What do you see when you look under your kitchen or bathroom sink? Around the half-used box of garbage bags, squishy dishwashing pods, and reusable rubber gloves, you will surely find a collection of colorful plastic bottles housing familiar household cleaning products. Most people buy products because it’s what they’ve always used. That nostalgic smell of Pine Sol© and Clorox© can be hard to shake off, but what if you tried a more environmentally friendly and safer choice instead of using these chemicals? 

There’s no need to scour the internet for ideas; Paran Homes has the DIY fall cleaning recipes you’ve been searching for so you can breeze into the season feeling fresh and clean. 

Ensuring that your entire home is ‘spic and span’ is a priority for most homeowners. With so many options and surfaces needing attention, finding one cleaner that does it all can be challenging! Here are a few recipes to get you started on your home this season. 

All-Purpose Cleaner

1 cup water

1 cup vinegar

A few drops of essential oil (e.g., lavender, lemon, etc.) for a pleasant scent

Stainless Steel Cleaner

Equal parts water and white vinegar in a spray bottle

A few drops of olive oil for shine 

Fabric Freshener

2 cups water

One tablespoon of baking soda

10-15 drops of your favorite essential oil 

Bathtub Drain Cleaner

1-gallon boiling water down the drain

1 cup baking soda

1 cup lemon juice or vinegar

Cover drain for 30-45 minutes

Slowly flush the cleaner with another gallon of boiling water

Window/Glass Cleaner 

1 cup water

1 cup distilled white vinegar

10-15 drops of your favorite essential oil 

One More Helpful Tip 

Now that you know a safer way to clean, your kids can join in on the fun! Because these recipes use safe ingredients like water, essential oils, and vinegar, you can involve your older children in cleaning up. Watch what they do, demonstrate how to clean specific areas, and explain which DIY cleaner works best. You can even include them in the recipe creation if you want to go the extra mile. 

Keeping your home clean this season is easy using these tips from Paran Homes! We’re always here to help our homeowners and prospective homebuyers find the home of their dreams and keep it looking great. 

Contact us today to schedule a tour and ask about our Breeze Into a Paran Home promotion.

August is back-to-school month in Georgia! At Paran Homes, we know it’s an exciting time for you and your family. It’s also a great time to start goal-setting and making your intentions clear regarding what standards you’d like to set for the school year. 

Is your little one starting school for the first time this year and needs to understand that their daily routine will have the most transformation? Or are your children older and only need a box of pens and a new backpack to get started? Are you planning to foster better communication with your child’s teachers and coaches about upcoming dates and important events? 

Whatever your plans are for this school year, we know change can be challenging. That’s why we created a short list of tips to get you excited about completing your tasks and prioritizing what’s most important. 

Communication is Key

It is vital that as a parent you stay informed about important dates, events, and any changes in school policies so your family can be prepared for the day. Communicating with your child’s teachers/coaches by scheduling parent-teacher conferences, or sending an email can be the difference between a slight misunderstanding and a complete due date mishap. Keeping communication consistent and open is especially important for last-minute school closures, updates to policies like the Dress Code and Student Code of Conduct, and potential emergencies. 

Re-establish Routines

No matter how old your child is, they will still have an adjustment period from their summertime schedule to their school schedule. Help your child transition into school by gradually adjusting their sleep schedule and meal times. Make sure to set boundaries for when they can grab snacks, play outside, and complete chores. This will allow them to re-establish or define their routines so their assignments are finished and the goal for each day is achieved. 

Check School Supplies

We know the school supply aisles in office stores and supermarkets are packed at this time of year. Before you load the kids in the car, double-check the supply list the school provides to ensure they have the necessary items before the first day of class. Additionally, for older students, don’t forget to review the syllabus from each of their teachers to ensure they have what they need for each course. Remember, making sure your child has what they need helps them stay prepared for assignments and projects that can affect their grades and keeps them on track with their peers. 

Encourage Emotional Support

Although you might be ready to get your child out of the house and back to full-time learning, going back to school can be both exciting and nerve-wracking for kids. Offer emotional support and reassurance to ease any anxiety they may be feeling about going back to school. Make sure you take the time to listen to their concerns, big or small, and provide advice if necessary. Sometimes just being heard and understood can do a world of good for kids, and it helps them feel more confident about communicating how they are processing an upcoming change. 

Going back to school doesn’t have to be stressful this year for you or your family. Keep these tips from Paran Homes in mind as you prepare for the next shift in your routine! And if you’re looking to upgrade your home this school year, contact us today to schedule a tour and ask about our new homes!

