Day made!

 

Day made...

It has been an incredibly fun Spring thus far! Thank you again to the sweet folks who allow me to play an instrumental role in their big life moves. You are my favorite part of my job, hands down!

New Client Recommendation on LinkedIn

The kindest thing that a past client can do for a Realtor? Write an honest online recommendation. This one was the perfect final to 2020... 

Heartwarming. Thank you so much for your friendship and kind words, Nicole!  Your sale was truly one of the highlights of my 2020, as time with you (and A) was a pleasure from moment one. St. Louis is incredibly lucky to have you back as you are a true gem.  

Thank you for your trust and for taking the time to write such a thoughtful and thorough recommendation. It means the world to me.💛

See my other professional recommendations HERE on my LinkedIn profile.

 

Just for Fun: A Dog's Life

If you follow me on Instagram stories, you know that thus far, lake life for the Nenonens has consisted of more painting than pontooning.  That being said, we DID sneek away for a little fun today. 

Miss Willow was in heaven! Needless to say, she thoroughly enjoyed her maiden voyage on the rickety “Looney Pontooney”. ❤️

New Client Recommendation on LinkedIn

Nothing says "Happy Friday" like this rolling into your LinkedIn...

How sweet is this?  It made my day!

Each time a past client takes the time to share their positive feedback in the form of an online professional recommendation, it totally warms my heart.  Sweet Chelsea- thank you so much for your kind words and sweet sentiment.  I so enjoyed working with you guys and your recommendation means the world to me!💛

Connect with me on LinkedIn HERE or see what some of my other clients have had to say HERE.
 

Into the woods...

Nenonen "social distance heaven" came in the form of a rustic 125 old log cabin tucked away on 265 acres of private land this week.  We traded masks and bleach wipes for ATV rides in the walnut groves, fields of wildflowers, hikes beneath the mighty pines, dips in the spring-fed lake, bonfire fun, architectural goodies...

 

 ...and true solitude that only unplugged nature can provide from the challenges of 2020. 

Nature heals, at least for the Nenonens. A perfect life pause to enjoy one another and the tail end of Summer before it is back to school. ❤️

Nenonen Project Time: Geometric Accent Wall

We have always allowed our boys creative-control of their own bedrooms, and our youngest has been busy this week. 

Give a teenage boy quarantine orders, creative freedom, and three weeks to kill before he leaves for college and what do you get? 

A fun bedroom makeover! I love the funky freestyle geometric wall design that Reed created. He was going for visually-interesting without being too loud.  I think he nailed it and managed powerful visual impact without the commitment of wallpaper or bold colors.  Now on to final touch-ups, new baseboards, area rug, and furnishings✨

Base Color:  "Simply White" (OC- 117) by Benjamin Moore
Top Color:    "On The Rocks" (SW-7671) by Sherwin Williams

While the bulk of our ongoing home projects can be found on my Instagram (in stories and highlights), see a few of our other Casa de Nenonen projects HERE.

Peek at my morning, just for fun...

Hello, Sunday.❤️

Pretty food always tastes better for some reason, doesn’t it?! This gorgeous taste of Summer is getting me giddy for our vegetable garden to take off!  Curious about our garden action?  Let's connect on Instagram HERE.  I typically share updates on my Instastories.

Day made. ❤️

As seen on Facebook this morning...

2020 started out with a BANG! If you are contemplating a move, this is your market, friends! Right out of the gate, this year has been amazing for both #StLouis Sellers and Buyers thus far.

New Client Recommendation on LinkedIn

Oh my goodness, this made my week... 

Absolutely nothing beats waking up to a notification of a new client recommendation on LinkedIn, particularly one as kind and generous as this.  A warm thank you to my sweet Seller, Amy.  I can't begin to express how much I appreciate your sentiment, business, and most important... friendship.  

There is no doubt that no one can truly vouch for a Realtor's work ethic, integrity, and ability like their former clients.I am so humbled and grateful each and every time I receive one of their endorsements.💗

In St. Louis and contemplating a move in 2020?  Let's connect HERE on my LinkedIn.  There you can see what my other former clients have to say, as well. 

Home Tip: What does snow melting on my roof really mean?

One of the biggest perks of being a Realtor is the privilege to attend dozens of building inspections per year!  It is a continued source of learning and knowledge for me. The beauty of my blog? The ability to share the little nuggets of home wisdom that I pick up along the way!

Needless to say, it has been a wild and wicked winter here in St. Louis!  Snow days have been aplenty and almost ALL of my inspections thus far in 2019 have been in the snow, including yesterday's.   As we approached the property yesterday, before even entering, the inspector blurted out "Alert Carrie- we need insulation!".

How did he know that, you may ask, before even entering the property?  On the north-facing entry of the home, despite frigid temperatures, the snow was melting off the bulk of the roof EXCEPT above the unheated garage.  Hence, heated air is escaping in to the attic and warming the roof.

