Stage the House with Boughs of Holly!

A Dozen Holiday Staging Do’s & Don’ts

While many home stagers (and Realtors!) recommend removing excess clutter from a home on the market, this doesn’t have to strip you of your Christmas spirit! If your home is for sale this holiday season, you may still decorate! However, you should keep it tasteful by following these helpful holiday home staging tips:

Do's

Be Subtle. Trade bright banners or religious symbols for simple & natural winter pieces such as holly, poinsettias, pinecones, mistletoe and evergreens. The subtlety of these natural pieces is less likely to distract buyers from the details of your home. The Stager’s Mantra: Less is more!
Make Compromises. Instead of using your towering tree, swap it out for a slimmer, shorter tree. You are trying to make your home look as wide, open, and spacious as possible. If you need to rearrange furniture to accommodate the tree, you may need to remove pieces such as end tables to avoid crowding.
Choose Complementary Colors. If your walls are painted a khaki shade, traditional colors such as green, gold, and red will look nice. However, if turquoise is a dominant color in the room of your tree, swap out clashing red ornaments for soothing and subtle silver. Complement, don’t clash!
Capture the Buyer’s Attention. This is a great time to use décor to your advantage. Accentuate an arched doorway with mistletoe or string lights and evergreen garland on the pergola in the backyard. Draw attention to your home’s best details without covering them up.
Cozy Up. If you have a gas fireplace, leave it burning for the showing if you will be coming back home. If you do not have a fireplace or will not be home to check on it, adjust the thermostat just a couple degrees higher than usual instead. When buyers walk in from the chilly winter wind into your home, it will instantly feel welcoming and warm.
Stimulate Senses. Instrumental music played softly in the background, sugar cookie Scentsy or simmering cider on the stove, silky or velvety fabrics used in décor…these are all great ideas to get started on staging for the senses! Remember to be subtle, you may love the smell of cinnamon but a buyer may find it overpowering. The more comforting your home feels to buyers, the longer they may linger and note your home’s key features.

Don’ts

Don’t Display Your Family. Frequently, stagers will request that you take down family photos all times of the year and this rule of thumb carries over into holiday keepsakes. Don’t display family Christmas ornaments on the tree or put up the stockings with family names on them. This not only protects the privacy of your family but will help the Buyer imagine their holidays in the home.
Don’t Distract the Buyer. Set Christmas lights steadily on, not flashing. Leave your dancing and singing Santa collection in the attic this year. The buyers are trying to assess your house, not gauge how thorough you can decorate for the holidays. The Buyer needs to be able to picture your home as their new home and imagine how they would decorate it for their own holidays.
Don’t Hide your House. If every inch is covered in lights, tinsel, and garland, are the features of your home still evident? Be realistic with yourself with what is or is not “overdoing it.” Always remember, less is more!
Don’t Leave Gifts Out. This is a good idea not only for protecting your private property, but presents under the tree are taking up valuable floor space and adding clutter. Store the presents creatively: under beds, stacked in closets, trunks of cars etc. A few beautifully wrapped, empty, decorative boxes under the tree are acceptable.
Don’t Go Crazy with Lights. Say no to flashing lights, music synchronization, and giant inflatable lawn ornaments. Cut back on lawn decorations and instead highlight the architectural qualities of your house by outlining the roof with string lights or hanging icicle lights around the wrap-around porch.
Don’t Keep Christmas Until July. Promptly remove your holiday decorations on or before New Years! If you’re planning on listing your home during the holidays, allow your Realtor to come snap photos before you decorate so the photos will not be outdated in a few weeks.

You may not be able to go all out this year while your home is on the market, but think about how compromising your decorations this year may speed up your home selling process. Remember your end goal and focus on how you will decorate your new home next year!

If you need help selling a home or buying a home in the OKC Metro, we'd love to help! Call The Allen Group and "Let Us Open Doors for You!"

Anya Taschereau
Licensed Realtor & Assistant
The Allen Group Real Estate
http://www.SellingOklahoma.com

Terrible Termites!

I was watching “Flip That House” the other day and on this particular episode, during the renovation, they discovered that the house had horrific damage from wood destroying insects. They ended up reframing the whole area and essentially re-building part of the house just to fix the damage. Of course the “flippers” came out on top because it’s TV and they have all those contractors at their disposal. But what about you?

