Simple Decorating Ideas for the Fall and Thanksgiving

Simple and inexpensive ideas for the Fall and Thanksgiving are as close as your back yard. You can create a beautiful centerpiece for your table with colorful leaves, acorns, pine cones, branches with colorful berries, and you can make it fun by including your children. Enjoy even more easy to make decorations with scented pine cones.

Scented pine cones are becoming increasingly popular, and with that popularity they are also becoming more expensive to purchase. However, they are easy and inexpensive to make yourself. Grab some regular pine cones from your local hobby and craft store and give them a good rinse then lay the pine cones on an old cookie sheet and bake at 200°F until the pine cones open up. This kills bugs, melts sap, etc. Spread pine cones out on layers of newspaper. Using a foam brush, apply glue to the tips of each pine cone. Place pine cones in a bag with a mixture of cinnamon, ginger and nutmeg and shake well. Allow the pine cones to dry overnight. You can now use your homemade scented pine cones in gift baskets, on wreaths or placed in bowls for a table centerpiece. You can also hang them from your door handles or use them as fire starters after a while for the fire place. The aroma will smell delicious.

Other simple decorating ideas are to create a door wreath with twisted branches. Attach pine cones, berries or acorns with a hot glue gun for a more festive, colorful design. For Thanksgiving décor, you can paint your own plates or platters. Use a leaf stencil and shimmer paint to create beautiful plates that you can use year after year. Make it a family project to create precious memories. And, add different size candles to your Thanksgiving table for a warm and cozy atmosphere.

Find more great ideas for Thanksgiving and Fall decorating at HGTV.com.

If you currently own a property and are thinking of placing it on the market, feel free to contact Lake Havasu City Realtor® Vicki Lind for professional assistance. Or, you can visit her website at: www.ComeToHavasu.com.

Originally posted at: http://cometohavasu.com/2011/11/simple-decorating-ideas-for-the-fall-and-thanksgiving

Lake Havasu’s Adopt-A-Park Program

Lake Havasu City is offering the all new Adopt-A-Park program to allow residents to get involved in maintaining, park improvements and general upkeep. Park goers, as well as organizations, can now get in on the act of giving back to their local community. The Mayor needed a solution for those who wanted to do more to improve the city’s parks and the Adopt-A-Park program was born. Many community members want to ensure our parks are pretty and kept that way. However, the limited number of staff the city has to maintain the highest level of service is not available to keep up such a high level of service.

Lake Havasu has so many wonderful volunteers in the city, so council members thought it would be perfect for folks to have the opportunity to Adopt-A-Park. The city’s Parks and Recreation director said the program’s main purpose is to make sure the parks are maintained in the future. The one thing that will make a difference is to give the community the opportunity to be involved in improvements without limitations. They can be even be part of the decisions on improvements.

Direct funding is a potential option as the planned program allows for residents to become actively involved in the parks’ improvement process. For instance, say a group wants to take a dog park or a length of beaches, then those sections would be for that group or person. They have the options to allow anyone who wants to be involved to contribute.

If you’re interested in learning more about this program, you can contact Jennifer Slettebo at 855-1851.

If you currently own a property and are thinking of placing it on the market, feel free to contact Lake Havasu City Realtor® Vicki Lind for professional assistance. Or, you can visit her website at: www.ComeToHavasu.com.

Originally posted at: http://cometohavasu.com/2011/11/lake-havasu%e2%80%99s-adopt-a-park-program

Is a Pre-listing Appraisal a Good Idea for a Seller

There’s a good question many property sellers are asking lately: Is a pre-listing appraisal a good idea for a seller? The easiest way to sidestep and possibly eliminate all appraisal issues is to have a pre-listing appraisal of the home. This allows the buyer, seller and agent an unbiased opinion of the value of the property. This will also let you see how a buyer’s appraiser may react to the property once it’s under contract.

The appraisal can be used to adjust your expectations and pricing strategy. A pre-listing appraisal can be beneficial to the homeowner since getting the appraisal up front is like knowing what the other team’s offense might be like before stepping on the field.

