The Oklahoman Real Estate by OPUBCO Communications Group

LISTING OF THE WEEK

HOUSE PLAN

5-bedroom bungalow

The Kendall

The Listing of the Week is a restored bungalow in the Mesta Park area of northwest Oklahoma City.

This medium-size home offers plenty of family living space, both formal and informal.

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REAL ESTATE

THE OKLAHOMAN | NEWSOK.COM

SATURDAY, AUGUST 18, 2012

Kenneth Harney THE NATION’S HOUSING

CREDIT SCORES ATTACKED Digital Risk, a mortgage analytics firm, is mounting an unusual frontal assault on one of the lending industry’s sacred cows: credit scores. PAGE 3E

IN BRIEF MIXING MATE

The unusual architectural design of Bill Lovallo’s home at 825 NW 7 makes it stand out from traditional houses that line the streets in his neighborhood just north of downtown. PHOTOS BY JIM BECKEL, THE OKLAHOMAN

Cottage District turning into ‘playground’ for architects BY DYRINDA TYSON For The Oklahoman dyrinda@gmail.com

With immense windows taking in the panorama of downtown Oklahoma City outside, it can be difficult to focus on what’s inside Bill Lovallo’s home. “Isn’t the light in here wonderful?” Lovallo said, leading guests through the second-story living area. “When I first moved in here, I thought, ‘What’s it going to be like to have all this exposure to the outside?’ But frankly I just love it.” Inside are dark walls and clean lines, a space that feels both modern and timeless. A freestanding kitchen work island dominates upstairs. Downstairs is the den, where wide windows look down the sloping front lawn toward the street. A metal staircase, seemingly floating and brightly colored, link the two. “I grew up near the Hollywood Hills where a lot of the famous, what they call, midcentu-

ry modern houses were being built in the ’50s,” Lovallo said. “For me, that was the image of the house I always wanted.” Lovallo found kindred spirits practically in the shadow of St. Anthony Hospital, in a MidTown area referred to alternately as the Cottage District or SoSA — for South of St. Anthony. Its boundaries roughly extend from NW 6 to NW 10 and from Classen Boulevard to Walker Avenue. It sits atop a rise with an unobstructed view of downtown. The original homes dated to the early 20th century, a mix of singlefamily dwellings and multifamily units, but by the close of the century blight and crime were firmly entrenched. Architect Randy Floyd and her husband, Michael Smith, helped lead the turnaround, buying into the area and renovating two old buildings, one for a home for themselves and the other into two townhouses for rent. They also built garages along the alley SEE COTTAGE DISTRICT, PAGE 2E

BETTER BEDROOMS

Bill Lovallo shows the second-story living area of his home at 825 NW 7. He says it’s similar to the midcentury modern style of 1950s homes he knew growing up near the Hollywood Hills of California.

Timesaving tips for selling a home In recent years, turbulence in real estate markets has caused many older homeowners to delay plans to sell. But as the housing recovery gets under way, all that could change in a major way. Jan Yager, a sociologist and time-management consultant, predicts that within the next decade “tens of millions” of baby boomers will sell their current homes and move to different abodes more suitable for retirement. No matter where they plan to move, boomers who’ve lived in the same home for many years will face the enormous task of sifting through accumulations and upgrading their property for market. And all who try to tackle this project need a strategic plan to manage their time, said Yager, author of “Work Less, Do More,” a timemanagement book. “Using your time wisely is pivotal to getting your house in order, whether you’re working, retired or semiretired,” she said. If possible, Yager encourages

Ellen James Martin SMART MOVES

those who need to clear through a vast collection of belongings before selling to allow a full year for this project. But she’s aware that most sellers don’t have this much latitude and that they may need some help to expedite the process. “It could be a good idea for you to hire a professional organizer,” said Yager, who recommends that home sellers consider seeking a local referral through the National Association of Professional Organizers (www.napo.net). These few pointers could prove helpful, if you are a time-stretched home-seller: I Acknowledge your limitations on time. “People are beyond busy now. If

Rockler Woodworking and Hardware has a new lid for quart-size cans that makes it easier to store, mix and pour paints and finishes. The Mixing Mate has a built-in mixing paddle with a crank handle, so you can stir the contents before you open the can. A spout with a spring-loaded trigger — much like the spout on a syrup dispenser — makes it easier to pour out the paint or finish without drips or spills. Cam clamps lock the lid onto a standard-size can, creating a tight seal. The device is made of nonmetal components, so it can be used with both water- and solventbased finishes and latex paints. It sells for $14.99. It can be ordered from www.rockler.com.

you’re working, you’re extremely busy at the office. If you’re not working, you’re busy looking for a job,” said Lee Silber, author of “Time Management for the Creative Person.” When people seek to add on to their already busy schedules all the work associated with a housing move, many go into overload. Silber recommends you make a list of discretionary activities that could be cut from your schedule until your home project is done. For example, you might cut back on TV. I Set priorities carefully. Like many time-management consultants, Silber discourages clients from taking an all-ornothing approach. Rather, he urges them to concentrate on the tasks with the greatest possible impact. To ensure that the most time and money are focused on key priorities, he said your first step should be to ask a trusted real estate agent to walk through your property and advise you on the

steps most worth taking. For instance, replacing a stained living room carpet could make a huge difference in the salability of your place. But fixing the stains on your concrete walkways may not. I Infuse fun into the home preparation process. You’ll gain more momentum in your quest to ready your home for market if you can make an otherwise boring project more interesting, Silber said. He suggests you might want to throw a “pre-sale party” featuring pizza and beer. To stage such a party, and gain help with your project, simply send out invitations for an event to occur before your real estate agent lists your home for sale. “Surprisingly many people — especially organized people — like to make their friends’ homes look better. They really do want to help you out, so don’t be shy about asking,” he said. To contact Ellen James Martin, email her at ellenjamesmartin@gmail.com. UNIVERSAL UCLICK

Candice Olson is back, this time with the aim of bettering our boudoirs. In “Candice Olson Bedrooms,” the interior designer and television personality shares her strategies in making more than 25 private retreats. All bear Olson’s classic-meetscontemporary stamp, but they still represent a variety of styles and moods, from a bedroom inspired by an English manor house to a teenager’s basement hangout. Olson deconstructs each project, explaining the style elements she chose. She provides a link to a website that lists the sources of the furniture, lighting and accessories used in each room. The book is published by Wiley and sells for $19.99 in softcover. MCT INFORMATION SERVICES

INDEX Permits Stone

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SATURDAY, AUGUST 18, 2012

REAL ESTATE

THE OKLAHOMAN | NEWSOK.COM

Left: Walls of windows give Bill Lovallo a panoramic view of downtown Oklahoma City from his home at 825 NW 7. PHOTOS BY JIM BECKEL, THE OKLAHOMAN

Cottage District: Innovative design FROM PAGE 1E

behind with apartments above each of them. A stone’s throw away, Phil Bewley recruited his brother Rick to help him renovate an old fourplex, though Phil Bewley died within weeks of moving into the finished product in 2006. Michael Smith had to spend many nights on site keeping an eye on things. “There was so much arson and so many itinerants and vagrants that would just hang out in the neighborhood that he would sleep over there at night, and he would keep a machete with him,” Floyd recalled. “And he would have to walk the property at night and just run people off.” By the time Floyd and Smith moved into their finished home in 2005, though, things were changing. City officials agreed to address crime and street access issues two years earlier, keeping St. Anthony from pulling out of MidTown. With a firm commitment from the hospital, the area began to pull out of its torpor. “So all of a sudden there were real people on the street that had real jobs, coming and going, and it makes a huge difference,” Floyd said. One thing that sets the Cottage District apart is what it’s not — a historic preservation district. Most of the neighborhoods ringing Oklahoma City’s core fall under the State Historic Preservation Office’s umbrella, and work in those neighborhoods are dictated by preservation rules. By contrast, the Cottage District is almost a playground for architects. If you can dream it, you can most likely build it there. It’s drawn at least a half dozen architects, who not only build it but call it home. The roof of architect Brian Fitzsimmons’ home — glinting silver and sharply sloped — is visible from Bill Lovallo’s front windows. “MidTown may be the one section of downtown that’s kind in and of itself a complete neighborhood,