“Ew, bugs!” may be running through your head thinking about termites. I know my skin in crawling! But termites are more than bugs, they are serious pests and a threat to your home investment! In fact, a termite inspection is required if you are not paying cash for your home. If you have a mortgage, lenders and their investors will not approve your home purchase until a termite certificate is produced. Why should they if they can’t be certain that those little buggers aren’t tunneling their way through the house?

Termite Inspections are usually at the cost of the buyer, but fall under $100. It provides peace of mind for the investors supplying you with your mortgage as well as yourself. In order to maintain your termite-free status, we recommend getting a yearly termite inspection as well as following some tips on avoiding termite infestation.

If you need further recommendations, don’t hesitate to contact us!

Anya
The Allen Group

Does Your Agent Represent You?

If this seems familiar, you need to reconsider.

So what does a good buyer's agent do?

A good buyer's agent will CARE

Communicate

A buyer's agent represents you and your interests, but they can't read your mind! Be clear to your agent what role you expect them to play in your home purchase. Do you want them to send you suggested listings? Or would you rather look through listings on your own and simply have them there to answer questions and show the property? A good agent will stay in touch with you. When you're both on the same page, your agent will be able to understand your needs.

Act in Your Interest

Your real estate agent should be working for you and ensuring that you are satisfied with your home purchase. If you feel that your agent is pushing you into something that may be more representative of their best interests (such as a bonus offered on a certain home), it may be time to walk away and find someone else.

Respectfully Guide You

Your agent should be able to offer you constructive criticism while you're looking at houses as well as during the inspection period. They are the professional and it is their job to be available and honest with any questions you may have. Sometimes, buyers get excited and may be in over their heads on what they can afford or what they are willing to repair and update. A good buyer's agent will be aware of these needs and should remind you in a respectful manner.

Empower You

A good agent will empower you with the resources and tools you need to be a confident buyer. One of the benefits of looking with a good buyer's agent is that they will utilize all kinds of resources such as school reports, crime statistics, and pull comparable properties that have sold and what they sold for. Buying a house is a big decision but a good agent will make sure that you are comfortable with your decision and satisfied with your home transaction.

There you have it! A Buyer's Agent should CARE and if they don't, it may be time to call us!

405-509-9350 or 1-877-Buy-Okla!

Anya
The Allen Group

6 Step Guide to Surviving Tornado Season

Here in Oklahoma, we're all pretty familiar with tornado safety.

"Just listen to Gary England!"

While I have been that person fearlessly watching the incredible forces of nature, I have also had to be that person taking shelter and terrified of not making it out alive.

I think that we all need some friendly reminders of appropriate tornado safety measures as the season approaches.

Before the Storm

1. Register Your Shelter Did you know that if you have a storm shelter, you can register it? Call the Action Center at 405-297-2535 to do this. This way, if a disaster occurs the rescue team will know to look for you and where your shelter is located within the house if it is covered with debris. This doesn't have to be an underground shelter, you may have a certain closet that you have designated as your shelter. Be sure that people will know where to look for you by registering it as well.

2. Be Prepared Designate an area in your home as a shelter whether it is an underground structure, a closet, or a room that is in the center of your house. If you have children, run tornado drills as the storm season approaches. Clarify the differences between "tornado watch" and "tornado warning." Have a meeting point in case your family is separated during the tornado. Always have your designated shelter area stocked with recommended supplies such as:

Flashlight and extra batteries
Portable radio that runs on batteries (include extra batteries!) or uses a crank mechanism.
First aid kit
Emergency food and bottled water (don't forget your manual can opener)
Essential medicines or prescriptions
Comfortable and sturdy closed toed shoes
A set of spare keys to vehicles
Personal identification
A disposable camera (for insurance purposes)
Pillows and blankets for cushioning

During the Storm

1. Take Cover!! If you are at home, go to the the lowest level of your home. If you do not have a storm cellar or basement, choose a room that is central in your house and away from any windows. This may be a closet or even a bathroom. You should already have your tornado kit prepared.