Many homeowners around the nation are being urged to have their homes appraised before the agent could determine the asking price. In many of these cases, it’s because the home has been in the family for several years and has been renovated in the past. In cases like this, it’s an excellent idea for sellers who really need to have a number with which to judge. It helps to determine if the listing agent’s suggested price is realistic. With the pre-listing appraisal information, the agent should be able to determine a listing price. In many instances, the home will actually sell a little higher than the asking price.

Not every home seller will need a pre-listing appraisal; however, you should discuss this with your real estate agent and get their professional advice before listing your home on the market.

If you currently own a property you are thinking of placing on the market, feel free to contact Lake Havasu City Realtor® Vicki Lind for professional assistance. Or, you can visit her website at: www.ComeToHavasu.com.

Originally posted at: http://cometohavasu.com/2011/10/is-a-pre-listing-appraisal-a-good-idea-for-a-seller

Lake Havasu City Shopping Venues

We do a lot of blogging about Lake Havasu City events and tend to leave out the other great aspects of the community such as shopping. Lake Havasu has several one-of-a-kind stores as well as many chain retail shops. You will find that each shopping district in Lake Havasu has a distinctive look and feel. So, are you ready to shop?

Island Fashion Mall

Island Fashion Mall is a stone’s throw away from the London Bridge. It’s the closest shopping mall to the London Bridge and you won’t have to take a plane to get there. Island Fashion Mall is across from the London Bridge and is home to lots of restaurants and shops where you will find souvenirs, clothing, jewelry and plenty more. You can browse around, shop the store, have a restful lunch, breakfast or dinner while overlooking the Bridgewater Channel.

The Shops at Lake Havasu

The Shops at Lake Havasu have the national retail stores such as JC Penney’s and Dillard’s along with the specialty décor store Kirkland’s. PetSmart and UltraStar Cinemas round out the array of shopping and entertainment possibilities. This is an outdoor mall and a great place to hang out by the fountain and misters to keep you cool during those warmer months.

If you would like more information about the Lake Havasu City area, contact me, Lake Havasu City Realtor® Vicki Lind, or visit my website at: www.ComeToHavasu.com.

 
Originally posted at: http://cometohavasu.com/2011/10/lake-havasu-city-shopping-venues.

Fantastic Fall Events in Lake Havasu

Now is the perfect time of the season for fantastic Fall events and Lake Havasu has some great events coming our way starting with The Super Bowl of Jet Skis, which is held October 1st through October 9th. Every year since 1982, the International Jet Sports Boating Association’s World Finals are held in Lake Havasu and is the focal point of Jet Ski racing. Over 40 countries and seven hundred competitors race on freestyle, slalom, closed, endurance and drag racing courses in front of thousands of fans who watch from the beautiful Lake Havasu shoreline.

Watercraft racing is much like motocross with the exception of the race course, which constantly changes on the water. The churning wakes and waves created by more than two dozen jet skis driven across the water like rockets flying through the air is amazing. Some crafts reach speeds in excess of 70 mph on the straights. They can also change in an instant as they decelerate to negotiate the maze of tight turns around the buoyed course.

The Super Bowl of Jet Skis is held at the Crazyhorse Campgrounds and is sponsored by Quakysense. Come to experience firsthand the speed, sun and fun as you watch these trained athletes ride the fastest watercrafts on the planet. For more information, you can visit their website at: www.ijsba.com.

The next fantastic fall event is “London Bridge is Not Falling Down”. This event is considered the “World’s Largest Antique” event, and it’s the signature attraction of Lake Havasu City. The event will be held on October 14th with a rededication ceremony to commemorate the 40th anniversary of the relocation of the London Bridge beginning at 5 p.m.

Actors playing the roles of the Queen of England, the Lord Mayor of London and the founder of Lake Havasu City; Robert P. McCulloch will recreate a lighthearted take on the original ceremony. The ceremony will end with the participants demonstrating a pledge of friendship by drinking wine from a large silver loving cup.

Come and share in the fun with family and friends. For more information, you can visit: www.golakehavasu.com.

Originally posted at: http://cometohavasu.com/2011/10/fantastic-fall-events-in-lake-havasu.

