Kate Wood, NerdWallet Published 5:00 a.m. MT Jan. 24, 2020

If you want to get real with your real estate, here are 5 home renovations that dont add resale value. Buzz60

You spent the holidays binging HGTV, and now visions of shiplap accent walls and freestanding soaking tubs are dancing through your head.

Don't let your desire to upgrade your home downgrade your home's market value. Before you make a renovation fantasy a reality, consider whether the project will pay off when you're ready to sell. Plenty of home improvements add value, but others like these five can hurt it.

Tax season is almost here: Here are 7 costly mistakes to avoid

Retirement: 3 reasons to pick a Roth IRA over other accounts

If you love to cook, a high-end kitchen could be the ultimate gift for you. But if you think a massive overhaul will majorly impact resale value, you might be in for a surprise. An upscale kitchen renovation recoups just 54% of its cost in added value, according to Remodeling magazine's 202 Cost vs. Value report.

"If you do marble countertops and high-end appliances, you could spend $100,000, and it doesn't necessarily mean your house is worth an extra $100,000," says Beatrice de Jong, a consumer trends expert for Opendoor, a San Francisco-based direct home buyer and seller.

Smaller kitchen upgrades could yield a bigger payoff. Chris Arienti, broker and owner of Remax Executive Realty near Boston, suggests keeping updates reasonable: Think granite rather than marble, and GE instead of Sub-Zero.

A bold statement wall can say the wrong thing to potential buyers if the workmanship is questionable. Streaky, chipped or low-quality paint can knock $1,700 off a home's sale price, according to Opendoor data that looked at home offers made from June 2018 to June 2019.

"A good paint job is not easy," says Sarah Cunningham, a real estate agent with Ethos Design + Remodel in Boise, Idaho. "It is all in the prep work, and most people don't want to do the prep work." Hiring a professional to paint can help ensure a more attractive result.

Knocking down a wall to create an oversize master bedroom or stealing closet space to build out a spa-style bathroom may sound dreamy. But how about as a selling point? "If you go from five bedrooms to four, and you can make it work, no big deal," Arienti says. But he cautions that losing a bedroom in a smaller house could mean a lower selling price.

As for cutting into closet space, residential building codes don't mandate that bedrooms have closets. But, Arienti says, "Once you take the closet out of a bedroom, to a buyer, that no longer looks like a bedroom."

Carpet can be especially unattractive to first-time home buyers, who may be used to landlords updating carpet between renters, de Jong says.

"In general, people are grossed out by [carpeting]. It can make a room look a little bit dated."

It can also ding your sale price. Carpet as the primary flooring in a house drops the value by $3,900 and carpeting in the master bedroom causes a $3,800 plunge, according to Opendoor. Conversely, a 2019 report from the National Association of Realtors estimated that sellers could recoup the entire cost of refinishing hardwood floors. New wood flooring could actually add value, with sellers getting $1.06 for every dollar spent according to NAR.

It doesnt matter if its infinity edge or above-ground: Any pool can be seen as a drawback by buyers who don't want to deal with maintenance or insurance. Even in Florida, a pool doesn't add value, Liede DeValdivielso, a real estate agent with the Keyes Company in Miami-Dade, said via email. If you're thinking resale, it's not worth it you'll never recoup the cost, DeValdivielso said. But if you'll use it and enjoy it, put in a pool.

How to decide if a renovation is worth the cost

To ensure you're making an informed decision:

MORE: 5 Proven Ways to Increase Home Value

MORE: How to Tap Your Home's Value

MORE: HELOC: One Way to Pay for Home Renovations

Marianne Sierk and Robbie Mortillaro bought a home for $275,000 outside Baltimore. It fit their budget but needed work. Here are the lessons they learned from renovating themselves. USA TODAY

Kate Wood is a writer at NerdWallet, a personal finance website. Email: kwood@nerdwallet.com.

NerdWallet is a USA TODAY content partner providing general news, commentary and coverage from around the web. Its content is produced independently of USA TODAY.

Read or Share this story: https://www.usatoday.com/story/money/2020/01/24/home-improvements-might-downgrade-houses-market-value/4546753002/

Read more from the original source:
Don't downgrade your house's value: 5 home improvements that may not pay off when you sell - The Coloradoan

advertisement

A developer wants to convert a tiny storage room in a residential building in the Green Quarter into a living room / bedroom.

At just 21 square meters, however, this would be almost half the minimum recommended size for a studio apartment that meets the standards used by the Manchester Council.

advertisement

The average Travelodge hotel room is 28sqm.

Developers have applied for planning permission to remodel the storage room on the ground floor of the Jefferson Place apartment block on Fernie Street.

A floor plan presented to the city council shows that the apartment would contain a small bathroom, a kitchenette and a bed.

The floor plan of the proposed apartment

The application, which was submitted by Broompark Management Limited, based in Prestwich, describes the proposal as changing the use of an unused storage space into a studio apartment.

Cheetham Hill Council member Naeem Hassan described the plan as unacceptable.

He said: We need more accommodation, but it has to be an appropriately sized accommodation.

I am not interested in this type of accommodation. I will object to it.

It is unacceptable. They are just greedy people trying to make more money.

