Making the Holidays Safer for your Pets By Joe Szabo, Scottsdale Real Estate Team

Nothing can spoil holiday cheer like an emergency visit to a veterinary clinic. These seven tips can help prevent a holiday disaster with your pets.

1. Keep people food out of the reach of your pet, and ask your guests to do the same.
2. Make sure your pet doesn’t have any access to treats, especially those containing chocolate, xylitol, grapes/raisins, onions or other toxic foods.
3. Don’t leave your pet alone in the room with lit candles, a decorated tree or potpourri.
4. Keep holiday plants (especially holly, mistletoe and lillies) out of reach of pets.
5. Consider leaving the tinsel off your tree if you have a cat.
6. Secure your Christmas tree to keep it from falling over if your dog bumps it or your cat climbs it. Hanging lemon-scented car air fresheners in the tree may deter your cat from climbing it.
7. Provide a safe place for your pet to escape the excitement (such as a kennel, crate, perching place, scratching post shelf or hiding place) if you’re entertaining guests. If your pet is excitable or scared, consider putting your pet in another room with some toys and a comfortable bed.

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, info@ScottsdaleRealEstateTeam.com 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. Making the Holidays Safer for your Pets By Joe Szabo, Scottsdale Real Estate Team

Find and Fix Drafty Windows to Keep Your Home Warm and Snug By Joe Szabo, Scottsdale Real Estate Team

By Joe Szabo, Scottsdale Real Estate Team There’s a chill in the air — do you feel it? Rather than wait around for the mercury to plummet, take steps now to ensure that your home remains comfortablethrough the coldest months of the year. Besides proper insulation and HVAC maintenance, I recommend taking a close look at your windows. Notorious for air leaks, windows can not only admit cold air but also allow heated air to escape. There are many ways to seal such drafts — but first you’ve got to find them.

Locate the draft

Here’s a quick and easy method of testing the seal on your windows. First, walk through the house and close all the windows as tightly as possible. Next, light a candle. Hold the flame near each window, inches from the glass, slowly moving the candlestick around the seam between the window and its frame. If the flame bends or flickers while your hand is still, then there’s probably an air leak. Mark the trouble spot with a sticky note so you can return to repair it later. Test every window in the house, marking each area where you suspect a draft. For a more accurate diagnosis, hire a professional to perform an energy audit of your home. Though there’s a cost involved here, many local utility companies offer such services either for free or for a nominal fee. Check with the company that provides your electricity. It’s certainly worth inquiring, since what professional energy auditors do is a lot more sophisticated than the candle method. They conduct thorough room-by-room assessments — not only for window drafts but also for any other instances of energy inefficiency.

Address the cause

Having pinpointed the locations of window drafts in your house, the next step is to seal them all up. There are several ways to get the job done. Some methods are inexpensive, temporary and manageable for DIYers. Other more permanent options are quite expensive and best left to contractors. Choose the fix that best fits your needs and budget:

Weatherstripping

Easily affordable, with a price tag of only a few bucks per window, weatherstripping lends itself to easy DIY installation. Purchase the product in your chosen material — felt, foam, plastic or metal are readily available in hardware stores and home centers. Cut the strips to size and use them to fill the gaps between a window sash and jamb.

Caulking

Whether you’re working inside or outside, you’ll caulk windows in two places: where the window meets the surrounding casing, and where the casing meets the surrounding wall (inside) or siding material (outside). Tubes of caulk are inexpensive, and with a little practice, easy to use.  If you’ve caulked your windows in the past, that doesn’t mean you’re off the hook — caulk deteriorates over time. It may be time to remove the old caulk and start over.

Draft snakes

You’ve likely seen or even used a draft snake in the past. These are stuffed tubes, placed on a windowsill or under a door, as a modest measure of keeping out the cold and keeping in the warmth. Buy one at low cost or make your own for next to nothing. If you go the DIY route, you can use virtually any fabric, including extra towels or socks. Fill the middle with batting, rice, potpourri or anything similar you have on hand. Though decidedly makeshift, draft snakes work well in a pinch.

