The Oklahoman Real Estate

LISTING OF THE WEEK

HOUSE PLAN

Large home with a pool

The Richmond

The Listing of the Week is a large traditional home with a pool on a wooded 1-acre lot near Tinker Air Force Base.

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The house blends traditional and present-day Mediterranean styling in a plan that is at once elegant and informal.

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REAL ESTATE

Paul Bianchina

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THE OKLAHOMAN | NEWSOK.COM

SATURDAY, MAY 26, 2012

Attention to details brings luster to the Dream Home FUND RAISER | 4-BEDROOM HOME IS BEING RAFFLED AS FUNDRAISER FOR ST. JUDE’S RESEARCH HOSPITAL

HANDY @ HOME

TOILET REPAIR Do you have an older toilet that annoys you with the sound of water trickling long after you flush?

Replace the old-style ball cock valve with a newer one, such as Fluidmaster’s 400A Fill Valve.

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IN BRIEF FRESHENS AND COOLS

Dunhill Fine Homes teamed up with its parent Turner & Co. to build the St. Jude Dream Home at 10408 Chitwood Farms Road in The Lake at Chitwood Farms neighborhood in east Edmond.

PHOTOS BY SARAH PHIPPS, THE OKLAHOMAN

BY DYRINDA TYSON For The Oklahoman dyrinda@gmail.com

EDMOND — To truly take in what makes this year’s St. Jude’s Dream Home special, pay attention to the little things: Chiseled-edge granite surfaces in the kitchen.

Gently rounded doorways.

An enormous paneled front door. Closets that make the most of every inch of space from floor to ceiling.

The delight is in the details.

“The level of finish I do is really pretty heavy,” said builder Mark Lambert of Dunhill Fine Homes. “I’m blessed with excellent craftsmen who work with me, a really good team effort. I’ve got phenomenal tradesmen that know what they’re doing.”

Dunhill Fine Homes teamed up with its parent Turner & Co. to build the

dream home at 10408 Chitwood Farms Road in The Lake at Chitwood Farms neighborhood in east Edmond.

Tickets are on sale now for an opportunity to win the 3,900-square-foot house, valued at about $575,000 with four bedrooms, 4 ½ baths, a study, a game room upstairs and a mother-in-law suite featuring a handicap-accessible outside entrance.

Tickets are $100 each and can be reserved at Citizens Bank of Edmond locations, by calling (800) 592-1596 or with a credit card at www.dreamhome.org.

The mother-in-law suite is built with an older parent in mind, Lambert said, with wheelchairfriendly wider doorways and a tiled roll-in shower.

But with a separate entrance, elevated mounts for a television and an SEE DREAM HOME, PAGE 2E

Mark Lambert of Dunhill Fine Homes shows part of the kitchen of the St. Jude Dream Home in Edmond, a fundraiser for St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital in Memphis, Tenn.

Clean homes make for quicker sale A couple of middle-aged engineers are going through a crisis — the husband recently had a stroke, and his rehabilitation process is costly. The wife feels overwhelmed by her struggle to cope with her husband’s illness while still keeping her job. To pay medical bills, the pair’s lakeside contemporary house must soon go on the market.

But there’s one big hitch: The property is crammed with years’ worth of accumulations, including endless piles of clothing, shelves bulging with books and kitchen countertops covered with gadgets.

Some homeowners going through a tough transition — such as a medical crisis — are tempted to let their property go on the market in “as is” condition. But Joan Doyle, a real estate agent who’s worked with numerous clients going through tough life transitions, said that is a mistake.

“When you sell, your whole house becomes a stage. If your stuff is everywhere, buyers will never be interested,” she said.

For home sellers like the engi-

Ellen James Martin SMART MOVES

neers — who’ve long struggled with organizational challenges — the prospect of getting their property cleared out and ready for sale can seem overwhelming.

“I’ve worked with people who are crying and shaking when I come in,” said Susan C. Pinsky, a professional organizer who specializes in helping people through messy transitions.

Pinsky, author of “The Fast and Furious 5 Step Organizing Solution,” said that when a serious medical problem is the reason homeowners must sell, they often need relatives to help them mobilize.

Here are a few tips for family members who wish to step in: I Consider contacting a professional organizer.

To locate a professional organizer in your local area, Pinsky cites the website of the National Association of Professional Organizers (www.napo.net) as one source of names. Or ask friends, neighbors or colleagues whom they’ve turned to for this type of help. Alternatively, real estate agents can be a good source of referrals.

I Divide and conquer.

What if no funds are available to pay a professional organizer? In that case, Pinsky recommends that relatives choose a project manager within the family who can then delegate tasks on a roomby-room basis.

However, Pinsky cautions that no purging project goes forward smoothly unless the homeowners are consulted when decisions are made about which items will be kept, sold, thrown out or given away.

I Make the removal system as efficient as possible.

To promote efficiency, Pinsky she arranges for the use of large trash bins, along with trash bags of different colors to ensure, for ex-

ample, that items for charity don’t mingle with those destined for the landfill. Then she clears pathways to the doors to make sure it’s easy to remove anything that won’t be kept.

I Be sure to protect egos and family relationships.

Few people find it easy to sort through possessions in a home they’ve owned for many years — especially if they’re being forced to sell involuntarily. And a culling project is especially taxing for people who have pack rat tendencies or who suffer from other medical conditions, such as attention deficit disorder.

It can be exasperating and time-consuming to help disorganized relatives plow through their possessions before a home sale, said Linda S. Anderson, an ADD coach and immediate past president of the Attention Deficit Disorder Association. But she said it’s important to avoid admonishing or scolding them in an attempt to push forward faster.

To contact Ellen James Martin, email her at ellenjamesmartin@gmail.com.

UNIVERSAL UCLICK

A new fan from Honeywell freshens the air while it cools.

The Febreze Freshness Cool & Refresh Fan uses Febreze Set&Refresh scent cartridges to eliminate odor. Settings allow the user to adjust the scent level. The fan comes with an Advanced Odor Eliminator scent cartridge that contains twice the odor-eliminating ingredients of other Set&Refresh cartridges, but any cartridge will work in the fan. A single cartridge can last up to 30 days, depending on the fan speed.

The mini tower fan is designed for kitchens, bedrooms and small to mediumsize rooms. The fan is available at Target and Wal-Mart. Suggested retail price is $29.99.

DECORATING STEP BY STEP TV host and interior designer Sabrina Soto weighs in with her approach to decorating in her new book, “Sabrina Soto Home Design.”

Soto, host of shows including HGTV’s new series “The High/Low Project,” starts with the premise that everyone has the ability to think creatively.

Then she guides her readers through their projects by showing them how to approach decorating one step, or “layer,” at a time. The book provides tips and photos of rooms in a wide variety of styles. “Sabrina Soto Home Design” is publiished by Wiley.

It’s priced at $19.99 in softcover.

MCT INFORMATION SERVICES

INDEX Stone Permits

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SATURDAY, MAY 26, 2012

REAL ESTATE

THE OKLAHOMAN | NEWSOK.COM

Left: This view shows the living room of the St. Jude Dream Home in Edmond.

PHOTO BY SARAH PHIPPS, THE OKLAHOMAN

Dream Home: Five-month project FROM PAGE 1E

enormous walk-in closet, the space could just as easily accommodate guests or a child home visiting from college.

“Kind of their own little refuge, if you will,” he said.

And it’s all nestled on a 1-acre lot bounded by thick woods. It’s not unusual to get a glimpse of deer lurking there in the evenings, Lambert said.

The house is open free to the public 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.

Saturdays and noon to 5 p.m. Sundays through June 17. Visitors can enter for a free chance to win a $10,000 shopping spree at Edmond Furniture Gallery as well as other prizes — including the main draw, the house itself.

“A hundred dollars to win a home like this, it’s really a nice thing,” Lambert said. “And I’ve had several people who have bought tickets from me or have talked about it who say, ‘The good thing is even if I don’t win, it’s going to a good cause.’ ” Winners will be announced at noon June 24 during a special broadcast on KOKH-25.

The dream home giveaway is staged in 30 cities across the country and is the largest fundraiser for St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital in Memphis, Tenn. Actor Danny Thomas founded St. Jude in 1962; about 5,700 young patients are treated at the facility each year at no charge to their families.

Lambert said he had to fast-track the project to have it ready to open May 12, compressing eight or nine months of work into five months. It was a group effort, though, pooling the generosity of craftsmen and suppliers under one roof.

“I’ve got so many independent people that actually help on these that can’t afford not to work for something, but as a rule almost everyone gave something,” Lambert said.

“That is really, really awesome.”

The spirit of cooperation also prevailed, he said.

“A lot of times the

The St. Jude Dream Home includes an expansive laundry room.

PHOTOS BY SARAH PHIPPS, THE OKLAHOMAN

Mark Lambert of Dunhill Fine Homes was the builder of the St. Jude Dream Home in Edmond.

trades get frustrated because they’ll feel like they’re being stacked on top of each other and they want their own space to try and do it,” he said. “But on this they worked together and did not complain.”

St. Jude Dream Home fundraisers began with a

Shreveport, La., property in 1991, and they have raised $224 million for the hospital in the 21 years since, according to St. Jude figures.

And because of that, long hours on the job site and sponsors’ generosity are going to pay off one

way or another, Lambert said.

“St. Jude is a phenomenal organization — they do good work,” he said.

“And the way I look at it is if this house helps save one child, it’ll be worth everything that went into it.”

A wine room is shown in the St. Jude Dream Home in the Chitwood Farms neighborhood in Edmond.

REAL ESTATE

THE OKLAHOMAN | NEWSOK.COM

SATURDAY, MAY 26, 2012

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Inspectors have to work around belongings DEAR BARRY: The home I’m buying is occupied by the owners and will remain so until the day before the sale is completed.

