Welcome to part two of our series about estate planning. I’ve invited Eric Froisland, a licensed attorney, to come back and explain estate planning in a little more detail.
When should you put an estate plan in place? There’s really no right or wrong time. However, Eric recommends that you start thinking about it more seriously after you’ve bought a home or had children.
Another thing to remember is that an estate plan is something that you need to update continually. As your life changes, your estate plan should change too. For example, you may need to update it after you have a child or get married. Should the worst happen, you don't want an ex-spouse or former friend to be listed as the decision-maker on your healthcare directive.
It's something to get taken care of early
According to Eric, a typical estate plan will cost $1,000 to $1,500. It’s something smart to get taken care of early so that your family will be taken care of no matter what happens. If you have any questions for Eric or would like to hire him to set up an estate plan for yourself, give him a call at (801)-290-2130 or send an email over to froidlandtaxlaw@gmail.com.
If you have any other questions for me in the meantime, don’t hesitate to reach out and give me a call or send me an email. I look forward to hearing from you!
Today I’m visiting Tinker’s Cat Cafe, which just opened last week.
The cafe has coffee, tea, cat-themed treats, and, of course, feline friends to keep you company during your visit.
The walls were covered in places for them to climb and the floors had plenty of comfy beds and rugs for the cats to relax in while we humans enjoy our food and drink.
Whether you want to snuggle and play with the cats or simply watch them explore, Tinker’s is so much fun.
Each and every cat at Tinker’s is up for adoption.
The best part is that each and every cat at Tinker’s is up for adoption. When you visit, you could be leaving with a new friend.
Even if you don’t plan to adopt, though, you can still enjoy the therapeutic benefits of spending time with these sweet felines.
If you have any other questions or would like more information, feel free to give me a call or send me an email. I look forward to hearing from you soon.
Today, I’m meeting with Ed Blake from the Habitat for Humanity ReStore to discuss how the organization works, and how you can help them with their amazing cause.
Today, we’ll be talking with Ed Blake at Habitat for Humanity.
What does Habitat for Humanity do for the community?
Ed: We provide affordable housing for families in need. We don’t give them the house; they get a 30-year, no interest mortgage, and they pay back every cent we give them. Habitat for Humanity also does critical repairs, primarily on homes that are making people sick.
Another service I’d like to talk about is our Habitat for Humanity ReStore, which keeps 781 tons of refuse and turns it into money that comes into our affordable housing program.
A lot of this product is new; people think it’s all used or garbage, but a lot of it is actually brand-new. The story goes quite often that if you come down here and you can’t find what you want, just wait a few days—it’ll come in eventually.
These are all building improvement items for homes. On the real estate side, if you hear about a family that’s going to take out the kitchen as soon as they move in, donate those materials to us. You’ll come down here and sell or donate it—you get a tax write-off for it as well—and we can also send a truck out to pick it up for you.
We provide affordable housing for families in need
If you’re going to to be tearing out your bathrooms or kitchens, contact the ReStore and see if it’s a fit for them to come pick up those materials. You get a tax write-off, and you won’t have to haul it to the dump and pay to get rid of it. They’ll absolutely reuse it. Beyond that, if you’re doing any home projects such as finishing or redoing a bathroom or basement, please stop by the ReStore for any number of supplies. There’s furniture, tile, cabinets, appliances, and much more.
As one last final touch, who gets these Habitat homes?
Ed: The people who get these homes are people in the community who are earning 30% to 60% of the area median income, families in need, and often single parents with their children, which is our largest demographic.
Please keep that in mind, and if you’re looking to volunteer, Habitat for Humanity is always a great entity to work with. They are located at 1276 S 500 W, Salt Lake City, Utah 84107. You can also follow their activities on their Facebook page.
If you have any other questions, don't hesitate to reach out to me. I'd be happy to help you.
This activity has been a favorite of my husband and I since we discovered it a few years ago. There are many disc golf courses across the state, but today I’m at the one at Creekside Park. It’s quite fun, very popular, and highly rated.
You don’t need to be skilled at disc golf to have fun.
To play disc golf, you simply throw discs (or frisbees) at designated targets. A lot of golf terminology is borrowed for this game, and you don’t need to be skilled at it to have fun. It’s perfect for a day at the park—you can get some exercise and enjoy some competitive sporting fun!
If you’re familiar with the sport and want to meet up with us sometime for a game, feel free to get in touch with me. If you have any real estate questions or you’re thinking of buying or selling a home in the Salt Lake area, give me a call or send me an email. In any case, I look forward to hearing from you.
It’s that time of year again. Spring is in full swing, summer is on the way, and most of us will be visiting a farmer’s market here in the upcoming weekends.
I don’t know about you, but I couldn’t be more excited. I always love going out in the community, visiting with local farmers and small business owners, and getting some delicious produce in the process. If there are any urban farmers out there that need some space to grow their veggies, I’ve got plenty of space out here in Sandy!
What’s your favorite thing about the farmer’s market?
What are your favorite things about the farmer’s market? Let me know in the comment section below. I love picking out fresh tomatoes, and anything with garlic in it instantly has my attention.
There are a ton of different markets around here. There’s the Wheeler Farm market, the giant downtown market, and the Park City Park Silly Market in the summer. The Park Silly Market is one of my favorites because we just head up their with our dogs and enjoy all the art, food, and drinks they have to offer.
So get out there and let me know what some of your best farmer’s market finds were. If you have any real estate questions or needs in the meantime, don’t hesitate to give me a call or send me an email. I look forward to hearing from you soon.
Mother’s Day is May 14th, so you might be wondering where you should take your mom for brunch.
Many people already have a favorite spot, but I wanted to let you know about a great place for brunch if you’re looking to switch it up this year.
