19 minute read
Upgrade your Kitchen to Sell House Faster
Upgrade your Kitchen
to Sell House Faster
Higher interest rates have put the real estate market in flux in Greater Prescott and throughout the U.S. — homes aren’t turning over as instantly as they have over the past year or two.
If you think you might sell your home in the near-term, it’s a good idea to consider what improvements you could make to ratchet up its desirability and value, for yourself as well as prospective purchasers.
The kitchen is the room that usually gets the most scrutiny during the decision-making phase and the one where you have the most opportunities to boost your home’s overall appeal. But, don’t go overboard unless you want to and have the resources for it — homeowners typically see a higher return on investment for low- to mid-range renovations than a blowout. Q
UPDATE OR REPLACE CABINETS
Home shoppers today put a premium on plentiful storage, especially when it’s also aesthetically pleasing. If your cabinets are looking shabby and creaky, it’s definitely worth replacing them.
If they are structurally sound, though, they can be spruced up pretty easily with new hardware that complements the other finishes in the kitchen and a fresh coat of paint, preferably in a light neutral shade.
REPLACE COUNTERTOPS
Trends have truly evolved for these over the last 20 years. Granite at one point became a near-synonym for “countertop,” but since then it’s become passe compared to quartz or quartzite, which offer swirling “vein” patterns instead of speckled “grains.”
Replacing outdated granite counters still in good shape can be painful but makes a huge difference. Tile countertops have intermittently staged comebacks as fresh designs come into play, but older ones may be a harder sell.
UPGRADE APPLIANCES
This is where kitchen overhauls can get truly expensive, but again you don’t need to spring for the top-of-theline, luxury model for the best return on the money you’re putting in. If your stove, refrigerator, oven, dishwasher or any other hard-wired appliance is at all iffy when it comes to performance or looks tired and grungy even with a good scrubbing it probably needs to go.
Stainless steel surfaces are generally the best bet as far as resale goes but white may not be a toodistant second. If you live in an upscale neighborhood, it may be beneficial to go with commercial-grade, but consider all of your other options first.
ADD MULTIPURPOSE WORKSPACE
With working from home at least part-time approaching being the norm rather than the exception in many fields and multitasking gaining traction with almost everybody, sliding a desktop in among your countertops can be a savvy way to boost your appeal to a broad cross-section of buyers from busy young families to busy remote employees to busy, active retirees.
Peeples Valley The New Evolution of
by Lindon & Sherry Gareis, DOWN-HOME Realty
We unapologetically borrow Peeples Valley’s esteemed fire chief’s phrase. Chief Shawn Bomar affectionately refers to recent changes as “The New Evolution of Peeples Valley,” and he’s not kidding.
There’s an undeniable momentum. A paradigm shift that incorporates both preserving our old cherished way of life with new energy, ideas and friends.
For instance, the PVFD Auxiliary brings neighbors together yearly for events such as the Spring Hoe Down and Fall Chili Bingo Night. At Christmas there’s a fire truck parade and Mr. and Mrs. Claus visit each child.
New to the lineup is the launch of other annual festivities. In October, DOWN-HOME Realty is hosting their 2nd annual Community Mixer, and this past spring, DHR hosted the first-ever community Serve Day. We love bringing neighbors together.
There’s some serious business going on here, too.
Chief Bomar has taken our fire department to a new level of service, training, ability, equipment and opportunity.
We also boast some of the best brick oven pizza in Arizona at The Thunderbird Café, while Good Things offers a treasure trove of vintage goodies. Personally, we live, work and are building our “forever home” in Peeples Valley. There are several home builds just completed, and a few ready to break ground. The tax base is increasing, and our elementary school and fire department will realize benefit from this uptick.
Make no mistake about it, though, our sleepy lil’ community is still quite sleepy. But it seems we’ve hit a delicate balance with new neighbors, ventures and ability, while still maintaining our quiet, hometown way of life.
Tucked in the Weaver Mountains, we enjoy four mild seasons and abundant wildlife. Monsoons produce a blanket of vibrant greens to the landscape. “Snow happens” — but just enough to enjoy without becoming a nuisance.
Most days we are marveling at gorgeous sunsets, figuring out the names of birds frequenting our feeders (yes, we’ve become THOSE people) or laughing at the deer enjoying the low-lying plums while leaving us a pile of pits on the ground.
