Property Spotlight: 2999 Dyke Road

2999 Dyke Road      ~      $184,900

If you’ve ever dreamed of your own Alaskan homestead this is the property for you. This is a fully functioning home with water tank and full septic system. You can avoid running to the outhouse at forty below and still have the feel of a cabin-home in the country. The home is two bedroom and a two full bath.

    

See more pictures on our listings page here and call our office for more information on this amazing property. We have your Alaskan paradise right here, don’t miss it!

Scott Rosenthal

The Rosenthal Team

Somers & Associates REALTORS, Inc.

(907) 456-7653

Welcome Home! How You Can Create the Front Entrance of Your Buyer’s Dreams

First impressions are the most important in just about any situation – but more so when you’re trying to sell your home. You only get one chance to impress a potential buyer. They’re going to spend a very short amount of time looking at your home and the first impression they get when they see it will determine their attitude for the rest of the showing. You want to impress them from the moment they step up to the porch. You want your front entrance to scream “Welcome to your new home!” Here are the ways you can create a warm and welcoming front entrance that welcomes your buyers home.

Keep Your Porch and Walkway Clean and Clear. In the spring, summer or autumn months keep your porch and walkway swept and keep toys or tools from cluttering up the area. In the winter, keep the snow shoveled off of your walkways and stairs and put down ice melt to eliminate ice buildup and make it safer for buyers walking up to your front door.

An Eye-Catching Door Really Does Make a Great First Impression. A new door can add charm and sophistication to any entryway. Especially doors with windows, stained glass or contemporary patterns. If you’re feeling up for it, or looking to remodel before listing your home for sell, consider the look a new door would give to your home.

           

(Photos courtesy of http://www.thriftydecorchick.blogspot.com (left) and http://www.ehow.com (right).)

Feeling bold but not wanting to shell out the cash for a new door? Try giving your old door a makeover. A fresh new color and new doorknob can make an old tired door seem new and welcoming – at a fraction of the cost. If you’re into a more traditional style, try a simple yet elegant black or white color.  Or go for an unforgettable look with a red, yellow or even a green door, like this:

              

(Photos courtesy of http://www.brightboldbeautiful.com (left) and http://www.designonce.wordpress.com (right).)

Add some décor to your entrance. There are many ways that you can accessorize your front entrance, the most popular being flowers. Hanging flower baskets or planters with some colorful blooms are eye catching and appealing to buyers. Looking to go another route? You’ll have to use the space you have to determine how best to decorate it. If your have a large front entrance/patio area you can set up a chair or two or a bench seat to create a sitting area next to your front door. Add all-weather décor pillows and an outdoor rug to complete the look.

(Photo courtesy of http://www.hgtv.com)

Working with a smaller space? Try a planted shrub on each side of the door, like this photo, courtesy of http://www.homedit.com:

Are you selling during holiday season? Try decorating your front porch to go with the holiday at hand. Pumpkins with red/gold leaf garland is great for the autumn season and anything red, white and/or green works great for the Christmas season. (Photos below courtesy of http://www.hometalk.com (left) and http://www.centsationalgirl.com (right).) Get creative by decorating for Fourth of July, Memorial Day or Thanksgiving if you happen to be selling your home during those times of year.

       

Light it up. If you are expecting a showing in the evening or anytime around or after dusk make sure to leave your porch light on to make it easier to find your home and illuminate the welcoming front entrance you’ve created.

There you have it – how to make a great first impression on any buyer. Leave your comments or questions for us by clicking on “Leave a Reply”.

 

Cool Ways to Make Your Refrigerator POP

Yesterday we did a blog post on how to make your refrigerator appeal to buyers. (Read it here) Today, as a follow up, we’re going to show you some neat ways that you can transform your refrigerator whether you are selling your home, remodeling your kitchen or maybe you just need to make a little change to an otherwise boring appliance.  There are so many options out there. You don’t have to be stuck with a boring fridge – and you don’t even have to buy a new one.

Refrigerator Magnets

KUDU Magnets (www.kudumagnets.com) lets you temporarily transform the look of your refrigerator with the use of magnets. Either by selecting the make and model of your fridge, or inputting the sizes yourself you can have a totally revamped refrigerator for around $150. And you can also order matching magnets to jazz up your dishwasher as well. Refrigerator magnets shown above are just a few of the designs they have to choose from. Pick your passion and find a magnet to match. (Designs show above are Letters SBS (left) and Flaking Wood SBS (right).)