2. Stay Covered Don't run back and forth from the window to your shelter to see what's going on outside. I know it's tempting, but remain in your shelter and use your radio to stay up to date with the storm's location. Have everyone put their emergency shoes on. If the tornado strikes, protect your head and neck with pillows, blankets, and your arms.

After the Storm

1. Calm Down Take a deep breath. Remember when you made that safety plan? Now's the time to use it! Meet up with everyone if you were separated. If anyone is seriously injured, do not move them unless they are in danger of further injury and call 911. Help your neighbors that may be trapped or in need of assistance such as families with small children, people with disabilities, or the elderly.

2. Be Careful If you smell gas or other chemical odors, LEAVE. Do not go into a building if it has been damaged. Once you've had a second to breathe and shake the jitters out, use your disposable camera to take pictures of the damage for your home owner's insurance.

Stay safe this storm season!
Anya
The Allen Group

Where to Start: Tips for First Time Home Buyers

Buying your first home is scary. Working in real estate, we see a lot of people who are first time home buyers and typically have a lot of uncertainties, doubts, and questions. Rightfully so! Buying a home is complicated enough but when you've never done it before, it's even more intimidating. We're here to give you some pointers!

1. Are you financially ready to buy a home?

Here in Oklahoma, we are lucky that our cost of living is so affordable. Forbes rated Oklahoma City as the #1 most affordable city to live in for 2010. Having said that, though, there are a lot of payments relevant to home ownership that you would not encounter as a renter. This may include additional utilities such as garbage pick-up and water. You will need to pay property taxes as well as insurance. Before you buy, it's helpful to clear up any debts that you have and build up an emergency fund just in case.

2. Go shopping!

Loan shopping, that is. It's still too soon to go shopping for houses! Go to a lender or two...or five. Get pre-approved by giving a lender some brief information about your employment and any debts you may be carrying. They will crunch some numbers and get an idea of how much you can afford. Remember that this is the absolute most you can afford, not what you should buy!

3. Start planning

Budget, budget, budget!! When you talk with a lender, don't be afraid to ask questions. Ask them what current interest rates are and what loan option will be the best for you. This is their job and they know how to help you figure out which payment plan will be best for you. You may also consider increasing your down payment amount. This may drastically change the amount that you pay! Maybe you want to wait to buy and save up a hefty down payment to build immediate equity. A good illustration of this can be found here.

5. Find a Realtor

A good Realtor, like the ones on our team, can help you find areas with great value that meet your requirements such as a certain number of bedrooms or to advise you on neighborhood safety or school ratings. Express to them what is important to you and it will become important to them as well. Realtors are here to represent you and your best interests, always.

6. Be Realistic

While you may get approved for a higher loan amount than you thought, this doesn't mean you should go for that maximum home price. A good rule of thumb is to keep your entire home payment (including your mortgage, taxes, and insurance) between 25% and 30% of your income. Some people will even give you the rule that your home should be no more than two and a half times your annual salary. If you get caught with a mortgage payment that is beyond what you can afford, you won't be able to enjoy life in your home! Give yourself some allowance in your budget to meet your daily obligations and save for things you need.

7. For Your Protection, Get a Home Inspection!

This is one of our favorite sayings! Once you and your Realtor have found your dream home and you've submitted your offer on it, we always recommend that you have a home inspection done on your home. You will need to pay for this, but a thorough home inspection will teach you about the home and will give you a heads up and make you aware of any issues the home may have, such as foundation issues. Additionally, with this professional proof of any defects, a lower price may be negotiated. Or, if you really want to, you can change your mind altogether. You may be out the cost of the inspection, but that's a whole lot cheaper than buying a home you aren't satisfied with or that costs you more in repairs than you can afford.

8. Closing Time

Once the offer is accepted, the home will go into escrow meaning that you are almost finished! The escrow processors will gather all the necessary paperwork from both parties Realtors, lenders, etc. to get everything legally and financially ready for close. Then the big day comes when you sign the closing papers, get your key, and move in!

Confused? There's no such thing as a stupid question, especially when it's a question about something as serious as home ownership. We'd like to make everything clear to you, we will promptly return your email if you would like some advice on buying your first home!

