Green Real Estate Appraiser

Cool and Kid-Friendly Playrooms

Posted on February 12, 2014 | Leave a comment

Outfitting a play space for children might consist of nothing more than setting up a few old furniture pieces, plastic storage bins and the extra TV.

But some parents want the play space to reflect their design aesthetic. Does the rest of the home read more Eero Saarinen than Superman? More Verner Panton than Pokemon? Is the vibe less Nickelodeon, more George Nelson? If so, you’ll want to try balancing kid-friendly with cool.

Some options:

MOD MAD3

Lots of decor from the ’60s and ’70s works well in a play space: mod lamps, modular furniture, pop art and fun, space-age prints for wallpaper and textiles. Hues popular back then — orange, yellow, teal, green, white — add energy to furniture, cushions and rugs.

New York-based designer Amanda Nisbet used a Roy Lichtenstein print and a chrome-trimmed bubble chair in one of her children’s space projects. Victoria Sanchez, a designer in Washington, D.C., used colorful Missoni fabrics to liven up a teen lounge.

Foreclosure Default Dip to Lowest Levels Since 2006

Posted on February 10, 2014 | Leave a comment

Foreclosures and mortgage defaults fell during the first half of the year to their lowest levels since 2006, show figures released Tuesday from real estate tracker DataQuick.

The declines come at a time when the county’s home prices have risen to a 5½-year high and mortgage professionals are adjusting to a California law that protects homeowners from potential foreclosure abuses.

Foreclosures totaled 1,489 during the first six months of the year. That’s the the lowest half-year tally for the county since 2006, when 445 foreclosures were counted.

Nearly 3,500 mortgage defaults were filed from January to June. That marks the lowest level of defaults since 2006, when more than 3,300 were recorded.

On a monthly basis, foreclosures are down as well. They dropped 13 percent to 152 in June from the month before. Notices of default in June totaled 654, up 2 percent from the previous month but down 55 percent from the same time a year ago.

California – State Issues Power Alert

Posted on February 9, 2014 | Leave a comment

State officials declared a “flex alert” and asked Californians to conserve power and natural gas until 10 p.m. tonight.

Some power plants in Southern California have cut production after running out of natural gas, said officials with the California Independent System Operator, which manages the state grid. The shortage is being caused by soaring fuel consumption amid cold weather in the eastern U.S.

Tight supplies caused San Diego Gas & Electric Co. to cut off natural gas Thursday at 6:45 a.m. to one power plant in San Diego County, said spokeswoman Amber Albrecht. She didn’t identify the power plant.

The utility is also asking for conservation on Friday as a new storm heads into the Northeast. Those who reduce their power use between 11 a.m. and 6 p.m. can earn a bill credit of 75 cents for each kilowatt-hour saved.

More than half of California’s electricity is generated by plants that burn natural gas, and generators use about 45 percent of the state’s total gas consumption each year, according to state figures.

disclaimer: for information and entertainment purposes only

Cool and Kid-Friendly Playrooms

Foreclosure Default Dip to Lowest Levels Since 2006

California – State Issues Power Alert

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