Landscaping Proves To Be Great Home Improvement

To all new home owners, I know this has been a pretty tough winter with ice, snow, freezing rain and such. This may be the furthest from your mind, but February is a great time to start thinking about planting.

Buying a new home is probably the largest investment you can make. I’m sure that you would want to protect your investment with something that statistics show is the only home improvement that can return up to 200% of the original investment. That is the landscaping that surrounds your home. Trees are the most important consideration when planting. Now is the time to start selecting the types of trees and shrubbery to plant. When selecting, chose a plant that is native to the area. You will have fewer problems, and they are used to our soils. They will generally be more drought-tolerant and can take the extreme temperatures we have.

When selecting trees, you have the option of bare root, potted and balled with burlap. The latter is the most expensive. If you follow some simple planting guidelines, you will be able to enjoy the profits of your labor.

When digging a hole, make it three times the width of the ball of the plant. The hole will be the shape of a soup bowl. The depth of the hole needs to be the exact same measurement as the height of the ball. If you have a bare root plant, you would measure from the graft union to the bottom of the roots. Make the sides of the hole rough and not slick or glazed. This will hamper root penetration. Keep the ball moist and soak it in either manure tea or compost tea. If you purchase a bare root tree, soak it in a bucket of manure or compost tea for about 24 hours if possible after bringing it home.

When working with a balled or potted plant, you want to expose the root flair at the base of the plant. Stand the tree in the center of the hole with some one holding the tree still. Back fill with the dirt that came out of the hole, and do not incorporate any foreign materials. You want the plant to grow in native soil. I recommend adding Bone Meal to the plant roots.

After the soil has been back filled into the hole, DO NOT TAP the soil down with your foot or any object as this creates air pockets in the soil. Instead take a mop bucket filled with water and pour it over the hole in a circular fashion starting at the plant base working your way outward. Continue as needed until the soil has settled and the water is about to stand. All the air pockets will be out of the soil. The hole you dug and back filled will support the tree. There is no need to stake the tree!

On the top of the soil add one inch of compost and three to four inches of shredded hardwood bark mulch.  Don’t pile the mulch against the bottom/ trunk of the tree. Pour water over the top of the mulch and compost. The water mixed with the compost is a liquid fertilizer. Every time it rains it will fertilize your plant. The mulch will help eliminate the competition for water and oxygen. When mulched at this depth, it will save you money on water and keep the roots of the plant around 20 degrees cooler during the summer.

Enjoy your home and new yard.

Steve Rodgers
New Home Consultant
Home Creations

Ditch the Starbucks and buy a new home

Over my 15-year career in real estate, I’ve concluded that saving up for a new home down payment is the biggest obstacle standing in the way of first-time home buyers. It’s refreshing to read these days that Americans are starting to save more than ever given our current economic climate, but knowing that you need several thousands of dollars to purchase your very first place can make apartment renting seem like the best thing since a German chocolate Dairy Queen blizzard.

You know the saying, “How do you eat an elephant?” “One bite at a time.” That philosophy can also be applied to saving for a new home. Start chewing off those unnecessary expenses one bite at a time, and you’ll have your new home down payment ready much sooner than you thought.

FYI: A minimum down payment on an FHA loan is currently 3.5 percent of the sales price. If you’re purchasing a $150,000 home, that’s $5,250 for a down payment.

Are you ready to jump into savings mode? Here goes:1. Ditch the Starbucks or other daily drink of choice. Let’s say your caffeine habit costs $4 per day. That’s $120 a month, $1,440 per year. If you’re buying a new home with a partner and both of you give up your grande cup of joe, you’ll bank $2,880 in 12 months.

2. Brown bag it at the office. If you eat lunch out with co-workers every day, you probably spend between $7 – $12 on a meal. Eat in every day with a PB&J or Lean Cuisine from home and save $140 – $240 per month, $1,680 – $2,880 per year. Double that amount for your partner.

(If you’re keeping track of the math so far, you can easily save $3,120 just by doing these two items alone.)