Anya
The Allen Group

Spring Cleaning To Sell

Now is the time of year for spring cleaning fever! If you’re preparing to sell your home, there are a couple additional things you can do to get your home ready for the market.

Exterior

An easy thing to do is freshen up the exterior of your home. Think about how the buyer would feel about your house without knowing how great you’ve kept it inside! Curb appeal invites them in to see how great the rest of your home is.

1. Mow the lawn, pull the weeds, mulch the garden, trim the shrubs, etc. This may take you all weekend but it can be done inexpensively.

2. Rent or borrow a power washer. You can spray down the house with a power washer to make it super clean. Look and see what psi you need to use to wash the type of exterior you have so as to not damage it. 1000-2000 is typical for wood or vinyl but brick needs to be between 500-1200 because it is more brittle to that kind of pressure.

3. If you have a painted exterior and your paint is chipped or faded, considering spending the weekend redoing that.

4. Clean the windows! As easy as that.

Interior

Spring cleaning in general should get your home ready to sell, but here are a couple other things to consider,

1. If you have acquired too much stuff over the holidays, you may need to de-clutter. Consider donating, having a garage sale, or renting a storage unit just for while your house is on the market. HomeGain claims a 586% return on the investment of a storage unit during the sale of your home.

2. Before you start buying more lights to help brighten up your home to sell, try cleaning the light fixtures. With the lights off, you may wipe the dust off of the bulb itself with a slightly damp cloth. Remove sconces and soak in the sink with mildly soapy water. You may be surprised how much that dust was blocking the light!

3. Use/rent/borrow a carpet shampooer or hire professionals to clean your carpet. Your carpet will look rejuvenated and getting that deep-down dirt out will help it look fresh!

4. If you can afford to, consider taking down a wallpaper that has become outdated or that you’ve gotten sick of and just repainting the wall. Even if the buyer will just come back in and repaint, you repainting will help the room look cleaner, newer, and fresher while it is on the market.

Good luck!

Then give us a call if you'd like a free in-home presentation about selling your home!

Anya
The Allen Group

Landscaping for Cheap

It’s the time of year to start pulling your yard together by updating your landscaping! To some it may seem too expensive but here are some really easy ways to use your resources. While it can be costly, here are some ways to cut those costs:

Free Stuff

Some cities may be willing to give you trees to plant in your yard in an agreement that you maintain it. Edmond has an Urban Forestry Department and Oklahoma City a Parks & Recreation Department. They are responsible for the landscaping in the city and your home is part of the city!

If you have friends that are gardening, ask to trade cuttings or exchange seeds to diversify your landscaping.

If you already have your yard designed, in may be okay to put some gloves on yourself and simply trim it and rake up. This will save you lots of money and you can enjoy some time outside before it gets too hot!

Be Water Conscious

To keep water bills low, find plants that are drought-resistant to keep up through the hot Oklahoma summer!

Compost

Save money on fertilizer by creating your own compost bin! Not only is this a great way to dispose of your food waste but it’s full of vitamins and nutrients to keep your landscape healthy.

Join the National Arbor Day Society

For $10, become a member of the National Arbor Day Society and receive 10 trees shipped to you at no further cost. This is a great, cheap way to get some saplings to start growing in your yard.

Increase Your Home Value

The Florida Nursery Growers and Landscape Association’s survey shows that a landscaped yard increases property value by around 14%. Specifically important was the landscaped patio, increasing home value by 12.4%. Consider it merely an investment in your house like updating your kitchen!

Hopefully these landscaping tips will motivate you to get out there and enjoy this great sunshine and fix up your yard. Whether you’re preparing for spring, to buy a house or to sell your house, updating your landscaping can be affordable and can be beneficial regardless of the hard work.

Anya
The Allen Group

Why Buy This Spring?

Spring symbolizes new birth, rejuvenation. With the sunshine here in Oklahoma finally breaking through the chilling winds, we are seeing another refreshing year in the housing market. Spring is springing and mortgage interest rates are staying low!

As more homes enter the market, you as a potential buyer have an extra advantage than usual. More choices of homes available to you and better yet, the interest rates are super low. You can buy $50,000 more house for the same monthly payment or buy the same house and save more than $74,000 in the long run compared to the average interest rate over the last 30 years nationwide.

