mycastle magazine - march 2012

Castle_March2012.qxd 3/10/12 11:58 AM

6328 Bluffview Drive - Chapel CreekInfluenced by European Architecture!5 Bedrooms / 5.1 Baths / 3 Car GarageStudy / Gameroom / Downstairs MediaRoom Outdoor Fireplace & Living Cen-ter / Pool & Spa

$1,150,000

6760 Trailing Oaks Drive - Chapel CreekBest Value in desirable neighborhood!4 Bedrooms / 4.2 Baths / 3 Car GarageStudy / Gameroom / Media Room / WineCellar 2 Fireplaces

$750,000

6100 Shady Oaks - Chapel CreekElegant finishout and attention to detail!5 Bedrooms / 5.1 Baths / 3 Car Garage &gated drive. Study / Gameroom /Downstairs Media Room, Pool, Spa, Fire Pitand lots of yard!

$1,300,000

5001 Southern Hills - StonebriarPanoramic views from golf course lot4 Bedrooms / 3.2 Baths / 3 Car GarageStudy / 2 Living Areas Pool, Spa andGated Yard

$650,000

2310 Briar Court - StonebriarFormer model home with designer fin-ishes! 4 Bedrooms / 3 Full Baths / 2 CarGarage Gameroom / Study / CharmingPatio Cul-de-sac Lot

$469,000

2904 Shenandoah -Villages of Stonebriar Park

Creek lot views from all rooms in thishome! 5 Bedrooms / 5.3 Baths / 4 CarGarage Study / Gameroom / Gatedporte-cochere .823 Acres pristinely land-scaped

$1,999,000

1944 San Andres - Country Club RidgePool, spa and great yard to play!5 Bedrooms / 4.1 Baths / 3 Car GarageStudy / Gameroom / Media RoomCovered patio, pool & spa

$599,000

5105 Monterrey Drive - StarwoodHard to find downstairs media and cardroom! 6 Bedrooms / 6.2 Baths / 4 CarGarage. Gameroom / Media Room /Card Room, Wine Cellar / Study. OutdoorKitchen & Fireplace / Pool & Spa

$2,100,000

5003 Buena Vista Drive - StarwoodSteve Roberts home with 3 living areason first floor! 5 Bedrooms / 5.1 Baths / 3Car Garage Gameroom / His & HerStudy / Media / Exercise, Pool, Spa andOutdoor Kitchen

$1,580,000

5965 Haley Way - StarwoodPrivate greenbelt lot with Media & Game-room! 4 Bedrooms / 4.1 Baths / 3 CarGarage. Study / Gameroom / MediaRoom/ Pool & Spa with covered veranda

$750,000

1618 Morris - Creekside at StonebriarOutdoor living with fireplace!3 Bedrooms / 3 Baths / 2 Car GarageStudy / Wine Cellar / 2 Living AreasLarge covered patio with fireplace!

$499,000

1603 Foard Drive - Creekside at Stonebriar

Zero Lot line home with pool!3 Bedrooms / 3.1 Baths / 2 Car GarageStudy / Gameroom / Pool & SpaHuge Kitchen with top of the line appli-ances!

$550,000


MARCH 2012MYCASTLEMAGAZINE.COM 3


ON THE COVER

Double Oak residentcreates a personalized

space in her family’s veryown “Tara.”

See Page 10.

COVER PHOTO

BY KELSEY KRUZICH

CONTACT US

lizMcGATHEYEDITOR

[email protected]

cindyMOLINARIART DIRECTOR

[email protected]

kelseyKRUZICHPHOTOGRAPHER

[email protected]

nathenBLISSADVERTISING DIRECTOR

[email protected]

dellaHEMPHILLSALES MANAGER

[email protected]

MyCastle Frisco is published monthly byStar Community Newspapers, 624 KronaDr Ste 170, Plano, TX 75074-8304.

The entire contents of My Castle FriscoCopyright 2012 by Star CommunityNewspapers. No portion may be repro-duced in whole or in part by any meanswithout the express written permission ofStar Community Newspapers. Additionalcopies are available for purchase by con-tacting customer service at 972-424-9504.

15GET THISLOOK

recreate a room

from our feature home

GOING NATIVE

water-saving plantsto know about

18

overcomingdistractions ofWORKING

FROM HOME

8

time-savingTOOLS

5

7

10

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MARCH 2012MYCASTLEMAGAZINE.COM4

16

tailor-made woodworksWHITTLING THE DREAM

let’s clear the air:INDOOR AIR QUALITY

feature home of the monthONCE UPON A TIME...