3. Sell your personal belongings on ebay, craigslist or other websites. My sister just sold her car (with no working heater) for $900 on ebay. Look around your place for old furniture, dishes, knickknacks and clothes that no longer suit your style. Surely there’s someone out there interested in your Bon Jovi poster collection.

4. Pay for items with dollar bills and pocket the change. In other words, if an item costs $3.14 and you pay with $4, take the .86 and put it in a coin jar. At the end of the month, take the jar to the bank to count the change, and put the money into a special savings account. I believe this tip came from Suze Orman, and it’s one that I personally practice. It’s fun to end up with an extra $30 – $40 every 30 days.

5. Finally, get a second job for extra money. Keep in mind that the income from this moonlighting position might not count toward loan qualification. But you can use the money toward your down payment. Tell yourself that your second income is used for nothing other than a down payment fund, and watch your bank account grow and grow and grow.

Find one way today to start your down payment savings account. Write down your plan of attack at lunch tomorrow while enjoying that delicious Lean Cuisine chicken pasta.

For more information about FHA mortgage loans, visit http://www.hud.gov/buying/loans.cfm

Jan Sperry Astani
Marketing Director
Home Creations

How Would Dorothy Spend Her Home Buyer Tax Credit?

My all-time favorite movie is “Wizard of Oz.” As a child of the 1960s, I watched this movie classic once a year when it came on television (the kind with three main channels and no remote controls).

Fast forward to 2010, and to this day, I never get tired of watching Dorothy and her three friends travel down the yellow brick road on their way to Oz. Since Dorothy’s all-time famous line is “There’s no place like home,” I can’t help but wonder what Dorothy would have done if she qualified for the first-time home buyer tax credit. How would she spend her $8,000? Would she buy a storm shelter to protect herself from those wicked Kansas tornadoes? Would she buy a new dog house for Toto? Would she spend the funds on a new wardrobe and ditch the blue and white gingham dress?

What about Aunt Em and Uncle Henry? They would surely qualify for the $6,500 home buyer tax credit since they’ve owned that Kansas farm for decades. Would they buy a bigger farm? Would they move into town and buy a new two-story Victorian? Would they ditch the Kansas weather for sunny skies and retire to a Florida condo?

Let’s switch gears for a minute and talk about your current housing situation. Do you qualify for the home buyer tax credit? Are you a first-time buyer or a current home owner? Don’t miss your chance to get up to $8,000 in federal government money simply by buying a home this spring. Remember you must be under contract by April 30 and close no later than June 30, 2010.

Just like Dorothy’s one-time chance to go to the Emerald City and meet the Wizard, the home buyer tax credit could be your one-time chance to make homeownership a reality. Take advantage of it now, as this opportunity probably won’t pass this way ever again.

For more tax credit information, visit www.federalhousingtaxcredit.com.

By the way, Dorothy did buy her first home and was thrilled to get her $8,000. How did she end up spending it? She’s got a closet full of ruby red slippers!

Jan Sperry Astani
Marketing Director
Home Creations

Goal Setting Made S.M.A.R.T.

I had the recent pleasure of attending an informative, engaging strategic planning and goal setting workshop conducted by Donna Rynda, training consultant with Make It Matter! in Oklahoma City. Donna’s humor, personality and techniques struck a chord with me, and all of a sudden, setting goals makes perfect sense if you know the right way to do it.

If you’re like the gozillions of people who will resolve in 2010 to lose weight, become more organized or get out of debt, Donna’s tactics can help you. They can even work if one of your new year’s goals is to become a home owner and receive up to $8,000 in home buyer tax credit money.

Donna defined a goal as “a specific and measurable accomplishment to be achieved within specified time and cost restraints.” In addition, she described objectives as “action steps and/or strategies that are used to achieve goals.”

Your goals must follow Donna’s S.M.A.R.T. recipe. They must be Specific, Measurable, Attainable, Relevant and Timely.

If your goal is to lose weight, you don’t say, “I want to lose 10 pounds.” Following the S.M.A.R.T. recipe, your goal would be written like this: “To lose 10 pounds and go from 155 to 145 pounds between Jan. 1 – Feb. 28, 2010.”

