, $520, no pets, no sec 8, 301-5979.
3320 SW 28th B Small eff. duplex. $385mo ALL BILLS PAID 408-5836
Duplexes, 3 bed, 2 bath, 2 car, some new, some gated, call Rick, 405-830-3789.
3bd, 1.5ba, new appls, $800/month. NO PETS 7412 NW 27th. 205-2067 3 bed, 1 bath, fenced yard, no section 8, pets extra, credit check, $650, 722-2279.
3bd, 2ba, ch&a 74x16 MH in park. $645 + $450dep 13501 SE 29th 760-8392
1321 Beachwood Dr 3/1.5/2 $675 Free List 681-7272
Houses All Areas- Free List 4 bed from $595-1295 3 bed from $495-995 2 bed from $395-795 605-5477 2545 SW 59th
2241 NE 20th 3bed, 1ba, Home, central heat, central A/C, 405-285-6656 2 BED, 1 BATH, DEN, 1704 Miramar Blvd. W/D, large backyard, $550 month, $400 deposit. NO PETS. Please call 405-4646554 for more info.
Houses All Areas- Free List 4 bed from $595-1295 3 bed from $495-995 2 bed from $395-795 605-5477 2545 SW 59th 7800 SW 87 Cir 4bd 2.5 ba on 1/2 Ac Moore Schls. no sec 8 $1800mo $950dep Maria 618-0563 2814 S WOODWARD 2bd 1ba $450mo 408-5836 3316 Newcastle Blvd 2 bed 1 bath $395mo 408-5836 4 bed, 1K Ba, lrg dining storm cellar, diving pool $10000mo + dep 605-9338
6704 NW 124 3/2/2 $1095 6018PlumThckt4/3.5/2$1995 14319 N Penn 2/2.5 $950 4712 Hemlock 3/2/1$1095 Express Realty 844-6101 www.expressrealtyok.com Houses All Areas- Free List 4 bed from $595-1295 3 bed from $495-995 2 bed from $395-795 605-5477 2545 SW 59th 3232 Brushcreek, in Quail Creek on the golf course, 3 bed, 2.5 bath, 2 car, 1 FP, $1875 mo, $1500 dep. ¡ 831-0825 12709 Arrowhead Lane 3bd 3 bath, den, double car garage, new flooring New Carpet! 2734 Sq. ft. $2500 mo » 408-5836 3013 NW 30th 2bed 1 bath $525 a month 408-5836 Nice 3 bed fenced bkyd, carport, W/D hkup, $700+ $400dep 706-3972
3bd 1K ba ch&a, $680mo 2bd 1ba ch&a $525mo Sec 8, 354-7413 642-3847 3709 SW 41st 3/1 $475 Free List 681-7272
Cotton Wood Ridge Condo 2bd 1.5ba 900sf Amazing must see, fireplace, ch/a, New Stove & Dishwasher, Stackable Washer/Dryer $800/month $600deposit 409-7989 No Sec 8
Nicoma Park area, 3bd 2ba, fenced, small quiet park, water, garbage, sewer paid $550+$300dep 769-2328
»» SECTION 8 OK»» 336 NW 85th , 3bd $695 per mo, 942-3552
2bd, 1ba, w/appls incl. + W&D, Edmond Schools, storage shed. No pets. 348-6240 or 623-1181
» 3bd, 1.5ba 2car ch&a fncd, dw disp & frig $695 + dep no sec 8 341-5584
8817 N. McMillan 3bed, 2ba, $1100 Call 903-523-9060, No Sec.8
Rent to Own: Nice 2&3bd MWC $350&up 390-9777
1300 McDonald 3/1/1 $495 Free List 681-7272
1514 NW 17th 4 bed 2ba 2car 1920sf $1200/mo $900dp 409-7989 no sec8
RENT TO OWN 3 bed 1.5 bath, converted garage, $800/month LOW DOWN PAYMENT 275-1745 or 602-3193
105 Bainbridge Dr, 3/2/2, fp, $725 + $500 dep, sec 8 okay, 324-2611 3 bed, 1 bath, attch 2 car gar. ch&a, 2410 NW 32nd no sec. 8, $700, 842-1137
2 & 3 bed houses. Nicoma Park/Choctaw Schools. 733-8688
PROFESSIONAL REAL ESTATE SERVICES SINCE 1982 Mgmt » Leasing » Sales Spectrum Management 848-9400 usespectrum.com
644 Camelot 3/1.5/2 no pets or sec 8. CH&A, $825mo $400dep 799-4229 4bd 2.5ba 2car 2650sf $1275 Home&RanchRlty 794-7777
MESTA PARK RESTORATION 521K NW 22 2/1/1 $700 SPECTRUM MGMT 848-9400
Section 8 Approved
2 bed, appliances, fenced storage, 2133 NE 14th, lease or sell, 610-7088.
Beautiful 512 NW 141st & 312 W. 10th, 3/2/2 nice area, Edmd. Schls. $1000ea/mo. 749-0603
1 bed, no app fee, ch&a, Near 23rd & MacArthur, $450/$300 dep, 370-0278 800 N. Meridian 1bd All bills paid 946-9506
OKC SW, 1bed, bills paid, no pets, $450 month + dep, 272-0650.
Furnished/Unfurnished Bills Paid » Wkly/Monthly Wes Chase Apts, Elk Horn Apts, Hillcrest 370-1077
1 Month Free!
804 NW 21 Free Laundry! 2bd 1ba $675mo $300dep 1000sf 409-7989 no sec 8 katpropertiesllc.com
Vietnamese & Chinese Restaurant For Sale in NW area. 405-503-7813
Office/shop combo, approx 1620 sf, north OKC, near Memorial & Broadway Ext, $700 per mo, $700 dep, 1 year lease, Pruitt RE, 405-812-1716.
3315K SW 28th Upstairs apartment. 2bd 1bath new carpet, ALL BILLS PAID $575mo 408-5836
2bd $575 Casady751-8088
I BUY & SELL HOUSES 27 YRS EXP 650-7667 HOMESOFOKCINC.COM
Commercial RE
FREE RENT TIL APRIL Newlyremodeled1,2&3beds, Putnam Green, 405-721-2210
»»»»»»»»»»»»» » Bills Paid 681-7561 » » 1 bd From $550 Move» » 2 bd From $650 In» » 3 bd From $740 Today» » Call for Special » »»»»»»»»»»»»
Houses All Areas- Free List 4 bed from $595-1295 3 bed from $495-995 2 bed from $395-795 605-5477 2545 SW 59th 4805 East Ave 3/1/2 $525 Free List 681-7272
Pegosa Springs - 3 story 3bed, 2bath condo w/hot tub. March 17-24, $900 + dep. 406-393-2184
10F
SATURDAY, MARCH 3, 2012
THE OKLAHOMAN
NEWSOK.COM