Pros and Cons of Quartz Countertops

Pros and Cons of Quartz Countertops Quartz countertops are relatively new, but they’ve found a loyal following because of their many good qualities such as their attractive appearance, durability and the fact they don’t have some of the weaknesses of natural stone. Also called engineered stone countertops, quartz countertops are here to stay. Here is a look at their strengths and weaknesses. Reasons to Consider Quartz Countertops Quartz is a manufactured product and can be very attractive. The manufacturing process allows a much wider range of colors than you’ll find in natural stones such as marble or granite. The appearance of the finished engineered stone is rich, even luxurious. The finish has a depth that can’t be produced with solid surface materials like Corian. Quartz has the same durability as concrete and granite, but is quite a bit more forgiving, so it won’t chip or crack as easily. It doesn’t have the same hardness in the feel that some people find unpleasant. Like other hard surface countertop materials, quartz is non-porous so it resists staining much better than granite, marble and concrete. It stands up to juice, oil, wine, tomato, coffee and other sources of stains in the kitchen. For cleanliness, a non-porous surface means that it will not harbor bacteria or viruses. You can always be confident that you are getting your quartz countertop absolutely clean, and that’s a great benefit in both the kitchen and the bathroom. Reasons to be Cautious about Quartz Countertops There aren’t many cons to this engineered stone. The biggest concern for some will be the price. When you get written estimates, expect quartz countertop prices to be $115-$200 per square foot. Keep in mind, however, that those prices are competitive with other high-end countertop materials such as granite, marble, concrete and slate. The look of quartz countertops is fairly contemporary. That isn’t necessarily a weakness since beauty is in the eye of the beholder. However, some homeowners will prefer the more natural look of granite, marble, slate or wood for their home. The seams on engineered stone countertops are sometimes noticeable too, about like those with granite countertops, but this isn’t a deal breaker for most people. Finally, quartz is not as resistant to heat as granite, crushed glassed or concrete, so caution will have to be used with hot pots and pans in the kitchen or hot hair tools in the bathroom. Summary For a contemporary, upscale look with very low maintenance required, quartz countertops are definitely worth considering. Be aware of the few potential drawbacks and their price. If you’re willing to live with those things, quartz countertops should meet or exceed your expectations.

