The Oklahoman Real Estate

LISTING OF THE WEEK

Spacious living The Listing of the Week is a large, two-story house with an attached five-car garage in the gated Turtle Creek Estates addition in northwest Oklahoma City.

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HOUSE PLAN

Organic materials The Heartview’s window-bright interior segues nearly seamlessly into its wrap-around outside living area at the rear. And the exterior materials ensure an organic blending with the natural environment as well.

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REAL ESTATE

Mi-Ling Stone Poole

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THE OKLAHOMAN | NEWSOK.COM

SATURDAY, JUNE 5, 2010

HAIL VICTIMS HAVE ROOFING CHOICES

ASK MI-LING

BEWARE OF SCAMS The May 16 hailstorm left parts of Oklahoma City with deep pockmarks. In some of the hardest-hit neighborhoods, you’ll see more out-of-state license plates on contractors’ trucks than Oklahoma plates. Let the roofing buyer beware.

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IN BRIEF

HOME SALES SURGE IN APRIL Sales of newly built, single-family homes surged 14.8 percent to a seasonally adjusted annual rate of 504,000 units in April as consumers rushed to beat the deadline for expiring homebuyer federal tax credits, the strongest level of new-home buying since May 2008.

BILL AIMS TO CREATE LOANS

Pedro Gomez and Adolfo Tavera with All American Roofing work on Frank and Rachel Kitelinger’s house at 2040 Mattern Drive.

PHOTO BY PAUL B. SOUTHERLAND, THE OKLAHOMAN

BY TIM FALL Special Correspondent trfall@gmail.com

It came from “outer space.”

On May 16, Frank and Rachel Kitelinger’s home at 2040 Mattern Drive came under attack as fistsize ice chunks smashed into their home, their landscaping and their car with mortar-shell force.

Their only defense was an inch-thick barrier of asphalt laminate and plywood: their roof.

It got “really torn up,” Rachel said.

Make that totaled.

One of the first calls the Kitelingers made — as did perhaps 150,000 other residents of Oklahoma City, Nichols Hills and The Village — was to their insurance agents, who pronounced the roof dead as a roofing nail.

Contracting with All American Roofing, the Ki-

telingers chose to replace their roof with 30-year shingles similar to those the hail obliterated.

But as with computers, baby strollers and pretty much everything else, there’s new technology in roofing products, too.

To take advantage of one such update, the Kitelingers chose a silver-lined, heat-deflecting decking material that should help their new roof last years longer than the previous one — assuming that particular hailstorm, the one May 16, was a once-in-alifetime event.

Neil Cagle, president of All-American Roofing, said once the materials were selected, his company was able to replace the Kitelingers’ roof in a day.

Roofing technology advances have some companies claiming their rubberized shingles will repel SEE HAIL, PAGE 2F

SPIRITS HELP REMOVE WAX Rachel Kitelinger stands in front of her house at 2040 Mattern Drive before the roof was repaired by All American Roofing.

PHOTO BY TIM FALL, THE OKLAHOMAN

FHA to slash higher seller concessions WASHINGTON — One of the key attractions of Federal Housing Administration-backed home mortgage financing is going, going — but not quite gone.

Sellers and buyers who move fast can still make the most of it.

Sometime this summer, the FHA plans to slash maximum “seller concessions” from 6 percent of the home price to 3 percent.

Seller concession rules allow buyers to look to the property seller to pay for a variety of services and taxes connected with the transaction — loan origination and local transfer fees, appraisals, inspections, closing and escrow

Kenneth Harney THE NATION’S HOUSING

costs among others — though not the down payment.

Imagine that you’re buying a $200,000 house.

If you are using FHA financing under current rules, you can structure the contract so that the seller agrees to pay all closing costs and even some repairs the house needs at settlement, up to 6 percent of the price, or $12,000.

A bill introduced last week by U.S. Reps.

Brad Miller, D-N.C., Carolyn Maloney, D-N.Y., and Joe Baca, D-Calif., aims to help alleviate the lack of credit for acquisition, development and construction financing that the housing industry worries will end the budding housing recovery before it has time to take root. H.R. 5409, the Residential Construction Lending Act, would create a loan guarantee program within the Department of Treasury to unfreeze credit for small homebuilding firms with viable projects.

On a $400,000 house, allowable concessions go to $24,000.

That’s huge, especially if you have to struggle to come up with a 3.5-percent down payment and you’re not sure where you’ll find the closing and repair money.

Contrast that with using Fannie Mae or Freddie Mac conventional financing, where seller concessions generally are limited to 3 percent.

For many buyers, the extra negotiating flexibility built into the FHA program makes the choice between programs a nobrainer.

When FHA officials announced the policy change earlier this year,

they said the long-standing 6-percent maximum “exposes the FHA to excess risk by creating incentives to inflate appraised value.”

That would occur when sellers agree to pay buyers’ closing and other expenses but merely tack those costs onto the final sale price of the house.

Rather than agreeing to a $200,000 price as in the example above with $12,000 worth of concessions, the final contract price of the house would instead be $212,000.

If an appraiser did not detect and report the price boost, FHA would effectively be insuring a mortgage on a house worth less than the sale

price. In fact, since the rules allowed a 6-percent seller concession and the down payment was just 3.5 percent, FHA would be insuring an underwater loan from the start.

To limit further possible losses, FHA decided to cut the concessions limit in half. In its announcement, the agency said the change would occur in “early summer” after publication of a Federal Register notice and a public comment period. But Lemar C. Wooley, an FHA spokesman, confirmed May 19 that there has been no Federal Register announcement.

SEE FHA, PAGE 2F

Q: I used to use Jubilee wax on my white Formica countertops. The wax has since yellowed. How can I remove it?

A: S.C. Johnson, which used to make Jubilee, recommends using mineral spirits to remove a buildup of the wax.

You can buy mineral spirits where paint is sold. Apply the mineral spirits directly to the counter or to a clean cloth, and work in small areas using a circular motion.

Wipe each section dry immediately with a clean cloth.

Change cloths frequently.

STAFF AND WIRE REPORTS

INDEX Stone Permits Handy

3F 6F 10F

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REAL ESTATE

SATURDAY, JUNE 5, 2010

Plastic tarps cover roofs near NW 63 and Grand Boulevard on May 17.

THE OKLAHOMAN | NEWSOK.COM

PHOTO BY STEVE GOOCH, THE OKLAHOMAN

Hail: No shingle is impact-proof FROM PAGE 1F

hail with an impact resistance akin to thousands of tiny trampolines.

Jim Hofegartner, president of Central Roofing & Construction Co. in Luther, said a DaVinci Aberdeen slate roof his company installed “a few weeks ago” in Nichols Hills withstood last month’s devastating hail with “minimal damage.”

He observed that a concrete tile roof next door was destroyed.

In Blanchard, where penny-size hail recently damaged buildings, homeowner Kathy Bradshaw said the new DaVinci Bellaforte roof on her 3,800-square-foot ranchstyle home easily survived the recent storms.

“Our roof is holding up fine,” she said in material from DaVinci Roofscapes, based in Kansas City, Kan. “The research we did before having the DaVinci roof installed earlier this year has really paid off. We wanted a roof that would stand up to the severe weather conditions we experience in our state. Our decision to invest in synthetic roofing tiles has already proven wise based on the terrible storms we’ve had so far in 2010.”

Penny-size hail is one thing. The softball-size and larger hail that pummeled north Oklahoma City on May 16 was something else. Mark Lenzer, vice president for sales and marketing for Oklahoma City’s Reroof America, said such claims are still difficult to substantiate.

“There are impact-resistant shingles out there,” Lenzer said, “but nothing that’s impact-proof.”

Lenzer said no shingle could stand up to the worst of the hail that came along with last month’s storm.

Still, Nichols Hills Police Chief Richard Mask issued a statement remarking that synthetic roofs may have been the only winners in the recent severe weather in Oklahoma.

The synthetic slate-look roofs “were undamaged,” he said, “while other roofs were completely destroyed — particularly slate roofs.”

To make sure they get

Farmers Insurance adjuster Andrew Brown takes note of hail damage to the home of Debbie and Mike McKaughan in Moore. PHOTO BY PAUL HELLSTERN, THE OKLAHOMAN

Pedro Gomez and Adolfo Tavera with All American Roofing work on Frank and Rachel Kitelinger’s roof at 2040 Mattern Drive, near 50 Penn Place, which can be seen in background.

PHOTO BY PAUL B. SOUTHERLAND, THE OKLAHOMAN

Infinity Roofing, new to Oklahoma City, had a plane flying a banner advertising free roofing estimates May 17, the day after the massive hailstorm.

PHOTO BY PAUL HELLSTERN, THE OKLAHOMAN

the new roof they need with no surprises, roofing company representative Lenzer and Cagle agreed that homeowners should: Do due diligence on the roofing contractors bidding on their job.

Check to be sure they have a valid state roofing license and that they carry adequate workers’ compensation insurance.

Have a qualified roofer inspect the roof before you make a claim to avoid an unnecessary run-up in premiums. Cagle cautioned that some lessscrupulous companies are advising homeowners to file a claim when their roof may not be damaged.

Check out the roofing product being offered by the contractor. There are three or four major manufacturers, Lenzer said. If your roofer is suggesting a product from a lesserknown company, read up on it.

Be sure the contractor evaluates the entire roofing system of the home.

Problems arising from inadequate ventilation, Lenzer said, can be more compromising in the long run than materials used.

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FHA: Act quickly to reap benefit FROM PAGE 1F

Since public comment periods frequently run for 60 days followed by a review period, it appears that any start date for the concessions change has slipped to late summer at the earliest. Wooley said in an e-mail that “early summer may be stretching it, but I’m told that we do still expect it this summer.”

Why does the timing matter? Whatever you might think of FHA’s existing seller concession rules, the fact remains: Concessions of 6 percent

are still allowed and will be until FHA announces they’re not. Buyers and sellers who have a legitimate need to build concessions into their contracts can still do so, but they need to know that the clock is ticking.

Smart real estate agents and mortgage loan officers already are putting out the word: If a home sale deal needs the 6percent FHA feature, get the contract put together as quickly as possible.

Ken Harney’s e-mail address is kenharney@earthlink.net.

WASHINGTON POST WRITERS GROUP

Jose Gomez with All American Roofing works on a house in Oklahoma City.