Remodeling Your Home May be Better than a Savings Account

In today’s economy, it may be better to remodel your home than it would be to open a savings account. If you are keeping your home longer than you expected because of the uncertain and sluggish resale market, then you are part of a large crowd. Most homeowners do not believe they would get their asking price if they sold today. Therefore, between the interest rates on personal savings account and the lack of confidence, there are a lot of homeowners investing in their homes instead of banking the money.

According to the latest American Express Spending and Saving Tracker, nearly two-thirds of homeowners will remodel their homes this year. This is a smart strategy over the long haul and it will make your home more comfortable while you’re still there. You won’t see the return on your money right away, but when you consider a quicker sale or possibly a higher price, you could have more profit than a savings account with regular interest rates.

Stick with the improvements that are likely to increase your home’s resale value. Some home improvements have a better track record than others. According to the 2011 Remodeling Magazine Cost vs. Value Report, remodeling your basement will recoup about 70% of its cost. An additional bathroom could return more than 53% of the investment and remodeling the kitchen can bring a whopping 72.8%.

If you plan to install a bathroom, laundry room or wet bar in an area that doesn’t have below floor plumbing and drainage, you can reduce the cost by using macerating or up-flush technology as this will allow you to have plumbing anywhere in your home.

Making your bathroom look larger is an easy fix. If a sky light is not in the budget, you can use recessed ceiling lights, large mirrors and install larger floor tiles to minimize grout lines and make the room appear larger. A cost-effective space saver is a walk-in shower. If extra storage is not needed, use a pedestal sink to allow more space and a larger feeling room.

In your kitchen, you can save time and money by simply giving the room a face lift. You can improve the overall look by refurbishing what you have. Use refaced cabinets instead of new. You can resurface the countertops and add a little backsplash to help upgrade the look. Add updated flooring and under cabinet lighting to make the entire room look fresh and updated.

For any projects you plan to do, there’s a few things you can do to ensure you get the most for your money. These tips are from the National Association of Remodeling Industry which say to establish a budget, hire a qualified re-modeler, compare products and prices before you begin. And, if you hire a re-modeler, never let them begin without a signed contract.

Originally posted at: http://cometohavasu.com/2011/09/remodeling-your-home-may-be-better-than-a-savings-account.

Look to Arizona When You’re Relocating to an Area with Outstanding Schools

It’s time to look to Arizona when you’re ready to relocate to an area with an outstanding educational system. Arizona’s College Board has released its annual scoring report on Wednesday, and it shows that Arizona’s students scored higher than the national average on all sections of the SAT test.

Arizona students reading scores averaged 517 on the test while the national average score fell to 497. Arizona’s math scores were higher at 523 while around the country scores where at 514. In writing, Arizona still has the lead with 499 for the state while the nation average was 489. There is a possible score of 800 for each section of the test. The test is self-selective and only students that want to take the test typically take it. And, states with fewer test takers tend to have higher scores.

According to the College Board, the SAT is a primary college entry test in Arizona. There were 22,845 of the 65,000 seniors who chose to take the college entry test according to the College Board. In Arizona, the state has place emphasis on its English immersion program and the results show that students in the program have mastered the language and are doing well in their academic achievements.

Arizona’s Educational Foundation, a nonprofit organization that advocates for educational improvements in pre-kindergarten to 12th grade education, was surprised that the nation is lagging behind Arizona. The foundation say’s they are surprised that it’s not more of a national trend to improve education when the whole idea of the federal program started by President Bush was “No Child Left Behind”. The program was not to make educational quality depend on the child’s zip code or background. It was designed to give equal opportunity to all students including deaf and blind or students with special needs. And, it looks like the program is working well in the Arizona educational system.

Originally posted at ComeToHavasu.com: http://cometohavasu.com/2011/09/look-to-arizona-when-you%E2%80%99re-relocating-to-an-area-with-outstanding-schools.

Home Makeover Projects on a Budget

Many homeowners live their lives on a budget. Therefore, when it comes to home makeovers you need to find projects that are budget-friendly and add beauty, value and sales appeal without shelling out the big bucks.

Declutter and Clean – To maximize the space in your home, you should keep it clean and free of clutter. This is the most inexpensive way to make your home more attractive, and it’s the most efficient way to give your home an increase in value.

