Lifestyle • November 24, 2020

Mixed Drinks for the Holidays

by Ashley Ferris

Whether you are having family holiday gatherings or some virtual holiday gatherings, mixed drinks are a must! Especially, if the gathering involves that in-law you have a hard time getting along with. It is easy to stick to your normal drink. But, why not change it up for the holidays and help you get in the holiday mood? Explore these drinks that will make your holidays shine. The Panettone & Wassail

The Panettone

First, we will start with this delicious drink that is similar to the taste of Italian dessert bread with a sweet citrus taste. One sip and you’ll be in love. Are you in love with Italian dessert bread? Here is the full recipe.

1 ½ ounces Vodka

½ ounce Grand Marnier

½ ounce Orgeat Syrup

Ice

Champagne

Orange peel

Wassail

Wassail is a delicious hot spiced apple drink with apple and orange juice topped with an orange slice that is great for holidays. Even the smell of this drink will have you wanting more! Do you like apple juice and orange juice? This is the drink for you. Wassail is a mulled cider that is warmed which, subsequently, makes this perfect for these colder months. See the full recipe here.

1 Gallon Apple Juice or Apple Cider

½ cup Brown Sugar

½ cup Frozen Orange Juice Concentrate

1 Orange sliced

2 tsp whole Cloves

2 tsp whole Allspice

3 sticks Cinnamon

2 whole Nutmeg

Grapefruit Cardamom Gin Fizz, Holiday Sangria, & Apple Toddy

Grapefruit Cardamom Gin Fizz

Grapefruit Cardamom Gin Fizz looks and tastes beautiful. Grapefruit adds a gorgeous pink color and a tartness, while the rosemary syrup adds a garnish of purple and an earthy taste. In addition, Prosecco counters the tartness of the grapefruit. Try this drink by following the full recipe here.

2 oz Rosemary syrup (recipe below)

3 oz Cardamom infused gin (recipe below)

½ cup Grapefruit juice

Splash of prosecco, chilled

Rosemary sprigs

Grapefruit peel, for garnish

Holiday Sangria

Is one of your regular go-to drinks Sangiria? this holiday version might be the way to go! This holiday sangria is perfect for hosting or to just as an easy drink to refill during a virtual holiday party with it’s sweet, fruity taste. Pre-making this drink can be easy, especially if you are hosting. With this recipe, you don’t have to equally spend time on preparing the food, entertaining guests, and making drinks. Check out the full recipe here.

1 Bottle sparkling apple cider

1 Bottle red wine

1 cup Brandy

¼ cup Sugar

2 cups Cranberries

1 Orange, sliced

1 Apple, cubed

2-3 Cinnamon sticks

4 Star anise

4 Sprigs rosemary, plus more for garnish

Holiday Apple Toddy

Lastly, the Apple Toddy has a delicious apple cinnamon flavor that is sure to warm you up on a cold Fall or Winter night. If you have apples laying around, fresh-pressed cider is the best way to make an Apple Toddy. This drink will complete your holidays. Find the full recipe here.

½ Orange, halved

4 Cloves

3 cups Apple Cider

2 Cinnamon Sticks

Whiskey or Apple Brandy, to taste

1 cup Heavy Cream, whipped to soft peaks

Lifestyle • November 20, 2020

Healthy Thanksgiving Dishes

by Ashley Ferris

Thanksgiving dishes

Thanksgiving dishes are almost everyone’s favorite, but the calories are not. Here are a few healthy Thanksgiving dishes that are good for you and everyone will still love.

Thanksgiving Dishes: Veggies

Roasted Carrot and Fennel

This dish is healthy, yet delicious! The caramelized carrots and fennel add a fantastic flavor. The raw carrots and fennel add a great mixture of soft and crunchy. Check out the recipe here.

Garlic Green Beans

These are very easy to make and are great Thanksgiving dishes. Just throw the green beans into a skillet with some water until they are crunchy and crisp. After the beans are crunchy, sauté them with some butter or olive oil and some garlic. Don’t sauté them too long though. The green beans need to keep their crisp crunch. Once they are done, add some salt and pepper. For full the recipe click here.

Roasted Cauliflower

Roasting cauliflower brings out the best of flavors! It caramelizes bits of the cauliflower. The ingredients needed are cauliflower, garlic cloves, olive oil, lemon juice, grated parmigiana Reggiano, salt, and pepper. While the oven is preheating to 450°F mix the cauliflower, olive oil, lemon juice, garlic, salt, and pepper so all of the cauliflower is covered. Put them into the over for about 25 to 35 minutes and flip the cauliflower every few minutes. Once they are roasted, sprinkle some cheese onto them and serve! For the full recipe click here.