With all of the furnishings and personal effects covering walls and floors and filling the closets and garage, how can my home inspector possibly do a thorough job?

Derek DEAR DEREK: Home inspections typically occur while a home is occupied by owners or renters. This is one of the obstacles around which home inspectors must work, and in some instances property defects can escape discovery. A hole in a wall may be concealed behind a sofa, moisture damage might be covered by storage in a garage, someone’s “bootleg” plumbing work might be hidden behind a

stack of suitcases, or an ungrounded outlet behind a piano might go untested.

In the majority of cases, furnishings do not prevent discovery of major defects, but exceptions are unavoidable. This is why final walk-through inspections are conducted by buyers and agents just before completing a sale, when personal possessions have been removed from the premises.

It is also one of the reasons why sellers are required to disclose all known defects. Sellers often are aware of conditions that might not be apparent to a home inspector. With all parties working together in good faith — buyers, sellers, agents and inspectors — significant defects have a good chance of being revealed. But no one can guarantee

Barry Stone INSPECTOR’S IN THE HOUSE

perfection in these processes.

DEAR BARRY: We were surprised when our home inspector didn’t mention the refrigerator or the washer and dryer in his report. But our surprise turned to shock when we moved in and found that those appliances were gone. Are these items supposed to be included in the sale of a home, or are they considered as personal property, to be taken by the sellers when they move?

Melanie

DEAR MELANIE: When appliances are freestanding, rather than built in, they are not regarded as components of the property and are only included in the sale if there is a specific agreement between buyers and sellers. This is why such items as refrigerators and laundry appliances are not included in a home inspection.

On the other hand, built-in appliances such as cooktops, ovens and dishwashers are regarded as fixtures. These are generally included as part of the sale of a home and, accordingly, as subjects of a home inspection report.

DEAR BARRY: The seller of the home I’m buying disclosed that the house was treated for termites about two years ago. I was already nervous about buy-

ing a home, but this has me really worried. Is past termite infestation a reason to back out of a purchase?

Lisa DEAR LISA: If past termite infestation were a basis for canceling a purchase, few homes would be worth buying. Sooner or later, nearly every home with wood components has termite infestation, except in those rare climates where termites do not exist. As long as the termite problem in this home was adequately addressed by a qualified professional, there should be no need for worry. Just be sure to get a clear termite report before completing this transaction.

To write to Barry Stone, go to www.housedetective.com.

ACTION COAST PUBLICATION

Structural glass offers decorating possibilities

BY MARY BETH BRECKENRIDGE Akron Beacon Journal

Michele Heath

Prudential adds Heath EDMOND — Prudential Alliance Realty, 3434 S Boulevard in Edmond, has added Michele Heath as a residential real estate sales associate.

She has seven years of experience in real estate.

She previously was a nurse for 14 years.

Hayley Swigart

Swigart joins Keller Williams MIDWEST CITY — Hayley Swigart has joined Keller Williams Realty, 1716-A S Post Road, as a residential real estate sales associate.

Previously, she worked in the medical field as an emergency medical technician and clinical office manager.

Hukill Team adds Hamilton Dawn Hamilton, a Realtor from Houston, has joined the Ryan Hukill Team at Paradigm AdvantEdge Real Estate’s north office at 16301 N May Ave. She attended Texas A&M University and earned a degree in psychology with a minor in sociology. She also earned Texas alternative certification to teach and taught special education for 10 years. She was a Realtor in Houston for four years before moving to Oklahoma in 2011.

Paradigm adds Grisham Diane Grisham has joined Paradigm AdvantEdge Real Estate’s north office, 16301 N May Ave., as a residential real estate sales associate.

She worked as a sales and customer service representative for Blue Cross & Blue Shield for several years before joining her husband, Steve Grisham, in his homebuilding business, S&D Homes. She holds a degree in math and science from Stockton State College in Pomona, N.J.

AKRON, Ohio — Steve Levey faced a challenge: How could he bring light to his clients’ dark, cramped first-floor sitting room?

It’s a common problem.

Levey’s solution, however, was anything but.

The Akron artist and interior designer brightened the room by installing a partial glass floor in the home office directly above, adjacent to a new window in that same upstairs room. The floor serves as a sort of internal skylight, flooding the sitting room below with sunlight and giving its occupants a glimpse of sky through the window.

It’s also a sleek architectural accent that gives the home office the artsy, contemporary edge the homeowners prize.

The floor is an example of the use of structural glass, glass that is specially manufactured to serve as a structural element in a building. Usually it’s used in commercial settings, but it sometimes shows up in high-end homes in such forms as glass walls, canopies, floors, stair landings and stair treads, said Manuel Marinos, president and CEO of Innovative Structural Glass in Three Rivers, Calif.

Even in more mainstream homes, frameless shower enclosures made of structural glass panels have become common.

Structural glass isn’t a new material, although it’s being used in new ways. It was developed in the early 1900s and was often made in colored, opaque form to

cover buildings’ exterior walls and give them the signature streamlining of the Art Deco and Art Moderne styles.

One of the earlier types of structural glass was Vitrolite, which still clads countless bathroom walls and fireplace surrounds in some older homes.

The 3-by-7 ½-foot floor panel Levey installed is about an inch thick and rests in an aluminum frame set into the room’s white oak floor. Getting the panel to sit flush with the wood floor was no small feat, considering the house dates to the 1940s and its floors weren’t level, said Levey, who runs Steve Levey Interiors.

“It was definitely a learning experience. …

There was a lot of finagling round with shims and stuff,” he said.

The floor panel forms an L-shape with the adjacent window, which is the same size. A sculpture rests on the floor at the base of the window, so the glass creates a sort of crystal frame for the art. At night, the glass glows with the light from LEDs around the perimeter.

The glass floor is strong enough to walk on, although the clients’ dogs won’t cross it and their guests sometimes hesitate to step on it, Levey said.

“Wearing a skirt is the only drawback,” he said with a laugh.

Glass may seem like a fragile substance for a floor, but this glass is specially engineered for strength.

Structural glass is thicker than annealed glass, the kind that’s used in typical

house windows, Marinos said. It’s also processed differently, although the processing varies according to how the glass is to be used.

Structural glass is engineered specifically for each application, he explained.

The forces to which the glass could be exposed are considered, be it hurricane winds, the impact of a bullet or just the pounding of high heels. Then both the makeup of the glass and the processes for manufacturing it are designed to allow the glass to withstand those forces, he said.

In the case of a glass floor, the glass is tempered, meaning it’s heated to a near molten state and then cooled rapidly with air. That causes the internal part of the glass to try to push itself out toward the outer layer, creating a tension that strengthens the glass, Marinos said.

Glass floors are also laminated, created from layers of glass with a bonding material between the layers to add strength.

Even if the top ply were to break, the bonding material would prevent the whole panel from shattering, Marinos said. That eliminates the danger of someone falling through.

MCT INFORMATION SERVICES

Interior designer Steve Levey stands on the structural glass floor he used in a west Akron, Ohio, residence.

Structural glass allows for designers to create stunning effects in buildings and homes.

MCT PHOTO

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SATURDAY, MAY 26, 2012

THE OKLAHOMAN | NEWSOK.COM

FHA may ease mortgage rules on condos WASHINGTON — Thousands of condo unit owners and buyers around the country could soon be in line for some welcome news on mortgage financing: Though officials are mum on specifics, the Federal Housing Administration is readying changes to its controversial condominium rules that have rendered large numbers of units ineligible for low down-payment insured mortgages.

The revisions could remove at least some of the obstacles that have dissuaded condominium homeowner association boards from seeking FHA approvals or recertifications of their buildings for FHA loans during the past 18 months. Under the agency’s regulations, individual condo units in a building cannot be sold to buyers using FHA-insured

mortgages unless the property as a whole has been approved for financing.

According to condominium experts, realty agents, lenders and builders, FHA’s rules have become overly strict and have cut off unit buyers from their best source of low-cost mortgage money, thereby frustrating the real estate recovery that the Obama administration says it advocates.

Christopher L. Gardner, managing member of FHA Pros LLC, a national consulting firm based in Northridge, Calif., that assists condo boards to obtain FHA approvals, said barely 25 percent of all condo projects that are potentially eligible for FHA financing are now approved.

That is despite the fact, Gardner said, that FHA financing is the

Kenneth Harney THE NATION’S HOUSING

No. 1 mortgage choice for half of all condo buyers and is crucial to first-time and minority purchasers.

Moe Veissi, president of the National Association of Realtors and a broker in Miami, said FHA’s strict rules “have had an enormous impact on individuals” across the country, especially residents of condo projects who suddenly find they are unable to sell their units because their condo board has not sought or obtained approval from FHA

as the result of objections to the agency’s strict criteria. This, in turn, depresses the prices unit owners can obtain and ultimately harms their equity holdings and financial futures, he said.

FHA officials defend their requirements as prudent and necessary to avoid insurance fund losses, but have expressed a willingness to reconsider some of the issues that have upset condo owners and the real estate industry.

The agency has imposed a long list of requirements on insurance and reserves, plus a highly controversial rule that associations interpret as creating severe legal liabilities for condo board officers if applications for FHA approvals contain inaccuracies. Andrew Fortin, vice president for government and public

affairs at Dallas-based Associa, one of the country’s largest homeowner association management firms, said that many boards, facing the prospect of up to 30 years in prison and heavy financial penalties, have refused to apply solely because of this personal liability requirement.

FHA is expected to clarify the personal liability language and make other modifications in its forthcoming rules. Whether the changes will be enough to convince condo boards to apply for approvals in large numbers is uncertain, but industry experts say they — and condo unit owners — are likely to welcome whatever loosening of the current restrictions FHA can offer.

Ken Harney’s email address is kenharney@earthlink.net.

WASHINGTON POST WRITERS GROUP

LISTING OF THE WEEK

The Listing of the Week is at 5101 Brook Hollow Drive.