Whats next? Will people start remodeling their garages?

According to the state standards for technical housing construction introduced in 2015, the minimum size for a studio apartment is 37 m.

However, these standards are not legally binding. If there is a shortage of housing or if an apartment has access to municipal facilities, builders can apply to the local authorities for permission to build smaller houses.

Councils cannot reject land based on its size alone.

The circled grille will be replaced by a window when the apartment wins the bid

The average size of a house in England and Wales is 90m.

It is not clear whether the apartment is for sale or for rent.

A 33 sqm one-room apartment on the first floor of another block in the Green District is currently being sold for 130,000.

The Manchester Evening News contacted Broompark Management and was informed that no one was available to comment.

A spokesman for the Manchester Council said: The local planning authority must define a planning application taking into account local and national planning policies, site-specific aspects and the merits of the proposal.

Minimal room standards are an important yardstick to ensure that our residents have access to sufficient living space which has a clear connection to the quality of life and is therefore a key concern for the citys municipal planning authority

A decision is made as to whether the application has considered all relevant aspects and after a public consultation as part of the planning process.

Get the latest news first in the free Manchester Evening News app download it here for your Apple or Android device. The MEN email newsletter also gives you an overview of the most important articles that are sent daily to your inbox. Subscribe here. And here you can follow us on Facebook.

advertisement

Continued here:
Could this be the smallest apartment in Manchester? Developer wants to convert TINY storage room into studio apartment - magviral

Most homeowners have struck roofing issues at some point in their own lives. From small leakages to cracks, roofs suffer from lots of common issues that require immediate care. To help you in resolving your roofing problems we have listed 10 common problems that every homeowner suffers on Roof Replacement.

Roofs Leakage is one of the most commonly faced problems among homeowners. They can arise in a large number of issues. From shingles, slates to tiles, all these issues can weaken your roof. This issue cannot be resolved with waterproof metal since they could crack after a length of time flashing. In worst cases, water may start dripping from the roof. Roof leaks tend to happen in the following places:

Its tough to keep an eye on each one of these areas. The only means to save yourself from repainting roofs is really to follow preventative maintenance measures. It is possible to consult the service of a roofing company to possess biannual testimonials for all these issues. A roofing company does more than inspect the problem; they can resolve the issue until its a nuisance for your family members.

Sets from foot traffic into local wildlife may leave scratches, puncture marks, and sometimes even enormous holes in a roof. When it is perhaps also a contractor walking over the shingles or drilling holes in the eaves, the damage can build up, exposing it into moisture or affecting the timber.

The installation of a roof may increase the probability of problems radically and lessen the life span of the roof. Here an experts guidance must let you know whether the setup is correct or not. Inadequate and faulty installation falls beneath the individual mistake category. When the roof wrongly installed from the start, that increases the possibility of common roofing problems. The general issues involved in the process of installation contain rooting, which installs improperly. Flashing is perhaps the gutters that eventually leads to a pool of water or that the material employed for sealing around vents and pipes or poor drainage either at the HVAC is as. Installed flashing can bring about off the blowing of their roof material throughout situations that could multiply the frustrations associated with roof maintenance into the list of problems.

Flashings are the major components used to seal roof system edges, perimeters, penetrations, walls, slopes, drains, and every area where the actual roof covering is disrupted or terminated. The primary function of rooting would be to help seal any voids from the roof system where water can enter, making these prime areas because of flow causes if not checked regularly.

The material is aluminum or galvanized steel and, depending on the type of roof you have, is likely in the area, round the chimney, and sometimes even around dormer windows or skylights. Oxidization and weather are for flashing deterioration, the most frequent culprits. However, it is possible that rooting can quickly appear loose. Professional roofing contractors cut and shape their flashing out of sheet metal, but flashing pieces now come preformed and can be applied without much difficulty using caulking or roof cement.

If your roof gutters are jammed, broken, or otherwise faulty, water might be backing up into the roof. In that case, it might eventually flow into the eaves, where it can lead to decay. Preventing such damage involves routine checking your gutters for debris, and for the broken parts. Installing screens on the gutter openings also prevent limbs and leaves from getting into your system.

The soffit is a French word which actually means formed as a ceiling and the Latin word for to correct underneath. The exposed surface below the area of the roof or the finished surface below the fascia is popularly known as the soffit.

Vented soffit has small pockets that provide air circulation so that it can cycle to the vents and also draw moisture and heat away from home. It plays an important function in helping to ventilate the loft and prevent rot in the sheathing and rafters. As its a cost-effective and more water-resistant material, soffits are made up of vinyl. It helps regulate the temperature and through the remainder of your home which makes it a more comfortable place to live. Look for holes, cracks, and rust to prevent a simple entry for creatures and insects or water.

Shingles roof provides excellent protection but is more prone to curling and discoloration. Aspects of broken or missing shingles can leave timber vulnerable to other harm, holes, and rotting. When this type of roof is not ventilated correctly during setup, they can also buckle.

