Issue 5

Family, Kids, & Pets

7 Outdoor Activities
for Kids this Summer
Page 8

In this Issue
10 The Fayetteville Ale Trail
14 Container Gardening
 CONTENTS

5 Finance & Equity

Jason Carter
Choosing Between Fixed-Rate and Adjustable-Rate Mortgages

6 Buying & Selling

Misty McMullen
4 Tips for Selling Your Home in the Summer

8 Family, Kids, & Pets Have you seen

the new MyHomeNWA.com?
Kate Carter
7 Outdoor Activities for Kids this Summer

10 Dining & Entertaining

NEW Full-Service Location in Fayetteville!
The Fayetteville Ale Trail

12 Building & Fixing

Jon Brittenum
3 Things to Consider Before Building First Bank
a Custom Home 1450 E. Zion Rd. Suite 10
Fayetteville, AR 72703
13 Design & Decr
Jared Lowder
Get Creative with Removable Wallpapers Also located:
3710 Southern Hills Blvd, Suite 100
14 Lawn & Garden Rogers, Arkansas 72758
Ben Babcock
Container Gardening 200 North Progress, Suite 100
Siloam Springs, Arkansas 72761

My Home in NWA is published monthly to provide home owner advice to residents in Northwest Arkansas.
Editorial office: 1023 E. Millsap Road, Suite 1, Fayetteville, AR 72703; (479) 287-4006; info@whytespyder.com.
For editorial submissions, subscriptions or advertising, please visit MyHomeNWA.com
11078 S. Highway 16, Elkins, AR 72727
$300,000
Description: Expansive, 5 bedroom house and
30x50 shop with brick exterior and large office.
3874 square feet with updated kitchen, large
master suite on main floor and 4 bedrooms. 10.5
cleared acres with mountain view and 2 small
ponds; perfect for small hobby farm or horses.
Oversized 2 car attached garage with huge
storage room. Home warranty included.
479.601.5799
TAMI FAGAN tami.fagan@
crye-leike.com
Finance & Equity
Choosing Between Fixed-Rate and Adjustable-Rate Mortgages
By Jason Carter
The difference between a fixed-rate and an
adjustable-rate mortgage is the amount of time
the interest rate of the loan is fixed. With a
fixed-rate mortgage, the interest rate is locked
in at origination and will remain fixed for life
of the loan. With an adjustable-rate mortgage,
the interest rate remains fixed for a set amount
of time but then may change based on the
market rates at the time of the rate adjustment.
Due to the higher risk associated with an
adjustable-rate mortgage, the initial interest
rate is generally lower than the fixed-rate
option. Some borrowers may feel that a
lower interest rate is worth the gamble, but
thats not always the case. Interest rates are
unpredictable. A low interest rate may seem
to be worth the risk now, but what happens
when the rate adjusts and the payment on
the loan increases significantly? This is a
risk that must be carefully weighed. If you
dont plan on being in the house when the
rate adjusts, or your plan is to pay off the
mortgage prior to the first rate adjustment,
then an adjustable-rate mortgage might be a
good option.
The best advice is to go with the worst-case
scenario. If you have concerns that you will
myHomeNWA.com
still be paying on the mortgage after the
interest rate adjusts, its probably better to
go with the fixed-rate option. Having the
security of consistent mortgage payments
makes it easier to plan for the future. You
will also have the option of refinancing if
interest rates go down while youre paying
your existing mortgage.
As always, seeking advice from a
knowledgeable loan officer can help you
make the best decision for your situation. For
more information on how to choose between
fixed and adjustable-rate mortgages, call
Simply Home Lending today.
Jason Carter
Loan Officer
Simply Home Lending
Having been in the lending
business for over 10 years, Jason
has extensive knowledge of the
secondary market for placing your
long-term financing. By accumulating
all of his experience, he has
developed great relationships
with investors and other people
in this industry. He takes these
relationships and produces positive
results to pass along to
jcarter@
simplyhomelending.com
5

