The Riz Team Blog

New Hamburg Mennonite Relief Sale

Event Details:

Location:
Fairgrounds, 251 Jacob Street, New Hamburg, ON

 HOT PROPERTY FOR SALE

16424 Marvin Rd, Charlotte North Carolina
For sale: $5,899,900

For the first time in “The Bachelor/Bachelorette’s” lengthy span on ABC (since 2002), the popular reality show did not debut at the Spanish-style estate “Villa de la Vina” located in the Santa Monica Mountains of Southern California, but rather in Charlotte, North Carolina.

Why the change in venue? Charlotte is the hometown of new Bachelorette, Emily Maynard.

This season’s Bachelorette home is a $5.89 million dollar estate. Not only is it private, set on five acres, but it has all the trimmings for creating romantic reality show moments.

And, as listing agent Nick Peters of Peters and Associates points out, it has a ballroom.

“There are beautiful houses all over,” Peters said, “but this one has an official grand ballroom with a 20-foot-high fireplace made of solid marble. The room also has gold-glazed mahogany trim, silk window treatments and gorgeous lighting.”

An ideal place, if you watch the show, to host the dramatic rose ceremony in which The Bachelorette eliminates potential suitors.

The Bachelorette home is a European-style mansion with stucco and stone exteriors. Boasting 12,000 square feet of living space, the 6-bedroom, 8.5-bath home has plenty of room for filming the show. The home features high-end finishes, and specifically a two-inch thick marble floor that runs from the home’s entrance down its main hallway.

Although the home’s interiors are spectacular, most of the first episode of the show focused on the grounds of the property — from a lawn enough to land a helicopter, to a slate courtyard with benches, intimate gardens, fountain and fire pit. The home also includes a saltwater pool with mosaic-tiled waterfall.

Before ABC snatched the home for filming purposes, the property was listed for $3.9 million. The house was off the market while ABC filmed, but was recently relisted for a higher price.

The higher price can be explained in the publicity that the house will receive over the course of The Bachelorette show.

And it’s not necessarily just the exposure, says Peters.

“You can’t really showcase a house with photos. I’ll bring in a professional photographer, but the way that it shows on TV… it’s breathtaking,” he said. “You can’t get that from a photo shoot.”

According to Zillow’s mortgage calculator, a monthly payment on the Bachelorette home would be $21,424, assuming a 20 percent down payment on a 30-year-mortgage.

Look familiar? This mansion was the setting for this season of “The Bachelorette.”

Tips for Renovating Your Basement

Want to add more space to your home without  building up or out?  Look no further than  your basement.  According to the  Appraisal Institute of Canada, renovating a basement can give you a 50-75%  return on your investment when it comes to selling your home. Here’s how to get  it done right:

Start with a plan
What type of space does your family require?  Is it an extra living space for your teenager,  a playroom for the little one, or perhaps an entertainment area for all to enjoy?  Once you decide on how you want to utilize  the space, you can layout your design.  If  budget allows, an architect or interior designer could assist you with the  layout design and make valuable suggestions.

Do it  yourself or hire a professional
Depending on your skill set, budget, and time, you  may want to enlist the services of a contractor who has the expertise required  to finish a basement.  If you do it yourself and don’t have the required time or  skill to do the job correctly, you may find yourself looking at a repair bill  far exceeding the amount you originally thought the project would cost.  Make an informed decision.  Be sure to carefully weigh all  factors when deciding which option is right for you, while considering costs, material,  labour, and equipment requirements.

Framing
Framing basement walls and ceilings is one of the  most important aspects of any basement renovation. Two popular wall framing options are wood or steel studs. Wood is the classic  choice.  It is versatile, easy to work  with, and cost-effective.  Whereas steel,  although more costly, adds a level of strength, rot resistance and won’t warp  and crack like wood might over time.  Two  popular ceiling framing options are dropped ceiling tiles or drywall. Dropped  ceiling tiles provide easy access to pipes and wires which can be a saviour if a  tub or toilet on the main level floor springs a leak.  Alternatively, dry wall ceilings offer a  smooth finish and require less vertical space – a great option if your basement  ceiling height is already low.

Flooring
There are  plenty of basement flooring choices to choose from including laminate,  linoleum, vinyl, wood and ceramic tiles.   Be sure to match your flooring choice with the intended use of the space  and your geographic location.  For  example, a game room may require more durable flooring than an office.  Do you live in an area with a tendency for  flooding or is your location dry?  Carpet  with high density under pad will offer cushion and moisture protection from the  typical condensation found in basements.  Engineered hardwood made for below grade  installation will flex and handle moisture better than traditional hardwood. Ceramic  tile is great for bathrooms and laundry rooms and is easy to install on  concrete.

Add a bathroom
Installing a bathroom in the basement is a great  way to add value to your home.  Determine  if you require a full bathroom or if a powder room will suffice.  Powder rooms are relatively simple to  install, easy to keep clean, and won’t take up too much room.  Full three or four piece bathrooms can provide  a comfortable, private, and even luxurious, space for overnight visitors to  enjoy. With either option, time and costs can be reduced if bathroom fixtures  are located near existing plumbing and are arranged in a line on one wall.  Be sure to check local codes for plumbing and  electrical aspects of your project.

Add storage
No matter what kind of plan you come up with for  your basement, remember to factor in plenty of closet or storage space.  This will enable you to de-clutter the rest  of your home to keep it tidy and inviting.   Further, if you ever decide to move, having this extra storage space  should appeal to just about any prospective buyer.

A  finished basement can not only increase your home enjoyment but it can also add  valuable square footage.  From everyday  living to financial value, finished basements provide many benefits to you as a  homeowner.