Do you feel like homebuying preferenceschange like the weather? Youre not alone. Just askNino Sitchinava, an expert from Houzz. In less than a year from when she gave an in-depth, data-driven presentation at John Burns' 2019 Housing Design Summit, her team has already seen major changes in what people want to see in a home. With access to social media, homeowners are able to grab inspiration at the touch of a button, changing the speed at which trends come and go. One of the popularhome styles of recent years, the farmhouse, is on the decline. Modern contemporary is hot, and bold accent colors are making an appearance in what used to be stark white kitchens. But there is one trend Sitchinava says is going to last: Homeowners are spending big on remodels.

Builders can finally rely on data as well as opinion to make multi-million dollar design decisions, resulting in improved profitability.

At last years Housing Design Summit, the head of architecture at one of the largest builders in the country shared that consumer design preferences were changing more quickly than ever, attributing most of the reason to the Internet, and specifically Houzz and Pinterest. This was causing consternation for his salespeople, who were having to respond to customer requests for more up-to-date designs and materials.

Also at the Design Summit, Nino Sitchinava from Houzz laid out the most data-rich presentation of design trends I have ever seen. In this podcast episode, Nino shares an update on those trends, with one of the hot trends she mentioned last March already on the decline!

As a gift to you, here is a link to her presentation last March. Be sure to attend this year, where her teammate Liza Hausman will keynote.

Here are a few of Ninos insights from the podcast:

Read More and Listen to the Podcast

See more here:
How Have Home Design Trends Changed in Just One Year? - Professional Builder

By: BIGGBY COFFEE | 0Shares 17Reads

January 23, 2020 // Franchising.com // East Lansing, MI - Southeast BIGGBY COFFEE locations are excited to partner with the Novi Home Show for their 2020 show at Suburban Collection Showplace Friday, January 24Sunday, January 26.

With the snow falling and temperatures dropping, its the perfect time to think about cozying up your home! At the 2020 Novi Home Show, visitors will get the opportunity to experience the latest kitchen, bath, window, door, flooring, and cabinetry designs; attend design seminars; connect with Michigan crafters and businesses; and snag some good deals from ABC Warehouse, Big Georges, and Witbeck Home Appliance Mart. While strolling through the show, sip on a free hot BIGGBY coffee while you dream up your dream home.

All Southeast Michigan BIGGBY COFFEE locations have coupon discounts for the Home Show and are even giving away free tickets to the Home Show on their Facebook page at Southeast Michigan BIGGBY.

Not only will there be hundreds of exhibitors ready to talk siding, landscape, kitchen and bath remodels, waterproofing, and more, this year, Laurie Smith from TLCs Trading Spaces will be there giving insider design tips and tricks and talking the most popular trends today.

This is a longstanding popular event that many of our customers attend, Karissa Canfield, owner of BIGGBY COFFEE New Hudson said. We love an opportunity to get out in the community and are excited to meet our customers at the Novi Home Show.

For a $2 off coupon and a chance to win free entry to the Novi Home Show, stop by any Southeast Michigan BIGGBY COFFEE location and ask your barista how you can get involved!

BIGGBY COFFEE, East Lansing, Mich.-based, was started with a single store on March 15, 1995. One year later, and on the cusp of opening a second location, Bob Fish and Michael McFall, on a handshake and $4,000, decided to franchise the concept. BIGGBY COFFEEs cultural values of Make Friends, Have Fun, B Yourself, and Share Great Coffee help coffee-lovers and the coffee-curious alike benefit from a less pretentious and fun approach to the standard gourmet cafe paradigm. Besides connoisseur-worthy drinks with pronounceable names like Teddy Bear and Caramel Marvel, BIGGBY baristas provide a unique experience focused on brightening their customers day and supporting them in building a life they love. The Big B on the orange background caught on, and today BIGGBY COFFEE has more than 230 cafes across many states including Michigan, Ohio, Indiana, Illinois, South Carolina, Wisconsin, Kentucky, and Florida. In 2018, BIGGBY launched an Area Representative Program and currently has 8 Area Representatives in 6 states.

Nicholle Robertson517-294-3487press@biggby.com

SOURCE BIGGBY COFFE

###

Continue reading here:
BIGGBY COFFEE Partners With The Novi Home Show - Franchising.com

LAS VEGAS--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Dacor, the leading American luxury home appliance brand, today announced the debut of new appliance and personalization offerings at the 2020 Kitchen & Bath Industry Show (KBIS) in Las Vegas, Nevada from January 21-23 2020. Showcasing the brands commitment to high-quality craftsmanship, performance and innovation, the interactive booth focuses on transforming culinary experiences from memorable to legendary. This event marks a significant evolution in the brand portfolio through the introduction of three distinct product styles: Contemporary, Professional and debuting at KBIS, Dacors new Transitional style, to more directly cater to consumers individual cooking & cooling needs and the diverse design styles within the kitchen design marketplace.

