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She Only Wants You for Your Score: Credit Score Dating

[vc_row][vc_column][vc_custom_heading text=”She Only Wants You for Your Score: Credit Score Dating”][vc_single_image image=”532″ img_size=”full”][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]When it comes to love, dating and marriage, your figure is important, particularly if you’re a woman. A recent study “discovered” that men find women with an hourglass figure – those with bust, waist and hips measurements with ratios in the neighborhood of 36-24-36 — more attractive. Shocking, I know.

An equally surprising study revealed that women are just as superficial, they just have different priorities. Here’s the bombshell. If you’re a guy, height and a six-figure salary work wonders with the ladies.

The Figure That Really Turns Her On

However, another figure is becoming increasingly important for single ladies seeking a relationship: your credit score.

According to a study by freecreditscore.com, an affiliate of Experian, 75 percent of women and 57 percent of men considered credit scores an important factor when evaluating a potential mate.

It may seem unromantic, cold or even outrageous to consider somebody’s credit score when deciding something as intimate and important as marriage. However, according to the same freecreditscore.com study mentioned above, women view financial responsibility (95 percent) and paying bills on time (92 percent) as the top financial attributes when evaluation a romantic relationship. A credit score just happens to be an excellent tool for determining whether someone possesses those attributes

Credit Score Dating is a Thing Now

Several small dating websites, such as creditscoredating.com and datemycreditscore.com, are riding this trend by requiring members to self-report their credit score as part of their profile. Users can then search or filter candidates based on their credit score.

Creditscoredating.com even provides a cheat sheet to help members assess the credit score of potential dates. Here’s a lightly edited version of it.

850 or higher: Start planning the wedding.
Anything above 750: Take him to see your parents.
700 to 750: Has potential as a fixer-upper.
650 to 700: One night out material, but bring your own cash.
600 to 650: Keep on looking.
Below 600: Run! They couldn’t even get a car loan.

Heartless, utilitarian and materialistic? Maybe, but it’s hard to argue with the logic. Dating, not to mention marrying, someone with a poor credit has serious consequences. Sometimes your credit score is more relevant to your financial health than your current salary or even your bank balance, particularly if you’re young or just starting a new career.

Also, read > Capital One Settlement: Are You Getting Any Money?

Your credit score determines whether you will qualify for a mortgage, a car loan, a lease, or even get a job. Banks will usually shy away from customers with a score of 660 and below. Even an average credit score (700 to 750) could mean your apartment lease application is rejected or you don’t qualify for the best interest rates and insurance premiums reserved for customers with good to excellent scores (750 to 850).

A Low Credit Score Could Be a Deal Breaker

“Save both time and money; run a credit check on them. A score below 700 is a no-go for marriage.” That was the advice of a reader, Eric Jones, in response to an article on online dating published by Freakonomics.com.

One in four men and women agree with Eric and consider a poor credit score a deal breaker when considering marriage.

So, if you’re a single guy looking for anything more serious than a quick fling, working on a 750+ credit score is a much better investment of your time than pursuing a perfect six-pack.

Money, and Credit, Matters

Obviously, a credit score is just a number.

It cannot define a person, and there are many reasons why a perfectly suitable partner may have a less than sterling score. Also, let’s not confuse being thrifty and paying your bills on time with being obsessed with money. Actually, a recent study of 1,734 married couples found that couples who don’t value money very highly score 10 to 15 percent higher on marriage stability and relationship quality than couples where one or both are materialistic. I know, another shocker: materialistic people don’t make the best marriage partners.

Nevertheless, credit scores do provide a useful snapshot of a person’s spending habits. And if you have to filter potential marriage partners, it does seem fairer to use figures they have more control over than their height, or waist-to-hip ratio.

My fellow writer Julie Bawden-Davis shares a few questions to ask your partner before getting married, #1 being if he or she has any credit card debt. These days, it’s unlikely that someone doesn’t have credit card debt, but getting the conversation started can save a lot of stress in the long run.

Also, read > How My Mother Destroyed My Credit

The hard truth is that money matters in relationships. A lot. Arguing about money, not children, sex, religion, politics, the in-laws, or even whose turn it is to do the dishes, is the number one cause of divorce. The same study also concluded that money arguments were both longer and more intense than all other marital squabbles.

In other words, choosing a partner that has similar views about money and budgeting is a smart move that can avoid a lot of heartache down the road. Protecting yourself financially is always a smart move.

This article was written by staff writer Andrew Latham. His mission is to help fight your evil debt blob and get your personal finances in tip top shape.[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row]

12 Secret Tips To Getting Out of Debt

[vc_row][vc_column][vc_custom_heading text=”12 Secret Tips To Getting Out of Debt”][vc_single_image image=”531″ img_size=”full”][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]Debt keeps you down and makes it hard to live a fulfilling life. When your bank balance teeters on empty, your credit cards are maxed out and debt collectors keep calling, it’s natural to feel discouraged and want to give up and stop trying.

If you’re tired of dragging around the albatross of debt but think you’ve tried it all when it comes to unshackling yourself, read on for secret debt reduction tips.

1. Daydreaming Can Help You Get Out Of Debt

When it comes to debt, daydreaming is good for you. Of course you don’t want to spend all of your time fantasizing, but taking a few minutes once or twice a day to visualize your credit card balances at zero does wonders for your chances of success.

Mindful meditation lowers your blood pressure and puts you in a positive mindset regarding paying off your debt, which will help you take positive actions.

2. Have Your Family Commit to a Budget

When you all vow to get out of debt, it’s easier to stick to a budget. If you start to waiver in the face of a new purchase, your significant other or another family member can be the voice of reason and stop you from digging yourself deeper into debt.

3. Get Out Of Debt By Seeking Out a Better Credit Card Deal

No doubt you’ve heard the warning to avoid taking out further credit. While this is true in practice, it’s important to look at how much money is flushed away each month in interest. If you have a credit card with an interest rate higher than 13.99% percent, ask your credit card company to lower the interest rate. If it’s already lower than that, lowering it might be difficult.

If the credit card company won’t lower your rate, apply for a balance transfer credit card with a 0% interest rate and use it to pay off your former card. When you do this, if you think you might be tempted to use the paid off credit card, cut it up.

Also, read > Frugal Treatments for Teething in Babies

Use a debt repayment calculator, such as the one on CreditKarma, to see how much you’ll save each month by switching cards.

4. Avoid Late Charges – Increase Your Chances Of Getting Out Of Debt

The amount of money that goes into late charges can cripple your efforts to pay off your debt. Whenever possible, avoid paying late fees. If keeping track of when your bills are due is difficult for you, consider using an app like Check that reminds you when it’s time to pay.

5. Check All Your Balances Daily

Sound like overkill? It’s not. Constant reminders are your best bet for getting out of debt. If you only look at your balances once a month when you pay your bills, after a couple of days the reality of your debt starts to fade in your mind. Then when a spending opportunity presents itself, you’re more likely to bite and get yourself into even more debt.

Every morning when you wake up take a look at your debt situation. Seeing it in black and white will encourage you to stick to your budget, and watching your debt being paid off keeps you encouraged throughout the day.

6. Announce Your Get Out of Debt Plans

Forget the taboo on talking about money and let your friends and family know your plans for whittling down your debt and getting rid of it. Encourage them to regularly inquire about your debt. Not wanting to tell Aunt Millie that you slipped up and splurged will encourage you to stay on track with your budget.

7. Try Debt Consolidation

If you can’t seem to budget and pay off debt on your own, consider a debt consolidation program. This would consolidate your debt into one monthly loan payment. Such a plan usually also means paying a lower interest rate.

Also, read > Traffic Jams: Not Just Frustrating but Expensive Too

8. Consider Student Loan Forbearance

If student loans are making it difficult to dig out of debt regarding your other bills, you may qualify for a forbearance, which is a temporary halt to payments or a reduction in the amount you pay for up to a year. This allows you to funnel your money towards your other debt.

9. Never Pay Retail

Make it your mantra until you get out of debt to never pay full price. Always seek out a bargain for your purchases, and if you can’t find a deal on brand names, use generics.

You can save a great deal of money that can be directed to paying off debt by shopping sales, requesting price matching and store coupons that can be found online or through smartphone apps, such as RetailMeNot.

10. Keep Accounts at Two Separate Banks

Dividing and conquering works like magic when it comes to paying off debt. Put into your everyday living checking account just enough to cover daily and monthly expenses. Direct your debt payoff money into another account, such as an online bank.

Don’t carry the debit card for the debt payoff account with you, so you won’t be tempted to use the money for everyday purchases or worse, splurges. Pay off your debt and only your debt from that account.

11. Secret Tip To Getting Out Of Debt : Banish Guilt

No doubt you kick yourself every time you look at your credit card bills or you hit ignore on your cellphone when a debt collector calls with the nasty reminder of how you overspent. You didn’t get into debt on purpose, so lighten up on yourself. It will be a lot easier to stay clearheaded and move forward and pay off your debt if you say no to guilt.

12. Celebrate Often

More than anything, sticking to your debt payoff program requires that you keep a positive mindset. Once you start slipping into negative thinking and tell yourself you’ll never climb out, you start making poor choices with money. Set aside a small amount of money to reward yourself at the end of every week for sticking to your budget.

Also, read > Why do so many Americans have credit cards?

Living in the negative when it comes to your finances is definitely a downer, but using these tips will help you climb out of debt so you can enjoy financial freedom.

Contributors : Julie Bawden-Davis.[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row]

How To Finance Tiny Houses

[vc_row][vc_column][vc_custom_heading text=”How To Finance Tiny Houses”][vc_single_image image=”528″ img_size=”full”][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]Massive mortgages, rising interest rates, and expensive utilities are leading to an uptick in downsizing, with many Americans shifting from suburban homesteads to so-called tiny-houses.

The diminutive dwellings — generally smaller than 400 square feet with a price tag between $10,000 and $100,000 — are popular among young people, retirees and anyone in between hoping to reduce the expense of homeownership.

But because of their unique proportions, these mini-mansions often aren’t financed the same way other homes are. Here are some options.

Get a mortgage

Tiny houses don’t require huge loans with sizable interest payments. And with so little payout, traditional mortgage lenders often don’t want to bother with reams of origination and servicing paperwork.

Source – The Tiny Life blog.

But with a mortgage, you’ll have access to longer payback terms, lower rates and the interest payments are tax deductible. If your humble abode sits on a permanent foundation, you might have some luck landing one. Bonus points if you’re having a professional construction company build the structure.

Not sure how to find a mortgage lender? Here are 6 tips to finding the best mortgage company.

That’s because mortgage lenders are looking both for borrowers who are unlikely to walk away from their debt and for properties that will hold up over time and retain or grow their value.

Major financial institutions will be more reticent to underwrite a small loan. So check out our basic mortgage guide and then talk to your local bank or credit union for tiny house options.

Recommended Lenders for Mortgages and Real Estate Investments

Lender	Maximum Loan
	$200 million	Apply
	up to $625,000	Apply

Get manufacturer financing

Companies that sell tiny prefabricated houses sometimes offer payment plans and other financing deals for customers. Ask the manufacturer whether there are loan option adjusted for specific models or extras such as a washer-dryer unit or a compost toilet.

Get an RV loan

If your tiny house is built on a trailer, you might be eligible for an RV loan.

Different states define recreational vehicles differently, but generally, your home must be mobile and certified by the Recreational Vehicle Industry Association as meeting manufacturing and safety regulations.

These loans generally carry interest rates between 4% and 7% over 7 to 15-year terms, with 10% to 20% down required. If your tiny home is your main abode, you may have to look elsewhere – RV loans often aren’t intended to cover primary residences.

Try peer-to-peer lending

The tiny house community is close-knit and dedicated to the concept of simple, sustainable living. Try matchmaker services like Lending Club that connect borrowers to lenders based on credit history, requested loan amounts and other factors.

Or personal loans

Many tiny home owners use general personal loans to finance their property, shelling out for the higher interest rates and betting that they can pay back the funds within a shorter time-frame than other types of loans.

If you have stellar credit, you might qualify for an unsecured loan that doesn’t require you to put down collateral. Lightstream has a loans specifically for tiny houses with fixed rates as low as 4.29% with automatic payments and loan amounts from $5,000 to $100,000. Terms range from 24 months and 84 months, with no home equity or down payment requirements.

Lightstream spokeswoman Julie Olian said the company looks for lenders with several years of credit history and a variety of accounts, good payment history and evidence of savings habits.

“If they’re approved, their money can be used to purchase a tiny home or for any renovations, land or expenses that would be associated,” she said. “The applications for tiny house loans have continued to grow at a relatively steady pace — it’s a category that’s really emerged over the last couple of years.”

Best Personal Loans for Good Credit

Minimum FICO score	Estimated APR
680	1.99% – 14.49%	Apply
650	5.07% – 14.95%	Apply
660	5.99% – 35.89%	Apply
620	4.93% – 29.99%	Apply
580	9.95% to 36%	Apply

Even with poor credit, you can qualify for a tiny house loan. You will need to pay higher rates, but making regular payments on your loan can, over time, improve your credit score.

Lenders Accepting Bad Credit

Min. FICO	APR Range
No Min	35% – 155%	Apply
580	9.95% – 36%	Apply
600	15.49% – 34.99%	Apply
600	5.99% – 35.89%	Apply
640	36% – 199%	Apply

A secured personal loan — which will usually feature a lower interest rate and more money than the unsecured alternative — is another possibility.

Other financing options

Depending on how much of your tiny home you need to finance and how quickly you can pay it back, consider credit cards. Some providers offer 0% introductory rates for up to a year and a half — check out options here.

A home equity loan or home equity line of credit could work if your tiny home is a secondary home or a vacation property — just draw funds from your primary residence.

Take a more in-depth look at your financing options. Compare rates and read reviews on the best personal loans, credit cards and home loans available![/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row]

How Much Home Can You Really Afford?

[vc_row][vc_column][vc_custom_heading text=”How Much Home Can You Really Afford?”][vc_single_image image=”527″ img_size=”full”][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]Whether you already own a home or are new to buying a home, getting caught up in house hunting is common. When you admire a fully equipped kitchen or marvel at a walk-in closet that’s bigger than your bedroom, it’s tempting to decide that a hefty mortgage is worth the sacrifice.

Before you make an offer, consider the consequences of being house rich and cash poor. Determining the right price range for your dream home ahead of time makes it more likely you’ll qualify and helps you avoid overextending yourself.

Try these steps for determining how much mortgage you can comfortably afford:

Determine debt-to-income ratio

Your debt-to-income ratio (DTI) is the amount of your debt compared to your income. Mortgage lenders take a close look at this figure when determining how much mortgage you can afford and how much of a loan they will extend you. This ratio is determined by adding up your revolving debt, including credit card minimums, and car, student and other loans. The lower your debt in comparison with your income, the more home you can afford.

Determine the total cost of buying the home

In addition to the mortgage payment, there are a wide variety of one-time and continuing costs associated with buying a home, including the down payment, potential closing costs, property taxes and insurance, homeowner’s association fees and utilities. All of these costs totaled should not be more than 28 percent of your gross income.

Add your housing costs and debt load

In order to get an accurate picture of the amount of money you must generate each month in order to keep paying your mortgage and other loans, add up your total debt and housing costs. This figure should not total more than 38 to 40 percent of your gross income.

Factor in maintenance costs

It’s not a matter of if your home will require maintenance; it’s a matter of when. All homes require upkeep, and some home repairs can be costly, such as roofing. Expect to need to pay about 1 percent of the cost of your home per year on repairs. This means that if you pay $400,000 for a home, you will want to set aside $4,000 a year for maintenance. In terms of budgeting, this means about $333 per month.

