HOUSE PLAN
LISTING OF THE WEEK
Wide-open spaces
Twin Lakes home
A spacious great room is at the core of the Calabro, a small three-bedroom home with a wide-open feeling.
The Listing of the Week is a Dallas-style home with an open floor plan on 1.36 acres in gated Twin Lakes addition near Sooner Road and SE 149.
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Ellen James Martin
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THE OKLAHOMAN | NEWSOK.COM
SATURDAY, JUNE 18, 2011
WHEN KIDS RETURN TO THE NEST
TERMITES CAN TAKE A BIG BITE OUT OF HOME’S VALUE
Are you and your spouse living in a large home with one or more grown children who are short on cash for quarters of their own? If so, you’re not alone.
BY DYRINDA TYSON Special Correspondent dyrinda@gmail.com
At first it was tiny spots peppering Tom Barber’s bathroom ceiling in Norman. “I have a little bit of background on termites,” he said. “I didn’t see any actually live activity when I was looking, so I went in and I filled the holes up to make the ceiling look nice.” Two weeks later, the holes were back. “I know what termites can do,” he said, so he got a referral from a neighbor and called in experts to clear out the pests. The damage was confined to a couple of spots, he said, and he’s had no further problems. For Barber, who works for the Norman Housing Authority, that’s welcome news. “We have 172 units that are being treated by different companies for ter-
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IN BRIEF
BOOK GIVES DESIGN TIPS
A Terminix employee, right, shows termite damage to a homeowner in this image provided by Terminix. PHOTO PROVIDED BY TERMINIX
mites, and I have seen extensive damage termites can do,” he said. “Fortunately, in my own home, it hasn’t been as extensive.”
Experts say the drought could be hiding termite activity, setting up homeowners for more problems later. THE OKLAHOMAN ARCHIVES PHOTO
Termites are smaller than a grain of rice, but there is power in numbers. A mature colony, according to experts at Terminix, can be made up of several million termites, and together they can munch through a pound of wood a day. They often go undetected, quietly foraging in the dark behind walls and in ceilings. When a colony gets too big, part of it morphs into a swarm — complete with wings — which then sets out in search of a new home. Swarming activity in Oklahoma runs highest from March to May. “They’re a problem all year, but what alerts most homeowners to the fact they have them is when they swarm,” said Bill Frymire, Oklahoma City branch manager for Terminix at 9340 Pole Road in
AT A GLANCE PREVENTING TERMITES I Make it difficult for termites to find the mud they need. Fix plumbing leaks and roof leaks and make sure the gutters drain properly and away from the home’s foundation. I Keep firewood and other woody debris away from the home’s sides. I Keep siding clear of soil and mulch. I Make sure crawl spaces are well-ventilated and clear of debris such as scrap lumber, boxes or even old books. I Use mesh screen on all windows, doors and ventilation openings. I Have a professional inspect your home least once a year.
WASHINGTON — Should
Kenneth Harney THE NATION’S HOUSING
In the Cornerstone settlement, federal regulators alleged that the lender initially approved the applicant for a mortgage but later said that her income while on maternity leave could not be considered in qualifying for the loan. That, in turn, was a violation of the Fair Housing Act, said regulators, because it limited her ability to obtain financing based on her “sex and/or familial status.” Cornerstone did not respond to a request for comment, but in the settlement agreement denied any wrongdoing and said the issue arose because the applicant “failed to disclose … that she would
be on leave from her employment.” As part of the settlement, Cornerstone agreed to pay the applicant $15,000, and to create a $750,000 escrow fund to pay potential claims from other women who may have been harmed by Cornerstone’s maternity leave policies during the past two years. The government’s complaint against MGIC alleged that the company denied a Pennsylvania couple’s application for insurance “unless and until the wife returned to work from maternity leave.” An MGIC spokeswoman said the company’s policy is not to comment on pending litigation. John Trasvina, HUD’s assistant secretary for fair housing and equal opportunity, said federal law on the issue of maternity leave is clear: “Pregnancy is not a basis to deny or delay a loan. Mortgage
Paging through “Summer House” is a little like taking a vacation without leaving home. In the book, artist and designer Terry John Woods focuses on vacation homes that invite us to slow down and recharge. Woods offers design ideas for creating retreats both indoors and outdoors, mixed with summerhome memories and plenty of photos. He favors a cottage look marked by lots of pale colors, timeworn antiques and favorite objects. “Summer House” is published by Stewart, Tabori & Chang and sells for $45 in hardcover.
SOURCE: TERMINIX
Moore. This can be a problem in years, like this one, when drought keeps the soil dried out. “Swarm castles,” the cone-shaped mud enclosures termites build out-
side when they swarm, are often the first sign to catch a homeowner’s eye. No water, no mud, no swarm castle. “With them not swarmSEE TERMITES, PAGE 2F
Home lenders facing up to family issues being pregnant and taking maternity leave ever constitute reasons to be turned down for a home mortgage or having your loan closing postponed? You might think not, but two new legal actions by federal fair lending regulators suggest that the mortgage industry — and even federally run financing giants Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac — may need to address the issue. In one case, a Seattlearea physician settled a discrimination complaint with Cornerstone Mortgage Co., a national mortgage banking firm based in Houston. In the second, the Department of Housing and Urban Development accused MGIC, one of the country’s highest-volume mortgage insurers, of discrimination by underwriters against a Pennsylvania homeowner whose application allegedly was denied because she was on maternity leave.
SMART MOVES
professionals may verify income and other resources and have eligibility standards, but they may not single out women on maternity leave to deny or delay loans that they are otherwise eligible for.” Kristin Rowe-Finkbeiner, executive director of MomsRising, a group that advocates for equitable treatment of mothers, said in an interview that the Cornerstone and MGIC cases are emblematic of the widespread but little-publicized discrimination that working mothers face. “This is very common — it just doesn’t get a lot of attention” from the mortgage industry or, until now, from the government, she said. Her group has received 200 reports of alleged discrimination from credit applicants because they were on, or scheduled to begin, maternity leave. Much of the problem, Rowe-Finkbeiner said,
arises from “outdated assumptions” about working women who get pregnant and need to take leave. “The assumption is that women may not be returning to their jobs,” and therefore counting their income toward loan qualification is risky for the lender. But in fact, today’s economic realities require most of them to resume their employment in order to help support the family and pay the bills, including the mortgage, RoweFinkbeiner said. If you or a spouse have experienced discrimination on a mortgage application because you are on maternity leave or plan to be, you may have a remedy: File a complaint with HUD at (800) 6699777 or online in the fair lending area at www.hud. gov. Ken Harney’s email address is kenharney@earthlink.net. WASHINGTON POST WRITERS GROUP
MURALS ARE DESIGN-EASY Murals Your Way’s new repositionable murals let you make a statement without making a commitment. The SmartStick peel-and-stick murals are easy to apply to most surfaces and can be removed and reapplied more than 100 times, the company says. More than 7,000 designs are available in customizable sizes starting from 4 by 6 feet, or you can create a custom mural from a favorite snapshot or image. Prices start at $171.84 plus shipping. Murals can be ordered at www.muralsyour way.com.
INDEX Handy@Home Permits Barry Stone
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SATURDAY, JUNE 18, 2011
A termite mud tube has developed on a brick home pier.
PHOTO PROVIDED BY TERMINIX
Termites: Look for subtle clues FROM PAGE 1F
ing, that’s a whole other year potentially that they’re eating away at our houses without us knowing about it,” Frymire said. Frymire said Terminix hasn’t seen as many swarms as usual this year, but they’ve still been busy.
‘Same old, same old’ Robert Wynne, owner of Reliable Termite Co., 7714 NW 3, said his crews are seeing the “same old, same old” despite the drought. “We know rains and wet years can increase swarms,” he said. “But sometimes you don’t know why they don’t do what they’re supposed to do. They’ve kind of got minds of their own.” More subtle clues can also indicate termites are afoot, including hollowsounding walls, mud tubes snaking across surfaces and dots of mud like the ones that appeared in Barber’s house. “Termites hate the open air and use mud to insulate themselves. If you scrape one of those specks, and there’s a little-bitty, tiny hole behind it,” Frymire said. “That’s where termites have come through the Sheetrock, they’ve detected they’re out in the open, and they put some dirt over that to close it back.” And sometimes there’s no real evidence. That’s why yearly termite inspections are important, Wynne said. “They can be active in the winter months as well,” he said.
Royalty reigns Termites live their lives in a caste system with almost fairy-tale terminology. Kings and queens populate their colonies to the
This view shows a termite-damaged door frame.
tune of several thousand eggs a year, according to Oklahoma State University. Workers care for them and their young while soldiers keep guard. As younger kings and queens — reproductives — mature, they move out into their staging areas in the mud tunnels and swarm castle. Once the conditions are just right, they swarm forth to stake out new colonies. “If the conditions aren’t right, they will just die in there in their swarm castles and mud tunnels,” Frymire said. There’s no way to predict where a colony will settle. Termites go where the food is. “Their job is to get rid of fallen timber and wood that has fallen on the ground and recycle it,” Frymire said. “The problem is, they can’t tell the difference between our home and an old tree that is laying on the ground.”
PHOTO PROVIDED BY TERMINIX
Termites like books, as well as wood. PHOTO PROVIDED BY TERMINIX
A reproductive termite.
A termite mud tube that came up through carpet in this image from Oklahoma State University. PHOTO PROVIDED BY OSU
Termites swarm in an office.
A reproductive termite after it sheds its wings.
