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7 Reasons Why You Should Have An Outdoor Kitchen

March 30, 2020 by chorton 1 Comment

Outdoor Kitchens

Outdoor Kitchen

In the Mediterranean, it is very common to see families cooking outdoors. Today, this style of outdoor cooking has become a popular trend in the United States. Homeowners are learning about the joys of using an outdoor kitchen in their own backyards. Have you considered the benefits of adding a patio kitchen to your home? Whether you’re building a new house, or simply making better use of the space you have, creating a place to cook outdoors could be a good investment to make. Here are seven advantages of outdoor kitchens to consider:

 

1. Good for Entertaining

A top benefit of having an outdoor kitchen is that they’re perfect spaces for entertaining. When food is grilled out on the patio, guests can gather around the BBQ grill and socialize as dinner is being prepared. It might get crowded in an indoor kitchen when everyone hangs out with the cook, but outside there’s much more space. You can increase the comfort for your party guests by adding patio heaters, outdoor furnishings, strings of lights, and some mood music.

2. Increases Value of Your Home

Because of the popularity of this home improvement, remodelers earn a high rate of return on their financial investment. Most of today’s BBQ grills and other patio appliances are made from stainless steel, which makes them able to handle the changing temperatures with the seasons. Stainless steel is also desirable because it is easy to clean. When you have a functional outdoor kitchen, you have an investment you can use and enjoy for many years to come.

3. Saves on Utility Bills

When you’re grilling outside during the summer, your air conditioner won’t have to work overtime to keep your house cool. When you bake, fry, roast, and broil foods in your inside-kitchen, the temperature in your house elevates several degrees, which kicks the AC into overdrive. When you cook outdoors, you will save on energy consumption.

4. Keeps Smells Outside

Some foods smell delicious while they’re cooking, while others are less desirable. When you cook especially odiferous foods such as fish or deep-fried items, those aromas can linger for days. When you prepare the same menu items outside, your house stays fresh smelling.

5. Expands Your Living Space

No need to add on a room with walls and a roof; simply incorporate the space you already have on your back porch. If you have a covered patio, you’re all set to bring in appliances and have the outdoor kitchen of your dreams. In your outdoor cooking area, you and your family members can celebrate birthdays, holidays, or just enjoy the great outdoors.

6. Improve the Taste of Healthier Food

Not only does grilling enhance the taste of food, this cooking technique is better for your waistline, as well. Because fat drips off of meats when they’re grilled, the end result will be healthier and contain few calories from fat.

7. Save Money on Restaurant Meals

When you have your own little patio cooking and dining area in your backyard, why would you want to go out to a restaurant to eat? Eating out at restaurants can drain your bank account pretty quickly, especially if you go out to eat on a regular basis. Every time you opt to dine at home rather than go out for a night on the town, you keep dollars in your wallet.

What You Need

Now that you have seven good reasons to add an outdoor kitchen to your home, you’ll need to make a few plans to get started. First, here’s a list of possibilities to think about including:

  • BBQ grill
  • Smoker
  • Prep surface
  • Refrigerator
  • Storage space for food
  • Pizza oven
  • Bar
  • Lighting
  • Ceiling fan
  • Table
  • Heating
  • Chairs
  • Entertainment system
  • Plants
  • Firepit

Design Considerations

You’ll need to give some thought to the design of your outdoor kitchen. For example, ventilation is important, so pay attention to the space above and below your grill. You want the smoke to blow away from your cooking area. Make sure to sketch out the dimensions of your kitchen layout before buying your appliances and accessories. Some additions to contemplate when planning your design are:

  • Built-in or Portable Grill:

    Decide how large of a grill you need or want, and whether you want one that’s permanently positioned or mobile. If you plan to cook for large crowds, you’ll need a larger size, but if you’ll just cook for your family, invest in a smaller BBQ.

  • Countertops:

    How much preparation space will you need in your outdoor kitchen? Plan your countertop space accordingly. Also, make sure you select a product that can withstand changes in weather.