The exhibition space (booth C5907), highlights the versatility of Dacors unique suite of full kitchen appliance offerings, while encouraging consumers to envision how each product style can come to life in their home. Three kitchen vignettes highlighting the product styles: Contemporary, Professional, and Transitional are prominently featured, along with a vibrant display of the unique color match customization program, DacorMatch, which continues to be a growing category for the business as consumers look for appliances options that bring color into the kitchen. An added level of personalization is touted through the debut of a new accessory kit, Personalize with Dacor, enabling individuals to customize their appliances by selecting unique finishes for handles and knobs on select styles.

For more than 50 years Dacor has expertly led the luxury kitchen category with appliances that deliver outstanding performance with careful consideration for design and innovation, said Randy Warner, President of Dacor. At KBIS 2020, we will debut a distinguished portfolio of product styles that our consumer can confidently identify with based on the needs of their individual kitchens. Whether you are regularly hosting or entertaining, or you like to stay ahead of the curve on smart home technology integrations, or youre looking to merge the two without a trade-off, our goal is to encourage culinary and design enthusiasts alike to showcase their own style without compromising on reliability, hand-crafted and high-quality design, power or performance.

Highlights and new introductions include:

Dacors participation and introductions at KBIS 2020 follows a series of new launches for the prestigious brand, including the debut of its first two US showrooms, Dacor Kitchen Theaters, located in the A&D building in New York City and Chicagos renowned TheMart (formerly the Merchandise Mart). Next month, the luxury brand will debut its flagship showroom in Irvine, California. Additionally, Dacor will continue to serve as a key partner to the trade community through its National Design Contest, a two-year contest ending in July 2020, which designers and students are invited to submit their work to be recognized and promoted within Dacors showrooms, website as well as win prizes including a $10,000 scholarship for student submissions and Grand Prizes for the Designers Choice Award, include a trip for the winner and one guest to Seoul, Korea to visit the Dacor house. Submissions will be judged by the Dacor Design Council, an esteemed group of individuals curated by Dacor for its body of work, innovations and expertise. Members of the Design Council hail from the across the United States and Canada with projects that range from interiors to product design with remodels, new builds and collections.

For more information about Dacor, or to find a dealer, visit Dacor.com.

About Dacor

Dacor is a leading American luxury home appliance brand known for creating stunning tools that deliver expert innovation, intuitive technology and handcrafted design. The company, based in Southern California and founded over 50 years ago, has revolutionized the luxury kitchen landscape through its award-winning suite of next-generation creative tools. Boasting curated design and confident reliability, Dacor pushes the boundaries of innovation and performance by transforming the modern-day kitchen into a place to connect, entertain and create. For additional information, please visit Dacor.com or follow us on Instagram, Facebook, Twitter or LinkedIn.

Read the rest here:
Dacor Delivers a Legendary Experience at KBIS 2020 Debuting Three New Style Collections and Personalized Customization Tools for the Kitchen -...

I am acutely aware of the fact that, when I handle a knife, it often makes people nervous. And I understand why: I have a neurological disorder that manifests most visibly in a pronounced kinetic tremor. My hands get so shaky that I often have trouble using pens or phone keyboards or other common implements grounded in fine motor skills. So watching a sharp cleaver twitch and jump in one of my mitts while the other holds down, say, an onion, it is easy to worry that I might end up lopping off one of my digits. Or dropping it on my foot. Or otherwise mutilating myself or others.

Admittedly, I did slice and dice my fingers fairly often when I was first learning to cooka period that coincided with a spike in the severity of my tremors. But after a while, like most people with disabilities, I developed adaptations: ways of positioning my body that allow me to brace my arms and so reduce tremors. Methods for keeping objects on a cutting board in place without using my hands. Basic care and observation honed through years of practice. As a result, I can safely dice an onion faster than most of my family and friends. And I take a great deal of pride in that.

But the occasional wince or sharp inhale I still catch to my side, and the unsolicited offers for help because it looks like youre struggling there, can be frustrating, tiring, or outright disheartening. Even when born of genuine concern, they represent the all too common patronising view that people with disabilities are not safe, or do not belong, in the kitchen. In fact, this conviction is so prevalent that it keeps far too many people with disabilities from ever finding a place for themselves in the kitchenfrom developing their own tricks and adaptations.

In part, this view just reflects the fact that most kitchens and appliances fall far short of universal design. Even the standard height of a countertop or sink, points out Minna Hong, who developed paraplegia after sustaining a spinal cord injury about two decades agoand who makes a mean paelladoes not work for someone like her who uses a wheelchair. Not to mention the countless utensils that are not easy for people with low grip strength or dexterity to hold or manoeuvre. This systematic lack of intuitive accessibility can be daunting, lead to accidents or difficulties, and reinforce the view that kitchens just arent a safe place for a population that, in reality, designers have simply historically failed to account for.