The discoloration is a symptom of a roof leak, and the spot can grow into a gaping hole on your ceiling. A lack of ventilation, high nails, or installed fasteners causes curling. They look and are an open-source for water seepage. In case you have missing water, snow, and ice are hitting on your roof square on, and it is a direct approach to rot. Check your roof often and also make repairs or replace shingles when it looks necessary. To know more about which roof shingles is better for your roof, check out this video.

Shrinkage results when the veins at the roof, causing crazing or fractures in the top layer. Blistering, splitting, surface erosion, and ridging of shingles may lead to more significant issues. Its an unfortunate truth, yet substances with time tend. The material present under the tiles or shingles of the roof is precisely where that will take place. A frequent reason for shrinkage is aging. However, moisture or roofs, perhaps not installed improperly, can also bring about shrinkage. It will cause cracking causing acute fissures or crazing. If there is just really a minor blister, it will not be an immediate concern besides closure observation, yet what needs quick attention is blistering.

Snow and ice can cause a mess on any roof. That is because it melts down. You can get a surprise when it re-freezes. That is since the ice underneath your roof may push facing the flashing or shingles and also lift them, leaving openings by which more ice or water may input.

The only way to make certain winter conditions are damaging your roof would be to program and autumn maintenance and inspection. This way, you will not be caught stuck or invisibly in a situation that demands emergency roof restoration.

Improper repair is one of the offenses because this means that the homeowner hired someone to find the task done. Regrettably, there are not much things that you can do to block it except ensure that which you hire is trusted. Corners which cuts by many dishonest contractors. It will be quite a long time before anybody finds what they did, and since they will still get taken care of completing the job.

Read the original post:
Why there is a need for Home Improvement? - RecentlyHeard.com

MADISON, WI. Jan. 23, 2020 During a series of events on Friday,Administration Secretary Joel Brennan, Workforce Development Secretary Caleb Frostman and Wisconsin Economic Development Corporation (WEDC) Secretary and CEO Missy Hughes are sharing Governor Evers message of rural prosperity that was highlighted in Wednesdays State of the State address.

The secretaries are visiting Stevens Point, Crandon, Shell Lake and Cumberland to listen to members of the community and showcase agency initiatives aiming to address worker training and retention, rural economic development, transportation and health care.

Governor Evers State of the State Address focused on investing in rural communities, reducing student debt, and nonpartisan redistricting.

The people of Wisconsin expect their elected officials to work together on the challenges facing our state, said Secretary Brennan. Meeting with different companies in rural Wisconsin is a great way for our agencies to share the governors message and collaborate with the people in the community.

The projects visited today demonstrate how state agencies, with the help of the private sector, can connect the dots between education and employment, health care and quality of life, and diversity and economic growth, said Secretary Frostman. The Department of Workforce Development is eager to showcase how successful businesses and communities leverage state resources to attract, develop and retain talent here in Wisconsin.

Secretary Hughes added, One of the best parts of my job at WEDC is seeing firsthand the innovative approaches Wisconsin businesses and local leaders are taking. Im so pleased that Secretaries Brennan and Frostman will be joining me, especially as WEDC and our agencies explore new ways to help our rural communities grow and thrive.

The secretaries will visit:

Stevens Point:Marten Machining

Marten Machining has been involved in DWDs Youth Apprenticeship (YA) program for more than 20 years. Throughout this time, Marten Machining has been a huge advocate of the YA program, and this fall the company started using Registered Apprenticeship to train machinist apprentices.Marten Machining also utilized the new YA to RA bridge program to transition one of the new machinist apprentices from a youth apprenticeship into the current Wisconsin Registered Apprentice Program.

Marten Machining is a family-owned business that started in Alan and Deb Martens garage in 1984, and continues to experience growth and innovation. Their current planned move into a new 50,000-square-foot facility will add space for additional employees as well as future manufacturing equipment.Marten Machining partners with local area high schools in Stevens Point, Wisconsin Rapids, Rosholt and Amherst, as well as technical collegesMid-State Technical College and Northcentral Technical Collegeand campuses in the UW System to help provide students with opportunities to pursue careers in manufacturing through scholarships, youth apprenticeships, internships and flexible scheduling to work around their classes.

Crandon:Hometown Trolley

With help from WEDC, Hometown Trolley has developed a $20 million-a-year manufacturing business with more than 50 employees in the heart of Crandon. The third-generation, woman-owned company started out in the 1990s making hand-crafted replicas of turn-of-the-century trolley buses for tour companies and shopping districts. The companys line has expanded to include custom-made tour buses, with sales of both products throughout the U.S., Canada and South America.

Shell Lake:Indianhead Medical Center

WEDC is assisting the City of Shell Lake with a $250,000 Community Development Investment Grant to the Indianhead Medical Center (IMC) hospital and the attached Shell Lake Clinic. IMC is a privately owned 25-bed critical access hospital with a 24-hour emergency room that has aided the community since 1947, and today offers services such as medical testing, consultation and rehabilitation, general surgery, urology, cardiology, podiatry, orthopedics and radiology. The WEDC grant will support construction of a new 9,000-square-foot clinic building, an ambulance garage, remodeling of the emergency room and operating room, and other improvements.