4 Things You Didn’t Know About Quartz vs Granite

quartz vs. granite Granite countertops are quarried naturally from the earth as enormous chunks of stone. After they leave the quarry they are cut and polished into the familiar countertop shape. Quartz countertops contain crushed quartz mixed with resin in a ratio of 93% quartz to 7% resin. They are manufactured in a variety of different patterns and colors. pros and cons of quartz As with granite, quartz countertops also have their own sets of drawbacks and benefits that go along with them. 1.Quartz countertops are just as strong as granite but have the added benefit of being more flexible. This makes them easier to work with during the installation process. 2.Quartz is non-porous and does not require any sealing – ever. These stones offer a virtually no-maintenance material solution for countertops. 3.These counters are also very durable but they cannot be considered indestructible either. They are stain-resistant as well so dropping a glass of wine on them simply requires a quick cleanup. 4.One drawback that you should definitely take note of is these counters can discolor over time when exposed to direct sunlight. If you have a part of your counter that receives some of the UV rays from the sun while another part doesn’t, over time you may see a color difference. 5.These countertops need to be professionally installed and quartz is even heavier than granite. 6.You can expect to see seams with a quartz counter but they will be less visible if you choose a slab that’s darker in color. As well, the seams are easier to hide when you choose quartz because the counter has been colored and manufactured. If you buy a quartz countertop in a solid color, it’s much easier to hide the seam to a certain extent. With granite, the natural veins and colors in the stone will never allow the seams to appear less visible. The benefits and drawbacks of granite Here are some of the most important drawbacks and benefits of granite that you need to know: 1.The appearance is not uniform. These stones are coming right out of the earth and are not perfectly designed by nature. For some this will be a benefit while others will consider it to be a drawback. 2.Granite countertops will need to be sealed before they are used and this will need to be repeated year after year for as long as you own the countertop. Granite is a porous stone and can only be considered to be stain-resistant if it has been sealed properly. While some people only seal their granite countertops every 3 years, it’s best to be safe and to do it yearly. If for any reason the sealant on the counter gets compromised, your countertop can get stained. 3.Countertops made of granite are extremely durable but should not be considered to be indestructible. It is a natural rock and can break or chip if subjected to heavy abuse. For regular day-to-day activities though, and with proper maintenance, this is a countertop that can last for a lifetime and beyond. 4.The stones are heavy and require a professional installation. Don’t even think of hiring your neighborhood handyman to put in your new countertop to save a few dollars. 5.It’s impossible to hide the seams in a granite counter. Expect the seams to show up once it has been installed. 6.The samples that you see can slightly differ from the stone that you receive. Keep in mind that these are naturally occurring slabs so the samples cannot be a true 100% reflection of the stone you are ordering. There may be color variances or occlusions in the stone you receive that gives the slab a slightly different appearance. If you spend some time browsing through the internet you’ll find a range of different reviews about quartz vs granite. While one homeowner will tell you that you absolutely, positively must get a quartz countertop, another reviewer will insist upon buying granite counters. When you do spend some time reading through these reviews, however, you will notice one point that stands out. Both quartz and granite countertop owners are defending their own personal choices with a vengeance because they are so completely pleased with their counters. At the end of the day, you can walk away from these reviews knowing that choosing either quartz or granite stones will provide you with a countertop that you’ll love! Let’s compare the cost This can be the biggest consideration when it comes to choosing between a quartz countertop and one that’s made of granite. If you’re like most people you have a budget that you’re trying to stick to for your countertop material. There’s no doubt that with either product you’re going to have to be digging deep into your pockets. A slab of granite is usually priced starting at $60 a square foot but the prices rise quickly from that point on. For quartz countertops, you’ll generally be paying anywhere from $67 up to $95 per square foot. For a 28 ft.² counter made of quartz you’ll have to budget for approximately $2200 – $3100. Here are some more details to help you get a closer estimate. In most cases you’ll end up paying more for granite unless you find something in the $60 range that you love. Prices can vary according to the manufacturer, the pattern and the color of the granite slab. Fortunately, during recent years, the prices on granite countertops have come down significantly since they first made their appearance on the market. Granite can often end up costing a bit more than quartz since it is a natural rock. This means that the complete slab needs to be excavated from the earth as one chunk of stone. This extraction along with the shipping of the product consumes a lot of energy, time and ultimately money. When it comes to granite slabs, you’ll need to be willing to pay the price for a thicker piece. The thinner the granite is, the weaker it will be as well. All in all, you may have to pay slightly more for granite, but the cost difference won’t be all that significant. The important