Insulation has already been a topic that I have blogged about this year, as we recently did some MAJOR addressing of deficiency in our own home.  While as a real estate professional I should advise it is prudent and due-diligence to climb a ladder and regularly check your insulation levels, realistically, most people only venture in to their attic if necessary.  Hence why this tip is INVALUABLE to Homeowners as it is easy and fool-proof!

Plain and simple, a snow-covered roof means that your attic is doing its job. Patches of uneven melt are a sign of heat loss. If your neighbor's roof has a thick blanket and yours doesn't, it is a sign of heat loss.  Steam coming off the roof on melt days- a sign of heat loss.  Icicles forming on the gutter line are also often a sign of heat loss.  If your roof is warm enough to melt the snow but it's cold enough outside for snow to refreeze, your roof is losing heat.  Period.

HOMEOWNER TIP: 
In the days that follow a snowfall, examine the roof on your home- preferably the North-facing side. If the outside temperature stays below 32 degrees, there should still be a healthy sheet of snow on your roof. If you notice patches where the snow is melting (or any of the signs mentioned above), your attic is likely lacking proper insulation OR the insulation has been shifted during home repairs and is no longer evenly blanketing the attic floor. These areas of leakage will not only melt the snow, but it will cause your heating bills to rise and affect your home comfort.

Address the problem now so your pocketbook and furnace don't have to work so hard! You will be cooler in the summer and warmer in the winter.

LOCALS:
Curious about the cost of adding additional insulation in St. Louis?  In our personal project, we blew in insulation to a maximum R60 level (from 21ish) using premium 85% Recycled Green Fiber, which also creates a sound barrier and is fire retardant with zero fiberglass.  For just under 2000sqft, it was approximately $2,500.  In just 2 months, we have already seen our heating bill drop tremendously, despite frigid temperatures.

Just for Fun: Artistic view at everyday life

Do you have a favorite search hashtag on Instagram? Mine is, hands down, #nenonenyardfollies as it is a collection of the simple pleasures I have adored most living in our home over the years. Nothing beats the seasonal ebb and flow of Mama Nature in our neighborhood and yard. 🌱🌸🍂❄️

I celebrate my love for this in my latest home project for our cozy family room with a little help from Walgreens...  

... a wood print collage grid of my favorites, creating a micro-journey through the seasons in Casa de Nenonen. I firmly believe you that should surround yourself by things that make you feel good in your home! This wall makes me smile every time I look at it and serves as a daily reminder to stop and smell the roses!💞

TIP: Walgreens is hyperlinked above.  I used the 12x12 square print and an amazing coupon code that took off 50%.

Follow me on Instagram HERE.

Got chills, St. Louis? Check Your Insulation!

Got the chills, St. Louis?  Slippers, warm coffee, and a steamy shower this morning!  Just 3 days ago, The Nenonens hiked (and waded) our way 5 miles through Castlewood.  In fact, we managed to hike 20+ miles over the past week thanks to lovely 80-90 degree temperatures!

Yesterday, however, in true Midwest fashion...

...Mama Nature surprised us all by taking a tumble in to brisk autumnal temperatures, abruptly ending the unseasonable Fall warm streak we have enjoyed thus far.

I have always said that my blog mimics my life, and this post is no different.  My goal here on CDN and the City is to yes, share my adventures but also educate the public on matters of the home.  Often times, that means learning from my mistakes.

I pose a question to you, friends: When was the last time that you peeked in to your attic and checked the level of the insulation?  Answer honestly, judgement-free zone here. 

Apparently in Casa de Nenonen, it has been too long! Way too long, if ever, since closing on our house.  Let's face it: Life is busy.  Homeowners tend to deal with what is directly in front of them: the garage door that needs adjusting, the lawn that needs mowing, the laundry and dishes and messy kitchen floor.  The mundane daily Homeowner tasks, sprinkled with the occasional crisis or voluntary weekend project, keeps us busy!  Am I right?

If you follow me on Instagram, you know that we are currently under kitchen renovation...

In fact, a full gut! When our contractor descended from our attic this week after installing our new recessed lighting, he urged us to add more attic insulation ASAP.  Truthfully, Steve and I rarely even open the attic hatch in this house, as we have plentiful basement storage and it simply is not easily accessible.  

When I popped my head up there this week, however, I was horrified. I have been through enough career building inspections to know the importance of insulation.  I understand R-value.  Yet, I popped my head up in my own attic this week to find this...

Yep.  I am trying not to turn this in to an ashamed Homeowner confession post, but I have no excuse.  To the average person, this photo may mean little to nothing.  To put things in to perspective for you, however, this is the reality thanks to Energy Star...