PHOTO PROVIDED

3-bedroom near Tinker has pool, 3-car garage Mediterranean styles blended The Richmond blends traditional and present day Mediterranean styling in a plan that is at once elegant and informal. Traditional elements include a tile roof, arched windows and stucco relief. Bold columns, a cameo window and planters overflowing with vegetation provide contemporary flavor.

Vaulted ceilings create a sense of openness in the formal living spaces at the core of this plan. Widely spaced columns support plant shelves that delineate the boundaries of dining room, living room and hallways. A small powder room, tucked into the passageway to the kitchen, is

HOUSE PLAN close to everything.

Everyday activities take place in the large, open family room-kitchen. The cooking island is set at a diagonal to create a triangular kitchen. Having the vegetable sink right across from the range offers increased efficiency in food preparation.

The eating bar adds still more counter space. Utilities and a walk-in pantry are conveniently located between the kitchen and the garage. On the far side of the kitchen, a glass door in the nook leads to a veranda that opens onto a terrace.

Bedrooms are clustered together at the left. Luxury amenities in the owners’ suite include a large walkin closet, a private bathroom with two lavatories and an enclosed toilet and shower.

Each of the Richmond’s secondary bedrooms has direct access to a dualcompartment bathroom.

The bedroom closest to the entry porch could be outfitted with French doors and used as a den or office.

A review plan of the Richmond 11-048, 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 Listing of the Week is a large traditional home with a pool on a wooded 1acre lot near Tinker Air Force Base.

The 3,547-square-foot home at 5101 Brook Hollow Drive has three bedrooms, two baths, five living rooms, two dining rooms and an attached three-car garage. The family room has a fireplace. The kitchen has a breakfast bar and a pantry. The master bedroom has a walk-in closet and bathroom with whirlpool tub. The home has a game room that could be a bedroom. The home has a wraparound porch, open patio, storage area, security system and underground sprinkler system.

Recent updates include the roof, heat and air, siding, gutters, screens, pool tile, pool house, pool deck,

wood floors, baths and interior paint.

The home, built in 1996, is listed for $350,000 with Linda Finch of Paradigm AdvantEdge Real Estate.

The home will be open from 2 to 4 p.m. Sunday.

From Interstate 40 and Douglas, go north to SE

44, west to Kennington Lane, follow it to SE 49, then turn right on Brook Hollow. For more information, call 348-4422.

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.

THE OKLAHOMAN | NEWSOK.COM

Building permits Oklahoma City JHBR Architects, 5212 S Villa Ave., school, add-on, $2,174,147.

JHBR Architects, 2700 SW 40, school, add-on, $2,000,000.

JHBR Architects, 6900 S Byers Ave., school, addon, $1,237,085.

JHBR Architects, 6900 S Byers Ave., school, addon, $937,062.

Clark Construction, 212 Outlet Shoppes Drive, retail sales, erect, $900,000.

Clark Construction, 614 W Interstate 240 Service Road, automotive sales, remodel, $743,000.

Lingo Construction Services Inc., 204 N Robinson Ave., office, remodel, $463,620.

MCC & Associates, 6233 Northwest Expressway, shell building, erect, $450,000.

Jacobs General Contracting, 333 W Sheridan Ave., restaurant, remodel, $400,000.

Gemini Builders, 12300 SE 33 Place, residence, erect, $385,000.

Jeff Beardsley Custom Homes LLC, 316 NW 150 Court, residence, erect, $380,000.

Bridgeway Estates LLC, 15508 Kestral Park Court, residence, erect, $310,000.

Don Chesser Homes Inc., 19921 Oakshire Drive, residence, erect, $306,000.

Chambers (Ken) Design/Build Inc., 1400 NW 174 Court, residence, erect, $300,000.

L.A. Building Co. Inc., 605 NW 47, residence, erect, $300,000.

McCaleb Homes Inc., 13109 Rock Canyon Road, residence, erect, $300,000.

Elite Construction, 12009 SW 53, residence, erect, $285,000.

Hollingsworth Enterprises LLC, 9217 SW 30 Terrace, residence, erect, $280,000.

Bridgeway Estates LLC, 15709 Kestral Park Court, residence, erect, $270,000.

David L. Scott, 8820 NE 122, residence, erect, $230,000.

Braxton Homes LLC, 4113 Wayfield Ave., residence, erect, $230,000.

Manchester Elite Homes LLC, 14909 Trumball Circle, residence, erect, $228,100.

Braxton Homes LLC, 9021 SW 38 Terrace, residence, erect, $220,000.

Timber Craft Homes LLC, 8413 NW 143 Terrace, residence, erect, $214,360.

Johnston Builders LLC, 5613 NW 126, residence, erect, $208,000.

Todd Cooper Homes Inc., 13317 Greenscape Road, residence, erect, $205,000.

Todd Cooper Homes Inc., 13313 Greenscape Road, residence, erect, $202,000.

Lorenz Heritage Homes LLC, 5809 NW 162, residence, erect, $200,000.

Taber Built Homes LLC, 19000 Butterfly Blvd., residence, erect, $200,000.

The RLA Co. Inc., 14013 Drakes Way, residence, erect, $200,000.

The RLA Co. Inc., 14017 Drakes Way, residence, erect, $200,000.

Ideal Homes of Norman LP, 18609 Mesa Road, residence, erect, $194,000.

Manchester Elite Homes LLC, 14621 Exmoor Circle, residence, erect, $192,450.

Manchester Elite Homes LLC, 14620 Exmoor Circle, residence, erect, $186,800.

Gary Owens Carpet & Construction Inc., 12121 SW 17, residence, erect, $180,000.

Taber Built Homes LLC, 13817 Drakes Way, residence, erect, $180,000.

Taber Built Homes LLC, 13825 Drakes Way, residence, erect, $180,000.

Taber Built Homes LLC, 13901 Drakes Way, residence, erect, $180,000.

Taber Built Homes LLC, 13821 Drakes Way, school, erect, $180,000.

Prime Development, 2125 NW 159 Terrace, residence, erect, $179,000.

Timber Craft Homes LLC, 8416 NW 143 Terrace, residence, erect, $179,000.

Precision Construction Group, 1708 SE 22, officewarehouse, fire restoration, $176,000.

Pop Holdings, 6233 Northwest Expressway, restaurant, remodel, $175,000.

Vintage Custom Homes LLC, 12637 Williamson Farms Blvd., residence, erect, $170,000.

C-Jay Management/ BDC Construction Inc., 4901 SW 127, residence, erect, $165,000.

J. Bentley Developments LLC, 6405 Bent Wood Drive, residence, erect, $165,000.

Aaron Tatum Custom Homes LLC, 17204 Serrano Drive, residence, erect, $164,000.

Prime Development, 15909 Northampton Court, residence, erect, $163,000.

Prime Development, 2208 NW 158, residence, erect, $163,000.

Prime Development, 7709 Meadow Lake Drive, erect, erect, $163,000.

J. Bentley Developments LLC, 6400 Bentley Drive, residence, erect, $162,000.

Gary Owens Carpet & Construction Inc., 12125 SW 17, residence, erect, $160,000.

Prime Development, 9229 NW 77, residence, erect, $150,600.

Scharlach & French, 6808 N Robinson Ave., office, erect, $150,000.

Home Sweet Home LLC, 9108 NW 139, residence, erect, $144,550.

Ideal Homes of Norman LP, 18404 Las Meninas Drive, residence, erect, $141,000.

R&R Homes LLC, 10708 SW 35, residence, erect, $140,000.

R&R Homes LLC, 10712 SW 35, residence, erect, $140,000.

C-Jay Management/ BDC Construction Inc., 12013 Chesterfield Lane, residence, erect, $138,000.

Home Creations, 12108 NW 138, residence, erect, $130,100.

Home Creations, 12009 NW 138, residence, erect, $127,600.

Home Creations, 12020 NW 138, residence, erect, $125,600.

Ideal Homes of Norman LP, 14109 Wagon Boss Road, residence, erect, $123,000.

Lingo Construction Services Inc., 817 NW 12, church, remodel, $120,000.

Retail Permit Services, 1901 Northwest Expressway, retail sales, remodel, $120,000.

Home Creations, 12017 NW 138, residence, erect, $117,500.

Home Creations, 12013 NW 138, residence, erect, $111,900.

Foster Signature Homes LLC, 16312 Iron Fire Court, residence, erect, $110,000.

Harbor Homes, 17004 Madrid Circle, residence, erect, $110,000.

Harbor Homes, 316 SW 171 Court, residence, erect, $110,000.

Ideal Homes of Norman LP, 14101 Wagon Boss Road, residence, erect, $109,000.

Rausch Coleman Homes LLC, 11828 NW 131, residence, erect, $109,000.

Foster Signature Homes LLC, 3308 NW 164 Terrace, residence, erect, $105,000.

Foster Signature Homes LLC, 16404 Iron Ridge Road, residence, erect, $100,000.

Rausch Coleman Homes LLC, 9605 Lauren Drive, residence, erect, $100,000.

Rausch Coleman Homes LLC, 9632 Lauren Drive, residence, erect, $100,000.

Rausch Coleman Homes LLC, 9612 Kylie Drive, residence, erect, $100,000.

Donnie Floyd, 14401 S Choctaw Road, manufactured home, move-on, $98,000.

Home Creations, 2416 NW 196 Terrace, residence, erect, $92,500.

REAL ESTATE Ideal Homes of Norman LP, 2813 Fawn Lily Road, residence, erect, $91,000.

Westpoint Homes, 15912 Positano Drive, residence, erect, $90,000.

Vintage Custom Homes LLC, 10736 SW 35, residence, erect, $85,000.

Ideal Homes of Norman LP, 18217 Agua Drive, residence, erect, $84,000.