thing is to choose a budget and then do your best to stay within it by choosing the quartz or granite stone that you think will look fantastic displayed in your kitchen. When it comes to aesthetics… This is personal choice only. Don’t let anyone else tell you which one looks better. There are some very beautiful brands that make quartz like Caesarstone and Cambria. If you’re looking at a painting and absolutely love it and then someone else comes along and tells you how bad it is, you’ll still love the painting despite the bad critique. The same goes for quartz versus granite. They both make lovely countertops and there is going to be one that grabs your fancy more than the other. It’s just human nature and you’ll have to decide for yourself which one you prefer the best. Some people like the look of granite more than quartz because it has a natural earthy aspect to it. Others prefer the sleek uniform look of quartz. The great news is that you can never go wrong by choosing either one! Why does granite seemed to be so much more popular than quartz? Back in the 1990s, granite officially became a status symbol in the world of countertops. You had “made it” once you owned a counter that was made of natural stone. There’s something about granite and its “back to nature” appeal that simply cannot be replaced by any type of quartz, marble or stainless steel countertop. It has secured its place as a must-have high-end stone and even nowadays it is deemed to be more prestigious than its counterparts. Granite continues to be the best-selling natural counter that you can find on the market, even though quartz continues to gain ground and even now that the prices of Silestone and other quartz manufacturers have come in line with granite. You can also get some very good deals on countertops at Ikea. The indoor air quality of your home There has been a lot of concern about the volatile organic compounds (VOCs) that may be present in either quartz or granite counters. Quartz countertops are comprised of approximately 90% quartz and 10% epoxy binder (resin) and acrylic. This means that most quartz tops have more VOCs than countertops made of granite. On the other hand, some granite slabs contain radon in very low levels. For the most part though, both of those countertops are considered safe for indoor use. Adding to the value of your home Adding a stone countertop to your home will definitely increase its value. While there are a lot of renovations you can do that will not contribute to the overall home’s value, a good stone countertop will raise the price value. You can expect to get back the value of your purchase when you resell your house later on. Adding a new natural stone counter can also help your home sell faster. It’s hard to believe what a difference a quartz or granite countertop can make when it comes to selling a home. Some potential home buyers will even ask their real estate agents if the home comes with a granite countertop. As well, if a buyer is looking at 2 homes that are similar and one has a stone counter while the other has a laminate one, the odds are good that the home with the quartz or granite counter will be the chosen one. If you had to compare Silestone and granite countertops you probably wouldn’t let that sway your decision as you would with an inferior surface. Going back to the status symbol effect of a granite countertop, you may want to keep in mind the effect it can have on a potential buyer if you’re planning on selling your home in the not-too-distant future. Granite countertops attract home buyers like honey! The environmental impact Today’s consumers are trying to make the best sustainable choices when remodeling their homes. In terms of countertops, quartz materials generally leave less of a carbon footprint. Many of these products contain content that has been recycled and the manufacturing process is more environmentally friendly. Granite needs to be quarried from the ground and then shipped across the world to the manufacturing site. While quartz is also mined oversees and then shipped to the United States, there is one company that does its own processing in this country. If you’re looking for the friendliest environmental choice it’s coming from Cambria in the form of a quartz countertop. Most of their products are made in the United States, which helps to support the local economy while saving on fossil fuels that would be required for shipping from abroad. Their products are also Greenguard Certified, meaning that they do not have any type of impact on the air quality indoors. This company also recycles all of the water used during the manufacturing process. When it comes down to it, there is a lot of energy being used for the manufacturing and excavating of both of these stone countertops. On the other side of the coin, however, they are both extremely durable and can last a lifetime when cared for properly. In this regard, they can be viewed as a sustainable countertop that can conceivably last the entire lifetime of the home. Most people are only going to remodel their home 2 to 3 times during the span of their life. During the time delay between these remodeling efforts, a lot of changes can occur. The newer generations are looking for something different than their grandparents had and not all consumers are choosing granite just to make an impression. Today’s homeowners put more value on individuality and are often looking at new ideas for countertops. The ease-of-use and aesthetics of all stone countertops, including granite and quartz, are also important factors when it comes to countertops that fit into today’s busy lifestyles. So which one should you choose? The one that you find the most aesthetically pleasing, fits into your budget and highlights the mood and ambiance you are trying to create in your kitchen. Because when it comes down to it, there really is no wrong choice. There’s just personal preference