To become more organized, you don’t say, “I want to be better organized.” According to S.M.A.R.T.,  your goal may be: “To de-clutter one drawer in my home per week between Jan. 1 – Dec. 31, 2010.”

When it comes to purchasing a home, whether it be your first one or your last, here’s the way your goal should be written: “To own a new home valued between $135,000 – $150,000 by April 30, 2010.” If you know the specific city and/or community, feel free to add that to your goal as well. You could also substitute purchase price with a monthly payment range – “To own a new home with payments between $900 – $1,100 per month in Norman’s Eagle Cliff neighborhood by April 30, 2010.”

Donna referred quite often to benchmarking your goals to make sure you’re on target for success. With a new home purchase goal, for example, there are four months to accomplish your purchase. Break down the home-ownership goal even more:

“To complete the mortgage approval process by Jan. 31, 2010”
“To sign my new home contract by March 15, 2010”
“To close on my new home by April 30, 2010”

How would you spend your $8,000 tax credit money if you qualified? A S.M.A.R.T. goal would be: “To invest $3,000 in my 401K, to spend $1,000 on a vacation, to purchase $2,000 of new furniture and to apply $2,000 toward my mortgage principal by Dec. 31, 2010.”

Since Donna’s presentation, I have all these potential goals swimming around in my head, both personal and professional. In the next few days I need to steal time away from my crazy, beloved family and organize my thoughts and goals into spiritual, mental and physical categories. My professional marketing goals have almost been finalized, and it makes so much more sense now to follow Donna’s formula.

All my best to you in making the best S.M.A.R.T. goals for 2010. May the new year hold many blessings for you and your loved ones.

Jan Sperry Astani
Marketing Director
Home Creations

I’ll Be Home For Christmas

This classic holiday song win hands down as my favorite Christmas carol. Having moved to Norman, Oklahoma from Independence, Missouri (Harry Truman’s hometown just outside of Kansas City) back in 1986, I’ve had the wonderful opportunity to travel home to see my parents and sister every year at Christmas. There is one exception to that 24-year tradition – the year of my oldest son’s first Christmas, 1998. That year my family traveled to Norman to see us for the holidays. While I loved having them here, it just didn’t seem like Christmas since I wasn’t “home” – in the place where I grew up and celebrated that special season as a child.

My sweet husband always tells me that I get weird this time of year. That’s his way of saying that I start acting differently when I’m getting ready to go home. I don’t notice the change in behavior, but he definitely does. And seeing that he’s been with me all those 24 Christmases since moving to Norman, he should know what he’s talking about. Every year he asks what I want for Christmas, and I always say the same thing, “Just take me home to see my family.” He’s a wonderful man who always comes through. It’s not easy for any husband to spend a few days away from his own bed, his own kitchen, his own bathroom…all the while accommodating his in-laws’ endless questions, crowded home, loud TV and random requests to perform “honey-do tasks.”

In 2002 my parents sold the 1,100 square-foot corner-lot home I grew up in, having bought it new for $11,000 – $12,000 back in the early 1960s. That was the home where my two older sisters and I bounded down the five stairs to the green shag-carpeted living room every Christmas morning. The heavily white-flocked artificial tree towered over a slew of presents. (I can remember playing in the huge empty tree box in our garage and even cut out holes in the sides to serve as my windows.)

A few presents stand out in my mind from those early years – a blue bicycle (I think I caught my dad and brother-in-law putting it together in the basement when I was supposed to be sleeping one Christmas Eve), a tiny metal pretend oven, a talking Barbie dressed in a bright orange maxi dress with brown hair in a bun, two Barbie swimming pools (one inflatable and the other hard plastic), the ever-popular Barbie orange camper, a pink Cinderella watch, a small red kerosene lamp, a ballerina doll complete with blue tutu and tights who played music and twirled around and a hand-made wooden doll bed from my paternal grandfather. Call me sentimental, but I still have that Barbie with the orange dress, the ballerina doll and doll bed. The red kerosene lamp may be at my parents’ home stuck in a box somewhere, and what I wouldn’t give to still have my Barbie accessories!

