Thursday, September 26, 2019

How to Choose Colors for Your Home

By Niko Papaheraklis

Choosing the color for the various rooms in your home is more important than you may think. The color you choose tells people how to feel in that space. Do you want to give your home a more modern feel? Maybe you want your home to feel homey and traditional? No matter which way you go, choosing the correct colors will be vital. Below, we’ve laid out a few tips to help guide you in choosing the colors for your home.

Colors evoke certain emotions

Colors can make us feel happy or sad, hungry or relaxed, and even energetic or tired. Ever wonder why many fast food restaurants have the color red in them? It’s because red tends to make us feel hungry. Blue on the other hand lends itself to professionalism, calm, and cool - which is probably why many social media platforms use blue as their main color (Twitter, Facebook and LinkedIn to name a few).

This same concept applies to the rooms in your home. How do you want people to feel while they’re in the kitchen or living room? Do you want each room to evoke a different emotion or do you want people to generally feel the same throughout your entire home? These questions can help you come up with a color scheme.

Modern vs Traditional

When you think of modern, what colors come to mind? Probably grays, silvers, white and black. Tech companies do a great job of utilizing these colors - Apple is a great example of this because their entire product line is mostly silver.

On the flip side, when you think of a traditional home, you may think of warmer colors such as browns, dark reds, and beige. This gives a warm and homey feeling, whereas modern colors give a more light and simplistic feeling.

At Finecraft Contractors, we are experts at putting together color schemes and choosing colors for your home with the feeling you’re going for. If you have a renovation idea or want to remodel sections of your home, call us at 301-330-9191 and we’ll give you a thoroughly thought out estimate.

George Papaheraklis is the founder of FineCraft Contractors, Inc., located in Gaithersburg, MD. Since 1985, FineCraft has been building houses, additions, kitchens, baths and more for discerning families. Their blog can be seen at https://finecraftcontractors.com/blog/ and they can be reached at 301-330-9191.

FineCraft Contractors’ Latest Remodel is Featured in Bethesda Magazine

GAITHERSBURG, MD: FineCraft Contractors, Inc., (https://finecraftcontractors.com/) has a remodeling project that is featured in the latest issue of Bethesda Magazine.

The remodeling project consisted of making the client’s living and kitchen space more open, modern and full of natural light to brighten up the rooms. The client needed to use the space they had in a smarter way and desired an open-concept kitchen/family room, and so they reached out to FineCraft to get the job done.

Korva, the client for this project, stated, “We didn’t need more space, we just needed to use it smarter. It was very compartmentalized, and we wanted an open-concept kitchen/family room where large groups could gather. Now we use the dining room, which we hadn’t really done much with before. I feel like we are taking full advantage of all the rooms in the house.”

Another past client, Lynne Oakes, said, “FineCraft Contractors completely revamped our family room. Tore out old dated paneling, and ‘popcorn’ ceiling. Now it is not all chopped up looking and it is calming to look into it. Also they made custom bookcases on the sides of the fireplace that have ample storage below and great display space above. I’m very pleased with the results and the respectful people who came into our home to do this work.”

George Papaheraklis is the founder of FineCraft Contractors, Inc., located in Gaithersburg, MD. Since 1985, FineCraft has been building houses, additions, kitchens, baths and more for discerning families. Their blog can be seen at https://finecraftcontractors.com/blog/ and they can be reached at 301-330-9191.

Tuesday, September 17, 2019

Sun Pacific Mortgage Offers New & Unique Alt-A Hard Money Program

SONOMA COUNTY, CALIFORNIA: Sun Pacific Mortgage & Real Estate (https://www.sunpacificmortgage.com/), a Hard Money Lender for over 3 decades, has begun offering a new type of loan Program for the many home buyers and borrowers who are turned down elsewhere for a real estate loan: an Alt-A Hard Money Program!

