Archives for November 2011

Preparing Your Kids for A Move by Joe Szabo, Scottsdale Real Estate Team?

November 28, 2011 szabogroup

Joe Szabo Scottsdale Homes for Sale

By Joe Szabo, Scottsdale Real Estate Team

No matter how old your children, be sure to talk about the upcoming move at all stages of the process. Kids need time to warm up to new ideas and get adjusted to major changes in their lives. Talk to children about the changes to expect, answer questions, and make sure that children understand you’re willing to discuss their concerns at any time.

Some tips to help you prepare your children for the move include:

Once you know you will be moving, try to bring your child along when you look at houses so they understand and come to accept that the family will be moving.

If you’re moving to another part of the state or to a different state, pull out a map and show your child where you’ll be moving. Explain any differences in weather or any nearby attractions that may interest the child, such as moving closer to the ocean, the mountains, even close to an amusement park. Look at web sites with information about your new community.

Take your child to visit his or her new school. If possible, try to arrange for your child to meet the teacher ahead of time.

Gather information on the sports or other extra-curricular activities that interest your child so you know how and when to sign up. For older children involved in high school sports, look at area newspapers to read up on the teams’ activities.

Before you move, hold a going-away party for your child. Encourage your child to keep contact with his or her old friends while encouraging new friendships.

Help your child put together a scrapbook, photo album or journal of your old house and special memories the family shared — whether it’s spent sipping hot chocolate in front of the fireplace or the hidden-away closet that became your child’s favorite place for hide-and-seek.

When you move into your new home, begin a new keepsake and encourage your child to write about his or her hopes and expectations at the new home.

Encourage your child to take part in the moving process as much as possible. Younger children can help back some of their favorite items to help them realize that although the family will be in a new home, their belongings will stay with them.

Once you’ve selected your new house, show your child where his or her room will be. Draw a sketch of the room layout and let your child take part in determining where he or she will place the furniture.

If your budget allows, perhaps help your child choose a new décor for the new bedroom. If nothing else, new paint in a bright color is an inexpensive way to brighten up the room and give your child a sense of personalizing his or her new room.

For toddler-aged children, speak with pediatricians regarding such issues as the introduction of a new diet or the start of toilet training. Above all else, communicate with your child throughout the process.

Children are creatures of habit and any disruption in their daily routine will naturally prompt reactions, whether it’s a rebellious attitude among teens or tantrums among toddlers. Let them know it’s normal to feel sad and anxious, but help them through the transition and emphasize all the wonderful new experiences that lie ahead.

Please note that this Scottsdale Real Estate Blog is for informational purposes and not intended to take the place of a licensed Scottsdale Real Estate Agent. The Szabo Group offers first class real estate services to clients in the Scottsdale Greater Phoenix Metropolitan Area in the buying and selling of Luxury homes in Arizona. Award winning Realtors and Re/MAX top producers and best real estate agent for Luxury Homes in Scottsdale, The Szabo group delivers experience, knowledge, dedication and proven results. Contact Joe Szabo at 480.688.2020, [email protected] or visit www.scottsdalerealestateteam.com to find out more about Scottsdale Homes for Sale and Estates for Sale in Scottsdale and to search the Scottsdale MLS for Scottsdale Home Listings.

Use of Plants in Decorating by Joe Szabo, Scottsdale Real Estate Team?

November 24, 2011 szabogroup

Joe Szabo Scottsdale Real Estate for Sale

By Joe Szabo, Scottsdale Real Estate Team
What part of the room would you like the eye to go to first? Is there a space in the room that looks hollow and empty? A corner near an armchair or over by the sofa? Is it a space that would welcome a tall, treelike plant or is there a wide open area for something full and in a basket? Perhaps you would like a small grouping of plants in various heights. Will the foliage of the plant obstruct other objects in the room? These are all things to consider.

Just because the space works for you, doesn’t mean it will work for the plant. You want to avoid a location near a heater, fireplace, or cold draft. A spot receiving absolutely no light won’t work, either. The structure of our home makes a difference too, since most of the more current built homes have tinted windows affecting the amount of light entering the room. Plants need light for the photosynthesis process that releases oxygen into the air.

You can consult with an expert at a nursery on the right plant for both you and your home. Important practical things to consider when decorating with live plants are ease of care, lighting and the moisture environment in the room. If children and/or pets live in or frequently visit your home, plant toxicity should especially be considered.

Many plants are toxic to children and pets, so be sure to check the toxicity of the plants you are considering. Some plants in this category are:
– Dieffenbachia (Dumb Cane)
– Euphorbia milii (Crown-of-thorns)
– Philodendron

The Laundry Room by Joe Szabo, Scottsdale Real Estate Team?

