October - Kicking off the Holiday Season

( Image via One Kindesign)

The kids are gathering their costumes and sugary treats are everywhere. October kicks off the holiday season with a spooky twist and is so much fun for the whole family. I love the new chill in the air and the excitement that is building for the holiday season.

October is a great month to start planning in advance for the holidays, and to finish or start any projects you want done before the new year. It's generally not too cold for outdoor activities, so it's a good time to enjoy that while it lasts.

Planning for a Home Remodel

(Image of our kitchen before our remodel began)

A home remodel can be complex, with lots of moving parts to consider. From budgeting to making decisions on home styles, it will take a lot of planning and brain power. We have currently started a main floor remodel at my home, and I'd love to use it as a learning experience of what works (and what may not) when executing a remodel.

By making necessary plans beforehand, you can avoid excess costs or delays in your time frame. Taking the extra time to plan out each step can truly save time in the long run. Here are issues you may want to consider regarding in your home renovation plan before you get started.

1. Draw your dream: before you find a designer or architect, draw out a rough sketch of what you want to change, and what your ideal style will be. Having this will make it easier to find architects and designers ( if you choose to use them) that match your stylistic goals and expectations. Search Pinterest, walk through other homes, and draw inspiration from any resources you can to make your plans and goals as clear as possible.

2. Think ahead: Will this home renovation benefit you in 5 years? Will it increase your home value if you choose to sell? Will a specialized/ unique custom upgrade be worth it in the long run? Some projects could decrease the value of your home, and your family's needs may change down the road. Thinking ahead can help you ensure a comfortable future in your home (or the ability to sell it later on).

3. Budget: Even the best-laid budgets can get out of hand quickly. Chances are, your remodeling project will cost more than you expect. Before you set your heart on high-end ceramic tile, find out how much you have to spend and make sure you have a cushion against cost overruns. For must-have items that could wipe out your savings account, explore home improvement loans and other financing options.

4. Choose your team: Unless you plan to take on the entire remodeling project by yourself, you'll need to hire helpers. Naturally, you'll want to make sure that the folks who work for you are qualified, licensed, and properly insured. But, finding the best team for your remodeling project goes beyond a simple reference check. The architect who has won top awards may have a design vision very different from your own. Make sure that you find someone that can share your vision and help bring your ideas to life.

5. Negotiate Contracts: If you do decide to use help, make sure contracts are done before your project begins. Whether you plan a simple carpentry job or a major project requiring the services of an architect and a general contractor, misunderstandings can lead to disaster. Do not begin remodeling without a written contract.

6. Get any permissions necessary: a legal permit is required before you make structural changes to your home. The building permit assures that the remodeling project meets local building codes and safety regulations. If you live in a historic district, the permit also assures that exterior changes to your home stay within neighborhood guidelines. General contractors will usually take care of the paperwork, but small-time workers may not, and the permits then become your responsibility.

7. Plan for problems and establish rules: The larger the remodel job, the greater the chances there are for frustrations. There will be equipment breakdowns, supply shortages, miscommunications, and delays. Draw up a few rules for workers—tell them where they may park their trucks and store their equipment overnight. If concrete is involved, know where the leftover will be dumped.

Small Remodel Details You Might not have Considered

There are some details that may slip through the cracks when you are planning your remodel. Here's a list of reminders that are vital to plan for when you are finalizing remodel plans.

1. Where will you stay during the remodel? If you are just doing a small portion of your home, you may not need to move out completely. But if you do, you need to budget for living expenses for a second residence or temporary living space.

2. What about the pets? Pets can be stressed by small changes in home life, and a renovation is no exception. If you have pets at home, consider how you will keep them comfortable, safe, and out of the way during renovation.

3. Storing excess furniture. Chances are you will have to move things out of the space you are renovating. Do you have a garage to keep things during the process, or do you need to budget for a storage unit? Could you keep things at a family member or friend's house?

4. Clean up after the renovation. Clean up needed after renovation can be extensive. Do you need to hire a construction clean up crew, or will you be able to put in the time necessary to bring everything back to it's normal state? This can be another consideration for budget/ planning for time needed for the renovation.

OUR RENOVATION PROGRESS

Kitchen and dining space (shown above)

(shown above) Front enterance

(shown above) Main living room

HOME SPOTLIGHT

3485 E Eastoaks Dr Millcreek, UT

Listing courtesy of Cody Chamberlain and Jake Halpin

D3CADE Homes & Haplin Investments, Remodel Design by Victoria Chamberlain

Originally built in 1962 by renowned Architect Ron Molen... and wow, did he have some great style. Sadly, this home was tired after all these years and needed some love.. That is, until D3CADE Homes and Halpin Investments got their hands on it! Where do we even start with this place? Curb appeal - Well, someone pitched the roof and we just couldn't let that happen to the architecture here so we tore off a perfectly good roof and restored it back to the original flat elevation. Every square inch of this property has been meticulously revitalized to ensure the character and original vibe was not compromised. It actually has gone as far as re-desiging back to that 60's feel. Hats off to designer Victoria Chamberlain for taking this home to the next level!

If you are interested in learning more, click here for more information.

CURRENT LISTINGS

522 N Marathon Circle- Price adjusted to $1,295,000

With show stopping mountain views and luxury finishes, this elegant, contemporary home is ideal for those who want space to breathe while still living only minutes away from the city. As you walk through the main entrance and into the great room, you'll be blown away by views in every season-lush greenery in spring, golden sun-kissed peaks in summer, fiery red, orange and yellow in fall to dramatic snow-covered slopes in winter. This home is a true respite, surrounded by clean air 365 days a year yet only 15 minutes from the University of Utah, Park City and The Cottonwood Canyons.