18 TIPSto prepare your home to be sold

CURB APPEALsprucing up your exterior

insideCastle_March2012.qxd 3/10/12 11:59 AM

National furniture chains like IKEA and Target are known for their lowprices and trendy styles. Unfortunately, they don’t offer the consumertailor-made pieces of furniture. However, Plano-based Gene Smith,owner of Noble Son Woodworks LLC, can help North Texans with a vi-sion for personal, unique furniture.

Smith, who established his business in 2009 after working at Cisco Sys-tems Inc. as an engineering manager and Texas Instruments as a soft-ware engineering manager, initially began making furniture for friends

and family, creating custom-made pieces for their homes like wineracks and media or entertainment centers.

“I’ve been building furniture [for] family and friends for 25 years or so,”Smith said. “Most of the items … have been focused on things theyneed to fit a specific area or a specific place or a specific function.”

Smith said because he had a full-time position in technology, he wouldbuild furniture for people on the weekends.

Whittling a DreamPLANO WOODWORKER CREATES CUSTOM FURNITURE



The company has been a “work in progress,” he said. One aspect of thebusiness Smith has toyed with is creating a product line, something hehadn’t done before because he was working on one project at a time.

“Last year … I did try my hand at designing two pieces,” Smith said.“So one of them shows up on my portfolio now and that’s the gamestorage table.”

Smith said he played with the idea of making a small game table similarto a coffee table and a taller version, which is similar to a kitchen table.

Most of his business, he said, is done through word of mouth.

“By far, most of the efforts and most of the projects since I startedhave been more geared toward the continuing of the word of mouth,”Smith said. “So someone approaches me with a particular problemand I design and build something for that particular one.”

The prices for his pieces are determined based upon the complexity ofthe furniture, the time it will take him to complete the project as wellas the types of material he will have to use.

“A lot of the people that approach me are looking for clean lines; Ihear that a lot,” he said. “It could be that they have seen my priorwork and they’ve been attracted to that aspect.”

Recently, Smith has widened his expertise in custom-made creationsby completing a dollhouse for 9-year-old Frisco resident Roma Majji’sAmerican Girl dolls.

Smith estimated that the dollhouse, which Roma received in January,weighed at least 500 pounds and stood “just under 5 feet tall.”

The dollhouse, which took three months to construct, was filled withRoma’s ideas from top to bottom including light switches for eachroom, a doorbell, attic, wood floors on the first floor and individuallydesigned rooms for the upstairs bedrooms. Smith worked with Romaand her mother, Shipra Majji, meeting with them three times andgoing over all of the details the little girl was looking for, including theroom colors, flooring, carpeting, windows and roof of the house, aswell as sending the mother and daughter emails with drawing designsto make sure the home was up to Roma’s standards.

Smith added that his business is not limited to the Dallas-Fort WorthMetroplex; he will build and ship for anyone who requests his furniture.

For more information, go to www.custommade.com/by/noblesonwoodworks.

n elizabethKNIGHTEN, [email protected]




When people think of air quality they oftenthink of the thick smog hanging over Los An-geles or the fresh, clean air of Alaska.

What many people don’t realize is the air in-side a home can have chemicals, vapors andodors in concentrations as much as 1,000times greater than the air outside. The level ofindoor air quality is also a major factor inone’s health, with dirty air leading to healthproblems such as asthma and allergies.

Dr. Richard Shaughnessy, the director of theUniversity of Tulsa’s Indoor Air Research Pro-gram, said consumers need to be cautiouswhen purchasing portable air cleaners to en-sure they are not ripped off.

“There are two different types of things aircleaners are targeting,” he said. “You haveparticles such as dust, allergens, pollen andmold, which many filters do a good job of re-moving. You also have odors, fumes andchemicals, and some of the cleaners targetingthese are highly inefficient and virtuallyworthless.”

For consumers who are simply worried aboutreducing things such as pet dander or dust,Shaughnessy said cleaners and filters utilizinghigh-efficiency particulate air (HEPA) tech-nology are the way to go. However, not allHEPA filters are created the same.