November 21, 2011 szabogroup

joe szabo scottsdale real estate for sale

By Joe Szabo, Scottsdale Real Estate Team

For several years now, kitchens and bathrooms have been, by far, the most popular home remodeling projects. While these rooms can have a tremendous impact on the resale value of your home, it’s also important to look at recent trends to understand where home improvement is headed. Homeowners and home improvements contractors alike are just now beginning to understand the importance of a good laundry room. For an average size household, someone can spend quite a bit of time doing your laundry every week, but the real kicker is the dread you feel knowing how tedious the chore can be. A well-designed laundry room can make doing laundry a significantly easier task and if you are paying for help, streamlining tasks means your money goes further.

The Room Itself
Part of remodeling or adding a laundry room to your home is simply the comfort of any finished room. Most people aren’t dressed very warmly when they’re doing laundry. If your laundry room is carpeted you can do laundry barefoot without dealing with a cold, basement floor. Laundry rooms also tend to be uncomfortably steamy. A ventilation system will take care of that problem. You’ll also be surprised how much difference a window with an outside view can make. During the spring and fall, you can also throw that window open and let in the refreshing outside air.

Laundry Tasks
Laundry rooms also make all the tasks involved with washing clothes easier:

Sorting: Put bins in your laundry room and you’ll be able to easily sort your different loads of laundry. Consider adding extra bins for clothes that need mending, clothes that need dry cleaning and clothes you’re ready to donate.

Folding: Try to find room for a folding table. A flat, accessible space right next to your dryer will make folding your clothes a jiff.

Hanging: Today, an increasing number of clothes must drip-dry. Make sure you have a drain for the water to run into. Hanging clothes on plastic hangers is typically preferred as they don’t rust or get tangled as easily.

Ironing: Also with today’s specialized fabrics, an ironing board is becoming more and more of a necessity. A fold-up unit takes up almost no additional space so there’s really no excuse not to have one.

Where Do I begin in Choosing a Dining Room Table by Joe Szabo, Scottsdale Real Estate Team?

November 17, 2011 szabogroup

Joe Szabo Scottsdale Real Estate for Sale

By Joe Szabo, Scottsdale Real Estate Team

When choosing your dining room furniture, you should start with the dining room table. The first thing you’ll need to consider is shape. Choosing the right shape for your dining room table is going to set you on the right path toward maximizing the room’s space and creating the best atmosphere for your home.

Specific considerations for these different shapes are discussed below, but also remember to consider what, if any, auxiliary uses you might have for dining room. Some homeowners use the dining room as their home office as well. Others may use it as a sitting room, either for reading or entertaining. Is it more important that your dining room provides a daily dining area for your family? Or do you need a more formal area for guests and parties?

Round Dining Room Tables
A round dining room table is the most space-efficient shape possible. It is also the least formal. You should consider choosing a round table if you have a smaller dining room. Realize, also, that a round dining room table doesn’t create a “head of the table.” This can be a plus for casual and family dining and for diffusing power relationships in stressful family or business settings. If you like to play cards or board games, a round table will allow everybody to reach the middle of the table.

Square Dining Room Tables
Similar to a round table, a square dining room table creates a bit more formal atmosphere but sacrifices the use of extra space in the room. A moderately-sized, square dining room best accommodates this shape. Not entirely casual, but not entirely formal either, couples who like to entertain their coupled friends may find this table ideal. Each couple can have their own side of the table and nobody has a privileged place. A square dining room table is another good table for games.

8 Great Tips for Your Home Office by Joe Szabo, Scottsdale Real Estate Team?

November 14, 2011 szabogroup

Joe Szabo Scottsdale Homes for Sale

By Joe Szabo, Scottsdale Real Estate Team

Do you love your home office? Do you have a home office? Do you want a home office? Check out these 8 great tips for an outstanding home office.

1. Research

Check out online office’s, research colors at the paint store and browse office furniture stores and websites so you can get a solid idea of what you want your office to look like.

2. Take measurements and Start Planning

The last thing you want to do is find a beautiful piece of furniture and then find out it doesn’t fit. So measure your room to see what kind of space you are working with.

3. Prep Work and Painting

Chances are someone will need to do some prep work and this could include tasks such as filling holes, removing wallpaper, adding a primer coat of paint to the walls and so on.

4. Find Your Main Furniture Pieces

Now that your room is painted and ready to go you will need to fill it in with some of the important furniture pieces such as a desk, chair, cabinets and maybe a bookshelf.

5. Test Different Layouts

Try moving your furniture pieces around a lot to see what layout will be the most comfortable for you.

6. Accessories

Now its time to accessorize and give your new dream office that final touch. There are lots of great accessories out there such as plants, vases, candles or maybe you already have some cool items to display, but don’t forget less is more!