Roasted Brussel Sprouts

Not everyone hates brussel sprouts, especially when they are roasted. They are super easy to make and delicious! All that is needed are brussel sprouts, olive oil, salt, and pepper. First, wash and trim brussel sprouts so there are no yellow leaves or bottoms of the sprouts. Place all of the brussel sprouts onto a baking sheet and drizzle them with olive oil and add some salt and pepper. It helps to mix them around so they are all evenly coated. Throw them into the oven for about 40 minutes at 400°F. These are fantastic alone, but parmesan and lemon or a balsamic glaze can make these even more delicious! Check out the full recipe here.

Baked Parmesan Mushrooms

This way to cook mushrooms creates so much flavor! The ingredients needed are cremini mushrooms, olive oil, lemon juice, lemon zest, garlic cloves, thyme, parmesan, salt, and pepper. First, mix the mushrooms with olive oil, lemon juice, lemon zest, garlic, thyme, salt, pepper, and parmesan. It is best when the mushrooms are fully coated. Lay them onto a baking sheet and cook for about 12 to 15 minutes. For the recipe click here.

Thanksgiving Dishes: Starches & Meat

Sweet Potato Casserole

Whether you think sweet potatoes are more of side Thanksgiving dishes or more of a dessert, you’ll love this healthy sweet potato casserole. Sweet potatoes can be made without much sugar because they are naturally sweet. The ingredients needed are sweet potatoes, milk (any kind but almond or cashew milk would work well), butter, pecans, dates, pepitas, flour, cinnamon, nutmeg, salt, pepper, and vanilla extract. First the sweet potatoes need to be boiled for about 20 to 30 minutes and mashed until creamy.

This is when you will add the seasonings, butter, and milk. Then blend again. To make the crumble topping, chop the pecans, dates, and pepitas. Then mix them with the flour and butter. Next, spread the sweet potatoes into a baking dish and sprinkle the crumble on top. Bake it for about 25 to 30 minutes at 350°F or until the top becomes golden brown. Check out the full recipe here!

Healthy Mashed Potatoes

Mashed potatoes can be delicious, but it can also be pretty unhealthy. This recipe cuts out almost 500 calories that mashed potatoes normally have. The ingredients needed are potatoes (russet or Yukon gold), non-fat Greek yogurt, non-fat milk, chicken broth, butter, olive oil, parsley, salt, and pepper. First, wash and cut the potatoes into small squares or chunks, then boil them for about 15 to 20 minutes. Using a potato masher or a blender, mash/blend the potatoes until they are smooth. Finally mix in the chicken broth, milk, butter, salt, and pepper until it is all combined. Find the full recipe here.

Butternut Squash Soup

This healthy version of butternut squash soup is so good. The ingredients needed are butternut squash, carrots, onions, garlic, vegetable stock or bone broth, olive oil, paprika, cinnamon, turmeric, salt, and pepper. First peel and cut the butternut squash into small pieces. Next, sauté the squash, carrots, onions, and garlic until they are slightly brown and soft on the edges. This is the time to add paprika, cinnamon, turmeric, salt, and pepper. Fill the pot with the vegetable stock or bone broth and bring it to a boil. Once it is boiling, turn the heat down and let it simmer for 30 to 40 minutes. Finally blend it in a blender or food processor to make it smooth and ready to eat. Find the recipe here!

Boneless Turkey Breast Roast

Turkey is a key part to Thanksgiving celebrations. Boneless turkey breast is actually easier to keep juicy than cooking a turkey with the bones. The ingredients needed are half of a boneless turkey breast, avocado oil spray, butter, garlic powder, paprika, dried thyme, salt, and pepper. First brush the turkey with melted butter and sprinkle all of the spices on. Grease a pan with the avocado oil and bake it for about 20 minutes at 450°F. Then cover the turkey with foil loosely to prevent the top from becoming burnt. Cook for another 45 to 60 minutes, Once it is out of the oven, wait for about 20 minutes before cutting it to help the juices stay in, then enjoy! Check out the full recipe here!