This view also reflects the severely limited representation of disability in cooking shows. One in five Americans has some kind of disability; one in ten has a severe disability. Yet chances are that the only time most Americans have ever seen a chef with a disability on TV, it was Christine Ha, The Blind Cook, who won season three of MasterChef in 2012. (Granted, PBS diehards may have seen a few more on the show Cooking without Looking.) And that is likely not just the result of low representation in the culinary world due to accessibility issues and general stigma. I was recently approached by a TV station for a cooking show, but found out I was ultimately turned down because the studio kitchen was not accessible, notes James Coke, a skilled and successful chef who uses a wheelchair and has lived with a multiple sclerosis diagnosis for about 35 years. I felt Id been used just to tick an inclusion box and was angry that I was prevented from showing that disabled cooks are winners.

Instead, cooking shows valorize or reify proper techniques, physically intensive cooking styles, and intricate recipes that just do not work for many average, much less disabled, cooks. Fooderati also turn up their noses, points out Anna Moyer of Accessible Chef, a site with recipes and lessons geared towards people with disabilities, at things like pre-cut or canned foods, which may be vital ingredients for people with severe fatigue or limited to no hand control who want to get into the kitchen. When shows do deign to bring on people with disabilities, adds Sue Hoss, who builds resources for young chefs with intellectual disabilities at Look, Cook, and Eat, It seems theyre there for the challenge value of living up to ableist standards rather than their innate talent.

As Hoss and Moyers projects attest, there are a growing number of resources online for people with disabilities looking to learn how to cookor to get affirmation that they can find a place in the kitchen. There are also a growing number of people with disabilities making cooking content on social media, blogs, and digital video platforms, improving representation and fighting stigma and stereotypes. Specialty companies also make a growing range of adaptive appliances; I have looked into, for example, gyroscopically stabilised forks, spoons, and knives in recent years. But adaptive technologies, Hong points out, are often incredibly expensive and as such inaccessible to most people. And representation and resources, Hoss argues, are still quite limited at best.

When stereotypes, stigmas, and a pure lack of resources convince people with disabilities that they just cant cook, that is not only a huge moral problem, but also a public health one. As Moyer points out, people with disabilities often, for want of kitchen access, knowledge, or confidence, end up lacking affordable and nutritious food. This despite the fact that eating well is often key to the management of chronic disordersand the fact that cooking with and for others can foster a sense of community, inclusion, and autonomy that many people with disabilities struggle to maintain.

To give disabled individuals concrete examples of the ways their peers have carved out a space for themselves in the kitchen, I recently asked a handful of professional and amateur chefs to share their experiences navigating cookingfiguring out tricks and adaptationswith disabilities. The insights they present below are hardly comprehensive. Every individuals disability will be at least somewhat unique, and as such demand equally unique adaptations. But they are a good starting point for visualising how disabilities of all stripes can fit into the average kitchen.

Almost everyone I spoke to for this piece, no matter their disability, agreed that when coming into the kitchen, people with disabilities have to really look at what is happening, as Ellen Kyhl, who spoke to me alongside her son John, who has Down syndrome, put it. You need to figure out what your abilities are and how you can accommodate that ability. Make a list of things that you might have trouble with, and things that you excel at, then start coming up with broad adjustments or porting over solutions that you have applied in other parts of your lifethe tricks you use to reach things from a wheelchair or to grip things with limited dexterity or hand strength.

Some people might have to abandon spontaneity in the kitchen in favour of planning and preparation so they do not find themselves unexpectedly blocked or running out of steam midway through a recipe. That might include budgeting time for physical and mental fatigue into a cooking schedule. Pre-planning is also useful for people who might need to find workarounds for certain ingredients when shopping on a fixed income or when they have trouble getting out to or navigating stores.

It is important to find community and support in organisations that advocate for civil rights and awareness, adds Christine Ha. Not only will they be able to connect you with a broad range of support and resources, but they will be good spots to meet with people who have a similar disability and compare notesto figure out what dishes or techniques have worked for others and how to make them your own. This is especially helpful when it comes to developing DIY solutions to kitchen accessibility issues. (Everyone I spoke to for this piece recommended trying to find such a DIY solution before splurging on adaptive appliances or remodels, as there is usually some inventive way of jury-rigging what you already own to make it work for you.)

For beginners especially (but not exclusively), says J.J. Goode, a chef who was born with one arm and has written extensively about single-armed cooking, it is useful to just throw away any dreams of making the ultra-complex recipes you might have seen on TV or in a magazine. Say, I am going to do this easy thing, he argues, and it is delicious. That way you can slowly build up your own approach to core cooking skills, getting fancier and more complex as you go alongbut only if you want to. There will be a learning curve as you figure out how to adapt and account for your unique context. But, says Ava Marie Romero, an autistic chef and food blogger, my message for everybody is: Do not give up. It may sound trite, but really, you have to believe in yourself.

Honestly, most of this advice could be useful for anyone, not just people with disabilitiesas is the case with most of the insights that come out of the world of disability. But it is the vital core that most people with disability especially need to adapt and experiment their way into cookery.

I cant tell you how frustrated I washow many things I spilled on my lap, all over the kitchen how many ugly words I said to myself, says Hong of her first year or so getting back into cooking after becoming a wheelchair user. As with anything new and different, it takes time. But its worth doing, especially if you identify with itas somebody who enjoys being a cook or cooking.

