Shingle and Paint Pairings to Boost Your Home’s Curb Appeal

 One of the most dramatic changes to a home’s curb appeal is replacing the roof. Choosing the right shingle is a must when it comes to replacing your roof. Here are five shingle and paint pairings that professionals suggest.

1. Warm, Earthy Neutrals

Earthy neutrals are one of the most popular trends of 2022. Shingles that are dark and light brown with tonal variation present a warm and welcoming feel. These colors blend into the surrounding environment giving the home’s exterior a natural feel. Not only to do they blend into nature, but they also hide dirt well so you do not have to clean your roof all the time.

For paint colors, earthy brown shingles are complemented by shades of beige, taupe, or hunter green for the exterior. The brown shingles also pair well with warm brick or stone facades. A classic, Craftsman, farmhouse or cottage-style home looks great with this shingle.

2. Bold Black

You can never go wrong with black. A nice black or charcoal will definitely make a statement and give a timeless appeal. If you are using solar panels, a black shingle can help the panel recede into the background.

A white siding or trim with a black shingle is a classic look that will never go out of style. Warm cool grays, soft blues and seafoam green can also work well with a black shingle. Black shingles compliment a contemporary and midcentury modern style home.

3. Light Tones

These tones include cool soft blue or pale gray. This looks great with white, stone, or dark blue paint on a coastal or traditional home. If your roof has a lot of architectural detail, this tone of shingle will not be visually dominant. Shingles nowadays will also not stain as much as the older roofs. They are built to resist blue-green algae growth.

4. Rustic Combination

Homes that have dark red brick or beige stonework give off a bold and rich vibe. Again, rich brown is a perfect match. Organic and earthy roof colors go well with Colonial-style, classic farmhouse and heritage cottage.

To give an old-world feel choose the hand-cut look for your shingles. This gives a modern shingle a charming handcrafted look. When going for this look, use a mixture of warm, cool and brown-toned shingles.

5. Monochromatic

If your home uses several different colors on the siding and trim a monochromatic roof color will work best. For example, if you have a home with a medley of greenish grays and white, you will want a mid-tone or cool gray shingle. A uniform shingle look goes best on Colonial Revival or Tudor Revival architecture.

If you are in the market for a new roof, you can’t go wrong with any of these combinations. Remember climate used to play a big part in what color and kind of roof you had to use. Today’s modern technology such as high-performance cool roof shingles can reflect the sun to help it stay cooler in hotter climates.

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A New Craft Beer Headquarters in New Orleans

Four breweries have planned to combine and move to a single headquarter in New Orleans. Faubourg Brewing Co., a New Orleans-based brewery, has merged with three breweries that are owned by an Alabama private equity firm. The goal of the merger is to “build a regional craft beer powerhouse.”

The Faubourg Brewery in New Orleans is owned by Tom and Gayle Benson and will be the new headquarters. The Benson Group and Wiregrass Equity Partners of Montgomery who own craft breweries in the Carolinas and Florida will relocate there. The deal will be a 50/50 partnership and will also include future mergers and investments made by the Benson Group.

“Our goal is to help New Orleans become as well known for its beer as it is for its cuisine and to see the local craft beer industry continue to grow and create quality jobs,” said Gayle Benson in a prepared statement. “Our partnership with Made By The Water allows us to grow the Faubourg brand, and bring in a partner that is a leader in building craft beer brands.”

The Bensons purchased Faubourg in 2017 which was called the Dixie Brewing Company. Dixie was originally founded in 1907 but it was shut down because of Hurricane Katrina. The huge facility, 275,000 square feet is located at the junction of Interstate 10 and the Industrial Canal on a 15-acre site.

Combining the companies into this one brewery will make this the 46th-largest craft brewer in the United States. “This is not just a merger,” said Ben Hales, chief operating officer of the New Orleans Saints and Pelicans. “We’re all doubling down and making additional investments, and not just in the Made By The Water headquarters but in other breweries that are a cultural fit for us over the coming years.”

“New Orleans and its culture and history is an ideal base for us to build on that,” Alexi Sekmakas, CEO of Made By The Water said.

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Two Important Factors a Home Inspector Notices In a Bathroom

 A homebuyer always looks at the style and upgrades of a bathroom when touring a listing. A home inspector looks for two things, safety and water. A home inspector always has the worst scenario in mind and the bathroom tends to be where one would occur. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention did a study that showed in 2008 emergency department doctors treated 234,094 non-fatal injuries that occurred in the bathroom.