At Paran Homes, we understand that a positive home buying experience is important to ensure you feel confident with the new investment you’re making. Whether you’re a first-time home buyer or a seasoned real estate holder, buying a house can be a daunting process. Each step brings excitement and a chance to explore new facets of information about the real estate market, but we’d be remiss to say the terms don’t sometimes baffle even the most savvy buyers. To ensure your home buying experience is as enjoyable and stress-free as possible, we’ve compiled a list of vocabulary terms that you need to know to stay informed. 

Agent (Buyer & Listing) 

In the real estate market, you will come in contact with several types of agents as you purchase your new home. It is imperative that you can distinguish between these individuals to alleviate any uncertainty. 

Buyer’s Agent: The buyer’s agent represents the buyer or buyers in a real estate transaction. The buyer can be an individual, a couple, or a corporation. Although this person will conduct negotiations between the buyer and seller,  the buyer’s agent’s goals are far-reaching and include helping guide the buyer through all stages of home buying, not just the price negotiations; market research, local knowledge for schools, traffic, economic development, resale values, property restrictions, covenants, etc. In many cases, they provide trusted resources for property inspections. They can provide the necessary information to bring an excellent offer to the table for a property their buyer wants to call home. 

**Skipping contact with a Buyer’s Agent and going it alone is never recommended, especially since the seller usually covers their fees. 

Listing Agent: The terms listing agent (or selling agent) are terms used interchangeably during the home buying process. The listing/selling agent represents the seller in a real estate transaction. This agent’s goal is to negotiate the contract for both the seller and the buyer with all pertinent information available about the transaction upfront. These details include flood zone projections, market shifts, finance issues or programs that fit the home in question, and flexibility for the seller if other conditions are met. The listing agent is responsible for presenting bids to their client, negotiating with other agents, and offering intelligible advice about which deal to accept. 

**Additionally, this agent must be an expert on the property itself, not just the area. They must be able to answer questions about the mechanical conditions (HVAC, plumbing, electric), code questions, variance issues, and warranties (roof, mechanical, etc.)

Appraisal 

An appraisal is the property’s estimated value on the market. An appraisal is required to help the mortgage lender confirm the loan amount needed to purchase the home.  While most of us have heard of property appraisals, many are unaware of how they’re conducted or that even a new home has to have one if a mortgage is being used to purchase the house. Unlike a new car, which banks will base the new value on the sticker price and brand reputation alone, mortgages require at least three comparable sales within the last year to support the value of a home you’re buying. Sometimes new homes will underperform in a given area where no new homes have been built in years. Still, the appraisals usually note the differences between a brand new home vs. a 20-year-old home with its original roof, HVAC, and plumbing as a compensating factor. 

**What happens if your appraisal comes short of the agreed purchase price? Often the appraiser can be permitted to extend their search to a neighboring market if there are better comparables for age, quality of construction, and styles of homes within an acceptable range. Sometimes the mortgage lender will require an additional down payment or additional mortgage insurance to close on the loan. Be sure to ask what options you have and what extenuating circumstances apply to the home you’re buying vs. the market in the rare event this happens. 

Loan to Value

Loan to value, or LTV, is the percentage of the appraised value of the home that will have a mortgage lien against it. LTV determines things like how much your mortgage insurance premiums will be (this is different from hazard insurance and insures your loan against default) and can also affect your interest rate or qualifying loan program. 

**For example, some loan programs will actually let you borrow up to 103% of the home’s appraised value, and others will not let you exceed 95% of the home’s appraised value. 

Closing Costs 

In addition to a down payment, there are fees and costs associated with buying a home that are collected throughout the process, with some traditionally collected “at closing.” While not all of these fees are collected on the day of your home closing, they’re still referred to and qualify as “closing costs” for purposes of tax deductions and mortgage transactions. In many property transactions, these fees are paid for by the buyer alone, the seller alone, or a mixed bag from both! Some are only “lender required,” meaning cash buyers won’t have to include them in their transactions. Depending on the negotiated contract and the type of financing you’ve been approved for, your closing costs may vary quite a bit. 

