Colorado House Finders

Stucco was all the rage for a time, and builders not only used it to cover new homes, but also over top of old wood siding homes. If your home has an older stucco finish, chances are it is in need of some repair.

Typically, stucco is applied in several coats over a wire mesh which lies on top of spacers, building paper, and a sheathing, most likely plywood.  It can be blown on or applied by hand.  It is important to know that stucco absorbs moisture. This makes for a challenge when deciding what to do to replace it.

If you have cracks or holes in your stucco, you can probably patch these fairly easily. Determine which kind of cement most closely matches your type of stucco, as there are a variety of suitable types. Then, examine your texture, and determine what you will need to do to match it. You may need to add sand or small pebbles, or you may need to do some artful raking or toweling to make it match. You may also have to get just the right pigment to match the existing color. Other than all of these steps, patching cracks in stucco is actually quite easy.

You may decide you want to change the color of your stucco home. In this case, your options are to stucco a new layer over the entire home, or to paint. This is where the moisture warning comes in. You need to be sure your paint isn’t allowing moisture in, while not allowing it to evaporate. There are special paints and stains on the market specifically for stucco, and it’s best to do some research to be sure you are getting the right thing. Otherwise, moisture damage can occur, especially in colder climates. If you do another stucco layer, be sure the surface of your existing stucco isn’t treated with anything that will prevent adhesion. Another option is to put new metal lath (a sort of mesh that helps stucco and plaster adhere) over your existing finish and re-stucco onto that.

There are also synthetic stucco-like products on the market. Be careful what you choose, as there is mixed feedback about these products. Some complaints are that they do not adhere very well, and come off in large pieces.

I there are a lot of the problems with stucco or any similar finish, it may be due to improper application.  Be sure to do more research if you are going to attempt to update your stucco finish. It might even be best to hire a professional, as long as you are sure they have specific stucco experience.

This article was written by the writing team at Colorado House Finders, Colorado REALTORS®. If you are looking for real estate in Colorado, the Colorado House Finders team of professionals can help.

If you are planning to relocate for your retirement, or simply want a new home in the same community, you are probably looking for a nice home to live in for retirement.  Well this is the perfect time to plan a little further ahead.

Maybe you have aspirations of moving again in the future, but for many people, retirement is a time when the stresses of life are to be left behind.  This can include home-buying and moving.  If there is any chance that the next home you buy will be your last, do yourself a favor and consider your future needs.

While your mobility might be great at the moment, chances are that as you age, eventually there will come a time when stairs are not your best friend. Considering accessibility might seem far-fetched while you are still young, but it is just the thing that could determine your future comfort. Homes can be designed to be accessible without compromising style.  It is entirely possible to build a home designed for complete wheelchair access and mobility without anyone ever noticing.

First things first, consider how the front door is accessed.  Choose a home or building site where the driveway is on the same level as the home’s entrance.  While many homes seem to have at least one step going into them, it is possible to avoid this feature.  If for some reason you can’t avoid it, however, it should be easy to cover just one step with a simple ramp if it is necessary in the future.

Once you’ve entered the home, consider its layout. Obviously, you’ll want everything on a single floor. Look for open floor plans.  The fewer doorways the better.  Wide hallways are also important, and can be quite elegant.

For the doorways that are necessary, such as bedrooms and bathrooms, make certain they are larger.  Obviously, this is easiest if you are having the home built for you, but it may be possible to widen existing doors if necessary.  Perform some research before you buy, in order to find out if it will be possible in the home you are interested in buying.  A minimum doorway width should be 32 inches to make it fit the average wheelchair.

In places like the bathroom, it is always possible to add hand-railings later, if needed.  Make sure toilets aren’t too high. Have lower medicine cabinets and full-length mirrors. Consider installing one of the very popular large showers stalls, in the future event that climbing in and out of a bathtub may become a hassle one day.

Designing your home for maximum ease of mobility can improve your life at any age, and it can easily look very fashionable. So do yourself a favor and consider your future when you design your next home. Even if you end up moving and never needing the special measures you took to make it more accessible, you are making your home attractive to a niche market of buyers, and that’s a good thing, too.

This article was written by the writing team at Colorado House Finders, Colorado REALTORS®.   If you’re looking to move or retire in Colorado, please view our listings available in Castle Rock real estate

There is a lot of talk in recent years about the concept of a “sick building”. Obviously, buildings don’t get sick. What this term refers to is a buildings ability to make its residents sick. This can happen for a variety of reason, but generally it all boils down to indoor air pollution which some people have allergic reactions to. The amount of indoor pollution depends on the materials a home is constructed with and how much ventilation it has.