Buying & Selling
4 Tips for Selling Your Home in the Summer
By Misty McMullen
W hile every house differs in what time
it should be placed on the market,
its no secret that summer is when people
are looking to buy. With many homes in
the area on the market at the same time, its
important to find ways to set your house
apart from the competition. Follow these
simple tips to get your house in the best
shape for viewings this summer.
Remember the Yard
Whether youre still occupying the home
or have already moved, you cannot forget
to keep your lawn maintained throughout
the summer. Your yard is the first thing
people will see when they drive by and
you dont want tall grass and neglected
flower beds to distract from the appeal of
your home. If you no longer live at the
house, consider hiring a lawn service to
keep up with the mowing and landscaping.
While you dont necessarily need to do
6 My Home in Northwest Arkansas
anything drastic or expensive, you do want
to ensure that potential buyers see a great
place for family gatherings and not a lot of
work they will need to do.
Get it Clean
Just as a well-maintained yard attracts
buyers, so does a well-maintained house.
You might be surprised at the things
buyers look at in a home and what can
drive them away from a property that
meets all of their requirements. Things
like dirty air conditioning units, scratched
base boards and stained carpet can make
buyers hesitant to make an offer. Spend
some time cleaning those hard-to-reach
places and touch up those scratches youve
gotten used to over the years. It might
make the difference in the selling price
and how long it stays on the market.
Keep it Simple
When a potential buyer enters a home,
they need to be able to envision it as their
own. This requires you to remove most,
if not all, of your personal belongings.
If youre still living in the house you
can certainly keep the things required
to live comfortably, but should remove
unnecessary items. Take down family
photos and get a storage unit for your
extra bedding and other items taking up
space in your closets. You want people to
feel like theres enough room in the house
for them and closets full of winter coats
wont look spacious. This isnt to say you
have to create a completely blank slate
though. Theres no way you can anticipate
what the next owner has or wants and
buyers should be able to look past paint
colors and curtains if they arent in line
with their own style.
Be Flexible
The easiest, but often overlooked, way
to get your house to sell faster is to make
it available for showings. If youre too
restrictive on what times people can see the
house, you limit the number of people who
myHomeNWA.com
actually see it. Keep in mind that your goal
is to sell the house. Keep it ready to see
and have a reasonable expectation about
the notice you need before a showing.
Work with your real estate agent while
marketing your home. They are there to
guide you through the process and every
step is important to getting your home sold.
Northwest Arkansas housing market
is very healthy right now and if youre
thinking about putting your home on the
market, now is the time to do so. Contact a
real estate agent today to start developing a
strategy to get your home sold this summer.
Misty McMullen
Real Estate Agent
Weichert-Griffin Realtors
Misty has been involved
with home design for
many years and believes
in being an advocate for
home buyers and sellers.
She will do anything she
can to help people find
the perfect home.
479.595.5552
misty@weichertgriffin.com
7

Family, Kids, & Pets
7 Outdoor Activities for Kids this Summer
By Kate Carter
The kids are out of school for summer
break and theyre going to need something to
keep them occupied. There are myriad summer
camps and activities to sign up for in the area,
but those get costly and can require a lot of
time in transport. So, what can be done at
home besides TV and video games? Here are
some fun and inexpensive ideas to keep kids
entertained at home this summer.
1 Make it Rain
Turn on a sprinkler, grab some umbrellas
and pretend like its raining. This can be a
stationary sprinkler, but using the built-in
yard sprinkler system and setting it on rotate
makes it even more fun. You never know
where its going to rain next.
8 My Home in Northwest Arkansas
2 Bouncing Ideas
Water the children while theyre jumping on
the trampoline. This is fun for both the kids
and the parent because you can really hose
them down if theyve been particularly hard
to handle that day. Add in a twist and set a
steady stream of water for the kids to bounce
over. Kids usually love drawing on the
trampoline with sidewalk chalk too because it
shows up so well.
3 Slippin and Dippin
The Slip-N-Slide and plastic pools are
summer staples. Theyre fun enough right out
of the box, but consider adding liquid soap to
the Slip-N-Slide to kick it up a notch.
Not only is it super fast, but the kids get
clean while they get dirty. Hose them off and
shower time is taken care of. You can also
add shaving cream to the end of the slide, but
thats kind of a disaster to clean up.
4 Bombs Away
Water balloons are a must. You can get no-tie
water balloons at Walmart or Dilly Dallys Toy
Store. Those help get to the fun much faster.
Traditional water balloon fights are great, but
kids also enjoy making shooting range targets
on the wood fence with chalk. You can also
use water guns and make a contest out of it.
5 Good Clean Fun Fight back the urge to
Have the kids help wash the cars. Theyll
say no, and let kids be
even bring out their bikes and toys and clean
kids as long as theyre
them up. If you want this free labor, though,
there is a catch. NO RULES. They actually safe. Dirt comes out in
do a pretty good job. the wash and wet kids will
eventually dry one way or
6 Follow the Arrows the other.
This game is really a modification of hide-
and-seek and doesnt require getting wet. Be prepared to host some
The kid being found draws chalk arrows on
the ground that lead to where theyre hiding.
impromptu neighborhood
This continues all up and down the street and get-togethers because
theyll definitely need more than a 10-second nothing attracts a crowd
head start for this one. like laughing children.
7 Go Hunting
Scavenger hunts are a great way to keep the
kids happy for a long period of time. Find
something brown. Find something prickly.
Find something sticky. There really arent
any bad ideas except for find something
sharp or stinky.
Kate Carter
Mother of Three
Kate Carter is married to Jason and mother to Edie (2), McCoy (6) and Liza (8). She is a
graduate of the University of Arkansas and has lived in Fayetteville for the past 16 years.
9
 Dining & Entertaining
The Fayetteville Ale Trail Breweries About the