PHOTO PROVIDED BY OSU
THE OKLAHOMAN | NEWSOK.COM
THE OKLAHOMAN | NEWSOK.COM
REAL ESTATE
SATURDAY, JUNE 18, 2011
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‘Dream Home’ tour is planned for weekend FROM STAFF REPORTS
EDMOND — Final public tours of the St. Jude Dream Home, to be given away in a raffle to benefit St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital in Memphis, Tenn., will be from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday and from noon to 5 p.m. Sunday. Chad Hefty Custom Homes built the 3,825square-foot, four-bedroom, three-bath home at 3008 Saint Fergus Drive in Fairfax Gardens IV addition in Edmond. Those touring the home can register to win a $5,000 gift certificate to QualityCabinets and a four-burner gas grill. Just 7,000 tickets are being sold, at $100 each, for the St. Jude Dream Home Giveaway. Tickets may be reserved by visiting the St. Jude Dream Home or at any Arvest Bank or Legacy Cleaners location. To reserve a ticket and get directions to the house, call (800) 592-1596 or go to www.dreamhome.org. The home will be given away Sunday, June 26.
Banks use workshop to modify mortgages BY RICK ROTHACKER McClatchy Newspapers
COLUMBIA, S.C. — After medical problems and a lost job, Edwin Garcia has struggled to stay current on his mortgage in recent years. Behind $2,500 on his payments, the 57-year-old from Irmo, S.C., received a letter from Wells Fargo inviting him to a “Homeownership Preservation Workshop” at a Columbia hotel. Although he said he had low expectations, he departed with a loan modification. “I’m going to dance my way out of here,” said Garcia, whose monthly payment is set to drop to $420 from $530. The past-due amount will be rolled into a new 30-year fixed-rate mortgage. Garcia’s outcome is a bright spot for an industry under pressure to stave off a crush of foreclosures that continue to rack the U.S. economy and housing market. Like other big loan servicers, Wells Fargo has been ordered to improve its operations and is in talks with state attorneys general over a possible multimillion dollar settlement. One step that Wells, Bank of America, Citigroup, JPMorgan Chase and other lenders are taking is to hold outreach events like the one recently here. Banks are also opening permanent offices that give homeowners a chance to meet with bank representatives face to face.
Practice questioned Consumer advocates are skeptical of the banksponsored events. Diane Thompson of the National Consumer Law Center said the workshops tend to be long on promises and short on results. “A lot of people come out. It gets people’s hopes up. It’s good PR for the banks,” Thompson said. “But the follow-through is inadequate.” Bank resources would be better spent processing modification applications they have already received, she said. “You shouldn’t have to take a day off and show up at an event to get more promises,” she said. MCCLATCHY-TRIBUNE INFORMATION SERVICES
AT A GLANCE ABOUT ST. JUDE St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital is internationally recognized for its pioneering work in finding cures and saving children with cancer and other catastrophic diseases. St. Jude is the only pediatric cancer center to be designated as a Comprehensive Cancer Center by the National Cancer Institute.
HOSPITAL’S HISTORY The late entertainer Danny Thomas founded the hospital, which freely shares its discoveries with scientific and medical communities around the world. Families never pay for treatment at St. Jude that is not covered by insurance.
Chad Hefty Custom Homes built the 3,825-square-foot St. Jude Dream Home at 3008 Saint Fergus Drive in Edmond. PROVIDED This photo shows the kitchen of the St. Jude Dream Home by Chad Hefty Custom Homes. The home at 3008 Saint Fergus Drive in Edmond will be given away on June 26. Tickets are $100 each and only 7,000 are being sold. The home has four bedrooms and three baths. PROVIDED
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LISTING OF THE WEEK
THE OKLAHOMAN | NEWSOK.COM
HOUSE PLAN
The Listing of the Week is at 4529 Southcreek Road.
PHOTO PROVIDED
This Dallas-style home offers plenty of space The Listing of the Week is a Dallas-style home with an open floor plan on 1.36 acres in gated Twin Lakes addition near Sooner Road and SE 149. The 2,531-square-foot house at 4529 Southcreek Road has four bedrooms, 2½ baths, one living room, two dining areas and an attached three-car garage. The main living room has a built-in bookcase, fireplace and ceiling fan. The kitchen has eating
space, a breakfast bar and pantry. The master bedroom has a ceiling fan, bath with jetted tub and separate shower and Australian closet with builtins. Secondary bedrooms have ceiling fans. The home has a storm cellar in the garage, a large backyard, covered patio, security system and underground sprinkler system. The home, built in 2003, is listed for $269,000 with J.T. Brown
of Century 21/Clinkenbeard Group. The home will be open from 1 to 5 p.m. Saturday. From Sooner Road and SE 149, go south to Southcreek Road, then proceed east to the house. For more information, call 604-7363 or 7992100. 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.
Number of homeowners underwater sees decline BY MCCLATCHY-TRIBUNE INFORMATION SERVICES
The number of homeowners underwater on their mortgages in the United States declined slightly during the first three months of the year. The decline in the number of borrowers owing more on their mortgages than those properties are worth occurred despite falling home prices, which plunge borrowers underwater. Those price declines are being offset by a pickup in foreclosure sales, which take underwater homes off
the market, said Sam Khater, an economist with research firm CoreLogic of Santa Ana, Calif., which released the data. “We are treading water,” Khater said. The data showed that 10.9 million homes with a mortgage, or 22.7 percent of such properties, were underwater at the end of the first quarter. That was a slight decline from 11.1 million, or 23.1 percent, in the fourth quarter. Nevada had the most mortgaged homes underwater, 63 percent, followed by Arizona, 50 percent; Florida, 46 percent;
Michigan, 36 percent; and California, 31 percent. A report by the Los Angeles Times last week found that in some parts of the Las Vegas metro area more than 80 percent of homes were underwater, severely limiting mobility and economic opportunity in the region. Home equity loans also are contributing to the negative-equity problem, CoreLogic said. Thirtyeight percent of borrowers with second mortgages were underwater, compared with 18 percent of borrowers without home equity loans.
Window, stucco detailing highlight Calabro design A spacious great room is at the core of the Calabro, a small three-bedroom home with a wide-open feeling. Interesting windows, stucco detailing and a hip roof add street appeal to this contemporary Mediterranean-style plan. As a change from homes with a clear delineation between living areas, there is no formal living room or dining room in this plan. Those who enjoy open spaces will find this relaxed, comfortable gathering area quite appealing. The great room is totally open to the kitchen and offers sliding door access to a wide screened porch. The L-shaped kitchen
has everything: oven and microwave, built-in cooktop, a corner appliance center, dishwasher and pantry. An angled combination work island-eating bar provides minimal separation, and the great room has a wet bar with a counter and overhead cabinets. Laundry facilities, including a utility sink, are but a few steps away. The utility room is also directly accessible from the garage, which comes equipped with a long workbench. Amenities in the owners’ suite are surprisingly luxurious. You enter through French doors, the walk-in closet is huge, and the bathroom has twin
vanities and an oversized shower. Glass blocks create a short privacy wall. The other bathroom is just inside the entry, handy for children dashing in from play. A pocket door allows two to use the bathroom at once, both in complete privacy. Bedroom three in the Calabro can be used as a study, and bedroom two has a vaulted ceiling and dramatic boxed-out window — an ideal location for a window seat. For a review plan, including scaled floor plans, elevations, section and artist’s conception, send $25 to Associated Designs, 1100 Jacobs Drive, Eugene, OR, 97402. Please specify the Calabro 11-083 and include a return address when ordering. For more information, call (800) 634-0123.
THE OKLAHOMAN | NEWSOK.COM
REAL ESTATE
SATURDAY, JUNE 18, 2011
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Home’s shape takes the edge off BY MARY BETH BRECKENRIDGE Akron Beacon Journal
AKRON, Ohio — Ask Nan Decker what she likes most about her home in Northfield Center Township, Ohio. She’ll mention its open layout. She’ll point out its green features and its interesting angles. But the best part, she’ll tell you, is something she finds hard to put into words. “It gives me a good feeling to be in the house,” she said. “I almost want to say it’s a spiritual thing.” Decker lives in a round home, an uncommon design in an area heavily influenced by Colonial architecture. Outside, its appearance is distinctive but not weird; inside, the house has an airy, open feel, with windows that provide a sweeping view of Decker’s wooded lot. Decker, a veterinarian, said she’s always been drawn to the idea of living in a round structure. So when she saw an advertisement for a company that fabricates the components for round homes and a newspaper article about round-home builder Gregg Fior, she knew she’d found what she was looking for. Fior, owner of H. Fior Inc. Design/Build Services in Amherst, Ohio, built Decker’s house, starting in late 2006 and finishing in 2007.
Nan Decker lives in a round house that is energy efficient and structurally strong against winds in Northfield, Ohio. PHOTOS BY MCCLATCHY-TRIBUNE
About the house The house is about 2,000 square feet, with a 1,678-square-foot main section and a 20-by-16foot bridge that connects the main part to a round garage. In the most accurate sense, the house isn’t really round. Rather, it’s an 18sided polygon made of 8foot-wide wall sections. Its roof resembles a broad cone that overhangs the edges of the house to shelter and shade it. The number of sides depends on the size of the home, Fior said. Although Decker’s house is one story, round
High-end rental rates are booming, experts say BY THE ASSOCIATED PRESS
NEW YORK — Real estate experts in New York City say the market for fivefigure rentals is strong. They tell The New York Times that some wellheeled Manhattan residents are still skittish about buying real estate. They’d prefer to pay hefty rent. In fact, Rado Varchola, a senior vice president at Citi Habitats, said it can be easier to market highpriced rentals than those in the lower brackets. Among other things, he’s offering a 2,700square-foot, four-bedroom apartment on E 77th Street. The monthly rent? A mere $18,000. That’s cheap when compared to the city’s most expensive rental — a mansion on E 80th Street, near Central Park. It’s listed for — buckle your seat belt — $210,000 a month. It’s also for sale at $90 million.
Nan Decker and her dog Sweetie Pie sit in the living area of her round house in Northfield, Ohio.