PHOTO BY PAUL B. SOUTHERLAND, THE OKLAHOMAN

BUSINESS BUSINESS NEWS P.O. BOX 25125, Oklahoma City, OK 73125 Fax: (405) 475-3996 NewsOK.com HomesOK.com

CLYTIE BUNYAN Business Editor (405) 475-3284, cbunyan@opubco.com

RICHARD MIZE Real Estate Editor (405) 475-3518, richardmize@ opubco.com

VENETTE PERRY Assistant Classified Advertising Manager (405) 475-4155, vperry@opubco.com

FOR EDITORIAL INQUIRIES: Contact Richard Mize

FOR ADVERTISING INQUIRIES: Contact Venette Perry

REAL ESTATE

THE OKLAHOMAN | NEWSOK.COM

SATURDAY, JUNE 5, 2010

3F

Canadian home inspector faces challenges in flood disclosures

Shallow shelves organize a varied collection of curiosities in a designer’s breakfast room.

PHOTO PROVIDED BY WERNER SEGARRA

Grid-inspired shelves can help declutter displays

BY ROSE BENNETT GILBERT Creators Syndicate

Q: What should I do with my husband’s large collection of 19th-century and early 20th-century toys? He wants to display them in the living room, but they just don’t seem to “go” with our very contemporary furniture (besides, making it look way too cluttered).

A: The “c” in collection doesn’t necessarily stand for clutter, too. The trick is to find a way to organize the display so the sum is truly greater than its parts. In design terms, that means gathering all the elements together — in a vitrine, on a wall or across dedicated shelves — so they read as a cohesive whole.

Witness the impressive solution designer Jamie Herzlinger came up with for her own collection of the old and interesting: everything from books, photos and majolica to Victorian crystal door handles. She organized a grid of display shelves that run almost all the way up the wall of her elegant breakfast room.

“I’ve been fascinated with lines and grids since I was a child,” Herzlinger explained. Here, she backs her precise arrangement of horizontal and vertical lines with white laminate. “Don’t be snobby about materials,” she cautioned. Against that background, the disparate objects coalesce into a display that becomes the center of attention in what is a “breakfast room” in name only.

“It’s my favorite room in the house. I’m a cook. The other side of the room has all my cookbooks,” she said.

“And we often eat dinner in here, too.” See more of her “out of the box” thinking at www.jamieherzlinger.com.

A similarly inspired grid of shelves in a family room, his den or even a dining room could turn your husband’s “clutter” of old toys into a contemporary room-maker.

Rose Bennett Gilbert is the co-author of “Manhattan Style,” “Hampton Style” and five other books on interior design. To find out more about Rose Bennett Gilbert, go online to www.creators.com.

CREATORS.COM

DEAR BARRY: I inspect homes in Ontario, Canada.

My area has had two 100year floods in the past two years.

Many insurance companies no longer will issue flood insurance because of this, and many people here have had their flood insurance canceled.

After the last flood, many residents had to pay for their own repairs. The homebuyers who hire me want to know which homes were flooded and the quality of the repairs that were done. To make matters worse, the city will not provide addresses or maps to show which properties were affected by the floods.

As a home inspector, I often find all-new wall materials installed from the 3-foot mark down to the floor.

This has become a new focus of my inspections.

Do you have any suggestions?

Kathyleen DEAR KATHYLEEN: You’ve got your work cut out for you. Buyers want to know, bureaucrats don’t want to cooperate, and there you are, standing in the gap. Basically, you have two issues: how to determine if a house was affected by the floods, and how to disclose what you cannot see, such as mold inside the walls.

Apparently, you can identify evidence of wall repairs from 3 feet down, such as visible drywall

Barry Stone INSPECTOR’S IN THE HOUSE

seams, new baseboards, and new floor coverings. In homes with raised foundations, it is often easy to tell if the crawlspace was flooded.

Whether or not you find these symptoms, a wellworded paragraph should be included in each report, informing buyers that the area has a history of flooding, is subject to possible future flooding and that you don’t know if mold or other defects are present in the framing.

And, by the way, municipal administrators have no business with-

holding flood information from the public. They need to be pressed on this point and somehow embarrassed into doing the right thing.

Good luck and watch out for those muddy crawlspaces.

DEAR BARRY: We have a problem heating our master bedroom. The thermostat is in the hallway, outside the bedroom door. We like to sleep with the door closed, and this causes the problem. When the hall becomes warm, the thermostat turns off the furnace before the bedroom is adequately heated. How can we solve this?

William DEAR WILLIAM: There are two practical remedies.

You can install a second thermostat in the bedroom. When you want the bedroom to be warmer, the

new thermostat can override the one in the hallway, allowing the furnace to remain on until the bedroom is warm. The downside to this approach is that the rest of the house will become too hot, raising your heating bill and wasting energy.

Another approach is to have automatic dampers installed in the heating ducts. In that case, the new thermostat in the bedroom would close the warm airflow to other rooms in the home, allowing only the bedroom and other selected areas to be heated.

You should discuss these options with a local heating company and ask what other solutions the company might suggest.

To write to Barry Stone, visit him online at www.housedetective.com.

ACCESS MEDIA GROUP

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REAL ESTATE

SATURDAY, JUNE 5, 2010

Planning Commission reviews applications FROM STAFF REPORTS

The Oklahoma City Planning Commission approved an extension of the preliminary plat of MacArthur Point Apartments, south of Interstate 40 and west of MacArthur Boulevard, at its May 27 meeting.

Other items approved

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Application by Girl Scouts-Western Inc. to rezone 120 NE 51 from the R-1 Single Family Residential District and the O-2 General Office District to the I-2 Moderate Industrial District.

Application by LM Real Estate Co. LLC to rezone 13008 Broadway Extension from the SPUD-354 Simplified Planned Unit Development District to the SPUD-559 Simplified Planned Unit Development District.

Application by Coolgreens II LLC for an ABC-1 Alcoholic Beverage Consumption, Restaurant With Limited Alcohol District overlaying the C-3 Community Commercial District at 14201 N May Ave., Suite 209.

Final Plat of Paycom, located north of Memorial Road and east of Council Road.

Application by North Western Associates LLC for an ABC-2 Alcoholic Beverage Consumption, Restaurant With Limited Alcohol District overlaying the C-3 Community Commercial District at 6714 N Western Ave. Ordinance amending Chapter 59, Article VII, Table 7150.1 of the Oklahoma City Municipal Code, 2007, pertaining to the Bricktown Core District use regulations by deleting Use Units 8300.34 Eating Establishments: Drive-in and 8300.36 Eating Establishments: Fast Food With Drive-Through Window.

Set a public hearing for June 24 on an ordinance relating to advertising and signs, amending the Oklahoma City Municipal Code, 2007, amending Chapter 3, Article V, Division 1, Sections 3-83, amending general prohibitions; Division 2, Section 3-102, amending

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accessory sign regulations related to EMD signs and declaring an emergency.

Set a public hearing for June 24 on an ordinance amending Chapter 59, Article VII, Sections 7150.1, 7200.1, 7350.2 and 7350.7, amending design review requirements and sign guidelines; Article XII, Section 12200.1, correcting code reference in use table; and Article XIII, Sections 13500.3, 13500.5, 13550.5, 13700.4 and 13700.6, amending design review requirements and sign guidelines and declaring an emergency.

Set a public hearing for June 24 on an ordinance related to Advertising and Signs, amending the Oklahoma City Municipal Code, 2007, as amended, amending Chapter 3, Article V, Division 1, Section 3-82, revising definitions; Section 3-83, amending accessory sign prohibitions; Division 2, Section 3-100, revising temporary signs and display materials not requiring a permit, Section 3-102, amending accessory sign regulated by zoning districts and declaring an emergency.

Set a public hearing for June 24 on an ordinance related to Zoning and Planning Code, amending Chapter 59, Zoning and Planning Code, Article II, Section 2150.2, establishing new definitions; Article IV, Sections 4250.3, 4250.4, and 4250.8, amending discretionary review procedures; Article VII, Sections 7150.1, 7200.1, 7200.3, 7200.4, 7300.8, 7350.2, and 7350.5, modifying certificate of approval requirements to address additional signage, modifying building materials criteria, modifying title of guidelines reference for legacy resources, and removing PUD policy; Article VIII, Section 8500.2 establishing use conditions for temporary staging areas, off-site; Article XII, Section 12200.4, referencing additional standards for accessory signs and prohibiting electronically charged fencing within specific districts; Article XIII, Section 13500.3, modifying certificate of approval

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requirements, Section 13500.5, exempting street tree requirements from constricted rights-of-way, Section 13500.7, revising bulk standards table for office and hotel uses, modifying sign regulations and guidelines, Sections 13550.3, 13550.5, 13700.4, 13700.5 modifying Certificate of Approval requirement exempting specific signs, referencing Chapter 3 Sign Regulations, and declaring an emergency.

Denied

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Application by Jackie and Paula McHenry to close easements on part of SW 87 between the east half of Block 23 and Block 26 of McCann Davis McCann South Broadway Addition, less and except the west 50 feet thereof.

Application by Bluestem Affiliates LLC to rezone 10300 NW 150 from the AA-Agricultural District to the R-MH-2 Mobile Home Park District.

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Deferred to June 10

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Final Plat of Shire Lea Village Phase 2, south of NW 10 and east of Cemetery Road.

Final Plat of Forest Glen Commons, north of SE 29 and west of Hiwassee Road.

Application by Crafton Tull Sparks to rezone 11510 W Interstate 40 from the C-HC Commercial Highway and PUD-1337 Planned Unit Development Districts to the PUD-1415 Planned Unit Development District.

Application by Newey Family Partners LLC to rezone 3442 S Douglas Blvd. from the R-1 Single Family Residential District to the PUD-1416 Planned Unit Development District.

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Deferred to June 24

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Set public hearing on an ordinance pertaining to Zoning and Planning amending Chapter 59, Article XIII, Section 13750 by making Automotive and Equipment Cleaning and Repairs, Light Equipment (59-8300.14) a prohibited use in the Northeast Twenty-Third Street Overlay District; and declaring an emergency.

THE OKLAHOMAN | NEWSOK.COM

REAL ESTATE

THE OKLAHOMAN | NEWSOK.COM

The Listing of the Week is at 13201 Turtle Pond Court.

PHOTO BY NATE BILLINGS, THE OKLAHOMAN

Spacious 5-bedroom house has attached 5-car garage The Listing of the Week is a large, two-story house with an attached five-car garage in the gated Turtle Creek Estates addition in northwest Oklahoma City.

The 5,198-square-foot house has five bedrooms, 4½ baths, three living rooms and two dining areas. The den has a fireplace, wet bar and built-in

Londa Robinson

Robinson joins realty office Londa Robinson has moved to Paradigm AdvantEdge Real Estate, 16301 N May Ave., as a residential real estate sales associate.