“Consumers want to make sure the filter is atrue HEPA, and not simply a HEPA-type,” hesaid. “You also have to look at the clean airdelivery rate, which will be listed on the boxand make sure you get a filter that is the cor-

rect size for the room. A large family room re-quires a more powerful cleaner than a smallbedroom.”

Filtering out chemicals and odors is muchmore difficult, Shaughnessy said. The chemi-cals, vapors and odors come from a variety ofsources, including cosmetics, sealants, indoorpaint, new carpet and solvents. To removethese from the air, activated carbon or someother similar medium must be used.

Shaughnessy said some air cleaners designedto remove particles may claim to feature acti-vated carbon to also remove odors, but he saidthe amount of carbon is often insignificant andgets clogged quickly, preventing the odorsfrom being removed. He said homeownerswould be better served trying to remove thechemicals through other means.

“We typically find the amount of chemicalsindoors is about three times greater than whatwe see outdoors,” he said. “However, in newhomes which feature new carpet, flooring andfurniture, the amount can be 100 to 1,000times greater than the air outside. The bestway to eliminate these is to let the homebreathe by exchanging outside air for insideair.”

He noted that with homes being designed asenergy-efficient as possible, it is more difficultto exchange air since they are more tightlysealed to make heating and cooling them eas-ier. He said the amount of chemicals will de-crease naturally over time, so buying aspecific filter to combat them is usually notnecessary.

“Should someone want to try and acceleratethe process, the only thing you can do isbring in outside air,” he said. “You can usean air cleaner supplementally, but it is notgoing to remove all your problems.”

In specific cases where a family is bringing anewborn baby into the house and is con-cerned about chemicals, Shaughnessy saidthe key is to do any renovations to the nurs-ery well in advance so the fumes have time todissipate naturally. As a general rule for allhomeowners and not just those with new-borns, Shaughnessy said to look for paintsand cleaners that have less irritants andodors in them.

In addition to his work in Tulsa, Shaughnessyis on the advisory board for The HealthyHouse Institute, an organization devoted toeducating homeowners about ways to have ahealthier home.

Allen Rathey, the institute’s president, saidhis organization does not sell any productsand will not take money from advertisers inorder to promote their product. He said thisallows the group to remain objective and rec-ommend products and methods that work andwill benefit the consumer, regardless of themanufacturer.

The Healthy House Institute website containsa number of articles and tips about a varietyof topics ranging from clean air and water togreen living. The institute’s website can befound at www.healthyhouseinstitute.com.

n billCONRAD, [email protected]

let’s clear the airCLEANING THE AIR INDOOR AIR QUALITY


Working from home often seems like a good idea. The thoughts ofnot having to get dressed for work and being able to relax and workat your own pace are attractive, especially to people with children.

What workers don’t often realize are the challenges that workingfrom home bring, namely the ability to be easily distracted. A televi-sion, pets or children can result in not getting the day’s tasks done.What seemed like a relaxing, stress-free decision to work at homecan turn into a nightmare.

Luckily, people successfully work at home each day, and by utilizinga few simple tips, you can do the same.

“What really helps me is getting started early,” said AlexFriedrichs, who does data entry for an insurance tracking company.“Normal people clock in at 8 a.m. and sometimes have to leavethe house to begin their drive at 6 a.m. I get started at 5 a.m., sowhen the world starts waking up I am halfway done. I am prettymuch done between 1-3 p.m., and I can always take a naplater in the day when all my work is over and done with.”

Friedrichs said she keeps her home office free from asmany distractions as possible. There is no TV in the of-fice, but she does have a window that lets her see theoutside world. This is important to ensure she doesn’tgo “stir crazy,” she said.

“There are some little distractions in the morn-ing such as making breakfast and preparinglunch for my children,” she said. “But I findI am more efficient and productive when Iwork from home.”

With three school-aged children, Friedrichssaid the benefits of working from home don’tjust relate to how productive she is. Her childrenknow that she is only one phone call away, and shedoesn’t have to take time off work in case one of her children getssick and has to stay home from school.

workingfromHOME


juggling the dailydistractions of



One local company has taken the work-at-home model a step further. The Eli DanielGroup, an Allen-based staffing firm, hasseven employees, all of whom alternate be-tween coming to the office and working fromhome.

“I work from home a few days a week andthen from the office a few days a week,” saidHeather Foster. “We come to the office whenthere is a reason to be in the office, but I findI get more work done when I am at home. Allof us at the Eli Daniel Group like one an-other, so it can be distracting to be in the of-fice when people are talking to each otherand you are overhearing other people’s con-versations.”