The floor joists radiate from a center post in Nan Decker’s basement of her round house in Northfield, Ohio.
sections can be stacked to create a multistory home. The house’s structural components were manufactured by Deltec Homes, a company in Asheville, N.C., that specializes in round houses. Factory
construction drastically eliminates waste, an environmental benefit that appeals to many homeowners, said Steve Linton, Deltec’s director of sustainable technologies. Despite that new tech-
nology, round homes are hardly a new concept. Cultures all over the world have created them for millennia — the tepees and hogans of American Indians, the yurts of Central Asian nomads and the
roundhouses of Iron Age Britain, to name a few. One of the biggest benefits of a round home is its aerodynamic design, which helps it resist high winds. Instead of an entire side of a house being smacked by a gust, only one small section is hit directly by wind at any one time. The curved walls redirect that wind around the house and dissipate its
force. That gives Deltec and other builders of round homes a strong selling point in hurricane zones. Tornadoes, however, are another matter, Linton noted. Although round homes can withstand some twisters, the deadliest tornadoes can produce 300 mph winds, and “that’s something we can’t really design for,” he said.
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THE OKLAHOMAN | NEWSOK.COM
‘Boomerang’ kids can slow downsizing Are you and your spouse living in a large home with one or more grown children who are short on cash for quarters of their own? Are you planning to downsize but worry how your boomerang offspring will fare after you’ve sold the family compound? If so, you’re not alone, said Frank Furstenberg Jr., a sociology professor and family demographer at the University of Pennsylvania. “There’s no question that since 2008 more young people have been moving back home due to the economy and that this weighs on many parents,” he said. Furstenberg said one obvious reason many young adults are rebounding is that they’re unemployed or underemployed. Another is that many college grads are loaded up with student debt that inhibits their capacity to pay rent. However, he said parents shouldn’t worry that their offspring will need housing help for
Ellen James Martin SMART MOVES years to come. “How long this will continue is anyone’s guess. But it’s unlikely you’ll become a multigenerational household for long,” Furstenberg said. He said he thinks most young Americans now living with their parents will choose to leave once their finances allow it, because the culture values self-reliance. “By age 25 to 29, there’s a huge drop-off in the number of young adults still living at home,” said Furstenberg, chairman of The Network on Transitions to Adulthood, a research group focused on the changing nature of early adulthood (www.transad.pop. upenn.edu). Do you intend to go
forward with your plans to sell the family home and downsize, despite boomerang offspring now living with you? Then these pointers could prove helpful: I Stay true to dreams. For people contemplating retirement on a limited income, the idea of keeping a large family home to accommodate grown offspring can be a deal-breaker that compels them to dip into savings or stay in the workforce longer than they’d like. Keeping the large family home can also mean continuing to shoulder tiring home upkeep demands. John Rygiol, an independent real estate broker, said he’s seen too many clients who’ve sacrificed their retirement security to maintain quarters for grown children. Of course, many young adults living in the family home are unaware of their parents’ financial situation. Nor do they grasp the full cost of owning and maintaining the family home.
That’s why Rygiol suggests that an important first step toward your housing transition could involve a family meeting to discuss these realities. Obviously many young adults are well intentioned, and once they realize how important it is for their parents to downsize and cut costs, they’re more motivated to find their own housing solutions, according to Rygiol, who’s affiliated with the National Association of Exclusive Buyer Agents (www.naeba.org). I Consider offering rent subsidy Given the level of difficulty confronting many young people trying to gain ground in the current job market, it can be a jarring transition if they’re jettisoned from the family home without sufficient funds to cover their own housing costs. Should you help them pay for the costs of renting their own place? Rygiol said, “If you can afford it, maybe give the kids the equivalent of six months’ worth of rent for
a modest apartment, plus the money to cover the security deposit.” I Don’t rule out buying a bargain home where your offspring can live temporarily. Clearly, many parents are money-strapped as they head toward retirement, which is the reason they must liquidate the large family home. But retiring parents who have the money might consider purchasing a small investment property where their offspring can live for a limited period until they’re on their feet financially, said Donna Goings, a veteran real estate broker affiliated with the Council of Residential Specialists (www.crs.net). For those who can afford it, this option is especially viable at the current point in the economic cycle, when many small properties, especially condos, are available at extremely reasonable prices, particularly to cash buyers, Goings said. She recommends that anyone considering this
plan make sure their offspring know the property is for their shortterm use only and will likely be converted to a rental property in a few years. Search for a place that should be easily rentable in the future, perhaps located near a university where student housing is always in demand. I Don’t feel guilty about downsizing to protect your retirement assets. Should you feel guilty about asserting your own need to downsize, even if that means your boomerang kids can’t go with you to the new place and must find alternative housing? Not at all. Goings said you’ll be doing your children a favor over the long run. “The best thing you can do for your kids is to see that they get on their own two feet so they’ll develop the skills for independence,” she said. TO CONTACT ELLEN JAMES MARTIN, EMAIL HER AT ELLENJAMESMARTIN@GMAIL.COM. UNIVERSAL UCLICK
Careful planning Homeowners saying goodbye to grass is key to building the perfect deck BY KIM PALMER
Star Tribune (Minneapolis)
Backyard barbecues. A big patio table and chairs. A spot to kick back with a book and enjoy an afternoon breeze. Nothing says summer enjoyment in your yard like a deck. A well-planned and well-built deck can add resale value and make your home easier to sell. So if a new deck is on your list of projects this spring, take the time to plan for something that looks and performs well. Here are some things to consider. I Height and elevation changes. One of the first things to consider is which doors from the house will access the deck, and how high the deck will be in relation to those doors. The deck may be level with the doorway, so there’s no step down as you exit the house, or there may be a single step down. If the deck is fairly high in relation to the surrounding yard, and you plan on having steps leading down from the deck to the yard, consider building the deck in multiple levels. This will reduce the number of steps down to the yard, and will also lessen the impression of how high the deck is in the air. With a high deck, consider having several broad, sweeping steps from the house down to the main deck level. The steps can be lined with planters, or designed as additional seating. Another option is to have several interconnected decks at different heights, each with a different purpose. Multiple deck levels can also be done in yards that are fairly flat. Start with a main deck that’s level with the exit door from the house. Step down once to a lower level on each side, to create separate individual decks for dining, cooking, or seating. I Deck shapes and board direction. Another method for creating visual interest in your deck design is to use different shapes. Not every deck needs to be a square or a rectangle. Consider some gentle curves on the end of the deck, either in a large sweeping curve or in a more free-form design. Deck boards can be left overhanging your support framing and then cut in a gentle curve with a circular saw, or in tighter,
Paul Bianchina HANDY @ HOME
more complex curves using a jigsaw. Final smoothing and shaping can be done with a belt sander and a router. Even just cutting the corners off a square deck at a 45-degree angle will add a lot of visual interest. Typically, the decking boards are laid parallel with the house. But you might experiment with laying some of the boards in different directions as well. If you have multilevel decks, running the deck boards in perpendicular directions to each other on the different levels not only adds visual interest, it’s also a safety feature — your eye keys on the boards and warns you of the step down. Unusual deck shapes and changes in decking directions will often require some alterations to the deck’s support framing, particularly the joists. You’ll want to be sure and plan for this during the framing stages. I Work it out on paper. A scale drawing is your best tool when it comes to deck design. There are lots of inexpensive computer deck-drawing programs on the market that are easy to learn, and that allow you to design and draw a deck in both 2-D and 3-D. You can also do it easily with a ruler and a piece of graph paper. Start by drawing your yard and the back wall of your house, including the location of the doors and windows. Include any obstructions that might affect the deck, like trees or septic tanks. Then let your imagination go. Think of how you’ll use the deck, and what types of things you’ll want to put on it. Will you cook on it? Eat on it? Entertain? Have a lot of furniture? What shape would you like? What levels and areas would you like? Think about the deck both today and into the future. 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
MINNEAPOLIS — About a dozen years ago, Paul and Susan Damon of St. Paul, Minn., did something radical: They deliberately killed half their lawn. A few years later, they killed the rest of it. Gradually, they’ve transformed their city lot into a small urban prairie, with more than 130 species of native plants. “We wanted to turn it into a haven for birds and butterflies,” said Paul Damon, a landscape architect. And they succeeded; their garden now attracts 75 to 80 species of birds and sometimes “clouds” of butterflies. “When we planted natives, all of a sudden, everything came to life,” Susan Damon said. Across the river in Minneapolis, Wayne Beauchemin and Jamie Becker also have eliminated all lawn from their landscape. They started in front, with a boulevard garden and shaded woodland garden. Two years ago, they replaced their backyard lawn with a French-style cottage garden, inspired by their travels. “We decided, ‘Why don’t we do that here and pretend we’re in France?’” Beauchemin said. An expanse of manicured turf grass has been the default American landscape for many decades, but that’s starting to shift. And while eliminating the lawn completely is an unusual step, more and more homeowners are interested in having less lawn and more garden or other lawn alternatives. Reduced lawn was recently identified as a top trend by the American Society of Landscape Architects. “It’s really changed,” said Evelyn Hadden of Plymouth, Minn., an author and early less-grass advocate. When she founded Less Lawn (www.lesslawn.com) in 2001, people interested in the subject were “rebels, on the fringe,” she said. “Now you take your standard gardener, and most of them want to shrink their lawn. It’s OK to think about it now; it’s in the public view,” she said, thanks to growing eco-awareness and mounting concerns about water waste, pollution and energy costs. Even mainstream garden experts are seeing a subtle shift. “I don’t think we’re seeing a big move to eliminate all turf,” said Dale Bachman, chairman/CEO of Bachman’s, which helped with the installation and