Another special memory that I’ll never forget from my childhood – pulling up a yellowed vinyl window blind in the middle of the night to see if I could find Santa’s sleigh flying across the sky. I was perhaps four or five. No, I didn’t see him. But sure enough, his presents were under the tree when I woke up.

I’m all grown up now, with a wonderful husband and two awesome boys of my own. I’m blessed that my children get to spend Christmas with their grandparents, aunt and cousins. Last year’s Christmas was even more special as four generations gathered under my parents’ roof – a feat that had never happened before and may never happen again. My parents are now in their 70s, and my Mother’s health is ailing. Their 57-year marriage is a true testament to their wedding vow, “in sickness and in health.” I never know when I leave their home to return to Norman if I’ll see one or both of them ever again.

I can’t wait to go home for Christmas tomorrow. Luckily, it won’t be in my dreams.

Jan Sperry Astani
Marketing Director
Home Creations

Home Creations builds its own version of “Twas the Night Before Christmas”

Our sales elves at Home Creations have been hard at work building their personalized version of “Twas The Night Before Christmas.” Watch and enjoy!

From all of us at Home Creations, may you have a very Merry Christmas. Be safe in your travels.

Jan Sperry Astani
Marketing Director
Home Creations
Dec. 23, 2009

A Home Creations Holiday Story

Story written by Amy Savage and Merissa Hart-Gargiulo

‘Twas the holiday season when all through the town, Home Creations was building more than anyone around. The contractors were lined up by Accounting with care in hopes that owners Jalal and Mohammad soon would be there. The contracts were written and turned in for signing while Ali prepared to start the new home designing. And Chris with his computers and Zia with his legalese had just settled down to catch a few Zzz’s. When suddenly in Accounting there arose such a clatter, Chris sprang from his desk to see what was the matter. Away to the server he flew like a flash; it seemed that the software had suddenly crashed. The smiles on faces when the program was repaired gave luster to the workday that everyone shared. Then what to their wondering eyes should appear but the biggest closing month than in any other year. With construction managers so lively and quick, the new homes were finished lickity split! More rapid than eagles the buyers they came and whispered and shouted their floor plans by name, “Now Ashley! Now Raleigh! Now Richmond and Medallion! On Bridgeport! On Johnston! On Bradford and Preston!  The buyer adds a porch and picks paint for the wall! Now dash away! Dash away! Dash away all!” So slow were the months before the tax credit was signed, then sales people scurried to close buyers before the deadline. Up to Congress the extension was sent. When it passed, the mortgage money would surely be lent! And then in a twinkling, buyers heard through the grapevine that their beautiful new homes would last a lifetime. As the executives met and passed reports around, Construction Director MJ came in with a bound. A bundle of permits he had clutched in his hand, and he looked like he wanted to do a head stand. His eyes, how they twinkled. His voice was so merry. He looked right at the team and said, “Let’s start some houses. It won’t be scary!” Everyone looked startled and grabbed their chins off the floor, but after some convincing they finally said “Let’s start some more.” A black pen MJ held tight in his fist as he quickly reviewed and made a grand list. He had a broad spectrum of addresses to start; it could be accomplished if everyone did their part. He was optimistic and cheerful – a right jolly old elf. And all were convinced of his plan in spite of themselves. A wink of his eye and a twist of his head soon lead them to know there was nothing to dread. He spoke many words and put the whole staff to work, then walked by the desks and turned with a jerk. And each week he watched as the houses were built, and the closing department gave each buyer a quilt. Mohammad and Jalal to the team gave a whistle and asked for the checks in a hurry-scurry hustle. ‘Twas heard they exclaimed, “This team does it right. Home Creations will sell 500 homes before 2009’s last night!”

Happy Holidays from Home Creations!

Lindsay Badger
Graphic Designer
Home Creations

Lucky #13 for Oklahoma City

Forbes.com recently named Oklahoma’s two largest cities #12 and #13 on its list of fastest-recovering cities in America.