She has been selling real estate three years. She previously worked as a marketing director in entertainment. She holds a master’s degree in human relations and organizational development from University of Oklahoma.

Patti Scott

Scott joins real estate firm Patti Scott has moved to Paradigm AdvantEdge Real Estate, 16301 N May Ave., as a residential real estate sales associate.

She has been in real estate sales in the Oklahoma City area 19 years and has earned Certified Residential Specialist, Accredited Buyers Representative and Sellers Representative Specialist designations. She works in all areas of real estate but has a special interest in acreages and horse ranches. She is a horse owner and shows horses at local and national events.

Tempe Perreira

Perreira joins realty office Tempe Perreira has joined Paradigm AdvantEdge Real Estate, 16301 N May Ave., as a residential real estate sales associate.

She moved to Edmond five years ago and has been selling real estate four years.

5F

Buyers need not be timid

LISTING OF THE WEEK

FROM STAFF REPORTS

SATURDAY, JUNE 5, 2010

entertainment center. The kitchen has a breakfast bar, eating space and work island. The master bedroom is downstairs and has a walk-in closet. A guest suite has its own full bath, also downstairs.

The home has radiantheat floors, a geothermal heating and cooling system, safe room, tankless water heater, window treatments, security sys-

tem, underground sprinkler system, six-camera surveillance system and a covered patio with wet bar.

The home, built in 2005, is listed for $659,900 with Bobbie Hartpence of Churchill-Brown & Associates Realtors. For more information, call 755-4422.

Nominations for Listing of the Week are welcome. Send information on single-family homes to The Oklahoman, Richard Mize, P.O. Box 25125, Oklahoma City, OK 73125, or by fax to 475-3996.

If your family dreams of moving from your cramped rented home to a more spacious place of your own, this could be the opportune time to take that real estate plunge.

Due to recent turbulence in the economy, many people are needlessly scared about pursuing their dreams for better housing out of fear they’ll overpay, said Eric Tyson, a personal finance expert and co-author of “Home Buying for Dummies.”

If you’re nervous about buying a home in this era, Tyson recommends that you do a rent-vs.-buy analysis for the property you’d like to own in the neighborhood of your choice.

“If on a monthly basis your cost to rent would be higher than your cost to buy the same kind of home, you’re probably onto a good deal and will sleep comfortably after making the purchase you have in mind,” he said.

Here are other pointers

Ellen James Martin SMART MOVES for prospective buyers: Mobilize sooner rather than later.

Though unemployment remains high in many areas, people who have steady jobs and healthy savings accounts still predominate and are now excellent candidates for a home purchase, said Tom Early, a longtime real estate broker.

If you intend to stay in the same area for at least three to five years, home ownership is usually a better financial choice than continuing to rent, particularly during a period of moderate home prices, such as now, Early said.

Consider the big picture if trading up.

Many homeowners are

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waiting for an uptick in the value of their current place before doing a trade-up transaction. But Early said wannabe homebuyers who think this way often fail to consider the math of the situation. The odds are they’ll get a proportionately bigger discount on that larger or more luxurious place they buy now.

Be on the lookout for eager home sellers.

You can tell which sellers are motivated to negotiate by asking them what’s driving their selling plans. Early said many homeowners are candid about their motivation to move. But you won’t even need to ask what’s driving the sale of a vacant property. “More than nine times out of 10, the owners of an empty house have an urgent need to sell because they’re paying a mortgage ... and getting nothing back,” he said.

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Send e-mail to Ellen James Martin at ellenjamesmartin@gmail.com.

UNIVERSAL UCLICK

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SATURDAY, JUNE 5, 2010

Permits Oklahoma City Stacey Witter & Associates, 2342 NW 39, day care center, erect, $500,000.

Red Rock Builders LLC, 6401 NE 105, residence, erect, $400,000.

The Roberts Group, 16373 Scotland Way, residence, erect, $400,000.

Red Rock Builders LLC, 6417 NE 105, residence, erect, $375,000.

J.W. Mashburn Development Inc., 8513 NW 72 Circle, residence, erect, $300,000.

Redbud Signature Homes LLC, 13431 Broadway Extension, office, remodel, $298,000.

Nichols Homes LLC, 17313 Clove Hill Place, residence, erect, $288,000.

Thornbrooke Homes LLC, 15205 Wilford Way, residence, erect, $285,000.

Gemini Builders, 15301 SE 41, residence, erect, $268,000.

Allenton Homes & Development LLC, 6901 NW 161, residence, erect, $267,000.

Quality Homes LLC, 12901 SE 69, residence, erect, $250,000.

J.W. Mashburn Development Inc., 7105 Chelsey Lane, residence, erect, $234,000.

4 Corners Construction LLC, 14500 Willow Reed Drive, residence, erect, $230,000.

Richardson Homes, 5429 NE 53, residence, erect, $192,462.

Johnston Builders LLC, 12600 N Rockwell Ave., residence, erect, $185,000.

Heartland Homes LLC, 11237 NW 104, residence, erect, $178,569.

Mashburn Faires Homes LLC, 13108 NW 7, residence, erect, $171,000.

League Custom Homes LLC, 12808 NW 5, residence, erect, $170,000.

League Custom Homes LLC, 12816 NW 5, residence, erect, $170,000.

Oklahoma Diamond Group LLC, 10205 SW 25, residence, erect, $165,000.

Mashburn Faires Homes LLC, 2709 SW 97 Court, residence, erect, $153,000.

Berryman Enterprises Inc., 16900 SE 59, residence, remodel, $150,000.

Cutter Homes, 11728 SW 16, residence, erect, $150,000.

RJ Designs Inc., 2117 Bentham Way, residence, fire restoration, $150,000.

RJ Designs Inc., 10608 NW 17, residence, erect, $150,000.

Sun Properties LLC, 11728 SW 17, residence, erect, $150,000.

Leo Fish, 11905 Wickford Place, duplex, erect, $150,000.

Leo Fish, 11907 Wickford Place, duplex, erect, $150,000.

Allenton Homes & Development LLC, 6909 NW 161, residence, erect, $145,000.

J. Hill Homes Inc., 10904 SW 31, residence, erect, $140,000.

J. Hill Homes Inc., 10904 SW 30, residence, erect, $137,500.

Mashburn Faires Homes LLC, 13121 NW 1, residence, erect, $135,000.

Mashburn Faires Homes LLC, 2713 SW 97 Court, residence, erect, $133,000.

Ideal Homes Of Norman LP, 13020 SW 4, residence, erect, $128,000.

Jacobs General Contracting, 200 S Oklahoma Ave., restaurant, remodel,

$125,000.

Sooner Traditions LLC, 2709 Green Canyon Drive, residence, erect, $115,000.

Home Creations, 1629 NW 127, residence, erect, $109,000.

Rausch Coleman Homes LLC, 11801 NW 133, residence, erect, $109,000.

Ideal Homes of Norman LP, 16129 Raindust Drive, residence, erect, $101,000.

Hixon Construction Co. LLC, 7501 SW 29, officewarehouse, remodel, $100,000.

Smith & Pickel, 5840 N Classen Blvd., retail sales, remodel, $100,000.

Home Creations, 1621 NW 127, residence, erect, $97,800.

Home Creations, 1625 NW 127, residence, erect, $96,600.

Ideal Homes of Norman LP, 18409 Carillo Road, residence, erect, $95,000.

Dodson Custom Homes LLC, 2204 NW 158, residence, erect, $93,600.

Betty Stanley, 1417 N Harvard Ave., residence, erect, $90,000.

Home Creations, 1204 Denmark, residence, erect, $87,100.

Home Creations, 19909 Adagio Lane, residence, erect, $84,800.

Rausch Coleman Homes LLC, 6104 Courtyards Court, residence, erect, $80,000.

Rausch Coleman Homes LLC, 4705 SE 80, residence, erect, $80,000.

Home Creations, 2217 NW 197, residence, erect, $77,000.

Ideal Homes of Norman LP, 15421 Calm Wind Drive, residence, erect, $76,000.

Mid-South LLC, 1630 SW 104, canopy-carport, erect, $75,000.

Terry Scrivner Construction, 9500 NW 4, manufacturing, erect, $72,000.

Life Covenant Church, 2001NW 178, church, remodel, $70,000.

Elena Arreola, 3500 Partridge Road, residence, fire restoration, $70,000.

Ideal Homes of Norman LP, 1705 NW 144 Terrace, residence, erect, $69,000.

Darren Kaiser Homes Inc., 6201 N Ann Arbor Ave., residence, add-on, $65,000.

CLS Group, 11406 SE 134, tower-antenna, install, $60,000.

CLS Group, 1200 E Interstate 240 Service Road, tower-antenna, install, $60,000.

Dandy Homes, 10330 SW

REAL ESTATE 89, manufactured home, move-on, $60,000.

Verizon Wireless, 1145 SW 29, tower-antenna, install, $60,000.

Verizon Wireless, 6359 S Independence Ave., towerantenna, install, $60,000.

Verizon Wireless, 3511 S Brunson, tower-antenna, install, $60,000.

Verizon Wireless, 2332 NW 10, tower-antenna, install, $60,000.

Verizon Wireless, 511 NW 122, tower-antenna, install, $60,000.

Verizon Wireless, 4029 N Pennsylvania Ave., tower-antenna, install, $60,000.

Verizon Wireless, 1448 SW 59, tower-antenna, install, $60,000.

Crossroads Roofing Supply/Mike Curtis, 2 NE 26, storage, install, $52,200.

Harrison French & Associates, 2000 W Memorial Road, medical clinic-office, remodel, $50,000.

Pavlo Novaes/F.N. Contractors, 2930 NW 59, retail sales, remodel, $50,000.

Billy Waterman, 6324 S Villa Ave., residence, fire restoration, $40,000.

Vickie James Custom Builder Inc., 3705 W Memorial Road, business, remodel, $36,000.

Ramey Steel, 11011 Vineyard Road, storage, erect, $30,000.

S&P Adamson Inc., 8805 Cindy Road, residence, addon, $30,000.

Caston Construction, 801 NW 50, school, move-on, $20,000.

Dolese Bros. Co., 1324 N Broadway Drive, office, remodel, $20,000.

Li Li Zhang, 2501W Memorial Road, business, remodel, $20,000.

Dwight Hooper, 2324 NW 27, accessory, erect, $20,000.

Hunter Mechanical & Controls Inc., 1316 NE 12, residence, remodel, $19,662.

Destin Construction Inc., 1080 Metropolitan Ave., office-warehouse, remodel, $18,000.