I am not a doctor by any means, and have no idea why more and more people are having allergic reactions to their homes. But if you are a sensitive type, or have a compromised immune system, it might be a good idea to give some thought to avoiding sources of indoor pollution.

Some indoor air pollution comes from heating systems. Furnace ducts can become dusty or even moldy. When air blows through them it can spread mite feces and mold spores throughout the home. As disgusting as this sounds it is actually quite common. Ducts should be cleaned at least once a year, or anytime you notice a feeling of stuffed up sinuses whenever your furnace is on.

Laminate flooring, countertops and cupboards can be the source of some problems as well. Formaldehyde and adhesives used to preserve and hold together particle or fiber-board can gas-off toxic fumes. These fumes can result in headaches and an overall weakened immune system. New carpets often produce these fumes, as well as harboring more dust than other floors. To avoid these fumes, choose natural flooring such as wood or tile, install tile or granite counters, and look for cupboards made of real wood instead of pressed-board.

There are a lot of chemical additives that are used to treat things like upholstery fabrics. If you find yourself getting head-aches ever since you got new living-room furniture and drapes, it could be from the flame retardant and stain resistant chemicals that these products are often treated with. Some manufacturers are now choosing safer, less toxic flame-retardants, and if you suspect you are sensitive, it might be best to look for these alternatives.

If you are planning to paint your home, look for low VOC paints. VOC stands for volatile organic compounds, toxic chemicals which, again, can gas-off into the air. Low VOC paints are just that, paints made with few or no toxic compounds.

Sometimes, the building materials mentioned above are hard to avoid. In cases like this, ventilation may help. If you are moving into a brand-new home, try to give the home some time to release all its gasses before you move right in. Leave the doors and windows open as often as possible. Keep a fan on even when you aren’t there. If you feel like you need extra help, look into the variety of air purifying devices available. These measures will help minimize the amount of indoor air pollution in your home.

This article was written by the writing team at Colorado House Finders, Colorado REALTORS®.   If you’re looking to live your dreams in Colorado, check out our listings for Centennial Real Estate.

1. Kitchen: Remove all the bits and pieces around your kitchen sink. Get a tray to hold your scrubbies and sponges. Soap should be stowed in the cupboard and keep out a decorative container of hand soap and lotion. Get a decorative container to hold all your large utensils by the stove. It makes cooking much easier and frees up space in your drawers.

2. Bathroom: Everything should have its place. Get cheap plastic storage containers or baskets and fill them with commonly used items. For instance have one for bandages, alcohol and other first aid items. Create another for make-up, and another for hair accessories. You’ll love how quick and easy it is to find things when you need them.

3. Home Office: Again, grab some small containers to store all those paperclips, push pins and elastics. Hang up a board, screw in binder clips and cup hooks and use it to hold bills you need to pay, invitations, or important notes.

4. Kid’s Room: For the small ones, get cheap laundry baskets to hold toys and stuffed animals. Older kids need a bookcase and desk to give them a central place to work and store their books and papers.

5. Entry: Get a small basket and fill it with slippers. Keep it right by the door so you and your guests have something to slip into after removing their shoes or wet boots. Hang hooks in your closet for all those small items such as dog leashes and keys.

6. Garage: Arrange your recycling in containers so that come garbage day it’s already sorted and you just have to take it out.

7. Broom Closet: Get screw hooks and clips to hang up your brooms, mops and dustpans and put pails and cleaners on a shelf. Add hooks to the inside of the closet door to hold tools you need in a hurry, such as a hammer, screwdriver, tape measure, etc.

8. Bedroom: I tip my hat at the inventor of the jewelry box holds everything with getting the chains all tied up. In the meantime, empty out a small drawer, place some small containers (teacups and saucers work great) and use those for your baubles. The cups work great for hanging your earrings off the rims and the containers are big enough for bulky beaded necklaces or bracelets.

9. Laundry Room: Store all the soap in a cupboard above the washer. Attach your ironing board to a wall hanger that you just pull down when you need it. Get bins for pre-sorting your clothes by colors, whites and delicates.

10. Living Room: Find a pretty container or wide-mouth vase to hold your remote controls, because after all, nobody just has one anymore. Get some storage cubes or a TV cabinet to house all those DVD’s and CD’s that accumulate around the television.

This article was written by the writing team at Colorado House Finders, Colorado REALTORS®. If you are looking for real estate in Colorado, the Colorado House Finders team of professionals can help.