Dark walls and clean lines dominate the interior of Bill Lovallo’s home at 825 NW 7, just north of downtown. PHOTOS BY JIM BECKEL, THE OKLAHOMAN

A skylight lends its own geometry to the clean lines of Bill Lovallo’s home.

so to speak, where you have living, dining, places of business, a park or two here and there,” he said. “A person could actually survive in MidTown.” A friend brought Lovallo down to see Fitzsimmons’ home while it was under construction, and he kept tabs on its progress. Lovallo ultimately decided to take the plunge, leaving his home in Jefferson Park —

bought shortly after he moved to Oklahoma City in 1970 — to move to MidTown. Fitzsimmons even designed the home, which he moved into in 2010. “I had always wanted a modern home, preferably something I could build for myself,” Lovallo said. Things haven’t slowed down. With Wilson Elementary nearby, families with children have joined

the mix. The two lots on each side of Lovallo’s home have been cleared, a home is beginning to take shape at the corner of NW 8 and Shartel, and at least two others are about to get under way. “It’s kind of the natural growing of a neighborhood, like it should be, rather than just one big master plan,” Fitzsimmons said. One of the empty lots by Lovallo’s house will someday be occupied by Mike and Lea Morgan’s home. It’s still on the drawing board. They sold their home in Edmond about 15 years ago to move to Crown Heights. They recently sold that home and have moved into a nearby rental for the duration. “We really really like the energy and the resurgence that’s going on in the downtown Oklahoma City area, and just wanted to keep coming closer,” Lea Morgan said. With their temporary home just a couple of streets over from their new home site, waiting may be the hardest part. “We basically have a routine where we walk our dogs by (the new site) every Monday morning,” Lea Morgan said with a laugh. “So yes, we’re going to keep a very close eye on our lot.”

Dennis and Shellee Wells’ home at 843 NW 7 is another unusual house in the Cottage District, a playground for architects just north of downtown.

REAL ESTATE

THE OKLAHOMAN | NEWSOK.COM

SATURDAY, AUGUST 18, 2012

Firm mounts Paint can be dramatic covering attack on credit scores BY DIANA MARSZALEK For The Associated Press

WASHINGTON — Do you ever get the feeling that your credit score doesn’t adequately portray your true risk as an applicant for a home mortgage? If your FICO score is a subpar 690 but you know that you are a solid candidate for a loan, do you think that lenders’ heavy dependence on credit scores is unfair to you as an individual? You’ve got some company. Digital Risk, a mortgage analytics firm, is mounting an unusual frontal assault on one of the lending industry’s sacred cows. It argues that credit scores such as FICO failed to predict large numbers of defaults during the mortgage bust years — notably thousands of “strategic” walkaways by borrowers with high scores — because they could not anticipate homeowners’ reactions to economic stress. Unless lenders use more sophisticated assessment tools that incorporate far more than credit histories, Digital Risk said, they may be misjudging not only many of today’s high-risk borrowers but other applicants who are safer bets than their credit scores suggest. “The mortgage industry is relying on outdated methods to determine risk,” said Peter Kassabov, chairman and chief executive of Digital Risk, which is based in Maitland, Fla. “During the mortgage crisis, high-FICO borrowers encountering distress defaulted in huge numbers, yet we still depend heavily on that one score along with (down payments) to make lending and loan modification decisions.” According to one study conducted in 2009, some 588,000 homeowners walked away from their homes during 2008 alone. This amounted to 18 percent of all serious defaults that year and shocked the mortgage industry. Fair Isaac, creator of the FICO score, acknowledged the problem, and last year released an “analytic tool” that lenders can use to detect potential strategic defaulters — high-scoring, credit-savvy borrowers primarily — before they stop paying. Digital Risk, however, said strategic default is not the only weakness of traditional credit scores. The company describes itself as the “nation’s largest provider of mortgage risk, compliance and transaction management solutions,” and claims to have seven of the top 10 mortgage lenders as clients. In early August, it introduced a multidimensional risk evaluation system it calls “Veritas,” which it claims integrates borrower credit characteristics with property and local real estate market data along with proprietary behavioral prediction models. The behavioral component includes what the firm calls statistical “clusters” of borrower, property and market situations, 123 in all, that give lenders a better idea of how an applicant will react to financial problems. The system is based on analyses of more than 5 million loans originated between 2006 and 2011, plus a separate study of how 100,000 borrowers performed after having their loan terms modified, according to the company. Alex Santos, president and co-founder of Digital Risk, said in an interview that the models have been “validated” on large batches of clients’ loan files. Veritas separated out applicants destined to default in a period of financial stress from those likely to keep paying on time, even when credit scores

Kenneth Harney THE NATION’S HOUSING

and other data were similar. The value of this for mortgage applicants whose scores don’t meet today’s high requirements is significant. For example, according to Santos, two homebuyer with identical 690 FICO scores and down payments might be rejected — Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac both have average FICOs around 760. Yet using the Veritas system, one of them could be identified as a safe bet and the other a future disaster. Fair Isaac isn’t taking critiques of its scoring lightly. Anthony Sprauve, a FICO spokesman, said, “We continually work with our customers to make sure the FICO score is the best predictor of a person’s likelihood to repay a debt. Our customers vote with their feet since, according to (research firm) Tower Group, lenders ask for FICO scores more than 90 percent of the time when buying scores from the big credit bureaus.” Veritas is already being used by a small number of lenders, according to Santos, but as a newcomer to the mortgage risk-scoring marketplace it will take time to be validated and widely accepted — if ever. But the issue it raises is intriguing: Are there better technologies to evaluate loan applicants than credit scores? The jury is out. But in the meantime, if you plan to buy or refinance, keep your FICO score as high as possible because FICO is still what your lender is going to check. Ken Harney’s email address is kenharney@earthlink.net. WASHINGTON POST WRITERS GROUP

When it became clear that allergies would prevent Nancy B. Westfall’s infant daughter from having a rug in her room, the Atlanta-based artist turned instead to paint, a few stencils and a plan. Westfall used the baby’s bedroom floor much like she would a canvas, painting on it a diamondshaped pattern that gave the space a custom look you simply can’t achieve with a kid’s area rug. Eleven years and another house later, Westfall remains a big fan of bringing floors to life with color instead of covering them up. “They look pretty refinished, and they look even better painted,” Westfall said. You don’t have to be a professional artist like Westfall to do it, although proponents of painting the floor say it does require patience and nerve. Rachel Cannon Lewis, an interior designer in Baton Rouge, La., encourages clients to consider it. Painting a floor, whether it’s wood or concrete, can be more affordable than tile, carpet or other floor coverings, she said. And in homes that date back more than a century, painted floors are more historically accurate: Back then, people frequently painted their wide, plank wood floors to protect them from warping, Lewis said. Plus, painting just looks good. “I’m starting to think of the floor as the sixth wall,” said Lewis, who considers floors “an overlooked opportunity to get creative and introduce color.” (The “fifth wall,” by the way, is the ceiling). Painting floors yourself can be a lengthy process, Lewis said, primarily because the thin, oil-based paint she recommends requires multiple coats, with lengthy dry times between each one. Getting fancier by, say, creating a pattern with paint or a stencil requires even more patience and precision. Even if you hire a professional painter, however,

Painted floors are not as durable as some of the alternatives.

“You have to be willing to embrace the idea that it’s going to be a different solution than what most people tell you to do,” Lewis said. “There are going to be friends that come over who don’t get it, and your mom is not going to get it,” she said. Painted floors are not as durable as some of the alternatives, especially in high-traffic areas, said Sidney Wagner, a Charleston, S.C., interior designer. “Over time, even with polyurethane, they will show scratches and the paint will scratch off,” she said. “However, a tip to help combat your floors from looking too shabby is to paint a contrasting layer of color underneath. So when that second layer of color comes through with the scratches, the marred floors will look planned with your color scheme.”

