OneKernPlace.Issue1

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Your one place for everything that is Kern Place

A walk in time...

Kern Place has endured through the ages

Plus: • Real Estate Update • Home Maintenance

onekernplace•com

summer 2015

Welcome Home...again

Kern Place, enjoy the benefits of living in a well established neighborhood with shops and restaurants nearby.

I was so inspired at the meeting that I decided to head to the downtown library to learn more about the history of Kern Place. There I found news clippings and articles about our neighborhood. Some of the materials I found were over fifty years old. Each of them mentioned the sense of community pride that exists here.

And that hasn’t changed one bit.

By Ted Escobedo

As a life-long El Pasoan I grew up hearing about this great neighborhood right by the university. I knew back then that I would call this place home.

I have been a resident of the Kern Place/Rim Road area since my days as a UTEP student twenty five years ago. It would be expected that so many things have changed since then. But you know, not really that much has changed around here.

Don’t get me wrong, we have

made great progress. Our parks have never looked better, our streets are in better shape and overall our community is as vibrant as ever.

But what has endured, and thankfully so, is our sense of identity as a community.

I recently attended the Kern Place Neighborhood Association Annual Meeting and realized that there are very few (if any) neighborhoods in El Paso that can boast a proud and progressive history as ours. It is because of the ongoing efforts of our neighborhood association and those who volunteer to serve that keep Kern Place vibrant.

El Paso has seen many new developments and continues to face new challenges that come with a growing city. But we, at

Ted Escobedo is the owner of Snappy Publishing which specializes in targeted, niche publications. His current publications can be viewed at: http://issuu.com/snappypublishing

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These days, selling your home is all about timing You live in a very desirable area.

Many buyers are looking to enjoy the neighborhood and lifestyle that your home has to offer, but the real estate market has changed and expectations must be realistic to sell your home in a timely manner.

While some homes take longer to sell than others, I am happy to report that your neighborhood remains desirable and property values are stable. And that is why my listings have sold in a fraction of the average marketing time.

The keys to a successful home sale are accurate pricing, realistic expectations and an experienced real estate professional who understands your area.

If you are considering selling your home, I urge you to call me. As a professional Realtor速 who specializes in your neighborhood, I can assure you that a competitively priced home in good condition can and will sell.

Just ask some of my recent clients.

Barbara Berliner 920-9385 www.barbaraberliner.com babstexas@aol.com

Barbara Berliner & Co.

If your home is currently listed with another agent, this is not a solicitation.

A walk in the neighborhood is a walk in time As El Paso’s first suburb, Kern Place has been one of the most identifiable neighborhoods throughout our city’s history.

It is difficult to imagine that Kern Place was once considered the ‘boonies’ of El Paso but in 1914, when development of our neighborhood began, that’s exactly where we were. Yet imagining a neighborhood on the outskirts of El Paso nestled by the Franklin Mountains with narrow meandering roads was the vision of Peter Kern.

Kern was a local businessman, investor and philosopher who was perhaps best known as a successful jeweler which afforded him the opportunity to purchase the tracts of land that would become the foundation of his vision. While his

professional career and personal life were filled with dramatic peaks and valleys, his vision for Kern Place has endured and continues to thrive.

Describing the Kern Place ‘charm’ is part every conversation when asked, ‘Where do you live?’

Once you say ‘Kern Place,’ the reaction is almost inevitably, ‘I love that neighborhood.’

So what is it that makes Kern Place such an identifiable suburb?

Here are a few of the obvious reasons.

• Kern Place represents the lifestyle and architecture of a bygone time. From the Craftsman style bungalows to the mature tree lined streets, it is a window to our city’s past. Learning about the stories behind some of the homes

that comprise the neighborhood is not only fascinating but it also reads like a veritable who’s who in our city’s history.

• Kern Place is made up of homes with front porches.

Another architectural detail that contributes to the charm of our community is that people still sit out in front of their homes and greet neighbors passing by on their evening walks.

Our homes were built before televisions became the central feature of the home. Once televisions reached every household in the country, front porches faded in popularity and are now practically non-existent in new homes. In order to create a sense of community in a neighborhood, one must see their

The Kern Place Gate Much like the Hollywood sign, a monument was built to enhance home sales in the new neighborhood. In 1916, Kern constructed a gate that formed an archway to the entrance of the

neighbors occasionally - a front porch makes it easier to do so.