Chicken Stuffed with Brie

Cheesy chicken is always delicious! The ingredients needed is chicken breasts, brie, minced onion, minced clove of garlic, coconut or avocado oil, chopped spinach, dried cranberries, thyme, salt, and pepper. First, cut the chicken breasts down the middle, but not all the way through, and season. In a skillet, sauté the garlic and onion in oil, then add the spinach, cranberries, thyme, salt, and pepper. Add that mixture to the inside of the chicken breasts along with a slice of brie and wrap the chicken in kitchen twine to keep the mixture and cheese in the chicken. Next sear the stuffed chicken to crisp up the outside before putting them onto a baking sheet. After that, bake in the oven for about 25 minutes at 375°F. Finally take them out of the oven and enjoy! Check out the full recipe here.

Thanksgiving Desserts

Desserts

Pumpkin Pie

This is a lot of people’s favorite! The ingredients needed are pumpkin puree, eggs, maple syrup, coconut sugar, almond milk, vanilla extract, pie crust, cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, salt, and allspice. First make or buy whatever kind of pie crust you would like or make it crustless. Next mix together the pumpkin puree, eggs, almond milk, coconut sugar, pure maple syrup, vanilla, cinnamon, nutmeg, ground ginger, allspice and salt until it is smooth. Pour the mixture into the pie crust and cook for 50 to 60 minutes at 350°F. Find the full recipe here!

No-Bake Strawberry Cheesecake

This sweet yet healthy cake will be one of those dishes that everyone asks you to make again! The ingredients needed for the crust are almonds, dates, and a pinch of salt. First, blend the ingredients in a blender or a food processor until it starts to clump together, spread it out into a pan, and put into the fridge to chill until the filling is ready. To make the strawberry filling, you’ll need sliced strawberries, dates, cashew butter, non-dairy milk, lemon juice, vanilla extract, and frozen strawberries. Blend the strawberries, dates, cashew butter, non-dairy milk, lemon juice, and vanilla extract in a blender until it is smooth and pour onto the crust. Then chop or blend the frozen strawberries so they are in smaller bits and scatter on as a topping. Finally, put the cheesecake in the freezer for eight hours and enjoy! Check out the recipe here.

Spiraled Apple Crumble

This is a great twist on a regular apple crumb pie. The ingredients needed for the apples themselves are red apples, cinnamon, coconut sugar (or brown sugar), orange juice, and orange zest. If you have a spiralizer, spiralize the apples. If you do not, you can always cut them into smaller pieces. Lay the apples onto a baking tray and top them with cinnamon, coconut sugar, orange juice, and orange zest. Next make the crumble. The ingredients needed for that are almond meal, rolled oats, coconut sugar (or brown sugar), cinnamon, salt, nutmeg, and coconut oil. Mix the almond meal, coconut sugar, cinnamon, rolled oats, salt, and nutmeg. Next add the coconut oil and mix until it is crumbly. Finally sprinkle the crumble onto the apples and bake for 40 minutes at 350°F. Find the full recipe here!

Buyer Tips • Seller Tips • November 13, 2020

Buying and Selling During the Pandemic

by Ashley Ferris

Safely Buying and Selling

There has been so much uncertainty all of 2020, but, one thing we know for sure, is that the housing market in the Greater Lehigh Valley is on fire! There are so many buyers looking for homes. Although, there aren’t enough homes available. Why is that? Sellers have felt uncomfortable having people in their house and might be worried because of the uncertainty. Thankfully, Realtor’s have come up with ways to keep their clients as safe as possible while buying or selling.

Safe In-Person Showings and Open Houses

There are some ways to keep in-person showings safe and sanitary. Before the showing, the listing agent or seller should disinfect the home especially surfaces that will most likely be touched such as; door knobs and frames, water faucets, and light switches. Hand sanitizer should be set out on a counter. After the showing is over, the home should be disinfected again.

For Open Houses, the seller or listing agent should disinfect the home especially surfaces that will be touched just like a showing. There should be hand sanitizer and extra masks for the open house visitors. The visitors should be spaced apart. For example, one couple in the home at a time, or some agents have had only one couple upstairs and one couple downstairs. Other ideas could be to have them go on a certain path through the home. Once the open house is over, the agent or seller should disinfect again just like a showing. These are the main ways agents have been keeping themselves and their clients safe during in-person showings and open houses.

Using Technology for Safe Buying and Selling

Using Technology To The Fullest

Technology is a great tool! There are so many ways that Realtor’s have been taking advantage of technology so they can keep themselves and their clients safe. Printers, scanners, and e-signing allow the paperwork to be as safe as possible. Agents have the ability to email the paperwork to their clients and review it over a call or a video call. Video calls can also be used for home showings. The agent can video call their clients and walk around the house showing their client the home. Another way to see a home without going there are virtual tours. These can be video tours or even 3D tours. This technology allows for safe home buying and selling.