It’s very important to get a “Good Faith Estimate” from your lender when you go to get pre-approved for a mortgage. This is a legal document and is required in a home mortgage transaction. It must be available to you well before closing, and you can request one as soon as you start the mortgage process. The Good Faith Estimate will disclose all the closing costs to you associated with your home purchase, right down to credit report fees, appraisal fees, and even the mortgage company’s commissions (known usually as an “origination fee”). The estimate will have an anticipated amount you will owe on the day of closing on your new home at the bottom. Some of these fees include legal fees, home inspections, insurance, property taxes, and much more. Buyers routinely pay between 2% to 5% of their total mortgage amount on closing costs; however, depending on the circumstance, home builders and lenders cover closing costs for buyers as a sales incentive or promotional offer.

**Read our blog for more information on the fees associated with the closing cost process! 

Contingencies

A contingency is an agreement that must be met for a contract to be valid and legally binding. This allows the buyer to cancel a purchase agreement if certain conditions are not met by the seller. Common contract contingencies include:

Appraisal contingency: If the home’s appraised value is less than the sale price

Home sale contingency: If a buyer needs to sell their property before purchasing the new property. 

Loan contingency: If a buyer is unable to secure a mortgage during a fixed period of time

Inspection contingency: If an item found during the inspection causes the home buyer to no longer want to purchase the property or if the home seller is unwilling to fix requested home repairs before closing. 

Escrow 

There are two types of escrow payments that homebuyers must consider. 

Mortgage Escrow: Your monthly payments with your mortgage typically have an escrow component that includes property taxes and hazard insurance. In some cases, even HOA fees are paid through your mortgage company. These annual assessments of taxes and insurance are divided by 12 and then added to the principle & interest portion of your monthly payment. When the bills are due each year, the mortgage company will automatically pay them. This ensures their interest in your property so that they don’t lose their collateral for your loan in the event of a tax lien or emergency like a house fire. The amount of your monthly payment will remain consistent for one year but then will adjust each year to cover for changes in your property tax obligation and your insurance costs.

Closing Escrow: A fund a third party manages during a real estate sale. Most often, this is a title company or an attorney. While in Georgia, they’re rarely used, in other states, these escrow accounts may be required to hold payments or the entire purchase amount of a home to ensure that a seller has provided a clean, viable title. The funds are then disbursed to the correct party (typically the seller) after all escrow conditions are met.

Earnest Money 

The term Earnest Money refers to funds sent from the buyer to the seller along with a formal offer letter. The money indicates that the seller is “earnest” and sincere in their monetary bid for the home. The money goes into the escrow account and is regarded as a deposit that becomes part of the purchase price. Earnest money may or may not be refundable. Terms will be covered in the agreement and should be discussed before sending this fee.

Home Inspections 

A home inspection means a professional third party will assess the condition of the home and inspect it for any damages. This process gives the buyer peace of mind about the property they are purchasing or a notice of repairs that must be made, whether immediately or in the near future. The inspector looks at the home from the grade of the land, foundation, and all exterior components. They check different areas of the home for electrical, plumbing, and craftsmanship inconsistencies and will also note any signs of previous damage from fire, water, and insects. 

Pre-Qualification vs. Pre-Approval Letter 

When a buyer is ready to look for a home to purchase, they have the best chances of being taken seriously by sellers if they have obtained a Pre-Qualified letter from a mortgage lender. This letter indicates the amount of money that the bank is willing to lend you. This letter also proves to sellers and agents that the buyer has a good credit score, is financially stable enough to handle a mortgage, and is serious about buying the property. Additionally, it helps the buyer’s agent find their client a home that is within their price range. 

Some buyers will also obtain an optional Pre-Approval letter. With this in hand, these buyers are considered the strongest buyer outside of a cash offer. Also, with pre-approval, a buyer only needs an appraisal for a property to move forward with closing on a home. There’s no waiting period for the seller while the buyer’s income and banking information is confirmed, as this buyer has already ticked all the checkboxes in their mortgage process except a home that the lender can approve. 

Homeowner’s Association (HOA) & Property Owner’s Association (POA)

A homeowner’s association is a group of people that manage rules and regulations for residents in a neighborhood. This association will elect other homeowners as HOA board members who oversee various shared aspects of the community, such as amenities, landscape maintenance, and social events. Communities with an HOA often have an HOA fee paid yearly or monthly for the upkeep of these special services. 

POAs operate similarly but have a broader power for a local area, not just one specific neighborhood, as well as some commercial property influence. Their board members may not be homeowners within your neighborhood. It’s important to ask a selling agent if the home you’re interested in is under covenants from an HOA or a POA, as the differences can be important. 