Insulation's resistance to conductive heat flow is measured in terms of its thermal resistance or "R-value".  Kindergarten terms: the higher the R-value, the greater the insulating effectiveness. The R-value depends on the type of insulation, its thickness, and its density.  Over time, insulation shifts or compacts and becomes less effective.   In fact, when insulation compacts, it acts more as a conductor than an insulator.

Our attic, MAYBE, is R-21 right now.  Again, no excuses people. Most local insulation companies recommend an R-49. The US Department of Energy recommends between R-38 and R-60 for the St. Louis area.

St. Louis County requires a minimum of R-30 on new construction and industry-wide, but that is considered RIDICULOUSLY and INSANELY low for our extreme Midwest temperatures.

So these are the facts: Beefing up insulation and caulking/sealing air leaks is one of the best ways to improve energy efficiency in your home. It is a simple home project that a Homeowner can do on their own and it can reduce your heating and cooling costs by up to a whopping 30%!

In addition, per Remodeling Magazine, it has one of the best ROIs (return on investment) of all home improvement projects.

In other words, THIS HOME IMPROVEMENT PAYS FOR ITSELF while keeping your family warmer on chilly days like today!  Win/win.

Our contractor has graciously agreed to bring Casa de Nenonen to an R-60 once our project is complete...

While I am thankful that he alerted us to his discovery, we should have done our due-diligence and checked it prior to this renovation.  We should have done our due-diligence and checked it years ago.

Learn from my mistake, friends.  The cost of the project is nominal compared to the money saved.  Before temps plummet any further, walk around your home and pay special attention to these areas...

Your pocketbook will thank you!  

Back to school, 'tis the season!

If you follow me on Instagram or Facebook, you know that it has been hustle bustle, back to school week around here!  A welcomed return to routine and the slower pace of Fall, even though I will miss these faces.

Hello, Junior year in high school...

 Hello, Sophomore year in college...

The only one not-so-thrilled about this return to normalcy?

Needless to say, Miss Willow adores her gratuitous time with her boys.  So sad, isn't it? 💔

Wonderful surprise this morning!

It has been a tremendous summer thus far!

A sincere thank you to my wonderful clients for their trust and loyalty. I am so grateful and appreciative! 🏡❤️

I made the Top 100 Real Estate Slogans in 2018 by PropertySpark!

How fun!  The magic happens when you get to do what you love in the city that you love...

Thank you for the shout-out, PropertySpark!  I am oh so proud to wear the slogan "Selling St. Louis since 2001".

JUST LISTED: #911 Palomino Path in 63049

I am thrilled to present my new listing!

#911 Palomino Path epitomizes pride of ownership and boasts a fantastic quiet cul-du-sac location in the popular Harter Farms subdivision. This handsome 2-story features an open floor plan with fabulous natural light...

...and a backyard view of woods as far as the eye can see!

HOME FEATURES:

A sunny formal living room with an incredible salvaged barn wood accent wall that was hand-pieced and carefully installed.  So cool!

A separate formal dining room, ideal for entertaining...

A light-drenched great room complete with a wooded backyard view and a marble surround gas-burning fireplace flanked by handsome built-in bookcases... 

A chef's kitchen with stainless steel appliances, gas cooking, 42" cabinets, a spacious eat-in dining area, a sizable pantry, a central vac baseboard dustpan system for easy cleanup, and gleaming hardwood floors...

Heading outside the kitchen, the backyard is already set up for a party!  Light the tikis and firepit, and dine al fresco under the stars...

The main floor also boasts a laundry room...

... ... and a half bath.

Heading upstairs, natural light abounds!  The 2nd story features four bedrooms and 2 full baths including a Master Suite with a huge walk-in closet and spa bathroom appointed with a whirlpool tub, separate shower, and double sinks...

Bedroom #2...

Bedroom #3...

Bedroom #4

2nd floor bathroom...

Heading downstairs, this is where your imagination can run wild!  The basement is a clean slate to create the lower level you have always dreamed of.  The basement is complete with a code egress window  ALREADY INSTALLED if you seek additional bedroom space AND bathroom rough-ins...

In designing and building this property, the Seller spared NO expense.  Upgrades include a central vacuum system with a kitchen dustpan feature, a wired and owned security system, an inground sprinkler system, a dual-zone HVAC with humidifier, Nest thermostat, a full brick and stone front, 3 car garage, storage galore, wired landscape lighting, and more!  

All of this in the super popular Harter Farms subdivision complete with a clubhouse and pool...

The neighborhood also boasts ACRES of wooded common ground on the edge of the Meramec Valley region near Beaumont Scout Ranch including a peaceful stocked lake for exploring and fishing...

Needless to say, this home is a complete package and move-in ready just minutes from 141 off Highway 30!  See the full MLS listing HERE.  Offered for $309,900 - No show until Sunday, July 15 at Noon. 

For more information, a private showing, or if interested in a move?  Let's connect!