Also, read > Why You Shouldn’t Wait to Refinance Your Mortgage

Consider life circumstances and lifestyle

Factors such as your financial obligations to others and spending habits also play a part in how much home you can actually afford. When you have dependent children who rely on you financially, this will affect your monthly cash flow. And if your lifestyle is such that you are used to spending a substantial amount of discretionary income, this must also be considered in order to get a true picture of how much mortgage you can really afford. On the other hand, if you are frugal with your money and do a good job of budgeting, you can probably afford a higher mortgage.

When examining your life circumstances and discretionary income, be realistic and honest with yourself. If you’re used to spending $400 a month on activities like traveling and eating out, it’s highly unlikely you’ll be able to cut that amount to zero so you can pay your mortgage. If you are truly committed to buying a home, however, it is possible to reduce your discretionary income and make home ownership a reality.

Keep these tips in mind for ensuring that you purchase a home that fits your financial profile, and you’re likely to soon find yourself picking up the keys to your dream home.

“How Much Home Can You Really Afford?” was written by Julie Bawden-Davis, a staff writer for SuperMoney. Her mission is to help fight your evil debt blob and get your personal finances in tip top shape.
Copyright © 2013 Julie Bawden-Davis
Photo: Images_Of_Money[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row]

It’s Arbor Day! Do You Know How Much Your Trees Are Worth?

[vc_row][vc_column][vc_custom_heading text=”It’s Arbor Day! Do You Know How Much Your Trees Are Worth?”][vc_single_image image=”525″ img_size=”full”][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]The next time you step outside into the soothing shade of a tree, know that Mother Nature is giving you much more than shade. As a matter of fact, trees are a gift that keeps on giving.

“Whereas many home items like roofing and siding depreciate in value over time, trees contribute increasingly more value to your property as time goes on,” says R.J. Laverne, a board-certified master arborist at The Davey Tree Expert Company. “The right tree properly maintained can live 100 years or more and increases in value every year.” This seemed like an appropriate post for Arbor Day 2014!

Trees increase home values

Studies show that real estate values are impacted by the presence or absence of trees. “Data shows that buyers are willing to spend three to seven percent more on homes with ample trees versus few or no trees,” says Laverne. A 2010 study done on the value of home landscape trees in Portland found that the presence of street trees increased the sale price of homes by an average of $8,870.

Check out our article about DIY landscaping to beautify any yard, big or small.

Generally, the bigger a tree grows, the more it is worth, which is why older trees tend to be pricier. A variety of factors play into the value of your tree, including its size, health, the tree’s distance from your home and its species. Fast-growing trees like cottonwoods tend to die young, so they aren’t worth as much as slower growing species, like oaks.

A plant appraiser can determine how much an individual tree is worth, but on average it can range from a few hundred dollars for a young tree to thousands of dollars for a mature tree.

Add to the value of your trees how much they save you on energy, and you’re talking a significant amount of money. Shade from trees reduces the need for air conditioning. Studies have shown that parts of cities without cooling shade from trees can literally be “heat islands” with temperatures as much as 12 degrees F. higher than surrounding areas, says Laverne.

Also, read > How Does Comparative Market Analysis Work?

Check the value of your trees

You can determine the value of your trees with Davey’s Treesense Mobile App, which is powered by the USDA Forest Service iTree Design. Use the app to calculate the many benefits of your trees, including energy savings, storm water interception and how they improve air quality.

Maintenance is important

Just as properly maintaining your trees can be worth tens of thousands of dollars, not caring for your trees can be a huge financial drain. Improperly maintained trees or those planted in the wrong place experience a shortened life span. A declining tree detracts from your property value, even becoming a liability, and having a failing tree removed is also costly.

With a little investment in terms of pre-planning and maintenance, you can guarantee that your trees thrive. Keep the following tips in mind.

Plant the right tree in the right spot. Research how large the tree you want to plant grows to make sure that it will fit in the desired planting location at maturity.
Consider below ground health. The condition of a tree’s root system determines the tree’s overall health. Underground disturbances can profoundly affect the health of a tree, so protect the root zone by avoiding digging and running over the area with heavy equipment and vehicles.
Mulch. Replace grass under the canopy of a tree with a 2- to 3-inch layer of mulch, which will result in the tree getting more water and beneficial nutrients and micro-ingredients. The wider the area of mulch the better, as long as it starts two to three inches from the trunk.
Be attentive. Call an arborist if you see signs of decay, such as open cavities, hanging limbs, discolored leaves and early leaf drop. Recognizing the early stages of some tree diseases can make a difference in whether the tree will survive.
Water. Keeping young trees well watered in the first two to three years is critical to long-term health. In the absence of rainfall, water trees on a weekly basis and more frequently during especially hot weather.
Staking. The only time staking is necessary is if a tree is in danger of falling over in high winds. Use flat straps to attach the tree to the stakes, and remove the stakes at the tree’s one-year planting anniversary.

Now that you know what a goldmine you have in your yard, you can give your trees a hug and thank them.

Also, read > How to Buy a House With Low Down Payment

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How to Prepare Your Credit For Buying a New Home: 10 Tips

[vc_row][vc_column][vc_custom_heading text=”How to Prepare Your Credit For Buying a New Home: 10 Tips”][vc_single_image image=”524″ img_size=”full”][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]Ready to buy a new home, but not sure if your credit is in good enough shape to qualify you? Preparing your credit to apply for a mortgage and get a loan with a favorable interest rate requires keeping these 10 tips in mind.

1. Get Your Credit Score

Facing reality is your first step in preparing your credit for buying a house. To get your credit score for free, try CreditKarma or Mint. Both sites enable you to get your score without charge. If you order your score from both sites and they are different, average out the two numbers to get a more accurate score. If you want to be extra sure of your score and see the number most often used by mortgage lenders, pay for your score at FICO.

Here’s a useful article if you’re surprised by your credit score: 10 Important Things You Have To Know About The Recent FICO Credit Score Changes.

2. Check Your Credit Report

While your score gives you the specifics, your credit report offers the big picture. The information reflected on your credit report directly affects your score. For instance, it will show if you have any late payments on record and how much of your credit is currently in use.

Get a free credit report for all three major credit bureaus (TransUnion, Equifax and Experian) by visiting AnnualCreditReport.com or from one of these credit reporting sites. Your report will highlight areas in which you need to make improvements.

3. Know Your Credit Score Goal

Understanding the ideal credit score range for buying a home helps you know what to aim for regarding your credit. Credit scores range from 300 (very poor) to 850 (excellent).

According to Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac, you generally need a score of at least 620 to qualify to buy a home. This is the minimum score. If your credit falls between 620-699, you’ll pay a higher percentage rate and go through a more rigorous application process than if your score is in the 700s. Scores of 740-750 or above usually qualify for the best interest rates on the market.

Also, read > 10 Surprising Financial Obstacles to Buying a Home

4. Examine Your Credit Report for Accuracy

Considering that your score is directly affected by what is on your credit report, it’s important to verify that all of the information on your credit report is accurate. The U.S. Consumer Financial Protection Bureau advises correcting mistakes on your credit report by contacting the credit reporting company that is showing the error as well as the company that is the source of the information.

5. Pay down Credit Card Debt

The lower the percentage of your credit you have in use, the higher your credit score will be. Prepare your credit for buying a new home by paying down your credit card debt as much as possible. Start with the largest balances, concentrating first on those cards that are maxed out or nearly maxed out.

We’ve got some great tips on paying down your credit card debts with How to Pay off Credit Card Balances More Effectively.

6. Avoid Using Paid-Off Credit Cards

Once you’ve paid down credit card balances, wait 45 days for the changes to be reflected on your credit report. Also avoid using your credit cards while applying for a mortgage and while your home is in escrow. You want the balances to stay as low as possible during this time.

7. Leave Old Open Credit Lines Alone

If you have credit lines on your report still showing, despite the fact that you paid them off some time ago and aren’t using them, don’t close them. Leaving them alone is good for your credit, because a big part of determining your credit score and credit worthiness for getting a mortgage loan focuses on how much credit you have versus how much of it is in use. You want a high amount of credit and a low amount of it in use.

8. Diversify Your Credit Report

In addition to major credit cards, it’s a good idea to have other debt represented on your credit report, such as student loans and car loans. Known as seasoned trade lines, each of these different types of debt should show up on your credit report at least seven to 12 months prior to applying for a mortgage loan.

Also, read > How to Finance Investment Property

9. Don’t Open New Credit Lines

At least six months prior to applying for a mortgage, avoid adding new credit of any kind. Even minor credit additions can diminish your chances of getting a mortgage loan. Except for paying off debt, leave all of your accounts alone during this time.

10. Be Patient, It Won’t Happen Overnight

How long it takes to get your score up to snuff for a mortgage depends on a lot of things. This includes what your score is now, and how much money you have available to pay off current debts. Reaching your financial goals doesn’t happen overnight, but keep moving, saving, and preparing your credit. You’ll reach your goal of buying a new home in no time![/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row]

How to Finance Flipping a House

[vc_row][vc_column][vc_custom_heading text=”How to Finance Flipping a House”][vc_single_image image=”518″ img_size=”full”][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]Since flipping houses became a hot trend over the last nine years, buying distressed homes, fixing them up and selling them for profit has continued to bolster the real estate industry and the economy.

“There is a steady flow of foreclosures available for flipping, and the practice can be quite lucrative,” says Kurt De Meire, CEO of CountyRecordsResearch.com in Huntington Beach, California. “In California alone, at least 100 properties start foreclosure proceedings daily.”

When it comes to financing for flipping houses, De Meire has used just about every financing avenue available. “There are many ways to acquire and finance property. Don’t limit yourself to the traditional loans for flipping houses. I’ve done it all.”

De Meire’s company operates in California, Arizona, and Nevada and for 27 years has tracked and reported on foreclosures, including defaults, trustee sales and REOs (repossessed property by banks and lenders). The company also processes foreclosures for lenders.

De Meire’s website updates every 15 minutes, giving those who subscribe to his service real-time information on houses that are available for purchase and could be flipped. He also teaches investors how to buy foreclosures, which he says 99 percent of the time buyers purchase for flipping.

If the idea of making money flipping houses interests you, read on for cost-effective ways to get the financing you need.

Methods of buying foreclosed property

There are four main ways to buy foreclosed property. The method you use to buy the property will affect how you finance it.

1. Approach the owner during the default period

The most common way to buy property for flipping is to approach the owner during the three-month default period that occurs after the the lender files the default. During this time, the owner has the option to sell the property or pay the loan to make it current.

If there is equity in the home you buy during the default period, it’s usually a good idea to take over ownership subject to existing financing. This means that you pay all the delinquent mortgage payments and take over the existing mortgage. You also buy the seller out with an agreed upon price.

Also, read > SoFi Mortgages Review: Are You “Great” Enough For A SoFi Home Loan?

For example:

If there’s no equity in the home and there are multiple loans, offer the owner a short sale proposal, which is an offer equal to less than what is owed on the property.

For example:

With this scenario, you will want to get funding for the $400,000, which if approved will result in you owning a home with $100,000 in equity.

2. Bid at foreclosure trustee sales

At the end of the three-month default period, if the owner hasn’t sold the house, the property is auctioned at a public trustee sale, which is open to the public. A major advantage of buying a home at a trustee sale is that any loans that are “junior” to the “senior” loans, such as second and third loans, are wiped out. This decreases what is owed on the home.

For example:

Sometimes the lender that forecloses on the loan is a second, third or fourth loan and not the first. That means that at the trustee sale, you would have to pay off that second, third or fourth loan to purchase the property. If it is the second loan you pay off, the third and fourth loans are erased, and so forth.

Also, read > Are Low Home Prices Coming to an End?

De Meire describes how this works with a personal example:

3. Repossessed property sales (REO)

About 50 percent of homes up for sale at trustee sales have no bidders, says De Meire. Those homes remain the property of the foreclosing lenders. When this occurs, De Meire suggests offering to buy the home at a reduced rate.

For example:

If the home is worth $500,000, but the foreclosing lender still owns it with a loan of $600,000, offer the lender $400,000 before they incur any costs to clean up and repair the property for sale. You pay for the property by getting a mortgage from an outside source or with seller carryback financing, which refers to getting a loan from the foreclosing lender.

4. Approach buyers at trustee sales

Individuals who attend trustee sales are there to buy property to sell. You can speed up this process for them by offering to buy the property they’ve just bought. The buyers have to use cash for the sale, but you can get financing to buy the property from them.

For example:

If at a trustee sale an attendee bought a house worth $500,000 for $350,000 cash, you could offer him or her $400,000. The buyer makes a quick $50,000, and you have a house that is worth $100,000 more than you paid for it. You would finance the $400,000 loan with a traditional or online mortgage.

Top financing for flipping houses

If you don’t have enough cash for flipping houses, you’ll need to secure financing. Here are the top sources to consider:

Bank

Getting a bank loan for flipping a house is the same as getting a traditional mortgage. You invest the appropriate down payment and decide on the length of the loan. The bank pays for the property, and you pay the mortgage until you flip the house.

Also, read > Ways to Renegotiate Your Mortgage

You will need:

Good credit of +670
Low debt-to-income ratio
A good track record of flipping houses. (If you’re just starting the house flipping venture and have no experience, you may have difficulty getting a traditional bank loan.)

Online mortgage lender

An often easier and much faster way to get a mortgage loan is through an online home loan lender. Sometimes referred to as a hard money loan, this type of financing is secured by the property itself and can be a good option if your credit score is lower than 670. Some online mortgage companies offer 15- and 30-year fixed loans, while others are more focused on short-term loans designed for fixing and flipping. Short-term loans tend to have higher interest rates.

Keep in mind:

The property must appraise at the purchase price or higher.
The lower your credit score, the higher the interest rate will be.

Home equity line of credit (HELOC)

If you own a home and have some equity, tapping that equity can be a good source of financing for flipping houses. Home equity lines of credit generally come with variable interest rates, but this usually isn’t an issue if you fix and flip the house within a few months and use the profits to pay off the HELOC. Having a line of credit available is also convenient if you plan to flip houses on a regular basis.

Keep in mind that a HELOC is a second mortgage. If you are unable to make payments, you risk losing your home. More about HELOCs here.

You will need:

Equity in your home
Good credit of +670
Low debt-to-income ratio

Flipping houses can be lucrative when you understand the various ways to finance them. SuperMoney offers a convenient way to compare lenders and products. Click here to read expert reviews and user comments on leading mortgage lenders.[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row]

How to Finance Rental Property

[vc_row][vc_column][vc_custom_heading text=”How to Finance Rental Property”][vc_single_image image=”516″ img_size=”full”][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]Looking for a long-term investment that can provide a steady income stream? Buy rental property. Rental rates are on the rise, which means that becoming a landlord can be especially profitable.

Larry is founder and CEO of Equity Builders Group, a Florida-based real estate investment group. “Unlike the volatile stock market, rental properties are tangible assets the investor can control more.”

Before you rush into buying a rental, Arth says to keep in mind that rental properties are in demand.

Read this article for more information on how to buy foreclosed property and renovate it for renting.

Location is everything with rental property financing

To have success with rental property, pay close attention to location and buy in an undervalued market, advises Arth. “Find rental property for sale in a market where the median income pays for and supports the median home price,” he says. “This factor is influenced by the population growth in the area, as well as job growth and diversity of employment.”

Arth advises staying away from communities supported by one industry. As an example, he gives Las Vegas, which is fueled by the gaming industry and suffers when the economy slows. Instead, opt for an area that is growing economically and contains diverse employers.

Currently, Atlanta, Chicago, Philadelphia, Oklahoma City, Orlando, Florida and Birmingham, Alabama, are communities Arth calls “investor advantage markets.” Prime locations tend to change, so he suggests doing your homework about an area before buying there.