 

Chalkboard Refrigerator

What a neat way to revamp your refrigerator! Keep a shopping list, school supply list, or new recipe close at hand and written down right on your fridge. The Kurtz Corner blog shows you how you can easily DIY to get this simple and useful look for your kitchen. (http://www.thekurtzcorner.com/2014/07/diy-chalkboard-refrigerator.html)

The Hidden Refrigerator

                        

This one requires a little more effort but these refrigerators give off that luxurious, dream-kitchen appearance – paneled to blend in with the cabinetry to create this hidden look. These refrigerators are recessed into the counter-line so as not to stick out and easily could be mistaken for more cupboard space, giving your kitchen a spacious feel. (Both pictures above courtesy of http://www.homebunch.com)

The Painted Refrigerator

                        

With this option, your choices are really unlimited. Want to give your fridge a color that makes it pop from the rest of the kitchen – say fire engine red, hot pink, or sea foam green? Or maybe you just want to paint it your favorite color. You can paint your refrigerator any color or any design of your choosing and make your kitchen really one-of-a-kind. (Above pictures courtesy of http://www.alwaysinwonder.com (left) and http://www.bloglovin.com (right).)

Declare Your Fandom!

                     

Whatever you love, bring it to the kitchen and display it on your fridge. While a TARDIS refrigerator won’t necessarily be a selling point for potential buyers, if you’re selling your home (keep that in mind before you paint your fridge TARDIS blue), for a creative remodel it’s definitely a neat idea. And for game-lovers you can find vinyl magnetic decals that can be applied and removed easily. (photos courtesy of http://www.buzzfeed.com (left) and http://www.geekdecor.net)

So many creative ideas for jazzing up your refrigerator – and so many even I hadn’t even thought of. Questions? Thoughts? Let us know in the comments! We love hearing from our readers.

Sellers: Refrigerators Can Be An Eyesore – But They Don’t Have To Be!

We all use our refrigerators as gathering spots for pictures, our kid’s artwork, reminder notes, etc. but when you are selling your home, it’s time to find a nice drawer for all of those papers. Both in the pictures that will be taken of your kitchen and when potential buyers come looking, a cluttered refrigerator detracts from the quality of your kitchen.

For example, this:

You don’t want this. Photo courtesy of http://www.uglyhousephotos.com.

Step One: Take everything off of the fridge, even magnets. If you have notes from school or work or those little reminder cards for appointments you usually keep on the fridge, find a calendar you can write everything down in and put everything (neatly) in a drawer somewhere. The calendar can be hung up on the wall and then taken down and stored away when you have showings. Then wipe the outside of the refrigerator until it is fingerprint- and smudge-free.

Step Two: Clear the top of the refrigerator. The top of the fridge can be a gathering place for mail, papers, etc. and especially for dust. Wipe down any dust up there. With the top of the fridge you have two options, either leave clear or replace with some simple yet appealing décor – a few large candles, a simple basket or some kind of simple decoration.

Notice how the refrigerator is bare and the simple vase and plate on the top don’t create a cluttered look. Photo courtesy of http://www.waypointlivingspaces.com.

And yes, potential buyers who are looking through your house WILL look in your refrigerator. 99% of the time, the refrigerator will convey with the sale of the home so buyers want to know what the inside space of the fridge looks like. A fridge with food stains, old Tupperware, and any kind of odor will put off buyers. So onto the last step . . .

Step Three: Clean it out! Take out all of the food and containers, empty the whole refrigerator and freezer. Take out all shelves and drawers and clean them with hot, soapy water. Wipe down all the interior walls and the inside of the doors. Once it’s clean, you can start replacing the food inside but nix the Tupperware. Any Tupperware-stored food you won’t be eating in the immediate future should be tossed, and during the selling process of your home you should keep the Tupperware in the fridge to a minimum. This includes plastic-wrapped or foil-wrapped foods as well. It’s not visually appealing to buyers and the stored leftovers create an odor that you may not notice, but buyers will. To help combat this, use an open box of baking soda to deodorize and freshen the fridge and the freezer.

You don’t have to have a fancy refrigerator, or a stainless steel refrigerator to make your kitchen pop. This simple, white refrigerator looks sleek and fitting in this kitchen, cleared of all clutter with a clean top. Photo courtesy of http://www.hokela.com.

With a cleaned up and cleaned out refrigerator, your kitchen is going to sparkle. And trust me, buyers know when sellers have put that extra effort into making their home look nice. Those are the homes that are snatched up quickly.

 

We’ve Got Some Exciting News!