Cumberland:City of Cumberland

The Department of Administration (DOA) is assisting the City of Cumberland with upgrades of its agingsanitary sewer system, the oldest components of which date back to the 1960s.The system has many pipe joint failures, service connection failures and manhole leaks, while inflow and infiltration issues have increased water treatment costs and health concerns.DOA is providing $1 million in assistance through the Community Development Block Grant Program, which will cover about 60% of the total project cost.

Read more:
WEDC: Secretaries Brennan, Frostman and Hughes travel to highlight Governor Evers State of the State initiatives - Wisbusiness.com

The Entry Lobby of the Asian Art Museum. Photo by Tim Griffith.

As the decorative aluminum Art Deco doors of the Seattle Asian Art Museum open to the public this February, visitors will likely feel a strong sense of familiarity.

At first glance, it seems not much has changed: the gold-filled Entry Lobby remains fit for a party thrown by Jay Gatsby, the connecting Fuller Garden Court still acts as the museums bright and spacious centerpiece, and galleries filled with Asian art await in nearly every direction.

Despite these constants, the museum Seattleites once knew has dramatically changed. Over the course of a 24-month-long renovation and expansion led by Seattle-based architectural firm LMN Architects, not a single inch of the Asian Art Museum went untouched.

With the addition of a 2,650-square-foot art gallery and much-needed structural upgrades, the citys historic museum is ready to serve the public for decades to come.

Designed by Paris-trained architect Carl F. Gould of Bebb and Gould Architects, the Art Deco building first opened in 1933 as the original home of the Seattle Art Museum. That same year, the museums founder, Dr. Richard E. Fuller, donated the building situated in Capitol Hills Olmstead-designed Volunteer Park to the city. In 1989, the building was added to the National Register of Historic Places.

After the opening of SAMs downtown Seattle location, the site was reopened as SAMs center for Asian art in 1994.

For nearly 90 years, the museum went without an update. Although three small expansions took place between 1947 and 1955 to accommodate SAMs growing collection, the building had never been renovated.

Before closing in 2017, the museum operated with its original 1933 boiler and mechanical electrical systems. It had no air conditioning or humidity controltwo necessities for ensuring the displayed arts protectionand was not in compliance with seismic codes and ADA accessibility standards.

With the museums long and illustrious history, preserving and restoring the buildings 20th-century features was equally as important to lead architectural firm LMN Architects as was bringing the building up to code.

Our goal was to have someone walk through the museums doors and not be able to tell what we had done, said LMN architect partner Sam Miller. We wanted to give the building a new life for the future but keep the original historic space, and visitors experiences of the space, the same as before.

Founded in 1979, LMN Architects is responsible for over 700 projects across North America including the University of Washington Paul G. Allen Center for Computer Science & Engineering, Benaroya Hall, McCaw Hall, the Seattle Central Library and the Washington State Convention Center.

LMN Architects was first brought in to renovate Seattle Art Museum some 15 years ago. As the firms work on renovating SAMs downtown headquarters came to a close, museum executives set their sights on remodeling their Volunteer Park location.

The museum conducted preliminary studies with LMN Architects, surveying the building for structural and mechanical issues. Following a brief hiatus in 2008 as a result of the global recession, the project found new life with the appointment of Kimerly Rorschach as SAMs director and CEO in 2012 and an expansion was incorporated into the planned renovation.

The project was not without controversy, however. In 2017, a group called Protect Volunteer Park launched a campaign against the museums planned expansion on the basis that it was not approved by Seattle voters and violated the original vision of the park. Despite these protests, the Seattle City Council approved the plan and the expansion broke ground in March 2018.

By the end of the two-year renovation, LMN architects remodeled 53,000 square feet and expanded the building by 13,000 square feet for a total cost of $56 million.

Along with a new 2,650-square-foot gallery, the museums expansion includes additional programming space, a dedicated education space, an Asian art conservation studio available for public viewing, a community meeting room, a new art elevator, and a glass-enclosed Park Lobby. Altogether, the extension spans all three floors of the museum.

The buildings original exterior sandstone faade was cleaned and preserved while the translucent film on the Entry Lobbys Art Deco metalwork was removed to allow for more natural light. Three fountainsone outside, two insidewere restored along with two Olmstead-designed outdoor pathways surrounding the museum.

The sites expansion also reinforces the buildings relationship to the park without disturbing its natural setting. The Park Lobbys panoramic views showcase the parks green landscape and bring visitors eye-to-eye with a towering beech tree.

You can either take those sorts of condition and think of them as a challenge or you can take them as a really terrific opportunity, said LMN Architects partner Wendy Pautz on designing the expansion around the tree. The Park Lobby is built so that you feel like youre up in the canopy of trees. From there, you share a very different relationship with nature than you do anywhere else in the park.

Daylight played another crucial role in the museums expansion and renovation. In the original building, skylights were used to illuminate nearly half of the museums galleries. While this proved aesthetically pleasing, the artwork displayed in the galleries was prone to damage by excessive exposure to UV rays and sunlight. As a result, the overhead skylights were often blocked off to protect the art.