You can view the full listing here and the home tour video here.

455 N Old Oak Road (LAND) - Price adjusted to $449,000

Exquisite lot in Emigration Canyon with almost 10 acres of land ready to build. This is a South facing lot with exceptional views. The University and Downtown are less than 20 minutes on the way down the canyon and Park City is less than 30 on the way up. It's the ideal location for anyone who likes to play in the mountains but needs access to the city as well. Renderings, survey, and Perc tests have all been done and approved by the HOA. Don't miss the opportunity to build your dream home!

You can view all my current listings here.

SLC - HAPPENINGS

Here are a few events that caught my eye happening in and around Salt Lake in the next few weeks.

Monster Block Party

The Monster Block Party is a FREE, daytime Halloween festival for Salt Lake City’s goblins and ghouls of all ages. There will be trick-or-treating booths, a costume contest with prizes (Kid, Teen and Adult divisions), free arts and crafts projects, a pumpkin drop, live music and dance performances and more! We typically have around 30 vendors that participate in this event, provide candy and fun activities for the kids, and decorate their booth with a fun Halloween theme.

Click here for more information.

UMFA Black Tie Costume Fundraiser

All proceeds go to support the arts in Utah at this special event! The theme is power couples, coinciding with the Museum’s latest exhibition. Dress up for the costume contest and come enjoy amazing art, food, and performances

For more information, click here.

HEALTH AND FITNESS

Which is better, eating 5 or more small meals a day or fasting for 16 hours?

By Erin Butler

Schedule a consultation with Erin by contacting (801) 580-3034 or emailing erin@be-nutrition.com.

Whether you are trying to lose weight or gain muscle, I am sure you have heard of meal frequency and meal timing, which are terms used interchangeably to talk about dietary eating patterns. What is the “right” way you may ask? Well, both hold value depending on the clients goals, lifestyle and activity level. I am going to briefly discuss 5 meal-timing myths around fasting compared to eating frequent meals in relation to metabolism, muscle mass, and body composition.

Myths Exposed:

1: Meal Frequency: eating frequent smaller meals spike metabolism- Available literature states that increasing meal frequency does not have a metabolic advantage. It might be a way for a client to reach their caloric goal for the day, but for those that have a hard time meal planning or counting calories, this method might actually do more harm than good.

2: Fat Metabolism- Fasting is the best for increasing fat metabolism. Fasting will, by the laws of energy metabolism, increase the amount of energy being utilized from fat. However, fasting protocols may be beneficial for some populations and not for others. For some populations, fasting can be a great alternative to staying on the path to attaining calorie goals. But for those that are very active or athletes, there might be performance repercussions.

3: Hunger: eating frequent smaller meals reduces hunger- For those individuals with higher BMIs, reduced eating frequency or even fasting could help them attain caloric and macronutrient goals. Intermittent fasting is equivalent to continuous energy restriction. Since many factors regulate hunger hormones it may be best to first focus on food quality and caloric targets instead of eating patterns.

4: Body composition: eating multiple times per day boosts muscle mass- currently, evidence does not support an added benefit of increased meal frequency for long-term body composition goals. But if the goal is increased mass or to build muscle and the client needs to consume 4,000 calories per day it may be easier to spread those calories in five meals versus packing them into one or two large meals.

5: Nutrient timing- We need to time nutrient intake. Timing our food intake is more of a fine-tuning strategy that can be used after energy and macronutrient goals are established. The first step is to focus on overall energy goals, macronutrient aims, and exercise that support muscular fitness. Discussing pre and post workout fuel for clients could be a good place to start when discussing nutrient timing but only after the dietary patterns of whole-hearted nutrition is put into place.

Understand that there is no “right” way, but more a “best way” for your lifestyle, goals and activity level. The hope is that you are able to pick a pattern that is adaptable and can drive long-term lifestyle changes that support you and all your endeavours.

NEW RECIPE

Chicken Pot Pie IX

(allrecipes.com)

The frozen pie crusts from Whole Foods are perfect for this recipe. They aren't too sweet!

Ingredients

1 pound skinless, boneless chicken breast halves - cubed

1 cup sliced carrots

1 cup frozen green peas

½ cup sliced celery

⅓ cup butter

⅓ cup chopped onion

⅓ cup all-purpose flour

½ teaspoon salt

¼ teaspoon black pepper

¼ teaspoon celery seed

1 ¾ cups chicken broth

⅔ cup milk

2 (9 inch)s unbaked pie crusts

Directions

1.Preheat oven to 425 degrees F (220 degrees C.)

2. In a saucepan, combine chicken, carrots, peas, and celery. Add water to cover and boil for 15 minutes. Remove from heat, drain and set aside.

3. In the saucepan over medium heat, cook onions in butter until soft and translucent. Stir in flour, salt, pepper, and celery seed. Slowly stir in chicken broth and milk. Simmer over medium-low heat until thick. Remove from heat and set aside.

4. Place the chicken mixture in bottom pie crust. Pour hot liquid mixture over. Cover with top crust, seal edges, and cut away excess dough. Make several small slits in the top to allow steam to escape.

5. Bake in the preheated oven for 30 to 35 minutes, or until pastry is golden brown and filling is bubbly. Cool for 10 minutes before serving.

NEIGHBORHOOD NEWS

Neighborhood News provides people with relevant, housing market statistics and information by zip code — This monthly email provides data about homes that have been sold or are currently on the market according to your zip code, including sale price information. It's a great way to stay current on your neighborhoods position in the market.

If you are interested, please email me your zip code.

Mimi Sinclair
Realtor®

801.580.6089
mimi@winutah.com
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Instagram: @mimisinclair.realestate