Localism: Chittenden County, VT

Free Home Remodel Analysis

Thu, 04 Dec 2008 13:37:48 -0600

Should I put in granite counter tops?
How about new hardwood floors?
Should I turn my deck into a three season porch?
How about adding a garage onto my house?

At some point, each homeowner will debate whether they should or should not update certain aspects of their home. My advise to each homeowner can be broken down in three ways:
1. Will you enjoy the remodel while you live their?
2. Will the remodel be the difference between someone buying your house or your competitions?
3. Do you really need it?

Here are three good examples of what an average remodel will cost and the return you should expect:
1. Adding a sunroom addition will cost on average $71,064 and a resale value of about $41,289, roughly a 58% investment.
2. A garage addition will cost you $55,598 with a resale value of $37,067 and a 66.7% investment.
3. A minor kitchen repair will cost you $21,516 with a resale value of $18,507 and a 86% investment.

Part of my pledge in 2009 is to better educated people on home remodels and I do offer a free analysis of your home remodel prior to starting a new project. Each home remodel does vary dramatically as location, neighbors, recent sales, and current market listings do make a tremendous difference. Please call me or email me for a no obligation remodel analysis:

Nick Riina
Nick@VermontInvestments.com
802.846.9559
www.VermontInvestments.com

Inward Toward Hearth and Home

Thu, 04 Dec 2008 10:52:47 -0600

Deep into November, the only color found exists in the sky at dusk. Sunsets, this time of year, and sunrises for that matter too can be just sensational. But do we notice in our hurried, frenetic holiday modes???

This year we all have a lot on our minds...

An historic election now yields to an upcoming historic inauguration for all of us to rejoice and celebrate. Hopes our nation will discover her unfolding new identity, resolve to tackle our personal and at-large challenges with unrelenting determination. We share all this as we collectively focus inward.

For those of us in Vermont, we turn inward from the cold weather and further inward still toward the warmth of hearth and home and end of year holidays. Inward toward those we love and those for whom we are grateful. Inward toward those that touch our lives in meaningful, special ways. Inward toward grateful appreciation for what we have, for our lot in life.

I want to thank my children and my family for their love, laughter and support and for the continual spirit of renewal within those relationships. I want to thank my loyal friends for our shared laughter and good memories. For your devotion when my chips were down when I was ill last March. I want to thank my clients for their business, loyalty, and for referring me to those they love and trust me to take care of. I want to thank my body for incredibly mending itself when it was put to the test.

Thanks to the stars and the fireflies, the summer outdoor concerts, dancing with my daughter, goofing with my son, thunder and lightning storms from my front porch, the power of healing, the power of love, the power of touch and the beauty of mother nature all around us when we slow down just enough to connect to her.

The stock market is what it is and all the rest. But for now, it is good to try and keep it simple. It is good, no it is great, to be grateful for all I have, for I have much.

I wish you all a Happy Thanksgiving holiday! Travel safely. Love preparing meals with those that make you laugh and you care about. Be grateful. Lend your hands.

Peace!

Call me at 802.238.5256, email me at Chris@ChrisHurdVT.com or post your comments at Hurd's The Word or go to my website at Charlotte Vermont Real Estate.

Burlington Vermont is Healthiest City, says U.S. Centers for Disease Control (CDC)

Tue, 18 Nov 2008 19:18:57 -0600

Burlington, VT is healthiest city.

By MIKE STOBBE - 2 days ago

What's the healthiest city in America? It appears to be Burlington, VT.

Vermont's largest city is tops among U.S. metropolitan areas by having the largest proportion of people - 92 percent - who say they are in good or great health.

It's also among the best in exercise and among the lowest in obesity, diabetes and other measures of ill health, according to a recent report from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

This New England city of 40,000, on the shores of Lake Champlain, is in some ways similar to the unhealthiest city - Huntington, W.Va. Both are out-of-the-way college towns with populations that are overwhelmingly white people of English, German or Irish ancestry.

But there the similarities end:

_Burlington is younger, with an average age of 37, compared to 40 in Huntington, according to the Census Bureau.

_Burlington is better off financially, with 8 percent living at the federal poverty level, compared to 19 percent in Huntington.

_It's much more educated, with nearly 40 percent of area residents having at least a college bachelor's degree. Only 15 percent in the Huntington area do.

The cultures are significantly different, too. Bicycling, hiking, skiing and other exercises are common in Burlington. Neighborhood groups commonly focus on improving parks, working in community gardens and repairing and improving sidewalks.

"There's this norm of a lot of activity," said Chris Finley, Vermont's deputy health commissioner, who works in Burlington.