To mimic the daylight that once flowed throughout the galleries, LMN Architects introduced artificial skylights that can be adjusted by temperature and intensity depending on the needs of the particular gallery. These lights recreate the sensation of daylight from above without jeopardizing the art. And Seattle-raised and now Brooklyn-based Kenzan Tsutakawa-Chinn has a new lighting installation that covers the ceiling of the Garden Court area.

For 23 years, the Asian Art Museum occupied a building that was designed to house a different museum. Now, with a massive renovation and expansion led by LMN Architects, SAMs extensive Asian Art collection can be prominently displayed.

Although the art hanging on the gallery walls is sure to attract plenty of visitors, the museums historic architecture is a work of art in its own right.

To work on a historic building like this is a real privilege, and its something we take very seriously, said LMN Architects partner Sam Miller. This building is a part of Seattles legacy and we hope the public will see that we treated it with care and respect. We only made it better.

See the original post here:
At the Seattle Asian Art Museum, everything is a work of artstarting with the museum itself - The International Examiner

As part of its expanded Community Store Program initiative, Starbucks Corporation SBUX announced that it plans to open 100 community stores in low income areas across the United States by 2025. The company partnered with United Way to develop programming for each store, such as youth job training classes or mentorship groups.

Notably, the community program initiative was launched in 2015 and since then Starbucks has opened 14 stores across the country with the first one in Ferguson, MO. It will open its 15th store in Prince Georges County, MD this spring.

The 14 Community Stores have helped the company empower partners and customers to create meaningful impact locally and reach out to more than 8,000 neighborhoods across the country.

The Seattle-based coffee chain, while opening or remodelling its 85 stores, will take into consideration some factors like high youth unemployment, low median household income and population stability. Moreover, the company will prioritize developing stores in economically distressed communities or Opportunity Zones. It anticipates to open stores in Prince Georges County, MD; Anacostia, D.C.; and Los Angeles, CA, among others.

Meanwhile, per estimates, the Community Stores have created more than 300 local jobs and generated more than $59.7 million in indirect economic development. The new stores will attract local workers, diverse contractors and will have dedicated community event spaces.

These apart, management focuses on increasing its global market share by opening stores in new and existing markets, remodeling existing stores, deploying technology, controlling costs as well as undertaking product innovation and brand building. In fiscal 2019, Starbucks added 1,900 net new stores. In 2018 and 2017, the company had added 2,300 and 2,250 net new locations, respectively.

For fiscal 2020, Starbucks plans to add 2,000 net new stores (600 net new stores in Americas and 1,400 net new stores internationally). New store productivity and Return on Investment (ROI) in the United States and China are high. By fiscal 2021, the company intends to open approximately 12,000 stores globally, taking the total store count to an estimated 37,000.

Courtesy of these efforts, the stock has outperformed the industry in the past year. The companys shares have rallied 44.7% compared with the industrys growth of 21.9% in the same time frame.

Zacks Rank & Stocks to Consider

Starbucks currently carries a Zacks Rank #4 (Sell).

Some better-ranked stocks from the same space include Chuy's Holdings, Inc. CHUY, Denny's Corporation DENN and Noodles & Company NDLS, each sporting a Zacks Rank #1 (Strong Buy). You can see the complete list of todays Zacks #1 Rank stocks here.

Chuys, Dennys and Noodles have impressive long-term earnings growth rate of 17.5%, 9% and 10%, respectively.

Biggest Tech Breakthrough in a Generation

Be among the early investors in the new type of device that experts say could impact society as much as the discovery of electricity. Current technology will soon be outdated and replaced by these new devices. In the process, its expected to create 22 million jobs and generate $12.3 trillion in activity.

A select few stocks could skyrocket the most as rollout accelerates for this new tech. Early investors could see gains similar to buying Microsoft in the 1990s. Zacks just-released special report reveals 8 stocks to watch. The report is only available for a limited time.

See 8 breakthrough stocks now>>

Denny's Corporation (DENN): Free Stock Analysis Report

Chuy's Holdings, Inc. (CHUY): Free Stock Analysis Report

Noodles & Company (NDLS): Free Stock Analysis Report

Starbucks Corporation (SBUX): Free Stock Analysis Report

To read this article on Zacks.com click here.

The views and opinions expressed herein are the views and opinions of the author and do not necessarily reflect those of Nasdaq, Inc.

See the original post:
Starbucks Partners United Way to Expand in Underserved Areas - Nasdaq

Family-friendly lodges provide an ideal venue for your personal blend of active pursuits and relaxation. Here are five places youll want to visit time and again:

The Lodge at Chaa Creek, near San Ignacio, Belize

Tucked within a 365-acre private rainforest paradise in the picturesque foothills of the Maya Mountains, Chaa Creek provides the ideal home base for your familys exploration of the Cayo District, a region where cave tubing, archeological sites, horseback riding and zip lining will lure you from the comfort of your palm-thatched cottage or tree-top suite. While at the riverside eco-lodge, dont miss early morning bird-watching tours, the hill-top spa, the Blue Morpho Butterfly Farm and the medicine trail where youll learn about native plants that provide globally significant remedies. Stay in tree-top villas, cottages or glamping-style camp casitas.

Contact: ChaaCreek.com

Timberline Lodge, Mount Hood, Ore.