She said she is also able to spend more timeworking since she doesn’t have to spend sev-eral hours each morning getting dressed,doing her makeup and driving to work. Shesaid it is very nice to “crawl out of bed andgo straight to my desk.”

Working from home may not be for everyone,Foster said, noting that she thinks it takes aspecial type of personality to do what shedoes. She said if you are someone that is eas-

ily distracted by the television or householdchores such as laundry or vacuuming, thenworking from home will likely be a challenge.

She said she combats boredom and being dis-tracted by keeping a daily schedule of thingsshe needs to accomplish.

“I am too busy and have too much on myplate to do other things around the house

when I am supposed to beworking,” Foster said. “Imake sure I have my dayplanned out. On Sundays Ilook at my calendar andlist my appointments andtasks for the week. I writedown every little tinything I need to do, even ifit seems like it may besilly. That keeps my dayjam-packed.”

Both women agreed thekey to working from homeis to go through your dayjust like you would if youwere actually at the office.

“It is really a mindset,” Friedrichs said.“When I first started doing this I had to realizeI am working. I had to treat myself like I am inan office and assign breaks and a specific timefor lunch to get myself in the mindset that I wasworking. I like to tell people that I am not sim-ply a stay-at-home mom, I am a stay-at-homemom with a full-time job.”

n billCONRAD, [email protected]


PHOTOGRAPHY BY KELSEY KRUZICH



Since then, the 4,800square-foot abode hasbeen a labor of lovefor Christina, whokept many of its ex-isting bits and piecesto create an old-worldliving style that’s allher own.

“All of a sudden wecame down this roadand I saw this house.It was right by thewater and it was just

perfect,” Christina said. “I yelled, ‘stop, it’s for sale!’ I really do feellike the good Lord finally directed me to this house. It has certainlybeen a blessing for us.”

Entering the McIntyre castle through the heavy, wooden doubledoors, one is welcomed warmly into the foyer, their eyes immedi-ately drawn up the ruby-carpeted, spiral staircase. A modest, yet el-egant settee coupled with a large wall painting depicting a classicalliving room hints at the home’s Victorian theme. The painting wasone of Christina’s first purchases and represents her vision forrecreating the past – one room at a time.

“When we first got here, it was old and dark. It reminded me of theHaunted Mansion at Disneyland,” Christina said. “I found that pic-ture one day and just felt like I wanted to have it in my home. It’sold-fashioned and that’s what I like.”

Practically each area in the five-bedroom, three-bath home retains apiece of its history. The gold curtains in the front room that mightcall to mind a favorite scene from “Gone With The Wind” werethere when the McIntyres moved in, as well as the freestandingclawfoot bathtub in the Jack-and-Jill bathroom shared by the McIn-tyre children. These seemingly antiquated accessories becameChristina’s inspiration and encouraged her to find other forgottenriches through websites like www.wishihadit.com, antique shops

and estate sales.“It is so hard to find things thatare my taste,” Christina said. Having an older home alsoposed another set of challenges,as plumbing problems led toflooding at the onset ofChristina’s crusade, but the local

chocolatier and stay-at-home mom said it has not made her losefocus. She is always looking for a bargain and has succeeded infinding tiny treasures everywhere she goes. For example, a friendfound her front room sofa set at a local consignment shop priced at afraction of what one would typically pay. As luck would have it, theset was a perfect fit with the Scarlett O’Hara curtains and the pol-ished travertine floor.

To enhance the light in the home, Christina had the wall separating thefront room and the dining room removed and linked them with a stonearchway. The contrasting double fireplaces offer a warm and cozy feelto the great room, accentedby the twinkle of three vin-tage chandeliers.

The key to making a homeyour castle is not sacrific-ing what you envision for itand staying true to yourtastes, regardless of what’spopular, said Christina,who made the ivory-col-ored curtains in the diningroom herself. Thanks tofriends, she was able tomake the dining room’scharacter separate fromevery room in the housewith its eye-catching man-tel and ornate ceilingmouldings around thechandelier.



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With over 20 years of building and real estate experience,Rod Wede and his team offer personalized service to truly meetyour family’s lifestyles and desires.