They are located in Northern California and are licensed for lending throughout the state. This one of a kind Alt-A Hard Money loan is the perfect solution for a home buyer or borrower who just cannot get approved for a home loan, by another conventional or traditional lending institution. They miss qualifying by a slim margin; In other words, they are almost qualified for a standard bank loan but not quite.

Sun Pacific’s Alt-A Hard Money loans provide the solution to those who want to buy a home or refinance but get told “no”. These typically have rates from *6-8% - which is considerably lower than the average Hard Money rates. This program is for borrowers and home buyers with a credit score of 640 or higher, a 35% or more down payment, and on a property in good shape and in a good neighborhood. Many borrowers with this type of loan will end up refinancing in a year or two when their credit improves or the other disqualifying circumstance(s) resolves.

Sun Pacific Founder, Forest Tardibuono, states “Because of the demand from both borrowers and Investors, we have begun offering this new loan, in addition to our traditional Hard Money Loan Programs. We have many Investors who are interested in these types of loans. For borrowers who are just shy of qualifying for “A” paper, you can quickly get approved for this lower-rate Alt-A Hard Money Program. And we can turn these loans around quickly, in 2 weeks or less.”

He continued, “Just recently we funded a loan. A real estate agent called with a rush request from her home buyer:  He needed a $599,000 short term loan to buy an investment property in Mill Valley.  His current lending institution was confused by his company being the buyer so was not approving the loan. His credit was over 750, he had a good down payment allowing for 59% loan-to-value, he made great monthly income and had a lot of other real estate assets as well as excess funds in the bank. He was a perfect borrower. Except he had to wait too long due to unnecessary confusions from his lender, so now he needed fast loan performance.  This is where we stepped in with our Alt-A Hard Money Loan program with a 6%* rate and had his loan funded in just under 1 week!”.

Forest and Lynn Tardibuono are Founders and Owners of Sun Pacific Mortgage & Real Estate, located in Santa Rosa, CA, north of San Francisco. The company was founded in Sonoma County in January 1988, to provide honest real estate transactions and alternative financing to the community. To this day it is still family owned and operated.

They offer their traditional Hard Money Loan Programs and Alt-A Hard Money for real estate needs throughout all of California. From the moment the company started, they have specialized in borrowers and home buyers who were “turned down elsewhere”.  This financing is known as Hard Money or Private Money and is Sun Pacific’s specialty. Such loans are funded by individuals who live locally, therefore there are less qualifications and it is faster to get the funds – unlike other lending institutions which require much more qualifications and require 30-90 days to funding.

Their website can be seen at https://www.sunpacificmortgage.com/ or they can be reached at (702) 523-2099. They stand ready to get help you with a Hard Money loan where others turn you down!


Company DRE license # 0146899 and NMLS #360993
*APR for this rate based on a $200,000 first mortgage is 6.31%

Tuesday, September 10, 2019

3 Reasons You Should Hire a Professional for Tree Care

By Nancy Penrose

The trees on your property require routine maintenance. As time goes on, you may notice limbs look dangerously low, or maybe signs of health issues look like they’re popping up. Fixing these types of things yourself may be your first thought, but hiring a professional is a better choice, whether it’s a small job or a large project. Here are a few reasons why hiring a professional for your tree care is the right way to go.

1. Professionals know everything there is to know about trees and their health

Trees are susceptible to health issues just like humans or animals. If left untreated, the tree can have major consequences to its appearance and livelihood. The cause of any health condition can vary, but a professional will know exactly how to solve the issue and the best way to do it so you can save time and money.

2. Safety

It’s no secret that tree care professionals have safety at the top of their mind. Especially when it comes to heavy branches, limbs that are too low to walk under, or branches growing too close to the house. A professional will be able to keep your family safe while carefully removing these parts of the tree.

3. Have a beautiful yard

It may seem easy enough to trim your own hedges, but an untrained eye can create quite an eyesore. Professional arborists know how to manicure all types of trees in ways that will add value to your home and make your outdoor space beautiful.

At Big Trees, we are happy to come by and check out your trees for safety and health. Just contact us today at (866) 313-2333 to get started.