If you’re heading out for a day drive, come enjoy delicious pizza and browse for that unique find. And if you’d like to join our beautiful community, give us a call. But a word of caution. If you’re looking for someone to talk you out of Peeples Valley, don’t call us!
PLANT THE PRETTIEST ORNAMENTAL Grasses in your Landscape by Ken Lain, The Mountain Gardener, Watters Garden Center
Mountain gardens are famous for flamboyant autumn grasses in the landscape. This is the season you’ll find the most exotic options for the gardens. From short spreading grass to big, bold pampas grass, this is their time to shine.
Treat ornamental grasses as you would a tree or shrub; put them on the same irrigation and watch them thrive for years to come.
Whether grouped in clusters or planted singly as focal points, ornamental grasses add instant texture and form to the garden. The grasses listed here are beneficial for adding an autumn glow to the gardens. Many look great right through winter.
BLUE OAT GRASS,
Helictotrichon sempervirens, forms a tidy porcupine-like clump in the garden. The beautiful blue colors show all season, with beige panicles through autumn. Blue oat grass can remain evergreen through mild winters.
JAPANESE FOREST
GRASS, Hakonechloa macra, looks genuine any time of year. The golden yellow colors show well against all the purple, rust and reds in the fall garden. An easy-to-maintain grass with a weeping habit for extra drama.
FEATHER REED
GRASS, Calamagrostis acutiflora, loves spring and is one of the first ornamental grasses to shoot up from the garden in spring and plume. Karl Foerster shows red plumes summer through fall, with Overdam showing golden.
FLAME GRASS,
Miscanthus sinensis, can be a very flashy addition in autumn. Eye candy in the perennial garden with blazing red flowers all fall. Sometimes referred to as Maiden Grass, every yard should have at least one.
FOUNTAIN GRASS,
Pennisetum alopecuroides, is one of the most reliable and attractive ornamentals you can grow. Rubrum keeps its red color all season. Moudry is another good choice for fall color, with green leaves as its flowers change to burgundy.
PHEASANT TAIL
GRASS, Anemanthele lessoniana, is an open grass, ready to sway and flow in the slightest breeze. It’s also known as gossamer grass or New Zealand wind grass. In fall, the leaf blades become tinged with copper streaks that reflect the sun. The perfect grass for the lower mountain gardens below 5,000 feet elevation.
PINK MUHLY GRASS,
Muhlenbergia capillaris, grows hip-high and very flashy. The foliage is covered in pink flower heads that catch every breeze, adding a cloud of soft pink to the garden summer through fall. Very tough, even on the windiest mountain hilltops.
PRAIRIE DROPSEED,
Sporobolus heterolepis, has thin, airy leaves that weep and flow in the garden. The leaves can turn almost pumpkin orange in fall.
RED SWITCH GRASS, Panicum virgatum, starts to change from green to red early in the growing season, and by fall it’s on fire. Shenandoah is the shortest, slowest growing, and showiest of all the red switchgrasses.
TALL MOOR GRASS, Molinia caerulea, grows foliage 3 feet tall, then shoots up into a delicate 6-foot flower stalk. Its narrow width and tall flowers make it perfect for small gardens. The flowers turn aspen gold through autumn.
GARDEN TIP
Autumn sparks the most critical feeding of the year for everything in the garden, especially fruit trees, shrubs and the native evergreens in the landscape. Before Thanksgiving, spread all-purpose plant food around all your essential plants, especially lawns and the ornamental grasses in the yard.
This promotes better rest through winter and sets the stage for more extensive growth in spring.
Watters Trees are Brighter
Autumn color with the best local trees. We’ve collected 700 mountain hardy trees for Autumn color that are ready to adorn your yard.
Maple, Aspen, Ash, Oak and more.
VOTED BEST GARDEN CENTER
7 Years Straight!
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CELEBRATE FALL WITH BOLD SOUTHWESTERN TOUCHES
by Blake Herzog
Fall is a wonderful time to be in the Southwest. Temperatures are cooling off, the smell of barbecues and campfires is in the air, and oaks, aspens and maples are morphing into their mosaic of golds, reds and browns.
Fall in love with fall and accentuate the bold aesthetic of our region with your seasonal décor. Even if your taste skews toward minimalist placing, just a couple of these ornaments will truly give you that seasonal glow!