Vernon Smith, 14500 SE 29 Place, storage, erect, $16,000.

Brent Billerbeck, 3600 Frisco Ranch Drive, residence, erect, $16,000.

Angel Vega, 2204 SW 34, residence, remodel, $16,000.

JLC Mobile Home, 12115 N Interstate 35 Service Road, manufactured home, moveon-mobile home park, $15,700.

James Herring, 9400 St.

Ann Drive, storage, erect, $10,000.

Tiffany Lenox, 6813 N May Ave., business, remodel, $10,000.

Kimberly Chappel, 1300 NE 34, residence, fire restoration, $10,000.

Kenneth Moore, 3425 SE 89, storage, erect, $8,000.

Paul B. Pence, 9009 NW 10, manufactured home, move-on-mobile home park, $7,000.

Abby Larsen, 14916 S Western Ave., day care center, remodel, $5,500.

Richard Bryson, 2701 SW 39, residence, remodel, $5,000.

Val Hartley, 10037 S Ross Ave., residence, remodel, $5,000.

Arturo Rojes, 2942 NW 18, residence, add-on, $5,000.

Julie Pennington, 10212 Jetty Court, storm shelter, install-storm shelter, $4,695.

Smartsafe Enterprises, 2816 SW 78, storm shelter, installstorm shelter, $3,995.

Sonchay Nola, 2608 SW 139, storm shelter, installstorm shelter, $3,995.

Vernon Millspaugh, 3305 Rosewood Lane, storm shelter, install-storm shelter, $3,995.

Deborah Bellgardt, 10920 NW 116, storm shelter, installstorm shelter, $3,995.

Flatsafe Tornado Shelters LLC, 5633 Greenview Drive, storm shelter, install-storm shelter, $3,950.

Flatsafe Tornado Shelters LLC, 4721 NW 76, storm shelter, install-storm shelter, $3,950.

Aaron M. Bayer, 5905 NE 107, storm shelter, installstorm shelter, $3,900.

Tracy L. North, 532 SW 158 Terrace, storm shelter, install-storm shelter, $3,850.

Shirley Sack Witkowski, 721 SW 112, storm shelter, install-storm shelter, $3,295.

Flatsafe Tornado Shelters, 14009 Pecan Hollow Terrace, storm shelter, install-storm shelter, $3,250.

Flatsafe Tornado Shelters, 15120 Bay Ridge Drive, storm shelter, install-storm shelter, $3,250.

THE OKLAHOMAN | NEWSOK.COM Mark Gole, 12524 SE 69, storage, install-storm shelter, $3,050.

Fortenberry Curtis, 5502 Margaret Terrace, residence, remodel, $3,000.

Smartsafe Enterprises, 1400 NW 186, storm shelter, install-storm shelter, $3,000.

Smartsafe Enterprises, 6800 SE 162, storm shelter, install-storm shelter, $3,000.

Smartsafe Enterprises, 10617 NW 34 Terrace, storm shelter, install-storm shelter, $3,000.

Lynn Grumieaux, 9401 Forest Dale Drive, storage, erect, $3,000.

Robert Chapman, 1405 NW 184, storm shelter, installstorm shelter, $3,000.

Ben Oglesby, 4073 NW 60, residence, install-storm shelter, $2,800.

Ground Zero Shelters Inc., 2608 SE 96, storm shelter, install-storm shelter, $2,800.

Ground Zero Shelters Inc., 4305 SE 49 Terrace, storm shelter, install-storm shelter, $2,800.

Ground Zero Shelters Inc., 13904 Hunter Jackson Drive, storm shelter, install-storm shelter, $2,800.

Ground Zero Shelters Inc., 5404 Bent Creek Drive, storm shelter, install-storm shelter, $2,800.

Smartsafe Enterprises, 6800 SW 95, storm shelter, install-storm shelter, $2,800.

Smartsafe Enterprises, 5205 NW 118 Circle, storm shelter, install-storm shelter, $2,800.

Smartsafe Enterprises, 2436 NW 180, storm shelter, install-storm shelter, $2,800.

Smartsafe Enterprises, 2113 Dogwood Creek Ave., storm shelter, install-storm shelter, $2,800.

Elaine Sturdivant, 1324 SW 71, storm shelter, installstorm shelter, $2,800.

Christopher Cook, 512 SW 164 Terrace, storm shelter, install-storm shelter, $2,800.

Mary Sexton, 10317 Timber Valley Drive, storm shelter, install-storm shelter, $2,800.

Donald Humphreys, 12524 Village Lane, storm shelter, install-storm shelter, $2,800.

Curtis Haworth, 1505 NW 179, storm shelter, installstorm shelter, $2,800.

Steve Byrom, 9633 SW 33, storm shelter, install-storm shelter, $2,800.

Cheryl Turner, 4812 Eric Drive, storm shelter, installstorm shelter, $2,800.

Willard Payne Jr., 7608 Northway Terrace, storm shelter, install-storm shelter, $2,800.

Kambra Reddick, 7616 Geneva Rea Lane, storm shelter, install-storm shelter, $2,800.

Cornerstone Homes By Chris Moock LLC, 11832 Lorenta Circle, storm shelter, install-storm shelter, $2,700.

Hausnus Inc., 3301 Eton Ave., storm shelter, installstorm shelter, $2,700.

Allison McMartin, 12408 Gaylon Circle, storm shelter, install-storm shelter, $2,600.

Smartsafe Enterprises, 5405 Cloverlawn Drive, storm shelter, install-storm shelter, $2,595.

Patricia Dandrige, 16716 Tonka Trail, storm shelter, install-storm shelter, $2,500.

Jason Vaught, 724 SW 158, storm shelter, install-storm shelter, $2,500.

Johnson Construction, 9101 McDonald Road, storm shelter, install-storm shelter, $2,400.

Saundra Van Horn, 3249 SW 92, accessory, erect, $1,100.

Betty Bagby, 2204 NE 25, storage, erect, $1,000.

Demolitions K&M Dirt Services LLC, 2931 NW 41, vacant.

K&M Dirt Services LLC, 1824 NE 16, vacant.

K&M Dirt Services LLC, 2121 N Council Road, vacant.

L&S Demolition, 1317 SW 26, residence.

Vickey Mason, 11100 SE 97, residence.

Ray’s Trucking, 2244 W Park Place, residence.

Ray’s Trucking, 3107 S Lindsay Ave., residence .

K&M Dirt Services LLC, 8200 Happy Lane, vacant.

Dwight Hooper, 2324 NW 27, demolition, garage.

REAL ESTATE

THE OKLAHOMAN | NEWSOK.COM

Hail hath no fury like homeowner scorned in storm DEAR MI-LING: My home was recently damaged by hail, and I am trying to hire a reputable contractor to do the repairs. Do you have any suggestions on how to make sure that the business is legit?

Hail Stricken DEAR HAIL: With all the damage that tornadoes, hail storms and floods have caused throughout the United States in the past few months homeowners are scrambling to find roofers, home remodelers and other individuals to help repair their homes.

Recently, a friend commented to me that in some of the hardest-hit neighborhoods in Oklahoma you’ll see more out-of-state license plates on contractors’ trucks than Oklahoma plates.

Once damage has occurred in an area, reputable in-state and out-of state contractors — and rip-off artists — flock to these neighborhoods.

Unfortunately, some will take advantage of desperate homeowners.

Here are some things to remember when hiring a contractor: Have your insurance company review the damage before you get repairs.

Never give the contractor a deposit. Pay after the work is completed and inspected.

Most insurance companies have policies that

› › ›

Mi-Ling Stone Poole ASK MI-LING

Once damage has occurred in an area, reputable in-state and out-of state contractors — and rip-off artists — flock to these neighborhoods. will allow you to access money for the repairs as they are completed, based on percentage of work completed and inspections.

Ask if the contractor is licensed and bonded and then ask to see a copy of the documents.

Get several bids.

Ask for references.

Check companies out on the Better Business Bureau website at bbb.org.

Now go out and create your own comfort zone!

› › › ›

Mi-Ling Stone Poole is the author of “Ask Mi-Ling! When You Want the Truth About Decorating.” If you have a decorating dilemma, e-mail her at www.Mi-Ling.com.

SATURDAY, JUNE 5, 2010

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8F

REAL ESTATE

SATURDAY, JUNE 5, 2010

THE OKLAHOMAN | NEWSOK.COM

Home prices in Hamptons rise with bonuses

BY NATHANIEL POPPER Los Angeles Times

NEW YORK — The latest platinum earnings report from Goldman Sachs is one way to see the strength of Wall Street’s rebound from the financial crisis. For another, just visit the Hamptons on Long Island’s South Shore.

On a recent sunny Saturday, a Bentley and a Ferrari were parked outside the East Hampton boutique of fashion designer and New York socialite Tory Burch.

Inside, store manager Megan Ruddy was hustling between well-heeled customers examining $600 handbags and goldbuckled shoes.

“It’s going to be a good summer,” she said. “Everyone is sick

and tired of holding on to their money.”

No place’s fate is more tied to the fortunes of Wall Street than the Hamptons, a string of beach towns frequented by bankers and hedge fund managers fleeing Manhattan’s muggy summers.

The spring house-hunting season is telling, coming as it does after the banks hand out their annual bonuses, which account for the vast majority of Wall Street pay.

A year ago, with the economy depressed, the stock market in the dumps, banks still licking their wounds from mortgagerelated losses and bonuses nearly cut in half, the housing market here dropped dead, and a gloom permeated the beach clubs.

All that has changed. The bonuses distributed by Wall Street have rebounded sharply — and so has the Hamptons real estate market, with the average home price surging to $1.75 million early this year, up 33 percent from a year before, according to data compiled by appraisers Miller Samuels.

“After people got their bonuses, they said, ‘OK, things are going to be normal again,’ ” Manhattan securities lawyer Daniel Scotti said while checking out a recent open house for an estate listed at almost $26 million in the Hamptons town of Sagaponack.

With their picturesque dunes and well-tended golf courses, the Hamptons have long been the summer playground of

choice for New York’s elite.

Paparazzi stake out polo matches and beach parties in search of the many celebrities who keep homes in the area, including Madonna, Steven Spielberg, Martha Stewart and Jerry Seinfeld.

As such, the Hamptons would never be confused for Southern California’s Inland Empire or other areas smacked hard by the housing crash. Even so, the Hamptons are still not quite back to where they were precrisis.

In East Hampton, the main shopping drag is still dotted with empty storefronts. The inventory of homes for sale is bigger than it was a year ago, and prices remain markedly below their 2007 peak. After Billy Joel and

his third wife separated, the singer sold a house in Sagaponack this spring for $10 million, or $1.6 million less than he paid in 2007.