buy real estate as sole and separate property even though it is a community property state

A husband or wife can buy real estate as sole and separate property even though it is a community property state. A husband or wife can freely relinquish their real estate rights or responsibilities legally through a quitclaim deed. There are legitimate reasons for doing this. --If the real estate would be owned by a trust, corporation or partnership where one spouse is not a member. --If one spouse owns a small business and it needs to purchase a piece of real estate. --If one spouse had filed bankruptcy. This is common in second marriage situations where one spouse filed bankruptcy before the second marriage. Often, the only way to get financing is if the non bankrupt spouse purchases the home sole and separate. Sometimes the stay-at-home parent quit-claims to the income-earning spouse the asset and debt, with a consideration paid for exchange. The best story to illustrate this was the lore about the husband who was a real estate investor. He assumed all the risk for his investments To induce his wife to sign the quit claim deeds, he promised her an expensive piece of jewelry of her choosing. Later in life she ended up with a collection of jewels suitable for a queen. He went broke... Conversely, if the loan for the property is in both the name of the husband and wife, the lender will require that the property's title list both husband and wife in their instructions to the escrow company. Nolo defines separate property: In community property states, property owned and controlled entirely by one spouse in a marriage. At divorce, separate property is not divided under the states property division laws, but is kept by the spouse who owns it. Separate property includes all property that a spouse obtained before marriage, through inheritance or as a gift. It also includes any property that is traceable to separate property " for example, cash from the sale of a vintage car owned by one spouse before marriage-and any property that the spouses agree is separate property. Compare community property and equitable distribution. Property owned prior to and brought into a marriage is considered separate property. In order for it to remain 'separate property' it must never be commingled with marital or community property. Once separate property is commingled with marital or community property it becomes community property and cannot be undone. Some states, such as California, have a separate property rule that says that all property brought into a marriage, including gifts and inheritance, which is kept separate and apart from community property remains the separate property of the spouse that owns it. If one spouse enters a marriage with a checking account with a large balance, say $100,000 and both parties deposit to this account and pay bills from it, the protection of separate property is removed and the original $100,000 has become community property. In this case if the marriage were to come to an end the $100,000 would be divided between the parties. Had the account been kept separate from the marriage, the original owner should leave the marriage with the $100,000 intact as separate property. If one spouse enters the marriage already in possession of the home they must have a separate checking account for the management of the separate property. They must be careful not to deposit related funds to or from a community property account. If this is done, the home will most likely be deemed to be community property in the event of a divorce. Anybody concerned with separate property issues should seek the advice of an attorney or a financial professional prior to entering into a relationship. They should then follow their advice.

