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Columbus & Central Ohio, United States
DeLena Ciamacco is a well-known, respected Top Producing Realtor in Central Ohio. Her myriad of accomplishments, recognition, and professional credentials as they relate to Real Estate, make her a perfect individual to provide insight to the masses on all aspects of Real Estate sales. Her creativity and honest approach to marketing Real Estate has enabled her to succeed in her career. DeLena’s philosophy is “An educated and well prepared Buyer or Seller is a smart Buyer or Seller”. Her desire is to inform the public, by pulling from her 20+ years of Real Estate sales & Marketing, what is necessary to get to a successful closing in these challenging times.

Tuesday, May 24, 2016

Creating a bathroom that maximizes safety without sacrificing style



For today's generation of aging adults, individuality and independence are values they've lived out for decades. As the years go by, lifestyle changes become a necessity, due to limited mobility and health concerns, but it doesn't necessarily mean giving up personality.

Aging in place, in the comfort of your home, is a priority for countless people. That often means making adjustments to your home, but some alterations can contribute to making your space feel more institutional and less "you." A balance between style and safety is the key - and finding it is easier than you might think.

One of the most hazardous rooms in the home is the bathroom. Its slippery surfaces and tendency to be crowded with products and objects makes it a hazard for slipping, tripping and other mishaps. As you consider making alterations to your home that enhance security and safety, it's the logical place to start.

* Clear away clutter. Bottles and jars and grooming tools frequently crowd counters, closets and the corners of tubs and showers. Make use of hangers, shelves and wall-mounted baskets to keep things neatly tucked away, providing a cleaner environment that's also better looking and less likely to cause trips or spills.

* Bathe in safety. With limited mobility, moving in and out of the tub can be difficult, if not downright dangerous. One renovation solution to that problem is installing a walk-in tub. Premier Care in Bathing, the leader in walk-in bathtubs, offers a variety of tubs that homeowners can simply walk into, close the water-tight door, and fill for a comfortable, relaxing bathing experience. The company's Walk-in baths and EasyAccess showers configure to your existing space and allow you to maintain the look of your bathroom while enjoying greater ease.

* Choose rugs carefully. Bath mats and rugs are both functional and decorative. They can add a splash of color while also effectively collecting water that might otherwise pool on the floor and lead to slipping. However, rugs that don't stay in place can present a problem of their own and lead you to trip. Opt for mats and rugs that have non-skid backing, but which still look harmonious with the rest of your bathroom decor.

* Bring things up to the right height. Your bathroom routine can be an active one, which can present problems if your health limits your ability to move or bend easily. Having a commode and a sink at a higher level that prevents you from overexertion during your daily routine will add to the comfort and safety of your bathroom. And with options like Premier Care in Bathing's easy-access sink, you can integrate these new fixtures into your room while maintaining your existing decorative theme.

One of the most important parts of maintaining independence throughout aging is being able to uphold your sense of self. Taking a holistic approach to creating a home environment that meets your needs but still expresses who you are enables you to live life as you choose for a long time to come. For a free brochure including more information about Walk-in bathtubs and other solutions for making living at home more convenient, visit premiercarebathing.com/saferbathing or call 888-378-7953.



Make warm-weather chores a breeze with these tips



(BPT) - Warm weather brings everyone outdoors - grilling on the deck, playing on the lawn and savoring beautiful gardens. To create these beautiful outdoor spaces, the experts at Lowe's offer four easy, affordable projects you can do yourself. Follow these tips to make sure your outdoor spaces are in tip-top shape by summer's end.



Maintain a lovely lawn



Most lawns will grow well with about 1 inch of water a week. Water in the early morning, so the sun will help dry the grass. Nighttime watering can result in prolonged moisture on the blades and can open the door to disease. How do you know if you're watering enough? Try the "soup can test." Set an empty can next to your lawn sprinkler. When there's about a half-inch of water in the can, it's time to turn off the sprinkler.



When you're mowing, never cut off more than one-third of the grass blade. Leaving the grass longer shades the roots and encourages a deeper root system. To better protect your lawn on hills, mow up and down when using a riding mower and across when using a walk-behind mower. Lowe's offers a wide assortment of power equipment to help maintain your lawn with less effort.



