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Summer is finally in full swing here in the Roaring Fork Valley! With the beautiful Colorado sun, and crisp mountain air, it is only natural to want to spend as much time outside as possible! For many homeowners, the patio is their outdoor sanctuary: it is a place to entertain, relax, and escape from the day-to-day responsibilities indoors. 
When creating your perfect outdoor space, it is important to take all the factors into consideration: patio material, furniture, color scheme, and decor. In this post, I will walk you through some of my favorite methods and resources for creating a unique and personal outdoor sanctuary.
 
The Basics
For those of you who are starting from scratch you need to take the following steps into consideration Quick read more or view full article before you get to the fun part of designing your space:

• Determine Your Objective: Why do you want to build a patio? Will it be an afternoon reading spot with a modest design to showcase your garden? Or will it be an elaborate design with an outdoor kitchen meant to truly entertain and have numerous summer cookouts? 
• Set Your Budget: It is important to know how much you want to spend and to budget accordingly. Before you start to build and buy, make a complete design that includes pricing. Nothing is worse than ending up with a half-finished project due to funds. 
• Positioning Your Patio: Determining where your patio will go may seem trivial, but in reality it's a vital detail. What kind of sun exposure do you want when you are using it? What would you like to see when enjoying the views from your patio? What kind of privacy would you like? 
• Flooring: Will you have a raised patio with a wooden or concrete floor? Or is a ground-level tile patio more your style? This is an important decision both for aesthetic and cost. For example, concrete is solid and inexpensive and will give your patio more of a cool modern feel. Whereas, brick flooring has a warm feel to it, but it is much more labor intensive as you have to set every piece by hand both leveled and grouted. Figuring out your flooring materials will help you not only budget, but also set a foundation for your design and color scheme.

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The Design
Once the basics have been determined, the fun part begins! For those of you who enjoy design, this is your time to shine! 

• Patio Layout: The goal is to make a space you want to be in, so be creative and make it personal! Decide where everything is going to go: Will there be an outdoor dining area? If so, will it be casual with a coffee table, a couch, and a few chairs? Or more intricate with a raised table and chairs? Perhaps with a lounging area off to the side. What kind of plants are you planning to have out? Will they be in individual pots or will you build a small flower/herb garden bed? 

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Fast Tip: If you are looking for ideas and inspiration, head over to Pinterest. This a great tool for both design and DIY projects!

• Color Scheme: When you are on your patio, what kind of feeling do you want to have? Warm and welcoming? Cozy and comforting? Sleek and modern? Depending on your answer, it is important to incorporate colors that match your ideal feel.
• Patio Furniture: This is directly affected from color scheme. For the sleek and modern look, your furniture may consist of more metal and glass. Whereas the warm and welcoming look may include furniture with the natural wood look. 

Fast Tip: Making your patio feel cozy and comfortable can be easily achieved with some fun pillows, blankets, and rugs. 

• Patio Decor: Finally the part where your creativity gets to run wild! Decorating your patio should be a fun experience as you create your perfect space! Think about what you want to be surrounded by out on your patio. Here are some ideas:
  • Find some outdoor art! Support local artists and showcase their pieces on your patio. 
  • Add some string lights. This can turn your patio from nice to magical.
  • Lay down a rug or two to break up the floor design.
  • Incorporate plants - you don't want to have a patio that feels like part of the indoors. 

As you can see, a lot that goes into building your perfect patio. But, when done right, it will become your favorite part of your house! 
 
Happy Creating Everyone!
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What you need to know before you start the home buying process. 

Searching for your new home is an exciting venture, but, especially for first-time buyers, this can seem like a daunting task. The first step is actually quite simple, and while it may not be as fun as browsing through Zillow, it's vital and cannot be skipped.
Before anything else, the most important thing to so is to get pre-approved for your mortgage. So, before you begin favorite-ing listings, go get that pre-approval letter from a lender. Trust me, this will make the whole process much smoother. Nothing is more disappointing than getting your hopes set on a dream home only to find out that you can't get approved for it. For those of you in the Roaring Fork Valley - at the bottom of this post, you Quick read more or view full article will find links to a few of my favorite lenders.
Now, some of you may be wondering why getting that pre-approval letter is the first and foremost step in the home buying process - and there are a few reasons this is the case:

1. You need to know how much you can borrow. Unless you are able to pay for a home outright, you will need to take out a loan. This knowledge will set you up for success as you can then narrow your search and set realistic expectations.
2. During the pre-approval process, not only do you get to learn about how much you can borrow, you also will uncover how much money is required for the down payment and subsequent closing costs. This will give you a good idea of what you need to be saving now.
3. Last, but not least, having a pre-approval letter sets you apart from the crowd as a serious buyer. Something that looks really good to real estate agents and the sellers!

Getting pre-approved not only sets you up with realistic numbers to crunch and expectations to have, it also helps you land those initial talks with agents and sellers. Many real estate agents, especially in the luxury market, require a pre-approval letter before even having a meeting, let alone a showing.
To find lenders near you, I suggest doing a quick Google search. Look at the reviews and make sure to find the right fit for you. As for everyone here in the Roaring Fork Valley, below I have listed a few of my favorite recommendations.

• Linda McKinley - https://www.fairwayindependentmc.com/Linda-M-McKinley
• Richard Fuller - https://www.houseloan.com/richardfuller/
• David S. Townsley - https://www.wfhm.com/loans/david-townsley/index.page
• Kathie Jaycox - https://www.wfhm.com/loans/kathie-jaycox/mobile-index.page

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