Also, read > What Banks are Doing to Help Troubled Borrowers

Financing rental property

There are three main options to pay for rental property. Which you choose will depend on your current financial situation and the number of rental properties you wish to buy.

Cash and then finance

Currently, the most popular method of financing renter-ready property is to pay cash and then get financing, says Arth.

You use liquid assets to buy the property and then get preapproval for a loan. This usually means you’ll have a loan in process when you close with cash. Once the loan comes through, you can replenish your reserves.

Pros:

Saves a lot of money—as much as 10 to 15 percent off the asking price.
Makes your bid more competitive
Quick transaction

Cons:

Requires significant cash outlay
No assurance of favorable financing terms after the sale

Investment lender loans

If you choose to finance through a lender, such as a bank or an online mortgage company, find one that specializes in investment property. Such lenders understand investment strategies when it comes to rental property.

“Investment lenders are different than lenders for owner-occupied properties,” says Arth. When seeking an investment lender, he also suggests getting one that is licensed to lend nationwide, or at least in several states.

“If you plan on buying rental properties in different states, having a lender that can service all your loans is the most expedient,” says Arth. “Your information is on file with the company, which makes future loans faster to process.”

During your search for a rental property loan, consider peer-to-peer lending platforms, such as Black Hawk Investments Corp., which only offers secured real estate loans.

Like any mortgage loan, you will have to come up with a down payment of 20 to 30 percent. Interest rates for investment property are also slightly higher than for owner-occupied mortgages.

Pros:

Less money upfront for you
You can shop around for the best interest rates

Also, read > How to Score a Home Below Its List Price

Cons:

Cash buyers may outbid you
25 to 30 percent down payment required

Multi-property loans

Designed for investors who wish to buy multiple properties, these loans allow you to finance five or more properties at once. Such loans can be used to finance single family and 1-4 unit structures. You can include property you already own, and the homes can be located anywhere in the U.S.

According to Arth, a multi-property loan may not be attached to your FICO credit score, depending on how it’s structured, and the company you use for financing. You can sometimes get financing based on the property itself, rather than your creditworthiness.

Note: [https://www.supermoney.com/reviews/home-loan/b2r-finance] This company does such loans.

If you apply for a multi-property loan through the Fannie Mae 5-10 Properties program, you can often get desirable interest rates, but you need a credit score of at least 720, six months reserves on each of the financed properties and two years of tax returns for each of the rentals.

Pros:

Ability to combine loans for several properties
May be able to finance based on the property value, rather than creditworthiness

Cons:

Fannie Mae program requires high credit score and financial reserves
Fannie Mae program limits to 10 properties

How to choose a lender?

Compare Home Loan Companies

The lender you choose and the resulting loan can greatly affect how profitable you are as a landlord. For that reason, it pays to compare lenders and weigh all of your options before you make a decision. Keep in mind that terms can often be negotiated. To make an informed comparison, ask each lender for their interest rates, required down payment percentage and any fees.

Buying rental property can be a profitable venture. SuperMoney offers a convenient way to compare lenders. Click here to read expert reviews and user comments on leading mortgage lenders.

Also, read > How to Accept a Gift of Money for Your Down Payment

Recommended Lenders for Mortgages and Real Estate Investments

Lender	Maximum Loan
	$200 million	Apply
	up to $625,000	Apply

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How to Get Pre-Qualified for a Home Loan

[vc_row][vc_column][vc_custom_heading text=”How to Get Pre-Qualified for a Home Loan”][vc_single_image image=”513″ img_size=”full”][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]Are you house shopping and want home sellers and real estate agents to take you seriously? Pre-qualify for a home loan first. A pre-qualification letter from a mortgage lender that states the mortgage amount you qualify for proves you’re not just a looky-loo.

“Buyers who get a pre-qualification on a loan have a leg up,” says Michael Fisher, a licensed real estate agent with Century 21 Beachside Realtors.

According to this report, 11% of banks reported an easing of mortgage loan standards in Q3 of 2016. No banks declared a tightening. It’s clearly getting easier to get mortgage-approved.

Advantages to home loan pre-qualification

The process of pre-qualifying for a home loan involves supplying a lender with financial information, which the lender uses to calculate the maximum mortgage amount for which you qualify. You receive a pre-qualification letter that states how much home you can afford.

You can show the letter to sellers and real estate agents as proof that you are serious about buying and that you qualify. Knowing the loan amount you qualify for also helps you know which homes are in your price range.

In what is currently a seller’s market, pre-qualification is becoming more and more important, says realtor and attorney Bruce Ailion of RE/MAX Greater Atlanta.

Pre-qualification versus Pre-approval

When you start shopping for a home, you may hear the term pre-qualify and pre-approval used interchangeably. These terms are similar, but not the same.

Also, read > Home Ownership: Is It Really Worth It?

Pre-qualifying with a lender often only requires a soft credit check, which does not appear on your credit report and won’t hurt your credit score (but that’s not always the case so double check before applying). You provide the lender with certain financial information and get a pre-qualification letter that states the maximum mortgage amount for which you’d qualify.

Pre-approval goes a step further. The lender does a hard credit pull and has you complete an application. They review your finances and application and then approve you for a certain loan amount. Since this process involves having your credit checked, which can cause a drop in your credit score, it’s best to wait until you get close to buying before getting pre-approved.

Pre-qualifying for a home loan is easier than it sounds and is the first step in loan optimization, says Jon Boyd, broker/manager of The Home Buyer’s Agent of Ann Arbor, Inc.

Steps to pre-qualify for a home loan

Pre-qualifying for a home loan is easier than it sounds. The following steps will guide you through the process.

1. Choose a mortgage lender

You need a lender to determine how much home you can afford and to give you a letter stating this information. Check with several lenders and compare their mortgage interest rates and loan options. It pays to do your homework now and choose the best mortgage loan lender, because once you find a home you like, you’ll want to apply for loan approval as soon as possible.

Interest rates

The interest rate affects how much you’ll pay on a monthly basis, so getting the best interest rate possible is important. Look at the Annual Percentage Rate (APR) of each lender. This shows the interest rate the lender will charge for the loan and factors in most additional fees, such as mortgage points and lender origination fees.

Also, read > 10 Smart Questions To Ask A Real Estate Agent When Purchasing A Home

Loan options

Most lenders offer fixed and adjustable rate mortgages. Fixed rate mortgages have interest rates guaranteed to remain the same for the life of the loan, which means you can count on the same mortgage payment. Adjustable rate mortgages (ARMs) have a fixed rate for the first 5 to 10 years and then it becomes adjustable. This means the interest rate can fluctuate over time.

Other loan types include FHA loans, which are common for first-time homebuyers and offer low down payments, and VA loans for veterans, which require little to no down payment. There are also Jumbo Mortgages for higher priced homes.

Best home loans

The following online lending companies offer some of the best loans available in terms of low interest rates and high customer service ratings. Compare interest rates and loan options to choose the ideal lender to pre-qualify you for a home loan.

Recommended Lenders for Mortgages and Real Estate Investments

2. Contact your chosen mortgage lender

Ask your chosen mortgage lender to pre-qualify you. The lender will require that you provide financial information that will help them determine how much mortgage you can afford to pay each month. The information you provide will also confirm the type(s) of loans available to you.

Some lender applications call for basic information, while others will need more extensive input. There is no standard method for this prequalifying a borrower within the mortgage industry.

Although requirements vary, you will probably need to provide the lender with the following information to get pre-qualified:

Approve a soft credit inquiry. A score of 720+ will qualify you for the most favorable interest rates.
Payment history (included in your credit report)
Employment history
Amount of debt
Amount of income and other assets
Money available for the down payment

Also, read > Is a Second Home a Good Investment?

Read this article for a more detailed guide on how to apply for a mortgage.

3. Get your pre-qualification letter

Once the lender determines how much you can borrow and the interest rate you qualify for, most lenders will provide a letter that states this information. You can show this letter to a real estate agent looking for a home on your behalf, so he or she can guide you to homes in your price range.

You can also show the letter to sellers to show them that you are qualified and therefore serious about any offers you make. Sellers will be more likely to accept your offer when they know you’re pre-qualified.

If you’re negotiating to buy a house and don’t want the seller to know that you’re pre-qualified for more than you’re offering, ask your lender to give you a letter that coincides with the amount you’re offering. For example, if you’re pre-qualified for $375,000, but you’re offering $325,000, ask for a letter that states that you’re pre-qualified for the smaller amount.

Buying a home is an exciting venture. Make the process run more smoothly by taking the time to pre-qualify for a home loan before you start house hunting. For information on the best home loans available, consult SuperMoney’s Home loan reviews page.[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row]

Loans Overview

[vc_row][vc_column][vc_custom_heading text=”Loans Overview”][vc_single_image image=”511″ img_size=”full”][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]Every decision to borrow money, whether it’s for a car loan , a home loan or to meet short-term personal needs with low interest personal loans, should be carefully considered before you take on the new commitment. We invite you to browse our site to compare credit offers and to make use of our handy resources to check and manage your credit profile.

CAPTAIN’S TIP: You should choose a loan with no less scrutiny than you would choose a life companion, as in both cases it’s difficult to sever ties.

Looking for best personal loans? Check out our personal loan reviews here.[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row]

Lemony Spring Couscous

[vc_row][vc_column][vc_custom_heading text=”PARADE”][vc_single_image image=”509″ img_size=”full”][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]

DIRECTIONS

Heat oil in a large, heavy saucepan over medium-high. Add turmeric, onion, and garlic; sauté, stirring often, until onion is tender and golden, about 5 minutes. Stir in stock; bring to boil. Add couscous; stir to blend.
Remove saucepan from heat; cover and let stand 10 minutes. Stir in peas, chives, and lemon zest and juice. Season with salt and pepper.
Transfer mixture to a serving bowl, garnish with toasted almonds, and serve.

KITCHEN COUNTER

Serves 4. Per serving: 210 cal, 31g carbs, 7g protein, 7g fat, 0mg chol, 200mg sodium, 6g fiber

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How Your Business Can Benefit From Increased Consumer Confidence

Recent stock market gains have improved consumer confidence. Here are some ways your business can take advantage of this upswing.

MARCH 30, 2017

Business owners know that consumer confidence can have a profound effect on the demand for your products and services. While concerns for the economy can cause even the best customers to avoid spending, increased consumer confidence as reported this week in response to U.S. stock indexes rising can be good for business.

“Increased consumer confidence not only makes it easier to make sales, it provides business owners with the ideal opportunity to build their businesses,” says Regina Morrill, a realtor with Penman Realty. “How confident consumers feel is at the heart of whether they’ll buy and how much. When there’s enthusiasm about the economy, that’s the time to concentrate all of your efforts on making as many sales as possible.”

High consumer confidence can mean a boost to business, agrees Ted Mayeda, co-owner of the Orange, California-based gardening center Fairy Garden Expert. “When customers feel optimistic about the economy, we find it a lot easier to encourage them to buy something extra or invest in items that they hadn’t felt they could afford to purchase before.”

Rather than waiting for customers to buy more products and services, consider making a concerted effort to take advantage of the upswing in consumer confidence. Here are some tips for monetizing increased consumer confidence while also creating more confidence in your business.

1. Build Customer Loyalty

Now that you have their full attention, you can use this time to encourage loyalty among your clientele. Loyal customers generally spend more money and visit more often. They can also be your best marketers.

“’Super fans’ of your business do a better job than you could ever do of telling others about your products and services,” says Mayeda. “You create such loyal customers by offering them exclusive opportunities.”

Giving the impression of profiting from the market doing well and sharing that with your clients will instill in them increased confidence in you and your business.

—Regina Morrill, realtor, Penman Realty

Consider giving your best customers special savings and opportunities to try out new premium products or services at substantial discounts. You could further encourage their loyalty by asking their opinions of those products and services. If you make adjustments to those products and services because of customer opinions, consider acknowledging them in some way.

2. Encourage Additional Purchases

A great time to consider offering additional sales is when customers are feeling flush.

If each loyal customer buys one more item than usual, that can increase sales over time and may boost your bottom line. Even better, this can help train your customers to buy more in the future.

3. Take the Opportunity to Up-Sell

With consumer confidence at a high, you may want to suggest that customers consider buying more expensive, higher quality options from you. You can tell them about the benefits of improved products. Concentrate on positives, such as product longevity and durability, if applicable. Offering good reasons and alluring benefits may encourage customers to buy more expensive products.

4. Hold a Consumer Confidence Sale

Mention the uptick in stocks as the reason for your sale. “Letting customers and clients know that there are favorable economic conditions and that you’re celebrating by offering discounts increases excitement about buying and in particular builds confidence in your business,” says Morrill. “Giving the impression of profiting from the market doing well and sharing that with your clients will instill in them increased confidence in you and your business.”

5. Increase Prices

If you’ve been thinking about raising your fees and prices, now may be a good time to do so, since consumer confidence is high. When customers feel confident about their finances, they may be more likely to understand if you explain that you must raise prices in order to stay relevant and competitive.

They may be more apt to accept the price increases without questioning since they may feel more confident about their financial situation and the financial climate in general. If you’re unsure how customers will react to higher prices, try increasing them gradually, or only raise prices of certain items.

6. Reposition Your Products and Services

Consider taking the opportunity to upmarket your products and services at this time. Rebranding and repackaging may help your company and services appeal to a higher level, more sophisticated and affluent buyer. This can be a good opportunity to restructure your business so that it appeals to the type of clientele you desire.

Read more articles on getting customers.

Photo: iStock

Year-End Reviews: The Tasks You May Want to Add to Your To-Do List

[vc_row][vc_column][vc_custom_heading text=”Year-End Reviews: The Tasks You May Want to Add to Your To-Do List”][vc_single_image image=”478″ img_size=”full”][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]

DECEMBER 23, 2016As you review and assess your business over the past year, your first thought may be on profits. While analyzing your sales and cash flow is important, when it comes to year-end reviews, you may want to look at the overall big picture. There are a variety of minor pieces of the puzzle that can make a big difference in whether your company is successful.

“A business can be looked at as a well-oiled machine,” says Hillel L. Presser, president of the Presser Law Firm

and author of Asset Protection Secrets. “If one piece or part is broken, the entire machine doesn’t work. Many business owners focus way too much on the minute details of their businesses and fail to see the larger picture. The goal for every business is to offer the best merchandise or service. In order to do so, every procedure and method should ideally be completely streamlined.”Evaluating the whole picture is important, agrees business and personal development expert Douglas Vermeeren

.“My business is working with speakers and coaches,” Vermeeren explains. “Most of them focus much of their efforts on presentation skills and neglect the balance of their businesses. Many people in the service industry approach things in the same way, focusing mostly on what the customer sees. A business can be compared to an iceberg. The majority of what makes the iceberg is never visible to the observer. Your business cannot be successful if you focus only on cosmetics, rather than the whole iceberg.”

When conducting a year-end review, consider the following vital business components to help you look at the big picture.

Examine Sources of Business

During a year-end review, you may want to take a close look at the origin of your business. “Review not only overall numbers, but particularly where business comes from—namely referrals,” suggests professional photographer Everardo Keeme

. “I want to know, and then reward, those who refer me. I do this from two aspects. I look at who referred me the most often and who gave me the best referrals—so quality and quantity.”

Now is a great time to take note of what’s working and what’s not within your everyday processes.

—Nick Candito, CEO, Progressly

You may also want to identify where the year’s most profitable transactions came from during a year-end review, concurs Vermeeren. “Look carefully at how and where you found the clients who created those lucrative transactions and what made them work so well,” he says. “Your best transactions are what make your company more profitable. Having a clear view of what those transactions were and how they came about will give you the ability to create more of them over the coming year.”

Consider Costs Versus Pricing

In a rush to consider profits and overall sales, it’s not uncommon for business owners to overlook the important details of how much you’re spending versus how much you’re charging. “Remember to review your costs, such as vendors and materials, and revise pricing sheets and product menus accordingly,” advises Keeme.