Located in Oregons Mount Hood National Forest, sitting high on the shoulder of the iconic peak at 6,000 feet, this magnificent lodge was built at the height of the Great Depression by unemployed craftspeople hired by the Federal Works Progress Administration. Completed in 1937, the lodge has long served as the centerpiece of a mountain playground. The land and historic lodge are still owned by the U.S. Forest Service, but the National Historic Landmark lodge has been family-operated since 1955. Families return year after year to ski, hike, dine, mountain bike, learn about the local flora and fauna and to simply enjoy the high-altitude natural beauty.

Contact: TimberlineLodge.com

Sundance Mountain Resort, Sundance, Utah

Youll find it difficult to emerge from the cozy lodge warmed by a roaring fire or your cabin crafted from indigenous materials. But when you do, choose from cross-country and snowshoe trails that run deep into the woods or sunlit downhill runs on the slopes of Mount Timpanagos. Founded by filmmaker and conservationist Robert Redford, the resort offers family-friendly pottery, beading and printmaking classes in the Art Shack, winter fly-fishing and dining menus with an emphasis on organic and locally sourced ingredients.

Contact: SundanceResort.com

Grand View Lodge, Brainerd, Minn.

Visit this historic lodge on Gull Lake for a family-centric getaway. Expanding over 750 acres, the kids will burn off energy cross-country skiing, playing hockey, skating, tubing or swimming in the indoor pool. Go for sleigh rides, relax in the hot tub and play games in your garden cottage, cabin or lodge rooms. A four-season vacation destination, the lodge is a popular summer spot for lake activities, golf and hiking.

Contact: GrandViewLodge.com

Glacier Hotel, Glacier National Park, Montana

There are few places on the planet as stunning as Glacier National Park. And one could argue that the historic Many Glacier Hotel is the ideal venue from which to appreciate the vast and astonishing landscape. Located on the shores of Swiftcurrent Lake with jagged peaks as backdrop, the iconic hotel was built by the Great Northern Railway in 1914 to lure tourists to the Wild West. Today, visitors from around the world find their way to this northwestern corner of Montana, eager to see the disappearing glaciers, hike aside azure-colored lakes and to catch a glimpse of resident wildlife.

This secluded, five-story hotel offers a window into the past with old-world style guest rooms and a Swiss Alpine theme. While dedicated to honoring its historic roots, the 214-room gem has undergone a multimillion dollar renovation that included remodeling rooms, updating furniture and lighting and restoring the dining room to historic standards.

Red Bus tours, boat cruises, horseback rides and evening ranger programs are offered in an unparalleled lakeside setting. Book well in advance.

Contact: VisitMontana.com, GlacierNationalParkLodges.com

Originally posted here:
Family travel five: Lodges that blend activity, relaxation - Honolulu Star-Advertiser

Cameran Eubankshas beautiful skin, with the fresh-faced selfies to prove it: Just check out her au naturel glow in the photoshe posted in December 2019 with herSouthern CharmbestieChelsea Messiner.Cameran has shouted out her skincare secrets before like the "magic" serums and "freaking amazing" moisturizer she swears by. But now, the Charleston mom is trying out something a little different:a non-invasive skin treatment.

"Did something new I've read a lot about @spaazure today. (They are the only Biologique Recherche spa in SC)," Cameran wrote on Instagram Stories yesterday, January 15, along with photos from the treatment room. "This is the remodeling face machine that uses micro current to tighten and tone your face. You can add this service to your facial."

According to Spa Azure's website, the $235 Remodeling treatment uses electric currents to improve muscle memory of the facial muscles and revitalize the epidermis and Cam said she saw immediate results.

"I gotta say. My face seems LIFTED. Look how this eyebrow is lifted," she wrote, drawing in an arrow to show off the differencebeforeandafter the treatment.

Impressive! No wonder she said that she "will be adding this to [her]facials from now on."

Meanwhile, she's advocating forat-home use of Biologique Recherche's holy grail product, Lotion P50. "If you buy one thing, buy this. Cult following and some call it the single best skincare product in the world."

Cam isn't the onlySouthern Charm-er who swears by P50 and facials atSpa Azure:Naomie Olindosays her trips there leave her"feeling and looking likea new human every time."

Bravos Style & Living is your window to the fabulous lifestyles of Bravolebrities. Be the first to know about all the best fashion and beauty looks, the breathtaking homes Bravo stars live in, everything theyre eating and drinking, and so much more. Sign up to become a Bravo Insider and get exclusive extras.

Excerpt from:
Cameran Eubanks Tried a Face Tightening Treatment: This Eyebrow Is Lifted! - Bravo

Houzz Inc., the platform for home remodeling and design, recently released the Q1 2020 Houzz Renovation Barometer, which tracks residential renovation market expectations, project backlogs and recent activity among businesses in the construction sector and the architectural and design services sector in the U.S. The Barometer points to strong expectations for home renovation market activity in the first quarter of the year.

Small businesses in the construction sector and architectural and design sector are heading into 2020 on a positive note, with expectations in line with last year and project backlogs already a few days longer than three months ago, said Nino Sitchinava, Houzz principal economist. Given the significant delays in 2019 due to weather, among other factors, businesses are optimistic about projects spilling over into the first half of 2020. Economic and political uncertainty, high product and material costs, and shortages of skilled labor continue to be the top cited concerns for 2020.