Goode argues that most of the things people do in the kitchen, like stirring a pot, are already one-arm activities. But moving boiling water pots, taking hot, heavy trays out of the oven, or chopping things up are much harder for him than they are for most two-armed people.

Most of the time, Goode believes, you can bridge this gap through automatic compensation: You try to do things the way that a two-armed person does, then adjust your body however feels right in order to find balance and leverage in line with your own anatomy. This may involve leaning down so close to a cutting board that youre almost eye-to-eye with an onion. It may mean using your foot for a quick assist stabilizing a tray or centering your gravity. At times, he admits, it looks ridiculousIm hunched over and balanced in this precarious way. But no matter how it looks from the outside, it will feel natural and quickly develop into automatic muscle memory.

Goode notes that many people who can only use one arm or hand use simple DIY fixes to reduce the need to find new positions in which to cook. A spike in a cutting board, for instance, can hold items in place, reducing your need to find leverage. And a wooden dowel affixed to a paint roller is a lot easier to use one-handed than finding the right angle to hold a two-handed rolling pin. Thats just not Goodes style, personally. Although maybe when I get older and Ive developed intense back pain from all this hunching over Ill be like, all right, gadget time.

Meal prep and planning can be especially powerful tools for anyone prone to fatigue, says Coke. I tend to do my cooking in the morning, as I have more energy, and cook double portions that I can freeze for later use. Simple recipes and pre-prepared ingredients are also a boon. The rise of the popularity of one-pot recipes certainly helps to accommodate these sorts of needs today.

It is trickier, Coke argues, to figure out how to deal with low grip strength when you have to use utensils with small, hard handles. Cokes solution is to just zap everything in a food processor then throw it all together, reserving his strength for things like mixing and side-stepping the finest motor function and ongoing strength drains of cooking. But others with limited grip strength, dexterity, and stamina address this limitation by putting foam onto handles to make them easier to hold for longer periods of time. Others design their cooking schedules to alternate between tasks that use different muscle groups and build in breaks to minimise the continuous strain of gripping, chopping, stirring, or any other kitchen activity.

For Hong, one of the most frustrating aspects of learning to navigate life in a chair was figuring out how to doand reacheverything from a low seated position. It takes a while, she says, to figure out things like, oh, if I have my coffee at the edge of the counter instead of at the back, like everybody else, itll make things so much easier. Granted, people born with a disability that leads them to use a wheelchair may, with their spongy young brains, figure these things out a bit quicker and so feel less frustration. But everyone in a chair needs to contend with a largely standing world.

Hong has solved this kitchen conundrum by bringing as much of cooking down to her level as she can. Her family has built a customised table low enough for her to get leverage while in her chair. Shes learned how to balance a cutting board on her lap with a towel under it to prevent slippage. And when she does need to use higher surfaces, there are always hooks and poles for reach, mirrors to see what is going on, and clever workarounds like scooping pasta out of boiling water into a colander suspended over another bowl rather than hoisting said pot of boiling water up from the stove while seated and perilously getting it over to an elevated sink to dump it out.

One-pot meals are a favourite for Hong as well, as they minimise the amount of back-and-forth she has to do in the kitchen. The more efficient her recipes, the less she has to figure out adaptations.

She is also a big believer in recognising when a modification may be possible, but would also be time-consuming, exhausting, or flat-out absurd. In these situations, she suggests just asking for help from someone proficient in an ability you might struggle with. Independence does not mean you have to do everything yourself, she argues. True independence is controlling your environment. Sometimes that control takes the form of empowered delegation or cooperation.

Although the needs of people with developmental disabilities vary wildly from one individual to the next, Sue Hoss (of Look, Cook, and Eat) and Anna Moyer (Accessible Chef) note that many have trouble with standard recipes. John Kyhl, for instance, who has Down syndrome, is an excellent reader but often has trouble holding his place in a paragraph if he has to turn away from it. Complex recipes with compound steps also pose a challenge.

For me to find a simple recipe was half the battle, says Ellen Kyhl, who ultimately turned to Hosss resources for help. It helps as well if that simple recipe is written (or can be copied out) in large font and clear bullet points. Illustrated steps might help, too. Ellen Kyhl says that, when cooking with John, she often thinks: How can I make this task as small and simple as possiblethen split it in half again and again and again, so theres something easy to follow that will slowly build up skills.

Differentiation of like things is also a challenge for John, Ellen adds. For example, a tablespoon versus a teaspoonfinding it in a drawer, because of the similarity of the label. You might have to develop clearer labels and strict organisation systems in a kitchen to help mitigate that issue.

It is useful, at least early on, for many people with developmental disabilities to cook with at least one partner the way John cooks with Ellen. That partner can help them to build a repertoire of recipes customised in the way that works best for them, to fill in on recipe work if fatigue starts to set in, and overall to help them develop the core skills and confidence necessary to cook a stable of loved dishes on their own. The duration of learning a skill for someone with a disability may be years instead of months or weeks, Ellen notes. But the autonomy is worth the time.