“Your business may not have the volume to sustain a shrink in cost of goods versus profit margin,” Keeme continues. “While reviewing this [ratio] should ideally be done several times a year, it’s especially important to complete this task at year end when you have all of your sales and costs together and can evaluate a true average from month to month.”

Evaluate and Gather Your Team

The end of the year can be an ideal time to take a close look at your employees and evaluate their performances. When doing so, you may want to take their contribution to company profits over the last year into consideration. Also consider analyzing if their work performance and attitude dovetail with your company’s goals and mission. If you discover that there are employees lacking in performance or buy-in, you can then make plans for addressing this issue.

You may also want to look at your overall business team and ensure that your company is well-protected, advises Presser.

“See that you have the necessary experts on your team,” Presser says. “The year end is a good time to meet as a group and get on the same page. Doing this could save you substantial money in the future.”

Examine Everyday Processes

“Now is a great time to take note of what’s working and what’s not within your everyday processes,” suggests Nick Candito, CEO and founder of Progressly

, a centralized platform for business processes.“Companies today are burdened by siloed, difficult-to-use business systems that complicate processes and hamper operations, and such [inefficiencies] can cause a reduction in revenue,” says Candito. “Yet many companies continue to ‘make do’ with their current applications and systems even though these solutions may not be right for them. Rather than continuing to use antiquated business process solutions, consider a single system of record to achieve transparency, streamline communications and manage performance.”

After a year-end review and before the start of a new year can be an ideal time to streamline everyday processes, agrees Jesse Wood, CEO of eFileCabinet

, a document management software vendor.“Businesses are creating more data and information than ever, and the trend will only intensify in 2017,” Wood says. “Although unprecedented data acquisition and creation is good, it incurs significant operating expenses when businesses attempt to leverage information through traditional, paper-dependent methods. Going paperless and relying on document management technologies to facilitate collaboration and data storage can help.”

Ask, “Am I Having Fun Yet?”

Although this may not occur to you as you work hard to ensure that the year ahead is a profitable one, it helps to remember why you went into business for yourself in the first place, encourages Keeme.

“Review how much time you actually took off this past year,” he says. “Many business owners start their own companies for the freedom and independence it gives them. If you’re working harder, longer and more often and not enjoying time off with friends and family and doing things you enjoy, the year end gives you an opportunity to evaluate why you’re doing what you’re doing and how you can meet your personal goals in the coming year.”

Read more articles on planning for growth.

Photo: iStock

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Grow your own live Easter basket

Delight family and friends with a “live” Easter basket this year. Eye-catching plant baskets containing tasty, “bunny-worthy” ingredients like lettuce, parsley, edible flowers and carrots make great decorator pieces and save you money. Living Easter baskets provide you with good-for-you goodies long after traditional baskets are empty. Follow these simple steps for creating your own tasty Easter basket.

Prepare your basket

Freshen up your basket and help it stand up to watering by applying spray paint. Before spraying, wipe down the surface and handle to eliminate any dust or dirt. Use a glossy paint, and in a well-ventilated area, spray with several thin coats, waiting for the basket to dry in between coats.

Once it’s dry, line the basket with a 1-inch layer of sphagnum moss or with plastic that you have poked with holes to allow for drainage. Fill with potting soil to within an inch of the top rim of the basket.

Choose plants

Bunnies like nibbling on a wide variety of tasty selections, including the following:

Greens. Oodles of lettuce varieties exist, including romaine, red leaf and oak. Other greenery for making tasty salads includes arugula, mesclun, cilantro, Swiss chard and kale.
Herbs. Add pizzazz to your cooking with fresh, tasty herbs, such as basil, chervil, chives, dill, mint, oregano, sage, thyme and the all-time bunny favorite — parsley.
Carrots. No Easter basket would be complete without carrots. Because this plant is a root vegetable, you must plant carrots by seed. Though they will take some time to grow, you can enjoy the other plants in the basket while you’re waiting. For the quickest results, choose baby carrots, including fun selections that look like golf balls and multi-colored varieties.
Radishes. Radishes must also be planted by seed. There is even a variety known as the Easter egg radish, which comes in white, purple, pink and red.
Edible flowers. Blooming plants make a pretty addition to your Easter basket, and some flowers are edible. Good choices include nasturtiums, pansies, Johnny-jump-ups, violets and dianthus.

Planting and Care

Plant greens, herbs and edible flowers in the basket at the same level they are in their existing nursery containers, leaving 2 to 3 inches between plants. While you want to leave room for growth, you also want the basket to appear full. If you are also planting seeds, sprinkle them in between the plants and press them into the soil to the same depth as the width of the seed. For very small seeds like carrots, simply sprinkle them on the soil surface and then cover with a very thin layer of soil.
Water your basket well after planting and keep the soil moist but not soggy. If you planted seeds in your basket, mist to avoid washing the seeds away.
Feed your basket monthly with a ½-strength solution of an organic fertilizer. Organic foods have a NPK ratio listed on the packaging no higher than 15-15-15.
Be a bunny and harvest the plants in your basket often, which will keep things looking full and lush.

Do you have any tips for growing an Easter basket to share? Please leave them in the comments.

9 Ways Small Businesses Can Appeal to Millennials With Student Loan Debt

[vc_row][vc_column][vc_custom_heading text=”9 Ways Small Businesses Can Appeal to Millennials With Student Loan Debt”][vc_single_image image=”426″ img_size=”full”][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]

AUGUST 26, 2016As college students head off to school across the nation, it’s getting harder for retailers to ignore student loan debt. America’s student loan debt—which is currently more than $1.2 trillion

, according to the Federal Reserve—may put a damper on spending for years to come.“Many young people are facing a college debt load that feels like an elephant is standing on their chests,” says Joseph Michelli, author and CEO of The Michelli Experience

. “They watch a large portion of their income pass through to service their student loans. Not only are they feeling the pinch in terms of greatly reduced discretionary income, they see their repayment terms as eternal.”

Student Loan Debt Affects Everyone

Student loan debt is everyone’s problem, believes Michael Houlihan, founder of Barefoot Wines. “What if you gave a back-to-school sale and nobody came? That’s what retailers face this year as many college students and graduates face the frugal realities of their college debt,” he says. “Just like the stock market and housing sector collapse in the last recession, a major segment of the economy is beginning to buckle: 20 to 30-year-olds saddled with high levels of student debt, who have started cutting back on retail spending when this would historically be their most productive and strongest time to contribute to our economy.”

Businesses who build relationships with debt-burdened customers have to think less about driving higher sales per transaction and more about how to maximize frequency of visits over a customer’s lifetime.—Joseph Michelli, CEO, The Michelli Experience

This massive student loan debt, combined with the increased cost of living, can have an incredible effect on the buying power of the millennial generation, notes Alyssa Selogie, digital marketing and social media strategist with Madison Consulting

. “Because the amount of expendable income is often minimal among the younger generation, businesses have to compete more and fight harder to attract new customers and maintain current ones.”While the student loan debt does cut back on the younger generation’s buying power, Selogie believes that these economic conditions may benefit small-business owners over their big-box competitors. “Small businesses are able to adjust and change directions [more quickly],” she says. “Additionally, millennials seem to prioritize value and experiences over consumer goods or cookie-cutter services, which may make a local small business seem more attractive.”

Marketing to Cash-Strapped Millennials and Generation Y

Today’s student-loan-burdened generation may not be as quick to open their wallets. But you may still be able to get some of their limited business by keeping these tips in mind.

Be aware. “As business owners, it’s critical to understand the sensitivities and realities of the customers we serve,” says Michelli. “This goes well beyond the emotional and practical pain of monstrous student loan payments. It really is at the core of how we should approach all business decisions. What are the unique wants, needs, desires and concerns of core and emerging customer segments? How do you take their experiences [and] challenges, and present your offerings and their benefit in a way that addresses their needs?”

Empathize. Empathy for the financial struggles that the younger generation faces may be an effective marketing strategy for a small business, notes Rafael Ilishayev, co-founder of goPuff

, an on-demand delivery app. “Empathy is not just emotion; it leads to effective business strategy. Small businesses that curate relevant advertising and social media, offer friendly service and don’t feel corporate will indubitably connect to the younger generation in a much more organic way.”Get creative. There may be an opportunity for small businesses to get creative in their marketing and customer outreach, believes Selogie. “Targeted ads with messaging related to the struggles of student loan debt, especially those that are able to put a comical spin and positive light on it, could do well,” she says. “Millennials are aware of the uphill battle they face, so a sale or promotion that makes them laugh or is entertaining will certainly catch their eye.”

Make it convenient. “Buying power in 2016 is not just a matter of price—it’s a matter of speed and availability,” says Yakir Gola, goPuff’s co-founder. “Small businesses that cater to millennials must adapt to any financial environment and not only offer competitive pricing, but a competitive experience. What they ask of the client in price they must return to the client in time and convenience to create meaningful, lasting relationships that transcend today’s taxing financial environment.”

Avoid overselling. “Small-business owners can demonstrate their awareness of the needs of millennials by welcoming ‘budget friendly’ purchases and not trying to oversell in ways that would further ensnare those customers in a credit trap,” says Michelli.

“Many millennials will flee businesses that encourage them to ‘go ahead and get it…no matter how much it will put you in debt,’” she continues. “I recommend small business respect budgets and the sensibilities of the next generation. Businesses who build relationships with debt-burdened customers have to think less about driving higher sales per transaction and more about how to maximize frequency of visits over a customer’s lifetime.”

Go the extra mile. You may want to cater to a millennial’s desire to make everything an experience and get a great value for the money being spent, says Selogie. “When someone is living on a budget, especially one constrained by debt, there is a greater need to justify any non-essential expenses,” she says. “Adding extra levels of customer service to enhance the experience a shopper or patron encounters; having a strong presence on mobile devices and social media; and keeping branding, marketing and decor all young, fresh and simple will all increase a small business’s chance of appealing to the younger generation.”

Be real. Millennials don’t have extra cash to throw around, and “when we do, we are smart about it,” notes Tyler Drew

, owner of Anubis Properties. “If your business and your business practices are anything less than pristine, we will find out. We know when we are being overcharged or underserved, and we can review your business online before we even step foot through the door. Our money, and more importantly, our time are much more valuable to us. If you are charging more for a service, we want to know what we’re going to get out of it.”Watch pre-planned marketing. “We are the first generation to be directly targeted for products,” says Drew. “I know a badly marketed product when I see it, and I am much more likely to purchase from smaller, privately owned shops than big box stores. I want to know that a human built whatever product I am buying and that my money is going to a decent cause. I’d rather have a personalized experience, not a cookie cutter one.”

Assist employees with student loan debt. If you have valuable employees burdened with student loan debt, instead of paying to further their education, consider offering to assist in paying off the student loan debt, suggests Alexander Joyce, president and CEO of ReJoyce Financial LLC

. “For a young person starting a career, freeing up income and planning the future is high on the priority list. This is something that will win you loyal employees.”

For more tips on how to keep customers engaged, access 4 Growth Hacks for More Engaged Customers, with insights from CEO of Growth Hackers, Sean Ellis.

Read more articles on customer engagement.

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Health Insurance: Should You Consider Self-Insuring?

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SEPTEMBER 02, 2016As open enrollment for health insurance approaches later this year—and some insurers plan to leave the Affordable Care Act marketplaces

—providing employees with health insurance is becoming increasingly complicated.“The group health plan marketplace for smaller and mid-sized employers has become more unstable and expensive due to general uncertainties about the future of health care reform and the lack of competition among traditional insurance companies,” notes Michael Ferguson, president & CEO of the Self-Insurance Institute of America, Inc.

(SIIA). The result of this uncertainty is that some businesses are considering and adopting self-insurance.

“In recent years, traditional health insurance sources have been drying up, particularly for small businesses with 50 or fewer employees,” says Ernie Clevenger, president of CareHere LLC

, a company that self-insures for medical insurance.“With some insurance companies reviewing or pulling out of exchanges, the supply of health insurance is decreasing. Meanwhile, demand for health insurance is increasing, particularly as the Affordable Care Act’s penalties for businesses that fail to provide insurance increase,” says Clevenger. “With supply down and demand up, the price of conventional insurance is rising. Consequently, many small businesses are exploring alternative benefit arrangements, including self-insurance, that allow them to provide high-quality benefits and avoid the volatility in the conventional insurance market.”

Because employers are directly responsible for the cost of their employees’ care, they have a significant incentive to invest in their employees’ health.—Ernie Clevenger, president, CareHere LLC

Kate Amdor is manager, compensation and benefits for Telligen, Inc.

, which also self-insures. “The traditional health insurance approach for small-business owners is to work with a broker to develop a financial plan, which is typically a fully-insured product,” she says. “Unfortunately, like with most insurance products, business owners find they eventually pay more than their expected losses.”Facing what Amdor believes to be double-digit premium hikes year after year and increasing related fees that threaten profits, many small-business owners are increasingly considering self-funding their health plans, backed by stop-loss insurance for large claims. “It’s a calculated risk, but done the right way, self-funding a health plan with stop-loss coverage typically costs less than fully-insuring the plan, over time,” says Amdor.

How Common Is Self-Insuring?

Self-insuring is not new and more popular than might be expected. According to The Kaiser Family Foundation/Health Research & Educational Trust 2015 Annual Employer Health Benefits Survey (Kaiser/HRET)

from a telephone survey of 1,997 randomly selected public and private employers with three or more workers, 17 percent of workers with insurance at small firms are enrolled in plans that are partially or completely self-funded. Overall, 63 percent of workers are enrolled in self-funded plans. Of those 63 percent, 60 percent also have what is known as stop-loss coverage, which is additional insurance in the case of high claims.

What Are the Benefits of Self-Insuring?

According to those companies that have gone the self-insurance route, there are a variety of good reasons to self-insure.

“The three main benefits of self-insurance involve cost, control and access to data,” says Ferguson. “Well-run self-insured group health plans are generally more cost-effective over time when compared to traditional insurance arrangements, although year-to-year experience often varies. Employers that self-insure also maintain control of how their health plan is structured, which contrasts with standardized plans sold by insurance companies. Self-insured employers are also able to access their own claims data, subject to certain HIPAA restrictions, which allows for greater efficiency in plan management.”

Self-insurance may also allow companies to provide more comprehensive and customized benefits for their employees designed to increase overall health, which can save money in the long run.

“Because employers are directly responsible for the cost of their employees’ care, they have a significant incentive to invest in their employees’ health,” says Clevenger. He notes that employers are increasingly offering employees innovative options for receiving care, like free medical center clinics within the workplace and access to data analytics software that identifies potentially costly health risks so that early intervention is possible.

“Providing services that allow employees to truly improve their health is an ideal way for small-business owners to decrease healthcare costs in the long-run,” agrees Amdor. “Good claims years when claims expenses run lower than expected allow the business owner to create reserves for the tougher years.”

What Are the Drawbacks of Self-Insuring?

There are, of course, cons to self-insuring, and self-insurance isn’t for every business, believes Ferguson. “Clearly, one of the main considerations is understanding that when you are self-insured, you’re on the hook to pay claims as they are incurred. Some of these claims may be large. Even though most employers purchase stop-loss insurance as a financial backstop, employers need to understand this obligation.”

Business owners new to self-funding must have the “stomach for the years in which the health claims they pay are higher than expected,” says Amdor. “If they haven’t yet built up good reserves, claims expenses may affect their financial performance.”

Clevenger agrees. “The biggest possible con of self-funding is that it requires businesses to have an understanding of the risk they’re taking on. By self-funding, firms assume responsibility for the financing of their employees’ health care. They must take that responsibility seriously.”