Atlanta artist Nancy B. Westfall painted the floor in her daughter’s room, in this photo provided by Gregg Irby Fine Art. AP PHOTO

SATURDAY, AUGUST 18, 2012

REAL ESTATE

THE OKLAHOMAN | NEWSOK.COM

Designing safe, stylish backyard homes for birds BY KIM COOK For The Associated Press

Watching our little avian neighbors enjoy the backyard birdbath and feeder is one of life’s quiet pleasures. But when night falls, they too need a place to sleep. Designers and craftsmen have turned their creative talents to the task; some of the results might make you wish you could downsize yourself and grow some wings. First, some general tips about choosing and installing birdhouses: To deter birds’ natural predators — hawks, squirrels, cats and even other birds — BirdFeeders Direct, based in Guelph, Ontario, Canada, suggests placing the house in an open space away from underbrush or hedges. Consider customizing, if necessary, with a flap, or making holes and perches too small for unwanted birds. Birds can be fussy about where they’ll live. The male house wren builds several nests; he gives his new mate a tour and she chooses her favorite. North American birds don’t nest near others of their species; purple martins are the exception. Gene Planker of Wild Bird Watching offers a number of classic cedar houses, including a nesting shelf for robins and doves. He cautions against buying large, multiroom houses unless they’re specifically designed for purple martins. “They’re fine as pieces of art, but not practical for birds,” he said. “They may attract house sparrows, which we try to discourage, as they harm many of our native species.” Fiercely aggressive, sparrows will destroy songbird eggs and kill adults. Robins, mourning doves and barn swallows prefer a nest shelf to an enclosed house — basically a birdhouse without a front. Nuthatches, chickadees, bluebirds and flickers like a cavity to nest in. Having several different shelters around your yard will ensure a variety of birds have a place to nest, roost and take shelter from the weather. Keep the house, as well as feeders and baths, away from windows. Window strikes are a major cause of death for backyard birds, as the large reflective surface looks just like more of the garden to them. If your space is tight, at least affix deterring decals — colorful ones or images of birds of prey or spider webs. Alternatively, draw the blinds or tint the glass.

BIRDHOUSE SOURCES www.wild-bird -watching.com — classic cedar houses for woodpeckers ($49.94), bluebirds ($37.95) and wrens ($27.95), and lots of birding information. www.areaware .com — Kelly Lamb’s ceramic geodesic dome, $95; Jan Habraken’s Shovel house, $190. www.home goods.com — colorful decorative houses, $12.99 to $14.99. www.crooked creations.com — Chad Blecha and Alan Mowrer’s Hobbit-style house, $600. www.tfburkebird homes.com — Thomas Burke’s custom designed houses. www.bestnest .com — Eastern pine bluebirdhouse, $37.99; Coveside convertible house/ winter roost, $37.99; Wing & a Prayer Carriage House, $154.99. www.birdfeeders direct.com — good info on choosing, installing and maintaining your birdhouse. www.fabulous birdhouses.com — beach hut, lighthouse and lodge houses, $14.95 to $19.95.

When buying or building a birdhouse, check for any sharp edges or materials that could cause injury. Make sure there’s room in the house for the type of bird you’ll be attracting to build a nest and raise eggs. Never paint the interior or buy one that’s been painted inside. Birds won’t use it, and the paint toxins released in summer will be dangerous. Mount the house on a post or pole with a squirrel baffle if necessary, or from a tree limb, in a fairly sunny location. Avoid dense shade or intense sun. Make sure you clean it out thoroughly each year — experts recommend doing so in late fall or early winter.

Where to buy For design-conscious bird lovers, Areaware has Kelly Lamb’s Buckminster Fuller-inspired ceramic geodesic dome house, perfect for swallows and warblers. Jan Habraken’s red roost is perched on a shovel handle; each time birds land on the house, the shovel wiggles — ostensi-

Kelly Lamb designed this bird house from Areaware. com.

Jan Habraken designed this shovel bird house from Areaware.com. This birdhouse was designed by Chad Blecha and built by Alan Mowrer of Crooked Creations. AP PHOTOS

bly stirring up worms and seeds. BestNest.com sells a clever one that converts from summer nesting home to winter roost with the adjustment of a few sliding panels. The web retailer’s houses have thoughtful features like predator entrance guards

and ventilating gaps. Homegoods’ brightly painted birdhouses with little porches are inexpensive and charming. Fabulousbirdhouses.com offers imaginative lighthouse, beach shack and fishing lodge designs. If whimsy’s your thing, consider Denver-based

Crooked Creations’ wonky yet wonderful birdhouse. Designed by Chad Blecha and built by Al Mowrer, the large Hobbit-y house even has indoor lighting. And if budget’s really no object, look up Wilmington, Del., artisan Thomas Burke. While he does call them birdhouses, his structures are more like grown-up playhouses. The large, historically accurate homes can be clapboard, brick or stone, with

downspouts and other details. Burke takes custom commissions. One sold for $9,000, stood 8 feet tall and weighed 300 pounds. He recently built several birdhouses inspired by homes in Andrew Wyeth paintings. Perfect for art collectors, perhaps. But your backyard finch will no doubt feel perfectly at home in a modest little box.

REAL ESTATE

THE OKLAHOMAN | NEWSOK.COM

SATURDAY, AUGUST 18, 2012

Maximize socializing, storage during remodeling At San Francisco’s annual Pacific Coast Builders Conference in June, which is always chock full of new products and ideas, a group of architects and other home design experts discussed what’s new and hot in home design trends. Some of it was a departure from past years. If you’re thinking of building or you’re planning on a remodel — either for yourself or to make things more attractive for a potential buyer — these trends might offer some valuable insights to help with your planning.

Garages Many home designers are looking at ways to design smaller homes with spaces that serve multiple uses, and that now includes the garage. With space in many homes at a

premium, it’s not too much of a stretch to consider cleaning up that vast cold expanse of concrete and making it more than a place to park the car. Garages are now sharing space with exercise areas, hobby rooms and other uses. One of the most important uses for the garage is storage, but not just shelves tacked to the wall. Built-in storage cabinets with doors achieve a clean and uncluttered look that also protects the contents. There are a number of companies now offering sleek and sturdy garage cabinets, workbenches, and wall-mounted storage systems that are versatile and quite attractive. There are also ceiling-mounted platform lifts for even more storage. Walls should be drywall,

Paul Bianchina HANDY @ HOME

textured and painted with a washable paint. Use ample lighting, especially in work areas. Consider an epoxy coating for the floor, or even a garage mat surface to create a brighter, more attractive area that’s easier to clean.

Laundry room Another space in the house that’s doing double or even triple duty is the laundry room. Rather than having a single room that’s used solely for laundry, many of today’s designers are looking at making this room larger and allowing it

Central Oklahoma Habitat for Humanity’s first completed home at 591 SW 14 in its new Shelliebrook neighborhood in Blanchard. PHOTO PROVIDED

Habitat for Humanity to show its first home in neighborhood FROM STAFF REPORTS

BLANCHARD — Central Oklahoma Habitat for Humanity invites the public to an open house from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday at Habitat’s first completed home at 591 SW 14 in its new Shelliebrook neighborhood. From Oklahoma City, take Interstate 44 to exit 107 to merge onto U.S. 277/ 62 toward Newcastle and Blanchard. Continue for 13 miles; turn left onto State Highway 76 and proceed to the neighborhood, which is on the left. The addition, developed by Central Oklahoma Habitat, has 30 lots, and the organization is accepting applications. “The open house is the first step in our exciting plan for the Shelliebrook neighborhood,” said Ann Felton Gilliland, chairman and CEO of Central Okla-

homa Habitat for Humanity. “With 30 lots available, we are excited to join the Blanchard community and look forward to helping families realize their dreams of homeownership.” Habitat homes have zero-interest mortgages and are built with great energy efficiency to maximize affordability for homebuyers. Habitat for Humanity’s homeowner program is based on need, ability to

pay and willingness to partner. Additionally, applicants must be willing to participate in financial planning and budgeting workshops, be active members of their Habitat neighborhood and meet other requirements. For more information, go to www.cohfh.org or call 232-4828. Additional information and application forms will be available at the Shelliebrook open house.

to handle multiple chores, which lets other rooms be smaller or even be eliminated. Once again, storage is emphasized, with lots of cabinet space for everything from cleaning supplies to extra toilet paper. Space can be provided for just about any part-time use that doesn’t require a large amount of square footage elsewhere, such as crafts or even a small home office. For most situations, unless the bulk of the living space is on the second floor, the design pros felt that a first-floor laundry room was preferable. One designer adds a doggy door in her laundry room designs that goes through the wall to the backyard. The designers also emphasized the importance of a transition area be-

tween the garage and the house. The transition area might be the laundry room, or it might be another intermediate space such as a mud room area, with a sink for washing up. The transition area should contain a bench or other seating for removing shoes, as well as storage for hats, coats, gloves and other outdoor essentials.