  • Built-in Cabinets:

    You might need some help designing the layout of your patio cabinets. Don’t underestimate the need for cupboards outdoors, or you will be running back and forth between your indoor and outdoor kitchen, which will put a crimp in the convenience factor.

  • Lighting:

    Since you will probably be doing much of your meal preparation during the evening hours, you’ll need to have adequate lighting on your patio. You definitely don’t want to be chopping and slicing in the dark. Plus, you need to be able to see your grilled items clearly to make sure they’re rare, medium, or well done.

  • Sink:

    Having a sink with running water is essential to convenient meal preparation. Install yours near your prep station for ease in clean up and adding liquid to recipes.

  • Refrigerator:

    You might decide to have a small fridge or a full-sized one. It all depends on how much you plan to store outdoors.

  • Flooring:

    Concrete, natural stone, brick, and tile are good options for outdoor flooring. You don’t want a high-maintenance product outside, but you do want it to be stylish and weather-resistant.

Grill Aids and Dining Accessories

You’ll need aids and accessories to complete your outdoor kitchen, including:

  • Outdoor cups, plates, and utensils
  • Tongs
  • Serving spoons
  • Knives
  • Meat thermometer
  • Serving dishes
  • Griddle
  • Outdoor ice machine
  • Baskets for grilling vegetables and fish
  • Shish-kabob skewers

Once you have your outdoor kitchen up and running, you’ll wonder how you ever managed without it. If you ever decide to sell your home and move to a new location, your outdoor cooking space will be a sought-after selling feature. Now that you’ve experienced creating this extra space in your abode, you’ll be able to set up a new one wherever you move.

 

The Realtors at Preferred Properties of Texas in Stephenville in Erath county in the Cross Timbers area of North Central Texas are here to help you buy and sell real estate for over 25 years!

Filed Under: Buying a home, Home Improvements, Selling Your Home Tagged With: buying a home, home remodel, Homes for sale Stephenville TX, Preferred Properties of Texas, real estate, real estate tips, remodeling, selling a home, stephenville tx, value

3 Easy Steps to Determine What Your Home Is Worth

October 9, 2019 by chorton Leave a Comment

3 Easy Steps to Determine What Your Home Is Worth

3 Easy Steps to Determine What Your Home Is Worth

Selling your home is a big decision. It can feel like a giant mountain of a task, and you may have no idea where to start. Your worst nightmare is selling way below value and losing money. But what’s the right price?

That is the question when you’re selling your home. 

If you don’t know how to determine your home’s value, you’re not alone. You’d be surprised at how many homeowners are absolutely clueless about what their home is truly worth. 

Don’t be like the average homeowner. Here’s how to educate yourself about your home’s value.

3 Steps to Learn Your Home’s Value

When you know the facts, you make better decisions. It’s plain and simple. Here are three easy steps that will help you understand your home’s market value:

Step 1: Know What “Home Market Value” Really Means

Believe it or not, your home’s market value is not based on the following:

  1. Your monthly mortgage payment
  2. Your opinion of how great your home is
  3. Your memories of your home

In a nutshell, market value is what buyers are willing to pay for your home.

As a homeowner, it’s tough to see your home the way a buyer would. Although you think little Danny’s handprints in the front porch pavement are cute, a potential buyer will see them as just one more thing to fix. Keep in mind that a serious buyer will take critical mental note of the following:

  • Location, location, location: How close is your home to highways, schools and shopping centers?

  • Safety: Does your neighborhood have sidewalks, underground electrical lines and a low crime rate?

  • Curb appeal: Is your house pretty to look at? Or is it an outdated eyesore?

  • Square footage: How big is your home? Does it have any weird layout issues?

  • Number of rooms: Does the ratio of bathrooms to bedrooms make sense? 

  • Updated appliances: Will the buyer need to plan for the cost of a new fridge, dishwasher or other items?

  • School district: How are the schools rated in your area? Are there multiple options?