There is also a substantial time commitment involved in reviewing and analyzing plan performance. “The best-run self-insured health plans are monitored by the company’s executive team,” says Ferguson. “Self-insurance should not be seen as a simple, one-time business decision that can be ignored later on.”

How Can You Successfully Self-Insure?

In order to decide if self-insuring is right for your business, Clevenger suggests conducting a side-by-side comparison of the annual cost of a fully insured plan with the annual cost of a self-funded plan and then projecting that comparison five years out into the future. Third-party administrators, including health benefit brokers or consultants, can run models to project costs under a self-funding arrangement versus your current fully insured plan.

If you’re interested in self-insurance, seek out knowledgeable brokers, consultants and/or third party administrators who can thoroughly evaluate this option. “Confirm that such advisors have successful experience with self-insured plans,” advises Ferguson, who notes that a listing of advisors can be found on www.siia.org

.Read more articles on healthcare.

Photo: iStock

The information contained in this article is for generalized informational and educational purposes only and is not designed to substitute for, or replace, a professional opinion about any particular business or situation or judgment about the risks or appropriateness of any financial or business strategy or approach for any specific business or situation. THIS ARTICLE IS NOT A SUBSTITUTE FOR PROFESSIONAL ADVICE. The views and opinions expressed in authored articles on OPEN Forum represent the opinion of their author and do not necessarily represent the views, opinions and/or judgments of American Express Company or any of its affiliates, subsidiaries or divisions (including, without limitation, American Express OPEN). American Express makes no representation as to, and is not responsible for, the accuracy, timeliness, completeness or reliability of any opinion, advice or statement made in this article.

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5 Futuristic Technologies That Could Change Small Business

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SEPTEMBER 09, 2016With Microsoft taking its HoloLens

holographic goggles on the road this month, it seems like the future is here. With access to concepts such as interactive holographic computers and 3D printing, small-business owners can take advantage of futuristic technologies that were merely fantasy just a few short years ago.“Of course, small businesses may not have the deep pockets to experiment with new technologies or [have] the relationships with government agencies where many new technologies are birthed, but they can certainly be fast followers and adopters of technology—more so than large businesses,” believes Patrick J. Stroh, owner of Mercury Business Advisors

.Understanding that the only constant is change can be a key to success, notes Mayur Ramgir, developer of business management platform Clintra

. “We have never really been able to predict where the future will go, but we have always known that it will be different from where we are right now,” he says. “This isn’t a new phenomenon. Businesses have had to deal with the influx of new technology for centuries. What has changed is the pace of development.”

Expect technological changes and learn how to systematically monitor and manage those changes and their applications on a regular basis. Otherwise you are likely to fall behind.—Patrick J. Stroh, owner, Mercury Business Advisors

Changes in technology are the new constant, agrees Stroh. “Expect technological changes and learn how to systematically monitor and manage those changes and their applications on a regular basis. Otherwise you are likely to fall behind.”

Embrace technological changes, and you may be able to get ahead of the game, believes Christian Cordoba, a founding partner at California Retirement Advisors

. “The key is to evaluate what is happening and apply what we learn to change along with it and keep moving forward.”Here are some promising new technologies that are changing or will soon change the small-business landscape.

Holographic Telepresence

Teleconferences from across town or across the world are becoming more common, and holographic technology may be an integral part of these meetings in the not-too-distant future. The technology can be used to project lifelike images of people, as well as objects like products and prototypes.

Big Data

Large data sets known as big data have been analyzed by large companies in order to look for trends, patterns and associations in business for some time now. “The recent rise of cloud services has made big data analytics and processing available to small businesses,” says Ragmir. “Technologies like Microsoft’s Cortana and IBM’s Watson can now be accessed by anyone through cloud platforms at moderate costs. This will help small businesses make better marketing decisions in the future.”

3D Printing

“3D printing has been on the horizon for more than a decade, but the technology is finally reaching a phase of maturity,” says Ramgir. “The availability of 3D printers has vastly improved and the cost of the printing materials has gone down as well. 3D printers will open a whole new industry for small businesses.”

Stroh believes that 3D printing levels the playing field between large and small businesses. “This type of printing allows for hyper-fast prototype development and multiple scenario tests that would have taken months and thousands of dollars in the past and now just a day,” he says. “When you link this with getting instantaneous feedback via social media on product development and new feature additions to your products, you can get very fast and inexpensive feedback on your developments without wasting precious resources.”

Fintech

Short for financial technology, fintech along with the internet of things, which refers to the integration or networking of various tools and products, continues to provide the largest advancement opportunity for business owners, believes Cordoba. “The regulatory rules in the financial world are changing and so are the demands by consumers, especially within the millennial generation. Faster, more seamless access to financial resources is evolving without the inconvenience and waste of time that comes from physically getting yourself to a brick and mortar location. We’re seeing the beginning of the S-curve slope already with crowdfunding and lending, but will continue to see it change more mainstream with banking, insurance and other areas.”

The Sharing Economy

“Uber, Airbnb and Lyft are all companies that have become successful focusing on the ‘sharing economy,’” says Ramgir. “Consumers today are much more comfortable with renting things instead of owning them, and this can work with pretty much every non-consumable product out there.”

For more tips on expanding your business, access Business Growth: How to Survive and Thrive, from MSNBC’s Your Business.

Read more articles on innovation.

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What Does It Take to Create a Neurodiverse Workplace?

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SEPTEMBER 16, 2016Business owners know that diversity can lead to a dynamic work environment. Gender and racial diversity are a given today, but have you also considered neurodiversity when hiring? Incorporating the talents of individuals with neurological differences

, such as autism, and having a neurodiverse workplace may benefit your business.“Everyone is unique in the skills and qualities they can bring to a business,” says Lauren Callaghan

, clinical psychologist and co-author of Pulling the Trigger: The Definitive Survival and Recovery Approach for OCD, Anxiety, Panic Attacks and Related Depression. “I would encourage businesses to welcome neurodiverse individuals and keep an open mind regarding what they can contribute.”

Potential Benefits of a Neurodiverse Workplace

As business owners who incorporate neurodiversity into the workplace discover, employees with conditions such as autism can bring new ways of thinking with them. These different perspectives can lead to innovative and creative work.

A small business is like a family and thrives on the uniqueness and achievements of its employees.

—Elaine Fogel Schneider, author

“There are a number of benefits to hiring individuals with neurological differences,” says Elaine Fogel Schneider

, author of 7 Strategies for Raising Calm, Inspired & Successful Children. “Such individuals often possess valuable talents and skills, such as attention to detail and the ability to be methodical, which are highly valuable attributes when it comes to jobs that involve technology.”Other benefits of hiring individuals with neurological differences like autism can include the fact that many such employees are driven to complete tasks, notes Fogel Schneider. “Often employees with neurological differences are dedicated to work on problems until they’re resolved. They also tend to be loyal employees.”

Challenges of Creating a Neurodiverse Workplace

But creating a neurodiverse work environment is not without its hurdles.

“Neurodiverse individuals can become overwhelmed and anxious and need encouragement to succeed,” says Fogel Schneider. “In addition, not all people on the autism spectrum have the verbal skills necessary for self-expression. Many also experience reduced intermittent eye contact and a rapid speech pattern that may be tangential to a topic—both of which affect the way interaction occurs with fellow employees and management.”

In order to have a neurodiverse workplace, experts advise that steps be taken during the interview and onboarding processes.

Tips for Interviewing Individuals With Neurological Differences

Given the nature of neurological conditions such as autism, consider making accommodations during the interview process, such as the following:

Avoid expecting direct eye contact. “People on the spectrum may not be able to give you a direct gaze,” says Fogel Schneider. “They often report that it’s too stressful to stare directly into someone’s eyes during an interview. They may need to look at another point on the face, such as the mouth, or at their own lap.”
Don’t ask for self-expression and social fluency. “Avoid requiring individuals with autism to talk about themselves,” says Fogel Schneider. “It may be difficult for such a person to form a response, for instance, if you ask why he or she would make a good employee.”
Offer frequent breaks. If it becomes clear that the interviewee needs a few moments, allow for this during the interviewing schedule.
Encourage non-verbal responses. If verbalizing is difficult, allow interviewees to show you how they work. “Ask [individuals with autism] to perform tasks or take technical tests, and you’ll discover a great deal about their social adaptations, levels of perseverance and work ethics,” says Fogel Schneider.

Creating a Supportive Environment for Neurodiversity

“A small business is like a family and thrives on the uniqueness and achievements of its employees,” says Fogel Schneider. “The idea of hiring a neurodiverse person might be overwhelming for a small-business owner and employees, who are often wary of things they don’t understand.”

To assimilate neurodivergent individuals into your business so they can be accepted and understood, consider trying the following tactics.

Educate. A little knowledge can help with increasing awareness. Consider holding training workshops on neurodivergence and offer information about autism. Inform employees about the autism spectrum, including reasons for behaviors and ways to help relieve anxiety if it crops up. Letting employees who have lived with a family member with autism share their stories and advice can also be a form of education.

Hold sensitivity trainings. “Educate employees about the thinking and behavior of neurodiverse individuals in such a way that they come to have empathy,” suggests business psychiatrist Mark Goulston, owner of the Goulston Group

.“Teach understanding and compassion by encouraging employees to share their own experiences of not fitting in for a wide variety of reasons, including gender, disability, sexuality and even personality quirks,” says Goulston. “Have the employees share how those experiences made them feel alone, frustrated and powerless, and how they would have appreciated people being helpful, kind and patient, without being patronizing.”

Assign a neurodiversity liaison. “Have someone in the company serve as the go-between in the case of any issues that may arise, including communication difficulties,” says Callaghan. “Such a person can be in charge of awareness training, and if necessary, facilitate mediation.”

For more tips on building a strong company culture, access our exclusive guide by author and leadership expert Jon Gordon: Build a Winning Organizational Culture.

Read more articles on hiring & HR.

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How Listening to Customers Can Help Beef Up Your Business

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SEPTEMBER 16, 2016For several years McDonald’s customers asked for all-day breakfast menu items. Then the fast-food giant announced

it would give customers what they wanted. McDonald’s isn’t alone in its positive response to customer requests. Pizza Hut

is one of several chains that removed artificial flavors and colors

from many of its foods.Take a look at some of the most forward-thinking companies, and you’ll likely see businesses that make it a top priority to listen to what customers say and use that feedback to improve their services and offerings.

“Listening to customers is essential to any business,” says Tom Salonek, CEO and founder of Intertech, Inc.

and author of Building a Winning Business and the upcoming 100: The Shortest Book of Everything You Need to Build A Winning Business That Delivers an Ideal Life. “Businesses that pay close attention to customer feedback perceive threats more quickly, ensure brand consistency and reduce customer attrition. They can also use customer feedback to validate marketing campaigns and protect and grow revenue.”

Listening to customers is essential to any business. Businesses that pay close attention to customer feedback perceive threats more quickly, ensure brand consistency and reduce customer attrition.—Tom Salonek, CEO and founder of Intertech, Inc.

Of course, not all customer requests and suggestions are viable ones. How can you weed out the good ideas from the crowd? Salonek offers suggestions for tuning into what customers are thinking and feeling about your brand and making responsive changes that may ultimately increase business.

Call on Customers for Input

“When responding to customer requests and developing new offerings, we’ve had success getting key customers involved with product concept development and design,” says Salonek, whose intent is twofold. “By getting customers involved on the front end and getting their direction, they have a vested interest in the final product and will purchase and promote the new offering.”

If you do ask for customer feedback, make sure to always take the advice when feasible, and acknowledge all of it, Salonek advises. “Asking customers for feedback and direction is similar to asking for feedback from employees. If you continually ask questions and request feedback but there are no changes or communication on what’s being done with the feedback, eventually they’ll have no interest in helping drive new products or offerings, because they think it’s falling on deaf ears.”

Draw Out Valid Customer Suggestions

Aside from checking social media and blog posts for comments from clients, there are other ways you might elicit suggestions from customers that could lead to innovative and productive changes. Whenever possible, survey customers about changes they’d like to see made. Rather than simply asking what new products or services they’d like to see, Salonek finds it more productive to get customers to share their core issues through other questions, such as:

What’s one thing we should stop doing, start doing or continue doing?
What’s a hassle (time wasted) when dealing with us?
If you were CEO of our company for one day and could only make one decision, what would it be?
If we could grow in one capability that would align us with where you think the world is headed, what would it be?
What’s an important issue or opportunity when dealing with our company that’s being buried, ignored, not dealt with or is uncomfortable to talk about?

While viewing customer feedback from these questions, Salonek advises looking for patterns and trends, and he also suggests considering the more unusual suggestions. “Sometimes it’s the outliers that provide valuable suggestions on new product or service offerings,” he says

Study Analytics

It might not be in your budget to use data warehouses, sophisticated analytics or Business Intelligence (BI) software, but there are tools that allow analyzing customers and their behavior that are available to businesses of all sizes.

“Google Analytics and Google Webmaster tools are free and can be used with any website to complete tasks such as to analyze customer behavior and try A/B testing,” Salonek says. “Through analytics, companies can find the right balance between protecting profit margins while ensuring customer satisfaction.”

Include Employees

If you can set the right tone with your employees by convincing them that you care about what they think, they’re much more likely to mirror that concern in their interactions with your customers, Salonek believes. “Your employees will also be more likely to share their ideas for new offerings and improvements to existing offerings. The employees of Nordstrom are a great example of this principle. The company fully and authentically engages employees and they reflect that passion for great service to their customers.”

Know When to Fold

Don’t be afraid to cut bait on a new product or service offering if it isn’t working out or early customer testing is showing the idea isn’t going to be successful, Salonek advises. “More than once, I let my ego get the better of me and my personal investment in a concept kept me pushing it forward even though customers were pushing back,” he says. “Talking with customers, using surveys and implementing tools like Google Analytics are all good approaches, but remember to continue to trust a key element that got you to where you are today…your gut.”

For more tips on finding new customers, download our exclusive guide from Guy Kawasaki, The Art of Getting Customers.

Read more articles about customer engagement.

A version of this article was originally published on September 4, 2015.

Photo: iStock

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Building Character Kris Eric Olsen

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Kris Eric Olsen

When Kris Olsen traveled to Norway in 2006 to trace his roots, Chapman University’s Vice President of Campus Planning & Operations discovered a surprising parallel. As he walked the streets of Kristiansand with his Norwegian cousin, his relative pointed out prominent buildings and residences constructed in the mid-1800s, informing him that his great-great grandfather Osmund Olsen had been the master builder.

“Finding out that my great-great grandfather held the equivalent of my job as a modern day planner and builder was an extraordinary experience,” says Olsen, who directs the building and renovation of Chapman University properties. “It was a nice surprise to find that I had planning in my blood. As a kid, I often played with Legos, and in high school I took elective mechanical drawing and drafting classes, always wondering where I got the interest.”

Fast forward to today and take a look around the Chapman campus and you quickly see Olsen’s mark. Since he joined the university in 2001, he has orchestrated more than 100 building and renovation projects, including the restoration of various historic structures and the construction of many new buildings, such as the $20.5 million Lastinger Athletic Complex, the 4-story Leatherby Libraries and the film school’s $42 million, 76,000-square-foot, state-of-the-art Marion Knott Studios. Recently he managed an expansion of Argyros Forum and is in the planning stages for several large projects breaking ground within the next 14 months, including a Filmmakers’ Village and a 1,100 seat Center for the Arts.

For Olsen, possessing the skills to take on such an array of challenging building projects comes from a varied career that started with working for Disney in the late 1970s and early 1980s. “I was a draftsman and then designer for Epcot’s Imagination Pavilion and Spaceship Earth,” he says. Though he enjoyed the project, which was Walt Disney’s final brainchild, Olsen grew weary of working at a drafting table all day in a building with no windows. “I thought there has to be something more,” he recalls. “I took note that about once a week the project manager would come in to check on things. He’d have a suntan and have just come back from meeting with the city or from the construction site. I thought-that’s the job I want.”

