Ogden made the list of the top 20 cities to start a business in America!

Hello Friends,

Our hometown of Ogden made 

Business is booming in Ogden — so much so that CNBC just named the city one of the top 20 metro areas to start a business in America. 

Ogden came in at No. 7, with Provo as No. 2 and Salt Lake City as No. 18. The top spot? Austin, Texas. 

CNBC made its list by using the U.S. Census Bureau’s list of 389 metropolitan statistical areas and pinpointing 107 areas that had a population of 500,000 or more,according to a CNBC report on the project. Then, it used private and government data to look at the key criteria business owners should evaluate before choosing a location. After the data was collected, each criteria was weighted with results of a survey of U.S.-based individuals. 

According to the report, each metropolitan area was assigned points depending on where it ranked within five categories — environment for success, cost of doing business, quality of life, labor force and diversity. There were a total of 1,500 points possible, and Ogden received 852.

“Ogden combines the best of a city and a mountain town,” CNBC says. “The area has access to numerous outdoor activities, including hiking, skiing and biking, and has attracted outdoor recreational companies such as Rossignol, Goode Ski and Amer Sports.”

Chuck Leonhardt, president and CEO of the Ogden Weber Chamber of Commerce, said Ogden provides the ideal location for businesses.

“We have the right economy, workforce, business environment and the right family environment,” he said. “People can work here, live here and play here.”

The infrastructure for support for businesses in the Ogden area is immense, Leonhardt said, especially with Weber State University and the Ogden-Weber Tech College, which both support business efforts.  

“Honestly, there’s a sense of community that I really haven’t captured anywhere else. … There’s something about Ogden that’s like, we're all in this together and we’re all willing to help,” Kylee Hallows, 25, said. Hallows co-owns Lavender Vinyl, a new indie record shop in Ogden, with her friend Blake Lundell. 

Leonhardt said the connections businesses make in Ogden are second to none. 

“It’s very well connected,” he said. “That connection...makes for a really dynamic place to set up a business.”

Ogden also has a lot of supply chain uses, Leonhardt said. 

“It’s also the right location as far as distribution points to get products and services in and out,” he said. “We have a really neat pathway here in this part of the United States.”

According to CNBC’s research on Ogden, the median age of the city’s 84,483 residents is 30. 

“I feel like Ogden is really on the brink of kind of an explosion of a younger generation of people that really take pride in the town and want to see it get better and grow better, and it's really become a really cool place to live,” Hallows said. 

Leonhardt said that not only is Ogden attracting new businesses, but the established ones are also growing. 

“The companies that exist here are thriving,” he said.

Thanks so much,

ERA Skyline Real Estate

Banana Blondie

Hello Friends,

With it being Friday, we thought that everyone could use a weekend treat recipe! Hope everyone has a fabulous Friday!

INGREDIENTS:

·         ½ cup butter, melted and if desired browned

·         1 cup light brown sugar

·         1 egg

·         1½ tsp vanilla

·         ¼ tsp salt

·         1 cup flour

·         ½ cup mashed banana (1 medium banana)

Brown Sugar Frosting

·         ¼ cup butter

·         ½ cup light brown sugar

·         2 Tbsp milk

·         1 cup powdered sugar

INSTRUCTIONS:

1.      Preheat oven to 350°. Line an 8x8 baking dish with foil and spray with cooking spray. Set aside

2.      In bowl of stand mixer combine melted (or browned) butter and sugar. Mix until combined. Add in egg and vanilla and continue mixing until incorporated. Stir in salt, flour and banana until batter is smooth and even. Spread in prepared pan.

3.      Bake for 25-30 minutes until center is set.

4.      Transfer pan to wire rack to cool.

5.      Frost the blondies when they are mostly cooled.

Brown Sugar Frosting

1.      In a medium saucepan melt butter. Add brown sugar and milk and stir until mixture comes to just a boil. Remove from heat, allow to cool for 5 minutes.

2.      Stir in powdered sugar with a whisk.

3.      Spread on top of blondies and allow frosting to set and blondies to cool completely before cutting into squares.

NOTES

If you choose to brown the butter, melt butter in saucepan and continue cooking, once it's melted by swirling the butter in the pan until butter reaches a deep golden brown color. 