Some factors affecting your home’s market value are out of your control. For instance, if the economy is tanking, no one’s going to pay top dollar for a house. The final price tag may also depend on:

  • Mortgage interest rates: A mortgage is a huge financial commitment, so a high interest rate will keep some buyers from pulling the trigger. 

  • Time of year: Homes just sell better during certain months than they do in others. For example, most buyers won’t choose to move during the middle of the holiday season or at the beginning of the school year. Expect to get more or fewer offers depending on the time of year.

  • Supply and demand: If there are a ton of houses on the market, that means you’ve got competition. On the other hand, if there are more interested buyers than there are “For Sale” signs, raise the price like the savvy seller you are!

  • How similar homes in the area have sold: How much are people willing to pay for a home like yours in your neighborhood? Are there many foreclosures in your area? This will give you a lot of insight into how desirable your home may be—or how much someone might be willing to pay.

If you’re trying to sell your home, an expert real estate agent can help you analyze all this information to create your ideal listing price. Want to investigate on your own? A quick online search can give you a ballpark number.

Step 2: Use Free Online Tools to Estimate the Value of Your Home

If you search for your address on an online real estate marketplace, you’ll likely find all kinds of facts about your home that are public record, including:

  • Type of home
  • Year the home was built
  • Number of rooms, bedrooms and bathrooms
  • Square footage of the home
  • Square footage of the lot
  • Heating and cooling systems
  • Number of parking spots
  • How much you and each previous owner paid for the home

Along with these home facts, you’ll see an estimated market value. Online tools put this number together by looking at the sales of homes in the area that are similar to yours, local tax assessments, and whether homes in your area are increasing or decreasing in value over time. 

Before you get too excited about this number and slap a price on your house, dig a little more. While these online estimates are helpful, they’re not always accurate. The estimates are only as reliable as the amount of public record data the real estate websites can access. The less data gathered for your particular neighborhood, county and state, the less you can depend on this number.

As a home seller, the real value you’ll get from these sites comes from the information you find about your housing market. Scroll through the data and see if you can answer any of these questions:

  • Is my home value trending upward or downward?

  • How does my home value compare to other homes in my neighborhood or zip code?

  • How does my home value compare to those in other zip codes in my area?

  • What’s the market temperature? Is it a hot or cold time to sell?

That’s useful information you can discuss with your real estate agent when it comes time to set a price for your home.

Step 3: Work With an Expert and List Your Home at the Perfect Price 

If you’re interested in selling your home, contact an agent no matter what you find online. Your pro will have even more detailed information to help you make better decisions about selling your home.

That’s because a real estate agent doesn’t pull stale information from the shelf. Unlike online tools, real estate agents have access to a multiple listing service (MLS) database of homes for sale in the area that will allow them to run an accurate comparative market analysis (CMA).

A good real estate agent will take the time to come and look at your home. They’ll consider the landscaping, the condition of the house, any upgrades you’ve added and all those things that aren’t listed in public records but make a real difference to potential home buyers.

Agents use the power of real-world experience to compare your home’s nitty-gritty details to recent sales and current listings.

Let’s say you installed a new roof last year but your kitchen is straight out of the ‘70s. An experienced agent knows how to weigh those factors and still come up with a competitive price. Remember, the market value is not based on formulas. It’s based on how much someone is actually willing to pay for your home.

No computer can determine that, and your success as a seller rides on it.

Price your home too high and buyers will pass you up without ever stepping through the door. Price it too low and you could lose thousands of dollars. The right price gets you the most money in the least amount of time.

Don’t Miss Out on Free Advice!

If you want to know how to accurately determine your home’s value, ask for a free comparative market analysis from a real estate agent you trust. A true pro puts service above sales and takes time to explain your options. Then you can make the decision that’s right for you.