15 Apps for Real Estate Agents

15 apps that should be on every Real Estate agent’s phone. 1. Refresh One of my favorite apps right now is Refresh. This app can be very helpful with your everyday interactions. It works by connecting everything from your social networks, contacts, calendar and more to bring in the big picture of who you are meeting with, by delivering you insights before each meeting. Or maybe you just want to know more about someone, search their name to locate background information, etc. It’s like searching through multiple social media profiles all from one simple app. Free for iOS | Web app 2. RPR Mobile™ It wouldn’t be a complete list without RPR Mobile. You never know when you are going to get that next property question. RPR Mobile delivers the data and reporting found on the RPR website, directly to your phone. Using RPR Mobile, REALTORS® can use their location to search both on and off market properties, while also uncovering mortgage, historical and distressed data, flood zones, school info and more. Then easily create one of 5 different property and neighborhood reports, each branded with your photo, logo and contact information. As a REALTOR®, there is no cost to use RPR, the system is 100% covered by your NAR member dues. Free for iOS | Free for Android 3. Vert As a REALTOR®, you often need to convert metrics, whether it’s size, weight, length, even currency. This nifty app makes those conversations dead simple—tap on the measurement and then swipe. The basic app is free, and Pro version is $2.99. Free for iOS | $2.99 for Pro version on iOS 4. Scannable If you use Evernote, you’re going to appreciate this app! Scannable is the newest app from Evernote, and makes saving and sharing scans easy. Just aim the camera, and Scannable immediately identifies business cards, receipts, and other paper items it’s pointed at. The app automatically detects the document edges and then captures it. In regards to the business card scanning, I really like the additional photo and LinkedIn details that it added to the contact records. For now this app is only available for iPhone and iPad, although and Android version is rumored to be in the works. Free for iOS 5. Adobe Photoshop Express What’s your go to app for editing images? If you don’t have one, install Adobe Photoshop Express. This powerful app does all the basics like cropping, rotating, red eye and blemish removal. Also makes it easy to apply adjustments to correct contrast, exposure, and white balance. Once you’ve applied your tweaks to the photo, save back to your camera roll or share to social media sites including Instagram, Facebook, Twitter. Free for iOS | Free for Android 6. Box If you are a fan of Dropbox but looking for more security and control, Box is the perfect app for you. Box provides the ability to view, download, edit and annotate files, and then securely send those files to colleagues or clients anywhere. With Box, I’m also able to mark a folder for offline viewing. Free for iOS | Free for Android 7. IFTTT Much more than just another acronym, If This Then That (IFTTT) aims to automate tasks between Internet-connected services. IFTTT has more than 160 channels for you to create connections between. For example, maybe you want new comments on your blog to send you a text message, or you want to backup each new contact you add to your phone in a Google Spreadsheet, or maybe even log how much time you spend at home or the office. This and thousands of other configurations can be accomplished with this powerful service. Free for iOS | Free for Android 8. Todoist At first glance you might think this is just another to-do app, but I think it’s much more. I use this app for managing the tasks that come in from my email. I’ve use Todoist in conjunction with their Google Chrome add-on so that when I’m in my webmail. I can add any email as a follow up task. Best of all, when I select the task it brings up the email originally referenced in the task. Saving me the time of hunting through my inbox. The free version of Todoist can manage up to 80 active items; if you exceed that number consider the premium version for $29 a year. Free for iOS | Free for Android 9. Deductr 2 When it comes to tax time, Deductr 2 is an app that will help you make tracking tax deductions easy. Use the app to add business income and expenses, log receipts, even track mileage using your phone’s GPS. Then come tax time, use the Deductr website to create a profit & loss report, tax summary, mileage summary and lots more. Although the app is free, the Deductr Pro service is $19.95 a month or $199 for the year. This can be a small expense given that without proper records, many REALTORS® likely pay thousands extra each year in overpaid taxes. Free for iOS | Free for Android 10. Microsoft Word Word is still the go-to document editor, and with this app viewing and editing Word documents on your phone is easier than ever. Unlike with other document viewers, the Word app ensures your documents view and behave how they were intended. I find myself often using the app to track and view document changes from my team. Also when I am finished with a document, it’s easy to print using AirPrint. One thing to note, although the basic app is free, an Office 365 subscription is required to unlock the full Office experience. Free for iOS | Free for Android 11. Videolicious This app makes quality video creation easy. Give Videolicious a try by first recording yourself talking into the camera. Then add any photos or videos over the top as b-roll. Next add music and cinematic filters to your photos and video footage. The completed videos can be saved, emailed and shared via social media channels like Twitter, Facebook and YouTube. To test the app, try the free personal account. If you like what you see, pay $60 annually for their business plan. Free on iOS 12. Buffer The Buffer app provides a great interface for managing multiple social media accounts like Twitter, Facebook, Google+, and LinkedIn. With Buffer pick what you want to share and set when you want the items to be shared. It’s that easy. Just don’t forget to engage with any replies or comments that come in. Free for iOS | Free for Android 13. Lastpass Remembering all of your passwords can be a hassle. And to be safe, each password should be different and secure. So how do you keep track of them all? Introducing Lastpass—a powerful cross platform password manager. The app is a powerful, and saves time by allowing you to access and manage passwords wherever you are, and syncs those passwords between your devices. For iOS 8 users, Lastpass integrates directly into Safari as an extension. If you access password-protected sites regularly, you might want to check out their premium service for a $12 annual fee. For iOS | For Android 14. Roomscan Pro This Roomscan app is designed to draw floor plans for you, by simply holding your phone up against each wall. As you tap the wall, you will see it appear on your screen, now move to the next wall and repeat. Continue until you are back where you started. The makers of the app claim that Roomscan is accurate to within half a foot. If you need to be more accurate, Roomscan Pro has an option allowing REALTORS® to manually add their your own measurements, doors and windows. Free for iOS | Pro Version for iOS 15. BombBomb Communicating through video can be very powerful. And being able to do it from your mobile device, means that you don’t need an elaborate setup just to get the job done. That’s where BombBomb comes in, it’s a slick app that makes video email possible, while also giving you metrics to track who is viewing your content. Each video you make is delivered using a branded template that plays on any device. BombBomb also works with RPR reports, so the next time you want to send a monthly update give this combination a try. It’s worth noting that BombBomb requires a subscription, but you can give the service a try using their 2 week trial. For iOS | For Android Tags: Adobe Photoshop Express, BombBomb, Box, Buffer, Deductr 2, IFTTT, LastPass, Refresh, RoomScan Pro, RPR Mobile, Scannable, Vert, Videolicious, Word