Currently, the Ale Trail consists of eight local Columbus House Brewery
breweries. Each location has something different Master Brewers: Carey Ashworth,

T he Fayetteville Ale Trail is a self-guided to offer patrons, so make sure you visit them all! Jason Corral & Sam Morgan
tour of eight breweries that expands across
Washington and Benton Counties. Established Apple Blossom Brewing Company Saddlebock Brewery
in August 2013, this tourist attraction has Master Brewer: Nathan Traw Master Brewer: Steve Rehbock
gained a lot of participation from both tourists
and residents. Core Brewing and Distilling Co. West Mountain Brewing Company
Master Brewer: Jesse Core Master Brewer: John Schmuecker
How it Works
Ozark Beer Company
To take part in the Ale Trail, all you need Bike Rack Brewing Master Brewer: Andy Coates
is a passport. These are available for free at Brewmaster: Joe Zucca
the Fayetteville Visitors Bureau, all brewery
locations or on the Fayetteville Ale Trail Fossil Cove Brewing Co.
website. Once you have your passport, take Master Brewer: Ben Mills
it with you to every craft brewery location
and get it stamped while you try signature
brews and get to know the local beer artists.
Once youve collected stamps from all of the
locations, you can either drop it off or mail it to
the Fayetteville Visitors Bureau. You will then
receive a complimentary bumper sticker and
bottle opener as your prize.

Why it Started
The concept behind the ale trail is the growing
popular trend of culinary beer tourism. The
Fayetteville Visitors Bureau saw this as a great
tourism initiative and a way to promote the city
and local breweries. While a love of craft beer
is always a good thing to have, participants do
not have to be craft beer connoisseurs. Many
Ale Trail breweries are beginning to hold
educational sessions to help ease people into
the taste of craft beer and educate them on the
art of making it.

The Fayetteville Ale Trail is promoted

and organized by the Fayetteville
Visitors Bureau. For more information,
please call (479) 521-5776 or visit
FayettevilleAleTrail.com.

10 My Home in Northwest Arkansas myHomeNWA.com 11

 Building & Fixing
3 Things to Consider Before Building a Custom Home
By Jon Brittenum
Building a custom home can be a complicated
process, but doesnt have to be completely stressful.
By doing some research and pre-planning, home
owners can make their dream home a reality while
actually enjoying the process. The more prepared
you are before starting, the easier time youll have.
What You Want
People who want a custom home often get
bogged down in the design process. While
its easy to decide you want something
based on a photo online, its often difficult
to bring those separate items together in a
way that will make sense to your builder.
Consider working with a professional
designer or find a contractor who has a
design team to help make this process
easier. Your builder wants to make sure
you get everything you want in your new
home and working with a designer will
simplify this process.
What You Can Afford
As with any home, price dictates quality.
Being realistic about your financial
situation will ensure youre not building
something too large for your needs or
sacrificing quality work for size. Being
pre-approved for a construction loan will
help make the building process easier as
well since you wont have to delay the
schedule while you wait for funding.
Jon Brittenum
President
Brittenum Construction
Jon Brittenum started Brittenum Construction Company, Inc. in 1995 and specializes in
residential and commercial construction in the Northwest Arkansas area. He works with
quality subcontractors and a specialized design team to make the custom home building
process as easy as possible for his clients.
479.582.8732
12 My Home in Northwest Arkansas
Who You Want to Work With
Finding the right builder requires a little
bit of work but is worth it in the end.
Research builders in your area and ask
around. Reputation is very important in
this business and you will quickly be able
to determine if a builder is someone you
want to work with. Once youve found
builders youre interested in, interview
them. Determine if they have experience
with homes in the style and size you desire.
See what kind of subcontractors they have
and services they offer. You want to be sure
youre working with someone who knows
how to build exactly what you want.
Once youve determined these three things,
you can start working with your builder
to make your dreams a reality. Work with
your builder throughout the process and
make sure you communicate what you
want. By keeping in contact with your
builder and trusting their expertise, youll
be in your new home before you know it.
Design & Decr
Get Creative with Removable Wallpapers
By James & James
Pick Your Style
Do I need to match the wall to the
furniture? Do I need to choose the most
common and timeless patterns? Absolutely
not! The good thing about removable
wallpaper is that you get to experiment.
There are plenty of design options to
choose from that will fit any room and
personality. If you are installing the
wallpaper for the first time, choosing an
abstract design might be the best way to
go. Wallpapers with asymmetrical patterns
look contemporary and also hide any
installation mistakes. Draw inspiration
from the multitude of design options and
have fun designing.
Prepare for Installation
Removable wallpaper doesnt require
additional assistance for installation or
removal, but does require a few steps
to ensure it will stay in place. Your
installation kit only needs to be comprised
of a tape measure, large sponge, utility
knife and plastic smoother. Use lukewarm
water with a few drops of mild cleaning
soap to wipe away anything sticking to the
wall surface. Wipe the wall completely dry
before proceeding.
myHomeNWA.com
Removable wallpaper is a great option for
homeowners looking to give their homes
a new look. Age-old wallpaper that has
adorned homes for generations is now
a thing of the past. Instead of spending
time and money on permanent wallpaper,
easily update your space by incorporating
removable wallpaper into your design.
Apply the Paper
After measuring your walls and cutting the
panels, you can begin placing the wallpaper
onto the wall. When you apply the panels,
allow a 1-inch overlap between them. Peel
off about 2 inches of the backing from
the top corners, adhere the wallpaper and
carefully pull off the rest of the backing.
No matter how much caution you practice,
bubbles are sure to emerge. Carefully
smooth them out and run your fingers over
the wallpaper to fix the creases.
Removable wallpaper is an easy-to-use
product that can update any space. It is
easy to install, removes easily without
damaging the surface its on and comes
in various design options. Tap into the
world of interior design and easily display
your unique style with these easy, safe and
colorful design options.
Jared Lowder
Director of Sales & Marketing
James + James
After 7 years in the non-profit
sector, Jared Lowder started
with James+James as a design
consultant and became the National
Director of Sales and Marketing in
less than a year.
479.633.7557
13
Lawn & Garden
Container Gardening
By Ben Babcock