What is your favorite weekend treat to make for your family?
Thanks so much,

ERA Skyline Real Estate

Try these 5 Ingredient Enchiladas!

Hello Friends,

The simpler a recipe is, the better! We love enchiladas, but sometimes the prep work that goes into them can be so time consuming. These enchiladas could not be any easier – quick, minimal prep work, and the whole family loved them! When you need a fast weeknight meal, whip these up and dinner will be done!

Ingredients

·         1 (19-20 oz) can enchilada sauce

·         8 packaged flour tortillas

·         4 cups cooked chicken, shredded (I just bought a rotisserie chicken and shredded it)

·         1 red bell pepper, thinly sliced

·         1 6-ounce bag shredded Mexican blend cheese

Instructions

1.      Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.

2.      Pour 1/4 of the enchilada sauce in the bottom of of a 9x13" pan.

3.      Divide the chicken and the red bell peppers evenly between the 8 tortillas (about 1/2 cup of chicken per tortilla). Add 1-2 tablespoons of cheese to each tortilla, pour about 1 tablespoon of enchilada sauce in each tortilla, then roll up and place in the pan (making sure that the seam of each tortilla is face-down in the pan so that they don't come unrolled).

4.      Pour the remaining enchilada sauce on top of the rolled tortillas and top with the remaining cheese.

5.      Bake for 15-20 minutes or until the cheese starts to bubble. Let sit for a couple of minutes before serving.


Let us know what your favortie quick and easy recipes are! We would love to hear from you!

Thanks so much,

ERA Skyline Real Estate

Simple steps to have a clean house in no time!

Hello Friends,

Want a clean house, but don’t want to spend all day cleaning follow these easy tips to save you time and effort!

1. Fill your dishwasher with everything but dishes.
Plastic toys, soap dishes, plastic hairbrushes, and more can get clean in dishwasher — zero effort required. Take a lap around your house and gather the stuff you rarely (err, never?) clean and run an everything-but-plates load.

2. Sprinkle and suck up.
Toss a bit of baking soda onto carpeting, upholstered furniture, and even your mattress, and let the stuff work its de-stinking magic for 15 minutes. Then, vacuum it away for an instantly fresher space.

3. Walk around with a lint roller.
This portable, versatile closet staple is a master at lifting dirt, crumbs, and dust from all of those spots you've let languish. Run it over a lampshade, the bottom of your purse, stuffed animals, and other hard-to-reach spots to spiff them up.

4. Pick up pet hair quickly.
A pair of damp rubber dish gloves is all you need to finally get Fido's fur off your favorite pillow or armchair.

5. Banish dust from baseboards.
You can tackle dingy spots without stooping. Lightly spray an old sock with some cleaning solution and run your foot over the baseboards to whisk debris away in a flash.

6. Give your gadgets some attention.
Your cell phone probably harbors more germs than your toilet seat (um, ick), and you probably never clean it. Run an alcohol wipe over the surface of your often-handled electronics (that includes your TV remote).

7. Wipe down your purse.
It's kind of remarkable how some things we touch daily are the ones we rarely clean — your purse is another one of those spots. About half all women's bags have fecal bacteria on them, so give it a swipe with a disinfectant wipe.

8. Freshen your garbage disposal.
Got kitchen stink you just can't kick? Try running a couple of lemon rinds through your garbage disposal, and follow with cold water to dispel the smell.

9. Clear dust from ceiling fans.
Before the first hot day makes you flip your fan's switch, make sure it won't fling dust all over the room. An old pillow case makes quick and tidy work of making your fan blades sparkle again.

10. For goodness sake, just toss that pile of catalogs.
There are certain things you just don't need to think about before you get rid of them. Recycle that stack cluttering your nightstand, no questions asked, and feel the lightness of free space in seconds.

TELL US: How do you make cleaning speedier?

Thanks so much,

ERA Skyline Real Estate

Thank you for supporting our MDA Carnival Fundraiser!