The Rosenthal Team has made a major change. Officially this week we are moving over to Somers & Associates Realtors, Inc. located at 711 Gaffney Road, Suite 101, Fairbanks, Alaska. You’ll still get the same great service and personal attention as before, the only difference is the name we’re working under.

RE/MAX Associates of Fairbanks is a great company and the people there will be missed. Sometimes it’s just time to make a change and we’re looking forward to what the future holds in our new adventure with Somers & Associates Realtors, Inc. Our new information is located at the top of the blog – the only difference is our office phone number. You can now reach us at (907) 456-7653 and as always you can reach Scott on his cell or send him an email.

Cheers to the future!

OPEN HOUSE This Saturday, July 18th 1-3pm – 1714 Carr Avenue

Come check out our listing at 1714 Carr Avenue this Saturday, July 18th between 1 and 3 pm. This awesome home is waiting for its new owners and it could be YOU!

2 Bedrooms, 1 Bathroom, 1-Car Garage, Large front lawn, big back yard (extends all the way to the alley!), fenced dog yard, workroom inside for the craftsman or hobbyist, Jacuzzi tub, large, remodeled kitchen with new cupboards, flooring and appliances, big windows to let in lots of natural light, newer woodstove, AND MORE!

      

This home is in a great neighborhood and is in walking distance to the Fairgrounds, Creamer’s Field and nearby schools. Great mid-town location you can’t beat!

This home is listed at $189,900. Come see it this Saturday!

For more information, call our office at RE/MAX at (907) 452-6387.

Some Neat Features You’ll Find In Older Homes – And One Creepy One

Fairbanks, Alaska has been a booming city since E.T. Barnette set up a trading post on the south side of the Chena River in 1901. Once gold was discovered there was no holding back the influx of miners that flocked to the area in search of the precious metal. Despite our bitter cold winters, many people chose to make Fairbanks their home even after their mining days and the town sprung forth and flourished. Now Fairbanks has quite a colorful history but nothing is quite as neat as the old homes you’ll find that were built 60, 70 and even nearly 100 years ago. You’ll find a lot of these old homes in the downtown district where the town of Fairbanks originated and in some of the town’s oldest subdivisions.

Now as a Realtor, one of the best aspects of this job is seeing a variety of homes from the oldest to the newly built. We get to explore some of those vintage homes right along with those looking to buy them. Here are some neat pictures taken at some of the older homes around town.

 

      

These vintage appliances really take you back to a time when you can imagine mom or grandma in the kitchen in her pencil skirt and wavy bobbed hair. Look at that old ice box (refrigerator)! This home was built in the early 1950’s and these are probably the original appliances.

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One home we saw looked like something straight out of the 1970’s. Groovy flower wall paper and an old record machine with “Record” painted in that popular ’70’s font. And check out that old rotary phone sitting on the dresser. (I had my kids with me at this showing, they didn’t even know what it was. “That’s a phone?! It’s so weird.”)

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Another old stove from a different location. This country home definitely needed a little updating but a neat old find, nonetheless!

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I can’t get over this amazing farmhouse sink from a downtown Fairbanks home that was built in 1936. Although this home had been remodeled over the years and now is a main home with a separate top-floor apartment, a lot of the older features – such as this old farmhouse sink – still remained.

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What’s missing in this picture of this old electric outlet? This is a two-prong outlet (which may or may not be grounded) as opposed to the NEC-required three-prong grounded outlets used today. Goes to show the age of this vintage home.

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Some other neat features of older homes – the small details such as this star-shaped metal ceiling light and this classic metal doorknob. Both of these were found in the downtown Fairbanks home built in 1936.

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Another very common feature of some of these old, vintage homes is a creepy entrance to the basement. I’m sure it wasn’t creepy back in 1954, it was just a means to get downstairs. But the narrow, wooden staircase leading down into the depths of the darkness – I mean the basement – is a little creepy to those of us that aren’t used to basements. In fact having a basement at all is a sign of an older home in Fairbanks. Not many homes have them anymore. Most only have crawlspaces for storage or for access if repairs are needed. But you can venture down and check out the basements in these old houses – if you dare…

I love looking at older homes. Sure, newer homes are fresh and open and the appliances sparkle of stainless steel and the counters of granite. But vintage homes have stood the test of time and you can feel the energy within the walls from those that lived and loved there in its history. And as you can see, they can house such amazing features.

New Listings This Week!

Updated 8/3/2015

Don’t forget to check out our “Our Listings” page at the top of the blog to see what homes we currently have listed for sale. We just listed three new homes – go check them out!