A shocking number of recipes and bits of conventional cooking advice centre on sight: checking the colour of meat, reading thermometers, or noting the hue of variant peppers. So one might think that cooking with a visual impairment is especially daunting. But in truth, more often than not, people with vision impairments can learn alternative cues for readiness at each stage of cooking with their other senses. Powders all have their unique feel. Frying oil or boiling water has a sound. About-to-burn bread has a smell.

When cooking in a new environment, a visually impaired chef might need some help getting acquainted to a new space and where all its ingredients and appliances are. But most visually impaired cooks memorise the layout of their own kitchens and customise them with simple cues like bump dot stickers on the stove and touchscreen appliances, as Ha points out, which assist in differentiating between devices, setting temperature dials, and so on.

Cooking with a visual impairment may require a few special precautions, like avoiding sleeves in case they get caught on something. Adding cook time to recipes instead of preheating the oven minimizes the risk of scorching oneself on a hot rack.

But beyond that, it islike cooking with most disabilitiesnot too different from the way most people cook in practice: Use the skills and senses that you have, and lean into the strongest ones. Experiment your way to individualized tactics that work well and feel natural for you. Plan and organise until you develop a sense of confidence. This might take time, and your process could look different from anyone elses. But as Hong points out, There is no right or wrong way, no specific time in which to master things. If cooking is something you really want to do, you owe it to yourself to try. Because its absolutely doable.

More:
Navigating Disability In The Kitchen Is All About Finding The Right Adaptations - Gizmodo Australia

2020: The year of the home improvement

Posted: Wednesday, December 4, 2019 9:01 am

2020: The year of the home improvement Brandpoint (BPT) Mountain Grove News-Journal

(BPT) - A new year is an opportunity to bring fresh life into your home through renovations, both large and small. Want an updated kitchen? A patio addition? New floors? Every homeowner has a different vision for their space, so make 2020 the year your home improvement dreams come true. But where should you start?

Affording your renovations

The cost of home renovations deters many from updating their homes, but there are financing options that can make costs more manageable. Consider a home equity line of credit (HELOC), which gives you the flexibility of a credit line you can access as you need funds for your renovation projects. At Bank of America, you can get a HELOC with no fees to open or maintain it. You pay only for the funds you use.

Now that you have the finances sorted out, what home projects should you consider?

But, what if you arent a homeowner yet?

If you're not yet a homeowner, make 2020 your year to own your home. Upfront costs dont have to be a barrier.

The Bank of America Community Homeownership Commitment(TM) helps eligible homebuyers with the upfront costs of purchasing a home by offering:

For more information about the Community Homeownership Commitment, HELOCs and other ways to make your 2020 home dreams a reality, visit http://www.bankofamerica.com.

Posted in Home Improvement on Wednesday, December 4, 2019 9:01 am.

Read the original:
2020: The year of the home improvement - Mountain Grove News Journal

Refinery29 is proud to partner with theNational Association of REALTORS(NAR) to share real womens stories about finding, buying, flipping, and paying off their homes. Ahead, read one womans testament to homeownership, and discover the power of a REALTOR.

It should come as no surprise that a couple in the suburbs might decide to take the plunge and buy a home together. But heres the thing: When my partner and I began the process, we werent married. We werent engaged, either. And we had never lived together. In fact, neither of us had ever lived anywhere aside from our childhood homes.

Sure, marriage isnt a prerequisite here but as partners, we were admittedly a bit non-traditional in our approach to a mortgage. After six years together, we were making the decision to take on the biggest financial commitment of our lives thus far without even knowing what it was really like to share a bedroom.

When we told friends and family, they were often openly disapproving. To them, it felt impulsive and irresponsible. But in spite of all the naysayers, we both felt, deep down, that this was the right choice for us. While living with our respective parents and siblings retiring each night to our childhood bedrooms we both desperately craved a space of our own. Neither of us was paying rent, our savings were growing substantially, and we often fantasized about what our life might look like under a shared roof.

At the time, I was working as a full-time editor in New York City making $65,000 a year, and my partner was working in construction making $110,000 a year. Between us, we had about $30,000 in savings, and we were ready to put that towards a down payment somewhere in Long Island.So we tracked down an agent from the National Association of REALTORS through Douglas Elliman one who was openly supportive of our decision and we got to work.

Of course, we knew that renting an apartment together was the more logical next step. We understood this would be a safer way of testing the waters without, well, diving right in. But we both wanted to settle close to our families, our agent assured us that the market looked good, and most adults we knew in the area were already owners. Buying simply felt like the smartest step it was what we wanted in the long term, and paying rent rather than working toward that goal felt counterproductive.

Still, in all honesty, I occasionally felt myself wavering. What if his propensity to leave dirty glasses in his bedroom for days on end pushed me over the edge? How would he feel about me once he realized I had never really learned how to do laundry correctly? Were we being completely delusional?I thought about making an ultimatum: We could get a house if he proposed but at the same time, I didnt want a proposal he felt pressured into. In fact, I felt that purchasing a house together was, in some ways, a bigger commitment than a ring. It was this enormous investment, both financially and emotionally, in our future life together. And our agent was fully prepared to help us take the plunge.