“Before it was all unbridled appreciation — you’d buy something for $1 million, and it would immediately be worth $3 million,” said Paul Brennan, who is in charge of the Hamptons area for Prudential Elliman Real Estate. “All that has stopped.”

Perhaps the biggest wild card is the stock market, the biggest source of the money that gives the Hamptons its green tint. Recent volatility in the markets, combined with the European debt crisis, could end the party before it really gets going.

MCCLATCHY-TRIBUNE INFORMATION SERVICES

First-timers, boomers feel housing slump most

BY ALAN J. HEAVENS The Philadelphia Inquirer

PHILADELPHIA — There are growing concerns that the effects of the economic downturn could have a long-lasting effect on the national housing market.

A study by the Mortgage Bankers Association, conducted by Kentucky economics professor Joe Peek, concludes that “the current financial crisis and recession exceeded the devastation created by other post-World War II recessions.”

Saving rates have risen substantially.

Many Americans will continue to cut spending sharply out of necessity, “others out of fear of what the future holds,” Peek said.

When it comes to housing, he said, it was unlikely that the dramatic rise in loan delinquencies, foreclosures and bankruptcies

would show a “meaningful” decrease in the foreseeable future.

“High unemployment and low house prices are widely projected to remain for an extended period, as well as the rise in problem loans at banks that will restrain their willingness and ability to provide credit,” Peek said.

Two groups expected to feel the pinch are young first-time buyers and the so-called active-adult purchasers who downsize as their children move out.

“The impact of a higher unemployment rate for Americans ages 16 to 24 could have a lasting effect on lifetime earnings and attitudes toward risk and social policies,” Peek said.

In addition, those nearing retirement are delaying it “in an effort to rebuild some of the retirement wealth that was wiped out by the recession,” he said.

The housing industry had been banking on both of these groups to sustain growth during the coming decades — especially the empty-nester baby boomers.

“The tougher economic circumstances for 20somethings and 50-somethings will weigh on housing demand over the coming decade,” said Mark Zandi, Moody’s Economy.com chief economist in West Chester, Pa. “The first-time buyer and second-home markets would be most directly impacted.”

Economist Patrick Newport of IHS Global Insight of Lexington, Mass., said Peek’s assessments “are a lot more dismal than ours, and ours (are) hardly rosy.”

He said today’s housing market “is imposing a bit more discipline by requiring bigger down payments

and better credit scores for buying homes.”

The home ownership rate slipped to 67.2 percent in the first quarter of 2010.

That was its lowest reading since the first quarter of 2000.

Home-ownership rates averaged 64 percent from

1985-94, but accelerated in 1995 because of government policies that encouraged home ownership, especially for previously underserved low- and moderate-income buyers.

The ownership rate reached a record of 69 percent “because of easy

lending during the housing boom,” Newport said.

“It’s less clear what effect the re-entry into the workforce of baby boomers is going to have,” said Rick Sharga, chief economist of RealtyTrac.

MCCLATCHY-TRIBUNE INFORMATION SERVICES

THE OKLAHOMAN | NEWSOK.COM

REAL ESTATE

SATURDAY, JUNE 5, 2010

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Big builders benefit as new-home trend warms

BY ALEJANDRO LAZO Los Angeles Times

CORONA, Calif. — The modest house has yet to be shingled and a stack of drywall sits on the bare concrete floor, but Karame Adesko and her fiance, Pablo Garcia, can envision their future in this developing Corona culde-sac.

Adesko and Garcia originally planned to buy one of the many foreclosed properties in Southern California. But after seeing the pricey repairs they needed, the couple opted to spend $309,000 on a new 1,300square-foot home.

“You don’t want to spend all this money and then have to fix everything up,” said Adesko, a 27-year-old dance instructor.

Helped by people like Garcia and Adesko, sales of new homes are on the upswing. Nationwide, sales of new homes jumped 27 percent in March from the

Pablo Garcia, 30, and his fiancee, Karame Adesko, 27, get a walkthrough of their new $310,000, 1,300-square-foot home in Corona, Calif.

MCCLATCHY-TRIBUNE PHOTO

month before and 24 percent compared with March 2009.

Major builders have seen their shares far outperform the Dow Jones industrial average. One builder, Lennar Corp., has seen its shares rocket 40 percent.

Experts said new-home sales have been helped by state and federal tax credits, as well as by

new tactics by builders.

Simple floor plans, stucco facades and energy-saving appliances are in. Mini-mansions with marble countertops, Jacuzzi tubs, big curving staircases and high-vaulted ceilings are out.

“In 2005, you didn’t need a down payment and you figured the home would continue its ap-

preciation in value, so people wanted big homes that were completely decked out,” said John Burns, an economist from Irvine, Calif. “Now you are getting a home with four corners and a roof.”

Location is also key, analysts said, with buyers less willing to commute extreme distances.

Builders, too, have grown more cautious. Now many will begin construction only after a buyer has put down a deposit or signed a contract. They include KB Home, the Los Angeles company that’s building Adesko and Garcia’s house.

The firm has scaled back its more elaborate offerings, focusing instead on simple plans.

Shea Homes, a privately held builder based in Walnut, Calif., also has introduced a line of smaller homes with modern design, scaled-down master bathrooms and interior spaces that can be reconfigured, said Patrick

Duffy, principal for research firm MetroIntelligence Real Estate Advisors.

“They have gone back and they have reengineered their entire production process,” Duffy said. “Where can we find economies of scale? Where can we cut price? Where can we simplify?”

Despite the uptick in newhome sales, analysts expect this to be a challenging year for builders. Foreclosures continue to hit the housing market. Consumers remain saddled with debt. The labor market is weak.

Banks have tightened lending.

And the generous government tax breaks, which helped fuel sales in recent months, expired at the end of April.

Still, the large, publicly traded companies that dominate the market have plenty of cash and are well-positioned to ramp up production when demand picks up, Burns said.

MCCLATCHY-TRIBUNE INFORMATION SERVICES

10F

REAL ESTATE

SATURDAY, JUNE 5, 2010

THE OKLAHOMAN | NEWSOK.COM

Laser level is handy tool for various tasks One tool that can help with a wide variety of outdoor and indoor tasks is a laser level.

Granted, this isn’t an entry-level tool and might not be one of the first things on your shopping list. But prices for professional-quality lasers have come way down in recent years. And the time savings and increased level of accuracy they bring to projects might have you wondering how you got along without one.

I recently looked at two types of laser levels from different makers. Both performed great. (Prices are approximate retail and can vary widely.)

Bosch Dual Plane Leveling and Alignment Laser (Model GLL2-80, $269): The Bosch laser is two

›

Paul Bianchina HANDY @ HOME lasers in one. A laser on top projects a continuous horizontal line; a laser on the front projects a continuous vertical line. The two beams can be used together or independently.

There are several ways to mount the laser level.

There’s a 5⁄8-inch female thread for attaching it to a standard constructionstyle tripod, as well as a ¼-inch female thread for attaching it to a camerastyle tripod. An additional attachment bracket is included that allows you to

hang the unit on the wall or attach it magnetically to metal studs or other metal surfaces.

The Bosch laser level is small and lightweight, operating on four AA batteries. It’s self-leveling in both modes, as long as you’re within 4 degrees plus or minus of level. The level is waterproof for outdoor use and has a range of up to 65 feet. The level is easy to use. Simply mount as desired, turn it on, then set which of the laser lines you want activated (or both).

The level projects a continuous line, as opposed to many types of construction lasers that rotate. But if you want to use an optional remote laser line receiver, that won’t read a continuous line. So there’s also a “pulse” setting that

causes the line to pulsate and allows it to be read by the remote receiver.

The GLL2-80 kit includes the laser, mounting bracket, a laser target card, four AA batteries and a hard-shell, padded case.

DeWalt Heavy-Duty Self Leveling Interior/Exterior Rotary Laser (Model DW074KD, $449): The DeWalt DW074 is a more typical style of rotating-head laser level. It features heavy-duty, weather-resistant housing and is obviously designed with job-site conditions in mind. The laser head is protected by a roll-cage type construction that uses several thin struts to protect the head assembly while not creating any blind spots for the laser.

The DeWalt level has a standard socket for

›

mounting to a construction tripod. It also has a secondary mounting bracket that allows the unit to be mounted easily to a wall or clipped to an Lbracket for the installation of suspended ceilings. The broad base and rubber feet also make it stable for use on the floor.

The DeWalt laser operates on two D-cell batteries. It’s self-leveling in the horizontal mode and will level itself as long as it’s within 5 degrees of being level when set up. It has a bright and sharp beam that can be seen up to 100 feet indoors. Accuracy is plus or minus ¼ inch per 100 feet.

You have a choice of three modes for the rotating head: fast rotation, which creates the appearance of an almost solid red

line; slow rotation, which conserves battery power; and no rotation, which projects a red dot you can manually point where you want for specific marking tasks.

You can also rotate the level into vertical mode.

What I found particularly useful was the remote laser beam detector. Operating on a 9-volt battery, the detector reads the laser beam within a 1,000-foot diameter of the laser.

The DW074KD kit comes with the laser level, a secondary mounting bracket, the remote laser beam detector, an auxiliary clamp for the detector, a laser target card, two D batteries, a 9-volt battery and a carrying bag.

Send remodeling and repair questions to paulbianchina@inman.com.

INMAN NEWS

REAL ESTATE

THE OKLAHOMAN | NEWSOK.COM

Luxury home market can prove tricky

BY LAUREN BEALE Los Angeles Times

LOS ANGELES — Why such overpricing in the luxury home market?

“What’s different about the high end, compared to the general population, is that people who have substantial resources are able to wait longer” to sell, said Gary Painter, director of research at the University of Southern California’s Lusk Center for Real Estate. “In the bottom of the market you see negativeequity situations, loans going up, people must sell.

Outside forces prompt them to price to sell. Those sorts of outside forces aren’t as present (at the upper end).”

Because luxury homes are often one-of-a-kind and there are fewer sales in such a narrow marketplace, groups that track statistics pick varying points as the cutoff for this market.

Homes priced at $2 million and above, the divid-

ing line at Trulia.com, a San Francisco-based Web site that tracks the market using Multiple Listing Service feeds, account for most price drops nationwide. Such homes represent less than 2 percent of Trulia listings, but are responsible for 24 percent of the dollar volume in asking price reductions.

The act of repeatedly lowering the asking price until a buyer is found is known as “chasing the market,” said Michael Gardner, an agent with Prudential Malibu Realty.