Lifestyle • November 4, 2020

Creating a Cozy Home

by Ashley Ferris

Cozy Home

With the weather getting colder, home should be a place to relax, warm up, and get cozy. There are some easy ways to make any room in the home cozier than it is. Grab your blankets, candles, rugs, and maybe a hot chocolate. Let’s get cozy.

Cozy Home: Bedroom & Living Room

The bedroom and living room should be the most cozy and comfy areas of the home. Once it starts getting chilly outside, the bedsheets should be changed to heavier ones along with a heavier quilt. Fleece, velvet, fur, and wool blankets are great blankets to keep you warm. Soft, fuzzy blankets are also great ones to give the bedroom and living room a cozy feeling. In the living room, blankets or quilts can be added to the sofa and armchairs. Candles are always a great way to add a comfy feeling to any room, especially if it is cedarwood, gingerbread, apple cinnamon, cedar, juniper, or other warming scents.

Lighting is also important. Many lights are more of cool lighting with a blue tone, but warmer lighting adds more of a cozy feeling compared to cool lighting. After switching to a warmer light, string lights can be added to increase the cozy feeling. They can be added to a specific area that you would like to be a focal point or they can be strung along the ceiling. Adding rugs anywhere there isn’t carpet adds more comfort as well. If any walls are empty, it helps to add artwork or mirrors. Having plants and flowers are another good way to create a comfortable feeling. Adding these items will make any bedroom or living room much more cozy.

Kitchen & Bathroom

The kitchen and bathroom can be difficult to make cozy because of hardwood or tile floors along with the counters, but it can be done! Rugs are a great way to cozy up your kitchen or bathroom. Any non-carpeted floor will be much more comfortable and cozy with a rug. It can be any size or shape, but it should be soft. Just like bedrooms and living rooms, adding candles, warm lighting, and artwork or mirrors can create a cozier feeling.

Specifically in the bathroom, adding a low-wattage night light or small digital clock adds some comfort by making the room just a little lighter. This especially will add comfort in bathrooms without windows. Having more towels out than usual will also help to create a more comfortable and cozy feeling. In the kitchen, tea towels can be hung or placed around creating that cozy feeling. These are some simple ways to create the comfy and cozy feeling in your home.

Lifestyle • October 30, 2020

Halloween 2020

by Ashley Ferris

Pumpkin

This year is pretty different from past Halloweens. For a couple of years we had some bad snow storms, some years it was oddly warm out. We have even had creepy clown sightings! None of that compares to Halloween this year. This year we have to make sure to social distance to keep everyone safe. It is a great idea to keep the CDC’s guidelines for Halloween in mind. Although, this doesn’t mean that there can’t be any Halloween fun! There are so many crafts, spooky foods and treats, and activities that can be made or done while social distancing.

Halloween Crafts

There are many Halloween crafts that will bring the eerie Halloween aesthetic into your home.

1. Giant Spiderweb

Making a giant spiderweb isn’t as hard as it sounds. All you need is some yarn and tape. Find the steps here.

2. Bleeding Candles

For this craft, a white candle and a red crayon are needed. All you will need to do is melt the red crayon onto the white candle to make it look as if it is bleeding.

3. Ghost Candles

To create this craft you will need a mason jar, a tealight candle, toilet paper, black paper, scissors, and some glue or tape. First, wrap the mason jar with toilet paper and glue or tape it in place. Next cut a face out of the black paper and glue/tape it in place on the toilet paper-wrapped jar. The final step is to place the tealight candle into the jar and light it!

4. Halloween Pins

These involve a little more than the past crafts. You will need oven-bake clay, mini googly eyes, a hot glue gun, Halloween cookie cutters, a rolling pin or smooth glass jar, and plain hair clips or brooch pins. The first step is to roll out the clay and use the cookie cutters. Next is to follow the oven-bake clay instructions. Once they are done, glue the googly eyes to one side and brooch pin or hair clip to the other side. Find more detailed steps here.

5. Melted Crayon Pumpkin

This craft will need a pumpkin (a white pumpkin will work best), crayons, a hair dryer or heat gun, and clear tacky glue. First, take the paper off of the crayons and then glue them to the top of the pumpkin. Next use the hair dryer or heat gun to melt the crayons onto the pumpkin. While melting the crayons, it is a good idea to try to melt them at different angles, so the wax isn’t melting in a single straight line. Allow the wax to cool and set. More crayons can be added on top if needed!