Nancy Penrose is owner of Big Trees Inc. (https://bigtreesupply.com), (tree nursery Snohomish, WA), one of the largest Seattle tree nurseries, specializing in large trees for sale and transplant tree service. Learn more about tree preservation at https://bigtreesupply.com/tree-care-maintenance/ and for more tips on tree care or installation go to privacytree.net. See our video at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A6vVhNW1XJI and connect with us on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/pages/Big-Trees-Inc/193731105108.

Big Trees Inc. Assists with Landscaping Between Two Estates

SNOHOMISH, WA: Big Trees Inc., (https://bigtreesupply.com/), a tree sales and transplant company in the Seattle area, was asked to assist with a landscaping situation between two estates in Medina, WA.

There was a row of very tall, older Western Red Cedar trees between two large estates, and the trees had become unstable. It was unclear if the trees would remain standing if a heavy wind event were to occur, and if they were to fall, they would hit one of the residences.

Once the decision was made to remove the trees for safety reasons, there was uncertainty on how to re-establish the privacy that the trees had created. Big Trees was contacted for a solution to the shared landscape. After an on-site consultation, Big Trees suggested a solution.

The measurements were taken of the length of the necessary screening effort, as well as how tall the trees would need to be to accomplish the desired privacy. Excelsa Cedars were chosen to be the best choice for the location because of their 25 to 35-foot height.

“It’s very exciting to see such a large landscape installation occur for our clients, and to feel the appreciation for what we are able to offer them. Our large trees are able to make such an immediate difference for the privacy of both estates.” said Nancy Penrose, owner of Big Trees.

Nancy Penrose is the owner of Big Trees Inc., located in Snohomish, WA in the Seattle area. The company is one of the largest tree nurseries in the Seattle area with over 120,000 trees available in over 300 varieties. They not only deliver young trees, but also mature trees in a wide range of sizes. Some types of trees available include spring flowering, deciduous, evergreen, and privacy trees. The company also does tree transplanting including large trees. Their blog can be seen at https://www.bigtreesupply.com/blog/ or http://arboristblog.com/. They can be reached at 360-563-2700.

Thursday, September 5, 2019

Silva Construction Restores Fire Damaged Master Bedroom

SAN PEDRO, CA: Silva Construction, (https://www.silvaconstruction.com/) a residential and commercial remodeling company serving the south bay area of Los Angeles, recently restored a home that had been damaged by a fire.

The fire in the home was started by an incandescent light bulb that was in one of the closets in the downstairs master bedroom. The contents of the house, down to the studs, were totally destroyed or damaged. Although many of the framing members had to be replaced, the overall structure stayed intact. Three small ceramic cows survived the fire which are now displayed in their new kitchen.

The family decided to renovate and add onto their current space, adding a new balcony with a larger master bedroom. The steps Silva Construction had to take to renovate their room included:
  • Tearing out all of the fire damage from the fire.
  • Drawing up plans for the new addition for the balcony and getting it approved by the city.
  • Replacing or repairing all damaged wood, framing and plumbing so the structure could be sound again.
  • Building the foundation, framing, plumbing and electrical to complete the add-on and the rest of the room to a full restoration.
Dave Silva, Executive Director of Silva Construction, stated “It is very rewarding to work with a family that was hit by a tragedy like this, and help make them whole by putting their home back into shape for them to live in it again. ”

Dave Silva and David Clarke are owners of Silva Construction, Inc., located in San Pedro, CA. The company has over 40 years of experience in remodeling construction, and serves Southern California’s South Bay area, including Westchester, El Segundo, Manhattan Beach, San Pedro, Hermosa Beach, Palos Verdes Estates, Rancho Palos Verdes, Rolling Hills, Harbor City, Lomita, Torrance, and other select areas. Their blog can be seen at https://www.silvaconstruction.com/blog3/ and their website can be seen at https://www.silvaconstruction.com/. They can be reached at 310-831-6310.