C ontainer gardening simply means planting

in a pot, box or any other mobile vessel that
sits on the ground. Container planting adds to
the wow factor of your home and allows for
the garden experience in a limited space. There
are a number of considerations that will help
increase your chances of successful planting.

Starting Out
Get a planter from a local garden center and
choose some good soil. Look for a lightweight
potting mix that supports both soft pedal and
more hearty plants. Adding a 25% ratio of
organic mushroom compost to the soil adds to
the vitality of your plants and eliminates the
need to fertilize.
Homes starting in the
Local Considerations
Spacing doesnt matter as much as you $340,000s
Container planting in Northwest Arkansas can
would think with flowers. Its really personal
be tricky. Some of our elements can quickly do Fayetteville School District
preference if you want to crowd them up or
in a planter unless you take precautions. For
leave some space to grow. Vegetables will
Minimum square footage is 3,000
those who live in more wooded areas, deer love Hand scraped hardwoord floors
require more space to spread out. Remember,
to stop by for a snack. You cant fence in the Thick crown molding and baseboards
the more root balls you have, the more water
deer, but you can cage your plants. Introducing Creek Meadow
youll need to provide. 10 foot ceilings
High wind is a problem for unsheltered
Centrally located in Fayetteville the Large windows
For all of these reasons, just ripping a picture new Buffington Homes community of Archways throughout
planters. Get a heavy cement pot or add rocks Creek Meadow Estates offers luxurious,
out of a garden magazine and saying, I want Granite in kitchen, master bath, &
to the soil to add weight. Choose plants that spacious and open floor plans on large
this, probably wont work. Choose carefully secondary baths
are a little tougher than average and dont have lots surrounded by beautiful, naturesque
a high center of gravity. Cascading plants like
what you put in your pot and youll add Large closets
appeal and send the message that you take scenery. All floor plans come complete Open and spacious floorplans
Verbena are great under these conditions. with an extensive list of trending and
pride in your home.
Planting Tips
stylish features. Creek Meadow also Neighborhood Amenities
If there is going to be a main plant in your pot,
provides convenient, quick and easy Tree lined streets with sidewalks for
Ben Babcock access both north and south from I-49 walking and riding bicycles
first decide if you want it to be year-around or
seasonal. Either way, plant it first. Then, plant
Owner
Benjamin Babcock Landscaping
and Hwy 112. Audubon Preserve nwarkaudubon.org
the rest of your seasonal flowers around it. The
Benjamin Babcock is a graduate
of the University of Arkansas
Open green space area
and has been a landscaper and
more long-term your plants are, the less money gardener in Northwest Arkansas
youll spend over time. since 2005.
benjaminbabcock@
gmail.com

14 My Home in Northwest Arkansas

Cori Falkner
Buffington Homes of Arkansas | Community Sales Manager | Phone: 479-387-0703
It's the BUSIEST time of the
year for home buying...
Loan Officer

Kelly Tribell
from

479.582.5363
ktribell@simplyhomelending.com

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