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Castle_March2012.qxd 3/10/12 12:00 PM

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“I kind of had a hard time visualizing [thecurtains], it took a long time to figure outwhat I wanted,” Christina said. “It took ayear and a half for me to find the materialand the beading. I wanted this to be a veryelegant room. You have to have a home thatmakes you want to live in it.”

Whether it’s a work of art or a work inprogress, the McIntyres’ love for theirdream home can be summed up in a color-ful mural found in son Christian’s bed-room. Painted by family friend andchildren’s book illustrator ChadwickBagley as a housewarming gift, the me-dieval scene centers around Christianroasting marshmallows with a friendly

dragon, while his parents whisk themselvesaway to the “McIntyre Castle” on theirnoble steed.

Finding a home not only in their pricerange but already possessing a personalityshe has always wanted, Christina can’thelp but feel destiny had a hand in makingher castle a reality.

“I just feel really blessed because I would-n’t have been able to put this all together,”Christina said. “I love being by the water,it is my dream home. It may not be every-body else’s, but it’s mine.”

n kelleyCHAMBERS, [email protected]


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Having a clean and tidy home is a high priorityfor many people, but so is having time for funand relaxation. Cleaning can take a lot of time,but there are some handy tools that can cut downon how long it takes to get that satisfying clean.

“If you have a plan of attack and then equipyourself with a few time-saving tools, you re-ally can get your house clean in a lot lesstime,” said Debra Johnson, training manager at

Merry Maids, a nationwide cleaning company.Here are Johnson’s five house-cleaning “must-have” tools for saving time while getting thejob done right:

A 5 0 - F O O T H E A V Y- D U T Y

E X T E N S I O N C O R DThis lets you plug in the vacuumcleaner once, instead of having to lugit around to different outlets.


Time-Saving

TOOLSfor Household Chores

From yard work and pest control to cleaning and taking care of

home systems, there’s a lot that goes into maintaining a house.

Everything Home offers practical tips and expert know-how to

help anyone take good care of their home.

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A S T U R D Y S T E P L A D D E RHaving a 2- or 3-foot stepladder letsyou get to those hard to reach areas,like air vents near the ceiling, light fix-tures and the highest shelves.

A C L E A N I N G C A D D YA portable tool caddy lets you keep most of what you need right athand. Stock it with a spray bottle of all-purpose cleaner, oil soap forwood surfaces, nonabrasive cleanser, microfiber cloths for dusting,paper towels, sponges, latex gloves to protect your hands and asqueegee for windows, mirrors and tub and shower doors. You maywant to get a caddy for each floor of your home and stock them withappropriate cleaning supplies.

A S T U R D Y C A R P E N T E R ’ S A P R O NThese handy canvas aprons have multiple pockets that can hold addi-tional items, such as old toothbrushes for cleaning grout and hard-to-reach areas, a widget (a small tool with a blade for removing stubborndirt) and dryer sheets for cleaning mini blinds and computer and TVmonitors.

A S T E A M E RCleaning with steam lets you clean and deodorize multiple surfacesaround the house. Johnson says that steam is quick and powerful, andsince you’re only using water, you eliminate the need for using prod-ucts. You can get a handheld steamer for smaller jobs, or an uprightversion for tackling floors. If you have hardwood floors, make sure themodel you have is made for cleaning sealed floors.

Before you put your cleaning tools away after each clean, Johnsonsays it’s a good idea to make sure they’re ready for the next cleaningsession.

“Make sure your spray bottles have enough cleaner in them, and thatyour brushes, sponges and wipes are clean, dry and ready to go. Thatway, when it comes time to clean again, you can just grab your toolsand get started,” she said. “And the quicker you can start, the quickeryou can get done.”

For more tips to easily keep your home fresh and clean, visit www.merrymaids.com/cleaningtips/.

When it comes to household chores, men and women don’t alwayssee eye to eye.

In fact, the second annual Scrubbing Bubbles Dirty Work Index sur-vey found that 58 percent of women say it’s their job to clean, and aquarter (25 percent) of all women feel as if they are the cleaningleader in their homes.

More than half of women confided that they want more help aroundthe house from their partner or spouse, but 38 percent don’t trustthem to meet their standards of cleanliness.