HSE Architects, 3366 Northwest Expressway, medical clinic/office, remodel, $80,000.

Ideal Homes of Norman LP, 2704 NW 187 Terrace, residence, erect, $75,000.

Permit Place, 701 S Morgan Road, equipment, install, $75,000.

Paul Odom III, 4000 SW 134, assembly hall, remodel, $75,000.

Paul Odom III, 4000 SW 134, assembly hall, add-on, $75,000.

Westpoint Homes, 15908 Positano Drive, residence, erect, $70,000.

Westpoint Homes, 15916 Positano Drive, residence, erect, $70,000.

Century Homes LLC, 6509 Lyrewood Terrace, fourplex, fire restoration, $70,000.

Covenant Renovations Inc., 3407 Brock Drive, residence, erect, $60,000.

Stabill Drill, 101 N Sara Road, office-warehouse, add-on, $60,000.

Box-Dillon, 520 NW 23, restaurant, remodel, $54,000.

Diversified Construction of Oklahoma, 410 W Wilshire Blvd., temporary building, move-on, $42,000.

Callahan Steel, 16000 SW 25, storage, erect, $40,000.

No name provided, 5601 Sycamore Pond Drive, accessory, erect, $28,500.

Brent Berrett, 6301 Whispering Grove Drive, accessory, complete, $28,000.

Smith Design Co., 1116 NW 49, residence, remodel, $25,000.

Permit Place, 701 S Morgan Road, canopycarport, erect, $25,000.

James Blurton, 13237 SW 41, accessory, erect, $20,000.

Kyle Chi Hon, 8917 Sowell Road, storage, erect, $20,000.

Goodman Networks, 5502 SE 44, tower-antenna, modular, $20,000.

Goodman Networks, 5502 SE 44, tower-antenna, install, $20,000.

Morton Building Inc., 12200 N Douglas Blvd., accessory, erect, $20,000.

H. Robles Roofing & Construction LLC, 2829 SW 84, residence, addon, $19,900.

Todd Cantrell, 12801 S Choctaw Road, residence, add-on, $10,900.

James Williams, 10513 NW 40, residence, addon, $10,000.

Pop Holdings, 6233 Northwest Expressway, restaurant, remodel, $10,000.

Morton Buildings Inc., 12200 N Douglas Blvd., accessory, erect, $7,000.

Arthur E. Leflore, 3628 N Independence Ave., storm shelter, installstorm shelter, $5,495.

Permit Place, 701 S Morgan Road, canopycarport, erect, $5,000.

Antoinette Nell, 4613 Jay Matt Drive, storm shelter, install-storm shelter, $4,500.

Mike Mann, 11865 SW 3 Terrace, storm shelter, install-storm shelter, $4,375.

Avanell Huggins, 9120 NW 99, storm shelter, install-storm shelter, $4,050.

Stephan Moore, 7100 N Air Depot Blvd., storm shelter, install-storm shelter, $4,000.

Jane Henson-Martin, 2306 NW 46, storm shelter, install-storm shelter, $3,825.

No name provided, 301 NW 145 Court, storm shelter, install-storm shelter, $3,825.

Dale Stevenson, 15212 Megan Circle, storm shelter, install-storm shelter, $3,500.

Jack B. and Mary L. Ford Trust, 2605 N Markwell Ave., residence, remodel, $3,500.

Robert Orcutt, 18317 Laurel Oak Drive, storm shelter, remodel, $3,500.

United Renovations, 9501S Interstate 35 Service

Road, cabana-gazebo, erect, $3,500.

Lawrence Martin, 5616 Woodmont Drive, storm shelter, install-storm shelter, $3,450.

Neshmayda Thurman, 10319 Fairfax Lane, storm shelter, install-storm shelter, $3,450.

Donald J. II & Cheryl Delzer, 17512 Silverhawk Way, storm shelter, install-storm shelter, $3,400.

Fred Courville, 15517 Maple Ridge Lane, storm shelter, install-storm shelter, $3,400.

Kevin Kaelberer, 8409 Woodbend Drive, storm shelter, install-storm shelter, $3,400.

Richard Shelley, 8329 NW 111, storm shelter, install-storm shelter, $3,400.

Walter A. Lagrone, 4212 NW 149, storm shelter, install-storm shelter, $3,395.

Judy Foster, 1109 NW 140 Terrace, storm shelter, install-storm shelter, $3,300.

Stephen and Lucinda Vaughan, 5117 SW 124 Place, storm shelter, install-storm shelter, $3,295.

Grant Craft, 16312 Vicki Drive, storm shelter, install-storm shelter, $3,200.

Jody Jones, 9000 Melin Road, storm shelter, install-storm shelter, $3,200.

Mark Fogarty, 8612 NW 127, storm shelter, installstorm shelter, $3,200.

Mark Emerson, 7216 NW 131, storm shelter, install-storm shelter, $3,195.

No name provided, 5601 Donna Lane, storm shelter, install-storm shelter, $3,195.

Alphonso Burdine, 1409 Kiowa Road, storm shelter, install-storm shelter, $3,100.

Joe Whitlock, 1413 NW 107, storm shelter, installstorm shelter, $3,100.

Mike Mentel, 7320 NW 126, storm shelter, installstorm shelter, $3,100.

Nathan and Kaylynn Davis, 18512 Mesa Road, storm shelter, installstorm shelter, $3,100.

Ray Owens Homes LLC, 17313 Grove Hill Terrace, storm shelter, installstorm shelter, $3,100.

Ray Owens Homes LLC, 17301 Clove Hill Place, storm shelter, installstorm shelter, $3,100.

Ray Owens Homes LLC, 17300 Parkgrove Drive, storm shelter, installstorm shelter, $3,100.

Alloy Building Co., 10401 Addie Lane, residence, add-on, $3,040.

Daniel Watson, 12329 Bell Gardens Drive, storm shelter, install-storm shelter, $3,000.

Eddie Griffin, 16305 Dustin Lane, storm shelter, install-storm shelter, $3,000.

Frederick Sugita, 11901 Chelsea Chase, storm shelter, install-storm shelter, $3,000.

Kathleen O’Shea, 7001 NW 161, storm shelter, install-storm shelter, $3,000.

Kelly Boatwright, 12108 Wentworth Place, storm shelter, install-storm shelter, $3,000.

Kyle Herl, 2217 NW 182, residence, install-storm shelter, $3,000.

Laul Carlile and Carolyn Corn, 425 NW 40, storm shelter, install-storm shelter, $3,000.

Michael or Lorena Peaslee, 2509 SE 89 Terrace, storm shelter, install-storm shelter, $3,000.

Paul Hey, 3221 NW 164 Terrace, storm shelter, install-storm shelter, $3,000.

Sean Connors, 5416 Marstall Drive, residence, install-storm shelter, $3,000.

Shawn Summers, 12028 SW 10, storm shelter, install-storm shelter, $3,000.

No name provided, 12812 SW 95, storm shelter, install-storm shelter, $3,000.

No name provided, 19417 Sky Blue Court, storm shelter, installstorm shelter, $3,000.

Brandon Winters, 12829 NW 6, storm shelter, install-storm shelter, $2,995.

Corey Mayo, 3216 NW

SATURDAY, MAY 26, 2012

177, storm shelter, installstorm shelter, $2,995.

Greg and Kimberlea May, 1905 NW 193 Circle, storm shelter, installstorm shelter, $2,995.

Martha Jennings, 2348 SW 138, storm shelter, install-storm shelter, $2,995.

Michael Rozon, 17508 Copper Creek Drive, storm shelter, installstorm shelter, $2,995.

Richard Bloom, 6705 Chelsey Lane, storm shelter, install-storm shelter, $2,995.

Roger Ison, 9508 SW 32, storm shelter, installstorm shelter, $2,995.

No name provided, 3225 NW 177, storm shelter, install-storm shelter, $2,995.

No name provided, 8504 Lowery Lane, storm shelter, install-storm shelter, $2,995.

No name provided, 536 SW 156 Court, storm shelter, install-storm shelter, $2,995.

Roslyn Stark, 2933 Pelham Drive, storm shelter, install-storm shelter, $2,989.

Andrea and Todd Lechtenberger, 5309 NW 124, storm shelter, installstorm shelter, $2,900.

Bethany Whitt, 601 SW 159 Terrace, storm shelter, install-storm shelter, $2,900.

Deborah Bond, 15400 Hickory Bend Lane, storm shelter, install-storm shelter, $2,900.

Lisa Bruce, 804 NW 193, storm shelter, installstorm shelter, $2,900.

No Raven Carter, 13120 NW 1 Terrace, storm shelter, install-storm shelter, $2,875.

Beth Orton, 2008 Edinburg Drive, storm shelter, install-storm shelter, $2,800.

Larry and Linda Reese, 8600 NW 126, storm shelter, install-storm shelter, $2,800.

Thomas Anand, 10001 Rockwell Terrace, storm shelter, install-storm shelter, $2,800.

Cedric Wichmann, 6224 SE 81 Terrace, storm shelter, install-storm shelter, $2,795.

No name provided, 541 SW 154 Court, storm shelter, install-storm shelter, $2,700.

Vien Viet Tran, 10913 N Florida Ave., storm shelter, install-storm shelter, $2,600.

Michael McCoy, 601 NW 174, storm shelter, install-storm shelter,

.

5E

$2,550.

Eugene Smith, 16900 SE 59, storm shelter, install-storm shelter, $2,500.

Johnnie Wallace, 2804 Gettysburg Road, storm shelter, install-storm shelter, $2,500.

Rachel Polite, 4916 SE 86 Terrace, storm shelter, install-storm shelter, $2,500.

Kawsar Chowdhury, 17901N Pennsylvania Ave., cleaners-laundry, remodel, $2,500.

Alloy Building Co., 1500 SW 77 Place, residence, add-on, $2,400.