6. Framed Spider

For this project, a picture frame, plastic spider, crafts glue or hot glue, and web-patterned paper are needed. First, remove the glass from the picture frame. The glass isn’t needed, so it could be thrown away or used for another craft. Then glue the web-patterned paper that is cut to size into the frame. If you don’t have web-patterned paper, you can always print a web pattern or draw a web pattern. Decorative stripes can be added to the spider with crafts glue. Finally, glue the spider onto the paper.

7. Ghostly Welcome

Welcome your trick-or-treaters with some floating ghosts. To make a floating ghost, you will need a white plastic bowl with a hole drilled into the bottom center, twine or fishing line, duct tape, black felt, hot glue, and white cotton cloth. First, use the twine or fishing line to string through the white plastic bowl and hold it in place with duct tape. Next cut a hole in the center of the white cotton cloth and put the cloth over the plastic bowl with the twine or fishing wire. Finally, cut out facial features from the black felt, hot glue them onto the white cloth, and hang them by your front door.

Halloween Snacks

1. Spider Lollipops

For each “spider,” you will need one lollipop, two pipe cleaners cut in half, two googly eyes, and some glue. First, you will wrap the four pieces of pipe cleaners around the lollipop tightly. Next, separate the “legs” and bend the ends of them for the “feet.” Finally, glue the googly eyes on!

2. Mummy Dogs

These mummy dogs are sure to be a hit. The ingredients needed are a package of refrigerated breadstick dough, a pack of hot dogs, and capers. The hot dogs get wrapped in the breadstick dough with two capers pushed into the dough for the eyes. Finally, they cook for about 12 minutes at 375 °F or until golden brown.

3. Strawberry Ghosts

For these ghosts, you’ll need fresh strawberries, white baking chocolate, and miniature semisweet chocolate chips. First, melt the white chocolate, dip the strawberries into it, set them onto a baking sheet lined with wax paper, and put them in the freezer for about 5 minutes. Next, take the ghosts out and stick two mini semisweet chocolate chips onto each strawberry. Finally, melt the leftover chocolate chips and use a toothpick to draw a mouth on each strawberry. Now you have some spooky berries.

5. Graveyard Taco Dip

This five-layer dip will make zombies rise from the dead. The first layer is a can of refried beans. The second layer is a mixture of two cups of sour cream and one pack of taco seasoning. The third layer is a mixture of two mashed avocados, one clove of minced garlic, and two tablespoons of mayonnaise. The fourth layer is one cup of salsa and the fifth layer is one bunch of chopped scallions. The final step is to make the tombstones and trees out of tortillas. Cut out tombstones and trees and throw them in the oven on a parchment paper-lined baking sheet at 350 °F or until they are nice and brown. Throw the tombstones and trees in the dip right before serving.

6. Pumpkins (clementines with apple slices)

This one is a simple and healthy Halloween snack. All you need are clementines and celery. First, peel the clementines and cut the celery into small pieces about 2 inches long. Then put the celery into the top of the clementine making a clementine.

7. Monster Popcorn

First, pop your popcorn and pour it into a large bowl. Melt some candy melts in the color of your choice. Green is a great one to use to make it look more monstrous. Once they are melted, mix them in with the popcorn. The last step is the fun part. Mix in eyeball sprinkles, regular colorful sprinkles, maybe some eyeball gummies, and anything else that would add a creep factor.

Halloween Activities

Activities

1. Virtual Pumpkin Carving Contest

Plan a time with friends and/or family to virtually carve pumpkins together. It can be done through Zoom, Voxtandum, Skype, etc. Once the pumpkins are done, everyone can vote for which pumpkin is the best.

2. Pumpkin Darts

Blow up a bunch of small orange balloons onto a wooden board outside. Whoever pops the most balloons wins!

3. Family Mummy Night

Your kids will love family mummy night! All that is needed is toilet paper. Wrap each other head to toe in toilet paper until everyone is a walking mummy.

4. Family Halloween Movie Night

There are so many great family Halloween movies! Here is a list of some great Halloween movies: Hocus Pocus, Halloweentown, The Addams Family, Twitches, Hotel Transylvania, Casper, Super Monsters Save Halloween, It’s the Great Pumpkin Charlie Brown, The Haunted Mansion, and The Nightmare Before Christmas.

