Midtown Tulsa Real Estate - Lori Cain

PlaniTulsa and Preserve Midtown: working to keep charm and integrity in midtown Tulsa real estate and neighborhoods

Wednesday March 10, 2010 is the Last Chance for Your Voice to be Heard in Support of PlaniTulsa!

Please take a few moments to go to www.PlaniTulsa.org and read the comments blog. Individuals are asking that language protecting our established neighborhoods be removed from the final document. From the very beginning, citizens clearly indicated they want stable neighborhoods.

Go to YouTube and watch the PreserveMidtown video to see why it is important that we stabilize our neighborhoods.

If you support PlaniTulsa as written and want the new comprehensive plan to include language that protects your neighborhood, please go to www.PlaniTulsa.org and leave your opinion or attend the last citizen's meeting on Wednesday, March 10th at 1:30 p.m. and speak directly to the Planning Commission.

PlaniTulsa and Preserve Midtown: working to keep charm and integrity in midtown Tulsa real estate and neighborhoods

Information courtesty of Preserve Midtown: PreserveMidtown is a grassroots, non-partisan, volunteer community based organization founded in May, 2007.

• We are a resource for resident property owners concerned about neighborhood issues.
• We believe in balanced and compatible residential land use planning.
• We care about growth management including protecting the environment.
• We are concerned about traffic, utility infrastructures and escalationg costs of housing for all Tulsans.
• We support neighborhood-friendly development.

PreserveMidtown Mission: To provide information and advocacy for resident property owners concerning issues affecting their property, neighborhoods and the city of Tulsa.

Preserve Midtown Tulsa Real Estate - build homes that fit the neighborhood!

Lori is a residential Realtor serving the greater Tulsa area, and specializing in midtown Tulsa real estate. Please visit Lori’s web site, LoriCain.com or call 918-852-5036.

This Florence Park bunaglow for sale has possibly the highest pitch roof in the neighborhood. Cozy covered porch invites you right in! Offered at $167,900.

The first thing you’ll notice when you walk into this beautiful bungalow is the stunning vaulted ceiling in the great room. You can fit one tall Christmas tree in this room! The beautiful stone on the art deco fireplace will capture your attention along with the recently finished hardwoods original to the house and the detailed crown molding throughout.

To the right of the great room is a second living area or office with four windows providing much natural light.

The formal dining room is separated from the Great Room and kitchen area by arched doorways and is accented with beautiful crown molding.

The kitchen includes an adjacent breakfast nook with bay windows. The kitchen/nook area has ceramic tile flooring and counter tops are an attractive black granite.

Kitchen cabinets are maple and stainless steel range/oven, vent hood and sink are new. The inside utility is conveniently located off the kitchen area.

The center bedroom is large enough for a queen-size bed, and back bedroom has TWO closets and private entry to back patio. Hardwoods throughout, new light fixtures and ceiling fans throughout.

Yard is fully fenced. Full size two-car detached garage has additional storage in back, and there is also a storage shed in corner of lot. Trees were all recently trimmed by local arborist, Greg Cole. New roof 2010.

• Completely updated 2 bedroom, 1 bath, 2 car detached garage, storage shed
• Fenced back yard
• Refinished Hardwoods throughout (done by Gil DeLozier)
• Fresh paint throughout (Jane Halliwell, Prime Painting & Restoration)
• Trees trimmed (by Tulsa arborist, Greg Cole)
• Crown molding, arched doorways
  
• Vinyl, energy-efficient, tilt windows throughout
• Tile in kitchen and breakfast nook area with bay windows; original tile in bath
• Inside utility
• 2 living areas - one with vaulted ceiling
• Art Deco Fireplace w/gas logs
• Kitchen - maple cabinets, granite counters, new SS appliances
• All new light fixtures and ceiling fans throughout
• New door knobs and door handles throughout (except for original glass ones)
• New hot water heater (2009)
• New insulated exterior metal doors
• New programmable thermostat
• New roof on home and detached garage
• Patio for entertaining; covered front porch
• Brick, English style bungalow

Visit here to see more photos and a virtual tour of this Florence Park bungalow for sale.

Now that you’ve seen this great home, let me tell you a bit about the area and neighborhood!

Florence Park is one of the nicer, yet still affordable historic midtown subdivisions in Tulsa, Oklahoma. Within Florence Park are some of the most beautiful bungalows – architectural wonders, sidewalks, parks and manicured lawns.

Florence Park has always been a special and revered neighborhood within our midtown Tulsa community. The architecture of homes built in the 1920s through mid 1930s is varied and unique - ranging from English style bungalows to adobes to traditional brick. No two homes look the same and you’ll find welcoming side-walks and beautiful old trees.