D.R. Horton, 11120 SW 42 Place, storm shelter, install-storm shelter, $2,200.

Clayton Homes, 7901 S Council Road, manufactured home, move-on, $1,800.

Lee R. Perry, 2529 SW 45, residence, add-on, $1,600.

Hand Up Ministries Inc., 303 Snyder, manufactured home, move-onmobile home park, $1,500.

Hand Up Ministries, 301 Breezeway, manufactured home, move-on-mobile home park, $1,500.

Hand Up Ministries, 309 Breezeway, manufactured home, move-onmobile home park, $1,500.

Brian Mackey, 2700 SE 91, residence, remodel, $1,500.

Demolitions Midwest Wrecking, 5825 NW 23, restaurant.

Midwest Wrecking, 2400 N MacArthur Blvd., retail.

Midwest Wrecking, 1228 NW 48, residence.

Midwest Wrecking, 12801 N Western Ave., retail.

M&M Concrete & Wrecking Inc., 2018 W Park Place, residence.

M&M Concrete & Wrecking Inc., 2325 N Barnes Ave., residence.

M&M Concrete & Wrecking Inc., 2325 N Barnes Ave., garage.

M&M Concrete & Wrecking Inc., 2329 N Barnes Ave., residence.

Tracey Baker, 1125 NW 95, residence.

Kendall Concrete, 1412 NW 2, residence.

Kendall Concrete, 3608 S Agnew Ave., residence.

S.S. Saban, 1605 N Rockwell Ave., vacant.

Ray’s Trucking, 3800 Oakdale Forest Road, resident.

Virgil Haymon, 3016 NW 19, residence.

Home Creations on list of largest home builders MOORE — Builder magazine, a publication of the National Association of Home Builders, recently ranked Moore-based Home Creations as No. 60 in the Builder 100, its annual list of the nation’s 100 largest home-building companies.

Home Creations, a 2011 Energy Star Partner of the Year award winner, said it has found the best way to build an energy-efficient house while keeping in

mind Oklahoma’s climate.

Also, Home Creations includes three tornado safety elements as standard features in its homes.

“We aim to build homes that make sense for home buyers and their lifestyle, and for our environment,” said M.J. Farzaneh, construction director for Home Creations, which builds house in the Oklahoma City, Tulsa and Lawton areas.

Women’s mortgage group names officers The Oklahoma City chapter of National Association of Professional Mortgage Women has named officers for 20122013.

I Dina Scheirman of First United Bank Mortgage, president.

I Lauren Layman of Fairway Independent Mortgage Corp., president elect.

I Gaye Liddle of Old Republic Title Co. of Oklahoma, Yukon, vice president.

I Ellie Wade of First United Bank, treasurer.

I Neva Ford of American Eagle Title Group, secre-

tary.

I Lisa Puckett of American Eagle Title Group, director.

I Debra Penrod of CBC Innovis, director.

I Carol Clark, director.

I Gina Starr of Red Rock Mortgage & Lending LLC, outgoing president.

The Oklahoma City chapter of National Association of Professional Mortgage Women meets the second Tuesday of every month at The Greens Country Club, 13100 Green Valley Drive, Oklahoma City. Social hour starts at 5:30 p.m. with dinner at 6 p.m.

6E

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REAL ESTATE

SATURDAY, MAY 26, 2012

THE OKLAHOMAN | NEWSOK.COM

New product makes repairing noisy toilet easier Do you have an older toilet that annoys you with the sound of water trickling after you flush, long after it should have shut off? Have you tried adjusting and bending that big, frustrating, slimy rod and ball thinly and still can’t get things right?

Then it’s probably time for a new valve, and luckily this should prove to be one of the easier and less expensive projects on your to-do list.

Out with the old Inside your toilet tank is a device called a ball cock.

It’s a vertical valve on the left side of the tank, and it passes through a hole in the bottom of the tank itself, where it attaches to the incoming water line.

When the toilet is flushed, water in the tank is released into the bowl to flush away waste, and the ball cock valve opens, allowing water to enter and refill the tank.

A small tube coming out of the side of the valve enters a vertical tube called an overflow pipe, which is attached to the bowl. That allows a certain amount of the incoming water from the ball cock to be diverted into the bowl as well.

Older toilets use a float ball attached to a long arm, which floats on the surface of the water in the tank. As the water level rises, so does the float, until it reaches a preset level and shuts off the incoming water. Those float arms are notoriously cranky to adjust, and the older style of ball cock valves can get gummed up with sediment and other gunk over the years, leading to noisy operation and, worse yet, water-wasting leakage into the bowl because the valve never truly shuts itself off.

The solution is to replace the old-style ball cock valve with a newer one, such as Fluidmaster’s 400A Fill Valve. Fluidmaster has replaced the float ball and arm with a float cup that rides up and down on the valve itself, so it’s a lot easier to adjust.

It’s also all plastic, so corrosion isn’t a factor, and it tends to maintain itself in the position where you set it.

Straightforward replacement I recently had to replace a couple of these at my own house. The box said it was a 15-minute operation.

The first one took a bit longer than that, due to a leaky water line that wasn’t the valve’s fault, and I got the second one

Paul Bianchina HANDY @ HOME

changed in less than 10 minutes, so the average was right on. I will say that their instructions are some of the best I’ve seen.

To begin, shut off the water to the toilet, then flush it to get most of the water out of the tank. After that, it’s bailout time. Use a small can or whatever’s handy to scoop out as much remaining water as possible, then sop up what’s left with a sponge or a towel. It doesn’t need to be bone dry.

Now, unscrew the water line where it attaches to the bottom of the old ball cock (below the tank, on the left side), then loosen the big nut that holds the old ball cock in place. Take care not to damage the porcelain tank — advice that holds true throughout this process. Remove the old ball cock and discard it.

There are some parts packed in the Fluidmaster kit that you need to separate from one another; the instructions clearly explain how. One of those parts is a rubber washer, which you need to place over the end of the new valve before placing the valve temporarily into the hole in the tank.

Now comes a simple adjustment. On the side of the valve is a mark labeled “C.L.,” which stands for Critical Level. Basically, it’s a guide to help you with where the water level needs to be so that the valve operates correctly.

As the instructions explain, you’re going to want the C.L. mark to be at least 1 inch above the top of the overflow pipe. To achieve that, simply wind the adjustable valve stem clockwise or counterclockwise into the valve body, then measure from the overflow pipe to the mark until you have the measurement you want (in the “tools needed” part of the instructions, they neglect to mention you should also have a ruler or a tape measure, but that’s no big deal).

Once you have the dimensions correct, you can install the valve. Hold it in place so that the refill tube outlet is facing the overflow pipe and the float cup isn’t contacting the side of the tank anywhere, then press down to seat the washer and secure the valve in place with the pro-

vided locknut. You’re instructed not to use tools on the lock nut, and that’s good advice; hand pressure is enough to get a watertight seal against the washer, and anything more risks cracking the tank.

Now, reconnect your water line to the bottom of the new valve. The instructions clearly cover four different types of water lines. New washers are provided where needed.

Next, connect the new refill tube between the valve and the overflow pipe, using the angle adapter fitting and clip that’s provided in the kit; you may need to trim the tube to the proper length so that it doesn’t kink, which is easily done with a pair of scissors.

To clear the valve of any

Fluidmaster’s 400A Fill Valve

possible sediment, you need to remove the cap

from the top of the valve and flush it out. This is done by simply rotating the cap 1/8 of a turn counterclockwise, and it will unsnap and pop right off.

Place a can or other container over the top of the valve to contain the water, then slowly turn the water valve back on. Water will shoot out of the top of the valve, clearing out any sediment. Repeat this a couple of times, then leave the water valve off.

Replace the cap on the valve by pressing down and turning 1/8 turn clockwise until it snaps back in place, then turn the water valve back on.

The tank will now fill with water. Watch the level of the water in the tank. Your toilet should have a mark inside the tank indicating the ideal water level. If it

doesn’t, you’ll want to shoot for a level that’s about 1/2 inch to 1 inch below the top of the overflow pipe. If the water level is too high or too low, simply turn the adjustment rod on the side of the valve to raise or lower the float cup, which will change the water level; you may need to flush the toilet a couple of times to finalize the adjustments.

Fluidmaster valves and other replacement toilet parts can be found at home centers, hardware stores and a variety of other retailers, as well as online through retailers such as Amazon.com.

Remodeling and repair questions? Email Paul at paulbianchina@inman.com. All product reviews are based on the author’s actual testing of free review samples provided by the manufacturers.

INMAN NEWS

THE OKLAHOMAN

NEWSOK.COM

SATURDAY, MAY 26, 2012

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SATURDAY, MAY 26, 2012

REAL ESTATE

THE OKLAHOMAN | NEWSOK.COM

Casual elegance passes child-proof test

BY KATHY VAN MULLEKOM Daily Press

NEWPORT NEWS, Va. — When Jennifer Holmes was growing up in New Hampshire, she was always decorating her bedroom, doing something to reflect whatever interested her at the time.

“Mom loved to decorate and my parents were very good about letting us decorate our own rooms and display our style, within reason,” she said.

Her flair for home fashions followed her through college and into adulthood. After getting a degree in graphic arts, she studied interior architecture at the New York School of Interior Design and Fine Art. Jennifer Holmes, of Williamsburg, Va., displays her personally taken family phoNow the 30-year-old tographs in a homespun clothes line fashion across a window off her kitchen. mother of two girls — LilMCT PHOTOS lian Annabel, 3, and Lorelei Wren, 11 months — she that caught the attention DECORATING TIPS has turned her personal of Better Homes and Garinterest into a full-time dens magazine. A magabusiness, including a dec- zine crew recently spent a orating blog, “Dear Lillie” day there photographing at http://dearlillie- her holiday look for possi1. Use neutrals for your main upholstered pieces. blog.blogspot.com. ble inclusion in the fall 2. Bring the outdoors indoors. Use moss, branchHer online boutique at Christmas Ideas special es, flowers, and so on. the website sells many of interest publication.

