Archive for November 2012

Questions to Ask Yourself Before Buying a Home

Tuesday, November 27, 2012

So you think you are ready to buy a home...
There are many questions you need to ask yourself before you decide to seriously start your search.
There are lots of factors to consider & I'm going to outline what I consider to be important below.

What Can I Afford?

Take a deep look into your personal finances. Look at your monthly & annual income. Make sure you have a monthly budget & examine it. What are you able to allocate to home expenses? Do you have any money for a down payment saved? Do I have an emergency fund in place? Before you even visit a lender or mortgage broker, you should have a grasp on what you are comfortable with spending each month. Just because you can get approved for $X amount that results in $X monthly payment, that doesn't mean it's necessarily the right amount for you and your lifestyle. Bottom line - nobody wants to be 'house broke'.

What Kind of Home Works for Me?

Do you want a single family home? Maybe a condo or patio home? There are benefits & setbacks for each depending on the buyer. If you don't have the time or desire to take care of the exterior maintenance that goes with owning a single family home, maybe a condo [where you pay a monthly maintenance fee] is for you. New home or old home? Fixer upper or move in ready? New construction or existing home? These are all questions to ask yourself before you seriously start looking.

What Area Do I Want to be In?

This is very important. Do you want an urban or rural setting? City or suburb? Land or subdivision? Do you want to be near your work, schools, or family? How long are you willing to commute? Real estate prices are higher in some areas & more affordable in others. Your Realtor can help you look into how home prices & taxes vary from place to place.

What Are My Needs in a Home?

Do you need a ranch style or are you Ok with a 2-story? Contemporary or traditional? How many bedrooms & bathrooms? Is a basement or a garage necessary? What about overall square footage? Depending on your age, the size of your family, and your personal preferences all of this can vary. It's important to know your options & weigh your wants vs. needs. Your Realtor can help you identify what is available in your market & how the different options will affect the home prices.

Bottom line - with todays technology, information is literally at your fingertips. Don't be uninformed on one of the biggest financial decisions you will make. Here are some informative links for ya!

1/2/3


Hope these tips help! Feel free to leave any additional tips you think are helpful in the comments :)

And just for fun, here are some home related Pinterest finds & links for you to devour :)


Dream Home Source: Customize your house & get an idea of how much it would be to build.


Ikea Hackers: Learn how to customize normal Ikea items into awesome things for your house.
[I love Ikea items as they are, so I can only imagine!]


I do this! Fill one of those sink scrubbers with a 50/50 mix of dish soap & vinegar. Leave in your shower & scrub while you are in there! Such a time saver & really works!


This Site is like the mecca for home organization! Oh how I want to take a week & implement each and every one of these ideas!

Ok click the links & become addicted. Ready. Set. Go.
Enjoy your evening!!

xo
Sam

share this on::

Facebook

Twitter

Pinterest

Digg

6 Comments »

My Holiday Weekend

Monday, November 26, 2012

Hope all of you lovelies had a wonderful Thanksgiving weekend! Have you noticed that Thanksgiving has kind of turned into a 4 day event rather than just 1 day?? I have but I'm not complaining!

This Thanksgiving I...

Spent time with the boy & the dogs.













Made a cheesecake.
Watched cheesy Christmas movies.
Got the inside of the house decorated.



Skipped Black Friday shopping.
Enjoyed a good, casual Thanksgiving meal.
Went grocery shopping. Eh. Can you say soups for dayyys.
Went boutique shopping on Sunday, the day after Small Business Saturday. Spreading the love.

     Little Shops :)



                                            
                                             Jockey Glassware: I'll be stealing this idea!


 

          Local Wine Shop. Loved the window print!



 The Uncommon Art Shop. Check out that giraffe!




Spent a lovely day at Churchill Downs [horse racing] with some great friends & our fave 6 year old that won not only one, but two bets!

 



Had cinnamon rolls delivered by those same awesome friends.
Watched 'That's My Boy' [Adam Sandler] Funny but cheesy. Still funny, though :)
Caught up with a friend.
Watched my Louisville Cardinals in a Bahamas tournament.
Had a craft day! Made a wreath, upcycled inspiration boards, and a dry erase board.


Joined Instagram! [Finally] Follow me: username samgeorge01.

This week I am...

Perusing Cyber Monday shopping sites...
Working on client Christmas cards.
Shipping out ornament orders for my shop.
Working on a detailed 2013 business plan, breaking down into monthly & weekly tasks.
Taking continuing education classes for real estate.
Showings.
Cleaning 2 houses. Oh, and maybe my own.
Getting together my holiday mailers, candy canes included!
What do you think? I'll be handing out in my neighborhood & 2 surrounding neighborhoods.
 This week doesn't sound quite as fun, but I plan to make the best of it!
What was the highlight of your long weekend??
 
xo
Sam


share this on::

Facebook

Twitter

Pinterest

Digg

6 Comments »

It's OK Thursday + Black Friday/Cyber Monday Deals

Thursday, November 22, 2012

 
First of all - Happy Thanksgiving!
Hope you all have had a good one so far & didn't get too stuffed :)
 
I thought I'd do two things today...
One, link-up for It's Ok Thursday.
& Two, help you lovelies score some deals on Black Friday & Cyber Monday!!
 