After shed sat down with us a handful of times to talk seriously about our game plan, she helped us to narrow our search. We talked through what Long Island neighborhoods we were interested in, the condition of our future home, the importance of a spacious backyard, and plenty of other things. Then she showed us options. We perused countless places online together and visited many an open house while she offered us details about levels of buyer interest and potential for kitchen remodels.

Then finally, after one particularly long day spent perusing various open houses, our agent convinced us to stop by a home we hadnt been interested in when wed viewed the listing online. She insisted it would be worth the trip, so we agreed, reasoning that she hadnt let us down yet.

As soon as we entered the space, something shifted. We looked at each other we knew this was it. Walking through the rooms, we could both imagine our futures here, in each of these vacant rooms, and it felt right. That night, we called our agent and told her we wanted to make an offer.The place was listed at $399,000, which wasnt so far beyond our target price.

Story continues

The rest of the home buying process was centered around financial logistics the particulars of which our agent dexterously helped us navigate. It forced us into a number of conversations about finances that many couples dont have until marriage (not fun, but necessary). We met with a lawyer about the details that surrounded putting both of our names on the deed. With Sandys help, we eventually negotiated the price down to $365,000. And eventually, closing day arrived.

Our agent and our lawyer worked together to make sure things ran smoothly. Once the paperwork was squared away, I felt myself loosen up. I began to feel a particular sense of elation. This was our home this was where the life wed been imagining together for the past six years would take place. That evening, we began to move some of our things in (just a rug or two, some end tables, a favorite chair), and, one piece at a time, the space started to look less like a vacant structure and more like a home.

Less than a year into living together, he proposed. And now, nearly three and a half years after that first day in our new house, were married, we have a baby, and we still love our home. Scheduling aside, buying was the right choice for us we knew this place would be the setting for our entire lives together.

Like what you see? How about some more R29 goodness, right here?

More:
My Boyfriend & I Had Never Lived TogetherUntil We Bought A Home - Yahoo Finance

Photo: Unsplash

Wondering what buildings are coming down or going up in Oakland? Local building permit data can shine a light on what's under construction near you.

In the past week, the city issued 82 building permits, according to data from BuildZoom, a platform that helps homeowners and businesses with new construction and remodels.

None of those permits were for new building construction last week; all were for repairs and renovations.

Read on for a selection of the most noteworthy new permits.

Contractor Cero Construction was issued a permit for repair/renovation of a residential structure at 6071 Colton Blvd. The permit defines the project's work scope as: "Non-structural remodel of two bathrooms at existing single family dwelling."

Contractor FWH Acquisition Co LLC received a permit for repair/renovation of a residential structure at 9800 Macarthur Blvd. The work is described as: "Remove and replace water heater for unit #202 to be located in exterior cabinet of multi-unit apartment building."

Contractor Source Planning & Construction Inc. was issued a permit for repair/renovation of a residential structure at 1901 Harrison St. The work is described as: "Plumbing tenant improvement to reconfigure partitions and remodel restrooms with ADA upgrades on the first third fourth and sixth floor."

A permit was issued for repair/renovation of a residential structure at 8216 Olive St. In the permit, the work scope is described as: "Non-structural kitchen remodel."

Applicant Wci Gc Inc. was issued a permit for repair/renovation of a residential structure at 1999 Harrison St., Suite 1500. The permit defines the project's work scope as: "Electrical tenant improvement. Create office spaces with new partitions and finishes."

A permit was issued for repair/renovation of a residential structure at 1064 Clarendon Crescent.The permit defines the project's work scope as: "Bath remodel including replacing tub and shower walls, vanity and fixtures."

Applicant Roto Rooter Services Company received a permit for repair/renovation of a structure at 900 Fallon St. In the permit, the work scope is described as: "Repair/replace building sewer."

Contractor A Taylor Made Window received a permit for repair/renovation of a residential structure at 796 Rosemount Road.The work is described as: "Replace six existing windows for single family dwelling."

Applicant Todd Zaionz Construction received a permit for repair/renovation of a residential structure at 250 Frank H. Ogawa Pz. The permit defines the project's work scope as: "Remove and replace one sheet of sheet rock to install electrical equipment underneath in print shop on first floor."

This story was created automatically using local building data from BuildZoom, then reviewed and augmented by an editor. Click here for more about what we're doing.

Story continues

Got thoughts? Go here to share your feedback.

Read more:
82 building permits issued in Oakland last week - Yahoo News

Photograph courtesy of Tim Hortons

For Restaurant Brands International, two out of three is bad.

In the companys third quarter, for instance, both Burger King and Popeyes Louisiana Kitchen generated strong salesin the U.S. and internationally.

But Tim Hortons didnt quite match its sister chains performance.

