Exhibits, Special Promotions, Prizes Add To Southern Home & Garden Show Excitement

Almost 300 companies displaying thousands of products and services for inside and outside your home headline the Spring Southern Home & Garden Show sponsored by The Home Depot. Adding to the excitement of the March 2-4 show at TD Convention Center are grand prizes giveaways special appearances, educational seminars and workshops for all ages.

For the Home Builders Asso­ciation of Greenville, the South­ern Home & Garden Show is part of a mission to be the resource for finding the finest builders, remodelers, and home improvement special­ists in the Upstate. In addition to bringing hundreds of home-related companies together under one roof, the Southern Home & Garden Show offers a weekend of fun for the entire family.

Live Broadcasts, Special Appearances

Back by popular demand at the Spring Southern Home & Garden Show will be News Radio WORD’s Bob McLain who will broadcast his popular talk show live from 3 p.m. until 6 p.m. at The Home Depot booth located on the center aisle of the exhibit floor. Dillard-Jones Builders and the 2012 Southern Living Showcase Home are sponsoring McLain’s appearance. Also broadcasting live from the show all weekend is 107.3 JAMZ and the new Chuck-FM 97.7.

$2,500 Backyard Composite Deck Package, Weekend Stay in Charleston To Be Given Away

Visitors to the Spring Southern Home & Garden Show can register to win a custom Composite deck, compliments of The Home Depot. The 10’ x 20’ deck, which will be on display at the show, includes a patio table and chairs and a conversation set. Also awarded to a lucky Southern Home & Garden Show attendee will be a two-night stay in Charleston, SC compliments of the Southeast Travel Show. The package includes overnight accommodations with breakfast, a Charleston gift bag, and a VIP pass that gains entrance in 25 Charleston area tours and attractions.

The Home Depot Kids Workshop

Little show visitors will have fun at The Home Depot Kids Workshop where they can build something of their own to take home. The Kids Workshop will be located on the show floor.

March Madness Media Zone

Show goers can catch the basketball action of their favorite teams at the March Madness Media Zone presented by AV Innovations. Show visitors can stop in for high definition basketball on the big screen or challenge their friends to a game on the Wii.

Click here for more show details.

Click here for seminars scheduled on the Hollingsworth Park Entertainment Stage.

Click here for a list of exhibitors by category.

 

 

Latest products, services, trends for the home on display at Spring Southern Home & Garden Show

Brandy Long, Queen of the Penny Pinchers

If you are looking for latest products, services and trends for the home, the 2012 Spring Southern Home & Garden Show sponsored by The Home Depot and produced by the Home Builders Association of Greenville is where you need to be March 2 – 4. The three-day show at TD Convention Center in Greenville will feature nearly 300 companies ready to demonstrate the features and benefits of thousands of products and services for inside and outside your home.

The Southern Home & Garden Show gives you the opportunity to see the latest offerings in one place without the need for lengthy research or traveling all over town. Show visitors can make product and price comparisons as they interact with exhibitors to find out how their products or services stack up with the competition.

The show also will include in-depth seminars and how-to workshops where you can learn more about hot topics. The Home Depot will present how-to seminars on outdoor living, tiling floors and backsplashes, painting and faux finishing. There are seminars that will teach how to stretch your design dollars, and staging techniques for selling a home such as painting light fixtures, re-hanging pictures in groupings, and rules about what to keep and what to toss when moving.

Other seminars will focus on green topics such as rainwater harvesting and solar energy. Presented by Sundance Power Systems, ‘Become Empowered with Solar Energy and Start Saving Today!’ will walk visitors through how solar power works and how it can dramatically reduce your electric bills for years to come.

And for those wanting to learn how to save money in a variety of ways, you do not want to miss the show’s featured presenter Brandy Long, Queen of the Penny Pinchers. Sponsored by The Greenville News, Brandy will reveal the 10 Secrets of Coupon Queens. Once the calling primarily of cost-conscious homemakers, couponing has been transformed into a multibillion-dollar industry that now captivates all gender, age and socioeconomic groups. Brandy will present tips for making couponing a money strategy each day of the Southern Home & Garden Show.