Within Florence Park are two actual parks. Pratt Park is on the 1600 block of Florence Avenue, and that’s where the Florence Park Neighborhood Association typically has its seasonal get-togethers. There are grills, picnic tables, drinking fountains and play equipment for the kiddos.

The second park, actually named “Florence Park” borders 21st Street between Gary Avenue and Florence Place. It has a water fountain for the kids to enjoy during the hot summer, jungle gym equipment, picnic tables and a tennis court.

Florence Park has an active Neighborhood Association with voluntary dues among residents. Officers and committees meet regularly and general meetings are held on a quarterly basis. Topics discussed include neighborhood safety, park maintenance, tree restoration and historical preservation. A quarterly newsletter is provided.

Florence Park boundaries are from the Broken Arrow expressway (west) to Harvard (east); Cherry Street (or 15th Street, north) to 21st Street (south). Just five blocks south of the University of Tulsa, Florence Park is minutes away from Utica Square Shopping Centre and the hub of popular restaurants on Cherry Street.

Florence Park is truly a tight-knit community within our midtown Tulsa community. We visit as we garden and manicure our lawns and as we walk our dogs. We watch each other’s homes and know when something or someone is out of place in the neighborhood.

It’s a great place to live!

Lori is a residential Realtor serving the greater Tulsa area, and specializing in midtown Tulsa real estate. Please visit Lori’s web site, LoriCain.com or call 918-852-5036.

Homes for Sale in Florence Park in midtown Tulsa, Jan/Feb 2010 and Market Snapshot for Florence Park in midtown Tulsa February 15, 2010* - Florence Park's northern border is 15th Street (Cherry Street); southern border is 21st Street; western border is the Broken Arrow Expressway and eastern border is Harvard.

There are currently 14 single family homes for sale in Florence Park in midtown Tulsa and four homes pending. The listing prices of these homes ranges from $105,000 to $269,000 and the median home price in Florence Park in midtown Tulsa for single family homes pending sale is $193,492.

Click here to request a current list of homes for sale in Florence Park in midtown Tulsa real estate.

As of February 15, 2010, 17 homes sold in Florence Park in midtown Tulsa in the past six months, with the low sales price of $119,000 and high of $317,000 - average sales price of $175,823.

The average size of homes sold in Florence Park in midtown Tulsa is 1,606 square feet, mostly 2 bed, 1 bath, 1 car garage.

Are you interested in what is going on in the hyper-local real estate market at this moment? The market snapshot shows homes for sale and homes recently sold, including price.

If you are buying or selling a home in Florence Park in midtown Tulsa real estate, please contact me as I offer extensive knowledge of the area, an aggressive marketing program and strong negotiation skills. When midtown Tulsa real estate is your focus, please call me!

* Based on information from the Greater Tulsa Association of REALTOR'S® MLS. Display of MLS data is deemed reliable but is not guaranteed accurate by the MLS.

Lori is a residential Realtor serving the greater Tulsa area, and specializing in midtown Tulsa real estate. Please visit Lori’s web site, LoriCain.com or call 918-852-5036.

The Salon at Philtower: Amanda and Ashley style the new within heritage of the old

What better place for my friends Amanda Woolman Burn and Ashley Thompson to open their new salon, but in the lobby of the grand Philtower building - actually in the same corner where a “Barber Shop” existed for many years.

Amanda is a nail technician, offering manicures and pedicures; Ashley is a hair stylist. The two have worked together in various shops over the years, but finally ventured out on their own in one of Tulsa’s finest and most renowned examples of architecture.

Of course, their salon is called quite simply, “The Salon at Philtower.”

Amanda and Ashley's patrons will follow wherever they go, and for some, navigating the one-way streets and downtown parking has been a challenge. But, once you enter the lobby of the magnificent Philtower building, it absolutely takes your breath away.

Built in 1927, the Philtower Building in Tulsa, Oklahoma, represents the late Gothic Revival style embellished with Art Deco details. Located on Boston Avenue, Tulsa’s premiere architectural corridor, it was conceived of as the link between the then-proposed Union Train Station to the north and the soaring Boston Avenue Methodist Church to the south. Features in this amazing 24-story building include marble travertine, brass, mahogany walls and fabulous chandeliers.

The building included on the National Register of Historic Places.

The Salon at Philtower: Amanda and Ashley style the new within heritage of the old

Downtown Tulsa seems poised to undergo a renaissance of sorts, a return of the relevance that characterized it in the heady days of the Oil Boom and the decades that followed. Recently downtown has seen a revitalization of the Brady Arts District and the passage of a proposal to build a world-class arena, among other exciting developments. The Philtower converted floors 12-20 to private luxury residences, creating Tulsa’s first ever mixed-use high rise.