3. Use things you already have — repurpose the items she makes and “I love for each of my them. designs, accessories like spaces to have an elegant 4. Shop consignment stores. You can find many handmade pillows in all feel,” Holmes said, carrygreat pieces at these places. shapes and sizes and chil- ing Lorelei on her hip, 5. Find antique malls, They offer many hidden treasures. dren’s growth charts that while showing visitors 6. Go for comfort. Make sure your furnishings are look like giant rulers. The around. However, as the comfortable. website also features tuto- mother of two young girls, 7. Try things — what’s the worst that can haprials on how to make what I know it’s important that pen? If you paint a room a bold color and you end Jennifer’s projects — slip- each room in our home is up hating it, just paint it again. covered ottoman, ruffled comfortable and function8. Embrace paint. It can completely transform a lampshade and coffee ta- al as well. It is definitely room, a wall or a piece of furniture. ble makeover, to name a possible to mix elegance 9. Think darker walls with light furniture — “I love few. with comfort and have a the way this looks and it has such an elegant feel.”

Living in Williamsburg, space that is both beautiful 10. Let your personality show through — you Va., where her husband, looking and practical. I want your home to reflect you.

Jonathan, coaches basket- stick with a mostly neutral — Jennifer Holmes, aka “Dear Lillie”at http:// ball at the College of Wil- palette and focus on texdearlillieblog.blogspot.com liam and Mary, Jennifer tures and patterns.” has transformed an 1,800She describes her decosquare-foot townhouse rating style as “casual ele- a modern twist.” and still have a nice-lookinto a showcase of ideas gance” or “traditional with “You can have children ing, fashionable home,”

Dear Lillie’s 10 decorating do’s:

Jennifer Holmes, holding daughter Lorelei, straightens a frame on the display of family photographs along the steps of their townhome in Williamsburg, Va. Holmes, a photographer, put the photos in dollarstore frames and painted the 2-foot squares of precut plywood from Lowe’s in neutral tones.

she said.

To make living with kids easy, Holmes puts slipcovers on chairs, sofas and ottomans in fabrics that are easy to wash and put back on again. Pillows are child-proof, too.

“You just need to find creative ways to store toys — like under chairs with slipcovers that fall to the floor — and make sure you don’t have furniture with sharp edges,” she said.

To make decorating affordable, she shops consignment shops and antique malls, looking for individual pieces that work with what she already has and can then serve different functions as their lifestyle changes.

For instance, she has wingback chairs with neu-

tral slipcovers so they look more traditional and tailored. For now, they are in the living room with an animal-print ottoman between them and an antique spinning wheel nearby. Eventually, she hopes to use the chairs at each end of a dining room table when they get another home with more space.

Another favorite find is a large French cabinet that stores linens upstairs.

“Going into a store and buying a set of matching furniture — this is one of the biggest mistakes people make,” she said. “If you do this, it doesn’t look personal at all. You want your home to be a reflection of you and your style.”

MCT INFORMATION SERVICES

REAL ESTATE

THE OKLAHOMAN | NEWSOK.COM

SATURDAY, MAY 26, 2012

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Chalkboards are newest accent in home decor

BY STACY DOWNS McClatchy Newspapers

KANSAS CITY, Mo. — Chalkboards may be oldschool, but they’re the newest accent in home decor.

“Look what I made,” said Kelly Sims of Liberty, Mo., holding up her smartphone during an unofficial show and tell during a chalkboard paint class at Be Here Now, a store in Independence, Mo. She flipped through pics: A picnic basket with a chalkboard top for playfully listing its contents.

An old mirror converted into a message board. The fronts of a few kitchen cabinets for meal planning and writing quotes.

Sims finds pieces in thrift stores, garage sales and even the trash, then transforms them with chalkboard paint into gifts and home-entertaining accessories.

Sims is a kindergarten teacher, but she was a pupil that night in chalkboard paint class. The instructor was Meredith Martin, an interior designer who lectured on how to mix custom colors and what you can make with it.

Results included a table setting with a chalkboardpainted paper runner and flower pots with chalkboard labels. Next to her sat a chalkboard-painted desk, storage boxes and a child’s play table.

She led the class in a craft project, a large metal charger with the decorative border taped off. With paint, the center of the charger became a chalkboard.

Here’s an array of chalkboard paint information:

pply paint thickly with a foam craft brush for small pieces or a regular paintbrush for furniture and walls. For glass bottles, apply thinly.

Spray cans of chalkboard paint are available.

A

lack — as in blackboard — is the most typical color of chalkboard paint, but it can be any color.

B

Decorative crayons.

V

A chalkboard painted door at Restoration Emporium in Kansas City, Mo. MCT PHOTOS

Chalkboard painted furniture at Restoration Emporium.

chalk pens and tell them to go to town. halkboard markers, available at craft stores and at Chalk Ink (chalkinkworldstore.com), are an alternative to dusty, smearing chalk.

C

ecals with chalkboard surfaces are another way to go if you don’t want to commit to paint. Large-format shapes include rectangles, squares, airplanes and coffee cups, to name a few at All Modern (allmodern.com). Little labels are available at Martha Stewart Home Office with Avery at Staples (staples.com).

D

rasers like you had in elementary school are adorable. But if you want the surface to be super clean, see Letter T (clean it with a damp cloth).

E

urniture, such as the top of a desk or a dining table, works well for chalkboard paint. But the paint can be used on the entire piece. Artist Tif-

F

fini Killgore painted a dresser with chalkboard paint and wrote the names of Kansas City neighborhoods on the drawers in chalk. ood gifts can be made with chalkboard paint. Paint an empty wine bottle, et voila! A vase. Great gift tags, too, can be crafted. The best part: they’re reusable.

G

ow to mix your own chalkboard paint: buy your favorite color of latex paint, says interior designer Meredith Martin (she used a noVOC variety). Buy unsanded grout ($3 from a hardware store). For a gallon of paint, mix in a quart of grout. (The ratio should be two-thirds paint to one-third grout). Stir. Add drops of water to make it thinner. After painting, allow to dry an hour. Often only one coat is needed.

H

dea for parties: use a chalkboard-style oilcloth as a runner on the table. Give guests chalk or

I

ot down anything on a chalkboard surface. It can be erased.

J K

raft paper can be covered with chalkboard paint to create a tablecloth. Great for writing pairing suggestions for tasting parties. et your kids draw on the walls. No problem with a chalkboard or chalkboard paint.

L

ake a Mondaythrough-Friday message board out of an old five-panel door using chalkboard paint in the panels.

M

ew idea: painting the surface of a deck with chalkboard paint.

N

bvious choice: cheese trays. Not so obvious: your car.

(We’ve spotted a VW Bug).

O P

ictures on Pinterest.com are inspiring us.

We especially love

walls with chalk drawings, such as a family tree in a nursery. A hint for precise outlines: rent a projector and create a transparency at a print shop.

Q R

uotes on chalkboards instant inspiration.

esources for chalkboard paint include craft stores, home warehouses, paint shops and Be Here Now, Independence, Mo., (816) 4617819, b-here-now.com. Be Here Now also sells chalkboard paint in a variety of colors by the pint, $15. pray surfaces with polyurethane to make chalk-art creations permanent.

S

ired of the mess or the design? The best way to clean it is with a damp cloth.

T

nderstand that when you apply chalkboard paint, it goes on gritty. When it dries, sand surfaces with 150-grit sandpaper before you first write on them.

U

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4101 NW 44 Open 2-4pm 1 owner, 2/2/2 $143,500 Bateman Co. 324-2022 CUTE N COZY, 2bed, mock fp, newly decorated, $550/ mo + $300dep. 706-3972

Bank Owned 3bd 1ba 2 liv PC Schls, .23 acre $57,900 Realty Experts 414-8753

3712 SE 48 Pl, D.C. sch, Like new 3/2/2. Owner carry, 5K down, 2 yrs for buyer to refinance 650-7667 www.homesofokcinc.com

Immaculate 4/2/3, blt 2008 granite, SS appls$166,000 Realty Experts 414-8753

Purcell 25345 Kody Lane 3bed, 2.5ba, 3 Car Garage, 2031 sq ft 1FP, 1-story Home, 2007 central heat, central A/C, septic sewer, 1 ac., $203,000 (405) 659-0968

HUNTING/FISHING 280 acres prime hunting & fishing in Dewey Co. for sale at auction June 2. sanderauctions.com for details and pictures.

Berny Sander 580-922-1478 or 4951

Bargain for cash.

James 417-2176 www.homesofokcinc.com

40 acres river bottom farm, 3 bed house, barns, Harrah 733-8688

1229 NE 43 3bd/1ba $35K obo Seller pays $5K in rprs Emery Realty 405-921-6606

8017 SUNNY POINTE LN close to TINKER near HEART HOSPITAL 4bed, 2ba, 2 Car 2010 $145,000 580-682-0440

PIEDMONT OPEN SUN 2-5 Model home. New hms on 1/2 ac lots. From NW Expwy & Sara Rd go 4.5 miNCleaton&Assoc373-2494

GREAT Office Space Various NW locations 300-6000sf 946-2516

Special Gov't Program!

Own Land/Family land ZERO DOWN! New and Repo homes avail. E-Z qualify by phone. Top dollar for your TRADE in. $2,000 furn allowance with purchase. WAC 405-631-7600 405-834-8814 Cash 4 Clunkers!

Guaranteed $5,000 for any trade towards down pymt of new home. WAC 405-631-7600 405-834-8814 Abandoned D/W Repo set up on 5 Acres!! Ready to move in. Free phone application 405-631-7600 NEW 3bd/2bth $1500 down, 7.5% $281mo.