Let's get this show on the road.
 

Its Ok Thursdays
 
It's OK to prefer low key Thanksgiving days...
To have that second slice of cheesecake :) ...
To not eat turkey on Thanksgiving *gasp*. We had pork tenderloin instead...
To wear a maxi dress in the 'winter'. It was a fluke of a day at 65 degrees...
To not participate in Black Friday & spend the day watching movies instead and writing a 2013 business plan instead...
To be more of a Cyber Monday kind of girl...
To be in love...With Ikea.
 
Now. Onto the deals...
Drumroll, please.
 
EXPRESS :Everything 50% off online & instore. One of my faves :)
JCREW :25% off with code COLOR25
MADWELL : 25% off everything using the code TREAT
VICTORIAS SECRET :Free shipping on orders of $25 or more using code FREE25
$15 off $100 using code 15OFF100
H&M :$5 Sweaters/Dresses (instore, online) Scratch-offs worth up to $300 for the first 100 people in line at stores.
ASOS :20% off with code BLACKFRIDAYBONUS
ELF MAKEUP : Free shipping + BOGO 50% off. Use code BLKFRI on orders $30 & up
GAP :Up to 60% off instore & online.
Thanksgiving day only: Use code GAPGIFT for additional 20% off.
FRANCESCAS :25% off the ENTIRE site this weekend. Online only. Discount taken at checkout.
 
Get your shop on, ladies.
 
Also, Don't forget that this Saturday is 'Small Business Saturday'.
Get out & support your local shops, boutiques & restaurants.
 
 
 
Happy Thanksgiving & Happy long weekend!
 
xo
Sam
 
 
 

share this on::

Facebook

Twitter

Pinterest

Digg

2 Comments »

//Me, Myself & I//

Tuesday, November 20, 2012

It's just one of those days today!
I was planning to do a post on Kale Chips today, but they were an epic fail.
Sooo... link-up it is.
I have been so tired lately... ever since the time changed.
Anyone else feeling this or is it just me??
 
Spending the afternoon working from home. Computer work, client Christmas cards, etc... Fun stuff!
How about a little Me, Myself & I...
 
What are your top 5 movies to watch during the Holidays?
-The Holiday [Love me some Cameron Diaz]
-Elf [Hilarious! Did you know the blonde elf is Zooey Deschanel?]
-Prancer [random, used to watch as a kid]
-Miracle on 34th street
-Random lifetime Christmas movies [Jason is NOT a fan! ha]
 
It's the month of giving thanks, what are you most thankful for?

-I wrote about this here, but mainly the opportunities life has to offer.
Also, my creativity.
 
If there was a quote or verse to describe your life, what would it be?
























 
 
Those are just a few :)
 
Who in your family are you most alike.
I have a little bit of everyone in me, but I'd say I'm pretty unique.
 
What is your favorite drink order at Starbucks?
Just one?!
I'd have to say a skinny cinnamon dolce latte.
Good stuff :)
 
2 Questions for you...
Do you like link-ups? I like them in small doses. I seem to gravitate towards them when feeling lazy ;)
Have you tried Kale Chips? I attempted them today, but when I baked them they didn't seem to get very crispy. Fail. & they stink. Double fail. Ha! Give me your tips.
 
xo
Sam
 
 
 

share this on::

Facebook

Twitter

Pinterest

Digg

Add a comment »

Easy Chic Thanksgiving Attire

Monday, November 19, 2012

Easy Chic Thanksgiving Attire

Ah, the perfect Thanksgiving outfit in my book.
Comfy yet chic.
Perfect for lounging around enjoying good food, drink & company.
This year we are hosting my boyfriends family.
I'm in charge of mac & cheese, autumn chopped salad, and cheesecake.
I'll share the cheesecake reipe with you soon. It's a friends recipe & it is to die for.
We're also going to break out some wine & maybe play some games.. really just enjoy the time off!
What will you be wearing this Thanksgiving?
Do you dress up or keep it casual?

xo
Sam

Fat Face knit top
$87 - fatface.com


Crop top
$31 - witchery.com.au


Long pants
oasap.com




Pamela love
forwardforward.com


Nude lipgloss
etsy.com


Nail polish
$7.94 - topshop.com



share this on::

Facebook

Twitter

Pinterest

Digg

4 Comments »