Insulation film

If you don’t plan to open and close the window, try sealing it under a layer of insulation film. Sold by the roll, insulation film either self-adheres or goes on with double-stick tape. Also available are special shrink-wrap kits that, once heated with a hair dryer or other tool, create an impermeable, airtight seal without visible wrinkles.

Replacement windows

The bad news: It can cost a small fortune to replace the windows in your home. The good news: Upon resale, the average homeowner recoups about 79 percent of what they invested in the replacement. This isn’t a simple case of out with the old, in with the new. Properly installed, today’s energy-efficient windows minimize drafts and create an overall tighter seal. In fact, Energy Star-rated windows can lower your energy bills by 7-15 percent monthly.

Add a layer of protection

No matter the benefits of replacement windows, many people are either unable or unwilling to cover the initial expense. If you’re looking for a less costly but permanent solution to window drafts, consider storm windows. Some designs fit within the window on the interior; others cover the window from the outside. Any type can go a long way toward insulating and protecting the windows you currently have. When it comes down to it, every layer helps. If you do nothing else to remedy the problem, why not at least hang curtains? You stand to gain not only greater comfort but also real savings on your month-to-month heating bills. Don’t get left out in the cold! 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, info@ScottsdaleRealEstateTeam.com 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.

9 Cozy Cabins for $300,000 or Less By Joe Szabo, Scottsdale Real Estate Team

By Joe Szabo, Scottsdale Real Estate Team A cabin is the perfect space to get away from it all, unplug the electronics, and enjoy the great outdoors with friends and family. But if you thought a cabin with exposed wooden beams and neighbors nowhere in sight wasn’t possibly in your budget — think again! Grab your flannel blanket and a cup of hot coffee, and peruse these 9 cozy cabins that will fit even a modest budget.

Adorable A-Frame by the lake

For sale: $234,900 This A-frame cabin in Gore, Oklahoma, has stellar views of crystal-clear Lake Tenkiller from the spacious back porch, and it’s just down the road from direct water access. After a long day out on the lake, you’ll enjoy the open-concept living and dining space, which has plenty of natural light from the French doors and the windows that stretch nearly up to the gable. Snuggle up with a book at the end of the day in one of the bedrooms or in the bonus sleeping loft upstairs.

A cedar-sided hideaway

For sale: $259,000 This storybook-like cabin in Clinton, Montana, is a stunner from the outside with cedar siding, a Juliet balcony, and a wraparound porch that’s perfect for looking out at the surrounding forest and that big Montana sky. Inside, the home has a spacious kitchen, 1 bedroom and space for another bed in a lofted area upstairs. The home is also equipped with a shop that has plenty of space to store winter toys.

Spacious and secluded in Minnesota

For sale: $299,900 When you picture a quintessential cabin in the woods, you might picture this home in Grand Marais, Minnesota. Pine paneling, wood floors, a stone fireplace, and plenty of natural light coming through the floor-to-ceiling windows give this cabin a dazzling yet austere appearance. The cabin also has plenty of perks for outdoor enthusiasts, including a trail that leads directly to the lake, where you’ll find your own private dock as well as a fire-pit area.  

A modern A-Frame cabin

For sale: $200,000 This Instagram-worthy A-frame in Intervale, New Hampshire, is picture perfect on the outside, complete with cedar-shake siding and red-trimmed windows that give the home a pop of color against the surrounding greenery. Inside the charm continues, with wood-planked walls in the living space, a spacious master suite with a remodeled bath and an exposed wooden beam, and an upstairs loft to be used as an extra bedroom or a comfy reading nook.