 

Filed Under: Real Estate Advice, Selling Your Home Tagged With: buying homes, estimated worth, homes for sale, property value, sell, selling, selling homes, value

Adding Recreational Value to your Property

September 6, 2019 by chorton Leave a Comment

The majority of the buyers in my market are typically looking for properties with two characteristics: timberland for an investment and hunting for recreation. However, there aren’t many properties that ideally fit both characteristics. Sometimes I scratch my head, wondering why there aren’t more people willing to play the role of a developer and convert timber tracts into recreational retreats for profit. While it’s rare for an established hunting retreat to hit the open market, the properties that do, usually justify their price premium and get purchased quickly.

Timber real estate investment trusts (REITs) and investors are realizing that recreational value on many properties is now exceeding the timber value, which in turn justifies selling the property for a substantial profit. While there are many different ways to add recreational value to a property, I’ve decided to focus on one particular property, as it’s a great example. The main goal behind the property is continuing to operate a pine plantation for investment purposes, however, have the means to hunt, fish, and enjoy the property recreationally year-round. Here are some ways this property was able to achieve this goal:

1. Created Food Plots

While it does take some time and money to prepare a food plot, the end result will benefit wildlife and keep them on your property.  This requires cutting timber, removing the stumps, liming and fertilizing the soil, and figuring out what and when to plant. The majority of these food plots are on the edges of hardwoods. This one, in particular, has been low fenced to keep the hogs out.

2. Built A Dove Field

Having a great dove field is a great way to host guests, family, and friends for entertainment. It’s a fun social event you can put on several times a year. This dove field has all the makings for being successful including a fake power line and trees for the birds to roost, water to drink, sand/gravel, and approximately 12 acres to plant.

 

 

 

 

3. Created A Duck Impoundment

Since this property sits along the eastern flyway, this duck impoundment is ideal to attract passing ducks. This impoundment is planted in June and the water level is manually controlled through a flashboard riser. The owners are able to enjoy it from early teal season in September, all the way to the end of the season in February.

 

 

 

 

4. Created Quail Habitat

This required thinning the trees back to 35-50 trees per acre. A skid steer with a grinder ate up a lot of the long-abandoned understory before Garlon (Triclopyr) was sprayed to prevent hardwood growth. These fields were burned using prescriptive fire in late February. Continuing to burn every one or two years will keep this stand clean and provide great habitat for all wildlife.

 

 

 

 

5. Building A Fishing Pond

This pond was started almost a year ago. The owners were able to reach a mutual agreement with a local contractor and the Department of Transportation. The agreement allows the two parties to have free rights to the dirt in order to finish converting a nearby roadway from two lanes into four. Once completed the landowners will have a 17.5 acre stocked pond to enjoy year-round fishing.

 

 

 

 

6. Starting A Garden

Establishing a garden requires a lot of work. However, it is very enjoyable to be able to eat what you have grown. This garden contains a mixture of fruit trees including blueberries, blackberries, peaches, limes, nectarines, oranges, apples, pears, and grapes. It also has a seasonal section that is currently planted in corn, squash, cucumbers, peppers, okra, bush beans, cantaloupes and watermelons.

While there are certainly several other recreational aspects to add to a property, I thought this property did a great job of highlighting many of them and a great example of maintaining a timber investment and year-round recreational enjoyment.

Interested in becoming an expert in recreational land transactions? Check out the RLI’s Recreational Land Real Estate LANDU course.

This post is part of the 2018 Future Leaders Committee content generation initiative. The initiative is directed at further establishing RLI as “The Voice of Land” in the land real estate industry for land professionals and landowners. For more posts like this, click here.

Filed Under: Blog, Investing, Real Estate Advice Tagged With: advice, Homes for sale Stephenville TX, land for sale in texas, landscaping, Preferred Properties of Texas, real estate advice, recreational value, texas ranch land for sale, value

Preferred Properties of Texas

Preferred Properties of Texas

The Preferred Way to Buy and Sell Property
for Over 25 Years
(254) 965-7775 Office
Contact Preferred Properties of Texas
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(254) 965-7775|Contact Preferred Properties of Texas
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