Feel Confident at Closing with a Paran Home 

Paran Homes is dedicated to educating our buyers about the real estate market, our active communities, and the home buyer experience. Contact an agent today for more information about our available homes and current promotions. We wish you a happy home buying experience with us!

In 2023, prospective homebuyers are loving houses with wide spaces and fewer walls, which has caused homes with an open-concept floor plan to gain popularity. These homes embrace a seamless flow that fosters interconnectivity in the house and helps to bring everyone together for meal times and social gatherings. Scaling back on barriers isn’t the only way to achieve this floor plan in your home. We have additional open-concept home design tips to help you create a modern functional space that embraces comfort and flexibility.  

Breaking Down Walls

At the core of open-concept design is the absence of prominent walls and partitions that separate living areas. By constructing fewer walls and separate rooms, open-concept homes create a continuous space that combines multiple functional areas like the living room, dining area, and kitchen. The absence of walls allows for easy communication, so family members and guests can converse in different regions of the house.

One potential concern is the need for privacy. To address this, you can include sound-absorbing materials such as rugs, curtains, or wall panels to minimize noise. Additionally, strategic furniture placement and thoughtful layout design can create visual barriers and define intimate spaces, offering a sense of privacy when needed. 

Natural Light and Airflow

Open-concept homes benefit from natural light and airflow. Unrestricted airflow promotes better ventilation, resulting in improved indoor air quality and a more pleasant living environment. It can also help with heating and cooling bills during different seasons! To maximize daylight and create a bright and inviting atmosphere, shop for light-colored curtains, design them with sustainable materials like bamboo, cork, and tin, and incorporate air-improving plants. Peace Lillies, Boston Ferns, and Snake Plant are among the most popular varieties.  

Flexibility and Versatility of Multifunctional Spaces

One of the critical advantages of open-concept homes is their inherent flexibility. The absence of fixed walls allows homeowners to make changes to their space. We recommend rearranging your furniture every few seasons so that you can redefine the purpose of different areas. These changes ensure that your home remains functional throughout the various stages of your life and when your family’s needs change.

Open concept design also encourages the creation of multifunctional spaces that serve different purposes within a single area. Use your kitchen island as a breakfast bar or workspace, and redesign your living room to double as a dining area or music room. Such versatility allows you to make the most of every site in your home. 

Open-concept homes have transformed the way we think about living spaces. By embracing the absence of walls, these designs promote a sense of spaciousness, encourage social interaction, and maximize natural light and airflow. As homeowners continue looking for more welcoming floor plans, open-concept homes will remain popular.

Move into a Paran Home This Year! 

Paran Homes has just what you need when you’re ready to move into an open-concept home! Experience Paran Homes’ commitment to thoughtful design and incredible craftsmanship with a comfortable home perfect for you and your family. Contact one of our sales agents for a tour of your new home today!

Spring in the South is a funny thing. One day, you’re bundled in sweaters and scarves, and the next, you’re donning shorts and flip-flops, only to return to the sweater the third day. It can be frustrating, but rest assured – the summer heat is coming!

No one likes to think about spring cleaning but as a new Paran homeowner, it will be easy! This is a great time to really get to know your house. There are some future great habits to call your own to ensure that you’ll love your new home forever. Do these things when spring weather is warm and you will be prepared for the summer fun when it’s in full bloom.