Kitchens Kitchens, of course, are one of the biggest sellers in home design. Some designers are getting away from traditional “work triangle” design, and are looking more at designs that work for specific users. But one thing that all the designers agreed on was a growing emphasis on work islands. Islands are very

popular, and may incorporate a cooktop, prep sink or some other element that makes it easier for two cooks to operate at the same time. Eat-in kitchens remain popular, with space at the island or at a peninsula for eating. But what’s definitely changed is the arrangement of the seating. Designers are getting away from the “picnic bench” seating arrangement, with all the stools or chairs in a row, which is not conducive to conversation. That’s being replaced by 90-degree seating, with stools along two or even three perpendicular edges of the island. 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

SATURDAY, AUGUST 18, 2012

Permits Oklahoma City Sodexo, 700 NE 13, medical clinic-office, remodel, $3,000,000. Miller-Tippens Construction Co. LLC, 4801 SW 20, warehouse, erect, $1,588,000. Sodexo, 700 NE 13, office, remodel, $1,500,000. Clark Construction, 14101N Eastern Ave., medical clinic-office, remodel, $900,000. The Restoration Corp., 4928 W Interstate 40 Service Road, business, remodel, $600,000. Huffman Construction, 11608 Milano Road, residence, erect, $487,019. Alan Stuck Custom Homes, 13190 N MacArthur Blvd., office, erect, $300,000. Dave Carr Construction, 15308 Creek Vista Circle, residence, erect, $275,000. Dreamworks Construction LLC, 7617 NW 135, residence, erect, $265,000. J. Hill Homes Inc., 9901 Piedmont Road, residence, erect, $259,000. 4 Corners Construction LLC, 15024 SE 59 Terrace, residence, erect, $258,000. E-Z Living Homes Inc., 13212 NW 5, residence, erect, $250,000. Manchester Green Homes LLC, 1421 NW 187, residence, erect, $246,900. 4 Corners Construction LLC, 5901 Montford Way, residence, erect, $245,000. Onpoint Construction, 7808 SW 85 Circle, residence, erect, $240,000. Jeff Click Homes LLC, 17420 Marsh Hawk Court, residence, erect, $226,000. Heartland Homes LLC, 11209 NW 7, residence, erect, $225,500. Oklahoma Steel Building Systems, 4725 S Eastern Ave., recycling, erect, $222,000. Oklahoma Steel Building Systems, 4725 S Eastern Ave., recycling, erect, $222,000. TK Architects, 6001 N Martin Luther King Ave., theater, remodel, $220,000. Zi Construction LLC, 6432 SW 3, restaurant, remodel, $219,000. Manchester Green Homes LLC, 1425 NW 188, residence, erect, $217,622. Authentic Custom Homes LLC, 14129 Kenley Way, residence, erect, $210,000. Authentic Custom Homes LLC, 14105 Kenley Way, residence, erect, $205,000. Clayton Coker, 5600 Royal Drive, residence, erect, $200,000. G&C Holdings LLC, 6724 Pat Ave., warehouse, erect, $200,000. Katleron Construction Inc., 19005 Meadows Crossing Drive, residence, erect, $200,000. Onpoint Construction, 7801 SW 87 Circle, residence, erect, $198,000. S&D Homes, 728 Evening Drive, residence, erect, $198,000. 4 Corners Construction LLC, 10625 Granada Drive, residence, erect, $192,000. Breana and Jerad Fritze, 4601 Oakwood Lane, residence, erect, $180,000. Taber Built Homes LLC, 8612 SW 58 Circle, residence, erect, $180,000. Taber Built Homes LLC, 8608 SW 58 Circle, residence, erect, $180,000. Taber Built Homes LLC, 17401Murcielago Court, residence, erect, $180,000. Taber Built Homes LLC, 8616 SW 58 Circle, residence, erect, $180,000. Taber Built Homes LLC, 2424 NW 155, residence, erect, $180,000. Taber Built Homes LLC, 15220 Homecoming Drive, residence, erect, $180,000. Taber Built Homes LLC, 2405 NW 155, residence, erect, $180,000. Mashburn Faires Homes LLC, 3108 SW 139, residence, erect, $178,850. Affinity Homes LLC, 17501 Murcielago Court, residence, erect, $170,000. Sun Properties LLC, 11749 SW 22 Terrace, residence, erect, $170,000. Vintage Custom Homes LLC, 128 SW 175 Terrace, residence, erect, $170,000. Heartland Homes LLC, 17601 Red Tailed Hawk Way, residence, erect, $169,900. Stanley Fine Homes LLC, 19408 Fieldshire Drive, residence, erect, $169,000.

REAL ESTATE Stanley Fine Homes LLC, 19604 Meadow Bend Ave., residence, erect, $167,000. Sun Properties LLC, 11753 SW 22 Terrace, residence, erect, $160,000. Cutter Homes, 2313 Makaila Way, residence, erect, $150,000. Jeff Click Homes LLC, 17804 Black Hawk Circle, residence, erect, $150,000. Mashburn Faires Homes LLC, 8917 NW 110, residence, erect, $145,600. Jeff Click Homes LLC, 17713 Black Hawk Circle, residence, erect, $140,000. Vintage Custom Homes LLC, 3700 Lambeth, residence, erect, $135,000. Ideal Homes of Norman LP, 500 Goya Circle, residence, erect, $122,000. Witt Construction Inc., 4008 Windgate West Road, residence, erect, $122,000. Witt Construction Inc., 4000 Windgate West Road, residence, erect, $120,000. Ideal Homes of Norman LP, 14005 Wagon Boss Road, residence, erect, $113,000. Harbor Homes, 420 SW 168, residence, erect, $110,000. Harbor Homes, 17005 Prado Drive, residence, erect, $110,000. Rausch Coleman Homes LLC, 11801 NW 131, residence, erect, $109,000. AMF Development, 5705 Sanderling Road, residence, erect, $100,000. AMF Development, 5629 Sanderling Road, residence, erect, $100,000. AMF Development, 5633 Sanderling Road, residence, erect, $100,000. Home Creations, 11201 NW 100, residence, erect, $92,500. Central Oklahoma Habitat For Humanity, 628 SE 26, residence, erect, $80,000. Home Creations, 2420 NW 197, residence, erect, $78,400. Home Creations, 2305 NW 198, residence, erect, $78,400. Backyard Solutions, 9601 SW 59, cabana-gazebo, erect, $78,000. DCM-Dale Odum, 2815 NW 10, restaurant, remodel, $75,000. REO Construction, 2201 NW 122, apartment, fire restoration, $65,000. Homescape Custom Interiors, 916 NW 45, residence, add-on, $60,000. Specialty Construction Services LLC, 440 NW 16, residence, remodel, $60,000. James Varnum, 612 NW 29, apartment, remodel, $40,000. Bromley Hall Fine Homes LLC, 1127 Blue Wister Cove, residence, add-on, $35,000. Burnham Nationwide, 13726 N Pennsylvania Ave., retail sales, remodel, $35,000. Covington Woodwork Inc., 3317 Hickory Stick Road, canopy-carport, add-on, $35,000. Dan Phan, 5605 SE 84, residence, addon, $35,000. Welcome Home LLC, 9628 NW 13 Place, manufactured home, move-on, $32,000. Kathren Remington, 3308 SE 89, manufactured home, move-on-mobile home park, $25,900. Hallman Group LLC, 2856 Guilford Lane, accessory, erect, $20,000. Rose Creek Cottages Construction LLC, 17104 Trophy Drive, residence, supplement, $20,000. Gibraltar Construction Co., 10320 SE 55, residence, add-on, $18,000. Micah King, 7611 SW 98, storage, erect, $17,000. Pamcorp, 3113 Neosho Ave., tower-antenna, install, $15,000. Edward Thayer, 4124 NW 44, accessory, erect, $14,000. Rita Chandler, 1421 NW 165 Court, residence, remodel, $13,000. Clayton Coker, 5600 Royal Drive, accessory, erect, $12,000. Outdoor Creative Designs, 11701 S Mustang Road, residence, add-on, $12,000. Raul Estrada, 1424 SW 32, residence, fire restoration, $12,000. AMF Development, 5701 Sanderling Road, residence, erect, $10,000. Thrash Construction Co. Inc., 3400 Northwest Expressway, medical clinic-office, remodel, $10,000. Ground Zero, 14301 Middleberry Road,