Lifestyle • October 21, 2020

Staying Safe And Connected This Fall

by Ashley Ferris

Safe and connected

Now that it is getting colder out, it is becoming more difficult to stay COVID-safe and connected with friends or family. There are a few options to stay safe and warm while keeping in touch with friends and family. Video calls are a great way to keep in touch. There are also so many games that can be played over a video call or through a virtual gaming website. These are some great ways to stay safe and warm while still keeping in touch with your friends and family.

Video Call Options

Safe Ways To Video Call

There are many options to video call. Facetime is always a good option, but it can only be used on Apple products. Google Hangouts is a free smartphone app or a Google Chrome extension. Zoom is normally used in business settings, but can also be used for personal video calls. There is a free option to use Zoom, but there is a 40-minute time limit. Skype, HouseParty, and Facebook Watch Party are all great options for video calls.

Is there a movie that you and your best friend just have to watch together? Teleparty is perfect for that! It can connect to Netflix, Disney, Hulu, and HBO. While using Teleparty, it will synchronize video playback on your device and your friends. Adding a group chat can be useful, so you can talk about the movie or show. There are so many other options that we haven’t mentioned here. These are just a few to get you started.

Virtual Hang Out Ideas

Virtual Hang-Out Ideas

Video chats are great, but it’s always fun to add something to the video call. There are some simple ideas that can spice up your video chats and make your friends and family excited to join. Everyone on the call could make the same kind of dinner together. The group can choose the recipe (the more difficult the better). Then, offer ideas and help when things go wrong. Having a workout class could be a great way to see your friends or family and exercise! There are many free workout classes online. Going in the opposite direction, you and your friends could throw a virtual cocktail party, brunch, or a coffee date. A virtual painting party can be such a fun thing to do.

There are virtual games that can be played virtually as well. There are some apps such as; Uno, Words With Friends, and Mario Kart Tour. These can all be downloaded on either from Google Play or the Apple App Store. If you and the person or people video chatting are on a computer, PlayingCards.io is a fantastic website with tons of different games to play. This site has checkers, chess, crazy eights, backgammon, 500, cribbage, escoba, euchre, go fish, hearts, joking hazard, match up, and trail by trolley. The best part of the site is that, if they don’t have the game you want, you can create your own game instead of the premade games they have! There are so many options to stay safe and connected with friends and family this Fall.

Buyer Tips • October 15, 2020

Buying A Fixer-Upper Home

by Ashley Ferris

Fixer-upper home

Buying a fixer-upper home can be a great investment! Homes that need a lot of work and renovations are normally listed for much lower prices than they could be sold at if they were in good condition. Time and money are key factors to look at before purchasing a home that needs work. Some homes are in very rough condition and will take a lot more time and money to renovate. Other homes may only need a little work. Your own skills can be a factor as well.

Financing Options

First, you will have to decide how you are going to finance the purchase and renovation. You might have plenty of cash to be able to pay for all of it right away, but not that many people have that option. There are a few mortgage options: FHA 203(k), VA Renovation Loan, HomeStyle, and CHOICERenovation loan. FHA 203(k) loans are through the Federal Housing Administration. This loan normally allows lower credit scores and income for most renovation projects on fixer-upper homes.

The VA Renovation Loan is offered by the Department of Veterans Affairs. Although the renovations must be done by a VA-approved contractor, there are some limitations on eligible projects, and the lender might charge you a construction fee. HomeStyle mortgages are offered by Fannie Mae. This type of loan requires a higher credit score than FHA 203(k) loans, but most improvements are eligible. Freddie Mac offers CHOICERenovation loans that allows borrowers to make repairs themselves to earn down payment credit before closing. This loan allows upgrades that help the home withstand natural disasters. It is important to look at all of your options to make sure that you are choosing the best way to finance the home.

Work Needed

How Much Work Does the Home Need?

While looking at a fixer-upper home to renovate, it is important to keep your end goal in mind. Are you looking to resell it, rent it, or live in it once renovations are done? This will help you decide what renovations you will want to do while thinking about your return on investment. Some major issues to watch for are electrical, roof or gutter, windows, HVAC, and water issues. These are more costly. Another good thing to know is if the house was ever vacant. If you have a lot of handyman skills and knowledge, that would help you save money on hiring a contractor. There are some renovations that will give you a greater return on investment than other renovations. A few renovations that will not add to the return on investment are in-ground pools, gourmet kitchen, whirlpool baths, sunrooms, and expensive landscaping.