Molding – This adds the extra touch of flair to any space in your home. There are many types of molding to suit your home’s particular style. It will add charm and elegance to any style home from modern and sleek to classical and elaborate. It can also give your home the “wow” factor when buyers enter the door. It’s the icing on the cake.

Hardware – Update knobs, handles, drawer pulls on cabinets in the bath and in the kitchen to improve appearance. Include the home exterior by changing out knobs and handles. This will modernize your space and increase your home’s value for very little investment.

Painting - Landscaping and remodeling can take its toll on your purse but painting is fundamental in caring for your home. Choose a neutral color so it will make your home feel larger and more inviting to the buyers taste. Paint will hide small imperfections and will show off architectural detail. This is a sure way to catch the eye of the buyer and add value to your home.

Lighting – change out the old fixtures with new models, keeping in mind the many lighting styles and how they can add comfort, livability and change the mood. You can accent with light in an abundance of ways to brighten up a room and provide the best light for a particular area. Brighten up your home and your bottom line with these simple and low cost tips.

Lake Havasu’s Largest School Gets 29% More Students

This 2011/2012 school year in Lake Havasu, the largest public charter school began the year with 29% more students on Monday, August 15. Telesis Preparatory Academy has nearly doubled its enrollment between the 2009-2010 and 2010-2011school years since its announcement of free full-day kindergarten. This came at the same time that the Lake Havasu City Unified School District announced that parents would have to pay for the full-day class.

The school expects to soon construct another building to hold the additional growth in enrollment, which will end the split campus. The new building will house 12 new classrooms and the school’s first gym. The project will cost around $1.5 million dollars, but looks to be well worth the investment. All paperwork has been signed so the project is ready to begin.

Telesis Preparatory Academy also added 10 new staff members for the 2011-2012 school year to accommodate the the arrival of 550 students which averages out to be about 9% of the districts population. This year there will be two new public schools opening in the Lake Havasu area. Both are modeled after the Lake Havasu Charter School. And, a company that oversees charter schools in three states will operate the new sites.

Charter schools in the Lake Havasu area can be a great choice for parents when it comes to their child’s education. Charter schools are able to operate with more freedom than traditional public schools. Each charter based school operates on a performance contract that details the school’s mission, goals, program, success measurement and methods of assessment. The whole concept of charter schools is to exercise more independence and accountability.

Mohave County Property Owners News

 

The big news in Mohave County, Arizona is that property owners will be taxed differently this year.  In a special session of the 50^th Legislature of the State of Arizona, Governor Jan Brewer presented and signed a bill known as the “Arizona Competitiveness Package”.  This bill will replace the state’s commerce department while implementing the Arizona Commerce Authority.  The sole purpose of the bill is to bring jobs into Arizona and keep them.

 

Many of the locals in Mohave County believe this is the road map to our future economic growth.  The Competitiveness Package will make Arizona more attractive for business expansion and relocation.  This will also affect capital formation and investment because the goal is growth.  This also includes a mix of targeted business incentives and tax reforms that are designed to stimulate the economy of the state. 

 

Under the language of the law, part-time residents and investors will see their county property tax bills increase from $100 to $600.  There are 90,000 residents in Mohave County listed as Class 3, meaning they receive homeowner’s credit under state aid to education.  There are 27,000 of those residents who have out-of-county mailing addresses.  Out-of-the-county residents will see tax bills as early as September 2012. 

 

The class status is as follows.  To maintain a Class 3 status, the property must be leased or rented to a qualifying relative of the owner.  All other residential properties will be classified as Residential Class 4.1 or 4.2 properties under the statute.  Class 3 criteria won’t experience the increase in their taxes as it pertains to these classifications.  Arizona’s general fund will be increased by $39 million, according to the county.  The bill is designed to reduce the impact of tax shifts for Class 3 residents and future reductions to Class 1 properties, which are commercial, and Class 2, which are land properties.

 

The tax burden will shift from reduced commercial and landowners to all property owners, other than primary homeowners.  This will spur commercial investment and increase jobs.  The decrease in future property taxes that commercial property owners pay will reduce their cost and increase their bottom line while encouraging the goal of attracting new businesses and making Arizona a more competitive state.