Susan, left, and Paul Damon stand on their lawn, which is covered with native plants, not grass, at their St. Paul, Minnesota home. MCCLATCHY-TRIBUNE PHOTO
supplied plants for Beauchemin and Becker’s garden. But there are definitely more rain gardens and boulevard gardens, usually at the expense of some turf, he said. “In a city lot, it’s not a bad thing to do. You don’t have unlimited space.” Beauchemin, the gardener in his household, was an early adopter in the boulevard-garden trend; he converted his from grass to other plants in 1999. “He was at the forefront,” Bachman said. A passionate gardener who loves to experiment with plants and move them around, Beauchemin viewed his backyard as the final frontier, according to Bachman. “For him, it was kind of inevitable, to conquer that turf.” Instead of grass, Beauchemin and Becker now have a garden that covers the entire backyard, with four quadrants, each a different color, unified by boxwood and mulched paths, and accented with specimen trees and a collection of French fleamarket finds. “It’s very Parisian to have a hidden garden,” Becker said. “The neighbors with balconies tell us it makes their day to look at the garden.” “It’s our hideaway,” Beauchemin said. “It renews your energy, to come out and see color and beauty. You can get lost within the environment, more than (when it was) just grass.” The landscape still takes work, especially in fall and spring, “but I don’t find it as boring as mowing,” he said. “It’s more like therapy.” MCCLATCHY-TRIBUNE INFORMATION SERVICES
THE OKLAHOMAN | NEWSOK.COM
Permits Oklahoma City Gardner Construction, 6005 S Air Depot Blvd., office, erect, $15,000,000. Boynton Williams & Associates, 901 Greenvale Road, school, erect, $1,600,000. No name provided, 12344 Market Drive, medical clinic-office, erect, $535,000. Phillips Partnership, 7630 W Reno Ave., retail sales, remodel, $441,000. Topmark Construction Services LLC, 204 N Robinson Ave., office, remodel, $400,000. Phillips Partnership, 7630 W Reno Ave., retail sales, remodel, $347,000. Clayco, 8100 W Reno Ave., bank, remodel, $337,703. Thornbrooke Homes LLC, 15400 Brenton Hills Ave., residence, erect, $300,000. Cyntergy AEC, 2217 NW 23, retail sales, remodel, $300,000. Permit Place, 7624 W
Reno Ave., retail sales, remodel, $283,566. Kevin Ake Homes LLC, 12001 SW 119, residence, erect, $280,000. Doug Poff Homes, 9901 Harbor Drive, residence, erect, $275,000. Belmonte Developers LLC, 19604 Chestermere Circle, residence, erect, $270,000. Stone Ridge Homes LLC, 320 NW 151 Place, residence, erect, $270,000. E-Z Living Homes Inc., 8741 SW 111 Court, residence, erect, $250,000. J.R. Bowers Jr. Construction Co. Inc., 10907 Kristin Court, residence, erect, $250,000. Dezign Partnerships, 4500 Tinker Road, school, remodel, $225,000. Permits Today, 7634 W Reno Ave., retail sales, remodel, $225,000. Authentic Custom Homes LLC, 2713 NW 173, residence, erect, $210,000. RW Custom Homes LLC, 1821 NW 194 Circle, residence, erect, $210,000. Manchester Green Homes LLC, 1516 NW 186, resi-
REAL ESTATE dence, erect, $200,600. Authentic Custom Homes LLC, 17224 Hardwood Place, residence, erect, $200,000. E-Z Living Homes Inc., 12401 Lexington Drive, residence, erect, $200,000. Taber Built Homes LLC, 8912 SW 48, residence, erect, $190,000. LV Myers & Associates LLC, 10000 NW 2, equipment, remodel, $186,305. Mashburn Faires Homes LLC, 2805 SW 97, residence, erect, $166,000. Gary Owens Carpet & Construction Inc., 11932 SW 18, residence, erect, $160,000. D.R. Horton, 11133 SW 40, residence, erect, $154,000. Gary Owens Carpet & Construction Inc., 12000 SW 18, residence, erect, $150,800. Taber Built Homes LLC, 8916 SW 48, residence, erect, $150,000. Jonathan Wise Homes, 504 N Wisconsin Ave., residence, erect, $116,000. Home Creations, 11205 NW 99, residence, erect, $113,800.
Temple (Tom), 3928 NW 44, residence, add-on, $109,000. Home Creations, 3005 NW 181, residence, erect, $103,700. Alan Stuck Custom Homes, 724 Dusty Trail, residence, erect, $100,000. CMS Willowbrook, 1901 Springlake Drive, green house, erect, $100,000. City Bites Inc., 7642 W Reno Ave., restaurant, remodel, $100,000. SVR Investments LLC, 7101 W Wilshire Blvd., shell building, erect, $100,000. Mary Ann Artavic, 7628 W Reno Ave., retail sales, remodel, $83,750. Central Oklahoma Habitat For Humanity, 625 NE 85, residence, erect, $80,000. Central Oklahoma Habitat For Humanity, 621 NE 85, residence, erect, $80,000. Central Oklahoma Habitat For Humanity, 8524 N Phillips Ave., residence, erect, $80,000. Central Oklahoma Habitat For Humanity, 8508 N Lindsay Ave., residence,
SATURDAY, JUNE 18, 2011 erect, $80,000. No name provided, 2460 SW 149, tower-antenna, install, $80,000. Home Creations, 12112 NW 133 Terrace, residence, erect, $77,600. Home Creations, 12108 NW 133 Terrace, residence, erect, $77,200. SAS Constructors LLC, 204 N Robinson Ave., restaurant, remodel, $75,000. John Evans Construction, 330 NE 36, warehouse, remodel, $75,000. Jackovil Construction, 7654 W Reno Ave., retail sales, remodel, $62,000. Clayton Homes, 1332 Whitecap Lane, manufactured home, move-onmobile home park, $55,000. C.M. Architect, 7628 W Reno Ave., retail sales, remodel, $50,000. JAH Realty, 6900 Northwest Expressway, shell building, remodel, $42,000. Southwest Builders, 1125 SW 52, residence, add-on, $38,000. Claud Cypert Construction Co., 9309 NW 99 Circle, accessory, erect, $30,000.
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Alliance, 15121 Kendall Lane, accessory, erect, $30,000. No name provided, 3925 N Lincoln Blvd., restaurant, remodel, $30,000. Barbara Giles, 11209 Whispering Oaks Drive, barn, erect, $28,000. Joe East, 916 SE 22, accessory, erect, $27,500. Oklahoma Heart Hospital, 119 N Robinson Ave., medical clinic-office, remodel, $25,000. Fuller Miller Construction, 13100 S Council Road, residence, erect, $25,000. Callahan Steel Buildings (Curt), 13129 Savage, storage, erect, $20,000. JAH Realty, 6900 Northwest Expressway, shell building, remodel, $20,000. No name provided, 2460 SW 149, tower-antenna, modular, $20,000. No name provided, 7601 SW 104, storage, erect, $19,000. Mike Rice, 3111 Quail Springs Parkway, office, remodel, $18,000. Angela Castle, 11920 SW SEE PERMITS, PAGE 8F
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SATURDAY, JUNE 18, 2011
Permits FROM PAGE 7F
15 Terrace, manufactured home, move-on-mobile home park, $15,000. Buildings By Bill LLC, 10001 Goodman, storage, erect, $12,000. Jesus Torres, 628 Collin Drive, manufactured home, move-on-mobile home park, $12,000. Buildings By Bill LLC, 10017 Goodman, accessory, erect, $11,500. Elizabeth Rose Bay, 622 NW 96, residence, add-on, $11,000. AP Enterprises, 3308 SE 89, manufactured home, move-on-mobile home park, $10,900. Leroy Boyd, 9717 NW 10, manufactured home, move-on-mobile home park, $10,900. USA Shade and Fabric, 333 NW 5, canopy-carport, erect, $10,635. No name provided, 2729 SW 44, business, remodel, $7,500. No name provided, 245 S Cemetery Road, retail sales, move-on, $7,000. Hal Mills, 1204 NW 187 Place, cabana-gazebo, add-on, $6,444. Allen Porter, 322 NE 2, restaurant, remodel, $6,000. Anayely Garcia, 1313 SW 27, residence, remodel, $5,000. Smartsafe Enterprises, 424 SW 100, storm shelter, install-storm shelter, $5,000. Justin Gentry, 6709 Bernadine Lane, residence, fire restoration, $5,000. Richard and Sandra Archer Trust, 3015 Oakbriar Drive, residence, add-on, $5,000. Karol Dalbow, 1450 Lincolnshire Road, storm shelter, install-storm shelter, $4,300. Pamela Green, 12909 Rachel Court, storm shelter, install-storm shelter, $4,300. Ground Zero Shelters,
909 SW 153, storm shelter, install-storm shelter, $4,295. David Caban, 15600 Sandstone Terrace, storm shelter, install-storm shelter, $4,295. Jolene Kaufman, 304 SW 147, storm shelter, installstorm shelter, $4,295. Ground Zero Shelters Inc., 13100 Springcreek Court, storm shelter, install-storm shelter, $4,200. Cesar Juan Deleon and Erica Yvonne Deleon, 4136 NW 30, residence, add-on, $4,000. Douglas Behrens, 12700 Ponderosa Blvd., storm shelter, install-storm shelter, $4,000. Gary Abdo, 1413 NW 170, storm shelter, install-storm shelter, $4,000. James Kopenhafer, 12012 Kimberlyn Road, storm shelter, install-storm shelter, $4,000. Flatsafe Tornado Shelters, 12728 Cobblestone Parkway, storm shelter, install-storm shelter, $4,000. John Stinson, 9005 NW 81, storm shelter, installstorm shelter, $3,795. Flatsafe Tornado Shelters, 2909 Village Circle, storm shelter, install-storm shelter, $3,500. Linda Dearman, 2240 SW 60, storm shelter, install-storm shelter, $3,405. Curtis W. Hacker, 2508 SW 79, storm shelter, install-storm shelter, $3,395. Smart Shelters Inc., 10401 Donning, storm
REAL ESTATE shelter, install-storm shelter, $3,395. Smart Shelters Inc., 7416 NW 106, storm shelter, install-storm shelter, $3,395. Joe Stewart, 16404 Old Oak Drive, storm shelter, install-storm shelter, $3,395. Martha Johnson, 6129 SE 84, storm shelter, installstorm shelter, $3,395. Smartsafe Enterprises, 5812 NW 102, storm shelter, install-storm shelter, $3,395. David A. Griffin, 12608 Flagstone Court, storm shelter, install-storm shelter, $3,300. Jeanne M. Cotter, 5204 NW 123, storm shelter, install-storm shelter, $3,300. Vincent or la Cotter, 8016 Lakehurst Drive, storm shelter, install-storm shelter, $3,300. Flatsafe Tornado Shelters, 10421 NW 41, storm shelter, install-storm shelter, $3,175. Debray A. Ayaca, 3332 Stonybrook Court, storm shelter, install-storm shelter, $3,000. Robin Polee, 10825 NE 41, residence, add-on, $3,000. Lisa Hall, 8516 NW 86, storm shelter, install-storm shelter, $2,995. Timothy Carroll, 14508 Yorkshire Lane, storm shelter, install-storm shelter, $2,850. Barbara Pinkerton, 4225 Mariner Drive, storm shelter, install-storm shelter,
$2,800. Carolyn Weatherford, 5413 NW 108 Terrace, storm shelter, install-storm shelter, $2,800. Ground Zero Shelters Inc., 7813 Doris Drive, storm shelter, install-storm shelter, $2,800. Ground Zero Shelters, 721 NW 46, storm shelter, install-storm shelter, $2,800. Glenn Sanders, 7301 NW 112, storm shelter, installstorm shelter, $2,800. Hanh Nguyen, 8312 NW 10 Terrace, storm shelter, install-storm shelter, $2,800. Jerry E. Cole, 17664 Palladium Lane, storm shelter, install-storm shelter, $2,800. Kent Isbell, 9317 S Indiana Ave., storm shelter, install-storm shelter, $2,800. Linda Magee, 2329 SW 137, storm shelter, installstorm shelter, $2,800. Phuong Nguyen, 8901 NW 113, storm shelter, install-storm shelter, $2,800. Rodolfo Balderas, 2805 S Blackwelder Ave., canopycarport, erect, $2,800. Ground Zero Shelters, 5517 SE 86, storm shelter, install-storm shelter, $2,800. Steven L. Frazier, 7220 NW 102, storm shelter, install-storm shelter, $2,800.