The renovations that add the most value are remodeling the kitchen, adding a bathroom, upgrading a half bath to a full bath, adding a deck, and basic updates such as repainting the wall. The return on investment of a kitchen remodel is normally about 60% to 120%. Adding a bathroom would generate about 80% to 130% to the return on investment. It is always important to make sure that the renovations generate enough return on investment so you can make the most money.

Buyer Tips • October 6, 2020

Home Inspections for Buyers

by Ashley Ferris

Home Inspections

It is always a good idea for buyers to have home inspections done. Inspectors will make sure that there are not any major issues with the home. They will take a look at the plumbing, roof, HVAC systems, and structure of the home. Sometimes lenders will require a home inspection before the approval of the mortgage loan. Not all lenders require an inspection but, it always works to the buyer’s advantage.

Kinds of Home Inspections

Different Kinds of Home Inspections

There are many kinds of home inspections. A general home inspection normally covers the home’s HVAC systems, interior plumbing and electrical systems, windows and doors, floors, attic, roof, basement, and structural components. Other kinds of inspections might be important to get done. For example, if the home you are looking to purchase has a fireplace, it might be important to get a chimney inspection. Some condominiums or cooperatives might require a chimney inspection.

Lead-based paint inspections should be done on homes that were built before 1978. Lead-based paint was banned in 1978, but homes that were built before 1978 could still have some lead-based paint. There are also pest, termite, or rodent inspections. These inspections are occasionally required by some forms of financing, such as FHA or VA loans. One out of every fifteen homes in America has elevated radon levels. This is why a radon inspection could be very important. Some other inspections that could be done are asbestos, mold, sewer or septic system, foundation or structural, landscaping/soil analysis, pool and spa, and underground oil tank inspections.

Choosing The Right Inspector

Buyers can choose their own inspector, so it’s important that the inspector they choose is a qualified and knowledgeable inspector. In Pennsylvania, inspectors do not need a license, but they need to be a part of a national, not-for-profit home inspection association. Buyer’s can go to the American Society of Home Inspectors website to look up a list of local inspectors.

Buyer’s Advantage From an Inspection

Inspections give the buyer an advantage when purchasing a property. Once the inspection is done, the buyers will receive an inspection report. The report points out anything that is wrong with the areas of the home that were inspected. This gives the buyer an advantage and opportunity to back out of the Agreement of Sale or negotiate the price if there are major issues. This is why it is so important to get an inspection done. There may be some costly, major issues that the average person would miss without an inspection.

Lifestyle • October 1, 2020

DIY Home Renovations

by Ashley Ferris

Outdated Homes

Homes become outdated and need updating that can make your home more stylish, add some extra storage, and improve your resale value! Home renovations that will add the biggest return on investment are normally kitchen and bathroom renovations. You might not have as many handyman skills as your contractor, but there are some renovations that the regular person can do. Along with many cheaper renovations that can be made. Let’s start with one of the biggest returns on investment, the bathroom.

Bathroom Renovations

Bathroom

Renovating the bathroom can add more value than some other renovations that can be done in other areas of your home. A major eye-sore could be blue or pink tiles, sink, or tub. Those can be renovated simply by painting it. To retile or replace a tub, there is normally much more expensive and very time-consuming. Although, if you paint the tiles, tub, or sink, you will want to be prepared to use a different bathroom for a few days. Before you paint, you will want to check the manufacturer’s directions. There will be certain ways to prepare the surface, prime it correctly, and how you should seal it. After a few years, it might need to be touched up, so it is always a good idea to keep the leftover paint.

Renovating your vanity and sink could be simple as long as it is not chipped. If it is chipped, you might want to consider installing a new vanity and sink. One possibility is to paint it with glossy paint. The gloss will make it pop with any color you use. A brown, gray, or any neutral color would look great. Another option is to use concrete paint on both the counter and sink. This technique is a little more time-consuming being that it will need at least a week of drying time. A simple way to update your bathroom is to replace the hardware such as drawer knobs and faucets. A backsplash could be added using stick-on tiles. If you have a flat mirror, you could frame it.

Kitchen Renovations

Kitchen

The kitchen is the other room in the home where renovations will greatly improve your home’s resale value. Starting simple, you can easily add a backsplash with stick-on tiles or even peel and stick flooring to create a shiplap backsplash. If your cabinets are outdated, the easiest way to renovate them is to paint them and add new hardware. Just as in the bathroom, you can use the same concrete paint to create an industrial look in your kitchen. The industrial look has been a very modern and popular look over recent years.