THE OKLAHOMAN | NEWSOK.COM

storm shelter, install-storm shelter, $4,900. Jerald Koehn, 4924 NW 35, storm shelter, install-storm shelter, $4,500. David and Elizabeth Schlernitzauer, 15400 Brenton Hills Ave., storm shelter, install-storm shelter, $4,475. Betty Otugo, 200 NW 160, storm shelter, install-storm shelter, $4,295. Jimmy Mollet, 11241 NW 100, storm shelter, install-storm shelter, $4,200. Thomas and Jacquelyn Fry, 9517 Winding Hollow Road, storm shelter, install-storm shelter, $4,200. Janet Hurst, 1605 SW 78 Terrace, storm shelter, remodel, $4,000. Kim Eubank, 2009 Norwich Circle, storm shelter, install-storm shelter, $4,000. Sheryl Holford, 11201 N Eagle Lane, addon, add-on, $4,000. Vortech Storm Shelters, 905 Posados Drive, storm shelter, install-storm shelter, $3,975. Joe E. de la Cruz, 8713 NW 117 Court, storm shelter, install-storm shelter, $3,950. Bobby Ribble, 8817 NW 116 Terrace, storm shelter, install-storm shelter, $3,900. C.J. Link, 2648 SW 111, storm shelter, install-storm shelter, $3,800. Joe and Courtney di Bello, 1205 SW 131, storm shelter, install-storm shelter, $3,600. Darrell and Shelly Kelly, 13116 SW 10, storm shelter, install-storm shelter, $3,500. Bradley E. Davenport, 16616 Moorgate Lane, storm shelter, install-storm shelter, $3,200. Rex Montgomery, 10601 NW 41, storm shelter, install-storm shelter, $3,200. Red Callaway, 4505 N Utah Ave., storm shelter, install-storm shelter, $3,100. Stephen Hopkins, 10713 Cliffe Hollow Drive, storm shelter, install-storm shelter, $3,100. George Hailey, 2608 SE 97, storm shelter, install-storm shelter, $3,000. Randy Carr, 11117 Ashford Drive, storm shelter, install-storm shelter, $3,000. Susan Hall, 14701 SE 83 Court, storm shelter, install-storm shelter, $3,000. Ground Zero, 11204 Lakeridge Run, storm shelter, install-storm shelter, $3,000. Ground Zero, 15933 Korie Drive, storm shelter, install-storm shelter, $3,000. Randal Jones, 10801 Keen Oak Road, storm shelter, install-storm shelter, $2,995. Robert Nolan, 19208 Canyon Creek Place, storm shelter, install-storm shelter, $2,995. Ground Zero, 4101 SE 89 Terrace, storm shelter, install-storm shelter, $2,995. Po-Hao Huang, 17900 Scarlet Oak Lane, storm shelter, install-storm shelter, $2,900. Danica Arnold, 17617 Iron Lane, storm shelter, install-storm shelter, $2,800. Alloy Building Co., 1508 SW 35, canopycarport, add-on, $2,500. Flat Safe, 1116 NW 197, storm shelter, install-storm shelter, $1,995. Irene F. Weaver, 2609 SW 85, residence, add-on, $1,800. David Roberts, 3315 Dutch Forest Place, accessory, erect, $1,500. Boots-N-Saddle, 2748 NE 23, club-tavern, remodel, $1,000.

Demolitions Midwest Wrecking, 13020 Broadway Extension. Kevin Davis, 1617 NW 28, apartment. Midwest Wrecking, 4200 S Harvey Ave., accessory. Midwest Wrecking, 1913 E Madison, accessory. Midwest Wrecking, 1444 NE 8, accessory. Midwest Wrecking, 4 S Blackwelder Ave., residence. Russell Lee, 4300 SE 118, residence. Ray’s Trucking, 314 SW 30, single-family residence.

Oklahoma Green Building Summit set The Oklahoma Green Building Summit, a daylong conference for residential and commercial builders, Realtors, architects, engineers and others in the construction industry, will be from 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. Sept. 27 at Midwest City’s Reed Center at Interstate 40 and Sooner Road. Early registration is $50 per person. More than 400 people are expected to attend. For a schedule and registration, go to www.okgreen buildingsummit.com. Educational tracks will be offered to four distinct audiences: commercial builders, residential builders, HVAC/code enforcement and appraisers/Realtors. The lunchtime round-table discussion will showcase representatives from Devon Energy Corp., who will talk about the construction of the company’s new headquarters. Session speakers include Oklahoma Secretary of Energy Mike Ming, who will open the session with “Oklahoma’s First Energy Plan”; Justin Wilson, founder and president of Colorado-based Building Performance Solutions, a past recipient of the Built Green Colorado Builder of the Year Award; and Bob Hart, a Realtor in Santa Barbara, Calif., a recognized expert in green real estate. Continuing education credits will be available for Certified Green Professionals, Certified Professional Builders and Realtors. Realtors can earn up to one-third of their Green designation with this class. The state Construction Industries Board is considering credit hours for home inspectors and code officials.

Brollier joins Marilyn Torbett NICHOLS — HILLS

Tucker Brollier has joined Marilyn Torbett Co., 6440 Avondale Drive, Suite 200, as a residential real estate sales associ- Tucker Brollier ate. Tucker was a top producer for McGraw Realtors in Tulsa since 2007 where he represented a new home development company. He recently moved back to Oklahoma City. He studied communications at the University of Oklahoma.

REAL ESTATE

THE OKLAHOMAN | NEWSOK.COM

SATURDAY, AUGUST 18, 2012

Getting cracks inspected may take legwork DEAR BARRY: We have cracks on an interior wall in our basement, and they seem to be getting wider. I’ve tried to find a structural engineer who inspects houses, but the engineers I’ve called only deal in commercial properties. One of them agreed to take a look, but he was unfamiliar with the kind of cracks that we have and was unable to explain their cause. How can I find a structural engineer who can help us sort this out? Chris DEAR CHRIS: There are engineers who routinely evaluate structural problems with residential buildings. The challenge is to locate one of them in your area. Three leads that you can pursue are Realtors, home inspectors and

Barry Stone INSPECTOR’S IN THE HOUSE

architects. Real estate agents often need the services of a structural engineer to complete the sale of a home when foundation problems are disclosed. Home inspectors often become familiar with the engineers who evaluate the conditions revealed in home inspection reports. And architects routinely rely on engineers to provide specifications for their plans. You might even get lucky and find a

home inspector who is a licensed engineer. Make some phone calls and see who turns up. DEAR BARRY: My daughter just purchased a home that was a short sale. She hired a home inspector who pointed out a few problems, but nothing major was disclosed. Since moving in, we have found evidence that the home is sinking. The front entry walkway, for example, has large cracks and is very uneven. If a home inspector fails to see obvious problems such as this, does the homeowner have to pay for the repairs, or is the inspector financially liable? Louie DEAR LOUIE: Home inspectors are liable for defects that are visible, accessible and within the de-

fined scope of a home inspection. However, if the only evidence that concerns you is the condition of the exterior pavement, they may be no reason to assume that the building itself is affected. The first thing you should do is to notify the inspector of your concerns and ask that he take a second look. If there are issues with the building itself, be sure to point these out. If the only symptom involves the front sidewalk, there is probably no need for concern and no liability for the inspector. DEAR BARRY: I bought my home about two months ago. Last week, I trimmed the tree limbs that had been covering a portion of the roof and was surprised to find a lot of

roof damage, including missing shingles and rotted wood. Is my home inspector liable for not disclosing this? Zach DEAR ZACH: Your home inspector couldn’t have seen the roof damage under the tree limbs, but he should have pointed out that the roof was encumbered with vegetation and that pruning was needed to enable further inspection. Failure to include that in his inspection report could make him liable for repairs. You should notify him of the problem and ask that he reinspect the area in question. To write to Barry Stone, go to www.housedetective.com. ACCESS MEDIA GROUP

Real estate agents often need the services of a structural engineer to complete the sale of a home when foundation problems are disclosed. Home inspectors often become familiar with the engineers who evaluate the conditions revealed in inspection reports.