405-324-8010

5824 S. Shartel Avenue Very Nice 2 bed, 1 bath, 1 car $43,500 ¡ 550-2145

REPO REPO REPO 4bd/3bth $648MO. wac 405-324-8000

3bd/2ba/2car Moore Schls 11817 Cedar Valley Ter. NM Rlty 613-9739

Double Wide REPO Like New $395mo. wac 405-577-2884 Rent to Own: Nice 2&3bd MWC $350&up 390-9777

I BUY HOUSES Any condition. No cost to U 410-5700

$99 Special

Selected units 2 & 3 bed Townhouses Washer/Dryers, Fireplaces, P.C. Schools

PARKLANE

8100 N. MacArthur Blvd.

721-5455

» Downtown View » Florence 429 NW 11th Midtown Studio, Granite Counters, CHA, Free Laundry $675mo $400dp; 409-7989 No section 8

ALL BILLS PAID

Lake Eufaula waterfront 3bd 2ba, mobile w/lrg deck, furnished, K private dock, 2 storage bldgs, 2nd lot across drive, $85,000 405-620-7163

$239 - 1st Mo 1 Beds Quiet, Park, Pool 293-3693 DREXEL ON THE PARK

Camping lot Lake Eufaula, 40'x130', gravel pad, elect holding tank, 350 gal water container, new shed, $6000 227-7648/7647

Large 2bd $575

1mo Free Casady751-8088

Commercial RE Established Business For Sale

Great for investor or first time homebuyer!

3bd home, fenced yard, ch/a $32,900 Fidelity RE 692-1661, 410-4300

COLONY POINT 3bd 2.5ba + bonus rm approx 2200' $169,000 2.6 ACRES 4bd 3ba lrg barn/shop $195,000 NEW HOME 3bd 2.5ba + off + formal din $283,900 Marian 850-7654 Cleaton & Assoc 373-2494

I BUY & SELL HOUSES 27 YRS EXP 650-7667 HOMESOFOKCINC.COM

1N ac Lake lot by owner.

Boat slip available to lease. Walk to Pine Cove Marina. Rural water, electric, internet. Black top road. $14,500. Small down payment and I will finance balance. »» 918-705-1077 »»

7900 NW 83 3 bd 2 bath 2 car owner carry. $129,000 » 641-2105

14009 Apache Dr 3bd + library, newer appls & a/c 2.5ba 2car $183K obo Emery Realty 405-921-6606 2817 Fairfield Dr 3bd 3ba 2car 1800 sf. $135K obo Emery Realty 405-921-6606

For Sale by Owner 3/1/1, 1100sqft. Nice curb appeal. Remodeled.

Covered back patio. $97,500. 1629 Carlisle Ct. 405-210-8961.

2245 NW 38th St. 3 bed, 1 bath, 1 car, fixer-upper.

Appt. only 405-524-6311.

3113 N Pioneer. Taking bids over $20K on 2 story, big lot, 2/1/2, 405-946-5533

Land Loans Lots and Acreages McClain Bank 527-6503 Member FDIC

ariety. Think beyond white chalk on a blackboard. Chalk comes in a crayon-assortment of colors these days; Crayola has a 52-count pack.

Inn, small restaurant, event business Norman, OK. Lots of options here, active and strong business. Incl owners home & vineyard. $1,695,000 Inn Partners (877) 957-2360 EST www.innpartners.com Profitable Complete powerwash & parking lot striping bus. New Equip. & all Satewide accounts Unlimited Possibilities!

Must sell due to health $50,000 380-6037, 712-1181

MOVE IN NOW! Pd. water/garbage Quiet.

Try Plaza East•341-4813

Free Month Rent! 1&2bd QUIET! Covered Parking Great Schools! 732-1122

Wilshire Valley Apts.

Newly Remod 1, 2 & 3bed S8-get an extra bed with income!. Call 475-9984.

Office Space For Rent 4801 CLASSEN 6 Room 1036sf $950mo 4 Room 790sf $730mo Spectrum Management 848-9400 usespectrum.com 7608 N Western Ave Retail/Office space, 1200sf avail, 370-1077

Furnished/Unfurnished Bills Paid » Wkly/Monthly Wes Chase Apts, Elk Horn Apts, Hillcrest 370-1077 » Furnished Efficiency » CH/A, $360 + Elec 2820 S Robinson 232-1549 $99 Move In Special!!!

Lg 1 and 2 Bdr, $345 to $420 mo. 632-9849

Condominiums, Townhouses For Rent 441

Furnished/Unfurnished Bills Paid » Wkly/Monthly Wes Chase Apts, Elk Horn Apts, Hillcrest 370-1077

Nantucket, gated, 2/2, w/d, fp, appls, $695 + dep, no pets/smoke, 943-1110

1st Mo Rent 1&2 Bedrooms Furnished & Unfurnished NEWLY REMODELED GATED COMMUNITY

MAYFAIR Great location!

1/2 bd W/D hdwd flr quiet secure ngbrhood ¡947-5665

800 N. Meridian 1bd All bills paid 946-9506 •ABC• Affordable, Bug free, Clean » 787-7212»

Newly Remodeled 1&2bd No deposit for VA, seniors & Disability.

4708 SE 44th 677-2200

on Selected Units LARGE TOWNHOMES & APARTMENTS • Washer, Dryers, pools • PC Schools, fireplaces

WILLIAMSBURG 7301 NW 23rd

787-1620

ummy surface for appetizer trays? To be on the safe side, use a nontoxic food-safe clear coat (available at craft stores) on top of chalkboard painted plates and platters.

Y

ero writing. Chalkboard surfaces look great even with nothing on them. They’re full of possibilities.

Z

MCT INFORMATION SERVICES

1400 Jupiter, 3 bed, 2 bath, 2 car gar, fenced, references, $950 + $950 deposit, 341-8755.

House for Rent 817 Hunters Pl Edmond 3bed, 2ba, 2 Car Rhett 283-OKC1 Exec 3bd 2.5ba 2story Copperfield. strm shel fp. $1500 + dep 822-1960

» Large 2 bd » 2 K ba » 1500 sf, fp, wet bar, 2 car, PC Schools » $850/mo, No Section 8.

831-8218 7009 Crestmont Dr, OKC

5017 Briarwood Dr, 3/1.5/2, $695 + $500 dep, Sec 8 ok. 324-2611 1 bed furn $375. 2bed trailer unfurn $395. refs req. $150dep, 321-4773 216 SE 40th 2/1 $395 Free List 681-7272

4308 Meadow Prk 3/1.5 $725 Free List 681-7272

3bd 2ba 2car fireplace 1575sf $1275mo+dep WAC Home&RanchRlty 794-7777

2212 NE 26, Nice brick home. 2/1/1 $500/mo 732-3411

833 E Eubanks 3/1 $495 Free List 681-7272

3 bed, 2 bath, 2 car, duplex in Westbury. $850 MO 405-620-0981

KAT Properties-Apt & Homes for rent. Scan this with your phone app

1 bedrooms, D&S Apts., 6101 S. Klein Ave., ch&a, No Sec 8.

No Pets 631-2383

4bed 2.5ba 2car 2700sf 11524 Queensbury Ct. Surrey Hills. Lse to own $1500mo Move in $3000 down 405-664-1072

Bills Paid Furnished/Unfurnished

14319 N Penn 2/2.5 $950 4721 NW 76 4/2.5/2 $1295 8705MacArthur4/2/2 $1195 Express Realty 844-6101 www.expressrealtyok.com

Houses for rent

Exec Home, Greens, 3liv, 2din, 3bd, 2.5ba, 2car, FP, 2700sf, $1,450mo, 4400 Windsong Way » 755-6036

Weekly/Monthly 370-1077

3037 North Rockwell

$99 Special

X

8411 Wakefield spacious 2bd duplex, 2 full baths, 1 car garage, Westmoore Schools $700mo. Fidelity RE 692-1661, 410-4300 3212 Dumas Lane nice 2bd home with 1car garage, fresh paint, new carpet, only $495 Fidelity RE 692-1661, 410-4300 3145 SW 71, 3/1/1 ch&a stove, frig No pets, No Sec 8 $750+dep 681-9865 3 bd 1K ba, ch&a, 1 door gar, close to OCCC, good cond, rent+dep 924-9691 644 SW 45th 2/1 $595 Free List 681-7272

Putnam Heights Plaza 1bed, ch/a, Dishwasher 1830 NW 39th 524-5907

CAVE CREEK ON ROCKWELL

495-2000

piration date of chalkboard paint: Six months from date of purchase or after it’s mixed. (Yes, creative spelling is permitted on creative chalkboards.)

Far NE OKC, 3bed, 2bath 2car, also 2bed, 2bath MH on 1 ac. 733-8688

MAYFAIR Great location!

1/2 bd W/D hdwd flr quiet secure ngbrhood ¡947-5665

$100 Off

W

2720 SW 74th unit 18 nice 2bd townhome 1.5ba ch/a washer dryer hkups only $550 Fidelity Real Est 692-1661, 410-4300

The Plaza 1740 NW 17th 1bd 1ba, 800sf, ch/a, wood floors, $550 mo $250 dep 409-7989

2 bed, 1.5 bath, water paid. $500mo 1434 NW 92nd 249-5362

Business Property For Rent 6,150sf BUILDING containing 4,500sf shop area & 1,650sf showroom & office area. Building sits on 5 lots. 25'x150' with 125' frontage on Main St/Hwy 66, Yukon, OK. $3,000 monthly.

Call Chuck Stewart 405818-4200/405-823-7761

$249 FIRST MONTH School is Out Special 14 Huge Floor Plans 416-5259 TUSCANY VILLAGE

$99 SPECIAL Lg 1bdr, stove, refrig., clean, walk to shops. $345 mo. 632-9849

et chalk is a secret for creating largeformat designs, says Annie Huff, the 18year-old daughter of Restoration Emporium owner Chrysalyn Huff. Annie Huff does chalkboard creations on doors and walls at the store. She dunks sidewalk chalk in a bucket of water. “It doesn’t look like anything when it’s wet on the surface, but then it dries vibrantly.”

