Cooking

Brownie Yumminess

Lora Knows...

Every once in a while we love to have something sweet in the house. OK, let’s be honest Dean loves sweets, but he is one of those who can simply say he isn’t going to eat processed sugar anymore, and he simply stops.

Since we have given up processed sugars among other things I needed to find an easy alternative to baking something sweet and yummy. During a Google search for sweet treats that didn’t have sucralose, aspartame or any of those alternative sweetners I came across Legit Bread Company.

I was immediately taken in by the ingredients. Most of the products are nut free, grain free, paleo, gluten free, soy free, dairy free and nightshade free. Reading through the directions the ease of being able to make bread, bagels, brownies and even cookies had me placing an order and hoping for the best.

The first thing we decided to make were the brownies. The ingredients are as followed: coconut palm sugar, cassava flour, cocoa powder, psyllium husk powder, baking soda and sea salt. All we had to do was add 2 large eggs, 1 tablespoon vanilla extract and a quarter cup of melted butter. We mixed it all together and put it in a preheated 350 degree oven for 25 minutes, even though it was recommended 35 minutes. We loved the consistency with less baking, and they were yummilicious!

Real Estate, Style

Exterior Paint to Increase Value

Lora Knows...

Some homeowners are following the trend of painting the exterior of their homes bright shades from vibrant blues all the way to jewel tones, this is great if it reflects your style and you will be staying in your home for a while. However, these amazing colors won’t speak to the majority of buyers, and may not add value to your home when it is time to sell.

So, what colors draw potential buyers to a property? When thinking of selling your home ask yourself if your exterior color combination reflects the neighborhood palette. Most buyers don’t want to purchase an amethyst dreamhome in a neighborhood of light gray or sage green. Their first thought will be the expense of painting the home, shutters, doors, fascia and more.

In today’s market we are still low on inventory, but we are seeing homes stay on the market longer than this time last year. Don’t risk sitting on the market when Benjamin Moore paint can fix your issue.

What colors speak to the majority of buyers? Exterior home colors that invite buyers in are shades of white and gray. These include everything from crisp whites to warm creamy ivory all the way to light through dark gray and even across the scale to blue gray and green gray shades.

From earliest posts you may recall I love a vibrant front door, however if I were to put my home on the market I may tone it down a bit, but not let it be boring. It doesn’t mean you can’t have a gray home with a deep blue gray front door, it just means perhaps a bright sunshine yellow isn’t for everyone.

Neutralizing your homes colors not only adds curb appeal, but also allows the landscaping and nature’s colors to add that warm touch to say, “Hi, welcome to your new home”.

Real Estate

Agent Achieves Designation

Lora Knows...

Hickory, NC – Lora Rousseau, a real estate agent with Weichert Realtors® – Team Metro has earned the “Graduate Realtor ® Institute” (GRI) Designation from the National Association of Realtors ® . She joins other top producers in the residential real estate industry who hold the designation across the nation.

Lora earned the prestigious designation by completing a minimum of 60 hours of classroom instruction, covering a variety of subjects including: Real Estate Technology, Negotiation, Ethics, Finance, and Risk Reduction. With this designation and through increased awareness of current topics important to the real estate professional, such as legal issues, these Realtors ® can better serve prospective customers and fellow agents.

Obtaining the GRI designation is a beneficial way for a REALTOR ® to advance their professional image. The extra measure of knowledge and prestige achieved by completing this course work is a tool that will advance a career in real estate on attracting and building new business.

Congratulations Lora!