Systemwide sales at the Canadian coffee-and-doughnut chain declined by 0.1% in the quarter. By comparison, Burger Kings system sales rose 10.7%, thanks to international growth and the chains Impossible Whopper in the U.S.

Popeyes, buoyed by its incredible chicken sandwich success, increased sales by 15.6%.

Jose Cil, CEO of RBI, suggested that Tim Hortons focus has been off, and said it needs to work more on long-term sales-building strategies.

Weve seen a little bit of fluctuation, ups and downs, in sales performance over the last few quarters, partly, I think, because weve been focused on somewhat short-term opportunities, he told investors this week, according to a transcript on the financial services site Sentieo.

I think we need to be focused on the core, on the long-term initiatives that are going to have a big impact on the business, he added.

Cil said the long-term strategies include work to improve the companys beverages, store remodels, drive-thrus and technology such as its new loyalty program.

Tim Hortons was a well-established business in Canada when Burger King bought the company in 2014 and created Restaurant Brands International. Yet that combination has been slower to develop for Tims than it was when 3G Capital bought Burger King in 2010, or even when RBI bought Popeyes in 2017.

Consider this: Systemwide sales at Tims grew 9.3% in the first year after the 2014 merger. That growth has slowed every year since, and systemwide sales growth has averaged just 0.7% so far this year.

Unit count growth has also been slow: Tims has 4,887 global locations now, up less than 5% since 2014. By contrast, Burger King operates 18,232 restaurants globally, up 27% over that period.

Much of that is likely due to the chains different structures. Burger King operates with larger franchisees, including many joint ventures internationally where unit growth is paramount. Tims in its home market of Canada operates largely with smaller operators that are less likely to open new units.

And Tim Hortons has struggled in the U.S., where unit count has declined by 14% since 2013. The U.S. was supposed to be a key early growth market for the brand.

Still, Tims represents 60% of RBIs revenuesand half of its adjusted earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation and amortization, or EBITDA. That makes the brand vital to RBIs overall performance. So while the other two brands performed well, its overall business is weighted toward Tims.

The brand has some real strengths that Cil believes to be a strong foundation for future growth. In Canada, it remains the dominant restaurant chain, particularly in the mornings. In Canada, Tim is an amazing business with a tremendous market share, he said. We have a very loyal following of guests that come, in many cases, two or three times a day.

That, he said, gives the company a really strong market share and compelling unit economics.

Cil believes the company has opportunities to increase growth in its core menu products. That includes both hot and cold beverages. One strategy is the addition of new coffee brewers designed to improve the consistency of those drinks.

The chain has also improved its beverage lids and opened a new Innovation Cafe in downtown Toronto to work on new products. It is also focused on drive-thru technology to speed service there.

Loyalty might be the biggest opportunity for the chain. The company launched its new loyalty program in Canada earlier this year and it became popular quickly. As many as half of the chains transactions come from program members.

Cil said the company will be able to focus on one-on-one marketing while using the program to get a better idea of what gets customers into its stores. Thats the work that were doing now that we think over time will allow us to drive sales through the loyalty platform, he said.

To be sure, Cil didnt fully write off short-term sales strategies such as limited-time offers. Theres always a balance in this business, especially when youre a market leader, he said, noting that the chain needs to focus on quality, value and convenience. Those are the things that are going to give us a competitive advantage in the market and continue to hold our really strong position and start growing long term.

Continue reading here:
Tim Hortons starts thinking long term - Restaurant Business Online

The ridiculous popularity of Popeyes' fried chicken sandwich is definitely a shot across the bow of industry leader Chick-fil-A. But the return of the limited-time offer from Popeyes -- aRestaurant Brands International (NYSE:QSR) chain -- is a much bigger threat to McDonald's (NYSE:MCD), which still doesn't have a viable chicken sandwich of its own.

After the hit sandwich popped up at Popeyes Louisiana Kitchen in August, McDonald's admitted its own sales "did go a little bit the opposite way" in the third quarter, although it gained hamburger market share.

Now with Popeyes bringing the sandwich back this month, and notwithstanding all the other turmoil McDonald's finds itself in these days, it suggests the burger chain could be tarnished once again as it continues to struggle getting customers to visit its restaurants. Without an attractive chicken sandwich response, McDonald's franchisees are left standing on the sidelines.

The Popeyes fried chicken sandwich is back. Image source: Popeyes Louisiana Kitchen.

Popeyes knows fried chicken, having been in business for over 45 years. But before its buyout in 2017 by Restaurant Brands International, it was largely an also-ran behind Chick-fil-A, which has long been the favorite of teens and adults alike, and Yum! Brands'KFC.

Yet the acquisition infused the chicken chain with a new sense of purpose as Restaurant Brands wanted to see innovation occur at a faster pace. The fried chicken sandwich landed at just the right time because chicken has become the favorite protein of American consumers as beef fades.

According to the National Chicken Council, per capita consumption of chicken is expected to exceed 95 pounds this year, compared with about 57 pounds for beef and 51 pounds for pork. Back in 1992, chicken and beef were about even at 66 pounds per capita.