I can’t write about Tulsa architecture without mentioning local artist, Celeste Vaught, who is on

a journey of painting Tulsa architecture in her new Series, Tulsa, Brick x Brick. Celeste has painted the entrance of the Philtower Building, included in this post. Celeste’s paintings highlight the heritage of Tulsa Architecture and can be found on her web site. 

If you’re looking for a great hair cut and style, manicured fingers and toes and a huge piece of Tulsa’s rich history, look no further than the Salon at Philbrook. Call for an appointment: 918-808-0943 or friend Amanda on Facebook.

Lori is a residential Realtor serving the greater Tulsa area, and specializing in midtown Tulsa real estate. Please visit Lori’s web site, LoriCain.com or call 918-852-5036.

Tulsa’s Florence Park Fourth Quarter Real Estate Update – Midtown Tulsa Real Estate

Florence Park is one of the nicer, yet still affordable midtown subdivisions in Tulsa, Oklahoma. Midtown Tulsa real estate is very competitive, and this subdivision definitely holds its value.

Borders are 15th Street (Cherry Street) to the north, 21st Street to the south; Harvard to the east and the Broken Arrow Expressway to the west.

Within Florence Park are some of the most beautiful bungalows – architectural wonders, sidewalks, parks and manicured lawns.

There are currently twelve homes for sale in Florence Park and four contracts pending. Between October 1st and December 31, 2009, fourteen homes sold with the average size being 1,596 square feet and average price of $174,035.

Homes sell quickly in this neighborhood, with the average days on market of those sold averaging at 86, but many selling within the first two weeks.

Tulsa’s Florence Park Fourth Quarter Real Estate Update – Midtown Tulsa Real Estate

If you are thinking of buying or selling a home in Florence Park, please call me for advice.

I own a home in the neighborhood and am active in the neighborhood association – and produce our Florence Park neighborhood newsletter!

Florence Park is truly a tight-knit neighborhood within our midtown Tulsa real estate community. We visit as we garden and manicure our lawns and as we walk our dogs. We watch each other’s homes and know when something or someone is out of place in the neighborhood.

It’s a great place to live!

Lori is a residential Realtor serving the greater Tulsa area, and specializing in midtown Tulsa real estate. Please visit Lori’s web site, LoriCain.com or call 918-852-5036.

Lori Cain’s Preferred Vendor List - the absolute “best of the best” in midtown Tulsa real estate

I blogged the other day about the Listing Sales Book that I include in my homes for sale to include a list of home improvements but I forgot to mention including my list of vendors in the book. I can advertise that there is fresh paint and refinished hardwoods, but I am equally proud of who painted those walls and who refinished those hardwoods.

Jane Halliwell, owner of Prime Painting and Restoration has been in business in Tulsa forever and has painted almost every home in midtown Tulsa. People know that her work is quality work. My hardwood floors were refinished by Gil DeLozier, and his family’s business has been around for an even longer period of time. Gil learned from his father, and now Gil’s son works with him - between the three, they probably have refinished every midtown Tulsa home’s floors.

Renowned Tulsa arborist, Greg Cole, trimmed my trees so that they will heal and grow and be a part of Tulsa’s future. I didn’t just pay some wandering handyman to trim my trees, I hired someone who knows everything about trimming trees to maintain their health and longevity.

Now, these vendors don’t have web sites to which I can link, because most of their business is word of mouth or referrals. That’s why I keep my “Preferred Vendor” list on my web site, LoriCain.com. As I work through transactions in midtown Tulsa real estate, I meet the best of the best. When I’m pleased with their work, they get added to my Preferred Vendor list.

Found several places on my Preferred Vendor list is my savior repairman, Gary Ellis. Almost all of my clients keep Gary’s number programmed in their phone, because Gary can fix ANYTHING or he knows who can.

Lori Cain’s Preferred Vendor List - the absolute “best of the best” in midtown Tulsa real estate

My clients and friends are good about checking my Preferred Vendor list before calling me for a reference. I was at the lake once checking FaceBook, and my client posted that her air conditioning had broken (yikes - it was over 100-degrees that day!). Five minutes later she posted that she found a repairman on my Preferred Vendor list and that he was on his way. An hour later she reported that AC was operational again! And, I never lifted a finger.

If you’re looking for the “best of the best,” please visit my Preferred Vendor list - it's a resource that I share. You’ll find my favorite architect, remodeler, carpenter, electrician, landscape architect, plumber -- even my favorite caterer. My list is ever evolving, so check back often. If you have a vendor you would like me to try out, let me know!

Lori is a residential Realtor serving the greater Tulsa area, and specializing in midtown Tulsa real estate. Please visit Lori’s web site, LoriCain.com or call 918-852-5036.

