Design & Construction Week 2015 - The Fun Stuff

You know the saying, "All work and no play, makes Johnny a dull boy"; well a dull designer isn't worth much.  So when the opportunity arises to visit Las Vegas "for work", you have to throw in a little fun.  Design & Construction Week is slammed full of new and exciting products, courses in every subject imaginable, networking opportunities galore, and just to round things out a bit, there is some fun to be found.

You may not agree, but my fun began with the flight.  Once you get through all the obstacles and actually take flight, you're treated to views like none other.  So I set out from Greenville, SC and headed for Sin City.

Along the way, I received great news from Houzz.com congratulating me on winning two awards!  I won the Best of Houzz 2015 award for Design and the Best of Houzz 2015 award for Satisfaction.  This is the third consecutive year I have won the Best of Houzz awards and it is a great feeling each and every year!

 

 Of course, who is there to greet you at the Las Vegas airport?  The slot machines...

...and neon signs!

 Surveyed the view and found fun things just waiting right outside my window

At the convention, I took advantage of selfie opportunities

Enjoyed refreshing beverages and free food

Was interviewed by Houzz TV

Met some celebrities

Nicole Curtis from Rehab Addict

Ty Pennington

Enjoyed some comedic relief

Adam Carolla & Ray Oldhafer's construction podcast "Ace on the House"

Marveled at the number of bald men involved with design and construction 

 (because sometimes you have to find fun in the mundane)

Then I boarded a plane and headed home, perhaps a little less dull than when I started!

So long Las Vegas, until next year...

The real purpose of my trip was to discover new and exciting products and materials for my clients, to find inspiration, and to teach a course on Universal Design.  My upcoming posts will highlight everything I learned, show pictures and videos of the best new products for your home, and give you a glimpse into my Universal Design course and highlights of some products to help us all live longer and more comfortably in our own homes.

Purchasing Foreclosure Properties � Some Tips To Consider

The current real estate marketing is definitely difficult to understand and we are faced with so many foreclosures that happen. If you are an investor or you want to buy a property, you need to look at foreclosures since the opportunity is definitely great. However, the process is quite complicated and you will have to consider the following for sure.

Financing

You have to be sure that you do quality for appropriate financing before buying a home after foreclosure. That is the case because you have to understand what can be afforded and being pre-qualified will always make the entire process very fast. You can buy a property as soon as you see that it is available, without a fear that someone will swoop in and take it from you.

Finding A Realtor

The realtor can help you out a lot. You want to work with someone that has a good experience in foreclosures. If possible, locate one that knows how to sell foreclosed properties and buy foreclosed properties. Such experience can bring in all that you need in order to be successful on the long run and find options that are great for you. Many of the very good realtors will bring in the possibility of saving around 30% of your budget on one purchase.

Doing A Proper Research

When you purchase foreclosure properties, it is easy to be tempted by the very first option that you find. That is definitely not a proper approach. There is a possibility that you may locate something else if your research would be a little better. Do take as much time as possible to do that and you will end up with a very good property that you will surely appreciate as a great investment.

Home Inspections

Never purchase any property without doing an inspection. It may look perfect but there are so many situations in which looks will be really deceiving. As a very simple example, without a proper inspection you cannot be sure that the property has termites or not. At the same time, we may be faced with a really major plumbing problem that would bring in huge expenses in the future. Paying for a proper home inspection before you buy a foreclosed property is something that is basically necessary.

On the whole, what is really important is being sure that you find something that is great for the reasons that you have. In order to do that with a foreclosure, both speed and patience are necessary.

Check out the 140 and 190 MIG welders by Forney Industries

 

No matter how big your project is, these welders by Forney Industries are sure to help you get the job done. The company has been making some of the most powerful and durable hardware and power tools since 1932. Check out the video of Jason from Forney walking us through what sets Forney's 140 and 190 Mig welders apart from the rest. They are great for DIY, home, auto, or your shop. Also, check out the AskForney website for tips and instructions on how to get all your home improvement goals met.