• Yes, residents of Kern Place still take evening walks. (or bike rides) There’s something so inviting about walking through the streets of Kern and its’ surrounding areas. On any given evening, even in the winter months there are usually people in the park, bike riders passing by and people walking their dogs.

• Kern Place is for the dogs.

There is no denying the popularity of our canine neighbors in Kern Place. You would be hard pressed to go a block without seeing an adorable four legged resident with their owner in tow. And dog people talk to other dog people - about dogs. Madeline Park* is a haven for our mutts and a great place to strike up a conversation with a fellow resident.

neighborhood at the intersection of North Kansas Street and Robinson.

At Kern's insistence, the arch was built by workmen who were descendants of the Toltecs of Mexico. The gate was one of the most interesting personal touches

• Kern Place residents can walk to local restaurants. With the term ‘mixed use,’ becoming trendy in real estate development circles, Kern Place has enjoyed a commercial district within walking distance to homes for over a century. What adds to the charm of being able to walk to lunch or dinner from your front door is that we have local dining choices. In some cases, our neighbor may even be the proprietor.

• Kern Place still has natural desert beauty. Because of the reservations efforts of some of our hard working neighbors, we can still walk through the arroyo and drive along the edge of the mountain to enjoy natural landscapes and wildlife.

• Kern Place is diverse.

Perhaps what makes Kern Place truly unique is that on any given

that Kern contributed to Kern Place. Kern designed the gate himself and called it a "monument to Lady Luck".

It consisted of two rock and mortar pillars bounded on top by intricate designs and elaborate symbols representing Kern's love of mysticism and the engraver's frills and scrolls covered the arch.

The iron gate contained swastikas (an ancient symbol found in the Anasazi Indian culture and many others) and sauvastikas, a zodiac calendar, an array of other ancient symbols, the Kern family crest and 444 electric light globes that illuminated the words "Kern Place" over the center of the gate.

The Kern Place Gate remained lit for about two years before residents in the area complained about the bright lights at night.

Eventually, the entire gate was dismantled in 1954 during a streetwidening project.

-Wikipedia

street you will find small ‘starter homes’ of 1000 square feet or so and right next door you will have a mansion with multiple stories and a separate guest house.

By offering homes of varying sizes and styles, there is an inherent opportunity to co-mingle with people from different backgrounds or who are in different stages of life. Some residents are just starting out, some have school aged children and others are enjoying their golden years. Kern Place is a community that is made by individuals.

And so there you have it. Peter Kern’s vision lives on through the unique experience that the residents of Kern Place call home.

-Ted Escobedo *Interesting note: Madeline Park was named after Peter Kern’s daughter.

House & Home How to Clean Hardwood Floors Here's what you need to know to keep your hardwood floors looking great.

Hardwood Floors: Preventive Maintenance Cut hardwood-floor cleaning time with smart preventive maintenance.

Position mats both outside and inside exterior doors to lessen tracked-in dirt.

In snowy or rainy weather, include a boot removal area to avoid damage from water and de-icers.

Prevent marks by using floor protectors under furniture and by using rugs in play areas to ensure children's toys don't scratch the floor.

Basic Care Speed up the cleaning process by first dusting the floor with a mop that has been treated with a dusting agent to pick up dust, dirt, and pet hair that might scratch the floor surface. For weekly or biweekly cleaning, vacuum with a floor-brush attachment on a vacuum cleaner or an electric broom.

Do not use a vacuum with a beater bar attachment, which can scratch a wood floor's finish. For quick dusting, use disposable electrostatic cloths, available at grocery and discount stores. Save money by using both sides of the disposable cloths.

Deeper Cleaning Dirt, oil, and grime build up over time and aren't completely removed by a weekly dust mopping. For occasional deep cleaning (consider doing the cleaning in the spring or just before the winter holidays), use a wood-cleaning product diluted according to the label instructions. Saturate a sponge or rag mop in the water, then wring it almost dry so it feels only slightly damp to the touch. Damp-mop the floor, being careful to prevent standing water on the floor. Rinse with a clean mop dampened in clear water, but only if the cleaning product requires it. Wipe up excess liquid because standing water can damage wood surfaces. If the weather is humid, operate a ceiling fan or the air-conditioner to speed up drying.