THE OKLAHOMAN | NEWSOK.COM Trung Nguyen, 9321 SW 22, storm shelter, installstorm shelter, $2,800. No name provided, 5801 SE 156, storm shelter, install-storm shelter, $2,800. Vincent Do, 9501 Hillcrest Drive, storm shelter, install-storm shelter, $2,750. Anne Erkenbrack, 3900 NW 12, storm shelter, install-storm shelter, $2,700. Ground Zero, 2708 SW 135, storm shelter, installstorm shelter, $2,700. Jack Nguyen, 8917 NW 106, storm shelter, installstorm shelter, $2,600. Zachary Diep, 8912 NW 115, storm shelter, installstorm shelter, $2,600. Regina Smith, 14121 Bartley Springs Road, storm shelter, install-storm shelter, $2,450. Becky Latorre, 13908 Hunter Jackson Drive, storm shelter, install-storm shelter, $2,400. Steve Belflower, 8621 Hillview Road, storm shelter, install-storm shelter, $2,400. Travis Reese, 8012 Dripping Springs Lane, storm shelter, install-storm shelter, $2,400. Alloy Building Co., 7825 NW 6, canopy-carport, add-on, $2,400. Alloy Building Co., 3205 N Prospect Ave., canopycarport, add-on, $2,400. Area Septic Service, 11208 NW 104, storm shel-
ter, install-storm shelter, $2,300. Flory Quiros, 3805 NW 23, residence, remodel, $2,000. Juanita Moore, 3801 SW 40 Place, residence, addon, $2,000. Kevin Brian Collett, 8317 Timberwood Lane, residence, remodel, $2,000. Rick Parmeter, 3013 Pioneer Ave., residence, remodel, $2,000. Garrett & Co LLC, 239 NW 95, warehouse, remodel, $1,600. Garrett & Co LLC, 239 NW 95, warehouse, remodel, $1,600. Old World Plaza LLC, 501 S Mustang Road, retail sales, remodel, $1,200. Alejandro Mascote, 3011 SW 12, storage, erect, $1,000. Gardner Construction, 6005 S Air Depot Blvd., temporary building, moveon, $1,000.
Demolitions K&M Dirt Services LLC, 900 NW 90, vacant. K&M Dirt Services LLC, 1004 NW 91, vacant. K&M Dirt Services LLC, 908 NW 90, vacant. K&M Dirt Services LLC, 916 NW 90, vacant. K&M Dirt Services LLC, 9009 N Francis Ave., vacant. M&M Concrete & Wrecking Inc., 5900 S Hattie Ave., guard shack.
REAL ESTATE
THE OKLAHOMAN | NEWSOK.COM
SATURDAY, JUNE 18, 2011
9F
Wall noise likely nothing to worry about DEAR BARRY: The pipes in my walls make weird clanking noises. The place is about 15 years old, but I moved in recently. Whenever I wash the dishes or use the bathroom sink, I hear pounding sounds, like someone is punching the walls. And late every night, I hear the same sounds, without even running the water. I know this is not normal because I’ve lived in many houses, and none of the others had this problem. What is going on in my home? Can I do something about it now, or do I have to wait for some kind of
catastrophe?
Talia
DEAR TALIA: The knocking sounds in your walls do not portend a catastrophe. These noises typically occur when pipes are expanding and contracting in response to temperature changes. When you wash the dishes or use the bathroom sink, hot water runs through the cold pipes, causing them to expand. Late at night, the coolness of the evening causes the pipes to contract. When pipes are loosely fitted in the wall framing, movement can occur without noticeable
Barry Stone INSPECTOR’S IN THE HOUSE
sounds. When the pipes in the walls are tightly fitted, as is probably the case in your home, expansion and contraction can cause noises as the pipes move against the wood framing. To correct this problem, drywall will have to be removed from some walls to provide access to the troubled areas. At
worst, the problem is a nuisance, rather than a warning of worse things to come. If you are unable to bear the noises, have a licensed plumber give you a bid for repairs. DEAR BARRY: Our home is about 12 years old and has radiant heat tubing in the concrete slab floor. We’ve discovered slab cracks in the floor tiles and some of the grout lines and are afraid the hot water pipes in the slab will also crack and cause leaks in the house. If that happens, we’ll have to replace the entire slab. Are the people who
sold us the house four years ago still liable, and should we notify our homeowners insurance company about a potential flooding problem? Dennis DEAR DENNIS: If the cracks are less than 1/8 inch wide, they are most likely typical stress cracks caused by concrete shrinkage or by expansive soil. Cracks of this kind are present in most slabs but are usually not visible through floor coverings, except tile floors, of course. When ceramic tiles are installed without a slip sheet on the slab, hairline stress cracks in the slab
can appear in the tiles and grout lines. Radiant heat tubes are unlikely to be affected because they have sufficient flexibility to accommodate normal cracks and stresses. If you haven’t had any leaks so far, there is probably no basis for worry. Without a history of leakage, there is no reason to raise this issue with the previous owners, especially after four years. As for notifying your insurance company, your insurance agent should advise you in that regard. To write to Barry Stone, go to www.housedetective.com. ACTION COAST PUBLISHING
LOANS ALLOW THE USE OF HOME’S EQUITY AS A SOURCE OF CASH
For some homeowners, reverse mortgages offer an option BY AL HEAVENS The Philadelphia Inquirer
Reverse mortgages allow people 62 and older to borrow against their home equity. Like marriage, these are arrangements not to be entered into unadvisedly or lightly. That’s because reverse mortgages are actual loans that must be repaid in full — when you move, when you sell your house or upon your death, rather than in monthly installments. But, said David Certner, AARP’s legislative policy director, it’s something to consider if you don’t have other options.” “If the one asset you have is your home, a reverse mortgage will let you turn it into a payment
stream,” Certner said. “Maybe you simply need a home-equity loan, or to sell the home and move to something smaller. For a lot of people who want to stay in their own homes, the reverse mortgage is one way to help accomplish that.”
Vast untapped equity Though home values have dropped steeply since the real estate bubble burst in 2006, many older Americans have owned their houses for decades and have vast amounts of equity to tap into. Yet of the millions of home loans originated between 1990 and 2010, just 660,000 were reverse mortgages, AARP says. Why? Because reverse
Farms, Ranches For Sale, Okla. 308 114 ACRES LOGAN COUNTY 3/4 MILE SOUTH OF MULHALL RD & SANTA FE, 114 ACRES 84 IN CULTIVATION good hunting & fishing
276 ACRES
River frontage, farming, hunting, house, 30 min. so. of Norman. $475,000. 405-202-3531. Landwatch.com. #683459
302
PIEDMONT OPEN SAT 2-4 & SUN 2-5. Model home. New hms on 1/2 ac lots. Info also available for new hms in other additions. From NW Expwy & Sara Rd go 4.5 mi N. Cleaton & Assoc 373-2494 1N to 10A, E. of OKC, pay out dn. before 1st pmt. starts, many are M/H ready over 400 choices, lg trees, some with ponds, TERMS Milburn o/a 275-1695 paulmilburnacreages.com
148 acres Cleveland Ct. Ex grazing, hunting, bldg. site, 20 mins to Okcy or Norman, $2250 ac. 405-238-0669 Logan County SW 1/4 17 17 North, 1 West. 157 acres, creek, pond, timber & farmland, $2000 per acre. 405-282-5392.