Click here for the lineup of seminars and how-to workshops at the 2012 Southern Home & Garden Show.

Southern Home & Garden Show mixes fresh features, old favorites at March 2-4 event

In a little more than three weeks, the Southern Home & Garden Show will enter a new decade as South Carolina’s largest home and garden show when the 51^st annual event is held March 2-4 at TD Convention Center. Sponsored this year for the first time by The Home Depot, show visitors will find new features mixed with old favorites and a lot of fun for the entire family.

The exhibit floor will be filled to capacity with nearly 300 companies displaying products and services for inside and outside the home. For those of you who have been attending the show for many years, there are 65 companies exhibiting in the show for the first time in 2012. And for those planning to build or renovate, you will find more than 25 custom homebuilders and professional remodelers so bring plans, pictures or ideas for your dream home.

Produced by the Home Builders Association of Greenville, the Southern Home & Garden Show is the veritable kickoff to spring in the Upstate. A family event, the show features thousands of products and services, educational seminars, how-to workshops and workshops where children can build something of their own to take home. It is a buying show where visitors can compare products and pricing on virtually everything imaginable for home building, buying, renovating, landscaping and interior design.

Attendee research conducted since 2002 shows consistently that about 52 percent of Southern Home & Garden Show attendees have plans to build, buy or remodel a home within the next year. Almost 36 percent of attendees come to the show in search of a specific product they wish to buy, and about 12 percent attend to see the latest products and trends for the home. With so many companies gathered under one roof, the Southern Home & Garden Show helps consumers reduce the time, cost and confusion related to purchasing.

We invite you to visit the Southern Home & Garden Show March 2-4 at TD Convention Center. For a list of exhibiting companies By Category, click here. To view an Alphabetical list of exhibitors, click here. And watch for the Official Guide to the Southern Home & Garden Show inserted in the Sunday, February 26, edition of The Greenville News.

The best ways to add value to your home

About 64 percent of American homeowners invested in home renovation projects in 2011, spending an average of $3,400 per project. So which home remodeling projects are best for those looking for a solid return on their investment and higher profits come selling day? Here are some tried and true home improvement projects that will add value to your home:

Home Office Remodel

Home offices are becoming less of a luxury and more of a necessity, with more people telecommuting. The number of Americans that work from home is in the millions, and that number has continued to grow every year. With many companies cutting costs and becoming more aware of their carbon footprints, telecommuting has become a viable solution for many in the working world. Making sure that your home has a state-of-the-art space for potential teleworkers is a surefire way to increase your home’s value.

Renovate or Add a Family Room

With open floor plans becoming more in demand, a family room is an excellent way to make existing homes more like new construction. It always is a good idea to be aware of what homes in your area are like. People like to purchase homes that blend with other homes around them. Chances are you’ll find many of your neighbors are investing in family rooms as well.

Replace the Roof

The roof is one of the first impressions people have of a home. Make sure yours passes the test by replacing an old roof. You can also change the character of your home by looking into architecturally styled roofing tiles.

Landscape Your Yard

Like the roof, landscaping can give a great, or not so great, first impression. Backyard landscaping can transform ordinary spaces into incredible entertaining areas by including elegant water features and lush plants. In an area like Greenville where the weather is somewhat temperate year-round, a landscaped yard adds value to your home and increases your living space.

Replace Old Windows

Thirty percent of a home’s energy is lost through its windows. Replacing old windows with energy-efficient ones signals to homebuyers that you really care about the house and it reflects on the quality of the house as a whole. And, who doesn’t like to save money on energy bills

Remodel Your Basement

Do you have unused space in your home that serves as a black hole for all things without a home? Try remodeling your basement. Remodeled basements can make excellent game rooms or guest suites, adding value to your home without adding space.

Paint, Paint, Paint

Enough said. But remember to hire a professional if you need help and keep the colors neutral if you’re looking to sell. Nothing looks worse than a poorly done paint job in bright fuchsia.

Remodel Your Kitchen

Upgrading appliances, door handles and painting tired walls can add new life to your kitchen. Kitchens sell a home, but a kitchen remodel is a long-term investment. Typically, you will see payback 10 years down the road.

