Which COLOR PAINT can help you to LOOSE WEIGHT?

ORANGE evokes excitement, enthusiasm and is an energetic color. While not a good idea for a living room or for bedrooms this color is great for an EXERCISE ROOM. It will bring all the emotions out that you need when JUMPING INTO YOUR FITNESS ROUTINE.

 

Why YOU can’t afford NOT to have a CUSTOM COLOR CONSULTATION?

Most color consultations can be completed within an hour or two at the most. How much can just a gallon or two of the wrong custom color paint set you back, a couple days of a painting contractors’ time or how about if your choose a color that will make you relax when you’re supposed to be working out? Choosing the best colors for your home the first time around can literally save you hundreds of dollars in the long run and you can’t beat having a design professional who can walk you through the process of creating your unique vision for your home.

Whether you’re looking to PAINT your HOME GYM and any room(s) in your home Jill at Changing Spaces will bring her YEARS of experience in RE-design and professional paint color expertise to help you pick the RIGHT PAINT COLORS for your home. Jill will come to your home with a professional paint kit and an expert eye. Together we will choose the best colors and finish for your home based on your lighting, furnishings, personal style and exercise needs.

Changing Spaces by Jill Denton ~ Interior RE-Design, Color Consultations and Staging
925.998.7747

Please visit our website for more before and after photos and more information:www.jilldenton.com

Services offered: Full day Interior RE-Design, Half day Interior RE-Design, One Room Interior RE-Design, RE-Design consultations, Interior and Exterior Custom Paint Color Consultations, Staging Consultations and Home Staging.

Which PAINT COLOR can LOWER your BLOOD PRESSURE?

Did you know, BLUE brings down blood pressure and slows respiration and heart rate. That’s why it’s considered calming, relaxing, and serene, and is often recommended for bedrooms and bathrooms. Be careful, however: A pastel blue that looks pretty on the paint chip can come across as unpleasantly chilly when it’s on the walls and furnishings, especially in a room that receives little natural light. If you opt for a light blue as the primary color in a room, balance it with warm hues in the furnishings and fabrics.

Why YOU can’t afford NOT to have a CUSTOM COLOR CONSULTATON?

Most color consultations can be completed within an hour or two at the most. How much can just a gallon or two of the wrong custom color paint set you back, a couple days of a painting contractors’ time or how about if your coose a color that will make you relax when you’re suposed to be working out? Choosing the best colors for your home the first time around can literally save you hundreds of dollars in the long run and you can’t beat having a design professional who can walk you through the process of creating your unique vision for your home.

Whether you’re looking to  RE- paint one or all of the rooms in your home Jill at Changing Spaces will bring her YEARS of experience in RE-design and professional paint color expertise to help you pick the RIGHT PAINT COLORS for your home. Jill will come to your home with a professional paint kit and an expert eye. Together we will choose the best colors and finish for your home based on your lighting, furnishings, personal style and exercise needs.

Changing Spaces by Jill Denton ~ Interior RE-Design, Color Consultations and Staging.

925.998.7747

Please visit our website for more before and after photos and more information:www.jilldenton.com

Services offered: Full day Interior RE-Design, Half day Interior RE-Design, One Room Interior RE-Design, RE-Design consultations, Interior and Exterior Custom Paint Color Consultations, Staging Consultations and Home Staging.

Conforming Loan Limits are going down in 2011

The temporary conforming loan limits for high-cost areas put in place in 2008 are expiring at the end of September.  For example, Alameda County is current conforming loan limits is $729,750. The new loan limit amounts for high-cost areas will return to $625,500 for a 1 unit property.  The new limits will apply for all mortgage loans originated after September 30, 2011. So … if you’re thinking about buying, NOW is the time!

Let me know how I can help!
Jill Denton, REALTOR, Lic#01804876
925.998.7747

Some tips on what you can to to help sell YOUR home quicker!

A buyers’ first impressions are set as they approach the house. Therefore, make your home more attractive and purchase-worthy starts in the front yard. To spruce up the yard: Make sure plants are of varied heights and sizes; add color, particularly pink, purple, blue and white flowers; thin out bushes; trim trees; and seed and fertilize the lawn. Put gravel in any thin strip of property between homes. This will make the space look cleaner and less neglected. Also, place mulch around plants. Among the many benefits, it’s aesthetically pleasing and provides unity in the yard.

Current buyers want homes that are well maintained and move-in ready. They may not have the money to make improvements, so go ahead and repair, repaint, update, clean and stage. Repaint in a neutral color. Remove clutter and lighten up spaces by getting rid of heavy curtains and adding new lighting fixtures. Have the windows professionally cleaned. Place fresh, plush spa-like towels in bathrooms.

Buyers will inspect all closets. Clean them out and leave them one-third empty, particularly in older homes with smaller closets. This is one of my favorite tips.  Buyers open a closet, see all the empty spaces and think “This home has a lot of storage” … they never think “The sellers must have had a stager come into the home who told them to clean out the closets to give the appearance to more storage space.”  The human mind just doesn’t work that way.