This is great news for buyers and sellers alike. Lower interest rates open the market to those who wanted or needed a bigger house than they could afford with a high monthly payment. Selling your home may be easier with so many available buyers and buying a home is obviously a more affordable and appealing option than it may have been before. Home values are rising and now is a great time to invest in your future and kick your Spring off with a fresh move!

To see how much money you can save, contact a lender.
To see how much house you can afford, contact us!

Anya
The Allen Group

Renting vs. Buying

Lately, I felt like my piggy bank was feeling a little empty inside (ha, ha). I personally have been renting for a couple of years and buying a house wasn't something I thought could save me money. Even though I work in real estate, I thought of it as being out of reach for me. Renting vs. buying? What kind of benefits could I possibly gain from buying? It sounds expensive and scary!

While it is a big decision, it's something that should be considered. I finally asked myself, "Where does all that rent money go?" and the truth is, it doesn't matter. It's out of my hands forever. You may be surprised that in the fight of renting vs. buying, buying comes out on top. Weigh your options.

When you get a mortgage, yes, you are in debt. The trick is that as you pay it off, that payment also goes toward your ownership of something; your home. Buying a home instead of renting is an investment. An investment in your future and an investment for your lonely piggy bank. More resources on mortgages and renting vs. buying are available to you!

Contact a loan officer for exact interest rates and to see how buying vs. renting will benefit you!
Anya
The Allen Group

New Construction Homes in Edmond

If you're thinking about buying a new construction home in Edmond, you may be considering a newish construction home, maybe built in the 1990's. This doesn’t seem as though it would be an issue, but let me explain.

Edmond grew substantially during this timeframe and as more jobs moved into the city, there was a big building boom. With so many more buyers than homes, builders/developers didn't have to add a lot of great features in order to get a home sold. This doesn't mean that they weren't great homes, but some builders were good and some were simply adequate. New construction homes in Edmond have a quality that pre-building boom Edmond homes have. Once the supply could catch up to the demand, the features a home offered became more important than simply having the house completed. Around 2000, some builders had more motivation to upgrade new construction homes in Edmond as soon as the demand slowed down.

Builders and developers improved homes by investing in the foundation, kitchen, baths, and more. They opened up the floor plans, switched from dedicated formal dining rooms to flexible rooms capable of being used as offices and more. Raised ceilings, enlarged windows, and energy efficiency as well as strictly aesthetic upgrades such as the change from formica to solid surface counters and the switch from brass or gold hardware to oil rubbed bronze or pewter.

When looking to buy a new construction home in Edmond, or even anywhere, consider the market trends in the area or consult a licensed Realtor to ask questions. Consider the option of buying an older home with good bones and bringing it up to date with your own customized updates. There are many factors that may affect the quality of the home you're considering. It's our job to be familiar with real estate trends that affect you and inform you! If you're looking at a new construction home for sale in Edmond, or even elsewhere, we'd be glad to point you in the right direction!

Call us today to get more helpful hints!

Anya
Administrative Assistant

Increase in Mortgage Payments

When I Googled April 18^th to confirm some hearsay, I learned that April 18^th was the day when the American Revolution began in 1775 and the day it ended in 1783.That’s an interesting fact albeit a little antiquated; I have some more recent April 18^th based news for this year.

Word of mouth isn’t always reliable, no matter what business you’re in. When I heard that annual mortgage insurance premiums were going up, I wasn’t quite sure I believed it. We survived the recession and our housing market here in Oklahoma City is slow but still rolling. Why would they do this to us!?!

A while back, the Senate passed an approval for an increase in insurance premiums on your mortgage. It isn’t all bad…they’re increasing insurance premiums so as to maintain the financial stability of the Federal Housing Authority’s (FHA) Primary Mortgage Insurance (PMI) sources. No one likes to pay insurance; however, strengthening these sources ensures that lenders will still be able to provide home loans even in times of “economic volatility” and this helps provide long term stability in the housing market. It may have a short term negative impact to the market as debt/income loan qualification restrictions will reduce the amount a borrower can qualify for with the increased PMI premium.We hope that it won’t be a significant impact and we also hope there will be a resurgence of secondary loan options that bypass the PMI requirements. Most importantly, if you are considering a new mortgage then you should do it before April 18^th to avoid the increased insurance premium.