PRICE REDUCED! 1714 Carr Avenue

2584 Hafele Avenue

PENDING! 511 Herning Road

You Won’t Be Bored This Midnight Sun Weekend

(photo courtesy of http://www.alaska.org)

June 21^st is the longest day of the year (with the most daylight) and up here in Fairbanks we turn that into a pretty big celebration. Can you blame us for celebrating the sunlight? We spend eight months in the cold and the dark. We like the make the most of our summers.

This weekend, from Friday to Sunday, Fairbanks will be jam-packed with activities, concerts, sports, festivals and fun! Not sure what to do, or what all is happening around town? Check out our list of ways to have fun in the sun this weekend.

Golden Heart Softball’s Midnight Sun One-Pitch Tournament. If you enjoy watching softball, or playing it, this event is for you. Beginning Saturday, June 20th at midnight, this tournament tests its players by playing softball ALL NIGHT and ALL DAY Saturday and continuing on into Sunday when the winning team stands victorious. Divisions are men’s, women’s and co-eds. Located at the Hez Ray Softball Fields next to the Big Dipper. For more information or to join a team contact Golden Heart Softball.

33^rd Annual Midnight Sun Run. Saturday June 20^th at 10pm join thousands of Fairbanksans for a 10K run starting at the UAF campus and ending at Pioneer Park. Dress in costume and enter the costume contest if you feel so inclined. For more information or to register for the race, go to their website, here.

2015 Midnight Sun Festival. From noon on Sunday, June 21^st until midnight that night you can enjoy the Midnight Sun Festival downtown – an annual event filled with food, shopping and entertainment. Favorite local restaurants and food stands will be set up to offer you their yummy goodness and you can peruse booths with anything from clothes to collectibles and listen to live music – all under the midnight sun. Don’t miss this yearly Fairbanks tradition!

Country Band “Lonestar” at The Blue Loon. This Midnight Sun Weekend head out to The Blue Loon for an outdoors, all-ages show to see Country Band “Lonestar” in concert. Gates open at 4pm on Sunday, June 21^st and the grounds are split into an over-21 side and an alcohol-free side so feel free to come have fun with friends and have a few drinks or to bring the family and enjoy the music. Tickets are available at The Blue Loon, Gulliver’s Books, and www.theblueloon.com.

Great Alaska Foodstock. Head out to the Howling Dog Saloon in Fox for this annual event each night this weekend – Friday, Saturday and Sunday for live music, auctions, and food. $5 or 5 cans of food grants you admission. Get more information at http://www.greatalaskanfoodstock.com/.

Fairbanks Goldpanners’ Midnight Sun Game.  Head out to Growden Field, adjacent to the Carlson Center, to watch the Goldpanners’ 110^th Midnight Sun Game beginning at 10:30pm Sunday, June 21^st. This has been a Fairbanks tradition since 1906. Don’t miss your chance to be a part of this historical event.

This weekend is sure to be a busy – and fun – one! And the weather is predicting hot temperatures and clear skies. Make the most of this weekend – after Sunday, we start losing daylight again.

If you have an event going on this weekend that isn’t mentioned here, feel free to put it in our comments section.

What are your plans this Midnight Sun Weekend?

SOLD! Property Spotlight: 4733 Harvard Circle

Would you like a home that has had all of the updating work done for you? Check out our newest listing, 4733 Harvard Circle. New floors throughout the home including carpeting, tile and laminate,  new paint, new trim, an all new kitchen and two fully remodeled bathrooms. The boiler, water heater lighting has all been updated recently. There is a new back deck and a newer woodstove insert in the fireplace. This home is ready to be loved!

Enjoy the warmth and coziness of a nice fire in the newer woodstove insert in this spacious living room while gazing out your large living room windows.

         

The kitchen has been completed with new stainless steel appliances, new cabinets and new tile flooring.  The kitchen has never been cooked in – everything is BRAND NEW.

The home is 1,900 square feet and has living areas upstairs and downstairs. It includes an attached two-car garage and out back you’ll find a nice-sized fenced yard.

And the University West neighborhood is fantastic! You’re close to great schools, restaurants,  public transportation, and you’re only minutes away from the University. It’s a great neighborhood for kids, pets, for walking, you can hit the bike trail (it’s only a block away) and the Chena River isn’t too far for those warm summer days you want to float the river or take out the boat.

Call Scott Rosenthal’s Office for more information on this amazing property today! (907) 452-6387 or rosenthalrealestatellc@gmail.com.