NataLee Callahan: June 2008

Wednesday, June 11, 2008

Utah County Parade of Homes 2008

This is House #24 (Classic Construction) in this year's Parade of Homes. I had a smaller budget than usual, but it was still so much fun to do!

Before Great Room:

After Great Room:

Before Master Bedroom:

After Master Bedroom:

Utah County Parade of Homes 2008

Before Master Bath(notice bright orange walls):

After Master Bath (a more soothing shade of green):

Before Kitchenette (non-existent):

After Kitchenette:

Dining Room:

Utah County Parade of Homes 2008

Office:

Theater:

America Room:

Kid's Play Area:

Guest Room:

Close to Everything Condo

We are selling our condo.

The asking price is $189,900 and is located at 1174 S. Meadow Fork Rd. #6 Provo, UT

This condo is literally close to it all:

*BYU
*East Bay Golf Course
*Seven Peaks
*Provo Towne Mall
*Movie Theaters
*Hiking
*New Target (Planned to Come Soon)
*Downtown Provo
*Library
*Spring Creek Elementary

This condo has it all too:

*3 Beds/2 Baths
*1 car garage
*Built 2003
*Fabulous Lake and Valley Views
*High Speed Internet
*Maintenance Free Living
*Great Floor Plan
*Swimming Pool
*Workout Facilities
*Parks
*Great Environment for both young families and singles alike.
*Great Condition

For more information or to see the home call:

NataLee Callahan
Prudential Utah Real Estate
801-916-2000
otmwithnatalee@gmail.com
Owner/Agent

or

Greg Callahan
801-809-7698
Owner/Agent

Quit Sitting on the Fence!!

Here is an article that I got off of KSL.com, that is interesting and I agree with:

Utah housing market faring well; tax credit may help even more
June 6th, 2008 @ 5:04pm
Keith McCord reporting
Another proposal that President Bush will consider soon is a plan designed to stimulate the real estate industry. Congress is working on a "home buyer tax credit" plan to jump-start housing sales.
It's not finalized yet, but if the president signs off on it, it would give first-time home buyers a tax credit of $7,500. The idea is to reduce the huge inventory of houses that are currently for sale across the nation -- around 4 million at the moment.
This was just one of the topics discussed in Park City today by the chief economist for the National Association of Realtors. Hundreds of real estate agents and ski resort operators from around the Intermountain West came to hear what Lawrence Yun had to say about the health of the real estate industry.

As the chief economist, Yun says although the industry is at a 10-year low in terms of sales with a large inventory, the signs point to improving conditions in the second half of this year and into 2009.
Yun also says, unlike other parts of the country, the Rocky Mountain region will improve first. "People are moving into the region; far more coming in than moving out. That's always positive. That creates additional demand for housing, and anytime there's demand for housing, that makes the market much more healthy," he said.
Yun also says low interest rates, fixing the sub-prime loan mess and a general improvement in the economy will also bring buyers back. Plus, he says there are a lot of people still "sitting on the fence" wondering when to get into the market.

"I don't think that's a good strategy from a buyer's point of view. They have the advantage. The inventories are plentiful. They have more negotiating power," Yun said.
Yun says Utah's home prices have taken a breather in the past year, but he says when the fence-sitters get moving, that will change significantly. "But five years from now, the market will be very healthy locally, and home prices could be 30 to 50 percent higher than what they are now," he said.
One sector of the real estate industry that's still vibrant is resort areas. People with money who want a second home are still buying. The numbers in the greater Park City area confirm that.
"We have been quite different from the rest of the country. Our prices over the first quarter have been very stable compared to the first quarter of 2007," said Tyler Richardson, president of the Park City Board of Realtors.
Every economist has a crystal ball it seems, but many we've spoken to over the months say Utah and our neighboring states are in position to fare much better and recover more quickly than the rest of the country.
Regarding that "home buyer tax credit," Congress tried it back in the 1970s and it did light a fire under the market.

***Stop sitting on the fence! =)

These heels were made for walking...

... I know it's a little silly, but these shoes are my favorite. Cute with a pair of jeans, sexy with a skirt, great to even clean house in (I'm only partly kidding=)! They encompass who I am: fun, sassy, and feminine. I am the girl in the cheetah print stilettos walking down the street with a big smile on her face. I am truly happy.

I have been labeled a "super woman" by some people... I'm sure I have been labeled a lot of things. My goal with this blog is to break down the image and help women feel more empowered in their femininity and more importantly their own skin. You can have it all. You must find balance though... and sometimes that is the hardest isn't it?

Life isn't perfect, people aren't perfect, and most importantly they aren't always what they're labeled. Let's get rid of the labels and be the kind of women we want to be... not what other people think we should be.