END THE

chorewarJohn Gray, best-selling author of“Men are from Mars, Women arefrom Venus,” offers this advicefor creating the best atmosphereat home:

n Define the roles. It’s impor-tant to identify all the householdchores and discuss who willhave ownership of each.

n Discuss expectations. Sincethe survey showed that womendon’t trust men to meet theirstandards of clean, Gray recom-mends that women actuallyshow men how they want thehouse cleaned and that couplesdiscuss what clean means toeach of them.

n Look for time-saving cleaningtools. Stock your home withcleaning products that are easyto use and efficient.

n Remember to say thank you.Whether or not the bathroomshines the way you want, don’tforget to say thank you for theeffort.

One simple tool you can use tominimize friction over chores? Achecklist. For each room of thehouse, write down what tasksneed to be completed and re-view it with your clean team soeveryone knows exactly what’sexpected. This sample checklist

for bathroom chores can helpyou get started.

L I G H T- D U T Y

C H E C K L I S T

n Let in some fresh air. Openthe door or a window to air outthe room and reduce humidity.

n Check the toilet paper sup-ply. Don’t get caught with anempty roll.

n Feed the hamper. Toss dirtyclothes and towels into a ham-per and hang fresh towels.

n Clean the soft goods. Laun-der curtains, rugs and clothshower curtains according tothe care instructions. Afterwashing a cloth shower curtain,hang it immediately and let itair dry to prevent wrinkles.

n Restock supplies. In additionto refilling your cleaning sup-plies, check your stash of lightbulbs, cotton balls and guesttowels. Organize and store theseitems in sturdy containers.

Join in the chore wars conversa-tion, get more cleaning tips fromJohn Gray, and take a cleaningpersonality quiz at www.facebook.com/scrubbingbubbles.




The summer of 2011 in Texas was a brutalexperience, both on the people and the nat-ural resources in the state. With the springseason just around the corner, many NorthTexans are thinking about their gardens andwhat they are planting this summer.

Rob Wier, co-owner of Frisco’s Shades ofGreen, said a common misconception resi-dents have about native plants is that theironly gardening options in Texas are cacti oryucca plants.

What may surprise residents is the list offlowers that are not only native to the stateor region, but also bloom and create boldcolors for a summer garden.

Wier said salvia, which is one of many na-tive plants, has more than 100 different

types that range in heightand color. Some of the colors of the plantinclude blue, red, pink and white.

“As a general rule, a lot of them are verygood, hearty and well-adaptive,” Wier said.“Some are native to the area or to Texas andsome aren’t, but they’re well-adaptive, sothey’re equally sturdy as native ones.”

Wier added that the plant does bloom andsome variations of the plant will “stay under2 feet and some will get as tall as 4 or 5feet.”

Other native or water-saving plants include:various grasses; blackfoot daisies, whichWier said grow along roadways in CentralTexas and have a have a white bloom; andLantana plants, which come in perennials

and annualsas well as various colors.

Mexican flame, whichWier said has a “showy, orange-red

bloom,” grows as tall as 3 or 4 feet; andpink skullcap, which has small pinkblooms, and Turk’s cap are also recom-mended for native planting.

Wier said that people often think their na-tive plants are going to look like weeds.

“There are lots of good plants that growhere that are native throughout the wholestate,” Wier said. “They’re not all native to[the] Frisco area but they’re native to thewhole state, that means that they’re well-adaptive to the conditions that we have herein Frisco, between the soil and the cli-mate.”

1

2

3

4

nat veWATER-SAVING PLANTSNORTH TEXANS NEED TO KNOW

GOING



Wier said his store is continuously educat-ing the public on using plants that are bothvisually appealing and water-efficient.

“Most of the plants that we promote herewould easily hold up to the Stage 3 restric-tions that we have here currently,” Wier said.“A lot of them, if established, would probablyhold up to even the worst Stage 4 restrictionsbecause they are so well-adaptive.”

Wier said with native plants, minimal soilpreparation is required because they areadaptive to the area.

“If someone’s going to do new planting it’s al-ways advisable to improve the soil, predomi-nantly … the standard practice here locally isto amend the soil with some compost,” Wiersaid. “Get some compost, and till it into thesoil to loosen the soil, and help it to be a bet-ter planting media to establish plants with,and that’s usually what’s needed.”

Wier said several benefits of using nativeplants include water efficiency, resistanceto local insects, fungus problems and tem-perature – in both the hot and cold weather.

He also added that colorful native plants“attract a lot of wildlife to yourlandscape, be it hummingbirds orbutterflies.”

Wier recommendshand-wateringany new plantsso that the rootscan absorb thatwater.