A rustic home in Heber City

For sale: $264,900 Located just a short drive from the amenities of Park City, and with private winter access to the Uinta National Forest for winter snowmobiling, this rustic cabin in Heber City, Utah, has everything you need for staying and playing in the great outdoors. Wooden planks adorn the walls and ceilings throughout the cozy space, which has a master bedroom downstairs and an open loft with a balcony upstairs.

A Big Bear remodeled stunner

For sale: $299,900 You certainly won’t be roughing it when you’re inside this glamorous cabin in Big Bear City, California. The stylish and bold red front deck and wall of glass windows elegantly greet you from the road. And inside, the home has been completely remodeled, complete with granite countertops and new appliances in the kitchen, a large brick fireplace in the spacious living area, and wood-grain tile flooring throughout the home.

A provincial Peshastin cabin

For sale: $225,000 The views don’t get much better than those from this adorable cabin in Peshastin, Washington. Between the stunning views of nearby Wedge Mountain and the dense surrounding forest, this home gets you up close and personal with nature. Beyond the scenery, this cabin provides a cozy retreat from nature, with an upstairs sleeping loft (in addition to its master bedroom), an outdoor shower that’s perfect after those steamy summer hikes, and plenty of space to store skis or snowboards in the two outdoor sheds.

Smoky Mountain views from every room

For sale: $289,000 You can definitely smell that fresh mountain air from this roomy Townsend, Tennessee, cabin, which has views of the Smoky Mountains from every room. With 3 beds and 2 baths, you can comfortably fit the whole family for a weekend of hiking, biking, or simply hanging out on the back porch with unbelievable mountain views. This home is perfect for relaxing, with a hot tub outside and a Jacuzzi tub inside.

A cathedral-like cabin

For sale: $230,000 It may not get cold in Texas very often, but you’ll have the urge to cuddle up around a fire by this cabin in Cleburne. With cathedral-style ceilings, a covered porch, and a modern, spacious kitchen, you’ll be set up to host friends and family throughout the year. Best of all, the home is located in a neighborhood known for its golf club, which is one of the best in Texas.

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, info@ScottsdaleRealEstateTeam.com 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.

How to Make the Most of 500 Square Feet: See How This City Renter Did It By Joe Szabo, Scottsdale Real Estate Team