Construction Sector

Architectural and Design Services Sector

The Houzz Renovation Barometer is based on a quarterly online survey sent to a national panel of businesses with an online profile on Houzz. The Barometer keeps a pulse on home renovation market conditions via three distinct indices that track expected, current, and recent business activity in two related industry sectors, the construction sector and the architectural and design services sector.

The Expected Business Activity Indicator is based on survey questions that ask businesses to report whether they expect the number of project inquiries and new committed projects to increase, decrease or stay unchanged in the upcoming quarter relative to the prior quarter. Scores for each component are then computed as a seasonally adjusted diffusion indices on a scale of 0 to 100, with index values over 50 indicating that a greater proportion of firms reported quarter-over-quarter increases than those reporting decreases.

The Recent Business Activity Indicator is based on survey questions that ask businesses to report whether they observed the actual number of project inquiries and new committed projects increasing, decreasing or staying unchanged in the most recent quarter relative to the prior quarter. Scores for each component are then computed as a seasonally adjusted diffusion indices similar to the Expected Business Activity Indicator. Recent Business Activity Indicator scores can be compared to the Expected Business Activity Indicator scores for any given quarter to see whether actual activity met, exceeded, or fell short of expectations.

Finally, the Backlog Indicator is based on survey questions that ask businesses to report wait times in weeks before a company can start work on a new midsize project. Scores are computed as average wait times without a seasonal adjustment.

All three indices are computed individually for two subsectors in the construction sector (build only remodelers and design and build remodelers) and for two subsectors in the architectural and design services sector (architects and interior designers), as well as for nine regions that follow U.S. Census Bureau Divisions. The aggregated national indices are computed using industry subsector weights and regional weights derived from the 2016 U.S. Census County Business Patterns survey. Detailed methodology and underlying quarterly indices for the construction sector and the architectural and design services sector, and other information on market conditions can be found on houzz.com/research.

The Q1 2020 Barometer was fielded December 29th, 2019 through January 10th, 2020 and garnered responses from nearly 1,500 small businesses on Houzz. n=1,484.

The Q2 2020 Houzz Renovation Barometer release date is April 9, 2020.

Furniture Industry News and in depth magazine articles for the furniture retail, furniture manufacturers, and furniture distributors. Read other articles by Nic Ledoux

See more here:
2020 Kicks Off with Confidence in Q1 Home Renovation Market, Houzz Barometer Finds - Furniture World Magazine

Whether you want to vacation with three or four generations of your family, take care of your elderly parents or nurture a relationship among members of your extended family, you may want to consider having a home designed specifically for multiple generations to live together.

One of the essential elements to a successful melding of generations in one home, ironically, is creating space for everyone to be occasionally apart.

For Diane and Roger Feeley, retired grandparents, this meant hiring Michael Winn, founder of Winn Design + Build in Falls Church, Virginia, to design a separate house connected to their daughter and son-in-laws home outside Washington, D.C. The motivation for the couple, both in their mid-60s, is to live close to their two grandsons, who are 2 and 4.

I didnt know any of my grandparents and I wanted my grandchildren to have the experience that I didnt have, she said.

More: The Best Smart Home Tech from CES 2020

Like many families, the Feeleys prize togetherness with their grandchildren but also appreciate their privacy. Their three-level house includes a porch that overlooks the swimming pool, a loft level home office and a 1,300-square-foot woodworking shop in the basement for Mr. Feeley.

I watch the boys during the week, but most evenings and weekends we hardly see each other, Mrs. Feeley said.

The Feeleys living situation is not so unique. Approximately 20% of Americans live in a household with three or more generations, according to the Pew Research Center.

More: Future Returns: There Are Reasons for Optimismand Cautionin 2020

Embracing Multiple Generations Takes Architectural Creativity

Just as each family is different, so are their design preferences.

When we meet with buyers, they often fall in love with the site and tell us how many bedrooms they need, but we dig deeper to get to know them and understand their family dynamics, said Ricardo Santa Cruz, chief business development officer for Mandarina, a resort with private residences north of Puerto Vallarta, Mexico. For example, for a family with college students who want to bring their friends to visit, we can design the house so that the entertainment space is far from the grandparents and parents suites. But families with young children often want the kids rooms close to their parents but farther from the grandparents.

One buyer built an eight-bedroom house with first-floor bedrooms for grandparents and two swimming pools an infinity-edge pool for adults and a waist-deep pool for the children that was placed at the back of the house, Mr. Santa Cruz said.

More: High-Tech Gadgets to Help You Stay Warm This Winter

Some families want to entertain with everyone cooking and talking in the open kitchen, but others prefer a more closed-off kitchen for staff to cook while the family and friends gather in another space, he said.

Other residences at Mandarina, where homes are marketed to international buyers, prices range from US$4.95 million to US$10 million, have been designed with a separate bungalow for grandparents or a suite with an elevator for accessibility.

In every case, we build outdoor space around the house and work around the trees and topography of the land, Mr. Santa Cruz said. We create small destination points with private terraces facing the ocean, the jungle or the trees where people can walk a short distance from the house to escape into their own nook.