“The nativeplants, the goodthing about them isthey usually just needwater … when theyget dry,” Wier said,“and that’s the big thingpeople don’t understandis, you don’t really setwatering up by a calen-dar, you have to continu-ally monitor the soilmoisture.”

A useful tool people can use to monitorplant moisture and to avoid overwatering isby using a moisture meter.

For residents who are unsure ofwhether or not they should wateron a particular day, Wier recom-

mends visitingthe city ofFrisco’swebsite,

www.ci.frisco.tx.uswhich updates its lawn

watering advice notices.Residents can also sign

up for emails from thecity for weekly emails

on water and droughtalerts.

For information on native plants, go towww.shadesof greeninc.com or www.txsmartscape.com.

n elizabethKNIGHTEN, [email protected]: daisy; 2: lantana flower; 3: mexican plum; (photo courtesy of

Bill Lindemann - http://npsot.org/wp/) 4: cactus; 5: christmas cactus

5



I N D O O R Sn Create plenty of perceived space in the

most used rooms (family room, kitchen,master bedroom). This may meanmoving out some furniture so the roomsdon’t look overcrowded.

n Establish clear focal points in therooms and ensure each room looks theway it’s intended to be used (i.e. norandom exercise equipment, mat-tresses, etc. in rooms that aren’t specif-ically designated for those items).

n Clear pathways to commonly traveledareas: hallways, doorways and kitchenareas. Corral toys to a concentratedarea (bedroom or playroom) whenyoungsters live in the house.

n Keep the kitchen sink clean and clearof any dishes; countertops should betidy and devoid of any clutter.

n Clear closet, cabinet and pantry clutterand purge the things you won’t be tak-ing with you. Get rid of expired medi-cines and food items, clothes or toys no longer being used, etc. Closetsand pantries will be viewed as having sufficient or an abundance ofspace when they’re not crammed full.

n Ensure there is sufficient lighting in your rooms (direct and indirect),especially for evening showings. This is not the time for energy savingbulbs that don’t cast attractive light and often have delays to get to fullillumination. Poor lighting can infer a home needs to be updated or re-modeled.

n Position blinds and shutters open so the rooms look as if they continueon to the outside. Give full view to any beautiful landscaping or patio settings.

n Clean or replace any discolored carpeting. Dirty or stained carpeting isa turnoff and will likely trigger a request for price reduction.

O U T D O O R Sn Curb appeal is key: lawns and landscaping should be kept mowed,

pruned and watered to look its best. Dead flowers or weedy yards willcause buyers to think the inside may not be taken care of any betterthan the outside. Consider planting patches of flowers (i.e. petunias,pansies, begonias) in a single color to avoid looking busy. As potentialbuyers arrive, this is the first thing they see!

n Splurge on a new front door mat (unless yours is in great shape). Afresh mat will welcome potential buyers into the house and convey a“new” first impression as they enter their potential new home. (Re-member, no monograms!)

n Patio furniture should be in good condition and kept. If pieces are bro-ken or tattered, it’s time to get rid of them! Container plants are a greattouch to add some color and warmth to a patio, particularly in wintermonths.

E M O T I O N Sn Get mentally prepared! Ensure your emotions are in check and you’re

ready to make certain temporary sacrifices to sell your home, whichmay require personal preferences be put aside. Temporary furnitureplacement, picking up more than you’re used to, stepping out of thehouse for showings can all be inconvenient, but remember the goal is toget your house sold!

n Place artwork and pictures on wallstastefully. Resist the urge to fill upevery space on a wall or table,causing some buyers to feel claustrophobic.

n Remove any abundance of per-sonal/family photos. A few areokay, but you’ll want to eliminateany dominant walls or shelves fullof family photos so potential buyerscan easily envision themselves inthe home without the distraction of the people that currently reside there.

n Bake a single cookie from a tube orburn a great smelling candle priorto showing your home. The smellwill evoke a positive emotional con-nection with potential buyers andthe house.

T H E C L I N C H E R Sn Select a reputable realtor, preferably referred by someone you know

and trust. Interview them to make sure your goals align and that youcan trust this person with your largest asset!

n Have your home professionally STAGED! With the amount of inven-tory available to buyers today, you’ll lose your competitive edge as aseller if your home doesn’t look inviting, spacious and appealing to avariety of potential buyers. More than 95 percent of staged homes sellin 37 days or less and for an average of 7 percent more.

n Have professional pictures taken. The majority of today’s buyers areshopping online first, and will quickly pass by poorly captured photos.Your pictures may be the only impression you have to make!