Hello Friends,

Our MDA Fundraising Carnival was a huge success! Big shout out to everyone who volunteered or supported our MDA Carnival Fundraiser! We were able to raise, just over $5,000 to send kids with Muscular Dystrophy to Summer camp.

Thank so much for being apart of such a great cause!

ERA Skyline Real Estate

Our MDA Fundraising Carnival is tomorrow!

Hello Friends,

Our event is finally here! Come enjoy our MDA Fundraising Carnival and help us send kids with Muscular Dsytrophy to Summer Camp! Tomorrow August 13th, between 10 AM - 2 PM



Hope to see you all there! It will be a blast and it is for a great cause! Plus we have great snacks and prizes we are giving away for our raffle and silent auction! You won't want to miss out on!

Thanks so much, hope you make it a great day!

ERA Skyline Real Estate

How to wake up to a clean house every morning!

Hello Friends,

Ever feel like cleaning your house is a never ending battle? Well follow these ten easy tips in order to wake up to a clean house every morning and stay more organized, so that cleaning becomes a breeze!

1.    They tidy up the living room.

It's simple: What you leave at night is what you'll wake up to the next morning. That's why Jeffrey Phillip, Good Housekeeping's organizing expert, prioritizes his living room: "I reset the throw pillows and blanket on the couch, so when I come downstairs in the morning, I'm greeted by a clean, calm and fuss-free space that starts my day off right."

2.    They clear off frequently-used surfaces.

According to pro organizer Matt Baier, a clear work surface is the most important organizing tool, because it allows you to spread out, prioritize and add process to your day. "I don't go to bed without clearing my desk, dining table, and kitchen counter, that way I can always hit the ground running in the morning."

3.    They wrap up existing chores.

Like emptying the sink or taking out over-flowing, smelly trash bags. "I try to avoid waking up and seeing chores waiting to be done," says Phillip. "If I can clean up the kitchen before bed, then it's ready to go and waiting for me when I'm up in the morning."

4.    They pack for the day ahead.   

The morning rush is inevitable, which is why Rachel Rosenthal, a professional organizer at Rachel and Company, always tries to think ahead: "Whether it's gym clothing, a work bag or the kid's permission slip and lunch, I always take five minutes to do it the night before." Your mornings probably won't veer into "relaxing" territory, but they'll hopefully have fewer hiccups.

5.    They make sure nothing's on the floor.

"The last thing you want to do is to accidentally trip over something at night when you go to the kitchen for a glass of water," says Rashelle Isip, founder of The Order Expert. That's why she always makes sure her home's walkways are clear before turning off the lights, including pushing in chairs and putting shoes on the rack.

6.    They put clean clothes away.

Instead of leaving them piled up on your reading chair. Or if you're too exhausted (been there), Jeni Aron, founder of Clutter Cowgirl, says even hanging garments on a hook to let them air out helps. "I love my clothes and I try to treat them as the work horses they are," she says. "Putting them away offers a clean slate for a restful night's sleep."

7.    They toss dirty garments in the hamper.

Amelia Meena, organizer and founder of Appleshine, knows it's tempting to strip down and hop into bed, leaving clothes on the floor — but she doesn't let herself succumb to this shortcut. "Instead, I toss them in the hamper," she says. "It's a small step towards staving off clutter and making laundry day a bit easier."

8.    They lay out tomorrow's outfit.

"Whether it's for work or a workout, it's helpful to pull the outfit the night before," says Meena. And she adds that it's just one less think you'll have to think about the next morning, when you feel like you have nothing to wear.

9.    They make tomorrow's to-do list.

If dozing off to sleep is often clouded by stress, try Rosenthal's trick: "I like to write down five to seven important tasks that I want to accomplish the next day," she says. She also makes sure she can accomplish each item and creates "mini tasks" for larger projects to keep each chore actionable.

10.  They distance themselves from technology.

There are plenty of reasons to make your bedroom technology-free, including just how distracting it is when devices light up and chirp in the middle of the night (which can sometimes lead to you waking up and possibly making a mess!). That's why Isip takes the time to turn items off before going to bed: "I switch off my computer and plug my cell phone to charge in another room or area of the house."