By Joe Szabo, Scottsdale Real Estate Team When Lola Simmons and boyfriend Garrett Moore began looking for an apartment in Seattle’s Capitol Hill neighborhood, they were hoping to spend around $1,400 on monthly rent. So when the pair found their dream spot for just over $1,000 a month in Seattle’s infamously difficult rental market, they knew they’d struck gold. “I walked in, and after about two minutes, I said, ‘Yep, I’ll take it,’” says Simmons. From there, the process was easy, and the couple experienced little surprise throughout their move-in — besides an out-of-commission antique freight elevator on move-in day. We sat down with Simmons to discuss how she found the perfect rental and how she’s made the cozy 500-square-foot space into a home over the past three years — including turning the walk-in closet into a bedroom. How did you find this place? Garrett’s good friends lived here, and they were moving out. We’d gone and looked at a bunch of low-income houses that were sketchy, smelly and small, and we just kind of stumbled upon this place. They were looking for someone to take over their lease.   So after the lease was up, you renewed? Did the price change? Yeah. When we moved in, I think it was $1,050, and when we renewed the lease, it went up to $1,245. Now it’s $1,270. And what about utilities? They have a set rate included in the rent, which I thought was a unique way to do it. The only thing we pay for is electricity, which is about $40 every three months or so. Other than it being a great deal, what else drew you to this place? I’ve always wanted to live in this building, ever since I moved to Capitol Hill. Everyone’s lived in this building. It’s kind of special. I think it’s so cool that every apartment in this building is different. Each one has its own character. Even if you go into another one with the same layout, it’s still totally different. Some flooring is different or the tile in the kitchen. It’s really interesting. When the old building manager was here, he’d leave the doors unlocked for me so I could go into the empty apartments and look at the different layouts.   It can be easy for a rental to look basic, but you’ve totally personalized yours. How did you make your space unique? I’m drawn to that ’70s palette that’s really saturated and drab, and also those really bright ’80s colors. I’ve acquired a lot of stuff. I think as much as I’d like to be a minimalist, I like to have stuff. We’ve got a lot of plants, and I think tending to those is really fun. Learning about them, making it cozy for the cats — there’s really nowhere in here they can’t be.   Having a lot of music and books and colors everywhere was really something that I was working toward, and I just really love the junk stores, so I go and buy a bunch of stuff. It scratches the itch, you know? It’s hard for me to understand why people would spend a ridiculous amount of money on stuff. I like to mismatch stuff and make it work. It’s not as easy as buying straight from IKEA, but you’re not going to find the same stuff in someone else’s house. The thrill of the hunt is important to me.   Garrett has a lot of worldly things like instruments and things from his travels, and it definitely goes with my stuff, but it makes it feel more cultured.   Other than sourcing interesting items, what’s been your greatest challenge with your apartment? There have been a lot. The outlets. It’s an old building — it was built in the early 1900s, and you have all these gadgets today. From our living room outlet, we run a cord into the closet, which is also the bedroom, so we can charge our phones at night. When we first moved in, the only outlet in the bathroom was the one attached to the light fixture. It was blown out when we first started living here, so I had to blow-dry my hair in the living room. When we moved in, I had a queen-size bed, and basically it was sandwiched in there with the edges coming up on the sides against the walls. We ended up getting a full-size bed, and it fits perfectly — exactly. I mean, if the bed was a quarter of an inch bigger it wouldn’t fit. And then storage is a huge challenge — making it look like it’s not just a bunch of stuff everywhere. We have a lot of under-the-bed storage. You have to get really creative.   So what do you want out of your next rental? I really want a bathroom that has a huge clawfoot tub with a lot of natural light. An actual-sized bedroom, to be able to walk on either side of the bed, maybe have a nightstand. And I just want a really big kitchen.   Despite what it lacks in space and outlets, how do you feel about your apartment? My childhood was all over the place, and we moved around a lot, and I never had that sense of “home.” We’re entertaining the idea of moving to California because of the seasons — it gets kind of hard when it gets cold and gray. I’ll be really sad to leave this apartment. It’s honestly the first place I’ve lived that I’ve really, really loved.

Lola’s tips for small-space living on a budget

1. Live with a complementary partner

I think if you’re going to live in a small space, you have to really have a plan about responsibilities, because they pile up. And he pretty much lets me have my way when it comes to design, which is good.

2. Get creative with storage solutions

A lot of that isn’t stuff that comes to me right away, but I experiment by moving stuff around and asking if it’s functional — is it in my way? Does it serve the purpose I’m looking for? It sometimes takes a long time. It’s a lot of measuring and returning things, and it’s not always easy, but I think it’s rewarding. I feel really accomplished when something fits perfectly.

3. Let your space evolve

I’m not very patient whatsoever, but something I’ve learned is that when you don’t have a large budget or you shop the way I do at secondhand stores, you have to be patient. You don’t know what they’re going to have. You also have to cycle things out. Our free pile in this building is great — I’ve gotten so many cool things from that.

4. Look for unique ways of acquiring items

I got a table from the free pile, and the top was really worn down, so I was going to sand it and restain it. But once I sanded it, I realized it was particle board, so I returned all those supplies and got paint. I also added a shelf below it to put my blankets in. I think repurposing things and making sure they fit with all your other stuff is the trick. There’s a bunch of other shelves in here I painted the same color with the rest of the paint. They were different colors, and it looked kind of weird, so I but painted them orange. You work with what you have. I think it’s really fun, because I like DIY projects. Being able to think of what you want and then create it with a really small amount of money is really pleasing to me.