After the Epcot project, Olsen took a year off to “live dangerously,” trying various experiences as they arose. He worked for ABC Sports as an assistant photographer for the 1984 Summer Olympics, lived in Hawaii and was a ski instructor in Big Bear. “That year allowed me to try various experiences so I wouldn’t have any what-ifs later-at the same time solidifying the fact that I wanted to be in building development,” he says.

After his year of exploration, Olsen became project manager for the nonprofit World Vision at their Pasadena campus where he worked until the late 1980s. He met his wife Lori there, and they married in 1987. By the early 1990s, Olsen had a young family and found project management work in the hotel industry more lucrative. For 12 years, he developed everything from roadside motels to 5-star hotels. The work was satisfying but required a great deal of travel, so he interviewed for Chapman’s planning and construction management position in 2001. “I was intrigued by the idea of staying in one place and working on the historic renovation of old buildings and new projects designed to last 100 years,” says Olsen, who landed the position.

Gary Brahm is Chancellor for Chapman’s Brandman University and was executive vice president and chief operating officer in 2001 when he hired Olsen. “Kris is an extraordinary guy with honesty and integrity and obviously an incredible project manager able to juggle a tremendous amount of complex projects at varying stages,” says Brahm. “He has an artistic ability and sensibility to Old Towne standards.”

Local architect Susan Secoy of Secoy Architects Inc. is based in Old Towne at the Icehouse and comments on Olsen’s work. “I respect Kris’s professionalism and his concern with design details. He is well-informed about historic preservation and has done a very good job on restoration work such as the Western Cordage Building,” she says, referring to the historic adaptive re-use of the 1923 building now called Crean Hall located at 501 West Palm.

When it comes to new construction and preservation work, Olsen also keeps lines of communication open with the community, says Old Towne resident Bob Hitchcock, former president of the Old Towne Preservation Association (OTPA). “Kris made Chapman a good neighbor by taking our concerns seriously. When we had issues with the height of the university’s upcoming performing arts center, he worked with the architects for a solution, which involves building underground.”

One of the best parts of Olsen’s job is the historic restorations. “I really enjoy restoring historical buildings to their original conditions as closely as feasible,” he says. “It’s extremely satisfying to give them a new lease on life so perhaps they may live another 100+ years.” No doubt Great-Great Grandpa Olsen would be pleased.

Chapman Residential Restorations

In addition to constructing new buildings, Chapman has restored over a dozen historic homes on the perimeter of the school, including a 1905 Folk Victorian Farmhouse. Originally owned by Milo and Rosa Stutsman, the house was restored in 2010 and now serves as home to Chapman University’s Vice President of Campus Planning & Operations Kris Olsen and his wife, Lori.

“Like many of the homes Chapman has restored, the house was in pretty rough shape, but the structure had good bones and plenty of original features with which to work,” says Olsen. “The house came out great, and it’s an honor to live in such a fabulous historic structure.”

Other notable Chapman-restored residential properties include eleven bungalows and cottages on North Center and North Lemon streets. The latest project is a 1925 Craftsman at 238 West Palm that had been turned into a concrete business office and is being returned to its residential roots.

Published in the Jan/Feb 2012 edition of the Old Towne Orange Plaza Review

Written by Julie Bawden-Davis, Photograph by Scott Montgomery

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Inside Art Lisa Martins & Jimmy

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At first glance, art seems solely visual, but accomplished artists like Lisa Mertins know intrinsically that art goes much deeper than what you actually see. While effective art attracts the eyes, it is the thoughts and feelings art evokes that makes it memorable.

An accomplished illustrator and multi-media fine artist, Mertins produces work that tugs at the heart. Whether it is an illustration of a mom kicking up her heels and enjoying her child for an article about parenting, a fine art ceramic piece featuring a seemingly carefree bee pollinating flowers or a children’s book illustration of a shy little boy, the viewer can’t help but react.

“My strength lies in conveying emotions or feelings thanks to my experience with conceptual illustrations,” says Mertins of her nearly 30 years at The Orange County Register illustrating hundreds of newspaper articles. Her work on the recently released children’s book, Jimmy Finds his Voice, proves this statement to be true. Written by Chapman University’s president James Doti and based on his childhood experiences, the book chronicles the story of Jimmy, a first grader with a speech impediment, who is petrified when his teacher asks him to be in a class play.

“Lisa is an especially sensitive person,” says Doti. “She made sure that the illustrations closely mirrored my memories and reflections, and they help tell the story, which is important for a picture book. Young readers are astute and notice details, such as Jimmy’s red cheeks when the other children are laughing at him and the teacher wagging her finger at him in the illustration pictured in this issue.”

Book Signing and Release Party on Thursday, March 14, 2013 at 6 – 9 pm at Chemers Gallery, 17300 17th St, Suite G, Tustin CA 92780

Kirkus Reviews agreed with Doti’s assessment of her work when they said, “The illustrations by Mertins are wholly appealing. Their soft, watercolor tones capture both Jimmy’s fears and his eventual triumph.”

The artist has illustrated six children’s books, including her first, Gingko and Moon, which she wrote and illustrated back in 1996. She was inspired to create the book when she drove past gingko trees everyday on her way to work and saw the leaves turn bright yellow in fall.

Mertins, who liked art as a child, grew up in Santa Ana. She got a job out of high school at a bank, but soon found the work didn’t suit her. In 1979, she answered a fateful ad seeking an artist “with no experience necessary” at The Orange County Register. The position was in the circulation department and involved her creating fliers for paper carrier incentives. In 1985, she transferred to the art department of the newsroom, where she stayed until 2009, except for a brief period when she moved out of state.

“I was very fortunate to have the job at The Register,” says Mertins. “There was never a dull moment, and I loved going to work.” She particularly enjoyed the variability of the job. “It’s hard for me to keep interest in something for a long time, so I liked having a new assignment every week,” she says. She also enjoyed the opportunity to try a wide variety of art mediums, which is something that has benefited her current career as a fine artist.

“Especially in the early days, we had the latitude to use any kind of medium that we wanted, so I did everything from painting to paper mache,” she says. “For one assignment, I even carved into limestone.” Towards the end of her career at the paper, she completed many computer generated illustrations.

Today Mertins, who is married and has two grown children and a teenager, lives in Cherry Valley. She spends her time doing freelance commercial assignments and creating fine art. With the fine art, she’s had a chance to dig deeper.

“Many people have described my work as whimsical, but I’m trying to break away from that,” says Mertins, who does painting ceramics and printmaking. “I want to express the difficult and trying experiences that people endure, and I hope to reveal my authentic self through my work. I don’t yet know exactly what I want to say. I suspect that will be the rest of my life pursuit.”

– See Lisa’s work on her website at LisaMertins.com
– Find Jimmy Finds His Voice at book resellers, such as Amazon.com

Published in the Jan/Feb 2013 edition of the Old Towne Orange Plaza Review

Written by Julie Bawden-Davis, Photograph and Artwork provided by Lisa Mertins

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Inside Art With Jayne Reich

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View the work of artist/sculptor Jayne Reich, and while you’ll enjoy the form and figure of each piece, it’s the understanding on a soul level forged between the artist and her model that holds the message. Reich’s art, which doesn’t require and even rejects explanation, represents a melding of human consciousness and unconsciousness that she identifies as a source of living reality.

“The human figure is my passion and inspiration,” says the artist, whose art is widely collected by prominent inpiduals, as well as on display at Chapman University. She works from live models, creating three-dimensional, 360-degree sculptures of the human form. Her extraordinary pieces, with names such as “Limitless,” “Transformation,” “Contemplation” and “Exultation,” invite the observer to experience her art at a primal, gut level.

“The creative process, which is collaborative for me, is deeply intuitive. I begin a piece without knowing where I’m going in order to discover my own inimitable truths,” says Reich, who paints and sculpts and has taught figure drawing, a complete art form in itself, at The Art Students League of New York and the Pennsylvania Academy of Fine Arts. “I’ve developed a natural style that is an expression of self and as authentic as my signature.”

Intuition at the Heart of Art

It is the nature of intuition and its role in the process of creation that Reich discusses with her longtime mentor, well-known Quantum Physicist Yakir Aharonov, who is a fan of her work. He bought her sculpture “Transcendence,” and honored her by requesting it be placed in the alcove dedicated to him at Chapman’s Leatherby Libraries, along with other priceless items, including his National Medal of Science in Quantum Physics and his Letters of Einstein and Bohm.

“Intuition is at the core of many discoveries by great physicists,” says Reich, who is married to physicist Jeff Tollaksen, Director of the Institute for Quantum Studies at Chapman University. “When Yakir and I discuss the creative process, what comes up repeatedly is how to develop deep and true levels of intuition in order to make new discoveries. For instance, without formal training, Indian mathematician Srinivasa Ramanujan, whose life was depicted in the movie, The Man Who Knew Infinity, received while praying flashes of the most complex and amazing mathematical formulas that he wrote on the temple floor.”

For Reich, discovering Aharonov proved synchronistic when she met him in the late 1980s. Her mentor of many years, artist Marshall Glasier, had passed away, and she sought someone beyond the traditional art mentor.

“I had tried studying with many teachers, but, with the exception of Marshall, I found they wished to emphasize technique. Creativity isn’t a technical skill. Art is about your soul—it transcends the mundane and takes on a metaphysical aspect. As Einstein said, ‘Imagination is more important than knowledge. For knowledge is limited to all we now know and understand, while imagination embraces the entire world, and all there ever will be to know and understand.’ ”

The Keys to Creativity

Reich became a student of Aharonov’s when her husband began working with him as a graduate student. “Rather than study physics with Yakir, I looked at the creative process in terms of the geniuses of the world and their use of an incredibly deep level of intuition,” she says. “While doing so, I accessed my true voice and authentic process, and that enabled me to sustain integrity in my work.”

Prior to Aharonov, for 25 years Reich was the assistant and protégé of Glasier, who was trained by renowned German expressionistic painter, George Grosz. “I took my first class with Marshall in New York when I was 19. On the first day, as I sat on a stool with a drawing pad trying to draw a model, he came in and made a beeline across the room. He was a big, clumsy guy and accidentally, on purpose, knocked the stool from underneath me and said, ‘You’ve got to stand up for what you believe in!’ I thought, this is my teacher. He’s talking my language.”

Reich grew up in New Haven, Connecticut, the daughter of parents involved in musical theater. For a time, her father owned a toy company, but it went bankrupt when he died of an aneurism when she was five. For several years, she lived in a segregated housing project surrounded by streams, forests and caves, where she enjoyed spending time.

From a young age, Reich felt an affinity with her great grand-uncle, well-known New York philanthropist Harry Fischel, who helped thousands of Jewish immigrants escape to the U.S. during the war. In another synchronistic turn of events indicative of Reich’s life connected to scientists and physicists, Fischel also happened to be the founder of Yeshiva University in New York and Jerusalem, where her future mentor, Aharonov, taught and founded their physics department. Even more, Reich’s great-uncle, the prominent Rabbi Herbert S. Goldstein, defended Einstein when he was accused of being an atheist communist. Goldstein had an article published in the New York Times that publicly proclaimed Einstein to be a pantheist, who believed in God and was therefore not a communist.

In addition to influencing her artistic expression, Reich’s storied ancestry and experience living in the segregated housing project gave her a keen interest in human rights.

“I’ve always been inspired by people who stand up for what they believe in,” says Reich, who has worked as a life coach, including for celebrities, and lived for many years with Ruth Ellington, sister of Duke Ellington. “During high school, I ran away from home for a couple of days to attend Martin Luther King’s March on Washington when he made his ‘I Have a Dream’ speech. I ended up holding his and Coretta King’s hands. It was the most incredible moment. I’d never met a man who radiated so much love. That experience changed my life and affected my art.”

Perimeter Institute Conference

Last summer, Reich accompanied her husband to the Perimeter Institute Conference of Quantum Physicists in Montreal for a month-long program based on the work of Aharonov. “I fell in love with the sophisticated, sleek design of the institute’s building, including the light and stunning views, and the many chalkboards for expressing creativity,” says Reich, who devised a project during the conference that intersected art and science.

In an impromptu studio, Reich drew 44 collaborative portraits of the physicists and others at the institute. Drawing with chalk on black paper that mimicked chalkboards, she talked with her subjects as she worked. When she finished, they added to the co-creations by including important equations or signatures.

Physicist Lucian Hardy, world renowned for his discovery of “The Hardy Paradox,” was one of Reich’s subjects and commented on the experience. “Art is a powerful way of representing and thinking about reality. Then the artist and subject are part of the process. Each influences the other. Sitting for Jayne was like being part of a quantum experiment, but on the unfamiliar side of the Heisenberg cut.”

Reich follows the same co-creation process when she sculpts. “I always give the model credit, because it truly is a collaborative effort. I let my intuitive energy merge with the model’s so that I bring forth the person’s essence. Most importantly, I want the work to come alive so that I end up with a source of living reality that creates a living eternity.”

Charlene Baldwin, Dean of Chapman University’s Leatherby Libraries, believes Reich’s work accomplishes that goal.

“Jayne’s art is transformative, like her piece ‘Compassion,’ featured in this issue and on permanent display in the Aharonov Alcove. The sculpture personifies the intersection of art, science and creativity, displaying beauty of movement and form. Her living art holds energy and spontaneity and captures the classical figure, while at the same time transcending it.”

Published in the Jan/Feb 2017 edition of the Old Towne Orange Plaza Review

Written by Julie Bawden-Davis, Photographs provided courtesy of Chapman University

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Inside Art With Michael Johnson

[vc_row][vc_column][vc_custom_heading text=”Inside Art With Michael Johnson”][vc_single_image image=”394″ img_size=”full”][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]While it’s not uncommon to save Christmas cards received every year, it’s rather unusual to frame them. Yet that’s what recipients of Michael Johnson’s works of art do. What began as a graphic design project in 1991 for a former employer resulted in Johnson creating digitally produced Christmas cards that morphed into a growing body of religious themed art that can be enjoyed throughout the year.

Often depicting Madonna and Child and featuring prayers, songs and Bible verses that Johnson translates into Latin, his art is available in various sizes, from 5.5 x 7 cards to 7.5 x 9.25 framed pieces to 32 x 21 posters.

For 24 years, the retired Professor of Fine Arts sent out limited edition pieces to friends and family during the holidays. Now that he’s Professor Emeritus in the Media Arts Design Department of Cypress College, he creates his pieces fulltime in his Old Towne home studio, where he’s lived since 1975.

“Back in 1991, I worked for the computer software imaging company ULead Systems, which had the first true color image editing software, PhotoStyler, sold through Aldus software, which eventually merged into Adobe,” says Johnson. “I modified a book cover I did for them to create Christmas cards, and that started a yearly tradition.”

Spiritual Inspiration

Raised Catholic and a longtime member of Holy Family Cathedral in Orange, Johnson often receives inspiration for his work while in church. “As I listen to gospel readings and homilies, they stick with me until the thoughts result in art,” he says.

Johnson also gets ideas by studying various forms of art, including paintings created during the Renaissance and Gothic periods, as well as illuminated manuscripts. As part of his own creation process, he incorporates various symbols into his artwork, like flowers, butterflies, ants, ladybugs, fruit and most recently birds.

“I kept noticing birds in many pieces of art and how they symbolized the winged soul and the angels, so I decided to incorporate them,” says Johnson. “Such imagery can be quite rich in its meaning. For instance, a strawberry with its white and red color is a symbol of purity and martyrdom.”