Newcomers rough synopsys of Sunnyvale, CA

Sunnyvale is a very modern, organized, suburban, residential city well-situated in the center of Silicon Valley. Sunnyvale is bordered by portions of San Jose to the north, Moffett Federal Airfield to the northwest, Mountain View to the west, Los Altos to the southwest, Cupertino to the south, and Santa Clara to the east. Sunnyvale boasts one of the most organized road systems - Commuters have multiple East-West road options (El Camino Real, Central Expressway, Highway 101, Homestead Rd, Fremont Ave, etc) and multiple North-South road options (Sunnyvale-Saratoga, Wolfe Rd, Fair Oaks, Mathilda Ave, Mary Ave, Lawrence Expressway, etc.) As part of the Silicon Valley, several high-tech companies such as Maxim Integrated Products, Juniper Networks, Palm, Inc., AMD, NetApp, Spansion, Yahoo!, Simco Electronics, Mirapoint, AppliedMicro and Ariba are headquartered in Sunnyvale. Sunnyvale encompasses the 94085, 94086, 94087, and 94089 zip codes.

Seven Springs is a community in the Regnart Elementary, Kennedy Middle, and Monta Vista High school attendance region

Seven Springs is a community in the Regnart Elementary, Kennedy Middle, and Monta Vista High school attendance region. All 3 schools are considered at or near the top of the top in the Cupertino The Seven Springs homeowner association online to provide you with more convenience and a wealth of online services and opportunities to share ideas and information; get news and announcements; access an online resource center for important forms and much more. make reservations, first to the Ping Pong Room and also reserving the Clubhouse. Simply click on the link and it will take you to the calendar or it will bring up the form you require. CLUBHOUSE RESERVATIONS The link to the Clubhouse Rental Application is Clubhouse Rental Application. Please complete SIGN and RETURN ONLY the Application with BOTH the RENTAL FEE CHECK SEPARATE SECURITY DEPOSIT. Make checks payable to SEVEN SPRINGS OWNERS ASSOCIATION. The application and checks should be mailed to Community Management Services, Inc., 1935 Dry Creek Road, Campbell, CA 95008, before reservation will be confirmed. Cathy O'Connell is the person in the Customer Service Department at CMS in charge of processing the clubhouse reservations. Cathy will work with homeowners to determine whether requested dates are available. Homeowners will be required to pick up the clubhouse key from Community Management offices in advance of the event. Homeowners can inquire on date availability by emailing Cathy at: coconnell@communitymanagement.com. PING PONG RESERVATIONS Online Reservations Rules: 1.Reservations cannot be made earlier than 4 weeks in advance. Automatic repeating events are not allowed. 2.Reservation time slots are for one hour, on the hour. 3.Each household is allowed to make one online reservation per week. Abuse of this rule will result in suspension of ping-pong room privileges. 4.Reservations are void if not claimed within the first 15 minutes. Procedure: 1.Set up a Google account at http://google.com/calendar 2.Send an email to pingpong@seven-springs.org requesting access to the calendar. Include your street address and Google account from the previous step. 3.You will get a response by email that includes the link to the calendar. 4.Reserve a time slot on the calendar. Bring a printed copy as proof of reservation, or bring your PDA. Walk-In Reservations Time slots that are not reserved online are available on a first-come, first-served basis. Rules: 1.Reservation time slots are for one hour, on the hour. 2.Walk-in users must yield the room to users with an online reservation. 3.Walk-in reservations for a given hour must be made during the prior hour. 4.Anyone using the room during the current hour may not make a walk in reservation for the next hour. Procedure: 1.Write your name, address, and the start time you are reserving on the whiteboard. 2.You must be present when your time slot begins to claim your reservation.

Happy Valley Neighborhood - Moreland Schools

Happy Valley is a neighborhood in San Jose with Moreland Schools. The schools are Country Lane Elementary, Moreland Middle, and Prospect High.