With this blog I'll give my thoughts and feelings on many womanly topics: decorating, cooking (recipes), being a working wife mom, sewing, all things feminine. I would love your thoughts, ideas, and suggestions. I want this to be a forum for women to feel comfortable in their own skin.

Man! I feel like a woman!

Prepare You're Home for the Market

Especially in our changing market staging your home is critical, and every Seller I know wants to sell their house as fast as possible for as much money as possible. I’m sure you’d agree. Well it won’t happen without hard work and maybe the help of a knowlegable real estate agent. You may have to pull out your checkbook first to get buyers to pull out their checkbooks. Here are my top things that one should do before they place their home on the real estate market to make their home the most desireable “On the Market”.

1. Eliminate Personal Emotion Toward Your Home.
*Make it a product to be sold.
*Say your goodbyes ahead of time.
*Concentrate on the future and the paycheck you’ll receive.

2. De-Personalize.
*You want people to picture themselves in the home, not see the family who now occupies it.

3. De-Clutter!Over the years it is inevitable that you will collect a lot of “stuff”, get rid of it.
*Donate or trash items.
*Get rid of knickknacks.
*Get a head start on the packing you will do anyway.

4. Make Necessary Repairs.
*Replace cracked floor or counter tiles.
*Patch holes in walls.
*Fix leaky faucets.
*Consider painting your walls warm neutral colors, especially if you have grown accustomed to purple or pink walls. (Don't give buyers any reason to remember your home as "the house with the orange bathroom.")
*Updated is the name of the game.

5. Make the House Sparkle!
*Basically, you should be able to eat off the floor it's so clean.
*That means inside and out!

Don't forget the price! Prices have fallen, so make sure you have a current market analysis and having a motivated real estate agent always helps.

NataLee Callahan
Prudential Utah Real Estate
801-916-2000

Why Now is the Best Time to Buy Real Estate!

1. Interest rates are still incredibly low! Back in the 1980’s to the early 1990’s it was not uncommon to get a 10% interest rate!! That’s right… 10%! And that was for people with good credit. 12% was not unheard of back then. We are talking half that percentage rate now. 5-6% doesn’t seem all that bad when you compare it to our history.

2. Real Estate is always a good investment… Now let me clarify that. It’s a good investment if you don’t overpay and you can weather through the ups and downs of the real estate market which always come, but always recover from. If you’re looking to make a quick buck, now’s not the best time, but while it’s a buyer’s market you can find great deals… but you’ll have to wait it out to make your money. So buy now, while prices are good.

3. Builders are more willing to negotiate. A year or two ago builder’s were selling things here in Utah like hotcakes! They were raising prices left and right and getting their asking price. Now, that is not the case. Builder’s have lots of standing inventory and are dropping their prices or accepting contracts significantly below asking price. With new construction hitting a 17 year low, now is an exceptional time to nab the brand new home of your dreams!

4. Equity potential is huge! Prices have drastically fallen as I have stated. History also tells us that the market will recover and prices will again climb. Real estate is always a safe LONG-TERM investment. Buying while prices are low and the selection is high will insure you get a home you love, and will have incredible financial gains in the future.

5. Lots of short sales/Pre-foreclosures=Lots of motivated sellers. With loads of people trying to avoid foreclosure there are lots of people and banks trying to avoid this process. Which means they are feeling more generous on what they’ll sell for. Take advantage of this time.

Call me, NataLee Callahan with Prudential Utah Real Estate to discuss what you are looking for in a home at 801-916-2000 or email me at mailto:otmwithnatalee@gmail.com.%3C/strong%3E%3C/div

Karen Wilson's Home

Karen Wilson has an exquisite home that is immaculate and amazing! She hired me to decorate it for her. I had a great time!

Easy Chicken Enchiladas

I am all about yummy meals that are easy to make. So here's one I'm making for my cute husband and daughter tonight:

Chicken Enchiladas

Boil:

2-3 Frozen Chicken Breasts in water that just covers your chicken and is seasoned with a half a packet of Taco Seasoning, a Tablespoon of dried onion and a dash of cinnamon until chicken is thoroughly cooked through.

Shred the chicken and put back in seasoned water.

Put a couple scoops of shredded chicken in tortillas and roll.

Top with remaining juice and red enchilada sauce. Top with cheese and fresh chopped cilantro and bake about 20 mins. If desired, top with sour cream and serve with corn and rice.

Enjoy!

Tuesday, June 10, 2008

Heart 2 Home: Groves Edition

Wow! This is what life is all about! This one felt so good...

The Groves Family found themselves essentially homeless after toxic mold infested their home. With all of their boys having serious health problems which were worsened by the state of their home, the Heart 2 Home Foundation was contacted. We knocked their home down and nine days later this was the result!!