“There are so many ways to be injured: slipping on wet tiles, scalding water that is too hot, and electrical shock from improper wiring are all common occurences,” Welmoed Sisson, a certified home inspector says.

The water coming from the faucets in a bathroom should never go over 120 degrees out of the sink and 106 degrees in the bathtub. Other issues that will be noted are cracked tiles with sharp edges, loose toilets, poor clearance, loose grab bars, small shower doors and non-tempered shower door glass. Another potential hazard can be the electrical outlets. A home inspector will make sure there are GFCis located in the bathrooms. A ground fault circuit interrupter will protect against electrical shocks.

Water can cause a damp environment which is not a good sign in a bathroom. This can cause thousands of dollars in repairs. A home inspector will look for gaps between tiles and missing caulk around bathroom fixtures. They will also look underneath the sink to make sure the drain is plumbed correctly.

“Many people assume that a bathroom is waterproof-it’s not. It’s water-resistant. Water is persistent and will find any available opening to flow into. Any tiny gap in caulking or grout can lead to massive amounts of hidden damage to the framing inside the walls,” she says.

Another thing is to make sure the base of the toilet is secure and there is no softening of the floor. The softening of the floor can indicate water damage. They also want to make sure the toilet does not shimmy.

“It should not move at all. Any movement could indicate a weakening of the seal at the floor, which can lead to leaks,” Sisson states.

Remember if you are looking for a new home, make sure to not just look at the aesthetics in the bathrooms, but the caulk and grout condition as well. Home inspectors warn that buyers get distracted by things such as trendy light fixtures and upgrades.

“They should get up close to the walls and floors, looking for signs of poor maintenance,” Simmons suggests.

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Avenue Pub Will Have New Owners

 The Avenue Pub in New Orleans went up on the market for sale and now has new owners. The Blue Oak founders Ronnie Evans and Philip Moseley and the owners of Frenchmen Street bar the Rambler, Steve Jeffcoat and Ryan Noland have purchased the bar and will still call it Avenue Pub.

The new owners paid $1.7 million and beat out all the other bids, mainly because they plan to keep it Avenue Pub. The bar will runs similar to how it ran under owner Polly Watts and will also retain the current staff.

Staff are excited because of the great benefits that Blue Oak offers. These include medical and dental and paid time off plus above average pay. Blue Oak also helped hospitality workers during the panedemic by giving free meals away.

Avenue Pub first opened its doors in 1987 and is loved locals. It is known for a 24-hour haven for late shift workers; a cutting-edge beer hub for enthusiasts; and one of the city’s leading pub food destinations. The sale took place this month but Watts will still be on hand to help with the annual Zwanze Day event.

There will be some changes according to the new owners. The food menu will be the biggest change but will stay focused on smoked meat dishes. Meat from Blue Oak smokers will now hit the menu. Dishes will include tater tot poutine, stuffed boudin balls, a fried chicken sandwich, shrimp tacos, and smoked chicken wings, which is one of few items borrowed from the original Blue Oak menu. There will also be more TV’s added making it a perfect Saints game day spot.

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Steps to Take When Buying A House

 The best way to start your house search is to work with a local sales agent who can help you navigate the home buying process. Here is a list of the steps you and your realtor should take when going through the homebuying process.

1. Make sure you’re ready

You not only need to be financially read, but also emotionally ready when it comes to purchasing a home.  It is said that buying a house is one of the most stressful things to do when it comes to life events.  With that being said, you are going to be at your home for a good amount of time so there are questions to ask yourself.  What are your goals for the next few years?  Are you going to be purchasing a home with a partner, if so, are you all in agreement on how much you want to spend?  Is there a chance that you might need to relocate for work?  Are you thinking about starting a family?  These are big life questions that can help you determine if this is the right time to purchase a home.

2. Get your finances in order

Again this is one of the biggest financial decisions you will make in your lifetime.   Before you take the plunge, make sure you are 100% financially stable.   A great resource is a home affordability calculator.  With this tool, you can help determine your budget by listing your income, debts, location and down payment amount.  You can compare how much your mortgage would be versus how much income you bring in.  This will help you keep your housing hunting to a home you can realistically afford.   Along with this, check your credit score too.  A high credit score will allow you to get a lower interest rate.