1. Keep your AC tuned-up. Your brand new home and state-of-the-art AC are terrific performers, but give it a quick once-over to make yourself familiar with it. Look at the filter and make sure it’s clean and there’s nothing obstructing proper airflow. Moving forward, routinely check the filter and keep things clean as your best defense in staying cool. We recommend changing your filter once per month, even with filters designed for longer life. This will keep your HVAC system in tip-top shape for decades to come.
2. Now that you’re sure the cold air will be pumping, make sure it stays in your house! Of course, your new home is sealed tightly and there are no leaks but as time goes on and activity in your family is steady, get into the habit of doing annual checks. Ensure that the seals on your doors and windows are intact and seal any places where air may escape. If there are any gaps, a simple caulk application should take care of them.
3. Take a look at your gutters. They are clean and clear now and water flows nicely. Next year, after fall foliage has dropped, take a quick look to ensure that they are still clear of leaves and other blockages. Since Spring and summer can bring heavy rains, it’s important to keep water flowing from your gutters to the downspouts, and away from your house.
4. Defend your home against bugs. In this part of the country, warm weather brings out all the many-legged creatures you don’t want at your party. Take a quick stroll around your exterior and remove piles of brush or standing water near your home. This is the best way to reduce the appearance of fire ants, beetles, mosquitoes, and other unwelcome insects in your yard. Exterior perimeter protection and maintenance is the number 1 way to keep your home pest free all year.
5. Your new lawn looks terrific! It’s a great time to decide where to put the hammock, and where to plant the roses. In a couple of years, you can aerate it, dethatch and reseed the grass every 2 to 3 years to keep things looking green and fresh.
6. Visit your garden bed. Get the kids to help! Pull out weeds, till the soil, and select seeds and/or sprouting seedlings that you want to grow. If things look too sparse, fill in some spaces with nice perennial flowers or, maybe, some herbs! Did you know that lavender, mint, basil, petunias, and chrysanthemums are not only lovely, they also repel insects?
7. Now comes the fun part, pull out the pressure washer! Spray down lawn furniture, decking, walkways, etc. and get rid of the winter grunge. Pressure washing saves time and energy over hand washing with buckets and sponges. It’s more efficient and even kind of gratifying. It’s like painting with Clean!
8. Now that things are washed, take a walk around and scan the fence and gates. Take a look at the siding and doors and consider a seasonal welcome mat or flower box. Moving forward, doing a yearly scan will keep you ahead of any small adjustments or repairs that will keep your home perfect.
9. Prepare the grill! This is the time of year when guests will want burgers, hotdogs, and sundried treats from the grill. Is it ready? Turn the grill up to its highest heat and close the hood. After about 15 minutes, scrape the surface with a metal grill brush. Don’t forget the grill box. Scrape out burnt leavings and clean with soapy water then rinse with fresh water. When the grill surface is clean, wipe on a light layer of vegetable-based oil and you’re ready for the party!
10. Don’t forget your other guests. How does that birdbath and bird feeder look? Give them a nice cleaning and refill with fresh water and birdseed.

Of course, inside the house, you may want to change your linens from winter to summer. Clean the windows. Dust the ceiling fans and set them to rotate counter-clockwise to push the cool air down.

After that, you are ready to pull out the shorts and flip-flops. Maybe it’s time to search for grill recipes, try that new mint julep recipe or a new lemonade for the kids. Celebrate summer in your wonderful new Paran Homes house – where quality lives and so does your family!

As we go into the colder seasons, the farmers markets are closing up shop and packing away for winter hibernation. What will your Italian soups be without the flavor-enhancing qualities of farm-fresh herbs and zucchini? How will your harvest bowls go on without a butternut squash brought to you farm-to-table? As hard as it may be to eat fresh veggies without the accessibility of the farmers market – don’t fret too much. There is a really excellent solution to this troubling predicament.

Why Eat Farm Fresh Produce?

There are so many benefits to eating farm fresh produce. For starters, fresh produce grown in season just tastes better. One of the most common chef recommendations for how to have better-tasting food is to pick out your own produce from a farmers market. But there is also an added nutritional benefit of farm-to-table. Some (but not all) local non-commercialized farmers use chemicals that are less harsh on produce that do not strip the crop of its nutritional properties. Plus, by buying locally, you’re helping support your community’s agriculture and business.

Never Fear – Farm to Table is Here!

So you’re probably asking, “if the farmers markets are closed, where am I supposed to get all these farm-fresh vegetables?” We’re glad you asked – we have the solution. We suggest getting a box from a Georgia-based CSA like Fresh Harvest! Fresh Harvest is a customizable, locally-grown community supported agriculture (CSA) delivery service that connects you with farmers in your area. And it doesn’t just stop at fruit and veggies; you can also add meat, milk, eggs, baked goods, and more. You’ll have a variety of seasonal and sustainable options to choose from, and Fresh Harvest will deliver them right to your door.

Being Busy No Longer Has to Get in The Way

We’ve all been there – you have every intention of making it to the farmers market this weekend, your reusable bags are waiting expectantly to be brimming with veggies, your Birkenstocks sit longingly by the door…but Saturday morning comes around, and you remember you made brunch plans (and who can resist the siren call of Saturday morning mimosas?) Balancing work, family, friends, drinking enough water, weekly yoga, making overnight oats, and grocery shopping – it’s a lot to juggle. Your life is busy, and you’re doing important things, but that doesn’t mean you have to sacrifice what’s important to you. With convenient monthly deliveries, you get all the benefits of going to the farmers market without the Saturday morning rush.