It can be a time-consuming way to sell a house.

But sellers’ thinking has been slow to adjust to the sea change in pricing since the bubble burst.

When determining an asking price, a good agent starts by evaluating the prices of comparable recent sales in the area rather than looking at the prices of active listings, Gardner said. Some agents, fearing they may not get the listing, will go with the higher

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price the client wants, Gardner said. In this case, he recommends the agent include a caveat: “I’ll list it at your price, but if we don’t have any offers in 30 days I’ll be asking for a price reduction.”

But this is a trickier proposition in a market in which values are falling, said Darryl Davis, a real estate agent in Wading River, N.Y., who trains agents across the nation. “You need to price ahead of the market instead of lowering the price every 30 days,” he said.

It’s one thing for an agent to take an overpriced listing when prices are rising. “It’s possible the market will catch up with the price eventually,” Davis said. “But the reverse is happening. To take an overpriced listing now is pointless for the agent and the homeowner.”

Workshop 24X24 XL 3/1.5/1 w/ updates near .25ac $63K Arlene 414-8753

4 Bed/2 Bath Move in ready. Owner may carry.

405-631-3200

Owner carry Lg House & Lot • 417-2176 www.homesofokcinc.com

3 bd 2 ba Double Wide on acreage, Harrah Schools 405-412-6236

Piedmont

Doublewide on acreage w/ pond. Possibly owner carry w/$20k down 405-631-3600

BEAUTIFUL 4bd 4.5ba w/so many amenities each bd w/full ba wood flrs 16 x 32 ingrnd pool w/pergola & fire pit. 20 x 20 wkshp & more! $394,500 Carmen 833-0106 Cleaton & Assoc 373-2494 2187 E Trail Drive- 5AC Custom Built 3 BD, 3K Ba, Office + 2 Liv + 1 Din 3452 Sqft (MOL) $431.5K Leon 373-4820 Overland Ex Realty, Inc 2504 Mustang Rd N.E. 7.5 AC, 4 Bd, 3K Ba, 2 Liv, 2 Din, Fishing Pond, Pool + 2 Shops.

Leon 373-4820 Overland Exp Rlty

Yukon

330

FABULOUS 3bd 3 ba approx 2751' w/open flr plan 2 master bds beautiful sunrm huge backyd w/outbldg $211,500.

Carmem 833-0106 Cleaton & Assoc 373-2494

OWNER FINANCE 2600sf 4 bed 3 bath. $7500 dwn $1200mo 532-7301

Suburban, SE

(Tecumseh, Shawnee, Noble, Purcell, Etc.) 333 Homes in need of an "Extreme Makeover" located in Shawnee, Luther & Paden Cash Purchase Only call for more information Woodlake Properties 405-273-5777 www.property4sale.com Wright City, OK: 3 bed, large lot, 2-car carport, lrg storage bldg, 25 miles of 3 lakes. 203 E. 8th St 405-341-0151, Jerry

Home Mortgages 334.5 1st mortgage note, 8%, Owner can service.

Call 413-8020

Lots For Sale 337 2 Building Lots, 80'x150', One has a greenhouse frame, $25,000/ea. »» 405-769-2406 »»

Mobile Homes, Manufactured Houses 339 New 3bd/2ba Mobile Homes already on land located in Shawnee, Prague, Cromwell & Harrah (price reduced) Owner Financing Woodlake Properties 405-273-5777 www.property4sale.com ATTN LANDOWNERS!!

Own land or have family land, a deed is all you need for new home! Turn key program, We do all improvements. 1000 furniture package w/purchase 888-878-2971 405-204-4163 Huge Sale/Save $1000’s All display home must go!

FREE delivery & set in OK. Some w/FREE furniture FREE 10% rebate 787-5004 Home buyers purchase hotline! 4/2 bath move to your land or ours!! Turn key package! We do it all.

888-878-2971 405-635-4338 Land/Home Repo SAVE $$$$! Many locations around OK. Easy financing w/ dn payment 470-1330 DBL Wide Dealer Repo!!

3bd & 2ba $488mo w/ lot Ready to live in 405-787-5004 wac.

Los Angeles Times

REAL ESTATE AGENT, WADING RIVER, N.Y.

3/2 bath set up in quiet park. Ready to move 888-878-2971 405-602-4526

327

BY LAUREN BEALE

DARRYL DAVIS

Mobile Homes, Manufactured Houses 339

DW 28x70 4bd, needs work.

Del$25K301-2454/517-5000 3bd 1ba, 14x70s, $16,900 301-2454/517-5000

Real Estate Auctions

342

AUCTION SAT, JUNE 12 10AM (Located from ElReno Exit 125, I-40 or 81 & I-40 4mi S on 81 Hwy.) 9 Room home & 6 farms for auction. MUST SEE THESE!. For info call Henricksen & Henricksen Mark Henricksen Trustee Attorney 405-609-1970 www.henricksenlaw.com or CALL R&R AUCTION n 405-352-5200 r-rauction.com FORECLOSED HOME AUCTION 35+ Homes | Auction: 6/6 Open House 5/29, 6/5 & 6/6 REDC | View Full Listings www.Auction.com RE Brkr 157083

Real Estate Notices

345

Three-bedroom, two-bath home available for sale by sealed bid. 1580 sq. feet, includes HVAC unit. Buyer pays to have this newly constructed home moved from construction site. For more information or to schedule a tour, contact Dale Gates at 580.242.2750. Bid opening to be held in the Autry board room, 1201 W. Willow, Enid, OK 73703 on June 7 at 7:30 am.

Investment Package of houses, 100% rented; package of duplexes, 16 units, 100% rented; Apts SW OKC, 100% rented; individual houses for sale; as is houses for sale.

Financing avail 562-0000 buyahouseinoklahoma.com DO NOT Call Unless…

Foreclosure/Behind Paymt Overleveraged/Repairs Call/Web 800-Sell-Now.com WE BUY HOUSES 1-800-SELL-FAST www.1800sellfast.com I BUY HOUSES Any condition. No cost to U 495-5100 Sell ur house 2-day 417-2176

Real Estate Wanted

346

Commercial RE Established Business For Sale Sheet Metal Business, established in busy NW OKC area. Established Clientele and state of the art equipment. Only serious inquiries contact Garry at 405-924-1289 or 405-946-4000.

MUST SELL! Home center in Southern Oklahoma Exc 20yr est. home center, $3M annual sales, Call 405-720-1616, Aspen Comm'l. Realty Est. 2500sf Restaurant + 5bd/3ba dbl wide on 4 ac. in rural Cleveland Co. 360-6586, 226-2015 co.

Volkswagen Engine Building in Shawnee $295K bergmannvw.net Laundromat. Must sell ASAP. Make an offer.

Bethany, 405-205-3635

Industrial Property For Sale 354 INCOME PROPS 4 SALE Local, 12 cap+, Comm. & Resi., from $40K, Fin. Avail. WAC, 410-3969

Investment Property For Sale 355 REDUCED TO SELL! Cash Flow Rental Prop.

Handyman Special.

Owner financing avail.

1224 NE 19th $28,000; 107 SE 41st $40,000; Price Negotiable Kruger Inv. Call Jim 235-9332/812-1657 Financing» Lease Purchase » Rent to Own 2, 3 & 4bd houses in all areas. buyahouseinoklahoma.com 562-0000 or 973-4322

Office Space For Rent

363

GREAT Space OFFICE Convenient NW Locations: I-40 & Meridian NW Expressway & May Britton/Lake Hefner Parkway 200-6000sf 946-2516

DOWNTOWN OKC Prime Location-1350sf Retail/office space(s) Build to suit. Will divide.

2 months FREE RENT! 400sf finished also avail.

Call: 405.605.2787 or email Info@ LegacyAtArtsQuarter.com 2000' Office/Warehouse 6707 NW 50th Robert Duke 787-0400

Warehouse Space For Rent 363.5 K Office, K Warehouse for lease. 2000sf, 221 W. Wilshire. Call 842-7300

Heard of a SHORT SALE? SELL YOUR HOUSE TODAY! Foreclosure/behind Pymts 340-9879/HouseKings.com

The Southern California real estate landscape, likewise, has been littered with its share of high-profile price drops.

Nicolas Cage’s 11,817square-foot English Tudor in Bel-Air was reduced 50 percent to $17.5 million

MWC

424

ALL UTILITIES PAID !

ONE LOW MONTHLY PAYMENT! ONE BEDROOMS FOR $530 A MONTH! 732-6668 MIDWEST MANOR 1 & 2 BEDROOMS, QUIET! Covered Parking Great Schools! 732-1122

Moore

425

112K SE 1st Nice 1bd garage apt, clean $375. No pets Fidelity RE 692-1661

Edmond

422

Studio Apt, $450. 1 bed Apt, $650. Both totally remodeled. Main crossroads Bryant & Memorial. 478-1440, 409-0264 VERY, VERY QUIET! Near mall, schls, hosp, Try Plaza East•341-4813 SENIOR LIVING 55+ 1 BED APTS. 348-4065

‘Close to the bone’ When the housing bubble popped, the most dramatic declines hit the mid-priced and low-end markets, where home sellers had to compete with cheap foreclosures. Now, even the wealthy are facing the new reality as some luxury homes’ prices have dropped — and dropped again — over the past few years and agents are begging sellers to be realistic in setting an asking price.

“The $10 million-plus market is best priced close to the bone,” said Michael Eisenberg of Keller Williams Realty, Beverly Hills.

At the peak, Eisenberg said he had clients who were flipping every two or

» MOVE IN SPECIAL » LARGE 1, 2 & 3 BEDS Rockwell Arms, 787-1423 Bills pd clean quiet furn eff/1bd $100/wk&up 10& Penn 751-7238/640-9413

Quiet Casady!

Low Rents $440 751-8088 •ABC• Affordable, Bug free, Clean » 787-7212» 1 & 2 beds 946-0830 arborglenapts.com

Walford Apts 518 NW 12 MIDTOWN District Amazing! All electric, Giant 1bd 1ba, wd fl, cha, dishwasher, wshr/dryr conn 1200sf $750mo $650dp Studio $550mo $450dp Efficiency $425mo $325dp 409-7989 no sec 8

$201 Total Move-In Cost Energy Efficient $1 First Week Rent Weekly Avail: Effic $115 1bd $125, 2bd $165 Disability & Social Security recipients welcome 616 SW 59th, between Western&Walker634-4798 Drug free environment Not all bills paid

OKC Northwest

431

MOVE IN SPECIAL!!!