The popularity of chicken catapulted Chick-fil-A into the third largest fast-food chain by sales last year, pushing it ahead of Taco Bell, Burger King, and Wendy'sand knocking Subway out of third place. McDonald's remains tops, with Starbucks second.

The response to the sandwich was phenomenal. Systemwide sales were up over 15% in the third quarter on top of an 8% gain last year, and comparable sales -- an important metric to understand if you invest in restaurant stocks -- soared 9.7% versus a negligible 0.5% gain in the year-ago period.

No doubt Popeyes fried chicken is as good as everyone says. But it took some snarky tweets to get social media to notice before the sandwich actually gained traction, and now it's almost a cultural phenomenon. When the sandwich hit restaurants on Nov. 3, there were lines out the door at my local Popeyes, and it was no coincidence it was relaunched on a Sunday -- the one day of the week Chick-fil-A is closed.

Hoping to avoid the shortages that occurred last time, Popeyes promised there would be plenty of chicken sandwiches to go around, though in some areas it still reportedly ran out. And franchisees were hiring more staff to handle the crush of customers clamoring for the sandwich.

It doesn't bode well for McDonald's. While it responded with a limited-time chicken offer of its own after Popeyes ran out,it didn't really pay off. Comps rose 4.8% for the quarter, but that was based on promotions, store remodels, and higher prices. Customer traffic was still negative,and it will only further agitate franchisees who have complained about the lack of a premium chicken sandwich that could compete against the likes of Chick-fil-A.

As a national chain and the industry leader, it's surprising McDonald's doesn't have one on its menu, the McChicken sandwich notwithstanding. Still, its chicken sandwich is just one of the things that needs fixing, and with Popeyes coming back with a second helping that so far seems just as popular as the first, investors might be left squawking when McDonald's reports fourth-quarter earnings.

Visit link:
The Return of Popeyes' Chicken Sandwich Is Bad News for McDonald's - The Motley Fool

Leading providers of home improvement solutions, 800 Remodeling has established a new eco-friendly recycling solution for old home materials. Recycling old materials, like pavers, allow the company to re-create a new eco-friendly & energy-efficient material. The company offers the recycling solution with no additional cost.

800 Remodeling - Los Angeles top general remodeling contractors - strives to help homeowners in the Los Angeles area achieve their home remodel dreams for over 40 years. The company provides them with innovative remodeling solutions, energy-efficient appliances and eco-friendly products that are consist of natural resources and eco-friendly approaches. It will ultimately help reduce the usage of fossil fuels, paper production, and water waste. It's one of todays biggest renewable energy savings solutions. The company has stood out from the rest of the industry with its recycling service. The service will help homeowners save huge expenses on their general remodeling project. The company buys the old materials of the house from the homeowner only to recycle it in a cutting edge technology solution. That allows general contractors to re-use the new eco-friendly recycled material for the project. While Keeping our earth cleaner, 800 Remodeling strives to optimize the project budget.

General remodeling is one of the most important investments for homeowners. Unfortunately, thousands of families in the Los Angeles area have not been able to remodel their homes in line with their taste. Mostly due to financial difficulties, although home remodels are usually very beneficial for the homeowner since the resale value is increasing. In addition to the project cost, the homeowner has to get rid of the old materials of the home, many of which are still valuable. However, 800 Remodeling has been able to change this narrative by providing a cost-efficient and eco-friendly remodeling solution. The service is offered for backyards, walkways, patios, driveways, ADU garage conversions and other general remodeling projects.

Over the years, 800 Remodeling has established itself as a one-stop solutions provider for all general remodeling needs in the Los Angeles area. The innovative recycling option further substantiates this claim. The environmentally friendly remodeling model will help homeowners reduce their expenses, and achieve their dream remodel. The company only has to recycle old materials and use them for its client's projects. This also helps to reduce wastage and environmental pollution. Offering a win-win situation to every stakeholder the general contractor, the homeowner, the neighbors, and our earth.

The many services offered by 800 Remodeling has made it Los Angeles #1 Rated General Remodeling Services Provider. Specializing in kitchen remodeling, bathroom remodeling, exterior remodeling, roofing, landscapes, outdoor living and more.

For more information about 800 Remodeling services and the innovative recycling solution offered, please contact us, or simply visit our website.

About 800 Remodeling

800 Remodeling is a family-owned & operated general remodeling company that has been serving the Los Angeles area for more than four decades. The company is fully licensed and insured, has worker compensation and is rated A+ at the Better Business Bureau. 800 Remodeling offers a wide range of general remodeling services, and cutting edge technology solutions. The company insists on using the highest quality of materials and craftsmanship and providing exceptional customer service to its clients.

Media ContactCompany Name: 800 RemodelingContact Person: Amir PoratEmail: Send EmailCountry: United StatesWebsite: 800Remodeling.com

Read more:
800 Remodeling Introduces a New Eco-Friendly & Energy-Efficient General Remodeling Recycling Solution For Homeowners In The Los Angeles Area -...