SATURDAY, AUGUST 18, 2012

REAL ESTATE

HOUSE PLAN

Plan provides lots of living space Arched openings accent the graceful porch colonnade that greets visitors to the Kendall, a mediumsize home that offers plenty of family living space, both formal and informal. Its tile roof and stucco exterior are redolent of sunny climes. Owners of the home could confine their living to the ground floor, if they wish, since the owners’ suite is on this level. This leaves the second floor for children, visiting grandchildren or other guests. These rooms could also be used for offices or hobby space, if desired. A long custom-shaped eating bar provides partial separation between the kitchen and the nook. Otherwise this area is wide open, and offers easy access to the screened porch and patio. Vaulted to the second floor, the family room and dining room are bathed in natural light from a wealth of windows. The home has a fireplace. The curved second-floor landing forms a bridge that overlooks the family room to the back and the dining room and entryway to the front. Holiday and formal gatherings can spread out in the spacious dining room and parlor. The front parlor is brightened by a wide bay window that fronts the covered porch. The owners’ suite features access to the wide patio, and has a private bathroom with a walk-in closet, raised spa and separately enclosed shower and toilet. Two large bedrooms, one of them vaulted, share

THE OKLAHOMAN | NEWSOK.COM

Planning, permission needed in revamping cracked driveway BY FELICIA FEASTER Atlanta Journal-Constitution

a two-section bathroom upstairs. Since each section has its own vanity, two can use the bathroom at once in relative privacy.

The Kendall’s utility room and powder room are equally convenient to the kitchen and the two-car garage.

A review plan of the Kendall 11-092, 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.

In the old days, a cracked driveway was summarily patched. And a seriously broken and damaged driveway was replaced with new concrete. But little about today’s driveways — and sidewalks — is that conventional anymore. Homeowners now have an enormous array of options, from a rainbow of color choices to a range of textural effects when it comes to replacing or revamping their driveway. Michael Dussling, the owner of Concrete Resurfacing Products in Suwanee, Ga., has been working for 14 years in the concrete business. In addition to offering a variety of exterior treatments for driveways, sidewalks, pool decks and walkways, Dussling offers interior concrete treatments like acid stains and concrete polishing for kitchen, basement and garage floors. “My customers are in two different groups,” Dussling said. “One: people who just want something decorative put on their concrete. And two: someone who has structural or cosmetic problems with the existing surface that they want to fix. And they don’t want to see the repairs, so they want to cover it up.” There are also two schools of thought when it comes to resurfacing damaged driveways. Bill Sudlow of Atlanta’s Sudlow Concrete has worked in

the concrete business for 12 years and is less inclined to repair a crack in a concrete driveway because of the impossibility of matching new concrete to old. “To repair a driveway is sort of a misnomer; you can’t really repair concrete because the patch looks worse than the crack. But you can remove a section of the driveway and replace it,” Sudlow said. More often though, when the driveway is unsightly, his customers choose a complete driveway replacement. “If it’s an upscale house in an upscale neighborhood, most people just opt to go ahead and replace the whole driveway,” Sudlow said. If cosmetic issues are the crux of your concrete complaints, resurfacing is often the answer. “The advantage of doing a resurfacing over tearing out and repouring a driveway is it’s about half as much,” Dussling said. “The downside is, if you’ve got cracks in the driveway, we can repair them before we do it and we always do.” Another consideration when planning a driveway or sidewalk repair or replacement is the neighbors — or the city. Some homeowners need to be aware, Sudlow said, that their municipality will have to approve any changes they will want to make to the sidewalks in front of their home. “(In some cases), there’s all kinds of special permits you have to get, and it’s a big headache,” Sudlow said. MCT INFORMATION SERVICES

THE OKLAHOMAN | NEWSOK.COM

REAL ESTATE

SATURDAY, AUGUST 18, 2012

Lap pools and hot tubs offer fitness, relaxation BY FELICIA FEASTER Atlanta Journal-Constitution

ATLANTA — While a fullsize swimming pool is lovely if you have the space and the money, there are plenty of other water features that will help you soak tired muscles, cool off and stay in shape. Compact, space-conserving hot tubs, lap pools and swim spas have expanded aquatic options for homeowners. Forget the cliche of the 1970s-era party animal hot tub. Today’s hot tub owner is more often an emptynest baby boomer looking for decompression instead of action, architects and retailers explained. “The No. 1reason people own hot tubs is for relaxation and stress relief because from a physiological standpoint it actually does dilate the capillaries, lowers your blood pressure. It does relax you,” said Adam Burke, the owner of two locations of Atlanta Spa & Leisure. Burke carries a variety of hot tubs and jetted swim spas at his stores, including the Michael Phelps line of high-performance swim spas, which use propellers to create a current to swim against. “The swim spas have had a big uptick as the baby boomers have moved into retirement,” Burke said. “They have those aches and pains, hip replacement, knee replacement, old sports injuries,”

A workout and yoga room at a home in Druid Hills, Ga., completes the spa experience when combined with a water feature that can work as either a hot tub or plunge pool. MCT PHOTOS

making swim spas and hot tubs an ideal zero-impact workout. Many older customers also are choosing water features to create a vacation-worthy experience at home, said Moon Bros. architect and co-owner Mark Fosner. Fosner is installing a hot tub and enclosing a 20foot-long jetted swim spa in one home. “And that’s their retreat,” he said. Architect Michael Gamble of Gamble & Gamble Architecture said he has seen a definite increase in clients wanting water features like lap pools or hot tubs, which are far more

affordable than a traditional swimming pool. “You can build a small water feature in the backyard for a very reasonable amount of money — less than $10,000,” Gamble said. Whether your hot tub or swim spa is placed inside or outside, architects and retailers recommend that you treat a water feature not just as an experience to enhance your quality of life, but as a design element within your home. Consider your view from the water, privacy, when you will be most likely to use it, sun angle and maintenance.