$250 Gift Card

1 Month Free Rent!

LARGE 1, 2, 3 Beds w/ 2 Bath. From $375 a month. Courtesy Patrol, Pool, Childrens Playground. Limited Number Of Units Available. HURRY!!!

MacArthur Apartments 5001 NW 10th St.

433

FREE RENT 2 bds / Gated / Carports Kentucky Pines 632-5066 MOMENTUM PROP MGMT FREE RENT 2 bds / Gated / Carports Kentucky Pines 632-5066 MOMENTUM PROP MGMT $99 SPECIAL Lg 1bdr, stove, refrig., clean, walk to shops. $325 mo. 632-9849

Choctaw

465

HOMES FOR LEASE www.executivehome rentalsokc.com 3-4BRs $1000-$3000 Welcome Home 877-884-7434

Del City

465.5

Del City Houses »» 605-5477 Free List 4828 Michael 3/1.5/2 $795 3120 Longridge 4/2 $795 3117 Overland 3/1.5/2 $695 3033 Overland 3/1/1 $595 4032 Thomas 3/1/2 $595 4002 SE 10th 2bd $450 » Midwest City Houses» 203ERickenbckr3/1/1 $495 3404 Willowcrk 2/1/1 $450 housesforrentofokc.com »»

3809 SE 24th, 3/1, ch/a, wd hk-up, $600/m + $450/d 701-1722 Very Lge 2 br, very very clean, $550 mo. Avail June 1. 405-808-6979 1624 Elm Dr 3/1 681-7272

Edmond

$450

466

HOMES FOR LEASE www.executivehome rentalsokc.com 3-4BRs $1000-$3000 Welcome Home 877-884-7434

Furnished/Unfurnished Bills Paid » Wkly/Monthly Wes Chase Apts, Elk Horn Apts, Hillcrest 943-1818

3/2/2, fenced backyard FP, nice neighborhood Edmond Schls OKC utilities. Available July email bonniew@coxinet.net or call (405) 473-0057

$305-345/month Furnished 1bd & Efficiency 2820 S Robinson 232-1549

1109 Northgate Terrace 3bd, 2ba, 2car $850mo + dep. No smoke 206-5859

$99 Move In Special!!!

Lg 1 and 2 Bdr, $325 to $395 mo. 632-9849

Sheffield Glen, 3 bed, 2 bath + office, community pool $1275 245-3166

$300-345/month Furnished 1bd & Efficiency 2820 S Robinson 232-1549

1109 Northgate Terrace 3bd, 2ba, 2car $895mo + dep. No smoke 206-5859

Washer/Dryers, Fireplaces PC Schools-Townhouses

$305-345/month Furnished 1bd & Efficiency 2820 S Robinson 232-1549

900 N. Fretz #84, 3bd 1K ba mobile home $475 681-7272

TOWNHOMES

Furn 1BD most bills Paid + EMSA, no sec 8 and no pets, 524-2730

405-942-5500

Spring Special

LARGE TOWNHOMES & APARTMENTS • Washer, Dryers, pools • PC Schools, fireplaces

Williamsburg 7301 NW 23rd

787-1620 $99 Special

PARKLANE

8100 N. MacArthur Blvd. »»» 721-5455 »»»

$99 Special

1 & 2 BD & Townhouses •City bus route/Shopping •Washer/Dryer hookups

Valencia Apts 2221 N. Meridian

946-6548

»» » HAVE A » »» »» SUMMER ON US» » $299 1st Mo. 721-8801 Call For Details VANGUARD PROPERTIES The Plaza 1740 NW 17th 1bd, 1ba 750sf, wood floors, all elec, $450 mo, $200dp. No sec8 409-7989 NW 50th and Portland, Remodel, from $525/mo.

Ask about Christmas in June!! 405-692-5584.

Briargate 1718 N Indiana 800sf 1bd 1ba, cha, all elec, wood floor, $475mo, $200 dep. No sec 8 409-7989

800 N. Meridian: 1bd, all bills paid & weekly rates available.

946-9506

Condominiums, Townhouses For Rent 441 63rd & May area. 2 bed Condo, 800 sf, dishwasher, washer & dryer $600/mo 405-733-9128 3200 Britton Road Gated 2bd, W&D, 1.5ba No Pets 922-1022 EDMOND 2 bed 2 bath 2 car $800 mo + dep.

(405)226-9607, 833-3417 N OKC lovely 2bd 2ba condominium available for more info 831-4183.

Duplexes OKC Northwest

453

11705 N. Francis 2/1.5/2. No pets $625 TMS Prop 348-0720 2 & 3 Beds available now to mid July-$450-$850. extras. 787-7029 2510 W. Park Pl, beautiful 2 bed, ch&a, no sec 8, $550 + dep, 255-1075.

2 bd, 1 ba, ch&a, gar, sm. backyard 2826 Silvertree Dr. $625 + dep. 414-5940

460

$199 MOVE IN SPECIAL 2BED Townhomes $599 Windsor Village 943-9665

$500 RENT RELIEF Large 2-3 bed, 2 bath, 2 car garage, TH, all appls, gated, pool. from $800/mo. 789-3705

$99 Move-In Special 1bd 1ba $295-350, stove, fridge, very clean 625-5200

Brand new duplexes, 3 bd 2 ba, 2 car, gated comm, call Rick, 405-830-3789.

MAYFAIR GARDENS Historic Area! Secure, wash /dry hardwd flrs 947-5665

Hotels/Motels 462

NICE Quiet Xtra-Lg 1-2bd Walk-in closet, bus line PC Schls $400 787-5885

Furnished/Unfurnished Bills Paid » Wkly/Monthly Wes Chase Apts, Elk Horn Apts, Hillcrest 943-1818

468

»» MWC Houses »» 605-5477 Free List 203ERickenbckr3/1/1 $495 3404 Willowcrk 2/1/1 $450 » Del City Houses» 4828 Michael 3/1.5/2 $795 3120 Longridge 4/2 $795 3117 Overland 3/1.5/2 $695 3033 Overland 3/1/1 $595 4032 Thomas 3/1/2 $595 4002 SE 10th 2bd $450 housesforrentofokc.com 4 Bed 2Liv 1K Bath kit /din Lg Laundry, close to Tinker (405) 793-7311 4007 N Oak Grove Rd., 3/2/2, ch/a, wd hk-up, $700m+ $525d 701-1722 1301 Parkwoods Ter, 3bd 1ba 1-car, ch/a $625 681-7272

Moore

1 bd, water & gas paid, 1819 B NW 38, $550mo + dep, 943-8999, 620-1496

Yukon

MWC

469

841 SW 10th 3bd 1.5ba, 2 living areas, ch/a, fresh paint, clean, $750 mo Fidelity RE 692-1661

Mustang

three years and making so much money they almost didn’t need to work anymore. These days he’s happy to take a languishing listing.

“It doesn’t hurt that the state of the market has helped sellers get a better perception as to what their property is currently worth,” he said.

Eisenberg has the listing of a home that tops 14,000 square feet with a 3,500square-foot detached guesthouse on more than an acre — and an asking price that has been reduced by about half to $10.8 million. Its rooftop tennis court has city-toocean views, and the ballroom can hold 200 people.

“I listed it for this seller a few years ago in a different market,” said Eisenberg, who has been selling real estate for 15 years.

“Quite simply, there was a time that Sunset Strip showplaces were garnering close to $2,000 a foot.”

That figure has dropped to probably $800 today, he said. “The market moved, and so with it did the price,” Eisenberg said.

OKC Northeast

RE for rent

431

OKC Southwest

Furnished/Unfurnished Bills Paid » Wkly/Monthly Wes Chase Apts, Elk Horn Apts, Hillcrest 943-1818

Apartments

OKC Northwest

from $35 million when it first hit the market in 2006. It later foreclosed and sold at auction.

Les Baux de Palm Springs, home of Suzanne Somers and Alan Hamel, started at $35 million more than two years ago and was eventually slashed to a reported $12.9 million — a 63 percent reduction. The 65acre property remains on the market with the price “available upon request.”

OKC Downtown 429.5

DREXEL ON THE PARK Pool, Park, Perfect $199 1st Mo 946-0588 »» ALL BILLS PAID »»

Vacation Property For Sale 347

20 Acs, secluded, 2 wtr supplies, Arbuckle Lake/ Turner Falls area. 3 bd, 2 car detach, 2 story, barn $129k, 580-369-2781

Name dropping

FREE RENT Gated 525-1177 1 bed with a Luxury Touch MOMENTUM PROP MGMT

I BUY & SELL HOUSES 27 YRS EXP 650-7667 HOMESOFOKCINC.COM

TENKILLER LAKE 1N ac. Wooded lot, close to marina and floating restaurant. I will finance with small down and $144 per month.

Owner 918-640-8556

LOS ANGELES — Billionaire tax cheat Leona Helmsley loved a good bargain. So, were she still around, the late hotelier might appreciate recent happenings at her Greenwich, Conn., estate known as Dunnellen Hall.

The 14-bedroom, 13½bathroom mansion, which came on the market priced at $125 million two years ago, has been reduced to $60 million.

That’s a 52 percent price chop for the 21,897square-foot Jacobean manor on 40 rolling acres.

The home comes with a 52-foot indoor swimming pool, a walled courtyard featuring a 70-foot reflecting pool and a roof terrace with Long Island Sound views.

Oakwood Apts» 1bd 1ba K off special 5824 NW 34 800sf, all elect $350 mo $175 dep 409-7989

Local investor will buy any house for cash, avoid hassle of banks 822-1018

Lake Texoma Washita Pt Retreat 2 story rock home on 1.8 acres, 1700 sq ft, 2 full BA, 3BD, large detached garage/boathouse, 2 cov porches/balcony, 2165 Winding Path.

Royce 580-795-4049

11F

High-end home sellers lowering expectations

To take an overpriced listing now is pointless for the agent and the homeowner.”

Financing» Lease Purchase » Rent to Own 2, 3 & 4bd houses in all areas. buyahouseinoklahoma.com 562-0000 or 973-4322

314

FORECLOSURES

MWC

OKC Southwest

SATURDAY, JUNE 5, 2010

470

HOMES FOR LEASE www.executivehome rentalsokc.com 3-4BRs $1000-$3000 Welcome Home 877-884-7434 Sharp! 3/2/2 728 Elder private patio-ch&acorner fp-$875, 376-5846

MCCLATCHY-TRIBUNE INFORMATION SERVICES

474

1120 NE 19th, 3bd 2ba, detached gar. Sec 8 ok $650 681-7272 2345 NE 22nd, Nice 4 bd, ch&a, W/D hkups Sec 8 OK. Must See! 436-4648

OKC Northwest

475

»» NW Houses »» 605-5477 Free List 4014 Westridge 4/2 $750 7202 Galahad3/2.5/2 $695 2541 NW 30th 3/1/1 $595 1212 NW 48th 3/1 $595 229 NW 91st 4/2 $595 617 NW 92nd 3/1/1 $495 3728 NW 29th 2bd $450 »» NE Houses »» 1718 Madison 2/1 $450 housesforrentofokc.com HOMES FOR LEASE www.executivehome rentalsokc.com 3-4BRs $1000-$3000 Welcome Home 877-884-7434 Executive Quail Creek, 4 bed, 3 bath, 2 car, lg yd 3200sf, very nice! Avail.