WARM, VIBRANT PATTERNS — Autumn leaves come in many of the same colors you’ll find in the Southwestern palette: terra cotta browns and reds, dusky purples, rich ambers, coppery oranges. They also evoke every shade of our sunsets and are found in many Native Americaninspired rugs, pillows, blankets, baskets, pottery and even doormats.
Adorn your floors, walls, furniture and shelves with these to infuse a bracing burst of fall ambiance. Highlights of turquoise and silver bring hints of air and water to the mix.
LOCALLY SOURCED WREATHS
— Crafting or ordering a wreath made in Arizona with pine or juniper branches, dried leaves and flowers, pine cones, succulents and oak accents will stun visitors whether it’s on the front door, patio wall or inside. You can also go further down the Southwest trail by using a cowboy’s lariat as the base and incorporating pine cones with vibrant leaves, plants and even a few chili peppers!
GORGEOUS GOURDS — From pumpkins on down to jewelry-sized gems, these fall perennials give a room that fallsy essence whether they’re au naturel or painted. You can grow or buy your own and style however you wish, or buy ones with lovely Southwestern designs painted onto them. These can last for years and often are more affordable than authentic baskets or pottery.
YOUR HAUNTING HAUNT — It’s easy to find inspiration for your Halloween style from Western legend and lore, from ghost riders and towns to tombstones and blackand-white portraits of scowling ancestors and historical figures.
Día de los Muertos and its infinite range of sugar skulls and skeletons, altars with candles and bright orange paper marigolds is another fountain of ideas.
The Perfect Retaining Wall System
VERSA-LOK retaining wall systems are cost-effective, easy-to-install, and give you endless design options.
VERSA-LOK segmental retaining walls are made from high-strength concrete units, dry-stacked, interlocked with pins, and set on granular leveling pads. These mortarless walls do not need frost footings. And when stabilized with geogrid soil reinforcement, VERSA-LOK walls can be built 50 feet tall and even higher. From intricate landscaping features to tall, commercial walls, VERSA-LOK delivers your best value in segmental retaining wall solutions.
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Picking Up Steam These Bathroom Trends
by Blake Herzog
Are you closing in on that 10-year time frame when many bathrooms begin losing their luster? Are you starting to mentally budget for a makeover, minor or major? Consider these slightly off-center fashions and features getting noticed by designers and consumers!
NO CURTAINS FOR CURTAINS — You don’t need to worry about jumping onto the glass shower door track if you don’t have the budget or inclination for it, since plenty of people are embracing the texture and movement of cloth and vinyl panels. They easily define your bathroom’s design, and are just as easily switched out when it’s time for something new.
COMMIT TO A COLOR — If there’s a hue you just can’t get enough of, your bathroom is the place to embrace it! It’s your space with minimal visits by guests at the most, and they’ll probably love it, too. Combining the right shades of gray, blue, pink, green, yellow, purple or whatever color makes your heart sing on the walls, counters and floors will make it a truly customized retreat that will send your day or night in the right direction.
STACK YOUR SCONCES — They’re like wall art, only functional. Arranging smaller light fixtures in a line, triangle, trapezoid or some pattern known only to you will break up the blank space with flair and can be placed exactly where you want the light to shine on your lovely face. This can easily be combined with the sconces installed on top of mirrors that are also making waves, though it can be more challenging to find the right wattage that won’t create too much glare.
SLIDE THAT SINK TO THE SIDE — This might fly in the face of your desire for symmetry but hear us out. Giving yourself a larger expanse of counterspace gives you lots more options for your morning and evening needs rather than trying to fit your trays and baskets into smaller surfaces, with room for a plant or lamp to spare. It also helps to keep the faucet’s spray from splattering all over at least one side of the counter.
Terri Kiffer
REALTOR®
Contact Terri Today! 928-458-3459
TERRIKIFFER.COM
Russ Lyon Sotheby’s International Realty Terri has been involved in real estate for more than 35 years in Arizona. After college she joined a title company and over time rose into management. In 2012, she transitioned to real estate sales and successfully closed multiple transactions in the Scottsdale/Phoenix area before moving to Prescott in 2015.
Since moving to Prescott, Terri has closed numerous real estate transactions and achieved sales awards and recognition for her dedication to her clients and to her profession. She is a certified senior real estate specialist.