Removing Marks Consider your floor's finish before trying to remove a mark. If the stain is on the surface, your floor probably has a hard finish, such as urethane. If the stain has penetrated through to the wood, the floor probably has a soft oiled finish -- common in older homes whose floors have not been refinished and resealed. Wipe surface stains from a hard finish with a soft, clean cloth.

Never use sandpaper, steel wool, or harsh chemicals on such a surface because they can permanently damage the finish.

The following remedies are for hardwood floors with soft oiled finishes.

If needed, end each treatment by staining the wood, then waxing and buffing the spot to match the rest of the floor.

Dark spots and pet stains: Rub the spot with No. 000 steel wool and floor wax. If the area is still dark, apply bleach or vinegar and allow it to soak into the wood for about an hour. Rinse with a damp cloth.

Heel marks: Use fine steel wool to rub in floor wax.

Oil-base stains: Rub the area with a soft cloth and dishwashing detergent to break down the grease. Rinse with clear water. If one or more applications don't work, repeat the procedure. Keep children and pets out of the room until you're done. Let the spot dry, then smooth the raised grain with fine sandpaper.

Water marks or white stains: Rub the spot with No. 000 steel wool and floor wax. If the stain goes deeper, lightly sand the floor and clean with fine steel wool and odorless mineral spirits. www.bhg.com

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Real Estate Update ‘Tricks of the Trade’ in Selling Your Home

By Barbara Berliner

We are right in the midst of the selling season in El Paso.

People are moving in from other cities, moving up or just moving to a new neighborhood. But all these folks want to be settled before school starts, thus providing a unique timeframe in which to sell your home. While the market here has definitely shifted to a “Buyer’s Market” in the last few years with a nine month average selling time, homes that are well priced and attractively presented do sell quickly.

If you have been considering putting your home on the market, here are some tips that will help you get top dollar and insure your home will sell in record time.

• The first impression is the only impression No matter how good the interior of your home looks, buyers have already judged your home before they walk through the door. You never have another chance to make a first impression. Spruce up your home’s exterior with inexpensive shrubs and brightly colored flowers. Make sure your grass is cut and weeds have been pulled. Any clutter or trash needs to be removed.

It’s important that prospective buyers feel warm, welcome and safe as they approach your house.

• Take the “home” out of your house One of the most important things to do when selling your

Over the past few years the average marketing time for a home to sell in Kern Place has lengthened according to the MLS statistics. While some homes have sold in record time, such as this home on Mississippi, others have been stagnant on the market for many months.

house is to de-personalize it.

The more personal stuff in your home, the less potential buyers can imagine themselves living there. Get rid of at least one third of your things, including family photos, memorabilia collections and personal keepsakes. Arrange your furniture to best showcase the floor plan and maximize the use of space.

• Half-empty closets Storage is something every buyer is looking for and can never have enough of.

Thoroughly clean out your closets, empty your drawers and cabinets of old or unwanted items and clear out your garage. Neatly organize what is left. Buyers will be delighted with all the available closet and storage space. Buyers do snoop, so be sure to keep all your closets, cabinets and storage areas clean and tidy.

• Light it up Maximize the light in your home. After location, good light is the one thing that every buyer cites that they want in a home.

Take down the drapes, clean the windows, change the

lampshades, increase the wattage of your light bulbs and cut the bushes outside to let in the sunshine. Do what you have to do make your house bright and cheery—it will make it more sellable.

• Price it right Pricing your home right is the most important thing you can do to maximize your return and minimize the time your house is on the market. Consult with a real estate agent who has experience particularly in your neighborhood. An informed and experience agent can show you the comps—what is currently on the market in your area and what has recently sold. They can advise you on anything you might need to do to help you get top dollar for your property.

Selling your home has become a complicated process these days and a knowledgeable, experienced agent can guide you through this process and make the experience easy and enjoyable.

Barbara Berliner is a professional real estate Broker who specializes in the Kern, Rim Road and Mission Hills area. She writes a quarterly real estate column for onekernplace.com

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