Kimi’s Chop and Oyster House is great anytime, but it’s especially wonderful for Mother’s Day brunch.
Kimi’s Chop and Oyster House is great anytime, but it’s especially wonderful for Mother’s Day brunch.Click here to make sure you get a reservation and let me know what you thought!
As always, if you have any questions about buying or selling a home in our market, feel free to give me a call or send me an email. I’m always happy to help.
Today, I’m going to talk some exciting news I read recently. Salt Lake City was ranked the number one trendiest city where you can afford a home!
The National Association of Realtors conducted a survey and the results favored our area. The research tracked 500 different metropolitan areas in the United States. They were then analyzed through the following categories.
Number of foodie hotspots
Number of bike shops
Number of yoga studios
Number of cultural outlets
Increased population of 25 to 34 years
Housing affordability
Particularly, the study noted some of our city’s hipster areas. There’s a new Eccles Theater, a 2500 broadway-style performance center scheduled to open in October. There’s the Sugar House in Liberty Park neighborhoods, where small businesses and restaurants sell locally-sourced foods. Because of these thriving and booming areas, we were named top in the nation for housing affordability.
“
We’re the top in the nation for housing affordability.
”
If you’re thinking about buying or selling a home in the surrounding Salt Lake City area, give me a call or send me an email! I’d be happy to answer your questions.
Today, we’re talking about the prison relocation in our community. Locally, this has been a pretty hot topic. I’m sure you’ve talked about it with a few people by now.
I attended a town hall meeting recently with the board of Realtors, and I can confirm the prison definitely is relocating. It’s been approved to move from the Bluffdale Draper location to the northwest quadrant of the valley. It’ll be between I-80 and 7200 West. Although the water table is high there, there are plans for the building. They’ve researched it and know they can build something long-lasting and durable. The current building had only lasted sixty years, which was due to lack of maintenance by the state.
It’s relocating because rebuilding in the same location is too difficult. That real estate is too valuable as it sits. They don’t know what the plans are to do with the current site. They’re going to wait a few years and see what the area demands, with all the commercial growth that’s been going on. We have more office space, but we’re not sure if that demand will grow. It’s too early to tell what will replace the current space.
“
The new facility will be a 4,000-bed prison.
”
The new facility will be a 4,000-bed prison. Other states have done a better job with the type of prisoner rehabilitation, so they’re not returning to prison after their first term. Utah hasn’t been successful with this, so this new facility will focus on prison rehabilitation primarily. There will be quite a few changes because of this, but it’s expected to benefit the community financially.
If you’re thinking about buying or selling a home in the surrounding Salt Lake City area, contact me by phone or email. Let’s find your dream home together!
If you're looking to make top dollar for your home, you've probably looked into different home improvement projects that will add value to your home. Today, I want share a few inexpensive, but effective, upgrades anyone can do to their Salt Lake City home.
Traditionally, homeowners are told that the greatest return on investment comes with upgrading kitchens and bathrooms. The problem is that these are expensive renovations, and not everyone has the cash on hand to make it happen. If you want to increase your home’s value on a budget, here are some cheap and easy renovation projects:
Fresh paint: Paint goes a long way, not just in color, but in cleanliness, smell, and the overall feel of the home. Go out, get some neutral paint colors, and add some fresh trends and colors into your home.
Lighting: This is a very inexpensive way to update your home and make it feel a bit more customized. Don’t be afraid to replace those old light fixtures with newer, more energy efficient ones!
Switch and outlet plates: If you have an older home, these might be yellowing or cracked and broken, so you want to be sure to replace them before you show your home. Switch plate covers are typically very cheap. Heating grates and vent covers are also really inexpensive. Nice, clean vents really go a long way in making your home look fresh and unlived in.
Plumbing fixtures: You can replace these yourselves. This will ensure you have no leaks and that your bathrooms and kitchens look as modern as possible without having to spend much money.
Window treatments: These go through a lot of trends and looks, so updating them is crucial if you don’t want to turn buyers off!
If you would like additional help when selling your home, give us a call or shoot us an email.
You never get a second chance at a first impression, and you want to wow potential buyers. It's important to pay attention to curb appeal and home staging. We have some advice to help you sell efficiently.
You need to attract buyers that drive by. Keep the lawn mowed and green. Ensure flowerbeds are free of weeds. If you're selling in the fall, clear away dead leaves. Add a fresh coat of paint on the front door.
92% of all buyers start their home search online. Many first time home buyers watch HGTV reality shows, and they expect pristine photos for perfectly staged homes. Staged homes receive higher offers compared to homes that aren't. Some staged homes receive offers between 1% to 5% over asking price. If you're selling a $250,000 home, staging your home could mean an extra $15,000 in your home sale!
Declutter. Clear out closets, countertops, and kitchens. You want to make sure kitchens and bathrooms are clean and spacious. Put away everything you don't need.
When you work with us, you will receive a free consultation with a professional home stager. The stager will tour your home room by room and make recommendations to help you improve. Exceptional curb appeal and staging your home are keys to selling your home quickly for top dollar. If you have any questions, give us a call or send us an email. We would be happy to help you!
In Salt Lake County, the average four-bedroom home was on the market for 38 days in September 2014. This year, it was on the market for only 22 days in September, a significant decline in a just a year! Last year, the average price a house sold for was $232,000. This year, September’s average price increased to $250,000.
Interest rates are currently below 4 percent. While rates are expected to increase next year, this motivates buyers to start the buying process now. Our busiest times happen to be before rates go up. Today, over 50 percent of buyers in the market are first-time home buyers. We deal with millennials now, which are different buyers than the last generation. If you know someone who's been thinking about selling or are curious about millennials, give me a call! I’ve done the research. I look forward to hearing from you soon.