RE for sale Choctaw
OWNER FINANCING 1-28 Acres Many Locations Call for maps 405-273-5777 www.property4sale.com Payout dn pmt before 1st pmt starts. Your opportunity to own land, 40 areas, E, NE, SE of OKC 1N A. Milburn o/a 275-1695 terms $10K Below Aprsd Val!! 3.28A 3145' cstm blt 4/3. 2 Min fr Tinker $304,900 Keesee/Hunter 843-6568 Unfinished 2 story on 15A 3 or 4bd NE of Harrah, animal sheds, storage bldg Milburn o/a275-1695 terms Call for Maps! See why we sell more acreages than anyone in Okla. E of OKC. o/a 275-1695 6.3 ac w/1400sf HouseSmart, Newcastle Schls, $125,000. 387-4075 15 acres in Dibble, OK. $6500/down, take over payments. 405-885-4097 5 Acres SE OKC, Close to Thunderbird, mobiles ok 405-620-7966
Farms, Ranches For Sale, Okla. 308
1015 ACRE CATTLE & HUNTING RANCH
Elmore City, OK SELLS ABSOLUTENO RESERVE Sat. June 25, 2011 10am 1015 Acres of beautiful land w/lake and over 30 ponds. Nice brick home and lots of barns & sheds. Go to: www.tillmansauction.com for all the info or call 405-542-7030 TILLMAN AUCTION
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For sale by owner. Open House Sun June 12 2-5 3352 N Henney 3bd 2ba fenced 2K Acres 390-9460
Edmond 1.79 Acres-Zoned C-3, 1900 Block N Eastern, Moore, Ok Priced to sell. Call 822-5451
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»» NEW HOME »» 16725 Little Leaf Lane Rose Creek, Edmond Schools, 3926 sq. ft. (mol), 4 bed, 3.5 bath, 2 dining, huge bonus room, study, on golf course fairway & pond. $523,500 Contact Carrie, 405-341-3624
3 bed, 1.5 bath, 1 car, 14001 Jeffery Dr. 1013 sqft, ch&a, completely updated in/out. Move in ready. $95,900. Perfect for 1st time Buyer. No Agents. 405-990-9866.
FORECLOSURES 73, 1-4 bdrm homes in Edmond start @ $24,900 Patrick @Allied 740-6616
4/2.1/3, waterfront, pool plygrnd 2140sf,$229,500 4/2/2, Piedmont Schools 2370sf, $165,500 514-3800
MWC
317
Lease-Buy 11bd/7ba/4cr 10400 SE 12th St. $10k + $2,890/mo 281-739-9455
Moore
318
1312 Lincoln Avenue 3br, in ground pool, $135,000.Gwen 820-5454
Norman
322
BANK OWNED 3/1/1 ch/a brick, ceiling fans, large yard, $64,900 CB 414-8753
OKC Downtown 322.5 STUNNING downtown town house w/2masters private patio overlooks pool & spa, apprx 1784' $167,000 Marian 850-7654 Cleaton & Assoc 373-2494
OKC Northwest
324
OPEN SUN 2-4 7525 NW 126th well cared for w/great views low traffic area $123,000. Marian 850-7654 Cleaton & Assoc 373-2494
FORECLOSURES
$225,000 405-649-2575
Acreage For Sale
OKC Northwest
324
7216 Walnut Creek by Francis Tuttle new appl, fresh paint, vaulted liv 3bd 2ba $125,000 Marian 850-7654 Cleaton & Assoc 373-2494
123, 1-4 bdrm homes in NW OKC start @ $18,074 Patrick @Allied 740-6616
BANK OWNED Updated 3/2.5/3, 2din, 97 blt, 2575sf, .23ac, inground pool, PC Sch, $199.9K CB 414-8753 Paseo 726 NW 26 NICE Remodeled 3bed 2ba OpenHsSun2-4 474-2644
OKC Southeast
325
Sharp 1500+sf 3bd home 1.5ba 2 living fireplace ch/a. Only $104,900! Fidelity692-1661, 410-4200
OKC Southwest
326
Price Reduced $8,000 1412 SW 67th sharp 3bd brick home 1car ch/a, large covered patio, great area, priced to sell only $69,900. Fidelity RE 692-1661, 410-4200
mortgages can be complicated, sometimes pricey affairs compared with the financial alternatives. Currently, the national loan limit for a home equity conversion loan is $625,500. How much you can borrow depends, among other factors, on your age, the appraised value of your home, and current interest rates. The older you are, and the more equity you have in your house, the more you can borrow. To qualify for HECMs, borrowers must own their properties outright or have small mortgage balances; occupy the properties as principal residences; and not be delinquent on any federal debts, such as in-
Open Houses 334.2 OKC NW 122 & Rockwell Walnut Creek 3 homes Op 2-4 12305 Whispering Hollow $119,900. 3/2/2 7513 NW 126 $124K 3/2 7421 NW 125 $149K 4/2 PIEDMONT OPEN SAT 2-4 & SUN 2-5. Model home. New hms on 1/2 ac lots. Info also available for new hms in other additions. From NW Expwy & Sara Rd go 4.5 mi N. Cleaton & Assoc 373-2494
Mobile Homes, Manufactured Houses 339 Huge Summer Sale. Save $1000s w/instant rebates. Own land/family land. ZERO down. Financing avail. Bad credit ok. 1000 dollar furniture allowance w/purchase. Free phone app. WAC 405-631-7600 Oakwood Homes OKC & Furniture Gallery USA offering ZERO down new homes!! Disaster Relief Furniture Packages 405-631-3200 wac Huge 3bd/2bth 2 large living Stainless steel appliances New carpet, lots of upgrades $499mo. wac 405-470-1330
Completely remodeled 3bd 1.5ba 2 living, 2nd living could be 4th bed, seller will pay all buyer's closing costs. Only $79,900 Fidelity692-1661, 410-4200
Ready NOW! $325mo. 3bd/2bth, fireplace, ceramic tile 2x6 walls, vinyl siding/shingle roof 405-787-5004
OWNER FINANCE 3117 SW 27th $21,000 3904 S Young $12,000 FLESHMANS INC 235-5473 or 314-3551
NEED MOBILE HOME FINANCING? 550-599 credit scores no problem! WAC. Over 25 homes in stock 405-631-3200
OWNER FINANCING $2000 down No Credit Ck 3020 SW 39 3/1 $56,000 » 596-4599 410-8840 »
Abandoned D/W set up on 5 acres. Brick foundation, driveway, ready to move in. Free phone application 405-631-7600
2740 SW 46th Place, 2/3 bed, 1 bath, 1 car, ch&a, price reduce to $74,900, 405-371-8807 OPEN HOUSE June 25, 26 14000 Land Run Rd 2:00-5:00 PM Bank Owned Updated 4/3/2 2 liv, 2629sf, .24ac, Moore Sch $189.9K CB 414-8753 HUD Owned 4/2.5/2, .35ac 2300sf, ing pool, Moore sch $154K Arlene CB 414-8753 5824 S. Shartel Avenue, 2 bed, 1 bath, 1 car, $47,500 550-2145.
Piedmont
327
LRG HOME on 5 ac MOL in gated area 3bd 2ba approx 2858' $275,000 Marian 850-7654 Cleaton & Assoc 373-2494
Suburban, NE
(Luther, McLoud, Meeker, Wellston, 331 etc.) 2 bed home w/1 bed cabin. 2+ acres, garage, carport, barn, new shelter. S. of Chandler. $64,000 OBO. 918-866-2219
Suburban, NW
(El Reno, Guthrie, Cashion, Deer Creek,
Etc.)
332
Rent to Own El Reno - 615 N. Evans 2bd 1 ba - Call for maps Easy Approval 405-273-5777 www.property4sale.com
Used 16x80 $12,800 28x70 REPO $18,500 www.midstatehousing.com 405.527.5669 Disaster Relief Program All homes at cost and special Interest rates 405-787-5004 Repos Available on Land 1-10 acres. Ready to move in. Free application 405-631-7600
Commercial RE Commercial Property For Sale COMMERCIAL BUILDING AND FOUR ACRES 3311 N 4TH STREET, NORTH ENID, OK 73701 THE BUILDING CONSISTS OF OFFICE SPACE, WAREHOUSE & SHOP AREA, BREAK ROOM & FOUR RESTROOMS TOTALING 12,440 SQUARE FEET. OFFICES HAVE CENTRAL HEAT & AIR, SUSPENDED OVERHEAD INFRA RED GAS FIRED HEAT & A HOTSY OIL BASE HEAT SYSTEM IN THE WAREHOUSE & SHOP. SEVERAL OVERHEAD SERVICE DOORS FOR MACHINERY ACCESS. WELL LOCATED ON HIGHWAY & EASY OUT OF TOWN ROUTES. PLENTY OF PARKING FOR HEAVY & LARGE EQUIPMENT. CONTACT GEORGE TRAYNOR 580-541-1603
Investment Property For Sale 355 Wholesale properties, 104 unit $13K per door, 4 plex $169K, duplex $69K, 405-409-7779 Seabrooke Realty INVESTOR BLOWOUT! 2118 N Prospect $27,500 1224 NE 19th $27,500 Fin. Avail. Kruger Inv. Jim, 235-9332 / 812-1657
Business Property For Rent 360 Small Business/Storage 1250sqft, 28Wx50L, 14x14 O/H door, $500 month. 89th St. & I-35 S. OKC, 631-4447
Office Space For Rent
GREAT Space OFFICE Various NW locations MOVE IN SPECIALS 300-6000sf 946-2516
1, 2 & 3-Room Offices $175 & up ¡ 50th & N Santa Fe area 235-8080
Over 100 Repos on Land or 0 down w/your Land! WAC 866-764-3200,405-631-3200
Repo Solitaires 301-2454, 517-5000
I BUY HOUSES Any condition. No cost to U 495-5100
Real Estate Wanted
Apartments Bethany/ Warr Acres 420.5 $99 Move In Special 1 & 2bds, carports, coin lndry $345-445 470-3535
Edmond 346
We Buy Houses Fast Any size or condition. »» 405-412-7800 »» I BUY & SELL HOUSES 27 YRS EXP 650-7667 HOMESOFOKCINC.COM
Disadvantages
I How you get the money is your choice: in fixed monthly payments, a lump sum, a credit line or a combination of the three. You can change the option any time for $20. I Even if you receive more in payments than
I Lenders, who must be FHA-approved, may charge servicing fees during the loan’s term. I Loans may carry variable interest rates tied to short-term indexes. I If interest rates are fixed, you must borrow the
OKC Northwest
431
431
TOTALLY FURNISHED AND UNFURNISHED ALL BILLS PAID Rates starting at $800.00 month. First month FREE. Citadel Suites, 5113 N. Brookline 405-942-0016 www.citadel suites.com Including are the following: » » » » » » » » » » » » »
All Utilities Cable High speed internet Telephone Fully Equipped Kitchen Linens Free Laundry Business Center 2 Pools Free Movie Rental Breakfast Mon.-Fri. Social Hour Free Gym Passes
$200 off
1 & 2 BEDROOMS Furnished & Unfurnished NEWLY REMODELED GATED COMMUNITY
CAVE CREEK ON ROCKWELL 3037 North Rockwell
495-2000 $100 off
First Month’s Rent LARGE TOWNHOMES & APARTMENTS • Washer, Dryers, pools • PC Schools, fireplaces
Williamsburg 7301 NW 23rd
787-1620 $99 Special
1 & 2 BD & Townhouses •City bus route/Shopping •Washer/Dryer hookups 2221 N. Meridian
946-6548
422
VERY, VERY QUIET Near mall, schls, hosp, Try Plaza East 341-4813
MWC
424
1 & 2 BEDROOMS, QUIET! Covered Parking Great Schools! 732-1122
OKC Northwest
Furnished/Unfurnished Bills Paid » Wkly/Monthly Wes Chase Apts, Elk Horn Apts, Hillcrest 370-1077 1Bed & Efficiencies $280-$375mo. 2000 N. Blackwelder. 314-9606 $99 Move In Special 1 & 2 Bd, $345 - $446 mo 5944 NW 40 470-3535 MAYFAIR Great location! 1/2 bd W/D hdwd flr quiet secure ngbrhood ¡947-5665 K Month Rent Free on poolside 2bd, NW 19th & MacArthur 943-0907 MAYFAIR Great location! 1/2 bd W/D hdwd flr quiet secure ngbrhood ¡947-5665