We’re not trying to push you, but if you think you will have a hard time affording your dream house now, the bps (basis points) will be increasing from 90 to 115…and this translates to a higher monthly payment for that dream home. If you thought about getting a 15 year FHA loan, you might want to do some research and talk to a loan officer because the monthly mortgage insurance premiums on 15 year amortizations are going to double. I’m by no means a mortgage expert but in order to accommodate this increase, you should consider being under contract for a home before April 18, 2011 or saving for a higher down payment.

According to the letter released by the Department of Housing and Urban Development, the difference it will make in your budgeting shouldn’t be too significant. The example they give is $163,000 sales price with the 3.5% down will be a $33 increase per month so don’t get too discouraged. I guess that about sums it up!

And, as always, we’re here to inform, empower, and assist! If you have any questions or would like us to refer you to a good loan officer, feel free to email us at theallengroup@sellingoklahoma.com or call us at 405-509-9350!

Anya Taschereau

How Do You Take The First Step?

Everyone knows how to look at houses. You may have been looking to get an idea of an area that you are interested in either by driving around or checking out various websites. Maybe you’ve found a neighborhood with a couple houses for sale that is in a great school district, near your job or favorite restaurant, and it’s just the right square footage! But now what?

Have you gone to a bank and been pre-qualified or pre-approved? Wait, there’s a difference? Don’t worry, we’re here to clarify!

·Pre-Qualification : This is the first step, but it’s not necessary. If you want to shop around for houses but you aren’t sure how much you can get approved for on a loan, this is a fairly hassle-free way to get a price range. This option doesn’t check your credit but a loan officer will go over your income, debts, assets, and any money you have saved for a down payment in order to determine what you can afford. If you know your allowance, you know your options. We also have a loan calculator for you on our website which is another non-invasive way to get a general idea.

· Pre-Approval : This step is for when you’re serious! Maybe you’ve already been pre-qualified and you’re ready to make an offer. Your dream house in your dream neighborhood just entered the real estate market and you’re ready for step two! You will have to call your loan officer and set up an appointment. Pre-approval is a little more extensive than pre-qualification since the loan officer will go over your credit report and they may charge you a fee. You will also need to bring some documents with you such as bank statements, tax returns, pay stubs, driver’s license, and any other assets you may hold such as stocks or mutual funds. Your loan officer should tell you exactly what you need to bring. They will then peruse these documents and let you know exactly how much you qualify for. After this step…

·Good Faith Estimate : If the bank is going to pre-approve you, they will give you a Good Faith Estimate which just lets you know what the terms and interest of the loan would be. It doesn’t commit you to anything, but gives you an idea of what that bank is willing to offer you. Just like anything else you may buy, it’s a good idea to shop around and see what other rates may be available to you if you aren’t satisfied with the GFE that you have already received. While this may seem time consuming, it is definitely a step that is necessary for comparison shopping. You may be paying this mortgage off for a while, so you want to make sure you have one that is the best deal you can have!

So after you’ve received a GFE that you’re confident in, try to maintain your credit line! A Good Faith Estimate or pre-approval is NOT a guarantee for your loan. If you were also thinking about buying a new car, WAIT!! Loans and mortgages are based off of your credit and if that credit line changes or if more debts are added, your loan amount may decrease or the bank may not even be able to approve you.

We have local loan officers we can refer you to if you don’t know where to start.
Feel free to call us at 405-509-9350 or email us at theallengroup@sellingoklahoma.com.

Good luck and happy house hunting!

Anya

Did You Go Green Last Year?

If you did when it came to energy efficient home upgrades, you may be eligible for a tax credit to alleviate that cost.

For tax year 2010, there are new incentives offered to consumers to encourage "green" growth. Have you updated your home since January 2009 to make it more efficient? In addition to saving money on your energy bills, you may qualify for a tax credit for partial reimbursement! See how you might qualify and take advantage of these tax credits!

Home Upgrades

You may be eligible if you:

- Added insulation to your home.
- Replaced windows, skylights, or exterior doors to meet efficiency requirements.
- Sealed cracks in your home and air ducts to reduce heat loss.
- Added window films.
- Replaced your roof with a pigmented metal roof or an asphalt roof with cooling granules.