Monsignor Arthur Holquin, Pastor Emeritus of Mission Basilica San Juan Capistrano, met Johnson and his wife, Frances, in 1974 after he was ordained and assigned to Holy Family parish in Orange. He enjoys receiving Johnson’s art pieces every year, especially since he has an interest in art and in medieval illuminated manuscripts.

“Michael’s utilization of digital technology in not only replicating this art form for today, but also adding his own creative artistic twist, is fascinating,” says Holquin. “Like all artists, Michael is keenly aware that ‘the beautiful’ reflects the transcendent. I have often said that art in general, and religious art in particular, is visual theology. As a man of faith, Michael understands this role of art, and that understanding is reflected in the beautiful images he creates combining text and visuals. A purist, who has a profound respect for artistic history, Michael includes Latin text as an element of continuity with medieval manuscripts that almost always used the Latin language.”

Ed Giardina, a Professor of Art at Cypress College, has known Johnson for 12 years and considers him a mentor. “I admire how Michael appropriates historical religious imagery, and I especially enjoy his attention to the details,” he says. “He passionately renders everyday nature into unusual sociological ecosystems. I have always assumed many of these coded symbols are representative of things or people in Michael’s life, including the little chirping birds and bugs zooming around.”

“The Lord’s Prayer”

The artwork shown here is titled, “The Lord’s Prayer,” and depicts the Madonna and Child. The text is the iconic prayer in Latin. “The Child is holding onto the apples, as if religion could be a fruit that you can hold onto,” says Johnson of the piece, which is part of a triptych of popular prayers that can be hung together or as standalones. “The tree in the background represents the wood of the crucifixion and the tree of growth.”

Johnson enjoys the digital painting process, because of its forgiving nature. “Once you’ve made a mark on a piece of paper, it stays, but digital art allows for safe exploration and the ability to make changes,” he says of the software that imitates traditional drawing and painting tools.

This is not to say that the process isn’t extensive. Johnson starts by making a rough composition of each piece and then works on the many individual elements, eventually combining them all. “I’ll paint a flower slightly larger than I need it and then scale it down when I combine it into the piece,” he says. As he works on each element, he saves the various files so he doesn’t lose any work.

“Some of the components have hundreds of files,” he says. “In a flower alone, there may be 25 to 30 layers in each petal that I will save and then periodically merge together and continue painting.”

Artistic Beginnings

For Johnson, who grew up in Santa Ana, art always came easy. He recalls winning a poster contest for the city of Santa Ana while in junior high. He attended Santa Ana College and California State University, Fullerton, where he received his Bachelors of Art and Masters in Drawing and Painting in 1975. He initially thought he wanted to work at an ad agency, but tried and enjoyed teaching.

After instructing at various area colleges, he landed a fulltime position in 1983 teaching advertising design, drawing and painting at Cypress College. In 1985, he began teaching in the burgeoning field of computer art, which he continued to do throughout his career. The role required that he constantly learn about new technological developments, which he enjoyed sharing with students.

Orange resident Dan Stephens, the longtime art tech for Cypress College’s Fine Arts Department, comments on Johnson’s commitment to students. “Michael was very dedicated to his students and the computer graphics program,” says Stephens. “He constantly looked for ways to bring technology into the arts program.”

Stephens has collected all of Johnson’s Christmas card pieces. “I hang them every holiday season,” he says. “They take up an entire wall and look very impressive as a group. Michael has an eye for detail that shows in his work. He sees the world through a camera lens, zooming into a section of a large scenario and creating a micro-environment that would otherwise go unnoticed.”

For more information on Michael’s limited edition signed prints, please go to www.capiolumenimages.com.

Published in the Nov/Dec 2016 edition of the Old Towne Orange Plaza Review

Written by Julie Bawden-Davis, Photograph by Michelle James

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Inside Art With the Hilbert Collection

[vc_row][vc_column][vc_custom_heading text=”Inside Art With the Hilbert Collection”][vc_single_image image=”392″ img_size=”full”][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]When Mark and Janet Hilbert bought their first home in 1993, the couple’s tight decorating budget prompted them to scour garage sales and consignment shops for reasonably priced furnishings and accessories. Delighted to find a watercolor painting they liked in an antique store, the Hilbert’s brought the piece home and hung it.

Discovering the Allure of California Scene Painting

“After looking at the painting for a period of time, we found that we really loved the watercolor medium because it has a certain spontaneity and realism,” says Mark Hilbert. “We went back to buy another painting in the same style, also discovering the book, California Style, by Orange native Gordon McClelland. The book covers the art genre known as California Scene painting.”

Largely unknown in the 90s and even now, the California Scene painting movement spanning the 1930s-1970s, depicts ordinary people going about their lives doing ordinary things. Illustrating California’s historical and social history, the paintings feature the work of iconic Golden State artists like Millard Sheets, Emil Kosa Jr., Phil Dike and Rex Brandt. Some of the pieces are in oil, but most are watercolors with broad, wet strokes illustrating the dramatic and expressive style of the genre.

Fascinated by the California Scene art period, the Hilberts continued acquiring paintings, eventually creating what is known as the Hilbert Collection, which currently contains approximately 500 oils, watercolors and drawings and more than 500 lithographs.

Substantial Collection

It’s uncommon to see a collection of this magnitude filled with such carefully selected pieces that are representative of the California Scene period, says Jean Stern, executive director of The Irvine Museum. “The collection is specialized and extremely high quality. The Hilberts are passionate about this period and have invested the necessary time and funds into getting the very best work.”

In addition to watercolors, the collection contains some significant rare oil paintings, notes Stern. “The oils were expensive for the artists to paint, so they generally only did them for major exhibitions or as commissioned work.” As well as being less expensive, watercolors are portable and dry quickly, which allowed the artists to work on location.

Janet Hilbert credits Mark for discovering much of the collection. “We have similar tastes in paintings, but Mark is the one with an incredible eye for exceptional pieces,” she says. “I’m often amazed at the paintings he uncovers.”

Museum in the Making

The Hilberts have loaned paintings from their collection to museums across the U.S., including local establishments such as Bowers Museum, Laguna Art Museum, The Irvine Museum and Long Beach Museum of Art. “During exhibitions over the years, Janet and I often heard people commenting how wonderful the genre was and how they’d never heard of the California Scene painters before,” says Hilbert. “This made us realize the value of creating a museum so that people could see examples of these paintings anytime.”

After looking around Orange County for a location where the collection would be shown and appreciated, they decided to approach Chapman University. “We discovered that though Chapman has experienced tremendous growth over the last 20 years thanks to visionary leadership, they didn’t have a separate art museum that specialized in a particular genre,” says Hilbert. “We felt the collection would be a perfect fit for the university and Old Towne in particular, as it’s your quintessential California town.”

When Chapman’s Executive Vice President of University Advancement, Sheryl Bourgeois, received the call from Hilbert regarding the donation of the paintings for the museum, as well as an additional $3 million to go toward building the facility, she was thrilled.

“Mark and Janet are skilled collectors, and the collection is perfect for the school with its focus on California and Orange County and how the area became what it is today,” says Bourgeois, who notes that there are so many paintings in the collection that they can potentially curate endless thematic exhibitions.

Historic Villa Park Orchards Packing House

The Hilbert Museum of California Art will eventually be located in the Villa Park Orchards Packing House. Chapman’s president, Dr. James Doti, had the idea to house the museum in the building, which closed in 2006 and was once the largest citrus packing house in Orange. The permanent gallery space in the packing house won’t be ready until 2017, but the museum will have a temporary home beginning in the fall of 2015 in a facility located next to the Partridge Dance Center on Chapman University’s main campus.

One painting you’ll likely see at the museum is the watercolor pictured in this issue. Rex Brandt’s “Surf’s Up On A Golden Day” is one of the Hilbert’s favorite pieces. Painted in the 1960s by Brandt, a well-known Newport Beach California Scene artist, the slightly abstract painting captures California’s natural light, “which is unique and unlike any other place on the planet except for a small section of North Africa,” says Hilbert. “California is known for introducing the surf culture throughout the world, and this painting does a marvelous job of conveying that culture.”

Published in the Jan/Feb 2015 edition of the Old Towne Orange Plaza Review

Written by Julie Bawden-Davis, Photographs provided by Chapman University and The Hilbert Collection

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Notes From A Neighbor David Hockney in Santa Ana

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Recognized for his vibrant paintings of Southern California and compelling portraits, David Hockney is one of the most respected of today’s living artists. His work, which spans over half a century, gained notoriety during the Pop Art period of the 1960s.

Though he is British, Hockney moved to Los Angeles after a trip to the area in 1964 and for the next 41 years lived in Hollywood Hills and on the Malibu coast. In the golden light of Southern California, he created numerous exotic landscape sceneries, including his iconic paintings of sun–drenched swimming pools. He has experimented with asymmetry, cubism and reverse perspective and helped create an important dialogue between photography and drawing. The juxtaposed photographic images he calls “joiners” have led to well–known works of art like “Pear Blossom Highway” (1986). Always open to new visual technologies, Hockney continues to remain viable as an artist. In addition to painting, drawing and photography, he has used in his artwork color copiers, color laser printers, FAX machines and most recently the iPad.

Locally, it was an exhibition of Hockney’s work that helped launch the Santa Ana arts movement started in 1987. The artist’s exhibition at the Modern Museum of Art at Griffin Towers at MacArthur Place in 1989 announced that Santa Ana had serious intentions of becoming a center for art, artists and culture. The fact that an artist of such international repute displayed his work in Santa Ana, rather than a venue like the Orange County Museum of Art in Newport Beach where he’d been invited, brought major attention to Santa Ana’s arts profile. CNN, West German television and most local media were on hand when Hockney created the exhibit. The display included 36 faxed 8 ½” x 11” paper images of Malibu, which when assembled formed an ornate silver tea set on a table with a window view depicting powerful waves of surf crashing wildly onto a rocky shore. An archival serigraph poster was created to recognize this important occasion, and unsigned at $40 each they sold out. This successful exhibition helped Santa Ana overcome resistance from some local journalists who felt the arts “belonged” in Laguna and Newport beaches, and the display made it clear the intentions of the Santa Ana Council of Arts and Culture to make Santa Ana an enduring center for the arts.

After years creating large–scale, richly–colored landscapes and portraits in Southern California, Hockney returned to England in 2005. Though he once referred to his homeland as “dreary and drizzly old England,” using his unique colorful interpretation he soon created a visual wonderland of East Yorkshire. Through his work, the British landscape became mythically imagined–a verdant land of gentle, proud and elegant beauty.

On January 21, 2012, a very large exhibition of earlier and new Hockney works will debut at the Royal Academy of Arts in London

Note from the Author: David Hockney is a mentor and dear friend. We met at a Hollywood dinner party in 1969, and I was immediately drawn to his bohemian, yet stylish manner and his ability to transcend reality and see the world in a different light, conveying that difference in imagery that draws people into his work. I introduced David to Disneyland and Laguna Beach and he invited me to travel with him through Europe and the US. During those travels and my time spent with David, I also learned to see the world differently. Without David’s support, the Santa Ana Arts movement would not have occurred. David’s friendship inspired my work as an arts activist and appreciator and shaped the person I am today.

Published in the Jan/Feb 2012 edition of the Old Towne Orange Plaza Review

Written by Don Cribb, Photograph by Don Cribb

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Inside Art With Moira Hahn

[vc_row][vc_column][vc_custom_heading text=”Inside Art With Moira Hahn”][vc_single_image image=”387″ img_size=”full”][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]On a brisk fall day in the early 1960s, Moira Hahn’s mother sent her out into their suburban Maryland yard to clear leaves from a patio. Rather than gather the scattered vegetation for disposal, the 7-year-old saw something completely different within the pile of nature’s bounty before her. When Hahn finished with her “chore,” the budding artist had raked the leaves into the shape of a hatted cowboy on a horse.

Connecting decidedly different or even conflicting elements to create a compelling piece of art is the hallmark of this Long Beach artist, who has exhibited throughout the U.S. and Japan for more than 20 years. Bold and colorful, her paintings, which walk a tightrope between western and eastern themes and the past and present, elicit admiration, surprise and more often than not a chuckle once a painting’s often satirical message becomes apparent.

While some have described Hahn’s paintings as “Pop-Surrealism,” she doesn’t find this an accurate description of her work, which has its roots in classical Japanese art history—specifically Ukiyo-e (pictures of the floating world.) The genre features woodblock prints and paintings popular from the 17th-19th century Japan.

“Nouveau Ukiyo-e might cover some of my work, because it contains elements from the contemporary and floating worlds,” says Hahn, who taught art at Santiago Canyon College for 10 years. Many of her paintings depict humanlike interactions regarding present day topics between animals dressed in ancient Japanese kimono styles.

Born to Paint

Hahn has always gravitated to art. Throughout her childhood, she constantly created, using materials she found on hand. Nature was and continues to be an artistic muse for her. She made tea sets out of backyard clay, and while in high school, she spent the afternoons in the forest, observing local wildlife, like deer, badgers and foxes, and gathering plant materials for her artwork, including walnut shells that she boiled to make brown ink.

When she was a high school junior, Hahn skipped a day of school to apply at the Maryland Institute College of Art (MICA) in Baltimore, where they immediately accepted her when they saw her portfolio. She studied at MICA, where she received her BFA in 1977 and also attended CalArts in Valencia and California State University Fullerton, where she completed her MFA in 2000.

Asian Influence

Though it might seem unusual that a non-Asian artist would be interested in Ukiyo-e, it was a natural progression for Hahn, who is descended from artists and appreciators of art.

“I was exposed to Asian art growing up,” says Hahn, whose father served in China during WWII where he took photos of village life and collected cloisonné, art and crafts. An uncle was stationed in Japan in the mid-1960s and sent the family art, and her parents commissioned a Japanese architect to build a Japanese-style cedar house they filled with Japanese furniture.

During her 20s, Hahn worked for five years as a studio assistant for a Japanese painter and she studied Japanese art in Hawaii in the 1980s, but it was during a visit to Baltimore’s Walters Art Gallery in 1976 that she became enamored with Ukiyo-e. “I was in awe of an exhibition of Hokusai’s paintings, woodblock prints and manga (sketch books),” she says.

Blue Moon

The painting, “Blue Moon,” pictured in this issue is an example of Hahn’s east meets west painting style. Featuring a parrot seductively posing in a kimono and a large cat paw splayed out on the tail of her garment, at first glance it looks like the parrot should be frightened.

“People worry about the parrot, but she’s fine,” says Hahn, who points out a cat wanted poster in the left corner of the painting. “The birds hung up posters all over the neighborhood of the cats they intend to pick off.” (The parrot has an AK-47 hidden under her kimono to get the job done.)

Meher McArthur is an independent Asian art historian and writer who has curated shows containing Hahn’s work. “Moira is superb with the brush and has a wonderful sense of color,” says McArthur. “Her work is layered and rich. At first glance, the animals in her paintings appear to be cute, but then you realize something unsettling is occurring. The parrot in ‘Blue Moon’ is dressed like a 19th century courtesan and is exposing the nape of her neck, which was considered very seductive. The subtitle of the painting (written in Japanese) is also compelling and amusing—‘Evening Snack.’”

In 2010, Hahn added to her collection a traditional wood block print of “Blue Moon.” Crafted in Japan, it took a woodblock print atelier, a carver and an inker more than a year to complete what is a closed edition of 200 (some are still available). “Having the print made was on my bucket list,” says Hahn. “It turned out beautifully.”

To see more of Hahn’s work, visit www.moirahahn.com or the Koplin Del Rio Gallery at www.koplindelrio.com/content/moira-hahn. For information on upcoming shows, connect with Hahn on Facebook.

Beginning March 22nd, Hahn will teach a class series featuring her unique watercolor technique at The Art Studio in Westminster. For information, visit theartstudio.us/place/watercolor.