Remodel or Add a Bathroom

A bathroom remodel often can mean simply making the most of your current space by upgrading fixtures, flooring and lighting. Adding a bathroom is a great way to increase the value of your home. Is your only bathroom upstairs and not convenient for dinner guests? Often the area under a set of stairs is the perfect place for a powder room.

To find a home remodeling professional or specialty contractor, see the HBA of Greenville Member Directory. And, make plans now to visit the 2012 Spring Southern Home & Garden Show presented by The Home Depot March 2-4 at TD Convention Center to compare products and pricing for your next home remodeling project.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Hints for interior design on a budget

Well-designed interiors don’t always have to come with a huge price tag. Oftentimes, by changing small elements, you can give a room an entirely new look. Sometimes adding a few colorful pillows or picking up a paintbrush is all you need to do to make your room look like something out of the pages of a magazine.

One of the most common fixes for a boring room is color.  “Color is easy to do and inexpensive,” Kathy Browning, owner of Design Consultants in Virginia Beach, Va., says in a recent issue of NAHB House Keys.

Updating the color of just one wall in any room will give it an entirely new feel.  Painting, when approached correctly, can be an enjoyable experience with instant rewards.  Lauren Warnock, vice president director of design at Mary Cook Associates, an interior design firm based in Chicago, reminds home owners that warmer colors can make a room feel cozier and more inviting. Cooler colors like grey or “stark white,” on the other hand, may give a room a more industrial feeling. “Light airy colors open up a space, while deep, darker colors can make a room appear smaller,” Warnock says.

For the style-conscious, earthy tones such as ambers, browns, and rust are currently popular. “Using modern glamour hues such as white and black with a punch of a teal, coral or chartreuse color is very hot as well,” says Warnock.

Connie Edwards, director of design for Shenandoah Cabinetry, has her own advice when it comes to color, particularly if you are looking at the kitchen. “You can never go wrong with neutrals, but color is hot now,” Edwards says.  “Not necessarily vibrant colors — although for the right space, they can be fabulous — but think along the lines of buttery yellows, soft sage greens and nearly neutral blues.”

Adding accents to pieces you already own can also make a large difference.  For instance, if your couch is not as exciting as it once was, try throwing a few fun accent pillows on it.  Remember, throws and cushions, when selected as accents, can really bring new life to a tired piece of furniture.  “The use of pillows, throws and draperies in living spaces enhances a room in many ways,” Warnock says.  Fabrics also can add beautiful softness to a room and allow additional patterns and textures to be brought into a room.

Another budget-friendly change is to rotate the artwork in a room.  Using the same frames but changing the images can easily create a new theme or mood, and combining several different frames in different finishes and sizes can achieve different looks.

Often overlooked but strikingly effective, updated lighting can work wonders.  “Lighting will dramatically change the mood of a room,” Warnock says.  Try installing a new fixture or simply swapping out the shades on current fixtures.  Installing dimmer switches can also make for an interesting change.

Kate Brennan, vice president of new business development at Mary Cook, offers some advice for ready do-it-yourselfers.  “Get excited about the transformation that will occur — usually people become more inspired to continue updating their homes.” Brennan says.  “Take your project one step at a time and follow your gut.”

Subscribe to NAHB HouseKeys, the National Association of Home Builders’ free, quarterly e-newsletter for consumers. 

South Carolina Voters Place High Priority on Homeownership, Survey Finds

Editor’s Note: A statewide survey of 500 likely 2012 South Carolina voters was conducted Jan. 2-5 by Public Opinion Strategies of Alexandria, Va., and Lake Research Partners of Washington, D.C. It has a margin of error of ±4.4 percent.

With the South Carolina GOP presidential primary less than a week away, presidential contenders should heed a new statewide poll showing that voters in the Palmetto State believe that owning a home remains an integral part of the American Dream and that policymakers need to take active steps to protect homeownership.