Keep your landscape green and healthy



A healthy, actively growing lawn uses a great deal of energy. Natural soil supplemented with fertilizer will help your lawn stay healthy all season. Fertilizers promote new leaf and plant growth, reduce and control weeds, and replace nutrients lost to leaching. Look for a mixture of fast- and slow-release fertilizers that will green up your lawn quickly and then feed it over time. Remember, more is not always better. Nitrogen is the most important ingredient in a fertilizer, but if you put too much on your lawn, you'll burn it.



Already dealing with weeds? Post-emergents are a great way to promote grass growth while killing actively growing weeds on contact. Post-emergents work best when applied later in the growing season - after weeds are established but before they've gone to seed. Read the fertilizer's label and strictly follow the application instructions for best results.



Create beautiful gardens



Mix annuals and perennials for a "pop" of color to create season-long beauty. As you decide which flowers to purchase, pay attention to the labels that state how much sun or shade they like. The wrong amount of sun exposure can hinder growth and beauty. Find the perfect spot for your plants by marking where the sun tracks across your yard, then put plants that need the most sunlight exactly where they need to be.



Additionally, some plants only grow well in certain regions of the country. Lowe's Creative Ideas.com offers tips based on the area where you live. Lowe's also offers a one-year plant guarantee.



Turn your deck into an outdoor room



Extend warm-weather enjoyment by sprucing up your deck. Drizzle water on the boards to see if it's time to reseal. If the water beads up, the wood is still protected, but if it's quickly absorbed, it's time to seal it again. Your deck might just need a good cleaning with a pressure washer. When pressure washing, always work with the grain of the wood to avoid splinters and to keep the deck smooth. Attach a rotating surface cleaner to your pressure washer to clean your patio four times faster.



Extend the look of the indoors into the outdoors by adding durable, aluminum outdoor furniture that can be customized to fit your style preference with mix-and-match fabrics. Lowe's allen + roth custom outdoor collection allows you to customize your patio set and have it shipped to the store in a week! Complement the overall look by adding an outdoor rug for both comfort and style. Don't forget to add lighting to create ambiance for entertaining well after dusk.



These ideas will help you enjoy all that warm weather has to offer. For more project ideas, visit LowesCreativeIdeas.com or download the latest iPad app for free in the iTunes Newsstand.



Wednesday, May 18, 2016

Give your landscaping a no-maintenance makeover



(BPT) - Low- and no-maintenance features top the list when making over outdoor living spaces because less time maintaining means more time enjoying.



Low-maintenance landscaping outranks native plantings, water features and food/vegetable gardens according to the American Society of Landscape Architects (ASLA) 2014 Residential Landscape Architecture Trends survey. Landscape professionals love to share their secrets and show off their craft when redesigning outdoor spaces for low or no maintenance. Armed with know-how and using sweat equity, do-it-yourselfers also can employ tips that professionals use for a no-maintenance landscape makeover.



Landscaping with hardscapes



Landscape professionals use retaining wall systems for a variety of landscaping solutions. Segmental retaining walls are commonly used to transition elevations, shore up slopes along foundations and define spaces such as creating planters, tree rings and other features.



"Hardscape products like retaining walls and pavers are important tools for both landscapers and do-it-yourselfers in creating low-maintenance landscapes," says Scott Arnold, manager of Villa Landscapes in St. Paul, Minnesota. "With just the standard VERSA-LOK retaining wall unit, you can easily create seat walls, curved couches, columns and other features."



Retaining wall systems combined with concrete pavers can be used to create beautiful raised patios, replacing high-maintenance wooden decks, says Arnold. In addition to being as cost effective as a wooden deck, a raised patio offers several advantages.



"A deck railing can be replaced with wrought iron fencing or a low seat wall so the view is unobstructed," Arnold says. "Raised patios also look great with a contrasting paver course or rock barrier for potted plants, and steps to the ground can be created with retaining wall units."



Retaining wall units and interlocking concrete pavers come in a variety of colors, shapes and textures to complement any landscape design and are often used to create design continuity in outdoor spaces. Tree rings can be coordinated or color-contrasted with raised patios, retaining walls and other hardscapes.



Permeable pavers are an environmentally sound and low-maintenance solution where impervious surface limits, storm water management, water quality and water conservation are issues.