Sometimes, a multigenerational home is designed for caretaking rather than relaxation. In the Chicago area, Fred Wilson, a founding partner with Morgante-Wilson Architects in Evanston, Illinois, designed a US$1.5 million renovation on a home that had been in one family for generations.

We created a suite for the owners mother on the first floor that includes a big open bedroom and living area with French doors to a private terrace, Mr. Wilson said. She can walk down the hall to be with the rest of the family in the kitchen and family room whenever she wants.

Meanwhile, several multigenerational homes have been built on Crane Island, a custom home community adjacent to Amelia Island in Florida. One recently retired couple built a US$1.5 million property to accommodate three children and their partners as well as extended visits from the wifes parents from Poland, said John Hillman, vice president of sales and marketing at Crane Island.

More: The Year Ahead in Luxury Real Estate

That house includes double-front porches and a screened porch in the back so theres plenty of space to be outside in separate areas if they want privacy, he said.

The family also built an apartment with a separate staircase above the garage with a living room, a kitchen, a bedroom and a bathroom so that the visiting parents have complete privacy when they want it, he said.

Another property on Crane Island, a US$3 million custom home, includes a garage apartment connected by an air-conditioned breezeway to the main house designed for the owners father, who is in his 90s. A third multigenerational property on the island has two wings to the house with a common entrance, so that the daughter and her family are on one side of the house and her father lives on the opposite side, Mr. Hillman said.

More: Cutting-Edge Amenities That Will Define 2020

As for the Feeleys, they planned to build a separate house on their daughters property but were prevented by zoning issues, Mr. Winn said.

The breezeway that connects the houses was built so they could be considered attached, but its practical, too, so the families can go back and forth under protection in inclement weather, Mr. Winn said. Otherwise, its a completely autonomous structure with almost 1,000 square feet on the main level that includes their living and dining area, kitchen, laundry, bedroom and bathroom.

Designing for the Future

While most families who build or remodel a home to accommodate multiple generations plan to live in it for many years, that doesnt mean many homeowners want visible aging-in-place features. Adding a first-floor bedroom and reducing the need to climb stairs are among the many elements that can make it easier for elderly people to stay in their home rather than move to senior housing.

More: Hidden Tech That Will Add a Futuristic Feel to Your Home

Its important to design spaces, especially the bathroom, that avoid that nursing home look, even if you need to include a bathtub with a door and a no-threshold shower, Mr. Wilson said.

The Feeleys home has aging-in-place features such as lever door handles, wide doorways, a front-loading washer-and-dryer and a walk-in shower with slip-resistant flooring and a seat, Mr. Winn said.

We designed the space around a spiral staircase to the upper and lower levels so an elevator can easily be added in the future if they want one, Mr. Winn said. A basic residential elevator costs about US$35,000 to install if the space is already configured for one, he said.

Since the Feeleys daughters home is an 1860s farmhouse, Mr. Winn was careful to design the new home to complement the historic home and to work as a pool house or future guest house if the family ever sells the property.

If you design a multigenerational house appropriately and not as if its an afterthought, the additional space is an asset for resale value, Mr. Wilson said. The space can be repurposed for guests, for an au pair, for an office or just another hangout space in your home.

More: The Wonderfuland Sometimes WeirdTech of 2019

Legal, Financial and Psychological Preparation

Every adult member of the multigenerational household should be part of deep discussions well before an architect is hired, Mr. Winn said, to clarify who will finance and own the property and who will make the design decisions. The Feeleys spent about US$600,000 to US$700,000 to build their house on their daughters land.

We had numerous conversations with our attorney and financial planner about how to address every financial and legal issue with building on our daughters property, Mr. Feeley said. The gift tax would have been crazy if we gave them the money to build the house. Instead, were the mortgage holders and our daughter and son-in-law have an interest-free loan with us that we forgive each year since theyre going to inherit our money one day anyway. We also have paperwork in place thats essentially an escape clause that dials down any potential apprehension about the future.

The agreement spells out what will happen if the Feeleys or their daughter want to move and sell.

More: For Luxury Home Buyers, Guest Suites Hit a Sweet Spot

My biggest recommendation is to do a trial run before you move in together, Mrs. Feeley said. We visited a few times for four-to-six weeks to see if we were going to get on each others nerves.

In addition, the Feeleys and their daughter planned upfront how they would split costs such as property taxes and utility bills, which Mrs. Feeley said is important for family harmony.

Designing From the Ground Up

Creating a comprehensive checklist of why youre buying or remodeling a home and including a list of all the habits and ways each family member will use the space makes it easier for an architect to develop a design that meets your priorities, said Mr. Santa Cruz. A custom architect should be willing to come up with creative solutions for your property that works now and in the future.

Youre only as happy as the least happy member of your family when youre living or vacationing together, said Mr. Santa Cruz. You want to design the home so that every generations needs are met. You want the kids to be able to play even while grandpa is taking a nap and mom is working.

More: A Smart Home Guide to Self-Care

Visit link:
The Luxury Way to Live with Multiple Generations - Mansion Global