1 Month Free!
Lg 2bd $550 Casady751-8088 •ABC• Affordable, Bug free, Clean » 787-7212» 800 N. Meridian 1bd All bills paid 946-9506
OKC Southwest
433
$99 SPECIAL Lg 1bdr, stove, refrig., clean, walk to shops. $335 mo. 632-9849 Furnished/Unfurnished Bills Paid » Wkly/Monthly Wes Chase Apts, Elk Horn Apts, Hillcrest 370-1077 $99 Move In Special!!! Lg 1 and 2 Bdr, $345 to $420 mo. 632-9849
Yukon
438
»»»»»»»»»»»»» » Yukon All Bills Paid » » 1 bd From $495 Move» » 2 bd From $595 In» » 3 bd From $695 Today» » Open7days/wk354-5855 » »»»»»»»»»»»»
$200 OFF
Condominiums, Townhouses For Rent 441
PARKLANE
For Rent: 1b 1ba condo with W/D. NW OKC $450/mo. »» 818-4455
Washer/Dryers, Fireplaces PC Schools-Townhouses 8100 N. MacArthur Blvd. »»» 721-5455 »»» Walford Apts-Midtown518 NW 12 large 1bd 1ba 1100sf $875mo $775dep washer/dryer hkup Corner Studio 650sf $625 mo, $525dp; Basement Studio $425mo $325dp 409-7989
1/2 MO FREE RENT FOR LUXURY 2 BEDROOM 2 BATH EAGLE CREST APTS 10400 N. COUNCIL RD. 722-0507
Rent to Own: Nice 2&3bd MWC $350&up 390-9777
345
Advantages
$89 FIRST MONTH Be sure to show this ad for special. Affordable Luxury Spacious, too 416-5259 TUSCANY VILLAGE
**NEW** 1216 sq ft $25,995 - 1 only Maxeys Homes 631-3600
Real Estate Notices
your home is worth, you will never owe more than the home’s value. I Loan advances are not taxable and generally don’t affect Social Security or Medicare benefits. I You retain title to your home. The reverse mortgage must be repaid in full when the last surviving borrower dies or sells the home, or when it is no longer the primary residence.
Valencia Apts
363
Owner Financing Mustang Area 3-5k down/ $350mo, 787-4035
Repo Triplewide 3x2 301-2454, 517-5000
come taxes. Borrowers must participate in “consumer information sessions” provided by counselors approved by the Department of Housing and Urban Development. These typically cost $125, Certner said. During the course of the reverse mortgage, you must pay your homeowners’ insurance and property taxes, plus keep the house in good repair.
Florence Apt 429 NW 11 Downtown view! 650sf Midtown Studio, Granite counter, $675 mo, $400 deposit 409-7989 804 NW 21st Mesta Park 2bd 1ba 1000sf $600mo $300dp Free laundry 409-7989 no sec8 ALL BILLS PAID Pool & Park 293-3693 $189 First Month Drexel on the Park Briargate Apts 1718 NW 17 1bd 1ba $850sf $550mo $250dp 409-7989 no sec8 2528 NW 12th 1bd 1bath 900sf $475mo $300dp no sec 8, garage extra 409-7989
Duplexes OKC Northwest
453
2315 N Woodward 1bd 1bath plus garage 950sf $550mo $350 dep 409-7989 no section 8 2725 NW 63rd 2/2/2, lrg liv, ch&a, fenced, $775+ $500dep, 405-413-4252 3/2/2, 9905 Mashburn Blvd, $875 mo, No Sec 8, 412-8540 jjcrent.com
Yukon
460
Duplexes, 3 bed, 2 bath, 2 car, some new, some gated, call Rick, 405-830-3789.
Hotels/Motels 462 Furnished/Unfurnished Bills Paid » Wkly/Monthly Wes Chase Apts, Elk Horn Apts, Hillcrest 370-1077
RE for rent Del City
465.5
3420 Lacy Lane, 4/3 $750mo, $500dep Sec 8 OK ¡ 324-2611 4016 Thomas Ave 2bd 1ba carport $495 681-7272
Del City
465.5
3bd 2ba 2car fp 1440sf $850 Home&RanchRlty 794-7777
Edmond
466
247 N Brdway A 1/1 $650 413 Clermont 3/2/2 $1150 1408 Ridgecrest5/3/2 $1625 713 Rockridge 3/2/2 $950 Express Realty 844-6101 www.expressrealtyok.com 3 bed, 2 bath, 2 car, built 2001, $1050 month, call Alex, 990-0488, Co.
MWC
468
Nice 3bd 1ba 1c ch&a. 1412 McGregor Sec 8 ok. $475 635-1317, 681-4894 3712 Woodside 3/1/1 $565 1300 McDonald 3/1/1 $495 681-7272
maximum amount against your home’s equity. I Refinancing your existing mortgage or taking out a home-equity loan or line of credit may be a less expensive alternative to a reverse mortgage, which can have substantial upfront fees.
Fees, costs You also will pay an origination fee to compensate the lender for processing the reverse mortgage. That fee can be up to $2,500 if your house is valued at less than $125,000. If your house is valued higher, lenders can charge 2 percent of the first $200,000.
OKC Northwest
MCCLATCHY-TRIBUNE INFORMATION SERVICES
475
3bd 1ba Stove, ch&a, carpet, 2065 NW 68 $750 mo $750 dep no pets Move in ready 340-8416 6021 NW 58th Terr 3bed 2bath 1car, PC Schools, $975mo, $975dep 1600sf 409-7989 no section 8 6016 N. Quapah 3/2/1 fenced $825mo, $600dep www.tms4rent.com TMS Properties 348-0720
1 mi E of Tinker, 3bd/1ba ch&a, util rm, $525+$300 dep, No pets. 732-4351
2 bed, 1 bath, ch&a, $525 month + deposit, MG Realty ¡ 831-0207
6725 SE 15 Nice 3/1.5/1 Clean. Hardwood Floors $600 • 732-3411
11705 N Francis 2/1.5/2 2story, $650mo, $500dep TMS Properties 348-0720
2bd 1ba ch&a storage bldg fncd yd. 814 Stansell Dr. $550mo $550dep 733-0702
884 NW 115 1300sf 3bd 2bath 2car $850/mo $800/dep 409-7989
Moore
1628 NW 46th 2bd 1ba 2gar ch&a, W/D hkup $700+ $525dep 701-1722
Mustang
470
OKC Northeast
474
432 NE 115th 2/1/2 Updated! Fenced yard, w/d hk, $585mo, $400dep TMS Properties 348-0720 1708 N Elton 2/1/1 $450 2108 NE 18th 2/1 $425 681-7272
OKC Northwest
475
2340 Westlawn, 2 bed + study, 1 bath, $750 mo; 2329 Westlawn, new 1 bed duplex, w/d, $725 mo; 1 block S of NW 39th & Youngs, no pets, no sec 8, 250-7858. 12305CdrSprgs2/2.5/2 $950 2016 NW 15 3/1 $650 4805 N Pate 3/2/2 $875 7201 Galahad 3/2/2 $750 1435 NW 99 3/1.5/1 $775 Express Realty 844-6101 www.expressrealtyok.com 2616 NW 50 2bd 2ba 2car 1200sf Contemporary condo all appls $1050 mo $1000 dep; Also have 2bd 1bath 1car for $950 mo, $800dp 409-7989 Rent, Rent to Own605-5477 2bd from $395-595 3bd from $450-895 4bd from $595-995 housesforrentofokc.com 2900 Brushcreek in Quail Creek, 4 bd, 4 ba, 2 car, 2 FP, heated pool, just remodeled, $2475 mo, $2000 dep, 850-9795. 2541 NW 15 3bd 2bth 1car plus bonus room $850/mo $750dep 1600sf 409-7989 no sec 8
Lg Lux 3/2/2 New Carpet, FP, Good Area, Very Clean! PC Schools $825. » 685-0332
2300 SW 96th St, 4/2/3, 2013 sq ft, $1400 mo, $1400 dep, 405-476-9133
245 NW 79th 2/1.5/carport Sec 8 ok $550mo, $250dep TMS Properties 348-0720
616 E Hillcrest 4bed 2ba 2car 2000sf $1300/mo $1300dp 409-7989 no sec8
3105 SW 120th 3/2/2 $1100 mo, $800 dep www.tms4rent.com TMS Properties 348-0720
K Off Special 428 NW 116th 3bd 2ba 2car $850/mo $800/dep 1300sf 409-7989 No Sec8
2 bd, 1 ba, 10717 Lejean lrg fenced yard, w/d hkup $450+$350 dep. 769-2328
2132 Westmore Dr 3/2/2 FP lg walk in closet appls, lg util rm $850 w/disc Suzy Q's Prop. 642-4116
Rent, Rent to Own605-5477 2bd from $395-595 3bd from $450-895 4bd from $595-995 housesforrentofokc.com