Published in the Mar/Apr 2014 edition of the Old Towne Orange Plaza Review

Written by Julie Bawden-Davis, Photograph provided by Moira Hahn

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Inside Art With Art Innovators

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Despite studies that show learning about art is critical to development; in the last couple of decades art has fallen off the list of mandatory school subjects. That means that in order to learn this skill, most kids must study the subject as an extracurricular activity.

Thanks to forward-thinking organizations like Art Innovators, which provides children with art classes at school and other community locations, kids lucky enough to be involved in the program are reaping the benefits of an art education.

“Several studies have shown a correlation between art education and achievement in other academic areas, which makes programs like Art Innovators so important,” says Anna Dress, Children’s Services Librarian for the OC Public Libraries, Westminster Library, where they recently hosted a series of classes by Art Innovators. “Creative thinking exercises the brain and stretches well beyond the arts—it encourages children (and later, adults) to ‘think outside the box,’ which is a skill they can apply to all areas of life. Today’s little artists become tomorrow’s innovators, problem solvers, inventors and creators.”

“Where Creativity Takes Flight”

At Art Innovators, mother/ daughter team, Marisa and Sabina Timothy, offer kids the freedom to express themselves without any expectations. “Our tagline is: Where creativity takes flight,” says Marisa. Sabina adds, “We give kids the opportunity to be free from ‘right’ or ‘wrong,’ and to express themselves however they desire. This fosters in kids self-worth and confidence, and that positively affects every area of their lives.”

Opportunities to express themselves also lead to successful futures, adds Marisa. “The irony is that we put our kids through the educational system with all of its testing, but when they graduate and get a job and are asked for their ideas, they freeze, because that type of creativity isn’t often fostered in schools. While our class format is intentional and structured, we also allow the children freedom of expression. They are often initially overwhelmed by that freedom, but they soon learn to work without any expectations, and a wonderful thing then happens —their authentic selves emerge in their artwork, which is wonderful to see.”

Everyone Has an Inner Artist

“We are all artistic in our own ways. It’s a part of being human,” says Sabina. “The truth is that we all need an artistic outlet of some kind.”

To bring out the inner artist in the children they teach, Art Innovators introduces kids to a wide variety of mediums and processes. “Every class is an adventure, because we’re always doing something new,” says Sabina. “Exposing students to a wide variety of styles has an added bonus of teaching them about various cultures that they might not have had exposure to otherwise.”

Art Innovators’ students have experienced a wide range of projects, including assignments inspired by American artist Keith Haring and the ancient art of Suminagashi (Japanese marbling), which features a process of marbling paper with ink and water. They’ve also done projects featuring Egyptian, Native American and Ancient Greek art styles using a wide variety of media, such as pastels and colored pencils.

“We’re always amazed at the work created by the students,” says Marisa. “The teachers, parents and the students themselves are surprised at how well they do.”

The caliber of the art pieces done by the students is of significance, since it’s the policy of the program not to touch student work or guide their hand at all, notes Sabina. “One of my favorite experiences is to watch parents come in after class and see their surprise when students insist they did the artwork themselves. It’s very empowering for the children to have their parents amazed and praising them for their work.”

Suzanne Mapes is the mother of eight-year-old Diego Garrido, who has taken Art Innovators’ classes for a year-and-a-half. “Diego started when he was in first grade, and I was really impressed with the unique art pieces he created. The philosophy at Art Innovators of building confidence and problem solving through art really clicked with Diego and me,” says Mapes, a professional photographer, who today teaches for the company.

The art on the inside cover of this issue is the work of Diego, who says that he wanted “to draw something outside of our universe. I wanted to draw squiggly lines and straight lines, and so I did,” says Diego, who already has a 30-page art portfolio.

Freedom to Explore

Another unique aspect of Art Innovators is their use of permanent markers and no erasers. “The inability to erase and start over teaches students to take a step back, take a deep breath and accept what happens,” says Sabina. “When they do make what could be considered a ‘mistake,’ they learn to adjust to it. This is a freeing, confidence building experience that spills over into all areas of their lives, including academics and sports.”

At the Westminster Library this past spring, they held a series of classes by Art Innovators during Orange County’s Imagination Celebration. “We were fortunate to have our Friends of the Library pay for the classes, which we offered to our young patrons for free,” says Dress. “The four stand-alone classes each taught varying artistic methods. The teachers were all kind and patient and genuinely cared about fostering creativity in the children. I was truly impressed by the finished artwork the children were able to produce under their guidance, and the experience seemed to boost their self-confidence.”

Artistic Backgrounds

The Timothys became involved in Art Innovators after Sabina started working for the company in 2010. “I found that I loved teaching kids art,” says Sabina, who personally enjoys a wide variety of art mediums, including designing quilts and sewing. She started as an assistant and was soon promoted to instructor, eventually becoming an apprentice to the owner-director.

When the previous owners decided to sell the company in fall 2013, the first person they asked to take over was Sabina. Marisa, who is a certified re-designer working in interior design, had just left a fulltime position, so the mother-daughter duo decided to join forces and buy and run the business together.

“The business is going really well,” says Sabina. “Our strengths complement one another. We also both enjoy interacting with the parents and watching the kids’ confidence build. Seeing their artistic styles emerge at a young age is beautiful to see.”

For more information about Art Innovators, visit: oc55.artinnovators.com or www.facebook.com/artinnovators55

Published in the Jul/Aug 2016 edition of the Old Towne Orange Plaza Review

Written by Julie Bawden-Davis, Photograph by William Wallace

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Inside Art A Major Collection in Our Neighborhood Phyllis and Rose Escalette

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To view a major collection of art you usually have to buy admission to a museum, but Old Towne residents need only visit Chapman University. There on campus is the Phyllis and Ross Escalette Permanent Collection of Art consisting of more than 700 pieces of contemporary works.

“The collection, which features many Southern California artists, is unique in that you come across it as you make your way through campus,” says Chapman’s collection manager David Michael Lee. “It’s an organic approach to displaying art that makes it accessible.”

Chapman’s curator Maggi Owens started the collection in 2000. “At the time, I had a modest budget, so I sought donations,” she says. “Artists were happy to donate and be part of the collection, and we obtained some wonderful pieces as a result.” (Since 2009, a $2 million endowment donated by Phyllis and Ross Escalette of Newport Beach has supported the collection.)

One especially striking painting Owens procured via donation is “Station,” by Mary Addison Hackett, who resided in Los Angeles when she painted the piece and currently has a studio in Nashville. The colorful abstract is an oil on canvas that measures 60 x 48 inches and hangs in Beckman Hall, where a large concentration of the collection is located.

“When I visited Hackett’s studio, that piece hit me immediately,” says Owens. “The colors blend so well, and there are a lot of angles to the piece, which gives it depth. I also like the movement. She’s a very good artist, and her work adds value to the collection.”

Lee agrees that the piece makes a powerful addition. “The painting features an explosion of color, and it’s a great example of abstraction,” he says.

Hackett decided to donate “Station” when she saw that Chapman had collected works by artists whom she respects. “I wanted the painting to be cared for within a collection where it would be seen and hopefully inspire others,” she says. “The diversity and breadth of Chapman’s collection is an amazing resource for encouraging dialogue and gives students the opportunity to see art as a respected staple of daily life.”

Hackett painted “Station” in 2008 while concentrating on large scale pieces. “At the time, I was interested in ideas surrounding landscape, architecture and technology,” she says. “The painting is not inspired by a particular event, but if it were, it might be something slightly futuristic. I remember the blue needed to convey an enveloping thickness. The title could reference a space station, a resting point between two places, or any other connotation of the word station.”

Hackett’s work has shown in numerous California venues, as well as nationally and internationally. She’s exhibited at Torrance Art Museum, Kristi Engle Gallery in Los Angeles and Irvine Fine Arts Center. According to the artist, her work is prompted by her experiences, actual or embellished events and memories from her life.

“My first influence was my family. They gave me books and subscriptions to art magazines like ARTnews and Art in America when I was still in single digits,” she says. “When I started painting, the Neo-expressionists were a major influence, but then I spent the 1990s in Chicago where there was a dearth of painting and an abundance of theory. I moved to LA in 2000, and suddenly I was in an oasis of painting.” A sampling of that oasis can now be seen at Chapman.

Published in the May/Jun 2012 edition of the Old Towne Orange Plaza Review

Written by Julie Bawden-Davis, Artwork image provided by Chapman University

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Inside Art With Judy Schroeder

[vc_row][vc_column][vc_custom_heading text=”Inside Art With Judy Schroeder”][vc_single_image image=”378″ img_size=”full”][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]Growing up in Escondido’s countryside during the 1940s and 1950s on an avocado and orange grove, Judy Schroeder kept herself busy with art. She drew clothing for her paper dolls, created small paintings for her room and each month when Ford Times Magazine arrived, she couldn’t wait to see the paintings reproduced in the little magazine. The digest-sized publication featuring watercolor illustrations by well-known artists of the time intrigued the budding artist.

“The publication was the perfect size for a kid,” says the professional watercolorist, who owns Schroeder Studio Gallery in Orange, which specializes in water media. “I didn’t read a word, but I pulled the watercolor illustrations out of the magazine. I especially remember admiring the work of influential California watercolorist Rex Brandt.”

California’s Watercolorists

That early interest in the art of watercolor compelled Schroeder to gain an education in art and forge a career in the craft. She has taken lessons from notable watercolorists, including Brandt, Roger Armstrong, Gerald Brommer, Keith Crown, Millard Sheets, Robert E. Wood and Milford Zornes. Today she is a recognized painter and author and teaches art at the gallery, which she opened in 1998 in Old Towne and runs with her daughter Katie Schroeder, also an artist. The busy gallery, which specializes in watercolors and art glass, represents the work of more than 100 artists from around the country and regularly holds receptions and offers educational workshops from well-known artists.

Schroeder’s work, which also includes integrated collage, has appeared in individual and group exhibitions and is collected. In 2003, she participated as one of 17 artists selected worldwide to write a chapter for the book Work Small, Learn Big: Sketching with Pen & Watercolor. Closer to home, in 2006 the Orange Public Library Foundation commissioned her to create 13 paintings displayed at the main library representing Orange’s history.

Painting on Location

Harkening back to her roots in the country, Schroeder’s subject matter tends to be landscapes, which she prefers to paint on location. Though she has painted in some picturesque spots all over the world, including, France, Italy, Portugal and Western Samoa, she finds equally compelling material in Old Towne.

“I just walk out of the studio and around the corner,” says Schroeder, who has painted Plaza Park many times. The painting in this issue of the Chapman Chapel on Maple and Grand is another example.

Chapman Chapel

Schroeder drew the chapel painting on location using an ink brush and then added watercolor. “The brush creates fine lines that seem to dance on the page,” she says. “With the painting of the church, I put the tree in first and noticed that it was looking a little thin. I thought about filling it in, but decided to leave it as is, and I’m glad I did, because today the tree is gone.”

The painting is not Schroeder’s first of the church, which reminds her of a tiny chapel she attended as a child. She often returns to the same scenes in Old Towne to capture varying perspectives. “When you change a vantage point, you often see something new,” she says. “I enjoy tackling challenges in the scenes I paint. With the chapel, the tower is prominent and can take over the painting if you’re not careful.”

Schroeder also enjoys painting on location in Orange because of the rich history of many of the buildings, including Chapman Chapel, which was originally Trinity Episcopal Church and dates back to 1909. “It was the first church designed by the well-known architect Philip H. Frohman when he was a young man,” she says. “Frohman went on to gain fame working on the Washington National Cathedral.

Even when she is painting the same scene, Schroeder strives to challenge herself. “It’s important to continually give yourself problems to solve, because it’s the only way you’re going to grow as an artist,” she says.

Gerald Brommer at Schroeder Galleries

Renowned California watercolorist Gerald Brommer knows Schroeder and holds art workshops throughout the world, including Schroeder’s Studio Gallery. “Judy selects her subject matter well, and she does an especially good job with those subjects close to home,” he says. “She loves the state, and it comes through in her work. Her California paintings are some of her strongest.”

Working on location is another part of Schroeder’s formula for pushing herself. Painting amid the hustle and bustle of a scene when things could change in a moment’s notice presents its challenges, but Schroeder enjoys getting the full effect of the scene. “It’s exciting to be on location; you can smell things and touch them, and you’re not limited to memory or a photo.”

Schroeder also finds the artist’s community at the gallery, including her many students, to be invigorating and to benefit her art. “Teaching and painting feed one another,” says Schroeder, who has a B.A. with a Special Secondary teaching Credential in art from the University of Redlands. “When students realize that they can actually paint and begin noticing things they never did before, that inspires me. People walk around with blinders on when it comes to the colors and shapes around them, and it’s a privilege to watch them take them off.”

For more information about Schroeder Studio Gallery, visit schroederstudio.com.

Published in the April 2013 edition of the Old Towne Orange Plaza Review

Written by Julie Bawden-Davis, Photograph by Jeanine Hill, Artwork by Judy Schroeder

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Grow Epiphyllum in your Spring Garden

(FreeImages.com/Tracy Toh)

It’s always delightful to see a flower bloom in the garden, but when it comes to the flowering cactus, epiphyllum, there’s something magical about the experience. Maybe it’s the fact that this gorgeous flower comes from such a plain looking plant. In many ways, it’s a beauty and the beast kind of pairing.

Commonly known as epies or orchid cacti, these tropical cactuses originated in the jungles, where they attach their roots to trees. Their foliage may be forgettable, but their blooms are breathtaking. Truly, few other flowers can match the epiphyllum.

(FreeImages.com/Tibor Fazakas)

These tropical (as opposed to desert) cacti have flat, notched succulent stems that are spineless. These stems often trail, which makes the plant look attractive in hanging baskets. Epiphyllum will also scale walls.

Epie flowers range in size from small (the size of a quarter) to 12 inches across. They come in a wide variety of stunning colors, including pink, lavender, red, white, orange and yellow. Epiphyllums usually bloom from April through June. The blooms are short-lived, lasting just one to three days.

(Julie Bawden-Davis)

Despite sporting head-turning flowers, epies are surprisingly easy to grow. To have luck growing epiphyllum in your spring garden, keep the following cultivation tips in mind.

Provide proper lighting. Epies require morning sun and afternoon shade or filtered, bright light throughout the day.

(FreeImages.com/Tracy Toh)

Water correctly. Avoid letting epies dry out completely, but don’t grow them in soggy soil. Under- or overwatering will lead to bud drop and poor growth. Wait until the top two inches of soil has dried and then water the epiphyllum well. Ensure that the growing container has sufficient drainage holes and gives the plant just enough room to grow. Too big of a pot will lead to excess wet soil and root rot.

(FreeImages.com/Tibor Fazakas)

Grow epies in a well-draining potting soil that retains some moisture. Look for a potting soil that has drainage agents, such as bark, pumice or perlite, as well as ingredients that retain water, including compost and peat moss. A good mix is 2 parts potting soil to 1 part perlite to 1 part orchid bark.

Fertilize regularly. Regular feeding is key to healthy epie growth and lots of blooms. Feed epiphyllum spring through fall with an organic fertilizer designed for flowering plants.

(Julie Bawden-Davis)

Watch out for pests. The most troublesome pests for the epie are snails and slugs, which love to dine on the fleshy foliage. Handpick the snails at night or set out bait that is nontoxic to pets and people.

Julie Bawden-Davis is a garden writer and master gardener, who since 1985 has written for publications such as Organic Gardening, The American Gardener, Wildflower, Better Homes and Gardens and The Los Angeles Times. She is the author of 10 books, including Reader’s Digest Flower Gardening, Fairy Gardening, The Strawberry Story Series, and Indoor Gardening the Organic Way, and is the founder of HealthyHouseplants.com.

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