4 bed, 1.5 bath, ch&a, section 8 preferred, 405-474-6369 3BD in elite area, walk to lake & trails $965 603-4775

12901 NE 10th Unit 1 spacious 2bd mobile home, clean, fenced $495 Fidelity692-1661, 410-4300

New Home! In The Ridge 3695 Merlin Ct 3bd + study 2ba 3car 2067sf. $1700mo $1700dep. no pet/sec 8 Maria 618-0563

3bd, 2ba, w/appls incl. + W&D, Edmond Schools, storage shed. No pets.

348-6240 or 623-1181 Rent to Own: Nice 2&3bd MWC $350&up 390-9777

Belle Isle area, 3 bed, 2 bath, 2 car, $1,495/mo+dep 2616 NW 59th. 640-7209 3bd 2ba, 1519 NW 102 Sec 8 ok, ch&a. No pets.

Avail 6/1. 761-9902 437 NW 91 3/1.5/1 $550 Free List 681-7272

BETHANY Clean 2 bed $500 range. Nice mature couple Call Jeanne 789-3287

10E

.

REAL ESTATE

SATURDAY, MAY 26, 2012

THE OKLAHOMAN | NEWSOK.COM

Technology gets us closer to mimicking the Jetsons

BY DEBRA D. BASS St. Louis Post Dispatch

Having a technologyinfused home full of automated features controlled by virtual buttons, remotes, sensors and voice control was once the kind of luxury we either didn’t take seriously or required megamillions to acquire.

David Young, president of the Sound Room, a haven for electronic wizardry in Chesterfield, said those types of sci-fi scenarios are now available at mainstream prices.

And what better time than spring when you’re decluttering for efficiency, sprucing up the house and working in the garden to also streamline your technology. In fact your technology wish list might provide you with even more incentive to have that garage sale.

Some of the basic new technology is available for less than $100, but if you have $5,000 you could deck out a modest home quite nicely.

Of course, there’s plenty of room in between. But if you have a smartphone and a wireless network, you’re already closer to mimicking the Jetsons than you think.

Home automation inc.

There was much ado about home automation in the 1980s. The ridiculously expensive systems could be customized to respond to verbal commands, and you could train it to do all sorts of technological gymnastics such as turning on certain lights, playing your favorite piano concerto or gangsta rap tune, adjusting the indoor air temperature to your desired preferences and unlocking your front door as you approach. But Home Automation Inc. is no longer for multimillionaires building megamansions.

The basic systems aren’t voice operated and you have to use multiple apps on a smartphone, iPad or computer, but for around $5,000 you could equip a 2,000- to 2,500-squarefoot home with an alarm system, cameras, power door locks, thermostat, wireless sounds and smart light switches that can all be manipulated by a few clicks from the palm of your hand.

And some of that will be recouped in savings from reduced energy costs. But we should warn you that modernizing is infectious.

Once you realize that you’ll never have to run downstairs to make sure the front door is locked or circle the block because you don’t remember setting the alarm or walk around the house turning off lights before you leave for work, you’ll crave even more control. Young explains that anything with an on and off switch is up for grabs, and people are even craving control of things that don’t always have switches, most notably window shades.

Talking fire alarm It’s always a good time to address fire safety. According to the makers of the KidSmart Vocal Smoke Detector ($65 at amazon.com), studies show that children respond better and more quickly to their parents’ voice than a bleeping alarm. Yes, they really do listen to you.

Some studies show that children can sleep through the sound of a regular smoke alarm. And considering that kids can sleep in strollers pushed on gravel at outdoor festivals, we’re inclined to believe them.

So instead of the typical alarm, the KidSmart detector uses a voice alert.

You record a personalized wake-up command for your child including instructions on escape routes from the house.

But, of course, there are a few caveats. You still have to be mindful to

coach the kids on escape routes in advance, and you shouldn’t toss your old fire detectors; two methods may be better than one.

The KidSmart detector uses less common photoelectric sensors that are best at detecting slow, smoldering fires, while ionization sensors, in typical detectors, are better at reacting to fast flames.

Heating and cooling with a ceiling fan If you’re thinking about replacing or adding a ceiling fan to combat the sweltering heat to come and take some pressure off your air conditioning unit, this is an option for the long haul. You don’t have to worry about clockwise or counterclockwise spinning. The Reiker Room Conditioner (starting $319-$349 at fanheatlight.com) operates and installs like a ceiling fan, but it contains four ceramic heating elements housed in the fan unit. A computer-controlled transmitter senses room temperature and adjusts, so you don’t have to worry about doing anything special if we get a cold snap one night. Reiker says that the room conditioner can heat a 20-by-20-foot room using less energy than typical portable heaters.

LED solar address panel It’s not the most hightech option but for ($49.99 at skymall.com or $59.99 at sharperimage.com), the pizza guy will never miss your house again.

Solar-powered lights illuminate your house address so that it’s clearly visible. After storing up some of the sun’s energy, the solar lights turn on at dusk and off at dawn. The units can accommodate four to six numbers.

Wireless remote control power outlets These outlets start around $14.99 at amazon.com for single units.

Stanley has a set of three

for $20.98, but one of the best options is a set of five wireless controlled electrical switch socket outlets controlled by one remote (battery included), $32.96 from YZ shop at amazon.com.

The remote-controlled switch sockets allow you to remotely control whatever is plugged in. There are a variety of options for indoor or outdoor outlets.

It’s a low-tech way to get a technologically advanced wireless remote system.

The remotes can control virtually anything you plug in from up to 100 feet away, even through walls and car doors. However, you will have to carry a remote.

Shoe sanitizer This gizmo is available at sharperimage.com for $99.99. You place a pair of shoes on the ultraviolet shoe sanitizer and the germ-killing lights turn on from the weight. Not only does it address most odorcausing germs, the manufacturers say it works wonders on the culprits that aggravate athlete’s foot and staph bacteria. It works in about an hour and fits most shoe sizes.

Lighted shower head No, not those annoying conservation brands that send out water in a trickle.

Mary Joyce Mathis of MJM Design Co. in St. Charles recommended an easy mix of technology and common sense. The Memowell Magic Showerhead ($49.95 to $119.95) at magicshowerhead.com has LED lights embedded in the shower head. The lights are powered by water pressure, so there is no wasted energy and you don’t have to worry about turning them on and off.

But the lights aren’t just there to help you get extra clean, there is a two-minute color rotation from red to green to blue that helps you monitor the length of your shower. It passively encourages you to take shorter showers, and it installs just like a regular shower head.

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Marlene Casey sits in the living room of her home in New Milford, N.J., one of the oldest in Bergen County,N.J., The home is for sale.

MCT PHOTO

Landmark houses need extra care and special ownership

BY KATHLEEN LYNN The Record

HACKENSACK, N.J. — Living in a 1678 stone house allowed Marlene Casey to “take something that has been in existence for hundreds of years and lovingly restore what needs to be restored and preserve it for future generations,” she said.

But after raising two sons in the house, Casey is ready for a smaller, one-story place, and has put her home — the Jacobus Demarest Homestead in New Milford, N.J. — on the market.

The property, one of the oldest in Bergen County, N.J., is among a number of pre-1900 properties for sale in the northern part of the state. Finding the right buyer for these unusual homes can be a challenge, experts said.

“A historic property is not for everyone,” said Vikki Healey, a broker who has a listing for a 200-year-old Dutch stone house in Maywood, N.J. “But a historic home lover will never quite be satisfied with anything else.” These buyers “are looking for a richness and texture that only comes with the patina of time.”

The historic element “is added value,” said Beth Freed, a real estate agent with Prominent Properties Sotheby’s International Realty, who has a listing for a $2.05 million renovated Victorian in Ridgewood, N.J. At the same time, she added, any older property “will still be measured against other comparably sized and outfitted homes.”

Older homes draw two types of buyers, said Keith Pandolfi, associate editor of This Old House magazine: Those who want a place that has already been renovated, and those brave souls who have some do-it-yourself experience (or ambitions) and are willing to take on a project.

“It’s a romantic relationship people have with old houses,” Pandolfi said. “It can be a dysfunctional relationship, too. … A lot of buyers are very idealistic.

They’re not always thinking practically

about the amount of work that the house might require.”

Steve Belner, 52, is in that category. He fell in love with an 1895 home in New Milford — just up River Road from the Jacobus Demarest house — the first time he walked in more than 20 years ago. The place was in bad shape, but that didn’t stop him.

“I had to have the house,” he said. “I was young. I didn’t understand what it took to fix a house.” Over the years, he renovated and expanded the house, and is now selling it, with an asking price of $675,000.

The most successful old-house remodels strike a balance between respecting the past and adding the modern comforts — like dishwashers and air conditioning — that the houses’ colonial-era and Victorian builders couldn’t even imagine.

These homes, Freed said, appeal to “buyers who love a home with soul,” but aren’t willing to deal with knob-and-tube wiring and other old-house headaches.

Being on state or federal registers of historic places does not restrict renovations by private owners, said T. Robins Brown, historic preservation consultant for Bergen County. But when municipalities designate an older house as a historic building, homeowners can face limits on exterior changes, though not usually interior renovations, she said.

When they renovate, owners of historic homes often try to stay true to the home’s spirit.

For example, when Sheila Ezza of Mahwah, N.J., added a master bedroom and bath to her 1840 home, she used old, wide-plank flooring and a claw-foot tub.

Other older homes have steep stairs, small kitchens, scant closet space and rambling layouts created by additions tacked on over the decades.

“If a person loves older architecture, they’re willing to adapt,” Brown said.

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