Finally, depersonalize the home so potential buyers can imagine themselves in the space. Once the house is model-ready, have professional photos taken. Unflattering photos are a huge red flag.  Some buyers are wary of flippers, so avoid anything that might lead buyers to think that quick and possible shoddy work has been done to the house.

Much of this can seem overwhelming to some sellers.  If that’s you, call in a professional stager like me to help you through the process.  Better yet call in a Realtor who also knows staging (ME) and get the job done so you can move onto the next chapter in your life.

 

 

The housing market will turn around in the second half of 2011

Those of us in Real Estate have seen this coming all year! According to Freddie Mac: “The housing market will turn around in the second half of 2011” And the second half of the year is just 2 days away, so NOW is the time people! First time home buyers … buy NOW! Move-up buyers … sell and buy NOW! Investors … buys as much as you possibly can NOW! I am more than happy to help. I have time to help a few more good people realize their real estate dreams. Call me NOW!

Jill Denton
REALTOR, Lic #01804876
925.998.7747

Serving the San Francisco East Bay:  Pleasanton, Dublin, Livermore, San Ramon, Danville, Castro Valley, Fremont….

Source:“Freddie Mac Economist Sees Sunny Economy in Second Half,”HousingWire (June 27, 2011)

COLOR CONSULTATIONS! Help Selecting Interior or Exterior Paint Colors

 

Selecting the right paint color is a daunting task for most.  Here are two ways to get the job done.

Option 1: 

1. Do it yourself.
2. Try to narrow done your basic color desire down to one or two basic colors (blue, green, red, yellow).
3. Go to one or all of your local paint stores and gather up samples. This can be the hard part, because the lighting in the paint store is different than in your home.  When you select a color that you like at the store, chances are it will look different at home.  So, get A LOT of samples.
4. During daylight, look at the paint swatches in on each wall of the room.  Depending on lighting, it can look different on each wall.  If you’d like, you can look at them again at night.
5. Hopefully, a couple of the colors will  look good to you. If yes, I would suggest you go back to the paint store(s) and get a few more swatches of the same color, if possible – order large swatches, or get a sample of the paint to test.  If you decide to get a sample of the paint, you have three choices.  1.  Paint it right on the wall (be sure to do a swatch on each wall – lighting again), 2.  Get a piece of poster sized wall board from your local box store and paint it – then you can move it around the room with out having to paint swatches all over your walls, 3. Most box stores now carry designer sample boards, they are about the size of a piece of paper.  Get 4 and paint all of them and place on each wall. Do this for all colors you are considering.
6. Hopefully, you’ll love one of the colors.  If so start painting!
7. If not, go back to step 2 and do it all over again … and again … (if necessary) until you find the perfect color for you.

Option 2:

1.  Hire a professional and get a Color Consultation.  Someone like myself will come to your home and bring all the swatches to you.  I typically carry ALL the swatches for 2-3 different brands of paint.  Depending on how many rooms and how many colors you select, it can take as little as 1 hour, most take 2-3 hours … and you’re ready to start painting immediately!

If you’re located in the San Francisco Bay Area, contact me for more information about getting a color consultation.  If you’re elsewhere, contact me anyway – I can probably refer you to someone.

Jill Denton ~ Changing Spaces

Free First Time Home Buyers’ Seminar

Attend a Free First-Time Home Buyers Seminar and learn what you need to know BEFORE you buy your first home. 

The class will save you time, money and worry – even if you’ve owned a home before.  We’ll discuss and answer your questions regarding: Mortgage, Title, Insurance and Real Estate.  Here are a few of the topics:

·         Help answering the question, “Am I ready to buy a home?”

·         How to get pre-approved to buy a home that you can afford.

·         Information on how to buy a home with a low down payment.

·         What does the Title Company do for me?

·         Do I qualify for the First-Time Homebuyer $7,500 tax credit?

·         Why do I have to have home owner’s insurance?

·         What to expect with the process of buying a home.

You’ll leave this free seminar with a clearer vision of how the process comes together; as well as, with a free Home Buyers’ Information kit for easy reference.

 Date:  Saturday, April 25th, 2009

Location: Hometown GMAC Real Estate, 4725 First St, Suite 150, Pleasanton

Time:  10:00am-11:00am

 

Please register ASAP!  Seating is limited! 

·         Plan to arrive about 10 minutes early to grab a good seat.

·         If you need to cancel once you’ve registered, please notify me immediately so we can free up the seat for someone else.

·         There is no pressure or obligation.  Just come and learn.

  To sign up contact Jill Denton:

Email Jill or Call 925-998-7747 for more information.

Please forward this information to your family, friends, neighbors and coworkers who might benefit from learning the process of buying their first home.

 

Free First Time Home Buyers Seminar

Learn what you need to know BEFORE you buy your first home. Attend a Free First-Time Home Buyers Seminar in Pleasanton every 6 weeks.