Her passion is helping seniors with special real estate needs transition to their next living arrangement. Other specialties include staging homes to sell, creative financing and immediate accessibility.
Terri’s multiple repeat buyer and seller clients speak of her commitment to them and the integrity of the industry. Clients also report that she has their best interest at heart and is attentive, organized and responsive to their special needs.
She concentrates her efforts in north Williamson Valley but also has knowledge of the real estate industry in Prescott and Prescott Valley. Contact Terri regarding your real estate questions at 928-458-3459 or terrikiffer.com
Make Any Room your GAME ROOM
by Blake Herzog
Every neighborhood seems to have at least one kid or adult with a big game room in their house that draws peers from miles away while everyone else is failing to impress even their own families with their own limited play space
But you can make your own dual-purpose dungeon go a lot further than you think!
SLIP IN A SCREEN — As slim and easily concealed as wall-mounted flat-screen monitors are these days, it’s easy to add one anyplace where one or more people might want to play a round or two of D&D or WoW or even UGG (Untitled Goose Game, a hit with kids and families). A dining room or eat-in kitchen can be a great option since there’s ample seating plus a table for more hands-on card or board games.
HIDE SMALL SPEAKERS — If you don’t have a budget for a top-of-the-line sound system to fill the room, shop around for some gaming speakers, which are usually smaller than those intended for music, which can be strategically placed to put the pulsepounding music and effects right behind, under or next to your players. You can build up your collection over time if necessary, surprising frequent flyers with new dimensions of sound.
A COUPLE GOOD CHAIRS — This can go a long way toward making people more excited about gaming at home. Options range from classic floor-level rockers and swivelers that can be stowed away when not in use to amped-up office chairs that can be used at desks for work and play and recliners where you can nap after getting wrecked by an intense battle. All three types can have integrated speakers that can turn the most unassuming family room into a thunderous arcade.
MAKE THE GAMES SMALLER — If you’re out of storage room for new and exciting board games, look into printing games out at home. Many publishers offer this at a fraction of the cost of a full boxed set. It won’t have the same bells and whistles but the identical action and fun. Better yet, you can invent your own game!
DON’T LET WINTER
Freeze Out your Drip Irrigation
by Blake Herzog
Many homeowners have ditched sprinklers for more water conservationfriendly drip irrigation, but they still need to protect these delicate systems from the cold air, dryness and frost of the winter months if they don’t want to redo part or all of it the next spring.
Here are the simple steps you can take to winterize your system, preferably in October or November, to make sure cold weather doesn’t “blow out” your lines.
SHUT OFF THE SYSTEM AND REMOVE FAUCET
Turn off the water supply that feeds into the pressure regulator and filter. Remove the faucet components including the timer, backflow preventer, pressure regulator and filter. Drain any water inside these components and pack them away indoors to prevent corrosion and warping. Remove batteries from the timer for further protection.
DRAIN OR BLOW OUT THE TUBING
Open all the manual valves and take off the end fittings to drain the system completely. A polyethylene mainline typically won’t be damaged by a freeze, but any fittings may crack if any water remains inside. Walk through the whole network and slightly lift any lines where water might be trapped.
If you have a larger watering system or want to speed up the process, you can “blow out” the water with an air compressor, available for rent. Remove any end fittings from emitters before doing this, and never set the compressor higher than 50 psi, the maximum pressure most tubing can withstand. After you’re done, put the fittings back in place but don’t tighten them completely so water that collects over the winter can drain.
SEAL THE OPEN LINE
Seal the open end at the beginning of the mainline tubing with a female threaded hose cap, heavy plastic bag or other strong barrier to keep insects, debris or water from worming their way inside and damaging the system.
WATER BY HAND AS NEEDED
Your landscape’s water requirements will be lower during the cold season so this shouldn’t be too much of a chore. Come spring, put everything back together, tighten end fittings and you’re ready to go!
Cabin & Ranch Rustic Furniture
Located in Downtown Prescott on Cortez St.
www.wadesfurniture.com
MON - SAT 10:00 - 5:30, SUNDAY 11:00 - 4:00, CLOSED ON MAJOR HOLIDAYS
www.wadesfurniture.com 928.443.9233 • wadesfurniturellc@gmail.com • 219 North Cortez St. Prescott STOP BY AND CHECK OUT OUR SHOWROOM
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