HSE 4 SALE. 3bd, 3bth, 2674sq ft, office, granite. Call 405-613-5284 RENT TO OWN Guthrie--3bed 2 ba single wide mobile home on 8 acres m/l with several storage buildings 133225 Armadillo Drive Davenport--Commercial Shop Building that sits on 4.2 acres m/l Harrah--3bed 2bath Single wide Mobile Home on 5 acres m/l Easy Approval--Call for Maps and Locations 405-273-5777 www.property4sale.com OWNER FINANCING 1 to 10 acre tracts most with no restrictions. Some with mobile homes or ready for one Logan-Lincoln-OklahomaPottawatomie-Cleveland Easy Approval--Call for maps 405-273-5777 property4sale.com 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 PIEDMONT OPEN SUN 2-5 Model home. New hms on 1/2 ac lots. From NW Expwy & Sara Rd go 4.5 mi N Cleaton & Assoc 373-2494 41.89 ac MOL great bld site, city water avail. Piedmont schls $139,900. Carmen 833-0106 Cleaton & Assoc 373-2494 House & lg shop TERMS 4bd, 2ba, lg. on 1N to 3O A NE of Harrah Milburn o/a 275-1695 www.paulmilburnacreages.com Call for Maps! See why we sell more acreages than anyone in Okla. E of OKC. o/a 275-1695

Hot tub tips Check local codes to see how to keep your hot tub or pool safe. Most areas require at least a 5-foot fence surrounding the pool. Locking safety covers also can help. “Covers have improved considerably,” Fosner said. Many covers are now placed down at the water level and disappear into a vault when not in use, to make them less obtrusive, and can support substantial weight if someone accidentally steps onto the tub cover. When placing a hot tub inside a home, “you have to control the humidity,”

MOBILE HOME 3 BR 2 BA, 28/60. Screened porch. $20,500. 405-488-4878 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

OPEN 2-4, 4101 NW 44th, 2/2/2, reduced to $139,500, Bateman Co

1200 sq ft, 86th and South Penn $12.50 a sq ft + utilities 826-9181

Brand New 2 Bed 2 Bath

K Office, K Warehouse. Various sizes. 221 W Wilshire 842-7300

•ABC• Affordable, Bug free, Clean » 787-7212»

3928 E Reno $1950mo house & lg 1500sf whse 601-5905 235-5028

1bed 1bath $350 mo, very clean, stove & fridge 405-887-0228

Newly Remodeled 1&2bd No deposit for VA, seniors & Disability. 4708 SE 44th 677-2200

Large 1 & 2 beds. Stove, refrig,

3 SW OKC Locations $345 to 420 mo 632-9849

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

SOLITAIRE 16x64, 2bd, 2ba, shingled, comp. siding, carport. Extremely clean. 405-609-7070

8005 NW 8th Unit 272 Thousand Oaks 1bd condo, fridge, stove, washer/dryer, ch/a $525 Fidelity RE 410-4200

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

Nice 1 bd, 2 din, appls, w/d hkup, 2419 NW 12th, $470, 301-5979.

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

Open House 2-4, Moore Schools, 11817 Cedar Valley Terr., 3/2/2, NM Realty, 613-9739.

Owner carry with down. Nice homes & fixers. 417-2176 www.homesofokcinc.com

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

OWNER FINANCING $2000 down 4010 Pearl Way 3/1 $54,000 No Credit Ck ‘ 596-4599 ‘

3000 W Simpson » 10 Acres m/l Beautiful 5bedroom 2bath house, 2 car garage attached, cathedral ceilings in living area, balcony attached to master bedroom. It will be sold as is. Priced at $195,000 Call 405-273-5777

PIEDMONT OPEN SUN 2-5 Model home. New hms on 1/2 ac lots. From NW Expwy & Sara Rd go 4.5 mi N Cleaton & Assoc 373-2494

SPENCER, 9116 NE 46TH ST, 2-4 3 bed, 1.5 bath, 2 living, fp, motivated seller, 615-0785.

SE OKLAHOMA NEAR OUACHITA NATIONAL FOREST Historic Beavers Bend State Park, Broken Bow Lake & acres of Pine forest. Spend your days on the lake fly fishing, hiking, golfing, biking, horseback riding & kayaking. Little Lake Cabin Photo#205 First State Bank Valliant, OK Mike at 580-933-4201 Member FDIC & Equal Housing Lender. Photos & info at: www.foxruncabin.com

3/2.5/2 NICE!!! 9909 Mashburn Blvd. $900, 412-8540, No Sec 8 MOVE IN NOW! Pd. water/garbage Quiet. Try Plaza East • 341-4813

Free Month Rent! 1&2bd QUIET! Cov. Parking Great Schls 732-1122

3/2/2 + study 1650sf, 1.3ac $1100 Home & Ranch Realty 794-7777

Great 2 bed, neighbors, price. 2217 NE 19th--405-424-2201

3bd 1ba, $550 + dep, ch&a, W/D 2233 NE 19th 405-225-6385

2642 NW 66 3/2/2 $1295 3513 Kentucky 3/1.5/1 $850 11320 Eagle 3/2/2 $1195 2805 Kerry Ln 3/2/2 $1195 12305 Cedar Springs 2/2.5/2 $975 Express Realty 844-6101 www.expressrealtyok.com 3410 Cameron Court, 2/2/1 all appl $725 DPLX no pets JW Rlty 755-2510

425 SW 33rd. Large 1bd, utlty rm, appls, AC, prvt dr, no pets, $450 mo, $250dep, water pd. 650-0963

616 NW 92nd 3bd 1ba 681-7272

$450

2, 3 & 4 bd House/Apt, All elec. W/D Hook-up. Sec 8 Ok 235-4328 121 NW 17th 3bd, 1.5ba, a/c, fncd yard $650mo, $650dep 524-0887 Peaceful 3bd 2ba Brick Home 1900sf $1085 255-4300

2601 SE 51, 3/1K /2, ch&a, no 8/ pets, refs $725 may sell 740-6072

Bills Paid

Furnished/Unfurnished Weekly/Monthly 370-1077 3bd apt. available Sec 8, 794-0201 1200 NW 10th St, Moore Schools

Efficiency Apt. $350 Rent + Elec. 2008K NE 16th Terr. 474-1904

1st Mo Rent Selected Units Large Townhomes & Apartments • Washer, Dryers, pools • PC Schools, fireplaces

WILLIAMSBURG

7301 NW 23rd 787-1620

$200 Off

1st Mo Rent Selected units 2 & 3 bed Townhouses Washer/Dryers, Fireplaces, P.C. Schools

PARKLANE

2332 SW 49th Clean 3bd 2 living areas new carpet, fresh paint, only $650 Harris RE 410-4300

Large 3 bed 2 bath 2 car $775 a month Sec 8 OK, 330-1880

16925 Valley Crest 3/2/2 $1195 1321 Pennington 2/2/1 $725 413 Clermont 3/2/2 $1150 1508 NW 179 Tr 3/2/2 $1395 22655 Stherly Farm 3/2.5/5 $2395 Express Realty 844-6101 www.expressrealtyok.com

3/2/1 brk kit appls year lease Clean avail now $700+ deps 454-2314 or 664-3751

721-5455

8100 N. MacArthur Blvd

$99 Special

2bd 2ba 1car, vault ceil, fans, Extra Nice! no pets. $625 354-7413 or 642-3847

•City bus route/Shopping •Washer/Dryer hookups

1 mi E of Tinker, 3b, 1b, 2c, ch&a, $575+$400 dep, no pets, 732-4351

1 & 2 BD & Townhouses

Convenience Store in Wilson, OK, Hwy 70. Gas, cafe & Deli, 290,000 580-668-2466 or 580-465-3308

711 E. Pointe Court Lane 3bd, 2ba, 2car CH&A 1600sq ft. MOL No Smoking $1,150/mo + $900dep, 405-262-0179

LEASE PURCHASE Totally redone ,4bd/2bath/2car, $1150 month, 308-9291.

NEW 3bd/2bth $1500 down, 7.5% $281mo. 405-324-8010

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

951 NW 2nd sharp 3/1.5/1 fenced yard $775 Harris RE 410-4300

833 E Eubanks 3/1 + storage $495 681-7272

$200 off

Townhouse - 4/2.5/2 offers Rockwell / NW Expwy. remodeled, 414-8854

800 N Meridian 946-9506

800 N. Meridian

Cash 4 Clunkers! Guaranteed $5,000 for any trade towards down pymt of new home WAC 405-631-7600 405-834-8814

4.33 ac 17 W of Ardmore, Hwy 70, sub road. 4 rent houses & older metal bldg $190,000; 2 lots in Wilson, 1-$4000, 1-$2500. Lv msg 580-668-2466 580-468-3308

MCT INFORMATION SERVICES

1 bed. All bills paid 946-9506

Wildfire Victims Relief Homes Titan Factory Direct-Special Offer 20 Models Homes To Choose From! Immediate Delivery Avail. Easy Financing. 405-634-4812

6100 Cox Ave completely remodeled 3bd starter home, fresh paint, new carpet, roof & vinyl siding, located on large corner lot, only $31,850 Fidelity RE 410-4200

REDUCED 3/2/3 + off on 5 ac MOL approx 2320' storm shelt $219,900 NEW 3/2.5/3 approx 2122' on 1/2 ac MOL $214,000 Carmen 833-0106 Cleaton & Assoc 373-2494

Large 2bd Special Furnished/Unfurnished. Bills Paid » Wkly/Mnthly. Wes Chase Apts Elk Horn Apts, Hillcrest 370-1077

Abandoned D/W Repo set up on 5 Acres!! Ready to move in. Free phone application 405-631-7600

OWNER FINANCING $2000 down 2135 NW 34th 2/1 $47,000 No Credit Ck ‘ 596-4599 ‘

do their retaining wall correctly,” Fosner said. Some hot tubs feature built-in LED lights at the base to light your way to the tub, Burke said, but consider how lighting can affect things like the view of the stars overhead. To create a spa experience, some people combine hot tubs and plunge pools to offer a hot soak followed by a bracing cold plunge. Swim spas allow you to swim against a jet or propeller-created current or include aerobic features like an underwater treadmil or bicycle. Some spas and hot tubs even integrate a DVD player or a sound system to keep you entertained while you exercise.