Old linoleum flooring can have some interesting patterns that are not in style anymore. Instead of ripping the linoleum up and replacing it, a cheaper way to renovate it could be to paint them. There are many options on how to paint them. You could do stripes, use stencils, or any other design that you might come up with.

Bedroom Renovations

Bedroom

Renovations in bedrooms might add some value to your home, but it most likely won’t add as much value as renovations in the kitchen or bathrooms. First, think about what items could go into the closets instead of in the bedroom. If you move items such as dressers into the closet, it will free up floor space for other things. The closets might not have wire shelving systems which is a simple renovation that will add value to your home. An easy renovation would be to add an accent wall. This could be a pop of color, a pallet wall, or a patterned wallpaper. Raising the height that the curtains are hung can create a look of larger windows. You could also retrim or just repaint the trimming of the door and windows.

Other Renovations

Other

There are some small renovations that can be done throughout the house. If your home has high ceilings, painting the ceiling a vibrant color while leaving the walls a neutral color can make the room feel taller and more elegant. Painting your ceiling fan can give the room a whole new look, but it should be a high-heat spray paint. Add a picture frame to light switches and outlets to give them a custom look. These small renovations can make your home much more up-to-date and modern.

Lifestyle • September 24, 2020

Falling Into Fall

by Ashley Ferris

Are you excited for Fall weather, food, and activities? So are we!! There are so many things to do in fall and so much comfort food to be excited for.

Fall Activities

Pumpkin Patches, Corn Mazes, and Apple Picking

–Savidge Farms in Mertztown, PA

–Unangst Tree Farms in Bath, PA

–Grim’s Orchard & Family Farms in Breinigsville, PA

Carve Jack-O’-Lanterns

Carve Jack O’ Lanterns

Whether you make your own design or use printable stencils, carving jack o’ lanterns is a great way to get in the Fall mood and spend some family time.

Family Fall Hikes

Hiking is a great way to get out in nature and Fall is a perfect time for hikes. It’s not too cold and not too hot. Below are some local hiking trails.

-Hawk Mountain (1700 Hawk Mountain Rd. Kempton, PA 19529)

-Bake Oven Knob (7705 Bake Oven Rd, Germansville, PA 18053)

-Jacobsburg Environmental Education Center (400 Belfast Rd, Nazareth, PA 18064)

-Wildlands Conservatory (3701 Orchid Pl, Emmaus, PA 18049)

-Delaware & Lehigh Valley National Heritage Corridor (2750 Hugh Moore Park Rd, Easton, PA 18042)

-South Mountain (554 Alpine St, Emmaus, PA 18049)

Make Blanket Forts

No better way to spend a cold Fall night than under some blankets.

Make your own Family Board Game

Pick a Theme (Adventure, Book, Movie, etc)
Make Your Board
Draw on Cardboard or Bristol Board or print out a Board Template
Make Your Game Pieces
1. Lego Men, Small Figures/Animals, Buttons, Coins, Shells/Rocks, etc.
Add Silly Rewards and Challenges
1. The Pirate Stole Your Loot. Lose 2 Tokens.
2. Make A Silly Face. Go Ahead 2 Spaces.
3. You Forgot Your Homework! Go back 1 Space.
4. The Dog Ran Away!! Lose 4 Tokens Chasing Him/Her.
5. You Won Crazy Hair Day! Earn 4 tokens.
Decide whether to use a die, a spinner, or create your own die.
Decide basic rules.
Play the Game!

Fire Pit/Roasting Marshmallows

Fall is the best time for a fire and marshmallows are a fantastic bonus.

Virtual Paint and Sip Night

Stay socially distant and cozy at home while having a virtual night-in with friends. First, the host will pick out what to paint, find instructions, and send it to everyone that will join. Everyone can either get a canvas or just a piece of printer paper.

Fall Photoshoot

With the colorful leaves, you can get beautiful pictures of your family.

Fall Welcome Mat

Use leaves as stamps to create a beautiful Door Matt.

Metallic Leaf Wreath

What you will need are metallic spray paints, lots of leaves, a hot glue gun, a wide gold ribbon, and a foam wreath. First, you will spray paint the leaves. Then wrap the foam wreath in the ribbon. Once it is wrapped, glue the metallic leaves onto the wreath.

Painted Leaves

Paint the leaves and then spray them with an acrylic sealant.

Leaf Initial Greeting

Get a large letter from a craft store or create a Paper-mâché letter. Hot glue leaves onto the letter and add a piece of wire or string to the back to allow for it to hang.