And though college staples like pizza are common, healthier foods are also popular. Grass-fed beef is offered in finer restaurants, vegan options are plentiful, and the lone downtown supermarket is run by a co-op successful in selling bulk rice and other healthy choices to low-income residents.

Source: http://www.time.com/time/nation/article/0,8599,1859507,00.html

Call me at 802.238.5256, email me at Chris@ChrisHurdVT.com or post your comments at Hurd's The Word or go to my website at Burlington Vermont Real Estate.

First Snows Arrive!! (Charlotte, Vermont)

Tue, 18 Nov 2008 16:48:32 -0600

It helps us adults feel like kids again when our children run into our bedrooms in the early morning light to tell you excitedly, "it's snowing hard outside!!!" There's something extra special about that when you live here in Vermont.

As I craned my neck to look out the window above my bed, I tried to gain the contrast of the background through my ocular fogginess to pick up the foreground flakiness. Scrolling in and out, I could indeed see snowflakes tumbling and flitting about. My daughter said, "Dad. It's really coming down out in front of the house!!" With a beaming smile, I vaulted out of bed and sprung to the stairs and looked out the front door panes, past the whitening front porch, down the front yard, out across the meadows into a backdrop that looked like a horizontal AND vertical cloud.

Winter is here.

If you place any stock in the Farmer's Almanac (and I do), then we're in for a cold and snowy one. It's a simple equation really. Vermont + Snow = Winter. Today's high temp supposed to be 31 degrees. Tonight lows of 14!

Yep. It's here alright and ahead of skedj.

Now, thoughts of snow tires (with studs this year) begin percolating along with ski passes, getting the parts needed for a$$%#@! whuppin' sledding (last year took its toll on the hardware), a warm fire to sit beside, hot chocolate with freshly made whipped cream, and preparing the outdoor hot tub all come to mind again (ahhhhhhh...).

And yeeeees (lest I give you an imbalanced perspective), so does shoveling. May even have to break down this year and have a guy plow my driveway instead of me dancing with my Toro. Maybe?! Haven't yet committed one way or the other. I still love that ole' girl though. Not sure if I want to give her up just yet.

Let's see...Christmas is coming. Definitely need an upgraded set of YakTraks for my boots. Gotta put that high on the list. That would be a great Christmas present! (that is if I can wait that long...) Time to break out the scarves and nuclear (have we all figured out how to pronounce this word yet) warm coats.

Moments ago, before I sat down to write, I stepped into my kitchen and was filled with sudden, spectacular joy! The east wall and a half of cabinets I replaced last summer with windows is flooding light all around. Even with today's cloudiness, the ambient reflection off newly fallen snow on the ground brightens the place up exponentially. It'll make mornings in the kitchen with the sunny view up Mount Philo a true blessing. I love that.

Hmmmmm. Here's a warm thought. Can I get to an island or a beach this winter??? Any beach!? Okay, okay I said it!!!!!! I said it!! Am I a traitor? Oh my! Please let me wistfully digress with this dreamy song...click the following link and crank it up. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ciFesab7OYA (btw that was not MY blinking house just in case you were wondering...) Goodness! Back to reality!

YES, INDEED. She's here almost five weeks ahead of her official day.

Ready or not, here she comes...

Call me at 802.238.5256, email me at Chris@ChrisHurdVT.com or post your comments at Hurd's The Word or go to my website at Burlington Vermont Real Estate.

Call the CLEANUP TEAM that's faster to any sized disaster.

Thu, 13 Nov 2008 13:50:12 -0600

You have heard it said time and time again: Home is where the heart is. But if your house is smoldering or under water, it can be hard to make yourself feel at home.

After all, every minute of worry is time wasted. Every hour you spend trying to return your home to normal is an extra hour of stress and work. That's the reason Servpro of Burlington/So. Burlington is pleased to offer emergency services 24 hours a day, 365 days a year.

Let's face it - floods, leaks and fires just don't abide by normal business hours, and fire and water damage can strike a home at any time, night or day. So whether disaster strikes at 5p.m., 8 a.m. or any time in between, don't waste valuable time waiting for daylight. Just call 1-888-350-5544 or 802-865-4457.

Utilizing or 1-4-8 Service Response Guidelines, we will strive to:

Contact you within 1 hour of loss notification to arrange for service
Be on-site to begin mitigation services within 4 hours of notification
Provide verbal briefing of scope to the appropriate agent, resident or home owner within 8 business hours of on site arrival

Your time is precious, and your house needs to feel like home again. If disaster strikes, let us help you make it "Like it never even happened."