B I ONicole Arnold is passionate about creating home designs that reflect herclients’ personalities and lifestyles. She designs office environments thatemanate the professional image her clientele seeks. Nicole excels in un-covering each client’s desired outcome, balancing aesthetics and function-ality, to create his or her perfect space.

She’s developed a best of the best list of contractors and vendors to insureshe delivers the results her clients expect. Many of Nicole’s clients viewher as a friend, not just their designer, due to her warm personality andprofessionalism.

Nicole’s design style is best defined as transitional. However, her talents enableher to blend combinations of contemporary and traditional elements to producean eclectic look, uniquely tailored to each client’s taste. Her clients appreciatethe range of design services she offers which include originating a custom resi-dential or commercial office look from scratch, modernizing and enhancing ex-isting furnishings, or simply rearranging them for a fresh look and feel.

Nicole has a BA in Marketing and Professional Sales from KennesawState University. Prior to opening her Interior Design firm, she enjoyed a16-year sales career with Levi Strauss & Co., where she developed brandawareness initiatives, increased revenues and led those on her team toreach higher potential through personal mentoring and empowerment.

n nicoleARNOLD, [email protected]; 214-616-3340; www.nainteriors.com

18Critical Stepsto Prepare Your Home for Sale...

If you’re not doing all 18 of thesesteps, your home may sit on the

market longer than necessary andyou could be giving money away



Even if the Texas weather hasyour yard looking less than itsbest, it’s important not to neg-lect your home’s exteriorwhen you decide to put it on

the market. When you’re selling your home,you’re selling the whole package. And abuyer’s bad first impression of the outsidecould influence his/her opinion of the interior.

Fortunately, there are a few simple tasks you canadd to your to-do list to spruce up the exterior.Once your home is listed, buyers will be drivingby to check it out and will definitely be lookingat photos online. You can make a few improve-ments before your Realtor takes listing photos orputs a “for sale” sign in the yard and expect tosee the greatest return on your investment.

Just as you should tidy up the interior of yourhome when you decide to sell, take this sameapproach with your home’s exterior. Get rid ofany clutter, junk or toys left in the yard andclear out dead tree limbs and overgrown vines.You don’t necessarily have to landscape yourentire yard to make it appear attractive. In-stead, maintain what you already have or add afew simple touches.

A few flowerpots filled with colorful blooms arerelatively inexpensive and can instantly makea home more attractive. Spreading mulch is agreat way to tidy up neglected or emptyflowerbeds. A few bags or shovels full of newmulch can make a huge difference. Just besure to keep the yard mowed and edged, rakeleaves and pull weeds regularly.

If you’ve been using your garage to store stuffother than your cars, now would be a good time toclear out items and make room for your vehicles.This task serves two purposes: Buyers can moreeasily imagine their own vehicles in a two-cargarage if they actually see that two cars fit, andyou get a clear driveway.

Could the front door use a fresh coat ofpaint? This do-it-yourself project takes littletime, is relatively inexpensive and makes agreat first impression. You can also easilyspruce up the area around the entrance withsome pots or planters full of seasonal flowersand a new welcome mat.

If your porches have railings or steps, this isthe ideal time to give them some attention, too.Tighten any loose screws, replace broken rail-

ings or steps and give them a good coat of paintto help make them look new again.

If your home’s exterior or siding is looking drab,consider using a pressure washer to clean it andthe walkways and driveway. And don’t forget yourgutters. Clearing them out and inspecting themwill help you identify any issues such as clogs,leaks or broken clips. You’ll need to get out theladder or call in a professional.

Even if you don’t do windows, take the time toclean the glass inside and out. You can take thelabor out of it by using a cleaning product that at-taches to a garden hose for the exterior.

Talk with your Realtor about what projects youshould and shouldn’t invest in before you begin.He/she can tell you what projects are most likelyto bring you the greatest value.

If you’re looking for a Realtor to help you throughthe home selling process, I encourage you to visitthe Collin County Association of Realtors’ “Mem-ber Search” link on its website, www.ccar.net.

n leslie roudaSMITH, 2012 President, Collin County Association of Realtors

Don’t curb buyers’ first impressions


mycastle magazine - march 2012

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