June, $1850, 301-2031.

3 bed, 2 bath, ch&a, $650+$300dep. No Sec. 8 2200 NW 37th 613-2808 3028 Pioneer 2/1/1 $550 1701 NW 34th 3/1 $525 681-7272 340 NW 120th, 3bd 2ba 2car 1300sf $825mo $800dp 409-7989 no sec8 907 NW 94th, 2 bed, Newly decorated, ch&a 843-1408 8713 Tilman, 4bd 2.5ba 2car fireplace, fenced, $900 TMS Prop 348-0720 625 NW 91, 2 bed 1 bath, 1 car garage, fenced $450 TMS Prop 348-0720 Section 8 OK 3 bed 336 NW 85th 942-3552 3025 NW 35, very nice, 2/1/1, CH/A, all appliances, $650. 607-0186 $100 MOVE IN SPECIAL! plus dep. 1161 NW 81st 3 bd $675/mo 229-7437 310 NW 118th, section 8 approved, 3 bedroom, $700/month. 706-8669 1020 Clover 3 bed 2 bath, $675 TMS Prop 348-0720 Elegant 4BR 2BA home, 2000sf, $1175 603-7665

OKC Southeast

476

»» SE Houses »» 605-5477 Free List 5016 S. Georgia 4/1.5 $650 6200 S. Kelley 4/1 $595 6504 S Kelley 2/1/1 $450 »» SW Houses »» 8625 S Miller 4bd cha $795 1528 SW 80th 3/2/2 $795 1640 SW 79th 3/2/2 $795 1409 SW 77th 3/2/2 $795 1001 SW 81st 3/2/1 $650 3209 Madole 3/1/1 $595 5400 S. Kentucky 3/1$495 housesforrentofokc.com HOMES FOR LEASE www.executivehome rentalsokc.com 3-4BRs $1000-$3000 Welcome Home 877-884-7434 5020 Federal Ct, 3/2/2, fp, wood floors, covered patio, storage building, $900+$600 dep, 691-3421

OKC Southwest

477

»» SW Houses »» 605-5477 Free List 8625 S Miller 4bd cha $795 1528 SW 80th 3/2/2 $795 1640 SW 79th 3/2/2 $795 1409 SW 77th 3/2/2 $795 1001 SW 81st 3/2/1 $650 3209 Madole 3/1/1 $595 5400 S. Kentucky 3/1$495 »» SE Houses »» 5016 S. Georgia 4/1.5 $650 6200 S. Kelley 4/1 $595 6504 S Kelley 2/1/1 $450 housesforrentofokc.com 2201 SW 52nd 4bd 1.5ba 2 living $695 644 SW 45th 2/1/1 $590 629 SW 49th 2 or 3bd (gar. converted) 1ba$550 633 SW 33rd 2bd 1ba $350 2401 SW 43rd #7 1bd apt, total elect, water paid$325 681-7272 HOMES FOR LEASE www.executivehome rentalsokc.com 3-4BRs $1000-$3000 Welcome Home 877-884-7434 New Rivendell Exec Home 408-4168 Luxury indoor pool & spa Fully equip'd media & workout rooms $5900/ mo Openhouseok.com New, nice, brick, 3, 1.5, 1c, quiet street, ch&a, new carpet & paint, West Hts Schls, $635 mo, 787-1598 4 bedroom, 1.5 bath.

New carpet, dishwasher, fans, & paint. $800/month. Avail 6/1.

Very clean! 405-808-6979 RENT TO OWN, SW OKC 4 bed, 1K bath, O acre $975; down payment negotiable; 602-3530.

629 SW 50th Nice 2bd brick home, 1-car garage, well kept area, $650 Fidelity RE 692-1661 Lg. 3bd, 2ba w/gar, fncd, stove & ref. W/D hk. $595 mo, $300 dep. 227-8202 3 bed, 1 ba, appls, 2 car gar w/ba, $650+dep 1308 SW 35th, 405-604-3550

Piedmont

478

HOMES FOR LEASE www.executivehome rentalsokc.com 3-4BRs $1000-$3000 Welcome Home 877-884-7434

Yukon

482

12407 SW 2nd, 2/2/1, Mustang Schl, $695, no smoke/no pets 650-3067 301 Vickie 3bed 1.5 bath 2car gar, 1270sf. $750 mo $750dep 226-8507

Mobile Home Rentals 483 WHY RENT WHEN YOU CAN OWN? Easy financing with no credit needed. Yukon schls Diane 789-4499/388-3491 WHY RENT WHEN YOU CAN OWN? Easy financing with no credit needed. Yukon schls Diane 789-4499/388-3491 Russell's Mobile Home Park 405-677-5219 2 Bd Special 1st mo. 1/2 price + dep. OR 6 mo lease, get 7th mo Free 2b/2b $575 yescommunities.com Edmond 3 4 1 - 9 2 0 9

For lease/for sale, 4 BR, 2200sf, Mustang Schls, $1700 mo, 405-820-6607.

6305 S Ashby Terrace 3 bed 1 ba, 2 living area, remodeled, $595 month No pets/sec 8 691-5479

$ FREE RENT 1ST MO $ 2BR $350+, 3BR $495+, MWC NO PETS 427-0627

OKC Northeast

5216 Briarwood, nice 2bd brick home, 1-car garage ch/a clean nice area $595 Fidelity RE 692-1661

Rooms For Rent

2605 SE 50th 3bd 1.5ba 2car, 2 living $675 681-7272

Room for rent in private home, use of the house, $50 week, 210-4233

474

»» NE Houses »» 605-5477 Free List 1718 Madison 2/1 $450 »» NW Houses »» 4014 Westridge 4/2 $750 7202 Galahad3/2.5/2 $695 2541 NW 30th 3/1/1 $595 1212 NW 48th 3/1 $595 229 NW 91st 4/2 $595 617 NW 92nd 3/1/1 $495 3728 NW 29th 2bd $450 housesforrentofokc.com 1713 NE 53rd St. 3 bed, 2 ba, 2c, w/d hkup, ch&a, $800+$800 dep. 519-2845

489

12F

SATURDAY, JUNE 5, 2010

REAL ESTATE

Survey finds trend toward smaller homes

THE OKLAHOMAN | NEWSOK.COM

HOUSE PLAN

BY ASSOCIATED DESIGNS

People are thinking smaller this year when it comes to the size of their dream home. Could it be a sign of the times?

Nearly half of the participants in Associated Designs’ Home from the Heart survey said they preferred a home in the 1,400-1,800-square-foot range.

This is just one of the trends that emerged when Associated Designs’ staff tallied results from the survey. Newspaper readers like yourself from all over the United States had a chance to participate, and many sent in their preferences and comments.

As in many recent years, the ranchstyle home is still the most popular, but not by as much. Last year 35 percent chose this as their favorite style; this year that percentage dropped to 22 percent. A bigger change is seen in second place. The Craftsman-style home has usurped the No. 2 spot, displacing the country-style home, which has held a firm hold on that position for many years.

Eighty percent or more want a mainfloor owners’ suite, isolated from secondary bedrooms. More than 60 percent prefer a single-level home, and nearly half want a basement. Few participants asked for separately defined family living places — only 11 percent. The contemporary preference is for large informal gathering

Nearly half of the participants in Associated Designs’ Home from the Heart survey said they preferred a home in the 1,400-1,800-square-foot range. spaces, which could be in a great room configuration, or not. More than 60 percent opted for a full-function kitchen, open to a family room.

Reflecting the sentiments of many, an Oklahoma reader wrote, “Formal rooms are a waste. Put the square footage where it will be used every day!”

Other options chosen by more than 60 percent include a fireplace or woodstove, a shop with extra storage, a heat pump and advanced insulation. The desire for more spending on “green” options, dropped slightly, from 76 percent last year to 72 percent this year.

One possible interpretation is this: Readers opted for smaller homes because they’ve begun to realize that having less often results in an increased quality of life.

Cutting their carbon footprint by living more simply in itself is a way to live a more “green” lifestyle.

Heartview offers bright, sumptuous living space The Heartview’s window-bright interior segues nearly seamlessly into its wrap-around outside living area at the rear.

And the exterior materials ensure an organic blending with the natural environment as well. In the right setting, every window can offer spectacular views.

Stone veneer-covered bases support slender posts that frame the front porch and garage overhang. These run a harmonious counterpoint to the shake-textured siding, wooden corbels and Craftsman-style windows on all sides.

The use of natural materials extends throughout.

Examples include handsome exposed drop beams in the great room and owners’ suite, and wooden posts set on tapered stone veneer bases that flank the entry hall.

An expansive great room sits at the heart of the home. A kitchen fills one side, across a curved and raised eating bar. On the other inner wall, a stone veneer fireplace nestles between a home entertainment center and a

The use of natural materials extends throughout. Examples include handsome exposed drop beams in the great room and owners’ suite, and wooden posts set on tapered stone veneer bases that flank the entry hall. stack of shelves. Sparkling glass fills somewhere between 80 and 90 percent of the two exterior walls.

Craftsman windows flank atrium doors that access the patio, and each window set is crowned by a row of multipane windows. This is a bright living area indeed.

Bright hallways lead off to the right and left of the entry hall. The right branch goes to two secondary bedrooms, a bathroom and a pass-through utility room linked to the two-car garage. The left hallway channels you into the Heartview’s sumptuous owners’ suite.

Drop beams create an interesting grid over the

sleeping area, and a cushy window seat would fit nicely into the room’s rectangular window bay. Other luxury touches include a deep walk-in closet and a two-section bathroom with a spa tub and double vanity. The toilet and shower are separately enclosed for privacy and steam containment.

For a review plan, including scaled floor plans, elevations, section and artist’s conception, send $25 to Associated Designs, 1100 Jacobs Drive, Eugene, OR, 97402. Please specify the Heartview 50-015 and include a return address when ordering. For more information, call (800) 634-0123.