Tulsa Architecture - Art Deco captured in paintings, brick by brick

A Tulsa artist and blogger you must meet is Celeste Vaught. She is painting highlights of the heritage of Tulsa Architecture, and you can follow her work on her blog, Tulsa, Brick x Brick.

A short drive through downtown Tulsa will quickly explain her fascination with the art deco architecture - and Celeste is doing an amazing job of capturing the beauty of the elegant buildings for which many of us share fond memories.

Buildings she has painted thus far include:

1. Atlas Life Sign
2. Claud's Hamburgers
3. Phoenix Cleaners
4. Fairgrounds Pavilion
5. Guaranty Laundry Building (Page Moving and Storage)
6. Boulder on the Park
7. Bill White Chevrolet (4th and Elgin)
8. 320 South Boston Building
9. Philtower Entrance
10. Tulsa Monument Company Building (Benchmark Monument Company)
11. Will Rogers High School
12. The Brook
13. City Veterinary Hospital
14. Warehouse Market Building

Tulsa Architecture - Art Deco captured in paintings, brick by brick

Celeste came up with an idea to further enhance the interest of the "Tulsa Brick x Brick" series by inviting others to share their memories and experiences involving Tulsa places. If you're fond of a particular building or place in Tulsa, have a story to share or just want to say what the building/place means to you and why you like it, drop by Celeste’s blog and write a note.

My favorite painting by far is the one of the Atlas Life Building, which is where I worked in the early 1980s after college graduation. I am trying to decide if I should share the story of sneaking to the building’s rooftop where my boyfriend and I would spend romantic moments while viewing the downtown lights. It was a special and magical place.

New pieces from Celeste Vaught's "Tulsa Brick x Brick" series are on display at Pearl Gallery at 1201 East 3rd Street, Tulsa, Oklahoma and can be seen Tuesday through Friday 11-5, Thursdays til 7 and other times by appointment.

For those of you who love Tulsa architecture and our historical buildings in downtown and midtown Tulsa, do visit Celeste’s blog to see her awesome paintings. Oh, and I’ve included her painting of the Brook on Peoria Avenue - aren’t the colors brilliant?

Lori is a residential Realtor serving the greater Tulsa area, and specializing in midtown Tulsa real estate. Please visit Lori’s web site, LoriCain.com or call 918-852-5036.

I did something out of the ordinary yesterday and showed my Buyers a home in another county forty miles from my home. They are a lovely couple with two darling children - the kind of Buyers who make you want to go a little extra out of your way for them.

Unlike Tulsa County, Okmulgee county does not use electronic keyboxes. So I had to go by the Listing Realtor’s office to pick up the key for the house my Buyers wanted to see. Office gals (very helpful) could not locate the key.

Evidently Roy showed the house and brought the key back to the office, but Kelly showed the property after that. So the helpful gals in the office tracked down Kelly to learn that she had run into Roy at the grocery store and returned the key to him there. Helpful gals located Roy and he would bring the key to the office as soon as possible.

Do you see that I’m already out of my comfort zone somewhat?

The Listing Realtor did not have the Seller’s disclosure uploaded on MLS, so I asked for a copy. I sat down to review the disclosure and yelled, “Holy Cow! This roof is 94 years old??!!”

The Listing Realtor explained to me that while the roof appeared to be a stylish clay tile, it was actually metal and was original to the house. He then went on to tell me more about the history of the home and the updates made through the years.

My Buyers (and I) fell in love with the house and made an offer. During my 45-minute drive back to Tulsa, I felt all snuggly and content about this lovely family living in this charming home and thought about the memories they would build there. But I still couldn't get over the age of the roof.

Then it hit me. The home was built in 1930. How could the roof possibly be 94 years old?

Fuzzy math in Okmulgee County or more to the story? It looks like we are going to have some interesting inspections on this home.

And how many times do we wonder as Realtors, “if only this home could talk.”

Lori Cain is a residential Realtor with Chinowth & Cohen Realtors serving the greater Tulsa Oklahoma area, including midtown Tulsa, Owasso, Broken Arrow, Bixby, Sand Springs and Jenks. Please visit Lori’s web site, LoriCain.com or call 918-852-5036.

These photos were taken this morning from my Mom's home in Pawhuska, Oklahoma - the heart and capitol of Osage County. These six deer were slightly beyond Mom's front yard. I took the photos from inside her home through her kitchen window - had I opened the front door, I would have scared the doe off.

I'm not a great photographer, and I'm experimenting with a new camera - however, when your subjects are so beautiful, it's hard to screw up.

Enjoy.

Lori Cain is a residential Realtor with Chinowth & Cohen Realtors serving the greater Tulsa Oklahoma area, including midtown Tulsa, Owasso, Broken Arrow, Bixby, Sand Springs and Jenks. Please visit Lori’s web site, LoriCain.com or call 918-852-5036.