Welcome to Teresa Elliott's Video Web Series with resources and topics that matter the most to you, featuring Teresa Elliott of Elliott Co., BHHS Ambassador Real Estate in Omaha, NE.
Looking to buy a home? Looking to remodel your own? Looking for some fantastic houses to tour in your free time? The Omaha Spring Parade of Homes is fast approaching! I will be showing a home in West Omaha and I welcome and encourage you to attend. In addition, you will get to see the beautiful Silverleaf Estates neighborhood, which includes houses designed by ADC, Inc., a design-build company that has quite a presence in the Omaha area. So mark your calendar! The2011 Spring Parade of Homeswill take place May 8-15. This exhibition provides an extraordinary opportunity to tour top-of-the-line homes around the greater Omaha area.
Why Should You Go? Whether you are a homeowner or looking to purchase a house, the Parade of Homes is a chance to gainexceptional insight, tips and home design ideas. The event, sponsored by the Metro Omaha Builders Association, is free and will run from noon to 6 p.m. on weekends, and 5 p.m. to 8 p.m. on weekdays. This is an opportune time to consider home ownership considering the current low mortgage rates, competitive home prices and tax credit for first-time homeowners, so this event should not be passed up! Stop By and See Me in Silverleaf Estates! Be sure to stop by1426 N 191st Avenue, located in the in the beautifully secluded Silverleaf Estates in West Omaha. Located at 192nd and Old Lincoln Highway,Silverleaf Estatesoffers breathtaking landscape and an old world charm that is unlike any other Omaha development. It is part of the Elkhorn school district and only minutes away from Village Pointe shopping center and easily accessible from the interstate. Silverleaf, which was the 2009 pick for Omaha's annual "Street of Dreams" event, is the perfect place to build your next luxury home. Be sure to visit this location during the Parade of Homes to see some of the most magnificent homes in Omaha. Plus register with us at Silverleaf and get entered in a chance to win an iPad 2!
Who Built It?
This house in Silverleaf Estates was designed byAdvanced Design & Construction, Inc. It perfectly highlights all the exceptional features that ADC incorporates into every building project. They offer superior design and efficiency while still keeping your budget in mind. ADC continues to create unique residential spaces that incorporatefunctionality, affordability and individual style. The perfect blend of engineering, design and construction is evident in this home, but you will have to come and see for yourself! So hop in the car and take time to tour all of the fabulous homes being featured May 9-16. You can come and go as you please and it can even turn into a fun family outing. I will be at 1426 N 191st Avenuethroughout the week of the Parade and I can't wait for you to stop by! And don't forget, if you come you can sample some of my delicious homemade meatballs!
The opportunity that exists in basements is huge – and it’s simply a matter of availing it to the fullest. Many property owners neglect to realize the hidden potential in all that extra space which can offer a whole host of added benefits. Whether you have a teenager who could benefit from his own space, would like a recreation/bar area for entertaining, or if you regularly have guests and want to offer a private living space for them – there are myriad reasons to remodel a basement. A quality remodeling project will address five areas so that you are left with a usable, livable and comfortable space in your basement. Floors One of the most noticeable differences in any space, especially basements, is flooring. Most basements have unfinished flooring, so even if you were to install a less expensive industrial-grade carpet it would be an improvement. However, in the spirit of being economical and utilizing all resources, homeowners often upgrade to higher quality carpet or rugs to soften the seemingly harsh or rough basement finish. Wood floors are usually not recommended, since there is a potential for flooding or water leakage from heating/cooling systems. However there are several options that are practical and without compromise on quality.Tiling, linoleum or carpeting are the popular choices these days. Keeping in mind your end use, choose wisely. For families with small children, a solid Berber carpet works very well, whereas empty nesters can get away with tile. Walls Like the floors, basements walls are also usually unfinished. Though for several yearspanelingreceived considerable slack for being “too seventies”, there has been a recent revival but with an updated style. Instead of the standard plywood paneling we’ve seen in many finished basements in homes built in the 70s and 80s, now there is an influx of walls covered with drywall, architectural panels and even synthetic siding. If budget is a concern, you can get creative with simple tension rods and simple curtain panels, strings of beads or other hanging wall/window coverings. Bathroom The inclusion of a bathroom in a basement is a must. Many homeowners who have some experience in Do-It-Yourself projects attempt to do this portion of the basement on their own. If managed properly the workings of a bathroom building/remodeling project, very closely monitored by you, can result in a beautiful addition to the space. Not only will adding a bathroom to your basement significantly increase the value of your home, it will also add a tremendous about of comfort and convenient. Depending on the end purpose plus how the rest of the basement is finished – choosefixturesand other permanent bathroom elements accordingly.
Finish A lot of basements are used as an extra entertaining space, particularly if you are avid entertainers and enjoy having groups of people over for recreation. Some popular choices are to set up a bar or game room, secondary lounge and relaxation space, an activity space for kids or a library/study or work area as a home office. With just a few finishing touches like putting up wall hangings, decorating with a cohesive style or including some essential furniture items, you will complete the space. For game rooms, installing appropriate elements such as a cork wall for darts or a table tennis area and a wet bar space preferably located near a plumbing set-up are also finishing touches that will perfect the rooms. Storage There is hardly a basement that isn’t used for storage purposes – and chances are that even if you already have a finished basement there is probably a space set aside for storage. One of the most popular things to do during a remodel is to get organized – literally. By setting up properstorage systemsin terms of the structural aspect, you can minimize space wastage and maximize your basement’s usage. Utilizing the space behind and under staircases, for example, is a very convenient method of using otherwise dead space. By installing simple, durable shelves you can get miles of use out of the area setting it aside for those smaller storage items like tools or garden supplies. When a home on the market has a finished basement, the basement is usually one of the first things that generate buyers’ interest. Many prospective buyers may not have even had a finished basement in mind at first but when they see an updated, modern and usable space that increases the live-in space by as much as 30%, their interest is piqued. No matter what your final purpose is in having your basement remodeled, it is undoubtedly a great decision and one that will reap benefits for years to come. So if you can do it, don’t hesitate!
Be sure to stop by 1426 N 191st Avenue, located in the in the beautifully secluded Silverleaf Estates in West Omaha. Located at 192nd and Old Lincoln Highway,Silverleaf Estates offers breathtaking landscape and an old world charm that is unlike any other Omaha development. It is part of the Elkhorn school district and only minutes away from Village Pointe shopping center and easily accessible from the interstate. 