For more specific information, go to the Energy Tax Incentives website to find qualifying values and helpful information for eligibility of tax credits.

Replaced Heating & Cooling Equipment

You may be eligible if you replaced your heater, air conditioner, or even your water heater within the last year to a high-efficiency model. Tax credits can cover up to 30% of the installed cost (excluding labor) which is an unexpected rebate for most! To see if you qualify, you can view requirements for high-efficency heaters, water heaters, and air conditioners tax credits.

Have fun filing taxes :)

Anya
The Allen Group

What's So Great About OKC Anyway?

Oklahoma... “where the wind comes sweeping down the plains.”

We had our official beginning on April 22, 1889 with a single gunshot that started the “Oklahoma Land Run”. Many people sold their homes and packed up their families in hopes of finding a better life in the plains back then…and they still are today!

Oklahoma has grown a lot since then, especially our dear capital, Oklahoma City. We recently acquired our first professional sports team, the NBA’s OKC Thunder. Our downtown has been completely renovated and is now the hub of many entertainment options. We have fairs, festivals, concerts, sports events, rodeos, plays, art exhibits, extraordinary dining…there’s a little bit of something for everyone!

Personally, I love the amazing contrast of an Oklahoma sunset, but putting that aside, Oklahoma is also a fantastic place to live. I’m not just saying that because I’ve grown up here! In fact, Forbes rated the OKC #1 Most Affordable in November.

How did Forbes rank us?

·Oklahoma’s economy is growing with more jobs on the way.

·Our unemployment rate is only 6.3% (national average is 9.5%)

·Cost of Living – 12^th in the Nation

·Housing Costs – 2^nd in the Nation

Buying a home in the city is affordable and you can feel secure that you can afford a lifestyle that’s exciting for you! The better life that pioneers had hoped for over a century ago is still here today. Our city has been called “recession-proof” over the last couple years and I don’t want to jinx it, but here’s to another great year in the Oklahoma City Metro!

Happy New Year from The Allen Group!!

Anya
Administrative Assistant

The Importance of Home Inventory

If a certain room in your house caught on fire, could you remember everything in it? In 2009, fires alone caused $7.6 billion in property damage to home owners (NFPA).

While we don’t like to think about our belongings being stolen, burnt, or swept away in a tornado, having an inventory of your possessions in case of accidents may really pay off. Having an up-to-date home inventory is common practice in hurricane stricken areas, but it is always important no matter where you live to have a way to account for everything in case of a disaster. You and your insurance agent can work together to make sure you’re insured the right amount and can replace everything if you have a current list.

So how do you create home inventory? What goes on a home inventory list?

Keeping a home inventory may take a little time, but it is really easy. With the advancement of technology, we have all kinds of options! To start out with, you may take a notebook and walk room to room writing down everything of value. This may include the obvious such as furniture, appliances, and electronics. But you may also want to include any kitchen sets, collector’s items, tools, jewelry etc. Make sure you write down make, model, and serial numbers as they apply. Now it is up to your discretion what holds value and should be documented.

Now that you’ve written everything down, you can stop there if you’d like but there are many options available.

1. Keep your notebook pages in a fireproof safe or in a trusted location such as a friend or neighbor’s house.

2. Type them up into Microsoft Word or Excel. Save them on your computer, and print a hardcopy to keep separately either in a safe or a different location.

3. If you own or can borrow a video camera, give a walking tour throughout your home and make sure to point out your valuables and zoom in on or read out loud the serial numbers if applicable. Again, keep this tape in a fireproof safe or on another property.

4. Use a program online such as http://www.stuffsafe.com. I have personally started my home inventory on this website. I was a little leery about listing my valuables on the internet, but they never ask you for your address and you could give an alias if it makes you more comfortable. It’s a free program that is paid for by the ads on the side. You can attach photos or files to each item so you can prove their condition at that time and they have all kinds of organizational tools. At any time, you can download your inventory onto your computer or a disc. If your computer were to be stolen, your inventory is still stored safely online and accessible from any computer.

While it would be unfortunate, steps can be taken to ensure that you have the insurance coverage and records you need to get everything going again!