Does your home need a pick-me-up this spring? Maximize your home?s value by using its equity to make updates and improvements. We still offer a great rate on flexible Home Equity Lines of Credit and fixed Home Equity Loans. Find out how to make the most of your greatest asset ? your home. Home-improvement junkies, have fun!
You may want to improve your home to increase its value when you?re ready to sell. The home improvement project that received the highest value on return was a replacement steel entry door, which recouped over 102% of its cost nationally. Another exterior project that had strong numbers was a garage door replacement, for which homeowners in many cities received close to 84% of their costs. Siding and window replacements came in at around 72%.
Smart Money?confirms that green updates also add value to your home.
Although installation can be pricey, about 65% to 76% of the cost can be made up when putting new, energy-efficient windows and doors in your home. Continuing with the outdoor theme, the addition of a wood deck brought homeowners 73% of their cost outlay when they sold their home.
As for interior improvements, a kitchen remodel still remains strong in regaining costs. It is interesting to note that a ?minor? kitchen remodel, such as replacing cabinet fronts, adding new hardware, installing energy-efficient appliances, changing laminate countertops, and installing a moderately priced faucet and sink can increase home value around 4% more than can a ?major? kitchen remodel, which includes adding a 3?5-foot island, stainless-steel double sink, ventilation system, built-in microwave, garbage disposal, custom lighting and new flooring. A homeowner can expect to recover about 73% of investments with a ?minor? kitchen upgrade versus 69% with a ?major? kitchen upgrade. Some of the other high-return-on-investment projects include an attic bedroom (72%) and a basement remodel (70%). Bathroom additions and bathroom remodels came in at 53% and 64%, respectively. One additional interesting point that came out of the study is that cost vs. value varies by area of the country. For example, a major kitchen remodel in Los Angeles returned 77% of its cost, whereas the same remodel in Pittsburgh only returned 69%.
Whatever the project, we can provide the foundation for you to get started. Talk to us about our Home Equity products today; call us at 508-481-8300 or visit our Equity TLC page to find out about our different loan products. When you?re ready, we?ll be here to guide you in the right direction.
Consortium formed around stem cell research in inland Southern CaliforniaPublic release date: 4-May-2012 [ | E-mail | Share ]
Contact: Iqbal Pittalwala iqbal@ucr.edu 951-827-6050 University of California - Riverside
3 local universities join hands to bring increased visibility to stem cell research in the region
RIVERSIDE, Calif. Stem cell research laboratories at the University of California, Riverside, Loma Linda University and the California State University at San Bernardino have formed the "Inland Empire Stem Cell Consortium" to enhance collaboration among the three universities and bring focus to stem cell work being done in inland Southern California.
The consortium also will enhance student education in stem cell biology, and educate and inform the public, through outreach, about stem cell research in the region.
"During the past five years, the consortium universities have developed stem cell research and teaching programs, and this is a wonderful time for the campuses to collaborate and take advantage of our complementary expertise in stem cell biology and to share our technical expertise in this research area," said Prue Talbot, the director of the UC Riverside Stem Cell Center. "With this consortium, we now have more labs for outreach participation. We think that communication with citizens of the Inland Empire is important and that they need access to accurate information on stem cell biology."
Launched on April 25, the consortium will broaden research opportunities and identify new collaborations for future research projects and grant proposals. It will open up opportunities for new grant proposals, including training grants, that will be more competitive because of the consortium's large base of stem cell biologists. It will also enhance opportunities for students to meet other stem cell researchers and gain exposure to new methodologies that may exist only on one of the three campuses.
"We plan to cross list courses between the consortium campuses," Talbot said. "For example, UCR offers about seven courses in stem cell biology," Talbot said. "Students from Loma Linda or Cal State San Bernardino could tap into this educational opportunity through cross listing. Likewise, UCR students could take courses at Loma Linda that are not offered on our campus."
The consortium began last week with a poster session and lunch at UCR to allow its members to meet each other and learn about stem cell work on the three campuses. The consortium is sponsoring seminars during the remainder of the spring quarter, held at noon on Wednesdays in the Genomics Auditorium at UCR. Arrangements are being made for these seminars to be teleconferenced to the other two campuses.
"We plan also to have a poster session on an annual basis, which will be rotated among the consortium campuses," Talbot said.
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The University of California, Riverside (www.ucr.edu) is a doctoral research university, a living laboratory for groundbreaking exploration of issues critical to Inland Southern California, the state and communities around the world. Reflecting California's diverse culture, UCR's enrollment has exceeded 20,500 students. The campus will open a medical school in 2013 and has reached the heart of the Coachella Valley by way of the UCR Palm Desert Center. The campus has an annual statewide economic impact of more than $1 billion. A broadcast studio with fiber cable to the AT&T Hollywood hub is available for live or taped interviews. UCR also has ISDN for radio interviews. To learn more, call (951) UCR-NEWS.
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AAAS and EurekAlert! are not responsible for the accuracy of news releases posted to EurekAlert! by contributing institutions or for the use of any information through the EurekAlert! system.