Call 925-998-7747 for more information.

Decorating On A Budget

Some people say were in a recession, but when it comes to our homes, most of us have an uncontrollable urge to remodel and decorate!  So, what do you do in times like these if you don’t have the money to do a full remodel but you just can’t take it anymore?   Here are a few budget decorating ideas that you can either hire someone to do without spending a lot of money and some other things you can do yourself.

1.  Paint!  Paint is probably the most cost effective and design efficeint things you can do to update your home without spending a lot of money.  Even if you hire someone, the cost is low compared to other remodling expenses, but if you paint yourself … it’s down right cheap!  And the best bang for your buck!

2.  Interior Redesign!  Maybe you have a room you never use, or a room that just doesn’t feel or look right, maybe your bored with the room, but you may or may not want to go out and purchase some furnishings to change the look of the room.  Hire an interior redesigner to REDESIGN your home/a room using what you already own and love.  A redesinger will redesign just one room or your entire home.  You decide, based on your wants, needs and budget.  Another best bang for the buck!

3.  Update your accessories.  Try changing out your throw pillows, accessories and art.  This can change the look and feel of your home …maybe just enough to make your decorating urges go away for a while.

4.  Change out your art.  I know, you always hang this piece over your fireplace and that piece in the living room  – change it up.  We get so used to seeing them in the same place that we stop seeing and enjoying them.  Make it fun and invite a friend over (one who’s taste you like) and take down all of your art and then together take turns holding up different pieces in new and different locations.  It’s fun, costs no money and you’re home will look and feel refreshed.

5.  What budget decorating projects have you done?  Please share your experiences here.

New Conforming Loan Limits Are Here!

County	Median price	FHA limit	Conforming loan limit
Alameda County	$995,000	$729,750	$729,750
Alpine County	$438,000	$547,500	$547,500
Amador County	$355,000	$443,750	$443,750
Butte County	$320,000	$400,000	$417,000
Calaveras County	$370,000	$462,500	$462,500
Colusa County	$318,000	$397,500	$417,000
Contra Costa County	$995,000	$729,750	$729,750
Del Norte County	$249,000	$311,250	$417,000
El Dorado County	$464,000	$580,000	$580,000
Fresno County	$305,000	$381,250	$417,000
Glenn County	$230,000	$287,500	$417,000
Humboldt County	$315,000	$393,750	$417,000
Imperial County	$260,000	$325,000	$417,000
Inyo County	$350,000	$437,500	$437,500
Kern County	$295,000	$368,750	$417,000
Kings County	$260,000	$325,000	$417,000
Lake County	$321,000	$401,250	$417,000
Lassen County	$200,000	$271,050	$417,000
Los Angeles County	$710,000	$729,750	$729,750
Madera County	$340,000	$425,000	$425,000
Marin County	$995,000	$729,750	$729,750
Mariposa County	$330,000	$412,500	$417,000
Mendocino County	$410,000	$512,500	$512,500
Merced County	$378,000	$472,500	$472,500
Modoc County	$125,000	$271,050	$417,000
Mono County	$370,000	$462,500	$462,500
Monterey County	$599,000	$729,750	$729,750
Napa County	$615,000	$729,750	$729,750
Nevada County	$450,000	$562,500	$562,500
Orange County	$710,000	$729,750	$729,750
Placer County	$464,000	$580,000	$580,000
Plumas County	$328,000	$410,000	$417,000
Riverside County	$400,000	$500,000	$500,000
Sacramento County	$464,000	$580,000	$580,000
San Benito County	$790,000	$729,750	$729,750
San Bernardino County	$400,000	$500,000	$500,000
San Diego County	$558,000	$697,500	$697,500
San Francisco County	$995,000	$729,750	$729,750
San Joaquin County	$391,000	$488,750	$488,750
San Luis Obispo County	$550,000	$687,500	$687,500
San Mateo County	$995,000	$729,750	$729,750
Santa Barbara County	$615,000	$729,750	$729,750
Santa Clara County	$790,000	$729,750	$729,750
Santa Cruz County	$719,000	$729,750	$729,750
Shasta County	$339,000	$423,750	$423,750
Sierra County	$228,000	$285,000	$417,000
Siskiyou County	$235,000	$293,750	$417,000
Solano County	$446,000	$557,500	$557,500
Sonoma County	$530,000	$662,500	$662,500
Stanislaus County	$339,000	$423,750	$423,750
Sutter County	$340,000	$425,000	$425,000
Tehama County	$250,000	$312,500	$417,000
Trinity County	$200,000	$271,050	$417,000
Tulare County	$260,000	$325,000	$417,000
Tuolumne County	$350,000	$437,500	$437,500
Ventura County	$599,000	$729,750	$729,750
Yolo County	$464,000	$580,000	$580,000
Yuba County	$340,000	$425,000	$425,000

Source: Department of Housing and Urban Development