Tulsa came in at #12, followed by Oklahoma City as #13. The list ranked the 100 largest metropolitan cities in five categories: unemployment rate, gross metropolitan product, foreclosures, home prices and sales prices.

Home Creations is proud to build new homes in both these cities and is grateful for a record-breaking year in 2009. With our average price across the state around $150,000 for a 1,600 square foot, 3 bedroom, 2 bath, 2 car garage brick home, the Sooner state’s home prices are a steal compared to other parts of the country.

Congratulations to my fellow Oklahomans on well-deserved rankings for our blessed state. Boomer Sooner!

Jan Sperry Astani
Marketing Director
Home Creations

Count Your Blessings with Orville Redenbacher

I came across a touching story in yesterday’s Parade Magazine featuring a young man’s account of how he spent Thanksgiving while growing up. He recalled warm memories of going to his aunt’s home for turkey dinner and finding popcorn sitting on everyone’s plate before they sat down for dinner. The popcorn was not meant to be eaten. Instead, during the meal, each family member would pick up a kernel, give silent thanks for a blessing in his or her life, and then place the kernel on the table. This continued throughout the meal. The young man didn’t mention if the goal was to rid your plate of popcorn or if it was OK to leave some kernels for those blessings that were about to come.

As we get ready to set aside one special day to recognize and remember all that we have to be thankful for, I’d like to share my popcorn kernels with you.

My husband who is the light of my life and the love of my soul

My two boys who are healthy, smart, athletic, kind, considerate and awesome

My parents who meet each new day the Lord has given them with a cheerful heart and songs of praise despite what age, arthritis and forgetfulness are doing to their bodies

My two sisters who are the best big sisters this baby sister could ever imagine

My nieces, nephews, their spouses and their children – each and everyone one of you is special in my heart

My husband’s mother, siblings and their families for loving us unconditionally

My co-workers who make me laugh and keep me from crying in this crazy new home construction business

My bosses for the awesome opportunities they present to me each and every day

My friends, both old and new, who keep in touch via email or Facebook. There’s technology hope for me yet.

My local YMCA for Zumba classes. Who ever knew exercise and dancing could be so much fun?

My media sales reps who are not only great business associates but more importantly fun friends

My home that’s always filled with special memories and silly laughter

My red room where nothing is better than curling up with a good book and a blanket and enjoying peace and quiet when no one else is home

My pantry that is full of yummy, unhealthy things to eat

My ability to travel outside the United States these last two summers and to realize how truly blessed we are to live in America

My satellite radio to keep me in touch with songs from the 70s and 80s. It makes me proud when my boys know Duran Duran, Hall & Oats, Bon Jovi, Michael Jackson and the Beatles. Forget this new stuff on MTV.

May God bless you this Thanksgiving. May you always take the time throughout the year to count your kernels. May you always have extras left on your plate.

Jan Sperry Astani
Marketing Director
Home Creations

Housing Angels Are Smiling

A lot of dancing and celebration took place in our Home Creations office earlier this week after hearing that President Obama signed the Home Buyer Tax Credit extension on Nov. 6. The extension continues the $8,000 tax credit for first-time buyers and those who haven’t owned a home in three years, and it offers a tax credit of $6,500 for existing home owners who purchase a new home. The home purchased must be used as a primary residence.

The tax credit for first-time buyers is based on 10 percent of the sales price, not to exceed $8,000.

The tax credit for current home owners is based on 10 percent of the sales price, not to exceed $6,500. Also, current home owners must have lived in their residence for five consecutive years out of the last eight to be eligible for the program.

The similarities for both groups, first-timers and existing buyers, are as follows:

• Buyers must be under contract by April 30, 2010, and close no later than June 30, 2010.
• Income limits for buyers increased with this extension. Single taxpayers with incomes up to $125,000 and married couples with incomes up to $225,000 qualify for the full tax credit.
• The tax credit applies to homes priced at $800,000 or less.
• The tax credit does not have to be repaid unless the home owner sells and moves within three years.

For more information on the home buyer tax credit program, visit www.federalhousingtaxcredit.com or call Home Creations, 877.277.7121.

Jan Sperry Astani
Marketing Director
Home Creations