 Share with us some of your favorite organizing and cleaning tips! We would love to hear from you!

Thanks so much,

ERA Skyline Real Estate

How to pick the right flooring to sell your home!

The right flooring can not only help you snag potential buyers, it can also boost your home's value.

So you’ve finally decided to pull up the old carpet in the family room and replace it with a wood floor. But what kind of wood floor? Hardwood is naturally beautiful, but it’s expensive. Engineered wood, made up of multiple plywood layers with a top layer of hardwood veneer, is quick to install. And synthetic laminate can mimic the look of many different wood species for a fraction of the price. When deciding which one to choose, consider not just the cost but also the return on your investment. Here’s some help with the decision.

Hardwood Flooring

There’s nothing like a beautiful wood floor to bring a “wow” factor to your home. But those good looks come at a cost. Expect to pay between $9 and $12 per square foot installed, compared with $3 to $5 a square foot for carpet. For a 250-square-foot living room, installation of new hardwood could run more than $2,000.

But while the up-front cost may be higher, hardwood flooring can have a great resale value. A study of homebuyer preferences by USA Today using data from the National Association of Realtors found that 54% of home buyers were willing to pay more for a home with hardwood flooring. Wood is easy to clean and maintain, and unlike engineered products it can be sanded and refinished multiple times, which means it retains its value for the long haul. A majority of real estate agents surveyed by the National Wood Flooring Association said houses with hardwood flooring are easier to sell, sell for more money, and sell faster.

Laminate Flooring

There is not much difference in cost and ROI between solid hardwood flooring and engineered hardwood, but the same isn’t true of laminate flooring. On the plus side, laminate is easy to clean, scratch-resistant, and can be installed in places where natural wood can’t go. And though it doesn’t last as long as hardwood, it costs 50% less on average to buy and install. Expect to pay about $5 to $8 a square foot for laminate flooring. Laying laminate floors is a relatively easy project, so you can save even more if you opt to DIY. (Note: Before you begin any floor project in your home, contact a local flooring expert to help you decide which flooring option is best for your particular application.)

But there’s no getting around the fact that laminate, while it may do a great job imitating wood, has few of the qualities of the real thing. In high-traffic areas it can show wear and tear, and laminate can’t be sanded or refinished for an updated appearance. Because of its lower price point, laminate also won’t do much for your home’s resale value.

The Bottom Line

So which type of flooring is better for you? To get the most bang for your buck, stick with hardwood. Potential buyers will find it more desirable—and you get to enjoy its natural beauty for as long as you own your home.

Tell us which flooring option you would pick for your home!

 Thanks so much,

ERA Skyline Real Estate

BBQ Cilantro Chicken Pizza Recipe!

Hello Friends,

If you are anything like us, we are constantly looking for new fresh ideas for dinner! Try this delicious BBQ Cilantro Chicken Pizza and let us know what you think!

Ingredients

§  Prepared pizza dough (uncooked)

Sauce:

§  1 Tbsp. minced garlic

§  1 small can tomato paste

§  1 medium can tomato sauce

§  1 tomato, finely chopped

§  2 tsp. basil

§  2 tsp. oregano

§  salt and pepper, to taste

§  2 Tbsp fresh chopped cilantro

§  1 cup BBQ sauce (whatever your favorite kind is)

Toppings:

§  about a handful of fresh chopped cilantro

§  2 to 3 cups of mixed cheddar and mozzarella cheese

§  2 chicken breasts grilled in BBQ Sauce, then sliced

§  1 can pineapple tidbits - drained

Instructions

§  For the Sauce: Brown garlic in a little olive oil in the bottom of a sauce pan. Add everything else, except the BBQ sauce, and simmer for 20 minutes. Then remove from heat and stir in the BBQ sauce.

§  Roll your pizza dough onto a pizza pan or pizza stone. Spread the sauce evenly over the pizza dough. Then top with cheese and pineapple. Bake in the oven at 400 degrees for 18 min. After cooking, top with grilled chicken slices and fresh chopped cilantro.

Please share your favorite recipes with us, we would love to hear from you!

Thanks so much,

ERA Skyline Real Estate