3. Make a plan for the down payment

After you figure out what you can afford, then you want to determine your down payment. The norm is to put down 20% but nowadays many potential home buyers are opting to put down less.  The downfall to this is you will have to pay private mortgage insurance (PMI) when you put less than 20% down.   Note that certain loans require a minimum downpayment.  There are many programs out there that can assist with a downpayment.

4. Create a wish list

List some things you would love to have in your new home (a wish list). Things to think about when creating a list are, detached or attached unit, ideal location and move-in ready or fixer-upper.  If you have a big family and pets, your best choice would be a single-family home with a yard.  You will want to choose a neighborhood that best fits your lifestyle.  If you love the outdoors, you should look for a neighborhood with tons of greenspace and walking trails.  If you are good with your hands, then a fixer-upper could be right for you.

5. Find the right mortgage

There are several different types of mortgages.  A conventional loan offers a low minimum down payment but is strict with qualifications.  An FHA loan is backed by the Federal Housing Administration and is usually easier to qualify for but you will more than likely have to have mortgage insurance.  A VA loan is backed by the Department of Veterans Affairs and is only for active or former service members. A jumbo loan is used when the home that is being purchased is more than standard lending limits.  A renovation loan will allow you to combine the costs of your home improvements with the home loan.  Depending on your situation and your credit score there is a loan that is right for you.

6. Find the right Realtor

Once you have your mortgage pre-approval and you know what you are looking for, it is time to find an agent who can help you with your search.  You will want to interview several agents to find one that fits you.  Professionals in the industry say that it is a good idea to at least interview three different agents.   Word of mouth is a way to find an agent.

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New Orleans Will Now Have A Green Hydrogen Initiative

 A Fifty Million grant has been given to New Orleans in order for south Louisiana to become the “hub of green hydrogen activity.” The grant comes from the Biden administration and the project will be headed by H2theFuture.

H2theFuture is run by Greater New Orleans Inc. The money won for the project will pay for the transition the state’s economy away from hydrogen produced by fossil fuels toward “green hydrogen,” a cleaner form of hydrogen created using renewable energy. H2theFuture is one of the winners of the grant money accross the country. The project will help find ways to also reduce hydrogen costs, build a center for hydrogen-fueled ships and barge, and build a central campus for all the states hydrogen cluster ecosystem.

“This EDA investment will advance regional economic competitiveness in the clean energy space with a focus on equity … creating a resilient regional economy for the future,” Alejandra Y. Castillo, assistant secretary of commerce for economic development at the EDA, said in a statement.

Hydrogen has been used for petroleum refining and fertilizer production. Now it will also be used as a fuel. When burned this way it produces clean electricity through water and also heats as byproducts.

“With clean hydrogen, we can remain an energy state — but become an energy state of the future that has less impact on the environment,” said Michael Hecht, president and CEO of Greater New Orleans Inc., a regional economic development agency told The Associated Press. “When money and morality come together, you get stuff done.”

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Is the Artificial Real Estate Market Over?

 Stephanie Vitacco, a real estate broker with Equity Union, says that the artificial housing market is over. During the past two years there has been an artificial market, and we have gotten spoiled by this. The bidding wars are over and buyers should “get picky again.”

As the interest rates begin to rise, the homebuying market is slowing down. The market is currently transforming and buyers are slowly getting buying power back. “We were used to getting 10, 20 to 30 offers on a property. Now we’re back to the point where condition matters a whole lot more as well as the floor plan. Buyers are being picky – and they can be picky”, Vitacco said.

According to Redfin this summer a listing spent 19 days on the market which was one day longer than the summer of 2021. “Buyers, who earlier this year had to race to beat the competition, can now take their time touring homes and perhaps even wait to see if sellers drop their price, ” says Daryl Fairweather, Redfin chief economist.

Redfin shows that home prices are falling and less buyers are out there competing for a home. Sellers are now having to lower their home prices and the listings that were selling above asking price decreased. Many professionals in the industry are telling their sellers to price their homes realistically from the start so they will not sit on the market. “The market slowdown is giving buyers more opportunities to negotiate, especially with sellers whose homes have been on the market for a while, ” says Jessica Nelson, a South Carolina real estate agent with Redfin.

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