2804 SW 46th Terr$645+ dep, sharp 3/1/1, fencd, 637-1777 or 685-6817.
3 bed, 1K bath, large backyard, near schools, shops & highway $750 mo + $500 dep. 751-2859
Rent, Rent to Own605-5477 2bd from $395-595 3bd from $450-895 4bd from $595-995 housesforrentofokc.com
477
2 Bed, 1152 NW 92nd, $595 + deposit. Shown by appointment only. 340-1277 or 570-9935.
504 E. Indian, 4bd 2ba fresh paint, clean, $725 Fidelity410-4200, 692-1661
469
OKC Southwest
3013 NW 30th, 2bd, 1bath,$525/mo 408-5836
OKC Southeast
476
NEW ON MARKET 3 bed, 2 bath, very clean, sec 8 okay, no application fees, other properties available, 702-9798. Just in Time for School! 4bd 2ba 1car gar frig & stove. $850mo $500dep Sec 8 OK. 1632 SE 52nd 359-0591 for appt to see Rent, Rent to Own605-5477 2bd from $395-595 3bd from $450-895 4bd from $595-995 housesforrentofokc.com 2437 SE 51st, 3/1.5/2 $695mo, $350dep Sec 8 OK ¡ 205-5849 Nice brk 3/1.5/2 fncd bkyd, ch&a, new paint $725 Sec 8 OK 609-7918 2601 SE 51st Brk3/1K /2 fncd ch&a cpt no8/pets $725. may sell 740-6072 3 bed 4912 Creekwood $750; dwtwn apt, 1 bed $400 effic $350 749-0603 112 SE 40th 1/1 224 SE 58th 1/1 681-7272
$325 $425
Cozy 3 bed, 1 bath, 1 car, new appls, ch&a, fenced bkyd, Refs req. 478-8361
OKC Southwest
477
1100 SW 24th, nice 2bd home, 1car gar, completely remodeled, fresh paint, new carpet, corner lot, $495 mo, water & garbage paid. Fidelity RE 692-1661, 410-4200 1208 SW 77 Terr. 2/2/1 FP, util. rm, $695 w/disc. 2429 SW 79 $895 w/disc 3/2/2 lrg 2nd lr & pantry no pets/smoke by appt. Suzy Q's Prop. 642-4116 1424 SW 24th 1/1 $350 3407 S Lee 2/1 TH $395 3240 SW 45 3bd 1ba$450 3000 SW 37 3/1 2 liv $595 681-7272
1332 SW 13th, 2 bed, no sec 8, $400 month, $300 deposit, 681-5922. 3 bed, garage, fenced yard $600mo + dep. 232-9704 3bd 1ba lg gar $550mo $400dep. » SE 2bd 1ba $400 +$400dep 631-8220 3207 SW 28 2bd 1bath w/gar $495/mo 408-5836 3318 SW 28th small eff house $350/mo 408-5836 3218 SW 23rd 3bd 1 bath w/gar $525/mo 408-5836
Mobile Home Rentals 483 3 bd, 2 ba, w/appls incl. W&D, Edmd Schls, storage shed. No pets. 348-6240, 623-1181 2yr 2bd 2ba, country liv, no pets, 1 yr lease only, ref., $700/mo, Newalla, 13700 S. Luther Rd, 246-6483 2 & 3 bedroom Newalla. Propane, $525, $300 dep, 1 w/central heat 386-4455 Rent to Own: Nice 2&3bd MWC $350&up 390-9777
Rental Services
487
PROFESSIONAL REAL ESTATE SERVICES SINCE 1982 Mgmt » Leasing » Sales Spectrum Management 848-9400 usespectrum.com
Roommates Wanted
488
HouseMate Want responsible person to share expenses for Edmond home.F. Private use of 2 bedrooms & 1 full bath. 1750 sqft 1.5 ac., $600 per mo plus 1/2 utilities 405.249.3089
10F
SATURDAY, JUNE 18, 2011
REAL ESTATE
THE OKLAHOMAN | NEWSOK.COM
AT A GLANCE SHINY AND NEW
SCRATCH REPAIR
General care tips from Lowe’s: I Dusting with a soft cloth will add a quick shine to stainless steel. I Never spray cleaners directly on the appliance surface. Apply the cleaner to a cloth and then wipe the surface down. I Always go with the grain on stainless steel surfaces. I Do not use cleaners with abrasives, steel wool or thinners. I Use a dedicated stainless steel cleaner.
Tips from the Family Handyman: I Have several grit levels of sandpaper on hand. Start with the finest grit and move up as needed. I Use light strokes and move with the grain. Keep your strokes straight. I Use a sanding fluid to help prevent oxidation of the metal. I Sand the rest of the panel to blend.
RESOURCES I I I I
Stainless steel tends to look better when using material-specific cleansers that don’t leave streaks. Some work almost like car wax and help prevent fingerprints and smudges. MCCLATCHY-TRIBUNE PHOTO
Stainless steel often a challenge to clean BY JOHN SHULTZ McClatchy News Service
Stainless-steel appliances are eye-pleasing, sleek and darned near a cliche these days. But that ubiquity means a lot of people are wrestling with the same problem: how to keep stainless steel clean, ward off scratches and keep a notoriously touchy surface factory-fresh. “It is a surface that requires a certain amount of attention,” said Celia Kuperszmid Lehrman, deputy home editor at Consumer Reports. “A good way to understand that is to go to the appliance section at a store and look at the appliances. And you’ll see they often do have fingerprints all over them.” When approaching stainless maintenance, think loosely of your car, said Scott Bennett, kitchen and bath designer at the midtown Kansas City Home Depot. After all, a lot of the current wave of stainless cleaning products can act a bit like a car wax, Bennett said. One product he recommends is Stainless Steel Magic, which he said minimizes fingerprints and gives a polished look. Simple Green’s Stainless Steel One-Step Cleaner & Polish is another winner, he said, and both cost just a few dollars. Also similar to car maintenance: stainless steel responds better to dedicated stainless cleaning products, Bennett said. “You can use other cleaners or just soap and water,” he said. “But it will probably leave streaks and water spots. If you just take a damp cloth and wipe it down, you’ll have streaks, and you’ll do nothing to prevent fingerprints.” Others say it comes down to personal preference.
Natural look Jeff Adams of the Mop Bucket, a Kansas City cleaning-supply store for homeowners and commercial-cleaning services, said if you want a glow, an oil-based stainless steel cleaner is the way to go. For a more natural look, Adams said he prefers non-ammonia glass cleaner or a water-based stainless cleaner. Whatever you use, don’t overdo it, he said. Fingerprints, smeared surfaces and grease buildup come largely from using too much cleaner. Consumer Reports has found few differences among cleaners and recommends consumers pick the least expensive option available, Kuperszmid Lehrman said. Another cleaning key: Use a lint-free cloth. Paper towels will work fine, but lint-free microfiber probably will produce the best results.
Faux stainless? Still too much of a hassle? Consider eschewing stainless altogether in favor of faux-stainless veneers. Unlike most true stainless-steel refrigerators, they have the benefit of being magnetic. And fauxstainless veneers happen to be less expensive than true stainless. That price discrepancy may grow more noticeable in coming years. Kuperszmid Lehrman notes that the prices of raw materials for stainless steel have been going up. Some manufacturers have been holding back prices because of the economy, she said, but that may soon change. Still, true uncoated stainless stands head and shoulders above the other options when it comes to scratch repair because you can sand it.
Making repairs With faux surfaces, or even coated stainless, sanding isn’t going to produce much more than a mess, said Rick Muscoplat, contributing editor at the Family Handyman
magazine. Some cleaners will fill in scratches. If sanding is your only real hope, however, there are solutions available, such as the $30 Scratch-B-Gone kit, which includes several grades of sandpaper. “As far as elbow grease, you’re not going to break a sweat,” Muscoplat said. But there is a certain touch involved. “If you go across the grain, you get more scratches and can make it even worse,” Muscoplat said. Make sure your brush strokes are straight and that you don’t curve away at the end of each one, he said. Test your skills first in an inconspicuous spot. The result, Muscoplat said, is hard to argue with, especially for a do-ityourself project. “I had a scratched dishwasher and used the kit, and no one can even tell I ever had scratches.” If the scratch is too bad or if there is a serious crease-style dent, replacing the door may be the only repair option. And on a $2,500 fridge, a new door can set you back hundreds.
Home Depot: (800) 466-3337, www.homedepot.com Lowe’s: (800) 445-6937, www.lowes.com Family Handyman magazine: www.familyhandyman.com Consumer Reports: www.consumerreports.org