Consortium formed around stem cell research in inland Southern CaliforniaPublic release date: 4-May-2012 [ | E-mail | Share ]
Contact: Iqbal Pittalwala iqbal@ucr.edu 951-827-6050 University of California - Riverside
3 local universities join hands to bring increased visibility to stem cell research in the region
RIVERSIDE, Calif. Stem cell research laboratories at the University of California, Riverside, Loma Linda University and the California State University at San Bernardino have formed the "Inland Empire Stem Cell Consortium" to enhance collaboration among the three universities and bring focus to stem cell work being done in inland Southern California.
The consortium also will enhance student education in stem cell biology, and educate and inform the public, through outreach, about stem cell research in the region.
"During the past five years, the consortium universities have developed stem cell research and teaching programs, and this is a wonderful time for the campuses to collaborate and take advantage of our complementary expertise in stem cell biology and to share our technical expertise in this research area," said Prue Talbot, the director of the UC Riverside Stem Cell Center. "With this consortium, we now have more labs for outreach participation. We think that communication with citizens of the Inland Empire is important and that they need access to accurate information on stem cell biology."
Launched on April 25, the consortium will broaden research opportunities and identify new collaborations for future research projects and grant proposals. It will open up opportunities for new grant proposals, including training grants, that will be more competitive because of the consortium's large base of stem cell biologists. It will also enhance opportunities for students to meet other stem cell researchers and gain exposure to new methodologies that may exist only on one of the three campuses.
"We plan to cross list courses between the consortium campuses," Talbot said. "For example, UCR offers about seven courses in stem cell biology," Talbot said. "Students from Loma Linda or Cal State San Bernardino could tap into this educational opportunity through cross listing. Likewise, UCR students could take courses at Loma Linda that are not offered on our campus."
The consortium began last week with a poster session and lunch at UCR to allow its members to meet each other and learn about stem cell work on the three campuses. The consortium is sponsoring seminars during the remainder of the spring quarter, held at noon on Wednesdays in the Genomics Auditorium at UCR. Arrangements are being made for these seminars to be teleconferenced to the other two campuses.
"We plan also to have a poster session on an annual basis, which will be rotated among the consortium campuses," Talbot said.
###
The University of California, Riverside (www.ucr.edu) is a doctoral research university, a living laboratory for groundbreaking exploration of issues critical to Inland Southern California, the state and communities around the world. Reflecting California's diverse culture, UCR's enrollment has exceeded 20,500 students. The campus will open a medical school in 2013 and has reached the heart of the Coachella Valley by way of the UCR Palm Desert Center. The campus has an annual statewide economic impact of more than $1 billion. A broadcast studio with fiber cable to the AT&T Hollywood hub is available for live or taped interviews. UCR also has ISDN for radio interviews. To learn more, call (951) UCR-NEWS.
[ | E-mail | Share ]
?
AAAS and EurekAlert! are not responsible for the accuracy of news releases posted to EurekAlert! by contributing institutions or for the use of any information through the EurekAlert! system.
'I'd like everyone to stay,' Lorne Michaels says, addressing rumors that Kristen Wiig, Andy Samberg and Jason Sudeikis are leaving the show. By Jocelyn Vena
Kristen Wiig and Darrell Hammond on "Saturday Night Live" Photo: NBC
Last month, there were rumors that "Saturday Night Live" standouts Kristen Wiig, Andy Samberg and Jason Sudeikis might not be back for another season of the late-night staple. Wiig teased her possible exit in an interview with Alec Baldwin, while Samberg and Sudeikis have remained tight-lipped on their rumored departures.
On Wednesday, during a conference call about this weekend's Eli Manning/ Rihanna episode, the show's boss, Lorne Michaels, confirmed there would be some cast shakeups next season but didn't specify how they would take shape.
"I'm not really certain myself," he told reporters when asked whether there would be any exits. "I know there will be some, but it's just sort of the nature of the way we work that no one kind of talks about it until the season's done. Needless to say, I'd like everyone to stay. Did that avoid that question successfully?"
While he didn't want to fully commit to commenting on the future of the three actors on "SNL," he did share that fresh meat would be brought in to liven up the cast for next season. "Every summer, we go out and make the rounds of Chicago and L.A. and New York and various other places where people do this kind of work, and invariably that leads to somebody joining [the cast]," he teased. "The show has always been about bringing new people in."
With the season nearing an end, fans might not have to wait much longer to find out who will stay and who will go. But before any announcements are made, it seems the show has plans for this season to wrap with a bang. Per the show's Twitter page, Will Ferrell and Usher will be on hand for the May 11 episode and Mick "Moves Like" Jagger will pull double-duty on the May 19 season finale.
Who do you hope sticks around for another season? Let us know in the comments!
Cameron Diaz surprised fans when she stepped out with her super-short bob hairstyle last December, but the truth is that she was just as shocked as everyone else by the new 'do.
"And then I realize: I'd left Brooklyn in the kitchen," she says. "I was driving along, talking away, and all the sudden, I looked at the front seat, and I was like, 'S---! S---! I've forgot something!'"
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Public release date: 4-May-2012
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