5. Measure the benefits against the costs

Our security deposit was only about $300, so if we did want to repaint at any point, I might consider taking that hit. You want your space to look the way you want, you know? It’s a lot of work, though, to paint a whole room, so I’d have to really think about it. 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, info@ScottsdaleRealEstateTeam.com 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.

The Truth About Toxic Mold (and How to Get Rid of It) By Joe Szabo, Scottsdale Real Estate Team

By Joe Szabo, Scottsdale Real Estate Team Mold is everywhere. It grows on the sides of houses, it blackens surfaces like brick and concrete, and it thrives in the soil of your yard and garden. Indoors, mold lives in sink drains, shower grout, houseplant potting mix, kitchen sponges and anywhere else that moisture has a chance to settle. Are you hyperventilating yet? A little bit of mold is nothing to worry about, as long as you can identify the cause and promptly clean it up with a solution of bleach and water. But before we go any further, let’s get this out of the way: Any mold, regardless of color, can make you feel sick, especially if you suffer from allergies or asthma. To be on the safe side, always wear a mask and rubber gloves when dealing with mold, and make sure that the space is well-ventilated.

Let’s get the facts straight

Also known as black mold, the infamous Stachybotrys chartarum is not toxic, but toxigenic, because it is capable of producing mycotoxins. Technicalities aside, this uncommon mold species is especially feared for its supposedly dangerous effects. You may have read an article about how toxic mold is “secretly making your family sick” or watched local news reporters announce that black mold was found in a restaurant inspection, making it feel as if the plague arrived overnight and could be headed to your place next. Some alternative health websites even call it “toxic mold syndrome” and warn of terrifying symptoms like memory loss or idiopathic pulmonary hemorrhage. Officials at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), however, say that “These case reports are rare, and a causal link between the presence of the toxigenic mold and these conditions has not been proven. … All molds should be treated the same with respect to potential health risks and removal.” Stachybotrys chartarum is unusual among household molds, because it requires constant moisture to survive. So if your house is oozing moisture from a roof leak, broken pipe or outright poltergeist, black mold is the least of your worries. Time to call a professional and put an end to the drip before termites or wood rot threaten to put an end to your home’s structure. Mold is often a symptom of a bigger problem, be it as minor as a dripping faucet or as major as, well, a missing roof. If you suspect that the slowly spreading black stain on your wall is the infamous black mold, don’t bother wasting your time identifying the stuff. Scam artists abound, and the Environmental Protection Agency even says that “In most cases, if visible mold is present, sampling is unnecessary.” There are no established standards for judging what is an acceptable amount of mold, and even the non-toxigenic types can cause allergic reactions and make your life miserable. Remove it.

How to prevent and remove mold

Mold needs three things to survive: Moisture, a growing surface and food (dirty stuff). The easiest way to prevent mold is to make sure that it never gets any moisture to begin with. Keep your house clean, dry and well-ventilated, especially in the bathroom wherever water collects, such as on tile grout or shower curtains. If your bathroom has gnats or a damp odor, look no further than your clogged sink drains — and be sure to wear some rubber gloves. To clean and remove mold on hard surfaces, the CDC recommends using a solution of no more than one cup of bleach to one gallon of water. To remove mold on exterior surfaces, use a pressure washer, and make sure that everything is properly sealed. If mold is found on soft and porous surfaces, such as drywall, carpeting or furniture, it’s best to dispose of the affected material before the mold spreads further or exacerbates your allergies. Flood-damaged homes with heavy mold infestations should be handled by professionals whenever possible. The Federal Emergency Management Agencywarns that “Infants, children, immune-compromised patients, pregnant women, individuals with existing respiratory conditions (allergies, multiple chemical sensitivity and asthma) and the elderly appear to be at higher risks for adverse health effects from mold.” In addition, flood-damaged houses are often contaminated with chemicals and human waste, which are far more dangerous than the mold itself. 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, info@ScottsdaleRealEstateTeam.com 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.