"Permeable pavers are a best practice for storm water management and quality issues because they prevent runoff and let rain water infiltrate in place naturally," says Burt Plett, product manager of Willow Creek Paving Stones. "Permeable pavers reduce the need for irrigation in drought-prone areas, unlike poured concrete or asphalt." It's best to consult a landscape professional who is experienced in installing permeable paving systems so that they work properly and consistently, Plett says.



Low-maintenance landscaping practices



Landscaping practices can make it easier to control weeds and manage lawn care as well. The use of rock mulch and natural rock in gardens and beds, as walkways and as stepping stones offers an attractive solution to weed control and also lessens the need for irrigation. At least three inches of rock mulch or four inches of natural mulch will prevent weeds. A landscape fabric under stepping stones and rock mulch offers even more insurance against weeds.



A simple way to cut down on trimming is to add a course of pavers along the bottom of a retaining wall, tree ring or planter so the mower can get close to the wall, says Arnold.



Maintenance-free outdoor accessories



Selecting maintenance-free outdoor furniture and accessories is an easy way to make over a space. Outdoor furniture made of recycled HDPE like Comfort Craft requires no storage or maintenance other than cleanup with soap and water. Unlike wood, Comfort Craft furniture won't chip, splint, crack or rot and never needs painting.



Hardscape kits - containing everything needed to create a fireplace, firepit, water feature or grill island - are some of the most popular low-maintenance landscaping products, Arnold says.



"Using easy-to-install kits like those from Willow Creek Paving Stones, homeowners and contractors alike can create beautiful features such as grill islands, bar islands, fire pits and fireplaces that are long-lasting and low-maintenance," Arnold says.





Tuesday, May 10, 2016

Buying a fixer-upper? How to make the most of your remodel



With current home prices and interest rates, it's a great time to be in the market for a fixer-upper. By buying a house that needs some work, you can achieve your dream home for less than you would probably pay for a move-in-ready abode.



To ensure you're making the most of your investment, however, it pays to take a look at your credit before you buy and begin your remodel. You'll not only need credit to cover the purchase price of the house, but you'll need it for renovation expenses as well.



The first step you should take in your bid to buy a fixer-upper is to check your credit report and score. Websites like www.creditreport.com can help you understand your credit. Understanding your credit will help you know whether or not you can afford to buy a house that needs work and if you'll be able to pay for the needed renovations.



You should also carefully research what your options are for financing your remodel. Learn what your options are, from traditional fixed mortgages to home equity lines of credit, and decide before you buy which type of financing will be best for you. Getting a handle on your financing before you buy can help ensure you stay on budget when you're in the middle of renovations.



When you've got a clear picture of your credit status and financing options, you can start looking at fixer-uppers. When you find a good prospect, have your remodeling contractor walk through the house with you so he can give you a rough estimate of what needs to be done and how much the work will cost.



If you're buying a house that's in basically good condition but just looks dated, you'll have to make some decisions about where to invest your money. Focus on improvements that will not only look good, but will also enhance the value of your home. Resources like Remodeling Magazine's Cost vs. Value report can give you a good idea of how much of your original investment you'll recoup on different remodeling projects at the time of resale.



Once you've signed all the paperwork and the house is yours, it's time to get to work. If you're handy, you may be able to save money by doing some of the renovation work yourself. Projects like painting, adding crown molding and even putting down new flooring are well within the skills of most do-it-yourselfers. More complex projects like drywall, plumbing or electrical work may be best left to professionals.



Whether you do the work yourself, or hire contractors, you'll need to carefully manage all aspects of the renovation to ensure your remodel stays on budget. The excitement of remodeling a house into your dream home can make it easy to get carried away on spending. Keep in mind that remodeling estimates are just that - an estimate. The final tab is rarely exactly what your contractor predicted it would be. Build in at least 10 percent extra to cover emergency overruns, and avoid making any unnecessary changes to the plans while the project is underway.



Can your morning cup of joe make the world a better place?





A growing number of Americans are embracing Fair Trade, which provides farmers a fair price for their crops, resulting in a better quality of life in their communities. Fair Trade benefits more than 1.2 million families in 70 developing countries throughout Asia, Africa and Latin America, according to Fair Trade USA - a leading Fair Trade certification organization. The majority of Americans (74 percent) believe it's important to purchase products that are priced to compensate producers fairly, yet only one-in-five Americans (18 percent) are purchasing Fair Trade regularly, according to new research from Fair Trade USA.



