Affordable Green Homes in Utah

Realtor® Kandy Clayton  ~  Salt Lake City Utah Real Estate

Most homebuyers these days like the idea of buying a green home, especially when they hear the word “affordable green home.”  Now, the homebuyers in Utah can get the best of both worlds: an affordable green home.  However, the biggest savings come after the purchase of the home.

There is a nonprofit builder, the Community Development Corp. of Utah, that is building the first of five affordable green homes for low-income families.  These homes are being built on a vacant Magna field.  They are also being loaded with energy-efficient insulation.  The homes will even come complete with gadgets that will save the owner hundreds of dollars annually.

These affordable green homes will boast 1,185 square feet, three bedrooms, a garage, an estimated annual gas and power bill of $500 and the first one is expected to be on the market in 45 days.

The big savings here will come from the rooftop solar collectors that will heat water every day of the year, energy efficient windows, three layers of different insulation and a modern day central swamp cooler to combine refrigeration and evaporative cooling.  The features should help lower-income Utah families qualify for a loan to buy the home.

Currently, the Community Development refurbishes homes with the goal of helping low-income families become homeowners as well as helping restore neighborhoods.  They have been focusing on Magna lately, which is a historic copper mining settlement of 23,000 people in the Salt Lake Valley containing most of the Main Street bars, markets, a theater and a museum.

The homes will cost around $175,000 to $180,000.  And this price includes extras such as $10,000 for the efficiencies and $8,000 for the solar water heater.  Plus, the homeowner will be eligible for thousands of dollars in efficiency rebates on their taxes.  For instance, they will be eligible for a $750 rebate on the modern swamp cooler from Rocky Mountain Power. 

This really sounds like an outstanding bargain.  And more great news: two of the five houses are expected to be finished this year.

If you want more information about buying real estate in Salt Lake City or its surrounding communities, contact me, Kandy Clayton.

Save Your Money and Be Bold With Paint

Do you have laminated countertops with a color that went out of style ten years ago, but haven’t had the money to replace them?  Well, here’s a very simple solution for making a big impact.  Be bold with paint and save your money.  In these tough times, everyone is looking for ways to save every penny they can and replacing countertops can sometimes be quite pricey.  Therefore, I’d like to share some simple tips on how to paint your laminated countertops correctly.

Painting the countertops can be inexpensive and simple if done properly.  However, you have to plan carefully for this type of project and keep in mind that it will take two to three full weeks for the countertops to cure completely. 

When selecting your paint color, think about your walls.  You want something that will coordinate with the rest of the room and accessories, but it doesn’t have to match exactly.  You may even want to check out the latest laminates to get a feel of the newest trends in colors.

Once you have chosen the paint color that will meet your needs, just follow these steps:

*  Clean countertops with soap and water only and then dry completely with a soft cloth.

*  Using 150-grit sandpaper and lightly sand the counter to scratch the surface up.  Wipe off dust with a damp cloth and let dry.

*  Prime time.  Using 100% acrylic primer, prime the enter surface.  You want to use a primer that will stick to the surface and allow paint to stick to it.  Some suggestions include Benjamin Morris Fresh Start, XIM primer, Bullseye 1-2-3 or any high quality primer.  Be sure the label says it is intended to cover high-gloss surfaces.

*  After the first coat of primer has completely dried, apply a second coat of primer.

*  Once the second coat of primer has completely dried, it is time to paint.  Using a semi-gloss enamel or latex satin paint, apply two coats, allowing the first coat to dry before adding the second coat of paint.

*  When the finish coat is dry, it’s time to seal it with two coats of clear acrylic.  You will be using a satin or semi-gloss acrylic to seal it.  The higher the shine, the more protection the counter will have against general wear and tear.  Never use flat or eggshell paint on your countertops.

Although the acrylic seal will dry quickly, remember that it will take two to three weeks to completely cure.  So, take it easy on your counters during this period.  No scrubbing; only a light wipe with a soft cloth is all that will be needed during this time.  After the curing period is over, you should never use scouring pads, powder or anything else that would scratch the surface.

Good luck with your countertop painting project.  If you try it out, I would like to hear about it.  Just leave a comment about it here in my blog.

Realtor® Kandy Clayton  ~  Salt Lake City Utah Real Estate

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Salt Lake City is Blooming with New Businesses

 In today’s tough economic times, any new business opening up is good news, and many new businesses coming to one area is “super” good news.  Therefore, I’d like to take a moment to mention how great business is in Salt Lake City, Utah.  Business is absolutely blooming and continuing to thrive in Salt Lake City.

In addition to these new downtown restaurants that have opened up such as the Olive Bistro, Eva Mediterranean Tapas, J Wong’s Asian Bistro and Bruges Waffles and Frites, other businesses have  come to Salt Lake City and have done well, too.

The Bingham Cyclery opened its flagship store north of Pioneer Park at 336 West 300 South.  This is great news for those who have dedicated themselves to helping the city “go green.”  Biking is a great and easy way to travel around town, and it’s becoming a more preferred form of transit this day in time. To learn more about the Bingham Cyclery, visit www.binghamcyclery.com .

The Atomic Blonde Salon recently relocated to downtown Salt Lake City to the Metro Condo building at 350 South 200 East.  The salon features skilled stylists in a casual atmosphere with great music.  They also sell a wide variety of hair products.  For more information about the Atomic Blonde Salon, visit www.atomicblondesalon.com.

The Green Ant recently opened its doors on Broadway at 179 East 300 South.   The Green Ant is a vintage modern furniture store featuring pieces from the 1960’s and 1970’s.  They also have an eclectric clothing line that offers quintessential merchandise for the admirers of chic and sleek styles.  Visit www.thegreenant.com for more information.

Meyer Gallery opened at 350 South 200 East in Salt Lake City in the Metro Condo building.  The Meyer Gallery is one of the most respected galleries in the west, and Salt Lake City is proud to have this addition to the area.  The gallery specializes in watercolor paintings, impressionistic oil paintings, bronze sculptures and representational paintings.  Artwork is by national and regional artists.  Visit www.meyergallery.com for more information about the gallery.

Uptown Cheapskate, the upscale thrift store has opened at 353 West 200 South.  This wonderful store is dedicated to selling famous fashions without the expensive price that usually goes with it.  For more information about Uptown Cheapskate, visit www.uptowncheapskate.com.

These are all great businesses to the area that are helping boost the economy.  Salt Lake City is also looking forward to a new light rail line to the airport, changes to private club laws and a new cultural district that will help propel Salt Lake City for many years to come.

If you like what’s going on in Salt Lake City, check out homes for sale in the area.