“The survey underscores that South Carolina voters believe homeownership is a core value that anchors the middle class and they oppose efforts to eliminate or reduce the mortgage interest deduction and to make it more difficult for creditworthy home buyers to obtain affordable financing,” said Bob Nielsen, president of the National Association of Home Builders (NAHB) and a home builder from Reno, Nev.

“South Carolina’s voters are sending a clear message that the opportunity to own a home remains a cherished ideal and the government has an important role to play to keep homeownership affordable for hard-working American families,” added Nielsen. “That’s a message we hope candidates running at all levels of government this November will heed.”

The polling found that 98 percent of South Carolina home owners are happy with their decision to purchase a home and 79 percent of all voters believe that despite the risk of ups and downs in the housing market, owning a home is one of the best long-term investments they can make.

Moreover, 65 percent of the respondents said they would be less likely to vote for a candidate for Congress who proposed eliminating the mortgage interest deduction and 73 percent believe it is appropriate and reasonable for the federal government to provide tax incentives to promote homeownership.

These are among the key findings of a survey of likely South Carolina voters that was conducted on behalf of NAHB by Public Opinion Strategies of Alexandria, Va., and Lake Research Partners of Washington, D.C.

Among the other survey results:

• 99 percent of home owners said that it is important that they own their own home.
• Homeownership and a retirement savings program are considered by voters to be their best investments.
• Nearly three out of four voters who are not currently home owners (73 percent) said it was a goal of theirs to buy a home.
• 64 percent believe it is appropriate and reasonable for the federal government to help home buyers afford a long-term or 30-year fixed-rate mortgage.
• 68 percent of voters would oppose eliminating or reducing tax deductions such as the mortgage interest deduction in exchange for a lower federal income tax rate if it meant that their final tax bill would be higher.

Click here to find a homebuilder or remodeler in the Greenville, SC area.

 

Winterizing your home improves efficiency, saves cash

With wintertime upon us and much of the country facing months of chilly or even sub-zero weather, it’s not too late to make sure your home is adequately weather-proofed and save a few dollars (or more) on your utility bills. Here are some things you can do to improve your home’s efficiency and make sure you and your family are comfortable through the winter months:

Check insulation. Studies show that in a typical home, about 10 percent to 20 percent of the fuel bill is the result of unintended air infiltration. Even in a well-insulated home, energy may be wasted through air moving in and out or infiltrating through the home’s building shell or structure. Air leaks around doors and windows, attic hatches, window air conditioners, and through cracks and holes.

Make sure your attic has a sufficient amount of insulation to ensure it stays at least five to 10 degrees warmer than the outside air, otherwise too much heat escapes. Not only will this cause your heat bills to be higher, but it can also cause frozen water to melt and refreeze which can result in a collapsed roof.

Inspect the weather stripping and caulking around doors and windows to make sure it hasn’t cracked or come loose, allowing air to leak, and replace it if needed. This can also help reduce infiltration by insects, dust and moisture and noise. Or, consider replacing your windows or doors with new ENERGY STAR-qualified windows or doors, which can save you about seven to 15 percent on your energy bills.

Maintain your pipes. Wrap your pipes with heating tape every winter and insulate unfinished rooms such as garages or sunrooms if they contain exposed pipes. Check pipes for cracks and leaks and have any damage repaired immediately to prevent costlier repairs later. Keep your house warm—at least 65 degrees. Don’t neglect your basement and crawl spaces, and insulate pipes in those spaces to protect against freezing.

It also is important to know the location of your pipes and how to shut the water off. If your pipes freeze, the quicker you shut off the water, the better chance you have of preventing pipe bursts and major water damage in your home.

Inspect your heating systems. Be sure to have your heating system serviced every year, and maintain your furnace, fireplace, boiler, water heater, space heater and wood-burning stove. Change your heating and air conditioning filters regularly, and while you’re at it, check the batteries and operation of your smoke and fire alarms and carbon monoxide detectors.

By setting aside a few weekend days now, you’ll save yourself a lot of hassle later—and your family can relax and be warm and comfortable throughout the winter months. For information on Greenville area companies that can assist with home maintenance and repair, check the Member Directory of the Home Builders Association of Greenville.