Fair Trade results in quality products, because when farmers are paid more, they can invest back into the quality of the products they produce. "More and more people are shopping at their local farmers' markets, because they want quality products, and want to know where these products come from and that they are grown or produced in socially and environmentally responsible ways. Fair Trade is like a global farmers' market - it extends those same values to products that aren't grown locally," says Lindsey Bolger, vice president, Coffee Sourcing & Excellence for Green Mountain Coffee Roasters, Inc. (GMCR). GMCR purchased more than 54 million pounds of Fair Trade Certified (TM) coffee, making the company the largest purchaser of Fair Trade Certified coffee in the world.



In addition, through the community development funds that are generated by Fair Trade purchases, farmers and their families can help address other community needs, such as improving roads, building health care facilities and ensuring access to education for their children. "Purchasing Fair Trade products is a simple choice that can make a big difference in coffee communities around the world," says Bolger. GMCR's Fair Trade Certified coffee purchases contributed to more than $10 million in Fair Trade community development funds.



Fair Trade Certified products include tea-and herbs,-cocoa,-rice,-vanilla,-sugar,-flowers, fruit, wine-and-apparel. Coffee-is the most popular-Fair Trade-product in the U.S. and is a good model for how Fair Trade can benefit both farmers and consumers. Many coffee farmers are small landowners in remote locations and lack access to credit, so they are vulnerable to middlemen who offer cash for their coffee at a fraction of its value. Fair Trade means these farmers receive a fair price for their beans, which they can invest back into the quality of the coffee and the health of their communities.-



Finding Fair Trade Certified products is easier than most shoppers think. Many popular coffees are available as Fair Trade Certified blends and Green Mountain Coffee (R) offers one of the largest selections of Fair Trade Certified coffees in the U.S. This includes one of the brand's newest coffees, Three Continent Blend, which combines the flavors and aromas of three continents (South America, Africa and Asia) in one harmonious Extra Bold blend. -



To learn more about Fair Trade, visit GreenMountainCoffee.com.



Wednesday, May 4, 2016

Moving? Make sure your possessions are protected



With so many on the move to new homes, new cities and new opportunities, it's important to protect household items while in transit or in storage before arrival at the new location, according to Charles Valinotti, head of product and underwriting with insurer QBE.

Your homeowner's insurance policy will protect your personal possessions, whether they're located in your home or in a moving truck. However, Valinotti cautions that there may be a time limit attached to the coverage, such as a 30-day period, and your policy may only cover up to certain dollar limits on property being moved or stored.

"Ask your agent to explain the level of coverage, what exactly is covered and confirm that your items are insured if you have to store them," he says.

Other points to keep in mind as you hit the road:

* If you're using a professional moving company or shipper, verify that they're insured and bonded to cover damage they may be responsible for. Valinotti says to keep in mind most movers limit their responsibility to basic damage amounts. "You may want to check into buying additional insurance to make sure you're adequately covered during your move."

* If you're packing and moving yourself with a rented truck, take a look at your auto insurance policy. Many policies will cover rental trucks, but only up to a certain weight. "Don't assume your policy covers you when you're behind the wheel of a 26-foot, 13,000-pound moving truck," he says.

* In a self-move, careful packing is critical, as well as keeping your property locked up and secured along the way.

* Note the condition of your items being relocated. Then if you have a claim, the condition of your possessions will be documented.

* Know the value of high-dollar items that will be making the move. "Make a complete list of everything," Valinotti suggests. "Take photos and, if necessary, get appraisals of these items before the move."

Valinotti says before a move is a good time to review your overall insurance coverage to make sure you're adequately covered and whether you need to increase your limits. "A good look at insurance coverage every couple of years is something everyone should do," he says. "And you don't have to wait until you're ready to pack up and relocate."



Monday, May 2, 2016

MAY 2016 MARKET UPDATE


May 2016

Included in this blog post is a link to my Real Estate Update Newsletter. Please click on the link below to get the latest Real Estate Update for May! If you have any questions, please don’t hesitate to call or email my office. 

614-882-6725
delena@delena.com

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