7. Keep it Simple

The key to a great office to keep clutter to a minimum. We all have tons of stuff, but do you really need that garden gnome with a missing arm on your bookshelf?

8. Organize Your Paperwork and Computer Files

The paperwork can pile up fast now a days and the same goes with computers files, so make sure you take some time to get organized and don’t just make this a one time event.

Your Child’s Room by Joe Szabo, Scottsdale Real Estate Team?

November 11, 2011 szabogroup

Joe Szabo Scottsdale Homes for Sale

By Joe Szabo, Scottsdale Real Estate Team

It’s the household rule for sure…the smallest in the house has the most items, the least amount of storage and creates the biggest mess!

Children’s rooms are usually small, often shared, and generally lack built-in storage. Yet these rooms are host to out-of-season and outgrown clothing, surplus toys, and even household overflow from other rooms. Kids can’t stay organized when the closet is crammed, the drawers are stuffed, and playthings cover each square inch of carpet.

The solution: sort, store and simplify. Begin with clothing: sort it out! Store out-of-season or outgrown clothing elsewhere. Finally, simplify! Does your son really wear all 27 T-shirts crowding his drawer? Remove the extras so the remainder can stay neat and orderly in the available space.

For younger children, a toy library is the answer to over-abundant toys. Using a large lidded plastic storage container, large box or even plastic garbage bag, entrust a selection of toys to the “toy library.” Store the container in an out-of-the way place for several months.

Some rainy day, bring out the toy library, swapping the stored toys for other playthings that have lost their savor. The stored toys will have regained their interest and freshness–and they won’t have been underfoot in the child’s room.Older kids can utilize higher closet shelves to “store” some of their belongings. Clear plastic shoebox storage containers hold little pieces and identify the contents.

What Type of Paint do I Choose by Joe Szabo, Scottsdale Real Estate Team?

November 10, 2011 szabogroup

Joe Szabo Scottsdale Real Estate for Sale

By Joe Szabo, Scottsdale Real Estate Team

Head to the paint section and before you are awash literally with a myriad of colors, you have to choose not only the best brand for you but the best type of paint for your walls.

Flat or Matte is the best choice for walls with many imperfections. Use on ceilings and bedroom, dining-room, and living-room walls. Do not use in the kitchen or bathrooms.
Flat or matte finishes are easy to touch up but hard to clean. Premium flat paint has better wash ability.

Eggshell is a low-sheen finish is a great choice for living-room or bedroom walls. Do not use in high-traffic areas, like hallways, because the delicate finish mars easily. Eggshell has a washable finish that can be easily touched up.

Satin has a silky, pearl-like sheen; it’s a good choice for woodwork as well as walls in the family room, children’s rooms, laundry room, kitchen, and bathrooms. Satin has a warm finish that’s scrubbable. More difficult to touch up because any difference in sheen will be apparent.

Semi gloss is a popular choice for trim and moldings, and is also ideal for kitchen and bathroom walls because it is more resistant to humidity and withstands stains, chipping, and scuffing. Durable and easy to clean, it’s the most scrubbable sheen for walls. However, semi gloss is more difficult to touch up because the difference in sheen may show up more easily.

Gloss is rarely used on walls because it shows imperfections like a mirror does. It is typically used on woodwork, trim, moldings, and works well only for surfaces that are truly smooth. It’s the most durable finish and the easiest to clean, yet is the most difficult to touch up because the difference in sheen may show up more easily.

Organizing Your Life in Your Home by Joe Szabo, Scottsdale Real Estate Team?

November 7, 2011 szabogroup

Joe Szabo Scottsdale Real Estate for Sale

By Joe Szabo, Scottsdale Real Estate Team

Do you have everything hanging off your fridge or on an unsightly, crammed bulletin board…or taped to the inside of your cabinets? Whether it’s called a household notebook, a home management binder or family organizer, this simple idea saves time, cuts stress, and enhances communication in any-sized family or household.

A standard-sized binder stocked with calendars and schedules, planner forms and inventories, a Household Notebook creates a one-stop information center for busy families. Whether it’s a carpool schedule or a co-worker’s phone number, the Household Notebook holds the information you need to check each day.

Clean house fast with cleaning schedules, chore lists and seasonal checklists for home maintenance. Keeping tabs on children’s activities, sports team phone numbers or emergency information is as easy as flipping a divider.

Stay-at-home parents and home school families add calendar and scheduling features to the Household Notebook. Daily morning and evening checklists and family schedules make it easy to organize life in busy families with small children. Empty-nesters corral take-out menus, service club rosters and medical information to make life flow smoothly.

It’s a simple, yet tidy and inexpensive way to corral those papers.