3bd 2ba 2car 1370sf $975+dep 4/2/2, 1750sf fireplace $1350+dep Home & Ranch Realty 794-7777

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

Stop Paying Rent Today Own a new 3,4 or 5 bdrm home. Financing Available Now 405-634-4812

Amazing 3/3/2 1951sf near Lake Hefner $134,900 Tour http://bit.ly/PFq36N or Call Flat Iron Realty 590.6563

most often with a permanent dehumidifier, Fosner said. Burke said he prefers not to recess hot tubs, to prevent accidental falls into the hot tub and to make the tub mechanics easier to access. And when it comes time to sell, he said, “if you don’t sink them into the deck, they’re a bargaining chip, because you can actually take them away.” Make sure that your deck or foundation can support the combined weight of the tub, water and occupants, Burke said. That extends to any retaining walls built to support a tub or pool. “The classic mistake is people put it in a pretty steep site and they don’t

$549 Casady 751-8088

1710 N Douglas 3bd 1ba .4A Nice 417-2176. www.homesofokcinc.com

New Inside 3bd/1bth, 1250sf, 1/3 acr, 2cr gar, $88k obo. 316-708-0238

“You’re using it to enhance the experience of the house,” Gamble said.

» Cafe for sale NW OKC. Pizza restaurant for sale SW OKC. For inquiries » » 405-210-8449

4/1.5 brk ch&a new roof/windows 1305 McDonald Dr $50K 205-6500

711 E. Pointe Court Lane 3bd, 2ba, 2car CH&A 1600sq ft. MOL No Smoking $1,150/mo + $900dep, 405-262-0179

This lap pool at a home in Sandy Springs, Ga., which the homeowner uses for fitness, attaches to a deeper swimming pool to allow both exercise and relaxation in one water feature.

Valencia Apts

2221 N. Meridian 946-6548

228 W Pratt 2/2/2, 2 living 681-7272

$850

2121 SW 27th 2bd 1ba $350 540 SW 44th 2bd 1ba 1car $425 Free List ¡ 681-7272

Purcell 805 Crown Hts Ln. 1100sf 3/2/2 small bk yd no pets or sec 8. $1000+ dep Maria 618-0563

6809 Lewis Ln. Executive Home. Over 1800 sf. Master suite, jetted tub, 10ft ceilings, 3 car garage, country setting, convenient to S. OKC. $1300mo ¡ 550-9097

4/2/2, 1800sqft, pool, 905 Exter Circle, $1275 mo, $1275 dep. Mustang schl, avail 9/1, 265-0205

2 & 3 bed mobile homes, far NE OKC, near Jones, 733-8688. Rent to Own: Nice 2 & 3bed MWC $350 & up 390-9777

10E

SATURDAY, AUGUST 18, 2012

REAL ESTATE

THE OKLAHOMAN | NEWSOK.COM

Books jockey for space with other collectibles BY LAURA K. LLOYD McClatchy Newspapers

Bookcases are in transition, just like the people who own them. The printed word no longer needs paper, and paper no longer needs stiffened linen or leather to contain it and be a book. Rows of decorative spines with titles stamped in gold or black — those advertisements of a household’s taste and personality lined up in view — might actually start looking a bit too 20th century for people hurtling themselves into a paperless future. Or not. Current magazines still recommend buying hardbacks for almost nothing at garage sales to fill shelves to make a person seem well-read. As recently as March 2012, Dwight Garner, after taking a dig at the limitations of e-books in The New York Times, thought it relevant to quote bibliophile and novelist Anna Quindlen: “I would be most content if my children grew to be the kind of people who think decorating consists mostly of building bookshelves.” And Benjamin Sundermeier, designer at Space Planning + Design in Kansas City, Mo., said his clients don’t seem motivated to “shift away from shelves” housing books. In the books-versus-

Bookshelves hold a collection of antique decoys and vintage gun powder flasks in a home in a Kansas home. Built in bookshelves hold a collection of antiques in a home in Fairway, Kan MCT PHOTOS

bookless micro-controversy, books still have a lot of support. (In the eminently practical “Use What You Have Decorating” by Lauri Ward, books are treated as design accessories that deserve thoughtful, neat shelving that doesn’t mix in distractions like photos, art objects or gewgaws.) Let’s say, however, that your attachment to some of your books (paperbacks of Jodi Picoult? First editions of Tom Clancy?) is starting to fade as you develop your love affair with your e-reader. Perhaps

you’re trying to simplify or allot space to some of the other design accessories you have acquired. It’s hardly news that bookshelves are also the perfect venue to display collections of majolica, Blue Willow china or “Star Wars” action figures, among countless possibilities. Shelving has always been about showing an owner’s personality through possessions, and there are many ways to do this without an assemblage of books. Snobbishness that books make a

household seem educated and serious may give way to other philosophies as new technologies continue to gain influence. Sundermeier has recently noticed a trend toward re-purposing bookshelves for imaginative uses in the home. “We used antique bookshelves in a closet for shoes and sweaters and boxes,” he said of a recent design project. Another client, he said, has an iron-and-wood bookshelf “displaying her collection of beautiful cookware and her kitchen TV.”

In another house, a Chinese pot rack has found its function as a place to stack books. Sundermeier said these rough-hewed, individualized shelves are part of a direction in decor that puts special emphasis on having a home filled with one-of-a-kind items. He noted that the influential High Point furniture market in North Carolina recently chose to report some of the findings of the British-based “Trend Bible”: a move toward interiors that don’t look “done,” that embrace imperfections and objects with a patina or well-loved wear.

It’s a reaction against the numbing sameness of all things digital. That can include bookshelves and what people choose to put on them. “I have a client with traditional bookcases who put her creamware collection in them in her living room,” he said. In 2012, how you display the details of your decor has just gotten a freer approach. The choice is yours. “The trend,” Sundermeier noted, “is that people aren’t feeling locked in to using books for their shelving.” MCT INFORMATION SERVICES

LISTING OF THE WEEK

Restored bungalow has 5 bedrooms, 2.5 baths

The Listing of the Week is at 932 NW 16.

PHOTO PROVIDED

The Listing of the Week is a restored bungalow in the Mesta Park area of northwest Oklahoma City. The 2,914-square-foot home at 932 NW 16 has five bedrooms, 2 ½ baths, two living rooms, one dining room and a detached single-car garage. The home has hardwood flooring throughout,

crown molding, granite in the kitchen, stainless-steel appliances, central heat and air, large rooms, lots of storage, a large front porch, outdoor living area, unfinished basement and third-floor theater room. The home has outbuildings, a covered porch, open patio, storage area, security system and under-

ground sprinkler system. The home, built in 1920, is listed for $350,000 with Ryan Hukill of Paradigm AdvantEdge Real Estate. For more information, call 259-6565. Nominations for Listing of the Week are welcome. Send a copy of the MLS information sheet on a single-family home to The Oklahoman, Richard Mize, P.O. Box 25125, Oklahoma City, OK 73125. Nominations may be faxed to 475-3996.